News
International Middle East Media Center
Five Killed In Crash With Israeli Military Hummer Vehicle
IMEMC – Saturday March 06, 2010 – 02:07, Five Palestinian were killed on Friday evening and two others were injured when their vehicle accidentally slammed into a military hummer at the Silwad Bridge, by the entrance of Ofer near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Five Youths Injured at Ni’lin Protest Including 11 Year Old Boy
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 16:15, After midday prayers villagers of the village of Ni’lin, near Ramallah, were joined by Israeli and international protestors in their weekly protest of the separation wall built on land confiscated from the villagers.
Weekly Protest in Bi’lin Marks International Week Against Racism
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 16:13, This week’s protest in Bi’lin was joined by international and Israeli peace activists, and groups representing the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine political party and the Freedom Theatre in Jenin.
Protest Continues in al-Ma’sara
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 15:39, Following midday prayers, the villagers of al-Ma’sara marched, in their weekly tradition, towards the construction site of the separation wall, that annexes them from their farmlands.
Eleven Injured As Troops Attack Anti Wall Protest At Al Nabi Saleh Village, Northern West Bank
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 15:18, Eleven people, amongst them two internationals, were injured, on Friday, by Israeli military fire when troops suppressed an anti wall protest at the al-Nabi Saleh village, northern West Bank.
Clashes Reported at al-Aqsa & Ibrahimi Mosques
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 14:51, Following Friday prayers, clashes have occurred at both al-Aqsa mosque, Jerusalem, and Ibrahimi mosque, Hebron.
Israeli High Court Refuses Appeal To Remove Saadat From Solitary Confinement
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 12:07, The Israeli High Court rejected, on Thursday, an appeal to remove the detained Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Ahmad Saadat, from his solitary confinement and claimed that he still instructs PFLP resistance fighters while in prison.
PCHR Weekly Report: “Palestinian Killed, 17 Wounded, as Army Continues Its Violations”
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 11:05, The Palestinian Center For Human Rights (PCHR), based in Gaza, issued its weekly report on the period between February 24 and March 3, revealing that the army killed one Palestinian, wounded 17, and kidnapped 50 residents.
Facebook Post Leads To Cancelling Israeli Invasion
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 10:21, The Israeli army had to cancel an invasion into a West Bank village to kidnap Palestinians after an Israeli soldier posted on his facebook page details regarding the invasion, its timing and the targeted areas.
Barcelona Tribunal: “Israel Carried Severe Violations To The International Law”
IMEMC – Friday March 05, 2010 – 09:45, The Russell Tribunal on Palestine, held in Barcelona, started its activities on Thursday with a criticism to the Israeli government for committing severe violations against the International Law and the basic rights of the Palestinian people.
Palestinian boy seriously hurt at protest
3/5/2010 – Ramallah – Ma’an – A Palestinian boy was seriously wounded in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah, after he was shot in the head with a rubber-coated bullet, activists said. Ehab Fadel Barghouthi, 14 was among at least three injured when Israeli forces opened fire during a demonstration against the confiscation of land for Israel’s separation wall. He remains unconscious and in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the Ramallah hospital. Barghouthi was shot with a rubber-coated bullet that struck him in the forehead above his right eye and entered his skull, the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee reported. He was evacuated to a Salfit hospital unconscious, and from there to Ramallah. In a statement, the committee said border guard officers fired from the rooftop of a house they took over, and were in no immediate danger.
Top Islamic judge among injured in Hebron rally
3/5/2010 – Hebron – Ma’an – Tayseer At-Tamimi, the chief Islamic judge in Palestine, along with others were hurt after inhaling gas while leaving the Ibrahimi Mosque after performing Friday prayers in the southern West Bank city of Hebron. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas at the Muslim leader as he exited the mosque, witnesses said. He was transferred to the Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron for treatment. Israeli soldiers also fired on others while they were leaving the landmark. In protest on the Israeli decision to include the Ibrahimi Mosque on a list of Israeli heritage sites, hundreds of Palestinians flocked to the southern West Bank city to perform Friday prayers. Clashes erupted between locals and Israeli forces, who beat several journalists, onlookers said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said 400 Palestinians clashed with Israeli forces in the city, for which soldiers used riot-dispersal means.
Union: 3 fishermen detained by Israeli navy
3/5/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli navy guards detained three Gazan fishermen just off the shores of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Friday, the head of the local Fishermen’s Union said. Nizar Ayyash identified the three fishermen as Nafeth Al-Aqra, Muhammad Nabil and Muhammad Al-Aqra, all from central Gaza. He said they were taken, along with their vessel, to an unknown location. An Israeli army spokeswoman said naval officers fired warning shots in the air at the boat, which was reportedly leaving the three-nautical-mile fishing zone off the Gaza coast. When the boat neither halted progress nor returned to shore, naval boats detained the men for questioning, the spokeswoman said. The official also confirmed that the boat was taken to the port in Ashdod while the men were questioned. On Wednesday, The Associated Press reported that fishermen, “cut off from plentiful fishing grounds by Israeli. . . “
Israeli forces raid Al-Aqsa compound
3/5/2010 – Jerusalem – Ma’an – Dozens of Palestinians were injured as Israeli forces entered East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following the weekly Friday prayers, firing tear gas, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades. At least 15 Israeli police officers were also injured by rocks thrown by Palestinians, Israeli news reports said. Some 200 police officers appeared on the scene, clashing with worshipers in the Haram Ash-Sharif, or noble sanctuary, which houses the mosque. Forces were seen striking Palestinians with batons, injuring a number of elderly worshipers, and closed off gates into the Old City even before clashes erupted, preventing some worshipers from reaching the site. The number of injuries amount to more than 60, among them a woman who sustained injuries after being shot with a bullet in the eye, while others sustained injuries to the feet, chest and hands when attacked with rubber-coated bullets.
Protests: Troops fire tear gas at journalists, ‘Ghandi’
3/5/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Delegations from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Freedom Theater in Jenin joined over 100 anti-wall ralliers in Bil’in on Friday, to mark Global Week Against racism. As the group finished Friday prayers and marched toward the site of the separation barrier, which cuts villagers off from their agricultural and village lands, the group was met with tear-gas canisters, organizers said. “The occupation forces fired tear gas towards the citizens of Bil’in, foreign peace activists and peace-loving Israelis,” a statement from the popular committee said. First to be hit with the tear gas, organizers noted, were actors from the Jenin Theatre group dressed as figures from the anti-facism struggle around the world, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, jr. The statement alleged that Israeli troops “deliberately fired tear gas towards. . . “
Egypt FM adds voice against restart of peace talks
3/5/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said he believed Palestinians should not enter into direct talks with Israel in light of the current controversy over heritage sites. Speaking from Cairo after a meeting of the Committee for the Arab Peace Initiative, Abul Gheit said delegates shared his sentiments, a stark contrast to the announcement of the Arab Foreign Ministers meeting, which gave its blessing for talks to continue. “The committee will not remain silent over all what is going on,” Abul Gheit said, adding his voice to detractors from Fatah, some PLO factions and Hamas, who are against the resumption of peace talks with Israel. “ The Arab Follow up Committee will not make any concessions and will not support direct negotiations unless Israel changes its positions,” he said, and recommended that Palestinians move to make Israel take responsibility for its actions.
European aid groups ask Foreign Ministers to send Gaza delegation
3/5/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – A group of 17 European human rights groups and NGOs are calling on EU foreign ministers and the body’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Baroness Ashton to visit Gaza in mid-March, Amnesty International reported Thursday. The request comes after Israeli officials denied Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin entry into Gaza, forcing the official to travel south to Egypt, and into the coastal enclave via the Rafah border terminal. According to Martin, he and his 10-member delegation were given “no good reason” for being denied entry into Gaza, where he wanted to “see for myself” the destruction of last year’s war on the area and the continued siege. Aid groups, including Amnesty International, are requesting that foreign ministers take a “united stance not to bow to Israel’s recent practice of refusing entry to Gaza by foreign high-level representatives, and to make. . . “
Bethlehem University marks Israeli Apartheid Week
3/5/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Students at Bethlehem University on Thursday initiated a campaign to ban Israeli goods from the campus in an event marking Israeli Apartheid week. The students identified Israeli products used in cafeteria food, office and cleaning supplies and are requesting that the university administration “clear the campus of of all items produced by the racist apartheid state. “ Students who signed the petition received a sticker, “Let us resist Israeli apartheid: Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions,” in an effort to raise awareness of the campaign, organizers said. The action is part of a week of activities organized by students a the university and local Bethlehem NGOs. The events kicked off with a presentation from the Handala Center in the Al-Azzeh refugee camp, which launched its own campaign to rid the camp of Israeli products.
Israeli intelligence detain Gaza businessman
3/5/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli intelligence agents detained a Palestinian businessman at the Erez border crossing into Israel on on Thursday night, Palestinian security sources said. The man, a Gaza resident with a rare permit to travel in and out of the Strip via the crossing, was detained leaving Gaza and taken to an investigation center at the facility. An Israeli spokeswoman at Erez said an arrest was made by the Shabbak (intelligence services) but could provide no further details. Palestinian sources identified the man as Ahmad Salim Abu Eida, who, according to his family, was moved to the Migdal detention center. [end]
Egyptian forces discover 3 smuggling tunnels
3/5/2010 – Al-Arish – Ma’an – Egyptian forces discovered several tunnels on Friday, all apparently used for smuggling goods into the Gaza Strip. Egyptian security sources told Ma’an that authorities found one of the tunnels in Rafah, used predominately for smuggling cars. “After receiving information on a tunnel used to smuggle cars, the Salah Ad-Din terminal was raided and Egyptian forces arrived at the scene of a smuggling tunnel 120 meters from the borders, the opening of which was designed to transfer cars,” a source said. “Digging such tunnels is very expensive,” the Egyptian security source added. “ This is the third time in which Egyptian authorities have taken over smuggling tunnels of such a kind,” the source said. “They have previously seized two tunnels for smuggling cars, during the last year, when dozens of cars were smuggled into Gaza. “
Israeli forces arrest Hebron man, release another
3/5/2010 – Hebron – Ma’an – Israeli authorities arrested a young man from Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, and released another whose term of imprisonment ended on Thursday. Mohammad Ayad Awad, spokesman for the Palestinian Solidarity Project, said Muntaser Diab Sa’eed A’tieyah Awad, 21, was arrested after soldiers broke into his home accompanied by sniffer dogs on Thursday night. They ransacked its contents and arrested Muntaser before transferring him elsewhere, Awad said. Israeli media reported that four Palestinians were detained overnight. Meanwhile, Adham Mohammad Azmi Ikhleiliel, 20, was released after two years in jail and a 2,000-shekel fine. . . . .
Despite UN call, Israeli siege on Gaza continues
3/5/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – No commercial goods or humanitarian aid will enter Gaza on Friday, Palestinian crossings liaison official Raed Fattouh said, as Israeli forces decided to shut all terminals. Although the crossings are scheduled to open six days a week, the Kerem Shalom crossing was opened only once on a Friday in the past seven months, for an emergency fuel delivery in early February. The continued closure came after UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes visited the Strip, and called for an end to the blockade. In an interview with the Israeli daily Haaretz, Holmes said the blockade only encouraged an underground economy and strengthened the de facto government in Gaza, rather than undercutting the authority of Hamas officials. The smuggling industry, he said “relieves the pressure [of the siege] in a sense, [but] it isn’t good at. . . “
Presidency denounces latest raid on Al-Aqsa
3/5/2010 – Ramallah – Ma’an – The Palestinian presidency has denounced a Friday raid on the yards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, during which forces fired rubber-coated bullets on the worshippers. Mahmoud Abbas’ office demanded an end to “this Israeli adventure, which could spark a religious war in the region. “”Israeli forces are crossing every red line in an attempt to avoid restarting peace negotiations, especially following the decision by the Arab follow-up committee of the Arab League to resume the peace talks,” the Office of the President said in a statement. “President Abbas is following up the events and their developments at Al-Aqsa and is carrying out contacts to put an end to these provocations,” the statement added. The presidency called on the international community to curb such incursions, which it said could have dangerous consequences not only in the Middle East, but to international security and peace in general.
6 British parliamentarians enter Gaza
3/5/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – A British delegation of six parliamentarians arrived in Gaza through the Rafah crossing on Friday, received by a UN convoy which will take the group around the coastal enclave during its three-day visit. The Gaza crossings administration under the de facto government confirmed the program of the group, noting scheduled visits to schools, hospitals and homes destroyed during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead last winter. “Observing first-hand what suffering the Palestinians in Gaza live under” was the request under which the delegation entered the area, where it was granted entry by Egyptian and de facto government border officials. [end]
Erekat: Violence is Israeli response to peace overtures
3/5/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is Israel’s answer to the Arab League’s offer to renew peace negotiations, chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erakat alleged on Friday, as dozens of Palestinians and Israeli police officers were injured in Jerusalem. “We see this aggression against our people and holy sites as the Israeli response,” Erekat said in a statement, condemning a raid on the yards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, during which Israeli forces fired rubber-coated bullets at protesting worshipers. An estimated 200 police officers fired tear gas, rubber-coated bullets, and stun grenades as Palestinians threw rocks, witnesses said. The raid, which left as many as 60 Palestinians and 18 Israeli police officers injured, was sparked by confrontations at the Haram Ash-Sharif, or noble sanctuary, which houses the mosque, the third holiest site in Islam that is also revered by Jews.
Hamas: PA continues political arrest campaign
3/5/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Hamas officials released a statement accusing Palestinian Authority forces of detaining three of the party’s affiliates from locations across the West Bank overnight Thursday. The three were reportedly from Nablus and Hebron, although the arrests could not be independently verified by Ma’an. Continued accusations of politically-motivated detentions come as Hamas and Fatah remain in a unity-talk stalemate. A hint of progress came in February when Fatah Central Committee member Nabil Sha’ath entered the Strip for the first time since the Hamas takeover, and was warmly welcomed by de facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. A subsequent Fatah delegation, however, was denied permission by the local government to visit the coastal area, and the delegation was reduced to a single member, who entered Gaza on Thursday. . . . .
Gaza police to enforce ban on male salon workers
3/5/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – De facto government police will begin enforcing an Interior Ministry recomendation to prohibit men from working in women’s hair salons, a Friday statement said. Reports of the ban surfaced Thursday, as observers marked the move as the latest in a series of laws restricting personal freedoms in the coastal enclave. Over the past four months, women have been prohibited from riding motorcycles, and men have been banned from removing their shirts at the beach. The latest ban targeting women’s hair salons was signed by de facto Minister of the Interior Fathi Hammad, set to be enforced by theGaza government’s police. A separate statement from the local police in Gaza said those violating the ban would be “tracked and punished. “ The decisions mark a departure from the stated policy of the Hamas-run government, which has said it would not work to impose Islamic rule on the people of Gaza.
6 Palestinians killed in accident with IDF jeep
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Palestinian vehicle swerves off course head on into IDF armed jeep near Ofra settlement in West Bank.
IDF to release new findings defending Gaza war strike
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Army uses reports by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to justify mosque attack during Operation Cast Lead.
Israel treading carefully to avoid war with Syria
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – IDF cancels part of massive combat training exercise to calm tensions along northern border.
Shin Bet’s Hamas spy hires bodyguards after Haaretz story
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – I love my father, but his movement is arrogant and evil, says Hamas leader’s son who spied for Israel.
Respected Danish journalist admits ‘I was a Mossad agent’
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – It’s not uncommon for secret agents to take up a career in journalism as a cover for clandestine work.
IDF calls off West Bank raid due to Facebook leak
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Soldier updated his status with details of the time and place of the West Bank operation.
Jordan jails 6 for plotting to fight Israel during Gaza war
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Five suspects arrested in April, May 2009, with the other, still at large, tried in absentia.
Is Israel really a target for chemical warfare?
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – In their latest blog, Harel and Issacharoff ponder Israel’s decision to distribute gas masks to all citizens.
IDF recording license plates of Israeli anti-fence protesters
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Document lists vehicle registration numbers of Leftists in effort to forbid their entry into West Bank.
Report: IDF tank fires at Gaza militants, killing one
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Popular Resistance Committees says of Beit Lahia resident killed on a military intelligence mission.
39 army raids, 28 arrests: Just another day in the West Bank
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – In 2009 Israelis enjoyed unprecedented security as Palestinians suffered more settler violence than ever.
IDF chief dismisses ex-Gaza Division commander over son’s ATV accident
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Brig. Gen. Moshe ‘Chico’ Tamir had previously been demoted to the rank of colonel over the incident.
Hamas seeks to extend Gaza arrest of U.K. journalist
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Paul Martin accused by militant group of providing Israel with information harmful to Palestinian security.
Gas masks to join Purim masks today as IDF begins distribution
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Kits are being distributed by national postal service and will be delivered directly to homes for a NIS 25 charge.
Barak: A nuclear Iran threatens world stability
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – U.S. Secretary of State Clinton discusses revival of peace talks, easing of Gaza blockade with Barak.
Exclusive: Hamas leader quits Shalit talks over internal feud
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Mahmoud A-Zahar resigned two weeks ago after row with Hamas leader who wanted harder line in talks with Israel.
Barak to U.S.: Impose new Iran nuclear sanctions
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – In meet with Defense Sec. Gates, Barak says Hezbollah arming for the sole purpose of harming civilians.
Targeting Israeli Apartheid
Uruknet March 5, 2010 – Reports like the Cape Town, South Africa-based Human Sciences Research Council’s (HSRC) May 2009 one titled, “Occupation, Colonialism, Apartheid” highlight what many others understand, including former UN Special Human Rights Rapporteur for Occupied Palestine, John Dugard, stating in January 2007: “Israel is clearly in military occupation of the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). At the same time,…
Resistance and discord
Uruknet March 5, 2010 – The anger was very clear on the old man’s face as he marched in a demonstration in Gaza to protest against the Israeli government’s decision to annex several historic and religious Palestinian sites in the West Bank. But Haj Ammar, 82, was directing his anger at Fatah and Hamas whom he holds responsible for Israel’s continued…
Israeli forces raid Al-Aqsa compound
Uruknet March 5, 2010 – Dozens of Palestinians were injured as Israeli forces entered East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following the weekly Friday prayers, firing tear gas, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades. At least 15 Israeli police officers were also injured by rocks thrown by Palestinians, Israeli news reports said. Some 200 police officers appeared on the scene, clashing with worshipers…
’Eyewitness Gaza’ Report Back in House of Commons
Uruknet March 4, 2010 – UK members of the parliamentary delegation to Gaza, organised by the European Campaign to end siege in Gaza and the Palestinian Return Centre presented ‘Eyewitness Gaza’ in Westminster on Monday evening… ‘Gaza was worse than I ever thought’ said Sir Gerald ‘it was incredible and callous destruction’. With the trauma inflicted on Palestinian children, sir Gerald…
Sink The Boats
Uruknet March 4, 2010 – It is well known that fisherman in Gaza are among the worst affected by the Israeli blockade. Il Manifesto correspondant Michele Giorgio met with a former Israeli Navy officer, now working with Breaking The Silence, who gave a first hand account of how they were trained to police fishermen. It’s an unusual atmosphere to discuss the…
Video – Israel: Mossad support ‘soars’ after murder
Uruknet March 5, 2010 – “Don’t mess with Mossad”. T-shirts with hard-hitting messages relating to the Israeli spy agency have been selling like hot cakes throughout Israel. And the agency’s official website has reported a “soaring” number of people applying to be agents. The drastic increase in popularity follows the murder of a Hamas leader in Dubai, in which Mossad has…
Israeli repression in Palestine is escalatingMazin Qumsiyeh: “The Israeli army wants me”
Uruknet March 4, 2010 – The Israeli army invaded Mazin Qumsiyeh’s neighborhood in Beit Sahour, a suburb of Bethlehem, on 2 March in the night, waking up his mother, wife and sister. Heavily-armed soldiers blocked roads during “the operation”. When his family opened the door, they demanded to see Mazin Qumsiyeh (*). They were told that Mazin already left to the US….
Israel Is an Apartheid State and That is Why They Are Losing Legitimacy
Uruknet March 4, 2010 – Before Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) even began members of the Ontario Legislature and the Canadian Parliament are falling all over each other to denounce it. I can’t remember another time when elected legislators formally denounced a student activity like this. Perhaps during the 1950s when McCarthyism was rampant but that was before my time. Last week…
Human rights groups condemn Israel for blackmailing patients
Uruknet March 4, 2010 – In a message to Israel’s attorney general, three human rights organizations criticized Israeli intelligence agencies for blackmailing Palestinian patients in Gaza, exploiting their vulnerability in order to pressure them into collaborating with the occupation authorities. According to the organizations, a number of patients have been given false promises that they would be allowed to leave the…
Occupation Turns Palestinian Women Into Breadwinners
Uruknet March 4, 2010 – Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories, with its ubiquitous closures, checkpoints, military raids and arrests, has decimated the Palestinian economy in the West Bank and Gaza. The World Bank (WB) warned over a year ago that unless Israel eased its restrictions on movement and access in the West Bank the Palestinian economy would further deteriorate. In…
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory( 24 Feb.- 03 Mar. 2010)
Uruknet March 4, 2010 – Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (24 February – 03 March 2010): Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed one Palestinian resistance activist in the Gaza Strip, and wounded 17 others, including a woman, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. On 01 March 2010,…
RACHEL CORRIE THE TERRORIST
Uruknet March 4, 2010 – Israel never ceases to amaze. I have just read the most delusional piece of Israeli fantasy ever printed, and that’s saying something! The upcoming trail regarding the murder of Rachel Corrie has the Zionist Religious Fanatic Nut jobs in a dither, they are dragging out the smear brush to demonize Rachel and her Family, whilst polishing…
Palestinian girl missing in Switzerland
World, March 5, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) -In a phone call to the Palestine Telegraph, a Palestinian man told us that he had called Swiss authorities to advise them about the fate of his daughter. The Palestinian father is very sad and suffering due to his missing daughter – who according to him – has been either kidnapped or killed. Talal…
60 Palestinians injured in clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Jerusalem, March 5, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) – Sixty Palestinians were injured during clashes erupted today with Israeli policeat Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem. Israeli police responded by spraying tear gas and shooting rubber bullets at the Palestinian youths who they said were throwing rocks. Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 Palestinians were injured by tear gas and rubber-coated bullets,…
Nabil Shaath: Panamanian president attacked the int’l law and the Palestinian people
West Bank, March 5, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) – The member of the Central Committee of Fatah movement, the official of International Relations and the former Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, strongly condemned the remarks of Ricardo Martinelli the President of Panama who said that Israel “is the monitor of the capital of the world, united Jerusalem, and author of sovereignty” “…
Human rights groups condemn Israel for blackmailing patients
Gaza, March 3, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) – In a message to Israel’s attorney general, three human rights organizations criticized Israeli intelligence agencies for blackmailing Palestinian patients in Gaza, exploiting their vulnerability in order to pressure them into collaborating with the occupation authorities. According to the organizations, a number of patients have been given false promises that they would be allowed…
UN official arrives in Gaza
Gaza, March 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes arrived in Gaza today, as part of his four-day visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. Mr. Holmes witnessed firsthand the conditions in Gaza, one year after the end of operation “Cast Lead,” which ran from 27 December to 18 January,…
The MidEast Makes Aviation History
The Media Line 3 Mar 2010 – First flight to allow both cellphones and wireless Internet takes off. One might expect a new groundbreaking service or technological innovation on a passenger airline to come first from the big leagues.British Airways and Air France…
Iran: Highest Opiate Use in the World
The Media Line 3 Mar 2010 – U.S. State Department report claims Iran has the globe’s highest rates of opiate drug abuse. Iran suffers from the highest levels of opiate drug use in the world, a U.S. government report has claimed.The 2010 International…
Egypt orders retrial in diva murder
AlJazeera 4 Mar 2010 – Appeals court orders retrial for businessman convicted of Lebanese singers’ murder.
Clashes at Jerusalem’s Aqsa mosque
AlJazeera 5 Mar 2010 – Israeli forces fire tear gas to disperse Palestinian protesters at holy site.
Egypt president to undergo surgery
AlJazeera 5 Mar 2010 – Mubarak temporarily delegates presidential power to the county’s prime minister.
Alternative Information Center
Conclusions of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine
Alternative Information Center – Friday, 05 March 2010, These are the conclusions of the Jury pertaining to the Barcelona session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine. However, the contents are subject to the normal processes of editing and corrections before…
Protest Against Swedish Clothing Store Chain H&M, Which Plans to Open Outlets in Israel
Alternative Information Center – Thursday, 04 March 2010, On 11 March, the Swedish clothes and fashion chain, H&M, will be opening the first of six planned stores in Israel. The familiar red H&M sign will be viewed in the Malcha…
Italian Professors Denounce Complicity of Israeli Academic Institutions in the Occupation
Alternative Information Center – Thursday, 04 March 2010, A group of Italian professors recently published a letter denouncing “university and cultural discrimination of Palestinians.” The document‚Äîcalled “Right to study and academic freedom in Palestine”‚Äîexpressly quotes the AIC bulletin Academic Boycott…
Raid aborted after soldier leaks it on Fbook
PNN – Thursday, 04 March 2010
Palestinians suspect Israel’s hand behind double scandal
PNN – Thursday, 04 March 2010
’Son of Hamas’ who spied for Israel
PNN – Thursday, 04 March 2010
Abbas: Stop the Israeli escapade
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – In wake of east J’lem clashes, PA president again warns of religious war in ME.
6 dead in W. Bank car crash
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – Palestinian vehicle crashes into IDF Hummer near Ofra; 4 soldiers lightly hurt.
5 dead in W. Bank car crash
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – Car swerves into opposite lane, crashes into IDF Hummer; 4 soldiers lightly hurt.
Hadassah president, HMO D-G reach deal
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – Prof Mor-Yosef’s tenure to be extended beyond December, ‘Jerusalem Post’ learns.
’Turkey didn’t seek Israel’s help’
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – Official says this time, Ankara didn’t look to J’lem on Armenian genocide vote.
Apartheid Week: ‘An ad campaign, not a movement’
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – “In 10 years, people are going to think about Israel and apartheid as somehow connected,” says Toronto Jewish leader.
Sheikh Jarrah Jews sing Purim praises of Baruch Goldstein
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – Video surfaces on Internet features songs hailing Hebron massacre killer.
’Soon 2-state solution won’t be possible’
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – UN humanitarian coordinator says Israel has stymied Palestinian nat’l aspiration.
Syria: Israel trying to frame us
Jeruslalem Post 5 Mar 2010 – Damascus blames Israel for uranium traces; US, EU, urge Syria to drop secrecy.
MIDEAST: Occupation Turns Palestinian Women Into Breadwinners
IPS RAMALLAH, Mar 4 (IPS) – Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories, with its ubiquitous closures, checkpoints, military raids and arrests, has decimated the Palestinian economy in the West Bank and Gaza.
MIDEAST: Piano Sounds Good in Gaza Too
IPS GAZA CITY, Mar 2 (IPS) – At 14, Nour plays the piano, and she knows the facts around her. That the average age for marriage is 18, likely to a man found by parents, her place would be within that home, and a woman has on average 6.5 children.
MIDEAST: Picking Pebbles to Live Somehow
IPS GAZA CITY, Mar 2 (IPS) – They come by the hundreds every day to sand dunes and rubble sites to sift for pebbles, stones and sand that can be used in making concrete blocks. They lean into trash bins across the Strip, and wade through piles of rubbish scavenging for…
MIDEAST: New Call to Past Adds to Troubles
IPS JERUSALEM, Feb 28 (IPS) – When last December Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, delivering to an international conference in Herzliya outside Tel Aviv what has become the equivalent of Israel’s ‘State of the Union’ address, chose to focus not on Iran’s nuclear ambitions or on the prospects of Middle East…
First Session of Russell Tribunal on Palestine Concludes in Barcelona
PCHR 3 Mar 2010 – Ref: 24/2010 The first session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine convened in Barcelona, Spain from 1 to 3 March 2010. This important initiative brought together a number of lawyers, academics, experts and witnesses in order to address the legal issues arising from Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and the role of the European Union .
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory( 24 Feb.- 03 Mar. 2010)
PCHR 3 Mar 2010 –
4 Civilians Wounded in Incidents of Misuse of Weapons in the Gaza Strip
PCHR 3 Mar 2010 – Field Update In the past two days, 4 Palestinians, including a woman and a child, were wounded in incidents of misuse of weapons in Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip and Deir al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip.
International Solidarity Movement
Protest of the Friends of the IDF dinner at the Waldorf, NYC
3/5/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – On March 9th 2010, The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, a registered 501-(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that provides support and services to members of Israel’s national army, will be holding a gala $1,000 a plate fundraiser at the Waldorf Astoria. The keynote speaker will be Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, IDF Chief of General Staff, who was responsible for the prosecution of last year’s Operation Cast Lead against the people of Gaza. At the same time as the dinner, a broad coalition of local groups will stage a mobile protest outside the hotel to highlight the crimes committed by the IDF during Operation Cast Lead and Israel’s ongoing illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip. WHO: A broad and diverse tri-state coalition, including peace and Palestine solidarity groups as well as grassroots community organizations and religious institutions.
Hebron’s women march in protest to the Judaization of the Ibrahimi mosque
3/5/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – 3 March – Today over a 100 Palestinian women marched Hebron’s streets to resist Ibrahim’s mosque becoming an Israeli Heritage Site. The Women’s Empowerment Project gathered women from Hebron district to march from Hebron’s Muncipality down to the mosque. The exclusively female crowd chanted and held banners while peacefully, but decisively demonstrating. At the checkpoint, the women had to wait for approximately 20 minutes before being allowed entrance into the mosque. An overall elated atmosphere affirmed this was a powerful demonstration, illuminating the power of women, while simultaneously empowering women to take resistance out on the streets. On 21 February 2010, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced the Israeli government’s intention to designatethe Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil (Hebron) to become an Israeli Heritage Site.
Activists work to stop wall construction and uprooting of olive trees in Beit Jala
3/5/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – Beit Jala Popular Committee, 4 March – In the early morning on March 2, 2010, Israeli bulldozers started uprooting ancient olive trees in the garden of a Palestinian family in the town of Beit Jala, North-West of Bethlehem, in order to make room for the construction of yet another section of the Apartheid Wall. Wednesday morning, the family, which had already lost a significant portion of its lands when Israel seized them to build the”by-pass road” 60 that connects the equally illegal settlements, found the little playground for the children in the garden destroyed and three olive trees directly in front of the house chopped off. A red cross was painted two meters away from the frontdoor to signal where the Wall is designed to pass. The remaining olive trees had been marked with yellow-tags, to be uprooted another day.
Turkish filmmaker takes aim at U.S. and Israel
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Most expensive Turkish production set to tell story of Palestine, by man accused of anti-Semitism.
Vandals deface former Nazi concentration camp
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Anti-Semitic graffiti discovered at Austrian memorial Mauthausen; police are investigating.
UN official to Haaretz: Israel ‘nourishing despair’ in Gaza
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Failed Israeli policies creating ‘gangster-friendly economy’, John Holmes says.
Irish FM urges EU to pressure Israel to end Gaza blockade
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Gaza blockade enriches Hamas and stifles voices of moderation, Martin says.
Netanyahu’s test
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – New talks doomed if understandings between the PA and the previous government are ignored.
Jews with guns – not only in the Israel Defense Forces
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Increasing number of Jewish Americans buying guns amid fears of growing anti-Semitism.
IN PICTURES / Are boycotts and sanctions really effective?
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – History proves that international sanctions often achieve the precise opposite of what they intend.
Turkey recalls ambassador from Washington
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – U.S. House panel votes to recognize Armenian genocide; Non-binding resolution passes 23-22.
Lieberman to U.S.: Embargo Iran like Cuba
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Foreign Minister’s initiative, which his deputy will present next week, not coordinated with Netanyahu.
Hamas bans men from working in women’s hair salons in Gaza
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Campaign to impose strict Islamic customs on 1.5 million Gazans ignites controversy among citizens.
U.S. Jewish leaders: Israel’s envoy to UN should stay on another term
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – ADL director Abe Foxman and AJC chair David Harris among figures publicly calling to renew Shalev’s term.
UN official: Israel siege on Gaza encourages Hamas smuggling
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – In an exclusive interview with Haaretz, John Holmes pessimistic about future of change for Gaza.
Hamas: Abbas selling Palestinians illusions of peace with Israel
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Hamas official calls on PA leader to ‘step aside’ and stop offering ‘compromise after compromise.’
U.K. to change law in wake of warrants against Israeli officials
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Move follows pro-Palestinian group’s attempt to arrest MK Tzipi Livni in U.K. for alleged war crimes.
Polish activists use Hitler poster to warn against abortion
Ha’aretz 5 Mar 2010 – Anti-abortion group Pro said it was entirely legitimate to make a link between abortion and Nazi crimes.
Hamas bans men from working in female hair salons
The Guardian 4 Mar 2010 – Police announce latest move in campaign to impose strict Islamic rules on Gaza residents Gaza’s Islamic Hamas government has banned men from working in women’s hair salons. It is the latest step in a campaign to…
The lingering of an absurd imperial reflex | Pankaj Mishra
The Guardian 4 Mar 2010 – The west’s moral didacticism now grates more than the realpolitik of China and the east There were chuckles and sniggers in Qatar last month when Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, warned that a military…
How to handle Hamas | Adam Ingram
The Guardian 5 Mar 2010 – The Northern Ireland peace process will be relevant to the Middle East only if Hamas recognises Israel and puts aside arms The recent assassination of a founder of Hamas’ armed wing, allegedly involved in the smuggling…
Israel’s historic roots are real | Jeremy Sharon
The Guardian 4 Mar 2010 – Palestinian protests against the restoration of Jewish heritage sites are part of a campaign of delegitimisation against Israel Speeches and comments made by Binyamin Netanyahu of late have been rather heavy on their biblical and historical…
Oscar hopes high as ‘Ajami’ crew heads for Hollywood
Ha’aretz 4 Mar 2010 – The Israeli filmmakers behind the Oscar-nominated picture “Ajami” arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday to attend this Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theater. …
Jewish residents of East Jerusalem home offer trade-off
Ha’aretz 4 Mar 2010 – The Israeli activists who settled recently in a disputed building in East Jerusalem on Thursday offered a compromise to the State Prosecution, according to which they would seal off the top levels of the building they claim is theirs in exchange for the right to live there. …
Person killed when motorcycle explodes in Haifa suburb
Ha’aretz 4 Mar 2010 – One person was killed on Thursday evening when a motorcycle exploded next to a bus in the Haifa suburb of Kiryat Ata. …
Israeli abuse survivor speaks out and finds a safe haven
Ha’aretz 4 Mar 2010 – Basima (not her real name) is a 26-year-old maid at a Jerusalem hotel frequented by western tourists. She’s been on the job for only three days, and already her bubbly demeanor has earned her many friends. In an assertive tone, Basima shares her story of surviving domestic abuse, but her body stiffens as she sees another employee approaching. “Don’t tell him about my children,” she whispers. …
Head scientist vows to toe the line on Darwin and global warming
Ha’aretz 4 Mar 2010 – Education Ministry chief scientist Dr. Gavriel Avital has committed to toeing the line set by Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar as to how evolution and global warming are taught in schools. …
Israel: End Crackdown on Anti-Wall Activists
Relief Web 5 Mar 2010 – Source: Human Rights Watch
Government of Kuwait Donates $1 Million to ANERA
Relief Web 5 Mar 2010 – Source: American Near East Refugee Aid
USAID FrontLines – February 2010
Relief Web 5 Mar 2010 – Source: US Agency for International Development
Palestinians, Israelis clash ahead of talks
Relief Web 5 Mar 2010 – Source: Reuters – AlertNet
Political developments top UN envoy’s talks with Lebanese Prime Minister
Relief Web 4 Mar 2010 – Source: UN News Service
OPT: Protection of Civilians Weekly Report, 24 February – 2 March 2010
Relief Web 4 Mar 2010 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Turkey warns US over Armenian ‘genocide’ vote
YNet News 5 Mar 2010 – Foreign Minister Davutoglu cautions Obama administration of negative diplomatic consequences if it doesn’t impede American resolution on World War I-era killing of Armenians. US Secretary of State Clinton says will ‘work very hard to ensure the resolution does not go to the house floor’
Police vow ‘firm hand’ against Jerusalem rioters
YNet News 5 Mar 2010 – Police officials accuse Arab youth of taking advantage of decision not to restrict age of worshippers on Temple Mount so as not to harm freedom of worship. Some 20 police officers, 60 Palestinians injured in clashes Friday. ‘Any attempt to cause disturbances will be handled highhandedly,’ source threatens
5 Palestinians killed in road accident
YNet News 5 Mar 2010 – Car carrying Palestinian passengers collides with military vehicle north of Ramallah. Woman and four children killed, one person seriously injured. Four soldiers sustain light wounds
Abbas: Israel crossed red lines in Jerusalem
YNet News 5 Mar 2010 – Palestinian president’s office issues special statement following Temple Mount clashes, says Friday’s events ‘aimed at damaging the chances to resume the peace process.’ PA calls on US to intervene in order to ‘stop the adventure which may spark a religious war in the region’
Iran: Bushehr plant to be ready in spring
YNet News 5 Mar 2010 – Energy official says Islamic Republic’s long-delayed nuclear facility will be launched within a few months
Dubai police chief: You think Peace Now killed Mabhouh?
YNet News 5 Mar 2010 – Dahi Khalfan Tamim explains how he reached conclusion that Mossad agents were responsible for Hamas commander’s assassination
Aharonovitch: Hamas ignited Temple Mount riots
YNet News 5 Mar 2010 – Three arrested for stone throwing following clashes which left 60 Palestinians, 20 officers hurt. Internal security minister points finger at Palestinian group, Islamic Movement. Palestinians: Boy badly injured by rubber bullet
Palestinian Information Center
Once again, the PA is betraying our people
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – The PA decision to resume “indirect talks” with Israel is undoubtedly a clear expression of its moral and political bankruptcy. It is also an expression of its inability to lead the Palestinians.
IOF troops quell demonstration near the Ibrahimi Mosque
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – Seven Palestinians suffered breathing difficulties as IOF troops fired teargas at a peaceful demonstration near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the southern West Bank town of al-Khalil.
Israeli military jeep hits Palestinian car killing mother and her four children
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – An Israeli military hummer jeep hit a car on the Silwad bridge at the Ofer entrance near Ramallah on Friday evening killing 5 passengers and injuring two others.
Fifty worshipers injured in the Aqsa Mosque
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – Najeh Bkeirat, head of the department of manuscripts at the Aqsa Mosque, said that 700 occupation soldiers stormed the Mosque after the Friday prayers and injured 50 worshipers, 3 of them seriously.
Promoting the Dome of the Rock as Jewish heritage
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – A Russian website published a long report entitled “Israelisation of Islamic heritage, but this time in Russia”
Barak responds to Arab League overtures by expanding settlements
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – As a first response the Arab decision to return to “peace negotiations” Ehud Barak took a decision to build 112 new housing units in the Elit settlement in the southern West Bank.
he PLC strongly condemns British government’s attempts to protect war criminals
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – The Presidency PLC, on Thursday condemned intentions by the British PM Gordon Brown to propose a change of the law that allows judges to consider universal jurisdiction cases brought by individuals.
Zionist court refuses to end isolation of Saadat
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – The Waed Society for prisoners and ex-prisoners has condemned the Israeli occupation’s high court decision to reject an application to end solitary confinement of the PFLP’s chairman Ahmad Saadat.
Khudari: occupation denies Gaza 85% of its needs
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – MP Jamal al-Khudari, chairman of PCAS that the Israeli occupation only allows 15% of the Gaza Strip’s needs to enter the strip through one border-crossing which is partially open.
Washington rewards Israeli occupation for its crimes
PIC 5 Mar 2010 – DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and Israeli Transport and Road Safety Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday announced a new agreement to enhance information sharing about civil aviation..
Hamas bans men from women’s hair salons
LA Times 4 Mar 2010 – Gaza’s Islamic Hamas government on Thursday banned men from working in women’s hair salons, the latest step in its campaign to impose strict Islamic customs on Gaza’s 1.5 million people.
Palestinians are expected to join Israel in indirect peace talks
LA Times 4 Mar 2010 – The Arab League endorses the U.S. proposal, paving the way for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to say yes. A year after peace talks collapsed, Israelis and Palestinians appear headed back to the negotiating table — just not the same table.
Violent Clashes in Jerusalem, West Bank
New York Times 5 Mar 2010 – Clashes erupted between Muslim worshipers and Israeli riot police at a disputed hilltop compound following an Israeli decision to include two West Bank shrines on a list of national heritage sites.
Memo From Jerusalem: Hoping Sanctions Work but Readying Gas Masks
New York Times 5 Mar 2010 – Amid complex questions about how effective a strike against Iran would be, Israel and the U.S. share an interest in pushing for tough sanctions.
Egypt Overturns Death Sentence in Star’s Murder
New York Times 5 Mar 2010 – The retrial of a wealthy former legislator over the murder of a Lebanese pop singer raised questions about what role political connections played in the appeal.
U.S. Circulates New Draft Proposal for Iran Sanctions
New York Times 4 Mar 2010 – The proposed new sanctions would both broaden the scope of and intensify three previous rounds of sanctions enacted since 2006.
A Skeptical Arab League Backs Indirect Peace Talks
New York Times 3 Mar 2010 – The move could help restart direct discussions between Palestinians and Israelis that broke down more than a year ago, when Israel invaded Gaza.
Israeli Raid Canceled After Facebook Leak
New York Times 3 Mar 2010 – Israel’s Army Radio reported on Wednesday that a raid on suspected militants in the West Bank planned for Wednesday was called off because a soldier posted details of the operation on Facebook.
Dubai-Mossad t-shirts now available
Mondoweiss – 5 Mar 2010 – here from Israeli company that markets Israel promotion products. Thanks to Shmuel. Related posts: Racist and sexist Israeli military shirts show the mindset that led to war crimes in Gaza Will Dubai get Gaza to the ICC? WSJ: Israels underestimated Dubai police
Tail wags the Turkey
Mondoweiss – 5 Mar 2010 – MJ Rosenberg on the Armenian genocide-Turkey flap in House Foreign Affairs: That battle is now being carried to Washington. The Israelis are trying to teach the Turks a lesson. If the Armenian resolution passes both houses and goes into effect, it will not be out of…
Ivy League mag publishes dual-loyal dithyramb to IDF-Rambos vs swarthy Arabs
Mondoweiss – 5 Mar 2010 – My cup runneth over. The University of Pennsylvania alumni magazine publishes a memoir by Joel Chasnoff, who graduated from the school 14 years ago and thanks to an ethnocentric family background that caused him to think, “It wasn’t fair that we American Jews called Israel our…
’JVP’ takes on the ‘epic battle’ inside the Jewish community
Mondoweiss – 5 Mar 2010 – The other night I went to a fundraiser for Jewish Voice for Peace that left me so charged that when I walked out of the apartment and on to a downtown New York street I heard myself singing an old Woody Guthrie tune. What was the…
’JPost’ and ‘BBC’ say the lobby worked against Armenian genocide resolution before
Mondoweiss – 5 Mar 2010 – The Jerusalem Post says that the Turks didn’t ask Israel for help to block the Armenian genocide resolution in the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee – as they did on a similar measure in 2007 : In years past Ankara had looked to Israel, and Jewish groups…
The Israeli Occupation as an Apartheid System
Alternative Information Center – 5 Mar 2010 – Wednesday, 03 March 2010, During the sixth International Israeli apartheid week, the Alternative Information Center is hosting events and lectures. On 2 March, Hazem Jamjoum of the Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights discussed about Israeli apartheid system in the AICaf?©. On this…
Italian Professors Denounce Complicity of Israeli Academic Institutions in the Occupation
Alternative Information Center – 5 Mar 2010 – Thursday, 04 March 2010, A group of Italian professors recently published a letter denouncing “university and cultural discrimination of Palestinians.” The document‚Äîcalled “Right to study and academic freedom in Palestine”‚Äîexpressly quotes the AIC bulletin Academic Boycott of Israel and the…
Israel Penalizing Nakba Commemoration
Alternative Information Center – 5 Mar 2010 – Thursday, 04 March 2010, The Israeli Parliamentary Law Committee has recently approved a law proposal the (“Nakba bill”) that, if passed by the Knesset, would impose economic sanctions on the organizers of Nakba commemorations. Every year in May, Palestinians and supporters of their right of return…
Conclusions of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine
Alternative Information Center – 5 Mar 2010 – Friday, 05 March 2010, These are the conclusions of the Jury pertaining to the Barcelona session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine. However, the contents are subject to the normal processes of editing and corrections before a definitive edition is made public.
Protest Against Swedish Clothing Store Chain H&M, Which Plans to Open Outlets in Israel
Alternative Information Center – 5 Mar 2010 – Thursday, 04 March 2010, On 11 March, the Swedish clothes and fashion chain, H&M, will be opening the first of six planned stores in Israel. The familiar red H&M sign will be viewed in the Malcha shopping center in Jeruslaem, a municipality which has to continuously…
Articles
The Navi and the Palestinians
Bouthaina Shaaban, CounterPunch 3/5/2010
Avatar’s Parable of Our Times
Despite the technological effects with which the director of Aavatar crams his movie, the reason behind its popularity is not only these technological effects but the themes which touch every human conscience. This is in addition to the symbolism of the movie concerning the conflict between peoples and their invaders – from Iraq to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Palestine. The source of all these conflicts is, as usual, the greed which is usually masked by other pretexts and justifications.
Through Avatar I lived the story of the Palestinian, Iraqi, Afghan and Lebanese peoples and the wars waged against them; where the West treats these peoples as if they were the children of the “Navi” tribe with their blue clothes in their planet Pandora.
Settlers landed on planet Pandora driven by the greed for its wealth. Their calculations were focused on the material gains which they can only get through possessing the land and its natural resources. To be able to do that they had either to kill or expel the Navi who are tied to their land, nature, holy tree and their customs which show equal respect to human life and nature, in bleak contrast to the attitude of the invading settlers who mock sanctities and human respect for nature. They only see the things which give them large amounts of money.
This contrast between the values of two cultures is at the essence of the creation of Israel. For seventy years, it has killed the Palestinians on a daily basis, Judaized their holy places, settled their land, confiscated their water, uprooted their trees, mocked their beliefs, their commitment to their land and their way of life. Those who created this settlement armed it to the teeth with hatred, and provided it with weapons of mass destruction.more..e-mail
A Wrench in the Israeli Gears
Alison Weir, CounterPunch 3/5/2010
My “Relationship” With Tom Campbell
It’s interesting to find myself a small factor in the California race for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. But before I get to that, it’s necessary to take a look at the campaigns themselves, and the system in which they’re running.
An outside observer might be forgiven for being confused about which nation these candidates are seeking to serve. Rather than competing over who is the most loyal Californian and patriotic American, these would-be Senators seem often to be competing over who is the most supportive of a foreign regime.
Odder still, the regime being fervently endorsed has a record of taking actions that are deeply contrary to principles most Americans hold dear, and on top of that, has a track record of undertaking activities that are extremely damaging to the US, including:
Spying on our government and industry and stealing American technology;
Passing on American secrets to others, including to nations perceived as our most dangerous political and economic competitors;
Killing American servicemen and citizens; even while receiving more US tax money than any other nation on earth; and
Ignoring demands and pleas by virtually every U.S. president over the past few decades to end diverse illegal actions that have caused incalculable tragedy, destabilized the region and world, demonstrated ruthless cruelty against entire victim populations, and created escalating enmity toward the United States, whose lobby-promulgated assistance (at least $7 million per day) enables its actions.more..e-mail
Mordechai Vanunu’s Nobel Stand
Rannie Amiri, CounterPunch 3/5/2010
Rise Above the Prize
“He [Vanunu] has written letters to us this year and last year also, where he stated explicitly that he did not want to be a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. The reason he gave was that Simon Peres had received the Nobel Peace Prize, and Peres he alleged was the father of the Israeli atomic bomb and he did not want to be associated with Peres in any way.” – Geir Lundestad, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, 24 February 2010.
For the first time in the history of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, a preemptive request to withdraw a nomination—by the nominee—was made.
It was revealed last week that in a letter to the Committee, Mordechai Vanunu had asked for his candidacy to be rescinded. It was unusual enough for Geir Lundestad to acknowledge that a nomination had even been received, let alone publicly disclose Vanunu’s request. But for Vanunu‚Äîa man who should have been awarded the Peace Prize long ago‚Äîit was in full keeping with the dignity, integrity and uncompromising nature of one to whom the world owes a great debt.
Mordechai Vanunu – more than just a whistleblower
Vanunu worked as a technician at Israel’s Dimona nuclear plant in the Negev Desert from 1976-1985. In a 1986 interview with The Sunday Times, he courageously exposed, for the first time, his country’s clandestine nuclear activity. A week prior to the interview’s publication, he was lured by a Mossad agent from London to Rome, where he was apprehended and whisked off to Israel. In secret proceedings, Vanunu stood trial for treason, was swiftly convicted, and sentenced to 18 years behind bars. He spent more than 11 of them in solitary confinement.more..e-mail
Pushing the boundaries of identity: an interview with Jennifer Jajeh
Electronic Intifada: 5 Mar 2010 – Jennifer Jajeh’s critically acclaimed one-woman show, I Heart Hamas and Other Things I am Afraid to Tell You , pulls no punches. From a Ramallah Convention in San Francisco in the 1980s, to casting lines in contemporary Los Angeles, to the front lines of the Israeli occupation and back, Jajeh navigates the complicated and often conflicted terrain of Palestinian identity. The Electronic Intifada contributor Uda Olabarria Walker interviews Jajeh about her work.
Palestinian women become breadwinners under occupation
Electronic Intifada: 5 Mar 2010 – RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) – Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories, with its ubiquitous closures, checkpoints, military raids and arrests, has decimated the Palestinian economy in the West Bank and Gaza. The World Bank warned over a year ago that unless Israel eased its restrictions on movement and access in the West Bank the Palestinian economy would further deteriorate.
The sounds of piano in Gaza
Electronic Intifada: 4 Mar 2010 – GAZA CITY, occupied Gaza Strip (IPS) – At 14, Nour plays the piano, and she knows the facts around her. That the average age for marriage is 18, likely to a man found by parents, her place would be within that home, and a woman has on average 6.5 children. She goes to a United Nations agency for Palestine refugees school in Gaza City, and loves journalism, inspired by her older sister, who works at a radio station.
Gaza police forces and their bereaved families rebuild one year on
Electronic Intifada: 4 Mar 2010 – Rami Abu al-Sheikh’s parents and siblings still remember how caring and tender their son was before he was killed during Israel’s invasion of Gaza last winter. Rami was 27 years old and was one of hundreds of Gaza police personnel killed by Israeli air strikes during the 23-day assault. He was killed at the main Gaza Strip police station located on Salah al-din Street, the territory’s main road. Rami Almeghari reports for The Electronic Intifada.
for the children
In Gaza: 5 Mar 2010 – Arab Abu Ghazel, northern Beit Hanoun, Gaza Strip: we are roughly 1 km from the norther border, in an area which was doused by bombs during Israel’s winter 2008-2009 massacre of Gaza. the area, with the norther border near, the sea a few kilometres away, and the eastern border within earshot, is regularly inundated with the Israeli army shelling and shooting that others hear less frequently, padded by city walls or cafe music. the children living here are among Gaza’s poorest, largely from bedouin families whose herding-based incomes have been been decimated by the absence of growth, fodder, for their flocks, by the bombings, by the siege. the children are traumatized multiple times over, by Israel’s war games, by their poverty, by their geographical isolation. GIVE and Local Initiative, two Gaza-based organizations, are visiting these 50 or so children, throwing a party today, alleviating their stress and boredom, if temporarily….
Palestine’s Economic Pieces
Palestine Chronicle: 5 Mar 2010 – By Sam Bahour – Ramallah A serious misconception is being propagated by the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah. Media, international organizations, foreign governments and Palestinians- at-large are being coaxed into believing that the flurry of economic activity in the West Bank is economic development towards statehood. The facts on the ground rip this argument to pieces, just as Israel continues to micromanage the economic pieces of the intended future state of Palestine toward systemic stagnation. I can already hear the voices – “but be positive; we must start from somewhere; we are acting unilaterally toward statehood; but we had 7% GDP growth last year, etc, etc.” Being positive is one thing, but being delusional and acquiescing in a military occupation that controls every serious aspect of our lives, especially the economic ones, is unacceptable. The Economic Players I don’t question the well-meaning intentions (with the exception of the occupier) of all…more
Targeting Israeli Apartheid
Palestine Chronicle: 5 Mar 2010 – By Stephen Lendman Reports like the Cape Town, South Africa-based Human Sciences Research Council’s (HSRC) May 2009 one titled, “Occupation, Colonialism, Apartheid” highlight what many others understand, including former UN Special Human Rights Rapporteur for Occupied Palestine, John Dugard, stating in January 2007: “Israel is clearly in military occupation of the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). At the same time, elements of the occupation constitute forms of colonialism and of apartheid, which are contrary to international law.” Article 7(1)(j) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court calls apartheid a crime, stating: “For the purpose of this Statute, (a) ‘crime against humanity’ means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack: The crime of apartheid” includes murder, extermination, enslavement, torture, arbitrary arrest, illegal imprisonment, denial of the right to life and liberty, cruel,…more
Opposing Israel Lobby is Not Same as Supporting Palestinian Rights
Palestine Chronicle: 4 Mar 2010 – By David Green Of the several Jewish-oriented pro-Palestinian websites and blogs to achieve some notoriety over the past several years, that of journalist Philip Weiss seems to have found a secure niche and a loyal following. I commend Weiss for providing a news service that covers the suffering and heroism of the Palestinians, and a forum for many serious voices and views. Nevertheless, I find profoundly disturbing the conventional and often condescending perspectives that seem to dominate this blog: The Lobby, according to Mearsheimer/Walt and Jeffrey Blankfort; the “dual loyalty” of prominent Jewish-American supporters of Israel, according to Weiss; and one-state and boycott, divestment, sanctions as strategy and tactics for the Palestinian rights movement. This analysis marginalizes leftist principles and, more important, pragmatic political action. I’m not referring to leftist doctrine, but rather a cogent leftist analysis that is dismissed by those who profess to a doctrinaire “realism.” A political…more
The New Dark Age 
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