BBC Arabic is not biased

Your report about BBC Arabic (Shame of BBC Arabic as systematic bias revealed, 5 February) is long on innuendo and short on facts and it makes some serious allegations based solely on anonymous quotes.

You even criticise us because of comments made by a contributor on a different broadcaster 14 years ago.

Let me put the record straight.

You write that the “BBC was forced to acknowledge 25 mistakes in its Arabic coverage of Israel in just over two years”.

We are not “forced” to acknowledge mistakes. We do so willingly and publicly if we are wrong.

That’s because we recognise, as your article does not, that accountability is not evidence of bias but rather the sign of a responsible news organisation committed to the highest standards.

Nor do you point out the scale of BBC Arabic’s reporting - it broadcasts 24 hours of coverage every day of the year.

Your accusations that it gives an overly negative view of Israel are not supported by the evidence.

More dispassionate observers than your contributors would recognise that our coverage is impartial and without agenda.

For example, in the last few weeks, we reported on international calls for Israel to give coronavirus vaccines to Palestinians — and when Israel did so. Contrary to your report, we have reported fully on the normalization of relations between Israel and other countries such as Sudan and Kosovo.

BBC Arabic’s team of experienced editors and journalists come from across the Middle East and around the world, and are subject to the same strict editorial guidelines that shape all BBC output. We judge our teams on the output they produce, not where they come from or where they have worked before.

I am proud to say BBC Arabic is valued by its 42 million-strong audience on all sides of the conflicts in the Middle East – including in Israel.

Jamie Angus

Director, BBC World Service Group