28 March 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
PCHR Weekly Report: 4 wounded, 30 abducted by Israeli troops this week
IMEMC – In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 21- 27 March 2013, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protests in the West Bank. 4 protesters were wounded in the center and south of the West Bank, including a Norwegian human rights defender and a Palestinian one. …
Israel admits: Just 0.7% of West Bank allocated to Palestinians
IMEMC – In documents released on Thursday to the High Court of Justice, the Israeli government has admitted what Palestinians have been saying for decades: that the Israeli government has taken over 99.3% of the West Bank, allocating most of the land to illegal Israeli ‘Jewish only’ settlements. …
Qassam Fighter Killed, Two Injured In Tunnel Accident
IMEMC – The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, reported Tuesday that one of its fighters was killed and two others were injured in a tunnel collapse accident in the Az-Zeitoun neighborhood, east of Gaza city. …
Lawyer: Prisoner stops taking medication in protest
3/28/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A sick prisoner has stopped taking medications in protest of Israeli medical negligence, according to a lawyer from the Palestinian prisoners society. Issa al-Aridi, 33, from Jenin, is being held at Meggido prison and stopped taking medications seven months ago, his attorney said Thursday. The detainee is sentenced to 19 years….
Detainee launches hunger strike after 50 days in isolation
3/28/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) – Palestinian prisoner Dirar Ahmad Hamdana announced a hunger strike after being locked in an isolation cell, a lawyer at the prisoners center reported Thursday. Hamdana was placed in the cell for 50 days and is being refused transfer to the general population despite that the period of his investigation already ended….
Israeli police accompany rightists entering Aqsa mosque compound
3/28/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) – Dozens of Israeli Jews on Wednesday entered the courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque under heavy protection of Israeli forces which prevented Palestinian worshipers from accessing the mosque for prayer. Police also denied Knesset member Moshe Feiglin access to the compound. Feiglin on Tuesday called upon Israelis to head to the al-Aqsa compound…. Related: Israeli rightists enter Aqsa grounds under guard and Israel ‘to allow settlers into Bethlehem’
Israel ‘to allow settlers into Bethlehem’
3/28/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israel’s army will accompany settlers into the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Sunday, Israeli media reported Thursday. The Israeli military has approved a request by a school in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc to visit Solomon’s Pools, Maariv reported.” Thanks to the cooperation with the army…. Related: Israeli rightists enter Aqsa grounds under guard and Israeli police accompany rightists entering Aqsa mosque compound
Israel closes Gaza border for Jewish holiday
3/28/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israel will shut its border with the Gaza Strip for four days, a day after lifting a week-long closure, a Palestinian crossings official said Thursday. Israel informed Palestinian officials that the Kerem Shalom and the Erez crossings would close on Friday for the usual weekend, but will not reopen until…. Related: Israel reopens Gaza’s Kerem Shalom, Erez crossings
Qassam member killed in eastern Gaza
3/28/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A member of Hamas’ armed wing died Thursday during a mission in eastern Gaza, medical officials and witnesses said. Mohammad Ahmad al-Sarhi, 20, from the Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City, was killed in a tunnel collapse, and three other people were wounded, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said. Witnesses….
Israeli rightists enter Aqsa grounds under guard
3/28/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Scores of Jewish worshipers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday, accompanied by Israeli forces, the director of Islamic endowments in Jerusalem said. Over 170 Israeli rightists entered the courtyards of the mosque through the Moroccan Gate for the Jewish holiday of Passover, said Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib. Meanwhile Israeli forces evicted…. Related: Israeli police accompany rightists entering Aqsa mosque compound and Israel ‘to allow settlers into Bethlehem’
Israel extends detention of 2 Palestinians
3/28/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — An Israeli military court extended the detention of two Palestinians for an extra nine days on Thursday, the radio station Asra FM reported. Asad and Ahmad Ezzedin were arrested last week from their homes in Arraba village near Jenin. [END]
DCO coordinates release of 11-year-old boy
3/28/2013 – HEBRON (Ma’an) – The Palestinian district coordination office in Hebron said Thursday it was able to coordinate with the Israeli side on to release 11-year-old Motaz Jabber. Israeli forces seized Motaz in Hebron’s old city and accused him of throwing stones, according to a DCO statement which said the office was….
Fatah says Egypt to relaunch reconciliation
3/28/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Egypt will host initial consultations with Fatah and Hamas officials to relaunch national reconciliation talks that have been suspended since February, a Fatah official said Thursday. Yahya Rabah told Ma’an that the key issue is implementation, not more talks, but a ministerial committee of Arab states will nonetheless….
Court upholds jail sentence for reporter accused of insulting Abbas
3/28/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — An appeals court in Bethlehem upheld a sentence Thursday jailing a Palestinian reporter for a year over insults to the Palestinian president, officials said. Mamdouh Hamamreh, a correspondent for al-Quds satellite channel, was charged with “reviling the president” and spreading hate material. Hamamreh was originally charged in January 2011 with libel…. Related: President pardons journalist jailed over insult
President pardons journalist jailed over insult
3/28/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas has pardoned a journalist whose year-long sentence for insulting him on Facebook was upheld earlier Thursday. Abbas’ office said in a statement that the president had pardoned Mamdouh Hamamreh, a correspondent for al-Quds satellite channel, hours after a Bethlehem court rejected the reporter’s appeal against…. Related: Court upholds jail sentence for reporter accused of insulting Abbas
Mashaal: Obama retreated on settlements
3/28/2013 – DOHA (Ma’an) — US President Barack Obama is a charismatic leader with talents that distinguish him from other American presidents but his policies are biased toward Israel, says Hamas chief Khalid Mashaal. In an interview Wednesday in Doha, Mashaal said Obama offered nothing for the Palestinians despite starting out strong with a landmark speech….
Malaysian doctors arrive in Gaza
3/28/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A group of Malaysian doctors arrived in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday to provide training and perform specialist surgeries. The head of the delegation Saleh al-Hams told Ma’an the doctors would perform surgeries in several specialisms and provide training to local doctors. [END]
Israel reopens Gaza’s Kerem Shalom, Erez crossings
3/28/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel on Thursday lifted a series of restrictions on Gaza which were imposed after militants fired two rockets across the border, the army said. Kerem Shalom, Gaza’s only goods crossing, which has been closed since Thursday, was reopened, and the tight restrictions on travel into and out of the territory via…. Related: Israel closes Gaza border for Jewish holiday
Analyisis: Helping Jerusalem
3/28/2013 – By Daoud Kuttab – The issue of Jerusalem has always been a hot topic at Arab summits. If there were a Guinness Book record for the number of times the city of Jerusalem was mentioned at these meetings — not of the actual support, however — this would probably be a winner. The Arab summit, which ended in….
Egyptian Copts celebrate Easter in Jerusalem
3/28/2013 – CAIRO (Ma’an) — Fifty Egyptian Coptic Christians left Cairo for Israel on Thursday to celebrate Easter in Jerusalem, an Egyptian security official said. Several flights are scheduled between Cairo and Tel Aviv to bring Christian worshipers to Jerusalem for Easter. It is the second year that Egyptian pilgrims have celebrated Easter in Jerusalem since….
Clocks to go forward Friday
3/28/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Clocks will go forward one hour at midnight Thursday in Palestine. Unusually, daylight savings time will begin on the same day in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. [END]
Egypt catches divers cutting Internet cable amid disruptions
3/28/2013 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Egypt‘s coastguard caught three divers cutting through an undersea Internet cable on Wednesday, the army said, the first suggestion criminals might be involved in days of severed connections and disruptions online. A patrol stopped a fishing boat near the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria and arrested three divers, the army spokesman….
Envoys: UN yet to reach chemical inquiry accord with Syria
3/28/2013 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Syria has not yet agreed to give the “unfettered access” demanded by the United Nations for an inquiry into the alleged use of chemical weapons in the country’s conflict, diplomats said Wednesday. The United Nations wants the team to start work as early as next week but has still not….
Regional rivalries driving Syria’s opposition divides
3/28/2013 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Divisions in the ranks of Syria‘s opposition are being driven by rivalries between two powerful regional axes — one led by Turkey and Qatar and the other by Saudi Arabia backed by Washington, experts say. Competition over money and weapons is adding to the growing tension between the two camps, they say….
NGO: Fierce battles in Damascus outskirts
3/28/2013 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Fresh battles raged Thursday in flashpoint districts on the outskirts of Damascus, a monitoring group said, while army tanks pounded insurgent enclaves near the Syrian capital.” Fierce battles broke out at dawn on Thursday pitting rebels against troops in the (northeastern) district of Qaboon, while tanks shelled the neighbourhood’s edges,” said….
UN loooking into reports Turkey deported hundreds of Syrian refugees
3/28/2013 – GENEVA (Reuters) — The United Nations refugee agency voiced deep concern on Thursday at reports of mass deportations of Syrians from Turkey and said it had taken up the issue with Turkish authorities. Turkish officials said that Turkey sent hundreds of refugees back to Syria after clashes with military police at their camp near the border….
New Play Opens on Second Anniversary of the Murder of Juliano
Palestine News Network
Egypt Creates ‘Exception’ for Palestinian Refugees Fleeing Syria
Palestine News Network
Protests Planned for Land Day
Palestine News Network
Decrease in the Palestinian Producer Price Index, says Statistics Bureau
Palestine News Network
Without Addressing Settlements, There’s Little Hope
Palestine News Network
IOF Troops Arrest Two Brothers from Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
MADA: 238 Violations of Media Freedoms in 2012, Three Journalists Killed by IOF Forces
Palestine News Network
OneVoice Palestine Launches the Women of Influence Project in Hebron
Palestine News Network
Arab Americans Urge Obama to Help End Israeli Occupation
Palestine News Network
Argentinian Activist Offers Own Life in Exchange of Issawi’s Release
Palestine News Network
Obama’s Middle Eastern Dilemma
Palestine News Network
Helping Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
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Palestinian Center for Human Rights
occupied Palestinian territory: UNRWA Commissioner-General pays supporting visit to refugees of West Bank Area C
Relief Web 28 Mar 2013 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory West Bank UNRWA Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi visited last week Palestine refugees, predominantly Bedouin communities, around Jerusalem and Jericho. The communities visited by the…
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Relief Web 28 Mar 2013 – Source: MapAction, Assessment Capacities Project Country: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey Overview This Regional Analysis of the Syria Conflict (RAS) is an update of the February RAS. The RAS seeks to bring together information…
occupied Palestinian territory: Israel reopens Gaza’s Kerem Shalom, Erez crossings
Relief Web 28 Mar 2013 – Source: Agence France-Presse Country: occupied Palestinian territory 03/28/2013 09:49 GMT JERUSALEM, March 28, 2013 (AFP) – Israel on Thursday lifted a series of restrictions on Gaza which were imposed after militants fired two rockets across the border, the army said….
Teen falls to his death from 12-floor balcony in Ras Al Khaimah
The National 29 Mar 2013 – The 19-year-old was killed after falling from his apartment balcony in RAK.
Libya seeks UAE help in training forces
The National 28 Mar 2013 – Visiting Libyan Prime Minister Dr Ali Zidan wants Emirates’ expertise to help build up security.
Malala, the Pakistani teen shot by the Taliban, writes a book
The National 28 Mar 2013 – Malala says she hopes telling her story will be ‘part of the campaign to give every boy and girl the right to go to school’.
Nelson Mandela ‘responding positively’ to hospital treatment
The National 28 Mar 2013 – Former South African president is ‘responding positively’ to treatment for a recurring lung infection after being admitted to hospital during the night, the government says.
Feared run on Cyprus banks fails to materialise
The National 28 Mar 2013 – In a Hollywood-style operation, armoured vehicles carrying billions of euro banknotes replenished banks on Wednesday night, with police cars escorting the cash convoy and a helicopter clattering overhead. Michael Theodoulou reports from Nicosia
Weapons boost for Syrian rebels ahead of push for capital
The National 28 Mar 2013 – Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar are involved in a carefully prepared operation to arm the opposition ahead of a major push to take Damascus, a senior Arab official says.
China challenged by leaked photo of first lady
The National 28 Mar 2013 – A photo of China’s new first lady, Peng Liyuan, singing to martial-law troops in 1989, has been swiftly scrubbed from China’s internet before it could generate discussion online.
Drivers signal appreciation of more Abu Dhabi car parks
The National 28 Mar 2013 – Places to park in an area off Al Falah Street, near to the Department of Economic Development, are in high demand.
Events in Syria pushed Israel to apologize to Turkey
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Lifeguard dispute to keep some Tel Aviv beaches closed
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Natural gas to begin flowing from Tamar field, off Israel’s Mediterranean coast
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Israel rejects Palestinian claims, registers Dead Sea land as state land
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Late-term abortions on the rise in Israel, despite tougher approval process
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Deputy foreign minister orders inquest into who leaked ‘Gatekeepers’ cables
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Retirement plan geared toward preventing desperate Israeli housewives
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Israel’s new defense minister flies to daughter’s wedding in IDF helicopter on government’s tab
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Security guard suspected of killing wife is denied bail
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Israel detains some 50 Palestinians in mass raid on alleged West Bank terror cell
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Judge: Soccer star suspected of involvement in murder can play in Saturday’s game
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
The great (and brief) Israeli prison escape
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Sex segregation on the rise in Israel’s religious state schools
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Rivlin hints Sara Netanyahu had hand in his dismissal as Knesset speaker
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Israel reopens Gaza crossings closed due to rocket fire during Obama visit
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Turkey pushing for Palestinian unity, on heels of reconciliation with Israel
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Israelis moving en masse to Tel Aviv area
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
TAU biologist receives UNESCO-L’Oreal Prize
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Computational biologist Dr. Osnat Zomer-Penn is the fifth young Israeli woman in four years to get the prestigious award.
NGO to hold fund-raising drive for Independence Day
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – ELEM invites public to ask credit card companies to round purchases up by a few cents and donate added amount to youth in distress.
Greek envoy: Ties won’t be impacted by Israeli-Turkish ties
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – J’lem takes effort to reassure Turkish rivals Greece, Cyprus that their relations with Israel won’t change following ‘Mavi Marmara’ apology; Athens envoy also promises strategic ties between Greece and Israel won’t change.
Rabbi’s aide indicted for alleged sexual assault
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Rabbinical assistant to a senior rabbi is suspected of assaulting, committing indecent acts on his three daughters.
Peretz pledges to protect Palmahim Beach
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Newly-appointed Environmental Protection Minister stresses importance of transforming beach into nature reserve, national park.
UTJ MK Gafni: Lapid is a megalomaniac
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Shas MK Deri slams finance minister’s planned budget cuts, saying cuts will make hundreds of thousands more Israelis poor.
Hybrid buggies donated to Old City held in customs
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Buggies donated to make Old City more accessible for tourists with disabilities have been held in customs for 3 months.
Rocks and murder
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – In the past week, activists have tried to draw attention on Facebook and in other social media to the fact that “stones can kill.”
British super spy set to take over as MI5 head
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Andrew Parker, a British national hero, will take over as head of the elite MI5 intelligence agency in April.
Fine speech by Obama, but was it successful?
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – By appealing to public opinion rather than to Israeli politicians, Obama indicated that he knows there is scant chance for serious negotiations – and is unlikely to pressure the two parties.
Hebron commander: Escalation, but not intifada
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Col. Baluth to the ‘Post’: Escalation of Palestinian violence is reminiscent of 2nd intifada, but has not yet turned into a 3rd one.
On becoming a real Israeli
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Sending your son off to serve in a front-line IDF combat unit is a raw test of Zionist commitment.
French Arabs attack Israeli director at film showing
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Youths violently assault Yariv Horowitz, director of “Rock the Casbah” after screening of film last week, ‘Commentator’ reports.
The challenges facing Ya’alon
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – In this age of budget cuts, Ya’alon will also need a bit of luck, US aid, and stability on the home front.
The rightness of the path
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – For the state to apologize for their actions means it has abandoned them, turned them from warriors who risked their lives in the defense of the state into guilty parties.
Mortar attack on Damascus University kills 15 students
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – At least fifteen Syrian students were killed on Thursday when rebel mortar bombs landed on the canteen of Damascus University’s College of Architecture.
Egypt’s Islamic authority clashes with Brotherhood
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – For first time, Al-Azhar says its scholars must be consulted on issues pertaining to Islamic law set out in new constitution.
Man arraigned in connection to ATV crash
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Critically wounded boy critically injured while filming Bar Mitzva video on ATV; man suspected of owning ATV arrested.
Olmert: Netanyahu should put my plan on table
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Former PM tells ‘Post’ a peace deal with Palestinians could have been struck in 2007; says likely to run for position in next elections.
Israeli Arabs hold protest ahead of Land Day
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Protests show solidarity for prisoners, commemorate deaths of six Arabs in 1976 demonstration against Israeli land confiscation.
The Weekly Schmooze: Supermodel prom date
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Jewish culture news worldwide: More Passover videos from singing MKs to a Ramones cover band; Every Woody Allen stammer, ever.
Did Bashar Assad use chemical weapons?
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Throughout Northern Syria, rumors that chemical weapons were used in an Aleppo neighborhood have everyone on edge.
Al-Qaida linked group doubles size in Syria
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Al Nusra Front mushrooms to 1,000 fighters; new recruits returning to Syria after sojourning in Iraq, Turkish daily ‘Hurriyet’ reports.
Rivlin: Sara Netanyahu nixed me Knesset Speaker job
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Former Knesset Speaker Rivlin hints in Channel 10 interview that PM’s wife was behind the decision to deny him post.
Gilad Schalit’s capture: In his own words
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Former soldier gives military investigators an account of the attack that led to his capture and the deaths of two of his comrades.
Palestinian journalist jailed for ‘insulting’ Abbas
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Journalist gets one year sentence after sharing photo comparing Abbas’s face to a villain on a Syrian TV show.
Netanya soccer player held over woman’s death
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Judge agrees to release suspected soccer player for Saturday game; police delay release in hopes of successful appeal.
Rivlin: Sara Netanyahu nixed Knesset Speaker job
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Former Knesset Speaker Rivlin hints in Channel 10 interview that PM’s wife was behind the decision to deny him post.
Cyprus jails Hezbollah man for plot to kill Israelis
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Criminal court in Limassol sentences Hezbollah operative to 4 years prison for plotting to kill Israeli tourists.
‘Turkey deports Syrian refugees over camp unrest’
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Refugee camp official: 600-700 Syrians involved in clashes with Turkish military police sent back; gov’t denies deportation.
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The Guardian 28 Mar 2013 – Follow how the day unfolded as the UNHCR said it was investigating claims that Turkey deported Syrian refugees involved in a riot Matthew Weaver
Britons in aid convoy kidnapped and sexually assaulted in Libya
The Guardian 28 Mar 2013 – Three women taking part in aid convoy to Gaza are attacked in Benghazi Three women who were part of an aid convoy passing through Libya on the way to Gaza have been sexually assaulted in Benghazi,…
‘The Supreme Crime Against Humanity’ in Iraq, and Beyond
Uruknet
Gaza’s Ark: Trade, Not Aid
Uruknet
The scandalous underestimation of Iraqi civilian casualties
Uruknet
Brennan Promotes CIA Agent Who Helped Run Torture Programs
Uruknet
Four children killed in Afghan-coalition operation: police
Uruknet
Gitmo prisoner: ‘We all died when Obama indefinitely detained us’
Uruknet
Lift the restrictions on the Gaza fishing range
Uruknet
013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet
Expanding Guantanamo
Uruknet
PHOTOS: Palestinian Christians bring protest to Palm Sunday procession
Uruknet
Palestinian journalist jailed for Abbas photo
Daily Star 28 Mar 2013 A West Bank appeals court upheld a one-year prison term for a Palestinian journalist who had a photo on his Facebook page that authorities claimed portrayed President Mahmoud Abbas as a traitor, rights activists said.
Turkey denies mass deportation of Syrian refugees
Daily Star 28 Mar 2013 Turkey denied it had rounded up and deported hundreds of Syrian refugees following unrest at a border camp, highlighting the strain the exodus from Syria‘s civil war is placing on neighbouring states.
Egypt’s Islamic authority asserts role, clashes with Brotherhood
Daily Star 28 Mar 2013 Egypt‘s leading Islamic authority Al-Azhar said its clerics must be consulted on a law allowing the state to issue Islamic bonds, setting it at odds with the Muslim Brotherhood which drove the legislation through parliament last…
Iran, NKorea try to block arms trade treaty
Daily Star 28 Mar 2013 The chair has suspended a U.N. meeting after Iran and North Korea said they would block adoption of a treaty that would regulate the multimillion-dollar international arms trade.
Former US soldier charged with fighting for Al-Qaeda
Daily Star 28 Mar 2013 A former US soldier has been arrested and charged with terror offenses after he allegedly travelled to Syria and joined an Al-Qaeda-linked rebel group, the Justice Department said Thursday.
UN authorizes intervention force for Congo
Daily Star 28 Mar 2013 The U.N. Security Council authorized a new “intervention brigade” for Congo on Thursday with an unprecedented mandate to take military action against rebel groups to help bring peace to the country’s conflict-wracked east.
Mortar attack kills Syria students, MP speaks out
Daily Star 28 Mar 2013 Mortar fire kill at least 15 students in Damascus, with state media blaming “terrorists,” as an MP from the southern province of Daraa painted a bleak picture of the situation there.
Egypt says Iranian pose no risk
Daily Star 28 Mar 2013 Egypt‘s tourism minister says that allowing Iranian tourists to visit Egypt after being banned for more than three decades would pose no threat and could help shore up the nation’s struggling tourism industry.
Russia to fight move by Syrian opposition to take Syria’s UN seat
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – ….
France says too early to send arms to Syria rebels
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – ….
Lebanon report: IDF helicopters circle over Israel-Lebanon border
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – ….
Prisoner escapes from hospital, apprehended on highway
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – ….
Interests, not love
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Op-ed: Turkey, like many other countries, is fed up with Israel’s arrogance and ‘few against many’ approach ….
Freedom to do nothing
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Op-ed:
Obama should know Israeli public is indifferent, won’t budge until things go up in flames ….
Settlers training their children how to shoot near a Palestinian school
PIC – Palestinian sources said that extremist settlers trained, on Wednesday, dozens of their children to shoot using hunting rifles, near a school in the village of Nabi Samuel..
Health condition of prisoner Aridi deteriorates due to medical neglect
PIC – The PPS confirmed in a statement on Thursday morning that health condition of patient prisoner Sami Issa Aridi, 33, has significantly deteriorated, as he has been refusing medication for 7 months.
British academics delegation arrives in Gaza
PIC – A British academics delegation arrived in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday evening, a move considered as the second of its kind.
Masri: Tunnelling is an exceptional measure due to the siege
PIC – Mushir al-Masri, Hamas leader and member of its parliamentary bloc, stressed that digging tunnels under Egypt‘s borders with Gaza is an exceptional measure..
Media forum: Occupation detains 14 Palestinian journalists
PIC – Palestinian media forum confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces are still detaining 14 Palestinian journalists, including six arrested during this year.
IOF arrests Jerusalemite woman and elderly man
PIC – Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested a Palestinian woman from the occupied city of Jerusalem, under the pretext of her intention to stab an Israeli soldier yesterday evening.
11 Palestinian killed in Syria, including five of same family
PIC – Eleven Palestinian refugees were killed during the last 24 hours in light of the continued targeting and shelling of the Palestinian refugee camps, where 5 members of the same family were executed.
More than 100 Jerusalemite detainees within 3 months, including 20 children
PIC – The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested since the beginning of 2013 about 105 Jerusalemites, including 20 minors, Palestinian human rights sources revealed.
Settlers want Palestinian stones to be considered “lethal weapons”
PIC – West Bank settlers demanded the IOF to start dealing with Palestinian stones as “lethal weapons†to address the recent rise in attacks on settlers in the West Bank.
5 prisoners continue their hunger strike in Israeli jails
PIC – Five Palestinian prisoners have continued their hunger strike since different periods in Israeli prisons, human rights sources confirmed.
Settlers Lay Foundations to Expand Settlement
WAFA – 28 Mar 2013
013 Fiscal Year General Budget
WAFA – 28 Mar 2013
Supreme Court Rejects Petition by Mohammad Dahlan
WAFA – 28 Mar 2013
Jewish Passover Visits to Al-Aqsa Mosque Cause Tension
WAFA – 28 Mar 2013
Daylight Saving Time Starts at Midnight
WAFA – 28 Mar 2013
Newspapers Review: Tension at al-Aqsa Mosque Focus of Dailies
WAFA – 28 Mar 2013
Protests Planned for Land Day
WAFA – 28 Mar 2013
Producer Index Down by 0.78%, says Statistics Bureau
WAFA – 28 Mar 2013
Baghdad Journal: For a Night at Least, Soccer Unites Iraqis and Syrians
New York Times 28 Mar 201
3 – On a pleasant spring evening, a week after car bombs killed dozens in the city, almost 50,000 Iraqis filled an old stadium to cheer as hard for the Syrian team as for its own players.
Hong Kong Prepares for New Coronavirus
New York Times 28 Mar 2013 – The city is among the first to become worried about the emergence and spread of another, genetically related virus in the Middle East.
Syrian Students Killed in Attack on University Cafeteria
New York Times 28 Mar 2013 – Mortar shells hit Damascus University, state television said, killing at least 12 students and subverting an aura of normalcy that President Bashar al-Assad has sought to cultivate.
At War Blog: ‘Running with the Big Boys’ in Iraq, a Female Soldier Paves the Way
New York Times 28 Mar 2013 – “If or when a female soldier someday enlists in the Army infantry, she will probably look a lot like Sgt. Amber Sellers, 29, from Cullman, Alabama,” writes Nathan S. Webster, an Army veteran.
IEC mulls rate hike to cover Palestinians’ NIS 730m debt
Globes Energy & Water – The chances that IEC will collect the debt fell after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released tax money to the Palestinian Authority.
IAI CEO sees more Brazilian deals
Globes Main News – Joseph Weiss: Israel Aerospace Industries already has a number of business proposals that are currently under review.
easyJet adds more Tel Aviv-London flights
Globes Main News – Starting October 27, the low cost carrier will operate 11 weekly flights to London, up from the current nine.
Thu: Tel Aviv 25 up 1.3% in March, up 4.4% in Q1
Globes Main News – Mellanox rose strongly, but failed to lift the market. The TASE will reopen on Tuesday, after the Passover holiday.
Mazor share jumps on Taiwan, Texas sales
Globes Main News – The company sold its first Renaissance robotic spinal surgical guidance systems in Taiwan and seventh system in Texas.
Mobile operations hit Hot profits hard
Globes Main News – Hot Mobile’s launch cost NIS 185 million.
Histadrut chief ready for battle with Lapid
Globes Macro Economics – Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini still insists on not handing over even one shekel of the workers’ money.
Israel summer time begins 2 am Friday
Globes Macro Economics – Daylight savings will continue through October 6.
Ashot Ashkelon: Defense industry success story
Globes Aerospace & Defense – The defense contractor’s revenue has risen from NIS 17 million to NIS 230 million within seven years.
Los Angeles Times: Obama’s Symbolic Mission to Israel: Accomplished
Jewish Voice for Peace – President Barack Obama visits the Middle East, which may have improved his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but seems to have done little to progress Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Obama‘s symbolic mission to Israel: Accomplished , Carol J. Williams, Los Angeles Times, March 22, 2013. Barack Obama’s…
Last 24 hours to get special hotel rate for JVP’s National Membership Meeting!
Jewish Voice for Peace – Jewish Voice for Peace’s National Membership Meeting is getting closer. The deadline for getting the special meeting hotel rate ends tomorrow, March 29. Jewish Voice for Peace’s National Membership Meeting is getting closer. The deadline for getting the special meeting hotel rate ends tomorrow, March 29….
A Tale of Two Rabbis as Passover Draws Near
Muzzlewatch – By Donna Nevel An event is taking place in New York City on April 4 th to discuss the following questions: Is Israel—or can it be—a democracy? Is there—or can there be—equality in Israel? Can a Jewish state be democratic? The current realities in Palestine/Israel, and…
Obama allowed Zionists to feel cool again
Mondoweiss – Obama‘s visit to Israel was annoying – especially with all the excessive yukking over nothing in particular – but there were a few things about it that are worth highlighting. I was a little surprised at the level of frothy excitement projected by liberal Zionists into…
‘Look at the world through their eyes’ — Obama should take his own advice
Mondoweiss – by Richard Falk – It was master-crafted as an ingratiating speech by the world’s most important leader talking on behalf of the government that has most unreservedly championed Israel’s cause over the decades….
Single-Sex Education Soars 40% in Israel Religious Schools
The Foward Breaking News 28 Mar 2013 – Over the past 13 years there has been a 40 percent rise in the number of elementary-school students in Israel’s state religious system whose classes are segregated by gender. Click here for the rest of the article…
The Empathy Rule
The Forward Editorial 28 Mar 2013 – FORWARD EDITORIAL: Barack Obama shrewdly tapped into ‘Passover empathy’ in his
pro-peace speech in Israel. Will it be enough to overcome the trepidation that ‘Purim Jews’ feel? Click here for the rest of the article…
First Black Miss Israel Titi Aynaw Reflects Growing Diversity of Jewish State
The Forward New 28 Mar 2013 – Titi Aynaw is the first black woman to win the Miss Israel title. But she’s just one of a growing number of African-born Israelis making a splash in pop culture. Click here for the rest of the article…
‘Jews of Egypt’ Rides Bumpy Road to Premiere
The Forward New 28 Mar 2013 – The director of ‘Jews of Egypt’ was planning a guerilla campaign to show the controversial documentary after it was banned. But the Egyptian government unexpectedly had a change of heart. Click here for the rest of the article…
With Ehud Barak Out, Who in Israel Will Talk With The Americans?
The Forward New 26 Mar 2013 – The retirement of Ehud Barak hasn’t cause much of a stir in Israel. But in Washington, his departure is mourned as he was a crucial liaison between the two governments. Click here for the rest of the article…
Cyprus jails Hezbollah operative
BBC 28 Mar 2013 – A Cypriot court jails a member of the Lebanese militant Shia movement Hezbollah for three years for plotting to attack Israeli targets there.
Arrests as Egypt internet cable cut
BBC 27 Mar 2013 – Three divers have been arrested while trying to sever an undersea internet cable off the port city of Alexandria, Egyptian authorities say.
Lebanon: Extending Parliament Before Forming Government
Al-Akhbar Opinion 28 Mar 2013 – It seems clear that most of the political parties, which are divided between March 8 and 14, are not in any rush to form a new cabinet for a variety of reasons. (Photo: Marwan Thatah) It seems clear that most of the political parties, which are…
500-year-old Libyan Sufi shrine bombed
Al-Akhbar News 28 Mar 2013 – Libyans inspect the damage at a Sufi shrine in the neighborhood of Tajoura, on the outskirts of Tripoli, after is was attacked during the early hours of the morning by unknown individuals on March 28, 2013. Unknown attackers planted and set off an explosive device, partially…
Hezbollah man sentenced to prison in Cyprus
Al-Akhbar News 28 Mar 2013 – A file picture taken on March 21, 2013 shows Hossam Taleb Yaacoub (R), a dual Lebanese and Swedish citizen arrested in the port of Limassol in July last year, being escorted by police as he arrives at the court in the southern Cypriot coastal city of…
Israeli Army Prepares for War on Northern Front
Al-Akhbar News 28 Mar 2013 – Israeli reserve soldiers take position during a drill at a military zone near Kibbutz Revivim in southern Israel 7 March 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Amir Cohen) Israeli reserve soldiers take position during a drill at a military zone near Kibbutz Revivim in southern Israel 7 March…
Mideast states, US step up arms shipments to Syrian rebels
Al-Akhbar News 28 Mar 2013 – A Syrian opposition fighter runs for cover from Syrian army snipers during clashes in the northern city of Aleppo on March 27, 2013. (Photo: AFP – Bulent Kilic) A Syrian opposition fighter runs for cover from Syrian army snipers during clashes in the northern city of…
The State of Egypt’s Coptic Church
Al-Akhbar News 28 Mar 2013 – Egyptian Muslims and Christians celebrate Coptic Christmas eve mass, at Tahrir Square in Cairo 6 January 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed Abd El Ghany) Egyptian Muslims and Christians celebrate Coptic Christmas eve mass, at Tahrir Square in Cairo 6 January 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed Abd…
Lebanese Politicians Buying Facebook ‘Likes’
Al-Akhbar News 28 Mar 2013 – In addition to the freelance experts, some companies also promote politicians’ pages. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) In addition to the freelance experts, some companies also promote politicians’ pages. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Elias Skaff, the former Lebanese MP from Zahlé, spends thousands of US dollars to maintain his…
Lebanon: US Warns Berri and Kahwaji of Assassination Attempts
Al-Akhbar Politics 27 Mar 2013 – This comes on the heels of similar warnings relayed to the two men in February, which prompted authorities to take extraordinary security measures. (photo: Marwan Bu Haidar) This comes on the heels of similar warnings relayed to the two men in February, which prompted authorities to…
Arab League Summit: Doha Calls the Shots
Al-Akhbar Politics 27 Mar 2013 – Men listen to Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, head of the Syrian opposition delegation, as he addresses the opening of the Arab League summit in the Qatari capital Doha on 26 March 2013. (Photo: AFP – Karim Sahib) Men listen to Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, head of the Syrian…
Mortars hit Damascus University
BBC 28 Mar 2013 – Mortar fire hits the University of Damascus, killing 15 students and wounding several others, Syrian state media say.
Cyprus jails Hezbollah operative
BBC 28 Mar 2013 – A Cypriot court jails a member of the Lebanese militant Shia movement Hezbollah for three years for plotting to attack Israeli targets there.
Court acquits 21 Bahraini medics
BBC 28 Mar 2013 – Twenty-one medics arrested at a hospital during anti-government protests in Bahrain two years ago have their convictions quashed.
Arrests as Egypt internet cable cut
BBC 27 Mar 2013 – Three divers have been arrested while trying to sever an undersea internet cable off the port city of Alexandria, Egyptian authorities say.
Articles
Obama’s Middle East Visit Dashes Arab Hopes
Patrick Seale, 3/27/2013
President Barack Obama’s brief visit to the Middle East has given the Arab world a brutal lesson in power politics. Every word he uttered in Israel, every gesture he made, served to illustrate the unprecedented closeness of the U.S.-Israeli alliance, as well as his disregard for Arab interests and his evident reluctance to give the Palestine cause any serious or sustained attention.
Rarely if ever has an American President shown such intense concern for Israel’s welfare and such casual indifference for the Arabs.
The visit to Israel and its Arab neighbours marks an important moment in Obama’s presidency. It sends a clear message that he is not prepared to engage in a fight with powerful pro-Israeli forces deeply entrenched in American government and society. To the Arabs, it signals that resolving the Palestine problem is no longer his priority. He seems prepared to leave it to the next incumbent of the White House, whoever that might be.
No doubt John Kerry, America’s new Secretary of State, will go through the motions of addressing the Palestine problem for a while, but it would be naïve to expect any real progress without vigorous and sustained presidential attention, and that now seems highly unlikely.
Many Arabs had thought that Obama, on this his first presidential visit to the region, would give fresh impetus to the search for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement — even at this eleventh hour. Their disappointment has been bitter…. more.. e-mail
Just where does Israel’s legitimacy stem from anyway?
Ibrahim Hewitt, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 3/24/2013
All of the major pro-Israel Lobbyists, including Barack Obama just a few days ago, have used the word “delegitimisation” to condemn critics of the State of Israel and its policies. Earlier this month, the British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband affirmed his status as a Zionist in a speech to the Board of Deputies of British Jews in which he equated odious anti-Semitism with “delegitimisation of Israel” as if the two are one and the same thing; they’re not.
Almost everyone who has ever condemned Israel’s illegal activities and abuses of international human rights legislation and conventions has been accused of trying to “delegitimise” the state. The pro-Israel Lobby cannot, and will not, accept that criticism of Israel’s actions does not necessarily mean that you want to destroy the state; hate the deeds, not the people who do them is a motto I teach at school to young people confused when people like Obama and, in Britain, David Cameron and Miliband, claim to be advocates of peace and justice and yet routinely proclaim their support for a country which displays the characteristics of a rogue state in almost every sense.
A number of key documents are often cited as giving Israel legitimacy in its present form. The first is, of course, the Bible; God chose the Children of Israel and promised them the land. That’s what Zionists use to justify the modern Israeli claim to the land of Palestine, although the “founding father of Zionism”, Theodor Herzl, at whose grave Barack Obama paid homage last week, was famously an atheist. Moreover, “Israel” was originally neither a state nor a nation; the Children of Israel were the descendants of Prophet Jacob (“Israel”). The “promise”, or covenant, was conditional on his descendants fulfilling Divine Commandments and upholding Divine Laws.
Shlomo Sand, in his book The Invention of the Jewish People, has debunked “the central myths about the primeval origin of a marvellous nation that emerged from the desert, conquered a spacious land and built a glorious kingdom”…. more.. e-mail
Herzliya Conference outlines Israeli concerns
Adnan Abu Amer, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 3/27/2013
The conference warned of the “dangerous decline” of US power in the regionThis year’s Herzliya Conference in Israel was held amid the state’s fears of the rapid political changes in the region. This prompted the organisers to invite many Israeli officials and international figures to attend, including European prime ministers and senior officials in international economic institutions and organisations.
Herzliya is considered to be one of Israel’s most important security strategy conferences. It looks at security issues from a local, regional and international perspective and touches on every field, political, economic, security, military and strategic.
The conference is held at the Interdisciplinary Centre in Herzliya, a city named after the founding father of political Zionism, Theodor Herzl. Appropriately in the context, it is built on the ruins of a Palestinian village whose indigenous population was ethnically cleansed by the Israelis. Many Israeli strategists describe Herzliya as one of the most important conferences in terms of content and participation. The country’s president, prime minister, defence chiefs of staff and senior decision-makers all usually make an appearance.
Herzliya conferences have taken place annually since 2000. The first looked at “The Balance of National Strength and Security” and was initiated by Professor Uzi Arad, a former member of Mossad, who served as Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his first term of office. With objectives focusing on the Judaisation of the state, matters relating to identity, education, military strategy, sec
urity, scientific research and the economy have been addressed. It is said that the event was founded due to what was described as the “escalating existential crisis” facing Israel.
The significance of Herzliya and its long-term impact on the state and its policies can be seen by looking at the past few years’ agendas and the topics they contain. For example…. more.. e-mail
All roads to Mashaal
Saleh Al-Naami in Gaza, Al-Ahram Weekly 3/20/2013
After some prevarication, Khaled Mashaal has confirmed his intention of heading the Hamas political bureau for a fifth term.
The head of the Hamas Political Bureau Khaled Mashaal has succumbed to pressure and withdrawn his plans to resign from the group’s leadership, and as a result there are now fewer pressures to hold a meeting of the group’s general council.
It is now almost certain that Mashaal will continue in his position for a fifth term after the council votes again at a later date.
Palestinian sources told Al-Ahram Weekly that Mashaal had changed his mind about resigning after pressure from group members inside and overseas, as well as intervention by Arab and Islamic parties urging him to continue in his position.
Most members of the Hamas leadership believe that under current circumstances no one in the group would be able to fill the vacuum left by Mashaal if he insisted on not nominating himself for a fifth term.
According to the sources, there were several candidates who could have succeeded Mashaal, including the deputy head of the political bureau Moussa Abu Marzouk and Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, though neither of these would have been able to fill Mashaal’s shoes.
The sources said that many in Hamas had not felt that Abu Marzouk could succeed Mashaal because he lacked charisma. Although he had served as head of the political bureau before Mashaal, his leadership skills were unimpressive, according to Hamas supporters.
Meanwhile, there is a sense inside the group that the head of Hamas needs to be located outside Palestine for symbolic reasons, since the vast majority of Palestinians live as refugees outside Palestine. more.. e-mail
Gaza’s Ark: Trade, Not aid
Palestine Chronicle: 28 Mar 2013 – By Eva Bartlett “An ark is literally a large floating vessel designed to keep its passengers and cargo safe,” say the group preparing ‘Gaza’s Ark’. But their ark, they say, is “a vessel that embodies hope that the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip can soon live in peace without the threat of the Israeli blockade.” An initiative by Palestinians in Gaza and international solidarity activists, Gaza’s Ark entails “purchasing a run-down boat from a local fishing family,” says Michael Coleman, a member of Free Gaza Australia and on the Gaza’s Ark steering committee. “The refurbishing will be done by Palestinians in the port of Gaza, and the sailing will be with a mixed crew of Palestinians and internationals,” says David Heap, spokesperson for Gaza’s Ark in Canada and Europe. The sailing date has not been announced yet. Pointing to a weathered fishing trawler with a ‘for sale’ sign painted on…more
Proxy War Destroying Syria
Palestine Chronicle: 28 Mar 2013 – By Jamal Kanj Writing about Syria is emotionally draining and intellectually overwhelming. Evident by the level of destruction and killing, the mutual hatred between President Bashar Al Assad’s regime and the armed opposition surpasses their love of country. More than 70,000 have been killed and, not counting internally displaced Syrians, there are more than one million refugees in neighboring countries. The Syrian people who selflessly opened their homes and shared their schools with the children of refugees from Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq are themselves living in horrible conditions in camps. Greater Syria, first broken up by British and French colonizers under the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement, is being fragmented further by internecine strife agitated by competing foreign powers. Russia and Iran are supporting a doomed dictatorship, while the West pours just enough fuel for the opposition to sustain an unwinnable war. The Syrians are trapped between an arrogant tyrant and…more
Goodbye Miliband; Don’t Come Back
Palestine Chronicle: 28 Mar 2013 – By Stuart Littlewood The tears shed by assorted media at the news of David Miliband’s departure from British politics for a new life in New York had me reaching once again for the sick-bag. “British politics will be a poorer place without David,” said brother Ed, leader of the Labour Party. Will it? I’m pleased to see Peter Oborne’s straight-talking piece in The Telegraph putting Miliband D in his place. “We are, after all, talking about someone who was at best a minor politician, no towering colossus,” writes Oborne. “After Labour’s 1997 election victory he was the poster boy of a new ruling elite which seized control of the commanding heights of British politics. Anti-democratic, financially greedy and morally corrupt, this new political class has done the most enormous damage. Since David Miliband was its standard-bearer, his political career explains a great deal about what has gone wrong with British…more
‘Liberating’ Iraqis, Limb by Limb
Palestine Chronicle: 28 Mar 2013 – By Felicity Arbuthnot – London ‘Why should we hear about body bags and deaths … I mean, it’s not relevant, so why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that …’ — (Former First Lady, Barbara Bush , Good Morning America, 18th March 2003.) In these days of the tenth anniversary of the illegal invasion and near destruction of Iraq, answers are owed not alone for the dead, but to the cancer stricken, the deformed, to their parents, their siblings and all Iraqis. They were left with a land poisoned by depleted uranium in 1991, the burden ever building over twelve more years of (illegal) US and UK bombings, then the enormity of 2003. Fallujah’s victims have rightly come under medical and media scrutiny since the US military onslaught of April and November 2004, but throughout Iraq, there have been no reports of areas unaffected. In context, Dahr Jamail…more
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The New Dark Age 