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NEWS: Hamas leader Abu Marzook, in a wide-ranging interview with the Jewish Daily Forward, says his organization seeks a long-term truce with Israel, but not peace, and would not be bound by any conflict-ending agreement made by the PLO. Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood condemns a visit to occupied East Jerusalem by Grand Mufti Gomaa. An Israeli man is stabbed by a Palestinian in occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli officials say rockets fired from Gaza were smuggled from Libya. UN officials say the execution of three men by Hamas recently was unlawful and executions should stop. Doctors say an 18-year-old Palestinian shepherd was shot by Israeli forces during a training exercise in the northern West Bank. Newly released Israeli documents describe the interrogation of Marwan Barghouti 10 years ago. Pres. Abbas may be using is Asia tour to gauge support for Palestinian UN nonmember state status. A Danish protester whose assault by an Israeli soldier was caught on video says no one would have cared about the incident if he were a Palestinian. Fewer Israelis are immigrating to the United States in recent years and more are returning to Israel due to a booming economy. COMMENTARY: Raja Shehadeh says Palestinians handled this Easter's celebrations superbly. Shmuel Rosner says the uproar over the proposed law allowing the Knesset to overrule the Supreme Court is unjustified. Baha Hilo says, despite Israeli claims, real problems facing Palestinian Christians mainly come from dealing with Israel, not Palestinian Muslims. Ha'aretz says Israel is allowing settlers to impose anarchy in the occupied Palestinian territories. Hirsh Goodman says the Israeli soldier who struck unarmed activists with his rifle is a disgrace. Patrick Seale says Israel's regional power is waning, and will be even further eroded if Western negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program are successful. Yossi Eli looks at the complicated story behind the reopening of the St. George Hotel in occupied East Jerusalem. Omri Meniv looks at controversies surrounding whether or not to include any aspects of the Palestinian national narrative in Israel's school curricula. Jackson Diehl says Abbas is continuously undermining his own cause through miscalculations. The National says dismantling the PA may be too extreme but when Palestinians are reduced to self-starvation to gain leverage with Israel, something is urgently required to radically alter the status quo.
NEWS: In Gaza, hopes for a better life under Hamas rule have turned into frustration and disappointment. Israel says it will be disciplining the soldier who was documented to have struck a Danish pro-Palestinian activist in the face with his rifle. PM Fayyad meets with the assaulted Danish activist. UN officials condemn Israel's eviction of a Palestinian family from their home in occupied East Jerusalem in favor of settlers. Fatah officials blame Hamas for the impasse in national unity negotiations. Journalist turned politician Yair Lapid says he'd be willing to serve in an Israeli coalition cabinet. Israeli settlers are building new outposts on privately-owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. Jewish-American lawmakers are unhappy with a Justice Department ruling regarding the difficulties of prosecuting Palestinians who allegedly killed Americans outside the United States. The US Supreme Court rules that Palestinian-Americans cannot sue the PA and PLO for alleged abuse in custody in the occupied territories. The Grand Mufti of Egypt is making a rare visit to Jerusalem. COMMENTARY: Ha'aretz says the Israeli public is in the grip of a terrifying apathy. Israel Harel says the soldier disciplined for striking the Danish activist is a scapegoat for the failings of the senior command. Ofer Shelah says the assault just shows the extent to which Israel doesn't know what to do with the occupied territories. The Jerusalem Post says Israelis were unrealistic to think that the UK would be harsher on Palestinian activist Raed Salah than Israel, of which he is a citizen. Salah explains why he went to the UK in the first place. Jonathan Rosen says Holocaust analogies and other exaggerations are allowing fear to drive Israeli policies. David Wilensky says Title VI should not be used to squelch free speech on campuses. Michael Young says the shadow of another possible Israel-Hezbollah war looms over southern Lebanon. Michael Jansen says, despite the risks, dissolving the PA could be a dramatic “game changer” between Israel and the Palestinians. Shibley Telhami looks at the Arab and Israeli dimensions of the controversy over Iran's nuclear program.
NEWS: Palestinian officials deliver a letter to PM Netanyahu reiterating several points, including the demand for settlement freeze. Neither side expresses much hope negotiations will resume. Deputy FM Ayalon warns of “falling into the trap of a good atmosphere” in international negotiations with Iran. UNIFIL says the continued Israeli occupation of part of a Lebanese village has “political reasons.” Israel tightens restrictions on Palestinian prisoners in retaliation for their mass hunger strike. The Iraqi Kurdish leadership is downgrading its ties to Israel. Israeli settlers and Palestinians clash in Hebron. An Israeli court evicts a Palestinian family from their home in occupied East Jerusalem in favor of settlers. Mitt Romney's ascendancy in the Republican Party is likely to cool its rhetoric on Middle East issues. A major Palestinian film festival is planned for London later this year. COMMENTARY: Hassan Bin Talal says the US shouldn't de-prioritize Middle East foreign policy. Ha'aretz says Netanyahu should stop "hiding behind" Holocaust analogies. Zvi Bar'el says other countries would be entitled to issue travel warnings to Israel given attacks on foreigners by soldiers. Beth Miller explains what it feels like to be a Jew working for human rights in the occupied territories. Sophie Claudet interviews Mustafa Barghouthi. Nahman Shay says Israel badly overreacted to the "flytilla." Shlomo Brom says Israel's 2002 “Operation Defensive Shield” offensive in the occupied Palestinian territories was badly planned and had far-reaching negative political consequences. Benny Morris says Daniel Levy is wrong, and that Arabs are, indeed, “barbarians.” Amira Hass says Israel seems determined to keep the Jordan Valley free of Palestinians.
NEWS: DM Barak says that Israel never promised the United States not to attack Iran even while negotiations are being conducted. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel are going on hunger strike. The PA criticizes Pres. Ahmadinejad's visit to the island of Abu Musa, which is disputed territory between the UAE and Iran. Hamas is keeping the results of its politburo reshuffle secret. Palestinians mark “Prisoners Day.” Israel's cabinet is preparing to vote on recognizing three “unauthorized” settlement outposts. Precedent suggests the Israeli soldier who struck a Danish activist in the face with his rifle is unlikely to face any serious consequences. Israel is establishing a special unit to enforce the demolition of Bedouin homes. Bereaved Palestinian physician Izzeldin Abuelaish is pursuing a new life in Toronto working for peace. Occupation forces shoot and injure a farmer in southern Gaza. COMMENTARY: Ha'aretz says Israel's leaders incite public hatred against peace activists. Moshe Arens says Palestinians are not welcome in Jordan. Herb Keinon says Palestinian talk of the letter to Netanyahu is theatrics, not diplomacy. Faysal Hijazeen and Ibrahim Shomali said Palestinian Christians desperately need an end to Israel's occupation. Amos Gilboa says Israeli leftists are trafficking in illusions about peace. Habib Fayad says, in spite of their bitter divorce, Hamas will eventually return to Syria. Daniel Levy says Benny Morris is completely wrong to blame "Palestinian rejectionism" for the lack of peace. Yossi Alpher says Israel's “antiterrorism” military actions in the occupied territories haven't brought it any closer to peace. Ghassan Khatib says most Palestinians believe Israel is content with the status quo and is working to maintain it, without being held to account by the international community. Mohammed Najib says Israel's "Operation Defensive Shield" offensive in the West Bank 10 years ago continues to define the basic realities of life under occupation for Palestinians and remains a source of mistrust between the parties.
NEWS: Israel is blocking pro-Palestinian activists from boarding flights bound for Israel. The “flytilla” is gaining attention, but not access to the country. Israel dismisses the protest, pointing to human rights abuses in Syria, Iran and other countries. An Israeli officer is suspended from duty after striking a foreign national in the face with his rifle. Pres. Abbas says Israel is attempting to maintain the status quo, defends security cooperation with Israel, and dismisses the idea of dismantling the PA. IDF chief Gantz says Israel “can handle all its enemies.” US Amb. to Israel Shapiro reiterates his government will veto any further Palestinian UN membership efforts at the Security Council. The PA has moved to ban the sale of Israeli potatoes in areas under its control. A new poll suggests that Jewish Americans, including ardent supporters of Israel, are more suspicious of evangelical Christians than is generally assumed. COMMENTARY: Noah Browning says the Arab uprisings have yet to find a Palestinian equivalent. Akiva Eldar says PM Netanyahu fears successful negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. Yitzhak Laor says Israel must remember that it has committed atrocities like many other countries. Amira Hass says the Israeli military is persistently evicting Palestinians from their homes. Dan Calic says Israel can and should push the issue of Jewish refugees from Arab states to counter the Palestinian refugee issue. Jeff Barak says Israel has mishandled the “flytilla” from a PR perspective. Barry Rubin takes on three common ideas he calls “myths” about Israel. Musa Keilani says Palestinians should focus on institution-building and diplomacy until there is a new Israeli government that is willing to negotiate seriously. The Forward says arrests of journalists by the PA are disturbing intimidations of the press. Jeffrey Goldberg agrees that Hussein Ibish is not a “Zionist,” but someone pragmatically interested in ending conflict.
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