Today’s Top Stories
1. Hamas may be forced to negotiate directly with Israel. The terror group’s number two man, Moussa Abu Marzook, told a Hamas-affiliated paper that Hamas may not be able to ignore the demands of the Gaza street. The Times of Israel writes:
“From the point of view of Sharia (Islamic law), nothing prevents negotiations with the occupation. Just as you negotiate with it using weapons, you can negotiate using words,” Abu Marzouk said. “I believe that if things continue as they are now, Hamas may not have a choice. I say this in all honesty, [negotiations] have become a quasi-popular demand at the moment among all people in the Gaza Strip. Hamas may find itself forced to adopt this policy.”
Abu Marzouk noticeably struggled to articulate his movement’s new position, a reversal of earlier stances which forbade direct contact with Jerusalem . . .
“So far, our policy has been not to negotiate with the occupation, but others must realize that this issue is not banned,” he said.
More on the Mazook interview at YNet. It’s hard to judge what to make of this trial balloon. I can’t imagine Israel directly talking to Hamas unless it first clearly accepts Israel’s right to exist, renounces violence, and accepts previously signed agreements.
2. President Obama addressed laid out his plans for fighting Islamic State in a prime time speech (video/transcript) to the US. The timing of the address — coincidental or not — was one day before the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Iran slammed the make-up of the emerging coalition. Here are five Israeli angles.
> Israeli leaders: Don’t be lenient on Iran because of ISIS.
> Israel can help US recruit Sunni allies by “stepping aside and keeping quiet.”
> Yazidis in Israel plea for help against ISIS massacres.
> The US ambassador is confident Bibi and ‘Bam can work together against ISIS.
> Cabinet minister Uzi Landau discussed Israeli views of ISIS with CNN.
3. Abed a-Rahman Ghaminat, a Hamas figure deported to Gaza under the Gilad Shalit deal, coordinated the kidnapping of the three Israeli teens with a top Hamas official in Turkey, according to the Times of Israel.
4. News Executives Debate Controversial Gaza Video: Video crossed the line from level-headed, impartial journalism to emotional advocacy.
5. Media Coverage in the “Affirmation Age”: With audiences looking for “affirmation” rather than “information,” how far will the media go to meet demand?
6. Report: AIPAC Active on Anti-BDS Legislation: AIPAC helping craft legislation that would make it easier to boycott the boycotters.
7. Remembering 9/11 . . .
Israel and the Palestinians
• There was some confusion, but the UN confirmed that 45 Fijian peacekeepers abducted along the Syrian-Israeli border by the Al Nusra Front two weeks ago were freed. See AP coverage.
• Reuters: Hamas-appointed public sector employees in Gaza still haven’t received salaries, further straining relations with Fatah.
Hamas thought that would mean its 40,000 employees in Gaza, who have not been paid for months and are growing restive, would be taken care of via the Palestinian Authority payroll, which already supports 90,000 public sector workers in the West Bank and a further 70,000 in Gaza, all linked to Fatah.
Not only can the Palestinian Authority not afford to pay all those extra workers, but international donors who support the PA budget, including the European Union, first want a thorough audit of workers and cutbacks to the bloated payroll, which costs more than $2 billion a year. Paying the Hamas salaries as well would add a further $420 million.
• The IDF’s quick turnaround time investigating misconduct during Protective Edge is noteworthy in itself. The Jerusalem Post explains why:
Opening only five criminal investigations, and closing just seven cases, is not necessarily hugely impressive.
But doing it only two weeks after the Gaza war ended and giving updated information and perspective on how the other 99 initial probes under way are functioning, is record time for the IDF and likely for many other militaries.
In the bigger picture, what appears to be a quicker pace in decision-making could undercut international attempts to bring Israeli soldiers before the International Criminal Court.
The reason is that the ICC can only investigate war crimes allegations in the case of a state that is not performing its own investigations.
• You can feel the warm fuzzy mutual admiration and affirmation as Robert Fisk’s ex-wife Irish Times reporter Lara Marlowe interviews Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy. By the way, the headline is based on a phony quote Levy falsely attributed to Golda Meir and has previously backtracked from. More on that at CiFWatch.
• Yes, there is such a thing as accountability.
Israeli policeman charged over violent arrest of U.S. teen
Rest O’ the Roundup
• I’m not convinced that blanket news blackouts of kidnapped reporters are in the public interest, or in the media’s interest either. That said, I don’t object to holding back bits of specific info that would threaten the life of any captive correspondent. The Columbia Journalism Review covered a panel discussion, and I’m glad editors are debating the issue.
• For more commentary/analysis, see Samuel Westrop (Hamas benefits from UK financial appeal), Terrence McCoy (Fatah-Hamas gaps unbridgeable), Emmanuel Navon (Israel and ISIS have one thing in common), Mort Zuckerman (A glimmer of hope for Mideast peace), and Isi Liebler, who got op-ed space in the New York Times to weigh in on Israel’s security threats.
Featured image: CC BY flickr/cannik
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream and join the IDNS on Facebook.
