[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 and Israel
Hell Freezes Over (NYT Publishes Glowing Profiles of Anti-Zionists), Philip Weiss
Mondoweiss approvingly assesses a recent New York Times profile of a number of Jewish-observant anti-Zionists.
Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Targets Militant, Kate Linthicum
The Los Angeles Times reports two Palestinians were killed on 9 February in an Israeli air strike on the Gaza Strip evidently targeting Abdallah Kharti, a member of the Popular Resistance Committees.
Palestine Has Ever Right to Proclaim Its Status, Gulf News
Gulf News criticizes Israel for failing to allow a number of hospital patients from Gaza into Israel due to their carrying documents marked "State of Palestine," noting that the language in the documents reflect the new status of Palestine as an observer state in the UN General Assembly.
Syria
No More a Haven, The Economist
The Economist provides an overview of the history of the Yarmouk refugee camp for Palestinians in Syria.
Mediator Apologizes to Syrians for Lack of Peace Progress, Oliver Holmes, Tom Miles
Lakhdar Brahimi, the mediator for a round of peace talks in Geneva between the Syrian government and a delegation of representatives from opposition groups, has apologized to the Syrian people for an evident lack of progress.
Thousands Flee Syrian Town as "Major Assault" Looms, Stephanie Nebehay
Nebehay reports for Reuters on Syrians fleeing Yabroud, a town in western Syria, amidst fears that the town might be the target of a military assault by Syrian government forces.
Law in the Middle East
My Mother is Trapped by the UAE`s Nightmarish Legal System, Rabbhi Yahiya
Yahiya discusses the legal plight of her mother, accused of kidnapping her child in Dubai while attempting to escape domestic abuse.
Lawyers for Egypt`s Deposed President Morsi Stage Walk-Out, Michael Georgy
The legal team of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi staged a walkout in court, accusing the judiciary of conducting the proceedings in favor of the government prosecuting Morsi.
Bahrain Protest Attracts Tens of Thousands, No Clashes, Farishta Saeed
Saeed reports for Reuters on a peaceful demonstration in Manama, Bahrain, to mark the third anniversary of a series of pro-democracy uprisings.
US Foreign Policy
Afghan Prisoners Freed from Bagram Amid US Protests, BBC News
BBC reports sixty-five detainees have been released from the Bagram detention center in Afghanistan. While the United States sharply criticized the move as aiding those responsible for the deaths of US troops in the region, the Afghan government has stated not enough evidence existed to justify the detentions of those released.
Obama DOJ`s New Abuse of State-Secrets Privilege Revealed, Murtaza Hussain
Hussain revisits the case of Rahinah Ibrahim, a Stanford PhD student placed on a no-fly list in 2005 for reasons the US government has declined to disclose, amidst allegations that Ibrahim may have been on the list for a near-decade due to a clerical error.
Report: Document Shows Surveillance of Law Firm, Associated Press
Leaks from former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden reveal that the agency was involved in surveillance of an American law firm during its representation of a foreign government in trade disputes with the United States.
Turkey
The Last Chance to Stop Turkey`s Harsh New Internet Law, Jenna Krajeski
Krajeski, writing for The New Yorker, covers political protests and the legal battle in Turkey over a proposed law affording the government greater ability to censor internet content.
Turkey Tightens Control over Judiciary, Al Jazeera English
Legislation allowing the Turkish government greater leverage in deciding which judges are appointed and how has passed.
Turkey and Israel "Close to Reviving Ties" Al Jazeera English
Talks between Israel and Turkey to resume diplomatic ties, previously cut after the Israeli May 2010 assault on the Mavi Marmara ship, have reportedly proceeded successfully.
On Jadaliyya
New JADMAG: Gaza Revisited, Tadween Editors
Speaking Love to Power - Love Stories for Social Justice, Visualizing Palestine
The Tunisian Constitution: The Process and the Outcome, Mohamed-Salah Omri
The State of the Western Sahara, Allison L. McManus
Guideline for Advocating for Palestinian Rights in Conformity with International Law, Jadaliyya Reports