The BBC has launched an investigation after HonestReporting helped bring to public attention numerous antisemitic tweets from one of its journalists, including a post which stated that “Hitler was right.”
The tweet, originally found by the GnasherJew Twitter account, which works to investigate and expose antisemites from across the spectrum, was shared by HonestReporting and followed up with an article detailing some of the many instances of clear antisemitic content uploaded by journalist Tala Halawa. HonestReporting’s tweet provoked an avalanche of angry and shocked comments directed at the BBC.
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Responding to the backlash, a spokesman for the BBC was cited by numerous media sources as saying, “These tweets predate the individual’s employment with the BBC but we are nevertheless taking this very seriously and are investigating.”
HonestReporting’s expose caught the BBC at a particularly sensitive time. Its reputation has already suffered greatly over the last week, with news emerging that a journalist had faked documents in order to obtain an interview with the late Princess Diana.
Related Reading: BBC Journalist’s “Hitler Was Right,” Other Antisemitic Tweets Exposed
Extensive Media Coverage
The revelation made waves in the United Kingdom particularly, with numerous media outlets covering the development that the BBC has launched a probe.
Dozens of sites around the world ran the story, including:
BBC journalist is blasted for online post saying #HitlerWasRight and ‘Israel is more Nazi than Hitler!’ (Henry Martin, Daily Mail)
BBC reporter comes under fire for tweet saying ‘Hitler was right’ (The Jerusalem Post)
BBC investigating journalist who tweeted ‘Hitler was right’ (Adam Forrest, The Independent)
BEEB PROBE BBC investigating one of its journalists who wrote: ‘Hitler was right’ (James Somper, The Sun)
BBC investigating Palestinian journalist who tweeted ‘Hitler was right’ (Dominic Penna, Daily Telegraph)
BBC Investigates Ramallah-Based Journalist For Reportedly Saying ‘Hitler Was Right’ (Shakhzod Yuldoshboev, Daily Caller)
BBC journalist exposed for tweeting ‘HitlerWasRight’ (Hannah Nightingale, The Post Millenial)
BBC journalist: ‘Hitler was right’ (Steerpike, The Spectator)
BBC investigating journalist who wrote ‘Hitler was right’ (London Jewish News)
Who is Tala Halawa? BBC journalist slammed for ‘Hitler Was Better’ tweet from 2014 (Alakananda Bandyopadhyay, MEAWW)
HonestReporting was also credited in the Arabic and Japanese versions of Russia’s Sputnik News, and featured in countless other websites around the world.
At the time of posting, HonestReporting’s tweet has been viewed over 1.4 million times. It has been shared over 2,000 times and received in excess of 3,000 likes, generating hundreds of responses and comments. Among those sharing the tweet were Donald Trump, Jr. and editor of the Jewish Chronicle Stephen Pollard. It was also embedded in a number of the articles listed above.
UPDATE: (13 June, 2021) Following the public backlash, the BBC has announced that Tala Halawa is no longer by the corporation. Read more here.
