20 September, 2010 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Protestors In Berlin Demand Prosecuting “Israeli War Criminals”
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 01:45, Hundreds of German citizens, pro Palestine activists, and Palestinians rallied in the streets of the German Capital, Berlin, demanding the country to apprehend and prosecute Israeli officials who are responsible for war crimes committed during the war on Gaza and the attack on the Freedom Flotilla.
Egypt: “Aid Must Be Unloaded In Al Arish Before Being Moved To Gaza”
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 01:15, A spokesperson of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, stated Monday that the Egyptian Authorities are closely following “Artery of Life 5” aid convoy heading to Egypt, and will allow aid supplies to enter Gaza as long as organizers follow Egyptian standards.
Israeli Settlers Uproot Grape Vines Near Hebron
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Monday September 20, 2010 – 19:06, A number of Israeli settlers uprooted grape vines that belong to a Palestinian farmer from Al-Bak’aa area near Hebron, Monday morning.
Israeli Military Invades Bil’in Attempt to Abduct Youth
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Monday September 20, 2010 – 18:46, An Israeli military force invaded the village of Bil’in, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday midday.
Israeli Army Abducts Citizens From Jenin
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Monday September 20, 2010 – 12:13, Israeli military abducted three citizens from the villages of Jab’a and Seelit ad-Dahr, and invaded the northern West Bank city of Jenin Monday morning.
Soldiers Break Into Ramon Prison, Attack Detainees
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Monday September 20, 2010 – 09:18, The Ahrar Center for Detainees’ Studies and Human Rights reported that Israeli soldiers broke into, Sunday night, the Ramon prison and attacked dozens of detainees; clashes were reported following the attack.
Syrian Aid Ship Arrives In al-Arish Port
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Monday September 20, 2010 – 00:54, Lieutenant Hisham al-Janayni, assistant-director of al-Arish Port, stated that a Syrian aid ship heading to Gaza had arrived at al-Arish Port in Egypt on Sunday evening, and that the ship will be towed to the dock in order to be emptied under the supervision of the Red Crescent before the supplies are sent to Gaza by land.
Settlers uproot 100 grape trees east of Hebron
9/20/2010 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Several Israeli settlers uprooted approximately 100 grape trees in the Al-Buera village in the southern West Bank district of Hebron on Monday, owners of the grape plantation said. The plantation belongs to Abdul Rahman Sharif Sultan, said Syfian Sultan, who estimated damages caused to reach thousands of dollars. He said settlers…. Related: PA official: Settlers harvest Palestinian olives
PA official: Settlers harvest Palestinian olives
9/20/2010 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli settlers began harvesting Palestinian olives on Monday in the northern West Bank district of Qalqiliya and Nablus, a Palestinian Authority official said. Ghassan Doughlas, who heads the PA file on northern settlement activity, said settlers brought sheets and ladders “as though they were the owners of the land” and started…. Related: Settlers uproot 100 grape trees east of Hebron
Clashes reported in Israeli prison
9/20/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Supreme National Committee for the Support of Detainees said Monday that there were a number of injuries following clashes in the Ramot prison in Israel between prisoners and special forces, a statement read. The committee said the special forces unit raided cells, threatened prisoners with weapons and made them….
Israel denying PLC member access to hospital
9/20/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities are preventing a sick Palestinian lawmaker from accessing health care, a former European parliamentarian said Monday. Palestinian Legislative Council member Khalida Jarrar was advised by doctors to undergo urgent brain scans more than two months ago, after tests at a Ramallah hospital revealed concerning results, former European Parliament vice….
Brigade says fighters shelled Israeli jeeps in Gaza
9/20/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The military wing affiliated with the Resistance Committee said its combatants shelled a force of Israeli jeeps east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip overnight, a statement issued Monday read. The An-Nasser Salah Ad-Din Brigades said its artillery unit fired three mortar shells towards the Israeli force and said….
Israel to allow 20 cars into Gaza
9/20/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israel will permit the entry of private vehicles into Gaza on Monday for the first time since 2007, a Palestinian crossing official said. Raed Fattouh said 20 cars will enter the Strip, as well as oil, spare parts and rubber tires. Israel has slowly allowed the entry of car parts….
Bil’in reports raid
9/20/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Anti-wall protest organizers said an Israeli force entered the Ramallah village of Bil’in on Monday and clashed with young residents, a statement read. Organizers said soldiers searched homes and “tried to arrest local youth,” firing tear gas at young residents who responded by throwing stones at soldiers. The statement….
Rights group: Israeli government sanctions killing
9/20/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Following a field investigation, Al Haq says the killing of a Hamas leader in his West Bank home on Friday was a targeted assassination. Iyad As’ad Shelbaya, 38, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in his home in the Nur Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarem. Israeli authorities claimed….
Dutch cancel visit of settler leaders
9/20/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs canceled a tour of Israeli leaders on learning that participants included mayors of illegal settlements, Israeli press reported Sunday. The visit was organized by local authority unions in both countries, and was due to take place next month, the Israeli news site Ynet reported. The….
Ministry: Israeli company changed dates on goods
9/20/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority Consumer Protection Unit accused an Israeli company of changing the production and expiry dates on goods sold in the Palestinian market, an official said Monday. The unit, under the auspices of the PA Ministry of National Economy, seized chocolates in the central West Bank district of Ramallah for….
Israel releases 2 detainees
9/20/2010 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities released two Palestinian prisoners from Hebron on Sunday evening after completing their sentence, a source said. Muhammad Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Adam, 24, was released after spending eight years in custody while Muhammad Mahmud Salem Etbeesh, 24, was released after spending six years in prison on charges of resisting Israel. 1….
Obama responds to Palestinian petition
9/20/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — US President Barack Obama responded to a petition Sunday signed by Palestinians calling for an end to the Israeli occupation and support for Palestinian self-determination. The letter was delivered to Sabri Seiydem, who coordinated the campaign, via the US Consulate in East Jerusalem. The letter was signed on behalf of the….
Report: Bush offered to absorb 100,000 refugees in peace deal
9/20/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Bush administration said it was prepared to absorb 100,000 Palestinian refugees if a peace deal was reached, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday, Israeli media reported. Speaking at a Geneva Initiative conference in Tel Aviv, Olmert said during negotiations under his premiership with President Mahmoud Abbas that he….
Turkish president won’t meet Peres
9/20/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Monday he would not be meeting with his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peresin New York due to a tight schedule, Turkish media reportedOn Sunday, reports suggested the presidents would meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, marking the first official meeting….
EU pays 3.58 million euros to rebuild Gaza economy
9/20/2010 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — The EU has contributed over “‚Äö¬¨3. 58 million in its second disbursement to the Palestinian Authority to aid rebuilding of Gaza’s private sector, a statement issued Monday said. The EU will contribute a total of “‚Äö¬¨22 million towards the project, the statement added. The Private Sector Reconstruction in Gaza….
Hamas official: Al-Masri to visit Gaza
9/20/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Palestinian National Coalition leader Munib Al-Masri will arrive in Gaza on Tuesday to discuss national unity, Hamas official Ayman Taha said Monday. In an interview with Ma’an, Taha said Al-Masri would meet with Hamas members to continue efforts to end the Fatah-Hamas divide. In June, Ma’an….
New TIPH chief appointed in Hebron
9/20/2010 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Brigadier General Einar Johnsen on Monday took over as head of mission for the Temporary International Presence in Hebron, a statement said. Replacing Brigadier General Britt T. B. Brestrup, Johnsen will head the group of 65 civilian observers from six countries observing and reporting on the situation in the West Bank….
Abbas: No talks without freeze
9/20/2010 – NEW YORK (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday he will only negotiate with Israel if restrictions on illegal settlement building are extended. A 10-month partial settlement freeze is due to expire later this month, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told cabinet ministers Sunday he would not extend it, despite pressure from….
Hamas: PA detains 20 affiliates
9/20/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas accused Palestinian Authority forces of detaining 20 party affiliates across the West Bank overnight, a statement issued Monday read. The Islamist movement said the PA Preventive Security Services has “escalated” its detention campaign against party members and supporters in the West Bank since it claimed responsibility for the killing of….
Gaza police destroy expired wheat
9/20/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza police destroyed five tons of expired wheat from a refugee camp in the central Strip. Police said they seized the out-of-date wheat from a bakery in Al-Bureij refugee camp and arrested the shop’s owner. The arrest was part of a campaign to remove expired goods from the….
PA police sit exams for AFIS training
9/20/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority police underwent a series of examinations to become eligible to receiving training on how operate the country’s first Automated Finger Print Identification System, a statement issued Monday by EUPOL COPPS read. The statement said 72 officers took part in the examinations spread over three days, which concluded….
80 illegal cars seized across Ramallah villages
9/20/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – Palestinian Authority police impounded 80 illegal and unlicensed cars during a crackdown campaign in the Ramallah district villages of Turmus Ayya and Abu Fallah on Monday, a report read. Police erected checkpoints at dawn at the main roads of the villages to check drivers’ licensing and registration, which lead to….
PA factions deny Hamas’ collusion claims
9/20/2010 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority factions in Tulkarem on Monday rejected Hamas’ claim that the PA collaborated with Israel in the assassination of a Hamas leader on Friday. Early Friday morning, Israeli soldiers entered the home of Hamas leader Iyad As’ad Shelbaya, 38, in Nur Shams refugee camp and shot him….
Arafat’s companion dies at 105
9/20/2010 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — The close friend and companion of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died on Monday at the age of 105 in his native village of Bita in the northern West Bank district of Nablus, his family announced. Hajj Mussa Salama Jaber Duweikat fought in several battles leading up to the creation of….
It’s one thing to boycott Israeli exploitation of the occupation
Palestine Note 20 Sep 2010 – There’s a shell game being played that Palestinians and Arabs are winking at but that Israelis are exploiting to strengthen their support among Americans, the one constituency that must change if there is ever going to…
Sumud in the Jordan Valley: ongoing Nakba and ongoing resistance
Palestine Note 20 Sep 2010 – Ethnic cleansing, perpetrated through forced displacement, persists as one of the main strategies of the Zionist colonisation and settlement of Palestine. Historically, displacement began with ‘The Nakba’, the expulsion of more than 750,000 Palestinians from their…
New land convoy on its way to Gaza
Palestine Note 20 Sep 2010 – A new land convoy has left from the United Kingdom on its way to the Gaza strip. The convoy dubbed “Viva Palestina 5 convoy” departed from London on Saturday and will be joined by a number…
New Zealand heart team saves Palestinian children’s lives in Jerusalem
Palestine Note 19 Sep 2010 – On September 12, a six member team from Auckland, New Zealand arrived in East Jerusalem for an extended mission in pediatric cardiac surgery. Led by surgeon Dr. Alan Kerr, who has treated over 500 Palestinian babies…
Digital manipulation blunder and defiance
Palestine Note 19 Sep 2010 – A serious journalism ethical question was recently raised in the Middle East after Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram published a doctored photograph, falsely depicting President Hosni Mubarak leading the Middle East peace talks. The photograph was first spotted…
The Importance Of The International Solidarity
PNN – By Iyad Burant – As the Nonviolence Resistance in Palestine is growing, I believe the international solidarity is one of the most important components of our struggle against the occupation. The presence…
Political Detainees Injured During Clashes With Soldiers
PNN – Jerusalem — PNN — a number of Palestinian political detainees were reported injured as clashes took place at the Israeli military detention facility Ramon on Monday. The clashes erupted late on Sunday…
EU Supports Second Payment Of The PA’s programme “Private Sector Reconstruction In Gaza”
PNN – EU Media — PNN – European Union has contributed over ‚Ǩ3.58 million (USD 4.68 million), out of a total package of ‚Ǩ22 million, to the second disbursement under the Palestinian Authority’s Private…
Israeli Troops Invade Bil’in And Clash With Local Youth
PNN – Bil’in — PNN — an Israeli army force invaded on Monday midday the village of Bil’in in central West Bank and clashed with local youth. Israeli troops stormed a number of homes…
Beyond Perceptions
PNN – By: Mitri I. Musleh – The current direct talks between President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu guided by President Obama, President Mubarak and King Abdullah, have far reaching dynamics than meets the…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (08-15 September 2010)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
‚ÄòYated Ne’eman’ slams Amar for accepting IDF conversions
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – Lituanian haredi mouthpiece says chief Sephardic rabbi breached “the pedigree and sanctity of the people of Israel.”
Knesset c’tee approves purchase of F-35 fighter planes
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Arms deal to be one of the largest in Israel’s history, after defense ministry requested that approval process be expedited.
Wiesenthal Center unveils new J’lem museum design
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Museum of Tolerance will cost $150 million less than originally planned; Chyutin Architects design replaces one by Frank Gehry.
Survey: Palestinians unsure Obama can secure peace
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – We will never recognize Israel as a Jewish state, reiterates Fatah spokesman Ahmed Assaf.
Barak can block hostile portions of Olmert book
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Officials say defense minister may use post on censorship committee to prevent publication; former Sharon aides confirm defense minister once ‚Äòbegged’ to join Kadima.
Playwright Sobol: Settlements are like ticks on a dog
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – During a Peace Now flight, writer compares settlements to metastasized tumors.
Abbas: Israel can call itself whatever it wants
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – PA leader responds to Netanyahu’s call to recognize Jewish state, says Israel is “free to call itself the Israeli Zinoist Jewish Empire.”
Schalit family attacks Hamas posting of new Youtube clip
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Family calls Hamas behavior an “ongoing war crime;” animated video shows Schalit surrounded by two masked men and concludes with sound of gunshots.
Hamas posts new Schalit video on Youtube
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – The short, animated clip shows Schalit surrounded by two masked men and concludes with the sound of gunshots.
‘Talks to continue if settlement building remains frozen’
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Mahmoud Abbas says he is not prepared to negotiate an agreement for a “single day more” if Israel does not extended the construction moratorium; wants Palestinian prisoners to be included in deal.
Lieberman backs away from his land swap proposal
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Foreign minister says proposed plan by which Israeli-Arab areas would be part of Palestinian State in exchange for West Bank settlements being part of Israel as part of peace deal his personal view, not gov’t position.
‘Hamas planned to steal bodies of Kiryat Arba victims’
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Egyptian newspaper reports terrorists said in interrogation that the attack was supposed to look like a kidnapping, cause peace talks’ failure.
Iran, Turkey to cooperate on cars and trips to space
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Islamic Republic seeks help for struggling, fledgling automobile industry and space program in its infancy from friends in Ankara.
Hamas: We agreed in the past to state within ’67 borders
Jeruslalem Post 20 Sep 2010 – Organization’s Gaza leadership says it passed messages to Washington requesting dialogue with US, supporting 2 state solution and asking Washington to allow reconciliation with Fatah.
Egyptians step up police presence, security in Sinai
Jeruslalem Post 19 Sep 2010 – Officials: Top Hamas security official Mahmoud Dababash arrested in Cairo airport with fake documents as Cairo fears rocket attacks on Israel.
Winter tourism due to get big boost
Jeruslalem Post 19 Sep 2010 – Tourism Ministry to launch an NIS 40 million advertising campaign; aimed at countries showing an interest in Israel as a tourism destination.
IDF seeks to make infantry units more lethal
Jeruslalem Post 19 Sep 2010 – Decision to conduct review of the structure of infantry battalions was made in the wake of Operation Cast Lead.
Olmert: Barak undermined security ops
Jeruslalem Post 19 Sep 2010 – The Defense Ministry releases a statement calling Olmert’s latest attacks on Barak “pathetic and unworthy of a response.”
FM: Peace talks should cover future of Israeli Arabs
Jeruslalem Post 19 Sep 2010 – Lieberman says that formula for negotiations with Palestinians should not be ‚Äòland for peace,’ but territory and population exchange; MK Zoabi: Israel Beiteinu leader believes in ethnic cleansing.
Era of artificial hearts is just a beat away
Jeruslalem Post 19 Sep 2010 – 700 artificial hearts the size of a golf ball have been transplanted around the world, as well as in Israel for the first time.
International Solidarity Movement
IDF still using banned weapon against civilian protestors
9/20/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – Ha’aretz, 19 September 2010 – The Israel Defense Forces continues using the Ruger 10/22 rifle to disperse protests even though it has been prohibited by the military advocate general, a hearing at a military court revealed last week. A brigade’s former operations officer told the court he wasn’t even….
Weekly protests continue across Palestine
9/20/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – Bil`in – On Friday, 17 September 2010, the people of Bil’in were joined by Israelis and Internationals to protest against the theft of land and the imprisonment by Abdullah and Adeeb Abu Rahma, Ibrahim Burnat and other political prisoners from Bil’in. The demonstration went on for one and a half hours and….
U.S. shares Israel’s worry over Russia arms sale to Syria
Ha’aretz – U.S. defense secretary tells Ehud Barak he is concerned that a proliferation of advanced weapons could destabilize the region.
‘Netanyahu in favor of referendum prior to signing peace deal’
Ha’aretz – According to Netanyahu insider, MK Ofir Akunis, Prime Minister gave his support for law that would allay fears of right-wing coalition partners.
Palestinians seek more international aid, pledge reforms
Ha’aretz – Palestinian Authority has contributed its agreed-upon share of the national budget, but is still a billion dollars short.
Peres: We are ready to enter direct negotiations with Syria
Ha’aretz – President stresses Israel’s desire for peace, condemns Iranian president at the UN’s Millennium Development Goals summit in New York., In interview with AFP, Palestinian leader reiterates Palestinian demand for direct…
Lieberman: Reassessing Israeli Arabs’ citizenship is my view, not government policy
Ha’aretz – Foreign Minister visits Prague for talks with top Czech leaders; Czech FM: Support for Israel is a key element of our foreign policy.
Envelope containing white powder sent to Turkey embassy in Tel Aviv
Ha’aretz – Last week, containing anti-Israel letters and a similar white powder were sent to the embassies of the United States, Sweden and Spain.
Turkey president cancels talks with Peres, but plans to meet Ahmadinejad
Ha’aretz – Gul says schedule too tight to meet Israel’s president, even after reports last week that the two were to convene for the first high-level talks between the two countries since…
Syrian ship carrying aid for Gaza docks in Egypt
Ha’aretz – Also on Monday, Israel permits a shipment of private vehicles to enter Gaza for the first time in three years.
‘Hamas planned to abduct bodies of Israeli terror victims in West Bank’
Ha’aretz – According to Egyptian newspaper, the terrorists fled instead after a car arrived at the scene; the militants said in their testimony that the plan had been to get Israel to…
Hamas: We told U.S. in the past that we would accept Palestinian state along 1967 borders
Ha’aretz – In semi-annual report cited by Israel Radio, the militant group also says it asked the U.S. to engage in dialogue and to lift veto on reconciliation efforts with Fatah.
PA court: Sale of Palestinian land to Israelis is punishable by death
Ha’aretz – In statement, Palestine General Prosecution says ruling is aimed to protect the Palestinian national project to establish an independent Palestinian state.
Barak: US gave us new missiles and bombs
20 Sep 2010 – Jerusalem, September 20, (Pal Telegraph) Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, said that he was convinced that the United States will be providing “Israel” with long-range missiles and bombs capable of penetrating the tunnels and underground fortifications. The Israeli newspaper “Yediot Ahronot”, said that Barak, who met with U.S. military officials in Washington, said that “Israel” should start preparing for a…
Moneeb Al Masri to visit Gaza on Tuesday
20 Sep 2010 – Nablus, September 20, (Pal Telegraph) Palestinian businessman and head of the independent personalities delegation for Palestinian reconciliation, Moneeb Al Masri, said that he will pay a visit to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Al Masri said that the visit is to discuss the ways out of the Palestinian division and that he did not specify a specific schedule for this…
Syrian aid ship arrives Egypt en route to Gaza
20 Sep 2010 – Gaza, September 20, (Pal Telegraph) A Syrian ship carrying 650 tons of aid arrived today to the port of El Arish Egypt in preparation for its transit to the Gaza Strip through Rafah border crossings with Egypt. Capt. Hisham Ganini, deputy director of El-Arish port said:” The Syrian ship docked at eight and a half on the morning of Monday…
Israel lets cars into Gaza, 1st time in 4 years
20 Sep 2010 – Gaza, September 20, (Pal Telegraph) Israel occupation authorities decided to open Gaza’s commercial crossings today and will let in the first batch of 20 cars through the commercial crossings, Israel denied the entry of new cars to the Gaza strip since four years ago when they imposed the unjust siege on Gaza Chairman of the Coordination Committee of Gaza’s Supplies,…
IOF erects new checkpoint in Nablus
19 Sep 2010 – Nablus, September 19, (Pal Telegraph) Israeli occupation forces detained dozens of Palestinian vehicles today morning at a checkpoint in Nablus, in the West Bank. Local witnesses said that the Israeli occupation forces erected a new checkpoint at the entrance to the village of “Assira” north of Nablus and detained a number of Palestinian vehicles which were traveling in both directions….
Israel partially opens Gaza’s commercial crossings
19 Sep 2010 – Gaza, September 19, (Pal Telegraph) Israeli occupation forces decided today to open the Kerem Abu Salem and Karni commercial crossings for the entry of dozens of trucks carrying aid and fuel to the Gaza Strip following the closure of two long days.
Israel denying PLC member access to hospital
Uruknet September 20, 2010 — Israeli authorities are preventing a sick Palestinian lawmaker from accessing health care, a former European parliamentarian said Monday. Palestinian Legislative Council member Khalida Jarrar was advised by doctors to undergo urgent brain scans more than two months ago, after tests at a Ramallah hospital revealed concerning results, former European Parliament vice president Luisa Morgantini said….
Weekly protests continue across Palestine
Uruknet September 20, 2010 – On Friday, 17 September 2010, the people of Bil’in were joined by Israelis and Internationals to protest against the theft of land and the imprisonment by Abdullah and Adeeb Abu Rahma, Ibrahim Burnat and other political prisoners from Bil’in. The demonstration went on for one and a half hours and was met with large amounts…
One State, Two State, Red State, Blue State
Uruknet September 20, 2010 – …So when Palestinians talk about a two state solution, they’re talking about two states of comparable sovereignty, where citizenship in Palestine is worth no less than citizenship in Israel. But what Israel is talking about is giving a degree of self-rule to those parts of the Occupied Territories that are too demographically difficult for a “…
When Settlers Attack: Understanding Settler Violence against Palestinian Civilians
Uruknet September 20, 2010 – Today’s event is on settler violence. The event is called “When Settlers Attack.” And I just want to give you a little background about this before we go in to the slide show presentation. This a personal issue for me because I had a very good friend who succumbed to injuries by an attack by…
What Would Recognition Of A Jewish State Achieve?
Uruknet September 20, 2010 – The talks which only America wanted have already run aground on a seemingly trivial issue relative to the core problems of borders, settlements and Jerusalem. The inertia and outright hostility on this point speaks broadly of a lack of faith shared by both parties for this road so travelled. Resentment at being shoehorned into photo…
Israeli probe acquits policeman who killed handcuffed Palestinian in Tel Aviv
Uruknet September 20, 2010 — An Israeli police investigation unit has acquitted an Israeli policeman who killed a Palestinian after conducting an investigation it claims proves the shooting was not deliberate, an informed Israeli source said. Ertson Bora shot and killed Hazem Abu al-Dab’at of Jerusalem while he was handcuffed a week back in Tel Aviv during an arrest against…
Turning terrorists into “heroes”
Uruknet September 20, 2010 – Celebrations have taken place in Israel to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Haganah, the Jewish paramilitary organisation which paved the way for the establishment of the state of Israel and the Israeli Defence Forces. A headline in the Jewish Chronicle refers to “the generation that established Israel” above a photograph of…
“I am sure this occupation will end”
Uruknet September 20, 2010 – Since 2005, residents of the occupied West Bank village of Beit Ommar have launched nonviolent demonstrations in protest against the increasing theft of their land at the hands of the five surrounding Israeli settlements, and to call for an end to the Israeli occupation of all Palestinian lands. Despite the brutal response of the Israeli…
Settlers uproot 100 grape trees east of Hebron
Uruknet September 20, 2010 – Several Israeli settlers uprooted approximately 100 grape trees in the Al-Buera village in the southern West Bank district of Hebron on Monday, owners of the grape plantation said. The plantation belongs to Abdul Rahman Sharif Sultan, said Syfian Sultan, who estimated damages caused to reach thousands of dollars. He said settlers vandalized six dunums worth…
Hamas Leader Arrested By Egypt
Uruknet September 19, 2010 – Egyptian security sources reported Sunday that a senior Hamas leader was arrested by Egyptian security officers at the Cairo International Airport. The leader was identified as Mohammad Dabbash, head of the general security forces that belong to the dissolved Hamas government in Gaza. Dabbash is from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza city. The Egyptian sources…
Hamas seeks direct talks with U.S. as Obama pledges to achieve regional peace
Uruknet September 19, 2010 — The Hamas movement on Sunday called on the United States for direct dialogue, while U.S. President Barack Obama pledged in a letter to the Palestinians that his administration is non-stop working on assisting the Middle East peace efforts. The deposed Hamas government said in a statement emailed to Xinhua that it had recently sent a…
Mustafa Barghouthi: Israel Insists On Killing Chances For Peace
Uruknet September 19, 2010 – Israel insists on “killing chances for peace” and “assassinating the peace process” with settlements and the wall, Palestinian National Initiative leader Mustafa Barghouthi said Sunday. The PNI leader said Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s comments that Palestinians were using a call to extend a moratorium on illegal West Bank settlement building to undermine peace talks…
Netanyahu: No extension to settlement freeze
Uruknet September 19, 2010 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he would not extend restrictions on settlement construction, due to expire later this month, Israeli press reported. Netanyahu’s refusal comes despite widespread international pressure, from the US and UN amongst others, to extend the partial 10-month moratorium. President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to walk out of peace talks…
Ehud Olmert: US agreed to take 100,000 Palestinians’
The National 20 Sep 2010 – The former Israeli prime minister says President Bush made the proposal in 2008, offering a glimpse into options that might be considered in current talks.
Palestinian court rules selling land to Israelis capital offence
The National 20 Sep 2010 – The punishment of death will be meted out to those who sell land to Israelis, a Palestinian court in Jerusalem ruled on Sunday.
Israel Demands Two Year Imprisonment for Bilin Popular Committee Organiser
Alternative Information Center – The sentencing phase of Bil’in protest organizer Abdallah Abu Rahmah continued on 15 September at the Ofer Military Court. The prosecution demanded Abu Rahmah be sent to prison for a period exceeding two years saying that…
French BDS Activists in Court on Charges of Discrimination, Hate
Alternative Information Center – Representatives of the French BDS group Coordination des Appels pour une Paix Juste au Proche-Orient (CAPJPO) Europpalestine will be appearing in court in Paris on 29th October on charges of discrimination, hate and violence. On 4…
Swiss Bank UBS Severely Limits Transactions with OPT
Alternative Information Center – The Swiss bank UBS is no longer processing most transactions bound for the occupied Palestine Territory.
U.S. Consulate General Promotes Entrepreneurship and E-Commerce
WAFA – JERUSALEM, September 20, 2010 (WAFA)- The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem sponsored the September 19-20 visit of American small business expert Steven Strauss, who conducted a series of meetings
APN Releases Settlement-Tracking iPhone, Web App
WAFA – WASHINGTON, September 20, 2010 (WAFA)- Americans for Peace Now (APN) released an interactive mapping tool, which will for the first time give anyone, anywhere, a comprehensive real-time view of what
EU Supports Second Payment under PA’s ‘Private Sector Reconstruction in Gaza’ Program
WAFA РRAMALLAH, September 20, 2010 (WAFA)- The European Union has contributed over €3.58 million ($4.68 million), out of a total package of €22 million, to the second disbursement under the Palestinian
Supporting Police in Developing First Palestinian AFIS System
WAFA – RAMALLAH, September 20, 2010- EUPOL COPPS’ Criminal Investigation Department (CID) experts assisted the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) in the realization of an assessment for PCP officers to properly
Hebron: Settlers Uproot Vines, 44 Agricultural Acres to be seized
WAFA –
Abbas won’t negotiate ‘for single day’ if freeze ends
Daily Star 20 Sep 2010 UNITED NATIONS: World leaders kicked off a summit on Monday to hammer out new ways to meet ambitious targets set a decade ago to cut poverty, millions of avoidable deaths and improve equality by 2015. US…
World leaders seek new way to reach Millennium goals
Daily Star 20 Sep 2010 UNITED NATIONS: World leaders kicked off a summit on Monday to hammer out new ways to meet ambitious targets set a decade ago to cut poverty, millions of avoidable deaths and improve equality by 2015. US…
Islamic Republic hits at UN nuclear watchdog, defies West
Daily Star 20 Sep 2010 VIENNA: Iran said Monday the UN nuclear watchdog was suffering a crisis of “moral authority and credibility,” underlining worsening ties between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In a speech to IAEA member states…
Besieged Gazans dream of fish, and flowers
Daily Star 20 Sep 2010 GAZA CITY: As the many colors of the fish and flowers slowly disappear from the Gaza landscape, the already grim prospects of the besieged residents begins to look even bleaker. Fishing was a profession that used…
Turkish president rules out meeting with Israeli counterpart in New York – report
Daily Star 20 Sep 2010 ANKARA: Turkish President Abdullah Gul said he would not meet his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly due to his busy schedule, but he would hold talks with Iran’s leader,…
Israel allows Gazans to get 20 cars after three-year wait
Daily Star 20 Sep 2010 KEREM ABU SAALEM, Gaza Strip: Some 20 cars were to be transported into the Gaza Strip on Monday in the first such delivery permitted by Israel since the Hamas movement seized the territory in 2007. Transporters…
Kuwait strips activist of his nationality over sectarian ‘crime’
Daily Star 20 Sep 2010 KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait stripped Shiite activist Yasser al-Habeeb of his citizenship Monday, accusing him of abusing religious symbols and attempting to trigger sectarian tensions.The cabinet made the decision at the recommendation of Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber…
Major General Israel Tal obituary
The Guardian 20 Sep 2010 – Israeli army officer and military strategist known for the design of the Merkava tank From 1948 to 1973, Major General Israel “Talik” Tal, who has died aged 85, created and commanded the fledgling tank corps of…
Phone app monitors Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories
The Guardian 20 Sep 2010 – Real-time information on settlements relayed to iPhones and iPads as building moratorium nears expiry date Campaigners against Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories have launched a new web and iPhone application that uses powerful mapping…
The Tehran tangle in Middle East peace | Manuel Hassassian and Edward Edy Kaufman
The Guardian 20 Sep 2010 – A peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians could turn out to be the best way to neutralise Iran’s nuclear ambitions Success in the current Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will depend on active bridging by the third party, the…
3 protestors wounded in Bil’in protest in solidarity with the prisoners of the Popular Resistance
Stop The Wall – During the protest the participants raised Palestinian flags and pictures of the popular resistance prisoners.
Peres: Israel ready to negotiate with Syria
YNet News – Iranian, Lebanese presidents seen leaving UN General Assembly as Peres takes….
Abbas won’t negotiate ‘for single day’ if freeze ends
YNet News – Speaking en route to New York, Palestinian president stresses he is ‘not opposed….
Hamas posts new Shalit video
YNet News – (Video) Group shows gunmen flanking kidnapped soldier in latest propaganda clip….
Palestinians selling land to Israelis face death
YNet News – Court ruling comes in response to appeal from Palestinian public prosecutor…..
Settlers, Palestinians clash south of Nablus
YNet News – IDF called to disperse brawl near village of Burin. Palestinians claim settlers….
IDF to deploy cameras along West Bank highways
YNet News – Military plans to set CCTV grid along West Bank roads to enhance travel safety;….
‘Hamas planned to nab shooting victims’ bodies’
YNet News – Egypt’s al-Ahram weekly says Islamist group sought to abduct remains of four….
Kadima MK slams Olmert over ‘radical leftist’ plan
YNet News – Former PM’s remarks during Geneva Initiative conference stir controversy within….
‘Israel’s situation in Europe extremely dire’
YNet News – Cancellation of settlement heads’ delegation to Holland indicates of broader….
Abbas: Israel can call itself Jewish-Zionist empire
YNet News – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas answered a demand by Israel to recognize it as a Jewish state somewhat sardonically, saying that as far as he was concerned, “Israel …….
Chief negotiators to meet soon
YNet News – The heads of the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams, Yitzhak Molcho and Saeb Erekat, are scheduled to meet sometime during the next 48 hours, Palestinian sources …….
Obama: Israeli attack on Iran not ideal
YNet News – US President Barack Obama said on Monday that Iran having a nuclear weapon would be a “real problem” but he did not think military action by Israel or the United States …….
Turkel committee may summon left-wing activists
YNet News – A committee investigating the IDF raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla has appealed to a number of left-wing and humanitarian organizations asking them to report on the …….
Barak shrugs off freeze issue
YNet News – Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with National Security Adviser General Jim Jones in Washington Monday, and discussed with him the peace negotiations with the Palestinians …….
Palestinian Information Center
MP Baraka: Lieberman’s call to eject Palestinians a denial of history, truth
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – Palestinian MP Mohammed Baraka said Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has once again proved he is a “Jackass in history and a denier of truth”.
Egypt confirms the arrest of Gaza man on his way back from Umrah
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – Mohammed Debabeche is still in questioning after he was arrested a few days back on charges of involvement in several operations affecting Egyptian security, a security official in Egypt said.
Settlers ruin Palestinian man’s farm in Al-Khalil
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – Israeli settlers destroyed Monday over one hundred fruit trees in the Bouira region in Al-Khalil.
International organization urges PA in Ramallah to end torture in its jails
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – The international crisis group (ICG) has called for an end to torture rounds in the prisons of Ramallah security apparatuses in the West Bank.
Israeli probe acquits policeman who killed handcuffed Palestinian in Tel Aviv
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – An Israeli police investigation unit has acquitted an Israeli policeman who killed a Palestinian after conducting an investigation it claims proves the shooting was not deliberate.
Rights center demands int’l inquiry into Ramon jail attack
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – The Palestinian center for defending prisoners slammed the Israeli “aggressive” attack on the prisoners in Ramon jail and called for opening international probe into the incident.
Protest in Berlin demands Germany courts to punish Israeli war criminals
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – Hundreds of German citizens and pro-Palestinian activists rallied in Berlin to demand the prosecution of Israeli war criminals for the crimes they committed in the war on Gaza.
Israeli jailers force Palestinian prisoners to strip naked for search
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – A Palestinian prisoner said that he and 119 other detainees a few days ago were forced by Israeli jailers to strip naked before they were transferred from Shata prison to another one.
Israel outraged over Russia-Syria arms deal
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – Israel says it strongly condemns Moscow’s decision to finish a deal that would supply P-800 Yakhont cruise missiles to Syria, considering the step a disruption of (military) balance in the region.
PA’s militias kidnap Hamas official Abu Eida
PIC 20 Sep 2010 – The Palestinian Authority’s security militias kidnapped on Sunday senior Hamas leader Wajih Abu Eida in Nablus city despite his suffering from several chronic diseases.
Hillary Clinton faces huge challenge in Mideast talks
LA Times 20 Sep 2010 – The secretary of State is Obama’s point person in the push to achieve a peace deal within a year. The former senator, lawyer and diplomat may have what it takes to prod the two sides into a deal. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders 11 times in three Middle Eastern cities last week, a diplomatic marathon that produced only promises that the adversaries remain committed to the latest U.S.-led peace initiative.
Peace Now Flight Highlights West Bank Settlements
New York Times 20 Sep 2010 – A flight over the West Bank sponsored by a leftist group was intended to show that the growth of settlements would make a two-state agreement impossible.
World Briefing | Middle East: Gaza: Israel Permits Car Imports
New York Times 20 Sep 2010 – For the first time in more than three years, Israel on Monday allowed cars to be imported into Gaza.
HEBRON: Open Shuhada St. movement changes tactics
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine – The regular Saturday movement, “Open Shuhada Street,” changed tactics on 21 August 2010. Since the police had threatened two of the organizers with large fines and a possible ten-year imprisonment if the demonstrations continued, the organizing group felt it better to use a new approach during…
HEBRON REFLECTION: “Captain, Where Is Your Sense of Decency?”
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine – I wondered what was going on in your heart. I had often encountered you on the streets before this day, and most often I observed you as a decent policeman trying to do your job. This day I saw something so different in you.
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).
What Would Recognition Of A Jewish State Achieve?
Palestine Monitor – The talks which only America wanted have already run aground on a seemingly trivial issue relative to the core problems of borders, settlements and Jerusalem. The inertia and outright hostility on this point speaks broadly of a lack of faith shared by both parties for this…
Avigdor Lieberman wants to use the ‚Äòpeace process’ to kick Palestinians out of Israel
Mondoweiss – And you wonder why Palestinians (and pretty much everyone else) are pessimistic towards the peace process? Avigdor Lieberman is trying to inject his loyalty oath campaign platform into the negotiations. From Haaretz : The question of Israel’s citizens needs to be one of the central issues on…
Thank you! We’ve raised $5,000 so far — please help us raise $5,000 more.
Mondoweiss – Thank you for the wonderful response to our request for donations last week! We can’t tell you how much we appreciate this strong show of support. As we’ve said before, we could never maintain this site without the generosity of our readers. If you haven’t given…
Israel allocates over $2.4 million to promote tourism in the occupied territories
Mondoweiss – And other news from Today in Palestine: Land and Property Theft and Destruction/Ethnic Cleansing Clinton renews US plea on settlements with one week to go (AFP) AFP – With one week to go before Israel’s freeze on Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank expires, Secretary…
True talk on the Israeli siege of Gaza
Mondoweiss – In advance of tomorrow’s meetingof theAd-hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) for assistance to the Palestinians, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) released a report detailing steps taken to improve Gaza’s economy pursuant to a June 20, 2010 Israeli Cabinet decision to “ease” the closure. We analyze…
Palestinian Detainees Go on Hunger Strike to Protest Israeli Abuse
Al-Manar 20 Sep 2010 – Palestinian detainees in all Israeli jails have announced they will go on hunger strike next Saturday Sept. 25 in protest of the heightened abuse they have recently suffered from the Israeli occupation prisons authority. “The Israeli prisons authority has launched an unprecedented campaign against prisoners…
Yediot: NIS 9 million for settlement “tourism”, including 2 million for “City of David” in Silwan
Coteret 20 Sep 2010 – The fact that these grants will fund highly politicized andinflammatoryprojects is best exemplified by the NIS 2 million slated for the “City of David” project in Silwan. This East Jerusalem settlement in the guise of an “archeological park” is at the cutting edge of efforts to…
Israeli court imprisons wounded detainee
Sabr 20 Sep 2010 – [ 20/09/2010 – 09:24 AM ] GAZA, ( PIC )— The high national committee for prisoners said that an Israeli court issued an imprisonment sentence for two and a half years against a wounded prisoner called Ahmed Asfour from Khan Younis town in the Gaza Strip. The national…
Palestinian female prisoners complain against Nashon
Sabr 20 Sep 2010 – [ 19/09/2010 – 04:00 PM ] RAMALLAH, ( PIC )— Forty Palestinian female prisoners sued the Israeli Nahshon unit that is specialized in quelling prisoners for maltreatment. The prisoners said that the Nahshon forces, which guard them to and back from court hearings, hospitals and prisons, humiliates those…
Hawara prisoners suffer food poisoning after served bad food
Sabr 20 Sep 2010 – [ 19/09/2010 – 03:57 PM ] NABLUS, ( PIC )— The international Tadhamon (solidarity) foundation for human rights said prisoners in the Hawara detention center near Nablus are suffering from malnutrition, while noting some cases of food poisoning. The foundation’s attorney Ahmed Toubasi said the Hawara prison administration…
Israel releases 2 detainees
Sabr 20 Sep 2010 – HEBRON ( Ma’an ) — Israeli authorities released two Palestinian prisoners from Hebron on Sunday evening after completing their sentence, a source said. Muhammad Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Adam, 24, was released after spending eight years in custody while Muhammad Mahmud Salem Etbeesh, 24, was released after spending six years…
Israel ships new cars into Gaza
BBC 20 Sep 2010 – Israel allows some 20 new cars into Gaza, in the first such shipment since the militant Hamas movement took over the Strip in 2007.
In whose name do they talk?
Sabbah report 21 Sep 2010 – Gazans share their views on the talks taking place between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. By Laila El-Haddad* | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz A second round of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are taking place under the auspices of Hillary Clinton, the US…
Jewish settlements can now be tracked on your iPhone
Sabbah report 21 Sep 2010 – Peace Now releases ‘Facts on the Ground’ application in which the settlements are marked in blue, the outposts in red, and clicking on a place name displays demographic statistics. Want to know what’s happening in the West Bank settlements in real time? In addition to ‘Sudoku’…
Israel’s War With Itself
Sabbah report 21 Sep 2010 – By Gordon Duff* | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz It is easy to spot a liar if you are willing to take an honest look. When the American press quoted President Ahmadinejad of Iran saying, “I am going to wipe Israel off the face of the earth”…
Articles
28 Years Later: Sabra and Shatila Massacre
Reham Alhelsi, Palestine Think Tank9/16/2010
28 years ago, one September day, after playing with my siblings and friends in our land, we returned home with joy in our hearts. We were very happy and rushed to tell my parents of our plan to go on a “picnic” the following day with our friends. My father looked at us and said calmly: no, there will be no picnic tomorrow. My parents were sitting in front of the TV, both unusually quiet, my father’s eyes looked troubled, my mother had tears in her eyes. The house was silent, dead silent, except for the screams coming from the TV. I looked at the TV and saw the same images over and over: dead bodies …. dead bodies …. dead bodies….
28 years ago, I saw images of butchered Palestinians, piled up like sacks one over the other. I saw images of murdered men, women, children and elderly filling the streets. I saw women crying and shouting and cursing. I saw Sabra and Shatila.
28 years later, I remember Sabra and Shatila, look at the images of the martyred victims. I memorize the 3500 names of those tortured to death, of those butchered. I read out loud the testimonies of those who survived the atrocities. I think of their pain, their suffering and of their fear. I think: 62 years of murder, 62 years of terror, 62 years of Zionism occupying Palestine and threatening humanity.
28 years ago, I understood for the first time what it means to mourn, what it feels like to lose someone, how much it hurts to see someone lying in their blood, hear the stories of the their last minutes, listen to the screams of those who survived. We sat in our living room in occupied Palestine and saw the images of all those men, women and children, lying dead in the streets. It was like waking up from a dream, and realizing that for you, as a Palestinian, there was no place for picnics, no place for happiness as long as other Palestinians were being murdered, that there is no place for happiness as long as Palestine is still occupied…. more.. e-mail
Gaza on the Ground: Angry Gazan Accuses Hamas of ‘Protecting the Borders With Israel’
Mohammed Omer, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs9/18/2010
The anger prompting a controversial e-mail from a Gazan calling himself “Mr. Joker” was unmistakable. After all, it was sent at the very time Israel was coming under heavy international criticism for its deadly May 31, 2010 attack on the humanitarian Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Despite requests from the U.N., Turkey and other countries and international organizations for an independent investigation of the assault, Netanyahu’s right-wing government was showing little intention of cooperating with, much less undertaking, such an investigation.
As the furious e-mail was circulated, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was declaring ad nauseam that, no matter what Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or anyone else says, the ethnic cleansing of East Jerusalem will continue—this despite the fact that, according to the Fourth Geneva Convention and numerous U.N resolutions, settlement-building in the occupied West Bank and the forced dispossession of non-Jewish East Jerusalemites are illegal. Many Palestinian Muslims and Christians consider Israel’s actions akin to a declaration of war and a clear indication that it does not want peace.
Nevertheless, as a demonstration of their willingness to re-enter peace talks with Israel, leaders of Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement were aggressively cracking down on militia groups launching homemade rockets into Israel—creating controversy among Gaza’s various factions. As Fatah-affiliated parties in the West Bank continue to attempt to challenge Hamas’ authority in Gaza, and Israel continues to flout international law, some Gazans have begun to view Hamas as complacent—and, even worse, as furthering the Jewish state’s agenda.
Like many Palestinians, Mr. Joker sees Israel’s actions against Jerusalem, along with its Muslim and Christian holy sites and residents, as justification for attacks on Israel. He also considers the efforts by Hamas to prevent the launching of rudimentary rockets from Gaza as akin to treason. more.. e-mail
The Hariri Assassination: Israel’s Fingerprints Surface
Rannie Amiri, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs9/18/2010
In the Middle East, the link between political machinations, espionage and assassination is either clear as day, or clear as mud.
As for the yet-unsolved case of the February 2005 murder of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, mud might be giving way to daylight.
A crackdown on Israeli spy rings operating in Lebanon has resulted in more than 70 arrests over the past 18 months. Included among them are four high-ranking Lebanese army and General Security officers—one having spied for the Mossad since 1984.
A significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation occurred in late June and culminated in the arrest of Charbel Qazzi, head of transmission and broadcasting at Alfa, one of Lebanon’s two state-owned mobile service providers.
According to the Lebanese daily As-Safir, Qazzi confessed to installing computer programs and planting electronic chips in Alfa transmitters. These could then be used by Israeli intelligence to monitor communications, locate and target individuals for assassination, and potentially deploy viruses capable of erasing recorded information in the contact lines. Qazzi’s collaboration with Israel reportedly dates back 14 years.
On July 12, a second arrest at Alfa was made. Tarek al-Raba’a, an engineer and partner of Qazzi, was apprehended on charges of spying for Israel and compromising national security. A few days later, a third Alfa employee was similarly detained. more.. e-mail
“I am sure this occupation will end”
Electronic Intifada: 20 Sep 2010 – Since 2005, residents of the occupied West Bank village of Beit Ommar have launched nonviolent demonstrations in protest against Israeli colonialism and occupation. Jody McIntyre interviews Beit Ommar Popular Committee secretary Ahmed Abu Hashem for The Electronic Intifada.more
Palestine’s endangered vistas captured in “Masharef”
Electronic Intifada: 20 Sep 2010 – The Shat-ha walking group leaves Ramallah every Friday morning. The group, founded in 2006 by Dr. Saleh Abdel Jawad, a Birzeit University history and political science professor, and economist Samia Botmeh, has explored the West Bank from its green north to desert south. Now Masharef (Vistas), an exhibition of new photographs by members of the group, brings the threatened beauty of the Palestinian landscape to a wider audience.more
What Would Recognition Of A Jewish State Achieve?
Palestine Monitor: 20 Sep 2010 – The talks which only America wanted have already run aground on a seemingly trivial issue relative to the core problems of borders, settlements and Jerusalem. The inertia and outright hostility on this point speaks broadly of a lack of faith shared by both parties for this road so travelled. Resentment at being shoehorned into photo opportunities for Hillary Clinton can be divined from high level dissenting talk. Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai declared himself “very sceptical” at the outset. Palestinian Authority (PA) Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat has made plain his willingness to walk away from the table. The question of a Jewish state should have been rendered irrelevant by Yasser Arafat’s explicit acknowledgement of Israel’s legitimacy in the Oslo Accords of 1993. Beyond that, as Hussein Ibish of the American Task Force on Palestine (AFTP) puts it: “it is extremely unusual, if not unprecedented, for states to demand other states…more
A Shared State in a Shared Homeland
Palestine Chronicle: 20 Sep 2010 – By Miko Peled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently argued, ‘What is required is creative, novel thinking in order to resolve these complex [peacemaking] issues.’ Netanyahu has never been so right. The current Mideast peace talks will fail, as befell predecessors, because they are based on a flawed premise blocking the conflict’s resolution. The proposed solution is based on an uneven partition of the land. Israeli Jews, who make up roughly 50 percent of the population, would receive at least 78 percent of the land — and probably more — while the Palestinians who comprise the other half of the population would receive what remains. Over the last 100 years countless attempts have been made to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict via partition. All have failed. Today, with Israelis living comfortably in all parts of the country, including major parts of the West Bank, there is no reason to expect the…more
Did God Say: Let There Be Plagues and Wars?
Palestine Chronicle: 20 Sep 2010 – By Dallas Darling You would not know it today by looking at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but in the Book of Genesis, never does it say: And God said, ‘Let there be plagues and wars.’ Instead, the Book of Genesis declared: And God said, ‘Let there be lights’. (Gen. 1:14) And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind.” (Gen. 1:24) Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them be stewards and let them care for every living thing that crawls upon the Earth. So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:26-27) The Book of Genesis, with its cycles of creation, recreation and life came to mind when Ovadia Yosef, a senior rabbi from Israel’s coalition government, called for Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas to…more
Children of Catastrophe — Book Review
Palestine Chronicle: 20 Sep 2010 – By Jim Miles (Children of Catastrophe – Journey from a Palestinian Refugee Camp to America. Jamal Krayem Kanj. Garnet Publishing, Reading, UK. 2010.) Children of Catastrophe is a work of courage, love – of family, friends, and country – persistence, grief, sorrow, joy, anger, bravery, fear, and frustration – in short it encompasses all the emotions that not only are part of life, but a large part of life for a child born and raised in a refugee camp. Nahr el Bared refugee camp was established in 1949 after the nakba in Palestine. Set near the northern border of Lebanon with Syria, the camp existed, grew, and to a degree, thrived and prospered until it was destroyed by the Lebanese army in 2007. Nakba and Ethnic Cleansing The first sections of Jamal Kanj’s story outline very quickly the events of the nakba, with references to the even longer history of…more
Zionist Dialectics: Past and Future
Palestine Chronicle: 20 Sep 2010 – (Excerpted from: Israeli Exceptionalism, Palgrave: 2009) By M. Shahid Alam ‘My God! Is this the end? Is this the goal for which our fathers have striven and for whose sake all generations have suffered? Is this the dream of a return to Zion which our people have dreamt for centuries: that we now come to Zion to stain its soil with innocent blood?’ — Ahad Ha’am, 1921 This study has employed a dialectical framework for analyzing the destabilizing logic of Zionism. We have examined this logic as it has unfolded through time, driven by the vision of an exclusionary colonialism, drawing into its circuit — aligned with it and against it — nations, peoples, forces, and civilizations whose actions and interactions impinge on the trajectory of Zionism, and, in turn, who are changed by this trajectory. It would be a bit simplistic to examine the field of interactions among the…more
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