21 May, 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Two young men wounded; dozens suffer gas inhalation in Bil’in weekly demonstration
IMEMC – Saturday May 21, 2011 – 09:42, On Friday, in the weekly march in Bil’in organized by the Popular Committee Against the Wall with the participation of Sa’di Tameezi, the Palestinian ambassador to Vietnam, two young men were injured, and dozens of people suffered from the effects of tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers.
Israeli forces deploy along border with Syria
IMEMC – Friday May 20, 2011 – 14:49, According to Israeli and international media, the Israeli military has deployed troops along the border with Syria in the Golan Heights, and declared the area a closed military zone. The military stated that they fear a repeat of last weekend’s Nakba demonstrations in which thousands of Palestinian refugees marched to the Israeli borders in Lebanon and Syria demanding a right of return to their homes.
Palestinian shot dead near Gaza-Israel border
5/21/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian teenager in Gaza early Saturday, medical officials and the army said. The body of Ibrahim Mohammad Faraj, 17, from An-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, was transferred to Al-Aqsa Hospital, medics said. A military spokeswoman told Ma’an that forces opened fire…. Related: Teen killed by Israeli army in Gaza identified
Palestinians hurt in clash with settlers in Hebron
5/21/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Clashes near Hebron in the occupied West Bank injured eight Palestinians on Saturday, medics said. Israeli forces fired tear gas amid the confrontations with settlers in the Old City of Hebron, medical officials said. Eight Palestinians including four children were taken by ambulance to the local government hospital for treatment, said….
Turkey warns Israel over new Gaza flotilla
5/22/2011 – ANKARA (AFP) — Turkey on Saturday warned Israel against another act of bloodshed in international waters after activists announced plans to send a new aid flotilla to the blockaded Gaza Strip.” It should be known that Turkey will give the necessary response to any repeated act of provocation by Israel on the high seas,” Foreign Minister….
8 PLO factions to boycott technocrat government
5/22/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Eight Palestinian factions affiliated with PLO will not nominate candidates for the government of technocrats proposed in a unity deal signed in Cairo. The factions are protesting the “bilateral monopoly” by Fatah and Hamas over the unity government intended to end years of fractured politics in the occupied Palestinian territories. The….
University of London Union signs onto Israel boycott
5/21/2011 – LONDON (Ma’an) — The University of London Union voted Wednesday to institute and campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions in support of Palestine, a union statement said. The motion called for investigations into the union’s investments and contracts with companies which violated Palestinian human rights. London School of Economics senate member Ashkok….
Refugee ‘return rallies’ planned for June
5/21/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Masses of Palestinian refugees will march to Israel’s borders and ceasefire lines again on June 5, organizers of the May 15 “return rally” said. On Sunday, 14 protesters were killed when Israeli forces opened fire on thousands of refugees trying to return to their land in Israel. The May….
Army detains journalists to ask about their car
5/21/2011 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — A group of Israeli soldiers with an unusual request pulled over a car carrying two Ma’an journalists on Saturday. The soldiers, in a military jeep patrolling a street in the West Bank village of Faroun, near Tulkarem, wanted to know how much the reporters had paid for their car….
Report: Obama wants UK to back 1967 border
5/21/2011 – LONDON (Ma’an) — US President Barack Obama will seek an agreement with the UK that a Palestinian state be based on pre-1967 borders, British media reported Saturday. The issue will be raised in private talks between Obama and the UK’s David Cameron during a state visit by the US president and….
UNRWA: Palestinian refugees’ health still at risk
5/21/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — The UN agency for Palestinian refugees faces “paramount and overwhelming” challenges in providing health care services, according to its annual report released Saturday. Despite progress in key areas — including a reduction in infant mortality — Palestinian refugees face increasing health risks including a rise in non-communicable diseases, UNRWA said.” High levels of….
Ni’lin marks 3rd anniversary of non-violent protests
5/21/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The West Bank village of Ni’lin on Friday marked its third anniversary of weekly non-violent demonstrations against Israel’s wall. Since 2008, Israeli forces have killed five Palestinians demonstrating in Ni’lin to protest Israel’s confiscation of one third of the village’s land….
Man shot dead by gunmen near Nablus
5/21/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — A man was shot dead Saturday in the northern West Bank village of Beit Dajan near Nablus, police said. Nablus police chief Omar Al-Brouz identified the victim as Omar Hussein Abu Haloun, 32. Al-Brouz said Abu Haloun was shot dead at around 8:15 a. m. as he headed to work….
Obama names Patterson as Egypt envoy
5/21/2011 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — President Barack Obama has named former Pakistan troubleshooter Anne Patterson as the next US ambassador to Egypt, a key ally which Washington hopes will become a model for Arab democracy, according to the White House. Pending Senate confirmation, Patterson will replace Margaret Scobey, who has served in the post for just over three….
Turkey welcomes US stance on Israel border
5/21/2011 – NEW YORK (Ma’an) — Turkey’s president on Friday applauded US President Barack Obama’s reference to creating a Palestinian state based on Israel’s pre-1967 borders, a US newspaper reported. Abdullah Gul said that “The fact that there was a reference to the borders of 1967 was a very….
In photos: Non-violent resistance in the West Bank
5/21/2011 – MaanImages – Israeli soldiers shut down weekly anti-wall protests on Friday against the separation wall in An-Nabi Salah near Ramallah and in Al-Ma’sara near Bethlehem. The wall confiscates privately-owned Palestinian land from both villages. Israeli forces detained dozens of protesters at the rallies, fired tear gas canisters and sound grenades at demonstrators and declared….
Egypt border guards shoot migrant at Israel border
5/21/2011 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Egyptian border guards shot and injured an Eritrean woman Saturday as she tried to cross into Israel without a permit, Egyptian security sources and medics said. Security officials told Ma’an that the woman attempted to cross the border two kilometers south of Kerem Shalom crossing. The undocumented migrant….
Teen killed by Israeli army in Gaza identified
5/21/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A Palestinian teenager killed Saturday by Israel’s army in the Gaza Strip has been identified by medics as Ibrahim Mohammad Faraj, 17, from An-Nuseirat refugee camp…. Related: Palestinian shot dead near Gaza-Israel border
Hebron man critically injured in fight
5/21/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — A 23-year-old man was critically injured Saturday in a fight near Hebron, police said. The man, who was not identified, was attacked in Yatta, a village in the southern West Bank. Police arrested an unspecified number of suspects and brought the situation under control, they said….
Amr urges caution over UN statehood bid
5/22/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — PLO central council member Nabil Amr on Friday urged Palestinian leaders to exercise caution in their bid to seek UN recognition of a Palestinian state. Amr said the Palestinian leadership should hold intensive political discussions with the US administration and Mideast Quartet members. He said it was not in Palestinians’….
Hamas: Netanyahu showed negotiations ‘useless’
5/22/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas said Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech in Washington showed negotiations with Israel were “useless.” The Israeli premier bluntly rejected US President Barack Obama’s call for a Palestinian state on 1967 borders in an Oval Office appearance Friday. Netanyahu laid down a set….
Netanyahu lectures Obama in Oval Office
5/22/2011 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Barack Obama against chasing what he called a Middle East peace “based on illusions” as he lectured the US president amid a widening rift in US-Israeli ties. In a dramatic Oval Office appearance, after 90 minutes of talks Friday, Prime Minister Netanyahu emphatically vowed Israel would never….
Abbas to visit Jordan
5/21/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas will leave for Jordan Saturday to discuss US President Barack Obama’s Mideast policy speech with King Abdullah II. An official from the president’s office told Ma’an that Abbas would spend two days in Jordan to hold meetings with the king and Foreign….
Analysis: Toward a real Palestinian strategy
5/21/2011 – As the Palestine Papers demonstrated, the major obstacle to a real, lasting and just peace in Palestine is the Israeli leadership’s unwillingness to accept anything less than full domination over the Palestinians. Not only do Israeli leaders refuse to partake in any serious peace talks, they also refuse to agree on universally accepted….
Jordan: US will help seal Israel-Palestinian peace
5/21/2011 – AMMAN (AFP) — Peace between Israel and the Palestinians will be sealed with US help, Jordan’s King Abdullah II said on Saturday as he urged American businessmen to invest in his country.” Jordan’s commitment to the future is secure. It has driven our long work for regional peace. . . and with America’….
Abbas meets US envoy in Ramallah
5/21/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas met Saturday in Ramallah with US consul-general Daniel Rubenstein to discuss the peace process in light of US president’s speech in Washington….
Gaza rebuilding plan includes bomb shelters
5/22/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A blueprint to rebuild the Gaza Strip includes measures to protect infrastructure from future attacks, a Palestinian official said Saturday of a plan for recovery after Israel’s Operation Cast Lead. Osama Ikheil, head of the Palestinian contractors union, said the plan will introduce bomb shelters at schools and residential….
Activist: 44 killed Friday in Syria protest
5/21/2011 – NICOSIA (AFP) — Security forces killed 44 people on Friday during anti-regime protests which swept Syria, with most of the casualties in the western province of Idlib and the central city of Homs, a human right activist told AFP on Saturday.” Syrian authorities are continuing to use excessive force and live ammunition to face popular protests….
Syria buries its dead after anti-regime protests
5/21/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syria buried its dead on Saturday following a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests which killed 44 people, as US President Barack Obama expressed “acute concern” about the situation in the country. Funerals were being held in various regions, an activist said, as a human rights advocate put the death toll from Friday’….
Former Mubarak minister’s trial postponed
AlJazeera 21 May 2011 – Case against Mubarak’s former interior minister adjourned amid courtroom chaos as lawyers scuffle with police.
Opposition signs Yemen transition deal
AlJazeera 21 May 2011 – President Saleh, still to sign GCC-brokered deal intended to end country’s months-long crisis, warns of al-Qaeda threat.
Former PLO negotiator: Israel ‘no partner’
AlJazeera 21 May 2011 – Palestinians to press for UN recognition in September as former chief negotiator questions Israel’s commitment to peace.
Syria mourners ‘attacked by security forces’
AlJazeera 21 May 2011 – At least 11 dead and 27 injured in Homs, activists say, as thousands attend funerals for those killed on Friday.
Iran claims to break up CIA spy network
AlJazeera 21 May 2011 – Network of “spies” controlled through US embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Malaysia, ministry says.
Video: Roundtable Discussion on US President Obama Speech
PNN – In a major speech on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and on the Arab Spring, President Obama said a Palestinian state must be based on the 1967 borders, the first…
Quartet: The Need to Resolve the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict is Urgent
PNN – Jerusalem — PNN — In a joined press statement on Friday the Members of the Quartet said that they are in full agreement about the urgent need to resolve the conflict between…
Abu Rdainah: Netanyahu Statement in the White House is Rejection to Obama Initiative
PNN – Ramallah — PNN — Palestinian Presidential spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdainah, criticized Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu statement during his meeting with US President Barak Obama on Friday. “Netanyahu statement at the White…
Reasonable Expectations
PNN – By Mitri I. Musleh – Future history books will soon commemorate President Obama’s meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu as the meeting that separated war from peace in the Middle East. Either…
International Solidarity Movement
Israeli army imposes curfew on Madama
5/21/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement – On Thursday May 19, the Israeli army invaded Madama with many jeeps, and imposed a curfew lasting from 21:30 to 4:00am. During this time a man called Hani Muhammad Nassar was arrested and tortured inside a jeep for 3 hours. Whilst being interviewed Hani said: “The army came when I….
Israeli army supress peaceful demonstration in Iraq Burin
5/21/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement – Around 80 Palestinians and international activists held a peaceful demonstration today in the village of Iraq Burin to protest the theft of village land for settlement construction. The demonstration began at about 16. 00 when protesters marched through the village and over the hills towards the illegal settlement of Bracha. The peaceful….
Palestinian prisoners punished for declaring hunger strike
21 May 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails declared Saturday a hunger strike with the participation of six prisons including Hadarim and Gilboa to protest poor treatment and living conditions.
Injuries and arrests reported in WB protests
21 May 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-several Palestinians were injured yesterday as Israeli forces attempted to suppress the weekly non-violent rallies erupted following Friday prayer in different parts of the West Bank.
Palestinians defy Obama in UN bid for statehood
The National 21 May 2011 – Despite warning from US president Obama that effort to win statehood will fail, Palestinian officials say Israel’s intransigence leaves them with no choice.
Yemen opposition signs peace deal
The National 21 May 2011 – Yemen president to sign GCC-brokered peace deal after opposition puts signatures to paper.
Lebanon workers may walk to pressure government
The National 21 May 2011 – Workers consider general strike to force Lebanon’s politicians to end political vacuum and take action on economic issues.
Iran claims 30 arrests linked to international CIA spy ring
The National 20 May 2011 – The country’s secret service said its agents uncovered activities by a CIA-run espionage network spread across several countries.
GCC mediator is headed back to Yemen
The National 20 May 2011 – The council’s secretary general is expected to arrive in Sana’a today for another round of talks to end the violent standoff between President Ali Abdullah Saleh and anti-government protesters.
Obama speech strains US-Israel ties
The National 20 May 2011 – Israeli newspapers describe Obama’s endorsement of a future Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, and Netanyahu’s response as a “confrontation”.
Palestinians offer lukewarm response to Obama speech
The National 20 May 2011 – Mr Obama stopped short of laying out a full-fledged plan for resolving the Israel-Palestinian dispute, and he all but dashed hopes that his country would support a September bid to have an independent Palestinian state recognised by the United Nations.
Obama’s words soared but scepticism outweighs support in region
The National 20 May 2011 – In the Middle East, reaction to US President Barrack Obama’s speech on the region was met with more scepticism than support
Israeli cabinet rallies around Netanyahu after rejection of Obama speech
Ha’aretz – PM emerges stronger within Likud, becomes uniting force for Israeli right after rejecting U.S. president’s ‘1967 borders’ speech.
Aluf Benn / Obama and Netanyahu: The revolutionary vs. the conservative
Ha’aretz – Netanyahu presented the American president with his four No’s: No to a retreat to the 1967 borders, no to a retreat from the Jordan River, no to negotiations with Hamas, and no to a return of refugees to the Jewish state.
Former IMF chief’s lawyer to Haaretz: Strauss-Kahn will be acquitted
Ha’aretz – Attorney Benjamin Brafman says that if Strauss-Kahn had not been famous and had not been a foreigner, the court would not have demanded the high $6 million bail.
Israeli cabinet to decide on bill securing immunity for journalists
Ha’aretz – Under the bill, a court would not be able to force a journalist to reveal documents in their possession in order to identify their sources.
Doctors at Israel’s public hospitals launch one-day strike
Ha’aretz – Nearly all public hospitals to be closed Sunday; Doctors, medical students plan to hold mass demonstration at Reading parking lot in north Tel Aviv as part of stepping up their campaign.
Tens of thousands arrive at Mt. Meron as Israelis celebrate Lag Ba’omer
Ha’aretz – Many believe Lag Ba’omer to be the anniversary of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai’s death, buried on Mt. Meron; fire services on high alert as people turn out en masse to bonfires marking the holiday.
Facing congressional pressure, will Obama reframe his ‘1967 borders’ message in AIPAC speech?
Ha’aretz – Numerous U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle expressed concerns over U.S. President Barack Obama’s call for Middle East peace negotiations to be based on the 1967 borders.
Syria security forces kill 11 mourners at protesters’ funeral
Ha’aretz – Rights group says 44 people were killed on Friday, making it one of the deadliest days since anti-government uprising began.
Turkish FM warns Israel over response to new Gaza flotilla
Ha’aretz – Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu says that Turkey will respond to ‘any repeated act of provocation’ on the high seas by Israel, AFP reports.
Barak: Israel-U.S. differences on peace process ‘smaller than they seem’
Ha’aretz – Defense Minister Ehud Barak tells Channel 2 that U.S. President Barack Obama’s Middle East policy speech was not ‘such a bad thing’.
Report: Palestinian group calls for renewed border demonstrations
Ha’aretz – Group that organized Nakba Day protests has called on Palestinian refugees to march to Israel’s borders on anniversary of Six Day War on June 5, Maan news agency reports.
Masked Palestinians shoot dead West Bank man suspected of spying for Israel
Ha’aretz – Victim of the shooting was identified as Omar Helwan, 32, of Beit Dajan village near Nablus; he had previously been held in a Palestinian prison on charges of working as an Israeli agent.
Turkey president: Hamas must be ‘rational’ about Israel’s right to exist
Ha’aretz – In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Abdullah Gul praises Obama’s Mideast speech in which he drew the 1967 borders as an outline for Israeli-Palestinian talks.
Palestinians to push UN recognition bid in September despite Obama’s caution
Ha’aretz – U.S. president tells Palestinians ‘efforts to de-legitimize Israel will end in failure,’ adding that symbolic actions to isolate Israel at UN vote in September ‘won’t create an independent state.’
‚ÄòHouses from Within’ opens Tel Aviv to the masses
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Rarely seen corners of the city, including architecturally unique private houses and public buildings, were open to the public.
NGO to Barak: Demolish illegal Majdal Shams buildings
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – After Nakba Day events, Regavim tells ministers to raze 13 buildings along Israel-Syria border.
Death toll rises to 11 as Syrian funeral becomes protest
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – At least 50 killed in one of Syria’s bloodiest weekends yet; rights activist says 12 killed in Idlib province, 11 in Homs, 7 in Deraa.
PA expresses disappointment in Obama speech
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Sha’ath says plan to ask UN to recognize state in September will continue, despite Obama’s rejection of bid.
Gallery: Lag Ba’Omer bonfires light up the night
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Residents of the Jerusalem neighborhood Pisgat Ze’ev brought some of their youngest neighbors around the fire for Lag Ba’Omer.
The laid-back charm of Marseilles
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – France’s oldest city is undergoing a major revitalization ahead of its year in the spotlight as the 2013 European Capital of Culture.
At least 50 killed in one of Syria’s bloodiest weekends yet
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Funeral procession comes under fire, leaving at least five dead; rights activist says 12 killed in Idlib province, 11 in Homs, 7 in Deraa.
Russia: Attach?© ‘caught red handed’ receiving secrets
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Television report shows footage of Liederman’s arrest and interrogation, claims he approached “a number of officials” seeking secret info.
‘Gov’t may free 20 killers in exchange for Gilad Schalit’
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Report in ‘Al-Quds Al-Arabi’ cites “significant process” in negotiations for captive soldier; Turkey, Egypt and Germany are all reportedly involved in new talks.
Turkey warns of ‘necessary response’ to flotilla violence
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Ankara tells J’lem “not to repeat human tragedy it caused last year”; says PA unity deal should end justification for Gaza blockade.
HRW demands Israel investigate ‘Nakba Day’ deaths
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Human Rights Watch decries IDF’s use of live bullets; says there is no proof that border protesters were armed or fired on troops.
Israelis, Palestinians play Aussie football for peace
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Combined Jewish-Arab ‘Peace Team’ from Peres Center for Peace practicing for Australia’s International Football Cup.
Obama expected to stress strong US-Israel ties at AIPAC
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Softer tone likely after fallout from reference to 1967 lines; AIPAC circulates letter asking participants to be respectful of speakers.
Jewish pilgrimage to Tunisia goes ahead, but is muted
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Under 100 arrive for traditional Lag Ba’Omer celebration despite cancellation due to security concerns, travel warnings.
Barak: PM-Obama meeting ‘less dramatic than it seems’
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Defense minister says US president didn’t call for ’67 borders, rather for talks based on those lines; Ayalon: “A disagreement among friends.”
Carmel backyard
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – In time for Lag Ba’omer a new exhibition shows nature’s struggle to overcome the devastating aftermath of the Carmel fire.
Palestinian group calls for more ‘Nakba Day’ style riots
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Group uses Internet to plan further demonstrations set for June 5 to mark Six Day War; Palestinian reportedly killed by IDF fire in Gaza.
‘Turkey sponsoring Schalit negotiations with Hamas’
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – Palestinian officials tell Chinese news agency that talks are still in early stages and it is “too soon to talk about breakthrough.”
Turkish president pressures Hamas to recognize Israel
Jeruslalem Post 21 May 2011 – In ‘Wall Street Journal’ interview Gul welcomes Obama’s reference to 67 borders, recalls telling Mashaal “you have to be rational.”
Netanyahu’s rejection of Obama’s 1967 border deal leaves peace talks in tatters
The Guardian 21 May 2011 – Palestinians describe fresh talks as pointless following Israel’s dismissal of Barack Obama’s call for a return to prewar frontier Senior Palestinian officials declared peace negotiations with Israel were “pointless” after the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu,…
[uruknet.info] Libyan Gov’t: NATO is Cause of Deaths, Humanitarian Crisis
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – Libya accused NATO on Saturday of causing deaths and a humanitarian crisis with its indiscriminate bombings, after attacks on three ports restricted the movement of ships carrying aid for civilians. The NATO air raids on the ports of Tripoli, Sirte and Al-Khums was a “crazy attack” in violation of UN resolutions, said Amran Al-Forjani,…
[uruknet.info] Hunger strikers form decision-making body
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – Palestinians jailed in Israeli prisons have formed a joint committee to manage a wide-ranging hunger strike, the Gaza prisoner affairs ministry reports. The move was made so that decisions are strong and unified, and so the prison administration would not be able to influence decisions and divide the participants. The committee specifies the days…
[uruknet.info] A Brief Primer on the Recent Supreme Court Decision in Kentucky v. King
Uruknet May 21, 2011 — Can cops now invade your home without a warrant anytime they feel like it? Sure they can.Doesn’t this completely and literally eviscerate the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, and specifically requires the use of a warrant? Sure it does…
[uruknet.info] Libyan rebels accused of reprisal attacks
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – …Rebel commanders have created a wanted list and placed suspects under round-the-clock surveillance. Secret militia units raid houses without court warrants and often interrogate suspects for hours. Those released have to sign a document stating their loyalty to the revolution. As many as 30 civilians are being held at various rebel military bases around…
[uruknet.info] Saleh says coup,’ but Yemen opposition signs GCC proposal to end his presidency
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – Yemen’s opposition signed a GCC-brokered power transition deal on Saturday, a day before President Ali Abdullah Saleh was due to sign the agreement that would ease him out of power within a month. An Al Arabiya correspondent in Sana’a reported that the signing of the agreement was shrouded in secrecy with journalists banned from…
[uruknet.info] Shootings in Syria push death toll above 900
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – Syrian security forces opened fire on a funeral procession for slain anti-government protesters Saturday, pushing the number of people reported killed in a two-month uprising to more than 900 and making it one of the deadliest of the Arab Spring. Excluding Libya – where battles between Moammar Gadhafi’s forces and his opponents have left…
[uruknet.info] Eleven killed as Syrian funeral becomes protest
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – Syrian security forces shot dead 11 mourners in the central city of Homs on Saturday at a mass funeral for people killed in the latest crackdown on protests against President Bashar al-Assad, a rights campaigner said. Human rights lawyer Razan Zaitouna said she had the names of at least 11 people killed when the…
[uruknet.info] Israeli gunfire kills Gaza teen: medics
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian teenager in the Gaza Strip on Saturday as he approached the border fence with Israel, Palestinian medics said. The 17-year-old boy’s body was found near El-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, they said. On Friday, two young Gazans were wounded as Israeli troops opened fire at a protest…
[uruknet.info] Syrian forces kill five at protesters’ funeral
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – Syrian security forces killed at least five people after opening fire on a massive funeral procession for eight anti-government protesters slain the day before, a human rights activist said. A rights group has raised Friday’s death toll to 44 – most in the northern province of Idlib and the central region of Homs -…
[uruknet.info] Refugee ‘return rallies’ planned for June
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – – Masses of Palestinian refugees will march to Israel’s borders and ceasefire lines again on June 5, organizers of the May 15 “return rally” said. On Sunday, 14 protesters were killed when Israeli forces opened fire on thousands of refugees trying to return to their land in Israel. The May 15 rallies were held…
[uruknet.info] Palestinian Activist Says Obama Speech “Irrelevant”
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – I just want to comment on one specific line in this speech which may say it all. President Obama said that the Arab democratic spring has made al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden irrelevant even before he was executed by US forces. There’s another person who has become almost irrelevant by the Arab democratic spring,…
[uruknet.info] At least 44 killed in protests across Syria
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – Security forces killed at least 44 people during anti-regime protests which swept Syria on Friday, with most of the casualties in the western province of Idlib and the central city of Homs, a human rights activist told AFP on Saturday. “Syrian authorities are continuing to use excessive force and live ammunition to face popular…
[uruknet.info] Britain plotted regime change in Iraq as early as 2001
Uruknet May 21, 2011 – Previously classified documents released into the public domain reveal that Britain’s MI6 planned a coup against then Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, just months after 9/11. This was despite official acknowledgement that there was no connection between the Hussein regime and Al Qaeda. The documents also confirm that the quest to secure stable oil supplies…
[uruknet.info] Flotilla group calls for UN escort, a ‘stunt’ says Israel
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – As a new aid convoy to Gaza readies to sail at the end of June, organizers say they are willing to have their cargo inspected and their ships escorted by international observers. Israel dismisses the move as a ‘publicity stunt,’ while supporters of the flotilla in the EU have questioned the legal necessity of…
[uruknet.info] On The Chopping Block: Federal Worker Pensions
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – Bipartisan support endorses ending vital social benefits incrementally, principally Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, healthcare for those who can’t afford it, and public pensions. Notably, deep Medicare cuts were made. Much more is planned, including slashing Medicaid. Now federal pensions are being targeted….
[uruknet.info] At Saddam Hussein shrine, nostalgia for a strong leader
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – It has been four years since the former Iraqi leader was executed, and over that period it has been rare to see any more than a trickle of Iraqis show up to pay tribute in the village where he was born, just outside Tikrit. But over the past few months, the crowds have begun…
[uruknet.info] Iranian presidential aide arrested
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – A top aide in the office of the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been arrested, adding to tension at the heart of the regime. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported the arrest of a man identified only as “one of the top officials in the presidential office”. Conservative websites later named him as Kazem…
[uruknet.info] EGYPT: Journalists questioned, forced to clear Mubarak reports with military
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – Military prosecutors called three Egyptian journalists in for questioning this week after they reported on an alleged deal to offer amnesty to ousted President Hosni Mubarak. The three, an editor and two reporters at the independent Cairo-based El-Shorouk newspaper, were questioned and released Thursday after they signed a pledge to not report further on…
[uruknet.info] Republicans in Congress to Crown Obama King
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – In what will come as a shock to the Tea Party and yet probably not rival the recent royal wedding in London for viewership, Republican Congressman Buck McKeon and Republican Senator John McCain plan to crown President Barack Obama King of America. They’re not kidding, and this is no stunt. Here’s what noted Republican…
[uruknet.info] Why Does Saban Support Arab Spring?
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – ‘The test of a first-rate intelligence,’ F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote, ‘is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.’ When it comes to what’s been dubbed the ‘Arab Spring,’ most Middle East analysts pass Fitzgerald’s test with flying colours. Hardly…
[uruknet.info] Leader of Gaza aid mission goes on hunger strike
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – Matthias Chang, 61, leader of the Malaysian humanitarian aid mission to Gaza has gone on a hunger strike since yesterday evening onboard the cargo ship, MV Finch, in protest against the refusal of the authorities here to allow the ship to enter El-Arish Port. The action was taken immediately after the Egyptian army turned…
[uruknet.info] The always-expanding bipartisan Surveillance State
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – When I wrote earlier this week about Jane Mayer’s New Yorker article on the Obama administration’s war on whistleblowers, the passage I hailed as “the single paragraph that best conveys the prime, enduring impact of the Obama presidency” included this observation from Yale Law Professor Jack Balkin: “We are witnessing the bipartisan normalization and…
[uruknet.info] Torture widespread in Syria’s prisons At least 8,000 detainess endure beatings and humiliation
Uruknet May 20, 2011 – For Ali, the beatings began even before the bus reached the prison. “Are you with the Salafis and the Muslim Brotherhood?” screamed one of President Bashar al-Assad’s secret policemen. The fist landed square in his face as Ali tried to explain that the small group of protesters rounded up in Mezze, a suburb of…
Palestinians set on UN statehood bid in September
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Nabil Shaath urged President Barack Obama, who on Thursday criticised the planned move at the U.N. general assembly, to join countries that have already endorsed a Palestinian state taking in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East…
NATO widens Libya pressure amid questions on goals
Daily Star 21 May 2011 In the coastal town of Zawiya, crowds apparently outraged by dwindling fuel supplies tried to stab reporters in a minibus on a state-supervised trip to the Tunisian border.
Eleven killed as Syrian funeral becomes protest
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Human rights lawyer Razan Zaitouna said she had the names of at least 11 people killed when the funeral at Nasr cemetery for 10 pro-democracy demonstrators killed by security forces in Homs on Friday came under…
Palestinians set on U.N. statehood bid in September
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Palestinians will seek recognition as a U.N. member-state in September given the deadlock in U.S.-brokered peacemaking with Israel, a senior Palestinian official said on Saturday.
Mourner shot dead at Syrian funeral
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Syrian security forces shot dead a mourner in the central city of Homs on Saturday and wounded many more, a witness said, at a mass funeral for people killed in the latest crackdown on protests against…
Israeli rebuke of Obama exposes divide on Mideast
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bluntly told President Barack Obama on Friday his vision of how to achieve Middle East peace was unrealistic, exposing a deep divide that could doom any U.S. bid to revive peace…
Yemen opposition signs transition of power deal
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Yemen’s opposition signed a Gulf-brokered transition deal on Saturday that will ease President Ali Abdullah Saleh out of power within a month, provided he ratifies the agreement as promised on Sunday.
Libya crowd attacks bus carrying foreign journalists
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Angry Libyans armed with guns and a knife storm a bus carrying foreign journalists before a soldier fires volleys of gunfire into the air to disperse the crowd, a Reuters journalist on the bus has said.
Four French held by Libyan rebels freed: Foreign Ministry
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Four men brought to Egypt where they were met by French consular officials.
Fleeing Syrians say too late for reforms, Assad must go
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Syrians who fled for their lives from a security crackdown in the border town of Tall Kalakh say violence has hardened attitudes towards President Bashar Assad and unrest will not end until he steps down.
NATO pounds pro-Gadhafi forces’ command centers
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Military alliance warplanes hit command centers near Tripoli and in southwest as part of efforts to cut communication between Gadhafi and his units on the battlefields.
Syria’s Friday protest death toll reaches 44
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Human rights organization ups earlier death toll after further bloody Friday protests, while authorities blame violence on armed groups.
Iranian Foreign Ministry official meets with Nasrallah, Mikati
Daily Star 21 May 2011 Mohammad Riza Shibani continues meetings with senior March 8 figures on his official visit.
Bellemare seeking resources to indict Syrians, French paper sources
Daily Star 21 May 2011 STL prosecutor says he could track down Syrian officials behind Hariri’s assassination, Le Figaro journalist claims, citing French diplomatic source.
Man arrested in Sidon for drug possession
Daily Star 20 May 2011 A man was arrested for drug possession in the southern coastal city of Sidon, police said Friday.
Public sector closed for Resistance, Liberation Day
Daily Star 20 May 2011 A national holiday has been declared for Wednesday, May 25 to mark Resistance and Liberation Day.
Symptoms often have psychological causes, doctors say
Daily Star 20 May 2011 Psychological problems are responsible for an alarming portion of patient symptoms, according to participants at a specialized conference that opened Friday.
Mary devotees bring out the blue and white
Daily Star 20 May 2011 In many ways, Sossi Sarkissian Elbekian looks very much the part of a stylish, modern woman.
Al-Akhbar newspaper lays off 20 of its staff
Daily Star 20 May 2011 More than 20 employees were laid off earlier this week at the Beirut-based Arabic daily Al-Akhbar newspaper, sources at the paper told The Daily Star Friday.
Arab group: Prepare for 2nd round of protest
YNet News, 21 May 2011 – Organizing committee of ‘return procession to Palestine’ announces new round of….
Gaza: Palestinian man killed by IDF
YNet News, 21 May 2011 – Palestinian sources say man shot by soldiers east of Gaza City. IDF: Suspect….
Iran arrests 30 in alleged US spy ring
YNet News, 21 May 2011 – Islamic Republic claims it uncovered extensive CIA-run espionage network;….
‘Obama knows Israel won’t retreat to ’67 lines’
YNet News, 21 May 2011 – American officials tell Washington Post US president opted to shift….
Report: Turkey mediating Shalit talks
YNet News, 21 May 2011 – Ankara joins Egypt in negotiations over prisoner exchange deal between Israel,….
PA to proceed with UN recognition bid
YNet News, 21 May 2011 – Fatah official Nabil Shaath says quest for recognition of Palestinian state will….
‘Netanyahu, Obama share little chemistry’
YNet News, 21 May 2011 – Tense White House meeting between US president, Israeli PM makes headlines in….
‘IDF attach?© sought info on Russia-Arab arms trade’
YNet News, 21 May 2011 – Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) says Colonel Vadim Leiderman, expelled….
Report: Syrian troops kill dozens of protesters
YNet News, 20 May 2011 – Ten-year old boy among dead as Syrian forces fire during protests, human rights….
Abbas aide: Stop Netanyahu’s gross obstinacy
YNet News, 20 May 2011 – Spokesman says ‘Palestinian government will be independent, have nothing to do….
Sources: PM encouraged by meeting
YNet News, 20 May 2011 – Meanwhile source says Obama to press EU not to back Palestinian declaration of….
Netanyahu: 1967 lines ‘indefensible’
YNet News, 20 May 2011 – ‘Israel wants peace, I want peace,’ says Netanyahu after meeting with US….
Palestinian Information Center
IOF uses violence against fresh West Bank protests
PIC – Two Palestinians were injured and dozens sustained breathing difficulties after Israeli occupation forces IOF) suppressed a weekly anti-separation wall march in Bil’in village west of Ramallah.
IOF shooting kills teen, wounds another
PIC – A Palestinian teen was killed at dawn Saturday when the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) fired at him east of Breij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip.
Abu Zuhri: Netanyahu’s statement proves failure of settlement option
PIC – Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that there would be no return to the 1967 borders proved failure of the negotiations process, Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said on Saturday.
OIC calls for opening Rafah crossing before goods
PIC – The Organization of Islamic Conference has called on the Egyptian authorities to open the Rafah border terminal with the Gaza Strip before movement of goods.
Russia confirms expelling Israel’s military attaché over espionage scandal
PIC – Russia has confirmed that it expelled Israel’s military attach?© Vidal Leidermen after arresting him for trying to obtain information on Russia’s military relations with Arab countries.
9 Palestinians injured in IOF attack on Nablus village
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) used rubber bullets and teargas to attack Palestinian citizens in Asira Al-Qabaliya village south of Nablus city on Friday night wounding nine of them, locals reported.
Naim denounces UNRWA for sacking five employees
PIC – Palestinian health minister in Gaza Dr. Basem Naim has lashed out at the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for dismissing five of its employees in Gaza.
Ufree urges for further action after WHO condemns Israel
PIC – The European network to support Palestinian prisoners (Ufree), based in Oslo, has called on WHO to take a step further after it condemned the treatment of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Nakba Day just a small sample of upcoming Naksa Day events
PIC – A new statement calls for marches progressing towards Palestinian borders on Thursday June 5, Naksa Day, just a few weeks after thousands of Palestinian refugees made similar protests on Nakba Day.
Obama’s empty rhetoric
PIC – President Obama’s speech on Thursday, 19 May, was clearly another rehearsal in hypocrisy, moral duplicity and empty rhetoric.
Palestinian Killed in Gaza Strip
WAFA
Abbas Meets US Consul General
WAFA
PLO Factions to Boycott Naming of Prime Minister
WAFA
Survey: Over Half of Palestinian Media say They Face Restrictions
WAFA
Palestinian Factions to Hold Talks in Moscow
WAFA
EUPOL COPPS promotes PCP’s Oversight and Accountability
WAFA
Newspapers Review: Obama Held on to his Position, Netanyahu to his, say Dailies
WAFA
Obama’s Oratory Skills and Peace in the Middle East
Intifada-Palestine: 21 May 2011 – Peace, according to Netanyahu… ” More oratory promises to Palestinians as they watch their land disappearing before their eyes at the hand of an insatiable Israeli monster financed by billions of American tax payers’ money to build “Jewish only” settlements on… more
Obama Demolished Palestinian Chances for Statehood
Intifada-Palestine: 21 May 2011 – U.S. supports Israel’s demand for the Palestinian state to be demilitarized, it supports postponing discussions on the refugees and Jerusalem, it talks about Israel’s security and Israel’s security alone. By Gideon Levy / Haaretz.com Pro-unity protesters today in Ramallah, the capital of… more
President Obama’s Middle East Speech — New Year’s Resolutions in May
Intifada-Palestine: 21 May 2011 – Dr. Lawrence Davidson Photo by: Reuters Part I I watched President Obama’s May 19 th speech on the Middle East ( most quotes from the speech are taken from the full text ) while working out at the gym. I have always found…more
Netanyahu pushes back on Obama’s peace plan
LA Times 20 May 2011 – In an Oval Office appearance, the Israeli leader rejects Obama’s plan as the basis for Middle East peace talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly lectured President Obama on the shortcomings of his plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks during a tense Oval Office appearance that…
Syrian troops fire on protesters, 34 killed
LA Times 20 May 2011 – A day after President Obama pressed Syria to end brutal attacks on pro-democracy demonstrators, Bashar Assad’s forces continue their violent crackdown. Activists work to broaden the movement by bringing in Kurds. Syrian security forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, ignoring international pressure, fired on anti-government…
Promise of Arab Uprisings Is Threatened by Divisions
New York Times 21 May 2011 – From Egypt to Syria, tensions over religion and clans have threatened uprisings that once seemed to promise a new sense of national identity built on the idea of citizenship.
In the Golan Heights, Anxious Eyes Look East
New York Times 21 May 2011 – For the roughly 20,000 Arabs of the Druze religious sect who live in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, this is Syrian territory.
Syrians Are Fatally Shot At Funeral for Protesters
New York Times 21 May 2011 – Security forces shot and killed at least five people and wounded several others in a funeral procession for eight protesters who died Friday.
With Withdrawal Looming, Trails Grow Cold for Americans Missing in Iraq
New York Times 21 May 2011 – The fates of eight American men are a haunting piece of unfinished business that the military will leave behind when it withdraws by the end of the year.
World Briefing | ASIA: Philippines: Pay Cut Rejected for Maids in Saudi Arabia
New York Times 21 May 2011 – The Philippines has rejected an appeal from Saudi Arabia to cut by half a minimum-wage requirement for Filipino maids working in Saudi Arabia.
Show Ends After Lebanon Bars Israeli
New York Times 21 May 2011 – A World Press Photo exhibit in Beirut closed early after Lebanese authorities ordered the removal of an Israeli photographer’s prize-winning work.
Yemeni President Again Calls for Early Vote
New York Times 21 May 2011 – President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s renewed call for an early vote came as negotiations to usher him out of office dragged into a second month.
Obama Thanks the C.I.A. for Hunting Down Bin Laden
New York Times 21 May 2011 – President Obama told a jubilant crowd at the Central Intelligence Agency that the tracking and killing of Osama bin Laden was a crucial milestone in the larger war to “defeat al Qaeda.”
Mitchell Plitnick on Netanyahu’s reponse to Obama’s speech
Jewish Voice for Peace –
Bibi at the White House: ‚ÄòI am the Leader of a Much Smaller People’
Tikun Olam – I don’t know whether Bibi was trying to tell the American people that Israelis had the pygmy gene in their DNA, but he had one of those awkward moments that doesn’t often happen to him, in which he said that while Pres. Obama led “a great…
Soldiers Threaten Mass Arrests of Beit Ommar Students
Palestine Solidarity Project 21 May 2011 – In the early morning of Saturday, May 21st, Israeli soldiers approached Beit Ommar residences near the illegal settlement of Karmei Tsur, delivering a message that village university students would be arrested en masse unless demonstrations against Karmei Tsur were halted. University students are now entering a…
Nabi Saleh is the embodiment of the Palestinian Arab Spring
Joseph Dana 21 May 2011 – Why is it that Palestinians are the only people in the Middle East seemingly not allowed to throw stones at a military regime which oppresses and controls them? Why are Palestinians branded as violent when they use the same tactics which the Egyptian and Tunisian protesters…
Activist: 25 arrested after Nakba protests
Sabr 21 May 2011 – RAMALLAH ( Ma’an ) — Israel’s army has arrested 25 Palestinians from the West Bank cities of Bethlehem and Hebron in the aftermath of protests marking the Palestinian Nakba, or catastrophe, officials said Thursday. Jacqueline Al-Fararjeh, during a visit to Etzion prison, said Abed Al-Aziz Ash-Shuweiki and Amjad…
‘Five shot dead’ at Syria funeral
BBC 21 May 2011 – Syrian security forces kill at least five people and wound at least 12 when they fired into a crowd a funeral in the city of Homs, activists say.
Netanyahu defiant over Obama plan
BBC 21 May 2011 – Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says there can be no peace “based on illusions”, rejecting President Barack Obama’s pre-1967 borders proposal.
Tehran ‘breaks up US spy network’
BBC 21 May 2011 – Iran’s intelligence ministry announces the arrest of 30 people after breaking up what it says was a CIA-run espionage operation.
Syria
BBC 21 May 2011 – Key facts, figures and dates
Articles
Analysis: Obama has adopted Israel’s demands
Rashid Shahin, Ma’an News Agency5/22/2011
In an attempt to tickle the emotions of the Arab masses, for the second time in less than two years, President Obama addressed the Arabs by speaking about democracy, freedom and human rights.
When he came to Cairo at the beginning of June 2009, Obama addressed 1.5 billion Arabs and Muslims and made a frank appeal for a fresh start and a new relationship, based on mutual respect and understanding.
The speech was warmly welcomed by a majority of Arabs and Muslims, especially when the man — of the same color and the son of a Muslim – was the first US president to acknowledge its past mistakes.
Since his speech in Cairo, not only the masses but also writers, intellectuals, politicians and all those who preached the new US era felt frustrated and disappointed after Obama’s retractions with regard to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict; for them, it was proof that the new administration is no different from any previous administration.
The Cairo speech was an attempt to polish America’s image which was disfigured and distorted by former President George Bush, during the occupation of Iraq, and the massacres committed under false pretext.
In Cairo, Obama devoted three-quarters of his speech to the conflict, while in his last speech he left this issue to the last few minutes, despite knowing that this is the core of all issues for the people of this region. And when he did speak about the conflict, he wasn’t persuasive; he failed to convince people of his vision. more.. e-mail
Israel in a Post-American Era
Patrick J. Buchanan, Antiwar.com5/20/2011
In 1918, the United States proved militarily decisive in the defeat of the Kaiser’s Germany and emerged as first power on earth.
World War II, ending in 1945, produced two truly victorious nations, the Soviet Union of Joseph Stalin and the America of Harry Truman.
Out of the Cold War that lasted from Truman to the disintegration of the Soviet Empire and breakup of the Soviet Union at the end of Ronald Reagan’s term came a lone victor: the last superpower, the United States.
Who emerged triumphant from the post-Cold War era, 1991-2011?
Indisputably, it is China, whose 10-12 percent annual growth vaulted her past Italy, France, Britain, Germany, and Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy and America’s lone rival for first manufacturing power.
If we use a metric called “purchasing power parity,” China overtakes America in 2016. Says the International Monetary Fund, the American era is over.
Strategically, too, the United States seems in retreat, nowhere more so than in that region that was the focus of George W. Bush’s “global democratic revolution.” And no nation reflects more the relative loss of U.S. power and influence than does Israel, whose isolation is today unprecedented. more.. e-mail
Mahmoud Abbas, Mr Consistency
Daoud Kuttab, Ma’an News Agency5/12/2011
Say what you may about the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, but supporters and opponents agree on one thing: he is consistent.
Abbas might lack charisma and the ability to drastically change public opinion or the direction of world leaders, but everyone today can attest to the man’s consistency. He is consistently against violence, in favor of the two-state solution and generally a democrat at heart. His word is his honor. What he says he fulfills, and his political philosophy and methodology do not include the typical game politicians play: saying one thing and meaning another.
In order to accomplish his goals, Abbas seems to be rather patient. He waits out his opponents until they come around to his point of view. This policy is not always successful. The fact that he is consistent and patient does not necessarily mean that his opponents will respond in kind.
Abbas did not budge on the need for a settlement freeze as a necessary step to begin serious negotiations with Israel. He also held his ground when it came to the reconciliation with Hamas. On the latter, his policy seemed to succeed, possibly with a little help from the Arab youth uprisings, the special relationship between Egypt’s military leader and Iran, as well as the trouble that Syria is facing.
The Palestinian president is a democrat at heart. Both his supporters and his opponents know this about him. When he agreed to hold parliamentary elections in 2005, many counseled him to postpone them, but he refused to back down. Abbas headed the demands of young Fatah cadres for internal elections and held the sixth congress that his predecessor Yasser Arafat had repeatedly postponed. more.. e-mail
Demonstrations in the Arab World: Reason for Introspection
Palestine Chronicle: 21 May 2011 – By Jamil Toubbeh As the sand settles on few demonstrations in the Arab world, Arab leaders and political analysts are busily assessing their long-term impact on Arab societies while their counterparts in the Western world are searching for novel approaches to maintain the status quo–the Sykes-Picot paradigm. Since the end of WWI, Western nations have learned to negotiate with corrupt and iron-fisted rulers worldwide but particularly in the Arab world, leaving the Arab citizen open to repressive regimes. The Arab world has oil and now huge deposits of uranium. It has a large population (400M) that is dependent on Western technology and products, and occupies a strategic part of the globe that has been a highway for trade and warring Eastern and Western nations. Today, colonialism, in various forms, dominates the Arab world. With the exception of Israel where the concept of classical colonialism is inseparable from Zionism, neocolonialism is…more
Fragments: The Nakba Day at Qalandiya
Palestine Chronicle: 21 May 2011 – By Tamar Fleishman The smell is the first to attack the senses with a mixture of sting and sweetness that penetrates all the channels of the face. Pillars of smoke and gas rose above the checkpoint, towards the wall and the roofs of the refugee camp houses. The camps stood one in front of the other, as they used to do in ancient wars- each side had its weapons, symbols and uniforms to set them apart. There were more military forces then one could count. There were soldiers from the unit with black uniform and by them were those with the green uniform. There were junior and senior officers as well as representatives from the high ranks. Those who sit on roof tops were there as well- they took over the entrances to the houses on the main road of the refugee camp, invaded the homes and appropriated the windows…more
Palestinians: Last Victims of the Holocaust
Palestine Chronicle: 21 May 2011 – By Lillian Rosengarten Where is the heart of the Jewish soul? Soul as ethical compassion, the Jewish spirit as it struggled to survive the darkest nightmare of Nazi racial laws. How do the first and second generation of victims of such heinous blood curdling racist crimes during the Nazi progrom of ethnic cleansing, live it’s present form of nationalism in Israel? By what demonic twist of fate can Jews, who merely two generations ago suffered the cruelest racial bestiality as victims of Nazi anti-Semitism and racial purity laws, justify destroying an entire Palestinian population by plowing through their land, driving out it’s inhabitants and by wielding power through military force to establish their ownership by “right.” How can one justify complicity of Israeli’s dehumanization of the Palestinian population by the American Jewish community including many scholars and camp survivors who have played a defining role in understanding the Holocaust experience….more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
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