2 January 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Likud Officials Call On Government To “Annex C Area” In West Bank
IMEMC – Israeli sources reported that two senior officials of the Likud Party of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called on the government to “officially annex C area” of the occupied West Bank, where Israel’s major illegal settlement blocks and settlements are located, in order to officially regard the area as part of the state of Israel. …
Around 1000 Palestinians Leave Their Structures, Tents, In Northern Plains
IMEMC – Around a 1000 Palestinians living in Bedouin communes and residents of Al-Maleh area in the northern Plaines of the occupied West Bank started leaving their homes and tents after receiving military orders from the Israeli army informing them that the soldiers will be conducting drills using live ammunition. …
Settlers Conduct Several Attacks In West Bank
IMEMC – Since the first hours of the new year, Israeli settlers carried out numerous attacks against Palestinian property and lands in different parts of the occupied West Bank, and wrote racist graffiti. …
Report; “Israel Welcomes New Year With Home Demolition, Invasions And Arrests”
IMEMC – The Palestine Public Broadcasting Cooperation reported Tuesday that Israel started the new year with a series of invasions, attacks and destruction of Palestinian property, and with arrests targeting local residents; injuries were also reported. …
Lawyer: Hunger-striker’s hearing postponed until next month
1/2/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — An Israeli military court postponed a hearing on the case of hunger-striker Samer Issawi for one month on Wednesday, prisoners society lawyer Jawad Bulous said. Ofer court held administrative session on Wednesday and will hear Issawi’s case in a three-judge session in one month. Issawi, from East Jerusalem, has….
Rights group: Israel detains Gaza patient at border
1/2/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained a Palestinian at a border crossing from the Gaza Strip who was seeking medical treatment in Jerusalem, a human rights group said. Rafiq Ayesh Abu Harbeed, 38, went to the Erez crossing for an interview with Israeli intelligence on Tuesday morning, in order to seek treatment outside….
Palestinian security clash with electricity protesters in Nablus
1/2/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Protesters clashed with Palestinian security forces in the West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday evening, in a demonstration against a recent deal to end refugees’ exemption from electricity costs. Around 200 Palestinians gathered at the Shuhada junction in the city and burned tires, drawing dozens of security officers and…. Related: PA cancels electricity debts for every West Bank resident
PLO official sounds alarm over Likud deportation proposal
1/2/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Senior PLO official Ahmed Qurei said on Wednesday that officials in Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s party demonstrated the extremism and dangerousness of the government’s position. On Tuesday, Likud officials called for the annexation of the West Bank and deportation of Palestinians at a conference organized by pro-settler….
PA cancels electricity debts for every West Bank resident
1/2/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority announced on Wednesday that it is cancelling outstanding electricity debts for each West Bank resident, on the heels of a deal that aims to help assuage the electricity companies’ own arrears. Government spokeswoman Nour Oudeh told Ma’an that all residential bills owed until Dec. 31…. Related: Palestinian security clash with electricity protesters in Nablus
Fatah: Mursi invites Abbas to meet over reconciliation
1/2/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas received a formal invitation to meet his Egyptian counterpart Muhammad Mursi in Cairo next week, a Fatah official said Wednesday. The meeting will focus on reconciliation between Abbas’ Fatah party and their Hamas rivals, Fatah official Faysel Abu Shahla told Ma’an. Fatah welcomes the…. Related: Fatah, Hamas meet in Gaza ahead of party anniversary
Israel completes bulk of Egypt border fence
1/2/2013 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israel completed the main segment of a razor-wire fence along its border with Egypt on Wednesday, a barrier against illegal migrants and Islamist militants hiding out in the lawless Sinai region. The five-meter high fence, bolstered by military surveillance equipment, is touted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as proof of his commitment to….
Teen sets himself on fire in Gaza
1/2/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — An 18-year-old boy set himself on fire in Gaza City on Tuesday evening, and is in a critical condition. Police believe a family dispute is behind his self-immolation. The teenager poured a liter of gasoline over himself and set his body alight outside his family home in the Shujaiyeh….
012: The year in review
1/2/2013 – In a year when the Middle East struggled to adapt to a new political landscape, 2012 brought little reprieve for Palestinians. A newly-elected president in Egypt, continuing civil war in Syria, and the Iranian-Israeli standoff moved world attention away from the long-elusive pursuit of an independent Palestine. But Palestine also had its taste of war….
Official: PA will not interfere in Jordan elections
1/2/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Senior Fatah official Nabil Shaath insisted Wednesday that the Palestinian government would not interfere in upcoming Jordanian elections, after a party official declared public support for candidates. Fatah secretary in Jordan Najeeb al-Kaddoumi threw his weight behind one electoral list for the Jan. 23 parliamentary vote, causing consternation in Jordanian political….
Official: Israeli talk of West Bank collapse ‘wishful thinking’
1/2/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The spokesman of the PA security forces Adnan Dimeiri on Wednesday accused Israeli officials of engaging in “wishful thinking” in their warnings that the West Bank government and security situation is on the brink of collapse. Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday sounded a note of defiance after President Shimon Peres….
013 must be year of independent Palestine
1/2/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority cabinet on Wednesday called for 2013 to be the year of an independent Palestinian state and the end of Israeli occupation. At its weekly meeting, the government said it was determined to “continue and accelerate the pace towards the realization of national sovereignty on the land of the….
Tehran says hoping for nuclear talks ‘very soon’
1/2/2013 – NEW DELHI (Reuters) — Iran hopes talks with six major powers about its atomic program will begin very soon, the country’s top nuclear negotiator said on Wednesday during a trip to India. Last week, Russian media said the six world powers – the United States, Russia, France, Britain, Germany and China – were still negotiating with….
Israeli TV star-turned-politician seeks social reform
1/2/2013 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Reuters) — In a matter of months, Yair Lapid has turned from heartthrob television news anchor into a rising star of Israeli politics, leading a new centrist party into elections on Jan. 22. Lapid, 49, may prove an attractive coalition partner for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, which is….
Fatah, Hamas meet in Gaza ahead of party anniversary
1/2/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza premier Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday convened Hamas and Fatah delegations ahead of the first Fatah rally in the Gaza Strip since the parties’ bitter division. Fatah will hold its 48th anniversary celebrations in al-Saraya square, Gaza City on Friday. It will be the first time that Hamas has…. Related: Fatah: Mursi invites Abbas to meet over reconciliation
Elderly woman, baby, killed in south Gaza car crash
1/2/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — An elderly woman and a baby died in a car accident in south Gaza on Wednesday, medics said. Fatima Abdul Nabi Sulaiman Al-Sheikh Al-Eid, 64, and nine-month-old Fatah Ismael Al-Sheikh Al-Eid were killed when a bus crashed into a vehicle transporting animals, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said. Six others….
Syrian rebels attack military airport in northwest
1/2/2013 – BEIRUT (Reuters) — Syrian rebels, some from Islamist units, fired machineguns and mortars at helicopters grounded at a northern military air base near the main Aleppo-Damascus highway on Wednesday, a monitoring group said. The al Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front, Ahrar al-Sham Brigade and other units operating in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib were attacking the….
Syria video shows stabbing and stoning blamed on Assad militia
1/2/2013 – BEIRUT (Reuters) — Internet video posted by Syrian rebels appears to show fighters loyal to President Bashar Assad stabbing two men to death and stoning them with concrete blocks in a summary execution lasting several minutes. Assad’s forces and rebels have both been accused of atrocities in Syria’s 21-month-old uprising-turned-civil war….
Kidnapped US journalist missing in Syria for six weeks
1/2/2013 – BEIRUT (Reuters) — An American journalist is missing after being kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in northwest Syria six weeks ago, his family said on Wednesday. The family of freelance journalist James Foley, 39, launched a public campaign to bring him home after requesting a news blackout since Foley was taken on 22 November in Idlib province….
Jordanian peacekeepers kidnapped in Darfur freed
1/2/2013 – KHARTOUM (Reuters) — Two Jordanian peacekeepers abducted in Darfur four months ago were freed on Wednesday, the international force overseeing the conflict-torn region said. A plane carrying the pair landed at Khartoum airport, the force led by the African Union and United Nations said in a statement that did not identify the kidnappers or say where….
Egypt’s Brotherhood says UAE arrests unfounded
1/2/2013 – CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood said on Wednesday some of its members had been wrongfully arrested in United Arab Emirates on allegations of helping to train local Islamists in subversion tactics.” I know 11 people were detained. I know that some of them are from the Brotherhood,” said Mahmoud Ghozlan, a Brotherhood spokesman….
‘Many killed’ in Syria fuel station airstrike
AlJazeera 2 Jan 2013 – Warplane destroys petrol station near Damascus, killing and wounding dozens and igniting huge fire, activists say.
Israel completes key part of fence with Egypt
AlJazeera 2 Jan 2013 – Israel says barrier stretching from Red Sea port of Eilat to Gaza Strip on the Mediterranean will stop “infiltrators”.
Israel Bars Westerners Living in West Bank from Entering Israel, East Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
Report: Palestinians to Outnumber Jews by 2020
Palestine News Network
Feiglin: Pay Palestinians to leave West Bank
Palestine News Network
Algeria Transfers $26m to Alleviate PA’s Financial Crisis
Palestine News Network
Israeli Authorities Put Pressure on Family of Hunger Striker Samer Al-Issawy
Palestine News Network
Israeli Occupation Arrests 4 Released Prisoners in Hebron
Palestine News Network
Israeli Occupation Withdraws from Tamoun, IOF Say Operation Was Successful Despite Riots
Palestine News Network
Likud Politicians Call on Israel to Annex Area C
Palestine News Network
NAM Statement Regarding Illegal Israeli Settlements and Tax Seizure
Palestine News Network
International Solidarity Movement
Israeli army attacks four family homes in Beit Ummar arresting an activist and three teenagers
1/2/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – By Team Khalil, 2 January 2013, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – A Palestinian activist and three teenagers were arrested by Israeli occupation forces this morning during an early morning raid on the village of Beit Ummar in the West Bank. Soldiers entered the village at around 1 am to capture Yousef Abu Maria, the coordinator….
Israeli settlers burn two vehicles and spray paint racist slogans on a Palestinian home in Beit Ummar
1/2/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – By Team Khalil, 2 January 2013, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – Israeli settlers from the illegal Beit Eyen settlement, which borders the Palestinian town of Beit Ummar, attacked a family home located in area C on the outskirts of Beit Ummar in the early hours of Tuesday morning. At around 1 am on Tuesday 1….
Local activist detained in Hebron
1/2/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – By Team Khalil, 1 January 2013, International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – Israeli soldiers in Hebron tied up and blindfolded a Palestinian activist this afternoon because he walked on the ‘Jewish side’ of the road. Issa Amro, coordinator for Youth Against Settlements, was detained on Shuhada Street, sections of which are segregated with the….
Syrian Arab Republic (the): Violence in Syria: A volunteer’s view
Relief Web 2 Jan 2013 – Source: British Red Cross Country: occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic (the) As violence brings death and destruction to the people of Syria, a volunteer ambulance driver has described his life-saving work during fighting at the Yarmouk refugee camp. On…
World: Sanitation: Urban water woes
Relief Web 2 Jan 2013 – Source: IRIN Country: World SANITATION, 2 January 2013 (IRIN) – In Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare (population 3,000,000), a man relieves himself in the dirt next to his tin shack, holding his nose to ward off the stench of a nearby overflowing…
occupied Palestinian territory: Professional Development Training for Veterinarians from the Palestinian Authority
Relief Web 2 Jan 2013 – Source: Government of Israel Country: occupied Palestinian territory On Tuesday, the Agricultural Department of the Civil Administration began a three-day professional development training for veterinarians from the Palestinian Authority`s Ministry of Agriculture. The training will enhance their professional knowledge while…
Bollywood in the dock over Indian gang rape
The National 2 Jan 2013 – Critics say India’s film industry encourages sexual violence against women and is ‘a monster that has gone horribly wrong’.
Buy a gun? That’s easy. But cooking gas …
The National 2 Jan 2013 – In clandestine assignations under cover of darkness, large sums of money change hands. Phil Sands attempts to buy a rare, precious canister of gas in Damascus
Politician pens ‘lovey-dovey’ song for Bollywood film
The National 2 Jan 2013 – Film examines gun use and link between politics and crime.
Mubarak retrial possible after report says he watched uprising
The National 2 Jan 2013 – In his trial for the deaths of some 900 protesters during the uprising, Mubarak denied knowing the size of the protests or that violence was used against them.
Customers frustrated as Abu Dhabi shops shut down
The National 2 Jan 2013 – Abu Dhabi residents awoke yesterday to find many of their corner groceries had closed for good, and some are wondering why…
Syria’s civil war toll is now 60,000, says UN
The National 2 Jan 2013 – UN researchers cross-referenced seven sources to compile a list of 59,648 individuals reported killed between March 15, 2011, and November 30 of last year.
Family of slain Filipina in UAE celebrates her birthday
The National 2 Jan 2013 – The family of murdered Dubai businesswoman, Lorna Lim Varaona, gathered to celebrate what would have been her 52nd birthday.
Nubians fear for heritage as ancient clashes with modern
The National 2 Jan 2013 – The Nubian people have a rich history but as modern life increasingly impacts on their heritage, they are having to redefine their role in the world. Alice Fordham reports from Khartoum
How the parties you’ve never heard of – and probably never will – could decide the elections
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
Israel’s prestigious Wolf Prize honors scientists, architect
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
Israel’s chief rabbis back anti-abortion group: ‘Killing fetuses is murder’
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
IDF cadet misfires during training, seriously wounds her commander
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
A renegade rabbi, an ultra-right party, and Kadima battle to pass the threshold
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
IAF aircrew ejects F-16 fighter jet during landing
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
Israeli military court indicts alleged mastermind behind Tel Aviv bus bombing
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
Cell phone linked to Netanyahu’s office mailbox stolen at Jerusalem mall
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
Israeli women’s groups petition AG for say in picking chief rabbis
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
East Jerusalem, where the streets have no (political) names
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
West Bank clashes erupt as undercover IDF unit arrests wanted Palestinian
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
State bars Westerners living in West Bank from entering Israel, East Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
Israel begins charging evicted Gaza settlers for their mobile homes
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
Poll: Likud-Beiteinu losing more ground to Habayit Hayehudi
Ha’aretz – 2 Jan 2013
Israel Police to recommend indicting Feiglin for trying to pray on Temple Mount
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2013
What interests Israelis? The United States, Rabin, and the zipper
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2013
IDF bursts Livni’s Iron Dome bubble
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2013
Man indicted for running over J’lem policeman
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – According to indictment, 37-year-old resident of Jebl Mukaber, hit and injured a police officer, before slamming into a concrete wall.
PM to address envoys following Amidror rebuke
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Meeting with PM comes after senior security official tells envoys if they can’t represent Israeli policies they should quit or join politics.
Livni: Environmental issues are crucial to party
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Tzipi Livni Party leader tells ‘Post’ she is taking a new holistic approach and politics, economy and environment are all connected issues.
Comptroller’s Harpaz Affair report to be published
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Gantz: Events surrounding efforts to discredit Maj.-Gen. Galant an ‘ugly carcass’ polluting IDF.
IDF: Settlers attack Palestinian village of Jalud
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Some 20 settlers throw stones at Palestinians, damage vehicles and beat up Palestinian in his home at village near Esh Kodesh outpost; land dispute has generated a number of violent incidents in recent days.
Rabbi: Exhibit ‘greater honesty’ toward gays
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Aharon Lichtenstein, dean of Yeshivat Har Etzion, calls for tolerance of homosexuality in light of its “unfortunate” prevalence.
‘Iranian Jew murdered, was dating IRGC’s daughter’
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Channel 2 reports that 24-year-old Daniel Magrufta murdered last week; Jewish community suspects girlfriend involved in murder.
‘Accept women’s marriage registration testimony’
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Chief Rabbi Metzger to issue directive to accept women’s testimony regarding martial status for purposes of registration.
Akim urges society to see the person, not disability
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – In recent survey, 67 percent of respondents said they did not know how to talk to a person with intellectual disabilities.
Is Apple Maps about to change its Waze?
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Report say the tech giant made an offer to buy the Israeli company.
Israeli produce found in Lebanon exposes trade
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Uproar caused by discovery of Israeli goods in Lebanese supermarket highlights complex subject of Israeli-Arab trade.
The disengagement as a system failure
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Those who recognized the disengagement as the act of despotism it was ought to consider how our form of government affects the policies which are adopted and how it should be changed to ensure that a plan that pits soldiers against thousands of their countrymen is never approved again.
Media Comment: The poverty festival
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Unfortunately, our media seems to be rather lazy. Bad headlines always sell well.
Fundamentally Freund: A soldier’s father’s prayer
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Why must our children spend three or more years in green uniforms rather than amid the green grasses of a college campus? After 2,000 years of torture and torment, why won’t the world simply leave us alone and let us live?
Stop playing the ‘Zionist card’
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – No party can or should claim to be the party of Zionism. It is time for parties to stop playing politics with Zionism and, if they won’t, I hope voters will not be fooled by such tactics.
Inside Out: Why vote for Likud Beytenu?
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Why vote Likud Beytenu? The lack of a better alternative hardly qualifies as a good answer.
Speed kills
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Indeed, road deaths in Israel rose from 314 in 2009 to 352 in 2010, the year after Transportation Minister Israel Katz increased speed limits once before.
Likud to warn its voters: We could lose the election
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Amid drop in polls, PM reportedly scolds heads of his campaign; party to warn voters against voting for small Right parties.
‘55% think male PM better suited to deal with Iran’
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – WIZO survey: While 70% don’t rule out that a woman could be PM in next decade, 77% don’t see female defense minister soon.
Liberman: Case against me weak, I will be cleared
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Yisrael Beytenu leader says “all the testimony supports my version of events”; rejects polls that show plummeting support.
‘Iran captures two US-made surveillance drones’
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Iranian naval commander says RQ11 Raven drones brought down in separate incidents in August 2011, November 2012.
‘Wash. Post’: Settlements not main peace obstacle
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Newspaper’s editorial board says prospective limited expansion of settlements does not preclude emergence of Palestinian state.
012 story of the year: Operation Pillar of Defense
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – ‘Jerusalem Post’ readers choose IDF operation in Gaza to stop rocket fire on South and Tel Aviv bus bombing as biggest Israeli story of 2012.
UN: Over 60,000 dead in Syria conflict
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – UN Human Rights Commissioner Pillay describes as “shocking” number of casualties in Syria since uprising began in March 2011.
‘Syrian air strike hits petrol station, killing 30’
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Activists say some 30 civilians were killed when Syrian warplanes bombed a petrol station in a rebel controlled suburb in Damascus.
Israel should annex the Jordan Valley
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – A ground invasion from the east would be detrimental to the existence of the Jewish state.
013
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – NGO report indicates ecological corridors in Center and Haifa regions are notably vulnerable.
012: Syria’s ongoing uprising
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Will the Assad regime fall, and if so, how long will it take? Will there be an intervention by neighboring states, the US or Israel?
012 edition
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Experts recognize “a new actor” in the region: The people.
Germany, Israel to fund J’lem brain research center
Jerusalem Post 2 Jan 2013 – Hebrew University, Max Planck Society to build a new brain research center to serve as teaching, research facility in the field.
Likud members call for Israeli annexation of West Bank territories
The Guardian 2 Jan 2013 – Prominent members of ruling party urge annexation of ‘Area C’ as battle for rightwing votes intensifies before general election Prominent members of Israel’s ruling Likud party have proposed the annexation of part of the West Bank…
Bought, Sold and Abused in Yemen
IPS Twenty-one-year-old Aisha clings to her two children as she recounts her tale of horror. Growing up in the Somali capital Mogadishu, she fell in love and bore a child out of wedlock four years ago. When her family threatened her life for destroying her ‘honour’, Aisha escaped. She braved the…
Ongoing Ethnic Cleansing: Israeli Settlers to Take Over Another Palestinian Home
Uruknet
013 to Tell President Obama to “Close Guantánamo”
Uruknet
The coming drone attack on America
Uruknet
Red Crescent attacked during settler raids in Qusra
Uruknet
Review of the Year Part 3: Resisting the Drone
Uruknet
Enforcing Housing Rights: The Case of Sheikh Jarrah
Uruknet
Occupation grants soldier who killed Salaymeh a medal of honor
Uruknet
012: The Year of the Israeli Settlement
Uruknet
US Congress ending without aid on storm
Daily Star 2 Jan 2013 The current term of the U.S Congress is set to end this week with no action on aid for the superstorm that left more than 100 dead and thousands homeless in three northeast states and lawmakers…
Clinton speaking to staff by phone: officials
Daily Star 2 Jan 2013 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wednesday spoke to her staff and aides by phone as she undergoes treatment for a rare blood clot close to her brain, a top US official said.
FIFA wants VIP status for Palestinian sports chief
Daily Star 2 Jan 2013 FIFA is asking Israel to return VIP status to Palestinian football union President Jibril Rajoub, allowing him to enter Israel without security checks.
Israel Orders Families in Jordan Valley to Leave Homes
Stop The Wall – Palestinian Grassroots Anti-apartheid Wall Campaign Military Trainings in The Jordan Valley JORDAN VALLEY, December 31, 2012 (WAFA) – The Israeli military ordered more than 1000 Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley to leave their homes for 48 hours to allow the army to conduct military exercise in that area, an…
Palestinian Home Demolished in East Jerusalem
Stop The Wall – Palestinian Grassroots Anti-apartheid Wall Campaign Demolished House in Jerusalem JERUSALEM, January 1, 2013 (WAFA) – Workers from the Israeli West Jerusalem municipality Tuesday demolished a Palestinian home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawieh under the pretext it was built without a permit, according to the house owner. Ahmad Issawi,…
2 Jordanian peacekeepers freed in Darfur
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – ….
Hillary Clinton leaves New York hospital with family, aide
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – ….
Not Baron Netanyahu’s clerks
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – Op-ed: Attack on envoy who questioned rationale behind timing of E1 construction plans bewildering ….
Settlers say IDF forces razed last Oz Zion building
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – ….
UN: 84,000 people fled Syria in December
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – ….
Hungary enacts higher pensions for Holocaust survivors
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – ….
Gaza truce falling apart
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – Analysis: Terror groups resumed development of long-range rockets shortly after Pillar of Defense ended ….
Who are the extremists?
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – Op-ed: Norwegian citizen says it’s time to confront anti-Israel activists with some tough questions ….
US Congress resolves ‘fiscal cliff’ drama
YNet News, 2 Jan 2013 – By vote of 257 to 167, House of Representatives approves bill preventing huge tax hikes and spending cuts ….
Teenage girl says she was stoned by haredi boys
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – Girl says she was mobbed, assaulted by group of yeshiva boys over her appearance. ‘I never though this could happen,’ she says ….
Tamoun raid hints as to covert unit’s ops
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – Military, Border Guard say sweep of Jenin-adjacent village successful despite hours-long riot that ensued. Islamic Jihad operative nabbed during op turned over to Shin Bet for interrogation ….
Friends of Israeli held in Egypt insist he’s ‘a peacenik’
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – Andre Pshenichnikov’s friends say espionage, terror allegations ‘ridiculous’; insist he’s an avid peace activist ….
Clashes in Syria shut down Aleppo airport
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – Clashes between troops, rebels force international airport in Aleppo to stop all flights; fierce battles rage in Damascus suburbs ….
Woman jailed for drowning son seeks IVF
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – Olga Borisov, who was convicted of killing her son, asks court to allow her to undergo fertility treatments so she can have another baby ….
National security adviser chided for snapping at envoys
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – Former diplomats say Yaakov Amidror’s response to ambassadors’ questions over Israel’s settlement construction was unbecoming ….
Prices go up, seniors go under
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – As cost of living continues to rise, new survey says seniors give up necessities to pay utilities. ‘Government needs more heart,’ one senior says ….
Egypt remands Israeli detainee for 15 days
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – Cairo Prosecution to keep Andre Pshenichnikov in custody pending further investigation ….
Report: Palestinians to outnumber Jews by 2020
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – PA‘s Central Bureau of Statistics’ global census says some 11.6 million Palestinian live worldwide; numbers in Middle East to reach 7.2 million in 2020 – compared to 6.9 million jews ….
Report: Israel, Syrian defectors negotiate return of spy’s remains
YNet News, 1 Jan 2013 – Arab newspaper quotes Jordan elements as saying Syrian defectors are in contact with Israel to return Eli Cohen’s remains ….
Palestinian Information Center
013 will witness final end to the siege on Gaza
PIC – Independent MP Dr. Jamal Al-Khudari has opined that 2013 would witness a final end to the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip that has been in force for six years.
IOF soldiers detain four liberated prisoners
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) nabbed four liberated prisoners in Beit Ummar village, to the north of Al-Khalil, on Wednesday including an anti-settlement activist.
The prisoners in Eichel prison preparing protest steps
PIC – The Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli Eichel detention center are preparing to escalate their protest steps inside the prison, “in rejection of the jailer’s continuous criminal practices”
Haniyeh: ending siege, reconstruction and reconciliation our priorities
PIC – The Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said that his government will work in the current year on strengthening its relations with the Arab and Islamic surroundings.
Occupation postpones the trial of captive al-Issawi
PIC – The Israeli Ofer Military Court has postponed the trial of the captive Samer al-Issawi, who has been on hunger strike since 160 day, for one month from today.
Hamas’s refugee affairs department launches its English website
PIC – The Refugee Affairs Department of Hamas announced on Tuesday evening, the launch of its English website.
Marches and activities in Jenin in support of prisoners
PIC – A march in solidarity with the prisoners on hunger strike was launched on Tuesday evening from the Grand Mosque in the town of Ya’bad south of Jenin.
Bardawil: We did not receive any invitation for reconciliation talks in Cairo
PIC – Hamas called on Fatah movement to play its full role to pressure the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah to end the file of political detention and support the national reconciliation atmosphere.
Nassif: The Palestinians will not accept displacement
PIC – The leader in Hamas Rafat Nasif stated that the Israeli calls to displace Palestinians from the West Bank aim to complete the Israeli project of ending the Palestinian presence on the ground.
IOF storms Nablus, settlers break into Yossef’s Tomb
PIC – The IOF stormed the eastern region of the city of Nablus early Wednesday, while settlers stormed Youssef’s Tomb area in the Balata village east of the city in order to perform religious rituals.
Cabinet Confirms Efforts to Confront Financial Crisis
WAFA – 2 Jan 2013
Raids and Attacks near Jenin, Leading to Clashes
WAFA – 2 Jan 2013
Non Aligned Movement Condemns Israeli Settlement Plans, Freeze of PA Money
WAFA – 2 Jan 2013
Settlers Attack Palestinian Farmers near Nablus
WAFA – 2 Jan 2013
In Egypt, young revolutionaries feeling despair
LA Times 1 Jan 2013 – Some of those who acted as the shock troops of 2011’s revolution in Egypt see themselves as lost under the ruling Islamists. CAIRO — Many of Egypt’s twentysomething generation, hungry for a just society and economic opportunities, say they see themselves as lost after last…
World Briefing | Africa: Ivory Coast: Barricades Are Blamed for Stampede
New York Times 2 Jan 2013 – Survivors of a stampede after a New Year’s Eve fireworks display said Wednesday that makeshift barricades had prevented them from moving along a main boulevard.
Judge Rules Memo on Targeted Killing Can Remain Secret
New York Times 2 Jan 2013 – A federal judge refused to require the Justice Department to disclose a memorandum providing the legal justification for the killing of a United States citizen in Yemen in 2011.
Dozens of Syrians Killed in Explosions Around Damascus
New York Times 2 Jan 2013 – Blasts at a gas station east of the capital and in a suburb came as the United Nations said more than 60,000 people had been killed in Syria’s 22-month conflict.
IHT Special: Syrian Refugees Strain Resources in Jordan
New York Times 2 Jan 2013 – Despite plans by aid organizations to help at least 50,000 urban refugees, a large number will be left out because of the rising numbers of Syrians fleeing across the border each day.
More Than 60,000 Have Died in Syrian Conflict, U.N. Says
New York Times 2 Jan 2013 – The United Nations’ human rights chief, Navi Pillay, on Wednesday voiced dismay over an analysis that far exceeds earlier estimates of the toll in 22-month-old war.
Apple in talks to buy Waze – report
Globes Main News – According to a report on technology website TechCrunch and Israeli website NewsGeek, the technology giant is offering $400 million for the popular navigation app.
High-tech salaries steady despite cutbacks
Globes Main News – Dialog Consulting: The number of hardware jobs fell by 34% in 2012, compared with 2011.
Tel Aviv to get 2nd fast lane
Globes Main News – The fast lane from the south will run from west Rishon LeZion.
Wed: Tamar partners boost TASE
Globes Main News – Delek units Avner and Delek Drilling rose strongly as the market continued its 2013 rally.
Shekel still strengthening against dollar
Globes Main News – FXCM Israel sees the shekel-dollar exchange rate falling to NIS 3.70/$.
Tshuva delists Elad Canada
Globes Main News – Elad Properties offered to buy the public’s 11.7% stake in the company at NIS 16.60 per share.
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Globes Macro Economics – The average shekel-dollar exchange rate was NIS 3.86/$ in 2012, up 7.8% on 2011.
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Globes Macro Economics – Industrial output fell by 1.2% in September-October of 2012, after rising by 3.2% in July-August.
Only 7% believe woman can tackle Iran – survey
Globes Macro Economics – WIZO Israel chairwoman Gila Oshrat: The survey’s findings depict a dismal picture about the Israeli public’s perception of women.
The middle class is shrinking
Globes Macro Economics – Israeli citizens are prepared to put up with anything, providing the government wages wars and conducts military operations, large and small.
NYPD Arrests Suspect in Subway Murder, Hate Crime Charged
Tikun Olam – Erika Menendez then… New York police arrested a 31 year-old woman suspected of murdering a man in Queens by pushing him in the path of an oncoming subway train a few days ago. Though she fled the scene, she was found and taken into custody today…
The dead two-state dream remains alive in mainstream media
Mondoweiss – (Photo: Reuters) The two-state solution is dead , killed by state-supported Israeli colonies that have pushed the Palestinians into cantons behind walls, checkpoints and blockades. But the U.S. mainstream won’t tell you that: they’re keeping the solution on life-support, pretending its still possible. And the continued promotion…
Consensus: Right wing govt minister says Israel is not a state of all its citizens; liberal Zionist icon calls for cantons to avoid bi-nationalism
Mondoweiss – Two recent statements — one from a right wing government minister and the other a liberal Zionist icon — reveal the staggering degree of racism in Israeli political discourse. The first comes from Israeli Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat, who is a member of Netanyahu’s Likud…
The Establishment fights back (Hagel gets nod from Volcker, Hills, Wolfensohn, Crocker)
Mondoweiss – As we await Act II– or is it 22?– of Obama’s endless dithering over Chuck Hagel, the Establishment is fighting back. Hagel is getting a lot of support from conservatives and members in good standing of what we used to call the ruling class. Ryan Crocker,…
Abbas threatens to dissolve Oslo as protests rise over PA’s untenable financial situation
Mondoweiss – Palestinians security officers face off against protesters during clashes in the West Bank city of Hebron, September 2012. (Photo: Reuters) Last week while Palestinian Authority (PA) employees announced their second strike in the past 30 days, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas responded indirectly by threatening to dissolve…
The coming divorce: US Reform Jewish orgs ignore memo from Jerusalem re Palestinian statehood
Mondoweiss – I often write about the inevitable divorce between American Jewry and Israel: because Israel is not good for the Jews, because Israel is giving Jews a bad image, (as warmongers and special interest lobbyists, replacing our traditional role as social justice liberals). David Remnick epitomizes the…
Hillary Clinton Discharged From Hospital
The Foward Breaking News 2 Jan 2013 – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was discharged from hospital on Wednesday after being treated for a blood clot in a vein behind her right ear, and her doctors expect her to make a full recovery, a State Department spokesman said. Click here for the rest of…
Lapid Vows To Shake Up Israel’s Orthodox
The Foward Breaking News 2 Jan 2013 – In a matter of months, Yair Lapid has turned from heartthrob television news anchor into a rising star of Israeli politics, leading a new centrist party into elections on Jan. 22. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israel Hopes To Reclaim Share of Diamond Trade
The Forward New 2 Jan 2013 – Israel has a long love affair with the diamond industry. It’s hoping to recapture a share of the cutting and polishing business that has moved to India and China. Click here for the rest of the article…
Egypt: Saudi Arabia Adjourns Trial of Egyptian Lawyer
allAfrica.com 2 Jan 2013 – [HRInfo]On the hearing of January 2, 2013, a Saudi court adjourned the trial of the Egyptian lawyer “El-Gezawi”. The prosecution had pressed the charges of smuggling narcotic substances to Saudi-Arabia in cooperation with an Egyptian pharmacist and a Saudi citizen to hearing of January 7, 2013…
Egypt: ZAAZOU Probes Means to Boost Cooperation With Saudi Arabia
allAfrica.com 2 Jan 2013 – [Egypt Online]Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou met on Tuesday 1/1/2013 with Saudi Ambassador Ahmed al-Qattan to review how to foster Egypt’s cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
Syria unrest ‘has killed 60,000’
BBC 2 Jan 2013 – More than 60,000 people have died since March 2011 in Syria, a sharp jump on other estimates, says the UN human rights commissioner.
Bishop Donald R. Corder: The Breath of Hope
Sabbah report 2 Jan 2013 – Just as the blood of righteous Abel cried out from the ground and brought testimony with judgment against Cain for the murder of his brother. So shall the blood of the innocents condemn the networks comprising the Zionist – US collaboration for global domination; as giving…
Alan Hart: The message from an Israeli think-tank all pro-Palestinian activist groups need to hear
Sabbah report 2 Jan 2013 – The Palestinian Authority’s role and influence on anti-Israel advocacy is limited. “More than anything,” contends the study, “the conduct of these bodies reflects the anti-Israel advocacy campaign’s absolute failure to unify organizations and activists in this context around a single, coherent, official message.” Read More: Alan…
Egyptian Jews and the Muslim Brotherhood
Al-Akhbar Blogs 2 Jan 2013 – There is no question about it: the Muslim Brotherhood’s organizations all over the Arab world have stumbled on a foreign policy governing formula that ruling Arab families have stuck to for decades. It’s simple: an alliance between a governing party or a ruling family in the…
Relatives of Lebanese abductees may suspend protests
Al-Akhbar News 2 Jan 2013 – Relatives of Lebanese abductees in Syria have suspended protests after Interior Minister Marwan Charbel appealed for calm, sources told Lebanese news station LBCI. Earlier today, the relatives staged a sit-in outside a Turkish Airlines office in central Beirut, sealing the locks to the building with red…
Egypt journalist probed for ‘insulting’ Mursi
Al-Akhbar News 2 Jan 2013 – An Egyptian newspaper editor is under investigation for allegedly insulting President Mohamed Mursi, a prosecution source said on Wednesday, a day after a similar probe was launched against a comedian. State prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim ordered the investigation into Abdel Halim Qandil, editor of the Sawt al-Umma…
Abducted journalist’s family launches online appeal
Al-Akhbar News 2 Jan 2013 – A picture taken on 5 November 2012 in Aleppo shows US freelance reporter James Foley, who was kidnapped in war-torn Syria six weeks ago and has been missing since, his family revealed on 2 January 2013. (Photo: AFP/Nicole Tung) A picture taken on 5 November 2012…
A “Handcuffed” Education Behind Bars
Al-Akhbar News 2 Jan 2013 – Faced with an educational dead end, the young man had no choice but to skim through books on his own. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Faced with an educational dead end, the young man had no choice but to skim through books on his own. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)…
Over 60,000 dead in Syria: UN
Al-Akhbar News 2 Jan 2013 – (Photo: Reuters – Abu Muhammad Al-Azazi) (Photo: Reuters – Abu Muhammad Al-Azazi) Updated 7:05 pm: At least 60,000 people have died in Syria’s conflict, UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay said on Wednesday, citing an “exhaustive” UN-commissioned study. Over five months of analysis, researchers cross-referenced seven…
For Makeup and Meat, Ostrich Farms Thrive in the Bekaa
Al-Akhbar News 2 Jan 2013 – The ostrich, at over two meters high, is distinguished from other birds by its inability to fly and its quick running speeds. (Photo: AL-Akhbar) The ostrich, at over two meters high, is distinguished from other birds by its inability to fly and its quick running speeds. (…
Lebanon’s Fanar Juvenile Center: Childhood Lost
Al-Akhbar Series and Features 2 Jan 2013 – The kids come to us from broken families and are surrounded by lies. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) The kids come to us from broken families and are surrounded by lies. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Between the ages of 7 and 18, the detainees at Lebanon’s Fanar juvenile center…
Lebanon: Stories of Women Behind Bars
Al-Akhbar Series and Features 1 Jan 2013 – She has been behind bars for four and half years now. (Photo: Haytham alMoussawi) She has been behind bars for four and half years now. (Photo: Haytham alMoussawi) In Lebanon’s Baabda prison for women, there is no shortage of appalling stories. From false imprisonment to domestic…
Syria unrest ‘has killed 60,000’
BBC 2 Jan 2013 – More than 60,000 people have died since March 2011 in Syria, a sharp jump on other estimates, says the UN human rights commissioner.
Release for Jordanians in Darfur
BBC 2 Jan 2013 – Two Jordanian UN peacekeepers are freed in Darfur, Sudan, after more than four months.
VIDEO: 60,000 dead in Syrian unrest
BBC 2 Jan 2013 – More than 60,000 people have been killed since Syria’s uprising began in March 2011, the UN has said.
Protests against Maliki engulf western Iraq
BBC 2 Jan 2013 – New Sunni protest movement challenges Iraq’s political order
Articles
Jordan Valley families expelled from Israeli ‘firing zone’ during Gaza attack remain uprooted
IRIN, Electronic Intifada 1/2/2013
JIFTLIK (IRIN) – For those who recently watched images of the Israeli bombardment in Gaza, the wide open hills of the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank appear as a stark contrast.
Flocks of sheep accompanied by their herders cross the hillsides, home to some of the most fertile land in all of historic Palestine.
And yet despite the abundant land and resources, Palestinians living in the valley are some of the poorest in the West Bank, lacking even the most basic infrastructure.
The Jordan Valley is marked by a patchwork of zones in which Palestinians are allowed to live, which leave little room for maneuver.
“These restrictions have removed their ability to be self-sustaining. They are in an artificial humanitarian crisis; they have the capacity, the training, the education, but because of man-made restrictions, they are made vulnerable,” Ramesh Rajasingham from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said. Out of bounds
For a start, much of the valley is officially out of bounds to Palestinians — 44 percent is marked as closed Israeli military zones (including so-called firing zones) and nature reserves. An additional 50 percent is controlled by Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law. That leaves only 6 percent for Palestinians, according to figures from Save the Children (“Fact sheet: Jordan Valley,” October 2009 [PDF]).
A second layer of restrictions reinforces this exclusion…. — See also: Save the Children – Fact sheet: Jordan Valley more.. e-mail
Anti-Christian graffiti sprayed on church in destroyed Galilee village of Bir’em
Haggai Matar, +972 Magazine 1/2/2013
PHOTOS – The internally displaced community of Bir’em found abusive graffiti, stars of David and the word ‘revenge’ sprayed on its church, graveyard and other buildings. Yet the act of vandalism is but one of the community’s problems, as it continues its struggle for return.
Last week, several days after they celebrated Christmas, the former residents of Bir’em discovered the graffiti, as well as flammable liquid that had been poured at the entrance of the Church of Our Lady in the village, which has been mostly demolished. As reported in Haaretz, the Committee for the Uprooted of Kafar Bir’em filed an official complaint to police, but no suspects have been identified.
“This is the second time in the last month that something like this has happened,” says Deeb Maroun, a member of the committee. “Just three weeks ago, someone sprayed ‘revenge’ on the floor of the former school, and put racist stickers on the walls. This has never happened in all the 64 years since we were uprooted from the village, although we have seen cases of gravestone desecration in previous years. While of course you can’t be certain as to the identity of these vandals, it appears to be part of an ugly plague that has been sweeping the entire country, through Jerusalem churches, the Latrun Monastery and more.”
On Saturday, the entire community gathered from all neighboring villages for the weekly prayer. Worshippers had cleaned the church of the graffiti ahead of time, but other offensive slogans have remained in its vicinity, as the villagers are not allowed to touch anything in the “national park” that was once their home, which now serves as picnic grounds for vacationing families. more.. e-mail
Palestinian PR coordination and unity
Alan Hart, Redress 1/2/2013
The message from an Israeli think-tank all pro-Palestinian activist groups need to hear
One of the best articles I read in the whole of 2012 was published at the tail end of the year, on 30 December, by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz…
The article was written by Barak Ravid. The headline over it was “Think tank: Israel’s poor international image not the fault of failed hasbara” (the Hebrew word for explaining and advocacy, for which read propaganda).
The subject of the article was the first report of a new Israeli think-tank, Molad: The Centre for the Renewal of Democracy. Outside Israel there are probably very, very few people who have heard of Molad, so let’s start with what it is.
Here is Ravid’s own description:
“Molad, established less than a year ago [in January 2012] is a think tank devoted to providing Israel’s liberal left with new ideas regarding matters of foreign policy and security, as well as socioeconomic issues. The new study is the first project released by Molad as part of an effort to infuse leftist ideas in Israeli public discourse. This effort, the centre believes, will help resuscitate a political camp which is currently on its deathbed.”
Molad’s governance includes a Public Council chaired by a former Speaker of the Israeli Knesset, Avraham Burg, who for some years has been expressing with passion his disillusion with what Israel has become and his fears about where it is taking the Jews. In an op-ed for the New York Times last August, he castigated Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for his “warmongering” and Israel for its “unconscionable treatment of the Palestinians. more.. e-mail
The politics of Palestinian partition
Mahmoud N. Musa, Al-Ahram Weekly 12/25/2012
Palestine’s managerial class cannot be trusted with making decisions about the partition of historic Palestine, which should be made by the whole of the Palestinian people.
“At some point, Mr Abbas must admit to his people that most of the refugees will never return to Israel: that is the price of partition.” This statement appeared on page 14 of the issue of The Economist dated 24-30 September 2011. The Economist is a weekly British journal that distributes over one million copies of every issue and to a large extent represents the mainstream of Western political and economic thought.
The logic of partition is that there are two sides to the some coin. If there is going to be a Palestinian state, this means that there is going to be a Jewish state. The partition of the land means the separation of the people who live on it. For the Palestinians to have a separate state, and also have their people return to Israel, would be having one’s cake and eating it at the same time. It is true that the Palestinians have the legal and moral right to return to their original homes, but one gives up one thing to get another: the Palestinians would be giving up their right of return in exchange for getting a state. To think otherwise would be eccentric logically and a form of self-deception.
Yet, the politics of partition do not end there, since they affect Palestinians in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Upon the formation of such a state, the Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria would become the citizens of the new state. This would mean that in Jordan they would lose what little political rights they currently have, something that is being openly discussed by influential groups such as the retired military organisation in Jordan. Surplus people and the discontented would be pressured to move to their own state. In Lebanon and probably also in Syria, Palestinian refugees would be moved from temporary camps to permanent ones in the West Bank or Gaza. more.. e-mail
Gaza refugee camps portrayed as vibrant and vulnerable in Palestinian contemporary art shown in London
Electronic Intifada: 2 Jan 2013 – Sarah Irving 2 January 2013 Work from all of historic Palestine is displayed at a London exhibition.more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
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