Marty Peretz and the American political consensus on Israel  —  (updated below - Update II)  —  Opinions about the Israeli-Palestinian dispute are so entrenched that any single outbreak of violence is automatically evaluated through a pre-existing lens, shaped by one's typically immovable beliefs …

Egyptians open fire on Palestinians  —  Egyptian border guards have opened fire on Palestinians who breached the border to escape Israel's assault on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.  —  An Egyptian security official said there were at least five breaches along the nine-mile border and hundreds of Palestinian residents were pouring in.

‘Hamas could have prevented massacre’  —  Hamas could have prevented the “massacre” in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday in Cairo.  —  “We spoke to them and told them ‘Please, we ask you not to end the cease-fire.  Let it continue,’” …

Attack on Gaza: As Usual, U.S. Media (And Most Liberals) Silent — As Israeli Newspaper Raises Doubts  —  In the usual process, the U.S. government, media here — and most liberal bloggers — are silent or playing down questions about whether Israel overreacted in its massive air strikes on Gaza …

Playbook - 23 days to Inauguration - Gaza is ‘First test for Obama’ - Axelrod and Gibbs on Sunday shows - MoveOn.org gets practical, echoes the President-elect  —  Birthday: NBC's Savannah Guthrie ... Brokaw on Russert ... Remembering Samuel Huntington ... Engaged: CNNers Howard Lutt and Lydia Garlikov …

What next on Gaza/Israel and Why Americans Should Care  —  For many people, what has happened today between Gaza and Israel may have all too familiar a ring to it - Israel warns and then retaliates to an alleged or real Palestinian escalation of violence, there is Arab condemnation …