Thursday Links Part 1

From Ian:

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Barry Rubin: Who Is the "Imperialist Tool" in the Middle East?

Of course, the debate today is so structured as to leave out the fact that local countries can also be imperialistic in that they seek to take over the entire region or most of it. The modern history of the Middle East has been characterized by a battle between Egyptian, Syrian, and Iraqi imperialism seeking to gobble up Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinians, the Gulf monarchies, and each other. Today, the nationalist motives have simply been replaced by an Islamist-driven drive to gain hegemony in the region with Iran and Turkey added to the mix. There's a long-term dream of reestablishing a caliphate. But the more realistic goal is that of old-fashioned imperialism, hegemony, and creating a sphere of influence for the country and regime involved.

Greece to probe threats to turn immigrants ‘into soap’
Greek police are investigating the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party after some of its members were filmed threatening to turn immigrants “into soap” and put them in “ovens.”

The investigation, announced Wednesday, was prompted by the broadcast Tuesday of a program on Britain’s Channel 4 News that followed Golden Dawn candidates during last year’s elections. In the program, one of the candidates, Alexandros Plomeratis, makes clear Holocaust references in threatening the many immigrants who live in Athens. “We are ready to turn on the ovens,” he says. “We will turn them into soap but we may get a rash.” Plomaritis, who was not elected to parliament, also threatened to “make lamps from their skins.”

Filipino peacekeepers nabbed by Syrian rebels near Israel border
Gunmen demand that regime remove all its soldiers from Syrian Golan Heights; accuse Assad, UN of ‘collaboration with Israel’

A video clip released by the rebels shows a number of gunmen standing alongside the UN vehicles, while their apparent leader announced his demands. Some of the United Nations employees can be seen inside the vehicles.
In a second video, the same rebel spokesman is seen accusing the UN, the Assad regime and Europe of “collaborating with Israel.”
“The Free Syrian army will remain here until we banish Bashar and his oppression,” one rebel is seen saying.

Norwegian MP concerned over Norway's "indirect" funding of Palestinian terrorism
A Norwegian MP has expressed his concern with Norway's "indirect" funding of Palestinian terrorism and called for a Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee

Gitmark went on to criticise former Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre -- for defending Norway's contributions to the PA's budget and stating that the PA payments were social welfare to the families and not salaries -- before calling for a Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee to look into the affair:

Palestinians will face ‘consequences’ if they pursue Israel at the ICC, says Baird

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has told a powerful pro-Israel lobby that Palestinians will feel “consequences” from Canada if they pursue the Jewish state at the International Criminal Court.
Baird issued the warning just as the federal government considers whether to end hundreds of millions of dollars in Canadian humanitarian aid to the Palestinians when it expires at the end of this month.

PA Moves Ahead with Plans to Register Sites with UNESCO
PA forms a committee to prepare applications to register sites on UNESCO's world heritage list, including the Dead Sea.

Each ministry has been asked to cooperate with the UNESCO committee, and will prepare the files, he said.
"For example, the Ministry of Culture will present the Palestinian narrative to register it as intangible cultural heritage," while a different department would be charged to register the Dead Sea as a body of water, he said.

Fatah assails Hamas misogyny in aborted marathon

Gaza rulers’ refusal to allow women to participate in UN-organized race is unjust and un-Palestinian, PM Fayyad charges

US envoy walks out of nuke talks over Iran remark

The US ambassador to the United Nations nuclear watchdog stormed out of an agency meeting on Wednesday in protest when Iran's representative accused Israel of "genocide," diplomats said
Officials from Canada and Australia also left the closed-door meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) 35-nation governing board when Iran's Ali Asghar Soltanieh made his statement during a debate on Syria, they said.

'Shi'ite terror network targeting Israelis overseas'

Counterterrorism bureau warns ahead of Passover holiday that Iranian Quds Force, Hezbollah network plotting attacks.

Egyptian Court Orders Cancellation of Parliamentary Elections

Egypt's administrative court on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of controversial parliamentary elections scheduled for April 22, throwing the country deeper into political crisis.
AFP reported that President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood both issued statements saying they would respect the court's decision, although it was not immediately clear whether the president would appeal.

Brains Behind Israel’s Iron Dome ‘Not Putting All the Eggs in One System’

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted nearly 400 Gaza rockets last November alone, with an 85 percent success rate, amid the Israel Defense Forces’ Operation Pillar of Defense. But the brains behind the system isn’t resting on his laurels.
“I’m realistic, so I’m not putting all the eggs in one system, [even though] it had much success,” IDF Brig. Gen. Dr. Danny Gold, who had the initial idea for the Iron Dome, said in an interview with JNS.org at the 2013 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference. “I did my job, I developed many other systems. So [the Iron Dome] helped Israel to probably prevent a massive ground operation and war, but it’s not alone.”