Owen Jones wins legal victory over BBC editor

Journalist Owen Jones has scored a major victory in his legal fight against BBC editor and Israel fanatic Raffi Berg. Berg was suing Jones for libel after Jones accused Berg and the BBC of bias against Palestinians in coverage of Israel’s Gaza genocide.

Berg, who has gushed about an award from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, has been accused of collaborating with the CIA and Israeli intelligence. The BBC has deleted documentary evidence of Israel’s crimes and their impact on Palestinians. The corporation routinely downplays the murder of Palestinians and parrots Israeli propaganda. But Berg took exception and launched legal action for damage to his “professional reputation as a journalist and editor”, to the delight of Israel lobbyists.

But today, 12 March, the High Court has ruled against Berg on key issues in his legal action, judging that Jones was expressing an honest opinion based on stated evidence – one of the key defences against libel action.

Owen Jones said:

I am delighted that the High Court has ruled in my favour on the key issues in the libel case brought by Raffi Berg. The court rejected the claimant’s interpretation of the article and ruled that it expressed an opinion based on stated material.

I stand by my journalism and, if Mr Berg decides to continue the libel claim, I look forward to defending my article in court. I would like to thank my legal team at RPC Legal, my barrister Aidan Eardley KC, and Drop Site News, which published the article and has stood by my journalism throughout.

Berg now has to decide whether to continue the case, but his lawyers may well advise him to drop it as the risk of losing – and of a costs award against him – is now much higher.

Featured image via the Canary