Thurs. 21 Jun. 2011 @ 14.40 - Yossi Alpher is the Israeli co-editor of the bitterlemons family of internet publications. The bitterlemons publications reflect a joint Palestinian-Israeli effort to promote a civilized exchange of views about the Israel-Arab conflict and additional Middle East issues among a broad spectrum of participants. Alpher served as director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, as director of the American Jewish Committee's Israel/Middle East Office in Jerusalem and as a senior official in the Mossad. In July 2000 he served as special adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, concentrating on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Just Journalism Media Analyst Chris Dyszyński recently interviewed Alpher about bitterlemons, the competing narratives in the conflict, and his belief that the Palestinian bid for UN recognition of statehood could be 'leveraged into a win-win situation for Israelis, Palestinians and the world.' Chris Dyszyński: You're the Israeli co-editor of bitterlemons, which seeks to 'promote a civilized exchange of views about the Israel-Arab conflict'. What was the thinking behind its creation, and how did you and Ghassan Khatib (the Palestinian co-editor) end up working together on it? Yossi Alpher: The bitterlemons concept emerged in my thinking in the year 2000 from years of research on a solution to the conflict and informal, 'track II' meetings with Palestinians and other Arabs. An on-line dialogue that enables anyone to 'listen in' to the Israeli-Palestinian exchange of views seemed like the next natural step. Of course, it was impossible before the internet. Ghassan and I knew one another from years of track II contacts. We always disagreed with one another, but with mutual respect. We decided to incorporate that idea in bitterlemons. Tues. 19 Jul. 2011 @ 12.54 - Egyptian broadsheet documents preparations by Gaza Islamic factions for third intifada, as Hamas and other groups reportedly increase training and weapons smuggling. The Egyptian daily Al Masry Al Youm has reported on preparations by various Islamic militant groups in Gaza, including Hamas, for a third intifida against Israel. According to the in-depth article, these preparations include increased training, mass importing of weapons, and the construction of a network of tunnels throughout the Palestinian territory. 'Special from Gaza: Factions vow imminent armed uprising' by Sandor Jaszberenyi, is based on first-hand accounts from a variety of sources, including Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum. Barhum admits that the Fatah-Hamas unity process has been suspended until after the Palestinian bid for UN recognition of statehood in September, at which point he envisions a 'political vacuum' that will lead to a third intifada: '"They [Fatah] realized the bilateral talks led them to nowhere. This is why they will try a unilateral move with the UN," says Barhum. "We have agreed to delay the real reconciliation and the forming of the transitional government until the general assembly is over. The US will veto our request for sure. This will generate a vacuum in our political options. The chances for a third intifada are high, " he adds.' Wed. 20 Jul. 2011 @ 20.37 - Egyptian broadsheet's explanation for why Israel regards Islamic militants as 'terrorist' organisations contrasts with frequent perfunctory references to Hamas in British press. In a recent article in the Egyptian broadsheet Al Masri Al Youm, Sandor Jaszberenyi details the preparation amongst Palestinian militants in Gaza for a renewed round of violent conflict with Israel. Jaszberenyi describes meeting several prominent figures from a number of militant factions, including 'leading Islamic Jihad figure Khaled al-Batch.' The description of Islamic Jihad notes that the group is widely deemed to be a 'terrorist group': 'Leading Islamic Jihad figure Khaled al-Batch is over fifty and has been a part of the Palestinian struggle for years. His organization is deemed a terrorist group not only by the United States and Israel, but also by the rest of the world.' Tues. 19 July 2011 @ 18.40 - Telegraph and Independent report decision by Israeli Knesset Ethics Committee to temporarily suspend Arab parliamentarian due to participation in Mavi Marmara; latter omits fact that she can still vote. Yesterday the Israeli press reported the Knesset Ethics Committee's decision to temporarily suspend Haneen Zoabi, a member of the Knesset for the Balad party, due to her presence aboard the Mavi Marmara during the 2010 flotilla to Gaza. The Jerusalem Post noted that whilst the ethics committee acknowledged Zoabi's right to political demonstration, the decision by the committee was due to the belief that participation in the flotilla represented 'actively taking part in harming the state's security': '"Participating in the flotilla - intended to break Israel's naval blockade on Gaza, which is part of the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas - is an action that harms the state's security and is illegitimate for a Knesset member," the committee wrote... 'The committee also wrote that while an MK's words in a political demonstration did not constitute a violation of ethics, Zoabi's "actively taking part in harming the state's security justifies a change in the committee's policy, and an appropriate punishment."'
July 21, 2011 The Wire Just Journalism Interview: Yossi Alpher of bitterlemons
The Wire Hamas in Gaza: Militants prepare for 'armed uprising'
The Wire Egyptian portrayal of militants highlights perfunctory British representations of Hamas
The Wire Media coverage of Haneen Zoabi suspension
Thursday, 21 July 2011
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