25 December, 2010 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israel Set To Build And Market 5000 Units In Occupied East Jerusalem, W. Bank
IMEMC – 25 Dec 2010 – Saturday December 25, 2010 – 09:36, The Israeli Housing Ministry is planning to build and market nearly 5000 new units for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.
Ecuador formally recognizes Palestinian state
12/25/2010 – QUITO, Ecuador (AFP) — Ecuador formally recognized Palestine as an independent state on Friday, following the lead of its neighbors Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay earlier this month. President Rafael Correa signed “the Ecuadoran government’s official recognition of Palestine as a free and independent state with 1967 borders,” the Foreign Ministry said in a….
Palestinian orchestra prepares for debut
12/25/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A newly formed Palestinian National Orchestra says it will perform its debut concert on New Year’s Day. Its program includes new and old Palestinian classical music, alongside some European classics like Mozart, Beethoven and Ligeti, organizers said in a statement. Many of the musicians, together forming the first Palestinian….
Nativity deportees miss Bethlehem on Christmas
12/25/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Palestinians deported after the 2002 siege of the Nativity Church were sad during Christmas to be away from Bethlehem and the church, which sheltered them or 39 days. Fahmi Kan’an, a spokesman for the Gaza deportees, said Friday that they grieved to be away from the festivities.”The….
Islamist leader found dead in Lebanon refugee camp
12/25/2010 – BEIRUT (Ma’an) — The head of Fatah in Lebanon, Muneer Maqdah, said Saturday that Ghandi Sahmarani, who was found dead this morning, was the leader of what remained of the Islamist Soldiers of Levant group. Maqdah told Radio Lebanon that the motive behind the killing was not clear but that no gunshots were heard….
Haniyeh files complaint with UN
12/25/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas spokesman Taher An-Nunu said Thursday that Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh filed a complaint to the United Nations via a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon against Israeli army activity. Haniyeh called on the UN to take the necessary procedures to curb Israeli offenses against Gaza and to seriously….
Crowds pack Bethlehem to hear message of peace
12/25/2010 – BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AFP) — The Middle East’s senior Catholic cleric called for peace and reconciliation in a traditional Christmas Eve midnight mass before thousands in the birthplace of Jesus Christ.” During this Christmas season, may the sound of the bells of our churches drown the noise of weapons in our wounded Middle East….
Hamas wing takes credit for past attacks
12/25/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas’ military wing said Saturday that the Israelis were “playing with fire” by escalating tensions in the Gaza Strip. The Al-Qassam Brigades said they were observing a previously declared ceasefire with Israel not out of weakness or fear, but to protect lives of Palestinian people and to prevent them….
Allenby: PA detains 16, Israel denies 37 exit
12/25/2010 – JERICHO (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority police officers stationed at the Allenby crossing between the West Bank and Jordan detained 16 Palestinians wanted for fraud and other crimes, a weekly round-up of activity at the crossing said. The detainees were amidst 8,306 who traveled into Jordan during the week, in addition to 107 foreign nationals….
Initiative seeks end to politically motivated arrests
12/25/2010 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The association of independent Palestinian figures in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip announced Friday an initiative sponsored by Egypt to end politically motivated arrests, which Fatah and Hamas practice reciprocally. The initiative suggests a committee comprising independent dignitaries and representatives of human rights groups from the Gaza Strip….
‘Christmas for all’ appears on new postage stamp
12/25/2010 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – President Mahmoud Abbas approved Saturday the issuance of a new Palestinian postage stamp on the occasion of Christmas. The phrase “Christmas For All” will appear on the stamp. The Palestinian postal service took part in Friday’s Christmas celebrations in Manger Square and announced the stamp. Hundreds of international visitors….
Report: Dubai men molested Palestinian boy
12/25/2010 – DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Ma’an) — A court in Dubai has sentenced two Emirati men to six months in jail for molesting a 13-year-old Palestinian boy, local media reports said Friday. The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted 20-year-old student “FA,” and 31-year-old “YA” of sexually abusing the boy, whom they….
Remembering Christian Palestinian families at Christmas
Palestine Note 25 Dec 2010 – When people think of Palestinians, often Muslims come to mind. But Palestine was a diverse place, where Palestinian Jews and Christians lived as well. The larger Arab world is diverse, encompassing many Christian communities. Iraqi Christian…
Turkey insists on Israel apology
AlJazeera 25 Dec 2010 – Foreign Minister says country ready for talks with Israel if it first offers apology and compensation for flotilla raid.
Travel ban for Iran reform leaders
AlJazeera 25 Dec 2010 – Prominent opposition candidates of disputed 2009 vote, are barred from leaving country.
Hamas: Israel ‘playing with fire’
AlJazeera 25 Dec 2010 – Group warns of escalation in hostilities unless military operations along Gaza-Israel border stop.
Senior Lebanese fighter found dead
AlJazeera 25 Dec 2010 – Prominent figure in armed group based in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp found dead.
Israel Set To Build And Market 5000 Units In East Jerusalem and the West Bank
PNN – By Saed Bannoura – PNN- The Israeli Housing Ministry is planning to build and market nearly 5000 new units for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Lawyer Qais…
Beit Sahour Lights a Candle for the Establishment of a Palestinian State
PNN – Ghassan Bannoura — PNN — Nearly 2,000 people marched on Saturdy evening at the southern West Bank town of Beit Sahour near Bethlehem to Light a Candle for the Establishment of a…
Israeli Soldiers Attack Two Protests In Hebron, Arrest Three Israeli Activists
PNN – Hebron – PNN — Israeli and international supporters joined Palestinian on Saturday to protest the Israeli wall and settlements in the southern West Bank city of Hebron and nearby Beit Omer village….
Israeli Air Force Carries Out Three Air Strikes In Gaza
PNN – Gaza — PNN – The Israeli Air Force carried out, on Friday night after midnight, three air strikes targeting several areas in central and southern Gaza; three Palestinians were wounded. Local sources…
Ecuador becomes the fifth country to recognize the Palestinian state
PNN – QUITO — PNN — The Ecuadorian government official formally recognized Palestine as an independent state on Friday, and became the fifth country to do so following the footsteps of its neighbors Brazil,…
Santa Clause brings Rubber Bullets, Gas and Arrests
PNN – An Nabi Saleh — While the media’s attention was focused on the Christmas spectacle in Bethlehem and people were celebrating Christmas eve, the village of An Nabi Saleh, located in the Ramallah…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (16 — 22 December. 2010)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
German mayor slams ‚ÄòCologne Wailing Wall’ exhibit
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – City partners in Tel Aviv and Bethlehem blast ‚Äòanti-Semitic, anti-Israel presentation.’
Israel refutes Turkish FM’s criticism
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – Davutoglu says Ankara intends to reconcile with Israel, but accuses J’lem gov’t of not reciprocating Turkish overtures.
Israel plans to boycott UN Durban III conference
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – “The Durban Conference of 2001, with its anti-Semitic undertones and displays of hatred for Israel and the Jewish World, left us with scars that will not heal quickly,” Foreign Ministry says.
New stars light up Bethlehem nightlife
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – Young people now have places to go and the tourists are back.
Abbas vows: No room for Israelis in Palestinian state
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – PA president says US has failed to pressure J’lem, accuses Israel of ‚Äòdeception’ for blaming PA for impasse in talks.
Abbas: No room for Israelis in Palestinian state
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – During tour of Ramallah, PA president expresses opposition to settlers, stationing of Israeli soldiers at borders of new state.
Hamas says it wishes to abide by ‚Äòcalm’
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – Izzadin Kassam chief: You will cease to exist and Palestine, with its Jerusalem, Al-Aksa Mosque, villages and cities will remain ours.
Hamas: We are ready to answer any Israeli aggression
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – Speaking in Gaza, Hamas spokesman says group will abide by truce, but will “respond strongly” to Israeli attacks, hints that group has secret weapon “that will worry the occupation.”
Abbas: No Israeli presence in future Palestinian state
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – During tour of Ramallah, PA president expresses opposition to settlers, stationing of Israeli soldiers at borders of new state, says he hopes state will be established next year.
Lebanon: Wanted militant found dead at refugee camp
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – Officials say Ghandi Sahmarani was one of Lebanon’s most wanted; militant found handcuffed, blindfolded and was shot in back of head.
Lebanon: Wanted militant found dead at refugee cam
Jeruslalem Post 25 Dec 2010 – Officials say Ghandi Sahmarani was one of Lebanon’s most wanted; militant found handcuffed, blindfolded and was shot in back of head.
International Solidarity Movement
Festive demonstrators assailed with tear-gas in Bil’in
12/25/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – Bil’in Village – At yesterday’s demonstration, a number of Bil’in’s citizens as well as a local journalist were wounded, in addition to the dozens of people who suffered choking from inhaling poison gas. These events come during a week of international solidarity with the Palestinian people as well….
Santa Claus brings rubber bullets, tear gas, and arrests
12/25/2010 – International Solidarity Movement – While the media’s attention was focused on the Christmas spectacle in Bethlehem and people were celebrating Christmas eve, the village of An Nabi Saleh, located in the Ramallah region and in the direct neighborhood of the illegal settlement Halamish, faced another reality. Yesterday’s demonstration was met by excessive violence on behalf….
Three Italian nuns killed, two injured in car accident in Beit She’an
Ha’aretz – The nuns, who were all estimated to be in their 40’s, were visiting Israel as part of a Christmas pilgrimage.
Turkey set on improving Israel ties, but insists on apology for Gaza flotilla raid
Ha’aretz – Turkish foreign minister accuses Israeli government of not reciprocating Turkey’s overtures to negotiate a settlement over flotilla incident.
Hamas: Israel has two options – death or leaving Palestinian lands
Ha’aretz – As second anniversary of Gaza war approaches, Hamas says it will not disregard ‘attempts of the enemy to escalate the situation.’
Ecuador becomes fifth Latin American country to recognize Palestinian state
Ha’aretz – Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia have announced this month that they recognize Palestine as state within 1967 borders.
IAF warplanes strike Gaza tunnels, leave 3 wounded
Ha’aretz – F-16s flying over the coastal enclave fired two missiles at suspected smuggling tunnels on the border between southern Gaza and Egypt.
Know more about Palestine
25 Dec 2010 – Palestine, December 26, (Pal Telegraph) — This side of the story has been blocked within the fence of a grey zone since 1947, and unfortunately, up to this very moment, most of the people in this world still don’t know what really happened in the past, what’s going on now and what’s planned for the future in Middle East. The…
Israel pushes Gaza pupils to unhealthy education environment
25 Dec 2010 – Gaza, December 26, (Pal Telegraph) —It was freezing for tens of Gaza schoolchildren, who overstocked in iron-made classrooms, basically containers used for storing goods, at an elementary school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip, ruled by the Hamas movement.
Humanitarian convoy heads to blocked gaza
25 Dec 2010 – Gaza, December 26, (Pal Telegraph) — The first Asian humanitarian convoy, which aims to break the Israeli-imposed siege of the Gaza Strip, has departed for its final stop before the coastal sliver.
Palestinian family to demolish its house under the Israeli threat
25 Dec 2010 – Jerusalem, December 25, (Pal Telegraph) – Arraq family from the occupied Jerusalem said that they will demolish their house built in Sur Baher town under the Israeli order.
Israeli army erects mobile checkpoints in Nablus
25 Dec 2010 – Nablus, December 25, (Pal Telegraph) — Israeli occupation forces (IOF), on Saturday, erected number of mobile military checkpoints in different areas in Nablus. Local sources said that Israeli soldiers erected a military checkpoint at the crossroad Yateshar near Hawara in southern Nablus where the Israeli soldiers stopped number of cars. In addition to, IOF erected a military checkpoint at the…
Israeli army raids factory, several houses in Jenin
25 Dec 2010 – Jenin, December 25, (Pal Telegraph) — The Israeli occupation forces raided Saturday a tobacco factory and several houses in Yaabod town in Jeneen. The occupation forces broke into the northern neighborhood of yabod town and raided a factory of tobacco owned by the citizen Ahmed Atatreh. IOF also raided and searched several houses belong to Abu Shamla family whose members…
Israeli army kills shepherd in North Gaza
25 Dec 2010 – Gaza, December 25, (Pal Telegraph-ISM) – Yesterday morning Salama Abu Hashish, 20 years, was herding his sheep and goats in Beit Lahya, in northern Gaza, when the Israeli Occupation Forces shot him without any warning. The bullet hit his back and went straight through one of his kidneys. He had surgery and was in the intensive care unit at Kamal…
Israeli air strikes hit Gaza
25 Dec 2010 – Gaza, December 25, (Pal Telegraph) – The Israeli Air Force carried out, on Friday night, three air strikes targeting several areas in central and southern Gaza; three Palestinians were injured. Adham Abu Salmiyya, spokesperson of the Emergency and Ambulance Department, reported that two Palestinians were injured in the air strike which targeted a site in the east of Al-Nosirat refugee…
They’re ‘Slow-Torturing’ Bradley Manning Right Under Our Noses
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – …In his book A Question Of Torture: CIA Interrogation, From the Cold War to the War On Terror, Alfred McCoy connects decades and billions of dollars of “black” US torture research with the current sophisticated techniques Global War On Terror jailers are using to torture human beings without laying a finger on them. The key…
Palestinian doctor open legal proceedings against the Israeli War Ministry
Uruknet December 25 2010 – Over 400 Palestinian children was killed during the Zionist massacre, “Operation Cast Lead” on Gaza two years ago. Many hundreds more were wounded. One of the parents, Izzedin Abuelaish, whose children also were killed in the latest Gaza massacre, is a Gaza doctor, whom also researched the effects of conflict-related stress on Palestinian children, lost…
Israeli Foreign Ministry Plans New Hasbara Effort Against Palestinians
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – Haaretz reports that the Israeli Foreign Ministry has officially launched a diplomatic campaign to dissuade the international community from recognizing an independent Palestinian state along 1967 borders and possibly catalyzing the passage of a UN Security Council resolution against settlement building. Efforts will include “an immediate public relations campaign on the matter at the bureaus…
Guantanamo Closure Recedes Into Distance
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – …Wednesday’s approval by the Senate of an amendment banning the use of Pentagon funds for 2011 to transfer detainees at Guantanamo, the U.S. naval base on Cuba, to the United States or its territories appears to guarantee that the facility will remain open for business at least through next September. The House of Representatives, which…
Santa Clause brings rubber bullets, tear gas, and arrests
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – While the media’s attention was focused on the Christmas spectacle in Bethlehem and people were celebrating Christmas eve, the village of An Nabi Saleh, located in the Ramallah region and in the direct neighborhood of the illegal settlement Halamish, faced another reality. Yesterday’s demonstration was met by excessive violence on behalf of the Israeli military….
Travel ban for Iran reform leaders
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – Iran’s two main opposition leaders have been barred from leaving the country, a prominent Iranian politician has said. Mousa Qorbani, a member of the judicial committee, announced the travel ban on Saturday for Mir Hossain Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi – reformist leaders who ran in the disputed 2009 presidential elections. The measures are part of…
Welcome to Gaza
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – Here’s what’s up: I just spent the last nine days in Cairo waiting for the press office to process my tanseek, breathing in too much small particulate matter, and generally trying not to get too anxious and agitated while I was waiting for permission to go to Gaza. On Tuesday, I secured my tanseek. On…
Israel Set To Build And Market 5000 Units In Occupied East Jerusalem, W. Bank
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – The Israeli Housing Ministry is planning to build and market nearly 5000 new units for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Lawyer Qais Yousef Nasser, a specialist in Construction and Planning Laws, stated that the Israeli Housing Ministry sold in 2010 more than 1400 units in settlements in occupied East…
Rising Poverty in America and Israel
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – The Working Poor Families Project (WPFP) “is a national initiative focused on state workforce development policies involving: (1) education and skills training for adults; (2) economic development; and (3) income and work supports.” Its newest publication is titled, “Great Recession Hit Hard at America’s Working Poor: Nearly 1 in 3 Working Families in United States…
Racist Jews to the Fore
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – Emotions are running high in this working class town on the Mediterranean adjacent to Tel Aviv, the Israeli metropolis that has long been the symbol of liberal laissez-faire Israel. Principally, anti-Arab emotions: Racism is on the march. A number of small, yet vociferous, anti-Arab demonstrations have taken place here recently in the wake of a…
Jesus was Palestinian and why it matters
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – …Yeshua (Jesus’ real Aramaic name) was born in Bethlehem, a Palestinian city in the West Bank and home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. The Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest churches in the world, marks the birthplace of Jesus and is sacred to both Christians and Muslims. While tourists from…
Invisible Bethlehem
Uruknet December 25, 2010 – On Christmas Eve, Christian pilgrims from all over the world flock to the birthplace of Jesus Christ, while millions more remember it in prayers and carols. But the Palestinian inhabitants of Bethlehem remain virtually invisible to most Christians, who treat the tiny city as an almost mythical place that somehow exists beyond the realm of…
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all our readers
Uruknet December 25 2010 – Over 400 Palestinian children was killed during the Zionist massacre, “Operation Cast Lead” on Gaza two years ago. Many hundreds more were wounded. One of the parents, Izzedin Abuelaish, whose children also were killed in the latest Gaza massacre, is a Gaza doctor, whom also researched the effects of conflict-related stress on Palestinian children, lost…
SPF Deivers Tonfa Training to 37 Recruits
WAFA – RAMALLAH, October 20, 2010 (WAFA)- The Palestinian Special Police Force (SPF) has successfully delivered a Tonfa training course to 37 new SPF recruits, according to a press release by EUPOL-COPPS,
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
The Holy Land is on a tourism high
The Guardian 25 Dec 2010 – Visitors are flocking back to Jesus’s birthplace but border controls mean Israelis call the shots Dawn Lawrence pulls her wheeled suitcase up and down the narrow, cobbled streets of Bethlehem. Shouts of “welcome, welcome” ring out…
MIDEAST: Nazi-Like Jews to the Fore
IPS Emotions are running high in this working class town on the Mediterranean adjacent to Tel Aviv, the Israeli metropolis that has long been the symbol of liberal laissez-faire Israel. Principally, anti-Arab emotions: Racism is on the march.
Hamas commander: Israel will disappear
YNet News – Day after Mahmoud al-Zahar says Islamist group committed to unofficial truce,….
Officials: Wanted Lebanese militant found dead
YNet News – Leader of Qaeda-affiliated group found handcuffed, blindfolded in Palestinian….
IAF bombs Gaza targets in response to rocket, mortar attacks
YNet News – Israeli warplanes strike a number of targets throughout Strip, including….
Ecuador recognizes Palestine state
YNet News – Country’s Foreign Ministry says decision ‘vindicates the valid and legitimate….
Abbas in Bethlehem: We hope for year of peace
YNet News – PA leader says Palestinians seek peace ‘in path of Jesus,’ expresses hope for….
3 nuns killed in car crash in north
YNet News – Christmas disaster: Car carrying five women making their way to Jerusalem….
Lebanon: Israeli jets breached our airspace
YNet News – Some 12 Israeli fighter jets flew over Lebanese territory Thursday, Lebanon Army….
Hamas: Committed to truce
YNet News – Hamas committed to mutual ceasefire in Gaza ‘as long as there is no oppression….
Palestinian Information Center
Egypt: Mossad was behind internet cable cut two years ago
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – Egyptian Supreme State Security disclosed investigations leading to Israeli foreign intelligence the Mossad being behind the break in an internet cable belonging to Egypt a year and a half back.
Zahhar: The PA-Israeli coalition against the Palestinians will come to an end
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said that the coalition between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people will be doomed to demise sooner or later.
Report: Israeli settlement activity peaks in November 2010
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – The Jerusalem center for social and economic rights released a report documenting Israel’s violations against Arab citizens of Jerusalem in November 2010, with special focus on settlement activity.
Al-Qassam commander: Israel is unable more than ever to break our will
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – Commander in chief of Al-Qassam Brigades Mohamed Al-Daif said that the Israeli occupation is weaker than ever to break the determination and steadfastness of Hamas Movement and its end is inevitable.
Palestinian fisherman injured in IOF shooting
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – A Palestinian fisherman was slightly wounded on Saturday when the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) aboard navy gunboats opened heavy machinegun fire at fishermen off the coast of northern Gaza city.
Madhoun: Hamas succeeded in pairing between resistance and rule
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – Ibrahim Madhoun told the PIC that the press conference held by Hamas’s armed wing proves that the resistance movement in Gaza is developing quantitatively and qualitatively.
Netanyahu to visit Egypt next month
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu is to visit Egypt early next month for talks with president Hosni Mubarak, his foreign minister Ahmed Abul Ghait, and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman.
Israel builds, markets 5,000 settlement units in J’lem and W. Bank
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – Specialist in settlement affairs Qais Naser said that the Israeli ministry of housing is working on building and marketing about 5,000 new settlement units in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
PA militias harass Hamas officials Qabha and Hajj en route to mosque
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – Former Palestinian minister Wasfi Qabha said that militia men from the PA intercepted and harrassed him along with Hamas leader Khaled Al-Hajj as they were heading for Friday prayers.
Documentary on 2008-2009 Gaza war debuts in Algeria
PIC 25 Dec 2010 – Algerian filmmakers announced their film dubbed “The Gaza Disaster” documenting Israel’s last war on Gaza will debut in cinemas throughout the world on March 16, 2011.
Palestinian mayor presides over boom times in Ramallah
LA Times 25 Dec 2010 – Overseeing the city’s expansion is Mayor Janet Mikhail, elected as a Christian independent and one of the only female mayors in the male-dominated Palestinian territories. Her allies are Hamas. The recent groundbreaking for a new Palestinian Authority presidential headquarters here in Ramallah underscored an unprecedented building and investment boom in the West Bank city. Land prices have tripled. International hotel chains are arriving. And master-planned housing projects are underway around town to accommodate a fast-rising population.
The murder of a 20-year-old shepherd on his family lands on the Gaza border— meets only thundering western silence
Mondoweiss – Max Ajl is back in Gaza. He reports on the killing of a 20-year-old shepherd, Salama Abu Hashish, shot through the kidney from the back as he was herding his animals a couple hundred meters from the border. We first picked up the ISM account the…
Gaza children go to school in shipping containers
Mondoweiss – and other news from Today in Palestine: Land, property, resources theft and destruction / Ethnic cleansing / Deportation Israeli military to deport Jerusalem Palestinian JERUSALEM (AFP) — The Israeli military has ordered an East Jerusalem Palestinian out of the city for four months for allegedly organizing protests against…
DADT repeal exposes Israel’s discriminatory policies
Mondoweiss – For several nights this week Chris Matthews was thrilled by the repeal of Don’t ask/don’t tell, and he many times repeated the idea that Catholics and Jews had “assimilated” into American society when they had served in World War II and the rest of society saw…
US interest in stabilizing Iraq and Afghanistan demands rapprochement with Iran
Mondoweiss – Stephen Kinzer at the Daily Beast, calls for a reset of the US-Iran and US-Israel relationships after going to a dinner with Ahmadinejad in New York. I don’t think he dares to suggest why there is so much “emotion” here on the U.S. part, that is…
Obama’s only tool against Netanyahu is‚Ķ delegitimization
Mondoweiss – Lately I have had conversations with two very-connected Jews that suggested to me the wheels are coming off the lobby’s cart, that the collapse of the talks due to Israel’s intransigence is upsetting American Jews, and some of the grown-ups are getting closer to saying, F-you,…
Hamas: Truce in Place But to Respond Strongly in Case of Any Invasion
Al-Manar 25 Dec 2010 – The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas said that even though the truce between Israel andthe movementwas in place, it warned the Zionist entity on Saturday it would respond strongly to any Israeli invasion. In a press conference, a spokesman for Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades who identified himself as…
Two Palestinians Injured in Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza
Al-Manar 25 Dec 2010 – Israeli occupation warplanes hit four targets in the Gaza Strip early Saturday, wounding at least two people and knocking out power in a large swathe of the strip, officials and witnesses said. The occupation army said that the strikes came after fighters fired a mortar…
Zahar Says Hamas ‘Still Committed’ to Israel Truce
Al-Manar 24 Dec 2010 – Hamas senior leader Mahmud Zahar declared on Friday that the Resistance party remains committed to its truce with the Israeli enemy. “We declare our commitment to respecting the truce between us and the occupier,” Zahar told a gathering in the Gaza town of Khan Yunis….
Iran urged to halt Kurd execution
BBC 25 Dec 2010 – Amnesty International appeals to Iran to commute the death sentence of an Iranian Kurdish student who it says is expected to be executed on Sunday.
Church of the Nativity needs repairs
BBC 24 Dec 2010 – The local authorities of Bethlehem warn that unless urgent repairs are carried out to the centuries-old Church of the Nativity, visitor numbers may have to be restricted.
Viewpoint
BBC 25 Dec 2010 – Author Alaa Aswany says democracy coming soon to Egypt
Israeli Foreign Ministry Plans New Hasbara Effort Against Palestinians
Sabbah report 25 Dec 2010 – There are in reality very few issues which could not be settled by Israel simply adhering to established international consensus. The Israeli government is plainly aware of this fact and is consequently trying to trap Palestinians into making concessions to gain what they should already have….
Why Members of Congress Oppose a Unilateral Palestinian Declaration of Independence
Sabbah report 25 Dec 2010 – When the time for a vote comes, whether it is a symbolic nonbinding resolution such as H. Res. 1765 or a crucial bill funding Israel’s occupation, the vast majority of members of Congress will invariably vote on the side of Israel. The reason is quite simple:…
STL-PSC Flash Mob: Boycott Israeli Apartheid in Palestine! (YouTube Censors the Video)
Sabbah report 25 Dec 2010 – I’ve lived in the West Bank for a few years and visited several times, and every time I go back, with every airport interrogation or checkpoint I get stopped at, I feel only a sliver of the degradation of what the Palestinians permanently living there have…
Articles
Jesus was Palestinian and why it matters
Jehanzeb Dar, Ma’an News Agency12/25/2010
Because of modern alarmist reactions to the word “Palestine,” many non-Arabs and non-Muslims take offense when it is argued that Jesus was a Palestinian (peace be upon him).
Jesus’ ethnicity, skin color, and culture often accompany this conversation, but few people are willing to acknowledge the fact he was non-European. A simple stroll down the Christmas aisle will show you the dominant depiction of Jesus: a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, white man.
Islamophobia and anti-Arab propaganda have conditioned us to view Palestinians as nothing but heartless suicide bombers, “terrorists,” and “enemies of freedom and democracy.” Perpetual media vilification and demonization of Palestinians, in contrast to the glorification of Israel, obstructs us from seeing serious issues such as the Palestinian refugee crisis, the victims of Israel’s atrocious three-week assault on Gaza during the winter of 2008-2009, the tens of thousands of homeless Palestinians, and many other struggles that are constantly addressed by human rights activists around the world.
To speak from the perspective of the Palestinians, especially in casual non-Arab and non-Muslim settings, generates controversy because of the alignment between Palestinians and violent stereotypes. So, how could Jesus belong to a group of people that we’re taught to dehumanize?
When I’ve spoken to people about this, I’ve noticed the following responses: “No, Jesus was a Jew,” or “Jesus is not Muslim.” The mistake isn’t a surprise to me, but it certainly is revealing. Being a Palestinian does not mean one is Muslim or vice versa. Prior to the brutal and unjust dispossession of indigenous Palestinians during the creation of the state of Israel, the word “Palestine” was a geographic term applied to Palestinian Muslims, Palestinian Christians, and Palestinian Jews…. more.. e-mail
Please Boycott Us!
Anonymous, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN)12/23/2010
For years I have been rather ambivalent about the wisdom of boycotting Israel. While a boycott of anything related to the illegal settlements in the West Bank, which are a clear derivative of a brutal occupation, is an absolute necessity, and which I have fully supported, I have always been reserved about the boycotting of Israel proper. Today I feel that there is no choice but to call for a full and total boycott directed against Israel — Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS). For the good of Israel and in the hope that blatant pressure from abroad directed primarily at the Israeli economy is the only way to wean Israel from what Thomas Friedman in a recent editorial called “Israel’s crack addiction”. It is the only way to wake Israelis up from their (crack) pipe dream of “business as usual” or the feasibility of maintaining a disastrous status quo that will only lead to more land grabs, violence and war, ultimately jeopardizing Israel itself. It is the only way to convince present and future governments that the current situation is untenable and unviable. It is the only way to save us from ourselves. At this point in time, Israelis are unable to affect change from within. The atmosphere has become so poisoned that attempts at the grassroots level to affect political change are insignificant at best, particularly in light of attempts at the legislative level to delegitimise grassroots initiatives and make local NGOs seeking to advance political change illegal.
The current Israeli government (as well as past governments, whether led by Labour, Likud or the catch all Kadima party) has zero intention of moving forward with negotiations with the Palestinians. They would much rather “manage” the conflict than seek a truly just solution. The continued occupation is having a disastrous effect on Israeli society as a whole. Human life has become cheap, a form of Judeo-Fascism is developing here, led by rabbis, far right politicians in the Knesset and leaders in the occupied Palestinian territory. Jim Crow legislation has been tabled at the Knesset, rabbis have signed calls not to lease or sell property to Arab Israelis, hundreds demonstrate against Arab Israeli neighbors, and recently a group of minors were arrested for conducting what can only be called pogroms against innocent Arab citizens in the center of Jerusalem….. more.. e-mail
‘The Darkness to Expel!’
Uri Avnery, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN)12/25/2010
IT IS easy to despair before the filthy wave of racism that is engulfing us.
The remedy for this despair: the growing number of young people, sons and daughters of the new Israeli generation, who are joining the fight against racism and occupation.
THIS WEEK, several hundred of them gathered in a hall in Tel Aviv (belonging, ironically, to the Zionist Federation of America) to launch a book published by the group “Breaking the Silence”.
In the hall there were some veterans of the peace camp, but the great majority of those present were youngsters in their twenties, male and female, who have completed their military service.
“The Occupation of the Territories” is a book of 344 pages, consisting of almost 200 testimonies by soldiers about the daily and nightly life of the occupation. The soldiers supplied the eyewitness accounts, and the organization, which is composed of ex-soldiers, verified, compared and sifted them. In the end, 183 of some 700 testimonies were selected for publication.
Not even one of these testimonies was denied by the army spokesman, who generally hastens to contradict honest accounts of what is happening in the occupied territories. Since the editors of the book have themselves served as soldiers in these places, it was easy for them to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
The book makes very depressing reading, and not because it details gruesome atrocities. On the contrary, the editors made it a point not to include incidents of exceptional brutality committed by sadists, which can be found in every army unit in Israel and throughout the world. Rather, they wanted to throw light on the grey routine of the occupation. more.. e-mail
Downfall of the Jewish Dream of a Safe Homeland
Palestine Chronicle: 25 Dec 2010 – By Lillian Rosengarten ‘Israeli military kills 20-year old Gazan for herding animals too close to buffer zone.’ — Adam Horowitz, December 24. The International Solidarity Movement in Gaza reported: “Yesterday morning Salama Abu Hashish, 20 years, was herding his sheep and goats in Beit Lahya, in northern Gaza, when the Israeli Occupation Forces shot him without any warning. The bullet hit his back and went straight through one of his kidneys. He had surgery and was in the intensive care unit at Kamal Adwan Hospital, where he died at 5.30 pm. The IOF has not only taken a life away from the Abu Hashish family; it widowed a young woman and orphaned a baby that was only born the previous evening. Salama Abu Hashish had just become a father, but has not even been able to name his first born.” In 1945 the war against the Nazis ended. I was…more
‘Breaking the Silence’ in Israel
Palestine Chronicle: 25 Dec 2010 – By Uri Avnery — Israel It is easy to despair before the filthy wave of racism that is engulfing us. The remedy for this despair: the growing number of young people, sons and daughters of the new Israeli generation, who are joining the fight against racism and occupation. This week, several hundred of them gathered in a hall in Tel Aviv (belonging, ironically, to the Zionist Federation of America) to launch a book published by the group “Breaking the Silence”. In the hall there were some veterans of the peace camp, but the great majority of those present were youngsters in their twenties, male and female, who have completed their military service. “The Occupation of the Territories” is a book of 344 pages, consisting of almost 200 testimonies by soldiers about the daily and nightly life of the occupation. The soldiers supplied the eyewitness accounts, and the organization, which is…more
Al-Qaeda Tune: Israel’s Favorite War Song
Palestine Chronicle: 25 Dec 2010 – By Dr. Ahmed Yousef, Deputy Foreign Minister – Gaza Israeli strategists covet the concept of Islamic fundamentalism. It is a convenient, all-encompassing tag easily applied to any bearded man, veiled woman or contrarian critic of Western politics who happens to be Muslim. The label has deftly been used to paint a poisoned picture of Islamism in Palestine; and distort Hamas’ policies as those of an extreme faction akin to Al Qaeda or Taliban — a useful reference given the West’s concerted efforts to neutralize those militants. There is no doubt that Hamas leaders and government officials view their movement as a national liberation movement — a political and military one — which draws its inspiration from its religious roots (the only thing it has in common with its Israeli counterparts). And which works to affect freedom through all legitimate means as well as provide civil services to the Palestinian people…more
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The New Dark Age 