The Met Police could be asked to investigate whether taxpayers’ money was paid to Hamas during the making of the BBC’s controversial film about Gaza.
The BBC has removed Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone from all platforms after it emerged that it was fronted by a Hamas minister’s son.
Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, has demanded an independent inquiry into allegations of “potential collusion” with the terrorist group and “the possibility of payment” to Hamas officials.
In a letter to Director-General Tim Davie, Danny Cohen, former director of BBC Television, asked “Were any members of Hamas or its terrorist affiliates paid any money, or received any payments in kind or gifts, in relation to the filming of this documentary?”
The UK has designated Hamas a terrorist group and it is a criminal offence to enter into arrangements to provide financial support to such groups, under the 2000 Terrorism Act.
The BBC, which is conducting “further due diligence” with Hoyo Films, the production company, is yet to answer questions about payments.
Lord Austin of Dudley, a minister in Gordon Brown’s Labour government, told The i Paper: “The Met Police should take a look if there’s a case to answer.”
He added: “Sadly, this isn’t the first instance of BBC bias against Israel, which comes from the broadcaster’s deep-seated lack of impartiality and due diligence in reporting on war between Israel and Hamas.”
“The BBC must commission a full investigation into both the documentary and the organisation’s institutional anti-Israel bias.”
Badenoch kept up her attack on the BBC, writing on X: “Why is the licence fee being used to promote Hamas propaganda? Were they just given airtime, or were they given cash too?”
“Hamas controls Gaza. How did the Beeb greenlight a programme from there without making sure its participants weren’t tied to a terrorist regime?”
Reform MP Rupert Lowe said: “Paying money to a terrorist organisation is a serious criminal offence. If the BBC can’t prove beyond doubt that no money was paid to any Hamas officials then the police should get involved. Whatever happens, sackings are required.”
Mr Lowe, whose party back abolishing the licence fee, added: “Let’s have a full independent inquiry. Not just into this debacle, but the more general support that the BBC has shown for Hamas.”
Mr Davie is expected to discuss the situation at a BBC board meeting on Thursday. He and Samir Shah, the BBC Chairman, are said to want an explanation and a source said the board was taking a “very real” interest in the matter.
Offences under the Terrorism Act 2000 are punishable by up to 14 years in prison, a fine, or both.
Insiders believe the film had a budget of around £400,000 but following the trail of money will prove difficult.
One industry figure said: “There are unlikely to be receipts that lead to Hamas. What Hamas got was more important than money, it was the chance to get its propaganda on the BBC, the world’s number-one trusted news source, a huge benefit in kind.”
The BBC said it “followed all of our usual compliance procedures in the making of this film”. The broadcaster blamed the production company, Hoyo Films, for not telling it about the family connection. Hoyo has declined to comment.
However, the BBC faces claims of a cover-up after reports that a leaked document suggests it had “regular updates” with the documentary’s producers
Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone followed Abdullah al-Yazouri, 13, as he described life during the Israel-Hamas conflict. It was aired twice on BBC Two last week. It emerged that Abdullah was the son of Ayman Alyazouri, Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.
The BBC had defended the documentary, saying it “features important stories we think should be told – those of the experiences of children in Gaza.”
The film has been removed from the iPlayer whilst “continuing questions raised about the programme” are investigated. The BBC declined to answer questions on whether the participants or their families were paid.
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