The Settlers' Billionaire Backer, an investigative documentary by BBC News Arabic, revolves around the discovery that Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich, granted Israeli citizenship in 2018, controls companies that have donated $100 million to Elad, an Israeli settler organization that operates in occupied East Jerusalem. 

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Uri Blau is an Israeli-born investigative journalist with over 20 years' experience exploring political corruption, national security and transparency issues. As a journalist Blau focused on in-depth, often data-driven research projects. Blau is a member of the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and was a member of the team that was granted Pulitzer Prize for the Panama Papers. In 2014, Blau was a fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, where he researched models for sustainable investigative platforms. In 2012, Blau became the first Israeli journalist ever to be charged and convicted for possession of classified information. That precedent was a result of a 2008 article published in Haaretz, exposing covert targeted assassinations of Palestinians in direct violation of Supreme Court rulings. The conviction caused Freedom House to drop Israel to 'Partially Free' status in its 2013 “Freedom of the Press Index.” He is currently based in Washington, D.C.

Rosie Garthwaite is a Senior Producer for BBC News Arabic, currently making investigative and OSINT documentaries from her sofa in London about the Middle East and North Africa. She is also the founder of Mediadante which produced Emmy-nominated, The Workers Cup, that premiered on the opening night of Sundance 2017. In 2015 the International Emmy-award winning film Escape from Isis / Escaping ISIS she developed was referenced by the UK Prime Minister in a key speech and shown to the U.S. Congress. In 2014 she Exec produced a CINE Golden Eagle award-winning series following the first Saudi woman up Everest. She is a former British army officer and author of the award-winning book How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone published by Bloomsbury in 2011.

ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE ISRAEL NETWORK (PIN):
The Progressive Israel Network brings together ten organizations representing Americans who are committed to pursuing democracy, equality and peace in Israel. The coalition will provide a strong, unified voice in support of its members' common goals: democracy and equal rights, religious freedom and pluralism, and a two-state solution that would secure a peaceful future for Israel and end the 52-year-long occupation. Learn more about PIN on our website at www.progressiveisraelnetwork.org.