24 March 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Soldiers Attack Detainees, Conduct Forced DNA Tests
IMEMC – The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees reported Saturday that Palestinian political prisoners in Nafha, Majiddo, Galboa’, and Ramon Israeli prisons, returned their meals on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning, in protest to forced DNA tests conducted on them by, under gunpoint, the Israeli soldiers. …
Ambassadors Of Portugal, South Africa, Teargased Near Ramallah
IMEMC – Ambassadors of Portugal and South Africa, in the central West Bank city of Ramallah, were treated for the effects of teargas inhalation after Israeli soldiers fired gas bombs at dozens of local and international peace activists during the weekly nonviolent protest against the Wall and Settlements in kufr Qaddoum village, near the Ramallah. …
U.S. Likely To Release $147 To P.A
IMEMC – Republican Lawmaker, Representative Kay Granger, stated Friday that she will be releasing $147 Million to the Palestinian Authority headed by Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank after she withheld the money since August of last year in protest to the Palestinian National Unity deal. It remains unclear if the funds will be released due to another hold put by a different republican lawmaker. …
Two Children Injured By Army Fire Near Ramallah
IMEMC – A Palestinian child was wounded in the face by a rubber-coated metal bullet fired by Israeli soldiers who attacked nonviolent protesters against the Wall and Settlements in Nabi Saleh village, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah; a second child was shot and injured in the leg. …
Al-Ma’sara Village Holds Its Weekly Nonviolent Protest
IMEMC – Dozens of local residents, and International peace activists, held the weekly nonviolent protest against the Annexation Wall and Settlements in Al-Ma’sara village, near Bethlehem; Israeli soldiers attacked the protestors leading to clashes leading to clashes between local youths and the army, no injuries were reported. …
Soldiers Invade Several Towns Near Hebron
IMEMC – Israeli army invaded on Thursday at night several towns near the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and also invaded several neighborhoods in the city, clashes were reported. …
Two Civilians Injured, One Critically, As Troops Attack West Bank Anti Wall Protests
IMEMC – On Friday two civilians were injured, one seriously while many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli soldiers suppressed anti wall protests in a number of West Bank villages. …
Medics: Palestinian hurt by settler gunfire
3/24/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A Palestinian man was shot and injured Saturday during clashes with Israeli settlers who attacked his village in the central West Bank, medical officials said. Hassan Muatan, 40, was shot in the abdomen after armed settlers stormed the Burqa village east of Ramallah and attempted to vandalize property, witnesses said. Muatan….
Gaza baby dies as power cut shuts breathing aid
3/24/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A seven-month-old baby in Gaza died on Friday evening after medical equipment he was connected to switched off as a result of a power cut, a Hamas-affiliated TV channel said. Gaza medical spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya confirmed the incident, adding that the infant was born with respiratory problems and doctors….
Committee: Settlers uproot 85 olive trees near Bethlehem
3/24/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Settlers uprooted dozens of olive trees in the Bethlehem village of al-Khader on Saturday, a local anti-separation wall committee said. The group of Israelis destroyed 85 olive trees in a field belonging to Khader Ali Au Ghalyoun, committee coordinator Ahmad Salah told Ma’an. The settlers, according to Salah, have….
Medics: Explosion near Gaza City injures 2 children
3/24/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — An explosion near Gaza City wounded two children on Saturday, medical officials said. Medical services spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya said the five-year-olds were moderately injured by “Israeli remnants” east of Shujaiyeh neighborhood, and were evacuated to Shifa hospital. Two children were killed in the West Bank in early March, in….
Amnesty: Israel should release or charge Shalabi
3/24/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israel should immediately release hunger-striker Hana Shalabi or charge her with a recognizable criminal offence and promptly try her, Amnesty International said Friday.”Hana Shalabi has reported that Israel Prison Service officers have handled her violently while transferring her to hospital or the military court, and consistently pressured her to end….
Ministry: Prisoners refuse meals over DNA tests
3/24/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinians jailed in Israel have refused meals to protest the forceful extraction of their DNA samples, the PA Ministry of Prisoners Affairs said Saturday. Palestinian inmates at Megiddo, Gilboa and Ramon jails returned meals on Thursday and Saturday, the ministry report said. Prisoners’ representative in Ramon Jamal Rajoub said prisoners….
PA delegation in Cairo for Gaza fuel talks
3/24/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian officials headed to Cairo on Saturday seeking a deal for continuous fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip, after a day’s worth of fuel arrived in Gaza via Israel on Friday. Power Authority chief Omar Kittaneh — who is heading the delegation — said they will discuss the mechanism for ongoing….
Fayyad says freed US aid to help ease crisis
3/24/2012 – RAMALLAH (Reuters) — Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said on Saturday the release of $88. 6 million in development funds by US lawmakers would help ease a fiscal crisis in the aid-dependent Palestinian economy.” This is very important in order to help us deal with the economic crisis,” Fayyad told reporters in Ramallah. In August….
Egyptian official: Zahhar on tour to end fuel crisis
3/24/2012 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar traveled to Egypt on Saturday in the first stop of an international tour to seek support for the movement’s position on a fuel crisis in the Gaza Strip, an Egyptian security official said. Zahhar passed through the Rafah crossing from Gaza on Saturday afternoon….
Fatah official in Gaza urges Hamas to stop harassment
3/24/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A senior Fatah official in the Gaza Strip on Friday demanded that Hamas stop harassing party members in the coastal enclave. Abdullah Abu Samhadana, secretary of the senior leadership of Fatah in Gaza, said in a statement that Hamas is violating agreements which put an end to political arrests. The….
Abbas adviser: Al-Masri remarks ‘rude’
3/24/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – President Mahmoud Abbas’ adviser Nimir Hammad on Friday evening reacted angrily to remarks by Hamas official Musheer al-Masri against Abbas and the Palestinian Authority. Hammad described the remarks as “rude” and an attempt to block reconciliation. Speaking to Ma’an, Hammad said that “to say the least, Musheer al-Masri….
Independents urge Fatah, Hamas to cool rhetoric
3/24/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Leaders of the Palestinian coalition of independent figures on Saturday urged Fatah and Hamas to stop tit-for-tat accusations and instead immediately start implementing national reconciliation. The statement came after a round of incitement erupted Friday as Hamas official Musheer al-Masri denounced the Palestinian Authority and President Abbas, after which Abbas’….
Minister visits mother of 4 detainees
3/24/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs visited a woman on Friday whose four sons are in Israeli jails. Issa Qaraqe visited the al-Amari camp in Ramallah to meet Um Nasser Abu Hamid. The minister gave Abu Hamid a gift for Mothers Day and applauded her bravery. Her oldest son….
Poll: 48 percent Gazans blame govt for fuel crisis
3/24/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — People in the Gaza Strip mostly blame the Hamas government for the ongoing fuel crisis in the coastal enclave, according to a poll released on Saturday. In Gaza, 48 percent hold Hamas responsible for the cutoff in fuel supplies that plunged the strip into widespread blackouts, the study by the Arab….
Gaza bakeries operating normally, official says
3/24/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Bakeries in the Gaza Strip have resumed operations after the government in Gaza provided them with the necessary amounts of fuel, an official said Friday. Abdul Naser Al-Ajrami, the head of the bakery owners association, confirmed to Ma’an that the bakeries were operating normally and would be able….
Gaza man arrested after death of female relative
3/24/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza police arrested a man suspected of killing a female relative in the southern Gaza Strip, security officials said Saturday. The woman died in the Nasser medical center in Khan Younis, the officials said, adding that an investigation had been opened. They did not release further details of the incident….
TV: Safe linked to Arafat found in Lebanon
3/24/2012 – BEIRUT (Ma’an) — A safe believed to belong to late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was found in southern Lebanon on Saturday, a Lebanese TV channel reported. The locked container was discovered by a Lebanese man near the site of a former Fatah military base when Arafat lived in the country, Al-Jadeed TV said. The….
UN asks for help with Syrian refugee crisis
3/24/2012 – REMTHA (IRIN) — At the edge of this busy border town, a set of old, overcrowded buildings has become a transit house for Syrians fleeing to Jordan illegally. Designed for 500, the compound now houses up to 800 at times. Those who do not find space inside sleep in the open under trees. The compound has….
Officials: Iran helping Assad to put down protests
3/24/2012 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Iran is providing a broad array of assistance to Syrian President Bashar Assad to help him suppress anti-government protests, from high-tech surveillance technology to guns and ammunition, US and European security officials say. Tehran’s technical assistance to Assad’s security forces includes electronic surveillance systems, technology designed to disrupt efforts….
French gunman’s brother faces legal proceedings
3/24/2012 – PARIS (Reuters) — The brother of a gunman who killed seven people in France faces legal proceedings along with his girlfriend as police investigate the case, but his mother should soon be released from custody, a legal source said Friday. Mohamed Merah’s mother, his elder brother Abdelkader and that brother’s girlfriend were….
US approves Egypt military aid despite rights fears
3/24/2012 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The Obama administration on Friday formally released $1. 3 billion in military aid for Egypt despite Cairo’s failure to meet pro-democracy goals, saying US national security required continued military assistance. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waived congressional conditions imposed late last year that tied US aid to progress in Egypt….
Activists: 24 killed as Syria army pounds Homs
3/24/2012 – BEIRUT (Reuters) — Syrian forces pounded the battered city of Homswith tank and mortar fire and troops pummelled several other rebel strongholds on Saturday, leaving at least 24 dead, opposition activists said. With the bloodshed showing no signs of abating, the UN-Arab League peace envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan, flew to Moscow, seeking Russian backing for….
International Solidarity Movement
Al Khalil: School children reflect on changes in Israeli military following presence of ISM volunteers
3/25/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Edna, 25 March 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – The safe, comfortable, winsome childhood I had growing up in suburban America is a completely theoretical concept for the Palestinian children in the West Bank. I’ve realized this while volunteering as a human rights observer in Hebron. One activity that entails is sitting….
A family’s nightmare: Beaten and kidnapped by illegal settlers near Qadumim as Israeli military facilitates the crime
3/24/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Jonas Weber, 23 March 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – A family of four were kidnapped by settlers on Thursday afternoon while having a picnic close by an outpost near Qadumim. When soldiers arrived at the scene they chased away the relatives of the kidnapped family with tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets alongside settlers throwing stones….
Amani al Khandaqja, defender of prisoner rights, becomes a prisoner herself
3/24/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Robin and Axel, 21 March 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – Amani’s father displays the photo of his daughter, Amani, who was taken away by the Zionist military earlier this week. Early Monday morning, on the 20th of March, Israeli soldiers raided a Palestinian home in the occupied West Bank city of….
Nabi Saleh: Israeli Soldiers Shoot 15 year old in the face with rubber coated steel bullet
3/24/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Jonathan Pollack, 23 March 2012, Popular Struggle Coordination Committee – Israeli Border Police officers shot a rubber-coated bullet at 15 year-old Ezz Tamimi’s face from a distance of about 20 meters, during the weekly demonstration in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh today. The bullet, which hit the boy’s cheek….
Two Stray Bullets in Gaza
3/24/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Johnny Bravo, 24 March 2012, International Solidarity Movement, Gaza – On Sunday it was reported that a young boy had been shot on farmland near the Rafah crossing. The details were unclear. Several colleagues and I traveled to Rafah to find out what happened. After making several inquiries, we entered a Bedouin area several hundred…. Related: Medics: Explosion near Gaza City injures 2 children and Sohaib, 6 years old, injured by an Israeli bullet
Awaiting release and hearings of local activists, Kufr Qaddoum met with more Israeli violence
3/23/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Robin and Leila, 23 March 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – It was under a bright, sunny sky that the people of Kufr Qaddoum once again gathered to protest against the roadblock which isolates them from the rest of the West Bank. The past week there had been much frustration and anger since Murad Ashtawi, member of….
U.S. lawmaker releases hold on aid to Palestinians
Relief Web 23 Mar 2012 – Source: Reuters – AlertNet Country: occupied Palestinian territory By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) – An influential U.S. Republican lawmaker, Representative Kay Granger, said on Friday she was releasing $147 million in U.S. development aid for the Palestinians that…
Human Rights Council adopts 11 resolutions on Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Israeli settlements
Relief Web 23 Mar 2012 – Source: UN Human Rights Council Country: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (the) , occupied Palestinian territory , Syrian Arab Republic (the) Decides to Appoint an Independent Expert on Human Rights and the Environment; Decides to Send a Fact-Finding Mission to Investigate Israeli…
Crisis-hit Gaza gets 450,000 litres of fuel
Relief Web 23 Mar 2012 – Source: Agence France-Presse Country: occupied Palestinian territory 03/23/2012 14:15 GMT GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories, Feb 14, 2012 (AFP) – Some 450,000 litres of fuel were delivered to the crisis-hit Gaza Strip early on Friday through Israel’s Kerem Shalom border crossing,…
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Relief Web 23 Mar 2012 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: occupied Palestinian territory The chronic electricity deficit affecting Gaza over the past few years has disrupted the delivery of basic services and undermined already vulnerable livelihoods and living conditions. Since…
J Street stresses urgency of peace in opening of annual conference in Washington
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
Israel weighs ways to penalize PA in wake of UN human rights probe
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
Israel warns Lebanon authorities ahead of planned Palestinian protests near border
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
Egypt forces working to prevent Iran attacks on Israeli targets, sources say
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
Report: Israel grants asylum to 8 out of nearly 1,000 requests in 2011
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
Israeli academics protest granting university status to West Bank settlement college
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
Hundreds of Israelis march in Tel Aviv to protest war with Iran
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
Toulouse terrorist’s brother is ‘proud’ of him, says French media
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
Report: Iran planned to bomb Israeli ship in Suez Canal
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
French media releases video of Toulouse terrorist’s apartment after police raid
Ha’aretz – 24 Mar 2012
U.S. lawmakers release $88.6 million in aid to Palestinians
Ha’aretz – 23 Mar 2012
Israel’s first ‘Slutwalk’ protest hits the streets of Tel Aviv
Ha’aretz – 23 Mar 2012
Israeli Health Ministry report: Down syndrome diagnosis lower in Arab community
Ha’aretz – 22 Mar 2012
J Street kicks off annual Washington conference
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Valerie Jarret added to speakers list; Danon: Lobby serves Iranian interests, tells MKs not to attend.
Hundreds expected to take part in Bike to Work Day
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Festigalgal founder says group wants to change mentality that bikes are meant solely for sport, and not transport.
Putting the hotel into the hospital
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – The first inpatient department has moved into the luxury tower that will replace Hadassah University Medical Center’s Ein Kerem.
Swedish Jews slam mayor as anti-Semitic
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Mayor of Malmö said the Swedish Democratic party has infiltrated the town’s Jewish community to spread hate of Muslims.
Europe’s bishops blast Saudi grand mufti
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Grand mufti issued a religious fatwa saying it is “necessary to destroy all the churches in the Arabian Peninsula.”
Ashton’s blunder
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – The EU foreign policy chief’s moral obtuseness and evidence of anything but upright impartiality.
Remembering a Christian warrior for Zion
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Fundamentally Freund: Orde Wingate’s contributions to the establishment of the State of Israel and its defense cannot be overstated.
Out There: ‘Lego for adults’
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – What you really need to master build-it-yourself-furniture is simply not to lose any of the parts.
FM: Abbas using ‘diplomatic terror’ against Israel
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Meridor, differing from PM, focuses on closing of Iran’s nuclear facility at Qom instead of int’l supervision.
My Word: Vive la différence
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – To life! A good one. And “Next year in Jerusalem!” These are the thoughts that have united us for thousands of years.
1,000 march in Tel Aviv against war with Iran
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Protesters express opposition to strike on Iran, voicing anti-Netanyahu slogans and railing against AIPAC.
Liberals boycott Egypt’s constitutional assembly
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Islamist-controlled parliament selects members for constitution-writing body; liberals and leftists withdraw, saying country’s diversity will not be properly represented.
Syrian army pounds Homs killing at least 24
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Bloodshed continues as UN-Arab League peace envoy Annan flies to Moscow, seeking Russian backing for ceasefire efforts.
‘Iran plotted terror attack on Israeli ship in Suez’
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – ‘Al Ahram’ reports Iranian agents offered 2 Egyptian men 50m. Egyptian pounds to carry out attack on Israeli vessel.
Expert: Israel should ‘disengage’ from Palestinians
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Palestinian front is the only one in which Israel controls its fate, Mideast scholar tells INSS panel.
Hamas: PA using Gaza fuel crisis to incite
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – PA denies charges that West Bank leadership had asked the Egyptians to cut off fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip.
Saudi women on their way to the Olympics
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Kingdom to field female athletes, assuaging critics aboard, spurring controversy at home.
‘Iron Dome allotment can’t offer full protection’
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Former defense minister Amir Peretz warns Israel will need double the number of planned batteries for full protection.
‘Iran planned to bomb Israeli ship in Suez Canal’
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – ‘Al Ahram’ reports Iranian agents offered 2 Egyptian men 50,000 Egyptian pounds to carry out attack on Israeli vessel.
Syrian tanks enter northern town
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Homs bombarded with mortars; six civilians and four soldiers killed in clashes, according to opposition activists.
Ask the Barman: Where everybody knows your name
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – Maya Tishler runs the show at Shishko bar, insisting she has the best job in the world.
Officials: Iran helping Assad to put down protests
Jerusalem Post 24 Mar 2012 – European and US officials say Iran is providing drones, electronic surveillance equipment; Assad’s hold on power is still solid, not entirely dependent on Iranian support, officials add.
The Numbers Crunch: Israel-Iran love online
Jerusalem Post 23 Mar 2012 – Also online this week: Poll finds Internet users still going to news sites to get most of their online news.
Young Palestinians act out their struggle on another stage
The Guardian 24 Mar 2012 – A year ago the Israeli-born director of a tiny theatre in a West Bank refugee camp was gunned down. Now young Palestinians are fighting to save the place where they can voice their anger, frustration and…
Turkey’s Fears: What Threats Could Syrian Crisis Unleash?
IPS Enough calls to reason. It is time for collective action. That was the message Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu sent Thursday to his European Union (EU) colleagues, whom he will be meeting later this week in Brussels.
A night raid in Nabi Saleh displays oafishness and contempt (Video )
Uruknet March 24, 2012 – A few nights ago the Israeli military raided the home of imprisoned Palestinian protest leader Bassam Tamimi. During the raid in Nabi Saleh, in the occupied territories, a relative of Tamimi filmed four soldiers traipsing through the family home-pawing around in the children’s bedroom. While the kids are sleeping, the soldiers read…
Gaza baby dies as power cut shuts breathing aid
Uruknet March 24, 2012 – Gaza medical spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya confirmed the incident, adding that the infant was born with respiratory problems and doctors had recommended the use of mechanical breathing apparatus to be used at home. The father of the child had turned on the apparatus before going to sleep but during the night a…
US journalist fired after calling Israeli occupation ‘brutal’
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – A veteran American journalist has been fired after referring to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Syrian land as “brutal.” Sunni Khalid, managing news editor at WYPR-FM in Baltimore, was dropped by the public radio station on Thursday after more than nine years on the job. He had been on probation following criticism…
012 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Friday ends with the fall of 54 martyrs: 22 in Idlib, where 18 of them fell in during a new massacre committed by the regime in Saramein; 12 in Homs; 9 in Daraa; 3 in Aleppo; 2 in Douma in the Damascus Suburbs; 2 in Deir Ezzor; 2 in Hama; 1 in…
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Uruknet March 23, 2012 – This month saw a 10 percent increase in the number of children prosecuted in the Israeli military courts and imprisoned. This is the second consecutive month in which a rise in the number of children in detention has been recorded. There has been a 39 percent increase in the number of children…
Military Resistance 10C11 : Target Selection
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Mohammed Wazir says he was having breakfast with his brother in the town of Spin Boldak when he received the phone call from his village three hours away. “All your family members are martyred,” a neighbor told him. “…. The only people who have remained are those who couldn’t afford the expense of…
Understanding the Palestinian Refugee Crisis
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Last night I had the pleasure of watching Ziad Abbas of the Middle East Children’s alliance address a full room of students at City College of San Francisco with his presentation, “Cultural Resistance of Marginality: a Personal Perspective on the Untold Stories of Palestinian Refugees.” I had seen Ziad’s slideshow once previously,…
6 months later: no White House, DOJ explanation for assassinating Americans at will
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – The NY Times and independent writer Madison Ruppert both point-out that the White House and DOJ have both failed to provide after six months any legal justification for assassinating American citizens in general legal principle, or specifically to American citizens Anwar al-Alwaki and two weeks later his 16-year-old American son. Anwar’s father…
Jerusalem soccer hooligans attack Arabs at shopping center (video)
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Last Monday, a mob of Beitar Jerusalem football fans rioted at the Malcha Shopping Center. Notorious for their racism, the fans’ chants often include “MAH-vet l’araVEEM” – death to Arabs…As Haaretz reports, hundreds of Beitar hooligans swarmed into the mall following a game at the nearby Teddy Stadium. They “hurl[ed] racial abuse…
Russia: Selective Use of Syria Findings
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – In its March 22, 2012 statement, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “deep concern” over human rights violations committed by armed groups affiliated with the Syrian opposition, extensively citing an open letter on this issue published by Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch also learned that Russian diplomats used the open…
USAFRICOM and the Militarization of the African Continent: Combating China’s Economic Encroachment
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Since the time of the British Empire and the manifesto of Cecil Rhodes, the pursuit of treasures on the hopeless continent has demonstrated the expendability of human life. Despite decades of apathy among the primary resource consumers, the increasing reach of social media propaganda has ignited public interest in Africa‘s long overlooked…
Palestinian hunger striker in danger
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Hana Al-Shalabi, 24, was released from Israeli jails several months ago as part of the so-called Shalit deal. However, the young Palestinian woman was rearrested two months ago “on secret charges” and sent for administrative detention without charge or trial, ostensibly in order to make her suffer. This, says Eissa Qaraki, the…
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Uruknet March 23, 2012. Chaos and violence continue in Iraq, Human Rights Watch calls for an investigation into whether or not someone was tortured to death, security sources say the targeting of Emo youths in Iraq is back on after the Arab Summit and that this time the ones targeted will be Iraqi girls and young women,…
Israeli Army Detains A 12-year-old Child At Roadblock Near Jenin
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Israeli soldiers detained, on Thursday evening, a 12-year-old Palestinian child at a roadblock close to an illegal Israeli settlement, south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin. The Palestinian News & Info Agency, WAFA, reported that the child was identified as Mohammad Mo’ayyad Metani, 12, from Ya’bod village, near Jenin.WAFA added…
Gaza Siege Harshness Continues
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Israel’s claimed easing is false. Besieged Gazans remain isolated. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) assessed conditions in January. Except for limited amounts of agricultural products, Gaza’s export economy’s suffering. In addition, imports of basic needs and raw materials fall well below minimal needs. Karm Abu Salem crossing was closed nearly…
After the Arab Spring in Palestine: Contesting the Neoliberal Narrative of Palestinian National Liberation
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Over the past year, as Arab peoples in surrounding countries erupted in protest against dictators, security regimes, and failed social and economic policies, the Palestinian people living in their occupied homeland have remained quiescent. Neither have mass protests targeted the Palestinian “regime’s” policies or negotiating performance, nor has resistance to Israeli occupation…
012 : A Video Roundup
Uruknet
Boundless Hypocrisy: U.S., Israel and Palestine
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Once again, Israel has used its United States-financed might to bomb the people it has oppressed for over sixty years. Following some ineffectual aggression by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Israel spent days bombing defenseless men, women and children, killing at least 26 people, wounding dozens of others and destroying countless homes….
NYPD surveillance document reveals spying on Palestine solidarity movement
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – The Associated Press reveals today that New York Police Department (NYPD) intelligence agents traveled around the country and spied on a number of social justice groups and individuals, including those in the Palestine solidarity movement. The revelation, based on a 2008 police document the AP obtained, is the latest in their months-long…
The Bobby Sands Precedent Bradley Manning for Congress
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Bradley Manning, the whistleblower for the covered-up horrors of an America foreign policy that routinely hides its crimes and abuses from public scrutiny, languishes in prison awaiting a “trial” not dissimilar to the “trials” given to Bobby Sands and his comrades. Last week, General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs…
Iraq: Investigate Death of VP’s Bodyguard in Custody Statements and Photos Raise Torture Concerns
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Iraqi authorities should order a criminal investigation into allegations that security forces tortured to death a bodyguard of Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, Human Rights Watch said today. Iraqi authorities released Amir Sarbut Zaidan al-Batawi’s body to his family on March 20, 2012, about three months after arresting him for terrorism. His family…
Nabi Saleh: Israeli Soldiers Shoot 15 year old in the face with rubber bullet
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – Israeli Border Police officers shot a rubber-coated bullet at 15 year-old Ezz Tamimi’s face from a distance of about 20 meters, during the weekly demonstration in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh today. The bullet, which hit the boy’s cheek, went through it, gouging a large hole in it. The Israeli…
Cyrenaica and France’s Libyan Problems
Uruknet March 23, 2012 – The decision by the so-called “Congress of the People of Cyrenaica” held near Benghazi to establish a unified federal region of Barq has again attracted the attention of the media to Libya. Of course, the main reason for this decision by the Cyrenaicans was the desire to take charge of the two…
2 wounded Syrians enter Lebanon, receive treatment
Daily Star 24 Mar 2012 Two wounded Syrians who crossed into east Lebanon Saturday were transported to the north of the country for treatment.
Expired medicine discovered in north Lebanon
Daily Star 24 Mar 2012 Authorities discovered over the weekend a large quantity of expired medicine in the district of Akkar, north Lebanon.
Hosting Arab leaders, Iraq tries to return to fold
Daily Star 24 Mar 2012 A summit of Arab leaders, held here for the first time in a generation, is a prime opportunity for Iraq to reassert itself as a political player in the Arab world after years of war, isolation…
Hezbollah offers condolences over passing of Coptic pope
Daily Star 24 Mar 2012 A Hezbollah delegation representing Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah offered condolences Saturday over the recent passing of Coptic Pope Shenouda III.
Abandoned newborn baby found in south Lebanon park
Daily Star 24 Mar 2012 A 15-day-old baby girl was discovered in a park in the town of Ghazieh, south of the coastal city of Sidon, Saturday.
Syrians hold pro-Assad rally in south Lebanon
Daily Star 24 Mar 2012 A group of Syrian expatriates held a protest in solidarity with their president Saturday in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, the National News Agency reported.
EU names 17 Iranians sanctioned over human rights
YNet News, 24 Mar 2012 – ….
Greece: Israeli motorcyclist killed in accident
YNet News, 24 Mar 2012 – Yaniv Kitlaro, 38, dies in crash while training for motorcycle competition in Greece ….
4 rappellers trapped in northern cave
YNet News, 24 Mar 2012 – ….
Missing Haifa woman contacts police
YNet News, 24 Mar 2012 – ….
Officials: Pakistani Taliban training Frenchmen
YNet News, 24 Mar 2012 – ….
Tel Aviv: 1,000 march against Iran strike
YNet News, 24 Mar 2012 – Virtual campaign takes to streets as protesters rally against bombing Iran‘s nuclear facilities ….
Western world is blind
YNet News, 24 Mar 2012 – Op-ed: Despite Muslim murderousness, West refrains from admitting Islam is the problem ….
Palestinian Information Center
Jewish settlers shoot at, wound Palestinian villager
PIC – A Palestinian man in his forties was wounded in his shoulder when Jewish settlers shot at Palestinian villagers in Burka village to the east of Ramallah city on Saturday.
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PIC – The Israeli occupation forces escalated their arrest campaigns in lines of Palestinians since the start of 2012 and rounded up around 900 including children, women, lawmakers, and liberated prisoners.
Palestinian infant dies because of power cut
PIC – A seven-month infant died late Friday in Gaza city when the electric respiratory device used to help him breath suddenly stopped as a result of a power outage.
Hamas reveals documents on conspiracy by PA, Fatah against Gaza
PIC – Hamas said it has documents and minutes of meetings proving the involvement of the Fatah-controlled PA with the Mossad, the US intelligence, and Arab parties in Gaza fuel and power crisis.
Mizrahi hails PA security forces for their collaboration with Israel
PIC – Head of the Israeli army central command Avi Mizrahi praised the security cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority forces.
European initiative warns of unprecedented Israeli settlement drive
PIC – The European initiative has welcomed the UN human rights council’s decision establishing a fact-finding committee on Israeli settlements but warned of negative repercussions.
Turkish delegation in Gaza today
PIC – A high-level Turkish delegation is expected to arrive in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, according to an official source in Gaza.
Thabet: Stop oppressing Palestinians in Iraq
PIC – Thabet organization for Palestinian refugees right of return has called for ending the oppression befalling Palestinian refugees in Iraq.
IOA serves demolition notice to Palestinian family in Bethlehem
PIC – The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) served demolition notice to a Palestinian family in Nahalin village to the west of Bethlehem on Friday.
Israeli soldiers attack South African and Portuguese ambassadors with tear gas
PIC – The South African and Portuguese ambassadors to occupied Palestine were reportedly attacked with tear gas grenades by Israeli soldiers during their participation in Kafr Qaddum march.
Officials Head to Egypt to Discuss Gaza Fuel Crisis
WAFA – 13:11-RAMALLAH, March 24, 2012 (WAFA) – President of the Palestinian Energy Authority Omar Kittaneh and Accountant General of the Palestinian Authority Yousef al-Zamer Saturday headed to Egypt to…
Poll: Gazans Hold Hamas Responsible for Fuel Crisis
WAFA – 12:18-RAMALLAH, March 24, 2012 (WAFA) – Majority of Gazans held Hamas responsible for the fuel crisis that led to severe power cuts in the Gaza Strip, according to…
Settlers Raid Village near Ramallah, Injure Palestinian
WAFA – 11:40-RAMALLAH, March 24, 2012 (WAFA) – A Palestinian man Saturday sustained injuries in an Israeli settlers’ attack on Burqa, a village east of Ramallah, according to local sources….
Settlers Destroy Dozens of Olive Trees in Bethlehem Area
WAFA – 10:13-BETHLEHEM, March 24, 2012 (WAFA) –Israeli settlers destroyed dozens of olive trees in the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, a local activist said Saturday. Ahmad Salah, coordinator…
Shattered residents regroup after Syrian offensive in Idlib
LA Times 24 Mar 2012 – They describe a government onslaught marked by bouts of terror, wanton destruction behind closed doors and strange moments of kindness by soldiers. In a playground of slides and swings, children dug in the sand next to a string of simple dirt mounds that covered the…
Syria first lady targeted by European Union sanctions
LA Times 24 Mar 2012 – Asma Assad, whose shopping sprees have come to light while the government is accused of slaughtering civilians, faces an EU travel ban and assets freeze. Other family members are also singled out.
As the Displaced Return to Iraq, New Tensions Arise
New York Times 24 Mar 2012 – Near-record numbers of families are coming home, in some cases reviving resentments created by bloody purges that carved Iraq into archipelagos of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
Syria Reportedly Continues Drive to Retake Rebel Strongholds
New York Times 24 Mar 2012 – Syrian troops intensified an attack against the city of Homs, activists said, as a Kremlin official indicated Russia continues to disagree with the United States on how to end the fighting.
For Lawyer in Afghan Killings, the Latest in a Series of Challenging Defenses
New York Times 24 Mar 2012 – John Henry Browne, the lawyer defending the soldier charged with killing Afghan civilians, has long been the voluble and sometimes victorious defender of the virtually indefensible.
Hundreds of soccer fans crowd Jerusalem mall: ‘Death to Arabs!’
Mondoweiss – We’ve missed this and everyone is talking about it: a massive anti-Arab gathering that took place in Israel on Monday. Chanting “Death to Arabs,” hundreds of Beitar soccer fans crowded into a mall in Jerusalem after their team won a match and what spilled out …words…
Cuba-Gaza parallels explored (by Gaza Center for Political and Developmental Studies)
Mondoweiss – Gaza Center for Political and Development Studies/Julie Webb-Pullman lecture The Gaza Center for Political and Development Studies held a lecture on Tuesday entitled “Resistance in Latin America”, delivered by Julie Webb-Pullman, an activist from New Zealand and an election observer in Latin America, who spent…
Zionism totalled
Mondoweiss – Hillel Ben Sasson at Peter Beinart’s new Zion Square blog at Daily Beast is done with trying to resuscitate the term Zionism. “Zionism’s been stolen.” I like this piece because it shows the growing awareness inside Jewish life, and inside Zionism, that Zionism just hasn’t worked…
On the passing of Novick: the political limitations of ‘The Holocaust in American Life’
Mondoweiss – Peter Novick. (Photo: Fredric Stein/New York Times) The deservedly esteemed historian Peter Novick died on February 17th, and his obituary appeared on March 13th in the New York Times [ Peter Novick, Wrote Controversial Book on Holocaust, Dies at 77 ]. It is perhaps unlikely that an obituary…
‘Tribefest’ excommunicates group of young Jews who dared to speak about ethnic discrimination
Mondoweiss – We got this email from Young Jewish and Proud . Deeply dismaying. And I say the Jewish community is opening up! This is pure intolerance. What will it take to change these attitudes: It’s been over a month since Young Jewish and Proud (YJP), the youth wing…
Seattle Rejects StandWithUs Pro-Israel Pinkwashing Campaign
Tikun Olam – Tweet Phan Nguyen exposed a good deal of the seamy underside of the StandWithUs-Ministry of Foreign Affairs pinkwashing campaign here in the Pacific NW that ended with the Seattle city LGBT Commission cancelling a gala reception it had planned with an Israeli LGBT delegation brought here…
Council of the UE conclusions on Syria
Voltaire Network 23 Mar 2012 – 3157th Foreign Affairs Council meeting The Council adopted the following conclusions : “1. The European Union is increasingly appalled by the unfolding situation in Syria and recalls the European Council conclusions on Syria of 1 and 2 March 2012. The EU strongly condemns the continued brutal attacks…
012-03-22, Syrian Crisis Updated
Voltaire Network 22 Mar 2012 – Homs Unknowns committed a massacre in one of Homs’ neighborhoods and take the victims’ bodies to an unknown destination. Gunmen attack security checkpoints located in Al-Ksair area which result in the death of 3 people from the Kasouha family and the injury of another. Armed rebels…
Zimbabwe: Pilot Arrested With Millions in Diamonds
allAfrica.com 22 Mar 2012 – [The Herald] AN Israeli pilot, who reportedly sneaked into Zimbabwe masquerading as a South African Airways crew member, was arrested at the Harare International Airport while trying to smuggle out 1 300 diamond pieces worth over US$2 million.
Egypt: Sources – Israel Has Not Yet Found New Location for Its Embassy in Cairo
allAfrica.com 23 Mar 2012 – [Egypt Online] Israel has not found yet a new location for its embassy in Cairo, diplomatic sources said, denying news of finding an alternative venue for the facility.
Namibia: Rössing Uranium Nervous About Iran Sanctions
allAfrica.com 23 Mar 2012 – [New Era] Windhoek – The latest US and European sanctions against Iran have Rio Tinto’s Rössing Uranium in Namibia “concerned” over the impact they will have on its uranium mining business.
Egypt: PM Receives Message From Lebanese President
allAfrica.com 22 Mar 2012 – [Egypt Online] Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri received on Wednesday 21/3/2012 a message from Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, in which he conveyed Lebanon‘s appreciation of cooperation with Egypt in all economic, political and social fields.
Demonstration in Hebron in Solidarity with Hana Shalabi
Palestine Solidarity Project 24 Mar 2012 – “Freedom is more important than our lives.” The words come from Hana Shalabi, on hunger strike for 38 days. On Monday, March 19, 2012, there was a demonstration in Hebron in support of her and others in administrative detention. 18th of October 2009 Hana was released…
Campaign Against the Israeli Occupation Military Decision to Deport 8 Minors from Beit Ommar
Palestine Solidarity Project 24 Mar 2012 – The Ofer Israeli occupation military court demanding the deportation of 8 boys from the area of ??their residence in Beit Ommar. In a precedent the first of its kind against Palestinian children, Ofer Military Court, which was held on Tuesday, called for the deportation of 8…
Breaking News: DHS Approves TPS Request for Syrians
Arab American Institute 23 Mar 2012 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), along with the Arab American Institute (AAI), United for Free Syria (UFS) and the Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF), welcome the decision made by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano to approve the submitted Request for Temporary Protected Status (…
Was WYPR News Editor Fired for Criticizing Israel on Facebook?
Arab American Institute 23 Mar 2012 – Today, the Baltimore Sun reported that WYPR-FM has dropped Managing News Editor Sunni Khalid after 9 years on the job. Khalid was placed on probation last month for posting the following on his personal Facebook page: “I, for one, have had enough of this pandering before…
Egypt football ban sparks clashes
BBC 24 Mar 2012 – New clashes flare in Egypt’s Port Said after al-Masry football club is suspended over match violence, which left dozens of people dead in February.
Peace bid as fighting grips Syria
BBC 24 Mar 2012 – The UN-Arab League envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, arrives for talks in Moscow amid reports of 24 civilian deaths in continuing violence.
Egypt liberals boycott panel vote
BBC 24 Mar 2012 – Egypt’s liberal MPs walk out of a vote to choose a panel drafting a new constitution over fears Islamists will monopolise the process.
(en) Poland, IWA Action Days – Mobilizations of the ZSP-IWA
A-infos 24 Mar 2012 – March 29 —- Support for the General Strike called by the CNTE in Spain. Picket at the Spanish Embassy and Demonstration. Mysliwiecka St. 4 in Warsaw at 16:00. At Copernicus Monument (Nowy Swiat 69) at 18:00. —- Protest at Roche Poland. This action is part of…
Articles
A family’s nightmare: Beaten and kidnapped by illegal settlers near Qadumim as Israeli military facilitates the crime
Jonas Weber, International Solidarity Movement 3/23/2012
A family of four were kidnapped by settlers on Thursday afternoon while having a picnic close by an outpost near Qadumim. When soldiers arrived at the scene they chased away the relatives of the kidnapped family with tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets alongside settlers throwing stones.
It was around 4.30 pm on Thursday that the El Seddi family, who were eating almonds on their families land in the outskirts of Jit, east of Nablus, was kidnapped by a gang of settlers. The settlers approached the family on four wheelers in a group of about ten young men with their shirts wrapped around their heads to conceal their faces.
The family was dragged down the valley by the settlers who were armed with big sticks, and forcing the mother to say to their children that “this land does not belong to us.”
The youngest of the children, only 2 years old, took no notice of this and blatantly told the settlers what he thought of them in response. The father, Samer received many blows during the descent into the valley, and the day after his face was swollen and patched up.
The little three-year old girl also sustained wounds on her legs, and the mother says that she was constantly being pushed around and taunted by the settlers while carrying her children.
After about half an hour Samer’s father Ibrahim and two of his brothers became worried for the family and went to look for them. As they climbed a hilltop adjacent to the settlement they saw how the family was being dragged up the hill towards the settlement. more.. e-mail
Two Stray Bullets in Gaza
Johnny Bravo, International Solidarity Movement 3/24/2012
Gaza – On Sunday it was reported that a young boy had been shot on farmland near the Rafah crossing. The details were unclear. Several colleagues and I traveled to Rafah to find out what happened. After making several inquiries, we entered a Bedouin area several hundred meters north of Gaza’s border with Egypt and three kilometers from the Karm Abu Salem area of the Israeli border on the East. We followed a young man on a motorcycle down dusty roads with small plots of crops and olive trees on one side, and dilapidated homes made of corrugated metal, cinder block and plastic on the other.
Standing outside a rickety gate, three boys explain that we need to wait, as there are only women at home. A child runs off to summon a male family member. Someone calls from inside asking us to enter.
We pass through a dusty courtyard and are directed to a small dark room with nothing but mats on the floor. A bare light bulb hangs overhead. A plastic clock hangs on the wall. Despite all the children on the street and in the home, there are no toys. A young boy sits in the corner, playing with the fringe on a woman’s coat, shy and surprised at the strangers in his home. A woman with a child clutching her leg peeks from behind a curtain. Plastic chairs are brought in for the guests.
Faiza, the boy’s forty-four-year-old mother enters and sits on the mat next to the boy. He is six-year-old Sohaib Sultan. He is the victim of the shooting, but he looks uninjured. Faiza pulls down his pants to show the fresh bandage on his left buttock. She explains that on Saturday evening at seven o’clock, they heard gunfire from the border. Sohaib was sitting exactly where we sat, playing on the floor with his brothers, when the bullet pierced the corrugated metal roof and struck him. She points to the hole in the ceiling just above my head. — See also: Sohaib, 6 years old, injured by an Israeli bullet and Medics: Explosion near Gaza City injures 2 children more.. e-mail
Imperfect revolution: Palestine’s 15 March movement one year on
Linah Alsaafin, Electronic Intifada 3/23/2012
What was the 15 March movement really about?
On 17 February 2011, a group of young activists gathered in one of Ramallah’s nondescript cafés to plan for a revolution. Some already knew each other, others didn’t. They Skyped with four activists from Gaza in a meeting that initially focused on translating efforts on social media to action the ground, with the aim of reigniting the Palestinian street into demanding its rights from the oppressors once again.
This was the overture to the short-lived “15 March” movement, as it was dubbed by the local media after the event that took place on that day last year. The movement called for national reconciliation and used the rallying cry of ending the Hamas-Fatah division. Large protests took place in Gaza City and in Ramallah, where they were subsequently hijacked by Hamas and Fatah supporters and security forces, respectively. Many of the 15 March protesters were beaten up.
The movement petered out relatively quickly, and on the surface it seemed like that was that, just another unsuccessful minor chapter in Palestine’s history of factions, youth groups and political blocs. But who were the activists who called for the protest, and what was 15 March really about? Breaking the mold
Before the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, different activists had contemplated arranging a big event on a particular day. Hamas’ stronghold on the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority’s control over the West Bank severely stifled freedom of expression and curtailed individual rights, creating a tense atmosphere not unlike that of a police state. Speaking out — however casually — against the wrong political faction would result in an arrest, a beating and threats. Youth activists were determined to break through the mold of autocratic rule by their own leadership, which they saw as an arm of the Israeli occupation. more.. e-mail
Kandahar and Toulouse: A Tale of Two Cities
Palestine Chronicle: 24 Mar 2012 – By Sarah Gillespie ‘Western civilization? I think it would be a good idea.’ — Mahatma Gandhi The US army staff sergeant Robert Bales, who shot dead Afghani civilians in their homes two weeks ago, has now been formally charged with 17 counts of murder. Aside from the heartbreaking tragedy of this incident, it’s clear that, in the West, the prototype of the ‘lone wolf soldier’ has some advantageous side effects. He plants a false discrepancy between murder that is permissible, and murder that is a violation of our collective moral code. We in the West slaughter innocent men, women and children en masse – but we prefer to do it remotely, ‘humanely’, from a palatable distance. We kill without looking into the faces of our victims. We kill with regret, not pride. We do not own our actions. Yet this gap between authorized violence and renegade barbarism is imaginary. From…more
Confined Cruelty: Israeli Treatment of Palestinian Minors
Palestine Chronicle: 24 Mar 2012 – By Graham Peebles For many Palestinian children their childhood is lived under a cloak of fear, and the threat of violence and abuse at the hands of an armed force that stalks the streets of their homeland. In the eleven years since 2000, Israeli forces have killed “1,471” (1) children in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the bulk of which are aged between 13 and 17 years old. The children of Gaza have been and continue to be at greater risk, with almost a thousand murdered in the last twelve years, on the streets of their city, on their way to and from school, whilst playing with friends, shopping for their family or simply relaxing in their homes. Most are shot randomly, indiscriminately, or killed as a result of Israeli air and ground attacks. Around 50 were taken prematurely from their families by unexploded ordnance. This latest attack on…more
The Ghetto Within: Exploiting Toulouse
Palestine Chronicle: 23 Mar 2012 – By Uri Avnery Racist hate crimes are particularly ugly. If the victims are children, they are even more so. If they are committed by an Arab against Jewish children, they are also incredibly stupid. This was demonstrated this week again. If indeed an Arab al-Qaeda sympathizer is guilty of shooting three Jewish children and an adult in Toulouse, after killing three non-white French soldiers nearby, he caused not only extreme grief to their families, but also extreme harm to the Palestinian people, whose cause he claims to support. The world-wide shock found its expression in a demonstration of solidarity with the French Jewish community, and indirectly with the State of Israel. The French foreign minister flew to Jerusalem, where the Jewish victims were buried. President Nicolas Sarkozy, in the middle of the fight for his political life, appeared everywhere where an ounce of political capital could be extracted from the…more
Pearson’s Peacekeeping – Book Review
Palestine Chronicle: 23 Mar 2012 – By Jim Miles (Lester Pearson’s Peacekeeping – The Truth May Hurt. Yves Engler. RED/Fernwood Publishing, Vancouver/Winnipeg, 2012.) This short book, or elongated essay, concerns the political attributes of one of Canada’s more revered politicians, Lester Bowles Pearson. As with Yves Engler’s other writing on Canada and the truth behind its role in the broader world of foreign policy, The Truth May Hurt will rattle a few perceptions about his role as a ‘peacekeeper’ – as his other books have about Canada’s role as a ‘peacekeeper’ nation. The book is well written and concise, with strong references to support the main ideas. Generally, the overall theme is that Lester Pearson is not the man generally perceived by the public. Instead, he widely supported global imperialist projections, supported corporate capitalism over democracy, and supported Israel above all else for the Middle East. Following Pearson’s career, and he was a career diplomat/politician, spans…more
Who Is Gilad Atzmon… and, Who Are We?
Dissident Voice: 24 Mar 2012 – Caution! Do not enter this book unless you are prepared for serious self-examination, self-dialogue, and a dialectic with an astute listener, challenger, provocateur and wit. Leave notions, assumptions, biases—positive and negative—at the doors of your perception—which are about to be vigorously cleansed! Be prepared for topic sentences like this: “My grandfather was a charismatic, poetic, veteran Zionist terrorist.” The author of such disarming prose, the grandson of that “veteran Zionist,” is internationally-acclaimed musician and composer, Gilad Atzmon. Born and raised in Israel–a Sabra—Atzmon, like his peers, “didn’t see the Palestinians” around him. “Supremacy,” he writes, “was brewed into our souls.” And then a strange thing happened. “On a very late-night jazz programme, I heard Bird (Charlie Parker) with Strings. I was knocked down. The music was more organic, poetic, sentimental and wilder than anything I had ever heard. …” And the most extraordinary thing about Atzmon’s first encounter with the…more
“Stability” Trumps Democracy in Egypt
Dissident Voice: 24 Mar 2012 – Confronted with popular protest, the country’s unelected rulers have doubled down on repression, jailing peaceful activists and killing dozens of civilians who have the gall to exercise their rights. Those who state security forces haven’t killed for demanding democracy have been tear-gassed and brought before the perverted justice of a military court, even as the ruling clique promises the world and its red-eyed subjects democratic reform. Eventually. Were it Syria or Iran, the rhetoric from Washington would be stern, aggressive even. But since the repressive ruling clique is the military junta in Egypt, the lectures are timid – and coupled with a handout. Indeed, as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just announced, the Obama administration is waiving a legislative requirement that made military assistance to Egypt conditional on its rulers “implementing policies to protect freedom of expression, association, and religion, and due process of law.” This allows the U.S. government…more
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The New Dark Age 