15 September, 2010 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Court Says Criminal Probe Into Fatal Shooting Of Two Palestinians “Unnecessary”
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Thursday September 16, 2010 – 03:01, The Israeli High Court Of Justice had decided that a petition demanding a full investigation into the fatal shooting of two Palestinians in Awarta village near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, is “unnecessary” as the Israeli army had already ordered an investigation.
One Palestinian Killed, Two Wounded in Rafah
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Thursday September 16, 2010 – 00:31, The Israeli Air Force fired a number of missiles at the “Tunnels Area” in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, killing one resident and wounding two others.
EU To Call On Israel To Halt Its Settlement Activities
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 15, 2010 – 22:43, During their Thursday meeting in Brussels, leaders of the European Union intend to call on the Israeli government to extend the temporary settlement freeze order so that the newly resumed direct peace talks can advance.
Political Arrests Continue in the West Bank
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 15, 2010 – 22:11, The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the continued arbitrary political arrests carried out by Palestinian security services in the West Bank targeting members of Hamas, who are subjected to detention and maltreatment in violation of the law.
PCHR Statement On Gaza Government Prevention Of Journalists Meeting
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 15, 2010 – 22:09, PCHR Condemns Intervention of Gaza Government to Prevent of a Meeting Between Journalists from Gaza and International Federation of Journalists’ Delegation in Ramallah
Britain’s biggest Trade Union reaffirm calls for Israel boycott
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 15, 2010 – 14:34, Britain’s trade union federation voted on Tuesday to continue its boycott of Israeli goods and services from West Bank settlements.
Mitchell Urges Israel Not To Resume Settlement Activities
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 15, 2010 – 10:28, American Middle East Envoy, George Mitchell, stated that the freeze on Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied West Bank must continue, and added that he realizes the issue is very politically sensitive.
Netanyahu, Abbas To Meet In Jerusalem
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 15, 2010 – 08:14, Direct Palestinian-Israeli talks will be resumed Wednesday by a meeting that brings together Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu; the meeting will be held at Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem.
Five Palestinians Wounded As Army Shells Gaza
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 15, 2010 – 06:08, Palestinian medical sources reported that Five Palestinians were wounded on Tuesday evening, two seriously, after the Israeli army fired artillery shells into an area near Gaza city.
Fundamentalist Jews Tear Quran Copies, Step On Them In Jerusalem
IMEMC – 15 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 15, 2010 – 04:56, A group of fundamentalist Jews tore copies of the Muslim holy Quran in Jaffa Street in West Jerusalem, and deliberately stepped on them.
Israel kills 1 in Gaza airstrike
9/15/2010 – RAFAH (Ma’an) — Medics said a Palestinian was killed and two others were injured during an Israeli air strike on the Rafah tunnel area shortly after 2 p. m. on Wednesday. Two missiles were fired on the tunnel located in the Brazil neighborhood south of Rafah, witnesses said. An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed the….
Center: Detainees beaten over cell phones
9/15/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Detainees Center said Wednesday that a special unit raided the Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank, beating detainees, a statement read. The center said the unit opened fire at prisoners and deployed tear-gas, with several younger detainees suffering respiratory problems as a result. According to the center’….
Settlers announce rally over Nablus tomb
9/15/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Settler community leaders announced Wednesday that a rally would be held Thursday evening demanding “open access” to the Nablus area, and in particular Joseph’s Tomb. Following violence precipitated by settler visits to the site – which saw Palestinian areas closed down or put under curfew – the area was closed off….
Gaza journalists call for IFJ visit
9/15/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Journalists in Gaza on Wednesday called for the head of the International Federation of Journalists to make an urgent visit to the Strip. An IFJ delegation is currently visiting the West Bank at the invitation of its affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate. Journalists in Gaza issued a statement after….
Rights group condemns 3 Gaza killings
9/15/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A rights group on Wednesday called on the international community to protect Palestinian civilians after Israeli forces killed three farmers Sunday in northern Gaza. On Sunday night Israeli forces fired shells at a 91-year-old man and two 16-year-olds as they grazed sheep in their land. Medical teams found….
Report: Projectile lands near Ashkelon
9/15/2010 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — The Israeli military told media outlets Wednesday morning that a projectile launched from Gaza landed near the Israeli city of Ashkelon before midnight, and two shells were later fired toward the western Negev. As of Wednesday morning, reports said, Israeli police had been unable to find the projectile. The….
Hamas: PA detained 60 affiliates
9/15/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas accused Palestinian Authority security forces Wednesday of detaining 60 party affiliates across the West Bank. In a statement, the Islamist movement said the PA had escalated its campaign against Hamas leaders and supporters. On Tuesday, Hamas reported that 65 of its West Bank affiliates were detained by PA forces, and….
Gaza maternity ward closed over ‘dispute with PA’
9/15/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A hospital in the northern Gaza Strip warned Wednesday that it was forced to shut down its maternity ward over an insurance dispute with the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry, a statement read. The Al-Awda Hospital in the Jabaliya area north of Gaza City said the move placed approximately 7,000 pregnant….
Single Gaza crossing operates
9/15/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The southernmost crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel will partially open on Wednesday, Israeli officials informed liaison officers, who noted a limited delivery of food and fuel was expected. In addition to between 230 and 240 truckloads of aid and commercial goods, Palestinian liaison officer Raed Fattouh told Ma….
2 detained from Beit Ummar
9/15/2010 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained two from the north Hebron district town of Beit Ummar on Wednesday morning, following two home raids, witnesses said. Palestine Solidarity Project spokesman Muhammad Ayyad Awad identified the two as 19-year-olds Amr Issa Abdul Khaliq Zakrawi and Nabil Mahmoud Salem Alami. He said they were taken to….
PLO: Direct talks agenda to top Jlem meeting
9/15/2010 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — A solid talks agenda will be the central focus for leaders meeting in Jerusalem, PLO Executive Committee member Yasser Abed Rabbo told Ma’an on Wednesday morning. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas, fresh off of a day of talks in Egypt’s resort town of….
Egypt: Drug smuggling to Israel thwarted
9/15/2010 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Egyptian authorities were able to thwart the attempt to smuggle large quantities of drugs into Israel on Tuesday night. Egyptian security sources said there were clashes between the security forces and the smugglers south of the Kerem Shalom crossing on the borders between Egypt and Israel. The sources said that….
Az-Zahhar says Palestinian negotiators ‘weak’
9/15/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Prominent Hamas leader Mahmoud Az-Zahhar described the Palestinian negotiating team as weak on Wednesday, a day after Israeli and Palestinian leaders met in Egypt for the second round of negotiations. In a statement issued, the Hamas leader said the negotiating team’s weakness was the result of President Mahmoud….
Report: US warns citizens against travel to Aqaba
9/15/2010 – AMMAN, Jordan (Ma’an) — American officials in Jordan warned citizens against travel to the Red Sea port of Aqaba, where projectiles fired from the Sinai in August landed, killing one, news wires reported Wednesday. The travel warning, according to The Associated Press and Reuters, will last 48 hours, and was put in place on….
Sources: No compromise on settlements
9/15/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — American mediators may step in and offer a solution to the settlements issue, an informed source told Ma’an on Wednesday. Citing what the source called precedents in the talks in both Washington and Egypt, the source said that on a growing number of occasions mediators had intervened during crisis….
Report: Abbas wishes for ‘eternal peace’ at Jlem talks
9/15/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas wrote that he hopes to achieve “eternal peace,” after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Jerusalem residence on Wednesday, Israeli media reported. According to Israeli news site Ynet, Abbas wrote the message in Netanyahu’s guest book, after meeting for the second day direct….
Civil servant union upset over govt austerity measures
9/15/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Secretary of the Union of Public Servants vowed to take action against a pre-Eid decision to drastically reduce the number of government-issued vehicles for public employees. Mu’een Einsawi said Wednesday morning that “the union will not stand with folded hands if the government insists on its decision,” saying the….
In photos: Nablus security building enters second phase
9/15/2010 – MaanImages / Rami Swidan – Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and European Union Representative Christian Berger lay the first stone at a ceremony marking the start of the second phase of construction of an $18. 55 million security compound in Nablus. The second phase will see the construction of seven buildings for the Palestinian National Security Forces, Ministry….
PA police seize drugs across West Bank
9/15/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority police confiscated narcotics across the West Bank on Wednesday and detained several residents suspected of drug dealing and narcotics possession, reports read. In the Hebron town of Deir Samit, police received information that two residents were in possession of narcotics. Police acted on the tip and detained the men….
Police: 4 arrested in Bethlehem for planting marijuana
9/15/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority police detained four residents in the southern West Bank district of Bethlehem on Wednesday, a report read. Police said officers were informed that marijuana was being planted in a home in Beit Jala, a Bethlehem town. Police arrived at the home and found 10 marijuana plants from the garden….
Thousands visit Qalqiliya zoo over Eid
9/15/2010 – QALQILIYA (Ma’an) — A record number of Palestinians visited the Qalqiliya zoo in the northern West Bank over the three-day Eid Al-Fitr holiday, zoo officials said Wednesday. Qalqiliya zoo director Wael Milhim said it received thousands of families during the holiday, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. New animals….
Jeff Goldberg defends Marty Peretz — But not that bigot, Helen Thomas
Palestine Note 15 Sep 2010 – Here is Jeff Goldberg citing with approval a defense of Martin Peretz by Andrew Sullivan. Sullivan basically argues that Peretz is a well-intentioned man who is nuts on the subject of Arabs and Muslims but is…
‚ÄòI voted’
Palestine Note 15 Sep 2010 – For many, September 14 was your regular Tuesday with its heavy work load. For others it was the day when minor elections were taking place in several US states. But for me it was a milestone….
Israeli jets hit Gaza tunnels
AlJazeera 15 Sep 2010 – Israeli missile kills one Palestinian after rocket and mortar fire from Gaza.
Israeli Dancer in a Palestinian Wedding!
PNN – Bethlehem — PNN/Exclusive — the Palestine News Network obtained on Wednesday a number of photos from a Palestinian wedding in Bethlehem city, southern West Bank. Most of them were normal wedding photos…
Israeli air raid target a tunnel at the Gaza-Egypt borders, one killed, two injured
PNN – Gaza — PNN – As Israeli and Palestinian leader meet on Wednesday in Jerusalem and Israeli air raid that targeted an underground tunnel at the Gaza-Egypt borders left one man killed and…
Secretary Clinton Starts Talks With Israeli Leaders; Says Tuesday Round Was Positive
PNN – Jerusalem — PNN – The U.S Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, started on Wednesday round of talks with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem. Clinton first meeting was with the Israeli President Shimon Peres,…
Report: Due To The Israeli Siege on Gaza, 40,000 Students Refused From UNRWA Schools
PNN – Gisha — PNN – Despite Israel’s promise to ease the closure of the Gaza Strip, the Gaza school year opened this week with a severe shortage of classrooms. The Legal Center For…
PM Fayyad and EU Representative Lay First Stone At14.3 Million Euro Nablus Security Compound
PNN – EU Press — PNN – Prime Minister Dr. Salam Fayyad and the European Union Representative, Mr. Christian Berger, on Tuesday, laid the first ceremonial stone to mark the start of the second…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (02-07 September 2010)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Netanyahu and Barak join long list of Hanegbi proponents
Jeruslalem Post 16 Sep 2010 – Court to hear testimony today on whether Kadima MK is guilty of moral turpitude that could bar him from politics.
New dome installed on Joseph’s Tomb
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – As renovation nearly complete Settlers call for return of permanent Jewish presence at Nablus site.
Controversy over Museum of Tolerance’s Mamilla location
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – Wiesenthal Center to spar with Palestinians at UN Human Rights Council over museum’s location; founder preparing a team of experts to rebut Palestinian allegations.
Jewish terms on new online sign language ‚Äòpictionary’
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – More than 700 sign patterns for Jewish terms, in the Israeli sign language will be on website by the Institute for the Advancement of Deaf Persons in Israel.
‘This is a strong indicator they believe peace is possible’
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – Mitchell says “Abbas and Netanyahu are tackling key issues” after holding talks with Netanyahu, Abbas and Clinton in Jerusalem.
Hamas shuts restaurant for letting woman smoke water pipe
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – Hotel restaurant ordered closed for three days; Hamas police deny ban violation is reason for closure.
Western-backed Lebanese faction slams Hizbullah
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – The alliance is struggling to maintain its political clout as Hizbullah and its patrons in Damascus gain strength in Lebanon.
Police: Terrorists fired phosphorus shells into Israel
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – At least 2 of the 9 mortar shells fired during the day contained phosphorus, police confirm; regional council head intends to inform UN of violation of Geneva Convention.
Beinisch slams gov’t for failing to eject settlers
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – High Court head says five illegally built structures in Beit El should have already been destroyed, settlers ejected in case filed by Yesh Din.
Hamas officials: IAF srike kills 1, injures 4 in Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – IDF does not confirm air strike; at least 12 projectiles fired at Gaza-belt communities in 24 hour period; attacks following Hamas threats to unleash a wave of terror in hopes of derailing peace talks.
Turks deny Turkel C’tee’s request to question Marmara capt.
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – Ankara refuses to help internal investigation of Gaza flotilla; emphasizes that incident isn’t over until Israel apologizes for raid.
Barrage of rockets, mortar shells from Gaza hits South
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – At least 12 projectiles fired at Gaza-belt communities in 24 hour period; attacks following Hamas threats to unleash a wave of terror in hopes of derailing peace talks.
6 mortar shells, multiple rockets fired from Gaza hit Negev
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – Attacks on southern Israel continue at escalated pace following Hamas threats to unleash a wave of terror in hopes of derailing peace talks.
Report: Iran to give Erdogan $25m. for re-election bid
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – Ahmadinejad strikes deal with Turkish PM amidst fears of Islamic reform among secular Turks, ‘Daily Telegraph’ reports. Turks deny deal exists.
Clinton: ‘This is the time, and these are the leaders’
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – After meeting with Peres in J’lem, US Secretary of State says Netanyahu, Abbas are serious about peace; she meets next with Lieberman, Barak before trilateral meeting with PM and Palestinian Authority president.
US extradites suspect in 1986 Tel Aviv murder to Israel
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – 56-year-old escaped to Jordan after allegedly killing woman he had romantic relations with; arrives in Israel after serving 8 years for fraud in US.
Rocket and mortar fire from Gaza continue amidst talks
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – 2 missiles, 2 mortar shells fall on southern Israel following clash between IDF and terrorists on border in which one Palestinian is killed. Increased terror activity comes after Hamas statement promising a wave of violence to derail peace talks.
‘Israelis unconcerned with rise in religious IDF officers’
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – Survey finds public not so bothered about growing number of IDF commanders and officers who stem from the national-religious camp.
Study finds link between considerate behavior and income
Jeruslalem Post 15 Sep 2010 – Being polite pays: Rudeness in government offices significantly higher here than in US, Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies finds.
International Solidarity Movement
Gaza deaths protest comes under heavy live fire from Israeli snipers
9/15/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – ISM Gaza – Over 100 rounds of live ammunition were fired at peaceful protesters in a Tuesday demonstration in the Gaza strip. The protest at the Erez border area near Beit Hanoun yesterday included Palestinian activists from the Local Initiative group, local residents and 4 members of the International Solidarity Movement who marched into the site….
Israeli soldiers raid Palestinian house in Hebron; one man arrested
9/15/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – At 21. 00 on 12 September 2010, the final day of the Islamic festival of `Eid al-Fitr, eight Israeli army jeeps and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) were observed leaving the Israeli-only apartheid roads in Hebron and crossing into the Palestinian Authority-controlled “H1” region. Five international activists followed the vehicles to their destination, a house in….
Night raids resume in Ni`lin; one Palestinian anti-wall activist arrested.
9/15/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – At 3 a. m. this morning the Israeli army entered the West Bank village of Ni`lin and arrested a Palestinian man, Barakat Nafi. This is the first house raid since before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan; there used to be one or two such raids every week. Soldiers came on foot and in jeeps….
High Court: Tax benefits are inequitable and discriminate against Arabs
Ha’aretz – High Court decision follows petition alleging that provision of substantial benefits without evident criteria contravenes the right to equality.
Elderly woman and son found dead in Tel Aviv apartment
Ha’aretz – Workers in a restaurant operating in the building called the police after noticing foul odor from the apartment. Neighbors report that they last saw the man on Monday.
Police hunt would-be assassins after car explodes in Ramat Gan
Ha’aretz – Early Wednesday morning, an explosive device detonated in the car of Mati Magen, a contractor known to police from previous attempts on his life.
Israel paid Spanish pornographic web site $3,000 to relinquish Twitter name
Ha’aretz – Account named ‘@Israel’ lay dormant after owner Israel Melendez discovered his racy posts invariably returned a stream of anti-Semitic comments.
Tel Aviv suburb sets speed limit for park cyclists
Ha’aretz – City of Ramat Gan placed speed-limit signs in National Park, after complaints from park visitors and joggers, whose encounters with cyclists have occasionally resulted in light injuries.
EU leaders to urge Israel: Renew settlement freeze
Ha’aretz – Summit draft calls settlements ‘illegal under international law’ and harmful to ongoing peace negotiations.
Hezbollah prints playing cards of top Israeli officials targeted for revenge
Ha’aretz – The militant group has vowed to avenge the 2008 assassination of one of its senior members, Imad Mughniyah.
IDF to open probe into shooting deaths of two Palestinian farmers in West Bank
Ha’aretz – State tells court family petition to investigate incident unnecessary, as probe into whether shooting was justified already scheduled to begin next month.
Foreign Ministry official: Malaysia considering petitioning Hague over Gaza blockade
Ha’aretz – Israel is aware of the reports and preparing itself for possible row at the International Court of Justice., Ankara says it has already interviewd captain of the Mavi Marmara as…
U.S. embassy in Jordan warns of terror threat in Aqaba
Ha’aretz – Embassy says it has received ‘credible’ information of a potential terrorist attack in the city.
IDF confirms Gaza militants fired phosphorous bombs at Israel
Ha’aretz – IAF strike kills Palestinian working in Gaza tunnel, after militants launched nine mortar shells and two Qassam rockets at Israel over course of day.
U.S. envoy: Israel, Palestinians tackling tough issues up front
Ha’aretz – The two leaders now holding their third meeting in two days; Israeli source says talks in Sharm yielded number of ideas for breakthrough in direct peace talks.
Israeli rights group: Probe IDF soldiers over deaths of Palestinian civilians
Ha’aretz – B’Tselem report concludes no IDF soldier has been indicted for such deaths over the last four years.
Sources: Palestinian killed by IDF fire on Gaza border
Ha’aretz – IDF troops reportedly return fire after being shot at by Palestinian militants in the northern Gaza Strip; gun battle occurs just two days after three Palestinians were killed by IDF…
Anti-Israel letters containing white powder sent to U.S., Spanish and Swedish embassies
Ha’aretz – The letters were written with a pro-Nazi slant and condemned Israeli policy in the West Bank; all employees who came into contact with the powder were put into isolation.
Extend the settlement freeze, U.S. urges Israel at Egypt summit
Ha’aretz – Aides to Netanyahu call day’s meetings ‘positive and productive’; U.S. peace envoy George Mitchell pushes Israel to keep peace process alive by agreeing to stretch moratorium on building in the…
East Jerusalem housing plans cast new shadow over Israel-Palestinian peace talks
Ha’aretz – As Israeli and Palestinian leaders wrap up Egypt summit already marred by row over West Bank settlements, Jerusalem council announces plan to debate building 1,362 housing units beyond Green Line.
Poll: Americans’ support for Israel up following restart of talks
Ha’aretz – Fifty-eight percent of U.S. citizens polled think America should back Israel — up 7 percent since July.
Palestinian ‘all or nothing’ strategy paralyzing peace talks, Israeli officials warn
Ha’aretz – As leaders gather Egypt for a second round of negotiations, sides seem no closer to a compromise on West Bank settlements.
Terror In The Village That Became A Minefield
Uruknet September 15, 2010 – For many villages in Area C, landmines have become a regular feature of daily life. Israeli military training zones occupy nearly 30% of the land, often based around civilian areas, leaving unexploded ordnance (UXO) that cause horrific injuries to local residents. We spent a few days with the victims to see how they live with…
One hundred guards for 1,200 archaeological sites in southern Iraqi province
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – Smuggling and illegal digging of ancient Mesopotamian sites is going on uninterrupted in the southern Iraqi Province of Dhi Qar, Iraq’s richest in archaeological treasures, according to the provincial antiquities chief. Archaeologist Amer Abdulrazzaq says he is given the task of looking after 1,200 archaeologically significant sites in the province and he only has 100…
Campaigns of Political Arrests Continue in the West Bank; Detainees Include a Woman and Two Human Rights Defenders
Uruknet September 15, 2010 – The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the continued arbitrary political arrests carried out by Palestinian security services in the West Bank targeting members of Hamas, who are subjected to detention and maltreatment in violation of the law. The latest arrest wave, which is part of an arbitrary arrest campaign against members of Hamas…
Two steps back for Palestinians in Lebanon
Uruknet September 15, 2010 – Everyone here works without a permit,” said Mohammed Khalife. “Being legal and having a work permit is the strange thing, not the other way around.” Khalife, a 26-year-old Palestinian refugee who lives in the Lebanese capital of Beirut’s Shatila refugee camp and works outside the camp in construction, explained that the majority of his peers…
Israel kills 1 in Gaza airstrike
Uruknet September 15, 2010 – Medics said a Palestinian was killed and two others were injured during an Israeli air strike on the Rafah tunnel area shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Two missiles were fired on the tunnel located in the Brazil neighborhood south of Rafah, witnesses said. An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed the strike, saying it targeted a…
‘Our situation worsens every day’Palestinians in the West Bank’s Dheisheh refugee camp explain why they have little faith in the talks.
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – A second round of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are taking place under the auspices of Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Washington says it hopes the talks will lead to an agreement within a year. Al Jazeera asked Palestinians living in the…
Israeli troops assault Palestinian workers at West Bank checkpoint
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – Israeli soldiers stationed at Al Hamra military checkpoint in the Jordan Valley detained a group of Palestinian workers on Tuesday morning and assaulted them, a Palestinian media source reported. Nimir Sawaftah, one of the attacked workers, said soldiers beat him up with their rifle buts and batons; and was moved to a local hospital as…
Divided We Educate
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – A thin Palestinian boy, no older than ten, darts between the piles of garbage and the congested lines of traffic which converge at the Qalandia checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem. He pleads with bus drivers to allow him on their buses so he can sell chewing gum at a pittance. When nobody buys any gum…
US transfer of Iraqi prisoners: an ongoing war crime
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – A report released Monday by the London-based human rights organization Amnesty International documents the criminal treatment that is being meted out to Iraqis who were summarily rounded up by US occupation troops, imprisoned, and now, as part of the “end of the combat mission,” have been turned over to torturers employed by the US-backed Iraqi…
In Latest Crime, IOF Kill an Old Man and Two Children
Uruknet September 14 2010 – According to investigations conduced by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 16:45 on Sunday, 12 September 2010 (the third day of Eid al-Fitr), IOF stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast of Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip fired five shells towards a group…
Rachel Corrie Trial In Haifa
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – Seven and half years after their daughter was crushed by an armored bulldozer, Cindy and Craig Corrie stood in front of a courthouse in Haifa, Israel. Far from home, they were surrounded by Israelis carrying signs of support in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. The Corries came for the truth of 16 March, 2003. “I’ve looked…
Academic research collaboration emboldens Israeli apartheid
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – In July, Donna Shalala, the president of the University of Miami and former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services during the Clinton administration, joined a 13-member delegation of American university presidents to Israel. The delegation’s main objective was to discuss opportunities for academic collaboration with Israeli universities and reciprocal exchange programs for student…
The war against Gaza continues
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – …The only human reaction to the story and the photos above is revulsion—then a search into causes. We all know where that leads. Better to head it off entirely: pretend the dead don’t exist, or if the story goes up tomorrow, print some IDF press release about militants preparing to attack Sderot. Re-read the above….
DESTROYING RIGHTS OF FREE CHOICE WITH RELIGIOUS DECREES
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – I often post about the Israelis turning back the ‘clocks of progress’, especially in regard to actions or statements from rabbinical ‘leaders’. It seems that sections of the Palestinian community are just as blind when it comes to religious freedoms…Hamas would serve its nation better if it concerned itself more with the reconstruction and unification…
2,000 new settlement units scheduled for the end of September
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – In a report published on Monday morning (13.09.2010), the Israeli group ‘Peace Now’ revealed Israeli plans to construct 13,000 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank. According to the group, the plan is due to come into effect at the end of September when the partial freeze on construction in settlements expires. Israeli authorities…
All That You Have Done: Colonialism, Ethnic Cleansing and the Web
Uruknet September 14, 2010 – Despite the current facade of yet another round of fake peace talks, the Israeli government and its professional apologists remain in a panic. Hardly a week passes by without complaint that Israel “is being isolated” or that it is facing a campaign of “delegitimization.” In February of this year the Reut Institute, an Israeli group-think…
West Bank settlers indignant over Obama’s pressure
The National 15 Sep 2010 – Residents in an isolated Israeli settlement of around 3,500 people are angry about the increasing pressure from Washington on Israel to extend a moratorium on settlement building.
Envoy Mitchell flies to Syria for talks with Assad
The National 15 Sep 2010 – The US special envoy George Mitchell arrives in Damascus today for talks with the Syrian president Bashar Assad.
Students meet Hamas and Hizbollah for education beyond the classroom
The National 15 Sep 2010 – Two-week summer programme in Damascus, run by a Beirut news translation service, offers a rapid immersion in Middle East politics.
Israel Military Policy not to Investigate Killings of Palestinians by Soldiers
WAFA – TEL AVIV, September 15, 2010 (WAFA)- Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territory (B’Tselem) protested Wednesday the sweeping classification of the situation in the Occupied
Due to Gaza Closure, 40,000 Students Deprived from UNRWA Schools
WAFA – TEL AVIV, September 15, 2010 (WAFA)- Despite Israel’s promise to ease the closure of the Gaza Strip, the Gaza school year opened this week with a severe shortage of classrooms, the Israeli human
Palestinian Children Deprived of Basic Rights to Education
WAFA – JERICHO, September 15, 2010 (WAFA)- The Minister of Education and Higher Education, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warned that
Israeli Media: Breeding Racism, Discrimination
WAFA – JERUSALEM, September 15, 2010 (WAFA)- The Israeli media continues to work around the clock, sending waves of propaganda filled with incitement and racism against the Palestinian people, their
West hits out at Iran over ban on atomic inspectors
Daily Star 15 Sep 2010
Clinton: Abbas, Netanyahu ‘getting down to business’
Daily Star 15 Sep 2010
Iran’s president demotes foreign policy envoys after rebuke from supreme leader
Daily Star 15 Sep 2010
US renews call for release of hikers detained in Tehran
Daily Star 15 Sep 2010
Security sources deny reports of fresh tensions on Blue Line
Daily Star 15 Sep 2010
New US ambassador to Lebanon confirms commitment to stability
Daily Star 15 Sep 2010
Middle East talks continue while Gaza militants and Israeli forces trade fire
The Guardian 15 Sep 2010 – Israeli military says eight mortars and one rocket landed, the highest daily total since March last year Palestinian militants launched mortar shells into Israel and Israeli jets bombed targets in Gaza just as Israeli and Palestinian…
Video: Hillary Clinton: Middle East peace talks ‘getting down to business’
The Guardian 15 Sep 2010 – Israeli and Palestinian leaders have been meeting in Jerusalem for the second day of Middle East peace talks Shimon Peres
Middle East peace talks ‘getting down to business’
The Guardian 15 Sep 2010 – Clinton remarks come ahead of day two — but she gives no clue to whether a resolution is any closer on Israeli settlements Israeli and Palestinian leaders are “getting down to business” and tackling the main…
Why I doubt Binyamin Netanyahu | Gilead Sher
The Guardian 15 Sep 2010 – Time is running out for the majority of Israelis who, like me, believe in a two-state solution Eleven years ago, on September 4 1999, the government of Israel, under Ehud Barak, and the PLO, under Yasser…
Political Arrests Continue in the West Bank
Relief Web 15 Sep 2010 – Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on follow-up to the report of the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (A/HRC/15/52)
Relief Web 15 Sep 2010 – Source: UN General Assembly, UN Human Rights Council
Void of Responsibility: Israel Military Policy not to investigate Killings of Palestinians by Soldiers
Relief Web 15 Sep 2010 – Source: Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
UNICEF oPt Monthly Update, August 2010
Relief Web 15 Sep 2010 – Source: UN Children’s Fund
Gaza attacks: Phosphorus bombs hit Israel
YNet News – Police confirm that two mortar shells fired Wednesday into Eshkol Regional….
Abbas, Bibi meet in Jerusalem
YNet News – Palestinian leader signs guestbook, says he hopes to bring ‘eternal peace’ to….
IDF investigates soldiers over Palestinian deaths
YNet News – Following problematic findings in debriefing, High Court petition, military….
South under attack; IDF strikes Gaza
YNet News – Casualties reported in Strip after Air Force bombs Palestinian tunnels in….
EU powers: Iran seeks to intimidate UN
YNet News – Iran’s refusal to fully cooperate with IAEA ‘troubling and reprehensible,’….
US issues Aqaba warning
YNet News – American embassy in Jordan cites ‘imminent threat,’ warns citizens to avoid port….
Report: Iran to fund Erdogan’s re-election campaign
YNet News – Daily Telegraph reports Iran to donate $25 million to Turkey’s ruling party….
J’lem okays subsidies that favor haredi schools
YNet News – New criteria schools must meet in order to receive funding were authorized by the Jerusalem Municipality on Wednesday, three weeks after they were initially drafted. …….
PM to Abbas: We’ll continue building in settlements
YNet News – During their meeting in Jerusalem Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that Israel plans to resume construction in the …….
EU to call on Israel to extend settlement halt
YNet News – European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday will call on Israel to extend a moratorium on settlement building in the occupied West Bank, according to a draft …….
Lebanese official accuses Hezbollah of planning coup
YNet News – Fares Soueid, a senior official in Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri’s “March 14” movement, accused Hezbollah on Wednesday of attempting a “coup d’etat.” …….
IDF chief: Next wars will not be easier
YNet News – “Whenever peace talks are conducted, there are those who wish to sabotage them,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said Wednesday. Speaking to hundreds of …….
Hezbollah prepares hit list to avenge Mughniyeh killing
YNet News – Hezbollah has prepared a deck of playing cards serving as a hit list of senior Israeli officials it holds responsible for the February 2008 assassination of senior member …….
Palestinian Information Center
Administrative detention of Hamas officials Nasif and Asfour extended
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – The international Tadamon foundation said that the Israeli military court of Ofer extended the administrative detention of Hamas leaders Ra’fat Nasif and Adnan Asfour for six months.
Palestinian killed, two wounded in Israeli air raid on Rafah
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – A Palestinian medical source said that one Palestinian was killed and two others were wounded Wednesday in an Israeli aerial attack on an area of tunnels in the Rafah border city.
PLC slams France for outlawing face cover
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) slammed a new law in France that bans women from wearing face covers in public places, saying, the law, which targets Muslim women, is unjust and racist.
Egyptian coastguards fire at Palestinian fishing boat
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – Egyptian coastguards opened fire at a Palestinian fishing boat that was fishing near the Egyptian marine borders on Wednesday morning, Palestinian fishermen said.
Prisoner released in exchange for Shalit video remains in solitary confinement
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – Linan Abu Ghalma, 28, has been kept in solitary confinement and exposed to other inhumane treatment in the Hasharon prison since her arrest two months back, human rights sources said Wednesday.
Nahshon unit storms Ofer prison cells
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – Israeli soldiers of the Nahshon military unit stormed the Ofer prison cells at a late hour on Tuesday night amidst firing of rubber bullets and teargas.
Baraka: Negotiations finish what Sharon started in Sabra-Shatila
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – Hamas political official in Lebanon Ali Baraka called on the PLO and other Arab supporters of the peace talks with Israel to recant their views.
Knesset committee recommends law set to arm more settlers
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – An Israeli Knesset interior committee recommended that Interior Minister and Internal Security Minister amend regulations for granting arms to Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Israeli authorities demolish four Palestinian homes in Negev
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – Israeli municipal authorities razed four Palestinian homes on Wednesday in the Negev villages of Fara’a, Tel Arad, Bani Yacaba and Al-Sayyad, local sources reported.
Hamdan calls on factions to unite against PA’s talks with Israel
PIC 15 Sep 2010 – Osama Hamdan urged the Palestinian factions to form one position against the direct talks conducted by the PA with Israelis and work together to re-build the current political reality.
Israel, Palestinians wrap up latest round of peace talks without announcing breakthrough
LA Times 16 Sep 2010 – A U.S. envoy says progress has been made on the settlement issue, though he gave no details. American officials say Obama’s personal intervention might be needed. Amid a sharp increase in militant attacks from the Gaza Strip, Israelis and Palestinians concluded their latest round of peace talks late Wednesday without announcing the hoped-for breakthrough in an impasse over Jewish settlement construction.
A symbol relegated to the fringe
LA Times 16 Sep 2010 – Arafat-style scarves are out of fashion among Palestinians. Most that are bought go to tourists ‚Äî and come from China. Yasser Arafat turned his trademark black-and-white head scarf into a symbol of Palestinian resistance and aspirations for statehood. But now, with relative peace and improving prosperity, the West Bank’s only kaffiyeh factory is struggling to survive.
Amid Shelling, Mideast Peace Talks Drag
New York Times 15 Sep 2010 – Negotiations involving the Palestinian Authority, Israel and the United States moved to Israel on Wednesday even as militants in Gaza offered unspoken commentary of their own.
World Briefing | Middle East: Iran: In Video, a Prisoner Says She Was Not Whipped
New York Times 15 Sep 2010 – A woman facing death by stoning after being convicted of adultery appeared on state television on Wednesday to say she had not been whipped or tortured.
AT-TUWANI: After a long struggle, At-Tuwani on the grid.
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine –
HEBRON: Israeli Military and Policemen Shut Three Palestinian Shops
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine – Israeli soldiers and police weld shut three Palestinian shops near a regular “Open Shuhada Street” demonstration site, leaving one injured, one expelled, four imprisoned (and thousands still under military occupation).
HEBRON REFLECTION: Shuhada Street: Keeping the quiet (when there’s no peace to be kept)
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine – Honest words between a soldier and peacemakers shed light on the difference between “keeping the peace” and making it.
Terror In The Village That Became A Minefield
Palestine Monitor – For many villages in Area C, landmines have become a regular feature of daily life. Israeli military training zones occupy nearly 30% of the land, often based around civilian areas, leaving unexploded ordnance (UXO) that cause horrific injuries to local residents. We spent a few days…
Israeli intel firm behind Pennsylvania’s ‚Äòterror’ bulletins on peace, environment, LGBT groups
Mondoweiss – The Institute of Terrorism Research and Response website. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has just ordered his state’s Homeland Security director to cancel a $125,000 contract with an outfit called the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response (ITRR). The Associated Press reports : HARRISBURG, Pa. – Information…
Duss 1, Oren 0
Mondoweiss – Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren has an op-ed in today’s Los Angeles Times responding to the Time magazine article last week on whether Israelis care about peace with the Palestinians or not. He uses the occasion to pretty much just repeat every Israeli cliche on the peace…
Due to Gaza closure, 40,000 students refused from UN schools
Mondoweiss – From Gisha : UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ) can’t meet enrollment demand because of ban on construction materials UNRWA needs to build 100 schools, none built since 2007 closure UNRWA schools have specialized curriculum on human rights…
Israel issues 16 demolition notices for Palestinian barns & greenhouses in the Jordan Valley
Mondoweiss – And other news from Today in Palestine: Land and Property Theft and Destruction/Ethnic Cleansing Report: New East Jerusalem housing plans TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Israeli city planners will in the coming weeks discuss a scheme to build over a thousand housing units beyond the Green…
Help Mondoweiss continue to grow — give a tax deductible donation today
Mondoweiss – Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to Mondoweiss through the Nation Institute. Mondoweiss is growing – we’ve had over 700,000 unique visitors and 1.2 million page views in the past three months alone. This traffic is being driven by our coverage of the stories that…
Yediot: Despite Berlusconi’s promises, Italy remains “an enthusiastic supporter of the Iranian economy”
Coteret 15 Sep 2010 – Paper sanctions Menahem Ganz, Yediot, September 14 2010 [page 19, Hebrew original here and at bottom of post] Rome ‚Äî Half a year after returning from a visit to Israel, in the course of which Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi promised to act to reduce the…
Mid-East talks ‘making progress’
BBC 15 Sep 2010 – Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have made progress on the issue of Jewish settlements, US envoy George Mitchell says.
Israeli-Palestinian Accommodation: A Circle Not Easily Squared
Antiwar.com 15 Sep 2010 – JERUSALEM — Security first or borders first: security says Israel, borders retort the Palestinians. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are finally again getting under way. Israel, though, remains adamant that the only chance the talks have to make headway is for its security concerns to be satisfactorily addressed….
Articles
We Are Living Through an Exceptional Moment in Human History
Fidel Castro Ruz, Cuba Debate, Information Clearing House9/15/2010
Sep 10, 2010 — The deadlines established by the United Nations Security Council for Iran to yield to the demands imposed by the United States regarding nuclear research and uranium enrichment for medical purposes and to generate electricity will be expiring in these days.
This is the only nuclear use that has been documented in Iran.
The fear that Iran is looking forward to producing nuclear weapons is only based on an assumption.
With regard to this delicate issue, the United States and its western allies, among them two of the five nuclear powers with veto power -France and the United Kingdom- supported by the richest and most developed capitalist powers of the world, have promoted an increasing number of sanctions against Iran, a rich, oil-producing Muslim country. Today, the measures adopted include the inspection of Iran’s merchant vessels and severe economic sanctions aimed at suffocating its economy.
I have been following very closely the grave dangers that may result from that situation, because if a war breaks out in that region, it could very quickly go nuclear, and this will have lethal consequences for the rest of the planet.
In referring to such danger I was not looking for publicity or sensationalism. I just wanted to warn the world public opinion hoping that, being advised of such grave danger it could contribute to avoid it.
At least we have managed to draw attention to a problem that was hardly mentioned by the big world media. more.. e-mail
‘In Whose Name Do They Talk?’
Laila El-Haddad, AlJazeera9/14/2010
Gazans share their views on the talks taking place between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
A second round of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are taking place under the auspices of Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Washington says it hopes the talks will lead to an agreement within a year.
But Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, are notably absent from the discussions and George Mitchell, the US’ Middle East envoy, has said that they will play no role.
Al Jazeera asked Palestinians in Gaza to share their views on the negotiations.
Ola Anan, 25, computer engineer: “When people started to talk about negotiations and going back to the peace process and all, I thought, wait a minute, who took our opinion before going there? I mean, Mahmoud Abbas is now a president who is out of his presidential term. So in whose name is he talking? In the name of Palestinians? I don’t think so.
People here in Gaza basically don’t have an idea what’s going on or about what agenda the Palestinian delegation are going to talk. So we have no interest and we have no news about that. Basically no one took our opinion before going there.
I really doubt how the Americans can trust Mahmoud Abbas as being a representative of the Palestinian people in general.
Or maybe they plan to get the Gaza Strip out of the Palestinian Territories? I don’t know….” more.. e-mail
How Smart Are the Iran Sanctions?
Joy Gordon, Antiwar.com9/15/2010
In the face of the rising hysteria regarding Iran’s development of its nuclear power facilities, there is talk of preemptive military strikes against Iran. Meanwhile, sanctions on Iran — by both the UN Security Council and the United States — have become increasingly harsh. And to the extent they are successful, these sanctions will harm the wrong people and have little impact on the political leadership.
Yet another round of sanctions doesn’t seem to have caused Iran to buckle. After the Security Council imposed new sanctions in June, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad compared the new resolutions to “a used handkerchief that should be thrown in the waste bin,” and Iran’s envoy to the IAEA said that Iran’s nuclear enrichment program “will not be suspended, even for a second.”
Such responses are not surprising. In general sanctions do not work, in any regard. Almost invariably, they impact the poorest and most vulnerable, while the political and military leaders are insulated from their impact. Although the United States often views itself as providing a kind of moral leadership by sanctioning other nations, that view is almost never shared by the targeted population. Instead, sanctions trigger resentment and resistance among the population and produce greater support for the government in the face of attacks from outside.
How Smart Is “Smart”?
The “smart sanctions” movement in the 1990s sought to focus on weapons, or the assets of political and military leaders, without harming the population as a whole. The U.S. claim to support only “smart sanctions” has certainly not been true with Iran…. more..e-mail
Washington peace talks: democracy need not apply
Electronic Intifada: 15 Sep 2010 – The image of the five men attending peace talks at the White House can easily be dissected as the following: a dictator, a monarch, a puppet and two heads of state responsible for the region’s only military occupations — not the best ingredients for making world peace. Matthew Cassel comments.more
Israeli discrimination drives kids from school
Electronic Intifada: 15 Sep 2010 – Due to the endemic poverty in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied West Bank, hundreds of Palestinian children are forced on to the streets by parents who are living below the poverty level in a desperate bid to eke out a few extra dollars to help their families survive.more
Two steps back for Palestinians in Lebanon
Electronic Intifada: 15 Sep 2010 – “Everyone here works without a permit,” said Shatila refugee camp resident Mohammed Khalife. “Being legal and having a work permit is the strange thing, not the other way around.”more
Terror In The Village That Became A Minefield
Palestine Monitor: 15 Sep 2010 – For many villages in Area C, landmines have become a regular feature of daily life. Israeli military training zones occupy nearly 30% of the land, often based around civilian areas, leaving unexploded ordnance (UXO) that cause horrific injuries to local residents. We spent a few days with the victims to see how they live with the constant terror. Rafat Al-Rushayida is 24, he has lived his whole life in the bedouin village east of Bethlehem that shares his name. Al-Rushayida has played host to a military training zone since 1967, which has now expanded into 50% of the village’s land. He and four young friends showed us what the soldiers left behind. If children find a bomb it is custom to surround it with rocks as a warning to others. / Rafat Al-Rushayida with a phosphorous grenade. / / Local children with an unexploded rocket. / / / Awad Al-Rushayida, father of Rafat, was crippled by…more
America’s ‘Freeze’ Still Favors Israel
Palestine Chronicle: 15 Sep 2010 – By James Gundun – Washington, D.C. At first glance Washington’s sudden support for extending Israel’s settlement ‘freeze’ in the West Bank appears to be typical 11th hour positioning at Sharm el-Sheikh. Having delayed until the final moments in hope of reaching a compromise with the Palestinian Authority (PA), US officials must now rush to strike a deal before September 26th, when the “freeze” expires and direct negotiations between Israel and the PA potentially collapse. President Barack Obama initiated the call for an extension of the “freeze” on September 10th, followed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday and US envoy George Mitchell on Tuesday. That America’s credibility in the Middle East, along with Obama’s, hangs in the balance has provided the necessary fuel to break Washington’s pro-Israel stance. With one indirect round of negotiations already scuttled and widespread pessimism harassing the current negotiations, the White House cannot afford…more
The Tides of September
Palestine Chronicle: 15 Sep 2010 – By George S. Hishmeh — Washington, D.C. For many Christians and Muslims, whether American or Arab, particularly Palestinian, the month of September brings back depressing memories that have affected their lives and regrettably shaped their attitudes toward each other, drastically and often negatively. Even Israelis or Jews were equally marred by the actions of their extremists, if not their government. Twenty-eight years ago this week (September 18) Lebanese Christian militiamen, with the assistance and protection of Israeli armed forces who had occupied southern Lebanon, under the leadership of then Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, overran two Palestinian refugee camps on the outskirts of Beirut to mistakenly avenge the assassination of their leader Bashir Gemayel, Lebanon’s president-elect. (Lebanon has yet to identify the culprit who assassinated Gemayel). As a result, hundreds of innocent civilians were murdered in the three-day “orgy of rape and slaughter, which is considered the bloodiest single incident of…more
Hate Mongers among Us
Palestine Chronicle: 15 Sep 2010 – By Jeff Gates Hate is a harsh word. As the counterpoint to love, hate reigns supreme among those emotions that the faith traditions seek to expunge from the human heart. Hate we’re told is the face of evil seen in plumes of smoke and ash on 911. Yet hate also serves a purpose for those adept at catalyzing conflicts. In the aftermath of that horrific event, hate we’re assured is a desired emotional state. Yet induced hate led us into two unwinnable wars. Hate may yet take us into Iran. Or Pakistan. That hate is also bankrupting us both financially and psychologically. As the “how” of hate mongering becomes transparent, its common source will become apparent. With transparency comes accountability. That’s when you can watch for hate to emerge yet again to shield those who hide behind the toxic charge of “anti-Semitism.” With the shared knowledge of how hate is…more
Palestinians Must Start again
Palestine Chronicle: 15 Sep 2010 – By Stuart Littlewood — London So criminal within itself, it flinches from upholding the rule of international law. So corrupt, it happily outsources its foreign policy to terrorists in Tel Aviv. The idea that America acts as an honest broker for peace between its fellow cut-throat Israel and their victim, Palestine, on whose neck the Zionist jackboot is firmly planted, is a joke that is only funny in the hysterical sense. The idea that any country, let alone America, would promote talks where one party is expected to make concessions to another which is bent on land-theft and whose government can only survive if it continues to defy international law, is madness. But Obama is up for it. Why did Palestinian leaders allow themselves to be sucked into this instead of going over America’s head to the UN and campaigning intelligently for implementation of the rulings the world community had…more
The Salesman — A Poem
Palestine Chronicle: 15 Sep 2010 – By George Polley A manufacturer’s rep at a cluster bomb trade show explains on camera how these weapons are designed to avoid civilian targets and focus only on military ones seen from thousands of feet above. He looks into the camera’s eye and says in all seriousness, like a man delivering a sermon that “these weapons are very effective,” and are for sale to anyone with cash and the proper credentials”, as if the transaction is the kind of behavior that ordinary, sensible people engage in every day. Canisters filled with violence are marketed like the latest model toaster, very effective in providing toast, and without the cleanup the older models required. And they do provide toast … in a way. What does this say about us as a species, as a people, as individual men and women, parents and grandparents? What does this say about you, about me? – George…more
Freedom Flotilla: From the other side
Tales to Tell: 13 Sep 2010 – Originally posted as an author guest post at www.plutobooks.com, Originally posted as an author guest post at www.plutobooks.com , On Sunday evening, May 30th, at 10.30pm, I was in bed reading. In bed with me was my mobile phone; it had taken me several days to understand how Twitter worked and set it up so I could receive FreeGaza flotilla updates, but I’d finally achieved it. Earlier in the day I’d spoken at a Transition Town event locally, taking advantage of a crowd to ask for people to do the same, to go online that night and witness the journey of the Freedom Flotilla, with a particular concern for 8am Monday morning when the boats would reach Gaza waters. When the Israeli navy had rammed and stolen FreeGaza boats in the past, it had waited until Gaza waters, daily occupied by its gunboats which weekly kill, injure and kidnap Gaza fishermen.,…more
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The New Dark Age 
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