Liliane Landor, the former head of the BBC World Service, has faced criticism for comments that some perceive as downplaying Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon. Landor, who stepped down from her position in July, stated on social media that it was inaccurate to describe Hezbollah as having “strongholds” in Beirut or being “embedded” in the country, despite the group’s significant military presence.
Hezbollah, known for its military strength, surpassing even the Lebanese army, commands tens of thousands of fighters and controls large stockpiles of rockets and missiles. Despite this, Landor characterized Hezbollah as just one of many political parties woven into Lebanon’s political, social, and military fabric.
She further argued that Hezbollah does not monopolize areas such as Dahiya, a Beirut neighborhood known to house the group’s infrastructure, nor does it close off regions to outside observers.
Landor’s statements were met with strong criticism, with detractors accusing her of being misleading and irresponsible. Critics argue that her remarks contradict widely reported facts about Hezbollah’s activities, including its role in restricting access to certain areas in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
Her comments followed an Israeli airstrike on residential buildings in southern Beirut, targeting a Hezbollah leadership meeting. Landor’s social media posts, made in response to news coverage of Hezbollah’s operations, also disputed claims that Hezbollah restricts media access, though reports suggest that foreign journalists have been shadowed or blocked from entering certain areas by Hezbollah fighters.
Landor’s position was further contradicted by Deborah Turness, the CEO of BBC News, who recently acknowledged that Hezbollah had barred BBC correspondents from independently reporting in areas affected by Israeli airstrikes, including hospitals where casualties were treated.
The backlash against Landor’s comments comes amidst broader criticism of the BBC’s coverage of Israel and Hezbollah. The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) has condemned her statements as part of a larger pattern of what it considers biased reporting on Middle Eastern issues.
