9 June, 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israel Raids West Bank Towns Overnight
IMEMC – Thursday June 09, 2011 – 17:14, Maan news agency is reporting that five Palestinian men, including minors, were abducted over night during raids on West Bank towns and villages by the Israeli military.
Hamas Considering Abstention From Future PA Cabinets
IMEMC – Thursday June 09, 2011 – 15:48, Sections of Hamas’s political leadership are debating proposals to stay out of future governments in the Palestinian Territories in a bid to avoid international isolation, according to AFP.
Divisions Arise In PA Over Plans For September
IMEMC – Thursday June 09, 2011 – 12:40, According to a report by Haaretz, based on conversations with Palestinian and UN officials, divisions between the PA leadership have emerged over plans to seek statehood at the UN in September.
Poll Shows Fayyad Most Favored By Palestinians For Role Of PM
IMEMC – Thursday June 09, 2011 – 11:34, A new poll conducted by Jerusalem Media and Communications Centre has shown that incumbent Palestinian PM Salam Fayyad is the most favoured among Palestinians to lead the next unity government.
“East Jerusalem-Six Voices”
IMEMC – Thursday June 09, 2011 – 10:48, Israeli human rights group B’T Selem and the Gaurdian UK have released a series of short films based on life for Palestinians living under the threat of eviction and dispossession in East Jerusalem.
Activists: Soldiers stop farmers working on land
6/9/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli soldiers on Thursday prevented Palestinian farmers from working on their land near Hebron in the southern West Bank, rights activists said. Israeli soldiers, accompanied by dogs, forced farmers from Beit Ummar to leave their fields near the illegal Bat Ayin settlement, where they were harvesting vine leaves and pears, Palestinian….
Medics: Gaza hospitals at crisis point
6/9/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hospitals in Gaza are at crisis point due to shortages of supplies, medical services spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya said Thursday. Warehouses have run out of over 178 types of medicine, the spokesman said, adding that over 190 types of medical equipment needed for surgery had either run out or were….
5 detained overnight, villages raided
6/9/2011 – QALQILYA (Ma’an) — Five were detained by Israeli forces overnight and at least one village was raided without arrests reported, local officials told Ma’an. An Israel military statement confirmed that five were “transferred for security questioning.”Near Tubas, a man was detained and a second handed an order to appear before Israeli….
Israel extends detention of Fatah lawmaker
6/9/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israel’s Ofer military court extended the detention of Fatah leader Hussam Khader by 72 hours on Thursday, Palestinian Authority Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Qaraqe said. Khader is a long-time proponent of reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah,and was taken from his home at 2 a. m. on….
Prison leader released after 4.5 years
6/9/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The detainees center in Gaza City reported Thursday the release from Israeli custody of 45 year-old Ayed Dudin from Durra village in Hebron following the end of a four-and-a-half-year prison term. Dudin has spent a total of 14 years in Israeli prison. He spent at least two years jailed without….
Israeli police arrest 3 over Golan protests
6/9/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli police have arrested three people in the Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams, accusing them of throwing stones during protests, a spokeswoman said on Thursday. The three were accused of throwing stones as residents of the town clashed with Israeli security forces last Sunday, as protesters from Syria sought to break through….
Rafah opens for second day
6/9/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza opened for a the second day in a row on Thursday, following a four-day closure as officials argued over appropriate crossing regulations. The first day of operations saw 450 Palestinians cross into Egypt, crossing director Ayoub Abu Sha’artold Ma’….
Hamas: Netanyahu responsible for swap deal delay
6/9/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouq blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, for what he said was a delay in the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners in a swap deal. Citing Netanyahu’s “intransigence,” the official said the leader bore “full responsibility” for the continued confinement of captured….
Parliamentary committee calls on health minister to resign
6/9/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A parliamentary fact-finding committee on Thursday called for the resignations of Palestinian Authority Health Minister Fathi Abu Moghli and Secretary-General of the Medical Council Munther Sharif. Abu Moghli is also the head of the Medical Council, and the committee recommended that the council’s file should be transferred to the…. Related: Abu Moghli: Parliamentary committee is illegal
Abu Moghli: Parliamentary committee is illegal
6/9/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority Health Minister Fathi Abu Moghli on Thursday challenged the legality of the parliamentary committee calling for his resignation. At a press conference in Ramallah on Thursday, a fact-finding committee accused the health minister of financial and administrative violations. The committee recommended that the file of the Medical Council, which…. Related: Parliamentary committee calls on health minister to resign
Bethlehem child dies from smoke inhalation
6/9/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — An 8-year-old boy died Thursday after falling unconscious from smoke inhalation two days earlier, medics said. Mu’taz Fayez Masalmah and another boy were found unconscious in a small cave in Bethlehem’s Old City on Tuesday. Medics said they had passed out from inhaling smoke in the….
EU condemns mosque arson
6/9/2011 – BRUSSELS, Belgium (Ma’an) — EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Thursday condemned the arson attack on a mosque near Ramallah. On Tuesday, a mosque in Al-Mughayyir was torched and sprayed with anti-Arab graffiti. Witnesses said a group of Israeli settlers arrived in the village before dawn, and shortly after they saw flames rising….
Moussa ‘committed’ to Palestinian statehood
6/9/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — The Arab League’s outgoing chief and Egyptian presidential candidate Amr Moussa told French television on Thursday that he wants to work for peace between Israel and Palestinians but not at any price.” Egypt’s position will have to get back to a position of influence in the region and to….
West seeks UN vote condemning Syria
6/9/2011 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Western powers pressed the UN Security Council to condemn Syria’s deadly crackdown on opposition protests in the face of strong opposition from Russia and China. Britain and France have drawn up a new resolution which demands that President Bashar Al-Assad end the violence and lift the siege of protest cities….
Syrians vow more protests as troops converge
6/9/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) – Pro-democracy activists vowed more protests against President Bashar Al-Assad for Friday, as witnesses reported a convoy of troops and tanks heading for a flashpoint town in northwest Syria. Ahead of the tanks and soldiers reported converging on Jisr Al-Shughur, a center of earlier bloodshed, hundreds of the town’s residents were fleeing….
Broadcasting Provocative Debate From an Island of Free Speech
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – New York Times- “How much longer do I give Qaddafi? I hope he leaves tonight.” It wouldn’t be unusual to hear people whisper such strong political opinions in cafes across the Middle East, but this statement, made by a 30-year-old…
Huge demand for hearing aids
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – IRIN- Hearing impairments are common among Palestinians mainly due to inherited genetic mutations and lack of access to adequate medical services which allows minor infections to develop into major problems, according to Rafi Walden, a surgeon at Sheba medical centre…
Star Trek’s Mr Spock urges two-state Mid-East solution
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – BBC News- Leonard Nimoy, the Jewish-American actor who starred as Mr Spock in Star Trek, has become the latest celebrity to weigh into the debate about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In an open letter published on the website of the non-governmental…
Palestine campaign song generates controversy ahead of release
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – Guardian- A campaign song, to be released early next month, called Freedom For Palestine, is already kicking up a row. (Please visit the site to view this media) It’s a compilation number, along the lines of Feed The World or…
Lawyers, not IDF, at forefront of battle against flotilla
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – Jerusalem Post- Shurat HaDin aims to prevent blockade breach by bringing lawsuits in the US against companies offering services to participating ships. In an effort to prevent the upcoming flotilla into Gaza , the Shurat HaDin Law Center has threatened lawsuits…
Obama, Merkel: September statehood bid to be avoided
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – Ma’an- US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agree that Palestinians should not seek recognition of a state at the UN in September, Obama said in a news conference Tuesday. According to Israeli daily Haaretz, Merkel stressed that…
Hamas considering hands-off approach in Palestinian unity government
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – Haaretz – After four years of turbulent rule in the Gaza Strip, the Islamic militant group Hamas is weighing a new strategy of not directly participating in future governments even if it wins elections — an approach aimed at avoiding…
Egyptians seize Gaza car smuggling tunnel
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – Ma’an- Egyptian border guards raided a tunnel used to smuggle cars between Gaza and Egypt, Egyptian security sources told Ma’an Wednesday. The forces located the site south of the Salah Ad-Din gate in Rafah, on the Egyptian side of the…
Palestinian youth long for freedom and unity in Gaza
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – BBC News looks as the impact of Hamas-Fatah animosity over the years BBC News – As Arab Spring lengthens into Arab Summer, Newsnight’s Tim Whewell travels to Gaza – one of the most enclosed societies on earth – to find…
The Arab Cold War
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – Amarjit S. Gulshan – As complex events unfold within a complex region, it may prove instructive to view the Middle East of the moment through a wide angle lens. Libya remains a critical site, as the NATO response to Gaddafi…
Jordan Tries to Remake Its Political Machinery
Palestine Note 9 Jun 2011 – New York Times- Ahmad Sami, 28, watched as cars passed by his makeshift tent, which he set up to sell watermelons. Mr. Sami’s business opens early and closes late and so, he said, he did not hear about the recommendations…
Peace: The Israeli and Palestinian Peace Agreement (Yes We Can Version)
Palestine Note 8 Jun 2011 – How many articles have you read that dare to even broadly outline what a peace agreement between Palestinians and Israelis will include, compared to the many repetitive tomes describing in great detail why Jews and Arabs can never live in…
US senators backlash at Obama peace efforts
AlJazeera 9 Jun 2011 – Over 30 senators introduce bill in opposition to the president’s position that Israel should retreat to 1967 borders.
Clinton says ‘Gaddafi’s days are numbered’
AlJazeera 9 Jun 2011 – Leaders at International Contact Group on Libya meeting in Abu Dhabi pledge $1.3bn for rebel’s transitional council.
Thousands of Syrians flee unrest to Turkey
AlJazeera 9 Jun 2011 – More than 2,400 refugees flee unrest in Jisr al-Shughur and other towns as Turkish officials brace for further arrivals.
IAEA reports Syria to UN Security Council
AlJazeera 9 Jun 2011 – Atomic watchdog reports Damascus over claims it secretly building a nuclear reactor that was later destroyed by Israel.
Reports: US intensifying Yemen air raids
AlJazeera 9 Jun 2011 – US newspaper says the move is aimed at preventing suspected fighters from consolidating power in strife-torn nation.
US Congresswoman Seeks to Deny UN Aid if Palestinian State Recognized
PNN – Washington ‚Äì PNN ‚Äì Leading Republican congresswoman, chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, plans to introduce legislation which would prevent any US funding to any UN…
President Aide Denies Rift between Palestinian Political Leadership on the UN State Bid
PNN – Bethlehem ‚Äì PNN ‚Äì Nimir Hammad, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s political advisor, denied reports made by Israeli media about a rift among Palestinian leaders regarding the efforts to reach the UN’s Security…
Blair Warns Arab Spring Makes Peace Deal Difficult
PNN – London – PNN – Special envoy to the Middle East quartet Tony Blair has admitted that the Arab Spring may make it harder for Israel and the Palestinians to reach a peace…
Demolition Watch
Relief Web 9 Jun 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory The Israeli practice of demolishing homes, basic infrastructure and sources of livelihoods continues to devastate Palestinian families and communities in East Jerusalem and…
Record number of children displaced by West Bank demolitions
Relief Web 9 Jun 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory Tags: protection | West Bank UNRWA announces record high figures relating to West Bank demolitions Launches new web initiative to document demolitions 9 June…
Violations Bulletin – Issue 9 – May 2011
Relief Web 9 Jun 2011 – Source: Defence for Children International/Palestine Section Country: occupied Palestinian territory Two children killed and one maimed during Nakba demonstrations Two children attacked by settlers in Hebron Children injured by unexploded ordnances in the West Bank Human Rights Watch and Amnesty…
UNRWA statement on Syria
Relief Web 9 Jun 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Syrian Arab Republic (the) 9 June 2011 The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Filippo Grandi, is deeply distressed that Palestine refugees in Syria have lost…
Labour Market Briefing, Gaza Strip – Second-half 2010
Relief Web 8 Jun 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory SUMMARY The Gaza labour market in second-half 2010 (H2 2010) showed growth in employment and unemployment relative to H2 2009. Comparing H1 and…
Labour Market Briefing, West Bank – Second-half 2010
Relief Web 8 Jun 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory New UN research challenges conventional view of the West Bank economy 8 June 2011 Jerusalem New research by the United Nations Agency for…
Rafah crossing reopened after 4-day closure
9 Jun 2011 – Gaza Strip, (Pal Telegraph)-Rafah border crossing was reopened Wednesday to allow the transfer of residents of Gaza Strip into Egyptian territories after four days of closure.
Israel prevents Palestinian farmers from working in their fields
9 Jun 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli occupation forces prevented yesterday Palestinian farmers from entering and working in their agricultural lands near the illegal settlement of Beit Ein established on the territories of Beit Ummer town in the northwest of Hebron.
Iraqi pipeline exploration hits an explosive obstacle
The National 9 Jun 2011 – For the past year they have been scouring the seabed from the Al Faw peninsula to Iraq’s offshore oil terminals, clearing the way for a vital new pipeline. Now, just as their task nears an end, the team of former military divers has made a dramatic discovery.
Summer, and controversy, reignite debate over Qatar World Cup plan
The National 9 Jun 2011 – Last week’s divisive elections at Fifa, football’s governing body, reignited the debate about whether a World Cup could really be staged in Qatar in the height of the Gulf summer. The Review examines the case for air-conditioned stadiums in the week when the 2022 tournament should kick off, 11 years from now.
Disillusion starts to grow with Egypt’s military amid fears of ‘mini-Mubaraks’
The National 9 Jun 2011 – Four months on from the revolution that saw President Mubarak ousted, shine is waring off off Egypt¬øs military as young revolutionaries say the country’s generals are not moving fast enough to make good on their promises for reform.
More than 1,000 Syrian refugees cross into southern Turkey
The National 9 Jun 2011 – As Syrian government troops circle town of Jisr al Shughour, Ankara says it is planning for ‘disaster scenario’ where up to 1.5 million people flee Bashar al Assad’s regime.
More pragmatic Hamas may stay out of future Palestinian government
The National 9 Jun 2011 – Potential new approach would be aimed at avoiding isolation by the world community and allowing for continued economic aid from countries that regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
US has stepped up covert air attacks on militants in Yemen, says report
The National 9 Jun 2011 – Campaign using armed drones and fighter jets had accelerated in recent weeks as US officials see the strikes as one of the few options to contain al Qa’eda in the Arabian Peninsula, says New York Times.
European nations increase pressure for UN condemnation of Syrian crackdown
The National 9 Jun 2011 – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemns Assad government’s ‘utterly deplorable’ use of tanks, artillery and snipers to ‘bludgeon its population into submission’.
Five women drivers arrested in Saudi Arabia
The National 9 Jun 2011 – Women taken to police station after ‘training for driving’ in three cars at an empty plot, a week before a protest by Saudi women who are planning to take the wheel in a demonstration against the ban on female drivers in the kingdom.
Jordan’s king pardons one million for criminal offences
The National 9 Jun 2011 – King Abdullah also releases 3,500 prisoners, in moves to mark 12th anniversary of his succession.
Saleh supporters insist Yemen’s president will be back soon as opposition grows impatient
The National 9 Jun 2011 – No talks until Saleh returns from Saudi Arabia, ruling party says, as opposition parties threaten to join forces with youth protesters if the government does not meet their demands for reform with days
IAEA reports Syria to UN Security Council over covert nuclear work
Ha’aretz – Russia, China vote against a resolution rebuking Syria for stonewalling an IAEA probe into a desert site bombed in 2007; move coincides with Western condemnations of Syria’s crackdown on protests.
Two Majdal Shams residents indicted over Naksa Day events
Ha’aretz – Israeli court indicts the two for aggravated assault and disorderly conduct after they hurled rocks at IDF soldiers last Sunday.
Hamas to participate in any future Palestinian government, senior official says
Ha’aretz – Salah al-Bardaweel, a high-ranking Hamas leader in Gaza, refutes press reports that the group may exclude itself from a future government to avoid international isolation.
Hilary Clinton in talks about possible move to World Bank
Ha’aretz – A spokesperson for the Secretary of State denies the reports from numerous sources that Clinton wants to be the first woman to hold the top post at the World Bank.
Turkey-Israel concert for religious tolerance canceled due to IHH pressure
Ha’aretz – ‘Three Religions’ concert to be held in Istanbul canceled at last minute after IHH and other Islamic organizations claim Israel participation in event ‘unacceptable’ and a ‘provocation’.
U.S. court drops Lebanon War victims’ lawsuit against Al Jazeera
Ha’aretz – Victims of 2006 rocket strikes on Israel attempt to sue Al Jazeera, claiming the news network helped Hezbollah militants target their rockets more accurately during its war with Israel.
Lebanon’s citizens are sick and tired of slow internet
Ha’aretz – Recent study shows Lebanon lags behind in internet speed, progress, prompting initiatives geared toward improving internet connectivity, reducing costs.
Orthodox Jewish basketball player may be sidelined over modesty spat
Ha’aretz – Israel national basketball team star, Naama Shafir refuses to play unless wearing a T-shirt under her jersey due to modesty; international basketball regulations require all team members to wear same uniform.
Hamas considering hands-off approach in Palestinian unity government
Ha’aretz – The Islamic group is weighing a new strategy of not directly participating in future governments even if it wins elections, a move aimed at avoiding isolation by world community and allowing for continued economic aid.
Tiberias mayor indicted for hacking into city computers
Ha’aretz – At issue is the copying of material from the municipal computer server and three other computers during 2005, which was allegedly done at the mayor’s orders.
Olmert at corruption trial: Flight tickets for family paid for with personal finances
Ha’aretz – Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he never personally dealt with travel points and that his travel planner managed the payment of all flight upgrades.
Russia says opposed to any UN Security Council resolution on Syria
Ha’aretz – Moscow threatens to veto a Western-back draft condemning Syria’s crackdown on protesters.
U.S. slams Iran enrichment plan as ‘brazen’ defiance
Ha’aretz – Speaking at IAEA meeting, Washington’s envoy Glyn Davies says Iranian announcement it would increase its capacity to produce higher-grade enriched uranium is another example of Teheran’s defiance of international obligations.
NY Times: U.S. intensifying covert war in Yemen
Ha’aretz – Official confirms U.S. strike Friday killed midlevel al Qaida operative; U.S. campaign accelerates, using armed drones and fighter jets in attempt to contain al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
New airline hopes to fill Sun d’Or hole
Ha’aretz – Lead Air is a new charter airline which plans to fly to destinations around Europe; Lead Air is currently negotiating to receive its operating license.
Egypt to resume natural gas supply
Ha’aretz – Exporter EMG’s announcement comes six weeks after most recent sabotage damaged gas pipes and halted exports.
Bringing down the pyramids
Ha’aretz – The time has come to return the capital to its real owners – the public, urges Nili Even-Hen of the Movement for Quality Government.
Victims of rape, sex assault decry failure to try attackers
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Lobby group says 80 percent of sex crime complaints are never heard by a judge.
Majdal Shams lawyer to sue gov’t for Naksa Day violence
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – “You don’t use a hammer to kill flies,” says Rami Abu Gabel, stressing that protesters, both on the Syrian and Israeli sides were unarmed.
Boy, 4, still in critical condition after near-drowning
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Liam Pa’ar fighting for his life after Shavuot incident at Kibbutz Ramat Rahel.
New police spokesman already taking fire
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Hillel Partuk eportedly provided late responses to requests for information and disrupted planned stories.
IEAE condemns Syria over nuclear reactor hit by Israel
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – UK leads UNSC draft resolution condemning Assad.
Thousands of Syrians flee into Turkey to evade crackdown
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Some 2,400 refugees cross border in space of 24 hours, prompting Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to call on Syria to act “more decisively” in carrying out reforms.
‘Palestinians expressing second thoughts over UN path’
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Sources says Abbas wants to “climb down from tree” of plan to pursue UN recognition UN of state, but he can’t due to Palestinian pressure, AP reports; senior officials reportedly advising PA president to forgo plans.
Police probe double hit and run accidents
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Separate incidents left a 14-year-old girl seriously injured in Pardes Hanna and two teenagers wounded in Haifa.
Arsonist strikes ultra-Orthodox J’lem neighborhood
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Seven mall fires started in Mea She’arim in past 3 days; no injuries or major damage reported.
Harness the sun
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Cloudy Germany exponentially outshines Israel in its ability to capture sunlight and turn it into usable fuel.
Are drug companies guilty of ‘disease mongering’?
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Ethics @ Work: Three news books provide evidence that many psychiatric drugs are over-prescribed, and many illness are over-diagnosed.
Divided UN atom body sends Syria to Security Council
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Russia, China vote against push on Syria; US suspects site was intended to produce bomb material; Syria denies secret nuclear work, blames Israel.
Divided IAEA sends Syria to UN Security Council
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Russia, China vote against push on Syria; US suspects site was meant to produce bomb material; Syria denies secret nuclear work, blames Israel.
PM to lobby Eastern Europe against Palestinian state
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Netanyahu is scheduled to make two separate European trips to present allies with case against Palestinian UN statehood bid.
Suspected Arab hackers target right-wing MKs
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Hackers replace Tzipi Hotovely’s website with Palestinian flag; Arye Eldad: Syrian massacres mustn’t be so bad if they have time to target me.
Israel rocket victims fail in bid to sue Al Jazeera
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Plaintiffs, injured by Hezbollah attacks, claimed that broadcaster helped militants target rockets; judge says victims can’t prove correlation.
More sanctions ahead, as no progress on doctors’ dispute
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Israel Medical Association meets again with Labor Court to discuss doctors’ demands, but two-hour session yields no results.
Egyptians back keeping clerics out of politics
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – But Gallup poll also shows they remain deeply committed Muslims: Some 96% of respondents say that religion is important for them.
Religious homosexuals join the march for Gay Pride
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Google Israel backs observant gay groups; Havruta: “The fact that Google approached us is proof that it is no longer possible to ignore us.”
New Museum of Tolerance receives initial nod
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Construction could begin in as little as three months at controversial Jerusalem site, claimed to be 12th century Muslim cemetery.
‘Revolutionary guards foresee day after nuke test’
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Website anticipates the day after Iran runs first test of nuclear bomb, breaking taboo that its nuclear program is peaceful, ‘Guardian’ reports.
For Erdogan, elections are the easy part
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Turkish opposition is resurgent, economy is prompting concern, critics are circling. And then there’s the matter of relations with Israel…
It’s not just TA residents who support Gay Pride 2011
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – 18-member delegation of public figures from Germany visiting Israel to experience the gay life, learn more about how and why gay life is flourishing.
Touch?©: This week’s candid photos from across Israel
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – View: Shots from around the country, snapped by ‘The Jerusalem Post’ photographer, Marc Israel Sellem; send in your caption ideas!
Israelis spend most time on social networking sites
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – ComScore survey shows Israelis spent about 11 hours per month on average on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.
The Weekly Schmooze: Anthony’s Weiner
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – A ‘Jpost’ column wrapping up the hottest Jewish culture news worldwide: Israelis fight zombies and Batman; X-Men and Jewish philosophy.
Arab Spring turbulence rattles airlines’ outlook
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Middle Eastern airlines hurting from regional turmoil; drop in tourism causes airlines to be more competitive.
‘Hamas considers leaving Gaza government’
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Report: Mashaal supports withdrawal from politics to avoid global isolation after “resistance enterprise” was weakened.
Bahrain’s unseen protests fall on deaf ears
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – Demonstrators gather far from Manama’s center, which seems almost back to normal; protests shrink as police snuff them out.
‘Nakba Day’ driver indicted on charges of murder
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jun 2011 – State claims Issa Islam set out to kill Jews; defendant indicted after his deadly truck rampage in Tel Aviv killed one person, wounded 17.
Iranian blogger loses appeal against 19-year sentence
The Guardian 9 Jun 2011 – Hossein Derakhshan’s conviction upheld for crimes including co-operating with hostile countries, following Israel trip Iran’s appeals court has upheld the conviction of a renowned blogger who was sentenced to 19 years in prison, his family said….
Russia, China Shield Syria from Possible U.N. Sanctions
IPS A resolution inspired by Western nations critical of civilian killings in politically-beleaguered Syria is facing threats from two veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council: Russia and China.
SYRIA: Outrage over Boy’s Alleged Torture Death
IPS Video footage has emerged showing the body of a Syrian boy reportedly tortured to death after his arrest in April following a government crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the country.
EGYPT: Gaza Crossing Lets Trickle Through
IPS Egypt’s border with the Hamas-run Gaza Strip was reopened to Palestinian travellers Wednesday after a series of squabbles over operational procedures had temporarily brought cross-border traffic to a halt.
Uncivilized Relations: Israel Confronts its Neighbours
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – The turmoil that has beleaguered the Middle East for decades has been described many ways. On the 5th of June, however, the terminology turned vulgar. This enduring conflict was publically characterised as a ‘war between the civilized man and the savage’. Boldly announced with a plea to ‘support Israel/defeat Jihad’, the full page advertisement…
Speech on media propaganda
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – I want to note one example, from today, that vividly illustrates many of the themes I discussed in that speech. It is found in the following passage from this Reuters article on Obama’s escalation of the covert war in Yemen and his targeting of U.S. citizen Anwar Awlaki for assassination: A U.S. official confirmed…
Exclusive: Dark Journey To Deraa, Syria’s Martyr Town Under Siege
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – …”I haven’t seen my family in two months,” says Ali, 19. “They’re trapped in Al-Balad. I know my mother can no longer feed my two brothers and three sisters. I would like to help them, but I’ll be killed if I get close.” Hassan, a friend he grew up with in Al-Balad, was shot…
Medics: Gaza hospitals at crisis point
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – Hospitals in Gaza are at crisis point due to shortages of supplies, medical services spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya said Thursday. Warehouses have run out of over 178 types of medicine, the spokesman said, adding that over 190 types of medical equipment needed for surgery had either run out or were in short supply….
Iraq: Million signature campaign to demand U.S. forces departure taking place soon, MP says
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – A million signature campaign, to demand the departure of the U.S. forces from Iraq is scheduled to take place in all Iraqi provinces in the forthcoming few days, Legislature Maha al-Douri from al-Ahrar (Liberals) Bloc has announced on Thursday. “The forthcoming few days shall witness the launching of a campaign to gather millions of…
Special Report – Qatar’s big Libya adventure
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – …Qatar was the first Arab country to contribute planes to police the U.N.-backed no-fly zone over Libya. Simultaneously, hundreds of millions of dollars began to flow from the Qatari capital Doha to Benghazi from early March…people on the ground in Benghazi say they believe Qatar is behind much of the continuing delivery of fuel…
Libyan envoy accuses rebels, NATO of war crimes
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – Libya on Thursday accused rebels of butchery and cannibalism, and NATO forces of war crimes, while firmly denying a United Nations report which found that its own troops had carried out murders, torture and abductions. Mustafa Shaban, a Libyan foreign ministry official, delivered the attack and the defence of the government of Muammar Gaddafi…
IMF Financial Terrorism
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – In July 1944, the IMF and Bank for Reconstruction and Development (now the World Bank) were established to integrate developing nations into the Global North-dominated world economy in ways other than initially mandated. Under a new post-war monetary system, the IMF was created to stabilize exchange rates linked to the dollar and bridge temporary…
End these settlers’ attacks against our mosques and churches
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – On Tuesday, 7 June, illegal Jewish settlers under the full protection of the Israeli army set fire to yet another mosque in the occupied West Bank, the fifth in less than two years. Responsibility for security in all of the villages where these attacks took place lies exclusively with the Israeli army. The settlers’…
Russia, China block 2nd draft of resolution on Syria
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – Russia and China have blocked the vote on the second variant of the resolution on Syria submitted by France, Britain, Germany and Portugal with the assistance from the US. South Africa, India and Brazil supported the position of Russia and China. Before submitting the new variant of the resolution the authors claimed that they…
Syrians decry ‘torture’ of teenage protester Thamer al-Sahri, 15-year-old tortured to death like his friend Hamza al-Khatib
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – Video footage has emerged showing the body of a Syrian boy reportedly tortured to death after his arrest in April following a government crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the country. The video, provided to Al Jazeera by sources inside Syria, shows the mutilated body of 15-year-old Thamer al-Sahri, who was arrested for participating in…
NATO’s terror bombing of Libya
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – The relentless bombardment of Tripoli over the past 48 hours represents a new stage in one of the most naked acts of imperialist aggression since the wars of conquest launched by Hitler and Mussolini in the 1930s. Warplanes struck the Libyan capital 62 times between Tuesday and early Wednesday morning. The daylight air strikes…
Rafah opens for second day
Uruknet June 9, 2011 – Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza opened for a the second day in a row on Thursday, following a four-day closure as officials argued over appropriate crossing regulations. The first day of operations saw 450 Palestinians cross into Egypt, crossing director Ayoub Abu Sha’ar told Ma’an, adding that he expected Thursday’s number to be…
Muddle and mixed messages precede Palestinian bid for UN recognition
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – There are hundreds of thousands – perhaps millions – of dedicated pro-Palestinian activists out there waiting, straining at the leash, hoping for a call from the Palestinian leadership to mobilize, get stuck in, set the mood and pave the way for the make-or-break bid for UN recognition and statehood in September. They long to…
Iraq snapshot – June 8, 2011
Uruknet June 8, 2011. Chaos and violence continue, another US soldier dies in Iraq, four activists are released in Iraq, released after Nouri’s attempt to frame them fails, Friday appears likely to be a big day for protests in Iraq, Senator Patty Murrray advocates for veterans and explains her Murray’s Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, and more…
UN descredited once again in its support to Maliki’s Government
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – The Consultation Conference on Iraq National Action Plan for Human Rights was held in Baghdad last June 5. Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq Ad Melkert gave a speech at the Opening of this Conference and his. His lecture reflects the deep contempt for the values they supposedly defend at UN . It…
Here is Iraq calling you the day after tomorrow….
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – Iraqis….. Here is Iraq calling you the day after tomorrow…. Here are the hordes of youth now, aflame……… Where is your pride…. Where is your….. Where is your glory….. Where is your honour….. And here is your spreading silence What are you thinking of and what has happened to you, who are you frightened…
U.S. Is Intensifying a Secret Campaign of Yemen Airstrikes
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – The Obama administration has intensified the American covert war in Yemen, exploiting a growing power vacuum in the country to strike at militant suspects with armed drones and fighter jets, according to American officials. The acceleration of the American campaign in recent weeks comes amid a violent conflict in Yemen that has left the…
Palestinians condemn Syria refugee camp deaths
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – – West Bank leaders on Tuesday slammed the shooting of Palestinian refugees in a Syrian camp and pledged to investigate the incident, the Palestinian Authority official news agency WAFA reported. Mourners in unofficial refugee camp Al-Yarmouk were on Monday commemorating the deaths of a reported 23 protesters on the Golan ceasefire line a day…
Medical supply shortage in Gaza threatens lives of thousands
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – The Palestinian government in Gaza has decided to cut five per cent of its employees’ salaries in order to be able to purchase drugs and medical supplies amid the worst shortage of medicine seen in Gaza in the past five years. Health Minister in Ismail Haniyah’s Gaza government Bassem Naeem announced that 178 types…
Syrian ‘security force sniper’ victims in Turkish hospitals
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – The last thing Selim remembers from a security crackdown in his Syrian hometown are the two sniper shots that pierced his body. A day later, he woke up in a Turkish hospital across the border. The 28-year-old worker was among several dozen wounded Syrians who managed to flee the bloodshed in their country, crossing…
Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation and the Palestinian Struggle
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – … I think, as you said, the Arab democratic spring has played a key role in both parties getting together, but also popular protest in the West Bank and Gaza, in the occupied territories, asking both parties to reunite. But the main issue is: reuniting on what program? It’s not enough to shake hands and…
Official Syrian report: Uniformed military men to blame for Jisr Shughur killings
Uruknet June 8, 2011 — Gunmen in “military uniform and government cars” were responsible for the recent killings of up to 120 members of Syria’s security forces in the northwestern city of Jisr Shughur, the official Syrian Arab News Agency said Wednesday. The news agency’s statement could signal a dramatic division within Syria’s security forces. It lends credence to…
Corporate Media’s Capital Crimes Against Libya – and Humanity
Uruknet June 8, 2011 – Western reporters in Tripoli dismiss the casualties inflicted by their own countries’ bombs on Libyan civilians, but are careful to alert NATO when they themselves venture outside their hotels. The war criminals and their corporate media are morally – and probably legally – indistinguishable. “As facilitators of those crimes – through ceaseless propaganda, lies…
New round of NATO airstrikes hits outskirts of Tripoli
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 NATO airstrikes rattled the Libyan capital Thursday with clusters of bombing runs believed to have targeted the outskirts of Tripoli.
More than 2,400 Syrians flee violence, cross into Turkey
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 More than 2,400 Syrians have fled to Turkey to escape a feared army crackdown, officials said Thursday, in another sign that President Bashar Assad’s struggle with protesters is disturbing Syria’s neighbors.
Dinnieh to finally get development plan
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 One of the country’s most disadvantaged regions, Dinnieh, received a long-anticipated donor boost Thursday with the launch of its strategic regional plan.
ISF apprehend criminal gang leader
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Internal Security Forces personnel have apprehended the head of a gang of five criminals, who were allegedly involved in the robbery of a vehicle owned by Credit Libanais bank, the National News Agency reported.
Journalists union warns of sector collapse
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 The Journalists Union urged the government Thursday to support efforts to counter what it called the deterioration of print media in the country, arguing that the sector was faced with the threat of collapse.
Two cadets to study at U.S. military academies
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Two Lebanese cadets have received appointments to study at military academies in the United States, the American Embassy announced Thursday.
Teachers’ unions plan June 21 protest
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 A group of teachers’ unions will stage a demonstration later this month to protest against the ongoing political vacuum in the country.
Villages compete in award aimed at encouraging local biodiversity
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Twenty-one villages and towns from across the country will compete for the Biodiversity Village Award, the top prize in an environmentally themed contest launched Thursday by the American University of Beirut’s Ibsar center.
Discovery of dead cows off coast raises safety concerns
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Summer is here, and the season’s visitors are on the verge of arriving in big numbers, but the discovery of dead cows in the sea off Jbeil and Batroun is not a promising sign.
EDL: Blame thieves, not us for power cuts
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Electricite du Liban is asking the public to blame copper wire thieves, and not the utility, for power cuts in rural areas.
Hamas considers hands-off role in government
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 After four years of turbulent rule in the Gaza Strip, the Islamic militant group Hamas is weighing a new strategy of not directly participating in future governments even if it wins elections.
Khartoum is prepared for armed rebellion in oil state
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Sudan’s army is ready to deal with an armed rebellion in the Southern Kordofan state, the Northern ruling party said, raising the possibility of more violence in the border region as the country’s South prepares to…
U.N. condemns Palestinian deaths in Syria camp
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees Thursday condemned the deaths of at least four people at a refugee camp in Syria in clashes that broke out earlier this week.
Yemen awaits possible return of Saleh
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Supporters of wounded Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh celebrated reports Thursday that he would soon be home, but his opponents said they were working to ensure that he will no longer be in power if he…
Syria sent to Security Council
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 The United Nations nuclear watchdog voted Thursday to report Syria to the U.N. Security Council for violating its safeguard agreements, citing Syria’s undeclared construction of a covert nuclear reactor and refusal to supply information.
U.K. defends claims linking Iran to Assad’s crackdown
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Iran summoned Britain’s top diplomat in Tehran Thursday to reject accusations that the Islamic Republic was helping Syria crush anti-government protests.
Sectarian divide widens following unprecedentedunrest in Bahrain
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Sectarian tension between Sunni and Shiite Muslims has reached new heights in Bahrain after pro-democracy protests that the Sunni minority government crushed with martial law and foreign military forces.
Country needs technocratic government: Geagea
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Answer to Lebanon’s problems lies in the creation of a technocratic government able to meet the country’s economic and social needs, Lebanese Forces leader says.
Tony Blair says change in Syria needed but risky
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Former British Prime Minster Tony Blair said Thursday that major democratic change in Syria is needed but warned that a revolution there would carry serious risks because of its potential impact throughout the volatile Middle East.
Dead cows seen on Jounieh, Batroun coast
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Witnesses report seeing dead cows on the coast of Jounieh and Batroun for third day in a row, threatening not only the tourism sector but also the environment
Lebanon prosecutor mulls Canadian farmer case
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Lebanese prosecutor looking into the case of a Canadian farmer, detained seven weeks ago on an international warrant over allegations he exported rotten potatoes to Algeria.
Assad meets Jumblatt, hopes for speedy government formation
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Syrian president expresses hope for a speedy formation of the Lebanese government during a meeting with Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt.
Powers plot ‘post-Gadhafi future as rebels eye cash
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Major powers met Thursday to plot out what US officials call a democratic “post-Gadhafi Libya” as the rebels warned the talks would be a failure if they secured no concrete financial support.
50 Lebanese deported from Sweden
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Reports in Lebanese media recently that up to 1,500 Lebanese families living in Sweden are facing deportation does not seem to conform with reality, Swedish Embassy says.
Existence of Syrian-American blogger questioned
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 The existence of a blogger who claimed to be a Syrian-American lesbian came into question on Wednesday after a woman in Britain said photographs circulating on the Internet were of her, not the blogger supposedly in…
Yemen’s Saleh out of intensive care: state media
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is out of intensive care in neighboring Saudi Arabia where he is being treated for bomb blast wounds, state media said, prompting celebratory gunfire by his supporters that left dozens wounded.
UN rights chief deplores crackdown on Syria town
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 The U.N.’s top human rights official on Thursday accused Syria of trying to “bludgeon its population into submission” by attacking anti-government protesters with snipers, tanks and artillery.
West tries modest steps to add pressure on Syria
Daily Star 9 Jun 2011 While the U.S and its allies want to raise pressure on Syria to end its violent crackdown on protesters, there are few signs the West, let alone the Arab world, is ready for robust action that…
Syrian troops converge on restive north, West pushes U.N. resolution vote
Daily Star 8 Jun 2011 Thousands of elite troops led by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s brother converged Wednesday on a restive northern area.
Qabbani condemns settler West Bank mosque attacks
Daily Star 8 Jun 2011 Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani Wednesday condemned the burning of mosques in the West Bank by Jewish settlers.
MP Kabbara: Lebanon must support Syrian people
Daily Star 8 Jun 2011 Tripoli MP Mohammad Kabbara urged officials Wednesday to support the Syrian people against President Bashar Assad’s regime, accusing Damascus of massacring its own people.
Hezbollah tightens security in Beirut suburbs
Daily Star 8 Jun 2011 A recent unprecedented three-day security clampdown by Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburbs uncovered at least two car bombs, according to local residents and sources close to the party.
No quorum at Parliament, Berri defends session
Daily Star 8 Jun 2011 A controversial session of Parliament called by Speaker Nabih Berri failed to convene Wednesday for lack of quorum.
New Cabinet awaits ‘final touches’
Daily Star 8 Jun 2011 Two main hurdles delaying the birth of a new Cabinet were knocked down Wednesday as deliberations to speed up the formation process gained momentum.
US ups Yemen airstrikes with drones, fighter jets
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Accelerated attacks designed to keep al-Qaeda linked militants from assuming….
Six Day War plot on Mt. Herzl desecrated
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Plot where fallen soldiers from war, helicopter disaster are entombed found in….
2 Druze indicted over ‘Naksa Day’ riots
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Residents of Majdal Shams allegedly threw stones at riot in which police officer….
Russia opposes UN resolution on Syria
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Foreign Ministry says Syrians must be allowed time to settle internal conflict….
Hamas considers hands-off approach
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Islamist group weighing in new strategy of not directly participating in future….
TA rampage driver charged with murder
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Indictment filed against Issa Islam from Kfar Kassem for murder, seven counts of….
Revolutionary Guard praises idea of nuke testing
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Article titled ‘The Day after the First Iranian Nuclear Test – a Normal Day’….
Ex-Mossad chief: Purity of arms eroded
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – In interview with Israel Army Radio Zvi Zamir criticizes decision to open fire….
1,000 Syrian refugees cross into Turkey
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Number of Syrian refugees in Turkey reaches 1,600. PM Erdogan says won’t close….
The conflict’s new players
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – International Solidarity Movement activists have become a permanent feature in….
Another reality TV star accused of assault
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – Police launch investigation against reality show participant over suspicions of….
Turkish politician: Erodgan wants to be sultan
YNet News, 9 Jun 2011 – The other Turkey: Ex-Supreme Court judge who joined opposition slams PM Erdogan,….
Palestinian Information Center
Jewish settlers set fire to agricultural land near Al-Khalil
PIC – Jewish settlers from Kiryat Arba settlement started a big fire in Palestinian farms south of Al-Khalil city on Wednesday afternoon, local sources reported.
Palestinian women stripped naked during provocative prison search
PIC – Four Palestinian women detained at the Israeli HaSharon prison were stripped naked during a humiliating and provocative cell search, those women told the Ahrar prisoner studies center.
IOF arrests 8 citizens in West Bank, Golan
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested eight citizens in various West Bank areas and in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights at dawn Thursday.
Waed urges human rights groups to visit Israeli jails
PIC – The Waed society catering for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails has called on human rights groups to visit those jails to see for themselves the medical neglect of the sick prisoners.
Families of West Bank political prisoners stage Al-Khalil sit-in
PIC – The committee of political prisoner families in the West Bank has called on the local and worldwide media to cover a sit-in the group has scheduled for noon Thursday in Al-Khalil.
‘Prisoner dean’ released after four and half years in administrative detention
PIC – “The dean of administrative detainees” Ayed Dodin, 45, from Dora in Al-Khalil, was released Thursday after four and a half years in administrative detention, the Ahrar prisoner studies center said.
Israeli forces build sand barrier at Gaza border town
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) mounting army tanks escorted three military bulldozers while building a huge sand barrier at the entrance to Khuza’a town, south of the Gaza Strip, on Thursday.
IOA moves detained MP & lecturer to Megiddo jail
PIC – The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) moved detained Hamas MP Ahmed Al-Haj and Najah University lecture Mustafa Al-Shinar from Hawara detention center to Megiddo jail on Thursday.
Palestinian Forum in Britain announces ready for Palestine Day early July
PIC – The Palestinian Forum has announced completion of logistical and administrative arrangements ahead of Palestine Day scheduled for July 2 and 3 in the capital London and Manchester.
Israel approves oxymoronic ‘tolerance’ museum on Muslim cemetery
PIC – Israel’s Jerusalem municipality planning committee has approved a plan to build a so-called “tolerance museum” in the city’s center.
UNRWA: Record Number of Children Displaced by West Bank Demolitions
WAFA
Al-Quds Index Closes Week at Gain
WAFA
Newspapers Review: Papers Focus on Different Subjects
WAFA
Inquiry Commission Calls for Dismissal of Minister of Health
WAFA
UNRWA Calls to Protect Lives of Palestinian Refugees in Syria
WAFA
Israel to Build Museum on Historic Muslim Cemetery
WAFA
PCBS: Rise in Expenditures in 2010 on New Buildings in West Bank
WAFA
Weather Forecast: Hot Temperatures Today, Tomorrow
WAFA
President Obama, the Audacity to Recognize a Palestinian State is Now
Intifada-Palestine: 9 Jun 2011 – by Dr. Mohamed Khodr This petition that urges President Obama to support a United Nations recognition of a Palestinian State is urgent and time sensitive because the Palestinians plan to submit their U.N. application for a Palestinian State next month, July,… more
LIBYA: A DEAFENING SILENCE
Intifada-Palestine: 9 Jun 2011 – By Jody McIntyre / The Independent So now we are sending Apache jets to bomb Libyan civilians. An escalation in yet another bloody NATO war. Or, in the words of Colonel Jason Etherington, “it just brings something else to the party.” The… more
Uncivilized Relations: Israel Confronts its Neighbours
Intifada-Palestine: 9 Jun 2011 – by Brenda Heard The turmoil that has beleaguered the Middle East for decades has been described many ways. On the 5 th of June, however, the terminology turned vulgar. This enduring conflict was publically characterised as a ‘war between the civilized… more
Does the Palestinian Left Hand Know what the Right Hand is Doing?
Intifada-Palestine: 9 Jun 2011 – Muddle and mixed messages while waiting for a Call to Action by Stuart Littlewood There are hundreds of thousands ‚Äì perhaps millions ‚Äì of dedicated pro-Palestinian activists out there waiting… straining at the leash…hoping for a call from the Palestinian leadership… more
Libya rebel council may include extremists, Panetta says
LA Times 9 Jun 2011 – CIA Director Leon Panetta told lawmakers that worries about some members of the Libyan rebels’ ruling body are ‘legitimate.’ President Obama’s nominee for secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, told the Senate that he is concerned that some leaders of Libya’s opposition may be extremists, even…
Apparent NATO bombing of Kadafi rural retreat raises questions
LA Times 8 Jun 2011 – Libya has long accused NATO of targeting leader Moammar Kadafi in contravention of its U.N. mandate to protect civilians under attack by government forces. It was unclear whether he was in the area. A tattered tent, shreds of carpet and other scorched debris were all…
Syrian reports suggest divisions in security forces
LA Times 8 Jun 2011 – An official Syrian news report says the gunmen who killed soldiers in Jisr Shughur were wearing military uniforms. If true, it lends credence to reports of clashes between security forces loyal to Assad and others who oppose the crackdown on protesters. Gunmen in “military uniform…
Militants said to gain ground in south Yemen
LA Times 8 Jun 2011 – A local official says fighters, including foreigners and Al Qaeda affiliate members, have descended on Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province. A self-described Al Qaeda member claims it is the first step to an Islamic state. Hundreds of Yemeni and foreign fighters, including members of…
Anticipating Crackdown, More Syrians Flee to Turkey
New York Times 9 Jun 2011 – Hundreds more Syrians crossed the border on Thursday, as Turkey’s leader expressed concern about growing violence.
U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Presses Case Against Syria
New York Times 9 Jun 2011 – The International Atomic Energy Agency voted Thursday to report Syria to the Security Council, citing Syria’s construction of a covert nuclear reactor and its failure to cooperate with investigators.
U.S. Is Intensifying a Secret Campaign of Yemen Airstrikes
New York Times 9 Jun 2011 – The Obama administration has heightened a covert war, exploiting a power vacuum to strike at militant suspects, according to American officials.
Clinton Says Yemen’s Cease-Fire Must Be Respected
New York Times 9 Jun 2011 – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says all sides should honor Yemen’s cease-fire so a peaceful change of power can take place.
Yemen’s Opposition Aims to Strip President of Power
New York Times 9 Jun 2011 – Yemeni opposition leaders and protesters intensified their demands for the creation of a presidential council that would take power from President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
In Saudi Arabia, Royal Funds Buy Peace for Now
New York Times 9 Jun 2011 – This oil-rich kingdom is spending $130 billion to pump up salaries, build housing and finance religious organizations, effectively neutralizing any opposition.
Iran Says It Will Speed Up Uranium Enrichment
New York Times 9 Jun 2011 – Iran declared that it planned this year to triple production of its most concentrated form of nuclear fuel.
Imperialist powers step up intervention in Yemen
WSWS – As fighting between pro- and anti-government forces continues in Yemen, the major powers are maneuvering to secure their interests in the strategically vital country.
A young American Jew describes being arrested for standing in opposition to the Jerusalem Day parade
Mondoweiss – The young man being arrested in the video above is Lucas Koerner, and he was a member of the delegation that I recently co-led to Israel/Palestine. Below is Lucas’s account of what took place in Jerusalem, which he originally posted on his blog . Returning from Hebron…
In order to ‘strengthen the [Jewish] bond to Jerusalem,’ a Knesset bill proposes to change Arabic names of neighborhoods in Jerusalem to Hebrew names
Mondoweiss – UN announces record number of children displaced by Israel’s demolitions UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) 9 June — The United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on Thursday released its latest monthly figures in which it was registered a record number of children displaced by Israel’s demolitions…
Activists from across Europe gather to build the campaign against Agrexco
Mondoweiss – This past weekend in the Montpellier, France, over 100 activists from 9 countries gathered for the first ever European Forum Against Agrexco. Delegates from Italy, UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Palestine joined the French organizers for two full days of workshops aimed at strengthening…
Caterpillar Board confronted in Little Rock over sale of bulldozers to Israel
Jewish Voice for Peace – At its annual shareholder meeting, the Caterpillar Board of Directors
Has J Street abandoned the two-state solution? (and why the liberal Zionist vision for two states is not morally justifiable)
Mondoweiss – The following originally appeared as three consecutive posts by Jeremiah Haber on his blog The Magnes Zionist . Last Saturday night there was a protest in Tel-Aviv, ostensibly in favor of Palestinian “statehood”. For most Israelis, a two state solution means one real Jewish state, and a…
Restrooms and sanitation at Umm-Al-Kheir (a story for Shavuot)
Mondoweiss – This is a post from the The Villages Group website .They started as a group of Israeli individuals who, since 2002, have maintained daily contact with residents of two villages in the Nablus area: Salem and Deir El Hatab, providing support to help them sustain and…
Annals of Israeli Judicial Racism
Tikun Olam – Judge Uri Shtruzman, portrait of judge as old racist James Joyce wrote A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man . Tonight I’m writing a portrait of a judge as an old racist. Some readers develop an allergic reaction when I write posts like the one…
More Israeli police training in Florida
Neged Neshek – South African-born Israeli Marc Kahlberg ‚Äì a former commander in the Tourist Police ‚Äì recently conducted an “anti-terror” training session for Palm Beach, Florida first responders. Kahlberg and his private security firm MK ISC have given dozens of such training seminars to police forces and militaries…
Arotech subsidiary wins another USMC contract
Neged Neshek – Arotech’s FAAC, Inc. subsidiary was awarded a $5.7 million contract to upgrade training and simulation systems for the US Marine Corps. This is Arotech’s fourth US Marine Corps contract since 2008.
Soldiers Attempt to Stop Farmers in Saffa
Palestine Solidarity Project 9 Jun 2011 – On the evening of Wednesday, July 8th, a group of farmers attempting to harvest grape leaves in the Saffa region of Beit Ommar were halted by Israeli soldiers. Around thirty farmers were stopped by nine members of the Israeli army, who declared that the area was…
Boola! Boola! Yale Decides that It’s Curtains for the Yale Initiative for the Study of Anti-Semitism
The Magnes Zionist 9 Jun 2011 – “When the sons of Eli break through the line/That is the sign we hail/Bull Dog! Bull Dog! Bow-wow-wow!/ Eli Yale” — Cole Porter Sorry for that burst of filial love for my alma mater. But the Yale Daily News is reporting that Yale has decided not…
International ship sets sail to monitor Israeli ‘pirates’
Middle East Monitor 9 Jun 2011 – EXCLUSIVE PICTURES A ship carrying a number of international peace activists set sail from Gaza on Wednesday to monitor maritime aggression by the Israeli navy against Palestinian fishermen, who are subjected to daily attacks, intimidation and arrests. The team’s main aim is to monitor the violations…
Gaza lurches towards health disaster
Middle East Monitor 9 Jun 2011 – EXCLUSIVE PICTURES The Ministry of Health in Gaza has highlighted the dire medical situation in the territory, announcing that hundreds of Palestinians, including children are currently under high risk due to lack of essential medicines and medical facilities. Currently, more than 367 essential drugs, medical items…
Jewish extremists drink wine in Al-Aqsa Mosque compound
Middle East Monitor 9 Jun 2011 – Palestinians in Jerusalem and Israel have denounced the desecration of the Noble Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa by Jewish extremists, who drank bottles of wine in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque while celebrating a Jewish holiday. The National Union for Jerusalem Families condemned the extremists for storming into…
UNRWA says that West Bank economy is struggling while Palestinian unemployment rises
Middle East Monitor 9 Jun 2011 – A UN report suggests that media claims that the West Bank economy is flourishing overlook the reality of rising unemployment and a jump in inflation. Issued by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the report states that the…
Nuclear body refers Syria to UN
BBC 9 Jun 2011 – Syria is to be reported to the UN Security Council over its alleged covert nuclear programme, amid increasing pressure over its crackdown on protests.
Jordan
BBC 9 Jun 2011 – Key facts, figures and dates
VIDEO: Traffic police regulate Iran’s dress code
BBC 8 Jun 2011 – Road and safety police can now fine people not dressed accordingly to the rules of Islam.
Articles
Israel and the Delusion of Separateness
John Grant, CounterPunch6/9/2011
“A Part Limited in Time and Space”
“A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
This 1954 quote from Albert Einstein hangs on the wall in my house. It seems to me truth distilled down to its most humble and indisputable essence. The more I read it, the more fundamental and inescapable its wisdom seems.
While we feel like “a part limited in time and space,” that sense of being apart is, Einstein says, a delusion upon which collectives, nations and empires are built. And, by extension, how wars are fomented and maintained.
We all naturally gravitate to these delusional human prisons. To a certain extent, they’re unavoidable. In my mind, they dovetail with the classic definition of tragedy as a case of someone or some group meeting a destructive or fatal end rooted in their own decisions. “[T]hey die and are not happy through their own efforts … as a condition contained in the effort,” says Oscar Mandel in A Definition Of Tragedy.
Humans gather and foist notions upon themselves that they are “exceptional” or “the chosen people” or “beloved of God” or just richer and more powerful and more deserving than some other people whose prison is constructed of very different delusions, in some cases based on being victimized. Religions are notorious for maintaining delusional prisons in this respect. more.. e-mail
Aziz Abu Sarah asks readers to help him choose a Jewish name
Aziz Abu Sarah, +972 Magazine6/7/2011
In continuing efforts to replace what’s left of Jerusalem’s Palestinian identity with a Jewish one, MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) has introduced a Knesset bill that would change the Arabic names of neighborhoods in Jerusalem to Hebrew names. According to the Jerusalem Post, MK Hotovely quoted Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben Gurion, in her justification of the proposal.
Just as we do not recognize Arab political ownership of our land, we do not recognize their spiritual ownership, and we do not need their names, which give off the Arab scent
According to Ynet news, the proposal has enough support from the coalition and opposition to pass in the Knesset.
After extensive soul searching, I understood what the Knesset is trying to do. It is sending a message to the Arab minority that the path to acceptance in the Jewish state of Israel is through ditching our Palestinian identity. We must be willing to adopt a Jewish identity to become equal citizens.
Although the proposed bill graciously doesn’t ask Palestinians in Israel to change their names from Arabic to Hebraic ones, we should take the initiative ourselves as a proof of our commitment to the Jewish state of Israel. This is the only way to reduce the fear of those made paranoid by the existence of the Arab minority.
Those of us in East Jerusalem who don’t have Israeli citizenship at the moment must understand Prime Minister Netanyahu’s vision for Jerusalem. For the city to be truly united, we must undergo a major transformation. We must adapt to the Jewish identity of this land and prove our loyalty in every way possible. We should all march to the Ministry of Interior with formal requests to change our names. more.. e-mail
Analysis: Pluralism and the Arab spring
Daoud Kuttab, Ma’an News Agency6/9/2011
When French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe visited the occupied Palestinian territories last week, a group of young Palestinians were given a chance to speak to him in Ramallah.
After asking Juppe whether he himself would participate in resisting any foreign occupation of France, they turned to the issue of Palestinian politics, above all addressing the matter of how negotiations are being conducted.
One young Palestinian even questioned the PLO’s present configuration and its role as the reference point for the Palestinians. Without proper and genuine elections of a new Palestine National Council, the young person argued, the PLO cannot be allowed to represent the Palestinians.
Many Palestinians are talking publicly about the need to create new political parties different in structure, ideology and working procedures from the present set of nationalist or Islamic factions.
This kind of skepticism about existing political configurations is not unique to Palestine. It can be argued that the absence of genuine independent pluralism in various political groupings has been the major problem facing the Arab world.
With the exception of ruling parties (which usually exercise a monopoly in their countries) party politics are not well practiced in the Arab world. Executive powers act against independent political parties and their activists, causing a dictatorship of the ruling parties. This makes reform much more difficult.
A look at the reform movements in Syria and Yemen, for example, highlights the difficulties encountered when a pluralistic society is not represented by genuinely independent political parties… more.. e-mail
Frustrations rise as Rafah crossing closed again
Electronic Intifada: 9 Jun 2011 – Mohammed Omer, The Electronic Intifada, Rafah – Many hoping to find free movement between Egypt and Gaza have found the border gates at the Rafah crossing closed. Egyptian officials closed the gates on Saturday, according to Palestinian officials.more
One Missile, One Playground: The Will of Gaza
Palestine Chronicle: 9 Jun 2011 – By Ramzy Baroud – Gaza A ‘Hamas commander’ drove a beat-up gray van in northern Gaza and theatrically spoke on his walkie-talkie as I sat in the passenger seat. The van was almost barren, save for the most basic equipment propelling it to move forward over the bumpy roads of an overcrowded refugee camp. Iyad was not here to show me any militant training camp, or even to assess the damage that had befallen the impoverished Gaza Strip during Israel’s devastating war, Operation Cast Lead, which killed and wounded thousands in 2008-09. Scars of the damage sustained during the three-week onslaught are still visible throughout the Strip. Iyad was here to show me his latest personal project: a playground for refugee children. At first glance, the “playground” did not seem impressive at all. All I noticed was a small plot of dirt jammed between two unsightly concrete buildings. “So, what…more
Afghanistan: Why Civilians Are Killed
Palestine Chronicle: 9 Jun 2011 – By James Petras The recent rash of civilian killings by NATO forces in occupied Afghanistan raises several basic questions: Why do US-NATO air and ground forces kill so many civilians, so persistently, over such long stretches of time, in regions throughout the country? Why have the number of civilians killed increased in the course of the conflict? Why do NATO-US airplanes continue to bomb civilian housing and village gatherings and ground troops indiscriminately assault homes and workshops? Why are the pleas of NATO collaborator President Karzai to desist in home bombings go unheeded? Finally, knowing that the killing of civilians, entire families including children, mothers and the elderly alienates the local population and breeds widespread and profound hostility, why do the NATO-US military refuse to alter their tactics and strategy? Explanations and Excuses for Civilian Killings Apologists for the NATO killings of civilians are as abundant as their explanations are…more
Egypt’s Challenges: Democracy, Economy, Corruption
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Jun 2011 – By Hasan Afif El-Hasan By the end of the last century, more people than ever before in human history lived in countries whose governments were democratic except for postcolonial Arabs. Arabs were living under authoritarian regimes that had been remarkably successful in sustaining their rule by repressing dissents and controlling public opinion through state-run institutions. And in oil-rich states, the state maintains patriarchal rule over its citizens by taking advantage of the ability to dole out generous financial bonuses when it chooses to insure support by the general public despite the corruption, and lack of human rights and individual liberties. Only Arabs have absolute monarchies and the Arab leaders legitimized the concept of republics with inherited presidential office. The rulers of Egypt, Libya and Yemen openly prepared their children to succeed them. In the Arabian Peninsula, a woman has no political right and goes to jail if she tries to…more
What Hope is There? — Interview with Frank Barat
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Jun 2011 – Interview by Emanuel Stoakes (An interview with Frank Barat – UK-based human rights campaigner, author and filmmaker – on recent events, Netanyahu and the current state of affairs for the Palestinian cause.) A newcomer to the conflict wouldn’t think it would be quite so controversial: the President of the United States throwing his weight behind the virtual world consensus regarding the borders of a future Palestinian state. That is assuming that such a neophyte to the political and humanitarian mess in the Holy Land possessed such a blithe naivety that he or she trusted that the majority world view (according at least to regular UN votes on the subject) might influence or press on the minds of those who possess the power to change things. That it demonstrably does not, or rather, appears to matter little, is hard to doubt in the face of the noises coming out of Washington…more
The Moral Thing to Do
Dissident Voice: 9 Jun 2011 – Dear Leonard Nimoy, I read your statement supporting Americans for Peace Now in their call for an end to “conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.” You say, “It’s the logical thing to do.” I agree that supporting peace sounds eminently logical. However, is supporting any peace wrought by whatever means logical? Moreover, is the peace you support eminently moral? You are appealing to people based on your name recognition gained primarily from your role in the classic science series Star Trek . I respond as a person who enjoyed the series and its progressivist views. You state that “there is an end in sight” to “the conflict” between Israelis and Palestinians: “the two-state solution — a secure, democratic Israel as the Jewish State alongside an independent Palestinian state.” Your wording makes it sound as though it is the only end in sight, but this is not so. There is also the one-state…more
Uncivilized Relations: Israel Confronts its Neighbours
Dissident Voice: 9 Jun 2011 – The turmoil that has beleaguered the Middle East for decades has been described many ways. On the 5th of June, however, the terminology turned vulgar. This enduring conflict was publically characterised as a ‘war between the civilized man and the savage’. Boldly announced with a plea to ‘support Israel/defeat Jihad’, the full page advertisement ran in the New York Post’s special section covering the city’s ‘Celebrate Israel’ parade. Declaring the Muslim people ‘savage’ is, of course, just a school-yard taunt from Islamaphobe Pamela Geller, who gleefully takes credit for the advertisement. Had her rant been limited to her own blog, we might easily dismiss it. The problem lies in its acceptance into mainstream discourse. The Post may be tabloid journalism, but its paper edition remains the seventh most popular paper in America. And this sort of crude advertisement for a political cause panders to a public comfortable with the mind-set…more
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The New Dark Age 