Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
Judith Levy, Ed. ·
February 14, 2012 at 8:18am
I'll be on the road all day today -- driving way north to inspect some stone for the house we're building, driving all the way back, scooping up the kids, polishing them up, and taking them to a recital both my boys are performing in (it's my five-year-old's first performance, so this is a big deal) -- and won't have time to post, but very quickly, you should know of these two events:
- The Israeli embassies in India and Georgia were targeted yesterday in a coordinated attack, the manner of which echoes the recent assassinations of nuclear scientists in Iran (bombs attached to cars). Iran has not claimed responsibility, but Israeli PM Netanyahu has stated that "Iran is behind these attacks". The wife of Israel's defense attache in India was wounded during the bombing in New Delhi (she has been operated on and is stable); the bomb attached to the car in Tblisi was spotted by its driver and removed by police before anyone was injured. Israel claims that intelligence gleaned from an examination of the bomb removed from the car in Georgia confirms that this was an Iranian strike. Israel is talking tough, but (according to Haaretz) is not expected to respond forcefully, at least not yet. (These events, by the way, coincide with the fourth anniversary of Israel's assassination of Imad Mughniyeh, who was a heavy hitter in Hezbollah.)
- President Obama's new budget, unveiled yesterday, indicates that there will be only slight reductions in aid to Egypt and the Palestinian Authority despite the former's arrest of US citizens for promoting democracy and the latter's embrace of Hamas, a US -designated terrorist organization that has emphatically reiterated its determination to destroy the state of Israel. The budget also indicates a $6 million cut in funding for Israeli missile defense programs. Haaretz: "The budget stipulates that no funds be allocated to a Palestinian state unless the Secretary of State determines and certifies that the Palestinians have addressed a long list of issues including 'a firm commitment to peaceful co-existence with the State of Israel' and 'taking appropriate measures to counter terrorism and terrorist financing in the West Bank and Gaza.'” An unidentified "administration official" says the Hamas problem will be addressed in 2013, when the money is due to be handed over.
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Comments:
Jul '11
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
Regarding issue one, the Persians just love anniversaries. It would be endearing if mass destruction was not the goal of some of their celebratory revelry. As far as Obama's budget goes, he might as well entitle his foreign aid section, " How I funded the Muslim Brotherhood and Started Another War vs Israel".
Edited on February 14, 2012 at 4:43pmNov '10
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
"including 'a firm commitment to peaceful co-existence with the State of Israel' "
Riiiiiight.
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
I'm curious--was anyone here unaware of this? Be honest, because I want to get a sense of what news is and isn't making it back to the US . I took it for granted that everyone, but everyone in the world knew about those attacks (almost literally, possibly barring isolated island tribespeople in the Andaman Sea) ...
Edited on February 14, 2012 at 9:46amJul '10
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
Even though I was busy and caught almost no news yesterday, I heard about the bungled assassination attempt by the Iranians.
The budget farce was news, but no surprise. The de facto American policy of planting radical jihadi regimes around the globe continues. This President will live forever in infamy for this one accomplishment.
Feb '11
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
Claire Berlinski, Ed.: I'm curious--was anyone here unaware of this? Be honest, because I want to get a sense of what news is and isn't making it back to the US . I took it for granted that everyone, but everyone in the world knew about those attacks (almost literally, possibly barring isolated island tribespeople in the Andaman Sea) ... · 1 hour ago
Edited 1 hour ago
Claire, at least one cable news network addressed the coordinated attacks (Fox News' Special Report). I read about the aid grants to the PA and Egypt online, though I cannot remember the source. Americans who rely exclusively on television news might remain in the dark about these details, since the press prefers to focus on super-PACs, "pelvic politics," and Whitney Houston. Yet I doubt these Americans are much less informed than rationally apathetic voters in Britain, Australia, or Germany.
I expect to hear applause for Egyptian budget aid on NYC's local NPR affiliate, which takes the Panglossian perspective on the so-called Arab Spring. Of course NPR is covering the President's budge proposal, but curiously omits details about that pesky trillion dollar deficit.
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
Regarding issue one, Iranians aren't Arabs.
Mar '11
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
I heard about the bombings and about a suspected terrorist being picked up at the Amsterdam Airport about the same time (although I don't recall what his destination might have been). This is the first that I've heard about the aid allocations -- I hadn't really bothered reading much about Obama's budget because I'm not in the mood for fantasy right now.
Mar '11
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
And now, in Thailand.
Feb '11
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
Judith/Claire,
- Nothing on either item on U.S. Network News outlets or the left wing/Progressive web sites(Commondreams.org, Counterpunch.org, Huffingtonpost.org) that I check infrequently...
-Right wing web sites have good coverage of Item#1
- Only report on item #2 so far...Drudge has linked to it. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/muslim-brotherhood-warns-us-aid-cut-may-affect-egypt-s-peace-treaty-israel
Jul '11
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
Well Claire, regarding issue one that you had one issue regarding. I have issued one retraction of the word Arabs. Regards.
In other critical Iranian news Oliver Stone's son converts to Islam in Iran.
Edited on February 14, 2012 at 6:43pmDec '10
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
Judith,
Why are you only quoting Haaretz. They are extemely left wing and probably represent less then 1/3 of the Israeli public.
Aretz Sheva 7, Israeli National News is much more reflective of the majority of Israelis. I think it only honest that you quote their take on an event also.
Regards,
Jim
Apr '11
Re: Two Mideast Developments You Should Be Aware Of
As promised last year, Obama is now ordering SOS to fund Hamas.
The Date of this EO is Feb 8, 2013.
Obama Approves Direct Funding for Hamas.