Fears for 28,000 Missing Syrians
October 18, 2012 16:14 by Pesach Benson
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. Human rights groups are raising an alarm for 28,000 Syrians who disappeared, abducted by pro-government forces. BBC picked up on the story.
2. Outgoing Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal will reportedly join the Emir Qatar’s delegation to Gaza. Hamas is spinning the visit as the “completely and officially end the Israeli blockade of several years,” says Haaretz. A post-occupied Gaza means that The Estelle, the latest ship trying to sail to Gaza, is a waste of time.
A post-occupied Gaza also means Greta Berlin should get a real job.
3. 
Bahrain barred a Danish MP from entering the country because he had an Israeli stamp in his passport. The Copenhagen Post notes Soren Espersen’s anger, as well as some Arab blowback:
“We are constantly having to dance around and accommodate these absurd Islamic states that, despite accepting our economic support, still make the unreasonable demands that we should arrive with ‘clean’ passports,” Espersen said.
Despite being offered a second passport by the Foreign Ministry, Espersen has decided not to participate in the trip.
Espersen was quickly criticised for being hypocritical given that Israel performs an identical policy and bars entry to visitors with stamps from countries such as Iran and Lebanon.
Israel and the Palestinians
• AP picked up on a story about an Israeli document “counting calories” for Gazans. The wire story was fair enough — until the NY Times and The Guardian edited out important information. Simon Plosker laid out how readers were left starving for context.
• Haaretz: With an assist from Russia, Jerusalem scotched a UNESCO resolution condemning Israeli activities on the Temple Mount.
• Who needs enemies when you can peace partners like these? The Jerusalem Post reports:
The PA has removed a Palestinian liaison from his job after he recently met with Israeli counterparts to discuss easing restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip without permission, officials revealed Wednesday.
• Britain’s urging the Palestinians to delay their statehood bid. But The Guardian says the argument’s falling on deaf ears in Ramallah.
• AFP: French investigators questioned Suha Arafat about her husband’s death.
• I’m impressed with how relaxed Israel’s ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, appeared on The View talking about his personal life, American-Israeli ties, and Iran . . .
• Worth reading: Telling Israel Like It Is — In Arabic
Boshra, a secular, independent and patriotic Israeli Arab woman, defies stereotypes.
• Nora Lester Murad thinks Palestinians should boycott international aid:
And with the help of the Palestinian diaspora and supporters worldwide, Palestinians can develop new models of sustainability that do not require them to mortgage their future to international actors whose vision for Palestine is unacceptable.
Moll
8:12 pm
Oct 19, 2012
Syria & Weapons: So where are Syrian rebels getting weapons from? Just wait and see — upon investigation, this will become another “Oliver North/Nicaragua Weapons” story! The U.S. “foreign policy machine” [never mind who is at the helm of that ship] has always meddled in the affairs of other nations totally focused on “what is in the best interests of U.S. national security”.
Syria & Turkey: Why isn’t the global community having a “hissy-fit” about Turkey’s Acts of War against Syria? Why aren’t the Russians raising holy hell about their passengers & cargo on the Syrian airliner being taken down into Turkey while flying over turkish airspace? Isn’t this against “international law”?
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Frank Adam
12:36 pm
Oct 20, 2012
Read today’s The Guardian column by Jonathan Freedland in which he berates the way in which Israel is berated for killing Arabs but when Arabs kill Arabs nobody fusses.
Incidentally despite the Anglicised spelling the name means Peaceland as in that 17th century rascal Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland und Mecklenburg.
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Roy
1:30 pm
Oct 20, 2012
“Espersen was quickly criticised for being hypocritical given that Israel performs an identical policy and bars entry to visitors with stamps from countries such as Iran and Lebanon.”
Is this true? If true, what’s the difference, and why the article?
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