BBC skirts Hamas ‘terrorist’ label to keep access, Kirsty Young …
Kirsty Young has suggested that the BBC has opted against referring to Hamas as terrorists in its news coverage for fear of losing access to the group.
Young, a former ITV and Channel 5 newsreader who was among the team to present the BBC's coverage of the Queen's funeral last year, praised the way in which the BBC had covered the war between Israel[1] and Hamas[2] but said that it was in a tricky situation.
The broadcaster has faced criticism from politicians including Rishi Sunak and Jewish groups for describing the group as a "proscribed terrorist organisation" rather than simply terrorists.
The BBC has faced challenges from all sides over its coverage of the war. Last month a pro-Palestinian protest group claimed responsibility for throwing red paint over the broadcaster's headquarters
ANDY BARTON/ALAMY
Young, 54, defended the decision on The Adam Buxton Podcast, which was recorded last month.
"Reporting that it is a proscribed terror organisation