30 July , 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israeli troops attack 3 non-violent protests in West Bank, injuring four
IMEMC – Sunday July 31, 2011 – 01:09, On Friday four people were injured and four arrested, as Israeli troops attacked anti-wall protests organized in a number of West Bank communities. Protests took place in the central West Bank villages of an-Nabi Saleh, Bil’in, and Nil’in in addition to al-Ma’ssara in the southern West Bank.
Medics: Israeli forces shoot at Palestinian farmer
7/30/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A young Palestinian farmer was injured Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire on him in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, medics said. He was shot while working on his land and taken to Ash-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, a medical spokesman said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said forces fired warning….
Israeli soldiers attack Palestinian journalist
7/30/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian photojournalist Moheeb Al-Barghouthi was beaten by Israeli soldiers Friday covering a demonstration in the Nabi Saleh village near Ramallah. Al-Barghouthi, who works for the official Palestinian Authority newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, suffered head injuries and sustained bruises across his body in the attack. He said soldiers destroyed his camera and confiscated….
Report: Israel plans to build separation wall in Golan
7/30/2011 – GOLAN, Syria (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities plan to build a wall in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported Friday. The wall will separate the town of Majdal Shams in Israeli-occupied territory from the suburb of Al-Oude and Ain Al-Tinah in Syria, SANA reported. SANA said the cement wall….
15 injured as Israeli soldiers disperse rally near Qalqiliya
7/30/2011 – QALQILIYA (Ma’an) — Fifteen Palestinian protesters were injured on Friday when Israeli forces dispersed a peaceful protest in the village of Kafr Qaddum, east of Qalqiliya. The protesters were demanding that Israeli forces open the village’s main entrance, which has been closed for nearly nine years. Murad Shteiwi, spokesman for the weekly….
Lack of supplies, fuel threatens patients in Gaza
7/30/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Medical facilities in the Gaza Strip lack 180 types of medical items as well as fuel, a shortage that poses a real threat to healthcare in the enclave, a health ministry spokesman said Saturday. Ashraf Al-Qedra denounced the delays that have plagued the healthcare system in Gaza over the past….
Report: Right wingers attack Israeli-Palestinian solidarity tent
7/30/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Right-wing Israelis attacked an Israeli-Palestinian protest tent in Tel Aviv on Friday, tearing down a Palestinian flag, the official Palestinian Authority news agency Wafa reported. The tent was set up as part of recent nationwide protests in Israel over housing prices. Wafa reported that Palestinian citizens of Israel had….
Jenin teacher arrested at Jordan border
7/30/2011 – JENIN (Ma’an) — Israel’s army arrested a teacher last Sunday at the Jordan bridge border crossing, his relatives said. Mufeed Jalghum works at a school in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. He was on his way back from Saudi Arabia performing the annual Umrah pilgrimage, his brother Abed Al-Hakim told….
Militants attack gas pipeline in Egypt’s Sinai
7/30/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Unidentified gunmen on Saturday attacked a terminal on the gas pipeline to Israel for the fifth time since February, a security official said. Gunmen on motorbikes and cars lobbed grenades and tried to storm the terminal at Al-Shulaq in north Sinai but were confronted by armed forces, leading to clashes. Witnesses said the….
Blast in central Gaza market damages storefront
7/30/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — An explosive charge blew off the front of a mini market in central Jabaliya refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, causing extensive damage to the store, onlookers said. Eyewitnesses said the blast, which occurred in the early morning hours, caused major structural damage to the storefront….
Report: Egypt forces accidentally fire at Israeli army jeep
7/31/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Egyptian forces accidentally fired at an Israeli army jeep on Friday at the border near Eilat, the Israeli news site Ynet reported. Egyptian border guards opened fire at migrants trying to enter Israel illegally and fired on Israeli soldiers operating in the area, Ynet reported. Initially, Israeli army officials….
UK activists cycle 7,000 kilometers to Palestine
7/30/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A group of cyclists from the UK has arrived in the West Bank after cycling 7,000 kilometers from London in support of the popular resistance movements in Palestine. On Friday the group met with the Bilin popular committee and joined the weekly demonstrations against the separation wall, a statement from the….
Barak: Israel seeking formula for peace talks
7/30/2011 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that his government is striving to find a formula that would allow for the resumption of peace talks with Palestinian leaders. Barak on Friday revealed the efforts after meeting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who again pressed for Israel to return to talks and….
PA urged to release prisoners for Ramadan
7/30/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Families of prisoners affiliated with Hamas and detained in Palestinian Authority prisons held a sit-in Saturday in the West Bank city of Nablus, to demand the release of their loved ones. The participants carried banners demanding the release of prisoners without conditions, particularly as the month of Ramadan is approaching. Some….
Tens of thousands protest cost of living in Israel
7/30/2011 – TEL AVIV (AFP) — Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in 10 cities across the country on Saturday evening to protest against the high cost of living. Between 80,000 and 120,000 protesters demonstrated, according to police and media estimates demanding “social justice.” More than 50,000 marched in downtown Tel Aviv, police spokesman Micky….
Fatah leader dies in Ramallah
7/31/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Member of the Fatah revolutionary council and former lawmaker and women’s activist Jamila Seidam died Saturday in Ramallah, party officials said. She was 64. The Fatah movement mourned her death in a statement.”Um Sabri” is survived by her husband, Mamadouh Seidam, who is serving the party as a….
Senior Fatah official undergoes heart surgery in Nablus
7/30/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Senior Fatah official Rouhi Fattouh underwent emergency heart surgery in Nablus on Saturday for a clogged artery. Fattouh was admitted to the Al-Arabi Hospital for cardiac catheterization but during the operation doctors discovered his main artery was clogged, requiring further emergency surgery, a Ma’an correspondent reported. The operation was….
Ramadan to begin Monday
7/31/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The holy month of Ramadan will begin Monday, Palestine’s mufti announced late Saturday amid similar declarations from religious authorities. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Yemen, Morroco, Egypt, Qatar and Sudan also announced that Monday would be the first day of the Muslim holy month. President Mahmoud….
Prices go up in Gaza as Ramadan nears
7/30/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — There has been a noticeable increase in the price of chicken, vegetables and fruits in Gaza markets as the holy month of Ramadan approaches, a local customer told Ma’an. Residents say they can’t meet their families needs due to the hike in prices and have appealed….
Syria crackdown on protests claims 20 new lives
7/31/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syrian security forces killed at least 20 people and wounded 35 others on Friday as hundreds of thousands of people turned out for anti-regime protests, activists said. The deaths were reported on Saturday by two Syrian human rights organizations, one of them also saying that hundreds of people were arrested by security forces….
Syria army deploys in restive eastern oil hub
7/31/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syrian troops shot dead three people who stoned a massive military convoy Saturday as it headed to quash growing anti-regime dissent in the eastern oil hub of Deir Ezzor, an activist said. Meanwhile a man identifying himself as a Syrian army colonel told AFP in Nicosia that he had defected and has “hundreds….
Egyptian officer killed in clashes with fundamentalists
7/30/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — An Egyptian army officer was killed and 10 others sustained injuries as fierce clashes erupted on Friday between the army and Islamists. Fighting took place in the north Sinai city of El-Arish as police clashed with a Takfir, or group of Muslims declaring other Muslims to be non-believers. Unidentified gunmen….
5 killed in Egypt clashes between Islamists and army
7/30/2011 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Five Egyptians were killed on Friday in clashes between Egyptian forces and reported Islamists. Over 100 masked men wearing black uniforms rallied in the streets of El-Arish, Sheikh Zweid and Rafah, a town on the Gaza border, waving black banners reading “There is no God but Allah.”In El-Arish, the….
Activist: 19 dead, 500 arrested in Syria protests
7/30/2011 – NICOSIA (AFP) — Syrian security forces killed at least 19 people and wounded 35 others on Friday as hundreds of thousands turned out for anti-regime protests, activists said.” Nineteen martyrs fell on Friday,” the National Organization for Human Rights told AFP in Nicosia.” The Syrian authorities had decided to go ahead and kill protesters during the….
3 Saudis beheaded for murder
7/30/2011 – RIYADH (AFP) — Three Saudis were beheaded on Saturday in the western city of Taef after being convicted of killing fellow citizens in two separate incidents, state news agency SPA reported. Mahfoudh bin Ali Al-Kenani was beheaded by the sword for stabbing to death Ali Saeed Al-Khazmari because of a feud between them, SPA said. Meanwhile….
Arab regimes’ fears focus on Ramadan
7/30/2011 – DUBAI (AFP) — Arab governments are bracing for increased tensions during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan which this year comes amid a wave of unprecedented uprisings sweeping the region.” Throughout history, Ramadan has been the month of revolutions and victory,” said Abdullah al-Amadi, director of the Qatar-based Islamic website Islamonline.” I think it will….
Mubarak to be tried at Cairo Police Academy
7/30/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, who faces trial next week accused ordering troops to fire on protesters, will appear in court at the Cairo Police Academy, the appeals court said Saturday. The trial would open on Wednesday and be held “inside the Police Academy in Masr el-Gedida” in northern Cairo for security reasons….
Morocco renews call to mend ties with Algeria
AlJazeera 30 Jul 2011 – King Mohammed says he wants normalisation of relations in order to implement plans for a integrated economic bloc.
Mass protests in Israel over high prices
AlJazeera 30 Jul 2011 – In the largest show of support since the movement began two weeks ago, massive demonstrations take place across country.
Syrian tanks shell restive oil hub
AlJazeera 30 Jul 2011 – At least five people killed in city of Deir ez-Zor, activists say, as government forces intensify pre-Ramadan crackdown.
Egypt army detains suspects in Sinai clashes
AlJazeera 30 Jul 2011 – Authorities arrest 15 people in connection with deadly attack on police station in north Sinai city of El-Arish.
Iraqi leaders reach deal on cabinet reduction
AlJazeera 30 Jul 2011 – Prime minister reaches agreement with MPs on streamlining cabinet, as US report finds Iraq’s security is deteriorating.
Palestinian Nonviolence: Muslims, Not Christians, Are the Leaders
PNN – By Sami Awad – Whenever I give talks on the effects of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian livelihood, the status of nonviolence as a means to resisting the occupation, and how I…
Another Tsunami!
PNN – By Adam Keller/Gush Shalom – It was not Binyamin Netanyahu who started the occupation. Keeping millions of Palestinians under military rule, constantly expanding settlements throughout the Occupied Territories, diverting the country’s best…
International Solidarity Movement
Israeli soldiers violently suppress demo; sweep through houses to carry out arbitrary arrests in Nabi Saleh
7/30/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – 29 July 2011, Popular Struggle Coordination Committee – Military checkpoints were set up early in the morning on all roads leading in and out of Nabi Saleh this Friday, as the Israeli army does every Friday in its attempt to prevent people from outside the tiny village to support the villagers in their struggle for land…. Related: Popular Struggle Coordination Committee
Ban calls for more Israeli steps to lift blockade of Gaza
Relief Web 29 Jul 2011 – Source: UN News Service Country: occupied Palestinian territory The Israeli Government needs to take more steps to lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip, particularly to allow the free import of construction materials into the area, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said…
General Assembly Wraps Up Two Meetings — on Achieving Human Right to Water and Sanitation; Revitalizing Conference on Disarmament
Relief Web 29 Jul 2011 – Source: UN General Assembly Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan GA/11126 Sixty-fifth General Assembly Plenary 117th Meeting (AM) Mauritius Elected Vice President for Assembly’s Sixty-Sixth Session As the General Assembly concluded its debate today on challenges to achieving the human…
Clashes reported in Irraq Burin
30 Jul 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli soldiers invaded yesterday Irraq Burin village in the south of Nablus, leading to violent clashes broke out between armed soldiers and Palestinian youths.
Sunni family in the sectarian divide
The National 30 Jul 2011 – Omar is 15 years old, and a Sunni. “If the Shia or the Mahdi Army come here to take revenge on us for things we never did, I’ll hunt them like I hunt birds,” he said.
‘Friendly fire’ kills 30 Yemeni tribesmen
The National 30 Jul 2011 – At least 30 pro-government tribal fighters were killed and dozens were wounded by friendly fire in the southern Yemeni province of Abyan.
The death of General Younis makes us stronger, Libya rebels say
The National 30 Jul 2011 – Gen Abdel Fattah Younis was killed on Thursday en route from his command post on the front line near Brega to the rebel capital Benghazi.
One dead, 500 arrested in Damascus roundup
The National 29 Jul 2011 – Right activist says the pre-dawn raid saw soldiers and security forces enter the Qadam district, where one man was killed at a checkpoint.
More than 40 dead in south Yemen violence
The National 29 Jul 2011 – Clashes between the army and al Qa’eda militants have left 29 tribesmen as well as top officers from the police and army dead.
Iran may release two US hikers held for two years
The National 29 Jul 2011 – The two men and Bauer’s fiancee, Sarah Shourd, were detained on July 31, 2009, and Iran accused them of illegally crossing the border to spy.
More than 100,000 take to streets across Israel in largest housing protest yet
Ha’aretz – Demonstrations held in more than 10 cities across Israel in bid to lower spiraling costs of living; joint Jewish-Arab protest held for first time since demonstrations began 16 days ago.
Gideon Levy / Israeli protesters must remain in tents until time is right
Ha’aretz – The night I was proud to be an Israeli.
New American ambassador to try to improve Israelis’ view of U.S.
Ha’aretz – New U.S. ambassador to Israel must battle bad PR, rivalry with American consulate.
With diplomatic ties established, Israelis doing business in South Sudan
Ha’aretz – Israeli entrepreneurs moving into the nascent country, planning to establish farming communities for former soldiers along border with the Muslim north.
Israeli doctors resume nationwide strike, plan rally opposite Knesset
Ha’aretz – Doctors to work on Sabbath footing as IMA chief warns PM that catastrophe is ‘around the corner’
New Facebook movement in Israel: Withdraw mass amounts of cash and boycott banks
Ha’aretz – Protesters hope to pressure banks to lower fees and interest rates, folowing
Pressure mounts on Netanyahu to cancel Knesset summer recess
Ha’aretz – Knesset speaker, foreign minister and opposition leader support the move, in light of the protests that have been sweeping the country over the past 16 days.
Iraq to purchase 36 F-16 fighter jets from U.S.
Ha’aretz – The number is double what was initially planned; move aimed to bolster the weakest branch of Iraqi military, ahead of final withdrawal of U.S. troops at the end of the year.
Egypt army arrests 15 in Sinai clashes
Ha’aretz – Arrests follow Friday clashes in al-Arish which left five dead and nineteen injured; police investigating whether eight Palestinians among those arrested entered Sinai through Rafah crossing or smuggling tunnels.
Is Turkey’s Erdogan becoming the modern Ataturk?
Ha’aretz – With the resignation of Turkey’s top four military chiefs, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is making the most of the opportunity to increase state control over the military.
Iran military head: ‘Zionists’ are behind Norway terror attacks
Ha’aretz – Hassan Firouzabad accuses Israel of ‘fueling rightist sentiments, fostering terrorism, using world people as their toys in pursuit of objectives’.
Thousands turn out across Israel in latest round of mass protests
Ha’aretz – Demonstrations are held in more than ten cities across Israel in bid to lower housing prices; PM Netanyahu mulls tax breaks to quell the public protests.
Police won’t let Jews hold march in Old City due to Ramadan
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – The march, which has been taking place at the onset of Jewish months for some 10 years, draws the most participants at the beginning of Av.
July 31, 2011: Two men killed in Taibe drive-by
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Two men were shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Taibe; Police wages set to finally rise; Wife of Yitzhak Shamir dies at 88.
Right-wing NGO: Protesters refuse to sing ‘Hatikva’
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – My Israel offered on Friday to join the protest, on condition that the national anthem would be sung.
Israelis will ‘give up’ on Egyptian gas, expert says
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Blast is third this month, fifth this year; masked men attack police station after riding through el-Arish, waving flags with Islamic slogans.
Samir Kuntar reportedly wounded in Beirut explosion
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Explosion rocks Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut suburb, leaves 1 dead, 1 injured, DPA reports; Hezbollah denies report of injuries.
IMA chief continues hunger strike
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Israel Medical Association head Leonid Eidelman camps in front of PM’s office, vowing he’ll stay until agreement reached.
IMA chief continues hunger strike in tent
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Israel Medical Association head Leonid Eidelman camps in front of PM’s office, vowing he’ll stay until agreement reached.
PM said to be ready to slash taxes, gasoline prices
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – The prime minister is putting together a number of steps that will ease the tax burden on the middle class.
Hundreds of thousands in ‘social justice’ rallies
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Demonstrators nationwide call to reduce cost of housing, food and education; Initiative to hold strike tomorrow gains traction.
Hundreds of thousands join ‘social justice’ rallies
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Demonstrators nationwide call to reduce cost of housing, food and education; Rallies include concerts by Berry Sakharof and Yehuda Poliker in Tel Aviv, Harel Skaat and Aviv Geffen in Jerusalem.
Abbas ‘feels he’s above the law,’ charges Dahlan
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Ousted Fatah strongman says more than $1b. missing from fund handed over to PA president.
Barak raises prospect of apology to Turkey
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Israel seeking ways to resume talks with Palestinian Authority, defense minister tells UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon.
‘150,000 take to the streets in nation-wide protests’
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Tel Aviv protest organizers announce list of demands; at least 60,000 take to TA streets, over 10,000 in J’lem outside PM’s residence, some 15,000 in Haifa; protests take place from Kiryat Shmona to Beersheba.
Livni calls on PM to cancel Knesset’s summer recess
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Opposition leader: Netanyahu “isn’t the solution, he’s the problem”; PM reportedly to seek ways of decreasing tax burden on general public.
Tens of thousands marching in Tel Aviv for ‘social justice’
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Protests for affordable housing, taking place in ten cities across the country; 4,000 protesters in J’lem marching to Netanyahu’s residence, chant: “We want social justice, not charity.”
Turkish President Gul says no crisis as top generals quit
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Nonetheless, Gul says events are “extraordinary”; departures could give Turkish PM Erdogan decisive victory over military.
Arab Spring on (of off) your Ramadan TV screen
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Reputations of actors, producers have been affected by support for Mubarak, Assad regimes; number of productions down from last year.
Mourning Winehouse: A biblical vixen goes back to black
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – As a Jewish woman raised in an Orthodox community, I identified with her refusal to be controlled if not her choice of transgressive behavior.
Abuhatzeira killer sent for psychiatric exam
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Tens of thousands of stunned mourners attend famous rabbi, Baba Sali’s grandson’s funeral in Jerusalem; PM expresses shock at murder.
Tent protests expand to ‘Old North’ TA neighborhoods
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Housing protest tents are set up on city’s Nordau, Ben-Gurion boulevards; protester says, “We’re working people with jobs, families.”
North Tel Aviv neighborhoods join tent protests
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – ‘What’s different here is that…we’re working people with jobs or families,’ says medical intern who initiated camp on Nordau Boulevard.
‘Explosion hits natural gas pipeline in Sinai Peninsula’
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Blast is third this month, fifth this year; masked men attack police station after riding through el-Arish, waving flags with Islamic slogans.
‘Hezbollah preventing police from probing Beirut blast’
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Explosion rocks Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut suburb, leaves 1 dead, 1 injured, DPA reports; terrorist Samir Kuntar reportedly injured in blast.
‘Larger’ housing protests set to take place in 10 cities
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – TA protest over high cost of living to be joined by 9 other demonstrations taking place from Kiryat Shmona to Ashkelon.
Housing protest reaches n. TA as tents set up on Nordau
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Activists say they want protests over high cost of living to reach as many people as possible; women’s groups urge parents to join protests.
Four dead, 19 injured in clash in Egypt’s Sinai
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Masked men attack police station after riding through el-Arish, waving flags with Islamic slogans, firing in air; 13-year-old dies in shootout.
Iran may release detained US hikers soon, says lawyer
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – 2 years after Iran arrests US hikers on suspicion of spying, lawyer says their prison term may serve as their sentence and they may be freed.
South Korean scientists create glowing dog, report says
Jerusalem Post 30 Jul 2011 – Scientists say creation of glowing dog using cloning technique could help find cures for human diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Revolving roles
Jerusalem Post 29 Jul 2011 – While the characters we see in reruns are stuck in a time warp, the actors have gone on to expand their horizons.
Fish Swim in Israel’s Desert
IPS “It wasn’t easy to convince people that growing fish in the desert makes sense,” reminisces marine biologist Samuel Appelbaum, peering through the opaque water where thousands of barramundi are being harvested.
Children pay ultimate price for Iraq war’s poisonous legacy
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – ….”We are blind,” says Dr Ahmed Jafer, a paediatric specialist. “Ours is the only neo-natal unit in this region but we cannot quickly diagnose what exactly we are dealing with. Our children are dying from malnutrition, diarrhoea, TB, meningitis, leishmaniasis, chronic liver disease, pneumonia, anaemia and congenital heart disease, all of which are easily…
Tribal sheikh among three killed in US-Iraq raid
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – A US-Iraqi raid north of Baghdad on Saturday killed a tribal sheikh and two of his family members, police said, as local leaders condemned what they branded a “massacre” of civilians. US forces said the operation aimed to nab a wanted insurgent but officials in the village of Rufayat, 70 kilometres (45 miles) from…
Abdul Fatah Younis Killing: War Death or Assassination?
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – …Speculation swirled about whether Jalil either ordered him arrested or assassinated. Al Jazeera said he was “suspected of engaging in unauthorized communication with Gaddafi’s representatives and had possibly even helped supply regime troops with weapons.” The latter comment is typical Al Jazeera, a mouthpiece for power, making uncorroborated untrue claims. As a result, its…
More than 100,000 take to streets across Israel in largest housing protest yet
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – More than 100,000 people took to the streets Saturday to protest the spiraling costs of living in Israel. Marches and rallies took place in eleven cities across the country, with the largest ones taking place in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva and Haifa. The protesters chanted “the people demand social justice” and “we want…
Syrian tanks shell Deir al-Zor, at least 5 killed
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – Syrian forces have killed at least five civilians when tanks shelled the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor, as government forces intensified a pre-Ramadan crackdown against protests, activists said. Deir ez-Zor, the capital of a province that carries the same name, is an oil hub but one of the country’s poorest regions. “More tank columns…
Cables show NATO’s intervention in Libya is all about oil
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – Geo-strategic considerations, arm twisting, long-term objectives and behind-the-door haggling continue to impact the global energy chess board, as national interests, political and strategic priorities and considerations of major stake holders in the ongoing, West-led, get-Qaddafi campaign in Libya unravels, the tight global energy balance is getting under pressure – at least in the short…
Israeli soldiers attack Palestinian journalist
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – Palestinian photojournalist Moheeb Al-Barghouthi was beaten by Israeli soldiers Friday covering a demonstration in the Nabi Saleh village near Ramallah. Al-Barghouthi, who works for the official Palestinian Authority newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, suffered head injuries and sustained bruises across his body in the attack. He said soldiers destroyed his camera and confiscated some of his…
NATO raid in Libya kills 3 reporters
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – Libya says three journalists have been killed in a NATO air strike on state television, and that the murder of the rebels’ army chief proves al-Qaeda is instigating the country’s armed revolt. ‘Three of our colleagues were murdered and 15 injured while performing their professional duty as Libyan journalists,’ said Khaled Basilia, director of…
On Ramadan’s eve, severe financial crunch hitting occupied territories
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – Muhammed and Sarah Sawabha live at a middle class Ramallah neighborhood, with their six children, including two college students. Muhammed has a Bachelor of Science and earns a monthly salary of about $800 US dollars as a teacher at a local school. His wife, who has a BA in Arabic Language and Literature earns…
Israel sues Bedouin villagers for cost of repeated evictions
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – Residents of a Bedouin village in Israel’s Negev desert are facing a lawsuit for the cost of Israeli government agencies repeatedly destroying their homes and other structures. Israeli authorities filed a claim for 1.8 million NIS (more than US$500,000) with a court on 26 July for the expense of destroying the structures and evicting…
Syria: At least 23 killed during Friday protests ‚Äé (Videos)
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – At least 23 people were killed Friday when demonstrations across the country were met by a fierce government crackdown, activists said. Seven fatalities were reported in the suburbs of Damascus and two in the city itself, six in Deir Ezzor and Boukamal, three in Daraa and one each in Lattakia and Hama, the activists…
Will you marry me under occupation?
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – … Sadly, this happiest day doesn’t come to many Palestinians in Gaza, or comes much belatedly, owing to the poor economy, high joblessness, and consequent inability to save for the whole marriage package. Aside from the wedding hall, the apartment or room in a family house must be dressed up with at least a bed…
Six reasons why Americans don’t know a million Iraqis were killed in their name
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – ….The sixth and last explanation for indifference-and perhaps the most powerful-is a psychological one. We tend to avert our eyes from gruesome spectacle; it disrupts our sense of an orderly, just world. We want to believe that the mayhem is not happening, that in the end everything will be all right, or that the…
Medics: Israeli forces shoot at Palestinian farmer
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – – A young Palestinian farmer was injured Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire on him in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, medics said. He was shot while working on his land and taken to Ash-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, a medical spokesman said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said forces fired warning shots at a…
Libyan TV still on air despite NATO bombing
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – …In a video statement titled “NATO silences Gadhafi’s terror broadcasts”, NATO spokesman Colonel Roland Lavoie said NATO had disabled the ground-based satellites in a precision airstrike. Libyan state television continued to broadcast, however, and early on Saturday was showing a repeat of a political talk show from the previous evening. The Libyan Broadcasting Corporation…
Video: NATO bombs Libyan state TV transmitters ‚Äé
Uruknet July 30, 2011 – NATO warplanes bombed Libyan state TV satellite transmitters in Tripoli overnight on Friday. A series of loud explosions echoed across the capital before dawn. There was no immediate comment from Libyan officials on what had been hit, but state TV was still on the air in Tripoli on Saturday morning. NATO said the air…
Military Resistance 9G20: This Sailor Was Not Happy
Uruknet July 29, 2011 – An overwhelming number of voters believe the United States is involved in too many foreign conflicts and should pull back its troops, according to a new poll conducted forThe Hill.Seventy-two percent of those polled said the United States is fighting in too many places, with only 16 percent saying the current level of engagement…
Another stinging blow for Libya
Uruknet July 29, 2011 – The killing of Libyan rebel military commander General Abdel Fattah Younes could lead to a violent split inside anti-government forces and comes as a major rebel offensive is failing to produce significant gains prior to the onset of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan in August when extremely hot weather and all-day fasts makes…
Can the Palestinian Leadership Pave the Way from Statehood to Independence?
Uruknet July 29, 2011 – Middle Eastern analysts concerned with the Palestinian statehood bid have rightly highlighted the benefits conferred by such status. They assume, however, that the current Palestinian leadership is willing to take the necessary steps in order to lead Palestinians from statehood on paper to independence in practice. In the early 1990s, the Palestinian leadership supplanted…
Jewish association launches tourism project promoting the West Bank as “part of Israel”
Uruknet July 29, 2011 – Hebrew press sources have unveiled a tourism project that urges Israeli citizens to visit the occupied West Bank and learn about its history and landmarks as “part of the State of Israel”. According to the Thursday (28/7) edition of Haaretz newspaper, a new Israeli association allocated $2 million dollars to support the project which…
Bombs Disguised As “Humanitarian” Gifts NATO’s Paradoxical Mission in Libya
Uruknet July 29, 2011 – …Today, the biggest threat to the civilian population in Libya is not emanating from Tripolis but from Brussels. NATO is obfuscating its real aims by renaming “rebels” civilians and pretending that every bombing run is an act of humanitarian generosity to make it appear in conformity with a UN resolution. In another act of…
New moves to curb criticism of Israel in US and Canada
Uruknet July 29, 2011 – A number of new initiatives to curtail freedom of speech by conflating opposition to Israeli crimes with anti-Semitism are underway in the United States and Canada. The Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA) issued a report in early July recommending the adoption of strict new standards defining anti-Semitism and the types of speech…
Palestinian Christians protest Anglican chief’s occupation blindspot
Uruknet July 29, 2011 – “We lived like brothers, but the Israelis don’t want to be brothers,” declared Father Emmanuel Awwad, the Orthodox priest of the village of Aboud, north of Ramallah. “We can live together. But they don’t want this. They say God gave them the land, that’s what they think like. The occupation is not good. We…
Turkey’s Gul says no crisis as top generals quit
Daily Star 30 Jul 2011 President Abdullah Gul denied on Saturday that Turkey faced a crisis after the resignation of the country’s four most senior military commanders, but acknowledged this had created an “extraordinary” situation.
Militants attack gas pipeline in Egypt’s Sinai
Daily Star 30 Jul 2011 Unidentified gunmen attack a terminal on the gas pipeline to Israel for the fifth time since February, security official says.
Libyan rebel commander killed by allied militia
Daily Star 30 Jul 2011 Libyan rebels say the gunmen who shot dead their military chief were fighters allied in their struggle to overthrow Moammar Gadhafi, raising questions over divisions and lawlessness within rebel ranks.
UN says flotilla report postponed until August
Daily Star 30 Jul 2011 The release of a long-awaited UN report on Israel’s deadly 2010 raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla has again been delayed, this time until August, a spokesman said Tuesday.
Detained in Israel: ‘flytilla’ activist recounts ordeal
Daily Star 30 Jul 2011 New Yorker Laura Durkay tells of being detained for four days after attempting to reach Bethlehem along with dozens of other activists.
Tel Aviv: Protesters clash with police
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Hundreds of people continued their protest Saturday night in Tel Aviv, long after the official housing protest rally ended. Demonstrators blocked the city’s Kaplan … ….
Crime boss Francois Abutbul gunned down
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Israeli underworld figure Francois Abutbul was gunned down late Saturday night, in a Coastal Highway gas station. Police officials said that it appears that the … ….
Social activists: The revolution is here
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Tens of thousands of Israelis participated in mass protest rallies across Israel Saturday night demanding social change and justice. Police sources estimated that … ….
Masses march for social change
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets Saturday night, in demand of affordable housing and social justice. Protest marches were held in Tel Aviv, … ….
Livni urges PM to cancel Knesset recess
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin to cancel the Knesset’s summer recess in light of the … ….
Syria: Troops kill 3; rebels form militia
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Syrian troops stormed parts of the eastern city of Deir ez Zor Saturday and barraged neighborhoods with heavy machine gun fire, activists said. The attack is part of … ….
Turkey: Gul denies crisis in military
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Turkey’s military is in turmoil after four of the country’s most senior commanders quit in protest over the detention of 250 officers on charges of conspiring against the … ….
Ahmadinejad slams US-Israel Mideast ‘plot’
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Iranian president warns Washington, Jerusalem’s efforts to have Arab nations….
Gas pipeline to Israel attacked again
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Egyptian officials blame fifth pipeline attack since Egypt uprising on militant….
Report: Samir Kuntar injured in Beirut
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Lebanese website cites residents of Hezbollah stronghold who say arch-terrorist….
4 dead in Sinai clashes
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Armed men on motorcycles attack police station in el-Arish, waving flags with….
Shalit, doctors, tent protesters bind together
YNet News, 30 Jul 2011 – Father of kidnapped soldier, organizers of protests against housing costs visit….
Palestinian Information Center
Jewish settlers desecrate graveyard
PIC – 30/07/2011 – 07:34 AM
Dozens injured, arrested in IOF crackdowns on West Bank protests
PIC – 30/07/2011 – 08:07 AM
Bahar condemns IOF abduction of MP
PIC – 30/07/2011 – 08:42 AM
Two Palestinians arrested for working in Jerusalem
PIC – 30/07/2011 – 09:01 AM
IOF troops to use putrid gas to disperse protest rallies
PIC – 30/07/2011 – 09:09 AM
Disguised Israeli security men arrest 6 Palestinians in Silwan
PIC – Disguised Israeli security men arrested six Palestinian young men in Wadi Rababa in Silwan town in occupied Jerusalem in a pre-dawn raid on Saturday, eyewitnesses reported.
Int’l campaign calls for end to world silence over Israeli detention of MPs
PIC – The international campaign to release Palestinian lawmakers have denounced the world’s silence towards the Israeli practice of detaining elected representatives of the Palestinian people.
Relatives of West Bank political prisoners hold sit-in
PIC – Scores of Palestinians held a sit-in at Dawar al-Shuhada Square downtown Nablus amid demands for the release of their relatives held as political prisoners in the prisons of the Palestinian Authority.
Turkish FM denies change in demand for Israel apology
PIC – Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has denied changes in his country’s position regarding dismal relations with Israel.
Palestinian farmer wounded in IOF shooting
PIC – A Palestinian farmer was wounded north of the Gaza Strip at noon Saturday when Israeli occupation forces (IOF) opened fire at a group of farmers in the area, medical sources said.
IOF soldiers arrest Jordanian Lifeline activist
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested a Jordanian activist while crossing into the West Bank from Jordan to visit relatives in Al-Khalil province, his family said.
Two minors arrested amid clashes in Silwan
PIC – Three males including two minors have been arrested as locals in East Jerusalem’s Silwan district fell into violent clashes with Israeli forces on Saturday.
Hamas calls for extending urgent relief material to Somalia
PIC – Hamas movement called for extending badly needed relief material to the drought-stricken Horn of Africa in general and Somalia in particular in light of the tragic conditions that befell them.
Ufree condemns new indictment filed against mayor’s daughter
PIC – The European network to support the Palestinian prisoners (Ufree) has condemned Israel’s continued detention of the 17-year-old daughter of the mayor of Al-Beira near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
On Ramadan’s eve, severe financial crunch hitting occupied territories
PIC – Many Palestinian families are ill-prepared to receive the Muslim holy month of Ramadan during which family spending increases substantially.
Syndicate Warns Against Rise in Israeli Attacks on Journalists
WAFA
Israeli Soldiers Open Fire, Injure Farmer North of Gaza
WAFA
Rights Group Accuses Israel of Using Violence against Peaceful Demonstrations
WAFA
Israelis Attack Arab-Jewish Protest Tent
WAFA
Newspapers Review: Arab Spring Revolts Dominate Front Page Headlines
WAFA
Abu Rudeineh: No Talks with Israel
WAFA
Israeli Commandos Raid “Freedom Theater” in West Bank
Intifada-Palestine: 30 Jul 2011 – Juliano Mer Khamis and Palestinian youth perform at the Freedom Theatre in Jenin refugee camp. “The coming third Palestinian intifada will take the form of cultural resistance to the Israeli occupation” Juliano Mer Khamis by Dr. Ashraf Ezzat Israeli commandos, roughly… more
A Timeline of Terror
Intifada-Palestine: 30 Jul 2011 – Norway bombing and shooting suspect Anders Behring Breivik by Paul J. Balles Reporters simply refuse to give up their idea that Islamic terrorists had something to do with the attacks. Journalists had the same initial reaction in 1995 after the Oklahoma… more
Egyptian ‘unity’ rally highlights split within nation
LA Times 29 Jul 2011 – The protest in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, meant to show unity among secularist and Islamist parties in the call for reforms, instead displayed the power of the Muslim Brotherhood and like-minded groups. ‘The people want an Islamic state,’ tens of thousands Islamists chant while outnumbered secular…
Rafik Hariri assassination suspects’ information released
LA Times 29 Jul 2011 – U.N.-backed tribunal posts on its website the names, photos and background data of four suspects in the 2005 slaying of Lebanon’s former prime minister. The United Nations-backed international tribunal set up to bring to justice those responsible for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime…
Mass protests sweep Israel
WSWS – Thousands are taking to the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to protest the high cost of housing.
The Israeli protests and the unity of Arab and Jewish workers
WSWS – The growing protest movement of Israeli workers and youth against worsening economic hardship is a development of enormous political significance for the working class throughout the Middle East and internationally.
General’s killing sparks crisis in Western-backed Libyan TNC
WSWS – The assassination of a former Gaddafi official who became military chief of the Benghazi-based Transitional National Council has raised the specter of a civil war within the Western-backed Libyan
First he found WMDs in Iraq‚Äì now Jeffrey Goldberg finds ‘Jihadists did this in Norway’
Mondoweiss – This is funny. Flapola nails Jeffrey Goldberg , and then Goldberg amends his post w/o saying as much, and then… well, it’s too complicated for me, but apparently Glenn Greenwald is after Goldberg, and some folks are going after Jim Fallows for assailing Jennifer Rubin for the…
500 protesters join boycott demo at Max Brenner store in Australia
Mondoweiss – Hundreds of BDS demonstrators gathered again yesterday at Melbourne’s Central Business Districtto protest against the attack and arrest of 19 nonviolent BDS supporters on July 1st as reported here by Kim Bullimore . Victorian Police had previously arrested demonstrators at the Max Brenner cafe, owned by the…
Dutch orchestra teargassed while performing in occupied village
Mondoweiss – link to www.maannews.net link to palestinesolidarityproject.org link to www.maannews.net link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.pchrgaza.org link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.maannews.net link to english.pnn.ps link to english.pnn.ps link to 972mag.com link to english.wafa.ps link to english.wafa.ps link to old.news.yahoo.com link to mideast.foreignpolicy.com link to electronicintifada.net link…
‘NYT’ offers Israeli a platform to call ‘Arab spring’ ‘Arab storm’
Mondoweiss – This op-ed by Aluf Benn , defense correspondent for Haaretz, in the New York Times today, shows how hardboiled the New York Times (and by extension American Jewish leadership) can be when it comes to Israel’s relationships with its neighbors. The dictatorship of Mubarak is seen as…
Egypt changes Mubarak trial venue
BBC 30 Jul 2011 – Egyptian authorities say the trial of deposed President Hosni Mubarak will be moved from a Cairo convention centre, for security reasons.
Articles
A strike against free speech
Ahmed Tibi, New York Times7/28/2011
Free speech in Israel was dealt a severe blow this month when the country’s Parliament passed antiboycott legislation that targets individuals or organizations publicly calling for a boycott against Israel or any area under its control.
Because I believe in ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, equal rights for Palestinians and Jews, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees forced from their homes and lands in 1948, I support boycotting — and calling on others to boycott — all Israeli companies that help perpetuate these injustices.
But this new legal limit on free speech could bankrupt me.
Israeli officials will not throw me in jail for publicly supporting such boycotts, but settler groups can claim financial damages without even having to show any harm done. Furthermore, organizations supporting boycotts could be denied tax-deductible contributions and state funding. This week, I appealed the law to the high court.
Already, a member of the Knesset, our Parliament, Alex Miller, has threatened to sue me for my words — specifically my call, which I continue to make today, to boycott the illegal Jewish settlement of Ariel. Such a call would be unremarkable in a proper democracy with untrammeled free speech. The right to criticize a population that has dispossessed Palestinians and discriminated against us for decades should be protected speech.
Perhaps my parliamentary immunity will protect me, but that can readily be stripped. Moreover, parliamentary immunity will not protect Israelis who urge fellow citizens not to buy Ahava beauty products created from natural resources illegally extracted from the occupied shores of the Dead Sea and manufactured in a factory in an illegal West Bank settlement…. more.. e-mail
Unfolding the Syrian Paradox
Alastair Crooke, Conflicts Forum7/27/2011
Can Syria properly be understood as an example of a “pure” Arab popular revolution, an uprising of non-violent, liberal protest against tyranny that has been met only by repression? I believe this narrative to be a complete misreading, deliberately contrived to serve quite separate ambitions. The consequences of turning a blind eye to the reality of what is happening in Syria entails huge risk: the potential of sectarian conflict that would not be confined to Syria alone.
One of the problems with unfolding the Syria paradox is that there is indeed a genuine, domestic demand for change. A huge majority of Syrians want reform. They feel the claustrophobia of the state’s inert heavy-handedness and of the bureaucracy’s haughty indifference toward their daily trials and tribulations. Syrians resent the pervasive corruption, and the arbitrary tentacles of the security authorities intruding into most areas of daily life. But is the widespread demand for reform itself the explanation for the violence in Syria, as many claim?
There is this mass demand for reform. But paradoxically — and contrary to the “awakening” narrative — most Syrians also believe that President Bashar al-Assad shares their conviction for reform. The populations of Damascus, Aleppo, the middle class, the merchant class, and non-Sunni minorities (who amount to one quarter of the population), among others, including the leadership of the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood, fall into this category. They also believe there is no credible ‘other’ that could bring reform.
What then is going on? Why has the conflict become so polarized and bitter, if there is indeed such broad consensus?
I believe the roots of the bitterness lie in Iraq, rather than in Syria, in two distinct ways…. more.. e-mail
Confessions of a reborn non-Zionist
Ari Miller, +972 Magazine7/29/2011
The son of a Zionist family, Ari Miller immigrated to Israel dreaming of combat tours in the IDF, followed by a political or diplomatic career in the service of his new homeland. Today, his life couldn’t be farther away from those fantasies. A personal journey.
I stood there, with my unit, all of us with an M-16 in hand. A man in green with one red shoulder barked at us that, in a few weeks, we would have the opportunity to kill or be killed. We were about a month into basic training in the IDF’s 101st paratroopers division. I was living my lifelong dream of aliyah and service in the Jewish army. I was 24 years old, surrounded by 18 year-olds.
As a child, a button hung in my suburban Philadelphia bedroom. On it was written, “We are all Zionists.” A gift from my father. I didn’t know what it meant but I wanted to make him proud. So I was a Zionist. First by default, then by active participation.
During the year, I attended a religious day school. Some summers were spent in Israel with the synagogue youth group. Others were spent as a counselor at a Jewish overnight camp; an Israeli flag hung over my bed, a symbol of where I’d rather be. My first year of university was spent half at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and the other half on a religious kibbutz near Gaza. I served as the Hillel president in my junior and senior years at Clark University. Israel advocacy was my primary agenda. When Norman Finkelstein came to speak on campus, I cut classes to prepare and hand out pro-Israel/anti-Finkelstein material at the entrance to the lecture hall he’d be occupying.
I had only learned who he was that morning, when I saw the signs for a lecture on Israel, the speaker invited by someone other than me. I was top Jew on campus and someone was stepping on my toes. more.. e-mail
so rich in trees
In Gaza: 30 Jul 2011 – Gaza, a city so rich in trees as to be like a cloth of brocade spread out on the sand. The other night I was flipping through Mahfouz’s Palestine: A Guide, by Mariam Shahin. In my browsing, I came across two different references to Gaza’s former fertility, so lavish that I had to note them, as one would today believe these were lies. The second: Beit Lahiya (in Roman times): Then its sweet water nourished delicious fruits and beautiful gardens. It once looked like a forest, with many apple, fig, peach and orange trees. I try to imagine the flourish of green with flowering buds… but can’t. There are trees in Gaza, sparsely pitched and stunted by water shortages or re-planting after Israeli bulldozing. But since I first came here in November 2008, every time I’ve gone to border regions, I’ve been told by proud locals: this was the most…more
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The New Dark Age 