'The children ask me, Santa, are you coming, despite the war?'

12/23/23 • 22 min

In this episode of Battle Lines, Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva joins us from Israel to give us this week's update on the fighting, the diplomacy, and the unprecedented events in the Red Sea as Houthi rebels target international shipping.

Then we stay with Nataliya for a special dispatch from Jerusalem, as she interviews the only licensed Santa in the city, ahead of a Christmas full of worry for the region's Christian population.

Contributors:

David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on X.

Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent). @Nat_Vasilyeva on X.

Read: Jerusalem’s only accredited Santa Claus vows to keep entertaining children despite war, by Nataliya Vasilyeva

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Then we stay with Nataliya for a special dispatch from Jerusalem, as she interviews the only licensed Santa in the city, ahead of a Christmas full of worry for the region's Christian population.

Contributors:

David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on X.

Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent). @Nat_Vasilyeva on X.

Read: Jerusalem’s only accredited Santa Claus vows to keep entertaining children despite war, by Nataliya Vasilyeva

For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |

Email: [email protected] |

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

'Christmas is officially cancelled in Bethlehem'

In this episode of Battle Lines, Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva joins us from Bethlehem in the West Bank to bring us up to date with the news from the Israeli assault on the Gaza strip, and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan talks us through her analysis of Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and asks how the war has impacted his chances of political survival.

Plus more than a month on from the start of Israeli ground operations in Gaza, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon shares his thoughts on the tactics and effectiveness of the IDF.

Contributors:

David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on X.

Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent). @Nat_Vasilyeva on X.

Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on X.

Hamish de Bretton Gordon, former British Army Colonel. @HamishDBG on X.

Read: Netanyahu fighting on two fronts – in Gaza and for his own survival, by Sophia Yan

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Email: [email protected] |

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Next Episode

Israel continues Gaza assault, confrontation in the Red Sea & Taiwan goes to the polls

In this episode of Battle Lines, we hear from Foreign Correspondent Lizzie Porter in Jerusalem, who brings up to date on the war in Gaza. Then we look South, with The Telegraph’s Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan, at the tensions rising in the Red Sea as Houthi rebels continue to target a busy shipping lane with missiles and drones.

Finally, with our Asia Correspondent Nicola Smith, we travel to Taiwan a week ahead of presidential election in the embattled island nation that could have profound consequences for the country, the region and the world.

Contributors:

David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on X.

Lizzie Porter (Foreign Reporter). @lcmporter on X.

Danielle Sheridan (Defence Editor). @SheridanDani on X.

Nicola Smith (Asia Correspondent). @niccijsmith on X.

Read: Navy has so few sailors it has to decommission ships, by Danielle Sheridan

For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |

Email: [email protected] |

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.