News and Analysis (9/16/09)

Israeli says the U.N. report “legitimizes Hamas” by listing Israeli abuses that  include “a deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate and terrorize a civilian population, radically diminish its local economic capacity both to work and to provide for itself and to force upon it an ever-increasing sense of dependency and vulnerability” …

• UN Presses for Prosecutions in Damning Report of Hamas and Israel Conduct (Guardian)

… Meanwhile, additional evidence of Israeli abuse of female prisoners emerges:

• Israeli Guards ‘Humiliated Inmates’ (Al Jazeera)

Investigating allegations of fraud may only delay his inevitable reelection and leave him Karzai politically weak:

• Diplomat in Kabul Leaves in Dispute (Washington Post)

Admiral Mullen insists that more troops and more time will bring “good governance” to Afghanistan:

• Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force (NY Times)

Amidst fear Ayatollah Rafsanjani will rally the opposition, Ahmadinejad selects Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami to give the Quds Day prayers, an annual day of solidarity with the Palestinian cause:

• Powerful Iranian Cleric Barred from Delivering Quds Day Prayers (LA Times)

Local newspapers have nicknamed him the ““Lebanese Bernie Madoff”, however his association with Hezbollah could be a major blow to the party:

• Billion-Dollar Pyramid Scheme Rivets Lebanon (NY Times)

Pop culture sides with education reform as a key factor in Saudi Arabia’s integration with the modern world:

• Saudi Comedy Enters the Debate Over Education Reform (Reuters / Washington Post)

Imran

Minaret of Freedom Institute Program Assistant