Daybreak: Can Palestinians Unify?
Fayyad’s optimism despite facts on the ground, a Jewish IMDB, and more from the news
June 23, 2009
• Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said he is committed to establishing a Palestinian state within two years, and implored opposing groups to come together toward the goal, saying: “There is no pluralism in security.” [WP]
• Unfortunately, his plea comes as fighting between rival factions Hamas and Fatah escalates. [NPR]
• Meanwhile, Abdel Aziz Duaik, Hamas member and speaker of the Palestinian parliament, was freed from Israeli prison today after serving a three-year sentence for his role in the abduction of Israeli soldier Galid Shalit. [AP]
• At the same time, Israeli and Palestinian groups have gathered on opposite sides of the Gaza border to hold conflicting protests, although both have the same goal: the resolution of the Gilad Shalit affair. [Ynet]
• The European Union gives its OK and legal protection to the practice of kosher slaughter. [Arutz Sheva]
• The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival today unveils an online database of Jewish film, backed by Steven Speilberg. How do they choose what to include? “Any film that’s made in New York is a Jewish film,” says the project’s director. [Heeb]
Hadara Graubart was formerly a writer and editor for Tablet Magazine.
