Palestinian journalist slams BBC 'capitulation to pro-Israel groups' after dismissal

Former BBC journalist Tala Halawa has slammed the corporation for what she said was its capitulation to pro-Israeli groups, accusing the channel of taking part in her character assassination weeks after her dismissal.

In a statement she posted on her social media - which she wrote both in English and Arabic - Halawa broke her silence by criticising the BBC’s partaking in a "trend of bad-faith intimidation of reporters," adding that this suited institutional pro-Israel bias.

My statement on my dismissal from the BBC. pic.twitter.com/gWR6tNMfxO

— Tala Halawa (@HalawaTala) July 14, 2021

"It saddens me that the BBC, instead of seeking avenues for apology, reconciliation, and dialogue, unfortunately opted for trial with social media," her post read.

Halawa was let go last month over an anti-Semitic tweet she posted during Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in 2014, three years before joining the BBC.

She apologised for that tweet, acknowledging it was offensive and saying she was angry when she wrote those words.

"I was a young Palestinian woman tweeting in the heat of the moment as I witnessed horrific, undeserved deaths met with international media silence."

Halawa, who worked at the BBC for four years, said the attacks against her were to do with both her being a Palestinian and a woman of colour.

"I recently published a video report for the corporation about celebrities being criticised, trolled and cancelled for supporting Palestinian self-determination. But I am not alone," she wrote.

"This pro-Israel censorship campaign is industrial in scale and international in its reach."

The journalist ended her post by saying she would continue to remain impartial, professional, and fight for honest and brave journalism, just as she did at the organisation.

The New Arab reached out to the BBC for comment but did not receive a response by time of print.

Many A-list celebrities expressed solidarity with Palestinians and shared activists’ posts to highlight Israeli military assault on Gaza in May, which left hundreds killed and thousands wounded.

It was the first time such a large number of big names in Hollywood and around the world began shedding light on the Palestinian cause.

However, many of them later toned down their support and even began deleting posts after drawing ire from pro-Israel groups.