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. A former high level Hezbollah figure lashed out at the organization’s involvement in Syria. Haaretz writes:
Al-Tufayli, who was ousted from Hezbollah in 1998, told MTV-Lebanon television that Hezbollah fighters killed in Syria are not martyrs and are “destined to hell.” . . .
“A regional Sunni-Shi’ite conflict would benefit Israel. Our involvement in Syria serves Israel. In addition, neither side will be allowed to win the Syria war. The powers that be and Israel want both sides to end as losers,” he said.
The paper adds that about one-third of Hezbollah’s forces are now in Syria.
• So you think the West could really detect an Iranian “breakout” in time to prevent the mullahs from making a final dash to nuclear weaponization? Think again, says says Olli Heinonen, a former IAEA staffer.
But in any case, Mr. Heinonen notes, Iran’s breakout would likely outpace the ability of the “international community” to respond.
First, IAEA inspectors would have to detect the breakout. This could take up to two weeks because they visit Iran’s major uranium-enrichment facility about 24 times a year. (Roughly half of the visits are announced, meaning inspectors give the Iranians 10 days’ notice, and the rest are unannounced, meaning about two hours’ notice at any time of day.) Once inside, inspectors would quickly recognize from the enrichment machinery that Iran was dashing to a bomb, says Mr. Heinonen, but that would hardly be the end of the story.
The inspectors would formally alert the IAEA board, which takes “a few days’ time.” The board would meet and pass a resolution (which “needs a few days”) and then engage the United Nations Security Council (“also not an overnight decision“). “In reality,” he says, “one month is gone. Well, during that one month [Iran] may have achieved their goal, at least to have enough high-enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon. What next?” Iran would have become the world’s ninth confirmed nuclear state.
3. Sleep better tonight:
“The reports differ on whether the site, located in the east of the country, also contained chemical warheads.”
On a related note, Fox News describes Sinai weapons auctions, where jihadis sell off the weapons that liberated Libya.
The hosts of these auctions aren’t just doing it for the money, the source said. Al Qaeda-linked jihadists are becoming more and more influential in the region, and playing a large role in who shows up for the auctions and who leaves with the bombs, anti-tank missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons that are peddled there.
4. Vincent Browne Censured for Calling Israel a “Cancer”: The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland says TV3 must air apology within 21 days.
5. The Untold Story: Palestinians in Palestinian Jails: Tim Marshall of Sky News asks:
While the death of a Palestinian in an Israeli jail brings global headlines – are those in Palestinian jails met with silence?
6. Elder of Ziyon stopped by HonestReporting’s office in Jerusalem and interviewed CEO Joe Hyams about our work. Watch the video.
Israel and the Palestinians
• AFP: Benjamin Netanyahu visited Jordan to discuss peace talks with King Abdullah.
• Israeli inquiry finds no evidence that Arafat Jaradat was a victim of violence. But the PA claims Jaradat was killed by Palestinian collaborators.
“Because he did not confess to throwing stones, Jaradat was moved to the collaborators’ cell in prison, where he was physically liquidated two days later,” the ministry said.
• You’ll need a few happy pills before looking over Roger Cohen’s depressing NY Times column. But as you read it, ask yourself why Cohen only quotes radical Israeli leftists; then ask yourself why Cohen doesn’t think Israel’s centrist shift is important. (Additional happy pills may be necessary if you wade into the reader comments. Consult your doctor, therapist, or local media watchdog.)
• The White House appointed Philip Gordon as its new Mideast coordinator.
• The Sydney Morning Herald‘s Paul McGeough hangs out with Khaled Meshaal in Doha. McGeough also assesses Meshaal’s chances of replacing Mahmoud Abbas as head of the PLO.
• A staff-ed in the NY Daily News slams the Turkish prime minister’s remarks about Zionism being a crime against humanity.
It is on par with the standard rantings of Hamas, Hezbollah, Iranian mullahs or Al Qaeda.
If Zionism is a crime against humanity, Israel is the product of a criminal enterprise.
If Zionism is a crime against humanity, Israel’s leaders are not to be negotiated with, but systematically defeated.
If Zionism is a crime against humanity, those who devote their lives to waging war against Israel are heroes.
• For more commentary/analysis, see th Washington Post, Dennis Ross, NY Times, and Time.
- Clashes between Hezbollah and Syrian rebels intensify.
- Bashar Assad hints of retaliating at Israel.
- Some good economic news from Israel.
