27 May, 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Settlers To March In Sheikh Jarrah Next Wednesday
IMEMC – Saturday May 28, 2011 – 02:56, Extremist Israeli settlers intend to hold a provocative procession starting from Sheikh Jarrah Palestinian neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem to mark 44 years since Israel occupied the city.
Israeli Police Attacks Nonviolent Protestors In Jerusalem, Kidnap One
IMEMC – Saturday May 28, 2011 – 02:01, The Israeli Police attacked on Friday afternoon Israeli leftist protestors and Palestinian activists as they held a nonviolent protest in front of “Har Hazeiteem” illegal Israeli settlement in Ras Al Amoud neighborhood, in occupied East Jerusalem, and kidnapped one Palestinian protestor.
Fateh, Hamas, Held Meeting In Gaza, Leaders To Meet Again Sunday
IMEMC – Saturday May 28, 2011 – 01:46, Leaders of the Fateh and Hamas movements held on Friday evening a meeting in Gaza Strip in which they discussed efforts to implement the Reconciliation Agreement signed in Cairo.
Boycott Movement Cheers British Prime Minister Decision To Cut Ties With JNF
IMEMC – Saturday May 28, 2011 – 01:16, The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, stated Friday that he has resigned his position as an Honorary Patron of the Jewish National Fund (JNF), the body which owns 90% of the land in present-day Israel.
Israeli Navy Fires On Fishing Boat Off Gaza
IMEMC – Friday May 27, 2011 – 16:34, According to Maan news agency the Israeli Navy have fired on Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza injuring three.
G8 Call For Renewed Peace Talks. Extend Aid To Democratizing States.
IMEMC – Friday May 27, 2011 – 15:46, G8 leaders have called for renewed peace talks between Palestinians and Israeli’s on the basis of US President Obama’s vision for peace. Canada, however, successfully lobbies to have all mention of 1967 borders removed, according to Heeratz.
Second Freedom Flotilla To Set Sail in June
IMEMC – Friday May 27, 2011 – 14:42, The international Gaza aid flotilla that was at the centre of an international Israeli diplomatic crisis last year is due to set sail again for Gaza in the coming months.
Study Values Settlements At $18.8 Billion
IMEMC – Friday May 27, 2011 – 11:32, A new study by formerly Israeli state funded Macro Center for Political Economics has valued Israeli settler homes at $18.8 billion in the West Bank, according to JNet.
PCHR Weekly Report: 1 killed, 3 wounded, 26 abducted by Israeli forces this week
IMEMC – Friday May 27, 2011 – 11:00, In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 19– 25 May 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that a Palestinian civilian was killed by Israeli forces near the border in the central Gaza Strip.
Israeli Leftists Call On Europe To Recognise Palestine Come September
IMEMC – Friday May 27, 2011 – 10:47, About twenty Israeli writers and intellectuals have signed a petition calling on the EU recognise a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders.
Medics: 3 hurt after navy shells fishing boat
5/27/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israel’s navy fired on fishing boats late Thursday, injuring three Palestinians, medics said. The fishermen were transferred to Ash-Shifa hospital for treatment of moderate injuries, medical official Adham Abu Silmiya said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the army had no record of such an event. Fishermen in Gaza…. Related: Gaza fishermen: Lift naval blockade too and Medics: 3 hurt by naval fire off Gaza coast
Israeli army shuts down ‘illegal’ Palestinian protests
5/27/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israeli forces shut down anti-wall protests in villages across the West Bank on Friday. The Israeli army says the unarmed weekly protests in Palestinian villages are illegal. Asked why the protests were illegal, an army spokesman said the areas between Israel’s separation wall and villages Ni’lin and….
Palestinian held over collision with settler’s car
5/27/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A Palestinian man said Israeli police detained and threatened him on Wednesday, several days after he was involved in a car accident with a settler. Sharif Azmi Al-Shyoukhi, 21, said police tried to force him to take full responsibility for the accident, which happened Sunday. Al-Shyoukhi said an Israeli settler sped….
Gaza fishermen: Lift naval blockade too
5/27/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – Fishermen in Gaza are calling for protection after four years of siege, as Egypt said it would open the Rafah crossing on a daily basis in a bid to ease the blockade. At a sit-in Thursday in Gaza’s port, a group of fishermen rejected Israel’s blockade…. Related: Medics: 3 hurt after navy shells fishing boat
Medics: 3 hurt by naval fire off Gaza coast
5/27/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Three Palestinians were injured early Friday after an Israeli naval ship fired on a boat off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical officials told Ma’an…. Related: Medics: 3 hurt after navy shells fishing boat
Israel closes Gaza crossing for weekend
5/27/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities closed the Karem Shalom crossing on Friday for the weekend, a Palestinian official said. Raed Fattuh said the terminal would reopen Sunday as usual. Israel allowed 251 of truckloads of goods, aid and building materials for international projects via Karem Shalom in addition to 131,570 kg of cooking….
Rights group: Family appeals for detainee’s release
5/27/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The family of a Palestinian man detained in Israel on Friday appealed for his immediate release on medical grounds, a prisoners’ center said. Israeli forces detained Zamel Shalouf in 2008 and sentenced him to 15 years. He is being held in Ishel prison in southern Israel. Shalouf, 31, was….
UNRWA employees end strike
5/27/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — UNRWA employees in Gaza have reached an agreement with the UN agency to end their strike, union chief Suheil Al-Hindi said Friday. Staff were on strike in protest over the UN agency’s dismissal of some of their colleagues. The agency provides services to Palestinian refugees. UNRWA agreed to….
Report: Egypt working with Israel on Rafah policy
5/27/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Egypt has explained to Israel that the Rafah crossing will not be used to transfer goods, and restrictions will be imposed on the movement of individuals, Israel radio reported Thursday. According to political sources quoted in the report, Egyptian authorities are aware of the risk that “terrorist elements” could pass through….
Non-aligned states urge release of Palestinians
5/27/2011 – NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AFP) — The 118-nation Non-Aligned Movement on Friday demanded Israel release a “substantial number” of Palestinian political prisoners as a “positive step” toward peace. At the end of a ministerial meeting in Indonesia, the movement reiterated its support for the creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, a position….
Israeli figures urge Europe to back Palestine at UN
5/27/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — A group of notable Israeli figures, among them former senior officials, is calling on Europe to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September in a letter published Friday.” In the face of endless procrastination and mutual distrust, a declaration of Palestinian independence is not only legitimate, but also a positive….
Al-Wadieh: Israel inciting against unity
5/27/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The international community should not pay attention to Israel’s incitement against Palestinian national unity, leader of a coalition of independent figures Yasser Al-Wadieh said Friday. During an address to the US Congress on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed President Mahmoud Abbas to “tear up” the recently-signed….
Solidarity campaign happy Cameron leaving Jewish National Fund
5/27/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestine Solidarity Campaign in the United Kingdom on Friday welcomed British Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision to step down as patron of Jewish National Fund.”This is a welcome development, and reflects the fact that it is now impossible for any serious party leader to lend their public….
EU to extend border assistance mission at Rafah
5/27/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The European Union council has adopted a decision extending the EU border assistance mission for the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, until Dec. 2011, officials said Thursday. The mission was launched in 2005 to provide a third-party presence to open the crossing point and to build confidence between Israel and….
Palestinian seized in army raid on Bethlehem village
5/27/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Israeli forces detained a young man Friday east of Bethlehem, relatives said. His brother said 10 army vehicles raided Al-Obeidiyeh village at 3:30 a. m. and detained Ahmad Al-Asa, 24. An army spokeswoman confirmed that one person was arrested in Al-Obeidiyeh. Two other Palestinians were seized in separate raids east….
Analysis: Netanyahu and the yo-yos
5/27/2011 – There they were, the members of the highest legislative bodies of the world’s only superpower, flying up and down like so many yo-yos, applauding wildly, every few minutes or seconds, the most outrageous lies and distortions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was worse than the Syrian parliament during a speech by….
Report: Abbas wants unity govt to back Quartet demands
5/27/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas will seek to form a government of technocrats by mid-June which will accept the demands of the Quartet, including recognition of Israel, Israeli media reported Thursday. Sources close to the president told the Israeli daily Haaretz that Abbas also appears determined to see Salam Fayyad appointed….
Israeli military gets its first woman general
5/27/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — The Israeli army is to have its first woman general, the military announced Thursday.” Colonel Orna Barbiva will be promoted to the rank of general to head the army’s personnel department,” it said in a statement.” Following the recommendation of the chief of staff, General Benny Gantz, her nomination has been….
Shaath: New government in 10 days
5/27/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Senior Fatah official Nabil Shaath said Sunday that a transitional government would be formed within 10 days. Shaath is in Gaza to push forward the recently signed reconciliation agreement between his party and Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Palestinian factions signed the deal earlier this month in Cairo and….
In photos: Ma`an`s New Star season finale
5/27/2011 – Performers compete on Ma`an Network`s “New Star” series on Thursday, May 26, near Bethlehem in the West Bank. Hundreds attended a taping of the final episode, which aired live on Mix TV….
G8 draft threatens Syria with ‘further action’
5/27/2011 – DEAUVILLE, France (AFP) — A draft statement from G8 leaders seen by AFP on Friday warned that the international community will take “further measures” if Syria does not stop using force against protesters. An earlier draft had specifically threatened to turn to the United Nations Security Council to impose binding sanctions, but this was later softened….
3 killed as Syria braces for more protests
5/27/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Security forces killed at least three people in Syria on Friday as the country braced for more protests after the weekly Muslim prayers, with pro-reform activists reaching out to the army to join their 10-week uprising. The three men were gunned down in the town of Dael in the flashpoint southern province….
Egyptians come out for ‘day of anger’
5/27/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Protesters took to the streets on Friday for nationwide rallies against the ruling military council’s handling of post-Mubarak Egypt, in a call that has exposed political rifts. In Cairo, tens of thousands of protesters packed into Tahrir Square — the symbolic heart of protests that toppled Hosni Mubarak in February — for the….
Another Turbulent Friday for Arab States
Palestine Note 27 May 2011 – Thousands return to Tahrir Square; G8 pledges aid to Arab Spring as violence erupts in Syria and Yemen Al Jazeera – At least three people have been killed in Qatana, a suburb of the capital Damascus, after Syrian security forces…
Russia agrees to mediate Gaddafi exit
AlJazeera 27 May 2011 – Moscow changes tack at the G8 meeting in France, saying Gaddafi has ‘forfeited legitimacy’ to rule Libya.
Fresh fatalities as Syrians brave crackdown
AlJazeera 27 May 2011 – More deaths reported as several towns witness renewed demonstrations against president Assad’s one-party rule.
UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon blast
AlJazeera 27 May 2011 – Six Italian peacekeepers are injured after their vehicle is blown up in south of the country.
Yemeni jets ‘target rival tribal group’
AlJazeera 27 May 2011 – Fighter jets reportedly deployed as tribesmen pushing for president’s ouster clash with elite forces.
Pro-reform protesters pack Cairo square
AlJazeera 27 May 2011 – Thousands return to Tahrir Square for “day of anger” demonstrations, pressing military rulers for speedier reforms.
Two Injured; Six Arrested as Israeli Troops Attack West Bank Anti-Wall Protests
PNN – Ramallah — PNN — Israeli troops attacked the weekly anti-wall protests in a number of West Bank communities on Friday injuring one man and a child, as well as arresting six protesters….
Naval Attack on Gaza Fishermen Leave Three Injured ; Troops Arrest Three Civilians from the West Ban
PNN – Gaza/Bethlehem — PNN — Three Palestinian fishermen were injured, on Friday morning, when Israeli naval boats attacked fishing boats off Khan Younis city in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The…
Isreali Threats to Halt Aide to Gaza Won’t Stop Freedom Flotilla II
PNN – London/Istanbul-PNN-Victoria Delacroix- Israeli threats to stop to newest aide flotilla that will set sail to Gaza in June has not scared off the countries participating in it. Five European countries have already…
Dr. Erakat on Ma’ale Hazetim settlement
PNN – “The Israeli government is implementing its vision for the destruction of a two-state solution presented by Prime Minister Netanyahu to the American Congress” Ramallah — PNN — in a press statement member…
PCHR Weekly Report: One Killed, Three Injured by Israeli Gunfire Last Week
PNN – Gaza — PNN/PCHR — Last week the Israeli army killed a Palestinian civilian in the Gaza Strip, while 2 Palestinian civilians and an international human rights defender were wounded; 2 of them…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
PCHR Welcomes the Egyptian Authorities’ Decision to Open All Land and Air Passages for Palestinians to and from the Gaza Strip
Palestinian Center for Human Rights Thursday, 26 May 2011
International Solidarity Movement
66 year old shepherd from the village of Madama attacked by settlers
5/27/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement – On Thursday May 26, Hamad Jaber Qut, a 66 year old shepherd from the village of Madama, was taken to hospital after being attacked by settlers with sticks and knives. At about 16:30 whilst Hamad was herding sheep in the mountains of Madama, situated near the illegal settlement of Yitzhar, approximately….
Support the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza
5/27/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Free Gaza – Sign the petition and get updated news about the Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human – We are writing to ask for your support for the Gaza Freedom Flotilla scheduled to set sail in the second half of June to the besieged Gaza strip. At least ten ships with dignitaries, doctors, professors, artists, journalists, and…. Related: Free Gaza Movement and Sign the Petition
Secretary-General urges Mediterranean Governments to influence channelling of potential Gaza aid flotillas through legitimate crossings
Relief Web 27 May 2011 – Source: UN Secretary-General Country: occupied Palestinian territory The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Secretary-General has sent a letter to Governments of countries around the Mediterranean Sea. In these letters, the Secretary-General…
Humanitarian Exchange Magazine No. 50 – Humanitarian Partnerships
Relief Web 27 May 2011 – Country: Bangladesh , Kenya , Malaysia , Myanmar , occupied Palestinian territory , Pakistan , Somalia , Uganda This 50th edition of Humanitarian Exchange, co-edited with Rachel Houghton, focuses exclusively on partnerships in humanitarian action. Articles explore a wide range of different arrangements, including clusters, consortia and…
Adaptaci??n de la ayuda al nuevo contexto ?°rabe
Relief Web 27 May 2011 – Country: Algeria , Egypt , Jordan , Lebanon , Mauritania , Morocco , occupied Palestinian territory , Syrian Arab Republic (the) , Tunisia 27.05.11 | Espa?±a GOBERNABILIDAD DEMOCR?ÅTICA Los responsables de la Cooperaci??n Espa?±ola en el Mediterr?°neo analizan v??as para adaptar la ayuda al nuevo contexto tras la primavera…
Activists refuse to send Gaza aid via Israel
Relief Web 26 May 2011 – Country: occupied Palestinian territory By Romen Bose (AFP) KUALA LUMPUR ‚Äî Activists on a Malaysian aid ship that had been bound for Gaza refused to hand their cargo to Egypt on Thursday, saying they feared it would end up in…
Palestinians eye $1 bln fund to rebuild Gaza: Abbas adviser
Relief Web 26 May 2011 – Country: occupied Palestinian territory GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories ‚Äî The Palestinians are to create a $1 billion fund to invest in the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip, the economic adviser to president Mahmud Abbas has told AFP. “In the…
12 Radical Jews attack Elderly Palestinian Shepherd in West Bank
27 May 2011 – Palestine, (Pal Telegraph) – Ghassan Douglas, in charge of settlements file at the Palestinian Authority in the northern part of the West Bank, said Thursday that settlers severely beat an elderly Palestinian Shepherd, 67, in Madama, a village south of Nablus.
Israeli army storms Center for Children in Jerusalem
27 May 2011 – Palestine, (Pal Telegraph) – Israeli forces Thursday stormed Madaa Silwan creative center (Madaa) in Wadi Hilwah, a neighborhood in Silwan, near Al-Aqsa Mosque, while the children were there, according to witnesses.
Syrian security forces fire on sparse protests, killing four
The National 26 May 2011 – Human rights groups say more than 1,000 people have been killed since the revolt began in mid-March.
Sadr followers rally against US army staying in Iraq
The National 25 May 2011 – Iraqi PM Nuri al Maliki has called for debate over troop presence but Shiite cleric Moqtada al Sadr has threatened to Sadr revive militia if US troops stay.
Top UN official: U.S. veto would block vote on Palestinian statehood
Ha’aretz – President of UN General Assembly says at press conference no way a Palestinian state could become a member of the UN without a recommendation from the Security Council.
Lieberman thanks Canada PM for objection to 1967 borders at G8
Ha’aretz – The foreign minister tells Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper ‘Canada is a true friend of Israel,’ after Harper insisted that no mention of Israel’s pre-1967 borders be made in the leaders’ final communiqu?©.
UN chief urges member states to discourage new Gaza flotilla
Ha’aretz – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says that aid to the Gaza Strip should go through established channels but urges Israel to act responsibly.
Syria forces kill seven protesters as world pressure on Assad grows
Ha’aretz – Syrian security forces shot dead seven people on Friday, rights campaigners say; G8 leaders demand immediate end to use of force against Syrian protesters.
Abbas: Palestinians have no wish to isolate Israel
Ha’aretz – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reiterates plan to pursue unilateral drive for UN recognition of statehood unless peace talks with Israel resume.
Obama honors Holocaust victims at Warsaw memorial
Ha’aretz – In the final phase of his European trip, Obama greeted survivors and leaders of Poland’s Jewish community at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes in Warsaw.
Police arrest seven protesting new settlement in East Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – Witnesses say police used stun guns against those demonstrating at Ma’ale Zeitim, which would mark the first time this type of weapon has been used against protesters in East Jerusalem.
Iran says nuclear bomb would be ‘strategic mistake’
Ha’aretz – Iranian nuclear envoy dismisses what a leading Western expert cited as evidence suggesting Tehran was seeking the means to build atom bombs.
New iPhone apps let you take your Judaism to go
Ha’aretz – After downloading a bunch of Jewish iPhone apps recommended by rabbis and other righteous friends, Mike Dojc decided to take them on a road test.
‘Obama trying to head off trainwreck at UN in September’
Ha’aretz – Outgoing U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell tells Charlie Rose that the UN recognizing a Palestinian state would be ‘very harmful for Israel, for the U.S., and not good for the peace process.’
G8 leaders omit mention of 1967 borders in Middle East statement
Ha’aretz – Diplomats say that Canada objected to a specific mention of the 1967 borders in statement issued by world leaders calling for resumption of Israel-Palestinian peace talks.
G8 leaders expected to back Obama on 1967 borders
Ha’aretz – In draft statement, world leaders call on Israel and the Palestinians to return to negotiations in order to reach an agreement on final status issues, AFP reports.
Prominent Israeli figures urge Europe to recognize Palestinian state
Ha’aretz – Leftist group Solidarity sends letter to EU leaders signed by former Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg, Nobel Laureate Professor Daniel Kahneman and more, saying ‘peace process has reached its end.’
4 killed after Palestinian vehicle crashes into tourist bus by Dead Sea
Ha’aretz – Accident occurs after 2 killed in a collision between a van and a tractor in the lower Golan Heights.
Six UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon bomb
Ha’aretz – Security sources say a bomb blew up a UN vehicle leading to the southern city of Sidon; the UN peacekeeping force, which had no immediate comment, is deployed in south Lebanon to monitor the border with Israel.
Fischer turns down big raise, says no to IMF candidacy
Ha’aretz – Cabinet set to almost double BoI governor’s salary to NIS 64,000 a month.
Zim sinks Israel Corp. into the red
Ha’aretz – First quarter results show $53 million loss on $2.6 billion in revenues.
U.S. ‘confident’ Egypt can provide good security at Rafah border
Ha’aretz – Egypt opens border crossing with the Gaza Strip; Hamas hails the move, saying it will make life easier for ordinary Gazans.
European observers: No request to return to Gaza border crossing
Ha’aretz – Spokesman for the inoperative mission of European observers says without monitors, international standards for security checks at the Rafah crossing may not be upheld.
Mideast Quartet envoy Tony Blair: Obama anxious about Israel’s fate
Ha’aretz – Former U.K. prime minister says Obama offered new Mideast peace initiative since he sees the current situation as ‘particularly dangerous’ ahead of a Palestinian state vote in September.
Left-wing activists scuffle with police in east Jerusalem
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Protesters block entrance to newly dedicated Ma’ale Zeitim; demonstrators were reportedly from Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity group.
Turkey urges Syria to impose reforms as protests rage
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – On day when 8 protesters killed throughout Syria, Turkish FM says it is possible to end unrest by using “shock therapy.”
1 UNIFIL soldier killed, 4 injured in Lebanon attack
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Bomb aimed at logistics convoy blows up UN vehicle on highway leading to southern Lebanese port city of Sidon, security sources say.
Serb court says Ratko Mladic fit for genocide trial
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – After wartime general’s son says his father to frail, Belgrade court decides he will face charges in Hauge; EU expects extradition within 10 days.
‘2 protesters killed in Damascus as protests sweep Syria’
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Rights group says security forces using live fire to disperse anti-gov’t demonstrators; after Nasrallah speech supporting Assad, Syrian protesters burn his picture.
‘At least 8 killed as anti-gov’t protests sweep Syria’
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Rights group says security forces using live fire to disperse demonstrators in Damascus; protesters burn Nasrallah photos.
Canada takes firm pro-Israel line at G8 summit
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Following leaders’ call for resumption of Mideast talks, Canada insists language be softened, “1967 borders” be removed from final statement.
‘Vatican helped Nazis evade conviction after Holocaust’
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Harvard researcher’s new book claims that Catholic authorities helped SS men find exile, avoid trial, in years following World War II.
Protests sweep Syria’s east, Nasrallah pictures burnt
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – After Hezbollah leader speech supporting Assad, Syrian protesters demonstrate anger; security forces fire at rioters in east.
Heavy fighting breaks out in Misrata suburb
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Clashes between rebel fighters and pro-Gaddafi loyalists spread to outskirts of Libya city; six fighters reported wounded.
Jordanian Parliament condemns Eldad petition as ‘racist’
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – National Union MK says “Jordan is already a Palestinian state;” lawmakers call remarks “extremist, provocative.”
Egypt’s Islamic fringe takes the plunge into politics
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Publicly, many shed symbols of zealotry, but critics fear it’s a show; “The situation is extremely dangerous,” says Nagib Gabra’il.
God of the Earth: Spiritual lessons of the desert
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Why was the Torah given in the desert? Because it is ownerless – just like we should make ourselves, if we want acquire the Torah.
Deadly day on Israeli roads as six die in accidents
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Van collides with tractor in the Golan, killing two; four die when private car crashes into tourist bus headed toward Dead Sea.
Editor’s Notes: Worlds apart
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – With Netanyahu bitterly rejecting the president’s flawed talk of ’67 lines, and the Palestinians not being asked by Obama to abandon the ‘right of return,’ it is the Jewish state that is seen to be defying its ally again, to the benefit of the disingenuous PA.
Parents of autistic adults forced to build their own hostel
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – Lack of space in gov’t hostels has forced a group of parents to raise more than NIS 10 m. to build a TA residential center for their children.
Cabinet okays NIS 291.9m. to bolster J’lem economy
Jeruslalem Post 27 May 2011 – The plan’s goal is to strengthen the capital economically through two primary channels: tourism and hi-tech.
Poll: 12% of Israeli Jews consider Obama to be pro-Israel
Jeruslalem Post 26 May 2011 – Despite AIPAC speech, 40% of 600 Jewish Israelis deem US administration pro-Palestinian in ‘Jerusalem Post’/Smith poll.
For the Palestinians, peace process with Israel is dead
Jeruslalem Post 26 May 2011 – Palestinian Affairs: “All options are now open,” declares Yasser Abed Rabbo following Netanyahu’s trip to Washington.
Diplomacy: Netanyahu and ‘The Book of Why’
Jeruslalem Post 26 May 2011 – The ‘Jerusalem Post’s’ diplomatic correspondent examines the reasons certain decisions were made and the success of the visit.
Column One: Lessons of Netanyahu’s triumph
Jeruslalem Post 26 May 2011 – In the coming weeks and months, the threats to Israel will surely only increase. And with these escalating threats will come also the escalating need for strong and certain leadership.
Old City to shine during third annual light festival
Jeruslalem Post 26 May 2011 – Muslim Quarter included for first time in NIS 7 million June event; 200,000 tourists came to last year’s light festival.
This Week in History: Casus Belli in the Red Sea
Jeruslalem Post 26 May 2011 – On June 5, 1967, Israeli warplanes launched a surprise attack on Arab armies, beginning the most astonishing victory the IDF has ever achieved.
Letters: Arab revolutions and the world’s hypocrisy
The Guardian 27 May 2011 – We the undersigned condemn any hypocritical and selective approach to the Arab revolutions. While Syrians discover mass graves ( Report , 18 May), the so-called “international community” still lacks consensus on asking the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, to…
NUS Palestinian policy could cause Jews to suffer, says union president
The Guardian 27 May 2011 – But fellow senior union members accuse Aaron Porter of misrepresenting motion voted for by national executive The NUS president, Aaron Porter, has been accused of misrepresenting a new policy adopted by his own union in support…
Egypt to open Gaza border crossing
The Guardian 27 May 2011 – Hamas praise ‘courageous decision’ to allow Palestinians first free passage out of Gaza for four years Hundreds of Palestinians are expected to head to the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Saturday to take advantage…
1 December 1947: The partition of Palestine
The Guardian 27 May 2011 – Alistair Cooke reports from the UN Alistair Cooke was UN correspondent for the Manchester Guardian from 1945 to 1948. He was the paper’s chief correspondent for the US from 1948 until 1972. He died in 2004….
Fresh Fatalities as Syrians Brave Crackdown
IPS At least three people have been killed in Qatana, a suburb of the capital Damascus, after Syrian security forces used live fire to disperse hundreds of anti-government demonstrators, activists say.
LIBYA: Water Emerges as a Hidden Weapon
IPS Libya’s enormous aquatic reserves could potentially become a new weapon of choice if government forces opt to starve coastal cities that heavily rely on free flowing freshwater.
[uruknet.info] VIDEO: Egypt’s ‘Second Day of Rage’
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – Tens of thousands of Egyptians return to Tahrir Square for a ‘Second Day of Rage’, calling for the demands of the revolution to be fulfilled..
[uruknet.info] White washing Ali al-Lami
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – AP says of Ali al-Lami, “He was released after roughly a year in custody at a time when U.S. officials were handing over many prisoners to Iraqi officials as part of a security pact requiring that all prisoners in U.S. custody eventually be turned over to Iraqi control.” It is really something to see…
[uruknet.info] Supreme Court Fails to Tackle Torture – in the Past or in the Future
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – Since the dying days of the Bush administration, when the Supreme Court savaged the indifference of the executive branch and of Congress towards the cruel mess they had created at Guant?°namo, by ensuring that the prisoners had constitutionally guaranteed habeas corpus rights, it has, sadly, all been downhill when it comes to judicial oversight…
[uruknet.info] Sign the petition and get updated news about the Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – We are writing to ask for your support for the Gaza Freedom Flotilla scheduled to set sail in the second half of June to the besieged Gaza strip. At least ten ships with dignitaries, doctors, professors, artists, journalists, and activists, as well as construction supplies and humanitarian aid, will sail from ports in Europe…
[uruknet.info] Show goes on in Iraq’s political circus
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – …Last week Maliki hinted that he may resign and call new elections, just five months after forming his second cabinet. Two months ago, large and angry demonstrations broke out in Baghdad, inspired by the Arab Spring, chanting against corruption, poor government services, and the prime minister. Among other things, he was accused of mismanagement…
[uruknet.info] Washington’s War on Chavez
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – …Then on May 24, the State Department imposed sanctions for the first time against Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the state owned oil company for “deliver(ing) at least two cargos of reformate (a hydrocarbon product for gasoline) to Iran between December 2010 and March 2011, worth approximately $50 million.” They “prohibit the company from competing…
[uruknet.info] Baghdad: Four Demonstrations Activists Arrested Today
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – Four young activists were arrested today in Tahreer Square, when they were demonstrating with other 250 protesters, in a new demonstration called “Friday of Decision”, as reported by an activist group. Strict security precautions were made in the road leading to the square and the well fortified Green Zone. A source in (Iraqi Streets…
[uruknet.info] Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (19- 25 May 2011)
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – Summary: Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (19 – 25 May 2011): Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian in the Gaza Strip, while 2 Palestinian civilians and an international human rights defender were wounded; 2 of them were wounded in…
[uruknet.info] Report: Egypt working with Israel on Rafah policy
Uruknet May 27, 2011 — Egypt has explained to Israel that the Rafah crossing will not be used to transfer goods, and restrictions will be imposed on the movement of individuals, Israel radio reported Thursday. According to political sources quoted in the report, Egyptian authorities are aware of the risk that “terrorist elements” could pass through Rafah, the sole…
[uruknet.info] Little Saints…1
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – …Well I have many stories of saints in the making…and is Iraq not the land of Gods, Goddesses, Prophets and Saints ? What you are about to read are true samples…samples of your “Democracy, Freedom and Liberty.” How I have come to hate these words…they have become like small mirrors in which I see your…
[uruknet.info] “Only the Names Have Changed”: The Continued Struggle for Democracy in Egypt Interview with Mamdouh Habashi
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – The army leadership was not neutral, it was never neutral. The army is not operating on a battlefield, but rather in the political sphere. They are following a clear plan. They want to save as much as possible of the old regime’s structures. All the achievements of the revolution are a result of pressure…
[uruknet.info] Gaza – Medics: 3 hurt after navy shells fishing boa
Uruknet May 27, 2011 — Israel’s navy fired on fishing boats late Thursday, injuring three Palestinians, medics said. The fishermen were transferred to Ash-Shifa hospital for treatment of moderate injuries, medical official Adham Abu Silmiya said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the army had no record of such an event. Fishermen in Gaza are calling for protection after four…
[uruknet.info] SYRIA: Eight reported killed on ‘Homeland Protector Friday’
Uruknet May 27, 2011 – Syrian security forces opened fire on anti- government protesters in several cities and arrested demonstrators on “Homeland Protector Friday,” a day on which activists had called on the Syrian army to stand with the people, according to activist accounts. A Damascus-based human rights lawyer told Babylon & Beyond that eight people had been killed…
[uruknet.info] Egypt’s “state security” still blocks Rafah exit from Gaza
Uruknet May 26, 2011 – “My father, may he rest in peace, was an Egyptian, my daughters are Egyptians, my grandchildren are Egyptians, my brothers are Egyptians, I am an Egyptian,” an exasperated Salah Zorob told The Electronic Intifada. “Please look at these papers – here is a court ruling and Egyptian interior ministry documents, proving my Egyptian nationality….
[uruknet.info] Iraq snapshot – May 26, 2011
Uruknet May 26, 2011. Chaos and violence continue, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Patty Murray explores issues of veterans care, Moqtada al-Sadr stages a for-show ‘demonstration,’ Ali al-Lami is gunned down, and more… The big news out of Iraq today is an assassination that demostrates what Carly Simon sang in “One Man Woman” (Boys In The Trees), “In the…
[uruknet.info] Video: BDS explained – DID YOU KNOW?
Uruknet May 26, 2011 – This video is created by Australians for Palestine and Women for Palestine as an educational tool to help people gain a better understanding of the clear principles underpinning the Palestinian BDS call and the global Palestinian BDS movement…
[uruknet.info] NATO Transforms ‘Humanitarian Intervention’ in Libya into ‘A Feast of Blood’
Uruknet May 26, 2011 – In another orgy of high-tech violence against a weak nation ( Libya’s defense outlay is less than $ one billion, while the nations attacking it reach around $ one trillion) ,under the cover of an ill-conceived and mis-drafted UNSC resolution 1973 .NATO , not authorized by the resolution , is being used for regime change and to destroy another…
[uruknet.info] Haaretz: 200 Israeli companies have indirect investment ties in Iranian energy sector
Uruknet May 26, 2011 – At least 200 companies in Israel maintain extensive trade ties with Iran, in full knowledge of the Israeli government, Israel daily Haaretz reported. The paper said in a special report today by Yossi Melman that the trade ties include investment in the Iranian energy industry, which is Iran’s main source of income, and serves…
[uruknet.info] Israeli Forces Storms Madda Center for Children in Jerusalem
Uruknet May 26, 2011 – Israeli forces Thursday stormed Madaa Silwan creative center (Madaa) in Wadi Hilwah, a neighborhood in Silwan, near Al-Aqsa Mosque, while the children were there, according to witnesses. Witnesses told WAFA that the Israeli soldiers terrorized the children while they were looking for the head of the Center, Jawad Ssyam. They interrogated Ssyam’s wife who…
[uruknet.info] Specialists: 95% of Gaza water is not drinkable
Uruknet May 26, 2011 – During a workshop organised by the Mizan centre for Human rights held on Thursday in Gaza, Palestinian specialists said that 95% of groundwater in the Gaza Strip is not potable. They called on the international community and the and High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention to assume their responsibilities, through pressure on the…
[uruknet.info] Egypt: Military council: We will not protect the Friday protests
Uruknet May 26, 2011 – The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) announced on Thursday that its forces would not be taking part in securing Friday’s protests, dubbed “The Second Revolution of Anger”. Activists and political movements called for the Friday protest to demand a speedy trial for ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the involvement of civilians…
[uruknet.info] Witness: Shattered humanity inside Syria’s security apparatus
Uruknet May 26, 2011 – Reuters journalist Suleiman al-Khalidi, a Jordanian citizen, was arrested by Syrian security police when covering the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In the following story, he recounts his treatment at the hands of the Syrian intelligence services and the scenes of torture he witnessed around him during four days of confinement. Like other…
Yemen clashes spread as tribesmen seize military compound
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Yemeni tribesmen said they wrested a military compound from elite troops loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh outside the capital Sanaa Friday as fighting spread, threatening to tip the country into civil war.
Syrian forces kill at least 8 protesters as thousands take to streets
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Syrian security forces opened fire on anti-government demonstrations Friday, killing at least eight people as thousands took to the streets despite the near-certainty they would face gunfire, tear gas and stun guns, human rights activists and…
Mikati justifies Cabinet delay, Jumblatt blames Hezbollah
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, feeling the pinch of the delay in forming a new government, said Friday that process of forming a government was not open-ended, insinuating that he could make a decision on a Cabinet…
Army takes control of third GSM network
Daily Star 27 May 2011 The Lebanese Army took control of a telecoms building in Adlieh Friday a day after the Internal Security Forces’ Information Branch stopped the telecoms minister from inspecting the facility.
Roadside bomb jolts UNIFIL, Lebanese
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Six Italian peacekeepers were wounded Friday, two seriously, in a roadside bomb attack on their vehicle near Sidon, prompting Rome to announce a gradual reduction of its UNIFIL contingent.
Maronite patriarch holds court as honored guest in Zghorta
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai kicked off a two-day visit to Zghorta Friday, ahead of a second gathering of Christian political leaders set to take place under his sponsorship early next month.
Border towns fearful of Syrian incursion as Lebanese troops redeploy
Daily Star 27 May 2011 The redeployment of Lebanese troops from an unofficial crossing on the Lebanon-Syria border at Arida in the Wadi Khaled region has left local residents and Syrian refugees worrying about their vulnerability to possible cross-border raids by…
STL defense in absentia will mean uncharted waters
Daily Star 27 May 2011 The Defense Office for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is conducting training to prepare the teams of lawyers for the possibility of having to defend the accused in absentia for the first time in an international…
Missing Syrian activist’s family pleads for help
Daily Star 27 May 2011 The family of leading Syrian opposition figure Shibli al-Aisamy appealed to leaders in Lebanon for help after he went missing earlier this week.
New police unit to tackle public transport violations
Daily Star 27 May 2011 A new police unit was launched Friday to tackle traffic violations and illegal practices in the public transportation sector.
Hizb Ut-Tahrir’s support for protests not political
Daily Star 27 May 2011 A controversial Islamist group dismissed Friday reports that the group’s support for popular protests in Syria was inspired by domestic or foreign parties.
Assad regime is self-critical, says ambassador
Daily Star 27 May 2011 The Syrian regime is conducting self-criticism based on a comprehensive national dialogue that will lead to reforms and more justice and unity to face major challenges, according to Syria’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Abdel-Karim Ali.
Iraqi authorities hunt for suspect in slaying of anti-Baathist
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Iraqi police hunted Friday for the killer of a Shiite who was responsible for purging loyalists of deposed ruler Saddam Hussein. The official was once implicated in a bombing that killed Americans.
Bomb explosion in southeast Turkey wounds two people
Daily Star 27 May 2011 A small bomb exploded in front of military housing in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir overnight, wounding two people slightly, state-run Anatolian news agency reported Friday.
Russia joins Western chorus for Gadhafi to step down
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Russia believes Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi should quit and could help broker his departure, a senior Russian official said Friday in an important boost to NATO powers keen on ending his 41-year rule.
Anti-military protest fills Cairo square
Daily Star 27 May 2011 About 10,000 protesters returned to downtown Cairo’s Tahrir Square Friday for what they called a second revolution, calling for Egypt’s military rulers to speed up the pace of democratic reforms in a country that is still…
Israeli figures urge EU to back Palestine at U.N.
Daily Star 27 May 2011 A group of notable Israeli figures, among them former senior officials, are calling on Europe to recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. in September in a letter published Friday.
HRW: F1 should consider Bahrain rights abuses
Daily Star 27 May 2011 U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has asked the body governing Formula One motor racing to consider the deteriorating rights situation in Bahrain when considering next week whether to reinstate its Grand Prix.
South Sudan says 80,000 fled after North seized Abyei
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Alel Bol fled with four of her six children when armed northerners on motorbikes roared into her home in Sudan’s contested Abyei border region and, she said, bombs started falling from the sky.
Sanaa is now divided between bitter and entrenched enemies
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Like a Beirut, Belfast or Berlin of old, Sanaa has become a capital divided between entrenched and bitter enemies.
Lebanese leaders condemn attack on UNIFIL
Daily Star 27 May 2011 President Michel Sleiman, caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Speaker Nabih Berri all condemn bomb attack which left six Italian peacekeepers wounded Friday.
Mikati condemns UNIFIL bomb attack
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Prime Minister-designate praises U.N. for preserving stability and security in south Lebanon.
Syrian security forces fire on protests, killing 8
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Syrian security forces open fire on anti-government demonstrations, killing at least eight people as thousands took to the streets, human rights activists and witnesses said.
Family of missing Syrian opposition seek help in search
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Family of Syrian opposition figure, who went missing in Lebanon Tuesday appeal for help from political leaders in the search.
Bomb wounds six Italian peacekeepers in Lebanon
Daily Star 27 May 2011 A roadside bomb blew up a U.N. vehicle on a highway leading to the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon Friday, wounding six Italian peacekeepers, two seriously, security sources told The Daily Star.
Social Affairs Ministry defends Syrian refugee efforts
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Ministry says refugees are receiving proper care, urging U.S. to check accuracy of its information, after its embassy urges government to fulfill international obligations toward refugees.
Mikati: Cabinet formation process not open-ended
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Prime Minister-designate says he will make a decision on a Cabinet lineup soon regardless of the outcome.
Jumblatt: Hezbollah does not want Cabinet to be formed
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Progressive Socialist Party leader tells newspaper he sees things differently to the March 8 alliance.
Yemeni planes bomb tribesmen during clash; 3 die
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Sheikh Ali Saif says his tribesmen surrounded the camp of the powerful Republican Guard on Friday in the al-Fardha Nehem area, 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of the capital Sanaa.
Syrian security forces fire on protest, killing 4
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Opposition group says security forces opened fire on a late-night protest in a southern village, killing four people.
Aoun calls for Rifi’s prosecution over Telecoms Ministry dispute
Daily Star 27 May 2011 FPM leader Michel Aoun calls for the prosecution of ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi over Thursday’s dispute between caretaker Telecoms Minister Charbel Nahhas and Rifi.
Russia joins Western chorus for Gadhafi to go
Daily Star 27 May 2011 Russia prepared to help broker Gadhafi’s departure, official says, as it joins calls on Libyan leader to exit.
Syrian delegation urges refugees to return
Daily Star 27 May 2011 A delegation from the Syrian authority has informed Syrian refugees in Lebanon that they should return to Syria and are allowed to use the Bkayaa border crossing to do so.
G-8 “appalled” by Syria, warns of “further measures”
Daily Star 27 May 2011 World leaders call on Syria to immediately stop using force as Turkish leader says Syria may yet still achieve stability if it carries out shock therapy of reforms.
G-8 calls on Saleh to quit ahead of Friday protests
Daily Star 26 May 2011 The Group of Eight leaders condemned violence by Yemeni forces against peaceful protesters as country expects to see pro- and anti- Saleh demonstrations Friday.
Hariri questions Nahhas motives
Daily Star 26 May 2011 Caretaker PM Saad Hariri agreed Thursday to allow judicial authorities to handle the case involving caretaker Telecoms Minister Charbel Nahhas who was accused of illegal use of a third telecoms network.
Canada takes pro-Israel line at G8 summit
YNet News, 27 May 2011 – Canadian delegation blocks mention of 1967 lines in Group of Eight leaders’….
Police: Mladic captured in a routine raid
YNet News, 27 May 2011 – Serbian war criminal’s son says his father suffered two strokes while on the….
Report: Syrian protesters torch Nasrallah photos
YNet News, 27 May 2011 – Turkish foreign minister urges ‘shock therapy’ of reforms as Syrian forces fire….
New Book: Vatican helped Nazis escape
YNet News, 27 May 2011 – Harvard researcher says Vatican issued fake IDs to war criminals fleeing….
Turkey: Israel should avoid flotilla face-off
YNet News, 27 May 2011 – Foreign minister says he hopes Israel ‘has gained sufficient experience’ from….
Rich nations to offer $20B for Arab Spring
YNet News, 27 May 2011 – G-8 earmarks billions for Arab countries that have overthrown autocrats, such as….
Study: Settlements worth $18.8 billion
YNet News, 27 May 2011 – Economic center releases report assessing monetary worth of Jewish homes in West….
Soldier left behind in Gaza gets disabled status
YNet News, 27 May 2011 – Defense Ministry recognizes combat soldier suffering from post-trauma as shell….
‘Ahmadinejad wants friendship with Israel’
YNet News, 26 May 2011 – Muslim cleric claims Iranian president who threatened to wipe Jewish State off….
Governance Committee aims to create stability
YNet News, 26 May 2011 – Coalitional Governance Committee meets with Forum for Government Stability to….
Israeli leftists urge Europe to recognize Palestine
YNet News, 26 May 2011 – Prominent Israeli leftists sign letter urging European leaders to vote in favor….
Palestinian Information Center
Families of political detainees in W.B. hold sit-in, demand their release
PIC – Families of the political detainees in Junaid prison in Nablus city have decided to hold a sit-in in front of the jail after PA security forces refused to let them visit their sons..
Gaza fishermen ask for international protection in Gaza waters
PIC – Hundreds of fishermen in the besieged Gaza Strip have urged the international community to provide them with international protection against the Israeli maritime blockade ..
IJ: Political detention in W. Bank put question mark on reconciliation
PIC – The Islamic Jihad Movement has strongly condemned Thursday the PA security forces in the West Bank for continuing their political detention policy despite the signing of the reconciliation agreement.
Twelve European countries participate in the “Freedom Flotilla 2”
PIC – The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza, said Thursday that ships from 12 European countries have expressed willingness to participate in Freedom Flotilla 2 next month..
Dweik rejects formation of government before reactivation of the PLC
PIC – The Speaker of the PLC, Dr. Aziz Dweik, rejected the notion of forming the government before the reactivation of the PLC so that the new government can be presented to it for approval.
Israeli occupation bulldozers continue to disfigure Jerusalem
PIC – Israeli occupation bulldozers and other heavy machinery continued on Thursday to disfigure the occupied holy city by removing some features at Sultan Sulaiman Road..
Abbas’s security moves hunger-strikers to Jenin and Jericho prisons
PIC – Families of political prisoners at the Junaid prison in Nablus said that the prison administration moved those who went on hunger strike to other prisons in Jericho and Jenin.
Shreim joins the hunger strikers at Junaid prison
PIC – The committee representing families of political prisoners said on Friday said that political prisoner Abdel-Fattah Shreim (31) started his hunger strike on Thursday..
Three Gaza fishermen wounded after their boat was attacked off Khan Younis
PIC – The crew of a fishing boat survived an attack by the Israeli occupation navy which took place late Thursday evening off the southern Gaza Strip Khan Younis shores, three of them were injured.
Netanyahu wants a Palestinian quisling, not peace partner
PIC – His recent speech before Congress caricatures an extremist demagogue who understands peace to mean domination and enslavement..
Hotel Occupancy Down in First Quarter 2011
WAFA
FRANKLIN LAMB: Is the Arab Spring spreading to US Congressional staffs?
Intifada-Palestine: 27 May 2011 – “Everyone knows that Members of Congress are regularly pressured and targeted by AIPAC. You should know that dozens of staffers have been fired from their jobs on the Hill during the 15 years I have been here. ” by Dr. Franklin… more
In Yemen and Syria, 25 slain as violence continues
LA Times 27 May 2011 – Airstrikes leave as many as 17 people dead after opposition fighters storm a government base in Yemen. In Syria, eight people are killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in several cities. Violence claimed more lives in Yemen and Syria on Friday as the…
Egypt protesters gather for ‘second revolution’
LA Times 27 May 2011 – Thousands fill Cairo’s Tahrir Square to call for the Mubarak regime’s prosecution and delayed elections. Some analysts say the rally proves Egypt’s progressives have failed to organize themselves into a unified political force. Thousands of protesters filled Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday for what was…
Egyptian activists seek a ‘Second Revolution’
LA Times 26 May 2011 – Pro-democracy activists, angered by the slow pace of transition and the continued use of the Mubarak-era emergency law, plan a huge rally in Tahrir Square. The interim prime minister pleads for time. Mohamed al Beheiry was reading the newspaper Feb. 28 when he spotted a…
Obama presses for Egypt, Tunisia aid at G-8 summit
LA Times 26 May 2011 – Meanwhile, he comes under renewed pressure from European allies to boost the U.S. role in Libya. President Obama pressed world powers at an international summit Thursday to swiftly aid the stricken economies of Egypt and Tunisia, but at the same time he faced renewed pressure…
Moammar Kadafi a ‘paranoid’ leader in fear for his life, reports say
LA Times 27 May 2011 –
Tanker sale to Iranian company a sore spot for Israel
LA Times 26 May 2011 – Israel’s government, which has long attempted to isolate Iran, declines to defend an Israeli conglomerate accused of selling an oil tanker to an Iranian firm in violation of U.S. sanctions. The Israeli government moved Thursday to distance itself from one of the country’s largest private…
Alleged CIA operative criticizes ‘extraordinary rendition’ of Muslim cleric
LA Times 26 May 2011 – Sabrina De Sousa, one of those convicted in Italy in the kidnapping case, says that Abu Omar wasn’t a significant threat. She is suing the U.S. to provide her diplomatic protection during her appeals process. It stands among the most public American foul-ups in the…
Security Forces Appear to Show Restraint as Protests Spread Across Syria
New York Times 27 May 2011 – In a possible bid to keep down a rising death toll, security forces appeared to show restraint by not firing on demonstrations in some areas of the country.
Airstrikes Reported East of Yemen Capital
New York Times 27 May 2011 – Yemen degenerated further into bloody conflict as clashes beyond the capital drew in more tribal factions and threatened to widen the fighting.
Saudi Arabia Scrambles to Limit Region’s Upheaval
New York Times 27 May 2011 – Saudi Arabia is flexing its financial and diplomatic might in a bid to avert the overthrow of any more leaders in the Middle East.
Israel Waits and Worries Before Gaza Border Opening
New York Times 27 May 2011 – The Israeli government did not issue a statement on Egypt’s plans to open its border with Gaza, but some officials said they worried about weapons and militants flowing into the strip.
At a Protest In Cairo, One Group Is Missing
New York Times 27 May 2011 – For the first time since the Jan. 25 protest that kicked off the revolution, a street demonstration in Cairo took place without the Muslim Brotherhood.
Bombing Attack on Peacekeepers in Lebanon Adds Another Jolt to a Region in Upheaval
New York Times 27 May 2011 – A roadside bomb targeted a United Nations convoy near a southern Lebanese port Friday, wounding several Italian peacekeepers and a Lebanese passerby, officials said.
Iraqi Shiite Militias Again Pose a Threat as U.S. Forces Leave
New York Times 27 May 2011 – Even as the United States military prepares to leave Iraq by the end of the year, Shiite militants have stepped up attacks, posing a threat to the remaining troops.
Qaddafi Flees to Hospitals to Dodge Bombs, Reports Say
New York Times 27 May 2011 – Two British newspapers say NATO bombings are keeping the Libyan leader increasingly on the run.
Death toll soars in fighting in Yemeni capital
WSWS – More than 100 people have been killed in four days by fighting between anti-government militiamen and forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Tunisian interim prime minister visits France ahead of G8 summit
WSWS – Tunisian interim prime minister Beji Caid Essebsi met with French president Nicolas Sarkozy on May 17-18 to plan joint strategy against continuing protests in Tunisia.
US FMF funds to subsidize new Israeli trainer
Neged Neshek – Flight International is reporting that both of the finalists for Israel’s trainer jet have sufficient USA-made components to qualify for US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) funds . The FMF program is an annual gift from the US government to its arms industry. The US State Department grants…
HEBRON/AL-KHALIL:Soldiers throw sound bombs in market as shopkeepers close up for evening; several people injured
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine – At approximately 7:00 on 21 May 2011, CPTers heard an explosion andshortly afterwards received a call from a frantic shop owner who said aman had been hit near her shop. When Esther Mae Hinshaw and KathleenKern arrived on the scene, they saw a man, semi-conscious, who…
AT-TUWANI: Israeli intelligence, backed by military, threatens villagers
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Palestine – On Monday, 23 May, Israeli intelligence entered At-Tuwani, escorted by about fifteen soldiers. In the operation the Israeli military invaded a local leader’s house, demanded that villagers stop their nonviolent resistance, and threatened violent retaliation if the Palestinians persist asserting their rights to the land.
Obama’s mild defiance at AIPAC cost him $10 million in Jewish donations
Mondoweiss – Adam Kredo in the Washington Jewish Week honestly addresses a central political issue that a far more prominent journalist, Robert Siegel on NPR, sought to mystify earlier this week. First Kredo: One prominent Jewish leader who attended Obama’s AIPAC speech told me that “the Jewish community…
Mr Obama, maybe the pogroms have to stop before you talk about a Palestinian state…
Mondoweiss – In Washington DC, the pundits are frantically debating the implications of Obama’s recent speeches on the Middle East. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the of village At-Tuwani, the tiny flowers of spring are pushing up through the dry ground. Palestinian farmers are grazing their sheep…
Next generation of American leaders getting ready to write Dear John letter to special relationship?
Mondoweiss – Brookings poll of attitudes among likely future leaders, American millenials, those born between ’80—2005, selecting for those in leadership positions, says that they regard Israel as both an ally and a problem. The numbers, which are a little vague, are at the link: As plays out…
AIPAC official says Egypt’s commitment to peace demands blockade on Gaza
Mondoweiss – and other news from the Arab Spring: Bahrain Bahrain’s abuse of dissenters: four detailed cases A pattern of widespread abuse emerges from these cases, including detention without trial, beatings, and lack of access to lawyers and family. http://rss.csmonitor.com/%7Er/feeds/world/%7E3/cy_Qjv3fkvA/Bahrain-s-abuse-of-dissenters-four-detailed-cases Bahrain: High court to review death penalty cases (…
Col Desmond Travers captures NYC
Mondoweiss – The Nation has posted a video of the panel we and the Culture Project did a week ago in New York on Gaza and Goldstone— with Naomi Klein, Noura Erakat, Col Desmond Travers of the Goldstone mission (above), and our co-editor Lizzy Ratner. It was a…
IDF Recruits Congolese to Enforce Occupation, Do Israel’s Dirty Work
Tikun Olam – Mkomo twins, former Congolese refugees, now enforcing Israel’s Occupation of Palestinians (Oren Nachshon) Not to be outdone by Muammar Qaddafi’s mercenary African army, the IDF too recruits Africans to put the screws to West Bank Palestinians. Two Congolese twins enlisted in the IDF and were assigned…
Elbit in Canadian TAPV tender
Neged Neshek – Defense Update notes that Elbit Systems is participating in a Canadian military bid for tactical armored patrol vehicles in a consortium led by Force Protection Industries. Elbit’s part of the bid is to provide remote control weapon stations (RCWS). Elbit has previously sold RCWS to Austria,…
Senior PLO representative says ending the occupation is the only guarantee of Israeli security
Middle East Monitor 27 May 2011 – The head of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation’s culture and media section has said that ending Israel’s 44-year occupation of the Palestinian territories is the only way to guarantee the Zionists state’s security. Speaking in the Unites States in response to Benjamin Netanyahu’s “campaign to spread rumours…
Settlers claim that new settlement projects will cover all areas of Jerusalem
Middle East Monitor 27 May 2011 – A Jewish settlement movement has said that it plans to speed up construction of settlements in East Jerusalem in such a way that it will not be feasible to divide the city. YnetNews.com reported that a new project by the Jewish Settlements in East Jerusalem Movement…
Washington allocates millions of dollars to develop Israel’s anti-rocket system
Middle East Monitor 27 May 2011 – Reports from Israel claim that the US government has allocated tens of millions of dollars from the 2012 budget to help the Israelis to develop the “Iron Dome” anti-rocket system. According to Radio Israel, the Department of Defence in Washington has agreed to provide financial assistance…
‘Eight killed’ in Syria protests
BBC 27 May 2011 – Security forces in Syria open fire on anti-government protesters, killing at least eight people in several shooting incidents, reports say.
UN convoy in Lebanon hit by bomb
BBC 27 May 2011 – A UN convoy is hit by a bomb near the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, wounding six Italian peacekeepers, officials say.
Buying stability
BBC 27 May 2011 – Aid-dependent West Bank economy sees fragile boom
(en) Palestine-Israel, Youth Arrest in Nabi Shaleh by Ben Ronen*
A-infos 27 May 2011 – In the morning we arrived at the Ofer compound, one of the many luxurious compounds built for the comfort of over 6000 Palestinian prisoners currently being held by Israel. The compound contains a huge prison and a military court in which Palestinian prisoners, young and old…
Articles
Analysis: Revolution at the Rafah border
Ramzy Baroud, Ma’an News Agency5/27/2011
The Palestinian security officer at the Rafah border was overly polite. He wore a black uniform and walked around self-assuredly, as he instructed weary travelers on their next moves before being allowed back into Gaza.
On the other side of the border, in Egypt, there was much anxiety, fear and anticipation.
“Things will get better,” said a Palestinian engineer from Gaza, who once studied and now works in a Swedish town south of Stockholm.
What he meant was that things will get better at the border crossing, in terms of the relationship between Gaza and Egypt. Without a decisive Egyptian decision to reopen the crossing — completely — Gaza will continue to reel under the Israeli siege.
Others agree, but Gazans have learned not to become too confident about political statements promising positive changes.
However, the Egypt of today belongs to an entirely different political category to the Egypt of Hosni Mubarak’s leadership. Palestinians, especially those trapped behind the shut borders in Gaza, are well aware of this. Still they are cautious.
“Inshallah” (God willing), they say. “May Allah bring good things.”
For now, things remain difficult at the border. When Egyptian border officials collect passports for examination, and return a few hours later to read aloud the names of those allowed in, a large crowd gathers around them. Tensions soon escalate to yelling, and occasional tears. more.. e-mail
Obama to Israel: Take whatever you want
Lamis Andoni, Al Jazeera5/23/2011
In his latest speech, Obama’s thinly veiled rhetoric proves he will do anything to satisfy his pro-Israel voter base.
In 2008, Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, pandered to pro-Israeli voters and Israel by promising in a speech addressed to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), that Jerusalem would forever remain “the undivided capital of Israel”.
Three years later, Obama is on another pre-campaign trail in order to improve his chances for re-election in 2012. As part of this campaign, he has made a new round of half-hearted attempts to revive the stalled “peace process” completely under Israel’s terms.
In his latest speech addressed to AIPAC, Obama promised Israel everything short of allegiance by reaffirming America’s commitment to Israel’s political and security goals. His speech denied the right of Palestinians to declare a nation and he even vowed to block any peaceful Palestinian efforts to claim their legal rights at international organisations.
Obama’s lip service to Palestinian “self-determination” is nothing more than vacuous rhetoric – as he clearly implied that Israeli interests, especially its security, remain the top priority for American foreign policy in the region.
He mechanically repeated his commitment to the vision of a two-state solution – establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel. However, as expected, he left the borders and terms of the creation of such state subject to Israel’s “security interests”. more.. e-mail
Realities of a changing Hamas
Manuela Paraipan, Ma’an News Agency5/25/2011
On April 27, Hamas and Fatah agreed to sign an agreement in Cairo, in early May, to form a technocrat transitional government – a must if they are to have an independent Palestinian state by the end of the year.
The response from the US-aligned international community appears to be a repeat of previous attempts to arrange matters for the Palestinians minus Hamas. But is this fair?
Hamas leaders in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon have drawn lessons from past mistakes and learned how to focus on national goals, including both welfare and security, while charting new direction as a regional political force and as representatives of a segment of the Palestinian population.
Hamas, like Fatah, is a major political party seeking an independent, sovereign state, and with a keen interest in development, civil rights protection, environment and economic sustainability. In addition to those shared mandates, Hamas has Islamic features, and seeks to govern under the direction of Islam.
The party was legitimized by a fair and democratic electoral process in an unfriendly context which resulted in Israel’s siege and blockade of Gaza, and deepened internal division. Hamas has understood very well, that while alliances and partnerships with state actors are important, the key to legitimacy is the people. This fact has been the driver in the recent changes in Hamas policy and is behind a new institutional maturity.
Resistance is a key element of the vocabulary Hamas uses to define and strengthen itself. But for the party, resistance is not limited to violence; it is a wider and more flexible concept than many give them credit for. more.. e-mail
“Shifting Sands” anthology a hit and miss
Electronic Intifada: 26 May 2011 – Asa Winstanley The Electronic Intifada Published by Whole World Press and edited by Osie Gabriel Adelfang, Shifting Sands is a collection of essays, prose and one poem by Jewish activists and writers. Asa Winstanley reviews for The Electronic Intifada. Shifting Sands: Jewish Women Confront the Israeli Occupation Manufacturer: Whole World Press Part Number: Price: $16.00more
Egypt’s “state security” still blocks Rafah exit from Gaza
Electronic Intifada: 26 May 2011 – Rami Almeghari The Electronic Intifada Gaza Strip Last week, Palestinian officials at the Rafah crossing terminal in southern Gaza suspended work unilaterally for one day in protest of the Egyptian-imposed travel restrictions. Officials told The Electronic Intifada that dozens of travelers have been turned away by Egyptian officials on a daily basis for the last three months.more
Welcome to Gaza: Revolution and Change at the Rafah Border
Palestine Chronicle: 27 May 2011 – By Ramzy Baroud The Palestinian security officer at the Rafah border was overly polite. He wore a black uniform and walked around self-assuredly, as he instructed weary travelers on their next moves before being allowed back into Gaza. On the other side of the border, in Egypt, there was much anxiety, fear and anticipation. ‘Things will get better,’ said a Palestinian engineer from Gaza, who once studied and now works in a Swedish town south of Stockholm. What he meant was that things will get better at the border crossing, in terms of the relationship between Gaza and Egypt. Without a decisive Egyptian decision to reopen the crossing — completely — Gaza will continue to reel under the Israeli siege. Others agree, but Gazans have learned not to become too confident about political statements promising positive changes. However, the Egypt of today belongs to an entirely different political category to…more
Bibi and the Yo-Yos
Palestine Chronicle: 27 May 2011 – By Uri Avnery It was all rather disgusting. There they were, the members of the highest legislative bodies of the world’s only superpower, flying up and down like so many yo-yos, applauding wildly, every few minutes or seconds, the most outrageous lies and distortions of Binyamin Netanyahu. It was worse than the Syrian parliament during a speech by Bashar Assad, where anyone not applauding could find himself in prison. Or Stalin’s Supreme Soviet, when showing less than sufficient respect could have meant death. What the American Senators and Congressmen feared was a fate worse than death. Anyone remaining seated or not applauding wildly enough could have been caught on camera — and that amounts to political suicide. It was enough for one single congressman to rise and applaud, and all the others had to follow suit. Who would dare not to? The sight of these hundreds of parliamentarians jumping up…more
Popular Resistance in Palestine — Book Review
Palestine Chronicle: 27 May 2011 – By Theresa Wolfwood (Qumsiyeh, Mazin B. Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment. 2010. Pluto Press. UK &USA) ‘…the reality is that popular resistance in Palestine developed indigenously, organically, naturally and beautifully. And it has accelerated in the past two decades.’ Qumsiyeh is a committed activist and academic in Palestine; this is his third book. I know of the many activities he organizes and participates in; his energy is amazing. Grounded in the present situation of struggle against the occupation, he also has the scholarly skills to present an excellent history of the role of non-violent struggle in Palestine’s continuing journey to freedom and self-determination, along with examination of present and past actions. Non-violence is crucial to that journey; it is both path and destination. In contrast to the need for strong leaders and limited consultation resulting in secretive elitism required for armed resistance, non-violent resistance is…more
Whose Land?
Dissident Voice: 27 May 2011 – Bill Willers criticizes the sale of what he calls “public lands” and public assets” because this will result in a reallocation of land for the benefit of the wealthy in the “United States.” 1 I agree that such a sale is wrong. However, I wholeheartedly dissent from the language and the implications of the language. I know that Willers is aware of the dispossession and considers it wrong. He is focused on the now and future. Oren Lyons, elder of the Onondaga Nation said, “Empires are built on language. When we speak their languages, we come under their empire.” 2 Whether of the past or present, language is important. It is a means of communication to describe the world around us. British writer George Orwell held that language is often used to obscure reality. 3 For colonialists or their progeny to call the lands in the US (or “Canada,” or…more
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The New Dark Age 
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