13 September 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Sheikh Salah To Sue UK Over Arrest, Deportation Order
IMEMC – Wednesday September 14, 2011 – 01:22, Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, decided after consulting his team of layers, to file a lawsuit against the British Authorities for arresting him, and issuing a deportation order against him.
Hale, Ross, To Visit Middle-East Again, Try To Revive Stalled Talks
IMEMC – Wednesday September 14, 2011 – 00:22, The White House declared Tuesday that senior envoys Dennis Ross and David hale will be arriving in the region this week in an attempt to revive the stalled peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. The move comes in an effort to convince the Palestinians to cancel their UN membership bid.
Former Saudi Intelligence Chief Warns U.S. Of Veto Consequences
IMEMC – Tuesday September 13, 2011 – 21:43, Saudi Prince, former Saudi Intelligence Agency chief, Turki Al Faisal, warned the United States that its strategic relations with its Arab allies, mainly Riyadh, will be significantly harmed, should Washington opt to veto the establishment of a Palestinian State.
Israeli Army Sets Up Checkpoints In Some West Bank Areas
IMEMC – Tuesday September 13, 2011 – 18:00, Palestinian security sources said that Israeli soldiers blocked the western and southern entrances of Jenin and stopped passengers and interrogated them.
Settler Rally Closes West Bank Road; Cars Pelted with Stones
IMEMC – Tuesday September 13, 2011 – 17:41, The Ma’an News Agency are reporting that hundreds of settlers from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar, near Nablus held a rally, Monday night, leading to the closure of a West Bank road.
Israeli Military Demolishes Home in Beit Ummar; Settlers Destroy Vine Crop
IMEMC – Tuesday September 13, 2011 – 17:18, The Israeli military has, on Tuesday, demolished a partially constructed house in the West Bank town of Beit Ummar, near Hebron.
Ashton Urges Resumption Of Peace Talks
IMEMC – Tuesday September 13, 2011 – 05:39, European Union Foreign Policy chief, Catherine Ashton, held a meeting on Tuesday in Cairo with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and called for the resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, instead of the Palestinian plan to head to the United Nations
B’Tselem: Army Denies Palestinians Right To Protest In WB
IMEMC – Monday September 12, 2011 – 17:48, The Israeli human rights organizastion B’Tselem have stated that the Israeli military denies Palestinians the right to protest in the West Bank.
Israel demolishes West Bank water infrastructure
9/13/2011 – TUBAS (Ma’an) — Israeli soldiers on Tuesday demolished water infrastructure in the northern West Bank, locals and Palestinian Authority security officials said. Palestinian farmer Muwaffaq Abdul-Raziq said troops demolished his well in Khirbet Atuf, near Tubas. The well cost him 750,000 shekels (around $202,000) to construct, he said, adding that he had obtained a….
Local committee: Israel demolishes home in Beit Ummar, Hebron
9/13/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces demolished a house under construction on Tuesday morning in Beit Ummar, Hebron, the head of a local committee said. The demolished house was owned by members of the Ikhlayyil family, head of local committee against the wall and settlements Muhammad Ayyad Awad told Ma’an. The house was….
Witnesses: Settler mob attacks Palestinian vehicles near Nablus
9/13/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hundreds of settlers rallied at a main road near the illegal settlement of Yitzhar in Nablus on Monday night, closing the road and pelting Palestinian vehicles with stones, witnesses said. Ultra-orthodox settlers also chanted slogans against Arabs and Palestinians, according to witnesses. There has been as escalation in settler attacks over….
Village organizes guards to protect against settlers
9/13/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Locals stopped Israeli settlers from attacking the northern West Bank village of Qusra early Tuesday, officials said. Head of the village local council Hani Ismail told Ma’an that young men volunteered to guard the entrances to the village last week after settlers torched a mosque and sprayed graffiti on….
MADA: Increase in violations against Palestinian journalists
9/13/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Violations against journalists in the West Bank and Gaza by Palestinian security forces and Israeli authorities increased in August, a Palestinian press freedom watchdog reported Monday. In its monthly report MADA, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms, said the violations were also more varied, threatening both freedom of expression….
Hamas: Headquarters to remain in Syria
9/13/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas confirmed on Monday that it would not be moving its headquarters from Syria following unrest in the country, a party statement said.” We confirm that the news reports on some media outlets claiming that the movement considers moving its offices or part of its leadership from Damascus, upon request….
Obama: Palestinian UN bid a ‘distraction’
9/13/2011 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Barack Obama said Monday that a Palestinian bid for recognition at the United Nations General Assembly next week would be a “distraction” in the drive for genuine statehood.” This issue is only going to be resolved by Israelis and Palestinians agreeing on something,” Obama said in a round-table with Hispanic journalists….
UNRWA chief on Palestinian statehood and beyond
9/13/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — As the debate intensifies over the bid for recognition at the UN of a Palestinian state, questions are being raised about UNRWA, the UN agency mandated to bring education, health, relief and social services to as many as five million refugees pending a resolution of their plight. What will the future….
US envoys head back to Mideast
9/13/2011 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Two US envoys return to the Middle East this week to try to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and avert a Palestinian bid for UN membership, sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. US Middle East peace envoy David Hale and senior White House official Dennis Ross head back one week after a….
Erdogan: Recognizing Palestinian state ‘an obligation’
9/13/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a fervent critic of Israel, said in Egypt Tuesday recognition of a Palestinian state is not an option but an “obligation.” Addressing Arab foreign ministers as he kicked off a three-nation Arab Spring, the Turkish premier also said governments should not use force to repress the legitimate….
Fatah, Hamas recall 18 years of failed Oslo Accords
9/13/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Senior Fatah official Mohammad Shtayyeh on Tuesday called on the international community to assume its responsibilities toward the Palestinian people. In a statement marking the 18th anniversary of the signing of Oslo I between the PLO and Israel, Shtayyeh reiterated the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and freedom.” Today….
Elders support Palestinian UN appeal
9/13/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Elders group says it warmly welcomes Palestinian efforts to seek support for statehood by the UN and believes such a move is capable of changing the dynamics in the peace process. In a statement Tuesday, the group of world leaders said they wrote to the foreign ministers of the 27….
Report: Convicted Itamar killer sentenced to life
9/13/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — An Israeli military court on Tuesday sentenced Hakim Awad, 18, for the murder of five residents of the Itamar settlement, to five consecutive life sentences. Hakim and his cousin Amjad have been convicted of murder for the deadly attack in March. Prior to the sentencing Awad declared he was….
‘Flying UN chair’ lands in Moscow
9/13/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The handmade Palestinian UN chair continues its world tour in Moscow on Monday, where it was displayed at the Hall of the Warrior Glory. Hosted by Palestinian embassy staff, activists from the “Palestine deserves” campaign presented the chair at a reception attended by the ambassador of Costa Rica.” We seek to….
Arabs pledge to lobby for Palestinian UN membership
9/13/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) —Arab foreign ministers agreed in a meeting attended by President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday to marshal support for a Palestinian bid for UN membership this month despite Israeli and US opposition. Abbas, who backed out of US-sponsored negotiations with Israel because of its settlement construction in occupied Palestinian lands, is expected to make….
Hamas donates $140,000 to Somalia
9/13/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Hamas ministry of religious endowments in the Gaza Strip has donated $140,000 to the people of Somalia through the emergency and relief committee of Arab doctors. The donation was announced during a ceremony on Tuesday at the ministry’s office, which was attended by the chair of the….
The Palestinian bid for statehood: Why now?
9/13/2011 – RAMALLAH (IRIN) — President Mahmoud Abbas will lodge a proposal with the UN this month seeking recognition of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem — occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six Day War — after the breakdown of negotiations between the two sides. The precise mechanics of how the proposal….
Hamas lawmaker: UN bid serves Obama, Israel
9/13/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Palestinian lawmaker Salah Bardawil says the bid to join the UN is a “tactical move” that supports President Barack Obama’s next election campaign. Bardawil, of Hamas, warned that the move would “set the borders for a Jewish country,” therefore contributing to normalizing recognition of “the state of occupation….
Man found dead in central Gaza Strip
9/13/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A man was found dead on Tuesday in the village of al-Mughraqa in the central Gaza Strip, local residents said. Locals told Ma’an that the body of a 22-year-old man had been found in the village. It is thought the unidentified victim died as a result of….
SITE: Al-Qaeda releases 9/11 anniversary video
9/13/2011 – HONG KONG (AFP) — Al-Qaeda has released a video marking the anniversary of 9/11 which includes a message from its slain leader Osama bin Laden to the American people, monitoring group SITE Intelligence said Tuesday. SITE said the 62-minute video titled “The Dawn of Imminent Victory” also includes a speech by Al-Qaeda’s….
Amnesty accuses anti-Gadhafi groups of war crimes
9/13/2011 – GENEVA (AFP) — Amnesty International Tuesday accused the forces that overthrew Moammar Gadhafi of war crimes, saying Libya’s National Transitional Council must act to stop reprisal attacks and arbitrary arrests. A report by the human rights watchdog consists mainly of damning examples of violations by Gadhafi’s regime but also outlines serious abuses….
Britain to accuse Iran of ‘hypocrisy’ over Arab Spring
9/13/2011 – LONDON (AFP) — British Foreign Secretary William Hague will accuse Iran of “breathtaking hypocrisy” for supporting revolutions in the Arab world while crushing domestic dissent in a speech Tuesday, The Times said. Hague would condemn Tehran for “suppressing protest at home while claiming to support revolutions elsewhere in the region — except Syria” in a speech to….
Arab states seek end to violence in Syria
9/13/2011 – CAIRO (Reuters) – Arab states called on Syria to end the use of arms and turn to dialogue, Qatar’s prime minister said in an opening address at the Arab League on Tuesday, after Syrian President Bashar Assad sent tanks and troops to quash protests against his rule.” We think the solution must come through….
World Bank recognizes Libya’s new rulers
9/13/2011 – TRIPOLI (AFP) — The World Bank said Tuesday it recognizes the National Transitional Council as Libya’s official government, after the new regime promised moderate Islamic rule and to investigate alleged war crimes. Explaining its decision was based on “evolving events in Libya and the views of member countries,” the bank pledged a major rebuilding….
Gunmen slay 22 Shiite pilgrims in west Iraq
9/13/2011 – KARBALA, Iraq (AFP) — Gunmen killed 22 Shiite Muslim pilgrims on their way to Syria as they were passing through a predominantly Sunni Iraqi province from the shrine city of Karbala, officials said on Tuesday. The group had all been passengers on a bus passing through Anbar province, long a stronghold of Sunni insurgents and Al-Qaeda….
The end of the “Israeli Spring”
Palestine Note 13 Sep 2011 – Daniel Bertrand Monk and Daniel Levine, Foreign Policy – When young Israeli professionals erected a tent city on Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard in protest against the Netanyahu government’s indifference to an affordable housing crisis in Israel, they self-consciously modeled their…
Legitimacy of Palestinian Authority At Stake in Statehood Bid
Palestine Note 13 Sep 2011 – PM Fayyad’s state institution building plan runs aground The National – Two years after launching an ambitious plan to trim bureaucracy and root out corruption, Salam Fayyad’s “good government” initiative aimed at preparing Palestinian institutions for statehood is stagnant and…
Shia pilgrims shot dead in western Iraq
AlJazeera 13 Sep 2011 – Officials say bodies of 22 Iraqis found after armed men stopped a bus and killed them with automatic weapons.
PLO to seek full UN recognition
AlJazeera 13 Sep 2011 – Palestinians will ask Security Council for recognition, despite expected US veto, Fatah official Mohammed Shtayyeh says.
Iran ‘to release’ two US men jailed as spies
AlJazeera 13 Sep 2011 – President Ahmadinejad says two US citizens currently held in Iran will be freed in a ‘couple of days’.
Arab League urges Syria to ‘stop bloodshed’
AlJazeera 13 Sep 2011 – Pressure on Damascus to end violence intensifies, but activists claim 11 more people were killed on Tuesday., Tens of thousands of Yemenis in the capital chanted “No deal, no maneuvering, the president should leave”.
Hamas keeps aloof from PLO statehood bid
AlJazeera 13 Sep 2011 – Silence a sharp contrast to the frenzied political activity elsewhere in the region and beyond.
Rabbi to Bethlehem: Satan Does Not Want a Palestinian State
PNN – by Brendan WorkIt begins like a joke and ends like a prayer: a rabbi walks into a Palestinian city and shouts, “Allahu akbar!” The rabbi is settler leader Menachem Froman, the city…
Israeli Forces Demolish Beit Omar Home, Arrest 21-Year-Old in Area Raids
PNN – PNNAt dawn on Tuesday, Israeli forces demolished a home under construction in the southern West Bank city of Beit Omar, near Hebron. In a series of nighttime raids around the same area,…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
PCHR Attends the Court Hearing on Vittorio Arigoni as Legal Representative of His Family
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Sourani Participates in LTDH’s Sixth Conference, In Addition to a Number of Activities during His Visit to Tunisia upon an Invitation by LTDH
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Sheikh Jarrah in need of more international presence
9/13/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – In the early hours of September 12th, local illegal settlers in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, torched and destroyed a protest tent frequented and inhabited by locals and international volunteers and observers in the midst of increased Israeli settler violence and aggression. The tent sat between an extension of the Palestinian-owned….
Please act now! Pro-Israel groups censor Palestinian children’s art
9/13/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Middle East Children’s Alliance – On Thursday, September 8, 2011, the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) in Oakland decided to cancel an exhibit of art by Palestinian children in Gaza, titled “A Child’s View From Gaza.”The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) had established a partnership with MOCHA….
Alternative Information Center
Hebrew U Evicts Homeless Families From Empty Dorms, 8 Detained
Alternative Information Center – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem evicted tens of homeless families and their children on Tuesday morning (13 September) from an empty dormitory building taken over earlier this month. Four people were detained during the eviction. During…
Germany makes unprecedented contribution to UNRWA’s Gaza Emergency Appeal
Relief Web 13 Sep 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Germany 13 September 2011 Jerusalem For the first time Germany has contributed to the school feeding programme of the United Nations Relief and…
Gaza on the edge: Urgent appeal to help the poorest of the poor in Gaza
Relief Web 13 Sep 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory Urgent renewed UNRWA appeal for Gaza’s emergency programmes 13 September 2011 Jerusalem The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, has renewed its…
How can Israel’s blockade of Gaza be legal? — UN independent experts on the “Palmer Report”
Relief Web 13 Sep 2011 – Source: UN Human Rights Council Country: occupied Palestinian territory GENEVA (13 September 2011) — Commenting on the report of the Panel of Inquiry on the flotilla incident of 31 May (Palmer Report), released this month, a group of United Nations…
Working with Preschool Children: A Terre des hommes Italia e-Toolkit on Early Childhood
Relief Web 13 Sep 2011 – Source: Terre des hommes Italia Country: occupied Palestinian territory After completing a two-year intervention in the Gaza strip, Terre des hommes Italia presents and makes available for free download and consultation its e-Toolkit on Early Childhood, as one of the…
Human Rights Council hears address by Special Representative on children and armed conflict after concluding its general debate
Relief Web 12 Sep 2011 – Source: UN Human Rights Council Country: World , Afghanistan , Central African Republic (the) , Democratic Republic of the Congo (the) , Ethiopia , India , Iraq , Kenya , Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (the) , Myanmar , Nepal , occupied Palestinian territory , Pakistan , Philippines (the) , Somalia , Sri Lanka , Sudan (the) , Syrian…
Israeli forces demolish Palestinian house in Beit Ummer
13 Sep 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli occupation bulldozers demolished on Tuesday morning a house under construction in Beit Ummer, a town in the north of Hebron.
4 Palestinians injured in tunnel collapse
13 Sep 2011 – Gaza Strip, (Pal Telegraph)-Four Palestinian workers were injured yesterday after a smuggling tunnel collapsed over them in the east of Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip.
Repercussions Of a US Veto On Statehood
13 Sep 2011 – Washington [PalTelegraph] A former head of Saudi Arabian intelligence and ex-ambassador to Washington, Turki al-Faisal, has warned that an American veto of Palestinian membership of the United Nations would end the “special relationship” between the two countries, and make the US “toxic” in the Arab world.
Suspect questioned in bus attack killings of Iraqi Shiite pilgrims
The National 13 Sep 2011 – A suspect in the execution-style killings of 22 Shiite pilgrims by gunmen who hijacked their bus at a fake checkpoint was being questioned by the Iraqi authorities yesterday.
9/11 attacked ‘paved way for Arab Spring’ claims Al Qaeda leader
The National 13 Sep 2011 – Ayman Al Zawahri, formerly Osama bin Laden’s deputy, tries to take credit for wave of change that swept through the Middle East and North Africa this year.
Turkey takes on mantle of arbiter of Middle East transformation
The National 13 Sep 2011 – Recep Tayyip Erdogan placed his country at the forefront of change in the Arab world yesterday, telling regional foreign ministers in Cairo it was their ‘obligation’ to support the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN.
US hikers held in Iran will be released, says ‘compassionate’ Ahmadinejad
The National 13 Sep 2011 – Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal, who have spent nearly 800 days in Tehran’s Evin prison since they unwittingly strayed into Iran from Iraqi Kurdistan, will be freed in a couple of days, Ahmadinejad told NBC’s Today show.
Rise in terror activities by Jewish extremists worries Israel’s Shin Bet
The National 13 Sep 2011 – Jewish underground has launched systematic attacks against Palestinians and Israeli left-wing activists, according to Israeli intelligence report.
U.S. envoys to visit region in last-ditch effort to avert Palestinian statehood bid
Ha’aretz – David Hale and Dennis Ross to try and revive peace talks between Israel and Palestinians; critics say move may be too late.
UN independent panel rules Israel blockade of Gaza illegal
Ha’aretz – Report to UN Human Rights Council by five independent UN rights experts contradicts findings of Palmer Report that Israel used ‘unreasonable force’ in 2010 raid on Gaza flotilla, but that naval-blockade of Gaza legal.
UN diplomats say countries intimidated into supporting Palestinian bid
Ha’aretz – Member states fear Arab and Muslim blocs will not support them in important council and committee bids if they fail to vote for Palestinian independence.
U.S. drops Israel’s Ofer Brothers company from Iran sanctions list
Ha’aretz – Move comes as Yuli Ofer, Israel’s richest man, is laid to rest; company was cleared of selling Iran a tanker for millions of dollars.
Arab League urges international community to back Palestinian statehood
Ha’aretz – League also calls on Syrian President Bashar Assad to use dialogue, not arms, to put an end to the five-month rebellion.
Israeli surveillance camera puts Lebanon army on highest alert
Ha’aretz – Lebanese security source says Israel Defense Forces soldiers seen installing surveillance camera near Fatima Gate, along Israel border in southern Lebanon.
Hamas calls for overthrow of Israeli-Palestinian Oslo peace accords
Ha’aretz – Statement released on 18th anniversary of the signing of the accords, Islamist movement says Palestinians should ‘build up a unified Palestinian front.’
Erdogan: Israel’s mentality is a barrier to Mideast peace
Ha’aretz – Turkish PM, speaking before Arab League meeting in Cairo, attacks Israeli government’s policies, says recognition of Palestinian state is ‘an obligation.’
Palestinians firm on applying for statehood at UN in coming days
Ha’aretz – A senior Fatah official refutes rumors that Palestinians gave up UN bid due to fears of American veto.
Report: Turkey no longer averting attacks on Israeli targets
Ha’aretz – Turkish newspaper reports that due to new technology, Turkey’s U.S.-made F-16 jets are now able to identify Israeli targets as ‘foe’ as opposed to ‘friend.’
After Turkey, PKK now also demanding apology from Israel
Ha’aretz – PKK leader says Israel must apologize for capture of imprisoned leader in 1999; demand comes after Lieberman reportedly recommends that Israel cooperate with the Kurdish party and even consider supplying it with weapons.
Obama: Palestinian statehood vote at UN would be counterproductive
Ha’aretz – U.S. president says he would oppose vote if it reaches the UN Security Council, calls efforts ‘distraction’.
Israel court gives five life sentences to one of Fogel family murderers
Ha’aretz – Court also sentences 18-year old Hakim Awad to additional five years in prison, second suspect awaits verdict; five members of the Fogel family were murdered in their home in the West Bank settlement of Itamar in March 2011.
Likud deputy minister Ayoub Kara suspected of sexual harassment
Ha’aretz – Army Radio reports ongoing investigation against the deputy regional development minister; Kara denies all allegations against him.
Labor primaries yield inconclusive results; Yachimovich and Peretz neck and neck
Ha’aretz – Sheli Yachimovich and Amir Peretz receive 32% and 31% of votes respectively, Isaac Herzog trails behind with 25%, Amram Mitzna crashes.
IDF chief: Religious soldiers not exempt from events where women perform
Ha’aretz – Israel’s chief rabbis raised issue after four cadets dismissed from course after leaving evening activity featuring chorus that included women.
Bradley Burston / 10 reasons Palestine is right to turn to the UN
Ha’aretz – Supporters of the Palestinian cause have warned that the UN move could spur a devastating backlash of retaliation, yet there are reason why they may succeed after all.
Natasha Mozgovaya / Obama is not pro-Israel enough for U.S. advocacy group
Ha’aretz – Emergency Committee for Israel launches billboard and media campaign claiming Obama pressures Israel to ‘apologize to terrorists’ and ‘attacks Israel at the UN’ in run-up to UN vote on Palestinian statehood.
Akiva Eldar / European think tank offers solution to Palestinian statehood bid
Ha’aretz – A pan-European think tank offers a solution for the UN vote on Palestinian statehood.
NATO: ‘We don’t know’ if Gadhafi has fled Libya
Ha’aretz – One of Gadhafi’s sons is known to be in Niger, but NATO military spokesman says does not have ‘any sure information’ on Gadhafi’s whereabouts.
Iran to Ashton: Ready for fresh nuclear talks but will not back down on ‘rights’
Ha’aretz – Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili speaks of ‘necessity of achieving a comprehensive, long-term and negotiated solution for both sides’ in letter to EU foreign policy chief.
Two U.S. citizens charged with espionage in Iran granted bail
Ha’aretz – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tells U.S. television network Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal will be released in two days; bail is set at $500,000.
Tnuva boycott making its mark as dairy’s sales drop
Ha’aretz – The boycott against Israel’s largest dairy, motivated by skyrocketing prices, is being sponsored by 14 student unions and is scheduled to last a week, from last night through next Monday.
FDA fast tracks Exalenz system to diagnose liver woes
Ha’aretz – BreathID can substitute for invasive tests like biopsies of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. The system has been marketed to 80 medical centers in the U.S. at $40 per test.
Benchmarker / A grim reality on the Cairo trading floor
Ha’aretz – The Egyptian government’s deficit this year is expected to reach 10% of the country’s gross domestic product, and the country is likely to face continued rampant inflation. Over the last 12 months, the country’s index rose 9%.
Fogel family killer gets five life sentences
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Samaria District Military Court sentences 18-year-old Hakim Awad who had confessed to charges of murdering five family members in Itamar.
Israel mum on threats by Turkey to attack IDF
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Reports say Turkish defense industry has developed new identification system for F-16 fighter jets that will allow it to attack Israeli planes.
Columbia students may dine with Ahmadinejad
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – ‘New York Post’ reports Iranian leader to meet with university representatives when he visits the UN this month.
Grapevine: Asia beckons
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Sali Ariel, Yaakov Kirschen travel to Singapore, Gil Shohat conducts Holocaust memorial musical, Jabotinsky Institute hosts a tribute to Yitzhak Shamir.
Municipalities, impenetrable bureaucracies, citizen rights
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Israel is an amazing country for the way it has developed despite the many existential problems which it faces on a daily basis.
Yalla Peace: The blame game
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Israel’s refusal to apologize to Turkey echoes the refusal of Arab terrorists to apologize for the deaths of Israelis.
The ‘Deuteronomistic’ school of Israeli political thought
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Today’s Deuteronomists are not religious. They are secular intellectuals, journalists, scholars and television commentators.
In My Own Write: A softening of memory
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Why guilt is not only unhelpful, but counterproductive.
Obama, the ’67 lines and Jerusalem
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Why Netanyahu had no choice but to refuse the US administration’s terms for a settlement with the Palestinians.
Clinton: Path to Palestine doesn’t run through UN
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Washington sends David Hale and Dennis Ross in last ditch effort to restart peace talks before Palestinians bring statehood bid to UN.
UN experts: Israel’s blockade of Gaza illegal
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Statement to Human Rights Council disputes Palmer Report, says blockade summarily punishes Gazans, infringing upon their human rights.
Saudi Arabia’s water needs eating into oil wealth
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Lack of water poses major challenge to agriculture, mining industries; kingdom uses double amount of water per capita than global average.
Turkish hackers attack Anglo-run Israeli startup
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Web site pages replaced by demands for Israeli apology to Turkey; “Israel is not a superior country…we will teach them this.”
‘Hamas weighing a resumption of suicide bombings’
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Counter-terrorism expert: Group not deterred by IDF as government and public grow accustomed to cities falling under barrage of rockets.
Itamar murderer is sentenced to five life terms
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – In March, Hakim Awad, along with a second man, Amjad Awad, murdered 3 children and their parents in settlement; Amjad awaits verdict.
US lifts sanctions on Ofer group for Iran trade
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Israeli conglomerate had been blacklisted for deal which provided Tehran with oil tanker. The group had claimed ignorance of Iran’s involvement.
Erdogan: recognizing Palestinian state is an obligation
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Turkish PM condemns Israel’s policies; Arab League calls on international community to back Palestinians’ UN statehood bid.
PM: First priority on Egypt border is now stopping terror
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Netanyahu says border fence being designed to stop terrorists and illegal infiltrators; 240km section of fence will be ready in one year.
NBC shadows Ahmadinejad for ‘day in the life’ feature
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Reporter Ann Curry shows Iranian president praying, exercising and meeting with poor masses from 5 a.m. until well after midnight.
‘New technology allows Turkey to attack Israeli targets’
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Previous US system automatically classified all Israeli targets as “friend,” disallowed any attacks on them, Turkish newspaper reports.
Doubts surround aid to Arab Spring countries
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Urgently needed funds haven’t arrived yet; economists worried assistance may be squandered, countries don’t have right structures in place.
Deputy Minister Kara denies sexual harassment claims
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Ayoub Kara to reportedly be called in for questioning in connection with PMO employee “Samech,” says doesn’t have contact with female workers.
Court: Holon tent protester may enter city
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Bail conditions had banned man from Tel Aviv suburb following arrest.
Screening committee mooted for Kiryat Arba cultural center
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – Committee would be presided over by Kiryat Arba resident and prominent national-religious leader Rabbi Dov Lior, to safeguard Kiryat Arba’s “spiritual character.”
Stellar Startups: ‘Smart classrooms’ – a smart investment?
Jerusalem Post 13 Sep 2011 – If these classrooms do nothing else, they allow students to see themselves as part of “the stream” and not just residents of a “backwater.”
Study: Nighttime LED light increases risk of cancer
Jerusalem Post 12 Sep 2011 – University of Haifa research shows “light pollution” suppresses melatonin, said to be beneficial against cancer.
Britain should say yes to Palestinian statehood — and so should Israel | Jonathan Freedland
The Guardian 13 Sep 2011 – A no vote at the UN will boost Netanyahu, wound Fatah and discredit the Europeans as useless hypocrites Britain doesn’t usually count for much in the Middle East, but this time it could make all the…
Turkey plays high-stakes game positioning itself at heart of Arab world
The Guardian 13 Sep 2011 – PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been lauded in Cairo for his bold stance against Israel — but just how far will he go? Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speeches in Cairo were excellent platforms for Turkey’s campaign to…
Libya, Egypt Syria and Middle East unrest – live updates
The Guardian 13 Sep 2011 – ‚Ä¢ Turkey’s Erdogan attacks Israel in Arab League speech ‚Ä¢ Six shot in Syria, five of them at funeral ‚Ä¢ Saadi Gaddafi says he is in Niger on humanitarian mission ‚Ä¢ Read a summary of key…
Turkey’s PM rallies Arab world in Cairo with call for UN to recognise Palestine
The Guardian 13 Sep 2011 – Analysts believe Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Egypt visit is designed to strengthen Turkey’s influence in the region and isolate Israel Turkey’s prime minister has called for the Palestinian flag to finally be raised at the United Nations,…
At the U.N., Palestinians Keep Cards Close to the Chest
IPS When the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly opened Tuesday, one of the key questions lingering in the minds of most delegates was the state of Palestine – literally and metaphorically.
PLO to Seek Full U.N. Recognition
IPS The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) will go to the United Nations Security Council and seek full membership in the world body next week, despite the looming threat of a U.S. veto, a Palestinian official said.
U.S. in a Bind Over Palestine’s Bid for U.N. Recognition
IPS The Palestinian drive for statehood status at the United Nations injects new uncertainty into an already volatile Middle East, threatening to further isolate Israel and diminish already dwindling U.S. influence in the region.
IRAQ: Fight for Women’s Rights Begins All Over Again
IPS When a middle-aged mother took a taxi alone from Baghdad to Nasiriyah, about 300 kilometres south earlier this year, her 20-year-old driver stopped on the way, pulled her to the side of the road and raped her. And that began a telling legal struggle.
Libya, the Lie
Uruknet September 13, 2011 – When the U.S. invaded Iraq riding a pack of lies and monstrous manipulation, the entire U.S. elite, including major news services, academics, and politicians from both “sides” of the spectrum, lined up to cheerlead and off they went to war. It was one of the most shameful chapters in the long history of shameful…
Gaza children’s images of war censored under pressure from US Israel lobby
Uruknet September 13, 2011 – Pro-Israel organizations pressured an Oakland children’s museum to cancel an upcoming exhibition of drawings made by Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip. Community leaders say the shutting down of the exhibition is the result of a disturbing – and well-funded – campaign to silence Palestinian voices across the US. On 8 September, just two…
Gunmen Slay 22 Shi’ite Pilgrims in Iraq
Uruknet September 13, 2011 – Iraqi officials say gunmen killed 22 Shi’ite Muslim pilgrims Monday as they traveled through Iraq’s western desert to Syria. Officials on Tuesday said gunmen stopped a bus of pilgrims at a fake security checkpoint in Anbar province. They asked the women and children to get off the bus and fatally shot 22 Shi’ite Muslim…
Implications of Palestinian Statehood
Uruknet September 13, 2011 – ACRI agrees that full de jure UN membership is unlikely. Nonetheless, “the very recognition of Palestinian statehood” by a decisive General Assembly two-thirds majority “would have significant repercussions.” In fact, if statehood and full UN membership are granted, Palestine would “become party to international conventions and international courts.” As a result, it would have…
The Imperial Media, Libya and the Battle of Bani Walid
Uruknet Examining the facts and finding the truth of what began Friday night as The Battle for Bani Walid has not been easy due to the many conflicting stories published by the pro-invader media. That the western media has organized itself to blantantly lie about the NATO war on Libya is irrefutable; indeed, they make no attempt to defend…
Israel demolishes West Bank water infrastructure
Uruknet September 13, 2011 — Israeli soldiers on Tuesday demolished water infrastructure in the northern West Bank, locals and Palestinian Authority security officials said. Palestinian farmer Muwaffaq Abdul-Raziq said troops demolished his well in Khirbet Atuf, near Tubas. The well cost him 750,000 shekels (around $202,000) to construct, he said, adding that he had obtained a license to build…
Please Act Now! Pro-Israel Groups Censor Palestinian Children’s Art
Uruknet September 13, 2011 – On Thursday, September 8, 2011, the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) in Oakland decided to cancel an exhibit of art by Palestinian children in Gaza, titled “A Child’s View From Gaza.” The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) had established a partnership with MOCHA and spent several months planning the exhibit, which was slated to…
Urgent Questions to NATO on Libya
Uruknet September 13, 2011 – 1) Why at this time is NATO bombing Bani Walid and other sieged cities? (They have been under siege by the Abdel Jalil forces; therefore NATO should try to protect the civilians inside from the aggression of Abdel Jalil forces: INDEED, when civilians where inside Misrata and the city was under protection and control…
Syria News – September 12, 2011 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – Number of martyrs today in Syria reached 26 ….Hama: Ghab: Two people were martyred during the raids on the Qal’a, while the houses of seven activits were raided and vandalized by security forces and shabbiha. In addition, a random detention campaibn is ongoing. Homs: martyrdom of Hasan Sakar Talas and his son Raied when…
“I dream that the settlers surround me” – 10-year old boy haunted by attack
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – Bassam Hathaleen’s head wounds are beginning to heal. But he will continue to be haunted by the memories of the attack, he tells The Palestine Monitor. “I dream that the settlers surround me. Then they catch me and try to choke me,” says 10-year old Bassam Hathaleen. He sits at his father’s side in…
Not School Time Yet for Bedouin Girls
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – …In 2007, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior and the Israel Land Administration to build a high school in Abu Tulul and open it by September 2009. Despite this ruling, the high school has not been built yet, and the Israeli authorities say they are still in…
The State of Palestine Never Forgets its Own
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – In just over a week’s time, the Palestinians will have made their request to the United Nations to recognize them as a state. Part of this bid is to guarantee that international law is applied to the Palestinians, including laws that guarantee the right of refugees to return to their homes or be compensated…
NATO to continue Iraq training mission to end: 2013
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – NATO will continue a small training mission in Iraq until the end of 2013, an alliance official said on Monday, in what could signal flexibility from Baghdad over the presence of foreign troops months before a deadline for all U.S. forces to withdraw. Washington, which still has 43,000 troops in Iraq, is due to…
Iraq snapshot – September 12, 2011
Uruknet September 12, 2011. Chaos and violence continue, Iraq loses another chair of the Integrity Commission (though the press doesn’t seem aware this is now a pattern and reports fail to mention the previous chair or why he left), Anthony Arnove (thankfully) returns to the topic of Iraq but (unthankfully) launches a slur on the peace movement, Moqtada caves…
Iraqi Security Forces or Gang Members ?
Uruknet A video clip obtained by the Great Iraqi Revolution facebook pages (Arabic, English) that documents the kidnapping of civilians by an armed gang with the assistance and supervision of the government forces (driving in the black trucks). The clip was muted for the safety of the photographer. The incident occurred on Thursday 20/07/2011 at 9:00 a.m on the…
Cables: Iraqi Detainees Were Tortured, Beaten, Raped
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – Iraqi detainees were severely tortured, beaten, and raped in an Iraqi National Police detention complex in 2006, according to a confidential State Department cable released by WikiLeaks. Discovery by US officials of the abuse did not lead to criminal investigations of the perpetrators and much of the mistreatment was permitted to continue. On May…
Land owners prevented from farming by Israeli soldiers
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – …A Palestinian man was hospitalized yesterday following his arrest by Israeli police. He and other Palestinian landowners were attempted to farm their land near the Israeli settlement Karmei Tsur. Farmers from Beit Ummar were clearing land to ready it for planting when an estimated 20 Israeli military personnel ordered them to leave. A British…
Libya: His arms bore marks of torture – inflicted at the hands of the rebels
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – The prisoner’s thin arms were the first giveaway. They were pocked with fresh, round scars – the distinctive marks of cigarette burns. Cuts criss-crossed his arms and his left wrist was swollen….The man with the burn marks, Khalid Abdul Jalil Mohammed, 25, served as a soldier in Muammar Gaddafi’s army. He was arrested a…
Palestinian factions divided over UN bid
Uruknet September 12, 2011 – – As President Mahmoud Abbas prepares to submit a bid for recognition of Palestine as the UN’s 194th member, Palestinian factions are divided over the campaign. Abbas will head to New York on Monday ahead of the General Assembly’s annual session, while the US has already vowed to veto Palestine’s request for full UN…
Syrians rally against Russian support for Assad’s ‘killing machine’
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 The Arab League Tuesday demanded an end to bloodshed in Syria, as activists there staged anti-Russia protests …
Bani Walid residents flee before full onslaught
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Hundreds of Libyans fled a desert town held by Moammar Gadhafi’s forces Tuesday, complaining of hardship and intimidation, as fighters backed by the country’s new rulers warned of a full onslaught in the coming days.
Erdogan receives hero’s welcome
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday it was time to run the Palestinian flag up over the United Nations in a rallying call to Arab states ahead of a Palestinian U.N. membership bid, which is…
Tourism Ministry: Vote for Jeita Grotto
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 The Tourism Ministry Tuesday reminded all Lebanese residing in the country and abroad of their national duty to vote for Jeita Grotto in the New Seven Wonders of Nature contest which is now in its final…
Officials discuss forming disaster management body
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Parliament’s Public Works, Transport, Energy and Water Committee, headed by MP Mohammad Qabbani, met Tuesday and discussed the need to form a specialized body on natural disaster management.
Man dies from gunshot wound to head
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 A man died in hospital Tuesday after he was shot in the head in the northern Beirut suburb of Naccashe, Metn, security sources told The Daily Star.
South prepares to host Maronite patriarch
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Preparations are ongoing in South Lebanon to receive Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai on his three-day tour to the country’s southern villages, the Central News Agency said Tuesday.
Architect tells blogosphere of greener, healthier capital city
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Imagine a Beirut covered in rooftop gardens, with vertical farms dotted throughout the city and people cycling or walking everywhere.
Mikati says Lebanon yet to overcome effects of cluster bombs
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Tuesday Lebanon was still working to overcome the painful effects of cluster bombs in Lebanon.
Abu Faour vows to tackle drug abuse among youth
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 The government vowed Tuesday to redouble its efforts to tackle drug abuse among the country’s youth, a growing problem experts warn could spiral out of control.
New pledges for cluster bomb convention
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 By the end of the first working day of a Beirut meeting on the banning of cluster bombs, three new countries had either ratified or expressed their intention to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Suspect questioned over killing of Iraqi pilgrims
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Iraqi authorities questioned a suspect Tuesday in the execution-style killings of 22 Shiite pilgrims by gunmen who hijacked their bus at a fake checkpoint.
Al-Qaeda in Yemen vows to avenge airstrikes
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Al-Qaeda’s Yemeni wing, seen by the United States as the most dangerous branch of the militant network, accused Yemen’s government of killing seven civilians in airstrikes last week, and vowed to retaliate.
Turkey warns may launch ground raid into northern Iraq
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Turkey warned Tuesday that it was preparing a possible ground operation against Kurdish separatist militants in northern Iraq, depending on the result of talks with Iraq.
Zawahri 9/11 message praises Arab Spring
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 New Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri voiced support in an Internet video for popular revolts shaking the Middle East, saying Arabs no longer feared the United States 10 years after the country was targeted by the militant…
Iran set to release U.S. hikers held since 2009
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 An Iranian court Tuesday set bail of $500,000 each for two American men arrested more than two years ago and convicted on spy-related charges, clearing the way for their release a year after a similar bail-for-freedom…
Israeli settlers on war path ahead of U.N. bid for Palestinian state
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Even if the U.N. grants membership to the Palestinians, Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank say they are ready to stop a Palestinian state becoming a reality on the ground.
U.N. experts say Israel’s blockade of Gaza illegal
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip violates international law, a panel of human rights experts reporting to a U.N. body said Tuesday, disputing a conclusion reached by a separate U.N. probe into Israel’s raid on…
Erdogan’s tough rhetoric on Israel resonates with Arab audience
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has captivated many Arabs with his tough talk against Israel, but voices at home and abroad question his drive to carve out a leadership role for Turkey in an Arab world…
U.S. envoys back to Mideast to try to avert imminent crisis
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 The Obama administration’s top two Middle East peace envoys are returning to the region this week in a last-ditch bid to avert a looming crisis over a Palestinian bid for statehood recognition at the United Nations…
Egypt’s former spy chief testifies in Mubarak trial
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 One of the most secretive figures of Hosni Mubarak’s inner circle testified Tuesday at the ousted leader’s trial under a complete media blackout, facing questions over whether his former boss ordered the use of lethal force…
Stipend support for front line Libyan fighters
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 In the middle of a sun-cracked desert valley at the foot of the contested Libyan oasis town of Bani Walid, new regime fighters found an unexpected boost at a makeshift bank under a bridge.
Algeria passes reforms which end state monopoly of broadcast media
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Algeria has passed sweeping reforms of its media, ending the state monopoly on the broadcast sector and the imprisonment of journalists for libel.
3 Gadhafi generals in Niger, pushing for asylum
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Three of Moammar Gadhafi’s generals are in Niger’s capital after making a 1,600-kilometer drive across the desert to negotiate political refugee status for members of the Gadhafi’s regime, two officials involved in the negotiations said Tuesday.
Tunisia’s Islamist frontrunner calls for transparency in election
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Rached Ghannouchi, whose Islamist movement Ennahda is considered Tunisia’s most popular party, pleaded Tuesday for the country’s first post-revolution elections in October to be transparent.
Lebanon’s wildlife find little protectionbehind hunting ban
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Lebanon is located in one of the world’s most important corridors for bird migration, yet every year many fowl are killed en route by recreational hunters who are either unaware of or indifferent to the country’s…
NATO airstrikes pound pro-Gadhafi targets in Libya
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 NATO warplanes pound targets in a number of strongholds of support for fugitive dictator Moammar Gadhafi, alliance says, as an offensive by revolutionary forces on a key loyalist town stalls.
Arab ambassadors lobby Bosnia for Palestinian UN bid
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Four Arab ambassadors to Bosnia, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, on Tuesday lobbied the country’s three-man presidency to support the Palestinians’ bid for UN membership.
Syrian snipers kill 5 mourners at funeral-activists
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Syrian forces shot dead five mourners on Tuesday when they fired at a funeral for villagers killed the day before in the countryside near Hama in one of the largest military assaults against pro-democracy protests, local…
Rai says his remarks were misinterpreted
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai blamed Tuesday misinterpretation by political leaders and the media for the uproar over recent comments he made in Paris.
Hezbollah yielding to international legitimacy: Soueid
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 PM Najib Mikati’s agreeing to fund the STL indicates that Hezbollah has yielded to international legitimacy and hails a new page in Lebanon’s history, Fares Soueid told a Kuwaiti newspaper.
Conflicting reports emerge over Beirut clash
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Conflicting accounts emerge over the armed clashes on the outskirts of a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut’s southern suburbs, with some reports saying 10 Hezbollah members were wounded.
Kataeb MP warns other parties may take up arms
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 Kataeb MP Elie Marouni warned Tuesday that lack of a solution to the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons could drive other Lebanese parties to take up arms to free the disputed Shebaa Farms and repatriate Palestinians to…
STL reminds accused of right to participate in proceedings
Daily Star 13 Sep 2011 The head of STL has issued a reminder of the right of the four Lebanese suspects implicated in the crime to participate in the court’s proceedings.
StopTheWall supports & promotes the call for a military embargo issued by the BNC
Stop The Wall –
A day in the life of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – Ahead of his upcoming trip to New York next week to attend the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad allowed NBC reporter Ann Curry to accompany him … ….
Australian parliament debate erupts over BDS
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – The Australian parliament was up in arms on Tuesday with one of the most heated debates it has witnessed as senators wrangled over their support and opposition to the … ….
UN experts say Israel’s blockade of Gaza illegal
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip violates international law, a panel of human rights experts reporting to a UN body said on Tuesday, disputing a conclusion … ….
US lifts sanctions on Ofer brothers’ firm in Iran sale
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – The United States is lifting sanctions it slapped on an Israeli holding company accused of selling an oil tanker to Iran, Israel’s mortal enemy and the object of … ….
Fogel family murderer gets 5 life sentences
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – The Samaria Military Court on Tuesday sentenced Hakim Awad, 18, who was convicted in the murder of five members of the Fogel family in Itamar last March, to five … ….
Village forms night watch to prevent ‘Price Tag’ attacks
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – In the wake of a wave of “price tag” acts that have been targeting Palestinian villages over the past two weeks, a local authority has decided to stand up to the vandals … ….
Erdogan: Israel jeopardizing its future
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Tuesday that Israel’s policies are “risking its future.” Speaking before a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers … ….
Netanyahu on Turkey crisis: Common sense will prevail
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – PM suggests ‘cold calculations’ will ultimately overpower Turkish PM’s hostile….
Report: Turkish warplanes now able to fire at Israeli targets
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – Ankara’s Star Gazete says country’s new F-16 radar system modified to….
PA’s UN bid may lead to ICC action against settlers
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – ACRI warns that successful Palestinian bid in UN will subject settlements to….
‘Israel ostracized over aggressive policies’
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – Saudi dailies criticize Israel for strained ties with Turkey, Egypt and PA; ‘Any….
Iran tries 2 people charged with spying for Israel
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – Tehran court begins proceedings against two alleged Iranian Mossad agents. Men….
Sexual harassment complaint filed against MK Ayoob Kara
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – Likud MK under investigation for alleges sexual misconduct. Kara denies….
Al-Qaeda releases video hailing 9/11 attacks
YNet News, 13 Sep 2011 – Terror group’s clip features new leader Ayman al-Zawahri, top target on US….
Palestinian Information Center
MP Abu Tir sentenced to administrative detention
PIC – 13/09/2011 – 09:43 AM
Erdogan expresses deep desire to visit Gaza
PIC – Erdogan expressed his deep desire to visit the besieged Gaza Strip as he has kicked off a tour of Arab Spring states in Egypt, but he said he did not want to burden the Egyptians with the visit.
Hamas: Oslo most serious agreement against Palestine cause
PIC – Hamas said in a press release on Tuesday that the “notorious” Oslo agreement posed as the most serious accords ever against the Palestine cause and the Palestinian people’s rights.
Locals repel fresh settler attack in Qusra
PIC – Locals in recently targeted Qusra village, south of Nablus, managed to repel a Jewish settler attack on the Monday night.
IOF incursion in central Gaza damages land
PIC – Israeli occupation forces mounting three army tanks escorted military bulldozers and advanced 300 meters east of Breij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip on Tuesday, eyewitnesses said.
Israeli bulldozers raze irrigation wells in Jordan Valley
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) leveled Tuesday two artesian water wells used to irrigate local crops in the central Jordan Valley village of Nasariya.
PFLP asks Abbas to forge reconciliation before going to UN
PIC – PFLP central committee member Jamil Mizher has asked PA chief and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas to forge national reconciliation before going to the UN seeking recognition of a Palestine state.
IOF levels homes, structures in Al-Khalil
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces were deployed heavily in Al-Khalil governorate in the West Bank on Tuesday morning in an apparent demolition spree.
Violent clashes erupt across Silwan
PIC – Violent sporadic clashes erupted in Jerusalem’s Silwan district between locals and Israeli occupation forces on Tuesday morning.
Turkey vows response to Israel PKK support threat
PIC – Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu vowed to respond to threats by Israel to offer military support to the PKK to punish Turkey over reducing diplomatic ties with it.
Four workers injured in tunnel collapse in Rafah
PIC – Four Palestinian workers were injured Monday evening in the collapse of an underground tunnel on the Egypt-Gaza border, medics told the Palestinian information center.
Israeli Soldiers Demolish House, Spare Car Parts Shop in Beit Ummar
WAFA
Quartet to Submit Peace Proposal, says Official
WAFA
PEX Daily Report: Sharp Drop in Al-Quds Index
WAFA
UNRWA Renews Appeal for Gaza’s Emergency Programs
WAFA
Israeli Soldiers Demolish Two Wells in Jordan Valley
WAFA
Newspapers Review: Follow-Up Committee Meeting, Huge Palestinian Flag in Brussels Dominate Dailies
WAFA
Palestinian UN Bid doesn’t Oppose Peace Process, Says Official
WAFA
Ashton: EU Supports Two-State Solution through Negotiations
WAFA
Iran to soon free two U.S. hikers on bail, Ahmadinejad says
LA Times 13 Sep 2011 – Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal, who were detained along with a third hiker near the Iran-Iraq border in July 2009, will be freed once bail of $500,000 each is paid, their attorney says. Two American hikers held by Iran since 2009 will be released on…
Pro-Kadafi forces attack oil refinery in eastern Libya
LA Times 12 Sep 2011 – The strike kills 17 guards in what was believed to be rebel-held territory, bolstering concerns that Moammar Kadafi’s fighters pose a threat as long as he remains at large. Gunmen loyal to Moammar Kadafi pulled off a daring attack Monday at a major oil refinery…
Turkey’s prime minister to meet with Egypt’s leaders
LA Times 12 Sep 2011 – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan lands in Egypt for talks as both nations are experiencing rifts with Israel over its military actions and the Palestinian issue. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to meet with Egyptian leaders Tuesday to strengthen strategic ties…
Turkish Leader Urges Vote for Palestinian Statehood
New York Times 13 Sep 2011 – Ramping up pressure on Israel and the United States, Turkey’s prime minister, Tayyip Erdogan, told Arab League ministers they must vote for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations.
Palestinians Pressured to Seek General Assembly Vote on Statehood
New York Times 13 Sep 2011 – Turning to the General Assembly would all but assure the Palestinians a victory in the vote and an embarrassment for Israel, but it would also provide only a limited United Nations recognition.
Iran Will Reportedly Release 2 Jailed Americans
New York Times 13 Sep 2011 – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has said two American hikers jailed for espionage in his country last month will be freed within “two days.”
Turkey’s Premier, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Takes On Regional Role
New York Times 13 Sep 2011 – Recep Tayyip Erdogan kicked off a so-called Arab Spring tour as he seeks to enhance his regional celebrity and bolster Turkey’s standing as a potential role model for Arab states.
Iran Accuses Businessman of Bank Fraud
New York Times 13 Sep 2011 – Iranian regulators have frozen the assets of a businessman accused of masterminding a $2.6 billion bank fraud.
Gunmen in Iraq’s Anbar Province Kill 22 Shiite Pilgrims
New York Times 13 Sep 2011 – The bus was filled with Shiite pilgrims traveling through the remote western Iraqi desert on a trip to a holy shrine in Syria.
Yemeni Leader Says Deputy Can Pursue Deal to Transfer Power
New York Times 13 Sep 2011 – The order grants Ali Abdullah Saleh’s deputy the power to negotiate a deal to transfer power, a move that appeared to offer a nod to the government’s opposition without actually meeting its demands.
U.N. Count of Syria Dead Now at 2,600
New York Times 13 Sep 2011 – As the United Nations announced the appointment of three investigators to look into human rights abuses in the country, it raised its estimate of the number of protesters killed.
Political tasks of the Egyptian Revolution
WSWS – In recent days a new wave of strikes and protests against the US-backed military junta has swept over Egypt.
Seattle Times and Jewish Forward on Tikun Olam and Leibowitz Story
Tikun Olam – More interesting follow-up on the New York Times report about my work on the Leibowitz story. The Seattle Times profiled me in an article published today. One important element of this story is an interview with former Rep. Brian Baird, one of two Congress members monitored…
Presbyterian Church committee recommends church divest from Caterpillar, HP and Motorola over Israeli human rights abuses
Mondoweiss – The Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment has recommended that the church divest from Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions due to their relationship to Israeli human rights abuses in the occupied territories. This decision comes as the result of a corporate engagement process…
Ron Paul says our unfairness to Palestinians led to 9/11 attacks
Mondoweiss – The only presidential candidate to talk about human rights in Palestine is of course, Ron Paul, who said that it helped foster the 9/11 attacks, during last night’s Republican debate, picked up at NBC . (Thanks to antiwar.com ): “Most of the danger comes by our lack of…
‘Forward’s ad director says he’s chosen not to visit Israel because it’s gone ‘so far afield’
Mondoweiss – < I haven’t see this, but apparently it’s been up on Vimeo for three months, a trailer for a documentary-in-progress on Jews escaping the blinders of Zionism, by Bruce Robbins and Jeff Boyar. Initial Development Trailer: “Some of My Best Friends Are Zionists .” I want to…
IADL calls on U.N. to override and ‘ignore’ illegal veto of Palestinian right to self-determination
Mondoweiss – The International Association of Democratic Lawyers has sent a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon saying that a veto of the Palestinian statehood initiative would be illegal under the UN charter. Because the charter affirms the right of a people to self-determination. And that the General Assembly…
Richard Cohen instructs Obama: there must be no ‘daylight’ between you and Netanyahu
Mondoweiss – The good news is that Obama’s mild demurral re Israel and the panic over the Arab spring means that prominent American Republicans and Democrats are finally going to talk about Israel openly. And Americans may get to differ? First, the Republican Party: Ron Kampeas r eports…
Israeli Warship Violates Egyptian Waters, Captain Imprisoned
Tikun Olam – Israel’s Dvora class patrol boat Haaretz reports today a story first broken by Channel 10 news, that an Israeli navy patrol boat violated Egyptian territorial waters last week, encroaching nearly half a mile into Egypt. Israeli censorship prevents the naming of the country whose waters were…
One-Eyed Men In The World Of The Blind — An Analysis by Dr. Lawrence Davidson
Intifada-Palestine: 13 Sep 2011 – Former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates by Dr. Lawrence Davidson There is an interesting phenomenon which we can call “the political retiree’s confession.” I don’t mean all those hyped memoirs, ghost written for all manner of high ranking ex-officials. Here I… more
Iran ‘to free’ US spy-case hikers
BBC 13 Sep 2011 – Two Americans jailed for spying in Iran will be released in two days, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tells US media.
Arab League: End Syria bloodshed
BBC 13 Sep 2011 – The Arab League calls for an “immediate” end to the bloodshed in Syria, in a statement issued at the end of a meeting in Cairo.
Turkish PM pushes Palestine state
BBC 13 Sep 2011 – Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan says recognition of a Palestinian state is an obligation not an option, and that Israel is a barrier to peace.
‘Moderate Islam’ to guide Libya
BBC 13 Sep 2011 – Libya will be ruled as a democracy based on “moderate Islam”, says the head of the interim authorities in his first speech in Tripoli since Col Gaddafi was ousted.
Armed settlers attack Palestinians across the occupied West Bank
Middle East Monitor 13 Sep 2011 – Palestinian sources have reported that groups of Israeli settlers have attacked civilians across the occupied West Bank. In the village of Burqa near Nablus, two cars were set on fire by settlers who also stormed into the owner’s house, destroyed property and beat the inhabitants. Dozens…
Livni blames Netanyahu for leading Israelis to unprecedented isolation
Middle East Monitor 13 Sep 2011 – Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni has launched a scathing attack against her country’s Prime Minister. Benjamin Netanyahu, claims Livni, is responsible for the unprecedented isolation that the Zionist state is experiencing. In statements to the media Ms Livni accused the Israeli government of avoiding its responsibilities…
Turkey warns Israel to keep away from Kurdish separatists
Middle East Monitor 13 Sep 2011 – The Turkish Foreign Minister has warned Israel not to use Kurdish separatists in an effort to weaken Turkey. Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey “will respond to Israel or any other country which thinks about using the PKK terrorist organisation as a tool, or resorts to terrorism…
Israel’s status as a pariah state is more entrenched than ever
Middle East Monitor 13 Sep 2011 – Israel likes to portray itself as a small, defenceless nation in the middle of a sea of angry Arabs. However, while Israel is anything but defenceless — it is after all a nuclear power with one of the most well-equipped and well-trained armies in the world…
18 Years Since Oslo
Arab American Institute 13 Sep 2011 – Today we commemorate 18 years since the launch of a process that was supposed to lead us to freedom and independence. It was meant to last only for a transitional period of five years. Unfortunately, almost two decades later, the Israeli occupation of Palestine is entrenched…
Israeli Army Demolish Two Buildings in Beit Ommar Area
Palestine Solidarity Project 13 Sep 2011 – The Israeli army bulldozed the house at 4am Tuesday 13th September — In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Israeli army bulldozers demolished two buildings, one home in Beit Ommar, and one car parts shop in the neighbouring Al Rub refugee camp. Fayiz at the site…
Articles
Israel under pressure
Ahmed Moor, Al Jazeera9/13/2011
Israel’s belligerent foreign policy has caused further isolation in the region, leading Turkey to downgrade ties.
Israel is under pressure. The decline of American influence in the Middle East has combined with the Arab revolutions, Turkey’s regional ascendancy and the Palestinians’ statehood bid at the UN, to erode its global position.
Additionally, an increased awareness of Israeli apartheid around the world has worked to undermine the historically sufficient “security” argument used to justify the occupation of Palestine. It has been a short 20 years since the theatrical Arafat-Clinton-Rabin lawn party, and Israel has already traversed most of the distance to comprehensive global isolation.
Israeli analysts were right in their assessments of the consequences of the revolution in Egypt. In that country, most people are sensitive to the Palestinian point of view. Many of them believe that Zionism, which is Jewish nationalism in historical Palestine, is only the most recent iteration of European colonialism.
They are unsympathetic to the argument that it was necessary to ethnically cleanse Palestine in order to establish Israel. Moreover, they believe apartheid – the system by which Israel governs the Occupied Territories – is an atrocity.
For decades an imperious Egyptian dictatorship worked to protect Israel from popular opinion in Egypt. Its primary inducement was American money – about $2bn of it annually. But the revolution capsized Hosni Mubarak’s American jackboot and today Israel is forced to confront the irrepressible Egyptian call for Palestinian freedom. more.. e-mail
For the love of Israel
Ramzy Baroud, Al-Ahram Weekly9/8/2011
Documenting a misguided congresswoman’s war on the UN.
From an Israeli point of view, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the ideal American politician. Although many in the US government aspire to her level of commitment to Israel, few can measure up to a dedication that extends so far beyond the interests of her own country. “Lawless extremists infest Congress like crabgrass besets lawns. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R. FL) is one of the worst,” writes US columnist Stephen Lendman.
Ros-Lehtinen’s résumé is a distressing read. The congresswoman “endorses US imperial wars, police state laws, corporate empowerment, tax cuts for the rich, laying waste to Libya, perhaps a second Bay of Pigs, and Israeli lawlessness, while, at the same, opposing Palestinian statehood,” according to Lendman.
It is, in fact, “Israeli lawlessness” and her opposition to a Palestinian statehood that has made her a darling to Israel and its lobby. Unsurprisingly, Ros-Lehtinen has been rewarded handsomely for her die-hard support of Israel by some of the most powerful pro-Israeli individuals and lobby groups in the United States.
One of these individuals is Irving Moskowitz, the well-known American Jewish millionaire, who made his fortune as a “casino magnate”. “The benefactor of a controversial Jewish development in eastern Jerusalem is a major donor to US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,” reported the Jewish Telegraph Agency on 11 January, shortly after the congresswoman claimed her new post. A high proportion of the revenue he made from the gambling industry has been used to demolish Palestinian homes, raze ancient olive trees and fund Jewish settlements. It has also been used to finance Ros-Lehtinen’s campaigns. more.. e-mail
Post 9/11 and the cultivation of fear
Hani Abuishaiba, Ma’an News Agency9/13/2011
Fear is the most dangerous enemy of reason. While both fear and reason are fundamental to our survival, their relationship is quite out of balance.
The founders of the United States of America understood carefully the threat fear poses to reason. They were aware that under certain circumstances fear can trigger the temptation to give up freedom to demagogues promising strength and security in return. Yet, they were well aware that when reason is displaced by fear, the result is often irrationality, discrimination and division.
Ten years after the 9/11 attacks, an addiction to debt, a compromise in freedom and civil liberties, violence in both Afghanistan and Iraq and an overblown military, are all legacies of a man who thought he could defend the United States.
One might argue that after the despicable attacks on the World Trade Center, the United States was forced to deal with a foreign breach of national security. Sympathy and support mounting from abroad and within the country was remarkable.
Americans felt a shared pain and sense of solidarity leading to the revitalization of the patriot act. The result of this was a new version of domestic and foreign policy characterized by an increase in security networks, systematic targeting of “terrorism,” discrimination against Muslim communities, and a compromise in civil liberties.
Traveling across America, it was really difficult to avoid being racially profiled, or being pulled out of the line for a double security check. more.. e-mail
Gaza children’s images of war censored under pressure from US Israel lobby
Electronic Intifada: 13 Sep 2011 – Nora Barrows-Friedman The Electronic Intifada Oakland Pro-Israel organizations pressured an Oakland children’s museum to cancel an upcoming exhibition of drawings made by Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip. Community leaders say the shutting down of the exhibition is the result of a disturbing — and well-funded — campaign to silence Palestinian voices across the US .more
Kangaroo court won’t deliver justice over Itamar killings
Electronic Intifada: 13 Sep 2011 – Charlotte Silver The Electronic Intifada West Bank The gross display of collective punishment following the murder of a settler family in Itamar caused the investigation to lose legitimacy in the eyes of Palestinians and legal and human rights organizations. And Israel’s military court system guarantees that the victims and the accused will not see justice.more
UN Palmer Panel Report Deserves No Deference
Palestine Chronicle: 13 Sep 2011 – By Audrey Bomse, Legal Adviser to the Free Gaza Movement Almost all the factual findings, as well as the legal analysis and conclusions of the recently leaked UN Secretary General’s Panel of Inquiry into the ‘Flotilla Incident’ on May 31, 2010 (Palmer/Uribe Panel) directly contradict those of an earlier UN report of the Human Rights Council Fact-Finding Mission (FFM). Its findings and conclusions also contradict every statement Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon has made about Gaza, the Goldstone report, and statements by other international agencies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). For this reason, until a dispositive ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is issued on the legality of Israel’s closure of Gaza, including its naval blockade, and therefore on the lawfulness of Israel’s attack on the Mavi Marmara and other flotilla vessels, the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the Palmer/Uribe Panel deserve no deference. States…more
Go for U.N. Vote, Palestine
Palestine Chronicle: 13 Sep 2011 – By B. Z. Khasru If history is any guide, Palestinians stand to lose virtually nothing if they seek U.N. recognition for an independent state, despite warnings of doom and gloom by Western powers. They have much to gain, and they should march forward full-steam with their plan for a vote on Palestine’s statehood on Sept. 20, as planned. All the threats and warnings will be just thunder and noise, but no tsunami, to use in reverse a cautionary statement by Susan Rice, America’s U.N. ambassador. What the vote will do is it will expose once again inconsistencies all too often exhibited in the corridors of mighty Western nations, especially when it comes to freedom and justice for the weak. If a positive vote by three-fourths of the 193 U.N. member nations, which is expected to be the outcome in the General Assembly, is trampled by the heavy feet of two…more
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The New Dark Age 