Throughout the month of March 2022, twenty 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 five 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)
Five reports concerned terrorism and/or counter-terrorism operations:
Three killed in Israel, West Bank violence (15/3/22 to 18/3/22) discussed here
Israel: Four killed in shopping centre attack (22/3/22 to 29/3/22) discussed here
Israel: Two police killed by Israeli Arab gunmen in Hadera (27/3/22 to 30/3/22) discussed here
Five killed by Palestinian gunman in latest deadly attack in Israel (29/3/22 to 5/4/22) discussed here
Two Palestinians killed in gunfight during Israeli West Bank raid (31/3/22 to 2/4/22) discussed here
Four items – including one carried over from the previous month – related to regional affairs:
Naftali Bennett: Warm welcome for Israeli leader in Bahrain Tom Bateman (16/2/22 to 2/3/22) discussed here
Irbil attack: Iran launches missiles at northern Iraqi city (13/3/22 to 16/3/22) discussed here
Why has the Syrian war lasted 11 years? (15/3/22 to 21/3/22) discussed here
Israel says partnership with Arab League allies will deter Iran (27/3/22 to 31/3/22)
Four items were linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:
Israel’s Bennett plays peacemaker in Ukraine-Russia war Tom Bateman (10/3/22 to 30/3/22) discussed here
Ukraine war: Jewish children airlifted to Israel (19/3/22 to present) discussed here
Zelensky challenges Israel’s neutrality over invasion Yolande Knell (20/3/22 to 26/3/22) discussed here
Jerusalem religious leaders unite in peace call Yolande Knell (21/3/22 to 27/3/22) discussed here
One item carried over from January had subject matter relating to that month’s Holocaust Memorial Day:
Holocaust Memorial Day: Israeli politician ends Bundestag prayer in tears (27/1/22 to 9/3/22)
One report concerned archaeology:
In pictures: ‘Magical bowls’ among relics seized in Jerusalem (7/3/22 to 11/3/22)
One item concerned Palestinian health care:
The Palestinian cancer centre that can’t take patients Yolande Knell (27/3/22 to present) discussed here
Of four items relating to Israeli affairs, one carried over from the previous month concerned a story in a local paper:
Israeli inquiry finds no indication police used spyware unlawfully (22/2/22 to 7/3/22)
One report related to travel restrictions:
Israel bans Ethiopian Easter pilgrims (broken link) Kalkidan Yibeltal (15/3/22 to 18/3/22)
One item carried over from the previous month concerned Temple Mount:
The Jews dressing as Muslims to get around a prayer ban Gidi Kleiman, Yolande Knell, Youssef Shomali & Anastassia Zlatopolskai (8/2/22 to 15/2/22 and 24/2/22 to 17/3/22) discussed here and here
One report carried over from the previous month was apparently produced for Valentine’s Day:
Couple married for 91 years and still in love Anastassia Zlatopolskai & Jimmy Michael (14/2/22 to 17/3/22)
In addition – not included in our count – two items appeared in the ‘updates’ section underneath the ‘Middle East’ page but not on the page itself:
Arrests at pro-Palestinian Leicester drone factory protest Sonia Kataria, discussed here
Stories relating to internal Palestinian affairs which were ignored by the BBC during March 2022 include an attempt on the life of a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad figure in Nablus, the closure of a Christian centre in Beit Jala and arrest of a pastor, clashes between rival clans near Hebron, a pro-Putin demonstration in Bethlehem, protests in Hebron against the PA’s decision to endorse the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and municipal elections.
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SUMMARY OF BBC NEWS WEBSITE PORTRAYAL OF ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS – FEBRUARY 2022