Everything you need to know about today’s coverage of Israel and the Mideast. Join the Israel Daily News Stream on Facebook.
Today’s Top Stories
1. Worth reading: Gaza terror groups are tunneling under the entire strip, not just the Egyptian border. The new tunnels serve a variety of military uses. According to YNet, landowners have no say about what goes on underneath their property. Call it collateral damage waiting to happen. You know who’s going to get blamed for all the damage to private property in the next war:
The tunnels serve several purposes: As hiding places for terrorists, as storage locations for weapons and basic supplies, and as a place for long stays in times of emergency. They are camouflaged for deception during combat and ready for service in the scenario of an Israeli ground invasion. In recent years, some of the tunnels were converted for use as hidden rocket launchers. When necessary, a window opens and the launcher emerges, returning immediately inside its camouflaged window after shooting . . .
The military factions have agreed that that all of Gaza is legitimate ground for digging of tunnels for military purposes. When a tunnel is dug near the border fence, those responsible for its planning inform the landowner, according to security considerations, emphasizing to him the inherent separations: Everything above ground belongs to the landowner; everything below ground is the responsibility of the military faction.
2. Hamas orders closure of five church schools.
3. Raising the stakes in Syria, Russia announcing the deployment of a permanent naval presence in the Mediterranean. Reuters coverage.
4. Paris Museum Glorifies Palestinian Suicide Bombers: Government subsidized exhibit lauds “freedom fighters” and “martyrs” responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israelis.
5. Job Opportunity: Peacekeepers Wanted: A history of shooting off your mouth about Israel needing to take risks for peace a big plus. You talked the talk — now walk the walk.
6. Did They Stay, or Did They Go? Does The Economist know the difference between Israeli Arab citizens and Palestinian refugees?
Israel and the Palestinians
• Mahmoud Abbas swore in new Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and his cabinet. There are some news faces, but in the absence of real democracy and unity, Abbas calls the shots. Jerusalem Post coverage. ‘Nuff said.
• Hamas orders closure of five church schools.
• Palestinian attempts to abduct soldiers are on the rise, says Haaretz:
Since the beginning of the year, the IDF has counted 27 attempted or planned abductions of soldiers, mainly by terrorist cells, the source said. This is the same number as for the whole of 2012 . . . .
The sources said some of the prisoners freed in the deal for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, especially those who have been deported overseas, are encouraging other terrorists to abduct soldiers.
• The Palestinians want Latrun.
• In a NY Times op-ed marking the anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification, Abraham Rabinovich recalls how events of the day foreshadowed the ensuing political fallout.
• For commentary/analysis, see Dani Dayan in The Guardian (print edition) and Yoram Ettinger.
- Responding to Hezbollah, foreign jihadis stream into Syria.
- Syrian refugees: Statistics and need are off the charts.
- Is there’s an Israeli angle to the National Security Agency’s domestic spying scandal?
