Middle East Inside Line: Syria-Turkey-Lebanon Condemn Israel, Netanyahu Map "Gap", Israel's Iron Dome System

Syria-Turkey-Lebanon Condemning Israel: Syria and its "greatest hope" Turkey again condemned Israel over its deadly intervention against the Freedom Flotilla on 31 May. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri were both present in Damascus as leaders called on the international community to add more pressure for an international probe and to urge Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza.

What Is "The Gap" Between Israel & Palestine?: Following the meeting this weekend between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said more work needs to be done to bridge the gap between Israel and the Palestinians before they can move to direct peace talks.

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What is that gap? According to the London-based A-Sharq al-Awsat, Netanyahu showed Mubarak a map outlining his vision for a final settlement with the Palestinians. The Egyptian President refused publication of this because it is far from the demands of Palestinians for a future state based on 1967 lines with agreed land swaps. Mubarak reportedly told Netanyahu to redraft the map.

Israel's Iron Dome Defense System & Its Cost: The "Iron Dome" short- and medium-range rocket-defense system successfully completed its last round of tests Monday, the Defense Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces said.

There may be a longer-term issue with the system, however. Last week, the government took a decision to cut 2.7 billion shekels ($700 million) from the defense budget. Some IDF generals in IDF argue that it is better to focus on offense using air forces to hit strategic targets rather than deploying defense batteries, but Defense Minister Ehud Barak promised Monday that the Iron Dome batteries would soon be operational.

Currently, Israel has two batteries, each costing between 40 and 50 million shekels. Israel is soon going to receive a special aid package of $250 million from the US, a sum that is meant to cover the purchase of up to nine Iron Dome batteries. However, estimates speak of a need for at least 20 batteries to cover the Galilee and the Negev from missile threats from Lebanon and Gaza. Radar systems and interceptor missiles also have to be deployed.

Al-Qaeda Targets Arab League: The group's second man, Ayman al-Zawahiri, bombarded Arab leaders for having "surrendered" to Israel after their last summit in March. In the video, he said:

Arabs met in Sirte, (Libya), and they only came out with what they call strategic peace choice. What strategic peace choice, when they are sending a message of surrender to Israel that 'We have given up, so do whatever you like in Palestine'?

Middle East Inside Line: US Reaction to House Demolitions, Netanyahu-Mubarak Meeting Deferred and More...

US Criticises Demolition of Palestinian Houses: On Wednesday, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley criticized Israel's recent demolition of Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem: "It is the very kind of action that poses a potential obstacle to direct negotiations. Any steps that the Israelis, Palestinians or other parties take that change the facts on the ground, we think are unhelpful."

Netanyahu Not Going to Cairo: Egypt deferred "the planned meeting between President Hosni Mubarak and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli sources claim that the underlying reason of the postponement is Mubarak's deteriorating health situation (see separate EA entry with further information). However, speaking with Al-Shorouq on Wednesday, a senior Egyptian official denied reports of Mubarak's ailing health, saying the meeting was pushed back due to "provocative moves made by Israel".

Turkey Insists on International Probe of Flotilla Attack: After Maj.-Gen. Giora Eiland announced that a military commission's findings that the Israeli Navy had made "operational mistakes" in the 31 May operation against the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters Tuesday that he welcomed the acknowledgement of "mistakes". However, he said the Israeli commandos had committed "a crime" and said Turkey wants an international enquiry.

Israel Radar System Successfully Tested: Israel tested the Iron Dome's advanced radar system successfully on Wednesday, moving a step closer to deploying both radars and interceptor missiles along the Gaza and Lebanon borders.

Hezbollah's "List of Targets": In an interview with AFP, Naim Kassem, the leader of Hezbollah, said that the group has "large and precise" list of Israeli targets to attack if a third Lebanon war breaks out. He continued:

We now hold a large and precise bank of Israeli targets, and Israel will have to pay the price for any step it takes.

Hezbollah has worked to develop its readiness to rise to the challenge should it arise, and we can safely say that in the past four years we have prepared ourselves far more than Israel has.