23 September, 2010 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Obama Urges Israel To Extend Settlement Freeze
IMEMC – 23 Sep 2010 – Thursday September 23, 2010 – 20:49, American president, Barack Obama, urged Israel to extend the freeze on settlement activities in the occupied West Bank, and stated that Palestinian-Israeli peace talks must continue.
Four PFLP Members Convicting Of Planning To Assassinate Israeli Judge
IMEMC – 23 Sep 2010 – Thursday September 23, 2010 – 09:59, The Salem Israeli Military Court in the northern part of the occupied West Bank sentenced four Palestinians, members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), to 4-8 years imprisonment after convicting them of planning to assassinate an Israeli military judge.
Soldiers Break Into The Yards Of al-Aqsa Mosque; 15 Palestinians Wounded
IMEMC – 23 Sep 2010 – Thursday September 23, 2010 – 08:50, Israeli soldiers broke on Wednesday evening into the yards of the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, clashed with dozens of Palestinian youths and arrested several Muslim worshipers; at least fifteen Palestinians were wounded.
Barak, Abbas Meet In New York
IMEMC – 23 Sep 2010 – Thursday September 23, 2010 – 07:02, Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, held a meeting in New York, Tuesday, with Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, as the two discussed the efforts to ensure the resumption of peace talks.
Palestinians Riot In Jerusalem, Injuring Several Israelis, After Palestinian Killed
IMEMC – 23 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 22, 2010 – 23:47, After a private Israeli security officer shot and killed a Palestinian man, riots broke out near the Old City of Jerusalem, in which several Israelis were pelted with stones thrown by angry Palestinians, and one Israeli officer was allegedly stabbed.
Abbas: “Settlement Resumption Doesn’t Necessarily Mean End Of Talks
IMEMC – 23 Sep 2010 – Wednesday September 22, 2010 – 17:42, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signaled on Wednesday, that renewed settlement construction by Israel would not end the current round of peace talks. Abbas’ comments came during a dinner with Jewish leaders in New York.
Israeli troops demolish Palestinian home and barn in Jerusalem
IMEMC – 23 Sep 2010 – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 19:51, In the latest of a series of demolitions, Israeli bulldozers demolished a house and a sheep farm in At-Toor neighborhood in Jerusalem, under the pretext that the buildings were built without a license.
Clashes continue in East Jerusalem
9/23/2010 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Clashes continued in East Jerusalem’s Silwan neighborhood Thursday night when Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters at the mourning house of a Palestinian killed Wednesday by a settler security guard, witnesses said. Checkpoints were set up in the Old City and in Silwan on Thursday morning following clashes on….
Report: Israel walks out of NYC donors meeting
9/23/2010 – NEW YORK (Ma’an)—Israel’s deputy foreign minister walked out of a meeting where donors had gathered in New York for to attend a session of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, which coordinates financial aid for Palestine. Israel’s daily newspaper Haaretz said Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon walked out of…. Related: Norway: Israel misconstrued Fayyad meeting
Gaza borders closed
9/23/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Following a smaller than expected transport of goods to Gaza on Wednesday, crossing officers confirmed Thursday that the terminals would be sealed through Sunday due to the Jewish holidays. Palestinian liaison official Raed Fattuh said 92 truckloads of goods were permitted through the Kerem Shalom terminal, including 55 trucks for….
Report: Jerusalem settler opens fire; no injuries
9/23/2010 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — An Israeli settler in East Jerusalem fired his gun in the air during an altercation with a Palestinian resident of the Silwan neighborhood on Thursday, the Israeli news site Ynet reported. There were no reports of injury or damage, although both unidentified men were reportedly taken for questioning. Israeli police have….
Journalist syndicate condemns media crackdown
9/23/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate on Thursday condemned violence against media workers in occupied East Jerusalem a day earlier, when protests followed the fatal shooting of a Silwan resident. The syndicate said in a statement that settlers attacked members of the press with impunity. A number of journalists were seriously injured while…. Related: Media center says Jerusalem reporters in danger and Palestinian journalists denounce Jerusalem violence
Media center says Jerusalem reporters in danger
9/23/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms condemned on Thursday Israel’s arrest of four journalists, and settler violence that injured another four a day earlier in occupied East Jerusalem. In a statement, the Palestinian press freedom group demanded “the immediate intervention of the international community and human rights…. Related: Journalist syndicate condemns media crackdown and Palestinian journalists denounce Jerusalem violence
Telecom minister: Israel preventing 3G access
9/23/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian telecommunications sector has so far been largely prevented from upgrading to the latest generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecom services, the PA says. During a meeting between Minister of Information and Telecommunications Mashhour Abu Daqqa and General Director of USAID Michael Harvey, the PA official said….
Israel dismisses ‘biased’ UN flotilla raid report
9/23/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The UN-mandated committee charged with probing an Israeli attack on a Turkish-flagged aid boat in May released its first report Wednesday, calling the incident a violation of international law. Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded shortly after the 56-page report was released, saying its authors had adopted a “biased, politicized….
Palestinian journalists denounce Jerusalem violence
9/23/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Two leading Palestinian press advocacy groups spoke out Thursday against what they called Israel’s escalation in arrests and violence against journalists in occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli forces assaulted four journalists and arrested four others amid protests following a deadly shooting attack Wednesday in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem in…. Related: Journalist syndicate condemns media crackdown and Media center says Jerusalem reporters in danger
Israel on alert after deadly Jerusalem shootings
9/23/2010 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Hundreds of Israeli soldiers were deployed across Jerusalem on Thursday as checkpoints were set up in several neighborhoods, on the first day of the Jewish holiday Sukkot. Police were sent out across the city from the early morning, while dozens of young men remain in the interrogation compound on the border….
Poll: Slim majority support peace negotiations
9/23/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A public opinion poll released Thursday suggests that just over half of Palestinians support negotiations with Israel. But a larger majority, 59 percent, say Palestinians were coerced into entering the talks, the first since 2008. Only one-third of respondents believe the negotiations will succeed, according to the poll conducted by the….
Norway: Israel misconstrued Fayyad meeting
9/23/2010 – BETHELHEM (Ma’an) —A Norwegian representative said Wednesday that the country’s foreign minister, Jonas Gahr Store, regretted Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon’s “distortion of facts” regarding a tense meeting in New York days earlier. Israeli news reports quoted Ayalon as saying that a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison…. Related: Report: Israel walks out of NYC donors meeting
Hamas: Prosecute Israeli war criminals
9/23/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas said Thursday that the UN rights body’s conclusion that Israel broke international law again confirms the country’s “terrorism and violations of human rights.”Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement following the Geneva-based Human Rights Council’sconclusion that the international community either stands….
Syrian aid arrives at Rafah crossing
9/23/2010 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — An aid convoy from Syria arrived at the Rafah crossing on the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt on Thursday. A group of 26 Syrians brought 650 tons of supplies including 40 tons of medical aid for the besieged enclave, our correspondent said. There was no immediate indication if….
PLO official says Carter to visit Gaza
9/23/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Former US president Jimmy Carter will visit the Gaza Strip in October in a bid to negotiate a national reconciliation agreement between the rival Hamas and Fatah movements, a PLO official said Thursday. Carter told Fatah leader and member of the PLO-Israel negotiations team Nabil Sha’ath of the upcoming….
Obama: This time will be different
9/23/2010 – NEW YORK (Ma’an) — With the international community’s support, the United Nations could welcome an independent Palestine as a new member next year, US President Barack Obama told world leaders Thursday. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Obama urged the world to rally behind negotiations relaunched in Washington on 2 September. He acknowledged….
Al-Ahmad: Hamas must ratify Egyptian paper
9/24/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Fatah official Azzam Al-Ahmad and Hamas conciliation leader Mousa Marzouq on Thursday arranged a meeting between a Fatah delegation and Hamas leaders in Damascus. Al-Ahmad said he would be joined by Sakher Bsesu and Samir Ar-Refa’e, who would try to convince Hamas leaders to ratify the unity paper proposed….
Fatah-Hamas meet in Damascus
9/23/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas leader Mahmoud Az-Zahhar confirmed reports that a Fatah official will meet with party leader in exile Khalid Mash’al in Damascus on Thursday in a continuing effort to discuss Palestinian unity. Fatah Central Committee member Azzam Al-Ahmad said Wednesday that he expected to travel to Syria shortly, but expressed….
Hamas: PA detained 12 supporters overnight
9/23/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Hamas accused Palestinian Authority forces of arresting 12 supporters in West Bank cities on Wednesday. The Islamist movement said affiliates were detained in Nablus, Qalqiliya and Hebron. Rights groups, including the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, have documented hundreds of detentions of Hamas members since 30 August, when Hamas-affiliated militants killed….
Fatah affirms support for Abbas
9/23/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Fatah’s Revolutionary Council Secretariat reaffirmed its support for President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian position on negotiations with Israel, a Wednesday statement said. Following a meeting in Ramallah, which came amid calls for Abbas to return to the West Bank in the wake of a settler-guard shooting that saw….
Ramallah claims credit for Gaza car imports
9/23/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority Transport Ministry assistant undersecretary said Thursday the PA hoped to deliver more cars into Gaza, following the import of cars on Monday for the first time since 2007. Akram Awawda said 20,000 cars were needed in the enclave. Under Israel’s blockade, Gaza’s residents are….
Police detain 15 for fighting
9/23/2010 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Palestinian police detained 15 suspects accused of fighting near Hebron Wednesday night. None of the suspects were identified. Rocks and sticks were used in the fight in Beit Ummar, which police said was caused by a financial dispute….
Fatah: Hamas obstructing Goldstone report
9/23/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Fatah spokesman Ahmad Assaf said Thursday that Hamas was obstructing justice for the victims of Operation Cast Lead. Assaf accused Hamas of refusing to cooperate with the Palestinian Authority committee charged with responding to Jurist Richard Goldstone’s report on the three-week offensive in Gaza, launched in December 2008, which….
Gaza authorities move to execute collaborators
9/23/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A military court in Gaza handed down a death sentence Thursday, to a man detained by Hamas security forces in Khan Younis in what was said to have been a mass arrest of collaborators. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights condemned the sentence – death by firing squad – immediately saying it….
Fatah leader to meet Hamas chief, official says
9/23/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas leader Ayman Taha said Thursday that exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mash’al would meet Fatah official Azzam Al-Ahmad in Damascus to continue efforts to achieve national unity. Taha said a delegation of Fatah leaders would arrive in Syria on Thursday a day ahead of the meeting, and he….
In photos: Back to class in Tulkarem
9/23/2010 – MaanImages / Mouid Ashqar – Students from Palestine Technical University Khadoury campus in the West Bank city of Tulkarem are in full swing of their fall semester on September 15, 2010. The campus contains a satellite site for An-Najah University in Nablus’ Department of Agriculture and has class focuses on IT and technology development….
Suspect arrested in 17,000-shekel theft
9/23/2010 – SALFIT (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority police on Thursday arrested a Salfit resident accused of stealing 17,000 shekels ($4,600) from municipality headquarters. The suspect was identified following an extensive investigation, police said, adding that the man admitted to other thefts at a local school and a farm in the area. The suspect’s name….
Prime Minister Fayyad: “Building Palestine Under Occupation”
Palestine Note 23 Sep 2010 – Washington – Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad addressed the New America Foundation on Thursday, reiterating his beliefs on the future of a sovereign Palestinian state. PM Fayyad was hosted by Palestine Note in conjunction with…
US delegation protests Ahmadinejad’s speech
Palestine Note 23 Sep 2010 – Washington – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, accusing the United States of being behind the 9/11 terror attacks in order to support Israel, the BBC reported Thursday. The Iranian…
Obama urges world leaders to support peace effort
Palestine Note 23 Sep 2010 – US President Barack Obama addressed the UN General Assembly on Thursday, urging Israel to extend the settlement construction freeze. Washington – This year at the UN General Assembly, President Obama’s speech focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…
High school program pushes West Bank students to be active citizens
Palestine Note 23 Sep 2010 – Washington – Teams of Palestinian youth in the West Bank have taken the initiative to become more involved and aware of their society in an effort to become productive members of an eventual Palestinian state, The…
Hamas unearths espionage network working for Israel
Palestine Note 23 Sep 2010 – Washington – Senior Hamas official, Abu Abdallah Lafi released a statement saying, “The phenomena (collaboration) is small but we have arrested many,” Haaretz reported Thursday. The political faction based in Gaza has arrested many throughout the…
WATCH: Celebrities cultural boycotting Israel
Palestine Note 23 Sep 2010 – The issue of Israeli settlements has captured attention far beyond the arena of international politics. Several celebrities have now thrown their weight behind what is being termed a “cultural boycott” against further building on Palestinian land….
LIVE: Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Palestine Note “Building a state under occupation”
Palestine Note 22 Sep 2010 – Streaming Video by Ustream.TV Washington- Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad will be hosted by Palestine Note and New America Foundation today from 2- 4pm. Please submit your questions to editor@palestinenote.com if you would like to…
President Obama to skeptics of Mideast Peace: “consider the alternative”
Palestine Note 22 Sep 2010 – Excerpts of President Obama’s Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly **EMBARGOED FOR 6:00 AM ET, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010** “Last year, I pledged my best efforts to support the goal of two states, Israel and…
Fewer realists needed
Palestine Note 22 Sep 2010 – There is tremendous variation in the perspectives that people in the United States have when they consider the Israeli/Palestinian peace talks that are underway. Some people have little knowledge of this history of the conflict. Their…
Arrests made over Iran parade blast
AlJazeera 23 Sep 2010 – State television says members of a group behind Wednesday’s deadly attack in Mahabad have been arrested.
World powers seek talks with Iran
AlJazeera 23 Sep 2010 – US and other world powers announce diplomatic overture to come to “early negotiated solution” on nuclear issue.
Obama To UN: Israel Is A Sovereign State And The Historic Homeland Of The Jewish People
PNN – New York — PNN — U.S President Obama told the UN general assembly on Thursday that any attempts to delegitimize Israel will be met with strong U.S opposition. Israel’s existence must not…
Turkey Welcomes United Nations Report on Gaza Aid-Flotilla Raid
PNN – Istanbul — PNN – Turkey is pleased with the report by a U.N. inquiry that says the Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May violated international laws. Turkish Foreign Minister…
Interview With Sami Awad On His Role In Little Town Of Bethlehem Movie
PNN – This week Little Town of Bethlehem movie was launched in screenings around American Universities. Little Town of Bethlehem follows the story of three men of diverse faiths and backgrounds. Sami Awad is…
Little Town of Bethlehem: Peace Possible? Where To Begin To See An End
PNN – BostonUSA— PNN – This week Little Town of Bethlehem movie was launched in screenings around American Universities. The movie comes in times were Israeli settlers escalated attacks on Palestinians and construction of…
Border Crossing; 44-Year-Old Continuous Drama
PNN – By Daoud Kuttab – Just when one thought that the direct peace talks might be able to produce a breakthrough, one got an awakening jolt. Crossing the bridge over the Jordan River…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (16-22 September 2010)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Tense calm prevails in e. Jerusalem after violent riots
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Ten injured, eight arrested as violence spreads to Old City; Fatah politician: This was a ‘calculated’ plan; police to remain on high alert over weekend; view gallery of Wednesday’s riots.
PMO: UN flotilla panel blamed Israel before probe began
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Human Rights Council report accuses IDF of “incredible violence” in “Mavi Marmara” raid; Turkey again demands “formal apology and compensation.”
Eitan urges ‘partial territorial agreement’ to boost talks
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Likud minister proposes that Israel transfer security responsibilities to PA in most of West Bank, and resume building in major settlement blocs.
Poll: ‘Most Palestinians back direct talks’
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – A majority of Palestinians support negotiations with Israel, believe that talks serve national interest of the Palestinian people.
The terms for an accord
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Israel, in the blink of an eye, can transform the atmosphere surrounding the talks if it takes a clear stance on the key issues.
Olmert urges ‘int’l trusteeship’ for Holy Basin
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – In op-ed article for ‘Post,’ former PM sets out terms Israel should present to ‘transform’ talks with PA which would involve relinquishing sovereignty over Western Wall, Temple Mt.
Israel’s sale of UAVs to Russia in doubt after Syria deal
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Moscow says it’s selling cruise missiles to Syria; Israel concerned arms will be transferred to Hizbullah, threaten future Israeli navy operations.
PA may not bolt talks after all when freeze ends
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Settlers get ready for celebrations Sunday as building resumes, promise to start constructing 2,066 housing units halted since November.
Officials: Palestinians will consider freeze compromise
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Sources say Mitchell speaking directly with Netanyahu, Abbas to avert breakdown of talks; Palestinians willing to show “some flexibility” on Israeli settlement building in the West Bank.
Security and Defense: The olive branch
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – In an exclusive interview with ‘The Jerusalem Post,’ Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Eitan Dangot talks about his unit’s mission of assisting the population of Gaza without benefiting Hamas, as well as working together with the PA in the West Bank.
Obama calls on Israel to extend freeze in UN speech
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – “Those of us who are friends of Israel must understand that true security for the Jewish state requires an independent Palestine,” said the US president; calls on Iran to commit to peaceful nuclear program.
Hamas sentences ‘collaborator’ to death by firing squad
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Omar Kawari convicted of spying for Israel as Hamas cracks down on suspected collaborators in Gaza.
The changing generations of Syrians in Israel
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – On the foothills of the Hermon, one finds a border community much more complex than meets the eye.
Israel says Yemen played politics, not chess
Jeruslalem Post 23 Sep 2010 – Yemeni officials say their government rejects any kind of normal relations with Israel, as a way to show their solidarity with the Palestinians.
International Solidarity Movement
Settler guard murders Palestinian in East Jerusalem; police fire gas at his funeral
9/23/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – On the morning of Tuesday 22 September a privately-hired Israeli settler security guard shot and killed a Palestinian man in the neighbourhood of Silwan in Palestinian East Jerusalem (Al-Quds). The killed man, Samer Sarhan, was aged 32 and had five children. Eyewitnesses say the shooting followed a verbal disagreement between Sarhan and the security guard….
Israeli Arabs prepare for month to commemorate October 2000 riots
Ha’aretz – Police killed 13 Israeli Arabs in October of 2000, during riots that broke out during the second intifada.
Israel’s Gaza flotilla probe nears end
Ha’aretz – Investigation committee chairman Jacob Turkel says the commission’s work is nearing completion, thus it is undecided whether to replace member Shabtai Rosenne, who passed away on Tuesday.
Netanyahu: UN report on Gaza flotilla raid is biased and distorted
Ha’aretz – Earlier on Thursday, Turkish president said Turkey still waiting for apology and monetary compensation from Israel over flotilla raid.
Turkey: We expect formal apology, compensation from Israel over Gaza flotilla
Ha’aretz – Turkish president addressed UN general assembly and praised UN report on Gaza flotilla raid, which says Israeli forces violated international law.
Egypt envoy to IAEA: Israel’s stand on nukes is a ‘chutzpah’
Ha’aretz – Israel criticized at IAEA conference for its refusal to sign non-proliferation treaty; continues efforts to prevent condemnation.
Obama at UN: Israel should extend settlement freeze
Ha’aretz – The U.S. president, while addressing world leaders at the United Nations annual ministerial meeting, said Israel, Palestinians should press ahead with peace talks.
Hamas: We uncovered spy network collaborating with Israel in Gaza
Ha’aretz – Announcement comes after Hamas military court sentenced a Palestinian accused of assisting Israel’s secret service to death by firing squad.
Obama to warn Israel, Palestinians of alternatives to Mideast peace
Ha’aretz – U.S. President: If no agreement reached, hard realities of demography will take hold and more blood will be shed.
Arab Peace Initiative is now of utmost importance, says Clinton
Ha’aretz – U.S. Secretary of State lauds Saudi King’s backing of the 2002 deal which offers normalized Arab-Israeli ties in exchange for an independent Palestinian state.
Turkey lauds UN report on Gaza flotilla
Ha’aretz – UN Human Rights Council report: Israel flotilla raid broke international law; UN appointed experts say that the military raid on the flotilla was ‘brutal and disproportionate’.
Israel Police leave Temple Mount as calm returns to Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – At least 10 Israelis wounded in riots near Temple Mount, Western Wall following shooting death of Palestinian by Israeli security guard in East Jerusalem; Israeli man stabbed, in moderate condition.
Israel closes Gaza’s commercial crossings
23 Sep 2010 – Gaza, September 23, (Pal Telegraph) Israeli occupation authorities closed today the Kerem Abu Salem and Karni commercial crossing to Gaza and denied access of aid and fuel to the Gaza Strip. Chairman of the Coordinating Committee of Gaza’s Supplies, Raed Fattouh, said that the Israeli occupation authorities have informed the Palestinian side about closing Gaza’s commercial crossings today denying aid…
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (16-22 September 2010)
Uruknet September 23, 2010 – Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (16 — 22 September 2010): Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF extra-judicially executed a Palestinian in Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They also wounded two Palestinian children and two human rights defenders. Additionally, a guard of Israeli…
U.N. Human Rights Council’s report on Israel’s raid on Gaza aid flotilla (Full Text)
Uruknet September 23, 2010 – This report was prepared by the fact-finding mission established by the Human Rights Council in resolution A/HRC/RES/14/1 of 2 June 2010 to investigate violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, resulting from the interception by Israeli forces of the humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza on 31 May 2010 during…
DCI-Palestine and PCATI request investigation in assault case of a 14-year-old Palestinian boy
Uruknet September 23, 2010 – On 20 September 2010, DCI-Palestine and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) wrote to the Judge Advocate General’s office requesting an immediate investigation into the alleged assault of a 14-year-old boy in May 2010, in which an interrogator is alleged to have attached a set of car jump leads to the boy’s genitals….
UN’s Gaza Flotilla Probe Finds Israeli Soldiers Committed “Willful Killing”
Uruknet September 23, 2010 – A United Nations Human Rights Council investigation concluded that the Israeli military broke international laws during a raid on a Turkish ship that was part of an aid flotilla trying to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza. The council’s report, announced Wednesday, was met positively by Turkey but dismissed by Israel as “biased.” The report is…
Israel’s settlement industry under boycott pressure
Uruknet September 23, 2010 – Palestinian activists in the occupied West Bank have called for the boycott of the popular Rami Levy Israeli supermarket chain which has several stores inside Israel’s illegal settlements. Activists say they will call on fellow Palestinians to “avoid supporting the occupation and settlements’ economy by boycotting Israeli goods and settlement stores.” A vigil was to…
Settler guard murders Palestinian in East Jerusalem; police fire gas at his funeral
Uruknet September 23, 2010 – On the morning of Tuesday 22 September a privately-hired Israeli settler security guard shot and killed a Palestinian man in the neighbourhood of Silwan in Palestinian East Jerusalem (Al-Quds). The killed man, Samer Sarhan, was aged 32 and had five children. Eyewitnesses say the shooting followed a verbal disagreement between Sarhan and the security guard….
Police release the Jewish settler who shot a Palestinian in Silwan
Uruknet September 23, 2010 – A Jewish settler was released on bail Wednesday after killing a Palestinian man in the Silwan district of Jerusalem, as tensions rise in Jerusalem in wake of the shooting. The settler fired several shots at Samer Sarhan, 32, and other youths for allegedly throwing stones at him. Sarhan died after he bled for two hours…
Something is Rotten in This State, Too
Uruknet September 22, 2010 – … Horror stories of Fateh activists being arrested and harassed in Hamas-run jails have often made their way to the media, many times in the form of harsh accusations by the West Bank government of Hamas’ crackdown on its operatives. In the West Bank, the opposite holds true. The PA security forces oftentimes round up Hamas…
Activists face broad PA crackdown in West Bank
Uruknet September 22, 2010 – “The Palestinian Authority (PA) forces came late at night and started shooting inside the camp,” Shihab said. “They came in, shooting, acting like the Israeli military. They wanted to make the people afraid. Everyone went to the main street and started throwing stones, because people thought they were the Israelis, not the PA forces.” Shihab,…
Russia bans Iran missile delivery
Uruknet September 22, 2010 – Citing UN sanctions, Russia has cancelled a planned sale of advanced missiles to Iran. Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, has issued a decree prohibiting the delivery of S-300 air defence missile systems and other weapons to Iran. Reuters news agency reports that the presidential decree, issued on Wednesday, brings trade rules for Russia and its…
Video: East Jerusalem clash turns deadly
Uruknet September 22, 2010 – A Palestinian has been killed after a Jewish settlement guard opened fire at a group of men in an Arab neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. The incident occurred after clashes broke out between Jewish settlers and a number of local Palestinians in the Silwan neighbourhood, Al Jazeera’s Dan Nolan reports from Jerusalem…
In grief-stricken Silwan—contempt for politicians, and talk of a third intifadah
Uruknet September 22, 2010 – …Villagers had continually complained to Israeli police that the settlers had taken the law into their own hands; but the complaints were ignored. Armed guards in the settlement— which has been spearheaded by a religious group called Elad— roamed the town freely, with the support of the Israeli border police. They threatened Palestinians with impunity….
UN experts: Israel flotilla raid broke int’l law
Uruknet September 22, 2010 — A report by three U.N.-appointed human rights experts Wednesday said that Israeli forces violated international law when they raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla killing nine activists earlier this year. The U.N. Human Rights Council’s fact-finding mission concluded that Israel’s naval blockade of the Palestinian territory was unlawful because of the humanitarian crisis there, and described…
Palestinians take to Jerusalem streets after killing
Uruknet September 22, 2010 – “At 3:30 or 4am I heard some noise outside of my window,” Silwan resident Abdallah Rajmi told me as we stood on a narrow street in the middle of a battle between young Palestinian stone throwers and Israeli occupation forces from the Border Police. “I thought it was a simple drunken fight but then I…
UN report says Israeli raid on aid flotilla was illegal
The National 23 Sep 2010 – Israel has dismissed a UN report that found the country violated international law during a raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla that killed nine people.
Russian Israelis blocking peace, Clinton says
The National 23 Sep 2010 – Israeli leaders have reacted with disapproval to remarks made by the former US president Bill Clinton that singled out Israel’s sizable Russian population for impeding peace in the Middle East.
Obama to call on UN to support independent Palestine
The National 23 Sep 2010 – The US president Barack Obama is challenging the United Nations to support an agreement that would create an independent Palestine.
Google Reports Israeli Infringement of Privacy
Alternative Information Center – On 25-26 October, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will hold a conference in Jerusalem on “The evolving role of the individual in privacy protection: 30 years after the OECD Privacy Guidelines.” The conference…
Israeli Demolitions in East Jerusalem, Tubas District
Alternative Information Center – DEMOLITIONS IN EAST JERUSALEM Yesterday morning (21 September) Israeli forces, composed of a large team of bulldozers, border police and personnel from the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority, demolished several Palestinian-owned structures in the Khalet Al-‘Ein…
Palestinian Economic Dependency on Israel
Alternative Information Center – Shortly after the 1967 Middle East War, many economic boundaries for transactions between the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and Israel collapsed: both labor and goods could flow freely from the OPT to Israel and vice versa….
Confrontations Resumed in Silwan
WAFA –
IOF Arrests Citizen in Hebron
WAFA – HEBRON, September 23, 2010 (WAFA) —Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested a Palestinian from Dora village, put checkpoints on the entrance of Hebron city in southern Palestine. They have installed
Israeli Police Deploys in East Jerusalem
WAFA – JERUSALIM, September 23, 2010 (WAFA) – The Israeli Police deployed in all parts of East Jerusalem in first day of Jews’ celebration of Sukkot (The Tabernacles Feast). Moreover,
Abbas Welcomes Obama Speech
WAFA – NEW YORK, September 23, 2010 (WAFA)- President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed Thursday what U.S. President Barack Obama said to the UN general assembly regarding the two-state solution and the freeze of
Obama: We Can Have Agreement That Will Lead to New Member of UN
WAFA – NEW YORK, September 23, 2010 (WAFA)- U.S. President Barack Obama told Thursday the UN General Assembly “we can have an agreement that will lead to a new member of the United Nations — an
President Meets in New York World Leaders, Official
WAFA – NEW YORK, September23, 2010, (WAFA)- President Mahmoud Abbass held several meetings with a number of world leaders and officials in NEW YORK. These meeting came on the margin of the
Berlusconi will ask EU to pressure Israel on settlements
Daily Star 23 Sep 2010 ROME: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday said he would ask other European governments to pressure Israel into extending a partial settlement freeze in the occupied West Bank. “I will try to intervene with my…
Hamas claims it has captured key spies for Mossad
Daily Star 23 Sep 2010 GAZA CITY: The Hamas-run government in Gaza said Thursday it had arrested spies for Israel who had infiltrated armed groups and helped kill top militants. The revelations capped a months-long public campaign warning residents of the…
Turkey hails ‘unbiased’ UN report on Israel’s deadly flotilla raid
Daily Star 23 Sep 2010 Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu hailed a UN probe that said Israel broke the law when its troops stormed a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May, the Anatolia news agency reported on Thursday. The report by the…
The audacity of Obama’s hope for Middle East peace | Anshel Pfeffer
The Guardian 23 Sep 2010 – The US president held out the promise of a 2011 deal. But he can’t keep it without telling Israelis and Palestinians hard truths Barack Obama dedicated a quarter of his 40-minute speech to the UN general…
Barack Obama makes direct appeal to Israel over settlement building
The Guardian 23 Sep 2010 – Attempt to hold peace process together at UN assembly comes days before West Bank moratorium expires Barack Obama sought to hold the shaky Middle East peace process together today by making a direct appeal from the…
Bulldozers prepare as deadline on West Bank settlement freeze looms
The Guardian 23 Sep 2010 – Anticipation mounts among developers that Israel will end its freeze on settlement building this weekend Giant bulldozers churn up the ground, turning the air a dusty red. Further off, the clack of building machinery and tools…
Barack Obama calls on UN to support Middle East peace talks
The Guardian 23 Sep 2010 – US president urges world leaders at the UN general assembly to get behind Israeli-Palestinian negotiations Barack Obama has challenged the countries of the United Nations to unite around peace efforts to create an independent Palestine and…
OPT: State of the Gaza Strip’s Border Crossings (01 — 15 September 2010)
Relief Web 23 Sep 2010 – Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
ICRC Moscow delegation newsletter — January to July 2010
Relief Web 23 Sep 2010 – Source: ICRC
Aboul Gheit: Mubarak’s visit to Germany and Italy aims at providing the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis with the ultimate support possible
Relief Web 23 Sep 2010 – Source: Government of Egypt
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (16-22 September 2010)
Relief Web 23 Sep 2010 – Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
8th Week against the Apartheid Wall, November 9 — 16 2010
Stop The Wall – [
Castro: Israel has right to exist
YNet News – Ailing Cuban leader speaks with Atlantic Magazine, criticizes Iranian President….
Hamas sentences alleged collaborator to death
YNet News – Gaza military court convicts Omar Kawari of spying for Israel, sentences him to….
Tensions in east Jerusalem rise again
YNet News – Volatile calm in east Jerusalem village on Silwan shaken after Jewish resident….
ADL dubs Clinton’s Russian immigration remark ‘amateur analysis’
YNet News – Anti-Defamation League Director Abe Foxman says that while the former US….
Fatah trying to calm tensions in east Jerusalem
YNet News – Palestinian sources tell Ynet PA gave direct order to stop violence over Silwan….
UN experts: Flotilla raid ‘incredibly violent’
YNet News – Human Rights Council mission says Israel’s military response to Gaza aid sail….
Ahmadinejad: US behind September 11 attacks
YNet News – WASHINGTON – The September 11 attacks in the United States were planned by the American government in order to boost the US economy and salvage Israel, Iranian President …….
Arabs resume Jerusalem riots
YNet News – Riots in east Jerusalem’s SIlwan neighborhood resumed Thursday evening following a quiet day in the area. A Border Guard police officer sustained light wounds in …….
PM slams ‘distorted’ flotilla report
YNet News – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed Thursday the UN Human Rights Commission’s report on Israel’s deadly raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish vessel in May. The Prime …….
Israel launches PR war on UN report
YNet News – Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has ordered the establishment of a “command post” in New York in an effort to counter a damning United Nations report on Israel’s …….
Palestinian Information Center
Kharisha calls for ‘full Palestian uprising’ against occupation and division
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – Palestinian Legislative Council member Dr. Hassan Kharisha called Thursday for a “full Palestinian uprising” against occupation and division, calling them a common enemy to the Palestinians.
Palestinian rights conference starts today in Beirut
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – The conference of the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights kicked off its two-day meetings Thursday morning in Beirut in the presence of more than 200 noted Arab figures from 10 countries.
Barhoum: UN report enough evidence on IOA crimes against humanity
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – Fawzi Barhoum has affirmed that the UN human rights council’s report on the Israeli aggression on the Freedom Flotilla is another proof incriminating the IOA of state terrorism.
UN report reveals Israel violated laws in flotilla raid last May
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – A UNHRC investigation into the deadly Israeli massacre against international activists on board the Freedom Flotilla said that there is “clear evidence” which can be used to prosecute Israel.
Zionist settlers build in Palestinian village
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – Zionist settlers added three prefabricated cement rooms to a number of “caravans” they had previously installed on the Jabal Hazem area of Deir Hatab village, east of Nablus city, on Wednesday.
Abbas: I will not stop my peace talks with Israel if settlement continues
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – Mahmoud Abbas said he would not withdraw from his peace talks with Israel if it resumed its settlement activities and announced his recognition of Israel as a state for the Jewish people.
Police release the Jewish settler who shot a Palestinian in Silwan
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – A Jewish settler was released on bail Wednesday after killing a Palestinian man in the Silwan district of Jerusalem, as tensions rise in Jerusalem in wake of the shooting.
IOF troops round up son of recently released physics professor
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – IOF soldiers on Wednesday detained in Nablus city Huzaifa Al-Ashqar, 21, the engineering student and son of physics professor Essam Al-Ashqar who was recently released from Israeli jails.
Hamdan: Abbas’s resignation will be a solution to the inter-Palestinian crisis
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – Hamas representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan stated that the resignation of de facto president Mahmoud Abbas would not be a disaster, but it would be a way out of the inter-Palestinian crisis.
Israel intensifies security presence in OJ
PIC 23 Sep 2010 – Intensified presence of Israeli occupation forces was monitored in the streets of occupied Jerusalem on Thursday after a day of violent clashes with Palestinians that killed a Palestinian.
Obama calls on Arab nations to support peace talks
LA Times 24 Sep 2010 – In a speech at the United Nations, the president also defends Israel’s legitimacy but urges the Jewish state to freeze construction in disputed areas. President Obama on Thursday pushed Arab nations to provide more political and financial support for the Middle East peace effort, warning that they should not risk the failure of the latest initiative if they truly seek an independent Palestinian state and stability across the region.
U.S. walks out on Ahmadinejad U.N. speech
LA Times 23 Sep 2010 – Iran’s hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad provoked yet another controversy Thursday saying a majority of people in the United States and around the world believe the American government staged the Sept. 11 terror attacks in an attempt to assure Israel’s survival.
U.S. Lauds Russia on Barring Arms for Iran
New York Times 23 Sep 2010 – Russia’s decision comes as leaders are gathered at the U.N. and America is considering reopening Iran talks.
AL-KHALIL (HEBRON) REFLECTION: God’s justice, even for the shops
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine – “And the shops of the city will clap their hands!”
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.
Empty Promises: Obama takes his Middle East peace plan to the UN
Mondoweiss – “International law is not an empty promise” – except for Palestinians President Obama’s General Assembly speech called on the international community to mobilize behind the U.S.-led “peace process.” He called on the Palestinians to “reconcile with a secure Israel” and waxed eloquent on the illegality of…
Jerusalem Syndrome: A report from Silwan
Mondoweiss – This post originally appeared on the Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity website . You never know what kind of a day you’ve woken up to in this city. Will it be a lazy and serene day, the first day of a vacation that I’ve waited so long for, or…
Copenhagen city council set to vote on divestment
Mondoweiss – And other news from Today in Palestine: Land and Property Theft and Destruction/Ethnic Cleansing Ynet: 2,000 settlement units to be built after freeze ends this month Israeli settlers expect the government will stick to its decision to allow free building for settlers throughout the entire West…
NYU to host debate — ‘Is Judaism fundamentally violent?’
Mondoweiss – Just kidding .
Busting the siege, American style
Mondoweiss – A fabulous party Tuesday night in Brooklyn was the latest in a series of nation-wide fundraisers to send an American boat to break the siege of Gaza. The Siege Busters’ Ball featured hours of eclectic performances , connections, conversations, and shoulder-shaking Arabic dance music into the small…
Hamas Announces Arrest of Israeli Spy Network in Gaza
Al-Manar 23 Sep 2010 – Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas announced on Thursday it had arrested many Palestinians in Gaza on suspicion of collaborating with the Israeli enemy to kill senior members of the Resistance and bomb training sites and government offices. The announcement came as a Hamas military court sentenced…
Hamas, Fatah to Meet, Discuss Palestinian Reconciliation Friday
Al-Manar 23 Sep 2010 – Representatives of rival Palestinian parties Hamas and Fatah will meet in Damascus on Friday to discuss efforts toward reconciliation. According to Hamas political official Ezzat al-Rushuq, Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad will meet with Hamas political supremo Khaled Meshaal in Damascus on Friday. The talks…
PA: Netanyahu Responsible for Silwan Killing Crime
Al-Manar 23 Sep 2010 – The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday harshly condemned the killing of a Palestinian and clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in al-Quds, accusing the Israeli Prime Minister of being responsible for the incident. The, director of the Palestinian Government Media Center Ghassan al-Khatib saying the incident was “…
Abbas Hints Renewed Settlement Construction Won’t End Talks
Al-Manar 22 Sep 2010 – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas signaled that a renewal of settlement construction in the West Bank would not necessarily end the so-called peace talks, Israeli daily Haaretz quoted attendees at a dinner with the Palestinians leader in New York as saying. “I cannot say I…
BNC welcomes cancellation of visit by settlement mayors to Netherlands
Global BDS 23 Sep 2010 – Occupied Palestine, 23 September 2010 – The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC), on behalf of its constituent organizations and unions representing the majority of Palestinian civil society, warmly salutes the decision taken by the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG), in consultation with the…
Protests at Ahmadinejad UN speech
BBC 23 Sep 2010 – The US and other Western delegations at the UN General Assembly walk out in protest as Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad questions events of 9/11.
‘Virus targeted Iranian assets’
BBC 23 Sep 2010 – One of the most sophisticated pieces of malware detected probably targeted “high value” infrastructure in Iran, experts tell the BBC.
Iran ready to start ‘fair’ talks
BBC 23 Sep 2010 – Iran says it is ready to resume talks on its nuclear programme if they are “fair”, as major powers call for constructive dialogue.
Israel Makes Meeting Another Arab a Crime
Antiwar.com 23 Sep 2010 – A vague security offense of “contact with a foreign agent” is being used by Israel’s secret police, the Shin Bet, to lock up Arab political activists in Israel without evidence that a crime has been committed, human rights lawyers alleged this week. The lawyers said the…
Articles
Locking Up Activists
Jonathan Cook, CounterPunch9/22/2010
Israel Uses Vague Law to Make Meeting Another Arab a Crime
A vague security offence of “contact with a foreign agent” is being used by Israel’s secret police, the Shin Bet, to lock up Arab political activists in Israel without evidence that a crime has been committed, human rights lawyers alleged this week.
The lawyers said the Shin Bet was exploiting the law to characterise innocent or accidental meetings between members of Israel’s large Arab minority and Arab foreign nationals as criminal activity.
The chances of such contacts have increased rapidly with advances in new technology and opportunities for Israel’s Arab citizens to travel to the wider Arab world, said Hussein Abu Hussein, a lawyer who represents security detainees.
The lawyers’ criticisms come at a particularly sensitive moment, as Israel has been widely accused of hounding two prominent political activists. Both were arrested on the grounds that they spied for the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah.
One, Omar Said, was released last week after a plea bargain in which the Shin Bet reduced a serious security charge of “aggravated espionage” to “contact with a foreign agent”.
The evidence it revealed suggested that Said had attended the meeting in Egypt unaware that his contact was a possible Hizbollah agent and that he had turned down an alleged offer to spy for the organisation.
Amnesty International has termed the continuing prosecution of the other defendant, Ameer Makhoul, as “pure harassment”. more.. e-mail
The Labour Sector in Palestine
Shaher Saad, This Week in Palestine9/18/2010
The labour sector in Palestine faces many obstacles and challenges. According to some research studies and reports, including the report on Palestine drafted by the director-general of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories is considered the biggest challenge.
The Israeli military authorities exercise numerous arbitrary measures which impede the development of the labour sector, and other sectors, in Palestine: The positioning of permanent and temporary road barriers and checkpoints, which close off the West Bank territories and prevent Palestinian labourers from going to their places of work, has been the cause of a sharp rise in the rate of unemployment and poverty in Palestinian society and continues to restrict freedom of movement and the transport of people and goods; the construction of the apartheid Wall and the confiscation of fertile land has precipitated a sharp increase in the rate of unemployment, to more than 17 percent; settlement construction is unceasing and Palestinian farmers are prevented from working on their land close to settlements; the city of East Jerusalem is isolated from the rest of the West Bank territories and is being annexed to Israel proper; bureaucratic measures are being implemented, including restrictions on imports and exports of raw material.
These measures have incapacitated the Palestinian economy and engendered a volatile political situation that impedes all chances of creating work opportunities for Palestinians. The Palestinian economy has been devastated by war, and the unstable and unpredictable circumstances leave no room for economic investment or progress. Putting an end to these horrendous Israeli practices requires the intervention and support of the international community and the empowerment of Palestinians to enable them to improve their labour sector in line with the agreements issued by the ILO offices in Geneva and Jerusalem. more.. e-mail
Israel’s settlement industry under boycott pressure
Electronic Intifada: 23 Sep 2010 – Palestinian activists in the occupied West Bank have called for the boycott of the popular Rami Levy Israeli supermarket chain which has several stores inside Israel’s illegal settlements. Activists say they will call on fellow Palestinians to “avoid supporting the occupation and settlements’ economy by boycotting Israeli goods and settlement stores.”more
Lessons of resistance from southern Lebanon
Electronic Intifada: 23 Sep 2010 – Much of the equipment left behind by Israel and its collaborators after their hasty withdrawal from southern Lebanon is now exhibited at a museum housed in a former Hizballah command center.more
Israel makes meeting another Arab a crime
Electronic Intifada: 23 Sep 2010 – A vague security offense of “contact with a foreign agent” is being used by Israel’s secret police, the Shin Bet, to lock up Arab political activists in Israel without evidence that a crime has been committed, human rights lawyers alleged this week. Jonathan Cook reports.more
Why Mitchell Said ‘No’: Hamas is Not Ready to be ‘Engaged’
Palestine Chronicle: 23 Sep 2010 – By Ramzy Baroud One key difference between Hamas and its rival, the Fatah movement in the West Bank, is that Hamas is accountable to a much more complex set of priorities and expectations. While Fatah is effortlessly co-opted, Hamas remains confined by ideological standards and the stringiest political space. Although, on one hand this represents Hamas’ greatest strength, on the other it shows just how truly arduous is its political undertaking. The difference is relevant in light of the resumption of talks between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, followed by another round of talks in the Middle East. Both once more raised the question: can Israel and Fatah achieve peace without Hamas’ involvement? The question itself can be interpreted in more ways than one. Dan Murphy, writing in the Christian Science Monitor on September 16, asked: Can ignoring Hamas lead to Israeli-Palestinian…more
Is the Mideast Peace Process a Charade?
Palestine Chronicle: 23 Sep 2010 – By Mamoon Alabbasi — London A debate over the seriousness of the Middle East peace process was held in London, where six analysts argued for and against the motion that the current Israeli-Palestinian negotiations were merely a charade. Shlomo Ben-Ami, historian and former Israeli minister, expressed “serious doubts” on the validity of the negotiations, where both sides were in a “sate of indifference” and not ready to make any significant commitments. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ben-Ami argued, does not have the political power and right-wing backing to make peace, and all that he is willing to offer clashes with the concept of a “sovereign Palestinian state.” On the other side, Ben-Ami continued, Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas does not have a real mandate to negotiate a lasting deal on behalf of all Palestinians in the absence of a national unity government with Hamas, expressing astonishment on how a “democratically elected…more
Abbas and Bibi Need Help
Palestine Chronicle: 23 Sep 2010 – By George S. Hishmeh — Washington. D.C. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton must have been very disappointed when she returned home last week virtually empty handed. She was not able to announce that the Israeli and Palestinian leaders with whom she had 11 sessions had agreed on a formula for maintaining the moratorium on building new Israeli colonies in the occupied West Bank. And all this despite the pleas of President Barack Obama and herself that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extend the 10-month ban, even for a short period, on additional construction in the occupied Palestinian territories where some 500,000 Israeli colonialists had moved since the 1967 Arab-Israel war. The ban expires on September 26. “It takes time, all of this is complicated,” Clinton explained feebly. “But where we sit now, it would be useful for some extension, it would be extremely useful. And I don’t think a limited extension…more
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The New Dark Age 
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