Newshour Extra: What now?

BBC bias: the three studio panellists on this in-depth one-hour discussion programme present the case entirely from the palestinian point of view

yesterday evening (friday 15th), 9.06-9.59pm, on bbc world service radio
what now for the palestinians? (presented by owen bennett jones) (in the newshour extra series)
with panellists …
• zena agha, iraqi-palestinian commentator at al-shabaka
• mouin rabbani of the institute of palestine studies in amman
• yezid sayigh, carnegie middle east centre in beirut
and with contributions from …
• david makovsky, washington institute for near east policy
• gil hoffman, chief political correspondent. jerusalem post
• bbc reporter yolande knell

Saudi Arabia and Israel

this morning (friday 24th), 9.44-9.50pm, on bbc world service radio (repeated 6.44pm)
the battle for lebanon (in the newshour extra series) (presented by owen bennett jones) includes …

“There’s a lot of talk of the leadership in Saudi Arabia reaching out in some way to Israel.”

including contributions from …
• lina khatib of chatham house
• azadeh moaveni, former beirut correspondent at time magazine
• amal saad, author of hezbollah: politics and religion
• fahed nazer, consultant to the saudi embassy in washington
• basem shabb mp, saad hariri’s future movement bloc
• emad chidiac, lebanese business journalist

Newshour: Gaza and Amona

this afternoon (wednesday 1st), 2.19-2.29pm, and 2.51-2.59pm, on bbc world service radio (repeated 9.20pm, and 10.20pm on the world tonight on bbc radio 4)
newshour (presented by owen bennett jones) includes …

“There’s one small strip on the map where the confrontation has congealed into something darker, something heavier. every so often it erupts into scalding violence.
It’s the Gaza strip, home to two million Palestinians, controlled by Israel on three sides, Egypt on a fourth.
The UN has said that the way things are going, the enclave could be unfit for human habitation by 2020.”
“Also, the demolition of the illegal settlement, Amona.”

including contributions from …
• bbc reporter tim franks
• hamam aliazi, businessman
• amir balushar, arrested by hamas for demonstrating
• hamas deputy foreign minister ghazi hamad
• rana al-qirnawi, start-up specialist
• bbc reporter yolande knell

Newshour: Israel/Syria

last friday afternoon (13th january), 2.07-2.10pm, on bbc world service radio
newshour (presented by owen bennett jones) leads with …

“Syria Accuses Israel Of Military Aggression: Series of explosions at a military airport on outskirts of Damascus.”

including report from …
• bbc middle east editor jeremy bowen

Newshour: Elor Azaria

the bbc states that elor azaria would almost certainly not have been prosecuted if he had not been filmed by b’tselem, without reporting that the military investigation had started before the existence of the film had been made public

this afternoon (wednesday 4th), 2.07-2.19pm, on bbc world service radio
newshour (presented by owen bennett jones) leads with …

“Israeli Soldier Convicted Over Hebron Death:
Elor Azaria killed a wounded Palestinian attacker.”

including contributions from …
• bbc reporter yolande knell
• professor efraim inbar
• jewish hebron community spokesman yishai fleisher

(0:11:40) “… Almost certainly the case, isn’t it, if it hadn’t been filmed, this [prosecution] would never have happened?”
“Yes, absolutely right …“

Newshour: Obama abstains

yesterday evening (friday 23rd), 9.07-9.19pm, on bbc world service radio
newshour (presented by owen bennett jones) leads with …

“For the first time in many years, the United Nations has passed a resolution condemning Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory.
The United States abstained on this motion – according to past practice, it would have vetoed it. “

including contributions from …
• us ambassador samantha power
• israeli ambassador danny danon
• bbc reporter barbara plett-usher
• chief palestinian negotiator saeb erekat
• former us special envoy dennis ross
(if you missed it, available from 0:01:00 to 0:13:00 at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04knm8z#playt=1m5s)

Newshour: oldest barmitzvah!

last friday evening (16th september), 9.56-9.59pm, on bbc world service radio
newshour (presented by owen bennett jones) concludes with …

“Yisrael Kristal, 112, world’s oldest man, to have Bar Mitzvah 100 years late!“

including contribution from …
• daughter shulamit kuperstoch