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. Mossad chief Tamir Pardo was in Turkey reportedly discussing Syria, Iran, the Taksim protests, and intelligence sharing with his Ankara counterparts. Hurriyet, which first reported this, adds:
The sources also claimed to have information that Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Syrian intelligence unit, al-Mukhaberat, are working against Turkey.
So it’s not far-fetched to ask: Might Syria and/or Iran have fingerprints on Turkey’s anti-government protests?
2. Documents which AP recovered from an Al-Qaida safehouse in Mali suggest the terror group has SA-7 surface-to-air missiles. They’re capable of downing commercial airliners.
The 26-page document in Arabic, recovered by The Associated Press in a building that had been occupied by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in Timbuktu, strongly suggests the group now possesses the SA-7 surface-to-air missile, known to the Pentagon as the Grail, according to terrorism specialists. And it confirms that the al Qaeda cell is actively training its fighters to use these weapons, also called man-portable air-defense systems, or MANPADS, which likely came from the arms depots of ex-Libyan strongman Col. Moammar Gadhafi . . .
Not much larger than a poster tube, it can be packed into a duffel bag and easily carried. It’s also affordable, with some SA-7s selling for as little as $5,000.
3. Egyptian TV viewers will be treated to a summer of anti-Semitic viewing. This from the Wall St. Journal (click via Google News):
“Khaybar, oh Jews!” is an oft-heard chant at Arab anti-Israel rallies. But just in case there was any doubt about the intended political message, the show’s screenwriter, Yousry El Gendy, has gone on the record with the online news outlet Alyoum Alsabea to declare: “This drama will focus on the Jewish community and will show their traits, ideas and their maliciousness. Also, it will show the enmity between Arabs and Jews since the time of Moses.” Ahmed Maher, a popular actor playing one of the Jewish villains, told the Al-Balad newspaper that “Khaybar” sets out to depict Jews as “the ugliest slice of humans.”
“The show will be on when most Egyptian families are staying at home for Ramadan doing nothing but watching TV,” Mina Rezkalla, a U.S.-based Egyptian activist told me. “The goal is completely outward anti-Semitism.”
Israel and the Palestinians
• Today’s most predictable denials:
- Pakistan denies receiving weapons and security equipment from Israel
- Egypt’s army denies importing Israeli arms
- Israel denies selling arms to Pakistan
• The PA wants to build a new power plant in Jenin. An Israeli conglomerate is willing to buy enough surplus electricity to double the size of the plant. The deal, which Tony Blair helped broker, is a great opportunity to expand the Palestinian economy, so what’s not to like about it? The Financial Times (via Google News) answers that question:
The plan has been greeted with scepticism by some analysts in the region because the projects will be dependent on the Israeli government’s goodwill and final approval by the Palestinian Authority, which is sensitive to criticism about any hint of political collaboration with Israel.
• The city council of Boulder, Colorado, voted against a sister-city pairing with Nablus. The Daily Camera was at a lengthy and packed council debate:
Mayor Matt Appelbaum said the proposal had merit, but he was concerned that the proponents were supportive of the government in Nablus, making it political.
“I’m not sure I want to attach Boulder’s name to it,” he said.
- Austrian peacekeepers begin leaving the Golan.
- US blacklists Hezbollah self-styled “ambassadors” and fund raisers.
- New controversies surround striking Ministry of Foreign Affairs staffers.
