Joe Scarborough Slams The BBC For Offensive Comment About Israel During Paris Unity Rally
On Tuesday’s edition of Morning Joe, host Joe Scarborough criticized the BBC for standing by senior reporter Tim Willcox after his “poorly phrased question” while covering the Paris unity rally. The question posed by the BBC journalist has vexed many including the former Republican politician and current cable news host Joe Scarborough
While interviewing a Jewish French woman who spoke of how Jews are now being targeted, Willcox questioned Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians.
“Many critics though of Israel’s policy would suggest that the Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well.”
The question was perceived as antisemitic, especially since the question was posed to a grand-daughter of a Holocaust survivor.
The BBC journalist has since apologized for his error in judgment and any “unintentional” offence it may have caused.
Really sorry for any offence caused by a poorly phrased question in a live interview in Paris yesterday – it was entirely unintentional
— Tim Willcox (@BBCTimWillcox) January 12, 2015
However, Joe Scarborough believes the pernicious question posed by Willcox shows the how insensitive the media still is to the Jewish people despite the fact the Holocaust is still a vivid memory for many.
“For people in Europe that don’t understand why Israel exists, take what happened last week and multiply it 2 million times,” Scarborough said.
“The fact that the BBC has someone insensitive and cold to the realities — this did not happen 300 years ago! This happened 60, 65 years ago, while Europe sat by and did nothing. They let 6 million Jews be exterminated. This is why Israel exists. And people need to get a hell of a lot more sensitive to it, even if they are left-leaning media members.”
This is not the first time Tim Willcox has been accused of Jew hate. Willcox had previously faced criticism after anchoring a discussion regarding a British politician and leader of the Labour party Ed Miliband reportedly losing Jewish support.
During the discussion, a guest, political observer Jo Phillips referred to a ‘Jewish lobby,’ which had abandoned support for Labour over Miliband’s condemnation of Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Many were left irritated that Willcox had not pulled up the guest on her comments and then added, “A lot of these prominent Jewish faces will be very much against the mansion tax.”
The BBC defended the comments.
“It was clear that he was not suggesting that Jewish people in particular are against the mansion tax.”
Joe Scarborough called out the BBC for standing by the insensitive journalist. Disgruntled, Scarborough said, “I cannot believe the BBC is going to allow this man to stay on the BBC“.
[Image via MSNBC.com]
