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. UK taxpayers are funding BDS garbage, with an assist from the UN. The Jerusalem Post reports:
Charles Tannock, a Member of the European Parliament, told The Jerusalem Post: “I totally oppose the promotion, by a UK taxpayer-funded organization such as the British Academy, of events which aim to promote a ‘campaigning boycott, divestment and sanctions’ anti- Israel event which is aimed at sanctioning a close friend of the UK and a democracy such as Israel.”
“It’s equally unacceptable a UN official should be promoting this event through his official email address suggesting possible UN endorsement of this message.”
2. The International Criminal Court’s making “preliminary inquiry” into the Mavi Marmara incident. Reuters was most even-keeled about the whole thing:
The prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in a statement that she was obliged to open a preliminary examination following a referral from the Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros, where one of the vessels that were raided was registered.
Few preliminary examinations ever lead to a full investigation, let alone a trial.
3. Israel warned Syria not to retaliate for the recent airstrike on the Hezbollah arms shipment. I’m not exactly a fan of anonymous sources pulling these kinds of stunts, but since it was in the NY Times, you can assume the buzz will reach Bashar Assad:
“If Syrian President Assad reacts by attacking Israel, or tries to strike Israel through his terrorist proxies,” the official said, “he will risk forfeiting his regime, for Israel will retaliate.”
The Israeli official, who has been briefed by high-level officials on the Syria situation in the past two days, declined to be identified, citing the need to protect internal Israeli deliberations. He contacted The New York Times on Wednesday.
The precise motives for Israel’s warning were uncertain: Israel could be trying to restrain Syria’s behavior without undertaking further military action, or alerting other countries to another strike.
Meanwhile, a previously unknown Islamist group, Abdul Qader Husseini Battalions of the Free Palestine movement, claimed responsibility for firing two mortar shells at Mt. Hermon yesterday.
4. Update: World Press Photo Claims Winning Image Wasn’t Doctored: At what point do enhancements of Gaza mourners make a photo dishonest?
Rest O’ the Roundup
• The PA curbed Israeli journos from covering Naqba Day events in the West Bank, according to the Washington Post.
• Worth reading at the National Post: Haunted by the past: Living an hour away from the terrorist who killed my grandfather
• The Boston Globe supports Stephen Hawking’s boycott.
• Why the Syrian War Could Last 10 Years
• Australia’s foreign ministry appointed Dave Sharma as next ambassador to Israel, according to The Australian.
• Iran’s going all-out to preserve the Assad regime. YNet says they’ll fight to the last Hezbollahnik.
(Image of Wikimedia Commons/Free Gaza movement)
For more, see Tuesday’s Israel Daily News Stream.
