2 November 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Shaath: “Abbas Will Submit Straightforward, Clear, UN Application”
IMEMC – Palestinian official, Dr. Nabil Shaath, stated that there is no confusion in the text that President Mahmoud Abbas intends to submit to the United Nations this month, adding that Abbas will head to the UN telling world leaders “We have decided to raise Palestine’s status to an observer state, and we ask for your recognition”. …
Israel Arrests Man Who Allegedly Transferred Large Sums To Hamas
IMEMC – The Israeli Internal Security Services, Shin Bet, claimed that it managed to arrest a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip who allegedly participated in transferring large sums of cash for the Hamas movement and its armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, in the Gaza Strip. …
Soldiers Kidnap Mother Of Palestinian Detainee In Nablus
IMEMC – Dalaal, Wife of former detainee, Tha’er Halahla, was also kidnapped Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Thursday evening, Dalaal Zamel, the mother of detainee Mahran Abu Khamis, at a flying checkpoint installed west of the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Soldiers also kidnapped wife of former detainee Tha’er Halahla, after crossing into the West Bank following a visit to her parents in Jordan. …
Archbishop Hanna Denounces Israeli Attempts To Recruit Christians To The Israeli Army
IMEMC – Archbishop Attalla Hanna of the Greek Orthodox Church In Jerusalem, voiced strong condemnation to the Israeli attempts to recruit Arab Christians in the 1948 territory (Israel) into the Israeli military that occupies their people and their lands. …
Palestinian seriously wounded by Israeli fire on central Gaza
11/2/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A 22-year-old Palestinian was seriously wounded on Friday morning by Israeli tank fire on the central Gaza Strip, medics said. Witnesses said Israeli artillery fired several shells on a group of farmers east of Al-Bureij refugee camp. Ministry of health spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said a young man was brought….
Hunger-striker in Israel jail ‘transferred to hospital’
11/3/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — A Palestinian prisoner being held under Israel’s administrative detainee status was transferred to Hadassah hospital on Friday after going on hunger strike three days earlier. Mohammad Ahmad al-Najjar 30, suffers from a stomach illness, the Palestinian prisoners society reported. The prisoner has been in and out of administrative detention….
Police: Israeli stabbed in East Jerusalem
11/2/2012 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — An Israeli man was stabbed in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-Amud late Friday, an Israeli police spokesman said. Micky Rosenfeld told Ma’an that the unidentified man, in his 30s, was on his way back home from the Western Wall when he was attacked by at….
Patriarch ‘threatens to close Sepulchre church’ over bank freeze
11/3/2012 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate is threatening to close the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in a dispute over water bills, an Israeli newspaper reported Friday. Patriarch Theophilos III said he will shut the church doors in several days, if Israeli authorities do not lift a bank freeze….
‘Ark’ loaded with Gaza exports to set sail in 2013
11/3/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The first siege-breaking ship to originate inside Gaza is set to depart for an early 2013 voyage to take goods to international markets, a Red Crescent official said Friday. Muna al-Farra says the “Gaza Ark” aims to break the Israeli blockade with help from French and Canadian activists in partnership….
Official: Red Cross says Gaza relatives still visiting Israeli jails
11/2/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The International Committee of the Red Cross is still coordinating family visits to Gazans imprisoned in Israeli jails, a Gaza official said Friday. The Palestinian Authority prisoner affairs ministry said earlier this week that Israel had canceled the family visits, three months after they were resumed. But DFLP official Louai….
Report: Palestinian detained at West Bank settlement
11/2/2012 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — A Palestinian was detained by a security guard at an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank on Friday, Israeli media reported. Israeli news site Ynet said the Palestinian was trying to cut through the fence surrounding the Alei Zahav settlement. No Israeli forces were called to the scene, it said. [END]
Israeli promises of family reunification fall short
11/2/2012 – RAMALLAH (IRIN) — Until “that day” in 2007, Nisreen Asaid was a wife and a mother. She was also a hairdresser. But life as she knew it came to a sudden end when Asaid was sent, against her will, from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip. The Israeli authorities have not allowed Asaid to return….
Report: Turkey premier plans to visit Gaza
11/3/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan says he plans visit to the Gaza Strip soon, Turkish media reported Friday. Erdogan told reporters on a plane to Ankara that Turkish authorities were in talks with officials in Gaza to arrange the visit, Today’s Zaman reported. He said he had previously proposed….
UN upgrade vote ‘clear and simple’
11/3/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Fatah leader Nabil Shaath said Friday that President Mahmoud Abbas‘ upcoming request for a vote on Palestine’s status at the UN will be “clear and simple.”Echoing Abbas‘ remarks to Israeli television on Thursday, Shaath told Ma’an that the upgrade would not end the occupation….
Analysis: The different faces of popular resistance
11/2/2012 – By Ramzy Baroud – Apparently, popular resistance has suddenly been elevated to a clash of visions or strategies between the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah and its rivals in Gaza, underscoring an existing and deepening rift between various factions and leaderships. Addressing a Palestine Liberation Organization meeting in Ramallah in July 2011, PA President Mahmoud Abbas sounded….
PFLP-GC says Palestinian brigade in Syria ‘dangerous’
11/2/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A Palestinian faction in Syria aligned with President Bashar Assad said Friday that reports of a rebel-formed Palestinian brigade to challenge their authority was a “dangerous development.” Syrian rebels said on Wednesday they had begun arming Palestinians to establish the Liwa al-Asifah (the Storm Brigade) to wrest control of Damascus’….
Israeli official sees ‘shocking’ dictatorship in Egypt
11/2/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — A senior Israeli official described Egypt’s new government on Friday as a “shocking dictatorial force” and predicted there would be no official, high-level contacts between the two countries, which signed a peace treaty in 1979. The remarks by Amos Gilad, a top aide to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, were some of….
Political meltdown looms for Israel’s centrist Kadima
11/2/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israel’s once dominant Kadima party faces eclipse at a January election, with polls suggesting the movement created by former prime minister Ariel Sharon could be replaced by new and revived forces at the helm of center-left opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Surveys ahead of the Jan. 22 election predict victory….
Hajj pilgrims return to Gaza
11/2/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Around a thousand Palestinians from Gaza will return from the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia on Friday, an official said. They will cross the Egyptian border crossing at Rafah in two stages throughout the day, border official Maher Abu Sabha said. [END]
UN: Syrian rebel killings appear to be war crime
11/3/2012 – GENEVA (Reuters) — A video appearing to show Syrian rebels killing soldiers who had surrendered must be verified but appears to constitute a war crime that should be prosecuted, the United Nations human rights office said on Friday.” Like other videos of this sort, it’s difficult to verify immediately in terms of location, who….
Syrian dissident pushes to unite fragmented opposition
11/3/2012 – AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) — The fragmented Syrian opposition will attempt once again this weekend to forge a common policy to gain international respect, obtain weapons and, most importantly, topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, a formerly imprisoned dissident said.” An alternative to the regime is dearly needed,” Riad Seif, a liberal politician who is battling cancer and….
CIA defends role during Benghazi attacks
11/2/2012 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — CIA officials on the ground in Libya dispatched security forces to the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi within 25 minutes and made other key decisions about how to respond to the waves of attacks on US installations on Sept. 11, a senior American intelligence official said Thursday. Officials in Washington monitored events through….
Clinton backs Obama, slams Romney in Ohio
11/2/2012 – TOLEDO, Ohio (Ma’an) – Amidst the roar of about 2,000 enthusiastic supporters of the Democratic party at this Ohio college, former US President Bill Clinton delivered a long address Thursday defending Barack Obama and slamming his Republican challenger Mitt Romney. At the rally in Owens Community College in Toledo, Clinton focused more in his….
Israel ‘admits’ killing Arafat’s deputy
AlJazeera 1 Nov 2012 – Testimony published in Israeli daily claims the 1988 killing of Abu Jihad in Tunis was planned by the Mossad spy agency.
Israeli Authorities Must Release Palestinian Prisoner of Conscience in West Bank
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Seriously Injured By IOF Tank Fire, Gaza
Palestine News Network
Israeli Authorities Distribute Demolition Orders in Hebron
Palestine News Network
From Chaos to a New World Order
Palestine News Network
We’ve Chosen the President, Now What for Mid-East Peace?
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
PCHR Organizes Three Panel Discussions on Political Participation in Cooperation with Non-governmental Organizations
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Kylie Minogue wows the crowds in Abu Dhabi
The National 2 Nov 2012 – Megastar Kylie Minogue took to the stage for the first night of the Formula One after-race concerts.
Roar of the engines like music to the ears for Yas Island neighbours
The National 2 Nov 2012 – Residents of Al Raha community had a perfect blend of sun, sand and sweet music travelling to them from Yas Island, where the F1 drivers were practising ahead of race day on Sunday.
Syrian rebels condemned for alleged war crimes
The National 2 Nov 2012 – United Nations says video, which appears to show Syrian rebels executing regime soldiers, could be a document of a war crime
Hamas realignment leaves ‘Resistance Axis’ reeling
The National 2 Nov 2012 – Cracks first appeared in the axis when Hamas angered the Tehran government by closing its office in Damascus while the Palestinian groups warming ties with Qatar – an enemy of the axis – underscored the degree to which the group has unravelled
Zayed University students to spend longer on remedial English courses
The National 2 Nov 2012 – Students at the university will also improve their subject-specific vocabularies to better prepare them for coursework in English.
Chinese lessons help Dubai Police break down barriers
The National 2 Nov 2012 – Dubai Police have the chance to take Mandarin classes, in an effort to increase communication between the police and the growing Chinese community.
‘Stranger danger’ undercut by Savile
The National 2 Nov 2012 – Entertainer Jimmy Savile has taught a nation how the real threat of child abuse often comes from people in authority.
Wave of Islamist extremism linked to alumni of infamous Tora Prison in Egypt
The National 2 Nov 2012 – Recent events seem far-flung and only loosely tied to the greater freedoms coming after the Arab Spring, but another narrative is emerging that links these worrying signs in an increasingly combustible region.
Arrest of former prisoner over alleged ‘terror cell’ in Egypt
The National 2 Nov 2012 – A former military officer who was imprisoned in 2002 for Islamist extremism was among the eight men arrested on October 25 for involvement in an alleged “terror cell” in Cairo.
Eight Emiratis killed in Oman road crash
The National 2 Nov 2012 – With map: Eight Emiratis were killed in the early hours of Friday morning in northern Oman when their cars collided with an electrical transformer that fell from the back of a lorry.
Settler stabbed in Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
Holy Sepulchre bank account blocked over water bill
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
Hamas PM blasts Palestinian leader over ‘1967’ remarks
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
Senior Israeli defense official: Egypt’s Morsi won’t talk to us
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
Mofaz launches Kadima campaign with ‘Bibi will get us in trouble’ slogan
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
IDF fires at suspect trying to place explosive device on Gaza border
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
Israel Police present new evidence against anesthesiologist suspected of helping her lover murder his wife
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
Jerusalem’s kashrut rebels unveil new ally: an Orthodox rabbi
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
Obama or Romney? Israel’s politicians await the results of the U.S. elections
Ha’aretz – 2 Nov 2012
Shamni quits IDF, bows out of race to be deputy chief of staff
Ha’aretz – 1 Nov 2012
Israeli teachers strike over cutbacks in program for dropouts
Ha’aretz – 1 Nov 2012
Jerusalem food co-ops face closure for lack of funds
Ha’aretz – 1 Nov 2012
Kahlon’s Knesset musings
Ha’aretz – 1 Nov 2012
Despite fear of losing ‘social vote to Kahlon, Shas plays it cool
Ha’aretz – 1 Nov 2012
Yacimovich tries to hawk Labor-style ‘social justice’ to world Jewish leaders
Ha’aretz – 31 Oct 2012
Abbas: There is no justification for Gaza rocket attacks
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – In interview with Channel 2, PA president denounces Hamas, says Palestinians committed to non-violence, denies PA‘s Fayyad is resigning; Hamas slams Abbas‘s comments on “right of return.”
Islamists protest in Cairo, call for Sharia law
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – More than 1000 Egyptians descend on Tahrir Square to demand the incorporation of Islamic law into new constitution.
Voting Our Values
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Our values dictate a clear decision on November 6th: I will cast my ballot for President Barack Obama, a true friend to Israel, a powerful champion for our middle class.
Ministry rejects Amos Gilad’s rebuke of Egypt
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Defense ministry rejects senior defense official’s characterization of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood’s rule as “terrible dictatorship.”
Iranians mark ‘Day of Fighting the Global Arrogance’
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Protestors gather outside former US embassy in Tehran to celebrate 33rd anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis.
Church of Holy Sepulcher owes NIS 9m. water bill
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Church threatens to shut its doors after Jerusalem water company freezes the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate’s bank account.
UN: Syrian rebel killings appear to be war crime
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Video must be verified but “looks very likely that this is a war crime,” UN rights office says after rebels kill 28 Syrian soldiers.
Erdogan: Netanyahu sent ‘weird’ envoys to fix ties
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Turkish prime minister revives plans to travel to Gaza, hints he could make visit alongside Abbas, ‘Today’s Zaman’ reports.
Environmentalists slam ministry on public transport
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Green course describes Transportation Ministry budgeting priorities as out of touch, says it leaves Israelis “stuck in traffic.”
‘Right loses 4 seats from Likud Beytenu merger’
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – ‘Post’ poll shows combined Likud and Yisrael Beytenu party would get 37 seats, but lose voters to Labor (at 22 seats).
Group says Church of England vicar anti-Semitic
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Formal complaint documents Rev. Stephen Sizer’s offensive anti-Semitic statements and “deep hostility to Zionism.”
Galilee students learn olive culling from Peres
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Students from the Kadoorie Agricultural School and Youth Village inaugurate the olive harvest with the presidential tree.
Judy Shalom Nir Mozes named UNICEF Israel chairwoman
Jerusalem Post 2 Nov 2012 – Nir-Mozes was nominated last month to be chairwoman of the Israeli branch of the UN’s organization for children’s rights.
Study: Free public preschool regulation problematic
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Taub Center for Social Policy Studies finds more teachers, kindergartens needed to implement free early education law.
A (computer) chip off the old block
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel, tells President Shimon Peres he’s proud of what Israeli brainpower achieved.
Swedish journalist Cordelia Edvardson dies at 83
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Edvardson served as Middle East correspondent in J’lem for the Swedish daily newspaper “Svenska Dagbladet” From 1977 to 2006.
Standard Chartered close to deal on Iran transfers
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Bank agrees to pay New York regulators fine to prevent license being revoked over its hidden Iran transactions.
Psychiatric hostel to close after reports of abuse
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Health Ministry denies it inadequately supervised private hostels for the mentally ill such as Petah Tikva’s Neveh Yaakov.
Lew to ‘Post’: US-Israel ties closer than ever
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – White House chief of staff says Obama would continue pursuing similar path on peace process if elected for a second term.
US Elections: Why Israel is a ‘red state’
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Poll after poll shows Israelis favor Republican candidate Mitt Romney over US President Barack Obama. This even though their American Jewish brethren hold the opposite point of view. Why?
Letter from America: A surprising ‘October surprise’
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Rather than a terror attack or a pre-emptive strike on Iran, the curve ball in the stretch to next week’s US elections proved to be a natural disaster.
Into the Fray: Obama, Islam and Israel
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Can anyone with Obama’s perception of Islam be expected to take the measures necessary to contend with the danger this theo-tyrannical political doctrine presents?
Iranian general claims missiles can pass Iron Dome
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Deputy chief of Iranian armed forces warns Israeli strike could lead to the Jewish state’s annihilation, Fars reports.
Column One: Obama and the politics of contempt
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Women will vote for him because we are dimwitted sex objects. And Jews will vote for him because we are taken in by his occasional Borscht Belt schmaltz platitudes about Hanukka.
Parshat Vayera: In our parents’ footsteps
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Isaac is not the only biblical model of a continuator among the founders of our faith.
Eisenbud’s Odyssey: The third law
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Whether you are a student of science or theology, Isaac Newton’s third law of motion and the Bible are both instructive in understanding and determining the consequences of our actions in life.
Think Again: How the A-G undermines democracy
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – It appears that the current government will not adopt all or even portions of the Levy Report due to the opposition of Weinstein.
Middle Israel: Strategic threat looming
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – Unfortunately, democracies can fall ill, even if they don’t execute politicians.
Erekat warns of US ‘retaliation’ after UN bid
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – PLO negotiator says Washington, J’lem may take punitive measures in response to latest Palestinian UN statehood bid.
Riding high on the Balkan wave
Jerusalem Post 1 Nov 2012 – The Gypsy groove band returns to Israel.
Church of Holy Sepulchre bank account frozen over £1.5m water bill
The Guardian 2 Nov 2012 – Standoff over unpaid water bill could result in closure of revered church believed to be site of Jesus’s crucifixion and burial One of the most venerated sites in the Christian faith, the Church of the Holy…
Most Americans living in Israel have voted for Mitt Romney, poll finds
The Guardian 2 Nov 2012 – Votes from American-Israelis could make a difference in swing states, according to iVoteIsrael campaign group An overwhelming majority of Israelis entitled to vote in the US presidential election have cast their ballot for Mitt Romney, according…
A two-state solution is the most practical route for Israel and Palestine | David Wearing
The Guardian 2 Nov 2012 – Those calling for a single bi-national state are in the ascendancy but this would entail the end of Israel, which is not realistic Obituaries for the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are appearing with increasing…
Your Brain on Obama
Uruknet
Amnesty: Israel must release Bassem Tamimi
Uruknet
The Revolution Becomes More Islamist
Uruknet
How Washington Post strips casualties from covert drone data
Uruknet
Albright raps ‘disgusting Serbs’ in Prague book signing
Uruknet
Challenging the ‘disposition matrix’ and its ever-expanding kill list
Uruknet
Israel confirms killing Arafat deputy in 1988
Uruknet
Ahrar Center: 292 Palestinians arrested, 15 Matyrs in October
Uruknet
Secret Israel NIE warns of irreversibility of Israeli colonization
Uruknet
Affirming Injustice: The Holy Land Ruling
Uruknet
As marathon day looms, experts offer advice
Daily Star 2 Nov 2012 Some 32,000 participants will hit the streets of Lebanon’s capital on Nov. 11 for the annual Beirut Marathon.
See what Beirut foodies are cooking up
Daily Star 2 Nov 2012 The seasoned cook hoping to wow guests with a smoked fish, amateurs discovering the versatility of a béchamel sauce and everyone in between will come together at next week’s Beirut Cooking Festival.
Lebanon is ‘a nation on the verge of a nervous breakdown’
Daily Star 2 Nov 2012 Karl Sharro is an architect and writer who blogs about politics, the Middle East and architecture at Karl reMarks. He gained fans for his satirical send-ups of writers and cultural figures.
High drama as Byblos stun Mouttahed
Daily Star 2 Nov 2012 The 2012-2013 Lebanese League season got off to a dramatic start as Riyadi Beirut survived an early scare to beat Bejjeh 61-89 at Central Court and Byblos caused the first upset…
Playboy to debut in India with new club
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – ….
Mayor Bloomberg says NYC Marathon canceled
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – ….
Ethiopia Muslims rally on Fridays as tension rises
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – ….
German leaders vow better energy cooperation
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – ….
Magnitude-6.4 quake shakes Philippines
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – ….
Defense official: Appalling dictatorship in Egypt
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – Amos Gilad says there is virtually no chance Israel and Morsi will engage in dialogue but stresses importance of maintaining peace treaty ….
Jewish man stabbed in east Jerusalem
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – Man sustains moderate injuries after being assaulted by two Palestinian youths in Ras al-Amud neighborhood. Suspects flee scene; manhunt in progress ….
The Right doesn’t forget
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – Op-ed: Hundreds of thousands of settlers now second-class citizens due to Netanyahu’s policies ….
Christian leaders spar over IDF enlistment
YNet News, 2 Nov 2012 – Conference allegedly encouraging young Christians to serve in IDF leads to boycott, death threats and police complaints, but volunteers could be more satisfied with their service ….
Palestinian Information Center
Gaza government calls for the release of Ayman Sharawna
PIC – The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the head of the ICRC, asking him to pressure the Israeli occupation for the release of captive Ayman Sharawna..
IOF demolishes water well, arrests its owner east of Yatta
PIC – Israeli bulldozers demolished in the late hours of Tuesday a water well in the region of Tawani south of al-Khalil, and arrested its owner before assaulting him and severely beat his daughter.
Abu Subbah calls on Egypt to save the life of prisoner Abu Sisi
PIC – Dr. Atallah Abu Subbah, urged Egypt to intervene to save the life of isolated prisoner Dirar Abu Sisi after the occupation Court extended his solitary confinement for six months.
Occupation arrests a Palestinian citizen alleged to transfer money to Hamas
PIC – The Israeli Intelligence Service reported that it has recently arrested a Palestinian citizen from the Gaza Strip accusing him of transferring money and iron to Hamas.
IOF arrests mother of a captive and wife of liberated captive
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces arrested, on Thursday evening, Dalal Zamel, the mother of captive Mahran abu Khamis at a military checkpoint to the west of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Haniya and Bahar participate in the funeral of MP al-Tawil
PIC – Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, First Deputy head of the Legislative Council Ahmed Bahar and a number of other officials participated in the funeral of MP Hussam Kamal al-Tawil.
Solidarity activists to sail from Gaza
PIC – Canadian solidarity activists announced their readiness to sail from the port of Gaza via Canadian “Gaza’s Ark” boat to the outside world, within the efforts to break the siege imposed on Gaza.
Hamas on the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration: occupation has no future
PIC – Hamas confirmed its adherence to the resistance option and the Palestinian constants until the liberation of the country, stressing that there is no future for the Israeli occupation.
IOF camp east of Nablus and expel the residents for six months
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) asked the residents of Khirbet Tana near the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus to leave the entire area for a period of six months..
IOA threatens to remove solar panels and a school south of al-Khalil
PIC – The IOF have threatened on Thursday the people of Alfajat and Taban areas east of Yatta, south of al-Khalil, in the occupied West Bank, to remove the solar panels that and to demolisha school.
Striking Prisoner Wins Freedom
WAFA – 30 Oct 2012
U.S. says CIA responded within 25 minutes to Benghazi attack
LA Times 1 Nov 2012 – Intelligence officials dispute a report by Fox News that officers in Libya were ordered to ‘stand down’ after the diplomatic compound came under attack. WASHINGTON — CIA security officers in a Benghazi post responded within 25 minutes to a call for help from a nearby…
U.S. eases rules on sale of medicines to Iran
LA Times 2 Nov 2012 – Washington is apparently worried that suffering among ordinary citizens could erode support for the West’s sanctions targeting Tehran’s nuclear program. WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has quietly eased restrictions on the sale of medicine to Iran amid signs that concern over the suffering of ordinary…
Video appears to show Syria rebels executing soldiers
LA Times 1 Nov 2012 – A British-based group that backs the opposition says more than eight troops were slain at a checkpoint near Saraqeb, and labels it a “massacre.” BEIRUT — New video emerged Thursday that appeared to show Syrian rebels beating and kicking government soldiers captured at a checkpoint…
U.N. Says Syria Execution Video Shows Apparent War Crime
New York Times 3 Nov 2012 – A new video that seems to show Syrian rebels summarily executing a group of captured soldiers or militiamen could, if verified, represent evidence of a war crime, the United Nations said on Friday.
Iran Sanctions Take Toll on Medical Imports
New York Times 2 Nov 2012 – A ban on financial transactions with Iran has inadvertently affected critical supplies that are exempted from Western sanctions.
Erdogan Says He Plans a Trip to Gaza Soon
New York Times 2 Nov 2012 – A visit by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would antagonize the Palestinian Authority, Israel and the West.
Iranian Hard-Liners Reject Any Talks WIth U.S.
New York Times 2 Nov 2012 – Angry Iranians commemorated the taking of the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979, and a senior security official warned against any compromise with the “great Satan.”
Turkey’s Erdogan to Break Gaza Siege
Tikun Olam – Turkey’s prime minister Erdogan on Gaza siege: “Enough!” It’s typical of the NY Times in reporting a story that is injurious to Israel’s Occupation policy and strangulation of Gaza that it would focus largely on the impact it will have internally on Palestinian politics. Turkey’s prime…
Progressive Radio Network Interview on IDF Protest Song
Tikun Olam – Burt Cohen of the Progressive Radio Network did an hour-long interview (audio stream) with me this morning that dealt with Izhar Ashdot’s anti-Occupation song, A Matter of Habit , which I blogged about here . The song was banned from Galey Tzahal, Israeli armed forces radio, for…
‘Material support’ law used in Holy Land 5 case is how U.S. government harasses Palestine solidarity activists
Mondoweiss – A rally for the Holy Land Five in New York City, October 25, 2012. The last legal avenue for the former heads of the Holy Land Foundation closed earlier this week when the Supreme Court decided not to hear their appeal, much to the chagrin of…
Abbas to push UN vote this month on observer state status for Palestine, Israel promises retaliation
Mondoweiss – A demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis It’s coming down to the wire. On November 29, 2012 Abbas will go to the UN General Assembly to seek non-member observer state status for Palestine and my prediction is he will succeed. Israel knows it, they will…
Why did Jordanian officials prevent Iyad Burnat’s US speaking tour?
Mondoweiss – Iyad Burnat, the head of Popular Committee of Bil’in, was invited by Jewish Voice for Peace and other groups to speak throughout the United States about Palestinians’ peaceful work for human rights. So why did Jordanian officials refuse Mr. Burnat entry, preventing his traveling to Amman…
The Suez Canal and the British empire’s need for the Balfour Declaration
Mondoweiss – For the average British pro-Palestinian human rights activist, the Balfour Declaration, published ninety- five years ago today on the 2nd November 1917, is only mentioned in passing in their publications or agitations. For them, the declaration seems to have drafted in, one autumn day most likely…
Apple recognizes Palestine
Mondoweiss – Apple geographical ap From Scott Roth’s twitter feed , ?@scottroth76, here are four tweets from last night: Check it out. If you have an iPhone go to wx app and type in East Jerusalem, Nablus etc. See what it says. When did this start? Anyone? The native…
Once-Potent Kadima Faces Israel Oblivion
The Foward Breaking News 2 Nov 2012 – Israel’s once dominant Kadima party faces eclipse at a January election, with polls suggesting the movement created by former prime minister Ariel Sharon could be replaced by new and revived forces at the helm of centre-left opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Click here for the…
Western Wall Rabbi Blasts Women’s Protests
The Foward Breaking News 2 Nov 2012 – The Western Wall is for all Jews, the rabbi of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinowitz, said even as he blasted women’s protests there as ‘provocations.’ Click here for the rest of the article…
Sudan: Sudan FM Warns Ruling NCP On Iran Links As ‘Red Sea Alliance’ Mulled – Report
allAfrica.com 2 Nov 2012 – [Sudan Tribune]Washington -The Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti warned his peers at the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) that they may soon have to make decision on how deep they want their ties with Iran to be.
Egypt: Frequent Israeli Violations Undermine Peaceful Solutions – FM
allAfrica.com 2 Nov 2012 – [Egypt Online]Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr asserted the importance of EU’s pressure on Israel to halt frequent violations of the Palestinian rights especially settlement policy which undermines reaching a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Egypt: Morsy Condoles With Family of a Local Killed in Riyadh Truck Blast
allAfrica.com 2 Nov 2012 – [Egypt Online]President Mohamed Morsy offered Thursday 01/11/2012 his condolences for the family of Egyptian citizen, Mohamed Abdel Rahman, who was killed in a fuel truck explosion in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Egypt: Country, Turkey Discuss Syrian, Palestinian Files
allAfrica.com 2 Nov 2012 – [Egypt Online]Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr received on Thursday 01/11/2012 a phone call from Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, during which they discussed the latest developments in the Syrian and Palestinian files.
A Mother’s Story
Palestine Solidarity Project 2 Nov 2012 – Mohammed, Khatab and Raneem had been missing their father while he was away from home. Now that he was home they finally had a rare chance to play games together, talk about the celebration of Eid, what they did at school and to eat a family…
Israel “far worse than apartheid South Africa” says ANC chair as Pretoria conference backs boycott
Global BDS 2 Nov 2012 – Activists in South Africa have welcomed a decision by the African National Congress (ANC) International Solidarity Conference to support the Palestinian-led campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. The ANC, South Africa’s ruling party, led the decades-long struggle against apartheid. The official declaration of…
VIDEO: Remi Kanazi – Normalize This!
Global BDS 1 Nov 2012 – Twitter: https://twitter.com/Remroum Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RemiPoet Website:http://www.PoeticInjustice.net Purchase Poetic Injustice: http://www.poeticinjustice.net/purchase.aspx#.UI3EKGnuVv1 Producer: Tami Woronoff Cinematographer: Mike McSweeney Editor: Matthew C. Levy Sound: Steve Burgess *For video inquires please contact the filmmakers via email: newflagfilms@gmail.com* Nor·mal·i·za·tion: a “colonization of the mind” whereby the oppressed subject comes to believe…
South Africans to protest toy store supporting ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Palestinians
Global BDS 1 Nov 2012 – The South African toy store “Reggies” is knowingly sponsoring an Israeli para-statal organisation, the Jewish National Fund (JNF), which is directly involved in the forced removal and dispossession of the Palestinian people. Despite numerous appeals to the director of Reggies, Mr Issy Zimmerman (who also owns…
Syria rebels face war crime claim
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – The UN says a video that appears to show Syrian rebels murdering soldiers or pro-government militiamen could be evidence of a war crime.
Abbas affirms ‘1967’ state hopes
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – President Mahmoud Abbas insists he wants to establish a Palestinian state within the boundaries that existed in 1967, and not those in place in 1948.
Jerusalem church in row over bill
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem warns that it may shut its doors to pilgrims in protest at a dispute with an Israeli water company.
Egypt terror threat level raised
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – The UK Foreign Office raises its terror threat level for Egypt from “general” to “high” after reports of a foiled al-Qaeda plot to attack Western tourists.
Britain must atone for its sins in Palestine
Sabbah report 3 Nov 2012 – Since Balfour Declaration of 1917, Britain has denied Palestinians their rights. Diplomats discourage Palestine’s bid for “observer state” status in the UN. Britain must atone for its sins in Palestine was published by Sabbah Report . Get Daily Newsletter , follow on Twitter . Support through Sabbah Store or…
Take Action: Palestinian Activist Not Allowed To Travel Through Jordan
US Campaign to End the Occupation 3 Nov 2012 – Iyad Burnat, a Palestinian activist from Bil’in, was on his way to the United States to give presentations in more than 15 states describing his work for peace and justice. On Thursday November 1, Iyad was allowed by the Israelis to cross the border on his…
Justice and Vigilantism in Fighting Sexual Harassment
Al-Akhbar Blogs 2 Nov 2012 – Cairo – Harass the harassers. Invitations were sent out for volunteers to police the streets during the Eid al-Adha holiday to fight sexual harassment. Volunteers were invited to do what the police haven’t been doing for years: stop the rampant crime and protect women. The idea…
Kuwait’s Bahraini Scenario
Al-Akhbar Blogs 2 Nov 2012 – Following the recent arrest of Kuwaiti opposition front man Musalam al-Barrak, one can only wonder what the authorities think they’re doing. Is this an act of political suicide for the small Gulf emirate, which has always bragged about its relative democracy ? Barrak’s was not the first…
Bahrain arrests leading rights activist
Al-Akhbar News 2 Nov 2012 – A policeman arrests human rights activist Said Yousif during his march towards al-Eker village on 21 October 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Hamad Mohammed) A leading Bahraini human rights activist was detained Friday while documenting police attacks on an anti-government rally, witnesses said. Said Yousif, the deputy…
Egyptian Police Continue Beatings, Get Raises
Al-Akhbar News 2 Nov 2012 – A group of bearded policemen takes part in a protest in uniform in front of Interior Ministry building in Cairo, 31 October 2012 (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed Abd El Ghany) A group of bearded policemen takes part in a protest in uniform in front of Interior…
Video shows Syrian rebels execute captured soldiers
Al-Akhbar News 2 Nov 2012 – A Syrian army tank is seen in the Khan al-Assal area after clashes between Free Syrian Army fighters and forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, near Aleppo, on 2 November 2012. (Photo: Reuters – George Ourfalian) A new video that appears to show Syrian rebels…
Salafis protest in Cairo over constitution
Al-Akhbar News 2 Nov 2012 – Egyptian Salafis shout slogans during a demonstration demanding the implementation of the sharia in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on 2 November 2012. (Photo: AFP) Several hundred Salafis demonstrated in Cairo on Friday to demand a stronger reference to Islamic law or sharia in Egypt’s new constitution, a…
Ain al-Helweh: Armed Anarchy Becoming Mundane
Al-Akhbar News 2 Nov 2012 – Market vendors in the camp have also suffered from the violence and are among the most vocal in demanding that the weapons be brought under control. (Photo: Haytham AlMoussawi) Market vendors in the Ain al-Helweh camp have also suffered from the violence and are among the…
Living in the Zone: A Parallel Lebanese Reality
Al-Akhbar News 2 Nov 2012 – The tight security did not stop her from visiting her property again. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) The tight security did not stop her from visiting her property again. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A Lebanese family returns from decades abroad to find their home subsumed into a politician’s sprawling…
March 14’s Secretariat Offers Bleak View of Leaders
Al-Akhbar Politics 2 Nov 2012 – Lebanese anti-government protesters holds an Arabic placard reading:”Syrian Ambassador go home,” during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati , in Beirut, Lebanon. 28 October 2012. (Photo: AP – Hussein Malla) Lebanese anti-government protesters holds an Arabic placard reading:”Syrian Ambassador go home,” during…
A Nightmare Trip Through Lebanon’s Bureaucracy
Al-Akhbar Politics 1 Nov 2012 – Marwan ventured to yet another cashier’s desk to make the second payment, but it was closed for the day. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Marwan ventured to yet another cashier’s desk to make the second payment, but it was closed for the day. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A maze…
Syria rebels face war crime claim
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – The UN says a video that appears to show Syrian rebels murdering soldiers or pro-government militiamen could be evidence of a war crime.
Abbas affirms ‘1967’ state hopes
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – President Mahmoud Abbas insists he wants to establish a Palestinian state within the boundaries that existed in 1967, and not those in place in 1948.
Jerusalem church in row over bill
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem warns that it may shut its doors to pilgrims in protest at a dispute with an Israeli water company.
Bahrain Twitter user imprisoned
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – A court in Bahrain sentences an online activist to six months in prison for ‘defaming’ King Hamad in comments posted on Twitter.
Egypt terror threat level raised
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – The UK Foreign Office raises its terror threat level for Egypt from “general” to “high” after reports of a foiled al-Qaeda plot to attack Western tourists.
Libya gunmen end parliament siege
BBC 2 Nov 2012 – Gunmen end their occupation of Libya’s parliament building after raising concerns with the prime minister over his new cabinet.
Articles
Church denominations stand strong in the face of Jewish establishment uproar over letter to Congress
Alex Kane, Mondoweiss 11/1/2012
When 15 leaders of Christian denominations sent a letter (pdf) to Congress earlier this month asking for an investigation into whether military aid to Israel complies with U.S. law, the Jewish organizational world reacted with fury.
Jewish establishment groups pulled out of a planned interfaith dialogue scheduled for late October, pressured church leaders to attend a “summit” in lieu of the interfaith dialogue and flung around accusations of anti-Semitism. The vice-president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Ethan Felson, threatened to ask Congress to investigate “delegitimizers” of Israel.
But the pressure hasn’t worked. Interviews with people involved with Palestine solidarity work inside church denominations and other advocates reveal that the Christian denominations have no intention of backing down from their stance. No response has yet been forthcoming to the invitation for a high-level official “summit,” and a collective response to the invitation and the charges from the Jewish establishment is being drafted. The fact that the pressure hasn’t worked could be significant to the prospects of Christian denominations having a strong voice on Israel/Palestine in the years to come as the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate.
“The significance of these courageous 15 church leaders calling on Congress to hold Israel accountable for its misuse of U.S. weapons to commit human rights abuses of Palestinians cannot be overstated. Until now, this demand was largely constricted to the margins of the political debate, but now it is moving to the mainstream,” wrote Josh Ruebner, National Advocacy Director of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, in an e-mail. “The taboo now has been broken and the Israel lobby, as evidenced by its hysterical reaction to the letter, is quite evidently concerned that U.S. aid to Israel will now become a debatable topic on Capitol Hill.”more.. e-mail
Did Abbas abuse his powers in restricting election to West Bank?
Linah Alsaafin, Ramallah, Electronic Intifada 11/2/2012
For the first time since 2005, the Palestinian Central Elections Commission recently gave the green light for local elections. As a result, some voters went to the polls on 20 October to decide who should sit on 245 village councils, 98 municipal councils and 10 local councils — solely in the occupied West Bank. One of the major political parties, Hamas, boycotted the whole event.
The election process was marred by a lack of real competition, with only half of the 500,000 registered Palestinians (out of the West Bank population of two million) voting. In 181 localities only one electoral list was submitted, meaning that they were automatically voted in.
The limited competition that did occur was between the Fatah party, leftist parties and former Fatah members who formed their own independent electoral list after breaking away from the main party due to internal problems. The results show that the main party, Fatah, backed by de facto Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, only won two-fifths of of the total 1,051 seats. “Independent” candidates — often former Fatah party members — won in most of the major West Bank cities such as Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem, with the leftist parties winning 20 percent of the seats. Cementing division
The local elections from the outset were used as a political card, first to end the political division between Palestinians. Later it became more apparent that advancing the interests of particular political parties against others had become the priority. The elections were supposed to be held in 2010 but have been postponed twice due to the Fatah party’s inability to form and agree on the lists of candidates that would represent them in each area. more.. e-mail
Washington Lobbies Europe to Join its War on Hezbollah
Omar Nashabe, Al-Akhbar English, Conflicts Forum 10/29/2012
Washington’s attempts to cultivate what it called “moderate Shias” as a counterbalance to Hezbollah, as revealed in Wikileaks documents, has failed, and now the US is ratcheting up pressure on its European allies to go after the Resistance movement.
This appeal was made by John Brennan, the US President’s Deputy National Security Advisor, during a visit he made to Dublin on Friday.
Speaking at the Institute of International and European Affairs, Brennan criticized what he called the “Failure” of many European countries, including Ireland, to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization, which, he said, “makes it harder to defend our countries and protect our citizens.”
He went on to say that the UK’s move to designate Hezbollah’s armed wing a terrorist group was “simply not enough,” and declared that Hezbollah “will continue to operate with impunity” unless the international community joins the United States in taking a more “proactive posture” by working together to “uncover its infrastructure and disrupt its networks.”
The senior US official stressed that failure by the European countries to take action against Hezbollah has complicated law enforcement efforts against Hezbollah suspects arrested “for plotting in Europe.”
Brennan also called on the European countries to hold Iran and Syria accountable for sponsoring Hezbollah, a statement which comes at the same time as American accusations that Hezbollah is supporting the regime in Syria in its war against the armed opposition and its backers. more.. e-mail
Did Abbas abuse his powers in restricting election to West Bank?
Electronic Intifada: 2 Nov 2012 – Linah Alsaafin Ramallah 2 November 2012 Local elections have been postponed for a few years so why were they called under procedures reserved for emergencies?more
Book review: A family history firmly rooted in Jerusalem’s soil
Electronic Intifada: 3 Nov 2012 – Susan Abulhawa 3 November 2012 Jacob Nammar’s autobiography describes a Jerusalem that is impossible to imagine today.more
The Different Faces of “Popular Resistance” in Palestine
Dissident Voice: 2 Nov 2012 – Apparently, ‘popular resistance’ has suddenly elevated to become a clash of visions or strategies between the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah and its rivals in Gaza, underscoring an existing and deepening rift between various factions and leaderships. Addressing a Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) meeting in Ramallah on July 2011, PA President Mahmoud Abbas sounded as if he had finally reached an earth shattering conclusion, supposedly inspired by the ‘Arab Spring.’ “In this coming period, we want mass action, organized and coordinated in every place … This is a chance to raise our voices in front of the world and say that we want our rights.” He called on Palestinians to wage “popular resistance”, insisting that it must be “unarmed popular resistance so that nobody misunderstands us,” (Reuters). He made a similar call at the UN General Assembly in September. It was Abbas’ way of escaping forward. He needed to quell the…more
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The New Dark Age 