Summary of BBC News website portrayal of Israel and the Palestinians – May 2020

Throughout the month of May 2020, fifteen written or filmed reports relating to Israel and/or the Palestinians appeared on the BBC News website’s ‘Middle East’ page, some of which were also published on other pages and two of which were carried over from the previous month

(dates in brackets indicate the time period during which the item was available on the ‘Middle East’ page)

One item (which first appeared the previous month) quoted an Israeli official on a decision made by another country:

Hezbollah: Germany bans and raids Islamist group (30/4/20 to 5/5/20) discussed here and here

One report had a historical topic:

‘Cannabis burned during worship’ by ancient Israelites – study (29/5/20 to 4/6/20)

One item concerning Palestinian affairs (carried over from the previous month) related to the Coronavirus pandemic:

Palestinians working in Israel face coronavirus dilemma Yolande Knell (29/4/20 to 12/5/20) discussed here

Of four reports concerning diplomacy/international relations, three related to the as yet theoretical application of Israeli civil law to parts of Area C.

Pompeo flies to Israel for talks despite pandemic (13/5/20 to 14/5/20) discussed here

EU ‘to rally against Israel’s West Bank annexation proposal’ (15/5/20 to 20/5/20) discussed here

Palestinians ‘ending accords with Israel and US’ over annexation plan (20/5/20 to 24/5/20) discussed here

Du Wei: Chinese ambassador to Israel found dead at home (17/5/20 to 20/5/20)

Of eight items relating to internal Israeli internal affairs, three reports were about politics:

Israel’s new unity government delayed by dispute over cabinet posts (14/5/20 to 15/5/20) discussed here and here

Israel gets first Ethiopia-born minister, in Pnina Tamano-Shata (15/5/20 to 18/5/20) discussed here

Israel swears in unity government after long political crisis (17/5/20 to 20/5/20) discussed here and here

One item concerned cell phone tracking related to the Coronavirus pandemic:

Coronavirus: Israel turns surveillance tools on itself  Tom Bateman (12/5/20 to 4/6/20) discussed here

One item concerned the reopening of a religious site after the Coronavirus lockdown:

Coronavirus: Famous mosques reopen in Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem(31/5/20 to present) discussed here

Three items concerned legal/criminal issues:

Israeli convicted of West Bank arson attack that killed three Palestinians (18/5/20 to 21/5/20)

Netanyahu trial: Israeli prime minister faces Jerusalem court (24/5/20 to 27/5/20)

Malka Leifer: Rape-accused ex-principal fit for extradition to Australia (27/5/20 to 1/6/20)

In summary, over 50% of the items appearing on the website’s ‘Middle East’ page throughout May concerned internal Israeli affairs. Once again BBC audiences saw no meaningful coverage of internal Palestinian affairs beyond a politicised account of the Coronavirus pandemic in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. 20% of the reports published in May promoted pre-emptive framing of the as yet theoretical application of Israeli civil law to parts of Area C.

Related Articles:

SUMMARY OF BBC NEWS WEBSITE PORTRAYAL OF ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS – APRIL 2020

BBC NEWS REPORTS FROM THE ISRAELI COURTS IT CLAIMED ARE CLOSED

More from Hadar Sela
BBC’s ‘Is Labour Anti-Semitic?’ documentary maker in conversation
John Ware talks to Jonny Gould about the recent Panorama programme.
Read More
Join the Conversation

2 Comments

  1. says: Neil C

    The BBC microscope needs to shift focus so that the general public are aware of what is actually the situation on the ground for Palestinians, not a single word of any wrongdoing by them is ever printed by the British Biased Corporation only items that can be used to attempt to denegrate Israel, totally against the requirements of their Royal Charter.

  2. The newly appointed BBC Director General should be aware that the organisation that he is heading whilst outwardly purporting to be independent and impartial cannot masque the activities of an internal 5th column cell headed by Geffrey Bowen who under the guise of BBC Head Middle Eastern Corrrespondent supported by Yolane Knell and others is in fact an active propaganda channel promoting the machinations of the Anti-Zionists & Anti- Israelites If only they used their media power to help create a Middle Eastern Economic Community the World could be at rest. Meanwhile I for one will be withholding payment for TV and Wireless Licences imposed by divisions of the BBC who are knowingly spreading poison and acting without legitimacy. .

Leave a comment
Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *