8 August , 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israeli Forces Advance Into Lebanese Territory
IMEMC – Tuesday August 09, 2011 – 03:04, The Lebanese Army reported Monday that Israeli soldiers advanced into Lebanese territory for a distance of 200 meters and remained there for 30 minutes before heading back to the Israeli side of the border.
Four Palestinians Kidnapped by Israeli Army in Beit Ummar
IMEMC – Monday August 08, 2011 – 12:52, The Israeli army invaded Beit Ummar and kidnapped four individuals Saturday night, according to Maan News Agency. Also, the soldiers fired live ammunition and gas bombs during the invasion.
Israeli Army Invades Nabi Saleh Firing Live Ammunition and Gas Bombs
IMEMC – Monday August 08, 2011 – 11:37, Reports from Tamimi Press indicate that Sunday evening the Israeli army invaded the Palestinian town of Nabi Saleh in the West Bank. They fired live ammunition and gas bombs and clashed with local youth.
Shells Fired At Army Forces Invading Gaza
IMEMC – Monday August 08, 2011 – 08:37, Palestinian sources reported that Palestinian fighters fired, on Sunday at night, a number of shells at Israeli armored vehicles invading Al Shejaeyya, east of Gaza City.
Fateh, Hamas, Make Progress In Talk, To Release Prisoners
IMEMC – Monday August 08, 2011 – 07:56, Palestinian sources reported Sunday that leaders of the Fateh and Hamas movement managed to reach a deal, supervised by Egypt, that aims at releasing political prisoners held by Hamas in Gaza and Fateh in the West Bank, and decided to resolve the issue of passports issued to Gazans.
Israeli police remove worshipers from Al-Aqsa
8/8/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police entered the Jerusalem compound housing Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday evening and forcibly removed worshipers, a Ma’an correspondent said. Israeli police forces raided the Haram Ash-Sharif complex after the Tarawih, the additional extended prayers performed during the holy month of Ramadan after the last obligatory prayer, Ma’….
Company targeted by boycott campaign announces losses
8/8/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A French multinational company at the center of a global boycott campaign announced major financial losses on Thursday, a statement from Palestinian civil society groups said Monday. The boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign targets international companies with links to illegal Israeli settlements.” Veolia is paying the price for its involvement in….
Witnesses: Ambulance held at checkpoint after fatal crash
8/8/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli forces delayed an ambulance treating victims of a car crash in which a 13-year-old girl died, witnesses told Ma’an. Anhar Sandouk died at the scene of an accident near Zatara checkpoint south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, medics said. Four others, including Anhar’s….
Report: Israeli official reprimands EU diplomats
8/8/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — European diplomats said the head of Israel’s National Security Council aggressively berated them for European policies towards Israel in a July political-security briefing, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported Monday. Yaakov Amidror was “aggressive, contemptuous and arrogant,” one of the ambassadors told Haaretz.”Some of the ambassadors were….
Israeli forces reopen road linking villages to Nablus
8/8/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — A Nablus thoroughfare was reopened by Israeli forces on Monday after a 9-year closure, a Nablus governorate spokesman said. The road to An-Naqura village, north of Nablus, was closed by Israeli forces in 2002. Nablus governor Jebrin Al-Bakri instructed head of An-Naqura village council to immediately begin paving the road….
Detainees’ parents accused of smuggling cell phones
8/8/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities have banned parents from visiting their detained children over suspicions they smuggled cell phones into the jail during visits, a detainees’ center reported. Detainees at Shatta prison in Israel said their parents had brought them books but Israeli guards suspected the books concealed cell phones. The prisoners….
Islamic Jihad brigades claim fire on Israeli forces
8/8/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Islamic Jihad’s military wing said Monday it had fired on Israeli military vehicles near the eastern Gaza City neighborhood Ash-Shuja’iyeh overnight, whom it said were bulldozing Palestinian farm land. The Al-Quds brigades said in a statement that they launched three mortar shells at vehicles in the….
Report: Israel wages cyber war on Iran
8/8/2011 – LONDON (Ma’an) — Israel has set up a cyber command center in a military defense unit in order to wage cyber war on Iran, according to a report in the British-weekly The Sunday Times. The newspaper quoted a defense source saying Israel’s cyber targets in Iran included the military nuclear program and….
Unity committees to tackle reconciliation issues
8/8/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Fatah parliamentary deputy Ashraf Jomah said Monday that four committees would begin work next week on outstanding areas in the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas. Jomah told Ma’an that the committees would tackle prisoners, passports, social reconciliation and the institutions shut down in Gaza and the West….
Report: Israeli security arrest 2 settlers accused of arson
8/8/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli security forces arrested two settlers on Sunday accused of violence against Palestinian communities, Israeli news site Walla reported. Both men, aged 16 and 22, were from the notoriously hard-line Yitzhar settlement near Nablus. The Israeli Shin Bet, or internal security service, suspect that the two settlers may be linked to….
Detainee enters 30th year in Israeli jail
8/8/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A Palestinian prisoner entered his 30th year in Israeli detention on Monday, a detainees’ center said. Hasan Salma, 53, was arrested on August 8, 1982. He was accused of killing Israelis and sentenced to life imprisonment. Salma, from Beituniya near Ramallah, is married and has twin children who were born….
Israel deputy PM: Turkey ‘rude’ to demand apology
8/8/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israel’s deputy prime minister on Monday described as “rude” Turkey’s demand that Israel apologize for the death of nine Turkish nationals killed in last year’s raid on a Gaza bound aid flotilla, Israeli media said. Speaking to Israeli Radio, Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon said….
UK minister condemns expansion of Har Homa settlement
8/8/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — The UK foreign office minister for the Middle East said Monday that Israel’s approval of 900 new housing units in a settlement near Jerusalem was “deeply concerning.” Israel’s interior ministry announced plans on Thursday to expand Har Homa settlement. The hilltop settlement is strategically located between Bethlehem….
Israeli protesters seek radical change
8/8/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel’s protest movement has shown the breadth of its appeal by drawing hundreds of thousands of people to demonstrations, but now it faces tough choices about priorities that could risk dividing its ranks.” Our delegates met to draft a list of demands which will be presented to the government and which….
In photos: Israeli tent protest in Tel Aviv
8/8/2011 – MaanImages / Charlotte Alfred – An estimated 200,000 people marched through the center of Tel Aviv on Sunday as part of a nationwide movement demanding cheaper housing, education and health care. Protesters have set up tent camps in cities including Jerusalem, Jaffa and Tel Aviv, with groups as varied as animal rights, anti-occupation, gay rights and religious….
Israeli MPs recalled for social discontent debate
8/8/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel’s parliament said on Monday it was recalling members from their summer break for a special session next week on the government’s handling of a growing wave of social discontent. The debate is to take place on August 16 in response to a request signed by 50 opposition members….
Report: Shalit family meet Shas Rabbi
8/8/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The family of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit met with the spiritual leader of Israel’s Shas party on Monday, asking the Rabbi for his support in releasing their son, Israeli daily Maariv reported. The meeting took place in the home of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, with the Shalit family reportedly….
Japan condemns Israeli settlement plans
8/8/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Japanese government expressed its “disappointment” on Monday at recent Israeli plans to build 900 homes in Har Homa settlement, a statement said.”The Government of Japan does not recognize any act that prejudges the final status of the territories in the pre-1967 borders, and Israeli settlement activities should be….
Police thwart attempt to set man on fire
8/8/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Palestinian police rescued a middle-aged man from a Hebron village after a group soaked him in petrol in an attempt to set him on fire, a Ma’an correspondent said Monday. The incident, in the Sijer neighborhood of Dura village, southwest of Hebron, came as a result of a financial….
Analysis: Israel’s protest movement and the US media
8/8/2011 – Matt Sienkiewicz – Under normal circumstances, one would not expect to see much American media coverage of a protest over housing costs half of a world away. There is far too much going on in the realms of domestic politics and economics to devote ink or webspace to every country where the people think the rent….
Gaza police arrest suspect in string of thefts
8/8/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Police in Gaza City said Monday that they arrested a man suspected of multiple robberies, including stealing 25,000 Jordanian dinar [$35,261] from two individuals. The investigation department apprehended the suspect and he has been referred to a police detective to take forward legal proceedings, a police spokesman in the eastern….
Palestinian killed in Syria
8/8/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A young Palestinian died early Monday morning in Syria’s Hama refugee camp, bringing to six the number of Palestinians killed in Syria in a week, official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. On Friday, eyewitnesses said five Palestinian refugees were killed during clashes near the camp, which lies within the….
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait recall Syria envoys
8/8/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Saudi Arabia and Kuwait recalled their envoys to Damascus after the Arab League condemned violence in Syria, leaving President Bashar Al-Assad further isolated as he defended his crackdown on “outlaws.” Hours after the Saudi envoy’s recall, rights activists said on Monday a mother and her two children were shot dead by….
UN calls rights situation in Iraq ‘fragile’
8/8/2011 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — A UN report released on Monday said the human rights situation in Iraq is still “fragile,” citing issues including economic and political stagnation, continued violence and attacks on minorities.” The human rights situation throughout Iraq remains fragile as the country slowly transitions from a conflict to post-conflict country that faces enormous development challenges….
Syria isolated as Gulf states recall envoys
8/8/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain recalled their Damascus envoys as Sunni Islam’s top body on Monday urged an end to the crisis in Syria, increasing the regional isolation of President Bashar Al-Assad. Hours after the Saudi envoy’s recall, rights activists said security forces shot dead a mother and her….
Copt killed in clashes after Egypt road accident
8/8/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — A Coptic Christian was killed and four Muslims were wounded in clashes in the southern Egyptian province of Minya after clashes triggered by a road accident, a security official said on Monday. The violence erupted on Sunday night in the village of Fargallah when a Copt riding a motorcycle hit a Muslim pedestrian….
Tunisian protesters demand break with Ben Ali regime
8/8/2011 – TUNIS (AFP) — Hundreds of people demonstrated in central Tunis Monday to demand that members of the toppled Ben Ali regime be stopped from re-entering the political scene or escaping justice for alleged crimes. The protest, the latest in a series in Tunisia since Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced out in January by a….
Jordan to name nuclear plant builder in November
8/8/2011 – AMMAN (AFP) — Jordan said on Monday it will announce in November the firm it has chosen to build the parched kingdom’s first nuclear plant to meet growing energy needs and desalinate water.” Three companies were selected in June — a consortium by France’s Areva and Japan’s Mitsubishi, Russia’s….
Govt: Dubai to repay $4 billion of maturing debt
8/8/2011 – DUBAI (AFP) — Dubai said Monday it will repay in full $4 billion of debt maturing later this month from internal sources, as the Gulf emirate’s economy grows steadily after being severely hit by the global crisis. The Investment Corporation of Dubai, which is the investment arm of the government of the city state….
Does the Mideast’s ‘only democracy’ see ‘democratic’ values as a threat?
Palestine Note 8 Aug 2011 – I am consistently flabbergasted by the U.S. ‘s unprecedented ability to befriend the world’s most anti-democratic leaders while touting its identity as the ultimate democratic state. It becomes increasingly difficult to take democracy seriously when the House of Representatives supports…
Hamas and Fatah agree to release political prisoners
Palestine Note 8 Aug 2011 – Ma’an- Hamas and Fatah have agreed to release all political prisoners after meeting in Cairo on Sunday to discuss the reconciliation deal signed in April, official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The two factions also agreed to the formation of…
Palestinian pride: Israel protests influenced by Arab world
Palestine Note 8 Aug 2011 – Haaretz- Palestinian social leaders believe the social protests that have erupted throughout Israel are largely influenced by the Arab Spring, contending Israelis must realize they too are suffering due to the occupation and money spent on settlements in the West…
Academic claims Israeli school textbooks contain bias
Palestine Note 8 Aug 2011 – The Guardian- Nurit Peled-Elhanan, an Israeli academic, mother and political radical, summons up an image of rows of Jewish schoolchildren, bent over their books, learning about their neighbours, the Palestinians. But, she says, they are never referred to as Palestinians…
Demoting Arabic: Knesset finally tells the truth
Palestine Note 8 Aug 2011 – Mya Guarnieri, +972- The Israeli Knesset is on a roll. First, it passes the anti-boycott bill. Now, it’s considering changing the status of Arabic from the state’s second official language into the language of the state’s second class citizens. I’ll…
Israel puts pressure on human-rights organisations
Palestine Note 8 Aug 2011 – The National- Just months after Israel ended its invasion of the Gaza Strip more than two years ago, life became more challenging for Sari Bashi and her human-rights group Gisha. Right-wing government officials, legislators and pressure groups, angered at charges…
Syrian Troops Launch Assault on Deir al-Zour
Palestine Note 8 Aug 2011 – Estimated 42 killed, thousands more fled, as Gulf states condemn violence New York Times – The Syrian military defied growing condemnation and initiated another assault on the country’s most restive locales on Sunday, deploying dozens of tanks and armored vehicles…
Gulf nations call for Syrian reforms
AlJazeera 8 Aug 2011 – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain recall ambassadors from Damascus, as President Assad replaces his defence minister.
FestiClown Palestine: First International Clown Festival in Palestine to be Held in September
PNN – Jerusalem – PNN – From September 2 to September 15 the streets, squares and theatres of the occupied West Bank will be invaded by the red noses army from FestiClown Palestine, the…
Lieberman: Palestinians Planning ‘Bloodshed’ in September
PNN – Bethlehem – PNN – Israel’s Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, has declared that Israel should cut all ties with the Palestinian Authority, ahead of the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations…
New Hamas-Fatah Reconciliation Talks in Cairo
PNN – Cairo ‚Äì PNN ‚Äì Rival Palestinian political movements Fatah and Hamas have agreed to make moves to end the stalemate that has occurred in their reconciliation, during talks in Cairo at the…
Throng of US Congressman to Visit Holy Land in Next Few Weeks
PNN – Over the next three weeks during the US Congress’s summer recess, 81 congressman, some 20 percent of the US House of Representatives, will visit Israel. A group of 26 Democrats plan to…
Rockets Fired from Gaza Into Southern Israel
PNN – Southern Israel – PNN – Three hommade rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip and landed in the Sha’ar Ha Negev Regional Council causing damage to a fence but no injuries on…
International Solidarity Movement
While in Gaza: The Other Gilad Shalits
8/9/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – The Palestine Chronicle, Johnny Barber – ‘Dear Johnny: ‘While you are in Gaza, please visit Gilad Shalit. He is the Israeli soldier who was kidnapped from outside Gaza 5 years ago, and has been held by Hamas without visits by anyone, including the Red Cross or Red Crescent, in violation of international law. I…. Related: Source
Ni’lin continues with strong will despite Israeli raids
8/8/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, West Bankand Ni’lin Sons Group – On the 7th of August at 2:30am, 13 military jeeps entered the village of Ni’lin, took control of its southern region, and proceeded towards the nearby village of Qibya to arrest a Palestinian following an aggressive raid the previous night. Locals curious…. Related: Ni’lin Sons Group
Jewish settlers storm the Aqsa Mosque
8/8/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – The Palestinian Information Center – Tension is running high in the holy Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem after Jewish settlers stormed and roamed the plazas of the holy site at the early morning hours on Monday. The Aqsa guards said that Israeli occupation police escorted the groups of settlers who were roaming the mosque in provocative…. Related: Palestinian Information Center
Alternative Information Center
Israeli Activists Support South African Student Call to Boycott Israeli Propaganda Mission
Alternative Information Center – This morning an Israeli based human rights group that goes by the name of “Boycott!” delivered a letter to South African student groups, university administrations and the South African National Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
The Netherlands donates over US$6m for West Bank and Gaza emergency
Relief Web 8 Aug 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Netherlands (the) 8 August 2011 Jerusalem The Dutch government has made a donation of over US$6m in response to UNRWA’s 2011 emergency appeal…
Israeli bulldozers raze 190 Dunums near Hebron
8 Aug 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli occupation bulldozers started Monday razing operations to 190 dunums of agricultural lands and confiscated irrigation networks and farming equipments in a-Buqaa area to the east of Hebron.
Settlers throw stones at Palestinian houses in Hebron
8 Aug 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-A group of settlers of Beit Hudasa settlement stormed Monday Asshohada street in Hebron and started throwing stones at Palestinian houses without justifications.
Negev prisoners poisoned due to rotten food
8 Aug 2011 – Palestine, (Pal Telegraph)-The Ministry of Prisoners Affairs said that 40 prisoners suffered from Diarrhea and vomiting after eating rotten and expired food inside Israeli Negev jail.
Coalition calls for inquiry into Yemen violence
The National 8 Aug 2011 – Yemen’s main opposition parties want international organizations to investigate violence that has swept the country.
Hizbollah gains political clout in Lebanon
The National 8 Aug 2011 – Focus on tribunal investigating assassination of Lebanon’s former prime minister wanes as many watch growth of Hizbollah’s political influence with concern.
Arab states raise stakes in condemning Syria
The National 8 Aug 2011 – Arab League members withdraw their ambassadors from Syria as they sharply criticize government’s violent assault on protesters.
50 more killed by Syrian military
The National 7 Aug 2011 – Syrian security forces backed by tanks killed more than 50 people in the desert city of Deir Ezzor and in villages close to Homs.
Lieberman wants Israel to cut PA ties over ‘planned bloodshed’
The National 7 Aug 2011 – Foreign minister plans to raise issue with ‘inner cabinet’ but his concerns are overshadowed by internal unrest over prices.
Kuwait dismisses threats to megaport
The National 7 Aug 2011 – Kuwait said that threats by Iraqi militants would not deter the oil-rich emirate from completing the construction of a controversial megaport between the two nations.
Saudi anti-terrorism law is being revised, official says
The National 7 Aug 2011 – Changes will ensure the new law ‘does not violate citizen’s rights’.
Protest leaders present their vision for social justice in Israel
Ha’aretz – Leaders present ‘Vision Document’ outlining six principles in a ‘framework of investment for a new socio-economic agenda’; document distributed among tent cities throughout Israel for comment.
Akiva Eldar / Israeli settlers still wary leftist bodies stand behind the social protest
Ha’aretz – Settler leaders understand levels of government construction in West Bank are controversial in wake of protests over lack of housing; Yeshiva Har Bracha head Rabbi says settlers wary of protests’ socialist trends that will privilege ‘a large and hostile Arab minority.’
Israeli government failing to provide for thousands entitled to public housing
Ha’aretz – Waiting list for government housing stands at about 10,000 veteran citizens and 50,000 new immigrants; petition prepared by Center for Legal Assistance is asking for compensation for those still waiting for housing.
Tel Aviv stocks rebound in contrast to plummeting global markets
Ha’aretz – Tel Aviv blue chips rise 1.5% as investors swung back from Sunday overshoot after U.S. downgrade.
Israeli police officers caught taking bribes for permitting smuggling from Palestinian Authority
Ha’aretz – Most police charge around NIS 1,000 to let a vehicle through a checkpoint without examination, according to indictments; majority of cases are in the Jerusalem area.
Israeli nursing school rescinds ban on speaking Russian and Arabic
Ha’aretz – School of Nursing in Ashkelon tells students ‘it is absolutely prohibited to conduct a conversation in a foreign language’ on school grounds; Health Ministry instructed the school to withdraw the order.
Diaries of Nazi doctor Mengele may be handed to Yad Vashem
Ha’aretz – ‘Modern Orthodox’ Jewish man from U.S. buys Josef Mengele diaries for $245,000; buyer says diaries are ‘a piece of paper that represents evil, but that can be used for good,’ not letting people forget the atrocities of the Holocaust.
Netanyahu vows to ease economic burden on Israeli citizens
Ha’aretz – PM presented with list of 14-member panel, headed by Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg, which will engage in dialogue with protesters demanding social reforms.
Toddler dies after being forgotten in transport van in central Israel
Ha’aretz – Three-year-old discovered unconscious, not breathing and without a pulse, after temperature inside van believed to have reached more than 80 degrees Celsius.
Israeli archaeologists present Roman artifacts found in Jerusalem tunnel
Ha’aretz – Archaeologists say the Roman legionnaire’s sword and sheath found in the tunnel date back to 70 C.E.
Knesset to hold emergency session as Israel’s social protest grows
Ha’aretz – Hundreds of pensioners protest in Tel Aviv; non-profit organizations to hold emergency conference and present their demands.
Tel Aviv municipality tows protesters’ caravan from tent city
Ha’aretz – National Union of Israeli Students vice chairman: The caravan was parked where it was to show Netanyahu we aren’t going anywhere.
Fire from Gaza intensifies as three mortars hit southern Israel
Ha’aretz – No injuries reported in the incident, which comes day after Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned attacks will continue.
At Ramadan meal in Negev guests call for tolerance
Jerusalem Post 9 Aug 2011 – Egypt’s delegate walks fine diplomatic line; Islamic movement official: Beduin yearn to be integrated into state.
Fault lines visible in protesters’ solidarity
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Protester: How can we think about education? We have nowhere to live. The students can’t represent us because they can’t really understand us.
Iraq’s Qaeda asks ex-fighters to return, threatens attacks
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – In an hour-long audio speech, the spokesman for the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, said the group was growing stronger.
Ovadia Yosef blesses the Schalits
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Shimshon Liebman, head of the campaign to free Schalit, said Yosef had “many warm blessings for the family and for the release of Gilad.”
US court allows torture lawsuit against Rumsfeld
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Two American men seek damages from Rumsfeld, others for developing, authorizing, using harsh interrogation techniques against them in Iraq.
A-G revokes ‘discriminatory’ voting rule
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Weinstein reverses clause preventing females from being elected chairman to haredi student union.
Live to trade another day
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Politics seems to be trumping everything else and there is a political agenda that is at odds with conventional economic thinking.
Aussie minister examines boycott of Max Brenner
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Campaign orchestrated in Melbourne to impose secondary boycott on the commercial activities of businesses with Israeli ownership.
Petition rejected to deploy Iron Dome near border towns
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Supreme Court Justices: Deploying rocket defense system is ‘operational decision in which the court cannot intervene’.
Israel deploys drones to protect gas fields from Hezbollah
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Decision to deploy IAF drones was made when Hezbollah warned Israel that it would do “whatever it takes” to protect Lebanon’s maritime sovereignty.
New York maid hits Strauss-Kahn with civil lawsuit
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Lawsuit alleges that former IMF chief assaulted housekeeper in a “violent and sadistic attack.”
A call for unity
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – We were plunged into exile because of the hatred of one Jew towards another and salvation can only come through repairing ourselves in that realm.
Palestinians for dummies
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Can Israel help construct a new paradigm that takes cultural needs into account and expand the scale of possible achievements at the negotiating table?
The Israeli government knows just what to do
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Oppressive government policies must end but can our leaders come up with a plan that does not comprise a few minimal moves?
How Israel is missing the Arab spring
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Those who sympathize with Mubarak are misplacing their compassion.
A nightmare that never ends
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 РMy daughter, Malki, died in the Sbarro massacre 10 years ago. The monster who planned her murder brags that she will soon be freed. May she remain in jail for as long as I grieve – forever.
Our World: Norway’s Jewish problem
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Norway’s gov’t attacked us for merely pointing out in various ways, that Norway should not use Breivik’s attack as justification for further weakening Norwegian democracy.
Borderline Views: From Rothschild to the Western Wall
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Without social welfare, without mutual responsibility and care, the third commonwealth (however it is defined) will not arise.
Syria’s crackdown
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – In so desperately and violently clinging to power, the behavior of the Alawite ruling minority conforms with perfect consistency to fears it has expressed for 75 years of what majority rule would mean for them.
Libya rebels dissolve cabinet after commander’s death
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Rebel spokesman says rebel leader Mahmoud Jibril, who was head of the committee, asked to form new executive body of ministers.
Kadis for Druse courts sworn in at President’s Residence
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Event marks only the second time in three decades that such a ceremony had been held.
Russian youth get Jewish identity boost at Project Rimon
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – The brainchild of Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky, 240 Russian-speakers aged 13 to 17 participate in two-week international summer camp.
Arab leaders abandon Syria, Assad fires defense minister
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Syrian president appoints general Daoud Rajha to replace Ali Habib; Turkey sends top diplomat to Damascus; Syrian forces batter eastern city.
Rothschild campsite observes silence for Tisha Be’av
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Signs set up throughout Tel Aviv tent city telling locals there will be no dance parties or performances during evening of fast.
PM lobbies world envoys against Palestinian statehood
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Netanyahu says Palestinians haven’t shown willingness for compromise on refugees, Israel as Jewish state, or that agreement would end conflict.
Assad replaces defense minister with chief of staff
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Syrian president appoints general Daoud Rajha to replace Ali Habib; top Sunni cleric adds voice to Arab criticism of Damascus.
Hebron: Border Police stop Palestinian stabbing attack
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Officers arrest terrorist heading towards them carrying knife; man admits during probe that he intended to “stab soldiers.”
Top Sunni cleric adds voice to Arab criticism of Syria
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Head of Cairo-based al-Azhar, a central seat of Sunni scholarship since Middle Ages, joins Arab League, Saudis in saying crackdown must stop.
Toddler dies after being forgotten in vehicle in Netanya
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – 3-year-old left in pre-school transport vehicle for hours; MDA paramedics unable to resuscitate her; driver detained by police for questioning.
Save a tree or two, use Taiwan erasable paper
Jerusalem Post 8 Aug 2011 – Environmentally friendly product is ideal replacement for paper signs and posters; can be erased with flip of a switch and reused up to 260 times.
Israeli family can freeze eggs of daughter killed in road accident
The Guardian 8 Aug 2011 – Court ruling sets legal precedent in Israel and is possibly first of its kind in world An Israeli family has been given legal permission to extract and freeze eggs from the ovaries of their 17-year-old daughter,…
A vile logic to Anders Breivik’s choice of target | Slavoj ??i?æek
The Guardian 8 Aug 2011 – Like Pim Fortuyn before him, Breivik embodies the intersection between rightist populism and liberal political correctness In Anders Behring Breivik’s ideological self-justification as well as in reactions to his murderous act there are things that should…
Gaza’s first five-star hotel provides luxury and hope amid the blockades
The Guardian 8 Aug 2011 – The al-Mashtal doesn’t have tourists and sits next to a military training camp, but its very existence is a symbol of optimism From the hand-carved bed in the al-Mashtal’s royal suite you look straight out to…
Gulf Nations Call for Syrian Reforms
IPS Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain have recalled their ambassadors from Damascus amid mounting pressure from the Arab world against Syria’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.
After the Arab Spring, an Israeli Summer
IPS “The people demand social justice!” Across the country’s major cities, over 300,000 demonstrators, five percent of Israel’s Jewish population, chanted the rallying call for the third consecutive Saturday.
Academic claims Israeli school textbooks contain bias
Uruknet August 8, 2011 – Nurit Peled-Elhanan, an Israeli academic, mother and political radical, summons up an image of rows of Jewish schoolchildren, bent over their books, learning about their neighbours, the Palestinians. But, she says, they are never referred to as Palestinians unless the context is terrorism. They are called Arabs. “The Arab with a camel, in an…
Syrians in Amman: Silence towards atrocities exposes phony Arab regimes’
Uruknet August 8, 2011 – The Syrian community in Amman staged a demonstration Monday night in front of the Syrian Embassy calling for toppling the Syrian regime, describing it as “illegitimate and criminal” in light of ongoing atrocities committed against peaceful protestors there. The demonstrators, joined by hundreds of Jordanian pro-reform activists, called on Arab regimes to stand by…
Seat of Sunni Islam denounces Syria crackdown
Uruknet August 8, 2011 – The head of the most influential school of Sunni Islam added his voice Monday to international and Arab criticism of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s assault on protesters, describing the bloodshed as a human tragedy that must stop. A five-month crackdown on protests in Syria has emerged as one of the bloodiest episodes in the…
Video: The Plight of Gazan Fishermen
Uruknet August 8, 2011 – Dozens of Gazan fishermen went to retrieve boats this week that had been confiscated by the Israeli Navy over the last 18 months. Their excitement quickly turned to sorrow as they found empty boat shells stripped of all equipment and supplies. According to an August 4 press release from Adalah and Al-Meezan Center for…
Call from Gaza: Open Rafah Crossing Permanently
Uruknet August 8, 2011 – Today, a call demanding the re-opening of the Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Palestine has come from Gaza. It is propelled by support from Egypt and has been endorsed by dozens of organizations, citizens’ groups, associations and coalitions in many countries, as well as by distinguished international personalities. The call to action underscores the…
The number of children killed by Syrian regime has reached 121 ( videos)
Uruknet August 8, 2011 – The Number of children and teenagers who were killed since the beginning of the revolution has raised to 121. Some of them were killed while they were in their beds and the bullets of the security forces penetrated the wall of their homes while others were killed in custody under torture. Among those, 102…
Saudi King pulls envoy from Syria, denounces violence, urges end to bloodshed
Uruknet August 8, 2011 – In a surprise speech early Monday, the Saudi monarch said that Syria’s future lies in choosing between wisdom or chaos. It was the sharpest criticism the oil giant has directed against any Arab state since a wave of protests roiled the Middle East and toppled autocrats in Tunisia and Egypt. “The Kingdom today stands…
Jamal Juma’: PA “killing popular resistance”
Uruknet August 8, 2011 – Few Palestinians are as closely identified with the struggle against Israel’s wall in the West Bank as Jamal Juma’. The coordinator of the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign since its establishment in 2002, Juma’ has suffered because of his political activities. He was imprisoned in late 2009 and early 2010 but following his release,…
Syria Massacre August 7, 2011 : at least 86 dead A Video Roundup (Warning: graphic ).
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – At least 50 people have died after the Syrian army stormed Deir al-Zour, the largest city in the east and a scene of frequent protests, activists say. Scores of tanks and armored vehicles are reported to have entered several areas of the city after a heavy bombardment that began before dawn. At least 26…
66 reportedly killed in Syrian army attacks on two cities (WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEOS)
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – At least 66 civilians were killed Sunday in attacks by the Syrian army on two cities where mass anti-government protests have been held, activists said. Fifty people were killed in a large-scale army assault in the north-eastern city of Deir al-Zour, according to the opposition group Federation of the Coordination Committees of the Syrian…
Egypt: State Media has New Bosses, Old Habits
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – ….Disturbingly, say rights groups, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) reinstated the information ministry last month. It also warned that any reporting concerning the military or its leadership must receive prior approval from its morale affairs and intelligence directorates. Journalists and bloggers who failed to heed the warning have been harassed…
IOA cuts off water to Jenin neighborhoods
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – The Palestinian municipal council in Jenin city strongly denounced the Israeli water company Mekorot for cutting off arbitrarily the water supply for the fourth consecutive day to many neighborhoods in the city. The Jenin council stated in a press release that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) turned off the water valve in Suwitat neighborhood…
Libya says key town recaptured from rebels
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – Government troops have recaptured the strategic town of Bir Ghanam, southwest of Tripoli, from rebel forces, Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi Mahmudi told reporters on Sunday. “Life is back to normal in Bir Ghanam, and today it is under the full control of the regime,” Mahmudi said a day after rebels said they captured the…
State Media has New Bosses, Old Habits
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – ….Disturbingly, say rights groups, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) reinstated the information ministry last month. It also warned that any reporting concerning the military or its leadership must receive prior approval from its morale affairs and intelligence directorates. Journalists and bloggers who failed to heed the warning have been harassed…
Tent 1948
Uruknet August 7, 2011 ‚ãÖ- If you are Palestinian, it will be difficult to find anything to identify with in Tel Aviv’s tents’ city on Rothschild Boulevard, until you reach Tent 1948. My first tour there was a few days ago, when I decided to join Tent 1948. Tent 1948‚Ä?s main message is that social justice should be for…
Statehood: Two-prong Approach Needed
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – The bid for statehood is essential if only to put down a marker and change the dynamic. Doing nothing means being forced back to the ‘negotiating’ table and we know what that means. There must be no negotiations until Palestinians have equal rank to Israelis within the international community and a level playing field….
Libya’s opposition has no legitimacy
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – …a number of countries, predominantly Nato members, have recognised the self-appointed National Transitional Council (NTC) as the only legitimate representative of the Libyan people. It is obvious that Western countries are trying to impose conditions in Libya without the participation of the Libyan people. A political leadership receives its legitimisation from its own people,…
Libya diary day 11 (Aug 7)
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – 2.30 am I have so far heard over 25 NATO bombs drop about 3 km from where I am in central Tripoli, smoke is filling the sky. Friends have told me that the Fernaj suburb, where the al-Fatah university is based has been hit and a number of houses and a farm were targeted….
IDF Arrests Jenin Freedom Theater Actor, Audience Now Awaits Godot…and Pozzo
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – ….When I heard of the arrests last week, I didn’t know what to think. But I presumed that they might have something to do with finding Mer-Khamis’ killer. But with the arrest of the leading actor of the ensemble’s current production it’s becoming clearer that there is no urgency or even interest on the…
Vilifying Muslims in America
Uruknet August 7, 2011 – Judge nations by how they treat all people, whether equally, or advantaging some over others. Judge them harshly if they persecute some for political advantage. In America, people of color and Muslims are fair game. It’s longstanding policy based on prejudicial attitudes, stereotypes, deep-seated racism, and notions of corrupted Western values, high-mindedness, and moral…
Car crash leaves woman dead and 2 injured
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 A woman was killed and her son and daughter injured in an overnight road accident in the Dahr al-Wahsh village near Aley east of Beirut.
Fasting children offered free meals
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 Dozens of fasting children from the southern coastal city of Sidon gather every day during Ramadan for iftar in one of the city’s restaurants to enjoy meals which they normally do not have a chance to…
Qassem: Law on domestic violence will sabotage family values
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general Sheikh Naim Qassem Monday expressed opposition to a draft law criminalizing domestic violence, saying that it would sabotage family life.
Jad Aoun: the guardian of Beirut’s image
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 What do overly loud Australian fireworks, a shooting in California, and roadworks in England have in common? Well, according to concerned local residents, they all leave the neighborhood looking like Beirut.
Army units deploy as Israeli patrol violates southern border
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 An Israeli patrol crossing into Lebanese territories in the border area of Kfar Shuba Monday morning put the Lebanese Army on alert.
Official assures food safety is rigorous
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 The head of the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute sought to reassure the Lebanese public that food imports are tested before they are allowed to enter the country, amid heightened concerns over food safety.
Top Islamist: All to blame in Ain al-Hilweh clash
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 A senior Islamist official in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh held all Palestinian factions – Islamist and non-Islamist ones – responsible for armed clashes which erupted over the weekend.
Loss of marine life puts fishermen’s lives on line
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 Maher Abu al-Ainein says that 20 years ago life as a fisherman was good. Today, he says the depletion of marine life, as a result of pollution, bad fishing practices and no government control, is putting…
UNHCR denies plans to report Hezbollah killing Syrian soldiers
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 U.N. agency says it has no connection with media accounts that it was planning to release a report saying Hezbollah was involved in the killing of defected Syrian soldiers.
Hariri urges Lebanese government to stand by Syrian people
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 Former Prime says Lebanon should not isolate itself from the violence in its neighboring country.
Rai in Chouf coast urges Christians to hold on to land
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai underlined from the Chouf coast Monday the need for coexistence between Christians, Muslims and Druze, and urged Christians to hold onto their land.
Cabinet meets, postpones long-awaited appointments
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 The issue of the long-awaited appointments was once again not tabled at Monday’s Cabinet meeting due to lack of agreement on names of candidates, parliamentary sources told The Daily Star.
Syrian navy fires at fishing boats in Lebanese waters
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 Syrian navy fires at two fishing boats in Lebanese territorial waters Monday, security source tells The Daily Star.
Jumblatt discusses Syria, Libya with Turkish officials
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Jumblatt held talks with Turkish leaders on the situation in the Middle East, particularly the unrest in Syria and Libya.
Woman killed, son, daughter injured in road accident
Daily Star 8 Aug 2011 A woman was killed and her son and daughter injured in an overnight road accident in the Dahr al-Wahsh village near Aley southeast of Beirut.
Foreign Ministry forced to delay envoy appointment
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – The Foreign Ministry’s nomination for Israel’s new ambassador to Italy has stirred up a frenzy in the Diplomatic Corp, as the ministry’s nominations’ committee’s ethics … ….
Assad names new defense minister
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – Feeling the pressure? Syrian President Bashar Assad replaced his defense minister on Monday, Damascus’ state television said. Assad appointed his chief of staff, General … ….
Court: Doctors, Treasury have one week to end strike
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – The Supreme Court decided Monday to extend the timeframe given to the Treasury and the doctors to devise an agreement which will end to the strike plaguing the health … ….
Chinese military chief to visit Israel
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – The Chinese military’s chief of staff will visit Israel next week for the first time, the Israeli military said Monday, in what may signal a renewed warming of ties … ….
Ministers divided over September threat
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – Vice Premier and Minister for Strategic Affairs Moshe Yaalon said on Monday that he does not share Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s ominous predictions of … ….
PM vows to facilitate social reform
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Monday with the newly appointed head of the “Rothschild team”, Professor Manuel Trachtenberg, for the first time. The meetings … ….
Top Sunni cleric: End Syria’s tragedy
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – The Arab world’s patience with Syria is wearing thin: The Cairo-based top Sunni Muslim institutions Al-Azhar called Monday for an end to the “tragedy” in Syria, saying … ….
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait pull ambassadors from Syria
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – Rare intervention by powerful Arab leader against Damascus as King Abdullah says….
AG reverses gender-biased student elections clause
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – Yehuda Weinstein intervenes in haredi college’s student union elections due to….
Senior citizens demand social justice
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – Hundreds of senior citizens rally in Tel Aviv, express support of ‘tent’ protest….
NY Times sees danger in UN bid
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – US newspaper criticizes all parties involved in Middle East peace process, says….
Iran MP: Nuclear plant’s launch delayed again
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – Says Iran already paid at least twice expected costs for 1,000 megawatt plant….
Social protest: ‘This is why we left Israel’
YNet News, 8 Aug 2011 – Dozens of Israelis gather in LA Park in show of solidarity with social….
Palestinian Information Center
Resheq: Our meeting with Fatah delegation in Cairo positive
PIC – Member of Hamas’s political bureau Ezzat Al-Resheq said there was a positive atmosphere during the meeting between Hamas and Fatah delegations in Cairo on Sunday.
Wife of political prisoner detained in Al-Khalil
PIC – Security services in Al-Khalil summoned the wife of one of its prisoners on Sunday amid a continued arrest spree in the West Bank.
IOA bans families from visiting their sons jailed in 1948 occupied lands
PIC – The IOA decided to prevent some families of Palestinian prisoners in its jails from entering the 1948 occupied lands to visit their sons at the pretext they made violations.
Jihad fighters fire mortars at invading IOF soldiers
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) advanced into eastern Gaza city at dawn Monday firing indiscriminately at Shujaia suburb, local sources told the PIC reporter.
Medicine crisis mounts in the Gaza Strip
PIC – The medicine crisis in the Gaza Strip has continued to mount amid accusations that the West Bank health ministry has been withholding medicines Gaza is entitled to.
IOA closes shops in Qatanin market
PIC – The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) ordered the closure of all shops in Qatanin (textile) market in occupied Jerusalem on Monday.
Jewish settlers storm the Aqsa Mosque
PIC – Tension is running high in the holy Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem after Jewish settlers stormed and roamed the plazas of the holy site at the early morning hours on Monday.
Top Israeli archaeologists contest Jewish ties to Jerusalem
PIC – Top Israeli archaeologist Israel Finkelstein has denied the existence of Jewish roots in the city of Jerusalem, contrary to Israel’s claims that have prompted continued Judaization of the city.
Abul-Sabeh holds Negev administration responsible for lives of detainees
PIC – Minister of prisoners Attallah Abul-Sabeh held the Israeli administration of Negev jail fully responsible for the lives of Palestinian detainees after 40 of them fell sick of food poisoning.
The good news from Cairo
PIC – The latest agreement between Fatah and Hamas to translate national reconciliation efforts into facts on the ground is a perfect Ramadan gift for the Palestinian people.
Ruqub: No freedom for Shalit until our prisoners are released
PIC – 08/08/2011 – 11:00 AM
Hamas urges Fatah to be serious to end national rift
PIC – 08/08/2011 – 10:44 AM
40 prisoners fall sick of food poisoning in Israeli prison
PIC – 08/08/2011 – 12:02 PM
Arab League Secretary General Condemns Israeli Decision to Expand Settlements in Jerusalem
WAFA
Netanyahu Urges Foreign Ambassadors to Reject Palestinian Plan to Seek UN Recognition
WAFA
Erekat: Palestinian Membership in UN a Must to Reach Peace
WAFA
Electricity Bill to Increase By 7%, Says official
WAFA
Israel Removes Iron Gate on Main Road in Nablus Area Village
WAFA
Sri Lanka Supports Palestinian Plan to Seek UN Recognition
WAFA
South African Student Bodies Endorse Nationwide Israel Boycott
WAFA
Wataniya Losses Over $15 Million in first Half of 2011
WAFA
Newspapers Review: Fatah-Hamas Talks, Abbas Meeting King Abdullah Focus of Dailies
WAFA
Arab nations add to pressure on Syrian regime
LA Times 8 Aug 2011 – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain withdraw their ambassadors as more nations seek to pressure President Bashar Assad to end the assault on the pro-democracy movement. Syria’s neighbors have turned decisively against President Bashar Assad, launching a diplomatic campaign against his crackdown on the country’s pro-democracy…
Syria forces attack Sunni tribal area
LA Times 7 Aug 2011 – As a major assault is launched on Dair Alzour, Saudi Arabia joins other Arab countries in condemning the violence overall and announces it is withdrawing its ambassador to Damascus. Syrian forces targeting areas that are in open revolt against the government launched a major assault…
Former Israeli diplomat sees waning image
LA Times 7 Aug 2011 – As Palestinian leaders plan a bid to win statehood recognition from the U.N., former Israeli envoy Gabriela Shalev frets that Israel has not succeeded in bringing its story to the rest of the globe. When Gabriela Shalev arrived at the United Nations in 2008 as…
3 Arab Countries Recall Ambassadors to Syria
New York Times 8 Aug 2011 – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait recalled their ambassadors, and President Bashar al-Assad replaced the defense minister with the army’s chief of staff.
Libyan Rebels Dissolve Cabinet Amid Discord
New York Times 8 Aug 2011 – Rebel leaders dissolved their cabinet to placate the family of an assassinated rebel military leader.
Military Memo: In Baghdad, Closing a 5-Star Retreat
New York Times 8 Aug 2011 – At the Joint Visitors Bureau, the Iraq war’s version of Rick’s Caf?©, ambiance lingers but days are numbered.
Saudi Arabia Ramps Up Pressure on Syria
New York Times 8 Aug 2011 – Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador and issued a harsh statement criticizing President Bashar al-Assad of Syria.
Will the Palestinian Authority collide with popular resistance in September?
Mondoweiss – The Palestinian Authority’s (PA) bid for United Nations recognition of a Palestinian state remains on track, despite heavy pressure from the U.S. and Israel. But what has received scant attention is the possibility that the September bid may also result in a collision between popular, grassroots…
‘Call to action’ for September 15 cites U.S.’s isolation in preventing Palestinian self-determination
Mondoweiss – A group called September 15 has issued a Call to Action for that day, in anticipation of the Palestinian Authority’s demand for statehood at the U.N. General Assembly. We’ll be doing lots more tubthumping for September events in days to come. (When I was a young…
‘One regime rules the land between the river and sea,’ Dana explains (in LRB and AJ, anywhere but here)
Mondoweiss – In light of the recent protests Joseph Dana’s interview with Al Jazeerah and London Review of Books article What about the Occupation? directs us to the most pressing concern impacting social justice in Israel today. AJ: The government has tried to label these protesters ‘left wing’….
‘NYT’ editorial on stalemate reflects Israeli talking points
Mondoweiss – Ali Abunimah said it best : you can’t negotiate over sharing a pizza when your adversary is eating the pizza during the negotiations. Well, the New York Times is back with more editorial page propaganda that blames the Palestinian Authority for not being willing to negotiate while…
Scenes from an occupation: Israeli forces hold ambulance w/ Palestinian crash survivors at checkpoint for 1/2 hour as archaeologists search for Jewish roots in ancient Jerusalem
Mondoweiss – link to silwanic.net link to silwanic.net link to www.haaretz.com link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.maannews.net link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.haaretz.com link to www.maannews.net link to www.maannews.net link to www.imemc.org link to www.maannews.net link to electronicintifada.net link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.maannews.net link…
Bibi: ‘Entire Middle East Shakes…Except Israel’
Tikun Olam – The Lede publishes a wonderful story today in the NYT featuring a new remix by Noy Alooshe, the Israeli who produced such a devastating video, Zenga Zenga , skewering Moamar Qaddafi’s TV speech railing against his enemies. This time, Alooshe is sticking a pin in Bibi Netanyahu,…
Kenya: Palestinian Film Festival for Nairobi
allAfrica.com 8 Aug 2011 – The conflict in Middle East which began in 1948 does not seem to be ending soon. What better way to see how the conflict has affected the residents of that part of the world than attending the Palestinian Film Festival. The event is hosted by the…
International Condemnation as Syrian Crackdown Continues
Arab American Institute 8 Aug 2011 – Despite strong international condemnation from a number of states and interstate organizations, the Syrian government has continued its assault on the Eastern towns of Hama and Deir al-Zour. However, the resistance appears to be growing increasingly organized, and reports of ‘Coordinating Committees’ have popped up across…
Week 20: Hani Jaber Palestinian political prisoner
Middle East Monitor 8 Aug 2011 – Hani Jaber has spent the majority of his life in prison. His is the story of a hero who knows the bitterness of pain and suffers the pain of illness and torture. He longs to see his wife and only daughter beyond the prison walls, and…
Forty Palestinian prisoners poisoned in Negev prison
Middle East Monitor 8 Aug 2011 – The Ramallah-based Palestinian Ministry of Prisoner Affairs announced that 40 Palestinian prisoners being held in the Israeli desert prison of Negev, suffered food poisoning after eating expired food provided by the prison the canteen. Prisoner Affairs Minister, Issa Qaraqei, held the prison’s administration fully responsible…
Turkey begins work on a project to link Istanbul and Mecca by express train
Middle East Monitor 8 Aug 2011 – The Turkish government has announced the beginning of work on a plan to restore the Hijaz raliway line built during the Ottoman era in the early 20th century which links Istanbul in Turkey to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Official Turkish media outlets reported that the…
Turkey to apply pressure on Syria
BBC 8 Aug 2011 – Turkey’s foreign minister is going to Syria to demand an end to a violent crackdown on protests by President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
VIDEO: Lebanon’s tensions exposed on film
BBC 8 Aug 2011 – Lebanese film-maker Nadine Labaki is preparing for the worldwide release of her second film, Where Do We Go Now?, which won several awards and critical acclaim at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
VIDEO: Region steps up pressure on Syria
BBC 8 Aug 2011 – Reports from Syria say the army is shelling the eastern city of Deir al-Zour for a second day, as Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah urges the Syrian president to bring in reforms and stop the bloodshed amongst civilians.
Headdress lifeline
BBC 8 Aug 2011 – Social media gives a Palestinian factory new hope for survival
Articles
Academic claims Israeli school textbooks contain bias
Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem, The Observer, The Guardian 8/7/2011
Nurit Peled-Elhanan of Hebrew University says textbooks depict Palestinians as ‘terrorists, refugees and primitive farmers’
Nurit Peled-Elhanan, an Israeli academic, mother and political radical, summons up an image of rows of Jewish schoolchildren, bent over their books, learning about their neighbours, the Palestinians. But, she says, they are never referred to as Palestinians unless the context is terrorism.
They are called Arabs. “The Arab with a camel, in an Ali Baba dress. They describe them as vile and deviant and criminal, people who don’t pay taxes, people who live off the state, people who don’t want to develop,” she says. “The only representation is as refugees, primitive farmers and terrorists. You never see a Palestinian child or doctor or teacher or engineer or modern farmer.”
Peled-Elhanan, a professor of language and education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has studied the content of Israeli school books for the past five years, and her account, Palestine in Israeli School Books: Ideology and Propaganda in Education, is to be published in the UK this month. She describes what she found as racism– but, more than that, a racism that prepares young Israelis for their compulsory military service.
“People don’t really know what their children are reading in textbooks,” she said. “One question that bothers many people is how do you explain the cruel behaviour of Israeli soldiers towards Palestinians, an indifference to human suffering, the inflicting of suffering. People ask how can these nice Jewish boys and girls become monsters once they put on a uniform. I think the major reason for that is education. So I wanted to see how school books represent Palestinians.”
Demoting Arabic: Knesset finally tells the truth
Mya Guarnieri, +972 Magazine8/6/2011
On its way to passing a law that would remove Arabic’s status as Israel’s second official language, the Knesset is simply acknowledging the second-class status of Arabs in Israel.
The Israeli Knesset is on a roll. First, it passes the anti-boycott bill. Now, it’s considering changing the status of Arabic from the state’s second official language into the language of the state’s second class citizens.
I’ll say now what I felt about the anti-boycott law: the Knesset should pass the legislation so the world will understand what it’s really dealing with.
Arabic might have been the second official language all these years but few Jewish Israelis speak it. NGOs have had to wage legal battles to get Arabic on the street signs funded and posted by the state. For example, when Adalah filed a petition in 1998 regarding the use of Arabic on national road signs, over 80% of those signs “were posted solely in Hebrew and English; Arabic appeared, if at all, only on signs posted near Arab localities.”
How many times has an Arabic speaker with weak Hebrew gone into a government office and not been able to get the help they need? How many times have they been faced with forms that come in Hebrew only?
And how have those who speak the second official language of the state fared in Israeli courts? I might add that I sat in on a Supreme Court hearing in January and watched a Palestinian man struggle to articulate himself to the judges in Hebrew, not in the second official language, his mother tongue, Arabic. There was no translator present. more.. e-mail
< Is Israel officially giving up on democracy?
MJ Rosenberg, Al Jazeera 8/6/2011
New laws aim to make democracy subservient to the orthodox religious beliefs of a minority of citizens.
It is hard to believe that anyone would give credence to reports of the supposed moderating of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s terms for negotiating an agreement with the Palestinians. But, incredibly, some people actually take him seriously. Quite rightly, however, the Palestinians don’t.
Here is the Jerusalem Post’s description of the new Netanyahu “framework”:
Israeli officials said this framework would be a package deal whereby Israel would agree to entering negotiations using the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed upon swaps, as the baseline of talks; and the Palestinians would agree that the final goal of negotiations would be two states, a Palestinian one and Jewish one.
The Post views this framework as a concession because the Palestinians would get “something they have long sought”: They “would get the 1967 lines as the baseline” for negotiations.
What? The 1967 lines have always been the starting point for negotiations, going back to United Nations Security Resolution 242 of November 1967. What else could they be?
Israel, obviously, wouldn’t want negotiators to use the 1948 lines as the baseline. In fact, no Israeli government ever questioned that the 1967 lines would be the baseline for negotiations until Netanyahu came to Washington in May and said that he rejected that commitment….
Jamal Juma’: PA “killing popular resistance”
Electronic Intifada: 8 Aug 2011 – Ida Audeh The Electronic Intifada Ramallah Ida Audeh interviews grassroots activist Jamal Juma’ about the dearth of popular resistance in areas of the West Bank under Palestinian Authority jurisdiction, the UN statehood bid and the role of the Palestinian diaspora in national liberation.more
‘Recently I was Someone, Now I’m Nobody’
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Aug 2011 – By Mats Svensson I have visited Muhammad around sixty times. But it is only now that we begin to really talk to each other. Seven years ago, I met Muhammad for the first time. I was then out on one of my long weekend walks. Muhammad came towards me, pointed towards the olive grove and presented me to the long gray dragon that was approaching his house. At the time he did not know whether the wall would go east of the house and let him belong to Jerusalem with all the practical benefits, or if it would go west of the house, and forever shut him out of Jerusalem. It was a lottery with a winning ticket and a loosing ticket. Bu he could not even pick his own lottery ticket. Some other people decided over his future. Then he spoke about the dragon that was approaching, the dead…more
While in Gaza: The Other Gilad Shalits
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Aug 2011 – By Johnny Barber ‘Dear Johnny: ‘While you are in Gaza, please visit Gilad Shalit. He is the Israeli soldier who was kidnapped from outside Gaza 5 years ago, and has been held by Hamas without visits by anyone, including the Red Cross or Red Crescent, in violation of international law. I trust you are committed to human rights for all, and this small gesture should be quite easy to do as compared with the magnitude of arranging your flotilla. I look forward to seeing your video or photos or voice recording evidencing that Gilad is being treated well and is in good health.’ I thought about Shalit quite often as I traveled around Gaza. Though the writer of the email assumed I was unaware of the prisoner or his circumstance, it was not true. I knew he was just a teenager when captured. I knew he was a combatant- a…more
Call from Gaza: Open Rafah Crossing Permanently
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Aug 2011 – By Rafah Crossing Campaign Today, a call demanding the re-opening of the Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Palestine has come from Gaza. It is propelled by support from Egypt and has been endorsed by dozens of organizations, citizens’ groups, associations and coalitions in many countries, as well as by distinguished international personalities. The call to action underscores the Geneva Conventions which entitle all people to freedom of movement and protection from collective punishment such as the arbitrary closure of the Crossing. Fulfilling a demand of the Egyptian revolution, supporters urge their governments to re-open the gates that have turned Gaza into an ‘open air prison’. The Rafah Crossing is Gaza’s only exit to the external world. Israel’s continued siege of Gaza includes closure of its six other crossings. Building on the year’s momentum to break the deadly siege of Gaza, supporters of the call to action include Archbishop Desmond Tutu,…more
Somalia’s Famine or the Face of Arab Shame
Palestine Chronicle: 8 Aug 2011 – By Mohamed El Mokhtar Regardless of what has originally led to the collapse of the Somali state (nefarious tribalism, bad governance, senseless civil war, foreign interference etc) and its continuing structural failure, there is no excuse whatsoever for the current large scale humanitarian emergency crisis, unashamedly unfolding before our eyes, to take place. Although, the personal responsibility of this bitter reality lies primarily in the hands of the warring Somali political leaders, the world community, the Arab world in particular, bears also a great deal of moral responsibility. Assuredly, this human tragedy of unparalleled proportions should shake the humanity of each one of us. It is a critical appraisal test of the depth of our moral principles and the extent of our humanism as purportedly civilized beings. The graphic images of starving babies will remain, we like or not, as indelible as everlasting moral stains in our memories. This mostly…more
The Landlord Wannabe Protest
Dissident Voice: 8 Aug 2011 – It is almost amusing to find out that some of the most clichéd Marxists aroundare so taken by thecurrent Israeli popular protest, which they foolishly interpret as a manifestation of the ‘Israeli revolutionary spirit’. They are convinced that now thatthe Israeli ‘working class’ are rising, peace will necessarily prevail. Yet, in fact, what we are really seeing unfold in Israel (at least for the time being) is the total opposite of a ‘working class’ re-awakening. Indeed, some in Israel are calling it the ‘Real Estate Protest,’ because basically those protesting want assets: they all wish to have property, a house of their own. They want to be landlords. They want the key, and they want it now. What we see in Tel Aviv has no similaritywhatsoever to the struggles taking place in al-Tahrir or in Athens. At the most, the Israeli demonstrations mimic some manifestations of a struggle for justice or…more
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