BBC pulls Gaza documentary after revealing child narrator’s Hamas link
BBC pulls Gaza documentary after revealing child narrator’s Hamas link/node/2591127/media
BBC pulls Gaza documentary after revealing child narrator’s Hamas link
The film, which first aired on BBC Two on Monday, features 13-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri, the son of Ayman Alyazouri, Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture. (BBC)
BBC pulls Gaza documentary after revealing child narrator’s Hamas link
British broadcaster announced on Friday that it had removed the documentary from BBC iPlayer
Updated 48 sec ago
Arab News
LONDON: The BBC has withdrawn its Gaza documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone” from its platforms after it emerged that the child narrator was the son of a Hamas minister.
The British broadcaster announced on Friday that it had removed the documentary from BBC iPlayer while conducting “further due diligence.”
The film, which first aired on BBC Two on Monday, features 13-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri, the son of Ayman Alyazouri, Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.
The BBC said in a statement that while the documentary featured “important stories we think should be told, those of the experiences of children in Gaza, there have been continuing questions raised about the program and in the light of these, we are conducting further due diligence with the production company.
“The program will not be available on iPlayer while this is taking place,” it added.
The decision follows accusations that other children in the documentary were pictured alongside Hamas figures. The controversy prompted high-profile figures, including actress Tracy-Ann Oberman and former BBC governor Ruth Deech, to call for its removal.
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also said that she would be “discussing” the documentary with the BBC, which issued a statement on Thursday apologizing for omitting the narrator’s family ties to Hamas.
The broadcaster said that it had followed all standard compliance procedures but had not been informed of the connection by the independent producers.
Although the documentary includes Palestinians criticizing Hamas and has been praised for its close-up observational style, mounting pressure led BBC executives to take firmer action.
The decision to pull the film was met with criticism from the International Center of Justice for Palestinians, which accused the broadcaster of caving to political pressure.
“For some, almost any Palestinian perspective appears to be deemed unacceptable,” the group said in a statement.
“In this case, objections have been raised because Abdullah’s father holds a government role in Gaza’s Hamas-run administration. However, this does not negate the child’s lived experience or invalidate his testimony.”
Regional conflicts dent Middle East performance in 2025 Soft Power Index
Despite gains in perception-based categories, Saudi Arabia dropped two spots to 20th after years of steady growth
The Gaza war’s ripple effects and a regional ‘shift in sentiment’ caused a slowdown in performance for Middle Eastern nations, Brand Finance MENA director told Arab News
Updated 21 February 2025
GABRIELE MALVISI
LONDON: Regional conflicts have negatively impacted the performance of Middle Eastern countries in this year’s Soft Power Index, according to findings by brand and marketing consultancy Brand Finance.
The 2025 results, unveiled at the annual conference in London on Thursday, revealed significant declines for nations embroiled in conflicts — including Israel, Lebanon, Sudan, Ukraine, and Russia — dragging down much of the broader region’s performance.
Despite the UAE maintaining its 10th-place ranking with a modest 0.7-point increase, other Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Israel, saw stagnation or setbacks after years of steady gains.
“After years of soft power gains, Gulf nations somewhat lose momentum in 2025, with the exception of the UAE,” said Andrew Campbell, managing director at Brand Finance Middle East. “While they remain admired for their influence and business-friendly policies, respondents from the wider Middle East, Africa, and Asia view the region less favorably than before.”
The index, which Brand Finance calls the “most comprehensive study on perceptions of nation brands,” surveyed 170,000 respondents across more than 100 markets.
Saudi Arabia, which had been one of the fastest climbers in recent years, slipped two places to 20th after rising eight spots since 2020. While the Kingdom stalled in key metrics such as familiarity, influence, and reputation, it continued to make strides in perception-based categories. Among these, Saudi Arabia showed a 0.7-point increase (out of 10) in education and science — an area highlighted by the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center’s recognition as one of the world’s top academic medical centers in a separate Brand Finance report earlier this year.
Soft power, a term coined by American political scientist Joseph Nye in the 1990s, refers to a nation’s ability to achieve influence through persuasion rather than coercion or financial incentives. It has been central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, with significant investments across various industries propelling its growth in the rankings in recent years. This aligns with the Kingdom’s broader aspirations to diversify its economy, attract foreign investment and talent, and solidify its position on the global stage.
While many Gulf nations experienced setbacks, the UAE remained largely resilient. Retaining 10th place overall, the country scored highly in perceptions of influence (eighth), international relations (ninth), and business and trade (10th). The UAE also climbed to second place globally for being “easy to do business in and with” and ranked in the top 10 for “future growth potential” and “strong and stable economy.” This was driven by fiscal strength, a positive investment climate, and continued economic diversification.
Campbell noted that while the region has made steady gains in recent years, the latest index reflects a “shift in sentiment in the wider Middle East and in Asia towards Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” leading to a leveling off in their performance.
Former US Secretary of State John Kerry with the Chairman of Brand Finance David Haigh. (Brand Finance/File)
Speaking to Arab News, he said that although the survey measures perception rather than the direct causes behind it, “part of it is to do with the conflict in Gaza” and the “strong sentiments” the Palestinian cause evokes throughout the region.
“I think that sentiment is somewhat driven by that deep Arab feeling of, ‘We have to protect and be aligned with the Palestinians,’” he explained. “So, there’s probably some kind of internal conflict of feeling going on. And then we’ve also got the Iran situation relative to Syria and the Houthis. That whole dynamic in the Middle East has always been complicated, but it’s now complicated and explosive.”
Campbell linked this shift in perception to the Abraham Accords signed by the UAE during Donald Trump’s first presidency.
The survey was conducted between September and November, meaning major developments — such as the ceasefire in Lebanon, the end of the Assad regime in Syria, and the Gaza truce — have yet to be fully absorbed into the index.
The rapidly evolving situation in the region and other active conflict areas was a key focus at Thursday’s summit. Speakers, including former Polish President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Lech Walesa, former US Secretary of State John Kerry, and former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, underscored the resurgence of hard power — military and economic coercion — as a defining factor in how nations are perceived on the global stage.
Michael Clarke, distinguished fellow and former director-general of the defense and security think tank Royal United Services Institute, told Arab News that contrary to popular belief, “soft and hard power are not a seesaw where one goes up and the other goes down. They tend to go up or down together.” He stressed that while “we are seeing much greater emphasis on hard power politics,” nations should not overlook the role of soft power.
He argued that, as the world moves into an era of “new imperialism, soft power will go with that,” noting that hard power is most effective when complemented by soft power. Countries with strong military capabilities, he added, often “spend most of their time not fighting” because their influence stems from imitation and strategic deterrence — key elements of real soft power.
Highlighting Israel’s performance over the past two years, Clarke pointed to its military failures in Gaza as an example of how the misuse of hard power can erode soft power. He noted that Israel’s actions, perceived as lacking moral legitimacy, are seen as “intolerable to most other professional militaries” that integrate hard power into their broader strategic influence.
Looking ahead, Clarke said the long-term geopolitical impact of Israel’s recent actions remains uncertain, particularly as Trump’s second term begins. Amid the shifting power dynamics in the region, he suggested that Syria’s post-Assad transition could significantly influence its soft power standing in the coming year. This “remaking of the Middle East,” he added, may also present an opportunity for Gulf nations, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to enhance their soft power appeal as the region’s geopolitical landscape continues to evolve.
The US-Russia negotiations over Ukraine, held in Riyadh this week, were a key topic of discussion at the summit. As highlighted in this year’s Soft Power Index, both countries followed a similar trajectory to other nations involved in conflict, experiencing stagnation or, in Ukraine’s case, a decline after two years of gains.
Professor Michael Clarke addressing the summit. (AN/File)
Speakers underscored that, in what Clarke described as a new “paradigm of international relations,” the UN’s role — already under strain due to its perceived failure to uphold its mandate — will be critical in fostering international cooperation on global challenges beyond the capacity of individual nations. The index reveals a growing divide, with stronger nations advancing rapidly while weaker ones fall further behind.
“With the exception of when the Security Council mandates the use of sanctions or force, most of what the UN does is powered by soft power. It is the power of convening,” Maher Nasser, commissioner-general of the UN at Expo 2025 and director of the Department of Global Communications, told Arab News. “It is the power of working towards consensus when not possible by majority votes. But the traces and the impact of the work that takes place in the UN (are) way beyond the issues of peace and security that people (tend to) focus on.”
Amid ongoing conflicts and shifting global dynamics, Nasser emphasized that the UN remains “the most representative platform on the planet,” stressing that lasting peace can only be achieved through “creating conditions for trust and using soft power to achieve objectives,” a principle at the heart of the UN’s mission.
This year’s index saw the US retain its top position, while China overtook the UK for second place. Among Arab nations, Egypt ranked 38th, Kuwait 40th, and Oman 49th. Morocco, Bahrain, and Jordan followed at 50th, 51st, and 58th, respectively, while Algeria placed 78th, Tunisia 79th, Lebanon 91st, and Yemen 122nd — climbing 27 places due to improvements in governance, international relations, and education and science. Syria (127th) and Libya (133rd) rounded out the rankings.
‘A lot can be learned’ from Saudi Arabia’s media sector: Pakistan minister
Attaullah Tarar: ‘All the action is taking place in Riyadh, and the Saudi transformation under his royal highness’s leadership is something which is phenomenal and historic’
Tarar: ‘Sixty percent of our population is based on youth under the age of 30, we can provide great entrepreneurs, film-makers, documentary-makers, artists, actors and actresses’
Updated 20 February 2025
Lama Alhamawi
RIYADH: On the sidelines of the fourth Saudi Media Forum, Pakistan Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar told Arab News that much could be learned from Saudi Arabia’s media sector.
“There was a time when Pakistani doctors, engineers, pilots and lawyers and different professionals would come to Saudi, train here, now it’s the other way around,” Tarar said.
“Now we are leaning from the Saudi experience.”
On the topic of digital media, the minister said: “There is a lot that we can learn.
“I think the Saudi Media Forum is an excellent initiative, which started back in 2019,” he said. “Today all of the relevant stakeholders are under one roof.
“It (the forum) is a great learning experience because we want the (global) media to witness how the Saudi society has transformed over the past few years, and seeing is believing,” he said.
“I would like to pay my compliments to the media minister, his excellency, Salman Al-Dossary, and his entire team for putting together such a great show.
“This is something (the media forum) even we need to implement in our part of the world.”
During his visit at the forum, Tarar also had a meeting with Al-Dossary, during which the two discussed ways of furthering collaboration between their two countries.
“We spoke about further collaborations, because Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are strategic partners — there is a people-to-people contact, that contact is from the heart.
“We are bound by culture, we are bound by religion, we are bound by so many common things that we have, and we discussed how we can collaborate further.”
The minister highlighted some of the areas where the two countries could work together; whether through journalist exchange programs, exchange of know-how, and collaboration in digital media.
Tarar told Arab News that since the start of his ministerial appointment, he had been to Riyadh five times in the past ten months. He jokingly added that he did not go to his hometown as often as he went to Riyadh.
“Riyadh is now the center of activity,” the minister said.
“All the action is taking place in Riyadh, and the Saudi transformation under his royal highness’s leadership is something which is phenomenal and historic,” Tarar said.
Having been to Riyadh so often and witnessed the transformation, Tarar said that he would “look back in so many years and say, ‘That when this great thing was happening, I was here.’”
Tarar said: “I have been to Riyadh five times, and the way Saudi society has transformed, I would like to compliment the vision of his royal highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the way he took forward the Vision 2030 not just as a vision, we now see that vision implemented on the ground.”
The minister underlined the transformative social changes he had witnessed from Vision 2030, such as women leading across sectors, and especially women moderating and leading conversations during the Saudi Media Forum.
During the forum, Tarar spoke during a session titled, “How Can Partnerships Between Regional and Global Media Enhance the Local Media Economy.”
In his session the minister underlined the importance of increased collaboration between local and international news outlets.
Tarar hopes that both countries can further their collaborations in media, explaining that “there are so many good stories to tell,” in Pakistan.
“I believe in joint productions with documentaries and films,” he said.
“Sixty percent of our population is based on youth under the age of 30, we can provide great entrepreneurs, film-makers, documentary-makers, artists, actors and actresses, and musicians who can really work toward the Pakistan-Saudi relationship.”
Experts highlight social media’s impact on traditional media standards
Jamie Angus said that the rise of platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram has eroded trust in mainstream media
Frank Kane: I would trust mainstream media to get things right anytime over most of the modern social media websites
Updated 21 February 2025
Ghadi Joudah
RIYADH: Social media has fundamentally disrupted the traditional gatekeeping role of broadcast and print media, leading to heightened challenges in balancing ethical standards with audience expectations, said Jamie Angus, former chief operating officer of Al-Arabiya Network.
Angus’s comments came during a panel discussion, “Media Coverage of Crises: Challenges, Ethics, and the Role of Technology,” at the Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh on Thursday.
“Before social media, we were the gatekeepers,” he said.
Angus said that the rise of platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram has eroded trust in mainstream media as audiences increasingly question editorial decisions.
“A small number of decision-makers in newsrooms controlled what audiences saw, particularly sensitive imagery related to conflicts, such as graphic depictions of violence or casualties.”
Angus said that traditional media historically balanced the need to avoid sanitizing the realities of war with adherence to editorial standards.
“Today, explicit and disturbing content circulates widely on platforms without warnings or context. Audiences now accuse mainstream media of hiding truths they can easily access on their phones,” he added.
Angus noted the growing dissonance between media organizations and their audiences.
“But the conversation has now shifted as audiences say, ‘I don’t trust the media anymore, because the media are hiding things from me that I can see on my phone.’”
Angus said that this poses a critical challenge for today’s media environment.
The unchecked spread of graphic content on social platforms, he argued, pressures traditional outlets to lower their standards to meet audience demands for unfiltered access, potentially compromising ethical guidelines.
Acknowledging the dilemma, Angus said that if traditional media avoids showing certain images, audiences might question their credibility.
Echoing concerns over digital-age challenges, Frank Kane, Editor at Large at AGBI, emphasized the importance of reinstating rigorous journalistic processes to counter misinformation while preserving independence.
Kane reflected on his experience in UK print media during the 1980s: “There was a very rigorous structure for how news was verified, before it got into print, before it got published.”
Kane added that traditional newsrooms had layers of verification: reporters, sub-editors, news editors.
“This was long before the days of citizen journalism, which in many ways, is a good thing as it increases the number of sources that you have and the overall potential for news gathering,” he said.
But Kane underlined the importance of traditional techniques of news verification.
“Even though trust all round in mainstream media has declined, I still think I would trust mainstream media to get things right anytime over most of the modern social media websites that seem to produce lots of distortions, fakes, inaccuracies.”
Artificial intelligence should be used ‘with intelligence,’ says Arab News deputy editor-in-chief
Noor Nugali: AI ‘will never replace a human journalist in writing a fully developed article backed by evidence and facts’
Nugali said that it was unfortunate that some children were using AI to write essays or research papers and emphasized it should never be used for actual intelligence
Updated 20 February 2025
Lama Alhamawi
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence should be applied “intelligently,” Arab News Deputy Editor-in-Chief Noor Nugali told the Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh on Wednesday.
“In this era, AI must be used wisely — after all, artificial intelligence should be applied intelligently,” he said.
“We’re currently living in the age of the AI revolution, where artificial intelligence is being used across all fields, institutions, and even education.”
In a session tackling how new technologies and AI were shaping the news industry, Nugali underlined the importance of utilizing AI in a way that supported and encouraged human learning “rather than relying on it for simple copy-pasting.”
“This also applies to media,” she said. “Many people have concerns about AI tools like ChatGPT or other programs being used to write articles.”
Nugali stressed that while AI could help by providing background information or research, “it will never replace a human journalist in writing a fully developed article backed by evidence and facts.”
In education, Nugali said it was unfortunate that some children were using AI to write essays or research papers and emphasized it should never be used for actual intelligence.
Speaking alongside Nugali were Rashid Al-Hamer, editor of Bahrain’s leading newspaper Al-Ayam, and Hatem Abu Nassif, chairman of the Radio & Television Authority.
Afterwards, Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, spoke on a panel tacking manga and Saudi-led content creation.
He said Saudis were not here to simply watch: “We are here to participate, compete, and excel with our content and culture.”
He added that some 2.88 billion people, around 36 percent of the world’s population, watched anime.
“For years, people assumed that Saudi Arabia was merely a consumer (of anime content). But that has changed,” he said.
“We no longer see manga and anime as something imported from Japan — we see them as an art form through which we create content, share our culture and tell our own stories to the world.”
Bukhary pointed out that Saudi anime series “Future’s Folktales” was broadcast in the Arab world, Japan, North America, Europe and India on eight platforms across five continents, garnering over 85 million views in just three months. An associated mobile game reached half a million downloads in three languages.
He said Saudi Arabia was taking the lead in anime content creation by producing animations, developing video games, and creating comics that shared Saudi stories with the world.
Also speaking on the panel were Yves Blehaut, business development manager for the Middle East and North Africa region at Media-Participations, and Kazuko Ishikawa, president of the Japanese production association that produced the “Sally” series.
The fourth Saudi Media Forum has the theme “Media in an Evolving World” and brings together 200 speakers including media professionals, academics, experts and specialists from local and international arenas.
Taking place from Feb. 19-21 it will feature 80 sessions comprising 40 panel discussions and 40 knowledge exchange sessions, serving as an international platform for forecasting and developing the future of media and exploring the latest technologies.
Boris Johnson praises Kingdom’s rapid transformation at Saudi Media Forum
Former PM commends crown prince as a ‘leader with courage’
Compares rapid development in Saudi Arabia with UK’s sluggish progress
Updated 20 February 2025
Waad Hussain
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s bold leadership and rapid transformation under Vision 2030 should serve as a model for other nations, former UK prime minister Boris Johnson said today at the Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh.
Comparing the Kingdom’s accelerated economic and infrastructure development to the UK’s sluggish progress, Johnson highlighted Saudi Arabia’s ability to execute large-scale projects efficiently, crediting its decisive leadership for the shift.
“I visited NEOM eight years ago, and there was absolutely nothing there. Now, Saudi Arabia has built world-class resorts, with 12,000 hotel rooms under development,” he said. “Meanwhile, in the UK, we still struggle to complete one railway.”
Johnson praised Vision 2030 as the foundation of Saudi Arabia’s progress, highlighting its role in economic diversification, infrastructure expansion and social reforms. “Fifty percent of the Saudi economy is now non-oil,” he said, citing the Kingdom’s shift toward tourism, technology and renewable energy as key indicators of success.
Women’s empowerment also featured prominently in his remarks. Johnson highlighted that Saudi women’s participation in the technology workforce now surpasses that of Silicon Valley and Europe. “Look at the speed of change,” he said. “We in the UK need to learn from this.”
Beyond economic reforms, Johnson acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s rising diplomatic and geopolitical influence. He referenced its role in global discussions and peace initiatives, calling the Kingdom a key player in shaping the region’s future.
On the crisis in Gaza, Johnson called for strong leadership and reconciliation, urging the need for leaders with the courage to push for peace. “Saudi Arabia is playing a historic role in bringing long-term peace and prosperity to the region,” he said.
Johnson contrasted Saudi Arabia’s ability to execute large-scale projects quickly with the bureaucratic delays plaguing infrastructure development in the UK. “You’ve spent $68 billion on these projects, and we still can’t complete one railway,” he said, referencing the UK’s stalled High Speed 2 rail project.
“Saudi Arabia is a country where things are happening with incredible speed and decisiveness. Frankly, we need to learn that in the UK,” he added.
Shifting focus to media and public perception, Johnson criticized the role of social media algorithms in shaping biased narratives. He said that platforms like YouTube and Twitter often reinforce pre-existing beliefs rather than providing balanced perspectives. “We need to ensure the media presents balanced facts, rather than reinforcing pre-existing biases,” he added.
Reflecting on his own career, Johnson discussed his transition from journalism to politics, and said that he wanted to shift from critiquing policy to actively shaping it. “As a journalist, you throw rocks. As a politician, you build,” he added.
Johnson also pointed to the difficulty of leadership in a social media-driven world, where political figures face instant scrutiny and polarized opinions.
Concluding the session, Johnson praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s leadership, quoting Winston Churchill: “Courage is the most important virtue, and this country is fortunate to have a leader with courage.”
The Saudi Media Forum 2025, held in Riyadh from Feb. 19-21, brings together global media figures, policymakers and industry leaders to discuss the future of media, governance and international relations.
