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Media Summary

27/08/2015

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The Financial Times (FT) reports from Washington that the White House is “close to securing” the requisite number of votes to ensure that the nuclear deal with Iran. Earlier this week prominent democratic Senator Patty Murray came out in favour of the agreement.

The FT also quotes the Facebook page of Israeli Minister of Culture MK Miri Regev where she chastised world-renowned Israeli pianist and peace activist Daniel Barenboim based on rumours that he might travel to Tehran next month to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic. Reports of such a trip remain unconfirmed by the paper.

An opinion piece in The Times argues that while the world waits for the US Congress to vote on the Iran deal, Philip Hammond’s recent visit to Tehran shows that in the UK’s eyes Iran is “ripe for investment”. Despite human rights abuses, inherent suspicion of Britain due to its involvement in the 1953 coup and its business dealings with Iran under the Shah, the piece argues that trade with the UK and the West cold “civilise the theocratic apparatus of the Iranian state”.

In the Telegraph, Russia’s Ambassador to the UK Alexander Yakovenko argues that the West must cooperate with Russia in order to solve the problems of the Middle East. Citing the Iran nuclear deal as an example of success, Putin’ emissary argues that more collaboration is needed to address the region’s additional challenges, including ISIS, the Syrian civil war, the Arab-Israeli conflict and even the current migration crisis to Europe.

A seemingly confident Assad has told Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television network that he stands by and has confidence in “sincere and transparent” Russia, as well as his allies in Tehran. The Guardian and BBC quote the Syrian president as “confident” in the support of his allies. Meanwhile, the Times and the Guardian have reported the death of a British hacker, killed in an apparent US drone strike in Syria. 21-year old Junaid Hussain from Birmingham was accused of being a “prominent member of the Islamic State”. The Guardian also reports that mustard gas is “likely” to have been used by the Islamic State in recent attacks on the city of Aleppo.

The Independent reports that Hezbollah is supporting calls for the Lebanese government to resign amidst the ‘rubbish protests’ that have exacerbated in recent days. Also in the Independent is a story about a Palestinian artist who was ejected from Banksy’s Dismaland after he protested the featuring of Israeli art. Shadi Alzaqzouq was thrown after lying down in front of two of his own pieces of art with a sign reading “R.I.P. Gaza: Boycott Israel.”

The Israeli media today continues to be dominated by coverage of the decision to appoint Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch as Israel’s 18th Police Commissioner. Haaretz, Maariv and NRG, as well as Yediot Ahronot reported that last night, some 40 former police commissioners and major generals convened to reportedly discuss how to scuttle the appointment.

The Turkel Commission, the official body that must approve Hirsch’s appointment, has also been inundated with complaints by those who oppose the deal. Many of these are parents of IDF soldiers who died during the Second Lebanon War and who view Hirsch as personally responsible for the death of their children. Yesterday in a television interview to Israeli Channel 10 Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan admitted that he did not expect the level of public outcry that resulted from the announcement to appoint Hirsch. He nevertheless stands by his decision. Commentator Ben Caspit has written in Maariv calling on Gilad Erdan to cut his loses and reverse his decision on the appointment.

The Jerusalem Post, Haaretz and other outlets are reporting that following a rocket attack the Israeli air force struck targets in Gaza last night. In Jerusalem, a Border Policeman was stabbed yesterday in the Old City suffering mild injuries, while another was wounded when a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a police jeep in Jerusalem’s A-Tur neighbourhood.

In what may be a significant development on the energy front, Channel 2 News and Globes are reporting that Economy Minister Aryeh Deri will refrain from allowing the Antitrust Authority to be bypassed in the Knesset, even if the Knesset approves the natural gas plan reached between the government and Noble Energy and its partners. This decision could prevent progress for a number of months and cause significant frustration for Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The Times of Israel has reported on a letter sent to the US Congress signed by nearly 200 retired U.S. generals, admirals and political officials urging members to reject the Iran deal in next month’s vote. In July, some 100 former US diplomats sent a similar letter to members of congress urging them to support the deal.

In Zurich yesterday, a FIFA panel whose goal is to smooth over relations between the Israeli and Palestinian football associations met for the first time, according to the Times of Israel. The panel is a result of the compromise reached following the Palestinian bid earlier this year to ban Israel from the world soccer body.