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. It’s bad enough a BDS rally at South Africa’s Witwatersrand University featured protesters chanting, “Shoot the Jew.” But Mohammed Desai, the head of South Africa’s BDS movement, poured more fuel to the fire when he told the student paper, the Wits Vuvuzela:
The coordinator of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), Muhammed Desai, said many African people in South Africa when using the word “Jews” meant it in the same way they would have during the eighties. “Just like you would say kill the Boer at funeral during the eighties it wasn’t about killing white people, it was used as a way of identifying with the apartheid regime”.
I don’t see how “Kill the Boer” is any less inciting than “Kill the Jew,” “Kill the black man,” or “Kill the Arab” in any context.
2. France released its intelligence squarely blaming Bashar Assad for carrying out a “massive and co-ordinated” chemical attack. Details at The Guardian.
3. More and More Journalists are Being Kidnapped in Syria.
Those still covering the civil war are united by a sense of duty to report on what is happening in the country. But given the risk of abduction and the prospect of drawn-out rescue operations that drain resources from our colleagues and endanger our fixers and friends, we are being forced to reassess the way we cover the ongoing conflict.
4. Great Moments in Plausible Deniability, Hezbollah Style: Why would Hezbollah prefer to attack Israel from Syria?
The Syria Situation
• PA-run media blames the US for the Syrian and Egyptian turmoil — and 9/11 for good measure. European diplomats told The Commentator the accusations will unnecessarily harm the Palestinian cause. More at Palestinian Media Watch.
• Hezbollah redeployed its forces ahead of a potential US strike, according to AFP.
• Two-thirds of the British public want to stay out of Syria.
• Worth reading: I hope Roger Waters, Nigel Kennedy, and French foreign minister Laurent Fabius see Dominic Lawson’s latest (and final) column in The Independent.
• The Financial Times (via Google News) nails Israel’s biggest concern:
Their worry is not that Israel is being left alone to cope with Syria, whose war Israel’s government and most of its people want no direct part in.
The fear – and it is a big one – is about the message America’s perceived wavering on Syria sends to its bigger and much more powerful ally: Iran.
• For more commentary/analysis, see Mitch Ginsburg, Spengler, Jennifer Rubin, and Yaron London, plus staff-eds in the Times of London and NY Times.
Israel and the Palestinians
• Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators are due to meet today. Thanks to the media blackout, the Jerusalem Post, doesn’t have much to report.
• Ben Gurion Airport was in a state of alert after Palestinians driving a stolen truck rammed through a security barrier.
The two people in the truck were apprehended but flights were briefly grounded as a precaution. Police believe the Palestinians stole the truck from a nearby town and took a wrong turn leading them to the airport. YNet coverage.
• As Egypt blocks access, Gazans turn to Israel for outlet.
• Jerusalem Post: As yesterday’s foiled terror attack shows, Hamas is still trying to be a player in the West Bank.
Rest O’ the Roundup
• AP: Egyptian military helicopters pounded Sinai jihadis, reportedly killing “dozens.”
• Is Egypt jamming Al-Jazeera broadcasts?
• Hmmmmm. The Guardian is acknowledging that there are parts of the Mideast which are (gasp) underreported.
(Image of airport via YouTube/Omer Mazaltarim)
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream.
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