Topic: Gaza Strip

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Israel's coalition government: Israeli and Arab media react

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised Israel (and its Arab neighbors) when he announced the creation of a unity government on May 8: Israeli and Arab media react.
Blast-off: 6 recent missile advances

Missiles have been prominent in the news with India’s successful test, North Korea’s failed one, and much talk of missile defense systems in Europe and the Persian Gulf. Here are six recent noteworthy missile-technology advances.
Who is Hamas? 5 questions about the Palestinian militant group.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has agreed to form a unity government led by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority and head of rival Palestinian faction Fatah. But who is Hamas? What is their relationship with Fatah, and what might Hamas gain from reconciling with them? Here are five key questions about Hamas.
Q&A: What's with the war talk surrounding Iran?

Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program have escalated in recent weeks as the US and Europe ramp up sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
In Pictures: Gilad Shalit released

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Trying to restart peace talks, Israel returns Palestinian militants remains

The Israeli government turned over the remains of over 90 Palestinian militants on Thursday. The militants had been killed trying to carry out attacks on Israeli targets, some dating back over 30 years.
Senate committee cuts Pakistan aid over doctor's conviction

After a Pakistani court sentenced the doctor who helped the CIA find Osama bin Laden to 33 years for treason, a US Senate panel voted Thursday to cut aid to Pakistan by $33 million.
Palestinians mark Nakba Day with slingshots, despite calls for calm

Nakba Day, translated to 'catastrophe day,' marks the day the state of Israel was created and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced.
Israel's coalition government: Israeli and Arab media react

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised Israel (and its Arab neighbors) when he announced the creation of a unity government on May 8: Israeli and Arab media react.
Backchannels
Where does the Israeli security establishment stand on attacking Iran?

A look at disclosed positions.
Hunger intifada? Palestinian prisoners wield new-old tool against Israel.

As many as half of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have followed the example of Khader Adnan, whose 66-day hunger strike became something of a cause célèbre earlier this year.
Backchannels
Out of ideas, Palestinian Authority censors critics

The Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas is growing increasingly intolerant of criticism. Last week the PA blocked eight websites tied to an Abbas rival.
Is the Palestinian Authority really a 'fig leaf' for Israeli occupation?

That's the charge of Yossi Beilin, Israeli architect of the Oslo accords. In an interview with the Monitor, he defends his recent call for the PA to be dissolved – 19 years after he helped set it up.
Florida-style 'Stand Your Ground' gun laws sub impulse for intelligent thinking

Even as George Zimmerman stands trial for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, many Americans argue these laws make us safe. I've had pistols held to my head from Bosnia to Beirut. Your best self-defense is your tongue. Those who put their faith in guns will ultimately be outgunned.
Backchannels
Israeli army chief says he doubts Iran will build a nuclear weapon

In an interview with Haaretz, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz acknowledged the threat of a nuclear Iran but said Tehran wasn't likely to go there, citing its 'rational' leadership.
Blast-off: 6 recent missile advances

Missiles have been prominent in the news with India’s successful test, North Korea’s failed one, and much talk of missile defense systems in Europe and the Persian Gulf. Here are six recent noteworthy missile-technology advances.
No explanation given: Palestinian PM skips Netanyahu meeting

Looking ahead, Palestinian leaders face few appealing options for advancing their agenda, which has been sidelined by Iran and the US elections.
Restart of talks uncertain as Palestinian prime minister skips Israeli meeting

Salam Fayyad did not attend a scheduled meeting Tuesday with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Other senior Palestinian officials delivered a letter to Netanyahu with a list of demands before talks can resume.
Israel dismisses 'flytilla' protest, pointing to human rights abuses in Syria, Iran

Israel denied entry and deported several dozen pro-Palestinian activists who flew into Tel Aviv's airport on Sunday, arguing they are missing the bigger regional issues.
Hebron settlers threaten retaliation after Israeli police evict them

The tensions in Hebron, a mainly Arab city that's holy to both Muslims and Jews, test Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's willingness to expand settlement in the West Bank.
Backchannels
Why Israel is even less likely to strike Iran now

Obama appears to be hemming in Israel at every turn. Case in point: A report in which unnamed US officials allege that Israel has obtained access to bases in Azerbaijan, on Iran's border.
Gaza man killed by soldiers as thousands protest Israel policy

Security forces in riot gear deployed in high numbers along the frontiers of Israel and the Palestinian territories in anticipation of a repeat of last year's violence, in which at least 38 people died near the borders with Lebanon and Syria.
Terrorism & Security
Israeli efforts to defuse 'Land Day' tensions fail as clashes erupt at checkpoint

Some Palestinian protesters threw rocks at Israeli soldiers amid Land Day commemorations of the 1976 killing of six Palestinian citizens of Israel. Israeli forces responded with tear gas.
Atheist and pro-Israel, Maikel Nabil tests free speech in Egypt

A year ago this week, Maikel Nabil became the first Egyptian blogger to be arrested solely for his opinion. Now released, he talks about his fight for one of the key principles of democracy.
Asma Assad, Syria's first lady, faces sanctions, contempt

The European Union slapped sanctions Friday on Asma Assad, the 36-year-old wife of the president who for the past decade offered a veneer of respectability to one of the world's most opaque and ruthless dictatorships.
Jewish community draws solace from France's response to killings

Since a gunman killed a rabbi and three children at a Jewish school in Toulouse, French Jews have been bolstered by the universal national revulsion over the attacks.
Israel-Gaza truce ends worst fighting since 2009 war. Did Iran have a role? (+video)

The Gaza fighting marked the rise of the Iran-backed Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian proxy that analysts say could be used to try to divert Israel's focus away from Iran's nuclear program.
Gaza militant assassinated by Israel, sparking fears of wider violence

Israeli confirmed its targeted assassination of Zuhair al-Qaissi was the chief of the Popular Resistance Committees, a pro-Hamas militant group that has threatened retaliation.
AIPAC concerns aside, Israelis say Iran is a waning hegemon

Israeli leaders see Iran in danger of losing its dominance in the region as Syria, the linchpin of Tehran's regional alliance, falters. But a nuclear weapon could help it regain lost ground.
Israel's ex-spy chief sees opportunity in Syria crisis

In an interview, former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy says a collapse of the Assad regime in Syria could deal a blow to Iran's regional ambitions and nuclear program