Whitney Houston’s Israel connection, Al-Qaeda endorse Syrian Spring and Jordan and Iran battling of Springs of their own – Daily Dose
February 13, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
Fascinating reports, interesting analysis and some stories that are just plain funny: a round-up of items from today’s media.
Islamist concerns in Arabia, Australian anti-Jewish boycott, Turkish anti-Christian boycott and more – Daily Dose
February 10, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
Also today: a bizarre Egyptian consipracy, some Nazi Marines, terrorist diet tips, and a British MP with questionable ties.
Antisemitism should be shunned in Australia (and elsewhere)
February 10, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
The Australian Financial Review today ran an article from last month’s Atlantic by Robert Kaplan, which was originally published under the headling ‘Why John J. Mearsheimer Is Right (About Some Things)’ but republished as ‘Great Power Politics’. As revealed by the headline, the piece largely praises University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer, focusing on his self-dubbed “offensive realist” take on China. Mearsheimer, however, is a rather dubious acadamic, particularly for his record of fomenting antisemitism in mainstream discourse, but also for his generally biased and factually questionable material.
Kaplan does acknowledge Mearsheimer’s most notorious work, the much maligned 2006 essay and 2007 book The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy that he co-authored with Harvard professor Steven Walt, as well as his recent endorsement of the abhorrent Gil Atzmon. Kaplan, however, glosses-over these controversies as “tragedies” that threaten to “obscure” his otherwise important work…
Some Fresh Air on a Smelly Problem
February 9, 2012 | Ahron Shapiro
It’s time to clear the air on an issue which has been the source of a misinformation campaign for years – Israel’s environmental record in the West Bank…
Daily Dose: Israel and Iran – will they or won’t they? The cartoons Iran didn’t ban, Al Qaeda feminism and more
February 9, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
Also today: Jewish refugees from the Arab world, Jews still in the Persian world, more on Palestinian unity, Egypt-US ties growing weak and Iran arming Syria to the teeth.
Authoritarians of a feather flock together? – Russia and the Assad regime
February 9, 2012 | Or Avi Guy
Just a few days after the highly-criticised Russian veto at the UN Security Council, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Damascus and met with President Bashar Assad. At a time where countries, one by one, are recalling their ambassadors from Syria, this meeting was a rare sign of support for the crumbling regime. Lavrov was received with what has been described as “a hero’s welcome” as thousands of Assad supporters gathered to express gratitude and greet him with both Russian and Syrian flags and blue, red and white balloons (the colors of the Russian flag). A banner with the portraits of Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin read “Thank you Russia and China”.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov came to Damascus to promote “the quick implementations of democratic reforms in Syria.” Lavrov explained that it is Moscow’s desire for the Arab peoples to live in “peace and agreement,” he said, and while apparently turning to Assad he continued: “Every leader of every country must be aware of his share of responsibility. You are aware of yours”.
The latest Fatah-Hamas agreement in Doha
February 8, 2012
This Update is dedicated to the latest Fatah-Hamas unity agreement, signed in Doha, Qatar on Monday, which calls for current PA President Mahmoud Abbas to also become Prime Minister.
First up is Robert Danin from the Council on Foreign Relations, who examines the actual significance of this agreement, the latest of many, as well as the key questions that will have to be settled if the agreement is to stick. He is sceptical Abbas can succeed with Hamas and says Abbas is likely to have to make the tough choice between the two he has been seeking to avoid.
Iranian sources discuss plans to destroy Israel
February 7, 2012 | Sharyn Mittelman
Iranian leaders have done it again – publicly stating their intention to destroy Israel.
As was widely reported, the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 3 said in a speech to worshippers at prayers in Teheran and broadcast on state TV, that Israel is a “cancerous tumor that should be cut and will be cut.”
Khamenei also said, “From now on, in any place, if any nation or any group confronts the Zionist regime, we will endorse and we will help. We have no fear expressing this”.
But less noticed was that other significant sources in Iran are discussing both the timing and the strategic details of an Iranian attack on Israel…
UN pre-occupied with politicising Gaza’s status
February 7, 2012 | Ahron Shapiro
Why does the United Nations continue to consider the Gaza Strip to be “occupied territory” when Israel dismantled all settlements and withdrew the IDF from the area as part of its disengagement in September 2005?
Even Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since it overthrew the Palestinian Authority in June 2007, concedes that Gaza is no longer occupied…
