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. Big Media’s trying to get a handle on Judge Adly Mansour, who was sworn in today as Egypt’s interim president.
For biographical/background info on Mansour, the former head of Egypt’s High Constitutional Court, see Al-Ahram, NY Times, and Wall St. Journal.
2. US law requires the suspension of foreign aid to any country that suffers a military coup. But since that’s probably not in America’s interests with Egypt, the Washington Post says the White House will avoid the C-word, and perhaps make some symbolic aid cuts. It’s a very sensitive issue, and according to Globes, Israel worries that a suspension of aid will jeopardize the Israel-Egypt peace treaty.
3. Worth reading: Is the Muslim Brotherhood in a decline as a regional player? Or will the Islamists throw in the towel on democracy and turn to violence? The Wall St. Journal (via Google News) raises the right questions. Meanwhile, Al-Ahram reports that most of the Brotherhood’s senior leaders are all under arrest.
4. Bibi and the Press Corps Under the Gun: Investigative reporter smuggles plastic gun into Knesset and points it at the Prime Minister. Was this gutsy or reckless journalism? And what might this mean for the rest of the press corps?
Israel and the Palestinians
• Arab countries are boycotting “The Attack,” a film about an Israeli-Arab doctor who discovers his wife is a suicide bomber. The ban is ostensibly because Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri filmed the movie in Israel with Israeli actors. But Doueiri told the BBC:
The director maintains the real reason the film was banned is because it does not demonize Israelis.
• For commentary/analysis of the Mideast peace process, see Clifford May, Jennifer Rubin (responding to Oren Kessler) and Daniel S. Mariaschin.
Egyptian Unrest
• Times of Israel: Egyptian journalist Himda Hamdi abu-Sayyaf, broadcasting from Tahrir Square, told Israelis on Channel 10 News they can rise up and overthrow their leaders too. It made for extra drama, but Sayyaf’s oratory betrays a shallow understanding of Why Israeli Social Protests Don’t Parallel the Arab Spring:
“I watch and follow what happens in Israel,” the Egyptian journalist said as she addressed the Israeli audience Tuesday evening. “I call upon not only Israelis, but any nation not being treated by its government the way it should be, not to be silent about it.”
“If Bibi [Netanyahu] and Lapid aren’t doing their job, remove them, bring someone who will do for you what you want,” Sayyaf urged. “If they made you promises and didn’t keep them, don’t be silent.”
• As you’d expect, Assad gave the coup a thumbs up, while in Ankara, Erdogan gave it a thumbs down.
• For commentary/analysis, see Al-Ahram, David Horovitz, Israel HaYom, Avi Issacharoff, Anshel Pfeffer, Michael Totten, AP, Meir Javedanfar, David Ignatius, Reuters, Washington Post, Frida Ghitis, Robert Satloff, CNN, Daniel Pipese, Fareed Zakaria, See also staff-eds in the NY Times, Times of London, and The Guardian.
Rest O’ the Roundup
• Cool: Lockheed-Martin to develop technology hub in Israel.
(Image of Mansour via YouTube/Associated Press)
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream.
