Iranian Atomic Urgency
• AP picks up on Israeli skepticism for the IAEA-Iran deal.
• For more commentary and analysis, see Jeffrey Goldberg, the Washington Post, Globe & Mail, Time, plus dueling Christian Science Monitor op-eds by a skeptical Reza Khalili and a hopeful Howard LaFranchi.
• The BBC reports that UK government ministers are considering how to respond to a possible Israeli strike on Iran. Julian Borger (The Guardian) frets that an attack could split the ruling coalition.
• Iran’s “evidence” used to hang an alleged Mossad spy is a clearly forged Israeli passport. Potkin Azamehr, Emanuele Ottolenghi and Harry’s Place lay out the problems with the “passport” displayed on Iranian television.
Arab Spring Winter
• Everybody’s covering the Egyptian elections. The Jerusalem Post analyzes what it all means for Israel. The Washington Post addresses the FAQs, while CNN looks at the heartbreak of dashed expectations and unintended consequences:
A leather-faced Egyptian fruit seller said it best: “The revolution was like a beautiful woman. She charmed us, and we fell in love with her and killed the tyrant to marry her, but she was just a trick — another burden to add to our heavy load, and we are falling out of love.”
• At least 11 Lebanese Shiites were kidnapped by unidentified armed Syrians while returning from a pilgrimage to Iranian holy sites. Details at the Daily Star.
Rest O’ the Roundup
• Reuters: The Sudanese government blames Israel for a mysterious explosion which may have killed an arms smuggler in Port Sudan. Do you think the murder and intrigue has the makings of another Bar Rafaeli movie?
• Professor Meghan O’Sullivan (Bloomberg News) points out some plausible scenarios in which Israel’s offshore gas fields spur conflict, not economic growth. The profits and the players involved could make for some messy problems.
Meanwhile, Israel and Cyprus deny Turkish claims that Israeli forces would be deployed on the eastern Mediterranean island.
• Turkish legal action against IDF commandos involved in the Mavi Marmara raid continues. According to Reuters, an indictment against four commanders is finished and waiting for a final green light:
Sabah said it had seen details of the indictment prepared by Istanbul state prosecutor Mehmet Akif Ekinci and that it called for 10 life sentences to be given to each of the four commanders. It said the Istanbul chief prosecutor must approve the indictment before it is sent to the relevant court.
Sabah’s coverage adds that the Turks are also preparing “red bulletins” for 37 other Israeli officials.
• BuzzFeed: A Senate committee’s considering a bill to “allow the government to use overseas propaganda on the home front.” Today Al-Qaida, tomorrow, Israel?
The change — which would give the Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors a free hand in what it sees as a borderless Internet propaganda war against Al Qaeda — has been on the intelligence community’s wish list for years.
The House amendment repeals the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 and Foreign Relations Authorization Act in 1987, which were enacted during the Cold War to prevent against the spreading of propaganda to U.S. audiences.
The law has raised concerns among human rights activists, Congressional officials, and even those inside the Pentagon.
• Good news from the Beeb: Israeli Lab Grows Heart Muscle From Skin
Ultimately they hope this stem cell therapy could be used to treat heart failure patients.
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream.
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