Morning Brief: How does Gaza end?

Top Story Haaretz reports that the Israeli leadership is divided over whether to continue the fighting in Gaza, with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak arguing for ending the operation and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arguing for continuing. Hamas’s leaders also say the group will continue fighting, rejecting a French-Egyptian truce proposal.  ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.
589662_090112_livni5.jpg
589662_090112_livni5.jpg

Top Story

Top Story

Haaretz reports that the Israeli leadership is divided over whether to continue the fighting in Gaza, with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak arguing for ending the operation and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arguing for continuing. Hamas’s leaders also say the group will continue fighting, rejecting a French-Egyptian truce proposal. 

Israel has eased up somewhat in its air assault on the territory, though the ground operation continues in full force as some reservists have been called up and troops moved closer to Gaza City. 

Officials now put the Palestinian death toll over 900, including 380 civilians. Ten Israeli soldiers have been killed in the fighting along with three civilians killed in Hamas rocket attacks. 

Asia

Japan and South Korea signed an economic and security cooperation pact.

Dozens of insurgents were killed in a battle with government troops in northwest Pakistan.

More than 200 were killed when a ferry sunk in Indonesia. 

Americas

Venezuela took control of a Chinese-made communications satellite. 

According to Hugo Chavez, it’s unlikely that ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro will ever appear in public again.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon will discuss his country’s war on drugs with President-elect Barack Obama today.

Europe

A deal has been signed to resume Gazprom gas shipments to Europe and, as agreed, the EU has sent monitors to Ukraine’s pipelines, but still no gas is flowing.

A prominent shipping magnate was kidnapped in Greece.

Petrol bombs were thrown at a synagogue north of Paris.

Africa

Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army has appealed for a ceasefire after an offensive by government forces.

The corruption trial of African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma will resume in South Africa.

Mauritania’s military junta is promising elections by this summer.

Middle East

Iraq’s parliament failed to agree on a new speaker.

Osama bin Laden’s driver, Salim Hamdan, was freed from jail in Yemen.

Iran is using front companies to buy American weapons, the Washington Post reports.

U.S. Presidential Transition

Republican senators don’t expect a lengthy or difficult confirmation hearing for Hillary Clinton.

Obama said it’s unlikely he will authorize a wide-scale investigation into Bush administration counterterrorism tactics.

The presidential dog search has been narrowed down to two breeds. 

Photo: TARA TODRAS-WHITEHILL/AFP/Getty Images

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

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