The former Israeli military chief, General Aviv Kohavi, held private meetings with prominent British media editors, including Katherine Viner from The Guardian, Richard Burgess from the BBC, and Roula Khalaf from the Financial Times, one month into the war on Gaza in October 2023, with further discussions reportedly planned with figures such as Sky News chairman David Rhodes and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, Declassified UK revealed.

The meetings were part of a coordinated effort to bolster support for "Israel's" military actions in Gaza.

Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that Kohavi's visit was arranged with assistance from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli military, and the Ministry of Security. The primary objective was to shape Western media narratives following the escalation of Israeli violence.

The report also delves into Kohavi’s personal record, noting his controversial comments and actions during his tenure. 

He had previously justified severe military actions, including the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the destruction of a building housing an AP office in Gaza, by dismissing any moral or ethical reservations. 

Israeli strategy aims to shape Western public opinion 

This high-level media engagement was part of a broader Israeli strategy to influence public opinion in the West. A journalist who worked for the BBC at the time expressed concern that the broadcaster's involvement in such meetings undermined its impartiality, highlighting the growing bias in coverage of the war on Gaza.

Kohavi’s meetings were specifically aimed at those in influential media positions who could affect the legitimacy of "Israel’s" atrocities in Gaza.

The meetings were intended to counter a perceived shift in Western attitudes toward "Israel" after October 7, with the documents noting that Kohavi’s meetings with top media figures were crucial in "influencing influencers", that is, to directly engage with those who have significant sway over public discourse in the West. 

Despite the meetings being conducted behind closed doors, critics have raised concerns that this approach furthers the perception of bias in the media's portrayal of the war.

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An anonymous BBC journalist criticized the meeting, arguing that it was "unprecedented" and "outrageous" for a senior media outlet to engage privately with a high-ranking military official from an entity accused of serious human rights abuses. 

This sentiment was echoed by others who questioned the impartiality of the BBC and The Guardian, especially since comparable opportunities were not extended to senior Palestinian representatives. 

As a matter of fact, the BBC, The Guardian, and the Financial Times have all faced criticism for their coverage of "Israel’s" actions in Gaza, with claims that they have amplified Israeli propaganda while neglecting Palestinian perspectives.

Public frustration has been growing over the media's failure to critically address the Israeli government's actions, with experts arguing that secretive meetings with Israeli officials during such a contentious period raise serious questions about journalistic integrity.

Professor Des Freedman, a media expert, told Declassified UK that while off-the-record briefings are common in journalism, meeting privately with a senior Israeli military official amid a genocidal war raises significant concerns about transparency and integrity.

The ongoing media portrayal of the Israeli occupation as a victim and its atrocities as justified continues to fuel public debates about bias and the role of the press in shaping public perception.

Declassified lays bare pro-'Israel' bias in UK newsrooms

Journalists from some of the UK's most famous publications and television stations have expressed concerns about pro-"Israel" bias in their companies.

Speaking exclusively to Declassified, in a report published February 20, several current and former staff members from the BBC, Sky, ITN, The Guardian, and The Times revealed the extent of anti-Palestinian bias within their newsrooms.

With a range of political leanings, all journalists, who requested anonymity for fears of professional retaliation, painted a consistent picture despite the obstacles faced by reporters trying to humanize Palestinians or scrutinize Israeli government narratives.

A reporter from the right-wing Times newspaper recalled "crying in the bathroom" numerous times due to the struggle of attempting to report properly, while staff at The Guardian reported an "exhaustive spreadsheet" with a "mountain of examples" of the paper "amplifying unchallenged Israeli propaganda… or treating clearly false statements by Israeli spokespeople as credible."

Journalists working in television studios confront a similar challenge, with immediate consequences if Israeli officials are asked uncomfortable questions. 

Across all major media outlets where Declassified acquired access to insiders, a constant theme was the difficulty of reporting on "Israel's" war crimes, even though they were captured on tape.

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