WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Spent the day working on a story about an Arab man, married with two children, who told a Jewish woman his name was Dudu. They landed up having consensual sex an hour later in a nearby building.

Afterwards she found out he'd lied to her. His real name was Kashur and he was an Arab Israeli, not an Israeli Jew as she'd assumed from the name Dudu. He's now been charged with rape by deception and sentenced to 18 months in prison. This, after two years of house arrest.

It's an interesting story. On the one side there're those who say it's racism and that the real issue at play is that he's a Muslim who pretended to be a Jew - the message is don't touch "our women".

But then the courts and rape centres in Israel say what's more important is that he presented himself as a single man, unmarried and without children - and that this was misleading.

Some of the questions it raises: If a man says he's French and it later turns out  he's Italian - can he be sued? If a man says he loves a woman and she later finds out he doesn't - can she take him to the courts? When exactly is the line crossed? Kashur has been under house arrest for two years. He's now been sentenced to prison for 18 months - a sentence he plans to appeal.

ALL SOUND AND FURY, SIGNIFYING NOTHING?

So the Libyan ship came and went - and nothing. Not quite sure what it was all about - organisers of the ship insist they weren't trying to provoke the Israelis and they just wanted to deliver aid, but Israel has made it quite clear they're not letting anyone into Gaza via the sea. Depending on who you read/listen to, Israel's blockade on Gaza is/is not legal. If these ships are trying to bring world attention to Gaza, they're pretty effective, because for a short time us journalists land up reporting hourly what's the latest. But how effective are they in the long run? And if this is policy - where will it end? Will you have ship after ship coming, trying to break the Gaza blockade? A possible alternative is rather having Gaza controlled by the international community - or at least the Gaza borders, and maybe in that way Israel can be sure weapons and the like are not being fired from Gaza into Israel - after all this is Israel's main motivation as to why it won't let ships come to its shore.

The situation seems so repetitive - there doesn't seem to be any movement forward. Iran seems to have retracted its threat to send more ships; the Lebanese/Hizbulla ship seems to have floated off the face of the earth; the Free Gaza movement is still threatening to send more ships later in the year. There's a report today that the Turkish activist organization, IHH, that organized the flotilla in May has "surprises" up its sleeves. The group says it will continue its efforts to bring supplies into Gaza, not only by sea, but overland as well. And Israel insists it will react harshly - and consistently - to all future planned Flotillas. So are we likely - merely - to see more of the same?

LIBYA’S ON ITS WAY ?

We're on standby for a Libyan sponsored ship making its way to Gaza. Those on board say they're determined to break the Israeli blockade and have their supplies delivered to the Gaza Strip. But the ship's log still reads its final destination as El Arish in Egypt which is where the Israelis are urging the ship to dock. The Israel navy says it's made initial contact with the vessel which is some 160 kilometres off the Gaza coast. Latest word from the captain is that the ship is headed for Gaza.

Jerusalem is desperate to avoid a repeat of what happened several weeks ago when nine Turkish citizens were killed in a similar attempt. Which is why the Israeli foreign ministry has urged its defense establishment to make sure the vessel is in Gazan waters before it makes any attempt to board the vessel. Israel is fighting a tough international battle to try and convince critics it was not in violation of international law when its commandos stormed that vessel while it was in international waters. The country suffered unprecedented diplomatic condemnation following the incident.

Most Israelis - public and government - feel all these naval efforts to get aid into Gaza are deliberate confrontations. Israel insists it will deliver the aid to Gaza, but only through the correct channels. It wants all ships to dock at its port of Ashdod where the cargo can be checked and then taken overland into Gaza. Israel is concerned there are militants and weapons onboard the vessels - and insist the nine people killed were not peaceful activists as the organisers of that Flotilla claim, but outright militants!

The Egyptian foreign ministry has said it's prepared to let the ship dock at one of its port and they'll then transfer the goods - IF they receive a request to do so - but so far no request has been made.

What's interesting is that the ship is being sponsored by the eldest son of Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi, Seif al-Islam, who was not chosen by his father to succeed him. Analysts suggest this is a way for al-Islam to remain in the media spotlight. Tripoli has officially disavowed the venture and since Sunday has banned the departure of private and chartered aircraft from Libyan airfields for Egypt, Greece, Crete or Cyprus. There seems to be concern that al-Islam would want to join the ship. An official spokesman in Tripoli made it clear yesterday, Monday, that Seif al-Islam is on his own: "Libya does not wish to intervene and believes the aid ship to Gaza conceals an adventure and a risk," he said.

Israel has no official relationship with Libya. There is a sizeable number of Israelis who come from Libya - some 20000.

WORLD CUP MANIA IN ISRAEL/PALESTINE

Been working on an interesting story related to the South African 2010 World Cup - how Israelis and Palestinians feel about the teams competing.

Most relevant is attitudes to Germany - it's crazy, but a bit predictable perhaps - that most Palestinians I've spoken to want Germany to win. When I ask Palestinians in Gaza and Ramallah why - the answer is always the same - something to the effect that by supporting Germany, they're taking a jab at Israel. And in a way it's true - most Israelis I've spoken to simply can't bring themselves to support a German win because of the Holocaust and that country's history with Jews.

Which is also ironic in a way because since the establishment of Israel, Germany has arguably become Israel's closest ally and friend in Europe. True, it's often been guilt-money, but in the years immediately following the establishment of Israel, German money paid for much of the country's infrastructure, such as roads and public transport. And yet there's still a bitter taste in the mouths of many Israelis today.

I was talking to a green grocer, Avi. He simply shook his head as if I was daft to even ask the question why he wasn't supporting Germany in the games.

By contrast, cafes and restaurants in Ramallah will tonight be full when Germany takes on Spain. Every goal scored by the Germans will be another - albeit small victory - for many Palestinians over their Jewish neighbours.

MOSCOW PLAYING GREATER ROLE IN MIDEAST CONFLICT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is wrapping up a two-and-a-half day tour to Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Egypt.

Like most government trips, a dozen meetings are crammed into a few days with the occasional press conference shedding light on some of the issues being discussed behind closed doors. The Middle East peace process and Iran's nuclear programme seems to have dominated the agenda.

On the topic of Iran, Lavrov says that imposing sanctions against Tehran will not yield positive results. He's proposed resuming dialogue between the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and Iran.

Lavrov says that the Mideast Quartet is important - but insufficient - in moving the Israeli/Palestinian conflict towards some kind of resolution. The two sides are still "talking" indirectly through American mediators. Lavrov stressed the need for the talks to move from indirect to direct.

Lavrov also re-iterated Moscow's proposal for a Mideast conference to be held in the Russian capital.

Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, told his Russian counterpart that there was "no chance" of there being a Palestinian state before 2012. He also said Israel opposed Russia's advances to Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in Gaza Israel regards as a terrorist organisation. Lavrov re-iterated Russia's position that they will continue to hold dialogue with Hamas as they believe it is a legitimate voice for many Palestinians, elected by a majority in Gaza. Despite his foreign minister's comments, Israeli Prime Minister Binjamin Netanyahu asked Lavrov if he would put pressure on Hamas to release captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, whose been held by Hamas in Gaza for four years.

In May Russia sent 10 000 tonnes of wheat to Gaza. Moscow sees Israel's blockade on the coastal strip as counterproductive and unsustainable. Lavrov says the way forward needs to be through economic development.

Through my work in the region, I have found among Palestinians a lot of support for Moscow playing a greater role in the Middle East. Israelis themselves are less sure of it.

ISRAEL AND SAUDIA ARABIA : A NEW PARTNERSHIP ?

Am reporting today on media reports that Israeli helicopters dropped off large amounts of military gear at a Saudi military base in northern Saudi Arabia.

The story appeared some two weeks ago in the London Times magazine and has been picked up by Arab media. Riyadh allegedly gave permission for Israeli planes to use a narrow corridor of airspace in the north of the country. Both Jerusalem and Riyadh deny the claims and at first take it might seem surprising - the countries are enemy states, have no relations and Riyadh doesn't recognise Israel.

But the two would benefit a lot from mutual co-operation on this issue. Both loathe the regime in Teheran and fear its nuclear ambitions. Some suggest the reports were leaked by Riyadh to show Teheran there are more options on the table than economic sanctions - it wants the United States and Israel to do more to halt Teheran's nuclear ambitions. Others suggest the reports were leaked by Iran - as a message to the Saudis that they're being watched - kind of like 'we know what you are doing and we're no happy.' response.

There's been a buzz of increased military activity surrounding Iran. The US has its troops in 10 countries on Iran's borders and if it wanted to attack Teheran, it would be in a good position to do so. US troops are in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and according to Iranian state television are now amassing in large numbers near the Azerbijan/Iranian border. Baku confirms this but says they are part of a peacekeeping mission against armed rebels.

As if that's not enough of a sign that something is afoot underground, Washington has confirmed that 11 of its warships sailed through the Suez Canal a week ago. It says it was routine. But Iran has threatened it could close the waterway in future.

WAITING FOR IRAN

The Iranian Students Association says humanitarian ships intended for Gaza will be setting sail this Sunday. Everyone in Israel is a little - if not a lot - apprehensive. Hizbullah sponsored ships are also due to set sail from Lebanon any day now. It seems the ships will meet in Cyprus and then sail for Gaza. Israel insists it will deal with them in the same way it dealt with a flotilla three weeks ago - in which nine people were killed. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu says there's no way the ships can sail to Gaza without being checked by Israeli authorities to make sure there're no weapons onboard.

We covered the Flotilla episode hourly for the full week that it transpired. We were based in Ashdod giving hourly updates. It was a difficult story to cover. There are two very clear points of view - Israel insisting it has legal authority to monitor the waters off Gaza and check cargo intended for Gaza; and the leaders of the 'Free Gaza Movement' who organised the Flotilla and who insist humanitarian activists were on board. So why was it so difficult?

Because, while on the one hand, the two points of view seemed quite clear and distinct - they actually weren't that clear. The flotilla organisers released footage on You Tube that showed Israeli snipers targeting the ship (at least that's how it appears) so it begs the question who started first. Israel insists there were militants on board the first ship - the Turkish ship, the Marmara, and that they had weapons on board. From the footage the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) released, you see guys on board, pulling the railings off the ship and attacking the soldiers as they tried to climb onto the ship.

But, then, is that really the most important question - who started it? Is it not a legal question of who has the right to act how in this part of the Mediterannean sea? Israel insists it had a legal right to stop the ship. The protestors insist they have a legal right to reach Gaza.

What struck me most about covering this story is the very different way it was presented in the Israeli and international media. There was global   condemnation and pictures of demonstrations from around the world dominating international networks. A Turkish colleague of mine was in Israel at the time and he told me he didn't attend an Israeli rally in Tel Aviv in front of the Turkish embassy in support of Israel and against Turkey "because those are not the pictures the Turkish population (and presumably Turkish leadership) want to see."

A Turkish-Israeli woman I know is returning from Israel to Istanbul - I asked her if she wasn't afraid going back, being Israeli and all. She asked me why? Reminded me that as journalists we sometimes do a disservice to the news because the fallout between Turkey and Israel probably hasn't destroyed mainstream relationships between peoples of both countries. But after watching the news you might think so. It's still not clear what happened - and depending whose side you're on - and what networks you watch - it might not become any clearer. But Iranian ships are on their way - and that has everybody worried. That much is clear.

CANCER CHILDREN IN GAZA

According to Gazans, the number of children with cancer has increased dramatically since Operation Cast Lead a year and a half ago. I just got off the phone with Saed, a colleague of mine who lives and works in Gaza city, and he says that each evening when he comes home from work, he hears about two-year-old Rami down the road who now has cancer; six-month old Riham whose been coughing blood ...

They're convinced that the phosphorous bombs Israel used in the operation was the cause.  A particularly sad story involves a woman named Rawda Hamada. I never met her but she spoke with Said and told him she was trying - desperately - to get out of Gaza. "The Israeli soldiers threw bombs with phosphorous under our balconies," he recounts to me. "Soon after, my arm began to itch. I went to hospital and they gave me some liniment. But the itch didn't end. I went to hospital again and they told me I had cancer in the stomach."

Israel denies the charges. Israeli doctors say there's no proof of a connection between the two.

Months ago Rawda's husband said - almost prophetically - that political disuptes interfered with ordinary people's lives.  His suggestion was echoed by a comment from the Palestinian Health Minister who told us that Hamas was trying to "instigate a new crisis in Gaza." He basically blamed Hamas for stopping Gazans from being able to receive treatment from abroad, but it's not a new charge. I remember when Operation Cast Lead was happening - I did a story at the time about activists who blamed the Fatah government for not allowing sick children to go abroad despite the fact that all donations and payments for the trips and treatments had been provided for by private donors. So the charges will go backwards and forwards - I guess the thinking is that by making locals unhappy, you can present them with a particular political viewpoint in the hope they buy into it.

And Israel's not so innocent either. Dr Zvi Bentwich of Physicians for Human Rights says that over the last two years Israeli doctors have been trying to cross into Gaza to access the situation and lend assistance. It's not clear who's denying them permission - Israel or Hamas. He told us that often-times, even after the necessary papers have been filled out, the same happens at the other side of the border - Gazan patients are turned back by Israeli soldiers for having some kind of connection with Hamas - even if it's merely having some family members who're members of the group.

Yesterday, a group of 250 children from Gaza spent the day at a summer camp - some were bussed in directly from hospital. The idea was to "protest" - bring attention to their plight. Many of them will die in the next few months if they aren't taken abroad. Hospital facilities simply cannot help them. There's no chemotherapy, for example, available in the city.

While in Israel, Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, admits almost daily cancer children from Gaza. Nearly half of the cancer patients are Gazan. Doctors say after receiving the requests, they assess the need, fill out the paperwork, fax it to the necessary authorities and then begins the procedure begins for the children to be brought in. But here's where all your bureaucratic fumblings happen - and where delays can sometimes mean death.

Which is what happened to Hamada. After trying - in vain - to get permission to leave Gaza for treatment in Israel, Egypt or Gaza - she died six months ago from cancer of the stomach. Her husband's words were sadly prophetic.

LIFTING THE GAZA BLOCKADE

Spent most of the day at Kerem Shalom border crossing on the Israel-Gaza border.

The big Israeli announcement was that they were lifting the siege on Gaza as much as they could to accommodate their security concerns. From what I understand the real change will be that until now all goods were not allowed into Gaza - unless they appeared on an approved list. Now the process will be reversed - all goods are allowed into Gaza, unless they appear on a blacklist.

There was a lot of activity at the crossing - in the few hours we were there, dozens of trucks arrived, dropped off goods - which I was told by the soldiers on duty came from private donations or from the international community - and then left. Until now the procedure has been that the Palestinian government under Salam Fayyad requests certain goods, the list is then approved - or not - by the Israelis; and the items brought to Kerem Shalom. After the goods are checked and dropped off by the trucks - the area is vacated - and huge gates open at the far end to allow trucks from the Palestinian side to come in. They pick up the goods and then take them into Gaza. There is absolutely no interaction between people on either side. A huge fortress-like building accommodates all this activity!

The Israelis say they are doing their best to try and lift the Gaza siege as much as they can within reason. But Palestinians - and the UN for example - say there's no such thing as "lifting the siege" - the only way for the siege to be effectively "lifted" is for it to be done away with! One of the contentious issues is materials used for building - cement and steel in particular. Israelis say this can be used to manufacture weapons against them; Gazans say they need it rebuild homes and businesses destroyed a year-and-a-half ago during Operation Cast Lead.

In Gaza, youngsters sift through the rubble of what used to be Gaza's only airport to try and salvage what they can to be used for cement and other building materials. They get paid well for this - $30 a day to collect gravel! Many say they do it - not only to earn money but to resist the siege. The problem is that whether or not Israel is really 'lifting the siege' or not doesn't deal with the root cause of the problem - the standoff between Israel and Gaza remains firmly in place with Israel offering no real solution on how to deal with its concerns that Hamas and Palestinian militancy is rife in the coastal strip.