7 June, 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
US Seeks To Maintain Central Role In Peace Process
IMEMC – Tuesday June 07, 2011 – 15:37, The US has signalled that it intends to maintain its leading position in facilitating Middle East peace talks with its announcement of discussions aimed at renewing the peace process.
Settlers Torch A Mosque Near Ramallah
IMEMC – Tuesday June 07, 2011 – 13:17, Local residents of Al Mughayyir village, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, reported Tuesday at dawn that fundamentalist settlers set the local mosque ablaze, and wrote racist graffiti on it walls, the Palestine Today reported.
Three Arrested In Majdal Shams As Security Remains Tight
IMEMC – Tuesday June 07, 2011 – 12:52, Three men have been arrested in the Israeli Occupied Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams according to PNN. The three were protesting those killed during protests by Palestinian refugees during at the Syrian side of the border during Naksa Day.
Palestinian Mourners Clash With Security In Syria
IMEMC – Tuesday June 07, 2011 – 11:42, There has been an outburst of violence between mourners of those killed at Israel’s border to Israel on Naksa Day and Palestinian resistance group PFLP, according to reports at AFP.
Soldiers Kidnap Hamas Legislator in Nablus
IMEMC – Tuesday June 07, 2011 – 10:52, Israeli soldiers kidnapped on Tuesday at dawn Hamas legislator, member of the Change and Reform Parliamentary Bloc, Sheikh Ahmad Al Haj, after breaking into his home in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Non-violence activist addresses Israeli military court
IMEMC – Tuesday June 07, 2011 – 10:21, Non-violence activist Bassem Tamimi’s address to Israel’s Ofer military court during his trial for organizing protests in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh. A military judge refused to allow Tamimi to read his full statement in court.
Report: Palestinian, Israeli Officials Hold Separate Talks With U.S Officials
IMEMC – Tuesday June 07, 2011 – 10:12, Israeli paper, Haaretz, reported that Palestinian and Israeli officials are holding separate underground talks with U.S. officials in Washington as part of what was described as the American efforts to resume the stalled peace talks.
Settlers set fire to mosque near Ramallah
6/7/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A Ramallah-area mosque was torched overnight and its remains graffitied with racist anti-Arab slogans; witnesses said Israeli settlers were seen setting the fire at 3 a. m. on Tuesday morning. Al-Mughayyir’s village council said the building was badly damaged, and its contents incinerated, drawing condemnation of the third mosque….
Gaza: Non-violent protester injured by Israeli fire
6/7/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A young Palestinian man was injured Tuesday when Israeli forces opened fire on a non-violent rally in Beit Hanoun near Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. A group of dozens had marched toward the border with Israel, demanding Israel’s disengagement from a swath of land inside the…. Related: ISM: Palestinian teenager injured near Gaza border
Gaza activists: Monitoring boat to sail Wednesday
6/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The first monitoring boat in Gaza waters crewed by international citizens will set sail on Wednesday morning, activists said. The vessel, named Oliva, will leave from Gaza City fishing port with crew from Spain, the US, Sweden and the UK, and accompany Gaza fisherman in the waters, organizers said in a…. Related: Turkey asks flotilla to ‘rethink’ planned voyage
Rafah crossing to re-open Wednesday
6/7/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip will be re-opened Wednesday after a four-day closure, the Palestinian official responsible for the Rafah terminal said Tuesday. Ayyoub Abu Sha’ar said in a statement that the transit point would open normally in both directions for travel, and travelers on….
Turkey asks flotilla to ‘rethink’ planned voyage
6/7/2011 – ANKARA, Turkey (AFP) — Turkey’s foreign minister has called on activists to rethink a planned flotilla to the blockaded Gaza Strip and suggested how to avoid fresh tensions after last year’s bloodshed, reports said.” Civic groups should take into account the fact that the Rafah crossing [between Gaza and Egypt] has been…. Related: Gaza activists: Monitoring boat to sail Wednesday
Hamas legislator detained by Israeli forces
6/7/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained a Hamas-affiliated lawmaker from his home overnight, officials told Ma’an. Ahmad Al-Hajj Ali was taken into Israeli custody after soldiers entered and searched his home in the Ein Beit El-Mai refugee camp west of Nablus in the northern West Bank. An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the….
Hamas: PA detained 4 members in West Bank
6/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — In a statement, Hamas officials in the West Bank accused Palestinian Authority security forces of arresting four of the party’s members and summoning several others for an appearance in front of police. The statement, issued on Tuesday, was the first accusing PA-affiliated security forces of carrying out politically-motivated arrests….
PA cabinet still sitting, not paying
6/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority government in Ramallah held its weekly cabinet meeting Tuesday, as the deadline set for the announcement of a unity government reconciling Gaza and West Bank authorities was missed. A new executive of independent figures was one of the provisions of the deal agreed in Cairo on May 4….
Amnesty: Israel must investigate Golan deaths
6/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Amnesty International on Wednesday called on the Israeli authorities to investigate their army’s killing of protesters along the ceasefire line with Syria on Sunday. The global rights group said they had spoken to a human rights activist in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights who “contradicts IDF [Israeli army] claims that….
Israeli forces detain man in Jenin
6/7/2011 – JENIN (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained a Palestinian man in Jenin on Tuesday morning, after a raid on houses in the city’s ancient center. Palestinian security sources said Hani Adnan Makhzoum was detained after 15 military vehicles entered the city, fired sound grenades and raided a number of houses. Also Tuesday morning….
UN Commissioner: Golan deaths raises questions
6/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The UN Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Tuesday she was “deeply concerned” over the use of live ammunition against protesters in the Israeli-occupied Golan on Sunday, which saw between 10 and 23 killed as pro-Palestinians marking An-Naksa Day rushed to the ceasefire line, just weeks after 12 died in….
Shooting in Jabaliya, Gaza kills 55-year-old
6/7/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A Palestinian man, aged 55 and identified only as “Z-Z”, died Tuesday evening after being shot by unknown assailants in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza.”Z-Z” was in his backyard when he was shot in the head, and was transferred to Kamal Odwan hospital in the camp, and….
France: Israel considering Paris peace talks
6/7/2011 – WASHNIGTON (Ma’an) — Israel is considering a French proposal to resume peace talks with Palestine in Paris before the end of June, France’s foreign minister told reporters in the United Sates on Wednesday. Speaking alongside the minister, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the two discussed Paris’ plan, “will be…. Related: Blair open to French Mideast peace talks
Secret negotiations claim denied by Erekat
6/7/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israel’s TV channel 2 said on Monday that “secret negotiations” are taking place between the Israeli Prime Minister’s office andSaeb Erekat, prompting the PLO official to issue a denial Tuesday. Israeli political analyst Udi Segal said lawyer Yitzhak Molcho from Netanyahu’s office and Erekat are….
Civil servants to strike Thursday over week-late salaries
6/7/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian civil servants will go on a partial strike Thursday, following a decision by the civil servants union calling for protest against a government delay in the payment of salaries. The union’s board wants answers, head of the union Bassam Zakarnah said, saying the PA Ministry of Finance had….
Blair open to French Mideast peace talks
6/7/2011 – OSLO, Norway (AFP) — Tony Blair, the envoy of the Quartet group of world powers seeking an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, said Tuesday he was open to a French proposal to host a Middle East peace conference.” What the French foreign minister has been saying is absolutely right in the sense that you need to put together…. Related: France: Israel considering Paris peace talks
EU calls for restraint in Golan
6/7/2011 – BRUSSELS, Belgium (Ma’an) — The EU’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called “on all parties to exercise restraint,” referring to the death of between 10 and 23 pro-Palestinian marchers killed during a Sunday protest calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Syrian lands. Syrian television says 23….
Former Norwegian PM in Bethlehem
6/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) —The former Prime Minister of Norway Kare Willoch visited Bethlehem Wednesday with a delegation from his political party the Norwegian Conservatives. Willoch met with Bethlehem governor Abdul Fatah Hamayel, who updated him on the latest Palestinian political developments, the importance of Bethlehem and Israeli policies that threaten the land. The former….
Thousands rush for scarce hearing aids
6/7/2011 – TULKAREM (IRIN) — Hearing impairments are common among Palestinians mainly due to inherited genetic mutations and lack of access to adequate medical services which allows minor infections to develop into major problems, according to Rafi Walden, a surgeon at Sheba medical center in Israel. Marriages between Palestinians who are genetically related, also referred to as consanguineous….
Syrian state TV claims armed gangs kill 120 security officers
6/7/2011 – DAMASCUS, Syria (AFP) — One hundred and twenty policemen were killed by “armed gangs” in northwest Syria, state television said, while activists said a mutiny at the security headquarters erupted into deadly violence on Monday. Activists who spoke to AFP in Cyprus disputed the official account, speaking instead of a mutiny in the town of Jisrash….
Syrian ambassador resigns over protest violence
6/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Syria’s ambassador to France resigned on Tuesday in protest at the Syrian government’s violence towards protesters, Reuters reported. Lamia Chakkour announced her resignation on France 24 television, with the channel saying Chakkour denounced the violence in Syria and said she no longer wanted to represent Damascus in….
Israel’s Treatment of Gay Palestinian Asylum Seekers
Palestine Note 7 Jun 2011 – Caroline Esser, Washington Note – The newest way to sell Israel to Americans: LGBT rights. Search gay rights on the Anti-Defamation League’s website and what do you find? A ready-to-print and available for order poster that reads, “Which of the…
Settlers Set Fire to West Bank Mosque
Palestine Note 7 Jun 2011 – Netanyahu condemns “criminal act”, but is there any reasonable hope for justice? Washington Post – Arsonists torched a West Bank mosque early Tuesday and scrawled Hebrew graffiti on one of its walls. The Palestinian mayor of el-Mughayer village said a…
The 1967 Borders, Land Swaps and U.N. Recognition of Palestine in September
Palestine Note 7 Jun 2011 – Faris Ghawi – With June 5th marking the 44th anniversary of the start of the 1967 War and the recent speeches by Obama and Netanyahu bringing the issue of 1967 borders to the forefront, it is important that this issue…
UN’s Pillay condemns Israeli ‘Naksa’ killings
AlJazeera 7 Jun 2011 – Human rights chief “deeply troubled” by Israel’s use of live fire against civilians in the Golan Heights, urging probe.
Israeli settlers ‘desecrate’ West Bank mosque
AlJazeera 7 Jun 2011 – Israeli PM terms the attack “a criminal act” and promises to act “decisively” against perpetrators.
Bahrain crown prince visits US
AlJazeera 7 Jun 2011 – Officials reaffirm the strong US commitment to Bahrain and welcomes the national dialogue on reform scheduled for July.
Syrian town braces for military assault
AlJazeera 7 Jun 2011 – Jisr al-Shughur residents flee to Turkish border, a day after government vowed retaliation for “deadly ambush”.
Yemenis protest after talks rejected
AlJazeera 7 Jun 2011 – Thousands gather outside vice-president’s residence after government rejects proposed dialogue as “ridiculous”.
Gaddafi vows to fight to end amid NATO raids
AlJazeera 7 Jun 2011 – Libyan leader says he will not surrender or kneel to enemies as NATO launches rare daytime air strikes on Tripoli.
Maliki asks for patience on Iraq reforms
AlJazeera 7 Jun 2011 – Premier cites progress over past 100 days and asks for more time, but opponents already calling for protests on Friday.
Scores Treated for Gas Inhalation As Soldiers Attack Protest in Northern West Bank
PNN – Tul-Karam – PNN – Scores of civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation as Israeli soldiers attacked a non-violent protest against the wall and settlements on Tuesday at the village of Nazlit Issa,…
Erikat Meeting with Clinton Tackled Palestinian UN Membership
PNN – Ramallah – PNN – Palestinian top negotiator Dr. Saeb Erikat announced Tuesday that the Palestinian delegation that met with US Secretary of state Hillary Clinton in Washington tackled the issue of Palestinian…
US Attempts to Revive Stalled Peace Talks
PNN – Washington – PNN – The US is attempting to restart stalled peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis by inviting officials to the White House for the first discussions in months, Reuters has…
UN Ban Ki-moon calls for Maximum Restraint Deadly Military Attack Along Syrian Border
PNN – New York – UN Media/PNN – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for maximum restraint by all sides after Sundays Israeli military attack on Palestinian protesters marking Naksa at the borders with…
Israeli Troops Open Fire on Non-Violent Protest in Gaza, Injuring One
PNN – Gaza – PNN – A Palestinian young man was injured during a non-violent protest organized at the security fence near the town of Beit Hannon in the northern part of the Gaza…
Union Leader Criticizes PA Finance Ministry Policy
PNN – Ramallah – PNN – Head of the public employees union, Bassam Zakarna, announced today that the union’s central committee decided to strike on Thursday in all the Palestinian Authority ministries in protest…
International Solidarity Movement
Palestinian teenager injured near Gaza border
6/7/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement – 19-year-old Mohammed Kafarna was hit in the neck by bullet shrapnel during a weekly non-violent demonstration in Beit Hanoun, Gaza Strip. According to the doctor treating him, there were three pieces of metal lodged in his neck, thigh and abdomen. Mohammed is in a stable condition, which will be monitored over…. Related: Gaza: Non-violent protester injured by Israeli fire
From Gaza to Guadarrama – UN spreads the word on Palestinian refugees
Relief Web 7 Jun 2011 – Source: UN News Service Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Spain 7 June 2011 – The distance between the town of Guadarrama in Spain, and the Gaza Strip in the occupied Palestinian Territories is enormous; somewhere around 3,500 kilometres, as the crow…
Libya: Report of the High Commissioner under Human Rights Council resolution S-15/1 (A/HRC/17/45) (Advance unedited version)
Relief Web 7 Jun 2011 – Source: UN Human Rights Council Country: Chad , Eritrea , Iraq , Italy , Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (the) , occupied Palestinian territory , Somalia , Sudan (the) , Tunisia Human Rights Council Seventeenth session Agenda items 2 and 4 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for…
UN envoy calls for ‘forceful’ action by Israel after attack on West Bank mosque
Relief Web 7 Jun 2011 – Source: UN News Service Country: Israel , occupied Palestinian territory 7 June 2011 – The top United Nations envoy in the Middle East deplored today’s desecration of a mosque in the occupied West Bank and called for “forceful” action by the…
Huge demand for hearing aids
Relief Web 7 Jun 2011 – Source: Integrated Regional Information Networks Country: occupied Palestinian territory TULKAREM, WEST BANK, 7 June 2011 (IRIN) – Hearing impairments are common among Palestinians mainly due to inherited genetic mutations and lack of access to adequate medical services which allows minor…
OPT: New scholarships for UNRWA students funded by OPEC Fund (OFID)
Relief Web 7 Jun 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: Jordan , Lebanon , occupied Palestinian territory , Syrian Arab Republic (the) The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has signed a US$ 1 million agreement for UNRWA’s education…
Israeli forces arrest Palestinian legislator in Nablus
7 Jun 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli forces detained Tuesday at dawn a Palestinian legislator Ahmed Haj Ali from his house in al-Ein refugee camp in the west of Nablus.
Israeli army invades residential areas in Jenin
7 Jun 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Over 15 Israeli military troops invaded Tuesday the city of Jenin and several residential communities in the region, arresting one Palestinian .
Israel blockades WB, detains 3 Palestinians
7 Jun 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli occupation forces detained Tuesday three young men from the town Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights under the pretext of throwing stones at Israeli army on Sunday when Palestinians joined peaceful rallies to commemorate the 44th anniversary of Naksa Day.
Jewish settlers vandalize mosque in Ramallah
7 Jun 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Dozens of Jewish settlers burned Tuesday a mosque located in the village of al-Mughair in the north-east of Ramallah.
West says seriously wounded Saleh will not return to Yemen
The National 7 Jun 2011 – Yemen president ‘suffered 40 per cent burns and head injury in rocket attack’, say US officials.
Egypt recognises new Muslim Brotherhood political party
The National 7 Jun 2011 – 60-year ban on Arab world’s oldest and most influential Islamist movement ends as secularist groups express fear over its influence in September election.
Up to 12 killed as Palestinian refugees are drawn into Syria revolt
The National 7 Jun 2011 – Assad regime accused of hijacking the Naksa to distract attention from Syrian uprising as shooting breaks out when crowd of angry Palestinians descended on Damascus HQ of group that organised protests on Israeli border in which 15 to 20 people died.
Netanyahu denounces arson attack on West Bank mosque
The National 7 Jun 2011 – Jewish settlers suspected to be behind attack on al Mughayyir village mosque in revenge for demolition last week of nearby settlement outpost of Eley Ain.
Iran sends submarines into Red Sea for first time
The National 7 Jun 2011 – Analysts say Iranian regime hopes its display of naval prowess will deflect attention from unprecedented power struggle gripping its ruling hardliners.
Egypt’s military urged to halt repressive policies
The National 7 Jun 2011 – Activists say Egypt¬øs government is in denial over extensive use of torture and repression that took place in recent years.
Work crisis in Yemen as 800 Sana’a firms close
The National 7 Jun 2011 – Unrest in Yemen takes back seat for many as price rises force desperate families to beg and amid fear that the country will run out of food in three weeks.
UN human rights official calls for Bahraini retraction after news agency distorted her words
The National 7 Jun 2011 – Bahraini opposition groups say peaceful protests have once again been met with violence by security forces, as police broke up Shiite religious processions using tear gas, rubber bullets, sound grenades and birdshot.
Israel to UN: Syria border provocation has potential for serious escalation
Ha’aretz – Israeli delegation to UN writes complaint letter over Naksa Day to UN chief, says Syrian government bears responsibility for any harm caused to individuals who tried to breach Israel’s border.
Syrian ambassador to France denies resignation
Ha’aretz – Lamia Chakkour says she will bring a lawsuit to condemn France 24 for acts of disinformation after the news channel featured a false telephone interview with a woman claiming to be her, who said she had resigned from her position in protest at the Assad government’s repression of protests.
Syrians flee toward Turkey border as tanks approach restive town
Ha’aretz – Russia says it will veto intervention against Syria in the UN Security Council, while French FM says it is ‘a question of days, maybe hours’ before the Council votes on a resolution condemning Syria.
Obama: Palestinians should avoid seeking UN recognition for statehood
Ha’aretz – U.S. president meets German Chancellor Merkel, who says ‘unilateral measures are not helping at all’ to bring about a two-state solution.
Britain: Syrian president Assad should reform or step aside
Ha’aretz – British Foreign Secretary William Hague uses toughest language yet since start of uprising, saying Syrian president is losing legitimacy and must reform or quit.
Ahmadinejad: No offer from world powers could halt Iran’s uranium enrichment
Ha’aretz – Iran president condemns IAEA chief for saying there may be military dimensions to Tehran’s nuclear work.
Netanyahu condemns West Bank mosque attack as ‘criminal act’
Ha’aretz – Mosque in village near Ramallah torched and sprayed with graffiti; Defense Minister Barak echoes PM’s condemnation and says IDF will take steps to catch the perpetrators.
Between warm and fuzzy, and dangerous in the West Bank
Ha’aretz – Refugee camps, desert moonscapes, checkpoints and monasteries – all were part of an eye-opening bike trip around the West Bank, organized by a nonprofit Palestinian rights organization.
Iran sends submarines to Red Sea in move that could anger Israel
Ha’aretz – Iran says its military ships have entered Red Sea with goal of collecting information and identifying other countries’ combat vessels, according to semi-official Fars news agency.
Report: 14 Palestinians shot dead in Syrian refugee camp
Ha’aretz – Eye witnesses say security guards opened fire on angry mourners who attacked Palestinian faction leaders in Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus.
West Bank mosque targeted in suspected ‘price tag’ attack by settlers
Ha’aretz – Palestinians: Jewish youth roll burning tires into a mosque in Maghayer village next to Alei Ayin outpost demolished by IDF last week.
Britain PM pledges support for state-funded health system
Ha’aretz – David Cameron’s government pauses legislation intended to overhaul the National Health Service, which would give family doctors control over 60 billion pounds of annual NHS spending and reduce bureaucracy with the loss of thousands of jobs.
Rep. Anthony Weiner admits to sending lewd photos via Twitter
Ha’aretz – Following numerous denials, the Democratic Rep. finally owns up to sending photo of his underwear-clad crotch to a young woman, and then lying repeatedly to protect himself.
Coldplay removes link to ‘Freedom for Palestine’ single from Facebook
Ha’aretz – The post received more than 7,000 responses, of both fervent supporters and objectors, some of which were very offensive.
And the rich grew richer
Ha’aretz – Israel’s exclusive club of billionaires became a little less exclusive last year with the addition of five new members. Crisis who?
Elbit Imaging investors buoyed by Zisser clarification letter
Ha’aretz – Missive meant to clear air after rumors of debt trouble with Hapoalim.
Dairy imports, mainly butter, jumped 67% in 2010, stats show
Ha’aretz –
France says it’s moving ahead with Paris peace conference
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – French Foreign Minister Juppe addresses Clinton criticism, says that France, US both believe an agreement on parameters must be in place before talks can resume; says he expects “positive developments.”
Gaddafi vows to fight on as NATO pounds Tripoli
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Libyan government says 29 killed by NATO airstrikes on capital; “We only have one choice, we will stay in our land dead or alive,” Gaddafi says.
J’lem files UN complaint over Syria border ‘provocations’
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Israel urges int’l community to warn Syria its actions “carry potential for escalation,” UN official calls for probe of IDF’s “excessive force.”
UK says Syria’s Assad should reform or step aside
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Hague says Syrian authorities using live fire against protesters and blocking UN efforts to get help to people.
Obama, Merkel call on Palestinians to avoid UN state bid
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – At joint press conference in Washington, US and German leaders say “unilateral measures are not helping at all.”
Yemenis protest against Saleh’s return; 45 dead in South
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Demonstrators in capital call on VP to create new gov’t while wounded president recovers in Saudi Arabia; army, al-Qaida clash in Zinjibar.
Amir Peretz tops Labor Party membership drive
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – MK bests Yacimovich, Herzog, making him front runner in primary; new members could push Labor past Kadima as 2nd largest party.
‘No western offer will stop Iran’s uranium enrichment’
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Iranian President Ahamdinejad accuses UN nuclear watchdog chief of following Washington’s orders.
In Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood becomes legitimate party
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Group becomes an official political party for the first time since they were outlawed in 1954; can run in September’s elections.
Netanyahu: Mosque attack designed to be a provocation
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Barak: Mosque arson intended to harm peace; arsonists set fire to Ramallah mosque, spray graffiti on walls in suspected “price tag” attack.
Barak: Mosque arson attack intended to harm peace
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Arsonists set fire to Ramallah mosque, scrawl graffiti on walls in suspected “price tag” attack; Abbas orders refurbishing of mosque.
Israeli foods get top billing on global Food Channel
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Israeli brands will be included as part of “world market” for Food Channel’s online store thanks to lobbying by US Christian group.
Mosque vandalized in suspected ‘Price Tag’ attack
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Arsonists set fire to Ramallah mosque, scrawl graffiti, including “Alei Ayin,” on walls; Abbas orders immediate refurbishing of mosque.
Demonstrator’s death energizes Moroccan protesters
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Kamel Amari, 30, killed by Safi police, becomes new symbol for anti-government rallies across the country.
‘Violence breaks out in refugee camp in Syria, 14 killed’
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Refugees attack PFLP headquarters, Khaled Mashaal, blame leadership for sending Palestinians to ‘Naksa’ Day border clashes, sources report.
Turkish FM, opposition exchange spats over Israel
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Davutoƒülu slams Kƒ±lƒ±?ßdaroƒülu’s criticism of Turkish gov’t for allowing activists to sail to Gaza during ‘Marmara’ incident last year.
Vandals damage mosque in village near Ramallah
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Suspects set fire to mosque carpet, scrawl name of evacuated settlement; police and IDF launch joint investigation team.
Dore Gold receives Guardian of Zion Award
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – “Rather than fight against unity of J’lem, world community should come forward to embrace it,” says head of the J’lem Center for Public Affairs.
Hezbollah, Hamas praise ‘Naksa Day’ unrest
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Nasrallah says protests show “the efforts of the US administration to hijack the Arab revolutions”; denounces “American hypocrisy.”
Weizmann Institute observatory captures supernova images
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Astronomer invites amateur photos to send in photos to pinpoint exact time of sighting of new exploding star.
IBA bosses demoted so proper tenders can refill their posts
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2011 – Israel Radio CEO Aryeh Shaked, Channel 1 CEO Moshe Matzliach found themselves demoted to rank and file.
Israeli settlers blamed for arson attack on West Bank mosque
The Guardian 7 Jun 2011 – Carpets set alight and Hebrew graffiti scrawled on walls in ‘retribution’ for removal of nearby Jewish structure Jewish settlers were accused of attacking a mosque in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Tuesday, setting alight carpets and…
This Syrian tinderbox could set fire to the region | Simon Tisdall
The Guardian 7 Jun 2011 – Assad’s regime threatens dire consequences for the bloodshed in Jisr al-Shughour. They may not be restricted to Syria’s borders Carnage in Jisr al-Shughour has taken the Syrian crisis to a new level, even as Bashar al-Assad’s…
Deterrence won’t stop cyber-attacks | Jeffrey Hunker
The Guardian 7 Jun 2011 – The Pentagon’s threat to treat cyber-attacks as an act of war is a case of bellicose rhetoric replacing serious defensive policy Sometimes nations, like individuals, say things in public that are better said in private. So…
MIDEAST: September Knocks on Israeli Gates
IPS “September 2011 is knocking on our gates,” says an Israeli army officer who, under strict operation procedures, would not reveal his name. He was alluding to the United Nations General Assembly annual meeting expected to resoundingly endorse the Palestinian drive for recognition of statehood.
UN agency urges Bahrain to re-employ 2,000 workers
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – The U.N. labour rights agency urged Bahrain on Tuesday to give jobs back to at least 2,000 workers fired for striking in support of pro-democracy protests. Bahrain’s unions called a general strike in March to back protesters from the Shi’ite majority demanding greater freedoms from the Sunni-led government. Bahraini forces and troops from nearby…
“We weren’t really waiting”: A Fuse 100 Days Long Maliki Runs Out of Days
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – June 7th has been called ‘The Day of Retribution’ by Iraqi grassroots organizers. Nation-wide protests and sit-ins are planned against the US occupation as well as Nouri al-Maliki’s regime, coinciding with the Prime Minister’s own deadline, set exactly 100 days ago, to address Iraq’s protest movement’s demands. “Changes will be made in light of…
WE ARE NOW UNDER ATTACK IN TRIPOLI!
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – It is now 1:10 in the afternoon and as the daily life in Tripoli unfolds that includes teachers, staff, and children at school, shopkeepers working in their businesses, streetsweepers sweeping the streets, people moving to and fro in the cars, on bicycles, and on foot, Tripoli has thus far since around 11:00 up to…
Yemen facing humanitarian catastrophe: UNICEF
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – Yemen is facing a humanitarian catastrophe as an explosion of violence strains the country, Yemen representative for the UN children’s agency UNICEF said. People in Sanaa are very scared and the country is in desperate need of water and fuel, Geert Cappelaere said. “This country is absolutely in dire need of humanitarian assistance,” he…
Home / Middle-East / Yemen facing humanitarian catastrophe: UNICEF Yemen facing humanitarian catastrophe: UNICEF
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – Yemen is facing a humanitarian catastrophe as an explosion of violence strains the country, Yemen representative for the UN children’s agency UNICEF said. People in Sanaa are very scared and the country is in desperate need of water and fuel, Geert Cappelaere said. “This country is absolutely in dire need of humanitarian assistance,” he…
Palestinian teenager injured near Gaza border
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – 19-year-old Mohammed Kafarna was hit in the neck by bullet shrapnel during a weekly non-violent demonstration in Beit Hanoun, Gaza Strip. According to the doctor treating him, there were three pieces of metal lodged in his neck, thigh and abdomen. Mohammed is in a stable condition, which will be monitored over the next 24…
Up to 12 killed as Palestinian refugees are drawn into Syria revolt
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – Up to a dozen protesting Palestinians have been killed by security guards in a Damascus suburb, in a sign that Syria’s large Palestinian refugee community is slowly being sucked into an increasingly bloody national uprising. The shootings took place on Monday afternoon and evening, according to residents of the sprawling Yarmouk Camp neighbourhood, when…
Rafah crossing to re-open Wednesday
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – — The crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip will be re-opened Wednesday after a four-day closure, the Palestinian official responsible for the Rafah terminal said Tuesday. Ayyoub Abu Sha’ar said in a statement that the transit point would open normally in both directions for travel, and travelers on a list of passengers due…
Turkey asks flotilla to ‘rethink’ planned voyage
Uruknet June 7, 2011 — Turkey’s foreign minister has called on activists to rethink a planned flotilla to the blockaded Gaza Strip and suggested how to avoid fresh tensions after last year’s bloodshed, reports said. “Civic groups should take into account the fact that the Rafah crossing [between Gaza and Egypt] has been opened and… act in a more…
Libyan leader Gaddafi vows to fight to the death
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi vowed to fight to the death in a defiant speech after Nato military craft unleashed a ferocious series of some daytime airstrikes on Tripoli. In a phone call to Libyan state television station, Gaddafi angrily denounced the rebels who rose up against him in mid-February, inspired by a wave of…
The Lebanese Left Fails in Syria
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – When the left loses all the material elements of its steadfastness, as a result of its mistakes on the one hand and because of surrounding local pressures on the other, it is usually left with nothing but the political-ethical discourse as a principled stance on the basis of which to fight. In the end,…
Libya says NATO attacks on Tripoli kill 31
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – The government of Muammar Gaddafi said NATO strikes on Tripoli on Tuesday killed 31 people, adding that Western leaders were not seeking a peaceful solution but escalation. Waves of NATO aircraft hit the Libyan capital in the most sustained bombardment of the city since Western forces began air strikes in March. Government spokesman Moussa…
Israeli settlers set fire to mosque in West Bank Palestinian village
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – West Bank settlers are suspected of attempting to set fire on Tuesday morning to a mosque in the West Bank village of Maghayer, breaking through a window and rolling burning tires into the mosque in order to maximize damage. The attackers left a message in Hebrew scrawled on the mosque’s walls, reading “price tag”…
Going Rogue: NATO War Crimes in Libya
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – …hough attacks are widespread, some of the worst abuses are occurring in Misurata. The City has the only mega port in Libya, and handles transportation for the country, including the largest oil and gas depots. NATO will stop at nothing to take the City. Refugees report that the Israeli Star of David flag was…
Crack in Syria regime? Mutiny reported in north
Uruknet June 7, 2011 – Mutinous Syrian soldiers joined forces with protesters after days of crackdowns in a tense northern region, apparently killing dozens of officers and security guards, residents and activists said Tuesday. The details of what happened in Jisr al-Shughour remain murky, but if confirmed the mutiny would be an extraordinary crack in the regime, which sees…
Military Resistance 9F 4: Fools
Uruknet June 6, 2011 – Five U.S. servicemembers were killed Monday in central Iraq, the U.S. military said in a written statement. The deaths are the single largest loss of life among U.S. troops in Iraq since 2009. Two Iraqi security officials told CNN Monday that the servicemembers were killed during an early morning rocket attack at on a…
Guant?°namo’s Children: The Wikileaked Testimonies
Uruknet June 6, 2011 – On April 24, 2011, the transparency organization Wikileaks began to release Detainee Assessment Briefs and other classified documents for all 779 Guant?°namo prisoners. This revealed that military authorities have acknowledged that Mr. Abdul Samad, Mr. Ibrahim Umar al Umar, Mr. Khalil Rahman Hafez, and Mr. Abdullah R. Razzaq were all imprisoned at Guant?°namo as…
Iraq snapshot – June 6, 2011
Uruknet June 6, 2011. Chaos and violence continue, Tikrit is again slammed with a bombing, 5 US soldiers die in Iraq, the 100 Days end approaches, a feminist calls out Nouri’s attack on NGOs, Jay Carney gets asked about Iraq and goes all uh-uh-uh-uh deer in the headlights, and more. The morning began with AP reporting that 5 US…
Rights group: Israel holding boy nearly blinded by IOF
Uruknet June 6, 2011 – – A human rights group has revealed that the Israel Prison Service is detaining an ill Palestinian boy left nearly blind by Israeli occupation force soldiers. The development shows that the IPS has not restricted its medical neglect policy to adult prisoners alone. Ismail Turki Mohammed Okel, 16, from the Old City of Nablus…
They Call This Justice. Supreme Court Gives CIA Torturers, Boeing a Free Pass
Uruknet June 6, 2011 – On May 16, in another shameless capitulation to the Executive Branch, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a lawsuit brought by victims of CIA torture, handing Jeppesen DataPlan, a subsidiary of defense giant Boeing, a free pass for services “rendered” as the Agency’s booking agent. In 2007, the American Civil Liberties filed a…
Mystery over Paris Syrian envoy’s resignation
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Two television channels aired audio comments Tuesday from women they said were the Syrian ambassador in Paris but their contradictory comments left it unclear whether one of the broadcasts was a hoax or whether the diplomat…
Gadhafi vows to fight on as NATO warplanes pound Tripoli
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Waves of NATO aircraft hit Tripoli Tuesday in the most sustained bombardment of the Libyan capital since Western forces began airstrikes in March.
Parliament committeedebates draft legislation on domestic violence
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 A special parliamentary committee discussed Tuesday a draft law on domestic violence.
Blast raises gas station safety concerns
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 The dust had barely settled on the ruined forecourt before the accusations began to fly.
Taking the high road can save your life: pedestrian walkways
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 With a combination of drivers who routinely speed, a lack of pedestrian overpasses and a public that is largely uneducated about road safety, Lebanon has one of the world’s worst accident rates for pedestrians.
Forum on media freedom takes up case of expelled student
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 A conference on freedom of expression in universities organized Tuesday by the Media Against Violence watchdog, turned out to be a public defense of a student affiliated with the Lebanese Forces, who had been expelled from…
Lebanon rejects food shipments from Europe
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 The Agriculture Ministry prevented a shipment of wheat grown in Europe from being unloaded at the Beirut port.
Yemen facing humanitarian catastrophe: UNICEF
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Yemen is facing a humanitarian catastrophe as an explosion of violence strains a country that is already one of the poorest in the world, Yemen representative for the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF said Tuesday.
Syrian newspaper warns of more marches on Israeli border
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 A Syrian state newspaper said Tuesday that more Syrians and Palestinians plan to march to the Israeli border, warning Israel the day will come when hundreds of thousands of refugees return to their occupied villages.
Settlers accused in West Bank mosque arson
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Jewish settlers were accused of attacking a mosque in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Tuesday, setting alight carpets and daubing Hebrew graffiti on its walls.
Saleh injuries believed more serious
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s injuries from a rocket attack on his palace at the weekend were more serious than previously reported, a Yemeni official said, raising further questions about his rule.
Bahrain’s Shiite clerics slam police over procession attack
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Bahrain’s Shiite clerics criticized the Gulf kingdom’s police Tuesday for attacking religious processions just days after emergency rule was lifted.
Iraqi prime minister backs off sackings on 100-day deadline
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 A 100-day deadline set by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for his Cabinet to shape up expired Tuesday, though the prime minister has pulled back from the threat of dismissals if improvements are not made.
Turkey: 10 suspected Al-Qaeda affiliates detained in Adana
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Police Tuesday arrested 10 people suspected of links to an Al-Qaeda terrorist network in southern Turkey, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported.
Iranian navy sends its submarines to Red Sea
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Iran has sent submarines to the Red Sea in the first such deployment by the country’s navy in distant waters, a semi-official news agency reported Tuesday.
Turkish FM urges activists to avoid fresh tensions by rethinking flotilla
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Turkey’s foreign minister has called on activists to rethink a planned flotilla to the blockaded Gaza Strip and suggested how to avoid fresh tensions after last year’s bloodshed, reports said.
Syrian envoy appears to quit on TV, then deny it
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 It was not immediately possible for The Associated Press to reconcile the two accounts or tell if the voices on the two networks belonged to the same woman. There was no video.
Four Palestinians killed in Syria camp: witnesses
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Four people were killed at the Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp in the Syrian capital on Monday after the funerals of nine people killed by Israeli fire on the Golan Heights, witnesses said.
Syrian lesbian blogger detained: websites
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Half-Syrian, half-American, Abdullah wrote a blog entitled “A Gay Girl in Damascus,” which along with other postings in support of Syria’s popular protest movement, brought her international fame.
Al Jazeera airs call by defecting Syrian officer
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 “After what we’ve seen from crimes in Deraa and all over Syria, I am unable to continue with the Syrian Arab army,” he said in the footage aired on Al Jazeera television.
Baabda prison detainee rearrested
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 One of five detainees who broke out of a detention center in Baabda last week was rearrested Tuesday, a security source said.
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood legalized as party
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Egypt’s official news agency says the long banned Muslim Brotherhood has been recognized as the Freedom and Justice Party.
Iranian navy sends submarines to Red Sea: report
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Iran has sent submarines to the Red Sea in the first such deployment by the country’s navy in distant waters, a semi-official news agency reported Tuesday.
One dead as dozens fleeing Syria unrest cross into Turkey
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 One person died from gunshot wounds as 41 refugees fleeing unrest in Syria crossed the border into Turkey over the weekend, a Turkish diplomat told AFP on Tuesday.
Justice Ministry evacuated, judges threatened
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 “Evacuate the ministry’s building, or else,” an anonymous caller warned the Justice Ministry Tuesday.
Garage fist fight puts lawyer in hospital
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 An argument between two lawyers and a mechanic in Beirut developed into a fist fight that landed one of the attorneys in hospital, a security source said Tuesday.
Police put Monday gas station death toll at 4
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Police said Tuesday that four people had died as a result of the blast at a gasoline station in Beirut Monday which also injured 13 others and caused extensive damage to the station and several nearby…
Sleiman, Mikati hold talks on stalled Cabinet formation
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati held talks Tuesday on the stalled government formation process.
Polices end search for ‘suspicious object’ in Sidon
Daily Star 7 Jun 2011 Police in the southern coastal city of Sidon ended their security measures in the neighborhood Taamir Ain al-Hilweh after they received a report of a suspicious object in the area.
Syrian groups ask ICC to probe killings
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Human rights organizations urge International Criminal Court to investigate….
Egypt accepts Muslim Brotherhood as legal party
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Brotherhood gains official political legitimacy for first time in its 80 years….
IPS names first female warden
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Brigadier Ofra Klinger to become first woman in Israel Prison Service history to….
Syrian defector: Military inhumane
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Video of Syrian officer going AWOL over ‘crimes against protesters’ fuels rumors….
Syria: ‘Naksa Day’ events just a preview
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Syrian state-owned newspaper says Israel should expect 600,000 Syrian refugees….
IHH publishes 2nd Marmara book
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Turkish group behind Gaza flotilla releases new book detailing ‘one of 21st….
Iran sends submarines to Red Sea
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Fars news agency says Tehran’s Navy has dispatched submarines to the waters of….
Report: Syria, Turkey involved in Palestinian unity deal
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – UK paper says brokering Fatah, Hamas reconciliation included secret meetings….
‘Flotilla running into rough waters’
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Jerusalem sources say frequent changes in Gaza-bound sail’s itinerary stem from….
Mosque torched near Ramallah
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Security forces investigating whether Mughayyir Mosque was set on fire in….
Nuclear weapons threat not decreasing, study says
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Over 5,000 nuclear weapons are deployed worldwide, powers continue to invest in….
Ex-Mossad chief inspires ‘security’ bill
YNet News, 7 Jun 2011 – Meir Dagan’s controversial statements on Iran, peace process prompt Likud MK to….
Palestinian Information Center
Bardawil: Return to negotiations poisons reconciliation atmosphere
PIC – 07/06/2011 – 08:43 AM
Qabaha criticizes Hamas’s ‘lax position’ on West Bank political prisoners
PIC – 07/06/2011 – 08:55 AM
IOF soldiers arrest 72-year-old Hamas MP & lecturer
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided the home of an elderly Hamas MP in the eastern suburb of Nablus city and detained him after blasting their way into his home.
Gaza calls on Egypt to restore transit agreement
PIC – The Palestinian government in Gaza has called on Egypt to reinstate measures to ease movement on the Rafah border crossing.
IOA disallows lawyers visits to Palestinian detainees
PIC – The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) blocked lawyers from visiting their Palestinian clients at the pretext of Jewish holidays, one of the lawyers said on Tuesday.
Settlers torch mosque in Al-Mughayyir village near Ramallah
PIC – Jewish settlers torched a mosque in Al-Mughayyir village near Ramallah on Monday, causing serious damage to the entire structure.
Israel raids offices of Nablus PLC members
PIC – Israeli forces raided Tuesday morning the offices of Palestinian Legislative Council members from the Hamas bloc in Nablus, confiscating computers and other property.
Palestinian youth wounded in Israeli gunfire
PIC – A Palestinian young man was wounded north of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday when Israeli forces opened gunfire at a march in Beit Hanun.
Mystery disease sends Shata prisoner to hospital
PIC – Prison sources said a detainee in the Israeli Shata prison in the north was transferred to Afula hospital after he was afflicted with a mysterious health condition.
Jewish extremists infiltrate Al-Aqsa Mosque
PIC – Jewish extremists infiltrated Tuesday Al-Aqsa Mosque from the south and roamed the squares of the sacred premises as Israeli security forces stood guard.
Hamas: Burning mosques racist policy
PIC – Hamas strongly condemned the Israeli settlers’ burning of a mosque in Mughyir village to the northeast of Ramallah on Tuesday as a racist act and a flagrant violation of heavenly religions.
Jewish settlers burn Palestinian farmland
PIC – Jewish settlers from the settlement of Karmi Tzur built on Palestinian land in Halhul and Beit Ummar villages in Al-Khalil on Tuesday set Palestinian farmland on fire.
US Lawmakers say Israeli Settlements Impede Peace Process
WAFA
Cabinet Calls for International Protection for Palestinians, Declares Financial Crisis
WAFA
Italian High Judicial Council Supports Palestinian Judiciary in Fight Against Corruption‚Äè
WAFA
UN Official Condemns Arson of West Bank Mosque
WAFA
Erekat Denies Reports of Talks with Israeli Officials
WAFA
Gazan Shot at Peaceful March
WAFA
Italian Council supports Palestinian Judiciary in the Fight against Corruption
WAFA
OCHA Weekly Report says 13 Palestinians Injured in West Bank at End of May
WAFA
Israeli Police Arrests Three Syrian Youth
WAFA
Newspapers Review: Palestinian Clashes in Syria Dominate Headlines
WAFA
Israelis Say to Obama “Yes We Ken”
Intifada-Palestine: 7 Jun 2011 – “The amazing moments in the march came when protesters chanted: “Israel and Palestine, two states for two peoples”; “Yes we ‘ken'” (the Hebrew word for “yes”); and “Bibi and Barak, peace isn’t a game” Dr. Ashraf Ezzat In his recent and… more
‘Senator Schumer Turning US into Islamophobic Police State’
Intifada-Palestine: 7 Jun 2011 – Maidhc ?ì Cathail Middle East Analyst Maidhc ‘O Cathail, accuses New York Senator Charles Schumer of turning the United States into “an Islamophobic police state”. He told Press TV’s U.S. Desk in a phone interview on Thursday that Schumer is “yet… more
Jewish Voice for Peace? Really??
Intifada-Palestine: 7 Jun 2011 – by Nahida Izzat It appears that, yet again, Anti-zionist Jewish organizations are trying to silence Palestine’s supporters , to frame the debate , to secure the future of their brethren in occupied Palestine and to steer the course of Liberation of our Homeland… more
Countering Iran the major factor behind US support for Bahrain: Deepak Tripathi
Intifada-Palestine: 7 Jun 2011 – Deepak Tripathi Interview by Kourosh Ziabari Deepak Tripathi is a British historian, journalist and researcher who specializes in South and West Asia affairs, terrorism and the United States foreign policy. He was born into a political family in Unnao, the Indian… more
Violence at Palestinian camp funerals in Syria leaves 20 dead
LA Times 7 Jun 2011 – Mourners clash with members of a Syrian-backed militant faction at the Yarmouk refugee camp. The faction is accused of having persuaded the Palestinians’ relatives to join protests at the Golan Heights border that turned deadly. Funerals in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp near the Syrian…
Yemen president more seriously injured than reported, U.S. says
LA Times 7 Jun 2011 – President Ali Abdullah Saleh has burns and bleeding in his skull, U.S. officials say. Saleh, who is being treated in Saudi Arabia, will have a long recovery, an official says. A Yemeni official calls such reports baseless. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s injuries from an…
U.S. presses crown prince to ease Bahrain crackdown
LA Times 7 Jun 2011 – President Obama, meeting with Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Khalifa at the White House, welcomes the kingdom’s decision to lift emergency security measures imposed after protests and to hold talks with the opposition. President Obama pressed Bahrain’s crown prince to ease the Persian Gulf state’s…
5 U.S. soldiers, 14 Iraqis killed in separate attacks
LA Times 6 Jun 2011 – The rocket attack on U.S. soldiers at a base in east Baghdad is the deadliest of the year, increasing concerns about more violence before the drawdown by year-end. The Iraqi deaths come in a car bombing in Tikrit. Five American soldiers were killed Monday in…
Yemeni Leader’s Condition Raises Doubts About Rule
New York Times 7 Jun 2011 – The burns President Ali Abdullah Saleh suffered in an attack may require months to heal, an official said, pointing to an extended absence.
Syrian Accounts of ‘Massacre’ Differ
New York Times 7 Jun 2011 – Tension hung over the town of Jisr al-Shoughour as details emerged about a violent confrontation. Meanwhile, reports of the French ambassador leaving were thrown into confusion.
Yemen’s Leader Is Said to Plan Return ‘in Days’
New York Times 7 Jun 2011 – Maneuvering intensified to push President Ali Abdullah Saleh to accept a peaceful transition from power while he is in a Saudi hospital from an attack on his palace.
Baghdad Journal: A Gold Rush, Deep in a City’s Sewers
New York Times 7 Jun 2011 – Desperate unemployed men toil under Baghdad’s jewelry district, where the wealth has trickled down, literally.
Arsonists Damage and Deface Mosque in West Bank Village
New York Times 7 Jun 2011 – Arsonists damaged a mosque in a West Bank village early Tuesday and sprayed Hebrew messages on the walls, leading to suspicions that Jewish settler extremists were the perpetrators.
Head of Private Military Firm Denies Affiliation With Ex-Blackwater Chief
New York Times 7 Jun 2011 – A firm based in Abu Dhabi sent letters responding to inquiries from the House of Representatives.
Syrian Envoy Resigns on TV, or Perhaps It Was Impostor
New York Times 7 Jun 2011 – A woman identifying herself as the Syrian ambassador to France announced her resignation, which was soon followed by denials.
Five US soldiers killed amid wave of violence in Iraq
WSWS – Five US soldiers were killed in a wave of violence that claimed at least 20 other lives across Iraq Monday.
AT TUWANI REFLECTION: Healing the Trees
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine – We start slowly, our delegation members, several men, a handful of women, a sprinkling of children. As we walk out of the Palestinian village of At-Tuwani the procession grows, women cutting across fields, childrenscrambling down hillsides. Some of the boys carry hoes; the women swing buckets;…
Israeli defense establishment seems to want Netanyahu out
Mondoweiss – According to a Ben Caspit column in Ma’ariv (Hebrew), for the past two years there has been a growing power struggle involving the Israeli leadership team of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister, Ehud Barak, against many officials past and present who are in…
U.S. media buys Israel’s Naksa spin that protesters were orchestrated
Mondoweiss – Variations on the line the Israeli government fed to Israeli media yesterday about the killings of demonstrators in the Golan Heights Sunday have made their way to the U.S. media, despite there being little evidence produced to support their claims. The New York Times report is…
Israel arrests 76-year-old Israeli journalist for incitement and 6-year-old Palestinian boy
Mondoweiss – and other news from Today in Palestine: Land, property, resources theft & destruction / Ethnic cleansing / Settlers [price tag] Settlers set fire to mosque near Ramallah RAMALLAH (Ma’an) 7 June — A Ramallah-area mosque was torched overnight and its remains graffitied with racist anti-Arab slogans; witnesses said…
CAT shareholders meet: Speak out!
Jewish Voice for Peace –
Wait– did Israel lay a minefield in Golan in last 3 weeks to kill protesters?
Mondoweiss – Marian Houk has a disturbing report at UN-Truth. The beginning of her post: There were several Israeli media reports published yesterday (in English) and today (in Hebrew) that the IDF has, in recent weeks, laid new minefields in the Golan ‚Äî as part of the military…
‘Mishigas’ and ‘mensch’ make primetime
Mondoweiss – I track Yiddish in the mainstream media. And yesterday: 1. John Schaefer of Soundcheck was interviewing the bandleader of “My Morning Jacket” in the afternoon and asked him how recording had gone on their latest album. No “mishigas,” he said, ala Crosby Still and Nash or…
Salon: Could Obama Lose Arab American Voters Over Israel?
Arab American Institute 7 Jun 2011 – In an article that examines the impact of President Obama’s Mideast policy on Arab American voters, Salon’s Justin Elliott takes on an often overlooked concern. Elliott states, “While the media focus has been on Jewish Americans, this community is less than pleased with Obama’s Mideast policy.”
What’s Wrong With Israel’s Keeping Settlement Blocs?
The Magnes Zionist 7 Jun 2011 – Some readers (and J Street folks) were puzzled by the tone and content of my previous post. After all, what’s the difference, I was asked, between settlements and settlement blocs? And if there will be land swaps between the Palestinian and Israeli states, what difference does…
Gaza not un-besieged after all
The Only Democracy? JVP 7 Jun 2011 – When I was arguing with AIPAC attendees in Washington D.C., the one thing they didn’t seem to have an answer for was if the occupation of Gaza was supposedly over, why was Israel controlling all its borders? Well, with the seemingly heartening news that Egypt’s military…
Why do protesters only count in Syria?
The Only Democracy? JVP 7 Jun 2011 – Mitchell Plitnick has an argument here about why Syria should stay out of Palestinian protest s. It’s an interesting case though I am happy to see the larger issue of the Palestinian refugee diaspora raised, I agree that Syria is a deeply flawed messenger, given its…
Settlers burn down al-Mughir village mosque in revenge attack
Middle East Monitor 7 Jun 2011 – Residents from al-Mughir village north west of the Ramallah district have stated that they awoke on Monday morning to find that the majority of the mosque had been burnt down. The head of the village council, Faraj al-Nisan, said that worshippers were surprised when they…
Israelis prepare to emigrate and Palestinians to Return?
Middle East Monitor 7 Jun 2011 – The number of Israelis thinking of leaving Palestine is climbing rapidly according to researchers, while many more, with actual millennial roots but victims of ethnic cleansing, prepare to exercise their right of Return. Perhaps historians or cultural anthropologists surveying the course of human events can identify…
Islamic Council warns against new licences for Jewish museum in Muslim cemetery
Middle East Monitor 7 Jun 2011 – The legal advisor of the Supreme Islamic Council in occupied Palestine has warned the Israeli occupation authorities about building a Jewish museum in the historic Ma’man Allah Islamic cemetery in the occupied city of Jerusalem. According to Mr Qais Nasser, the Municipality of occupied Jerusalem is…
US delegation visits Cairo to study Egypt’s new foreign policy
Middle East Monitor 7 Jun 2011 – A US delegation of members of both Houses of Congress has been touring the Middle East, beginning with Cairo to identify new aspects of Egypt’s foreign policy. The delegation met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Al-Araby, who briefed them on the most important characteristics of the…
Syria town braces for army attack
BBC 7 Jun 2011 – The northern Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughour braces for an army assault after the government says 120 security forces personnel were killed.
Mosque arson attack in West Bank
BBC 7 Jun 2011 – Attackers set fire to a mosque near Ramallah in the West Bank, daubing graffiti which suggests they were Jewish settlers angry about building restrictions.
Palestine-Israel, Week after week the joint popular struggle continue and the bad days of no struggle are nearly forgotten.
A-infos 7 Jun 2011 – The feeling of the nearing immanent disaster of the 1967 war spoils start to color the joint struggle with a special Spring aroma. It seems that even the sting of the tear gas and the pains from rubber coated bullet, batons and tear gas missiles are…
Articles
The Impossible Distance: A Choice to Kill
Chris Floyd, Empire burlesque, Uruknet6/6/2011
I watched them marching toward the border. Row upon row of them in the hot, bright sun. They marched without guns, without tanks and missiles — although some, like the shepherd boy David, did pick up a few rocks to hurl into the impossible distance.
I watched them stream down the green hill toward the heaps of dirt and wire. I saw them, old and young, walk toward the occupied land. I saw them come closer — close enough for the heavily-armed occupying force to have them in range.
From a distance — behind the barbed wire, with the occupiers, where the cameras that showed the scene were set — I heard the dull pops and parps of the guns as they fired. I saw the marchers kept streaming down the hill, although the first wave was now breaking in disarray. I heard the guns again. I saw some marchers fall, others scramble back, and still more coming down.
Pop. Pop. Parp. The dull sounds, intermittent, careful. The bullets whizzed across the distance — the impossible distance, which no stone could traverse. The bullets threw up clouds of dirt, they struck flesh. I saw bodies twisting and going down. The march became a rescue party. The dead and wounded were lifted onto sheets and stretchers as the bullets kept coming: dull, intermittent, careful. Pop. Pop. Parp.
Finally, as many lay dead, many lay bleeding in bright, hot sun, finally, across the distance, from behind the barbed wire and hot-barrelled weapons, I watched the canisters of tear gas sailing through the air, trailing streams of smoke. They landed on the dirt and the green grass, and spewed their painful, irresistible fog. — See also: Source more.. e-mail
The Crucial Link Between 1948 and 1967
Rami G. Khouri, Agence Global6/8/2011
BEIRUT — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed his great deception skills again Sunday when he said that the clashes on the border with Syria that day prove that the Palestinians are not interested in a solution based on 1967 borders, but rather seek a solution based on 1948 borders. For once, though, there was a nugget of truth in his comments, because he correctly mentioned the importance of 1948 in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
He was being typically deceitful to say the Palestinians want a settlement based on the 1948 borders — for Palestinians and all Arabs have repeatedly affirmed that we seek a comprehensive peace agreement based on the 1967 borders. A fair and lasting accord, however, must resolve the two key issues that emanate from 1948: the Palestinian need to have their refugeehood morally acknowledged and legally redressed through a combination of available options, and the Israeli need to be formally accepted by the Arab world as a legitimate state where Jews can live in peace, recognition, normal relations and security in their own national homeland.
Netanyahu typically distorted the Arab position and played on Western sympathies for post-Holocaust Jewry by insinuating that Palestinians want to flood Israel with refugees and thus effectively wipe out the Jewish-majority Israeli state. He was speaking after Palestinian and Syrian demonstrators Sunday approached the Syrian-Israeli border in a symbolic gesture to affirm the Palestinian right of return, to which Israel responded by its common behavior of shooting Arabs who challenge it, in this case killing over 20 protestors. This followed the events three weeks ago when Palestinian refugees walked towards the Israeli border on four fronts, dramatizing their determination to struggle non-violently for their national rights, including the right to return to their homes on the basis of UN General Assembly Resolution 194 — which was passed in December 1948. more.. e-mail
Rachel
Uri Avnery, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN)6/3/2011
I HAD the unqualified blessing of living with Rachel Avnery for 58 years. Last Saturday I took leave of her body. She was as beautiful in death as she was in life. I could not take my eyes off her face.
I am writing this to help myself accept the unacceptable. I beg your indulgence.
IF A HUMAN BEING can be summed up in one word, hers was: empathy.
She had an uncanny ability to sense the emotions of others. A blessing and a curse. If someone was unhappy, so was she. No one could hide their innermost feelings from her.
Her empathy touched everyone she met. Even in her last months, her nurses were soon telling her their life stories.
Once we went to see a film set in a small Slovak town during the Holocaust. A solitary old woman did not understand what was happening when the Jews were summoned for deportation to the death camps; neighbors had to help her to the assembly point.
We arrived late and found seats in the dark. When the lights came on at the end, Menachem Begin got up in front of us. His eyes, red from weeping, locked with Rachel’s. Oblivious to everybody around, Begin walked straight up to her, took her head in his hands and kissed her on the brow. more.. e-mail
Traveling to the other part of home
Electronic Intifada: 7 Jun 2011 – Rana Baker The Electronic Intifada Gaza Strip For Palestinians in Gaza, the answer to “Have you ever been to Jerusalem?” is usually a complicated one.more
Unraveling the Emperor’s Speech to Write Our Own Story
Palestine Chronicle: 7 Jun 2011 – By Susan Abulhawa Anger was my first reaction after listening to Obama’s two speeches, one to the world and another to AIPAC – the powerful Israeli lobby in the US. I went around to my friends with phrases like ‘who does he think he is, presuming to tell Palestinians how they may or may not achieve freedom?’, or ‘what makes him think his vision for Palestinian dignity actually trumps the vision of Palestinians themselves?’ or ‘how dare he talk to us like a parent chastising a small child?’ or ‘when will we have a president who can and will tell the truth?’ or ‘I think AIPAC wrote his speech for him.’ My friends are used to hearing impassioned political commentary (rants) from me. The ones close to me always advise me to let the anger dissipate before I write anything so that what I put into words is coming from…more
Israel: Tacit Approval of Discrimination against Bedouins
Palestine Chronicle: 7 Jun 2011 – By Richard Lightbown Around 90,000 Arab Bedouin live on their own land in the Negev which they have inhabited for generations, in some cases before the establishment of the state of Israel. As part of the Israeli Government’s policy to relocate Bedouin from their “unrecognized villages” into government-planned towns, the Water Commissioner had refused an application for hundreds of families to be connected to the Mekorot water company main. Many of the families are forced to buy their drinking water from a central location and pay for transport in unhygienic metal containers or use improvised plastic hose connections from water access points located several kilometers away. In consequence the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah) took the case to court on behalf of 128 families living in six villages that are unrecognized by the government. Adalah’s attorney argued that by withholding water the state was violating the…more
Unrest on the Golan
Palestine Chronicle: 7 Jun 2011 – By Richard Lightbown Many media reports of confrontations on the Golan Heights on 5 June did not accurately represent the background to the protests. The Guardian reported on 6 June that the clashes occurred “on the Syrian border” and their analysts referred to “deliberate antagonism of Israel by the Syrian regime”. On the same day a report on BBC’s Today programme referred to “a disputed border” before stating that Syria “had lost the Golan Heights to Israel”. A review of the history and current status of the area appears required reading for some foreign correspondents. The Syrian Golan Heights (as the UN refers to the region) were recognised as Syrian sovereign territory by an Armistice Agreement signed between Israel and Syria under UN auspices in 1949. Because of its rich volcanic soils and water resources the Golan has long been coveted by Zionists. Attempts were made starting in 1891 to…more
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The New Dark Age 