Two state solution more urgent than ever, Voice of America
FMEP President Matthew Duss tells VOA that it’s more urgent than ever to resolve the long-standing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Senate Democrats Leave Door Open To Skip Netanyahu Speech, Buzzfeed
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress in March, it is unclear whether everybody invited will actually show up. Only one senator asked by BuzzFeed News — Sen. Ben Cardin — said he’d definitely go.
Likud hires top Republican strategist ahead of elections, The Times of Israel
A leading American political strategist with deep ties to the Republican party was hired by the ruling Likud party and will serve as its media consultant ahead of the upcoming March 17 elections.
Netanyahu’s Congress invitation raises eyebrows among some US generals, Al Jazeera America
“Top brass who have questioned Obama’s strategies don’t want a foreign leader influencing US decision-making,” Mark Perry writes.
Israeli politics
The defiantly hopeful Zionism of Stav Shaffir, The Times of Israel
'V15 Campaign' Files Incitement Charges Against Likud, Arutz Sheva
The Victory in 2015 (V15) organization filed a complaint with police Monday afternoon against the Likud party and the head of Likud’s publicity campaign.
Top Kulanu Candidate: Settlements an 'Error', Arutz Sheva
Kulanu candidate Major General (ret.) Yoav Galant stated Tuesday that he believes in evicting residents of Judea and Samaria from their homes, claiming that constructing Jewish communities in Arab areas contravenes Zionist ideals. “We have to recognize what Zionism knew from the first day of its inception – and that is that the Zionist movement established a state with the Palestinians next to us, and they’re not going anywhere,” he said, speaking at Jerusalem’s Ein Karem neighborhood.
Hamas, Gaza, and Palestinian politics
Fatah power struggle leads to missing paychecks in Gaza, Al-Monitor
A series of internal conflicts in Fatah has been deepened by a decision to withhold the salaries of Gaza-based security officers said to be supporters of Mohammed Dahlan, President Mahmoud Abbas’ chief rival.
UN Gaza inquiry head to quit over Israeli claim of bias, Al Jazeera English
The head of a UN inquiry into last summer’s conflict between Israel and Gaza has said he will resign after Israeli allegations of bias due to consultancy work he did for the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
Egypt opens fire at Palestinian positions inside Gaza, Ma'an News
Egyptian troops on Tuesday morning opened fired at Palestinian military posts inside the Gaza Strip near the border fence. The move came a day after Egypt blacklisted the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, as a terrorist organization.