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Media Summary

UN report details Iranian arms smuggling to Hamas, Taliban

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The main item of Israel-related coverage in the UK media today is the decision by the IAEA to refer Syria to the UN Security Council over its undeclared nuclear reactor, destroyed by Israel in 2007. In other news, the Guardian, Metro London, the Times, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Scotsman, the Economist, Reuters and Sky News Online all note the on-going violent repression of protests in Syria. The Guardian speaks to filmmaker Claude Lanzmann about the continuing relevance of his film Shoah. The paper also notes the controversy around a song produced for a pro-Palestinian campaign in the UK. The Scotsman has a piece noting reports that Hamas is considering staying out of future Palestinian governments to ensure continued international aid to the Palestinians. The Jewish Chronicle notes British Foreign Secretary William Hague’s call to the Syrian president to reform or stand aside. Jewish News notes claims that a lecturers’ union in the UK is ‘institutionally racist’ after it voted for the ‘disuse’ of EU guidelines on anti-Semitism. The Economist has pieces on difficulties facing Palestinian attempts to form a unity government, Israel’s preparations for the Palestinian plan to seek approval of a unilateral declaration of statehood at the UN in September, the upcoming elections in Turkey and the economic policies that have helped fuel unrest in the Arab world. BBC Online and the Evening Standard note actor Leonard Nimoy’s support for a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Daily Mail notes an Israeli study that finds a correlation between month of birth and a number of health issues. The paper also quotes Quartet Middle East Envoy Tony Blair’s opposition to military intervention in Syria, among other reasons because of possible ‘ramifications’ for Israel. The Financial Times notes renewed sanctions against Iranian security institutions. The paper also notes a letter signed by 23 world figures supporting western engagement with Hamas, and has a piece by former US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk on the Palestinian unilateral strategy.   

In the Israeli media, Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post have details of a UN report showing Iranian support for terrorist organisations in the Middle East. The Jerusalem Post and Ynetnews have pieces on evidence of Palestinian doubts regarding the strategy of a unilateral declaration of statehood. Haaretz, meanwhile, reports details of Israel’s plan to counter this strategy. Haaretz has an additional piece on Hamas efforts to use social media sites to promote a more moderate image. The Jerusalem Post quotes an IDF official who notes that Israel has a large ‘target bank’ of Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon. Ynetnews has additional pieces on a Palestinian march timed to coincide with the upcoming flotilla to Gaza, and an Iranian denial that Teheran is seeking nuclear weapons. Maariv, has a report noting Israeli concerns that a large quantity of Grad missiles have been smuggled from Libya to Gaza.