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. The UNRWA is closing three of its West Bank offices because Palestinian protests have gotten too dangerous for staff. According Maan News:
During protests, demonstrators stopped UN vehicles and their drivers, and one vehicle was chased away by protesters carrying stones. A female employee was treated badly by protesters, the agency said.
Protests have been held in refugee camps across the West Bank over UNRWA’s decision not to renew the contracts of 114 employees due to budget cuts.
2. Human Rights Watch confirmed it: Gaza Terrorists Killed Gaza Boy Shown in Iconic Photo of Egypt’s PM and Hamas’s Haniyeh
3. Good help is so hard to find:
Syrian General in Charge of Halting Defections Flees
4. HonestReporting invites you to join our Spring 2013 mission to Israel. Featuring special closed-door briefings, field trips to hot spots, the world’s best advocacy training, and top notch luxury at Jerusalem’s Inbal Hotel. Mark your calendar for May 22-28. Don’t miss the early registration special. Click for more info.
Israel and the Palestinians
• Suha Arafat: The 2000 Intifada was Premeditated, Planned by Arafat.
• Sign of the times: YNet reports a surge in Palestinian rock throwing and firebombing attacks on cars along Route 60. Israeli drivers refer to it as the “Roulette Road.”
• Israel’s refusing to renew VIP passes for a number of high level Palestinian officials. They’ll have to line up at checkpoints like everyone else. The Palestinians say Israel’s being punitive for their statehood status, but the Jerusalem Post says that isn’t the full story:
However, the Post has learned that several PA officials had their cards confiscated long before the UN vote.
These officials lost their VIP status following fiery statements against Israel, including calls for launching a new intifada, the Post has learned.
• Nadav Shragai takes an in-depth look at Christians in Bethlehem. A lot of facts and stories to explain why Bethlehem’s fast becoming another Muslim town.
• AFP updates the latest on efforts to integrate Hamas into the PLO.
Rest O’ the Roundup
• Worth reading: Smugglers Galore: How Iran Arms Its Allies
• The BBC’s under fire for unbelievable severance pay given to some 200 different executives. The Daily Telegraph explains UK tax money at work:
Figures obtained by The Daily Telegraph under Freedom of Information laws show that between 2010 and 2011 the cost of redundancy payments at the corporation more than doubled to £58m.
A total of 14 executives have been given payoffs of more than £300,000 each, worth a total of £6m, while 194 executives have been given £100,000 each.
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