11 February, 2011 – VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Army Attacks Palestinian Protesters In East Jerusalem
IMEMC – Saturday February 12, 2011 – 00:34, Israeli soldiers and policemen attacked dozens of Palestinian protesters in Silwan, south of the Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, after the residents conducted Friday prayers at the mosque.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns, Military council runs the country
IMEMC – Friday February 11, 2011 – 19:56, In an official statement presented by Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman, the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak declared on Friday his resignation as President and handed over the leadership of the country to the High Command of the Armed Forces to run the country until new presidential elections are held.
Army Kidnaps Three Fatah Leaders In Occupied East Jerusalem
IMEMC – Friday February 11, 2011 – 10:56, Israeli soldiers and policemen, on Friday at dawn, broke into homes of three Fateh leaders in occupied East Jerusalem and kidnapped them before moving them to al-Maskobiyya interrogation facility in the city.
PCHR Weekly Report: 16 wounded in 46 incursions by Israeli troops this week
IMEMC – Friday February 11, 2011 – 05:19, In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the week of 03 — 09 February 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that Israeli warplanes bombarded a number of targets in the Gaza Strip, damaging a medicine warehouse of the Palestinian Ministry of Health and injuring 11 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children.
Clashes erupt in Jerusalem
2/11/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Clashes erupted between Palestinian young men and Israeli forces in Silwan after the Friday prayer. The Israeli forces intensively used tear gas and rubber bullets to suppress the demonstrators in the sit-in tent in Silwan when young men threw stones at them. The forces used special maps of the Ath-Thawry neighborhood….
2 injured at Bil’in anti-wall protest
2/12/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Two protesters were injured Friday during a weekly anti-wall demonstration in the West Bank village of Bil’in, organizers said. Protesters raised Palestinian and Egyptian flags, in support of the uprising to ouster President Hosni Mubarak, and marched to the site of the separation wall, which cuts villagers off from….
Fatah: Israel detained 3 officials in Jerusalem
2/11/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Friday detained three Fatah leaders in Jerusalem during raids on their homes, Fatah official Dmitri Delyani said. Nedal Abu Gharbiyeh, Abed As-Salam Al-Hadra and Khaled Al-Gharably are being held in Israel’s Russian Compound investigation center, said Delyani, a Fatah Revolutionary Council member. The men are all….
Media: Palestinian killed in brawl with Israelis
2/11/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — A 24-year-old man from East Jerusalem was killed early Friday in a brawl between a group of Israelis and a group of Palestinians in Jerusalem’s city center, Israeli media reported. According to the police, quoted by the Israeli news site Ynet, some of the people involved….
Rights group: Israel bombed civilian property in Gaza
2/12/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli warplanes struck civilian properties during early morning raids Wednesday which injured 10 Palestinians, a rights group said. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said two women and a child were among those injured in the strike on the Al-Tufah neighborhood east of Gaza City. A factory was destroyed, a…. Related: Israel bombs medical aid warehouse in Gaza and 10 Palestinians injured in Gaza strikes
Settlers hold marathon in Hebron city center
2/11/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli far-right supporters are expected to join settlers in a marathon planned in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, a local Palestinian youth group said. The route of the Jewish-only race runs through the heart of the occupied city, starting at an illegal settlement and passing through Al-Ja’….
Turkey bashes Israel in deadly ship raid report
2/11/2011 – ANKARA, Turkey (AFP) — Israel used “excessive” force and breached international law in a raid on Gaza-bound aid ships last year that killed nine Turks, a Turkish inquiry commission said in a final report released on Friday. Israeli soldiers mounted a “full-fledged and well-planned attack” on the international aid flotilla on May 31, using “excessive, indiscriminate….
Hamas cheers as Mubarak steps down
2/12/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas members rejoiced Friday as Egypt celebrated its victory against the regime of Hosni Mubarak. Demonstrators held flags of Egypt and chanted against Mubarak. Party members distributed candy after prayers and fired guns in the air. Hamas congratulated the Egyptian people for their victory and called on the new Egyptian….
Ramallah celebration after Mubarak resigns
2/12/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Dozens of Palestinians in Ramallah celebrated Friday after Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak stepped down. The demonstrators held signs reading “the people want an end to division.” Palestinian officials Khalida Jarrar, Bassam As-Salhi, and Mustafa Barghouthi participated in the demonstrations. The demonstrators held Palestinian and Egyptian flags. One of the demonstrators told….
Jubilation in Gaza as Hamas hails Mubarak ouster
2/12/2011 – GAZA CITY (AFP) — Hamas on Friday hailed the fall of Egypt’s president Hosni Mubarak as “the start of the victory of the Egyptian revolution” as jubilation erupted across Gaza.” We consider the resignation of president Mubarak to be the start of the victory of the Egyptian revolution which we support with all its….
Gaza journalist says attacked by Hamas security
2/11/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A journalist in Gaza said he was severely beaten Friday by security forces from the Hamas-led government. Shawki Al-Farra told Ma’an he was covering Friday prayers in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip when around 10 security officials attacked him. Al-Farra said he told the officers he….
Bethlehem detainee released after 18-year sentence
2/11/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Bethlehem detainees’ center on Thursday received a Palestinian released after 18 years in Israeli detention. Saadeh Sabri Saadeh, 40, was met by locals, friends and families who held flags and celebrated his release in the streets of the West Bank city….
UN rights head raps Israel over settlements impact
2/12/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — UN human rights chief Navi Pillay sharply criticized Israel on Friday for ignoring the harm done to Palestinians by its Jewish settlement policy and the construction of a vast West Bank barrier. She also condemned Palestinian militants in Gaza, describing their rocket attacks on Israel as “war crimes” which were a “major obstacle….
Palestinians congratulate Egyptian people
2/12/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinians congratulated the Egyptian people for their victory after Hosni Mubarak stepped down. Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees, the Popular and Democratic Fronts for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestine People’s Party, and Islamic Jihad all congratulated the Egyptians for their victory in the revolution. Mustafa Barghouthi, secretary-general of….
Olympics delegation visits West Bank
2/11/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A delegation from the International Olympic Committee visited the West Bank to assess sports facilities and determine needs, the Palestinian sports union said. The visit followed a meeting between the Palestinian Olympic Committee’s president and the international committee’s President Jack Rouge in Switzerland in January, the union….
Govt: Israel hopes for smooth Egypt transition
2/11/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel hopes that the transition of power in Egypt after the departure of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will be conducted “smoothly,” a government official said Friday….
Jubilation in Gaza as Hamas hails Mubarak’s departure
2/11/2011 – GAZA CITY (AFP) — Hamas on Friday hailed the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak as “the start of the Egyptian revolution” as scenes of jubilation erupted across the Gaza Strip….
Hamas: New Egypt leadership should open Gaza
2/11/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas called Friday for the new Egyptian leadership to lift the siege of Gaza by opening the Rafah crossing. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhari said Mubarak’s departure was a victory for Egypt and had Hamas’ full support.”Gaza’s joy is equal to the joy of….
US calls on Egypt to honor peace accords with Israel
2/11/2011 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House Friday called on the new authorities in Egypt to honor existing peace agreements with Israel after the resignation of president Hosni Mubarak….
Palestinian-produced talent show to air Sunday
2/11/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Ma’an will broadcast the eighth episode of the Palestinian talent show New Star 2 on Thursday. Judges describe the acts as terrific and the participants’ voices distinguished. The second in Nablus, the show will move to Bethlehem afterwards and then Gaza. The episode airs on Mix TV via….
Egypt erupts with joy at Mubarak`s farewell
2/12/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Flag-waving Egyptians danced, sang and cheered as they bid farewell to Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year regime on Friday, but triumph was tempered with apprehension as they looked ahead to military rule. Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the nationwide revolt that toppled Mubarak, thundered with chants of “The people have overthrown the….
Unrest in Egypt – a timeline
2/11/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Key events in the unfolding protests in Egypt:— Tuesday, January 25: Anti-government demonstrations erupt, 10 days after the ouster of Tunisia’s leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in a revolt that spreads ripples throughout the Arab world. — 26: Thousands defy a ban to demonstrate in Egyptian towns. Police use tear gas….
Iran: Egyptians achieved ‘great victory’
2/11/2011 – TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran said Friday that Egyptians have achieved a “great victory,” after it was announced that president Hosni Mubarak had stepped down….
German FM hails ‘historic moment’ in Egypt
2/11/2011 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Friday hailed the resignation of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak as “a historic moment….
Merkel welcomes Mubarak exit as ‘historic change’
2/11/2011 – BERLIN (AFP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday welcomed Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak’s decision to resign and hand power to senior military commanders as a “historic change….
Biden hails ‘historic day’ for Egypt
2/11/2011 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Vice President Joe Biden on Friday hailed a “historic day” for the people of Egypt and said President Hosni Mubarak’s departure must lead to a negotiated path towards democracy….
Reporter: Egypt police kill 10 in Sinai jailbreak
2/11/2011 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Clashes late Friday in the Egyptian Sinai left 10 people dead and injured 50 others, a Ma’an reporter said. The clashes broke out after Egyptian civilians descended on a police station in the town of El-Arish to free prisoners held by the regime. Twelve police officers surrendered to….
Britain urges move to civilian, democratic rule in Egypt
2/11/2011 – LONDON (AFP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron said Friday that Egypt must “move towards civilian and democratic rule” after president Hosni Mubarak quit following days of mass protests….
Switzerland orders freeze on Mubarak assets
2/11/2011 – GENEVA (AFP) — The Swiss government Friday ordered a freeze on any assets belonging to Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and his entourage shortly after it was announced he was stepping down, the foreign ministry said….
UN chief: ‘Voice of Egyptian people has been heard’
2/11/2011 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Friday that the “voice of the Egyptian people has been heard” after President Hosni Mubarak stepped down ending his 30-year-rule….
France hails Mubarak’s ‘courageous’ resignation
2/11/2011 – PARIS (AFP) — French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday saluted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s “courageous and necessary” decision to step down, and called for free and fair elections be held in the country….
Luxor a tourist ghost town amid uprising
2/11/2011 – LUXOR, Egypt (AFP) — Wandering unharried in the Egyptian temple of Luxor and photographing the towering colonnades of Karnak without being jostled may be a dream come true for tourists. But it is a nightmare for traders losing their precious livelihood. The hotels are empty, souks deserted and tour guides idle. Luxor has been but a….
Bahrain’s king gifts $3,000 to every family
2/11/2011 – MANAMA, Bahrain (AFP) — Bahrain’s king has ordered that each family in the tiny Gulf monarchy be given $3,000 to mark the 10th anniversary of a national charter for reforms, state news agency BNA said on Friday.” On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the National Action Charter and as a sign of….
Royal court denies Jordan tribes targeting queen
2/11/2011 – AMMAN (AFP) — The royal court has strongly denied an AFP report in which it is stated that major tribes, the bedrock of Jordan’s regime, have accused Queen Rania of corruption. A palace statement condemned “in the strongest possible terms, the completely erroneous and defamatory statements about Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of….
Police in south Yemen disperse ‘day of rage’ protests
2/11/2011 – ADEN, Yemen (AFP) — Dozens of protesters in Aden called Friday for the secession of southern Yemen, before police moved in to disperse them, witnesses said. Security forces — backed by tanks — fanned out around the capital to head off the so-called “day of rage” supported by Yemen’s secessionist Southern Movement. Dozens of protesters nevertheless….
‘Beware friendly US,’ Ahmadinejad warns Egyptians
2/11/2011 – TEHRAN (AFP) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday that a new Middle East is being carved out that will be free of the United States and Israel, as he backed the revolts rocking the Arab world. Massive crowds of Iranians, waving flags and chanting: “Death to (Egyptian President Hosni) Mubarak!” and: “Death to America….
US: Iran scared of the will of its people
2/11/2011 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States said Friday that Iran’s government was “scared of the will of its people,” seeking to use the popular revolt in Egypt to hike political pressure on leaders in Tehran….
If Tunis and Cairo can do it, why not Ramallah and Gaza?
Palestine Note 11 Feb 2011 – I never thought I will live to see the day when a corrupt, incompetent, dictatorial, criminal Arab head of state will be forced out and chased out of power. I have to admit I never thought…
Now that Mubarak is out, Egyptians need to understand Democracy
Palestine Note 11 Feb 2011 – Arabs, as a diverse people of many cultures and religions, have always been great when it comes to protests, demonstrations, criticism and anger. The common denominator is emotion, and the Arab World has always had more…
What does the Egyptian Revolution mean for Palestine?
Palestine Note 11 Feb 2011 – If you live in Washington, DC, the question of what does the Egyptian Revolution mean for Palestine might seem like a strange question. The question du jour here is what does the Egyptian Revolution mean for…
Pan-Arab People Power
Palestine Note 11 Feb 2011 – What Does the Egyptian Revolution Mean for Palestine? If you live in Washington, DC, the question of what does the Egyptian Revolution mean for Palestine might seem like a strange question. The question du jour here…
Will February 12 bring revolution to Algeria?
Palestine Note 11 Feb 2011 – While press coverage of the Middle East and North Africa has spent the past month focused on Tunisia and Egypt, Algerian opposition groups calling for mass protests on February 12 have stirred speculation that their country,…
Mubarak, shamed a great people and a great nation.
Palestine Note 11 Feb 2011 – Like millions of Egyptians, Arabs and people around the world, I stayed up glued to the television in my London hotel room waiting to hear Hosni Mubarak speech surfing the stations from BBC Arabic to Alarabyia…
Suleiman: Mubarak waives office
AlJazeera 11 Feb 2011 – Omar Suleiman, Egypt’s vice-president, announces Hosni Mubarak has resigned and handed power to army.
Live blog Feb 12 – Egypt protests
AlJazeera 11 Feb 2011 – From our headquarters in Doha, we keep you updated on all things Egypt, with reporting from our reporters on the ground.
Egypt’s remarkable 18 days
AlJazeera 11 Feb 2011 – Al Jazeera looks back at the 18-day-old revolution that remade Egypt and the wider Middle East.
Egypt’s arduous road to freedom
AlJazeera 11 Feb 2011 – More than 300 people were killed in a treacherous, 18-day journey toward ending Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year autocratic rule.
World reacts as Mubarak steps down
AlJazeera 11 Feb 2011 – Global leaders hail “historic change” and “victory” in Egypt, but Obama warns of difficult days ahead.
What next for Egypt?
AlJazeera 11 Feb 2011 – Analysts, politicians and pro-democracy campaigners outline how they see the future of Egypt developing post-Mubarak.
Egypt’s military leadership
AlJazeera 11 Feb 2011 – Brief profiles of members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces as it assumes power from Hosni Mubarak.
Mubarak Leaves Office After 18 Days of Protest
PNN – Cairo – PNN – After 18 days of unprecedent protests in Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak decided to waive the office of the republic and left the country on Friday afternoon. Mubarak left…
Israeli Troops Attack Anti-wall Protests Organized in West Bank Villages, East Jerusalem
PNN – Bethlehem – PNN — Israeli soldiers used tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets on Friday to attack anti-wall protests organized in southern and central West Bank villages as well as the East…
Israeli Youths Kill a Palestinian Man in Jerusalem; Soldiers Arrests Three in Separate Incident
PNN – Jerusalem — PNN — A Palestinian man was stabbed to death by a group of Israeli youths on Friday afternoon near Jerusalem’s Old City. According to an Israeli police report, the 24-year-old…
Two Million People Conduct Friday Prayers Tahrir Square
PNN – Cairo — PNN — Media sources reported that around two million people gathered in Tahrir Square and conducted the Friday prayers in protest of Egyptian President Husni Mubarak 30 year regime. Other…
PCHR: Israeli Attacks Left Six Palestinians Injured this Week
PNN – PCHRGaza – PNN – Israeli military attacks left six Palestinians injured; troops arrested 27 civilians this week, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said in its weekly report. The report, which documents…
UK Foreign Secretary: “It is not Immediately Clear What Powers are Being Handed Over”
PNN – London — PNN — In a first reaction to Egyptian President Mubarak, Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague said that the United Kingdom is seeking a peaceful solution to the situation in Egypt….
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (03 — 09 February 2011)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Egypt: Defiance Surprised US and Threatened Chaos
Jeruslalem Post 12 Feb 2011 – CIA officials learned of Egyptian military’s plan to remove Mubarak, but Egyptian president decided at the last minute to change the ending.
Pillay: Partial settlement moratorium not a concession
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says only full halt acceptable under int’l law; e. J’lem a part of West bank, occupied territory.
Photo gallery: Egyptians celebrate the fall of Mubarak
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – After 18 days of protests, the Egyptian president resigns and the people of Egypt celebrate in Cairo’s streets through the night.
Israel watches Mubarak ouster with trepidation
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Ben-Eliezer: “There are many questions that we don’t have answers for, how will this affect the entire region now?”
Merkel: Egypt must keep peace with Israel
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – EU’s Ashton calls for dialogue to form broad-based gov’t; UN’s Ban says the “voice of the Egyptian people has been heard.”
Mubarak exit sets off celebrations across Mideast
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – “Allahu Akbar, the Pharaoh is dead,” declares Hizbullah TV station; in Gaza, expectations new Egyptian regime will ease blockade.
Biden: ‘It is a historic day for the people of Egypt’
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – US lawmakers welcome Mubarak’s resignation; call for orderly transition that leads to true democracy.
ElBaradei: I don’t believe Mubarak should be put on trial
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Egyptian opposition leader says Egypt should look forward, but Mubarak should give money back he took from the Egyptian people.
Egypt’s Mubarak steps down as president
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Egyptian VP Omar Suleiman announces that the embattled president has handed power to the military after 18 days of protests calling for his ouster. ElBaradei: “This is the greatest day of my life.”
Turkey flotilla report: IDF shot activists at close range
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Ankara releases its findings on ‘Mavi Marmara’ raid; accuses Israel of blatantly violating international laws.
JPost Classic: ‘A cold peace is better than warm war’
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – In clip from 1999, Egypt’s then-ambassador to Israel Mohamed Bassiouny talks about the Israel-Egypt Peace Accords.
WikiLeaks: Suleiman promised to stop Gaza elections
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Egyptian VP said he will “take care of” Gaza, stop Hamas from gaining control, in meeting with Israeli official.
Ahmadinejad calls for Mideast without Israel and US
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Iranian President says Egypt’s popular uprising shows a new ME is emerging, calls for Egyptians to be allowed to choose gov’t.
Egypt protesters mass for demonstrations
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Army issues statements supporting Mubarak’s transfer of power to VP Suleiman, free and fair elections later in the year.
This Week in History: Jordan’s surprise kings
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Two kings that were peaceful neighbors to Israel, Hussein and Abdullah II, both rose to the throne in less-than-ordinary circumstances.
Analysis: Ashkenazi leaves a better prepared IDF
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – Egypt’s revolution, possible anarchy in Jordan, Hizbullah’s takeover of Lebanon mean next four years will be just as interesting as last four.
UN human rights chief Pillay tours Sderot and Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 11 Feb 2011 – In her first visit since taking office in 2008, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights toured the W. Bank, was shown rockets fired from Gaza.
Top U.S. military officer to visit Israel after Mubarak’s ouster
Ha’aretz – Admiral Mike Mullen is due to meet Netanyahu, Peres and outgoing IDF chief Ashkenazi on Sunday.
Zvi Bar’el / Egypt’s army must now continue down Mubarak’s path
Ha’aretz – As long the state of emergency in Egypt prevails, the military can manage affairs of state unfettered by any legal problem, dissolve parliament, call new elections and form a government far from being a civilian democracy.
Mubarak slammed U.S. in phone call with Israeli MK before resignation
Ha’aretz – Radical Islam will be result of U.S. push for democracy, Mubarak told Israel’s Ben-Eliezer during a phone call on Thursday.
Israel hopes Mubarak resignation won’t affect bilateral peace accord
Ha’aretz – Israel says its to early to foresee what will happen in relations with Egypt; Hamas calls on new Egyptian leadership to lift Gaza blockade immediately.
Turkey Gaza flotilla probe: Five shot dead at close range
Ha’aretz – Turkey’s report on Israel’s deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla was released Friday; report says Israel blatantly violated international laws.
Ben-Eliezer: Mubarak knows he must step down, but wants an honorable exit
Ha’aretz – Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer spoke with the Egyptian president on Thursday, hours before he announced he was transferring some authorities to his deputy.
Ahmadinejad: Egypt unrest hails a Mideast without U.S., Israel
Ha’aretz – In speech marking the 32nd anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian President says Egyptians have the right to live in freedom and choose their own government.
Rabbi Moti Elon to be indicted for sexual offenses
Ha’aretz – Jerusalem prosecutor’s office summons Elon for pre-indictment hearing on allegations that he sexually harassed two minors in 2003 and 2005.
Obama Hails Mubarak’s Resignation: ‘Egypt will Never be the Same’
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – President Obama hailed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s abrupt decision earlier today to step down, ending his 30-year-reign, as Egyptian armed forces took control of the country’s leadership. “The people of Egypt have spoken. Their voices have been heard and Egypt will never be the same,” the president said. “By stepping down, President Mubarak responded to…
Boycott roundup: international day of action called for Land Day
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – BDS campaigners scored a significant victory this month as the London Borough of Tower Hamlets voted to exclude Veolia, a French firm that has provided services to the Israeli occupation in the West Bank, from receiving any contracts with the municipality. Activists have also staged protests and launched campaigns in Ireland, Belgium, Palestine. Meanwhile, the…
Analysis: Military coup was behind Mubarak’s exit
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – It was the people who forced President Hosni Mubarak from power, but it is the generals who are in charge now. Egypt’s 18-day uprising produced a military coup that crept into being over many days – its seeds planted early in the crisis by Mubarak himself… The military was clearly torn between its loyalty to…
The “Pyramid Schemes” of Empire Inc.
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – The revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt forced have Obama into an uncomfortable but familar posture: On the one hand, in order to preserve at least the appearance of credibility, the candidate of hope and change has to at least feign solidarity with the people who expressed their hope by flooding into the streets of Tunisia…
Revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia — So what are we waiting for?
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – …Barring a rank-and-file mutiny, the Egyptian army has secured its role as heir-apparent to Mubarak’s thirty-year dictatorship. US president Obama has already called on the military to take power in Egypt (after weeks of refusing to demand that Mubarak leave power), a vote of confidence that should be deeply disturbing. If the military end up…
Israel’s discriminatory civil service program challenged
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Only a few months away from her high school graduation, 17-year-old May Jabareen will soon be preparing applications for university. Soft-spoken yet confident, the Palestinian teenager from Haifa told The Electronic Intifada she hopes to study law and media at Tel Aviv University next year. This big transition may be more difficult for Jabareen, however,…
Israeli and PA Forces Suppress Solidarity with Egyptians
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Despite Palestinian Authority (PA) officials banning anti-Mubarak demonstrations, hundreds rallied in support. On February 5, Jerusalem Post writer Khaled Abu Toameh headlined, “100s demonstrate in Ramallah in support of Egyptians,” saying: Marching in Ramallah with Egyptian flags, they publicly supported them “(f)or the first time since the beginning of the(ir( uprising….” Another Ramallah demonstration followed…
As Mubarak Resigns, Ex-Guantanamo Prisoner Mamdouh Habib Reminds the World that Omar Suleiman Personally Tortured Him in Egypt
Uruknet February 11, 2011 -… Mamdouh Habib, the former Guant?°namo prisoner who received a financial settlement from the Australian government last year for its role in rendering him to Egypt, where he was tortured prior to his transfer to Guant?°namo, forcefully reminded the world why any transfer of power to Omar Suleiman would be disastrous for the people’s revolution, which…
Reporter: Egypt police kill 10 in Sinai jailbreak
Uruknet February 11, 2011- Clashes late Friday in the Egyptian Sinai left 10 people dead and injured 50 others, a Ma’an reporter said. The clashes broke out after Egyptian civilians descended on a police station in the town of El-Arish to free prisoners held by the regime. Twelve police officers surrendered to the crowd, which was able to secure the…
CNN: always Stay on the Safe Side of Life.
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Thursday night 2/10/2011, 11pm Egypt time: Hosni Mubarak, in a probably pre-recorded speech and in defiance of international political and domestic street pressure, refuses to step down as Egyptian president just now. Everyone is disappointed, the people on Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the people in Suez and Alexandria, but most notably CNN’s Anderson Cooper (andersoncooper on…
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (03 — 09 February 2011)
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (03 — 09 February 2011): Shooting: During the reporting period, 6 Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded by IOF in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Additionally, 11 Palestinian civilians were lightly injured by glass fragments or…
Egypt’s military leadership
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Hosni Mubarak has resigned as Egypt’s president and transferred his powers to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. General Omar Suleiman, vice president and former intelligence chief, is among the key retired or serving military officers on the council. Others include Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, defence minister; Lt Gen Sami Anan, chief of…
Swiss freeze possible Mubarak assets
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Switzerland has frozen assets possibly belonging to Hosni Mubarak, who stepped down as president of Egypt Friday after 30 years of rule, a spokesman for the foreign ministry said. “I can confirm that Switzerland has frozen possible assets of the former Egyptian president with immediate effect,” spokesman Lars Knuchel said, declining to specify how much…
Video: Suleiman: Mubarak leaves office
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Brief announcement from Omar Suleiman: Hosni Mubarak has left office, is no longer president of Egypt :
Egypt army in emergency law pledge
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Egyptian military leaders have pledged that the country’s emergency law will be lifted, but only “as soon as current circumstances end”. The promise was made as part of the Armed Forces Supreme Council’s response to the mass protests which are intensifying after President Hosni Mubarak’s latest refusal to step down. In a statement read out…
Egypt braces for massive protest
Uruknet February 11, 2011 – Hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters are expected to march onto the streets of Cairo and other Egyptian cities on Friday, in what could become the largest – and some fear the most violent – protests thus far. The demonstrators’ hopes for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak were dashed on Thursday as Mubarak, in…
UN says Gaza unemployment rate at 45%
Uruknet February 10, 2011 – The unemployment rate in Gaza has continued to climb in 2011, reaching 45.4%, UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness told reporters in Gaza City on Wednesday. At a news conference for the UN Relief and Works Agency, Gunness warned that the increasing unemployment was a sign of a hugely fragile Gaza economy, which he described as on…
Women, Children of Bedouin Village El Araqib Beaten as they Silently Protest 16th Demolition of their Homes
Uruknet February 10, 2011 – Women and children of the Bedouin village of Al Araqib were beaten and gassed by Israel forces Thursday morning (10/2), in an attempt to halt the 16th demolition of their homes and property. Israeli forces and Jewish National Fund workers entered the Bedouin village and again destroyed the residents homes, and continued preparing the land…
Hungry Gazans Feed Egyptian Troops
Uruknet February 10, 2011 – Mustapha Suleiman, 27, from J Block east of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, crosses through gaps in the iron fence on the border carrying bread, water, meat cans and a handful of vegetables for Egyptian soldiers stationed on the other side. “Whatever you offer on Saturday you will receive on Sunday,” Suleiman says. “I am…
Protestors in Egypt Remain Angry and Determined as Mubarak Fails to Quit
Uruknet February 10, 2011 – Contrary to all expectations, Hosni Mubarak, the 82-year old Egyptian dictator, failed to stand down on Thursday evening, when he finally addressed the Egyptian people on State TV. In a speech that began with fulsome praise for the youthful protestors and a claim that he understood their concerns, Mubarak insisted that he would stay in…
Obama: ‘Today belongs to the people of Egypt’
The National 12 Feb 2011 – US president says ‘These are early days and many questions remain unanswered. But I am sure the Egyptian people will find those answers. ‘
Harsh words for US and Israel at Iranian revolution rallies
The National 11 Feb 2011 – Marking the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic revolution, Iranians chanted anti-Zionist slogans and congratulated the protesters in Egypt, with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calling for an end to American influence in the region.
Good morning Egypt
Daily Star 11 Feb 2011 World leaders hailed the toppling of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak Friday as a historic victory for people power, with U.S. and European officials pledging assistance to help Egypt make the transition to democracy.
World leaders hail toppling of Egypt’s autocratic leader
Daily Star 11 Feb 2011 World leaders hailed the toppling of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak Friday as a historic victory for people power, with U.S. and European officials pledging assistance to help Egypt make the transition to democracy.
Egyptians will resist any army bid to keep power, analysts say
Daily Star 11 Feb 2011 CAIRO: Egyptians who toppled Hosni Mubarak Friday may still have more to do to ensure a military council now in charge transfers power to civilian hands. The army has not spelled out any transition plans it…
Iran marks revolution, pressures opposition
Daily Star 11 Feb 2011 TEHRAN: Hundreds of thousands turned out Friday to mark the 32nd anniversary of Iran’s Islamic Revolution in a rally the clerical establishment billed as a chance to show solidarity with “Islamic” protesters in Egypt. “Death to…
Mubarak exit sets off celebrations across region
Daily Star 11 Feb 2011 BEIRUT: Revelers swept joyously into the streets across the Middle East Friday after Hosni Mubarak stepped down as Egypt’s president. From Beirut to Gaza, tens of thousands handed out candy, set off fireworks and unleashed celebratory…
Middle East braces for more protest after Mubarak resigns
The Guardian 11 Feb 2011 – News of Egyptian president’s departure spread rapidly through region, where other authoritarian rulers are in power Algeria In another military dominated north African state with a long-term authoritarian ruler, the Egyptian drama came on the eve…
Opening remarks by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at press conference in Jerusalem
Relief Web 11 Feb 2011 – Source: UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Breaking Middle East peace deadlock is vital, Ban tells Israeli Defence Minister
Relief Web 11 Feb 2011 – Source: UN News Service
OPT: The Monthly Humanitarian Monitor, January 2011
Relief Web 11 Feb 2011 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: ends visit to Israel and OPT
Relief Web 11 Feb 2011 – Source: UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
EGYPT-U.S.: The Brotherhood Bogeyman
IPS While the many and far-reaching implications of Friday’s transfer of power to what is apparently a military junta in Egypt have yet to be absorbed here, the role of the Muslim Brotherhood in any transition to a more democratic regime is certain to figure high on the political agenda.
All Eyes on Egypt’s High Command
IPS After 30 years in power, a handful of assassination attempts, the historical backing of five United States presidencies, 68 billion dollars in U.S. aid and 18 consecutive days of massive, pro-democracy demonstrations, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak finally ceded power Friday, leaving observers in Washington wondering what happens next.
Jerusalem: Arab killed in brawl with Jews
YNet News – Early morning fight in city center claims life of 24-year-old man from east….
Egypt army guards Mubarak palace
YNet News – Hundreds of protesters demand president step down now as tanks, armored vehicles….
Ahmadinejad: No Israel in new Mideast
YNet News – Hundreds of thousands of Iranians take to streets, marking Islamic Revolution’s….
US spy chief: Muslim Brotherhood secular
YNet News – Director of National Intelligence tells congressional hearing that Egypt’s….
Obama: Egypt will never be the same
YNet News – Addressing the dramatic resignation of Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak Friday, US President Barack Obama said that “the voices have been heard and Egypt will never be the …….
Ex-Egypt envoy: Israel in trouble
YNet News – Israel’s former ambassador to Egypt was particularly pessimistic Friday after hearing of President Hosni Mubarak’s dramatic resignation. “It’s over, Egypt is no …….
Islamists welcome ‘day of victory’
YNet News – A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s biggest opposition group, said Egyptians had achieved the main goal of their popular uprising after President Hosni …….
Drama in Egypt: President Mubarak quits
YNet News – End of an era: After more than two weeks of violent protests across Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak has resigned, Vice President Omar Suleiman announced in a brief TV …….
Palestinian Information Center
Reflections on the triumph of the Egyptian revolution
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – I can’t express in words the extent of my personal joy over the spectacular triumph of the Egyptian revolution.
Egyptians and Arabs celebrate the overthrow of Mubarak
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – In a terse televised statement, Egyptian vice-president Omar Sulaiman announced the resignation of Husni Mubarak and assigning the running of the country to the supreme council of the armed forces.
Abu Zuhri: Fatah popularly bankrupted, has support on the ground
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, the spokesman of Hamas Movement in Gaza, has opined Thursday that Fatah Movement was popularly bankrupted and has no support on the ground..
Wikileaks: Omar Suleiman promised Israel to mar Hamas victory in PA elections
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – Wikileaks has revealed a confidential document leaked from the US embassy in Tel Aviv telling that Omar Suleiman promised the Israelis not to let Hamas win the 2006 PA legislative elections.
Mishaal warns of foreign influence on Palestinian issue
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – Khaled Mishaal, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, has warned Wednesday of the negative impact of the external influences on the Palestinian issue..
MPs in West Bank: PA still prosecute civilians before military courts
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – Palestinian lawmakers from the change and reform bloc have asserted Thursday that the PA still prosecute Palestinian civilians before military courts despite claims that it has halted such practices.
Palestinian lawyers suspended their work in the West Bank for a day
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – The Palestinian Lawyers’ Union decided on Thursday to suspend their work for one day to protest the assault of one of their members at the hands of two security men answerable to Mahmoud Abbas.
Abbas’s militia continue to detain 70 Najah University students
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – The Islamic bloc at Najah University in Nablus said that Abbas’s militia continue to detain 70 of the university’s students on a political background, the bloc said in a statement.
Islamic and National forces in Jerusalem express support for Egyptian people
PIC 11 Feb 2011 – Islamic and National forces in Jerusalem held a press conference of Thursday entitled “From Jerusalem to the Tahrir Square” in which they expressed their support for the Egyptian people.
Hosni Mubarak resigns, military takes control in Egypt
LA Times 11 Feb 2011 – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak steps down and hands power to the military, Vice President Omar Suleiman announces on state TV. The announcement sparks celebrations in Cairo, Alexandria and elsewhere. Less than 24 hours after a patronizing speech in which he insisted he wouldn’t resign, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak fled his palace by helicopter and left it to his newly appointed vice president to tell the nation he had turned power over to the military.
U.S. faces critical test of influence on Egypt
LA Times 11 Feb 2011 – The Obama administration must elicit democratic reform from the Egyptian army without alienating the long-reliable ally. The Obama administration got what it said it wanted when Hosni Mubarak surrendered power. Now it must deal with another daunting task: coaxing the country’s new military rulers to deliver genuine democratic reforms they have resisted for decades.
Egypt ‘outside the rules’
LA Times 11 Feb 2011 – Questions abound as the military seems to be ignoring the constitution: Will the document be amended or scrapped; will the opposition get to help in nation-building and when will elections be held? Through the days leading up to President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation, there was much hand-wringing over how to force the president to resign when only he, under the Egyptian Constitution, could preside over such crucial democracy-building steps as dissolving the parliament and reforming the political system.
Celebrations spread across Middle East
LA Times 11 Feb 2011 – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation is met with joy in Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, the West Bank. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation is met with joy in Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, the West Bank. Ben Can any of the regimes still holding on to power and riches by way of their massive police apparatuses hope to avoid a similar fate?
Iranians rally to mark 1979 revolution, Egyptian uprising
LA Times 11 Feb 2011 – Thousands march in several cities as officials celebrate the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, casting them as part of a wave of anti-U.S. upheaval in the region. Chanting anti-U.S. slogans, thousands of Iranians marched in Tehran to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution that toppled the shah – and to celebrate the Egyptian uprising that resulted in President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster Friday.
Egypt Erupts in Jubilation as Mubarak Steps Down
New York Times 11 Feb 2011 – The departure of President Hosni Mubarak was a pivotal turn in a revolt that has upended one of the Arab’s world’s most enduring dictatorships.
Quiet Worries as Israel Watches an Ally Depart
New York Times 11 Feb 2011 – The expectation was that whoever followed Hosni Mubarak in Egypt would be less friendly to Israel.
News Analysis: Uncharted Ground After Stunning End of Egypt’s Regime
New York Times 11 Feb 2011 – Egypt will face the meaning of its revolution, posing challenges as myriad as Mr. Mubarak’s departure was singular.
Eretz Nehederet: Im Tirzu Teaches Kindergarteners the Middle East Facts of Life
Tikun Olam – Thanks to Israeli reader Nuriel for sending along a link for this segment from Eretz Nehederet, Israel’s highest rated political satire TV series. It depicts an education curriculum devised by Im Tirtzu with the Ministry of Education that helps prepare kindergarten children for the “complicated reality”…
US support for democracy— hooey
Mondoweiss – The events of the past two weeks have shown beyond any doubt, that the American elite still view Arabs as an immature people who cannot be trusted with their own governance. In their frenzy to rescue what remained of the now defunct Egyptian regime, the Obama…
Actually, Secretary Clinton, New York is the place to say no to Israeli impunity
Mondoweiss – The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote, possibly this month, on a resolution reaffirming that Israel’s 150 settlements in the Palestinian West Bank and East Jerusalem “are illegal and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.” One…
A ‘generation of giants’ reshapes Egypt and the broader Middle East
Mondoweiss – We published part of the this poem in a post about the student BDS movement. It certainly deserves to be posted again in a different context. From Verse , a poem written by Nizar Qabbani in the wake of the 1967 war: 19 We do not want…
Silwan’s Captive Children
Palestine Monitor – Seventeen children currently live under house arrest in the besieged neighborhood of Silwan in Jerusalem. Combined with a fierce campaign from Jewish extremists and armed Israeli forces, these young men are routinely arrested, beaten and interrogated. Showaib Qutayobeh, 15, on his 45th day of house arrest….
Blogging the Revolution: Mubarak Out, ‘Egypt is Free,’ What’s Next?
Tikun Olam – Mubarak has crumbled (Amel Pain/EPA) History is made. You are witnessing an event you may rarely see in your lifetime. A nation erupting in freedom. News from Egypt that Omar Suleiman has made a 20-second broadcast to the nation announcing that Hosni Mubarak has resigned as…
In this beautiful peaceful historic revolution, we also played our part
Mondoweiss – It is an Egyptian revolution, of course. The great people of Egypt made this beautiful peaceful historic revolution. They have overcome. But we played our part, the people of the world who thrilled with the Egyptians and supported them. By our steadfast attention, our refusal to…
Mubarak is out! Hands power to military as Egyptians hit the streets on ‘Farewell Friday’
Mondoweiss – @import “http://embed.tweetizen.com/embed.css”; Protesters in Alexandria (Photo: Friday Lunch Club ) Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy Live video of Tahrir Square from MSNBC After rambling on for a half hour last night and not saying anything, today Mubarak sent Omar Suleiman…
Mubarak’s Game of Chicken
Tikun Olam – Demonstrators raise their shoes in disgust during Mubarak’s speech (Dylan Martinez/Reuters) In the aftermath of Mubarak’s extraplanetary speech in which he seemed to be living in a parallel Egyptian universe to the one inhabited by the hundreds of thousands in Tahrir Square and elsewhere in Egypt,…
Israel staggered by Egypt protests, social tensions at home
WSWS – The right-wing Israeli government of Benyamin Netanyahu has been shaken by the mass demonstrations engulfing Egypt and growing social opposition in Israel.
Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa
WSWS – The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
Egypt’s Mubarak resigns as leader
BBC 11 Feb 2011 – Hosni Mubarak steps down as president of Egypt, after weeks of protests by demonstrators in Cairo and other cities.
Iran ‘holds opposition activists’
BBC 11 Feb 2011 – Reports from Iran say several opposition activists have been arrested and international news channels are being jammed.
Shares rally as Mubarak resigns
BBC 11 Feb 2011 – Global share markets climb and the price of oil falls after Hosni Mubarak steps down as president of Egypt.
First Tunisia, now Egypt, NEXT…
Sabbah report 11 Feb 2011 –
Israeli and PA Forces Suppress Solidarity with Egyptians
Sabbah report 11 Feb 2011 – PA banned demonstrations in solidarity with the rebelling peoples. Palestinian television has virtually ignored the events in Egypt. PA launches pro-Mubarak demonstration in Ramallah,” denouncing Mohamed ElBaradei as a CIA agent.
Justice in the Holy Land first, Mr Hague, then peace
Sabbah report 11 Feb 2011 – Stuart Littlewood views the weasel words of William Hague, British Foreign Secretary and life-long member of the ruling Conservative Party’s Israel lobby, who has voiced fears over the non-existent Israeli-Palestinian “peace process” while studiously avoiding any mention of the need for justice for the people of…
Fateh Leadership Betrays the Memory of Abu Ammar and Abu Jihad
Sabbah report 11 Feb 2011 – While the people all over the Arab world are rising up against their U.S.-Israeli puppet regimes, the current Fateh leadership represented by the so-called Palestinian Authority (PA) is sending messages of support to these dictatorial regimes. The PA is also trying to prevent and suppress the…
Articles
Women, Children of Bedouin Village El Araqib Beaten as they Silently Protest 16th Demolition of their Homes
Tania Kepler, Alternative Information Center2/10/2011
Women and children of the Bedouin village of Al Araqib were beaten and gassed by Israel forces Thursday morning (10/2), in an attempt to halt the 16th demolition of their homes and property.
Israeli forces and Jewish National Fund workers entered the Bedouin village and again destroyed the residents homes, and continued preparing the land for the planting of a “peace forest”.
When residents and activists attempted to halt their work, JNF workers and Israeli police fought back with force. The men in the village were held or detained while the women and children stood before the police and bulldozers and did not allow them to pass, all the while waving their Israeli identification cards as an expression of their trampled civil rights. The police attacked them with punches and tear gas.
Six residents, four women and two children, were hospitalized at the Soroka hospital in Beer Sheva. Later in the day, two of the women remained hospitalized.
“The police harshly beat the women and children who were standing in quiet protest, they simply beat women and children…I stood alongside a woman who was beaten by four police officers, actual fists in her face, ears and neck, in addition to kicks until she almost lost consciousness…people are sitting on the ground, in the rain, and not moving, women and children. The police shot stun grenades and foam bullets directly at the women, at point blank,” reported Tamar, an activist who was present in the village.
Three residents were also arrested, including a sixteen year old, and two Israeli activists are being detained at the local police station. more.. e-mail
The World’s Short Memory is Israel’s Green Light
Antoine Raffoul, Palestine Think Tank2/1/2011
1948 Lest We Forget: these words which stand for the campaign we have launched in June 2006 were not chosen lightly. In fact, a similar campaign was started by the writer in New York City back in June 1968 during the heyday of the Vietnam War protests which engulfed many great capitals around the world at that time. Those protests lead eventually to the end of the Vietnam War.
Only one year earlier, in June 1967, Israel had launched a pre-meditated invasion of its neighbours and illegally occupied (until this very day) all of historic Palestine including the city of Jerusalem. Invaded, occupied, annexed, ethnically cleansed — words that have one common meaning or denominator: the zionist aim, declared in 1897 by the founding father of Zionism Theodor Herzl, to turn Palestine into a home for the Jewish People within 50 years. That goal was achieved 51 years later with the establishment of Israel in 1948 on 52% of historic Palestine. That 52% of historic Palestine was awarded to the Jews of Europe less than 6 months earlier in November 1947 by the newly established United Nations which felt no guilt whatsoever in chopping up a land of one indigenous people to award it to a people of many lands.
That Partition Plan was formalised under UNRES 181 and gave, by default, the green light to the zionist forces to move initially against Palestinian towns and villages located within the half of the country granted to the Jews and, immediately afterwards, to invade the half allocated to the Palestinians until they were forced to halt their aggression in 1949 with the establishment of the Armistice Lines (the Green Line). By then, the Zionist forces had ethnically cleansed more than 550 Palestinian villages and driven out more than 800,000 Palestinians out of their homes and into miserable refugee camps inside Palestine and in the neighbouring Arab countries. more.. e-mail
Thoughts on the Russell Tribunal
Alice Walker, Russell Tribunal on Palestine11/23/2010
Thoughts on the Russell Tribunal, re: International Corporate Complicity in the Destruction of the People of Palestine: Nothing is Stronger Than a Circle Which is Why, as Black Elk Teaches us, Everything Tries to Be Round
In many of my talks to young people, to women, to peace activists, etc., I advocate that in these times of planetary disasters and instability people everywhere should gather together in circles of friends, in each other¬?s homes, on a regular basis, to talk through the fears and challenges with which we, as a world, are faced: more frightening events at this time than at any period in human history. It is time to circle, I advise, with the hope that eventually our diverse circles will engage each other, merge, and organically transform the earth.
I think of the Russell Tribunal as one of these circles, perhaps the most important, though its members may consider themselves strangers to each other. That they are not strangers is evident by their appearance, as a group, to take on the Tribunal¬?s exacting and highly essential work: to cast the light of conscience on the behaviors of powerful interests and destructive players in the world community. This is a duty that calls out to those who understand how important it is to end our common silence about abuse and atrocities committed in our names, and who also realize that we must be determined in our efforts to care for the maligned and traumatized and oppressed of the earth. That this caring signifies our awareness of membership in the same clan, the same family. The family of humankind of which any oppressed person is the brother or sister, the mother or father, the child or grandparent that is, at one point or another of our lives also our own self.
It has been an honor to be invited to join the present session as part of a jury hearing testimony on international corporate complicity in the destruction of the Palestinian people, who, since I visited Gaza a year and a half ago, have become part of the earth’s peoples to whom I have felt duty bound to show up for…. — See also: Russell Tribunal on Palestine more.. e-mail
Meet the Lebanese Press: the end of Hariri or of Harirism?
Electronic Intifada: 11 Feb 2011 – While all eyes are on the people’s revolts in Tunisia and Egypt, ongoing efforts to form a new government in Lebanon have garnered little media attention. But the collapse of the Hariri government in Lebanon was another major blow to US interests and the standing of its long-time Israeli and “moderate” Arab allies.more
Boycott roundup: international day of action called for Land Day
Electronic Intifada: 11 Feb 2011 – Boycott campaigners scored a significant victory this month as the London Borough of Tower Hamlets voted to exclude Veolia, a French firm that has provided services to the Israeli occupation in the West Bank, from receiving any contracts with the municipality.more
Egyptian labor joins the uprising
Electronic Intifada: 11 Feb 2011 – CAIRO (IPS) – Hosni Mubarak’s speech Thursday night in which he refused to quit only provoked anger and sparked further unrest. Massive demonstrations, and pitched battles between pro-democracy protesters and the regime’s security forces, have already been intensifying in every corner of the country.more
Israel’s discriminatory civil service program challenged
Electronic Intifada: 11 Feb 2011 – Criticism has mounted in recent months around the Israeli civic service program, a volunteering program aimed at individuals otherwise exempt from military service, which individuals say conditions their inalienable rights, such as equal access to education and the job market.more
Silwan’s Captive Children
Palestine Monitor: 11 Feb 2011 – Seventeen children currently live under house arrest in the besieged neighborhood of Silwan in Jerusalem. Combined with a fierce campaign from Jewish extremists and armed Israeli forces, these young men are routinely arrested, beaten and interrogated. Showaib Qutayobeh, 15, on his 45th day of house arrest. “They have been subject to a severe system of Israeli police and security forces,” said Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of The Palestinian National Initiative. “They cannot go to school. They cannot finish or continue their education. The Israelis keep them in their homes.” With Al Aqsa’s dome behind him, 18-year old Mahmoud Razem stands on his porch, permitted under terms of his, for now, seven-month long house arrest. As part of a comprehensive program of state-sponsored terror, these children are targeted because they live in a neighborhood coveted by Jewish extremists who believe it to be the Biblical City of David – not…more
Arab Earthquake: The Arab Nation is Back
Palestine Chronicle: 11 Feb 2011 – By Robin Yassin-Kassab Throughout yesterday messages were sent out from within the Egyptian regime to the effect that Hosni Mubarak was about to resign. Millions went onto the night streets to celebrate the victory. Then, incredibly, Mubarak repeated his intention to stay. He lied about his contributions to Egyptian sovereignty and addressed the Egyptians as his children, to screams of derision. Despicable as he is, there was something of the tragic hero about him, tragic in the Greek or Shakespearean sense. The very traits which had thrust him to greatness — stubbornness, brutishness, contempt for the people — were condemning him, with every word, to the most ignominious humiliation. He spoke from the gravel of his octogenarian throat, a man of the past adrift in a strange new world. Tragic or not, it was certainly theatre — directed by the military. CommuniquéNumber One had already been delivered. Then this…more
Development as Freedom: Future of Egypt
Palestine Chronicle: 11 Feb 2011 – By Ali Younes Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, former Air Force General became president of Egypt after the assassination of President Mohammad Anwar Al Sadat by Muslim extremists on 6 October 1981, resigned from office today 2/11/2011 and assigned his presidential powers to a military council made of the leaders of the Egyptian military. President Mubarak, became the longest serving president of Egypt since Mohammad Ali Pasha, who ruled Egypt from 1805-1849. Mubarak’s rule, since he assumed power nearly 30 years ago, has been characterized by his authoritarian grip on power and his reliance on Emergency laws to govern Egypt and curtail civil liberties and personal freedoms. Under the “state of emergency” his government had absolute and uncontested powers. The “state of emergency law” is used by the government to mainly attack the Muslim Brotherhood and any other political party and deny them to formally participate in the elections. In using the…more
Israeli, PA Suppressed Solidarity with Egypt
Palestine Chronicle: 11 Feb 2011 – By Stephen Lendman Despite Palestinian Authority (PA) officials banning anti-Mubarak demonstrations, hundreds rallied in support. On February 5, Jerusalem Post writer Khaled Abu Toameh headlined, “100s demonstrate in Ramallah in support of Egyptians,” saying: Marching in Ramallah with Egyptian flags, they publicly supported them “(f)or the first time since the beginning of the(ir( uprising….” Another Ramallah demonstration followed as well as a Bethlehem one. Toameh’s February 2 article was in stark contrast headlined, “PA launches pro-Mubarak demonstration in Ramallah,” denouncing Mohamed ElBaradei as a “CIA agent.” On February 4, the Popular Committees Against the Israeli Occupation issued a press release saying: “The Egyptian Arab nation….We salute this great Arab nation, our brothers. This is the salute of freedom from the people of Palestine who have been fighting for decades for freedom and independence, and to retain the honor of Arabs.” “The Palestinians are watching what is happening across the Arab…more
Justice First, Mr. Hague, Then Peace
Palestine Chronicle: 10 Feb 2011 – By Stuart Littlewood – London The word ‘justice’ is conspicuously absent from the mouthings of Western politicians on the Middle East. It has vanished from their vocabulary and from their purpose. Instead ‘peace process’ is endlessly trumpeted, and the lopsided dead-end ‘negotiations’ that go with it. “It was disappointing that they continued the building of settlements, that they wouldn’t renew the settlement freeze over the last few months. So yes it does require bold leadership from Israel and of course from Palestinians…” That’s what the UK’s foreign secretary William Hague said yesterday to a BBC reporter. Israel’s continuing crime spree “disappointing”? And “bold leadership” is now required from the Palestinians? We’re talking about crimes against international law and crimes against the United Nations charter and crimes against humanity. What is disappointing – no, shocking – is the lack of leadership from Hague and that bunch of misfits in the White…more
Fascination of the Mediterranean World
Palestine Chronicle: 10 Feb 2011 – By Gaither Stewart – Rome When as a young man I moved to Italy it was an act of love for this Mediterranean land where lemon trees bloom. The original attraction for me however was not only the Bel Paese, as Italians like to call this truly beautiful peninsula jutting out southwards into the Mediterranean Sea and nearly reaching Tunisia. I also wanted the whole Mar Nostrum, the sea around which our Western civilization developed; I set for myself the secret goal of knowing all the lands surrounding the great sea. The attraction I felt was perhaps the same allure for the succession of peoples and civilizations, which have sought to both control and unite this beautiful and unique world. Though my original love for Italy has faded and waned in the vulgarity of contemporary Italy, not so the magical lure of the Mediterranean World as such. Historically, the Mediterranean…more
The “Pyramid Schemes” of Empire Inc.
Dissident Voice: 11 Feb 2011 – The revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt forced have Obama into an uncomfortable but familar posture: On the one hand, in order to preserve at least the appearance of credibility, the candidate of hope and change has to at least feign solidarity with the people who expressed their hope by flooding into the streets of Tunisia and Cairo demanding change in leadership of their US-sponsored tyrannies. On the other hand, as the man charged with the responsibility of prolonging the death-gasp of a doomed Empire, Obama had to work overtime behind the scenes to make sure that any political changes forced upon America’s satraps in the Middle East remain cosmetic and trivial. This dilemma accounts for the mixed messages being issued from the White House throughout the crisis as each mangled response contradicts an earlier stance. More recent developments on Mubarak’s “dignified” exit reveal even more cynical contempt for Egypt’s long…more
Captive Nation: Egypt and the West
Dissident Voice: 11 Feb 2011 – In 1886, Tolstoy wrote: Slavery has long been abolished. It was abolished in Rome, and in America, and in Russia, but what was abolished was the word and not the thing in itself. 1 In 2011, “the thing in itself” is alive and well in Egypt. What an extraordinary spectacle it is – a dictatorship behaving as though an entire people were its personal property. Henchmen aside, the people have spoken, almost as one, and their demands are very clear. The blunt government response, in effect: We react as we want. If we don’t want to, we don’t have to. Why? Because we have a monopoly of violence. A government thus stands exposed for what it is, a parasite feeding off the people it claims to represent. And what of the West? Obama – Washington’s bargain basement bodhisattva – said : We pray that the violence in Egypt will end and that the rights and aspirations of…more
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The New Dark Age 
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