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Media Summary

18/08/2015

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The Independent i reports that a Palestinian man was shot dead yesterday after he stabbed an Israeli border policeman at a checkpoint near Nablus in the West Bank. It is the third such incident during the past few days, the second resulting in the death of the assailant, with Israeli soldiers having been subject to a knife attack on each occasion.

The Independent online covers reports in the Israeli media that the IDF has carried out drills to prepare for a possible operation in Syria, in the event that a large-scale infiltration is attempted by Islamists forces across the border. The reports also specify the IDF assessment that attacks along the border, which have occurred periodically during the Syrian Civil War, are orchestrated by Iran.

The Guardian online reports that Syrian government air strikes continue to pound the Damascus suburb of Douma, despite widespread condemnation of an air operation there over the weekend, which killed at least 100 civilians. The Times online says that Turkey is arming a coalition of anti-Assad rebels in northern Syria known as the Levant Front, to drive ISIS from what Ankara hopes will become a ‘safe zone’ on the Turkey-Syria border. Meanwhile, a feature in the Guardian highlights continued atrocities being carried out by the Assad regime, with his opponents concerned that the focus on ISIS has drawn attention away from the abuses of Syrian government forces.

The Guardian says that anti-Hezbollah Islamist cleric Ahmad al-Assir has been arrested at Beirut international airport after he attempted to flee the country using a false passport and a disguise. Al-Assir has been in hiding for two years after his followers were engaged in deadly battles with Hezbollah activists in Lebanon.

The Independent i reports that the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip has been opened for the first time in two months by Egyptian authorities. During that time, Israel has allowed numerous goods to enter Gaza daily through the border crossings under its control. Meanwhile, the Telegraph and the online editions of the Guardian and Financial Times cover the introduction of tough anti-terror laws in Egypt, which include special courts and harsh punishments for those found guilty of terror acts and “false” media reports. An editorial in the Financial Times says that such draconian measures will likely help radicalise a new generation of Muslim Brotherhood activists in Egypt.

Writing in City AM, John Hulsman condemns the “dangerous” foreign policy plans of Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn MP. In particular, he says that “only by maintaining the closest of ties with Israel can we ever hope to reach genuine peace in the region.”

In the Israeli media, the main story in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and Israel Hayom is the terrorist bombing in Thailand’s capital Bangkok yesterday. Thailand is a popular destination for Israeli tourists, although there is no suggestion that any were caught up in yesterday’s attack.

Another major item in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and Israel Hayom is the stabbing of a border policeman yesterday by a Palestinian, who was subsequently shot dead at the scene. All reports note the increasing frequency of such attacks during the last several days. Israel Radio news says that Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, has called on the UN Security Council and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to condemn this spate of attacks.

Maariv highlights the latest developments in the case of hunger striker Mohammed Allan, who is in an Ashkelon hospital following more than two months of refusing to eat. The Islamic Jihad member is protesting his administrative detention. Yesterday, Israel offered to release Allan if he agrees to live outside the country for four years. Writing in Maariv, Yossi Melman describes the Israeli proposal as “certainly reasonable. It is designed to allow all the parties involved to back down, including the Palestinian Authority, which does not want an escalation in violence (yet). Mainly, it was designed as a face-saving measure for Israel.”