12 February 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Troops Detain 5 Residents At A Settlement Near Jenin
IMEMC – Israeli soldiers kidnapped, On Sunday evening, five Palestinian residents from Ya’bod village, south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and held them for several hours at the Mabo Dothan settlement, in the Jenin district. …
Four Injured After Troops Broke Into Palestinian Home In Jerusalem
IMEMC – Palestinian medical sources in Jerusalem reported that four residents were wounded, on Sunday evening, when Israeli troops and policemen broke into a Palestinian home of a former political prisoner, in Al-Esawiyya town, in occupied East Jerusalem. …
Fighter Killed In Rafah
IMEMC – The Salah Ed-Deen Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, reported that one of its fighters was killed on Sunday evening during a training accident, in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. …
Man, 71, Killed, Two Wounded, In A Fresh Israeli Attack Against Gaza
IMEMC – Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported Sunday that a 71-year-old man was killed, and two residents were wounded, when the Israeli Air Force fired several missiles into an area east of Az-Zeitoun neighborhood, in Gaza City. …
Army Attacks Nonviolent Protest Near Hebron
IMEMC – Israeli troops attacked on Saturday the weekly nonviolent protest against the Annexation Wall and settlements, in Beit Ummar town, near the southern West Bank city of Hebron; four protestors were kidnapped, several others were wounded. …
Protests for hunger-striking prisoner attacked by Israeli troops; 16 injured
IMEMC – As 33-year old Khader Adnan continues his 56-day hunger strike in an Israeli prison, a group of supporters held a rally on Saturday afternoon outside the prison, but were attacked by Israeli troops firing rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas. A separate protest in the southern West Bank was also attacked. …
Israeli airstrikes kill 1, injure 3 in Gaza
2/12/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli warplanes killed an elderly man in the central Gaza Strip overnight Saturday, in a series of airstrikes across Gaza that injured three others. Palestinian medics said 69-year-old Abdul-Karim Az-Zaytouna was killed and two others were injured when warplanes bombed steel sheds near the Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City…. Related: In photos: Israeli airstrike flattens animal farm, kills elderly guard
Police close Al-Aqsa, block right-wing leader
2/12/2012 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police closed access to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa compound on Sunday morning, saying they feared unrest after leaflets were distributed around the city calling to remove “Israel’s enemies” from the site. Police also blocked far-right Israeli politician Moshe Feiglin from entering the holy compound “for security reasons,” Israeli…. Related: Militant group: Al-Aqsa a ‘red line’ not to be crossed
3 injured as soldiers raid Jericho
2/12/2012 – JERICHO (Ma’an) — Three people were injured on Sunday as Israeli soldiers raided several areas in and around Jericho, a local official and medics said. Seven tanks and dozens of heavily armed soldiers raided Ein al-Sultan and Aqbat Jaber refugee camps, prompting clashes between residents and military forces, governor of Jericho and the Jordan….
Staving off a blackout in Gaza
2/12/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — While the Gaza Strip faces looming power cuts as fuel reserves for its sole electricity plant run dry, the director of the power station offered suggestions for resolving Gaza’s energy crisis. Walid Saad Sayil manages Gaza’s only electricity plant, and said the lack of fuel deliveries…. Related: Gaza municipality says electricity crisis stopped water pumping
3 injured as Israeli forces raid Jerusalem home
2/12/2012 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Three people were injured on Sunday when Israeli forces raided a family home in the Jerusalem neighborhood of al-Isawiya. Israeli forces were looking for freed detainee Samer Issawi, relatives told Ma’an. His mother and sister tried to prevent the soldiers from entering their home, at which point they broke….
Hate slogans again daubed on Jerusalem school
2/12/2012 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Extremists painted anti-Arab slogans on a mixed Jewish and Palestinian school in East Jerusalem for the second time in a week, Israeli media reports said Sunday. The ‘Hand in Hand’ school in Beit Safafa was found spray-painted with “Muhammad is dead” and “death to the Arabs” written in Hebrew….
UN rapporteur slams Israeli policy of ‘Judaization’
2/12/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A United Nations Special Rapporteur said Sunday that Israel is systematically implementing a discriminatory policy of housing and planning in Israel, East Jerusalem and the Occupied West Bank.” From the Galilee and the Negev to East Jerusalem and the West Bank, the Israeli authorities promote a territorial development model that excludes….
Gaza municipality says electricity crisis stopped water pumping
2/12/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza City’s municipal council asked residents on Sunday to move their water tanks to ground level as the electricity crisis hampered pumping water any higher. Electricity interruptions as Gaza’s sole power plant runs out of fuel have stopped the pumping of water above the ground floor…. Related: Staving off a blackout in Gaza
Witnesses: Boy injured as soldiers raid Hebron village
2/12/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — A boy was injured by Israeli forces in Hebron on Sunday as residents and soldiers clashed, locals told Ma’an. Israeli forces raided several homes in the village of al-Tabaqa, southwest Hebron, leading to clashes with local residents. Muhammad Mahmoud Imtayer, 16, sustained injuries to his head and was taken….
Arrested development: Strangling Palestine’s green power
2/12/2012 – By Charlotte Alfred – MASAFER YATTA (Ma’an) — Development organizations and green energy pioneers face a political quagmire when working in Palestinian communities under full Israeli control. In recent months, the army issued demolition warnings against six solar and wind power systems in the South Hebron Hills, which were funded by European governments and development….
In photos: Israeli airstrike flattens animal farm, kills elderly guard
2/12/2012 – REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa – Israeli warplanes leveled an animal farm east of Gaza City overnight Saturday, killing a 69-year-old guard in his steel shack. The funeral of Abdul-Karim al-Zaytouna was held in Gaza City on Saturday, after three others were injured in a series of dawn strikes across the Gaza Strip…. Related: Israeli airstrikes kill 1, injure 3 in Gaza
Palestine servers ‘hacked from Italy’
2/12/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A cyber attack on the Palestinian internet network on Saturday evening originated in Italy, the PA minister of communication and information technology Mashour Abu Daqqa told Ma’an. Palestinian servers and websites have been disabled by a series of cyber attacks in recent months. Abu Daqqa said internet communications had….
Palestine joins international conservation union
2/12/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestine has been accepted as a full member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the Palestine Wildlife Society said on Sunday. Executive Director Imad al-Atrash said the Bethlehem-based group was notified of Palestine’s entry to the global body, founded in 1948 as the world’s….
Militant group: Al-Aqsa a ‘red line’ not to be crossed
2/12/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A militant faction warned of retaliation against Israel on Sunday after the Al-Aqsa compound was closed by police. The “Imad Mughniyah” group, named after a senior member of Lebanon‘s Hezbollah, told Ma’an that Al-Aqsa is a red line which cannot be crossed. It threatened to carry…. Related: Police close Al-Aqsa, block right-wing leader
Fatah holds meeting to discuss election candidates
2/12/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Leaders within the Fatah movement met in Ramallah on Friday to discuss candidates for presidential and parliamentary elections. The meeting, which took place at the headquarters of the Palestinian teachers union, aimed to provide suggestions for qualified candidates for elections, a statement said. The movement aims to avoid the mistakes of….
Abbas confirms he will head transitional government
2/12/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — President Abbas confirmed Sunday during a speech in Cairo that he will head a transitional government responsible for presidential and parliamentary elections. Abbas made the announcement during a speech before a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in the Egyptian capital. Both the peace process with Israel and the reconciliation agreement with….
Israel public sector strike ends
2/12/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — An Israeli public sector strike that has disrupted public transportation and closed banks, the stock market and government offices ended on Sunday with a new wage package for low-earning contract workers. The Finance Ministry announced the deal with the Histadrut labor federation, which declared the strike that began on Wednesday was over. The….
Poll: Palestinians most concerned about economic future
2/12/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion has found that a majority of Palestinians are most concerned about their jobs and financial status, and support opposition to proposed PA tax reforms currently on hold after widespread outcry. The poll, conducted by Dr. Nabil Kukali between Jan. 22 and….
Al-Qaida leader backs Syrian revolt against Assad
2/12/2012 – DUBAI (Reuters) — Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri, in a video recording posted on the Internet on Sunday, urged Syrians not to rely on the West or Arab governments in their uprising to topple President Bashar Assad. In the eight-minute video, entitled “Onwards, Lions of Syria” and posted on an Islamist website, the Egyptian-born Zawahri also urged….
Turkish warplanes strike suspected PKK targets in Iraq
2/12/2012 – ANKARA (Reuters) — Turkish warplanes carried out air strikes on suspected Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq overnight, Turkey’s general staff said on Sunday. In a brief statement on its website, it said warplanes had struck the Zab and Hakurk areas, targeting caves and hideouts belonging to the “separatist terror organization”, a term used….
Arab League seeks joint UN-Arab force for Syria
2/12/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — The Arab League called on Sunday for the UN Security Council to send a joint UN–Arab peacekeeping mission to Syria and decided to scrap its own monitoring team, according to a resolution approved by ministers and obtained by Reuters. The resolution called for “opening communication channels with the Syrian opposition and providing all….
Al-Arabiya TV: Syria rejects Arab League decisions
2/12/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Syria rejected on Sunday an Arab League resolution that included calling for a joint UN–Arab peacekeeping force, backed support for the opposition and reaffirmed Arab economic sanctions on Damascus, Al Arabiya television reported. In a brief headline, the channel reported that Syria rejected the Arab decisions “completely”. It did not give further details….
Hundreds in Israeli jails join hunger strike
AlJazeera 12 Feb 2012 – Palestinian inmates join Khader Adnan, who has gone 56 days without food or water to protest his pre-trial detention.
International Solidarity Movement
88 Palestinian houses to be demolished for Israeli park
2/12/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 11 February 2012, Al Haq – Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem continue to face an increased threat of home-demolition and forced eviction. The neighbourhood of Silwan, located to the south of the old city of Jerusalem, and with a population of over 50,000 Palestinians, is at particular risk. The city municipality, whose unilaterally drawn borders were…. Related: Al Haq
Asira al Qibliiya: ‘The time for settler attacks is now’
2/12/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Amal, 11 February 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – As warm days sneak into this cold month of February, illegal settlers begin their season of attacks early. Although there is no “off season” for settler attacks, the number of these criminal acts increases in the spring and summer. The residents of Asira al Qibliiya…. Related: Photos: The season of settler violence
Burin: Yitzhar settlers leave the mark of violence
2/12/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Veronica, 10 February 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – On Thursday 9 February at about 10pm, a house in the village of Burin near Nablus was attacked by settlers. Approximately 50 armed settlers approached a house near the edge of the village and threw stones and rocks at the inhabitants, shouting at them to…. Related: Photos: Settlers leave the mark of violence
Kufr Qaddoum: Cut off road and electricity does not deter demonstrations
2/12/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Jonas Weber, 10 February 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – Villagers and internationals assembled in Kufr Qaddoum after prayer time to demonstrate against the blocking of their main road to Nablus. The army cut off the electricity in the entire village as collective punishment for the ongoing demonstrations in Kufr Qaddoum. The villagers, including….
Meitar Checkpoint: Women demand an end to strip-searching by Israeli military and prison administration
2/12/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 12 February 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – A demonstration was held Sunday, February 12th at the Meitar checkpoint north of Beer Sheba in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in the Naqab (Negev) region as well as their family members who must pass through this checkpoint to visit them. The demonstration was organised by the Al-Khalil….
Settlers attack demo in Qaryut
2/12/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 10 February 2012, Popular Struggle Coordination Committee – Demonstrators in Qaryout attempted to plant olive trees to resist land grab. On the way, they were attacked by settlers and the army. Approximately 100 residents of the Qaryout joined the weekly protest against the occupation this week, aiming to plant olive trees on their lands, as an…. Related: Popular Struggle Coordination Committee
Take Urgent Action: Appeals Decision Delayed as Khader Adnan Dying to Live
2/12/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 12 February 2012, Samidoun- Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network – Khader Adnan, Palestinian political prisoner being held under administrative detention, is now entering his 57th day of hunger strike and facing a severe health crisis. Despite the fact that Khader Adnan risks death with every minute that passes, the Israeli military court system is delaying decisions in…. Related: Samidoun- Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Under Attack: The Golani Brigade’s war on the Palestinian population of Al-Khalil (Hebron)
2/12/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 12 February 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – A newly released report submitted to the United Nations by international organizations working in Al Khalil documents a sharp increase in serious human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, particularly youth and children, living in the Old City and Tel Rumeida. Internationals working in Al-Khalil have called for….
Greek MPs debate austerity measures as police battle anarchists in Athens
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Clashes break out in the early evening as tens of thousands of people, responding to calls from unions to protest against the measures, streamed into Syntagma Square facing Parliament.
MF Husain tribute at Art Dubai
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Art art fair next month will pay tribute to the late MF Husain, who was known as the ‘Picasso of India.’
Call for Arab-UN peacekeeping mission in Syria
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Arab League offers ‘full financial and political support’ to opposition.
Tension over Syria making Lebanon a powder keg
The National 12 Feb 2012 – The Syrian regime is in trouble and as it goes down, the concern is that it will try to bring everyone down with it, warns Lebanese politician.
Youth tells of driving accident which nearly killed him
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Talk was part of campaign, called “Beware of being the victim or the killer”, which aims to educate young people of the danger they pose to both themselves and others by driving recklessly.
Iran’s warning to Gulf states
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Iran’s parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani warned that Iran will not forgive Gulf Arab nations if they continue backing US “plots” against Tehran, according to local media reports.
Hamas rift shows vulnerability of interim unity government
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Senior Hamas figures in Gaza, who stand to lose most from the deal with Fatah, said it was unacceptable, while top Hamas loyalists in the West Bank defended the agreement.
School’s educators put their money where their belief is
The National 12 Feb 2012 – The Mag curriculum, which focuses on bilingual education, uses technology and resources to enhance the learning experience.
Al Qaeda head calls for fall of Assad
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Ayman Al Zawahri calls on Muslims in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to join the uprising against Bashar Al Assad’s “pernicious, cancerous regime.”
Slow but steady progress for Mag
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Education officials sat results out of Madaras Al Ghad schools are slow but steady.
Pilot education system to expand after pupil progress in tests
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Scores up by 32% and the Madares Al Ghad (Mag), or Schools of Tomorrow programme is to be expanded to meet parent demand.
Collapse of sandpit kills worker in UAQ
The National 12 Feb 2012 – Police received a call about the accident and immediately rushed to the scene with ambulances and rescue crews.
Israeli officials: West Bank outpost relocation plan isn’t feasible
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Netanyahu: Abbas has turned his back on peace with Israel
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Iran blocks access to Facebook, Gmail ahead of Islamic Revolution anniversary
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Iran rebukes Azerbaijan for allegedly aiding Israel’s Mossad
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Arab League calls on UN Security Council to send peacekeeping force to Syria
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Khamenei pledges Iranian support to Palestinian ‘resistance’ against Israel
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Israel cabinet approves bill that criminalizes soliciting prostitution
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Report: Israel’s Mossad still using foreign passports in undercover operations
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Germany: Israeli military strike on Iran unlikely to succeed
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Hungarian far-right politician and playwright dies at 77
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Israel panel okays bill calling for tax exemption to ‘Zionist’ donations
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Al-Qaida calls on Muslim world to support Assad opposition forces
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Poland moves to amend Jewish property law, despite opposition
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
IDF to ground warplanes, freeze Iron Dome production over budget woes
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
In Israel, Whitney Houston remembered for huge voice and one strange visit
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Israel’s general strike called off as State, unions reach deal
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Whitney Houston found dead in hotel, aged 48
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2012
Report: Palestinian killed, three injured in IAF strike on Gaza sites
Ha’aretz – 11 Feb 2012
Haaretz exclusive: Syria documents show Iran helping Assad to sidestep sanctions
Ha’aretz – 11 Feb 2012
Israel’s Education Ministry turns to pensioners, students to run 1,500 new kindergartens
Ha’aretz – 11 Feb 2012
Israel’s Health Ministry to probe new HMO’s rules that dentists say endanger kids’ teeth
Ha’aretz – 11 Feb 2012
Trains back on track but garbage piles up as strike continues
Ha’aretz – 11 Feb 2012
Israeli kibbutz admissions panel rejects community worker as ‘socially incompatible’
Ha’aretz – 11 Feb 2012
Arab League ministers seeks joint Syria mission with UN
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Cairo-based bloc cuts all ties with Damascus; Al-Qaida leader exhorts Muslims to fight Assad.
Abbas: If Israel rejects our terms, we’ll head back to UN
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Palestinian Authority President Abbas threatens to return to UN Security Council, General Assembly for state recognition if J’lem doesn’t agree to pre-’67 borders, halting settlement activity.
Put child safety on agenda, says Beterem
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Some 800 doctors, nurses, educators, engineers and safety experts to push for child safety.
‘If US cuts aid to Egypt, we’ll alter Israel peace deal’
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Senior Muslim Brotherhood official tells ‘Al Hayat’ if the US cuts aid to Egypt, it would be violation of 1979 peace accords.
Court to rule on anti-‘Im Tirzu’ Facebook page
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Zionist movement seeks NIS 2.6m. in damages from page’s 7 administrators for calling it ‘fascist’.
Man claiming ‘sperm theft’ must support child
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Tiberias Family Court rules that minors “cannot be restricted by the behavior or understanding of their parents.”
24 hours in the vehicle of the future
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Reporter’s Notebook: After driving the Better Place electric car, it will be difficult to go back to using a gas-fueled vehicle.
5-year-old finally ‘ready for adoption’
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – ‘Baby P,’ whose father is Muslim and mother of no stated religion, has lived with a haredi family for 4 years.
A Palestinian spring for Jordan?
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Jordan’s King Abdullah is worried about the Arab Spring making its way to his doorstep.
The Iranian media frenzy
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – The media war can be a standard business competition or it can be a psychological warfare between nations.
IDC students move to stop deport of classmates
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – S.Sudanese students say they want to stay in Israel until spring, 2014, to finish their bachelor degrees.
IDC students move to stop classmates’ deportation
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – S.Sudanese students say they want to stay in Israel until spring, 2014, to finish their bachelor degrees.
Jewish ideas daily: In God they trust?
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Israel’s secular founders are, on the whole, Jewishly literate.
Netanyahu: Abbas has turned his back on peace
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Abbas threatens to take state recognition bid back to UN if Israel doesn’t accept Palestinian terms for talks.
Have the Israeli Arabs remained silent on Syria?
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Israeli media has been posing the question of why we are not hearing any condemnations from Israeli Arabs.
Beinisch to PM: I know you won’t harm the courts
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Netanyahu pays rare ministerial visit to High Court of Justice ahead of President Beinisch’s retirement.
The Region: Saved by our enemies
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – It’s not Western policy but Middle Eastern radicals’ extremism that, ironically, saves the day
Houston, you have a problem
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Recollections of the late singer’s glory-filled years that include a trip to the Holy Land.
Houston felt ‘at home’ in Israel
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Whitney Houston visited the Black Hebrew community in the southern town of Dimona during a 2003 trip to Israel.
Syria rejects Arab League anti-Assad resolution
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – League ministers in Cairo had called for UNSC peacekeeping force in Syria, tougher sanctions against ruling regime.
Iran warns Hamas against compromise with Israel
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei expresses solidarity with Palestinians while meeting with Hamas PM Haniyeh.
‘Iran summons Azeri envoy over Mossad collusion’
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Iranian Foreign Ministry calls ambassador after “the movement of terrorists” involved in killing nuclear scientists in Tehran.
Arabs to end Syrian mission, seek UN force
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – League ministers meet in Cairo to revive diplomatic efforts after Russia, China veto anti-Assad UNSC resolution; call for international peacekeeping force in Syria, tougher sanctions against ruling regime.
Pro-settlement donors to receive tax breaks
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Bill provides 35% tax exemption for contributions to NGOs “encouraging settlement” anywhere in Israel.
Gov’t backs jail time for soliciting prostitution
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Paying for sex or utilizing any type of sexual services will soon become a criminal offense.
Top 5 Jerusalem date hotspots
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – No matter your thoughts on Valentine’s Day, it’s a good excuse to take someone special for good food in a memorable setting.
‘Abbas to ask Arab League for peace conference’
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – PA delegation in Cairo to confer with Arab League on next step after Amman talks; int’l peace conference to be floated, official says.
Iran vows to crack down on election protests
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Upcoming parliamentary elections mark first national poll since disputed 2009 election that ignited 8-months of street protests.
Lamb is in the air
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Treat yourselves this Valentines Day to a romantic meal of indulgence with lamb chops.
Dichter vows to join gov’t if he wins Kadima race
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Former Shin Bet chief says he sees “supreme importance in Kadima entering the coalition as soon as possible.”
Arab League ministers meet on Syria after UN veto
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Arab plan calls for Syrian president to step aside; Saudi Arabia, Qatar at forefront of efforts to isolate Assad.
PM: Strike deal fixes ‘injustice of many years’
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Netanyahu praises Eini, Steinitz for agreement to end general strike and “greatly improve” situation of contract workers.
Respite for besieged Homs before Arab meeting
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Syrian forces ease bombardment of embattled city; Arab League set to meet in Cairo to discuss UN–Arab monitoring mission.
Al-Qaida leader backs Syrian revolt against Assad
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Zawahri says Syrians should not rely on the West, Arab governments, urges Muslims to come to rebels’ aid.
General strike ends: Histadrut, Treasury reach agreement
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Sides talk through the night, reach agreement on every disputed item; Treasury: Deal will cost NIS 800m.; Eini: “This is not the end of the process, we have put our foot in the door.”
General strike continues after overnight talks fail
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2012 – Treasury and Histadrut representatives talk through the night with no results; basic services remain closed; Egged and Dan buses join strike but trains resume, Ben-Gurion Airport to operate.
My big fat Greek vacation
Jerusalem Post 11 Feb 2012 – The mountains of the Greek mainland offer an astounding variety of landscapes and hidden treasures.
The journey of a lifetime
Jerusalem Post 11 Feb 2012 – Pessia Goldstein made aliya from Shanghai in 1949via three ships and a sealed ‘liberty train’.
Zahar: Choice of Abbas as interim PM ‘unacceptable’
Jerusalem Post 11 Feb 2012 – Senior Hamas official says Mashaal did not consult with group’s leadership before signing deal with Abbas.
Israel shackles Palestinian hunger striker
The Guardian 12 Feb 2012 – Khader Adnan, detained without charge for two months, may be close to death say human rights groups A Palestinian prisoner who has been on hunger strike for more than eight weeks is being kept shackled to…
Military Resistance 10B6: Justice Thunders Condemnation
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – A wave of fresh protests hit Greece on Friday after the Greek people reacted angrily to the rejection of the country’s austerity plans by eurozone finance ministers. “The measures they are trying to sign and ratify will be the tombstone of Greece,” said Nikos, one demonstrating pensioner. “The people must take matters…
Congress OKs 30,000 flying drones spying on Americans across U.S. cities
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – In case you didn’t know it – and you probably didn’t – Congress, with little fanfare, passed an FAA reauthorization bill last week President Obama is expected to sign into law that will make it much easier for the government to put scores of unmanned spy drones into American skies. Not only…
Video: Israeli Apartheid Week: Call it as it is
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – Calling the Israeli regime as one of apartheid is not rhetoric, nor is it an exaggeration or a propaganda tool. This is the reality in modern day Palestine, where the Israeli regime is based on discrimination, through laws, practices, education and most aspects of life. This apartheid regime is not only imposed…
Soldiers detain 4, injure 16 at protests for hunger-striker
Uruknet February 11, 2012 — A demonstration in support of hunger-striking prisoner Khader Adnan near an Israeli detention center in the West Bank was shut down by Israeli forces on Saturday, injuring 16 Palestinians including a TV journalist. Soldiers detained two Palestinians and two Israelis at a separate protest against Adnan’s continued detention in Hebron-district Beit Ummar,…
Secular Iraqi Dissidents Form New Opposition Party
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – A coalition of political dissidents in Iraq created a new opposition party Saturday, in an attempt to check the power of the central government as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki consolidates dictatorial rule. The Union of Patriotic Figures, as it will be called, described by the new members as a secular political group…
Israel media publish, retract, then confirm calls for destruction of Al-Aqsa, “cleansing” of Israel’s “enemies”
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – Before this post was first published, Israeli media had reported claims that Moshe Feiglin, a Likud Leader, was planning to go up to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem to call for the destruction of the mosque and its replacement with a Jewish “Third Temple.” The basis for these reports was…
012 : A Video Roundup
Uruknet
3 dead in Sunni-Alawite clashes: Lebanon security
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – Three people died and 23 were wounded during fierce clashes on Saturday between Lebanese Sunni Muslims hostile to Syria’s regime and Alawites who support it, a Lebanese security official said. “A Sunni and an Alawite were killed and 23 people were wounded in clashes that continued since Friday between people from the…
America’s Sham Economic Recovery
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – Young adults, aged 18 – 24, face harder than ever times finding jobs since WW II. As a result, their lives and futures are affected. Since 2010, only 54% of youths are employed. It’s the lowest figure since data collection began in 1948 and a sharp drop from 62% in 2007. Moreover,…
Israeli airstrikes kill 1, injure 3 in Gaza
Uruknet February 12, 2012 — Israeli warplanes killed an elderly man in the central Gaza Strip overnight Saturday, in a series of airstrikes across Gaza that injured three others. Palestinian medics said 69-year-old Abdul-Karim Az-Zaytouna was killed and two others were injured when warplanes bombed steel sheds near the Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City. Israeli forces also…
A Pan-African Perspective Selective Justice at the International Criminal Court
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – Once again, the spotlight is on Africa as four Kenyans – three political leaders and a journalist – have been indicted at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Once again, the question that has never been answered is, why Africa? And why the speed? In Anglo-Saxon parts of the world, some leaders are…
Hamas will never recognise Israel: Gaza premier
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – Hamas “will never recognise Israel,” its Gaza prime minister said today in a speech in Iran that is likely to complicate Palestinian efforts to form a unity government in the teeth of opposition from the Jewish state. “They want us to recognise the Israeli occupation and cease resistance but, as the representative…
Gaza – Occupied Lives: Mental Health
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – Amid the humanitarian crises facing the people of the Gaza strip there exists a less well known or talked about crisis, that of mental health. Israel’s tightening of the illegal closure of Gaza in 2006, and its 2008-2009 offensive, has meant that, for Gaza’s 1.7 million civilians, reality is a mix of…
Thousands of Palestinians in the Jordan Valley risk forced displacement, says UN body
Uruknet February 11, 2012 – Sixty thousand Palestinians live under harsh conditions in the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea area – one of the most isolated and restricted areas in occupied Palestine. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has summarized their humanitarian situation in its February 2012 fact sheet. The Jordan Valley…
012 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet February 10, 2012 – The number of confirmed demonstrations this Friday rose to 655, the province of Idlib had the most demonstrations where 148 demonstrations occured, followed by Aleppo where, for the first time, 109 demonstrations took place, this was followed by Hama where 84 demonstrations took place. In Daraa 61 demonstrations were staged followed by…
Palestinian Prisoners on Hunger Strike: Defeating Oppression, Liberating Palestine
Uruknet February 10, 2012 – You stand in the narrow room. You can barely see from the dim light. You feel the pain in every part of your body. You are not allowed to sit down and you are tired from standing. You are hungry and you are thirsty. You think of your parents’ anguish when they…
Greek parliament approves crucial austerity bill
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Greece’s parliament has approved an austerity and debt-relief bill, crucial for the country to avoid bankruptcy and remain in the eurozone…
Greek lawmakers begin crucial debt vote
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Lawmakers in Greece have begun voting for a crucial austerity and debt-relief bill needed to avoid bankruptcy, after riots raged in Athens…
Love beats action as ‘The Vow’ bows with $41.7M
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Love triumphed over action at the weekend box office with a No. 1 debut for the romantic drama “The Vow.”
Rioting engulfs Athens, buildings burn before vote
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Fireballs lit up the night sky in greece’s capital as buildings were set ablaze late Sunday amid widespread rioting and looting before a historic parliamentary vote expected…
Greek conservative leader speaks for austerity plan
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Conservative leader Antonio Samaras appealed to Greek deputies to back a fresh austerity plan aimed at staving off bankruptcy, as police battled protestors on the streets of the capital Sunday…
Egypt protester dies of wounds a week after clashes
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 An Egyptian protester died of his wounds on Sunday after he was injured in clashes with police last week, the official MENA news agency said…
Diana Ross, Steve Jobs honored at Grammy ceremony
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Diana Ross thinks she should receive a lifetime achievement Grammy for being a mother – not a music legend.
Whitney Houston’s daughter taken in ambulance
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Paramedics say they took Whitney Houston’s daughter to a Los Angeles hospital Sunday morning for unspecified medical reasons.
Indonesia’s Lion Air delays IPO, slams EU ban
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Low-cost carrier Lion Air has postponed plans for a 2012 share flotation worth more than $1 billion, its chief executive and co-founder said, bowing to a stock market reversal that soured last week’s debut of Indonesian…
US admiral says forces prepared to confront Iran
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 The top U.S. Navy official in the Gulf said Sunday he takes Iran’s military capabilities seriously but insists his forces are prepared to confront any Iranian aggression in the region…
Clashes in Bahrain, king mocks opponents’ “bad manners”
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Bahraini riot police engaged in pitched battles with petrol-bomb throwing youths on Sunday as violence escalated ahead of the Feb. 14 anniversary of an uprising last year, while King Hamad mocked the opposition for its “bad…
Hamas strongman in Gaza rejects unity deal
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 A mounting rebellion by Hamas leaders in Gaza against a breakthrough power-sharing agreement with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas highlights a potentially fatal flaw…
Arabs agree Syria opposition contacts, peace force
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 The Arab League said it agreed on Sunday to open contacts with Syria’s opposition and to ask the United Nations to form a joint peacekeeping force to the unrest-swept nation in moves swiftly rejected by Syria…
In complicating move, al-Qaida backs Syrian revolt
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Al-Qaida’s leader has called for the ouster of Syria’s “pernicious, cancerous regime,” raising fears that Islamic extremists will try to exploit an uprising against President Bashar Assad that began with peaceful calls for democratic change but…
New UN fight looms on bid to pressure Assad
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Arab and western states will launch a fresh bid at the United Nations this week to put pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, setting off new diplomatic hostilities between Assad’s friends and foes…
Leverkusen’s Ballack out of Barcelona clash
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack is out of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with holders Barcelona as the former Chelsea star suffered a calf injury on Sunday and sits out the Round of 16 tie…
Venezuelans vote to choose Chavez’s challenger
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Venezuelans lined up to vote on Sunday in the country’s first-ever opposition presidential primary, choosing a single challenger they hope will have what it takes to finally defeat President Hugo Chavez after 13 years in office…
City back on top as Lescott sinks Villa
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Manchester City restored their two-point lead at the top of the Premier League after Joleon Lescott secured a gritty 1-0 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday….
UN consultant shot dead in Egyptian capital
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 A United Nations freelance consultant was fatally shot in the head while driving through an upscale Cairo neighborhood on Sunday, Egyptian security officials said…
Iran blocks email, restricts net access: reports
Daily Star 12 Feb 2012 Iran has further restricted access to the Internet and blocked popular email services for the past few days, in a move a top lawmaker said could “cost the regime dearly,” media reports said on Sunday…
Greek premier appeals for calm amid riots, looting
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – ….
US Navy: Iran prepares suicide bomb boats in Gulf
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – ….
Turkish premier discharged after second surgery
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – ….
Activists: At least 47 killed in Syria violence
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – ….
PM: I’ll shelve any proposal against Supreme Court
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – Netanyahu visits court to express appreciation for outgoing President Beinish. ‘You served wonderfully during difficult time,’ he says ….
Are nuke fears exaggerated?
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – Op-ed: Preventing other states from acquiring ancient technology like nukes unrealistic, illogical ….
Jerusalem: Racist graffiti daubed at Jewish-Arab school
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – Unidentified assailants spray-paint anti-Arab sayings at playground of east Jerusalem school ….
TAU inducts Neurosciences Faculty
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – Tel Aviv University’s Sagol School for Neurosciences is first of its kind in Israel ….
IDF suspends Iron Dome deals
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – Military says defense budget cuts mandate scaling back on rocket defense system purchases. Defense Ministry: Budgetary reality prevents us from completing acquisitions ….
Abbas will have to choose
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – Op-ed: PA leader can’t have it both ways; he can make peace with either Hamas or Israel ….
Feiglin barred from Temple Mount over political flyers
YNet News, 12 Feb 2012 – Posters calling for ‘purification of Temple Mount from the enemies of Israel’ prompt police to temporarily block visitors’ access to holy site ….
Palestinian Information Center
IOF soldiers break the legs of Palestinian minor
PIC – The international organization for the defense of children has said that the Israeli occupation soldiers savagely beat up a Palestinian child after breaking both his legs.
Interior ministry warns Israel of any “foolishness†in Gaza
PIC – The Gaza interior ministry has warned Israel against committing any “foolishness†in the Gaza Strip similar to the war on the enclave three years ago.
Anan: Harming Aqsa infringes on Egyptian national security
PIC – Egyptian chief of staff Gen. Sami Anan has said that any harm done on the Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem would infringe on Egyptian national security.
Hamas: No date fixed for second Mishaal visit to Jordan
PIC – A well informed source in Hamas denied press reports that a date for a second visit by its supreme leader Khaled Mishaal to Jordan was fixed.
Hamas calls for defending the Aqsa mosque
PIC – Hamas warned the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) of persisting in its attempts to storm the Aqsa mosque, describing the Aqsa as a “red lineâ€.
Three Palestinians wounded in IOF shooting
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided a number of suburbs and refugee camps in Jericho at dawn Sunday and wounded three citizens one of them seriously.
Jewish settlers confiscate 20 dunums of Palestinian land in Al-Khalil
PIC – Hundreds of Jewish settlers from the Kiryat Arba settlement started on Sunday to cultivate 20 dunums of Palestinian land to the east of Al-Khalil.
Radwan warns Israel against playing with fire
PIC – Dr. Ismail Radwan, a Hamas leader in Gaza, warned Israel that any tampering with the holy Aqsa mosque would ignite the whole region.
IOF troops raid village, detain two children
PIC – Heavily armed Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed a number of houses in the village of Housan to the west of Bethlehem at dawn Sunday, local sources said.
Tension running high in Aqsa mosque
PIC – Hundreds of Palestinian worshippers remained inside the holy Aqsa mosque on Sunday after offering the dawn prayers to confront any possible storming of it.
Increase in Human Rights Violations against Palestinians in Hebron, says Report
WAFA – …
Three Palestinians Injured as Confrontations Erupt in Jericho
WAFA – …
Settlers Open Road through Palestinian Land South of Nablus
WAFA – …
Syrian general assassinated in Damascus
LA Times 12 Feb 2012 – The senior military physician is believed to be one of the highest-ranking officers killed in the conflict. President Bashar Assad’s government blames ‘an armed terrorist group.’ A Syrian general was assassinated Saturday outside his home in Damascus, the capital, the official state news service said,…
Amid unease, Iran marks anniversary of Islamic Revolution
LA Times 12 Feb 2012 – Demonstrators chant slogans condemning the United States and Israel, and speakers vow the nation won’t be swayed by sanctions over its nuclear program. Iran marked the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution on Saturday with a public display of confidence that stood in sharp contrast…
Arab League Seeks U.N. Peacekeeping Mission in Syria
New York Times 12 Feb 2012 – The Arab League’s foreign ministers called on Arab nations to sever diplomatic relations with Syria in an effort to pressure it to end the violence there.
Strike Over Contract Jobs Is Settled in Israel
New York Times 12 Feb 2012 – Israel’s first general strike in five years ended with an agreement that improves conditions for nonunionized contract workers used by government agencies.
Controversial US police chief hired by Bahraini Interior Ministry
Mondoweiss – I missed this, but it turns out that in addition to a bevy of lobbying – much of it centered on English-language media management – before and after demonstrations peaked, Bahrain’s government was also quick to tap American expertise in containing public demonstrations following the release…
Thirsting for justice
Mondoweiss – Participating in “ Youth for the Right to Water and Sanitation ” project (YRWS) has opened our eyes to a deeper and wider range of information regarding the water crisis that Palestinians have been suffering from, for years. Previously, we lacked awareness of such deadly facts….
Israeli military escalating arrests in Hebron of boys aged 12-15 years old; at least 10 children arrested last week
Mondoweiss – link to www.palestine-info.co.uk ‘–> link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.palestine-info.co.uk ‘–> link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.palestine-info.co.uk ‘–> link to www.hrw.org ‘–> link to www.palestine-info.co.uk ‘–> link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.palestine-info.co.uk ‘–> link to palestinesolidarityproject.org ‘–> link to sjlendman.blogspot.com link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.palestine-info.co.uk ‘…
Im Tirzu Sues Israeli Peace Activists for Calling It ‘Fascist’
Tikun Olam – Im Tirzu Fascist Facebook group logo: ‘Im Tirzu, a Fascist Movement…Big Deal’ Im Tirzu’s Ronen Shoval is one of the most litigous far-right activists in Israel. He’ll sue anyone for anything. He’s threatened Hebrew Wikipedia if they called the group “right-wing,” to which the editors unfortunately…
012, a rematch of Israel’s 2006 war on Lebanon
Voltaire Network 12 Feb 2012 – Syria has been slated for regime change since at least 2002, when it was included in the “Axis of Evil” by the Bush Administration. In this context, Nazemroaya maintains that toppling the government in Damascus was the key objective of Israel’s ill-fated blitz on Lebanon in…
Arab ‘call for Syria peace force’
BBC 12 Feb 2012 – The Arab League calls for a joint Arab–UN peacekeeping mission to end the 11-month conflict in Syria, in a resolution seen by the BBC.
Israel nationwide strike is over
BBC 12 Feb 2012 – Israel’s main trade union federation has ended a five-day strike which closed government offices and key transport hubs.
Articles
Arrested development: Strangling Palestine’s green power
By Charlotte Alfred, Ma’an News Agency 2/12/2012
MASAFER YATTA (Ma’an) — Development organizations and green energy pioneers face a political quagmire when working in Palestinian communities under full Israeli control.
In recent months, the army issued demolition warnings against six solar and wind power systems in the South Hebron Hills, which were funded by European governments and development groups.
“What can you do if there are impediments to development, such as an undefined de-development policy?” says Tsafrir Cohen, Middle East coordinator of Medico International, which supported two of the systems.
Known locally as Masafer Yatta, the communities lie almost entirely in Area C, the 62 percent of the West Bank under full Israel civil and security control since the 1993 Oslo Accords.
Around 150,000 Palestinians living on this land must apply to Israel to build on their land, including connecting to water, road and electricity networks. The UN humanitarian affairs office says that permits are only possible on the one percent of Area C that has an Israeli-approved zoning plan, most of which is already built-up.
Development groups thus face a dilemma.
Cohen says if Medico International abandons development work in Area C, moving to Palestinian Authority-controlled areas where permits are not a problem, they would do little more than “painting the walls of Bantustans.”
“We cannot just facilitate a nice jail cell, and a system where people don’t have rights.” more.. e-mail
Leading ’lambs’ to slaughter
Ramzy Baroud, Al-Ahram Weekly 2/9/2012
Israel’s lust for war and the West’s tolerance of this shows neither has learned anything from history.
On 10 April 2002, then British prime minister Tony Blair told the House of Commons, “Saddam Hussein’s regime is… developing weapons of mass destruction, and we cannot leave him doing so unchecked.”
A year later, Blair, enthusiastically joined a US-led coalition that launched an illegal war against Iraq. Their hunt for weapons of mass destruction was futile because no such weapons actually existed. The Iraq Survey Group, a 1,400 strong member organisation set up by the CIA and the Pentagon, made every attempt to prove otherwise, but only came back empty-handed. In its final Duelfer Report, released in September 2004, the group “found no evidence of concerted efforts to restart the [nuclear] programme.”
One would think that the years between 1991 — the first war on Iraq — and 2003 would have been enough to convince US– led Western allies that economically besieged, politically isolated and war torn Iraq had no capacity for producing such weapons. Still, Iraq was attacked with a ferocity that left hundreds of thousands dead and a destroyed country. The outcome of the misadventure may be history to some, but it is a devastating reality for millions of Iraqis.
Considering all of this, shouldn’t we at least expect a slight change of course?
“Drums of war beat louder as Iran and Israel step up rhetoric” declared a story headline in the British Independent newspaper on 4 February, while ABC news stated that “Fear of Israel war with Iran grows amid heightened nuke concerns”.
Of course, there is great deal of journalistic trickery in how the story is being reported. Iran did promise retaliation if attacked, but the possible war is being initiated and engineered by Israel. more.. e-mail
Iran War: What Is AIPAC Planning?
M J Rosenberg, Huffington Post 2/9/2012
These are strange times for those of us who follow the debate about a possible war with Iran. It is clear that the Israeli government and its neoconservative camp followers here in the United States are increasing pressure on President Obama to either attack Iran or let Israel do it (in which case, we would be forced to join in). But the idea of another Middle East war is so outlandish that it seems inconceivable it could actually occur.
Still the conventional wisdom holds that it can, and the main reason is that this is an election year and no one will say no to Binyamin Netanyahu in an election year.
War enthusiasm will rise to a fever pitch by March, when AIPAC holds its annual policy conference. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will, if past example holds, bring the crowd of 10,000 to its feet by depicting Iran as the new Nazi Germany and by coming very close to stating that only war can stop these new Nazis. Other speakers will say the same. The few who mention the idea of diplomacy will be met by stony silence.
From the convention center, 10,000 delegates will be dispatched to Capitol Hill with two or three “asks” for Members of Congress. One will, no doubt, be that “containment” of a nuclearized Iran be ruled off the table (leaving war as the only remaining option should Iran get the bomb). Another will likely be that the U.S. stop all dealings with the Palestinian Authority should Hamas and Fatah permanently reconcile. A third could apply either to Iran or Palestine and will, no doubt, demand fealty to whatever Netanyahu’s policy of the moment happens to be. I’ve sat in those meetings where the AIPAC “asks” are developed and it was always clear that the substance didn’t matter all that much.
The goal of the “asks” is ensuring that Congress follow the script. Invariably at least one of these AIPAC goals will be put into legislative language and quickly pass both chambers of Congress. more.. e-mail
On Delegitimization and Anti Semitism
Palestine Chronicle: 12 Feb 2012 – By Lillian Rosengarten ‘What times are these When a conversation Is almost a crime Because it includes So much explicit.’ — Paul Celan, ‘A leaf, treeless’ Fanatics closed to discussion, believe in their moral superiority without having to justify their behavior and too often portray themselves as victims. Dissent in any form against Israel’s crimes against Palestinians is squelched in a morally repulsive manner. Jews and human rights activists are labeled anti-Semites. This serves to focus away from a brutal occupation in the name of preserving the Jewish state. Israel hides behind its own label as “victim” in an effort to obscure the truth of its political mission to conquer and destroy. Those who pay attention recognize the buzzword “anti-Semite” and how this label has become associated with inflammatory hatred and destruction. Bizarrely the hatred is directed towards the much-reviled Palestinian population. We are told they are a threat and…more
Storm over Hebron
Palestine Chronicle: 12 Feb 2012 – By Uri Avnery There seems to be no limit to the troubles caused by the town of Hebron. This time, the reason is as innocent as can be: the organized visits of schoolchildren to the Cave of Machpelah, where our patriarchs are supposed to be buried. By rights, Hebron should be a symbol of brotherhood and conciliation. It is the town associated with the legendary figure of Abraham, the common ancestor of both Hebrews and Arabs. Indeed, the name itself connotes friendship: the Hebrew name Hebron stems from the same root as “haver”, friend, comrade, while the town’s Arab name – al-Khalil – means “friend”. Both names refer to Abraham being the friend of God. Abraham’s firstborn, Ishmael, was the son of the concubine Hagar, who was driven out into the desert to die there, when the legitimate son, Isaac, was born to Sarah. Ishmael, the patriarch of the Arabs,…more
Crimes against Detained Palestinian Children
Palestine Chronicle: 12 Feb 2012 – By the Center for Political and Development Studies – Gaza Amir Ofek, the press attaché for the Embassy of Israel in London, published an article in response to The Guardian special report entitled ‘The Palestinian children – alone and bewildered – in Israel’s Al Jalame jail’. His response included many allegations and false information which should be clarified. He said, “When a minor involved in terrorist activity is arrested, the law is clear: no torture or humiliation is permitted, nor is solitary confinement in order to induce a confession – which challenges the veracity of the accounts in your article”. He also ignored all forms of torture to which Israel subjects Palestinian children. He claimed that children have been accused of committing atrocities, including killing the Fogel family while they slept. He also claimed that Palestinian factions send children to commit suicide bombings. The public should know the truth of…more
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