BBC journalist Anjana Gadgil closed down her Twitter account on Wednesday following the backlash from her evil comment to former prime minister Naftali Bennett that “Israeli forces are happy to kill children.” The BBC issued a rather unapologetic apology on Wednesday, saying that while it had reported the events in “an impartial and robust way,” the UN “raised the issue of the impact of the operation in Jenin on children and young people.” “While this was a legitimate subject to examine in the interview, we apologize that the language used in this line of questioning was not phrased well and was inappropriate,” the BBC stated. The chairman of the European Jewish Association, Rav Menachem Margolin, wrote a scathing letter to BBC following the publication of the interview, accusing it of making accusations reminiscent of a blood libel. “It is often noted that any reporter or journalist who makes an assertion about the Israel-Palestine conflict tends to hide behind a sofa immediately after making it due to the sensitivities involved and the risk of provoking the ire of one side, or sometimes both,” Rav Margolin wrote. “This is the nature and risks that come with rigorous and thorough journalism. But one, viewer and panelists included, expects a trade-off: The semblance of balance or assertions that can be held up to scrutiny, agreed with, or rebutted in the cut and thrust of an interview. Sir, an assertion such as ‘the Israeli forces are happy to kill children’ cannot possibly meet the standards of journalistic probity that the BBC is world-renowned for. This blatant untruth, heavily loaded with emotion, and sinisterly reminiscent of the blood libel that has plagued Jewish communities over millennia, was broadcast to a potential audience of millions and articulated by BBC News anchor Anjana Gadjil in an interview with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.” “Happy to kill children? What a disgusting accusation to make about a country whose armed forces go to enormous lengths to avoid civilian casualties. These children? They are 17 and 18-year-old armed terrorists out to kill Israeli soldiers and civilians! Sir, this cannot stand. Such a blatant lie is not befitting of journalism, much less the code of conduct of the BBC. We urge you to reprimand Anjana Gadjil and retract the assertion as soon as possible.” Meantime, I see Anjana Gadgil, the #BBC interviewer who made that vile claim to @naftalibennett, has deleted her account. That’s rather cowardly of her. She ought to have had the decency to apologize herself as well. https://t.co/4dlBj0xQFw pic.twitter.com/6Qi2eKBa7S — Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) July 6, 2023 A so-called news anchor from BBC said Israel is “happy to kill children.” Here’s a modern journalist telling a medieval lie. The blood libel has a long and ugly history of inciting violent antisemitism. It’s a lie so dangerous that it should never be repeated, especially… — Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) July 5, 2023 (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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