News
International Middle East Media Center
Arab MK Tibi Receives A Death Threat Sent by The Pulsa Di Nura Organization
IMEMC – 8 Jun 2010 – An extremist organization in New York, calling itself “The Pulsa Di Nura”, sent a letter to Arab member of Knesset, Dr. Ahmad Tibi, informing him that he has “180 days to live”, and informing him that his death “will be sudden and accompanied by terrible suffering and agony”. Arab MK El-Sane’ also received a death threat.
Soldiers Uproot Agricultural Lands Near Bethlehem
IMEMC – 8 Jun 2010 – Israeli soldiers uprooted and bulldozed on Tuesday morning agricultural lands in the Al Walaja village, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
Lawsuit Filed Against State of Israel Following Flotilla Massacre
IMEMC – 8 Jun 2010 – A French lawyer, Lillian Glock, has filed two lawsuits against the State of Israel on grounds of kidnapping and detention without reason.
Report: Israeli Government Asked The US For More Weapons
IMEMC – 8 Jun 2010 – During his most recent visit to the US, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu requested that the US provide him with Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs, rockets, aircraft ammunition and other weapons to vastly increase the “emergency stores” of weapons held by the US in Israel.
Israeli Troops Issue 10-day Eviction Orders To Palestinians In Jordan Valley
IMEMC – 8 Jun 2010 – Five Palestinian families in the Jordan Valley, in the eastern part of the West Bank, received eviction orders from the Israeli military on Sunday, just days after Israeli settlers set up an illegal outpost on the families’ land and took over a water well in the area. The eviction orders told the families to vacate their homes and land within ten days so that Israeli troops could occupy it.
American Journalist Slammed for Comments on Israel
IMEMC – 7 Jun 2010 – Veteran White House journalist Helen Thomas was harshly criticized by American Jewish groups for comments she made last week regarding the Israeli occupation in Palestine.
80 olive trees uprooted in Walaja
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Israeli bulldozers began overturning agricultural land and uprooting trees in the Al-Walaja, a village south of Jerusalem inside the 1967 Green Line, Palestinian landowners said. The latest diggings are in preparation for the further construction of Israel’s separation wall, as Israel attempts to enlarge its Jerusalem municipal borders into the West Bank. One….
As wall grows, Bethlehem under Israeli spotlight
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Almost every night last week Israeli forces trundled into towns and villages in the Bethlehem district, conducting arrest campaigns with what residents have called an increased frequency. After midnight, the streets of Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, and the Duhaisheh, Azza, and Aida refugee camps rumble with the wheels of military jeeps, trucks….
Former Abbas aide denied entry to West Bank
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Israel refused entry Tuesday to former Palestinian presidential aide Rafiq Husseini, Ma’an has learned. The former chief of staff to President Abbas was denied entry to the occupied West Bank via the Allenby Bridge crossing, officials said. Calls to Israel’s Interior Ministry, Defense Ministry, and Civil Administration were not immediately returned. Husseini was….
Hard currencies back in Gaza banks
6/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – US dollars and Jordanian dinars were available in Gaza banks on Monday, after more than a year near total scarcity, the currencies flooded back into Gaza when Egypt opened its Rafah crossing.”Attention: Automatic teller machines now have US dollars and Jordanian Dinars,” a sign posted on the wall of one Gaza bank….
Gaza man marks 22 years in Israeli prison
6/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – The Detainees Center prepared to mark the 22nd anniversary of the incarceration of Gaza native Imad Shihadeh from the Ar-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City on Monday. Shihadeh is one of the over 7,000 Palestinians currently being held in Israeli prisons, and marks his detention anniversary alongside a second Gaza man, serving 19 years….
In brief: Destroying the last remnants of Gaza war
6/8/2010 – Gaza City – IRIN – The UN Mine Action Team (UNMAT) in Gaza has completed the destruction of white phosphorus ordnance left over from the Israeli “Cast Lead” military operation in the Gaza Strip between December 2008 and January 2009.”The most common unexploded ordnance [UXOs] found in Gaza are mortars, rockets, bombs, white phosphorus canisters and….
Detained Fatah leader Barghouti co-authors book
6/8/2010 – Ramallah – Ma’an – Three prominent Palestinian leaders jailed by Israel released a book Tuesday that they authored in prison, entitled Resisting Detention. The authors — Fatah’s Marwan Barghouti, co-founder of Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades Abdul-Nasser Issa, and General Commander of the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades Ahid Abu Ghalama — dedicated the book to “those who resist the occupation whether….
Soft drinks and potato chips may enter Gaza next week
6/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Israel will allow a variety of goods to enter Gaza next week, a Ramallah-based Palestinian official said Tuesday. Palestinian Authority Deputy Minister of National Economy Naser As-Siraj said the goods include soft drinks, juice, canned fruits, salads, biscuits, and different kinds of potato chips. The goods have been banned from entering the besieged….
US urges Israel to accept flotilla inquiry
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – The White House has warned Israel against continuing to balk at the appointment of an international commission to look into a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last week, Israeli news media reported. According to the website of Israeli daily Maariv, the Obama administration urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday evening….
As Cairo lifts siege, Egyptian lawmakers enter Gaza
6/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – A delegation of Egyptian lawmakers arrived in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon for a visit of support, the Palestinian Gaza crossings’ department announced. The delegation of 12 legislators, calling themselves the Freedom Convoy, from various Egyptian parties including the opposition, Islamic Brethren, and independent lawmakers, were received by Gaza Palestinian Legislative Council….
Gaza: 2 crossings partly open
6/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Israel partly opened two crossing terminals on the border with Gaza, for the entry of limited aid and fuel, keeping imports to a restricted minimum, as the blockade continued on Tuesday. Non-perishable foods and fuel supplies were expected for delivery to the Gaza Strip in some 77-87 truckloads of goods Israeli officials….
Israel detains child, teen overnight in Hebron
6/8/2010 – Hebron – Ma’an – In an overnight detention campaign targeting two Hebron villages, Israeli forces detained a child and a teenager from Beit Ummar, among others, and reportedly detained a resident en route to hospital in a Palestinian ambulance. Palestinian security sources saidWasim Wahadin, 14, and Oday Bahar, 17, were taken from their homes in Beit Ummar….
Gaza siege ’tragic and unacceptable’
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Israel’s three-year-long blockade of Gaza is absurd, tragic and totally unacceptable, said Filippo Grandi, commissioner-general of UNRWA, the UN organization for nearly five million Palestinian refugees. Grandi hopes last week’s deadly raid on an aid flotilla bound for the besieged enclave will lead to an improvement in conditions there.”It is terrible to….
Slain Al-Aqsa fighters pulled ashore by coast guard
6/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Gaza’s coastguard discovered the bodies of two slain Al-Aqsa Brigades fighters on Tuesday, ambushed during an on-water drill the day before in an Israeli attack that killed four. Gaza medical services’ Adham Abu Salmiyeh said the bodies of Ziad Ahmed Murtada, 23, and Mahmoud Murtada, both from the Nusseirat refugee camp in central….
Bahar: Egyptian convoy must enter Gaza
6/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – A large delegation of Egyptian lawmakers must have easy access to the Gaza Strip, deputized Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Ahmad Bahar commented Monday, saying the move would crystallize the Rafah opening. The parliamentarians announced their plan to travel to Gaza along with a modest convoy of aid in the wake….
PA welcomes international positions for ending siege
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – The Palestinian ministers cabinet officially welcomed several international moves to lift the siege on Gaza during its weekly cabinet meeting Monday, calling for action to ensure recent moves to aid Gaza continue. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad chaired the meeting, where ministers were unanimous in their support of positions taken by the EU, UN….
Sha’ath: Abbas to ask Obama to lift Gaza siege
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – President Mahmoud Abbas will ask US President Barack Obama to work toward ending Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip, Fatah official Nabil Sha’ath said Tuesday. Abbas’ message will be that “the siege is not acceptable, nor is it tolerated in any way,” Sha’ath told Ma’an radio, adding that the president will pass through….
US group places ’spell’ on Palestinian-Israeli lawmaker
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – A letter containing death threats was sent to the office of Palestinian-Israeli MK Ahmad Tibi on Tuesday, a day after threats and “curses” were left on his assistant’s voicemail, Israeli media reported. A letter, which was sent from a New York-based group calling itself “The Pulsa Di Nura Organization”, said the lawmaker….
2nd phase of Jericho border development complete
6/8/2010 – Jericho – Ma’an – The second phase in the rehabilitation and development plan for the Jericho border between the West Bank and Jordan was officially complete on Monday, ahead of the summer tourist season. Head of the Presidential Commission for the Palestinian side of the Allenby Bridge border Munir Salameh said the second stage cost an estimated….
Hamas says PA forces detain 8 supporters
6/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Hamas accused Palestinian Authority Preventative Security Services of detaining eight of the movement’s affiliates in the West Bank, a party statement read Tuesday. The supporters were detained in Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron, the statement read. On Friday, Hamas said PA forces arrested five members at dawn in Nablus and Tubas. The Islamist movement….
Police seize ancient statue south of Nablus
6/8/2010 – Nablus – Ma’an – Palestinian Authority police confiscated an undated bust from a home south of Nablus on Tuesday, police said. PA Tourism and Antiquities police were informed that the suspect was in possession of a historical artifact, that was not registered with the relevant ministry, and barred from personal ownership, a statement read. A warrant was….
In photos: An-Najah University students graduate
6/8/2010 – An-Najah National University students are awarded their diplomas at the convocation ceremony in the West Bank city of Nablus on 7 June 2010. Some 2,705 Palestinians graduated on Monday, receiving undergraduate and masters degrees in the humanities and sciences. MaanImages / Rami Swidan….
Baby abandoned under tree in Jenin
6/8/2010 – Jenin – Ma’an – An abandoned newborn baby was found under a tree by the roadside between the Kafr Qud and Al-Hashimiyeh villages in Jenin by a local, police said. A resident informed police of the find, and took the baby to Jenin Hospital, where doctors said the baby was around two days old, a statement issued….
Flotilla passengers deny ‘terrorist’ charges
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – By Jared Malsin Washington – On Sunday the Israeli military named five passengers on the Gaza aid flotilla it said to Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations. Flotilla activist Ken O’Keefe The five were all on…
Israeli MP who joined flotilla faces witchhunt
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Officials try to strip Haneen Zoubi of citizenship An Israeli parliamentary committee recommended stripping an Arab MP of her privileges yesterday in a move to prepare the ground for putting her on trial for participating last…
Realizing there are debates inside political Islam
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Director Jeffrey Gedmin has just authored a disconcerting brief on his recent observations of Pakistan’s political and social scene for the journal World Affairs that I encourage folks to read. Nations that…
Hollywood: Pro-Israel producer takes on Palestinian project
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Washington – “Staunch supporter of Israel” Harvey Weinstein of the Weinstein production company will distribute Rula Jebreal’s adapted story of a Palestinian girl growing up during the First Intifada, the LA Times’ Steven Zeitchik reported Tuesday….
Abbas to tell Obama: End the siege
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Report: Palestinian president to focus on Gaza Washington – Fatah official Nabil Sha’ath has reported that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will ask US President Barack Obama to take action toward lifting Israel’s siege of Gaza during…
Palestinian disunity evident at conference
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – By Sarah Harlan Washington – The Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee held their annual convention in Washington, DC June 4-6. Keynoted by Attorney General Eric Holder, the convention focused its early sessions on the civil rights reality for…
Ret. Col. Ann Wright: Israel expected flotilla confrontation
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – By Jared Malsin New York – Israel could have expected a confrontation when it sent commandos to board the six ships carrying aid to the Gaza Strip last week, former US diplomat Ann Wright told reporters…
Israel announces internal flotilla probe, awaits US approval
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Washington – The Israeli military announced Monday its intentions to conduct an internal investigation into last week’s high-seas raid of a Gaza-bound aid convoy that left nine activists dead, and now they are awaiting a “green…
Abbas arrives in Wahington
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – New York – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Washington on Tuesday a day before his White House meeting with US President Barack Obama. The meeting comes a week after an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound…
Cash is back in Gaza banks
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Washington – After a year of dollar and dinar scarcity in Gaza banks, the US dollar and the Jordanian dinar are back in the coastal Palestinian enclave as a result the opening of the Rafah crossing…
Russian pipeline to bypass Israel
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Washington – Russian PM Vladimir Putin announced that a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Turkey will likely not be extended to Israel “as originally planned,” The Associated Press reported Tuesday. Russian PM Vladimir Putin appears…
Travel guides invite tourists to settler-built attractions
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Washington – Israeli settlers are adopting a new strategy to cement their hold on seized West Bank land: inviting tourists to visit spas, wineries, and other attractions built in settlements. Settlements are illegal colonization of Palestinian…
Obama: Thomas’ remarks offensive
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Fallout over White House reporter’s Israel comment New York – US President Barack Obama said he found remarks by veteran White House Correspondent Helen Thomas “offensive.” The Associated Press reports : At the same time, he said…
The aftermath of the flotilla
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Last night marked one week since Israel’s attack in international waters on the Mavi Marmara Turkish humanitarian ship bound for Gaza, killing nine. One by one, the hundreds of witnesses aboard the vessels have been returning…
Abbas calls for unity
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Washington – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for factional unity as the best response to Israel’s attack on the Gaza-bound aid convoy last week, Press TV reported Monday. In the absence of elections since the split…
The old Gaza boy and the sea
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – I grew up by the Gaza sea. Through my childhood, I could never quite comprehend how such a giant a body of water, which promised such endless freedom, could also border on such a tiny and…
2 more Al-Aqsa divers found
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Washington – The bodies of two Al-Aqsa Brigades militants were found Tuesday in the waters off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Ma’an News Agency reported . The men have been identified as Ziad Ahmed Murtada, 23,…
The lynching of American Arab journalist Helen Thomas
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Helen Thomas has survived attacks from every president of the United States, from Eisenhower to Obama, but alas, the champion of Middle East truth could not stand up to this country’s fanatically pro-Israeli media and movement….
Gaza: UN destroys last white phosphorus shells
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2010 – Gaza City – IRIN – The UN Mine Action Team (UNMAT) in Gaza has completed the destruction of white phosphorus ordnance left over from the Israeli “Cast Lead” military operation in the Gaza Strip between December…
Erdogan; the new hero of Islamic world
Palestine Note 7 Jun 2010 – The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stirred up international appreciation after he courageously blasted the Tel Aviv leaders for the bloody massacre of the peace activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla convoy of humanitarian aids…
The storming of the Gaza flotilla
Palestine Note 7 Jun 2010 – A flotilla of six ships carrying nearly 700 people from 40 countries set sail for Gaza last month to challenge the siege on the Gaza Strip imposed by Israel and Egypt. The passengers included aid workers,…
Time to break the siege on Gaza: A survivor’s account of Mavi Marmara
Palestine Note 7 Jun 2010 – International Solidarity Movement During the Israeli attack on the Mavi Maramara, deep in international waters, I was inside the body of the ship. We were unarmed civilians ranging in age from a one-year-old child to an…
UN set to vote on Iran sanctions
AlJazeera 8 Jun 2010 – Security Council could vote as early as Wednesday on arms embargo and other sanctions.
Israel condemned at Turkey summit
AlJazeera 8 Jun 2010 – More than 20 nations from Europe and Asia criticise Israel’s flotilla raid.
Israel to hold own flotilla probe
AlJazeera 7 Jun 2010 – Government rejects calls for international investigation into deadly aid flotilla raid.
Israeli Troops Arrest 11 Palestinian Civilians During W.B Raids
PNN – Bethlehem — PNN — the Israeli military invaded a number of west Bank communities on Tuesday and arrested 11 civilians. According to the army radio all those arrested today were on the…
Three Years of Gaza Closure By the Numbers
PNN – Gaza — PNN — the Legal Center for Freedom of Movement — Gisha — issued a press release on Tuesday documenting the needs of the Gaza Strip residents in numbers. Gisha is…
Israeli Officers Attacked in Beit El Settlement
PNN – Ramallah – PNN – Police forces, Special Patrol Unit officers and Civil Administration personnel arrived in Beit El settlement in central West Bank on Tuesday morning. Light to moderate injuries were sustained…
Israel Uproot Trees For The Wall Construction Near Jerusalem
PNN – Ghassan Bannoura — PNN – On Tuesday morning the Israeli military stormed the village of Al Walaja near Jerusalem city and started to uproot trees to make way for the wall construction….
Over 5,000 Palestinians Flee To Egypt
PNN – Gaza — PNN – After Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak decided to open the Rafah Border Crossing that connects to Gaza many Palestinians jumped at the opportunity to leave Gaza. More than 5,000…
White House Correspondent Helen Thomas Resigns After Six Decades
PNN – Washington — PNN – The White House Reporter who is always getting Presidents and politicians for their remarks is now in hot waters herself. Helen Thomas the Veteran White House correspondent has…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (27 May — 02 June 2010)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Analysis: 2 blockades of Gaza exist
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2010 – While Israel can cite security concerns to justify coastal restrictions, it’s not clear that the same can be done for land.
Livni worried by anti-Israel campaign
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Kadima leader: The world sees us as Goliath, not David.
Poll: Half of Americans blame activists
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Rasmussen Reports survey shows more of US public sides with Israel.
Ya’alon: Probe needed of navy tactics
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – IDF panel of experts begins investigating ‘Mavi Marmara’ raid.
Lieberman: Turkey will not change
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Ahmadinejad and Turkey lash out at Israel yet again.
Wilders hails Israel ‘fighting jihad’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Dutch “values” party head set to gain seats in current election.
8 cops, 38 settlers hurt in Beit El clashes
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – “One youth called me a Nazi, and they threw big rocks,” commander tells ‚ÄòPost.’
Eight cops, 38 settlers hurt in Beit El clashes
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – “One youth called me a Nazi, and they threw big rocks,” commander tells ‚ÄòPost.’
UN set to approve new Iran sanctions
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Israel: Iranian FM’s Irish visit shows Islamic regime is not isolated.
Blair: ‘I am 100% on Israel’s side’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Ex-UK premier favors int’l probe, supports right to self-defense.
Erdogan, Putin: Israel won’t get Blue Stream gas
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Russia, Turkey denies Israel fuel due to “economic considerations.”
‘Self-defense is under attack’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to IDF: “I salute you.”
Rioters attack police in Bet El
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – 8 police, 23 settlers injured in demolition of illegal West Bank building
‘Death knell for Zionist regime’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Ahmadinejad to Turkish crowd: Flotilla raid sign Israel’s end near.
Chief Rabbi: ‘No mourning Gaza exit’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Rabbi Metzger says lamenting the withdrawal exacerbates public conflict.
Rush hour truck ban proves successful
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Travel times from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem reduced by 58 percent.
MKs won’t call for state inquiry into Gaza flotilla
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – C’tee to give the government a week to decide how it will investigate.
Child cancer program comes to Israel
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Camp Sunrise Israel to offer respite to young cancer patients.
Suicide bombing claims life 7 years on
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jun 2010 – Steve Averbach,44, succumbs to injuries from 2003 J’lem attack.
Biden, Mubarak discuss Gaza, Iran
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jun 2010 – “We are consulting with Egypt about new ways to address Gaza issues.”
International Solidarity Movement
Weekend demonstrations commemorate Flotilla massacre
6/8/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – Bil’in – Bil’in residents commemorated the week’s massacre by building a ship – On Friday June 4th, the village of Bil?É n’s own Freedom Flotilla ship was attacked by soldiers from the Israel military, after it had been driven to the site of the Apartheid Fence which separates the village from much of its lands. The ship….
Left-wing activist Tali Fahima converts to Islam
Ha’aretz – According to website of Islamic Movement in Israel, Fahima converted to Islam in a mosque in Umm al-Fahm; Fahima served three years in prison for aiding the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade.
‘Tel Aviv’s prostitution king’ arrested after two-year hunt
Ha’aretz – Jacky Yazdi, 61, accused of trafficking women over Egyptian border from Eastern Europe to work in a chain of Israeli brothels.
Knesset speaker despairs ‘intolerable’ low of debate over Gaza flotilla
Ha’aretz – Reuven Rivlin deplores parliamentary standards after unruly MKs hurl abuse across assembly chamber.
Knesset approves bill easing restrictions on egg donation in Israel
Ha’aretz – New law allows young women to donate their eggs to couples that are having trouble getting pregnant.
Tony Blair: Israel has a right to defend itself
Ha’aretz – Quartet envoy tells Channel 10: When it comes to security, I’m 100% on Israel’s side. Israel has a right to inspect what goes into Gaza.
U.S.: International probe into Gaza flotilla raid is ‘essential’
Ha’aretz – Netanyahu demands to testify before an investigation panel, comprised of Israeli jurists, over deaths of Turkish activists last week.
Turkey president: Israel will suffer consequences for Gaza flotilla ‘mistake’
Ha’aretz – Abdullah Gul: 21 of 22 nations at regional summit condemn Israel over deaths of Turkish activists aboard Gaza aid ship last week.
Poll: 49% of Americans blame pro-Palestinian activists for flotilla deaths
Ha’aretz – Ramussen poll: Only 19% of Americans believe Israel is to blame for clash aboard Gaza-bound aid ship Mavi Marmara last week.
Hamas prevents flotilla aid from entering Gaza
Ha’aretz – IDF says that Hamas has refused to allow the aid into Gaza through Israeli-controlled land border crossings., Group calling itself Pulsa Denura casts death curse against MK Ahmed Tibi, who…
More than 5,000 Palestinians cross newly opened Gaza-Egypt border
Ha’aretz – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak opened Rafah in response to Israel’s raid on Gaza flotilla; security sources say crossing to remain open.
Israeli students plan own flotilla to meet next Gaza convoy at sea
Ha’aretz – Student Union chairman says 400 yacht owners interested in initiative to sail to northern Turkey or Cyprus.
Istanbul bomb targeting Turkish police wounds 15
Ha’aretz – Attack occurred in the Kucukcekmece suburb as the police bus passed by a hospital.
Russia cautions against ‘excessive’ Iran sanctions
Ha’aretz – Ahmadinejad warns Russia not to ‘side with Iran’s enemies’ as U.S. diplomacy moves into ‘high gear’ over UN vote.
Reuters under fire for removing weapons, blood from images of Gaza flotilla
Ha’aretz – News agency rejects charges of biased coverage, says it reverted to use of ‘original set’ of images once cropping discovered.
IDF appoints team to conduct internal probe of Gaza flotilla raid
Ha’aretz – General (res.) Giora Eiland charged with heading investigation into lessons and failures of raid; Netanyahu to announce separate state panel of inquiry.
Israel to appoint state panel to investigate Gaza flotilla raid
Ha’aretz – Government source: Committee to comprise top justices and two international observers; Barak: Panel to make sure Gaza siege is lawful.
Egypt authorities: Gaza border to stay open indefinitely
Ha’aretz – Biden: U.S. working with Egypt to ease plight in Gaza; VP meets Mubarak in Sharm week after saying Washington backed Israel’s right to board Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
Arab League chief to make first visit to Gaza Strip
Ha’aretz – Arab League: Amr Moussa’s visit is part of efforts to break the Israeli blockade on the Strip.
Israel uproots 100 trees in WB
8 Jun 2010 – West Bank, June 8, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) — Israeli occupation forces uprooted today tens of olive trees in Al-Loja town, in west of the West Bank city of Bethlehem. The president of Al-Loja town, Saleh Khalifa, said the Israeli vehicles uprooted 100 olive and cypress trees which were planted for more than 100 years. He added that the Israeli occupation…
Egypt will keep Gaza border open
8 Jun 2010 – Gaza, June 8, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) – Egypt said that it will leave its border with the Gaza Strip opened indefinitely, after three years of opening every now and then. After a deadly Israeli raid on a flotilla bound for Gaza, Egypt decided to open its border with Gaza to ease the movement of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza including…
Israel detains two Palestinians in WB
8 Jun 2010 – West Bank, June 8, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) — Israeli occupation forces detained today two Palestinians in Nablus, in the West Bank. Eyewitnesses told SAFA news agency that Israeli forces detained the two men, after raiding number of citizens’’ houses. The Israeli soldiers verified the ID cards of the citizens at Howara barrier in south of Nablus. The Israeli soldiers intended…
Palestinian-Israeli MP who joined flotilla faces witch-hunt
Uruknet June 8, 2010 – An Israeli parliamentary committee recommended stripping a Palestinian member of the Knesset of her privileges in a Monday move that appeared to prepare the ground for putting her on trial for participating in the Gaza-bound aid flotilla attacked by Israeli commandos last week. Haneen Zoubi, who quickly became a national hate figure in Israel since…
‘We’ll be Back – With Bigger Flotillas’Mel Frykberg interviews HUWAIDA ARRAF, leader of the Free Gaza flotilla
Uruknet June 8, 2010 – n an exclusive interview with IPS Huwaida Arraf, the chairwoman of the Free Gaza (FG) movement, which tried to break Israel’s crippling blockade on Gaza, explains what happened on the night of May 31 when Israeli commandos raided the FG humanitarian flotilla, shooting nine people dead and injuring dozens more. Controversy surrounds the events following…
The crimes I saw on the Mavi Marmara
Uruknet June 8, 2010 – During the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara, deep in international waters, I was inside the body of the ship. We were unarmed civilians ranging in age from a one-year-old child to an 88-year-old priest. We were going to Gaza to break the siege that Israel has imposed on a million-and-a-half people for the last…
Hell’s Gate at Aroub Camp
Uruknet June 8, 2010 – A slew of settler-related violence struck the Hebron area last week. Two Palestinians died in separate incidents with settler vehicles on Sunday and Wednesday. Thursday morning an Israeli settler seriously injuring two 16-year-old boys after opening fire on a group of teenagers walking home from school. The unidentified shooter turned himself into Israeli authorities on…
The Flotilla Massacre: Historical Perspective, Aftermath and Implications
Uruknet June 8, 2010 – During the Mandate period and throughout its existence, Israel’s history has been bloodstained, barbarous, and out-of-control – and for most of it generously funded and heavily armed with the latest weapons and technology by its Washington paymaster/partner to reign terror on the region and Palestine. Early on, Israel was a regional menace. It’s now a…
In their own words: Survivor testimonies from Flotilla 31 May 2010
Uruknet June 8, 2010 – For three days as they were held in captivity and unable to speak on their own behalf, Israel presented the massacre against civilian passengers on the Mavi Marmara as self defense against a “lynching.” Now that the passengers are returning to their home nations, the global community is hearing a much different story, not just…
Gaza detainees barred from visits for 4 years
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – Relatives of Palestinian prisoners from the Gaza Strip in Israeli prisons are appealing to the International Red Cross to resume their visitation rights, which they have been stripped of for the last four years. At an IRC event in Gaza City, families reiterated the need for the visitation program to be resumed. One relative said…
Dozens of Passports Stolen from Flotilla Participants
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – A speaker of the “European Campaign to End Siege on Gaza” (ECESG), one of the founders of the coalition fleet of freedom and which based in Brussels, revealed that the Israeli authorities stole dozens of passports belonging to persons from a number of European countries during their assault against the peace activists on board of…
Petition in Support of MK Hanin Zoabi
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – A group of Israelis seeks to protest the actions that their government is taking regarding a member of their own parliament. They have written a brief petition, which we have translated below so that it can meet its goal of 100,000 signatories. While we do not agree entirely with the wording, such as “Arab Israelis”,…
Israel Rejects Call for International Probe into Attack on Gaza Flotilla
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – While international condemnation of Israel continues, inside Israel the mood is quite different. An Israeli parliamentary panel recommended today that the Knesset revoke the privileges of Israeli Arab lawmaker Hanin Zoabi for participating in last week’s Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Right-wing demonstrators targeted a peace protest in Tel Aviv Saturday and reportedly attacked veteran Israeli activist,…
Thanks, Iran! But NO Thanks! (Even Hamas wonders about the political convenience of the IRG escorts for Aid to Gaza)
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – As you might have heard now, Iran has volunteered to send aid ships to Gaza. As stated in Tehran, “The Iranian Red Crescent has decided to send two aid ships to Gaza this week and has called for volunteers to act as relief workers and accompany the vessels, the state IRNA news agency reported.” On…
Kidnapped by Israel, forsaken by Britain
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – …Dozens of speed boats carrying about 15-20 masked Israeli soldiers, armed to the teeth surrounded the Mavi Marmara which was carrying 600 or so unarmed civilians. Two helicopters at a time hovered above the vessel. Commandos on board the choppers joined the firing, using live ammunition, before any of the soldiers had descended onto the…
Video: Activists vow to stand by Gazans
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – Seven pro-Palestinian activists from the Rachel Corrie, an aid ship on its way to the Gaza Strip when it was forced to change course by Israeli forces and taken to the port of Ashdod, have been deported to Jordan. They say despite being peaceful and calm when Israeli soldiers boarded the vessel on Saturday, the…
Video: Al Jazeera talks to US activist named by Israel as a ‘terrorist’
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – Israel claims five activists on Mavi Marmara were “active terrorists”. Israel’s “terrorist” list includes two Turks, one French, and two US citizens. Ex-US marine, Ken O’Keefe who is on the list, denies all the allegations. (6 May 2010). He talks to Al Jazeera..
Turkey to cancel defense agreements with Israel after flotilla attack
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – A senior government official has said that Turkey is set to cancel military agreements with Israel following the killings of nine Turks on May 31 in an Israeli commando raid on the Mavi Marmara, part of a six-vessel convoy that set out to challenge the blockade of the Gaza Strip. ?ñmer ?áelik, deputy chairman of…
Israel’s attack on Flotilla violates international law
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – In the aftermath of Israel’s 31 May attack on the Freedom Flotilla that left nine dead and scores wounded, each side claimed their actions were protected under international law. While the Israelis cited self-defense, and the Flotilla passengers reiterated that they were peace activists on a humanitarian mission that were attacked in international waters where…
Palestinian trade unionists call on dockworkers to block Israeli trade
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – The Palestinian trade union movement, as a key constituent member of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC), calls on dockworkers’ unions worldwide to block Israeli maritime trade in response to Israel’s massacre of humanitarian relief workers and activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla, until Israel complies with international law and ends its illegal blockade…
IAEA meeting to discuss Israel
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – The United Nations nuclear agency is expected to discuss Israel’s nuclear capabilities at its board of governors meeting in the Austrian capital, Vienna. It is the first time since 1991 that Israel’s nuclear issue is included in the five-day meeting of the International Atomic Engery Agency (IAEA), which began on Monday. Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher,…
URGENT ACTION! Islamic Republic Preparing for Mass Executions in Advance of One-Year Anniversary of Iranian Uprising
Uruknet June 7, 2010 – The Islamic Republic of Iran is preparing another round of mass executions in an effort to terrorize the Iranian people into submission in advance of the one-year anniversary of the ongoing Iranian uprising, June 12. Urgent action is required by all concerned people to pressure the regime to refrain from implementing these executions.
Abbas: Now we need to be bold’
The National 8 Jun 2010 – Israel’s attack on Gaza aid flotilla is likely to overshadow US-Palestinian meeting.
Egypt keeps border with Gaza open
The National 8 Jun 2010 – Egypt says it will leave its border with the Palestinian territory open indefinitely for humanitarian aid and restricted travel.
US Backs International Role in Flotilla Probe, Ynet Says
WAFA – TEL Aviv, June 8, 2010 (WAFA)- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the German and Italian government on Tuesday called for an international investigation into Israel’s deadly raid on a
Turkey President: Israel Will Suffer Consequences for Gaza Flotilla Mistake
WAFA – ISTANBUL, June 8, 2010 (WAFA)- Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul said Tuesday that 21 Asian countries meeting at a security summit have denounced Israel’s deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last
Destroying Last Remnants of Gaza War, IRIN Says
WAFA – GAZA, June 8, 2010 (WAFA) – The UN Mine Action Team (UNMAT) in Gaza has completed the destruction of white phosphorus ordnance left over from the Israeli ‘Cast Lead’ military operation in the Gaza
Israeli Arab Mks Face Death Threats, Says Haaretz
WAFA – TEL AVIV, June 8, 2010(WAFA)-Group calling itself Pulsa Denura casts death curse against MK Ahmed Tibi, Talab al-Sana who received phone calls a day earlier, to death threats, daily Haaretz said.
Iran: No plans to swap US prisoners for scientist
Daily Star 8 Jun 2010 TEHRAN: An Iranian official said Tuesday the country has no plans to swap three American prisoners for a missing nuclear scientist who Tehran claims was abducted by the USForeign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said it’s not…
Israel still keeping basic goods out of Gaza – rights group
Daily Star 8 Jun 2010 An Israeli rights group Tuesday said the military is still preventing basic goods like vinegar, coriander and toys from entering Gaza as part of a crippling embargo on the Hamas-run territory, as Hamas said they would…
Amnesty says Iran still holding hundreds from poll protests
Daily Star 8 Jun 2010 LONDON: Human-rights group Amnesty International called on Iran Wednesday to release or try with genuinely criminal charges hundreds of detainees still being held one year after a disputed presidential election sparked a wave of mass protests.The…
Regional states condemn Israel over deadly Gaza flotilla assault
Daily Star 8 Jun 2010 ISTANBUL: Twenty-one regional countries, led by Turkey, condemned Tuesday Israel over its deadly raid on Gaza-bound aid ships at the end of a security forum in Istanbul, while Israel announced it would conduct its own probe…
White House reporter Helen Thomas resigns after anti-Israel comments
The Guardian 8 Jun 2010 – Helen Thomas filmed telling rabbi that Jews should ‘get the hell out of Palestine’ Greenslade: Why is Helen Thomas being gagged? Helen Thomas, the White House reporter who has covered every president since Dwight Eisenhower, resigned…
Humanitarian narrative means no one sees Israel as a victim | Conor Foley
The Guardian 8 Jun 2010 – The desire for simplicity can turn complex disputes over territory and sovereignty into simple tales of good versus evil It is too early to judge the full political impact of Israel’s grotesquely-named Operation Sea Breeze, but…
Roy Greenslade: Why did US speaking agency dump Helen Thomas?
The Guardian 8 Jun 2010 – Whatever one thinks of the views propounded by the (former) doyenne of the White House press corps , Helen Thomas , one of the series of punishments administered to her seems disproportionate. Soon after the 89-year-old journalist was…
Defiant Israel will hold inquiry into flotilla deaths and blockade legality
The Guardian 8 Jun 2010 – Defence minister Ehud Barak says inquiry will be in addition to a separate military investigation and hints at wider rethink on Hamas in Gaza Israel has announced that it will conduct an internal investigation into last…
Human Rights Council holds General debate on Human Rights situations that require the Council’s attention
Relief Web 8 Jun 2010 – Source: UN Human Rights Council
UNHCR says ordered to close office in Libya
Relief Web 8 Jun 2010 – Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF oPt Monthly Update, May 2010
Relief Web 8 Jun 2010 – Source: UN Children’s Fund
OPT: At Zbeidat village in Jordan Valley: The European Union and Sharek Youth Forum Concluded Europe Day Celebrations
Relief Web 8 Jun 2010 – Source: European Union
MEDIA-ISRAEL: Beatings, Abuse, Doctored Evidence Emerge
IPS RAMALLAH, Jun 7 (IPS) – Although Israel successfully controlled news of its deadly commando raid on the Free Gaza (FG) flotilla during the first crucial 48 hours of media coverage, emerging evidence from witnesses and survivors is challenging the Israeli government’s version of events.
Now Israel Is Under Siege
IPS JERUSALEM, Jun 7 (IPS) – The elemental reason for the outbreak of the seminal June 1967 Arab-Israel war was Israel’s self-inflicted doom prophecy that “the Arabs just want to throw us in the sea”.
Police, settlers exchange blame after demolition
YNet News – Thirty-eight people injured during demolition of illegal structure in Beit-El…..
Turkey’s Gul: Israel isolated, will suffer consequences
YNet News – Regional summit in Istanbul condemns Navy takeover of Gaza-bound ship; Turkish….
Soldier critically wounded in Gaza becomes father
YNet News – Doctors didn’t think he would live, but Lt. Aharon Karov survives and becomes….
Russian official: Sanctions against Iran agreed upon
YNet News – Source close to Security Council talks tells reporters ‘we don’t see any….
Putin condemns Israeli raid on Gaza ship
YNet News – At news conference with Turkish counterpart, Russian PM says deadly incident….
Egypt confirms: We broke Gaza blockade
YNet News – Cairo says Rafah crossing to remain open for humanitarian aid, restricted….
Obama calls Thomas remarks ‘offensive’
YNet News – US president says veteran White House correspondent’s comments urging Israel to….
UN readies Iran sanctions vote
YNet News – After months of tough negotiations, Security Council powers said on Tuesday they were set to vote on a resolution that would impose a fourth round of United Nations …….
Palestinians: Israel pardoned 73 wanted men
YNet News – Palestinian sources reported Tuesday that the Israeli defense establishment has handed over a new list of dozens of wanted members of Fatah’s military wing, who were …….
US backs international role in flotilla probe
YNet News – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the German and Italian government on Tuesday called for an international investigation into Israel’s deadly raid on a …….
NYT: Iran circumventing sanctions at sea
YNet News – WASHINGTON — Iran is undertaking a number of maneuvers, such as switching flags, names, and ownership of its freight ships, in order to evade US export controls at sea. A …….
Lieberman: It’s no use, Turkey won’t change
YNet News – As the Turkish campaign against Israel continues, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman sees not real possibility to restore relations between the …….
B’Tselem seeks International Relations Director
B’tselem 7 Jun 2010 – The position of International Relations Director is a senior management position that includes overseeing all aspects of B’Tselem’s resource development and international advocacy.
Chinese Businessmen Hope to Conquer the Israeli Market
The Media Line 8 Jun 2010 – Several hundred Chinese high tech entrepreneurs meet their Israeli counterparts. [Jerusalem, Israel] The halls of Jerusalem’s International Convention Center buzz with a mix of Hebrew, Mandarin, English and Singh as high tech professionals from all over…
Israel Initiates External Military Probe into Flotilla Affair; Civilian Probe Tentative
The Media Line 7 Jun 2010 – While Israel’s government continues to fend-off international calls for an investigation into last week’s deadly flotilla affair, its army chief-of-staff has initiated an external probe to be headed by retired Gen. Giora Eiland (photo), a senior…
British Foreign Secretary Opposes Iranian Plans for Gaza Aid Ships
The Media Line 7 Jun 2010 – British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Monday that Iran’s plans to send aid ships to the Gaza Strip would deliberately aggravate an already tense situation. Following a meeting with his Italian counterpart, Hague referred to…
Turkish Premier Wants to Mediate Between Hamas and Fatah
The Media Line 7 Jun 2010 – Now established as a hero to Palestinians for his vociferous verbal attacks on Israel, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to be the force that re-unites Hamas with Fatah. Erdogan told reporters at a joint…
U.N.: Western nations lobby Brazil to not oppose proposed Iran sanctions
LA Times 8 Jun 2010 – The U.N. Security Council is to vote on a resolution to impose additional sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program. Meanwhile, Tehran makes diplomatic efforts to head off new penalties. The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote on a resolution to impose additional sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program. Meanwhile, Tehran makes diplomatic efforts to head off new penalties.
U.N. Fine-Tunes Resolution on Sanctions for Iran
New York Times 8 Jun 2010 – The U.S. and China are haggling over how strong U.N. sanctions should be and which enterprises should be singled out.
Videos Deepen Mystery of Iranian Scientist
New York Times 8 Jun 2010 – In one video publicized by Iran, Shahram Amiri claims he was kidnapped last year by American agents; in another, a mand identifying himself as the same scientist purports to be living happily in the U.S.
U.S. Presses Its Case Against Iran Ahead of Sanctions Vote
New York Times 8 Jun 2010 – The Obama administration is making the case to members of the U.N. Security Council that Iran has revived parts of its nuclear weapons program.
At Home With The Homeless
Palestine Monitor – Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem. Since 2008, 70 Palestinians from four extended families have been evicted from their homes. On May 29th, The Siyam-Idkadk and Kanabi families became the latest to be served with the dreaded document, instructing them to vacate the premises within 45 days or…
Two More Families To Be Evicted From Sheikh Jarrah
Palestine Monitor – The Kanabi and Siyam-Idkadk families recently received 45-day eviction notices, adding to the growing list of Palestinian residents being forced from their homes in East Jerusalem. The small neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah is at the frontline of Israel’s efforts to Judaise the would-be Palestinian capital with…
Hell’s Gate at Aroub Camp
Palestine Monitor – A slew of settler-related violence struck the Hebron area last week. Two Palestinians died in separate incidents with settler vehicles on Sunday and Wednesday. Thursday morning an Israeli settler seriously injuring two 16-year-old boys after opening fire on a group of teenagers walking home from school….
Internet killed the hasbara star
Mondoweiss – One of the most striking trends following the flotilla attack has been how quickly Israeli hasbara has been exposed and discredited by internet journalists. Robert Mackey has a post on the Times Lede blog highlighting some examples today – Max Blumenthal’s reporting on the doctored IDF…
Israel holds passengers’ computers, cell phones, blackberries
Mondoweiss – Today I tuned in on an Institute for Middle East Understanding presser that included Huwaida Arraf, longtime Palestinian-American activist, and filmmaker Iara Lee relating their experiences in Israeli custody following their arrests on the flotilla. Both women said that their recording equipment had been seized by…
She looks like a very nice lady
Mondoweiss – New York, Upper West Side, yesterday, photo by Mohammad of Vancouver.
‚ÄòPigs for Palestine’
Mondoweiss – Just look at this amazing post by Cecilie Surasky from a demo against the flotilla raid outside the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation the other day. You will see a lot of Jews protesting Israel’s actions silently, and look at the response. It’s not considered, it’s…
Israeli settler opens fire on schoolboys, wounding two 16-year-olds
Mondoweiss – And other news from Today in Palestine: Land Theft and Destruction/Ethnic Cleansing 80 olive trees uprooted in Walaja Bethlehem — Ma’an — Israeli bulldozers began overturning agricultural land and uprooting trees in the Al-Walaja, a village south of Jerusalem inside the 1967 Green Line, Palestinian landowners…
TODAY’S NEWS RUNDOWN
Irish4Palestine – Perusing the news on Israel today,so much to choose from, it’s like a giant pu pu platter, alas have to pick, so here are my favourites to poke fun at: Israel decides to investigate itself: The Israeli military said Tuesday it has set up an internal…
GOOD NEWS~TRISTAN ANDERSON COMES HOME
Irish4Palestine – BEFORE: AFTER After more than a year in a Tel Aviv hospital, Bay Area activist and photo-journalist Tristan Anderson has returned home to California. Tristan was critically injured when he was shot in the head at close range with a metal high-velocity tear gas canister at…
MUST READ “GOD’S CHOSEN ROGUES”
Irish4Palestine – An excellent Op-Ed piece:GOD’S CHOSEN ROGUES source There is no country in the world ‚Äî perhaps in history ‚Äî like Israel. It has done wonderful things like turning deserts into lush agricultural farms. It has also turned itself into a singularly evil State. Its resort to…
Frequently Asked Questions: Restrictions on passage of goods into and out of Gaza
Gisha –
Iran faces ‘toughest sanctions’
BBC – Iran faces its toughest sanctions for failing to comply with UN demands over its nuclear enrichment, the US says.
Ban demands credible Israel probe
BBC – The UN secretary general demands for a second time that Israel allow an international investigation into its Gaza flotilla raid.
US charges over Iran conspiracy
BBC – One American and five Iranians are charged over providing technology which helped Iran launch a satellite in 2005.
Zionist Joke: What Have We Ever Done to Them?
Antiwar.com – There’s one big difference I’ve noticed between the political Left and Right. Even in the worst of times, lefties have a sense of humor. So I wasn’t surprised to see the grand old man of the Israeli Left, Uri Avnery, sum up his government’s galling attack…
IDF Beatings, Abuse, Doctored Evidence Emerge
Antiwar.com – RAMALLAH — Although Israel successfully controlled news of its deadly commando raid on the Free Gaza (FG) flotilla during the first crucial 48 hours of media coverage, emerging evidence from witnesses and survivors is challenging the Israeli government’s version of events. These include claims of medical…
Gaza Blockade Legal? Hardly.
Sabbah report – By Yousef Munayyer * | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz Much debate about the legality of Israel’s naval blockade and siege of Gaza has occurred in the U.S. media with little serious analysis of the laws. Pro-Israel spokesmen and Israeli officials like the Israeli Prime Minister’s spokesman Mark Regev have…
Israel’s Crimes Against Humanity
Sabbah report – By Dr. Elias Akleh * | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz One more time, within less than one week, and despite all the international condemnations and mass protests all over the entire globe, Israelis had, with their snobby noses and raised middle fingers towards the world, broke the international laws…
Israeli Knesset afraid to listen to MK Haneen Zoabi After Gaza Flotilla Massacre
Sabbah report – This is just an example of the Zionist rant and assault at a member of the Knesset who was trying to show support for peace and justice! We are more confident today than ever that Israel is set to self-destruction by it’s own leaders. Watch the…
(en) Czechoslovak Anarchist Federation – For peace and freedom in Palestine
A-infos – The Czechoslovak Anarchist Federation (CSAF) joined an action organized by the Czech branch of International Solidarity Movement (ISM) on the 5th of June to denounce the Israeli attack on the humanitarian flotilla, and the occupation of Palestine as well. The anarchists brought a banner stating “Anarchists…
(en) Ireland, Castlebar Locals hold vigil for murdered Freedom Flotilla to Gaza activists
A-infos – Almost one hundred Castlebar locals and members of local political groups including anarchist activists of the Workers Solidarity Movement took to the streets holding a vigil in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the activists murdered by IDF forces. A strong message of outrage at…
(en) Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle against the separation wall and 43 years of occupation
A-infos – This week picked with two subjects: Gaza solidarity and marking 43 years of occupation 43 too many! Together we shall call: NO to Apartheid YES to joint action NO to expulsion and expropriation ?¢ YES to liberty and freedom of movement —— NO to the occupation…
Articles
Juthuruna
Nadia Barhoum, This Week in Palestine5/29/2010
“Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and its native place, between the self and its true home: its essential sadness can never be surmounted.”Edward Said
“I’m just following orders,” the soldier said as he asked my father to strip his clothes. Instantly after checking our passports and spotting our Arabic family name, the soldiers separated my family for a routine strip-search at the Allenby border between Jordan and Palestine. These were words I would hear time and time again during my summer visits to Palestine. I was five years old at the time and did not completely understand what was happening; why did we have to listen to these people tell us what to do?
Almost every summer, my family – father, mother, sister, brother – and I would journey to Jordan and Palestine. Our family, originally from Al Malha, was forever removed from our village in 1948 and had to seek refuge in Bethlehem on the West Bank. In 1967, my father and some of his family fled again, this time to Jordan, thus leaving behind their home and any chance of permanent return to the West Bank. Later, my father continued his studies in the States, where he eventually settled. Dispersed across the globe, with uncles in Frankfurt, Ramallah, Dubai, and Amman, an aunt in Beitunia, and my father in California, our family is truly Palestinian.
My father resisted through facts – always telling me, “Arm yourself with knowledge, Nadia.” It was one of the only ways we could fight back. The knowledge he would give me during our summer visits to Palestine had no price tag or textbook attached to it. It was an education that transcended the borders of the classroom and nation. These experiences of visiting the West Bank and Gaza Strip throughout my childhood generated in me a sense of home, identity, pride, and cause; in these moments and memories my roots grew and grew and grew.more..e-mail
Palestinian-Israeli MP who joined flotilla faces witch-hunt
Jonathan Cook, Ma’an News Agency6/8/2010
Orna Kohn, a lawyer with Adalah…said Yishai’s move was “uncharted legal territory” that could leave Zoubi stateless, in violation of international law.
Nazareth – An Israeli parliamentary committee recommended stripping a Palestinian member of the Knesset of her privileges in a Monday move that appeared to prepare the ground for putting her on trial for participating in the Gaza-bound aid flotilla attacked by Israeli commandos last week.
Haneen Zoubi, who quickly became a national hate figure in Israel since challenging the government’s account of the confrontation, said on Tuesday that she was facing “a witch-hunt.”
Israel’s interior minister Eli Yishai submitted a formal request for the revocation of her citizenship and proposed a bill – labeled the Zoubi Law – currently being considered, that would allow a serving MP to be expelled for “inciting” against the state.
Zoubi was provided with a bodyguard after receiving a spate of death threats. A popular Facebook page in Hebrew has called for her execution and an online petition for her expulsion from the parliament attracted tens of thousands of supporters.
Last week, in unprecedented scenes as she tried to address parliament, Zoubi was heckled into silence by Jewish legislators shouting out “terrorist” and “traitor.” Guards only narrowly prevented a far-right parliamentarian from attacking her.
Tuesday’s hearing of the parliament’s house committee was originally intended to consider revoking the immunity of six Palestinian MKs, including Zoubi, who traveled to Libya in April. All Palestinian MKs boycotted the meeting.more..e-mail
Challenger I passengers: Commandos shot first
Mya Guarnieri, Ma’an News Agency6/8/2010
Tel Aviv – Ma’an – Alex Harrison, a British activist who participated in the Freedom Flotilla, was on the neighboring Challenger I when the Israeli army overtook the Mavi Marmara, leaving at least nine activists dead and dozens injured.
An eyewitness to the takeover, Harrison told Ma’an what she saw in the moments before the Israeli army boarded the Mavi Marmara.
“I was on the Challenger I, on the upper deck,” Harrison said. “We were very close to the Marmara. We actually thought [the Israeli navy] was coming for us first.”
The Israeli army released edited video footage showing soldiers being beaten by passengers on the Mavi Marmara. The army’s footage depicts soldiers dropping down from helicopters into a crowd of passengers armed with sticks and chairs. The scene was quickly described by Israeli media as a “lynching,” with some saying the armed commandos were “lured into a trap.”
Testimonials from the passengers abroad the Marmara, however, speak to a gap in the army’s footage of crucial moments ahead of the arrival of the commandos on board the ship. Those on board say the missing footage would go a long way to showing the world the wider context of the violence.
Harrison, from her vantage point on the Challenger I, said soldiers first attempted to board the Marmara using two speedboats, each containing about a dozen armed commandos. She said passengers on the Marmara resisted the on-sea takeover using a water hose.
A helicopter had been flying around the flotilla for several hours before it acted, Harrison recalled, saying it drew closer to the Marmara after the successful repulsion of the Israeli boats.more..e-mail
The crimes I saw on the Mavi Marmara
Electronic Intifada: 8 Jun 2010 – During the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara , deep in international waters, I was inside the body of the ship. We were going to Gaza to break the siege that Israel has imposed on a million-and-a-half people for the last four years. Lubna Masarwa writes from house arrest in Kfor Qara.
Evergreen State students overwhelmingly pass divestment votes
Electronic Intifada: 8 Jun 2010 – On 2 June 2010, students at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, made history by passing two resolutions supporting human rights, upholding international law, and promoting a just peace in the Palestine/Israel conflict.
Knesset Member who joined Gaza flotilla faces death threats
Electronic Intifada: 8 Jun 2010 – An Israeli parliamentary committee recommended stripping an Arab MP of her privileges yesterday in a move to prepare the ground for putting her on trial for participating last week in the Gaza-bound aid flotilla attacked by Israeli commandos. Jonathan Cook reports.
Israel’s media blackout, doctored Flotilla recording condemned
Electronic Intifada: 8 Jun 2010 – RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) – Although Israel successfully controlled news of its deadly commando raid on the Freedom Flotilla during the first crucial 48 hours of media coverage, emerging evidence from witnesses and survivors is challenging the Israeli government’s version of events.
Palestinian trade unionists call on dockworkers to block Israeli trade
Electronic Intifada: 7 Jun 2010 – The Palestinian trade union movement, as a key constituent member of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC), calls on dockworkers’ unions worldwide to block Israeli maritime trade in response to Israel’s massacre of humanitarian relief workers and activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla, until Israel complies with international law and ends its illegal blockade of Gaza.
At Home With The Homeless
Palestine Monitor: 8 Jun 2010 – Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem. Since 2008, 70 Palestinians from four extended families have been evicted from their homes. On May 29th, The Siyam-Idkadk and Kanabi families became the latest to be served with the dreaded document, instructing them to vacate the premises within 45 days or face crippling fines of 350 NIS per day. Photography by Rebecca Fudala. Nazireh Siyam-Idkadk stands in her bedroom, holding the eviction notice. She lives with her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. She has been a resident in this house for forty-two years. / The Siyam-Idkadk home is located in the western part of Sheik Jarrah. Most previous evictions have taken place in the eastern part of Sheik Jarrah and many residents see this as Israel trying to broaden their control of the area. / Muhammed, 15 months old, provides entertainment by dancing across the living room. / Family photos from the 1960’s are hung on almost every…
Two More Families To Be Evicted From Sheikh Jarrah
Palestine Monitor: 8 Jun 2010 – The Kanabi and Siyam-Idkadk families recently received 45-day eviction notices, adding to the growing list of Palestinian residents being forced from their homes in East Jerusalem. The small neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah is at the frontline of Israel’s efforts to Judaise the would-be Palestinian capital with dozens of permanent settlers installed, scores of forced evictions and weekly protests held in opposition. On Sunday, Palestine Monitor met with the latest families to be faced with losing their homes. Reporting from Michael Carpenter. Karem Siyam-Idkadk lives with his wife, two young children, and widowed mother in their small family home of more than 42 years. Six days earlier, they tell us, an Israeli man representing the law firm of Eitan Gabay delivered a 45-day eviction notice. The basis of the order is overdue rent and an underlying claim that the land had once been in Jewish hands. However, the Idkadks maintain that…
Hell’s Gate at Aroub Camp
Palestine Monitor: 8 Jun 2010 – A slew of settler-related violence struck the Hebron area last week. Two Palestinians died in separate incidents with settler vehicles on Sunday and Wednesday. Thursday morning an Israeli settler seriously injuring two 16-year-old boys after opening fire on a group of teenagers walking home from school. The unidentified shooter turned himself into Israeli authorities on Thursday night. Palestine Monitor interviewed one of the victims, Ibrahim Muhammad Biss at Al-Ahli hospital (Hebron), where he is recovering from a bullet wound to the abdomen. His close friend, Moataz Musa Omran Benat, remains in critical condition. “I was finished with my exam. Then I left school. My friends and I were walking beside Al-Aroub College ,” Ibrahim said from his hospital bed. “ We were at the entrance of the college, waiting for the traffic to pause to cross the street. A settler came, stopped his car, and started shooting toward us.” Ibrahim…
Israel Is Fueling Anti-Americanism among US Allies
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Jun 2010 – By Nicola Nasser The attack in the international waters of the Mediterranean in the early hours of May 31 by an elite force of the Israeli navy on the Turkish — flagged Mavi Marmara civilian ferry crammed with more than 700 international activists, including several Americans, carrying 100 tonnes of cargo including concrete, medicines and children’s toys, and leading five smaller vessels of the Free Gaza Flotilla, which left eight Turks and a U.S. citizen of Turkish origin dead and wounded several others, has cornered the United States in a defensive diplomatic position to contain the regional and international fallout of the military fiasco of the “Operation Sky Wind” its Israeli regional ally launched against the flotilla; it “puts the United States in an extremely difficult position,” Marina Ottaway wrote in a report published by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on May 31. Containing angry Arab reaction and adverse repercussions…more
Israeli MP Who Joined Flotilla Faces Witchhunt
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Jun 2010 – By Jonathan Cook – Nazareth An Israeli parliamentary committee recommended stripping an Arab MP of her privileges yesterday in a move to prepare the ground for putting her on trial for participating last week in the Gaza-bound aid flotilla attacked by Israeli commandos. Haneen Zoubi, who has become a national hate figure since challenging Israel’s account of the confrontation, said yesterday she was facing “a witch-hunt”. The interior minister, Eli Yishai, has submitted a request for her citizenship to be revoked, and a bill — labelled the “Zoubi Law” — is being considered that would allow a serving MP to be expelled for “inciting” against the state. Ms Zoubi has been provided with a bodyguard after receiving a spate of death threats. A popular Facebook page in Hebrew is calling for her execution and an online petition for her expulsion from the parliament has attracted tens of thousands of supporters….more
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The New Dark Age 