27 July 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Several wounded in nonviolent anti-wall demonstrations in the W.B.
IMEMC – In central West Bank, Palestinians organized anti-wall and settlements protests in the villages of Bil’in, Nil’in and al-Nabi Saleh. Israeli troops used chemical water in addition to tear gas to suppress protesters. …
Israeli Military Calls for Demolition of West Bank Village
IMEMC – The Military Claims it is Built on an Archaelogical Site Israeli daily Ha’aretz is reporting that the Israeli military has called for the demolition of a Palestinian village under the pretext that it is built on an archaeological site. …
Live Ammunition Fired at Palestinians near Ramallah; Child Assualted by Military in Hebron
IMEMC – Several incidents of Israeli military violence were reported on Wednesday in the occupied West Bank in the Ramallah and Hebron districts. …
Israeli police deploy around Aqsa mosque
7/27/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities allowed women of various ages to enter Jerusalem during Ramadan, the chief Palestinian liaison officer told Ma’an on Friday, but delays were widely reported. Jihad Jayyousi was present at Bethlehem’s checkpoint 300 at the northern entrance, where he told Ma’an that the Israeli….
Palestinian prisoner al-Haq ends hunger strike
7/27/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian prisoner Abdul Atheem Abdul al-Haq ended a hunger strike Friday after over 70 days without food, a Palestinian Authority official said. Haq, 50, from Qasra village in Nablus, went on hunger strike for 75 days to support Palestinian political reconciliation, minister of prisoner affairs Issa Qaraqe said. He was detained….
Israeli court delays West Bank settlement eviction
7/27/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israel‘s Supreme Court on Friday granted a government request to delay the eviction of the largest illegal settler outpost in the occupied West Bank. The court had previously ruled the outpost, Migron, was built on privately owned Palestinian land and had ordered the government to remove it by Aug. 1. Friday….
Locals: 5 Palestinians detained in Bethlehem village
7/27/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained a man and his four sons in Beit Sakarya village south of Bethlehem, locals said. Soldiers took Mohammad Mahmoud Abu Soai and his four sons to the Etzion detention center, they said. An Israeli military spokeswoman was not familiar with the arrests but confirmed four people were detained….
Palestinians welcome end to permit system in Lebanon camp
7/27/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinians in Lebanon‘s Nahr al-Bared refugee camp on Friday welcomed a decision by the Lebanese army to cancel a permit entry system for residents, a PFLP statement said. Camp residents celebrated the recent decision during a festival held in the camp, which was attended by PFLP members and the….
Egyptian President meets Haniyeh in Cairo
7/27/2012 – CAIRO (Ma’an) — Ismail Haniyeh met Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi on Thursday in an official visit that signalled a big shift in Cairo’s stance toward Hamas after the election of a Muslim Brotherhood head of state. Mohammed Awad, the minister of foreign affairs in the Gaza government, told Ma’an that….
Obama signs Israel security bill on eve of Romney visit
7/27/2012 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — President Barack Obama signed a bill on Friday to strengthen US-Israeli military ties as he sought to reassure American Jewish voters of his commitment to the two countries’ close alliance on the eve of a visit to Israel by his Republican rival, Mitt Romney. Obama used a White House ceremony to announce…. Related: Obama to sign Israel security bill on eve of Romney visit
Factions maintain presence in Syria
7/27/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Most Palestinian factions have remained in Syria, with the exception of Hamas whose leaders have relocated, officials in Syria said Thursday. Most Hamas leaders have fled Syria despite the movement’s insistence that it was not seeking to move its politburo from Damascus. Only some local Hamas leaders in refugee….
In-photos: Palestinians celebrate second Friday of Ramadan
7/27/2012 – Reuters / Mohamad Torokman / Ammar Awad – Palestinians make their way to Jerusalem on the second Friday of the holy month of Ramadan after celebrations marking the breaking of the fast on Thursday….
Man killed, 2 seriously wounded in Gaza family dispute
7/27/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A man was killed and two seriously wounded in a family feud in the Gaza Strip on Friday, locals said. Mousa Harara, 35, was killed in a fight between families in the Shajayeh neighborhood of Gaza City, locals told Ma’an. Harara was a former PA official and Fatah….
Israel ‘attack plot’ suspect to stand trial in Cyprus
7/27/2012 – NICOSIA (Reuters) — A Swedish national of Lebanese descent arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of plotting to attack Israeli tourists in the country will stand trial on Sept. 12, authorities said on Friday. The man, who has not been identified, faces nine charges of security-related offenses related to tracking the movements and areas frequented by Israeli….
Report: PA official visits Auschwitz camp memorial
7/27/2012 – NEW YORK (Ma’an) — A Palestinian Authority official visited the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz on Friday to pay respect to the victims, The Associated Press reported. Ziad al-Bandak, an adviser to President Abbas on Christian affairs, visited the camp after an invitation from a private Polish foundation which promotes tolerance. Al-Bandak visited the….
Obama to sign Israel security bill on eve of Romney visit
7/27/2012 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — President Barack Obama will sign a bill to strengthen US-Israeli military cooperation on Friday on the eve of a visit to Israel by his Republican presidential challenger, Mitt Romney. Obama will seek to stress his commitment to Israel‘s security for American Jewish voters at a White House ceremony that appeared timed…. Related: Obama signs Israel security bill on eve of Romney visit
Sources: Palestinian killed in Aleppo
7/27/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A young Palestinian man was killed Friday amid escalating attacks by forces loyal to Bashar Assad in Syria’s largest city, sources in the country said. Nidal al-Ashi, 21, from Gaza City, died in the clashes between Assad’s forces and members of the Free Syrian Army rebel….
Syrian forces ‘take control’ of refugee camp hospital
7/27/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Syrian security forces took control of a hospital in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk on Friday, sources in the camp told Ma’an, as fighting continued across the country. Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad detained injured patients from the Palestine Hospital in Damascus, taking them to an….
Palestine to perform in Olympics opening ceremony
7/27/2012 – LONDON (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Olympic delegation will perform in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics on Friday, a Ma’an correspondent said. A delegation headed by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad arrived in London on Thursday to attend the opening ceremony. The chairman of the Olympic committee and head….
Violence forces ICRC to move some foreign staff out of Syria
7/27/2012 – GENEVA (Reuters) — The International Committee of the Red Cross is evacuating some expatriate aid workers from Syria due to the deteriorating security situation, moving them temporarily to Beirut, a spokesman said Friday.” An unstable and deteriorating situation in several parts of the country has led the ICRC to temporarily relocate some of its staff outside….
Disfigured victim’s plea to die exposes India’s acid violence
7/27/2012 – NEW DELHI (TrustLaw) — They came in the dead of night, broke into her home as she slept and poured a cocktail of acids over her face — burning her skin, melting her eyelids, nose, mouth and ears, and leaving her partially deaf and almost blind. Her crime? She had spurned their sexual advances. Nine years on….
Secret Turkish nerve center leads aid to Syria rebels
7/27/2012 – DOHA (Reuters) — Turkey has set up a secret base with allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar to direct vital military and communications aid to Syria’s rebels from a city near the border, Gulf sources say. News of the clandestine Middle East-run “nerve center” working to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad underlines the extent to….
Defector Tlas lacks support among Syrian rebels
7/27/2012 – AMMAN (Reuters) — The flamboyant scion of a military family that has been a pillar of the Syrian establishment is flirting with the idea of playing a major role in the revolt, but a history of service to the Assad dynasty and lack of domestic support are not on his side. Brigadier General Manaf Tlas, one….
Obama signs bill for Israel missile defence
AlJazeera 27 Jul 2012 – US president releases an additional $70 million aid timed to upstage Republican rival Mitt Romney’s trip to Jerusalem.
Israeli Negev Prison’s Administration Implements New Repressive Policies
Palestine News Network
In Video: Israeli Officer Assaults Young Palestinian in Hebron
Palestine News Network
Confrontations in the Village of Nabi Saleh
Palestine News Network
Israeli Supreme Court Postpones Evacuation of Migron Settlement
Palestine News Network
4.5% Increase in the Number of Settlers in the West Bank the Past 12 Months
Palestine News Network
Pillay Warns of Consequences Under International Law as Syria Conflict Escalates
Palestine News Network
PSC: Palestine at the Olympics
Palestine News Network
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Wants to Foster Innovation through Apps and Games Promoting Intercultural Dialo…
Palestine News Network
Arab Group at the UN Condemns Israeli Settlement Construction
Palestine News Network
In Ramallah, Running Book Offer
Palestine News Network
Relief Web
World: On Penultimate Day of Substantive Session, Economic and Social Council Adopts Texts on Social, Human Rights Issues Submitted by Subsidiary Bodies
Relief Web 26 Jul 2012 – Source: UN Economic and Social Council Country: World , Afghanistan , Côte d’Ivoire , Haiti , Libya , occupied Palestinian territory , Somalia , Sudan (the) , Syrian Arab Republic (the) ECOSOC/6544 Economic and Social Council 2012 Substantive Session 46th & 47th Meetings (AM & PM) Adopts by…
Syrian army forces surround Aleppo as rebels brace for offensive
The National 27 Jul 2012 – General Robert Mood, the former head of the UN‘s observer mission to Syria, said it was now not a matter of if, but when President Bashar Al Assad falls.
Assad will fall but Syria conflict may not end, former UN observer warns
The National 27 Jul 2012 – The fragmented rebellion, which remains militarily weaker than the regime, is still engaged in the fight of “David versus Goliath”.
Hezbollah releases video of abduction of two Israeli soldiers that led to Second Lebanon War
Ha’aretz – 27 Jul 2012
On eve of Romney visit, U.S. Jews continue to favor Obama by 68%-25%, new poll shows
Ha’aretz – 27 Jul 2012
Obama announces new military assistance to Israel on eve of Romney trip
Ha’aretz – 27 Jul 2012
Israel High Court postpones Migron outpost evacuation until August 21
Ha’aretz – 27 Jul 2012
What Romney said: Highlights from Haaretz’s interview with Obama’s adversary
Ha’aretz – 27 Jul 2012
Israel Air Force investigating airborne refueling mishap
Ha’aretz – 27 Jul 2012
IDF reinforces Golan border, fearing Syrian terror attack
Ha’aretz – 27 Jul 2012
Government acts to protect coastal cliffs
Ha’aretz – 26 Jul 2012
Green protests suspend work on Israeli beach promenade
Ha’aretz – 26 Jul 2012
Civil Administration calls for demolition of West Bank Palestinian village built on archaeological site
Ha’aretz – 26 Jul 2012
Obama signs Israel bill on eve of Romney visit
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – US president reaffirms commitment to Israel, says bill underscores “unshakeable commitment” to Israel‘s security.
012 London Olympics begin
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – Ceremony marks opening of the London games with extravagant show featuring Queen Elizabeth alongside James Bond; cast of performers includes shepherdesses, sheep, geese, dogs and a village cricket team.
‘Hezbollah releases clip of 2006 abduction’
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – Clip appears to show Hezbollah kidnapping of Ehud Goldwasser, Eldad Regev that lead to Second Lebanon War.
Athletes counter BBC in film: J’lem is our capital
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – Israeli Olympic team says it’s proud to represent Israel; BBC lists J’lem as Israeli seat of gov’t after failing to name capital.
Israel attack plot suspect to stand trial in Cyprus
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – Swedish-Lebanese man suspected of plotting to attack Israeli tourists in Cyprus faces 9 security-related charges.
IAF suspends exercises due to malfunctions midair
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – During routine training flight, hose disconnects from F-16I – the IAF’s most-advanced combat aircraft – causing light damage.
Finance Ministry: Income tax to rise 1% in 2013
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – FM supports changes, but Yisrael Beytenu sources say this isn’t bellwether for budget; Yechimovich derides PM’s “dizzying” moves.
Former UN mission chief: Assad fall a matter of time
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – Annan, Ban meet in London to discuss future of mediation efforts; ICRC evacuates aid workers due to deteriorating security.
Court delays Migron eviction until August 21
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – Army was concerned the eviction could set off violent settler protests in the sensitive period of Ramadan.
UN rights chief: Spare civilians in Syria’s Aleppo
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – UN human rights chief Navi Pillay urges Assad, rebels to keep civilians out of harm’s way as Aleppo confrontation looms.
US lawmakers urge investigation into Iran sales
Jerusalem Post 27 Jul 2012 – US treasury secretary urged to investigate Chinese company selling Iran banned surveillance, computer equipment.
‘Gov’t the steward of country’s gas resources’
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Energy expert at ministry conference: Gas discovery belongs to “every single” Israeli citizen.
Galilee Medical Faculty to get land for campus
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Gov’t ministerial c’tee approves allocation of 14 hectares in Safed for permanent facility set to be completed in 6 years.
Spare lung from Cyprus transplanted at Beilinson
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – After complicated mission, Israeli who has a rare blood type recipient of healthy lung retrieved by private plane.
Arab World: A battle for two cities
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Bashar Assad is scaling down the areas he seeks to control, but is making a supreme effort to hold on to Damascus and Aleppo
Into The Fray: The rationale for Romney
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Reinventing America or uninventing America: That is how the choice between Romney and Obama ought to be presented.
Another Tack: From Jean-Baptiste to Bon Jovi
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – The more things change, the more they stay the same…That must be why the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) not only excludes Israel from its deliberations but assiduously refrains from counting Israelis among victims of terrorism.
Column One: Brotherhood’s American defenders
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Why is the Obama administration shunning potential allies and empowering enemies? Why has the administration gotten it wrong everywhere?
Norwegians commemorate massacre
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – The massacre in Norway did not succeed in destroying the values of Norwegians.
Does Halacha permit recourse to the court system?
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – In recent years, relationship between certain segments of religious Jews, Israeli court system has been fraught with tension.
Obama: fool me twice, shame on me
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Consider this: The incessant demands of the Obama administration on Israel were never balanced by equal demands on Palestinians.
Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv: The reward of diligence
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Unless one had an urgent halachic question, one thought long and hard about wasting even a moment of his time.
Eisenbud’s Odyssey: Solipsism now
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Why a generation raised on instant gratification, inactivity and self-absorption may be the last to enjoy the hard-earned fruits of The Greatest Generation.
Sweeter than wine
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – The Ra’anana Symphonette presents a special concert of love arias and wine.
A body of work from China
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – The Guangdong Modern Dance Company presents a mixed program from its current repertoire.
A dose of nuance: Let’s prove Hegel wrong
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – Though Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, the German philosopher, is not known primarily for his humor, he apparently had occasional pithy moments.
Safeguard or hazard?
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – A part of circumcision long believed to heal can cause the very problems it was meant to prevent.
A view from Israel: Overspending and undercutting
Jerusalem Post 26 Jul 2012 – As reported by Globes, each 1% hike in VAT will enrich the government coffers by NIS 4 billion in revenues.
012 opening ceremony: the Munich dead must be remembered | Danny Ayalon
The Guardian 27 Jul 2012 – The IOC’s refusal to hold a minute’s silence to commemorate the athletes killed 40 years ago goes against the spirit of the Games The Olympic Games’ opening ceremony will take place 40 years after 11 Olympic…
The Palestinian dilemma over Syria | Sharif Nashashibi
The Guardian 27 Jul 2012 – Hamas opposes Assad, but some seem more interested in being anti-Israel and anti-US than standing up for human rights Palestinian leaders, organisations and officials were generally silent at the start of Syria’s revolution, mainly out of…
Mitt Romney woos Israel by considering US strike against Iran
The Guardian 27 Jul 2012 – Likely Republican presidential candidate criticises President Obama on Israel as he attempts to win Jewish vote An American military strike against Iran’s nuclear sites should not be ruled out, Mitt Romney has said in interviews with…
No end to drone strikes
Uruknet
From Post-Modernism to Post-Secularism
Uruknet
Militarization of London Olympics Shows One More Host Country’s Fetish for Displays of Force
Uruknet
PFLP urges Hamas to hold local elections
Uruknet
The Nature of the U.S. Military Presence in Africa
Uruknet
Palestinian detainees in desert jail say cuffed by prison guards
Uruknet
Abd Al-Rahim Al-Nashiri: The Torture Victim the United States Is Desperate to Gag
Uruknet
Pentagon: US Mulls Mali Strikes
Uruknet
Iraqi Militants Bring Down Helicopter in Clash That Leaves 19 Killed
Uruknet
Video documentation: officer head-butts a Palestinian youth, Hebron
Uruknet
Israelis says Lebanese refuse to train next to them
Daily Star 27 Jul 2012 Olympic officials are forced to erect a screen between Lebanon‘s and Israel‘s judo fighters after the Lebanese refused to train on the same mat, the Israeli Olympic team says.
Liban Espoirs ready to face English Community Lions U18
Daily Star 27 Jul 2012 English Community Lions U-18, the first English team to visit Lebanon in any major sport, has been getting used to the high temperatures and humidity.
Raise the flag for the Lebanese Olympic team
Daily Star 27 Jul 2012 A weekend of festive sport activities came to the city of Beirut, as Lebanon, Britain and the whole world turn their eyes to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Shaito fighting for Lebanon in London
Daily Star 27 Jul 2012 Zain Shaito, a Lebanese fencer, has goals beyond just competing at the Olympics this summer. The Lebanese, born and raised in the United States, has a message behind his participation in London.
New book takes on Egypt and… stunt jumping
Daily Star 27 Jul 2012 Khosi Saqr lives in Butte, Montana, birthplace of motorcycle rider Evel Knievel, but he has never felt quite at home.
Fresh perspectives on a once-ancient city
Daily Star 27 Jul 2012 Type the word Beirut into Google, click on Images, and hundreds of photographs will appear. Most feature a slice of the Mediterranean bordered by a modern, prosperous-looking city ruled by skyscrapers and yachts.
Shlomo Goldwasser on Hezbollah clip: Nasrallah in bunker
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – ….
3 US tourists vanish in Jamaica during cruise stop
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – ….
Defense: Colorado shooting suspect was seeing psychiatrist
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – ….
London Games kick off
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – ….
Olympics: Israeli judokas say Lebanese refuse to train next to them
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – ….
Palestinian nabbed after infiltrating IDF outpost
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – Man infiltrated army outpost in Jordan Valley in morning hours; no injuries reported ….
Non-combat soldiers to start working up a sweat
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – IDF’s decision to nix Riflemen level 01 basic training for majority of new recruits means that non-combat soldiers will have to endure full month of level 02 basic training ….
The Jewish mission awaits
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – Op-ed: Tisha B’Av reminds us that Jerusalem is united but nation is divided, physically and spiritually ….
IAF jets narrowly avoid crash during drill
YNet News, 27 Jul 2012 – Fuel pipe hits F-16 fighter jet during refueling attempt involving Boeing 707 tanker jet. Both aircraft perform emergency landing. No injuries reported ….
Palestinian Information Center
IOF launches new arrests and raids in West Bank and Jerusalem
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) launched at dawn Friday a raid on the city of Jenin and arrested a citizen at a military checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley.
Dweik: Meeting with Abbas soon
PIC – Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Dr. Aziz Dweik said he will meet with PA president Mahmoud Abbas soon to discuss ways to push forward the reconciliation process.
Haneyya: The meeting with the Egyptian president was positive
PIC – Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi welcomed the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneyya, and his accompanying delegation, after arriving in Cairo on Wednesday.
IOF arrests Abu Hadid after his release from PA jails
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested in the early hours of Friday Mohammed Hussein Abu Hadid, 26, from Al-Khalil southern West Bank one day after his release from PA prisons.
Violent confrontations in Shufat
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) used teargas and stun grenades to disperse Palestinian young men at the Shufat refugee camp.
Israeli Negev administration shackles prisoners
PIC – Detained MP Hatem Qufaisha has charged the Israeli Negev prison administration with shackling both the hands and feet of prisoners when they receive lawyers’ visits.
Haneyya confers with Shallah in Cairo
PIC – Gaza premier Ismail Shallah conferred with secretary general of the Islamic Jihad movement Dr. Ramadan Shallah in Cairo on latest Palestinian developments.
Israel Expands Apartheid Wall
WAFA – 25 Jul 2012
PEX Report: Al-Quds Index Up
WAFA – 23 Jul 2012
Turkey says it won’t let Kurdish rebels operate in north Syria
LA Times 27 Jul 2012 – Turkey’s warning comes after reports that a Kurdish faction allied with the banned PKK rebel group had seized territory in Syria’s northeast. BEIRUT —Turkey’s prime minister warned Thursday that Ankara would not allow a Kurdish “terrorist organization” to operate from northern Syria, in the latest…
Syrian Helicopters Fire on Aleppo as Army Prepares for Possible Assault
New York Times 27 Jul 2012 – A member of the Syrian Parliament defected and crossed into Turkey, according to opposition figures and a Turkish official.
Two Journalists Freed by Syrian Rebels After Weeklong Ordeal
New York Times 27 Jul 2012 – Dutch freelance photographer Jeroen Oerlemans and British photographer John Cantlie, both captured by Islamic extremists on July 19, were rescued by mainstream rebel fighters.
Iraqi Officials Quit in Protest Over Qaeda Threat
New York Times 27 Jul 2012 – In Baquba, the neighborhood officials, or mukhtars, complained that the government was unable to protect them and their families from Al Qaeda infiltrators.
The Saturday Profile: In Israel, Michael Sfard Fights for the Displaced
New York Times 27 Jul 2012 – The lawyer Michael Sfard has brought scores of human rights and land-use cases challenging Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories it acquired in 1967, and represented hundreds of soldiers refusing to serve.
Palestinian Youths detained, beaten and banned from al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli Intelligence
Al-Haq – Ad: Long Term Food Storage Secrets – This Ebook Shows Survivalists How To Create Their Own Food Storage For Any Emergency. Well Written And Includes 3 Bonuses.
Shin Bet Detains Irish Woman at Dublin Airport, Prevents Reunion with Israeli Boyfriend
Tikun Olam – Ynet reports (Hebrew) that the Shin Bet detained a 26 year-old Irish woman at Dublin airport when she arrived three hours prior to flight time (in order to go through the security check). She’d hoped to fly to Israel for a romantic reunion with her Israeli…
On the RJC’s drive to get Romney votes from Israel: Block the vote here, rock the vote there!
Mondoweiss – Mitt Romney shaking hands with President Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, January 13, 2011. (Photo: Handout/Getty Images) This article originally appeared on LobeLog. This week Mitt Romney raised British eyebrows — and hackles — with several gaffes that undermined the objective of his trip to London: to…
Exile and the Prophetic: Prophet Gray
Mondoweiss – This is part twenty-three of Marc H. Ellis’s “Exile and the Prophetic” feature for Mondoweiss. To read the entire series visit the archive page. On successive days, the New York Times carried the following obituaries: “Rabbi Y. S. Elyashiv, “Master of Talmudic Law, Dies at 102”…
Neocon pressure group’s latest salvo: attacking Obama for not visiting Israel
Mondoweiss – The neoconservative pressure group Emergency Committee For Israel (ECI) is pulling out all the stops ahead of Mitt Romney’s jaunt to Israel. Their latest salvo: television ads that criticize President Obama for not visiting Israel while in office (see above). On their website, ECI states: President…
Stand With Us to run counter-ads to maps showing loss of Palestinian land
Mondoweiss – Henry Clifford’s advertisement at the Chappaqua Metro-North train station July 10, 2012. (Photo: Seth Harrison / The Journal News ) We knew this story had legs and now the race is on. Henry Clifford and his group Committee for Peace and Palestine have swung the door wide open, creating…
African Americans for Justice in the Middle East & North Africa: ‘Silence in the face of oppression is unacceptable’
Mondoweiss – Israeli soldiers at a West Bank checkpoint. (Photo: Rina Castelnuovo/ New York Times ) The following statement was signed by over 50 African American activists and scholars. Signatories below. “African Americans for Justice in the Middle East & North Africa” is an initiative that has been created…
Israeli Athletes March in Olympic Ceremony
The Foward Breaking News 27 Jul 2012 – With his hair shaved into a Star of David, Israeli windsurfer Shahar Zubari led a 38-member team in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. Click here for the rest of the article…
Obama Thumping Romney Among Jews: Poll
The Foward Breaking News 27 Jul 2012 – On the eve of presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s visit to Israel, a new Gallup poll reveals that Jewish American voters continue to support his rival, U.S. President Barack Obama, by a wide 68%-25% margin. Click here for the rest of the article…
Arab Lawmaker Blames Israel for Bulgaria Bombing
The Foward Breaking News 27 Jul 2012 – An Israeli Arab Knesset member said that Israeli policy led to the deadly recent terrorist attack against Israeli tourists in Bulgaria. Click here for the rest of the article…
Lebanese Olympians Shun Israelis in Practice
The Foward Breaking News 27 Jul 2012 – The Lebanese judo team refused to practice alongside the Israeli team on Friday afternoon, the Times of Israel reported. Click here for the rest of the article…
South Africa: Call for Boycott of SA Company Complicit in Israeli Occupation
allAfrica.com 27 Jul 2012 – [Fahamu]Two South African human rights organizations, BDS South Africa and the Palestine Solidarity Alliance, have thrown their weight behind the consumer boycott of a South African company, Karsten Farms, which is complicit in the Israeli Occupation of Palestine.
Egypt: Morsy, Hamas PM Discuss Ending Gaza Blockade, Inter-Palestinian Reconciliation
allAfrica.com 27 Jul 2012 – [Egypt Online]President Mohamed Morsy met on Thursday 26/07/2012 with Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh for talks on ending blockade imposed on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Egypt: Morsi Meets Haniyeh
allAfrica.com 27 Jul 2012 – [Tunis Afrique Presse]Cairo -Gaza Islamist leader Ismail Haniyeh met Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday in an official visit that signaled a big shift in Cairo’s stance toward the Hamas movement after the election of a Muslim Brotherhood head of state in Egypt.
Namibia: Pohamba Expresses Concern Over Syria Situation
allAfrica.com 27 Jul 2012 – [Namibian]PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba has called on the international community to support the efforts of Kofi Annan, the United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria, to find a lasting solution to the crisis in Syria and prevent further bloodshed.
Miller Predicts Major 2nd Term Clash Between Obama & Bibi
Arab American Institute 27 Jul 2012 – U.S. Middle East policy insider Aaron Miller predicted a major clash between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should Obama win a second term.
Syria faces growing Aleppo anger
BBC 27 Jul 2012 – The international community steps up the pressure on the Syrian government to end its assault on the country’s biggest city, Aleppo, amid fears of a bloodbath.
Egypt president meets Hamas PM
BBC 27 Jul 2012 – Egypt’s President Mohammed Mursi discusses “solutions” to the blockade of Gaza at talks with the head of the Hamas-led government, Ismail Haniya.
Arrests at Saudi Arabia protest
BBC 27 Jul 2012 – Security forces detain a number of protesters in eastern Saudi Arabia, after they reportedly demand the release of political detainees.
Assad’s Security Makeover
Al-Akhbar Opinion 27 Jul 2012 – Syrian opposition fighters battle government security forces (unseen) during the siege of the Shaar district police station in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo which was later overrun by the rebel forces on 25 July 2012. (Photo: AFP – Pierre Torres) Syrian opposition fighters battle government…
Morocco Reforms: Criminalizing Dissent
Al-Akhbar News 27 Jul 2012 – Demonstrators take part in a demonstration called by the February 20 movement to ask for more democracy in Rabat, 22 July 2012. (Photo: AFP – Fadel Senna) Demonstrators take part in a demonstration called by the February 20 movement to ask for more democracy in Rabat,…
UN chief “concerned” over Syrian chemical weapons
Al-Akhbar News 27 Jul 2012 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday said he was “deeply” concerned about reports of the possible use of chemical weapons by Syria, and demanded the government state it would not use them “under any circumstances.” “I remain deeply concerned about the reports of the possible…
Tunisian finance minister quits
Al-Akhbar News 27 Jul 2012 – Tunisian Finance Minister Houcine Dimassi has resigned following a disagreement with the policies of the government led by Islamist Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, an official said on Friday. “I can confirm the resignation, which has been accepted,” Ridha Kazdaghli, an aide to Jebali, told AFP. In…
China and Afghanistan agree to increase military cooperation
Al-Akhbar News 27 Jul 2012 – China and Afghanistan agreed a deal on Friday to reinforce military cooperation between the two countries. Beijing said it would continue to support Kabul both militarily and through aid out of respect for its sovereignty and independence. Chinese News Agency Xinhua reported that Guo Boxyong, the…
Qadisha Valley: Fending Off Invaders
Al-Akhbar News 27 Jul 2012 – Snow blankets the valley of Qdisha in the mountains in northern Lebanon on 2 March 2012. (Photo: AFP – Joseph Eid) Snow blankets the valley of Qdisha in the mountains in northern Lebanon on 2 March 2012. (Photo: AFP – Joseph Eid) Qadisha valley is struggling…
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Al-Akhbar News 27 Jul 2012 – Edited by Adel Alsalman 20 July 2012 A Lebanese bedouin boy jumps into the polluted waters of one of the branches of the al-Litani river in Anjar, northeast of Beirut. (Photo: AFP – Joseph Eid) 20 July 2012 Muslims attend a mass prayer session “Tarawih” marking…
New Yemeni President: Blame Iran
Al-Akhbar Politics 27 Jul 2012 – Soldiers guarding the house of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi chew khat in Sanaa 19 July 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed al-Sayaghi) Soldiers guarding the house of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi chew khat in Sanaa 19 July 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed al-Sayaghi) Yemen’s new…
Turkish Intervention in Syria: Two Birds With One Stone
Al-Akhbar Politics 27 Jul 2012 – A member of the Jihadist group Shura Taliban Islam control the the Bab al-Hawa border gate between Syria and Turkey, 21 July 2012. (Photo: AFP – Bulent Kilic) A member of the Jihadist group Shura Taliban Islam control the the Bab al-Hawa border gate between Syria…
Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Stories of Greed and Neglect
Al-Akhbar Politics 26 Jul 2012 – A refugee family sits in a school room in the town of Marj in the Bekaa valley. (Photo: Alia Haju) A refugee family sits in a school room in the town of Marj in the Bekaa valley. (Photo: Alia Haju) Profiteers are thriving on the state’s…
Palestinian Youths detained, beaten and banned from al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli Intelligence
Al-Haq 27 Jul 2012 – Ad: Long Term Food Storage Secrets – This Ebook Shows Survivalists How To Create Their Own Food Storage For Any Emergency. Well Written And Includes 3 Bonuses.
Articles
Does the US want Abbas out?
Saleh Al-Naami, Al-Ahram Weekly 7/25/2012
Fatah leaders warn of a plot thickening against Mahmoud Abbas, aiming to replace him with compliant pro-US premier Salam Fayyad.
The sudden attack by Fatah leading figure and Palestinian MP Najat Abu Bakr on Salam Fayyad and his government, accusing him of administrative and financial corruption, was sharp and harsh. Abu Bakr proposed that he should be put under siege until his government is overthrown. She elaborated on the “corruption” of his cabinet, citing reports in the Palestinian media that Fayyad is using a British bodyguard company for protection. As evidence of his corruption, double standards and lack of patriotism, she said: “Since Fayyad represents the head of sovereignty and the Palestinian political regime, he should not use a foreign company to protect him. This increases spending and compounds the financial crisis that Fayyad is touting all the time. It is more proper for the Palestinian Authority [PA] to protect him, not private security companies.”
Abu Bakr continued: “Fayyad is acting on the principle that if you possess money, you own security and decision-making. Had he been fair in his position and achieved some level of social accord, he would not feel he needs security agencies other than sovereign ones that are supposed to protect him.” She further criticised the prime minister for not residing in Ramallah, but in occupied Jerusalem. “This is another problem that would need further questioning and accountability; it is unacceptable that our rulers live in Jerusalem.”
President Abbas, leader of Fatah, has done all he can to empower Fayyad as head of the government, many times wasting opportunities to reach agreement with Hamas to end internal division only because Hamas leaders insisted on Fayyad’s removal as prime minister. It is true that Fatah leaders were greatly disappointed in Fayyad because he snubbed them when choosing his cabinet, but this never manifested into a smear campaign against him by leaders of his own group on this scale. This is especially true since there are others within Fatah who are making the same demands as MP Abu Bakr. more.. e-mail
Brothers jailed by US and expelled to Gaza speak out
Joe Catron, Electronic Intifada 7/26/2012
Gaza City
When Basman Elashi reported to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Dallas, Texas on 9 July, he expected nothing unusual. He had visited the federal agency regularly since his release from its custody in March 2009.
“At first I was only reporting every six months,” he said over tea in his family’s Gaza home. “Then they reduced it to three months. Then, the last time, they asked me to report the following month.”
“They held me for three hours,” he said of his final visit. “I asked them why they were holding me so long. As it turns out, they were waiting for [my brother] Bayan to come in the afternoon. Then five people surrounded me, told me they were deporting me, and handcuffed me. I didn’t see Bayan until we were in the van.”
Unlike his brother, Bayan Elashi had been forced to wear a monitoring anklet and report every week after his April 2009 release. “When I reported to them on Monday, 9 July, as I always do, they arrested me and said that I would be leaving the country within 24 to 48 hours,” he said.
“At the detention center, they said we had two hours to call our families to bring us anything we needed for our deportations,” Basman said. “This was the only window we had to call or see them.”
The brothers’ ordeal began much earlier, when the US government arrested them on 18 December 2002. “The [US] government actually indicted us on three counts: a sealed one; the second one, based on which they arrested us; and a third one after it was finalized,” Bayan recalled. more.. e-mail
Victory for Australia’s boycott campaign as charges of blockading chocolate store dropped
Kim Bullimore, Electronic Intifada 7/27/2012
Melbourne
Sixteen Palestine solidarity activists arrested during a pro-boycott demonstration have been cleared of the charges of “trespassing” and “besetting” by an Australian court. The 23 July ruling has been hailed as a “landmark victory” for freedom of expression and for the campaign to defend the rights of Palestinians (“‘Landmark victory’ for Max Brenner protests,” ABC News, 23 July 2012).
The 57-page decision by Magistrate Simon Garnett brought an end to a year-long struggle by the protesters.
The activists were among 19 people arrested on 1 July 2011, at a peaceful demonstration outside the Max Brenner chocolate shop in Queen Victoria Square, which is located within the Queen Victoria shopping precinct in central Melbourne. The protest was organized by the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid and sought to highlight the complicity of the company Max Brenner Chocolate and its parent company, the Strauss Group, in Israel’s occupation and apartheid policies. The action was the fourth protest against the company since December 2010.
The Strauss Group is one of Israel’s largest food and beverage companies. On its website, the Strauss Group has highlighted its support for the Israeli military, providing care packages, books, games and sports and recreational equipment for soldiers. In particular, Strauss has boasted of its support for the Golani and Givati brigades, who have a long record of human rights abuses against Palestinians and in Lebanon.
Both brigades were heavily involved in Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s 2008-09 assault on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the killing of approximately 1,400 Palestinians, including approximately 350 children. Strauss initially removed information about its support for the two brigades from its English language website but information about the company’s support for both brigades remained on their Hebrew language site for some time before it too was removed. more.. e-mail
Israel denied me entry on the basis of my skin color and religion
Electronic Intifada: 27 Jul 2012 – Jakril Hoque London 27 July 2012 A British citizen who was detained, interrogated and denied entry at Ben Gurion airport last month describes his experience.more
Victory for Australia’s boycott campaign as charges of blockading chocolate store dropped
Electronic Intifada: 27 Jul 2012 – Kim Bullimore Melbourne 27 July 2012 A judge’s decision to drop the charges against 16 Palestine solidarity activists in Melbourne, Australia has been hailed as a “landmark victory” for freedom of expression.more
What Dani Dayan Says and Why It Is Interesting
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Jul 2012 – By Richard Falk Dani Dayan’s article, ‘Israel‘s Settlers Are Here to Stay,’ was published by the NY Times on July 26, 2012. Dayan is the chairman of the Yesha Council of Jewish Communities, and has been long known as a leading spokesperson of the settler movement. An obvious response to such a settler screed might be to dismiss it out of hand as an extremist expression of Israeli views, which it certainly is, but it would seem a mistake to do this before taking some account of its content and timing. The moral and legal premises that underlie Dayan’s insistence that the settlers will never leave the West Bank are without substance, but the political arguments he puts forward are so strong as to be virtually irrefutable. It may also be helpful to speculate that Dayan might have been encouraged from the Netanyahu side, known for being as friendly to…more
Syria – A Decade of Lost Chances – Book Review
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Jul 2012 – Reviewed by Thomas D’Evelyn (Syria – A Decade of Lost Chances: Repression and Revolution from Damascus Spring to Arab Spring By Carsten Wieland. Cune Press: 335 pages.) Even professional news gatherers have a hard time reporting on Syria now. It’s not simply that foreign reporters are banned from the country. Syria is a mare’s nest of conflicting points of view so over-views of the kind required for objective reporting, as we’ve come to know it, are almost always ideologically motivated. Carsten Wieland lived in Syria for years and is now a diplomat with the German Foreign Office who has studied Syria for over a decade. (This is his second book on Syria; his first, Syria—Ballots or Bullets? was published in 2006.) Yet he still confronts the current situation with disbelief. The Syria he had come to know no longer exists. Even while governed by an unstable set of tensions between…more
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The New Dark Age 