9 May, 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Army Starts Wall Construction Around Palestinian Town North of Jerusalem
IMEMC – Tuesday May 10, 2011 – 03:23, Local sources reported that the Israeli Authorities started the construction of a segment of the illegal Israeli Annexation Wall, around Qalandia Palestinian town, north of occupied East Jerusalem.
Army Invades A Village Near Jericho
IMEMC – Tuesday May 10, 2011 – 03:15, Israeli soldiers invaded on Monday the Fasayel village, north of the West Bank city of Jericho, broke into a home and installed a roadblock.
Soldiers Kidnap Four Palestinians In the West Bank
IMEMC – Tuesday May 10, 2011 – 02:49, Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Monday at dawn, four Palestinians during a number of invasions and attacks targeting several areas in the occupied West Bank.
Army Invades Jenin
IMEMC – Tuesday May 10, 2011 – 02:27, Israeli soldiers invaded on Monday afternoon the southern area of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and surrounded the Jenin branch of the Al Quds Open University.
Decision To Hold Criminologists Conference In Israeli Settlement Criticized
IMEMC – Monday May 09, 2011 – 17:38, The Israeli peace group, Gush Shalom, has sharply criticized a decision to hold a criminologists’ conference in the settlement of Ariel, deep inside the West Bank.
EU Undermines Israeli Government Efforts To Drain Palestinian Finances
IMEMC – Monday May 09, 2011 – 11:15, The EU has undermined efforts by Israel to stop the flow of money into the Palestinian Authority’s budget through an 85 million euro payment to the Palestinian administration. The payment is in addition to the 100 million euro payment approved earlier this year as part of funding for Palestinian state building efforts.
Mashal: “Recognizing Israel Cannot Be Done Before The Palestinians Establish Their State”
IMEMC – Monday May 09, 2011 – 10:48, Head of the Political Bureau of the Hamas movement, Khaled Mashal, urged the United States and the European Union to support the Palestinian Unity Agreement, and added that a Palestinian recognition of Israel cannot be conducted before an independent state is established.
Sarkozy Proposes A Peace Conference To End the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
IMEMC – Monday May 09, 2011 – 10:18, Israeli paper, Maariv, reported that French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, presented during his last week meeting with Israeli prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, a proposal for a peace conference in France aiming at signing a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians by the end of this month.
Israel Plans More Settlement Construction In Occupied East Jerusalem
IMEMC – Monday May 09, 2011 – 06:01, The Islamic-Christian Committee for Defending Jerusalem and the Holy Sites, warned on Sunday of a new Israeli plan to build 386 units for Jewish` settlers in Sheikh Jarrah Palestinian neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem.
Deportation hearing set for Jerusalem PLC members
5/9/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israel’s Supreme Court will meet on May 17 to discuss deporting four Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Legislative Committee members from Jerusalem. The elected officials, who were ordered to leave the city by Israeli authorities in June 2010, said they received a letter informing them of the next hearing in their case….
Gaza locked down as Israel marks Independence Day
5/9/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The sole operating crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip was shut down Monday as Israel observed a national holiday marking first “The day of the fallen soldier,” and then its independence. Palestinian liaison official Raed Fattouh said Israeli forces told him the crossing would remain closed on Tuesday, and….
Family said detained near Bethlehem
5/9/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained a Beit Sahour couple and the husband’s elderly mother during a raid on their home overnight Sunday, witnesses said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said there were no detentions in the Bethlehem area overnight. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society in Bethlehem said Assi Qassis, his wife Rose….
Report: Israel compensates Nablus business
5/9/2011 – TEL AVIV (Ma’an) — An Israeli court in Haifa agreed to the suit of a Nablus man seeking compensation for damages to his restaurant during an Israeli operation on Jabal Jerzim in 2003, Israel’s daily newspaper Haaretz reported Sunday. Said Mesbah, the owner of the restaurant and a Nablus resident, filed the….
France ups PA aid as Israel holds tax funds
5/9/2011 – RAMALLAH (AFP) — France on Monday announced it would donate 10 million euros ($14. 3 million) to the Palestinian Authority after Israel froze tax revenue transfers following a Palestinian unity agreement. The aid infusion came as Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told reporters his government was unable to pay employees because of Israel’s….
Palestinians to meet again in Cairo next week
5/9/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Representatives of Palestinian factions will meet in Cairo next week, where committees of delegates will be appointed to see through the implementation of a unity deal signed in the Egyptian capital last week. Head of the coalition of independent figures Abdul-Aziz Shiqaqi said in a statement Monday that the first….
Shtayyeh: Fatah recommends postponing local elections
5/9/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Fatah will recommend postponing local elections scheduled for July 9, Central Committee member Mohammad Shtayyeh said Monday. The reconciliation of Fatah and Hamas in Cairo last week created a new situation where all decisions must be made by national consensus, the Fatah official said. Elections were set for July by the….
Jenin woman enters 10th year in Israeli jail
5/9/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Palestinian detainee Qahira Al-Sadi entered her 10th year in an Israeli jail on Sunday, the Ministry of Detainees’ in Gaza said. Al-Sadi, 35, was sentenced to life imprisonment accused of affiliation to Islamic Jihad and aiding a suicide bomber, the ministry said. Al-Sadi, from Jenin, has four children, but….
Man found stabbed to death in Jericho
5/9/2011 – JERICHO (Ma’an) — Police found the body of a 50-year-old man who had been stabbed to death on a road in Jericho early Monday. The body of Khader Suleiman Abu Kharabish was discovered at dawn near his house on the main street of Ein As-Sultan refugee camp, north of Jericho, local police said….
Abbas meets J Street delegation in Ramallah
5/9/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas met with Washington-based Israel advocacy group J Street in his Ramallah office Monday, the organization said. Abbas told the delegation he was willing to start negotiations with Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would freeze illegal settlement building for two or three months, J Street said in a….
Peres: Abbas still ‘partner’ for peace
5/9/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — President Mahmoud Abbas is still a partner for peace with Israel, the country’s President Shimon Peres said in an interview published on Monday. The president’s stance is at odds with that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has told Abbas to choose between peace with Israel or peace with….
Fatah: Party has right to restore institutions in Gaza
5/9/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Buildings and institutions in Gaza formerly used as Fatah institutions should be rebuilt and restored for use by the party, Fatah lawmaker in Gaza Faysal Abu Shahla told Ma’an on Monday. The legislator and member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council said several buildings in Gaza had been….
PFLP meets with leftist parties in Egypt
5/9/2011 – CAIRO (Ma’an) — Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine delegates met officials from Egyptian leftist parties in Cairo on Saturday. PFLP official Maher Al-Taher, in the Egyptian capital for the signing of a Palestinian unity deal, met Amin Iskandar, a leader in the leftist Karama party. The Front said in a statement that….
Police: Details of honor killing ‘shocking’
5/9/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Police identified the remains of a 20-year-old woman found in a well near Hebron on Friday, over a year after her disappearance. Her uncle and three other relatives were detained and questioned. Police told Ma’an on Sunday that the death was an honor killing, to which her uncle….
Israel shuts down to commemorate fallen, independence
5/9/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an/AFP) — Sirens wailed across Israel, as millions bowed their heads in silence to mark the country’s Memorial Day on Sunday evening, commemorating fallen troops and civilian deaths. The commemoration comes a day ahead of celebrations marking Israel’s independence, and saw West Bank checkpoints shut down and Gaza….
Egypt sectarian deaths slammed amid civil war fear
5/9/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egyptian media have accused “anti-revolutionaries” of trying to trigger sectarian conflict after twelve people were killed in clashes between Christians and Muslims. The government has vowed to use an “iron fist” to ensure national security after Saturday’s deadly clashes in Cairo, branded by Nobel peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei as “religious extremism….
Rebels: ‘Raped’ Libyan woman escapes to Qatar
5/9/2011 – DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — A woman who accused soldiers of Libya’s leader Moammar Gadhafi of having raped her has escaped to Qatar with the help of rebels, a Libyan rebel official told AFP on Monday.” Iman al-Obeidi was able to leave Libya through Al-Jabal al-Gharbi with the help of rebels,” the official said, asking….
The differences between Obama and Bush
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Had Osama Bin Laden been killed or even captured during the administration of former President George W. Bush, there would have been celebrations the likes we have never seen. Bush would have been hailed as one of the greatest American…
Forget the blockade, eat at Abu Hassira
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – The National – Newcomers could be forgiven for being confused by the half dozen or more seafood restaurants on Abu Hassira street, all bearing a variation of the same name: Abu Hassira. But only this one venerable seafaring family has…
Gaza militia ‘in grab for power’
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – The National – They are supposed to function as Hamas’s military: an enigmatic commando force carrying out attacks against Israel and protecting the Islamist group’s political leadership. But Palestinian leaders, political analysts and human rights groups in Gaza say the…
29 senators: No U.S. aid for a Palestinian unity government
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Foreign Policy – 29 U.S. senators have asked President Barack Obama Friday to cut off aid to the Palestinian government if it joins with Hamas, in a previously unreported letter ( PDF ) obtained by The Cable . “The decision of Palestinian Authority (…
Give Palestinians their tax cash, Israel told
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – The National – World leaders have opposed Israel’s decision to withhold nearly $90 million in tax revenue owed to Palestinian officials, in response to a recent unity deal with Hamas. Yuval Steinitz, the Israeli finance minister, said last week he…
Hamas police break up pro-bin Laden rally in Gaza
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Haaretz – G aza’s Islamist rulers Hamas on Saturday broke up a Salafist protest against the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in a U.S. raid in Pakistan this week. Dozens of Salafists – conservative Islamists who have clashed…
Fatah: Party has right to restore institutions in Gaza
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Ma’an – Buildings and institutions in Gaza formerly used as Fatah institutions should be rebuilt and restored for use by the party, Fatah lawmaker in Gaza Faysal Abu Shahla told Ma’an on Monday. The legislator and member of Fatah’s Revolutionary…
Peres: Abbas still ‘partner’ for peace
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Ma’an – President Mahmoud Abbas is still a partner for peace with Israel, the country’s President Shimon Peres said in an interview published on Monday. The president’s stance is at odds with that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has…
Religious conflict becomes the Egyptian revolution’s biggest enemy
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Los Angeles Times – The clashes between thousands of Muslim extremists and Coptic Christians that left 12 people dead, more than 200 injured and a burned church on Sunday rings yet another alarm to the threat Egypt faces over deepening…
German company pulls out of Israel rail project because it cuts through West Bank
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Washington Post – Israel Railways says a German company has quit a project to build a high-speed rail link between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem because the line cuts through the occupied West Bank. Spokeswoman Liran Gordon says German railway operator…
Young Palestinians to form ‘shadow cabinet’
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Ma’an – Palestinian youth in the Gaza Strip say they will form a “shadow cabinet” once the transitional government has been formed. The group is consulting with youth organizations in Gaza and the West Bank to form the cabinet, which…
“I Want My Ball Back”: My Visit To Israel and the West Bank
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Osama Bin Laden paid his Pakistani neighbors for their balls when they ended up on his side of the wall. All the better to avoid notice. Of course, when it’s simpler to just give the cricket balls back that tends…
Syrian tanks move into city of Homs
Palestine Note 9 May 2011 – Authorities broaden crackdown on protesters The Guardian – President Bashar al-Assad has sent tanks deep into Syria’s third city, Homs, escalating a military campaign to crush a seven-week-old uprising against his autocratic rule. Syrians demanding political freedom and an end…
NATO air strikes target Gaddafi’s compound
AlJazeera 9 May 2011 – Witnesses say NATO pounded Libyan leader’s residence and state television offices in capital, Tripoli.
EU imposes arms embargo on Syria
AlJazeera 9 May 2011 – Union bans shipment of “arms that could be used for internal repression”, as armed forces arrest hundreds of protesters.
Cairo tense after religious clashes
AlJazeera 9 May 2011 – Troops patrol streets as Copts camp out in Egypt’s capital, calling for justice after 12 killed in weekend clashes.
More subsidy cuts in Iran budget
AlJazeera 9 May 2011 – New $508bn budget is 40 per cent bigger than previous year’s because of dropping subsidies on energy and food items.
Libyan delegates back rebel council
AlJazeera 9 May 2011 – Representatives from 25 Libyan towns meet for the first time in Abu Dhabi in a show of unity.
NATO denies failure to save African migrants
AlJazeera 9 May 2011 – Bloc rejects report that migrants were left to die on board stranded boat, despite distress calls.
Yemen security forces fire on protesters
AlJazeera 9 May 2011 – At least three persons reported dead and others injured as crackdown on anti-government protests in Taiz continues.
Uncovering the Future
PNN – ANERA ‚Äì PNN – In the early morning, the spring sun warms the fertile fields of Gaza. It’s time for planting but first it’s time for cleaning. Wearing hats against the hot…
PM Salam Fayyad: We Can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t Pay Salaries Because Israel?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Decision of withholding Tax Money
PNN – Ramallah- PNN – The Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad announced on Monday evening that the Palestinian Authority will not be able to pay salaries to its employees this month for the first…
USPCN Call for Action Against U.S. Attorney decision to Halt Activist Bank Account
PNN – Chicago ‚Äì PNN ‚Äì The US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) called on Monday people to call .S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to protest his decision to freeze the bank accounts of US Palestinian…
When you are United, How can we Rule you?
PNN – By Adam Keller – These Europeans – are they so very generous, or what? Urgently forwarding a sum to pay the salaries of the Palestinian Authority employees, because our minister of finance…
Nuclear Whistle-Blower Vanunu Demands his Israeli Citizenship be Revoced
PNN – I have no interest in Israeli citizenship; I don’t want to go on living here . Said in a letter addressed to Eli Yishai, Israeli Interior Minister. PNN got a copy of the…
Gush Shalom Warns Participants of a Conference in West Bank Settlement from Violating International
PNN – Tal Aviv ‚Äì PNN ‚Äì The Israeli Peace Bloc, Gush Shalom, sent on Sunday letters to Israeli and international criminologists who are to lecture at a conference due to be held later…
Israeli troops arrest four civilians during morning invasions targeting West Bank communities
5/9/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Palestine News Network – Four Palestinian civilians were arrested by Israeli soldiers, three from the same family, during morning invasions targeting West Bank communities. In Beit Sahour, a town in southern West Bank near Bethlehem, soldiers stormed and searched the house of Assi Kassis arrested his wife and mother in addition to him. Kassis, who works…. Related: Palestine News Network
Settlers attack a school in northern West Bank
5/9/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Palestine News Network – A group of Israeli settlers attacked on Monday morning a Palestinian school in the southern part of Nablus, northern West Bank. Witnesses told local media that the settlers smashed windows and put-up a banner and wrote slogans on the outer wall of the school calling for the killing of Arabs. Israeli soldiers…. Related: Palestine News Network
Press Conference on ‚ÄòEast Jerusalem: Key Humanitarian Concerns’ Report
Relief Web 9 May 2011 – Source: UN Department of Public Information , UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: occupied Palestinian territory Presenting a new report on East Jerusalem at Headquarters today, its author, Ray Dolphin, said the separation barrier under construction there not…
Arab Spring Inspires Palestinian Protesters
Relief Web 9 May 2011 – Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting Country: occupied Palestinian territory New impetus given to non-violent campaign against Israeli occupation. By Aziz Abu Sarah – The Arab Spring Arab Spring Issue 14, 9 May 11 Right from the beginning of…
France ups Palestinian aid as Israel holds tax funds
Relief Web 9 May 2011 – Source: Agence France-Presse Country: France , occupied Palestinian territory RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories ‚Äî France on Monday announced it would donate 10 million euros ($14.3 million) to the Palestinian Authority after Israel froze tax revenue transfers following a Palestinian unity agreement. The…
Protection of Civilians in 2010: Facts, Figures, and the UN Security Council’s response
Relief Web 9 May 2011 – Source: Oxfam Country: Afghanistan , Central African Republic (the) , Chad , Colombia , C?¥te d’Ivoire , Democratic Republic of the Congo (the) , India , Iraq , Israel , Kyrgyzstan , Myanmar , occupied Palestinian territory , Pakistan , Philippines (the) , Somalia , Sudan (the) , Thailand , Turkey , Yemen In 2010, millions of men,…
This family would rather not need assistance
Relief Web 9 May 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory May 2011 Gaza Just a few years ago, Mr Al Fayoumi and his family lived as a working-class family in Gaza. The 35-year-old…
Violations Bulletin – Issue 8 – April 2011
Relief Web 9 May 2011 – Source: Defence for Children International/Palestine Section Country: occupied Palestinian territory April 2011 – overview During the month of April, DCIPalestine documented the killing of a nine-year-old boy during an Israeli attack in Gaza City on 8 April 2011; an incident…
Palestinian Authority can’t pay salaries in May
Relief Web 9 May 2011 – Source: Reuters – AlertNet Country: occupied Palestinian territory RAMALLAH, West Bank, May 9 (Reuters) – The Palestinian Authority said on Monday it had not been able to pay salaries for the first time since 2007 because of Israel’s decision to…
Israeli Soldiers attacks civilians in Jerusalem
9 May 2011 – Palestine, (Pal Telegraph) – Israeli soldiers Monday clashed with Palestinians around the checkpoint near the entrance of Shuafat, a refugee camp north of the Old City.
Israel cuts off Palestinians from healthcare
9 May 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph) – Fuad Ahmed Jabo’s mother was 70 when she died of a heart attack at their home in the Palestinian village of Tantour in Beit Jala, between Israeli-controlled Jerusalem and the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.
Palestinian family arrested by Israeli army near Bethlehem
9 May 2011 – West Bank, (Pal telegraph)- Israeli occupation forces detained Monday three Palestinian citizens form the same family including an elderly woman. All detainees were from Qassis family.
Settlers attempt to seize farmlands near Nablus
9 May 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Dozens of settlers attempted Monday to seize agricultural lands near Burin village in the south of Nablus city, in the occupied West Bank.
Israel targets farmers in southern Gaza Strip
9 May 2011 – Gaza strip, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli forces stationed at the military control towers opened fire at a number of international activists and Palestinian farmers in Khozaa town in the east of Khan Younis city, without causalities reported.
Syrian troops round up thousands in Banias
The National 9 May 2011 – Protest leaders call for day of solidarity with those held as Syrian officials claim terrorist gangs and foreign hands are behind the unrest.
Egyptians warned of ‘anti-revolutionaries’ after clashes leave 12 dead
The National 9 May 2011 – Remnants of the old regime are alleged to be trying to trigger sectarian conflict between Muslims and Christians, as a top cleric warns that the country could be engulfed in civil war.
Iran conducts final tests at Bushehr nuclear power plant
The National 9 May 2011 – Troubled Russian-built plant is expected to start generating electricity in the next two months, Iranian media say, after long delays and amid fears that Iran secretly aims to refine uranium to the high degree suitable for atomic bombs.
Al Qa’eda ‘making a comeback’, security forces in Iraq warn
The National 9 May 2011 – As critics say Baghdad has lost skills to fight militants, Islamist group has been recruiting, carrying out bombings and killings, and damaging infrastructure such as electricity supplies to increase dissatisfaction with the Iraqi government.
Does Arab Spring pave way for success of bin Laden’s ideology?
The National 9 May 2011 – LETTER FROM CAIRO The secularist uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere in the Middle East have been disorganised and led by political novices, opening the door, liberals fear, to long-suppressed Islamist groups
Three killed in protest by Yemeni teachers after troops open fire
The National 9 May 2011 – Security forces use tear gas and live ammunition against demonstration in Taiz demanding delay to exams.
World watches to see how far Hamas will compromise in peace with Fatah
The National 9 May 2011 – After the deal struck last week between the Palestinian factions, the eyes of the political world now look at whether they can work together successfully to achieve the mutually beneficial goal of statehood for their people.
Six arrested in Oman as jobs protests turn violent
The National 9 May 2011 – Demonstrators throw stones and rock cars, witnesses say, as protesters demanding jobs and higher wages broke into private properties and government buildings,
Obama offers best wishes to Israel on its 63rd Independence Day
Ha’aretz – U.S. President sends holiday greetings as he prepares to engage in new round of Mideast diplomacy with upcoming meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Jordanian King Abdullah.
‘On its 63rd birthday, Israel is a shining beacon in the Middle East’
Ha’aretz – Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin kicks off 63rd Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem; the theme of this year’s ceremony is ‘Looking after one another ‚Äì the year of mutual care.’
Shalit’s brother shouts at Independence Day ceremony: Gilad is still alive
Ha’aretz – Yoel Shalit and his girlfriend clash with police after being escorted from the Mount Herzl ceremony for disruption; Tzipi Livni leaves ceremony to speak to the two.
A brief history of fireworks in the Holy Land
Ha’aretz – From French visitors marking Israel’s 10th Independence Day to today’s million-shekel pyrotechnics.
U.S.: Israel’s decision to withhold PA funds ‘premature’
Ha’aretz – State department deputy spokesman Mark Toner says the U.S. is waiting to see how the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation deal will pan out before making decisions.
Bradley Burston / Israel at 63: What part of Shut Up do you not understand?
Ha’aretz – When, I wonder this Independence Day, did Israelis lose their nerve? These people, who used to be all nerve. When did they opt to be led by sheep?
Reuven Rivlin / Israel’s declaration of a dream
Ha’aretz – Israel’s Declaration of Independence was the formative document of the state, but that doesn’t mean it is immune to criticism or that it didn’t demand additional work of its creators or their heirs
EU gives green light to Syria arms embargo, sanctions
Ha’aretz – Rights groups say more than 600 people have been killed and 8,000 jailed or gone missing in Syria as part of a crackdown on protesters since March.
American Orthodox newspaper sorry for altering White House photo
Ha’aretz – The Yiddish weekly Di Tzeitung explains that it edited U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton out of the picture because it does not publish images of women, believing it to be immodest.
PA can’t pay salaries in May due to Israel halting funds transfer
Ha’aretz – Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad says Israel’s decision to block funds puts the government in a ‘very difficult’ position as PA employee salaries go unpaid for first time since 2007.
Hamas: We have no information on report of new Shalit deal
Ha’aretz – Al Jazeera had reported on Monday that Hamas agreed in principle to a new Egypt-formulated proposal aimed at securing Gilad Shalit’s release.
Ben Gurion Airport to resume normal fueling procedure at 8 P.M.
Ha’aretz – Departing flights were temporarily halted last week after signs of contaminated jet fuel were discovered at the airport; incoming flights were diverted to Cyprus.
Commemorating Israel’s fallen, Netanyahu vows, ‘we won’t give in to fear’
Ha’aretz – Netanyahu stresses about Hamas’ recent reconciliation deal with Fatah that Israel does not believe the ‘leopard has changed its spots.’
Israel Airports Authority inquiry finds bacteria, mold in contaminated fuel
Ha’aretz – Airports Authority demands that Paz Oil explain why they sent documents saying fuel was fine when it in fact turned out to be contaminated.
Syrian forces arrest dozens of protesters in Baniyas, Homs
Ha’aretz – Syrian rights group says 621 civilians and 120 soldiers and security personnel have been killed since demonstrations first broke out.
Security forces fire on Yemen protest, killing one
Ha’aretz – At least 10 protesters were also wounded when Yemen security forces, some in armored vehicles, tried to quell rally in city of Taiz, south of the capital Sanaa.
Clinton: Regional turmoil an opportunity for Israel on its 63rd birthday
Ha’aretz – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wishes Israel well for Independence Day, showing faith in U.S.-Israel ties, stresses Israel’s security is top priority; U.S. committed to ‘comprehensive peace’ for Israel and its neighbors.
Israel stands still to commemorate fallen soldiers on Memorial Day
Ha’aretz – Memorial ceremonies taking place at the country’s 44 military cemeteries, to commemorate the 22,867 Israelis killed in service to the state; they began shortly after the Memorial Day siren sounded, at 11 A.M.
‘House’ stars celebrate Independence Day in Israel
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Stars of hit TV show land in Ben-Gurion Airport in time for celebrations; actors plan to visit Jerusalem, Dead Sea.
Schalit’s brother storms Independence Day ceremony
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Yoel Schalit and several other activists interrupt Jerusalem torch lighting ceremony, waving signs reading, “Gilad is still alive.”
Ahmadinejad: Iran to attend new nuclear talks in Turkey
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – After previous talks with world powers ended with no progress, Iranian president says “I hope this important issue will reach its final result.”
Mashaal: Schalit negotiations stalled; Netanyahu to blame
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Hamas leader warns more Israeli soldiers will be kidnapped if Palestinian prisoners not released; says US had no right to kill bin Laden.
Glenn Beck of Fox News to meet with Netanyahu, Danon
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – US TV personality visits Israel; Danon: He has proven himself to be a true friend of Israel who is willing to speak out when so many are often silent.
Israel kicks off 63rd Independence Day celebrations
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Torch-lighting ceremony on Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl marks transition from Remembrance Day to Independence Day; Rivlin dedicates torch to Jonathan Pollard and captured IDF soldiers including Ron Arad and Gilad Schalit.
Ben Gurion Airport resumes normal fueling procedures
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz decides fuel supply safe; grounding of int’l air traffic believed to have cost economy tens of millions of shekels.
PA: We can’t pay salaries for first time since ’07
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Fayyad says Israel’s decision to withhold transfer of tax funds to W. Bank following Palestinian unity puts PA in dire financial situation.
‘Syrian forces arrest scores in Banias, Homs’
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Restive cities on Mediterranean coast latest focus of Assad’s escalated crackdown against protesters; more than 7,000 believed detained.
Iran conducting final pre-start tests at nuclear plant
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – After many delays, the Russian-built Bushehr complex is expected to start generating electricity in the next two months.
Bereaved parent tells nation ‘this is our homeland’
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Tzvika Shahak, who lost daughter in terror bombing, speaks at Remembrance Day event, tells audience “We have no other country.”
PM: ‘We will strike down terrorists with determination’
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – At official Remembrance Day ceremony for terror victims, Netanyahu says they died for one reason: “Because they were Jews.”
Livni to bereaved families: Gov’t owes you better future
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – At Afula ceremony for Israel’s fallen, opposition leader says “We are obligated to remove trauma of war and terrorism and to bring peace.”
PM at Mt. Herzl: ‘Israel’s fallen live on in our hearts’
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – At official Remembrance Day ceremony in Jerusalem, Netanyahu identifies with families who have lost loved ones, says “we take comfort in better days”; air-raid sirens sound throughout country in honor of fallen.
Humous, caf?© hafuch and spy sharks
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Soon after making aliya 5 years ago, American immigrant Benji Lovitt began compiling slightly warped, but endearing aspects of what he loves about his adopted country. Here is his fourth annual list.
Remembering the birth of the state
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – The dizzying, fateful days when Israel came into being resulted in eloquent and passionate support from American commentators across cultural and political spectrums.
From New Jersey to Mount Herzl
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Veteran American immigrant and longtime Hadassah woman Barbara Goldstein is being honored at tonight’s Independence Day ceremony.
In Australia, using Facebook to share Israel pride
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Leibler Yavneh College in Melbourne, a Bnei Akiva academy, challenges students to get online to spread Yom Ha’atzmaut message.
A 50-year aliya process bears fruit
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – 90-year-old British businessman and philanthropist Fred Worms has played a huge role in the development of many of Israel’s hallowed institutions.
A class of her own
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Einat Wilf has cultivated a rich pedigree on her way to the Knesset, where she’s proving that a woman can have it all.
Flying high with the Air Force’s 105 squadron
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Celebrating its 60th birthday this year, the IAF’s cream of the crop has adapted to changing needs and technology to remain the country’s chief line of defense in the sky.
Analysis: Iran leadership row weakens Ahmadinejad
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Supreme leader at odds with Ahmadinejad; conservatives reported to back Khamenei; dispute may be linked to fear of Arab revolts
An Israeli in Sri Lanka
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Sarvodaya is the largest grassroots organization in the country ‚Äì devoted to developing “the spiritual, moral, cultural, social, economic and political spheres of local life.”
Hands-on skills
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 –
Give the gift of Israel to the world
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – An innovative British NGO founded by an enterprising rabbi is harnessing distinctive Israeli and Jewish expertise around the world.
Israel at 63 – a celebration for every day
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – The true Israel Prize is to be given to the one who experiences Israel in one’s heart and spirit all of the days of the year.
1.5 million to visit soldiers’ graves after 2-minute siren
Jeruslalem Post 9 May 2011 – Air-raid sirens sound throughout country in honor of Israel’s Remembrance Day; ceremonies set to begin at Mt. Herzl military cemetery, 43 additional cemeteries throughout country.
Tony Kushner and the corporatisation of CUNY | Kristofer Petersen-Overton
The Guardian 9 May 2011 – My parallel experience of being smeared by Jeffrey Wiesenfeld has convinced me of the very real threat to academic freedom The taboo surrounding critical discussion of Israel in the United States never ceases to amaze me….
Tony Kushner’s honour restored by university board’s unanimous vote
The Guardian 9 May 2011 – City University of New York board overturns attempt to block prize-winning playwright’s award because of his views on Israel The trustees board of the City University of New York (CUNY) brought to an end an embarrassing…
Tony Kushner snub over ‘anti-Israel’ views reconsidered by university
The Guardian 9 May 2011 – City University of New York committee attempts to repair damage done by veto of playwright’s honorary degree The trustees of the City University of New York (CUNY) are meeting on Monday night to try to repair…
Budrus: A West Bank village’s emblematic struggle for its land
The Guardian 9 May 2011 – Powerful movie about Palestinian protests against Israel’s separation barrier is now available on DVD I’m finally back in Jerusalem after almost two months away, much of it in Tripoli, which was weird and fascinating . But it’s…
Tony Kushner row deepens as supporters renounce honorary degrees
The Guardian 9 May 2011 – Pulitzer-winner playwright was removed from honour list for his critical views on Israel after CUNY trustee lobbied against him A row over the decision by a leading New York university to refuse playwright Tony Kushner an…
Calls Mount to Push U.S. Troop Presence in Iraq Past 2011
IPS Amid high-level U.S. congressional delegations to evaluate developments in Iraq, a growing number of voices here, from both the Barack Obama administration and members of Congress, are concerned about a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country by December 2011 ‚Äì a deadline set forth in the supposedly inviolable…
Fatah and Hamas’ Honeymoon Could Face Problems
IPS Despite the euphoria surrounding the recent signing in Cairo of the groundbreaking unity accord between Palestinian rivals Fatah and Hamas, ending their four-year feud, numerous obstacles remain which could impinge on the implementation of a unity government.
MIDEAST: The Indigenous Become Squatters
IPS As plans to demolish a Palestinian Bedouin village to make way for a new, Jewish-only town move forward in Israel’s Negev desert, the Bedouin residents have submitted a motion for the right to appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court.
[uruknet.info] Secret State’s Domestic Spying on the Rise
Uruknet May 9, 2011 – Despite last week’s “termination” of America’s b?ɬ™te noire, Osama bin Laden, the reputed “emir” and old “new Hitler” of the Afghan-Arab database of disposable Western intelligence assets known as al-Qaeda, Secrecy News reports an uptick in domestic spying. Never mind that the administration is engaged in an unprecedented war on whistleblowers, or is systematically…
[uruknet.info] Israeli Army Starts Wall Construction Around Palestinian Town North of Jerusalem
Uruknet May 9, 2011 – Local sources reported that the Israeli Authorities started the construction of a segment of the illegal Israeli Annexation Wall, around Qalandia Palestinian town, north of occupied East Jerusalem. The sources said that several army bulldozers supported by armored military jeeps invaded the area and started leveling Palestinian lands to prepare them for Wall construction…
[uruknet.info] Hollow ‘reconciliation’ in Palestine
Uruknet May 9, 2011 – By deciding to join the US-backed Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas risks turning its back on its role as a resistance movement, without gaining any additional leverage that could help Palestinians free themselves from Israeli occupation and colonial rule. Indeed, knowingly or not, Hamas may be embarking down the same well-trodden path…
[uruknet.info] Troy Anthony Davis: Unjustly Sentenced to Death
Uruknet May 8, 2011 – Capital punishment is barbaric, unjust, and unacceptable for any reason in modern societies. No wonder Amnesty International (AI) calls it “the ultimate denial of human rights. It is premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state. This cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment is done in the name of justice.” In fact,…
[uruknet.info] Tunisian regime imposes curfew amid protests over coup threat
Uruknet May 9, 2011 – Demonstrators gathered in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, from Thursday to Sunday to protest against the transitional government that has ruled the North African country since the fall of the Western-backed dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in January. Protesters defied a government curfew, imposed on Saturday to stamp out growing opposition to the interim regime….
[uruknet.info] Fatah calls Israeli incitement against the reconciliation deal “political terrorism”
Uruknet May 9, 2011 – A spokesman for Fatah has described as “political terrorism” the incitement by Israel against the Palestinian reconciliation agreement and national unity. In a press statement, Fayez Abu Eita said: “The incitement campaign, statements by rogue Israeli officials, calls for the reoccupation of the West Bank and demands to cut-off aid to the Palestinian people…
[uruknet.info] Syria between repression and revolution Yusef Khalil and Lee Sustar analyze the latest phase of the upsurge in Syria
Uruknet May 9, 2011 – THE SYRIAN regime continues to claim that the unrest is a conspiracy of “traitors” and Sunni Islamist groups. The government maintains that the opposition movement is being manipulated—if not directly controlled—by outside forces. It does appear that Western powers tried to get involved by taking up the issue at the UN Security Council last…
[uruknet.info] US freezes Chicago Palestinian leader’s bank accounts
Uruknet May 9, 2011 – The US government has frozen the bank accounts belonging to Hatem Abudayyeh, a Palestinian community organizer and director of a social service organization serving the Arab community in Chicago, and his wife, Naima. Meanwhile, several members of Congress have written to the Obama administration to express their concerns about violations in civil liberties as…
[uruknet.info] U.S. Attorney Escalates Attacks on Civil Liberties of Anti-War, Palestinian Human Rights Activists
Uruknet May 8, 2011 – On Friday, May 6, the U.S. government froze the bank accounts of Hatem Abudayyeh and his wife, Naima. This unwarranted attack on a leading member of the Palestinian community in Chicago is the latest escalation of the repression of anti-war and Palestinian community organizers by the FBI, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, and U.S. Attorney…
[uruknet.info] Nuclear Whistle-Blower Vanunu Demands his Israeli Citizenship be Revoced
Uruknet May 8, 2011 – I am Mordechai Vanunu, who was kidnapped in Rome on September 30, 1986, by the security services of Israel. I was tried by the Jerusalem District Court, convicted of espionage, treason and assistance to the enemy and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment, following a newspaper interview to the London “Sunday Times” where I told…
[uruknet.info] The Unthinking Immorality of the United States
Uruknet May 8, 2011 – While decorating the men who assassinated Osama bin Laden, President Obama said that the bin Laden raid was one of the most successful intelligence and military operations in America’s history. “This week has been a reminder of what we’re about as a people, The essence of America, the values that have defined us for…
[uruknet.info] Dick Cheney says Obama should reinstate waterboarding program
Uruknet May 8, 2011 – Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday that President Barack Obama should put waterboarding back on the table. Intelligence derived from the Bush-era enhanced interrogation program “probably” contributed to the of death Osama bin Laden, Cheney told Fox News’ Chris Wallace. “Which raises the question, if we were to now capture another new high…
[uruknet.info] Military Resistance 9E 7 : “Parents Of Our Dead”
Uruknet March 8, 2011 – What began on Thursday as a few hundred silent walkersheading out from the city of Cuernavaca today entered the metropolis of Mexico Citythousands strong. At the entrance to Insurgentes Avenue they stopped and an organizer with a bullhorn provided instructions to the marchers, more in the voice of a Broadwaytheater director than of a…
[uruknet.info] Libya-France: French lawyer to prosecute NATO for ‘crimes’ in Libya
Uruknet May 8, 2011 – French lawyer to prosecute NATO for ‘crimes’ in Libya – A complaint will be filed in the coming days in Brussels, Belgium, against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for ‘crimes’ committed in Libya, including the killing of the Libyan leader’s son and his three grandchildren, French lawyer Philippe Missamou, announced Thursday to PANA. ‘…
Syrian authorities detain hundreds in fresh raids
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Syrian security forces arrested hundreds of activists and anti-government protesters in house-to-house raids across the country Monday, part of an escalating government crackdown aimed at stamping out a revolt engulfing the country.
NATO hits Libyan weapons depot as West faces rebel-aid dilemma
Daily Star 9 May 2011 NATO planes pounded Libyan government targets Monday but stalemate in the rebel war to unseat Moammar Gadhafi has presented Western powers with a dilemma over whether to offer covert aid to the rebel cause.
Jumblatt says enough is enough
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Jumblatt issued a stern warning Monday to the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance, accusing it of failing to form a new Cabinet and signaling he might withdraw his parliamentary bloc’s support…
Business leaders urge Berri to speed up Cabinet formation
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Leading businessmen in Lebanon Monday warned of grave consequences to the economy if the government is not formed soon.
Rai puts blame on state for Cabinet formation delay
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai blamed the delay in the Cabinet formation on Lebanese state officials Monday.
Angry mob blocks road around Sports City
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Angry crowds blocked a road parallel to the highway leading to the Rafik Hariri International Airport near the Camille Chamoun Sports City.
Italian envoy reasserts commitment of U.N. role
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Italy’s deputy defense minister, Guido Crosetti, said Monday his country was committed to its presence in South Lebanon through UNIFIL peacekeeping troops.
Al-Jamaa cleric eulogized as moderate man of unity
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Sheikh Faisal Mawlawi, a former secretary-general of Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, was eulogized Monday as a leading figure of moderation and resistance.
Military court sentences Israeli collaborator to death
Daily Star 9 May 2011 A man accused of spying for Israel was sentenced to death in absentia Monday by the Military Tribunal.
Sidon mayor says end to waste crisis finally in sight
Daily Star 9 May 2011 The Interior Ministry will take over supervision of the collection and treatment of Sidon and nearby towns’ waste, after most regions in the Union of Sidon and Zahrani Municipalities agreed to allocate 40 percent of their…
Recent Gemmayzeh crime spree fades after string of arrests
Daily Star 9 May 2011 A string of recent arrests have successfully calmed a wave of car break-ins and thefts that have plagued the Gemmayzeh area over the last two months, Internal Security Forces officials said Monday.
Parity achieved, equality a challenge
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Caretaker Education Minister Hassan Mneimneh lauded the progress of country’s educational institutions in achieving gender parity, but he and other speakers at a UNESCO conference Education for All acknowledged that the country faces other obstacles.
Visitors to Aintoura shrine mourn slain Armenian orphans
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Hundreds of visitors flocked to a new shrine Sunday evening at the Lazarist Saint Joseph College in Aintoura to remember more than 350 orphans who perished there under Ottoman rule.
Lebanese leaders urge coexistence in Egypt
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Lebanese leaders voiced concern Monday over sectarian clashes in Egypt which have left 10 people dead.
Lebanese consul flees Sydney over unpaid court fees
Daily Star 9 May 2011 A senior Lebanese diplomat has reportedly fled Australia after receiving a warning that he would be arrested on bankruptcy charges if he failed to attend a court hearing.
Casino infraction gives birth to political fracas
Daily Star 9 May 2011 What began as a minor infraction has turned into a row between the Tourism Ministry and the administration of Casino du Liban
Jumblatt visits mufti ahead of spiritual conclave
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt met Monday with Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani on the eve of a summit meeting of the country’s Christian and Muslim religious leaders, scheduled to be held Thursday at…
U.S. seeks ways to help ailing Egypt economy
Daily Star 9 May 2011 The United States is studying ways to support Egypt’s economy following Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow, the U.S. Embassy said Monday after a U.S. newspaper said Washington had decided to provide $1 billion in debt relief.
Security forces fire on Yemen protesters, 3 people killed
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Yemeni forces fired at protesters blockading a government building Monday, killing a shopkeeper and two protesters in a city that has seen some of the largest demonstrations against President Ali Abdullah, witnesses said.
Iraqi Al-Qaeda pledges support for Zawahri
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Al-Qaeda’s front group in Iraq reaffirmed its support Monday for the terror network’s second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, a week after U.S. commandos killed Osama bin Laden.
Tunisia raises doubt over poll date amid new unrest
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Tunisia raised the possibility of a delay in July polls called after the president was toppled five months ago, as locals reported Monday new unrest and the killing of a man in clashes with troops.
Ship with 600 migrants sinks off Libyan coast
Daily Star 9 May 2011 An overcrowded ship carrying up to 600 people trying to flee Libya sank just outside the port of Tripoli, the U.N. refugee agency said Monday, citing witness accounts.
Ahmadinejad blames poverty on colonialism
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Monday blamed poverty in the world’s least developed countries on the colonial policies of leading powers and on an unfair international economic system.
Oman arrests six as protesters call for more jobs, higher salaries
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Omani police arrested six people involved in a demonstration Monday demanding jobs and higher wages in the eastern town of Jaalan Bani Bu Ali, witnesses said.
North and South Sudan agree on Abyei withdrawal
Daily Star 9 May 2011 North and South Sudan have agreed to start withdrawing unauthorized troops from the flashpoint Abyei border region, the United Nations said, a week after clashes there left 14 people dead.
Egypt ups security after interfaith clashes
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Egypt stepped up security around churches in Cairo Monday after two days of clashes between minority Christians and Muslims that killed 12 people and highlighted rising interfaith tensions.
Iran deputy FM to visit Cairo for talks on fresh ties
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Iran is to soon send a deputy foreign minister to Cairo to draw up an agenda for talks aimed at normalizing ties with Egypt, local media reported Monday.
Paris raises Palestinian aid as Israel holds tax funds
Daily Star 9 May 2011 France announced Monday it would donate 10 million euros ($14.3 million) to the Palestinian Authority after Israel froze tax revenue transfers following a Palestinian unity agreement.
Western powers turn blind eye to Bahrain crackdown on demonstrators
Daily Star 9 May 2011 The fate of Bahrain’s protest movement is a stark reminder of how Western and regional power politics can trump reformist yearnings, even in an Arab world convulsed by popular uprisings against entrenched autocrats.
Hamas’s Meshaal: U.S. had no right to kill bin Laden
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said Monday the United States had no right to kill Osama bin Laden but said this did not mean the Palestinian Islamist group supported al Qaeda’s attacks on civilians.
Iraq’s Qaeda pledges support to Zawahri, vows attacks
Daily Star 9 May 2011 An al Qaeda-linked militant group in Iraq pledged support to the organization’s second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, and vowed more revenge attacks for the death of Osama bin Laden.
Jumblatt: March 8 utterly failed in Cabinet formation
Daily Star 9 May 2011 The new majority has utterly failed in forming the new Cabinet, Socialist Progressive Party leader Walid Jumblatt said Monday, stressing that his party could no longer cover for the ongoing stagnation.
Lebanese leaders express concern over Egypt sectarian clashes
Daily Star 9 May 2011 President Michel Sleiman calls for dialogue and expresses sympathy for victims of the violence in Cairo over the weekend.
Security forces fire on Yemen protest, 3 dead
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Yemeni forces fire at protesters blockading a government building, killing a shopkeeper and two protesters, according to witnesses.
Oman protest for jobs leads to violence, arrests
Daily Star 9 May 2011 A state news agency and witnesses say a demonstration in eastern Oman turned violent over the weekend when protesters demanding jobs vandalized government buildings.
Jumblatt praises Christian-Muslim summit
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Wednesday’s meeting will be a historical step affirming coexistence in the country, Druze leader says.
Public transport to get fuel subsidy: Fayyad
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Lebanon’s public transport sector is to receive fuel subsidies, according to the head of the Public Transportation Drivers Union Marwan Fayyad.
U.S. ambassador to Syria: stop aid to Hezbollah
Daily Star 9 May 2011 Robert Ford has said the U.S. government has information Syria is supplying weapons to Hezbollah, and has urged its government to end its aid for the Lebanese resistance.
Hezbollah: STL part of foreign plans against resistance
Daily Star 9 May 2011 The court probing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is merely a political tool designed to achieve foreign objectives, namely targeting the resistance and, Hezbollah MP Nawaf Mousawi said Monday.
PA says can’t pay salaries in May
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – Palestinian PM Fayyad says government unable to pay wages to 150,000 workers for….
Rahat objects to IDF Independence Day exhibit
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – Source says Bedouin city’s mayor, who represents Islamic Movement, ‘would rather….
‘Obama must leverage bin laden’s death for Mideast peace’
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – New York Times opinion piece urges US president to use political capital gained….
New police chief vows to remember fallen
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – Israel Police holds service commemorating 1,268 officers killed in the line of….
Syrian authorities detain hundreds in fresh raids
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – Rights activist says security forces moving from house to house arresting….
Israel honors fallen soldiers, terror victims
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opens official State ceremony at Mount Herzl….
Poll: Majority of Americans agree with Obama on bin Laden photos
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – NBC survey suggests two-thirds of Americans say president’s decision not to….
Nahal Haredi commemorates its fallen
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – Thirteen of original Nahal Haredi’s fallen to be honored by Netzah Yehuda….
Barak readies to launch Independence Party
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – Defense minister takes over existing party to cut through months of bureaucracy,….
Fuel crisis: El Al ships jet fuel from Cyprus
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – National air carrier devises way to ensure short flights’ viability, uses 747s….
Report: US to forgive Egypt $1B debt
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – Washington Post reports US also planning aid package with incentives for….
Obama: ‘Getting our man’ outweighed risks of raid
YNet News, 9 May 2011 – In special interview with ’60 Minutes’ US president speaks of the chain of….
Palestinian Information Center
Abu Kuwaik: Specialized committees to dismantle security apparatuses
PIC – Sheikh Hussein Abu Kuwaik, a Hamas leader, said that specialized committees would be formed to study means of dismantling the existing security apparatuses then restructuring them.
IOF troops detain minor, a man and his wife
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed the village of Tarqumiya west of Al-Khalil city at midnight Sunday and detained a minor, local sources reported.
Ministry asks Red Cross to pressure Israel into allowing visits to prisoners
PIC – The Gaza ministry of prisoners called on the Red Cross to exert more efforts to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation jails and to reactivate the program of visits.
Peres: Declaring Palestinian state means continuation of the conflict
PIC – Israeli president Shimon Peres has said that he was against the declaration of a Palestinian state by next September, claiming that it would not lead to solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Islamic Jihad: Ramallah security detained five of our cadres
PIC – Islamic Jihad movement accused the PA preventive security apparatus of arresting five of its cadres in Al-Khalil, describing the act as deliberate to “poison” the reconciliation.
Prisoners committee: No peace or stability without freeing prisoners
PIC – Nasha’at Al-Wahidi, the spokesman for the prisoners committee, asserted the illegitimacy of Israeli military court trials and the policy of depriving prisoners of family visits.
IOA starts building section of separation wall around Qalandia village
PIC – The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) started building a section of the separation wall around the village of Qalandia to the north of occupied Jerusalem, local villagers said on Monday.
Israeli police force storms Aqsa plaza, threatens its guards
PIC – An Israeli police force stormed the Aqsa mosque’s plaza before midnight Sunday and threatened its guards if they don’t open the gate into Khatneye library.
Mishaal: Practical implementation of reconciliation to be witnessed within days
PIC – Khaled Mishaal has said that practical implementation of the Palestinian reconciliation would materialize within the few coming days and would be followed up by Egypt.
Which is more evil, al-Qaeda or Israel?
PIC – Does anyone remember how many times the United States used its veto power to shield Israeli criminality and terror at the U.N. Security Council?
Mishaal meets Egyptian revolutionary youths
PIC – 09/05/2011 – 10:26 AM
Settlers storm school, post racist slogans
PIC – 09/05/2011 – 10:28 AM
Hebron Businessmen Believe Reconciliation will Benefit Market
WAFA
EU Celebrates Europe Day in Ramallah
WAFA
Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli Soldiers in Jerusalem
WAFA
France Grants PA 10 Million Euros
WAFA
Fatah Revolutionary Council to Discuss Reconciliation Agreement‚Äè
WAFA
Al-Quds Index Down in Daily Trading at Palestine Exchange
WAFA
Israeli Forces Raid Jenin
WAFA
Unpaid Public Employees Worried About Returned Checks
WAFA
Russia: Reconciliation is Historical Event
WAFA
Israeli Violations Escalating Against Palestinian Journalists
WAFA
Newspapers Review: AL-Ayyam says Washington Waiting to See New Government Program
WAFA
FIDEL CASTRO: THE ASSASSINATION OF OSAMA BIN LADEN
Intifada-Palestine: 9 May 2011 – Fueling Hatred and Revenge by: Fidel Castro – Counterpunch Those persons who deal with these issues know that on September 11 of 2001 our people expressed its solidarity to the US people and offered the modest cooperation that in the area… more
Third Intifada Underway: Rallies To Kick Israel’s Ambassador Out of Egypt.
Intifada-Palestine: 8 May 2011 – ” Palestinians have not been excluded from the Arab awakening that wasdawning on the region and Israel is not immune from its ripple effect” Benjamin Netanyahu Dr. Ashraf Ezzat “The Arab world is experiencing an earthquake” … thus commented Benjamin Netanyahu ,… more
Scores arrested as Syrian forces seek to crush protests
LA Times 9 May 2011 – Activists say protesters across the country are being met with tanks, waves of arrests and brutality and more than 1,000 have been picked up since Friday. The regime claims it is hunting armed militants who its says are stirring the unrest. A massive crackdown by…
Libyan rebels caught in an uneasy lull
LA Times 9 May 2011 – Rumors of renewed fighting with Kadafi’s troops abound in Ajdabiya. The stalemate born of NATO’s airstrike aid continues with no end in sight. Rumors of renewed fighting circulate in the mostly abandoned city of Ajdabiya in eastern Libya, even without any recent pitched battles between…
17 killed in Baghdad prison escape attempt
LA Times 8 May 2011 – Running battles inside a detention facility at the Iraqi Interior Ministry lasted several hours. Those slain include militant leader Huthaifa Batawi, suspected in a massacre at a Baghdad church last year. The suspected mastermind of October’s gruesome massacre at a Baghdad church attempted a daring…
Supplies running low in besieged Libyan rebel city
LA Times 8 May 2011 – Attacks on Misurata’s port by forces loyal to Moammar Kadafi have disrupted the supply of aid. The city may run out of food and fuel in a few weeks. Food and fuel supplies are running low in the besieged western Libyan city of Misurata, where…
Several protesters killed as Syria continues crackdown
LA Times 8 May 2011 – A 12-year-old boy and at least four women are among the dead, according to activists who said protests continued in cities across Syria. Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar Assad appeared determined to stop persistent antigovernment protests Sunday, with clashes in several cities leading to…
Deaths and Injuries Reported in Yemeni Protest March
New York Times 9 May 2011 – The latest attack by Yemeni security forces has led to concerns that the demonstrators could resort to violence in this heavily armed county.
Syria Proclaims It Now Has Upper Hand Over Uprising
New York Times 9 May 2011 – A senior official gave a clear sign that the leadership believes it will crush protests that have faltered after mass arrests and hundreds of deaths.
With Help From NATO, Libyan Rebels Gain Ground
New York Times 9 May 2011 – Rebel fighters made significant gains in a faint sign that NATO may be starting to strain the government forces.
Woman Who Accused Militiamen of Rape Has Fled Libya
New York Times 9 May 2011 – Eman al-Obeidy, whose complaint to foreign journalists of being raped by security forces and subsequent forcible removal made her a symbol of Libya’s repression, says she has fled.
Threat of war crimes charges levelled against Gaddafi and son
WSWS – The threat of war crimes charges against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, his son and other officials is a weapon fashioned and wielded by the major powers now waging war on Libya.
Tunisian regime imposes curfew amid protests over coup threat
WSWS – Demonstrators in Tunisia calling for a “new revolution” were brutally attacked by riot police after warnings of a possible military coup.
Bin Laden’s last tape said America will have no security till Palestinians do
Mondoweiss – Osama Bin Laden reportedly recorded a final, thus-far-censored tape shortly before his death, intended for an American audience. Haaretz reports that an Al-Qaida website has the transcript : Bin Laden: “America will not be able to dream of security until we live in security in Palestine. It…
CUNY trustees vote to give Kushner award after all, as faculty union calls for Wiesenfeld’s resignation
Mondoweiss – At the Kushner crisis blog , Day 6. I guess it happened at 6:15 tonight.
Egyptian FM: George Washington & Mandela were also considered terrorists and Iran is not our enemy…
Mondoweiss – and other news from the Arab uprisings: Bahrain Bahrain opposition leaders appear in court martial (AFP) AFP – Bahraini opposition leaders appeared Sunday in a military court charged as part of a group of 21 with forming a terrorist organisation and attempting to overthrow the monarchy,…
Shoe is now on Wiesenfeld’s foot
Mondoweiss – Jeffrey Wiesenfeld has made it a career habit to try and marginalize anyone he perceived to be insufficiently pro-Israel and to smear Muslims and Arabs. But in the wake of the Tony Kushner degree controversy , it is Wiesenfeld’s politics, racism and abuse of power that are…
Suicide, fratricide, accidents are top causes of Israeli soldier deaths
Mondoweiss – On Israel’s Memorial Day observances for “fallen soldiers and victims of terror attacks,” the Defense Ministry’s commemoration unit claimed that 183 Israelis “were killed in the line of duty or in terror attacks since last year’s Remembrance Day,” according to YNet. The number appears to represent…
Legalizing Outposts in the West Bank
Palestine Monitor – At the start of May, Israel made the first move towards what could be the sweeping legalization of illegal outposts in the Occupied West Bank. – News / 4th-col-1st-article , Settlements , Occupation
Fayyad calls for release of Palestinian tax revenues
Palestine Monitor – At a press conference Monday, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad criticized Israeli authorities for making it impossible for the Palestinian Authority to pay last month’s salaries to staff members and contractors by withholding Palestinian tax revenues. – In Focus / Economy , Theft , Occupation , Impunity , Palestinian unity
A Must Watch: Gibran Gala Tribute to Arab Spring
Arab American Institute 9 May 2011 – As part of the presentation to the four young Egyptians who we were privileged to have with us in the audience to accept the award, we prepared this video. As you can see, it was really made in the region by the dynamic people of Tunisia,…
Beinart, Kushner, and Ethnic “Dry Cleaning”
The Magnes Zionist 9 May 2011 – Peter Beinart has written a post worth reading, and worth heeding , on the Kushner-CUNY affair (which has now been settled in favor of Kushner.) Worth heeding, because he calls for a Jewish communal discussion on Israel that includes non- and anti-Zionists, Worth reading, because he sees…
Protest by relatives of political prisoners outside Juneid Prison
Middle East Monitor 9 May 2011 – EXCLUSIVE PICTURES On Saturday, 7th March, a group representing the families of political prisoners in the West Bank held a demonstration in front of the Juneid Central Prison in the city of Nablus to demand the release of their sons being detained on political grounds within…
Democrat senators call for end of financial aid to the Palestinian Authority
Middle East Monitor 9 May 2011 – Twenty-nine senators from President Obama’s Democrat Party have called on his Administration to cut off financial aid given to the Palestinian Authority in response to the signing of the reconciliation agreement with Hamas. The call was initiated by Senators Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Robert…
Fatah calls Israeli incitement against the reconciliation deal “political terrorism”
Middle East Monitor 9 May 2011 – A spokesman for Fatah has described as “political terrorism” the incitement by Israel against the Palestinian reconciliation agreement and national unity. In a press statement, Fayez Abu Eita said: “The incitement campaign, statements by rogue Israeli officials, calls for the reoccupation of the West Bank and…
Meshaal told to choose between committing to Quartet’s conditions and Bin Laden’s fate
Middle East Monitor 9 May 2011 – In a startling statement, the chairman of the Israeli Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee has threatened to assassinate the head of the political bureau of Hamas. Shaul Mofaz, MK, said that Khalid Meshaal should declare his organisation’s commitment to the conditions set by the International…
UN concern over Syria crackdown
BBC 9 May 2011 – The UN says a humanitarian mission has not been allowed access to the city of Deraa, which is cut off by a government crackdown on dissent.
Cairo protest after church attack
BBC 9 May 2011 – Egyptian Coptic Christians hold a vigil near Tahrir Square in Cairo following an attack on two churches in which 12 people died.
Palestinian wages unpaid over tax
BBC 9 May 2011 – The Palestinian Authority says it is unable to pay thousands of staff as Israel withholds taxes owed in protest at a Hamas-Fatah unity deal.
Egypt
BBC 9 May 2011 – Key facts, figures and dates
Articles
Hollow ‘reconciliation’ in Palestine
Ali Abunimah, Al Jazeera5/9/2011
Hamas and Fatah’s agreement will only maintain the status quo of division, called ‘unity’ only for public consumption.
By deciding to join the US-backed Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas risks turning its back on its role as a resistance movement, without gaining any additional leverage that could help Palestinians free themselves from Israeli occupation and colonial rule.
Indeed, knowingly or not, Hamas may be embarking down the same well-trodden path as Abbas’ Fatah faction: committing itself to joining a US-controlled “peace process”, over which Palestinians have no say – and have no prospect of emerging with their rights intact. In exchange, Hamas may hope to earn a role alongside Abbas in ruling over the fraction of the Palestinians living under permanent Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Whether Hamas realises it or not, it has effectively entered into a coalition with Israel and Abbas to manage the Occupied Territories, in which Hamas will have much responsibility, but little power.
Hamas bows to pressure
Many Palestinians celebrated the hugs and handshakes between Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal and Mahmoud Abbas as they signed the reconciliation paper in Cairo on May 4. But few took the time to examine what was at stake. The deal reportedly included several key provisions: formation of a “national unity government” with a prime minister chosen by consensus; preparation for Palestinian Authority elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in a year; combining the security forces controlled by the separate factions; and reactivating the Palestinian Legislative Council – in which Hamas won an overwhelming majority in 2006…. more.. e-mail
How not to be an apartheid state?
George S. Hishmeh, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN)5/6/2011
The Arab Spring, which has upturned the Arab world like a tsunami, led many in Israel and their allies in the West, especially the United States, to mistakenly believe that it has muffled for good the Palestinian drive to regain their rights in their Israeli-usurped homeland. But the uprisings continued undeterred in some of the key autocratic Arab regimes since last January.
In Tunisia and Egypt, for example,the Western media virtually dropped any mention of the 63-year-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Some Palestinians seemed disheartened. But an unexpected American poll, conducted in Egypt, turned the situation upside down. A majority of Egyptians (54 per cent), according to the American-led poll, conducted by the respected Pew Research Centre and based on face-to-face interviews, wanted to annul the 1979 peace treaty with Israel. Only 36 per cent voted to keep the agreement, which has been described as “a cornerstone of Egyptian foreign policy and the region’s stability” during the ousted regime of Hosni Mubarak, now in jail.
The finding, reported The New York Times, “squares with the overwhelming anecdotal evidence that Egyptians feel Israel has not lived up to its commitments in its treatment of the Palestinians”.
Interestingly, the poll also found that 39 per cent of Egyptians believe the US response to the uprising in their country was negative, compared to only 22 per cent who said it was positive. more.. e-mail
An opportunity for Hamas moderation
Mkhaimar Abusada, Bitterlemons5/9/2011
The signing of the reconciliation agreement between Fateh and Hamas can be considered a golden opportunity for the Palestinian people and their cause. Four years have passed since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in June 2007 after violent clashes with its rival Fateh. Four years of political split and two governments, one led by Fateh in the West Bank and the other one led by Hamas in Gaza. Four years of incitement, hatred, imprisonment and torture of political opponents.
There are a number of valid questions being asked by the Palestinians and their supporters. Will the agreement put an end to the internal rift between Hamas and Fateh? Will the agreement bring moderation within Hamas? Or it will cost the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Palestinian Authority and Fateh international recognition and legitimacy?
It is no secret that both Hamas and Fateh were pushed by internal and regional factors to sign the reconciliation agreement. Less than a month and a half ago, Hamas expressed no interest in reconciliation. When President Mahmoud Abbas expressed his willingness to visit the Gaza Strip on March 16, Hamas’ military wing al-Qassam Brigades provoked Israel and escalated the security situation to sabotage the visit and reconciliation efforts. The question is: what happened to cause Hamas to accept the Egyptian initiatives?
A number of regional and internal factors have pushed Hamas to sign the reconciliation agreement. First, there were the political changes in the region, especially in Egypt, the collapse of the Mubarak regime and the coming of a new government that is considered friendly to Hamas. Second, the political upheavals in Syria and the bloody crushing of the Syrian freedom movement caused Hamas to reconsider its special relationship with Damascus. Finally, Hamas’ resistance program reached a deadlock after Israel’s Cast Lead operation in 2008-09. more.. e-mail
US freezes Chicago Palestinian leader’s bank accounts
Electronic Intifada: 9 May 2011 – The Electronic Intifada The US government has frozen the bank accounts belonging to Hatem Abudayyeh, a Palestinian community organizer and director of a social service organization serving the Arab community in Chicago, and his wife, Naima.more
Elia Suleiman’s sublime “The Time That Remains”
Electronic Intifada: 9 May 2011 – Jimmy Johnson The Electronic Intifada The Time That Remains: Chronicle of a Present Absentee is a must-see by writer-director-co-star Elia Suleiman.more
Legalizing Outposts in the West Bank
Palestine Monitor: 9 May 2011 – At the start of May, Israel made the first move towards what could be the sweeping legalization of illegal outposts in the Occupied West Bank. – News / 4th-col-1st-article , Settlements , Occupationmore
Tides of Change and Its Implications for Palestinians
Palestine Chronicle: 9 May 2011 – By Dr. Ahmed Yousef Speaking 150 years ago about political judgments, [Otto von] Bismarck said if we listen carefully, we can hear the sound of hoof-beats in the distance and plan accordingly. The hoof-beats are near today, not distant, so there is little time to waste before we readjust our thinking and map out new strategies that correspond to rapidly emerging facts on the ground. There are 5 critical factors to consider regarding recent events in the Arab and Muslim world. The first point is that the winds of change now being unleashed in the Middle East have pushed Islamists from the margins into the very center of political decision-making. Islamists will assume a partnership role in government; and they will, as leaders of the Muslim Brothers in Egypt have re-iterated, work on behalf of national unity and national re-building. The second point is that the Palestinian question, the Palestinian…more
Vittorio Knew the Risks, and Accepted Them
Palestine Chronicle: 9 May 2011 – By Daniela Loffreda Over ten thousand people joined together on Easter Sunday April 25, 2011 to pay homage to Vittorio Arrigoni in his home town of Buciago, Italy. The bittersweet moments were celebrated first in a religious ceremony by the Archbishop of Jerusalem Hilarion Capucci and then it was followed by a lay ceremony by fellow humanitarians, activists, associations, friends and one of the most tenacious women I have ever seen, Egidia Beretta, Vittorio’s mother. Music and poems were the backdrop to unity, pride and solidarity. Humanity radiated everywhere. Just like Vittorio would have wanted. We flew in from Italy, Spain, Ireland, Germany, The UK, France and Palestine, drove in and even cycled in to celebrate the life of a man whose biblical presence has fated us to our consciousness and to our divine calls for a better world. His signature closing statement, “Restiamo Umani” “Stay Human” took shape as…more
Academic Freedom under Attack?
Palestine Chronicle: 9 May 2011 – (Interview with Prof. Neve Gordon) By Dahlia Scheindlin It has been a troubled year for Israeli academia. The rising nationalist sentiment in the government, legislature and civil society has spilled over into bitter struggles on campuses throughout the country. Nationalist groups such as IsraCampus, Israel Academia Monitor, and the ultra-nationalist Im Tirtzu have set their crosshairs on academia, seeking the dismissal of faculty members and control over curricula, and urging foreign donors to withdraw funds unless the faculty they have targeted are removed. They have published blacklists and ranked each university and department according to political legitimacy. Much of the fire has been directed at Ben Gurion University. According to an NRG story that appeared after the interview below, one donor threatened to suspend funds if certain political positions were not officially repudiated by Ben Gurion’s administration (Hebrew). One striking result has been the politicization of very basic social concepts…more
O’Keefe and Survivors of Cast Lead Massacre Join Forces
Palestine Chronicle: 9 May 2011 – By Stuart Littlewood No fewer than 29 members of the Samouni family, including many of the women and children, were callously slaughtered by Israeli troops during their assault on the Gaza Strip, known as Operation Cast Lead, some two years ago. For the benefit of those who have not seen the Goldstone Report, extracts describing events in considerable detail are included in an appendix below. After reading the report it is no surprise that the Israeli regime has pulled out all the stops to discredit Judge Goldstone and his colleagues for daring to reveal the true behaviour of ‘the most moral army in the world’. The dispassionate way Goldstone tells it is horrific enough. Other sources say the killing spree was actually much, much worse… nothing less than a cold-blooded massacre. Having assured us at the time that he “took every precaution to check and double-check” the facts, Goldstone has…more
Murder without Corpse
Dissident Voice: 9 May 2011 – In a photograph, Bush is shown in an Army jacket, his hands holding a tray with a picture-perfect turkey, garlanded by grapes. He is surrounded by American troops, most of whom are not looking at him. This is meant to convey that the photo was spontaneous, casual, and not posed. It is authentic. In another photograph, Obama is shown in the Situation Room of the White House, surrounded by his top security advisors. They are watching something. Of the thirteen faces, none is looking at the camera. Again, this is to convey that the photo was natural and spontaneous. Obama is shown in a casual jacket, Biden in shirt sleeves, details that indicate they are at work, and not posing for a propaganda photo, god forbid. This image is so authentic, in fact, that it borders on the illicit. This was a secret session, after all. That’s why all of…more
Third Intifada Underway
Dissident Voice: 9 May 2011 – “The Arab world is experiencing an earthquake,” commented Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minster, on the power of popular uprisings sweeping across the Middle East and North Africa. Passing that quick judgment, Netanyahu overlooked the fact that that mighty earthquake was actually taking place next door and that Israel was bound to feel the aftershocks sooner or later. It is very true that the whole Arab spring with revolutions erupting almost all over the Arab world has nothing to do with Israel as far as motivation is concerned, but that doesn’t mean that Israel is immune from its ripple effect. Arabs set out on these unprecedented rallies to protest decades of domestic political and economic injustices, but there are more grievances that Arabs share than just lost democracy and freedom of expression, there are more things lost from the Arabs worthy of their solidarity and collective struggle, namely the land of…more
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The New Dark Age 
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