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”.
Daily Dose: Hezbollah backing away from Iran, Clinton meets Lieberman and more
February 8, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
Also today: Obama’s pre-Superbowl interview, an imprisoned Iranian dissident and more going wrong with Egypt’s “democracy”.
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.
Daily Dose: Iran calls for genocide and bans Bart Simpson, a rabbi runs for Congress and more
February 7, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
Also includes: more on Iran’s nuclear program and the possibility of an Israeli strike, Holocaust graves rediscovered, an anti-Israel “journalist” exposed and a man in Melbourne who flys the Swastika.
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…
BDS boycotts Jewish media; Hamas flees Syria; Madonna chooses Israel and more
February 6, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
Daily summary of news stories that readers may have missed otherwise.
In support of Assad, Hezbollah threatens war with Israel
February 6, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
While they come from opposing Muslim factions, Palestinian Sunni group Hamas and Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah have much in common: they are both designated terror organisations in most Western countries, Australia included; they both hold extremist and violent ideologies; they both fought wars with Israel in the second half of the last decade; and they have both received significant backing from Iran and Syria. That said, they seem to be diverging on that last point. With the ongoing violence in Syria, the last Hamas operative from the Damascus-based political bureau seems to have fled for Gaza, however it seems that Hezbollah is unwilling to follow suit and remains resolutely behind the ruling Assad regime…
UN chief attacked in Gaza; Syria ponders massacre; leaders’ chefs cook for peace and more
February 3, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
A round-up of news stories that readers may have missed today…
The plight of Venezuela’s Jewish community
February 3, 2012 | Allon Lee
Venezuelan Supremo Hugo Chavez often accuses Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians.
And so voluminous is the Chavez definition of the term that it is a surprise he has failed to notice that half of his own country’s 200-year-old Jewish community has disappeared since he assumed power in 1998. But then the evaporation of this patriotic, productive, and loyal group is largely a consequence of Chavez’s hostile policies and rhetoric…
