Human Rights Watch accuses Palestinian security forces of intimidating
journalists. Jessica Montell says Judge Goldstone has not absolved
Israel of civilian deaths; Goldstone will visit Israel but won’t seek
the nullification of his report; Shlomo Avineri says Israel was wrong
to boycott his investigation; Ron Kampeas and Marcy Oster ask what
comes next; the Guardian looks at remaining unanswered questions. Café
culture is booming in Ramallah. Four Palestinians are wounded in
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. The IMF says Palestinian institutions are
ready for independence. Jenin is in shock over the murder of a theater
director. Pres. Obama says Mideast unrest emphasizes the need for
Israeli-Palestinian peace, and Pres. Peres urges him to stick with
peace efforts. Israelis rally to the defense of a Palestinian
bookseller threatened with deportation from Jerusalem. Israel is
lobbying Germany not to recognize Palestine. The EU denounces Israeli
settlement expansion in occupied East Jerusalem. A new poll shows
large majorities of Palestinians oppose the murder of settlers,
support nonviolent protests. The first Palestinian venture fund is up
and running. The Media Line looks at tensions in the Sheikh Jarrah
neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem. The BBC asks if Syrian unrest
could spread to Israel. Fatah is investigating reports that Mohammed
Dahlan was involved in arms shipments to Qaddafi’s forces in Libya.
Prominent Israelis say they will propose a new peace plan. Israel charges a Palestinian engineer on multiple counts. Aaron David Miller suggests a way for the US to reinvigorate Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations. A noted Palestinian-Israeli actor is murdered in Jenin and the PA has arrested a suspect. Richard Cohen says the Goldstone Report was always a rush to judgment, the CSM looks at its findings, the UN Human Rights council says it stands by it, and Kenneth Roth says Israel’s conduct in the war was still inexcusable. The LA Times says Goldstone’s explanations are unconvincing, but J Street welcomes them. Israeli troops kill a Palestinian man near the Gaza border.
Fatah is investigating possible arms shipments to Libya. Fatah and Hamas members may have met secretly in Gaza last week. Merav Michaeli says Israel is confusing victimhood with foreign policy. Moshe Arens says more Mideast democracy will benefit Israel. DM Barak approves more West Bank settlement plans, but settlers are angry that Itamar is not included. The PLO says Israel is using international unrest to abandon the two-state solution. Israeli officials warn of more violence with Palestinians. Gershon Baskin says Israelis can and will support peace. Dennis Ross says unrest means Israel needs more security guarantees. Ghassan Khatib says the parties must go back to the international legal basics of peace. Yossi Alpher urges the Palestinians not to seek UN recognition of statehood before a deal with Israel.
Israelis are concerned the UN may move to recognize Palestine this
year. Hamas says it will seek revenge for the killing of three of its
cadres in an Israeli airstrike. Judge Goldstone reconsiders his report
on the Gaza war. Israel welcomes his statement, but Palestinians say
he caved under pressure. An Israeli commander calls the death of
Rachel Corrie “an accident.” The UN says the Israeli destruction of
Palestinian homes continues to increase. The first woman leader of a
Palestinian political party is elected. Israel tells its citizens to
leave the Sinai. Israel launches a counter-cyber terrorism unit.
Ha’aretz says another Gaza war is getting closer, and looks at PM
Fayyad’s Land Day state-building activities. The Israeli government
approves more West Bank settlement expansion. The Israeli military
says it will have to do more real-time documenting of its activities.
An Israeli university report says there is a danger of it turning into
a religious state. Gaza militants declare their “truce” with Israel
over. Aluf Benn says whatever his re-considerations, the Goldstone
Report has changed Israel’s behavior. The National says Goldstone has
not cleared Israel of civilian deaths. Tony Karon says Pres. Obama’s
multilateral Libya policy has serious implications for Israel. Hussein
Ibish says all parties stand to gain from normalization between the
Arab states and Israel in the context of a two-state solution.
A Gaza engineer says Israel has kidnapped him from the Ukraine, and the Palestinian ambassador urges intervention. Hamas says he is not a member of the organization. Uri Dromi says there's no need for Israel to outlaw commemorations of the Nakba. Shibley Telhami says he's hopeful for Israeli-Palestinian progress. Pres. Abbas reportedly helps free Al Jazeera journalists captured in Libya. Israel will allow more exports from Gaza. Abbas calls for a settlement freeze to allow for resumed negotiations. Israel repeats its threats to take unilateral actions in the event of UN or EU recognition of Palestine. Israel pressures Russia to help thwart European recognition of Palestine. Carlo Strenger says Israel's youth no longer values peace and freedom. Israel's Defense Ministry is ordered to release documents on its Gaza policies. A New York court says it has jurisdiction in cases filed against the PLO. Palestinians yearn for national unity. The Jerusalem Post says Israel is not a fascist state. The Israeli military prepares for multi-front conflicts. A poll suggests that 43% of Jewish Israelis are satisfied with PM Netanyahu's performance. Pres. Peres says Israel welcomes Arab uprisings. Gaza journalists accuse Hamas of harassment. Donald Rumsfeld opposes clemency for Jonathan Pollard. Yossi Alpher says the “Arab Spring” is a source of uncertainty. The National says Israel's new citizenship revocation law is a slide towards fascism. George Hishmeh says Netanyahu is digging his own political grave.
A Palestinian human rights group says anyone who fires rockets at Israel is deliberately putting civilians in danger. Bernard Avishai says it’s time for an American plan for Mideast peace. Joe Klein looks at Palestinian nonviolence. Harold Meyerson says the Knesset investigation into left-wing NGOs is undemocratic. Israel fears the alternative to Pres. Assad in Syria. Fatah wins in Birzeit University elections. A kidnapped Gaza engineer appears in Israeli court, professes innocence. PM Netanyahu appears on YouTube. Israel arrests four Palestinians in Hebron. Pres. Abbas again threatens to resign. Ari Shavit says Israel must launch a diplomatic preemptive strike at the UN or face recognition of Palestine. Eldad Yaniv says FM Lieberman is a racist who must be stopped. A new poll shows Israeli youth moving further to the right and that 46% want to revoke the rights of Arab
citizens. DM Barak says Israel’s new missile defense is “not perfect.” Palestinians arrested by Israel on false charges of rape say they were abused in custody. Colombia promises not to recognize Palestine. PM Fayyad says peaceful resistance is vital. UC Irvine students meet with Hamas leaders. Only 26 senators sign a letter to Sec. Clinton complaining about Palestinian “incitement.” Palestinian leaders lost hope in the US. George Hishmeh says the occupation condemns Israel to international isolation.