News
International Middle East Media Center
Indirect Talks Starts Wednesday With A Netanyahu-Mitchell Meeting
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – United States special Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, will be holding a meeting on Wednesday with Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem to mark the start of indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Palestinian Killed In Tunnel Collapse in Rafah
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – Palestinian medical sources reported Tuesday that a 19-year-old youth was killed when a tunnel collapsed on him in Al Salaam neighborhood, in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Troops Open Fire At Two Palestinians Protesting At Erez Crossing
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – Israeli troops inured two Palestinian men while they were protesting at the Erez crossing on Tuesday.
Israeli Troops Detain Three Civilians From Hebron
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – The Israeli military invaded on Tuesday at dawn the southern West Bank city of Hebron and nearby villages.
The Israeli Military Shells Residential Areas In Gaza City
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – Israeli tanks shelled on Tuesday residential areas near Gaza City and farm lands close to the borders with Israel.
Goldstone forced to attend meeting in order to go to his grandson’s bar mitzvah
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – Renowned South African jurist Richard Goldstone has faced increasing pressure from Zionists in South Africa since publishing a report documenting potential war crimes by both Israeli military forces and Palestinian armed groups during Israel’s 2008-9 invasion of Gaza. Most recently, a group of Zionists tried to prevent him from going to his own grandson’s bar mitzvah, and only allowed him to attend by forcing him to attend a meeting with them.
Family Appeals Release Of Seriously Wounded Son
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – The family of detainee Ahmad Asfour voiced an appeal to human rights and legal groups to intervene and save the life of their son who was seriously wounded during the war on Gaza and was kidnapped at an Israeli crossing after receiving all needed documents for medical treatment in Jerusalem.
Soldiers Level A Mosque Near Rafah
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – Israeli soldiers invaded on Tuesday at dawn an area in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, leveled the Al Dahniyya mosque and uprooted farmlands.
Settlers Torch Mosque South Of Nablus
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – A group of fundamentalist settlers torched the main mosque of the Al Lubban Al Sharqiyya village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
International solidarity activists accuse Israeli military of break-in
IMEMC – 4 May 2010 – When their apartment in Hebron was broken into on Saturday May 1st, the international solidarity activists stationed there said they have strong evidence that it was the Israeli military that carried out the illegal robbery.
Israeli forces fire at deportees approaching Gaza crossing
5/4/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli forces reportedly opened fire at two recently deported Palestinians attempting to transit through the Erez crossing, in northern Gaza on Tuesday. The pair said they were attempting to return to the West Bank after having been deported….
Israel’s secret police vet candidates for imam
5/4/2010 – By Jonathan CookJaffa – Job interviews for the position of imam at mosques in Israel are conducted not by senior clerics but by the Shin Bet, Israel’s secret police, a labor tribunal has revealed. Sheikh Ahmed Abu Ajwa, 36, is fighting….
Mosque fire was arson, villagers say
5/4/2010 – Nablus – Ma’an – Palestinians said a group of settlers entered the mosque of the Nablus-area village of Al-Lubban Ash-Sharqiya, gathered flammables, and set them alight in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Head of the local council of Al-Lubban Jamal Daraghma….
Israeli forces cross borders into Rafah
5/4/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli military vehicles crossed the Gaza border and entered the Strip in eastern Rafah near the ruins of the Yasser Arafat International Airport on Tuesday morning, security sources said. The vehicles, including at least two military bulldozers, entered….
PA security officials detained in Jerusalem
5/4/2010 – Jerusalem – Ma’an – Israeli forces detained seven Palestinian locals from several neighborhoods in Jerusalem on Tuesday at dawn, after they were accused of affiliation to the Palestinian Authority security forces. The seven detainees were at an Israeli court in Jerusalem on….
Detainee appeals for doctors visit
5/4/2010 – Salfit – Ma’an – A Palestinian man held in an Israeli detention center for a 20-year term sent a letter on Monday appealing for a doctors visit via the Detainees Society. The man, identified as detainee Khalil Musbah, said he had….
Bahar: Shalit law will lead to more kidnappings
5/4/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Ahmad Bahar, first deputy of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said Tuesday that a proposed law prohibiting Hamas affiliates in Israeli custody from receiving family visits will lead to further attempts to kidnap Israeli soldiers. Responding to Israeli media….
Pro-Israel vandals target home of US rabbi
5/5/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Police are investigating an attack on the home of an American rabbi who has expressed sympathy with Palestinians. Police officials said vandals glued posters making pro-Israel statements to a fence at the northern California home of Rabbi Michael….
Gaza crossing re-opens after sudden closure
5/4/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – The Karni crossing south of Gaza City will open on Tuesday following its sudden closure Monday after what Israeli military officials called a “security assessment.”The crossing, along with the southern Kerem Shalom, will allow limited goods into….
Hamas: We won’t release Shalit before demands met
5/4/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – The de facto government’s Minister of Prisoners Affairs said Tuesday that captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit would not be returned to his family unless the demanded Palestinian prisoners are released. Faraj Al-Ghoul said resistance proved the only means….
Arab doctors to send 5,000 prefab homes to Gaza
5/5/2010 – Al-Arish – Ma’an – An Arab Doctors’ Union delegation will enter Gaza on Wednesday to discuss the distribution of 5,000 wooden prefabricated homes for families affected by the destruction caused by Israel’s Operation Cast Lead over a year ago. Mustafa At-Tayih, head….
Government backs settlement goods ban
5/4/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Following Israeli complaints about the Palestinian Authority ban on settlement goods in the West Bank, the Government Media Center issued a statement confirming that the “campaign is implementing the rule of law.” In the statement, PA officials reiterated….
Abbas to seek Saudi advice on indirect talks
5/4/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an -President Mahmoud Abbas said he would seek Saudi Arabia’s input on recently endorsed proximity talks with Israelwith King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on Tuesday. Further items on the agenda include efforts on regional Arab reconciliation in a bid….
Worker killed in Rafah tunnel collapse
5/4/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – A tunnel worker was killed on Tuesday morning after a smuggling tunnel collapsed along the border between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. Muawiya Hassanein, director of ambulance and emergency services at Gaza’s Health Ministry….
Abbas orders mosque reconstruction
5/4/2010 – Nablus – Ma’an – President Mahmoud Abbas has given orders mandating the immediate reconstruction of a mosque allegedly burnt down by Israeli settlers on Tuesday in the northern West Bank governorate of Nablus. The announcement was made by Nablus Governor Jibril Al-Bakri….
Qrei’a: Terms of reference for talks vital
5/4/2010 – Jerusalem – Ma’an – Head of the PLO’s Jerusalem Affairs department Ahmad Qrei’a said Tuesday that clear references are required for the success of peace talks, which are imperative in light of “aggressive unilateral actions by Israel.”Qrei’s comments followed a meeting….
De facto cabinet slams indirect talks
5/4/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – The de facto cabinet said Tuesday it rejected all efforts to enter into talks with Israel “under Israeli pressure and American conditions,” ministers said during the cabinet’s weekly session. Ministers further condemned the Arab League’s endorsement of US-brokered….
Top Jewish journalist: The Jewish “leadership” is a joke
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – JJ Goldberg is one of the leading figures in American Jewish journalism. Long-time editor of the Jewish Forward and author of a major (albeit outdated book on the pro-Israel lobby) Goldberg knows the Jewish organizational world…
Gadaffi grants rare interview, amuses world
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – Muammar al-Gadaffi. Image via Wikipedia German magazine Der Spiegel just landed a rare interview with Moammar al-Gadaffi . They’ve helpfully posted it in English on their website. And, while your humble correspondent normally tries to avoid curse…
Another terrorist threat that makes us all look bad
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – When the news broke that a car filled with explosives was discovered at Times Square, I didn’t react the way I normally do. Maybe it’s because I’ve had it up to hear from right wing and…
Weissglas in Yediot: By fighting with US over settlements, Israel is risking pressure on nuclear policy
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – Bitter or sour Op-ed, Dov Weissglas, Yediot, May 4 2010 Weissglas A lot has been said and written that the growing sourness in Israel-US relations-the main cause of which is the dispute on the matter of…
US Rep. Lee demands probe of Anderson shooting
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – Injured activist Tristan Anderson [Photo: International Solidarity Movement] More than a year after Israeli border police shot American activist Tristan Anderson in the head with a tear gas canister, Congresswoman Barbara Lee has introduced a resolution…
MIT student introduces internet boycott platform
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – An MIT grad student has introduced a new internet platform he hopes will help activists deepen and expand their campaigns to boycott products made in Israeli settlements. The website, Boycott Toolkit , is a resource where users…
Nuclear conference: Arab states say Israel destabilizes the region; Ahmadinejad calls Clinton ‘an enemy of Iran’
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – Jordan’s foreign minister says the world must work harder for a “nuclear-free” Middle East, the Associate Press reports from the second day of the UN nuclear summit. United Nations Arab countries at the conference echoed the…
NYT’s nuclear nonsense
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – Ali Gharib, writing on Mondoweiss catches this blatant fallacy in a New York Times infographic that accompanied its article on the US’ attempts to stop a Middle East nuclear arms race. [See the full-size image below.]…
One-state solution serves ideals, not Palestinians
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – As peace talks are poised to resume this week to hammer out terms for an independent Palestinian state, the one-state solution remains a hot topic, but The National political editor Emile Hokayem says binationalism only has…
Soldier committed violence and abuse against Palestinian detainees
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PACTI – stoptorture.org) calls “torture and ill treatment of any kind….incompatible with” moral democratic values. It “advocates for all persons” in Israel and Occupied Palestine to protect them from…
Deportees fired on in Gaza
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – Erez crossing point, as seen from the Gaza side. [Photo: Begemot – Flikr] Palestinians who were recently expelled to Gaza said they were fired on when they approached an Israeli border checkpoint in an attempt to…
Niqab controversy: Italy fines Muslim woman for face veil
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – A northern Italian city has fined a Muslim woman $650 for covering her face in public, Al-Jazeera English reports. From the Alexandria Quartet by John Alcorn Mauro Franzinelli from the Novara police told AFP , “City hall…
May Day in Gaza: An olive oil producer is turning production waste into an energy source
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – By Mariam Hamed in Gaza – Special to Palestine Note Saturday was May Day (International Labor Day), and cities across the world celebrated their workers with parades, but in Gaza, being able to produce something valuable…
Israel’s Stasi watch over imams
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – Islamic posts filled by secret police Job interviews for the position of imam at mosques in Israel are conducted not by senior clerics but by the Shin Bet, Israel’s secret police, a labour tribunal has revealed….
Obama renews sanctions against Syria
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – US President Barack Obama has renewed economic sanctions against Syria, Al-Jazeera English reports. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on a billboard Obama cited the “extraordinary threat” Syria poses to US security and US foreign police when he…
Jewish facts on the ground: One man’s Jerusalem land grab
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – East Jerusalem settlements remains a significant obstacle to the peace process, but a “de facto freeze” on settlement construction and virtually impossible-to-get building permits have enabled proximity talks to begin again. But one man intents to…
Settlers blamed in West Bank mosque fire
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – Locals in West Bank village Libban al-Sharqia near Nablus say Jewish settlers are responsible for setting a local mosque ablaze Tuesday, Reuters reports. Israeli security officers say an investigations is underway but the cause of the…
UPDATE: More details emerge on NYC bombing attempt
Palestine Note 4 May 2010 – More arrests in Pakistan, new information about Faisal Shahzad, and correspondence from air traffic control New York Times correspondent Sabrina Tavernise has told CNN as many as 7 more people have been arrested now in Shahzad’s…
Fire damages West Bank mosque
AlJazeera 4 May 2010 – Witnesses blame Jewish settlers for “arson” as Israelis and Palestinians launch inquiry.
24-year-old arrested for alleged sexual abuse of young girls
Ha’aretz – Police lift gag order on arrest of Modi’in man suspected of forcing young girls to touch his genitalia.
Jewish terror suspect ‘unfit to stand trial’
Ha’aretz – In response to newly-submitted psychiatric evaluation, Israeli-Arab MK says that in Israel an Arab who shoots a Jew is a terrorist, while a Jew who shoots Arabs is insane.
Israel planning new West Bank train network, minister says
Ha’aretz – Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz says West Bank construction freeze is not a solution as Jews will live there for ever.
Gap widens between male and female skin cancer rates in Israel
Ha’aretz – Among the country’s Jewish population, men have a 1 in 34 chance of developing melanoma and women have a 1 in 50 chance.
Clashes erupt between police and Druze demonstrators in the north
Ha’aretz – At least three police officers were hurt during a protest against a gas pipeline near Yokneam.
Head of Jerusalem yeshiva arrested for allegedly shooting student
Ha’aretz – The rabbi shot the yeshiva boy from the back of a motorbike and fled the scene, eyewitnesses told police.
Settlers devise new strategy to scare away Palestinian neighbors
Ha’aretz – Dozens of settlers set up a ‘protest’ tent next to a tent belonging to Bedouin herdsmen on Palestinian land.
Fire damages mosque near West Bank city of Nablus
Ha’aretz – Residents of the village of Libban al-Sharqia blame settlers; police say blaze likely caused by electrical short circuit.
Olmert media adviser calls new charges ‚Äòcampaign of persecution’
Ha’aretz – Indictment could have improper impact on witness testimony, aide claims.
Jerusalem freezes construction of Holyland project amid bribery charges
Ha’aretz – High-ranking Jerusalem officials, including former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, are being investigated for allegedly receiving bribes from the Holyland Development Company.
Shin Bet admits watching left-wing activist in West Bank
Ha’aretz – Activist Bridgette Chappell who lived near Ramallah was arrested in February during West Bank protest and expelled.
El Al employees complain of religious discrimination
Ha’aretz – Workers: Boss responded to complaint of religious discrimination by saying ‘stop being religious.’
Ex-IDF chief guard suspected of rape claims alcohol to blame
Ha’aretz – The indictment filed against Capt. Erez Efrati, a former security guard for the IDF chief of staff, alleges he attempted to rape and sexually assault a 22-year-old woman in Tel Aviv.
Israel: Palestinians stalling proximity peace talks kickoff
Ha’aretz – Source in U.S. administration says at this point it appears that the Palestinian announcement will come only on Saturday.
Arab states: Israel’s nuclear program is destabilizing Mideast
Ha’aretz – World must strive harder toward a nuclear-free Mideast, Jordan FM says at second day of UN nuclear conference.
MI: Abbas laying the groundwork for failure of proximity talks
Ha’aretz – Abbas’ goal is to show that Israel does not want peace, Brigadier General Yossi Baidatz told a Knesset committee.
Ahmadinejad: Nuclear sanctions will not stop Iran
Ha’aretz – In separate Charlie Rose interview, Iranian president says Tehran is not interested in nuclear weapons.
Israel mulls giving PA greater security control in West Bank
Ha’aretz – Sources said Israel is weighing whether to permit armed Palestinian police to patrol towns, including Abu Dis., Obama: Nations that violate NPT will be less secure, more isolated; Western delegates walk out as Ahmadinejad addresses UN summit.
Haaretz lawyers give Anat Kamm documents to state
Ha’aretz – The lawyers hope that the return of the documents will help end the matter and allow Haaretz reporter Uri Blau to return to Israel.
Gaza deprotees protest at Erez
4 May 2010 – Gaza, May 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) — Two Palestinians from the West Bank were deported by Israel to the Gaza Strip protested today in Erz (Bait Hanoon) crossing. Ahmed Abu Shalouf and Faried Shaban protested to refuse the Israeli order to deport Palestinians from the West Bank to Gaza and tried to back home. Wa’d association for prisoners and the…
Tunnel collapse kills Gazan worker
4 May 2010 – Gaza, May 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) — Palestinian worker was killed today in a collapse of smuggling tunnel between the borders of southern Gaza Strip and Egypt. Medical sources said that a Palestinian worker was killed in a tunnel collapse while he was working there. The Director of Emergency Services at Al Shefa hospital, Dr. Muawiya Hassanein, said that the…
Egypt to allow Arab Union Doctors delegation into Gaza on Wednesday
4 May 2010 – Gaza, May 4, (Pal Telegraph) Mustafa Tayeh, relief official at the Federation of Arab doctors, confirmed that the Egyptian authorities would allow a delegation of the Arab Doctors Union to cross into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday to discuss the mechanism of distribution and installation of prefabricated houses to the victims of the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip. Egypt…
IOF detains Palestinian, erects 2 barriers in Hebron
4 May 2010 – Hebron, May 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) — Israeli occupation forces detained a Palestinian from Al-Samouh village south of Hebron and erected two barriers in the entrance of the city toady. IOF travelled in the streets of Al-Samouh and raided the house of Abed Allah Okail who was detained and transferred him to unknown place. Security sources reported that Israeli forces…
3 female students invent electronic stick for blind people in Nablus
4 May 2010 – Nablus, May 4, (Pal Telegraph) Three female students living in a Palestinian refugee camp in Nablus, West Bank, created an electronic stick to help the blind to avoid obstacles while walking using infrared beam and small bell for alert. Noor Al Urda, one of the three students who participated in the innovation, “Our project is scientific and technological. We tried…
Ging demands International community to break Gaza’s siege
4 May 2010 – Jerusalem, May 4, (Pal Telegraph) John Ging, head of the United Nation’s Relief and Work Agency “UNRWA”, demanded the international community to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip through the provision of a sea route and sending ships to break the siege. Ging said in an interview with a Norwegian newspaper, ” The international community must shoulder its responsibility…
Israeli forces invade Jenin
4 May 2010 – Jenin, May 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) — Israeli occupation forces invaded villages in west of Jenin yesterday and made search operations while no detentions were reported. The search operations were centrlixed in Barqeen, Al-Hashmyah, and Kfrdan where the Israeli soldieries searched the agriculture lands, local sources said. Israeli soldiers stopped villagers and their cars in the road which connects Barqeen…
Gaza’s commercial crossings to partially open today
4 May 2010 – Gaza, May 4, (Pal Telegraph) The Israeli occupation authorities decided to partially open today Gaza’s commercial crossings. Raed Fattouh, Chairman of the goods entry into the Gaza Strip Committee, said that the Israeli occupation authorities will allow the entry of approximately 100 trucks, from which 5 trucks to CMWU loaded with plastic pipes, through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing including…
Israeli settlers torched mosque in Nablus
4 May 2010 – Nablus, May 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) — Israeli settlers torched a mosque in Nablus south of the West Bank on Tuesday. The mosque official blamed Israeli settlers in the attack that could hamper renewed Middle East peace efforts, Palestinian sources said. The Israeli army said it was checking reports of the fire in the village of Libban Al-Sharqia near Nablus,…
Zionist settlers burn olive trees in Hawara
Uruknet May 4, 2010— Zionist settlers from the notorious Yitzhar settlement on Tuesday set on fire tens of Palestinian dunums cultivated with fruitful olive trees in Hawara village, south of Nablus, eyewitnesses reported. They said that tens of settlers descended from hills overlooking the village and burnt the trees over almost ten dunums of land. The villagers tried to put off…
I refuse to be complicit
Uruknet May 4, 2010 – Eight months ago, on a feverishly hot day in August, I walked the streets of the refugee camp I’d waited so long to see. That day, I met families and people whose lives touched my own in such overwhelming ways, and whose endearing stories of survival, struggle and pain will continue to resonate with me half…
PFLP leader Leila Khaled blasts Palestinian Authority
Uruknet May 4, 2010 – Comrade Leila Khaled, member of the Political Bureau of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine called for dismantling the Palestinian Authority if that body is the cause of Palestinian division, speaking in Damascus on April 27, 2010. Comrade Khaled said that the internal division among Palestinians “is threatening the Palestinian national project.” She said…
Lebanon’s Merry Month of May
Uruknet This year, the Merry Month of May in Lebanon includes Labor day, the May 15 anniversary of the Nakba, the month-long Lebanese municipal elections and the May 5 elevation of Lebanon to the presidency of the United Nations Security Council. Yet, for most Palestinians whiling away their lives in Lebanon’s 12 fetid refugee camps and 27 gatherings, May will pass…
Thirst for Justice: The failure of the Euro-Mediterranean water talks
Uruknet May 4, 2010 – On April 13, the Fourth Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Water took place in Barcelona, bringing together delegations from the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership’s 43 member states to reach an agreement on a strategy for managing water and to ensure equal access to the resource in the region. The Partnership was established in 2008 in Paris by France and Egypt…
Israeli forces fire at deportees approaching Gaza crossing
Uruknet May 4, 2010 — Israeli forces reportedly opened fire at two recently deported Palestinians attempting to transit through the Erez crossing, in northern Gaza on Tuesday. The pair said they were attempting to return to the West Bank after having been deported last week in accordance with an Israeli military order defining them as “infiltrators.” Ahmad Auda Abu Shallouf said…
Soldier Committed Violence and Abuse Against Palestinian Detainees
Uruknet May 4, 2010 – The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PACTI – stoptorture.org) calls “torture and ill treatment of any kind….incompatible with” moral democratic values. It “advocates for all persons” in Israel and Occupied Palestine to protect them from abusive treatment of all kinds. In June 2008, its report titled, “No Defense: Soldier Violence against Palestinian Detainees” is just…
Israel’s Stasi Watch over Imams
Uruknet May 4, 2010 – Job interviews for the position of imam at mosques in Israel are conducted not by senior clerics but by the Shin Bet, Israel’s secret police, a labour tribunal has revealed. Sheikh Ahmed Abu Ajwa, 36, is fighting the Shin Bet’s refusal to approve his appointment as an imam in a case that has lifted the lid…
Israeli soldiers Level A Mosque Near Rafah
Uruknet May 4, 2010 – Israeli soldiers invaded on Tuesday at dawn an area in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, leveled the Al Dahniyya mosque and uprooted farmlands. Local sources reported that the mosque was leveled to the ground after several armored military vehicles and bulldozers invaded Rafah. Also in Rafah, soldiers uprooted farmlands near the Yasser…
Settlers Torch Mosque South Of Nablus
Uruknet May 4, 2010 – A group of fundamentalist settlers torched the main mosque of the Al Lubban Al Sharqiyya village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Jamal Daraghma, head of the Al Lubban Village Council, stated that the settlers attacked the mosque approximately at 3 A.M, rounded up several copies of the Holy Koran in one place…
ISM apartment in Hebron broken into — Israeli Intelligence Services suspected
Uruknet May 3, 2010 – In the early hours of the morning on Saturday 1st May, the International Solidarity Movement’s Hebron apartment was broken into. Laptops, video cameras, photo memory cards and USB flash drives were stolen. Cash and credit cards that had been left in the apartment were not taken. Similar items were taken by the Israeli military when they…
South Africa Must End Relations with Apartheid Israel
Uruknet May 3, 2010 – South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Ebrahim Ebrahim’s visit to Gaza will undoubtedly be characterized with the usual denunciations of Israeli policies. That this is to be expected is in line with foreign policy imperatives in a post-apartheid era, though many would argue that such pronouncements — necessary as they are — fall…
The sadistic logic behind Israel’s siege of Gaza
Uruknet May 3, 2010 – The Israeli human rights group, Gisha, has taken the Israeli government to court in an effort to force Israel to reveal information on the import controls through which Gaza is being held under siege. Rules that allow the importation of cinnamon but not coriander might seem arbitrary and it’s unlikely that further documentation from the Israelis…
Singing for Justice as a Life-long Commitment
Uruknet May 3, 2010 – Recently, those of us who care about justice received with great joy and relief the news that Mr. Gil Scott-Heron canceled his scheduled concert in “Tel Aviv.” In view of the destruction and suffering the Palestinians have endured for the sake of that racist colonial enterprise known as “Israel,” the cancellation of this concert couldn’t have…
Jewish settlers blamed for fire in West Bank mosque
The National 4 May 2010 – Mahmoud Abbas says attack threatens peace process just as US envoy arrives to kick-start talks.
Fears grow in Syria about preparations for a summer war
The National 4 May 2010 – Barack Obama’s tough choice of words bring a growing concern in Syria that Israel and its powerful American ally are preparing for war. .
Obama renews sanctions against Syria for another year
The National 4 May 2010 – US blames concerns over country’s support for ‘terrorist groups’ Hizbollah and Hamas
International Solidarity Movement
Demonstrations across West Bank reflect growing momentum
5/4/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, 3 May – Between Friday and Sunday, more than 600 demonstrators protested the apartheid, land confiscation and the illegal wall in eight West Bank locations. These weekly demonstrations reflect the growing momentum of popular non-violent resistance, despite violent….
Israel admits use of Shin Bet to watch international activist
5/4/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement – Ramallah, Occupied Palestinian Territories,PM— Israel has exposed the extent of its crackdown on resistance in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court on April 29, claiming that the Shin Bet intelligence agency has been conducting….
Fire Destroy A Mosque In Northern West Bank, Residents Accuse Setters
PNN – Ameen Abu Wardah- Pnn — Nablus – The mosque of Al Luban village, northern West Bank, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday at dawn. The village Sheikh said that he came on…
Washington sends 75 Million USD to the PA
PNN – PNN — Jerusalem- The Palestinian Authority had received 75 Million USD from Washington as direct aid to its 2010 budget. The fund is the second payment of 150 Million USD the U.S…
EXISTENCE DENIED To Exhibits In Ramallah On Thursday
PNN – PNN — Ramallah- The travelling exhibition “EXISTENCE DENIED” by Photographers Andrea Magda will open at the Franco-German Cultural Center in the central West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday 6: 00 PM…
Jerusalem Divided Between Hats and Hearts
IPS JERUSALEM, May 4 (IPS) – There’s a Jerusalem saying that the city wears too many hats — Jewish hats, Muslim hats, Christian hats — so it’s difficult to get at its brain.
Zarqa Lives Up to al-Zarqawi’s Ideals
IPS ZARQA, Jordan, May 4 (IPS) – Infamous for being the hometown of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the late al-Qaeda’s leader, Zarqa is dominated by Islamic parties.
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
On the World Press Freedom Day, PCHR and OHCHR Organize Honoring Ceremony Entitled Outstanding Journalists
PCHR 3 May 2010 – Reference: 48/2010 Yesterday evening, 3 May 2010, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) organized a ceremony entitled “Distinguished Journalists” to honor 25 journalists, who were granted international awards in 2009 and 2010 for their works. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of journalists, representatives of media institutions….
A worried Jerusalem watches the rise of Nick Clegg
Jeruslalem Post 5 May 2010 – Candidate last year: “We must stop arming Israel.”
Court to decide if Teitel to be tried
Jeruslalem Post 5 May 2010 – District psychiatrist says terror suspect “unfit to stand trial.”
Axelrod: J’lem last item on agenda
Jeruslalem Post 5 May 2010 – Elie Weisel asks “Why tackle the most sensitive problem prematurely?”
From Jenin to Jerusalem: Ministry plans West Bank train line
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – Easier transport of consumer goods and passengers could “advance the peace process.”
Knesset trying to bring National Service benefits up to par
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – There is a gap between the rights of those serving in the IDF and those in National Service.
High Court promises to hold hearing on Salt Industries deal
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – Israel Lands Administration, Israel Salt Industries Ltd. deal to be heard.
Decision Wednesday whether Teitel can stand trial
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – Jerusalem District psychiatrist says terror suspect “unfit to stand trial.”
PA blames settlers for torching W. Bank mosque
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – Police say short circuit may have started blaze.
Berlin denies visa to Hamas politician
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – Israeli Embassy: We won’t let Germany become propaganda platform.
Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade to march on the Knesset
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – March moved to July to coincide with one-year anniversary of Tel Aviv youth center shooting.
Funding for W. Bank inspectors rejected
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – MK Ariel calls on Barak to explain NIS 18 million budget to c’tee.
Who is burning Jerusalem synagogues?
Jeruslalem Post 4 May 2010 – Residents speculate on apparent arson attacks.
Israel Planning new West Bank Train Network in West Bank
WAFA – TEL AVIV, May 4, 2010 (WAFA)- Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) announced Tuesday that the ministry was promoting a plan to establish a train network in the West Bank which will
CPJ Condemns Blocking Al-Jazeera from Covering West Bank Rally
WAFA – NEW YORK, May 3, 2010 (WAFA)- The Israeli military obstructed an Al-Jazeera crew trying to cover a rally in the village of Bil’in west of Ramallah on Friday, according to news reports and interviews.
U.S. Budget Support Totals $150 Million to PA
WAFA – JERUSALEM, May 4, 2010 (WAFA)- The United States has successfully completed the transfer of $75 million in budget support to the Palestinian Authority (PA), in fulfillment of the U.S. Government’s
UK ‘blocking’ Mossad return to London
The Guardian 4 May 2010 – Official reportedly prevented from taking up embassy post after Israel refuses to commit itself not to misuse British passports Britain has refused to allow Israel’s Mossad secret service to send a representative back to the country’s…
Who is fanning the flames of this campus conflagration? | Azzam Tamimi
The Guardian 4 May 2010 – After a Jewish-Muslim initiative to defuse student tension was thwarted, critics of Israel are liable to be vilified as ‘extremist’ I still vividly remember the evening of Thursday 12 September 2002. It was a unique experience….
Netanyahu visits Mubarak in Cairo ahead of Middle East peace talks
The Guardian 4 May 2010 – White House envoy George Mitchell to meet both sides separately as Palestinians say they are eager for a deal The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has met Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, ahead of the first…
Israel: Soldiers charged with using boy, 10, as human shield
Relief Web 4 May 2010 – Source: The Independent
Jewish settlers blamed for West Bank mosque fire
Relief Web 4 May 2010 – Source: Reuters – AlertNet
Liban: Premi?®re Urgence d?©marre un nouveau programme de r?©habilitation de logements et de r?©seaux d’eau pour les r?©fugi?©s palestiniens
Relief Web 3 May 2010 – Source: Premi?®re Urgence
U.S. envoy arrives for Israeli-Palestinian talks
Relief Web 3 May 2010 – Source: Reuters – AlertNet
PA bans work in settlements; ‘offenders’ to face jail
YNet News – Palestinians violating order to face up to five years in jail, fines of up to….
Transport minister sees train from Jenin to J’lem
YNet News – Minister Katz wants West Bank railway ‘to transport passengers, goods to all….
Psychiatrist: Teitel unfit to stand trial
YNet News – Jewish terror suspect’s current mental state may not allow for trial to proceed,….
Jerusalem girl sets fire in synagogue
YNet News – 15-year-old claims she wanted revenge for Haredi harassment….
Military Intelligence: Hezbollah Scuds tip of iceberg
YNet News – Head of MI research department says transfer of weapons from Syria to Shiite….
Iran: We don’t fear sanctions
YNet News – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that his country won’t be deterred by the threat of new UN economic sanctions over its nuclear program. …….
Israel says ready for proximity talks
YNet News – After long months of diplomatic impasse, proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians are expected to be launched Wednesday, in a meeting between Prime Minister …….
Bin Laden living in lap of luxury in Iran?
YNet News – A new documentary on the world of falconry claims that Osama Bin Laden is living in a comfortable, private compound north of Tehran, surrounded by his family and under …….
New initiative: European Jews want pressure on Israel
YNet News – BRUSSELS – A new movement of Jewish European organizations, which seek to emulate the success of the US-based J Street, is taking shape at this time. The J Call …….
Victims: Teitel lying about mental state
YNet News – Relatives of Yaakov Teitel’s victims are unconvinced by a psychiatric evaluation deeming the Jewish terror suspect mentally unfit to stand trial because he is currently …….
Attack on mosque threatens Palestinian-Israeli talks – Abbas
Daily Star 4 May 2010 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned Tuesday that a fire in a West Bank mosque widely blamed on extremist Jewish settlers could endanger Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, as a US envoy arrived in the region with the aim…
Iran says plans new war games, photographed US ship
Daily Star 4 May 2010 TEHRAN: Iran announced new naval war games on Tuesday and revealed that one of its military aircraft had photographed a US aircraft carrier, a day after Washington said Tehran was challenging its sea power in the…
Iraqi forces arrest network suspected of organizing embassy bombings
Daily Star 4 May 2010 BAGHDAD: A senior Iraqi security official said Tuesday forces have dismantled a militant network suspected of sending suicide attackers in bomb-laden cars to strike three embassies in Baghdad in April. Iraq’s presidential council, meanwhile, issued a…
Ankara lashes out at Israeli aggression
Daily Star 4 May 2010 DUBAI: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu hit out at Israeli policy in the Middle East in comments published Tuesday, in the latest tirade between the longtime regional allies. “If it [Israel] adopts aggressive policies, then Turkey…
Iran says probe needed to verify US warhead-reduction claims
Daily Star 4 May 2010 TEHRAN/WASHINGTON: Iran called Tuesday for independent verification of US claims that it has pared its stockpile of nuclear warheads back to 5,113 and queried whether Washington was justified in holding such a lethal load. Foreign Ministry…
Israel: Hizbullah missile buildup accelerating
Daily Star 4 May 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Syria’s government routinely ships weapons to Lebanon’s Hizbullah in an operation that goes well beyond sporadic smuggling, a top Israeli intelligence officer said on Tuesday. The head of the military intelligence research department, Brigadier…
Palestinian Information Center
Family of prisoner Asfour appeals for saving life of its son in Israeli jails
PIC 4 May 2010 – The family of prisoner Ahmed Asfour appealed to international human rights organizations to save the life of their imprisoned son who sustained serious injuries during the Israeli war on Gaza.
Ging champions breaking Israeli siege on Gaza via sea route
PIC 4 May 2010 – John Ging, the director of UNRWA operations in Gaza Strip, has called for breaking the siege on Gaza through sending ships, which was met with shock on the part of Israel.
Israel dismayed at British refusal to receive Mossad representative
PIC 4 May 2010 – Israeli political and intelligence sources expressed dismay at the UK’s refusal to accept a new representative for the Mossad in its embassy in London, a Hebrew daily reported on Tuesday.
Zionist settlers burn olive trees in Hawara
PIC 4 May 2010 – Zionist settlers from the notorious Yitzhar settlement on Tuesday set on fire tens of Palestinian dunums cultivated with fruitful olive trees in Hawara village, south of Nablus, eyewitnesses reported.
IOF troops raze Rafah mosque
PIC 4 May 2010 – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) razed to the ground Addehnia mosque in Rafah city, south of the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday and bulldozed agricultural lands in the same area.
Ghoul asks HRC to check IOA violation of prisoners’ rights
PIC 4 May 2010 – Justice minister Mohammed Al-Ghoul has asked the HRC and Richard Falk to assume their moral and humanitarian duties towards Palestinian prisoners.
Grand Mufti of Jerusalem warns of devastating religious war
PIC 4 May 2010 – Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Sheikh Mohamed Hussein denounced the arson attack on the main mosque in Luban Al-Sharqiya village, warning that such crimes would lead to a devastating religious war.
Shin Bet maintains surveillance of foreign activists
PIC 4 May 2010 – The Shin Bet security service has admitted in an affidavit to the High Court of Justice that it has been conducting surveillance of a left-wing Australian activist living in Israel.
Islamic-Christian commission blames UN for Israel’s violations in J’lem
PIC 4 May 2010 – The Islamic-Christian commission for the support of Jerusalem held the UN and its institutions responsible for the deteriorating situation in occupied Jerusalem.
Tadamun: Israel killed 11 Palestinians last month
PIC 4 May 2010 – The international Tadamun (solidarity) society for human rights reported Monday that 11 Palestinian citizens killed by Israel in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip during last April.
Is the U.S. Trying to Expose Israel Nukes?
The Media Line 3 May 2010 – Israel’s policy of nuclear ambiguity seems to be dying a slow death titled ‘nuclear free Middle East’. On first glance, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s comments at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday were…
President Obama Renews Sanctions on Syria
The Media Line 3 May 2010 – President Barack Obama has renewed the economic sanctions imposed by former President George W. Bush on Syria for an additional year. In his message to Congress, the President said Damascus poses “an unusual and extraordinary threat…
Israelis Concerned by Obama Boost for “Nuke-Free Middle East”
The Media Line 3 May 2010 – Israelis are concerned that the Obama administration has opened the door to intense international pressure and scrutiny regarding its nuclear capabilities. Although universally believed to possess nuclear weapons, Israel’s strategy — respected if not supported by…
Obama, Netanyahu Speak by Phone; Indirect Talks Begin Wednesday
The Media Line 3 May 2010 – [News and Analysis] President Obama spoke by phone for 20 minutes with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday as the two leaders prepared for Wednesday’s kick-off of indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians, mediated by…
Iran leader says sanctions will backfire on the U.S.
LA Times 5 May 2010 – President Ahmad Mahmoudinejad says Tehran does not fear sanctions, which will harm only the nations imposing them. He warns the U.S. that it risks ending any hope for improving ties with Iran.
Questions on Egypt Leader’s Birthday
New York Times 4 May 2010 – The Egyptian president remained secluded away from the capital for his 82nd birthday on Tuesday, underscoring the frailty of his continued rule.
Emotions in West Bank Run High After Mosque Fire
New York Times 4 May 2010 – A fire swept through a mosque in this Palestinian village early Tuesday, angering Palestinians who blamed extremist Israeli settlers although there was no proof yet.
Iran Angrily Defends Nuclear Program
New York Times 4 May 2010 – Delegates from the United States and elsewhere walked out on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as he addressed the United Nations.
VIDEO: A Piece Of Our Life…
Palestine Monitor – Haneen Amra and Mariam Barghouti are two Palestinian American teenagers who live in Ramallah. After living most of their life in the United States, they moved back to Palestine with their families. They both had the opportunity to live in a land of freedom and convenience…
Settler Violence Out Of Control: Extremists Torch A Mosque
Palestine Monitor – Extremist Israeli settlers broke into a mosque in the Palestinian village of Luban al-Sharqiyya (near Nablus, North of West Bank) on Tuesday early morning, gathered flammables and set them fire, seriously damaging the 80% of the mosque. Coutesy: Ma’an News “Yet another example of the nonchalance…
Block Israel’s OECD Membership! Act Now!
Palestine Monitor – In May, the OECD ministerial committee will vote on the admission of Israel as a member of the organization. From all sides, a great concern has been expressed about Israel’s membership: the admission into OECD will allow Israel to legitimize its illegal policies which violate international…
Goldstone after bar mitzvah: I reached out to Netanyahu
Mondoweiss – Judge Richard Goldstone spoke to South African Jewish leaders today , a few days after his grandson’s bar mitzvah: My family and I are delighted that I was able to attend the bar mitzvah on Saturday and that it was such a joyous and meaningful occasion. I…
Big brave Charney Bromberg says… it’s apartheid
Mondoweiss – At Columbia University last night they had a panel about the coverage of Israel-Palestine, hosted by Campus Media Watch , a junior Israel lobby group. Free falafel dinner, free Campus Media Watch pens on every seat. It started out right enough, about the delegitimation of the Jewish…
All the nukes that’s fit to print (cont’d)
Mondoweiss – The infographic accompanying yesterday’s New York Times article on the U.S.’s attempt to head off a Middle Eastern nuclear arms race is — as one might have expected — missing a little bit of ink. Guess where? Let’s take a look: Iran and Syria are both…
Is David Brooks talking about the Nakba?
Mondoweiss – More Straussian hidden meanings. David Brooks, whose indirection I have blasted in the past (a whole book about the lifestyle of the meritocracy that includes many references to declasse WASPs but none to the spectacular Jewish rise into the Establishment), who surely justifies his indirection by…
A ‚Äòone-issue guy’, Saban funded Brookings as his personal power ranger
Mondoweiss – Key excerpts from Connie Bruck’s profile of Democratic moneybags Haim Saban in the New Yorker. I do wonder (not having read the piece; this is social media; a trusted friend sent me the excerpt) whether Bruck slighted the Israel lobby angle, as she did in her…
Articles
The Next 9/11: Made in Israel?
Maidhc ?ì Cathail, Dissident Voice5/1/2010
If, as Benjamin Netanyahu admitted, 9/11 was “very good” for Israel, a nuclear 9/11 might be even better.
Citing the possibility of a terrorist organization getting hold of a nuclear weapon as the greatest threat to U.S. security, Barack Obama persuaded 46 other countries at the recent Nuclear Security Summit to agree to secure the world’s loose nuclear material. Those leaders who came to Washington might have made done more to avert a nuclear attack, however, if they had asked the U.S. President to account for America’s own loose nukes.
Of course, President Obama may not even be aware of the egregious failure of the United States to secure its nuclear materials and know-how from the predation of its alleged “closest ally.” But since Obama is unwilling to even “speculate” about which country in the Middle East has nuclear weapons, he could hardly be expected to acknowledge how it got them.
In a recent Antiwar.com article aptly titled “Loose Nukes in Israel,” Grant F. Smith, director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRMEP) and author of Spy Trade: How Israel’s Lobby Undermines America’s Economy, shows how “the U.S is a sieve for Israeli nuclear espionage.”
The massive arms smuggling network set up by David Ben-Gurion in the United States in the 1940s had acquired a nuclear branch within a decade, according to Smith. The 1955 purchase of the Apollo Steel Company plant in Pennsylvania was financed by David Lowenthal, a close friend of Israel’s first prime minister and a former member of the Haganah, the precursor to the Israeli army. The following year, Dr. Zalman Shapiro, head of a local Zionist Organization of America chapter, incorporated the Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corporation (NUMEC) at Apollo. Before long, NUMEC was receiving large quantities of highly enriched uranium and plutonium from Westinghouse and the U.S. Navy for nuclear reprocessing.more..e-mail
South African policy revised for Palestine?
Iqbal Jassat, Ma’an News Agency5/3/2010
South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Ebrahim Ebrahim’s visit to Gaza will undoubtedly be characterized with the usual denunciations of Israeli policies. That this is to be expected is in line with foreign policy imperatives in a post-apartheid era, though many would argue that such pronouncements — necessary as they are — fall short of action.
Since the period of the apartheid regime’s close alliance with Israel witnessed overt and covert collaboration in the perpetration of some of the most gruesome oppression in both pariah states, it remains an unfulfilled yearning of many pro-Palestinian activists to have these links severed, which unfortunately continue to this day.
Though the argument for democratic South Africa to ditch ties with Israel is also made by leading political figures from the country’s major labor movement COSATU, it remains an embarrassing fact that the ruling African National Congress keeps finding dubious reasons to justify the presence of an Israeli mission in Pretoria.
Does it reflect a dire lack of transformation in foreign policy?
Or worse, does it reflect a betrayal of solidarity with Palestine? Or is it a combination of both?
Is it not the case that historic ties with the Palestinian freedom struggle ought to be the principal guide in determining the basis for any engagement with a colonial entity that was equally responsible in sustaining the oppression and denial of fundamental human rights of the majority during apartheid?
The fact is that South Africa has entered her sixteenth year of democracy, while the Palestinian vision of a free, independent and democratic state remains an illusion.more..e-mail
The Wiesenthal Center’s Bait and Switch
John Taylor, Antiwar.com5/3/2010
The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s stated purpose is “confronting anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism, promoting human rights and dignity, standing with Israel, defending the safety of Jews worldwide, and teaching the lessons of the Holocaust.” Rabbi Marvin Hier established the Center as a tax-exempt foundation in 1977 with a major grant from Canadian financier Samuel Belzberg and arranged with Simon Wiesenthal to have the famous Austrian Nazi-hunter’s name put on the project.
Hier’s foundation flourished, and by 1993 enough new money was raised to build an imposing Museum of Tolerance, dedicated to fighting “bigotry and racism.” The museum became the Wiesenthal Center’s public face and educational arm. Los Angeles had proven to be an excellent spot to solicit public and private contributions, and it afforded Hier many opportunities to work with the movie industry.
When the Wiesenthal Center comes to Israel’s defense, any pretense of “promoting human rights” and “tolerance” or fighting “bigotry and racism” is immediately put aside. The organization’s mission statement is partially suspended. Hier uses the Holocaust and charges of anti-Semitism to attempt to silence any criticism of Israel, thus making the Center a collaborator with Israeli invasions, occupations, and human rights abuses. Nazi genocide is transformed into a very effective political weapon and powerful fund-raising tool. As Samuel Belzberg noted, “Jewish education and all the other familiar buzzwords no longer serve to rally Jews behind the community. The Holocaust, though, works every time.”
Sometimes, however, even the well-funded combination of Holocaust remembrance and unstinting support of the Zionist state cannot mitigate or obscure Israeli responsibility for crimes against the Palestinians, particularly in the Gaza Strip. British MP Gerald Kaufman pinpointed the Wiesenthal Center’s difficulty with employing the Holocaust to defend Israel from international condemnation when he observed, “My grandmother was ill in bed when the Nazis came to her home town…. A German soldier shot her dead in her bed. My grandmother did not die to provide cover for Israeli soldiers murdering Palestinian grandmothers in Gaza.”more..e-mail
Bereaved Gaza astronomer opens up the heavens
Electronic Intifada: 5 May 2010 – As the sun set on a clear evening in Gaza City, Suleiman Baraka was setting up his telescope on the rooftop of the French Cultural Center as two dozen visitors waited anxiously to gaze into the stars. It was a rare occasion to break away — at least momentarily — from the siege on the ground in the Gaza Strip. Rami Almeghari reports for The Electronic Intifada.
Israel’s secret police surveilling Islamic leaders
Electronic Intifada: 4 May 2010 – Job interviews for the position of imam at mosques in Israel are conducted not by senior clerics but by the Shin Bet, Israel’s secret police, a labor tribunal has revealed. Sheikh Ahmed Abu Ajwa, 36, is fighting the Shin Bet’s refusal to approve his appointment as an imam in a case that has lifted the lid on Israel’s secret surveillance of the country’s Islamic leaders. Jonathan Cook reports from Jaffa.
I refuse to be complicit
Electronic Intifada: 4 May 2010 – Three weeks after saying goodbye to Palestine, with the pictures and faces of all those I met at Aida still fresh in my mind, I received a much-needed wake-up call that profoundly changed my life in ways I never could have imagined or expected. Dina Elmuti writes for The Electronic Intifada.
Block Israel’s OECD Membership! Act Now!
Palestine Monitor: 4 May 2010 – In May, the OECD ministerial committee will vote on the admission of Israel as a member of the organization. From all sides, a great concern has been expressed about Israel’s membership: the admission into OECD will allow Israel to legitimize its illegal policies which violate international law. Barghouthi to OECD’s members: do not approve Israel’s membership! The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is an international organization that primarily focuses on helping governments tackle the economic, social, and government challenges of a globalized economy. OECD brings together the governments of countries that are committed to democracy and promoting a market economy from around the world in order to provide a setting where governments compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice, and coordinate domestic and international policies. It is said that Israel requested to join the OECD and that this matter will be brought up on…
Settler Violence Out Of Control: Extremists Torch A Mosque
Palestine Monitor: 4 May 2010 – Extremist Israeli settlers broke into a mosque in the Palestinian village of Luban al-Sharqiyya (near Nablus, North of West Bank) on Tuesday early morning, gathered flammables and set them fire, seriously damaging the 80% of the mosque. Coutesy: Ma’an News “Yet another example of the nonchalance of Israeli authorities in the face of violence by settlers and extremists against Palestinians” was how Dr Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative commented Israel’s Civil Administration reaction after the incident. After an investigation was initiated by police, Israeli investigators raised doubts on villagers’ complaints and said that the ” blaze may have been accidental and provoked by an electrical malfunction, a short -circuit “. But cars approaching the mosque were heard by local residents at 3.00 am on Tuesday morning and Jamal Daramaghmeh, Mayor of the village, a village which is surrounded by three settlements, Eli, Shilo and Ma’ale Levona,…
VIDEO: A Piece Of Our Life…
Palestine Monitor: 4 May 2010 – Haneen Amra and Mariam Barghouti are two Palestinian American teenagers who live in Ramallah. After living most of their life in the United States, they moved back to Palestine with their families. They both had the opportunity to live in a land of freedom and convenience and then moved to a land under occupation and injustice. This video, realized by the two girls, offers a glimpse of a day in the shoes of Haneen and Mariam, hoping and dreaming for a better tomorrow. / Photo in homepage: Courtesy FLV
Israel’s Stasi Watch over Imams
Palestine Chronicle: 4 May 2010 – By Jonathan Cook – Jaffa Job interviews for the position of imam at mosques in Israel are conducted not by senior clerics but by the Shin Bet, Israel’s secret police, a labour tribunal has revealed. Sheikh Ahmed Abu Ajwa, 36, is fighting the Shin Bet’s refusal to approve his appointment as an imam in a case that has lifted the lid on Israel’s secret surveillance of the country’s Islamic leaders. At a hearing last month, a senior government official admitted that 60 undercover inspectors were employed effectively as spies to collect information on Muslim clerics, reporting on political opinions they expressed in sermons and relaying gossip about their private lives. Sheikh Abu Ajwa took his case to the tribunal after the Shin Bet rejected him three years ago as the imam of a mosque in Jaffa, next to Tel Aviv, despite his being the sole candidate. He was told after…more
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Rising to the Occasion
Palestine Chronicle: 4 May 2010 – By Rifat Audeh I have always marveled at the human spirit. How some people persevere, overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles against all odds, elevate themselves to new heights and maintain their hope and dignity when all seems lost. And how others have such a profound sense of justice, of right and wrong, and how they are willing to sacrifice their own lives for strangers half a world away because of their magnanimous conscience, their ideals and principles. Names such as Rachel Corrie and Thomas Hurndall, along with Brian Avery, Huwaida Arraf and others come to mind. As an activist, I have been privileged and honored to have met such people throughout my life. In December 2009, the third Viva Palestina convoy was launched to break the inhuman siege imposed upon the heroic people of Gaza, and bring much needed supplies to them. The convoy was launched from Britain, gained momentum along…more
The New Dark Age 