Today’s Top Stories
1. The UN Human Rights Council’s special monitor for human rights in the Palestinian territories resigned, saying Israel wouldn’t give him access to the West Bank. The New York Times summed up the situation in a nutshell:
Israel, which has long regarded the Human Rights Council as biased and deeply hostile to its interests, has refused to cooperate with some other council envoys, including those investigating the recent conflicts in Gaza.
Emmanuel Nahshon, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Israel admired Mr. Wibisono’s personal integrity, but that “a lack of balance characterizes not only the mandate of the rapporteur but the conduct of the Human Rights Council as a whole.”
“As long as that is the case,” Mr. Nahshon added, “Israel will act accordingly.”
2. France commemorates Charlie Hebdo, kosher market victims. And AFP looks at how the Jewish community is adjusting to life under armed guard.
“I don’t feel safe here anymore. As Jews we are a preferred target, in a country which itself is a target” of jihadists, said Noemie, 27, who escaped the bloody hostage drama.
Hollande et Hidalgo dévoilent la plaque accrochée à la façade de l'#HyperCacher https://t.co/YkGOOclRMU pic.twitter.com/Q7FaW72HSb
— franceinfo plus (@franceinfoplus) January 5, 2016
3. Over in the Gaza Strip, Hamas detains satirical journalist:
Al-Aloul is best known for the outspoken satirical reports he publishes on Youtube, using both formal and colloquial Arabic to draw attention to the difficulties of life in the Gaza Strip.
4. Palestinian Cool Yay Hipsters with Tattoos and Piercings? A journalist leaves out 90% of what a Palestinian source said to create an impression that doesn’t reflect reality.
5. Context Goes Missing From Hezbollah Border Attack: Following a Hezbollah attack, some reporters omit important context.
Israel and the Intifada
• A Palestinian man suspected of planning a terror attack was arrested in Herzliya. This morning, a Palestinian stabbed a soldier at the Gush Etziyon Junction. Also this morning, police in Jerusalem’s Old City arrested two Palestinian teens carrying knives who were acting suspiciously.
And yesterday, a 15 year-old girl was hurt by shrapnel when police fired on a Palestinian stabber at a light rail station in northern Jerusalem.
• For an experiment, Shurat HaDin created two identical Facebook pages: one posting anti-Israel incitement, the other posting anti-Palestinian incitement. Then, Shurat “complained” to Facebook. The result? Only one page was found to violate Facebook’s standards. Care to guess which?
• The Times of Israel updates the latest from the Israel-Brazil standoff over the appointment of former settler leader Dani Dayan as ambassador. What’s in it for Israel?
If Jerusalem rescinds the former settler leader’s appointment and taps someone else, he or she would get “fast-track acceptance,” a well-placed source in Brazil said. Brasilia would also reward Israel for withdrawing Dayan’s nomination by publishing a statement hailing the countries’ good bilateral relations.
• I have a gut feeling this PBS video airing tonight, Netanyahu at War, is going to light up my in-box . . .
Around the World
• As a Saudi-Iranian row continues, Kuwait recalled its ambassador to Tehran to protest the torching of the Saudi embassy in Iran. CNN coverage.
• European anti-Semitism likely to grow in 2016
• Bill countering BDS introduced in California legislature.
Commentary/Analysis
• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .
– Matti Friedman: The age of the terror selfie
– Elisabeth Perlman: Let’s boycott dictatorships, not Israel
– Herb Keinon: Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Israeli angle
– Ron Ben-Yishai: Nasrallah settled an account, but did so with caution
– Yossi Melman: Hezbollah’s revenge against Israel shows a weakened terrorist organization
– David Brooks: The age of small terror
– Eli Lake and Josh Rogin: Obama’s MidEast balancing act tilts toward Iran
– Barcin Yinanc: Mideast maelstrom forcing Israeli-Turkish reconciliation
Image: CC BY Petr Dosek
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