9 November, 2010 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Clashes Reported in East Jerusalem Neighborhood
IMEMC – 9 Nov 2010 – Wednesday November 10, 2010 – 01:36, Palestinian sources reported Tuesday that clashes took place between dozens of Palestinian residents and Israeli policemen in the eastern side of Al Esawiyya town, in occupied East Jerusalem. The town and nearby areas have been surrounded since three days.
Plans of Settlement Construction Approved Amidst Stalled Peace Negotiations
IMEMC – 9 Nov 2010 – Tuesday November 09, 2010 – 18:11, On the eve of Netanyahu’s trip to Washington, Israel announced its approval to build 800 new housing units in the West Bank settlement of Ariel. The United States and the European Union condemned Tel Aviv’s move warning that such plans could further hamper the current peace talks.
Obama: Settlement Construction Does Not Help Peace Process
IMEMC – 9 Nov 2010 – Tuesday November 09, 2010 – 16:52, On Tuesday, during a trip to Indonesia, U.S. President Barack Obama told reporters that Israeli plans to build new settler homes in occupied east Jerusalem are not helpful for the Middle East peace process.
Confrontations Reported in East Jerusalem
IMEMC – 9 Nov 2010 – Tuesday November 09, 2010 – 12:46, Confrontations broke out, on Tuesday morning, between Israeli forces and hundreds of Palestinian school children in the al-Isawiya neighborhood, in East Jerusalem, local sources told Ma’an News.
PA Levels Complaints Against Reported Meeting Between Shin Bet and Hamas
IMEMC – 9 Nov 2010 – Tuesday November 09, 2010 – 12:37, While the Palestinian Authority officials say that the reported meeting embarrasses Fatah, Hamas says it was less a meeting and more a series of home raids and interrogations. Shin Bet refuses to comment on the reports.
AFP: One in Four Israelis Living in Poverty, Mostly Arabs
IMEMC – 9 Nov 2010 – Tuesday November 09, 2010 – 11:17, One in every four Israelis lives below the poverty line due to economic misfortunes like layoff and payment reductions, AFP reported on Monday.
Activists Disrupt Netanyahu’s Speech In New Orleans
IMEMC – 9 Nov 2010 – Tuesday November 09, 2010 – 10:10, As Israeli Prime Minister was addressing the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations in North America, in New Orleans, on Tuesday, several activists disrupted his talk at least four times and challenged the occupation and the illegal Israeli policies in the Occupied Territories.
Hamdan: “Damascus Meeting Will Not Resolve All Issues”
IMEMC – 9 Nov 2010 – Tuesday November 09, 2010 – 08:23, Hamas political leader, Usama Hamdan, stated that the Tuesday meeting in Damascus between the Palestinian factions will not resolve all issues regarding internal reconciliation and the security file, but will set foundations for solutions appeasing the Palestinian people.
Israeli forces raid Jerusalem community center
11/9/2010 – Israeli authorities handed demolition orders to residents in neighboring areas – JERUSALEM – Israeli forces raided the Wadi Hilwa information center Tuesday in the flashpoint neighborhood of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem. The forces claimed that the raid was due to illegal buildings linked to the center, Ma’an’s correspondent reported. Center director Jawad….
Hamas: Alleged meeting ‘more like home raid’
11/9/2010 – JENIN (Ma’an) — A reported meeting between Israeli intelligence and Hamas officials was less a consultation and more a series of home raids and interrogations, Hamas representatives said. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Tuesday that PA officials had complained to Israeli internal intelligence leaders about a meeting held between department representatives and Hamas leaders….
Confrontations in East Jerusalem
11/9/2010 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) – Confrontations erupted on Tuesday morning between Israeli forces and hundreds of Palestinian school children in the East Jerusalem town of Al-Isawiya. An Israeli police spokesman said workers from the Jerusalem municipality performing car safety checks were pelted with stones by local youth. He said the police responded and dispersed the young….
2 injured in explosion near Gaza border
11/9/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Two Palestinians were injured Tuesday in an explosion near the Nahal Oz border crossing in the northeast of Gaza. Medical spokesman Adham Abu Salmiyya said the explosion was thought to have been caused by munitions left behind by Israeli forces. A 17-year-old and a 22-year-old were transferred to…. Related: Projectiles fired from Gaza; Palestinians injured
Israeli forces detain 4 farmers
11/9/2010 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained farmers for nearly four hours in Safa village near Hebron and banned them from entering their land, locals said. Palestinian Solidarity Project spokesman Muhammad Ayyad Awwad identified the farmers as Ali Ahmad Thalji Adi, 65, his wife Su’ad, 65, Hani Nimir Adi, 42, and his son….
Israeli forces confiscate cement mixer
11/9/2010 – HEBRON (Ma’an) – Israeli forces confiscated a cement mixer and a pump belonging to Zalloum Company Monday in Bet Awwa south of Hebron, locals said. A Zalloum company employee said he was using the mixer when forces raided the area and confiscated it….
UN body holds general debate on Israeli practices
11/9/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The international community can prevent a collapse of negotiations if the return of refugees serves as a “doorway” to resolving the conflict, delegates told the UN Fourth Committee Monday as it concluded its general debate on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people. Israel’s representative said….
Police arrest suspect in courthouse shooting
11/9/2010 – HEBRON (Ma’an) – Palestinian police arrested a suspect in the murder of 36-year-old defendant Ayman Rajabi, who was shot outside a Hebron magistrates’ court on his way to trial Sunday, police told Ma’an. Sources said the suspect and the weapon he used were seized in a hideout in Hebron and….
Projectiles fired from Gaza; Palestinians injured
11/9/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza residents said an Israeli artillery shell was fired Tuesday toward two workers near the south-eastern border with Israel, lightly injuring both. An Israeli military spokesman said he was unaware of any Israeli military operation in the southern Gaza Strip, but said officials were aware of the firing of two…. Related: 2 injured in explosion near Gaza border
EU urges Israel to reverse decision on settlements
11/9/2010 – BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) – EU chief diplomat Catherine Ashton urged Israel on Tuesday to drop plans to build new settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem, saying it clashed with efforts to revive peace talks with Palestinians.” Catherine Ashton is extremely concerned by the announcement by Israel of a plan for the construction of 1,300 new housing….
Israel rejects world’s criticism over Jerusalem building
11/9/2010 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel on Tuesday rejected global criticism of moves to build 1,300 new homes in occupied East Jerusalem, insisting it would never limit construction in its “capital,” the premier’s office said.” Israel sees no connection between the peace process and the planning and building policies in Jerusalem that have not changed for….
PA wants Israel to expand Gaza crossing
11/9/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Wheat and animal feed importers in Gaza have warned of a coming crisis because of Israeli measures to reduce the quantities that enter the enclave to half or less. Israeli forces have refused a request from the Palestinian Authority to return the Karni crossing, which was used to transport such….
US disputes Israel claim on settlements’ link to peace
11/9/2010 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States on Tuesday disputed Israel’s claims that new settlements authorized in East Jerusalem had no bearing on peace talks with Palestinians.” There clearly is a link in the sense that it is incumbent upon both parties. . . they are responsible for creating conditions for a successful negotiation,” State Department spokesman….
Hamas, Fatah differ on obstacle to unity
11/9/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Fatah and Hamas officials will meet Tuesday in Damascus for what observers say could be a landmark unity discussion, as delegates tackle the remaining obstacle to reconciliation, the re-forming of national security services. While parties appeared optimistic, statements differed over what remained to be resolved in talks. Hamas officials hinted….
Fatah condemns Israeli TV report on member corruption
11/9/2010 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Fatah’s Central Committee on Monday denounced a report by Israel’s Channel 10 accusing Fatah leader Ahmad Qrei’a of embezzlement. The committee said the TV report was fabricated and groundless. The report questioned the relationship between President Mahmoud Abbas and Qrei’a, in particular why….
Jericho police launch campaign to stop youth smoking
11/9/2010 – JERICHO (Ma’an) – Jericho police launched a campaign Tuesday to stop teenagers aged under 18 from entering coffee shops, billiard clubs and internet cafes in the city. Police said the initiative aimed to stop young Palestinians smoking and wasting time in clubs, and that establishment owners were warned not to admit underage patrons. Store….
Hamas leader: Damascus meet may not resolve division
11/9/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas politburo member Usama Hamdan said Tuesday that unity meetings with Fatah in Damascus may not resolve the division between the rival factions. The parties would discuss internal Palestinian security and the reunification of their respective security forces, Hamdan said in an interview with Ma’an Radio. However a final….
Report: Sharon to be moved home within days
11/9/2010 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will be transferred to his home in southern Israel over the next few days, an Israeli newspaper reported Tuesday. The Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that police received notice of Sharon’s expected transfer from the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer….
Fatah wins Nablus university student senate elections
11/9/2010 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — An-Najah National University in Nablus announced Tuesday that Fatah won 57 out of 81 seats in recent student senate elections. Student affairs dean Moussa Abu Dayyeh said more than half of the university’s 20,000 students voted. Mustafa Barghouthi’s Palestinian National Initiative won six seats. Of the leftist….
Syria’s Assad gets Bulgarian backing for closer EU ties
11/9/2010 – SOFIA, Bulgaria (AFP) – Bulgaria on Tuesday backed Syria’s attempts to develop closer ties with the EU as well as its position on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, on the first visit by a Syrian head of state in 24 years. Bulgarian President Georgy Parvanov said after talks in the Bulgarian capital with his Syrian….
Jordanians vote in polls boycotted by Islamic opposition
11/9/2010 – AMMAN, Jordan (AFP) — Jordanians turned out in force on Tuesday for an election likely to produce MPs with tribal links and loyal to a government that faces little challenge after opposition Islamists pulled out. Polls closed at 7:00 p. m. , and senior election official Saad Shehab announced that turnout had reached 53 percent. The….
Head of Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry visits Beirut, Damascus, Ankara, and W Bank
Palestine Note 9 Nov 2010 – Washington – Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry is touring the Middle East in a bid to build support for a number of American interest issues in the region. On Tuesday, Senator…
Erekat calls for “immediate” recognition of Palestinian state
Palestine Note 9 Nov 2010 – Washington – Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat responded to Israel’s announcement of new construction beyond the Green Line in East Jerusalem, describing the move as “unilateralism” and called for “immediate international recognition of the Palestinian State”….
Obama disappointed by Israel’s constructions plans
Palestine Note 9 Nov 2010 – The US President speaks to the press during his South Asian tour. Washington – Speaking to the press in Indonesia, US President Barack Obama said that he is “concerned” about the Israeli government’s plan to approve…
The new math
Palestine Note 9 Nov 2010 – Election Day was not a time of rejoicing for Democrats. And Jewish Democrats weren’t spared. Jewish legislative branch totals decreased from 39 to 34. Conventional wisdom suggests that the Tea Party wave was just too strong….
Young Jews challenge American Jewish leadership at Jewish federation general assembly in New Orleans
Palestine Note 9 Nov 2010 – PRESS RELEASE Jewish Voice for Peace, Israelis and Palestinians: Two Peoples, One Future www.jvp.org www.YoungJewishProud.org Contacts: Antonia House, 646-541-3174 Matan Cohen: 917-460-6350 Eyal Mazor: 408-718-2942 Young Jews Challenge American Jewish Leadership At Jewish Federation General Assembly…
Rabbis’ edict bars renting to Arabs
Palestine Note 9 Nov 2010 – Galilee cities vie for title of ‚Äòmost racist’ The tranquility of Safed, a small Israeli city nestled high in the hills of the Upper Galilee close to the Lebanese border, is not usually disturbed except by…
Israel slammed over settlement plan
AlJazeera 9 Nov 2010 – A chorus of international criticism has greeted Israeli decision to build some 1,300 homes in East Jerusalem.
Israeli Court Issues 45-day Extension for Wall Encircling al-Walajeh
PNN – Al-Walajeh — PNN – Residents of al-Walajeh, northwest of Bethlehem, witnessed what appeared to be a near-fatal setback when the Israeli High Court of Justice ordered a 45-day grace period in which…
Settlers Open New Settlers Only Road in Hebron
PNN – Hebron — PNN – A group of extremist settlers opened a new settlers-only road in the old city of Hebron today. Reports from the Palestinian Information Center indicate that the group attacked…
Erekat Calls For Recognition Of Palestinian State To Counter Settlements
PNN – PNN — Ramallah – Top Palestinian negotiator Sa’eb Erekat called on the international community to respond to Israel’s decision to build new settlements with an immediate recognition of the Palestinian state. Erekat…
Four Injured, Five Arrested in Silwan; Clashes in ‘Issawiya
PNN – Maysa Abu Ghazala — Jerusalem — PNN – Clashes in two East Jerusalem neighborhoods on Wednesday evening left four youths suffering the effects of tear gas inhalation and five arrested. According to…
Heads Or Tails, One Or Two-State Solution
PNN – By: Mitri I. Musleh – Now that the US midterm election has passed, President Obama may have a chance to pay more attention to the Palestinian/Israeli problem. The challenges facing President Obama…
MK Hanegbi Convicted Of Moral Turpitude
PNN – Jerusalem — PNN — The Israeli Magistrate Court ruled Tuesday that MK Tzachi Hanegbi’s, of the Kadima party, perjury conviction consists of moral turpitude and sentenced him to pay a NIS 10,000…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (28 Oct. — 03 Nov. 2010)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Hungarian FM to EU: Don’t link Israel upgrade to peace
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – In interview with ‘Post,’ Janos Martonyi urges Israel, Turkey to overcome strained ties and reestablish long-standing friendship.
Erekat: Israel prefers settlements over peace
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – PA reacts to east Jerusalem housing plans by urging world to recognize Palestinian state.
Crowley chides PM’s statements on J’lem building
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – State Dept. responds to earlier PMO statement denying “any connection between the peace process, construction in J’lem,”; PMO responds to Obama criticism, “J’lem is not a settlement, it is the capital of Israel.”
Exclusive: IDF revives liaison position for peace talks
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – Defense officials stress move has no connection with progress of negotiations; the position existed in the past but was dismantled almost a decade ago.
Iran says nuclear swap will not be discussed in talks
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – Earlier report says the Islamic Republic is ready to talk with 5+1 in Turkey later this month; western countries say no talks have been scheduled.
Netanyahu: ‘Jerusalem is not a settlement’
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – PMO says government never agreed to place any restrictions on construction in capital, which has 800,000 residents.
Trailer released for flotilla film shot on ‘Mavi Marmara’
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – Film portrays IDF soldiers shooting at men charging towards them; film follows Turkish hit-squad searching for Israeli flotilla commanders.
Kerry says Jerusalem, Ankara must overcome tensions
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – US senator: I’m confident tensions can be “put in a proper perspective” if the people of Israel and Turkey try and understand each other.
EU’s Ashton ‘extremely concerned’ at building in east J’lem
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – Foreign policy chief releases statement following announcement of plan to build 1,345 housing units, says decision “should be reversed.”
‘Not the end of Tzahi’s political career,’ says Livni
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – MKs express disappointment at suspension of Kadima MK from Knesset; Hanegbi will run for next Knesset and “reach the highest places,” Dalia Itzik says.
Report: Only a third of IDF draftees complete full service
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – Paper released by Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies says Israeli military would be better placed to “succeed” with a “professional army.”
Hanegbi: Court’s decision is ‘heavy blow but I respect it’
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – J’lem Court rules that Likud MK’s crimes involved moral turpitude and his service in Knesset will be suspended immediately; Hanegbi says: “This moment is very sad” after 22 years of Knesset service.
Ashkenazi: In a future war we’ll need to evacuate civilians
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – IDF Chief of General Staff says IDF is already working on target banks for future conflicts with Hamas, Hizbullah.
J’lem court: Hanegbi’s crimes involved moral turpitude
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – Court gives final ruling in Hanegbi case after 8 years; MK’s service in Knesset to be suspended immediately, could be terminated if appeal is not submitted.
Messer off the hook for Holyland
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – The investigation affects the current trial of Olmert and his ex-aide Shula Zaken, regarding the so-called Talansky and Investment Center affairs, where Messer was due to be a crucial state’s witness.
Hanegbi’s political fate to be determined in J’lem court
Jeruslalem Post 9 Nov 2010 – State prosecutor rejects lawyers’ claim that perjury charge was minor; court won’t have easy time determining whether Hanegbi’s crime involved moral turpitude.
International Solidarity Movement
Israeli forces raid Bil’in in the night
11/9/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – Today at about 3 in the morning the Israeli army entered the village of Bil’in. About 50 soldiers came in by jeep and by foot. As they arrived to the two targeted houses, they ran and took positions outside, while a number of them entered the house of two brothers. Soldiers hammered on….
For family of slain activist, no end in sight for case
11/9/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – 7 November, New York Times – HAIFA, Israel “” Seven years after an American student, Rachel Corrie, was killed in Gaza by an Israeli military bulldozer she tried to block, becoming a global symbol of the Palestinian struggle, her parents and her older sister sit in an Israeli court in this northern city with two hopes: to….
MK Hanegbi suspended from Knesset over moral turpitude conviction
Ha’aretz – Court adds to perjury conviction; Hanegbi will have to to leave his Knesset seat within the next few days and will likely be replaced by journalist Nino Abesadze.
Suspected gang rape leader signs plea bargain for lesser sentence
Ha’aretz – 13 teens were arrested in march for allegedly raping a teenage girl for three years since she was 15-years-old.
Livni: Two-state solution only way to keep Israel Jewish and democratic
Ha’aretz – In speech to General Assembly of Jewish Federations of North America, Kadima chief Tzipi Livni calls on world Jewry to support Israel in the fight against anti-Semitism and Iran.
Fatah: Hamas security services are nothing more than ‘militias’
Ha’aretz – Senior Fatah official Azzam el-Ahmed lashes out at Hamas ahead of Fatah-Hamas reconciliation talks in Damascus this week.
Netanyahu to Obama: Jerusalem is not a settlement
Ha’aretz – PM says building in Jerusalem hasn’t affected the peace process in 40 years; Obama calls Israel’s East Jerusalem building plans ‘unhelpful’ to peace efforts.
Senator Kerry: Israel and Turkey must renew close ties
Ha’aretz – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee visits Ankara as part of a wider Middle East tour that will also take him to Israel., Raising the stakes in the deadlock…
Hamas admits 600-700 of its men were killed in Cast Lead
Ha’aretz – The military group had previously claimed only 49 militants died during Gaza war, though Israel put the figure at 709.
Netanyahu, UN’s Ban discuss peace process, Ghajar withdrawal
Ha’aretz – Prime Minister slams UNESCO decision to classify ancient Jewish holy site as mosque, saying ‘historical facts should not be distorted in the name of politics.’
U.S. ‘deeply disappointed’ with new East Jerusalem construction plan
Ha’aretz – State Department Spokesman, J Street condemn plan to build 930 houses beyond the Green Line as Netanyahu makes official U.S. visit.
German FM calls on Israel to lift Gaza siege
Ha’aretz – Guido Westerwelle visits Gaza Strip, says blockade of Gaza supports ‘extremism’ though refuses to meet with Hamas.
Netanyahu faces embarrassment in U.S. over new Jerusalem building plan
Ha’aretz – Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee published details of program that will allow 930 new housing units to be built beyond the Green Line.
Israeli troops advance in central Gaza, detain 4 citizens in WB
9 Nov 2010 – Gaza, November 9, (Pal Telegraph – Occupied Palestine) A number of Israeli armored vehicles advanced in central Gaza east of the Maghazi refugee camp on Tuesday morning, Palestinian security sources told the PIC reporter. They said that seven military vehicles, including tanks, armed personnel carriers, and bulldozers advanced amidst intensive firing at citizens’ homes. The sources noted that the Israeli…
Israeli Soldiers Raid Bil’in in Pursuit of Injured Activist
9 Nov 2010 – Bil’in, November 9, (Pal Telegraph -Joseph Dana) The army invaded the village of Bil’in tonight, raiding three different houses in a failed attempt to arrest Ashraf Khatib who was shot with live ammunition during a demonstration in the village five weeks ago. Dozens of soldiers, on foot and in armored jeeps, staged another nighttime raid on the village of Bil’in…
Israeli forces remove the memorial of Samer Sarhan amidst daily unrest in Silwan
9 Nov 2010 – Jerusalem, November 9, (Pal Telegraph – ISM) Today, workers from the Jerusalem municipality and Israeli forces removed the Memorial of Samer Sarhan, this morning. They also removed the water supply donated on the soul of Samer Sarhan and the olive tree planted in the place, although the tree was present prior to the monument. The operation took place under the…
Israeli tactics are ‘uniting’ Palestinians
Uruknet November 9, 2010 – Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, is in the United States this week, but few observers expect an immediate or significant breakthrough in the stalled peace talks with the Palestinian leadership. In public, Mr Netanyahu maintains he is committed to the pledge he made last year, shortly after he formed his right-wing government, to work towards…
DCI-Palestine’s monthly bulletin on child rights violations – October 2010
Uruknet November 9, 2010 – On 13 and 14 October, two more children were deliberately shot and injured whilst collecting building gravel in Gaza, close to the border with Israel. This brings the total number of similar cases documented by DCI-Palestine since March 2010 to 14. In response to these latest shootings, DCI- Palestine has issued an Urgent Appeal (UA…
Israel arrested over 345 Palestinians in October, including 140 children
Uruknet November 9, 2010 – A report released by the Supreme National Committee for the Support of Prisoners, has confirmed that last month, forces of the Israeli Occupation arrested more than 345 Palestinian citizens from various parts of the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip including 130 children and two women. This is in addition to the detention of…
Israel devouring East Jerusalem
Uruknet November 9, 2010 – Flying in the face of the international community, including its own guardian-ally, the United Sates, Israel has approved a wide-ranging plan to obliterate the remaining vestiges of the traditional Arab-Islamic identity of East Jerusalem. Sponsored by the ultra-fascist group known as National Union, the plan would see the demolition of hundreds of Arab homes, establishing…
Speaking out on Kashmir and Palestine in the US
Uruknet November 9, 2010 – The United States has become a battleground for both the struggles of the peoples of Palestine and Kashmir, for freedom from military occupation and for justice. Awareness amongst the US public is broadened as the repression of both struggles grows ever more violent, and meanwhile those wishing to stifle debate on these issues in the…
Who will value Palestinian rights?
Uruknet November 9, 2010 – Hamas and Fatah have resumed reconciliation talks in a bid to heal the rift that has led to the Israeli occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip being governed by two separate bodies. Previous meetings have failed to unite the two groups, whose differences have brought about the most serious schism in Palestinian history. There is…
The Resurrection of Ariel Sharon
Uruknet November 8, 2010 – …So why the curious renewed interest in the former Prime Minister? It seems that the current policies of the Netanyahu administration, the increased vigor in the Knesset as it rams through a series of “thought” legislation, and the uncertainty that surrounds Obama’s ambiguous thrusts and withdrawals regarding his negotiations have shed klieg lights on what…
How to anger the pro-Israel lobbyTell how it really is in Gaza, especially if you’re an Archbishop
Uruknet November 8, 2010 – To their eternal shame, Western churchmen seem to care little about the plight of their brothers and sisters in the Holy Land or the fate of the holy places where Christianity was born. There are, of course, honourable exceptions. One such is the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan, whose church has…
New plans part of Judaising Occupied East JerusalemIn few months from now, the scene will be different.
Uruknet November 8, 2010 – In few months from now, the scene will be different. Thousands of Jewish colonists will gather each day outside the ancient Damascus Gate, the vital gateway of the old city in Occupied East Jerusalem – not to demonstrate against their government’s policies or to vent their feelings towards the Arabs – but to use the…
Settlers target Palestinian olive trees
Uruknet November 8, 2010 – During the last few years, Palestinian olive trees – a universal symbol of life and peace- have been systematically destroyed by Israeli settlers. “It has reached a crescendo. What might look like ad hoc violence is actually a tool the settlers are using to push back Palestinian farmers from their own land,” stated a spokeswoman…
Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza: India Lifeline to Gaza
Alternative Information Center – Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza:IndiaLifeline to Gaza September 2010 We the people of India extend our solidarity to the courageous people of Palestine in their struggle and resistance against the occupation of their land….
Abu Rdeineh: All Settlement Forms are Illegal, Rejected
WAFA – RAMALLAH, October 19 (WAFA)- The Presidency spokesperson , Nabil Abu Rdeineh confirmed today that all the forms of settlement (outposts and non-random) in Palestinian lands are illegal. Commenting
Netanyahu Declines Demolishing Settlements’ Random Units
WAFA – TEL AVIV, October 19 (WAFA) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided that he wouldn’t demolish the unregulated construction in a various settlements although the government has issued
The Elders Urge Comprehensive Approach to Arab-Israeli Peace
WAFA – DAMASCUS, October 19, 2010 (WAFA)- The Elders have called for a more comprehensive approach to the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks following discussions with officials, civil society, business and
France Provides €4 million for Gaza Wastewater Treatment Plant
WAFA – JERUSALEM, October 19, 2010 (WAFA)- On Sunday 17 of October 2010, at Ministry of Planning, Mr Dov Zerah, CEO of the French Development Agency (AFD), Dr Ali Jarbawi, Minister of Planning and
IOF deploys Ariel Settlement
WAFA – SALFIT, October 19 (WAFA)- The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) deployed, today, the Ariel Settlement that is established by force on the lands of the Salfit, Iskaka, Yasuf and Burkin
Dr. Erakat: Israel Seeks De Facto Recognition of Illegal Practices
WAFA – RAMALLAH, October 19, 2010 (WAFA)- Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization Negotiations Affairs Department Dr. Saeb Erakat said, yesterday, “By hosting the OECD conference in Jerusalem,
Observer: Israeli Government on Division Verge, Netanyahu Negotiates Kadima
WAFA – LONDON, October 17, 2010(WAFA) – The British Newspaper ‚ÄòObserver’ wrote that the Israeli government is facing the division risk because of the deadlock in the negotiations with the Palestinians
Israel rejects world’s criticism over settlements in East Jerusalem
Daily Star 9 Nov 2010 DAMASCUS: Tension over a UN-backed investigation in Lebanon over the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has soured a tentative rapprochement between the United States and Syria. The two countries exchanged tough rhetoric over the…
Inflexibility over tribunal damaging US-Syrian relations
Daily Star 9 Nov 2010 DAMASCUS: Tension over a UN-backed investigation in Lebanon over the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has soured a tentative rapprochement between the United States and Syria. The two countries exchanged tough rhetoric over the…
Assad gets Bulgarian backing for closer ties with European Union
Daily Star 9 Nov 2010 SOFIA: Bulgaria Tuesday backed Syria’s attempts to develop closer ties with the EU as well as its position on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, on the first visit by a Syrian head of state in 24 years….
Kerry: Israel and Turkey must overcome tensions
Daily Star 9 Nov 2010 ANKARA: A senior US senator called on Turkey and Israel to overcome recent tensions and renew close ties to help with peace efforts in the Middle East. John Kerry, who is the chairman of the Senate…
Bush defends legacy in new memoir
Daily Star 9 Nov 2010 WASHINGTON: George W. Bush, all but invisible since he left the White House nearly two years ago, reclaimed the spotlight Tuesday with the release of a memoir defending his “war on terror” and the Iraq invasion. “…
Obama says US earnest in reaching out to Muslim world
Daily Star 9 Nov 2010 JAKARTA: US President Barack Obama said Tuesday that Washington’s effort to reach out to the Muslim world was earnest and would help improve US security, although he acknowledged that there was still more work to do.
Rights groups fear rigging in Egypt’s upcoming polls
Daily Star 9 Nov 2010 A coalition of 16 rights groups said Tuesday it expects Egypt’s parliamentary elections later this month to be rigged because of severe restrictions imposed by the authorities.The Forum of Independent Human Rights NGOs warned in a…
West Bank: Israeli settlement construction
The Guardian 9 Nov 2010 – Israel plans to build more settlements in the occupied West Bank Peter Storey
Israeli plan to build hundreds of homes in West Bank settlement risks US anger
The Guardian 9 Nov 2010 – Palestinians say Israel ‘chooses settlements, not peace’ in plan for more housebuilding in Ariel Israel today risked provoking fresh US anger when a plan to build 800 homes in the West Bank settlement of Ariel was…
The Yacoubian Building — in Hebrew
The Guardian 9 Nov 2010 – NGO claims translation of Alaa al Aswany’s bestseller promotes Israeli-Palestinian understanding. But author wasn’t consulted Until last week, the Israel-Palestine Centre for Research and Information wouldn’t have rung any bells in literary circles. But this changed…
Lebanon: Fourteenth report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) (S/2010/565)
Relief Web 9 Nov 2010 – Source: UN Security Council
Lebanon: Italians inaugurate new sports facility in Beddawi and El-Buss camps
Relief Web 9 Nov 2010 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
OPT : The OIC-Secretary-General condemns New Israeli Settlement Decisions
Relief Web 9 Nov 2010 – Source: Organization of the Islamic Conference
OPT: Statement by the spokesperson of HR Catherine Ashton on the announcement by Israel of a plan for the construction of new housing in East Jerusalem.
Relief Web 9 Nov 2010 – Source: European Union
Multi-Billion-Dollar Arms Deals Could Haunt U.S.
IPS When the Shah of Iran, a strongly pro-U.S. ally, was ousted from power after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the stridently anti-U.S. regime of Ayatollah Khomeini that captured power also inherited a military bonanza: billions of dollars worth of state-of-the-art weapons provided by the United States.
Palestinians say it’s time to recognize their state
YNet News – Addressing plans for additional housing units in east Jerusalem, chief….
Police say 1 killed in election violence in Jordan
YNet News – Shootout amid parliamentary elections in Hashemite Kingdom leaves 25-year-old….
Hanegbi offense involves moral turpitude
YNet News – Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court delivers sentence following Kadima MK’s perjury….
Obama: Jerusalem building plan ‘unhelpful’
YNet News – US president joins global condemnation of new housing units being built beyond….
Chilean miners accept Israel’s invitation
YNet News – Thirty-three rescued miners ask to be accompanied on all-expenses-paid Holy Land….
Nobel laureates: Oppose Israel academic boycott
YNet News – ‘Academic and cultural boycott contradictory to principals of academic and….
Bush admits considered attack on Iran
YNet News – Former US president reveals in his memoirs that military option was defined as….
PM responds to Obama: Jerusalem not a settlement
YNet News – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has toughened his stance ahead his scheduled meeting with the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington on …….
Poll: Holyland affair most corrupt in 2010
YNet News – Sixty-nine percent of the public believes that the level of corruptness of Israel’s government in 2010 is very high. This statistic was exposed as part of a corruption …….
Bush book sheds light on Israeli strike in Syria
YNet News – Former President George W. Bush confirms in his memoir that the target of a 2007 Israeli airstrike was a Syrian nuclear reactor and suggests he quietly approved – a …….
IDF fears kidnapping attempt
YNet News – Following recent warnings regarding a possible attempt to kidnap soldiers, the IDF is refreshing its security protocols, Ynet reported Tuesday. Southern and Central …….
Palestinian Information Center
Violent clashes between OJ citizens and Israeli security
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – Israeli occupation policemen stormed the Isawiye suburb in central occupied Jerusalem on Tuesday and provided protection for workers who were using cement cubes to close one of its entrances.
Demonstrators wave Palestinian flag for first time on Beit Hanoun crossing
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – Dozens of Palestinians and foreigners demonstrated Tuesday near the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, for the first time ever waving the Palestinian flag on the crossing gate.
IOA rounded up 33 children in Silwan last month
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) has detained 33 Palestinian children in the Silwan town, in occupied Jerusalem, a report by the Wadi Hilwa information center said.
Netanyahu’s speech in N. America interrupted by pro-Palestinians
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – Israeli PM Netanyahu was outraged while speaking Monday before the Jewish Federations General Assembly when the audience interrupted his speech four times with remarks denouncing Israel.
Project under way to expand Ariel settlement with 800 units
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – Israeli media sources said plans for new settlement neighborhood in Ariel settlement in Nablus were under way as part of future plan to expand the settlement until it surrounds city of Salfit.
Two Palestinian workers wounded in IOF shelling
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – Two Palestinian workers were wounded on Tuesday when the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) fired an artillery shell at a group of workers collecting gravel south of Gaza Strip.
Qabha refutes claims about meetings between Hamas and Israeli officials
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – senior Hamas official Wasfi Qabha denied Israeli media reports claiming that there were meetings between Israeli and Hamas officials in Jenin city.
UN, EU concerned over Israeli settlement activity as more settlers pour in OJ
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has expressed concern over the Israeli occupation authority’s (IOA) announcement that 1,300 new housing units would be built in occupied Jerusalem.
Hamas official Nasif on hunger strike, IOA denies him visits
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – The Palestinian prisoner committee said that the Israeli occupation authority refused to allow its lawyer to visit senior Hamas official Ra’fat Nasif who is going on hunger strike.
PA military court sentences two Hamas members to actual imprisonment
PIC 9 Nov 2010 – The Palestinian authority’s military court in Ariha (Jericho) city issued actual prison sentences against two Palestinian citizens affiliated with Hamas Movement.
Netanyahu defiantly answers Obama’s warning over construction in East Jerusalem
LA Times 10 Nov 2010 – The Israeli leader’s sharp words come hours after Obama, in Indonesia, said new construction could harm a renewed Mideast peace effort. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clashed publicly with President Obama on Tuesday over Israeli construction in disputed East Jerusalem, throwing a teetering Mideast peace effort deeper in doubt.
Boycotted Jordan elections short on suspense
LA Times 10 Nov 2010 – The main Islamic opposition group and other parties boycotted — not because the vote was rigged against them, but because they say parliament has become pointless. The only suspense surrounding parliamentary elections here and in other Arab countries for many years has been over how many seats the opposition would be allowed to win.
Unesco Backs Off Philosophy Day in Iran
New York Times 9 Nov 2010 – This year’s event in Iran became extremely controversial, given Iran’s record of repression and censorship after disputed elections in 2009.
Despite Boycott, Voting Goes Ahead in Jordan
New York Times 9 Nov 2010 – The parliamentary election is likely to bolster allies of the country’s monarchy and deepen popular alienation from the political process.
Netanyahu Sharply Insists on Building in Jerusalem
New York Times 9 Nov 2010 – The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected criticism of Israel’s plans from President Obama and others.
AL KHALIL (HEBRON): Two Palestinians killed, four families made homeless.
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine –
AL-KHALIL (HEBRON): Palestinian family awakens to discover 100 mature grapevines destroyed
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine –
Tourism Initiative to Regenerate Neglected Areas
Palestine Monitor – Since the 1990’s, efforts to awaken tourism in Palestine have taken slow steps towards creating a vibrant and productive industry. Last week, the mission made an ambitious leap with the launch of the Sustainable Rural Tourism initiative. Organised by the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, the Rozana…
Night Raids in Bil’in Target Crippled Activist
Palestine Monitor – At 3am this morning Israeli soldiers invaded Bil’in village, in an unsuccessful attempt to arrest the activist Ashraf Al-Khatib. 50 soldiers arrived by jeep and on foot, surrounding two targeted houses. Photo by Hamde Abu Rahmah The first was a wrong address, waking a terrified family…
Sisyphus in the South Hebron hills
Mondoweiss – November 6, 2010, Samu’a, West Bank Another good day, as good days go in south Hebron. This means two relatively hopeful reports in a row; my readers may begin to lose interest, or to suspect my judgment has somehow become impaired. Certainly, the objective situation, including…
Jewish Values vs. Israeli Policies: Why five young Jews disrupted PM Netanyahu in New Orleans
Mondoweiss – The five young Jewish activists after disrupting Netanyahu. Being young and Jewish and realizing what Israel’s occupation is really like, contrary to what we may have been taught in our religious schools or high school trips to the holy land, can be a lonely journey. It…
Gaza’s hospitals: Bring your own medicine
Mondoweiss – In the summer of 2005 when I was visiting my family in Gaza, my 3 year old niece, Roa, had an incident and I took her to the local hospital. The doctor told us he could not see Roa, who was bleeding from her head, because…
Wait— Zionist uses choke-hold on Netanyahu protester… a woman… in the USA?
Mondoweiss – Remember how that female protester being stomped became a giant issue in the Rand Paul campaign for Senate in Kentucky? Why isn’t the chokehold applied to Rae Abileah, a young woman protesting Netanyahu at the Federations General Assembly in New Orleans, a bigger story? Here is…
De Gaulle/Arafat
Mondoweiss – The latest London Review of Books has a wonderful piece by Jeremy Harding reviewing two biographies of Charles De Gaulle. It is easy to admire De Gaulle now as a great leader and supporter of decolonization; what I never knew was how difficult was De Gaulle’s…
Hamas Invites Ahmadinejad to Gaza
Al-Manar 9 Nov 2010 – Hamas Foreign Ministry invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to visit Gaza to “revive the spirit” of the Palestinian resistance movement. “We invite Ahmadinejad to visit the Gaza Strip and we are confident that this trip will be of paramount importance,” the democratically-elected Hamas government’s Deputy…
Soldiers Raid Bil’in in Pursuit of Injured Activist
Joseph Dana 9 Nov 2010 – The army invaded the village of Bil’in tonight, raiding three different houses in a failed attempt to arrest Ashraf Khatib who was shot with live ammunition during a demonstration in the village five weeks ago. Dozens of soldiers, on foot and in armored jeeps, staged another…
Memories Of A Woman From USA — Video
Palestine Think Tank 9 Nov 2010 – Click here to see more pictures from Hebron. More pictures. More pictures. More pictures. More pictures from Hebron. More pictures. More pictures. Chelli is a woman in her late twenties, a US citizen and a dissident. Two days later, she wrote me some of her memories…
Obama raps Israel building plans
BBC 9 Nov 2010 – President Barack Obama criticises Israeli plans to build 1,300 settler homes in East Jerusalem, amid protests from the Palestinians.
Jordan votes in general election
BBC 9 Nov 2010 – Jordanians vote in parliamentary elections that have been boycotted by the strongest opposition party, the Islamic Action Front.
Israel suspends senior lawmaker
BBC 9 Nov 2010 – Senior Israeli lawmaker Tzahi Hanegbi is suspended from parliament after being found guilty of “moral turpitude” following a four-year corruption trial.
Children With Matches
Antiwar.com 9 Nov 2010 – Oh, good. I see that Sen. Lindsey Graham wants to attack Iran. The U.S., he says, should “sink their navy, destroy their air force, and deliver a decisive blow to the Revolutionary Guard.” Sen. Graham has the brains of a tapeworm, making him eminently qualified for…
Netanyahu Pounds War Drums
Antiwar.com 9 Nov 2010 – Less than a week after Republicans made major gains in the U.S. midterm elections, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on President Barack Obama to “create a credible threat of military action” against Iran. Initial official reaction was negative, with Defense Secretary Robert Gates insisting…
(en) Poland, Warsaw, Rent Strike / Tenants’ Protest* Update
A-infos 9 Nov 2010 – In the last two weeks following our occupation of the City Hall, we were quite busy indeed despite the fact some of the planned direct actions did not work out. This is partly because we have been trying to catch the President of Warsaw, unsuccessly, since…
Articles
Israel is right to be concerned
Rami G. Khouri, Daily Star11/6/2010
We can learn much from the Israeli government’s decision this week to suspend a special strategic dialog with the United Kingdom because of concerns that Israeli officials could be arrested and indicted with crimes against humanity in the UK, according to a British law that provides for “universal jurisdiction” in such cases, i.e., a suspect of any country can be charged, detained and tried in a British court even if the alleged crimes occurred in a third country and did not include British citizens among the victims. Israel’s Kadima Party leader Tzipi Livni recently cancelled a trip to London as did Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor this week, because he was advised that he risked being arrested.
Palestinians in the UK in recent years have filed charges against Israeli officials and British courts have issued arrest warrants for some Israeli officials, though none have actually been taken into custody. The important dimension of this is the concern among many Israelis — justified, in my view — that Israel is being subjected to a “de-legitimization” campaign. This is exactly what is happening, and it scares Israelis more than anything else in the world.
The one most-coveted thing that Israel lacks in the eyes of its Palestinian foes and other Arab and international critics is legitimacy and acceptance. It’s one thing if Yemen, Algeria or Somalia do not recognize Israel, but it is another and much more significant thing entirely if the UK government — the historical midwife of Zionism and the Israeli state — issues arrest warrants charging Israeli officials with crimes against humanity. Exactly 93 years ago this week the British government issued the Balfour Declaration that pledged support for the creation of “a national home for the Jewish people.” Now, London joins others in the world who seek to hold accountable to the international rule of law those Israeli leaders at the helm of that “Jewish national home” that is the sovereign state of Israel — sovereign, but still largely unaccepted in its present configuration. more.. e-mail
Jewish Values vs. Israeli Policies: Why five young Jews disrupted PM Netanyahu in New Orleans
Rae Abileah, Mondoweiss11/9/2010
Being young and Jewish and realizing what Israel’s occupation is really like, contrary to what we may have been taught in our religious schools or high school trips to the holy land, can be a lonely journey. It can be compared to a “coming out” experience, where sharing your perceptions with friends and family, let alone a room full of over 4,000 Jews, can be a daunting task. While more American Jews—and particularly young American Jews—are growing disillusioned with Israeli policies implemented in the name of all Jews with the support of old-guard groups such as AIPAC, it is still often a scary thing to publicly criticize Israel within the broader community.
In New Orleans during the Jewish Federation’s General Assembly (GA), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) created a safe space for young Jews, like myself, whose stomachs are still churning from the bombings in Gaza nearly two years ago, and whose eyes can no longer be averted from the daily reality of oppression for Palestinians. We came together to organize effectively and from the heart. And if we have faith in our generation’s capacity to transform politics and create peace, then we can believe in JVP’s mission as possible in the face of all odds. Picture 5Image from Israeli television news of Emily Ratner being removed from the GA.
On Monday morning, the GA plenary began with Oscar the Grouch — seriously, the Sesame Street puppet opened the plenary with a satire about how gross it was that Israelis were so friendly, always sharing, caring and helping each other out. Next, New Orleans Mayor Landrieu stressed a belief in tikkun olam, the Jewish principle of “repairing the world”, and almost in the same breath, an unending support for Israel. Contradiction? We think so. Our well-orchestrated protest began with the bold voice of local New Orleans resident Emily Ratner, who stood up after applause for Netanyahu and proclaimed, “The Loyalty Oath delegitimizes Israel!” as she unfurled a banner with the same message…. — See also: The Young Jewish Declaration more.. e-mail
The mighty march of progress: British war graves in Gaza
Jared Malsin, Ma’an News Agency11/9/2010
ZAWAYDA, Gaza — The Gaza War Cemetery is a slightly parched but still green oasis in an otherwise run-down neighborhood on the eastern edge of Gaza City.
Inside a leafy compound, underneath rows of white marble gravestones, lie more than 3,500 mainly British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in two world wars. Aside from the British there are Australians, Poles, Canadians, Greeks, two dozen Indian Muslim soldiers, and some 700 Turks.
Some anonymous headstones bear the inscription, “A soldier of the great war.”
As one of few green spaces in crowded, dusty Gaza the cemetery is known locally as a destination for family picnics. The graveyard is cared for by a team of six Palestinians employed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
In addition to the thousands of headstones engraved with crosses, there are also a handful which are instead carved with the Star of David, marking the graves of Jewish soldiers in the British army.
One of these is the last resting place of Wilfred Gordon Aron Joseph, who, according to records kept by the Graves Commission, lived at 28 Heber Road, Cricklewood, London and was married to Winifred L. Joseph.
2nd Lt. Joseph was 21 when he died in the Second Battle of Gaza, a vain and disastrous attempt by the British army to capture the enclave from Ottoman forces on 19 April 1917. Of the 800 men who set out on the attack that day, only 92 returned to British lines.
Joseph’s tombstone reads: “In the mighty march of progress / He thought to do his best.”
Britain’s first and second attempts to conquer Gaza failed…. more.. e-mail
The great book robbery of 1948
Electronic Intifada: 9 Nov 2010 – A new documentary reveals a hidden chapter in the history of the Nakba — the Palestinian expulsion and flight at the hands of Zionist militias as Israel was established in 1948 — which saw the systematic looting of more than 60,000 Palestinian books by Israeli forces and the attempted destruction of Palestinian culture.more
Rabbis provoke riots in Israel’s “most racist” city
Electronic Intifada: 9 Nov 2010 – In the past few weeks, the usually tranquil town of Safed — one of Judaism’s four holy cities — has been making headlines. Gideon Levy, a columnist for the Israeli daily Haaretz , last week declared it “the most racist city in the country.”more
Speaking out on Kashmir and Palestine in the US
Electronic Intifada: 9 Nov 2010 – The United States has become a battleground for both the struggles of the peoples of Palestine and Kashmir, for freedom from military occupation and for justice. Awareness amongst the US public is broadened as the repression of both struggles grows ever more violent, and meanwhile those wishing to stifle debate on these issues in the US resort to harassment and intimidation.more
Tourism Initiative to Regenerate Neglected Areas
Palestine Monitor: 9 Nov 2010 – Since the 1990’s, efforts to awaken tourism in Palestine have taken slow steps towards creating a vibrant and productive industry. Last week, the mission made an ambitious leap with the launch of the Sustainable Rural Tourism initiative. Organised by the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, the Rozana Institute, and a network of other organisations, the Sustainable Rural Tourism workshop at Bir Zeit University marked the launch of a project that aims to tap into an under-used resource for economic development in Palestine: rural tourism. Dr. Khouloud Daibes, the Palestinian Authority’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, has been outspoken about the important role the development of independent tourism in Palestine will have on the process for creating an independent state of Palestine. In her article in This Week in Palestine, Daibes wrote, “Palestine needs to promote itself as an independent destination that is not only an integral part of any visit to…more
Night Raids in Bil’in Target Crippled Activist
Palestine Monitor: 9 Nov 2010 – At 3am this morning Israeli soldiers invaded Bil’in village, in an unsuccessful attempt to arrest the activist Ashraf Al-Khatib. 50 soldiers arrived by jeep and on foot, surrounding two targeted houses. Photo by Hamde Abu Rahmah The first was a wrong address, waking a terrified family with no relation to Ashraf. Soldiers then entered his brother’s home, searching all the rooms for several hours without finding anything incriminating. When they eventually found Ashraf’s home, he wasn’t there. His brother Haytham al-Khatib, who works with Israeli peace group B’Tselem, was locked in a separate room alone for over an hour, while the soldiers ransacked his property. He was forbidden from recording the raid. Haytham told us his children, aged one, six and eight, are used to this treatment from the army and are tired of it. When soldiers arrived, the six-year old “asked me to close the door, because he didn’t…more
The Oslo Virus and the Struggle for Bantustans
Palestine Chronicle: 9 Nov 2010 – By Haidar Eid – Gaza In ‘The Music of the Violin,’ a short story by South African writer Njabulo Ndebele, one of the characters comments on the ‘concessions’ made by the apartheid regime to the indigenous people: “That’s how it is planned. That we be given a little of everything, and so prize the little we have that we forget about freedom.” This is what the endless “peace process” looks like seen from Gaza, where we live under a four-year-old Israeli siege. We pass the time struggling to survive, wondering if this is the day an air strike will take away our life, our loved ones or our home. I spent six years in Johannesburg, where I got my PhD. That time makes me very aware of the similarities between Israel and the apartheid regime in South Africa. I was inspired by how the world responded to apartheid in South…more
Canada Stands by Israel
Palestine Chronicle: 9 Nov 2010 – By Jim Miles A couple weeks after being rejected by the General Assembly for a position on the Security Council, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper has expressed his sour grapes at the rejection stating that Canada will not ‘pretend’ to be an ‘honest broker.’ The other option then is dishonesty. There is plenty of that in Canada’s position. In his speech supporting Israel at a “gathering of international parliamentarians and experts,” he performed the old standard of conflating the Holocaust with the creation of Israel, yet he should know that the Zionist cause began well before there were any indications of that genocide. Christian Zionism could be argued to have begun even before the European variety showed its colours at the turn of Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Both Christian Zionists and Jewish Zionists understood that to occupy Palestine meant the displacement by some means – some form of ethnic cleansing…more
How to Anger the Pro-Israel Lobby
Palestine Chronicle: 9 Nov 2010 – By Stuart Littlewood — London To their eternal shame, Western churchmen seem to care little about the plight of their brothers and sisters in the Holy Land or the fate of the holy places where Christianity was born. There are, of course, honourable exceptions. One such is the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan, whose church has provided Palestinians in Gaza with a mobile dental unit. He is not best pleased that the Israelis make it difficult to obtain fuel and medical supplies for it, and he didn’t mince his words when recently reporting to the Church’s governing body how things really are in Gaza. The truth of the matter seemed to annoy a certain Mr Simon McIlwaine, who complained that the Archbishop’s words put the state of Israel in an unduly harsh light and he was compelled to “provide some badly needed context”. Whereupon Mr McIlwaine…more
Biden is Not Taking It Personally
Palestine Chronicle: 9 Nov 2010 – By Belen Fernandez I sometimes worry about Philip J. Crowley, assistant secretary for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Public Affairs and emcee of the department’s Daily Press Briefings. Do his work habits adversely affect his behavior outside the office? For example, when asked at the supermarket whether he would prefer paper or plastic, does he say it’s too early to tell and revert to a discussion of U.S. commitment to direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians? Crowley’s latest acrobatics occurred during yesterday’s briefing, when he responded to an observation by a member of the press regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. and the announcement of Israeli plans to construct 1,300 homes in East Jerusalem, now augmented by a plan to construct 800 additional homes in the West Bank settlement of Ariel: QUESTIONER: …It seems that every time there is visitor, a high caliber visitor, be…more
‘Victim’ — A Poem
Palestine Chronicle: 9 Nov 2010 – By Lillian Rosengarten Dedicated to the memory of Paul Celan. ‘You were my death: you I could hold when all fell away from me.’ Dare we whisper of racial hate, cruelty that feeds voraciously Righteous moral certainty ready to taint the earth with blood Yours and mine in the name of nationalism. Ugly word reminds me of “uber mensch.” Do you remember once our well made clothes were warm and stylish, party dresses decked with bows, ribbons in the hair, families who loved, houses filled with flowers and the stuff of life. Things everybody knows, or wants to know . Before the yellow star took it all away, shopkeepers and bakers, professors. poets, doctors and artists, students and teachers, homosexuals, gypsies, lovers Dare we whisper how hate tainted the earth with their blood As the world looked on. Racist oppression, cruelty, righteous moral certainty ready to strike. In the name of…more
Rabbis’ Edict Bars Renting to Arabs
Dissident Voice: 9 Nov 2010 – The tranquility of Safed, a small Israeli city nestled high in the hills of the Upper Galilee close to the Lebanese border, is not usually disturbed except by the occasional pilgrimage by Madonna or other famous devotees of the Jewish mystical teachings of Kabbalah. But in the past few weeks, Safed — one of Judaism’s four holy cities — has been making headlines of a very different kind. Gideon Levy, a columnist for the Israeli daily, Haaretz , last week declared it “the most racist city in the country”. The unflattering, and hotly contested, epithet follows an edict from Safed’s senior rabbis ordering residents not to sell or rent homes to “non-Jews” — a reference to the country’s Palestinian Arab citizens, who comprise a fifth of Israel’s population. At an emergency meeting, called last month to discuss the dangers of “assimilation” caused by Arab men dating Jewish women, the 18 rabbis…more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
To subscribe, please write to OccupationNews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OccupationNews/join
The New Dark Age 
Leave a comment