Smithsonian amends lectures on Israel's history

One of Washington's most prestigeous organisations, the Smithsonian Institution, has modified a planned series of lectures about the history of modern Israel because of protests by Jewish groups.

One of the co-sponsors, the New Israel Fund which supports reconciliation between Arabs and Jewsdrew up a programme covering such topics as the Middle East peace process, the place of Arab citizens in Israel and the status of Jerusalem.

Several other Jewish organisations objected to the programme, saying it was one-sided and had too many speakers who were known critics of Israel.

The Smithsonian said a revised programme would go ahead without the financial support of the New Israel Fund.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service