7 December 2011 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israeli troops break into the house of IMEMC’s board member
IMEMC – Israeli soldiers broke into the house of Saher Al-Sous, in Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem. Al-Sous is a member of the board of the Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between People, the founding organization of the International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC). …
Former Israeli President Starts A 7-Year Prison Term
IMEMC – Former Israeli Prime Minister, Moshe Katsav, started Wednesday a 7-year prison term for two counts of rape, and several other sexual offenses. …
Settlers Burn Entrance To Mosque Near Salfit
IMEMC – On Wednesday at dawn, Israeli settlers set fire to the main entrance of the Broqeen Mosque, and a number of Palestinian cars parked nearby, at a village near the West Bank city of Salfit. …
Palestinian Authority: Bid for statehood is continuing
IMEMC – Representatives of the Palestinian Authority have announced that they will continue with their attempt to achieve recognition as a state by the United Nations, despite the Security Council’s inability to reach a consensus on Palestinian statehood last month. …
Troops Demolish Another Home In East Jerusalem
IMEMC – Palestinian sources reported that Israeli soldiers demolished, on Tuesday morning, a Palestinian home in the Al Khalayla neighborhood, north of occupied East Jerusalem. The home was the third to be demolished in just 24 hours. …
Fighter Killed In Israeli Strike In Gaza
IMEMC – The Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, reported that one of its fighters was killed on Tuesday evening, when the Israeli army shelled fighters who had clashed with Israeli soldiers, who had invaded an area to the east of Gaza City; several of the fighters were injured. …
Settler Sentenced To Three Months Public Service For Repeatedly Ramming Palestinian
IMEMC – The Israeli District Court in Jerusalem sentenced a settler, who rammed and repeatedly drove over a wounded Palestinian with his car, to three months “Public Service”. …
Mayor: Settlers torch West Bank mosque
12/7/2011 – SALFIT (Ma’an) — A mosque was set on fire on Wednesday by settlers in the West Bank village of Bruqin, near Salfit, local officials said. The governor of Salfit Isam Abu Bakr told Ma’an that at 2. 00 a. m. a number of settlers sprayed racist anti-Arab slogans on the mosque walls…. Related: Gas canister lands at mosque amid clashes near Hebron
Islamic Jihad fighter killed in Israeli raid on Gaza
12/7/2011 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – An Islamic Jihad fighter was killed and five others injured early Wednesday in an Israeli bombing raid on the Gaza Strip, medics said. Ismail al-Areer, a 22-year-old member of Islamic Jihad’s military wing the al-Quds Brigades, was killed in an airstrike on a home east of Shujaiyeh….
Israel finishes barrier construction in Jerusalem
12/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces will finish this week building a barrier around Shufat refugee camp in north Jerusalem, Israel’s Maariv daily reported Wednesday. The 45,000-person camp will become isolated from the city and residents will only be able to enter through a new checkpoint. Maariv reported that Israeli police were….
Israeli forces detain 21 in West Bank raids
12/7/2011 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained 21 people in home raids across the West Bank early Wednesday, witnesses and the army said. An Israeli military spokesman said 21 “wanted Palestinians” were detained and taken for questioning by security forces. Eight people were detained from Nablus. Locals told Ma’an that troops ransacked many….
Rights group condemns deportation of Palestinian MP
12/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Center for Human Rights on Wednesday condemned Israel’s forcible deportation of Ahmed Attoun, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, from Jerusalem to Ramallah. Attoun’s deportation a day earlier amounts to forcible displacement, the group said. The center said the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the…. Related: Erekat condemns deportation of Palestinian MP and Palestinians denounce Israeli decision to expel MP
NGO: Israel army fails Palestinian complainants
12/7/2011 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — The Israeli army’s inquiries into Palestinian complaints against its soldiers are frequently flawed and less than four percent result in an indictment, an Israeli rights group said on Wednesday. In a report entitled “Alleged Investigation,” Yesh Din said more than a third of the 3,150 complaints against Israeli troops filed between….
Gas canister lands at mosque amid clashes near Hebron
12/7/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces fired tear gas Wednesday afternoon near a mosque in Dura, near Hebron, locals said, after a clash erupted with stone-throwers earlier in the day. Part of the gas canister burned carpets inside, preventing prayer. Soldiers had taken over a still under contruction home in the same area hours earlier…. Related: Mayor: Settlers torch West Bank mosque
Report: Forced confession leads to acquittal
12/7/2011 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — An Israeli military court has acquitted a Palestinian defendant after it was found that he and his family suffered abuse and threats to secure a false confession, reports said Wednesday. Israel’s Haaretz daily reported that the Palestinian man was subjected to “physical and psychological abuse and threats….
Wary US uncertain of Israel’s Iran plans
12/7/2011 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The Obama administration does not know Israel’s intentions regarding potential military action against Iran, and the uncertainty is stoking concern in Washington, where the preferred course for now is sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Although Israel remains one of the United States’ closest allies and the two countries’ officials are….
South Africa official says support for Palestine firm
12/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — South Africa’s deputy minister of international relations and cooperation, Ebrahim Ebrahim, stressed Wednesday his country’s unchanging position in support of the Palestinian cause. South Africa stands beside the Palestinian people until they accomplish all their goals and aspirations, Ebrahim said during a meeting with a Palestinian delegation….
Report: Hamas seeks ‘soft exit’ from Syria
12/7/2011 – NEW YORK (Ma’an) — Hamas has ordered the departure of nearly all its staff at its Damascus headquarters by next week following pressure from Turkey and Qatar, a US newspaper reported Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal quoted a Hamas official saying the two regional US allies were trying to isolate Syrian President Bashar Assad….
Fatah: No elections until unity government formed
12/7/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad said Wednesday that a unity government must be formed before elections can be held. During a meeting in Cairo on Nov. 24, Fatah leader and President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Khalid Mashaal approved a two-page document saying they would establish a joint government after elections….
Erekat condemns deportation of Palestinian MP
12/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A top PLO official strongly condemned Israel’s deportation Tuesday of Ahmad Attoun, member of the Palestinian parliament and resident of occupied East Jerusalem.” This deportation order is an assault against democracy and an objectionable attempt to intervene in domestic Palestinian politics,” Erekat said Wednesday, in a statement. He called…. Related: Rights group condemns deportation of Palestinian MP
US candidates back Israel, threaten Iran
12/7/2011 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Republican presidential candidates rattled sabers against Iran and skewered President Barack Obama for being soft in his support for Israel on Wednesday as they vied for the backing of Jewish Republicans. One by one, the major contenders for the Republican nomination to face the Democratic president in 2012 told the Republican Jewish Coalition….
Palestinian journalist takes prize at Jordan investigative awards
12/7/2011 – AMMAN, Jordan (Ma’an) — The fourth annual conference for Arab Investigative Journalists concluded Sunday with an “Arab Spring Awards” ceremony in Amman, where Palestine took a television award. Some 250 journalists participated in the three-day conference, organized by Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, to foster freedom of information and in-depth reporting in the Arab….
Man found dead near Hebron
12/7/2011 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Police on Wednesday found the body of a 23-year-old man riddled with bullets in Yatta near Hebron in the southern West Bank. The body of Yousef Issa Mohammad Awad was taken to a government hospital in Hebron, Red Crescent medical official Nasser Qabaja told Ma’an. Hebron police chief….
PA: Malaysia donates $100,000 to UNRWA
12/7/2011 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Malaysian government has donated about $100,000 to the UN agency for Palestine refugees, a report in official Palestinian Authority media said Wednesday. Wafa reported that the Malaysian foreign ministry described the contribution to UNRWA as indicative of Malaysia’s support of the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to….
Israeli former president begins jail term for rape
12/7/2011 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav began serving a seven-year prison term for rape on Wednesday, professing his innocence and saying he was being “buried alive.” The case has captivated the country for more than five years and marked the first time a former Israeli head of state has been jailed. Officials say it….
Syria’s Assad denies orders to kill demonstrators
12/7/2011 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad denied ordering the killing of thousands of protesters and said “only a crazy person” would target his own people, in a rare US interview released Wednesday. Speaking to ABC News, Assad brushed off widening international sanctions and questioned the UN death toll of more than 4,000 since the eruption….
Revolutionary dreams turn into economic nightmare
12/7/2011 – CAIRO (IRIN) — Thunderous chanting by thousands of demonstrators in Tahrir Square echoed on Falaky Street, hundreds of meters away, but fava bean seller Ashraf Ibrahim could find no reason to join in the revolutionary fervour.”The revolution has brought people like me nothing but loss and poverty,” Ibrahim, 36, told IRIN.”I wish it had….
US ‘repeatedly’ shipped weapons to Egyptian forces
12/7/2011 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Amnesty International says the United States has repeatedly transferred ammunition to Egypt despite its security forces’ violent crackdown on protesters since January. A shipment for the Egyptian Ministry of Interior arrived from the US on Nov. 26 carrying at least seven tons of “ammunition smoke” – which includes chemical irritants and….
Egypt’s Islamists claim most seats in run-off vote
12/7/2011 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood said on Wednesday it won most seats in a first-round parliamentary vote, with early tallies suggesting liberals had backed some of its candidates to block hardline Salafis. The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, which has promised to work with a broad coalition in the new assembly….
Deadly Israeli airstrike hits Gaza
AlJazeera 6 Dec 2011 – Medical sources say one fighter is killed and at least two are injured in the attack in northern Gaza Strip.
Popular Committees to Push UNRWA to Rebuild Demolished Houses in Gaza
PNN – PNNOn Monday, representatives of the popular committees in Gaza’s eight refugee camps agreed to push UNRWA to fulfill prior commitments to rebuild homes it had demolished for safety reasons. Several years ago,…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
PCHR Condemns Deportation of PLC Member Ahmed Attoun to Ramallah
Palestinian Center for Human Rights Wednesday, 07 December 2011
IOF Conduct Wave of Arrests against Leaders and Members of Hamas and PFLP in the West Bank
Palestinian Center for Human Rights Wednesday, 07 December 2011
International Solidarity Movement
Israeli forces enter Ni’lin with tear gas and ammunition
12/7/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – By Jenna Bereld, 3 December 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – After Friday’s peaceful demonstration in Ni’lin on 2 December, the Israeli military occupation forces entered the village and started following some of the demonstrators. When they caught up, they started to fire rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition. It’….
Jordan Valley: threat of imminent demolition hangs over the village of Al Hadidiya
12/7/2011 – International Solidarity Movement – By Ben Lorber, 7 December 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – Before the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Al Hadidiya, near the Jordan Valley villages of Tubas and Jiftlik, was inhabited by over 100 families. Today, only 14 families remain. Since 1967, the village has been demolished four times, and over 3000 dunums of….
Alternative Information Center
IN PHOTOS: Jenin refugee camp and Freedom Theater
Alternative Information Center – At first glance, Jenin’s refugee camp seems different from other West Bank refugee camps. The streets are wider, the houses newer, the design of the camp is neater. The scenes of destruction from 2002—when the Israeli…
Living under threat of demolition in the Jordan Valley
Alternative Information Center – The threat of imminent demolition hangs over the Palestinian village of Al-Hadidiya in the Jordan Valley
Palestinian farmers disappointed with olive harvest
Alternative Information Center – Palestinian farmers had a disappointing olive harvest this year, their trees yielding only two-thirds of last year’s harvest. The Alternative Information Center explores the reasons behind the decrease
Economic separation under Israeli control
Alternative Information Center – Shir Hever, author of The Political Economy of Israel’s Occupation , examines Israeli policies towards the Palestinians through an economic lens, arguing that separation is a poor economic option for all parties involved
World: Review of the 2011 Commission’s work programme implementation and presentation of Commission work programme’s priorities for 2012 in the area of humanitarian aid
Relief Web 7 Dec 2011 – Source: European Commission Humanitarian Aid department Country: World , Democratic Republic of the Congo (the) , Djibouti , Ethiopia , Kenya , occupied Palestinian territory , Somalia , Sudan (the) Exchange of views with the Development committee of the European Parliament: Brussels, 5 December 2011 Madame la…
UN asks Iraq to extend dissident camp date
The National 7 Dec 2011 – Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, also renewed appeals to the international community to find a home for the 3,400 Iranian exiles at Camp Ashraf.
Israeli ‘homecoming’ campaign draws fire in US
The National 7 Dec 2011 – Videos aimed to persuade expatriate Israelis to return home but were seen as ‘deeply insulting’ and were pulled by the immigration ministry.
Yemen’s new government takes shape
The National 7 Dec 2011 – Yemen’s new prime minister said he was set to announce the country’s unity government, with the new cabinet split between government loyalists and the opposition.
Israeli court releases ‘tortured’ Palestinain
The National 7 Dec 2011 – In a rare ruling, an Israeli military court has acquitted a Palestinian man because interrogators were found to have brutally forced his guilty confession.
I don’t own the army, says Bashar Al Assad
The National 7 Dec 2011 – Syria’s President Bashar Al Assad has denied responsibility for the deaths of thousands of his people in a popular uprising against his regime, distancing himself from the actions of his armed forces.
From Jordan’s ruler to pro-reform protesters, the door is always open at Hashem
The National 7 Dec 2011 – Amman’s popular restaurant has been going strong since 1956 and has fed practically everyone.
Egyptian caretaker PM wants support as new cabinet forms
The National 7 Dec 2011 – Party cooperation is vital to solve social and economic issues.
US tight-lipped on Beast of Kandahar ‘shot down deep inside’ Iran
The National 7 Dec 2011 – A US drone was flying deep inside Iranian airspace when it was brought down by the country’s armed forces, state media report.
Hamas demands Palestinian elections be held in East Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – Israel expected to object to May presidential, parliamentary elections taking place in East Jerusalem; Senior Palestinian source accuses Hamas of trying to torpedo election.
U.S. Presidential candidates slam Obama’s Israel, Iran policy at Republican Jewish Coalition
Ha’aretz – GOP Presidential hopefuls accuse Obama administration of being soft on Iran and hard on Israel; Gingrich, Bachmann say would move U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Israel’s High Court to hear petition against segregation at ultra-Orthodox girls’ schools
Ha’aretz – Petition submitted by Noar Kahalacha organization and social activist Yoav Laloum, who headed the fight against ethnic segregation at the Beit Yaakov girls school in the West Bank settlement Immanuel in 2008.
Sarkozy says anger with Netanyahu caused by France’s exclusion from Shalit release
Ha’aretz – French President explains events leading up to his ‘Netanyahu is a liar’ remark, says he was frustrated by Israel’s refusal to use French helicopter to transport Shalit from Egypt to Israel.
East Jerusalem hospital cut off from all communication due to technicians’ fears to visit area
Ha’aretz – Al-Quds maternity hospital in Kafr Akeb is an Israeli hospital under Health Ministry supervision; technicians will not visit hospital to fix phone line, internet service, outside separation fence, without security escort.
Lieberman: Russia elections were fair and democratic
Ha’aretz – Foreign Minister meets with Putin in Moscow, discusses Mideast security matters and urges him not to support unilateral steps by Palestinians at UN.
Netanyahu shelves cabinet discussion on bill to limit foreign funding to NGOs
Ha’aretz – Sources in prime minister’s office say Netanyahu wants to mull over the proposal after Attorney General said he could not defend the bill in High Court; Britain says bill would undermine Israel’s democracy.
Netanyahu set to present plan to tackle illegal immigration from Africa
Ha’aretz – According to the plan, the fence along the Egyptian border will be completed within a year and a new detention center will be built.
Turkey imposes 30 percent tax on Syrian imports
Ha’aretz – Move follows Syria’s decision to cancel a 2004 free trade agreement with Ankara as relations between two countries continue to deteriorate.
Egypt’s belly dancers defy specter of post-election Islamist clampdown
Ha’aretz – The Islamists have made big gains in the first round of Egypt’s parliamentary elections, triggering fears that they will restrict freedoms and entertainment.
Iran blocks U.S. ‘virtual embassy’ site a day after its launch
Ha’aretz – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says websites were an attempt to make up for the loss of dialogue between Americans and Iranians since the closure of the physical embassy in Tehran; White House condemns the move.
West Bank mosque set alight in suspected ‘price tag’ attack
Ha’aretz – Mayor of Burkina village says flaming tires thrown into mosque’s entrance, with assailants scrawling the words ‘Hero of Ariel’ on its walls.
Obama administration in the dark on Israel’s Iran plans, U.S. officials say
Ha’aretz – Senators John McCain and Carl Levin say uncertainty stokes concern in Washington, where preferred course for now is sanctions and diplomatic pressure.
High Court demands state clarify why yeshiva students get stipends not given to university students
Ha’aretz – Petitioners believe new agreement approved by government discriminates against university in favor of yeshiva students.
Sexual assault trial of noted rabbi Moti Elon begins in Jerusualem
Ha’aretz – Elon, one of the most prominent rabbis in the religious Zionist community, is accused of assaulting one of his students and another youth.
Mysterious Jerusalem carvings leaves Israeli archaeologists baffled
Ha’aretz – Three ‘V’ shapes carved into ancient bedrock uncovered in City of David dig, a politically sensitive excavation conducted by Israeli government.
Israeli study shows ‘hot hands’ fail in basketball
Ha’aretz – Israeli study shows basketball players are less likely to score from the three-point line immediately following a successful attempt; study focuses on studying NBA, including Kobe Bryant, and WMBA.
Former President Katsav enters Israel prison, begins 7-year term
Ha’aretz – Addressing the media outside his Kiryat Malakhi home, Katsav accuses court of wrongly convicting him, saying: Today an innocent man is executed in Israel.
Israel police arrest 70 suspects in large-scale police drug, arms bust
Ha’aretz – Months-long undercover operation led to arrests on suspicion of drug-dealing, extortion, arms trade and other charges; detainees include released prisoners, a minor and three women.
Katsav ahead of prison sentence: Today Israel is executing an innocent man
Ha’aretz – Former President struggles to speak as mass of supporters blocks vicinity of Kiryat Malakhi home; Katsav: Foundation of my acquittal awaits in my appeal papers.
LIVE BLOG: Former Israeli President Katsav enters prison
Ha’aretz – A minute-by-minute update brought to you by Haaretz.com, as Katsav begins a seven-year jail term for two counts of rape and other sexual offenses.
Former IDF chief candidate denies vow to support Barak on Iran strike
Ha’aretz – In meeting with State Comptroller, Maj. Gen. (res.) responds to claims that the Defense Minister backed his candidacy over his views on a possible military actions against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
U.S. shouldn’t ‘zero-out’ Israel defense aid
Ha’aretz – Anyone who has a clue about our relationship with Israel understands that a robust, wide-ranging foreign aid program benefits U.S. interests in the region.
Adelson donates $25m. to Yad Vashem
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – American casino and hotel magnate dishes out generous donations to several Jewish causes.
Beautiful Israel council honors development towns, donors
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Philanthropists Morris Kahn and Geneva-based Phillippe Nordmann received Council for a Beautiful Israel awards at President’s residence.
Work to begin on sustainable eco-farm for Negev Beduin
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Sustainable eco-farm for in the works for four years will get under way.
Metzger, Cyprus archbishop pledge to deepen ties
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Joint declaration affirms illegitimacy of doctrine of collective Jewish guilt for death of Jesus, highlights commitment to good relations.
Supreme Court takes two years off crime boss’s sentence
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Tira-based crime boss Marwan Nasser’s sentence reduced from 15 to 13 years.
Adam Teva V’Din to host first env’mt justice conference
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – ‘We want this to become a yearly tradition,’ says Beersheba Mayor Rubik Danilovich.
Police arrest dozens in drug, weapons trafficking operation
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Agents managed to purchase machine guns, rifles, explosives, dozens of kilos of various drugs in months-long undercover operation.
Gov’t must explain continued kollel payments
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – High Court of Justice demands government explain why it continues to pay income support allotments for kollel students.
PM considering historic trip to Africa
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Despite rumors of pre-election visit by Obama, no concrete indication of any impending trip.
Katsav entering prison: ‘You’re burying a man alive’
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Former president to be under suicide watch in jail, will share a cell with ex-government minister Benizri (Shas).
‘Exclusion from Schalit deal prompted liar remark’
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Sarkozy reportedly says he was “furious” Israel refused to fly Schalit out of captivity on a French helicopter.
We need more women on negotiating teams
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Women often left to cope with aftermath of war, but routinely excluded from peacemaking.
Republicans talk tough on Iran, vie for Jewish vote
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – US presidential candidates meet Republican Jewish Coalition in Washington; Gingrich: I would move US embassy to J’lem.
A match made in heaven?
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – PM Netanyahu is in love. Not with a person or an idea, but with a party. The Republican Party.
‘Israel won’t use Schalit deal to make gesture to Abbas’
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – 550 prisoners, of Israel’s choosing, to be released in second stage of deal expected to take place December 18; gov’t officials say high-profile Fatah members won’t be released despite urging of world leaders.
Islamic ascendancy intensifies US appeasement
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Statements by Obama administration call into question US president’s “unshakable” friendship with Israel.
Revisionism, rejectionism and Arab-Israeli peace
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – The suffering of Jewish refugees from Arab countries must be acknowledged, compensated for their losses.
What are the Palestinians’ current intentions?
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – The Palestinians have embarked on a new strategy requiring them to abandon direct negotiations with Israel.
Media Comment: Journalists’ feast
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – 2011 Eilat Journalist Conference participants wear “against the silencing law” T-shirts.
PM’s illegal worker plan to face cabinet vote
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – NIS 630m. plan including border fence and detention center in South meant to stem tide of infiltrators from Africa.
Make Taiwan part of the global warning solution
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Taiwan deeply cares about global warming. But collective problems demand collective solutions.
Military censorship: The joke is on us
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – The real story is not the exchange between Barak and Gantz, but the attempt at censorship that followed.
Moti Elon arraigned in Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Leading figure of the religious-Zionist community charged with five counts of indecent assault, and indecent assault by force against two minors.
Egypt’s Christians split over Islamist gains
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Coptic community fear uncertain future with Islamist in power; many contemplate fleeing, others seek alternative solutions.
FM meets Putin in surprise meeting in Moscow
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Lieberman raises objections to Russian arms sales to Syria and Moscow’s support for PA unilateral moves.
PM postpones cabinet discussion of NGO bill
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Proposed legislation limiting foreign funding of NGOs temporarily shelved after A-G says unconstitutional; UKs Hague slams bills.
Jordan to Palestinians: Stay out of local unrest
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Faced with chronic strikes, king Abdullah appeals to Abbas, Mashaaal to keep ethnic Palestinians away from protests
‘Core workers exposed to year’s radiation in day’
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Former Sorek nuclear worker Dr. Byrne gives testimony, says state should have settled instead of going to court.
US rejects Assad’s denial of blame for crackdown
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – White House spokesman says Assad not “credible” in ABC interview in which he denied ordering protesters killed.
Court rules Yaakov ‘Jack’ Teitel fit to stand trial
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – American-born “Jewish Terrorist” indicted on 14 charges including two counts of murder and one of attempted murder
Rabbi Elon begins trial for assault against minors
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Trial of leading religious-Zionist figure begins in Jerusalem; lawyer optimistic that charges will be dropped.
Debt woes come back to haunt Dubai
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – “Total amount of debt is likely to be higher than the amount we have identified,” Moody’s manager says.
A great disservice
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – American Jews have been hurt by the removal of a controversial ad campaign targeting expats.
Healthy Eating: A thanksgiving leftover
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Find out the truth behind your favorite holiday meats, sweets and other post-thanksgiving treats.
Police investigating new West Bank mosque arson
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Perpetrators in Brukin burned tires near mosque door, sprayed Hebrew inscriptions; smashed windshields of 2 parked cars.
Portrait of an activist
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Photographer Ziv Koren went to the front lines to record humanity’s struggle against AIDS.
Assad denies responsibility in Syrian crackdown
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Syrian president tells ABC news acts of violence have been committed by individuals, not ordered by gov’t.
‘Katsav should serve as a lesson to all politicians’
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Livni: Katsav crossed a line and became a symbol for all that angers us about him; Lawyer in case says “this is no victory.”
Katsav arrives at prison to begin 7-year sentence
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Former president to be under suicide watch in jail, will share a cell with ex-government minister Benizri (Shas).
Katsav on way to jail: Israel is burying a man alive
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Former president maintain his innocence before leaving his Kiryat Malachi home to begin his 7-year sentence; “One day truth will be uncovered,” Katsav says, urging a reading of his full appeal.
Katsav ‘maintains innocence’ ahead of prison service
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – In ‘New York Times’ interview former president says Israel is becoming like Saudi Arabia: “A hug is a sex offense.”
Katsav to enter prison, begin sentence for rape conviction
Jerusalem Post 7 Dec 2011 – Former president to be watched constantly to ensure he doesn’t attempt suicide, will be housed with former Shas minister Shlomo Benizri; Katsav, who turned 65 this week, will serve seven years in prison.
National park in east Jerusalem stirs controversy
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2011 – Activists call it a “green settlement,” Jerusalem Development Authority says park is the only way to save open areas.
Nasrallah appears in public, voices support for Assad
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2011 – Rare public appearance on Shi’ite Ashura festival comes as Barak warns of arms transfers to Hezbollah.
Contador handily wins first-ever Tour de Jerusalem
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2011 – Local road rider Ran Margoliot takes second place, Israeli champion Niv Libner finishes in third.
20m. Africans to be circumcised against AIDS
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2011 – Inspired by Israeli program, men and youths will undergo the procedure as part of US, UN program.
Prizes to encourage Jewish disabled inclusion
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2011 – ADVANCE Ruderman Special Needs Funding Conference announces new global prize for including disabled individuals in the Jewish community.
Gov’t to probe Ramot Shapira for sewage dumping
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2011 – Environmental Protection Ministry opens public investigation against Ramot Shapira for allegedly dumping sewage into the public domain.
Water level drop brings garden watering ban
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2011 – The Water Authority institutes a temporary ban on irrigating public and private gardens.
Medical mediation
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2011 – When next clash between a labor union and the Treasury happens, conflict-resolution mediators should be brought in as quickly as possible.
Republican candidates appeal to pro-Israel vote at coalition forum
The Guardian 7 Dec 2011 – Candidates call for tough sanctions against Iran’s nuclear programme while bashing Obama’s Middle East foreign policy Republican presidential candidates made a prolonged pitch for the pro-Israel vote on Wednesday with calls for regime change in Iran…
Romney: Obama has hindered peace in the Middle East ‘immeasurably’
The Guardian 7 Dec 2011 – Speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition Forum, Mitt Romney blasted the president’s ‘weak’ handling of Israel Mitt Romney, a leading Republican presidential contender, has called for regime change in Iran and said that the US should…
Palestinian mission breached ASA code by wiping Israel off the map
The Guardian 7 Dec 2011 – The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has censured the Palestinian Diplomatic Mission to the UK for carrying a map on its website that described Israel as Palestine. In effect, it wiped the state of Israel off the…
Former Israel president Moshe Katsav begins jail term for rape
The Guardian 7 Dec 2011 – Politician claims Israel has ‘executed’ an innocent man after being sentenced to seven years for assaulting a former employee The former Israeli president Moshe Katsav has entered a minimum security prison to begin a seven-year sentence…
Ehud Barak visits the Golan Heights – video
The Guardian 6 Dec 2011 – Israel’s defence minister journeys to the Golan Heights during a small military exercise, and comments on the uncertain future of the Assad regime in Syria
Stepping Towards Nuclear-Free Middle East
IPS Representatives from over 65 organisations and countries convened in Amman, Jordan last week in an effort to lay the groundwork for the United Nations’ goal of creating a Middle East without nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
Arab Spring Set to Music
IPS The ability of artists to lyrically articulate the growing rage amongst disgruntled youth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has seen the emergence of politicised rap as a hidden weapon during the region’s Arab Spring.
Q&A: ICC Referral Crucial to Ending Violence in Syria
IPS “The violent crackdown against peaceful protesters and civilians in the Syrian Arab Republic has continued… since March of this year. More than 4,000 people have reportedly been killed. Tens of thousands have been arrested.”
BOOKS-US: Deconstructing Thomas Friedman
IPS A new book on the influential New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman sets out to debunk his hawkish, neoliberal views, accusing him of overt racism, factual errors and skewed judgments on issues ranging from the U.S. invasion of Iraq to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Fighter Killed In Israeli Strike In Gaza
Uruknet December 7, 2011 – The Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, reported that one of its fighters was killed on Tuesday evening, when the Israeli army shelled fighters who had clashed with Israeli soldiers, who had invaded an area to the east of Gaza City; several of the fighters were injured. The…
Fact sheet: Israel’s tightening control over Jerusalem
Uruknet December 7, 2011 – Jerusalem was to be an international city under the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan and it was not included as a part of either the proposed Jewish or Arab states. The international status of Jerusalem was reinforced by General Assembly resolution 194 of 1948. So far, most countries of the world have…
Libyans Protest Against Former Rebels
Uruknet December 7, 2011 – Hundreds of Libyans gathered in the capital, Tripoli, Wednesday to protest against former rebel fighters who took part in the ouster of former leader Moammar Gadhafi months ago but are still camping out in the capital. The protesters waved Libyan flags and chanted “We want safety, not weapons.” They said they want…
After drone was lost, CIA tried a head fake
Uruknet December 7, 2011- In sports they call it a head fake, leaning in one direction to throw a defender off-balance before heading in another. The CIA and Pentagon appear to have employed a variation of that move on Sunday, obscuring the agency’s role in operating a stealth drone that was downed in Iran. Hours after Iranian…
Mayor: Settlers torch West Bank mosque
Uruknet December 7, 2011 — A mosque was set on fire on Wednesday by settlers in the West Bank village of Bruqin, near Salfit, local officials said. The governor of Salfit Isam Abu Bakr told Ma’an that at 2.00 a.m. a number of settlers sprayed racist anti-Arab slogans on the mosque walls and torched a car belonging…
Hamas Should Watch its Step
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – …While there is ample criticism of the performance of both sides, Hamas right now seems to be pushing its luck with its people. Having been isolated for so long in the Gaza Strip, it either has developed a false sense of popularity where it thinks whatever it does will be accepted by…
Towards a True Paradigm Shift in Palestine
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – The Palestinian Uprising or Intifada of 1987 remains the single most significant triumph of popular mobilization in Palestinian history. The First Intifada, as it is commonly known, had, once and for all, placed the Palestinian people as a collective on the political map of a region that previously had room only for…
Syria News – December 6, 2011 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – The number of martyrs today has risen to 33 so far, with 30 martyrs in Homs, among them one child, and one martyr each in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo. …Number of martyrs in Syria by security and army shooting during Monday and Tuesday reached 65, including 5 childred, 53 of them are…
Interview: Ilan Pappe’ Unequal under the law
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – …MY BOOK The Forgotten Palestinians: A History of the Palestinians in Israel examines this at length, but there are three levels of discrimination. First, there’s the legal level. And in Israel, this is carried out by separating the community into two kinds—those who serve in the army and those who don’t serve…
Child dragged out of his house by his throat as Israel demolishes homes near Qalqiliya
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – On Monday the 5th of December, in the Azzun district of Qalqiliya, a stone factory was destroyed at 6:00 am. The owner, Hussain Anam, explained to us that the factory was built 3 years ago, but his only demolition notice was when the bulldozer came this morning. The demolition order stated that…
Israeli Government To Relocate 2,300 Bedouin In Order To Expand Settlement
Uruknet December 06, 2011 – Israeli officials have announced a plan to displace twenty Bedouin Arab communities from their homes in the West Bank between Jerusalem and Jericho, and move the residents to a site along the Jerusalem municipal garbage dump. The forced displacement of the 2,300 residents is scheduled to begin next month. It is part…
New Report on Israel Restricting Free Expression and Assembly
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – The Association for Civil Rights in Israel assesses Israel’s human and civil rights record annually. Its newly released 2011 report cites increasing crackdowns on basic freedoms. More on it below. Losing free expression and assembly rights threatens others. They’re basic ones Israel’s High Court affirmed. It said the “true test of freedom…
Iraq snapshot – December 6, 2011
Uruknet December 6, 2011. Chaos and violence continue, the UN Security Council discusses Camp Ashraf, Barbara Walters lands an interview with a news maker, Senators Patty Murray and Richard Burr demand an investigation into the VA wait time for mental care, and more…Today, UPI quotes the Iraqi Minorities Council’s vice chair Louis Climis explaining, “The sad fact…
Playing With Fire Obama’s Risky Oil Threat to China
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – When it comes to China policy, is the Obama administration leaping from the frying pan directly into the fire? In an attempt to turn the page on two disastrous wars in the Greater Middle East, it may have just launched a new Cold War in Asia — once again, viewing oil as…
IRAQ: Overall violence down – but attacks on minorities continue
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – While overall violence is decreasing in Iraq, the level of attacks and intimidation of religious minorities remains high, leading to increased displacement, a new report says. “There’s a feeling that Iraq is slowly moving towards increased stability, but minorities are feeling that they are excluded from public life and that the new…
Video: Libyan “rebels” execute prisoners in Sirte
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – More than 400 people were killed and thrown into sewer in Sirte . We apologize for the horrible scene, but to be honest, must be published as long as the image features as well as not to be more because the bodies were mutilated and decomposing and non-clear. DISTURBING IMAGES , WATCH THEM IF…
U.S. sends ambassador Robert Ford back to Syria after six week absence
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – The Obama administration is sending Ambassador Robert Ford back to Damascus after a six week hiatus amid concerns for his safety. The U.S. envoy to Syria was recalled in October after the State Department accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of launching a “smear campaign” against Ford… France’s ambassador to Syria, Eric Chevalier,…
New Jerusalem Park To Be Built Mainly On Arab Land
Uruknet December 06, 2011 – The so-called Regional Construction and Planning Committee at the Jerusalem Municipality prepared a plan for the construction of a new “National Park” in Al Masharef Mountain (Mount Scopus area). Rights activists in Palestine and Israel said that the plan aims at preventing the development of Al Esawiyya and At-Tour Arab neighborhoods. The…
Nasrallah slams Syrian opposition, stands by Assad
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday vowed to stand by his embattled ally President Bashar al-Assad to the end, lashing out at Syria’s opposition for cosying up with Washington and Israel. “From the very beginning, we have made it clear that we stand by the (Syrian) regime, a regime of resistance”…
UN Committee Demands Israel Stops House Demolitions Forthwith
Uruknet December 6, 2011 – The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, published its concluding observations earlier this week, calling Israel to stop forthwith house demolitions, forced eviction and residency revocation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and East Jerusalem. After considering the state report by Israel on compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social…
Ganzouri names new Egypt Cabinet with increased powers
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Egypt’s caretaker premier named a new Cabinet Wednesday with increased powers to tackle worsening crime and a sliding economy as Islamist parties made fresh gains in the country’s parliamentary election.
Assad distances himself from security forces
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Syrian President Bashar Assad denied ordering the killing of thousands of protesters and said only a crazy person would target his own people…
Administrative reform is a priority
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 President Michel Sleiman believes that each of the current political crises has a solution, from the issue of funding the STL to the crisis in the power plant in Zahrani and the Cabinet’s next session…
Sleiman: Arab Spring benefits Lebanon
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 President Michel Sleiman said Wednesday that the ongoing developments in the region will move countries in the Arab world toward a democratic political system and would serve the interests of Lebanon.
FPM should refrain from making unrealistic demands: party officials
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc’s decision to attend Wednesday’s Cabinet session came after Prime Minister Najib Mikati telephoned Aoun Tuesday evening.
Hariri: I openly and proudly support Syria’s uprising
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Wednesday that he openly and proudly supports the uprising of the Syrian people, one day after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah repeated his support for the Syrian regime.
STL not investigating false witnesses, says tribunal’s registrar on Twitter
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 The U.N.-backed court probing the 2005 assassination of statesman Rafik Hariri is not investigating false witnesses in the case…
U.S. will back Lebanese Army: Feltman
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 A senior U.S. official praised Lebanon’s decision to pay its share to the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon as a very positive sign for the international community…
Cabinet approves, GLC rejects hike
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Cabinet signed off on a long-awaited wage increase decree Wednesday, hiking minimum wage by LL100,000 to LL600,000…
Qabbani slams delays in public transport plans
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Beirut MP Mohammad Qabbani, the chair of Parliament’s Public Works, Transport, Energy and Water Committee…
At least 3 masked gunmen kidnap CEO of Liban Lait in Bekaa
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 A Lebanese businessman was abducted by unknown individuals in Bekaa’s Talia Valley Wednesday, a security source told The Daily Star.Ahmad Zeidan, the CEO of the country’s largest dairy farm…
Syrian security halts border movement
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Stricter security measures along the Lebanese-Syrian border are bringing movement of people and economic activity between the close-knit border areas…
Zahra: March 14 should confront Cabinet
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra said Wednesday the time had come for the opposition March 14 parties to seriously consider confronting the government and denying it any legitimacy.
Safadi urges U.S. to provide political, economic aid
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi has urged the U.S. administration to help Lebanon politically and economically and to provide the Lebanese Army with the equipment it needs…
Syrian envoy, Mansour discuss border security
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 The Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul-Karim Ali discussed with Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour Wednesday bilateral relations, including protecting the Lebanese-Syrian borders and preventing the smuggling of arms into Syria…
Maronite bishops welcome Mikati’s decision to fund STL
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 The Council of Maronite Bishops welcomed Wednesday the government’s decision to finance the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, thus avoiding a confrontation with the international community.
Syrians in Turkey eye uncertain future
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Normally, Issa does not like big cities such as Istanbul. But conditions are anything but normal in his native Syria…
Israeli settlers desecrate Palestinian mosque
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Arsonists left a burning tire at the entrance of a Palestinian mosque in the northern West Bank early Wednesday, residents and Israeli police said, the latest in a string of recent assaults on Muslim and Christian…
Israeli airstrike kills Gaza militant
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 An Israeli airstrike hit a group of militants along the volatile border between Israel and the Gaza Strip early Wednesday, killing one and wounding two others in a burst of violence that shattered a recent lull…
Libyans protest against prevalence of militia weapons in Tripoli
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Hundreds of residents and policemen in Tripoli protested jointly Wednesday against former rebels who toppled Moammar Gadhafi but are still camping out in the capital and still have their weapons.
Mexico foils plans to smuggle Gadhafi’s son
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Mexican officials said Wednesday they foiled a plan in September to smuggle one of Moammar Gadhafi’s sons and other family members of the former Libyan leader into the country.
Erdogan cancels trip to Qatar after surgery
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has canceled a trip to Qatar this week to spend more time recovering at home from an operation, his office said Wednesday.
Islamic Republic blocks virtual U.S. embassy website
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Iranian authorities blocked a website Wednesday hours after it was launched by the U.S. State Department to be a virtual embassy reaching out to people in the Islamic Republic.
Yemen’s vice president forms unity government
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Yemen’s vice president announced the formation of a national unity government Wednesday as part of a power transfer deal to ease embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh out of power and end months of political turmoil…
Kuwait opposition group urges voters to boycott polls
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 A Kuwaiti opposition group called on voters Wednesday to boycott upcoming parliamentary elections over what it called a lack of political and legislative reforms necessary for fair polls.
Iran to broadcast footage of downed U.S. drone
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 The unmanned U.S. spy plane was deep inside Iran’s airspace, flying over an eastern town famous for Persian carpets and saffron when it was downed by Iranian armed forces, state radio reported Wednesday.
Nervous Arab Gulf moves to protect itself as tensions with Iran rise
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 It was a remark designed to send chills through Washington and its allies: an influential member of the Saudi royal family suggesting the kingdom could someday consider making its own atomic weapons if stuck between nuclear…
Turkey helped secure release of deported men: Syrian refugees
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Turkish authorities intervened to secure the return of two Syrian dissidents held in Syria, after being deported from Turkish refugee camps Sunday, the refugees told The Daily Star, raising questions about the level of coordination between…
Bahrain destroys suspicious package at airport
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 A suspicious package destroyed at Bahrain’s airport contained no explosives but a number of tools that can be used to make a bomb, police said on Wednesday, as security forces fired teargas on anti-government protesters in…
Egypt’s Islamists claim most seats in run-offs
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood won a majority of run-off contests in the first round of a parliamentary election, the electoral commission said on Wednesday, to consolidate its position as the clear front-runner.
Syria’s Assad denies responsibility for crackdown
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denied ordering the killing of thousands of protesters and said “only a crazy person” would target his own people, in a US television interview released Wednesday.
Yemen decrees national unity government
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Yemen’s vice president issued a decree on Wednesday approving the formation of a government of national unity as agreed under a Gulf-brokered deal to end months of bloody unrest.
Top US official in Beirut
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 A top US official met Wednesday in Beirut with Prime Minister Najib Mikati to discuss the political and security situation in Lebanon as well as regional issues, including the revolt in neighbouring Syria.
White House: Assad ‘not credible’ in TV interview
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 White House rejects Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s claim that he has not ordered his troops to kill peaceful demonstrators.
Turkey announces new sanctions against Syria: TV
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Turkey announces a new set of sanctions against Syria as ties between the two former allies strain further over the Damascus regime’s deadly crackdown on opponents.
Sleiman to travel to Armenia Thursday
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 President Michel Sleiman and the first lady Wafaa Sleiman will travel to Armenia Thursday afternoon to sign bilateral agreements between the two countries.
Special Tribunal says will not probe ‘false witnesses’
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 The United Nations-backed court probing the 2005 assassination of statesman Rafik Hariri will not investigate ‘false witnesses’ in the case, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) said Wednesday.
Feltman says U.S. to assist Lebanon to secure borders
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 U.S. official Jeffrey Feltman says the United States will support the Lebanese Army to secure its borders with its neighbors.
Aoun says bloc ministers to attend Cabinet session
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun said his ministers would attend Wednesday’s Cabinet session after the parliamentary grouping threatened to boycott meetings of the executive branch of government.
March 14 slams Hezbollah, Amal over Zahrani ‘piracy’
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 March 14 coalition lashes out at Hezbollah and the Amal Movement for shutting down Lebanon’s second-largest power plant in Zahrani, describing their act as piracy.
Construction worker dies after falling off crane
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 A construction worker died Wednesday after falling off a crane, police said.
Lebanese businessman kidnapped in Bekaa
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Lebanese businessman kidnapped at gunpoint in east Lebanon Wednesday, security source tells The Daily Star.
Tensions high in Ain el-Hilweh after shooting
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Tension high at southern Lebanon’s Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp after unknown assailant shoots and wounds the personal bodyguard of a senior Fatah officer.
Rifi gets Arab ‘Man of the Year 2011’ award
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Lebanon’s Police chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi was honored late Tuesday night in Dubai and received the title of Man of the Year 2011 in the Arab world for his distinguished leadership in the field of…
Police: Lebanese ex-Miss USA was above legal alcohol limit
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Ex-Miss USA Rima Fakih was speeding and weaving through traffic with an uncorked bottle of champagne and a blood-alcohol level over twice the legal limit when she was arrested in Detroit, a police report said.
Roumieh prison security beefed up
Daily Star 7 Dec 2011 Security has been beefed up at Lebanon’s Roumieh prison complex after an inmate tossed a tear gas canister overnight at the jail, a security source said Wednesday.
Aoun: Decision on Cabinet participation to be announced Wednesday
Daily Star 6 Dec 2011 Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun said Tuesday his parliamentary grouping would give advance notice whether or not its ministers would take part in a Cabinet session planned for Wednesday.
Republican hopefuls vie for Jewish vote
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – WASHINGTON – The Republican Party’s six presidential hopefuls pulled out all the stops Wednesday, courting the future votes of the members of the Republican Jewish … ….
US: Assad ‘disconnected’ or ‘crazy’
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – The United States said Wednesday that Syrian President Bashar Assad was “disconnected from reality or crazy,” after he argued he was not responsible for killing thousands … ….
IPS: Katsav not on suicide watch
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Former President Moshe Katsav is now inmate number 1418989 – Katsav, who reported to Maasiyahu Prison on Wednesday to begin serving his seven-year sentence, was not … ….
Gov’t to mull infiltrator detention facility
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to ask the government on Sunday to approve a comprehensive plan to deal with illegal refugees and migrant workers. The … ….
Rabbi’s shooting prompts change in IDF fire protocol
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – The deadly mid-November incident in which IDF soldiers stationed at a security checkpoint near Hebron accidently shot and killed Rabbi Dan Martzbach, has resulted in … ….
UK ‘concerned’ by foreign funding bill
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – British Foreign Secretary William Hague suggested on Wednesday that an bill proposing to limit donations by foreign governments to leftist organizations “would be seen as … ….
‘Nuke plant workers exposed to high radiation levels’
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Workers at the Negev Nuclear Research Center were exposed to extremely high radiation levels – some as high as the annual limit – an expert on radiation safety told the … ….
Egypt’s new cabinet sworn in
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Military Council Chief Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi instates Kamal Ganzouri as….
Police crack down on organized crime; 70 arrested
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Police embark on biggest operation of last decade; hold simultaneous raids on….
Court: Jack Teitel fit to stand trial
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Trial of ‘Jewish terrorist’ charged with murder of two Arabs set to resume in….
Health crisis: Medical residents okay agreement
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Understandings with Finance Ministry win approval of 296 medical residents; 163….
Rabbi Elon’s trial opens in Jerusalem
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Prominent Religious Zionism figure denies he committed indecent acts against two….
Katsav before incarceration: I was loyal to Gila
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – En route to jail former president tells AP his wife ‘stands by him’; compares….
Iran censors US ‘virtual’ embassy
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – US State Department’s attempt to encourage dialogue with Iranian people through….
‘US unsure what might prompt Israel to attack’
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Obama administration does not know Jerusalem’s intentions on potential military….
Former president Katsav begins 7-year jail sentence
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Israel’s eighth president speaks to media outside his home before leaving for….
American senators, state reps visit Israel
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Seminar intended to provide Republican, Democratic policymakers with first-hand….
Mosque torched, vandalized near Qalqilya
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Hebrew messages spray-painted on walls of Brukin village mosque; nearby vehicles….
Assad to ABC: I am not responsible for civilian deaths
YNet News, 7 Dec 2011 – Syrian president says there’s a big difference between having a ‘policy to crack….
Palestinian Information Center
IOA strip search relatives of prisoners
PIC – The Israeli Negev prison administration has forced all relatives of Palestinian prisoners to strip for search before visiting their imprisoned next of kin, the ministry of prisoners said on Wednesday.
Hamas, PFLP denounce banishment of Jerusalemite MP
PIC – Hamas movement condemned the Israeli occupation authority’s exile of Jerusalemite MP Ahmed Attoun as a fresh crime against the native inhabitants of the holy city.
MP Attoun: Banishing me from Jerusalem oppressive, I will go back
PIC – Jerusalemite MP Ahmed Attoun has described the Israeli decision to exile him from his native city of Jerusalem as “oppressiveâ€, asserting that he would be back one day.
IOF soldiers round up 12 Palestinians in Nablus including Hamas, PFLP leaders
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) launched a large-scale arrest campaign in the West Bank city of Nablus on Wednesday that ended with the detention of 12 citizens including Hamas and PFLP leaders.
Jewish settlers wage arson attack on mosque and cars in Bruqin village
PIC – Armed Jewish settlers at dawn Wednesday set fire to a mosque’s entrance in Bruqin village west of Salfit city and some nearby cars, and fled away after committing their crime.
Human rights Monitor calls for bringing Obama and Netanyahu to int’l justice
PIC – The Palestinian human rights foundation (Monitor)on Tuesday called for prosecuting US president Barack Obama and Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu in an international court as war criminals.
One Palestinian killed five wounded in Israeli military incursion east of Gaza
PIC – A Palestinian resistance fighter was killed and five others were wounded at dawn Wednesday as they were repelling an Israeli military incursion east of the Gaza city.
Hamas strongly condemns the Jewish settlers arson attack on mosque
PIC – Hamas strongly condemned the Jewish settlers’ arson attack on a mosque in Brukin village and held the Israeli occupation authority fully responsible for repercussions of such “criminal attacksâ€.
IOF soldiers kidnap Palestinian woman for allegedly trying to stab one of them
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) detained a Palestinian woman at a military roadblock in Al-Khalil city on Wednesday after claiming she tried to stab one of them.
Abu Marzouk: Hamas is in Syria and will not change location
PIC – Deputy political bureau chairman of Hamas Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk has denied press reports that said his movement was relocating out of Syria and that it has severed relations with Iran.
Israelis in panic after Egypt’s Islamists won first round of election
PIC – 06/12/2011 – 04:21 PM
Human rights paper exposes Israeli violence against detained children
PIC – 06/12/2011 – 04:22 PM
Hamas denounces Israeli plan to build park on Palestinian land in OJ
PIC – 06/12/2011 – 09:17 PM
IOA razes third Palestinian home within 24 hours in OJ
PIC – 06/12/2011 – 09:14 PM
Resheq calls for accelerating reconciliation
PIC – 06/12/2011 – 09:15 PM
Arab League Condemns Israeli Decision to Expel Jerusalemite Lawmaker
WAFA
PLO Affirms Impossibility to Resume Negotiations If Settlements Don’t Halt
WAFA
UNRWA: Refugees’ Situation in Gaza Remains of Concern
WAFA
Settlers Attack House near Nablus
WAFA
Investment Authority Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Turkish Counterpart
WAFA
Newspaper Review: Dailies Report on Israeli Plan to Establish Park in Mount Scopus
WAFA
Fatah Denies Allegations on Formation of New Government
WAFA
Settlers Set Fire to Mosque and Vehicles in Salfit
WAFA
Palestinian Killed and Five Injured in Israeli Raids on Gaza
WAFA
World War III: The Launching of a Preemptive Nuclear War against Iran
Intifada-Palestine: 7 Dec 2011 – by Michel Chossudovsky The launching of an outright war using nuclear warheads against Iran has been on the active drawing board of the Pentagon since 2005. If such a war were to be launched, the entire Middle East Central Asia… more
In Syria, reported killings in Homs spread fear of sectarian war
LA Times 7 Dec 2011 – Motivation for the brutal slayings is unclear, but the Syrian opposition says the violence is a bid by Bashar Assad’s regime to ignite sectarian war in the city.
General Reasserts Military’s Power in Post-Election Egypt
New York Times 7 Dec 2011 – Gen. Mokhtar al-Molla of Egypt’s ruling military council said it would manage the writing of the country’s new constitution in order to insure against an Islamist takeover.
Assad Officials Dismiss Protests
New York Times 7 Dec 2011 – Syrian officials are clinging to the claim that they are besieged by a foreign plot, not confronted by a true uprising of the people.
Bashar al-Assad Denies Ordering Crackdown in Interview
New York Times 7 Dec 2011 – A defiant President Bashar al-Assad of Syria spoke in a rare television interview to be broadcast on Wednesday.
Out of Protest, an Anthem for Egypt’s Revolution
New York Times 7 Dec 2011 – Ramy Essam was a little-known guitarist who took to the streets of Cairo but was catapulted to fame with a song aimed at Hosni Mubarak that struck a chord with protesters.
Moshe Katsav, Former President of Israel, Enters Prison
New York Times 7 Dec 2011 – Moshe Katsav spent his last day as a free man in his own home. On Wednesday, he entered a prison to begin serving a seven-year term for rape.
Year-End Rush Expected in Gulf Bond Offerings
New York Times 7 Dec 2011 – Borrowers are hastening to issue bonds as the year draws to a close, analysts say, after waiting to see how the European debt crisis and Arab Spring would play out.
Kuwaiti Leader Dissolves Parliament
New York Times 7 Dec 2011 – The emir of Kuwait dissolved the parliament on Tuesday, setting the stage for elections in the Gulf nation that has thus far been spared from major protests.
Iran Promises Better Protection for Embassies
New York Times 7 Dec 2011 – The foreign minister of Iran told a German newspaper that mob assaults like the one on the British embassy in Tehran last week “will not recur.”
US spy drone downed in Iran
WSWS – The incident is another piece of evidence pointing to a mounting campaign of aggressive covert operations by the US and Israel against Iran.
Low turnout for run-offs in first wave of Egyptian elections
WSWS – Voter turnout was minimal for run-off parliamentary elections in Egypt, amid expectations of an Islamist victory.
New Price Tag Mosque Burning Exposes Identity of Shin Bet’s Jewish Anti-Terror Chief
Tikun Olam – Caption: ‘Avi Arieli—the Man!’ Price tag graffiti mocks Shin Bet’s Avigdor Arieli Jewish terrorists rolled flaming tires into a West Bank mosque (Hebrew) in an attempt to burn it down. It was the second such price tag attack on a Palestinian mosque. They attacked the village of…
GOP presidential candidates offer red meat on Israel at Republican Jewish Coalition forum
Mondoweiss – Mitt Romney, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, spoke earlier today at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s presidential forum (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images via The Guardian ) Six Republican candidates for president, minus Ron Paul , addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition’s (RJC) forum today , and gave the audience…
New Lupe Fiasco song honors Palestine, Rachel Corrie and Occupy Wall Street
Mondoweiss – The lyrics to The End Of The World from the Friend of the People Mixtape (via rapgenius.com ): [Hook] This world ends, this world ends This world ends, this world ends Now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now [Verse 1] Uh, she love her people so…
Accusing Obama of ‘appeasement,’ Romney says he’d travel to Israel on first trip as president
Mondoweiss – Romney Romney’s speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition today, released two hours ago: Internationally, President Obama has adopted an appeasement strategy. Appeasement betrays a lack of faith in America, in American strength, and in America’s future…. He has visited Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iraq. He…
‘Politico’: battle has begun for the soul of the Democratic Party over love affair with Likud
Mondoweiss – Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama addressing AIPAC in 2008 (above). Is the Democratic Party consensus on Israel splintering? A very important piece at Politico : Ben Smith acknowledges the tremendous significance of critics of Israel inside two Democratic Party establishment-linked orgs. Two of the…
How we started ‘Radio against Apartheid’ in Philly
Mondoweiss – In August, here on Mondoweiss , I wrote an article on the failure to recognize Palestinians in public discourse. In order to listen to a Palestinian, one must be able to hear their voice, and to give that voice consideration and legitimation. The refusal to recognize a…
U.S. Engaged in Covert War Against Iran?
Tikun Olam – I’ve been intrigued by the question how involved the U.S. is in the black ops campaign against Iran that is being conducted largely by Israel. I hadn’t noticed this article published two months ago by AP reporter, Douglas Birch. In it, he delves into the question…
Remarks by US Secretary of State in recognition of LGBT Human Rights
Voltaire Network 6 Dec 2011 – Palais des Nations Geneva, Switzerland Good evening, and let me express my deep honor and pleasure at being here. I want to thank Director General Tokayev and Ms. Wyden along with other ministers, ambassadors, excellencies, and UN partners. This weekend, we will celebrate Human Rights Day,…
South Sudan: Israel Ties to Country a Must
allAfrica.com 7 Dec 2011 – The Khartoum’s ruling party mouthpiece, al-Intabaha is reporting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will pay a historic one day visit to South Sudan, where the Prime Minister will hold meetings with both political and military leadership of South Sudan.
Democratic Party Splits on Israel
Arab American Institute 7 Dec 2011 – In today’s POLITICO, Ben Smith reports on a rift in the Democratic party with respect to Israel. He writes, “The Center for American Progress, the party?s key hub of ideas and strategy, and Media Matters, a central messaging organization, have emerged as vocal critics of their…
Veolia blows it again through normalization sports event
Global BDS 5 Dec 2011 – French multinational Veolia is known for its involvement in several Israeli colonization projects in the occupied West Bank. In a public relations effort to sell a supposed commitment to peace, the company has lend its name to the Veolia Desert Challenge, an Israeli biking event held…
No guilt over crackdown – Assad
BBC 7 Dec 2011 – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says he feels no guilt about his government’s ongoing crackdown, despite reports of brutality by its forces.
Egypt’s new cabinet is sworn in
BBC 7 Dec 2011 – Egypt’s new cabinet is sworn in with the key post of interior minister going to former Cairo police chief Mohammed Ibrahim Yusuf.
Israeli ex-president goes to jail
BBC 7 Dec 2011 – Disgraced former Israeli President Moshe Katsav begins a seven-year sentence for rape, following a case which led him to resign from the post.
Gaza militant dies in air strike
BBC 7 Dec 2011 – One Palestinian militant has been killed and at least two others injured in an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics say.
Is Israel guilty of the crime of apartheid?
Sabbah report 7 Dec 2011 – The recent finding of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine (RToP) that the state of Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid in relation to the Palestine people should be taken with the utmost seriousness by all those who affirm human solidarity and care about making…
Interns needed
B’tselem 6 Dec 2011 – B’Tselem is seeking interns for our communication department. Candidates should be fluent in English. A working knowledge of Hebrew is a benefit. Internships include field work and study tours to of human rights issues in the West Bank. For further information please contact Zvi Shulman at: zshulman@btselem.org.
Articles
Fact sheet: Israel’s tightening control over Jerusalem
Mya Guarnieri, +972 Magazine 12/7/2011
Sergio Yahni at the Alternative Information Center compiled and I edited and added to this fact sheet about Jerusalem. It’s a great resource for journalists or anyone with a general interest in the political situation of Jerusalem, which embodies the history of Israel/Palestine as well as what is happening now in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
“The 75 kilometer wall being built in East Jerusalem is an instrument of social engineering designed to achieve the Judaization of Jerusalem by reducing the number of Palestinians in the city.” – Professor John Dugard, United Nations Special Rapporteur
Fact and Figures about Jerusalem
Population
Total population: 773,800 (2009)
Population: 65 percent Israeli citizens; 35 percent Palestinians (2010)
Settler Population in East Jerusalem: 192,000 (2009)
Poverty: 41 percent of all Jerusalemites live below the poverty line, 65 percent of Palestinian families live below the poverty line (2010)
Between 1967 and 2006, Israel had revoked the residency rights of around 8,269 Palestinian Jerusalemites.
Planning and Construction
In 1967, the state of Israel annexed 71 square kilometers of land to the Jerusalemmunicipality. Of them, six and a half square kilometers were part of Arab East Jerusalem under Jordanian rule and 64.5 square kilometers belonged to 28 Palestinian towns and villages. more.. e-mail
Panetta: Israel & Palestine must ‘Get to the Damn Bed’
Dr. Ashraf Ezzat, Intifada-Palestine 12/6/2011
(ALEXANDRIA, Egypt) – In remarks made at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Friday, Panetta said: “The problem right now is we can’t get them [Israel’s leaders] to the damn table to at least sit down and begin to discuss their differences.
“We understand the concerns of Israel, we understand the concerns of the Palestinians.
“If they sit at a table and work through those concerns and the United States can be of assistance in that process, then I think you have the beginning of what could be a process that could lead to a peace agreement.
“But if they aren’t there, if they aren’t at the table, this will never happen. So first and foremost get to the damn table.”
One is obliged to say that Panetta’s statement reflects nothing less than sound and timely thinking. And I’m sure he is proposing this entirely innovative and unprecedented idea for the interest of both the Israelis and the Palestinians and that the call for both parties to get together and work through their fears is not just one of the usual American stunts prior to the upcoming presidential elections.
But then again, what is the point of getting them together, no offence intended here, but what will they be talking about? Land for peace? Well, the Palestinians almost ran out of that item, they have no more land they can offer in exchange for peace.
East Jerusalem? Out of the question … West Bank? No, that is Samaria and Judea now. The refugees .. what about them? they will remain refugees. Gaza, that’s the junk yard of the region … who would want to live in a junk yard, crammed in dirty slums. more.. e-mail
The personal testimony of an ex-Israeli soldier
Emma Mancini, Alternative Information Center 11/21/2011
A former Israeli soldier speaks of the violence he witnessed and perpetrated during his army service in Hebron. Now a member of Breaking the Silence (BTS), the soldier hopes to help the Israeli public see the cost both Palestinians and Israelis pay for the occupation.
Avichai is a 27-year-old Jewish Israeli who lives in Jerusalem. Like most Israelis, he was drafted for the Israeli army when he finished high school. It was 2001, the second year of the Second Intifada, and Avichai was assigned to a military unit that was stationed in the South Hebron Hills, deep in Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Avihai tells the Alternative Information Center (AIC) about his time in the army: “In the first seven months of training, they taught us how to shoot, how to search a house, how to disperse a crowd. But once in Hebron, I understood [that] I didn’t know anything, I didn’t know how to start.”
He explained that soldiers don’t always receive many orders from their higher ups, “ So…every soldier adapts to the behavior of his [peers].”
“We were left for hours and for days without anything to do. So, in order to escape from boredom, we had found our personal solution: we started to raid villages. Throwing stones and grenades against the buildings, devastating houses, arresting men on the street. [Like] a videogame.”
Soldiers sometimes passed their time by beating detainees: “Once we arrested a man [who was thought to be responsible for the deaths of Jewish settlers],” Avichai goes on….. more.. e-mail
New Pappe book highlights plight of forgotten Palestinians
Electronic Intifada: 7 Dec 2011 – Asa Winstanley The Electronic Intifada Historian Ilan Pappe addresses the plight of Palestinians who remained in the new State of Israel following the Nakba in The Forgotten Palestinians. The Forgotten Palestinians: A History of the Palestinians in Israel Manufacturer: Yale University Press Part Number: Price: $30.00more
Former prisoner, PFLP leader: hunger strike “made revolution in the prisons”
Electronic Intifada: 6 Dec 2011 – Ben Lorber The Electronic Intifada Hebron Abdel-Alim Da’na, a leader of the PFLP and a professor at Palestine Polytechnic University in Hebron, speaks to Ben Lorber about his experience in Israel’s prisons.more
Photostory: The brighter side of Gaza
Electronic Intifada: 7 Dec 2011 – Sami Kishawi The Electronic Intifada Photographs taken by The Electronic Intifada contributor Sami Kishawi this summer show the color of everyday life in Gaza.more
Russia United, for the Time Being
Palestine Chronicle: 7 Dec 2011 – By Eric Walberg – Cairo With a 60 per cent turnout, United Russia’s solid 49.5 per cent plurality in the 4 December Duma elections, giving it 238 of the 450 seats, is the envy of any Western political party. But it is nonetheless a disappointment after its 2007 sweep, where it gained over two-thirds of the seats. Very, very few parties ever approach the magic two-thirds that lets them ignore the opposition and change the constitution, and Prime Minister and president-virtually-elect Vladimir Putin even put a positive spin on the results: “This is an optimal result which reflects the real situation in the country,” Putin, 59, said coolly. “Based on this result we can guarantee stable development of our country.” (He will be recrowned president in pro forma elections 4 March.) Post-Soviet Russian politics over the past two decades has been a rollercoaster. Until the founding of United Russia in…more
Towards a True Paradigm Shift in Palestine
Palestine Chronicle: 7 Dec 2011 – By Ramzy Baroud The Palestinian Uprising or Intifada of 1987 remains the single most significant triumph of popular mobilization in Palestinian history. The First Intifada, as it is commonly known, had, once and for all, placed the Palestinian people as a collective on the political map of a region that previously had room only for Israeli Merkava tanks and US ‘peace envoys’. The Arab body politic had been led by mostly powerless leaders, and Palestinian factions with multiple allegiances were led by men with numerous nom de guerres. Not discounting the fact that some of the Palestinian factions had, in fact, contributed to the long and arduous struggle for Palestinian freedom, a chasm had long existed between the larger mass of the Palestinian people and those who claimed to represent them. The Intifada tried to change that unsettling paradigm. It transported the struggle away from Arab capitals back to Palestine,…more
Disengaging from Zionism
Dissident Voice: 7 Dec 2011 – In 2009 the UN Human Rights Council appointed the South African Judge Richard Goldstone to head the fact-finding mission investigating possible Israeli war crimes committed in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead. Aside from being a well-respected judge, Richard Goldstone could not easily be dismissed as anti-Semitic given his Jewish origin. Goldstone probably had no idea what awaited him. After the Mission published its findings and conclusions, the judge quickly became the victim of a vicious slander campaign. Israel’s Information Minister said that the Goldstone Report was “anti-Semitic.” Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz informed the listeners of Israel Army Radio that Goldstone was “an evil, evil man” and “an absolute traitor,” a “man who uses his language and words against the Jewish people.” Dershowitz later apologised for calling Goldstone a traitor, saying he thought the term moser (Hebrew for informer, delator) meant “monster” (as if that was any less harsh). “I wrote…more
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The New Dark Age 
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