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Daybreak: Hamas Aims at West Bank Takeover?

Plus UN envoy meets with Assad

by
Adam Chandler
December 24, 2012
Adam Greenberg(AP)
Adam Greenberg(AP)

• According to senior members of Fatah, Hamas–goaded by Iran–is aiming for a takeover of the West Bank similar to its conquest of the Gaza Strip in 2007. Shin Bet analysts have agreed with their analyses. [Times of Israel]

• The United Nations envoy to Syria reportedly met with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad earlier today in an attempt to work out a ceasefire agreement. There are also rumors that the talks were aimed at reaching a deal to remove Assad from power as the rebels continue to make gains. Assad has been offered asylum in a few places including Russia, which has distanced itself from its support of the Assad regime in recent days. [NYT]

• The Forward explores when the history of and appropriate uses for the Yiddish word “schmuck”

• Adam Greenberg, a baseball player who was struck in the head by a pitch in his first at-bat seven years ago and has battled to return to the big leagues, has been signed to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles. [AP]

Adam Chandler was previously a staff writer at Tablet. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, Slate, Esquire, New York, and elsewhere. He tweets @allmychandler.