21 September, 2010 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israeli settlers raid olive orchards, attempt to steal olive
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 18:18, A number of Palestinian civilians were wounded in clashes with Israeli settlers who invaded the olive orchards that belong to the Palestinian farmers in the village of Burin, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
P.A Security Forces Arrest Hamas Legislator From Tulkarem
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 10:54, The Security Forces of Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, arrested Hamas legislator from Tulkarem, Eng. Abdul-Rahman Zeidan, after breaking into his home on Tuesday at dawn. He was released an hour later.
Netanyahu: “The Palestinians Must Recognize Israel As A Jewish State”
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 10:11, Israeli Prime Minister reiterated his demands that the Palestinians must recognize Israel as a Jewish state, and said that Israel will never abandon this demand.
Israel Arrests 35 African Immigrants
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 08:48, Israeli soldiers arrested nearly 35 African immigrants who managed to infiltrate into Israel through three border points in the center of Sinai and south of the Kerem Shalom (Karem Abu Salem) crossing.
Al Qassam Brigades Denies Any Relation To A New Shalit Video
IMEMC – 21 Sep 2010 – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 06:46, After Israeli media agencies published a video of the captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, the Al Qassam Brigades, one of three resistance groups holding him captive since June of 2006, issued an official statement denying any relation to this video.
Civil Administration hands down stop-work orders
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israel’s Civil Administration handed several stop-work orders to residents in villages in the northern West Bank districts of Qalqiliya and Salfit on Monday. Several homeowners in the Kafr Thulth village in Qalqiliya received the notices, including the director-general of Ministry of Local Governance in Tulkarem, Raed Muqbil. In Deir….
Israel seals West Bank for 7-day holiday
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Israeli army announced Tuesday that it will be closing off all crossings between the West Bank and Israel at midnight, ahead of the seven-day Jewish holiday of Sukkot. A statement issued by the military said the crossings will be reopened on 30 September “in accordance with security assessments adopted by….
US food co-op considers boycott of Israeli goods
9/22/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A US food co-op will vote Tuesday on a plan put forward by the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement to ban Israeli goods from store shelves in a move that has riled Israeli diplomats. Israeli deputy consul-general for the northwestern US area Gideon Lustig traveled to Port Townsend, Washington, the town….
Support for Israeli actors’ boycott grows
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A world-renowned architect and a leading conductor have joined the growing list of American and British artists in support of a boycott launched by Israeli actors against performing in an illegal West Bank settlement, a statement issued Tuesday read. Architect Frank Gehry, known for iconic buildings like the Guggenheim Museum in….
Israel: Gaza projectile lands in desert
9/21/2010 – TEL AVIV (Ma’an) — A projectile fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the western Negev Monday night, Israeli media reported Tuesday. The incident caused no damage or injuries, the Israeli news site Ynet reported. It was the second reported projectile in the a week. There was no immediate claim of responsibility….
Hamas: Latest Shalit video was fabricated
9/21/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A video which appeared in the Israeli press Monday and attributed to Hamas “was fabricated and false,” officials with the party’s armed wing said Tuesday. The video showed captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit flanked by two armed men, one who unpacks papers from a briefcase. It ends with…. Related: Video
Settlement boycott to target Israeli chain store
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority Ministry of National Economy, charged with implementing the boycott of settlement-made goods, announced Tuesday it will be launching a boycott campaign against an Israeli chain of superstores, a statement read. The ministry said the Rami Levi Shivok Hashikma chain, which has “spread like cancer” following the opening of….
Fatah detainee returns to Gaza after 18 years in jail
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities released a Rafah man from prison on Tuesday, the Husam Organization for Detainees announced. Following 18 years of incarceration, Majdy Al-Bardini returned to Gaza and was received by friends and relatives in the southern city. Speaking to those gathered to welcome him home, Al-Bardini spoke out against the continued….
20 more cars enter Gaza
9/21/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – For the second day, Israeli authorities allowed new cars to enter the besieged Gaza Strip, a Palestinian crossings official said. Raed Fattouh said 20 new vehicles would be transported during the day in addition to five truckloads of motor oil, spare parts and tires. The goods were set to travel….
Peres meets Abbas in New York
9/21/2010 – NEW YORK(Ma’an) — All Israelis are watching negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians attentively hoping for success, Israeli President Shimon Peres said Monday in New York. At a news conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Peres addressed questions from the Palestinian press as to whether he was taking a leadership….
PA says trying for improvements at Allenby
9/21/2010 – NEW YORK (Ma’an) — Palestinian and Israeli officials are on board for expanding the border crossing at the Allenby Bridge’s hours to 24 hours, officials say, but “haggling” over details has left the development stymied. Palestinian Authority crossing and border department official Nathmi Muhanna answered questions in New York, where he was….
Hamas: PA must stop talks over Jewish state
9/21/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas called on the Palestinian Authority to withdraw from ongoing talks with Israel over its demand for recognition as a Jewish state, a spokesman said Tuesday. Taher An-Nunu said the demand was a “slap in the face” to Palestinian negotiators and Palestinian rights “that it makes Israel’s plans….
Report: Hamas carried out shooting to provoke Israel
9/21/2010 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Three Hamas operatives detained over a deadly shooting in Hebron told Palestinian Authority interrogators that their aim was to prevent peace talks from being resumed by provoking Israel into invading the West Bank, Egyptian media reported Monday. A Palestinian security source told the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram that interrogation revealed Hamas also….
PA hosts US, Israeli officials in Nablus
9/21/2010 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Leaders from the Palestinian Authority met with Israeli and American officials Tuesday in the northern West Bank city of Nablus amid tight security, informed sources told Ma’an. At least one PA minister was among the group of high-ranking officials at the unannounced meeting, the sources said. It was not….
Israel army chief says preparing for failure of talks
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Israeli army is preparing for the possibility of increased violence if ongoing peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders fail, Israeli army chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi said Tuesday. Ashkenazi warned of possible “outbreaks of violence” but said he did not expect violence similar to the Second Intifada, Israeli online….
UN finds Israel, Hamas probes on Gaza war ‘inadequate’
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israel and Hamas failed to carry out credible investigations into allegations of war crimes committed during Operation Cast Lead, a UN committee found Tuesday.”The investigations. . . remain incomplete in some cases or fall significantly short of meeting international standards in others,” said the chair of the UN committee of independent experts….
Hamas: Criticisms of Gaza probe ‘aimed at PA’
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) —The UN’s criticisms of probes into the Gaza war were meant for the Palestinian Authority’s report, the political advisor to the Gaza government premier Ismail Haniyeh said Tuesday. Yousef Razqa said accusations that “Hamas made no serious effort” to investigate the allegations into the UN fact-finding mission….
PA says Hamas lied about lawmaker’s detention
9/21/2010 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — Hamas officials in the West Bank accused PA security forces of detaining an elected official from his home north of Tulkarem on Tuesday. A statement from the party said Abdel Rahman Zeidan, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, elected with Hamas’ Change and Reform bloc in 2006, was taken….
Gaza: Factions convene over direct talks
9/21/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Fatah participated in a meeting called for by Islamic Jihad and Hamas to discuss direct negotiations in Gaza City on Tuesday, an Islamic Jihad spokesman said. The spokesman said the meeting was convened in order to form a stance on direct talks and discuss “Israeli threats to launch aggression against….
Fatah: Hamas in West Bank seek coup
9/21/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas leaders in the West Bank are plotting a coup against the Palestinian Authority similar to the Islamist movement’s take over of Gaza in 2007, a Fatah spokesman said Tuesday. Ahmad Assaf said Hamas officials in the West Bank also played a hand in the Gaza coup, blaming the….
Al-Masri arrives in Gaza for unity talks
9/21/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Palestinian National Coalition leader Munib Al-Masri arrived in Gaza on Tuesday to discuss the ratification of a unity deal between rival movements Hamas and Fatah. The Nablus businessman and independent politician met with Hamas officials upon his arrive and said he was scheduled to meet with Fatah leaders the following….
In photos: Bethlehem carnival
9/21/2010 – MaanImages / Luay Sababa – Palestinian performers, with colorful customs, in front the Church of the Nativity during a carnival for kids in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on September 16, 2010. Officials estimated that 3,000 children from the city and surrounding communities attended the event….
Antiquities officials detain alleged black market dealer
9/21/2010 – JENIN (Ma’an) — Roman- and Bronze-age goods were seized in Jenin and Ramallah on Tuesday, following the arrest of black market antiquities dealers in the northern West Bank, police said. Tourism police, acting on a tip, arrived at a small shop in Jenin where unregistered antiquities were being sold behind the counter, Palestinian Authority….
Turkey’s role as East-West bridge must start at the grassroots
Palestine Note 21 Sep 2010 – Izmir, Turkey – During the Cold War years, Turkey found itself in a position – both economically and politically – to align with the West, although immediately after the end of the Cold War Turkey started…
Talking through walls in NYC
Palestine Note 21 Sep 2010 – Washington, DC – This year, on the ninth anniversary of the 11 September attacks, many Americans were scared that violence would ensue as a result of a planned Qur’an burning and the controversy over an Islamic…
Teaching the next generation to make peace
Palestine Note 21 Sep 2010 – Baltimore, Maryland – Religious leaders should advocate the spirit of God’s words, which make no distinction between colour and creed and are found in all religions’ divine revelations. It is God’s will that our societies be…
Religion as a tool for peace
Palestine Note 21 Sep 2010 – Beirut – Whether or not one believes that religion unites or divides communities, it is unarguably a fundamental element in the formation of human society. As such, it is understandable that religion can be an important…
Peace talks and war fever
Palestine Note 21 Sep 2010 – Yesterday, MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan hosted a 14-minute segment on Iran with journalist/constitutional lawyer Glenn Greenwald and Clifford May, the neocon head of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Greenwald opposes confrontation with Iran and believes the…
While young Muslims deliver flowers, the US media fails twice
Palestine Note 21 Sep 2010 – While the US media was having a field day with a non-story about a fringe pastor who wanted to burn the Quran, and while Islamophobia and anti-Muslim incidents were skyrocketing including urinating in a mosque and…
Israel allows car imports in Gaza
Palestine Note 21 Sep 2010 – Israel on Monday allowed cars to be imported into Gaza for the first time in three years. About 20 cars were driven from the border by Palestinian drivers to where local car dealers and Hamas Transportation…
Quartet urges settlement freeze
AlJazeera 21 Sep 2010 – The statement of diplomatic bloc calls on Israeli PM to extend moratorium due to expire at the end of September.
Ahmadinejad lost in translation
AlJazeera 21 Sep 2010 – Iran’s president takes centre stage at the United Nations but his attack on the “unjust” west failed to be heard.
Jerusalem: Israeli Authorities Demolish A Farm And Bulldoze Lands
PNN – Maysa Abu Ghazaleh – Jerusalem PNN — the Israeli Nature Development Authorities demolished on Tuesday a Palestinian owned farm and bulldozed farmlands in East Jerusalem. The farm belongs to Wa’el Da’nna, he…
Settlers Steal Olive-Crops In Northern West Bank; Troops Open Fire At Gaza Farmers
PNN – NablusGaza — PNN — a number of villagers from Burin, near Nablus in northern West Bank, were injured during clashes with Israeli settlers on Tuesday midday. The tension in Burin started when…
Digital Technology Fuels Both Oppressive Governments And Media Freedom In Arab world
PNN – By Daoud Kuttab – While technology has made a considerable contribution to media throughout the globe, it has had a unique impact in the Arab world. But this impact has not always…
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
Ashkenazi: Expect violence, but no intifada, if talks fail
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – IDF chief warns probes of soldiers hamper effectiveness; CGS takes swipe at Barak for early appointment of Galant.
Fayyad storms out of New York meeting with Ayalon
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – Ayalon to ‘Post’: “What I say is that if the Palestinians are not willing to talk about two states for two peoples, let alone a Jewish state for Israel, then there’s nothing to talk about.”
‘Any peace agreement will be brought to the nation’
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – Netanyahu says he is considering putting any future accords to a referendum while on tour of the south; tells Hamas: “Don’t test our determination.”
‘Hamas will be held accountable’, Ashkenazi tells Post
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – IDF Chief of General Staff says that Israel will not allow Hamas to return to attack Israel the way it did before Operation Cast Lead.
Ashkenazi: Resistance on flotillas could cause casualties
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – IDF chief also tells FADC Iron Dome could be deployed in North; failure in negotiations could lead to violence, though he says it wouldn’t reach level of violence seen in October 2000.
Ashkenazi hints: Iron Dome could be deployed in North
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – IDF chief also tells FADC that failure in negotiations could lead to violence, though he says it wouldn’t reach level of violence seen in October 2000; MK Eldad says Ashkenazi being “unnecessarily ambivalent.”
Libyan aid flotilla plans to leave for Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – Libyan Civil Mission to Support Palestinian People announces it will send “Jerusalem 5” aid convoy, Palestine Telegraph reports.
Quartet to call on Israel to extend settlement freeze
Jeruslalem Post 21 Sep 2010 – Middle East peace mediators reportedly say that building moratorium has had positive impact on peace talks, urge its continuation; set to pressure Netanyahu.
Author questioned for allegedly smuggling Palestinians into Israel for day of fun
Ha’aretz – ‘We don’t recognize the legality of the entry law into Israel,’ author Ilana Hammerman tells Haaretz, adding she is not deterred by possible 2-year prison term.
Supreme Court backs U.S. extradition of 7 Israelis suspected of scamming pensioners
Ha’aretz – The Jerusalem District Court last October ruled that the suspects could be arrested, leading the seven to take their case to the higher court; the suspects face up to 20…
Electric company error causes country-wide power outages
Ha’aretz – Traffic lights stopped working in many intersections after a problem with the gas supply system at a power station in the North.
Supreme Court rejects policemen’s appeal over prison term for alleged car bombings
Ha’aretz – Four officers were convicted and sentenced to a year in jail for targeting family of organized crime boss in northern Israel.
El Al flight made emergency stop during takeoff over open door
Ha’aretz – El Al never compromises on flight and passenger safety, the airline says in statement following the incident.
Yearly physical finds Netanyahu in ‘excellent’ health, but slightly overweight
Ha’aretz – PMO reports back after Netanyahu’s comprehensive physical exam.
Olmert: Bush offered to absorb 100,000 Palestinian refugees if peace deal reached
Ha’aretz – In address to Geneva Initiative conference, former prime minister calls himself first Israeli leader to publicly recognize Palestinian plight; also hints Barak tried to thwart ‘daring defense efforts’, defends ‘every…
Toddler killed when struck by jeep, shortly after her mother gave birth
Ha’aretz – Driver apparently did not see the 3-year-old standing in her yard as she drove through a small town in the Sharon region.
Rahat father, son shot to death after youth argument
Ha’aretz – Dispute between two youths over bicycles dragged families into a violent battle that saw the use of axes, handguns and an M-16 rifle.
Tel Aviv – the world’s 25th most expensive city
Ha’aretz – In recent years, Tel Aviv has been steadily climbing the most expensive city rankings compiled by the Swiss bank UBS.
93 Israelis treated for ailments resulting from Yom Kippur fast
Ha’aretz – 242 people treated for injuries received while bicycling as the country’s streets were relatively clear of traffic due to the Jewish High Holiday.
Israel comes to a halt for Yom Kippur fasting and atonement
Ha’aretz – Police deploy in mixed Arab-Jewish towns for fear of clashes; IDF closes West Bank crossings barring the entry of Palestinians for duration of fast.
Bill Clinton: Israel, Palestinians have a real chance to reach Mideast peace
Ha’aretz – Remark by ex-president comes as reports say sides reach impasse in peace drive over whether or not Israel will extend its settlement freeze.
PKK leader urges Israel to cut Turkey military ties
Ha’aretz – ‘We demand that Israel stop assisting those seeking to crush our struggle for freedom,’ deputy to jailed PKK chief Abdullah Ocalan says in rare interview with Channel 2 news.
Fayyad, Ayalon meeting ends abruptly over two-state solution dispute
Ha’aretz – Delegates cancel joint press conference after N.Y. meeting of Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, which coordinates financial aid for Palestinians.
Ahmadinejad: Israel, U.S. won’t strike Iran’s nuclear facilities
Ha’aretz – While denying his views are anti-Semitic, Iran president tells Atlantic Monthly the entire world is forced to accept only one view of the Holocaust.
Netanyahu: Settlement building shouldn’t end Mideast peace talks
Ha’aretz – Referring to the possibility of holding referendum on a future peace deal, PM says the people of Israel will decide ‘one way or another.’
World leaders converge for UN summit, so where is Netanayhu?
Ha’aretz – Peres is meeting with diplomats and Mahmoud Abbas, Barak is meeting with Hillary Clinton, but there is no sign of Netanyahu at the central and important assembly.
Palestinian report: PA, Israel officials hold unannounced West Bank meeting
Ha’aretz – Ma’an news agency reports at least one Palestinian minister attends Nablus meeting, as both sides brace for upcoming expiration of a 10-month settlement freeze.
PA cracks down on Hamas official for criticizing peace talks
Ha’aretz – Abd El Rahman Zidan arrested overnight, taken to police headquarters and subsequently released into the city’s main street wearing pajamas.
UN panel: Hamas, Israel failed to address Goldstone Gaza report
Ha’aretz – Geneva-based Human Rights Council criticizes Israel of insufficient impartiality, Hamas of making ‘ no serious attempt’ to tackle the Goldstone report.
Iron Dome defense system could be deployed first in North, IDF chief hints
Ha’aretz – Two anti-rocket batteries will be ready for operational use in November, but may not be used against Gaza rockets, as initially thought.
‘Israeli-Palestinian violence could resume if peace talks run aground’
Ha’aretz – IDF Chief tells Knesset panel that while he does not expect cycle of violence as severe as the second Intifada, tensions are high on both Palestinian and Israeli sides.
Netanyahu to U.S. Jews: Israeli troops should guard border with future Palestinian state
Ha’aretz – Palestinians reject the idea and have proposed deploying international force along the border between the West Bank and Jordan, as part of a peace settlement, but PM says that won’t…
Turkey president: In ‘old times’ Israel flotilla raid would have sparked war
Ha’aretz – Gul repeats call to Israel to take responsibility for deadly May 31 raid, says ‘t is not possible to act as though this incident did not take place’.
Interior Minister Yishai: Direct peace talks are completely pointless
Ha’aretz – In an interview with the Shas newsletter Day to Day, the party chairman said that ‘as long as there is no significant change on the Palestinian side, there should be…
Palestinian refugees in their own land
21 Sep 2010 – Negev, September 21, (Pal Telegraph) Israeli bulldozers reinforced with large troops of police and special units stormed today morning the villages of “Awajan” and “Al Mukimen” which arent recognized and located at the South Negev land – south of the Palestinian occupied territories of 1948 – and destroyed the homes of Arbidi and Abu Hodobi families. Local witnesses said that…
Israel allows more cars into Gaza
21 Sep 2010 – Gaza, September 21, (Pal Telegraph) Israeli occupation authorities allowed today the entry of the second shipment of new cars into the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Abu Salem commercial crossing in addition to car-oil and spare parts. The Chariman of the Coordinating Committee of Gaza’s supplies, Raed Fattouh, said that the Israeli occupation forces will let in five trucks loaded…
IOF raids Hebron
21 Sep 2010 – Hebron, September 21, (Pal Telegraph) Reinforced Forces of Israeli army raided at dawn today the towns of Yatta and Tarqumiya south and west of Hebron in the West Bank. Security sources said that the Israeli occupation forces raided these towns in the early hours of dawn, and roamed with their military vehicles the streets without any reported arrests. Israeli occupation…
Libyan aid convoy to head to Gaza
21 Sep 2010 – Gaza, September 21, (Pal Telegraph) The Libyan Civil Mission to Support the Palestinian People is preparing to conduct a convoy holding the title of “Jerusalem 5” heading to the Gaza Strip in conjunction with the launch of the British aid convoy “Lifeline” which will be led by British MP George Galloway heading to Gaza early next month. Libyan site “Libya…
Mr. Angry Arab repeats the words of a former CIA agent
Uruknet September 20, 2010 – …Does the Israeli government really want the regime of Iran to be replaced with one that Iranian people demand or does the Israeli government need the current regime of Iran to justify its militaristic invasions and rally Arab governments on its back for the fear of Iran’s imperialism in the region? First of all, Israeli…
Israel jails Arab activists for vague contact with a foreign agent’
The National 21 Sep 2010 – Shin Bet accused of characterising innocent meetings as security offences and imprisoning people without evidence
Lebanon confirms Hariri aide tried to finger ex-general over assassination claims
The National 21 Sep 2010 – Accusation that Jamil Sayyed demanded $15m to drop claims that PM had pressed witnesses to implicate Syria in killing of Rafik Hariri threaten government’s stability
Israeli army chief sees violence if talks fail
The National 21 Sep 2010 – The Middle East Quartet is expected to raise pressure on Israel to refrain from settlement expansion after the 10-month embargo expires next week.
Israel Developing “Jewish Tourist Sites” in West Bank
Alternative Information Center – As Palestinian and Israeli delegations continue meeting for peace negotiations, Israel’s Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov has announced plans to designate NIS 9 million for the development and renovation of tourist sites in settlements in the occupied…
Israel Subsidizes Obstacles to Peace
Alternative Information Center – The current round of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians is taking place in the shadow of Israel’s blatant disregard of international law, its continued siege and bombardment of the Gaza Strip, and the ongoing colonization…
Protest Planned November Mission to Israel of Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
Alternative Information Center – Barcelona’s official Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation is organizing a commercial mission to visit Israel between 15-18 November 2010. According to the Chamber’s website, the objective of the mission is to “analyze the economic opportunities…
New H&M Apartheid Store Inaugurated
Alternative Information Center – On 26 August 2010, H&M opened its fourth store in the apartheid state of Israel. To mark the occasion, on 8 September BDS activists in Gothenburg, Sweden protested outside the local H&M flagship store. The protest…
Israeli Diplomat Interferes in Boycott Process in USA
WAFA – WASHINGTON, September 21, 2010 (WAFA)- A proposed boycott of products at a food co-op in Port Townsend has prompted a visit from Gideon Lustig, Israel’s Deputy Consul-General for the Pacific
Forty University Students Complete U.S. Sponsored Entrepreneurship Program
WAFA – JERUSALEM, September 21, 2010 (WAFA)- Members of Young Entrepreneurs Palestine (YEP), representatives of several Palestinian corporations and organizations, and the U.S. Consulate General in
Signing of Employee’s Placement Convention in Jenin
WAFA – JENIN, September 21, 2010 (WAFA) — Mayor of Ya’bod Mr. Waleed Abadi and the Head of Serres Rural Council Mr. Ibrahim Samara have signed Tuesday an agreement to employ the unwaged
IOF attacks Khalet Hijja in Beit Fajjar
WAFA –
Netanyahu wants to keep Israeli troops at Palestinian border with Jordan
Daily Star 21 Sep 2010 Israel’s leader is demanding that Israeli troops remain on the border of a future Palestinian state with neighboring Jordan, further antagonizing the Palestinians at a time when they are already threatening to walk out of peace…
Farmers vs. settlers: Some killings more ‘moral’ than others
Daily Star 21 Sep 2010 OCCUPIED RAMALLAH: Controversy is building up over a 91-year-old man, his 17-year-old grandson and a 20-year-old neighbor, all farmers, who were killed early last week by Israeli shelling and gunfire as they tried to tend their…
Hamas warns Egypt’s arrest of top official ‘extremely dangerous’
Daily Star 21 Sep 2010 GAZA CITY: The Hamas movement ruling Gaza on Tuesday condemned Egypt’s arrest of one of its top officials, calling it an “extremely dangerous” move by Cairo. “We view these actions as extremely dangerous,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi…
Clinton did not call for regime change in Iran – aide
Daily Star 21 Sep 2010 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not call for regime change in Tehran when she asked at the weekend for “responsible” leaders to assert control in Iran, her spokesman said late Monday. Clinton said Iran’s…
UN: Israel, Hamas probes on ‘war crimes’ fall short
Daily Star 21 Sep 2010 GENEVA: Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas failed to carry out credible and adequate probes into claims of war crimes committed during the conflict in Gaza nearly two years ago, a UN committee said on Tuesday.
Why the Arab-Israeli talks will fail | George Grant
The Guardian 21 Sep 2010 – The biggest obstacle to peace is not Israel’s continued presence in the West Bank but Abbas’s inability to control his own side It’s hard to find anyone with a positive word to say about this latest…
OPT: Statement by Middle East Quartet, 21 September 2010
Relief Web 21 Sep 2010 – Source: Middle East Quartet
Report of the Committee of independent experts in international humanitarian and human rights laws to monitor and assess any domestic, legal or other proceedings undertaken by both the Government of Israel and the Palestinian side, in the light of General Assembly resolution 64/254, including the independence, effectiveness, genuineness of these investigations and their conformity with international standards (A/HRC/15/50)
Relief Web 21 Sep 2010 – Source: UN General Assembly, UN Human Rights Council
USAID West Bank/Gaza Report on Mission Program Achievements – Week of September 6, 2010
Relief Web 21 Sep 2010 – Source: US Agency for International Development
Committee following up on “Goldstone Report” says investigations by Israel and de facto Gaza authorities inadequate
Relief Web 21 Sep 2010 – Source: UN Human Rights Council
Army chief: More flotilla casualties possible
YNet News – Preparing for another clash? Resistance to IDF forces on board upcoming….
Palestinians, settlers clash again
YNet News – Some 10 Palestinians attack Jewish shepherd near West Bank town of Nablus,….
Ashkenazi: Army preparing for talks’ failure
YNet News – IDF chief warns of possible ‘outbreaks of violence,’ including terror attacks,….
Iran hits back: US also executes women
YNet News – Iranian officials slam US ‘double standards,’ media criticism of Iranian woman’s….
Barak: History will judge US policy on Iran
YNet News – Defense minister tells Fox News Islamic Republic may obtain nuclear capabilities….
Gul: In old times, flotilla raid would lead to war
YNet News – Turkish president calls on Israel to take responsibility for deadly raid on….
Barak on Iran: Military option still on table
YNet News – During Washington meeting with Defense Secretary Gates, Chairman of the Joint….
Bill Clinton: 50:50 chance for peace in Middle East
YNet News – NEW YORK – Israelis and Palestinians resumed dialogue in New York after a tense meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam …….
Qassam fired from Gaza following Netanyahu visit
YNet News – Rocket fire from Gaza continues. Just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas and armed militants in Gaza on Tuesday about continuing fire, they …….
Fayyad angry after meeting Daniel Ayalon
YNet News – WASHINGTON — Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad left a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon outraged on Tuesday after the latter refused to approve a …….
Netanyahu to consider peace deal referendum
YNet News – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuhe said he would favorably consider a national referendum before finalizing any agreement with the Palestinians during a tour of the Gaza …….
Israel rejects offer to join UN atomic agency
YNet News – It is against Israel’s interests to join a global anti-nuclear arms treaty and the UN atomic watchdog is overstepping its mandate in demanding it to do so, the Jewish …….
Ahmadinejad: I’m not anti-Semitic, I’m anti-Zionist
YNet News – NEW YORK — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinehad may not have mentioned Israel in his speech in the UN Tuesday, but talking with reporters he proceeded to deny the …….
Livni, Mofaz try to work out differences
YNet News – After months of tensions, squabbles and a prolonged rift Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni and her “arch nemesis” Shaul Mofaz met for lunch at a Jerusalem restaurant on …….
Palestinian Information Center
Gaza-bound aid ship due to set sail from Indonesia soon
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – The Deputy Speaker of Indonesia Parliament Dr. Muhammad Anis Matta said preparations are being made to send a naval convoy from Indonesia to Gaza to bust the Israeli siege.
Israeli troops continue onslaught against West Bank homes
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – Israeli bulldozers backed by police and special forces stormed Tuesday morning two south Negev towns unrecognized by the Israeli government, razing two houses.
Abbas’s militia detains son of MP, as criticism mounts of its kidnap of Zeidan
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – Militia loyal to de facto Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday detained Hamza Qarawi, the son of Hamas MP Fathi Qarawi, while working in Rafidiya hospital in Nablus.
IOF soldiers shoot at Rafah farmers
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) opened machinegun fire at Palestinian farmers and shepherds near Gaza airport to the east of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, eyewitnesses reported.
Hamas prisoners: Violations in Israeli jails rise with every round of peace talk
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – The Hamas senior leadership committee of prisoners in Israeli jails said Tuesday that recent cell raids in Israeli jails recur with every new round of negotiations between PA and Israel.
Egyptian writer: Arresting Debabesh meant to pressure Hamas to sign document
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – An Egyptian writer has opined that the detention of Hamas leader Mohammed Debabesh was meant as a pressure card on Hamas to sign the Egyptian document for Palestinian reconciliation as is.
Abu Zuhri: Hamas won’t give up resistance regardless of sacrifices
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said that his movement would never give up the path of resistance regardless of prices and conspiracies.
Bahar demands Arab and Islamic meeting to address PA’s violations against MPs
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – Ahmed Bahar called on the Arab League, the Islamic conference and the Arab and Islamic parliaments to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the PA’s violations against lawmakers and their families.
Hamas demands Egypt to release Dababesh, denies Cairo claims about him
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – The Hamas Movement called on Egypt to immediately release Mohamed Dababesh, categorically denying claims that a large amount of money and communication equipment were in his possession.
Hamas parliamentary bloc holds PA’s security responsible for arrest of MP Zeidan
PIC 21 Sep 2010 – The Hamas change and reform parliamentary bloc held the Palestinian Authority’s security militias fully responsible for the consequences of kidnapping lawmaker Abdelrahman Zeidan.
Iranian president expects nuclear talks to resume
LA Times 21 Sep 2010 – Ahmadinejad, in New York for the U.N. General Assembly meetings, says there’s no choice but to resume negotiations with the U.S. and its allies. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that he saw a “good chance” that talks could soon resume with the United States and its allies over Iran’s disputed nuclear program because “there is no other alternative.”
Iran’s Ahmadinejad predicts defeat of capitalism, blames global big business for suffering
LA Times 21 Sep 2010 – UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Iran’s president on Tuesday predicted the defeat of capitalism and blamed global big business for the suffering of millions, but Germany’s chancellor said market economies were key to lifting the world’s least developed countries out of poverty.
Settlement Foes Host Flight Over West Bank
New York Times 21 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.
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).
Freedom Flotilla Survivors Lead New Convoy
Palestine Monitor – Two survivors from the Israeli assault on the Mavi Marmara are leading the Viva Palestina convoy to break the siege of Gaza. Nicci Enchmarch and Kevin Ovenden were both aboard the Mavi Marmara when it was attacked by Israeli military navy in the early hours of…
There Is No Freeze
Palestine Monitor – With eleven days left until the end of the settlement freeze, the construction company Naot Pisgah decided to jump the gun. Despite the current peace talks hinging critically on the issue of continued illegal construction in Palestinian territory, the company started construction 14 September in Modi’in…
For Thomas it was time to go, but for Peretz it’s a free ride
Mondoweiss – This Marty Peretz controversy is really good for pointing out double standards , isn’t it? Check out these editorials from the Boston Globe: Helen Thomas: Bizarre end to a long career : Helen Thomas, the longest-serving member of the White House press corps, retired abruptly but wisely yesterday…
Our cross to bear
Mondoweiss – Readers may remember the Jewish novelist Michael Chabon’s strange article in the New York Times days after the Mavi Marmara debacle. In his op-ed, ” Chosen, but Not Special “, Chabon claims that recent evidence of Israeli “stupidity”, namely the massacre of civilians in international waters,…
Segregation and solidarity
Mondoweiss – The following is in response to an informal gathering of ‘solidarity’ the Sheikh Jarrah movement is holding in Tel Aviv on Friday to inform israelis about the struggle there and hopefully recruit more people. From the standpoint of joint Palestinian-Israeli struggle, this Friday’s ‚Äòsolidarity Shiekh Jarrah’…
More Jordan Valley homes due to be demolished over ‚Äòlack of permits’
Mondoweiss – And more news from Today in Palestine: Land and Property Theft and Destruction/Ethnic Cleansing Jordan Valley homes due to be demolished over ‚Äòlack of permits’ Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed Monday afternoon the central Jordan Valley town of Zubaydat and handed out demolition notices against houses…
Harvard Crimson: ‚ÄòNo donation is worth indebting the University to practioners of hate and bigotry’
Mondoweiss – Oh, you thought that quote was in reference to the ongoing Marty Peretz saga ? Think again. From the Harvard Crimson – in 2003: While Harvard depends on the generous donations of its benefactors, nothing is gained from a gift that taints its integrity. The University is…
Abbas: Peace Talks Won’t Continue if Settlement Freeze Ends
Al-Manar 21 Sep 2010 – Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said Monday that he would not continue “a single day” of direct peace negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if Israel refused to extend its construction freeze in West Bank settlements after it expires next week. Abbas told AFP that…
PA Court Affirms Death Penalty for Land Sales to Israelis
Al-Manar 20 Sep 2010 – The Palestinian Authority on Sunday reaffirmed the death penalty for any Palestinian found guilty of selling land to Israelis in what officials are saying is a necessary measure to ensure the founding of a future state. The decision came in response to a ruling by a…
Settlers Harvesting Palestinian Olives; Clash Erupted South of Al-Khalil
Al-Manar 20 Sep 2010 – Palestinians from the occupied West Bank village of Burin and settlers from the settlement of Har Brakha, near Nablus, clashed Monday. Israeli occupation soldiers dispatched to the scene dispersed the clash, declared the area a restricted military zone and restored order. The Palestinians said…
Peaceful al Ma’asara demonstration attacked by soldiers
Joseph Dana 21 Sep 2010 – Soldiers staged an unprovoked attak on the peaceful weekly demonstration in their attempt to enforce a no-demonstration ban. al Ma’asra demonstration Some thirty Palestinian, Israeli and international activists gathered this week in alMa’asara to protest against Israeli Apartheid and the Wall. The small procession passed through…
Free ALL PALESTINIAN POLICITAL PRISONERS!! Rally
Palestine Think Tank 21 Sep 2010 – The Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat demands that the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah and its security services to end its policy of political arrests and persecution, free all political prisoners from its jails, and respect the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. [[ This is a…
The Palestinian Resistance between Heightening of the Consciousness and Burning into the Consciousness
Palestine Think Tank 21 Sep 2010 – WRITTEN BY Dr. Mohsen Saleh Mixing the sense of victory with falling hostage to the state of “burning into the consciousness” due to the experience resulting from conflicts or war, might lead to deceptive feelings about potential gains and imposition of will on the enemy. These…
M. Shahid Alam — Zionist Dialectics: Past and Future
Palestine Think Tank 21 Sep 2010 – Once created, however, Israel had the resources to create and entrench the perception that it is a strategic asset, that it defends the vital interests of Western powers in the Middle East. The creation of a Jewish colonial settler state in the Arab world — one…
BNC Event: “South African anti-apartheid strategy and BDS, then and now”
Global BDS 21 Sep 2010 – The Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions National Committee(BNC)cordially invites you to a public presentation entitled “South African anti-apartheid strategy and BDS, then and now” by Professor Patrick Bond read more
UN raps probes into Gaza conflict
BBC 21 Sep 2010 – A United Nations panel says Israel and Hamas have failed to conduct credible investigations into alleged war crimes during the Gaza offensive two years ago.
Book reveals Jewish ship ‘bomb plot’
BBC 21 Sep 2010 – A book on the UK’s intelligence service details how MI6 aimed to bomb ships carrying Jewish refugees to British-ruled Palestine after World War II.
Iran under pressure
BBC 21 Sep 2010 – US targeted sanctions are hurting Tehran, says policy architect
The Grudge, An Inverted History Of Israel And America
Sabbah report 21 Sep 2010 – What Israel Is Taught About Their “Best Friend In The World” By Gordon Duff* | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz Two weeks ago, USS Liberty survivor, Philip Tourney, was told he would be killed within a month. The threat made against Tourney, US Navy veteran and heroic…
Articles
Best option: Dignified failure
Sam Bahour, Ma’an News Agency9/21/2010
The entire US administration’s Middle East A-team – President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and Special Envoy George Mitchell – is defying the mass majority of political analysts by dismissing the status quo in the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip, and insisting that the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli direct talks has the potential to lead to an agreement which will resolve the conflict.
I have a deep fear that they may be correct in predicting an agreement will be signed, but I do not have an iota of confidence that it will end the conflict.
Conventional wisdom on both sides of the Atlantic predicts that the current peace talks will hit a cement wall before the one-year time frame expires. The numerous explanations for the predicted failure are all sensible given the region’s track record. International law is blatantly ignored, the logic of might is right trumps justice and the international community continues to turn its back to its own obligations toward the occupied Palestinian people.
On the Palestinian side, reality is a mix between frustration, despair, disunity and betrayal. The Palestinian negotiating team claims to be a legitimate leadership but there is not one functioning institutional body that can claim to be the source of their self-defined legitimacy. This quasi-leadership understands its legitimacy crisis so well that only a few months ago they were forced to cancel legally-required municipal elections out of concern of losing, even though Hamas was boycotting the elections – so much for Palestinian democracy.
The fear is that the Palestinian negotiating team is in their final round in the game of political survival. If these current talks do not reach an agreement – any agreement – the only way for Mahmoud Abbas and his cohorts to remain in office will be by way of the barrel of a gun, similar to how most other Arab states exist today. more.. e-mail
Nothing to Lose But Your Life
Suad Amiry, This Week in Palestine8/26/2010
When the dust settled from this round Majed was missing.
“Where is Majed?” I asked.
“Probably arrested by the two soldiers; that’s why he put his arms up in surrender and that’s when Murad ran like a bullet,” explained Muneer, who, like most comrades, had a tendency to over-explain the obvious. What bothered me most was that he was elaborating as if I wasn’t there.
“Bastards, they were waiting for us on our side of the ditch,” said Ramzi. Thank God they saved us the scary walk under the tunnel. That was all I could think of.
“I told you we’d better wait until they go away. It’s too late now, the sun has already risen and they’ll see us. Our only chance is to wait until they go away.”
“They’re here to stay, finito, the day is burnt, no contractors will pick us up for work this late in the day.”
I looked at my watch; it was five-thirty in the morning.
“Let’s get a fire going, it’s cold,” complained Ramzi.
Since I was burning on the inside and sweating on the outside, I didn’t understand why Ramzi would want to start a fire. Also since they weren’t out of shape, or menopausal, they probably needed a fire. Some of the workers went around fetching sticks for the fire, some were yawning, others restlessly strolling back and forth, while the majority stretched out on rocks here and there. more.. e-mail
American Public Opinion and the Special Relationship With Israel
John Mearsheimer, Information Clearing House9/17/2010
There is no question that the United States has a relationship with Israel that has no parallel in modern history. Washington gives Israel consistent, almost unconditional diplomatic backing and more foreign aid than any other country. In other words, Israel gets this aid even when it does things that the United States opposes, like building settlements. Furthermore, Israel is rarely criticized by American officials and certainly not by anyone who aspires to high office. Recall what happened last year to Charles Freeman, who was forced to withdraw as head of the National Intelligence Council because he had criticized certain Israeli policies and questioned the merits of the special relationship.
Steve Walt and I argue that there is no good strategic or moral rationale for this special relationship, and that it is largely due to the enormous influence of the Israel lobby. Critics of our claim maintain that the extremely tight bond between the two countries is the result of the fact that most Americans feel a special attachment to Israel. The American people, so the argument goes, are so deeply committed to supporting Israel generously and unreservedly that politicians of all persuasions have no choice but to support the special relationship.
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs has just released a major study of how the American public thinks about foreign policy. It is based on a survey of 2500 Americans, who were asked a wide variety of questions, some of which have bearing on Israel. Their answers make clear that most Americans are not deeply committed to Israel in any meaningful way. There is no love affair between the American people and Israel.
This is not to say that they are hostile to Israel, because they are not. But there is no evidence to support the claim that Americans feel a bond with Israel that is so strong that it leaves their leaders with little choice but to forge a special relationship with Israel. — See also: Poll: Vast majority opposes attack on Iran, two-thirds want US to be neutral in Israeli-Palestinian conflict more.. e-mail
Freedom Flotilla Survivors Lead New Convoy
Palestine Monitor: 21 Sep 2010 – Two survivors from the Israeli assault on the Mavi Marmara are leading the Viva Palestina convoy to break the siege of Gaza. Nicci Enchmarch and Kevin Ovenden were both aboard the Mavi Marmara when it was attacked by Israeli military navy in the early hours of 31st May. The Viva Palestina Lifeline 5 convoy carries urgent medical aid to Gaza and left from Central London last Saturday. It has representatives from organisations in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Malaysia as well as volunteers from the United States, Britain and Northern Ireland. En route it will be joined by representatives of associations and solidarity groups in France, Italy, Greece and Turkey. The British convoy formed up at the Embankment east of Westminster Bridge: George Galloway, one of the major founders of Viva Palestina initiative and the human rights lawyer Jim Nichol joined the convoy at the Embankment. On Monday the convoy…more
There Is No Freeze
Palestine Monitor: 21 Sep 2010 – With eleven days left until the end of the settlement freeze, the construction company Naot Pisgah decided to jump the gun. Despite the current peace talks hinging critically on the issue of continued illegal construction in Palestinian territory, the company started construction 14 September in Modi’in Illit. Naot Pisgah saw themselves with little financial options. The internationally-supported moratorium on construction in the West Bank cost them nearly $48 million, according to their since rejected compensation lawsuit filed against Israel. The company’s tractors were clearing ground for 750 homes out of a planned 3,000 at the third largest settlement in the West Bank, when inspectors arrived from the Civil Administration — the Israeli organisation empowered since Oslo authority in the area. They ordered Naot Pisgah to stop their work obviously flouting the freeze signed by President Benjamin Netanyahu. But when the inspectors left, the construction continued. A team from human rights…more
Ahava Complicit in the Sins of Occupation
Palestine Chronicle: 21 Sep 2010 – By Alex Kane Walk into any Ricky’s store, a beauty shop chain in New York, and you will find a shelf filled with Ahava products. For $28, you can buy mineral toning cleanser; for $22, Dead Sea liquid salt; and for $9, purifying mud soap. The products made by Ahava (which means “love” in Hebrew) seem innocent enough, perfectly enticing for anyone fond of beauty products. But looks can be deceiving. As activists from the peace group CodePink’s Stolen Beauty campaign are fond of chanting at protests, Ahava can’t hide its “dirty side.” For nearly two years, an international campaign spearheaded by Palestine solidarity activists has targeted Ahava and the various stores that carry its products, including Ricky’s, calling for a boycott. The boycott campaign has heated up recently, eliciting push-back from Jewish organizations around the country and a response from the CEO of Ahava. While Ahava labels its products…more
Muslims are not Juvenile Delinquents
Dissident Voice: 21 Sep 2010 – I am getting tired of watching my fellow Muslims around the world treated like juvenile delinquents. And I am getting tired of watching my fellow Muslims around the world behave like juvenile delinquents. So a nut down in Florida — a certain Pastor Terry Jones, leader of a tiny church boasting a grand total of 50 members — decides to burn copies of the Qur’an to “commemorate” September 11th. He says that he wants to send a message to his fellow Americans that “Islam is of the Devil” (which also happens to be the title of his polemic anti-Islam pamphlet). The news, of course, gets picked up by the Blogosphere, then duly by the mainstream media, and shortly after by extremists and opportunists in the Muslim world. The result: massive crowds are incited to take to the fabulously fabled Angry Arab and Muslim street to condemn the desecration of the…more
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The New Dark Age 