BBC issues correction to inaccurate Jerusalem elections claim

BBC Watch has secured a correction to an inaccurate claim made in three radio programmes.

As documented here at the beginning of the month, an audio report concerning the municipal elections in Jerusalem that was aired on the BBC Radio 4 ‘Today’ programme and in two editions of the BBC World Service radio programme ‘Newshour’ on October 30th included the inaccurate claim that for the first time, a Palestinian candidate was running for a seat on the city council.

BBC erases crucial background from report on Jerusalem election

BBC Watch submitted a complaint concerning that inaccurate claim, pointing out that even Palestinian sources acknowledge that this is far from the first time that an Arab resident of Jerusalem has been on the ballot paper.

The response we received includes the following:

“Thanks for getting in touch about our report on October 30.

We looked into this for you and appreciate you raising the matter with us. You’re correct about a precedent lying elsewhere, so we’ve published a correction in line with our complaints framework:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/helpandfeedback/corrections_clarifications

Many thanks once again for bringing this to our attention.”

The correction reads as follows:

 

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