6 December 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
14 Injured By Army Fire In Hebron
IMEMC – Palestinian medical sources in Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, reported that 14 residents have been injured, while dozens were treated for the effects of teargas inhalation, during clashes with Israeli soldiers invading Bab Az-Zawiya area in the city. …
Canada Denounces Israeli Settlement Plan
IMEMC – Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, informed Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that his country cannot support Israel in its recent decision to build thousands of settlement units in the E1 area, linking Ma’ale Adumim settlement with occupied East Jerusalem. …
Soldiers Kidnap Four Children In Hebron
IMEMC – Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Thursday evening, four children in Ash-Shuhada’ Street, in the center of Hebron city, and the nearby Beit Ummar town, in the southern part of the West Bank, and released two of them later on, but refuse to release the remaining two. …
Army Invades Faqqu’a Village Near Jenin
IMEMC – Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday evening, the Faqqu’a village, east of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, installed roadblocks and searched several vehicles. Clashes were reported and the army fired gas bombs and concussion grenades. …
King Abdullah Of Jordan Arrives In Ramallah, Meet Abbas
IMEMC – Amidst official ceremonies, King Abdullah of Jordan arrived in the central West Bank city of Ramallah and held a meeting with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, in a visit that is the first since Palestine obtained a nonmember observer state status at the United Nations General Assembly. …
Israeli soldiers ransack homes in Nablus
12/6/2012 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli forces stormed the West Bank village of Barqa west of Nablus early Thursday and ransacked 36 homes, a Palestinian official said. Wael Daghlas, a member of the Barqa village council, told Ma’an that hundreds of soldiers were involved in the raid. Rafat Seif, 48, a resident of the…. Related: 500 Israeli soldiers ransack homes in Burqa and Man wounded in Nablus settler assault
Hebron settler ‘plowing Palestinian field for land seizure’
12/6/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — An Israeli settler is trying to seize 300 dunams of Palestinian farmland south of Hebron, an owner of the land said Wednesday. Abu Iyad Housheyeh told Ma’an that a resident of the illegal Mitzpe Yair settlement outpost had been plowing his land for two days in preparation to sow….
Palestinian inmates continue hunger strike to protest raid
12/6/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian inmates in a southern Israeli jail are prolonging their mass hunger strike to protest their treatment by a special prison guard unit, a Palestinian Authority ministry said Thursday. Palestinians held in Nafha prison joined a hunger strike throughout Israeli jails on Tuesday in solidarity with long-term strikers Ayman Sharawna and…. Related: Palestinian hunger strikers insist on gaining their freedom even if the cost is their lives
Over 20 hurt in Hebron as soldiers clash with PA police
12/6/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — More than 20 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli forces in central Hebron on Thursday afternoon, after a skirmish between Israeli troops and Palestinian police. Locals said Israeli soldiers had tried to detain an on-duty Palestinian police officer in Bab al-Zawiye in the center of the city. The police officer….
Islamic Jihad chief ‘reconsiders Gaza visit after Israeli threat’
12/6/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israel threatened to assassinate the leader of Islamic Jihad if he enters the Gaza Strip, causing the party to reconsider his upcoming visit, sources said Thursday. Egyptian authorities told Islamic Jihad that Israel rejected the visit and would target leader Ramadan Shalah and his deputy Ziad Nakhla if they went….
Egypt kills African migrant near Israel border
12/6/2012 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Egypt killed an African migrant and detained 39 others who were en route to Israel in the Sinai peninsula on Thursday, security sources said. Egyptian officials said one of the migrants refused to stop after being ordered by security forces. The identity and nationality of the victim were not immediately….
Gaza man dies from wounds sustained in 2004
12/6/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A 32-year-old man died in southern Gaza on Thursday of complications from wounds sustained in an Israeli military assault on Nablus in 2004, a health ministry spokesman said. Ahmad Khashan died in Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Ashraf al-Qidra said. Khashan had suffered weakness in the right side of….
Oxfam: Gaza ceasefire is a chance to finally lift blockade
12/6/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — International aid group Oxfam on Thursday called on Israel to take the opportunity of its ceasefire in Gaza to lift the military blockade it imposes on the coastal strip. Israel tightened a land and sea blockade on the Gaza Strip when Hamas took power in 2007, devastating the local economy.” People….
Palestinian group launches Access to Information campaign
12/6/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms, MADA, has launched a campaign to advocate for an Access to Information law in Palestine, the press freedom group said Thursday. MADA has convened a committee of experts to rewrite the current draft law submitted to the Palestinian parliament in 2005. The parliament….
Man wounded in Nablus settler assault
12/6/2012 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — A 47-year-old Palestinian man was beaten up by Israeli settlers during an olive harvest south of Nablus on Thursday, local officials said. Nasser Fayez Odah is in a moderate condition after a group of settlers attacked him with sticks and sharp objects, Huwara village council head Moin al-Dmeiri said. A…. Related: Israeli soldiers ransack homes in Nablus
Why we lost Pacific Islands
12/7/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — As Israel reflects on losing Europe in Thursday’s vote to upgrade Palestine’s UN status, mystery shrouds the positions of four Pacific island nations that broke with international consensus and sided with Tel Aviv. Five of the holdouts — Canada, the Czech Republic, Israel, Panama and the United States….
Yemen offers jobs to Gaza graduates
12/6/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Yemen is offering job opportunities to new graduates in the Gaza Strip, an official at the ministry of education announced Tuesday. Zakaria al-Hour said 27,000 Palestinian university graduates were out of work in Gaza, and the ministry of education has reached out to foreign offices to ease that rate. Yemen….
Shaath urges China to act on settlements
12/6/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A member in Fatah central committee, Nabil Shaath, called on China to take action against Israeli settlement plans announced after Palestine’s admission in the UN. Shaath met the Chinese ambassador, Liu Aizhong, in Ramallah on Wednesday, en emailed statement from Shaath’s office said. The Fatah leader praised….
King of Jordan in ‘historic’ West Bank visit
12/6/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — King Abdullah II of Jordan arrived in Ramallah on Thursday, in the first visit by an Arab leader since Palestine’s admission to the United Nations as a state. President Mahmoud Abbas and his prime minister, Salam Fayyad, welcomed the king along with PLO and Fatah members as well as….
Hamas official welcomes European response to settler plan
12/6/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A senior Hamas official on Thursday praised countries, particularly in Europe, for censuring Israel over its settlement expansion plan. Izzat al-Rishq welcomed moves by Spain, Denmark, France, Britain, Sweden and Italy to summon their Israeli ambassadors in protest against the move, in comments on his official Facebook page. The Hamas politburo….
Erekat: Israel’s settlement plan would kill 2-state solution
12/6/2012 – JERICHO (Ma’an) — PLO official Saeb Erekat on Thursday said Israeli plans to build settlements in the strategic E-1 zone of the occupied West Bank would be a critical blow to the two-state solution and peace process. In meetings with the US and British consuls to the Palestinian Authority, the former negotiator said….
Hitmen on hold, Israelis might talk to Mashaal
12/6/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israel once tried to kill Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal in a botched assassination attempt on the streets of the Jordanian capital, Amman. Fifteen years later, it is starting to view him in a slightly different light and Israeli analysts say he might yet prove the man who can open a dialogue between Hamas…. Related: Mashaal delegation poised for Gaza visit
South Africa ‘summons Israeli envoy’ over settlements
12/6/2012 – PRETORIA (Ma’an) — South Africa on Thursday summoned its Israeli ambassador to express the country’s concern over Israel announcing settlement expansion plans this week, local press reported. Ambassador Dov Segev-Steinberg was informed of South Africa’s rejection of the settlement expansion and seizure of Palestinian tax revenues, both announced after Palestine….
Mashaal delegation poised for Gaza visit
12/6/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal arrived in Cairo on Thursday ahead of his first visit to the Gaza Strip, as a delegation of relatives went ahead of him to Gaza. Mashaal will travel to Gaza on Friday with two other senior leaders in the movement based in exile, Izzat al-Rishq and…. Related: Hitmen on hold, Israelis might talk to Mashaal
PA: World should retrieve our tax revenues from Israel
12/6/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority government on Thursday slammed Israel’s seizure of its tax revenues after Palestine won a UN status upgrade as a “policy of piracy”. In its weekly meeting, the cabinet urged the international community to put an end to what it called “the Israeli policy of piracy.” Israel….
Germany’s Merkel cautions ally Israel on settlements
12/6/2012 – BERLIN (Reuters) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to avoid “one-sided moves,” amid uproar over Israeli plans to build 3,000 settler homes in a highly sensitive area of the West Bank. She framed her message as friendly advice to an increasingly isolated Prime Minister Netanyahu, whose move has drawn international….
Malaysia donates $1 million to UNRWA
12/6/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Malaysia has donated $1 million to support UNRWA in the Gaza Strip in response to Israel’s recent war on the enclave, the UN agency said Thursday. The contribution is in addition to $200,000 donated by Malaysia in November to support the regular services of the agency, which supports Palestinian….
Fatah to join Hamas anniversary celebrations in Gaza
12/6/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Fatah will join celebrations for Hamas‘ 25th anniversary in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, a senior Fatah leader said Thursday. Yahya Rabah told Ma’an that Hamas officially invited Fatah to participate in the festival, and said Fatah leaders would celebrate “with our brothers in Hamas.” Fatah is….
Aide: Former Israeli PM Olmert will not run in election
12/6/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Former Israeli leader Ehud Olmert put an end to weeks of political suspense on Thursday with a decision not to run against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in January’s election. The centrist Olmert had been mulling a political comeback since October, when Netanyahu called the election after his government failed to agree….
Palestinian ‘shot by relatives over daughter’s name’
12/6/2012 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — A Palestinian businessman says his relatives shot him in Egypt’s Sinai because he named his daughter Isabella. The man was visiting his brother in Sheikh Zuweid in North Sinai with his Swedish wife and two sons. One of his relatives shot him in the leg claiming that naming….
Tulkarem woman arrested for ‘witchcraft and sorcery’
12/6/2012 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — Police on Thursday detained a woman in Tulkarem on suspicion of fraud and practicing “sorcery and witchcraft.” Police said in a statement that the woman was arrested after a man complained she had taken money from his daughters for witchcraft and sorcery. Following an investigation, police arrested the woman and transferred her to prosecution. [END]
Syria says chemical scare ‘pretext for intervention’
12/6/2012 – BEIRUT (Reuters) — Western powers are whipping up fears of a fateful move to the use of chemical weapons in Syria‘s civil war as a “pretext for intervention”, President Bashar Assad’s deputy foreign minister said on Thursday. He spoke as Germany’s cabinet approved stationing Patriot anti-missile batteries on Turkey’….
Tanks outside Egypt presidential palace, streets calmer
12/6/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Egyptian army tanks deployed outside the presidential palace on Thursday in streets where supporters and opponents of President Mohamed Mursi had clashed into the early hours of the morning in violence that killed five people. Armored troop carriers also moved into the roads around the palace, in what Egypt’s state news….
Egypt president calls for national dialogue meeting
12/6/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi invited political groups and other figures to meet on Saturday for a national dialogue on a political roadmap after a referendum on a new constitution.” I call for a full, productive dialogue with all figures and heads of parties, revolutionary youth and senior legal figures to meet this Saturday….
Envoy: Russia, US to seek ‘creative’ Syria solution
12/6/2012 – DUBLIN (Reuters) — Russia and the United States will seek a “creative” solution to drag Syria back from the brink, the international mediator on Syria said on Thursday after meeting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The comments by Lakhdar Brahimi, who called the unscheduled meeting on the sidelines of….
Merkel meets Netanyahu amid tense relations
AlJazeera 6 Dec 2012 – Israeli prime minister “disappointed” that Germany did not vote against status upgrade for Palestine at UN vote.
Behind the lens in Gaza, with Activestills photographer Anne Paq
Palestine News Network
Exiled Hamas Leader Khaled Meshaal to Visit Gaza
Palestine News Network
Hamas to Create First Palestinian Defense Ministry
Palestine News Network
Jordan’s King Abdullah II Arrives to Ramallah Today
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Journalists Conclude Safety Training in Jenin, West Bank
Palestine News Network
1000 Children to Celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
IOF Forces Arrest 11 Palestinians from the West Bank
Palestine News Network
On-Going Settlement Activity in the Adumim “Bloc” and the E-1 Area
Palestine News Network
Journalists Attacked During the Israeli Operation Pillar of Defense
Palestine News Network
Hunger-Striking Prisoners at Risk of Imminent Death
Palestine News Network
Israel’s Doomsday E-1 Settlement
Palestine News Network
Constitutional Rights Vs. Legislation
Palestine News Network
People in Gaza “Need More Than Ceasefire,” Agency Says
Palestine News Network
Arab Youth Conference for Liberation and Dignity
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
PCHR’s Deputy Director Jaber Weshah Participates in a Number of Public Activities in Spain
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
012)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
500 Israeli soldiers ransack homes in Burqa
12/6/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 06 December 2012, International Solidarity Movement, Burqa, Occupied Palestine – Around 500 Israeli soldiers invaded the village of Burqa, north-west of Nablus, in the middle of the night, ransacking homes and causing damages amounting to thousands of euros. Soldiers arrived in over 30 military jeeps at around 1:00am and broke into 36 houses where whole…. Related: Israeli soldiers ransack homes in Nablus
Palestinian hunger strikers insist on gaining their freedom even if the cost is their lives
12/6/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 6 December 2012, Addameer – Ramallah, 5 December 2012 – Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association expresses its deep concern for the health and lives of five Palestinian political prisoners that are on hunger strike to protest their unjust detention in Israeli Occupation’s prisons. The five current hunger strikers are: Ayman Sharawna (158…. Related: Palestinian inmates continue hunger strike to protest raid
Alternative Information Center
VIDEO: Officers attacks Palestinian in West Jerusalem
Alternative Information Center – Border police and police officers attacked Sabri Sayad in downtown West Jerusalem, beating him so severely that when taken to the police station, the police doctor said he was unfit for detention and sent him to…
World: Overview of the 2013 Consolidated Appeals and comparable humanitarian action plans
Relief Web 6 Dec 2012 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic (the), Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (the), Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger (the), occupied Palestinian territory, Philippines (the), Somalia, Sudan (the), World, Yemen, Zimbabwe,…
occupied Palestinian territory: The World Health Organization receives donations for Gaza
Relief Web 6 Dec 2012 – Source: World Health Organization Country: Norway, occupied Palestinian territory Jerusalem: Two donors have responded so far to the World Health Organization’s urgent appeal for $10 million to provide essential medicines and medical disposables for Gaza. The financial support from Norway…
occupied Palestinian territory: Frontline social workers in Gaza: ‘We want only peace’
Relief Web 6 Dec 2012 – Source: Guardian Country: occupied Palestinian territory Rory Truell, of the International Federation of Social Workers, describes his conversations with colleagues in Gaza and the West Bank during the eight-day military offensive “It is the children we are worried about,” said…
World: Forced Migration Review No. 41: Preventing displacement
Relief Web 6 Dec 2012 – Source: Forced Migration Review, University of Oxford Country: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burundi, China, Colombia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (the), Myanmar, occupied Palestinian territory, Thailand, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania (the), World, South Sudan (Republic of) Preventing displacement is obviously a…
Lebanon: Swiss government helps UNRWA improve water supply in Palestinian camps in Lebanon
Relief Web 5 Dec 2012 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Switzerland Beirut Palestine refugees residing in Beirut camps will finally have access to safe drinking water, thanks to a new project for…
Morsi defends actions, calls for national dialogue meeting
The National 6 Dec 2012 – The Sunni world’s top Islamic body calls on Egyptian president to compromise with opposition groups as thousands of protesters march on the presidential palace for the third consecutive day.
UAE will help curb climate change
The National 6 Dec 2012 – However it said that the onus to act was with the developed countries historically responsible for high levels of emissions.
Egypt’s transition in danger of implosion
The National 6 Dec 2012 – The violence witnessed in Tahrir Square results from bitter religious division and shoddy post-Mubarak planning. But painful compromises will have to be made to prevent a total eruption. Analysis by Bradley Hope
Sheikha Fatima’s land gift to shelter in Abu Dhabi
The National 6 Dec 2012 – Ewa’a Shelters will be able to leave temporary facility due to largesse of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.
Jordan’s King Abdullah visits West Bank to support Abbas
The National 6 Dec 2012 – Europe and Jordan fear the repercussions on the Palestinian leader from Israel’s settlement plans on occupied Palestinian land and the withholding of more than US$100 million (Dh3.67m) of tax revenues from the PA.
US and Russia in fresh push on Syria crisis
The National 6 Dec 2012 – Striking gains by the rebels and fears the regime could deploy chemical weapons could result in a softening of Kremlin’s stance.
FNC to question the lack of statistics
The National 6 Dec 2012 – The Minister of State will be questioned in the Federal National Council (FNC) next week about the UAE’s lack of centralised statistics.
Hackers disrupt online meeting of internet regulation committee in Dubai
The National 6 Dec 2012 – One of the websites of the World Conference on International Telecommunications, which is under way in Dubai, was disrupted for two hours on Wednesday.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshal to make historic visit to Gaza, with eye on presidency
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Israeli scientists: Body language, not facial expressions, helps us interpret extreme emotions
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Survey: Israeli life expectancy tops 80 years
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
The bad, the ugly and the fickle: Israel’s 2013 election prospects
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
The parties running in Israel’s next Knesset
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Political parties present final lists for 19th Israeli Knesset
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Be’er Sheva man suspected of murdering wife and man he thought was her lover
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Yacimovich: Peretz leaving Labor is a political low without shred of ideology
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Report: Israel threatens to cancel Hamas truce if Islamic Jihad leaders enter Gaza
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
After UN vote, Lieberman cancels visit to Georgia
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
IDF soldiers, Palestinian police clash in Hebron
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Yishai heads Shas party list, Deri takes second place
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Despite UN support, Canada reprimands Israel over new settlement plans
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Merkel after Netanyahu meet: ‘We’ve agreed to disagree on settlement construction’
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Peretz’s defection to Hatnuah could help Livni, and Yacimovich
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
State Prosecutor’s Office hid wiretaps of right-wing activists from district court
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
F-16 engine parts stolen from IAF base, inside job suspected
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Former Labor chief MK Peretz joins Livni’s Hatnuah Party
Ha’aretz – 6 Dec 2012
Health risk low despite pesticides on fresh produce
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Ministry report says level of pesticides in fruits and vegetables does not pose a health threat to consumers.
Ministry to recognize doctors’ assistants
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Health Ministry to also recognize nurse practitioners in policy about-face, including auxiliary professionals for first time.
New environmental hazard mapping interface launched
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Israeli IT firm Taldor launches system as part of Friends of the Earth Middle East’s “Protecting Groundwater” project.
US official: New Iran sanctions to ‘lock up’ oil
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Buyers must hold payments for Iran oil starting February 6; Treasury’s Cohen: provision will shackle Iran’s oil revenues.
Jerusalem to host TEDx event
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Capital to hold first citywide TEDx event, an internationally recognized event featuring a diverse array of speakers.
Progress made in unsolved murder case
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Tel Aviv District Attorney files indictment against Amit Tawil over seven-year-old unsolved murder case.
Harsher sentence sought over cruelty to Palestinians
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – State Attorney’s Office says 200 hours of community service not harsh enough for guards who treated Palestinian cruelly.
US Syria envoy: Extremists obstacle to political solution
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Ambassador Robert Ford warns extremists are gaining influence in the Syrian opposition; points to Iraqi al-Qaida affiliate now operating in Syria; says Assad cannot be part of political solution.
Green Movement to join Livni’s list
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Party head: “An independent election run was not as promising an alternative for reaching our collective goal.”
Left-wing intellectuals call for voters to topple PM
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Sobol: Right is leading Israel to disaster; Kaniuk: Livni will work to end ‘occupation’;Dayan: Yacimovich must not join Likud coalition.
Egypt demonstrators reject Morsi call for dialogue
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Morsi says constitutional referendum on track for December 15; Obama expresses deep concern over violence.
Envoys head for ‘Post’ diplomatic parley
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – 50 ambassadors to Israel and 120 additional foreign embassy representatives to attend December 12 Herzliya conference.
Center-Left wins big at Blich mock election
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – School’s mock elections are something of an institution, seen as accurate bellwether of how national elections will turn out.
Center-Left fails to unite; no contenders for PM
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – No party in a position to seriously challenge Netanyahu; Peretz joins Livni; Ehud Barak’s Independence party not running.
US Jews look to revive ‘Start-Up Nation’
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Science education conference focuses on how to improve Israeli pupils’ participation in scientific fields.
Turning 80
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – To all our colleagues and friends, thank you for your support and for being part of our 80th anniversary.
The right way to play: Keep our true goals in mind
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – The game, Red Light, Green Light, 1-2-3, like most kids’ games, has clear rules and an achievable goal, and is relatively easy to play.
Savir’s Corner: Wanted- An Israeli democratic party
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – A new Israeli democratic party, with such clear policy positions and a united Center-Left front, can become a home for the many progressive forces in the country, including from the moderate Right, in order to sustain our all-important democracy.
A sad, sad day
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – On November 29, I realized that peace is further away from us than ever before, but we cannot lose hope.
Lessons from the Saban Forum
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – The highlight of the Saban Forum was provided by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has no harness on his tongue and always says what he thinks.
EU: No intention to boycott settlement products
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Official says bloc “continues to oppose boycotts, including boycotts of settlement products.”
Labor: Peretz’s departure a blessing in disguise
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Yacimovich says there is a new low of cronyism in politics; Oppenheimer, Yona demand higher spot on list in contested vote.
‘Motorcycle bandit’ brought before Ramle court
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Former Border Patrol officer stands accused of armed robbery, murder; police believe he pulled off robbery of Bank Hapoalim.
Chosen Bites: Burning the midnight oil
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – This Hanukka, break out of the usual latke habit with some savory and sweet fritters.
PA, Jordan to launch talks on political cooperation
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Abdullah visits Ramallah in effort to coordinate positions with PA on various issues in wake of the UN vote.
PA police attack IDF forces in Hebron, riot ensues
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Around 250 Palestinians throw rocks at IDF soldiers patrolling Hebron; PA officer denies policemen attacked IDF.
Israel continues slide in corruption perception poll
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Citizens rank public sector as slightly less corrupt than in 2011, but Israel continues to fall behind relative to other countries.
Yishai takes top spot on Shas party list; Deri no. 2
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Council of Torah Sages puts end to rampant speculation over Shas party list, keeping Yishai as leader of Sephardi haredi party.
Morsi meets army chief, cabinet after clashes
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Egypt military orders rival crowds to quit palace area after seven killed, 350 hurt; three Morsi advisers quit.
Getting ready for war?
Jerusalem Post 6 Dec 2012 – Sanctions on Iran won’t work, we have to be ready for war, Tzachi Hanegbi tells ‘The Jerusalem Post.’
How should the west react to Mohamed Morsi’s power grab in Egypt? | Simon Tisdall
The Guardian 6 Dec 2012 – Unless they denounce the president’s actions, the US and its allies once again risk endorsing dictatorship in Egypt By their own admission, western countries such as the US and Britain failed to see Egypt’s revolution coming….
Israeli academic banned from German conference by Netanyahu
The Guardian 6 Dec 2012 – Rivka Feldhay barred from scientists’ meeting because of her criticism of the Israeli government Israel has barred a Israeli academic from taking part in a science symposium in Berlin on Thursday that was part of prime…
Mahmoud Abbas criticises Israel over West Bank settlements – video
The Guardian 6 Dec 2012 – The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, calls Israel’s plans to move ahead with a controversial settlement in the West Bank E1 corridor a ‘red line’
Egypt crisis: tanks deployed at presidential palace – live updates
The Guardian 6 Dec 2012 – Follow live updates after a violent clashes outside Mohamed Morsi’s presidential palace deepen Egypt’s constitutional crisis
Frontline social workers in Gaza: ‘We want only peace’
The Guardian 6 Dec 2012 – Rory Truell, of the International Federation of Social Workers, describes his conversations with colleagues in Gaza and the West Bank during the eight-day military offensive “It is the children we are worried about,” said Riad, a…
Israel Rains Fire When U.N. Votes Against It
IPS Whenever the Security Council (sporadically) or the General Assembly (more frequently) lambastes Israel, the reaction from the Jewish state is highly predictable: either launch a military strike on Palestinians or announce new settlements in the occupied territories. Since the Israelis last month exercised the first option, causing devastation in Gaza,…
Q&A: “The Israeli Boycott Movement Is Not Anti-Semitic”
IPS Rabbi Brant Rosen leads a congregation in Evanston, Illinois and is author of the new book, Wrestling in the Daylight: A Rabbi’s Path to Palestinian Solidarity . Speaking with Mitchell Plitnick, Rosen, co-chair of the Rabbinical Council of Jewish Voice for Peace, stressed that the views both in his book and…
Hamas and Fatah Edge Closer
IPS After successfully upgrading their status at the United Nations, and securing what has been locally deemed a victory in eight days of fighting between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Palestinians are taking on their next difficult challenge: bridging the long-standing rift between the major Palestinian political factions. “In Gaza, people…
Islamist Vigilantes Begin to Police Egypt
IPS As Egyptians debate how deeply Sharia should influence the new constitution, and in the face of clashes that left five dead on Wednesday, some extremists have taken to the streets to enforce their own interpretation of “God’s law”. In recent months, these self-appointed guardians of public probity have accosted Muslims…
More Voices Urge Obama to Rein In Netanyahu
IPS Increasingly distressed over the possible consequences of Israel’s recent steps to punish the Palestinian Authority (PA) and consolidate its hold on the West Bank, a number of prominent voices here are urging President Barack Obama to exert real pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reverse course. His government’s…
#Dec5: After the first battle in #MB war in #Egypt “Graphic” !!
Uruknet
Syrians call for protests against any UN peacekeepers
Uruknet
Nato forces ‘attack Afghan health clinic’
Uruknet
The Privatization of Israeli War (Video)
Uruknet
Corruption in Israel
Uruknet
Israeli Soldiers Fail to Cease Firing on Palestinian Farmers
Uruknet
Palestinian hunger strikers insist on gaining their freedom even if the cost is their lives.
Uruknet
Leila Khaled enters Gaza: Celebrating Resistance, the Intifada and the Front
Uruknet
012 : A Video Roundup
Uruknet
012 Was the Year of the Drone in Afghanistan
Uruknet
Demonstrators reject Mursi call for dialogue
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 Demonstrators rejected a call from Egypt’s Islamist President Mohamed Mursi for a national dialogue after deadly clashes around his palace, demanding the “downfall of the regime” .
US set to extend waivers on Iran oil sanctions
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 The Obama administration is set to extend waivers of U.S. sanctions it has granted to major Asian petroleum consumers, including China, India and South Korea
Mashaal’s Gaza visit sign of regional embrace
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 The supreme Hamas leader’s first-ever visit to the Gaza Strip this weekend signals growing regional acceptance of the Islamic militant movement in charge of the once isolated territory and grudging acquiescence by Israel.
Egypt protesters torch main Brotherhood HQ
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 Egyptian protesters set fire to the Muslim Brotherhood’s main headquarters in Cairo on Thursday after storming the large villa, a spokesman for Islamist movement told AFP.
Russia, U.S. to seek “creative” Syria solution: envoy
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 Russia and the US will seek a “creative” solution to drag Syria back from the brink, the international mediator on Syria said after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Clinton and Russian FM Lavrov.
Workers strike in volatile Tunisia regions
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 Strikes and protests hit volatile areas of Tunisia on Thursday, including Sidi Bouzid where the Arab Spring began, as tensions rose between powerful unions and the ruling Islamist party.
Olmert will not run in Israeli election
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 Former Israeli leader Ehud Olmert put an end to weeks of political suspense on Thursday with a decision not to run against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in January’s election.
Obama remains tough on ‘fiscal cliff’
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 President Barack Obama and Republicans crept closer to negotiations on avoiding a recession-threatening package of automatic tax increases and spending cuts.
Pakistan’s largest city rocked by violence
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 Bodies are piling up in Pakistan’s largest city as it suffers one of its most violent years in history, and concern is growing that the chaos is giving greater cover for the Taliban to operate and…
NATO moves toward deployment on Syria border
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 As fears grow in the West that Syrian President Bashar Assad will unleash chemical weapons as an act of desperation, NATO moved forward with its plan to place Patriot missiles and troops along Syria‘s border with…
Jordan king in West Bank to support Palestinians
Daily Star 6 Dec 2012 King Abdullah of Jordan visited Palestinian leaders in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Thursday, congratulating them on a successful U.N. status upgrade in the teeth of Israel’s threat to expand settlements.
Egypt activist movement rejects talks with Morsi
YNet News, 6 Dec 2012 – ….
012
YNet News, 6 Dec 2012 – ….
Israeli society oppresses women
YNet News, 6 Dec 2012 – Op-ed: A society that excludes women from the public sphere is sick and will never truly flourish ….
Party registration closes; 34 parties vie for 120 seats
YNet News, 6 Dec 2012 – ….
Muslim Brotherhood HQ in Cairo torched
YNet News, 6 Dec 2012 – ….
Morsi calls for national dialogue meeting
YNet News, 6 Dec 2012 – ….
Nazis on the court
YNet News, 6 Dec 2012 – Op-ed: Israeli sports fans using Holocaust terms draw their ‘inspiration’ from media, politics ….
Seize the opportunity
YNet News, 6 Dec 2012 – Op-ed: Israel’s leaders must recognize that Palestinians’ upgraded UN status also presents opportunity to resume peace talks ….
Palestinian Information Center
IOF kidnap 8 Palestinian young men in violent raids on homes
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) at dawn Thursday kidnapped eight Palestinian young men during violent raids on homes in Jenin, Tubas and Al-Khalil cities.
Power company estimates its losses from Gaza war at more than $13 million
PIC – The power company in Gaza said its direct and indirect losses during the recent Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip amounted to about 13. 2 million dollars.
Haneyya receives Egyptian delegation led by Sheikh Hafez Salama
PIC – Premier Ismail Haneyya received an Egyptian delegation led by Sheikh Hafez Salama, who is known as Sheikh of the Egyptian mujahideen, and expressed his pleasure to meet such historical figure.
Abu Zuhri: Mishaal in Gaza on Friday
PIC – Khaled Mishaal, the political bureau chairman of Hamas, is to arrive in the Gaza Strip on Friday to attend the movement’s 25th celebration anniversary, Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri said on Thursday.
UNRWA: 120 houses were destroyed during the recent aggression on Gaza
PIC – Munir Mina, the head of the Infrastructure and Camp Improvement in UNRWA, confirmed that 120 houses were completely destroyed during the recent aggression on the Gaza Strip.
EU to impose restrictions on settlement products
PIC – The European Union has threatened to impose economic sanctions on the Israeli government, including restrictions on products of the Jewish settlements illegaly built Palestinian land.
IOA approves the most serious settlement project in Jerusalem
PIC – Al-Aqsa Foundation for endowment and heritage stated in a statement on Wednesday evening that the occupation began to review the final steps of its dangerous schemes to Judaize Jerusalem.
A tale of blind father with four sons in jails
PIC – The family of Hajj “Abu Azzam Meri†is one of the Palestinian families who suffered a lot from the occupation, where his four sons were detained in Israeli jails and banned from seeing their children.
Kazakhstan: Palestine Has the Right to Address ICC
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
Cabinet Strongly Condemns Israeli Settlement Plans
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
Malta Strongly Denounces Israeli New Settlement plans
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
PLO’s Ashrawi to EU’s Ashton: Needed Action, Not just Words
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
Jordan’s King Abdullah II First Head of State to Visit Palestine
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
South Africa Condemns Israeli Punitive Measures against PA
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
Newspapers Review: Israel Going ahead with E1 Settlement Focus of Dailies
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
Court Fines Jailed PLFP Leader $11 M
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
King Abdullah II Arrives in Ramallah
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
Israeli Forces Conduct Wide-Scale Search Campaign near Nablus
WAFA – 6 Dec 2012
Settlers Uproot 200 Olive Trees
WAFA – 4 Dec 2012
Residents Stop Demolition of Home
WAFA – 4 Dec 2012
Morsi refuses to cancel Egypt’s vote on constitution
LA Times 6 Dec 2012 – Pressure grows on the Egyptian president, as aides defect and tanks surround his palace in Cairo. CAIRO — With tanks guarding his palace and officials defecting from his government, besieged Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday offered a “national dialogue” with opposition leaders but refused…
IAEA reports no progress on access to Iran nuclear facilities
LA Times 6 Dec 2012 – The U.N. nuclear watchdog’s chief says his agency has intensified talks with Iran, but that it had made little headway in determining whether Tehran seeks to build an atomic bomb. WASHINGTON — The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency acknowledged Thursday that inspectors…
In Damascus, city of dread, residents stay indoors
LA Times 6 Dec 2012 – The once-lively capital is now filled with checkpoints, kidnappings, shelling and bombing. Many residents stay at home as much as possible, awaiting the worst. DAMASCUS, Syria — The young Syrian mother had just fed her baby girl and put her down for a nap. The…
In Egypt, Islamists and opposition clash in street battles
LA Times 5 Dec 2012 – The fighting erupts after President Mohamed Morsi’s supporters overrun antigovernment protesters. Three Morsi advisors resign, signaling government fissures. CAIRO — Anger between Egypt’s rival political camps erupted into street battles Wednesday after Islamist supporters of President Mohamed Morsi tore down tents belonging to antigovernment demonstrators,…
Morsi Defends Wide Authority in Egypt as Turmoil Rises
New York Times 6 Dec 2012 – President Mohamed Morsi blamed an outbreak of violence on a “fifth column” and vowed to proceed with a vote on an Islamist-backed constitution that has set off deadly battles between his supporters and opponents.
Wider Chaos Feared as Syrian Rebels and Kurds Clash
New York Times 6 Dec 2012 – Kurdish militias have joined the fighting in Syria and are seeking autonomy, raising fears of balkanization if the government of President Bashar al-Assad falls.
The Lede Blog: Clash of Cultures Within Egypt Made Visible in Single Frame of Video
New York Times 6 Dec 2012 – Video shot on Wednesday in Cairo, of an Islamist man clapping his hand over the mouth of a veteran female activist, seemed to encapsulate the worst fears of secular Egyptians.
Syria’s Chemical Weapons Moves Lead U.S. to Be Flexible
New York Times 6 Dec 2012 – Since intelligence agencies reported that Syria was making moves that could create sarin, President Obama’s “red line” for intervention has shifted.
U. S. and Russia Meet on Syrian Conflict
New York Times 6 Dec 2012 – The meeting involving Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov comes amid reports of heightened activity at Syria’s chemical weapons sites.
Car Bomb Rocks Damascus as Fighting Rages
New York Times 6 Dec 2012 – The explosion killed one person and damaged the headquarters of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent relief organization, state media reported.
As Perertz Abandons Labor Party, Israeli Political Center Implodes
Tikun Olam – Tzipi Livni reels in her biggest catch, Amir Peretz (Alon Ron) Nothing illustrates the political bankruptcy of the Israeli political center better than this image of Tzipi Livni, founder of the Ha-Tenuah Party holding hands with her freshest catch , Amir Peretz, former Labor defense minister and…
Israel Used Depleted Uranium Munitions During Gaza Offensive
Tikun Olam – Gaza victim of Israeli attack which may’ve made use of unconventional weapons (ActiveStills–Anne Paq) I’m beginning to read reports from Gaza that indicate that the IDF may’ve used depleted uranium munitions during its recent assault. A local journalist writes in Electronic Intifada about the grotesque forms…
New York panel on Islamophobia talks U.S. empire, Zionism and how to fight back
Mondoweiss – Members of a panel on Islamophobia. From left to right are: Fahd Ahmed, Kazi Fouzia, Madiha Tahir and Elly Bulkin. (Photo: Alex Kane) Islamophobia has deep roots in this country. And it’s a political problem with political solutions. That was the message, in so many words, heard…
Video: Writers reflect on the Palestine Festival of Literature in Gaza
Mondoweiss – More on the 2012 Palestine Festival of Literature in Gaza here .
One day later: B’nai Jeshurun leaders regret voicing support for Palestine UN bid
Mondoweiss – Yesterday, Phil wrote about how the leaders of the renowned Upper West Side synagogue B’nai Jeshurun sent out an email applauding Palestine’s new nonmember state status . Today, the story is their craven backpedaling. Both the JTA and New York Times report that synagogue leadership “regret” the…
Israel’s annexation moment has arrived
Mondoweiss – A Jewish settler hangs and Israeli flag in the unauthorized West Bank Jewish settlement of Migron. Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. (Photo: Sebastian Scheiner/AP) Earlier this week the Electronic Intifada (EI) published two articles on Israel’s “creeping annexation” of the West Bank supported by pictures of an…
Demolitions: Jerusalemite forced to demolish his house, and Hebron family, grocery and marble factory served orders
Mondoweiss – link to www.counterpunch.org link to blog.thejerusalemfund.org link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link to english.wafa.ps link to www.palestine-info.co.uk link tosilwanic.net link to english.wafa.ps link to www.haaretz.com link to palsolidarity.org link to english.wafa.ps link to english.wafa.ps link to www.haaretz.com link to english.wafa.ps link to www.maannews.net link to www.maannews.net link…
Palestinians Appeal to U.N. Over E1 Plans
The Foward Breaking News 6 Dec 2012 – The Palestinians appealed to the United Nations Security Council to stop Israel from making plans to build 3,000 apartments in a controversial area outside of Jerusalem. Click here for the rest of the article…
Forbes: Netanyahu 23rd Most Powerful Person
The Foward Breaking News 6 Dec 2012 – President Obama for the second straight year was named the world’s most powerful person by Forbes magazine, which placed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 23rd on the list. Click here for the rest of the article…
Jordanian King Visits West Bank Amid Settlement Dispute
The Foward Breaking News 6 Dec 2012 – Jordan’s king visited the West Bank on Thursday in a show of support for Palestinians stung by Israel’s decision to expand settlements after their successful bid for de facto U.N. recognition of statehood. Click here for the rest of the article…
URJ Raps Israel Settlement Plan, Palestinian U.N. Move
The Foward Breaking News 6 Dec 2012 – The Union for Reform Judaism criticized Israel for its decision to build new settlement housing and the Palestinians for unilaterally seeking upgraded status at the United Nations. Click here for the rest of the article…
Morsi calls for Egypt dialogue
BBC 6 Dec 2012 – The Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi calls for the political crisis sparked by recent government decisions to be solved through dialogue.
Justice and Peace as Defined by the Jewish State
Sabbah report 6 Dec 2012 – No longer can it run to the US veto to maintain impunity in crime, no longer must the people of Palestine be ignored, no longer can this world body live with the lies, the distortions, the deceit used by the Jewish nation to control all the…
DC SodaStream Boycott Campaign Action
US Campaign to End the Occupation 6 Dec 2012 – From our member group Jewish Voice for Peace-DC Metro. When: Sunday, December 9th, 2:00-4:00pm Where: In front of Columbia Heights Mall — at the Columbia Heights Metro Station on 14th St.– just north of the intersection with Irving St. What: Join DC’s SodaStream Boycott action during…
VIDEO: Officers attacks Palestinian in West Jerusalem
AIC: Jerusalem 6 Dec 2012 – Border police and police officers attacked Sabri Sayad in downtown West Jerusalem, beating him so severely that when taken to the police station, the police doctor said he was unfit for detention and sent him to the hospital. Sayad: “All of this attack by the police…
Jordan Protests: Shock Absorbed, the Regime Will Not Fall
Al-Akhbar Opinion 6 Dec 2012 – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) speaks with Jordan’s King Abdullah upon his arrival in the West Bank city of Ramallah 6 December 2012.(Photo: Reuters – Yousef Allan/ Handout) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) speaks with Jordan’s King Abdullah upon his arrival in the West Bank city…
In speech, Mursi condemns “thugs,” stands by controversial decree
Al-Akhbar News 6 Dec 2012 – Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi defended the recent decisions of the Islamist-led government in a recorded speech aired on Thursday, accusing his opponents of having hired thugs during protests for the past several days. “The will of the people cannot be expressed by angry crowds,” Mursi said….
Orthodox Church Eyes Syria for Next Patriarch
Al-Akhbar News 6 Dec 2012 – A man kisses the Bible that is put on the body of Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and the whole East Ignatius Hazim IV as the body lies in state at Saint Nicolas Church in Ashrafieh district, East Beirut 5 December 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed Azakir)…
Palestine at the UN: Real Change for Palestinians?
Al-Akhbar News 6 Dec 2012 – Palestinians fly balloons bearing the colours of the national flag as Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas delivers a speech upon his arrival in the West Bank city of Ramallah on 2 December 2012. (Photo: AFP – Abbas Momani) Palestinians fly balloons bearing the colours of the national…
Lebanon’s Seafront Aggressors: The Names and the Details
Al-Akhbar News 6 Dec 2012 – Lebanon’s coast has long been subject to countless encroachments on public land, but a recent report from the Ministry of Public Works shows just how far these violations extend. In a four-part series, Al-Akhbar will deliver the details of the report, including the violations that the…
Fighting continues in Syria amid rumors of chemical weapons threat
Al-Akhbar News 6 Dec 2012 – Rebel soldiers stands guard inside a building in the northern Syrian city Aleppo on 6 December 2012. (Photo: AFP – Odd Andersen) Troops and rebels fought fiercely around Syria on Thursday, focusing on the capital’s outskirts, as the international community focused on the eventuality of chemical…
King of Jordan visits West Bank
Al-Akhbar News 6 Dec 2012 – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II review an honor guard after Abdullah’s arrival in the West Bank city of Ramallah 6 December 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamad Torokman) Jordan’s king visited the West Bank on Thursday in a show of support for…
A Palestinian Refugee Camp Wakes Up to a “State”
Al-Akhbar Series and Features 5 Dec 2012 – One father sarcastically responded to his daughter “Palestine has been liberated and the right of return has been achieved.” (Photo: Haytham al-Moussawi) One father sarcastically responded to his daughter “Palestine has been liberated and the right of return has been achieved.” (Photo: Haytham al-Moussawi) When Gaza…
The Untouchables of Yemen
Al-Akhbar Politics 5 Dec 2012 – A tribal fighter jumps off a truck on a road linking the Yemeni capital Sanaa with the oil-producing province of Marib 26 June 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Khaled Abdullah) A tribal fighter jumps off a truck on a road linking the Yemeni capital Sanaa with the…
Morsi calls for Egypt dialogue
BBC 6 Dec 2012 – The Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi calls for the political crisis sparked by recent government decisions to be solved through dialogue.
Articles
Why Israeli Settlements Are The Real Threat to Peace
Cesar Chelala, CounterPunch 12/4/2012
Ignoring the International Court of Justice
The announcement that Israel will construct 3,000 new homes in settlements in Jerusalem and in the West Bank has been followed by the usual international outcry against it. Despite protests by leading industrialized nations Israel will probably build them as planned. Those that claim that Palestine recognition at the United Nations is a threat to peace will, again, miss the obvious point. The real threat to peace is the construction of illegal settlements in Palestinian land.
The location of these settlements is particularly relevant. It will make the two-state solution practically impossible to be achieved, since it would close off East Jerusalem from the West Bank. As UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement, “If implemented, these plans would alter the situation, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, increasingly difficult to achieve. They would undermine Israel’s international reputation and create doubts about its stated commitment to achieving peace with the Palestinians.”
Settlement construction is controversial issue on which most nations, except Israel, agree: they are illegal under international law. On May 14, European Foreign Affairs Ministers stated, “The European Union expresses deep concern about the marked acceleration of settlement construction following the end of the 2012 moratorium, the recent decision of the government of Israel regarding the status of some settlement outposts as well as the proposal to relocate settlers from Migron within the occupied Palestinian territory…”
Last July, however, a report by an Israeli government appointed committee led by Retired Supreme Court Judge Edmond Levy recommended legalizing West Bank outposts and easing settlement restrictions. The committee claimed that settlements do not breach international law. more.. e-mail
Gaza thwarts Israeli propaganda with Twitter
Joe Catron, Gaza City, Electronic Intifada 12/3/2012
Spirits were high in Gaza City’s Shalehat resort the Saturday afternoon after a ceasefire ended eight days of escalated Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. Eighty activists had gathered to discuss their use of social media during the aggression and plan their next steps.
“I am very proud to have been a part of this army of tweeps,” Ola Anan said, welcoming other participants. Anan is a cofounder of Diwan Ghazza, the group that convened the event. “We were very well-organized.”
“Diwan Ghazza is a platform for spreading knowledge and culture,” she said later. “We organize cultural events such as a book club, a film club and seminars about science and history, as well as events targeting bloggers and social media activists in Gaza.”
In periods of relative calm, many Gaza Strip residents use social media, mainly Twitter, to report Israeli bombings and share updates. During the war, these same tools helped spread news of mounting casualties and mobilize international support.
At the end of the first day of attacks, The Washington Post reported that variations of the hashtag #GazaUnderAttack, used by Palestinians in Gaza and supporters worldwide, had been tweeted 120,000 times, compared with only 808 for the pro-Israel #PillarOfDefense (“Is Hamas winning the Twitter war?” 14 November 2012).
Six days later, a subsequent count by Russia Today found #GazaUnderAttack and #PrayForGaza still outpacing pro-Israel hashtags #IsraelUnderFire and #PrayForIsrael by factors of 10 to one and 20 to one, respectively (“Twitter Warzone: Israel losing battle of words on social media”). more.. e-mail
Obama urged to rein in Netanyahu
Jim Lobe, Asia Times 12/7/2012
WASHINGTON – Increasingly distressed over the possible consequences of Israel’s recent steps to punish the Palestinian Authority (PA) and consolidate its hold on the West Bank, a number of prominent voices here are urging President Barack Obama to exert real pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reverse course.
His government’s announcement that it will build 3,000 new housing units in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and expedite planning for the development of the area known as E-1, the last undeveloped area that links the northern and southern parts of the West Bank, is seen here as a particularly damaging provocation both for Palestinians and the administration itself.
“Construction in E-1 would make it almost impossible to provide a future Palestinian state the contiguity it needs to be viable and cut it off from East Jerusalem,” warned Debra DeLee, president of Americans for Peace Now (APN), a Jewish peace group.
“Without a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Israel is doomed to become a bi-national state, which means an end to the Zionist vision of an Israel that is both Jewish and democratic,” she added in an appeal to Obama to “personally intervene with… Netanyahu and demand that his government reverse its decision.”
Hers was one of a number of voices urging the president to take much stronger action against the Israeli leader, who is also withholding from the PA more than US$100 million in desperately needed tax receipts in retaliation for its successful bid at the UN General Assembly late last month to gain “non-observer state status”.
Unlike several European countries, notably Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, and Sweden, the US, one of only nine countries – out of 188 – that voted against the PA‘s diplomatic upgrade, has not yet formally protested Israel’s actions. more.. e-mail
Netanyahu’s Brazen and Perilious Defiance
Alon Ben-Meir, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN) 12/3/2012
One would think that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his cohorts would one day come to their senses and realize that there are limits to which they can defy the international community, including the United States, without serious, if not perilous, repercussions for the state of Israel. As long as he is in power, Netanyahu has no intention, now or ever, to allow for the establishment of a functioning and independent Palestinian state. His talk of a two-state solution is nothing but an empty slogan designed to mislead the international community, and tragically he is leading the Jews’ third commonwealth to a historic disaster akin to the destruction of the Second Temple. Those Israelis from the left and center of the political spectrum must wake up and stop him in his tracks before it’s too late. Otherwise, they will be judged as harshly and mercilessly as history will judge Netanyahu by not preventing the looming disaster from destroying the Jews’ last refuge.
I may sound overly dramatic, but anyone who witnessed last week’s events at the United Nations and condemned the General Assembly’s overwhelming support in granting the Palestinians a non-voting observer state is contributing to the demise of a two-state prospect, which offers the only solution that preserves and safeguards Israel’s very existence. Leading Israeli figures, including former Prime Minister Olmert, applauded the UN resolution not because they care about the Palestinians as much as they are concerned about the future of Israel itself. Israel’s isolation has already reached its zenith as was displayed at the UN vote, and further defiance of the international community will make Israel a pariah state living in darkness and uncertainty, with no friends left to watch its back.
Due to the converging political events and circumstances in Israel and in the region, I for one feel, like millions around the world and in Israel, that the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) successful UN bid offers a momentous opportunity to resume in earnest the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Israel and the United States for that matter, who claim that the PA’s unilateral action only undermines the peace negotiations, have yet to produce a shred of evidence that supports their contention. In fact, Israel has been taking unilateral measures in the occupied territories, including expropriating Palestinian land with impunity, to which the whole world is opposed. more.. e-mail
012
Electronic Intifada: 6 Dec 2012 – 5 December 2012 A monthly roundup of photographs documenting Palestine, Palestinian life, politics and culture, and international solidarity with Palestine.more
Left Speechless: Doctors and Medics Operate Under Fire and Siege in Gaza
Dissident Voice: 6 Dec 2012 – Gaza City — Dr. Majdi Na’eim worked for eight consecutive days at Al-Shifa Hospital throughout Israel’s “Pillar of Cloud” operation in the Gaza Strip. With hundreds of wounded pouring into the emergency room, there was no time for him and many of his colleagues to even leave the hospital. On the final, and one of the most brutal days of the assault, Israel targeted Ni’ma tower in Gaza City. Dr. Na’eim was in the emergency room aiding physicians when he learned that one of the arriving casualties was his two year old son, Abdel Rahman Na’eim. Imagine a father’s horror and instant grief. At his son’s wake, Dr. Na’eim told friends and family who were seeking to comfort him, “I’m terribly sorry. I’m unable to talk about anything.” Gazans in the medical field have been working in unimaginable circumstances for years. During Israel’s Operation Cast Lead , “17 health personnel were killed…more
Iran: Washington’s Hardest Case or Troubled Dream?
Dissident Voice: 6 Dec 2012 – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has recently described Iran as the hardest issue she has been dealing with as secretary of state. In 30-minute keynote address at the annual US-Israeli forum, Clinton clearly enunciated that she has failed to find a solution to Iran issue. “Iran is the hardest of the hard boards because of the dangers its behavior already poses and the geometrically greater danger that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose… It is an issue that has consumed a significant part of my time as secretary of state.” What strikes fear into the heart of Washington is in fact the ever-increasing sway the Islamic Republic is gaining and that which can be used as a leverage to counter the influence of the United States and Israel in the region. In other words, Iran serves as an antidote to Washington’s venomous influence in the Middle East. In all clarity,…more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
To subscribe, please write to OccupationNews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OccupationNews/join
The New Dark Age 
Leave a comment