The Daily Brief – Thursday May 12, 2011

Vancouver Sun: Kat Angus: "Leonardo DiCaprio splits from supermodel" (12/5/2011)
"Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli have ended their five-year relationship, the New York Post’s Page Six reports today. So much for their insanely attractive future children"

Today’s News and Views About Israel & Mideast

Embassy Magazine: Editorial Cartoon: "The Conservative foreign policy map" (11/5/2011)
    
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Toronto Star: Dr. Barbara Landau (letter to the editor) "Turning mirage into reality" (11/5/2011)
"I cautiously welcome the impetus for Israel, Fatah and Hamas to step out of the paralysis that has left the Middle East with neither the peace nor security (psychological, economic or physical) that I believe the majority of citizens long for. Ignoring the sea change in the Middle East and the likely UN vote in September affirming a Palestinian State will mean Israel will have less leverage to negotiate a settlement based on non-violence, reasonable boundaries, economic viability and adherence to international law. Courageous leadership is needed to foster hope, build civil society and support the legitimate democratic goals of both Israelis and Palestinians. A two-state solution has been an elusive mirage — we need all parties to make it a reality."

The Mark: Arik Segal: "Can Syria be Friends With Israel?" (12/5/2011)
"As the popular revolt in Syria intensifies, its neighbours, especially Israel, are anxious about the implications of a possible regime change on regional stability. Many analysts discuss this situation by assessing the identity of possible regime successors. However, since there is no way to make an accurate prediction in such a fluid situation, a better way to deal with the question of stability is to examine how the West can help satisfy people’s grievances, and thus maintain stability."
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National Post: Daniel Innis (letter to the editor) "Wilders: A friend to Jews and Israel" (12/5/2011)
"In her assumption that Charles McVety’s sponsoring of a Canadian visit by Geert Wilders -known for his distaste of Islam -would be troubling and somehow threatening to Frank Diment and B’nai Brith Canada, letter-writer Judy Haiven ignores the fact that Mr. Wilders is as staunch a Jewish ally as one can find. He has visited Israel 40 times in the last 25 years, and believes that Israel is the West’s first line against Islamic terrorism. I wish Ms. Haiven queried further before assuming Mr. Wilders’ opposition to Islam seamlessly extends to Judaism. I can only assume Mr. Diment would be happy to have such a staunch defender of his people’s political and spiritual homeland welcomed to Canada."

National Post: Peter Goodspeed: "Fear grips Bahrain as protests crushed" (12/5/2011)
"Silence and a paralyzing fear grip Bahrain as security officials continue to crush popular protests that first erupted across the Middle East more than two months ago."
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CBC The Current: Anna Maria Tremonti: "Conspiracies, Floods & Workplace Harassment" (12/5/2011)
"We also heard from the Office of Libby Davies, the NDP MP for Vancouver East. She wanted to correct something Jonathan Kay said on our program. Jonathan Kay said that in 2008, Libby Davies read a motion in the House of Commons that disputed the findings of the 9/11 commission and blamed the U.S. Government for the attacks on Washington and New York City. Libby Davies wanted to point out that it was a petition from the public she read, not a motion and that reading a petition does not mean the Member of Parliament agrees with its content"
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National Post: Father Raymond J. de Souza: "John Paul II and the enduring power of forgiveness" (12/5/2011)
"Thirty years ago tomorrow, Pope John Paul II was shot in Saint Peter’s Square by Mehmet Ali Agca. It was the year of the assassins — Ronald Reagan survived the attempt on his life by a madman in March, while Anwar Sadat was killed in September by Islamists enraged by his making peace with Israel."
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Montreal Mirror: Roxane Hudon: "The 7th annual Israel Film Festival in Montreal offers hot flicks from the …" (12/5/2011)
"Shalom! Time to settle in and enjoy a variety of films coming straight out of Eretz Yisrael, the Holy Land. Running from May 14–23, the 7th edition of the Israel Film Festival in Montreal offers a roster of films, from documentary to fiction, promising to show you different perspectives on the Israeli people."

Toronto Star: AP: "Canadian indicted on terrorizing, assault charges for U.S. bus incident" (11/5/2011)
"Police said he claimed he’d worked for the Israeli secret police, and that he wanted asylum in Canada. He was arrested nine hours later."

BCLocalNews: Kim Magi: "Peace Café to discuss Gaza blockade" (12/5/2011)
"Why the Israeli and Egyptian blockade of Gaza matters to Canadians will be the topic of discussion at Thursday night’s Peace Café."
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Montreal Gazette: Alexandra Mayer-Hohdahl: "Activists prepare new Gaza flotilla; Israel warns of `provocation’" (12/5/2011)
"The organizers of a new Gaza flotilla on Tuesday vowed to carry out their plan to break an Israeli naval blockade and deliver aid to the Palestinian enclave, in what an Israeli official warned would be a "political provocation."
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Toronto Star: Haroon Siddiqui: "The danger lies in our double standards" (12/5/2011)
"About a quarter of a century ago, Canadians were divided over what to do about Ernst Zundel, a Holocaust denier and hate-monger. Many said ignore him and deny him the oxygen of publicity that he craves. Others argued for exposing his lies and challenging his hate speech. The latter camp prevailed."
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National Post: Matt Spetalnick: "Obama to lay out new Middle East strategy" (12/5/2011)
"President Barack Obama will give a major speech, possibly as early as next week, laying out his new Middle East strategy after the killing of Osama bin Laden and amid upheaval in the Arab world, U.S. officials said Wednesday."
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PostMedia News: Washington Post: "Iran’s nuclear program still trying to overcome sanctions" (12/5/2011)
"International sanctions are "constraining" Iran’s capacity to purchase supplies and equipment to develop nuclear and ballistic missile technology, but Tehran continues to actively seek way to overcome the measures, according to a new United Nations report."
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Ottawa Citizen: Aisha Sherazi: "Belief in God frees us" (12/5/2011)
"Although Wilders appears to have been greeted in Egypt in his teenage years by warmth and hospitality, he was disappointed with how dirty the country was. He compared it to Israel, having just crossed the border. Not all Muslim countries are dirty. If Wilders had crossed the border into Palestine, I am told that he would have found cleanliness and hospitality (that’s what I found when I visited the West Bank in 1996). Of concern to me is that his experience in Egypt was shaped by the atmosphere of fear he felt during his visit."
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Saskatoon StarPhoenix: Reuters: "Hundreds of Israelis disrobe for artist looking for nudes" (12/5/2011)
"Naked crowds in public places have made American photographer Spencer Tunick world famous, but his plan for an installation featuring hundreds of nude Israelis floating in the Dead Sea has hit money problems."