Israeli apartheid week Is criticism of specific Israeli policies raising doubts about its right to exist? A controversial campaign in the Western world links Israel's treatment of Palestinians to the treatment of blacks in apartheid South Africa. It is called Israeli apartheid week. University campuses in more than 40 cities around the world are marking the week with lectures, films, multimedia events, cultural performances and demonstrations. Since it was first launched in 2005, the week has become one of the most important global events in the Palestine solidarity calendar, according to its organisers. The organisation says its goals are ending the Israeli occupation of Arab lands, and the recognition of Palestinians' right to return to their homes in Israel. They also want Arab citizens of Israel to be treated equally and the separation wall to be torn down. Several Israeli officials have criticised it and condemned the participation of senior Israeli academics and artists. Is criticism of specific Israeli policies raising doubts about Israel's right to exist? And is Israel now on the PR offensive to fight back? Inside Story presenter Imran Garda is joined by Gidi Grinstein, the president and founder of the Reut Institute, Hazem Jamjoum, one of the organisers of the Israel Apartheid Week, and Eyal Sivan, a filmmaker and research professor in media production at the University of East London (UEL). This episode of Inside Story aired from Wednesday, March 3, 2010. People: Hazem Jamjoum Imran Garda Country: Israel South Africa Palestine Organisation: University of East London Reut Institute
Inside Story asks what role world powers can play in bringing peace to this unstable region. The Middle East - a complex fabric of both hostile and interdependent nations - the perennial focus of international diplomacy which it tends to frustrate rather than satisfy. So, is it time for new thinking, and what role can the world's great powers play? A conference has been held in Beirut by the Carnegie Middle East centre. Under discussion was the myriad problems of the region and specifically the question of what role the superpowers can play in their resolution. Are the interests of the US, China and Russia shared, or are they competing? Is a stable Middle East in the interests of all, and what can be done to transform decades of talk into action? Inside Story discusses with guests: Jessica Tuchman Matthews, the president of the Carnegie Endowment; Dmitri Trenin, the director of the Carnegie Moscow Centre; and Minxin Pei, a senior associate in the China programme of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This episode of Inside Story aired from Sunday, April 18, 2010. People: Dmitri Trenin Jessica Tuchman Matthews Country: China Russia United States City: Beirut Organisation: Carnegie Endowment Carnegie Moscow Centre Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Was the event exploited politically to improve negotiating positions? May 2010 marks the tenth anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon. It was the only time Israel has withdrawn from an Arab country without negotiations or warning - and was supposed to change the way Israel is perceived in the Middle East. Ten years on, Inside Story looks at the impact of that withdrawal and asks: How criticial was it in boosting the strength and popularity of Hezbollah? Why this exception to the normal flow of events in the Arab-Israeli conflict? And, what is the state of Lebanese-Israeli relations now? Joining the programme are Ibrahim Mousawi, Hezbollah's head of media relations, Robert Fisk, the Middle East correspondent for the British newspaper The Independent, and Charlie Wolf, a political commentator and columnist for The Jewish News. This episode of Inside Story aired from Sunday, May 23, 2010. People: Charlie Wolf Ibrahim Mousawi Robert Fisk Country: Israel Lebanon Organisation: Hizbollah
A day after May 31st, 2010, when a 700 civilians's hired flotilla was attacked by Israel's forces in international waters - What's the ramifications? In depth coverage: http://www.aljazeera.com/focus/gazaflotilla/
Inside Story asks the ramifications of Israel's attack on the aid flotilla will be. Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships attempting to break the country's siege of Gaza. At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured when troops intercepted the convoy of ships dubbed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday. Israeli Army Radio had earlier said that up to 16 people had been killed. As worldwide condemnation pours in, Inside Story asks if Israel is paying too high a price for enforcing the siege and what the likely ramifications of this incident will be. Inside Story discusses this with guests: Mustafa Akyol, the deputy editor of the Turkish Daily News, and Yaakov Amidror, an Israeli military analyst. People: Yaakov Amidror Mustafa Akyol Country: Israel City: Gaza Organisation: Israeli Army Radio