SWC Denounces BBC Reporter Who Stated “Israeli Forces are happy to kill children”

July 5, 2023

The Simon Wiesenthal Center  is calling out BBC News presenter Anjana Gadgil who, during an interview with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, accused the Israeli military of being “happy to kill children” as it conducted anti-terrorism operations in Jenin.

 

“The UN has defined them as children and we know that four people between the ages of 16 and 18 have been killed in this targeted attack—let’s not forget this is a targeted attack,” Gadgil stated, alleging that “the Israeli forces are going in looking for these people.”

 

“BBC again vying for SWC Top 10 anti-Semitism list. Latest despicable exhibition of demonization of Jewish state by a so-called journalist,” stated Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action.

 

“In the UK and the US, 16-year-olds can be tried as adults in cases of serious felonies. In Jenin, Israel is confronted with a barrage of deadly terrorist attacks targeting civilians. Here’s a suggestion to the BBC: how about an investigative report on how PA, Hamas, Islamic Jihad mass brainwash children to glorify terrorist mass murders, with UNRWA’s supposed commitment to tolerance education, a sick joke. Who trains and arms these young people to wreak death and mayhem? Who posts scores of videos to incite and train young people to shoot, stab, and ram their Jewish neighbors? When the BBC has dealt with such issues, internally and on their broadcasts, they can retain the mantel of journalism. Until then the Jewish state can expect more such slanders that impact the lives of Jewish people the world over.”

 

Numerous anti-Semitic incidents led the Simon Wiesenthal Center to place BBC at its Number 3 spot on the 2021 Top Ten Global Anti-Semitic list, just behind Iran and Hamas. These included BBC reporter Tala Halawa’s tweets of, “Hitler was right” and “Zionists can’t get enough of our blood” to the false reporting by BBC when a group of Muslims attacked a bus filled with Jews in the center of London. 

 

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Shawn Rodgers at srodgers@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

 

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization numbering over 400.000 members. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).