3 July , 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
200 additional activists may join Freedom Flotilla
IMEMC – Sunday July 03, 2011 – 14:15, A Jordanian union leader told Agence France Presse that a boat has been purchased for $800,000 in Greece to carry construction materials, medical supplies, and 200 additional passengers to join the Gaza Freedom Flotilla of ten ships and several hundred passengers from 20 countries. The Flotilla, which was scheduled to depart last week, is currently being delayed by Greek authorities.
Netanyahu Dubs Land-swap A “Joke”
IMEMC – Sunday July 03, 2011 – 12:53, An Israeli official close to Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that Netanyahu fully opposes any Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 border, and believes that the proposal of land-swap is a “joke”.
Palestinian President: “We recognize Israel, it is time for Israel to recognize Palestine”
IMEMC – Sunday July 03, 2011 – 11:35, In an address to the Dutch Parliament, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the Palestinian Authority has repeatedly recognized Israel’s right to exist, and now it is necessary for Israel to reciprocate by recognizing the Palestinian state, “on the borders of the land occupied [by the Israeli military] in 1967.”
Hundreds of Internationals and Hundreds of Palestinians Gear-up for July 8-16 activities
IMEMC – Sunday July 03, 2011 – 11:16, Civil Society organizations finalizing preparations for welcoming hundreds of International activists coming to the Palestinian territories in a campaign defined by the organizers as “Welcome to Palestine”. The organizing groups, which mount up to 40 organizations, groups and popular committees and political factions issued a press release on Saturday.
Palestinians in Israeli jails start hunger strike
7/3/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails will go on hunger strike Sunday to protest the prison administration’s crackdown, the Palestinian prisoners’ society said. The society said prisoners were at risk since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the prison service to toughen conditions for Palestinian detainees.”The party’….
US captain of Gaza ship held in ‘shocking conditions’
7/3/2011 – ATHENS (AFP) — The captain of a US vessel intercepted after it tried to defy a ban and sail for Gaza from Greece was being held in “shocking conditions” Sunday and has not received consular assistance, a lawyer said. Captain John Klusmer was arrested when the US boat Audacity of Hope — the flagship in a flotilla….
Palestinian civil servants put on half pay
7/3/2011 – RAMALLAH (AFP) — Palestinian Authority staff will only receive half their salaries this month as donors continue to deliver less money than pledged, the prime minister in Ramallah said Sunday. Salam Fayyad warned at a press conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah that the PA was dealing with a “financial crisis” because promised donor….
Activists suspect Israeli spies behind flotilla woes
7/3/2011 – ATHENS (AFP) —Jumpy activists on the ill-fated mission to Gaza insist the evidence is mounting that Israeli secret services are behind the slew of mishaps that have dogged the flotilla. Two “sabotaged” boats and a stream of bureaucratic obstacles have prevented the convoy from setting sail from Greece to challenge the sea blockade of the….
Qalqiliya boy critically injured after kidnapping
7/3/2011 – QALQILIYA (Ma’an) — A boy from the West Bank city of Qalqiliya was critically injured after being struck by a car which fled after kidnapping a resident of the center of the city. Onlookers told Ma’an that persons who were riding the car kidnapped Ali Abu Khadejah, 40, from the center of….
Hamas calls on Greece to let Gaza flotilla sail
7/3/2011 – GAZA CITY (AFP) — The Hamas government in the Gaza Strip on Sunday called on Greece to allow a flotilla of aid ships to set sail for the Israeli-blockaded Palestinian territory.” We regret the position of Greece, which has responded to international pressure to stop the Freedom Flotilla from sailing,” foreign minister Mohamed Awad told a….
Hamas: Egypt will fix Rafah delays ‘within 2 months’
7/3/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Sunday that Egypt has promised to improve the travel mechanism at the Rafah crossing within the coming two months. The crossing has been plagued with delays since post-revolution Egypt agreed to open it for regular travel following years of blockade.”We feel a real….
Eldest detainee in administrative detention freed
7/3/2011 – JENIN (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities have released a prisoner from the West Bank city of Nablus who is the eldest of prisoners placed under administrative detention without charge, a researcher said. Ahmad Al-Betawi of the international solidarity organization said Ahmad Doulah, undersecretary of the ministry of interior and former manger of the directorate of….
Report: Israel cabinet to discuss Arabic on road signs
7/3/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Israel’s cabinet will discuss a plan Sunday to change Arabic and English road signs to reflect the Hebrew names of streets and cities, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Sunday. Currently, street signs display the names of cities in Arabic, Hebrew and English, but the signs reflect….
Israel allows 200 trucks into Gaza
7/3/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – Israeli authorities decided to open the Kerem Shalom crossing and allow limited goods into the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Palestinian Authority liaison official Raed Fattouh told Ma’an that Israeli officials would allow around 200 trucks carrying commercial merchandise and humanitarian aid to enter the coastal enclave. He added….
Police briefly detain rabbi on suspicion of incitement
7/3/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Israeli police on Sunday briefly detained a rabbi who failed to report for questioning over his endorsement of a book justifying the killing of non-Jews, the Israeli news site Ynet reported. Police released Rabbi Yaakov Yosef on bail after less than 30 minutes. He is the son of Shas….
Arabi replaces Moussa as Arab League chief
7/3/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt’s Nabil al-Arabi on Sunday formally replaced his compatriot Amr Moussa as secretary general of the Arab League, state media reported. On May 15 Foreign Minister Arabi was selected to replace Moussa, whose 10-year tenure was due to expire and who harbors ambitions to run for the Egyptian presidency. The….
Ancient priesthood predicting future
7/3/2011 – NABLUS (AFP) — In the northern West Bank city of Nablus, a small and ancient Samaritan community is managing to make ends meet by dabbling in the age-old practice of fortune-telling. University Avenue, in the hill-ringed city of Nablus, is lined with white banners with the names of Samaritan priests, renowned among their Palestinian neighbors for….
Palestine advance in World Cup qualifier
7/3/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestine advanced in the World Cup 2014’s Asia preliminary qualifying round in a 1-1 draw with Afghanistan in a match hosted Sunday in the occupied West Bank. Palestine defeated Afghanistan in the first round and will face Thailand on July 23. Sunday’s match was the first….
Erekat backs activists onboard Gaza flotilla
7/3/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — PLO official Saeb Erekat on Sunday defended pro-Palestinian activists hoping to break Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip, regretting “incitement” against them.”These are representatives of international civil society and non-violent activists who have dedicated their time, effort, and passion for a just cause,” Erekat said in a statement….
Police detain teen sitting exam for twin brother
7/3/2011 – QALQILIYA (Ma’an) — Police on Sunday detained a teenager who tried to sit a high school exam on behalf of his identical twin brother in the northern West Bank district of Qalqiliya. The teenager, who was not identified, tried to take the exam for his brother who was detained by Israeli forces on Thursday….
Hezbollah rules out arrests in ‘void’ UN Hariri case
7/3/2011 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday ruled out the arrest of four members of his militant group indicted by a UN court for the 2005 assassination of Lebanese former premier Rafiq Hariri. In his first reaction to charges filed by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Nasrallah rejected the verdict along with “each and….
Syria troops sweep for dissidents in northwest
7/3/2011 – NICOSIA, Cyprus (AFP) — The Syrian army pressed a crackdown on dissent in the northwest on Sunday making sweeping arrests, as troops deployed in the hotbed central city of Hama, an activist said. Troops backed by 97 tanks and personnel carriers advanced late Saturday on Kfar Rumma village and made arrests in the district of Jabal….
Trial opens for deadly Egypt sectarian clashes
7/3/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — The trial began on Sunday of 48 people accused of involvement in deadly Muslim-Christian clashes in May that left 12 people dead, a judicial official said. A new dock was created in the courtroom in order to separate the Muslim and Christian defendants, as security forces surrounded the courthouse and families of the….
Blast hits Egyptian gas pipeline
AlJazeera 3 Jul 2011 – The blast took place at a pumping station in the Sinai peninsula.
Syrian tanks ‘pull back from Hama’
AlJazeera 3 Jul 2011 – Residents say thousands assemble for a night rally despite electricity cuts designed to hamper protests.
Morocco protesters reject reform vote
AlJazeera 3 Jul 2011 – February 20 Movement denounces 98 per cent support for Friday’s referendum as sham.
Palestinian Authority faces cash shortage
AlJazeera 3 Jul 2011 – Prime Minister Salam Fayyad says Palestinian Authority can only pay half of salaries until foreign donations come.
Stranded flotilla activists still hopeful
AlJazeera 3 Jul 2011 – Pro-Palestinian activists have their sights set on sailing to Gaza, despite Greek authorities blocking them.
Freedom Flotilla Activists Start Open-Ended Fast; Additional 200 Passengers Join the Effort
PNN – Athens – PNN – On eve of US Independence Day, 12 US passengers on Freedom Flotilla bound To Gaza started on Sunday an open-ended fast at US embassy in Athens demanding thier…
Gaza Mobilizes for Freedom Flotilla
PNN – Gaza –PNN/By Joe Catron – An international flotilla of nine ships and hundreds of crew and passengers is a huge undertaking, in Gaza as much as anywhere. Mahmoud Elmadhoun knows this better…
Dr. Erakat on the Quartet Statement about Gaza:
PNN – The blockade on Gaza should be immediately lifted, not eased. That is the only appropriate and acceptable message Ramallah – PNN – Chief Palestinian Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erakat criticized on Sunday the…
Welcome To Palestine Initiative Starts; Israeli police Gear-up
PNN – Bethlehem – PNN – Some 40 Palestinian civil society organizations, popular resistance committees, and political factions announce on Sunday the “Welcome to Palestine” initiative July 8-16 where hundreds of Internationals will work…
Netanyahu Dubs Land-swap A ?¢‚Ǩ?ìJoke?¢‚Ǩ¬ù
PNN – By Saed Bannoura – An Israeli official close to Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that Netanyahu fully opposes any Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 border, and believes that the proposal of…
International Solidarity Movement
Leftist Greek MPs accuse government of caving to Israeli pressure to stop Gaza flotilla
7/3/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Ha’aretz, Amira Hass – Eight ships in the Gaza-bound flotilla were barred from leaving the Greek ports where they are anchored in the wake of an order issued on Friday by the Greek government. Flotilla participants and members of the leftist opposition in Greece have accused the Socialist government of caving in to Israeli…. Related: Source
Kufr Qaddoum peacefully demonstrates after 6 year wait
7/3/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement – The popular committee, or local council, of Kufr Qaddoum requested the attendance of ISM volunteers at their first demonstration in the village after more than six years of protracted legal arguments before the notoriously one-sided Israeli High Court. The attempts to gain justice through legal recourse were motivated by a unilateral Israeli….
On July 8th we are flying for Palestinian freedom – and for our own
7/3/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Welcome to Palestine – Hundreds of internationals on their way to visit Palestinians in Gaza have been prevented from departing from the ports in Greece. However, we hope that on July 8th, 2011, hundreds of others of us from many countries will succeed in reaching Palestine by flying to Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. We…. Related: Welcome to Palestine
Release Sheikh Raed Saleh
7/3/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Palestine Solidarity Campaign – Sheikh Raed Salah, one of the most prominent campaigners within Israel for Palestinian rights, has been arrested in London. The Sheikh was invited by PSC to speak at the launch of ‘Building Peace and Justice in Jerusalem’ Campaign in Parliament tonight, alongside MPs and other prominent speakers. He is the…. Related: Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Alternative Information Center
Israeli Organisations’ Statement of Support for the Gaza-Bound Freedom Flotilla
Alternative Information Center – We, Israeli organizations, Palestinians and Jews, declare our support for the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla and its declared goals: to break the Israeli siege on Gaza – both on the sea and land – which represents part…
Hundreds of Palestinians, Internationals Gear Up for July Welcome to Palestine
Alternative Information Center – Some 40 Palestinian civil society organizations, popular resistance committees, and political factions announce the launching of the “Welcome to Palestine” initiative July 8-16, in which hundreds of Internationals will work with hundreds of Palestinians for peace….
Education Denied: Israel’s Systematic Violation of Palestinian Children’s Right to Education
Relief Web 3 Jul 2011 – Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Country: occupied Palestinian territory Ref: 41/2011 Date: 03 July 2011 In a New Report PCHR Denounces Israel’s Systematic Violation of Palestinian Children’s Right to Education. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) releases today…
Palestinian civil servants put on half pay: Fayyad
Relief Web 3 Jul 2011 – Source: Agence France-Presse Country: occupied Palestinian territory RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories –Palestinian Authority staff will only receive half their salaries this month as donors continue to deliver less money than pledged, the Palestinian prime minister said on Sunday. Salam Fayyad…
Quartet Statement on the Situation in Gaza
Relief Web 3 Jul 2011 – Source: Middle East Quartet , US Department of State Country: occupied Palestinian territory The following is the text of a statement released by the Middle East Quartet (United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia) in New York on July 2,…
4 Palestinians detained by Israel at Hamra checkpoint
3 Jul 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph) Israeli occupation forces detained Sunday four Palestinian citizens at Hamra checkpoint in the city of Tubas .
Freedom Flotilla 2 to sail to Gaza on Monday
3 Jul 2011 – Gaza Strip, (Pal Telegraph)-The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza Strip(ECESG) said that ships of the Freedom Flotilla 2 will start sailing toward Gaza Strip on Monday despite the illegal and inhumane decision issued by the Greek authorities that prevented them from reaching their destination.
Israeli forces attack Burin protestors
3 Jul 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Several Palestinians were treated yesterday due to the effect of tear gas inhalation as Israeli forces brutally assaulted a non-violent anti-wall rally held by Palestinian youths in the village of Irraq Burin in the southwest of Nablus.
Saboteurs blow up Egypt gas pipeline to Israel
Ha’aretz – Explosion takes place in Sinai Peninsula near Suez Canal, is one in a series of attacks on the pipeline, a major source of Israel’s gas.
Syria police shoot dead two protesters in Damascus suburb
Ha’aretz – The suburb, home to thousands of refugees from Israel’s Golan Heights, has recently seen an upsurge in protests against President Bashar Assad’s rule.
Israel accepts Greek offer to transport flotilla’s aid to Gaza; ships due to depart Monday
Ha’aretz – As part of compromise intended to end flotilla affair, Greece offers to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza using Greek governmental ships; flotilla organizers: Move will not end siege.
Lieberman: Gaza flotilla activists blaming Israel for their own failure
Ha’aretz – Foreign minister says Israel was behind the Greek ban on departure of ships, claims Greek government understands Israel’s needs.
Israeli, Palestinian security forces take precautions to avoid September violence
Ha’aretz – Both sides say region is headed into uncharted waters if Palestinians follow through on pledge to turn to the United Nations.
Pro-Palestinian activists plan on gaining access to Gaza by flying to Israel
Ha’aretz – As hundreds of internationals are being denied departure from Greek ports, pro-Palestinian activists from the United States and Europe plan large demonstrations at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Hundreds rally in Jerusalem after arrest of Shas spiritual leader’s son
Ha’aretz – Demonstrators gather outside Rabbi Yaakov Yosef’s home, after police arrest him for questioning over incitement to racism and violence.
Palestinian soccer team advances to next World Cup round
Ha’aretz – The national team, ranked no. 171 in the world, beat Afghanistan in the first World Cup game to be played in the Palestinian Territories.
Palestinian PM: government employees will only be paid half their salaries this month
Ha’aretz – Salam Fayyad says international donors not making good on their pledges, sending only a third of what was promised.
Gaza flotilla to set sail Monday despite numerous setbacks
Ha’aretz – Activists say all operational ships will be ready to depart, but exact number is yet unknown.
Israeli cabinet rejects ambassador appointment in rare decision
Ha’aretz – Ministers do not approve appointment of ambassador to Kathmandu due to previous disciplinary offenses.
Couple changing tire killed in hit-and-run on major Israeli highway
Ha’aretz – Truck flees scene after killing man and pregnant woman in their 20s; collision between bus and minibus carrying children injures 50 in south Tel Aviv.
Son of Shas spiritual leader probed for incitement to racism
Ha’aretz – Police arrest Rabbi Yaakov Yosef after he had refused to show up for questioning for his endorsement of the book ‘Torat Hamelech,’ which justifies the killing of non-Jews; Yosef held for less than an hour and then released.
Israel Police arrest suspect in Nahariya shooting of vigilante police officer
Ha’aretz – Eldad Hadad, one of the policemen released from prison earlier this year after serving time for avenging known criminal, shot outside his synagogue; police arrest 28-year-old suspect from Nahariya.
Gov’t committee to unify spelling of names on maps
Jerusalem Post 4 Jul 2011 – Uniform formula will appear on all maps, road signs, textbooks and guidebooks, putting an end to one road sign reading Caesaria, another Caesarea and a third Queysaria.
Archeologists uncover finest example of Israelite-era home
Jerusalem Post 4 Jul 2011 – Four-room structure at Tel Shikmona site near Haifa also boasts mosaics, artifacts testifying to the considerable wealth of its owners.
Public buildings required to provide access to disabled
Jerusalem Post 4 Jul 2011 – NGOs warn of “unrealistic time frame” for implementation of new regulations signed by justice minister.
Reforms in TA bus system reveals glitches, but no disasters
Jerusalem Post 4 Jul 2011 – Organizers say reforms simplify travel, cut waiting time; critics say move complicates travel by stranding passengers long accustomed to various routes.
‘Explosion once again hits Egypt-Israel gas pipeline’
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Egyptian security sources say explosion took place at pumping station at Nagah in northern Sinai Peninsula; pipeline has been subject to previous attacks.
‘Syrian forces kill 2 protesters in Damascus suburb’
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Activists, residents say many also injured when hit by bullets during usual nightly demonstration demanding Assad’s removal.
Analysis: Location is everything
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Decision to hold protest against Rabbi Ya’acov Yosef’s detainment across from Supreme Court highlights struggle within Orthodox establishment.
Couple changing tire killed by truck in hit and run
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Kiryat Malachi man and pregnant wife, recently returned from delayed honeymoon, were expecting first child.
Supreme Court protest planned over rabbis’ detainment
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – A week after Dov Lior, Ya’acov Yosef questioned by police over endorsement of ‘Torat Hamelech’ book.
700 pro-Palestinian activists plan to land in Ben-Gurion
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Passengers will declare their destination as Palestine; Foreign Ministry plans to prevent group’s entry into Israel.
Brotherhood gets out Muslim message with movies
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Egyptian Islamic group only recently allowed back into politics ventures into film, new media to galvanize, attract new supporters.
Rethink ties with the Brotherhood!
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Faced with the highly unlikely prospect that engagement with the Brotherhood would reap political benefits, the US should reconsider Chabot’s proposal.
Youth group ‘goes to jail’ for Pollard protest
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Bnei Akiva activists to join forces with Meretz youth group for July 4 protests at US Consulate in effort to bring attention to Israeli agent’s case.
Israel and the US, two countries, a shared idea
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Israel, losing its way, must rekindle its visionary dreams.
Happy Fourth of July, Israel
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – For years Israel has been on the frontlines in the battle to protect our nations’ shared values.
Immutable ‘Conceptzia’ trumps empirical facts
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – True fertility rate numbers bust the idea of an Arab demographic threat.
Obama, Netanyahu and the peace process
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Netanyahu should call for direct negotiations with Abbas based on Obama’s eight principles as endorsed in the G8 communiqu?©.
An Obama peace plan?
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – The Region: Security guarantees, not land swaps, are what Israel must be wary of.
Whither Arab solidarity?
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Lessons learned over 2,000 years still serve us now
New W. Bank settlement home tenders may be issued
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Meretz MK slams Netanyahu for pandering to “coalition of settlers” instead of looking out for nat’l interests; move is uncertain.
Activists consider Greek offer to send flotilla aid
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Greek PM reportedly offers Abbas to send humanitarian aid to Gaza under UN supervision; passengers on US ship ‘Audacity of Hope’ stage hunger strike, protest outside US embassy in Athens.
Facing crunch, PA unable to deliver full salaries
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Civil employees face halved salaries, to be deposited in bank account later this week; PM Fayyad blames donor countries for crisis.
As donations dry up, PA forced to cut June paychecks
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Civil employees face halved salaries, to be deposited in bank account later this week; PM Fayyad blames donor countries for crisis.
‘Spiegel’: Germany ready to sell Saudi Arabia 200 tanks
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Deal was long delayed by Germany over fears deal would endanger Israel; Berlin reportedly no longer considers Saudi a threat.
The Israel Factor: The Republican presidential candidates
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Who does our panel think is the best Republican presidential candidate for Israel?
Nazi camp’s new fee raises questions about tours
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Sachsenhausen concentration camp’s decision to implement a small fee to help regulate quality of tours raises eyebrows, receives praise.
Morales apologizes for Iranian official’s visit to Bolivia
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Ahmad Vahidi, wanted in connection to 1994 AMIA center in Buenos Aires bombing in, “should not have been invited,” says Bolivian Jewish leader.
The Numbers Crunch: Flotilla stories flood Top 10
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Also, this week’s most tweeted tags across the Middle East, more videos from Syria, and Jpost readers have their say on cottage cheese.
Hundreds protest Rabbi Yosef arrest in Jerusalem
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – MKs Ben Ari, Katz address crowds; demonstrators throw stones lightly injuring police officer; police try to disperse crowds.
Syrian tanks deploy at Hama after large protest
Jerusalem Post 3 Jul 2011 – Dozens arrested in Hama area; residents say communication networks cut off in city; military action comes after largest anti-Assad protest.
Letters: Human rights in the Middle East
The Guardian 3 Jul 2011 – As an independent organisation of health professionals, Medact is profoundly concerned about the welfare of the doctors and nurses of the Salmaniya medical complex who have been detained and reportedly tortured in Bahraini prisons since March (…
MIDEAST: Dancing in a Palestinian Bubble
IPS It’s Thursday night, the beginning of the weekend in the Muslim world, and time to party and let one’s hair down in Ramallah, the occupied West Bank’s isolated bubble and de facto capital.
Don’t let Israel export the blockade of Gaza to Greece
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – …On Monday the 4th of July at 12:30 activists from Free Gaza, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of Al Aqsa, Britain to Gaza, Palestine Forum in Britain, and Action Palestine will go to the Greek Embassy, 1A Holland Park, London W11 3TP with a request to see HE Mr Aristidis C Sandis. We will deliver…
The Raed Salah affair in the Arab media
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Using the clumsiest of methods, Britain has sleepwalked into a high-profile political imbroglio in its relations with the Palestinian people and the Arab world. At the centre of this putrid mess is the arrest and detention of Shaikh Raed Salah. The Conservative-led coalition government has gone to great lengths to depict him as a “…
Tanks pull back from Hama, 2 killed in Damascus suburb
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Syrian tanks deployed at the entrances to the city of Hama Sunday but later pulled back, residents said, two days after it saw the largest protest against President Bashar al-Assad since an uprising began three months ago…In a Damascus suburb that has also seen expanding protests against Assad’s rule, activists and a resident said…
U.S. Helps “Rebels” Murdering Black Libyans
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – The implication is bewildering. Could it be true the Libyan “rebels”-who we’re told are fighting to protect innocent civilians-are now committing mass murder, lynching and terrorizing Black Libyans and African migrant workers? Sadly, the evidence is mounting that this awful truth is exactly the case in Libya-right now. Ironically, we know this, partly, because…
Israel army releases photographic proof of Flotilla “Threat to Israel”
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – In a move intended to convince skeptics to finally accept Israel’s claims that the Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2 poses a real danger, the Israeli military spokesperson’s office has issued photographic evidence in a blog post titled “Flotilla II Seeks Provocation, Poses Threat to Israel.” Well, it turns out that the “threat” is none other…
Security Grifters Partner-Up on Sinister Cyber-Surveillance Project
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Last week, the White House released its National Strategy for Counterterrorism, a macabre document that places a premium on “public safety” over civil liberties and constitutional rights. Indeed, “hope and change” huckster Barack Obama had the temerity to assert that the President “bears no greater responsibility than ensuring the safety and security of the…
Libya Rebels Reject Another Peace Plan, Vow New Offensive
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – The East Libyan rebel governemnt has again rejected an international attempt at brokering a ceasefire in the war-torn nation, saying any peace talks were a “non-starter” unless they pledged to guarantee the ouster of Moammar Gadhafi and all members of his “inner circle.” The plan, being pushed by the African Union, would include an…
On eve of U.S. Independence Day, U.S. passengers on flotilla start open-ended fast at U.S. Embassy in Athens
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Members of the U.S. Boat to Gaza have begun an open-ended fast calling on the U.S. government to defend our right to sail out of Greece. The fast has begun in front of the U.S. Embassy at 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue in Athens. Fasters delivered an urgent letter to the Embassy and plan to…
Action Alert: The U.S. Government Must Pressure Greece to Let U.S. Boat to Gaza Sail
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – People around the world are rallying for the release of the boats that Greece is preventing from sailing to Gaza. We call on you to show your solidarity and support for the flotilla as a whole, and in particular for the captain of the U.S. boat, John Klusmire. Over the past two weeks, two…
Egypt: The Struggle Continues
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Thousands of demonstrators filled expressing anger and determination rallied in Tahrir Square on Friday, July 1. Sharp clashes between youth on the one hand and police and regime thugs on the other on Tuesday and Wednesday June 28 and 29 were the immediate impetus for the demonstration. But in addition to outrage about police…
Video: US BOAT TO GAZA: The Audacity To Love
Uruknet June 3, 2011 – In 2010, the Freedom Flotilla took sail, sparking an unprecedented international human rights mission, dedicated to ending Israel’s blockade on Gaza. Joining Freedom Flotilla II is the first-ever U.S. Boat to Gaza, “The Audacity of Hope.” The individuals on this boat will be simply delivering LETTERS OF LOVE to the people of Gaza. Thirteen…
Syria: Rising Toll in Homs
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Government security forces and their allies have killed at least 21 people in Homs since June 17, 2011, as they crack down on Syria’s third-largest city, Human Rights Watch said today. Security forces and pro-government armed groups, known locally as shabeeha, shot and killed at least three protesters on July 1, witnesses and local…
Israeli Freedom Flotilla II Terrorism
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Daily, Israel keeps proving its lawless rogue credentials, notably by blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza. As a result, it finds new ways to show contempt for human rights, rule of law standards, civility, fundamental Judaic tenets, and its very legitimacy as a nation state, established by mass slaughter and displacement of indigenous Palestinians from…
With the US boat out, Flotilla to set sail tomorrow
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – The US boat to Gaza, The Audacity of Hope, is dead in the water. Its captain, an American citizen who goes only by the name Captain Jack, will be brought before a judge on felony charges on Tuesday in Athens. Passengers on the ship have been given the freedom to leave the military port…
Urgent Call to the people of Greece and the World: Freedom Flotilla Must Sail to Gaza!
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Several boats that are part of Freedom Flotilla Two – Stay Human have been detained and prohibited to sail by the Greek Coast Guard, including the U.S., Canadian and Spanish Boats to Gaza, and the Greek government has prohibited any boats from sailing to Gaza from Greek ports. The Popular Front for the Liberation…
Syrian tanks deploy at Hama after large protest
Uruknet July 3, 2011 – Syrian tanks have deployed at the entrances to the city of Hama, activists and residents said on Sunday, two days after it saw the largest protest against President Bashar al-Assad since an uprising began three months ago. “Tens of people are being arrested in neighbourhoods on the edges of Hama. The authorities seem to…
US captain of Gaza ship held in ‘shocking conditions’
Uruknet July 3, 2011 — The captain of a US vessel intercepted after it tried to defy a ban and sail for Gaza from Greece was being held in “shocking conditions” Sunday and has not received consular assistance, a lawyer said. Captain John Klusmer was arrested when the US boat Audacity of Hope — the flagship in a flotilla…
Military Resistance 9G 2: Loss
Uruknet July 2, 2011 – … Tucked away in an often-overlooked arc of northern Iraq, Kurds launched their “Kurdish Spring” simply enough in mid-February, in solidarity with Tunisians and Egyptians who had toppled dictatorial rulers. But the result here was very different, and hardly looked like an unfolding of freedom. Washington’s close Kurdish allies cracked down hard. After 62 days…
Palestinians in Israeli jails start hunger strike
Uruknet July 2, 2011- Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails will go on hunger strike Sunday to protest the prison administration’s crackdown, the Palestinian prisoners’ society said. The society said prisoners were at risk since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the prison service to toughen conditions for Palestinian detainees. “The party’s over” for Palestinian prisoners, Netanyahu said in June….
PA reluctant about UN in September
Uruknet July 2, 2011 – The Palestinian Authority (PA) has decided “in principle” to ask the UN General Assembly to recognise a putative Palestinian state covering the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Following a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Executive Committee in Ramallah on Sunday, 26 June, a statement read by…
Iraq beyond 2011
Uruknet July 2, 2011 – Ed O’Keefe (Washington Post) reports US Ambassador to Iraq James Jeffery spoke with reporters today about the US mission in Iraq beyond 2011 and stated that “keeping thousands of troops in Iraq” after 2011 is a possibility. O’Keefe also notes that “Iraq’s top political leaders” will again review whether or not to ask that…
Israel Denies Healthcare to Refugees
Uruknet July 2, 2011 – Medication and pillboxes fill two white bookcases, lining the wall behind a volunteer Israeli doctor. He talks to a patient in Hebrew about the man’s medical condition, as another man is examined behind a curtain that divides the small office. In the next room, at least 40 people – mainly of Eritrean and Sudanese…
Human rights groups: charges against Gaddafi unsupported by evidence
Uruknet July 2, 2011 – If Gaddafi has a warrant for his arrest for unsubstantiated accusations of war crimes, why has the ICC yet to issue an arrest warrant for George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld? There is, after all, hard and indisputable evidence that these U.S. officials committed war crimes leading to the slaughter of over 1…
Libya’s Neighbors Prepare for NATO’s Boots
Uruknet July 2, 2011 – At ten a.m. Tripoli time on 6/28/11 the Libyan Ministry of Health made available to this observer its compilation entitled Current Statistics Of Civilian Victims Of Nato Bombardments On Libya, (3/19/11-6/27/11). Before releasing their data, which will be made public this afternoon, it was confirmed by the findings of the Libyan Red Crescent Society…
Former CIA agent reveals ‘torture’ methods and secret prison in memoir
Uruknet July 2, 2011 – A former CIA operative has revealed his methods for extracting information from detainees and the secret prison they were taken to. Glenn Carle, who has written a tell-all memoir about his time with the agency, said some people would call him a ‘torturer.’ He maintains he carried out all his duties within the law…
Gunmen kill 5 policemen in western Iraq
Daily Star 3 Jul 2011 Gunmen killed five Iraqi policemen in a drive-by shooting at a checkpoint in Anbar province, west of Baghdad, on Sunday, a police officer said.
2 football players injured after fistfight at Beirut stadium
Daily Star 3 Jul 2011 A fistfight that broke out between a Lebanese and Kuwaiti player at Lebanon’s national football stadium has resulted in serious injuries.
Greece arrests Gaza-bound boat captain
Daily Star 3 Jul 2011 Greek authorities have arrested the captain of a boat that is part of a Gaza-bound flotilla trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, officials said Saturday.
Gaza rocket slams into Israel
Daily Star 3 Jul 2011 A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck open fields in southern Israel Sunday, causing no damage or injuries, the Israeli Army said.
Ancient priesthood uses past to predict future
Daily Star 3 Jul 2011 Palestinian Territories: In the northern West Bank city of Nablus, a small and ancient Samaritan community is managing to make ends meet by dabbling in the age-old practice of fortune-telling.
Bahrain police disperse protest after dialogue launch
Daily Star 3 Jul 2011 Bahraini police dispersed a demonstration in the capital Manama shortly after the launch of a national dialogue intended to turn the page on a deadly crackdown on Shiite-led protests, state media said.
Activists suspect Israeli spooks behind flotilla woes
Daily Star 3 Jul 2011 Jumpy activists on the ill-fated mission to Gaza insist the evidence is mounting that Israeli secret services are behind the slew of mishaps that have dogged the flotilla.
West hails Morocco ‘yes’ vote on reforms
Daily Star 3 Jul 2011 Morocco’s King Mohammed VI won praise from Europe and the United States Saturday after voters massively endorsed reforms offered in a bid to quiet protests inspired by uprisings in the Arab world.
Indictment issued to bring down Mikati Cabinet: Nasrallah
Daily Star 2 Jul 2011 Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said Saturday that the timing of the indictments of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon had been aimed at bringing down the recently formed government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Bahrain begins national dialogue after upheaval
Daily Star 2 Jul 2011 Talks between Bahrain’s opposition and pro-government groups began Saturday, aimed at healing the deep rifts caused by protests earlier this year by majority Shiites that were stamped out by the Sunni rulers.
Analysis: Hezbollah poised to ride out indictments
Daily Star 2 Jul 2011 In a country with a history of scores left unsettled, Hezbollah is in a strong position to ride out an indictment accusing a high-ranking member of one of the most dramatic political assassinations in the Middle…
Interpol calls on STL to provide it with suspects’ names
Daily Star 1 Jul 2011 Organization calls on the tribunal to enable it to add the names of individuals wanted over the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri into its database.
Thousands to visit Joseph’s Tomb
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Thousands of worshipers are expected to visit Joseph’s Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus Sunday night, to mark the anniversary of the biblical Joseph’s death. … ….
Flotilla activists reject Greek offer to ship aid to Gaza
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Participants of the Gaza-bound flotilla claimed Sunday that Greece’s offer to ferry their humanitarian aid cargo to the Strip through the Ashdod or El Arish ports, in … ….
Harbor-bound US flotilla activists stage hunger strike
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – The American passengers of the “Audacity of Hope,” which was prevented from sailing to the Gaza Strip on Friday, have declared a hunger strike, Ynet learned Sunday. … ….
Rabbi Yosef: Police brutality inexcusable
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, who was arrested Sunday morning and released shortly after, slammed the law enforcement system in Israel, saying that “only in a state without … ….
Fly-ins to take place of flotillas?
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – The Gaza-bound flotilla may be encountering difficulties, but Israel is already gearing for the next challenge – a pro-Palestinian fly-in. Ynet learned Sunday that … ….
MKs to declare support for Shalit deal?
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Noam and Aviva Shalit, the parents of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, have been conferring with MKs Shaul Mofaz (Kadima), Miri Regev (Likud) and Eitan Cabel (Labor) in … ….
Hamas blames Fatah for unity delay
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Hamas said on Sunday the rival Fatah faction of President Mahmud Abbas is delaying moves to seal reconciliation by insisting on keeping Salam Fayyad as prime minister. … ….
Syrian regime loyalists urge reforms
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Assad supporters meet in Damascus goading Syrian president to undertake….
Gov’t to transcribe al-Quds to Yerushalayim?
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Government to discuss transportation minister’s proposes to replace Arabic,….
‘Public wanted to see Katsav convicted’
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Former president’s defense team appeals sexual harassment, indecent acts….
Rabbi Yaakov Yosef detained for questioning
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Shas spiritual leader’s son arrested on suspicion of incitement after failing to….
Bnei Akiva teens ‘in prison’ for Pollard
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Youth movement members create mock-US prison, will spend 10 days as ‘inmates’ to….
Barak satisfied with flotilla delays
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Defense minister says various malfunctions might ‘take the sting out’ of Gaza….
Obama assumes the offensive in Jewish vote race
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Following heavy criticism from Jewish community over US president’s stance on….
Turkey working for Shalit’s release
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Israeli-Turkish businessman recently handed Erdogan letter from Noam Shalit….
Hamas prisoners protest aggravated conditions
YNet News, 3 Jul 2011 – Security prisoners in Israeli jails send back breakfast in protest over….
Palestinian Information Center
Knesset to discuss ‘Raed Salah law’ Sunday
PIC – 03/07/2011 – 08:39 AM
PA security men arrest 100 Hizbutahrir supporters
PIC – 03/07/2011 – 08:40 AM
Israel fears aid convoys to Gaza by air
PIC – 03/07/2011 – 09:08 AM
IOF troops arrest four Palestinians from Tobas
PIC – 03/07/2011 – 10:28 AM
Report: Israeli forces killed 26 Palestinians in June
PIC – 03/07/2011 – 10:55 AM
Freedom Flotilla II to try and sail to Gaza on Monday
PIC – Freedom Flotilla II will try to set sail to Gaza on Monday in spite of Greece’s decision to prevent all flotilla vessels from departing its port, flotilla organizers have announced.
Resheq: Government could be formed in one session
PIC – Ezzet Al-Resheq has said that the formation of the transitory Palestinian government could be concluded in one session if all parties abided by the reconciliation agreement.
British authorities block lawyers’ visits to Sheikh Salah
PIC – British authorities on Friday banned lawyers’ visits to Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic movement in 1948 occupied Palestine, until 11th July, said the law firm handling Salah’s case.
Israel decides to deport Palestinian prisoner after extending detention
PIC – Israel has decided to deport Palestinian prisoner Hammad Muslim Abu Amra to Lebanon thirty months after his prison sentence had ended.
Mishaal discusses reconciliation with Egyptian FM
PIC – Egyptian foreign minister Mohammed Al-Orabi conferred with political bureau chairman of Hamas Khaled Mishaal on recent Palestine cause developments.
Abu Zuhri: Egypt promised improvement in Rafah crossing
PIC – Hamas spokesman Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri has revealed that Egyptian officials promised to improve conditions at the Rafah border crossing within two months.
Palestinian factions reject Abbas’s insistence on Fayyad as PM
PIC – Palestinian factions have expressed “absolute rejection” as PA President Mahmoud Abbas has insisted on nominating Salam Fayyad as the only choice for prime minister of the transitional government.
Tamimi adamant on hunger strike despite isolation threat
PIC – The director of Hasharon jail has threatened Palestinian prisoner Ahlam Al-Tamimi with solitary confinement if she did not break her hunger strike which she started last Wednesday.
Hundreds of foreign activist to support Palestinians in occupied territories
PIC – Hundreds of US and European activists are scheduled to land in the occupied Palestinian territories on Friday to show support with the Palestinians and condemn Israel’s policies concerning them.
Jewish settler runs down Palestinian woman in Nablus
PIC – A Jewish settler ran down a Palestinian woman with his vehicle near Hawara southeast of Nablus city in northern West Bank, locals have reported.
Freedom Flotilla 2 to Sail to Gaza Monday
WAFA
Israel to Change Names of Arab Towns to Hebrew
WAFA
Newspapers Review: Abbas Denies Reconciliation Failure
WAFA
Quartet Concerned About ‘Unsustainable Conditions’ in Gaza but Discouraging Flotillas
WAFA
Hundreds of Internationals and Palestinians Gear-Up for July 8-16 Activities
WAFA
7000 Palestinian Prisoners on Hunger Strike
WAFA
Greek Coast Guard and Commandos Stopping US Boat to Gaza
Intifada-Palestine: 3 Jul 2011 – Is it any surprise that they have undertaken Israeli dirty work? by Debbie Menon Greece has somehow maneuvered itself (or been maneuvered) into a financial crisis which threatens the incumbent government, and the economic quality of corporate life in Greece if… more
Gaza Mobilizes For Freedom Flotilla
Intifada-Palestine: 3 Jul 2011 – A sense of excitement emerged as a result of the Flotilla. (Noor Harazeen) Joe Catron An international flotilla of nine ships and hundreds of crew and passengers is a huge undertaking, in Gaza as much as anywhere. Mahmoud Elmadhoun knows this… more
Syrian governor dismissed after massive protests
LA Times 2 Jul 2011 – A coalition of opposition groups says the leader of Hama province was sacked because he refused to allow lawmen to fire at demonstrators. Syrian President Bashar Assad fired the governor who oversaw the city of Hama on Saturday, a day after massive protests rocked the…
Activists caught in Egypt’s secretive military justice system
LA Times 2 Jul 2011 – Though the rebellion managed to topple President Hosni Mubarak, the emergency laws that helped sustain his regime are still in effect, leaving a large number of protesters behind bars without access to lawyers and families, human rights groups say. Taher Nagati awoke early Saturday and…
Palestinian Authority Can’t Pay Full Salaries
New York Times 3 Jul 2011 – The authority’s financial problems stem from unfulfilled donation pledges.
US flotilla passengers begin fast at US Embassy in Athens
Mondoweiss – A release from the US Boat to Gaza : Members of the U.S. Boat to Gaza have begun an open-ended fast calling on the U.S. government to defend our right to sail out of Greece. The fast has begun in front of the U.S. Embassy at91 Vasilisis…
Why every flotilla succeeds and the siege of Gaza will end
Mondoweiss – Is it possible to break the siege of Gaza if no one notices? As an exercise in directing global attention to the plight of a population subject to collective punishment, the first flotilla in August 2008 was a bit of a flop — even though it…
“Deplorable!” – The ‘Quartet’ Comments on Gaza
Mondoweiss – Provided always , That if any goods, wares or merchandise, shall be laden or put off from, or discharged or landed upon, any other place than the quays, wharfs, or places, so to be appointed, the same, together with the ships, boats, and other vessels employed therein,…
Open letter to Gov. Rick Perry on the flotilla from a survivor of the USS Liberty attack
Mondoweiss – Governor Perry, I am one of the Americans waiting in Athens for the Freedom Flotilla to get underway in our effort to deliver humanitarian supplies to the people of Gaza. I was also on the Flotilla last year and was aboard the USS Liberty when the…
West Bank is a ghetto, too– now Israel is freaking out over int’l airport action this week
Mondoweiss – I am in a good mood, are you? Because I believe the flotilla succeeded. We had a huge wave of publicity over the fact that a bunch of peaceable activists were simply trying to get into Gaza by boat and the Israeli gov’t flipped out and…
Rabbi Dov Lior: ‘Democracy, Idol Worship of Our Time’
Tikun Olam – 1,000 well-wishers greeted Rabbi Dov Lior on his release from police custody For those of you not privy to the vicissitudes of daily Israeli politics, you may not have heard of the long-running charade involving Rabbi Dov Lior , one of Israel’s leading extremist settler rabbis. Keep…
Department of Homeland Security: Israel ‘Promotes, Produces, Protects Terrorists’
Tikun Olam – This is one of the stranger and more interesting news to come out of the Department of Homeland Security . Last May, DHS issued a report which enunciated the rules Immigration and Customs Enforcement would use to arrest, detain and deport undesirable aliens. Part of this document…
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister: Flotilla Sabotage Thanks to IDF
Tikun Olam – Well, Bogie Yaalon’s actual words quoted in Ynet (Hebrew) were: “Those problems the Flotilla’s having in realizing their plans didn’t just happen. They’re thanks to the work of the political echelon whose focus was on diplomatic political issues, and operational work of the IDF to prepare…
Why the Palestinians should never recognize Israel as a Jewish state
Middle East Monitor 3 Jul 2011 – One of the obsessive demands Israel keeps invoking these days is that the Palestinians must recognize Israel as a Jewish state as a precondition for a possible peace settlement of the conflict in the Middle East. Israel doesn’t spell out the real motives behind this increasingly…
Syria ‘deploys military in Hama’
BBC 3 Jul 2011 – Syrian tanks and troops are being deployed in the restive city of Hama after mass anti-government protests and the sacking of its governor, reports say.
Explosion hits Egypt gas pipeline
BBC 3 Jul 2011 – A pipeline carrying gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan has been hit by an explosion, officials say.
Hezbollah rejects Hariri warrants
BBC 2 Jul 2011 – Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah rejects indictments of four of its members by the UN-backed tribunal over the 2005 assassination of Lebanon’s former PM Rafiq Hariri.
Palestinians face budget crisis
BBC 3 Jul 2011 – The Palestinian Authority halves civil servant salaries after Arab donors fail to make good on funding commitments.
Articles
Leftist Greek MPs accuse government of caving to Israeli pressure to stop Gaza flotilla
Amira Hass, Ha’aretz, International Solidarity Movement7/3/2011
Eight ships in the Gaza-bound flotilla were barred from leaving the Greek ports where they are anchored in the wake of an order issued on Friday by the Greek government. Flotilla participants and members of the leftist opposition in Greece have accused the Socialist government of caving in to Israeli pressure – a claim rejected by Greek Foreign Minister Stavros Lambrinidis.
The Greek government is preventing the departure of the vessels in order to avoid a “humanitarian disaster” which will result from a violent confrontation with the Israeli navy, Lambrinidis told Veronique De Keyser, a Belgian member of the European Parliament. The information was received by a member of the Belgian delegation on the vessel Tahrir, in an email from De Keyser, who is also vice chairman of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
The foreign minister also promised De Keyser that he will continue to negotiate with the UN in order to find a solution to the flotilla crisis.
The ban applies to all Greek and foreign vessels in Greek ports heading to Gaza.
Meanwhile, some of the participants at the Socialist International in Athens, presided over by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, were critical of Papandreou’s instructions to block the flotilla, according to flotilla activists. Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, who heads the Palestinian national initiative movement which participated in the meeting, described the Greek government’s instructions as a shameful surrender. — See also: Source more.. e-mail
Why the Palestinians should never recognize Israel as a Jewish state
Khalid Amayreh, Middle East Monitor (MEMO)7/3/2011
One of the obsessive demands Israel keeps invoking these days is that the Palestinians must recognize Israel as a Jewish state as a precondition for a possible peace settlement of the conflict in the Middle East.
Israel doesn’t spell out the real motives behind this increasingly incessant demand. However, it is widely believed that Israel is seeking Palestinian consent, however tacit it may be, for the adoption of institutionalized racism against its non-Jewish citizens, including the 1.7 -million strong Palestinian minority, which constitutes more than one fourth of Israel’s total population.
This institutionalized racism, many of whose virulent aspects are already rampant in Israel, ranges from systematic discrimination against non-Jews (presumably to encourage them to emigrate) to reserving the “right” to expel as many Palestinians as it takes to maintain Israel’s Jewish identity.
Israeli leaders and apologists keep invoking the largely discredited mantra that Israel is both a Jewish and democratic state. However, in light of reality today, including the recent approval by the Knesset of manifestly racist laws against non-Jewish citizens, it is amply clear that Israel cannot be both Talmudic and democratic at the same time.
The two are simply an eternal oxymoron that can never be reconciled. According to both the Old Testament and the Talmud, non-Jews living under Halacha or Jewish religious law ought to be enslaved as water carriers and wood hewers in the service of the master race, the Chosen People. Racism toward non-Jews could reach the point of having them exterminated in genocidal wars if the rabbinic authority deemed them hostile. more.. e-mail
VIDEO – Free Running Gaza
Al Jazeera7/2/2011
Two young Palestinians embrace an art form and athletic discipline that offers an escape from life under occupation.
Filmmakers: George Azar and Mariam Shahin
In the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza, Mohammed and Abdallah have found a way to distract themselves from the overcrowded tenements and squalid alleyways. Both young men have trained for years to become Gaza’s leading practitioners of parkour.
As much a life philosophy and an art form as an athletic discipline, parkour is the traversing and scaling of obstacles and barriers through running, jumping and vaulting. Parkour is set apart from political and religious factionalism, from violence and militancy.
For Mohammed, Abdallah and the latest generation of young Palestinians to have grown up in the camp under-educated and unemployed, it is the ultimate means of escape.
The essential definition of parkour is “finding your own way” and Artscape journeys around Gaza in the company of Mohammed and Abdallah to experience what this is like.
“When we practise [parkour] we free ourselves,” explains Mohammed. “It is as if we’re transported to another world.” more.. e-mail
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
To subscribe, please write to OccupationNews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OccupationNews/join
The New Dark Age 