January 15, 2009

Middle East News: World Press Roundup

Israel’s attack on Gaza city continues, including bombing the headquarters of UNRWA reportedly with white phosphorous munitions, as the Palestinian death toll passes 1000 (1), (2), (3), (4). Ha’aretz argues that Hamas is facing unfavorable cease-fire terms, while Tariq Alhomayed examines differences between its leadership factions in Gaza and Damascus (5), (6). The New York Times reports on the war’s political damage to the Palestinian Authority (7). Several Arab and Israeli commentaries strongly criticize Israel’s actions (8), (9), (13), (14). Others examine lessons to be learned by Hamas, the incoming Obama Administration, and Arab governments (10), (11), (12). The US is reportedly considering cutting $1 billion in loan guarantees to Israel because of continued settlement activity (15).

---

---

[5]

---

Israel Strike Hits U.N. Complex in Gaza Strip

Israeli forces shelled areas deep inside Gaza City on Thursday, hitting the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and injuring at least three people in the compound, according to witnesses and United Nations officials.

A spokesman for the agency, Christopher Gunness, said that hundreds of Palestinians were sheltering in the compound at the time of the shelling and that there were five fully laden fuel vehicles at the site. He said two buildings were ablaze.

UN headquarters in Gaza hit by Israeli 'white phosphorus' shells

The main UN compound in Gaza was in flames today after being struck by Israeli artillery fire, and a spokesman said that the building had been hit by shells containing the incendiary agent white phosphorus.

The attack on the headquarters of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) came as Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General, arrived in Israel on a peace mission and plunged Israel's relations with the world body to a new low.

Progress Reported in Gaza Truce Talks; Palestinian Toll Exceeds 1,000

Diplomats said Wednesday they were closer to bringing about a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, but fighting in the coastal territory persisted as the Palestinian death toll in the 19-day war passed 1,000.

Gaza War Generates Debate on Civilians

A war that began almost three weeks ago as an effort by Israel to stop Hamas rocket fire from killing Israeli civilians has been consumed by a bitter debate over who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

As the Palestinian death toll topped 1,000 on Wednesday, medical officials and aid organizations said civilians accounted for at least half of the total. An additional 4,700 Palestinians have been injured.

Egypt's Gaza truce plan is mostly bad for Hamas

After 19 days of fighting and more than 1,000 Palestinian fatalities, the first significant signs that Hamas is breaking could be seen Wednesday night. Hamas representatives to talks with Egypt announced an agreement in principle on Wednesday to the Egyptian cease-fire proposal. They also demanded several clarifications, primarily from Israel.

Hamas in Gaza and Damascus

Khalid Mishal, in Damascus, is saying no to a permanent truce and to negotiations, and is rejecting the proposed agreement regarding crossings that is based on the 2005 version, out of fear for the movement’s weapons and not out of fear for the safety of the people of Gaza. However, the speech delivered by Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza was somewhat different.

War on Hamas Saps Palestinian Leaders

Israel hoped that the war in Gaza would not only cripple Hamas, but eventually strengthen its secular rival, the Palestinian Authority, and even allow it to claw its way back into Gaza.

But with each day, the authority, its leader, Mahmoud Abbas, and its leading party, Fatah, seem increasingly beleaguered and marginalized, even in the Palestinian cities of the West Bank, which they control. Protesters accuse Mr. Abbas of not doing enough to stop the carnage in Gaza — indeed, his own police officers have used clubs and tear gas against those same protesters.

The IDF has no mercy for the children in Gaza nursery schools

The fighting in Gaza is "war deluxe." Compared with previous wars, it is child's play - pilots bombing unimpeded as if on practice runs, tank and artillery soldiers shelling houses and civilians from their armored vehicles, combat engineering troops destroying entire streets in their ominous protected vehicles without facing serious opposition. A large, broad army is fighting against a helpless population and a weak, ragged organization that has fled the conflict zones and is barely putting up a fight. All this must be said openly, before we begin exulting in our heroism and victory.

Think of Gaza as a prison – and all becomes clear

Let us start with the current sad irony: the invasion and destruction of Gaza is being carried out by an ousted Israeli government, and actively supported by a defeated US administration. Yet, the two outgoing governments are colluding against a democratically elected government of Palestine. Further, instead of sanctioning Israel for placing Gaza under siege for the last two years, and for occupying Palestine for the last four decades, the world has imposed sanctions on the Hamas government. Gazans are being punished twice: by occupation, and for their resistance.

Using the Palestinians

When I say that not everything that you see is innocent, it is difficult for me to elaborate and recount the evidence, because the details are both painful and unbelievable, more than they are disgraceful. And so now we see the disputes surrounding the convening of an Arab summit which has become clear for all to see; everybody wants a summit [to take place], everybody wants to host this summit, everybody wants to hold the microphone in their hands, everybody wants to appear as the savior.

Obama's Diplomacy and Gaza

US President-elect Barack Obama will take office next week. Fiery dossiers in the US, namely the economic and financial crisis, pile up on his desk, in addition to the foreign policy issues his administration has inherited from President George Bush, who has himself admitted failure in solving any of them.

The Price of Individual Wars

The battle of Gaza has proven, as have before it Israel's wars against Lebanon, that the time of Arab wars against Israel has ended. What we mean by "Arab wars" are those wars which the Arabs fought together, under a single military strategy aimed at reaching a single goal.

Gaza should not have happened

There is a growing clamour for Israel’s grotesque aggression on the Gaza Strip to be properly examined in a war crimes tribunal.

This is an endeavour the Arab world ought to spearhead to mitigate what has been a shameful showing by the countries of this region.

Gaza Cries For Arab Attention

This is the third consecutive week of Israel’s relentless offensive on Gaza. More than a thousand people have been killed, over 400 of them women and children.

All efforts by the international community, including the United Nations, Europeans and others, have failed to break Israel’s resolve to destroy what remains of Gaza Strip. Individual efforts by Arab and Muslim countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have failed to bear fruit as well.

U.S. may cut $1b in loan guarantees to Israel over West Bank settlements

The United States administration plans to cut about $1 billion from the balance of its loan guarantees to Israel because of its investments in the settlements. The balance currently stands at $4.6 billion.

Washington has not officially informed Jerusalem of the cut. The assumption is that the announcement, and the decision over the exact extent of the cut, will come only after Barack Obama is sworn in as president next Tuesday.

---

---