Throughout the month of November 2021, twenty-seven 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 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)
One item carried over from the previous month related to Israel’s relations with other countries or groups:
The Nigerians who want Israel to accept them as Jews Nduka Orjinmo (18/10/21 to 15/11/21)
Two reports concerned an Israeli couple arrested abroad:
Israel urges Turkey to free couple held for spying over palace photos (15/11/21 to 18/11/21)
Turkey releases Israeli couple arrested for spying over palace photos (18/11/21 to 23/11/21)
Two reports, one of which first appeared the previous month, concerned security issues:
Middle East: Palestinians and Israelis clash over hillside Yolande Knell (22/10/21 to 25/10/21 and 29/10/21 to 15/11/21) discussed here
Palestinian gunman kills Israeli, wounds three in Jerusalem dated 22/11 but published 21/11 (21/11/21 to 26/11/21) discussed here
Two items related to regional security issues:
First joint naval exercise by Israel and Gulf states signals Iran worries Frank Gardner (15/11/21 to 21/11/21)
Iran nuclear programme: Threat of Israeli strike grows Yolande Knell (23/11/21 to 28/11/21 and 2/12/21 to present)
Three reports concerned assorted anti-Israel campaigns:
Israeli bookstores pull Sally Rooney’s books in boycott row (5/11/21 to 10/11/21)
State withdraws support for Miss SA in Israel (15/11/21 to 21/11/21) discussed here
Artists denounce Israeli ban on Palestinian civil society groups (17/11/21 to 23/11/21) discussed here
Three items, one of which was carried over from the previous month, had a historical theme:
Palestinians unveil huge mosaic in West Bank desert castle (29/10/21 to 1/11/21)
Auschwitz tattoo stamp auction in Jerusalem sparks fury (2/11/21 to 3/11/21)
Auschwitz tattoo stamp auction suspended by Israeli court (3/11/21 to 10/11/21)
One item carried over from the previous month had an environmental theme:
Israel: Hundreds strip naked by the Dead Sea Tom Bateman, Anastassia Zlatopolskai, Gidi Kleiman (18/10/21 to 20/10/21 and 23/10/21 to 3/11/21) discussed here
Three reports concerned disability access issues:
COP26: Wheelchair-using minister unable to attend summit (2/11/21)
COP26: Boris Johnson apologises to minister over wheelchair access (2/11/21 to 8/11/21)
COP26: Boris Johnson apologises to Israeli minister Karine Elharrar dated 2/11 (16/11/21 to 1/12/21)
One report can be categorised as miscellaneous:
Meta: Facebook’s new name ridiculed by Hebrew speakers (29/10/21 to 2/11/21)
Two reports related to a private company based in Israel which is part-owned by a London-based firm:
NSO Group: Israeli spyware company added to US trade blacklist (3/11/21 to 10/11/21)
Apple sues Israeli spyware firm NSO Group (24/11/21 to 30/11/21)
One item concerned the Hamas terrorist organisation:
Hamas to be declared a terrorist group by UK (19/11/21 to 25/11/21) discussed
Of six items relating to Israeli affairs, three concerned legal/criminal issues, including a custody case:
Israeli woman jailed three times for refusing to join the army (31/10/21 to 2/11/21 and 4/11/21 to 29/11/21) discussed here
Israeli police arrest 65 Arabs over illegal arms dealing (9/11/21 to 14/11/21) discussed here
Eitan Biran: Italy asks Israel to arrest cable car boy’s grandfather dated 12/11 but first published 10/11 (10/11/21 to 15/11/21)
One item related to decisions taken by the government and other authorities:
Palestinian groups branded terrorists by Israel say they are being silenced Yolande Knell (29/10/21 to 2/11/21) discussed here
Two items concerned the Corona pandemic:
New variant detected in Israel – local media (26/11/21 to 2/12/21)
Covid: Israel to impose travel ban for foreigners over new variant (28/11/21 to 3/12/21)
In addition – not included in our count – three items relating to and/or tagged Israel appeared in the ‘updates’ section underneath the ‘Middle East’ page but not on the page itself:
COP26: Israeli minister hopes for better wheelchair access
Wrexham Solvay: ‘Free Palestine’ roof demo arrests discussed here
Israel defence minister visits Morocco:
Visitors to the BBC News website saw no coverage of internal Palestinian affairs throughout November despite considerable unrest in Palestinian Authority controlled areas and the closure of four universities. Hamas’ handing down of death sentences also did not interest BBC reporters. The exposure of a large Hamas network in Judea & Samaria did not receive any BBC coverage whatsoever.
Related Articles:
SUMMARY OF BBC NEWS WEBSITE PORTRAYAL OF ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS – OCTOBER 2021
