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Mass Protests Continue Outside BBC Headquarters as Corporation Faces Intense Scrutiny for Gaza Documentary

Protesters outside the BBC headquarters in London on March 6, 2025. Photo: Nathan Lilienfeld/Campaign Against Antisemitism

Demonstrators gathered outside the London headquarters of the BBC on Thursday for a second week in a row to protest the corporation after it admitted to making “serious flaws” in its documentary about Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.

The protest outside Broadcasting House was organized by Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) and took place following the BBC’s acknowledgment that licensing fee payments for “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone” were given to the family of a senior Hamas official. Protesters held placards that said, “BBC I Refuse to Fund Terrorists,” and also signs that featured a masked face of a Hamas terrorist with a green ban across his forehead that said “BBC” in the center.

A spokesperson for CAA said the BBC “has allowed license fee money to go to the family of a Hamas terrorist in the production of what was essentially a Hamas propaganda film.” The spokesperson also cited recent polling published by CAA, revealing that a majority of Brits support the call for an independent investigation into the BBC’s actions.

“The BBC is trying to pretend that it is business as usual while hoping to get away with an internal report, but the British public is having none of it and does not want the BBC to mark its own homework,” the spokesperson added. “That is why we want the license fee to be suspended pending an independent investigation into this scandal and the wider issue of the BBC’s glaring bias. It is unconscionable to force people to pay a license fee that pays for biased reporting and has now even been handed to the family of a terrorist.”

British broadcaster and comedian Josh Howie – who is a presenter on GB News and “Headliners,” the GB News late night show – spoke at last week’s protest outside BBC headquarters and announced that he will no longer pay the BBC license fee. He gave a speech at the protest this week as well, and others who spoke on stage included Jewish actress Dame Maureen Lipman; Natalie Sanandaji, who survived the Nova music festival massacre on Oct. 7, 2023; and Mark Birbeck, founder of Our Fight UK, which is a group of mostly non-Jews who combat antisemitic sentiments in Britain.

Mere days after it debuted in late February, the BBC pulled “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone” from its iPlayer streaming platform after it was revealed that the film’s narrator, Palestinian teenager Abdullah Al-Yazouri, is the son of Dr. Ayman Al-Yazouri, the deputy minister of agriculture in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. It was also discovered that the family is related to Hamas founder Ibrahim Al-Yazouri.

The BBC explained that it was not aware of Abdullah’s ties to Hamas prior to filming the documentary. The corporation apologized and insisted that it asked Hoyo Films, the London-based independent production company that produced the documentary for the BBC, “a number of times” about “any potential connections [Abdullah] and his family might have with Hamas.”

“Since transmission, they [Hoyt Films] have acknowledged that they knew that the boy’s father was a deputy agriculture minister in the Hamas government; they have also acknowledged that they never told the BBC this fact,” the BBC said. “It was then the BBC’s own failing that we did not uncover that fact and the documentary was aired.”

Hoyo Films told BBC it paid Abdullah’s family “a limited sum of money” for him narrating the film and deposited the money into his sister’s bank account. The Telegraph revealed this week that the family of the senior Hamas official was paid close to £790 ($856), which is equivalent to about a month’s salary in Gaza. An organization of pro-Israel lawyers in the UK has demanded that counter-terrorism police investigate the BBC and two producers from Hoyo Films for possible terrorism offenses, such as funding terrorism in violation of the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000.

On Tuesday, BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC Chair Dr Samir Shah spoke at a Culture, Media, and Sport Committee hearing in the UK Parliament about the scandal involving the documentary. “We will get to the bottom of this and take appropriate actions,” Shah said. “There’s a dagger to the heart of the BBC’s claim to be impartial and to be trustworthy. We need to restore trust in the BBC.” He also said that the “mechanics of the filmmaking itself” need to be investigated and that the BBC’s investigation into the matter will confirm whether or not money paid for the documentary was ultimately given to Hamas.

James Frith, Labour MP for Bury North, told Davie: “It’s fair to assume that if the family of a senior Hamas leader is paid, that that money goes into the orbit of Hamas.” He simply replied, “I’ve told you what I know.” Even amid the scrutiny, Davie told committee members that the BBC is “the most trusted brand in the world.”

In an interview with the Middle East Eye published this week, Abdullah said he and his family have been targeted with online harassment because of the scandal involving the documentary, his mental health is suffering as a result of the controversy, and he fears for his safety. He said he also holds the BBC “responsible” for anything that happens to him. He claimed that the only money he or his family received was for personal expenses related to his involvement in the film.

“In the contract that was signed between the production company … and my mother, there wasn’t any payment for me or my family,” he told the Middle East Eye. “However, I had $1,000 transferred to my sister’s account, which were for personal spendings, nothing else.”

The Telegraph discovered last week that Safia al-Yazouri, who is believed to be Abdullah’s sister, celebrated the deadly Hamas-led terrorist attacks across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. On the day of the massacre, she reportedly wrote on Facebook, “Amen O Lord,” and included an emoji of two hands clasped in gratitude and another emoji of a heart in the color green, which is seemingly a nod to the Hamas terrorist organization’s main color.

Safia has also voiced support for other attacks against Israel, according to The Telegraph. In May 2023, she reposted a message on social media that applauded a rocket attack on Tel Aviv that closed Israel’s main airport and added a heart emoji. She has also posted a picture depicting a map of the Gaza Strip next to a bullet.

The post Mass Protests Continue Outside BBC Headquarters as Corporation Faces Intense Scrutiny for Gaza Documentary first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft

The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.

Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.

With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.

“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”

The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.

“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March

With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”

Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.

The post Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS

Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.

The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.

Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.

The post Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements

A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.

“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.

The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”

Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.

The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.

“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”

“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”

Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.

“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.

Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.

“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.

The post Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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