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. Smelling blood after Morsi’s ouster, Fatah called on Palestinians to overthrow Hamas.
2. Over in Lebanon, YNet reports they’re singing, “Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be Hezbollah martyrs.”
3. Reuters examines what the Egyptian coup’s impact on the Syrian uprising. Islamist rebels say Morsi’s ouster is proof that the ammunition box is more powerful than the ballot box. But rhetoric aside, the military takeover creates a far more significant headache:
But others say rebels may take more of a hit than they expect. One activist, who asked not to be named, said it could hurt the flow of weapons and cash coming from Libya as well as Egypt, where the erstwhile Brotherhood president had recently endorsed jihad, or “holy war” against Assad in Syria.
4. Bibi’s Security Detail Strip Searches Reporter: Did the Prime Minister’s bodyguards decide to make an example of one unlucky journalist? Or did Samer Jallad happen to raise suspicion on the wrong night?
Israel and the Palestinians
• The International Red Cross is having a stupid turf war with Magen David Adom. The IRC isn’t happy that MDA ambulances are operating in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank, and points to the 2005 agreement which brought MDA into the Red Cross fold. The MDA interprets the deal differently, while Israeli government officials say they would’ve advised the MDA not to sign that agreement in the first place. More at the Jerusalem Post.
• Michael Oren announced on Facebook that he’s ending his term as Israel’s ambassador to the US. No announcement of his replacement yet, but speculation is focusing on Benjamin Netanyahu’s former advisor, Ron Dermer. More at the Jerusalem Post.
• Tony Blair raised eyebrows with the disclosure that one of his consultants was an ex-IDF intelligence officer. The Daily Telegraph says that Lianne Pollak also served as an advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu.
• Palestinian passports aren’t all they’re cracked up to be because its bearers are more likely to be denied visa requests. The discrimination is found among states that both supported and abstained from the UN General Assembly’s 2012 vote, according to The Media Line:
A letter justified the visa rejection on the basis that Hamayel didn’t provide proof that he would return to the Palestinian territories. “They said that the Palestinians were recognized as an Authority, but not as a country so they couldn’t deport me back if I stayed there illegally,” he added . . .
A source at the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affars told The Media Line that some countries fear that anyone visiting from a third-world country, including Palestinians, will want to stay.
However, some states, particularly the Gulf States may not want a large influx of Palestinians for “security” reasons.
• For commentary/analysis of the peace process, see Dore Gold and YNet.
- Egyptians believe Morsi was in cahoots with Israel and the US.
- BBC Mideast editor hit by gunfire in Egypt.
- Years-long legal battle ends as Britain deports Abu Qatada to Jordan.
