BULLETIN No.138

Sami Moubayaed Unrelenting stalemate
ANALYSIS-Israeli threats unlikely to detach Syria from Hamas
Syria Untouched by Outside Pressures A few days after Israeli jets buzzed his summer residence, a beaming President Bashar Assad, accompanied by his elegant wife, inaugurated the first phase of restoration on an ancient citadel here.
American UN envoy wants Syria to arrest Mishaal!
Al-khiyami: Syria's stand is steadfast, and her strength lies in her relations with Iran, Hizbullah and HAMAS
Syria, Egypt preaching to us?
Syria Today
Vice-president meets Kurdish leaders for second time Read...
Pro-democracy activist arrested
Assad renews support for Palestinians in Israeli soldier crisis
Syria’s economic plan for the next ten years is a departure from the norm, aiming to implement socialist development schemes alongside free market capital enterprise...Read...
Technology specialist and now Syrian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Sami Khiyami talks to Syria Today about domestic reform and the foreign pressures facing Damascus. Read...
Jerusalem Post Turkish envoy conveys Israeli, US messages to Syria Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent one of his key advisers to Damascus on Thursday to inform the Assad administration that Syria had to increase
Turkey mediates between Syria and America Turkish Prime Minister, Rajab Tayeb Ardogan, said that his advisor, Ahmed David O'glo delivered President Bashar Al-assad messages and received answers that will be given to the American administration.
Gul calls on Syria to help defuse Israeli-Palestinian tensionNew Anatolian - Ankara,TurkeyTurkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called on Syria Wednesday to help defuse the recent Israeli-Palestinian tension by aiding efforts for the release of a ...
Rice lauds Turkey's diplomatic efforts
Turkey denies envoy's meeting with exiled Hamas leader
The spokesman for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied on Thursday that a Turkish envoy sent to Syria to try and help defuse the crisis in Gaza met with the exiled political leader of Hamas, Khalid Mashaal.
ChamPress
Turkish envoy conveys Israeli, US messages to Syria
Hizballah: Learning to Live with Resolution 1559 - Nicholas Blanford and David Schenker
What about kidnapping Palestinians?
The honeymoon is over, and Saad Hariri has to prove he belongs Whenever a politician first takes office, there is a tendency on the part of the public to grant the newcomer a period of collegiality and cooperation. The need for a "honeymoon period" for Lebanon's parliamentary majority leader, Saad Hariri, was all the more necessary, given that he had to struggle to find his footing in such unfamiliar terrain.

Ha’aretz Ze’ev Schiff Cold Turkey Ankara called for the release of the Hamas detainees. In private conversations, the Turks were saying: You behaved just like Hamas - You took hostages.
Gulf News Behind the dust and smoke of Gaza
Olmert is working hard to perfect the plan for further annexation of land.
Israel is intent on not giving Hamas a victory
For many observers, particularly in the western world, the kidnapping of an Israeli solider will not help alleviate the four decades of suffering of occupied Palestinians. Hamas must handle the current crisis wisely so the cost does not outweigh the benefit.
Ha’aretz – A matter of opinion Was the disengagement a success? It depends on who you ask. Moshe Ya'alon says today that the pullout was a terrible error, a failure foreseen, that stemmed from Sharon?s personal and political problems. Yossi Beilin also considers it a big mistake - even though he supported it. Dov Weissglas and Avi Dichter, on the other hand, feel strongly that the withdrawal accomplished its goals and in fact, was the only possible course of action under the circumstances.
Top IDF officials: Gaza raid won't halt rocket fire
Hamas sources confirm report on possible deal on Gilad Shalit
BBC 'Slippery slope' Israeli military warned to keep Gaza exit strategy in mind
Yedioth Ahronoth 'Palestinians in shock' Gaza Division commander tells Ynet, 'Palestinians did not expect such long series of operations'; soldiers dealing with weapons smuggled from 'totally breached' Egypt border, he says. IDF: Over 30 terrorists killed so far
Dore Gold Deterrence against Hamas
Jerusalem Post Paying the price for disengagement Because of the pullout, Hamas rose to power. Moreover, its ideology became widely accepted in Gaza.
FT Hamas under pressure as Israeli forces dig in Israel has resumed its airstrikes in Gaza as Ismail Haniyeh, Palestinian prime minister, called Israel’s actions a ‘crime against humanity’ and appealed for the ‘Israeli killing machine’ to stop.
Timeline: Gaza crisis build-up
In depth - Arab-Israel conflict
Israelis ‘trying to bring down Hamas government’
Dar Al Hayat Israel: 'No' to a Palestinian Partner
Randa Takieddine - What Israel is afraid of is Palestinian national unity, which would allow the Palestinians to have legitimate representation for negotiations accepted by international public opinion. Ehud Olmert is afraid of the emergence of a Palestinian partner who works to a legitimate program. The question is: To what extent is Israel willing to go in its policy of rejecting the creation of a neighboring Palestinian State?
Christian Science Monitor Are Israel's actions in Gaza 'war crimes'? Israel's supporters defend against accusations by UN, Amnesty International.
Hamas call to fight IsraelA Palestinian minister has called on his security forces to take up arms after Israeli tanks re-occupied a tract of northern Gaza, provoking the fiercest clashes since an Israeli soldier was seized 11 days ago.
Israel steps up Gaza offensive
International concern over a looming humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip increased, as Israel ordered its military to intensify operations in the area.
Washington Post Israel Meets Fierce Resistance Gaza operation shows challenges faced by military as it fights guerrilla force in residential areas
UPI Analysis: Health care crisis in Palestine By SARA GORECKIFaced with political and economic turmoil, Palestine's healthcare system is deep in a state of crisis.

Iraqi oil must remain Iraqi-owned Ewa Jasiewicz Workers are uniting against the threats to privatise the country's most important resource.
Der Spiegel Can Nouri al- Maliki Deliver Peace? Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has impressed the Americans with a series of courageous initiatives aimed at reconciling the country's different religious and ethnic groups and bringing peace to the war-torn land. But can he succeed without the necessary troops to back his plans?
Iraq's New Army Uses Creaky
In Ramadi, a Test of Iraqi Forces - W. Zirkle & D. Bellavia, Philly Inquirer

FPIF The Alleged Destabizling Iranian Role in Iraq
Asia Times Slow-motion progress in Iran nuclear talksWhile the North Korean missile crisis has to some extent shifted global attention away from Iran’s nuclear program, some aspects of the labyrinthine negotiations are coming into focus. But don't expect any “clear and substantive response” from Iran, as demanded by the G8 foreign ministers, just yet. The fact is, Tehran does not have one. - Kaveh L Afrasiab

Kuwait and democracy in the Gulf Just a first step