UK journalists given guidebook after failing on covering Gaza genocide

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 May 2025 16:53

A new handbook distributed to Westminster journalists slams UK media for whitewashing "Israel's" war on Gaza and urges tougher questions on government complicity.

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The scene at BBC Broadcasting House in London, after red paint was sprayed over the entrance (AP)

UK news sources on Monday reported that Westminster lobby journalists were handed a guidebook aimed at addressing their failure to adequately cover the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The handbook, distributed by the Independent Alliance group of MPs, seeks to confront mainstream media's failure to hold the UK government accountable for its role in "Israel's" assault on Palestine.

The Independent Alliance, whose members include former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn alongside MPs Shockat Adam, Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain, and Iqbal Mohamed, distributed around 100 copies of the manual to journalists at Westminster. The guide offers a detailed critique of the media's coverage, particularly in relation to the UK's complicity in "Israel's" military actions.

Among the concerns raised are the UK's continued export of F-35 jet components to "Israel," despite documented use of these aircraft in Gaza, and the government's refusal to release RAF surveillance footage of the conflict, including footage from the day British aid workers were killed. The handbook also highlights the government's reluctance to investigate its involvement in Gaza and points to contradictions made by Labour ministers, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, regarding the definition of genocide in this context.

To assist journalists, the handbook outlines specific questions to be posed to government ministers, such as, "The Foreign Secretary has publicly accepted that F-35 components 'might be used to commit… a serious violation of International Humanitarian law.' How is the government's decision to continue exporting F-35 components consistent with Britain's legal obligations?" Other suggested inquiries cover topics including military shipments, RAF operations, and the use of UK airbases in support of Israeli military activity.

The document concludes with a stark reminder, "Exposing the truth comes at a cost. In Gaza, journalists have paid with their lives. Here in Britain, journalists may damage personal relationships or hamper their professional ambitions. In an ongoing genocide, these risks are surely worth taking."

In comments to Novara Media, Jeremy Corbyn criticized the media's handling of Gaza coverage. "Gaza has been a test for our mainstream media. They have failed. They have failed to stand up for their colleagues being murdered abroad. They have failed to treat all lives with equal worth. And they have failed to hold our government accountable for its complicity in crimes against humanity. That is how you normalise a genocide – and to that end, the media have shamefully succeeded."

UK government sued over jet parts linked to Gaza bombing

Earlier today, the Financial Times reported that the UK government is facing a High Court challenge over its continued export of fighter jet components used by "Israel" in its war on Gaza, in a legal case brought by Al-Haq, a Palestinian human rights organization.

At the centre of the legal dispute is the UK’s role in supplying parts for the US-made F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, which "Israel" has deployed extensively in its aggression on Gaza. While some arms export licences were suspended in 2024 amid concerns over potential breaches of international humanitarian law, F-35 jet components were not included, as they are shipped to the United States and then routed to "Israel" through the broader international F-35 programme.

The UK government, under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has defended the continued export of F-35 parts. Sir James Eadie KC, leading the government’s legal team, argued that the decision was "lawful and justified," citing the importance of the F-35 programme to NATO and allied security interests.

Court documents submitted by the Department for Business and Trade warn of the "gravity of the risks to the F-35 programme, and to international peace and security if the F-35 programme were to be compromised." The government claims halting these exports would jeopardize national defense partnerships and broader strategic objectives.

The current death and missing people toll in Gaza stands at 61,000.