The BBC is accused of failing to “hold Jeremy Bowen to account” after a video clip showed the veteran Middle East correspondent telling an audience: “It is clear what is happening is a genocide.”
The broadcaster’s International Editor made the remarks in a personal capacity while speaking to an audience at a theatre in Glasgow last month.
Claims of genocide against Israel have been widely disputed.
Critics says Bowen’s remarks may be a breach of BBC editorial guidelines warning against expressing personal opinions in public on controversial matters.
An email seen by the JC appears to show BBC management accepting Bowen’s explanation without further investigation.
In an edited clip that was uploaded online by a pro-Palestine group, Bowen seems to respond to a question from a member of the public over BBC coverage of Gaza when he says: “For me it is clear that what is happening is a genocide.”
He adds: “I have reported all these things. What I haven't done is get on my soapbox and say, ‘I know it's a genocide because I am the court of law on this.’”
A former attorney general has called for a full investigation into Bowen’s remarks, while a Jewish member of BBC staff has claimed the veteran reporter is “feared and untouchable”, and “getting away it”.
The row comes the week after Oscar-winning filmmaker Lucie Kon revealed she had received £400,000 from the BBC after she alleged she had been subjected to antisemitic harassment.
Claims of genocide in the conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza have been made against Israel by some academics and international bodies but have been strongly disputed.
Speaking at the United Nations in September, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the allegation as “the biggest lie of the century”.
The emergence of the clip of Bowen online after it was posted several weeks ago by a pro-Palestine group, Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee (GGEC) has raised concern that he may be breaching BBC editorial guidelines.
These warn that “audiences should not be able to tell from BBC output – or anywhere else – the personal opinions of its journalists” on matters of “controversy” and caution against expressing “personal views on such matters publicly”.
It is possible that the meaning of Bowen’s words may be affected by the full context of the complete unedited video which is so far unavailable.
In response to concerns by some members of staff at the BBC, an internal group was sent a message from Director of News Content Richard Burgess detailing how he has dealt with the matter.
Acknowledging: “We’ve had a number of contacts regarding this clip,” he went on to write: “I should be clear that I have not seen an unedited version of the video, but I have spoken to Jeremy at length.
“He explained that the clip circulated on social media was taken from an extended segment where he talked in-depth for many minutes about the accusations of genocide, giving a great deal of context outside what’s seen in that short, edited section.
“Jeremy has told me that, throughout his remarks, he set out that the allegation of genocide is a contest issue which Israel denies and awaits legal determination.”
Burgess added: “He says he explained that whatever the evidence already circulating about genocide, we at the BBC cannot be judge and jury,” also saying: “We are clear with all BBC News journalists that they are required to comply with the BBC’s editorial standards when speaking at external events.”
The news executive signed off: “I hope that provides some clarification.”
Bowen has faced previous accusations of bias against Israel in his coverage of the Middle East for the BBC.
Late in October 2023, he claimed that Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza had been “flattened” by a missile. Weeks later he admitted the report was wrong but he did not “regret one thing” about this reporting.
Last year the Board of Deputies wrote to the BBC to complain over Bowen’s statement that there was “clear evidence of “war crimes”. The complaint was rejected, with the BBC standing by what they called Bowen’s “professional judgement”.
Also last year, a leaked memo by the BBC former independent adviser Michael Prescott said Bowen was one of a number of reporters who wrongly reported the International Court of Justice had ruled that there was a “plausible case of genocide” in Gaza.
A Jewish member of BBC staff voiced concern that the investigation into Bowen’s latest remarks is inadequate.
The employee said: “Jeremy Bowen’s bosses are scared to even ask him directly if he said what it looks like he said - they’re too worried about the blowback they’d get from the anti-Israel mob to hold him to account and they know it would open the floodgates to further unwanted scrutiny.
“So once again he gets away with it, just like when he spread a blood libel over Al Ahli hospital and then was invited onto the news channel to gaslight us all and tell us he didn’t care he got it wrong.
“He’s revered, feared and untouchable, while Jewish staff don’t dare say a word out of place, lest they be rounded upon and forced out like Lucie Kon was.”
Former Attorney General Sir Michael Ellis KC said: “There have been multiple complaints against the BBC over its coverage of Israel. This video clip will be another cause for real concern in the Jewish community and there should be a full investigation into it.”
The BBC said: “We take impartiality very seriously and looked carefully into the concerns raised about this clip.
“This video has obviously been heavily edited and does not give the full context of Jeremy’s lengthy remarks at this event. However, he is clear he set out that the accusation of genocide is a contested issue which Israel denies and which awaits legal decision making.”
“We are clear with all journalists that they must comply with the BBC’s editorial standards at any external speaking event.”
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