During the week of 4-10 February 2008, Channel 4 and the Frontline Club aired a documentary entitled "Inside Hamas" in which AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed. The Observer published a review of the documentary and quoted Nashashibi.

Nashashibi was interviewed by a journalism student from Westminster University about media coverage of veiled women, AMW adviser George Asseily was interviewed on Al Jazeera English about political tensions in Lebanon, adviser Rami Khouri was interviewed by Al Jazeera English on the use of certain terminology in reporting conflicts, AMW continued to help the BBC with Palestinian interviewees for a forthcoming documentary on 1948, and AMW was approached for help with interviewees for a documentary on youths in Israel/Palestine. The filmmaker commended AMW's "fantastic work."

Nashashibi and Khouri were nominated for the International Media Council awards.

AMW adviser Chris Doyle was part of a panel discussing "Palestine in Perspective: 60 years" at the Foreign Press Association. Nashashibi and AMW adviser Dr Ghada Karmi were invited to speak at a public meeting on Palestine.

AMW member Brenda Abou Khalil wrote a commentary analysing and comparing media coverage of Israeli and Lebanese deaths.

AMW liaised numerous times with the BBC, Al Jazeera English, the Guardian, the Independent, the Daily Telegraph, The Arab, the Palestinian Embassy, the Arab Media Centre at Westminster University, ABC News, Human Rights Watch, the World Association of Newspapers, the French Institute about our forthcoming film, literary and music festival focusing on Arab women, and IB Tauris about the book "Defeat: Why They Lost Iraq" by Guardian columnist Jonathan Steele, which AMW launched a week earlier.

On 13 February 2008, the Guardian published a review by Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi of the documentary "Inside Hamas," which was aired on Channel 4 on 10 February and in which Nashashibi was interviewed.

The Times published a letter by Arab Media Watch member Ruth Tenne on 14 January 2008, in response to AMW's Action Alert urging members and the public to thank correspondent Stefanie Marsh for an excellent article entitled "Hopeless in Gaza."

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford is looking for suitable candidates for the new Mona Megalli Fellowship to be offered within the Reuters Foundation Fellowship Programme at Oxford.

BBC Radio 4's Feedback programme aired on 19 May the views of Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi and Daniel Shek, director of the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre, regarding an independent panel's report into the BBC's coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Following is a transcript:

For the week of 21-27 January 2008, Arab Media Watch adviser Nadim Shehadi is part of a roundtable discussion entitled "Rights of Palestinian refugees & prospective solutions," and AMW is an official supporter of the international day of action to end the siege on Gaza.

Daily Mail columnist Ephraim Hardcastle wrote on 27 February 2008 about Arab Media Watch's press release expressing concern at some of the recent British press commentary regarding Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed's Egyptian nationality.

The Independent published a letter on Gaza by Arab Media Watch member Ruth Tenne on 3 March 2008.

The week of 18-24 February 2008 saw the launch of the film festival "Women's Cinema from Tangiers to Tehran," which AMW is co-organising. AMW sent a reminder to the media about it. The BBC and Al Quds Al Arabi published articles about it, and the BBC World Service, Reuters, BBC World TV, the Times, BBC 4, the Independent, Russia Today's Arabic Service and Middle East Online expressed an interest in covering it and doing interviews. The French Embassy emailed AMW saying: "You have done a fantastic job and we are well aware that the press coverage for the festival has been amazing thanks to your work, we are very grateful."

The Times agreed to amend an article on its website that claimed that Israel's barrier runs "along the boundary with the West Bank." This decision was reached after AMW, having initially written to the newspaper without success, approached the Press Complaints Commission, providing ample evidence to show that most of the barrier in fact lies inside the West Bank. After mediation by the PCC, the Times agreed to amend the term to "along and inside the boundary with the West Bank," and to annotate the database records similarly, for the benefit of journalists returning to the subject.

AMW adviser Tahrir Swift was interviewed by the BBC Arabic Service and Sana TV on the proposed Iraq oil law, and a student at Loughborough University interviewed AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi as part of her dissertation on "Media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A look through the eyes of Al Jazeera."

The chairman of the Reuters Foundation thanked AMW for advertising the Mona Megalli Fellowship. "The administrator at Reuters Institute is reporting strong interest in the position, which I'm sure is due in no small part to your advertising it. I'm very grateful indeed!" he said. "It would be good to meet up, to talk about the Institute and also AMW."

AMW had a meeting with the Moroccan Embassy and the new head of the Arab League office in London, and a Daily Mail regular columnist said he looked forward "very much" to a meeting with AMW.

The producer of "Meeting Resistance," the first film ever to go inside the Iraqi insurgency, requested that AMW arrange a screening in London. Southwark College sought AMW's help in finding a speaker on the topic "Is the US the problem or the solution in the Middle East?" after Nashashibi was unable to speak due to travel commitments.

An Al Jazeera employee became an AMW member.

AMW liaised numerous times with Reuters, the BBC, the Daily Telegraph, the Middle East Broadcasting Centre / Al Arabiya, the Guardian, the Daily Mail, the Times, the Arab Media Centre at Westminster University, ABC News, the French Institute, the Press Complaints Commission, the French, Palestinian and Sudanese embassies, Palestinian MP Mustafa Barghouti, and The Arab.

The Press Gazette quoted Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi in an article published on 10 March 2008 entitled "Media observers sceptical about BBC Arabic launch."

During the week of 3-9 March 2008, Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed by Al Jazeera English and BBC World TV about the launch of BBC Arabic TV, and by Press TV about Iraq and Palestine; adviser Dr Ghada Karmi was interiewed by BBC News 24 and BBC World TV about Israel/Palestine; adviser Tahrir Swift was interviewed by Al Hiwar TV and Press TV about Iraq; and AMW interviewed the London bureau chief of the Maghreb Arab Press Agency and the editor of North South magazine for an article on media coverage of Morocco to be published in the Guardian.

A journalist writing for the Guardian requested AMW's help with info on Al Jazeera's coverage of Hamas, and AMW helped the Change Institute with research, contacts and info on the Iraqi community in London and Bristol. The institute has been commissioned by Communities and Local Government to help them improve their relationships with Muslim countries in the UK.

AMW had a meeting with the Arab League office in London about hosting the League's Secretary General Amr Moussa, and AMW adviser Haifa Zangana and member Lubna Samara were panellists at a film screening and discussion entitled "Health and Environmental Catastrophe in Iraq." Al Quds Al Arabi published an article about the event.

The French Embassy described the film festival "Women's Cinema from Tangiers to Tehran," which AMW co-organised, as "a great success. The box office figures are exceptional, the feedback from audiences is fantastic, and the atmosphere during the festival was so nice." Also, the Harrods press office thanked AMW for our report on British press commentary on Mohamed Al-Fayed's Egyptian nationality, describing it as "helpful."

AMW member Ruth Tenne got a letter on Gaza published in the Independent.

AMW liaised numerous times with every British broadsheet newspaper, the BBC, Al Jazeera English, the Economist, the Daily Mail, the Press Complaints Commission, ABC News, Amnesty International, Al Hayat, The Arab, the Arab Media Centre at Westminster University, the Maghreb Arab Press Agency, the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, the French Institute, and the Kuwaiti, Moroccan and Sudanese embassies.

Al Mezan
11 March 2008

On 11 March 2008, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) stormed into Al Quds Radio and Al Majd Radio headquarters in Jenin, West Bank and confiscated most of the contents in the buildings. According to sources from Al Quds Radio, the IOF, which carried out an incursion into the town of Jenin , north of the West Bank , raided the headquarters of the radio station. They seized the main radio transmission device and other appliances, archives, and all documents from the office. As a result, work at the radio station was suspended.

That same day, the IOF raided and confiscated the contents of Al Majd Radio headquarters, also in Jenin. The IOF stormed in and searched the Al Maiseloni building, where Al Majd Radio is located. Al Majd was forced to suspend its work as a result.

On 10 March 2008, the IOF arrested Mr. Hassan Abdul Jawad, a board member in the press syndicate from his home in Bethlehem and assaulted his family.

16 April 2008

The Committee to Protect Journalists mourns the death today of a Reuters cameraman who was killed in the Gaza strip while filming an Israeli tank.

Cameraman Fadel Shana, 23, was killed and soundman Wafa Abu Mizyed, also in his 20s, was wounded after the crew stopped their car and began filming Israeli military forces located several hundred meters away, according to Reuters. Shana was filming the tank when it apparently fired on the Reuters TV crew.

18 April 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomed an agreement by Sudanese authorities to end censorship after journalist union leaders brought together a group of newspaper editors in a concerted effort to strengthen ethical journalism and media independence in the country.

During the week of 25 February - 2 March 2008, Arab Media Watch organised a concert of Arab classical music from Andalusian to contemporary times. Guests included the Egyptian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese and Syrian ambassadors, the deputy mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, and media figures.

AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed by Al Jazeera English about the Arab League's resolution to place restrictions on satellite TV broadcasting. AMW also helped Al Jazeera English with contacts and potential interviewees at Al Arabiya.

Al Jazeera English's programme "Witness" requested press tickets for the film festival "Women's Cinema from Tangiers to Tehran," which AMW co-organised.

AMW published a major monitoring study on British media portrayals of Morocco. The Guardian requested that Nashashibi write an article about it.

AMW had lunch with Daily Mail regular columnist Peter Oborne.

AMW published a report expressing concern at some of the recent British press commentary regarding Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed's Egyptian nationality. This was picked up by Daily Mail regular columnist Ephraim Hardcastle.

The editor-in-chief of The Arab magazine described Nashashibi's forthcoming debut article on Arabs in Cuba as "fantastic - really like the piece."

AMW liaised numerous times with Al Jazeera English, the BBC, the New Statesman, the Daily Telegraph, ABC News, the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, The Arab, the Arab Press House, the press office of Harrods and the French Embassy.

On Monday 30 October 2006, Arab Media Watch patron Tim Llewellyn and advisor Sami Ramadani speak alongside Independent columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and the general-secretary of the National Union of Journalists, among others, at a talk entitled "Taking Sides: The Media & the War on Terror."

On Wednesday 1 November 2006, AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi speaks on the Arab-Israeli conflict alongside the UK correspondent of the Jerusalem Post at a Labour ward meeting.

On Saturday 4 November 2006, Nashashibi and AMW advisor Dr Karma Nabulsi speak alongside Tony Benn and others at a National Student Day at the London School of Economics.

During the week of 17-23 March 2008, Sky News requested an interview with Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi about the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed, and AMW adviser Guy Gabriel was interviewed by Press TV about Sudan.

AMW had meetings with the BBC (twice), the Guardian, Al Jazeera English (twice), the Daily Mail and the Middle East Broadcasting Centre.

AMW helped the Guardian's Middle East correspondent with interviewees for an article on Palestinian refugees.

AMW was an official supporter of the screening of the new film "Jerusalem: East Side Story," which exposes Israeli policies towards the city and its inhabitants from 1948 until the present day. The screening was followed by a Q&A with the director. And AMW adviser Dr Ghada Karmi gave a lecture for the Centre for Lebanese Studies on "60 Years of Damage: Israel & the Arab World Since 1948."

AMW liaised numerous times with ABC News, Reuters, the Daily Telegraph, the Times, the Guardian, the Independent, the Economist, Arab News Broadcasting, The Arab, Amnesty International and Oxfam.

During the week of 24-30 March 2008, AMW adviser Sami Ramadani got two commentaries on Iraq published in the Guardian, and one in Al Arab. Chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi submitted an article on Bethlehem for publication at the request of The Arab magazine, which the editor-in-chief described as "brilliant."

A media student at Westminster University requested an interview with Nashashibi about BBC Arabic TV, and AMW helped Al Jazeera English find interviewees in Morocco on how the British and Moroccan media covered the Madelaine McCann story.

AMW had a lunch meeting with the Moroccan Embassy, and sent a press release to the media announcing our forthcoming film screening and Q&A on Iraq entitled "Meeting Resistance."

AMW liaised with the Daily Telegraph, the Independent, ABC News, the BBC, the Guardian, the UN, Al Arab, The Arab magazine, the Sudanese Embassy, Arab News Broadcasting, the Jerusalem Post, IB Tauris Publishers and Pluto Books.

International Federation of Journalists
8 April 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the Governments of Iraq and the United States to issue reports and investigations into the widespread targeting and killing of reporters and media staff during the Iraq war.

11 April 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called for the immediate release of Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein after an Iraqi judicial committee dismissed terrorism-related allegations against him and ordered his release, but whether he goes free depends upon the United States military who are still holding him.

14 April 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomed the unification of Tunisia's two journalist unions in a move to strengthen the defence of journalists' rights and promote press freedom.

18 April 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today backed protest by Palestinian journalists called for Sunday and renewed its demand that the Israeli authorities carry out a full investigation into the killing on Wednesday of Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana in the Gaza Strip.

21 April 2008

There are signs that an Israeli tank crew committed a "serious criminal error" when it fired a shell that killed Fadel Shanaa, 23, a Palestinian cameraman employed by the British news agency Reuters, as he was filming an Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip on 16 April, Reporters Without Borders said today.

During the week of 14-20 April 2008, Arab Media Watch met with Al Jazeera English, the BBC, Sky News, the Guardian, Independent, Daily Star, Al Hayat, Kuwait's Awan newspaper and the Qatari Embassy.

Al Hayat published an article about the dinner organised by AMW for Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa, and Arfan Nizam Eldin praised AMW in his column in the newspaper.

AMW helped a postgraduate media student at Goldsmiths University with his dissertation on "Al Jazeera vs Al Hurra," and a media student at Gloucestershire University requested an interview with AMW for his dissertation "Alan Johnston: How the Reporter Became the Story."

AMW liaised with the BBC, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Independent, Daily Express, Sunday Express, Economist, Al Jazeera English, ABC News, Arab News Broadcasting, Al Sahafa, a media lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies, Kuwait's Awan newspaper, Human Rights Watch, and the Qatari and Sudanese embassies.

On Sunday 25 May 2008, the French Institute, Arab Media Watch and Parallax Media are screening the UK premiere of veteran director Yousry Nasrallah's film The Aquarium (Genenet Al Asmak), an ambitious examination of the sexual and political landscape of contemporary Cairo.

Its two protagonists are observers rather than participants, taking a discreetly Olympian approach to other people's problems. Laila is a late-night radio talk show host whose listeners talk about their most closely guarded secrets; Youssef is an anesthetist who enjoys listening to the things his patients mumble as they drift off into unconsciousness. Both travel along the paths of longing as their destinies become marked by the visually suggestive aquarium gardens in Cairo. Poetic, multilayered and an inspired treat.

Arab Media Watch issued a press release presenting a list of Palestinians who experienced the 1948 Nakba (catastrophe) and who were available for interview on its 60th anniversary (15 May 2008). This resulted in interest from Reuters, Al Jazeera English, the Guardian, BBC Arabic, BBC Radio 5, Press TV and the Islam Channel.

Dziennik, one of Poland's biggest newspapers, interviewed Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi for an article entitled "Have a chat with the beautiful queen," about an initiative by Queen Rania of Jordan to tackle anti-Arab stereotyping.

Arab Media Watch adviser Nadim Shehadi was quoted in an article on 16 May 2008 by Guardian Middle East editor Ian Black, entitled "Lebanon crisis defused after climbdown by PM."

22 May 2008

The prestigious Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism 2008 has been won by Dahr Jamail and Mohammed Omer.

In the spirit of the great war reporter Martha Gellhorn, these two extraordinary journalists - Dahr Jamail is American and Mohammed Omer is Palestinian - share the Prize for their courageous, insightful and, above all, independent reporting. Neither winner has enjoyed the backing of news organisations. Working alone in extremely difficult and often dangerous circumstances, they have reported unpalatable truths, validated by powerful facts that expose establishment propaganda, or "official drivel", as Martha Gellhorn called it.  This is the essence of the Martha Gellhorn Prize.

Arab Media Watch member Abe Hayeem was quoted in an article by the Independent's Middle East correspondent Donald Macintyre, entitled "Israel: From independence to intifada," published on 8 May 2008.

In May 2008, Dr Makram Khoury-Machool became Arab Media Watch's newest adviser.

After Arab Media Watch issued a press release to the media expressing concern and surprise at the British press's almost total silence over the release on 1 May 2008 of Al Jazeera cameraman Sami Al-Haj from Guantanamo Bay, Andrew Alexander used his next column in the Daily Mail to write about exactly that.

On 21 May 2008, the Evening Standard published a letter by Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi entitled "Our embassies are failing us."

On 10 June 2008, the Independent published a letter by Arab Media Watch adviser Chris Doyle entitled "EU must act over Palestinian taxes."

Following are extracts of a speech by Tory leader David Cameron at the reception of the first annual gala dinner of the Conservative Middle East Council, which took place on 10 June 2008 in Whitehall, London, and was attended by representatives from Arab Media Watch.

25 June 2008

Reporters Without Borders condemns the arrest of journalist Ahmed Al-Majoun in a raid by US and Iraqi soldiers on his home in Tikrit (180 km north of Baghdad) early yesterday. His son was also arrested. Majoun heads a journalists union based in Salah El Din, the province of which Tikrit is the capital. No reason has been given for their arrests.

The Spectator published a letter by Arab Media Watch adviser Chris Doyle on 3 July 2008.

8 June 2006

The Daily Express and Daily Star have responded to Arab Media Watch's press release expressing concern at the lack of any reporting in the Sun, the Express and the Star of the massacres by US Marines of Iraqi civilians in Haditha and Ishaqi, as well as other recent abuses by coalition forces.

May 26 - AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi got an article published in Al Arab newspaper entitled "BBC'ing the Arab perspective", about AMW's latest monitoring study of the BBC's coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This was also published in Sharq magazine in March.

http://english.alarabonline.org/display.asp? fname=2006\05\05-26\ zfeaturez\967.htm& dismode=x&ts=26/05/2006 %2002:06:28%20ã

May 24 - AMW correspondent Yasser Abu Moailek got a feature published in the Daily Star, Lebanon's leading English-language newspaper, entitled "'TV on demand' all the rage in West Bank".

May 24 - AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi appeared on US TV news network ABC with Mary Dejevsky of the Independent, during which they discussed Iraq, Afghanistan, and Amnesty International's latest annual human rights report.

May 23 - AMW director Victor Kattan was interviewed on Al Hiwar TV about a meeting of the British-Arab community with the new UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, which included an AMW delegation consisting of Kattan, director Muna Nashashibi and chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi.

May 22 - AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi got an article published in the Daily Star, Lebanon's leading English-language newspaper, entitled "Comoran elections stand as signpost of democratic wave":

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=24616

June 4 - AMW member Chris Doyle got a letter published in the Observer entitled "Melanie Phillips is inciting hatred":

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,,1789893,00.html

June 3 - Al Arab newspaper published an article about AMW's submission to the BBC regarding its impartiality review, entitled "Is this London or Tel Aviv?"

http://www.alarabonline.org/Previouspages/Arab%20Weekly/2006/06-2006/A-W-%2003-06-2006/w09.PDF

June 2 - AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed on US TV news network ABC about the massacres by US Marines of Iraqi civilians in Haditha and Ishaqi.

May 29 - AMW correspondent Yasser Abu Moailek got 2 articles published on the Electronic Intifada website, one entitled "'TV on demand all the rage in the West Bank", the other entitled "Hamas's militant arm turns to fighting internal chaos":

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4748.shtml

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4749.shtml

27 June 2006

On Saturday 24 June 2006, the Daily Express ran a feature by Paul Callan of almost two pages on British "war hero" Orde Wingate, who used his "military genius" and "brilliance as a tactician" to help Jewish forces establish "their precious homeland" ("The Untold Story of Our Most Eccentric War Hero").

Besides the serious factual inaccuracies peppered throughout the article, it paints a benevolent, selective portrait of Wingate that is as highly misleading as it is offensive to his victims and those who respect the rule of law.

Below are examples of Wingate's brutality, taken from Jewish and Israeli sources (such as Jewish academics and authors John Rose and Norman Finkelstein, Jewish militant Tzion Cohen, Israeli historians Tom Segev and Anita Shapira, and former Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Dayan), that would today be described as war crimes:

30 June 2006

The following press release highlights contentious areas of media coverage of Israel's current invasion of the Gaza Strip, with Arab Media Watch's recommendations.

3 July 2006

After Daily Mail regular columnist Melanie Phillips was allowed by BBC Question Time to make wild, inaccurate accusations unchallenged on 29 June about Israel's Gaza invasion, Arab Media Watch commends the tough questioning by Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow of Israel's deputy ambassador a day later. View the footage at the following link:

Arab Media Watch is pleased to announce the creation of a section on its website dedicated to its annual fundraising dinner, which took place on 7 June 2008.

1 July 2008

Reporters Without Borders today condemned abusive behaviour by Israeli security agents towards Palestinian journalists moving around the Territories or returning from visits abroad.

The worldwide press freedom organisation said it had recorded five incidents of wrongful arrest in the past ten days. One journalist is still being held, while another needed hospital treatment after being subjected to brutality and humiliation at an Israeli checkpoint by members of Shin Bet (Israeli internal security service).

10 July 2008

Two colleagues at Chatham House have just written a major report on the economic challenges facing oil- and gas-exporting states. The report is based on 12 country studies - including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Algeria - and look at the options they have for depletion policy, growth and development.

15 July 2008

The Committee to Protect Journalists protests the detention without charge of an Associated Press journalist who was seized by US and Iraqi forces last month in the Iraqi city of Tikrit.

On 18 July 2008, the Jewish Chronicle published a letter on Palestine by Arab Media Watch adviser Chris Doyle.

On 18 July 2008, Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi wrote to the Daily Telegraph in response to a commentary by Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor.

A day earlier, Nashashibi wrote to the Times in response to an editorial on the Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap.

31 July 2008

Writer / director Ja'far 'Abd al-Hamid (has been working in independent film and TV since 1992; programming assistant at the Raindance Film Festival 2006; MA film; completing a PhD in film adaptations) is casting for more roles to take part in the highly visual self-funded Super 16MM feature entitled MESOCAFE, shooting in London in November-December 2008.

"With its Arab, Assyrian, Jewish and Kurdish heritage, the Middle Eastern community of London provides a focal point for Mesocafe, an English language feature film set in 2003."

1 August 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said that 'the Iraqi journalists had shown fresh commitment to building democracy and unity within media' following recent elections within the Iraqi Union of Journalists. In a letter of congratulations to the newly-elected union president Moaid Al Lami and his colleagues, the IFJ noted that the final results of voting had been verified and approved by the judicial committee monitoring the election.

6 August 2008

The Daily Mail responded positively to Chris Doyle, Arab Media Watch adviser and director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, about an article published on 31 July 2008 on the newspaper's website entitled "Arab sends his Lamborghini for an oil check - 6,500 miles by air from Qatar to London."

During the week of 3-9 May 2010, Arab Media Watch met with the BBC, Guardian, Independent, Reuters, Financial Times, Daily Mail, CNN, Al Hayat, Haaretz, and the Sudanese and US embassies.

AMW complained to the Press Complaints Commission about Daily Mirror columnist Brian Reade causing religious offence by using the word "Shi'ite" to mean faeces.

Forbes published a commentary by AMW adviser Guy Gabriel, entitled "Is Sudan still a pariah?"

The Middle East in London, the monthly magazine of the London Middle East Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies, requested an interview with Gabriel about Sudanese politics in the aftermath of the elections.

Press TV reviewed AMW adviser Haifa Zangana's book "Dreaming of Baghdad."

AMW helped Radio Monte Carlo find an interviewee on press freedom.

AMW liaised with the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Independent on Sunday, Reuters, the Press Complaints Commission, Al Jazeera English, Al Hayat, Al Quds Al Arabi, Arab News Broadcasting, the Global Arab Network, the Cambridge Arab Media Project, IB Tauris Publishers, the UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Jordanian, Palestinian and Saudi embassies.

During the week of 7-13 June 2010, Arab Media Watch published a major monitoring study entitled "A Region of Violence? British Media Portrayals of the Arab World."

AMW informed the media of its forthcoming launch of the book "The Arabs and the Holocaust." ABC News responded with a request to interview the author, and journalists from the New Statesman , Associated Press, Times and Asharq Al Awsat expressed an interest in attending.

AMW issued a press release to the media commending the Independent for its coverage and analyses of Israel's propaganda campaign following its attack on the Gaza aid flotilla.

AMW issued an Action Alert urging its members and the public to thank Times correspondent Catherine Philp for an excellent commentary entitled "Cookies and cupcakes not enough to placate the world after Gaza raid," and to complain against Daily Express columnist Frederick Forsyth for an outrageous, inaccurate and offensive article entitled "Don't forget Arabs blockade Gaza as well."

AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi wrote to the Daily Express in response to Forsyth's column, and to the Daily Mail regarding the invasions of Iraq and Egypt, in response to a commentary by Geoffrey Wheatcroft; AMW adviser Tahrir Swift wrote to the BBC about its coverage of Iraq; and AMW member Hess Moontasir wrote to the Daily Mail about its coverage of Israel's attack on the Gaza aid flotilla.

Press TV interviewed Nashashibi about the new Palestinian film "The Time That Remains," alongside Evening Standard film critic Neil Norman.

AMW met with the Guardian, Al Quds Al Arabi, and Alistair Burt, Minister for the Middle East and North Africa.

AMW liaised with the Economist, New Statesman, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Reuters, Associated Press, ABC News, Al Quds Al Arabi, Asharq Al Awsat, Arab News, the Global Arab Network, Al Arab, Middle East Online, Press TV, Pluto Press, IB Tauris Publishers, Amnesty International, the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and the Malaysian, Palestinian, Sudanese and Turkish embassies.

During the week of 24-30 May 2010, Arab Media Watch met with the Guardian and the Libyan Embassy.

Press TV requested an interview with AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi about the new Palestinian film "The Time That Remains."

The Global Arab Network published a commentary on Sudan by AMW adviser Guy Gabriel, entitled "International election observation & legitimacy."

AMW liaised with the BBC, Sky News, Guardian, Reuters, Daily Mail, Times, Independent, New Statesman, Daily Telegraph, Press Complaints Commission, Al Jazeera English, Al Hayat, the Global Arab Network, Press TV, IB Tauris Publishers, JNews, Amnesty International, the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and the Palestinian Embassy.

On 25 July 2008, the Independent published a letter by Arab Media Watch member Mark Elf entitled "Palestinians have their rights, too."

Arab Media Watch, the Council for Arab-British Understanding, and Independent Jewish Voices invite you to the launch on Thursday 1 July 2010 of the book "The Arabs & the Holocaust - The Arab-Israeli War of Narratives," by Gilbert Achcar.

During the week of 14-20 June 2010, Arab Media Watch met with the Guardian, Reuters, Asharq Al Awsat, Al Quds Al Arabi, Al Hayat, and the Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian embassies.

AMW published a study on British media portrayals of Egypt and the Gaza blockade, which was published by the Global Arab Network; the Guardian published a commentary by AMW adviser Chris Doyle, entitled "Off the hook: Israel's own Widgery inquiry into Bloody Monday"; and the Electronic Intifada published a review of AMW adviser Victor Kattan's book "From Coexistence to Conquest."

AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi wrote to the Press Complaints Commission about a commentary on the Gaza blockade by Frederick Forsyth in the Daily Express; and Al Alam TV requested an interview with Nashashibi.

AMW issued an Action Alert urging its members and the public to thank the Times for its coverage of toxic waste in Iraq, as well as a good commentary on Gaza.

AMW liaised with the BBC, Reuters, Daily Telegraph, the Economist, New Statesman, Forbes, Al Arab, the Global Arab Network, Al Alam TV, JNews, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the UK Foreign & Commonweath Office, and the Egyptian and Palestinian embassies.

3 August 2008

The documentary "Inside Hamas" - which was aired earlier this year on Channel 4, and in which Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed - has been shortlisted by the Grierson Trust for the Best Documentary Award. The Griersons are the top documentary awards in Britain. The nominations are in October 2008.

27 August 2010

At BBC Arabic, we are continually reviewing our programme offerings and trying to assess their effectiveness. In an effort to evaluate and improve the schedule, we are conducting a discussion session for Arabic-speaking students living in the UK. The session is to be held on the 16th of September at 6:00pm, in Bush House.

You are invited to participate in this Audience discussion regarding the scheduling and programming of BBC Arabic.

Sponsored by Sony Professional, the 2010 Rory Peck Awards are now OPEN FOR ENTRIES

We welcome entries from professional freelance cameramen and camerawomen around the world in the following categories:

Arab Media Watch condemns the appointment of extremist Avigdor Lieberman as Israeli deputy prime minister in charge of strategic threats.

"One can't escape the irony of Israel condemning far-right politicians such as France's Jean-Marie Le Pen and Austria's Joerg Haider, yet accepting in its own government someone who advocates war, murder, violence, land appropriation, settlement activity, dispossession, racism and political disenfranchisement against Arabs," said AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi.

"Lieberman's appointment dangerously heightens an already tense situation in the Middle East, and flies in the face of any notion of seeking a just and lasting peace with Israel's neighbours. Media portrayals of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert courting Lieberman and his political party to shore up his shaky coalition government do not explain that this was certainly not Olmert's only choice. There are parties and politicians in parliament with less destructive agendas, to say the least."

Following is a profile of Lieberman, highlighting his extremist views:

29 May 2007

To mark the 40th anniversary of Israel's occupation of Arab land following the 1967 war, Arab Media Watch has produced an easy-to-read document summarising and critiquing, in one page each, 30 official and private initiatives from 1978 to the present day that have one basic goal - ending the Israeli-Arab conflict.

The purpose is to give the media and the public an overall, concise, accessible view of peacemaking efforts over the years.

The week of 6-12 November 2006 saw Arab Media Watch being interviewed by BBC Asia, the Bromley Times and the News Shopper; issuing a press release to the British, Arab and American media about Saddam Hussein's trial; and liaising with the BBC, Reuters, the Associated Press, ITN, the Guardian, Al Hayat, the UK correspondent of the Jerusalem Post and Lauren Booth, regular columnist for the Mail on Sunday and the New Statesman.

Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi is taking part in a debate on Israel/Palestine at the Model UN on Thursday 16 November 2006.

Two days later, AMW advisor Sami Ramadani takes part in a strategy gathering entitled "Ending the Occupation of Iraq".

15 November 2006

Arab Media Watch welcomes today's ground-breaking launch of Al Jazeera's English-language TV news channel, set to reach 80 million homes worldwide, twice the original target.

6 July 2007

Arab Media Watch congratulates Guardian journalist Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, who reports from Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East, for winning the Gaby Rado memorial award for a G2 piece last August on the huge number of children killed in Israel's invasion of Lebanon. The prize was given on 4 July 2007 at the Amnesty International media awards for human rights reporting.

11 July 2007

After riding out the diplomatic and political storm of the last two years, Syria is once again a critical player in the future of the Middle East. The Baathist regime has weathered external pressure from the West, the seeds of civil unrest at home, and the loss of its historical position of power in Lebanon. Today, the future looks far brighter for Syria as it continues to gain leverage on almost every foreign policy front.

This is the major finding of a new briefing paper entitled "Open for Business: Syria's Quest for a Political Deal," written by Arab Media Watch adviser Rime Allaf and published by Chatham House.

Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi joins distinguished journalists, diplomats and others at a seminar in London organised by the International Media Council on 11 September 2008 entitled "Integration vs Integration." Nashashibi will be part of a panel discussing "Racism, prejudice, Islamophobia: The media's coverage."

Following is a letter written to the Guardian on 29 August 2008 by Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi, in response to a commentary by Israel's ambassador to the UK.

5 September 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the Iranian government for forcing al-Arabiya TV bureau chief Hassan Fahs from the country because they were unhappy with his reporting.

Organised by Arab Media Watch

Date & time: Monday 22 September 2008, 6.30-8.30pm

Venue: Arab British Chamber of Commerce, 43 Upper Grosvenor St, London W1K 2NJ

Admission free, all welcome

Organised by the Association of the Palestinian Community in the UK, and supported by Arab Media Watch, to celebrate the life of the late Palestinian poet laureate Mahmoud Darwish.

On Thursday 9 October 2008 at 7pm at Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, Kensington, London W8 7NX.

22 August 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned actions by the Israeli army which raided and closed down three Palestinian radio stations on Wednesday.

25 September 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomed the release of imprisoned Yemeni journalist Abdulkarim Al Khaiwani and congratulated its affiliate, the Yemeni Journalists' Syndicate (YJS), on securing his release.

18 June 2007

Last week, Arab Media Watch published extracts of the hate mail we received after Daily Mail columnist and BBC Moral Maze regular Melanie Phillips urged her blog readers to complain to us. We subsequently received two more gems to make her proud.

21 May 2007

Amid the continuing political stalemate in Lebanon, the last two days have seen heavy clashes between the army and Islamic militants in the north of the country, as well as a bomb explosion in Beirut.

Meanwhile, Israel is increasing its military strikes in the Gaza Strip, and threatening to resume assassinations of leading Palestinian figures.

Arab Media Watch's advisers on Lebanon and Palestine are available for interview.

30 April 2007

Arab Media Watch announces the launch of a major monitoring study of how the media portrays the Arab Gulf states: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Covering the period July 2006 to March 2007, the 21-page report focuses on editorials, columns, commentaries, analyses and features from the British national daily broadsheets and tabloids.

Arab Media Watch, the Council for Arab-British Understanding and the Next Century Foundation invite you to a panel discussion entitled "What now for Palestine?" on Thursday 5 July 2007 at the Arab British Chamber of Commerce.

Arab Media Watch, the Council for Arab British Understanding and the Next Century Foundation invite you to a panel discussion on Thursday 14 June 2007 at 7pm at the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce.

Chaired by Baroness Symons (former minister of state at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office), speakers are Guardian Middle East editor Ian Black, Times chief foreign editorial writer Michael Binyon, Egyptian Ambassador Gehad Madi and Ghayth Armanazi, director of the Syrian Media Centre, former head of the Arab League in London and AMW adviser.

On 9 June 2006, in response to an Arab Media Watch press release a day earlier, the Guardian diary section published a witty item on the responses of the Sun, the Daily Express and the Daily Star to AMW's findings that they had not reported anything about the Haditha and Ishaqi massacres, and other coalition abuses in Iraq.

June 11 - AMW's Tahrir Swift was interviewed on Al Hiwar TV about the organisation.

June 9 - The Guardian published an item about the response by the Sun, Daily Express and Daily Star to AMW's press release about their failure to report coalition abuses in Iraq:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/diary/story/0,,1793475,00.html

June 8 - Al Arab newspaper published AMW's initial press release regarding the lack of coverage by the Sun, Daily Express and Daily Star of abuses by coalition forces in Iraq:

http://english.alarabonline.org/display.asp? fname=2006\06\06-08\zalsoz\924.htm&dismode=x&ts=08/06/2006%2001:25:37%20ã

June 8 - AMW member Omar Waraich was interviewed on the BBC Asia Network about the killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab Al Zarqawi in Iraq.

June 8 - AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed on US TV news network ABC about the killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab Al Zarqawi in Iraq.

June 8 - AMW issued another press release to journalists, in response to the Daily Star and Daily Express responding to AMW's initial press release about their lack of coverage of coalition abuses in Iraq, including the Haditha and Ishaqi massacres:

http://www.arabmediawatch.com/amw/Articles/PressReleases/ tabid/77/newsid391/2692/ Daily-Express-and-Daily-Star-respond-to-Arab-Media-Watch-press-release/Default.aspx

June 8 - AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed on BBC Radio Scotland about the killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab Al Zarqawi in Iraq.

June 7 - The Daily Star and Daily Express responded to the AMW press release about their lack of coverage of coalition abuses in Iraq, including the Haditha and Ishaqi massacres.

June 6 - AMW spoke with the Sun, the Daily Express and the Daily Star about their lack of coverage of coalition abuses in Iraq, including the Haditha and Ishaqi massacres, prior to issuing a press release about this to journalists:

http://www.arabmediawatch.com/amw/Articles/PressReleases/ tabid/77/newsid391/2680/ AMW-concern-at-lack-of-coverage-of-Iraq-massacres-in-Sun-Express--Star/Default.aspx

June 6 - Al 'Alam TV requested an interview from AMW concerning EU-Iranian relations.

June 6 - Al Arab newspaper provided a link on its website to AMW:

http://english.alarabonline.org/display.asp? fname=2006\06\06-06\zfeaturez\966.htm

June 5 - AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi and member Omar Waraich met with Patrick Cockburn, Iraq correspondent for the Independent.

June 5 - AMW correspondent Yasser Abu Moailek got an article published on the Electronic Intifada website entitled "Palestinian blacksmith dreams of returning to job in Israel":

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4764.shtml

13 July 2006

Arab Media Watch condemns Israel's invasion, bombing and blockade of Lebanon, and reiterates the view of world leaders and human rights groups that its wanton aggression is "disproportionate". Israel's targets are predominantly civilian, including Lebanon's only international airport, bridges, media offices, a Muslim prayer house, and the killing and injuring of dozens of innocent civilians, including children, journalists and entire families.

18 July 2006

Arab Media Watch is concerned at the predominance of British broadcast and print news coming out of Israel as opposed to Lebanon during the current crisis between the two countries.

Arab Media Watch activity in the week of 3 - 9 July included a conference on Israel/Palestine, TV interviews with the Islam Channel, radio interviews with the BBC and Ireland's Newstalk 106FM, and published press releases in Lebanon's Daily Star, Al Arab, Electronic Intifada and What Really Happened.

15 July 2006

Arab Media Watch condemns actress and columnist Maureen Lipman for claiming on BBC 1's This Week programme on 13 July that "human life is not cheap to the Israelis, and human life on the other side is quite cheap actually..."

This press release covers AMW's media activities for the fortnight of 24 July - 6 August.

This press release covers the fourth week of Israel's onslaught against Lebanon.

21 November 2006

Arab Media Watch urges the media to follow the looming execution of Iranian Arabs - following a flawed trial condemned by human rights groups - as well as the plight of Iran's millions of ethnic Ahwazi Arabs, who form the majority in Khuzestan province, which contains up to 90% of the country's oil reserves and is a possible location for its nuclear programme.

During the week of 20-26 November 2006, Arab Media Watch advisor Sami Ramadani got a commentary on Iraq published in the Times Higher Education Supplement.

AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed by Al Jazeera about the assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayal, and by US TV news network ABC, along with Times foreign editor Bronwen Maddox, about Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.

Nashashibi and AMW advisor Zaki Boulos attended the launch party of Al Jazeera's English channel.

AMW arranged an interview for More4 with George Asseily of the Centre for Lebanese Studies regarding the Gemayel assassination.

AMW issued press releases to the British, Arab and American media condemning the assassination, and urging media attention on the plight of Iran's Arab minority.

AMW liaised with Al Jazeera, the BBC, ABC, the Independent, the Daily Mirror, the Sun, Amnesty International's press office, Al Hiwar TV and the Islam Channel.

The week of 27 November - 3 December 2006 saw interviews on Al Jazeera with Arab Media Watch advisor Sami Ramadani on Iraq, and chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi with Sir David Frost on Israel/Palestine.

The Islam Channel interviewed Nashashibi about the political situation in Lebanon, and requested AMW's help in finding Lebanese spokespeople for a future interview.

Al Hayat newspaper published an article about a dinner meeting between the Foreign Office and an Arab delegation that included AMW's chairman and director Muna Nashashibi.

Al Arab newspaper published an AMW primer on Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, which was issued to the British, Arab and American media.

AMW wrote official letters to the Daily Telegraph and Daily Express regarding their coverage of Lebanon and Syria, and liaised with Al Jazeera, the Islam Channel and Al Arab.

8 December 2006

Arab Media Watch is pleased to announce the launch of a new document on Arab embassies in the UK, including details of the ambassadors, national days, embassy websites, postal addresses, phone numbers, faxes and email addresses.

The week of 4-10 December 2006 saw Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi get a letter on Lebanon and Syria published in the Daily Express, and interviewed by the Islam Channel.

AMW helped Al Jazeera arrange an interview with Israeli Haaretz correspondent Amira Hass, and liaised with the BBC, ABC and CBS.

15 December 2006

The BBC World Service's Reporting Religion special on the Prophet Muhammed cartoon row, which included Arab Media Watch director Muna Nashashibi, has won the runners up award in the Sandford St Martin Trust Awards in Cardiff.

22 December 2006

Arab Media Watch would like to wish our members and supporters a happy and successful 2007, and thank you all for ensuring that we continue to grow from strength to strength.

This year has been a very busy one for us, and a gloomy one for many in the Arab world, but this should only strengthen our resolve to make a difference by engaging the media to support fairness, objectivity, accuracy and understanding, and oppose racism, bias and negative stereotyping.

Our ever-growing contacts, recognition, interviews, support and effectiveness in the media highlight the importance and uniqueness of our work. We pledge to build on this in 2007, and greatly appreciate your vital support in realising our goals.

The following fortnight will see a reduced service from AMW as we could all do with recharging our batteries, but we'll be back in full force from the second week of January, with exciting developments and plans. In the meantime, enjoy your holidays, Christmas, Eid Al Adha and Hanukah.

The AMW team

The week of 11-17 December 2006 saw Arab Media Watch interviews with Al Jazeera about journalism in Iraq, and the BBC about the Holocaust conference in Iran.

The BBC World Service informed AMW that a programme about the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed, in which AMW director Muna Nashashibi took part, won an award.

AMW helped Al Jazeera arrange an interview with the Palestinian ambassador in the UK.

AMW issued 3 press releases to the British, Arab and American media: On Syria's Golan Heights, on the failure of the British media to report the 25th anniversary of Israel's annexation of the territory, and on the refusal by the Associated Press to explain its low Lebanese death toll from this summer's Israeli invasion.

These press releases resulted in AP promising AMW an answer within a week, Al Jazeera contacting us about the Golan, the Islam Channel requesting an interview about the territory, and the Syrian Media Centre commending us on our Golan press release.

AMW made contact with New Statesman regular columnist John Pilger about a forthcoming book on Lebanon, and with Independent regular columnist Johann Hari, thanking him for his excellent articles from Palestine.

In all, AMW liaised with Al Jazeera, AP, the BBC, CBS News, the Independent, ABC News, Reuters, the Daily Mail, the New Statesman, Arab News, the SMC and the Islam Channel.

25 August 2008

The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed Saturday's release of an Associated Press Television News cameraman who had been held by US forces in Iraq for nearly three months without charge, but it expressed alarm over the US military's continuing practice of detaining journalists without charge in Iraq.

15 September 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomed the Iraqi government's investigation into the recent killing of four employees of Iraqi satellite TV channel Al Sharqiya in Mosul but said that authorities must investigate all unsolved killings, including the assassination of Iraqi union president Shihab Al-Timimi, if they want to ensure press freedom in the country.

11 September 2008

The official Libyan news agency JANA interviewed Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi about Italy's apology and compensation to Libya for colonial injustices.

International Federation of Journalists
18 September 2008

Israeli journalists have spoken out against restrictions on freedom of movement facing reporters in Palestine and propose a joint forum with Palestinian colleagues to deal with a range of problems facing media and journalists in the region.

The week of 18-24 December 2006 saw Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi interviewed by the BBC about Tony Blair's press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and AMW patron Dr Ghada Karmi interviewed about Palestinian refugees on Rageh Omaar's show on Al Jazeera.

AMW also arranged interviews for ITN, Al Jazeera and Gulf News, and helped Al Jazeera with research in preparation for interviews by Sir David Frost with Tory leader David Cameron and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya.

AMW advisor Dr Karma Nabulsi got a commentary on Palestine published in the Guardian entitled "This is an attempt to overturn our elections," and AMW member Mazin Qumsiyeh got a commentary published in the Palestine Chronicle entitled "Holocaust deniers and the Iraq Study Group."

AMW thanked its many members who participated in a survey on the Holy Land in the Tablet, a leading Catholic paper in the UK. The results were strongly in our favour.

AMW also issued an Action Alert to its members and the public to write to the Chruch Times to rebut a letter by the Reverend Tim Price, who claims that Palestinian Christians are persecuted by their Muslim compatriots.

AMW liaised with the BBC; the press office of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding its invitation to a briefing by Tony Blair's spokesman on foreign affairs on the prime minister's Middle East visit; Al Jazeera; the Associated Press about its low Lebanese death toll from Israel's 2006 invasion; and the Syrian Media Centre.

Dear members,

In anticipation of a bright and successful new year, we are proposing changes to the way in which Arab Media Watch provides some of its services available to you. However, before we implement them, we would like to inform you and invite you to give us feedback.

A conference on "popular culture and political identity in the Arab Gulf states" is taking place on Thursday 8 February 2007 at London's School of Oriental and African Studies. Leading social analysts, artists, journalists, business leaders and political commentators from the region will discuss the dynamic and challenging evolution of contemporary Gulf society.

As a supporter of the conference, Arab Media Watch has secured free entry for journalists, including refreshments and lunch (tickets are normally £15), as well as interviews with participants.

The week of 25-31 December 2006 saw Arab Media Watch help the BBC with interviewees on Saddam Hussein's execution, and Arab News contacting AMW for a quote on the subject.

AMW member Taris Ahmad got a letter published in the Church Times in response to our Action Alert over a letter claiming that Palestinian Christians were being persecuted by their Muslim compatriots. The response to the Alert was strong, and all three published letters were critical of the initial letter.

Chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed twice regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the Islam Channel, with which AMW liaised regarding a forthcoming interview about the Golan Heights.

AMW issued a press release to the British, Arab and American media calling for a ceasefire in Somalia and an immediate Ethiopian withdrawal.

The week of 8-14 January 2007 saw Guardian commentator Haifa Zangana, Daily Star editor-at-large Rami Khouri and Syrian Media Centre director Ghayth Armanazi, among others, agree to become Arab Media Watch advisers.

AMW member Sara Wood got a letter on Israel/Palestine published in the Independent.

AMW members Daniel Brett and Justin Alexander got letters published in the Daily Mail in response to our Action Alert against an Islamophobic column by Richard Littlejohn (AMW also wrote an official complaint). Brett got an article on Iranian Arabs published by Indian news agency Media Star World, in which AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was quoted.

Nashashibi was interviewed on Iraq and Somalia with Toby Helm, chief political correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, by US TV news network ABC.

AMW arranged Arab Christian interviewees for a forthcoming BBC Radio 4 programme on the future of Christianity in the Middle East.

AMW adviser Tahrir Swift was invited by Al Hiwar TV for an interview on activism by Arab women. On a similar subject, an American documentarian contacted AMW seeking help and advice about a programme she is making on young Arab women in the West.

The press office of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office invited AMW to the appearance of British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and Defence Secretary Des Browne before a joint Foreign Affairs / Defence Commmittee on Iraq.

AMW liaised with Al Jazeera, the Independent, Channel 4, the BBC, New Statesman regular columnist John Pilger, and Samia Nakhoul of Reuters, among others.

There have been several exciting developments since Arab Media Watch's initial announcement of our annual fundraising dinner on 16 September 2006, including another speaker, more statements of support, amazing raffle and auction prizes, and a very special guest.

Arab Media Watch, the Council for Arab-British Understanding, the SOAS Palestine Society and Pluto Books invite you to a talk and launch of Khaled Hroub's latest book, on sale at a 20% discount:

HAMAS: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE

Following is the text of the welcoming speech given by Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi at the organisation's annual fundraising dinner on 16 September 2006 at the Royal Garden Hotel.

20 October 2006

The BBC is seeking British citizens who have been denied entry to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, and as a result were forced to go back to the UK. The BBC aims to produce a report showing how this has significantly interrupted people's lives. If you qualify and would like to take part in the report, please contact Arab Media Watch on 07956 455 528 or info@arabmediawatch.com.

The Guardian on 1 November 2006 published a letter by Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi entitled "The relative merits of neoconservatism."

During the week of 22-28 September 2008, the Guardian published a commentary by AMW adviser Ghada Karmi about Israel / Palestine.

A reporter with a national daily British newspaper who wrote a profile of Tzipi Livni including an interviewee arranged by AMW thanked us for our help.

A senior figure at the Daily Mirror expressed an interest in meeting with AMW.

Press TV interviewed AMW adviser Guy Gabriel.

AMW announced the forthcoming launch of the Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication, whose editors include AMW adviser Dina Matar.

AMW organised a talk by Mona Saudi, launched her book "Forty Years in Sculpture," and arranged for British Satellite News to interview her.

AMW liaised with the BBC, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Express, ABC News, Arab News Broadcasting and the Palestinian Embassy.

The forthcoming Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication - of which Arab Media Watch adviser Dina Matar is an editor and AMW adviser Rami Khouri is on the international advisory board - provides a transcultural academic sphere that engages Middle Eastern and Western scholars in a critical dialogue about culture, communication and politics in the Middle East. It also provides a forum for debate on the region's encounters with modernity and the ways in which this is reshaping people’s everyday experiences.

Arab Media Watch is pleased to announce the book launch and sale on Monday 26 February 2007 of "Failing Peace: Gaza and the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict" by Harvard scholar Sara Roy, who will be in conversation with British-Palestinian filmmaker Omar Al-Qattan at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

12 July 2007

Arab Media Watch today publishes a report on the British media's coverage of the proposed academic boycott of Israel, and finds that significantly more coverage was given to those opposed to it, leaving the public without a balanced exposure to both sides of the argument.

9 August 2007

Arab Media Watch commends Lebanon's Higher Relief Council for publishing a fully searchable database of those killed in last summer's Israeli invasion. This is particularly relevant to the Associated Press, with which AMW liaised for months last year, resulting in a press release criticising AP for its low Lebanese death toll of 850 (the lowest available, and around 30% less than most other sources), and for its stubborn refusal to explain how it obtained this figure.

During the week of 6-12 October 2008, Al Jazeera English interviewed AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi about US funding of pro-American publicity in Iraqi media.

Nashashibi wrote to Daily Telegraph diplomatic editor David Blair about the predominance in one of his articles of Israeli sources making claims about Lebanon and Syria.

AMW was an official supporter of a memorial to celebrate the life of the late Palestinian poet laureate Mahmoud Darwish. Al Quds Al Arabi published an advert for it.

AMW adviser Haifa Zangana was a speaker at a public meeting on Iraqi art.

AMW liaised with Reuters, the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Channel 4, Asharq Al Awsat, Al Hiwar TV, Arab News Broadcasting, Al-Sahafa newspaper, Amnesty International, and the Palestinian and Saudi embassies.

During the week of 13-19 October 2008, AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi was interviewed on Al Jazeera English about Iraq, and on Press TV; AMW adviser Nadim Shehadi was interviewed by the Guardian on Lebanon / Syria; and AMW adviser Dr Makram Khoury-Machool was interviewed on Arab News Broadcasting about Israel's Arab citizens.

AMW liaised with the BBC, CNN, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail, Independent, Al Jazeera English, ABC News, Arab News Broadcasting, Sudan's Al Watan newspaper and the Palestinian Embassy.

Following is a transcript by Arab Media Watch of a press conference in London with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, attended by AMW director Muna Nashashibi on 27 October 2008.

31 October 2008

Following the US raid into Syria on 26 October 2008, and ensuing claims that Syria helps foreign fighters cross into Iraq, Arab Media Watch has updated its background document on this issue, which casts doubt on the claims.

On 31 October 2008, the Guardian published an article entitled "US elections: Palestinian siblings split on American politics." The siblings are Rima and Tareef Nashashibi, cousins of Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi. The article came about after the journalist approached AMW for help with interviewees in the US.

On 29 October 2008, Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi wrote to the Daily Mail, the Sun and the Independent regarding claims made against Syria that were reported as fact.

During the week of 27 October - 2 November 2008, Arab Media Watch published a study on British media portrayals of Yemen; the Guardian published a letter on Syria by AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi; and Bitter Lemons International published an article by AMW adviser Rime Allaf entitled "Education & the pursuit of justice." The Guardian also published an article entitled "US elections: Palestinian siblings split on American politics." The siblings are cousins of Nashashibi. The article came about after the journalist approached AMW for help with interviewees in the US.

Guardian Middle East editor Ian Black agreed to be a speaker at AMW's next annual fundraising dinner in March 2009.

An Al Jazeera English presenter requested AMW's help with contacts in Lebanon.

BBC Arabic interviewed Nashashibi; AMW arranged an interview for the BBC with adviser Dr Makram Khoury-Machool about Arab media coverage of the US elections; Al Jazeera English requested interviews with AMW director Muna Nashashibi, and advisers Allaf and Ghayth Aramanazi, about the US attack on Syria; and Egypt's Islam Online website requested an interview with Armanazi about the attack. This followed AMW notifying the media that its advisers on Syria were available for interview. On Press TV's Middle East Today programme, AMW's chairman interviewed Jihad Makdissi, spokesman for the Syrian Embassy in London, and Jonathan Paris, Middle East expert at the Hudson Institute, about US and European policies towards Syria in the aftermath of the American attack.

Daily Telegraph diplomatic editor David Blair agreed to lunch with AMW. Blair had previously left a message on Nashashibi's mobile in response to a letter on Syria by the latter. Nashashibi had pointed out a US claim that was reported as fact. Blair replied that Nashashibi's point was "entirely valid," and that the "mistake" occurred in the web version of the article due to an editor, which has since been "corrected." Nashashibi emailed Blair to thank him for his message and the corrective action taken.

Following an email from Nashashibi about the use of sources in an article on Syria / Iraq, the diplomatic correspondent for a British national daily broadsheet newspaper corresponded a few times with him.

Nashashibi wrote to the Daily Mail, the Sun and the Independent regarding claims made against Syria that were reported as fact, and to the Times regarding slavery in Mauritania; AMW adviser Tahrir Swift wrote to the Financial Times about Iraq, and to the Independent about Syria and Iraq.

Following the US raid into Syria, and ensuing claims that Syria helps foreign fighters cross into Iraq, AMW updated its background document on this issue, which casts doubt on the claims, and sent it to the media.

"Thank you so much for your words of encouragement," wrote Rageh Omaar in response to an email from AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi thanking him for an excellent documentary on Al Jazeera English on Islam in the US. "Hope to see you soon again."

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office invited AMW to a Middle East briefing.

The editor of the National, the United Arab Emirates' largest English-language newspaper, said he "much appreciated and much liked" the article by AMW adviser Guy Gabriel about media coverage of the UAE. Gabriel replied to a request from Media Lens to comment on the lack of media coverage of Israeli targeting of Palestinian children.

AMW transcribed the speech by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem at a press conference attended by AMW director Muna Nashashibi, and sent it to the media.

The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network published a report on the launch of its UK Charter, at which AMW advisers Dr Ghada Karmi and Tahrir Swift were speakers, alongside others such as Guardian columnist Michele Hanson and Dr Mike Berry, co-author of Bad News from Israel.

AMW liaised with the BBC, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Independent, Reuters, New Statesman, ABC News, Arab News Broadcasting, Arab News, the Arab Media Centre at Westminster University, IB Tauris publishers, Human Rights Watch, and the Syrian and Palestinian embassies.

During the week of 24-30 November 2008, Arab Media Watch issued to the media a monitoring study entitled "Middle Eastern Sovereign Wealth Funds in the British Media," and a document entitled "Israeli Settlements: The Peace Process, the Quartet, International Law & Leading NGOs," which a Times journalist described as "very helpful."

Al Jazeera English interviewed AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi about media coverage of Gaza; Press TV interviewed AMW adviser Guy Gabriel; and Nashashibi presented Press TV's Middle East Today programme, in which he interviewed writer and human rights activist Peter Tatchell, former MI5 intelligence officer Annie Machon, and Sir Alan Munro, former British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and chairman of the British-Saudi Society.

Nashashibi had lunch with a senior journalist at the Times.

AMW issued an Action Alert urging its members and the public to thank the Independent and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown for her column entitled "Where is the media outrage over Gaza?" Alibhai-Brown thanked Nashashibi for his email thanking her.

AMW adviser Dr Karma Nabulsi was part of a panel with Israeli professor Ilan Pappe (Exeter University) and Gideon Levy of Israel's Haaretz newspaper, entitled "The occupation and Israeli civil society."

The Russian news and information agency Novosti published a commentary by AMW adviser Rime Allaf entitled "Courting Syria: London joins the queue."

AMW liaised with every British national daily broadsheet newspaper, as well as the Economist, Sun, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Evening Standard, Observer, Reuters, BBC, Associated Press, ABC News, Arab News Broadcasting, Press TV, and the Palestinian, Saudi and Syrian embassies.

Lena El-Malak, Arab Media Watch member and PhD candidate in international law at London's School of Oriental and African Studies, emailed the Guardian readers editor on 11 November 2008 to point out an error in an article on Israel / Palestine.

On 18 November 2008, the Independent published a letter co-signed by Arab Media Watch adviser Dr Ghada Karmi, entitled "Shut out by Israel's Gaza blockade."

Journalist and author Hugh Miles is looking for a native Arabic speaker interested in assisting him perform a qualitative analysis of some Arabic TV and Internet output.

25 November 2008
Arab Media Watch

Jordan has won its first International Emmy Award with Al-Igtiyah (The Invasion), a love story about a Palestinian caught up in the chaos and destruction of the large-scale 2002 Israeli military incursion into the biggest West Bank cities. The TV series won the newly established telenovela category at the International Emmys in New York yesterday.

26 November 2008

Arab Media Watch mourns the passing away of Chris Leadbeater, and sends it heartfelt condolences to his family.

"Chris was one of our first and most active members, an ardent supporter of the oppressed and opponent of injustice," said AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi. "He was a valiant fighter, a passionate writer, and a friend. Chris will be greatly missed. On behalf of all of those at AMW who had the privilege of knowing him, our thoughts and prayers are with Chris's family during this tragic time."

During the week of 3-9 November 2008, Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi wrote to Times correspondent Sheera Frenkel about her coverage of Israel / Palestine, and to the diplomatic correspondent of a British national daily broadsheet newspaper about coverage of Syria / Iraq. AMW adviser Tahrir Swift wrote to the Guardian about Iraq.

AMW helped an Al Jazeera English presenter with contacts in Lebanon.

Nashashibi interviewed former US intelligence officer Bob Ayers, and Chris Doyle, AMW adviser and director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, about Barack Obama's policies towards Israel on Press TV's Middle East Today programme. Nashashibi also answered questions emailed by a journalist writing an article for a magazine in the United Arab Emirates on press freedom and media competition in the Gulf and the wider Middle East. Media Lens published a study entitled "Media silent on evidence of Israeli targeting of youngsters," quoting AMW adviser Guy Gabriel.

AMW issued an Action Alert urging its members and the public to thank the Guardian for two commentaries, one by columnist Anne Karpf entitled "Islamofascist slanders," the other by Canon Dr Paul Oestreicher, a former chair of Amnesty International UK, entitled "The legacy of Kristallnacht."

AMW director Muna Nashashibi was invited to chair a discussion / book launch on "Oil and the Kurds," organised by the Iraqi Committee for National Media and Culture.

AMW liaised with the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Express, Independent, Daily Mail, Times, Reuters, ABC News, Al Hiwar TV, BBC, Al Jazeera English, Arab News Broadcasting, Al Sahafa newspaper, the Arab Media Centre at Westminster University, Press TV, Iraqi film-maker Ja'far 'Abd al-Hamid, the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and the Syrian and Palestinian embassies.

On 4 December 2008, the Times published a letter by Arab Media Watch member Deborah Fink, entitled "Israeli goods boycott."

On 17 December 2008, the Guardian published a letter by Arab Media Watch adviser Chris Doyle, entitled "The boot is on the other foot."

On 21 November 2008, Al Hayat published a commentary by Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi on British media coverage of the recent US raid into Syria. This followed publication by the Guardian.

25 November 2008

A study by Arab Media Watch has revealed that many of the criteria relevant to the significance of settlements are not frequently reported. Vital information such as their position under international law, their construction on occupied Palestinian land, and their contravention of the peace process, are often omitted.

AMW has therefore produced an easy-to-read document to clarify these issues, as well as the positions taken by the "Quartet" (UN, US, EU, and Russia) and international NGOs with respect to the settlements.

During the week of 15-21 December 2008, Arab Media Watch attended the reception for the Qatari National Day, and organised a Christmas reception for the media. Attendees included senior figures from the BBC, ITN, Reuters, Al Jazeera English, Guardian, Independent, Times, Daily Mail, Al Hayat, Al Quds Al Arabi and Asharq Al Awsat.

Al Jazeera English interviewed AMW adviser Dr Ghada Karmi about the Arab-Israeli conflict; the BBC requested an interview with AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi about the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George Bush; Press TV interviewed AMW adviser Guy Gabriel about Egypt, Lebanon and Palestine; and Nashashibi presented Middle East Today on Press TV. The topic was EU-Arab relations and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Nashashibi interviewed Karmi, Israeli academic Yossi Mekelberg, and Baroness Nicholson MEP.

The Guardian published a commentary on Iraq by AMW adviser Sami Ramadani entitled "The shoes we longed for," as well as two letters, one by AMW adviser Chris Doyle entitled "The boot is on the other foot," the other by AMW member Abe Hayeem entitled "Settlements in Palestine."

Gabriel wrote to the Times about a commentary on the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George Bush, and AMW adviser Tahrir Swift wrote to the Guardian and Independent about the same topic.

AMW liaised with the BBC, Independent, Guardian, Observer, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, New Statesman, Daily Express, Al Jazeera English, ABC News, CBS, Asharq Al Awsat, Al Quds Al Arabi, Arab News Broadcasting, Al Hiwar, Press TV, and the Palestinian, Sudanese and Syrian embassies.

14 March 2007

Arab Media Watch has launched a new section on its website which provides monthly circulation figures for Britain's national press (as well as the Evening Standard), starting from January 2007.

On 30 December 2008, the Evening Standard published a letter on Gaza by Arab Media Watch adviser Chris Doyle.

On 3 January 2009, Arab Media Watch chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi wrote to the Daily Mirror to refute false claims made in an article about Dubai.

6 January 2009

The Israeli military must put an end to targeting Palestinian media in the Gaza Strip and allow international journalists to enter Gaza to cover the conflict, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

7 January 2009

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today called for a full ‘independent and exhaustive' inquiry into the shooting of an Iraqi woman journalist in Baghdad by American soldiers.

10 January 2009

The International Federation of Journalists has called for the protection of media and journalists to be guaranteed in any talks taking place to end the violence in the Gaza Strip following the bombing on Friday of a building housing news organisations.

On 2 January 2009, the United Arab Emirates' Al Khaleej newspaper published an article on Arab Media Watch after interviewing director Muna Nashashibi.

Arab Media Watch proudly presents Al Atheer - an inspirational concert, a unique musical journey reviving a rich Arab heritage - on Sunday 1 February 2009 at 6pm at the Holy Trinity Church.

5 January 2009

The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for a transparent investigation into the shooting of an Iraqi video editor by US military forces on January 1.

On 8 January 2009, the Times published a letter on Palestine by Arab Media Watch adviser Victor Kattan.

During the week of 5-11 January 2009, AMW announced its concert Al-Atheer, in honour of the people of Gaza, on 1 February. A presenter for Al Jazeera English replied: "What a lovely venue for a great concert."

AMW issued a report to the media expressing "concern at the frequent use by the British press of Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor, compared with the near-total absence of his Palestinian counterpart Manuel Hassassian, despite the fact that the latter took up his position more than a year prior to the former." Daily Mail columnist Peter Oborne described the report as "extremely interesting," and it was translated into Arabic by Libya's Jana news agency.

BBC News 24 interviewed AMW adviser Dr Ghada Karmi on Gaza; Sky News interviewed AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi about the use of blogging and the internet in the Gaza conflict, and requested another interview with him on media coverage of Gaza; Nashashibi presented Middle East Today on Press TV - the topic was media coverage of Gaza, and the interviewees included former Times Middle East correspondent Christopher Walker; Nashashibi was interviewed by an Italian newspaper about media coverage of Gaza; AMW twice helped the BBC with interviewees on Gaza; and Press TV interviewed AMW adviser Chris Doyle on Gaza.

BBC Online corrected a Q&A on the Gaza conflict after emails from AMW members; the Guardian published a letter on Gaza by Doyle; the Sunday Times published a letter on Gaza co-signed by AMW adviser Victor Kattan; and the Times published a letter on Palestine by Kattan.

Nashashibi wrote to a Daily Mail columnist correcting his claim that the 1967 war was not of Israel's choosing; and AMW members Wynne Greenhalgh and Lena Elmalak complained to the BBC about its coverage of Gaza.

AMW issued an Action Alert urging its members and the public to thank the Daily Telegraph for publishing a commentary by Mary Riddell entitled "Our humanity has failed us in Gaza."

Nashashibi accepted an invitation to speak at University College London about media coverage of Gaza and Palestine in general. The treasurer of the Palestine Society described Nashashibi's previous talk there as "informative and generated a good response from our members." Also, AMW attended an emergency meeting of the Joint Committee for Palestine, an umbrella group of NGOs, to discuss Gaza.

AMW liaised with the BBC, Sky News, Guardian, Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, New Statesman, CBS, Daily Star, Al Jazeera English, Al Hayat, Asharq Al Awsat, Al Quds Al Arabi, Arab News Broadcasting, Arab News, Al Quds TV, Press TV, IB Tauris, Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem, and the Moroccan, Norwegian, Palestinian and Syrian embassies.

On 12 January 2009, the Independent quoted Arab Media Watch 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."

On 14 January 2009, 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 Arab Media Watch adviser Nadim Shehadi.

15 January 2009

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today announced that it plans to organise a wide ranging investigation into Israeli actions against media during the current conflict in Gaza after another building housing media organisations was struck this morning by Israeli missiles.

On 14 January 2009, the Times published a full-page advert by Jews for Justice for Palestinians, entitled "End the slaughter in Gaza." Among the signatories were several Arab Media Watch members.

The BBC is looking for Iraqis to take part in a special edition of Question Time on 22 March 2007 to mark the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war.

18 March 2007

Arab Media Watch is pleased to announce the launch of a section on its homepage offering big discounts on books from reputed publishers.

12 April 2007

Arab Media Watch congratulates Times photographer Peter Nicholls, whose pictures of life in Beirut during last summer's Israeli invasion of Lebanon have been named photo essay of the year at the Press Photographer's Year Awards 2007. The competition generated 6,000 entries from 25 countries, and is the definitive annual event for UK media photographers.

AMW also congratulates Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a former Washington Post Iraq bureau chief, whose book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone" has been nominated for the £30,000 Samuel Johnson non-fiction prize 2007.

9 January 2009

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Israeli military's bombing today of a Gaza City building that houses the offices of a number of international news organizations.  

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attacked the rooftop of Al-Johara Tower, an eight-story building located in Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City, which houses more than 20 international news organizations, according to multiple news outlets.

12 January 2009

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the United Nations to investigate targeting of media by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip and to take action against Israel where it has violated international law and a Security Council resolution on protection of media in conflict zones.

The IFJ has called on all of its affiliates, regional organisations and other journalists' groups in the region, including the Federation of Arab Journalists, to support the call which is part of a number of solidarity actions launched by the IFJ today.

On 12 January 2009, Independent columnist Stephen Glover (who is also a columnist for the Daily Mail) wrote a commentary entitled "Could media bias over Gaza even itself out in the end?" In it, he cited Arab Media Watch's report on the British press's frequent use of the Israeli ambassador, and the near-total absence of his Palestinian counterpart.