Daily News Issue Date:
February 20, 2014
News:
News:
Sec. Kerry holds a second round of talks [1] with Pres. Abbas in Paris [2] after discussing the framework agreement yesterday. (AFP/The Times of Israel)
Kerry meets FM Judeh [3] to push for a framework agreement. (The Jordan Times)
Kerry is disappointed [4] with Palestinian verbal attacks [5] against Israel. (The Jerusalem Post/Ynet)
A PLO official says Kerry’s framework draft is too vague [6]. (The Times of Israel)
The PLO proposes an understanding on a joint ruling of Jerusalem [7]. (Xinhua)
Israel debates a legislation offering compensation for West Bank settlers [8] to move inside the internationally recognized borders of Israel.(Ha’aretz)
Pres. Peres will award Chancellor Merkel [9] Israel’s highest civilian honor. (Ha’aretz)
Extremist settlers uproot 700 olive tree saplings [10] in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)
Palestinian public sector employees in the West Bank will strike against the government [11]. (Ma’an)
A Jewish-Arab couple protests [12] against the demolition of their house in the occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)
Israel’s Tamar gas field [13] will sell gas to Jordan. (Xinhua)
A Jordanian-Israeli citizen named after Yitzhak Rabin [14] will join the IDF.(Ha’aretz)
A Jewish museum in New York comes under fire for featuring BDS-backing professorJudith Butler [15]at an event. (Ha’aretz)
Two Israeli arms dealers are arrested [16] for allegedly selling parts of military aircrafts to Iran. (The Times of Israel)
UNRWA resumes food distribution [17] in Yarmouk after an 11-day halt. (AP)
The UN resolution [18] on Syria [19]aid will face a vote on Friday [20]. (AP/The New York Times/Reuters)
Some Syrian rebel commanders reject the dismissal of Gen. Idris [21]. (AP)
Syrian activists accuse the Assad regime of using chemical weapons again [22]. (The Daily Beast)
Islamist rebels in eastern Syria order women to put the face veil [23]. (Reuters)
The Egyptian army bombs [24] suspected militants in Sinai. (AP)
Egypt adjourns the Al Jazeera journalists [25] trial to March 5th. (AFP)
FM Lavrov arrives in Baghdad [26] to hold talks with Iraqi leaders. (Xinhua)
A Bahrain court sentences a Shiite protester [27] to death. (The National)
Pres. Obama and PM Erdogan [28] discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. (AP)
Iran [29]and the six world powers agree on a framework [30] for nuclear talks [31]. (AP/Reuters/The New York Times)
An American official says the US will remain “very mindful” [32] of Gulf states’ concerns over Iran in the nuclear talks. (Xinhua)
Commentary:
Rami Khouri [33] asks if Israelis and Palestinians are ready for Kerry’s framework. (The Daily Star)
David Benkof [34] says Jews should look to their own history to find compassion for the Palestinian “right of return.” (The Times of Israel)
Ari Shavit [35] argues that the late Palestinian leader Arafat publicly recognized Israel as a "Jewish state" six months before his death. (Ha'aretz)
Yossi Mekelberg [36] says the continuing Israeli occupation can lead to an international isolation and confrontation with the EU and the US. (Al Arabiya)
Roy Isacowitz [37] says PM Netanyahu's rhetoric makes him feel like an “anti-Semite.” (Haaretz)
Akiva Eldar [38] says the Israeli anti-boycott policies are counterproductive. (Al-Monitor)
Daniel Friedmann [39] says the boycott disputes are purely political. (YNet)
Myriam Schermer [40] claim the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is largely religious based. (The Times of Israel)
Gideon Levy [41] accuses Israeli media of bias against the Palestinian citizens of Israel. (Ha'aretz)
David Ignatius [42] says a revived US-Saudi alliance on Syria will stop aid from leaching away to Al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front and ISIS. (The Washington Post)
Michael Young [43] says Russia's increased activity in Syria is due to America's inaction. (The National)
Michael Young [43] says Russia's increased activity in Syria is due to America's inaction. (The National)
The Los Angeles Times [44] says diplomacy remains the best option for Obama’s Syria policy. (The Los Angeles Times)
Fehim Taştekin [45] says Syria war sparks Turkish Alawite anxiety. (Al-Monitor)
Enas Hamed [46] accuses the Egyptian security forces of abusing female detainees. (Al-Monitor)
Michael Jansen [47] says the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt can be held responsible for the escalation of jihadist attacks. (The Jordan Times)
Rob Ben-Yeshi [48] is not optimistic about the outcome of the Iranian nuclear talks. (YNet)
Aaron Miller [49] says the costs of failure of the US-Iran talks will be significant. (Foreign Policy)
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