In an op-ed for The Daily Star, ATFP President Ziad Asali argues in favor of free and open Palestinian elections scheduled for next January and calls for the establishment of a new Palestinian Authority government in the meanwhile (1). Protestors clash with police at a demonstration by right-wing Jewish Israelis in the town of Umm al-Fahm (2). The Labor and Likud party leaderships form an agreement, moving Prime Minister-designate Netanyahu one step closer to forming a coalition government (3) (7) (8). More information comes out regarding the roadside bomb in Lebanon that killed a senior PLO official and three others yesterday (5) (11). Responding to international pressure, Israel decides not to limit food aid to Gaza (10). A group of UN human rights experts report that during the Gaza war the IDF used an 11-year old Palestinian boy as a human shield (13) and the UK newspaper The Guardian publishes a major investigation into Israeli military abuses during the war (4).
An editorial in the Middle East Times considers the concept of "political malpractice" proposed by ATFP President Ziad Asali (1). A car bomb placed outside a mall in the Israeli city of Haifa does not explode (2) and Palestinian Authority sources suspect that an Iran-backed group is responsible (10). A roadside bomb kills a senior Fatah official and four others outside a refugee camp in Lebanon (4). The Israeli military condemns appalling messages on t-shirts commissioned by groups of Israeli soldiers (6) (8), as reports of misconduct in the Gaza war are confirmed by eyewitness Israeli troops (7). Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu continues efforts to form a coalition government, opening formal talks with the Labor party (5) (14) (15).
An Israeli settler leader reportedly calls for the assassination of Palestinian President Abbas during a fund-raising speech in New York City (1). Concern grows about the radical views of possible new Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman (2). Fallout continues regarding Israeli soldiers’ disturbing accounts of the war in Gaza (3) (10) (13). Israel’s emerging new cabinet may find itself at odds with the US government (4) (8). A UN official accuses Israel of war crimes (5), while the PA accuses Israel of ‘ethnically cleansing’ East Jerusalem (6). Talks regarding captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit may resume (7). The United States lays out its conditions for dealing with a Palestinian national accord government (9). Raghida Dergham argues that moderate forces must go on the offensive against extremism across the Middle East (12). Australian journalists interview Hamas leader Khaled Mishal (14). Israeli authorities block a Palestinian cultural festival in East Jerusalem (15).
Israel seizes ten senior Hamas leaders in the West Bank (1). Several veterans of the Gaza war come out publicly about the serious misconduct by IDF forces (2) (3) (4). The controversy continues over the withdrawn appointment of Charles Freeman (5) (9). After days of Egyptian brokered negotiations, Hamas and Fatah may have agreed on some basic tenants of a national accord government (10). The New York Times looks at how the Gaza war has isolated Israel internationally (11).
Hamas is reportedly not budging in both sets of Egyptian-brokered negotiations with Israel and Fatah, respectively (1). While Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announces that negotiations regarding the release of captured soldier Gilad Shalit have failed (2). Egypt urges the United States and the European Union to reevaluate their boycott of Hamas (3). Avi Isacharoff looks at the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad (4). The U.S. joins the Palestinian Authority in inaugurating a new, U.S. funded, training center for Palestinian security personnel in the West Bank (7). Egypt opens the Rafah border crossing to allow aid into Gaza (10).