11 June, 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Livni “Netanyahu Is A Danger To Israel”
IMEMC – Sunday June 12, 2011 – 03:43, Opposition head in Israel, leader of the Kadima Party, Tzipi Livni, stated that Israeli Prime Minister, head of the Likud Party, Benjamin Netanyahu, is a danger to Israel as he wants to push it back to the 1948 border.
Arabs48: “Fateh’s Central Committee Fired Mohammad Dahlan”
IMEMC – Sunday June 12, 2011 – 02:07, According to a report published by the Arabs48 news Website, a confidential source within the Fateh movement of president Mahmoud Abbas, reported on Saturday at night that Fateh leader Mohammad Dahlan, was expelled from his positions at the movement, and will be facing criminal charges.
Israel Prevents Jerusalem Mufti From Traveling To Jordan
IMEMC – Sunday June 12, 2011 – 01:43, The Israeli Authorities prevented Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, the Imam of the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, from travelling to Jordan to participate in a conference in Jordan.
Palestinian Dies Of Electric Shock Inside A Siege-busting Tunnel
IMEMC – Sunday June 12, 2011 – 01:22, Palestinian medical sources reported Saturday that a Palestinian youth was electrified to death while working in a siege-busting tunnel in the border area in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Army Invades Bilin Village
IMEMC – Sunday June 12, 2011 – 00:54, Israeli soldiers invaded on Saturday evening Bil’in village, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, and fired rounds of live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and gas bombs in different directions leading to clashes with the locals.
Haniyya: “No Negotiations With the Enemy, No Concessions On National Rights”
IMEMC – Saturday June 11, 2011 – 06:46, Palestinian Prime Minister of the dissolved Hamas-led government in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyya, stated on Friday that his movement is united and strong, and that the only language of negotiations with the occupation understands is the language of resistance.
PA: Armed settlers raid Nablus village
6/11/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Dozens of armed Israeli settlers on Saturday attacked residents of Qusra village in the northern West Bank, Palestinian officials said. PA settlement affairs official Ghassan Doughlas said settlers beat several residents at the entrance of the village, south of Nablus, and smashed the windscreen of a truck belonging to Husni Abu….
Minister: Gaza medical crisis ‘unprecedented’
6/11/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are suffering a critical shortage of medicine and medical supplies, Hamas Health Minister Bassem Naem said Saturday. The crisis was unprecedented even during Israel’s massive offensive on Gaza in December 2008, Naem said, adding that the situation was worsening by the day. Speaking….
Gaza tunnel worker dies from electric shock
6/11/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A Palestinian died Saturday from an electric shock while working in a smuggling tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border, medics said. Gaza medical services spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya identified the victim as Mahmoud Abed, 23. Medics say over 160 Palestinians have died in the network of underground tunnels since Israel imposed….
UNRWA: Israel displaced 67 Palestinian children in May
6/11/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israel displaced a record number of Palestinian children in May, the latest figures from the UN agency for refugees reveal. Throughout the month, 304 Palestinians were affected by Israel’s demolitions in the West Bank, including 67 children who were displaced, the UN Relief and Works Agency reported Thursday.” The….
Rafah crossing operates despite works
6/11/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Four busloads of passengers will leave Gaza to Egypt through the Rafah crossing on Saturday, Palestinian officials said. The terminal will then close for maintenance work, but will operate normally on Sunday. Travelers at the crossing said scaffolding was erected on the Egyptian side, but that buses could still pass….
12 injured in car crash near Hebron
6/11/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Twelve people were injured Saturday in a car accident near Hebron, medics said. Witnesses said Israeli soldiers were in pursuit of the car and sprayed bullets at the vehicle causing the driver to lose control and overturn the car. An Israeli military spokeswoman said Israeli soldiers were not pursuing the vehicle….
Boy dies after being run over near Bethlehem
6/11/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A 12-year-old boy died on Saturday after he was hit by a car near Tuqu east of Bethlehem, police said. Police identified the victim as Ibrahim Ali Ahmad Bureijeyeh. Prosecutor Mohammad Ghaboun told Ma’an that several accidents had happened in the area. But as the village is in….
Report: US ‘still has chance’ to stop Palestinian UN bid
6/11/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Washington still has a chance to stop Palestinians seeking UN recognition of statehood, a senior White House official told Jewish leaders in the US on Friday, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported. In a conference call, National Security Council head of the Mideast department Steven Simon told Jewish leaders that….
Report: Israel’s Fischer filed bid for top IMF job
6/11/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer has filed a bid to become the next head of the International Monetary Fund, Israel’s Channel 2 news reported on Saturday. The report, which was not immediately confirmed by Israel’s central bank, comes hours after the nomination process closed. Fischer, 67, a widely….
Minister: Medical Council to hold emergency session
6/11/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Medical Council will hold an emergency session Sunday to discuss accusations that it committed administrative and financial violations, Palestinian Authority Health Minister Fathi Abu Moghli said Saturday. A parliamentary fact-finding committee on Thursday said the Medical Council’s file should be transferred to the anti-corruption commission. The committee also….
Palestinian artist unveils world’s largest oil painting
6/11/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Ukraine-based Palestinian artist Dr Jamal Badwan on Wednesday unveiled the biggest oil painting in the world in a public park in Kiev. Palestinian Authority Minister of Tourism Khloud Daibes and hundreds of Ukrainians and Palestinians attended the show. The 310-square-meter painting portrait is expected to enter the Guinness Book of….
Israeli defense minister heads to China
6/11/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is to leave on Saturday night on a rare visit to Beijing for talks with Chinese leaders, his office says. Barak, invited by his Chinese counterpart Liang Guanglie, was to meet with “senior officials in the Chinese leadership,” his office said in a statement without giving details of….
Boy drowns off Gaza coast
6/11/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A 10-year-old boy was found dead on the shore of Gaza City on Saturday morning. Medics identified the victim as Marwan Yasser Salamah. Gaza medical services spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya said the boy went swimming on Friday evening after lifeguards had gone off duty. Abu Salmiya said the beach….
Syria slammed as crackdown accounts mount
6/11/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Harrowing eyewitness accounts mounted on Saturday after Syrian forces backed by helicopter gunships killed at least 25 protesters, prompting the US to toughen its stance on President Bashar Al-Assad. As the turmoil neared the three-month mark, the international outcry grew over Assad’s use of deadly force against his own people, with….
US congressman says Iraq should repay war costs
6/11/2011 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — A US congressman called on Friday for Iraq to repay a portion of the “mega-dollars” that Washington has spent since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, at a news conference in Baghdad. Republican representative Dana Rohrabacher’s remarks stand in stark contrast to those by senior American officials, including most recently….
Iraq asks US congressman to leave over ‘repay’ remark
6/11/2011 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — Iraqi authorities have asked for a US congressman to leave the country after he called for Baghdad to repay part of the money spent by Washington since the 2003 invasion, a spokesman said on Saturday. Republican representative Dana Rohrabacher’s remarks at a news conference in Baghdad stood in stark contrast to….
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AlJazeera
EU presses Syria to allow aid agencies in
AlJazeera 11 Jun 2011 – EU foreign policy chief voices concern about the humanitarian crisis the crackdown on protesters has created.
Yemeni forces in deadly clash with fighters
AlJazeera 11 Jun 2011 – Trouble in southern Zinjibar province, while president is said to be “recovering” in Saudi Arabia.
Bahrain opposition rally draws thousands
AlJazeera 11 Jun 2011 – Opposition calls for further reform at first protest in months after martial law-style restrictions were lifted.
East Africa al-Qaeda chief killed in Somalia
AlJazeera 11 Jun 2011 – Hillary Clinton says the killing of Fazul Abdullah Mohammed is a significant blow to al-Qaeda and its allies.
Turkey set for parliamentary elections
AlJazeera 11 Jun 2011 – Political campaigning ends ahead of Sunday’s ballot, with more than 50 million people eligible to vote.
Deaths in Iraq attacks
AlJazeera 11 Jun 2011 – Two car bombs strike Mosul and gunmen attack school teacher in a village outside of Tikrit.
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Italian Olympic Football Team Visits Bethlehem
PNN – Munjed Jadou – Bethlehem – PNN – During their visit to Palestine the Italian Olympic football team expressed their feelings on solidarity with the Palestinian children who were playing in the entrance…
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International Solidarity Movement
Two blindfolded and detained by Israeli military in illegal demolition near Al Hadidya, Jordan Valley
6/11/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Jordan Valley Solidarity – At 3pm yesterday 2 army jeeps carrying 8 soldiers came to the home of the Oudeh family. They demanded that the family take down their tent house and their two animal shelters. The army did not present the family with a demolition order or any other documents requiring the family to leave…. Related: Jordan Valley Solidarity
Israeli soldier to activists who were detained near Beit Ommar: ‘I could kill you.’
6/11/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement – On Saturday June 11 three International Solidarity Movement activists were stopped by the Israeli army when trying to enter the village of Beit Ommar in the southern West Bank. The activists were going to participate in a non-violent demonstration against the illegal settlements in the area. As the activists tried to enter….
Gaza health conditions in crisis
11 Jun 2011 – Gaza, (Pal Telegraph) – The Israeli siege continues to disturb different facets of the living conditions for the entire population of 1.7 million living in the Gaza Strip. With news that Egypt opened the Rafah border permanently, pressure on Gazans increased. The crossing didn’t open properly and Israel still control all commercial crossings. In addition, there are severe security measures…
3 Palestinians detained by Israel in Jerusalem
11 Jun 2011 – Jerusalem, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli occupation soldiers detained three Palestinian youths from Jerusalem under the pretext of throwing stones at Israeli police during yesterday clashes.
Israel hurts Palestinian near Ramallah
11 Jun 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-A Palestinian citizen was injured yesterday by Israeli gunfire in clashes took place in the village of Kafer Malek in the northwest of Ramallah.
Israeli soldiers break into Al-Aqsa mosque, arrest 3
11 Jun 2011 – Jerusalem, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli occupation forces attacked yesterday Palestinian prayers in Al-Aqsa mosque by gas and sound bombs following Friday prayer.
Syrian troops under fire in rebel town
The National 11 Jun 2011 – Syria blames army operations across the country on Islamist militants as international condemnation to crackdown grows.
Ahmadinejad fights to stay relevant
The National 11 Jun 2011 – On second anniversary of his re-election, critics see the power of Iran’s president waning as he challenges rival hardliners and the supreme leader.
Yemeni president’s health ‘bad’ a week after blast
The National 10 Jun 2011 – Ali Abdullah Saleh has been receiving treatment in Riyadh since he and several other top Yemeni officials were injured in a mosque blast at his presidential compound.
Syrian army deserters raise alarm on regime’s wanton cruelty
The National 10 Jun 2011 – Four men recount their experiences being ordered to fire on unarmed civilians and other atrocities, and say that “when the soldiers don’t shoot, they shoot the soldiers down.”
Syrian refugee tells Haaretz: Assad regime killing soldiers who refuse to shoot civilians
Ha’aretz – Haaretz’s Anshel Pfeffer reports from the Syrian-Turkish border.
Zvi Bar’el / Assad likely to succeed in bid to quell Syria protests
Ha’aretz – Assad is operating on the assumptions that time is on his side and that even if Turkey or other states sever ties with Syria it will still be able to count on cooperation from Iraq, Iran and Russia.
Fayyad nominated by Fatah to head Palestinian unity government
Ha’aretz – It is unclear how Hamas will receive the nomination of Fayyad, who they have criticized in the past.
Is the Palestinian Authority doing enough to stop honor killings?
Ha’aretz – Mahmoud Abbas recently announced his intent to crack down on those who murder women to preserve ‘family honor.’ But women’s advocacy groups say the legal changes he proposes are too little and too late.
Israeli rights groups that cooperated with Goldstone may no longer get National Service volunteers
Ha’aretz – Association for Civil Rights, Amnesty, Public Committee Against Torture and Physicians for Human Rights could lose eligibility under new proposed criteria.
U.S. investing $9 million in Israeli alternative fuels start-up companies
Ha’aretz – HCL CEO Eran Baniel: ‘We take agricultural waste and turn it into food for man and beast’.
Bank of Israel governor Stanley Fischer submits candidacy for IMF chief
Ha’aretz – Stanley Fischer has submitted an application for the IMF post that opened last month following the resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
Shalit activists heckle coalition MKs during Safed retreat
Ha’aretz – With spouses in tow, government members schmooze their way through northern city.
Pollard family calls on Obama to let convicted spy visit dying father
Ha’aretz – Medical condition of Jonathan Pollard’s father has deteriorated significantly in recent days following medical treatment for a bladder infection.
Iran defense minister: Aggression against us will be met with ‘decisive’ response
Ha’aretz – Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi tells Fars news agency ‘we are powerful in the sky’; dismisses outside threats because ‘enemies do not dare threaten Iran.’
Iran to host conference targeting Israel’s nuclear program
Ha’aretz – The conference is to focus on Israel’s policy of nuclear ambiguity and its refusal to neither confirm nor deny its alleged possession of nuclear weapons.
Al Schwimmer, founder of Israel Aircraft Industries, dies at 94
Ha’aretz – Schwimmer, an American citizen born in New York, was convicted in 1950 of violating the Neutrality Act for smuggling planes to Israel during the 1948 War of Independence.
Fatal car crash in north Israel kills four
Ha’aretz – Car inexplicably veered off Haifa road and collided with technical school wall; car then flipped over and erupted in flames.
Somali police kill suspected Al-Qaida mastermind of attack on Israeli hotel in Africa
Ha’aretz – Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, one of Africa’s most wanted al-Qaida operatives, was alleged to have orchestrated the 2002 suicide bombing at an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombasa, Kenya.
U.S.: Arms deals with Egypt to continue
Ha’aretz – Pentagon official says upheavals and regime changes in Middle East will not affect U.S. military sales to Egypt.
UN human rights team: Egypt long way from democracy
Ha’aretz – Team urges early lifting of state of emergency; says authorities must combat past abuses and impunity and ensure accountability at all levels, ‘so that justice is both done and perceived to be done.’
Manpower firms are setting up shop in Israel at a record pace
Ha’aretz – A man wakes up one day and decides he’s an employment agency.
Corporate debt settlements jeopardize NIS 2.5 billion of the public’s savings
Ha’aretz – NIS 2.5 billion are now in arrears, and judging by skyrocketing bond yields, this figure could rise considerably by the end of the year.
Chip PC: Management resigns, bondholders demand immediate repayment
Ha’aretz – Chip PC, whose products are meant to help companies use cloud computing, entered the stock market in 2007, during the heady days right before the global crisis.
Sa’ar Stymied
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jun 2011 – Hopefully, the reaction to shortening the summer will not discourage the Education Minister from pursuing other reforms.
Shush! Look who’s talking!
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jun 2011 – Former officials’ sudden need to speak unflatteringly about the state of the country raises a great deal of public debate.
‘Lesbian blogger from Syria may be a hoax’
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jun 2011 – Report: “A Gay Girl in Damascus” may be writing from Scotland; ‘Washington Post’ reporter notices blog’s IP address is in Edinburgh.
Study: Obesity in elderly boosts risk of dementia 300%
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Health Scan: Teaching how to live right; integrative medicine in OB/GYN; why DNA breaks down in cancer cells.
Is Britain’s public healthcare NICEr?
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Outgoing chairman Prof. Michael Rawlins speaks about clinical guidance and preventing and treating disease.
Thousands march in Tel Aviv’s Gay Pride Parade
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Police say 70,000 take part in parade, concluding in party at Gordon Beach with DJs and international guests.
Finnish parliament speaker recalls anti-Semitic attack
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Ben Zysowicz, Finland’s first Jewish lawmaker, tells of assault and anti-Semitic insults.
Milan’s left-wing groups bash Israel celebration
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Pro-Palestinian groups announce anti-Israel rally in response to exhibit in Italian city’s central piazza.
Kiddush clubs declare boycott on Scottish whiskey
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Move by Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs comes after Kiddush-favorite Chivas named in global boycott of Israeli goods.
Computer repair group for teens gets NIS 1.4m. grant
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Eco Tech adds social value by providing PCs to families in need, reducing toxic waste.
PA considers 1947 UN Partition Plan if US vetoes state
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Nabil Sha’ath says UN Resolution 181 is one of many options PA is considering if US rejects Palestinian statehood bid.
Barak flies to China as Beijing is accused of helping Iran
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Defense Minister to meet Chinese counterpart to discuss Iranian threat, peace process and defense ties.
UN: Iran buying foreign banks to sidestep sanctions
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Leaked report by the UNSC says Iran is circumventing sanctions through foreign money-exchange bureaus and banks.
Future of Jewish people to be discussed at J’lem summit
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – 150 young leaders meet for five-day ROI Global Summit for Young Jewish Innovators to exchange ideas on issues shaping the Jewish World.
Lieberman predicts coalition will serve full term
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Coalition members travel to Safed for festive Shabbat get-together; PM travels to Rome today for interministerial meeting.
German man who typed ‘Schindler’s List’ dies at 91
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Mietek Pemper was responsible for typing the famous list that saved 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust; will be buried in Jewish cemetery in Germany.
Pollard learns father is dying, issues new appeal
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Advocates for Israeli agent approach Obama to lobby for “compassionate leave” to enable him to visit his 95-year-old father on his deathbed.
Poland’s good intentions
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Poland would offer restitution to all victims of the Nazis, Jews included, if only…
Israel Prize winner Al Schwimmer dies on 94th birthday
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Schwimmer was convicted in US in 1950 for smuggling planes to Israel during 1948 War, founded and ran Israel Aircraft Industries for 30 years.
Bank of Israel’s Stanley Fischer running for head of IMF
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Position is “an extraordinary and unplanned opportunity,” Fischer says; IMF would need to change age rules for Fischer, 67, to take post.
US accuses Syria of creating humanitarian crisis
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Over 4,000 refugees enter Turkey as violence escalates; rights groups say Syrian security forces have killed over 1,100 civilians in efforts to suppress demonstrations.
Turkey’s parties wind up campaigning on eve of vote
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Gallery: Turkish politicians, including PM Erdogan who is expected to win a third term, make their last campaign rounds before voters hit polls.
Yemen: 30 killed as Islamist clashes break out in south
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Army kills 21 al-Qaida members in province whose main city was seized by Islamist terrorists; 9 Yemeni soldiers killed during fighting.
‘Abbas shuts down web sites run by Dahlan supporters’
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Activists claim move is part of PA president’s punitive measures against former Fatah security commander; five sites blocked in total.
Yemen: Military kills 21 al-Qaida members in south
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Country’s Defense Ministry sends statement detailing that army troops also destroyed weapons and ammunition cache in Zinjibar.
Four killed in Haifa crash
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Driver loses control of car, slams into wall at Hatehni School in Haifa; police are investigating the cause of the accident.
Four people killed in Haifa after car crashes
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jun 2011 – Car slams into wall of Haifa school, erupts into flames; police say driver apparently traveled at a high speed, may have been drunk.
Dividing Lines
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jun 2011 – Confrontations between Israeli and US leaders leave American Jews feeling uncomfortable.
Rustic turns to romantic
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jun 2011 – The stars of Arnold’s cozy kosher meat restaurant are the appetizers and the desserts.
BAHRAIN: Tribunal-Issued Death Sentences Cause Outcry
IPS Democracy advocates in the United States are troubled by the pending execution of two men who took part in anti-government protests in Bahrain.
An open letter to the African Union for feasible and practical action on the Libyan Crisis
Uruknet June 11, 2011 – The following letter, which is self-explanatory, was emailed to various officials of the African Union, whose email addresses were available on its web site, on June 8, 2011. So far, I have received no response and none is expected. In the sinister post-communist imperialist dominated world reality, there are unprecedented types and levels of…
WikiLeaks and the 22 Children of Guant?°namo
Uruknet June 11, 2011 – In May 2008, in a submission to the 48th Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (PDF), the Pentagon claimed that it had only held eight juveniles – those under the age of 18 when their alleged crimes took place – during the life of the Guant?°namo Bay prison. This,…
Israel Responds to Flotilla Pressure by “Allowing More Crumbs” into Gaza
Uruknet June 11, 2011 – Israel’s announcement that it is “allowing between 210 and 220” trucks into Gaza with humanitarian aid is a direct response to the pressure that the upcoming Freedom Flotilla II is creating. Since July 2007, Israel has kept the number of allowed trucks at 25% of what the pre-blockade numbers were and of what is…
Assad’s regime is leading Syria to an abyss, Arabic newspapers
Uruknet June 11, 2011 – During three months of the Syrian people’s unanticipated uprising against one of the world’s most ruthless regimes, the Syrian president didn’t see a need to address his people more than once, observed the columnist Abdulrahman al Rashed in the London-based Asharq Al Awsat daily. Ninety days into the Deraa revolution, what can we predict…
Residents Flee as Syrian Forces Bombard Town
Uruknet June 12, 2011 – Syrian security forces bombarded the restive northern town of Jisr al-Shoughour for a second day Saturday with tank and helicopter fire as people struggled to escape, residents said. It was not clear on Saturday why security forces had not yet staged a ground assault, with reports indicating that local residents who stayed behind to…
Minister: Gaza medical crisis ‘unprecedented’
Uruknet June 11, 2011 – – Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are suffering a critical shortage of medicine and medical supplies, Hamas Health Minister Bassem Naem said Saturday. The crisis was unprecedented even during Israel’s massive offensive on Gaza in December 2008, Naem said, adding that the situation was worsening by the day. Speaking at a conference in Ash-Shifa…
Syrian troops accused of firing on locals trying to flee Jisr al-Shughour
Uruknet June 11, 2011 – Hikmat was one of the few remaining residents in Jisr al-Shughour when the Syrian army rolled in, firing wildly and at will. “They didn’t care what they were shooting at,” said the 39-year-old, who was hit in the foot as soldiers finally delivered on a week-long threat to wreak havoc in the town that…
In a pure coincidence, Gaddafi impeded U.S. oil interests before the war
Uruknet June 11, 2011 -When the war in Libya began, the U.S. government convinced a large number of war supporters that we were there to achieve the very limited goal of creating a no-fly zone in Benghazi to protect civilians from air attacks, while President Obama specifically vowed that “broadening our military mission to include regime change would be…
32 dead in Syrian crackdown in restive north and on nationwide protests, activists say
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – Syrian forces shelled a town in the country’s restive north and opened fire on scattered protests nationwide, killing at least 32 people on Friday, activists said. Hundreds of Syrians streamed across the border into Turkey, trying to escape the violence. A Syrian opposition figure told The Associated Press by telephone that thousands of protesters…
Bahrain Shiites hold first mass rally since crackdown
Uruknet June 11, 2011 – Thousands of Shiite Bahrainis rallied Saturday answering a call from their largest opposition group, Al-Wefaq, in the first demonstration since a mid-march crackdown on Shiite-led pro-democracy protests. The rally, staged under the banner “Bahrain, homeland for all” in the Shiite village of Sar, 10 days after a state of emergency was lifted, had received…
Video: The weekly protest in the buffer zone (exposing the Israeli propaganda)
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – Take a few minutes of your time …. watch….rethink and question the INDIFEERENCE. Peaceful demonstrations shot at by the Israeli occupation, and the world stands still!!!!!!!! With your solidarity we break the silence , Join us and be part exposing the Israeli propaganda !!!
Pro-Israelis Turning U.S. into Islamophobic Police State
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – The recent call by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer for increased rail safety funding and the creation of a “no-ride” list for Amtrak trains is yet another reminder of just who is stoking fear of Muslims in America. In an interview last year with a Jewish radio talk show in New York, Senator Schumer said…
The Obama Administration: on the Wrong Side of Torture . . . Again
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – The Obama administration has just recommended that the U.S. Supreme Court not hear a case brought by torture victims of Abu Ghraib and other detention centers in Iraq – a recommendation that leaves the Iraqi torture victims without any redress or accountability for those responsible for their torture. Through their case, Saleh v. Titan,…
The sea
Uruknet I was recently forwarded an email with numerous photos of Gaza, most of them old, pre-siege, late 90s even. A few photos included Palestinians at the sea, as if to say since they are under siege they should not take advantage of the one resource left to them, albeit massively polluted by their own sewage.The point of the…
Iraq After Maliki’s “100 Days”: An Interview with Iraqi Organizer Uday al-Zaidi
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – On February 27, 2011, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki gave his parliament 100 days to “reform” their sometimes totally nonfunctional ministries or face consequences, in response “to people’s demands” as he put it. Those demands have taken the form of some of the least noted events of the Arab Spring: large mobilizations in Baghdad’s…
67 Palestinian Children Dispossessed Or Affected By Demolitions In May
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – The UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, has reported that the month of May shows the highest number of children made homeless or otherwise affected by Israeli demolitions in the West Bank for 2011. According to the report 304 Palestinians were dispossessed or affected by demolitions of homes and other infrastructure such as water…
Hunger strike by Palestinian detainee with untreated brain tumor enters second week
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – A Palestinian man being held in an Israeli prison has entered the second week of hunger strike after Israeli authorities refused to allow him to receive treatment for a recently-diagnosed brain tumor. According to the Palestinian Minister of Detainees, Issa Qaraqie, the Israeli military has thus far refused a request by the Ministry to…
Fears for Syrian child protesters amid fresh reports of deaths
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – Amnesty International urged the Syrian authorities to protect child protesters amid fresh reports of young people being tortured and killed. Video evidence has emerged in recent days of two new cases of teenagers – Thamer al-Sahri and Nazir ‘Abd al-Kader – dying after receiving injuries caused by beatings and gunshot wounds. “Reports that the…
Haaretz exclusive: Secret cables show Israel’s battle plan over Palestinian UN bid
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – Israel has started mobilizing its embassies for the battle against UN recognition of a Palestinian state in September, ordering its diplomats to convey that this would delegitimize Israel and foil any chance for future peace talks. Envoys are being asked to lobby the highest possible officials in their countries of service, muster support from…
China ratings house says US defaulting: report
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – A Chinese ratings house has accused the United States of defaulting on its massive debt, state media said Friday, a day after Beijing urged Washington to put its fiscal house in order. “In our opinion, the United States has already been defaulting,” Guan Jianzhong, president of Dagong Global Credit Rating Co. Ltd., the only…
McKinney human rights fact-finders show Libyan deaths, injuries not propaganda’
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – In the CIA kick-started war on Libya, The New York Times report Monday by John F. Burns, calling Libyan civilian casualties “propaganda,” does not square with a series of WBAIX in-hospital interviews (posted below) by Joshalyn Lawrence that show civilian victim survivors of U.S./NATO intensifying bomb raids, both witnessed by a human rights fact-finding…
The Revolution’s Flotilla
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – Politics is noted as being the understanding of the modern fundamentals of established governments, the order and the way policies are created. The delegations of power and the fathering ideology of democracy is the principle of political involvement. Who can forget the anticipation and hopefulness that we had last year as the first Freedom…
Egypt resumes natural gas supply to Israel after repairs to pipeline following April attack
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – Egypt resumed pumping natural gas to Israel on Friday after supplies were halted in April following an attack on a pipeline, Israeli media reports said. Experimental testing on the pumping of gas to Israel and Jordan began on Tuesday after repairs were made to the pipeline that was attacked in April, Ampal-American Israel Corp…
Pro-government demonstrators attack protesters in Baghdad
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – Government-sponsored demonstrators, some armed with clubs, attacked pro-democracy protesters Friday in Tahrir Square and paraded pictures of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki’s chief rival, Iyad Allawi, with a red X slashed across his face. Groups of rowdy young men, some said by Western sources to have been bused in by Maliki’s Islamic Dawa Party, roamed…
Truth Dispatch – Updates From Libya
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – On the ground in Tripoli and western Libya, Cynthia McKinney reports that the current NATO-led war looks nothing like the mainstream media would have us believe: ‘The situation on the ground in Tripoli … could not more different from what is being portrayed by Western news networks and newspapers.’..
Iraq snapshot – June 10, 2011
Uruknet June 10, 2011 – Chaos and violence continue, protesters in Baghdad are attacked, Ahmed Chalabi and Nouri al-Maliki are engaged in a curious dance, some Sunni militia groups may be brought into the government, and more….”Government Security Forces assault a group of the Great Iraqi Revoution’s Youth, beating them and cursing them with filthy language, as well as…
AUB president criticizes campaign against Wolfensohn
Daily Star 11 Jun 2011 AUB president Peter Dorman criticizes petition which led former World Bank chief to pull out of a keynote speech at a ceremony due to grant him an honorary degree.
Aoun warns U.S. not to interfere in Lebanon
Daily Star 11 Jun 2011 Free Patriotic Movement leader warns the U.S. not to interfere in Lebanon’s affairs, adding that the country is strong enough to prevent the outbreak of a sectarian civil war.
Gadhafi troops surround Libyan city after clashes
Daily Star 11 Jun 2011 Troops loyal to the Libyan leader were surrounding the city of Zlitan, just 160 kilometers east of Tripoli, rebels say, after fighting broke out there that could open up the coastal road to the capital.
Bkirki: political division hurting the country
Daily Star 11 Jun 2011 Political division among lawmakers in the country has crippled the country’s institutions, a statement released by the seat of the Maronite Patriarchate said Saturday, criticizing the delay in the process of Cabinet formation.
New Cabinet would oppose U.N. resolutions against Syria: Hobeish
Daily Star 11 Jun 2011 A swift Cabinet formation is in Syria’s best interest as the new majority would vote against any United Nations Security Council resolution that might target Damascus, Future Movement MP Hadi Hobeish said.
In verse and prose, Benghazi liberates speech
Daily Star 11 Jun 2011 Freedom of speech is the name of the game in Revolution Square in the Libyan rebel capital, where new publications have blossomed and women recite poetry in public.
Wounded Yemen president’s health ‘bad’: source
Daily Star 11 Jun 2011 The state of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s health described as “bad” by an informed source in Riyadh, where the beleaguered leader is being treated for bomb attack wounds.
Syrian troops seal restive northern town
Daily Star 11 Jun 2011 Syrian tanks seal a restive northern city Saturday, and activists say they expect an all-out government assault on the region near the Turkish border, as U.S. condemns Friday’s violence.
Report: Al-Qaeda’s Africa chief killed
YNet News, 11 Jun 2011 – Kenya police says Fazul Abdullah Muhammad killed Wednesday in Somali capital of….
Thousands flee Syria for Turkey
YNet News, 11 Jun 2011 – London’s Arabic newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat says protest against Damascus regime….
Iranian minister: Strike will meet crushing response
YNet News, 11 Jun 2011 – Brig.-Gen. Ahmad Vahidi dismisses threats against Islamic Republic, says Tehran….
IAI founder Al Schwimmer dies
YNet News, 11 Jun 2011 – Schwimmer, one of the founders of Israel’s air force and ‘father’ of Aerospace….
Report: Iran to host NPT summit
YNet News, 11 Jun 2011 – Islamic Republic’s international non-proliferation meeting to focus on need for….
Germany to PA: Drop UN bid
YNet News, 11 Jun 2011 – Berlin’s foreign minister heads to Israel, PA for official visit; will try to….
US: Israel must adopt Obama’s vision
YNet News, 11 Jun 2011 – Senior White House National Security Council official tells Jewish leaders US….
Syria warns against UN censure
YNet News, 11 Jun 2011 – Damascus crackdown on demonstrators takes even deadlier turn as Assad resorts to….
Rebels: Gaddafi forces threaten residents with rape
YNet News, 10 Jun 2011 – Forces loyal to Libya’s leader surround town of Zlitan, urge residents to….
Is Syria on verge of civil war?
YNet News, 10 Jun 2011 – At least 32 people killed in clashes between protestors, troops Friday as Syria….
Red Cross to Syria: Let us access wounded
YNet News, 10 Jun 2011 – International Red Cross has not been granted meaningful access to Syria uprising….
Report: Scottish boycott leader defends Fogel killers
YNet News, 10 Jun 2011 – Itamar massacre revenge for killing of Palestinian children, Councilor Jim….
Palestinian Information Center
IOF cracks down on peaceful protests in West Bank
PIC – Dozens suffered the effects of breathing tear gas after the Israeli occupation forces cracked down on a weekly rally in Bil’in protesting Jewish settlement construction and the separation barrier.
Hamas holds IOA responsible for safety of Qabaha
PIC – Hamas held the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) responsible for the safety of former minister Wasfi Qabaha, who was taken from his home in Jenin on Friday.
Families of Naksa Day martyrs deny ties with deadly Yarmouk clashes
PIC – The families of those killed on Israeli borders during Naksa Day protests on June 5 have denied ties with the strife in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus that left some 14 dead.
Subaih calls for swift international intervention to curb Israeli violations
PIC – Mohammed Subaih, the assistant Arab League secretary general, has said that the world community is morally obliged to swiftly intervene and put an end to Israeli violations and settlers’ provocations.
Hamas: European recommendation proves west’s boycott ‘mistake’
PIC – Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that calls by former European officials to end the western boycott of Hamas shows that Europe has realized its mistake in cutting Hamas out of the regional arena.
Health minister says crisis worsened after unity deal
PIC – Gaza health minister Bassem Naim said Saturday that the health crisis in Gaza has taken a turn for the worse following the unity deal signed by factions ruling the Palestinian territories in May.
Israel bans exit of Jerusalem mufti to attend Jordan conference
PIC – Israeli authorities have prohibited Jerusalem’s grand mufti Ikrima Sabri from going to Jordanian capital Amman to take part in a conference that started Saturday on human rights in Jerusalem.
Ufree says PLC member arrests a translation of Israeli reconciliation threats
PIC – Ufree called the recent Israeli arrest campaign targeting Palestinian officials a practical translation of threats that followed the Palestinian reconciliation deal.
IOF soldiers wound 12 Palestinians, round up Jerusalemites
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) shot at a Palestinian car while en route from Yatta, south of Al-Khalil, to Beer Sheba, in 1948 occupied Palestine, on Saturday wounding 12 citizens.
OCHA report: IOF injured 88 Palestinians in June 1-7
PIC – A report by OCHA says that Israeli occupation forces (IOF) injured 88 Palestinians during the first week of June 2011 most of them Naksa Day protesters.
Bekeirat: Building a museum on top of the dead is clear Zionist racism
PIC – 10/06/2011 – 02:55 PM
Head of the Hamas Shura Council dies aged 76
PIC – 10/06/2011 – 06:43 PM
Family of sick captive appeal to Red Cross to work for his release
PIC – 10/06/2011 – 07:42 PM
Fire destroys a large area of woods in mount Eibal in Nablus
PIC – 10/06/2011 – 08:08 PM
IOF arrest 8 Palestinians in Talfit village
PIC – 10/06/2011 – 09:20 PM
Israeli occupation navy boats fire at Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Raf
PIC – 10/06/2011 – 09:35 PM
IOF kidnap former minister of prisoners affairs, Wasfi Qabaha
PIC – 10/06/2011 – 09:21 PM
IOF troops raid the Aqsa Mosque, assault worshipers
PIC – 10/06/2011 – 09:53 PM
Haneyya: Hamas united
PIC – 11/06/2011 – 07:11 AM
Jordan, Israel affirm resumption of Egyptian gas supply
PIC – 11/06/2011 – 07:51 AM
mily: ‘Times New Roman’; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; font-size: medium;”>WAFA – Palestine News Agency
SI’s Middle East Committee calls for Recognition of Palestine if Peace Efforts Fail
WAFA
Dozen Palestinians Hurt in Israeli Chase of Their Vehicles
WAFA
Israeli Army Seals Off Nablus Area Village
WAFA
Egypt Denies Arms-Smuggling to Gaza
WAFA
Abbas Reiterates Position to Seek UN Recognition if Negotiations Fail
WAFA
mily: ‘Times New Roman’; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; font-size: medium;”>Intifada Palestine
America’s Next War Theater: Syria and Lebanon?
Intifada-Palestine: 11 Jun 2011 – Washington’s War against the Resistance Bloc Lebanese Hezbollah supporters carry posters of (from R-L) Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Washington and its allies, Israel and the Al-Sauds, are taking advantage of… more
What the American Public Shouldn’t Know
Intifada-Palestine: 11 Jun 2011 – by Kourosh Ziabari Many people around the world might have credulously or perhaps naively fallen in the trap of believing the tempting claims of the U.S. statesmen and politicians who say that their country is a “beacon of freedom” and a… more
Pro-government demonstrators attack protesters in Baghdad
LA Times 10 Jun 2011 – At least four men were beaten, say pro-democracy activists, and Iraqi soldiers stood by as armed government supporters, some reportedly bused in, attacked them. Government-sponsored demonstrators, some armed with clubs, attacked pro-democracy protesters Friday in Tahrir Square and paraded pictures of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki’s…
Oil and gas prices fall as Saudi Arabia moves to increase output
LA Times 10 Jun 2011 – Saudi Arabia may increase its oil production by as much as 13% in coming days, a report said. The word came just two days after OPEC snubbed a Saudi call to raise production quotas. Oil and pump prices fell as the world’s biggest petroleum exporter…
Residents Flee as Syrian Forces Bombard Town
New York Times 11 Jun 2011 – Syrian security forces continued to bombard the town of Jisr al-Shoughour on Saturday as people struggled to escape, residents said.
Qaddafi Forces Shell Rebels Near Misurata
New York Times 11 Jun 2011 – News reports also suggested that other pro-Qaddafi troops were on the move around the formerly rebel-held city of Zawiya, just west of Tripoli.
Car Bombings and Shooting of Family Kill 11 in Iraq
New York Times 11 Jun 2011 – Twin car bombs ripped through a crowded neighborhood in Mosul on Saturday, and unidentified gunmen killed a teacher and his family in the central part of the country.
In Saudi Arabia, Comedy Cautiously Pushes Limits
New York Times 11 Jun 2011 – Young Saudis are producing comedy shows on YouTube and performing live, offering material that edges closer to being, well, edgy.
Portland’s ‘friendliest’ markets refused to meet boycott advocates, and stocked many Israeli brands, and so‚Äì
Mondoweiss – Check this out, everything about this sends chills down my spine. New Seasons Grocery stores markets themselves as local and socially conscious . We’re passionate about the community where we all live. That’s one of the reasons we give first preference to local growers, fishers, farmers and…
mily: ‘Times New Roman’; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; font-size: medium;”>Maps of settlement growth and land owndership, July 2010
B’tselem 11 Jun 2011 – Map depicting the population growth of the settlements Ma’ale Adumim, Modiin Illit and Beitar Illit, as well as privately owned Palestinian land inside the settlements Ariel, Bet El Kedumim and Givat Ze’ev. More on the topic
Website under construction
B’tselem 11 Jun 2011 – 11 June ’11 B’Tselem is launching a new and improved website, and errors might emerge in the coming days. Please help us by reporting errors and issues that you encounter to: seran@btelem.org .
B’Tselem’s Camera Project
B’tselem 11 Jun 2011 – In 2007, B’Tselem’s Video Department launched its camera project, in which the organization distributes video cameras to Palestinians living in areas in the West Bank,East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip in which clashes are commonplace. The cameras enable them to present the reality of their lives to the Israeli and international public, thereby encouraging action to improve the situation.
Our demands (designing placards for a demonstration)
Mondoweiss – I’m nearing the end of my vacation from work (I’m a graphic designer) and an article MJ Rosenberg wrote (“Congress to Palestinians: Drop Dead”) has stuck in my head. He wrote something along the lines of: Do the standing ovations afforded to Netanyahu at his recent…
An angry Siegman sees UN statehood declaration as only way to save two-state-solution
Mondoweiss – Henry Siegman at Foreign Policy : Bottom line, Obama is wrong in his assertion that the U.N. can never bring about a Palestinian state and that only a resumed Israeli-Palestinian peace process can. The precise opposite is true. Direct negotiations, even if begun at the 1967 lines…
Sternhell: 1967 is destroying 1948
Mondoweiss – Inside Israel there is a growing war against Netanyahu. Here is Zeev Sternhell in Haaretz trying to save the two-state solution. I think he is too late, but there is an important theme here, which the American press has failed to reflect: that the ideology of…
‘An Attack on Iran Will End Israel as We Know It’
Tikun Olam – Even confined just to the Middle East, MAD will be devestating for Israel and Iran Maariv publishes an important article (Hebrew) noting that Meir Dagan is not the only senior military-intelligence official decrying a possible Israeli strike on Iran. Among the others who agree with him…
Derfner Blog Partnership Suspended
Tikun Olam – A few months ago Larry Derfner came to me with an idea I thought was terrific: co-authoring a blog to debate the burning issues of the nature of Israeli society, Israeli democracy and modern Zionism ; and to do this from a progressive perspective. We’d tackle the…
Dozens Gather to Recognize World’s Support for for Palestinian State, Two Arrested
Palestine Solidarity Project 11 Jun 2011 – On Saturday, June 11th, roughly 30 activists gathered for a demonstration against Karmei Tsur. The group, comprised of Palestinians, as well as Israeli and international solidarity activists, marched towards the settlement chanting against the occupation. The protesters held posters saying, “Awakening of Consciousness,” and, “No Sound…
2 Detained, Blindfolded by Israeli Military in Illegal Demolition Near Al Hadidya, Jordan Valley
Palestine Solidarity Project 11 Jun 2011 – At 3pm yesterday 2 army jeeps carrying 8 soldiers came to the home of the Oudeh family. They demanded that the family take down their tent house and their two animal shelters. The army did not present the family with a demolition order or any other…
Syrian refugees mount in Turkey
BBC 11 Jun 2011 – Turkey says 4,300 people have now crossed its border fleeing violence in northern Syria, as eyewitnesses detail a government crackdown.
Israel central banker joins IMF field
BBC 11 Jun 2011 – Governor of the Bank of Israel Stanley Fischer puts forward his candidacy to head the International Monetary Fund.
Friendship under strain
BBC 11 Jun 2011 – Turkish dilemma over violence in Syria
Why Was This Man Standing At A Podium Before the US Congress?
Sabbah report 11 Jun 2011 – While many Americans were watching Oprah, Israel assumed control of our government. The picture of Netanyahu lecturing Congress, was orchestrated by John Boehner with the help of all those other Zionist politicians we elected to office in campaigns financed by the Israel Lobby.
Muddle and mixed messages precede Palestinian bid for UN recognition
Sabbah report 11 Jun 2011 – With the date for the purported Palestinian bid for UN recognition fast approaching, Stuart Littlewood views the mixed messages emanating from the Palestinian Authority, the inept messengers and the absence of a competent and credible public relations campaign ahead of the bid.
The Audacity to Recognize a Palestinian State is Now
Sabbah report 11 Jun 2011 – Sign this Statehood Petition and urge President Obama to support United Nations recognition of a Palestinian State. It is urgent and time sensitive because the Palestinians plan to submit their U.N. application for a Palestinian State next month, July, to the U.N. General Assembly for a…
Articles
Settler ‘price tag’ pogroms against Palestinians go under the radar
Yossi Gurvitz, +972 Magazine6/11/2011
With violence against Palestinians becoming commonplace and essentially condoned, it begins vanishing from the media and becomes a non-issue
When a post mortem on Israeli democracy takes place, there’s a good chance that the “Ha’Kol Ha’Yehudi” will be considered akin to Radio Rwanda, which encouraged and led the murderers to the victims during that country’s genocide.
The site (Hebrew), whose name means “The Jewish Voice,” is operated by the Yehudim Smechim (“Happy Jews”) Association (Hebrew), which is the active front of the students of the “Od Yoseph Khai” yeshiva in Yizhar. Led by Yizhak Ginzburg, this is in all likelihood the most extreme yeshiva around. It became famous, or rather infamous, when two of its rabbis wrote “Torat Ha’Melekh,” a treatise on the proper way ‚Äì according to Jewish law ‚Äì to kill gentiles. Even the Ministry of Education stopped funding it for a time after that.
Ha’Kol Hayehudi reports steadily and enthusiastically about the pogroms carried out by settlers, under the code name of “price tag” ‚Äì referring to acts carried out against Palestinian in revenge of government actions harming the settler enterprise. One wonders how involved is the site in those activities: When Itamar Sha’altiel and I tried to find out, two months ago, why price tag activities went drastically down for some two weeks, we found those weeks correlated with the yeshiva’s Passover vacation.
Be that as it may, Ha’Kol Ha’Yehudi enjoys excellent sources in the Jehovistic right. It reported on Thursday (Hebrew) about a pogrom which took place two months ago in Pisgat Ze’ev, a settlement close to Jerusalem: 40 Jewish young men organized themselves and went on a Palestinian hunt…. more.. e-mail
Pro-Israelis Turning U.S. into Islamophobic Police State
Maidhc ?ì Cathail, Middle East Monitor (MEMO)6/10/2011
The recent call by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer for increased rail safety funding and the creation of a “no-ride” list for Amtrak trains is yet another reminder of just who is stoking fear of Muslims in America.
In an interview last year with a Jewish radio talk show in New York, Senator Schumer said he believed that HaShem (an Orthodox Jewish term for “God”) gave him the name “Schumer” — which means “guardian” — so that he could fulfill his “very important” role in the U.S. Senate as a “guardian of Israel.” Presumably, Schumer’s God-given role also includes turning the country he is actually paid to represent — the United States — into an Islamophobic police state.
Americans wondering what happened to their freedoms since 9/11 need to understand the key role played by ardent pro-Israelis like Schumer in undermining their civil liberties under the guise of protecting them from terrorism.
On October 11, 2001, exactly one month after 9/11, Senator Joe Lieberman introduced a bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security. Since then, “the No. 1 pro-Israel advocate and leader in Congress” has been the main mover behind such draconian legislation as the Protect America Act of 2007, the Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010, and the proposed Terrorist Expatriation Act, which would revoke the citizenship of Americans accused of providing “material support” to a foreign terrorist organization, i.e. groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah that are legitimately resisting Israeli occupation and aggression. Lieberman, who was Barack Obama’s mentor when he entered the Senate, has even proposed a bill which would give the president the power to kill the Internet in the event of a so-called “national cyber-emergency.” more.. e-mail
Israel’s Treatment of Gay Palestinian Asylum Seekers
Caroline Esser, Washington Note, Palestine Note6/7/2011
The newest way to sell Israel to Americans: LGBT rights. Search gay rights on the Anti-Defamation League’s website and what do you find? A ready-to-print and available for order poster that reads, “Which of the Middle East nations protects the legal rights, safety & freedom of the LGBT communities? Only Israel.” At the bottom of the poster, in smaller font, it states, “Israel is by far the most democratic state in the entire Middle East. It supports civil rights for all its citizens regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, creed & religion. Dialogue begins when it’s based on facts”.
Likewise, scan The Jewish Federations of North America’s site and you will find a series of press releases about its recent “LGBT Pride in Israel Mission.” A novel way of persuading young activists to join the pro-Israel forces, the mission brought hundreds of members of North America’s LGBT community to Israel. The trip was specifically designed to expose North Americans to the vibrant LGBT culture in the Jewish homeland and to help them “forge ties with [their] brethren in Israel”.
Israel advocacy groups like the ADL and the Jewish Federations have latched on to LGBT rights in Israel as a means of combating negative press and demonstrating Israel’s dedication to equal rights and democracy. It is a logical issue to showcase since, in many ways, Israel is far ahead of the United States in terms of LGBT rights. For instance, while the United States only repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” last December, Israel has allowed openly gay men and women to serve in the military since 1983 and it has not imposed any restrictions on their placement within the military since 1993. Israel is also one of the few countries around the world that has granted legal recognition to same-sex couples with regards to property tax benefits, inheritance taxes, and housing aid; recognized same-sex adoptive parents; and registered the marriages of same-sex couples who were married outside of Israel.
Unfortunately, the ADL’s poster and the Federations’ themed trip only reveal one side of the picture…. — See also: Source more.. e-mail
From Palestine to Tucson, solidifying the bonds of solidarity
Electronic Intifada: 11 Jun 2011 – Yusi El Boujami , Gabriel Schivone and Ryan Velasquez The Electronic Intifada A review of the history of modern Palestine reflects a startling image of the conquest and colonization of traditional indigenous lands settled by the US .more
My Jerusalem Diaries: A Permit for Home
Palestine Chronicle: 11 Jun 2011 – By Rana B. Baker – Gaza What a pity being asked if you have ever been to your capital city and all that you have to say is: ‘I would love to go there one day,’ or that the last time I visited Jerusalem I was nine years old. There could be a third way to answer this question: yes, I passed by it, but I was not allowed to step out of the bus because I didn’t have the special permit required for such visits. Indeed, the first picture my mind summons for Jerusalem was 11 years ago, in 2000, when I went there for the first time with my parents, grandmother and older sister. I was staring at a crowd of Rabbis through the window of the bus that carried us to Jerusalem. They looked alike: dressed in black outfits and black hats with straggling beards and two…more
Pro-Israelis Turning U.S. into Islamophobic Police State
Dissident Voice: 11 Jun 2011 – The recent call by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer for increased rail safety funding and the creation of a “no-ride” list for Amtrak trains is yet another reminder of just who is stoking fear of Muslims in America. In an interview last year with a Jewish radio talk show in New York, Senator Schumer said he believed that HaShem (an Orthodox Jewish term for “God”) gave him the name “Schumer” — which means “guardian” — so that he could fulfill his “very important” role in the U.S. Senate as a “guardian of Israel.” Presumably, Schumer’s God-given role also includes turning the country he is actually paid to represent — the United States — into an Islamophobic police state . Americans wondering what happened to their freedoms since 9/11 need to understand the key role played by ardent pro-Israelis like Schumer in undermining their civil liberties under the guise of protecting them from…more
Euro-wide BDS Forum on Agrexco
Dissident Voice: 11 Jun 2011 – 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 the boycott campaign against the Israeli agricultural export giant. Agrexco is Israel’s largest fresh produce exporter and European markets account for the vast majority of their sales under the brand Carmel. The Israeli government’s 50% stake in the company as well as their marketing of 60-70% of the fruit and vegetables grown in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank have made Agrexco a prime strategic target for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. Boycott of Agrexco products, divestment via suspension of commercial agreements and sanctions through legal procedures. Rafeef Ziadah, representative of the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), recalled that the campaign…more
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The New Dark Age 