The Belgian journalistic ethics council agreed with a complaint against Radio Judaïca following the words of Georges-Louis Bouchez on the attack on bipeurs in Lebanon. A decision that divides and relaunches the debate on freedom of expression.
The origin of the controversy
On September 23, 2024, the president of MR Georges-Louis Bouchez qualified on Radio Judaica the attack on the bipeurs in Lebanon as “the Israelis genius”. These words, made three days after the Israeli operation, sparked a lively controversy. Nordine Saïdi, founding member of Brussels Panthères and activist “political and decolonial anti -racist”, filed a complaint with the CDJ, reproaching the radio for not having reframed the statements of the political leader. Four other complaints were filed, but only Saïdi led the procedure to the end.
A first historical condemnation
The CDJ has established that Radio Judaica and its editor -in -chief Lise Benkemoun had violated the preamble and articles 3, 4 and 5 of the journalistic ethics code. According to research by Brussels Panthers, this is the first formal conviction of the CDJ against Radio Judaica in 46 years of existence.
For Nordine Saïdi, this decision represents a “victory” both symbolic and political in a country which he accuses of practicing “state Zionism”. He hopes that this previous one will encourage other citizens to file a complaint against what he describes as “Zionist propaganda organ”.
Radio Judaica denounces a “relentlessness”
Lise Benkemoun, editor -in -chief of Radio Judaica, said she was “surprised” with this decision which she considers “questionable”. “We are first surprised by this decision, the most questionable, however no call is possible, which also raises questions,” she told i24news. “As soon as the remarks made by Georges Louis Bouchez on our antenna are not reprehensible, why should we have to reframe them?”
Faced with the accusations of Brussels Panthers, she categorically refutes: “It is both false and defamatory” to qualify Radio Judaïca as “Zionist propaganda organ”.
For her, this complaint masks a broader objective: “They used as a pretext the words of Georges Louis Bouchez and instrumentalized the journalistic ethics council to harm Radio Judaica and its reputation. And through it to attack the Jewish community of Belgium as a whole.”
The manager denounces an attempt to muzzle the radio: “They want to muzzle the radio and scare it. Where is freedom of expression in this case? If the radio positions of Judaica on Israel do not please Brussels Panther, that does not justify his wish to muzzle this essential information organ for Belgium.”
She sees it as the expression of a “hatred of Israel and anti -Semitism” which “find new ways to express themselves in Belgium. Fortunately, for the moment the Jewish community and her friends have a strong spokesman called Radio Judaïca.”
Determined, she concludes: “We will not let ourselves be done and will tirelessly continue to inform our listeners with professionalism. We have confidence. Truth always ends up.”
