22 January 2012 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Former Detainee Dies Due To Medical Neglect While In Prison
IMEMC – The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported, Monday evening, that a former Palestinian political prisoner from Hebron, died at a hospital in Jerusalem after falling into a coma 50 days ago due to a serious health condition resulting from his imprisonment by Israel, and the lack of medical treated while in prison. …
Settlers Uproot Olive Saplings In Al-Khader
IMEMC – Tuesday January 22, a number of armed extremist Israeli settlers invaded an orchard that belongs to a local resident of the Al-Khader city, near Bethlehem, and uprooted several olive saplings in addition to digging a road in the middle of the orchard. …
Soldiers Invade Several West Bank Districts, Kidnap Residents
IMEMC – Tuesday – January 22, Israeli soldiers invaded several towns and villages in the occupied West Bank, broke into and searched dozens of homes and kidnapped a number of residents including two children. …
Israeli Bulldozers Remove Large Areas of Ma’man-Allah (Mamanullah) Graveyard
IMEMC – Monday January 21, The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage reported that Israeli bulldozers removed and bulldozed large areas of the lands of the Mananullah historic Islamic graveyard, in occupied Jerusalem, as part of Israel’s plan to build the so-called “Museum Of Tolerance”. …
Witnesses: Settlers, forces expand Halamish settlement
1/22/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Jewish settlers, accompanied by Israeli forces, on Tuesday began work expanding Halamish settlement in the central West Bank, witnesses said. Settlers and Israeli forces arrived at dawn with trucks and bulldozers and set up 50 mobile homes on land belonging to Nabi Saleh, a village near Ramallah, witnesses told Ma’….
Ministry: Boy wounded in Gaza explosion
1/22/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A 12-year-old boy was critically injured Tuesday in an explosion near al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, a health ministry official said. An unidentified object exploded in an agricultural area east of the camp, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said, adding that the device may have been left….
Beit Ummar teens spend year in Israeli jail
1/22/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Eight teenagers from the southern West Bank town of Beit Ummar have spent almost a year behind bars in Israeli jails, deprived of their basic rights including education. On March 7, 2012, Israeli troops ransacked the homes of eight teenagers who then found themselves in prison cells facing Israeli interrogators. Saed….
Farmers: Nablus village flooded by settlement sewage
1/22/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Farmers in the northern West Bank village of Sebastiya in Nablus say their fields have become a dump for waste-water from the nearby Israeli settlement Shave Shomron. Since early January, settlers have been pumping their sewage into the al-Khallah area of Sebastiya, flooding fields and damaging crops, local mayor Nael al-Shaer….
Gunmen ‘try to assassinate PFLP-GC leader’ in Nablus
1/22/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Unidentified gunmen attempted to assassinate a leader from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command in Nablus on Monday night, the group said Tuesday. The gunmen waited for Muhammad Jibril outside his home and fired multiple rounds at his car when he returned. He managed to escape from….
Army: Israeli soldier hurt by rock near Nabi Saleh
1/22/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian hurled rocks at Israeli forces near the Nabi Saleh village in the occupied West Bank, lightly injuring a soldier, an army official said Tuesday. Palestinians “hurled rocks at soldiers near Hallamish,” an illegal settlement near Nabi Saleh, causing light injuries, a military spokeswoman told Ma’an. Tuesday’s….
Report: Israeli police arrest man in Al-Aqsa compound
1/22/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police arrested a Palestinian man in the al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem on Tuesday, the official news agency Wafa reported. A guard at the Al-Aqsa Mosque said that Israeli police officers were escorting a group of over 100 Jewish extremists on a tour of the mosque grounds, Wafa reported. A man….
G4S nominated for annual ‘worst company’ award
1/22/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The British security firm G4S has been nominated for the Public Eye Awards, a recognition handed out to the world’s “worst” companies each year at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos. The firm, which has been nominated for “countless cases of violations of international law and human rights….
Malaysian premier arrives in Gaza Strip
1/22/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The prime minister of Malaysia arrived in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the first visit of its kind in diplomatic relations between both governments. Prime Minister Muhammad Najib Abdul Razak arrived in Gaza via the Rafah crossing, accompanied by his wife, and was welcomed by a Hamas delegation led by….
Gaza crossing closed for Israel elections
1/22/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities closed the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, as general elections take place across the country. An official in the Palestinian crossings department told Ma’an that the crossing would reopen Wednesday. Erez crossing is also partially closed due to voting, with….
Palestinians see no hope for peace in Israeli polls
1/22/2013 – RAMALLAH (Reuters) — Palestinians evinced weary indifference on Tuesday as Israelis voted in an election set to produce a hardline government keener to expand Jewish settlements on occupied land than seek peace.” Regardless of who wins, the result is the same: Israelis want this land but not the people,” said Ahmed Amro, a professor at Al-Quds….
UK says two-state solution almost dead
1/22/2013 – LONDON (Reuters) — Britain said on Tuesday prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are almost dead because of expanding Jewish settlement in occupied territory, and warned Israel it was losing international support. Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke as Israelis voted in an election likely to yield a hardline rightist government keener to thicken….
Abbas office criticizes Malaysia premier visit to Gaza
1/22/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The office of President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday criticized a visit by Malaysian premierMuhammad Najib Abdul Razak to the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Authority media reported. Abbas’ office said in a statement that the Malaysian prime minister’s visit to the Hamas-run enclave harmed the legitimate representative of the Palestinian…. Related: Malaysia donates $800,000 to Gaza health projects
Malaysia donates $800,000 to Gaza health projects
1/22/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Malaysia will donate $800,000 to fund two healthcare projects in the Gaza Strip, the Malaysian premier’s wife announced Tuesday during a visit to the enclave. Rosmah Mansor, wife of Malaysian Prime Minister Muhammad Najib Abdul Razak, announced the funds during a reception at the Abdul-Aziz al-Rantisi Hospital in…. Related: Abbas office criticizes Malaysia premier visit to Gaza
PLO leader predicts far-right Israel government after vote
1/22/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – The Israeli elections are likely to produce an even more extremist right-wing government led by the current prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says senior PLO official Muhammad Ishtayya. In a lecture at the Ramallah branch of Al-Quds Open University, Ishtayya said the new government would build more settlements, “however, the Israelis know….
Netanyahu says preventing nuclear Iran his primary challenge
1/22/2013 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Reuters) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an election victory speech on Wednesday, said preventing a nuclear-armed Iran would be the primary challenge of the new government he intends to form.” The government we build will be based on three main principles. First of all, military strength in the face of the….
Netanyahu claims election victory
1/23/2013 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emerged the bruised winner of Israel’s election on Tuesday, claiming victory despite unexpected losses to resurgent center-left challengers. Exit polls showed the Israeli leader’s Likud party, yoked with the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu group, would still be the biggest bloc in the 120-member assembly….
Israel goes to polls, set to re-elect Netanyahu
1/22/2013 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israelis voted on Tuesday in an election that is expected to see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win a third term in office, pushing the state further to the right, away from peace with the Palestinians and toward a showdown with Iran. However, Netanyahu’s own Likud party, running alongside the ultra-nationalist Yisrael….
Spoiled for choice, Israelis vote under winter sun
1/22/2013 – MACCABIM, Israel (Reuters) — Yehudit Shimshi had fire in her eyes after she voted in a leafy Israeli suburb on Tuesday, but resignation in her voice. Her hope for an end to the “reign” of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forlorn, she admitted.” There is a king sitting on the throne in Israel and I want….
Exit polls in Israel show right-wing bloc winning slim majority
1/22/2013 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Exit polls in Israel on Tuesday showed a bloc of right-wing parties winning between 61 and 62 seats in the country’s 120-member parliament, potentially enough for a governing majority. The center-left bloc was forecast to win between 58 and 59 seats.” (Netanyahu’s) Likud-Beitenu won the election and Benjamin….
Palestinian laborer killed in Tel Aviv work accident
1/22/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A Palestinian laborer died on Monday after falling from a construction site in Tel Aviv. Ismail Shehdeh Issa, 30, was killed and three other workers from Hebron were injured in the accident. The union of Palestinian workers condemned Issa’s death, calling on Israeli authorities to hand over his body….
Medics: Hebron worker dies after falling in stone cutter
1/22/2013 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — A 22-year-old laborer died Tuesday after falling in a stone cutter in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, a medical official said. Arafat Abdullah Sider died in the accident in an industrial zone of Hebron and was taken to the Al-Ahli Hospital, Red Crescent coordinator Nasir Qabaja told Ma’an. [END]
Life in Lebanon ‘horrible’ for Palestinians fleeing Syria
1/22/2013 – BEIRUT (Reuters) — Palestinian refugees who fled Syria‘s war to neighboring Lebanon are living up to 20 in a room with no water, fresh air or electricity, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Tuesday. Donors needed to do more to help at least 20,000 Palestinians who have already come in….
Belgium donates €11 million to support Palestinian refugees
1/22/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Belgium has donated €11 million to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA said Tuesday. The aid supports the agency’s General Fund, including its social safety net program, as well as its emergency appeal in the West Bank and Gaza. The UN agency relies almost entirely on voluntary….
Activists: Syrian rebels clash with Kurds in northeast
1/22/2013 – BEIRUT (Reuters) — At least 56 people have been killed in a week of fighting in northeast Syria between anti-government rebels and members of the long-oppressed Kurdish minority who have seized on the civil war to try to secure self-rule, activists said on Tuesday. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which collates reports on Syria….
Saudi says negotiated Syria settlement ‘inconceivable’
1/22/2013 – RIYADH (Reuters) — Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday the scale of violence used by Syria‘s government when fighting rebels meant a negotiated settlement of the country’s crisis was unthinkable.” Damascus. . . which has been a city for the longest period of time, is carpet bombed. How can you conceive….
Bahrain opposition welcomes king’s invitation to talks
1/22/2013 – DUBAI (Reuters) — Bahrain opposition groups demanding a parliamentary democracy in the Gulf Arab state gave a cautious welcome on Tuesday to an invitation from the king to talks aimed at breaking nearly two years of political deadlock. King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa made the reconciliation gesture late on Monday, authorizing the Justice Ministry to invite….
Russia says not planning full Syria evacuation
1/22/2013 – MOSCOW (Reuters) — Russia said on Tuesday it had started evacuating scores of citizens who wanted to leave Syria but denied the move was the start of a mass exodus. Two senior diplomats played down the significance of decision, announced on Monday, to send aircraft to bring Russians home almost two years after the start of….
Netanyahu claims victory in Israel polls
AlJazeera 22 Jan 2013 – Incumbent prime minister set for third term in office, despite exit polls showing his party losing seats in Knesset.
UK: Israel losing support over settlements
AlJazeera 22 Jan 2013 – William Hague says that without progress in 2013, a two-state solution will become ‘impossible’ as settlements grow.
Malaysian PM in solidarity visit to Gaza
AlJazeera 22 Jan 2013 – Najib Razak crossed into Gaza via its land border with Egypt for what he describes as a humanitarian visit.
Jewish Settlers Open Road through Palestinian Land
Palestine News Network
Israeli Forces Demolish a House, Shed in Hebron’s Village
Palestine News Network
UN: Serious Upsurge of Post-Conflict Trauma in Gaza
Palestine News Network
Study: Allow Gaza Population to Expand into Sinai
Palestine News Network
Wattan TV Demands Compensation for Damaged Equipment
Palestine News Network
Hamas Security Forces in Gaza Arrest Several Journalists
Palestine News Network
Jerusalem Legal Aid Accuses Israel of Violating Privacy
Palestine News Network
Netanyahu Storms Al-Buraq Wall in Occupied Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
Three Palestinians Arrested in the West Bank
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
PCHR, ILAC and AOHR Open the Second Training Course in the Field of Human Rights in Benghazi, Libya
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Bulldozing the ceasefire
1/22/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – 15 – 17 January 2013 | Khuza’a, Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestine – At about 8. 30pm on Tuesday 15th January, Israeli tanks and military bulldozers breached the border adjacent to the village of Khuza’a, east of Khan Younis and intruded inside the Gaza Strip. The incursion into Palestinian farmland continued through the night and….
Farming Injustice: End all Trade with Israeli Agricultural Companies
1/22/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – 22 January 2013, Palestinian agriculture organisations, Occupied Palestine – Palestinian agricultural organisations and the Palestinian BDS National Committee call for the launching of worldwide campaigns on February 9 against Israeli agricultural export corporations in light of their deep complicity in Israel’s ongoing violations of international law and Palestinian human rights. Following the successful campaign….
The situation in Khan al-Lubban deteriorates
1/22/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – 22 January 2013, International Solidarity Movement, Khan al Lubban, Occupied Palestine – The far-right settler organisation Regavim has filed a lawsuit against Khan al-Lubban, taking the Darragmah family and various other Israeli institutions and groups to the Israeli Supreme Court. They claim that their home is a historical site on Israeli state land. Regavim, who state….
Syrian Arab Republic (the): Fresh clashes in Syria’s Homs, as Russians flee
Relief Web 22 Jan 2013 – Source: Agence France-Presse Country: Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic (the) 01/22/2013 19:47 GMT DAMASCUS, Jan 22, 2013 (AFP) – A fresh outbreak of fierce fighting has gripped the strategic Syrian city of Homs, a watchdog said Tuesday,…
occupied Palestinian territory: Belgium: A strong supporter of Palestine refugees
Relief Web 22 Jan 2013 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: Belgium, Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic (the) 22 January 2013 Jerusalem In order to provide services to nearly five million Palestine refugees in…
occupied Palestinian territory: Serious upsurge of post-conflict trauma in Gaza, says UN
Relief Web 22 Jan 2013 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory 21 January 2013 East Jerusalem The incidence of psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the Gaza Strip has risen by more…
occupied Palestinian territory: HAI provides assistance to Palestinians
Relief Web 22 Jan 2013 – Source: Emirates News Agency Country: occupied Palestinian territory WAM Jerusalem, Jan 22nd 2013 (WAM) — UAE Humanitarian Appeal International (HAI) has provided urgent assistance to Palestinian families, whose homes were washed away by the flash floods caused by heavy rains…
UN appeals to Gulf nations as Yemeni humanitarian crisis deepens
The National 22 Jan 2013 – The United Nations needs US$716 million to avert a humanitarian disaster in Yemen, and hopes that Gulf nations will contribute to a portion of that.
Going once, twice, sold: 21 Burj Khalifas for Dh1 million
The National 22 Jan 2013 – The 2.5-metre tall Burj Khalifa sculptures – adorned by prominent UAE artists – were sold to raise money for education projects in developing nations.
Fog misleads Dubai residents into thinking Burj Khalifa on fire
The National 22 Jan 2013 – Fire trucks arrive at the scene only to realise that it was a false alarm.
Boy needs face-reform surgery after jet ski accident, Dubai court told
The National 22 Jan 2013 – The American boy was hit in the face by the jet ski, which did not stop, and had to be towed back to the boat by his friend.
Doctors to pay Dh2 mln for UAE baby’s brain damage, Supreme Court rules
The National 22 Jan 2013 – Medical reports show that suffocation during birth resulted in partial brain paralysis and near blindness, concluding that the doctors’ negligence led to the damage.
Sharjah festival throws spotlight on popular landmarks
The National 21 Jan 2013 – The nine-day event will feature light shows at some of the emirate’s most famous landmarks.
Abu Dhabi puts Dh4.6bn into Jordan grant
The National 22 Jan 2013 – The grant is the UAE’s contribution to the GCC’s Gulf Development Fund initiative, according to state news agency, Wam.
New king is crowned: Yair Lapid
Ha’aretz – 22 Jan 2013
Kibbutzim no longer bitten by Israel’s political bug
Ha’aretz – 22 Jan 2013
Israel election exit polls reveal tight race between left and right
Ha’aretz – 22 Jan 2013
10 reasons the polls could be wrong
Ha’aretz – 22 Jan 2013
On Election Day, Israelis vote with their wallets
Ha’aretz – 22 Jan 2013
Britain: Israel’s next government must understand two-state solution is almost dead
Ha’aretz – 22 Jan 2013
Habayit Hayehudi’s Bennett looks poised to win English-speaking stronghold
Ha’aretz – 22 Jan 2013
Washington Post to Obama: Welcome Netanyahu’s re-election, urge him to form centrist government
Ha’aretz – 22 Jan 2013
In victory speech, PM touts ‘broadest coalition possible’
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Netanyahu delivers victory speech, saying “tomorrow we start anew,” promising broadest coalition possible with a strong government to tackle the Iranian nuclear threat and focus on domestic, economic issues.
Terra Incognita: Free speech and managed democracy
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – A more level-headed policy would include clear rules on what constitutes incitement to racism and should be stricken from election materials.
Opening the door on EU funding
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Eventually the truth will emerge, and when it does European taxpayers will learn the details of how their hard earned euros have contributed not to peace, but to further conflict and strife between Israelis and Arabs.
Must we combat anti-Semitism?
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – We must fight anti-Semitism regardless of its importance to Israel advocacy, because it is the right thing to do.
Disrupting the ecosystem of extremism
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – We cannot rest until the evil ideologies that fuel terror become nothing more than relics of the past.
Celebrating democracy
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – The same sensitivity that characterized Jewish Americans during the 1960s and mobilized them to participate together with King in the civil rights movement continues to live in the hearts and minds of the citizens of the Jewish state today.
Netanyahu conciliatory, Yesh Atid ecstatic over polls
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Bayit Yehudi: Likud “natural partner”; Labor: PM can be ousted.
Labor HQ: Excitement, talk of replacing Netanyahu
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Party activists talk off-the-record about a possible Center-Left bloc to oust Netanyahu.
Israeli Arabs vote despite low turnout predictions
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Vibe and activity on the streets of Arab towns indicate that voter turnout was higher than expected.
For Netanyahu, trouble on the southern front
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Voters in south TA talk about how these elections are different; “we can’t vote Bibi, he wants country only for the rich,” says single mom.
‘Elections cost economy NIS 1.1 billion’
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – According to a business information group, the economy would forgo NIS 1.1 billion in lost business due to the elections.
IN PICTURES: Highest voter turnout in a decade
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Israeli citizens arrive en masse at polls to vote for the 19th Knesset.
Iran may use UN nuke talks for leverage with powers
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Western Diplomat: To obtain sanctions relief from world powers Iran will “not offer substantive cooperation with IAEA.”
Israelis shop for Election Day sales
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Many chain and boutique stores sent out text messages to clients to let them know about Election Day discounts.
Greens: Move to electronic voting system
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Israel “far from Western countries concerning green election process,” head of Greens Amir Meltzer says.
Voting in Israel: At least it’s not as bad as Florida
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – First-time voter embraces quaint system “that probably hasn’t changed since the founding of the State.”
As Israelis go to polls, UK slams gov’t’s policies
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Foreign Sec. Hague says settlement expansion makes two-state solution impossible, warns Israel losing international support.
PFLP senior member escapes assassination attempt
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Pro-Assad Palestinian terrorist group calls on PA to capture unidentified gunmen who fired on organization leader in Nabulus.
Palestinians see no peace hopes in Israel election
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Residents of West Bank and Gaza say they are bracing themselves for new Netanyahu government that is further right than the last.
Hear our voice: The politicians speak
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Israel’s leading politicians make their final appeals in exclusive commentary for the ‘Jerusalem Post’.
Satmar distances itself from vote-buying claims
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Hassidic sect debate electoral participation; Rabbinic leader calls Israel “this generation’s Amalek.”
Israel election marred by 65 cases of voter fraud
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – TA man says someone voted instead of him; bus stop ad burned.
Syrian rebels clash with Kurds in northeast
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Amid larger struggle between rebels and President Assad, Kurdish minority tries to secure self-rule; 56 killed during last week.
Peres’ change of voter venue disappoints supporters
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – “It’s a holiday, but it’s a day of freedom to vote,” the president said; Justice Minister Neeman arrives at a closed polling station.
Hagel reassures Jewish leaders on Iran position
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Nominee for defense secretary says he’s on board with Obama’s posture on Iran, need to maintain Israel’s military edge.
Israel’s cult of personality
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – An extreme emphasis on the personal in politics may threaten democracy.
With set smiles, Israeli leaders turn out to vote
Jerusalem Post 22 Jan 2013 – Netanyahu, Yacimovich, Bennett nudge citizens in final vote push.
European Parliament to mark Int’l Holocaust Day
Jerusalem Post 21 Jan 2013 – Jewish congress head Moshe Kantor “delighted important event now on official calendar” in coordination with the EJC.
Israel election setback for Binyamin Netanyahu as centrists gain ground
The Guardian 22 Jan 2013 – Exit polls indicate narrowest of victories for prime minister’s rightwing-religious block Binyamin Netanyahu suffered a major setback in Israel’s general election when television exit polls indicated the narrowest of victories for the rightwing-religious block and a…
Israel takes to the polling booths as Palestinians look on – video
The Guardian 22 Jan 2013 – As Israelis took to the polling booths on Tuesday, Palestinians expressed their views on the possible outcome of the election
Israeli elections: high turnout offers encouragement to Netanyahu rivals
The Guardian 22 Jan 2013 – PM still expected to win second term but he says unexpectedly high turnout may benefit his opponents Israelis voted in unexpectedly large numbers on Tuesday, raising the prospect that the election result may be closer than…
Iran, the Palestinians, the US: issues the new Israeli government must tackle
The Guardian 22 Jan 2013 – It may take weeks for a new coalition to emerge, but the new government has pressing issues piling up in its in-tray Iran Despite Israelis being told repeatedly that the Iranian nuclear programme presents an existential…
In Israel, ultra-nationalists, centrists and Arabs alike go to the polls
The Guardian 22 Jan 2013 – Hopeful but nervous, Israelis from all walks of life exercise their democratic right, with turnout up from 2009 general election In warm winter sunshine outside a polling station in Har Homa, an Israeli settlement south of…
Israelis vote in general election
The Guardian 22 Jan 2013 – More than 30 parties are contesting polls expected to return Binyamin Netanyahu at the head of a more hawkish coalition Israelis have begun voting in a general election that is expected to return Binyamin Netanyahu at…
Algerian hostage crisis aftermath – Tuesday 22 January
The Guardian 22 Jan 2013 – Middle East live: Coverage of the continuing international fallout from Algerian hostage-taking, the evacuation of Russian citizens from Syria and the Israeli election Jon Henley
Israel demolishes sheds, water well in south Hebron
Uruknet
Palestinian ghettos were always the plan
Uruknet
Panetta: US Backing of France in Mali is Model for Future Wars
Uruknet
013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet
Why the Palestinian diaspora must become politically engaged
Uruknet
Iraqi protester sets himself ablaze in anti-Maliki rally in Mosul
Uruknet
Targeting Mali
Uruknet
Bab Al Karama
Uruknet
013 : A Video Roundup
Uruknet
Top to bottom changes in Congress’ foreign policy
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 A harrowing nighttime flight over the African jungle and a wild search for a rebel leader helped forge a relationship between Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez and Republican Rep. Ed Royce.
Band: Beyonce lip synced US anthem at inaugural
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 Beyonce lip-synced the national anthem during her rousing performance at President Barack Obama’s inauguration, according to the U.S. Marine Band.
Bahrain opposition welcomes king’s invitation to talks
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 Bahrain opposition groups demanding a parliamentary democracy in the Gulf Arab state gave a cautious welcome to an invitation from the king to talks aimed at breaking nearly two years of political deadlock.
Egypt opposition leader aims to break Islamist dominance
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 A coalition of Egyptian opposition groups is forging a common electoral platform as it seeks to capitalise on setbacks for Islamists who have dominated the country’s politics since an Arab Spring uprising.
Exit polls: Netanyahu, allies win Israeli election
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 Exit polls show that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party and his hard-line allies have won a narrow majority in parliamentary elections.
Rights group: Egypt’s police behave like ‘gang’
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 An Egyptian rights group on Tuesday accused the country’s police of “acting like a gang,” torturing detainees and continuing to use violence to impose control while the country’s president flounders at efforts to reform the powerful…
UN set to condemn North Korea’s rocket launch
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 The United States and China have agreed on a new U.N. Security Council resolution condemning North Korea’s rocket launch in December that sent a satellite into orbit.
U.S. drone kills four al Qaeda members in Yemen -sources
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 A U.S. drone killed four suspected al Qaeda militants on Tuesday in a strike on their car in northern Yemen as they drove away from a militant training ground.
Netanyahu appeals for votes amid high Israel turnout
Daily Star 22 Jan 2013 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a frantic, last-minute appeal to supporters to rush to the polls after an unexpectedly high turnout in Tuesday’s parliamentary election looked set to benefit centre-left opponents.
50% of votes counted: Likud leads with 24.3%
YNet News, 22 Jan 2013 – ….
Shas says pleased with elections’ results
YNet News, 22 Jan 2013 – ….
Lapid: We’ve been entrusted with great responsibility
YNet News, 22 Jan 2013 – ….
Netanyahu: Thank you for electing me PM for 3rd time
YNet News, 22 Jan 2013 – ….
Rivlin: Netanyahu should begin forming gov’t tonight
YNet News, 22 Jan 2013 – ….
Apocalypse tomorrow
YNet News, 22 Jan 2013 – Op-ed: In unpredictable Israel, national elections are even more crucial than they appear ….
Elections don’t interest Arab world
YNet News, 22 Jan 2013 – Op-ed: Middle East countries too busy with Arab Spring chaos to take any real interest in Israeli elections ….
Voting Right, getting Left
YNet News, 22 Jan 2013 – Op-ed: Media will once again demand that next government implement policies rejected by the people ….
Palestinian Information Center
Palestinian boy seriously injured in explosion of IOF army ordnance
PIC – A Palestinian boy was seriously injured in the explosion of an Israeli army ordnance to the east of Breij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
Israel refuses the entry of Palestinian refugees from Syria into West Bank
PIC – The Israeli government denied receiving an official request from the Palestinian Authority to allow entry of 150 Palestinian refugees from Syria into the West Bank.
IOF bulldozers pave way for annexing more Palestinian land
PIC – Bulldozers of the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) leveled land near to Nabi Saleh village, north of Ramallah, to expand Halamish settlement.
IOF arrests two children in Beit Ummar
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rounded up three Palestinians in Beit Ummar village, north of al-Khalil, on Tuesday including two children one of them 12 years old.
UNRWA: Sharp rise in children suffering post-war traumas in Gaza
PIC – The UNRWA said the incidence of psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the Gaza Strip has risen by more than 100 percent following the last Israel war.
Haniyeh calls for Arab-Islamic strategy to confront the Israeli extremism
PIC – The Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, called for the need to build a new strategy to confront the growing Israeli extremism, while stressing Hamas’s efforts in the quest for reconciliation.
Gaza Government condemns Netanyahu’s visit to Buraq Square
PIC – The Palestinian government in Gaza has considered the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the Buraq wall, the western section of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City..
Abu Naim calls for raising the prisoners’ issue to Egypt
PIC – Tawfiq Abu Naeem, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Association, called on Palestinian factions to raise the prisoners’ issue to the Egyptian authorities again..
Campaign to demand Britain to apologize for its historical mistake
PIC – The 4th Palestine Memorial Week was launched in the United Kingdom on 19 January 2013 under the title “Britain’s Legacy in Palestineâ€, calling on Britain to apologize for its historical mistake.
Separation wall between Al-Zaim village and E-1 area to be completed
PIC – Hebrew media sources reported that the Israeli war minister, Ehud Barak, has decided to complete the construction of the fence near al-Zaim village east Jerusalem..
Police Arrests Muslim Worshipper at Al-Aqsa
WAFA – 22 Jan 2013
Newspapers Review: Abbas in Riyadh Focus of Dailies
WAFA – 22 Jan 2013
Military to Demolish Homes, Shed near Hebron
WAFA – 22 Jan 2013
UNRWA: Post Conflict Psychological Trauma in Gaza up by 100%
WAFA – 22 Jan 2013
PEX Report: Al Quds Index Down
WAFA – 22 Jan 2013
Jewish Settlers Open Road through Palestinian Land
WAFA – 22 Jan 2013
Wattan TV Demands Compensation for Damaged Equipment
WAFA – 22 Jan 2013
PEX Report: Al-Quds Index Up
WAFA – 21 Jan 2013
Malaysian Premier to Visit Gaza
WAFA – 20 Jan 2013
Russia sends planes to evacuate citizens from Syria
LA Times 21 Jan 2013 – The airplanes will transport more than 100 people back to Russia, a spokeswoman says, in a sign that Moscow may be preparing for the Assad government’s collapse. MOSCOW — Russia is sending two airplanes to evacuate scores of its citizens from longtime ally Syria, Moscow…
Russians Fleeing Syria Cross Into Lebanon
New York Times 22 Jan 2013 – A Russian diplomat told the Interfax news service that around 100 Russians were leaving Syria as the government activates plans to remove its citizens from the conflict zone.
At War Blog: A Veteran’s Plea to President Obama
New York Times 22 Jan 2013 – As President Obama begins his second term, a retired Marine sergeant outlines issues plaguing veterans, including suicide and traumatic brain injury.
Some Syrian Kurds Resist Assad, Defying Conventional Views
New York Times 22 Jan 2013 – Thousands have taken up arms on the rebels’ side, saying that they have also suffered under the current government under President Bashar al-Assad.
Exit Polls in Israel Suggest Netanyahu’s Showing Is Weaker Than Expected
New York Times 22 Jan 2013 – While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel remained likely to serve a third term, a surprise surge by a new centrist party indicated he would be under pressure to form a more moderate governing coalition.
Burst of Iraq Violence Amid Political Crisis
New York Times 22 Jan 2013 – A series of attacks that left at least 24 Iraqis dead came as Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia claimed responsibility for the assassination of a Sunni lawmaker last week.
Hamas Paints Malaysian Premier’s Visit as Stand Against Israel
New York Times 22 Jan 2013 – Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia visited the Gaza Strip on what he called a humanitarian mission but Hamas portrayed as a “declaration for breaking the Israeli siege on Gaza.”
Car Bombs in Iraq Kill at Least 17
New York Times 22 Jan 2013 – A string of car bomb attacks in and around Baghdad wounded dozens Tuesday, deepening fears of an increase in violence as sectarian tensions simmer in Iraq.
At War Blog: Victims of Sexual Trauma Harness the Calming Power of Horses
New York Times 22 Jan 2013 – A free horse program, near Twin Cities, offers women veterans a space to heal outside the company of men.
Likud-Beytenu slumps
Globes Main News – According to the exit polls, the joint list fell from 42 to 31 seats in today’s Knesset election. Yair Lapid is the big winner.
Winter sunshine brings out voters
Globes Main News – Likud election HQ chief Gideon Saar: High voter turnout benefits the left.
Dan Cohen appointed Better Place acting CEO
Globes Main News – Cohen replaces Evan Thornley who unexpectedly resigned last week over differences of opinion with Idan Ofer.
Dirty Tricks Israel-Style: Knesset Elections Committee Lies, Tells Voters Social Justice Party Withdrew from Race
Tikun Olam – Activists associated with the Eretz Chadasha party, about whom I’ve been posting over the past week, have just told me about a new and outrageous development in today’s election, for which polling began a few hours ago. Voters in communities including Holon, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and…
Panic in Likud at Party’s Freefall in Internal Polls
Tikun Olam – You, yes you, Naftali Bennett, it’s all YOUR fault! (Olivier Fitoussi) The Likud Party house organ, Yisrael HaYom, has a headline this morning (Israel time) showing Likud-Beitenu in a panic as internal party polls show it falling to either 31 or 29 seats (depending on the…
Neon Tommy: Ambassador Discusses US-Israel Relations At USC Annenberg
Jewish Voice for Peace – The Israeli Ambassador to the US insisted on Thursday that the two countries have a strong relationship; Jewish Voice for Peace presence at the event. Ambassador Discusses US-Israel Relations at USC Annenberg , Lior Haykeen, Neon Tommy , January 18, 2013. The Israeli Ambassador to the US insisted…
Media Release: Full-Page Print Ad in Roll Call Runs Today: 80,000 to President Obama—Hold Israel Accountable, We Have Your Back.
Jewish Voice for Peace – MEDIA CONTACTS: Josh Ruebner, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, congress@endtheoccupation.org Cecilie Surasky, Jewish Voice for Peace, cecilie@jvp.org Full-Page Print Ad in Roll Call Runs Today: 80,000 to President Obama—Hold Israel Accountable, We Have Your Back. LINK : To download PDF of print ad Washington, D.C. (…
Netanyahu out as PM?: Yair Lapid shocks Likud/Beiteinu in Israeli election
Mondoweiss – Yair Lapid (above) recently attacked Netanyahu at an economic conference using a parody of the bomb chart Netanyahu presented at the United Nations. (Photo: Yotam Ronen /Activestills.org) The exit polls are coming in on today’s Israeli elections and early results show a severely diminished Likud/Yisrael Beiteinu…
What is ‘the helicopter on the Saigon embassy roof moment’ for US and Israel?
Mondoweiss – More and more folks are talking about reducing aid to Israel. Senator Rand Paul has suggested it , to give Israel more autonomy. Yesterday a Zionist writer suggested a small cut in part to make Israel act more “responsibly” in its region. The recommendations reminded me that…
‘This is an act of refusal, a democratic rebellion’: 2,000 Israelis offer their vote to Palestinians living under occupation
Mondoweiss – Israeli and Palestinian activists have used Facebook to organize a creative campaign where Israeli citizens can offer their vote in today’s election to Palestinians living under occupation. The project’s Facebook page describes the effort as a ” Palestinian-Israeli electoral rebellion ” and says: This is an act of…
MLK would have supported Palestinian protest movement — Mercury News
Mondoweiss – At Open Zion, Gil Troy is arguing that in 1967, Martin Luther King Jr made a strong statement supporting Israel. I bet Troy is right, but so what? That was 46 years ago. Israel then had broad support in American liberal circles. The issue is whether…
Roger Cohen, dreamer
Mondoweiss – Yesterday in the New York Times, columnist Roger Cohen said that it’s time for “break-through” diplomacy by Obama in Israel and Palestine, leading to a two-state solution. He dismissed my one-state friends, saying: “there are a lot of pie-in-the-sky citizen-diplomats out there these days blathering on…
Stolen books, stolen identity
Mondoweiss – Since 2010 we’ve been tracking The Great Book Robbery , the documentary by Israeli-Dutch director Benny Brunner , including here and here . But nothing quite prepared me for Nora Lester Murad ‘s review Stolen Books, Stolen Identity: What Did Israel Do with Palestinians’ Literary Heritage? as she captured…
Victory for Benjamin Netanyahu But Hardly a Mandate in Tight Israel Vote
The Foward Breaking News 22 Jan 2013 – His party shrunk, his opponents grew and his challengers multiplied. Benjamin Netanyahu survived the Knesset elections on Jan. 22 to serve another term as prime minister. Click here for the rest of the article…
Benjamin Netanyahu Says Iran Is Biggest Challenge After Claiming Israel Vote Win
The Foward Breaking News 22 Jan 2013 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an election victory speech on Wednesday, said preventing a nuclear-armed Iran would be the primary challenge of the new government he intends to form. Click here for the rest of the article…
What Are Benjamin Netanyahu’s Coalition Options After Narrow Israel Election Win?
The Foward Breaking News 22 Jan 2013 – Benjamin Netanyahu may have eked out enough votes to win on paper. But putting together a viable coalition might be the toughest challenge yet for Bibi. Click here for the rest of the article…
Benjamin Netanyahu Claims Narrow Israel Win
The Foward Breaking News 22 Jan 2013 – Benjamin Netanyahu suffered shocking losses to center-left challengers in the Israeli elections. He claimed victory on Facebook, but there’s no telling if he can form ruling coalition. Click here for the rest of the article…
With Hopes and Fears, A Divided Israel Votes
The Forward New 22 Jan 2013 – All across Israel and in the settlements, Israelis of all stripes went to the polls. From the Galilee to Jerusalem, they voted with widely divergent visions of what might emerge from the election. Click here for the rest of the article…
Arabs Vote for Change in Election Derided by Many
The Forward New 22 Jan 2013 – Israeli Arabs who voted said they did so to take advantage of the chance to speak out. Countless others stayed home amid widespread lethargy over the prospect of any real change. Click here for the rest of the article…
Egypt: Mursi Announces Arab Ministerial Council Initiative
allAfrica.com 22 Jan 2013 – [Aswat Masriya]Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi announced on Monday launching an Arab Ministerial Council for sustainable development during the third Arab Economic Summit in Saudi Arabia.
And Now, the Projections…..
The Magnes Zionist 22 Jan 2013 – Some thoughts about the winners and losers from the Israeli Knesset election projections. Biggest Losers : Bibi Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman, hand’s down. Bibi didn’t need this election. And now he got hit in the face by the social protests of two summers ago and general dissatisfaction…
Mayoral Candidates Take Sides over St. Louis Veolia Contract
Global BDS 22 Jan 2013 – (St. Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee members and civil rights activist Percy Green at St. Louis City Hall, protesting Veolia’s involvement in apartheid and segregation in Palestine. Photo: St. Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee) On January 16, 2013 at City Hall in St. Louis, Missouri, a diverse group…
Netanyahu setback in Israel poll
BBC 22 Jan 2013 – Exit polls from Israel’s election suggest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing alliance has lost ground to centre-left parties.
Russians flee Syria via Beirut
BBC 22 Jan 2013 – Scores of Russians are flown home after fleeing the violence in Syria – but Russia insists it is not the start of a mass evacuation.
Imagine if you were born at an Israeli checkpoint
Sabbah report 22 Jan 2013 – Born at Qalandia Checkpoint focuses on the impact of Israeli movement restrictions on the everyday lives of Palestinians. The phenomenon of Palestinian women forced to give birth at military checkpoints peaked during the Second Intifada (2000-05). Since this time, Palestinian women in remote areas have increasingly…
On Earth: You’re Either a Superior Jew OR an Inferior Gentile Anti-Semite (GAS)
Sabbah report 22 Jan 2013 – Zionism was to be the cure for “anti-Semitism” and the savior of Jews; however it turned out to be the Jews’ greatest threat and nightmare. So much for God’s “Promised Land” to the Jews. If God himself gave Palestine to the Jews (of yester years, not…
Nicholas Blanford: The Shoddy Journalism of Rafik Hariri’s Hagiographer
Al-Akhbar Blogs 22 Jan 2013 – read more
A Reply to Marwan Hamadeh: Publish Your Testimony
Al-Akhbar Opinion 22 Jan 2013 – He can no longer concentrate on the direct or indirect meaning of words, and does not think himself answerable for his own. (Photo: Marwan BouHaidar) He can no longer concentrate on the direct or indirect meaning of words, and does not think himself answerable for his…
Russians in Syria return home via Beirut
Al-Akhbar News 22 Jan 2013 – Lebanese security forces escort Russian nationals who fled Syria as they arrive in a convoy at Beirut international airport on 22 January 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed Azakir) Key Syrian ally Russia began evacuating the country of its citizens on Tuesday as the civil war gathered…
Kuwaiti riot police suppress anti-government rally
Al-Akhbar News 22 Jan 2013 – Kuwait opposition supporters take part in a demonstration to demand the dissolution of the parliament in the Sabahiya district, in southern Kuwait city, on 22 January 2013. (Photo: AFP – Yasser al-Zayyat) Kuwaiti riot police fired tear gas and stun grenades at hundreds of opposition supporters…
Exit polls suggest Netanyahu victory
Al-Akhbar News 22 Jan 2013 – Updated 11:21pm: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emerged the bruised winner of Tuesday’s election, with his hawkish bloc unexpectedly losing ground to center-left challengers, exit polls showed. They suggested the Israeli leader’s Likud party, yoked with the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu group, would still be the biggest…
Abbas criticizes Malaysia’s presidential visit to Gaza
Al-Akhbar News 22 Jan 2013 – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas criticized Malaysian premier Muhammad Najib Abdul Razak’s visit to Gaza Tuesday, PA media reported. Abdul Razak’s visit enhanced already present divisions between the Palestinian people and harmed Palestine’s legitimate representative, said Abbas’ office. Both Hamas and Fatah, separately rule Gaza and…
Israel expands settlement, destroys West Bank houses, trees
Al-Akhbar News 22 Jan 2013 – Palestinian protesters throw stones at an Israeli military bulldozer during clashes at a protest against the nearby Jewish settlement of Kdumim, in the West Bank village of Kfar Kadum, near Nablus on 18 January 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Abed Omar Qusini) While Israel headed to the…
Iraq frees 888 prisoners, attacks kill at least 26
Al-Akhbar News 22 Jan 2013 – A boy walks past a burnt vehicle at the site of a bomb attack in the Shuala district in Baghdad on 22 January 22 2013 that killed at least five people in a crowded market. (Photo: Reuters – Mohammed Ameen) Updated 11:27pm: Iraqi authorities claimed on…
Apartheid Democracy: Israel Elects Itself
Al-Akhbar Politics 22 Jan 2013 – A masked Palestinian girl attends a protest calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails outside the International Red Cross offices in Gaza on 21 January 2013. (Photo: AFP – Mahmud Hams) A masked Palestinian girl attends a protest calling for the release of…
Palestinians Despair Amidst Israeli Elections
Al-Akhbar Politics 22 Jan 2013 – Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu casts her ballot at a polling station in Jerusalem, 22 January 2013. (Photo: Uriel Sinai) Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu casts her ballot at a polling station in Jerusalem, 22 January 2013. (Photo:…
Lebanon: Hezbollah and the President
Al-Akhbar Politics 21 Jan 2013 – They can bypass the Hezbollah stronghold using the cement-columned Dahiyeh flyover. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) They can bypass the Hezbollah stronghold using the cement-columned Dahiyeh flyover. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) How best to characterize the relationship between Hezbollah and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman? While some issues remain touchy…
Netanyahu setback in Israel poll
BBC 22 Jan 2013 – Exit polls from Israel’s election suggest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing alliance has lost ground to centre-left parties.
Deadly car bombings strike Iraq
BBC 22 Jan 2013 – Car bombs in and around the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, have killed at least 17 people and wounded dozens more, police say.
Russians flee Syria via Beirut
BBC 22 Jan 2013 – Scores of Russians are flown home after fleeing the violence in Syria – but Russia insists it is not the start of a mass evacuation.
Bahrain opposition agrees to talks
BBC 22 Jan 2013 – The Bahrain opposition has accepted a government offer to resume talks to defuse the political crisis, weeks before the second anniversary of the uprising.
Court rejects Saudi blogger case
BBC 22 Jan 2013 – A Saudi court refuses to charge a young blogger accused of insulting Islam, highlighting the struggle between conservative and reformist forces.
Articles
On Israeli elections, the PA and disappearing Palestinians
Charlotte Silver, Al Jazeera.com 1/21/2013
Palestinian citizens of Israel have grown increasingly disenchanted with an election process that alienates them.
Recent statements by the Palestinian Authority declaring premonitions of the coming of an apartheid state in the likely event that Binyamin Netanyahu is re-elected have left many observers scratching their heads and questioning, yet again, the relevance of the nearly two decades-old titular government of the occupied Palestinian territories. Its irrelevance appearing firmly established to anyone paying attention, statements like these attest to a more disturbing estrangement from reality.
According to an Associated Press article published on January 19, “Palestinian officials have been closely following the Israeli election campaign, fearing Netanyahu’s ambitious plans for settlement construction over the next four years could prove lethal to their dreams of a state.”
Yet PA concerns over which Zionist party ascends to the Israeli Knesset are not shared by the majority of Palestinian citizens of the State – the only Palestinians living under Israeli rule who actually have a vote.
Palestinian participation in Israeli elections for Parliament have dwindled over the past decade. In 2001, Palestinian voter turnout reached a historic low of 18 percent due to an organised electoral boycott after the October 2000 killings of 13 Palestinian citizens by Israeli forces and the outbreak of the second intifada. Turnout bounced back in 2003, rising to 62 percent but has steadily decreased over the last two elections to 56 percent and 53 percent in 2006 and 2009, respectively. Now some polls estimate that as little as 28 percent of Palestinian citizens will show up to the polls, while more cautious – or optimistic – predictions put the number at just under half the electorate. more.. e-mail
PHOTOS: Jordan Valley demolitions leave Palestinian families homeless in winter
Activestills, +972 Magazine 1/22/2013
Photos by Mareike Lauken and Keren Manor
On January 17, the Israeli army destroyed 55 homes and animal shelters in the Al Maleh area. This large scale military operation happened simultaneously in two separate locations: Hamamat al-Maleh, and further up the valley in Al-Mayta. Al-Maleh and Al-Mayta are two marginalized villages located in the north of the Jordan Valley, near the Tayasir checkpoint.
Of the 55 buildings demolished, 23 were family homes: five in Hamamat Al-Maleh (leaving 37 people homeless) and 18 in Al-Mayta (leaving 150 people homeless). In addition, 33 other buildings used to shelter the communities’ animals were destroyed, as well as some water tanks. Two days later, on January 19, the entire village had been declared a Closed Military Zone and the Israeli army confiscated the community’s possessions, including food, bedding and tents that had been provided to the families by the Red Cross after the demolitions. However, the residents stayed and slept out in the fields with no shelter.
Both Al-Maleh and Al-Mayta, like many villages in Area C, have suffered a continuous pattern of harassment by the Israeli army. They have been subject to repeated demolition orders and only two weeks ago were forced to leave their homes for one night, purportedly due to Israeli military training.
Captions: Members of Sariya family sitting next to their demolished house in the village of Al-Mayta.
Member of Sariya family transporting his family belongings after the demolition of the family house in the village of Al-Mayta…. more.. e-mail
Why I let a Palestinian woman from East Jerusalem decide my vote
Mairav Zonszein, +972 Magazine 1/22/2013
It doesn’t feel good or empowering to give up my right to vote. It feels mostly shitty, and maybe that is how it is supposed to feel. But as long as it is not an inalienable right for those who live under the same governmental roof, it is absolutely alienable to me.
I just returned from the voting booth in Tel Aviv. Voting is such a private matter, and at the end of the day, nobody except the person voting knows who he/she voted for.
My voting experience today, however, wasn’t a private matter. And it wasn’t an enjoyable or empowering one either, because I decided to give up my right and privilege to vote in an act of protest, frustration and guilt. I let Riman Barakat, a Palestinian woman from East Jerusalem, decide who I should vote for. And she chose Balad, an Arab nationalist party, a party I would not have voted for and have no specific affinity to (below is a text from Riman on why she chose Balad and what she thinks about me giving up my vote).
I’ve only met Riman once before in Ramallah, because we have a mutual friend. But I do not really know her, or her political views, and cannot say she is my friend. But I turned to her because I preferred not to give my vote to a total stranger on Facebook randomly, but do it personally, talk to her first – and because she is a woman, and from East Jerusalem specifically.
I did it because today, I live in a one-state reality I do not want to live in, and regardless of the term one chooses to use, it is a reality of systematic inequality, discrimination and violent oppression towards the Palestinian minority…. more.. e-mail
Israel’s Election Will Have Sharp Consequences
Rami G. Khouri, Agence Global 1/23/2013
BEIRUT — For the past generation and a half, since the late 1970s, Israeli society has been moving steadily to the right in three main trajectories: greater reliance on military force as a primary foreign policy tool, more social and policy-making influence by religious Jews, and a growing super-nationalist commitment to a greater Israel concept that includes building new settlements and preventing the birth of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. Repeated attempts to negotiate a Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement have always failed, and attention in Israel, Palestine and much of the region has recently been more focused on the Arab uprisings and Iran.
The expected victory of a coalition led by the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Tuesday’s general elections is likely to continue the militant and predatory Zionist trends of the past 45 years, but this will only refocus many people’s attention on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the wider Arab-Israeli conflict that it has spawned since 1948. This is because the right-wing militant coalition that Netanyahu is likely to lead will push militant Zionist policies toward the Palestinians to such a degree of extreme and criminal colonialism that the passive reactions in recent years of most Palestinians and Arabs will not be able to persist.
The expected rightist Netanyahu coalition’s policies on three fronts — towards Palestinian Israelis, in the West Bank-Gaza-East Jerusalem, and with the neighboring Arab countries — will usher in a period of heightened tensions between Israel and every one of its regional and global interlocutors, especially Palestinians, other Arabs, Turks, Iranians, Europeans and the American government. The only exception will be that small band of right wing zealots and pro-Israel lobbyists in the United States who often put rightist Israeli views above American interests, and will find themselves increasingly isolated and criticized. more.. e-mail
Inauguration Day: Two Nobel Laureates, Drones Apart
Palestine Chronicle: 22 Jan 2013 – By Felicity Arbuthnot One day … Children at school will ask: What is war? You will answer them. You will tell them: Those words are not used any more. Like stagecoaches, galleys or slavery. Words no longer meaningful … – Martin Luther King , 15th January 1929-4th April 1968. Oh the cynicism. The man whose words have rung down over four decades, encapsulating a non-violent demand for peace, equality and fairness: “I have a dream”, has again been resurrected as President Obama’s philosophical icon. In the most blatant act of symbolism, as Africa is now threatened by a President who touted the importance of his African roots four years ago, Obama reaffirmed his Presidential oath today on both Abraham Lincoln’s Bible – and that of Martin Luther King – on the day dedicated to Martin Luther King. In truth the ceremony was a bit of a sham. The President was sworn…more
Drone War ‘Will Trigger New Arms Race’
Palestine Chronicle: 22 Jan 2013 – By Jaya Ramachandran – London The increasing resort to drones by President Barack Obama will over the long term usher in “a new arms race and lay the foundations for an international system that is increasingly violent, destabilized and polarized between those who have drones and those who are victims of them”, a leading terrorism expert has warned. One of the distinctive elements of President Obama’s approach to counterterrorism has been his embrace of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to target terrorist operatives abroad, says Michael J Boyle in an article for International Affairs, a British journal published every two months. During his first term, President Obama launched more than six times as many drone strikes as President Bush did throughout his eight years in office, all the while keeping the CIA-run drone program away from the scrutiny of Congress and the courts, writes Boyle, an Assistant Professor of…more
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