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Media Summary

16/12/2015

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The Telegraph covers a poll published by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research which indicates that 67 per cent of Palestinians support knife attacks against Israelis. The current wave of violence has seen at least 21 Israelis killed, mainly in knife and vehicle attacks, since the start of October. The Telegraph also covers the poll, highlighting that 45 per cent of Palestinian respondents support a two-state solution and 65 per cent want Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to resign.

The Guardian online reports that Israeli customs seized a shipment heading for the PA, which contained around 4,000 children’s dolls depicting a stone-throwing Palestinian.

The Telegraph, Independent i and the online editions of the Independent and Guardian all report that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) yesterday voted to close its long-running investigation into the possible historic military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme, despite the IAEA’s own conclusion that Iran did attempt to develop nuclear armament technology until 2003 and then sporadically until 2009. Yesterday’s vote paves the way for the implementation of the July nuclear accord between Iran and the P5+1 (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany).

The Guardian online and the Independent online both say that a United Nations (UN) report has concluded that Iran violated existing sanctions by testing ballistic missiles in October. However, it remains unclear whether the UN Security Council will take any action.

The Independent and Independent i report that Argentina’s newly elected leader, President Macri, may re-open the investigation into the bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires in 1994. An aborted probe was thought to suggest that Iranian involvement in the bombing was ignored following an agreement with Argentina’s former president.

Writing in the Telegraph, David Blair reflects on a year of turmoil in the Middle East, but says that at least war with Iran over its nuclear ambitions was avoided. Discussing the process, he says this was achieved due to international sanctions on Tehran and the credible threat of force, including that shown by Israel.

The online editions of the Guardian and Independent both cover a meeting yesterday between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, which is thought to have focused on agreeing a list of terror groups in Syria, as a step to better coordinating US and Russian action in the country.

In the Israeli media, the top story in Yediot Ahronot, also covered prominently by Haaretz, is the controversy surrounding the pressure group Breaking the Silence (BtS), which provides a platform for former-Israeli soldiers to anonymously provide testimony critical of IDF behaviour, which is widely published in Israel and also abroad. Yediot Ahronot leads with a request by the family of a fallen soldier to Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon, to crack down on BtS’s activity. Ya’alon this week banned BtS from army bases and facilities. Haaretz focuses on a campaign launched yesterday by right-wing group Im Tirzu, which campaigns against BtS. They publicised a video clip which labelled BtS leaders as being ‘foreign agents’ aiding the work of terrorists.

Israel Hayom leads with an item which suggests that Israeli hospitals have been instructed to treat the most badly injured patients first in the fallout from a terror attack, even if that person is the assailant. Maariv reports that a Palestinian construction worker in the central city of Modi’in yesterday attacked and injured two people with a hammer. Meanwhile, Israel Radio news covers two overnight vehicle attacks on IDF troops operating in the West Bank town of Kalandiya. Three soldiers were lightly hurt, although possibly by friendly fire.

Israel Radio news covers criticism by Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz over the IAEA vote to close its investigation into the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme. He said that the decision was political not professional, in order to go ahead with July’s long-term nuclear accord.