Throughout the month of August 2020, seventeen 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 one of which was carried over from the previous month.
(dates in brackets indicate the time period during which the item was available on the ‘Middle East’ page)
Three reports related to security matters/terrorism:
Israel strikes Syrian army bases after Golan Heights attack (4/8/20 to 7/8/20) discussed here and here
Israel warns of Gaza escalation over balloon and rocket attacks (21/8/20 to 25/8/20)
Israeli rabbi killed in Petah Tikva knife attack (26/8/20 to 1/9/20) discussed here
Seven reports concerned the agreement between Israel and the UAE to normalise relations:
Israel and UAE strike historic deal to normalise relations (13/8/20 to 14/8/20) discussed here
Kushner: Israel-UAE treaty a ‘massive change’ for the region (14/8/20 to 16/8/20)
Israel and UAE deal ‘a dramatic breakthrough’ says Kushner (14/8/20 to 31/8/20)
Israel and UAE launch direct phone links after historic accord (16/8/20 to 20/8/20)
With UAE deal, Israel opens tentative new chapter with Gulf Arabs Frank Gardner (17/8/20 to 30/8/20)
Pompeo urges more Arab states to make peace with Israel (24/8/20 to 26/8/20)
Israel and UAE in historic direct flight following peace deal (31/8/20 to 4/9/20)
One item had a historical theme:
Israeli youths unearth 1,100-year-old gold coins from Abbasid era (24/8/20 to 26/8/20)
Three reports (one carried over from the previous month) concerned the Gaza Strip:
Gaza’s disturbing cases of suicides Yolande Knell and Rushdi Abualouf (20/7/20 to 27/7/20 and 29/7/20 to 3/8/20) discussed here
Gaza imposes lockdown as infections discovered Yolande Knell (25/8/20 to 26/2/20) discussed here
Gaza’s health workers struggle to contain outbreak (26/8/20 to 31/8/20) discussed here
Three items related to internal Israeli affairs:
Netanyahu focus of Israeli protests against ‘the king’ Yolande Knell (14/8/20 to 21/8/20)
Israel investigates alleged Eilat gang rape of teenager (20/8/20 to 23/8/20)
Eilat rape allegations: Tel Aviv covers over Peeping Toms beach mural (23/8/20 to 25/8/20)
In short, 41% of the reports appearing on the BBC News website’s ‘Middle East’ page throughout August related to the normalisation agreement between Israel and the UAE. All three of the items concerning Palestinian affairs related to health issues and included promotion of Israeli counter-terrorism measures as a contributing factor but once again BBC audiences saw no meaningful coverage of social, economic or legal issues in Palestinian society.
Related Articles:
SUMMARY OF BBC NEWS WEBSITE PORTRAYAL OF ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS – JULY 2020
There were probably fewer articles about the UK during the same period which merely highlights the obsessive compulsive disorder taking place in the BBC in general. OCD can often be successfully treated, antisemitism is also a mental condition and needs eradicating from the BBC and BBC World workforces