Israel protests: Netanyahu under pressure.
This is News Review from BBC
Learning English, where we help you understand news headlines in English.
I'm Beth. And I'm Georgie.
Make sure you watch to the end to learn the vocabulary
you need to talk about this story.
And remember to subscribe to our channel to learn more English
from the headlines. Now, today's story.
Tens of thousands of Israelis
have taken part in the country's biggest anti-government protest
since the 7th of October attack by Hamas.
The protesters want Prime Minister Netanyahu to resign
for failing to bring home
the remaining 130 Israeli hostages still in Gaza
and other issues.
It is not known how many are still alive.
Netanyahu says he is doing everything he can
and intends to remain as prime minister.
Around 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza
since the start of Israel's military response to the attack,
according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
You've been looking at the headlines. What's the vocabulary
that people need to understand this news story in English?
We have: on show, up against a wall and play into someone's hands.
This is News Review from BBC Learning English.
Let's have our first headline.
This one's from BBC
News. Israel:
Benjamin Netanyahu protests put political divides back on show.
So this headline is about the recent protests against Netanyahu
and how they are highlighting political tensions.
We're looking at 'on show'.
Now, a show is a performance, like a concert
or a play – something that grabs your attention.
Georgie, is that what's happening here?
Yes, if something is on show
it means that everyone can see it.
It's on display, a bit like the verb 'show'.
If I show you my script, Beth,
it means that I've put it somewhere that you can see it.
So, in this story, the protests in Israel mean
that the political divides have become more obvious.
Yes, and political divides 'put back on show' means that they were on show
in the past, and now
they are on show again.
Can you give us some other examples of 'on show'?
Well, it's often used in the context of art and exhibitions.
So, an artist's paintings can be on show in an art gallery
or dinosaur bones can be on show in a fossil exhibition, for example.
That's right. OK, let's look at that again.
Let's have a look at our next headline.
This one's from People's Dispatch. Netanyahu up
against a wall as domestic pressure grows for a hostage deal.
So this headline is about one of the reasons for the protests – Israelis
want their hostages back.
Now we're looking at the idiom
against a wall.
Now, if I were literally against a wall,
I would feel quite trapped.
Is that what's happening here?
Yes, that's right. To be up against a wall means
that you're in a very bad or difficult position.
OK. So moving away from the horrors of war, a more everyday situation,
if my boss asks me to work in the evenings,
it means I can't spend time with my family. They are
two things I need to do or want to do,
and I can't do them at the same time,
so I feel up against a wall. I feel trapped.
Yes, we also have the phrase 'up against it' with a similar meaning. 'Up against it'
and 'up against a wall'
both mean you're facing big problems,
but 'up against it' has an added element of being under time pressure.
So if I have a lot of work to do before a work deadline
that's coming very soon,
I might tell you that I feel up against it.
OK, let's look at that again.
Let's have our next headline.
This one's from Times of Israel. As protesters demand he go,
Netanyahu argues election would play into Hamas's hands.
So the protesters want Netanyahu to go.
But he says that this would play into Hamas's hands. Now, Georgie,
what does it mean to play into someone's hands?
Well, the idiom comes from card playing. The collection of cards
that you're holding in a card game is called your hand.
If you play into someone else's hands,
it means that you give your opponent an advantage and damage yourself.
Right. So, Netanyahu thinks that if he leaves government,
it will help his enemy - Hamas.
It will play into their hands.
Exactly. We can also add the word 'right' to add emphasis. Again
moving to a less serious situation than war,
if a football player is sent off the pitch
with a red card, that plays right into the other team's hands.
That team has an advantage because they have more players.
Yes, that's right. Or for example, if a spy trips over and makes a loud noise,
it plays right into the enemy's hands because now
they know where the spy is hiding.
OK, let's look at that again.
We've had: on show –
obvious for people to see, up against a wall –
in a difficult position, and play into someone's hands –
give your opponents an advantage.
Now, if you're interested in learning more English
from the news, click here.
And don't forget to click here to subscribe to our channel,
so you never miss another video.
Thanks for joining us, bye. Bye!