Iranian Atomic Urgency
• Quite a few papers picked up on the The Times of London (paywall), which says Israel is using a base in Iraqi Kurdistan to launch intelligence-gathering missions into Iran — particularly around Parchin and Fordow. More at the Times of Israel.
• Worth reading: Aaron David Miller’s 6 Big Lies About How Jerusalem Runs Washington
Nowhere are the leaps and lapses of logic and rationality greater than in the discussion of Israel, the Jews, domestic U.S. politics, and the Middle East. Once again, we’re hearing that a U.S. president is being dragged to war with Iran by a trigger-happy Israeli prime minister and his loyal acolytes in America.
• Unable to get into Iran to find out what ordinary citizens think, YNet‘s Yehuda Shohat did the next best thing: he called them on the phone:
When Razi is told of the recent Israeli Facebook campaign under the “We Love Iran” banner, he laughs. “I would do a similar campaign. I love Israel,” he says. “However, I have this slight concern that 10 minutes after my first post goes online, you’ll find me hanging upside down from a city crane.” . . . .
Iranians believe that anti-government protests will renew in full force after Syria’s Bashar Assad will be toppled. “Once Assad falls, the ground here will start to shake here as well,” says Razi.
“It will give youngsters plenty of incentive and vigor to hit the streets. At this time there are snitches everywhere and taking part in any political activity is strictly forbidden,” he says.
• According to the Times of Israel, Iranian cartoonist Mana Neyestani created a hit on Facebook. I find this hopeful.
• Egypt foiled an Iranian plot to attack an Israeli ship in the Suez Canal.
• Constricting is not a middle ground between pre-empting or containing a nuclear Iran. It’s just another word for containment. But two wonks in the Washington Post think otherwise.
• For more commentary, see Nicolas Kristof and Paul McGeough.
Arab Spring Winter
• Gaza’s fuel crisis is killing the Hamas honeymoon with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. According to The Media Line, the two sides are bickering over political extortion, profiteering, Sinai-based terror, travel restrictions, stolen cars, and whatever prestige is to be had in brokering a Palestinian unity deal.
But Masri said that at the top of Cairo’s calculations is the desire to ensure Gaza remains Israel’s headache, not Egypt’s.
• Palestinian baby dies because “the generator powering his respirator ran out of fuel.” AP blames Egypt.
The power shortage has been caused by a cut-off of Egyptian fuel.
(UPDATE March 26: AP retracted the story because the baby actually died on March 4. The wire service accuses Hamas of “trying to recycle the story to capitalize on the family’s tragedy.” See AP Retracts Story Because of Hamas Lie.)
• And you thought the phone-hacking scandal was bad?
CNN rejects as ‘ridiculous’ Syrian claims it collaborated with ‘terrorists’
• LA Times: Bahrain’s in the spotlight for excessive use of tear gas.
The U.N. human rights office recently said it had credible reports that rising numbers of protesters and bystanders had been killed by inhaling tear gas, and it called for an investigation.
• Tom Friedman gives a shoutout to Victor Davis Hanson.
Rest O’ the Roundup
• What took them so long? Foreign Journalists Draw Their Daggers on Robert Fisk.
• Will this end the speculation, or merely fuel more?
Netanyahu: I won’t push for early elections
• Fake footage of Mohammed Merah’s death? Is there no shame?
• Despite some reports to the contrary, Israeli officials say there’s no indication that Mohammed Merah ever entered the country. Israel HaYom writes:
However, a preliminary investigation conducted by the National Immigration Authority shows that Merah never visited Israel, Israel Radio reported. The authority has reported that Merah’s name, based on how it has been published in the media, does not appear on the list of people entering Israel. The authority added that the investigation continues.
• US law isn’t keeping up with Israeli advances in fertility treatment. The American consulate denied US citizenship to Ellie Lavi’s daughters when the Chicago native couldn’t prove she was their biological mother. CNN picked up on their story.
• Red Ken lost Jonathan Freedland‘s vote. ‘Nuff said.
• Just for laughs: NY Times Paywall Sends Reader Up the Wall?
(Female symbol via Open ClipArt Libary/scatchlock, Mer-Khamis via Wikimedia Commons/Badums, Obama via White House/Pete Souza)
For more, see Thursday’s Israel Daily News Stream.
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