memeorandum: Darkness in Qassam-Land — In the winter, the Negev becomes quite beautiful. (Julia Chaitin/Washington Post)

12:05 PM ET, January 1, 2009

Top Items:

IAF steps up Gaza Strip air strikes — The IAF on Thursday bombed a building in the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza, reportedly killing seven people, including senior Hamas leader and cleric Sheikh Nizar Rayyan, and injuring thirty others. — Army Radio reported that according to Palestinian sources …

Discussion: Power Line, Israel Matzav and Elder of Ziyon

Ynetnews:

Hamas leader, 20 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes — Nizar Rayyan, who advocated renewal of suicide bombings against Jewish state, killed with nine other people, including members of his family. Palestinians report 10 people killed in separate strike on Gaza school — Latest Update:

Discussion: Jerusalem Post, BBC, Israellycool, Yourish.com and Associated Press

Ephraim Sneh / Washington Post:

Why Israel Is Bombing Gaza — When demands are made of Israel to halt its military activities in Gaza, a brief historical reminder is in order. — In September 2005, Israel vacated Gaza, dismantled all the settlements in the Gaza Strip and did not leave a shred of a presence there.

Discussion: Soccer Dad

Taghreed El-Khodary / New York Times:

In Dense Gaza, Civilians Suffer — GAZA — A dentist stood at the bed of a doctor, his good friend Ehab Madhoun, 32, who had just died, his shrapnel-pitted body wrapped in a white shroud. — The day before, Dr. Madhoun, a general practitioner, was in an ambulance responding to an Israeli strike …

Discussion: Soccer Dad and Tikun Olam

Haaretz:

IDF recommends major, but brief Gaza ground offensive — The Israel Defense Forces recommended a major, but relatively short-term, ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, as military preparations continued on the border. The army was given the green light to forge ahead with Operation Cast Lead …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Ynetnews, Israpundit, Associated Press and Reuters

Gideon Levy / Haaretz:
GIDEON LEVY / The IAF, bullies of the clear blue skies

Discussion: Associated Press, Firedoglake, Elder of Ziyon and Washington Post

Ernesto Londoño / Washington Post:

At Midnight, U.S. Leaves Republican Palace, Green Zone to Iraqis — The walls of the majestic Republican Palace in Baghdad's Green Zone have been stripped bare. The vaults that secured American cash and classified documents are gone, and the cement blast walls that protected the front entrance were taken down this week.

Discussion: New York Times, Danger Room, Booman Tribune, RedState and Pirate's Cove

Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:

Analysis: Must Senate seat Burris? — NOTE TO READERS: This post is another in a series exploring the meaning and scope of prior Supreme Court rulings — here, the June 16, 1969, decision in Powell v. McCormack (395 U.S. 486). — Analysis — Twice in recent days, the Democrats …

Discussion: Balkinization

Renae Merle / Washington Post:

Wall Street's Final '08 Toll: $6.9 Trillion Wiped Out — Racked by Crisis, Markets End Year on Slight Upswing — After months of tortuous trading, Wall Street rang out its worst year since the Great Depression yesterday, leaving shareholders $6.9 trillion the poorer.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and American Street

Ilana Curiel / Ynetnews:

Rocket hits Ashdod apartment building; no injuries — Grad fired by Palestinians in northern Gaza hits eight-storey building in southern city; no injuries reported; fire breaks out. More rockets target Beersheba, Ofakim, Ashkelon. Municipalities cancel school day

Discussion: Yourish.com and Elder of Ziyon

Eric Kleefeld / TPM Election Central:

Minnesota Recount Almost Over — But Coleman Could Keep A Franken Win Bottled Up For Weeks — Al Franken could be declared the winner of the Minnesota recount as soon as Monday, but due to the peculiarities of Minnesota election law, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) could keep the seat bottled …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post and Minnesota Independent

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight.com:
Franken May Be Ceding Ground on Absentee Ballots

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Raw Story, MSNBC, Daily Kos and Minnesota Independent

WCBS-TV:

Bill Clinton A Possible N.Y. Senate ‘Caretaker?’ — Democrats Pushing Paterson To Name Temp Replacement For Hillary; Scenario Sets Up Wild Election In 2010 — Sen. Bill Clinton? Don't completely rule it out. — The former president is among several boldface names being touted as possible …

Michael Gormley / Associated Press:
NY Democratic advisers talk up ‘caretaker’ senator

Discussion: Althouse, Balloon Juice, JammieWearingFool and MyDD

Kyle Hopkins / Anchorage Daily News:

Palin says Johnston is no dropout — HIGH SCHOOL: She says father of her grandson has a job and takes correspondence classes. — khopkins@adn.com — Gov. Sarah Palin spent part of Wednesday countering what she considers inaccurate descriptions of how much education her daughter's fiance has …

Discussion: La Figa, The Huffington Post and People.com

Adam Nossiter / New York Times:

South Carolina Governor Relents on Jobless Funds — COLUMBIA, S.C. — Just hours before the unemployment benefits fund was to run out in South Carolina, the state with the nation's third-highest jobless rate, Gov. Mark Sanford relented Wednesday and agreed to apply for a $146 million federal loan …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Associated Press and Think Progress

Muslim in Suffer:

ZIONIST ISRAEL'S CRIMES ARE NOT NEW — bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem — In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful — The inflicting of war-crime acts and crimes against humanity is not new to the history of Zionist Israel. — Zionism — for those still confused by the relentless media …

Discussion: Sadly, No!, The Corner and five feet of fury