Palestinians uninterested in Arafat allegations: They already think Israel is “automatically” guilty
July 10, 2012 | Or Avi Guy
As the Arab and Palestinian media went into the usual conspiracy-theory frenzy over yet another attempt to crack the mystery of the death of former PLO head Yasser Arafat, locals in Ramallah, his former city of residence, were not as excited about the “news.”
Iran sanctions/ Strife in the Syrian opposition
July 6, 2012
On Wednesday, there was a “technical” meeting connected with the P5+1/Iran nuclear talks – the upshot of which seems to be that it looks likely high level talks will resume. Meanwhile, Iran has responded to the imposition of new European sanctions by threatening to block the Strait of Hormuz. This Update has some new entries concerning the sanctions regime on Iran. In addition, it includes new analysis of the struggle between Islamists and other forces in the Syrian opposition as the Syrian civil war continues to develop.
Experts: Radioactive residues on Arafat’s clothing no proof of poisoning
July 6, 2012 | Ahron Shapiro
After the media excitement over the allegation polonium poisoning might have caused Yasser Arafat’s death in 2004, some sober and cogent analysis is debunking the thrust of the al-Jazeera report – that the radioactive levels that were reportedly found recently on Arafat’s personal effects, could have come from Arafat himself.
Dr. Ely Karmon, of the Interdisciplinary Centre, Herzliya’s Institute for Counterterrorism, a specialist in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear terrorism, told the Jerusalem Post on Thursday that the half-life of the substance would make it impossible for polonium to have been discovered at such high levels after eight years.
IMF denies Israel’s request for loan to help struggling PA
July 5, 2012 | Andrea Nadel
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has denied Israel’s request for a loan to assist the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority (PA). Conflicting numbers have been reported regarding the precise amount of the loan that Israel requested, with some news outlets reporting that it was for US $1 billion and others reporting that it was for US $100 million. Regardless of the exact amount, Israel’s request highlights not only its interest in preventing the collapse of the Palestinian economy but also the precariousness of the funding situation the PA currently faces thanks to a global economic downturn that has decreased the ability of donor countries worldwide to make good on their funding promises.
Romney plans trip to Israel
July 4, 2012 | Ahron Shapiro
Mitt Romney, the presumptive US Republican presidential nominee, will be visiting Israel in the near future, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
According to the story, Romney is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, the US Ambassador Daniel Shapiro and members of the Israeli Opposition.
Romney’s itinerary does not include a meeting with PA President Mahmoud Abbas, according to the Times.
A visit to Israel is becoming almost customary for US presidential candidates in an election season.
UNESCO bucks own experts to pass Palestinian “emergency measure”
July 4, 2012 | Or Avi Guy
Last Friday at the 36th meeting of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee, held in St. Petersburg, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List as an endangered heritage site, registered under the location “Palestine.”
You may be thinking “Another pro-Palestinian vote at the UN, so what else is new?” But the baffling and telling part of the story is not simply that the motion passed, but that it passed despite the better judgment of UNESCO’s own advisory body and secretariat, and even against the wishes of the church’s own custodians.
Putin’s Israel visit showcases diplomacy’s strengths and limitations
July 4, 2012 | Ahron Shapiro
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Israel last week, as part of a larger Middle East tour by the newly re-elected leader, is seen by analysts as a productive diplomatic exercise between the two countries.
At the same time, analysts agree, the visit demonstrated the limits of diplomacy in persuading Russia to change its policies regarding matters of key national interest to Jerusalem, especially regarding Iran and Syria.
Muslim Brotherhood leader: Liberating Jerusalem and Palestine should be “sole goal”
July 4, 2012 | Allon Lee
A June 14 speech by the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood’s leader Mohammed Badie in which he dreams of a Muslim leadership ready to make the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem “the sole goal” does not engender hope the world’s leading Sunni Islamist organisation is ready to moderate its extremist positions now that it’s candidate has won the country’s presidency.
In the speech, Badie, who selected Mohammed Mursi to run for the Egyptian presidency, says:
“How happy would be the Muslims if all Muslim rulers made the Palestinian cause a pivotal issue, around which Muslims, rulers and the ruled, would line up [and ally to make] the sole goal for all of them the recovery of al Aqsa Mosque, freeing it from the filth of the Zionists, and imposing Muslim rule throughout beloved Palestine.”
Media Week – Waterlogged; Horse and cart reporting; Simplistic moralising
July 3, 2012 | Allon Lee
Age/Sydney Morning Herald (June 23) Middle East correspodent Ruth Pollard reported on an NGO study claiming that Gaza drinking water is “too contaminated”, “never in continuous supply because of daily power shortages,” and the infrastructure distributing it is in disrepair because Gazans have lived under an “Israel-imposed military blockade for five years.”
Nowhere in the article was Hamas mentioned, which is astounding given that it has been the sole governing authority in Gaza since 2007 and has been effectively at war with Israel while doing little for its own population’s welfare or water needs.
Furthermore, she ignored or was unaware of IDF reports documenting at least 27 water and sewage purification projects in place in Gaza – all of them facilitated by Israel, and not a single one funded by Hamas.
BBC admits bias in its “Arab Spring,” Itamar coverage
June 29, 2012 | Andrea Nadel
In a rare admission this week of what many who follow the organization have long observed, the British Broadcasting Corporation admitted that significant aspects of its coverage of the “Arab Spring” uprisings had been biased. They have also apologised, albeit somewhat half-heartedly, for a failure to report one of the most heinous terror attacks in recent years against Israelis.
