Conflict Blotter

A couple of items from today’s Hebrew press.

First, Yediot Aharanot reports on more madness by Ben Gurion Airport’s out of control security screeners. Leading Egyptian businessmen have said they will not visit Israel again. People I speak with at the Foreign Ministry are going bonkers over this issue, but seem powerless to do anything about it.

The latest incident occurred last week. High-ranking officials who are supervising the implementation of the agreements for the QIZ joint Israeli-Egyptian industrial zone, who usually meet every three months in Israel and in Egypt by turns, arrived in Ben-Gurion Airport. Following unpleasant past experiences, escorts from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Customs Authority and a representative of the Foreign Ministry met the delegation at the gate. Although the four men arrived with visas from the Israeli embassy in Egypt, when they reached passport control they were delayed for two hours without explanation. Israeli businessman Danny Roshin, who heard their complaints, said, “All the coordination that was done in advance in order to prevent the disgrace did not help. The Israeli government officials wanted to sink into the ground from embarrassment.”

And Amir Rappaport in today’s Maariv writes that the Israeli security establishment is frustrated over Hamas’ ability to easily solve the latest electricity crisis in Gaza.

When Hamas took over the Gaza Strip more than two months ago, Israeli officials hoped that it would not succeed in establishing control. But the way in which the organization solved the “electricity crisis” last week shows that it is capable of providing for the inhabitants’ needs and not only imposing its authority by force of arms. Security establishment officials feel profound frustration as a result, and believe that the Islamic government in the Gaza Strip will last a long time.

And here’s a list of other odds and ends I’ve happened upon in last couple of days:

• For Arabic readers out there, here’s an internet OPSEC how to pulled from a Jihadi web forum.
• Debating the Iranian-Syrian alliance, Josh Landis squares off with Lebanese bloggers.
• US newspapers refuse to run cartoon with Islamic references.
• Inside the new Hezbollah video game.
• Two new Jihadi blogs, irhabeat and inshallah shaheed.
• And finally, the latest Hamas TV propaganda video (see video below). This is the best one yet.