How Did We Get Here? Israel and the Palestinians: 10: From 2010 to the present day
Feb 9, 2026
Jane Corbin, veteran Middle East reporter with decades on the ground, and Jeremy Bowen, BBC international editor with long-form regional analysis, discuss Israel’s 2010s economic boom and Palestinian economic stagnation. They cover Gaza’s tunnel commerce, periodic Gaza wars, West Bank settlement expansion, the 2020 Abraham Accords, and the significance of the October 7th, 2023 attack for the conflict’s future.
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Periodic Wars As 'Mowing The Grass'
- Jane Corbin summarises the recurring Gaza wars as a pattern of rocket fire and Israeli retaliation.
- Jeremy Bowen frames these periodic strikes as a deliberate 'mowing the grass' security tactic.
Gilad Shalit Swap And Future Leaders
- Jonny Dymond recalls the 2006 Gilad Shalit abduction and prisoner exchange that freed Yahya Sinwar.
- He notes Sinwar later became central to planning the October 7th attack.
Settlement Expansion Through Zoning And Economics
- Jeremy Bowen highlights exponential expansion and political zoning behind West Bank settlements.
- Jane Corbin links settlement growth to economic incentives that drew non-ideological settlers too.