Another #Gaza escalation that will probably (hopefully) end in hours after both sides made their point and Mladenov makes a few phone calls. Meanwhile Netanyahu stuck between what he knows is a good ceasefire deal for Israel and his fear of looking weak in the eyes of his base >>
Hamas leaders facing a similar dilemma. They know the deal is good for #Gaza and crucial to improving life there but they don't want to go with something they can't present as a victory.
Netanyahu's base will be dissatisfied anyway because he's not about to do what they want and order major strikes on Gaza (just the usual sand dunes bombing). Bibi is a pyromaniac domestically and risk-averse crossing the border. So we can expect more incitement against "the left"
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Netanyahu and Putin are both heavily invested in their strategic relationship. This a severe test of the relationship, but I'll be surprised if they don't find a way which will allow both sides to save face and for Israel to continue operating against Iranian targets in Syria.
Worth noting that Putin, since he's been in power, has made a point of regularly meeting not only Netanyahu, but all Israeli leaders (Barak, Sharon, Olmert, Peres). Someone close to him told me "Putin's analysis of the USSR is they made a fatal mistake by being Israel's enemy".
Putin well aware the west prepared only to talk about Syria, but with exception of 2 rare reprisals over regime chemical attacks, will do nothing. This enabled Russia to prop up Assad with a relatively small investment of air-power. Only Israel & Turkey in position to interfere>>
This may be an unpopular view on the left but I'm not entirely convinced that Israel has suddenly and radically changed its border-control policy towards Jewish activists and journalists, critical of Israeli policies. Am basing this both on anecdotal evidence and my sources >>
I know a number of Jewish journalists (including a couple who were very well-connected) and Jewish activists who have been detained for hours for questioning at Ben Gurion Airport, going back 10 years at least. Neither are black-lists of pro-BDS activists, including Jews, new. >>
What's obviously changed is in the past, most Jewish journalists or activists detained at Ben Gurion preferred not to go public for a variety of personal & professional reasons. Some preferred to believe it was a mistake. Today, being detained entering Israel is a badge of pride.
Just finished reading the 19-page Sara Netanyahu indictment. A few thoughts. 1. If it took the State Prosecutors office & Attorney-General 3 years to indict on a relatively simple fraud case. It will take years for indictments in Netanyahu's much more complex investigations. >>
2. The details are important but read them on @haaretzcom
The underlying picture of Sara, the mistress of a state-funded household being constantly informed she can't have whatever she wants and still finding fraudulent ways of getting her way is by now sadly very familiar. >>
3. A name is missing from the indictment. That of the prime minister's. Sara (&the senior official at the PM's office who conspired with her) weren't operating in a vacuum. There's something simply obscene in hanging all this on Sara & not Bibi. She's at fault, but he's the PM >>