Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to media outlets about the potential consequences for the safety of the UK's Jewish community of attributing responsibility for the strike on the Al-Alhi hospital before the facts have been established.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government takes any threat to the safety of Jewish people in the UK extremely seriously, and stands strongly against antisemitism in all its forms.
The attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel since 7 October are terrorist acts, committed by a terrorist organisation which has been proscribed in the United Kingdom since 2021 and designated as such by many other governments and international organisations.
On the misattribution of responsibility for the strike on the Al-Alhi hospital, as the Prime Minister said in his statement to the House of Commons on 23 October, “the misreporting of this incident had a negative effect in the region – including on a vital US diplomatic effort – and on tensions here at home. We need to learn the lessons and ensure that in future there is no rush to judgement.”
Whilst respecting the editorial independence of the media, the Government has been clear that media organisations should reflect on their coverage and learn lessons for the future.