BBC Arabic show Egypt MeanTime has come under fire for its handling of a guest who expressed sympathy towards Israel in the wake of Hamas attacks. The show’s producer, Mahmoud Sheleib, was investigated for bias over his social media posts following the attacks, but no further disciplinary action was taken against him.
During a recent episode, presenter Nesma Elsaied appeared to criticize Egyptian parliamentarian Muhammad Anwar Esmat Sadat for showing understanding towards Israel’s outrage over the attacks. She questioned Sadat’s refusal to apologize for his comments to an Israeli newspaper, where he expressed empathy for the Israeli victims while also acknowledging their right to defend themselves.
Critics have accused Egypt MeanTime of hosting guests who take an anti-Israel or anti-Semitic stance, while giving them sympathetic treatment. The show has been called out for not challenging the bigotry towards Israel and Jews that some guests express.
In response to the criticism, a spokesperson for CAMERA Arabic, a US-based NGO advocating for accurate coverage of Israel, stated that BBC Arabic employees seem more focused on maintaining an echo chamber of anti-Israel sentiment rather than fostering open and informed dialogue.
The BBC defended its Arabic channel, stating that they routinely challenge the views of contributors and will consider any complaints raised by CAMERA. However, the controversy surrounding Egypt MeanTime highlights the challenges of navigating sensitive topics like the Israel-Gaza conflict in media coverage.