Daily News Issue Date: 
January 29, 2015
News: 

News:

Israel and Hezbollah signal that their flare-up in fighting across the Israeli-Lebanese border is over. (Reuters/New York Times/JTA/Times of Israel) 

Israel tells the UNSC it will take “all necessary measures” to defend itself against Hezbollah. (Reuters)

Hezbollah faces internal criticism in Lebanon for getting into more conflict with Israel. (Ynet/Daily Star)

Some Palestinian factions express their support for Hezbollah. (Ma’an) 

PM Netanyahu blames Iran for the deadly flare-up along the Israeli-Lebanese border. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

FM Lieberman slams Netanyahu’s decision to “contain” Hezbollah. (Times of Israel)

At the UNSC, Spain blames Israel for the death of one of its peacekeepers. (Times of Israel)

UN Human Rights Chief al-Hussein says Israel and the Palestinians have failed to adequately investigate the last Gaza war. (Reuters) 

UN Envoy for the Middle East Serry says he is "outraged" by the recent assault on UN premises in Gaza. (Ma’an)

An unnamed American official criticizes Israeli Amb. Dermer over PM Netanyahu’s visitto Washington. (New York Times/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Former Pres. Peres criticizes Netanyahu for his upcoming speech before Congress. (Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Rivlin tells the UN the “West has no war with Islam.” (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel) 

Two seven-year-old boys from occupied East Jerusalem identify the alleged Jewish extremists who attempted to kidnap one of them. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces demolish the home of a Palestinian family in the West Bank. (Ma’an)

A new mobile app offers information from Palestinian universities in the West Bank and Gaza. (The Media Line)

ISIS purportedly sets a new deadline for a prisoner swap with Jordan. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Jordan Times)

As Iraqi Kurds gain more ground from ISIS, local Sunni Arabs are worried about how they will be treated. (AP)

Survivors say they saw Iraqi forces standing by and watching as Shiite militias executed 72 Sunnis. (Reuters)

Iran’s newly appointed UN Amb. Khoshrou is expected to receive a US visa. (Reuters/New York Times) 

Commentary:

Joyce Karam says with Hezbollah’s expanded role in Syria, Israel is unilaterally changing the 2006 rules of engagement. (Al Arabiya)

Zvi Bar’el says Iran's real interest in Lebanon and Syria is political, not military confrontations with Israel. (Ha’aretz)

The Daily Star says Hezbollah should think of what is best for all of Lebanon, not just itself. (Daily Star) 

Ari Shavit says Israel must hold off the “inevitable third Lebanon war.” (Ha’aretz)

Phillip Smyth says as Hezbollah gains ground in the Golan Heights, Iran is now “knocking on the door of Israel’s quietest border.” (Foreign Policy)

Mitch Ginsburg says Hezbollah’s attack on an Israeli army convoy was carefully chosen as punishment for the Quneitra strike. (Times of Israel)

Bradley Burston says Israeli politics might be changing for the better. (Ha’aretz)

Alan Elsner says Dermer is serving Netanyahu at the expense of all other Israeli citizens. (Ha’aretz)

George Hishmeh says Netanyahu will have to pay for his arrogance. (Gulf News)

Aaron Zelin looks at ISIS’ “political model.” (Washington Post)

Alan Philps says there will be no swift victory over ISIS in Mosul. (The National)

Elias Groll asks if the Jordan pilot captured by ISIS is still alive. (Foreign Policy)

Raed Omari looks at Jordan’s latest hostage crisis. (Al Arabiya)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Saudi foreign policy is unlikely to witness “dramatic changes” on major issues. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Michael Young says Washington’s current policies are ill-adapted to Middle Eastern dynamics. (Daily Star)


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