# 'We’re Being GASLIT': Mehdi & Owen on the BBC, Palestine, and Trump’s $1bn Threat Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S88Vyds9W4k Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/S88Vyds9W4k Generated: 2025-11-23T14:03:24.806+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Mehdi Hasan and Owen Jones criticize the BBC for allegedly gaslighting the public and prioritizing perceived right-wing sensitivities over accurately reporting on Israeli actions in Gaza, contrasting it with the BBC's alleged harsh treatment of figures critical of Israel, such as the prior coverage of Jeremy Corbyn. **Key Points:** - Mehdi Hasan points out that Donald Trump is still threatening to sue the BBC for $1 billion over coverage of the January 6th Capitol riot, which he claims was gaslighting. - Owen Jones references a 2015 meeting where Keir Starmer was pictured in front of a banner reading 'Kick Israeli Racism Out of FIFA,' suggesting hypocrisy given current political stances. - The speakers criticize the BBC for heavily covering alleged Israeli crimes (like the Gaza hospital bombing) with terms like 'allegedly' while using unequivocal language for Hamas actions, citing statistics that the BBC covered Israeli casualties 34 times less than Palestinian casualties in a previous conflict. - The discussion highlights the perceived right-wing bias in UK media and institutions, exemplified by reports suggesting the British government and BBC are eager to appease right-wing/pro-Israel sentiment. - Owen Jones mentions that the BBC’s coverage of the Gaza genocide claims is one of the 'great journalistic crimes of our age,' contrasting it with the hardline stance taken against Jeremy Corbyn. - Mehdi Hasan notes that the Israeli government and military officials are allegedly being investigated by the ICC for war crimes, but the BBC's coverage downplays this or ignores it, while aggressively pursuing criticism against pro-Palestinian figures. ![Screenshot at 00:09: Mehdi Hasan discusses Donald Trump threatening to sue the BBC for $1 billion over coverage perceived as gaslighting him regarding the January 6th riot.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/S88Vyds9W4k/00-00-09.png) **Context:** Mehdi Hasan and Owen Jones host a segment discussing perceived media bias, specifically focusing on the BBC's coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict and its perceived difference in tone compared to coverage of domestic UK politics or figures critical of Israel, such as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The conversation draws parallels between past political incidents involving UK politicians and current media framing of international events to illustrate a pattern of institutional bias. ## Detailed Analysis Mehdi Hasan and Owen Jones dissect what they perceive as media bias, particularly from the BBC, regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict. Hasan opens by noting that Donald Trump is still threatening to sue the BBC for $1 billion over its coverage of the January 6th Capitol riot, which he characterizes as gaslighting. Jones then pivots to UK politics, citing a 2015 picture of Keir Starmer in front of a banner reading 'Kick Israeli Racism Out of FIFA,' which he implies is hypocritical given Starmer's current political alignment. Hasan details statistics suggesting extreme bias in BBC coverage of Palestinian casualties versus Israeli casualties (a 34-to-1 ratio in favor of Israeli victims), calling the coverage of the Gaza genocide one of the 'great journalistic crimes of our age.' He contrasts this with the BBC's aggressive scrutiny of left-wing figures like Jeremy Corbyn, who was allegedly hounded out of the Labour party for perceived antisemitism. Jones points out that the BBC's editorial line seems to be shaped by the need to appease right-wing sentiment, particularly regarding Israel, referencing the BBC's coverage of the Gaza hospital bombing where terms like 'allegedly' were used for Israeli actions, but strong language was used for Hamas. Hasan further emphasizes the disparity by noting that while the BBC aggressively covered the actions of Palestinian figures, they failed to cover the Israeli military lawyer who was arrested for leaking footage allegedly showing Palestinian detainee abuse, or the ongoing investigation by the ICC into Israeli officials. ### Media Bias Critique - Mehdi Hasan and Owen Jones critique the BBC's coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict as heavily biased in favor of Israeli narratives - The BBC allegedly used qualifying language like 'allegedly' for Israeli actions but strong terms for Palestinian actions - Hasan cites statistics showing coverage skewed 34:1 in favor of Israeli victims over Palestinian victims. ### Political Hypocrisy (UK) - Owen Jones highlights a 2015 photo of Keir Starmer in front of a 'Kick Israeli Racism Out of FIFA' banner, contrasting this progressive stance with current Labour policy and media treatment of pro-Palestinian voices. ### BBC's Treatment of Critics - Hasan points out that the BBC aggressively pursued figures like Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism claims while seemingly protecting establishment figures like the BBC's Director-General and CEO who were allegedly involved in policy changes favoring Israel. ### Specific BBC Failures - The BBC allegedly refused to air a documentary involving the son of a Hamas official and failed to cover the arrest of an Israeli military lawyer who leaked footage showing detainee abuse. ### The Double Standard - Jones argues the media and political elite prioritize avoiding accusations of antisemitism (even if it means gaslighting) over reporting on alleged Israeli atrocities, citing the consistent framing of Israeli actions as 'self-defense' while rarely applying similar scrutiny to Palestinian suffering. ![Screenshot at 00:09: Mehdi Hasan begins by discussing Donald Trump's ongoing threat to sue the BBC for $1 billion over their coverage of the January 6th Capitol riot.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/S88Vyds9W4k/00-00-09.png) ![Screenshot at 00:47: Title card displaying 'Two Outspoken with Owen Jones & Mehdi Hasan' before the main discussion begins.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/S88Vyds9W4k/00-00-47.png) ![Screenshot at 09:33: A visual montage showcasing various news headlines from different sources to illustrate the concept of media bias and the need for aggregation tools like Ground News.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/S88Vyds9W4k/00-09-33.png) ![Screenshot at 37:02: A clip from a 2015 speech by Lisa Nandy MP showing her in Parliament criticizing arms sales to Israel following recent events.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/S88Vyds9W4k/00-37-02.png) ![Screenshot at 41:42: Mehdi Hasan directs viewers to subscribe to Zeteo.com for exclusive, unfiltered journalism, offering a 40% discount.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/S88Vyds9W4k/00-41-42.png)