The Fifty Years War: Israel and the Arabs

1998

The Fifty Years War: Israel and the Arabs

8.4 | en | Documentary

The main decision-makers from Israel, the Arab states, Russia and the US tell the inside story of the Arab-Israel conflict.

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Seasons & Episodes

EP6 1992-98

Apr. 19,1998

A series of cloak and-dagger manoeuvres sealed a historic first peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israel in September 1993.

EP5 1987-1991

Apr. 12,1998

The protracted search for peace was repeatedly sabotaged. The deadlock was finally broken by the Intifada - a Palestinian uprising in the occupied territories.

EP4 1970-79

Apr. 05,1998

Israel was not prepared for the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War. Ex-US president Jimmy Carter recalls how, in 1978, he managed to broker the Arab-Israel agreement

EP3 1967-1982

Mar. 29,1998

The Palestinian story, beginning with Yasser Arafat's first secret crossing of the River Jordan to launch raids on Israel and ending with his exile to Tunis.

EP2 1967

Mar. 22,1998

Tracing the pattern of dramatic and covert events leading to the Six Day War of June 1967.

EP1 1948-56

Mar. 15,1998

In 1948, the state of Israel was proclaimed. This episode recounts how the US, later Israel's greatest ally, came close to stopping the creation of the new state.

8.4 | en | Documentary | More Info

Released: 1998-03-15 | Released Producted By: Brian Lapping Associates , Country: United Kingdom Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0glc7yp

Synopsis

The main decision-makers from Israel, the Arab states, Russia and the US tell the inside story of the Arab-Israel conflict.

Stream Online

The tv show is currently not available onine

Cast

Tim Pigott-Smith

Director

Norma Percy

Producted By

Brian Lapping Associates ,

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Cast

Tim Pigott-Smith

as Self - Narrator (voice)

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Reviews

andrew-lyall The UK version, narrated by Tim Piggott-Smith, has subtitles, rather than the dubbed USA version. At one point Prime Minister Shamir of Israel is asked why he authorized the assassination of Abu Nidal, who had organized the first Intefada - they threw stones, did not use guns or grenades, etc. Shamir, speaking in Hebrew, says that Nidal was an enemy of Isreal and adds that "It was no big deal". This is translated in the UK subtitle version. The US dubbed version omits this last comment in the soundtrack. It is a matter of personal preference, but I would prefer to know actually what was said, rather than what appears to be a sanitized version and one which also appears to have some bias towards the Isreali position. The UK version does not seem to be currently available on DVD.

ramzoozi This documentary is by far, the best one i have ever seen, you get to hear first hand story lines from the leaders of the nations (at the time) themselves, USA presidents, Israely PM, Palestinian leaders, Syrian military leaders, etc.Its really worth watching, especially that we would want to know the true story behind all the news we have been hearing about them for as long as we can remember!it also covers in depth, the true happenings of the Oslo agreement, and how it went sour..not only that, but you get to see how the sensitivity between the two peoples has grown over the past 50 years alone.

outsider-2 This was a complete eye-opener for me - and I'd considered myself pretty familiar with the politics and history of the region since I lived there for a significant period of time. To hear about these events from the very mouths of the people who were there, its just the most fascinating thing ever. Absolutely mandatory viewing.

rjspence For anyone who's the least bit interested in international history and politics this is a fascinating documentary. The story of the Israeli-Arab conflict from 1947 to 1998 has been written about in newspapers and depicted in newscasts. Always, however, one has been left with the incomplete story, or a story reported with a slant. Here is something very different. The politicians, the generals, the terrorists, the peacemakers, the citizens - so very many of the important people who were involved in this history provide us with insightful present-day interviews into what was happening when they themselves were making history over the past 50 year period. To hear President Jimmy Carter explain how and why Anwar Sadat almost stormed out of the Camp David peace talks before a deal was reached makes and how he managed to salvage this situation at the last minute; to hear the top military brass of Syria explain why he was terrified at the prospect of a face to face meeting with Israelis (because it has never before happened) - these are the kinds of glimpses into history that make this documentary the success that it is. It is near-perfect.