[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Occupation, Intervention and Law and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the O.I.L. Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each biweekly roundup to OIL@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every other week.]
Palestine-Israel
Israel`s African Asylum Seekers Go on Strike, Ruth Margalit
The New Yorker covers the opposition of African migrants in Israel to laws recently passed in Israel carrying harsh punishments for the undocumented.
The End of Palestine? An Interview with Norman G. Finkelstein, Jamie Stern-Weiner
Stern-Weiner interviews noted scholar of the Palestine-Israel conflict Norman Finkelstein on the current negotiations between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli and Palestinian Authority officials.
Palestinian Authority Official Criticizes Peace Talks under Kerry, Maher Abukhater
The Los Angeles Times reports on Palestinian Authority criticisms of peace talks between Isreal and the PA, noting PA concerns that Kerry has slowed the talks to a crawl due to an emphasis on Israeli security concerns.
Israei Announces New Settlement Construction in Occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, William Booth
The Washington Post provides a report on Israeli plans to build 1,400 new houses and apartments on Palestinian territory.
The Truth about Israel`s Secret Nuclear Arsenal, Julian Borger
Borger criticizes the Israeli practice of demanding Iran halt its nuclear program while refusing to acknowledge its own nuclear stockpile.
Israel`s Appalling Crime-Sheet for 2013, Stuart Littlewood
Intifada: Voice of Palestine provides a summary of Israeli violations of international law in 2013.
Palestinian Christians "Not Really Arabs," Says Senior Israeli Lawmaker, Ali Abunimah
Yariv Levin, leader of the government coalition in the Knesset, has proposed laws granting Palestinian Christian citizens of Israel privileges setting them apart from Muslim Palestinians.
Egyptian Judiciary
Egypt`s Morsi to Face Trial on New Charges, Al-Jazeera English
The Egyptian government has indicated former President Mohamed Morsi will face trial on charges of "insulting the judiciary," along with twenty-four politicians, lawyers, and media personalities.
Three Al-Jazeera Egypt Journalists `Facing Charges,` BBC News
Egypt has detained three Al-Jazeera journalists on charges of broadcasting false news and fake footage, charges the Qatar-based network denies.
Why the Muslim Brotherhood (Wrongly) Believes the ICC Can Investigate, Kevin Jon Heller
Heller, writing for Opinio Juris, unpacks and criticizes the view of the Muslim Brotherhood that they may affirm ICC jurisdiction in Egypt on account of their being the legitimate government of Egypt.
Syrian Conflict
Palestinians Die from Hunger, Medical Shortages in Yarmouk, The Daily Star
The Lebanese paper carries a report on documented deaths of Palestinian refugees in the Syrian Yarmouk camp from food and medical shortages.
The Syrian War`s Private Donors Lose Faith, Elizabeth Dickinson
Dickinson covers the reluctance of private donors to rebel groups in the Syrian conflict to continue donating given their perception of the conflict as stagnating.
Counting Syria`s Dead: Numberless, Alas, The Economist
The Economist reports on the difficulty of obtaining reliable statistics on casualties and deaths in Syria.
While You Were Neutral about Yarmouk, Talal Alyan
Political neutrality is to blame for the horrors faced by Palestinian refugees in the Syrian Yarmouk camp, writes Alyan for Mondoweiss.
Ariel Sharon
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Dies at 85, Dimi Reider
+972 provides reporting on the death of Ariel Sharon and a general overview of his life and tenure as Israeli Prime Minister.
How Ariel Sharon Shaped Israel`s Destiny, Max Blumenthal
Blumenthal notes that the late former Israeli Prime Minister brought about a "separation regime" in Israel and Palestine, one not intended not to end occupation but prolong it indefinitely.
Troubled Legacy of a Bulldozer, Vijay Prashad
Writing for The Hindu, Prashad criticizes the settlements furthered under Ariel Sharon.
Top Ten Ways Ariel Sharon Ruined Israel and the Middle East, Juan Cole
Cole critically eulogizes the late former Israeli Prime Minister.
Ariel Sharon`s Corrosive Legacy, Raja Shehadeh
Shehadeh, writing for The New Yorker, counts Ariel Sharon among leaders in the Middle East who have done the least to further peace in the region.
Other
Iran and IAEA Postpone Nuclear Talks until February, Reuters
The UN nuclear watchdog has announced it will meet with Iran to discuss concerns with its nuclear program on 8 February of this year, a date later than expected.
On the Fallacy of `Engaging` with the Israeli Academy, Haim Bresheeth and Sherna Berger Gluck
Writing in Counterpunch, Bresheeth and Gluck push back against the anti-BDS argument that activists against Israeli occupation "need to engage with Israelis" more.
I Helped Destroy Falluja in 2004. I Will Not Be Complicit Again, Ross Caputi
Caputi, a former US Marine during the 2004 fighting in Falluja in the wake of the US invasion of Iraq, criticizes the US media narrative of Falluja as a city being "taken over" by al-Qaeda.