News
International Middle East Media Center
Haifa Mayor Calls For Turning Seized Turkish Ship Into Floating Hotel
IMEMC – 8 Jul 2010 – After Israel attacked the Turkish “Marmara” solidarity ship trying to send humanitarian and medical supplies to Gaza, and killed nine nonviolent activists before towing the ship to Haifa, Haifa mayor, Yona Yahav, presented a plan that aims at turning the ship into a floating hotel.
Israel Reveals Info On Hezbollah Training Sites
IMEMC – 8 Jul 2010 – The Israeli Army and National Security released on Wednesday photographs and maps reportedly illustrating the military activities and training sites for the Lebanon-based Hezbollah party.
Emirates ambassador wants Iranian nuclear sites destroyed
IMEMC – 8 Jul 2010 – The U.S. ambassador of the United Arab Emirates said that the short-term costs of a strike would outweigh the long-term benefits.
Israeli refuseniks paint ‘Free Gaza’ on Warsaw Ghetto
IMEMC – 8 Jul 2010 – In a demonstration in Poland, Israeli activists who refuse to serve in the military (refuseniks) painted the words ‘Free Gaza’ and ‘Liberate all the ghettos’ on the Wall of a Ghetto used to imprison Jews during World War II — a move which sparked disgust from the Holocaust Museum in Israel.
Israeli Army Conducts Limited Invasion In Southern Gaza
IMEMC – 8 Jul 2010 – A number of Israeli armored military vehicles carried a limited invasion on Thursday at dawn into an area close to the Kerem Shalom (Karem Abu Salem) Crossing, east of Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Neturei Karta Members Visit Jerusalem Protest Tent
IMEMC – 8 Jul 2010 – Members of the Neturei Karta religious Jewish organization that opposes Zionism visited the protest tent of Palestinian legislators from Jerusalem to show solidarity and express rejection to Israel’s intention to expel them from the city.
Recent Survey of Palestinians Reveals Opinions, Hopes, Frustrations
IMEMC – 8 Jul 2010 – A recent survey conducted in Gaza and the West Bank demonstrated that a slim majority supports direct talks with Israel and that most Palestinians want Marwan Barghouti to succeed current president Mahmoud Abbas.
Stop work orders handed down in Nablus village
7/8/2010 – Nablus – Ma’an – Israel’s Civil Administration handed down three stop work orders to residents in the Nablus village of Burqa on Tuesday, a Palestinian Authority official said. Ghassan Doughlas, who heads the northern West Bank settlement file, said the Israeli army accompanied Civil Administration staff to deliver the orders to Muhammad Hamed Hajjeh, Jamal Radi Seif….
Witnesses: Israeli forces raid Jericho
7/8/2010 – Jericho – Ma’an – An Israeli army patrol launched a series of raids in Jericho at noon Thursday, onlookers said. Four military vehicles entered the West Bank city and patrolled the central vegetable market, the city center and the Ein As-Sultan refugee camp, witnesses said. Palestinian Authority commander Khalid Abu Kamel condemned the incursion, which he said….
Transport ministry: No cars entering Gaza
7/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Gaza’s transport ministry has denied recent speculation that Israel will allow cars into Gaza. The ministry’s Hassen U’kasha said in a statement Thursday that despite rumors to the contrary, he had no information to suggest Israel would be allowing cars into the Strip. He added that the rumors, sparked by media reports of….
Israel arrests 2 fishermen off Gaza shore
7/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli forces arrested two fishermen off Gaza’s shore Thursday, witnesses said. Tamer Mohammad Zayed, 17, and Ammar As’ad As-Sultan, 18, were detained by Israeli naval forces while they were fishing off the coast of Beit Lahia, onlookers said. An Israeli military spokesman said the boat was operating beyond the permitted area, and Israeli….
PA official says settlers uproot trees in Nablus village
7/8/2010 – Nablus – Ma’an – Israeli citizens illegally residing in West Bank settlements uprooted several trees in the Luban As-Sharqiyya village in the northern West Bank district of Nablus on Wednesday evening, and attacked residents with stones, a Palestinian Authority official said. PA chief of settlement activity in the northern West Bank Ghassan Doughlas said dozens of settlers….
Palestinian workers say attacked with electric batons
7/8/2010 – Hebron – Ma’an – Four Palestinians said they were beaten with electric batons while they were at work inside Israel Wednesday, Ma’an’s correspondent reported. The construction workers, from Yatta, south of the West Bank city of Hebron, said they were attacked by five Israelis, who they identified as settlers, in the southern Israeli town of Masmiya. They….
Moussa: Proximity talks face comprehensive failure
7/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Arab League chief Amr Moussa said Thursday the US mediated Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks are facing “comprehensive failure.” Speaking in Cairo after a meeting with quartet envoy Tony Blair, Mousa told reporters “there is no progress in the proximity talks.” He added that it is impossible to move to direct talks until progress is….
PCHR calls on Abbas to overturn Gaza death sentence
7/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – The Palestinian Center for Human Rights said it was “gravely concerned” over the continued application of the death penalty in the occupied Palestinian territories on Wednesday after a Gaza court sentenced a man to death by hanging. The death sentence was issued on Tuesday by the Deir Al-Balah court of first instance against….
Avnery says PLC deportations ‘unacceptable injustice’
7/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Prominent Israeli peace activist Uri Avnery met with three Palestinian Legislative Council members from Jerusalem threatened with expulsion at the Red Cross headquarters in East Jerusalem on Wednesday.”This is an unacceptable injustice – no one should be expelled, anywhere!” a statement issued by Avnery read.”I would very much like to see Gilad….
Israel partially opens 2 Gaza crossings
7/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli authorities are expected to partially open two crossings into the Gaza Strip on Thursday for the transfer of aid, a Palestinian crossings official said. Raed Fattouh, the Palestinian liaison official, said approximately 140 to 150 truckloads of goods for the commercial and agricultural sectors will be allowed into Gaza through the Kerem….
UNIFEM chief to visit West Bank, Gaza
7/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – United Nations Development Fund for Women Executive Director Ines Alberdi will begin a four-day tour of Gaza and the West Bank Friday. Alberdi will meet with Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, UN peace envoy Robert Serry, women’s rights activists and representatives of the Palestinian Committee to Combat Violence Against Women, a statement said. The….
1 killed, 2 injured in brawl near Hebron
7/8/2010 – Hebron- Ma’an – An elderly man was killed and two were injured in a family fight Thursday in Su’eer near the West Bank city of Hebron. Palestinian security sources said that Ahmad Hasan Ash-Shaladah, 74, died when he was stabbed in the back with a sharp tool. Ibrahim Ash-Shaladah, 37, was also stabbed with a sharp….
Dancing soldiers to make educational sequel
7/9/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – Two commanders featured in an online video showing a group of soldiers dancing on duty will now make an educational video to prevent similar events in the future, Israeli press reported Thursday. The video, which has been viewed more than a million times online and was shown on Israeli TV, shows six….
Netanyahu says direct talks ’soon’
7/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu told representatives of US Jewish organizations Wednesday that he believed direct negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli leaders would begin soon, Israeli media reported.”This is going to be a very, very tough negotiation,” the Israeli daily Haaretz quoted Netanyahu as saying, adding: “The sooner the better.””Direct negotiations….
In photos: Queen Nour attends film screening in Ramallah
7/8/2010 – Queen Nour, wife of the late King Hussein of Jordan, attends the premier screening of award-winning documentary Budrus at the Cultural Palace in Ramallah on 8 July 2010. The feature documentary portrays the life of a Palestinian community organizer and his daughter who organized popular resistance movements against Israel’s construction of its separation wall in….
Greek delegation due in Gaza
7/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – A delegation of Greek organizations is due to meet the leadership of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Gaza Thursday. The left-wing delegation, headed by Dr George Kalmetross, will also meet representatives of civil society institutions, a DFLP statement said. The statement added that DFLP appreciates the solidarity of such….
Hamas: PA detained 4 affiliates across West Bank
7/8/2010 – Bethlehem – Ma’an – Hamas accused Palestinian Authority forces of detaining four party supporters across the West Bank, a statement issued Thursday read. The Islamist movement said PA Preventative Security Services carried out the detentions in the northern districts of Salfit, Nablus, and Hebron….
PA raises taxes on cigarettes
7/8/2010 – Nablus – Ma’an – The Palestinian Authority announced Thursday it will raises taxes on the price of cigarettes for the fourth time in two years, the general director of customs and excise said. Fuad Ash-Shubaki said officials have not determined the tax increase on imported cigarettes but that taxes on Palestinian manufactured cigarettes will go up from….
Hebron police detain 40 suspects across district
7/8/2010 – Hebron – Ma’an – Palestinian Authority police in the southern West Bank district of Hebron detained 40 suspects and impounded 20 unlicensed vehicles, a report issued Thursday read. Those detained were suspected of involvement in a range of misdemeanors and crimes, including verbal insults, assault, property damage and arson, the report read. The suspects were transferred to….
Gaza police detain 3 prison fugitives
7/8/2010 – Gaza – Ma’an – Gaza police officers detained three prisoners on Thursday who escaped from jail during Israel’s winter assault on the Strip between December 2008 and January 2009, a report read. The report said the detainees, identified only by the initials THF, MS, and WA, were transferred to the general prosecution to commence legal proceedings against….
Youth groups launch clean-up campaign of Jenin streets
7/8/2010 – Jenin – Ma’an – Summer camp councilors, youth ministry staff, and Palestinian Authority forces launched a volunteer campaign to help clear rubbish from the streets of the northern West Bank district of Jenin from rubbish on Thursday. Municipal officials, Fatah representatives, and PA police officers participated in the campaign, which aims to clear streets and public areas….
Netanyahu hints he won’t extend freeze
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Israeli PM suggests partial settlement building ban won’t be renewed Washington – Speaking at the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that a partial, temporary moratorium on…
Syria and France taking steps to ban niqab
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington — The Syrian government has barred all women who wear the face-veiling niqab from teaching, arguing the measure is needed to protect traditions of secularism and objective education, Emirate newspaper The National reported Thursday. “Education…
Secret Israeli army base exposed… on Facebook
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – 265 of Israel’s best soldiers may have been smart enough to serve at a top-secret base, but they weren’t smart enough to keep it off of Facebook. What did they do? They created a private Facebook…
WATCH: Protests meet Netanyahu in New York
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – By Jared Malsin New York – Some four hundred people held dueling protests for and against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he spoke the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Thursday. Anti-occupation activists…
Israel/Palestine team to play in World Cup tourney
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington – In the final days of the World Cup, some teams are just beginning to play. Football for Hope , the FIFA World Cup’s social change program, brings together 32 teams from all over the world…
Israeli military finds flaw in flotilla raid
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington — The Israeli military has released a draft report of its inquiry into the May 31 flotilla raid that left nine activists dead, finding fault with military coordination and government planning, Ynet News reported Thursday….
Rabbis endorse barring illegal immigrants from Tel Aviv
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington — Twenty-five Tel Aviv rabbis have endorsed a new campaign to keep undocumented immigrants out of the city, Ynet News Agency reported Thursday. Demonstrators gathered in 2009 to protest against the expulsion of undocumented immigrants,…
Moussa: Peace talks ‘failing’, no chance for direct talks
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington – Arab League chief Amr Moussa said proximity talks between Israeli and Palestinian leadership, facilitated by the US, are making no progress, the Associated Press reported Thursday. Arab League chief Amr Moussa speaks at the…
Report: Hamas wants meeting with Fatah
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Mashaal reached out through Egypt, Hamas advisor says Washington – Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal has informed Egyptian intelligence head Omar Suleiman that he is ready to meet with Fatah leaders, Chinese news service Xinhua reported…
Official: PA waiting for Israeli response following Fayyad meeting
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington – Israel has yet to respond to a number of confidence-building measures presented by Palestinian PM Salam Fayyad in his meeting with Ehud Barak, Palestinian Authority spokesman Ghassan al-Khatib said Thursday. Internal West Bank checkpoints…
Jenin cleans up for kids’ camp
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington — A new campaign was launched Thursday to clean up the streets and public spaces of Jenin, West Bank, making room for youth activities during the summer months, Ma’an News Agency reported . Fatah officials, summer…
Netanyahu claims direct talks imminent
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington – Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, in the US this week, promised Jewish leaders in New York Wednesday night that direct negotiations with the Palestinian Authority ” must begin right away ,” the Associated Press reported…
PA raises cigarette tax
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington — The tax on cigarettes for West Bank Palestinians has been raised once again, marking the fourth tax hike in two years, Ma’an News Agency reported Thursday. A Palestinian man rolling his own cigarette on…
Iran negotiator offers talks on nukes
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Washington – Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator Saed Jalili has suggested the European Union and Iran engage in nuclear talks in September, Reuters reported Thursday. Nuclear reactor model [Wikimedia Commons] Jalili sent a letter to Catherine Ashton,…
Night Beat: The Oil of Olay Summit
Palestine Note 8 Jul 2010 – Today in Palestine, Israel, the broader Middle East, and beyond: President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel hold a joint press availability in the Oval Office July 6, 2010. [White House Photo by…
Inside Israel’s ‘unspoken’ apartheid alliance
Palestine Note 7 Jul 2010 – By William McKeithen Washington — In his new book, “The Unspoken Alliance ,” author Sasha Polokow-Suransky excavates an important yet hushed relationship between two desperate and isolated powers: Israel and apartheid-era South Africa during the 70s…
Judaizing Jerusalem
Palestine Note 7 Jul 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,…
Shalit marchers hold final rally
AlJazeera 8 Jul 2010 – Supporters of seized soldier press Israeli PM to do more to secure his release.
Do we Have A Strategy for the Boycott War with Israel!
PNN – Fadi Abu Sada — PNN — we have waited for so long for the boycott campaigns of Israeli settlement products as well as the boycott of Palestinian workers to those settlements. Since…
Palestinian Premiere Of Budrus
PNN – PNN — Ramallah — this week the award winning movie by Brazilian filmmaker Julia Pacha about the Palestinian village Budrus was screened for the first time in the West Bank. The agricultural…
Netanyahu: Direct Negotiations Must Begin Right Away
PNN – Washington — PNN – (Palestinian — Israeli ) Direct negotiations must begin right away, and we think that they will,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. Jewish leaders on Wednesday Palestinians and Israelis…
MADA Report: Journalists Were Attacked by Israeli and Palestinian Forces
PNN – Palestinian Center for Development and Media freedoms issued its monthly report documenting violations committed against Palestinian Journalists during the month of June. The MADA report shows that serious violations were committed when…
Future Peace Negotiations, Varied Expectations
PNN – Washington – PNN — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. Jewish leadership on Wednesday, and said that direct Palestinian-Israeli talks would begin very soon , but admitted that they would be very,…
Thousands Missing Out On Education In Gaza
PNN – IRIN — PNN – Thousands of Palestinian refugee children in the Gaza Strip are unable to receive adequate education, according to UNRWA. About 39,000 child refugees in Gaza will not attend UNRWA…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (01-06 July 2010)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Likud, Kadima deny unity proposal
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jul 2010 – Alleged report named Livni head of Palestinian negotiation team.
Haredim protest, Margi mulls Jaffa dig bones
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jul 2010 – Motorcyclist badly hurt in collision with trash bin at Jerusalem demo.
PM: Peace plan possible by end of ’11
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jul 2010 – Netanyahu: We need Palestinian partnership; Obama woos on channel 2
Aviva Schalit:’Don’t abandon my son’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jul 2010 – Netanyahu to meet family; PM asks Bill Clinton to be envoy to Hamas.
‘4 years of hell is too much’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jul 2010 – Aviva Schalit calls to Netanyhau as 15,000 attend Jerusalem rally.
‘There are things we’ll never know’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jul 2010 – Top secret IDF base exposed on Facebook.
4,300-year-old tombs found in Egypt
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jul 2010 – Pyramid-era wall paintings unveiled behind false door.
‘Free Gilad, the 1,000 prisoners’
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jul 2010 – Noam Schalit speaks to Abu Ghosh notables; J’lem braces for march.
IDF names top Iranian in charge of Hizbullah
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jul 2010 – IDF says Revolutionary Guard overseeing Hizbullah operations on behalf of the Islamic Republic.
Aviva Shalit to Netanyahu: Don’t abandon my son
Ha’aretz – Shas minister Yishai joins march for abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, says Israel has ‘not done enough.’
Education Minister defends decision to penalize Israel professors who back boycott
Ha’aretz – After petitioned over matter by hundreds of academics, Sa’ar says: Supporters of boycott are harming academic freedom.
Three ultra-Orthodox men suspected of smuggling $1m worth of cocaine
Ha’aretz – Two Bnei Brak residents nabbed at airport upon landing from Brazil with 10.5 kilogram of cocaine, apparently commissioned by Kfar Chabad man.
Three Greenpeace activists arrested after commandeering African coal ship
Ha’aretz – Two Israelis and a German were trying to stop freighter from bringing cargo intended for new coal-fired power plant.
Netanyahu hints he won’t extend temporary settlement freeze
Ha’aretz – Speaking at Council of Foreign Relations in New York, PM says ‘I’m prepared to take risks.’
Counter Terrorism Bureau warns all Israelis traveling abroad
Ha’aretz – Bureau issues travel advisory warning of likely revenge attacks against Israelis by Iran or Hezbollah.
Obama: Israelis suspicious of me because my middle name is Hussein
Ha’aretz – U.S. president tells Channel 2 Israel is unlikely to attack Iran without coordinating with the U.S.
Israeli Arab strikes plea bargain over Hezbollah espionage charges
Ha’aretz – Omar Saeed was suspected along with another Israeli Arab, Ameer Makhoul, of establishing contact with Hezbollah agent and passing him information which could serve to benefit the enemy body., Senator…
Alleged Mossad agent may appeal extradition over Dubai hit
Ha’aretz – Poland agreed Wednesday to extradite to Germany Israeli man suspected of involvement in January assassination of Hamas official.
Netanyahu to visit ailing Mubarak on way back from U.S.
Ha’aretz – Netanyahu will update Mubarak on his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama and plans for holding direct negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.
Netanyahu to U.S. Jews: Direct Mideast talks will begin very soon
Ha’aretz – PM says future negotiations will be ‘very, very tough’; tells Larry King he’d sit with Hamas if it recognized Israel.
Poland to extradite alleged Mossad agent tied to Dubai killing
Ha’aretz – Extradition on less serious forgery charges allows Israel to avoid embarrassment of high-profile espionage trial, Polish sources tell Haaretz.
Israel conducts limited incursion in Gaza
7 Jul 2010 – Gaza , July 7, (Pal Telegraph) Several Israeli militant vehicles broke into the farms of citizens east of the town of “Beit Hanoun” in the northern Gaza Strip. According to eyewitnesses, four bulldozers, accompanied by four tanks penetrated a distance of 200 meters near the site of 16 amid heavy smoke to cover their advancement.
Israeli armed boats open fire at fishing boats in Rafah
7 Jul 2010 – Gaza, July 7, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) – Israeli armed boats shelled and opened fire today at Palestinian fishing boats in Rafah waters, local sources reported. Local sources reported that Israeli boats were chasing Palestinian boats and opened fire at them, no injuries were reported. Two days ago, Israeli armed boats opened fire at Gazan fishermen which injured Alam Baker while…
IOF troops escort bulldozers while damaging land, settlers uproot trees
Uruknet July 8, 2010 – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) advanced into eastern Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, at an early hour on Thursday while shooting indiscriminately at civilians’ homes in the vicinity of Karm Abu Salem crossing. Eyewitnesses said that the IOF soldiers were mounting three armored vehicles that accompanied two bulldozers 200 meters into Palestinian land adjacent to…
16-Year Old Palestinian Arrested, Fined After Being Shot By Settler
Uruknet July 8, 2010 – On June 3, an Israeli settler shot Ibrahim Al-Biss and his friend Moataz outside Al-Aroub camp. Three weeks later and only one week after the 16-year-old left the hospital, Israeli police detained the boy at Kiryat Arabat. After his father paid 1500 shekels to release him, the police served Ibrahim with a military court order…
Cosmetic Easing In Gaza Keeps Hope On The ’Banned’ List
Uruknet July 8, 2010 – As world leaders and mainstream news outlets sing the praises of Israel’s June 17 decision to ease its stranglehold blockade of the Gaza Strip, there is little prospect of change for Palestinians living under siege. Previously banned consumer items such as toys, newspapers, spices, and instant coffee are now passing through two of Gaza’s land…
Deteriorating Conditions for Israeli Arab Citizens
Uruknet July 8, 2010 – In April 2010, the Mossawa Advocacy Center for Arab Citizens in Israel published a report titled, “One Year for Israel’s New Government and the Arab Minority in Israel,” assessing the climate for Israeli Arabs – citizens comprising 20% of the population but none of the rights and protections afforded Jews. Mossawa calls them “a potentially…
IDF Face New War Crimes Allegations: Children As Human Shields
Uruknet July 7, 2010 – 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…
After U.S. Praise for Netanyahu’s “Restraint”, Israeli Journalist Amira Hass Asks Obama to Imagine Life as A Palestinian Under Occupation
Uruknet July 7, 2010 – Meeting at the White House, President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the “unbreakable” bond between Israel and the United States. Despite ongoing Israeli settlement expansion, roadblocks, closures and the attack on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla, Obama said he thinks Israel “has shown restraint.” The meeting came on the heels of a decision…
Israel has Pledged to Ease the Closure, What Now? A Situation Report on obstacles Facing Gaza Residents in Need of Medical Treatment, July 2010
Uruknet July 7, 2010 – The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967, together with the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel’s ongoing control over various aspects of life in Gaza even today, five years after the Disengagement, shows that it has maintained its responsibility as an occupying force to the rights…
Video: Family of Gaza war victims doubt Israeli justice
Uruknet July 7, 2010 – An Israeli soldier has been charged with manslaughter in an Israeli court for the deaths of two Palestinian women during Israe’s war on Gaza. Majda Abu Hajaj and her 64-year-old mother were shot dead while carrying white flags they made out of bed sheets near their homes after the Israeli army forced the women to…
PCHR Response to Publication of New Israeli List of Items Banned from Entry to Gaza
Uruknet July 7, 2010 – On Sunday, 4 July 2010 the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs published two lists, detailing items not permitted to enter the Gaza Strip and those used for construction, which may only be imported and utilized under the supervision of the United Nations. The response from the international community and diplomatic representatives, including the Quartet’s Envoy…
Israel’s Master Plan for JerusalemAddressing the Settlements
Uruknet July 7, 2010 – This time the Israelis have given Barack Obama plenty of notice. They announced a master plan to expand Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem a full week before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the president. So Obama wasn’t blindsided like Joe Biden, who was slapped in the face with a settlement expansion announcement…
Palestinians say Israeli PM’s call for direct talks is just a ploy
The National 8 Jul 2010 – Underlining the lack of progress, the PLO releases a document listing what it described as provocative Israeli measures taken during the span of the talks.
Netanyahu offers settlement talks
The National 8 Jul 2010 – The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is prepared to discuss right away the future of Jewish settlements if Palestinians entered into direct peace talks with Israel.
Tough Living Conditions in Susya Village, West Bank
WAFA – HEBRON, July 8, 2010 (WAFA)- I saw how disappointing it was for the children of Gaza not to be able to watch the FIFA World Cup 2010 games because of the electricity cuts (currently up to 16 hours
Finland Supports Children’s Summer Event in Gaza
WAFA – HELSINKI, July 8, 2010 (WAFA)- Finish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo
Israel: UN Set to Quiz Government on Violations of Right to Housing
WAFA – GENEVA, July 8, 2010 (WAFA)- Israel was today accused of serious human rights violations in the area of housing and access to water — including war crimes, said the Geneva-based Centre on Housing
Israel eases charges against alleged Hizbullah spy
Daily Star 8 Jul 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: An Arab-Israeli accused of passing information to Lebanon’s Hizbullah has cut a plea deal that will lessen the charge to working for an illegal organization, his lawyer said Thursday. Omar Saeed was initially accused,…
CNN sacks senior editor for ‘admiring’ late Fadlallah
Daily Star 8 Jul 2010 WASHINGTON: CNN has fired a senior editor for Mideast news after she published a Twitter message that said she respected the late Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, branded a terrorist by the US, American and UK media…
3 linked to Al-Qaeda arrested in Norway
Daily Star 8 Jul 2010 OSLO: Three men with links to Al-Qaeda and to foiled attacks in the US and UK were arrested Thursday suspected of planning acts of terror, Norwegian police and prosecutors said. “Three people suspected – of preparing…
Israelis arrest Greenpeace activists at sea
Daily Star 8 Jul 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israeli police Thursday briefly detained three activists who boarded a cargo ship transporting coal to a power station in southern Israel.”Three Greenpeace activists illegally boarded a South African boat at sea which was bringing…
Netanyahu pledges to address settlements if talks resume
Daily Star 8 Jul 2010 NEW YORK: Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu pledged late on Wednesday that the future of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank would be among the first issues to be negotiated if the Palestinians resume direct peace…
Turkey ‘entitled’ to act over flotilla raid
Daily Star 8 Jul 2010 LONDON: Turkey would be entitled to take any measure to protect its citizens’ rights if Israel fails to apologize or accept an international inquiry into its raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship, Turkey’s foreign minister said…
Ethiopia seeks to reassure Egypt over Nile waters
Daily Star 8 Jul 2010 ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia has reassured Egypt that a new pact it signed with four other countries on the sharing of water from the River Nile will not harm Egypt. Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda in…
Palestinians face being walled by Israeli security barrier
The Guardian 8 Jul 2010 – Al Walaja in the West Bank turned into an enclave despite residents’ protests Sixty-three-year-old Ahmed Bargouth sits in the shade of a walnut tree and contemplates the view before him. Across the valley is Jerusalem’s zoo,…
Gilad Shalit supporters urge his release ‘at any price’
The Guardian 8 Jul 2010 – Tens of thousands attend rally in Jerusalem after 12-day march across Israel for soldier held by Palestinian militants since 2006 Thousands of supporters of the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit gathered in a Jerusalem park tonight…
Gilad Shalit freedom march reaches Jerusalem
The Guardian 8 Jul 2010 – Tens of thousands expected at rally after 12-day march calling on Israel to secure release from Hamas with prisoner swap Tens of thousands of Israelis are expected to rally in a Jerusalem park later today at…
Israel threatens to expel Palestinian politicians from Jerusalem
The Guardian 8 Jul 2010 – Case of four men with affiliation to Hamas is first in which Israel has cited political grounds for expulsion from city Israeli authorities have threatened four Palestinian politicians with expulsion from Jerusalem because of their affiliation…
Human Rights Committee to hold its nintety-ninth session in Geneva from 12 to 30 July 2010
Relief Web 8 Jul 2010 – Source: UN Human Rights Committee
UNICEF oPt Monthly Update, June 2010
Relief Web 8 Jul 2010 – Source: UN Children’s Fund
oPt: Israeli Authorities Overseeing Permanently Staffed Checkpoints and Crossing Points – May 2010
Relief Web 8 Jul 2010 – Source: OCHA
Israel: UN set to quiz government on violations of right to housing and water
Relief Web 8 Jul 2010 – Source: COHRE
EGYPT: Corruption Watchdogs Bite Selectively
IPS Anti-corruption watchdogs have shown their teeth, but Egypt’s fat cats appear safe from prosecution as long as they stay in favour with the regime.
Top Fatah terrorist gets 2 life terms
YNet News – Military court sentences Naif Abbiyat, involved in murder of Israeli woman,….
Army inquiry slams flotilla raid’s planning
YNet News – IDF inquiry’s draft report on lethal flotilla raid does not single out any….
Shalit march reaches Jerusalem
YNet News – Thousands of marchers enter capital en route to downtown Jerusalem in show of….
British diplomat eulogizes Fadlallah
YNet News – In personal blog, Britain’s ambassador to Lebanon calls Hezbollah spiritual….
Jerusalem braces for Shalit march
YNet News – Police deploy in force, chaos expected; activists change street signs to ‘Gilad….
Greenpeace takes over coal shipment en route to Israel
YNet News – Environmental activists board deck of ship transporting coal from South Africa….
Netanyahu to CNN: I’m prepared to discuss future of settlements
YNet News – In interview with Larry King, PM calls on Abbas to ‘sit down in a room and begin….
CNN fires Mideast editor over Hezbollah tweet
YNet News – Octavia Nasr posted message in which she called deceased Lebanese cleric….
Leftists ‘assaulted’ on way to Shalit rally
YNet News – The Shalit family concluded their 12-day march from Mitzpe Hila to Jerusalem on Thursday, and held a rally in the capital’s Independence Park before heading to the …….
Obama delivers calming message to Israel
YNet News – US President Barack Obama gave an interview to Channel 2 Wednesday night in which he said his administration had provided Israel with more aid than any other before it. …….
Netanyahu: Peace possible within year
YNet News – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel would not extend a construction moratorium in the West Bank past September and that he believed a peace …….
Soldier charged with manslaughter ‘fired at feet first’
YNet News – An indictment has been filed against an IDF soldier who fought in Operation Cast Lead, charging him with manslaughter and conduct unbecoming in an incident in which a …….
Aviva Shalit: Bibi, don’t ignore us
YNet News – The mother of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show courage and secure the release of her son. In an emotional plea …….
Palestinian Information Center
Evil states remain evil, even if they excel in high-tech
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – Zionist Jews, self-absorbed and morally-blind as they are, ought to understand that technical advancement and military prowess are not a guarantee for the survival and longevity of a state.
IOF troops escort bulldozers while damaging land, settlers uproot trees
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – IOF troops advanced into eastern Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, at an early hour on Thursday while shooting indiscriminately at civilians’ homes in the vicinity of Karm Abu Salem crossing.
Hamas urges Siniora to end suffering of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – A delegation of Hamas met with Fouad Siniora and handed him a letter from the parliamentary bloc of Hamas asking him to work on improving the conditions of Palestinian refugees in the country.
Delegation of Neturei Karta visits Jerusalemite MPs tent
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – The Jewish group the Neturei Karta has declared solidarity with the Jerusalemite MPs threatened with deportation from their holy city.
Bardawil: Egyptian political siege of Hamas won’t serve reconciliation
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – Hamas MP Dr. Salah Al-Bardawil said that Cairo did not inform Hamas of a ban on entry and departure into and from Gaza Strip of Hamas cadres via Rafah crossing.
Ashton to visit impoverished Gaza soon
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – The European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy Catherine Ashton said she intends to visit the besieged Gaza Strip in the coming days.
IOF troops detain municipality chief, hold him in administrative detention
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – IOF detained Sheikh Hammad Al-Umla, the mayor of Beit Ola village, after breaking into his home at dawn Thursday then held him in administrative custody, without trial or charge.
Prisoners committee: Extending Issawi detention vengeful decision
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – The higher national committee for prisoners has charged that the Israeli occupation authority’s (IOA) continued detention of Palestinian female lawyer Shirin Issawi was a vengeful step.
US pledges nuclear cooperation with Israel
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – The US has conveyed to Israel a secret letter of guarantees by which Washington vows to cooperate with Tel Aviv in nuclear energy, the Israeli army radio said.
Osman: Israel’s decision to exile Jerusalemite officials is political
PIC 8 Jul 2010 – Ambassador of Egypt to the Palestinian Authority Yasser Osman stated that the issue of Jerusalemite officials threatened with eviction from Jerusalem is purely political and not related to law.
Syria Drowning in Debt
The Media Line 7 Jul 2010 – The Syrian trade deficit keeps growing as Forbes presents its list of richest monarchs. Syria continues sinking deeper into debt, as Gulf monarchs are also feeling the effects of the economic crisis. A report issued by…
U.N. General Assembly Cancels Gaza Flotilla Debate
The Media Line 7 Jul 2010 – The planned United Nations General Assembly session concerning the Gaza flotilla incident has been cancelled. It was originally called by Malaysia in an emergency sitting. But on Wednesday, the U.N. formally cancelled the debate without providing…
Speculation Israeli — Palestinian Talks Will Go Direct Boosted by Netanyahu
The Media Line 7 Jul 2010 – Wide speculation that the indirect talks being held under American mediation between Israel and the Palestinians will soon become direct talks was virtually confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Wednesday. Speaking to a group of…
Senator McCain Doesn’t Believe Israel is Planning Strike on Iran
The Media Line 7 Jul 2010 – Appearing at a news conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Az) told reporters that he does not believe Israel is planning a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. McCain made his comments after…
World Briefing | Middle East: Israel: Gaza Flotilla Ships to Be Held
New York Times 8 Jul 2010 – Israel will hold on to the six ships from the international flotilla that sought to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, at least until it completes its investigation into a deadly raid on one vessel.
Cosmetic Easing In Gaza Keeps Hope On The ‘Banned’ List
Palestine Monitor – As world leaders and mainstream news outlets sing the praises of Israel’s June 17 decision to ease its stranglehold blockade of the Gaza Strip, there is little prospect of change for Palestinians living under siege. Previously banned consumer items such as toys, newspapers, spices, and instant…
16-Year Old Arrested, Fined After Being Shot By Settler
Palestine Monitor – On June 3, an Israeli settler shot Ibrahim Al-Biss and his friend Moataz outside Al-Aroub camp. Three weeks later and only one week after the 16-year-old left the hospital, Israeli police detained the boy at Kiryat Arabat. After his father paid 1500 shekels to release him,…
JFK was first
Mondoweiss – Per Adam’s post earlier today about Obama saying he owed his Senate seat to Jewish support, an anonymous bookish friend supplied these quotes: Ben Gurion’s biographer, Michael Bar-Zohar, reported that Kennedy told Ben-Gurion in 1962: “I was elected by the votes of American Jews. I owe…
‚ÄòHaaretz’ says Obama caved because Netanyahu applied ‚Äòhidden pressure’ in Chicago
Mondoweiss – Writing about how Netanyahu fought back and gained the upper hand of Obama , Ari Shavit writes in Haaretz: After 18 wasted months during which Obama was the president who exerted pressure, he has become the president who embraces. Obama is embracing the State of Israel and…
Nasr firing is yet another shameful capitulation to the lobby
Mondoweiss – In the summer heat, America’s demonstrations of subservience to the Israel lobby are bidding to reach the parody level. First we have General David Petraeus writing panicked emails to neocon war promoter Max Boot to explain that he didn’t actually say that Israel-Palestine conflict caused strategic…
‘Birthright’ trip visits occupied Hebron, w/ nationalist tourguide celebrating ‘our right to the land’
Mondoweiss – Didi Remez broke the story a couple days ago . Now the Forward has followed it up with thorough reporting , saying the visit to Hebron was the only “birthright” trip of 750 in the last year to go to the Occupied Territories and seems to violate the…
Zionists rebuffed by Bay Area longshore workers
Mondoweiss – In the wake of last month’s historic protest at the port of Oakland, CA – a community picket line that was honored by longshore workers, resulting in a 24-hour delay in the unloading of an Israeli ship – Israel and its allies have been putting the…
Learn About Israeli Terrorism in this Video
Palestine Think Tank – Breaking YOU — a common saying which can be heard when somebody attacks a defenseless person. “Breaking YOU” were the only words uttered by dozens of defenseless women who were crying and screaming in their homes in Hebron, when dozens of IDF soldiers terrorized them in…
Shadi Alhaj — WhiteFlag or WhiteFlag Project ?!
Palestine Think Tank – Is it possible for Israeli musicians to work together with Palestinian musicians? Apparently it is, and it might even earn points that paint the Israeli musicians, who suffer none of the hardships that their Palestinian counterparts do, as great humanitarians working towards peace and equality. But,…
Ghassan Kanafani — anniversary of his assassination — gone, but NOT forgotten!
Palestine Think Tank – Today we commemorate the anniversary of the assassination of one of Palestine’s great modern heroes. Ghassan Kanafani, unlike some other equally great Palestinian intellectuals, is somewhat lesser known. At the moment, exploring the reasons we will leave to the side, though we do want to investigate…
Yvonne Ridley — Why Tony Blair is the Most Useless Peace Envoy on the Planet
Palestine Think Tank – The so-called Middle East Peace Envoy Tony Blair certainly does not want to see any more flotillas sailing for Gaza. It’s not because he lies awake at night thinking about the deaths of those innocent humanitarian activists. No, Blair is afraid – very afraid – that…
ANOTHER SELF HATING JEW
Irish4Palestine – Israels constant aggression, murdering and refusal to respect international laws is creating more “Self Hating Jews” here’s the latest hero to join the ranks for justice:link Jewish actor Dustin Hoffman halted arrangements to attend the Jerusalem Film Festival in the wake of the Gaza flotilla clash,…
Shalit march reaches Jerusalem
BBC – Thousands of Israelis demanding a deal to free captured soldier Gilad Shalit arrive in Jerusalem after a 12-day march.
Call to end settlement tax breaks
BBC – The Palestinian Authority calls on President Obama to end tax breaks on US donations to Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Poland to extradite Mossad ‘agent’
BBC – An Israeli allegedly linked to the killing of a Hamas operative in Dubai can be extradited to Germany, a Polish court rules.
These Explosions Are Saviors
Antiwar.com – GAZA CITY — At precisely 12 noon on a Thursday afternoon, among the rolling sandy hills in southern Gaza, a controlled explosion destroys another round of white phosphorous shells left in Gaza following the 2008-2009 Israeli war on Gaza. Explosives experts from the Mines Advisory Group (…
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…
Articles
Disloyalty on the part of the occupied
Amira Hass, Ha’aretz7/7/2010
The inhabitants of East Jerusalem did not decide to “come” to Israel; it is Israel that “came” to them.
Were it not for Mohammed Abu Tir’s red beard, this would perhaps be only a marginal news item: Israel is working to expel four Palestinian residents of Jerusalem affiliated with Hamas from the city of their birth. By Amira Hass
Were it not for Mohammed Abu Tir’s red beard, this would perhaps be only a marginal news item: Israel is working to expel four Palestinian residents of Jerusalem affiliated with Hamas from the city of their birth.
There are those who see this expulsion as demonstrating a proud national stance, but it is already turning out to be a political boomerang. Abu Tir is under arrest, because he did not leave Jerusalem on June 19. His colleagues – Khaled Abu Arafa, formerly the Jerusalem affairs minister in Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s government, and Ahmed Atun and Mohammed Totah, both members of the Palestinian Legislative Council on behalf of an Islamic list identified with Hamas – have moved into the Red Cross office in East Jerusalem.
Four years ago, then-interior minister Roni Bar-On (Kadima ) revoked their status as Jerusalem residents on the grounds that they had violated their minimal obligation of loyalty to the state of Israel, its citizens and its residents. After that, they were arrested, released and defined as illegals obligated to depart from “Israel’s borders.”
Since the end of 1995, the Interior Ministry – headed first by Haim Ramon (Labor ) and subsequently by Eliyahu Suissa (Shas ) – has pursued a policy of mass revocation of residency (with a brief hiatus under Natan Sharansky of Yisrael B’Aliyah, and even that only after an intense public struggle). more.. e-mail
Video Interview: Apartheid South Africa’s Secret Relationship with Israel
Dr. Sasha Polakow-Suransky, Palestine Center 7/6/2010
Edited Transcript of Remarks by Dr. Sasha Polakow-Suransky
Thank you for having me, Yousef [Munayyer], and thank you all for coming out on a day when it’s over 100 degrees. I know it wasn’t easy. I’m going to talk a little about the research that went into this book and where my interest in the topic came from. Then I’ll give you a short overview of some of the key points in the book and then we can talk a little bit about the contemporary analogy, Israel’s isolation today and also the question of ideology and how that played into this relationship over the years. This is something that Yousef mentioned in his review of the book, on the Palestine Center website, and it is an interesting historical debate over the extent to which ideology is part of this relationship.
So let me begin by telling you a little bit about how I got into this topic. My parents are South African Jews. I’m the only person in the family who was born in this country. It’s always been a topic that was mentioned around the dinner table but it’s not something that people in my family, or anyone for that matter, ever really had strong evidence about. It’s something that activists throughout the seventies and eighties and journalists, during those years, wrote about. It’s something that everyone always suspected was going on, but there was never any hard, documentary evidence of the extent of the relationship, the amount of money that was involved and the role which certain key individuals, people like Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, played in setting up the relationship, because the documents were never available in Israel, and until recently, they were not available in South Africa either. So what I set out to do when I started my doctoral research at Oxford [University] in 2003 was to unearth these documents and to see what I could actually find and what I could actually prove with hard evidence from the archives in South Africa. I quickly found out that I wasn’t going to get anything in print in Israel. This is a very sensitive topic. It remains a very sensitive topic today…. — See also: Videomore.. e-mail
The black kites of Palestine
Lynn Jones, Ma’an News Agency7/8/2010
Most kids love kites. There’s just something about those colorful swooping colors, long, trailing ribbons, and the sensation of controlling a thing that can soar high above it all.
The kids here in the West Bank love their kites too, just as much as any other child in the world. I watch them sometimes, holding the string, eyes trained aloft, an open-mouthed smile plastered on their sun-darkened faces.
Like all kids, their imaginations take them up with those kites, and I know that while they fly them they, too, are up there—free. Still, I must tell you that the kites are different here in a way that is quite striking to the outsider, a difference that sets them apart from the ones kids fly back home in America. You see, here the kites are black.
Most people don’t know that the Holy Land is a windy place. That the wind courses in from the shores of the Mediterranean and over the low hills, scrubbing the stones white, rustling through the olive trees, and whistling through the cracks in the windows—begging to lift aloft the dreams of the blessed, cursed souls who must live here.
Without a doubt, the wind in Gaza is stronger than the West Bank; maybe because it must work so much harder to keep dreams in the sky. But the kids in the West Bank need a certain strength too. Sure, there is no official siege on Bethlehem, Hebron or Ramallah, and for the most part, West Bank kids sleep without the images of carnage burnt into the memories, and in some cases, the bodies of Gaza’s children.
But West Bank kids have their own bitter reminders of occupation: raids and curfews, tear gas grenades that come crashing through bedroom windows, and soldiers—sometimes not much older than kids, themselves—who stop them from reaching their schools, hospitals, family members and friends…. more.. e-mail
Unexploded ordnance poses deadly threat in Gaza
Electronic Intifada: 8 Jul 2010 – GAZA CITY, occupied Gaza Strip (IPS) – More than a year after the Israeli attacks on Gaza, the risk of unexploded ordnance poses as real a threat as the fresh bombings.
Cosmetic Easing In Gaza Keeps Hope On The ‘Banned’ List
Palestine Monitor: 8 Jul 2010 – As world leaders and mainstream news outlets sing the praises of Israel’s June 17 decision to ease its stranglehold blockade of the Gaza Strip, there is little prospect of change for Palestinians living under siege. Previously banned consumer items such as toys, newspapers, spices, and instant coffee are now passing through two of Gaza’s land border crossings, but the seaports remain tightly closed, all exports are still prohibited, and there is no sign of much-needed construction material. Written by Michael Carpenter. Nevertheless, after Tuesday’s top-level meeting between United States and Israel, President Obama commended Prime Minister Netanyahu on the Gaza decision, claiming “We’ve seen real progress on the ground [and] it has moved more quickly and more effectively than many people anticipated.” Similarly, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Quartet’s special envoy to the Middle East, trumpeted the move as “a significant milestone” and predicted a “dramatic influence on…
16-Year Old Arrested, Fined After Being Shot By Settler
Palestine Monitor: 8 Jul 2010 – On June 3, an Israeli settler shot Ibrahim Al-Biss and his friend Moataz outside Al-Aroub camp. Three weeks later and only one week after the 16-year-old left the hospital, Israeli police detained the boy at Kiryat Arabat. After his father paid 1500 shekels to release him, the police served Ibrahim with a military court order. Written and photographed by Kara Newhouse. 16-year old Ibrahim Al-Biss with his younger sister Yara. “I still don’t believe it’s real,” Ibrahim said of the arrest. In the hospital after being shot he had told me that he felt the violent experience was just a dream. On June 6, after encouragement from Israeli police, Ibrahim’s father, Muhammad Al-Biss, filed a complaint about his son’s shooting. Israeli law requires the police to investigate the incident. The family claim without police advice they would have dropped the matter, but they followed it to their cost. On June…
America and Israel’s Show Must Go On
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Jul 2010 – By James Gundun, Washington D.C. Credit them this skill – they’re good performers. Not great. Great is convincing. But a good performer abides by the cardinal rule of show business. The show must go on whether someone flubs their lines, trips, or passes out, and Israel and America have kept going through it all. Now will anyone believe their act? It quickly became clear after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s disastrous trip to the White House in May that a repeat performance wouldn’t occur. Netanyahu canceled his next visit after Israeli commandos raided the Freedom flotilla, justifiably allowing him to address the crisis at home – and conveniently avoid putting America in the position to advocate for Gazans. The script was postponed until Tuesday’s meeting with President Barack Obama. Nothing could stop such well-planned choreography. But with so much time to prepare and many disagreements left unresolved, the full-scale production…more
Lebanon Wins When Palestinians Granted Right to Work
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Jul 2010 – By Franklin Lamb — Beirut ‘These are humanitarian, social and ethical duties, and the Lebanese state must assume the responsibility of providing them to our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Lebanon will not dodge these duties, which must be crystal-clear, and not be subject to any misinterpretation. The international community has to bear also the responsibility that our Palestinian guests will have the right to go back to their homeland: Palestine, with Jerusalem as their capital.’ — Lebanon’s Premier Saad Hariri during the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee (LPDC) meeting at the Grand Serail, June 29, 2010 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, this week’s zaim is Hariri. The political sands in Parliament and the…more
U.S. Iranian Policy
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Jul 2010 – By Ron Forthofer The U.S. has long been concerned about Iran’s legal enrichment of uranium for civilian use based on the fear that the enrichment could lead to an Iranian nuclear weapons program. Recently released documents show that both the Ford and Carter administrations were worried about the possibility that Iran under the Shah might decide to develop a nuclear weapons program. An informative article by Muhammad Sahimi documents that the U.S. has long played up the mere possibility of an Iranian nuclear weapon, and the Bush administration turned the possibility into a crisis during this decade. Unfortunately, this crisis situation continues under the Obama administration. As Sahimi also pointed out, Israel and some Western nations also hyped the threat with dire predictions about when Iran would have nuclear weapons. For the past few years, Israel and the U.S. have threatened Iran with a military attack, possibly using nuclear weapons,…more
Cluster Bombs and Civilian Lives: Efficient Killing, Profits and Human Rights
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Jul 2010 – By Ramzy Baroud Cluster bombs are in the news again, thanks to a recent report from Amnesty International. The human rights agency has confirmed that 35 women and children were killed following the latest US attacks on an alleged al-Qaeda hideout in Yemen. Initially, there were attempts to bury the story, and Yemen officially denied that civilians were killed as a result of the December 17 attack on al-Majala in southern Yemen. However, it has been simply impossible to conceal what is now considered the largest loss of life in one single US attack in the country. If the civilian casualties were indeed a miscalculation on the part of the US military, there should no longer be any doubt about the fact that cluster munitions are far too dangerous a weapon to be utilized in war. And they certainly have no place whatsoever in civilian areas. The human casualties are…more
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The New Dark Age 
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