The BBC has been accused of “double standards” on racism and failing to protect Jews in a damning letter from over 100 Jewish media figures over the corporation’s continued employment of cricket commentator Qasim Sheikh.
In the open letter, the hundred-strong collection of Jewish creatives slammed the BBC’s platforming of Sheikh, who started commentating on Test Match Special this week.
Sheikh had shared vile images on social media depicting Western leaders including Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak as Adolf Hitler alongside the caption “Kids Killers Union” – apparently in response to the West’s partnership with Israel as it continues its retaliatory offensive in Gaza in the wake of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks.
The former Scotland cricketer had also written online about his support for Palestine, arguing its people had “a right to defend themselves”.
Sheikh had shared vile images on social media depicting Western leaders including Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak as Adolf Hitler
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The BBC, which confirmed Sheikh would continue covering the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and US, was slammed in the letter for keeping him on the team despite allegedly knowing that his posts were “racist and wholly undermine[d] civility in public discourse”.
The letter also said: “Significantly, following the brutal massacre of infants, children, men, women and the elderly on October 7 in Israel by Hamas terrorists, another tweet by Sheikh claims that the terrorists were justified in their indiscriminate mass rape and slaughter in order ‘to defend themselves’.
“Yet again, the BBC appears entirely deaf to news of its contributors’ racism against Jews.
“Invoking images of Hitler (specifically) to portray Israel, the world’s only Jewish state, and its allies is Holocaust inversion and antisemitic by every definition.”
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Sheikh’s posts were “Holocaust inversion and antisemitic by every definition”, the letter said
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It highlighted what its authors called a “monumental double standard” at the BBC, which dropped fellow pundit Michael Vaughan in 2021 after racism allegations – of which he was eventually cleared – came to light.
Sheikh has said previously: “If my messages have caused people to think I am supporting the attacks of Oct 7, then that would not sit well with me, and I apologise for any offence this has caused.
“I would never seek to support any loss of innocent lives. That was not my intention.
“I welcome the opportunity to clearly state my views. I have been clear from the outset that the killing of innocent lives is wrong. There is no way I would support what happened on Oct 7 as acceptable, it was morally reprehensible.
“As is the ongoing situation in Gaza where many innocent lives continue to be lost – many of which are women and children. I will continue to call for a stop on the killing of innocent civilians, my message is clear for a ceasefire and a stop to all conflict.”
The letter highlighted what it called a “monumental double standard” at the BBC
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But that apology was slammed in the letter as “weak”, and the BBC’s due diligence as “insufficient”.
The former batsman then said in a statement on Wednesday: “I have been sent the recent letter, and as a result want to reiterate my apology for any offence my past messages caused. I reiterate what happened on October the 7th was morally reprehensible.
“I have removed the social media posts and want to reiterate that my intention was and is to raise the plight of the death of all innocent civilians.
“My position is clearly outlined in my statement of yesterday. I am against all forms of racism and discrimination and I believe in the need for peace in Gaza.”
GB News has approached the BBC for comment.