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BBC Arabic Service: Antisemitism

Asked by Damien EganLabourForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 20 November 2025UIN 91669

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the BBC on journalists working for BBC Arabic who have made antisemitic and pro-Hamas comments.

Answered by Chris Elmore

It is crucial that the BBC upholds the highest standards of reporting and impartiality, so it remains the most trusted news source in the UK and overseas. The BBC has rightly acknowledged where coverage, standards and enforcement of those standards has fallen short. We welcome the actions taken by the BBC to strengthen editorial quality and standards for the BBC Arabic Service, as set out in the BBC Chair's letter to the Media, Culture and Sport Committee of 10 November, and we will continue to demand both rapid implementation and rigorous monitoring of those changes.

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