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Daybreak: Hopeless, Syrian Rebels Get Fiercer

Plus U.N. report refers to Gaza ‘collective punishment,’ and more in the news

by
Marc Tracy
January 19, 2012
Rebel supporters rally in Homs, Syria, last week.(-/AFP/Getty Images)
Rebel supporters rally in Homs, Syria, last week.(-/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian rebels see the world’s obvious unwillingness to get involved and, naturally, assume they must pursue heavier armed conflict, in a spiral that risks spilling into civil or even regional war. “People are getting more angry now as they realize there won’t be any help,” says one activist. “It’s building up hatred to the West, and it’s becoming extremism. It’s very dangerous now.” [WP]

• Iran is quietly facilitating Syria’s continued sail of oil in contravention of an embargo by importing it, selling it on the world market, and remitting the revenue back to the Assad regime. [WSJ]

• Russia’s foreign minister forcefully pledged to block any U.N. Security Council authorization for military intervention in Syria. [NYT]

• The annual Security Council report on the Gaza blockade was released yesterday. It calls the blockade “collective punishment.” [Ynet]

• Israel’s submission, Footnote, qualified for the nine-film Best Foreign Movie Oscar shortlist. The five nominees will be announced next week. [JTA]

• Anne Sinclair, Dominique-Strauss Kahn’s wife, will run the French edition of The Huffington Post. [NYT]

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.