Dispute within the "BBC" over coverage of the war in Gaza turns into a legal battle.

British reports revealed on Thursday that Rafi Berg, head of the Middle Eastern affairs department at the BBC, has filed a lawsuit against British journalist Owen Jones for defamation, following an article that addressed what was described as "institutional bias" in the BBC's coverage of the Israeli war on Gaza.

According to documents submitted to the British High Court, Berg is suing Jones over an article titled "The Civil War Inside the BBC Over Gaza," published on Drop Site in December of last year.

The article, which sparked widespread controversy, was based on testimonies from 13 anonymous BBC employees who accused Berg of "playing a central role in entrenching a systematic propaganda culture in favor of Israel within the organization," and asserted that he "rewrites headlines and texts to present the Israeli military perspective at the expense of the Palestinian narrative."

Berg has been with the BBC since 2001 and has served as Middle East editor for 12 years, completely denying the allegations, asserting that they "damage his professional reputation as an independent journalist and editor."

His lawyer, John Staples, stated in remarks reported by the British Press Agency that these allegations "have dealt a serious blow to his client's professional reputation," and have caused a "wave of hatred and threats," including death threats received by Berg after the article was published.

Staples noted that the BBC has enhanced security measures for Berg, while the British police have launched an investigation into the threats, explaining that his client "has faced fear, anxiety, humiliation, and severe psychological pressure," and that the damage "has been exacerbated by Owen Jones's refusal to apologize or remove the article."

Berg has requested the court to issue an injunction preventing the republication of the article and obliging Jones to delete it from all websites, in addition to financial compensation for the damages incurred.

In contrast, Owen Jones stated that he "completely disagrees" with Berg's claims, affirming that he "will continue to vigorously defend the accuracy of his investigation and his independence in court if necessary."

The article that ignited the crisis indicated that the BBC is facing "internal rebellion" regarding its coverage of the genocide in Gaza, and that employees' comments about the lack of editorial balance in the coverage are "repeatedly marginalized."

It also alleged that "the uncomfortable facts for Israel are deliberately omitted from Berg's reports."

Following the publication of the article, an online petition was launched calling for Berg's suspension from the BBC, while BBC offices witnessed protests last January.

In the same context, an investigation published by "Mint Press News" revealed deep divisions within the BBC regarding its coverage of the Israeli war on Gaza, as well as its coverage of wars in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.

The investigation quoted employees at the organization saying that Rafi Berg "is primarily responsible for directing the coverage to serve the Israeli narrative."

The investigation, conducted by journalist Owen Jones, clarified that Berg "directly controls the headlines, texts, and images published on the BBC News website," and that he "often excludes Palestinian viewpoints or minimizes their editorial presence."

Employees described Berg's influence within the organization as "intimidating," noting that he possesses absolute authority that allows him to reject or modify content to align with his perspective.

The report revealed that Berg collaborated with the Israeli Mossad and the CIA, noting that he published a book in 2020 titled "Spies of the Red Sea" in collaboration with Danny Limor, a former leader of the Mossad.

The book discusses a secret operation carried out by the Mossad to smuggle Ethiopian Jews into the occupied Palestinian territories, praising the Mossad as "the greatest intelligence agency in the world."

The investigation also indicated that Berg previously worked in the Foreign Broadcast Information Service of the U.S. State Department, a unit he himself described as a "front for the CIA."