28 January, 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
27 dead in Egypt uprising; Mubarak refuses to step down
IMEMC – Saturday January 29, 2011 – 03:42, As hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Egypt Friday in the 4th straight day of protests, President Hosni Mubarak said that he would replace his cabinet with new officials — a move that was unsatisfactory to the protesters, who called on Mubarak himself to resign.
Israeli Soldiers Attack Anti Wall Protests in West Bank Villages
IMEMC – Saturday January 29, 2011 – 02:15, Ramallah — PNN — one injured, many treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli soldiers attacked the anti-wall protests in the villages of Bil’in and Nil’in in central West Bank in addition to al Ma’ssara in the south.
Settlers Kill Palestinian Youth In Hebron
IMEMC – Saturday January 29, 2011 – 01:54, Palestinian medical sources reported Friday at night that a Palestinian youth was shot and killed by settlers fire in Safa Village, north of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Sit-in at Palestinian Embassy in London
IMEMC – Friday January 28, 2011 – 13:56, On Thursday, Palestinian academics and students living in London staged a sit-in at the Palestinian embassy.
PCHR Weekly Report: 2 Palestinians killed, 6 wounded by Israeli forces this week
IMEMC – Friday January 28, 2011 – 11:38, In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the week of 20-26 January 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that Israeli forces killed a Palestinian at a military checkpoint near the northern West Bank town of Jenin, and a Palestinian civilian was killed and another two were wounded by the explosion of a projectile left by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian Killed In Sinai, Officer Killed in Suez, Massive Protest Anticipated Friday
IMEMC – Friday January 28, 2011 – 07:22, A young Egyptian man was shot and killed by Egyptian Security Forces fire during clashes that took place in in front of Sheikh Zweid Police station in Sinai. A Police officer was also killed during clashes with protesters in Suez. Protests were also reported in Yemen demanding the removal of its president.
Child Killed Near Sofa Crossing In Southern Gaza
IMEMC – Friday January 28, 2011 – 06:21, Palestinian medical sources reported that a 13-year-old child was killed on Thursday evening when an ordnance dropped by the Israeli army detonated near him close to the Sofa Crossing in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Medics: Settlers shoot teen in head near Hebron
1/28/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Two Palestinians were injured Thursday, by a group of religious Jews locals described as settlers from a nearby area. One man was beaten and the second shot, and said to be “clinically dead.” The shooting is the second in as many days. Spokesman for the village Mohammad Awad said that more…. Related: Autopsy on teen slain by settler completed and Iraq Burin closed after settler shoots farmer
Israeli forces spread across Jerusalem
1/28/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces were on high alert in Jerusalem Friday, with hundreds of soldiers, border guards and police fanned out around the Old City and guarding the entrance to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. With tens of thousands protesting in Egypt for the ouster of long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak, and Palestinian groups warning of….
Paraguay recognizes Palestinian state
1/28/2011 – ASUNCION, Paraguay (AFP) — Paraguay has recognized a “free and independent” Palestinian state within its 1967 borders, the ministry of foreign affairs said Friday. The South American nation thus joins a wave of other regional countries that include Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana and Uruguay.” The Republic of Paraguay expressly reiterates the recognition of….
Little recourse for victims of gender-based violence
1/28/2011 – RAMALLAH (IRIN) — Gender-based violence in the occupied Palestinian territory remains at epidemic levels, according to UN agencies, local NGOs and women, while victims lack legal recourse and often face a family backlash for reporting crimes. The number of sexual assault cases reported from 2006 to 2009 increased more than seven times, while the number of….
2 minors arrested in West Bank village
1/28/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israeli soldiers arrested two minors from Bil’in village who had approached a barrier separating it from settlements. Local witnesses said Mu’tesem Ali Mansour and Khalil Ibrahim Yasin were tied up and blind-folded before being dragged away. An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed that two Palestinians suspected of throwing….
Israel closes both Gaza crossings
1/28/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities decided to close all crossings into Gaza on Friday and Saturday, Palestinian officials said. Crossings liaison officer Raed Fattouh said he was informed of the closure early Friday morning. Imports into Gaza may be reduced further in the coming week, as the bulk goods crossing in the northern….
Iraq Burin closed after settler shoots farmer
1/28/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Locals from the northern West Bank village of Iraq Burin, where a 19-year-old farmer was shot by settlers on Thursday, said large numbers of Israeli forces had occupied the area. Villagers said no clashes had erupted, but with the funeral of the slain teenager expected to take place on Friday…. Related: Medics: Settlers shoot teen in head near Hebron and Autopsy on teen slain by settler completed
Gaza militants say group fired on Israeli patrol
1/28/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The militant wing of Islamic Jihad issued a statement Friday claiming fighters with their Al-Quds Brigades opened fire on an Israeli military patrol operating inside the Gaza Strip. A cluster of Israeli military vehicles patrolling what Israel has declared as a “no-go zone” along the Gaza border were targeted shortly….
Witnesses: Army fires tear gas at US, PA officials
1/28/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Thursday fired tear gas and stun grenades at senior US and Palestinian officials and farmers planting tress near Hebron, witnesses said. US consulate officials, settlement and wall affairs minister Maher Ghuneim, Hebron governor Kamil Hamid and Beit Ummar mayor Nasri Sabarneh joined farmers in Safa to plant trees….
Autopsy on teen slain by settler completed
1/28/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) —The bullet that killed 19-year-old Uday Qadous entered his body at the shoulder and ripped through his lung, medical officials at the Rafidyah Hospital in Nablus reported Friday. The report said the shot entered the teen’s body at point blank range. Qadous, a farmer from the northern West…. Related: Medics: Settlers shoot teen in head near Hebron and Iraq Burin closed after settler shoots farmer
Egyptian forces kill 3 migrants en route to Israel
1/28/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Egyptian forces shot dead three African migrants attempting to enter Israel, Egyptian security sources said. Security officials said the migrants did not heed orders to stop so forces opened fire, killing three and injuring one. Egyptian officers also detained 10 migrants including four women, and transferred them to an investigation….
Palestinians protest over Al-Jazeera leaks
1/28/2011 – HEBRON (AFP) — Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets on Friday to vent their anger over secret peace talks documents published by satellite television station Al-Jazeera. Across the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, supporters of the militant Islamic group marched in protest at concessions that Qatar-based Al-Jazeera said were made to Israel by the Palestinian leadership in….
Backlash, confusion over leaked docs
1/29/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Following calls for vengeance and a”day of rage” against the PA for an alleged assassination, Hamas security forces in the Gaza Strip warned the angered Al-Aqsa Brigades that if they did not clarify threats the group’s weapons would be confiscated. Sources within Fatah said that the Gaza government….
Palestinian scout delegation returns from world conference
1/28/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian scout delegation returned Tuesday from the 39th World Scout Conference in Brazil The tri-annual event hosted 952 participants representing 119 countries. Following a number of meetings with international officials, the Palestinian delegation was granted full recognition in the World Organization of the Scout Movement, which will be presented in….
PLO condemns Al-Jazeera series
1/28/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization met Wednesday by President Mahmoud Abbas and discussed a number of issues including Al-Jazeera’s Palestine papers. The committee condemned Al-Jazeera’s “campaign” which it called tool to distort “the Palestinian national position.”They considered the campaign consistent with Israeli positions….
Palestinian officials analyze fall-out of Palestine Papers
1/28/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — As Palestinian officials respond to the fallout from the leak of PLO documents covering a decade of negotiations with Israel, the Qatar-based satellite channel Al-Jazeera remains the focus of attention. Al-Jazeera on Sunday began releasing the “Palestine Papers,” revealing wide gaps between the public positions of PLO negotiators and their private….
New US envoy seeks better ties with Syria
1/28/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — The new US ambassador to Damascus, Robert Ford, presented his credentials to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday, expressing hopes of improving ties between their countries.”Relations between the United States and Syria often have been challenging,” Ford said in a statement issued by the US embassy.”President al-Assad and I talked about….
UNRWA: Qaddafi foundation has not transferred funds
1/28/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Qaddafi foundation has only transferred $2 million of a $50 million grant to rebuild homes in the Gaza Strip, a UN Relief and Works Agency spokesman said Friday. Adnan Abu Hasneh told Ma’an the agency’s commissioner-general Filippo Grandi signed an agreement with Saif al-Islam Al-Qaddafi….
Islamic Jihad: Resistance over negotiations
1/28/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – Senior Islamic Jihad official Khalid Al-Batash said Thursday that occupation should be faced with resistance and national unity, and not negotiations. He also called for the restructuring of the PLO following the leak of Palestinian documents about negotiations with Israel. The Qatar-based satellite channel Al-Jazeera on Sunday began publishing over….
PA official denies involvement in assassination
1/28/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Former Palestinian Authority interior Minister Nasir Yousef on Wednesday said leaked PLO documents implicating him in the 2005 assassination of a Fatah militant were fabricated. Qatar-based satellite channel Al-Jazeera on Sunday began publishing over 1,600 secret PLO papers relating to a decade of negotiations with Israel. According to handwritten Arabic notes….
In photos: Reacting to the Palestine papers
1/28/2011 – Protesters gather throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, a day after Al-Jazeera concludes its 4-day series on leaked PLO documents. Demonstrators in the West Bank defended President Mahmoud Abbas, while protesters in the Gaza Strip applauded the Qatar-based television network. Protesters stuck to party lines with no pro-Al-Jazeera rallies in Ramallah nor any support for….
Mubarak defiant as Egypt death toll mounts
1/29/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt’s embattled President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday addressed the nation for the first time since deadly protests erupted against his regime, vowing reform but showing no sign of relaxing his decades-old grip on power. Four days after angry protesters first took to the street and with at least 27 people killed….
Egyptian police crack down on protests across country
1/28/2011 – By Hania El-MalawaniCAIRO (AFP) — Riot police in Egyptian cities fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse thousands of anti-regime protesters who flooded out of Friday prayers demanding an end to decades of corruption and oppression. Police were deployed in strength around the most populous Arab nation that has been rocked by protests since Tuesday….
Lebanon PM wraps up talks on govt
1/28/2011 – BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — Lebanon’s Hezbollah-backed prime minister designate Najib Mikati on Friday wrapped up consultations on forming a new government set to be boycotted by his Sunni rival Saad Hariri. Mikati told reporters after two days of talks with parliamentary blocs that he would report back to President Michel Sleiman on Saturday before….
Arab Democracy and Israel: They Can be Compatible
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – The following post was originally published on the Meretz USA blog . – MP It is hard to imagine that a matter as explosive as The Palestine Papers (a massive leak of some 1,600 documents the Palestinian…
The Wrong Side of History
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – Joel D. Hirst, Huffington Post – “Dictatorships are stable,” I have often been told by friends who object to my unwavering commitment to democracy promotion, “In a dangerous world we need stability more than freedom.” My…
Seizing a Moment, Al Jazeera Galvanizes Arab Frustration
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – New York Times – The protests rocking the Arab world this week have one thread uniting them: Al Jazeera , the Qatar-based satellite channel whose aggressive coverage has helped propel insurgent emotions from one capital to the…
Egyptians’ Fury Has Smoldered Beneath the Surface for Decades
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – New York Times – Events in Tunisia may have inspired the largest street protests ever to challenge President Hosni Mubarak ‘s nearly three decades in power. But the anger fueling those protests is not new. It…
Palestinian protests show splits over leaked papers
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – Alert Net – Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the West Bank and Gaza on Friday to voice support and opposition to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in rallies that underlined the deep divisions between…
Don’t Fear Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – Bruce Riedel, The Daily Beast – The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia has sent a shock wave through the Arab world. Never before has the street toppled a dictator. Now Egypt is shaking , Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year-old regime…
Egyptians losing fear of confrontation with regime
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – BBC News – “Go, go, Mubarak go” and “the people need to end this regime” shouted the angry crowds around al-Istiqamma mosque in Cairo’s Giza Square, as they shook their fists at the lines of helmeted…
Refugees in Lebanon receive wider, cheaper access to hospital services
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – Alert Net – A landmark cooperation agreement, supported by UNHCR and Lebanon’s Health Ministry, will allow refugees to receive medical treatment at four state-run hospitals around Lebanon at affordable prices. The cooperation agreement was signed last…
Headquarters of Egypt’s ruling party set on fire
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – Clashes between protesters and police grow more intense Al Masry Al Youm – Protesters set flame to the ruling National Democratic Party headquarters in Downtown Cairo Friday around 6:30 PM. President Hosni Mubarak is expected to…
Israel watches Arab turmoil closely, but comments cautiously
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – Washington Post – Israel has been closely watching the unrest roiling its Arab neighbors while keeping a low profile, with top government officials responding cautiously to what one described as “an earthquake” in the region. Mark…
Demonstrations ripple through Mideast after Friday prayers
Palestine Note 28 Jan 2011 – Thousands in Egypt and Jordan protest autocratic governments Los Angeles Times – Protests and unrest continued through the Middle East on Friday after the weekly Muslim prayer. Security forces in Egypt clashed violently with protesters at…
Egypt tense after bloody protests
AlJazeera 28 Jan 2011 – Army deployed in key cities while curfew fails to deter protests calling for the president’s resignation.
Obama urges reform in Egypt
AlJazeera 28 Jan 2011 – US president calls on his Egyptian counterpart to take concrete steps towards political reform.
Egypt supporters rally worldwide
AlJazeera 28 Jan 2011 – Protests held across globe in a show of solidarity with Egyptian demonstrators attempting to oust president.
Mapping Egypt’s ‘day of wrath’
AlJazeera 28 Jan 2011 – Click to locations on the map for more details about the demonstrations across Egypt.
Thousands protest in Jordan
AlJazeera 28 Jan 2011 – Protesters gather across the country, demanding the prime minister step down.
Egypt general cuts short US trip
AlJazeera 28 Jan 2011 – Senior official apparently cutting short defence talks as unrest sweeps his country.
Israeli Soldiers Attack Anti Wall Protests in West Bank Villages
PNN – Ramallah — PNN — one injured, many treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli soldiers attacked the anti-wall protests in the villages of Bil’in and Nil’in in central West…
PCHR: Israeli Attacks Left Two Palestinian Killed
PNN – PCHRGaza – PNN – Israeli military attacks left two Palestinians dead another six injured this week, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said in its weekly report. The report, which documents daily…
Settlers kill a Palestinian Boy and Injure Another near Hebron
PNN – Hebron — PNN — A Palestinian teenager was shot dead, another sustained wounds by settlers who attacked the village of Safa near the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Friday morning….
Egyptian Killed In Sinai, Officer Killed in Suez, Massive Protest Anticipated Friday
PNN – By Saed Bannoura – A young Egyptian man was shot and killed by Egyptian Security Forces fire during clashes that took place in in front of Sheikh Zweid Police station in Sinai….
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (20-26 January 2011)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Gallery: Anti-government protests in Egypt
Jeruslalem Post 29 Jan 2011 – Entering their fourth day, protests have grown in scale; protesters are demanding an end to the 30-year reign of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt opposition party calls for ‘transitional government’
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – Number of dead rises to 16 in latest day of protests; ruling party headquarters goes up in flames; ElBaradei placed under house arrest.
Number of dead rises to 16, 11 in Suez, in Egypt protests
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – Military deployed on streets for first time since protests began; gov’t officials and businessmen flee Egypt in private jets; US official says $1.5 billion Egyptian aid package to be reviewed; Mubarak still silent on protests.
Cables show US reduced human rights pressure on Egypt
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – WikiLeaks: US diplomat wanted to avoid harming Cairo relations; cables detailing police brutality on dissidents may intensify situation in Egypt.
Thousands in Jordan protest, demand PM step down
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – In 3rd day of protests, opposition supporters took to the streets in Amman to express their anger at rising prices, inflation, unemployment.
Egypt protesters clash with police after prayers
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – Police use rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannons against protestors including pro-democracy leader ElBaradei, his supporters.
‘Hamas officials travel to Syria to discuss Schalit’
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – “Al-Hayat” report says delegation will bring up suggestions made by German negotiator Gerard Conrad; Schalit bicycle rally head in Gilboa.
Arab world unrest has Jordan’s king under pressure
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – “Nobody wants regime change, but people here want accountability and an end to government corruption,” Jordanian analysts say.
Internet, phones down as Egypt braces for protests
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – Authorities prepare for demonstrations backed by the Muslim Brotherhood and Mohamed ElBaradei, by stopping digital communications.
Police detain 20 involved in clash at Hirbat Safa
Jeruslalem Post 28 Jan 2011 – Settlers, Palestinians clash in Gush Etzion; as a result teen, 17, shot, critically injured; Israeli hikers say Palestinians opened fire at them.
Egypt: Internet down, gov’t deploys special force
Jeruslalem Post 27 Jan 2011 – Mohamed ElBaradei arrives in Cairo; at least 5 Muslim Brotherhood leaders, 5 former Members of Parliament apparently arrested.
When reaction to story, more important than story itself
Jeruslalem Post 27 Jan 2011 – Palestinian public response to revelations that PA leadership moved closer to some of Israel’s positions on certain issues was muted. Why?
Women’s Whispers: Be thou to Me betrothed
Jeruslalem Post 27 Jan 2011 – It happens that the fourth time my son puts tefillin will be in the Frankfurt airport, on his way to Jerusalem.
Netanyahu: Only attorney general can decide outcome of Galant report
Ha’aretz – Report published Thursday said incoming IDF Chief Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant had indeed seized land near his home; report leaves Galant’s imminent appointment up in the air.
Tony Blair: Palestine papers harmful to Mideast peace process
Ha’aretz – Former British Prime Minister says papers, which reveal major concessions Palestinians made while negotiating with Israel, will hurt current negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Report: Hamas leaders to discuss Shalit deal proposal in Syria
Ha’aretz – Hamas delegation reportedly to discuss ‘new ideas’ presented by German mediator for a prisoner exchange deal that would secure the release of the abducted IDF soldier.
Palestinian killed after settlers open fire in West Bank village
Ha’aretz – Incident comes only a day after police confirmed Palestinian reports saying that a Palestinian youth was shot to death by an unidentified Israeli citizen.
U.S. Democrats and pro-Israel lobbies slam Republican Senator’s call to halt Israel aid
Ha’aretz – Tea Party representative Rand Paul tells CNN’s Wolf Blitzer he has a lot of respect for Israel but he doesn’t believe the U.S. should be funding the Mideast arms race…
IDF commander involved in shooting bound Palestinian evades jail term
Ha’aretz – Despite prosecution’s request for active prison service, IDF court rules Lt. Col. Omri Burberg will not be eligible for an upgrade in military rank for two years and cannot serve…
Eerekat: We want to question British, French and U.S. Palestine papers whistleblowers
Ha’aretz – Chief Palestinian negotiator Erekat says he asked France, U.S. and Britain to help investigate the men, but stresses that he is not accusing them of wrongdoing.
Diaries of Vera Macht in Gaza
28 Jan 2011 – Gaza, (Pal Telegraph) – The air is filled with the noise of the Israeli F-16s, which are flying so low that it’s almost like the air is trembling. You can positively feel the bombs before they fall, before they explode with a horrendous bang, that is unmistakable, with a pressure wave that breaks the windows of the houses in the…
Palestinian Authority knew of Gaza war!
28 Jan 2011 – Palestine, (Pal Telegraph) – Did the Palestinian Authority (PA)’s leadership have foreknowledge of the Gaza war? That question is raised – though never satisfactorily answered – by several exchanges revealed in The Palestine Papers.
Harassment in Nabi Salih: Intimidation tactics in Israel’s wider strategy of expropriation.
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – As a quick Google search for ‘Nabi Salih’ will demonstrate, it is clear that intimidation tactics are standard fare from an Israeli military whose presence in the village has increased significantly since 2009. But a more in depth look reveals the wider goal at hand. Palestine Monitor reports. In December 2009, settlers from Halamish seized…
Thousands protest in Jordan for third week
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – For the third consecution on Friday, Jordanians poured into the streets after noon prayers to protest against soaring prices and call for a change in government. The Islamist led opposition, professional associations and leftist activists marched yesterday from Al Huesseini Mosque to the capital’s centre. They held banners that read “Corruption and normalisation are two…
The Price of Dignity: Palestine’s Political Prisoners
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – Currently there are more than 11,000 Palestinian political prisoners locked up in Israel’s jails. This week, I found out that my friend Hasan (not his real name) is one of them. When in Ramallah, I mentioned to a mutual friend that I had planned to ring him to let him know I was in Palestine….
Golan Heights activist: “We dream of freedom”
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – The Golan for Development was established in 1991 in the occupied Golan Heights. We are working on development projects as a method to resist Israel’s occupation and control. We provide basic services in many different projects. We cover most of the health services in all five Arab villages, and we increase awareness of health issues….
The Protest Movement in Egypt: “Dictators” do not Dictate, They Obey Orders
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – The puppet masters support dissent against their own puppets? Its called “political leveraging”, “manufacturing dissent”. Support the dictator as well as the opponents of the dictator as a means of controlling the political opposition. These actions on the part of Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, on behalf of the Bush and Obama…
US poured millions in pro-democracy groups in Egypt, Wikileaks
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – The United States has funnelled tens of millions of euros into pro-democracy movements in Egypt, diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks reveal, just as Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak faces unprecedented protests against his regime. The United States Agency for International Development (USaid) planned to allocate close to over 100 million euros to pro-democracy movement in Egypt…
Comrade Maqdesi salutes the Egyptian people and their struggle
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – Comrade Khalil Maqdesi, member of the Central Committee of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine expressed in an interview today, January 27, 2011, his salutes for the people of Egypt and their struggle for democracy and social justice, as centrally important for all Arab people. Comrade Maqdesi said that the PFLP has a…
At least 20 dead in Egypt – medics
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – At least 20 people have been killed in clashes with security forces across Egypt as nationwide anti-government protests raged for a fourth straight day, medics and witnesses say. At least 13 people were killed and 75 injured in anti-government protests in the canal city of Suez, a hospital source said. In Cairo, at least five…
US reported ‘routine’ police brutality in Egypt, WikiLeaks cables show
Uruknet Police brutality in Egypt is “routine and pervasive” and the use of torture so widespread that the Egyptian government has stopped denying it exists, according to leaked cables released today by WikiLeaks. The batch of US embassy cables paint a despairing portrait of a police force and security service in Egypt wholly out of control. They suggest torture is…
Fear and the Palestine Papers
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – … I have a suggestion for the Palestinian authority: try to deal with the issues and do release your own documents instead of trying to shoot the messenger. Take lemons to make lemonade. Help introduce an even stronger resolution at the UN security council (e.g. in support of the Goldstone report or to recognize a Palestinian…
Arab Earthquake: Egypt Is the Region’s Turning Point
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – While media analysts debate whether social media is fueling revolt in the Middle East and North Africa or whether the US has helped keep regional dictatorships in power, one thing is very clear: The Arab masses are sick and tired of being sick and tired. From Tunisia spread a renewed hope that Arabs are experiencing…
Protesters across Egypt defy curfew
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – A nighttime curfew has begun in the Egyptian cities of Cairo, Alexandria and Suez, after a day where thousands of protesters took the streets, demanding an end to Husni Mubarak’s 30-year presidency. The curfew was implemented on Friday on the orders of the president, along with an order that the military take charge of security,…
Political Prisoner Ahmad Sa’adat Update
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – As General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), he was sentenced in 2002 to 30 years in prison “for a range of ‘security related’ political offenses,” including his prominence in a prohibited organization. For over 40 years, Israel targeted him relentlessly, subjecting him to numerous arrests, torture, false imprisonments, and…
Egypt Rising: Washington Dithers as its Factotum Faces Downfall
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – Astounding things are happening in Egypt. Tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, are on the streets. As I write, there are reports that protestors have taken over police stations and attacked headquarters of the ruling party in several cities. Activists are now reporting that police in Alexandria have downed their weapons and are mingling…
WikiLeaks cables show close US relationship with Egyptian president
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – Secret US embassy cables sent from Cairo in the past two years reveal that the Obama administration wanted to maintain a close political and military relationship with the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, who is now facing a popular uprising. A frank briefing note in May 2009 ahead of Mubarak’s trip to Washington, leaked by WikiLeaks,…
2nd Palestinian shot by settlers
Uruknet January 28, 2011 – Two Palestinians were injured Thursday, by a group of religious Jews locals described as settlers from a nearby area. One man was beaten and the second shot, and said to be “clinically dead.” The shooting is the second in as many days. Spokesman for the village Mohammad Awad said that more than 150 settlers from…
Guardian Journalist Arrested and Beaten Alongside Protesters in Egypt Secretly Records Ordeal
Uruknet In Egypt, running battles between police and anti-government protesters continued into the early hours of Thursday morning. Police have arrested up to 1,200 people, including a number of journalists. Among them was Guardian reporter, Jack Shenker. He was arrested and beaten by plainclothes police on Tuesday night and shoved into a truck with dozens of other people. He managed…
Joe Biden says Egypt’s Mubarak no dictator, he shouldn’t step down…
Uruknet January 27, 2011 – .. and wonders what the Egyptian protesters want… Asked if he would characterize Mubarak as a dictator Biden responded: “Mubarak has been an ally of ours in a number of things. And he’s been very responsible on, relative to geopolitical interest in the region, the Middle East peace efforts; the actions Egypt has taken relative to…
Israel predicts Egypt regime will survive
Uruknet January 27, 2011 — Israel expects that the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will survive pro-democracy protests that have shaken the country over the past three days, government officials and analysts said. The wave of demonstrations throughout Israel’s southern neighbour have raised speculation about whether Mubarak will be forced from office, and how the protest movement will affect…
Egypt prepares for fresh protests
Uruknet January 27, 2011 – Internet and mobile phone text message users in Egypt have reported a major disruption to services as the country prepares for a new wave of protests against the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak, the president. Anti-government protesters have called for mass protests after noon prayers on Friday as they increase the pressure on the fourth…
Saudis urged to keep hand in Lebanese mediation
The National 29 Jan 2011 – Prince Saud al Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, said earlier this month that Riyadh had abandoned its mediation efforts in Lebanon, after the failure of attempts to find a solution by King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad.
US gave material support to pro-democracy groups in Egypt: Wikileaks
The National 28 Jan 2011 – New cables released by the whistleblower website show that the United States, which counts Egypt as a key ally in the region, was gloomy on any prospects of meaningful reforms coming from the Mubarak administration.
US calls on Egypt to respect ‘fundamental rights’ of citizens
The National 28 Jan 2011 – A State Department official said the police action against protesters was of “deep concern” to the United States, as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak signalled that the military would be deployed to quell demonstrations after his ruling party’s headquarters were torched.
Alternative Information Center
Ian McEwan Should Turn Down Jerusalem Prize
Alternative Information Center – As Israeli citizens who support the boycott, divestment and sanctions call on Israel , we believe that if Ian McEwan accepts the Jerusalem prize next month in Jerusalem ( Letters , 26 January), it will make him a collaborator…
Egypt fury topples government
Daily Star 28 Jan 2011 TUNIS: Tunisian riot police broke up a protest camp in the capital Friday, hoping to end days of demonstrations against a government that has undergone a major overhaul to meet some of the crowds’ demands. The…
Police destroy protest camp at Tunisian prime minister’s office
Daily Star 28 Jan 2011 TUNIS: Tunisian riot police broke up a protest camp in the capital Friday, hoping to end days of demonstrations against a government that has undergone a major overhaul to meet some of the crowds’ demands. The…
World leaders urge restraint, call for reform in Egypt
Daily Star 28 Jan 2011 World leaders voiced mounting fears as thousands of protesters clashed with troops in Egypt Friday, calling for restraint on all sides and urging Egyptian leaders to heed the cries for reform. “We are deeply concerned about…
Iran’s first nuclear power plant to be ready April 9, says official
Daily Star 28 Jan 2011 TEHRAN: Iran’s first nuclear power plant will be ready to generate electricity April 9, atomic energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi said Friday, in signs of yet another delay. “We hope that on Farvardin 20 [April 9]…
Settlers shoot two Palestinians in West Bank
Daily Star 28 Jan 2011 Jewish settlers shot two Palestinian men in the occupied West Bank Friday, critically wounding one of them, the mayor of a Palestinian village and Israeli police said. Palestinians said the incident in the village of Beit…
Letters: Ian McEwan can’t escape the politics
The Guardian 28 Jan 2011 – We thank Ian McEwan for responding to our letter ( Letters , 24 January), but we, the undersigned, must continue to express our profound disagreement with his decision to accept the Jerusalem prize. Courtesy does not oblige us…
Turkish flotilla revenge film misses out on Holocaust day release in Germany
The Guardian 28 Jan 2011 – Film about adventures of James Bond-like agent in Israel was reportedly submitted for review too late for screening yesterday Producers of a Turkish action film depicting a vengeful raid on Israeli commandos involved in last year’s…
Gaza protests accuse Palestinian Authority of betrayal in talks with Israel
The Guardian 28 Jan 2011 – Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair calls for Palestinians to ignore row over leaked papers and ‘get on with making peace’ Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Gaza venting their anger at Palestinian…
After Tunisia: Arab writers reflect
The Guardian 28 Jan 2011 – Following the successful uprising in Tunisia and the biggest demonstrations in Egypt for decades, protests have spread across the Arab world. Will other regimes fall? Ten leading writers from the region respond.
Blair says leak of Palestine papers ‘destabilising’ for peace process
The Guardian 28 Jan 2011 – Former prime minister, now Middle East peace envoy, says intention of leak ‘was to be extremely damaging’ Tony Blair today accused those responsible for the leak of vast numbers of papers about talks between the Palestinians…
GCC through the Islamic Development Bank joins UNRWA in Gaza housing project
Relief Web 28 Jan 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Al-Jazeera targeted after publishing documents detailing Palestinian-Israeli negotiations
Relief Web 28 Jan 2011 – Source: International Freedom of Expression Exchange
OPT: Protection of Civilians Weekly Report | 19 -25 January 2011
Relief Web 28 Jan 2011 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
EGYPT: Mubarak to Dissolve Govt in Wake of Mass Protests
IPS After a day in which thousands of protesters called for his ouster and clashed with security forces, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced on state television after midnight Friday that he was dismantling the current government immediately and will announce a replacement cabinet on Saturday.
Uncertain Fate for Egypt’s U.S.-Supplied Weapons Systems
IPS Besieged Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a former air force officer whose 30-year old authoritarian regime is under attack, presides over a country described as one of the major military powers in the region, ranking next to Israel and Turkey.
Two boys killed in less than 24 hours in the West Bank
Stop The Wall – The latest spree of settler violence has claimed two young Palestinians in Nablus and Hebron. Settlers shot dead 19-year-old Uday Maher Qadousi on Thursday in Iraq Burin. The following day, settlers opened fire on 17-year-old Yousef Fakhri Ikhlayl from Beit Ummar, leaving him brain dead. [
‘I felt weight of Jewish history on my shoulders’
YNet News – Former PM Olmert gives rare glance behind scenes of peace process in….
Settler fire critically wounds Palestinian teen in Gush Etzion
YNet News – Day after 19-year-old Palestinian shot dead, another teen hit by settler fire in….
Israel, ESA to sign cooperation agreement
YNet News – Agreement with European Space Agency to focus on scientist exchange, joint….
Egypt: Internet down, Brotherhood leaders arrested
YNet News – Facebook, Twitter sites disrupted; counter-terror force takes up positions in….
Legal sources: AG won’t back Galant
YNet News – State committee may review nomination of IDF chief designate, found to have….
Comptroller: Galant seized public land
YNet News – Lindenstrauss says IDF chief designate withheld information, seized public land….
Israel fears radical takeover in Egypt
YNet News – A fundamental change of government in Egypt may lead to a “revolution in Israel’s security doctrine,” a defense official told Ynet Friday night, as protests against …….
20 killed in Egypt protests; curfew defied
YNet News – Egypt’s military deployed on the streets of Cairo to enforce a nighttime curfew as the sun set Friday on a day of rioting and chaos that amounted to the biggest challenge …….
White House: US to review aid to Egypt
YNet News – Increasing the pressure on Egypt’s leaders, the United States threatened on Friday to reduce a $1.5 billion program of foreign aid depending on President Hosni Mubarak’s …….
Paraguay recognizes ‘free’ Palestine
YNet News – Paraguay has recognized a “free and independent” Palestinian state within its 1967 borders, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday. The South American nation …….
Egypt police fire rubber bullets at Cairo protests
YNet News – Egyptian riot police fired rubber bullets at protesters who had promised a “Friday of Wrath” in Cairo to demand the end of President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule as part …….
Jordan: Thousands protest, demand PM step down
YNet News – Thousands of Jordanian opposition supporters took to the streets Friday in the country’s capital demanding the prime minister step down and venting their anger at rising …….
Palestinian Information Center
Israeli embassy personnel flee Cairo
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – News sources in Egypt said that the Israeli embassy personnel fled the embassy when a group of demonstrators passed near the Cairo University at the Geeza suburb.
Jewish settlers murder Palestinian teenager
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – Extremist Jewish settlers on Thursday afternoon murdered a Palestinian teenager in the village of Iraq Burin to the south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Palestinian child killed in Gaza in the explosion of an IOF unexploded bomb
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – A Palestinian boy was killed on Thursday evening in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah when an unexploded object left over by the IOF went off mutilating the tender body of the young boy.
Fatah offers Washington spying services in violence-torn countries
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – Confidential documents revealed by Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel revealed that the Fatah authority in Ramallah offered the USA spying services in a number of violence-torn countries.
Zahhar: PA represents a group of mischievous and collaborators
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – Palestinian lawmaker Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar of Hamas Movement has asserted Thursday that his Movement wasn’t surprised by the documents broadcasted by AL-Jazeera satellite TV channel.
Bahar calls to expose compromisers of Palestinian rights
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – MP Dr. Ahmad Bahar, the deputy-speaker of the PLC has urged all Palestinian factions and leaders of national action to strip authority from anyone compromising the national constants..
AMB threatens PA leaders behind assassination of Madhoun
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – The Nabil Masood Units, an offshoot of the Aqsa Martyrs Brigades has pledged to let leaders in the PA in Ramallah pay for helping the Israeli occupation in assassinating their leader.
Ahrar: Palestinian prisoner’s health deteriorates after assassination attempt
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – Um Saif Salheyyah, sister of captive Haitham Salheyyah who was the victim of an assassination attempt, called on human rights organisations to intervene to save her brother’s life.
Israeli occupation demolish 227 Palestinian homes in 1948-occupied Palestine
PIC 28 Jan 2011 – A study prepared by the Arab Center for Alternative Planning revealed that in 2010, the Israeli occupation authorities demolished 227 Palestinian homes in various areas of 1948-occupied Palestine.
Medvedev signs New START ratification
LA Times 28 Jan 2011 – The nuclear-arms reduction pact will take effect when the documents are exchanged by the Russian foreign minister and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed the ratification of a nuclear arms cut pact with the United States.
In Yemen, tens of thousands march against president
LA Times 28 Jan 2011 – Demonstrators angry over unemployment and oppression under President Ali Abdullah Saleh demand political change. The unrest worries the U.S., which has been working with the government to defeat an Al Qaeda offshoot. The current unrest in the Middle East spread to impoverished Yemen on Thursday as tens of thousands of protesters angry over unemployment and political oppression marched in the capital against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Mubarak Vows Cabinet Shift but Defends Deploying Army as Revolt Sweeps Egypt
New York Times 28 Jan 2011 – President Hosni Mubarak backed his security forces’ attempts to contain the protests, as President Obama pressed Mr. Mubarak to guard security and freedom for the Egyptian people.
Egyptian Hopes Converge in Fight for Cairo Bridge
New York Times 28 Jan 2011 – Hours of struggle for a bridge defined the day’s events throughout Egypt as people shed their fear of the government, a few halting steps at a time.
Egypt Cuts Off Most Internet and Cell Service
New York Times 28 Jan 2011 – Egypt has cut off nearly all Internet traffic into and out of the country and disrupted cellphone service as it struggles to contain protests.
Bil’in Attacked With Tear Gas. Picture Credit: Hamde Abu
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee – Palestinian Ambassador to Chile joins weekly demonstration in Bil’in against the Separation wall and occupation. The demonstration was attacked with ‘skunk water’, tear gas and sound bombs.
Bil’in Demonstration Attacked with Tear Gas and Skunk Water
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee – Palestinian Ambassador to Chile joins weekly demonstration in Bil’in against the Separation wall and occupation. The demonstration was attacked with ‘skunk water’, tear gas and sound bombs.
Demonstration in al Ma’asara. Picture Credit: Irene Nassar
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee – The weekly protest against the wall and occupation in al Ma’asara was in honour of 19 year old Uday Qadous from Iraq Burin, who was killed in a settler attack on Friday 27 January 2011.
al Ma’asara Marches for Killed Iraq Burin Man
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee – The weekly protest against the wall and occupation in al Ma’asara was in honour of 19 year old Uday Qadous from Iraq Burin, who was killed in a settler attack on Friday 27 January 2011.
Anti-government protests erupt in Yemen
WSWS – At least 16,000 and, according to some reports, many more protested in Yemen calling on Ali Abdullah Saleh, president for more than 30 years, to step down.
As night falls in Egypt families begin looking for missing loved ones
Mondoweiss – I have been blogging, texting, skyping, twittering, gmail-chatting, fb-chatting for 72 hours now. I have not slept. I do not intend to— as long as my many friends— are out there in the streets of Cairo not daring to sleep either. Now I am getting messages…
Israel and its American friends want to stop the Egyptian ‘earthquake’
Mondoweiss – The Israeli government and its many friends in the U.S. media are rushing to support the brutal Mubarak dictatorship as it copes with the most serious challenge to its rule. As I noted yesterday , Israel is worried about a reliable ally being toppled next door. The…
Egypt is burning and most western pundits have no idea why
Mondoweiss – Egyptian forces attack praying protesters. Cairo is burning. So is Egypt. Twitter is exploding. Everyone seems to have an opinion-many who do have never even been to Egypt but feel a strong sense of solidarity with the most remarkable revolution in a generation, perhaps. A revolution…
Following the news from Egypt: ‘We are saying enough of this regime! It is a corrupt regime!’
Mondoweiss – @import “http://embed.tweetizen.com/embed.css”; Raw video of today’s protests from the AP (h/t The Lede ) The protests currently taking place in Egypt are massive. Al Jazeera English has reported that they are at least twice as big as those that took place on January 25. You can watch…
Clinton statement celebrates ‘civil society’ in Middle East
Mondoweiss – Combined Tactical Systems headquarters in Jamestown, PA flies the American and Israeli flags. The tear gas they produce was used in Tunisia, Egypt and the occupied territories. I think we should welcome Hillary Clinton’s statement on Egypt. She spoke of the tremendous grievances of the demonstrators…
Two Palestinians Shot by Israeli Settlers in West Bank
Al-Manar 28 Jan 2011 – Armed Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank have shot two Palestinian men, critically wounding one of them. Dozens of armed Israeli settlers invaded Beit Ummar near Al-Khalil village on Friday and started shooting at houses, hitting two youths working on land nearby, mayor of…
Two Palestinians Shot by Israeli Settlers near Al-Khalil
Al-Manar 28 Jan 2011 – Two Palestinians were shot and wounded, one of them critically by Israeli settlers near the southern West Bank town of Al-Khalil, Palestinian medics said on Friday. Israeli police confirmed an incident involving Palestinians and a group of Israelis near the village of Beit Umar, north…
Two Palestinians in Safa Shot By Settlers
Joseph Dana 28 Jan 2011 – Israeli media reported earlier today that a 17-year-old Palestinian teenager was shot in the head by settlers in the village of Hirbat Safa, near the settlement of Bat Ayin and the town of Beit Umar. He was taken to a Hebron hospital, where hospital officials recently…
They Write Letters…
Joseph Dana 28 Jan 2011 – Fan mail from Mark I could just see what you would have wrote if you were around in 1943: “Today, April 19, 1943, A bunch of Jews in Warsaw have begun killing Germans doing their jobs.” All three of your points more or less say the…
Egypt president dismisses cabinet
BBC 28 Jan 2011 – Egypt’s President Mubarak defends the role of the security forces in suppressing protests which have left 26 dead, as he dismisses his government but refuses to stand down.
Israel cast as enemy
BBC 28 Jan 2011 – Turkish thriller shows agents avenging Israeli commando raid
In Arab World, Obama Riding a Tiger
Antiwar.com 28 Jan 2011 – Suddenly faced with an unprecedented number of challenges across the Arab world, the administration of President Barack Obama is scrambling hard to keep up. The fate of President Hosni Mubarak, long regarded as Washington’s most powerful Arab ally, no doubt gets top billing as the crisis…
Articles
US threat to Palestinians: change leadership and we cut funds
Seumas Milne and Ian Black, The Guardian1/24/2011
Obama administration told Palestinian Authority its leaders must remain in office if it wants to retain US financial backing
The Obama administration has privately made clear that it will not allow any change of Palestinian leadership in the West Bank, the leaked papers reveal, let alone any repetition of the Hamas election victory that briefly gave the Islamists control of the Palestinian Authority five years ago.
That is despite the fact that the democratic legitimacy of both the Palestinian president and Fatah leader, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), and prime minister, Salam Fayyad, is strongly contested among Palestinians, and there are no plans for new elections in either the West Bank or Gaza.
“The new US administration expects to see the same Palestinian faces (Abu Mazen and Salam Fayyad) if it is to continue funding the Palestinian Authority,” the then assistant secretary of state David Welch is recorded as telling Fayyad in November 2008. Most of the PA’s funding comes from the US and European Union.
Almost a year later, the secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, reacted angrily to news that Abbas had threatened to resign and call for new presidential elections. She told Palestinian negotiators: “Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] not running in the election is not an option — there is no alternative to him.” The threat was withdrawn and no election was held.
The US consulate in Jerusalem reported to Washington in December 2009 that “despite all its warts and imperfections, Fatah remains the only viable alternative to Hamas if Palestinian elections occur in the near future,” according to a cable released by Wikileaks. more.. e-mail
The chasm in the Palestinian camp
Daoud Kuttab, Ma’an News Agency1/28/2011
Palestinian cartoonist Khalil Abu Arafeh is no Fatah loyalist.
In his early years he supported the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Abu Arafeh’s brother Khaled was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council on the pro Hamas Reform and Change List. Abu Arafeh’s political cartoons in the largest daily Al Quds are often seen as a reflection of the general mood of Palestinians in the occupied territories.
Abu Arafeh captured much of the Palestinian pulse on Monday with his cartoon on the latest controversy involving the leaked Palestinian negotiating papers.
He depicts an older Palestinian man holding the hand of a young boy; they are caught in some attacks on Palestinians. On the left side, Israeli bulldozers knock down houses, under the caption “Israeli mubasher”. On the right side, arrows are puncturing the old man’s back; the caption reads “Jazeera mubasher”. Mubasher means direct, and also applies to the television term for live broadcast.
Demonstrations in Palestine and interviews in the streets, including in Gaza, reflected feelings of opposition to Al Jazeera and support for the current Palestinian leadership.
While people in the occupied territories have been largely understanding of the difficulties facing Palestinian negotiators, most responses from the Palestinian diaspora and Arab peoples have been of disgust with and anger at the Palestinian leadership.more.. e-mail
The real Palestinian concession
Amira Hass, Haaretz, Israeli Occupation Archive1/26/2011
Both Palestinian rivals know how to use the resilience and creativity of their people in the face of the daily torture that is foreign rule. But they do not help translate this personal and collective stamina into a strategy of unarmed popular struggle.
The real concession of the Palestinian leadership is on its occupied people as an active force in the struggle for independence. For this, there is no need for leaked documents.
Indeed, the “Palestine Papers” confirm an open secret: Contrary to the declarations recited in public, the leadership of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority is prepared for far-reaching concessions on the holy grail of the traditional Palestinian position: the right of return of refugees from the Palestinian “nakba” of 1948.
“When we demand a two-state solution, we do not mean two Palestinian states,” a senior Fatah official told me with regard to the question of the return of the refugees to pre-1967 Israel. Had the PLO leadership respected its people, it would not be speaking out of both sides of its mouth, but conducting an open debate about this demand. It would have shared its conclusions with its public (at home and in exile ): The dreamed-of right of return is not attainable, at least not at this stage in history, and that it is not fair to continue to keep four million people hostage under the boot of the occupation for its sake. Others would have replied that under cover of the negotiations, and despite the Palestinian concessions, Israel simply expanded its settlements anyway.
It is not technical problems that are preventing such a democratic debate, but the failure to see the people as an agent of change. — See also: Source more.. e-mail
Mubarak regime shuts down Internet in futile attempt to stop protests
Electronic Intifada: 28 Jan 2011 – CAIRO (IPS) – Twitter was an early casualty. Then Facebook access became spotty. But when the Internet itself went down, Egyptian pro-democracy activists knew their protests were having an effect.more
Egypt protesters defy curfew despite brutal repression
Electronic Intifada: 28 Jan 2011 – CAIRO (IPS) – Tear gas and smoke wafted through the air of the Egyptian capital on Friday as police moved swiftly to disperse anti-government demonstrations throughout the city.more
Golan Heights activist: “We dream of freedom”
Electronic Intifada: 28 Jan 2011 – Since the Syrian Golan Heights were occupied during the June 1967 War, the indigenous Arab population has resisted Israeli control. The Electronic Intifada contributor Adri Nieuwhof interviews Taiseer Maray, general director of the non-profit organization Golan for Development, about the situation in the occupied Golan Heights.more
Fear and the Palestine Papers
Palestine Chronicle: 28 Jan 2011 – By Mazin Qumsiyeh Ignoring the hype about the Palestine papers is hard. I spent a lot of time reading through page after page of the documents showing minutes of meetings and other exchanges regarding the Palestinian-Israeli “negotiations” (the quotes are warranted). The Guardian newspaper summed up the back and forth arguments about these papers as follows: “PA and PLO leaders such as Saeb Erekat can be expected to point out that one of the core principles of the negotiations is that ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’. As such they are not necessarily committed to provisional positions that in the event failed to secure a settlement — though Erekat made clear to US officials in January 2010 that the same offers remained on the table. Critics are likely to argue that concessions — such as accepting the annexation of Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem — are simply pocketed…more
Price of Dignity: Palestine’s Political Prisoners
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Jan 2011 – By Kim Bullimore — The West Bank Currently there are more than 11,000 Palestinian political prisoners locked up in Israel’s jails. This week, I found out that my friend Hasan (not his real name) is one of them. When in Ramallah, I mentioned to a mutual friend that I had planned to ring him to let him know I was in Palestine. Our mutual friend informed me that Hasan was being held under “Administration Detention” and had been in prison for three months. I last saw Hasan more than a year ago, when I was last in Palestine. A year previous to this last meeting, he had emailed me to apologise for not answering my phone calls and emails when I had tried to contact him when I was in Palestine. Unfortunately, he apologised, he had been in prison for seven months held without charge or trial by the Israeli…more
Backing Mubarak and Tunisian People?
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Jan 2011 – By Ahmed Amr — Cairo America has never met an Arab despot it couldn’t coddle. Before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Reagan and Bush had a nice working relationship with Saddam Hussein. In fact, when the Iraqi dictator invaded Iran, they went so far as to supply him with chemical weapons and intelligence. After ‘liberating’ Kuwait, the powers that be in Washington had no qualms about re-installing the Emir as the absolute ruler of his people. Ben Ali counted on the enthusiastic support of Washington until the Tunisian people revolted and ran him out of town. The Tunisian dictator took refuge in Saudi Arabia – another one of those ‘moderate’ Arab oil plantations that Washington showers with affection. In his recent State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama declared that “the United States stands with the people of Tunisia and supports the democratic aspirations of all people.” He should…more
The Break-up of Sudan
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Jan 2011 – By Mohamed El Mokhtar On the one hand one cannot but express a sigh of relief and share the joy and happiness of the peoples of south Sudan who are, now, freely exercising their legitimate right to self-determination and defining, at last, the configuration of their own independent, and let’s all hope viable, state after decades of prolonged wars, senseless bloodletting, large scale displacements and all kind of undeserved suffering. On the other hand, it’s quite sad and heart-breaking indeed to see, or contemplate powerlessly, these days, an unusual Arab country as original and potentially promising as Sudan falling apart in this manner and for such preposterous reasons as religious intolerance, racism and exclusion. Sudan, this rare masterpiece of ethnic diversity endowed with unparalleled assets (geo-strategic centrality, important arable landmass, plenty of water, huge reserves of oil, lot of minerals…); this exceptional and colorful land, this rare kaleidoscope of ancient…more
People Power in the Middle East
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Jan 2011 – By M. Shahid Alam From his weekly perch at CNN, Fareed Zakaria, speculated last Sunday (or the Sunday before) whether George Bush could take credit for the events that were unfolding in Tunisia, whether this was the late fruit of the neoconservative project to bring ‘democracy’ to the Middle East. It is quite extraordinary watching Zakaria — a Muslim born and raised in India, and scion of a leading political family — mimic with such facility the language of America’s ruling classes, and show scarce a trace of empathy for the world’s oppressed, despite his propinquity to them by reason of history and geography. He does have a bias for India, but here too he only shows a concern for India’s strategic interests, not the interests of its subjugated classes, minorities and ethnicities. This I offer only as an aside about how easy it is for members of the upper…more
Tunisia: How We Got Here and the Task Ahead
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Jan 2011 – By Ramzy Baroud Hunger strikes. These were the last resort for Tunisian activists as they fought against a brutal and highly oppressive regime. Prior to the ousting of Zineal-Abidine Ben Ali by an unprecedented people’s uprising on January 14, there seemed to be no end in sight to the regime’s wide-ranging human rights violations. Over time, these became a relegated segment of evening news across the Arab world. Even hunger strikes, shocking at first, became a routing event. For Tunisians, unemployment, poverty and lack of civil liberties have long made life intolerable. Many were forced to flee the country, or dare challenge the authoritarian rule of Ben Ali and his security apparatus, which grew in numbers to double — or even triple – the nation’s army. While Tunisia may not have appeared the most likely location for a successful popular rebellion, the country always had the potential of hosting one…more
The Canadian Zionism Question
Dissident Voice: 28 Jan 2011 – This is the kind of obviousness that a child can see-though the child may, later in life, become browbeaten into believing that the obvious problems are “non-problems”, to be argued into nonexistence by careful reasoning and clever choices of definition. -Roger Penrose … so obvious that it takes really impressive discipline to miss it … -Noam Chomsky Here we have Israel as an internationally recognized thug, keeper of the largest open-air prison on earth, regularly practicing war crimes against civilians, targeting civilian infrastructure and continuously disregarding the Geneva Conventions — virtually unanimously denounced by the international community, by every human rights watch group on the globe, and by international civil society for the last many decades 1 — and how do Canadian politicians and parliamentarians respond? Israel, the modern state that shamelessly uses the Nazi holocaust to justify overtly racist domestic and foreign national policies, stockpiles nuclear weapons, incites wars…more
The Palestine Papers and Us
Dissident Voice: 28 Jan 2011 – I have a rule – I never intervene in Palestinian political matters. I never comment on Palestinian internal debate. I do not think that I have the right to do so: I am an ex-Israeli and an ex-Jew, and I write about Israel, Jewish Identity politics, and Zionism. For me, the leaked Palestinian Papers provide us with a valuable glimpse into Israeli politics and Western complicity in the crimes carried out against the Palestinian people. I do realise that most Palestinian commentators agree that the leaked papers have “damaged whatever little credibility the Ramallah-based authority still enjoyed among Palestinians”; yet, more than anything else, the Papers prove beyond doubt that Israel is not a partner for peace. In spite of the weaknesses that have been shown by the PA since the 1990’s, Israel has failed to secure a peace deal, and has consistently failed to show any will to bring…more
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The New Dark Age 
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