SUMMARY OF BBC NEWS WEBSITE PORTRAYAL OF ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS – FEBRUARY 2021

Throughout the month of February 2021, twenty-eight 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 six 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 article concerned the normalisation of relations between Israel and Arab nations:

Is business the ‘path to peace’ in the Middle East? Sameer Hashmi and Ian Rose (19/2/21 to 1/3/21)

Two reports concerned security issues:

Delhi blast: Small bomb detonates near Israeli embassy in Indian capital (31/1/21 to 2/2/21) discussed here

Prisoner exchange after Israeli woman enters Syria (18/2/21 to 23/2/21) discussed here

One report was about the ICC:

ICC rules it has jurisdiction over West Bank and Gaza ‘abuses’ (5/2/21 to 8/2/21) discussed here

One report carried over from the previous month related to an archaeological discovery:

Israeli archaeologists find ‘Biblical royal purple dye’ (29/1/21 to 1/2/21)

Two items can be categorised as miscellaneous:

Anthony Fauci wins Israel’s Dan David $1m prize for ‘defending science’ (16/2/21 to 19/2/21)

Israeli hackers breach KKK-affiliated website (4/2/21 to 8/2/21)

All but one of the five items concerning Palestinian affairs related to vaccinations against Covid-19:

Palestinians begin vaccinations after Israel provides doses (3/2/21 to 4/2/21)

Mourid Barghouti: Leading Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouti dies aged 76 Sebastian Usher (14/2/21 to 16/2/21) discussed here

Palestinian officials accuse Israel of blocking vaccine supply Tom Bateman (16/2/21 to 17/2/21) discussed here

First covid vaccines to enter Gaza strip Tom Bateman (17/2/21 to 20/2/21) discussed here

Vaccination programme begins in Gaza Strip (22/2/21 to 24/2/21)

Of 16 items relating to Israeli affairs, ten concerned the Coronavirus pandemic and associated vaccination drive, with some of those promoting the political campaign concerning Israel’s supposed ‘obligation’ to supply vaccines to non-citizens:

Covid-19: Vaccine divides in the Middle East Yolande Knell (25/1/21 to 2/2/21) discussed here

Covid-19: Why are Palestinians not getting vaccines? Reality Check (26/1/21 to 16/2/21) discussed here

Covid: Thousands attend Israel funeral for orthodox rabbi (31/1/21 to 4/2/21)

Covid: Israel to transfer 5,000 vaccine doses to Palestinians (31/1/21 to 3/2/21) discussed here

Covid: Israel’s vaccine rollout linked to infection fall Rachel Schraer (1/2/21 to 4/2/21)

Israel sees vaccinations of children as necessary for herd immunity Tom Bateman (3/2/21 to 4/2/21)

Israel starts vaccinating Palestinian labourers Tom Bateman (11/2/21 to 15/2/21)

Covid-19: Vaccine as good in ‘real world’ as in trial in Israel Rachel Schraer (15/2/21 to 17/2/21)

Israel eases restrictions following vaccine success (21/2/21 to 24/2/21) discussed here

Israel study finds Pfizer jab effective in all ages (25/2/21 to 26/2/21 and 28/2/21 to 1/3/21)

One item concerned a legal case:

Israel’s Netanyahu enters plea in court in corruption trial (8/2/21 to 11/2/21)

Three items related to environmental issues:

Israel pollution: Tar globs disfigure coast after oil spill (21/2/21 to 23/2/21)

Clear-up of Israel’s coastline after oil spill continues Tom Bateman (22/2/21 to 27/2/21)

Israel pollution: Mayonnaise helps save turtles rescued from oil spill (25/2/21 to present)

One report was about a sporting event:

Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei competes in Israel (18/2/21 to 22/2/21)

One item concerned the weather:

Jerusalem sees first snow in six years (18/2/21 to present)

Once again we see that the BBC has little interest in reporting on internal Palestinian affairs such as the scheduled election or social issues. As was the case in January, a considerable proportion (over 35%) of the BBC News website’s reporting during February related to the topic of Coronavirus and the vaccination drive in Israel, with continuing promotion of the related anti-Israel political campaign.

Related Articles:

SUMMARY OF BBC NEWS WEBSITE PORTRAYAL OF ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS – JANUARY 2021

More from Hadar Sela
Weekend long read
1) At WINEP Ali Alfoneh provides a portrait of the new deputy...
Read More
Join the Conversation

3 Comments

  1. says: Geary

    The Palestinians only value for the BBC is as a stick to beat Israel with.

    The Copts, the Kurds, the starving Yemenis, the hundreds of thousands of Arab slaughtered by other Arabs are of no interest unless they can be somehow tied to israel.

  2. says: Neil C

    The BBC is suffering from a very boring and virulent strain of OCD and will produce any old trash to attempt to denigrate Israel, yet never a word is spoken about the undemocratic, thieving, murdering PA and Hamas, anyone would think the BBC had been taken over by Islamists. Oh yes I forgot it has.

Leave a comment
Leave a comment

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