Throughout the month of August 2021, twenty-five 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 or other BBC platforms and seven 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)
Three items related to Israel’s relations with other countries or bodies:
Polish law on property stolen by Nazis angers Israel now dated 16/8 but published on 15/8 local time (15/8/21 to 19/8/21)
Iran nuclear: Other options if diplomacy fails, says Biden (26/8/21 to present)
Palestinian President Abbas holds rare talks with Israeli minister (30/8/21 to present) discussed here
Two reports concerned security issues:
Israel investigating shooting of Palestinian boy in West Bank (29/7/21 to 3/8/21)
Four Palestinians killed in clashes during Israeli raid (16/8/21 to 20/8/21) discussed here
Five items – one of which was carried over from the previous month – related to regional security issues: specifically an attack on a ship.
Israel accuses Iran over deadly oil tanker attack (31/7/21 to 1/8/21)
Tanker attack: UK and US blame Iran for deadly ship attack now dated 2/8 but published on 1/8 (1/8/21 to 6/8/21)
West faces dilemmas over tanker attack Frank Gardner (2/8/21 to present)
UK and Iran summon diplomats after tanker attack Thom Poole (2/8/21 to 6/8/21)
Mercer Street: Tanker blast evidence points to Iran, says US Frank Gardner (7/8/21 to 12/8/21)
Four items – two of which were carried over from the previous month – related to ‘Operation Guardian of the Walls’ in May and its aftermath:
Israel-Gaza conflict: Apparent war crimes committed, says rights group (27/7/21 to 1/8/21) discussed here
Gaza photographer hopes digital art boom can help raise aid money Sebastian Usher (29/7/21 to 17/8/21)
Hamas rocket fire a war crime, Human Rights Watch says (12/8/21 to 18/8/21) discussed here
Israeli strikes on Gaza high-rises may be war crimes – Human Rights Watch (23/8/21 to 30/8/21) discussed here
One report carried over from the previous month was about allegations concerning the Pegasus spyware:
Pegasus: Who are the alleged victims of spyware targeting? now dated 22/7 but published on 19/7 (19/7/21 to 2/8/21) discussed here
One item was about the Olympic games:
Tokyo Olympics: Israel’s Linoy Ashram ends Russian dominance in rhythmic gymnastics BBC Sport (7/8/21 to 10/8/21)
One report related to the arrest of Israeli citizens in Nigeria:
Nigerian Igbo Jewish leader arrested with Israeli visitors freed Raffi Berg (9/8/21 to 16/8/21)
One item concerned internal Palestinian affairs:
Gaza’s top cleric warns against vaccine hesitancy Tom Bateman (19/8/21 to 26/8/21) discussed here
Of seven items relating to Israeli affairs, one concerned crime:
The murderous crime wave sweeping Israel’s Arabs Yolande Knell (13/8/21 to present) discussed here
Three related to the Corona pandemic, with two carried over from the previous month:
Covid-19 tests while you wait in Israeli airport Tom Bateman (18/7/21 to 5/8/21)
Coronavirus: Israel to give third jab to people aged over 60 (30/7/21 to 5/8/21 and 7/8/21) discussed here
Israel extends Covid restrictions to three-year-olds as cases surge (18/8/21 to 26/8/21)
Two items concerned property related issues in Jerusalem:
Sheikh Jarrah: Palestinians and Israelis baulk at evictions compromise now dated 3/8 but published on 2/8 (2/8/21 to 8/8/21) discussed here and here
Why is Israel demolishing homes in East Jerusalem? Anastassia Zlatopolskai (16/8/21 to present) discussed here
One report was about forest fires:
Israel battles huge wildfire near Jerusalem (17/8/21 to 23/8/21) discussed here
In addition – not included in our count – four items relating to and/or tagged Israel appeared in the ‘updates’ section underneath the ‘Middle East’ page but not on the page itself:
Alta Fixsler: European court rejects appeal over Jewish girl’s life support (4/8/21)
Arrests after fresh pro-Palestinian protest at Leicester drone factory (17/8/21)
Oldham protest: Two arrests at Elbit Systems factory (23/8/21)
Elbit: Activists stage protest at Oldham factory dated 1/2/21 but appeared in updates on 23/8/21
Once again BBC audiences saw minimal reporting on Palestinian affairs, including the continued arrests of protesters. In the first two-thirds of 2021 BBC audiences saw close to seven and a half times more reporting on Israeli affairs than on internal Palestinian issues.
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SUMMARY OF BBC NEWS WEBSITE PORTRAYAL OF ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS – JULY 2021
