News
International Middle East Media Center
Israeli Prime Minister meets with US President in Washington
IMEMC – 6 Jul 2010 – Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a meeting on Tuesday with the US President Barack Obama, who voiced his support for Israel and Israeli policies, even as Israeli forces continue their occupation and seizure of Palestinian land in violation of international law.
Five Palestinians Injured, Including Four Children, as Two Suspicious Objects Explode
IMEMC – 6 Jul 2010 – During the last two days, five civilians, including four children, were injured as two suspicious objects blew up in two separate incidents in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, and Qalqilia, in the northern West Bank. Two of the injured children sustained serious injuries.
Soldiers Attack Palestinian Detainees In Majiddo
IMEMC – 6 Jul 2010 – Israeli soldiers attacked several Palestinian detainees after raiding their cells in section 4 and 5 of the Majido prison. The army said that the soldiers were searching for a mobile phone reportedly in possession of the detainees.
Settlements Control 42% of West Bank Lands
IMEMC – 6 Jul 2010 – Some half a million Israelis are now living over the Green Line: more than 300,000 in 121 settlements and about one hundred outposts, which control 42% of the land area of the West Bank, and the rest in twelve neighborhoods that Israel established on land it annexed to the Jerusalem Municipality.
Mossad Agent Sent To Court In Warsaw
IMEMC – 6 Jul 2010 – A Mossad agent, involved in the assassination of Hamas official, Mahmoud al-Madbouh, in Dubai this past January, was sent to a court in Poland in preparation for his possible deportation to Germany.
Hamas Slams Fayyad-Barak Meeting
IMEMC – 6 Jul 2010 – Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, the rival of Fateh movement, strongly denounced the meeting between Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, and Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak.
P.A Arrests Eight Hamas Members In Nablus
IMEMC – 6 Jul 2010 – Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, reported Tuesday, that the Palestinian Security Forces of President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fateh movement, arrested eight members and supporters of Hamas in Nablus, in the northern part of the West Bank.
European Foreign Ministers To Visit Gaza
IMEMC – 6 Jul 2010 – Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, stated Monday, that the foreign ministers of Spain, France and Italy will be visiting the Gaza Strip this month to ensure that Israel implements its vows to ease the siege on Gaza.
Detainees: Prison guards use dogs, sticks during night raids
7/6/2010 – Ramallah – Ma’an – Palestinians detained in Israel’s Megido Prison reported a series of cell raids last week, with guards ransacking living areas in search of mobile phones, the PA Ministry of Detainees Affairs said Tuesday. A statement from the ministry said guards initiated the searches after midnight, entered cells,hit prisoners with sticks and launched tear-gas….
Lawmakers protest Israel plan to deport Jerusalem MPs
7/6/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – The Palestinian Legislative Council has organized a sit-in in solidarity with Jerusalem lawmakers facing expulsion. Ahmad Bahar, the deputy speaker of the Palestinian parliament, condemned the “massive ethnic cleansing campaign which the occupation has launched against Jerusalem.”He considered the move a challenge to international principles, norms and laws. Bahar described a meeting….
Israel to allow newspapers into Gaza
7/7/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – The Israeli military will allow newspapers into the Gaza Strip starting Wednesday morning, Ma’an has learned. The Israeli government recently informed the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Civil Affairs in Ramallah that it has removed three newspapers from its once-secret list of items with dual-use designation, goods which the army maintains could be used….
2 Gaza crossings opened for limited goods
7/6/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Two Gaza crossings were opened by Israeli authorities on Tuesday, for the continued introduction of limited goods and fuel into the besieged Strip. Palestinian crossings liaison officer Raed Fattouh said he was told to expect 140 to 150 truckloads of goods to enter via the southernmost crossing, Kerem Shalom. He said three of….
Rights group says settlements must be evacuated
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Forty-two percent of the West Bank is governed by settlement councils, Israeli rights organization B’Tselem revealed in a new settlements study, published Tuesday. Released as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet with US President Barack Obama in Washington, the report By Hook and by Crook: Israel’s Settlement Policy in the West….
Rights groups: Israel used ’human shields’ in Gaza
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – Israeli rights groups found that Israeli forces used “human shields” during the war on Gaza which began December 2008, a report said. The study, by the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and the Adalah legal rights organization, was obtained by Israeli news site Ynet, which said the findings echoed the UN….
Presidential guard sentenced to 6 months by Israel
7/6/2010 – Tubas – Ma’an – Israel’s military court in Salem sentenced a Tubas man on charges of resisting the occupation, handing down a six-month sentence and a large fine. Twenty-one-year-old Thabet Mohammed Jaaysa from the Al-Fara refugee camp works with the Palestinian Authority Presidential Guards, and was detained on 14 April on his way home from work in….
Israel frees Fatah leader
7/6/2010 – Jerusalem – Ma’an – Fatah parliament chief Azzam Al-Ahmad was briefly detained Tuesday at a protest in Jerusalem, onlookers said. Israeli police attempted to disperse a sit-in at the Red Cross and detained Al-Ahmad for reasons that were not immediately clear. Palestinian Legislative Council secretary-general Ibrahim Khreisha condemned the detention of Al-Ahmad, which he termed “a provocative….
Fayyad to Barak: End violations in Gaza, Jerusalem, West Bank
7/7/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Prime Minister Salam Fayyad called for an end to the four-year siege on Gaza, Israeli violations in Jerusalem and incursions in the West Bank, in his meeting Monday with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Fayyad asked that Israel reopens all borders, implementing the 2005 agreement to allow travel between the West Bank and….
EU foreign ministers to inspect Gaza blockade ease
7/7/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – EU foreign ministers will soon travel to Gaza to inspect the effects of Israel’s eased blockade on the civilian population, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said on a visit to Syria on Monday. Speaking alongside Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, Zapatero told reporters that French, Italian, and Spanish ministers had accepted….
Obama urges return to direct talks
7/7/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – US President Barack Obama urged a return to direct talks in a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Tuesday. Speaking at a joint press briefing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped direct talks would begin “well before” the ten-month settlement freeze expires in September, news wire Reuters reported. There have been five….
Cars seized before being smuggled to Gaza
7/6/2010 – Al-Arish – Ma’an – Egyptian security forces said 60 new and stolen cars en route to Gaza were seized by officers south of the border on Tuesday. The cars, mostly BMW and Toyotas, were being dismantled and prepared for transport through a specially-made tunnel in Rafah’s Al-Duhnieh area, police said. Security sources said they received information about….
Sri Lanka envoy granted honorary citizenship
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Sri Lanka’s envoy to the Palestinian Authority was awarded honorary citizenship by the West Bank municipality of Beitunia on Monday, his office said. T Jayasinghe was awarded the certificate of citizenship by Mayor Arafat Khalaf at a simple ceremony attended by Municipal Council members and a few other guests. Jayasinghe thanked Mayor Khalaf….
Israel army chief says Turkey ties strong
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – Israel and Turkey have not cut off military ties despite tensions over an Israeli navy assault on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last month that left nine Turkish nationals dead, an Israeli military official said Tuesday. Israeli Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi told his country’s parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the….
EU transfers 48 vehicles to PA police
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – European Union representative Christian Berger on Tuesday handed over 48 vehicles to the deputy chief of the Palestinian Authority civil police as part of an EU grantworth a total of “‚Äö¬¨5 million. This contribution, received by Brig. Gen. Jihad Al-Museimi in the West Bank, represents the European Union’s support of the security sector….
Turkey PM demands Israel apologize for flotilla raid
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – Turkey’s foreign minister Tuesday insisted on an Israeli apology for a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship but did not repeat a threat to break off diplomatic ties, Agence France-Presse reported. Israel must apologize for the 31 May bloodshed and pay compensation for the nine Turkish victims or “Turkey will not….
Church stance on settlements angers UK Israel supporters
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – The fourth-largest Christian denomination in the United Kingdom is under fire for supporting Palestinian Christians. In late June, the Methodist Church of Great Britain became the first major UK denomination to boycott goods from Israeli settlements following last year’s release of the Palestine Kairos document, which declared Israel’s occupation “a sin against God….
Qatar funds health and education in Jerusalem
7/6/2010 – Jerusalem – Ma’an – Minister for Jerusalem affairs Hatem Abdul Qader received financial aid from Qatar Tuesday to fund projects in Jerusalem. Qader said the money was transferred following his meeting with the Qatari ambassador in Amman on Sunday. The aid will be focused on supporting health and education sectors. Hospitals and universities will benefit, including the….
Israel indicts 2 soldiers over Gaza war
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Following an internal investigation into the “ethical aspects” of its December 2008 assault on Gaza, in which hundreds of civilians were killed, the Israeli army has indicted two soldiers. An army statement said authorities were investigating the majority of incidents that came to light in the UN fact-finding mission on the Gaza conflict….
4 days left for collaborators to surrender
7/6/2010 – Gaza Interior Minister Fathi Hammad warned collaborators Tuesday they have four days left to hand themselves in. The Gaza government announced a two-month amnesty in May for Palestinian agents in Gaza working with Israeli intelligence. The government said collaborators who handed themselves in would face no penalty, and would be guaranteed privacy and secrecy. Speaking….
Drugs seized in West Bank
7/6/2010 – Salfit – Ma’an – Police seized 485 ecstasy pills and more than 20 marijuana plants Tuesday in the West Bank cities of Hebron and Salfit respectively. In a statement, police said they found the drugs after obtaining warrants to search the houses of suspects, who were transferred to police investigations department, in preparation for prosecution….
Poll: For Palestinians, economy trumps politics
7/6/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Palestinians are overwhelmingly concerned by the economic situation in the West Bank and Gaza, an opinion poll from the Arab World for Research and Development found. With numbers near even over local and national political matters, a large majority of Palestinians- 75 percent across the West Bank (67 percent) and Gaza (87 percent….
Economy minister wants standards for local products
7/6/2010 – Nablus – Ma’an – National Economy Minister Hassan Abu Libdeh asked the government to work harder on Tuesday, in developing national consumer standards, to protect Palestinians and improve the marketability of products globally. Speaking in Nablus at the first conference for Palestinian consumer protection, Abu Libdeh accused the interior ministry and his own ministry of impeding a….
Cast Lead soldier indicted in ‘human shield’ case
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington – Israel has begun handing out indictments to military personnel following an internal investigation of misconduct during its 22-day assault on Gaza in December 2008-January 2009 (named Operation Cast Lead). Two soldiers have been indicted…
WATCH: Hijab art on the Paris underground
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – “Princess Hijab” is an anonymous street artist operating in the metros of Paris. France, a country vehemently defensive of its secular history, has been at the center of an ongoing controversy over the hijab and its…
‘Freedom Flotilla 2’ to set sail for Gaza in August
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington – The European Campaign to End of the Siege on Gaza, one of the organizers of the Gaza-bound “Freedom Flotilla” that was raided by Israeli commandos in May, announced Monday that a second flotilla will…
Is Salam Fayyad’s life in danger?
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – I have been trying to reach my friend J for several days but with no luck. Today I was finally able to reach him. The first words out of his mouth were: “I am sick of…
Right-wing MK to hold meeting at Silwan settlement
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington — Right-wing Likud Knesset member Danny Danon announced Tuesday that he would hold a town hall meeting at Beit Yonatan, the settler building in the Arab neighborhood of Silwan, the Jerusalem Post reported . A view…
Israel to issue 2nd response to Goldstone report
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington — The Israeli military has announced it will issue a second response to the UN-commissioned report that found evidence of war crimes during Israel’s 2008-2009 military offensive on Gaza. The Palestinian Legislative Council in Gaza…
Jewish group: Extend settlement freeze
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington – The Jewish organization Americans for Peace Now (APN) called on President Barack Obama to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting on Tuesday to extend a partial West Bank settlement freeze which…
Turkish president: Israel acting ‘irrationally’
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington — Turkish President Abdullah Gul has accused internal disputes within Israel’s leadership of preventing the government from acting “rationally,” Ynet News reported Tuesday. “My own impression is that they don’t have the ability to act…
Obama, Netanyahu reaffirm ties
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Show of unity at White House meeting New York – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama made a show of what they said were strong relations between the two nations during a…
Abbas spokesman denies conditions list
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington – Nabil Abu Rudeina, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has denied reports that Abbas drew up a list of conditions for direct negotiations, the Chinese news service Xinhua reported Tuesday. Palestinian President Mahmoud…
Dockworkers at Indian port boycott Israeli ships
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – New York – Dockworkers at the major Indian port of Cochin are refusing to unload Israeli cargo in protest of Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip. A view of the Shipyard at Cochin [Suniltg – Wikimedia…
Activists demonstrate against Netanyahu at White House
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – By Jayyab Abusafia Washington – Representatives from Neturei Karta International along with activists from CodePink , Sabeel and across Washington, DC demonstrated outside the White House Tuesday morning against the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu….
Carnegie report: Fayyad is authoritarian
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington — A recent report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace suggests that, contrary to popular perception in the West, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is actually holding back efforts to build institutions and civil…
NYT: Tax-exempt American funds going to illegal West Bank settlements
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington — Over the past 10 years, more than 40 American organizations have raised over $200 million in tax-deductible donations for illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the New York Times reported Monday. The family…
Settlements control 42% of West Bank
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington – A report from the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem released Tuesday shows that some 42% of the West Bank is controlled by Israeli setter councils. Israeli settlements in the West Bank now control nearly…
Israeli soldier indicted over Gaza white flag killings
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – Washington – An Israeli soldier who shot and killed a mother and daughter waving white flags in surrender during the 22-day Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip in January 2009 faces manslaughter charges, AFP news agency…
Israel outlines new Gaza ‘blacklist’
Palestine Note 6 Jul 2010 – New York – Israel will maintain a ban on the private delivery to Gaza of construction materials badly needed to rebuild thousands of buildings damaged by Israel’s 2009 military offensive. A mosque destroyed by Israeli shelling…
Repairing relations?
Palestine Note 5 Jul 2010 – Can Netanyahu mend ties in his meeting with Obama? New York – US President Barack Obama is set to hold talks at the White House on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected…
Lebanon buries leading Shia cleric
AlJazeera 6 Jul 2010 – Thousands of people attend funeral of Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah.
Israel to indict soldier over Gaza
AlJazeera 6 Jul 2010 – Army to press charges of manslaughter over deaths of Palestinian women during war.
Egypt driver on shooting rampage
AlJazeera 6 Jul 2010 – Bus driver for private construction firm kills six employees while driving them to work.
Gay Parade To March To Knesset
PNN – Jerusalem – PNN – Jerusalem District Police have made a u-turn on a decision which would have diverted the route of Israel’s National Gay pride parade – taking place next month -…
EU Funds Help DWRC Train Gazan Unionists On Advocacy Skills
PNN – Gaza — PNN – The Democracy and Workers’ Rights Center (DWRC) organized on Tuesday a training course in Gaza city on advocacy and campaigning skills for 19 unionists from different unions and…
Hebron Soldiers Dance In Street
PNN – Hebron – PNN – A video surfaced on YouTube this week of six Israeli soldiers dancing in the streets in Hebron. The video begins with the soldiers walking down the street looking…
Israeli Settler Rams Palestinians Civilians, Injuring Three
PNN – Hebron — PNN – Three Palestinian civilians were injured, one critically, when an Israeli settler rammed them with his car near the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Tuesday. Local sources…
Discovering Bethlehem
PNN – By Joy Stacey – I first arrived in Bethlehem during the run up to Easter, intending to create a photo-documentary on life under the occupation. www.joystacey.co.uk I was in the final term…
Netanyahu Meets Obama To Enhance Ties
PNN – Jerusalem — PNN – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Obama today to discuss the peace process, the construction of settlements, and Iran among other things. This was a meeting…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory ( 24-30 June 2010)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
‘Obama knows, a promise is a promise’
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jul 2010 – Settler leader: Obama understands Israel must end 10-month moratorium.
‘Even Obama understands, a promise is a promise’
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jul 2010 – Settler leader: Obama understands Israel must end 10-month moratorium.
Israel Radio’s Negbi: Media skewing Schalit coverage
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jul 2010 – Moshe Negbi: Israeli media are guilty of promoting one-sided coverage of Gilad Schalit story
‘Barak didn’t leak news of Ben-Eliezer’s Turkey trip’
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jul 2010 – Channel 2’s Abramovich reveals Defense Minister was not source of scoop about Turkish Foreign Minister meeting.
Iranians on Israel Radio want sanctions against regime
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Tzahi Hanegbi revealed Iranian listeners to “Voice of Israel” support increased sanctions.
Countries deny they’ve stopped refueling Iranian planes
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Iran sets conditions for restarting talks; China balks at US sanctions
‘US will never ask Israel to undermine its security’
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Obama says “no change” in nuclear proliferation policy; Netanyahu says he is “committed to peace;” both dispel rumors of worsening relationship; Obama: “The press like to make a story.”
Mixed messages over building freeze
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Lieberman, Meridor express differing views on settlement construction.
‘Israel unable to act rationally’
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Turkish President Abdullah Gul: Israel let politics ruin relations.
‘Israel acts irrationally’
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Abdullah Gul: Israel let politics ruin Turkish-Israel relations
Abramovich: Barak didn’t leak Ben-Eliezer trip
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Reporter clears air after accusations he caused Barak harm.
IDF indicts soldier for manslaughter during Cast Lead
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Goldstone Report mentioned soldier’s suspected shooting of two Palestinian women during Gaza operation.
Comment: Germany bashing Israel to ease guilt
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – European “ally” won’t reduce its trade with Iran.
Soldiers’ ‘Tik-Tok’ video on YouTube
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Clip of Nahal troops dancing in Hebron removed.
FM: Israel doesn’t need to apologize
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jul 2010 – Lieberman: Turkey chose wrong course of diplomacy.
International Solidarity Movement
Protestors hold firm around Palestine this week
7/6/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – ISM – An Nabi Salih – The Friday protest in An Nabi Salih was passionate and vibrant as ever. Israeli Army jeeps pre-emptively invaded the village, setting up a roadblock at the main crossroads. Dozens of villagers, joined by a handful of international and Israeli activists, marched down the main street to meet them. The number of….
VIDEO – ‘We Are The Accusers, Not The Accused’ : EDO Decomissioners victorious in court
7/6/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – Chloe Marsh, Palestine Monitor, 3 July 2010 – On 16th January 2009 seven U.K. peace activists broke into the premises of EDO MBM, suppliers of weapons components and in the words of one of them, Elijah Smith ’set out to smash it up to the best of our abilities’. It was an entirely accountable action which was always intended to end in a trial…. Related: Source: Palestine Monitor
Study: 1 in 3 Negev Bedouin mothers suffers postpartum depression
Ha’aretz – In the Arab world, postpartum depression affects 18 percent to 21 percent of new mothers. In the Western world the figure is 10 percent to 15 percent.
Right-wing parties to join forces for next election
Ha’aretz – National Union and Habayit Hayehudi to merge after year of negotiations in effort to heal split among religious Zionists.
Obama: We need to advance to direct Israeli-Palestinian talks
Ha’aretz – U.S. President hosts Netanyahu at White House in what analysts dub a ‘make up’ visit, after snub during Netanyahu’s March trip to Washington.
Americans for Peace Now to Obama: Extend settlement freeze
Ha’aretz – Ahead of PM Netanyahu’s White House meeting with U.S. President Obama, Americans for Peace Now deliver petition to Obama with nearly 16,000 signatures calling for extension of settlement freeze.
Turkey’s president says Israel acting ‘irrationally’
Ha’aretz – Turkish President Abdullah Gul says that divisions within Israel’s governing coalition were stopping Israel from repairing relations with Turkey in the wake of the Gaza flotilla affair.
IDF soldier charged with killing woman during Gaza war
Ha’aretz – After more than 400 officers and fighters questioned, military Advocate General decides to file criminal indictment., Despite the diplomatic fallout from Israel’s deadly raid on a Turkish flagged aid ship,…
Mexico thwarts Hezbollah bid to set up South American network
Ha’aretz – Militant group employed Mexican nationals with ties to Lebanon to target Israel and the West, Kuwaiti newspaper reports.
New fears for Mubarak’s health during last-minute Paris trip
Ha’aretz – Ageing Egyptian president flies to France for meeting with Sarkozy – but real reason behind visit could be new health scare, London paper reports.
Report: U.S. tax breaks aiding illegal outposts in West Bank
Ha’aretz – Findings could embarrass Obama as he seeks to persuade Netanyahu to extend settlement building freeze, New York Times reports.
Rights group: Israeli settlements control 42 percent of West Bank
Ha’aretz – Aerial photographs show that 21 per cent of the settlements’ built up areas lie on private Palestinian land.
Netanyahu heads to Washington in effort to mend U.S. ties
Ha’aretz – Prime Minister to present U.S. President with outline of new policy ideas on the peace process, with goal of moving from proximity talks to direct negotiations.
Davutoglu: We will cut ties with Israel if they dont appologize
6 Jul 2010 – Gaza, July 6, (Pal Telegraph) Sources reported that the Turkish prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, stated earlier that Turkey has blocked its air zone against any Israeli militant-air activity due to the bloody attack carried out by the Israeli military forces, on May 31, on the Gaza-bound Flotilla which was carrying humanitarian aids for the besieged people of Gaza. According to…
Israeli settler runs over 3 Palestinians
6 Jul 2010 – Bethlehem, July 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) — Israeli settler ran over three Palestinians yesterady near Efrat settlement, south of Bethlehem, Palestinian sources reported. The three injured are Raed Abu Omar, 33, Bader Al-Shalhom, 12, and Nezam Al-Jobi, 38. The sources added that the injured citizens were transferred to Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron.
EU officials accept Israel’s invitation to visit Gaza
6 Jul 2010 – Gaza, July 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)— A delegation of EU Foreign Ministers accepted Israel’s invitation on Monday to visit the Gaza Strip providing that “it is an important chance” to continue employing the procedures which Israeli has taken recently. The Israeli authorities usually deny foreign diplomats’ entry into Gaza through its crossings with Gaza since they tightened their grip of…
Report on long-term effects of Israeli white phosphorusEXCLUSIVE PICTURES
Uruknet July 6, 2010 – In a recent report into the white phosphorous used by Israel in its 2008-9 assault on the Gaza Strip, Italian experts have warned of the adverse long term effects of the three thousand five hundred shells that were dropped indiscriminately. In particular, the report addresses the impact of this weapon, the use of which against…
Israeli intelligence services put pressure on Palestinian students
Uruknet July 6, 2010 – Reports suggest that Palestinian medical students are being coerced into cooperating with Israeli intelligence services in return for permits to train in hospitals in occupied Jerusalem. Based on testimonies from students at the University of Abu Dis in Jerusalem, as well as the nature of complaints received by Physicians for Human Rights, it is claimed…
Israeli soldiers Attack Palestinian Detainees In Majiddo
Uruknet July 6, 2010 – Israeli soldiers attacked several Palestinian detainees after raiding their cells in section 4 and 5 of the Majido prison. The army said that the soldiers were searching for a mobile phone reportedly in possession of the detainees. The attack was carried out at midnight on July 5, and led to clashes with the detainees when…
Judaizing Jerusalem
Uruknet July 6, 2010 – The Middle East Monitor (MEM) covers significant regional issues and events through its weekly newspaper and reports like Samira Quraishy’s September 2009 Briefing Paper titled, “The Judaization of Jerusalem,” discussing Israel’s “escalating campaign of land seizures, house demolitions and eviction(s) of Palestinians.” Israeli scholars agree, including Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Professor Oren Yiftachel, in…
One West Bank Town’s “Unarmed Courage”
Uruknet July 6, 2010 – Ayed Morrar is just one man. A quiet man, of small stature, whose kind but intense eyes look out from behind wire-rimmed glasses. But he is a man who has become the face of the Palestinian non-violent resistance movement. Morrar is the central figure in the recently released film “Budrus”, about the people of the…
Detainees: Prison guards use dogs, sticks during night raids
Uruknet July 6, 2010 – Palestinians detained in Israel’s Megido Prison reported a series of cell raids last week, with guards ransacking living areas in search of mobile phones, the PA Ministry of Detainees Affairs said Tuesday. A statement from the ministry said guards initiated the searches after midnight, entered cells, hit prisoners with sticks and launched tear-gas canisters inside…
IKEA furnishing the occupation
Uruknet July 5, 2010 – Swedish Radio reported on 23 June that home furnishings retail giant IKEA in Israel discriminately ships to Israel’s illegal settlements but not Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank. Swedish Radio’s correspondent in Israel, Cecilia Udden, explained that she was moving to the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and asked the…
Demands to lift the Israeli blockade of the West Bank
Uruknet July 5, 2010 – The United States is basically a self-appointed leader of the “peace process” between the Palestinians and Israel. It also happens to be the world’s remaining superpower. As such, one would expect its allies, especially its pampered ally Israel, to listen when it speaks, but that is not what we see. The representative of the USA…
Announcing a Small Victory over Israel
Uruknet July 5, 2010 – Israel does not care about the Palestinian negotiator and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. They do not care about the American envoy Georg Mitchell or US President Barak Obama. Israel deals with everybody from the position of absolute and god-given superiority, with the arrogance of a zionist occupier, of a “negotiator” who has become accustomed…
Make Or Break Moment For Arab Unity Over Lebanon’s ’10th Class Citizens’
Uruknet July 5, 2010 – A debate is raging in the Lebanese government over new legislation that would grant civil rights to Palestinian refugees for the first time in 62 years. Key features of the historic bill, proposed by the Progressive Socialist Party, include the right to housing, employment, social security and hospital treatment…
There is no rift, Obama and Netanyahu insist
The National 6 Jul 2010 – Major development appears to be display of unity between two leaders whose relationship has been strained by Israel’s settlement policy.
Israel indicts soldier for deaths of Palestinian women
The National 6 Jul 2010 – A staff sergeant will be prosecuted for manslaughter over his role in the deaths of two Palestinian women during the Gaza offensive.
Israel lets building materials through Gaza blockade
The National 6 Jul 2010 – Go-ahead granted under international supervision, hours before Barack Obama meets Benjamin Netanyahu.
EU Funds Police Cars for Palestinian Civil Police
WAFA – RAMALLAH, July 6, 2010 (WAFA)-The European Union Representative, Mr. Christian Berger, today handed over 48 vehicles (44 Volkswagen Caddies and 4 Volkswagen Passats) to the Palestinian Civil Police
Israeli Soldiers Face Penalty after Uploading Hebron Dance Video to Youtube
WAFA – TEL AVIV, July 6, 2010 (WAFA) -A number of Israel soldiers could face disciplinary action after they uploaded to YouTube a video of themselves stopping a patrol in the West Bank to dance to American
Report Says: U.S. Tax Breaks Aiding Illegal Outposts in West Bank
WAFA – TEL AVIV, NEW YORK, July 6, 2010 (WAFA)-According to the New York Times report, lenient American tax regulations allow funds to flow to settlement outposts that are illegal under Israel law — as
Oxfam: Gazans Need to Rebuild their Economy
WAFA – JERUSALEM, July 6, 2010 (WAFA)- Oxfam welcomed the Israeli government’s announcement that it will allow more items to enter Gaza, describing it as a step in the right direction. In a press release,
B’Tselem: Settlements Control 42% of West Bank
WAFA – TEL AVIV, July 6, 2010 (WAFA)- Some half a million Israelis are now living over the Green Line: more than 300,000 in 121 settlements and about one hundred outposts, which control 42 percent of the
UN Describes Israeli Measures on Gaza as Important Steps
WAFA – JERUSALEM, July 5, 2010 (WAFA)- United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry welcomed the measures announced today by the Government of Israel as important steps
Blair Welcomes Israel’s Publication of Controlled Items List for Gaza
WAFA – JERUSALEM, July 5, 2010 (WAFA)- Commenting on the Government of Israel’s publication of the controlled items list for Gaza, Quartet Representative Tony Blair said: ‘I welcome the Government’s
Rafah Crossing Remains Open for Palestinians Aid
WAFA – CAIRO, July 5, 2010 (WAFA)- An official source in Rafah crossing said that on June 1, President Hosni Mubarak ordered that Rafah crossing be open to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people
Egypt to open two consulates in Iraq – FM
Daily Star 6 Jul 2010 CAIRO: Egypt, whose head of mission in Baghdad was killed in 2005, is to open two consulates in Iraq, Foreign Minister Ahmad Abou al-Gheit announced on Tuesday.He told reporters that President Hosni Mubarak has approved the…
Tehran: P5+1 talks can resume from if conditions met
Daily Star 6 Jul 2010 TEHRAN: Iran on Tuesday set September 1 as a possible date to resume nuclear talks with six world powers that have been stalled since last October, but insisted conditions set by Tehran must first be met.Iran’s…
Iran says planes get fuel, reports meant as ‘psychological war’
Daily Star 6 Jul 2010 TEHRAN: Iranian planes continue to refuel at airports around the world, an official said Tuesday, a day after an Iranian news report said aircraft had been denied fuel in Germany, Britain and a Gulf Arab state…
Ankara insists on Israeli apology
Daily Star 6 Jul 2010 ANKARA: Turkey’s foreign minister Tuesday insisted on an Israeli apology for a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship but did not repeat a threat to break off diplomatic ties.Israel must apologize for the May 31…
Obama and Netanyahu put fallout behind them at talks
The Guardian 6 Jul 2010 – Israeli prime minister taking risks for peace, says US president at first meeting since March Barack Obama and Binyamin Netanyahu today sought to paper over the deep political rift between the US and Israel and publicly…
The differences between Binyamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama
The Guardian 6 Jul 2010 – Why the two politicians have not enjoyed the rapport of their predecessors Binyamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama, who took office within a month of each other, have not enjoyed the warm rapport felt between many of…
Israeli soldier charged with manslaughter during Gaza offensive
The Guardian 6 Jul 2010 – Unnamed staff sergeant indicted in connection with killing of two Palestinian women during 2008-09 Israeli Defence Force operation An Israeli soldier was today charged with manslaughter during the 2008-09 offensive in Gaza — a move that…
Israeli soldiers face punishment for dancing while on Hebron patrol
The Guardian 6 Jul 2010 – Defence force condemns troops’ breakout into Macarena caper which went viral on YouTube Six Israeli soldiers face possible disciplinary action after being filmed performing a dance routine while patrolling the Palestinian city of Hebron. The video…
Obama and Netanyahu in Washington talks
The Guardian 6 Jul 2010 – Meeting seen as a test of whether two leaders can overcome recent tensions and restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks Barack Obama will meet the Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the fifth time today at the start…
Settlements are a blockade to peace | Seth Freedman
The Guardian 6 Jul 2010 – No Israeli words can speak as loudly as the action of a large-scale pull-out from illegal West Bank settlements There are plenty of thorns in the side of the peace process, but none as sharp and…
Statement by EU HR Ashton on announcement by Israel about Gaza blockade
Relief Web 6 Jul 2010 – Source: European Union
Syria: Sewing talent helps send family to university
Relief Web 6 Jul 2010 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
OPT: Ging lauds humanitarian efforts of Saudi Campaign
Relief Web 6 Jul 2010 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
West Bank and Gaza: Emergency Service Support Project III Additional Financing II
Relief Web 6 Jul 2010 – Source: World Bank
July 9 – Popular resistance marks 6th anniversary of ICJ decision
Stop The Wall – July 9 marks the sixth anniversary of the ruling of the International Court of Justice on the ilegality of the Wall. As part of a broader organizing committee to mark the anniversary, Stop the Wall is organizing a series of events to denounce Wall’s continuous expansion. See the full program here. [
Soldier to be indicted for Gaza deaths
YNet News – Worst criminal case from Gaza offensive comes to head as Givati Brigade soldier….
IDF chief: Military ties with Turkey intact
YNet News – Despite growing tension between Israel, Turkey, Ashkenazi says dialogue between….
Iran: Willing to renew nuke talks in Sept.
YNet News – Nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili demands EU clarify whether talks on Tehran’s….
Soldiers’ dance in Hebron may mean trouble
YNet News – (Video) Controversial dance routine performed by soldiers on duty in Hebron….
Iran says planes are getting fuel
YNet News – Despite Monday’s reports to contrary, Iran says planes not being blocked from….
Abbas wants more ‘trust-building’ steps
YNet News – The Palestinian Authority was following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Barack Obama Tuesday, and officials expressed hope that the latter …….
Obama: Israel serious about peace
YNet News – WASHINGTON – Netanyahu convinces Obama Israel is serious: Israel “wants peace” and is serious about its intentions to move forward to direct negotiations with the …….
Shoah survivors slam Warsaw Ghetto vandal
YNet News – Holocaust survivors living in Israel are fuming over the graffiti slogans sprayed on the walls of Warsaw Ghetto by left wing activist Yonatan Shapira on Sunday. …….
Israel to file 2nd Goldstone response
YNet News – Israel plans to hand over to the United Nations an additional response to the Goldstone Report on Operation Cast Lead. In this second report, Israel will present its …….
Turkey’s president says Israel acting irrationally
YNet News – Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday that divisions within Israel’s coalition were stopping the Jewish state repairing relations ruined by the storming of a …….
New report: By Hook and by Crook
B’tselem 4 Jul 2010 – Today (6 July 2010), B’Tselem is publishing By Hook and by Crook: a report which analyzes the mechanisms used to gain Israeli control of land in the West Bank for building the settlements, is based on official state reports and documents. According to thegram FilesQuickTimeQTSystem
Israel Reviewing History of Arms Sales to Turkey
The Media Line 6 Jul 2010 – Concerns arise in Tel Aviv sensitive know-how may have been transferred by Ankara to Syria and Iran. Israeli defense officials are concerned that sophisticated defense know-how sold to Turkey has made its way to enemy states…
Iranian Aviation Hit by Sanctions
The Media Line 5 Jul 2010 – Aircraft flying the Iranian flag are reportedly being denied fuel in airports around the world as the latest round of unilateral U.S. sanctions aimed at persuading Tehran to abide by international nuclear policies come into effect….
Israel Eases Blockade; Releases List of Banned Items
The Media Line 5 Jul 2010 – In a reversal of policy forced by intense international pressure, Israel has significantly eased its rules for determining what is or is not allowed to enter the Gaza Strip. Instead of maintaining list of allowed products,…
Lebanese P.M.; Egyptian President Discuss Resolution 1701 After UNIFIL Attacked
The Media Line 5 Jul 2010 – Lebanese Prime Minister Sa’ad Al-Hariri met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at Mubarak’s Paris resident on Monday, ostensibly to discuss the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbullah…
Obama and Netanyahu promise to pursue Mideast peace talks
LA Times 7 Jul 2010 – Putting the rocky start to their relationship behind them, they emphasize their nations’ ties in a meeting at the White House. President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to put the bad start to their relationship behind them and pledged Tuesday to work together toward face-to-face peace talks in the Middle East.
Shiite Muslim cleric mourned in Lebanon
LA Times 6 Jul 2010 – Tens of thousands turn out in Beirut to mark the death of Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, a former spiritual mentor to Hezbollah who later clashed with the militant group. Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs to honor a leading Shiite Muslim cleric whose death could trigger a battle over his legacy and the ideological direction of Lebanon’s largest community.
Israel releases revised list of items banned from Gaza
LA Times 6 Jul 2010 – Most food and household goods are permitted, but critics say vital supplies are still blocked. The shift is part of an effort by Netanyahu to smooth the way for his White House visit Tuesday. As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embarked Monday on a fence-mending trip to the U.S., his government released a list of thousands of items that will continue to be banned or restricted from entering the Gaza Strip, including such basics as fertilizer and cement.
U.S. and Israel Shift Attention to Peace
New York Times 6 Jul 2010 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel told President Obama he would take “concrete steps” on talks with the Palestinians.
Indictments in Gaza War Are Announced
New York Times 6 Jul 2010 – Israel’s military announced disciplinary and legal action in the Gaza offensive as the prime minister visited Washington.
IDF Face New War Crimes Allegations: Children As Human Shields
Palestine Monitor – A new report issued today by human rights groups in Israel accuses the army of using human shields during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza last January. The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and Adalah have collected affidavits which reveal systemic, illegal practises. The use of…
The ‘Times’ finally covers settler funding in the US, but there is still much to tell
Mondoweiss – The New York Times has finally covered a story that has been sitting under its nose for years — the tax-exempt fund raising Israeli settlers are doing in the U.S . In an expansive article in today’s paper, three reporters combine to tell a familiar story of…
Memo to American Jews: Discover the Nakba
Mondoweiss – In today’s New York Times piece on how American charities are funding the settlement enterprise in Israel, Hadassah Marcus, the president of a group called the Central Fund of Israel , is quoted as saying that her group is “not a funnel. We’re trying to build a…
Oh no
Mondoweiss – From the White House transcript of Obama and Netanyahu’s press remarks today : PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: One final point, Mr. President — I want to thank you for reaffirming to me in private and now in public as you did the longstanding U.S. commitments to Israel on…
Russell: ‘on the verge of a major shift in thinking re Zionism’
Mondoweiss – Earlier today we mentioned another landmark piece, this time at Daily Beast , Thaddeus Russell’s assertion that it isn’t Arab anti-semitism, it’s Israel’s status as a “perpetual wartime state” that is creating problems in the Middle East. Russell even mentioned the killing of Bobby Kennedy as one…
Committee: Attack on minors in captivity evidence of Israel’s brutality
Sabr – [ 06/07/2010 – 05:26 PM ] GAZA, ( PIC )— The supreme national committee for support of prisoners stated that the Israeli prison authorities’ raid against Palestinian minors in the Megiddo prison is clear evidence of Israel’s “barbarism and aggressive policies towards prisoners, and its lack of respect…
Israel’s abuse of female prisoners on the rise
Sabr – [ 05/07/2010 – 03:40 PM ] NABLUS, ( PIC )— The International Tadhamun (Solidarity) Foundation for Human Rights revealed that a special Israeli unit spontaneously raided the cells of female inmates in the Damon prison and proceeded in a barbaric inspection operation a few days ago. Ahmed Beitawi,…
Israel allows Gazan prisoners to call their families
Sabr – Gaza, July 4, ( Pal Telegraph ) The Israeli occupation authorities Decided to allow prisoners of the Gaza Strip, to call their families about a month ago from the beginning of Ramadan and after negotiations and an appeal done by the leadership of the prisoners movement. The prisoners…
Detainees: Prison guards use dogs, sticks during night raids
Sabr – Ramallah — Ma’an — Palestinians detained in Israel’s Megido Prison reported a series of cell raids last week, with guards ransacking living areas in search of mobile phones, the PA Ministry of Detainees Affairs said Tuesday. A statement from the ministry said guards initiated the searches…
Thousands mourn cleric in Lebanon
BBC – Thousands attend the funeral in Beirut of Lebanon’s top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah.
EU imposes flight ban on Iran Air
BBC – Most Iran Air jets will be banned from flying to the EU because of safety concerns, the European Commission says.
Israeli sniper faces Gaza charges
BBC – The Israeli military is to charge an army sniper with killing a person during the 2008-09 Gaza offensive.
Iranian planes ‘not denied fuel’
BBC – Iran’s foreign ministry denies claims the country’s planes are being prevented from refuelling at some airports abroad.
E. Jerusalem Peace May Rest on the Future of 88 Houses
Antiwar.com – SILWAN, Occupied East Jerusalem — Frequent clashes and continuing tension in disputed East Jerusalem could portend a major outbreak of civil unrest, residents fear. Confrontations follow Israel’s acceleration of plans to demolish dozens of Palestinian homes. This could leave over a thousand Palestinians homeless. Furthermore, Israel…
A trip from Gaza to Eilat and back — by Omar Ghraieb
Sabbah report – By Omar Ghraieb* in Gaza | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz Under the hardships of living that camp in the small space of his modest bungalow, and hindered from providing a somewhat decent living to his seven little kids who depend on him like all children do…
Bibi Back at the White House — The Consistency of Israeli Duplicity Comes Ever More Clearly into Focus — by Jeff Gates
Sabbah report – By Jeff Gates* | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting the White House July 6th, it’s time to recall how Tel Aviv deceived Washington throughout the entirety of the U.S.-Israeli relationship. U.S. military leaders will be watching this meeting very closely, as…
To end the occupation, cripple Israeli banks — by Terry Crawford-Browne
Sabbah report – By Terry Crawford-Browne* | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz The international banking sanctions campaign in New York against apartheid South Africa during the 1980s is regarded as the most effective strategy in bringing about a nonviolent end to the country’s apartheid system. The campaign culminated in President…
(en) US, Pittsburgh, POG Anarchists journal, Steel City Revolt! Issue #4 April 2010 – Spring Update on the Landslide Community Farm Project
A-infos – Full Table of Contents: —— From the Editors —— Mission Statement —— Upcoming and Ongoing Events —— POG Update —— Cops Threatened by Soda Bottle: An Update on the Jordan Miles Case —— From Pittsburgh to Copenhagen: Capitalism isn’t Green —— The Landslide Community Farm Report:…
Articles
IDF objector sprays ’Free Gaza’ graffiti on Warsaw Ghetto wall
Anshel Pfeffer and Haaretz Service, Ha’aretz7/5/2010
A group of left-wing activists last week sprayed graffiti on remnants of a Warsaw Ghetto wall calling for all ghettos to be liberated.
One of the activists was conscientious objector Yonatan Shapira, an Israel Air Force pilot who authored the Pilot’s Letter — a 2003 statement signed by 27 Israeli pilots who publicly refused to fly missions over the Palestinian territories. Shapira was subsequently ousted from reserve duty and also lost his job as a commercial pilot.
Last week Shapira joined a group of Israeli, Palestinian and Polish activists at a demonstration near the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto, where they sprayed graffiti on one of the walls saying “Liberate all ghettos” in Hebrew and “Free Gaza and Palestine” in English.
The activists’ rally took place near the last fragment of the perimeter wall of the Ghetto. They also hung Palestinian flags from the wall.
Shapira on Monday defended his actions, saying, “The Holocaust cannot be appropriated only by Bibi [Benjamin Netanyahu], [Avigdor] Lieberman or anyone else in the Israeli government.
“My action is not controversial,” Shapira told Army Radio on Monday. “I am not saying there is a comparison with the monstrosity of Nazi death camps, but I am saying we must talk about the silence in Israel and the world when people are confined in a ghetto-like place.”
Shapira went on to call the Israeli public indifferent and said “we will do everything to wake it up, even spray graffiti on an abandoned ghetto wall.” more.. e-mail
Dangerous Crossroads in World History: Obama’s New Iran Sanctions: An Act of War
Shamus Cooke, Global Research7/4/2010
When the UN refused to agree to the severe sanctions that the U.S. wanted, Obama responded with typical Bush flair and went solo. The new U.S. sanctions against Iran — signed into law by Obama on July 1st — are an unmistakable act of war.
If fully enforced, Iran’s economy will be potentially destroyed. The New York Times outlines the central parts of the sanctions:
“The law signed by Mr. Obama imposes penalties on foreign entities that sell refined petroleum to Iran or assist Iran with its domestic refining capacity. It also requires that American and foreign businesses that seek contracts with the United States government certify that they do not engage in prohibited business with Iran.” (July 1, 2010).
Iran must import the majority of its oil from foreign corporations and nations, since it does not have the technology needed to refine the fuel that it pumps from its soil. By cutting this refined oil off, the U.S. will be causing massive, irreparable damage to the Iranian economy — equaling an act of war.
In fact, war against Japan in WWII was sparked by very similar circumstances. Franklin Delano Roosevelt spearheaded a series of sanctions against Japan, which included the Export Control Act, giving the President the power to prohibit the export of a variety of materials to Japan, including oil. This gave Roosevelt the legal stance he needed to implement an oil embargo, an obvious act of war. Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor simply brought the war out of the economic realm into the military sphere.
Iran is facing the exact same situation. Whereas the Obama Administration calmly portrays economic sanctions as “peaceful” solutions to political problems, they are anything but. The strategy here is to economically attack Iran until it responds militarily, giving the U.S. a fake moral high ground to “defend” itself, since the other side supposedly attacked first. more.. e-mail
Securing Palestinian Civil Rights in Lebanon
Dr. Franklin Lamb, Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp, Beirut, Pacific Free Press7/4/2010
If Palestinians are granted the right to work Lebanon wins: Part VI Securing Palestinian Civil Rights in Lebanon
Currently the vote to grant the right to work for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is too close to call as the most serious debate ever in Lebanon on this subject builds momentum. If last week’s refugee camps hero was the Druze MP Walid Jumblatt (please see Part V of this series) this week’s much admired za’im is the Sunni Muslim Prime Minister, Saad Hariri. The political sands in Parliament and the Cabinet continue to shift as regional powers weigh in and current vote pledges may not be reliable.
Handicapping the parliamentary vote to grant civil rights to Palestinian refugees, the MP votes needed to pass is 65 out of 128. As of July 2, 2010:
Firmly in favor: 13 / Firmly opposed: 16 / Leaning towards voting in favor: 41 / Leaning towards voting against: 58
A main argument that continues to be made by Members of Parliament who oppose granting civil rights to Lebanon’s Palestinians is that allowing them “privileges” (quotes mine) would lead to their naturalization and settlement (Tawtin). By this is meant that the refugees might get too comfortable in Lebanon and not want to return to Palestine. It’s a false but potent shibboleth as many academic and NGO studies and surveys have shown. Unfortunately it continues to resonate given Lebanon’s current political atmosphere, particularly in the more right wing Christian villages allied with the Lebanese Forces of Samir Geaga, the Lebanese Social Democratic Party (the Kataeb or Phalange movement) of the Gemayel family, the National Liberal Party of Dory Chamoun and their political allies including the Maronite Patriarchy and the American Embassy. — See also: Dr. Lamb’s other articles in this series more.. e-mail
Make Or Break Moment For Arab Unity Over Lebanon’s ’10th Class Citizens’
Palestine Monitor: 5 Jul 2010 – A debate is raging in the Lebanese government over new legislation that would grant civil rights to Palestinian refugees for the first time in 62 years. Key features of the historic bill, proposed by the Progressive Socialist Party, include the right to housing, employment, social security and hospital treatment. Shatila camp, Beirut The proposal has been greeted enthusiastically by human rights groups, who feel the 435,000 long term Palestinian refugees have been unfairly neglected by the state. Nadim Houry, director of Human Rights Watch in Beirut said “Lebanon has marginalised Palestinian refugees for too long and the parliament should seize this opportunity to turn the page and end discrimination against Palestinians.” UNRWA have reported deteriorating conditions in the 12 major camps across Lebanon with increasing unemployment, poverty and disease. Housing is crumbling and, in a scenario familiar to ‘Area C’ Palestinians in the West Bank, residents are denied the freedom…
Bibi Back at the White House
Palestine Chronicle: 6 Jul 2010 – By Jeff Gates With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting the White House July 6th, it’s time to recall how Tel Aviv deceived Washington throughout the entirety of the U.S.-Israeli relationship. U.S. military leaders will be watching this meeting very closely, as will the veterans community. For me, confirmation of Israel’s strategic duplicity came in a meeting with Harry McPherson who served as counsel and speechwriter for Lyndon B. Johnson. LBJ entered the Senate in 1948 with Louisiana Senator Russell Long for whom I served as counsel and speechwriter. At his law offices in Washington, Harry described his arrival in Tel Aviv the night that the 1967 War began. That war typifies the consistency of this ongoing deceit. He flew in the night before from Vietnam through Hong Kong. He knew on arrival that something was amiss because the airport lights were off. He checked into his hotel and was awakened…more
Fear or Apathy, We Are All To Blame
Palestine Chronicle: 6 Jul 2010 – By Tammy Obeidallah Over the years, I have lambasted the U.S. government, particularly in the area of foreign policy. Wars, copious amounts of taxpayer dollars in aid to an apartheid state, inherent racism and hypocrisy have provided endless fodder for constant criticism. Has that criticism been aimed at the right place? The motivations behind the aforementioned institutionalized evils are elementary: money, power and greed; however the real problem is much deeper. A government that—at least in principle—is supposed to be “for the people, by the people” must relinquish some of the responsibility for erroneous policy to the people. Whether we feel the need to acquiesce out of fear or out of apathy, we are equally culpable. The first great enemy to humanity is fear. It is fear that ultimately leads to racism, bigotry, hatred and any number of social ills. Those in power are well aware of this, and will…more
Letters from Palestine — Book Review
Palestine Chronicle: 6 Jul 2010 – By Jim Miles Letters from Palestine – Palestinians Speak Out about Their Lives, Their Country, and the power of Nonviolence. Kenneth Ring and Ghassan Abdullah. Wheatmark, Tucson, AZ, USA. 2010. Kenneth Ring’s writing on Palestine has already received just praise, as it is another in a series of recently published works that cry from the heart of Palestine. [1] And while I have read many other books on Palestine, “Letters from Palestine”, as with others that are set within a personal context, brings forth the undying hope and resilience of the Palestinian people in the face of severe hostility from Israel and a careless disregard from most of the western media and governments. What come through uniquely from this work is that of hope combined with youthfulness, that the Palestinian story will surely go on and on as long as there are Palestinians to relate it. The injustices perpetrated by…more
Ahmad Sa’adat: A Palestinian Prisoner of Conscience
Palestine Chronicle: 5 Jul 2010 – By Stephen Lendman He’s the 1967-founded Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (PFLP) General Secretary, one of thousands of Palestinian political prisoners, sentenced in 2002 to 30 years in prison “for a range of ‘security-related’ political offenses,’ ” including his prominence in a prohibited organization, a 1993 document stating that: “The strategic aim of the PFLP’s struggle alongside the other forces of the Palestinian revolution is to liberate Palestine from Zionist colonial occupation. The PFLP aims for the establishment of a democratic state on the entire Palestinian land, with its capital in Jerusalem. This state would guarantee legal rights and equality of opportunity to all citizens, without discrimination on the grounds of religion, sex, belief or color. It would oppose Zionism and imperialism and be oriented towards democratic unity with other Arab countries.” “Achieving this aim presupposes a radical solution for the Palestinian national cause and readiness to wage…more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
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