6 February, 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Explosion in Egyptian gas pipeline disrupts Israel’s gas supply
IMEMC – Sunday February 06, 2011 – 01:31, An explosion Friday morning took out a natural gas pipeline in the northern Sinai in Egypt, near the border with Israel. Egyptian national television initially reported that “foreign elements” had sabotaged the pipeline in multiple places, and attacked a government building in the Sinai with gunfire, but later rescinded the report and claimed that the pipeline explosion was an “accident”.
Child, 2 minors detained by Israeli forces
2/6/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — A child and two minors were detained in separate incidents Sunday, as Israeli forces continued to patrol the town of Beit Ummar north of Hebron. Local activist Ahmad Ikhleil was said to have come to the aid of three cousins from the Abu Maria family, who were returning from farm lands….
Group: Prisoners denied basic needs
2/6/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian detainees held in Israel’s Etzion prison near Bethlehem are denied basic needs, Palestinian Prisoners’ Society lawyer said Sunday. The lawyer said Israeli authorities refused to allow the organization to bring blankets, clothing or food to detainees. He said the prisoners were considering starting a hunger strike in….
‘We were for blackmail’ escaped Hamas prisoner says
2/6/2011 – We figured out that we were being used as hostages to blackmail Hamas” – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — “I felt pride and joy when I returned to Gaza, but at the same time I felt such sadness for the raw destruction apparent just on the walk home,” Ayman Noufel recalled of his entry into the….
Hamas militant arrives in Gaza after escaping Egypt jail
2/6/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A leader of Hamas’ armed wing arrived in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after escaping from an Egyptian prison. Thousands of prisoners broke out of jail in Egypt amid security chaos as ongoing anti-government protests spread across the country. Al-Qassam Brigades militant Ayman Noufel returned to the Al-Buriej refugee….
Palestinian contractors say owed millions by PA
2/6/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — In the course of its state-building program, the Palestinian Authority has accumulated millions of dollars in debts owed to contractors, the union of Palestinian contractors said Sunday, urging officials to pay companies what they are owed.”The union demands that the Palestinian government pays contractors in return for the projects they….
Elders: We stand with those crying out for freedom
2/6/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A group of former global leaders on Sunday condemned the use of “repressive tactics” by some authorities to shut down recent protests in North Africa and parts of the Middle East. The Elders, a delegation founded by Nelson Mandela, praised the “courageous youths and ordinary citizens” who they said were demonstrating….
Hebron pushes for UNESCO World Heritage status
2/6/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — As one of several sites identified by Palestinian officials for protection and preservation, Hebron’s Old City residents – via the municipality – have put together a proposal to UNESCO to have the city recognized as a World Heritage site. The move was announced a week after an initiative from PA officials…. Related: Campaign underway to add Bethlehem to World Heritage list
Abbas, Abdullah meet as region remains in turmoil
2/6/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbss sat with Jordan’s King Abdullah on Sunday, the PA government press agency WAFA reported, saying the two discussed the latest political developments in the region. The two met as Jordan’s Islamists refused to join a new government, days after Abdullah sacked the old cabinet….
Gaza: One crossing open for limited goods
2/6/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) —Israeli authorities informed Palestinian officials that one border crossing into the Gaza Strip would open for the limited transfer of goods and aid. Palestinian liaison official Raed Fattouh said the southernmost Kerem Shalom crossing would be open to allow between 150 and 160 truckloads to enter the coastal enclave. Limited….
Report: Israel Ministry cancels talk by anti-Arab group
2/6/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — The Israeli Education Ministry instructed a school in Tel Aviv to cancel a talk by an organization which works to stop Jewish girls dating Arab men, the Israeli press reported Friday. The group, Yad L’Achim, states that one of its focuses is preventing Jewish girls being involved….
Israeli woman pleads guilty to leaking army secrets
2/6/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — A Tel Aviv court on Sunday convicted a young Israeli woman of leaking classified military documents, but dropped espionage charges as part of a plea-bargain agreement, media reports said. Anat Kam, who is in her 20s, was convicted on charges of illegal possession of classified data, and passing it to another person without….
Projectiles hit Israel, media says
2/6/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Israeli online news site Ynet reported Sunday that two projectiles landed in east of Khan Younis, causing no injuries. No faction inside Gaza has claimed the attack….
Ma’an Arabic readers divided on Palestine Papers
2/6/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Readers of Ma’an’s Arabic-language news site were divided over the publication of leaked PLO documents by the Qatar-based satellite channel Al-Jazeera, according to a survey. Almost 60,000 readers answered a poll on the news site, and 56. 8 percent (33,310) said Al-Jazeera should not have published the….
Abbas: PA still adheres to 1988 national agenda
2/6/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday told his party’s young members that the Palestinian Authority never abandoned the national agenda.” The Palestinian leadership still adheres to the national agenda approved by the Palestinian National Council in 1988, it never gave up on any of the inalienable principles as some claim….
Minister: Israel to step up plans for gas imports
2/6/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) – Israel is to step up plans for an offshore platform for importing liquid natural gas in the wake of the weekend attack on an Egyptian gas pipeline, a cabinet minister said on Sunday. Speaking on public radio, National Infrastructure Uzi Landau said Israel would work to build a floating platform off the northern….
Barak names new chief of staff
2/6/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Saturday appointed Major General Benny Gantz as Israel’s next armed forces chief of staff. Gantz’s appointment follows months of infighting among the high command. Barak said he had Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s backing to promote Gantz to head Israel’s military….
Egyptian opposition rejects govt reform offer
2/6/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Opponents of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s embattled regime on Sunday dismissed as insufficient an offer to include them in political reform plans, and renewed their demands that he step down. That Vice President Omar Suleiman agreed to sit down with the groups, which included the banned Muslim Brotherhood, was in itself….
Witnesses: Church in flames in Egypt’s Sinai
2/6/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — A Coptic church in the Egyptian town of Rafah bordering the Gaza Strip was in flames on Saturday, with witnesses reporting a blast although a local official denied an explosion was the cause. Witnesses said they saw flames coming out of the Mar Girgis church in Rafah after hearing an explosion. Armed men….
Egyptian women well represented in Tahrir protest
2/6/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Veiled from head to toe, or dressed in trendy outfits, Egyptian women are out in force in the ongoing opposition rally in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, countering stereotypes common in parts of the West.” I’ve been coming here since Friday 28 [of January],” said novelist Sahar Al-Moggi, waving an Egyptian….
Four dead in fresh Tunisia unrest
2/6/2011 – TUNIS (AFP) — Four people died in clashes between protesters and police in the northwestern Tunisian town of Kef, union activists and witnesses said. Several hundred demonstrators had been calling for the city’s police chief, Khaled Ghazouani, to be sacked for abuse of power, the government news agency TAP reported. The situation degenerated when….
Obama steps up diplomacy for Egypt transition
2/6/2011 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Barack Obama spoke to several foreign leaders about the unrest in Egypt, as Washington stepped up a diplomatic effort for a quick transition of power in the country roiled by 12 days of protests. Obama underscored the need for “an orderly, peaceful transition, beginning now,” the White House said in a….
Ban: Egypt transition vital for Mideast peace
2/6/2011 – MUNICH, Germany (AFP) — An orderly transition in Egypt is essential to the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Sunday, a day after attending a Middle East Quartet meeting.” Egypt has been playing a very strategic role in the Middle East peace process. President [Hosni] Mubarak was one of the key….
Islamists reject offer to join new Jordan govt
2/6/2011 – AMMAN, Jordan (AFP) — Jordan’s Islamist opposition said on Sunday it has rejected an offer to join a new government led by Prime Minister Marruf Bakhit and tasked with pushing through reforms.” We have received an offer to join the government of Marruf Bakhit, but we refused,” Hamzah Mansur, leader of the powerful Islamic….
Troops replace tourists at Egyptian Museum
2/6/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — The Abrams tank points its gun barrel at the crowd of protesters raging against the regime on Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Behind it lies the world-famous Egyptian Museum. After a break-in late last month left a number of glass cabinets smashed and 70 precious objects damaged, including two mummies, a significant military….
‘Emotional roller coaster’ colors Egypt protests
2/6/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — In almost two weeks of deadly anti-government riots shaking Egypt, support for the hundreds of thousands of protesters has ebbed and flowed as fear and insecurity color the collective mood. On January 25, people from all walks of life took to the streets across the country demanding an end to President Hosni Mubarak….
Egypt reform promises doubted
AlJazeera 6 Feb 2011 – Muslim Brotherhood says it does not trust government to follow through on pledged changes, as protests go on in Cairo.
Live blog Feb 7 – Egypt protests
AlJazeera 6 Feb 2011 – From our Doha headquarters, we keep you constantly updated on Egypt, with reporting from Al Jazeera staff.
Shocking ‘Egypt images’ emerge
AlJazeera 6 Feb 2011 – Videos uploaded on YouTube appear to show graphic scenes of recent violence in Cairo and Alexandria.
Egypt frees Al Jazeera journalist
AlJazeera 6 Feb 2011 – Military releases Ayman Mohyeldin following appeal by the channel and correspondent’s supporters.
Egypt detains Al Jazeera journalist
AlJazeera 6 Feb 2011 – Channel calls for immediate release of correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin, detained by Egyptian military.
Suleiman ‘panned’ Egypt opposition
AlJazeera 6 Feb 2011 – Leaked US cables raise questions over whether vice-president can be honest broker in any talks with Muslim Brotherhood.
Customers queue at Egypt banks
AlJazeera 6 Feb 2011 – Some 341 bank branches, including 152 in Cairo, are opening across the country after a week.
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (27 Jan. — 02 Feb. 2011)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Dutch, Spanish FMs to arrive in Israel for separate talks
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Lieberman scheduled to hold talks; Jerusalem’s acceptance of incentives package for Palestinians helps “soften” int’l criticism.
Peres: Change in leadership not enough for Egypt
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Despite calls for reform, president says Mubarak has done ‘great things for peace.’
Turkel panel to evaluate Gantz for IDF chief
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – PM: Stability of IDF much more important given shocks in region; Ashkenazi says he feels comfortable with Gantz appointment.
Israel says no to more Egyptian troops in Sinai
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Senior army official: We don’t want it to seem as if the peace treaty is meaningless, particularly when there could be a regime change in Cairo; IDF Fears that new Egypt gov’t may break 1979 agreements.
‘Missing Google exec. slated to be released by Egypt’
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Egyptian telecom mogul says he was promised by authorities that Wael Ghonim, last seen Jan 27, will be released shortly.
Clinton tentatively welcomes Muslim Brotherhood
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – US Secretary of State says Egyptian people will ultimately determine if governmental transition meets their needs, US has set forth principles.
Authorities given 5 years to improve e. J’lem education
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – High Court asks Education Ministry, Jerusalem Municipality to complete procedures enabling all children living in e. J’lem state school access.
Egypt: Brotherhood rejects reforms as ‘insufficient’
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Suleiman meets with opposition representatives, offers c’tee to study constitutional reforms, other reform measures.
Pro-Palestinians invoke Shoah, raise Jewish ire
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Jewish groups slam 13-city speaking tour which blasts Israel’s West Bank occupation by ‘honoring’ Holocaust victims.
The Doors alumni Manzarek and Krieger to play in TA
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Like U2 without Bono or The E Street Band minus Bruce Springsteen? Two 1960s legends will be creaking their way to Israel on July 7.
Iran bans state TV from teaching foreign recipes
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Cooking programs which provide recipes for foreign cuisine banned from 30 Iranian television stations by broadcasting authority.
Banks across Egypt open for first time since unrest
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Financial institutions prepare for large cash withdrawals from foreign investors, local businessmen skittish over political crisis.
Mazel on Obama: No understanding of Middle East politics
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – The US will never win “first prize for clear politics with regards to Middle East” says the former ambassador to Egypt. Mazel tells 20 Questions: the US should not engage in Egypt’s uprising.
Family of fallen soldier considers petition against Gantz
Jeruslalem Post 6 Feb 2011 – Relatives of Madhat Yusuf, killed in Nablus in October 2000, blame IDF chief candidate for abandoning injured soldier to die.
Britain: Israel-Palestinian peace could help weaken Iran
Ha’aretz – In address to Herzliya Conference, Britain’s defense secretary warns that regional ties to Iran could adversely influence efficacy of sanctions.
Israeli source: Syria, Israel were on brink of direct talks in 2008
Ha’aretz – Official from Olmert’s government says sides were near agreement on number of contentious issues, but talks were derailed due to war in Gaza; official also indicates Damascus would have been willing to ease demands for land withdrawal.
Amid Egypt crisis, West rethinks its Arab realpolitik
Ha’aretz – McCain calls unrest of last two weeks a ‘wake-up call’; diplomats say successful move to better governance in Egypt would inspire similar changes in other Arab countries.
Peres: Israeli-Palestinian peace urgent in light of Egypt crisis
Ha’aretz – President tells 11th annual Herzliya conference that the sluggish pace of the peace process means that the conflict is being ‘exploited to the detriment of all sides’.
‘Explosion at Egypt gas terminal proves Israel’s need for energy independence’
Ha’aretz – Explosion at gas terminal in Sinai disrupted the fuel to supply to Israel; Egypt supplies Israel with over 40 percent of its natural fuel.
Israeli Supreme Court justices finds noose outside his home
Ha’aretz – Nearly a dozen Israeli judges have been given police protection in recent years due to threats on their lives by criminal elements.
Israeli driver loses license after clip of him speeding posted on Facebook
Ha’aretz – In unprecedented ruling, Acre Traffic Court relies on video evidence showing BMW speeding at 260 km/h down Coastal Highway.
Wife of Israel’s attorney general to be probed for allegedly hiring illegal worker
Ha’aretz – Haaretz last year revealed that Yehuda Weinstein, who decided to prosecute Barak’s wife for her illegal employment, had hired an Indian worker without permit.
Chair of Israel’s labor federation threatens general strike over gas prices
Ha’aretz – Gas prices reached a new high on February 1 of NIS 7.26 per liter for octane 95 – 12 agorot more per liter than in January.
Annual Israeli security conference opens in Herzliya, with Egypt at top of agenda
Ha’aretz – Eleventh annual conference to feature keynote speakers including foreign defense experts, President Peres, outgoing IDF chief Ashkenazi and opposition leader Tzipi Livni.
Government officially revokes Galant as IDF chief nominee
Ha’aretz – Cabinet continues to discuss new nominee for the role, Maj. Gen. Benny Gantz; Galant had earlier demanded his case be reviewed by Turkel Committee.
Galant petitions court over cancellation of IDF chief nomination
Ha’aretz – Cabinet continues to discuss new IDF chief nomination, Benny Gantz; Galant’s petition will be debated in court this week.
Tel Aviv court accepts plea bargain in Anat Kamm espionage case
Ha’aretz – According to agreement, prosecutors will drop charge that Kamm intended to harm state security when she took classified IDF documents and passed them on to a Haaretz reporter.
The Jewish peace activist who tried to assassinate the Prime Minister of Israel
Ha’aretz – Unlike Yitzhak Rabin’s assassin, Avraham Tsfati didn’t want to quash a peace deal between Jews and Arabs – he wanted to facilitate one.
Maj. Gen. Benny Gantz expected to be named new IDF chief
Ha’aretz – Barak is due to make the announcement on Sunday; Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant was to assume the position, but was disqualified due to allegations regarding seizure of public land near his home.
Massive fire burns down IKEA flagship store in Netanya
Ha’aretz – The fire has completely destroyed the building and the merchandise; police have blocked the roads leading to the store near Poleg junction on coastal road.
Israeli soldiers detain 4 Palestinians in WB
6 Feb 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph) -Israeli army detained Sunday three Palestinians of the same family after raiding their house in Al-Dahsha refugee camp, southern Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank .
The death of Israeli democracyMany left-wing Israelis are concerned that anti-democratic legislation is pushing Israel towards fascism
Uruknet January 6, 2011 – …As we speak, the Knesset is debating one of a slew of anti-democratic bills. Some of the legislation targets Palestinian citizens of Israel – people like this man and his wife, who is quick to offer me coffee and her opinions. If the Admissions Committee law passes, for example, this young couple and their three…
The Egyptian Tinderbox: How Banks and Investors Are Starving the Third World
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – Underlying the sudden, volatile uprising in Egypt and Tunisia is a growing global crisis sparked by soaring food prices and unemployment. The Associated Press reports that roughly 40 percent of Egyptians struggle along at the World Bank-set poverty level of under $2 per day. Analysts estimate that food price inflation in Egypt is currently at…
Amanpour in Egypt: Suleiman Offers Concessions to Muslim Brotherhood
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – After the meeting, I spoke with Dr. Khalil el-Gazar of the Muslim Brotherhood high council.El-Gazar said the Muslim Brotherhood “were surprised” during today’s historic first meeting with the government when Suleiman stood for a minute to respect those killed in this revolution. El-Gazar told me Suleiman said the government was wrong for what they did…
Who is afraid of BDS?
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – ..Too much of the commentary about BDS addresses the movement in a vacuum. The fact is, BDS is an integral part of Palestinian non-violent tactics. Quite simply, BDS is the globalization of Palestinian non-violent action against Israel’s occupation. So why do certain Jewish organizations from the United States and Israeli liberal Zionists lend rhetorical support…
PFLP: It is time to declare the death of Oslo and join the march towards a new Arab era
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said on February 6, 2011 that it is an urgent Palestinian national task to discard the Oslo Accords and the entire path that followed, and called upon all Palestinian forces and factions to meet and officially declare the death of these agreements, ending their compliance with these…
The danger to Egypt’s revolution comes from Washington
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – The greatest danger to the Egyptian revolution and the prospects for a free and independent Egypt emanates not from the “baltagiyya” — the mercenaries and thugs the regime sent to beat, stone, stab, shoot and kill protestors in Cairo, Alexandria and other cities last week — but from Washington. Ever since the Egyptian uprising began…
Egypt reform promises doubted
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has cast doubt on the government’s willingness to follow through on promised reforms, following talks with authorities aimed at ending the country’s political crisis. One of the group’s leaders told Al Jazeera that the Muslim Brotherhood does not trust the government to make its proposed changes – a development that came as…
Haiti Update: Electoral Runoff and Aristide’s Status
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – With world attention focused on Middle East events, mainly Egypt’s, Haiti’s gotten little attention despite its compelling need for real change. So far, it’s nowhere in sight, nor openly discussed, or demanded like visible millions are doing abroad. Stay tuned. It may happen if visceral anger spreads globally by enough people knowing that democratic freedoms…
Now Gaza Begins to Shake
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – Ripple effects of the Egyptian uprising are now spreading to Gaza, where some groups are planning a new rally next week. Moves by some Gazans to mimic protesters in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen by taking to the streets are making the Hamas government nervous. Government officials sponsored an official rally in solidarity with the Egyptian…
Israeli Students Cancel Speech by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “She is Anti-Semitic”
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – Students at Israel’s Bar Ilan University cancelled a planned speech by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, claiming that she is “anti-Semitic.” Commissioner Pillay was invited by Bar Ilan University to speak at its Faculty of Law. University students affiliated with the right-wing “Forum for Eretz Israel” plastered the campus with posters…
The Egyptian crisis: another day, another two US policies
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – Frank Wisner’s apparent love song to Hosni Mubarak has left confusion behind him. Speaking on a video link-up from New York to the Munich Security Conference, Barack Obama’s special envoy to Egypt veered wildly off-message in seemingly fond remarks about the Egyptian autocrat…At the same venue hours before, Hillary Clinton had made it quite clear…
Suleiman, Egypt Opposition Agree on Amendment Need
Uruknet February 6, 2011 — Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman held the first formal meeting with members of the opposition today in a move toward establishing a transitional government, even as some continued their calls for President Hosni Mubarak’s immediate resignation. Suleiman, who met with the Wafd and Tagammu parties, as well as with the Muslim Brotherhood and billionaire Naguib…
Who is the Real Opposition in Egypt?
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – The revolution in Egypt erupted like all revolutions do, from the bottom up. It was unemployment and high food prices that propelled working and poor people into action. Now, the media reports that the “opposition” in Egypt is a group of well-to-do folks who have very little in common with the poor of Egypt. This…
Open letter to the UN: Is the Goldstone report dead?
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – As Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations, we welcome your first visit to the region and take this occasion to ask: is the Goldstone report dead? Over two years have passed since the end of the Israeli offensive “Operation Cast Lead” on the Gaza Strip, and justice for victims has yet to be addressed. Should…
Statement of the Revolutionary Socialists Egypt
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – The iron heel of US imperialism is coming down hard on Egypt. The army command which America funds, trains and instructs is now mobilising rapidly to consolidate a dictatorship under the leadership of Omar Suleiman. US warships are making their way to Egypt. This is not, military commanders insist, to prepare for military intervention. I…
Video: Police in Egypt Kills Civilian, Alexandrai, Tue25thJan
Uruknet February 6, 2011 – This is why no one will leave Tahrir Square, this is a video from Alexandria, Egypt…Tue25thJan. Most probably, the kid was angry because his friend was shot, so he walked to the police, he showed them he had no weapons on him..but they still shot him when he was just about to leave…
Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt talks
Uruknet Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has held talks with the government aimed at ending the country’s political crisis. As pro-democracy protests entered the 13th day on Sunday, the opposition group met with Omar Suleiman, Egypt’s vice president, to press its “legitimate and just demands”. Mohammed Mursi, a senior Brotherhood leader, said the group is sticking to the protesters’ main condition that…
Liberalism in the Service of Nationalism: Israeli Opinions on Egypt
Uruknet February 5, 2011 – …David Sheen, a journalist living in Tel Aviv, recently attended an anti Mubarak protest in North Tel Aviv with a camera and microphone. Most of the protesters were Palestinian citizens of Israel who chanted in Arabic, among other chants, for the freedom of the Arab people. Sheen did not simply cover the protest, he asked…
January 2011: Wadi Hilweh Information Center Report
Uruknet February 5, 2011 – The first month of 2011 was marred by escalations in the ongoing political crises of Jerusalem, with increasing numbers of demolitions, arrests, violence and repression of Palestinian protest. This repression has been wanton but by no means random, aimed at several prominent local activists and their families, particularly in Silwan. In January 2011 the Wadi…
Egypt : Some other Perspective.
Uruknet February 5, 2011 – And even though I am keeping a close eye on the latest events in Egypt, which I deem to be of great importance for the region, I still maintain that necessary skeptical distance. The proverbial grain of salt. There are many levels to the story, many levels of understanding, that is. On the one hand,…
Amid Egypt’s chaos, human rights workers come out from shadows
The National 7 Feb 2011 – Heba Morayef, a worker in Cairo for the New York-based Human Rights Watch, has been able to do her work more openly since revolt broke out on January 25, but warns that ‘the military is solidly in charge and the regime is very capable of cracking down.’
Egypt’s popular and powerful army holds key to future
The National 7 Feb 2011 – Egypt’s direction after the revolt against President Mubarak will be decided by the army’s sense of empowerment, and by how they interpret their mission to protect the Egyptian people, observers say.
Three US hikers go on trial in Iran for ‘spying’
The National 7 Feb 2011 – Three Americans went on trial behind closed doors in Tehran yesterday on charges of espionage and illegal entry into Iran.
Alternative Information Center
11 February: International Day of Anger for Palestine
Alternative Information Center – For all supporters of freedom all over the world, for all who seek justice, democracy and peace.
Israeli Students Cancel Speech by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “She is Anti-Semitic”
Alternative Information Center – Students at Israel’s Bar Ilan University cancelled a planned speech by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, claiming that she is “anti-Semitic.”
Rallies Throughout Occupied Palestine in Solidarity with Egypt, Tunisia
Alternative Information Center – More than two thousand people rallied on Saturday (5 February) in the center of Ramallah at Al-Manara square in solidarity with the popular uprisings in Egypt andTunisia, calling for freedom, social justice, democracy and human rights….
Over 400 EU Ministers Attend European Friends of Israel Policy Conference in Jerusalem
Alternative Information Center – More than 420 European Union ministers arrived in Jerusalem for the opening of the European Friends of Israel’s Second Policy Conference on Saturday, 5 February 2011.
Palestinian Family “Imprisoned” in Own Home
Alternative Information Center – The Al Khatib family is from the village of Hizma, a Palestinian town on the northeastern outskirts of Jerusalem. The village sits on some 10,400 dunams of land and is surrounded by five Palestinian villages: Anata,…
Five Norwegian PR Firms Reject Lucrative Offers to Improve Israel’s Global Image
Alternative Information Center – Five of Norway’s largest PR firms have said ‘no’ to offers to improve Israel’s global public relations campaign, reported the Norwegian newspaper Dagens Na?¶ringsliv.
Horse trading begins in Egypt
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 Tunisia’s interim government moved Sunday to ban the country’s former ruling party after fresh weekend violence left three people dead during protests against the remnants of the old regime. Interior Minister Fahrat Rajhi announced the suspension…
Egyptian transition should be as inclusive as possible: Clinton
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday the U.S. supports the transition to a new government now moving forward in Egypt while the United Nations said that a change should not be rushed to avoid worsening…
Arab revolts damage Al-Qaeda’s violent narrative, analysts say
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 CAIRO: If the popular revolts which have rocked Tunisia and Egypt gain momentum and spread across the Middle East, they could strike a catastrophic blow to Al-Qaeda’s violent ideology, experts say. While some in the West…
Kuwait’s emir allows interior minister to quit
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 KUWAIT CITY: The Kuwaiti emir accepted the resignation Sunday of the interior minister who quit last month over the death of a detainee allegedly as a result of police torture, a minister said. “The prime minister…
Jordan’s new prime minister faces popular revolt warning
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 AMMAN: Less than a week after his appointment, Jordan’s new prime minister is facing potential upheaval, with the Islamist opposition refusing to join his government and key tribes warning of a popular revolt. Prime Minister Maaruf…
The uprising by Egypt’s youth has been hijacked
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 No one can fail to be moved by the sight of young, educated men and women demonstrating in Cairo’s Freedom Square for a better future. When so many Arab republics allow their presidents free reign to…
Suleiman long blamed Brotherhood: cables
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 LONDON: Egypt’s new vice president, Omar Suleiman, has long sought to demonize the opposition Muslim Brotherhood in his contacts with skeptical U.S. officials, leaked diplomatic cables show, raising questions whether he can act as an honest…
Normal life slowly returns as army steps up presence in Cairo
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 CAIRO: Life began to return to the streets of Cairo Sunday as banks and shops opened after nine days and the army stepped up its presence around Tahrir Square, epicenter of anti-regime protests. As demonstrators staged…
Copts join Tahrir protests in display of unity
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 Egypt’s Coptic Christians held a mass in Cairo’s Tahrir Square Sunday afternoon as a sign of Muslim-Christian unity. “God bless the dead. God bless the dead,” recited a Coptic priest wearing a crucifix. By his side,…
Karzai to announce security handover
Daily Star 6 Feb 2011 MUNICH: The Afghan president said Sunday he would announce the start of a process to transfer responsibility for security to Afghan forces from international forces on March 21. NATO agreed with President Hamid Karzai at a…
Israeli soldier faces long jail term for passing secret papers to reporter
The Guardian 6 Feb 2011 – Leaked documents show officials authorised killing of Palestinian militants when they could have been arrested instead A former Israeli soldier is facing a long prison sentence after admitting that she passed thousands of classified military documents…
MIDEAST: Now Gaza Begins to Shake
IPS Ripple effects of the Egyptian uprising are now spreading to Gaza, where some groups are planning a new rally next week. Moves by some Gazans to mimic protesters in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen by taking to the streets are making the Hamas government nervous.
EGYPT: An Air of Dangerous Freedom
IPS Imam Mohammed Al-Saba of the Eisa mosque here in the centre of the rural town Kirdasa takes the pulpit to tell his congregation he can smell “the air of freedom for the first time in 30 years.”
Weekly Anti-Wall Protest Update – February 4
Stop The Wall – Anti-Wall demonstrations were held this Friday across the West Bank in solidarity with the Egyptian revolution. Occupation forces continued to use tear gas on protestors, and in Bil’in and al Nabi Saleh there were reports of live ammunition being fired. After several months without weekly action, activists in Wad Rashal, south of Bethlehem, marched against the Wall and settlements stealing their land. [
Egypt protest losing steam? Cairo relatively quiet as talks begin
YNet News – Only a few thousand anti-Mubarak protestors gather at Tahrir Square as Muslim….
Anat Kam convicted of leaking classified IDF docs
YNet News – In framework of plea bargain, prosecution drops ‘intent to harm state security’….
North Korean couple gets refugee status in Israel
YNet News – Man, woman in their 50s flee oppressive regime, infiltrate Israel from Egypt and….
Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood to begin talks with VP
YNet News – Most influential opposition group decides to engage in round of dialogue to….
Ex-official: Direct Israel-Syria talks were close
YNet News – A high-ranking official in the previous government said Sunday that Israel and Syria were close to resuming direct peace talks in late 2008, and that the Syrians signaled …….
Egypt talks to signal uprising’s end?
YNet News – Egypt’s vice president met a broad representation of major opposition groups for the first time Sunday and offered new concessions including freedom of the press, release …….
Peres’ vision: iPhones instead of stones
YNet News – President Shimon Peres called Sunday to renew peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, sharing his vision for a Mideast where youngsters shun violence and embrace …….
Iran TV says no to pasta, pizza
YNet News – After ridding Iranian universities of “Western subjects,” authorities in Tehran are making sure that local cooking shows also adhere to the spirit of the Ayatollah …….
Palestinian Information Center
Ministry of Justice briefs UN on latest in Goldstone recommendations
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – Gaza Minister of Justice Mohammed Faraj al-Ghoul has written to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon revealing the latest developments on the Goldstone report.
Palestinian held by Israel sustains stroke upon hearing of son’s death
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – A Palestinian man held in the Israeli Ramle prison sustained a stroke after hearing his 16-year-old son had died from cirrhosis of the liver.
Abbas militias kidnap Hamas leader
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – Security militias loyal to de facto Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday kidnapped Dr. Adnan Abu Tabane, a Hamas leader, in Al-Khalil, local sources reported.
IOA takes hold of endowed Islamic land in central J’lem
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – The Israeli occupation authority ordered the seizure of endowed Islamic piece of land belongs to 15 Palestinian families in central occupied Jerusalem in order to establish a settlement project.
Statement: Israeli soldiers attempt murder of six reporters in OJ
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – A Palestinian rights group accused in a press statement released Sunday the Israeli army of attempting to kill six journalists amid assaults on 36 civilians during clashes in East Jerusalem.
IOF troops round up 4 Palestinians
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rounded up four Palestinian citizens in the West Bank during incursions at dawn Sunday, Palestinian security sources reported.
Olmert: There is nothing called the Palestinian right of return
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – Former Israeli premier Ehud Olmert said in a new book that “there is nothing called the right of return” and settlements and Jewish outposts in the east Jerusalem will remain.
Nofal: We got out of jail against the will of the oppressors
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – Qassam Brigades leader Ayman Nofal told the PIC on Saturday night that the Palestinian prisoners got out of the Egyptian jail “against the will of the oppressors”.
Palestinian prisoner hospitalized after health failure
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – Family awaits the fate of Ahmed Hamid al-Najjar, 34, since he was transferred to the Israeli Sabe’ prison hospital a week ago.
Muslim brothers: Depriving Egyptians of their gas needs led to the line blast
PIC 6 Feb 2011 – The Muslim brotherhood in Egypt said the damage of a gas pipeline in Sinai desert happened as a result of the unjust policy that deprived the Egyptian people of getting their needs of this substance.
How long can Egyptian military navigate middle ground?
LA Times 6 Feb 2011 – The army has managed to keep the public trust while remaining loyal to Hosni Mubarak, one of its own. But a history of crushing dissent indicates that its tolerance for protesters may not hold if its interests are threatened. When bread shortages swept Egypt in 2008, the government didn’t rely on the free market or its own warehouses, but turned instead to army bakeries to churn out millions of flat loaves to calm the angry masses. A few months later, as fire raced through the upper house of parliament, soldiers helped put out the flames.
Muslim Brotherhood joins talks on Egypt crisis; departure of Hosni Mubarak remains sticking point
LA Times 6 Feb 2011 – The inclusion of the banned Muslim Brotherhood in negotiations between Vice President Omar Suleiman and regime opponents is seen as significant. The government offers new concessions, but demonstrators stand by their demand for Mubarak’s quick exit. Opposition groups including the banned Muslim Brotherhood held landmark talks Sunday with Egypt’s vice president, but the two sides remained at apparent loggerheads over opponents’ principal demand: that President Hosni Mubarak step aside now.
2 American hikers in Iranian prison plead not guilty
LA Times 6 Feb 2011 – In their first official court hearing, the hikers plead not guilty to espionage and trespassing. A third hiker was released on bail in September and allowed to return to the United States. Two Americans imprisoned in Iran for 18 months had their first official court hearing Sunday and pleaded not guilty to charges including espionage and trespassing, their lawyer said.
U.S. mends frosty relations with Al Jazeera
LA Times 6 Feb 2011 – The Obama administration is making an effort to ease tensions, getting its officials on the network, which has an audience of about 60 million and is seen as widely influential in the Middle East. The Obama administration is courting the pan-Arab television network Al Jazeera in an attempt to improve a history of testy relations with one of the most influential news outlets in the Middle East.
Pictures of the dead rise in Egypt’s Tahrir Square
LA Times 6 Feb 2011 – Loved ones carry posters of the deceased to gain strength from their sacrifices and to keep memories of them alive. Some estimates put the death toll at about 300. They carry posters with photos of young men killed in the last two weeks in demonstrations around their country. Appearing daily in Tahrir Square, those commemorating the deaths blame President Hosni Mubarak’s government, and they demand justice.
U.S. reaction: Applause for negotiations in Egypt
LA Times 6 Feb 2011 – As John Kerry, head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, calls the talks ‘extraordinary,’ Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reinforces President Obama’s push for political reform in the Middle East. WASHINGTON ‚Äî U.S. political officials and diplomatic experts applauded Sunday’s talks between Egyptian officials and protest leaders as an “extraordinary” moment that may represent a turning point in the crisis.
Egypt ruling party leadership resigns
LA Times 5 Feb 2011 – The dismantling of the National Democratic Party’s power structure is a dramatic sign of the pressures to remove vestiges of President Hosni Mubarak’s power and snip the ambitions of his son Gamal. The leadership of Egypt’s ruling party resigned Saturday, a purge that would have been beyond Egyptians’ imaginations a few short weeks ago but was unlikely to placate a hard-core opposition frustrated by what it sees as costume changes in the government of President Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt’s Ire Turns to Confidant of Mubarak’s Son
New York Times 6 Feb 2011 – Ahmed Ezz, a steel tycoon and party insider, has represented the intersection of money, politics and power in Egypt. His world has come undone.
Warning Against Hasty Exit for Mubarak
New York Times 6 Feb 2011 – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned that removing President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt too hastily could threaten the country’s transition to democracy.
Al Jazeera Hopes Reports From Egypt Open Doors in U.S.
New York Times 6 Feb 2011 – Al Jazeera hopes its English-language coverage of protests in Egypt and Tunisia will help it gain access to an American cable television audience.
It’s a boom time for settlements, and Palestinian prisoners threaten hunger strike
Mondoweiss – and other news from Today in Palestine: Land, property, resources theft and destruction / Ethnic cleansing / Settlers Israeli settlers cause environmental damage to Bethlehem villages 4 Feb – BETHLEHEM, (PIC)— Israeli settlers on Thursday caused environmental damage to fields belonging to residents of the villages of Husan ,…
‘We yearn for a democratic Middle East’ ‚Äî until we don’t, that is!
Mondoweiss – Another Israel is agonized by the democracy movement in Egypt. Donniel Hartman at first tries to say it’s a good thing, writing on the last day of January : As Jews our natural affinity group is the oppressed. Legally, this has been the moral imperative of the…
Israel’s Egyptian teachers
Mondoweiss – Recent events in Egypt have already provided Israelis with a number of invaluable lessons. The first was right there in the Bible the whole time (Prov 27:24 – nice play on words in Hebrew, by the way: ‘ h[o]sn[i] is not forever’), but there’s nothing like a…
A proposal to integrate the opposition into the heart of the state
Mondoweiss – As a foreigner who has absolute starry-eyed confidence in the youth committee that is at the vanguard of the revolution, even I am a little afraid right now of them being coopted by the U.S. and the lobby and other regressive forces in this vaunted transition…
Americans need to get their priorities straight
Mondoweiss – I’m sure this has been tweeted already, but: Shouldn’t the Egyptian revolution put The Social Network over the top for Best Picture? And inasmuch as young Jesse Eisenberg could become Best Actor for portraying facebook genius Mark Zuckerberg, isn’t that a fair trade for the end…
Israeli Settler MK to Huckabee: ‘We’re Connected to This Land No Less Than Your Indians’
Tikun Olam – Mike Huckabee addressing Irving Moskowitz’s yeshiva in Arab-rein East Jerusalem (Gali Tibbon Getty/AFP) Mike Huckabee and Israel’s radical settler movement are almost always fodder for a good laugh. I thank Ofer Neiman for providing one in the form of an Arutz Sheva article , in which settler…
Benny Gantz: Third IDF Chief of Staff Appointee in Last Week
Tikun Olam – Benny Gantz, third nominee to be IDF chief of staff in past week Haaretz reported that over the weekend Bibi Netanyahu and Ehud Barak decided to appoint their third candidate to be IDF chief of staff. He is Benny Gantz , who until now had played…
Taglit/Birthright Israel to J Street U: Drop Dead
The Magnes Zionist 6 Feb 2011 – Taglit/Birthright Israel’s relentless march to the right continues. First, it axed a planned Birthright trip co-organized by J Street U to Israel. Now it has launched a website for young adults called Take Back Zionism , whose “partners” include nobody to the left of Ameinu, formerly the…
Who is afraid of BDS?
Joseph Dana 6 Feb 2011 – This piece is co-written with Max Blumenthal The day after the American pop star Macy Gray announced controversial plans to perform in Tel Aviv in March, we sat down for a drink at Pua, a bar nestled in the heart of one of Jaffa’s most gentrified…
Egypt opposition wary after talks
BBC 6 Feb 2011 – Egypt’s opposition – including the banned Muslim Brotherhood – says government offers on ending the political crisis do not go far enough.
US ‘hiker spies’ on trial in Iran
BBC 6 Feb 2011 – The trial begins in Tehran of three Americans arrested while hiking near the Iraq-Iran border and accused of spying.
Ex-Israeli soldier admits leaks
BBC 6 Feb 2011 – A former Israeli soldier admits leaking secret military information to a newspaper, but more serious spying charges are dropped.
Turmoil in Egypt hits tourist trade
BBC 5 Feb 2011 – The unrest in Egypt has had a detrimental effect on the nation’s economy, leaving many top attractions empty of tourists.
Egypt: The Groupthink Problem
Sabbah report 6 Feb 2011 – Through his stubbornness Hosni Mubarak has managed to transform himself from a 30 year old “loyal ally” into an 82 year old liability. Almost all dictators cling to power as long as they can.
The US arms industry and the people’s revolt in Egypt
Sabbah report 6 Feb 2011 – Paul J. Balles comments on the USA’s ambivalent line on the people’s revolution in Egypt. He argues that although the administration has a growing fear that a government hostile to Washington could gain control Egypt, “the unspoken fear is that American arms manufacturers will lose a…
Articles
Israel & Palestine: Breaking the Silence
David Shulman, 2/6/2011
What Is a Palestinian State Worth?, by Sari Nusseibeh, Harvard University Press, 248 pp., $19.95
Occupation of the Territories: Israeli Soldier Testimonies 2000—2010, by Breaking the Silence, Jerusalem, 431 pp.
A few weeks ago I was in al-Nabi Salih, a Palestinian village northwest of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. It wasn’t so easy to get there; the Israeli army had closed off the area on every side, and we literally had to crawl through the olive groves, just beneath one of the army’s roadblocks, before we managed to reach the village. Al-Nabi Salih is a troubled place. The large Israeli settlement of Halamish nearby has taken over nearly half of the village lands, including a precious freshwater spring. Most Fridays there are dramatic confrontations between the soldiers and the villagers protesting this land grab and the other difficulties of life under occupation.
Yet the first thing I saw in al-Nabi Salih was a huge sign in Arabic and English: “We Believe in Non-Violence. Do You?” It was World Peace Day, and speaker after speaker reaffirmed a commitment to peace and to nonviolent resistance to the occupation. Particularly eloquent was Ali Abu Awwad, a young activist who runs a new organization, the Palestinian Movement for Non-Violent Resistance, with its offices in Bethlehem and growing influence throughout the occupied territories. “Peace itself is the way to peace,” he said, “and there is no peace without freedom.”1
All of this is, in some ways, rather new in Palestine, although in his latest book the philosopher Sari Nusseibeh, the president of al-Quds University in Jerusalem, traces an earlier stage of organized Palestinian civil disobedience in the popular struggle of the first intifada in 1988 and 1989, in which he had a significant part…. more.. e-mail
Open letter to the UN: Is the Goldstone report dead?
Ma’an News Agency2/6/2011
An open letter from 13 Palestinian and Israeli Human Rights Organizations to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanetham Pillay, on her first official visit to the occupied Palestinian territories.
As Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations, we welcome your first visit to the region and take this occasion to ask: is the Goldstone report dead? Over two years have passed since the end of the Israeli offensive “Operation Cast Lead” on the Gaza Strip, and justice for victims has yet to be addressed.
Should these victims give up on the UN in their search for accountability? Or is there a way out from the prevailing culture of impunity? The opportunity to achieve justice is being hijacked by political interests and we seek your unequivocal support on behalf of the victims. Achieving justice is essential to prevent further violations of international law and to lay the foundations for a just and long lasting peace in the region.
The Goldstone report, published in September 2009, presents strong evidence that war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity were committed during “Operation Cast Lead.” The report, endorsed by both the UN Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, provides a clear framework to ensure justice for victims in accordance with international law, including referral to the UN Security Council, the International Criminal Court and the exercise of universal jurisdiction. Over a year later, justice has not been delivered to the victims.
Israeli investigations, conducted by the military, fail to examine the legality of decisions taken by senior military and political leaders who designed, planned and implemented the attacks. To date, only one Israeli soldier has been sent to prison for stealing a credit card…. more.. e-mail
Egyptian Revolution, Israeli Exceptionalism
Michael Warschawski, Alternative Information Center2/2/2011
When listening to Israeli responses to the uprising of the Egyptian people, the most striking aspect is the huge chasm existing between these responses and those of the remainder of the world. It appears that Israel exists on a totally different planet.
Whether honestly or hypocritically, there is no leader in the world who didn’t express support for the demands of the Egyptian masses, and criticism (whether gently or harshly) of President Mubarak’s functioning over the past three decades. Not only President Obama, but also the spokespeople of the neo-liberal republicans were forced to express doubts about their Egyptian ally and suggest that he leave and encourage implementation of political and social reforms. The entire world understands, or at least declares, that Mubarak is responsible for the justified rage of his people and that he must go home or, like his Tunisian colleague, to go into exile. Only in Israel are the reactions different, the exact opposite, both on the street and within the establishment.
Concern and fear characterize the reaction of the Israeli street. Israelis suddenly remember that there exists a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, and that this agreement is a “strategic asset”, that President Mubarak was an important ally, and that the Israeli-Egyptian “cold peace” saved millions of dollars for Israel’s Ministry of Defence. Moreover: if an average Israeli citizen can still somehow give credit (limited) to Arab leaders, primarily if they wear suits, ties and speak good English, the Arab masses frighten him. In his racist eyes the Arab masses are forever impassioned, “incited” and overflowing with hatred for everything considered cultured (Western) and of course, these masses are anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish. The Arab masses pose a strategic threat which can therefore inspire only fear, not empathy.
And concerning the Israeli establishment, with its numerous intelligence institutes, it completely forgot that in the Arab world there is something called “the street” which is capable of speaking, shouting, mobilizing and even overthrowing regimes…. more.. e-mail
Obama envoy Wisner works for Egypt military, business lobbyists
Electronic Intifada: 6 Feb 2011 – High-powered Washington lobby firms have helped the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak secure enormous benefits in Washington. President Obama’s special envoy to Egypt, Frank Wisner, works for one such firm which has had many contracts with Egypt’s military and leading business families.more
We are all part of Egypt’s revolution
Electronic Intifada: 6 Feb 2011 – “It’s been almost two weeks since the Egyptian uprising began. I type these words sitting in my dirtied and blood-soaked jeans, as I have no change of clothes. But all that really isn’t important now, because we are in a state of revolt.” EI’s Matthew Cassel writes from Cairo’s Tahrir Square.more
The danger to Egypt’s revolution comes from Washington
Electronic Intifada: 6 Feb 2011 – The greatest danger to the Egyptian revolution and the prospects for a free and independent Egypt emanates not from the “baltagiyya” — the mercenaries and thugs the regime sent to beat, stone, stab, shoot and kill protestors in Cairo, Alexandria and other cities last week — but from Washington, writes EI’s Ali Abunimah.more
The Egyptian Uprising: Facts and Fiction
Dissident Voice: 5 Feb 2011 – As hundreds of thousands of Egyptians entered Tahrir Square on Friday, they were welcomed by a human corridor of young men clapping and chanting “keep the faith countrymen — freedom is being born.” The protest was billed as “Yom El Raheel” — a farewell party for Hosni Mubarak. There was something obviously different about the crowd that showed up to participate in what turned out to be the largest demonstration since the uprising began. For one thing, they came without their children and there were fewer women in the crowd. That was to be expected. Fear of violent attacks by the hired thugs of the Mubarak’s ruling party haunted the event and the square was littered with stones and debris from the battles on Wednesday. Many of the veterans of those attacks were limping or walking around with blood soaked bandages. The few foreign journalists who came to cover the…more
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