The BBC has been branded ‘shameless’ after providing a platform to a Palestinian politician who celebrated Hamas’ October 7 massacre by calling it ‘a glorious day’.
Mustafa Barghouti, the general secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative party made an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s World at One on Wednesday after Israel launched a large-scale attack across the West Bank which left nine Palestinians dead.
But the news service has been blasted for interviewing him on national radio after Barghouti had made remarks on the day of the October 7 surprise attack, telling Al-Jazeera Qatar: ‘Today is a glorious day for the Palestinian resistance and people’.
On the day of the mass offensive, Hamas gunmen stormed the Supernova music festival in southern Israel before claiming the lives of 1,200 and taking 251 civilians hostage.
‘The resistance paid with interest for the attacks of the terrorist settlers and the attacks against the al-Aqsa mosque.
The BBC has been slammed for giving a platform to The General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative party Mustafa Barghouti (pictured) after he called the October 7 massacre ‘a glorious day’ on the BBC Radio 4 World at One show on Wednesday
Palestinians transport a captured Israeli civilian, center, from Kfar Azza kibbutz into the Gaza Strip on Saturday, October 7, 2023
Dramatic bodycam footage shows a terror squad wearing khakis as they ride motorbikes in a convoy on October 7
Gunmen in a pick-up truck enter southern Israel to kill civilians and take hostages in October
The aftermath of an attack on the Supernova music Festival by Hamas gunmen, October 9
‘It paid with interest for those who normalise [their relations] with the occupation,’ he continued.
During the World at One interview with BBC’s Sarah Montague, she asked him: ‘When you hear of attacks by Palestinians on Israelis, what do you think? Do you support those attacks?’
Barghouti responded: ‘Look, you don’t need to ask me this question because I am so well-known for being an activist calling always for non-violent resistance.
‘And I don’t want anybody to be killed but let me tell you, the war here is one-sided from one side or another’.
But following the BBC’s decision to give the Palestinian chief a platform on their show, an Israeli official said the BBC should have done more to challenge Barghouti’s claims that he had ‘always’ called for non-violent residtance.
‘The BBC’s failure in letting Barghouti get away with the claim that he is peaceful is shameless,’ said the official.
‘His celebration of the October 7 massacre was on public record and he should have been challenged over his views’.
A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘This was a robust and challenging interview with a veteran political activist about the current situation in the occupied West Bank and the programme featured a range of views.
‘The BBC is committed to covering this polarising story impartially and independently.’
It comes as the bodies of six Israeli hostages were uncovered in Gaza on Saturday, after they were snatched from the festival 11 months ago and held in captivity.
Israeli military named them as Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, – an Israeli-American – Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Carmel Gat, 39, Almog Sarusi, 26, Alex Lubnov, 26, and Master Sergeant Ori Danino, 25.
On Sunday morning, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said: ‘This morning, our hearts are broken’.
He went on to say that the military had informed the families of the deceased who had been located by IDF troops in an underground tunnel in Rafah.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, left, is among six hostages whose bodies were recovered Saturday. He and Eden Yerushalmi, right, were among victims taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7 massacre
Almog Sarusi, 26, left, was enjoying the rave when Hamas terrorists attacked. Carmel Gat, right, was visiting her family in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7
Alex Lobanov, 26, left, was the head barman at the festival. Ori Danino, right, was taken captive by Hamas from the Nova Music Festival on October 7
‘According to our initial assessment, they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them,’ he continued.
‘They were abducted alive on the morning of October 7th by the Hamas terror organization. Their bodies were found during combat in Rafah in an underground tunnel, approximately one kilometer from the tunnel from which we rescued Farhan al-Qadi a few days ago’.
The IDF spokesperson confirmed the force have now been instructed to act with extra caution as there may potentially be more hostages in the area.
‘We did not have information on the exact location of the hostages. Combat was ongoing above ground, and the troops eliminated terrorists even during the battles there yesterday. The troops are still operating in the field at this time,’ he said.
‘We share in the great sorrow of their families during this difficult time. It is impossible to put into words what the hostages have endured in Hamas captivity since October 7th, now 331 days, and what their families have been going through. This morning, this news shakes us all,’ Hagari concluded.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog took to X, formerly Twitter, to pay tribute to those that devastatingly lost their lives.
‘The heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces… On behalf of the State of Israel, I embrace their families with all my heart, and apologize for failing to bring them home safely’.
Herzog also defiantly confirmed that Israel will continue to ‘fight relentlessly’ against Hamas.
‘The blood of our brothers cries out to us. Our sisters and brothers are still there enduring Hell. The supreme covenant between the state and its citizens is to ensure their safety. We have the sacred and urgent mission to bring them home,’ he ended the post.
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