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. Israel reacted with surprise and anger to the emerging Iranian nuclear deal. The only reason a “first step” agreement hasn’t been clinched yet is because France — to the consternation of the Western allies — isn’t drinking Iran’s Kool Aid. Time most clearly articulated Israel’s concerns. See page 2 of this roundup for commentary/analysis.
2. Israel and the US lost their voting rights at UNESCO over the Palestinians. The two stopped paying their dues after the Paris-based organization accepted Palestine as a member. See Jerusalem Post coverage. US national security advisor Susan Rice took to Twitter to blame Congress, while the Washington Post explains what the voting loss means for American soft power. According to the NY Times, the US had provided 22 percent of UNESCO’s budget.
3. Russian scientists investigating Yasser Arafat’s death cast doubt on the polonium poisoning, saying their findings were inconclusive. Whodunnit? Con Coughlin points out Arafat had plenty of enemies beyond Israel. And The Independent weighed in with a staff-ed. Last but not least, there’s this question:
Could Yasser Arafat sabotage peace from the grave?
Israel and the Palestinians
• Palestinian security forces are operating in eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods, according to Maan News:
PA security spokesman Adnan Dmeiri told Ma’an that Palestinian police entered the occupied areas of al-Ram, Beit Hanina, Shufat, Anata, and al-Sawahira Friday and began a crackdown on criminal activity.
Twenty-five suspects have been detained so far, Dmeiri said.
Dmeiri told Ma’an that PA police forces intervened given Israel’s neglect of its security responsibilities in the areas.
• Belgium upgraded the PLO’s mission.
• Heh. Antony Loewenstein responds to our critique of his load of BDS BS. It says a lot that he uses the word “Zionist” pejoratively.
#Zionist clowns at @HonestReporting tackle my @Cif_Australia article on #BDS and don’t once mention occupation http://t.co/l2SN3ko1vj #fail
— Antony Loewenstein (@antloewenstein) November 7, 2013
• The BBC upheld a viewer’s complaint about documentary which falsely blamed Israel for starting the Six Day War.
However, the trust found that the events of the Six-Day War were of such significance in the history and politics of the Middle East, that, “despite the brevity of the reference, more context was required“.
It found “the need to use clear and precise language was particularly acute in relation to content dealing with conflict in the Middle East”.
• The Times of Israel updates the latest on the new Palestinian city of Rawabi. The first residents are due to move in during the first quarter of next year, but an access road and water supplies are still being wrangled out by Israel and the PA.
• For commentary/analysis, see Dore Gold and Jonathan Tobin.
- Al Jazeera pays for exiled Muslim Brotherhood leaders’ hotel rooms in Doha.
- Jordan to take UN Security Council seat rejected by Saudis.
- Amos Yadlin delayed at Heathrow Airport over arrest warrant.
