Racist attacks on black Africans - they're not just for Libyans.

Demonstrators have attacked African migrants in Tel Aviv in a protest against refugees and asylum-seekers that indicates an increasingly volatile mood in Israel over what it terms as "infiltrators".

Miri Regev, a member of the Israeli parliament, told the crowd "the Sudanese are a cancer in our body". The vast majority of asylum-seekers in Israel are from Sudan and Eritrea.

Around 1,000 demonstrators took part in the demonstration on Wednesday night, waving signs saying: "Infiltrators, get out of our homes" and "Our streets are no longer safe for our children." A car containing Africans was attacked and shops serving the refugee community were looted. Seventeen people were arrested.

A reporter for the Israeli daily Maariv described it as an "unbridled rampage" and explosion of "pent-up rage".

Seems to me everyone in the North has it in for sub-Saharans. But I do wonder whether the Israeli bigots have a heirarchy of racism which ranks Arabs and black Africans on a scale of hateability. The bigots would doubtless complain that their hate is also about "infiltrators" taking jobs and causing crime. As Ta-Nehisi Coates notes today though, "Complicating racism with other factors doesn't make it any better. It just makes it racism. Again." That's as true in Israel as it is anywhere else.

Cape Town | May 21

Reuters - Israeli goods produced in the occupied Palestinian territories and sold in South Africa may no longer be labelled "Made in Israel," the South African trade minister said on Monday, causing concern in Israel that other countries may follow suit.

"We are, through this notice, requiring that they be correctly labelled and it will then be up to consumers in South Africa whether they want to purchase those products or not," Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies told reporters.

"We are not seeking to prevent the entry of such products into South Africa," he said.

South Africa's trade with Israel is modest, but there is concern in Israel about broader economic and political damage.

A labelling change would bolster an international campaign by pro-Palestinian activists for a boycott of products made by Israeli factories in the West Bank, territory Israel captured in the 1967 war and which Palestinians want as part of a future state.

"If this will move to other places in the world, we will be in big trouble," Israeli Industry and Trade Minister Shalom Simhon told reporters before Davies's news conference.

The demand for a change in labelling was published in the government gazette earlier this month in a statement that said traders must not "incorrectly label products that originate from the Occupied Palestinian Territory" as products made in Israel.

May 14

BBC - Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have agreed to end their mass hunger strike, reports say.

The Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs, Issa Qaraqe, said the deal was agreed after talks with Israel, without giving details, according to the Associated Press news agency.

Israeli officials have so far made no public comments on the reported deal.

More than 1,500 Palestinians have been on hunger strike since mid-April, demanding better conditions.

Some of the strikers are now said to be seriously ill.

The deal was reportedly signed on Monday after several hours of talks between Israeli prison officials and a group of Palestinian detainees at Ashkelon jail.

Well, Bibi is broken and will now have to sit down with the Palestinians for reals.

Now, before we open the champagne, let's note that Netanyahu forced the issue himself, which means he didn't just surrender to the alignment surrounding him: he's still in control which means he's still going to have final say on what transpires.

But it seems pretty clear that the Kadima Party-- Netanyahu's main adversary in the Knesset-- extracted a price from his flesh, which means he has to at least go through the motions of making overtures to Mahmoud Abbas and the PA in order to keep his own clutch on power.

Just Foreign Policy does its best to decapitate once and for all any lingering zombie illusions re: consensus on Iran among teh NATSEC elite:

Listening to many politicians and pundits in the US and Israel, you may be led to believe that there is a consensus around the ideas that Iran is irrational, that it poses an existential threat to Israel, that it's currently trying to acquire a nuclear weapon, and that a military strike can help buy time to prevent such an outcome. But what many former and current top Israeli and other Western security officials are saying is precisely the opposite. We've collected some quotes to show you what these officials really think.

1. Iran's leadership is rational.
2. Iran does not pose an existential threat to Israel.
3. Iran has not made the decision to acquire a nuclear weapon.
4. Attacking Iran would make Iran more likely to acquire a nuclear weapon, not less so.
5. Attacking Iran would ignite a regional conflict.
6. Attacking Iran would not be in US or Israeli national interests.
7. There is time to pursue non-military options.
8. The West needs to talk to Iran.

Keep this in mind as (bull)shit starts to hit the electoral fan after Bibi flips the switch...

h/t

Related: Another rundown of the latest on-the-record statements re: Iran from key members of the Israeli security establishment, courtesy CSM's Dan Murphy.

Update: Via Tina in comments -- it's on like Donkey Kong:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for an early general election in four months' time.

The vote is expected to take place in September, a year before he is required by law to seek a new mandate.

Mr Netanyahu leads a centre-right coalition which includes his own Likud and ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu.

Mr Netanyahu has been prime minister since 2009. Opinion polls suggest that he is by some distance the most popular politician in Israel.

Tel Aviv | April 24

Al Jazeera - UN chief says he is "deeply troubled" with decision to give formal status to outposts in Bruchin, Rechalim and Sansana.

Israel has approved three settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, the office of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has said in a statement.

The UN and the US criticised the move, with US State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland calling it unhelpful to making peace with Palestinians.

Cairo | April 22

Al Jazeera - Top official insists decision was not political as Israel says it overshadows peace agreement between the two countries.

The head of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company has said it has terminated its contract to ship gas to Israel because of violations of contractual obligations, a decision Israel said overshadowed the peace agreement between the two countries.

Mohamed Shoeb, the gas company's top official, said Sunday's decision was not political. "This has nothing to do with anything outside of the commercial relations,'' Shoeb said.

Apr 22

BBC - Egyptian officials say they have scrapped an agreement to supply Israel with natural gas.

Israel received around 40% of its gas supplies from Egypt and uses it to generate electricity.

The announcement comes after the cross-border pipeline suffered numerous sabotage attacks which cut supplies.

The Israeli Finance Minister, Yuval Steinitz, said the move was of "great concern", and overshadowed peace agreements between the countries.

Egypt was the first Middle East country to sign a peace accord with Israel, in 1979, and the deal to supply energy has been a key part of agreements between the two states.

News scoops may happen because of hard work by reporters. That hard work may be supplemented by government officials wanting to leak information that might not be as effectively released through official channels.

Governments may also release information officially that is not true.

Both seem to be happening in the case of Iran, Israel, and the United States. The motives seem to be many and not entirely decipherable.

Iran claims that its nuclear program is for peaceful uses. It has admitted to the pursuit of technologies related to nuclear weapons in the past but says that nuclear weapons are not a current goal, and the ruling mullahs repeat that nuclear weapons are religiously forbidden. However, some of the activities in Iran’s nuclear program lay a foundation for production of nuclear weapons if that decision is taken, and, as a signatory of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran is obligated to explain those activities, which it has not. Iran loudly announces advances in its nuclear technology, sometimes claiming more than has been achieved. Putting an Additional Protocol into effect and allowing IAEA inspectors easy access to more sites would help to show the program’s goals, but Iran claims that IAEA inspections in the past have included spies.

continue reading after the jump

Mark Perry | Mar 28

Foreign Policy - U.S. officials believe that the Israelis have gained access to airbases in Azerbaijan. Does this bring them one step closer to a war with Iran?

Gabe Kahn | March 29

Arutz Sheva - IDF chief Benny Gantz ends the Army's long-customary Passover vacation, orders commanders to cancel leaves and remain at full strength.

The IDF on Tuesday broke with Israeli tradition and ordered all units to cancel the long-customary Passover leaves and remain on full alert over the holiday.

Over the years, an army-wide break during Passover became a tradition followed by all major military units, including the Air Force, Navy and intelligence corps.

Over 200 unguided rockets have been fired at Israel over the weekend, killing not one single person. In retaliation, Israel has shelled and bombed Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 25 civilian "human shields", including a few who were apparently shielding while on their way to school...

Now Israel says it is prepared if it needs to go in on the ground, and Twitter has reports of Israeli tanks sitting ready at the Erez border crossing.

Developing, unfortunately.

Gaza City | March 12

CNN - Five people were killed Monday in Gaza, and more than three dozen rockets fell into Israel, the latest events in days of fighting that marked the worst escalation of violence in the coastal territory in months, officials said.

Israel said its airstrikes have targeted militant rocket launching sites across the Palestinian territory in response to more than 200 rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel since Friday. More than 36 rockets were fired into Israel on Monday, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said

In Gaza, at least 23 people have been killed in strikes since Friday, while at least 75 people have been wounded.

A wide range of opinion has been offered up on what a deal with Iran might look like. Additionally, there has been a plethora of accusations and threats that confuse the issues. And there are things left unspoken that are critical to the situation with Iran.

I’ve been collecting some of those ideas for deals at Nuclear Diner. It’s clear that the negotiations will take place in stages. If all goes well, the early talks will be frustrating and will circle around the issues. Some small agreements will be reached along with arrangements for further talks. Under the media radar, interactions will take place between diplomats and technical experts. The next round of talks will begin to deal with substantive issues, like full accounting of Iran’s nuclear weapons activities, the possibility of a pause in Iran’s enrichment, and sanctions against Iran. There will have to be benefits for all sides. This round also will be frustrating, but, if it is successful, will come up with a trade of, say, lessened sanctions for a pause in enrichment. The next round of negotiations would begin to deal with solutions to the concerns on all sides.

As you probably know by now, a resolution condemning the tyranny of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was introduced into the Security Council of the United Nations this weekend. It had the backing of the United States and European Union but more important, the strong endorsement of the Arab League.

It was immediately vetoed by the Russians and Chinese. A curious development to be sure: Syria is not a thriving economy like Iran and does not make large purchases of arms from the Russians and Chinese like Iran.

Gareth Porter | Washington | Mar 2

Al Jazeera - The magnet bomb that exploded on an Israeli Embassy diplomat's car in Delhi on February 13 seemed on the surface to be consistent with an Iranian-sponsored action.

It was carried out with same method by which Israel's Iranian proxy, the Mujahedin-e Khalq, had assassinated an Iranian scientist in mid-January. It occurred on the anniversary of the 2008 assassination of Hezbollah operations chief Imad Mugniyeh, which Hezbollah had vowed to avenge. And it happened at the same time as what appeared to be attempted bombings in Bangkok and Tbilisi.

But a review of the evidence uncovered thus far makes the link to Iran begin to look very dubious. Instead, it points to the distinct possibility that the Israelis planned a carefully limited bomb attack that was not intended to cause serious injury to Israeli diplomatic personnel, but that would advance the larger Israeli narrative on the need to punish Iran.

The evidence surrounding that bomb itself indicates a series of decisions by the terrorist team that is fundamentally inconsistent with an Iranian-Hezbollah revenge bombing. The preliminary forensic analysis of the bomb itself had estimated it to be 250-300 grams of explosives, but sources in the investigation later reduced the estimate to 200-250 grams. The 250-gram bomb that exploded near the Delhi High Court in May 2011 did not even damage the car under which it had been placed and was characterised by Police Commissioner B K Gupta as a "low-intensity and mild blast".

Want to know what President Barack Obama will say to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu when they meet Monday? Obama tells us in his interview with Jeffrey Goldberg.

…our argument [to Prime Minister Netanyahu] is going to be that it is important for us to see if we can solve this thing permanently, as opposed to temporarily. And the only way, historically, that a country has ultimately decided not to get nuclear weapons without constant military intervention has been when they themselves take [nuclear weapons] off the table. That's what happened in Libya, that's what happened in South Africa. And we think that, without in any way being under an illusion about Iranian intentions, without in any way being naive about the nature of that regime, they are self-interested. They recognize that they are in a bad, bad place right now. It is possible for them to make a strategic calculation that, at minimum, pushes much further to the right whatever potential breakout capacity they may have, and that may turn out to be the best decision for Israel's security.

Nobody's posted this yet, but President Obama's interview with Jeffrey Goldberg is really important, with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's visit coming up on Monday.

There's a lot there. Doug Saunders, of the Globe and Mail, likened it to an onion or parfait - many layers, which is what I kept gasping at as I read it.

I'll probably have more to say about it later.

March 2

Full size, at link, is really something.

    _{LeslieClark (McClatchy)} 

Sheera Frenkel | Eilat, Israel | Feb 17

McClatchy - Sparks flew across the desert sand as Mohammad Omar welded barbed wire to the top of a 16-foot fence that winds its way across the Israeli-Egyptian border.

Against the brown and tan landscape, the gleaming white metal of the fence stands out, an ominous warning to those attempting to cross into Israel.

"We have been working here for several months. By the end of the year we will be finished," Omar said, confirming a timeline that Israel's defense minister had announced earlier.

Concerned about turmoil in Egypt and what Israeli military officials say is a rising threat along the country's southern border, Israel has embarked on building an iron barrier that will stretch nearly 140 miles from the Taba border crossing on the Red Sea north through the Sinai Peninsula to the Gaza Strip and the Mediterranean. It will be the largest man-made object in the largely unoccupied desert.

Israeli military officials, providing a tour of the fence this week, said the threat along the country's southern border with Egypt now was "as high as we have seen it."

The Fatah and Hamas factions of the Palestinian people have come to an understanding on a pact to unify the factions. Mahmoud Abbas will continue to be the chief executive for the interim, supported by an independently elected cabinet until full elections can be organized.

This surprising move brings the Gaza Palestinians and the West Bank Palestinians together.

Understandably, the Arab street as reflected by its press, is uncertain. Note in particular the Israeli reactions.

I suppose there's good reason. When they aren't squaring off against Israeli forces, the two factions have been at each other's throats. This is not conducive to settling the larger issues at hand.

Joshua Mitnick | Tel Aviv | Feb 6

CSM - Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshal agreed in Qatar today that Mr. Abbas would lead an interim powersharing government.

The two feuding Palestinian factions took an important step toward reconciliation today, agreeing that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would lead an interim powersharing government with Hamas.

The unity accord, signed in Qatar by Mr. Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshal, follows five years of divided rule between Abbas’ secular Fatah party and the Islamist militant movement Hamas.

Reconciliation would give Palestinians a stronger hand in their push for an independent state. But Israel and the US have said they will not negotiate with Hamas, which they have designated as a terrorist group, further dimming the prospects for resumed peace talks.

Analysts say the compromise reflects rising insecurity among both parties, with Hamas pushed out of its longtime base in Syria amid turmoil there and Fatah frustrated with frozen US-sponsored peace talks with Israel.

"The situation for [Fatah and Hamas] is becoming uncertain on the outside, and moving toward instability," says Mohammed Dajani, a political science professor at Al Quds University in Jerusalem. "Better to use a window of opportunity to narrow the gaps and move toward domestic stability."

A blow for Israeli-Palestinian peace?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to condemn the agreement, reiterating an argument from last year that reconciliation with Hamas and peace talks with Israel are mutually exclusive because the Islamic militants refused to foreswear violence, recognize peace accords, and Israel.

"If [Abbas] will implement what was signed in Doha, [Qatar,] he will be choosing to abandon the path of peace and join with Hamas," Mr. Netanyahu said.

Following a round of peace talks in Jordan last month, the PA accused Israel of not submitting a substantive plan and said it wouldn't return to talks until Israel is willing to discuss specifics. Few expect active US mediation because of the 2012 presidential election campaign.

Yaakov Katz | Jerusalem, Israel | February 2

Jerusalem Post - US secretary of defense is concerned Israel will launch an attack before Iran enters so-called "immunity zone" when military strike won't bust Iran's nuclear facilities, 'Washington Post' reports.

United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta believes that Israel will attack Iran in April, May or June, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

According to the report, written by the paper’s senior opinion writer David Ignatius, Panetta is concerned that Israel will launch an attack before Iran enters the so-called “immunity zone” when its nuclear facilities will be heavily fortified and a military strike will no longer succeed.

The Common Dreams staff has an article: US, Israel Split on Iran? Joint Military Drill Cancelled: Netanyahu deputy voices ‘disappointment’ with Obama on Iran.

So is it Netanyahu trying to force Obama's hand or is it cover for Obama? If Israel started a war with Iran Obama would have to protect our troops in the area. It doesn't matter if Obama agrees with Israel, as President he would be required.

Matthew Kalman | Dec 26

The Independent - In a step that will further inflame already fraught relations between Israel and Turkey, parliamentarians in Jerusalem have publicly debated for the first time whether to recognise Turkish responsibility for the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915.

The Knesset session yesterday followed a French vote last week outlawing denial of the massacres, a step that angered the Turkish government.

"Denying a holocaust is something that history cannot agree with," Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said during a discussion in the Knesset's Education, Culture and Sports Committee, breaking a decades-long taboo on public debate by the Knesset on the issue – and a longtime avoidance of the use of the word "holocaust", which most Israelis prefer to apply only to the Nazi massacre of six million Jews. "We believe that as humans, as Jews and as citizens of the State of Israel – along with members of Knesset that are not Jewish – we must put the subject on the national agenda," Mr Rivlin said.

In the past, successive Israeli governments had suppressed discussion of the issue for fear of offending Turkey, a rare Muslim ally of the Jewish state. Academic symposiums have been held at Israeli universities and the former Education Minister Yossi Sarid attended two Armenian government conferences marking the 85th and 90th anniversaries of the massacre.

Following the breakdown of relations over the killing of nine passengers aboard a Turkish ship trying to enter Gaza in 2010, pressure grew for Israel's parliament to acknowledge the historical suffering of Armenians.