‘Everyone’s Hamas!’: Guest Mocks TalkTV Host Over Her Criticism Of BBC’s Gaza Coverage
Dr Ashok Kumar, a political lectuer at the University of London, mocked TalkTV host Julia Hartley-Brewer as she criticised the BBC’s coverage of the conflict in Gaza and use of on-the-ground information sources, accusing the host of thinking “everyone’s Hamas.”
The interview came a week after the BBC admitted that its reporting of “civilian” casualties in Gaza was inaccurate in that it also included the deaths of Hamas members.
Hartley-Brewer attempted to explain what she seen as a disparity in how journalists like her were treated for having been sceptical of data coming out of the conflict zone, often sourced from human rights organisations or the Gaza-based Ministry of Health — an agency in the Hamas-controlled authority.
The host began: “Anything that Hamas claims, or you probably read on social media, 100 percent true, don’t question it, or you’re genocidal. Anything that Israel says, even when there is video evidence, absolutely not true.”
“What video evidence?” Kumar asked.
“Well, the leafleting, for instance,” Hartley-Brewer said, referring to a recent BBC investigation that found evacuation warnings issued by Israel to Gaza residents ahead of attacks were fraught with significant errors, which Israel denied.
Kumar replied: “It was shown as a sham by the BBC. The BBC isn’t some pro-Palestinian network.”
Hartley-Brewer continued to criticise BBC coverage in general: “I think you’ll find some of the BBC verifying has been, well, these quite a lot of BBC verifying, given that actually a lot of the sources they have used for some of their revocations, are actually pro-Hamas supporters.”
Kumar, holding his hands up, began to mock the host: “Yes, everyone’s Hamas, Julia. Everyone’s Hamas. BBC’s Hamas.
“No, not everyone,” the host said.
The guest continued: “The Pentagon is Hamas. Human Rights Watch, Hamas.”
Hartley-Brewer interrupted: “When the BBC used people, when they used reporters who tweeted support of Hamas, then yes.”
Kumar said: “When the UN said they wanted to come in and investigate, Israel said no. People like you would come out and say, ‘No, no, UN is also Hamas.’ Is the UN Hamas, Julia?”
Hartley-Brewer returned: “The UN has been extraordinarily poor at condemning Hamas. Everyone’s Hamas. The UN Women’s Organization didn’t condemn the rape of women hostages.”
Kumar added: “They said they would investigate, and Israel said they wouldn’t allow them to investigate it. Is Hamas in the room right now, Julia? I’m really concerned that you’re thinking everything’s Hamas.”
Hartley-Brewer said: “I don’t think everything’s Hamas. However, I also don’t take the words of murderous, raping, torturing terrorists as the gospel. Call me old fashioned.”
Watch above on TalkTV.
