As noted in part one of this post, between January 1st and March 31st 2017, ninety-one reports relating to Israel and/or the Palestinians appeared on the BBC News website’s Middle East page, some of which were cross posted from other sections of the site and seven of which were carried over from 2016. 12.09% of those reports covered stories relating to security/terrorism.
The remaining 87.91% of those articles can be grouped into a number of categories. (The dates in brackets represent the period of time in which each report was available to visitors to the website’s Middle East page.)
Five reports (5.49% of the total) related to historical subject matter:
‘Anne Frank link’ unearthed at Sobibor camp (16/1/17 to 17/1/17)
‘Yolocaust’: How should you behave at a Holocaust memorial? (20/1/17 to 29/1/17)
New Dead Sea Scrolls cave discovered (9/2/17 to 12/2/17)
British WWI alcohol stash unearthed in Israel (22/3/317 to 23/3/17)
Holy Sepulchre Church: Discovery at ‘Jesus’s tomb’ in Jerusalem (22/3/17 to 26/3/17)
Four reports (4.4%) can be categorised as miscellaneous:
Hilarion Capucci: Arms-smuggling archbishop dies aged 94 (2/1/17 to 4/1/17)
Peru asks Trump to consider deporting ex-President Alejandro Toledo (13/2/17)
Jordan releases soldier who shot Israeli schoolgirls (12/3/17 to 13/3/17) discussed here
Israel: Hezbollah commander Mustafa Badreddine ‘killed by own men’ (21/3/17 to 23/3/17) discussed here
One report related to the US administration:
Pro-settlement hardliner Friedman confirmed as US envoy to Israel (23/3/17 to 26/3/17) discussed here
35 reports (38.46%) related to Israeli diplomatic/international relations and/or political aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict:
Israel and the Palestinians: Can settlement issue be solved? (29/12/16 to 3/1/17 – date stamp later changed) discussed here and here
Trump and the Middle East: an impossible disengagement? Jonathan Marcus (30/12/16 to 7/1/17)
Obama and the Middle East – too little, too late? Paul Adams (29/12/16 to 7/1/17)
Five issues which shaped the Middle East in 2016 Jeremy Bowen (31/12/16 to 8/1/17)
Downing Street criticises US comments on Israel (30/12/16 to 2/1/17)
Israel’s ambassador sorry over ‘take down’ Sir Alan Duncan comment (8/1/17 to 9/1/17) discussed here
Can Paris summit save fading two-state solution? Yolande Knell (14/1/17 to 20/1/17) discussed here
Mahmoud Abbas: US embassy move to Jerusalem would hurt peace (14/1/17 to 16/1/17) discussed here and here
Israel-Palestinian conflict: Summit warns against unilateral actions (15/1/17 to 17/1/17) discussed here
Why aren’t the Israelis and Palestinians talking? (14/1/17 to 22/1/17) discussed here
Obama fears moment ‘may be passing’ for two-state solution (19/1/17 to 20/1/17)
Israel approves settlement homes following Trump inauguration (22/1/17 to 24/1/17) discussed here
UN condemns Israel’s West Bank settlement plans (25/1/17 to 27/1/17) discussed here
Netanyahu: Iran missile test must not go unanswered (31/1/17 to 1/2/17)
New Israel settlements ‘may not be helpful’ to peace, says US (3/2/17 to 6/2/17) discussed here
What will the Trump presidency mean for Israel? Jonathan Marcus (3/2/17 to 8/2/17)
Benjamin Netanyahu discusses Iran threat with Theresa May (6/2/17 to 8/2/17)
Is a new Middle East war on Israel’s horizon? Jonathan Marcus (8/2/17 to 14/2/17) discussed here
Trump urges Israel to ‘act reasonably’ on settlements (10/2/17 to 12/2/17)
Do Trump and Netanyahu see eye to eye? Barbara Plett Usher (14/2/17 to 20/2/17)
Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution not only option, US says (15/2/17) discussed here
Trump relaxes US policy on Middle East two-state solution (15/2/17 to 16/2/17) discussed here
Trump and Netanyahu – in 90 seconds (15/2/17 to 16/2/17)
Trump: ‘Mideast peace up to them’ (15/2/17 to 16/2/17)
PJ Crowley: Trump unveils a subtle but vital shift in US policy (16/2/17 to 24/2/17) discussed here
Israel-Palestinian conflict: US ‘thinking outside box’ (16/2/17 to 19/2/17)
Israel and the Palestinians: What are alternatives to a two-state solution? Colin Shindler (17/2/17 to 24/2/17)
Israeli PM criticises UN ‘hypocrisy’ on historic Australia visit (22/2/17) discussed here
Australian ex-PM Kevin Rudd berates Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (23/2/17 to 25/2/17) discussed here
Banksy decorates West Bank hotel with views of Israel’s wall (3/3/17 to 6/3/17) discussed here
Banksy hotel, The Walled Off, opens in Bethlehem 3/3/17 to 7/3/17) discussed here
Putin and Netanyahu: A complex diplomatic dance Jonathan Marcus (9/3/17 to 20/3/17)
UK pro-Palestinian activist deported from Israel (13/3/17 to 14/3/17) discussed here
UN’s Rima Khalaf quits over report accusing Israel of apartheid (17/3/17 to 20/3/17) discussed here
Israel approves first new West Bank settlement in 20 years (30/3/17 to 3/4/17 – date stamp changed) discussed here
Four reports (4.4%) related to Palestinian affairs:
Gaza electricity crisis: Hamas breaks up protest (13/1/17 to 14/1/17) discussed here
Angry protests in Gaza over crippling power shortages Rushdi Abu Alouf (14/1/17 to 21/1/17) discussed here
Hamas hardliner Yehiya Sinwar elected as Gaza leader (13/2/17 to 16/2/17) discussed here
Trump Middle East: Palestinian leader invited to White House (10/3/17 to 13/3/17) discussed here
The thirty-one reports (34.07% of the total) concerning Israeli affairs can be divided into sub categories including:
a) reports relating to legal and/or criminal issues:
Israel’s Netanyahu denies wrongdoing ahead of investigation (30/12/16 to 2/1/17)
Israeli police question PM Netanyahu in corruption probe (2/1/17 to 4/1/17)
Israeli soldier Elor Azaria convicted over Hebron death (4/1/17) discussed here
Israeli PM Netanyahu backs pardon for manslaughter soldier (4/1/17 to 5/1/17)
Israel police arrest two over threats to judges in Elor Azaria case (5/1/17 to 6/1/17)
Israel PM Netanyahu questioned again in corruption probe (5/1/17 to 8/1/17)
Israel bribery inquiry: ‘Audiotape’ adds to pressure on PM Netanyahu (8/1/17 to 9/1/17)
Israeli soldier gets 18 months for killing wounded Palestinian attacker (21/2/17 to 22/2/17) discussed here
Israeli policeman filmed beating Palestinian driver (23/3/17 to 26/3/17)
Video of Israeli policeman hitting Palestinian driver draws anger (23/3/17 to 24/3/17)
Israel holds 19-year-old over threats against Jewish centres (23/3/17 to 26/3/17) discussed here
b) society:
Israel’s Mossad spy agency on the hunt for women agents (5/1/17 to 7/1/17)
The female soldiers serving in Israel’s army (11/2/17 to 14/2/17)
Israeli army sets sights on recruits with autism (1/3/17 to 8/3/17)
c) domestic news/politics:
Israeli policeman and Bedouin killed during clashes over demolitions (18/1/17 to 19/1/17) discussed here
Israel ‘to take in 100 Syrian orphans’ (26/1/17 to 27/1/17) discussed here
Israel approves 3,000 new settler homes as Amona evacuation begins (1/2/17) discussed here
Amona settlers dragged from homes by Israeli police (1/2/17 to 3/2/17)
Israeli police move in on unauthorised Amona outpost (1/2/17 to 2/2/17)
Israel police evict settlers from unauthorised Amona outpost (2/2/17)
Amona: Israel police clear last protesters from settler outpost (2/2/17 to 3/2/17)
Israel passes controversial law on West Bank settlements (6/2/17 to 8/2/17 – date stamp changed)
Rights groups challenge Israel settlements law in court (8/2/17 to 10/2/17)
Jesus miracle church in Israel reopens after arson attack (12/2/17 to 14/2/17)
Israel’s Netanyahu criticised over 2014 Gaza war preparations (28/2/17 to 2/3/17) discussed here
Israel marijuana: Users to face fine rather than criminal charge (5/3/17 to 7/3/17)
Israel Arafat street sign dropped after Netanyahu anger (6/3/17 to 7/3/17) discussed here
Israeli Arab anger as parliament backs ‘muezzin bill’ (8/3/17 to 10/3/17) discussed here
Israeli nurse dies after being set alight by patient (14/3/17 to 17/3/17)
Netanyahu denies claim he was ejected from convoy by wife (14/3/17 to 16/3/17)
d) technology:
Intel buys driverless car technology firm Mobileye (13/3/17 to 15/3/17)
As was the case throughout 2016 (see ‘related articles’ below) Israeli domestic affairs once again received considerably greater coverage (34.07%) than did Palestinian affairs (4.4%) in the first quarter of 2017. Remarkably, 16.48% of the headlines of the 91 reports published included the name Netanyahu while Mahmoud Abbas’ name was present in just one headline.
Related Articles:
Reviewing BBC News website portrayal of Israel and the Palestinians in Q4 2016 – part two (includes links to previous reports)
Reviewing BBC News website portrayal of Israel and the Palestinians in Q1 2017 – part one
