14 December 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Colonizing Christmas: Facts on Israeli Occupation and Bethlehem
IMEMC – PLO Negotiations Affairs Department Issued Their Latest Fact Sheet entitled “Colonizing Christmas: Facts on Israeli Occupation and Bethlehem”. …
Israel Starts Removing Mines Close To Border With Jordan, To Build Settlements
IMEMC – Israel has officially started the removal of landmines close to the border with Jordan to use the lands for illegal settlement construction in the area, especially in the Wadi Araba area. The plan also includes boosting industry and factories in settlements in the area. …
Israeli FM Resigns Following Fraud, Breach Of Trust, Indictment
IMEMC – Israeli Foreign Minister of the far right ‘Israel Our Home” Party, Avigdor Lieberman, had to submit his resignation Friday after facing an indictment of fraud and breach of trust, and said that he will also resign from his post as vice Prime Minister despite claiming that he “committed no crime”. …
PCHR Weekly Report: 3 dead, including child; 8 wounded by Israeli troops this week
IMEMC – In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 06- 12 Dec 2012, Israeli Forces killed 1 Palestinian child in Hebron in the southern West Bank. 1 Palestinian civilian and 1 member of an armed group died of wounds they had sustained during the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. 8 Palestinian civilians were wounded in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. …
Israeli soldiers shoot, injure young Gaza man
12/14/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – A young Palestinian man was shot and injured Friday evening by Israeli soldiers east of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip, medical officials said. Gaza paramedics told Ma’an they evacuated a 19-year-old to Al-Awda Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip after he was hit by two live…. Related: Teenager critically injured in Hebron clashes andSettlers attack children in Hebron
Family denies Hebron teen killed by Israel was carrying toy gun
12/14/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Relatives and a Palestinian human rights group on Thursday disputed Israel’s claim that a Palestinian teenager killed in Hebron was carrying a toy gun. An Israeli border guard shot dead Muhammad al-Salaymeh on Wednesday, his 17th birthday. Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told Ma’an on Thursday that….
Israeli soldiers assault two Reuters cameramen
12/14/2012 – HEBRON (Reuters) — Israeli soldiers punched two Reuters cameramen and forced them to strip in the street, before letting off a tear gas canister in front of them, leaving one of them needing hospital treatment. Israel’s military said on Thursday it took the allegations seriously, but offered no explanation for the assault that occurred…. Related: Foreign Press Association condemns Israel attack on cameramen and IDF soldiers assault Reuters journalists after mistaking them for human rights workers
Lebanon camps rally for hunger strikers
12/14/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian refugees in Lebanon on Friday demonstrated in solidarity with prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails. Ayman Sharawneh has been on hunger strike for 167 days and Samer al-Issawi has refused food for 136 days in Israel’s Ramle prison. Both men were rearrested after their release in Israel….
Foreign Press Association condemns Israel attack on cameramen
12/14/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Foreign Press Association on Friday condemned an assault by Israeli soldiers on two of its members in Hebron covering the shooting death of a Palestinian teenager. The group said Yousri al-Jamal and Maamoun Wazwaz, cameramen who work for Reuters, were stopped while driving to the scene of the shooting incident…. Related: Israeli soldiers assault two Reuters cameramen
Congress petition to close PLO’s US office ‘won’t pay off’
12/14/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian ambassador to Washington DC said Thursday that a congressional petition to shut down their delegation’s office could harm American interests in the Middle East. The letter, calling on US President Barack Obama to “respond strongly” to the PLO’s successful effort to upgrade its status at….
Israel’s Lieberman quits after indictment
12/14/2012 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned on Friday after being charged with fraud and breach of trust, in a move that could have repercussions on next month’s election.” I have decided to resign my post as foreign minister and deputy prime minister and. . . also to remove my (parliamentary) immunity forthwith so….
Rally held in hunger-strikers’ West Bank hometown
12/14/2012 – JENIN (Ma’an) — For the second Friday in row, Palestinians held a rally in the northern West Bank town of Arraba to support hunger-strikers in Israeli jails, including residents of the town. Tareq Qaadan and Jaafar Izz Addin from Arraba, near Jenin, both starting refusing food in Israeli jail on Nov. 28, prisoners rights….
Arab League calling in pledges to fund PA
12/14/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Arab League has begun calling in donor pledges to Palestine from its members, but cannot confirm the exact date the so-called Arab safety net will be transferred to the government. Assistant Secretary General of Palestine Affairs in the Arab League Mohammad Sbeih told Ma’an on Thursday evening that….
Electricity official: Israeli tax seizure used to pay debt
12/14/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israel’s finance ministry formally transferred 435 million shekels ($111 million) from Palestinian tax revenues to pay debts to an Israeli electrical company, the Palestinian company director said Thursday. Israel announced it was withholding tax payments after Palestine won a membership upgrade at the UN on Nov. 29, and would….
Khaled Mashaal, Eli Yishai and others
12/14/2012 – By Rashid Shahin – Eli Yishai is an Israeli Jewish cleric, the head of Shas bloc in the Israeli Knesset, occupying an official portfolio, the Israeli Ministry of the Interior. Khaled Mashaal is a Palestinian Muslim cleric, chief of Hamas‘ politburo; he doesn’t carry any official job title neither in the Hamas government….
Hamas announces second day of West Bank rallies
12/14/2012 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — Hamas will hold rallies in the West Bank on Friday in the second day of its celebrations to mark the movement’s 25th anniversary. On Thursday, thousands turned out in Nablus to celebrate the founding of Hamas, the first time Hamas was authorized to hold a mass political event in…. Related: Thousands of Hamas supporters rally across West Bank
Thousands of Hamas supporters rally across West Bank
12/14/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Thousands of Hamas supporters rallied on Friday in a second day of celebrations in the West Bank for the movement’s 25th anniversary. Huge rallies were held after Friday prayers in Hebron, Ramallah and Tulkarem, a day after thousands turned out in Nablus for the first Hamas rally in the…. Related: Hamas announces second day of West Bank rallies
Deputy Hamas chief Abu Marzouk leaves Gaza
12/14/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The deputy chief of Hamas‘ politburo Mousa Abu Marzouk left the Gaza Strip on Friday via Rafah crossing after a week-long visit to the enclave. Abu Marzouk arrivedlast Friday along with Hamas chief Khalid Mashaal and members of the movement’s politburo Izzat al-Rishiq and Muhammad Nasr where….
Thousands of Hamas supporters celebrate anniversary in Hebron
12/14/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Years after Hamas stopped celebrating its anniversary in Hebron in the southern West Bank, around 6,000 supporters rallied Friday in the city center. The rally kicked off from al-Haras Mosque marching toward Ibn Rushd school. Supporters waved Hamas‘ green flags, while a small number of demonstrators waved Palestinian flags. They…. Related:Hamas announces second day of West Bank rallies
Egyptian factions stage final rallies before referendum
12/14/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Supporters and opponents of Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi stage final rallies on Friday before a divisive referendum on a new constitution championed by the Islamist leader as a way out of the worst crisis since the fall of Hosni Mubarak. Cairo and other cities have seen a series of often violent demonstrations over….
EU to consider all options to help Syrian rebels
12/14/2012 – BRUSSELS (Reuters) — All options are on the table to support the Syrian opposition fighting President Bashar Assad, European Union leaders said on Friday, raising the possibility that non-lethal military equipment or even arms could eventually be supplied. In their strongest statement of support for the Syrian opposition since the uprising began more than 20 months….
Islamists clash with opponents ahead of Egypt vote
12/14/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) – Stone-throwing supporters and opponents of President Muhammad Mursi clashed in the Egyptian city of Alexandria on Friday ahead of a referendum on a new constitution that has divided the Arab world’s most populous nation. Dozens of activists fought with clubs and swords, witnesses said, and a number of cars were set….
Russia sharply criticizes US human rights bill
12/14/2012 – MOSCOW (Reuters) — Russia said a bill signed by US President Barack Obama on Friday to punish Russian human rights abusers was “shortsighted and dangerous” and called it “overt interference into our internal affairs”. A Foreign Ministry statement put most of the blame for the Magnitsky Act legislation on US lawmakers rather than Obama, saying Russia….
Hamas holds rare West Bank rally
AlJazeera 13 Dec 2012 – Palestinian authority permits rally in the Israeli-occupied territory as Hamas supporters celebrate its anniversary.
Clarification Statement by UNRWA Concerning its Inability to Renew the Contracts of 114 Personnel
Palestine News Network
The Third Palestinian Environmental Awareness & Education Conference: “Eco-Justice of Palestine”
Palestine News Network
US to Morsi: Work Toward Public Consensus on Referendum
Palestine News Network
The Segregation Wall and Checkpoints in and around Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
High Alert at the West Bank, Jerusalem Ahead of Prayers
Palestine News Network
Settlers Attack Children in Hebron
Palestine News Network
Christmas, Peace and the Wall
Palestine News Network
Breaking Down Dividing Walls of Hostility
Palestine News Network
Colonizing Christmas: Facts on Israeli Occupation and Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
Arab Front Condemns Attacks on Palestinian Prisoners
Palestine News Network
IOF Troops Shoot a Young Palestinian during Clashes in Hebron
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
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Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Call to action – Join the ISM in 2013
12/14/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – 2002 – 2012, International Solidarity Movement, Palestine -Prior to ISM’s foundation in 2002, live ammunition was the most commonly used weapon to quell Palestinian demonstrations, resulting in huge casualties. Since it’s foundation, ISM has seen live ammunition become far less common over time and the Israeli Army now utilize tear gas, sound….
Settlers attack children in Hebron
12/14/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Team Khalil, 13 December 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – After school on the 13th of December in Al Khalil (Hebron) two children were attacked by a group of settlers. Younes Azzeh, age nine, and his sister Raghad Azzeh, age fourteen, were attacked by three male settlers that are speculated to be between seventeen….
Teenager critically injured in Hebron clashes
12/14/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Team Khalil, 13 December 2012, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – Nasser Sharabati (16) was shot three times by live ammunition on Thursday night during clashes in Hebron. He in Hebron’s hospital and in a critical condition. Around 90 people were injured and had to receive hospital treatment. It is evident that Israeli…. Related: Israeli soldiers shoot, injure young Gaza man
Alternative Information Center
Veolia to end sponsorship of major UK exhibition
Alternative Information Center – Campaigners against the business practices of French multinational Veolia are celebrating after the company announced it is ending sponsorship of the prestigious and internationally acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. Campaigners suspect that Veolia ended…
012
Relief Web 14 Dec 2012 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization Country: occupied Palestinian territory Key Messages All directly affected farmers, herders and fishers see that their priority is to repair…
occupied Palestinian territory: UNRWA West Bank: Clarification regarding recent media reports
Relief Web 14 Dec 2012 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory East Jerusalem With reference to reports recently published in the media concerning UNRWA’s emergency appeal transition, changes in programmes, and the Agency’s inability…
012 – Sudan: With 2.4 million displaced, special rapporteur presses for comprehensive solutions
Relief Web 14 Dec 2012 – Source: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo (the), occupied Palestinian territory, Sudan (the) To see this news alert with links and sources, click here Opponents of female genital mutilation (FGM) win battle at the UN On…
Syrian Arab Republic (the): European Union Commissioner visits Palestine refugee camp and meets Palestinians coming from Syria
Relief Web 14 Dec 2012 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic (the) European Union (EU) Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva visited Burj Barajneh Camp…
Somalia: Consolidated Appeals for 2013: Fact Sheet
Relief Web 14 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), Yemen, Zimbabwe, South…
World: UN and humanitarian partners launch US$8.5 billion appeal to help 51 million people in need in 2013 (EN/FR)
Relief Web 14 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,…
Shooting at Newtown primary school in US kills 27 people
The National 14 Dec 2012 – The gunman, identified as Ryan Lanza, was also believed to have died at the school, Sandy Hook Elementary.
Clashes in Alexandria on eve of Egypt’s constitutional vote
The National 14 Dec 2012 – Supporters and opponents of Egypt‘s Islamist president fought with clubs and swords before police moved in to restore order. At least 19 people were injured.
Crowds mourn Morroccan reformist cleric
The National 14 Dec 2012 – Abdelsalam Yassine, a veteran religious leader and a vocal political critic who called for reform in the kingdom for nearly four decades was remembered by thousands yesterday. He died Thursday at age 84.
Firth leads line-up of stars at festival’s charity gala
The National 14 Dec 2012 – Entitled “One Night To Change Lives”, the dinner and auction was held in aid of Oxfam and Dubai Cares, and attracted the week’s biggest line-up of A-list stars so far to Dubai’s Armani Hotel.
An oddly low-key Apple debut
The National 14 Dec 2012 – Yet stocks should run out within days. Local launch of the latest iPhone and iPad excites the diehards but does not appear to arouse as much interest as past Apple debuts
UAE joins UK to help educate girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan
The National 14 Dec 2012 –
Dubai’s door-to-door recycling programme set for expansion
The National 14 Dec 2012 – After survey showed an 87 per cent approval rating in the three communities participating in the initiative the door-to-door recycling programme could be available on streets from Jumeirah to Al Barsha by next March, the municipality says.
Rain to stick around for next couple of days
The National 14 Dec 2012 – Forecasters expect rain to persists around the country as temperatures drop to 23 degrees. Fishermen warned not to go out at sea as tides are expected to reach up to eight feet by Sunday.
For first time, CIA document reveals Jonathan Pollard was asked to get intel on Israel
Ha’aretz – 14 Dec 2012
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to resign over indictment decision
Ha’aretz – 14 Dec 2012
Meretz chair petitions High Court for Lieberman’s dismissal
Ha’aretz – 14 Dec 2012
Yacimovich on Lieberman indictment: I won’t serve in government with someone facing prosecution
Ha’aretz – 14 Dec 2012
Israel’s High Court orders state to find alternative to separation fence at West Bank village
Ha’aretz – 14 Dec 2012
Hebron on high alert before Hamas rally
Ha’aretz – 14 Dec 2012
Ashton slams Lieberman for Holocaust jibe
Ha’aretz – 13 Dec 2012
Copyright spat with colleague forces architect Rafi Segal from new National Library project
Ha’aretz – 13 Dec 2012
A law unto themselves
Ha’aretz – 13 Dec 2012
Two doctors, two nurses convicted over abuse of autistic patients
Ha’aretz – 13 Dec 2012
NATO says Syrian Scuds hit ‘near’ Turkey
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – Rockets landing near Turkey “worrisome”, NATO says; Syria denies firing long-range missiles
Islamists clash with opponents ahead of Egypt vote
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – Widespread protests held prior to referendum on Egypt‘s new constitution that has divided Arab world’s most populous nation.
Liberman to resign as foreign minister over indictment
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – Foreign minister says following meetings with his legal team that he will resign from his post, after it was announced he would be indicted for fraud, breach of trust; PMO: Netanyahu de-facto FM.
Iran negotiator pessimistic on progress with West
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – Member of Iran’s nuclear negotiation team says negotiations unlikely to yield results, doesn’t rule out change of position.
FPA condemns alleged IDF assault on journalists
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – Reuters photographers say they were attacked, humiliated by IDF soldiers in Hebron; IDF says it is investigating.
Jordan prince scorned for attending Jewish event
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – Anti-normalization groups angry over British fundraiser held less than week after end of Pillar of Defense.
Shaare Zedek gets nod to take over Bikur Cholim
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – Last obstacle to integration of the failing, 190-year-old hospital into the capitals successful medical center is eliminated.
Poll: Likud Beytenu down to 35 seats
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – ‘Post’ poll, done prior to AG’s decision on Liberman, shows mandates shifting to the Right; Bayit Yehudi up to 16 seats.
‘Israel and 1938 Czechoslovakia are similar’
Jerusalem Post 14 Dec 2012 – In interview following ‘Post’ Conference, Czech ambassador warns against relying too much on international community.
HRW: Iranian activists seeking refuge abroad
Jerusalem Post 13 Dec 2012 – Human Rights Watch reveals stream of journalists, bloggers and lawyers seeking asylum abroad after 2009 government crackdown.
Hamas shows strength at anniversary rally in Nablus
Jerusalem Post 13 Dec 2012 – In first event of its kind in West Bank sanctioned by Palestinian Authority, thousands gather in Nablus to celebrate Hamas.
Politics: Livni as Netanyahu’s foreign minister?
Jerusalem Post 13 Dec 2012 – In interview at ‘Jerusalem Post’ Diplomatic Conference, party leader says she won’t rule out joining a coalition with Likud.
Syrian rebels in control of border area with Israel
Jerusalem Post 13 Dec 2012 – Military Affairs: The development appears to mark yet another milestone in the gradual collapse of the Assad regime.
Iranian Threat: Belarus brotherhood with Iran
Jerusalem Post 13 Dec 2012 – A new call by Minsk for stronger ties with Tehran raises concerns that the former Soviet republic could help Iran avoid sanctions.
Into the Fray: Ill-considered, inappropriate and inadequate
Jerusalem Post 13 Dec 2012 – In response to the Palestinians UN initiative for non-member statehood, Israel must impose permanent penalties, not make provocative proclamations.
My Word: Sounds like trouble
Jerusalem Post 13 Dec 2012 – You don’t always have to know a foreign language to understand what’s going on. Sometimes, just hearing it is enough.
Finding the way to Helsinki
Jerusalem Post 13 Dec 2012 – NPT conference has been postponed indefinitely, a shame considering new poll shows Israelis favor nuclear free Israel.
From the archive, 15 December 1981: Israelis vote to annex Golan Heights
The Guardian 14 Dec 2012 – Last night’s annexation of the Golan Heights removes all prospect of a territorial compromise in any future peace negotiations between Israel and Syria Israel last night annexed the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in the Six-day…
Lieberman resignation signals shift in Israeli politics
The Guardian 14 Dec 2012 – Outspoken foreign minister seen as emblematic of harshest aspects of Israel’s domestic and foreign policy concerns The resignation of Israel’s ultra-nationalist and belligerent foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, indicted this week on charges of fraud and breach…
Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman to resign
The Guardian 14 Dec 2012 – Rightwing politician announces resignation to focus on clearing his name following fraud and breach of trust charges The Israeli foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, has said he is resigning after being charged with fraud and breach of…
Reuters accuses Israeli soldiers of assaulting cameramen in Hebron
The Guardian 14 Dec 2012 – Yousri al-Jamal and Mamoun Wazwaz struck with rifle butts, forced to strip and attacked with teargas, news agency claims Reuters news agency has said two of its cameramen were struck with rifle butts, forced to strip…
Palestine’s child refugees offered haven by Lebanese NGO Naba’a – video
The Guardian 14 Dec 2012 – NGO Naba’a works to protect Palestinian children living in refugee camps in Lebanon
Palestine: Diary of a historic month
The Guardian 14 Dec 2012 – Raja Shehadeh reflects on the UN resolution to recognise Palestine as a non-member observer state 9 November It was inevitable that at some point Jewish settlements in the West Bank would endanger even the trees. This…
Settlers attack families of Palestinian prisoners
Uruknet
Hamas, Khaled Mashaal and Prospects for a Sustainable Israel/Palestine Peace
Uruknet
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Uruknet
Western media and the Brotherhood: Secrets behind the love affair
Uruknet
Zero Dark Thirty: new torture-glorifying film wins raves
Uruknet
Congress Pushes Massive Increase in US Funding for Israeli Anti-Missile System
Uruknet
This ‘seven years’ war’ is a battle over Pentagon secrecy and torture information
Uruknet
Family of teenager killed in Hebron calls fake gun story a ‘fabrication’
Uruknet
Lebanon sent packing after woeful display
Daily Star 14 Dec 2012 The Cedars’ campaign at the West Asian Championship came to an end Friday as Lebanon suffered a 2-1 defeat to Kuwait.
MMA bridges the gap to land in Beirut
Daily Star 14 Dec 2012 On Nov. 12, 1993 in the mile high city of Denver, Colorado, the Ultimate Fighting Championship aired its inaugural event with fighters from all over the globe taking part.
When rebellion is a bicycle
Daily Star 14 Dec 2012 There is an intriguing irony about Wadjda. The feature film debut of Saudi writer-director Haifaa al-Mansour tells the story of Wadjda (Waad Mohammed), a 10-year-old girl growing up in contemporary Riyadh.
US tightens standards for soot pollution
Daily Star 14 Dec 2012 The Obama administration on Friday imposed a new air quality standard that reduces by 20 percent the maximum amount of soot released into the air from smokestacks, diesel trucks and other sources of pollution in its…
Venezuela criticizes Obama’s comments on Chavez
Daily Star 14 Dec 2012 Venezuela is criticizing President Barack Obama for characterizing President Hugo Chavez’s policies as authoritarian.
Obama will not go after states where pot is legal
Daily Star 14 Dec 2012 President Barack Obama said Friday he won’t go after Washington state and Colorado for legalizing marijuana, leaving supporters of the movement cautiously optimistic that a showdown with federal law won’t happen.
NATO: Syrian Scuds land near Turkish border
YNet News, 14 Dec 2012 – ….
Russia rejects blame in death of ex-spy Litvinenko
YNet News, 14 Dec 2012 – ….
Netherlands raises $5B in frequency auction
YNet News, 14 Dec 2012 – ….
Obama orders flags down to half-mast in wake of Newtown tragedy
YNet News, 14 Dec 2012 – ….
EU expressed horror, condolences over Connecticut shooting
YNet News, 14 Dec 2012 – ….
Border Guard officer ‘not afraid’ of threats
YNet News, 13 Dec 2012 – After shooting Palestinian teen she believed was attacking a comrade, officer recounts incident, dismisses Palestinian websites’ threats. Police chief: Her response attests to responsibility, loyalty ….
Rice withdraws as US secretary of state candidate, citing tough Senate battle
YNet News, 13 Dec 2012 – In letter to Obama, ambassador to UN says convinced confirmation process would be ‘lengthy, disruptive and costly’; decision increases odds that president will turn to Senator Kerry ….
Hebron: Soldiers shoot Palestinian who threw firebomb
YNet News, 13 Dec 2012 – Teenager who hurled Molotov cocktail at troops near checkpoint evacuated to local hospital with severe wounds after being shot in the chest ….
Lieberman on indictment: I don’t have to resign
YNet News, 13 Dec 2012 – After attorney general announces decision to file fraud, breach of trust charges against him, FM tells Yisrael Beiteinu event he will consider election ramifications before making decision on resignation. Addressing hotel meeting with Israeli envoy to Belarus: ‘I threw envelope he gave me in the toilet’ ….
IDF probe: Soldiers did not flee Arab rioters
YNet News, 13 Dec 2012 – Shomron Brigade investigation determines that soldiers accused of fleeing stone-throwing mob were actually chasing after other demonstrators. Officer: Main mission of keeping rioters away from settlement accomplished ….
Labor: Lieberman must resign at once
YNet News, 13 Dec 2012 – Soon after AG decided to drop FM’s corruption charges but indict him for fraud, politicians demand Lieberman’s immediate resignation; PM congratulates him for charges dropped ….
Jordanian king to Palestinians: Return to negotiation table
YNet News, 13 Dec 2012 – King Abdullah uses visit to PA as platform in attempt to mediate between Israelis, Palestinians. Abbas’ condition: Israel must stop settlement construction ….
Russia acknowledges Assad losing control
YNet News, 13 Dec 2012 – Deputy FM Bogdanov admits the rebels opposing Assad might gain control over Syria, despite Russia’s support of his regime ….
Palestinian Information Center
Ramallah: dismissed employees’ case has ended
PIC – The dialogue Committee of the protesting teachers outside the Palestinian Legislative Council in Ramallah, confirmed that an agreement was concluded with the Minister of Education..
Hamas mourns the founder of Justice and Charity movement Abdessalam Yassine
PIC – The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas mourned Sheikh Abdessalam Yassine, Moroccan Islamist leader and founder of the ‘Adl wa’l-Ihsan (Justice and Charity) movement, who died on Thursday at age 85.
Mass march in support of the striking prisoners in Jinin
PIC – Mass march was organized in Arraba village after Friday prayers, in solidarity with the prisoners on hunger strike Jafar Ezzedine, Tarek Kaadan, Samer al-Issawi, Ayman Sharawna and Yusuf Yasin.
EMOHR calls on PA to prosecute occupation internationally
PIC – EMOHR called on the Palestinian Authority to prosecute the Israeli occupation for the violating the international law in dealing with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike.
Tens of thousands celebrate Hamas’s anniversary in the West Bank
PIC – Mass rallies were launched after Friday prayers in the cities of al-Khalil, Tulkarem and Ramallah, in the West Bank to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of Hamas.
Occupation forces announce a state of alert in the West Bank
PIC – Israeli occupation forces decided to announce a state of high alert in the West Bank, in anticipation of the outbreak of clashes with Palestinians after Friday prayers..
Media Forum condemns storming writer Lama Khater’s house by occupation
PIC – The Palestinian media forum strongly condemned the IOF storming the house of the writer and journalist Lama Khater, in al-Khalil in the southern occupied West Bank.
Hamas organizes a festival celebrating its anniversary in Nablus
PIC – Hamas movement has organized in the city of Nablus (in the northern West Bank), for the first time since years, a festival celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of its inception.
IOF seriously wound teenager during protest at liquidation of another
PIC – Violent clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers, on Thursday afternoon, in the district of Bab al-Zawya in he center of al-Khalil city following the funeral of martyr Salaymeh.
MADA: Escalation of violations against journalists during November
PIC – The Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) said that the month of November had witnessed “egregious violations” by the Israeli occupation against journalists.
PEX Report: Al-Quds Index Up
WAFA – 13 Dec 2012
Confrontations Erupt Near Hebron
WAFA – 12 Dec 2012
Susan Rice withdraws name from running for secretary of State
LA Times 13 Dec 2012 – President Obama agrees to drop the controversial U.N. ambassador as his choice for the next leader of the State Department, but cites ‘unfair attacks’ over the deaths in Benghazi, Libya. WASHINGTON — President Obama dropped embattled United Nations envoy Susan Rice from consideration as his…
Russia now says Syria government may fall
LA Times 13 Dec 2012 – Despite the shift in assessment, Moscow is unlikely to abandon Syrian President Bashar Assad, analysts say. MOSCOW — A high-level Russian diplomat conceded Thursday that Syrian rebels could succeed in ousting President Bashar Assad, becoming the first top Kremlin official to say publicly that the…
Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman to face fraud indictment
LA Times 13 Dec 2012 – Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will be charged with breach of trust, but a money-laundering case will be dropped. JERUSALEM — Israel’s attorney general said Thursday that he would charge Avigdor Lieberman, the nation’s combative foreign minister, with fraud and breach of trust but would…
The Lede Blog: Filmmakers Urge Egyptians to Reject Constitution
New York Times 14 Dec 2012 – Activist filmmakers in Cairo have released a series of Web videos urging their fellow citizens to reject a new constitution hastily approved last month by Islamist allies of President Mohamed Morsi.
Disabled Preacher in Terror Case Isn’t Treated Well, Lawyers Say
New York Times 14 Dec 2012 – Mostafa Kamel Mostafa, also known as Abu Hamza al-Masri, has been jailed in Manhattan awaiting trial on charges including conspiring to kidnap tourists in Yemen in 1998.
Syrian Rebel Seeks Prisoner Exchange to Free Hostages
New York Times 14 Dec 2012 – Amar al-Dadikhi, commander of the North Storm brigade, said that he would free his hostages if the Syrian government released two prominent opposition figures and if Lebanon freed all Syrian activists in government custody.
Avigdor Lieberman, Israeli Foreign Minister, Resigns
New York Times 14 Dec 2012 – Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned on Friday after being charged with fraud and breach of trust, in a move that could have repercussions for next month’s elections.
Money Woes Could Erode High Hamas Standing in Gaza
New York Times 14 Dec 2012 – Hamas has sought new support from Sunni governments like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, but it has also raised taxes and fees considerably, prompting complaints from Gazans.
Assad’s Survival in Syria Is Doubted in Russia
New York Times 14 Dec 2012 – The outlook for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria suffered when his most powerful foreign ally said he was losing the struggle against the insurgency.
Prosecutor Says Morsi Aides Interfered
New York Times 14 Dec 2012 – The complaints raise the most serious questions yet about President Mohamed Morsi’s commitment to the rule of law and his ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Most voters want coalition without haredim
Globes Main News – Only 15% want to see Shas in the next government. Likud Beytenu has strengthened, while Tzipi Livni is not yet a credible challenger to the prime minister.
CIA, MI6 Guilty in Two Extraordinary Rendition Cases
Tikun Olam – Sami al-Saadi, Libyan dissident rendered to Libya and tortured with help of MI6 (Amine Landoulsi/Demotix) Two European cases involving the CIA and extraordinary rendition put the case of Dirar Abusisi in the spotlight today. The European Court of Human Rights found Macedonia guilty of collaborating with…
Roots of Resistance: The iconic ‘children of the stones’
Mondoweiss – Palestinian women and children demonstrate on January 3, 1988 in Al-Ram in the West Bank. (Photo: Esaias Baitel/AFP/Getty Images) This post is part of the series “Roots of Resistance: 25 year retrospective on the first intifada.” Read the entire series here . On December 8, 1987, in…
Roots of Resistance: Witnessing history
Mondoweiss – This post is part of the series “Roots of Resistance: 25 year retrospective on the first intifada.” Read the entire series here . Looking back from today’s vantage point leads one to affectionately remember the first Palestinian “Intifada” as “the good old days.” After all, it pre-dated…
Birzeit University group calls on Cornell to end partnership with Technion
Mondoweiss – In light of news that Cornell University has engaged in a joint bid with Israel’s Technion Israel Institute of Technology to build a campus of applied science and technology on New York’s Roosevelt Island, we, the students and volunteers at Birzeit University’s Right to Education…
‘We will make sure every American knows he is an anti-Semite’ — anonymous neocon threat to Hagel
Mondoweiss – Should have seen this coming. Note the phrase “Some Jews,” leading off Katie Glueck report at Politico : Some Jews and supporters of Israel voiced major concerns about the possible nomination of former Sen. Chuck Hagel to lead the Defense Department, taking to Twitter and the blogosphere…
During hour-long interview at Saban Forum, no one dared ask Lieberman about corruption case that cost him his job
Mondoweiss – Today Avigdor Lieberman resigned as Foreign Minister because of a longrunning investigation of corruption charges. Well two weeks ago, Lieberman was feted by the Saban Forum in Washington , and Robert Siegel of NPR spent an hour on stage with him, asking him many questions– and didn’t…
Confident Hamas Stages Rallies in West Bank
The Foward Breaking News 14 Dec 2012 – Supporters of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took to the streets of Hebron on Friday for the first time in five years, in a sign of improving relations with their secular Fatah rivals. Click here for the rest of the article…
Avigdor Lieberman Quits Amid Corruption Charge
The Foward Breaking News 14 Dec 2012 – Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Friday he was resigning after being charged with fraud and breach of trust, in a move that could have repercussions on the upcoming general election. Click here for the rest of the article…
Despite Bluster, Hamas Cowed by Gaza Defeat
The Foward Breaking News 14 Dec 2012 – Israel’s offensive on Gaza has deterred Hamas from new hostilities despite its claims of victory and the front is now at its quietest in 20 years, a senior Israeli military officer said. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israeli Soldiers Beat Reuters Photographers
The Foward Breaking News 13 Dec 2012 – Israeli soldiers punched two Reuters cameramen and forced them to strip in the street, before letting off a tear gas canister in front of them, leaving one of them needing hospital treatment. Click here for the rest of the article…
Univ. of Toronto Grad. Students Union Endorses BDS with 97% majority!
Global BDS 13 Dec 2012 – University of Toronto Graduate Students Union Endorses BDS Campaign On 10 December 2012, the University of Toronto’s Graduate Student Union (GSU) voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution to endorse the global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), at their annual general meeting. Over…
Rallies as Egypt referendum looms
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – Supporters and opponents of Egypt‘s president hold last-ditch rallies over Saturday’s draft constitution referendum, with some clashes breaking out.
Israeli foreign minister resigns
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigns after prosecutors decide to charge him with breach of trust.
Russia’s Syria stance ‘unchanged’
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – Russia insists its position on Syria remains unchanged, a day after its deputy foreign minister said the Syrian government was losing control.
Thousands attend rally in Hebron
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – About 3,000 Palestinians marking the 25th anniversary of Hamas march towards an Israeli checkpoint in Hebron, not far from several Jewish settlements.
Veolia to end sponsorship of major UK exhibition
AIC: Economy of the Occupoation 14 Dec 2012 – Campaigners against the business practices of French multinational Veolia are celebrating after the company announced it is ending sponsorship of the prestigious and internationally acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. Campaigners suspect that Veolia ended its sponsorship of the exhibition rather than face further scrutiny…
Manar TV Loses Its Edge
Al-Akhbar News 14 Dec 2012 – An image grab from Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV shows Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, delivering a speech marking the party’s martyrs’ day on 12 November 2012. (Photo: AFP) An image grab from Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV shows Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, delivering a speech marking…
Syria’s Unified Armed Opposition: Internal Divisions, External Ties
Al-Akhbar News 14 Dec 2012 – Two Syrian women walk down to the river bank as rebel fighters load their belongings onto a boat to cross the Orontes river to Turkey near the northern Syrian town of Darkush on 14 December 2012. (Photo: Odd Andersen) Two Syrian women walk down to the…
Moroccans bury influential sheikh
Al-Akhbar News 14 Dec 2012 – Tens of thousands of Moroccans gather at the historic Sunna mosque in central Rabat for the funeral of Abdessalam Yassine, founder of a radical Moroccan Islamist movement, on 14 December 2012. (Photo: AFP – Fadel Senna) Tens of thousands of devotees gathered on Friday at the…
Warrants and Counter-Warrants: A Gun to the Head of the Judiciary
Al-Akhbar News 14 Dec 2012 – Relatives of abducted Lebanese Shiite Muslim pilgrims, who were kidnapped in northern Syria, celebrate their release by holding a national flag as they wait for their arrival at Beirut International Airport on 25 May 2012. (Photo: AFP – Joseph Eid) Relatives of abducted Lebanese pilgrims, who…
Yemen kills six Qaeda suspects
Al-Akhbar News 14 Dec 2012 – Yemeni security officials say six al-Qaida suspects have been killed and 12 others wounded in army attacks on militant positions around the country. The officials say two militants were killed Friday in airstrikes in southern Abyan province. The attacks came days after militants overran a military…
Bahrain: A Return to Dialogue?
Al-Akhbar News 14 Dec 2012 – A Bahraini protester waves the national flag during an anti-government demonstration in the village of Jannusan, west of Manama, on 14 December 2012. (Photo: AFP – Mohammed Al-Shaikh) A Bahraini protester waves the national flag during an anti-government demonstration in the village of Jannusan, west of…
Umm al-Sahali: Life in a Fading Palestinian Village
Al-Akhbar Series and Features 13 Dec 2012 – The Palestinian village of Umm al-Sahali is slowly being destroyed by the Israeli government. (Photo: Paul Karolyi) The Palestinian village of Umm al-Sahali is slowly being destroyed by the Israeli government. Home to 80 people living in 13 small houses, the residents of this village inside…
Palestinian Statehood: What Do the Refugees Get?
Al-Akhbar Series and Features 13 Dec 2012 – Supporters of those factions that belong to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) were certainly overjoyed by what they viewed as a victory over US and Israeli obstinacy. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Supporters of those factions that belong to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) were certainly overjoyed by…
Egypt: Does the Muslim Brotherhood have “Militias”?
Al-Akhbar Politics 13 Dec 2012 – Members of Egypt‘s Muslim Brotherhood shout slogans while gathering in central Cairo on 11 December 2012. (Photo: AFP – Mahmoud Khaled) Members of Egypt‘s Muslim Brotherhood shout slogans while gathering in central Cairo on 11 December 2012. (Photo: AFP – Mahmoud Khaled) Recent clashes between Egypt’s…
Israeli Soldiers Assault and Arrest a 12-year-old Palestinian in Jerusalem
Al-Haq 13 Dec 2012 – Ad: Engineering Vehicles E-book | Military-today.com – Great E-book For Military Enthusiasts. It Has 57 Pages And Contains Rare Information On Combat Engineering Vehicles, Recovery Vehicles, Bridgelayers, Ferrying Systems, Mine Clearing Vehicles And Other Specialized Equipment.
Rallies as Egypt referendum looms
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – Supporters and opponents of Egypt‘s president hold last-ditch rallies over Saturday’s draft constitution referendum, with some clashes breaking out.
Israeli foreign minister resigns
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigns after prosecutors decide to charge him with breach of trust.
Russia’s Syria stance ‘unchanged’
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – Russia insists its position on Syria remains unchanged, a day after its deputy foreign minister said the Syrian government was losing control.
Tunisia Ben Ali relative arrested
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – Sakher El Materi, son-in-law of ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, has been arrested in the Seychelles, officials say.
Thousands attend rally in Hebron
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – About 3,000 Palestinians marking the 25th anniversary of Hamas march towards an Israeli checkpoint in Hebron, not far from several Jewish settlements.
Israel troops ‘assault cameramen’
BBC 14 Dec 2012 – Reuters news agency accuses Israeli soldiers of hitting two of its cameramen and forcing them to strip in the West Bank city of Hebron.
Articles
IDF soldiers assault Reuters journalists after mistaking them for human rights workers
Noam Sheizaf, +972 Magazine 12/14/2012
Soldiers beat cameramen in Hebron after suspecting that they work for B’Tselem. Recent years have seen an organized campaign by mainstream Israeli journalists and politicians against human rights organizations in Israel and the West Bank.
Reuters reported that two of its cameramen were abused by IDF soldiers in Hebron on Wednesday night. The men were stripped, beaten, and made to breathe tear gas at a very close range. The soldiers also took one of their cameras, which was later found unharmed nearby. The incident took place shortly after a local teenager was shot to death by a Border Police soldier at a Hebron checkpoint:
Here is an excerpt from the report Reuters published on the incident (my bold):
“Yousri Al Jamal and Ma’amoun Wazwaz said a foot patrol stopped them as they were driving to a nearby checkpoint where a Palestinian teenager had just been shot dead by an Israeli border guard.
“Their car was clearly marked ‘TV’ and they were both wearing blue flak jackets with ‘Press’ emblazoned on the front.
“The soldiers forced them to leave the vehicle and punched them, striking them with the butts of their guns. They accused them of working for an Israeli NGO, B’Tselem, which documents human rights violations in the occupied West Bank, the Reuters cameramen said.
“The soldiers did not let the men produce their official ID papers and forced them to strip down to their underwear, making them kneel on the road with their hands behind their heads, the cameramen said.
“One of the soldiers then dropped a tear gas canister between the men and the IDF patrol ran away. The four journalists scrambled clear and Jamal and Wazwaz got to their car, which had rapidly filled up with tear gas, they said….” — See also: Israeli soldiers assault two Reuters cameramen more.. e-mail
‘This is Palestine. I Drew Her Bleeding.’
Vijay Prashad, CounterPunch 12/14/2012
To Write Poetry After Gaza is Barbaric
For Mohammed Ziad Awad Salayma, age 17, killed on his birthday (12-12-12) because, being hard of hearing, he did not understand Israeli soldier Nofar Mizrahi, who shot him at point blank range.
There is something hapless about Guy Delisle’s character in his comics. He is the husband of an Médecins Sans Frontières worker, Nadege, whose postings to Myanmar and Israel-Palestine provided the opportunity for their family (including children Louis and Alice) to see the world. Delisle had itchy feet before these spousal appointments. He had been to both China and North Korea as part of his work as a supervisor of animation work. These resulted in his quirky, but informative comic books, Shenzhen (2000) and Pyongyang (2003). When I first read these, I was put to mind of the work of Joe Sacco, whose Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia, 1992-1995 (2000) and Palestine (2001) is the gold standard in political comic journalism. Delisle’s work is no less serious than Sacco’s, but there is a major difference. Both put themselves into the frame, but Sacco is there to break the idea of objectivity and to offer his critical voice as antidote to the saccharine way in which conflict is too often recorded (this is consciously laid-out in his new book Journalism, Metropolitan Books, 2012). Delisle is also in his books, but he is the clueless observer who bumps into things, is silly with those whom he encounters and through the fabric of everyday interactions is able to reveal something about places that are so rarely understood by those who do not make the studied attempt.
The “Delisle” in the books finds his voice when he becomes a father, as he goes with Nadege to her posting in Myanmar with young Louis and then to Israel-Palestine with Louis and Alice…. more.. e-mail
The Sea and the River
Uri Avnery, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN) 12/14/2012
“Palestine, from the Jordan to the Sea, belongs to us!” declared Khaled Meshal last week at the huge victory rally in Gaza.
“Eretz Israel, from the sea to the Jordan, belongs to us!” declare right-wing Israelis on every occasion.
The two statements seem to be the same, with only the name of the country changed.
But if you read them again carefully, there is a slight difference. The direction.
FROM THE sea to the river, from the river to the sea.
Therein lies much more significance than meets the eye. It shows how the speaker sees himself – coming from the East or from the West.
When one says “from the river to the sea”, one sees oneself as belonging to the extensive region known to Westerners as the “Middle East”, a vital part of the Asian continent. The term “Middle East” is, itself, a patronizing expression with colonial undertones – it suggests that the area has no independent standing. It exists only in relation to a far-away world center – Berlin? London? Washington?
When one says “from the sea to the river”, one sees oneself as coming from the West and living as a bridgehead of the West, facing a foreign, and probably hostile, continent.
In its long recorded history, going back many thousands of years, this country – whether Canaan, Palestine or Eretz Israel – has seen many waves of invaders who came to settle here. more.. e-mail
A liberal-Zionist writer learns to accept the status quo. A response.
Noam Sheizaf, +972 Magazine 12/9/2012
The disappointment over the failure of the Oslo process and the rise to power of an extreme nationalistic coalition in Israel have led to a newly founded belief among some liberal Zionists that “there is no solution to the conflict,” or that “peace cannot be achieved.” This view – which dominates Labor Party politics today as well – is both morally and politically wrong.
The New Republic’s Leon Wieseltier, a self proclaimed “hawkish dove,” expressed the “no solution” idea in a recent post. After blaming the Palestinians for missing past opportunities, Wieseltier writes:
“But still I concur in the necessity and the justice of their demand for a state, and still I yearn for a serious Palestinian diplomacy.
“ALL THESE BELIEFS, however, are beginning to seem pointless. Reality appears to have other plans for itself. Hamas maintains its terrorist and theocratic sway over Gaza, and criminally fires hundreds of rockets at Israeli civilians, and extols the destruction of its arsenal and its infrastructure by Israel as some sort of apotheosis. Mahmoud Abbas celebrates the attainment of observer-state status at the United Nations with a mean and small speech in which he accuses Israel of “one of the most dreadful campaigns of ethnic cleansing and dispossession in modern history,” and of unprovoked “aggression” in Gaza, and of “an apartheid system of colonial occupation, which institutionalizes the plague of racism.” Salam Fayyad, the Palestinian leader for whom we longed, is a tragic figure, undone by Palestinians and Israelis together….”
This mistaken analysis leads to disappointment which leads to tacit support of the occupation, thereby thwarting the need to assume any responsibility for it. more.. e-mail
BBC admits pandering to Israeli propaganda
Electronic Intifada: 13 Dec 2012 – Amena Saleem London 14 December 2012 In an email message the UK’s broadcaster acknowledges that it presented Israeli claims as facts.more
Canada’s tax dollars aid Israel’s divide and rule tactics
Electronic Intifada: 13 Dec 2012 – Yves Engler 14 December 2012 Reports that Stephen Harper’s government is about to stop giving “aid” to the Palestinian Authority should be treated with skepticism.more
Israel violates Gaza ceasefire deal by threatening fishermen, farmers
Electronic Intifada: 14 Dec 2012 – Gaza Strip 14 December 2012 Loudspeakers are used by the Israeli navy to intimidate Palestinians trying to make a living.more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
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The New Dark Age 