The producers of a BAFTA-winning documentary about Gaza have strongly criticised the BBC, accusing the corporation of refusing to broadcast the series. Gaza: Doctors Under Attack was originally commissioned by the BBC but was shelved following concerns over impartiality.
Documentary details and BAFTA win
The 65-minute film, described as a forensic investigation into Israeli military attacks on hospitals in Gaza, was later aired by Channel 4 in July last year. At the BAFTA Television Awards on Sunday night, Ramita Navai, one of the producers, spoke about the 'medicide' that had cost the lives of 400 doctors. She stated: 'The BBC paid for the investigation but refused to show it, but we refused to be silenced and censored. We thank Channel 4 for showing this film.'
Producers' statements
Fellow producer Ben de Pear added: 'Right now there are over 80 Palestinian doctors being held in detention centres and Israeli human rights groups described as torture camps, we dedicate this award to them. Just a question to the BBC – given that you dropped our film will you drop us from the BAFTA show later tonight? Thank you goodnight.'
Directed by Karim Shah and produced by Basement Films, the documentary was awarded five stars by The Guardian, which called it a 'crucial film' that is 'the stuff of nightmares' but that the 'world needs to see it'.
BBC's decision and response
In June last year, the BBC reported that it had axed the show due to impartiality concerns. It had been scheduled for broadcast in February but never aired. The BBC stated at the time that it was 'determined to report all aspects of the conflict in the Middle East impartially and fairly' and was in the process of transferring ownership of the film material to Basement Films.
However, the production company hit back, saying it was 'relieved that the BBC will finally allow this film to be released'. At the time, Mr de Pear claimed the BBC had 'utterly failed', adding that journalists had been 'stymied and silenced'. The BBC reported that it had shelved the programme after Mr de Pear and Mr Navai made public comments criticising the war in Gaza. Mr Navai said during a Radio 4 appearance that Israel had 'become a rogue state that's committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing and mass murdering Palestinians'.
The BBC's decision to axe the programme came after it pulled a separate documentary from iPlayer earlier the same year. The corporation provoked fury over impartiality claims after it was revealed that the narrator of its Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone documentary was the 13-year-old son of a Hamas official. The BBC has been approached for comment.
