05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Palestinian activist's home raided by soldiers after BBC documentary
Good evening and welcome to this week's edition of Media Watch. Remember you can subscribe to get this newsletter in your inbox for free every week by clicking the banner above.
This week we have had the troubling news of a Palestinian activist's home being raided following a BBC documentary series as well as an LBC host coming under fire for swearing under her breath during a discussion about the Irish band Kneecap and Gaza.
Palestinian's home raided after Louis Theroux programme
A new tell-all documentary aired last week where Louis Theroux looked at why the world has 'amply demonstrated' its ability to withstand the Israeli atrocities against Palestinians.
Louis Theroux: The Settlers saw the presenter return to the West Bank for the first time in 15 years where he spent three weeks documenting 'the world of the Israeli ultra-nationalists" who have settled in the territory, illegally under international law.
Shot in two blocks, Theroux interviewed settlers and their leaders, including the woman known as the 'Godmother' of the 'settler movement', Daniella Weiss.
READ MORE: Israeli ministers approve plans to 'capture and hold' all of Gaza
Following the documentary, disturbing news has dropped of a Palestinian activist's home being raided by Israeli soldiers after he featured in the programme.
Issa Amro, who was born in Hebron where he still lives, is the founder of the non-violent group Youth Against Settlements (YAS) and has been an advocate for non-violent resistance against the occupation for nearly 20 years.
He showed Theroux around the settler-occupied part of the city here he lives.
Amro has now claimed in a post on social media that he was raided by Israeli soldiers and settlers as a repercussion for his part in the short film, where he highlighted the difficulties and discrimination Palestinians face living under occupation.
The soldiers raided my house today, they wanted to revenge from me for participating in the @BBC documentary ' the settlers' , after the army left the settlers raided my house, they injured one activist and cut the tree, they stole tools and the garbage containers.
The Israeli… — Issa Amro عيسى عمرو 🇵🇸 (@Issaamro) May 3, 2025
He claimed a fellow activist was injured and settlers chopped down his tree while also stealing tools from his home.
The post on Twitter/X was accompanied by a short clip where Amro challenges Israeli soldiers who appear to be at his home.
He asked them why they were at his home, where one soldier with what appears to be a British accent replies: 'You know exactly why.'
The National reporter Alastair Ferguson spoke highly of the documentary when he reviewed it last week, calling it 'powerful' and one of Theroux's 'best works'.
LBC host swears during Gaza interview
Elsewhere, LBC host Shelagh Fogarty came under fire for a foul-mouthed response to a caller who was discussing Kneecap and Gaza.
The incident occurred during a segment on the radio channel in which Fogarty took calls from viewers to discuss the day's main topics.
The caller, Oisín, raised the political context surrounding criticism of the rap trio Kneecap and their statements in support of Palestinians amid Israel's brutal war on Gaza.
(Image: LBC) Kneecap dominated the news agenda last week after old footage emerged of them calling for the death of Tory MPs and shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'. Many people, including the First Minister, suggested they should be banned from the TRNSMT festival in Glasgow.
As the caller referenced alleged war crimes in Gaza, calling it a 'genocide', and accusing politicians of ignoring them, Fogarty interrupted.
'You describe it as a genocide. Not everyone does,' she said.
Oisin responded: 'It's the top human rights lawyers in the world also describe it as a genocide. Many around the world also do.'
READ MORE: Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd named TV's most influential person
After Fogarty then said she was 'just doing her job' she then audibly muttered *f****** hell' under her breath.
It doesn't appear as though Fogarty has issued a formal apology or acknowledged swearing on air despite Oisin calling for one.
VE Day commentary
What has also been troubling is the excessive, moment by moment commentary around the royal family on VE day.
Updates coming in on Monday seemed to reflect on the family's every movement, with one update mentioning how Prince Louis "briefly struggled to gain the attention of his father the Prince of Wales" by repeatedly tapping his shoulder while he was in conversation.
After a few moments, William apparently spoke to his son. Breaking news!
Monday marks 80 years since VE Day, a significant moment in the history of the UK. Should we not be using it to teach younger generations about this, rather than needlessly commentate on every breath the royals take?
This day is not about them, it never has been and so why is the mainstream media making it so?
