UK govt seeks guarantees BBC did not pay Hamas for documentary

UK culture minister Lisa Nandy Thursday said she had demanded "cast-iron" guarantees that the BBC did not pay Hamas for a documentary on Gaza that has sparked controversy for the British broadcaster.

The BBC removed its documentary, "Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone", from its platform after it was revealed that the child narrator is the son of Hamas's former deputy minister of agriculture.

Nandy told parliament she has sought "cast-iron assurances" that Hamas did not receive any money for the programme after the opposition Conservative party brought an urgent question and called for a public inquiry.

"I also held discussions with the BBC director general earlier this week, at my request, in order to seek urgent answers about the checks and due diligence that should have been carried out ahead of the screening of a recent documentary into Gaza," she added.

"I expect to be kept informed about the findings of the internal BBC investigation."

Nandy said the documentary "was commissioned by an external organisation", but that "in no way absolves the BBC from responsibility of doing due diligence on a programme that they air".

Revelations that the narrator was the son of a former senior Hamas figure sparked a backlash and led to protests outside the BBC's London headquarters.

The Telegraph also reported Tuesday that the Arabic words for Jew or Jews were changed to Israel or Israeli forces or removed from the documentary.

But the decision to remove the documentary from its catch-up service also led to criticism, with more than 500 TV and film workers including former England footballer Gary Lineker sending an open letter calling the move "politically-motivated censorship".

"This film is an essential piece of journalism, offering an all-too-rare perspective on the lived experiences of Palestinian children living in unimaginable circumstances, which amplifies voices so often silenced," said the letter.

In response, a spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: "The BBC's bias and lack of accountability have led it to a new low, where it is a mouthpiece for terrorists and their supporters."

The documentary, made by production company Hoyo Films, was initially broadcast on February 17.

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