‘Sickening’: BBC Hosts ‘Journalist’ Who Called Terror, Murder of Child the ‘Palestinian World Cup’

Atwan’s “reference to terrorist murder as ‘Palestine’s New World Cup’ really does require the BBC to apologize for elevating him to the role of a pundit.” 

By United with Israel Staff

A Palestinian propagandist hosted by BBC dared to call Wednesday’s deadly Jerusalem bombings the “Palestinian World Cup,” The Jewish Chronicle (JC) reported.

According to the JC, politicians and high-profile cultural figures have condemned BBC for repeatedly hosting the terror-supporting “journalist” Abdel Bari Atwan.

Indeed, translations provided by CAMERA Arabic (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis) reveal his statement on Twitter praising the twin terror attacks that claimed the life of a 16-year-old boy who was waiting for a ride to school as well as injuring more than 20 others, come critically.

“Bombings with explosive devices in occupied Jerusalem, one Israeli dead and many injured. And al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade seizing the body of a settler in Jenin, this is the beginning of a very different Palestinian World Cup,” he tweeted.

MP Greg Smith responded to the tweet:

“To say the terrorist murder of an Israeli child and serious injuries to many others is the start of ‘the Palestinian world cup’ is sickening and hate filled.

“The BBC – or any other respectable media outfit – must never have him or anyone with these disgraceful attitudes on their platforms ever again.

“Celebrating terror, comparing it to a game, shows how wrong the BBC ever were to defend Abdel Bari Atwan and must now revisit their decision.”

Prominent historian Simon Sebag Montefiore told the JC: “I find it hard to believe that anyone would celebrate the killing of innocent people by terrorists, but to contrive a link to football and the World Cup is highly distasteful.”

“If the BBC ever needed further evidence of the true colors of Abdel Bari Atwan, his tweet this morning following a terrorist murder provides the true horror of his beliefs,” former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation Lord Carlile stated, according to the JC.

“His reference to terrorist murder as ‘Palestine’s New World Cup’ really does require the BBC to apologize for elevating him to the role of a pundit,” he added.

“Equating murderous terrorists acts with a football tournament should in itself be grounds for disqualification as a BBC contributor,” said Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl, who called Atwan’s statement “sickening.”