BBC announces new West Bank documentary with journalist Louis Theroux

Theroux previously covered the topic in his 2010 documentary “Ultra Zionists,” which explored life in the contested territory. (BBC/File)
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Updated 10 February 2025
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BBC announces new West Bank documentary with journalist Louis Theroux

  • ‘Louis Theroux: The Settlers’ examines Israeli settlements in the aftermath of Oct. 7

LONDON: The BBC announced on Monday that journalist Louis Theroux is to produce a new documentary examining Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

The investigative journalist is to travel to the region to meet members of the growing ultra-nationalist settler community.

Theroux previously covered the topic in his 2010 documentary “Ultra Zionists,” which explored life in the contested territory. His new documentary, “Louis Theroux: The Settlers,” will revisit the issue in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Theroux said: “(Since 2010) those same extreme settlers are even more emboldened.

“I’m interested in ideologues and fundamentalists of all stripes. In going back to the West Bank I wanted to see settler expansionism up close, and the human cost it entails.”

The BBC said Theroux will “embed himself in the West Bank,” meeting prominent settlers and traveling through the territory in his signature style.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law, yet have long been protected by the Israeli security forces.

Since the attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and about 250 taken hostage, settler violence against Palestinian communities has escalated, with reports of forced expulsions and land seizures.

US President Donald Trump recently revoked an executive order issued by his predecessor, Joe Biden, that sanctioned far-right Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of violence against Palestinians.

Experts warn that the move could embolden settler aggression and further undermine prospects for Palestinian statehood.

Theroux said: “It’s a story specific to a time and a place and a region, but it’s also a universal insight into tribalism and the ways in which we can blind ourselves to the humanity of those around us.”


Tunisian journalist Chatha BelHajj Mubarak freed after sentence cut

Updated 14 January 2026
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Tunisian journalist Chatha BelHajj Mubarak freed after sentence cut

  • The court cut her sentence from five years to two, ‌making her eligible for ‌immediate release, ‌her ⁠brother ​told ‌Reuters

TUNIS: A Tunisian appeal court on Wednesday ordered the release of journalist Chatha ​BelHajj Mubarak, jailed since 2023 in a conspiracy case, after reducing her prison sentence, her family said.
The court cut her sentence from five years to two, ‌making her eligible for ‌immediate release, ‌her ⁠brother ​told ‌Reuters.
She was convicted in the so-called “Instalingo” case, which involved politicians, media figures and other defendants accused of conspiracy and financial crimes. BelHajj Mubarak denied the charges.
“Chatha ⁠is free and leaving prison,” ‌her brother, Amen BelHajj Mubarak, ‍said.
He said ‍her health had severely ‍deteriorated during her time in prison. She suffered serious complications, including significant hearing loss, and was diagnosed ​with cancer in detention, he added.
Tunisian authorities have said the ⁠case stems from judicial investigations into alleged financial and security-related offenses, and have rejected accusations by opposition groups that the prosecutions were politically motivated.
Tunisian prosecutors are pursuing a number of high-profile conspiracy cases involving politicians, journalists and activists. Several opposition ‌leaders have received lengthy prison terms.