Featured this weekBaylor Brandeis Case Western Chicago Cornell George Washington Georgetown Hebrew Illinois - Urbana Indiana Irvine, UC Lehigh McGill Minnesota New York - NYU Oxford Pepperdine Santa Barbara, UC Tel Aviv UCLA Villanova Virginia | Fourteen Suicide Bombers Nabbed in Three Weeks
by Margot Dudkevitch  In the past three weeks, fourteen potential suicide bombers have been arrested by the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) in the West Bank, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky said last week. Shin Bet sources were quick to stress that the capture of the suicide bombers did not necessarily mean the bombings had been thwarted. "Only after the bomb to be used in the attack has been found and all those involved in planning the attack have been caught can we say an attack was actually thwarted," sources said. (Jerusalem Post)
Additional Headlines Survey: Israel a Top-5 Loved Nation by U.S. Citizens Hamas Helping Militant Groups Carry Out Qassam Attacks | | Hamas Won't Talk With Israel
by Arnon Regular  The head of Hamas' political bureau, Khaled Mashaal, on Thursday told the A-Shams radio station based in Nazareth, "We are coming into power with an open mind, and are ready to talk to anyone in the world, including the United States. Only with Israel we won't talk." (Ha'aretz)
What Russia and France Don't Understand About Hamas
by the Editors  At the very moment that the Israelis have achieved a new consensus about withdrawing from territories and abandoning settlements and establishing borders and acquiescing in the creation of Palestine, the Palestinians have achieved a new consensus of the antithetical sort and have elected, by a significant majority, a movement that stands brazenly for theocracy and terrorism and the destruction of Israel. (The New Republic)
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Case Western: Caravan for Democracy Prompts Discussion about Middle East
by Benjamin Golub  On Feb. 16, Case and Hillel hosted Yechiel Leiter, Chief of Finance to former Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. The former Chief of Finance discussed the economic issues Israel faces. Democratic beliefs, elections, and the spread of democracy were also discussed. "Democracies do not go to war with democracies," said Leiter. (The Observer)
Cornell: Marcus Highlights Palestinian Media
by Christie DiNapoli  "[Martyrdom] is a good thing. We don't want this world, we want the Afterlife. We benefit not from this life but from the Afterlife." This is the opinion of 11-year-old Yussra, presented in an interview on Palestinian television. According to Itamar Marcus, director of Palestinian Media Watch, the Palestinian Authority teaches its people, and especially its children, to desire "shahada" - death for Allah. Marcus spoke about current Palestinian propaganda targeted against Israel and Jews. (Sun)
| | Brandeis: BIPAC Petition Decries a Nuclear Iran
by Sheila Kelly  A petition calling on national leaders to "act appropriately and swiftly" to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons will be presented to the student body for a vote early next month following a campaign by the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee. If the petition passes the March 1 vote, BIPAC will present the resolution at the annual policy conference in Washington of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the influential lobby with which BIPAC is affiliated. (The Justice)
UCLA: Former Israeli Ambassador Sees Few Ways Forward
by Kevin Matthews  Tel Aviv University President Itamar Rabinovich, a former ambassador to Washington and chief Israeli negotiator with Syria, explained to a UCLA audience Feb. 16 that prospects for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement were "not very auspicious" in the wake of the war in Iraq, Hamas's victory in Palestinian elections, and uncertainties in Israeli politics. (UCLA International Institute)
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Point-Counterpoint - Is Hamas a Partner to the Peace Process or a Strategic Threat to Israel?
Hamas Is in for the Long Run
by Barry Rubin - A key aspect of Hamas's strategy is ensuring that the educational system raises a generation that will reject any peace or compromise with Israel, extol terrorism and vote Hamas.
- The priority will be on the anti-Israel struggle, virtually outlawing moderation and enthroning the Hamas perspective of a long-term, life-or-death struggle in which no real compromise is possible.
- Hamas will try to create an illusion of moderation among foreigners. Its current "moderate" plan states that if Israel concedes everything Hamas will not attack Israel until it decides to do so, but it reserves the right to commit genocide against Israel.
- And even this offer does not mean Hamas would make any effort to stop others - Fatah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas people - from staging terror attacks during this time.
- Or, in Zahar's words: "Anyone who thinks the [period of] calm means giving in, is mistaken. The calm is in preparation for a new round of resistance and victory." (Jerusalem Post)
The Security Implications of a Hamas-Led Palestinian Authority
by Moshe Ya'alon - Al-Qaeda elements, which Hamas will permit to operate as proxies, will increasingly penetrate the PA. Currently, al-Qaeda elements are exploiting an unstable situation by recruiting frustrated Fatah activists and former Hamas terrorists opposing the tahdiya (period of calm).
- Recent meetings between Mishal and Ahmadinejad in Damascus should be viewed as early warnings of this dangerous alliance, which will grow with or without Western financial backing of the Hamas-led government.
- Hamas will pursue - by production or imports - longer-range, more lethal, and more accurate rockets, capable of hitting Ashkelon and more northern coastal cities.
- Hamas will further attempt to import handheld air defense (AD) missiles and antitank missiles. These more effective 'low profile' weapons systems will create a serious military challenge for Israel if Hamas remains in power
- Hamas's victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections will likely spawn a counter 'earthquake' to the U.S.-led push for democratization, which will not be confined to the Palestinian internal arena or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Washington Institute for Near East Policy)
| | Making the Best of Hamas' Victory
by Robert Malley -
If dealt with wisely, the Islamists' victory could present an opportunity for the United States to promote its core interests without betraying its core principles. -
Most of all, they must prove their way works; they cannot do that if conflict escalates. Renewed attacks against Israelis would lead to a swift and far-reaching response and ravage whatever hope the Islamists have for their turn at the helm. -
Even on the diplomatic front, Hamas' victory is not necessarily a fatal setback. The Islamists' approach is more in tune with current Israeli thinking than the PA's loftier goal of a negotiated permanent peace ever was. -
In its penchant for unilateralism and partiality toward a long-term interim deal, Israel may have found its match in Hamas' reluctance to talk to the enemy, opposition at this stage to a permanent agreement and preference for an extended truce. -
Hamas, which benefited mightily from this deep-seated aspiration for dignity, is not about to betray it, and the Palestinian people, which put Hamas in power, are not about to blame the Islamists if they fail because of international hostility. (Baltimore Sun)
Don't Rush to Judge with Hamas in Power
by Shlomo Gazit - It is not too early to state that until the picture becomes clearer, it would be better for Israel, the United States, and the international community if politicians refrain from offering reflexive, obstructive pronouncements.
- The Hamas victory, which calls for the establishment of a Hamas government, presents three challenges to the movement's leaders, and a fundamental question is whether they see the same things from their government seats that they saw from the opposition.
- Many in the Hamas movement seem to be signaling that they understand the need to alter course.
- Until we know where the new Hamas government is heading, we must withhold judgments and simplistic declarations. (Boston Globe)
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