Jewish court sentences dog to death by stoning 18, June 2011
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.Tags: death sentence, dog, dog sentenced to death, rabbinical court
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In Jerusalem, a rabbinical court has condemned a dog to death by stoning for fear that…wait for it…it is the reincarnation of a lawyer who insulted its judges twenty years ago; clearly the logical conclusion for a stray dog that refuses to leave one particular area.
Better still, one of the judges apparently asked local children to carry out the sentence, according to the BBC. Empowering and educational at the same time.
I write this just in case anyone was ever in any doubt: there are crazies on both sides.
Update
While I still firmly maintain that there are crazies on both sides, it seems that this example is not true.
Qatar mediation for Shalit? 16, May 2011
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Qatar.Tags: Gilad Shalid, Gilad Shalid mediation, Gilad Shalid Qatar mediation, Hamas mediation, Qatari diplomacy
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The French satirical and investigative magazine Le Canard Enchaine (like the UK’s Private Eye) reports that the Qatari Prime Minister has, on numerous occasions in recent years, spoken to Israeli President Netanyahu while in Paris about trying to obtain the release of Gilad Shalit, the Israel soldier kidnapped in 2006 by Hamas.
Though unconfirmed, such mediation would be wholly in keeping with Qatar’s profile. Not only have they sought to reestablish relations with Israel on numerous occasions but this type of role is made for Qatar: where they have, more than practically any other Arab states, relations on both sides of the fence and they are also removed enough from the conflict not to be embroiled. To my mind, this kind of example, if indeed it is the case, highlights Qatar’s erudite and mature foreign policy.
I come from the UK where I grew up with the IRA occasionally blowing up chunks of London, Manchester and Northern Ireland. The notion of sitting down with Gerry Adams and his murdering ilk, or indeed hearing his voice without being dubbed on the television, is profoundly disturbing, but needs to be done.
Qatar to sell gas to Israel ‘below cost price’? 7, May 2011
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Qatar.2 comments
There have been various rumblings recently that Qatar will soon be selling gas to Israel. Partly to make up for any lack of gas coming from Egypt and partly because Qatar have been trying to sell gas to Israel for decades.
One of the more alarmist stories, so to speak, notes that Qatar may well be selling gas to Israel soon “below cost price”. If a deal like this comes to fruition, many will suggest that Qatar is doing this under US pressure. Indeed, this would make sense. However, I’m not so sure. Not only are US-Qatari relations getting significantly better now by themselves; not only does Qatar not really need good US relations (indeed, it’s managed perfectly well with poor American relations for years now) but Qatar has on many on occasion sought independently to resuscitate its relations with Israel.
After the Israeli trade office closed after Operation Cast Lead, there have been at least two Qatari gambits to Israeli to solicit them to reopen it in return for access to Gaza for humanitarian goods. Both were rejected by Israel.
So why does Qatar seemingly so often seek Israeli support, particularly when it, at the very least, causes friction within the GCC and with Qatar and Iran?
- It’s the right thing to do. I’ve talked about this before, but there is something of a belligerent, bloody-minded streak to Qatar’s foreign policy. Despite the apparent drawbacks of a policy, if Qatar’s elite genuinely thinks that it is the right thing to do then, ceteris paribus, it will be done. To my mind, restarting relations with Israel is a sensible, mature and intelligent thing to do.
- Limelight. Many a time have I prattled on about this. Qatar courts international public opinion frequently and with great success. Interestingly, in such a case, they are clearly not courting Arab public opinion, the majority of which would – presumably – be against such normalisation. Hence, they are therefore playing to the Western crowd, to some degree, with this policy.
- Business. Israel is the best run and most advanced economy in the Middle East. If it’s true that Qatar is using its gas as a loss-leader (which I doubt…) then someone must, to my mind, have their eye on a larger trading prize, so to speak, with Israel.
On the Al Jazeera Israel-Palestine leaks 24, January 2011
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.Tags: Al Jazeera leak, Al Jazeera Palestinian papers, Israel and Palestine, Palestinian papers
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When I tell people that I am doing a PhD and researching generally on bits and pieces to do with the Middle East, more often than not, if they have any interest in the topic as a whole, I will be asked about Israel and Palestine. Will a peaceful solution ever be found? Don’t I think that Arafat/Sharon is the greatest/most evil man ever? And so on.
Without fail I immediately declare my ignorance on the topic. Though I know a good deal about the history of the conflict and probably far more than ‘the average person’, when it comes to the personality politics of those involved today I cannot pretend to be an expert. I quite simply do not have the time or inclination to delve into the minutiae of this Herculeanly complex topic. It takes all my time as it is to keep on top of what is going on in the Gulf.
(I note that I am relatively alone in this desire not to wax intellectually on topics on which I would not consider myself well enough informed: witness the amazing burgeoning of Tunisian experts in recent weeks).
With this disclaimer in mind, I feel compelled to make a few comments on Al Jazeera’s Palestinian paper leaks.
- While clearly newsworthy and interesting, it seems rather mean spirited of Al Jazeera to publish these documents. No, indeed, one could hardly expect them to have them and not publish, but still, it has put the Palestinian leadership is a wickedly difficult situation.
- Only one half (the Palestinian half) of story has been leaked. There are no facts from Israel’s side of things.
- These papers will seriously damage the Palestinian Authority and strengthen Hamas.
- No one whatsoever ought to be surprised to see that the PA made concessions. This is what negotiations are all about. Not that this will placate those living in squalor in chunks of Palestine, clinging to notions – fed scurrilously by Hamas et al – that ‘one day’ all of Palestine and Jerusalem will be returned to Arab control and Israel will…err…magically dissappear.
- The release highlights Israel in a highly negative light: manifestly the stronger power, constantly pushing the PA for more and more concessions (which they get) but none of which are enough. Having said this, one must be aware of point 2: this is only half the story. Don’t misunderstand me, I think that this is overall an accurate picture: Israel in the clear ascendancy, bullying the PA. Also, one must not forget that this is Israel’s ‘job’: to push as hard and as far in negotiations as they can. They can hardly be blamed for this.
- It is only because these documents came through Al Jazeera – a news organisation that I trust (the only one in the Middle East) – that I believe these documents. Ordinarily, they present such a devastating picture for one half of an issue (the PA half) and even come with revelations about British spies (hmm…), that I’d dismiss them out of hand.
Shin Bet ‘Jewish Division’ head exposed 8, October 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.Tags: Avigdor Arieli, Avigdor Arieli video, Shin Bet, Shin Bet 'Jewish Division' head exposed, Shin Bet video
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This video shows a high-ranking member of Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service. The 17-year old Israeli who took this video and posted it on YouTube has been arrested as it is illegal to reveal and publicise such information.
Avigdor Arieli, the head of Shin Bet’s ‘Jewish Division’, lives in a settlement in the West Bank and his role it to monitor extreme right-wing Israeli settlers. Haaretz reports that his identity, despite being officially a secret, is well-known in the area.
As the sage Michael Dunn notes,
if the hardline settlers are out to get him, he must be doing something right.
Hat tip: Mideasti
Yemen sacks chess team after Israeli match 22, September 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Yemen.Tags: Chess, Israel chess team, Yemen chess team, Yemen chess team sacked
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Yemeni authorities sacked their national chess team after it emerged that they played a match against Israeli opposition at the recent world championships in Belarus. What a mature decision.
Settlement iPhone app 22, September 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.Tags: Israeli settlements, Settlement i Phone app
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NPR reports that the activist group Peace Now has released an app for the iPhone that tracks Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Useful…perhaps.
Compulsory Arabic for Israeli pupils 25, August 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.Tags: Arabic in Israel, Arabic in Israeli schools, Compulsory arabic for Israeli pupils
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Authorities in Israel are introducing a programme making it compulsory to study Arabic in state schools. The test will run in 170 schools in Northern Israel.
It is hoped that it can foster something of a ‘cultural bridge’ to promote tolerance between Jews and Arabs. The BBC further notes that Arab students are required to learn Hebrew.
IDF poser: “gladly kill Arabs – even slaughter them” 19, August 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.Tags: Eden Abergil, Eden Abergil photos, Guardian photo album IDF photos, IDF photos, IDF pictures, MERIA article on Guardian
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The IDF soldier whose photos posed with humiliated, bound Palestinians caused international outrage and criticism from the IDF itself, has allegedly posted numerous hateful statements about Arabs and Palestinians on her Facebook page.
Haaretz reports that she apparently wrote, only last Thursday, that she would
gladly kill Arabs – even slaughter them
because
in war there are no rules.
forgetting, somewhat conveniently, that in fact there are a cornucopia of rules governing war. Moreover, if, as Israel, one of your prime complaints is the illegality of the tactics used against you, surely you’d want to stick to the letter of the law to highlight the opposition’s transgressions? (Obviously this doesn’t work…)
Also, she is not what one might call contricious.
I can’t allow Arab lovers to ruin the perfect life I lead. I am not sorry and I don’t regret it.
Yes, heaven forfend that your perfect life might be impinged by gross human rights violations. Imagine the Israeli outrage if this were the other way around…
When asked about how this might harm Israel’s image abroad she said that
We will always be attacked. Whatever we do, we will always be attacked.
Well, yes you and your country will indeed be tarred if you continue to ignore the most basic of human rights, as seemingly evidenced in these photos.
Hitting the nail squarely on the head, Ishai Menuchin, the head of the Public Committee Against Torture commented that
these terrible photographs reflect a norm in the way Palestinians are viewed, as an object and not as humans. It is an attitude that ignores their feelings as humans and their individual rights.
The Guardian helpfully compiled an album of IDF holiday snaps of similarly horrid photos, surely each and every one violating the Geneva Convention not to mention simple standards of decency.
Perhaps not coincidentally, I also read a diatribe against the Guardian in the right-wing MERIA journal on the apparent tinge of rabid, anti-Zionist feelings among commenters. What a shock: people that comment on newspaper stories on the internet are of the lunatic fringe…ground-breaking conclusions there.
IDF holiday snaps 17, August 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.Tags: Eden Abergil, Eden Abergil photos, Palestinian prisoners
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What a delightful photo to put on facebook or to send to your mom. This photo emerged from an album entitled: “The IDF…the best time of my life.”
You’ve got to think that when the Israeli army describes your behavior as “ugly and callous” then you’re really far out in left (perhaps that should be right) field…
Is it just me or do examples like this not really seem to hit on one of the key cruxes of the issue: an institutionalized lack of respect? Obviously, I am sure [desperately hope, rather] that most IDF soldiers are not like the delightful Eden Abergil here, but the simple, every day banality of the measures – from arrests to roadblocks to detentions – can only foster such deep hatred on a personal level. How routine, for example, are the detentions in the above picture? To say that this would build a simmering, burning resentment would be an understatement of epic proportions.
