16 October 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Soldiers Demolish Home, Shed, In Jerusalem
IMEMC – Israeli soldiers demolished, Tuesday, a Palestinian home and a shed in Beit Hanina, in occupied East Jerusalem, the Quds Media Center reported. …
Four Palestinians Injured North Of Jerusalem
IMEMC – Four Palestinians were injured, on Tuesday, after the Israeli army attacked nonviolent protesters at the Latrun-Jerusalem Road (Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Road), north of occupied East Jerusalem, referred to by Israel as Road #443. One resident was kidnapped. …
Settlers Uproot Olive And Grape Trees In Al-Khader
IMEMC – Ahmad Salah, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem, reported that a number of armed extremist settlers uprooted 20 olive trees and 15 grape trees that belong to the residents of the village. …
Clashes Reported in Jenin, Hebron
IMEMC – Palestinian sources reported, Tuesday, that clashes were reported between Palestinian residents and Israeli soldiers in Az-Zababda village, near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and in Beit Ummar town north of the southern West Bank Hebron. …
Settlers March In Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood In Jerusalem
IMEMC – Dozens of extremist Israeli settlers marched, Tuesday, in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, in occupied East Jerusalem, and conducted provocative acts while chanting slogans against the Arabs and Palestinians. …
Knesset Disbands, Israel Spears For Elections
IMEMC – Israel has officially started its new season for the 12th Knesset elections after 100 Members of Knesset (MK), out of 120, voted for early elections, and set January of 2013 as the official date for the new elections. …
Report: “Israel Approved The Return Of 18 Detainees Exiled To Gaza”
IMEMC – Palestinian sources reported that the Israeli side informed the Egyptian mediator that the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu approved the return of 18 West Bank detainees, who were deported to Gaza under the Shalit prisoner-swap deal. …
Hamas, Islamic Jihad Slam Abbas-Barak Meeting In Jordan
IMEMC – Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad Movement, slammed the Thursday meeting that took place between Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, in Amman – Jordan, and said that this meeting proves “the political bankruptcy of Abbas”. …
Ashrawi Thanks Brazil For Supporting Palestinian Statehood Bid
IMEMC – Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, met on Monday in the central West Bank city of Ramallah, Brazil’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Patriota, and Brazil’s Ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, Ligia Maria Scherer, and thanked Brazil for supporting the Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations, and for recognizing, in 2010, Palestine as a state with East Jerusalem as its capital. …
Settlers block road to Bethlehem village
10/16/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli settlers blocked the southern entrance to al-Khader village on Tuesday, preventing dozens of cars from passing, locals said. Settlers from Gush Etzion blocked a road near the Bethlehem village, claiming that Palestinians had thrown rocks at a car which injured a woman. Israeli soldiers accompanied the settlers, witnesses added. Last….
Report: Anti-aircraft missiles fired from Gaza at Israeli warplane
10/16/2012 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Palestinian militants fired anti-aircraft missiles at an Israeli warplane flying over the Gaza Strip last week, Israeli media reported Tuesday. The missiles missed their target but the incident marked the first time anti-aircraft weaponry has been used in Gaza, the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth said. Israeli warplanes have killed….
Committee: Israeli soldiers assault teenager
10/16/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces assaulted a Palestinian teen in Beit Ummar on Tuesday, a local committee said. Committee spokesman Muhammad Ayad Awad told Ma’an that Ashraf Khalil Sabarneh, 19, threw a glass bottle at an Israeli military watchtower. Soldiers then physically assaulted Sabarneh, who was taken to a Hebron hospital for treatment. [END]
Israeli forces break up protest on West Bank road
10/16/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israeli troops on Tuesday used force to break up a protest against settler attacks on a main road in the West Bank. Dozens of Palestinians and international activists blocked Route 443 near Beit Ur, west of Ramallah. Israeli troops used force to break up the protest, firing sound grenades and pepper….
Israeli forces ‘detain man’ at Bethlehem checkpoint
10/16/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Tuesday detained a 27-year-old former prisoner at a checkpoint near Bethlehem, a local official said. Muhammad Suleibi was detained on his way to Ofer military court in Ramallah to attend a court hearing for his 16-year-old brother, Ahmad, who has been detained for seven months, said….
Erekat: UN bid to aid two-state solution
10/16/2012 – JERICHO (Ma’an) — PLO official Saeb Erekat said Tuesday that all countries seeking to achieve peace based on the two-state solution should vote in favor of the Palestinian bid for non-member status at the United Nations. During a meeting with Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota and US general consul Michael Ratney, Erekat said the….
Sweden protests to Israel over Iran sanctions comments
10/16/2012 – STOCKHOLM (Reuters) — Sweden has complained to Israel over a newspaper report which said the Nordic state had tried to block EU sanctions against Iran to protect powerhouse telecoms equipment maker Ericsson, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. The report on Sunday, in Haaretz, quoted an Israeli Foreign Ministry official as saying Sweden wanted to prevent….
In letter, Abbas tells Obama still wants 2 states
10/16/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter to US President Barack Obama on Tuesday insisting his government was still committed to the two-state solution. The letter, according to Abbas’ political adviser Nimir Hammad, explains that the intended bid to the UN General Assembly to obtain the status of a non-member state….
Fayyad invited to visit Egypt for talks with PM
10/16/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority premier Salam Fayyad received an invitation from his Egyptian counterpart Thursday to visit Cairo and discuss ways of developing relations. The invitation from Hisham Qandil was handed to Fayyad by Egypt’s ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Othman, during a visit to the premier’s Ramallah….
Qatar: Gaza aid via Egypt, not Israel
10/16/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Material for reconstruction of the Gaza Strip is to be shipped via Egypt and not Israel, the Qatari ambassador in the coastal enclave said Tuesday. Muhammad al-Imadi told a news conference that the goods, promised weeks earlier, would be shipped via the Gaza-Egypt Rafah crossing rather than through Israel. The….
Israel sets election date, Netanyahu seen easy victor
10/16/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israel’s Parliament on Tuesday set a January 22 date for a national election and opinion polls predict an easy win for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in balloting expected to focus on his tough policies on Iran’s nuclear program and economics. Lawmakers approved the measure by a vote of 100….
Bahar urges Hamas government to meet demands of people
10/16/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The acting speaker of the Palestinian parliament Ahmad Bahar on Tuesday urged the Hamas-led government in Gaza to meet the demands of the Palestinian people. At a festival to honor former ministers, Bahar said the Gaza rulers must “ease the burden on the Palestinian people and meet their demands.” Bahar….
Haniyeh: Hamas govt sparked regional surge in Islamist rule
10/16/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Hamas-led government in Gaza was the first experiment in Islamist rule in the region and sparked a revolutionary surge in Islamist rule, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Tuesday. The Hamas-led government elected in 2006 was “the first model which led to the breakout of a sweeping Arab revolution in….
PA to distribute portion of civil servants salaries
10/16/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – The Palestinian Authority will pay low wage earners part of their salaries on Thursday, while those with higher salaries will wait until later in October, the PA labor minister said. Ahmad Majdalani told Ma’an that those receiving between 1,500-4,000 shekels per month would receive their salaries on Thursday….
PA workers to strike over unpaid salaries
10/16/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority’s public workers union has called for full strike Wednesday and Thursday and again next week in protest of the government’s failure to pay salaries. The head of the union, Bassam Zakarneh, said Tuesday that the Palestinian Authority was allowing the United States and Israel….
PA forces ‘seize Hamas documents, weapons’
10/16/2012 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority security services have confiscated documents and weapons belonging to Hamas‘ military wing in the West Bank, an official said Tuesday. A security official told Ma’an that the preventive security force uncovered a stash of documents, computers, CDs and ammunition belonging to the Al-Qassam Brigades in an….
Jerusalem street to be named after Egypt’s Umm Kulthoum
10/16/2012 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) – After decades of refusal, the Israeli municipal council of Jerusalem has agreed to grant names to more than 100 roads in East Jerusalem starting Wednesday. One of the roads will be named after famed Egyptian singer Umm Kulthoum in a ceremony Wednesday at the entrance to the street, near Abdul-Hamid Shoman….
Eid al-Adha to begin Oct. 26
10/16/2012 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Sheikh Mohammad Hussein announced Tuesday that Eid al-Adha will begin in Palestine on Oct. 26. The mufti wished a happy and blessed Eid for all Muslims and Palestinians. [END]
$1 billion in blocked ‘Arab spring’ assets in Swiss coffers
10/16/2012 – GENEVA (Reuters) — Switzerland has blocked nearly one billion Swiss francs ($1. 07 billion) in stolen assets linked to dictators in four countries at the center of the Arab spring — Egypt, Libya, Syria and Tunisia — the Swiss foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Swiss authorities are cooperating with judicial authorities in Tunisia and Egypt to speed restoration….
Iraqi Shiite militants fight for Syria’s Assad
10/16/2012 – BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Scores of Iraqi Shiite militants are fighting in Syria, often alongside President Bashar Assad’s troops, and pledging loyalty to Iran’s supreme Shiite religious leader, according to militia fighters and politicians in Iraq. Iraqi Shiite militia involvement in Syria‘s conflict exposes how rapidly the crisis has spiraled into….
Egypt judge to investigate former ruling generals
10/16/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Egypt’s former ruling generals will be investigated by a civilian judge who is examining accusations they are responsible for the deaths of activists killed in protests during the army’s stewardship of the country. The investigation covers accusations against Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi who was the head of the military….
Envoys: Syria mediator seeks to revive UN ceasefire plan
10/16/2012 – UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) — The UN–Arab League mediator in the Syria conflict, Lakhdar Brahimi, is attempting to persuade the Syrian government and rebels to accept a ceasefire and allow UN monitors into the country to oversee the truce, diplomatic sources told Reuters. Brahimi, who took over from Kofi Annan after the former UN secretary-general resigned in….
Turkish minister slams EU as world’s most hypocritical body
10/16/2012 – ISTANBUL (Reuters) — Turkey’s economy minister condemned the European Union on Tuesday as the most hypocritical organization in the world, in vitriolic remarks which underlined the EU candidate country’s growing alienation from Brussels. Turkey’s bid to join the bloc has virtually ground to a halt in recent years due to….
Report: UN off track on education goals, progress on gender
10/16/2012 – LONDON (Reuters) — Afghanistan has overcome the biggest obstacles of any country in its efforts to educate girls, according to a new global education report released on Tuesday by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. In 1999, at a time when the ruling Taliban barred girls from getting an education, fewer than 4 percent of….
Turkey’s Erdogan moots three-way regional talks on Syria
10/16/2012 – ISTANBUL (Reuters) — Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday he had suggested to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad three-way talks including Egypt on the Syria crisis, given the apparent Saudi objection to Iranian involvement in a current quartet. Egypt formed that group with Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but the latter stayed away from a meeting….
UK suspect charged with abduction of photographers in Syria
10/16/2012 – LONDON (Reuters) — A man arrested at London’s Heathrow airport this month was charged on Tuesday with taking part in the July kidnapping of two photographers in Syria, British police said. Dutch photographer Jeroen Oerlemans and British colleague John Cantlie were taken hostage on July 17 while working near the Syrian border with Turkey….
Israeli Soldiers Brutally Assault a Palestinian Student from Hebron
Palestine News Network
Israeli Settlers Uproot Trees in Al-Khader Village, Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
Israeli Forces Storm into Dormitory, Interrogate Students in Jenin
Palestine News Network
South-South Cooperation: the road for peace and Palestinian liberation
Palestine News Network
President Abbas to Obama: Heading to UN is Not ‘Unilateral Decision’
Palestine News Network
Dr. Hanan Ashrawi Meets with Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota
Palestine News Network
PCBS Results on ICT Business Survey 2011
Palestine News Network
MADA: EU Winning of Nobel Peace Prize Opportunity to Link its Relations with Israel’s Commitment to Human Rights
Palestine News Network
World Social Forum Free Palestine!
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
PCHR submits an Individual Complaint to the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Palestinian activists shut down apartheid road
10/16/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Jacob Singh and Leila James, 16 October 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – A group of Palestinians shutdown an Israeli-only highway to Tel Aviv today in the West Bank. International activists supported the Palestinians at today’s peaceable action, which blocked Route 443 for approximately thirty minutes. Fifty Palestinian and roughly ten international….
Alternative Information Center
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Alternative Information Center – Settler attacks continued over the summer with great frequency. The attacks were directed, often premeditated, and more violent than even the Palestinians expected. A substantial amount of land was destroyed and/or taken for use by Israeli…
Abu Dhabi window cleaners die in 15th-floor fall
The National 16 Oct 2012 – Two cleaners in Abu Dhabi fall to their deaths after their platform fell from the 15th storey of a building they were cleaning.
S. African Doctor accused of killing child freed on Dh100,000 bail
The National 16 Oct 2012 – The South African doctor convicted of killing three-year-old cancer patient by failing to provide her with a blood transfusion, has been released on bail.
Karadzic shocks victims with ‘mild man’ war crimes defence
The National 16 Oct 2012 – Bosnian Serb leader’s defence at The Hague stuns Muslims who lost family members in war that resulted in 100,000 people killed and millions displaced.
UAE coastguard detains arsenal ship off Fujairah
The National 16 Oct 2012 – The UAE keeps a close eye on the floating arsenals near its waters amid concerns that weapons might fall into the wrong hands.
Clinton: I’m to blame for Libya security failure
The National 16 Oct 2012 – US administration officials were scrambling yesterday to counter allegations by the Republicans that Barack Obama had failed to protect American diplomats in Libya despite increasing security threats
Obama has to get the thrill back
The National 16 Oct 2012 – Four years ago, African Americans helped to sweep Barack Obama into the White House. Now, the hope and optimism have waned. Omar Karmi reports from Washington
New app by Zayed University helps manage eating disorders
The National 16 Oct 2012 – A tool for diagnosing body dysmorphic disorder may soon become widely available for iPads, thanks to the work of faculty at Zayed University.
Food handlers in Abu Dhabi must pass test
The National 16 Oct 2012 – The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority is improving the emirate’s food safety through staff training, and now requires all staff at food establishments to pass a test or their employers will not get their licence renewed.
In the new Egypt, a conflict as old as Islam
The National 16 Oct 2012 – Salafists and Shiites are wrangling over freedom of religion and its place in the country’s new constitution. Bradley Hope reports from Cairo
Iraq central bank chief sacked and sought for arrest in currency dispute
The National 16 Oct 2012 – Parliament voted to replace Sinan Al Shabibi following an investigation by a special parliamentary committee into possible manipulation of the country’s currency against the US dollar by the central bank.
Netanyahu threatens libel suit against Barak’s former political adviser
Ha’aretz – 16 Oct 2012
Israel’s State Prosecution to appeal Olmert’s acquittals
Ha’aretz – 16 Oct 2012
Former Shin Bet head Jacob Perry to join Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party
Ha’aretz – 16 Oct 2012
After bullying Katsav, Jewish terrorist Ami Popper moved to new prison
Ha’aretz – 16 Oct 2012
Grave of Israeli defense icon Moshe Dayan desecrated on anniversary of his death
Ha’aretz – 16 Oct 2012
New party seeks to capture spirit of social protest
Ha’aretz – 15 Oct 2012
Israeli eighth-graders’ math scores plummet
Ha’aretz – 15 Oct 2012
Deputy Health Minister fires Abu Kabir chief pathologist Yehuda Hiss
Ha’aretz – 15 Oct 2012
Tel Aviv hypnotherapist is first to be convicted for not having a license
Ha’aretz – 15 Oct 2012
State investigator finds flaws in plan to house African asylum seekers in tents
Ha’aretz – 15 Oct 2012
Material damage
Ha’aretz – 15 Oct 2012
Kahlon keeps ’em guessing, repeats that he just wants a break from politics
Ha’aretz – 15 Oct 2012
Analysis: Will A-G indict Liberman pre-elections?
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – No one knows for sure, but there is plenty to speculate about and the repercussions could be staggering.
Court rejects petition to demolish ‘tire school’
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – School, build of mud and used car tires, services community of Beduin, most of whose homes are marked for demolition.
Israeli NGOs combating hunger on World Food Day
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Almost 11 percent of families in Israel experienced significant nutritional insecurity in 2011
Vienna’s Jewish archives to remain in Israel’s hands
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – State archivist rejects legal claim of Austrian Jews to transfer the archives of Vienna’s Jews back from Israel.
Appeal against Olmert could cloud Knesset run
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – State notifies Olmert’s legal team that it will be appealing both the verdict and the sentence in his corruption case; if state wins, Olmert could face jail; announcement comes as Olmert mulls political comeback.
‘Surface-to-air missile fired at IAF over Gaza’
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – News report says anti-aircraft missiles targeted IAF helicopter last week; expert says Air Force activities won’t be disrupted.
Deri’s danger
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – All available indications cast grave doubts on the whether Deri has indeed undergone a transformation.
A life-long partnership with Hadassah
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Through all the years of Israel’s existence, Hadassah has been walking step for step in helping to build the country and recognize its achievements.
In My Own Write: Beyond wear and tear
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – “No pain, no gain” gives way to “No pain, no brain”
Who benefits from bombing Syria’s Kurdish region?
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Syrian Kurds will likely abandon the position they have adopted throughout the uprising: remaining peaceful during the revolution.
Where prayer is a crime
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Several were arrested over the course of the holiday for allegedly praying at the Temple Mount.
Sinai Islamists vow revenge for IAF Gaza strikes
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – After air force strikes kill 5 terrorists over weekend, including leader of al-Qaida-inspired group, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdes vows to respond.
Social activism in Israel: A cult of personality
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Terra Incognita: Almost every Israeli human rights or social cause boils down to a cult of personality.
PM pays tribute to Ze’evi: He put nation first
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Netanyahu, Rivlin, Mofaz mark 11th year since assassination of former tourism minister by PFLP terrorists in 2001.
Obama under pressure to shine in debate rematch
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – US president gets another chance after weak first debate; latest poll shows Obama extending slim lead over Romney.
Iranian news site criticizes complicity in Syria
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Following reports of Syrian cluster bomb use, conservative ‘Baztab-e Emrooz’ asks ‘how will history judge our silence?’
Police arrest dozens in Eilat, Beersheba crime raids
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Detectives nab alleged organized crime members in 2 separate raids; suspects wanted in connection with murders, extortion.
‘Syrian rebels agree to form united leadership’
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Sources say divided rebels, responding to foreign pressure, agree to set up joint leadership in efforts to overthrow Assad.
New computer spying program linked to Flame authors
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – “MiniFlame” software mimics older spying technology found largely in Iran and Sudan, but with surgical focus.
Just 5% of J’lem municipality property serves Arabs
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – New database about city-owned properties details 2,600 properties belonging to Jerusalem municipality.
Abbas defends UN statehood bid in letter to Obama
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Palestinian Authority president argues that seeking non-member status is not unilateral, reiterates commitment to 2-state solution.
#USelections2012: Moment of truth
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – This Week: In the wake of the VP debate, Obama and Romney face off for the make-or-break second debate.
Former Shin Bet chief Peri joins Lapid’s Yesh Atid
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Lapid has yet to announce the rest of his list for the Knesset, which must be submitted by the beginning of December.
PM praises EU for bolstering sanctions against Iran
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Netanyahu says sanctions important, but casts doubt on whether they’ll prevent Iranians from continuing their nuclear program.
Live: Hadassah celebrates its 100 year anniversary
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – The Women’s Zionist Organization of America celebrates it’s Centennial celebration in Jerusalem.
When the Jewish State violates Jewish rights
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – It’s long past time to end Israel’s disgraceful ban on Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount.
Time to impose sanctions on Scandinavia?
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Sweden and Norway have a long history of courting radicals and anti-Israel sentiments.
‘Good Jew’# 3rd most popular in French Tweets
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Paris-based nonprofit organization considers complaining over explosion of anti-Semitic messages.
31 years on: Vandals desecrate Dayan’s grave
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Vandals spray-painted former defense minister Moshe Dayan’s grave, declaring “the minister of failure, on behalf of the fallen.”
Musical ambassador Mehta awarded Presidential Medal
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Zubin Mehta is honored with the Presidential Medal of Distinction.
British ambassador moonlights in TA with medics
Jerusalem Post 16 Oct 2012 – Matthew Gould accompanied United Hatzalah medics on the back of an ambucycle to provide emergency medical care.
Nazareth cop charged with attempted murder
Jerusalem Post 15 Oct 2012 – Police officer Abad Duha also charged with causing bodily harm, attack, making threats and obstruction of the investigation.
NIS 160m. allocated for waste separation
Jerusalem Post 15 Oct 2012 – Environmental Protection Ministry awards money to local authorities joining its waste separation “recycling revolution.”
Tirosh calls on government to expand R&D funding
Jerusalem Post 15 Oct 2012 – Chairwoman of the Knesset Science and Technology Committee recommends NIS 100 m. for financing research infrastructure.
280,000 J’lem residents to be excluded from local vote
Jerusalem Post 15 Oct 2012 – Only ‘activists’ allowed to vote in 6 J’lem elections; clause for November local council vote prevents empowerment of haredi, Hamas elements.
Wake up, Europe
Jerusalem Post 15 Oct 2012 – As Europe approaches the iceberg, there is a need to change course, before it commits ideological suicide.
‘I don’t need this crap’: 20 years of G2 interviews – the highlights
The Guardian 16 Oct 2012 – From a grumpy Ariel Sharon to a splenetic Tracey Emin, some of the most entertaining, controversial – and cringe-making – encounters from the Guardian’s daily features section, G2 Thora Hird Simon Hattenstone 12 April 1999 She…
Iran sanctions need more time, says David Cameron – video
The Guardian 16 Oct 2012 – The prime minister says Israel should not launch unilateral military action against Iran’s nuclear installations
Israeli parliament dissolved ahead of early elections
The Guardian 16 Oct 2012 – Polling to take place on 22 January 2013 after Binyamin Netanyahu failed to push through austerity budget Israel’s parliament has voted to dissolve itself ahead of early national elections set for 22 January 2013. The speaker…
Israeli Forces Arrest Human Rights Activist, Researcher at Addameer Association Ayman Karaja
Uruknet
Obama Orders Drones, Special Ops on Standby to Kill Benghazi Attack Suspects
Uruknet
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Uruknet
Israel Says It Will Intercept Estelle Ship Heading To Gaza
Uruknet
Under the Cover of Arab Spring
Uruknet
The Brookings Institution demands servile journalism
Uruknet
Pakistan’s Moment of Truth: A CagePrisoners report on the anti-Drone March
Uruknet
Why I Refuse: On God/love, nonviolence and the occupation
Uruknet
Lawyer: Al-Barq resumes hunger strike to protest delayed release
Uruknet
“After the Fire, the Fire Still Burns”: Horror Goes on for Victims of Iraq War Atrocities
Uruknet
Divided Syrian rebels agree on joint leadership
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Syria‘s divided rebels have agreed to set up a joint leadership to oversee their battle to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, two insurgent sources said on Tuesday as fighting raged in cities across the country.
Swiss hold $1 billion in blocked Arab Spring assets
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Switzerland has blocked nearly one billion Swiss francs ($1.07 billion) in stolen assets linked to dictators in four countries at the centre of the Arab Spring – Egypt, Libya, Syria and Tunisia.
British man charged over Syria journalist kidnappings
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 British police on Tuesday charged a man with kidnapping two Western journalists in Syria, one week after he was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport, Scotland Yard said.
Prominent Bahrain human rights activist arrested
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Bahraini police arrested prominent Shiite rights activist Mohammed al-Maskati on Tuesday for his participation in anti-government protests, his lawyers said.
Gaza rocket hits Israel after tense quiet
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Militants from the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at southern Israel on Tuesday night that exploded near a home, causing damage and hysteria, police said.
Exiled opposition would welcome any Syria truce: leader
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Syria‘s exiled opposition would welcome a ceasefire later this month as proposed by the international peace envoy but responsibility lies primarily with the government.
Egyptian Islamists vow revenge against Israel for Gaza killings
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 An Islamist group in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel said it will take revenge against the Jewish state for the killing of Palestinian militants in Gaza at the weekend.
Britain to close consulate in Iraq’s Basra
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Britain will close its full consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra as part of government austerity measures, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Monday.
Turkey’s Erdogan moots three-way regional talks on Syria
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he had suggested to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad three-way talks including Egypt on the Syria crisis.
Israel PM welcomes fresh EU sanctions on Iran
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Netanyahu praised the European Union on Tuesday for the latest round of sanctions imposed on Iran, but reserved judgment on whether it would halt its nuclear drive.
Iraq suspends central bank governor in forex probe
Daily Star 16 Oct 2012 Iraq’s cabinet named an interim central bank chief on Tuesday after the bank’s well-respected governor, who was on an overseas trip, was suspended amid a currency manipulation probe.
2 IDF officers jailed for allowing abuse of rookies
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – ….
Rocket explodes near house south of Ashkelon
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Qassam rocket explodes in yard of private residence at Hof Ashkelon Regional Council ….
In missive to UN, Prosor blasts Gaza-bound flotilla
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – ….
PM: Israel to act if threatened by Syria’s chemical arms
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Israel reserves right to take military action in Syria if chemical weapons fall into hands of terrorists, Netanyahu says ….
Ex-Mossad Chief Meir Dagan ‘fighting for his life’ after surgery
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – ….
Qatar funds major project to rebuild Gaza
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – ….
Jerusalem residents suffer from stone attacks
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Nof Tzion residents say students in nearby Jabel Mukaber regularly throw stones at homes; claim police ‘abandoned’ them ….
Egyptian Islamists vow revenge against Israel for Gaza killings
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – ….
State to appeal Olmert’s acquittal
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Prosecution informs ex-prime minister’s attorney that it intends to fight court rulings in corruption cases brought against him ….
Say no to snuff TV
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Op-ed: Images shown by Israeli TV channels same as live Fox News footage of suicide ….
Yaakov Peri joins Lapid’s Yesh Atid
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Former Shin Bet chief set to run for Knesset seat on behalf of Yesh Atid ….
PM condemns desecration of Dayan’s grave
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Speaking at memorial service for late Minister Rehavam Ze’evi, Netanyahu says prevalence of vandalism of graves, holy sites is unacceptable ….
Likud primaries likely to be held on November 25
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Internal elections at Likud party set to take place next month; Labor party hires top strategic advisor Stanley Greenberg ….
Obama only ‘talks the talk’
YNet News, 16 Oct 2012 – Op-ed: It’s time US leader stops expecting Israel to make all the ‘bold sacrifices’ for peace ….
Palestinian Information Center
Once again, UNRWA plans to teach Palestinian students about holocausts
PIC – The commission of UNRWA teachers in Jordan said the agency intends to incorporate once again the topic of the Jewish holocausts into its school textbooks.
AFEH: Repeated storming of Aqsa a prelude for dividing it
PIC – The Aqsa foundation for Endowment and Heritage (AFEH) has warned that the repeated Israeli storming of the Aqsa mosque was a prelude for dividing it between Muslims and Jews.
Jewish settlers stage anti-Arab march in Sheikh Jarrah, harass natives
PIC – Hundreds of extremist Jewish settlers stormed Tuesday morning Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem and attacked Palestinian natives.
Beit Hanoun: The occupation opens fire at Palestinian farmers
PIC – The agricultural sector in the network of Palestinian NGOs strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces attack, on Tuesday morning, on a group of farmers while they were reaping olive fruits.
Administration of Facebook closes the account of Hamas leader Mohammed Nazzal
PIC – Activists on Facebook said that they have not been able, on Monday, to access to the Facebook page of Mohammad Nazzal, a Hamas leading figure.
18 Palestinian ex-prisoners allowed returning back to the West Bank
PIC – The Hebrew newspaper “Yediot Ahronot” reported on Monday that the Israeli government headed by Netanyahu has agreed to allow the return of 18 liberated Palestinian prisoners.
The hunger striker Sharawna threatens to stop drinking water
PIC – Palestinian human rights organization stated that the prisoners Ayman Sharawna, 107 days on hunger strike, suffers from sharp deterioration in his health condition.
IOF deprives entire village of olive harvesting
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have denied access permission to the inhabitants of Teyba village, west of Jenin, to enter their land behind the segregation wall and harvest their olive fruit.
Sit-in in Tunisia to criminalize normalization with Israel
PIC – A number of political parties and civil society organizations in Tunisia organized, on Monday morning, a sit-in outside the National Constituent Assembly, demanding to criminalize normalization..
Human chain in Amman in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners
PIC – The Jordanian youth campaign to support the prisoners in Israeli occupation jails staged, on Monday, a sit-in in the form of a human chain in the capital city of Amman.
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WAFA – 16 Oct 2012
Jewish Fanatics Attempt to Force Their Way into al-Aqsa Building
WAFA – 16 Oct 2012
Municipality Orders Silwan Home Demolished
WAFA – 16 Oct 2012
Israeli Forces Storm Student Dorm near Jenin
WAFA – 16 Oct 2012
Settlers Destroy Olive, Grape Trees near Bethlehem
WAFA – 16 Oct 2012
Weather Forecast: Above Seasonal Average
WAFA – 16 Oct 2012
Afghan Army’s High Turnover Clouds U.S. Exit Plan
New York Times 16 Oct 2012 – The Afghan Army is so plagued with desertions and low re-enlistment rates that it has to replace a third of its entire force every year, officials say.
U.S. to Help Create Libyan Commando Force
New York Times 16 Oct 2012 – The Libyan force would help combat Islamic extremists, like those who killed the American ambassador last month, and help the country’s army counter fractious militias.
Former Israeli Leader Olmert Plans Comeback After Conviction
New York Times 16 Oct 2012 – The former prime minister, Ehud Olmert, is meeting with political leaders and others, but opinion on his chances is divided among political experts.
Brahimi Seeks Syria Cease-Fire for Id
New York Times 16 Oct 2012 – The envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, has enlisted Iran’s help in trying to persuade President Bashar al-Assad to support a temporary cease-fire.
At War Blog: Heat-Seeking Missiles in Syria: The SA-7 in Action with Rebels
New York Times 15 Oct 2012 – Two videos recently posted on YouTube suggest that the rebel forces have acquired heat-seeking shoulder-fired missiles and that they are trying to target Syrian military aircraft.
Gazprom bids highest for Leviathan partnership
Globes Energy & Water – Delek’s Yitzhak Tshuva prefers Gazprom because of its geopolitical power, but Nobel Energy wants a Western partner.
Harel downgrades energy exploration sector
Globes Energy & Water – Analyst Elad Kraus’ stock pick for the sector is Delek Group.
Stryker buys Surpass Medical for $135m
Globes Main News – The Tel Aviv based company is developing and commercializing flow diversion stent technology to treat brain aneurysms.
Banks to streamline 1,500 jobs
Globes Main News – The banks, especially Hapoalim and Leumi, are drawing up plans that will affect the careers of more than 1,500 employees.
Tue: Israel Chemicals lifts market
Globes Main News – Israel Chemicals and parent company Israel Corp. rose strongly, but the Tamar partners resumed their slide.
Silicom in major design win with computer giant
Globes Main News – The company said that design win was from the security division of one of the world’s largest server manufacturers.
Delek Real Estate nearing the end
Globes Main News – The company will sell its remaining assets, fire most of its 42 staff, and vacate its Ramat Gan offices.
Jacob Perry quits Mizrahi Tefahot for politics
Globes Main News – Perry is resigning as Mizrahi Tefahot Bank chairman to join Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid list for the Knesset.
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Globes Macro Economics – Central Bureau of Statistics: Israel’s economy will grow by 3.5% in 2012, after 4.6% growth in 2011 and 5% growth in 2010.
Home prices up 3% in year to August
Globes Macro Economics – The Prices of Dwellings Index rose by 0.6% in August, after rising 0.7% in July.
CPI unchanged in September
Globes Macro Economics – Analysts had predicted that the VAT hike and higher fuel prices last month would push the Consumer Price Index up by 0.4%.
UK Former General Greases Skids for $1-Billion Helicopter Deal Benefiting Israel’s Elbit Systems
Tikun Olam – Elbit Systems is one of Israel’s largest defense contractors, something like Lockheed, General Dynamics and Boeing rolled into one. It has its tentacles in virtually every high-tech weapons system developed by and for the IDF. Like its American counterparts, it also has an extensive overseas customer…
Iranian Drone Downed 10 Miles from Dimona, Likely Transmitted Images of Nuclear Site to Iran
Tikun Olam – Israeli image of downing of Iranian drone near Dimona Iran’s message to Israel regarding the drone it sent deep into Israeli airspace last week: two can play at this game. Just as Israel has assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists and sabotaged its nuclear facilities with computer worms…
Israel’s New Cyber-Virus Attacks Computers from Iran to Lebanon
Tikun Olam – Kaspersky Labs announced today that it had discovered a new cyber-virus it’s calling mini-Flame, used to hack computer systems in the Middle East. The code, a variant of the Flame and Stuxnet computer worms, which have previously been attributed to joint Israeli and U.S. development, penetrated…
Rabbinical Support for the End of Unconditional Military Aid to Israel
Jewish Voice for Peace – The undersigned members of the Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council stand with our American Christian colleagues in their recent call to “make U.S. military aid to Israel contingent upon its government’s “compliance with applicable US laws and policies.” Read more.
Rice on the warpath against Hezbollah at the UN
Mondoweiss – Protestor at Beirut rally to denounce a film mocking Islam holds poster of Nasrallah and Assad (Photo: Joseph Eid AFP) Both U.S. and Israeli ambassadors to the UN addressed Hezbollah at the UN Security Council meeting yesterday after Hezbollah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah confirmed on Saturday…
It’s official: Israeli govt confirms Jews are no longer the majority between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea
Mondoweiss – Akiva Eldar in Haaretz – ” The Jewish majority is history “: Amid a dry economic report published yesterday in TheMarker lies an official announcement/acknowledgment of unparalleled importance: The government of Israel confirms that between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River there is no longer a Jewish…
012, over 7,500 olive trees belonging to West Bank Palestinians have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli settlers
Mondoweiss – Today, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a fact sheet on the Palestinian Olive Harvest, which typically takes place in October and November. The olive harvest is also a period of increased settler violence and intimidation against Palestinians trying to access their…
‘NPR”s bad geography
Mondoweiss – On National Public Radio the other day , reporter Kelly McEvers stated that 100s of 1000s of refugees were headed out of Syria in “every direction,” into all “neighboring countries.” She listed Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and “even Iraq.” (Excerpt below). Of course she left out the countries…
Israeli govt set to launch int’l PR campaign to ‘bolster the legitimacy’ of the settlements
Mondoweiss – link to www.ynetnews.com link to english.pnn.ps link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.maannews.net link towww.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to english.wafa.ps link to english.pnn.ps link to palsolidarity.org link towww.maannews.net link to www.maannews.net link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to www.haaretz.com link to abcnews.go.comlink to www.maannews.net link…
David Cameron Says Not Time to Strike Iran
The Foward Breaking News 16 Oct 2012 – British Prime Minister David Cameron told members of London’s Jewish community that Israel should give sanctions against Iran more time to work. Click here for the rest of the article…
Jordan Holds Vote on Day After Israel
The Foward Breaking News 16 Oct 2012 – Jordan’s electoral commission set Jan. 23 as the date for early parliamentary elections on Tuesday after King Abdullah dissolved parliament halfway through its term, reacting to pressure to accelerate political reforms. Click here for the rest of the article…
Sweden Complains Over ‘False’ Iran Sanctions Report
The Foward Breaking News 16 Oct 2012 – Sweden has complained to Israel over a newspaper report which said the Nordic state had tried to block EU sanctions against Iran to protect powerhouse telecoms equipment maker Ericsson, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. Click here for the rest of the article…
Arab Dictators’ $1B Secret Stash
The Foward Breaking News 16 Oct 2012 – Switzerland has frozen $1 billion in stolen assets linked to dictators ousted by Arab spring uprisings in Egypt, Libya, Syria and Tunisia. Click here for the rest of the article…
Zimbabwe: Mumbengegwi Arrives in Iran
allAfrica.com 16 Oct 2012 – [The Herald]FOREIGN Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi arrived in Tehran, Iran, yesterday to attend and co-chair the seventh joint commission between Iran and Zimbabwe aimed at strengthening co-operation between the two countries. The joint commission meetings, which entered their second day
Sudan: Asylum-Seekers in Tel Aviv Rally Against Planned Detention
allAfrica.com 16 Oct 2012 – [New Times]Hundreds of Sudanese citizens living in Israel on Sunday held a protest against plans by Interior Minister Eli Yishai to imprison and expel some 15,000 asylum seekers — starting Oct. 15.
Egypt: Cultural Cooperation in Translation, Books With Tajikistan
allAfrica.com 16 Oct 2012 – [Egypt Online]Minister of Culture Dr. Mohamed Saber Arab confirmed during a meeting with Tajik ambassador to Egypt Narzullo Nazarov on Monday 15/10/2012 the deep-rooted historic relations between Egypt and Tajikistan.
Egypt: Nation Calls for Ending Assaults By Israeli Settlers On Worship Places
allAfrica.com 16 Oct 2012 – [Egypt Online]The Arab member states of the Unites Nations has called for bringing about an end to assaults by Israeli settlers against Muslims and Christians worship places in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In Hebron, All-Female Ticket Attempts to Break into Palestinian Politics
Joseph Dana 16 Oct 2012 – Over half a million Palestinians on the West Bank will head to the polls next Saturday, 20 October 2012, for the time since 2006 to elect municipal leadership. One month after large scale economic protests swept West Bank cities, many have deep skepticism that new local…
Kuwait’s emir warned at protest
BBC 16 Oct 2012 – Several protesters are hurt and others detained at an opposition protest where a former MP warns Kuwait’s emir not to resort to autocratic rule.
Grave of Moshe Dayan vandalised
BBC 16 Oct 2012 – The grave of the former Israeli defence minister and military chief-of-staff, Gen Moshe Dayan, is vandalised on the 31st anniversary of his death.
Man charged over Syria kidnapping
BBC 16 Oct 2012 – A 26-year-old Briton arrested at Heathrow on suspicion of terrorism offences is charged with the kidnap of a UK photographer in Syria, police say.
Jordan sets early election date
BBC 16 Oct 2012 – Jordan’s electoral commission announces that early parliamentary elections will be held on 23 January, amid calls by the opposition for a boycott.
Intensified Warrantless Spying in America
Sabbah report 16 Oct 2012 – Gathering information from telephone, email, and other Internet communications. They’re “powerfully invasive” tools. Newly released ACLU Justice Department documents and Kurt Eichenwald ‘s just published book titled “500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars” provide new information on lawless spying in America . Eichenwald described…
Don’t Vote For Evil
Sabbah report 16 Oct 2012 – A Case for Abstention in the US Presidential Election Back during the George W. Bush neocon regime, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela in his UN speech summed up George W. Bush for the world. I am quoting Chavez from memory, not verbatim. “Yesterday standing at this…
Sanctions on Iran crippling, but will not topple regime
Sabbah report 16 Oct 2012 – Sanctions on Iran caused the currency to virtually collapse last week Iran’s currency virtually collapsed last week, and the public protests that followed in Tehran stirred memories of the massive anti-regime protests of 2009. This has caused excited speculation in the United States and its allies…
25 Organizations Urge Architectural Firms of Proposed CornellNYC Tech Campus to Drop Project
US Campaign to End the Occupation 16 Oct 2012 – From our member group New Yorkers Against the Cornell-Technion Partnership . NEW YORK, New York, October 16, 2012– 25 organizations, including several representing the architecture community as well as students at Cornell and other universities, academic scholars, human and civil rights advocates in the United States and…
Video Experiment Gauges Public Response to Sexual Harassment
Al-Akhbar Blogs 16 Oct 2012 – Cairo – A man harasses a woman. Offended, she wants to take him to the police station. Passersby interfere. She tells them about the obscenity she has been subjected to. They tell her to move on. One man makes a comment about the way she’s dressed…
The Ayoub Drone and Sparking War
Al-Akhbar Opinion 16 Oct 2012 – An Israeli soldiers walks near a Patriot surface-to-air missile battery as it is deployed in Mount Carmel, in the northern coastal city of Haifa, on 9 October 2012 (Photo: AFP – Jack Guez) An Israeli soldiers walks near a Patriot surface-to-air missile battery as it is…
Saudi Succession: The Battle to Be King
Al-Akhbar News 16 Oct 2012 – Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud addresses the Shura (consultative) Council on 25 September 2011 in Riyadh (Photo: AFP – Ahmed Abdelrahman). Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud addresses the Shura (consultative) Council on 25 September 2011 in Riyadh (Photo: AFP – Ahmed Abdelrahman)….
Uruguay Street Drinks to Drown its Past
Al-Akhbar News 16 Oct 2012 – Sparse authenticity and very little of the area’s original identity as a central point in society still remain. (Photo: Haytham elMoussawi) Sparse authenticity and very little of the area’s original identity as a central point in society still remain. (Photo: Haytham elMoussawi) Last Friday night boasted…
Bahrain arrests activist in ongoing crackdown
Al-Akhbar News 16 Oct 2012 – Riot police fire tear gas as they charge towards anti-government protesters in Manama, Bahrain on 12 October 2012. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer) A leading Bahraini rights activist, Mohammed al-Maskati, was arrested on Tuesday for taking part in an unauthorized Manama protest, his lawyer and other activists said. Al-Maskati,…
Serge Najjar: Hypnotic Geometry
Al-Akhbar News 16 Oct 2012 – Serge Najjar’s debut photo exhibit “Lines, Within” wants us to see the hypnotic geometry in buildings, bridges, and tunnels. But what happens after we’ve recognized the city for its shapes and patterns? (Photo: Najjar’s “Conditionned Boxes”) Serge Najjar’s debut photo exhibit “Lines, Within” wants us to…
Qatar in Gaza: Trying to Buy Peace?
Al-Akhbar News 16 Oct 2012 – Head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniya (R), meets with the head of a Qatari delegation Mohammed al-Emadi in Gaza City on 25 September 2012 (Photo: AFP – Mohammed Abed) Head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniya (R),…
Syria’s Lebanese Rebels: Trying Their Hand at Revolution
Al-Akhbar News 16 Oct 2012 – A man rides his motorbike on a dirt road on the Lebanese-Syrian border in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley region of al-Qaa on 21 October 2011. (Photo: AFP – Joseph Eid) A man rides his motorbike on a dirt road on the Lebanese-Syrian border in east Lebanon’s…
Just another day in Ersal
Al-Akhbar Series and Features 15 Oct 2012 – (Photo: Preethi Nallu) (Photo: Preethi Nallu) About an hour northeast of Beirut, the scenery transforms substantively, from the smog-engulfed coastal terrain of the metropolis to a winding precarious ascent where the air turns crisp. Related Articles: Jordan: Syrian Refugees Sentenced to Desert Camp Syrians Queueing to…
Movement for South Yemen Secession Braves the Odds
Al-Akhbar Politics 15 Oct 2012 – Women walk past flags of former South Yemen painted on walls in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden October 8, 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Khaled Abdullah) Women walk past flags of former South Yemen painted on walls in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden…
Roumieh Prison: Rule by the Sword
Al-Akhbar Politics 15 Oct 2012 – The doors of their floor have been left wide open since the last prisoner rebellion. This facilitates their movement and communication. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) The doors of their floor have been left wide open since the last prisoner rebellion. This facilitates their movement and communication. (Photo:…
Articles
EU support for Israeli crimes makes it unworthy of Nobel Peace Prize
Omar Barghouti, Electronic Intifada 10/15/2012
The European Union is not “merely hypocritical” in its relationship with Israel, it is “complicit in crimes against the Palestinian people.” This is one of the main conclusions of David Cronin’s compellingly-argued book Europe’s Alliance With Israel: Aiding the Occupation.
In fact, the European Union is steadily upgrading its relations with Israel while overwhelming, and growing, public majorities across Europe’s largest nations view Israel “mostly negatively.” According to a recent BBC GlobeScan poll, Israel is on a par with North Korea as the third worst perceived country in the world (“Views of Europe slide sharply in global poll, while views of China improve,” GlobeScan, 10 May).
With the entrenchment of its occupation, colonization and apartheid against the Palestinians, its fanatic-right government’s hubristic and bellicose policies, and the impressive growth of the non-violent Palestinian-led, global boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights, Israel is gradually losing hearts and minds across the world and becoming the world pariah, as South Africa once was, during apartheid.
Desmond Tutu, the South African archbishop, is particularly eloquent in accusing Israel of the crime of apartheid (“Tutu condemns Israeli ‘apartheid’,” BBC News, 29 April 2002). The Russell Tribunal on Palestine — at its 2011 Cape Town session — determined that Israel is practicing apartheid against the entire Palestinian people, according to the definition of apartheid adopted by the UN in 1973 (“Findings of the South African session,” Russell Tribunal on Palestine, 5-7 November 2011 [PDF]). — See also:“Findings of the South African session,” Russell Tribunal on Palestine more.. e-mail
Five killed in Gaza assassinations
Ruth Pollard, Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development 10/15/2012
In a deadly cycle of targeted assassinations and retaliatory rocket fire, five Palestinians were killed and more were injured in Gaza over the weekend, while militants fired dozens of rockets into southern Israeli towns forcing terrified residents to flee to bomb shelters.
Israeli air strikes targeted 47-year-old Hisham Saidani, a resident of Bureij refugee camp in Gaza and a man Israel describes as one of the founders of the Hashura Council of the Mujahideen terrorist organisation.
The council – operating under the “Global Jihad” umbrella – was “involved in significant terror activity against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers and has been a promoter of radical Salafi ideas and Jihad”, a statement from the Israeli Defence Force said.
A second man – also described by Israeli sources as a militant – was killed in Sunday’s attack. Advertisement
“Saidani had been planning a complex attack to be carried out along the Sinai border, a collaboration between Gaza-based militants and Salafi operatives in Sinai,” the IDF said in the statement.
Hamas described Saidani as heading the Tawhid and Jihad (One God and Holy War), a group with an Islamist ideology shared by al-Qaeda.
Another man – also described by Israel as a “Salafist activist” – was killed in an Israeli Air Force attack on Jabalya that injured two passers-by, including a 12-year old boy, sources inside Gaza said, while in a third air strike Izz Addin Abu Nusiera, 23 and Ahmad Abu Fatayir, 22, were killed. more.. e-mail
World powers will soon support our cause, says top Palestinian official
Amira Hass, Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development 10/15/2012
Twice during an hour-long interview, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi let out a laugh that sounded embarrassed. The first time was when she explained what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did in his UN General Assembly address: a speech she deemed patronizing, cut off from reality, stuck in an outdated Manichean perception. The doctor of comparative literature suggests that he did not convince his audience.
“He knows that political discourse in the United States is now captive to the imperatives of elections … so you can say and do whatever you want because nobody, whether the incumbent or the aspiring candidate, will disagree with anything Israel …” She did not finish the sentence and laughed in embarrassment, I thought, because of the need to describe the Israeli influence on American politics. A well-known fact – one that sounds bad.
She laughed the same way one other time, as she discussed the diverse pressures the United States applied over the past year, before and after the application was submitted for the state of Palestine’s membership in the United Nations. “The U.S. recruited itself in the service of the Israeli occupation. They put pressure on all these countries so we wouldn’t have nine votes (in the Security Council ).” She says going to the United Nations was the right step to take, a corrective measure (for the Oslo failures and Israel’s unilateral moves ), but the mistake was “that we lost the momentum” afterward because of the pressure.
The American pressure continues today as well, she says, such that the PLO will not ask the UN General Assembly now for the status of a UN observer state. “Didn’t you see the article in The Guardian about the American memorandum that was sent to European countries’ UN representatives?” she asks. The article appeared October 1, and the memorandum it quotes should reach Haaretz readers, too. more.. e-mail
Gaza real estate ads among many gems in Sydney photo show
Electronic Intifada: 16 Oct 2012 – Nick Shimmin Sydney 16 October 2012 A provocative art exhibition confronts Western prejudices about Arabs.more
Press TV Ban Tantamount to Human Rights Violation
Dissident Voice: 16 Oct 2012 – The recent EU move to take Press TV off the air is to be seen as part of a continued process of media violation against this alternative channel. On Monday, UK-based Eutelsat, which is run by Michel de Rosen, a Zionist Israeli-French, stopped carrying Press TV and some 18 other channels from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), a move which Gary Follows, Arqiva Head of Public Relations, says is a “result of reinforced EU Council sanctions and repeated requests by France’s broadcasting authority for the permanent switch-off of the Iranian channels.” UK-based Arqiva is the service supplier which held the IRIB contract. The first attempts to deprive an ever-increasing European audience of accessing Press TV started in the UK when British office of communication (Ofcom) initiated a shrewd ruse to get of rid of the channel and technically put an end to an alternative critical voice once and for…more
Humanitarian Buffer Zones in Syria: How Misinformation Obscures the Israel Lobby’s Influence on U.S. Foreign Policy
Dissident Voice: 16 Oct 2012 – A recent Russia Today report offers an insight into how misinformation on the internet helps to obscure the influence of the Israel lobby on U.S. foreign policy. In an October 11 report on the widening Syria conflict, the Russian television channel’s website cited an interview with an independent journalist regarding news of the establishment of so-called humanitarian buffer zones on Syrian territory. According to the RT report, citing Nile Bowie, the idea originated with “US hawks”: The US think-tank – the Brookings Institute – in March 2012 published a report entitled ‘Assessing Regime Change Options in Syria,’ where they specifically cite the creation of a buffer zone or a humanitarian corridor as a means to base certain rebel groups in the region [and] to project force towards the Syrian government in an attempt to topple it. So that appears to be what is playing out at the moment. The facts…more
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The New Dark Age 