BBC’s dangerous lapse is their failure to label terrorist organizations properly - opinion

There was a time when the BBC could be counted on as the gold standard of journalistic integrity – a beacon of truth in an increasingly chaotic world. But today, its reluctance to use accurate terminology when describing proscribed terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas is not just a grave error; it is a dangerous disservice to the British public.

The BBC, due to its unique and privileged status as a publicly funded broadcaster, holds immense sway over public opinion. When it refuses to label these organizations for what they are – terrorist groups – it is not merely editorial discretion; it is misinformation, plain and simple.

The organizations in question, Hamas and Hezbollah, are far from ambiguous in their actions and intent. Officially recognized by the UK government as terrorist organizations, they have committed egregious atrocities, not only against Israel but against their own people, all while cloaking themselves in the rhetoric of “resistance.”

Hamas, in its charter, explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel and has openly endorsed violence to achieve its aims. Its campaigns of indiscriminate rocket attacks have targeted civilians, resulting in mass casualties and destruction. Beyond its aggression toward Israel, Hamas governs the Gaza Strip through fear, routinely cracking down on political dissent and infringing on the basic rights of the Palestinian people. Its exploitation of civilians, including using human shields, has not only drawn widespread condemnation but clearly violates international humanitarian law.

Hezbollah, operating as a proxy for Iran, similarly operates under the veneer of “resistance” but has a long track record of terror and destabilization. Beyond the thousands of rockets it has launched into Israel, Hezbollah has been implicated in acts of violence across the globe, including the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people. Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, made repeated genocidal calls against Jews, stating that “if Jews all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of chasing them down around the world.”

Both Hamas and Hezbollah espouse virulent anti-Western rhetoric. Hezbollah, in particular, has called for resistance against Western influence and has repeatedly targeted Western civilians and institutions. Its acts of terror, not limited to Israel, have included attacks against UN peacekeepers and civilians in Lebanon, demonstrating a broader agenda of violence beyond any claim of national liberation.

Hamas and Hezbollah area terrorist organizations

The BBC’s failure to call these groups what they are – terrorist organizations – does not merely distort reality but actively endangers the public. When a globally influential broadcaster like the BBC refrains from using accurate terminology, it risks softening the image of these violent, extremist groups.

In a world where narratives shape perception, this lapse can lead millions into the false belief that these organizations are legitimate political entities rather than groups committed to terrorism and the destruction of innocents. Such obfuscation has disastrous consequences, as it normalizes the language of extremism and undermines efforts to maintain security, not just in Israel but in the West itself.

Let us be clear: By refusing to call a terrorist group by its name, the BBC emboldens those who wish to deny or downplay the severity of these organizations’ actions. The failure to properly label Hamas and Hezbollah does more than confuse; it legitimizes their narrative. It gives undue credence to their propaganda, painting them as freedom fighters or political movements, when their actions – targeting civilians, promoting terror – are far from noble. And by doing so, the BBC contributes to a climate in which antisemitism and anti-Zionism can flourish unchecked.

One only needs to look at the recent rise of antisemitic incidents in the UK to understand the consequences of this lapse. Antisemitism and anti-Zionism have grown hand in hand, with those who attack Jewish people often hiding behind the veil of opposition to Israel’s existence. The BBC’s refusal to use clear, unequivocal language in its coverage of groups like Hezbollah and Hamas allows this narrative to persist. It plays into the hands of those who claim, absurdly, that Hamas and Hezbollah are “resistance” groups, rather than terrorist organizations committed to violence and destruction.

What’s more, this failure is not simply a matter of semantics or political correctness – it endangers the British public. By obfuscating the truth, the BBC unwittingly invites people to sympathize with, or even support, organizations that are fundamentally opposed to the democratic values we hold dear. The public, relying on the BBC for accurate information, is led astray, left vulnerable to the manipulative rhetoric of groups who thrive on division, fear, and violence.

The BBC, given its reach and its responsibility as a public broadcaster, must be held to a higher standard. It must not shy away from calling terrorists what they are. The British public deserves better than euphemisms and half-truths.

If the BBC is unwilling or unable to meet this basic requirement, then the UK government must step in. It is not simply about maintaining journalistic integrity – it is about safeguarding the public from misinformation and ensuring that Britain does not become a platform for the narratives of terrorist groups.

The time for tolerance of these lapses is over. If the BBC truly believes in the values of fairness, accuracy, and impartiality, then it must be willing to tell the truth – even when the truth is uncomfortable. It must be willing to call out terrorism in all its forms, without fear of controversy or backlash. For the sake of the British public, and for the sake of the truth, it is time for the BBC to step up.

The writer is executive director of We Believe In Israel.