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July 3, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Israeli anger at BBC programme

By Press Gazette

By Wale Azeez

The BBC was under siege at home and abroad this week as it faced wrath not just from both ends of the political spectrum, but also from overseas, after the Israeli Government refused to continue to co-operate with the broadcaster.

An edition of the BBC Two current affairs programme Correspondent, looking at Israel’s biological and nuclear weapon capability, aired in the Middle East last weekend, led to angry accusations by Israel that the BBC was “bordering on being anti-Semitic”.

It said it would no longer hold interviews with the BBC or provide assistance and would make it difficult for BBC journalists to obtain press cards and visas.

A BBC spokeswoman said it had not received any form of notification from the Israeli Government as to its intentions, and insisted that BBC operations in Israel had not been disrupted.

“It’s unfortunate the Israeli Govern-ment has used such strong language, but we stick by the programme.”

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lThe dossier of complaints compiled by the Conservative Party after it questioned the BBC’s coverage of the May Day local elections has earned Conservative Central Office an audience with Greg Dyke, this week.

The BBC director general was due to meet Conservative Party chairwoman Theresa May and other senior Tories, a party spokesman said.

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