Calls for BBC to apologise for ‘offensive’ Shoah article
Jewish and Muslim community organisations criticise the broadcaster for a 'gratuitous line' in an article
Calls have been made for the BBC to apologise for claiming the Holocaust is a “sensitive topic for many Muslims”.
The Board of Deputies and Muslim anti-racism charity Tell MAMA UK criticised the broadcaster for the “gratuitous line – offensive to both Muslims and Jews”, which has now been removed, from an article posted on Wednesday.
The remark appeared in an article about islamaphobic abuse being directed at girls during a Holocaust education trip in Poland. It read: “The Holocaust is a sensitive topic for many Muslims because Jewish survivors settled in British-mandate Palestine, on land which later became the State of Israel”.
Responding to the article, Marie van der Zyl, Vice-President of the Board and Tell MAMA founder Fiyaz Mughal, said: “In a story about Muslim schoolgirls suffering racism as they learn about the Holocaust, why have the BBC included the gratuitous line – offensive to both Muslims and Jews – that ‘the Holocaust is a sensitive topic for many Muslims’? Together, we call on the BBC to delete the offending passage and apologise.”
The article claims that Muslim girls from a school in Berlin were abused and spat at during a visit to the Polish town of Lublin, where they were learning about the Holocaust.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
