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In brief: Pull out of race or you’ll help Bibi, ex-army commanders urge Gantz

Posted 23 February, 2021 in Analysis, Israel, Israeli Politics
A group of 130 former army commanders and senior officials in the secret services and intelligence community publicly called for Benny Gantz to pull out of next month's general election - or risk helping Benjamin Netanyahu remain in power. Gantz, a former IDF commander, currently serves as defence minister in a unity government formed with…

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In Brief: Fatah dissidents set to break away and run against Abbas in PA vote

Posted 23 February, 2021 in Analysis, Palestinian Territories
Photo: Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party looks set to split into two - or possibly three - rival slates in this summer's planned parliamentary elections, the Haaretz newspaper reported this week. Nasser al-Kidwa, the nephew of Yasser Arafat and a former PLO ambassador to the United Nations, confirmed publicly that…

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Analysis: Labour vows to challenge government on PA curriculum

Posted 17 February, 2021 in Analysis, Labour Party, Palestinian Territories
Wayne David. Photo: Richard Townshend, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; The Labour frontbench is to press the government on Britain’s funding of the Palestinian Authority’s school curriculum – a curriculum which glorifies terrorists, incites violence and is riddled with antisemitic and anti-Israeli content. The announcement by shadow Middle East minister Wayne David (pictured) is a…

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In Brief: Public approval of covid response rises but anti-Bibi bloc ekes out majority

Posted 17 February, 2021 in Analysis, Israeli Politics
Merav Michaeli. Photo: Ron Kedmi, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons A left-right coalition of parties opposed to Benjamin Netanyahu remaining as prime minister has eked out a narrow one-seat majority in the latest Channel 12 poll. The survey also showed voter approval of the government's handling of the covid pandemic rising as over four million Israelis received at least one shot of the vaccine.…

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In Brief: Israeli natural gas plan offers chance to alleviate Gaza humanitarian crisis

Posted 17 February, 2021 in Analysis, Hamas, Israel, Middle East, Palestinian Territories
Gaza port. Photo: Ramez Habboub, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Gaza's humanitarian crisis could be eased by the announcement last weekend of a major deal between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli energy company Delek to supply natural gas to the coastal enclave's sole power plant. The agreement was announced by Qatar's envoy to Gaza…

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In Brief: Hamas restocks arsenal to 2014 levels and further restricts women’s rights

Posted 17 February, 2021 in Analysis, Hamas, Middle East, Palestinian Territories
Photo: Orthuberra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Hamas has restocked its deadly arsenal since the 2014 Gaza war, a senior Israeli military commander said last week. The news came as an Islamic court in the coastal enclave further tightened restrictions on women, saying they needed the permission of a male guardian to travel. The Gaza-based terror…

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Analysis: Parties square up for election fight

Posted 9 February, 2021 in Analysis, Israel, Israeli Politics
Photo: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons The contours of the choice before Israeli voters on 23 March became clearer last week as parties submitted their final electoral lists, with centre-left rivals to the Labor party dropping out, the far-right consolidating and the main Israeli-Arab alliance splintering. What happened Last Thursday was the deadline for parties…

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In Brief: Hamas and Fatah teams meet in Cairo to agree elections deal

Posted 9 February, 2021 in Analysis, Palestinian Territories
Mahmoud Abbas. Photo: Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons Representatives of Hamas and Fatah met in Cairo this week to begin talks aimed at securing an agreement which will allow Palestinians to vote in their first elections in 15 years. Mahmoud Abbas (pictured) last month signed a decree authorising elections to the Palestinian parliament and for…

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In Brief: Iran threatens to push for nuclear weapon as Biden vows tough approach 

Posted 9 February, 2021 in Analysis, Iran, Middle East
Joe Biden. Photo: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons Iran’s intelligence minister has threatened that the Islamic republic will push for a nuclear weapon if international sanctions aren’t lifted soon. Mahmoud Alavi’s warning – reported by state television today – came as Joe Biden told Tehran the US wouldn’t ease sanctions until Iran complies…

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In Brief: Netanyahu enters not guilty plea as corruption case resumes

Posted 9 February, 2021 in Analysis, Israel, Israeli Politics
Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in Jerusalem’s District Court to formally enter a plea of not guilty as his trial on corruption charges resumed this week. The prime minister is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases. He is the first serving Israeli prime minister…

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