UPDATE: British Jews rally in defence of BBC Gaza documentary
Published
by
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi
UPDATE February 25 – Mike Leigh, Alexei Sayle, Miriam Margolyes and Gillian Slovo among 600+ British Jews calling on BBC to reject complaints about Gaza documentary. The updated list of names, posted below, has been sent to Tim Davie.
More than 170 British Jews have rallied to support the BBC for its broadcast on Monday of an exceptional documentary, Gaza: How to survive a warzone. The 59 minute film, about the lives of children in Gaza over the past year, won accolades from reviewers but has been pulled from BBC iPlayer following complaints from the Israeli Embassy and some of its UK supporters.
Film maker Mike Leigh, comedian and writer Alexei Sayle and actress Miriam Margolyes are among dozens of British Jews signing a letter to BBC director general Tim Davie calling on the corporation to resist censorship. Allegations that the 13-year-old boy who narrates the film is the son of a senior Hamas terrorist have been soundly debunked, but a statement from the BBC clarifying that the child’s father worked for the Gaza agriculture ministry proved insufficient for the complainants. The film was taken off iPlayer this morning because, the BBC said, “There have been continuing questions raised”.
“The film shows youngsters coping with death and destruction in a way that is both harrowing and hopeful,” said Sayle. “It is depressing that the BBC has been bullied into taking it off line. It should be restored for public view without delay.”
The letter to Tim Davie says: “It is impossible to regard the complaint by a number of strident defenders of Israel’s actions about the BBC’s broadcast of this documentary as anything other than a cynical stunt. It is clear their intent is to prevent people viewing an account of the effect of Israel’s assault on Gaza on the people trying to live and stay alive there.”
It commends broadcasters for showing “details about the Israeli hostages and the tragic deaths of Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas” and says the people of Gaza must also be shown “as full members of humanity deserving our attention and sympathy.” It says “The programme should be judged on its own merits and not be subjected to McCarthyite allegations of guilt by association.”
The names listed under the letter below are those gathered within a few hours of the text being circulated on Friday afternoon. Further signatures are coming in by more supporters using this form to add their names.
For information contact [email protected]
__________________________________________________________________________
FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER SENT TO THE BBC DIRECTOR GENERAL
Dear Tim Davie,
Reject complaints about ‘Gaza; How to Survive a Warzone’
The BBC should be deluged in plaudits for broadcasting ‘Gaza; How to Survive a Warzone’, not subject to hostility. It is a moving and compassionate look at the terrible suffering endured by Palestinian children over the last year and a half. We commend the BBC for their courage in making and broadcasting this programme and urge them to maintain that courage against attempts to have it taken down or subjected to unnecessary disavowals.
It is impossible to regard the comlaint by a number of strident defenders of Israel’s actions about the BBC’s broadcast of this documentary as anything other than a cynical stunt. It is clear their intent is to prevent people viewing an account of the effect of Israel’s assault on Gaza on the people trying to live and stay alive there.
Abdullah Al-Yazouri is an articulate presenter of life in Gaza . His father’s job is not relevant. He is a person in his own right and must be judged on his own actions not his father’s or anyone else, whatever the extent of his father’s involvement in agreeing to his taking part in the film.
In any case the objectors have not provided any information that his father is a a member of Hamas’s military wing, not that if he were it would affect the standing of his son. His father is deputy minister of agriculture, a middle ranking bureaucrat. No evidence has been presented to suggest that Ayman Al-yazouri used any influence he may have had either to advance the participation of Abdullah or exercise any influence on the content of the programme. If he had the documentary would surely have had fewer or even no criticisms of the actions of Hamas in causing the catastrophe.
Had the BBC broadcast a programme featuring the child of an Israeli army officer who had served in Gaza we would not dream of objecting on that account, we would have concentrated on the merit or demerits of the content.
We are rightly asked to view details about the Israeli hostages and the tragic deaths of Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas. In contrast, we do not have stories about individual Palestinian children and mothers who have been killed or the histories of many, if any, of the Palestinians who have been released in the exchanges, a large proportion of whom were imprisoned under administrative detention, without charge or trial and include many children.
It is clear that the letter writers regard any effort to show the people of Gaza as full members of humanity deserving our attention and sympathy as not fit for broadcast. The programme should be judged on its own merits and not be subjected to McCarthyite allegations of guilt by association.
We urge the BBC to reject these complaints and continue to be proud of and promote an exemplary documentary and not be dissuaded from showing us details of the lives of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
Signed (in alphabetical order at 1800 on 25 February)
- Phil Abel
- Helen Abeles
- Jeanette Abendstern
- Michele Abendstern
- John Abraham
- Allen Abramson
- Kate Adams
- Erika Adler
- Marion Adler
- Jennifer Ainsley
- Michael Albu
- Sapphire Allard
- Jeff Allison
- Bonny Ambrose
- Tony Ambrose
- Liz Amiel Harriman
- Rebecca Amiel
- Nik Ammar
- Ruth Appleton
- Philip Arditti
- Maureen Arnaiz
- Ilona Aronovsky FHA
- Deborah Asher
- M F Asna
- Martin Ayres
- Sophie Bagg
- Ambreen Baig
- Helen Banks
- Spencer Banks
- Daphna Baram
- Ilana Baram
- Julia Bard
- Sue Bard
- Mark Barnes-Gutteridge
- Celia Barnett
- Gemma Barnett
- Gretel Baron
- Judith Baron
- John Baruch
- Michelle Baruch Baron
- Graham Bash
- Sandi Beecher
- Moshe Behar
- David Bell
- Ella Benami
- Jennifer Bennett
- Jacqueline Bentley
- Martin Berman
- Linda Bernhardt
- Alan Bernstein
- Dr Jon Berry
- Polly Bindman
- Jo Bird
- Rica Bird
- Frank Black
- Pamela Blakelock
- Carla Bloom
- Louise Bloom
- Alice Bondi
- Tony Booth
- Philipa Bragman
- Gabriella Braun
- J. Brener
- Chris Brennan
- Haim Bresheeth-Zabner
- Imogen Bright
- Tania Bronstein
- Judy Brown
- Raymond Brown
- Peter Buckman
- Barry Buitekant
- Erica Burman
- Zana Calhoun
- David Cannon
- Diane Cannon
- Brian Capaloff
- Russell Caplan
- Simon Caplan
- Linda Carey
- Eli Carola
- Michael Chambers
- David Chapkin
- Esta Malka Charkham
- Jane Charlesworth
- Nati Charney
- Susann Chenery
- Eve Cina
- Katie Clarke
- Rosalind Clayton
- Sue Coatman
- May Cocozza
- Tony Cocozza
- Amnon Cohen
- Barbara Cohen
- Della Cohen
- Eran Cohen
- Norma Cohen
- Robert Cohen
- Ron Cohen
- Simon Cohen
- SR Cohen
- Zoe Cohen
- Katy Colley
- Louise Collins
- Margaret Conrad
- Susan Corby
- Judith Lesser Cravitz
- Hannah Cross
- Sheila Curran
- Oliver Currie
- Joan Curtis
- Mike Cushman
- Jill Daniels
- Edwin Darfi
- Rabbi Janet Darley
- Professor Miriam David
- Anne Davies
- Bernard Davies
- Sally Davies
- Kayla Dawes
- Felicity De Motta
- Hilary De Santos
- Alan Deadman
- Peter Deadman
- Nicky Defries
- Ivor Dembina
- David Denison
- Shaheda Dewan
- Mike Dixon
- Shlomo Dowen
- Elizabeth Dresner
- Dr Judit Druks
- Marc Eady
- Rebecca Earle
- Linda Edmondson
- Rosalind Edwards
- Susan Egert
- Professor Barbara Einhorn
- Sue Einhorn
- Nancy Elan
- Carolyn Emanuel
- Judith Emanuel
- David Epstein
- Simon Evans
- Rebecca Fall
- Judy Farrar
- Gene Feder OBE
- Pia Feig
- Andrew Feinstein
- Anna Feldman
- Rayah Feldman
- Shelley Feldman
- Sam Ferguson
- Neil Finer
- Deborah Fink
- Nathan Finkelstein
- Sylvia Finzi
- Rajmil Fischman
- Torr Fischman
- Raoul Fishman
- Rebecca Fishman Collier
- Sonia Florent
- Dr Jonathan Fluxman
- Carol Foster
- Erika Fox
- Jeremy Fox
- Stephen Fox
- Nancy Frankel
- Alexander Franklin
- Jonathan Franklin
- Professor Des Freedman
- Nicola Freeling
- Daniel Friedman
- Debbie Friedman
- Edie Friedman
- Michael Friedman
- Yael Friedman Silver
- Jonathan Galton
- Dave Gatrell
- Jane Gatrell
- Carrie Gaye
- Ben Gelblum
- Carolyn Gelenter
- Freda Gewirtz
- Professor Sharon Gewirtz
- Roisin Gewirtz-O’Reilly
- Polly Gifford
- Lynda Gilbert
- Vicki Gilbert
- René Gimpel
- Rose Glandfield
- Louise Glatt
- Rob Goddard
- David Goldberg
- Martin Golding
- Laura Gonzalez
- Arthur Goodman
- John Goodman
- Simon Goodman
- Stuart Goodman
- Elanor Gordon
- Mariella Gordon
- Tinka Gordon
- Adam Goren
- Monica Gort
- Joshua Gottlieb
- Tony Graham
- Lesley Grahame
- Cathy Green
- Helen Green
- Tony Greenstein
- M Greenwood
- Helen Grisdale
- Jacky Gruhn
- Emre Gunduz
- Rosie Gunn
- Ros Hancock
- Edith Hargreaves
- Alison Harris
- Caroline Harris
- Robert Harris
- Louise Harrison
- Stephanie Harrison
- Roger Haydon
- Abe Hayeem
- Caroline Hearst
- Ruth Heilbronn
- Dr Jane Henriques
- Jacob Heringman
- Bob Heyman
- Susan Himmelweit
- Beatrice Hoffman
- Justin Hoffman
- Andrew Hornung
- Rachael Horwitz
- Rachel-Leah Hosker
- Susan Hughes
- Gillian Hundt
- Adam Hurst
- Henry Hyatt
- Professor Jeffrey Hyman
- Anthony Isaacs
- Jade Isaacs
- Claire Jackson
- Laura Jacobs
- Steve Jansky
- Benjamin Jeffryes
- Professor Victor Jeleniewski Seidler
- Joanna Jellinek
- Leon Jevons
- MR William J Johnston
- Naomi Junnor
- Michael Kalmanovitz
- Gidon Kaminer
- Stephen Kapos
- Jenny Kassman
- Tessa Katz
- Ruth Kaufman OBE
- Talitha Kearey
- John Keidan
- Paul Kelemen
- Ian Kemp
- Jessica Kempner
- Professor Peter Kennard
- Shira Keshet
- Monash Kessler
- David Keys
- Brenda Kirsch
- Oliver Kletz
- Eleonore Kofman
- Katherina Kohler
- Toby Konyn
- Joe Korner
- Simon Korner
- Robert Kornreich
- Dr Agnes Kory
- Adam Kossoff
- Angie Kotler
- Ann Kramer
- Jay Kramer
- Judith Kramer
- Lewis Kranat
- Stephanie Krayer
- Bev Krell
- Debbie krsntz
- Mary Kuper
- Richard Kuper
- Jon Kurts
- Barbara Lambert
- Jake Lancaster
- Professor Frank Land OBE
- M Landauer
- Nina Langrish
- Bernice Laschinger
- Ruth Lass
- Michelle Laufer
- Pam Laurance
- Felicity Rose Laurence
- Mike Layward
- Jennie Lazenby
- Louise Lee
- Reginald Lee
- Madeline Lees
- Joanna Leigh
- Mike Leigh
- Helen Lentell
- Clara Leon-Brown
- Hemdat Lerman
- Jessica Leschnikoff
- Leah Levane
- B Levene
- Dr Mark Levene
- Eva Levi
- Les Levidow
- Sue Levi-Hughes
- Peter Levin
- Prof Malcolm H Levitt FRS
- Annie Levy
- Dr Gerald Levy
- Erica Levy
- Paul Blain Levy
- Rosalind Levy
- Soreh Levy
- Jenny Lewenstein
- David Lewis
- Peter Lewis
- Wendy Lewis
- Sonja Linden
- Stephen Linton
- Adrian Litvinoff
- Robert Lizar
- Yosefa Loshitzky
- Dave Lukes
- Sue Lukes
- Ruth Lukom
- Nina Lyndon
- John Lynes
- Simon Lynn
- Deborah Harriet Maccoby
- Dorothy Macedo
- Louise Macgregor
- Ilana Machover
- Dr Viv Mackay
- Anna Magyar
- Kay Manasseh
- Philippa Jill Manasseh
- Professor Moshé Manchover
- Lydia Mangle
- Moshe Mankoff
- Jaycee Manson
- Jenny Manson
- Kristina Manson
- Miriam Margolyes
- Stuart Markless
- helen Marks
- Lara Marks
- Stephen Marks
- Helen Martins
- Helen Mayer
- Katrina Mayer
- Lise Mayer
- Joanna Mazouzi
- Terence James McGinity
- Linda Meehan
- Orna Meir-Stacey
- Ronald Mendel
- Heather Mendick
- Karen Merkel
- Jane Merkin
- Baris Cayli Messina
- Simcha Michael
- Martine Miel
- Dr Laura Miller
- Angie Mindel
- Chris Mohr
- Simon Mohun
- Sara Mokone
- David Mond
- Gabriel Mond
- Isaac Montagu
- Chantal Morgenbesser
- Elizabeth Morley
- Andrea Morris
- Shosh Morris
- Miriam Moss
- Elisa Mulraney
- L Murdoch
- Alice Mutasa
- Thembi Mutch
- Keely Myers
- Ruth Nathan
- Professor Mica Nava
- Marc Neal
- Diana Neslen
- Amitai Netser
- Roni Netser
- Maddy Nettleship
- Sophie Neuburg
- Michael Newbold
- David Nissen
- Dr Paul Oestreicher
- Kevin O’Neill
- Gary Ostrolenk
- Dr William Owen
- Mark Owen
- Sue Owen
- Ellie Palmer
- Kathy Panama
- Sureya Parsons-
- Abbie Paton
- Barbara Payman
- Caryne Pearce
- Kenneth Pearce
- Bob Phillips
- Charlie Phillips
- Sol Picciotto
- Anat Pick
- Anne Pickard
- Miranda Pinch
- Nancy Platt
- Anna Pollert
- Ofra Ben Porat Ram
- Stefan Povolotsky
- Charlotte Prager Williams
- Raphael Prais
- Elinor Prędota
- Viv Pribram
- Judy Price
- Isadora Pulman-Jones
- Caroline Raine
- Karen Raingold
- Dro Ramos
- Roland Rance
- Leo Reich
- Lorna Reith
- Valerie Remy
- Jenny Richardson
- Eddy Richman
- Angie Roberts
- Professor Marion Roberts
- Naomi Roberts
- Michael Robins
- Lee Robinson
- Paul Robinson
- Denise Robson
- Neil Rogall
- Ben Rogaly
- Eve Rogans
- Anne Rogers
- Marian Roiser
- Steve Roman
- Lawrence Rose
- Rachel Rosen
- David Rosenberg
- Monday Rosenfeld
- Marsha Rosengarten
- Professor Jonathan Rosenhead
- Robert Rosenthal
- Benny Ross
- Leon Rosselson
- Carolyn Roth
- Sonia Routledge
- Katy Rubin
- John Rubinstein
- Michael Ryan
- Pete Sacker
- Zaitun Sadikali
- Sabby Sagall
- Robert Sakula
- Naomi Salaman
- Raphael Salkie
- Wendy Saloman
- Karen Sambrook
- Ben Samuel
- Andrew Samuels
- Joel Samuels
- Marsha Sanders
- Myra Sands
- Esther Saraga
- Helen Saunders
- Joe Saunter
- Ian Saville
- Sean Sayers
- Alexei Sayle
- Pam Schickler
- Michelle Schneider
- Rachel Schraer
- Richard Scoones
- Claude Scortariu
- Mike Scott
- Vicky Scrivener
- Judy Sebba
- Glyn Secker
- Irene Sedler
- Marian Sedley
- Lynne Segal
- Dr Malcolm Segall
- Laurel Selby
- Paul Seligman
- Ori Selkirk
- Daniel Selwyn
- Jacob Serruya W.
- Meir Shabat
- Jane Shackman
- Dr Jon Shaffer
- Jessica Sharp
- Sue Shaw
- Anna Sherbany
- Peter Sheridan
- Judy Sherwood
- Brian Silk
- Stanley Silva
- Roger Silverman
- Edward Silvers
- Sue Simmonds
- Janet Simon
- Ludi Simpson
- Irris Singer
- Laurence Singer
- Sidney Singer
- Sophie Slater
- Gillian Slovo
- Robyn Slovo
- Dr Andy Sluckin
- Clare Smith
- Erica Smith
- Harry Smith
- Jonathan S Smith
- Mark Smith
- Leni Solinger
- Stephen Solley
- Jeremy Solnick
- Nika Soon-Shiong
- David Sperlinger
- Loz Speyer
- Bernard Spiegal
- Abi Stacey
- Sarah Stacey
- Tamara Stanton
- Georgina Stead
- Ruth Steigman
- Lyndall Stein
- Julia Steinberger
- Andrew Stern
- Patrick Sternberg
- Shafia Stevens
- Emili Stevenson
- Frances Stewart
- Kitty Stewart
- Vanessa Stilwell
- Adam Stock
- Helen Stollar
- Howard Stollar
- Oren Stone
- R Strelitz
- Sylvia Summer
- Adam Sutcliffe
- Tamar Szmuilowicz
- Emma Tait
- Ruth Tarlo
- Florian Taylor
- Melanie Teff
- Ruth Tenne
- Stephen Tiller
- Bianca Todd
- Alma Toiber Kent
- Nathalie Tolmie-Thomson
- Shaylees Tosney
- Avi Tragen
- Michel Trainer
- Jeremy Tresman
- Dr Alan Tuckman
- Eve Turner
- Denni Turp
- Lisa Van Der Velde
- Tessa van Gelderen
- Alan Van Loen
- Roger van Zwanenberg
- Misha Vertkin
- Daniel Vulliamy
- Tirza Waisel
- Bob Walker
- Gordon Walker
- Lorraine Walters
- Caroline Ward
- Philip Ward
- Annie Warwick
- Lily Watson
- Kristin Watt-Bonar
- Dr Rodney Watts
- Leo Wax
- Naomi Wayne
- Dave Weinbren
- Sam K Weinstein
- Barry Weitz
- Janet Weitz
- Ivan Wels
- Tom Wengraf
- Julia West
- Barbara White
- Martin White
- Miriam Williams
- Ruth Williams
- Dr G.M. Wilmers
- Cara Wilson
- Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi
- Deborah Windley
- Geraldine Winkler
- A Winkler
- Professor Richard Wistreich
- Esther Woolfson
- Michael Wright
- G Yershon
- Ruth Young
- Gillian Yudkin
- Harriet Yudkin
- Professor John S Yudkin
- James Zacune
Excellent response
Please show the documentary .
The truth will come out in the end. To live the lie you have to stop these programs. I am ashamed for the weakness of the BBC and extremely proud of the Jewish signatories who will suffer no doubt for their bravery.
It’s good to see this. The silencing of Palestinian voices is unacceptable. The documentary offered an important insight into the lives of those affected most by Israel’s brutal and relentless military actions- the children of Gaza.
The film was brilliant and needed to be made and seen. Thank you for getting the protest letter together and I am delighted to have the opportunity to sign it.
I’m British but not a jew so I can’t tick the boxes enabling me to send the letter to Tim Davie. I didn’t see the broadcast on Mon 17 Feb. Please give us an alternative for non- jews to send to complain about the documentary’s removal from BBC iplayer
We are fully occupied with processing the current letter. It would be brilliant if someone else picked up the task of a general, one
The BBC completely agree with the Zionists
I am saddened that bbc has taken this off iplayer
Is this letter restricted to Jews – as if the establishment pays any attention to left-wing Jews anyway. This also isn’t only to do with Jews – anyone can be concerned about the documentary being pulled and there are powerful voices excluded as a result.
I’m Jewish but I won’t sign things that exclude others.
George Monbiot analyses the reasons we should be concerned about the current ‘draconian anti-protest laws’ which include the censorship of dissenting views expressed in film & photographic media https://www.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2025/feb/22/keir-starmer-labour-illiberal-laws-hard-right-authoritarians?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
I wholeheartedly commend the bravery of people demanding that this documentary be shown. I regard any attempt at censorship as cynical and unfair.
Why has the BBC allowed representatives of a foreign government and their supporters to dictate what can be broadcast. This is unacceptable and insulting to even minded license paying British citizens.
Impartiality ? I don’t think so !
Fully support this.
Having watched it, the documentary is both balanced and well observed. It makes no statements; just reports the voices of people living in Gaza. These are equally critical of Hamas and Israel, and at a personal rather than political level.
The attacks on the film are disingenuous, and in claiming to represent Jewish people have the effect of undermining the integrity and humanity of the broader Jewish community – many of whom have spoken out with great courage to condemn the actions in Gaza.
I knew Miriam Margolyes through a friend while working in theatres in the 70s and 80s,so pleased to see her on this list.And Alexei Sayle,love him!No Rachel Riley,Esther Rantzen or Maureen Lipman.
The BBC has been too easily intimidated by certain voices which do not represent truth but seek instead to protect their own institutional interests.
Truth shall set ye free…
It is so interesting, and to be applauded, that so many voices have been raised supporting a programme at last providing a voice for, and a wider view of the suffering of, Palestine and the people. So many voices of so many brave journalists have been silenced in the pursuit of the same. It is vital that their stories, and the stories of Palestinians are told and their voices heard. This programme is/was an attempt to do just that, and for that fact alone if none other should be enabled to be viewed by as many as possible.
One or two comments suggest the letter should not be restricted to Jewish signatories but I feel it is significant that it is specifically from Jews. This is because the BBC and other media and institutions are keen to portray all Jews as Zionist. Likewise Zionist organisations claim to speak for all Jews. It is therefore crucial that the voice of Jewish people who do not fit that narrative is expressed and heard. Freinds who are not Jewish have sent their own complaints to the BBC in some cases using the letter from British Jews as inspiration.
I fully support those compassionate signatories who uphold fairness and justice in reporting, the humanitarian equality of all people and a basic equivalence for respect and honouring of each individual and innocent civilian who has been killed in this conflict.
Yes.
Full support for the letter writers from me.
There are always sides to a story, only showing one is censorship.
We non-Jews have to pay a TV licence just to be allowed to watch the BBC make these disgusting decisions on our behalf. As a solidarity member of JVL I wonder if JVL could write a similar letter for all us non-Jews to sign, and share with our pro-Palestine friends. I think it would be great to come from JVL to show our solidarity with Palestine.
We understand PSC is organising an e-action that anyone can support.
One notices that no comment critical of this petition is bring published neither my own nor by mr wolfe .. interesting that only the politically correct are to be heard??
The only ones we have received have either been abusive or full of such, what appears to be deliberate, misinformation that they failed our moderation criteria which we apply regardless of the politics of the poster
I have been following the bombing of Gaza over the last 15 +months, whole families eliminated by bombing without any proof of any Hamas connection but did not watch the BBC film Surval in a War Zone as it had been taken off before I was able to do so. I am a full objector to this..
We were told that there was no independent media access-into gaza and how was 400000 pounds transferred to into gaza???
Think!!
The simple answer is, it wasn’t. 400k was the total cost of making the vary valuable programme
I have signed and of course fully support the letter from 700 British Jews. However we also have to face the fact that even if 10 times that number had signed it would have made no difference.
Jews provide the moral alibi for British support for Zionism and genocide. In Barnaby Raine’s words we are their ‘pet colonists’. To them the definition of a Jew is a racist and a Zionist. Anti-racist and anti-Zionist Jews are invisible. Thus it is that the British state and e.g. the Metropolitan Police who define who is and is not Jewish.
So for example the Met, which bans a demonstration from the BBC on the pretext that it may cause distress to Jewish worshippers at a synagogue that isn’t even on the route thinks nothing of calling in for questioning 87 year old holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos.
What this means for our strategies and whether they should be changed is an open question but it’s one we should consider.