26 October 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israeli Police Close Two Offices of NGOs in East Jerusalem
IMEMC – On Tuesday, Israeli police closed down two offices of non-governmental organizations in East Jerusalem, claiming that the offices were used by Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, without prior notice or presentation of any evidence of that claim. …
Saudi Aid Convoy To Head To Gaza
IMEMC – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) stated Tuesday that Saudi Arabia is sending 175 tons of rice to the Gaza Strip this week. The ship is the third of food donations sent by Riyadh. …
Israel To Demolish Bridge of the Historic Mughrabi Gate in Jerusalem
IMEMC – Gulf News has reported that the Jerusalem Municipality announced Tuesday that it will be demolishing the ramp of the historic al-Mughrabi Gate in occupied East Jerusalem within a month. The Gate leads to al-Buraq Wall in the compound of the al-Aqsa Mosque. …
P.A. Demands The Release Of 550 Detainees
IMEMC – Israeli daily, Haaretz, reported that, according to senior Palestinian officials, the Palestinian Authority (P.A.) in the West Bank will be asking the Quartet Committee to pressure Israel into releasing 550 detainees, to fulfill vows made by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to President Mahmoud Abbas. …
Turkey Asks International Community, Israel, For Help
IMEMC – An official at the Turkish Foreign Ministry stated Tuesday that Ankara requested tents and mobile homes from more than 30 countries, including Israel. The request came after Turkey was hit Sunday by a 7.2 magnitude quake, followed by a second measuring 6.1. An estimated 456 people wer e killed and hundreds were injured. …
Israel approves Grabil Swap Deal Terms
IMEMC – Israeli cabinet held a meeting Tuesday and approved a prisoner-swap deal that would secure the release of the Israeli spy “Ilan Grabil”, held in Egyptian prisons in exchange for the 25 Egyptian detainees imprisoned by the Palestinian News Agency, Maan, reported Tuesday evening. …
PA: Settlers prevent farmers from harvesting olives
10/26/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Settlers prevented farmers from picking olives on Wednesday in a Nablus village, a Palestinian Authority official said. PA settlement affairs official Ghassan Doughlas said villagers in Huwwara were prevented from accessing their land near the notorious Yitzhar settlement south of Nablus, despite having approved coordination between Israeli authorities, the official news….
Ministry: Detainees still held in solitary confinement
10/26/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Israeli prison administration has not fulfilled its commitment to stop holding Palestinian prisoners in solitary confinement, the ministry of prisoner affairs in Ramallah said Wednesday. Around 20 detainees are still in isolation despite Israel’s pledge to end the practice following a 3-week mass hunger strike in jails….
Lieberman, again: Abbas ‘greatest obstacle to peace’
10/27/2011 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday reiterated his criticism of President Mahmoud Abbas, calling him an obstacle and urging him to quit. Abbas is the “greatest obstacle to peace” whose resignation would be a “blessing,” Lieberman said in the second such remarks in two days since the ultranationalist first attacked….
Army: Grad rocket hits Ashdod
10/27/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A grad rocket launched from the Gaza Strip struck an open field near the southern Israeli town of Ashdod, an army spokeswoman said late Wednesday. There were no reports of injury or damage, she said….
Israeli forces detain 19 Palestinians overnight
10/26/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained 19 people across the West Bank overnight Tuesday, witnesses and the army said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the 19 Palestinians were taken for security questioning. She said six men were detained in Bethlehem in the southern West Bank. Locals said soldiers raided al-Saff and al-Jabal neighborhoods in….
4-year-old ‘critically injured’ after shooting
10/26/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A young Palestinian girl was shot late Tuesday in an incident near Israel’s separation wall near the Anata district in occupied East Jerusalem, Palestinian and Israeli officials said Wednesday. The circumstances of the shooting were not immediately clear. The family has blamed Israel’s army but an Israeli….
Israel police close ‘Hamas, PFLP offices’ in Jerusalem
10/26/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli police said on Tuesday they had closed down two offices in occupied East Jerusalem which were allegedly being used by Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.” The Israeli police closed down two offices. . . that were suspected of being used by the Hamas and the PFLP,” police spokesman Micky….
Army: Bomb targets vehicle near Bethlehem
10/27/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — An improvised explosive device detonated late Wednesday beside an Israeli army patrol near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, an army spokeswoman said. The explosion caused light damage to the vehicle but no injuries, she said….
Barghouthi: South Africa familiar with Israel’s apartheid policy
10/26/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — South Africa’s support of the Palestinian UN bid stems from its familiarity with Israel’s apartheid policy in Palestine, Palestinian lawmaker Mustafa Barghouthi said Wednesday. South Africa on Tuesday threw its weight behind Palestine’s bid to become a full member of the United Nations and called….
Palestinians seek UNESCO vote despite US opposition
10/26/2011 – RAMALLAH (Reuters) — The Palestinian delegation will seek a vote on the bid for full membership of UNESCO on Oct. 30, Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said Wednesday, despite US threats to pull funding from the UN cultural agency. The initiative is part of a push, opposed by the United States, for recognition as a…. Related: Palestine faces strong US ‘pressure’ ahead of UNESCO vote
Fatah lawmaker: Lieberman’s remarks threaten Abbas’ life
10/26/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Fatah lawmaker Faysel Abu Shahla on Wednesday said the Israeli foreign minister’s comments urging the removal of Mahmoud Abbas threatened the president’s life. Avigdor Lieberman told reporters in Jerusalem on Monday: “If there is one obstacle that should be removed immediately, it is (Abbas).”He added….
Report: Germany rethinks submarine sale to Israel
10/26/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Germany is reconsidering its decision to sell Israel a sixth “Dolphin” class submarine, Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Wednesday. According to a report in Ynet, a news service connected to the newspaper, the move was prompted by the tensions between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Benjamin….
Palestine faces strong US ‘pressure’ ahead of UNESCO vote
10/26/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinians are in battle with the United States in two United Nations bodies, the Palestinian Authority foreign minister said Wednesday ahead of a vote in Paris. Riyad al-Malki said the vote to admit Palestine as a member of UNESCO was a “small battle leading to the big battle in the…. Related: Palestinians seek UNESCO vote despite US opposition
Israel court rejects appeal against Egypt prisoner swap
10/26/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — The Israeli Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an 11th-hour appeal against a prisoner swap with Egypt for alleged US-Israeli spy Ilan Grapel, a court official said. The judges ruled that the planned exchange was a political decision which they had no authority to intervene in and rejected the appeal lodged by far-right member….
DFLP: Egypt to increase reconciliation efforts after Eid
10/26/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine said Wednesday that Egypt would increase efforts to implement a Palestinian reconciliation deal after Eid al-Adha. Saleh Zeidan told Ma’an that Egyptian mediation efforts would increase after the religious holiday, with the country planning to meet Palestinian….
Freed prisoner weds after 17-year engagement
10/26/2011 – JENIN (Ma’an) — A prisoner released in a swap deal between Israel and Hamas has married his fiancee after a 17-year engagement. Thaher Ribhi Qabha was freed from an Israeli jail last week in the prisoner exchange deal but was sent into exile in the Gaza Strip. His bride was still waiting for….
Egypt releases 6 Palestinians
10/26/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Egyptian authorities on Tuesday released six Palestinians who had been detained for illegally entering Egypt without permits. Palestinian sources told Ma’an that six men from Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza were returned to the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing. They were identified as Ahmad al-Banna….
Israel downplays Turkey quake aid as salve for ties
10/26/2011 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israel’s help for earthquake-struck Turkeyis a humanitarian gesture with limited prospects of rebuilding ties between the former allies, Israeli officials said on Wednesday. Responding to an international appeal by Ankara following Sunday’s 7. 2 magnitude quake that killed more than 400 people and forced thousands to flee their homes….
Saudi cleric offers cash for Israel soldier kidnap
10/26/2011 – DUBAI (Reuters) — A prominent Saudi cleric has offered to pay $100,000 to any Palestinian who kidnaps an Israeli soldier, according to his Facebook page. Awad al-Qarni said he had made the offer in response to a similar reward promised by an Israeli family for anyone who catches the person who killed one of its members….
Official: Envoys meet Blair in bid to restart talks
10/26/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met Wednesday with Quartet envoy Tony Blair in Jerusalem to begin implementation of a statement issued in late September, officials said. Both sides expressed readiness to engage with the Quartet and to overcome the obstacles in order to resume direct bilateral negotiations “without delay or preconditions,” a….
In photos: West Bank olive harvest
10/26/2011 – Reuters / Darren Whiteside – Palestinian farmers sort and process harvested olives at a grove near Farha village, north of the West Bank city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on Oct. 25, 2011….
Fayyad: PA has made major achievements in 2011
10/26/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) —Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Wednesday that the PA and the Palestinian people had made huge achievements in 2011.” This year was marked by strong will, challenges and persistence to achieve the goals of our national projects,” Fayyad said in his weekly radio address. The most important accomplishment was….
In memoir, Rice says ‘historic peace’ nearly reached
10/26/2011 – WASHINGTON (Ma’an) — In Condoleezza Rice’s new memoir, No Higher Honor, the former US secretary of state claims a “historic peace deal” between Israel and the Palestinians was once close at hand in 2007. In the memoir, Rice says Israel’s then-prime minister, Ehud Olmert, was ready to make “an extraordinary….
Fatah leaders meet in Ramallah
10/26/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – President Mahmoud Abbas opened a regular meeting of the Fatah revolutionary council in Ramallah on Wednesday, party spokesman Azzam Ahmad said. Ahmad says the latest on the UN bid for membership will be at the top of the agenda. Also on the agenda are new efforts to resume national dialogue and….
Spain wins Saudi rail contract for pilgrim route
10/27/2011 – MADRID (AFP) — Spanish companies beat French rivals to a contract to build a high-speed railway on the Muslim pilgrim route between Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, authorities said Wednesday. The 6. 7-billion-euro contract went to the Al-Shoula Consortium of 12 Spanish companies, including state rail operator Renfe and Saudi firms Al Shoula and….
Libya interim ruler urges NATO to stay till year end
10/27/2011 – DOHA (AFP) — Libya’s interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil on Wednesday urged NATO to continue its Libya campaign until year’s end, saying loyalists of slain despot Moammar Gadhafi still pose a threat to the country. Abdel Jalil’s comments, made at a Doha conference of military allies of his National Transitional….
Azerbaijan wins UN Security Council seat
10/26/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The UN General Assembly on Monday elected Azerbaijan to a two-year term on the Security Council, joining Pakistan, Morocco, Guatemala and Togo as the five new non-permanent members of the most powerful UN body. Azerbaijan and Slovenia had been locked in over 10 rounds of ballots since Friday in a tough….
Analysis: Arab Spring boosts political Islam, but which kind?
10/26/2011 – Tom Heneghan – More democracy is bringing more political Islam in the countries of the Arab Spring, but Islamist statements about sharia or religion in politics are only rough indicators of what the real effect might be. The strong showing of Tunisia’s moderate Islamists in Sunday’s election and a promise by Libyan….
Turkey struggles to shelter thousands after quake
10/26/2011 – By Jonathon Burch and Humeyra PamukERCIS, Turkey (Reuters) — Turkeystruggled to provide shelter on Wednesday to tens of thousands left homeless by an earthquake that killed nearly 500, and rescue teams began taking painful decisions to call off searches for those buried alive. A 27-year-old woman was pulled out alive from a collapsed building in….
Egypt court jails two policemen over activist death
10/26/2011 – CAIRO (Reuters) — An Egyptian court on Wednesday jailed two policemen for seven years each over the killing of an Egyptian democracy activist that helped kindlethe popular revolt against Hosni Mubarak, a court source said. Khaled Said, 28, was beaten to death by two officers in June 2010, activists say. A Facebook site was set up….
Arab League mounts mediation as 19 killed in Syria
10/26/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) —An Arab League team held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad at the start of a bid to mediate with the opposition, as activists said at least 19 people were killed in violence on Wednesday. Headed by Qatar, the League’s current chair, the delegation comprises the foreign ministers of Algeria, Egypt….
Occupy Wall Street Takes On Palestine And (More) Controversy
Palestine Note 26 Oct 2011 – Ben Lorber – As pro-Palestinian discourse begins to make its voice heard in the worldwide Occupy Wall Street movement, right-wing organizations and individuals in the United States, including the Republican National Committee and the Emergency Committee for Israel, have denounced…
British reporter tells of time in Syrian jail
AlJazeera 26 Oct 2011 – Journalist with London-based broadcaster tells of arrest and interrogation last week while on assignment in Damascus.
Saudi heir buried amid succession questions
AlJazeera 26 Oct 2011 – King Abdullah among mourners at crown prince’s funeral as focus shifts to who ailing monarch will name as his successor.
Al Sadd reach Asian Champions League final
AlJazeera 26 Oct 2011 – Qatari side to play South Korea’s Jeonbuck for Asia’s top football prize after edging Suwon Bluewings 2-1 on aggregate.
Arab mediators meet Assad over Syria unrest
AlJazeera 26 Oct 2011 –
Four-Year-Old Girl Shot in Neck next to Wall in Anata
PNN – PNNShortly after noon on Wednesday, a four-year-old Palestinian girl named Asil Arara was shot in the neck by Israeli troops near her village of Anata, northeast of Jerusalem. A PNN reporter in…
Sha?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ath to PNN: Rumors of PA Dissolution Not True
PNN – PNNOn Wednesday, Fatah Central Committee member Dr. Nabil Sha’ath spoke to PNN and denied rumors that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was willing to dissolve the Palestinian Authority (PA). “I absolutely have not…
French Musicians Play ?¢‚Ǩ?ìMusic Beyond Walls?¢‚Ǩ¬ù in Palestine
PNN – PNNThe French musical group Swing Gadje rounded up a successful two-week visit to Palestine with ten performances, including a show in Bethlehem’s Aida refugee camp. The group made its visit in cooperation…
Prisoner Freed in Shalit Deal Rearrested, Released in Jerusalem
PNN – PNNOn Wednesday, Israeli forces detained 32-year-old freed prisoner Samir Tareq al-Issawi, from the East Jerusalem town of Issawiya. Issawi was detained for 13 hours and interrogated in the al-Moskobiya police compound before…
Islamic High School in Nablus Initiates English-Language Math Courses
PNN – PNNOn Tuesday, the Islamic High School in Nablus started offering mathematics courses in English to develop the scientific talents and language skills of students. The first course, entitled “Mathematics Olympiad” and taught…
PA Armored Personnel Carriers, Gifted from Russia, Languish in Jordan
PNN – PNNFifty armored personal carriers (APCs) intended as a gift from Russia to the Palestinian Authority remain in Jordan after more than a year since their initial delivery. Russia first announced its intention…
International Solidarity Movement
Anata falls victim to militarized, illegal settlement once again
10/26/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Jenna Bereld, 26 October 2011, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – When Mohammad woke up on Tuesday, he still did not know about the Israeli forces or the bulldozers that were on their way to uproot his trees and demolish his entire farm. But before the day was over, all of hisproperty waserased and one could….
Germany: New classrooms opened for students in Beit Jala
Relief Web 25 Oct 2011 – Source: UN Development Programme Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Germany Funded by the Government of Germany and Implemented by UNDP Beit Jala, October 25, 2011 — Today marked an important step forward for secondary students in Talitha Kumi co-educational school as…
Jordan: Prince Sultan charity convoy for poor families of Gaza leaves Amman
Relief Web 25 Oct 2011 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Jordan Amman – The Campaign of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the Relief of the Palestinian People of Gaza is…
occupied Palestinian territory: New projects to ease Gaza housing crisis
Relief Web 25 Oct 2011 – Source: Integrated Regional Information Networks Country: occupied Palestinian territory GAZA CITY, 25 October 2011 (IRIN) – In response to a growing housing crisis in the Gaza Strip in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), several new building projects have been initiated…
occupied Palestinian territory: Palestinian Bedouin school teaching on borrowed time
Relief Web 25 Oct 2011 – Source: UN Children’s Fund Country: occupied Palestinian territory By Catherine Weibel KHAN AL AHMAR, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 21 October 2011 — Every morning, students walk to the primary school in Khan Al Ahmar fearing it might be gone. “Day after…
Israel: Security Council Is Told Israel-Hamas Prisoner Exchange Offers Hope of Easing Long-standing Middle East Impasse ‚Äî ‘Given Determination, Political Will’
Relief Web 25 Oct 2011 – Source: UN Security Council Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Israel , Lebanon , Libya , Syrian Arab Republic (the) , Yemen SC/10420 Security Council 6636th Meeting (AM & PM) All-day Debate Hears Renewed Pleas for Palestine UN Membership; Israel, United States among Those Saying Move…
Israel: IOF Continue Bulldozing Works to Construct the Annexation Wall and Isolate al-Walaja Village, Northwest of Bethlehem
Relief Web 24 Oct 2011 – Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Israel For the fourth consecutive week, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued bulldozing activities and uprooting dozens of fruitful trees in al-Walaja village, northwest of Bethlehem to construct a…
Israel: Our Prisoners Also Have a Story Worth Telling
Relief Web 24 Oct 2011 – Source: MIFTAH Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Israel Date posted: 24/10/2011 By: Joharah Baker for MIFTAH It has been just under a week since the historic deal between Hamas and Israel saw the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit for…
Who is a Palestinian refugee?
26 Oct 2011 – Palestine, (Pal Telegraph) – Generally, the term Palestinian refugee refers to those Palestinians who were displaced from their places of origin in British Mandate Palestine (today Israel and the 1967 occupied Palestinian territory) and are unable to exercise their basic human right to return to their homes and properties.
Israeli Soldiers Arrest 12 Palestinians in West Bank
26 Oct 2011 – Palestine, (Pal Telegraph) – Israeli soldiers Wednesday arrested 12 Palestinians after raids targeting Bethlehem, Jenin, Hebron and Jerusalem, according to security sources.
Israel Detains Released Prisoner
26 Oct 2011 – Palestine, (Pal Telegraph) – Israeli forces Tuesday night detained Samer al-Issawi, a released Palestinian prisoner in the latest swap, according to a WAFA correspondent.
Settlers smash Palestinians’ cars, block olive harvesting in Nablus
26 Oct 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-A number of Israeli settlers smashed yesterday overnight several Palestinians’ cars passing through Yitzhar road, while other settlers blocked Palestinian farmers from accessing their fields to harvest their olives in Hawra village, southern Nablus.
Israeli forces raid Jenin area
26 Oct 2011 – West Bank, (Pal Telegraph)-Israeli occupation forces on early Wednesday raided Jenin city and its refugee camp and arrested a Palestinian citizen.
Women burn veils in Yemen protest
The National 26 Oct 2011 – Women spread a black cloth across a main street in Sanaa yesterday and threw their full-body veils, known as makrama, onto a pile, sprayed it with oil and set it ablaze in protest over the killing of women and children by security forces.
Hizbollah leader says Assad regime is ‘out of danger’
The National 25 Oct 2011 – Shiite movement’s secretary general says Syrian regime has successfully crossed ‘most of the dangerous period’.
Ceasefire in Yemen lasts only briefly
The National 25 Oct 2011 – Truce collapses shortly after it was announced.
Israel agrees to ’25-for-one’ prisoner swap with Egypt
The National 25 Oct 2011 – More than two dozen Egyptians are to be released in exchange for one former Israeli paratrooper.
Bahrain jails 13 over anti-government protests
The National 25 Oct 2011 – Those jailed included a Kuwaiti-born Canadian who was sentenced to five years’ jail and a Bahraini-Danish citizen who was sentenced to life.
Rocket fired from Gaza explodes in southern Israel
Ha’aretz – Sirens go off in cities of Rehovot and Rishon Letzion, as Grad rocket lands near Ashdod, ending the relative calm of recent months. No injuries reported.
Israel begins transferring Egyptian prisoners ahead of Grapel swap
Ha’aretz – High Court rejects petition against swap, in which Egyptian prisoners will be released in exchange for Israeli-American Ilan Grapel, held in Egypt on espionage charges.
As Quartet tries to renew Israel-Palestinian talks, Lieberman steps up attack on Abbas
Ha’aretz – Foreign Minister’s office sends letter to ambassador claiming Abbas is main obstacle to the peace process; Quartet representatives hold meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah.
Former Shin Bet chief: Abbas is against terror, but not because he loves Israel
Ha’aretz – Yuval Diskin says Israel is losing international support by not conducting peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
In light of Shalit swap, 29 Palestinian women demand Israel return bodies of family members
Ha’aretz – Since 1967, Israel has held about 180 bodies of Palestinians killed in various clashes, and those of suicide bombers.
Netanyahu posts his own ‘Bibi-bomb’ on Facebook
Ha’aretz – PM responds with humor to a wave of photoshopped images showing him looking on to various historical events and smiling; own ‘Bibi-bomb’ includes speech bubble, saying ‘Doogri, you made me laugh’.
Libya’s NTC: Gadhafi son offers to surrender to International Criminal Court
Ha’aretz – Saif al-Islam is joined by former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi, says NTC; ICC has no confirmation of report.
Bashir: Sudan armed Libya’s former rebels
Ha’aretz – Sudanese president says assisted rebels as a response to Gadhafi’s support for Sudan’s own insurgencies.
Palestinians: No talks unless Israel accepts preconditions
Ha’aretz – Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat calls on Quartet to ‘explain, in practical terms’ how renewed negotiations will differ from past failed attempts.
Hamas official: Shalit was not beaten while in captivity
Ha’aretz – Senior Hamas official in Damascus tells Israel Radio that Shalit was allowed to watch television and listen to the radio and at times would even talk and ‘laugh’ with his captors.
Israel to work with IHH and Iran rescue teams in Turkey earthquake relief
Ha’aretz – Turkey says decision to allow Iranian help not meant as offense to Israel; first Israeli aid convoy, including seven protable structures, to depart for Turkey on Wednesday afternoon.
Israel police arrest German man for Tel Aviv murder
Ha’aretz – David Schwartz, 27, is believed to have murdered Rachel Gano, 62, at her central Tel Aviv apartment after she caught him stealing money from her.
After TheMarker called / Union Bank to increase its minuscule 0.02% deposit rate
Ha’aretz – Households lose an estimated NIS 2 billion a year due to the banks’ unreasonably low rates.
Kadima turns in treasurer over suspected graft
Ha’aretz – Yitzhak Hadad arrested, as were an accountant and the party’s logistics chief.
State to ban branded baby formula freebies in hospitals
Ha’aretz – New rules intend to adopt legislative proposal sponsored by Knesset member Danny Danon.
Palestinian negotiator: Israel must agree to our terms, or no peace talks
Ha’aretz – Middle East Quartet representatives set to hold separate meetings on Wednesday with Israeli, Palestinian officials in Jerusalem.
Israel, Egypt preparing for Ilan Grapel release on Thursday
Ha’aretz – Al-Ahram reports that heavy security preparations are underway in the Taba region; report also says Egypt denied request to include Israeli Bedouin Odeh Tarabin in exchange deal.
TA rabbinate changes rule that restricted city weddings
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2011 – Critics say religious body was interested only in enriching itself with the NIS 600 registration fee.
Diet pills laced with amphetamines smuggled from Brazil
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2011 – Man suspected of being involved, a new immigrant from Brazil, and his wife, are held for an investigation and then released on bail.
Quartet officials coming to area to restart peace talks
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2011 – Latest effort at restarting negotiations comes three days after the sides missed a deadline for a first direct meeting the Quartet called for in its framework for returning to talks.
Why it’s right to weigh your words carefully
The Guardian 26 Oct 2011 – I was wrong to use poorly chosen words to describe Israel, but that doesn’t mean the country is above criticism Last week , I upset a lot of people by suggesting Zionists saw themselves as “chosen”. My…
After the killing of its director, Jenin’s Freedom Theatre asks: ‘What else?’
The Guardian 26 Oct 2011 – In April, director and activist Juliano Mer-Khamis was shot dead. Now his West Bank theatre group are back with a play about fear, intimidation and the psychological impact of occupation The Freedom Theatre has always seen…
EGYPT: Mubarak Men Begin to Resurface
IPS Members of the regime of ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak have demanded to be allowed to run in upcoming elections and warned of violence if legislation to prohibit their political ambitions is passed.
MIDEAST: Israel Evicting the Indigenous
IPS As Israel moves ahead with a plan to forcibly displace tens of thousands of Palestinian Bedouins in the occupied West Bank, Mohammad Al-Korshan and his family are facing the real prospect of not only losing their home, but their traditional way of life.
Citizens of Nowhere
IPS When Mona Kareem, a member of the Bidoun population of Kuwait, was 11 years old, a neighbour Kuwaiti woman asked her where she was from. When Kareem answered, “I am from Bidoun,” the woman laughed at her. “There is no country called Bidoun. There is no Bidoun.”
The Butchering of Gaddafi Is America’s Crime
Uruknet October 26, 2011 – Moammar Gaddafi’s last minutes gave clarity to NATO’s war in Libya. It is a mission of mass murder and theft of sovereignty through the arming of savages. “The saner sections of America’s psychological operations machinery were doubtless as horrified as anyone at the Libyan jihadis’ insistence on revealing so graphically to the entire planet…
Gaddafi loyalists fight on as Libya tries to unite
Uruknet October 26, 2011 – The war is not yet over for Libya’s new rulers in the desert town of Bani Walid where Gaddafi loyalists vow to fight on for their fallen leader and other residents are angry over violence and looting. Enraged by what they see as acts of retribution by forces loyal to Libya’s new government, tribesmen…
US media on Gaddafi: In praise of lynching (video)
Uruknet October 26, 2011 – The mainstream US media has reacted to Muammar Gaddafi’s brutal lynching with a tidal wave of cheers and approval, trumpeting the Colonel’s death as the start of a new era for Libya. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton led the triumphant celebrations of Gaddafi’s death with her immortal line, “We came, we saw, he…
The New Libya: Assassination, Ruination, Broken Promises and Body Snatching
Uruknet October 26, 2011 – If events of the past few days are anything to go by, the UN-NATO insurgent allies are set to bring a grim, lawless, murderous and fundamentalist future to the “New Libya.” Polygamy is set to return as the disenfranchisement of women, the West’s new friend and interim leader, Mr Jalil has declared. (He didn’t…
Palestine faces strong US ‘pressure’ ahead of UNESCO vote
Uruknet October 26, 2011 — The Palestinians are in battle with the United States in two United Nations bodies, the Palestinian Authority foreign minister said Wednesday ahead of a vote in Paris. Riyad al-Malki said the vote to admit Palestine as a member of UNESCO was a “small battle leading to the big battle in the Security Council”, which…
I Wish to Tell You about Gaza
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – Gaza life exists in a cage, an open air prison that has been kept mostly isolated from the world. Its citrus trees have been uprooted. Flowers are no longer exported. Nor are vegetables, fruit or olives, formerly a thriving export business. Since 2000, the Israeli army destroyed 114,000 olive trees. The rest were destroyed…
Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin promotes call for Palestinian genocide
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – In a blog post cheering the release of the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, neoconservative activist Rachel Decter Abrams descended into a twisted call for genocide, calling for Israel to throw released Palestinian prisoners whom she described as “child sacrificing savages” and “unmanned animals” — along with “their offspring” — “into the sea, to…
Syria News – October 25, 2011 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – ….Homs: Talbisse: Fatima Khaled Aldhuhaik, mother of 5 children and sister of martyr Mohamad Aldhuhaik martyred after suffering serious injury earlier. Her husband Mahmoud Abdulrahman Duhaik has been detained for 3 months now.. Homs: Security forces and shabiha kidnapped Adnan Khabbaz when he was on his way back from Fajr prayer at Wafaai mosque…
Video: A Message from Palestine
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – The persistence, courage and perseverance that has, and certainly will continue to be demonstrated in future actions are immensely crucial in the Palestinian struggle. Collective efforts throughout the United States and Europe has ultimately increased solidarity of the Palestinian cause. A cause that is rooted in the sole purpose of the restoration of the…
Israeli effort to remove Bedouins from East Jerusalem is part of the plan to make two states impossible
Uruknet October 25, 2011- The Israeli Civil Administration (ICA), which is in charge of all civil operations in the West Bank (though in practice routinely blurs the line between civil and military), “…is committed to removing all Bedouins from the West Bank”, and plan to start with the Jerusalem periphery. Forced deportation, the practice of forcibly removing civilians from…
Military Resistance 9J16: the Chicken Noodle Soup
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – A U.S. State Department program to train Iraqi police lacks focus, could become a “bottomless pit” of American money and may not even be wanted by the Iraqi department it’s supposed to help, reports released Monday by a U.S. government watchdog show. The findings by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction paint…
At Least 15 Dead as Yemen Ceasefire Is Announced and Collapses Residents Report Govt Shelling Civilians in Taiz
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – The guns fell silent in the Yemeni capital city of Sanaa today, at least for a few minutes. The Yemeni government forces had been fighting with Gen. Ali Mohsen’s forces off and on for weeks, and the two sides agreed to a ceasefire. As usual the ceasefire collapsed almost immediately, with shelling restarting in…
Iraq snapshot – October 25, 2011
Uruknet October 25, 2011. Chaos and violence continue, the US military announces another death, a US journalist is reported to have been arrested in Iraq, James Denselow is among those leading the factual charge against spin, Turkey’s assualt on Iraq continues, we explore the Special Inspector General on Iraq Reconstruction’s grading of the US State Dept, Nouri targets ‘Ba’athists’ (…
Besieged Gaza paid the price for the release of the prisoners
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – Without doubt, the prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel is a huge achievement for the Palestinians. Ex-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in 2006 that he would not give in to Hamas and would not release any Palestinian prisoners. The entire population of Gaza was then besieged by Israel in its efforts to…
The Land Exchange Project
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – Zionist political thought continues to propose projects based on the eradication of the Palestinians as a people or, at the very least, their marginalisation inside the state of Israel. So-called ‘population transfer’ is a fundamental and unequivocally non-negotiable principle of political Zionism. It has been used to devastating effect for more than sixty years…
Bahrain WikiLeaks Cables : BAHRAIN’S KING HAMAD CONCERNED ABOUT QATAR’ S POSITION TOWARDS AL-QAEDA
Uruknet October 26, 2011 – (Manama, 1/18/2010 ) …The Bahraini King brought up the subject of last December’s GCC Summit in Kuwait. He said he had been alarmed by Qatar’s positions toward Iran and al Qaeda…On al Qaeda, King Hamad said that the Qatari Amir Hamad made the point during the summit that, “I need to be in touch with…
Qatar admits it had boots on the ground in Libya; NTC seeks further NATO help
Uruknet October 26, 2011 – Qatar revealed for the first time on Wednesday that hundreds of its soldiers had joined Libyan rebel forces on the ground as they battled troops of veteran leader Muammar Qaddafi. “We were among them and the numbers of Qataris on ground were hundreds in every region,” said Qatari chief of staff Major General Hamad…
Obama’s Tragic Rorschach Perceptions of the Law, Africa and Military Intervention
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – President Obama uses his training as a constitutional lawyer to find opportunities to spread violence and impose U.S. imperial will on Africa. He makes war against Libya and then denies having done any such thing. He sends troops to Uganda and other central African nations, at precisely the time when Uganda is discovered to…
The Sirte Massacres {masterlist}
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – My Situation in Sirte article chronicled the plight of a holdout city subjected to a total and medieval siege. Many of the refugees, some cited at that link, complained of the situation in the city at the hands of the rebels they were effectively surrendering to. To rebuke from the bearded, heavily-armed, and brutal “…
Anti-Democratic Knesset Bills
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – Knesset summer session bills grievously harm civil and human rights if passed. Basic freedoms are at risk, including speech, assembly, association, and right to dissent. On October 16, a Haaretz editorial addressed one measure affecting press freedom headlined, “Free press in Israel is in danger,” saying: Knesset extremists want to silence it “through the…
Kabul: Afghans Protest Against Permanent U.S. Military Bases
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – 15:07 – Hundreds of people on Monday staged a protest demonstration in the capital Kabul, opposing permanent US military bases in the country. Organised by the National United Front (NUF), the protesters, including former mujahedeen, students and teachers, gathered in front of the Kabul University at around 9am. The protestors chanted: “Down with America…
Foreign companies to fight for Libyan oil NATO Bombed Libyan Oil Fields To Ensure Post-War Control: Expert
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – Foreign companies will begin fighting for the Libyan oil and gas fields, particularly they will be the companies of countries that were active in the struggle to overthrow Gaddafi’s regime, said a leading economist at the Egyptian Al-Ahram Center for Strategic and Political Studies, Ahmed al-Sayed Al-Naggar. “Countries such as France, Italy, UK and…
Tears Of Gaza ( Full Movie )
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – A powerful and emotionally devastating record of the impact the 2008-2009 bombings of Gaza had on the civilian population. In a rough style, by way of unique footage, the brutal consequences of modern wars are exposed. The film also depicts the ability of women and children to handle their everyday life after a dramatic…
Israeli Military Demolishes A House And Uproots Trees In East Jerusalem
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – The Israeli army has demolished a 120 square-meter house and uprooted many trees in the village of Anata, in the northeastern part of East Jerusalem on Tuesday, the Palestine News & Info Agency reported. A large Israeli military force invaded the village from its northern entrance and imposed a strict closure upon it. Later…
The Complete Guant?°namo Files: WikiLeaks and the Prisoners Released in 2006 (Part Nine of Ten)
Uruknet October 25, 2011 – In late April, I worked with WikiLeaks as a media partner for the publication of thousands of pages of classified military documents – the Detainee Assessment Briefs – relating to almost all of the 779 prisoners held at Guant?°namo since the prison opened on January 11, 2002. These documents drew heavily on the testimony…
Appointments unlikely in coming weeks due to Aoun-Sleiman dispute
Daily Star 26 Oct 2011 Ratifying a judicial agreement between Lebanon and France was the only major item on the agenda of the two Cabinet sessions that were scheduled for this week but postponed due to the absence of President Michel…
Berri calls for Nov. 2 legislative session to discuss draft laws
Daily Star 26 Oct 2011 Speaker Nabih Berri called Wednesday for a legislative session on Nov. 2 to discuss draft laws and law proposals on Parliament’s agenda.
British ambassador pledges boost for Army
Daily Star 26 Oct 2011 The United Kingdom delivered a strong show of support for Lebanon Wednesday, pledging to increase military assistance against a backdrop of growing international disquiet over Cabinet’s…
Lebanese pay respects to Saudi royal family
Daily Star 26 Oct 2011 President Michel Sleiman flew to Riyadh Wednesday, leading an official delegation to pay their respects to Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz who died Saturday.
‘Wise heads should prevail’ over STL: Fletcher
Daily Star 26 Oct 2011 U.K. Ambassador Tom Fletcher urged Lebanon Thursday to act wisely on the issue of Special Tribunal for Lebanon, amid growing pressure on Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government to fund the controversial court.
Gasoline prices unchanged, diesel up LL300
Daily Star 26 Oct 2011 The price of gasoline remained unchanged this week while the price of other fuels saw a slight increase.
STL appoints 2 lawyers for each of the four accused Hezbollah members
Daily Star 26 Oct 2011 The STL said Wednesday it has appointed two lawyers to represent each of the four at-large Hezbollah members indicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
IDAL executive dies after car split in half during crash
Daily Star 26 Oct 2011 Executive at the government-run investment agency IDAL, due to be married this weekend, dies in crash in Beirut during heavy rains overnight.
Calm shattered in south as Grad rocket lands near Ashdod
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – After weeks of quiet and for the first time since Gilad Shalit has returned home, the quiet has been shattered in southern Israel: A Grad rocket fired from the Gaza Strip … ….
Bernard and Ruth Madoff attempted suicide, says wife Ruth
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Wife of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff revealed in an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes” that she and her husband had attempted suicide. In the only interview … ….
US setting up online embassy to reach Iranians
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – The Obama administration is setting up an Internet-based embassy to reach out to Iranians hoping to broaden their understanding of the United States. US Secretary of … ….
High Court rejects Grapel deal petitions
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – The High Court on Wednesday rejected petitions filed against the Grapel prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Egypt. The judges ruled that “it wasn’t fitting for the … ….
Israeli professor suspected of distributing child pornography wanted in US
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – The FBI is investigating suspicions that former Ben Gurion University Professor Tzvi Tzfira held and distributed child pornography. He was charged in a federal … ….
Israel wary of consequences of Tunisia’s Arab Spring
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Tunisia celebrated the results of their Arab Spring this week with democratic elections and the new leadership of the Islamist Ennahda party. And while the victorious … ….
First shipment of aid from Israel heading to Turkey
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Five portable structures, 2,000 fleece coats, 2,000 fleece blankets and 100 inflatable mattresses: All of the above will reach Turkey late Wednesday in the first shipment … ….
Dubai news channel claims to show Gaddafi funeral
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – VIDEO – Ousted Libyan dictator and his son were buried Tuesday at secret….
Demjanjuk hopeful of return home
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Demjanjuk’ son says family now ‘very confident we’re going to achieve a hearing….
Lieberman’s onslaught on Abbas continues
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – In letter to foreign missions foreign minister continues criticism of PA….
Supreme Court gears for ‘battle of the bench’
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Israel’s top judicial instance readies for Judicial Selection Committee’s vote….
‘Chemical weapons in Libya under guard’
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – NTC finds chemical weapons, secures them following death of ousted Libyan leader….
‘Lador compromised public’s faith in justice system’
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Court hears civil suit filed by former PM Olmert against state prosecutor; says….
IDF sets up Magic Wand Unit
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Air Force lays groundwork for new operational unit that will protect central….
Diskin: Swap deals bad for Israel
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Former Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin claims prisoner exchange deals are not in….
Iranian official visits Germany despite Israel’s protest
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Deputy Finance Minister Mohammad Reza Farzin to address German Council on….
MK Kara denies sexual harassment charges
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Deputy minister questioned under advisement in sexual harassment case, denies….
Israel may lose German sub deal
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s frustration over new east Jerusalem housing….
‘Saddam thought Israel was behind ’86 Iranian attack’
YNet News, 26 Oct 2011 – Documents uncovered by New York Times reveal Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s….
Palestinian Information Center
Awkaf rejects the demolition of the Bab al-Magharba mound
PIC – The Islamic Awkaf department in occupied Jerusalem rejected an announcement made the municipality engineer on Tuesday that the Bab al-Magharba bridge is in danger of collapse.
IOF troops seriously wound Palestinian child in east Jerusalem
PIC – Local sources in occupied Jerusalem said that Asil Ara’ra, was seriously wounded Wednesday morning by bullets from a nearby IOF training grounds near the village of Anata to the east of Jerusalem.
Jewish settlers burnt or uprooted 7500 olives trees in 9 months
PIC – Jewish settlers burnt or uprooted 7500 Palestinian olive trees in the first nine month of 2011, a report by OCHA said on Tuesday.
Hamas: Israeli army orders to kill own soldiers to avoid capture reflect panic
PIC – The Israeli army orders to fire at and liquidate captors of soldiers even if that meant the killing of the soldiers reflected a state of panic and fear of Palestinian resistance.
Saudi Arabia excludes Alstom company from Haramain Railway
PIC – Saudi Arabia excluded the French company Alstom from the Haramain train project that would link Makkah and Medina following a popular European pressure campaign.
Moscow charity to deliver medical aid to besieged Gaza
PIC – Solidarity Charitable Foundation (Moscow, Russia) has collected 5 million rubles (about $170,000) to buy medicines for the besieged Gaza Strip, whose public health system faces crisis.
IOF soldiers round up 12 West Bank Palestinians
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested 12 Palestinian citizens in a pre-dawn sweep of four Palestinian cities and their villages in the West Bank on Wednesday.
Settlers attack Palestinians east of Nablus
PIC – Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian cars travelling on the Yitzhar settlement road to the south east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Occupation is planning to build one million housing units in ten years
PIC – It was revealed that the Israeli occupation ministry of interior plans to build one million settlement housing units over the next ten years, which means a huge leap in settlement and Judaization.
Israeli Forces Prevent Volunteering Journalists from Picking Olives
WAFA
Abbas Selected as One of World’s Top Foreign Policy Intellectuals
WAFA
Quartet’s Efforts Futile Without Settlements Halt, Says Official
WAFA
Fatah Revolutionary Council Discusses Palestine Membership in UN, UNESCO
WAFA
Israeli Punishments against Prisoners Escalate after Swap Deal, Report
WAFA
Abu Rudeineh: Lieberman’s Statements against Abbas Aim to Destroy Peace
WAFA
Abbas a Main Peace-Partner, Says Blair
WAFA
Al-Aqsa Foundation Warns against Demolishing Mosque Passage
WAFA
Foreign Ministry Calls Quartet to Hold Israel Responsible for Negotiations Deadlock
WAFA
Newspapers Review: Demolition Order of Magharbe Gate Passage Dominates Dailies
WAFA
UNDP, Germany Inaugurate New Classrooms in Beit Jala
WAFA
Revulsion, Resistance & Angry Words from Tripoli University
Intifada-Palestine: 25 Oct 2011 – “When the bodies were first exhibited curious people came and some said bad insults. But by the next day the atmosphere has completely changed. People came to honor Colonel Gadhafi for his courage in dying for what he believed was best… more
ISRAEL: TWENTY YEARS AND COUNTING? — An Analysis by Dr. Lawrence Davidson
Intifada-Palestine: 25 Oct 2011 – On February 12, 2009 then head of the CIA Leon Panetta (who is now Secretary of Defense) endorsed a secret CIA analysis “predicting the demise of Zionist Israel within 20 years if general political trends in the region continue.” by Dr…. more
Libya Leader Wants NATO Presence Through 2011
New York Times 26 Oct 2011 – The request for an extension of NATO help suggested Libya’s interim government is concerned that remnants of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi’s defeated forces could regroup and cause new trouble.
Syrian Defectors Claim Deadly Attack on Military
New York Times 26 Oct 2011 – A force of Syrian army defectors claimed responsibility for an attack on Wednesday in central Syria that killed a military officer and eight soldiers.
Yemen Cease-Fire Fails to End Violence
New York Times 26 Oct 2011 – Explosions boomed across the capital city of Sana as mostly peaceful antigovernment protests continued.
Tunisia Liberals See a Vote for Change, Not Just for Islamists
New York Times 26 Oct 2011 – Two secular parties that were successful in the Tunisian election cautioned that voters also had been looking to punish candidates who appeared to pick a fight with Islamists.
Embracing Arab Animation
New York Times 26 Oct 2011 – Arab creativity has been galvanized by affordable Internet and cellphone services, censorship in traditional media and the fact that many Arabs are tech-savvy youths.
Arab Spring Influences Region’s Filmmakers
New York Times 26 Oct 2011 – Shortly after the revolutions began sweeping through the Middle East, international film festivals were quick to add movies referencing the events.
Maghami Expelled From Corsica Chess Meet
New York Times 26 Oct 2011 – Ehsan Ghaem Maghami, an Iranian, refused to compete against Ehud Shachar, an Israeli, in the fourth round of the Corsica Masters.
Arab Investors Are Urged to Lead the Way
New York Times 26 Oct 2011 – If Middle Eastern governments want to attract foreign investors at a time of uncertainty, Arab nations need to show their faith in the long-term promise of the markets, financial executives say.
Mass killings, arbitrary detention under new Libyan regime
WSWS – The barbaric conclusion to the NATO military campaign in Libya underscores the fraud of the declared “liberation.”
Turkey launches anti-Kurdish raids into northern Iraq
WSWS – Turkey has launched a major incursion into northern Iraq after Turkish soldiers were killed in a raid by Kurdish PKK militants in the Turkish-Iraqi border region.
Death toll rises in Turkish earthquake
WSWS – The principle reason for the high rate of casualties following Sunday’s earthquake is the lack of proper building standards.
Not our flyer
Jewish Voice for Peace –
JTA: Surasky supported after ousting from JNFA Heroes’ contest
Jewish Voice for Peace –
J Street presses division inside Jewish community, blaming neocons for leading ‘charge to war in Iraq’
Mondoweiss – The other day we reported on an effort by the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League to maintain a Jewish political monolith on Israel— essentially, don’t argue in front of the goyim because it could fracture American support for Israel. Well interestingly, neither “the left”…
Palestine in Oakland
Mondoweiss – Woman in a wheelchair tries to escape the tear gas the Oakland Police Department launched upon the protesters. (Photo: Occupy Together ) Last night police in Oakland, California cracked down on protesters in the Occupy Oakland movement in a possibly ominous sign of things to come. Mother…
Why did Steve Jobs not want to meet his Arab-American father?
Mondoweiss – Yesterday I heard Walter Isaacson talking about his biography of the last Steve Jobs on Terry Gross’s NPR show Fresh Air . The story of Jobs’s parenthood is amazing. He was given up for adoption by his American mother, Joanne Schieble, and his Syrian-American father, Abdulfattah “John”…
Jennifer Rubin’s fast track to intolerance
Mondoweiss – At Politico, here is a Ben Smith profile of Jennifer Rubin , the intolerant neoconservative blogger at the Washington Post. She is 49 and never worked in journalism till 2007. Fast track. Before then she worked for Hollywood studios. And then, of course, she worked for Commentary….
Why Palestinian rights are not front and center for OWS meta-brand
Mondoweiss – Newclench is the pseudonym of a longtime American-Israeli activist. Previous articles here have addressed the issue of anti-Semitism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the Occupy Wall Street movement. Some things MW got right, some things not so much. As someone who was present at the first…
Aish Kodesh Settlers Brutally Attacked Peace Activists, Now Accuse Them of Inciting Serial Jewish Murder
Tikun Olam – ‘All along the watchtower’ at Aish Kodesh Tonight we’ll view the sick, twisted and sociopathic mind of Israel’s farthest right-wing settlers. These are the ones from Aish Kodesh (ironically named “Holy Fire”) who brutally assaulted the 61 year-old A. whom I profiled in a post earlier…
Libya asks Nato to extend mission
BBC 26 Oct 2011 – The head of Libya’s transitional authorities has called for Nato to extend its mission in Libya until the end of the year.
Arab officials meet Syria’s Assad
BBC 26 Oct 2011 – A senior delegation of Arab officials hold talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus in an attempt to negotiate an end to the country’s unrest.
Yemen women burn veils in protest
BBC 26 Oct 2011 – Hundreds of Yemeni women have set fire to their traditional veils in Sanaa in protest at the violence used against anti-government demonstrators.
Egypt jails police for Said death
BBC 26 Oct 2011 – A court in Egypt sentences two policemen to seven years in prison for killing an activist whose death helped spark the anti-Mubarak uprising.
Russia calls Israeli settlements “biggest obstacle” to two-state solution
Middle East Monitor 26 Oct 2011 – Russia’s permanent delegate at the United Nations has called the continued construction of illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories “the biggest obstacle to the two-state solution”. Vitaly Churkin also called on Israel to stop demolishing Palestinian homes in Occupied Jerusalem. Speaking during an open…
UN official calls on Israel to end the blockade of Gaza
Middle East Monitor 26 Oct 2011 – A senior United Nations official has called on the Israeli government to lift the siege that has been imposed on the Gaza Strip for five years. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe told a Security Council meeting on the Middle East and the Palestine Issue that…
The Story of a Political Prisoner — Majde Mahmoud Za’aqiq
Palestine Solidarity Project 26 Oct 2011 – Name: Majde Mahmoud Za’aqiq Marital Status: Divorced Father of two children Profession: Teacher Age: 41 years Nationality: Palestinian Address: Beit Ommar Currently: Detained in Israeli occupation prisons. Charge: peaceful resistance to the occupation and defense of human rights. The story of detention started 25/8/2011 — the…
Africa: AU Rebuffs Syrian Envoy
allAfrica.com 26 Oct 2011 – Given the African Union’s track record of going very soft on tyrants and dictators, Syria expected to be welcomed with open arms. But the Syrian envoy left with nothing after being told to respect the will of his people. After a year of doing things wrong,…
Articles
Review: Exploring the diversity of Palestinian identity
Mya Guarnieri, Ma’an News Agency10/26/2011
The PLO’s UN bid for statehood is divisive. It has furthered America’s and Israel’s drift from the international community as well as confirming, yet again, the United States’ deep bias toward Israel.
The request is also controversial within Palestinian circles. Even if it is successful, will it create meaningful change on the ground? Can it end the occupation? What about equal rights for Palestinian citizens of Israel?
What about the refugees and their right to return, enshrined in UN resolution 194? And what is the PA’s source of legitimacy, when none of the 10 million Palestinians it claims to represent have been given the chance to endorse it?
Interviews I conducted in Ramallah reveal no clear consensus. But President Mahmoud Abbas’s recent speech to the UN was enthusiastically received in cities across the West Bank. For some, it represented, perhaps, a small victory — a moment when the voiceless were given a voice. But that begs the question: which voices are we still not hearing? What are their stories? What unites — and divides — the sometimes mutually antagonistic voices across their society as a whole? Who are these people, the Palestinians?
Arthur Neslen’s groundbreaking new book, In Your Eyes a Sandstorm: Ways of Being Palestinian, has some answers.
A collection of 51 in-depth interviews of Palestinians from all walks of life, In Your Eyes introduces readers to everyone from ministers in the Hamas government to ministers in the Israeli government, from sisters who were born and raised in Beirut’s Shatila camp, to a drug dealer in East Jerusalem, from a Salafi Jihadist web manager to a West Bank zoo curator. Candid, colorful, and sometimes surprising, the portraits remind us that Palestinians aren’t the monolithic group that the Western media depict them as.more.. e-mail
Behind Abbas’s political gambit
Ramzy Baroud, Al-Ahram Weekly10/20/2011
While widely lauded, Mahmoud Abbas’s approach to the UN for statehood recognition is deeply suspect, and even dangerous to the Palestinian cause.
When Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas decided to go to the United Nations to request the admission of Palestine as a full member, he appeared to have had an epiphany. Had he finally realised that for the past two decades he and his party, Fatah, had gone down a road to nowhere? That Israel was only interested in him as a conduit to achieve its colonial endeavour in the remaining 22 per cent of historic Palestine? That his national project — predicated on the ever elusive “peace process” — achieved neither peace nor justice?
Abbas claims to be serious this time. Despite all US attempts at intimidation (for example, by threatening to withhold funds), and despite the intensifying of Israeli tactics (including the further arming of illegal Jewish settlers to combat possible Palestinian mobilisation in the West Bank), Abbas simply could not be persuaded against seeking a UN membership this September. “We are going to the Security Council. We need to have full membership in the United Nations… we need a state, and we need a seat at the UN,” Abbas told Palestinians in a televised speech on 16 September.
For months, Palestinian intellectuals, historians, legal experts and academicians have warned against Abbas’s haphazard, understudied move. Some have argued that if Abbas’s UN adventure is a tactical manoeuvre, its legal repercussions are too grave a price to pay for little or no returns. If “Palestine” replaces the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) — currently recognised by the UN as the sole representative of the Palestinian people — then Palestinians risk losing the only unifying body they all have in common (its replacement representing only two million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank). more.. e-mail
Peace treaty in times of revolution
Abdel-Moneim Said, Al-Ahram Weekly10/20/2011
While it might have appeared that the Egyptian-Israeli peace was at risk following the January Revolution, all indications are that it remains robust.
Whenever there were Arab-Israeli peace negotiations, officials and observers in Israel, the US and even Europe would inevitably ask whether a peace agreement would survive a change in Arab leadership. The anxiety was not unjustified. There have always been Arab political forces opposed to the very idea of peace with Israel and that saw the conflict with that state not as a territorial/border dispute but as an existential clash. An Arab president or king may have sufficient “authority” to impose a peace on his people, by force if need be. However, the perpetuation of this authority was contingent upon his continued grip on power. If that were to weaken, or if he were overthrown by a coup or revolution, or if death, which spares not even president or king, struck, then one of the first victims of his demise could be the peace with Israel.
This supposition has hovered over every peace agreement. However, history has proven that it is not correct, that peace agreements with Israel can withstand changes in Arab leaderships. After Sadat was assassinated, his successor, Hosni Mubarak, kept Egyptian foreign policy on course. If the peace with Israel turned “cold” in the 1980s this was not because Sadat was gone but because Israel refused to withdraw from Taba, because it bombed the nuclear reactor in Iraq and because it invaded Lebanon. With the Madrid Peace Conference that led to the conclusion of the Oslo Accords, some warmth was restored to Egyptian-Israeli relations. The same applies to the Jordanian-Israeli peace agreement. That was unaffected by the death of King Hussein and the succession of his son, King Abdullah II. Nor did official Palestinian policy change significantly on the points of dispute and agreement with Israel with the transition from president Yasser Arafat to president Mahmoud Abbas. On the whole, Arab governments that were committed to the peace process remained so, even after major change. more.. e-mail
“I want to hug my son before I die”
Electronic Intifada: 25 Oct 2011 – Shahd Abusalama The Electronic Intifada Gaza City An elderly mother has been waiting 22 years for her son to come home. He was not included in the recent prisoner exchange deal.more
Why was PA’s Canada envoy forced to resign over a tweet?
Electronic Intifada: 25 Oct 2011 – Dana Olwan The Electronic Intifada Vancouver A Palestinian Authority diplomat came under fire from Canadian officials and was forced to resign because of a tweet; meanwhile Israel’s human rights abuses go unpunished by Ottowa.more
Israel stopped mother visiting prisoner son for 11 years
Electronic Intifada: 25 Oct 2011 – Rami Almeghari The Electronic Intifada Maghazi refugee camp Eid Misleh spent 19 years in Israel’s prisons until he was released as part of a prisoner exchange agreed between Hamas and Israel. Back home among family in Gaza, Misleh told The Electronic Intifada about life in prisoner and the hardship of being denied family visits for eleven years.more
Official Hypocrisy: Prisoner Hamouri is also French Citizen
Palestine Chronicle: 26 Oct 2011 – By Richard Lightbown A further example of the blatant hypocrisy of European politicians towards Middle East realities is detailed on the French website for solidarity with French-Palestinian Salah Hamouri. This 26-year-old son of an East Jerusalem restaurateur and a French teacher holds a French passport, like Gilad Shalit, and speaks fluent French. As a 16-year-old boy Salah was arrested on 30 September 2001 just before the start of school term, and kept in isolation for two months in Jerusalem’s Moskobieh interrogation centre. He was then tried in a military court and sentenced to five months imprisonment for pasting “anti-Israeli propaganda” in the school grounds. This detention was served in the juvenile section of HaSharon prison in Israel. Following his release the following January Salah returned to school and went on to study sociology at Bethlehem University in 2003. At the end of February 2004 he was at a party in…more
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The New Dark Age 