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Daybreak: Probe Into Cast Lead Deaths Closed

Plus Bibi in the catbird seat, and more in the news

by
Marc Tracy
May 03, 2012
An Israeli F-16.(Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images)
An Israeli F-16.(Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images)

• An official IDF inquiry into an attack on a Gaza house during Cast Lead that killed 21 civilians was closed without any subsequent legal action. Israeli human rights group B’tselem argued that the incident should be investigated by an outside actor. [NYT]

• Prime Minister Netanyahu has a commanding lead in a new poll, which bodes well for the elections likely to be held in the first week of September. [Haaretz/Forward]

• While the United Methodist Church, the United States’ largest mainline Protestant denomination (who knew?), voted against two BDS resolutions at its quadrennial convention, it did pass a resolution condemning the occupation and effectively calling for what Peter Beinart has labeled “Zionist BDS”—a boycott of settlement-made goods. [NYT]

• Imminent elections are prompting fatal, violent riots in the streets of Cairo. [NYT]

• Calling them the “Olmert gang,” Defense Minister Barak accused Meir Dagan, Yuval Diskin, and the other ex-officials who caution against a premature Israeli attack of “serving Iran.” It should be recalled that Barak and former Prime Minister Olmert despise each other. [Haaretz]

• Though officially the European Union will not negotiate with Hamas, the terrorist group says it has held secret talks with five EU countries. [JTA]

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