18 November 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
PCHR Weekly Report: 4 Palestinians killed, 17 wounded by Israeli forces in last 2 weeks
IMEMC – In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (for the two week period of 03 – 16 November 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that 4 Palestinians, including a civilian, a member of the Palestinian Marine Police and two resistance fighters, were killed by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. …
Israeli Army Closes the Entrance of Beta, Erects Dozens of Military Blockades in Nablus
IMEMC – On Thursday, the Israeli army closed “Beta” entrance in the southern part of the West Bank city of Nablus, preventing Palestinian residents from passing through it, the Palestinian news agency, Ma’an reported. …
Israel Grabs Palestinian Lands To Expand Religious Kibbutz
IMEMC – Israeli daily, Haaretz, reported that the Israeli government confiscated privately owned Palestinian lands in the Jordan Valley, and gave the lands to Kibbutz Merav, inhabited by Jewish settlers. …
Qaraqe’: “Long-Term Detainees Must Be Released”
IMEMC – The Minister of Palestinian Detainees and Ex-detainees Affairs, Issa Qaraqe’, has urged Egypt to exert pressure on Israel to free long-term prisoners, the Palestinian news agency, Ma’an reported on Thursday. …
Israeli Military Breaks into home of an Ex-detainee; Freed Under Prisoner-Swap Deal
IMEMC – The Israeli army broke into the house of ex-detainee, Duaa’ al-Jayyousi, in the West Bank city of Tulkarem, the Palestinian news agency, Ma’an reported. …
Palestinians demonstrate across West Bank
11/18/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces suppressed weekly demonstrations across the occupied West Bank on Friday, as Palestinians rallied against the wall and settlements. In Bethlehem, three Palestinians suffered bruises as Israeli forces shut down a demonstration in al-Masaara, said Muhammad Brejiyeh of the local popular committee. Brejiyeh said soldiers beat demonstrators with sticks and….
Report: US warns Palestinians on unity deal
11/18/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — The US may sanction the Palestinian Authority if Fatah and Hamas implement a reconciliation deal signed in May, an Israeli newspaper reported Friday. Israel HaYom reported that US deputy secretary of state Bill Burns was in the region to relay a sharp message from the US president, Barak Obama….
Children find work on Gaza bomb sites
11/18/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — After a decade of intifada, siege and war, the Gaza Strip has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, and many families with no source of income now send their children to work. Recently, children have been recruited to collect scrap metal from bombsites after Israeli airstrikes on….
Study: Rise in settlers taking army combat roles
11/18/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Six out of 10 Jewish settlers were drafted into combat units for their compulsory military service, an Israeli army study showed on Friday, indicating a sharp rise in numbers. According to a study on draft trends which was published by the military’s personnel division, Jewish settlers are more likely than regular….
Institute: 1 in 4 Israelis ‘living in poverty’
11/18/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — One in four Israelis was living under the poverty line in 2010, annual figures from the National Insurance Institute showed, although the numbers showed an improvement since 2009. The report, published on Thursday, said 1. 77 million people, or 24. 4 percent of the population, were living below the poverty line, among them….
Ashrawi: Europe must fill political void on Israel
11/18/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi said Thursday that Europe must fill the “political void” left by the US in order to make progress on the peace process. Meeting with European Union representatives in Jerusalem, Ashrawi said EU nations must “distance themselves from Israeli unilateral measures and American prejudicial policies.” Considering….
Zahhar: No date set for Mashaal visit to Jordan
11/18/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal will meet with the Jordanian government but no date has been set for the visit, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahhar said Friday. Zahhar told Ma’an that Hamas was open to relations with all, and that it was logical that the Islamist party would meet with….
Report: Egypt to resume gas supply to Israel, Jordan
11/18/2011 – CAIRO (Ma’an) — Egypt will resume gas transfers to Israel and Jordan on Friday, a week after the northern Sinai pipeline was bombed, Egyptian media reports said. The Egyptian Natural Gas Company has repaired two lines and will begin pumping small quantities of natural gas to both countries, Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported Thursday….
Mitchell says Palestinians must show flexibility
11/18/2011 – ROCKLAND, Maine (Ma’an) — The Palestinian leadership in Ramallah showed inflexibility over Israel’s settlement program and will have to make compromises for the sake of peace, the Obama administration’s former Mideast envoy has said. George Mitchell, who resigned in May as US President Barack Obama’s special envoy for….
Envoy: Iran to boycott Middle East nuclear talks
11/18/2011 – VIENNA (Reuters) — Iran will not take part in rare IAEA-hosted talks next week for countries in the Middle East to discuss efforts to free the world of nuclear weapons, a senior Iranian official said on Friday, in a further sign of worsening ties between the UN atomic agency and Iran. Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran’….
Palestinian rights group ‘fact-finding’ in Libya
11/18/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian human rights group opened a fact-finding mission in Libya on Thursday, tasked with investigating abuses by the country’s late leader Moammar Gadhafi, the new Libyan government and NATO forces operating in the country. The mission, organized by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights with Cairo-based Arab Organization….
Message from Cape Town: Israel applies apartheid to Palestinians
11/18/2011 – Frank Barat and Victor Kattan – The Russell Tribunal on Palestine, an international citizen-based tribunal of conscience, has found that “Israel subjects the Palestinian people to an institutionalized regime of domination amounting to apartheid as defined under international law.” The Tribunal met in November at the District Six Museum in Cape Town, which commemorates the destruction….
Man arrested for ‘cursing God’
11/18/2011 – QALQILIYA (Ma’an) — Palestinian police arrested a man on Thursday for “cursing God” while arguing with his father in Qalqiliya. Police responded to a call reporting a fight between a father and son in the northern West Bank town, officials said. A police report said the father called police to break up the fight….
Syria rebels hit regime offices
11/18/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Rebel troops hit offices of Syria’s ruling party on Thursday, a day after a daring raid on an intelligence base that prompted Russia to warn that its longtime ally risks “full-scale civil war.” The rocket-propelled grenade attack in northwestern Idlib province, near Turkey, came as government forces killed eight people, including….
Egypt protesters stage anti-military rally
11/18/2011 – CAIRO (AFP) — Thousands of Islamist and secular protesters gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday for a mass rally to press the ruling military to hand over power to a civilian government. As legislative elections draw near — the first polls since a popular uprising toppled president Hosni Mubarak in February — protesters are demanding….
Countdown to Egypt elections
11/18/2011 – CAIRO (IRIN) — Protesters occupied Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday to demand that the ruling military hand power to a civilian government. With Egypt’s first post-revolution parliamentary poll set for Nov. 28, demonstrators from a range of political backgrounds have condemned a government document that declared the military the guardian of “constitutional….
Syria forces kill 12 on eve of peace deadline
11/18/2011 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Security forces killed at least 12 civilians on Friday, including two children, on the eve of an Arab League deadline for Syria to stop its lethal crackdown on protesters. The latest bloodletting came as Turkey warned of the risk of civil war and as thousands of protesters took to the streets to urge….
Lebanon court requests proof Gadhafi dead
11/18/2011 – BEIRUT (AFP) — A Lebanese court on Friday delayed its verdict in a case alleging Moammar Gadhafi’s involvement in the 1978 disappearance of a Shiite cleric, pending confirmation of the Libyan leader’s death.” Local, regional and international media on October 20 reported the killing of Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, who is wanted in….
International Solidarity Movement
Al Baqa’a: The struggle of a family in the shadow of illegal annexation
11/18/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Alistair George, 17 November 2011, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – “The Israelis hope that that the young people leave, the old people die, and then they can confiscate the land and the houses” says Sami, an activist working in Al Baqa’a, a windswept valley situated a few kilometers east of Hebron. The Jaber….
Imneizil demolitions: ‘Hanging between the ground and the sky’
11/18/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Jenna Bereld, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – The solar panels in the village of Imneizil, near Hebron, became effective almost two years ago, improved the living conditions for about four hundred inhabitants in the village, but recently residents learned that the Israeli army issued a demolition order for the solar power installations.”When the electricity…. Related: Threatening the light of the village – Click here for more images and Destroying Palestinian Solar Plant
Internationals harassed and denied entry into Nabi Saleh
11/18/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – Wahed Rejol, 18 November 2011, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – Following last week’s violence in the village of Nabi Saleh near Ramallah, international observers and activists were today denied entry into the village by Israeli soldiers. The soldiers said that the entire village was a closed military zone and provided paperwork that seemed….
Israel: Explanatory note to the Memorandum of Understanding and the Agreement on Operational Arrangements
Relief Web 18 Nov 2011 – Source: ICRC Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Israel 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Geneva, 28 November to 1 December 2011. On 28 November 2005, Dr.Noam Yifrach (YR), chairperson of the executive committee of the Magen David…
Lebanon: Second Committee approves text relating to permanent Palestinian sovereignty over resources in occupied territories, oil slick on Lebanese shores
Relief Web 17 Nov 2011 – Source: UN General Assembly Country: occupied Palestinian territory , Lebanon GA/EF/3327 Sixty-sixth General Assembly Second Committee 35th Meeting (PM) Members also Pass Six Other Draft Resolutions, One Draft Decision The General Assembly would demand that Israel stop exploiting, damaging, depleting, and…
Clinton: Syria sliding to civil war; global community won’t intervene
Ha’aretz – U.S. Secretary of State tells NBC news that Syrian opposition will be well armed and eventually well financed; says Arab League, Turkey are key to persuading Assad to halt violence.
U.S. vows to keep pressure on Iran after nuclear report
Ha’aretz – White House says IAEA resolution exposed Iran’s ‘hollow claims’ that nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes.
Iran to hold air defense drill simulating Israeli attack on its nuclear sites
Ha’aretz – According to Iran’s official news agency, the Revolutionary Guard will carry out exercise to ensure Iran is ready for any attack on strategic sites.
UN resolution condemns Iran plot to kill Saudi envoy to U.S.
Ha’aretz – Israel’s ambassador to UN: Resolution and IAEA report show start of Iran’s diplomatic isolation – not only from Europe, but from Arab countries, too.
Syria agrees ‘in principle’ to allow Arab League observers as 16 killed by security forces
Ha’aretz – Critics say Assad regime only stalling, trying to defuse international pressure; violence escalated in past week.
UN reinstates Libya to Human Rights Council in post-Gadhafi era
Ha’aretz – New Libyan government pledges before the world body to defend human rights and establish the rule of law.
Russian-Jewish Americans build a community all their own
Ha’aretz – They don’t fully connect with U.S. Jews, but they also don’t dream of Mother Russia; young professionals gather via ‘Davai’.
Iran: IAEA leaks make our nuclear scientists targets for Israel
Ha’aretz – In letter to chief of UN’s nuclear watchdog, Iranian envoy to the IAEA says agency’s report was leaked to Western powers, calling the act a’ clear violation’ of protocol.
U.S. Defense Secretary: Iran strike will hurt world economy
Ha’aretz – Panetta speaks on eve of talks with Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Canada; says world should focus on diplomatic pressure, sanctions over Iran nuclear program.
Highway robbery
Ha’aretz – You always compare prices, but your consumerism disappears when you stop to fill up. We checked gas-station convenience-store prices so you’ll know which ones do the least damage to your wallet.
Telecom analysts keep getting a wrong number
Ha’aretz – TheMarker tracked 12-month targets for local telecom shares, and found they missed the mark – despite identifying the risks.
ICL to pay most of cost for dredging southern Dead Sea
Ha’aretz – Israel Chemicals willing to spend NIS 3 billion to stop flooding.
State looks on as religious leaders gain authority
Ha’aretz – Until civil marriage is made official, Israelis have no reason to cooperate with the religious establishment.
Future obesity may be predicted at 3.5 years of age
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Researchers identify two factors: The mothers’ weight around the time they gave birth and whether the mothers smoked.
A more flexible window into the brain
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – University of Pennsylvania-led team develops a less intrusive microelectronic device to map brain activity.
Clinton says there could be civil war in Syria
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – US secretary of state says the US favors peaceful protest, nonviolent opposition, doesn’t see Libya-style intervention.
UN condemns alleged plot to kill Saudi envoy
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Resolution doesn’t specifically blame Iran but urges it to “comply with all obligations under int’l law.”
‘US plans sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical sector’
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Washington wants to send a strong signal after IAEA report, European capitals may follow suit, US source says; US is hesitant to sanction Iran’s central bank.
German lawmaker shocked to be on neo-Nazi list
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Montag’s name found on hit-list in neo-Nazi hideout; Germans shocked by immigrant killings.
Libya restored as UN humans right panel member
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Resolution introduced by Libyan Deputy UN Ambassador passes with 123 votes in favor, 4 against, dozens do not vote.
Eleven killed in Syria on eve of Arab deadline
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Activists say security forces killed 11 more protesters; Juppe says greater pressure needed; Putin calls for “restraint, caution.”
Thousands protest in Tahrir against army rule
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Protesters demand withdrawal of proposal to protect army; failure to resolve dispute could impact November ballot.
Libya UN envoy accuses Qatar of arming Islamists
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Shalgam tells Qatar to stop meddling in Tripoli’s domestic affairs; Qatar denies interference in other states’ affairs.
US army tests advanced hypersonic weapon
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – AHW can strike any target in world in less than 1 hour, AFP reports; vehicle launched from Hawaii 4,000km to Pacific atoll.
Israel ship unloads aid for Turkey quake victims
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Defense Ministry sends housing for up to 1,000 people left homeless after two quakes hit Turkey’s eastern region.
Sinai Beduin join al-Qaida out of bitterness, not ideology
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Economic, social grievances are at the heart of surge in violence in Egyptian-ruled region.
The Numbers Crunch: Sarkozy-Obama waves on the Web
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Talk of possible Iran strike dies down on mainstream media, but alive and kicking on forums.
Rains are ‘a little help’ to Kinneret’s level
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Although ongoing heavy rains have help slightly, Lake Kinneret still needs “major help.”
‘The real problem of the Arabs is not Israel, but poverty’
Jerusalem Post 18 Nov 2011 – Peres to Hollywood actors: “We don’t want to rule other people. We have enough problems ruling Jewish people. Why would we want to rule anyone else?”
Restoration of Jordan River up for debate
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Green group suggests reduction in agricultural water consumption, farmers say impossible.
Off the diplomatic path
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – From Hebron to Ariel, US Republican lawmakers take rare drive across Green Line to see for themselves what life in W. Bank settlements is all about.
Poverty in Israel
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Though educational reforms are not the only way, no other single step can make such a crucial impact on lowering poverty rates and reducing income inequalities.
Diplomacy: ‘Continuing Papandreouism without Papandreou’
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Now that Greece’s prime minister has been forced out due to the country’s economic crisis, will the golden age of diplomatic ties with Jerusalem continue under Athens’ new transition government?
Security and Defense: In a jam over precision munitions
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – The IDF is upping its anti-jamming capabilities and investing in alternative systems as the threat increases that Israel’s enemies will be able to use electronic warfare to wreak havoc with its satellite-guided weapons.
Let my husband go!
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – As Jonathan Pollard begins his 27th year in jail, his wife pleads for clemency.
Who’s destroying antiquities in Jerusalem?
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – There is little doubt that Palestinian authorities are conducting this assault on the Temple Mount so as to erase any vestige of archeological evidence for Jewish (and Christian) history.
Savir’s Corner: Obama 2012
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Every Israeli will admit that our national security and even economic well-being are highly dependent on our main ally – the United States.
Into the Fray: A nation betrayed?
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – The list of the Left’s blunders is depressingly lengthy. It has been hopelessly wrong about… well, everything.
A troubling axis
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Russia and China’s short-sighted, selfish policy of supporting Iran’s radical Islamic regime poses a major global threat.
The human spirit: Riding through the long night
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Yarden Frankl and his wife Stella focus on how good the present can be, regardless of what life throws at them.
Starcatcher: Astrology for the week of November 20, 2011
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – TIP FOR THE WEEK: Mood swings are expected this week, so don’t be surprised if all of a sudden a simple conversation turns into a verbal battle.
The fence nobody wanted
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Who really built the fence?
Israel and Hamas: Is it time for a new deal?
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – If conducted in good faith, this deal would create a new dynamic serving to induce both Israel and Hamas to accept the inescapable reality of each others’ existence as peoples and neighbor.
Chinese, Israeli firms building water industrial park
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Joint Israeli and Chinese team building a huge Sino-Israeli International Water Industrial Park in southern China, says team representative.
Indonesians study Israeli mass catastrophe system
Jerusalem Post 17 Nov 2011 – Five medical experts from Indonesia are graduating from a course at Haifa’s Medical Center on coping with catastrophes.
Israel shuts down Palestinian groups in Jerusalem
Uruknet November 18, 2011 – The recent forced closures of Palestinian nonprofit organizations in Jerusalem is an example of the Israeli authorities’ continued attacks on the city’s Palestinian identity and their attempts to maintain control over occupied East Jerusalem, according to local human rights groups. “The purpose is to control and undermine the role of Palestinian civil society and […
Down by Law: Vulture Funds Feeding on the Dispossessed
Uruknet November 18, 2011 – I am glad to see the renewal of interest in “vulture funds,” where predatory elites buy up bits of the debt of impoverished nations from various creditors – at pennies on the dollar – then use the courts of the ‘developed,’ ‘civilised’ world to force the debtor to cough up the full amount, plus…
Fakest Rebel Videos
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – This post will gather some instances of suspect fakery from the social media video postings of our Libyan “pro-Democracy forces”. Simple mislabeling is too widespread to count – the video itself must contain actors and fake scenarios (or be suspicious at least) and presented as real….People in Shahet run and scramble to hide from…
Libya U.N. envoy says Qatar arming Islamists
Uruknet November 18, 2011 – Libya’s United Nations envoy Mohammed Abdel Rahman Shalgam accused Qatar on Friday of providing weapons and money to Libyan Islamists and told the fellow Arab state to stop meddling in Tripoli’s domestic affairs. “There are facts on the ground, they (Qatar) give money to some parties, the Islamist parties. They give money and weapons…
Constitutionally Protected Symbolic Speech
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – Symbolic speech examples include leafleting, picketing, demonstrating, marching, speaking publicly, flag burning, displaying t-shirts, armbands, banners and placards, sit-ins, as well as camping out in public places. With some exceptions, all have First Amendment protection. Numerous Supreme Court decisions addressed the issue. Some agreed. Others didn’t…
Military Resistance 9K10: the Regime Attacks
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – The Obama Regime Orchestrates Coordinated Nationwide Attack On Occupy Wall Street: “Over The Past Ten Days, More Than A Dozen Cities Have Moved To Evict Occupy’ Protesters From City Parks And Other Public Spaces” “According To One Justice Official, Each Of Those Actions Was Coordinated With Help From Homeland Security, The FBI And Other…
Syria News – November 17, 2011 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet Idlib: Martyrdom of Nawar Mustafa Al Khlas under torturing, he was arrested after getting injured on 15th Nov, the security forces refused to give his corpse to his family. Deir Ezzor: martyrdom of Samer Al Tayeb under torturing, he was arrested this morning when the security forces stormed Al Joura neighborhood…Idlib: Heish: Martyrdom of a student in the…
Midweek Bleat: The UN is merely a zombie to the US
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – There is an urgent need at this time to question the relevance of the United Nations as a platform to bring peace in the world. If the world body can so blatantly flout its own decisions as it did in the case of Resolution 1973 on the enforcement of a no-fly zone in Libya,…
Deepening Debt Contagion
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – With pressure building on Europe and America, something’s got to give. Progressive Radio News Hour regular Bob Chapman says Germany’s Angela Merkel and France’s Nicolas Sarkozy search for solutions that don’t exist. Nothing’s agreed on to be implemented. Austerity weakens failing Eurozone economies. French and other banks are selling bonds. Yields are rising. So…
Africa: U.S. Africa Command a Tool to Recolonise Continent
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – US ArmyAfrica does not need an American military base on its soil. Would Americans welcome such a foreign base in their land? Motsoko Pheko urges African countries to resist this imperialist move, which is intended to facilitate plunder of their resources. The USA Africa Command, which America calls ‘Africom’, is a military structure of…
Bibi’s Official Genocide Policy
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – Much is made in the rush to war with Iran of Ahmadinejad’s alleged saying that Israel should be “wiped off the map”. I am not an Iranian speaker and not qualified to enter the debate as to whether that is, or is not, an accurate statement. I view Ahmadinejad as a thug anyway, irrespective…
The Legal Ramifications of Palestinian Statehood
Uruknet November 17, 2011 -The political context surrounding the Palestinian bid for statehood makes it a complicated question, and the UN procedures on the matter are unclear in spite of the fact that the international community has already accepted the political basis for the vote. The following study will focus on the legal ramifications of the recognition of a…
Iraq urged to commute death sentences as 11 are hanged
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – The Iraqi authorities must commute all death sentences and ensure verdicts are not based on forced confessions involving torture, Amnesty International said today, after 11 people convicted of terrorism-related offences were hanged in Baghdad. The execution of the 11, including one woman, took place yesterday in spite of attempts by the Tunisian authorities to…
Iraq snapshot – November 17, 2011
Uruknet November 17, 2011. Chaos and violence continue, Iraq executes 11 people, Camp Ashraf residents get attention from the US Senate, Political Stalemate II continues, Nouri prepares to target more political opponents, Nouri launches secret arrests on Iraqi youths who had the ‘nerve’ to complain about the lack of employment in their country, and more…Staying on legal, Nouri’s been…
Reverend Allan Boesak calls Israeli apartheid “more terrifying” than South Africa ever was
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – The Reverend Allan Aubrey Boesak is a veteran of the South African anti-apartheid struggle. He is the former president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and is a signatory of the South African Christian response to the Kairos Palestine Document. This year he gave expert testimony at the Russell Tribunal on Palestine session…
Libya’s Islamists Ransack Mosque Grave
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – Libyan gunmen broke into the Saif al-Nasr mosque in Tripoli early on Nov. 8, smashed open a wooden sarcophagus and removed the remains of Saif al-Nasr, a scholar who died 155 years ago, and a former imam, Hammad Zwai…The man responsible for maintaining security in the city is Abdel Hakim Belhaj, the head of…
Gaza: Residents deprived of critical medications and medical care
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – Health facilities in the Gaza Strip face a serious shortage of drugs and medical supplies. In late September, 36% of essential drugs were lacking. While MSF makes regular donations, no aid actor can meet the full range of needs. The Israeli embargo of the Gaza Strip, which began in 2007, together with years of…
Iraq to expand military ties with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – Iraq’s Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Babaker al-Zaibari is visiting Iran seeking ways of cementing ties with the various corps of Tehran’s military chiefly Revolutionary Guards. “Iraq has long borders with Iran. Good solutions to some problems can be found through bilateral cooperation,” Zaibari was reported as saying. Zaibari had meetings with different commanders…
Ennahdha-Qatar-United States: Dangerous Liaisons
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – For his first post-election trip, Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the Ennahdha party, visited the Emir of Qatar. No surprise — he has to thank his sponsors and reassure them on their investments. This visit is worrisome, since Ennahdha is now the leading political force in Tunisia. It is clear that the party is…
Doha Couscous Connection – Qatar imperial ambitions in Tunisia!!!!???
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – Great oppostion of Tunisians to news that prince Hamad of Qatar will attend the first meeting of newly elected Tunisia Constitutional Council. They view this as ingerence of tiny Qatar into Tunisian affairs. Tunisians accuse Rached Ghannouchi and his party Ennahdha of fulfilling a hidden Qatar-USA political agenda in Tunisia, and in the arab…
Tunisia’s Likely PM Hopes for New Caliphate
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – A reference by an Islamist politician to a form of government from Islam’s history has stirred a political controversy in Tunisia shortly after an election won by his party. The victory by Ennahda, a “moderate” Islamist party once repressed by the country’s dictatorship, has left many members of the secular elite carefully scrutinizing it…
From US South to Palestine, Freedom Rides change history
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – I grew up with two stories, two histories, and in many ways, two countries. From the age of 5 until 21, I roamed, lived in and loved Tennessee’s hills. But, in those same formative years, I lived from news piece to news piece, following with bated breath the events of my homeland, occupied Palestine….
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (03 November-16 November 2010)
Uruknet November 17, 2011 – Summary : Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (03-16 November 2011): Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed four Palestinians, including a civilian, a member of the Palestinian Marine Police and two resistance activists, in the Gaza Strip. IOF also wounded 17 civilians, including a…
Syria News – November 16, 2011 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet November 16, 2011 – ….Since the Arab League Peace Plan was announces till this moment 376 Syrian were killed by the Security forces and the Asad Army amongst them are 26 children and today the number of martyrs rose to 20 up till now. 11 martyrs in Homs, 7 martyrs in Idlib and 1 martyrs in each Daraa…
Britain’s Hague to meet Syrian rebels Monday: ministry
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 British Foreign Secretary William Hague is to hold talks with Syrian rebel leaders in London on Monday, a Foreign Office spokeswoman told AFP.
Egyptians rage against military rule in Cairo
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Tens of thousands of Islamists and young activists massed Friday in Tahrir Square.
Powers mull Syria sanctuaries
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Turkey and Jordan, backed by Western and Arab powers, are preparing to set up two safe zones for civilians inside Syria, diplomats told The Daily Star Friday.
Heavy rain causes floods, strands drivers
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Heavy rain flooded key roads in and around Beirut Friday, leaving several hundred commuters stranded in their cars.
Israel conducts maneuvers inside Lebanese Ghajar
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Israel conducted maneuvers inside the Lebanese section of Ghajar village Friday, according to the National News Agency.
Little change expected in Cabinet’s inert performance
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 The government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati has entered its fifth month in office with its only achievements being a handful of appointments in the bureaucracy.
Beirut Bar Association rival members set to cast their votes Sunday
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Lawyers from the March 8 and March 14 coalitions are gearing up for Sunday’s Beirut Bar Association elections.
Christians should not let others define them by religion, says Rai
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai called upon Christians Friday to resist attempts by others to define them based solely on religious identity.
Sleiman to give Independence speech from Rashaya citadel
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 President Michel Sleiman will travel next week to Rashaya in southeast Lebanon where he will deliver his speech on Independence Day.
Jumblatt has no Facebook, Twitter accounts: PS
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Druze leader Walid Jumblatt does not have a Facebook page or Twitter account, the Progressive Socialist Party said Friday.
NDU students challenge lax smoking ban on campus
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Seeing the effective enforcement of a smoking ban at other universities across the country, students at Notre Dame University-Louaize couldn’t understand why their campus couldn’t share the same approach.
Army arrests 90 foreign nationals in Metn
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Ninety foreign nationals have been arrested by the Lebanese Army in the Metn region of Mount Lebanon, the army said Friday.
Judicial Council delays verdict in Sadr case
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 The Judicial Council delayed its verdict in a case alleging Gadhafi’s involvement in the 1978 disappearance of Imam Musa Sadr, pending confirmation of the Libyan leader’s death.
Former Italian trawler transforms into marine research vessel
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 A former Italian fishing vessel began its new life as a marine research boat at the Beirut naval base Friday, under the auspices of the Italian ambassador to Lebanon.
Celebrities campaign against HIV/AIDS
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Lebanese celebrities launched the Let’s Talk campaign Friday aimed at breaking taboos surrounding HIV and AIDS, at the office of the U.N. Population Fund in Beirut.
Fearing Islamists, Israel moves to forge ties with east African states
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Israel has identified eastern Africa as an important strategic interest and is stepping up ties with nations in the region in a joint effort to control the spread of Islamic extremists, officials say.
Libya chiefs jostle for leadership roles
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Libya’s incoming PM Abdul-Rahim al-Qeeb is to announce his Cabinet in coming days and former rebel factions who fought to oust Gadhafi are jostling for influence over who will get the top posts in the new…
U.N. reports gains in Somalia famine fight
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Famine conditions have eased in some parts of southern Somalia, but an Islamist insurgency continues to disrupt aid to a quarter of a million people still in danger of starvation: UN
South Sudan wants peace with Khartoum ‘at any cost’
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Newly sovereign South Sudan will avoid war with Khartoum at any cost and press on with negotiations on disputes outstanding since it gained independence in July, the government said.
Growing defections in Syria signal development of protracted stalemate
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Growing Syrian army defections do not yet pose a mortal threat to President Assad, but outside support could turn the dissidents into a national insurgency able to exhaust his military.
U.S. pullout will allow Al-Qaeda to restart operations in Iraq, according to local official
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Al-Qaeda and its affiliates have been given an opening to revive operations in former strongholds by the U.S. pullout from Iraq’s northern and western provinces, a senior Iraqi official said.
Talks progress on relocation of Iranian Camp Ashraf exiles
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Negotiations are under way to relocate several thousand exiled Iranian opposition members from a camp north of Baghdad, officials said Friday.
Iran forces to hold 4-day drill to defend against air attack
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Iran’s armed forces will hold a four-day air defense drill starting to prepare for potential threats against nuclear facilities and population centers, the elite Revolutionary Guard said.
Clinton says ‘there could be a civil war’ in Syria
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Friday of the possibility of a civil war in Syria that either is directed or influenced by Syrian army defectors.
Lebanon court requests proof Gadhafi dead
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 A Lebanese court on Friday delayed its verdict in a case alleging Moamer Gadhafi’s involvement in the 1978 disappearance of a Shiite cleric, pending confirmation of the Libyan leader’s death.
Tripoli residents march in solidarity with Syrian people
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Lebanese take to the streets of the northern coastal city of Tripoli in a weekly protest in solidarity with Syrians facing a crackdown by Damascus.
Iranian MP: Arab League made ‘historic mistake’
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 A prominent Iranian legislator has called an Arab League decision to suspend Syria’s membership a “historic mistake.”
More than one person behind Tyre attacks: sources
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 More than one person is behind the twin explosions in the southern city of Tyre earlier this week, security sources say, but there are currently no leads over their identities.
U.S. concerned about uranium “discrepancy” in Iran
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 The United States accused Iran on Friday of a “provocative expansion” of sensitive nuclear activity and voiced concern that some nuclear material may have been diverted to suspected weapons-related development research.
Iran accuses IAEA of endangering scientists’ lives
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Tehran on Friday accused Yukiya Amano, the head of the UN atomic watchdog, of putting Iran’s nuclear scientists at risk of assassination by “terrorists” and US and Israeli agents.
Protesters pray in Yemen, U.N. envoy pushes for peace
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Tens of thousands of Yemeni worshipers gathered in Sanaa for Friday prayers, demanding Ali Abdullah Saleh be tried for alleged use of violence against demonstrators, as a U.N. envoy struggled to reach a deal to ease…
Thousands rally in Bahrain against island’s rulers
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Thousands of Shiite-led protesters calling for greater rights have streamed into an area outside the capital Manama.
LU alumnus shoots current student on Tripoli campus
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 An alumnus of the Lebanese University shot a current student using a shotgun he had brought on to the university’s Tripoli campus Friday, causing minor injuries.
Arabs reject Syria amendments to observer mission: diplomat
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 The Arab League has turned down last-minute amendments by Damascus on a deal to allow an observer mission into Syria, Arab diplomats told The Daily Star Friday.
Iranian envoy: threatening language is useless
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Iranian envoy to Lebanon says language based on logic and rationality is more useful than the threatening language adopted by the U.S. and Israel against the Islamic Republic and Syria.
Franjieh says Syria to counter conspiracy
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Marada Movement head Suleiman Franjieh has voiced regret over the decision by the Arab League to suspend Syria from the organization and said Lebanon’s neighbor would overcome conspiracies against it.
Crew eject as Italian military plane crashes off Dubai
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 An Italian military training aircraft heading home from the Dubai air show crashed into the sea on Friday off the Gulf emirate, but both crew ejected safely, officials said.
MP Ghanem backs Mikati denial over resignation report
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s denial of a report claiming he would resign if Lebanon failed to pay its share of funding toward the Special Tribunal for Lebanon backed by MP Robert Ghanem.
Security tightened around embassies in Lebanon
Daily Star 18 Nov 2011 Security increased around Arab and Western embassies in Lebanon after the Arab League decision to suspend Syria was met with attacks on diplomatic missions there, the interior minister’s office tells The Daily Star.
German lawmaker shocked to be on neo-Nazi hit list
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – A German Jewish lawmaker spoke on Friday of the “nightmarish” discovery his name was on a hit-list found in a neo-Nazi hideout, as Germany struggled to come to terms with … ….
IAEA board rebukes defiant Iran over nuclear program
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – The UN nuclear watchdog board of governors censured Iran on Friday over mounting suspicions it may be seeking to develop atomic bombs, after the six big powers overcame … ….
Iran conducts 4-day air defense drill
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – The Iranian army was set to launch an air defense drill Friday evening simulating an attack on the country’s nuclear facilities, the Islamic Republic News Agency … ….
Egyptians protest against more powers for military
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – Tens of thousands of Egyptians rallied Friday in Cairo’s Tahrir square with Islamists in the forefront to protest against what they say are attempts by the country’s … ….
Iran: IAEA report risks our scientists’ lives
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – A senior Iranian envoy is accusing the head of the UN nuclear body of security leaks that expose his country’s scientists and their families to the threat of … ….
Kissinger in ’72: Jews ‘self-serving bastards’
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – WASHINGTON – Confidential files released for publication in the United States on Friday reveal a new side to the Jewish-American politician Henry Kissinger, which might … ….
Syrian officials agree ‘in principle’ to observers
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – The 22-member Arab League formally suspended Damascus this week over its crackdown on an 8-month-old uprising, which the UN estimates has killed more than 3,500 people. … ….
Iranian drug ring funding terror?
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – Former Revolutionary Guard members claim despite strict anti-drug policy in….
US: Strike on Iran could hurt world economy
YNet News, 18 Nov 2011 – United States Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says military option could have….
Palestinian Information Center
IOF raid the home of liberated captive Dua Jayyousi
PIC – IOF troops raided on Wednesday night the home of liberated captive Dua al-Jayyousi in the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem and threatened her with arrest.
PA must end security coordination with Israel now
PIC – The PA should immediately revoke the scandalous Economic Protocol of Paris which made the very lifeline of the Palestinian economy subject to Israel’s whims and haphazard, sadistic fantasies.
Abu Marzouq and al-Ahmad in Cairo to agree details of Abbas-Mishaal meeting
PIC – The London based al-Hayat newspaper said that Dr. Musa Abu Marzouq and Azzam al-Ahmad arrived in Cairo the day before yesterday and met separately with Egyptian intelligence officials.
Worker dies in a Gaza smuggling tunnel
PIC – A Palestinian worker on Friday morning died as a result of being electrocuted while working in a smuggling tunnel at the Egyptian Gaza border.
PA intelligence arrest freed captive in Nablus
PIC – The PA preventive security continue with its campaign of summoning and arresting political opponents. They arrested a freed captive in Nablus and continue to detain university students in al-Khalil.
Relatives of a captive from Gaza told that he is suffering cancer
PIC – Israeli occupation authorities informed the family of Palestinian captive Hazem Miqdad from the Gaza Strip that their son suffers from cancer of the liver.
Violent clashes in Beita to the south of Nablus
PIC – IOF troops closed on Thursday evening the main entrance to the village of Beita to the south of the northern West Bank village of Beita after storming the village and clashing with local youth.
Detention of Journalist Isra’ Salhab extended
PIC – A Zionist court in occupied Jerusalem extended on Thursday the detention of TV journalist Isra’ Salhab until next Monday for interrogation and refused to release her on bail.
Two workers died, four injured in collapse of bridge under construction
PIC – Two workers died on Thursday evening and four others were injured as a result of the collapse of a bridge under construction linking Zahra city with the Nusairat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
Disguised IOF soldiers kidnap freed captive
PIC – Israeli occupation soldiers disguised as Palestinian civilians on Thursday kidnapped on Thursday a Palestinian man after raiding an aluminium workshop in the city of Dura..
Resheq: Mishaal’s visit to Jordan within days
PIC – 17/11/2011 – 04:17 PM
Minister Hands over UNRWA Commissioner-General India’s Annual Contribution
WAFA
Ashrawi Condemns Israeli Seizure of Jordan Valley Land
WAFA
Israeli Soldiers Close Entrances of Town near Nablus
WAFA
The Revolt of the Generals Against Iran War
Intifada-Palestine: 18 Nov 2011 – Nov. 17, 2011 (EIRNS)—This release was issued today by the Lyndon LaRouche Political Action Committee (LaRouche PAC). In addition to the exclusive EIR interview with former CENTCOM commander, Gen. Joseph P. Hoar (USMC-ret.), other military voices are being raised against the… more
Apologise? Hell no… Let’s demonise Iran!
Intifada-Palestine: 17 Nov 2011 – by Stuart Littlewood When new recruits join British Petroleum (BP) they are fed romantic tales about how the company came into being. William Knox D’Arcy, a Devon man, studied law and, after emigrating to Australia, made a fortune from the… more
Syria faces Arab League deadline as 17 people are reported killed
LA Times 18 Nov 2011 – Damascus and the Arab League are said to be haggling over an observer mission for Syria, where rights groups say security forces have responded brutally to the largely peaceful protests. Opposition activists said Syrian security forces killed at least 17 people Friday as President Bashar…
Egyptians in Tahrir Square protest military’s grip
LA Times 18 Nov 2011 – Dominated by Islamists, with a smattering of secularists and liberals, the demonstrators unite to condemn the military’s refusal to cede power to a civilian government. Banners waved and angry slogans echoed as tens of thousands of Egyptians protested Friday against the ruling military council, which…
Syria military defectors taking active role in revolt
LA Times 17 Nov 2011 – A member of the Free Syrian Army says the defectors regularly infiltrate Syria to strike security units. He says the group stands with those seeking an end to President Bashar Assad’s rule.
Egyptian Islamists Rally in Cairo Against Military
New York Times 18 Nov 2011 – Angered by the military’s plans to hold onto power even after parliamentary elections, tens of thousands of Islamists and others gathered in Tahrir Square in Cairo.
U.S. to Unveil New Sanctions Aimed at Iran’s Oil Industry
New York Times 18 Nov 2011 – A resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency made no threat of further pressure or actions to curb Iran’s contentious uranium enrichment program.
France and Turkey Call for Pressure on Syria
New York Times 18 Nov 2011 – The two countries called for greater international effort to exert pressure on Syria to stop its bloody crackdown on protesters, as at least 15 more people were reported killed on Friday.
Militias and Army Compete for Influence in Libya
New York Times 18 Nov 2011 – Competing military forces are pushing for leading roles in the new government, with the army and several militias staging marches and demonstrations around Tripoli.
Cairo Journal: Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, Egypt’s Nude Blogger, Stirs Partisan Waters
New York Times 18 Nov 2011 – Aliaa Magda Elmahdy had to expect outrage from conservative Muslims when she posted nude photographs of herself online. But liberals have been critical, too.
Armed Groups Are on Rise in Syria, as Are Civil War Fears
New York Times 18 Nov 2011 – Recent attacks by Syrian Army defectors suggest a growing boldness in the face of a deadly crackdown by the government of President Bashar Al-Assad.
You Are Here: Packing Heat at the Gate
New York Times 18 Nov 2011 – A memorable 12-hour layover in Tripoli.
Arab League Offers Syria a Reprieve as Deaths Mount
New York Times 18 Nov 2011 – The Arab League has proposed dispatching civilian and military monitors to Syria.
Declining Israeli Press Freedom: If Reporter Had Story Leading to Bibi’s Ouster, Ben Caspit Fears He Might Not Report It
Tikun Olam – While there are myriad stories recounting the assault against democracy in Israel, none is more important evident than the emasculation of the Israeli press. While it has always been subject to censorship on matters related to national security, the pressure against honest, courageous reporting has mounted…
Swedish soldiers train to remove Elbit UAVs from trees
Neged Neshek – Swedish soldiers are to receive “advanced tree climbing” training to help remove any Elbit Skylark drones (Swedish designation: Falken) that get caught in trees. Good work trees!
South Carolina delegation moves to partner with arms merchant Urban Aeronautics
Neged Neshek – The South Carolina-based Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA) is considering building a relationship with Yavne arms manufacturer Urban Aeronautics. CRDA Vice President of Global Business Development Henry Taylor told the Jerusalem Post that Urban Aeronautics is “developing a product that I think has a very good…
Lockheed awards J-35 contract to Elbit subsidiary
Neged Neshek – Jointly held Rockwell Collins and Elbit Systems subsidiary Vision Systems International were recently awarded another contract by Lockheed Martin to provide Helmet Mounted Display Systems for the J-35 fighter. Vision Systems has been working on the system for some time and has had many stumbling blocks ….
Another settler colonial arms pact in the works
Neged Neshek – Canadian War Minister Peter MacKay on Wednesday noted that he and Israeli War Minister Ehud Barak have signed a series of arms and defense agreements. MacKay noted the “volatility” that has come with the Arab Spring and how this made the region more challenging for Israeli…
Barak orders strike on Gaza during ‘Charlie Rose’– and checks what looks like a Rolex
Mondoweiss – Ehud Barak on Charlie Rose Tuesday night Check out the video of Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Charlie Rose Tuesday night. At 20:00 or so, he says that he has ordered a missile attack on Gaza because of an attack on Israel: “Today a…
Egypt, Syria, and the dynamics of counter-revolution
Mondoweiss – As elections near in Egypt, the American-Gulf-Israeli counter-revolution gathers strength across the Mediterranean and the Middle East: overwhelming Libya, threatening to beat back the Bahraini upsurge, and vying for power in Egypt, as right wing parties prepare to take power in the face of the irrepressible…
Lauren Pierce needs a history lesson
Mondoweiss – I was checking out Lauren Pierce’s tweets and was aghast at her musings about Tel Aviv: The Jewish people broke ground on Tel Aviv even before WW1 even. “Occupy Palestinian City” rightttttt Guess that’s what happens when you get your history from StandWithUs. I recalled a…
Remi Kanazi – This poem will not end apartheid
Mondoweiss –
France chides Israeli ambassador following consul injury in Gaza attack
Mondoweiss – Gazans survey damage from Israeli attack on November 14, 2011 (Photo: Reuters /Ibraheem Abu Mustafa) Well, it’s a relief to hear some countries make efforts to support their citizens when Israel attacks. Reuters The French consul, his wife and 13-year-old daughter were hit by shrapnel at…
Target of Sabotage Attack Against Iran Were Sajjil-Ghadr F Advanced Missile Prototypes
Tikun Olam – Earlier version of Sajjil missile Alex Fishman, reporting in today’s Yediot, writes that according to U.S. intelligence, the target of attack at the Iranian Revolutionary Guard missile base was the nation’s most advanced missile prototypes the Sajjil and Ghadr F . I’d been reporting that the missile…
Alex Fishman: U.S. Sees in Ahmadinejad Possible Partner for Nuclear Deal, If Not…Expect War in 2012
Tikun Olam – Today, there are two interesting reports with divergent points of view about U.S. strategy toward Iran. But each is worth noting. First, readers will know the respect in which I hold Alex Fishman, the military correspondent of Yediot. He was the only mainstream journalist willing to…
Resolution adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors on Iran’s nuclear activities
Voltaire Network 18 Nov 2011 – Vienna, Austria 18 November 2011 The Board of Governors, (a) Noting the Director General’s November 8 report (GOV/2011/65) entitled “Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and Relevant Provisions of Security Council Resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran”; (b) Recalling the Board’s previous request in GOV/2009/82…
US plot to wage Syria war revealed
Voltaire Network 18 Nov 2011 – Informed sources in Syria say they have discovered a pre-fabricated US scenario for the country’s future, seeking to wage war against the nation from various fronts, Press TV reports. The sources said the US strategy includes attacks on Syrian diplomatic missions abroad. According to the American…
War clouds amassing over Iran
Voltaire Network 18 Nov 2011 – Washington is heading to open confrontation with Iran at the behest of Israel, indicates Wayne Madsen, who also explores how the Israeli lobby through its tentacular penetration of key power centers is attempting to stop any opposition to the strike. The silver lining is that threatened…
Uri Avnery between US international dictatorship and Israel’s extra judicial killings
Voltaire Network 18 Nov 2011 – Israeli journalist and politician Uri Avnery defines himself as a “post-Zionist.” He is the founder of the Peace Bloc (Gush Shalom) and an advocate for the “two-state solution.” In a lengthy op-ed, widely echoed by the world left-wing media, he came out in favor of NATO’s…
Kenya: Israel Predicts Booming Agriculture for Nation
allAfrica.com 18 Nov 2011 – Netanyahu’s government has pledged to support Kenya in irrigating its arid areas starting with 10,000 hectares in Turkana to be inaugurated by the Israeli Prime Minister
Kenya: Raila Bumps Into Museveni in Israel
allAfrica.com 18 Nov 2011 – Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Uganda President Yoweri Museveni were surprised to bump into each other in Jerusalem last week. The two had visited Israel at the same time but are said to have been unaware of each other’s presence. It took the Israeli ambassador to…
Nigeria: Peace, Security Will Be Our Prayer Point in Israel – Pilgrims
allAfrica.com 17 Nov 2011 – Pilgrims from Borno have promised to dedicate the period of their pilgrimage to Israel to pray for peace and security in the state and the country in general.
East Africa: Kenya’s Dangerous Alliance With Israel
allAfrica.com 16 Nov 2011 – Kenya’s not doing much to help itself. It’s Somali adventure is stuck in the mud, tensions are increasing at home and now the country has gone and made its biggest foreign policy blunder to date – allying with Israel, a move that will only make Somalis…
Support RCF, and Double Your Gift!
Rachel Corrie Foundation 17 Nov 2011 – The Rachel Corrie Foundation has felt the impact of the economic crisis. While we steadfastly continue our work on exciting projects like Olympia’s first Arab Fest, a student pen pal project in Gaza, and support for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) efforts locally and beyond, we…
Palestinian Freedom Riders Challenge Israeli Segregation of West Bank Transportation
Palestine Solidarity Project 17 Nov 2011 – On November 15th, 2011, six Palestinian activists were arrested for boarding Israeli settlement buses in the West Bank district of Ramallah. The activists, calling themselves the Freedom Riders, drew inspiration from the 1961 Freedom Rides in the United States, in which young black and white civil…
UNESCO distances itself from Israeli government youth conference
Global BDS 18 Nov 2011 – The Palestinian BDS National Committee ( BNC ), the largest coalition in Palestinian civil society struggling to uphold Palestinian rights, recently discovered that the Israeli Ministry of Education was claiming to be organizing a youth conference in Jerusalem “in cooperation with UNESCO (United Nations),” as the Ministry’s website claims . Specifically,…
Anti-military rally held in Cairo
BBC 18 Nov 2011 – Tens of thousands of Egyptians rally in the centre of Cairo to protest against constitutional changes proposed by Egypt’s military rulers.
UN ‘concern’ at Iran nuclear plan
BBC 18 Nov 2011 – The UN’s nuclear watchdog expresses “deep and increasing concern” over Iran’s nuclear plans, but stops short of referring Tehran to the Security Council.
Syria ‘to accept’ League mission
BBC 18 Nov 2011 – Syria conditionally accepts an Arab League mission to observe the implementation of peace proposals aimed at ending violence, a Damascus source tells the BBC.
Syria profile
BBC 16 Nov 2011 – Provides an overview of Syria, including key events and facts about this influential Middle Eastern country.
Iran-Israel: No to the war threats from the State of Israel [fr, ca, it]
A-infos 18 Nov 2011 – The wardrums are sounding again in the Middle East. We are witnessing a concerted offensive against Iranby Israel, the United States, France and the United Kingdom. It began several weeks ago in Israel, arising out of a public debate on the need to attack Iran before…
France, Motion anti patriarchy – for the Coordination of anarchist groups – adopted November 11, 2011 [machine translation]
A-infos 18 Nov 2011 – The CGA because it intends to fight against all domination is defined as against the system of male dominance and is anti-patriarchal. —— The construction of gendered society —— Gender is, for us, a hierarchical social construction, based on a sharing built on the premise of…
Articles
Imneizil demolitions: ‘Hanging between the ground and the sky’
Jenna Bereld, International Solidarity Movement 11/19/2011
The solar panels in the village of Imneizil, near Hebron, became effective almost two years ago, improved the living conditions for about four hundred inhabitants in the village, but recently residents learned that the Israeli army issued a demolition order for the solar power installations.
“When the electricity came, we could have light at night. So right now, we could sit with our friends in the night, and we can see each other,” said 25-year-old Nihad who has seen her life change since electricity become available in Imneizil. She talks about how the school now has access to computers and printers, and how radio and TV have connected the village to the rest of the world. Now they have washing machines, and refrigerators that make it possible to store food.
Nihad gives her 3-year-old son a hug and states that she also has a four-months’ baby at home.
”Earlier, women used to go to Yatta to have an ultrasound. It is far away and it costs a lot of money to go there. Now, those who are pregnant can have ultrasound here at the clinic.”
Before the installation of solar panels, the village had no electricity, and the evenings were sparsely lit by dangerous kerosene lamps and candles. A few households had access to diesel generators that were used at parties and weddings.
The solar cells that have been installed cannot satisfy the village’s full electricity needs, but it is sufficient for moderate household consumption, and the needs of the school, health clinic, and common water pump. During the day people are trying to limit their consumption for the school to have enough electricity. — See also: Threatening the light of the village – Click here for more images and Destroying Palestinian Solar Plant more.. e-mail
Message from Cape Town: Israel applies apartheid to Palestinians
Frank Barat and Victor Kattan, Ma’an News Agency 11/18/2011
The Russell Tribunal on Palestine, an international citizen-based tribunal of conscience, has found that “Israel subjects the Palestinian people to an institutionalized regime of domination amounting to apartheid as defined under international law.”
The Tribunal met in November at the District Six Museum in Cape Town, which commemorates the destruction and forced relocation of Cape Town’s multi-cultural District Six community by the apartheid government.
The convening of the tribunal in a country where apartheid was established and dismantled is significant. There is already a feeling in South Africa that Israel’s discrimination against the Palestinian people amounts to apartheid.
As Nelson Mandela once said: “We cannot feel free until the Palestinians are free.”
The jury included concentration camp survivor Stephane Hessel, and member of the African National Congress Ronnie Kasrils, as well as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, former US Congresswoman and Pulitzer prize-winning author.
They called 25 expert witnesses to present testimony, including people who experienced apartheid in South Africa, and others who live in Israel and Palestine.
Many had traveled to South Africa from all over the world, including Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, although Israel prevented some Palestinian witnesses from traveling.
The Israeli government was invited to present its case before the tribunal but it chose not to exercise this right and provided no answer to correspondence from the tribunal. more.. e-mail
Is Israel preparing an assault against Iran?
Neve Gordon, Al Jazeera.com 11/18/2011
The IAEA report on Iran’s alleged nuclear programme was surrounded by a media frenzy in Israel supporting an attack.
Skimming the newspapers as I rushed to get my children ready for school, I suddenly understood that Israel might actually be preparing for a military attack against Iran. “[United States Secretary of Defence Leon] Panetta Demanded Commitment to Coordinate Action in Iran” read one headline, and “A Bomb at Arm’s Length” read another.
Feeding this hype were a series of military events that had been planned months in advance yet mysteriously coincided with the publication of the International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran’s efforts to produce a nuclear bomb. For four days straight all of the major television channels repeatedly showed images of Israel preparing for war.
It began with a report on Israel’s testing of a long-range ballistic missile, which emphasised the missile’s capacity to carry nuclear warheads. This was followed by interviews with pilots who were part of a comprehensive Israeli Air Force drill on long-range attacks carried out at an Italian NATO air base. Archival images of a missile being launched from an Israeli submarine were also shown. Ha’aretz readers were told that the submarine was important because it would enable Israel to carry out a second strike in case of a nuclear war.
These images of offensive arrangements were followed by images of Israel’s defence preparations. On November 3rd, the three major news channels dedicated several minutes of air time to covering a drill simulating an attack on central Israel; these clips showed people being carried on stretchers and soldiers treating casualties who had been hit by chemical weapons. A day later, Ha’aretz reported that the military preparations against Iran had indeed been upgraded. more.. e-mail
Israel shuts down Palestinian groups in Jerusalem
Electronic Intifada: 18 Nov 2011 – The Electronic Intifada The recent forced closures of Palestinian nonprofit organizations in Jerusalem is an example of the Israeli authorities’ continued attacks on the city’s Palestinian identity and their attempts to maintain control over occupied East Jerusalem, according to local human rights groups.more
Interview: Why is concert promoter suing Lebanon boycott activists?
Electronic Intifada: 18 Nov 2011 – Maureen Clare Murphy The Electronic Intifada Lebanese concert promoter Jihad el-Murr has filed a lawsuit against four groups over a boycott campaign they organized against the band Placebo in June 2010.more
Seething Anger: Euro-US Cold Winter
Palestine Chronicle: 18 Nov 2011 – By Eric Walberg – Cairo As protesters fed up with the increasing injustices of the global economic system get chucked out of their latter-day Hoovervilles, Euro-American elites might consider when their turn will come. For the financial crisis facing Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain and who-knows-where next is really about who pays for the past three decades of largesse. The popular perception is that the ordinary people have been living “beyond their means”, a false and invidious conventional wisdom which masks the real nature of the crisis. For it is the elites across Europe and the Americas who have benefited most from the European Union, built on Reaganite neoliberalism, which in turn was fashioned to meet the needs of business. The neoliberal policies of all Western governments, “left” or “right” during the past three decades are the direct cause of the current highly skewed income distribution – by some accounts, worse…more
Turkey’s Syrian Ambit: New War in the Making
Palestine Chronicle: 18 Nov 2011 – By Jeremy Salt – Ankara Possibly for the first time in the life of the Turkish republic, a Turkish government has adopted a policy of open, unprovoked confrontation with a neighboring country. The citizens of that country, Syria, are flabbergasted. Turkey spent years repairing relations with neighbors under the banners of soft power, strength in depth and ‘zero problems’. At every level, the outcome was very positive. Some months ago, however, under the impact of the so-called ‘Arab spring’, that policy was abandoned virtually overnight. It has been replaced by threats, belligerence and support for an armed group seeking the overthrow of a government with which Turkey had friendly relations until very recently. While calling on the Syrian government to ‘end the violence’, the Turkish Prime Minister and his Foreign Minister make no mention of the violence for which the Syrian government is not responsible. Armed gangs – some apparently…more
Is Israel Preparing an Assault against Iran?
Palestine Chronicle: 18 Nov 2011 – By Neve Gordon Skimming the newspapers as I rushed to get my children ready for school, I suddenly understood that Israel might actually be preparing for a military attack against Iran. “[United States Secretary of Defence Leon] Panetta Demanded Commitment to Coordinate Action in Iran” read one headline, and “A Bomb at Arm’s Length” read another. Feeding this hype were a series of military events that had been planned months in advance yet mysteriously coincided with the publication of the International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran’s efforts to produce a nuclear bomb. For four days straight all of the major television channels repeatedly showed images of Israel preparing for war. It began with a report on Israel’s testing of a long-range ballistic missile, which emphasised the missile’s capacity to carry nuclear warheads. This was followed by interviews with pilots who were part of a comprehensive Israeli Air Force drill…more
Weimar Revisited: Israel’s Anti-Democracy Campaign
Palestine Chronicle: 18 Nov 2011 – By Uri Avnery ‘You and your Weimar!’ a friend of mine once exclaimed in exasperation, ‘just because you experienced the collapse of the Weimar Republic as a child, you see Weimar behind every corner.’ The accusation was not unjustified. In 1960, during the Eichmann trial, I wrote a book about the fall of the German Republic. Its last chapter was called: “It can happen here” Since then I have come back to this warning time and again. But now I am not alone anymore. During the last few weeks, the word Weimar has popped up in the articles of many commentators. It should be sprayed in huge letters on the walls. Israeli democracy is under siege. No one can ignore this anymore. It is the main topic in the Knesset, which is leading the attack, and the media, who are among the victims. This does not happen in the occupied…more
Liars as Friends
Dissident Voice: 18 Nov 2011 – Not that you lied to me but that I no longer believe you has shaken me. – Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil “This morning we reminded the Israeli ambassador how much we deplore the consequences of this raid for the head of our consulate and his family,” French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said. Immediately a pretext was added: “While we recognize Israel’s need to ensure its security, …” Why is it that the security of the perpetrator of violence is emphasized but the victim of the violence’s security is not mentioned? Why is the violence deplored when one’s own group members die at the hands of violence but so little is said when out-group victims die? Many would call this racism. Gaza is under a siege that is illegal and immoral. It is immoral because of the principle which holds that any actions against an enemy must be…more
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The New Dark Age 