BBC Question Time: Social media erupts over panel response to 'Gaza genocide' question
Social media users have accused several of the panellists that featured on Thursday's episode of BBC Question Time of a pro-Israel bias, following their responses to a question about Israel's war on Gaza.
The debate programme included a question from a member of the audience who asked whether the "UK government (is) ignoring genocide in Gaza."
Social media users underlined that the panellists, which included Labour Cabinet minister Peter Kyle, Conservative MP Nigel Huddleston, tech entrepreneur Alex Depledge, and columnist and broadcaster Sonia Sodha, echoed variations of the view that Israel has a "right to defend itself."
Online reactions described the responses as "both-siding the genocide" and accused the panel of being "absolutely despicable" and repeating "Israeli propaganda."
"I'm sick to the stomach of the constant 'Israel has the right to defend itself' after nearly TWENTY MONTHS of bloody retaliation. What about the Palestinian right to exist?" asked one viewer.
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Another posted: "The unavoidable conclusion is that the media and political classes of this country are devoid of any principles or basic humanity.
"They've sat watching a people live stream their own genocide with nothing to offer other than hand-wringing, obfuscation, and performative concern."
Every single member of the #bbcqt panel 'both sided' the genocide happening in Gaza with each panelist saying a version of "Israel has a right to defend itself"
Absolutely despicable from the BBC.
pic.twitter.com/6N3WsLlqCD — Cllr Martin Abrams 🕊️🍉 (@Martin_Abrams) May 15, 2025
Israel is currently facing accusations of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes before international courts over its ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip.
Kyle, Labour's secretary of state for science and technology, in particular drew heavy criticism.
"I want it on record on this show to acknowledge Israel's right to retaliate and make safe its country and its people," he said, before adding that the situation in Gaza "is intolerable, and it should not be happening."
If the safety of Palestinians can't be guaranteed, why is our gov selling arms to Israel? Especially to people wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes? And why are the people subject to these warrants keeping the international press out if not to cover up their actions? #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/6iQUIbeDTE — Eddie Burfi (@EddieBurfi) May 15, 2025
He went on to emphasise international diplomacy as the only viable path forward, called on Israel to stop its "current action" while defending British arms export procedures as lawful.
Kyle's remarks also prompted backlash due to his longstanding ties with Labour Friends of Israel, of which he was formerly vice chair.
One user shared a photo of Kyle with the Israeli ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, dated 7 March - after the start of Israel's full blockade of food, water, aid and fuel into Gaza - and added: "But #bbcqt didn't ask him about this."
This photo of Peter Kyle *grinning* with the Israeli ambassador was taken in March, AFTER Israel announced the full blockade of Gaza which has led to mass starvation of civilians
But #bbcqt didn't ask him about this or his involvement with lobby group Labour Friends of Israel pic.twitter.com/lOCAoF0QQf — North Herts Palestine Solidarity Campaign (@NHertsPsc) May 16, 2025
Another audience member referenced recent celebrations of Victory in Europe (VE) Day - which marks the fall of the Nazis - on 8 May.
"How can it be that we celebrate the end of fascism, Hitler, Nazis - and obviously that [the Holocaust] was a genocide - and the same thing is happening now to a different group of people," the speaker asked. "How can it be that we celebrate that but allow and supply arms to Israel?"
Before allowing the panel to respond, host Fiona Bruce interjected with what many online interpreted as an unprompted defence of Israel.
"I should just actually point out that Israel denies that there is a genocide. They would claim that they are tackling Hamas, and that Hamas doesn't care about its population, and that the people are the Hamas collateral damage. That is what they would claim. But there are others who do want to use that word [genocide]."
Critics took to social media to condemn the framing.
"Someone is going to have to tell her - people who commit genocide always deny it," one user wrote.
Others accused Bruce of inserting herself into the debate: "Why should she point this out? Would she do the same if it was about Russian war crimes? Nobody wants to know Fiona Bruce's opinion."
Another user suggested that the programme had deliberately sidelined questions about Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip over time: "Fiona Bruce says that they used to get dozens of questions about Gaza, but they don't now. That's what Question Time wanted. For it to be ignored and forgotten."
Fiona Bruce answering the question on behalf of the panel and offering up Israel's usual lines of genocide apologism . . . https://t.co/n0Wy3E11xb — Sharmen Rahman (@sharmen_r) May 16, 2025
The debate comes amid a rapidly worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, and a renewed Israeli assault, with 250 people killed in the last 48 hours, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health.
This week, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification reported that 477,000 people, nearly a quarter of Gaza's population, are facing "catastrophic" levels of hunger.
Over one million more are at "emergency" levels, as the Israeli blockade continues to restrict access to aid.
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