THE BBC has been urged not to give in to “cynical” attacks on a documentary on the Israeli invasion of Gaza, which it has pulled from iPlayer after criticism of its child narrator’s father being a Hamas official.

Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone is narrated by 13-year-old Abdullah, whose father is deputy minister of agriculture in Gaza’s Hamas government.

Last week Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she would raise this with the BBC’s director-general and chairman, “particularly around the way in which they sourced the people who were featured in the programme.”

A petition signed by socialist Jews including film-maker Mike Leigh, comedian and writer Alexei Sayle and actor Miriam Margolyes calls on the BBC to resist “censorship.”

“The BBC should be deluged in plaudits for broadcasting Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,” the petition reads.

“It is impossible to regard the complaint by a number of strident defenders of Israel’s actions about the BBC’s broadcast of this documentary as anything other than a cynical stunt. It is clear their intent is to prevent people viewing an account of the effect of Israel’s assault on Gaza…

“Had the BBC broadcast a programme featuring the child of an Israeli army officer who had served in Gaza we would not dream of objecting on that account, we would have concentrated on the merit or demerits of the content,” it continues.

Mr Sayle told Jewish Voice for Labour that the documentary “shows youngsters coping with death and destruction in a way that is both harrowing and hopeful. It is depressing that the BBC has been bullied into taking it off line. It should be restored for public view without delay.”

The BBC didn’t answer a question from the Morning Star as to whether pressure from the Culture Secretary had prompted the documentary’s removal, but referred us to a statement reading: “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone features important stories we think should be told — those of the experiences of children in Gaza.

“There have been continuing questions raised about the programme and in the light of these, we are conducting further due diligence with the production company. The programme will not be available on iPlayer while this is taking place.”

The documentary is available to watch on DoubleDown News or via this link: bit.ly/3XfO4xv.