BBC anti-Semitism row after executive hugged film-maker who chanted ‘From the river to the sea’
The BBC is at the centre of a fresh anti-Semitism row after one of its executives lent public support to a Palestinian film-maker who chanted “From the river to the sea” at a festival.
Emma Hindley, commissioning editor for the BBC’s flagship Storyville strand, embraced Mohammed Almughanni on stage after he made a “ranting” speech which left Jewish audience members distressed.
Mr Almughanni is reported to have yelled “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, which is regarded by Israel’s supporters as anti-Semitic hate speech.
He is also said to have told the audience of industry executives: “If you don’t agree with me, I don’t want your money.”
Incident took place at film festival
The BBC is backing Mr Almughanni’s film, Son of the Streets, about a Palestinian boy growing up in a Beirut refugee camp, and plans to air it next year.
The incident took place at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam earlier this month.
Sources said that Mr Almughanni’s views were no secret and he had indicated to a number of people at the festival that he would use his speech to make a political protest.
Ms Hindley was not required to be on stage with Mr Almughanni while he pitched his project but chose to do so, and hugged him at the end.
Francine Zuckerman, a Canadian producer and director who has worked with the BBC, was at the event.
She told The Telegraph: “He started to pitch his project, which was very interesting, and then it all of a sudden turned into an absolute rant, yelling, ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’.
“People applauded and Emma Hindley hugged him. It’s one thing to stand up there to support a project but not in a situation like this when somebody is ranting something that is terribly offensive to any of the Jewish or Israeli film-makers in the audience. To take that position, it totally took me aback.
‘It just felt so offensive’
“It was so devastating and so uncomfortable to be in that room that as soon as it was over I just ran out as quickly as I could and was in tears on the street because it just felt so offensive.”
International film-makers who work with Storyville released a statement condemning Ms Hindley’s actions, which they said contravene the BBC’s commitment to impartiality.
The authors, who declined to make their names public but whose identities have been confirmed by The Telegraph, said: “We, as Israeli and Jewish people working with BBC Storyville, feel compelled to address the incident that transpired during the recent IDFA festival
“During a pitching event, a Palestinian film-maker took the stage and expressed offensive sentiments, including the slogan ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ and advocating for a return to pre-1948 borders.
“What deeply disturbed us was the visible support extended by BBC executive Emma Hindley to the film-maker, even after the use of offensive language. It is not common practice for commissioners to stand next to people pitching at IDFA.
“Emma is a senior leader at the BBC and should have known that her impartiality would be compromised not just by standing next to the film-maker but by hugging and kissing him before and after his highly offensive statements.”
Days earlier, the festival had issued a public apology after activists disrupted the opening ceremony by taking to the stage with a “From the river to the sea” banner.
Ms Hindley’s public support for Mr Almughanni has caused distress among BBC employees.
One told The Telegraph: “How can you make a film with someone who has said in public about this, ‘If you don’t agree with me then we don’t want your money?’
‘She did not have to cuddle him in public’
“Working at the BBC at the moment is soul-destroying. It is a very hostile and difficult environment.
“Emma could have consoled him in private if she wanted to. She did not have to kiss and cuddle him in public. She was on the stage because she is angry about what Israel is doing.”
Another festival attendee told Broadcast magazine: “The hug at the end made what was a deeply offensive pitch even harder to stomach for many in the room.”
In response, Hindley told Broadcast: “I hugged Mohammed because he was visibly distressed. Hugging him wasn’t a political statement or an endorsement of anybody’s views, it was an instinctive human reaction. I’m sorry if my actions have upset anyone - my intentions were quite the opposite.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We recognised that this is an incredibly distressing time for all those impacted by the ongoing conflict.
“Son of the Streets was commissioned by Storyville in 2022 and Emma Hindley was on stage in her capacity as series commissioner.
“Emma’s actions were a human response to the director, Mohammed Almughanni, who became visibly distressed during the pitch and were not in any way an endorsement of his views.”
