Is it rational for Israel to believe that it can embrace the Arab minority economically, but assault it in all other ways?

What is the message that is being sent to Israel’s Arab citizens? That the civil service wants them, but their loyalty is suspect; that the high-tech industry is open to them, but they are a security threat ‏(we demonstrate this to them well at Ben-Gurion airport‏); that it’s important that they attend university, but they should play down their identity there; that they may be “colleagues” of Jews, but they will never be just “friends”; that their money is welcome in the malls, but they shouldn’t even dream of living in the adjacent neighborhoods; that they can establish businesses in an industrial zone, but will never be accepted as members of the neighboring village; that they may be leaders in their professions, but their language and culture are alien and repulsive. An Arab citizen can be the top surgeon in a hospital, but if he needs to pray, he should excuse himself and go outside to do it.

Read the article by Amnon Be’eri Sulitzeanu

EU condems the Shepherd Hotel demolition in East Jerusalem

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice President of the European Commission made today the following statement:

"I strongly condemn this morning's demolition of the Shepherd Hotel and the planned construction
of a new illegal settlement. I reiterate that settlements are illegal under international law,
undermine trust between the parties and constitute an obstacle to peace. Furthermore, we recall
that East Jerusalem is part of occupied Palestinian territory; the EU does not recognise the
annexation by Israel. We are also concerned by the recent upsurge of violence in the Occupied Palestinian territory, and deeply regret the loss of life. We call on all parties to exercise restraint, and for a halt to all violence.”

IDF soldier killed, four injured after Gaza Strip gunfire

An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier was killed on Friday and four more were injured after gunfire near the Gaza Strip border, the Haaretz newspaper reported.

IDF said that a cell of terrorists was situated along the fence near Kibbutz Nirim, in central Gaza, on Friday night and opened fire on Israeli soldiers from the Paratroopers Brigade with automatic weapons and mortars.

The gunfire lasted approximately 20 minutes, the paper said, and the injured soldiers were transported by helicopter to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. Initially it was reported that the attack occurred as the militants waited in an ambush for an IDF patrol and opened fire when it passed by.

EU High Representative Ashton urges Israel and Palestine to return to negotiations

The European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton on Thursday urged Palestine to return to negotiations during her visit to the Middle East.

Ashton visited both Palestinian and Israeli leaders during her two-day visit which ended on Thursday. The EU representative discussed latest developments and ways to move beyond the current impasse.

"I am pleased to begin the New Year with a visit to the Middle East. My trip to the region so early in the year is an expression of my personal commitment and that of the European Union and its 27 Member States to peace in the Middle East," said Ashton.

Israeli gov't data shows drop in terror attacks in 2010

JERUSALEM -- Official data released by the Israeli government on Monday showed a drop in terrorist attacks in the country, continuing a decline similar to 2009.

The Israeli Security Agency said 2010 concluded with a total of 798 terror attacks as opposed to 1,354 attacks in 2009, 378 of them being executed during Operation Cast Lead. This drop was also seen in the number of casualties.

According to the data, nine Israelis died as a result of terrorism in 2010, lower than the 15 fatalities in 2009, which included nine fatalities during Operation Cast Lead. In addition, 28 people were injured in 2010, significantly lower than the 234 injuries in 2009.

In the winter of 2008-2009, Israel launched a surprise airstrike against the Gaza Strip which marked the beginning of a three-week military conflict between Israel and Hamas, killing nearly 1,500 people and leaving thousands more injured and displaced. Israel stated its aim was top stop rocket fire from and arms import into Gaza.

In 2010, the agency said it recorded a total of 150 rocket launches from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. This is significantly lower than the 569 in 2009, although 407 of them were launched during Operation Cast Lead. "Moreover, there has also been a drop in the number of mortar shell attacks: 215 launches in 2010 as opposed to 289 launches in 2009," it said.

However, the Israeli government believes that Gaza-based Hamas continued to strengthen its military power, especially by smuggling high quality weaponry from the Sinai Peninsula through tunnels in Rafah. "The Sinai zone is becoming Gaza's 'backyard' when it comes to the amount of weaponry destined for smuggling to the Gaza Strip," the Israeli Security Agency said.

The Israeli government holds Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by most countries, solely responsible for maintaining the calm in the Gaza Strip and for any terrorist activity emanating from it. "The IDF will also continue to respond harshly to any attempt to use terror against the State of Israel," it warned.

PM Netanyahu says U.S. rejected Israel's freeze proposal

JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said that the U.S. government rejected Israel's proposal over the settlement freeze, local media reported.

Netanyahu said that he agreed to the U.S. plan to extend by three months the West Bank settlement freeze moratorium but the Obama administration was the one that rejected the offer, according to the Haaretz newspaper.

"The United States asked us to consider extending the freeze by three months, and the truth is that we were prepared to do so," Netanyahu said. "It was eventually the United States who decided against that direction, rightfully, in my opinion."

In December, the United States announced that it ended negotiations attempting to reach a three-month-extension over the settlement freeze between Israel and Palestine. The U.S. said that it was unable to met Israel's demands.

Netanyahu also remarked that he supports a two-state solution and blamed Palestine for the lack of progress. The Prime Minister highlighted that this has been his position since 1996.

"During the cabinet meeting on Sunday, I called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, to hold direct negotiations, but I got no answer," he said. "We took many actions in order to move the peace process forward but the Palestinians did not even advance one millimeter despite the settlement freeze."

Also in December, U.S. Envoy George Mitchell announced that the U.S. were still pursuing the continuation of peace talks between Israel and Palestine. Some Middle-Eastern countries previously expressed their skepticism over U.S. interest in doing so.

One day before that announcement, Abbas expressed his disappointment with the U.S. after failing to resume peace negotiations and declare that the border talks with Israel will be based on 1967 lines.