New BBC Arabic News Head Described Israelis as 'Settlers'
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
A British investigation revealed that Maisoon Nasser, the new head of BBC's Arabic news, previously described Israelis injured by rockets as "settlers" and Beersheba as "occupied." The Telegraph uncovered these remarks from 2012, raising concerns about the BBC's Arabic news objectivity. This follows recent controversies, including an apology for a guest praising the October 7 attack and criticism over reporting on the Gaza hospital explosion and a documentary featuring a Hamas official's son.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- BBC Arabic news head Maisoon Nasser previously called Israelis injured by rockets 'settlers'.
- Nasser also described Beersheba as an 'occupied' city in past social media posts.
- The revelations come amid ongoing scrutiny of the BBC's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.
- The BBC recently apologized for a guest who praised the October 7 Hamas attack.
- The corporation has faced multiple criticisms regarding its reporting on the conflict.
A British investigation has revealed that Maisoon Nasser, who recently assumed a senior role at the BBC's Arabic news department, made controversial statements in the past. Nasser, appointed last month as head of Arabic news, had previously referred to Israelis injured by rocket fire as "settlers" and described Beersheba as an "occupied" city. These remarks, uncovered by The Telegraph from Nasser's old social media posts, date back to November 2012 when she worked for France 24.
During Operation "Pillar of Defense" in 2012, Nasser reportedly called Beersheba the "occupied city of Beersheba." The following day, she described Israelis injured by rockets as "settlers." In another post from November 21, 2012, she referred to rocket fire from Lebanon targeting "Israeli settlements" and later reported on a rocket falling in Metula, which she called a community within "the occupied territories."
The revelations raise questions about the objectivity of the BBC's Arabic news service, which has faced prior accusations of anti-Israel bias. The report comes weeks after the BBC apologized for a guest on a TV program who had posted anti-Jewish and anti-Israel remarks, including praise for the October 7 Hamas attack. This guest, Bushra Sheikh, had called settlers "lying scum" and "the biggest charlatans on earth," and suggested that Palestinians achieved more in five minutes than Zelensky did with $75 billion.
Further controversy involved a documentary titled "Gaza: How to Survive in a War Zone," where the narrator was the son of a Hamas official, leading the BBC to admit "serious failures" in its production. The BBC also apologized in November 2023 for mistakenly reporting that Israeli forces attacked medical personnel near Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital. Additionally, the BBC faced criticism for its initial report on a Gaza hospital explosion, which suggested Israeli responsibility before evidence from the IDF indicated a failed Islamic Jihad rocket launch.
In a separate incident last week, the BBC agreed to pay £400,000 in compensation to a Jewish documentary filmmaker who claimed to have suffered antisemitic harassment from colleagues and left the corporation after the October 7 attacks. Nasser's controversial statements were made over a decade before her current senior appointment.
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