30 June 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Bethlehem church designated as Endangered World Heritage site
IMEMC – The United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization voted Friday to designate the Bethlehem Nativity church and pilgrimage route as a World Heritage site, which will provide the Palestinian Authority with funding to maintain and restore the sites. …
PA security clash with protesters in Ramallah
6/30/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Dozens of young Palestinians clashed with PA security forces in Ramallah on Saturday at a protest against the leadership’s scheduling of a meeting with Israeli vice premier Shaul Mofaz. The youth gathered in central Ramallah and tried to march on the headquarters of the leadership, the Muqataa, where they….
Labor minister: PA unable to pay July salaries
6/30/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority labor minister said Saturday that due to the government’s worsening financial crisis, public sector salaries will not be paid on time for July. Ahmad Majdalani urged Arab nations to fulfill their financial pledges to the PA in order to allow salary payments. He said cabinet ministers….
Activist: 2 arrested in Beit Ummar
6/30/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained two young Palestinian men at a checkpoint at the main entrance to Beit Ummar near Hebron in the southern West Bank on Friday, a local activist said. Muhammad Awad identified the detainees as 23-year-olds Ahmad Muhammad al-Alami and Mahmoud Abdul Hamid al-Alami. Separately, settlers attacked a vegetable….
Ministry: 1,700 prisoners in Israel have medical conditions
6/30/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — There are 1,700 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails receiving medical treatment, a report by the Palestinian Authority ministry of prisoners affairs said Saturday, calling for improvements to medical care by prison authorities. The ministry report says 75 of these prisoners are suffering from chronic disease, and 20 are interned in Ramle….
Official: Abbas-Mofaz meeting postponed indefinitely
6/30/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Sunday’s meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli vice premier Shaol Mofaz has been postponed indefinitely, an official said Saturday. The senior Fatah official, who asked not to be named, told Ma’an the meeting was postponed for several reasons including public opposition under the current circumstances. The….
PA says UNESCO vote is recognition of Palestinian rights worldwide
6/30/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The UNESCO heritage committee’s decision to include Bethlehem’s Nativity Church and the nearby pilgrimage route on the world heritage sites list is evidence of worldwide recognition of Palestinian rights and their just cause, a top advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday. Nabil Abu Rdeina told the….
US, Israeli military drill set for October-November
6/30/2012 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The United States and Israel are expected to hold a delayed, joint military exercise sometime around October or November, after postponing it earlier this year, the top US military officer said on Friday. Army General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he wasn’t sure what the final….
Arab League to meet on Palestine
6/30/2012 – CAIRO (Ma’an) – The Arab League’s general secretariat is scheduled to hold its 88th conference of Arab countries hosting Palestinian refugees Saturday, Egyptian media reported. The conference will be held in the secretariat’s headquarters in Cairo. Representatives of Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt will join the meeting in addition to….
PA agriculture minister signs Namibia cooperation deal
6/30/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority minister of agriculture on Saturday concluded a two-day visit to Namibia, after signing a cooperation agreement with his Namibian counterpart. Walid Assaf, joined by the non-resident Palestinian ambassador Ali Halimah, met with Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Foreign Minister Utoni Nugoma and Agriculture Minister John Mutorwa during the trip….
Palestinian council begins Syria relief campaign
6/30/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas has instructed an official council to start a fund raising campaign for victims of the violence in Syria, a statement said. Director of the Palestinian Economic Council for Reconstruction and Development Muhammad Ishtayya will launch a month-long campaign in cooperation with UN agencies, his office said. The aid….
PLO urges Security Council meeting on settlements
6/30/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian leadership agreed Saturday to call on the UN Security Council for an urgent meeting on Israel’s settlement expansion on Palestinian land. The meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee in Ramallah, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, agreed to begin international contacts and consultations on the issue….
PA police say detained 147 at Jordan crossing in June
6/30/2012 – JERICHO (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority forces arrested 147 people at the West Bank border crossing with Jordan in the past month, a police statement said Saturday. Border police said those detained at the Allenby crossing were wanted on criminal charges, and were among 85,107 passengers who entered Jordan and 80,212 arriving in the West….
Former Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir dies
6/30/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Yitzhak Shamir, the hawkish Israeli leader who balked at the vision promoted by the United States of trading occupied land for peace with the Palestinians, died on Saturday after a long illness. He was 96. The second longest-serving prime minister after Israel’s founder David Ben-Gurion, Shamir clung to the status quo….
Police detain Ramallah man suspected of stealing from brother
6/30/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority police on Saturday detained a man in Ramallah on suspicion of stealing from his brother. A police statement said they had been investigating the theft of machinery worth 200,000 shekels ($51,070) from a house in Ramallah, when the victim’s brother confessed to selling the equipment in Ramallah….
US downplays Turkish troop movement near Syrian border
6/30/2012 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — US defense chiefs on Friday downplayed Turkey’s deployment of troops and military vehicles toward its border with Syria, saying the movements didn’t appear aimed at escalating tensions with Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Turkish official on Thursday described the movement as a precaution after Syrian air defenses shot down….
As Syria writhes, divided powers meet in Geneva
6/30/2012 – GENEVA (Reuters) — Foreign ministers of world powers gather in Geneva on Saturday to try and forge a common strategy to end the bloodshed in Syria, but differences between Russia and the West may thwart them. Kofi Annan, the former UN chief who is special international envoy on Syria, has been hoping for consensus on a….
Egypt’s first Islamist president takes oath
6/30/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Egypt’s first Islamist president, Muhammad Mursi, was sworn in on Saturday, propelling his Muslim Brotherhood into power after 84 years of struggle, although the military remains determined to call the shots. Immediately after taking his oath, Mursi said a civilian and constitutional state had been “born today”. The US-trained engineer is….
World powers agree on Syria unity government
6/30/2012 – GENEVA (Reuters) — International powers agreed on Saturday that a national unity government should be set up in Syria to resolve the conflict between President Bashar Assad and opposition forces trying to oust him. Peace envoy Kofi Annan said after the talks in Geneva that the government should include members of Assad’s administration and….
Former Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir dies at 96
AlJazeera 30 Jun 2012 – Born in Poland in 1915, two-time prime minister was in power during Palestinian uprising and 1991 Gulf War.
Two Palestinians Wounded, Dozens Suffered Asphyxiation Due to Gas Inhalation in the Village of Bil’in
Palestine News Network
Ashrawi Welcomes UNCESO’s Decision to include Bethlehem as a World Heritage Site
Palestine News Network
NossBalad.com: Support, Become One of the Producers of the First Palestinian Web-Series in Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
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Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Aqaba: Family of 12 receives home demolition order
6/30/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Sunny, 28 June 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – On Sunday, June 24 in Aqaba, Muhammed and Nassa Al-Jabba received a demolition order by Israeli authorities demanding that they evacuate the premises of their home within the next 3 days. The Al-Jabba family have not evacuated the home as it is the sole residence….
Palestinians divided over east Jerusalem
The National 30 Jun 2012 – Earlier this year, Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the West Bank’s Palestinian Authority, broke with tradition and urged Muslims worldwide to visit Jerusalem – a city that has been boycotted to show defiance to Israel’s occupation.
‘The people of Syria must come to a political agreement’
The National 30 Jun 2012 – Kofi Annan says it is for Syrians to find a solution to the crisis but the US and Russia disagreed on whether Bashar Al Assad should step aside.
Morsi pledges ‘a new Egypt’
The National 30 Jun 2012 – Mohammed Morsi, the former Muslim Brotherhood official turned president of Egypt, took the oath of office and formally accepted executive authority from the military.
Iran faces new import embargo
The National 30 Jun 2012 – The West has gone for Iran’s economic jugular with a series of measures aimed at crippling its oil imports.
In personal letter, Netanyahu urges Egypt’s Morsi to honor peace agreement with Israel
Ha’aretz – 30 Jun 2012
Farewell to the accidental prime minister
Ha’aretz – 30 Jun 2012
Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir dies at 96
Ha’aretz – 30 Jun 2012
Thousands of social protesters march in cities across Israel
Ha’aretz – 30 Jun 2012
Palestinian Authority calls for UN Security Council meeting over Israeli settlements
Ha’aretz – 30 Jun 2012
Egypt’s new president, Mohammed Morsi, vows to support Palestinians
Ha’aretz – 30 Jun 2012
Mofaz-Abbas meeting postponed indefinitely, Palestinian official says
Ha’aretz – 30 Jun 2012
U.S. sends message to Israel, Iran, schedules joint military exercise with IDF
Ha’aretz – 29 Jun 2012
My Word: On protests and Putin
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Police and protesters alike should keep in mind that popularity and force of numbers are one thing; sheer force is something else entirely.
Graduation day: There and then, here and now
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – What a difference a few continents, a foreign language, another society and a completely different culture, mindset and educational system make.
The Islamist threat in Africa
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Recent warnings in Washington about the influence and cooperation of Islamist movements in Africa should not fall on deaf ears.
Assad’s fate left open after Syria crisis talks
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Powers agree on transitional government to end bloodshed, but Assad’s part in process unclear.
Thousands hit streets in TA social justice protest
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Protesters unveil a “social justice convention,“ which lays out their demands for the next government budget.
Former PM Yitzhak Shamir passes away at age 96 in Tel Aviv
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Israel’s seventh prime minister passes away in Tel Aviv nursing home, scheduled to be laid to rest in state funeral on Monday; receives praise from across political spectrum for uncompromising loyalty to Israel.
US passes measure to enhance Israel security ties
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Senate legislation calls for increased cooperation on missile defense, homeland security, energy, intelligence and cyber-security.
Mursi sworn in as Egypt’s first Islamist president
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – In first presidential address, Mursi vows to “stand by Palestinians”, honor international treaties.
Russia, West lock horns at Syria peace talks
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Foreign ministers, int’l diplomats meet in Geneva in hopes of finding solution to violence; at least 16 killed across country.
Egypt’s President Mursi takes oath of office
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Mohamed Mursi says a civilian, constitutional state was “born today,” promises to respect the constitution, rule of law; ends 6 decades of rule by military men, though generals have already curbed his powers.
‘White Night’ goes on despite protests
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – “Black Night” protest, march is held to demonstrate against police violence; city says 200,000 revelers participated in the festivities.
After 5 dark years, Schalit takes in NY limelight
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Former captive IDF soldier is taking a big bite out of the Big Apple giving interviews to the Grey Lady, attending Daily Show taping.
Video: ‘Black Night’ protesters take to TA streets
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Demonstrating against police violence the week before, protesters march through the city’s “White Night” celebrations.
Egypt’s Mursi to be sworn in as president
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – A day after Muslim Brotherhood president elect swears himself in before crowds in Tahrir, official ceremony to take place.
‘Abbas nixes Mofaz visit due to public pressure’
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Palestinians planned protests against Mofaz’s arrival in Ramallah; Mofaz camp reportedly claims Netanyahu behind cancellation.
Germany’s Jewish patriots find a home in the army
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – To Jews from the outside, such patriotism may seem odd. But the military was remade in a democratic image.
UNSC publishes report on Iran arms trade with Syria
Jerusalem Post 30 Jun 2012 – Panel submits report to Iran sanctions committee, says Syria main destination for illicit Iranian arms transfers.
Dempsey: US-Israel drill to take place in fall
Jerusalem Post 29 Jun 2012 – Top US officer confirms massive Austere Challenge 12 exercise to be held either in October or November after postponement.
UNESCO: Nativity Church heritage site in ‘Palestine’
Jerusalem Post 29 Jun 2012 – Fayyad: This gives hope to our people; US “profoundly disappointed”; PMO: Palestinians taking steps to distance peace.
Former Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir dies aged 96
The Guardian 30 Jun 2012 – Shamir, who earned reputation as uncompromising opponent of Palestinian statehood, has died after long illness Former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir, who earned a reputation as an uncompromising opponent of Palestinian statehood, has died aged 96….
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Uruknet
Israeli court upholds decision to file no charges against officers who killed Palestinian
Uruknet
To Palestine With Love
Uruknet
Revisiting CIA Torture on International Day of Support for Victims
Uruknet
Judge orders prosecution to explain stonewalling in Bradley Manning case
Uruknet
Not Dark Yet But I have seen the Footlong Hot Dog of the Apocalypse
Uruknet
Prisoners in Etzion Prison go on hunger strike in protest at their conditions
Uruknet
After Thoughts on “Anti-Imperialism”
Uruknet
Assad’s fate left open after Syria crisis talks
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 International powers agree that a transitional government should be set up in Syria to end the bloodshed there but left open the question of what part President Bashar Assad might play in the process.
Calm returns to refugee camp after clashes
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Calm returns to the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in Sidon following clashes that left three people wounded.
Egypt army to say it has kept pledge to cede power
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Egypt’s ruling military council will say on Saturday that it is fulfilling its pledge made when it took over from ousted leader Hosni Mubarak to transfer power to an elected president.
Palestinians block Tyre road to protest arrest
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Tens of Palestinians briefly block a road in Tyre, south Lebanon, with burning tires Saturday over the arrest of a Palestinian who threw rocks at members of the ISF.
Egypt’s new leader vows support for Palestinians
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Egypt’s newly elected president has sent an implicit message of reassurance to Israel in his first major address after taking office, but he also pledged support for the “legitimate rights” of the Palestinians.
Egypt backs Syrian people, bloodshed must stop: Mursi
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Egypt backs Syrian people, bloodshed must stop: Mursi
Egypt backs Palestinians until they get all their rights: Mursi
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Egypt backs Palestinians until they get all their rights: Mursi
Russia’s Lavrov warns U.S. over human rights law-agency
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Russia has warned the United States that their relations would suffer “serious damage” if Washington adopts a bill to penalize Russian officials for human rights abuses
Annan warns of severe Syrian crisis
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Syria envoy Kofi Annan has warned that if nations trying to end the country’s violence fail to act they face an international crisis of “grave severity.”
Annan calls on world powers to reach unity on Syria
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Annan calls on world powers to reach unity on Syria to allow for peaceful solution to conflict.
Islamist Mursi is sworn in as Egypt’s first freely elected president
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Islamist Mohammed Mursi is sworn in as Egypt’s first freely elected president.
Lebanese shepherd abducted by Israel released
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 A Lebanese shepherd abducted by the Israeli army has been released and is back in Lebanon, security sources told The Daily Star.
Egypt seizes Grad rockets smuggled from Libya: reports
Daily Star 30 Jun 2012 Egypt has seized a large weapons consignment, including Grad rockets, that had been smuggled from Libya and could have been headed to the Gaza Strip.
Rare meeting between Afghan government, Taliban
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – ….
Iranian oil minister calls for emergency OPEC meeting
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – ….
Merkel favours closer ties with Washington
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – ….
Activists say Syrian troops fire on Damascus funeral, killing 30
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – ….
Kadima to pursue individual punishments for haredi draft dodgers
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – ….
Former PM Yitzhak Shamir dies at 96
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – Israel’s seventh prime minister, former Knesset speaker and FM passes away in Tel Aviv. PM Netanyahu: He was a paragon of loyalty to the Land of Israel ….
Tel Aviv: Thousands gather for social protest
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – One week after social justice rally turns into violent riot, protesters take to streets in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa ….
‘Arab public more moderate than its MKs’
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar says ‘some radical Arab MKs are only after segregation’; Israel must devise special National Service path for Arab sector ….
Promote solidarity, not anti-haredi incitement
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – Op-ed: Government has been discriminating against ultra-Orthodox sector for years; IDF draft issue just an excuse ….
Holon teens attack off-duty policeman
YNet News, 30 Jun 2012 – Officer hit in head with rock after asking teens to keep noise down; other teenagers brawl during pool party in Savyon ….
Palestinian Information Center
Morsi: We will support Palestinian legitimate rights
PIC – Newly installed Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi has said that Egypt would respect international treaties it signed and would seek to regain Palestinian legitimate rights.
IOF soldiers quell weekly anti-wall march in Al-Khalil
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) assaulted local citizens and foreign activists who tried to reach confiscated Palestinian land to the north of Beit Ummar village in Al-Khalil on Saturday.
Report: IOF arrested 53 citizens including 9 children in one week
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested 53 citizens over the course of the past week including nine children and four liberated prisoners.
OCHA: Israel razed 15 Palestinian structures in one week
PIC – OCHA said in its weekly report covering some Israeli violations from 20 to 26 June that Israel demolished 15 Palestinian homes and structures in the occupied territories.
Hamas leader on hunger strike in PA jail
PIC – The leader in the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, Sheikh Hassan Mohamed Al-Wardian, 58, from the city of Bethlehem went on an open hunger strike protesting against his detention in PA jails.
IOF kidnap two Palestinians in Beit Ummar town of Al-Khalil
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces kidnapped on Friday evening two Palestinian citizens at the entrance of Beit Ummar town north of Al-Khalil city and stormed at dawn Saturday several areas of the city.
New Israeli bids for building 171 settlement units east of O. Jerusalem
PIC – The Israeli ministry of housing issued tenders for the building of 171 settlement units in the southeastern part of occupied Jerusalem.
Released prisoner calls for greater attention to prisoners’ suffering
PIC – Liberated prisoner Samir Al-Ousta, 55, from Askar refugee camp in Nablus, has appealed for greater attention to the suffering of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation jails.
Israeli military watchtower burned near Gaza
PIC – An Israeli military watchtower was burned on Friday evening, along with sensors and surveillance cameras during a large fire that broke out east of Juhr Al-Deek town, south east of Gaza city.
IOA denies family visits to prisoner, isolates him
PIC – The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) banned family visits to prisoner Ahmed Ali Abu Khader, from the town of Seelat Al-Dahar south of Jenin.
Official says Abbas wants all Pre-Oslo Prisoners Released
WAFA – 30 Jun 2012
Palestinians Welcome Including Bethlehem on World Heritage List
WAFA – 30 Jun 2012
Israeli Courts Fine Prisoners to Compensate Settlers, says Official
WAFA – 30 Jun 2012
Weather Forecast: Hot, Temperature above Seasonal Average
WAFA – 30 Jun 2012
Israel Arrests Five in West Bank
WAFA – 27 Jun 2012
PEX Report: Al-Quds Index Up
WAFA – 26 Jun 2012
Morsi Is Sworn In as President of Egypt
New York Times 30 Jun 2012 – Mohamed Morsi was formally sworn in on Saturday as Egypt’s first democratically elected president, marking a new stage in an ever murkier struggle to define the future of the nation.
News Analysis: New Sanctions on Iran Aim at Its Oil Industry
New York Times 30 Jun 2012 – After years of efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear program, the United States and its allies are imposing sanctions meant to cut the country off from the global oil market.
Syria Peace Talks in Geneva
New York Times 30 Jun 2012 – Global powers agreed on Saturday to back a plan for political transition in Syria that did not include a specific call for President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
Yitzhak Shamir, Former Prime Minister, Dies at 96
New York Times 30 Jun 2012 – Mr. Shamir was part of a group of right-wing politicians who rose to power in the 1970s and who adopted an unyielding opposition to territorial concessions for Palestinians.
Palestinians in Syria Drawn Into the Violence
New York Times 30 Jun 2012 – Palestinian refugees in Syria, a country that has treated them more kindly than many others, have found themselves drawn into the worsening conflict between government and opposition.
Fueled by Oil Wealth, Malls Rise in Baghdad
New York Times 30 Jun 2012 – A return to prosperity for a war-ravaged country is welcome, but economists fear growth of a consumer culture masks problems with an economy dependent on oil.
Israeli Attorney General Refuses to Prosecute Jilani’s Police Killers
Tikun Olam – Ziad Jilani’s surviving family: justice perverted and denied Yesterday, Israel’s Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein announced his refusal to prosecute Border Police officers Maxim Vinogradov and Khir Al-Din Shadi , who executed East Jerusalem Palestinian Ziad Jilani in 2010, after a minor traffic accident on the city’s crowded…
‘Israelis are helping write US laws, fund US campaigns, craft US war policy’
Mondoweiss – At Al Jazeera, Ahmed Moor has a piece titled , “How the Israel lobby erodes US sovereignty.” Strong words. Moor says that Israelis are “helping write US laws, funding US campaigns, and helping craft US war-making policy.” Part of his case is the Mark Kirk Senate bill…
What’s the difference between South Africa and Israel?
Mondoweiss – The Forward has posted a podcast about the big decision by a Wall Street firm to delist Caterpillar from its socially-responsible index of companies. Gal Beckerman says: It’s been a number of years since the BDS movement kind of — 2005 was the initial call. South Africa,…
Syria: No to intervention, no to illusions
Mondoweiss – A protester makes a victory sign behind the Syrian flag during a protest against President Bashar al-Assad in April, 2011. (Photo: UPI) Fifteen months on, the short Syrian spring of 2011 has long since morphed into a harsh winter of discontent. Syria is close to full-scale civil war. If the conflict escalates further,…
Walt suggests liberalism and Zionism are irreconcilable
Mondoweiss – Earlier today I commented on the common ground of realists and lefties on foreign policy. Well I just read Steve Walt’s very favorable review of Peter Beinart’s book, The Crisis of Zionism , and I’m struck by the extent to which Walt, a coldblooded realist, espouses lib-left…
Exploiting Jewish Fear on Iran
The Forward Leonard Fein 29 Jun 2012 –
Yitzhak Shamir Dies at 96
The Foward Breaking News 30 Jun 2012 – Yizhak Shamir, the seventh prime minister of Israel, died Saturday at the age of 96. He led nation from 1983-‘84 and again from 1986 to ‘92. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israel Protesters Plan To Present ‘Charter’ for Justice
The Foward Breaking News 30 Jun 2012 – A week after the violent protests in Tel Aviv, rallies were scheduled to take place on Saturday in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Afula. Click here for the rest of the article…
Deported Africans Face Struggle at Home
The Forward New 30 Jun 2012 – After being deported from Israel, scores of South Sudanese returned to their newly independent homeland. They blame racism for Israel’s crackdown on illegal African immigrants. Click here for the rest of the article…
Activists protest Shaol Mofaz, land confiscation at weekly Beit Ommar demonstration
Palestine Solidarity Project 30 Jun 2012 – On June 30th, 25 international and Israeli activists joined Beit Ommar residents and members of the Popular Committee in today’s protest against the illegal confiscation of Palestinian farmland. The Popular Committee of Beit Ommar, leading the protest, called for the boycott of Shaul Mofaz following his…
This week: settlers attack Beit Ommar vegetable seller, soldiers arrest two Palestinians
Palestine Solidarity Project 30 Jun 2012 – On June 28th, Beit Ommar resident and vegetable vendor Yousef Nadi Sabarna was attacked by settlers on his way home from the nearby village of Jeba. In order to return to Beit Ommar, Yousef- who leaves Beit Ommar every day to sell his produce to nearby…
The Center for Freedom’s 3rd Annual Summer Camp Begins
Palestine Solidarity Project 28 Jun 2012 – On Monday June 25th, the Center for Freedom and Justice began its third annual summer camp for Palestinian youth from the Arroub refugee camp and the neighboring village of Beit Ommar. The camp, which will run for 21 days and serves 150 Palestinian children ages 7-15,…
Mursi sworn in as Egypt’s leader
BBC 30 Jun 2012 – Egypt’s first freely elected, civilian president Mohammed Mursi is formally sworn in and saluted by the head of the powerful military.
UN calls for new Syria government
BBC 30 Jun 2012 – International talks on Syria end with a call for a transitional government to be set up, amid reports of a bomb killing 30 people near Damascus.
Ex-Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir dies
BBC 30 Jun 2012 – Yitzhak Shamir, the former Israeli prime minister and leader of the right-wing Likud party, dies at the age of 96, officials say.
Ahmad al-Aseer: Crisis or Opportunity?
Al-Akhbar Opinion 30 Jun 2012 – Why all the worry that the actions of Aseer and his followers could set the stage for a clash which in turn triggers widespread strife in the country? (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) Why all the worry that the actions of Aseer and his followers could set the…
Little Hope for Change Among Egypt’s Poor
Al-Akhbar News 30 Jun 2012 – Boys play in a destroyed car at Manshiyet Nasser shanty town in eastern Cairo 28 June 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Amr Abdallah Dalsh) Boys play in a destroyed car at Manshiyet Nasser shanty town in eastern Cairo 28 June 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Amr Abdallah Dalsh)…
Hundreds of protesters detained in Sudan
Al-Akhbar News 30 Jun 2012 – About 1,000 people were detained and hundreds injured – many by tear gas – during anti-regime protests on Friday in Sudan, an activist group said on Saturday’s anniversary of President Omar al-Bashir’s coup. The information minister called the protesters “rioters” who threaten the country’s stability. “Some…
Lebanon’s Ride into the Future
Al-Akhbar News 30 Jun 2012 – (Source: Abdul Rahim Samadi) (Source: Abdul Rahim Samadi) There are six 7-D theaters in Lebanon, one of which is located in the sunken commercial plaza of Hamra’s Concorde Center. Wedged between the bright facades of Dunkin’ Donuts and Dip ‘n Crunch, the theater resembles an oversized…
Ahmad al-Assir: Crisis or Opportunity?
Al-Akhbar News 30 Jun 2012 – Why all the worry that the actions of Assir and his followers could set the stage for a clash which in turn triggers widespread strife in the country? (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) Why all the worry that the actions of Assir and his followers could set the…
Iran demands OPEC reduce oil supply
Al-Akhbar News 30 Jun 2012 – Iran on Saturday called for OPEC to hold an extraordinary meeting to rein in output going over its agreed total quota because oil prices have dipped to a “critical level” under $100 a barrel. “We have asked the secretary general to set up an extraordinary meeting…
Egyptian president backs Palestinian struggle
Al-Akhbar News 30 Jun 2012 – Egypt’s first Islamist president Mohammed Mursi attends his swearing in ceremony in this still image from a video footage in Cairo (Photo: Reuters – Egyptian Television) President Mohamed Mursi backed the struggle of the Palestinian people as he took the oath of office on Saturday to…
Lebanon’s Electricity Mafia
Al-Akhbar Series and Features 29 Jun 2012 – No one encroaches on another’s area of influence and no one rebels against the electricity “godfather.” (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) No one encroaches on another’s area of influence and no one rebels against the electricity “godfather.” (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) In the large swathes of Lebanon where the…
Algeria and France: Memories of War
Al-Akhbar Politics 29 Jun 2012 – French President Francois Hollande (C) welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Elysee Palace in Paris, 27 June 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Philippe Wojazer) French President Francois Hollande (C) welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Elysee Palace in Paris, 27 June 2012. (Photo: Reuters -…
Articles
Author: Israel can claim the title of the most racist state in the developed world
Revital Hovel, Haaretz, Israeli Occupation Archive 6/26/2012
Israeli culture is no less toxic than fanatic Islam, and the country’s discriminatory attitude toward Mizrahi Jews and Arabs qualifies it for the title of “most racist state,” prominent Israeli author Sami Michael said on Monday.
“Israel can claim the title of most racist state in the developed world,” Michael, who heads the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, said at the opening of an international conference of the Association for Israel Studies at Haifa University.
“More than 60 years after the establishment of the Israeli state, the rift between European and Mizrahi Jewry has not mended. It is reflected in racism and social gaps,” the author said.
“To this day people from Arab states are underrepresented in the state’s central institutions, especially academic and cultural ones,” he said.
The racism is encouraged by cabinet members and MKs, and fueled by increasing religious extremism in the country, he said.
Michael also criticized the social inequalities in Israel and what he characterized as the failure of the left to adequately contend with these issues.
“Israel is in danger unless its leadership understands it isn’t located in Europe’s tranquil north but in the Middle East’s seething center,” said Michael. “We may lose everything. Israel could be a transient construct, like the First and Second Temples.
Michael said Israeli children are trained to hate the other. — See also: Source: Haaretz more.. e-mail
Heavy Grows Israel’s Finger on the Trigger
Russ Wellen, Antiwar.com 6/28/2012
P5 +1 (the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany) and Iran failed to secure a breakthrough at the third round of talks in Moscow last week. Meanwhile, Israel’s trigger finger remains itchy. On May 17 Michael Stott of Reuters reported:
“I think they’ve gone into lockdown mode now,” the senior Western diplomat said. “Whatever happens next, whatever they decide, we will not find out until it happens.” …
“I think they have made a decision to attack,” said one senior Israeli figure with close ties to the leadership. “It is going to happen. The window of opportunity is before the U.S. presidential election in November. This way they will bounce the Americans into supporting them.”
Also, on June 22 at Christian Science Monitor, Scott Peterson reported the comments of Sergei Markov, a Kremlin adviser, who said:
[T]he talks need a “more clear advance and quicker developments” if they are to forestall a conflict [and] there is a “quite high” chance of an Israeli attack on Iran in July or August — just months before the U.S. presidential election in November.
Why exactly does Israel see the American elections as, at best, a window of opportunity, or, at worst, a deadline for mounting an aerial attack on Iran?
Part of the reason, according to Jeffrey Goldberg at The Atlantic in May, is that when Netanyahu solidified his coalition, he dodged his own election this September and, with all parties on board, is able to proceed. more.. e-mail
Simulating an Iranian attack on Israel – why?
Alan Hart, Redress 6/28/2012
According to reports in Israeli newspapers, the US and Israel are going to hold their largest ever joint military exercise in October, shortly before American voters decide whether to give Barack Obama a second term in the White House or replace him with Mitt Romney. The exercise, involving thousands of soldiers and the most advanced anti-missile defence systems, will simulate simultaneous attacks from Iran and Syria.
Given that there is no prospect of Iran initiating missile strikes or other military action against Israel – I mean that it will only fire in response to an Israeli or an American-and-Israeli attack – what is the real purpose of the forthcoming exercise?
My speculation is that President Obama may have approved it for a self-serving reason of (American) domestic politics. Romney’s Republican Party is painting Obama as a president who is putting Israel at risk by being soft on Iran – by not doing enough to prevent it acquiring nuclear weapons and by restraining Israel from attacking Iran. In a very tight or close race for the White House, and fully exploited by the Zionist lobby and its evangelical Christian allies, the Republican assertion that Obama is a threat to Israel just could tip the balance in Romney’s favour.
With that possibility in his mind, Obama might well have approved the exercise to simulate Iranian and Syrian missile attacks on Israel in order to have, when the exercise is underway, a headline-grabbing way of exposing the Republican charge against him for the partisan propaganda nonsense it is. With television footage of the exercise in the background behind him, I can almost hear Obama saying something like: “No American president, Democrat or Republican, has done more than me to best protect and guarantee Israel’s security.
It could also be that Obama has calculated that such a demonstration of his support for Israel’s security at the end of his first term will give him enough credibility in the bank of American Jewish opinion to allow him to continue to prevail on Israel not to attack Iran in his second term. more.. e-mail
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