“IDF will fuck the Arabs!”, “Why is school out in Gaza? There are no children left there!” Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans chanting on 8 November, as reported by The Times of Israel. Yet the BBC just compared them to Jewish victims of the Nazi pogroms. Why this story matters is because of the outsized influence of the BBC – its content is shared as gospel by countless other broadcasters.

The BBC scores a spectacular own goal: reducing itself to an outlet for propaganda. The Times of Israel drills one into the back of the net by more honestly reporting both sides of a deeply unsavoury story.

“We must not turn blind eye to antisemitism, says Dutch king after attacks on Israeli football fans”, the BBC solemnly headlined on Friday evening last week.

King Willem-Alexander said, according to the Beeb’s Paul Kirby: “our history has taught us how intimidation goes from bad to worse,” adding that the country could not ignore “antisemitic behaviour”.

Joining the outpouring of concern was Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema, “My heart goes out to the victims and to their families here and in Israel as well.” The Dutch PM rushed back from overseas to offer support to the Israelis, planes were said to be scrambled in Israel to fly to their aid. None was needed because, in the end, fewer than 10 Israelis were injured and none appear........

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