Veteran journalist: Jeremy Bowen said claims he is anti-Semetic are 'untrue and offensive' BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen has come under fire after accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of 'playing the Holocaust card'. The  Middle East editor posted his comments on Twitter during the politician's speech at the U.S. Congress. His tweet sparked outrage, with critics labelling the veteran journalist a 'slime bag' and calling his statement 'deplorable'. But the senior journalist has responded to his attackers and said claims he is anti-Semetic are 'untrue and offensive'. It comes just weeks after Mr Bowen's BBC colleague Tim Wilcox was accused of anti-Semitism over his coverage of the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris. Mr Bowen made his claim after highlighting how Prime Minister Netanyahu had referenced U.S. professor Elie Wisel, a survivor the Auschwitz, Buna and Buchenwald Nazi concentration camps. He wrote: '#NetanyahuSpeech He acknowledged Elie Wiesel in audience. Once again Netanyahu plays the holocaust card. don't repeat mistakes of the past'. The Israeli Prime Minister was invited to speak by the Republicans and he took the opportunity to slam an emerging nuclear deal with Iran. Mr Bowen was live tweeting the speech using the hashtag #NetanyahuSpeech. In response to the senior BBC journalist's tweet, Aboud Dandachi, who describes himself as a 'displaced Syrian from Homs' living in Istanbul', wrote: 'A deplorable statement by Bowen.' Twitter user @AndyLondon7 added: 'It's b/c of ppl like Bowen that Elie Wiesel has to remind people of the 1930s'. Shimon Chaim tweeted: '@BowenBBC 'plays Holocaust card'? Avoiding a repeat of genocide some cynical game to you is it?' @thehugheslady added: 'Bowen is a slime bag. Shame on him and BBC for using him'. Controversial: This  tweet sparked outrage, with critics labelling the veteran journalist a 'slime bag' and calling his statement 'deplorable' Response: Mr Bowen has responded to his attackers and said claims he is anti-Semetic are 'untrue and offensive' The UK-based campaign group, North West Friends of Israel, also expressed anger. It tweeted: 'err-'Holocaust card'? The holocaust wasn't a game, Jeremy. Maybe take a trip to Europe again to see how world treated Jews.' Mr Bowen has been the BBC's Middle East editor since 2005, having previously been based in  Jerusalem as a correspondent. When MailOnline asked him for a comment, he said: 'Nothing to add to the tweet I posted saying it was untrue and offensive to suggest I'm anti-Semitic.' Accusation: BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen (left) said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) was 'playing the Holocaust card' In January, the BBC's Tim Wilcox faced calls to resign after he told a French woman, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, that 'Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well'. His comments came as he covered a rally in Paris following the deadly attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and a Kosher supermarket. The woman had told him that she feared a return to the persecution of Jews seen in the 1930s.
BBC's Jeremy Bowen accused Israeli PM  of 'playing the Holocaust card'
Middle East editor tweeted comments during PM's speech at U.S. Congress . Tweet sparked outrage, with critics calling veteran journalist a 'slime bag'
In response, he said claims he is anti-Semitic are 'untrue and offensive'