Israel, Gaza and the view from the Middle East

Kate Adie presents stories from Israel and Gaza, South Korea and Turkey. Three years ago the Gulf states of Bahrain and the UAE agreed to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel - and it was Joe Biden's hope that Saudi Arabia would soon join them. But where do the Arab nations stand today amid a new Israel-Gaza conflict, asks the BBC’s Security Correspondent Frank Gardner. Reporting on the Israel-Gaza conflict is a particular challenge, as so few journalists currently have access or permission to work in Gaza. As a former BBC correspondent in Gaza, Jon Donnison reflects on the current difficulties of reporting on the reality of life there today. The trauma of what happened on the 7th of October continues to reverberate in Israel, as those killed during Hamas’ attack are buried. Helping to ensure families are able to bid farewell to their loved ones, is a team of volunteers tasked with recovering the bodies of the dead – a job they see as a religious duty. Joel Gunter has been to meet them. This weekend marks a bleak anniversary in South Korea, as it was a year ago that revellers gathered in Seoul's party district to celebrate Halloween – only to never return home. A deadly crush that formed during the night, killed 158 people, and injured nearly 200 more. Jean Mackenzie returned to the streets she reported from last year, and meets survivors still looking for answers. The Republic of Turkey is 100 years old, and Misha Glenny has been recording a series for Radio 4 on the history of the formation of the state. He recounts an incident at Istanbul’s ornate Dolmabahce Palace – the former residence of Ottoman Sultans, and, in his final days, Turkey’s founding father Mustafa Kemal Attaturk.