Speaker Marie Van der Zyl Director General of the Jewish Board of Deputies Photo: Rena Pearl/Alami Stock Photo
Board of Deputies British Jews called interview ITV News with a reporter from a pro-Palestinian channel backed by Iran said it was a «categorically bad decision» as they demanded the broadcaster issue a public apology.
Latifa Abuchakra, described by ITV as a «British Palestinian living in London», was interviewed for a newsletter about the rise of Islamophobia in the UK, during which she said she had been threatened and called a «terrorist».
Ms Abuchakra appeared in videos on Palestine Declassified, a program on Iran's state news network Press TV, as a reporter, where she described the October 7 Hamas attack as «coming home».ITV News spokeswoman confirmed it was investigating concerns about the author of an ITV News London report about «a rise in hate crimes following recent events in the Middle East».
The President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Marie van der Zyl, has written to the chief executive of ITV News demanding from the channel to publicly apologize for inviting Ms. Abuchakra to the program.
In a letter, Ms Van der Zyl told Dame Caroline Julia McCall it was a «grossly incompetent decision» which was «offensive» to both British Jews and British Muslims.
Elsewhere in her report, » Palestine declassified» The employee also said that after the attack he was «fragile as a spider's web.» The Zionist entity is trembling with fear.”
She added that after the «armed fighters» crossed the fence, «this was followed by the return home of at least 1,000 Palestinians from resistance groups into the fragile Zionist entity.»
Ms Abuchakra also spoke about the hostages , taken by Hamas — “settlers” and “prisoners of war.”
“The resistance took more than 100 settlers prisoner. The vast majority of them are members of the occupying forces.»
In an excerpt from an interview circulated on social media, Ms Abuchakra told the broadcaster: «I was called a terrorist, I was asked to come home. I saw people in their cars making threatening gestures.”
She added: “I feel that as a Muslim woman in this country, no matter how hard I work, no matter how good I do, it will never be enough because obviously Muslims and Palestinians are inherently terrorists, according to the system.” here, according to the media narrative and according to the political narrative.»
Daniel Sugarman, director of communications for the Council of Jewish Deputies, described the ITV News interview as a «catastrophically bad decision.»
Mr Sugarman tweeted: «I have absolutely no doubt that over the past few weeks there have been many Muslims who have been victims of horrific Islamophobic attacks.»
He added: «[ITV News] Invite literally a TV reporter for the Iranian regime to talk about this is a catastrophically bad decision.”
In her letter to ITV, Ms van der Zyl said: “There has undoubtedly been a significant increase in Islamophobia in this country over the past few weeks. We categorically condemn this vile hatred.»
She added: «However, ITV's decision to invite Ms Abuchakra from millions of British Muslims was astonishingly bad.»
She accused ITV News of » [giving] airtime to a literal propagandist of the Iranian regime,» which she called «a catastrophic violation of your channel's journalistic standards.»
According to her Linkedin profile, Ms. Abuchakra is a teacher from the London borough of Ealing.
Ofcom revoked Press TV's license more than ten years ago due to its breach of broadcasting rules.
A spokesperson for ITV News said: “ITV News London broadcast a report about the rise in hate crimes after recent events in the Middle East. We are investigating concerns raised about one participant following the broadcast.»
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