• British consul general Sir Vincent Fean had to flee Palestinian student protestors at Bir Zeit University. AP coverage.
• Marathons are creating a real run-around for Israel, Hamas, and the UNRWA.
- UNRWA cancels Gaza marathon after Hamas bans women.
- Two African runners disappear from Jerusalem marathon, believed to be seeking to stay in Israel.
• Irish Independent columnist Carol Hunt takes an earnest stab at the difference between legitimate anti-Zionism and illegitimate anti-Semitism on the Emerald Isle. She even ties in recent controversies with Vincent Browne and Sarah Honig.
• For more commentary/analysis on the peace process and the upcoming presidential visit, see Giora Eiland, Dore Gold, the Daily Telegraph, NBC News, and the Jerusalem Post.
• Weighing in on the Palestinian-only bus lines in the West Bank are Jeffrey Goldberg, Jake Wallis Simons, and Rachel Shabi. The Washington Post rounds up more commentary.
Iranian Atomic Urgency
• AP: The top US commander in the Mideast, Gen. James Mattis made a damning assessment of Iran. Mattis, the head of US Central Command, told Congress that diplomacy and sanctions aren’t working,
adding that Tehran has a history of denial and deceit and is “enriching uranium beyond any plausible peaceful purpose.”
• Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Israel, Iran and atoms:
What standing has Israel to urge Iran not to acquire the bomb when it harbours its own atomic arsenal?
• “Is Iran out-negotiating the Obama administration?” asks Michael Singh.
Arab Spring Winter
• Two Palestinians were found hanged in Syria’s Yarmouk refugee camp. Maan News says the attack’s a real whodunnit.
• The number of Syrian refugees reached the one million mark.
Rest O’ the Roundup
• Haaretz: The Australian government confirmed that Prisoner X, Ben Zygier, indeed worked for the Israeli government:
Foreign Minister Bob Carr said that Zygier was working for Israel’s government, though he would not confirm or deny reports he had worked for Mossad. But Carr warned that the case raises serious questions about the use of Australian passports by dual nationals working for foreign governments, saying that if it’s confirmed Israel used Zygier’s passport for intelligence-gathering purposes, Australia would register “the strongest protest.”
More on the Australian inquiry at the Sydney Morning Herald.
(Image of Mattis via US Defense Dept.)
For more, see Monday’s Israel Daily News Stream.
