Palestinian politicians continue to reject the notion of Israel's legitimacy. Yet the "peace process" marches on, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in the region this week to give it another try.
Egypt
Sinai Kidnappers Release Egypt Security Force Hostages (Deutsche Welle-Germany)
Egypt Sinai Campaign Coordinated with Israel - Avi Issacharoff (The Tower-Israel Project) Egypt's official MENA news agency declared that the groups responsible for the kidnapping were trained in Gaza and received weapons from Hamas and other terrorist groups there.
Israel
Israel's Critical Security Requirements for Defensible Borders: The Foundation for a Viable Peace (Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) A group of senior Israeli generals outlines the basic principles of a defense policy, rooted in a consensus spanning past and present Israeli governments, which is focused on Israel maintaining defensible borders.
Egypt Sinai Campaign Coordinated with Israel - Avi Issacharoff (The Tower-Israel Project) Egypt's official MENA news agency declared that the groups responsible for the kidnapping were trained in Gaza and received weapons from Hamas and other terrorist groups there.
Israel
Israel's Critical Security Requirements for Defensible Borders: The Foundation for a Viable Peace (Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) A group of senior Israeli generals outlines the basic principles of a defense policy, rooted in a consensus spanning past and present Israeli governments, which is focused on Israel maintaining defensible borders.
Palestinians - Palestinian Authority (PA), Fatah, Hamas, etc.
PA continues to deny Israel's existence verbally and visually - Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW)
Official PA daily: "Palestinians [are] Jesus' descendants" - Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW) Having no ancient Palestinian history, the Palestinian Authority has tried for many years to convince its people that they have a history going back many thousands of years, that there was an ancient Palestinian nation, and that one of the great figures of history, Jesus, was their "forefather" and they are "Jesus' descendants." The fact that in Christian tradition Jesus is a Jew from the nation of Judea and that the historical record has no record of a Palestinian Arab people, is not taught by the PA. The PA also ignores the fact that Rome only changed the name of Judea to "Palestine" after the Judean Bar Kochba Rebellion in the year 136, long after the death of Jesus. Furthermore, according to Christian tradition, Jesus did not marry, had no children, and therefore Palestinians could not be "Jesus' descendants."
11 Palestinians Died in PA, Hamas Detention in 2012 - Khaled Abu Toameh (Jerusalem Post) 11 Palestinians died in Palestinian Authority and Hamas detention centers during 2012 - 2 in the PA and 9 in Gaza, according to a report released Tuesday by the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights.
Official PA daily: "Palestinians [are] Jesus' descendants" - Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW) Having no ancient Palestinian history, the Palestinian Authority has tried for many years to convince its people that they have a history going back many thousands of years, that there was an ancient Palestinian nation, and that one of the great figures of history, Jesus, was their "forefather" and they are "Jesus' descendants." The fact that in Christian tradition Jesus is a Jew from the nation of Judea and that the historical record has no record of a Palestinian Arab people, is not taught by the PA. The PA also ignores the fact that Rome only changed the name of Judea to "Palestine" after the Judean Bar Kochba Rebellion in the year 136, long after the death of Jesus. Furthermore, according to Christian tradition, Jesus did not marry, had no children, and therefore Palestinians could not be "Jesus' descendants."
11 Palestinians Died in PA, Hamas Detention in 2012 - Khaled Abu Toameh (Jerusalem Post) 11 Palestinians died in Palestinian Authority and Hamas detention centers during 2012 - 2 in the PA and 9 in Gaza, according to a report released Tuesday by the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights.
Palestinians Threw 200 Firebombs at Rachel's Tomb in Past Three Months - Gideon Allon (Israel Hayom)
Hamas Textbooks to Teach "Plans to Liberate Palestine" - Khaled Abu Toameh (Jerusalem Post)
Saudi Arabia
Saudi to "Protest Strongly" Against Iranian Spying - Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi (Al-Arabiya) Last week, Saudi Arabia announced the arrest of ten more individuals in connection with an Iranian espionage case. The new group included eight Saudis, a Lebanese and a Turk.
Sweden
Have you been reading about the riots in Sweden? In Husby, more than 80% of the 12,000 or so inhabitants are from an immigrant background, and most are from Turkey, the Middle East and Somalia. Yet it's hard to find any articles that will identify who the vandals are.
A Fourth Night of Riots Shakes Stockholm - DAGENS NYHETER (Sweden), SVENSKA DAGBLADET (Sweden), THE LOCAL (Sweden), THE FINANCIAL TIMES (US) Worldcrunch
Syria
Syrian Rebels in Trouble: German Intelligence Sees Assad Regaining Hold - Matthias Gebauer (Der Speigel-Germany)
United Arab Emirates
The UAE's 5-Star Syrian Refugee Camp in Jordan - Neri Zilber (Foreign Policy)
United States of America
Due Diligence and Accountability? The Negative Impact of U.S. Government Funding for Mideast Political NGOs (NGO Monitor)
Misguided SodaStream Protestors at American University - Rachel Wolf (In Forcus/CAMERA)
Robert Mackey Cherry-Picks James Fallows on Al Dura (CAMERA) New York Times blogger Robert Mackey has, yet again, engaged in dishonest journalism.
State Department Notes Continued Rise in Anti-Semitism (U.S. State Department) "Of great concern were expressions of anti-Semitism by government officials, by religious leaders, and by the media, particularly in Venezuela, Egypt, and Iran."
