On 30 January 2009, ABC News published a commentary by Arab Media Watch adviser Shipra Dingare, entitled "Are the UK media partial toward Israel?" The commentary is based on her new study for AMW, entitled "The British Media & 'Retaliation' in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict."

On Monday 2 February 2009 at 7pm, Arab Media Watch adviser Dr Ghada Karmi will speak at the above-titled public meeting at Westminster University.

On 28 January 2009, the Daily Mail published a letter by Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi, in which he refutes a claim made by columnist Melanie Phillips about the relief effort in Gaza.

On 26 January 2009, Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips wrote that "most people in Britain have no idea about claims" that Hamas "has intercepted dozens of aid trucks and confiscated food and medical supplies bound for the UN aid stores in Gaza," because "the BBC's reporters haven't told them."

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She uses this "claim" to justify her support for the BBC's decision not to broadcast an appeal for donations by Britain's largest charities to help the relief effort in Gaza.

However, Arab Media Watch can reveal that the reason why most people in Britain have no idea about this allegation, and why the BBC has not reported it, is because it is untrue.

26 January 2009

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today condemned Israeli attacks on journalists in Ramallah in which at least one foreign journalist was injured. Eye-witness reports say that journalists came under fire three times before a demonstration rally in the town.

25 January 2009

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Federation of Arab Journalists and a number of journalists' leaders from Europe and the Arab world have concluded a two-day emergency mission to Gaza with a call for urgent action to improve the safety of journalists and media in the region.

During the week of 12-18 January 2009, Al Jazeera English interviewed AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi on Gaza; Italy's biggest newspaper, Corriere della Serra, published an article on media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which Nashashibi was interviewed; and Press TV requested an interview with Nashashibi, and two with adviser Guy Gabriel. AMW helped arrange interviewees on Gaza, twice for the BBC and once for Al Jazeera English. AMW also twice helped the BBC with info on Gaza.

AMW published a list of Palestinians in Gaza for the media to interview. The BBC described the list as "fantastically helpful", "very useful and very timely." Al Jazeera English thanked AMW for the list. ABC News described it as "really helpful," and invited AMW to write a commmentary on their website. The AMW list resulted in at least two interviews a day, often more, during and since the Gaza fighting, by the BBC, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English, the Gulf Daily News and others.

Independent columnist Stephen Glover (also a columnist for the Daily Mail) wrote a commentary citing AMW's report on the British press's frequent use of the Israeli ambassador, and the near-total absence of his Palestinian counterpart. Gulf News published a commentary by Abdul Bari Atwan, editor of Al Quds Al Arabi, who cited AMW's report; the Palestinian Embassy published a press release based on the report; and Britain's Morning Star newspaper published an article based on the report.

Nashashibi wrote to the Guardian in response to a commentary on Gaza by Alex Brummer; and Gabriel wrote to the Daily Express in response to a commentary on Gaza by columnist David Robson.

A BBC journalist emailed AMW to say: "Keep up the fantastic work you are doing - it is incredibly valuable right now. AMW is providing desperately needed balance and insight."

Nashashibi presented Middle East Today on Press TV. The topic was EU-Israel relations in light of the Gaza conflict. The interviewees were Jacques Reland, head of European research at the Global Policy Institute, Jean Lambert, Member of the European Parliament, and Palestinian Ambassador Manuel Hassassian.

AMW met with the Daily Telegraph, and Nashashibi spoke about the organisation at a fundraiser for Gaza.

The Guardian published a letter on Gaza co-signed by AMW advisers Dr Dina Matar and Dr Karma Nabulsi, among others; the Daily Telegraph published a letter on Gaza by AMW member Ruth Tenne; and the Times published a full-page advert by Jews for Justice for Palestinians, entitled "End the slaughter in Gaza." Among the signatories were several AMW members.

The Jurist published a legal analysis by AMW adviser Victor Kattan entitled "Gaza: Not a war of self-defence"; and Al Hayat published a prominent ad for AMW's Al-Atheer concert on 1 February.

The Independent published an article by diplomatic editor Anne Penketh entitled "Gaza negotiations are the battleground for Egypt and Syria's 'Arab Cold War'," which quotes AMW adviser Nadim Shehadi. The Independent also quoted AMW adviser Rami Khouri in its "As the world sees it" section, where the newspaper take a paragraph of opinion from any publication it chooses. The Independent cited AMW and Khouri, whose article is entitled "Moving toward Gaza-Israel diplomacy."

AMW issued an Action Alert urging its members and the public to thank the Daily Mirror for publishing a commentary on Gaza by Sir Jeremy Greenstock, former UK ambassador to the UN, entitled "Shooting must stop...talking must start."

A Daily Mirror columnist emailed AMW saying: "Thanks very much for your supporting comments and the offer to facilitate a trip to Palestine. If in the near future I get the green light from my editor I will be in touch. Thanks again and all the best."

AMW liaised with the BBC, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Al Jazeera English, Reuters, Bloomberg, Arab News Broadcasting, Emirati newspaper The National, Press TV, Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem, and the Palestinian and Syrian embassies..

On 19 January 2009, the Guardian published a letter by Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi in response to a commentary by Alex Brummer on media coverage of Gaza.