Gilad Shalit Released

Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit has arrived back in Israel following his release from five years of captivity, as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

Negotiating the Shalit – Hamas Prisoner Exchange

Meet the man who was key to the negotiations that brought abducted soldier Gilad Shalit home after five years of captivity.

Hamas Celebrates Prisoner Exchange

The Islamic militant group that rules in the Gaza Strip is trumpeting the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as a historic achievement.

Gilad Shalit to be Released

Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal for the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held hostage by Palestinian militants for five years.

Israel’s Netanyahu in Washington

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at the White House on Friday, one day after he blasted President Obama’s proposal that the future borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines. Anchor Marco Werman talks with The World’s Matthew Bell in Jerusalem. Matthew also reports on how much the personal relationship between Obama and Netanyahu matters to Israeli observers. Download MP3

Analysis: What does Obama’s stand on the 1967 borders achieve?

Egypt through the eyes of other cartoonists

Cartoonists outside the Middle East are commenting on events in Egypt just as much as those in the region. A few more references to the imagined back and forth between Hosni Mubarak and Barack Obama but just as many pyramids, dominoes and pharaohs. Take a look.

Global Political Cartoons: October 9 – 15, 2010

Chilean miners emerge out of the hole to a global welcome; China bristles at the choice of this year’s Nobel Peace prize winner: one of their imprisoned citizens, and the Tea Party boils.

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Global Political Cartoons: September 11 – 17, 2010

There’s a lot of anger and hate in this week’s cartoons, against the Roma, Muslims, women, and government. But there’s also an act of contrition from an unlikely source.

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Global Political Cartoons: August 28 – September 3, 2010

This week, a melange of Middle East messes. Perhaps a little harsh but we get a lot of visual comments on President Obama bellying up to the Mideast peace bar; the attempt to tie a bow on Iraq; and the uncertainty of a US success in Afghanistan.

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Life in the Gaza Strip

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Israel lifted some of the import restrictions on the Gaza Strip about a month ago. The World’s Matthew Bell reports from the Palestinian territory on how much has changed for people in Gaza. Download MP3

• Photo gallery: Life in the Gaza Strip
• Israel and the Palestinians
• Mideast security cooperation

Obama, Netanyahu to discuss Middle East strategy

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at the White House today for talks with President Obama. The meeting is designed to end a public rift created during the Israeli leader’s visit in March amid a tense showdown over an Israeli settlement. Anchor Marco Werman finds out more. (Photo: AFP/Stringer)Download MP3

• BBC Coverage

Israel eases Gaza blockade

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Israel has announced it will ease the land blockade of the Gaza Strip and allow more civilian goods to enter the Palestinian territory. An Israeli commando raid on an aid flotilla attempting to break the naval blockade of Gaza last month was widely condemned. Israel and Egypt tightened the blockade after the Islamist Hamas movement took control of Gaza in 2007. Marco Werman talks with the BBC’s John Donnison who is in Gaza. Download MP3 (AFP photo of Hamas naval police/Mahmud Hams)

• BBC coverage
• Gaza under blockade

Turkey buries its Gaza flotilla dead

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Emotions are running high in Turkey at funerals for nine activists, all Turkish or of Turkish origin, killed in Israel’s raid on the Gaza aid flotilla. The bodies were flown from Israel to Istanbul, along with more than 450 activists, to a heroes’ welcome. Israel has said there is no need for an international inquiry into the incident, insisting its own will meet the “highest international standards”. Marco Werman speaks with the BBC’s Bethany Bell in Istanbul. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Aid deliveries into Gaza
• In pictures: Funerals in Turkey

Israel deports Gaza activists

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Israel is deporting hundreds of foreign activists detained after the deadly raid on an aid flotilla trying to break its blockade of Gaza. Nine activists died when Israeli commandos boarded the convoy on Monday. Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to continue the blockade and said lifting it would make the Hamas-controled territory a base for missile attacks. The BBC’s Jon Donnison in Gaza describes the kind of aid the activists were trying to deliver. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• In pictures: Gaza activists released
• Jeb Sharp on Israel’s efforts to blockade Hamas

Israel’s blockade strategy against Hamas

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The UN Security Council has issued a statement calling for an impartial inquiry into Israel’s raid on a flotilla of Gaza-bound aid ships. The statement condemned the “acts” which led to the deaths of at least 10 civilian activists during the operation. The raid sparked strong international condemnation and calls for Israel to lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip which has been under the control of the Islamist Hamas since June 2007. Jeb Sharp looks at Israel’s efforts to blockade Hamas. Download MP3 (Photo of Hamas naval police by Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images)

• BBC coverage
• Israeli soldier describes events on raided ship
• Guide: Gaza under blockade