25 October 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Dr. Erekat: “Israel Responsible For Gaza Escalation”
IMEMC – Chief Palestinian Negotiator, head of the Negotiations Department at the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Dr. Saeb Erekat, stated that Israel is responsible for the latest escalation against the Gaza Strip due to its ongoing illegal measures. …
Egypt Mediates Truce Between Israel And Hamas
IMEMC – Israeli Yedioth Aharonoth reported that a truce agreement, mediated by Egypt, was reached between Israel and the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip. …
Egypt brokers informal Israel-Gaza truce
10/25/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Palestinian fighters held fire overnight Thursday and Israel refrained from airstrikes as an informal truce brokered by Egypt appeared to take hold following two days of violence along the Israel-Gaza border. Palestinians had launched dozens of rockets into Israel over the preceding two days and Israel conducted a number of air raids on…. Related: Group breaks informal Israel-Gaza truce
Gaza man dies of wounds from Israeli airstrike
10/25/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A 24-year-old Palestinian died Thursday from injuries sustained in an Israeli air strike a day earlier, Gaza’s health ministry said. Mohammad Hirzallah had been injured when Israeli warplanes bombed Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip early Wednesday morning. He died in hospital Thursday, the ministry said in….
Group breaks informal Israel-Gaza truce
10/25/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — An armed group launched attacks on Israeli army and civilian sites along the border with the Gaza Strip hours after an unofficial truce sought to end two days of violence. The Al-Mujahideen brigades claimed responsibility for firing two rockets at the Kissufim military base and three toward residential areas along…. Related: Israeli army: Rocket lands in Eshkol area and Egypt brokers informal Israel-Gaza truce
Israel: 9 Palestinians arrested overnight
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained nine Palestinians overnight in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military said. An army spokesman told Ma’an that the Palestinians were arrested in raids across the West Bank. Soldiers detained one Palestinian in Jenin, one in Tulkarem, two each from Nablus and Hebron, three in Ramallah….
Israel: UN bid risks ‘far-reaching consequences’
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israel on Wednesday threatened “difficult and far-reaching consequences” of plans to upgrade Palestine’s status in the United Nations next month. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman relayed the warning during talks with visiting EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Jerusalem, a statement from his office said. If President Mahmoud….
UN expert calls for boycott of companies in settlements
10/25/2012 – UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) — A frustrated UN investigator on Palestinian human rights urged a boycott of companies tied to Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land on Thursday, while the United States criticized the call as “irresponsible and unacceptable.” Richard Falk, the independent special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian Territories, said the companies – which include….
Group: PA frees detained journalists on bail
10/25/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority has released two journalists on bail after they were arrested in September by preventive security forces, a media rights group said Wednesday. The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms, or Mada, said Walid Khaled of the Filistin newspaper and Quds press agency correspondent Mohamed Mona were freed….
Netanyahu, Lieberman merge parties
10/25/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he was merging his Likud party with that of his ultra nationalist coalition ally Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in a hard-right tack ahead of Israel’s Jan. 22 election. Though the conservative Likud already led opinion polls, its joint list with Lieberman’s Israel….
Israel re-opens 2 Gaza Strip crossings
10/25/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities have re-opened the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings into the Gaza Strip after closing them a day earlier, Palestinian and Israeli officials said Thursday. Palestinian border official Raed Fattouh told Ma’an that Israel would allow 167 truckloads of medical aid, clothes, shoes, fruit, and livestock to….
Hamas says prisoner on hunger strike in PA jail
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas said on Thursday that one of its members has gone on hunger strike in a Palestinian Authority jail in the West Bank to protest his continued detention. The party said Anas al-Hashlamoun, from Hebron, is being held by security services despite three decisions to release him. A Hamas statement said….
Israeli army: Rocket lands in Eshkol area
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Israeli military said a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the Eshkol regional council near the Israeli border early Thursday, hours after an unofficial ceasefire was announced. The Al-Mujahideen brigades claimed responsibility for launching attacks on a military base and Israeli towns along the border. The group said….
Abbas meets Bulgarian president in Ramallah
10/25/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed his Bulgarian counterpart to Ramallah on Wednesday and discussed the UN bid, which he urged the international community to support. Rosen Plevneliev met with the president in Ramallah, where Abbas assured him that the initiative next month to admit Palestine as an observer state was not an…. Related: Envoy: PA, Bulgaria agree to share security information
Envoy: PA, Bulgaria agree to share security information
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority and Bulgaria signed cooperation agreements on security, agriculture and labor, the PA envoy to Bulgaria said Thursday. President Mahmoud Abbas hosted his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev in Ramallah on Wednesday. Ambassador Ahmad al-Madbouh told Ma’an that during the meeting, three deals were signed to strengthen bilateral…. Related: Abbas meets Bulgarian president in Ramallah
PA, EU agree 5-year plan on bilateral relations
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The European Union and Palestinian Authority agreed on a new five-year plan for their bilateral relations on Wednesday, a press statement said. The European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan is intended to increase ties, “in preparation for establishing a full-fledged Association Agreement between the EU and the future state of Palestine,” the EU statement said. [END]
Analysis: Kudos to Qatar
10/25/2012 – By Daoud Kuttab – Discussions about pan-Arab issues these days undoubtedly include the name of the Gulf country Qatar, repeated in various contexts, often negative. Qatar is behind this or that conspiracy, it is a US puppet, an Israeli collaborator the brain behind this or that problem or conflict. Wherever there is an issue or a….
France condemns Palestinian rocket fire
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — France on Wednesday expressed concern about the increased level of violence between Israel and Gaza, which has left four people dead since Tuesday. France “strongly condemns the spate of rocket attacks by armed Palestinian groups as well as the explosion that took place along the border” that seriously injured a soldier….
Iran’s Khamenei says US and Israel seek to divide Muslims
10/25/2012 – DUBAI (Reuters) — Iran’s most powerful authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Thursday accused the United States and Israel of fomenting divisions among Muslims to undermine “Islamic uprisings” across the Middle East.” By exploiting inattention. . . corrupt American, NATO and Zionist agents are trying to divert the deluge-like movement of Muslim youth and bring them into….
Aid groups welcome Ashton visit to Area C
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A group of aid agencies on Thursday welcomed the visit of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to Palestinian communities in areas under Israel’s full control in the occupied West Bank. Ashton and PA prime minister Salam Fayyad visited the olive harvest in the Ramallah village of Ras Karkar….
Sudan: A front for Israel’s proxy war on Sinai jihadis?
10/25/2012 – By Dan Williams – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — If Israel bombed a Sudanese munitions factory, as Khartoum alleges, the raid was part of its widening proxy war against Islamist militants in neighboring Egypt which Israel is reluctant to confront directly. A huge explosion ripped through the factory near the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Tuesday, killing two people, with….
Abbas tells Ashton: Ready to negotiate after UN bid
10/25/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas told EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Thursday that his UN bid aims to preserve the two-state solution, official media reported. At a meeting in Ramallah during Ashton’s tour of the region, Abbas assured her he was ready to negotiate with Israel after the bid….
5 hospitalized in livestock accident in Gaza
10/25/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Five people were hospitalized in south Gaza after mishandling livestock purchased for the Eid al-Adha feast, a Ma’an reporter said. In total, 34 people suffered light to moderate wounds in separate accidents in Khan Younis, as citizens brought livestock into their homes without following proper safety regulations, the reporter said. [END]
Modeling agency opens in Ramallah
10/25/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Elite, Vogue, IMG – these are the names one associates with global fashion, mostly found in locales such as Paris, New York and London. Centered in the heart of a country at war, surrounded by settlements and facing the prospect of intifada, Ramallah’s modeling agency is somewhat more perplexing. Karma….
5 injured in Jericho car crash
10/25/2012 – JERICHO (Ma’an) — Five people were injured in a car crash in Jericho on Thursday, civil defense forces said. Two cars collided on Amman street, the forces said in a statement, adding that the wounded were hospitalized and civil defense crews cleared debris from the road. [END]
Fighting erupts near Damascus ahead of truce deadline
10/25/2012 – AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) — President Bashar Assad’s forces fired heavy tank and rocket barrages at a Damascus suburb on Thursday, killing five people, opposition activists said, a day before a UN-brokered ceasefire is due to come into force. The fighting in Harasta, just northeast of Damascus, erupted after rebels overran two army roadblocks on….
UN war crime investigators seek meeting with Syria’s Assad
10/25/2012 – GENEVA (Reuters) — United Nations war crimes investigators said on Thursday they would seek a meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad. The team, led by Brazilian expert Paulo Pinheiro, has been gathering evidence and testimony for the past year on atrocities committed by Syrian government forces and armed rebels in the 19-month-old conflict.” We decided….
WikiLeaks says releases hacked US detainee rules
10/25/2012 – LONDON (Reuters) — The WikiLeaks website began publishing on Thursday what it said were more than 100 US Defense Department files detailing military detention policies in camps in Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks on US targets. In a statement, WikiLeaks criticized regulations it said had led to abuse….
Syrian pilgrims raise rebel flag at hajj as mufti calls for unity
10/25/2012 – MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) – Syrian pilgrims raised rebel flags as the hajj reached its climax near Mecca on Thursday, despite a call from Saudi Arabia’s top cleric for the annual Islamic pilgrimage to be free from nationalist sentiment and Muslim infighting. This year’s hajj takes place against a backdrop of….
Syrian army declares conditional Eid ceasefire
10/25/2012 – BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) — Syria’s army command announced a ceasefire on Thursday to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha but said it reserved the right to respond to any rebel attack or moves to reinforce President Bashar Assad’s armed foes. A Free Syrian Army commander gave qualified backing to the….
Iran rejects UN criticism of its cyber security rules
10/25/2012 – UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) — Iran rejected criticism from a UN human rights investigator over its tighter cyber security rules, saying they are necessary to protect it against cyber attacks and have nothing whatsoever to do with freedom of expression. In his latest report, UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, said….
US Senate intelligence panel to hold Libya attack hearings
10/25/2012 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The US Senate intelligence committee on Thursday said it will hold hearings in November on security and intelligence issues raised by the Sept. 11 attacks on American facilities in Libya. In a statement, the committee said it first will hold a closed oversight hearing on Nov. 15 on the Benghazi attacks, when lawmakers….
Residents: Syrian army shells Damascus district after truce
10/25/2012 – AMMAN (Reuters) — Syrian troops stationed on a mountain overlooking Damascus fired artillery barrages late on Thursday at a southern neighborhood of the capital, witnesses said, hours after Syria’s army command accepted a UN-proposed ceasefire. The shelling targeted Hajar al-Aswad, a poor neighborhood inhabited by refugees from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Rebels have been….
Israeli Special Forces Storm Nafha Israeli Prison
Palestine News Network
Israel Claims Militants Fire Mortar Shell from Gaza, Despite Truce
Palestine News Network
Israeli Court Extends Detention Period of Addameer Researcher, Human Rights Defender
Palestine News Network
Kudos to Qatar
Palestine News Network
Dr. Ashrawi Meets with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Asht…
Palestine News Network
Position Paper: Enhancement of Palestine’s Status at the UN
Palestine News Network
Dr. Ashrawi Meets with U.S. Consul General Michael Ratney
Palestine News Network
France Condemns Israeli Decision to Construct 700 New Housing in East Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
International Solidarity Movement
URGENT – FUNDS NEEDED – International activists threatened with illegal deportation
10/25/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 25 October 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank- DONATE HERE:http://palsolidarity. org/donate/ – Israeli authorities are threatening to deport two international activists, arrested yesterday at a non-violent action at a settlement supermarket, despite a judge ruling that they should be released. They are currently being held in immigration detention. Earlier today, defence lawyers were…. Related: Donate
Picking olives in a cage
10/25/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – Journal by Ellie Marton, 25 October 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – I spent Tuesday inside a cage. Not my usual way to spend a sunny Tuesday – but for the Palestinian farmers I was with, this is routine. This is because their land happens to be near the illegal Israeli settlement of Ariel – in….
Alternative Information Center
PHOTOS: Christian Zionist marchers challenged with subversively symbolic Bible lesson
Alternative Information Center – (photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler) Amid the ranks of Israeli military troops in this year’s Jerusalem March strode a colorful and vocal group of international Christian Zionists. Waving their countries’ flags, wearing their national costumes, and carrying…
World: Past Year Marred by Events – Syria, Horn of Africa – That ‘Put to the Test’ World Community’s Capacity to Respond to Human Rights Crises, Third Committee Told
Relief Web 24 Oct 2012 – Source: UN General Assembly Country: World , Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (the) , Mali , Myanmar , occupied Palestinian territory , Somalia , Syrian Arab Republic (the) GA/SHC/4047 Sixty-seventh General Assembly Third Committee 22nd & 23rd Meetings (AM & PM) UN High Commissioner for Human…
Blood flows almost to Obama’s doorstep in town they call ‘Chi-raq’
The National 25 Oct 2012 – The death toll from shootings in Chicago is more than 400 this year alone, with more Americans dying there than fighting in Afghanistan.
Lebanon: political crisis looms, but no war
The National 25 Oct 2012 – After a stormy week filled with violence, Lebanon remains split on Syria, but not on the brink of war, observers claim. Analysis by Rima Abushakra
Syria rebels and regime agree on Eid truce
The National 25 Oct 2012 – Months of bitter fighting in Syria are set to stop today after Syria’s military and rebel leaders agreed to a temporary ceasefire for Eid Al Adha.
Bani Walid residents at risk of revenge attacks: HRW
The National 25 Oct 2012 – Residents of the one-time Qaddafi stronghold of Bani Walid are at risk of revenge attacks by Libyan government-aligned forces who have entered the town, Human Rights Watch warns.
Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists clash for fifth day in western Myanmar
The National 25 Oct 2012 – Hundreds of homes burned and gunfire rang out as sectarian violence flared for a fifth day between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists in western Myanmar yesterday.
Savile sex scandal involves about 300 victims: Scotland Yard
The National 25 Oct 2012 – Police investigating alleged sexual abuse of young girls by the former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile said yesterday that they were pursuing more than 400 lines of inquiry involving about 300 victims.
Clamour for independence grows in a crisis-hit Europe
The National 25 Oct 2012 – From Flanders Fields and the Scottish glens to Barcelona and the Costa Brava, a clamour for independence is sweeping parts of Europe.
Beauty biases draw Thais to ‘cheap Botox’ and illegal surgery
The National 25 Oct 2012 – Thailand’s underground clinics are booming and not all beauty victims live to tell their tale. The death this month of an aspiring model from a botched collagen injection has focused attention on the illegal beauty industry.
New York cop plotted to kidnap, eat women: authorities
The National 25 Oct 2012 – “I was thinking of tying her body onto some kind of apparatus,” the accused policeman Gilberto Valle allegedly said. “Cook her over a low heat, keep her alive as long as possible.”
Sudan-Iran links under scrutiny after arms factory blast
The National 25 Oct 2012 – Sudan’s links to Iran came under scrutiny yesterday after Khartoum accused Israel of a deadly missile strike on a military factory in the heart of the capital.
UN investigator calls for boycott of firms linked to Israeli settlements
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
Yacimovich: Israel’s centrist parties must unite to challenge Netanyahu-Lieberman union
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
Thunderstorms, rain bring a wintery feel to Israel’s autumn
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
State Attorney: Israel hasn’t moved to arrest Sudanese citizens, despite Yishai’s comments
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
TAU to take part in East Jerusalem dig funded by pro-settlement group
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
Former MI chief: Israel may benefit from U.S.-Iran direct talks
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
Israel Police pulls out of civilian web network amid cyber attack threat
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
Israeli conscientious objector begins 10-day sentence for refusing to serve in IDF
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
Tel Aviv U dismantles tent protest set up on campus
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
Gaza militants fire mortar shell at Israel, despite informal truce
Ha’aretz – 25 Oct 2012
Gaza-bound activists: IDF soldiers attacked us during boat interception
Ha’aretz – 24 Oct 2012
New Taibeh space center sparks controversy over name
Ha’aretz – 24 Oct 2012
Yacimovich adds security heavyweights to Labor list
Ha’aretz – 24 Oct 2012
Yoav Talmi named new director of Israel Chamber Orchestra
Ha’aretz – 24 Oct 2012
Purported first Hebrew typewriter surfaces in Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – 24 Oct 2012
Haaretz probe: Israel Police ‘culture of lying’ continues despite Danino’s vow to clean house
Ha’aretz – 24 Oct 2012
Conference to fix Likud’s gender gap appeals mostly to primary candidates
Ha’aretz – 24 Oct 2012
Fishy deal on salt pools casts doubt on rezoning plans
Ha’aretz – 24 Oct 2012
Rabin ceremony canceled due to dispute among groups
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Bnei Akiva branch expresses anger at secretary-general’s scheduled attendance at memorial.
Analysis: The Goldstone Report’s positive effects
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Israel’s counter-terrorism efforts have been strengthened since Operation Cast Lead.
Analysis: Sudan strike – A blow to Iran
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Israel’s alleged bombing of Khartoum plant may be a warning to Tehran that it could be the next target.
Falk: Firms tied to settlements may face charges
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard among businesses that UN expert says should be boycotted because they profit from settlements.
The Jews in the Land of Promise and in the Promised Land
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Savir’s Corner: President Shimon Peres once said that the whole issue of “Who is a Jew” should not only center on what our parents were, but even more so on if our children will remain Jewish.
The opposition’s alternative
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – It’s PM Netanyahu’s great fortune that there is no one on the opposite side with enough fortitude to allow the other players to pause for a moment, stop spinning around opinion polls, give their big egos a rest and ask themselves what is right for the country.
Remembering Rabin
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Dror Israel’s ceremony slated for October 27 will be the most inclusive memorial ceremony for Rabin ever. Hopefully this marks a turning point, and future ceremonies will cease being a stage for division and dissent and start being opportunities for dialogue and the bridging of differences.
Italian PM: Europe’s security tied up with Israel’s
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Mario Monti on diplomatic visit to Israel says “any threat to Israel is unacceptable,” in reference to Iran’s nuclear program.
Netanyahu, Liberman announce Likud, Yisrael Beytenu uniting
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – PM, FM say parties to run together for 19th Knesset; Netanyahu advisor says Liberman will not prevent PM from continuing to call for resumption of peace talks; Yacimovich, Mofaz call for Center to unite forces.
Peres opens memorial services for Yitzhak Rabin
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – President marks 17th anniversary of assassination of former PM Rabin, says way to secure Jewish, democratic Israel is to make peace.
Al-Qaida group urges jihad after Gaza leaders slain
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Salafist Jihadist groups say death of Salafist-Jihadist leaders is part of jihad against Jews, threaten large-scale retaliation.
Syria declares conditional Eid ceasefire
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Bashar Assad’s army command announces 3-day truce to mark Muslim holiday, says it reserves right to respond to any rebel attack.
Gov’t denies Yishai’s campaign for migrant arrests
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – State attorney files response to ACRI petition on issue of detention, deportation of asylum seekers to say no decision made so far.
The Weekly Schmooze: Lisa Frank is back!
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – JPost column on hottest Jewish news: Nir Barkat takes on Gangnam Style; UK looks for the Jewish Mum of the Year.
Diplomats: Iran one step closer to nuclear bomb
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Iran reportedly finished installing uranium centrifuges at Fordow plant, but hasn’t started running them; Tehran rejects allegations.
Libyan suspect in US envoy attack killed in Cairo
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Al-Qaida-linked Karim el-Azizi, whose role in Benghazi attack remains unclear, killed during Egyptian security raid.
Dichter: Earthquake could cost Israel NIS 150b.
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – In economic panel, home front defense minister says earthquake and tsunami could cost thousands of Israelis their lives.
Police disconnect from Internet, fearing cyber war
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Officers ordered to be extra careful with computers following fears of an attack; unclear if breach was wide-scale attack or virus.
Top 5: Wine Stores
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Wine lovers in Jerusalem need not wait until next year’s Wine Festival with a great selection of superb wine stores around the city.
The Iranian presidential vote
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – History repeating: The Iranians have their hand in US elections one more time.
Fighting erupts near Damascus ahead of cease-fire
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Assad’s forces fire heavy tank and rocket barrages, killing 5; UN war crime investigators seek Assad meeting.
‘Morsi harsher on Hamas than previous regime’
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Vice PM Shalom touts security cooperation as Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Israel, Hamas holds.
$15m project to fund energy, biofuels research
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust funds project overseen by Weizmann Institute the Technion.
For first time, gov’t to grant funds to ZAKA
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – Money will go toward round-the-clock efforts to help victims of disasters, as well as the recruitment of new volunteers.
Analysis: The tide turns again in Holyland trial
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – If state witness’s recent hospitalization prevents him from showing up in court, judges may cancel further cross-examination.
BGU faculty threatens legal action over closure
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – University politics department threatens to take Council for Higher Education to court for “dangerous” decision to shutter program.
Yad Yitzhak Ben-Zvi opens School for J’lem studies
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – New school will strengtheninstitute’s research branch by creating a 2-year fellowship for post-doctoral students in J’lem research.
Man accused of stalking prosecutor back in custody
Jerusalem Post 25 Oct 2012 – J’lem court orders defendant in fraud case be returned to custody after paper containing information on prosecutor found on him.
Haredim frozen out of civilian service post-Tal Law
Jerusalem Post 24 Oct 2012 – Since the expiration of the Tal Law, the civilian service has been legally unable to accept new yeshiva students.
Midweek Getaway
Jerusalem Post 24 Oct 2012 – The Daniel Hotel at the Dead Sea has launched a new concept, taking the idea of relaxation to a whole new level.
Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud party ‘to merge with coalition partner’
The Guardian 25 Oct 2012 – Cabinet minister says rightwing parties of Israel’s prime minister and foreign minister plan to unite before January elections Israel’s prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and his main coalition partner, the foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, plan to merge…
Letters: Prospects for a two-state solution
The Guardian 25 Oct 2012 – The opening sentence in Rachel Shabi’s article ( The death of the two-state solution gives fresh hope , 24 October) underlines its central weakness. We are told: “We could argue who killed it but what’s the point.” But…
Israel accused of air strike on Sudan munitions factory
The Guardian 25 Oct 2012 – 1,000-mile air raid on Khartoum seen as signal to Iran of ability to attack nuclear facilities Sudan has complained to the UN security council that Israeli planes bombed a munitions plant in Khartoum, an attack that…
Sudan blames Israeli air-strike for munitions factory fire – video
The Guardian 25 Oct 2012 – The Sudanese government says Israel is behind an attack on a munitions factory in the capital Khartoum on Tuesday
Britain rejects US request to use UK bases in nuclear standoff with Iran
The Guardian 25 Oct 2012 – Secret legal advice states pre-emptive strike could be in breach of international law as Iran not yet ‘clear and present threat’ Britain has rebuffed US pleas to use military bases in the UK to support the…
‘Israeli attack’ on Sudanese arms factory offers glimpse of secret war
The Guardian 25 Oct 2012 – Bombing of factory in Khartoum is neither confirmed nor denied by Israel, but there are precedents for this sort of attack No one in Israel is admitting that its pilots carried out a long-range raid against…
Israel-Gaza fighting subsides after Egyptian intervention
The Guardian 25 Oct 2012 – Militants stop firing rockets and mortars and Israel ceases air strikes after two days of escalating violence A deadly flare-up in fighting between Israel and Gaza’s militant Hamas group has subsided after Egypt helped to restore…
UK support for US drones in Pakistan may be war crime, court is told
Uruknet
As Holy Land 5 appeal begins, Palestinians in Gaza praise charity closed by Bush
Uruknet
Israeli Poll: Israelis Support Ethnic Cleansing, Annexation and Apartheid State
Uruknet
012.
Uruknet
In September, Israel denied 16 Palestinians exit permits to seek medical care — including a child
Uruknet
Paths of Resistance (I): The Refusal to Identify and Reject Evil
Uruknet
Obama moves to make the War on Terror permanent
Uruknet
Pakistani officials: US drone strike kills at least 1 person near Afghan border
Uruknet
Spain: 14 African migrants found dead at sea
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service has found 14 bodies in the sea and rescued 17 people after a boat carrying migrants from Morocco began to sink in the Mediterranean.
Russia wants answers on NATO post-2014 Afghan mission
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 Russia wants to know more about the scale and scope of NATO’s post-2014 mission in Afghanistan before deciding whether to keep cooperating with the Western alliance.
Italian soldier killed in Afghan attack: ministry
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 An Italian soldier died on Thursday after being wounded in an attack in Afghanistan, the Italian defence ministry said.
Sudan-Iran ties under scrutiny after factory blast
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 Sudan’s links to Iran came under scrutiny on Thursday after Khartoum accused Israel of being behind a deadly missile strike on a military factory in the heart of the capital.
Iran rejects UN criticism of its cyber security rules
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 Iran rejected criticism from a U.N. human rights investigator over its tighter cyber security rules.
Del Ponte promises to hunt Syria war criminals
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 Carla del Ponte, the former United Nations war crimes prosecutor, vowed to bring to justice high level Syrian political or military figures who may have ordered or committed war crimes.
Syrian army declares conditional Eid ceasefire
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 Syria’s army command announced a ceasefire to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha but said it reserved the right to respond to any rebel attack or moves to reinforce President Bashar al-Assad’s armed foes….
Abbas talks of Palestinian UN status to Ashton
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 Mahmud Abbas on Thursday briefed EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton about attempts to raise the Palestinians’ UN status to non-member state, a report said.
Sudan: a front for Israel’s proxy war on Sinai jihadis?
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 If Israel bombed a Sudanese munitions factory, as Khartoum alleges, the raid was part of its widening proxy war against Islamist militants in neighbouring Egypt which the Jewish state is reluctant to confront directly.
Israel’s Netanyahu, ally Lieberman merge parties
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 Netanyahu and his main coalition partner, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, plan to merge their right-wing parties ahead of Israel’s Jan. 22 election, a cabinet minister said on Thursday.
The Washington Post endorses Obama
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 The Washington Post editorial board endorsed President Barack Obama for another four years on Thursday, but stressed the “disappointments” of his first term.
Churches condemn Israeli security barrier
Daily Star 25 Oct 2012 The heads of Catholic churches in the Holy Land are condemning the route of Israel’s security barrier near Bethlehem, saying it affects the livelihood of Christian families there.
US denies supplying weapons to Syrian rebels
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – ….
Pentagon: US knew too little to deploy troops to Benghazi
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – ….
The banality of evil
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – Op-ed: US, EU leaders have grown accustomed to certain degree of barbarity by Iran regime ….
Yachimovich, Livni to discuss joining forces
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – Labor leader to offer former Kadima chairwoman no. 2 spot as well as foreign minister post, sources say ….
Obama votes in Chicago
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – ….
Report: Israeli drone destroyed Khartoum munitions last month
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – ….
French ambassador vows justice in Zeitouni case
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – Upon leaving office, Christophe Bigot vows to bring men responsible for hit-and-run that killed Lee Zeitouni to justice ….
Syrian army shells Damascus district after truce
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – ….
Shas hopes to gain more votes after merger
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – Haredi party officials confident many Likud loyalists will leave party after merger with Yisrael Benteinu ….
Netanyahu, Lieberman join forces ahead of elections
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – PM, foreign minister announce Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu merger in special press conference; ‘Joining forces will give us the power to defend Israel and generate social and economic change,’ Netanyahu says ….
Peres: Rabin’s way is the only way
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – In a ceremony marking 17th years since late PM’s murder, president says Rabin’s path will guarantee strong, Jewish and democratic state for generations to come ….
CBS releases data about Israel’s Muslim population
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – Most of Israel’s Muslims live in north, have fewer babies than last year, Central Bureau of Statistics data show ….
Blaming the delivery guy
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – Op-ed: Many Israelis who order in are rude, make delivery guys feel like panhandlers ….
Syria declares Eid ceasefire, but will respond to attacks
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – Ceasefire to be maintained from Friday morning to Monday; Ansar al-Islam says won’t honor truce ….
2-state solution is dead
YNet News, 25 Oct 2012 – Op-ed: Palestinians, who refused 90% of land they demand, not real peace partners ….
Palestinian Information Center
Foreign activists wave Palestinian flags in Israeli mall
PIC – Dozens of Palestinians and foreign solidarity activists waved Palestinian flags inside the Rami Levy shopping center to the east of Ramallah on Wednesday afternoon.
IOF launches military surveillance zeppelin over the Beit Hanoun crossing
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Wednesday, launched a military surveillance zeppelin over the Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip, in order to detect a large area.
13Palestinian martyrs since the beginning of the month
PIC – The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that 13 Palestinians were martyred during the continued Israeli aggression on Gaza since the beginning of this month.
Poll: Most Israelis support apartheid against the Palestinians
PIC – A survey, conducted by Dialog headed by Prof. Camil Fuchs, revealed that most of the Jewish public in Israel supports the establishment of an apartheid regime in Israel.
Israeli soldiers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque in their military uniforms
PIC – A group of 75 Israeli officers, in their military uniforms, stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday morning from the Mughrabi Gate, Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage confirmed in a statement.
IOF storms the abducted MP Ahmed Mubarak’s home
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed on Tuesday the house of abducted MP Ahmed Abdul Aziz Mubarak, searched his house and damaged its contents and confiscated some of them.
IOF destroys five wells west of Jenin
PIC – The IOF demolished on Wednesday morning, five wells in the plain of Marj Ibn Amer in the village of Kafr Dan west of Jenin, damaging the agricultural facilities in the region..
IOF demolish water well, installations
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) demolished a water well and agricultural installations in Edhna village west of Al-Khalil on Wednesday.
PCHR: Closure of Beit Hanoun crossing threatens lives of patients in Gaza
PIC – The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) warned against the closure of Beit Hanoun crossing (Erez) located in the northern Gaza Strip, threatening the lives of hundreds of patients..
Abbas Appoints New Civil Defense Director
WAFA – 25 Oct 2012
UN Bid Supports Peace, Two-State Solution, Says Erekat
WAFA – 25 Oct 2012
Abbas and EU’s Ashton Discuss UN Bid
WAFA – 25 Oct 2012
Rights Researcher’s Remand Extended
WAFA – 25 Oct 2012
Palestinian Dies of Wounds in Strike on Gaza
WAFA – 25 Oct 2012
PLO Official Discusses UN Bid with EU’s Ashton
WAFA – 25 Oct 2012
EU, PA Conclude Negotiations on Action Plan
WAFA – 25 Oct 2012
Price Index Up in September
WAFA – 24 Oct 2012
As Syria cease-fire looms, so do the doubts
LA Times 25 Oct 2012 – Rebels as well as the government insist the other side not use the truce during the Eid al-Adha holiday to rearm. Few expect the four days to be violence-free. BEIRUT — The Syrian military said Thursday that its forces would observe a temporary holiday cease-fire…
Syria cease-fire in doubt within hours
LA Times 24 Oct 2012 – Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi announces a cease-fire for the Eid al-Adha holiday, but Syria’s government says it is studying the plan, and many rebels just scoff. BEIRUT — Only hours after the international envoy to Syria announced a cease-fire for the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, it…
Syria activists record all they can for history’s sake
LA Times 24 Oct 2012 – Trying to identify corpses, digitally documenting destruction, the activists want to be sure that ‘one day no one can say a piece of our history is missing.’ MOADAMYEH, Syria — As his camcorder scanned the charred walls and partially collapsed roof of the mosque on…
Libya militia tensions hampered post-attack U.S. rescue effort
LA Times 24 Oct 2012 – A team trying to reach survivors of the attack that killed the U.S. ambassador was held up by poor communications among the militias providing security. BENGHAZI, Libya — The U.S. ambassador was missing, his compound was in flames and the safe house where survivors took…
Sudan accuses Israel of airstrike on munitions factory
LA Times 24 Oct 2012 – Four planes bombed the Yarmouk arms complex in the capital, Khartoum, killing two, Sudan’s information minister says. JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Sudan on Wednesday accused Israel of launching an airstrike that caused a large explosion at a munitions factory, killing two people, in a residential…
Syrian Soldiers Fight Rebels and Fatigue in Homs
New York Times 25 Oct 2012 – Syrian soldiers’ battle to retake a rebel-held school in Homs is a war of attrition, in which the opposition gains ground and the government takes it back.
Syria Declares Holiday Truce, but Will Rebuff Rebel Attacks
New York Times 25 Oct 2012 – If the fighting does stop for Id al-Adha, it will be the first time since April that the two sides in the uprising have at least said they would try to halt the violence.
Official Silence in Israel Over Sudan’s Accusations of Air Attack
New York Times 25 Oct 2012 – Though Israel maintained official silence over Sudan’s assertion that the Israeli military destroyed a Khartoum weapons factory, officials spoke openly about what they described as Sudan’s destabilizing role.
Iran Makes Arrests in Violations of Money Trading
New York Times 25 Oct 2012 – The arrests doubled the number initially reported and suggested that the Iranian authorities had widened their investigation amid deep worries about the instability of the rial.
Brahimi Announces Tentative Cease-Fire in Syria
New York Times 25 Oct 2012 – Lakhdar Brahimi’s plan calls for guns to be silent on the main Muslim holiday of the year, but numerous aspects of the plan immediately called its effectiveness into question.
Globe Exploration jumps ahead of December Ofek 2 drilling
Globes Energy & Water – Drilling at the onshore well in central Israel is scheduled to begin in December to gas-bearing target strata at a depth of 6,000 meters.
Solar energy co BrightSource raises $80m
Globes Energy & Water – Alstom and VantagePoint led the round, that included Goldman Sachs, Chevron Technology Ventures, and BP Ventures.
Noble Energy sees more gas in Block 12
Globes Energy & Water – Geologists believe any higher estimate for the Cypriot field bodes well for more finds in neighboring Israeli fields such as Leviathan.
Likud and Israel Beitenu parties to merge
Globes Main News – Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Liberman have agreed to campaign with a joint list in the January elections.
Danya Cebus wins Road 1 Motza bridges tender
Globes Main News – The Africa-Israel subsidiary will build two 800-meter bridges over the Motza Valley on the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway..
“Globes” names Fiverr most promising start up
Globes Main News – The online marketplace where you can buy any service for $5 has been chosen as the most promising Israeli start-up for 2012-2013.
Thu: Tel Aviv 25 down 0.6% on week
Globes Main News – The banks led today gains with Leumi up 1.2% and Hapoalim up 1%.
Shekel continues slide against dollar and euro
Globes Main News – FXCM Israel: The shekel could even weaken as far as NIS 3.95/$ due to US uncertainty.
Merrill Lynch upgrades Check Point to “Buy”
Globes Main News – Analysts: The crux of our upgrade is the expected growth acceleration early next year.
Paved with good intentions
Globes Macro Economics – The government plans new roads and railways joining the periphery to the center, but it’s in the congested center that a mass transit system is desperately needed.
Dear Israel calls for consumer boycotts due to price hikes
Globes Macro Economics – The protest organization calls for boycotts against Osem snacks, Heinz ketchup, Snowfrost frozen vegetables, and Sky white cheese.
New Tikkun Magazine Piece on Israeli Elections
Tikun Olam – I significantly expanded upon a post I wrote here about the Israeli elections for my latest piece in Tikkun Magazine . It lays out the thesis that Israeli electoral and party politics are essentially dead. Netanyahu will win the election, but that nothing will change for the…
Israel Sabotages Sudanese Weapons Factory, Two Dead
Tikun Olam – Israel’s Mossad continued its campaign of sabotage through the Arab world with a bombing at one of Sudan’s national weapons factories in the national capital, Kharthoum. Though Sudan said only two workers were killed in the explosion and several wounded, given the stories told by eyewitnesses…
Report: Netanyahu and Lieberman to merge right-wing parties ahead of Israeli elections
Mondoweiss – Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Photo: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images) This just in from Haaretz : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman are set to announce “the unification of their Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu parties, a Channel 2 report indicated on Thursday.” More from…
Following poll on Israeli support for apartheid, Gideon Levy says ‘making peace would be an almost anti-democratic act’
Mondoweiss – Results of a poll carried out by Dialog in September, 2012, based on a sample of 503 Jewish Israeli interviewees. For more on the poll, see here . (Image: Haaretz ) Gideon Levy says, ” Meet the Israelis “: Nice to make your acquaintance, we’re racist and pro-apartheid. The poll…
Eric Yoffie says Jewish leaders can criticize the settlements, but nobody else
Mondoweiss – Eric Yoffie, the liberal Zionist rabbi who defended the Gaza slaughter, has a chilling editorial up at Haaretz , titled, “Heading toward an irreparable rift between U.S. Jews and Protestants,” suggesting that 15 church leaders who have called for a congressional investigation of aid to Israel are…
New challenge to tax-exempt status of lobby group that paid for pols’ summer junkets to Israel (including congressman’s nude swim)
Mondoweiss – I’m sure you recall that in summer 2011, the American Israel Education Foundation, a spinoff of AIPAC, paid for junkets by 80-some congresspeople to Israel. The only interest the mainstream media had in this scandal was when a Kansas congressman went skinnydipping in the Sea of…
‘NYT’ provides platform to Israel lobbyists to position Obama to the right of Romney
Mondoweiss – Yesterday Robert Wright had a good column at the Atlantic arguing that Romney would be a war president because he would be more beholden to the lobby and Sheldon Adelson than Obama would be to the lobby in a second term. Wright’s piece reflects the developing…
Bibi and Lieberman Unite in Hard Right Push
The Foward Breaking News 25 Oct 2012 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he was merging his Likud party with that of his ultra nationalist coalition ally Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in a hard-right tack ahead of Israel’s Jan. 22 election. Click here for the rest of the article…
David Stern Will Step Down as Head of NBA
The Foward Breaking News 25 Oct 2012 – David Stern, who helped remodel the NBA into a global phenomenon and oversaw the ascent of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James, announced on Thursday that he will step down in 2014. Click here for the rest of the article…
Is Sudan Attack a Proxy War on Sinai Rebels?
The Foward Breaking News 25 Oct 2012 – If Israel bombed a Sudanese munitions factory, as Khartoum alleges, the raid was part of its widening proxy war against Islamist militants in neighbouring Egypt which the Jewish state is reluctant to confront directly. Click here for the rest of the article…
Netanyahu and Lieberman Unite for Election
The Foward Breaking News 25 Oct 2012 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman intend to announce the unification of their Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu parties, a Channel 2 report indicated on Thursday. Click here for the rest of the article…
Interfaith Dialogue Troubled Even Before Israel Dispute
The Forward New 25 Oct 2012 – Jewish groups pulled out of an interfaith roundtable after Christians asked Congress to reassess aid to Israel. But the dialogue was troubled long before that. Click here for the rest of the article…
Sudan: Khartoum Blames Israel for Airstrike
allAfrica.com 25 Oct 2012 – [Sudan Tribune]Khartoum -The Sudanese government has blamed an Israeli airstrike for the explosion of a military factory in the capital Khartoum on Tuesday, warning that it reserves the right to respond while Tel Aviv maintained the usual silence in response to the charge.
Sudan: Sudan Blames Israeli Air Strike Hit for Munitions Plant Blasts
allAfrica.com 25 Oct 2012 – [Tunis Afrique Presse]Khartoum -The Sudanese government is blaming Israel for what it says was the bombing of an arms factory in the capital.
Tunisia: Tunisia Supports Brahimi’s Call for Cease-Fire in Syria During Eid El-Idha Feast
allAfrica.com 25 Oct 2012 – [Tunis Afrique Presse]Tunis -Tunisia supports the call of UN special envoy Lakhdhar Brahimi for a cease-fire in Syria during Eid el-Idha feast, the Foreign Ministry announced, on Wednesday, in a communiqué.
Egypt: Mursi – No War Declarations but Palestinian Right Will Not Be Lost
allAfrica.com 25 Oct 2012 – [Aswat Masriya]Egypt is not declaring war on anyone but it clearly states that the Palestinian right will not be lost, President Mohamed Mursi said on Wednesday.
BDS roundup: Alice Walker, Roger Waters call on Carnegie Hall to cancel Israel Philharmonic Orchestra performance
Global BDS 25 Oct 2012 – In this BDS roundup, artists call on Carnegie Hall to cancel the upcoming performance of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Indian and Israeli BDS campaigners call on a Delhi arts festival to rescind Israel’s Cameri Theatre invitation to perform, a Dutch council decides against a Veolia contract…
Sheffield Students’ Union votes to support boycott of Israel
Global BDS 25 Oct 2012 – Sheffield University Palestine society is delighted to announce that the Students’ Union has passed a motion to join the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. The motion was passed by referendum in which all students were entitled to vote. The results were as…
Declaration from the First Spanish State Conference on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the state of Israel
Global BDS 25 Oct 2012 – “Yesterday South Africa, today Palestine” The Conference, held in Barcelona between the 19th-21st October 2012, takes on the call from Palestinian civil society to join the campaign of international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the state of Israel and calls on civil society of the Spanish…
Syria army ‘to observe ceasefire’
BBC 25 Oct 2012 – Syria’s army command says it will observe a four-day ceasefire from Friday at 0600 (0400 GMT), as rebels claim advances in the city of Aleppo.
Israeli right-wing parties ally
BBC 25 Oct 2012 – Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says his Likud Party is to merge with the ultra-nationalist group Yisrael Beitenu for January’s general election.
Sudanese to report Israel to UN
BBC 25 Oct 2012 – Sudan says it will complain to the UN over an explosion at an arms factory earlier this week that it claims was caused by an Israeli air strike.
Deal ‘calms Israel-Gaza fighting’
BBC 25 Oct 2012 – Fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza appears to have calmed after an unofficial truce was reached following days of violence.
In the US today, the power of money rules. Nothing else is in the equation
Sabbah report 25 Oct 2012 – In America today, law serves the powerful (Zionist money), not justice (citizens). In effect, there is no law, and no justice. Only unaccountable power. In the US today, the power of money rules. Nothing else is in the equation was published by Sabbah Report . Get Daily…
EU Rewards Apartheid Israel
Sabbah report 25 Oct 2012 – EU rewards apartheid Israel by adopting a protocol (by 379 vote) between the EC and Israel on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products. EU Rewards Apartheid Israel was published by Sabbah Report . Get Daily Newsletter , follow on Twitter . Support through Sabbah Store or Donate here!…
Conference: Where are We Headed? The U.S. and Middle East After Elections
US Campaign to End the Occupation 25 Oct 2012 – The 2012 Palestine Center Annual Conference Where are We Headed? The U.S. and Middle East After Elections Friday, 9 November 2012 2425 Virginia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037 Register here. You can watch this event live here. 8:00-9:00am Registration 9:00-9:15am Welcome Remarks 9:15- 11:00am Panel I…
PHOTOS: Christian Zionist marchers challenged with subversively symbolic Bible lesson
AIC: Jerusalem 25 Oct 2012 – (photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler) Amid the ranks of Israeli military troops in this year’s Jerusalem March strode a colorful and vocal group of international Christian Zionists. Waving their countries’ flags, wearing their national costumes, and carrying signs in various languages, including Hebrew, they showered Israeli onlookers…
A Day of Sectarian Violence in Lebanon
Al-Akhbar Blogs 25 Oct 2012 – read more
Mursi’s Foreign Policy: The Inverted Pyramid
Al-Akhbar Opinion 25 Oct 2012 – Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi addresses the 67th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, 26 September 2012. (Photo: Reuters -Lucas Jackson) Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi addresses the 67th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, 26 September 2012. (…
Muqtada al-Sadr: Iraq Is Being Driven to Ruin
Al-Akhbar News 25 Oct 2012 – A woman holds a picture of anti-U.S. Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr as his supporters march on a street in Baghdad’s Sadr city 26 May 2011. (Photo: Reuters – Kareem Raheem) A woman holds a picture of anti-U.S. Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr as his supporters march on…
Silencing a Syrian Film: The Case of Namocinema
Al-Akhbar News 25 Oct 2012 – Ghanem al-Mir was arrested in his hotel by the Military Security Services. (Photo: liberezghanemalmir blog) Ghanem al-Mir was arrested in his hotel by the Military Security Services. (Photo: liberezghanemalmir blog) Damascus – Directing a film in the midst of a civil war is no easy task….
Damascus says it will honor Eid ceasefire
Al-Akhbar News 25 Oct 2012 – A boy riding his bike is seen through a recently shelled area in Atareb, in the Idlib governorate October 24, 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Asmaa Wagui) A boy riding his bike is seen through a recently shelled area in Atareb, in the Idlib governorate October 24,…
Wikileaks exposes US detention methods in “war on terror”
Al-Akhbar News 25 Oct 2012 – Anti-war activists and supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, gather outside Britain’s Royal Courts of Justice in central London, Tuesday July 12, 2011. Assange’s extradition appeal will be heard at the court for two concurrent days. (Photo: AP – Lefteris Pitarakis) Anti-war activists and supporters of…
Paris Continues to Extort Georges Ibrahim Abdallah
Al-Akhbar News 25 Oct 2012 – During that time, the French government managed to block the decision to free Abdallah using several bureaucratic pretexts. (Photo: AFP – Ana Arevalo) During that time, the French government managed to block the decision to free Abdallah using several bureaucratic pretexts. (Photo: AFP – Ana Arevalo)…
Exclusive: The Man Behind Hariri’s Secret Army
Al-Akhbar News 25 Oct 2012 – The events of 7 May 2008 represented the second transitional phase in his life (photo: Issa Soulaibi) The events of 7 May 2008 represented the second transitional phase in his life (photo: Issa Soulaibi) In his first interview with the press, former Lebanese Army Colonel Amid…
Achrafieh Bombing: Lines of Inquiry
Al-Akhbar Politics 24 Oct 2012 – Active investigations are evidently proceeding along three tracks. (Photo: Haytham alMoussawi) Active investigations are evidently proceeding along three tracks. (Photo: Haytham alMoussawi) Investigators are currently following three main tracks of inquiry as they attempt to discover the perpetrators behind Friday’s assassination of Wissam al-Hassan. Any headway…
Future Blunders are Boost for Mikati
Al-Akhbar Politics 24 Oct 2012 – Tripoli – Sources close to Prime Minister Najib Mikati say the Sunni politician has not only deflected an ouster attempt, but may have gained political ground following last Friday’s assassination of security chief Wissam al-Hassan, as well as the ensuing clashes. Related Articles: Mikati Sidesteps Another…
Amid Hammoud: An Officer Defying the State
Al-Akhbar Politics 24 Oct 2012 – A week ago, Hammoud decided to relocate his activities to the capital. (Photo: Marwan tahtah) A week ago, Hammoud decided to relocate his activities to the capital. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Amid Hammoud, a retired Lebanese Army colonel, has emerged as the driving force behind some of…
Death in Custody in Gaza Prison
Al-Haq 25 Oct 2012 – Ad: Survive Any Food Crisis – 75% Comm – Survive Any Food Crisis Is A New Crisis Survival Product Offering 75% Commissions And Awesome Conversions. Works Well With Go Green, Solar, Eco, Conspiracy, Survival Websites.
Syria army ‘to observe ceasefire’
BBC 25 Oct 2012 – Syria’s army command says it will observe a four-day ceasefire from Friday at 0600 (0400 GMT), as rebels claim advances in the city of Aleppo.
Israeli right-wing parties ally
BBC 25 Oct 2012 – Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says his Likud Party is to merge with the ultra-nationalist group Yisrael Beitenu for January’s general election.
Sudanese to report Israel to UN
BBC 25 Oct 2012 – Sudan says it will complain to the UN over an explosion at an arms factory earlier this week that it claims was caused by an Israeli air strike.
Deal ‘calms Israel-Gaza fighting’
BBC 25 Oct 2012 – Fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza appears to have calmed after an unofficial truce was reached following days of violence.
Articles
Sudan: A front for Israel’s proxy war on Sinai jihadis?
Dan Williams, Ma’an News Agency 10/25/2012
JERUSALEM (Reuters) — If Israel bombed a Sudanese munitions factory, as Khartoum alleges, the raid was part of its widening proxy war against Islamist militants in neighboring Egypt which Israel is reluctant to confront directly.
A huge explosion ripped through the factory near the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Tuesday, killing two people, with Sudan swiftly accusing Israel of sending four military planes to take out the complex.
The poor Muslim east African state, with its ties to Iran and Sunni jihadis, has long been seen by Israel as a conduit for weapons smuggled onward to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, via the Egyptian Sinai desert.
With Sinai itself becoming a seedbed of al Qaida-inspired cadres during Cairo’s political upheaval, the Israelis now fear such arms could be used against them from within Egyptian territory. That puts Israel in a strategic bind, laid bare by the half-dozen guerrilla attacks it absorbed over the Egyptian border in recent months.
The countries’ landmark 1979 peace accord precludes Israeli military action, whether preventive or retaliatory, in the Sinai, and Israel is highly unlikely to risk even a one-off breach given Egypt’s unsympathetic new Islamist-led government.
Israel’s response, government and military sources said, has been to hit first against those on Egypt’s periphery suspected of links to the Sinai militants.
That has meant stepped-up up air strikes on Gazans accused of plotting operations in Sinai, and – to judge by reports from Khartoum – similar escalation in Sudan, to Egypt’s south. more.. e-mail
Analysis: Kudos to Qatar
Daoud Kuttab, Ma’an News Agency 10/25/2012
Discussions about pan-Arab issues these days undoubtedly include the name of the Gulf country Qatar, repeated in various contexts, often negative. Qatar is behind this or that conspiracy, it is a US puppet, an Israeli collaborator the brain behind this or that problem or conflict.
Wherever there is an issue or a problem in the Arab world that one cannot easily explain, Qatar is often used to explain the unexplainable.
I happen to differ. I am impressed with what this tiny Gulf emirate has done since its ruler, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, took over the reign of power in a bloodless coup while his father was away, in June 1995. Since then, Qatar has become a household name in the Arab world and much farther.
I am impressed with Qatar because it has tried to do something with the resources it has for the larger good. To be fair, the country and its leadership have the clear goal of elevating the name of their country. For the most part, their effort has a selfish angle; almost every action or activity has to have a Qatari angle or location. That is not shameful. Countries should put their own interest first.
But what Qatar has done for the Arab world goes much further than this narrow view. It is true that the country is blessed with much money, but so are so many other countries in the region and outside, yet none leveraged its resources for a larger good than Qatar. more.. e-mail
Rhetoric, US elections and the Middle East
Ramzy Baroud, Asia Times 10/18/2012
US elections are manifestly linked to the Middle East, at least rhetorically. In practical terms, however, US foreign policies in the region are compelled by the Middle East’s own dynamics and America’s own political climate, economic woes, or ambitions. There is little historic evidence that US foreign policy in the Arab world has been guided by moral compulsion.
When it comes to the Middle East – and much of the world – it is mostly about style. The country’s two leading political parties have proven equally to be interventionists. In the last two decades Democrats seemed to lean more towards unilateralism in foreign policy as in war, while Republicans, as highlighted by the administration of George W Bush, are much less worried about the mere definitions of their conducts. The US administration of Bill Clinton (1993-2001) maintained a draconian siege on Iraq that caused what former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark described as “genocide”. Two years later, Bush chose the direct war path, which simply rebranded the ongoing “genocide”. In both cases, hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis died.
Despite the warrior-like saber-rattling by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney about his intentions to transform the Middle East to suit US interests shall he be elected, few would take that as more than despairing attempts at reaching out to the most zealous members and groups of his party, especially those who wield political influence, media access and, of course, funds. The pro-Israeli gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson is referenced more than others, but there are many others who demand such satisfactory rhetoric before reaching out for their checkbooks.
Ultimately, “it’s the economy, stupid” – a phrase that reached legendary eminence after it was coined for Bill Clinton as he unleashed his successful presidential campaign in 1992. Once again, the phrase is likely to be the determinant factor come November 6. more.. e-mail
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The New Dark Age 