13 February 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
360 Detainees To Hold Solidarity Hunger Strike
IMEMC – The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported Wednesday that 360 Palestinian detainees will be holding a one-day hunger strike in solidarity with the hunger striking detainees. …
Army Kidnaps Fourteen Palestinians In West Bank
IMEMC – Wednesday at dawn, February 13, Israeli soldiers invaded several areas in the occupied West Bank, mainly in East Jerusalem, broke into and searched several homes and kidnapped at least fifteen Palestinians. The army also detained five children for several hours. …
Abu Rudeina: “Settlements Are Main Obstacle To Peace”
IMEMC – Palestinian Presidency Spokesperson, Nabil Abu Rudeina, stated Monday that the Israeli government must change Israel’s policies regarding the peace process. …
Large Israeli force raids Jerusalem village, 10 arrested
2/13/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Dozens of Israeli soldiers raided a Jerusalem-area village overnight Tuesday and arrested 10 people, locals said. Witnesses told Ma’an that around 100 Israeli soldiers raided the village of Beit Duqqu, northwest of Jerusalem, and searched dozens of homes. Musa Mohammad Hassan, 20, Shadi Suleiman Abdul Munem, 28, Basheer Murar….
Witnesses: Settlers throw rocks at Palestinian cars in Nablus
2/13/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — A group of settlers threw rocks at Palestinian cars in Nablus on Wednesday, locals said. Settlers from Yizhar settlement damaged several vehicles after hurling rocks near the village of Burin, witnesses told Ma’an. [END]
Medics: 2 brothers seriously injured in Gaza explosion
2/13/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Two brothers were seriously wounded late Tuesday after an explosion in Gaza City, medics said. Younis Abu Qadous, 17, had his hand amputated and his brother Imad, 5, suffered serious head wounds following the incident, medics told Ma’an. Locals said they suspected that the boys found an unexploded device from Israeli attacks. [END]
PA minister says Issawi condition serious but stable
2/13/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Jailed hunger striker Samer Issawi is in a serious but stable condition, the Palestinian Authority minister of detainee affairs said Wednesday. Issa Qaraqe told Ma’an that Issawi, who has been on hunger strike for 196 days, stopped taking vitamins and sugar supplements three weeks ago, and is now only….
Lawyer: Israel to evict 100 Palestinians in Jerusalem
2/13/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Around 100 Palestinian Bedouins could be homeless by the end of the week after Israeli authorities issued eviction orders to 20 families in northeast Jerusalem, their lawyer said Wednesday. An Israeli court initially ordered the families, from the al-Arara tribe, to leave their land in Jaba within three days, but the….
Israeli forces detain 10 Palestinians in Jerusalem village
2/13/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – Israeli forces stormed the central West Bank village of Beit Duqqu in northeast Jerusalem and detained 10 young Palestinian men early Wednesday, locals said. They were identified as Mousa Muhammad Hasan Hussein, Shadi Suleiman Hussein, Hisham Khalil Hussein, Jalal Khalil Hussein, Bashir Jamal Murrar, Abdul-Fattah Hasan Dawood, Nadim Ahmad Hussein, Muhammad….
Israel ‘pays settler 1.3 million shekels’ for damage to West Bank land
2/13/2013 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Israel has given a settler convicted of anti-Palestinian attacks over 1. 3 million shekels in compensation for damages to Palestinian land in the West Bank, Israeli media reported Wednesday. Menachem Livni was found guilty of perpetrating a 1983 attack in Hebron which killed three Palestinian students and wounded 33….
Prisoners to refuse food in solidarity with hunger strikers
2/13/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinians jailed in Israel will go on hunger strike on Tuesday in solidarity with detainees in Ramle prison clinic who have refused food for several months, Palestinian Authority media reported Wednesday. All Palestinian prisoners will join the one-day strike, Wafa reported, quoting a statement from the Palestinian Prisoners Society. Meanwhile, around….
Egypt floods Gaza tunnels to cut Palestinian lifeline
2/13/2013 – GAZA CITY (Reuters) — Egyptian forces have flooded smuggling tunnels under the border with the Gaza Strip in a campaign to shut them down, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said. The network of tunnels is a vital lifeline for Gaza, bringing in an estimated 30 percent of all goods that reach the enclave and circumventing a blockade….
Israel struggles to keep cloak of secrecy over spy story
2/13/2013 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — The mysterious death of an Australian prisoner in Israel has put the spotlight on a military-run censorship system that is finding it harder to black out secret information often only a mouse click away on the Internet. The case involves a man reported by Australia’s ABC channel on Tuesday to have….
Israeli soldiers wound man near Syrian Golan fence
2/13/2013 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israeli soldiers shot across the ceasefire line with Syria on the occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday, wounding a man who approached the boundary fence despite their orders to turn away, military sources said. The Golan, which Israel seized from Syria in a 1967 war and later annexed, has been largely untouched by the….
Israeli forces set up temporary checkpoints in Qalqiliya
2/13/2013 – QALQILIYA (Ma’an) — Israeli forces set up temporary checkpoints around Azzun village in Qalqiliya late Tuesday, locals said. Villagers were prevented from entering or leaving the area as Israeli forces closed the main entrance to the village and searched people’s vehicles, witnesses told Ma’an. Settlers claimed that Palestinians had thrown….
‘Herod the Great’ show causes row over artifacts
2/13/2013 – JERUSALEM (Reuters) — The first major museum exhibition on the divisive biblical figure of Herod the Great has provoked a modern-day row between Israel and the Palestinians over who has the right to dig up his artifacts. The Israel Museum in Jerusalem on Tuesday unveiled a display dedicated to Herod – branded a baby-killer in the Christian….
Obama to visit Israel in March, US official says
2/13/2013 – WASHINGTON (Reuters) — US President Barack Obama will visit Israel in March, a senior administration official said on Tuesday. The White House had previously said that Obama would visit Israel, the West Bank and Jordan in the spring but had not given a precise date. The trip will be his first to Israel since taking office in 2009. [END]
Hamas delegation ‘arrives in Bulgaria on first EU visit’
2/13/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A delegation from Hamas arrived in Bulgaria on Wednesday to meet with political officials from the European country, a statement from the Islamist group said. Hamas officials Ismail al-Ashqar, Salah al-Bardawil and Mushir al-Masri were part of the delegation, the first of its kind to visit a country in the….
Syria refugee camps neutral in conflict, PLO official says
2/13/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Palestinian refugee camps in Syria have always refused to shelter armed groups and are neutral in the internal conflict, the chairman of the PLO’s Refugee Affairs Department said Wednesday. Zakaria al-Agha, who is heading a high-level PLO delegation currently in Syria, made the comments during a meeting with….
Erekat blasts Israel finance minister for seizing taxes
2/13/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat on Thursday condemned Israel’s finance minister for remarks confirming he was withholding money to punish internal Palestinian political decisions.”These remarks reveal the real face of the Israeli occupation, which wants to give instructions to the Palestinian people. Israel doesn’t want us to….
Global push for Palestinian unity through PNC vote
2/13/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian communities from four continents have increased their demands for elections to the PLO’s Palestinian National Council as factions meet in Cairo to discuss the steps to implement national reconciliation. In the week leading up to the meeting, statements have emerged from Palestinian communities in France, Chile, the United….
Election body: 70,000 register to vote in Gaza
2/13/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Around 70,000 people have registered to vote in the Gaza Strip since the Central Elections Commission began updating the electoral roll two days ago, a statement from the group said Wednesday. Some 257 registration centers will be open for one week to update the electoral roll in the Gaza Strip, with….
Abbas: Hamas opposes elections
2/13/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Fatah leader President Mahmoud Abbas says elections will be the basis to end the division, but that Hamas opposes a vote “at this stage.” “An agreement has been reached with Hamas that we form a unity government to be headed by me, then we have parliamentary elections and Palestinian National Council….
Hebrew lessons prove popular in Gaza schools
2/13/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Students in Gaza have reacted positively to a pilot project to offer Hebrew as an elective subject to ninth-graders in the enclave. Around 70 percent of schoolchildren in Gaza have chosen Hebrew over French or healthcare since it was introduced to the curriculum in 16 schools this academic year, a….
Russia will continue to supply arms to Syria, agency says
2/13/2013 – MOSCOW (Reuters) — Russia is still delivering weapons to Syria and will continue to do so despite the Middle East country’s civil war, the head of the state arms exporter said on Wednesday. Russia is Syria‘s main arms supplier and has long been an ally of President Bashar Assad.” We are continuing….
Syrian troops bombard rebel posts around capital
2/13/2013 – AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) — President Bashar Assad’s forces bombarded the southeast of Damascus with air strikes and artillery on Wednesday to try and dislodge rebel fighters who have gained a foothold in the Syrian capital, opposition activists said. A Middle East diplomat following the military situation described battles in and around Damascus as a….
Lebanese protesters block fuel shipments to Syria
2/13/2013 – BEIRUT (Reuters) — Protesters in Lebanon blocked the northern border crossing with Syria on Wednesday to stop fuel shipments they said were being used to resupply President Bashar Assad’s military. Around 30 trucks were forced to stop on the Lebanese side of the Arida border crossing between the two countries and at one stage….
Egyptian cabinet backs bill on protests, critics cry foul
2/13/2013 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Egypt‘s Islamist-led government approved a draft law on demonstrations on Wednesday that backers say meets international democratic standards but critics believe will give the state too much power to stifle protest. The bill will be sent to the Shura council, the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament, which currently has sole legislative….
Israel confirms jailing mystery foreigner
AlJazeera 13 Feb 2013 – Tel Aviv did not confirm or deny media reports that the dead man was the 34-year-old Ben Zygier from Australia.
Build Two-State Bridges Not Walls
Palestine News Network
Report Reveals Alleged Identity of ‘Prisoner X’ in Ayalon Israeli Jail
Palestine News Network
Israel to Evacuate 2 Families from their Land in Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
Settlers Raze Palestinian-Owned Land near Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
Israeli Forces Arrest 12 Palestinians in West Bank
Palestine News Network
Israeli Police Close off Northern Jerusalem Neighborhoods
Palestine News Network
Israeli Court Rejects Petition to Stop Beit Safafa Highway
Palestine News Network
Obama: US Will Stand ‘Steadfast’ with Israel
Palestine News Network
Arab MK to Raise Issue of Prison Hunger Strikes
Palestine News Network
Abbas Calls on International Community to Support Hunger-Striking Prisoners
Palestine News Network
PNN Report: The Ancient Town of Sebastia Subject to Systematic Warfare from Settlement Shavei Shomron
Palestine News Network
Border Guard Officers Recorded Chanting Racist Epithets in Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
Strong Voter Registration Turnout in First Two Days
Palestine News Network
Fatah Official Says Reconciliation Talks with Hamas Moving Forward
Palestine News Network
EUPOL COPPS Offers Police Traffic Training
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
‘My family has been separated’
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Four Fishermen Arrested and Fishing Boat Confiscated; PCHR Condemns Continued Israeli Attacks against Palestinian Fisher…
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
A settlements `bio-war` against the ancient city of Sabastiya
2/13/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – 12 February 2013, International Solidarity Movement, Sabastiya, Occupied Palestine – Sabastiya is an ancient city located just 10 km north of Nablus, West Bank. It contains Canaanite, Israelite, Hellenistic, Herodian, Roman and Byzantine ruins as well as the tomb of John the Baptiste. The winding city streets along with its history make Sabastiya an ideal place….
013
Relief Web 13 Feb 2013 – Source: NATO Civil-Military Fusion Centre Country: Iraq, Lebanon, Mali, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic INSIDE THIS ISSUE Iraq 1 Mali 2 Syria 3 IED/Demining 4
occupied Palestinian territory: U.S. Assistance to the Palestinians
Relief Web 13 Feb 2013 – Source: US Department of State Country: occupied Palestinian territory, United States of America Taken Question Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC Question Taken at the February 8, 2013 Daily Press Briefing February 11, 2013 Question: What is the status of…
occupied Palestinian territory: Gaza Gags Civil Liberties
Relief Web 12 Feb 2013 – Source: Inter Press Service Country: occupied Palestinian territory By Mel Frykberg GAZA CITY, Feb 12 2013 (IPS) – Gaza is becoming increasingly radicalised as Hamas continues its crackdown on civil liberties, press freedom and the rights of women. In the…
Lebanon: Palestinians from Syria languish in overcrowded Beirut refugee camp
Relief Web 12 Feb 2013 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic 10 February Shatila camp, Beirut For tens of thousands of Palestine refugees normally residents in Syria, the conflict in…
Iran reveals it has started new uranium project
The National 13 Feb 2013 – Announcement that Iran began installing advanced centrifuges into its main uranium enrichment site a month ago comes as UN nuclear watchdog visits for access talks. Michael Theodoulou reports
Green light for Abu Dhabi bus station and water plan
The National 13 Feb 2013 – Abu Dhabi Executive Council approved a number of irrigation and transport projects yesterday.
Russia refuses to halt Syria arms trade
The National 13 Feb 2013 – Moscow says it will continue supplying weapons to the government of the Syrian president, Bashar Al Assad, despite the escalating civil war in the country.
Australia orders probe into Israel’s ‘Prisoner X’
The National 13 Feb 2013 – Australia orders inquiry into Israel’s handling of the mysterious arrest and apparent suicide of an Australian prisoner who may have been working for the Mossad spy agency. Vita Bekker reports from Tel Aviv
Weekends-off plan gets mixed response across the UAE
The National 13 Feb 2013 – Private sector employees have welcomed a suggestion by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, for a two-day weekend – but many employers described the proposed move as ‘catastrophic’.
Obama unclear on Middle East strategy
The National 13 Feb 2013 – US president briefly touches on vision for a scaled-back US role in the Middle East but falls short of delivering an underlying strategy. Taimur Khan reports from New York
Pope Benedict tells faithful he’s going ‘for the good of the church’
The National 13 Feb 2013 – Looking tired but serene, Pope Benedict XVI tells thousands that he is stepping down for ‘the good of the church,’ in first public appearance since announcing his resignation.
Sharjah bathes in a sea of colours
The National 13 Feb 2013 – For one week of the year, Sharjah landmarks come to life in an explosion of colour and light.
Seven killed themselves in Israeli prisons in last two years
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Australian authorities were investigating Ben Zygier for espionage months before his arrest in Israel
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Israel confirms existence of Prisoner X: ‘A man was jailed under false identity’
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Australian-born Mossad prisoner lived as ‘lone soldier’ on kibbutz
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Human Rights Watch: Israel violated laws of war during offensive on Gaza
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
The top 8 must-read stories on Prisoner X
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Former Jewish Underground convict receives more than NIS 1.3 million from state
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
WATCH: Technion students do Purim Harlem Shake
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Israel updated Australian intelligence services over Ben Zygier arrest in 2010
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Lieberman: Diplomacy won’t work with Iran
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Remedia technologist convicted of negligent homicide, CEO and director acquitted
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
In Australia, Jewish community reacts with shock and grief
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Australia to inquire into own behavior in Prisoner X affair
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Australian TV report: Security prisoner who killed self in 2010 was Ben Zygier, a Mossad agent
Ha’aretz – 13 Feb 2013
Obama: U.S. will stand by Israel in pursuit of security and long lasting peace
Ha’aretz – 12 Feb 2013
Survey: Israelis cutting down on Purim gift baskets
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Large portion of Israelis will reduce the value of their packages this year by 30 to 50% compared to last year.
CHE won’t close controversial unit at Ben-Gurion U
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – The Council for Higher Education decides not to close university’s controversial politics department, after months of discussion on the issue.
Four Beitar fans detained for arson attack
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – The fire early last Friday morning caused extensive damage to the offices and destroyed team memorabilia.
Hamas delegation meets with Bulgarian lawmakers
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Terror group’s representatives arrive in Bulgaria to present “Palestinian narrative and expose the false Israeli narrative.”
Family given 15 minutes to pack before home demolition
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Nine-months pregnant Miryam Tager describes surprise house demolition in Gush Etzion region by IDF, Border Police, tells ‘Post’: I tried to stay calm so my children wouldn’t be upset.
Israel confirms suicide of prisoner under fake name
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Further details emerge on Prisoner X in Justice Ministry statement, which does not mention a name or whether he worked for Mossad.
Eritreans told: You can go free if you go home
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – 5 Eritrean detainees say they were told by prison officials that their only way to be freed is to agree to go back to Eritrea or Uganda.
Lebanese protesters block fuel shipments to Syria
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Protestors stopped around 30 trucks at the Lebanon-Syria border that were sending supplies to Bashar al-Assad’s military.
‘Egypt security forces nix Hamas office in Cairo’
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Iraqi paper says Muslim Brotherhood request was rejected due to fears it could spark further disturbances at time of unrest in country.
Egypt floods Gaza tunnels, cut Palestinian lifeline
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Up to 200 smuggling tunnels shut since Egyptian President Morsi took office; some 30% of all goods reach Gaza through tunnels.
Former MK seeks election irregularities probe
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Longtime MK A-Sanaa asks court to order state investigation of alleged election irregularities: “Findings will be an earthquake.”
Four Beitar fans arrested for arson of team offices
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Police say suspects identify as members of La Familia, known for racist chants at soccer matches.
Australia seeks explanations over ‘Prisoner X’ affair
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – ABC News says unnamed prisoner who hanged himself in Ayalon Prison in 2010 may be Australian recruited decade earlier into Mossad; Israeli ambassador meets with Australian Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister over matter.
Agency: Russia to continue supplying arms to Syria
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Arms exporter: Russia will continue “to carry out our obligations on contracts for the delivery of military hardware” to Syria.
Former technologist convicted in baby formula case
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – Court convicts former technologist of negligent homicide, mostly acquits CEO, owner in Remedia baby formula affair.
ABC report reveals alleged identity of ‘Prisoner X’
Jerusalem Post 13 Feb 2013 – According to ‘Foreign Correspondent’ program anonymous prisoner who hung himself in Ayalon Prison in 2010, may be an Australian who was recruited into Mossad; was allegedly kept in same isolation cell as Rabin killer Yigal Amir.
Obama reiterates steadfastness with Israel
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – In the US president’s State of Union speech, Obama promises to stand steadfast with Israel in pursuit of security, lasting peace; warns Iran that America will “do what is necessary” to stop them achieving nuclear weapons.
Pat Boone sells land in Galilee to evangelicals
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – 1950s music sensation tells ‘Post’ he will give Yad Vashem original lyrics to “This Land Is Mine” made famous by ‘Exodus’ film.
Environmentalists slam Red-Dead Sea plan
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – Groups say World Bank’s plan to build pipeline from Read Sea will destroy the Dead Sea, as water levels decline at rapid rate.
German politicians urge EU to blacklist Hezbollah
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – Mideast specialist says Lebanese organization “qualifies” to be designated a terrorist entity on all accounts.
MK’s win awards from Israel Democracy Institute
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – IDI will award MKs Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) and Orly Levy- Abecassis (Likud Beytenu) with Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards.
Court to rule on company mishandling blood donations
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – Tel Aviv court to decide fate of blood bank Biocord for alleged mishandling of donors’ cord blood donations, noncompliance.
Last part of Eilat railway gets approval
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – Southern District Committee for Planning and Building approves final leg of future railway, choosing an eastern corridor alternative.
Ministry lauds ‘new’ online health rights booklet
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – Health Ministry officials laud Hebrew booklet on health rights, but NGO Kol Zchut has been providing same information for four years in three languages.
Court to render verdict in 2003 baby formula affair
Jerusalem Post 12 Feb 2013 – Three babies died, 20 suffered harm after Remedia’s vegetarian formula was changed; case of three company officials handed to court.
Israel admits it was holding Prisoner X after court eases gagging order
The Guardian 13 Feb 2013 – Prisoner who died in Israeli prison in 2010 held Australian and Israeli citizenship and is said to have been agent of the Mossad In the midst of an escalating international row with Australia, the Israeli government…
Mossad and Australian spies: how Fairfax reporter homed in on Zygier
The Guardian 13 Feb 2013 – Tip-off for journalist Jason Katsoukis led to espionage trail of Australian-Israeli spies, false passports and Zygier interview For Jason Katsoukis, the Australian journalist who first investigated allegations that Ben Zygier was a Mossad agent, the claims…
Australia was investigating ‘Mossad agent’ Zygier who died in Israeli jail
The Guardian 13 Feb 2013 – Ben Zygier, Melbourne man known as Prisoner X, also questioned by reporter over spying before death in 2010 Extraordinary new details emerged on Wednesday about the alleged double life of Ben Zygier – known as “Prisoner…
Prisoner X throws spotlight on Israel’s treatment of those it regards as enemies
The Guardian 13 Feb 2013 – Ben Zygier case suggests Israel going back on 2006 promise not to hold prisoners in secret outside of international legal norms The infamous case of Prisoner X – revealed this week to be Australian dual national…
Hamas puts Hebrew on the curriculum for the first time in 20 years
The Guardian 13 Feb 2013 – Palestinian pupils keen to learn ‘language of the enemy’ in pilot scheme to helps Gazans understand what Israel is thinking In a crowded classroom in Gaza City, hands shoot in the air when teacher Moussa Ziara…
Israel partially lifts media gag on ‘Prisoner X’
The Guardian 13 Feb 2013 – Move comes after global coverage of case of top-secret detainee, said to be Mossad agent, who died in Israeli prison The Israeli authorities have partially lifted a gag order concerning a man known as “Prisoner X”,…
Israelis Ski on Thin Snow
IPS Unbending winds howl in the mountain; seldom carrying echoes of the two-year-old civil war closing in on Damascus just 35 kilometres away. But Israelis revel in immaculate pleasure. Albeit an internationally-recognised Syrian territory, the Israeli-controlled high ground is de facto their one and only ski resort. “It’s the first time…
Sebastiya: Agricultural lands under threat from nearby settlement
Uruknet
Iraq: Arrest warrant against Ramadi protest organizer
Uruknet
Palestinians’ Life in the Shadow of the Barrier Wall
Uruknet
Kundara Therapy – Iraqi Yasser Al Sammarai & Cowboy Bremer
Uruknet
The Perpetual War on Terrorism Ensures Presidents Will Be Increasingly Worse on Civil Liberties
Uruknet
Hamas to demolish 75 houses built on public lands
Uruknet
Should an armed drone be dispatched to kill Christopher Dorner?
Uruknet
Statement from Global Palestinian Right to Return Coalition
Uruknet
A Whitewash of Illegal Government Assassination
Uruknet
What does a police state look like?
Uruknet
A senior Iranian commander reportedly killed
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 An Iranian independent news website is reporting that a senior commander of Iran‘s powerful Revolutionary Guard has been killed in Lebanon.
Syria official warns of trafficking in antiquities
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 A Syrian government official warned Wednesday of rampant trafficking in antiquities from his country and appealed for U.N. help in halting the illicit trade that has flourished during the nearly 23-month-long civil war.
US working to convince Assad to go: Kerry
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 Washington aims to change Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s belief that he can hang onto power and accept “the inevitability” of his departure, Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday.
Iran says agreed on “some points” with IAEA-media
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 Iran agreed on “some points” in talks with UN atomic experts in Tehran on Wednesday, two weeks ahead of negotiations with world powers aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to end a standoff over its nuclear…
US ex-envoy blasts US ‘callousness’ on Pakistan
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 The former US ambassador to Islamabad on Wednesday criticized Washington’s “callousness” over the killing of Pakistani troops as he called for both nations to rethink how they see each other.
Israeli outpost demolition sparks settler protests
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 Israeli authorities on Wednesday demolished several buildings at a wildcat settlement outpost in the southern West Bank but the supreme court later issued a temporary injunction against further such action.
Afghan officials welcome drawdown, others dismayed
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 Obama‘s decision to bring half of America’s 66,000 troops home within a year was welcomed Wednesday by Afghan officials who have long agitated to control their country.
Kerry: Response to NKorea will send Iran a message
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday the world must show its resolve in the face of North Korea’s nuclear provocations or risk emboldening Iran, which is under scrutiny over its uranium enrichment program.
Egypt cabinet approves new protest law
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 Egypt‘s cabinet on Wednesday approved a new draft law regulating public demonstrations that was swiftly slammed by rights groups as restrictive.
Israeli soldiers wound man near Syrian Golan fence
Daily Star 13 Feb 2013 Israeli soldiers shoot across the cease-fire line with Syria on the occupied Golan Heights, wounding a man who approached the boundary fence despite their orders to turn away, military sources say.
Structure collapses at Chernobyl
YNet News, 13 Feb 2013 – ….
Report: US should hit the ‘pause’ button on Afghan aid
YNet News, 13 Feb 2013 – ….
Schools nationwide to hold emergency drill Thursday
YNet News, 13 Feb 2013 – ….
Kerry: Obama’s visit meant to listen to Israel, Palestinians
YNet News, 13 Feb 2013 – ….
A senior Iranian commander reportedly killed
YNet News, 13 Feb 2013 – ….
Begin from the end
YNet News, 13 Feb 2013 – Op-ed: No point in asking PA to recognize Israel as Jewish state, remove inciting textbooks from schools ….
Do Palestinians deserve a state?
YNet News, 13 Feb 2013 – Op-ed: Arabs have been unsuccessful in eliminating Israel militarily, but their lust to see it disappear hasn’t diminished ….
Palestinian Information Center
Pyongyang has a perfect right to make nukes
PIC – There is no convincing logic allowing for America and Israel and several other countries to be in the prestigious nuclear club whereas Koreans or Iranians are excluded.
Prisoner Ezzedine rejects a 3-months administrative detention decision
PIC – Lawyer for the PPS said that hunger striking prisoner Jafar Ezzedine asserted today during the court hearing that he will continue his strike and rejected administrative detention for three months.
Five kids wounded in IOF quelling of solidarity march
PIC – Five Palestinian boys were wounded to the north of Atara military roadblock after Israeli occupation forces (IOF) violently quelled their march afternoon Wednesday.
Occupation notifies the evacuation of a Palestinian’s land in Bethlehem
PIC – The Israeli occupation authorities handed to citizens, from the town of Husan in Bethlehem, in the southern occupied West Bank, an order to evacuate their lands and uproot the trees they had planted.
Qaadan stresses he will not halt his hunger strike
PIC – Prisoner Tarek Qaadan, who declared an open hunger strike since November 27, 2012, had sent a letter to his brother, one day before the deterioration of his health and transfer to hospital.
Hamas urges the Palestinians to register in the electoral roll
PIC – Hamas urged Palestinian citizens to register for the Palestinian upcoming elections (for the Palestinian National Council, the Legislative Council and presidency).
Occupation confiscates a Jerusalemite citizen’s land
PIC – The Jerusalem Municipality staff, accompanied by Special Forces, raided on Tuesday a land owned by the citizen Khaled al-Zeer in Bir Ayyub in Silwan, and handed to him an eviction order.
IOF arrests 17 citizens in the West Bank
PIC – The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested at dawn today 17 Palestinians from different areas in the occupied West Bank cities.
Red Cross closes its doors before prisoners’ families
PIC – The leader in the Islamic Jihad movement, Sheikh Khader Adnan accused the Red Cross of failing in activating the prisoners’ issue in international forums.
Al-Sana calls to confront the most dangerous Israeli scheme
PIC – Former Arab-Israeli MK Taleb al-Sana warned of the most serious Israeli scheme since the Nakba aiming to confiscate 800,000 dunums and deport 35,000 Palestinians in 1948-occupied Palestine.
Israeli Court Places Palestinian Minor under House Arrest
WAFA – 13 Feb 2013
Newspapers Review: Abbas on Prisoners Focus of Dailies
WAFA – 13 Feb 2013
Settlers Raze Palestinian-Owned Land near Bethlehem
WAFA – 13 Feb 2013
Israel to Evacuate 2 Families from their Land in Bethlehem
WAFA – 13 Feb 2013
Israeli Forces Arrest 12 Palestinians in West Bank
WAFA – 13 Feb 2013
High Voter Registration Turnout in First Two Days, says Commission
WAFA – 13 Feb 2013
Israeli Forces Continue Closing Off Jerusalem Neighborhoods
WAFA – 13 Feb 2013
PEX Report: AL-Quds Index Up
WAFA – 11 Feb 2013
IHT Special: Sanctions Chill Reaches Banking Clients in the Persian Gulf
New York Times 13 Feb 2013 – Banks like Barclays and HSBC having begun turning away customers from countries facing sanctions, further isolating Syrians and Iranians from the global financial industry.
IHT Special: Christians Squeezed Out by Violent Struggle in North Syria
New York Times 13 Feb 2013 – Daily life is deteriorating in an area that is home to tens of thousands of Syriac Christians, who have become the target of armed rebel gangs.
IHT Special: Tunisia Sinks Back Into Turmoil
New York Times 13 Feb 2013 – Following the murder of a leading opposition politician, Tunisians are asking whether the Arab Spring, which began in their country, has accomplished much of anything.
The Lede: Social Media Updates From Tunisia, as an Opposition Leader Is Buried
New York Times 13 Feb 2013 – Activists, bloggers and journalists in Tunisia posted a stream of images on social networks Friday, showing thousands of mourners packed into the largest cemetery in the capital, Tunis, for the funeral of Chokri Belaid.
Kerry Says He Is Preparing Proposals on Syria Crisis
New York Times 13 Feb 2013 – Secretary of State John Kerry said he planned to raise his ideas about how to persuade President Bashar al-Assad to agree to a political transition during a trip this month.
Australia to Investigate Suspected Spy’s Death in Israeli Prison
New York Times 13 Feb 2013 – Australia’s foreign minister on Wednesday ordered an investigation into his government’s handling of the 2010 detention and death of an Australian immigrant to Israel.
In Speech, Obama Tempers Expectations of Syria’s Future
New York Times 13 Feb 2013 – President Obama appeared to moderate his predictions for change in Syria in Tuesday’s State of the Union speech.
At War Blog: How to Help Veterans Succeed in College
New York Times 13 Feb 2013 – Who should be responsible for informing veterans about the nuances of higher education? Once a veteran is on campus, it may be too late, argues Ryan Gallucci of the nonprofit organization Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Dan waste water board plans NIS 1.3b bond offering
Globes Energy & Water – The Dan Region Association of Towns Sanitation and Waste Disposal Board has so far relied on bank finance.
Gabriella well operator threatens to suspend drilling
Globes Energy & Water – Noble Corporation notified Modiin Energy that it will stop drilling, unless $21.1 million is transferred by tomorrow.
Teva’s tax rate on Israeli business in 2012 – 0.3%
Globes Main News – The company reports that if it uses the trapped profits amendment, it will pay NIS 2.6 billion tax on profits of NIS 40 billion.
Africa-Israel hit with class-action suit
Globes Main News – A private bondholder claims that Lev Leviev’s company concealed material information.
EZchip CEO: Cisco is our largest customer
Globes Main News – EZchip reported revenue and profit growth in the fourth quarter of 2012 and that Cisco became its largest customer last year.
Wed: NICE Systems weighs on market
Globes Main News – NICE Systems fell heavily on disappointment with 2013 guidance but EZchip rose on robust results.
Wellington Management becomes largest Teva shareholder
Globes Main News – Wellington Management has become a party of interest in Teva with a 6.1% stake, the company’s expanded financial report for 2012 shows.
A law for the encouragement of tax avoidance
Globes Macro Economics – The Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investment is an utter failure, and should be scrapped.
BoI: Gov’t must raise taxes to lower deficit
Globes Macro Economics – The Bank of Israel warns the government that without expenditure and tax adjustments, the 2013 deficit will reach 4.9%.
Ben Zygier Visited Iran Undercover for Mossad, Recruited Saudi, Iranian Students at Australian University
Tikun Olam – UPDATE :Israel has just released (Hebrew and English ) its first official statement about its treatment of Ben Zygier. It has acknowledged without specifically naming him that it held a prisoner under a fictitious name and that the prisoner died in custody. The State said that it…
The Lonesome Death of Mossad Agent, Ben Zygier
Tikun Olam – Ben Zygier in IDF uniform Today, three brave Israeli MKs dared ask the Israeli attorney general, Yaakov Neeman, what he knew about the fate of Ben Zygier, the Australian-Jewish Mossad agent disappeared by Israel’s intelligence apparatus in 2010. Neiman answered that if the story was true,…
Chas Freeman to the Middle East Policy Council: ‘American diplomacy has been running on fumes for some time. It is now totally out of gas’
Mondoweiss – Ambassador Chas Freeman’s address at the Middle East Policy Council ‘s conference, “U.S. Grand Strategy in the Middle East: Is there One?” lays out the bare facts of the predicament we’re facing in the Middle East, sheltering the racist expansionist state of Israel. Freeman’s bluntness is…
Jerusalem’s mayor fraternizes and more with leader of Old City settler-fanatics
Mondoweiss – Nir Barkat on right foreground From Ofer Neiman: Jerusalem’s Mayor Nir Barkat (right) jogging with David Be’eri, director of Ela”d (the Silwan, East Jerusalem, settlers association). Both are dressed in “Ir-David” T-shirts: City of David- the Elad project, which was exposed by 60 Minutes for its…
After 200 days on hunger strike, Ayman Sharawna is dying in an Israeli prison
Mondoweiss – Hunger striker Ayman Sharawna (Photo: Ahrar.ps) Latest update: The advocate of the Ministry of Detainees, Akram Ajwah, said on Saturday February 9: “The Palestinian hunger strike detainee Ayman Ismail Sharawna was transferred to the isolation of Be’er Sheva’s prison.” Ayman’s Story Ayman Sharawna is from the…
Why the United States must reject British foreign policy in Syria
Mondoweiss – One of the effects of the Obama presidency is that it has turned international warmongering on its head. The script, has been somewhat flipped. During the George W. Bush era there was very little doubt who was perceived to be leading the mindless, breast-beating clamour for war….
When loving Israel is a social credential
Mondoweiss – I got upset on the commuter train the other day. There’s a woman in my town I run into five or six times a year. She’s social, and she’s conventional. The best schools, the best causes. She’s the soul of convention. If they were having charity…
Israel Pulls Back Curtain on Prisoner X Spy Mystery
The Foward Breaking News 13 Feb 2013 – Israel broke its official silence on Wednesday over the reported suicide in jail of an Australian immigrant recruited to its spy service Mossad, giving limited details on a closely guarded case. Click here for the rest of the article…
Brooklyn College To Probe Claims Jews Were Kicked Out of Boycott Israel Panel
The Foward Breaking News 13 Feb 2013 – Brooklyn College launched a probe into allegations that Jewish students were wrongly ejected from an event hosted by the school in support of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Click here for the rest of the article…
Anti-Arab Jewish Soccer Fans Charged in Attack on Israeli Club Offices
The Foward Breaking News 13 Feb 2013 – Some members of the Beitar Jerusalem’s nationalist and extremist fan club were arrested in connection with the arson attack on the soccer team’s office and trophy room. Click here for the rest of the article…
David Hartman Was Man of Passion for Jewish Modernity and Israel
The Foward Breaking News 13 Feb 2013 – Like his biblical namesake, David Hartman was a man of enormous and irresistible passions — for Israel, for the Jewish people for human dignity and for modernity. Click here for the rest of the article…
Uganda: Women Sent to Iraq Report Mistreatment, Abuse
allAfrica.com 13 Feb 2013 – [New Vision]The horror story that is the alleged humiliation and oppression that Ugandan women who were taken to Iraq by a labor exporting firm endured, took another twist yesterday with allegations that some of them had their body parts forcefully harvested and sold by their employers.
Uganda: Courier Company, Insurer Sued Over Sh1.5 Billion Stolen Artwork
allAfrica.com 13 Feb 2013 – [New Vision]A businesswoman has sued a courier company and an insurance company over artwork worth $600,000(sh1.5b), purportedly stolen as they transported it to Israel.
Israel confirms it held Prisoner X
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – Israel confirms it imprisoned an Australian-Israeli man under a false identity for security reasons, and that he died in custody.
UN Syria team meets rebel leader
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – A member of the UN special envoy’s team in Syria carries out the first field visit for several months, meeting a rebel leader, Christian and civil leaders.
Iran upgrades uranium enrichment
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – The Iranian atomic energy chief announces an upgrade to uranium enrichment machines in a move the US has called an “escalation”.
Building Solidarity for Georges Abdallah
Al-Akhbar Opinion 13 Feb 2013 – Lebanese anti-riot policemen secure the area in front of the French embassy during a protest demanding the release of Lebanese leftist militant George Abdallah, who has been imprisoned in France for almost 30 years, in Beirut 28 January 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Sharif Karim) Lebanese anti-riot…
Middle East loses freshwater equal to Dead Sea: NASA
Al-Akhbar News 13 Feb 2013 – Israeli border policemen stand guard along the Jordan River during a ceremony as part of the Orthodox Feast of the Epiphany on January 18, 2013 at the Qasr al-Yahud baptismal site in the West Bank by the Jordan River. (Photo: AFP) Israeli border policemen stand guard…
Egypt floods Gaza lifeline tunnels
Al-Akhbar News 13 Feb 2013 – Employees of the Hamas Ministry of Agriculture collect poultry that was smuggled into the Gaza Strip from Egypt by Palestinian farm owners, on February 5, 2013 at a a poultry farm in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza Strip. (Photo: Reuters – Said Khatib) Employees of the…
Ex-spokesman Makdissi says stance on Syria neutral
Al-Akhbar News 13 Feb 2013 – Former foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said Wednesday he has a neutral stance on Syria‘s 23-month conflict, as he broke his silence for the first time since leaving the country. “I left Syria because the polarization in the country has reached a deadly and destructive stage……
Qatar hands Syrian embassy to opposition, death toll nears 70,000
Al-Akhbar News 13 Feb 2013 – Fighters from the Free Syrian Army’s Tahrir al Sham brigade use a shotgun to fire an improvised grenade at Syrian Army soldiers in the Arabeen neigbourhood of Damascus February 9, 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Goran Tomasevic) Fighters from the Free Syrian Army’s Tahrir al Sham brigade…
Lebanese Re-Elected to Anti-Torture Committee
Al-Akhbar News 13 Feb 2013 – Our job is to visit places of detention and prisons in the states that have signed the Convention, without prior permission, to check whether or not they are respecting it. (Photo: Al-Akhbar) Our job is to visit places of detention and prisons in the states that…
Qatar’s Signal Dropped in North Africa Telecom Deal
Al-Akhbar News 13 Feb 2013 – A general view of damage caused by a siege by Islamist militants in early January at the Tiguentourine Gas Plant in In Amenas, 1600 km southeast of Algiers, in this 31 January 2013 file photo. (AFP) A general view of damage caused by a siege by…
Decades of Oppression Foment Bahrain Revolution
Al-Akhbar Politics 13 Feb 2013 – Bahraini women take part in an anti-government rally to demand political reforms on 12 February 2013 in the village of Sanabis, west of the Bahraini capital Manama. (Photo: AFP – Mohammed Al-Shaikh) Bahraini women take part in an anti-government rally to demand political reforms on 12…
Qatif Uprising: Demanding Inclusion
Al-Akhbar Politics 12 Feb 2013 – A man runs through snow after a snowstorm in the desert, near Tabuk, 1,500 km from Riyadh on 1 February 2013. (Photo: Mohamed Alhwaity- Reuters) A man runs through snow after a snowstorm in the desert, near Tabuk, 1,500 km from Riyadh on 1 February 2013. (…
Israel confirms it held Prisoner X
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – Israel confirms it imprisoned an Australian-Israeli man under a false identity for security reasons, and that he died in custody.
UN Syria team meets rebel leader
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – A member of the UN special envoy’s team in Syria carries out the first field visit for several months, meeting a rebel leader, Christian and civil leaders.
Bahrain urged to release prisoners
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – On the second anniversary of the beginning of Bahrain’s uprising, Amnesty International calls for the Gulf island nation to release “prisoners of conscience”.
Sunni authority hopeful over Vatican
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – The top religious authority in Sunni Islam says it hopes Pope Benedict XVI’s successor will work for better ties between Muslims and Christians.
Saudi activist calls for abuse law
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – A Saudi Arabian human rights activist calls for a child abuse law in the kingdom after a five-year-old girl was allegedly beaten to death by her father.
Iran upgrades uranium enrichment
BBC 13 Feb 2013 – The Iranian atomic energy chief announces an upgrade to uranium enrichment machines in a move the US has called an “escalation”.
Articles
Yair Lapid: The southern man and his cosmopolitan ghetto
Neve Gordon, Al Jazeera.com 2/12/2013
Although the Israeli centre projects itself as liberal cosmopolitan, it is actually informed by a racist logic.
Former anchorman and middle-class darling Yair Lapid stunned the Israeli political scene in the recent elections. His party, Yesh Atid (There is a Future) won 19 seats, second in size only to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s Likud-Beiteinu alliance, thus ensuring that Lapid will play a pivotal role in the next government.
But who is Lapid and what exactly does he stand for?
In Israel he is considered a northerner. The label refers to upper middle-class secular nationalists who live in northern Tel-Aviv. They are hard-working professionals who nonetheless find time to frequent the city’s busy cafes and restaurants. With yuppie-like qualities, they brush shoulders with tycoons and bohemians alike and consider themselves to be liberal cosmopolitans, tolerant and progressive.
The problem, of which this social class is well aware, is that northern Tel-Aviv is a tiny bubble that is always in danger of imploding. Yet, for Lapid’s hard core followers, northern Tel-Aviv epitomises the desired normal, the way life in Israel should look, while the rest of Israel, populated by ultra-orthodox Jews, Palestinians, and other poverty-stricken or marginalised residents, represents the abnormal and the eminently undesirable.
The goal, then, is to create ever more sections of Israeli society in the image of the northerner. Not surprisingly, Yesh Atid emulated Obama‘s successful campaign, arguing that they would introduce policies much more amenable to middle-class society. Lapid thus positioned his party as the centre – between the rich and the poor, the left and the right – and appealed to his voters by echoing their yearning for some form of normalcy. more.. e-mail
The rise of Hamas
Mukhairmar Abu-Sa’adah, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 2/11/2013
It appears that the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2006, has come out of the latest Israeli offensive in a greatly enhanced regional position. This has prompted questions about its ability to make the most of the diplomatic opportunities it has gained.
Hamas‘s strong response to the Israeli military operation in November 2012, which included the launch of rockets aimed at, and reaching, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, has attested to its commitment to its ultimate principle of struggle and perseverance. Moreover, in the wake of the 8 day battle, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, who has been in exile for many years and survived an Israeli assassination attempt, visited Gaza via Egypt. As the head of the Hamas political bureau, his triumphant appearance in Gaza highlighted the picture of a victorious Hamas, both nationally and internationally.
Beyond Gaza, the rise of Islamic politics in the Arab Spring countries, especially in Egypt and Tunisia, has created a more friendly and supportive environment for Hamas. Consequently, the Cairo negotiations, which led to a ceasefire with Israel, involved direct high-level diplomatic contact between Egypt and Hamas, which is a fundamental shift compared to the position of the ousted Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, who was very much anti-Hamas.
The visits to Gaza made by the Emir of Qatar and the Turkish Foreign Minister, as well as other regional leaders, further enhanced Hamas‘s new status. Such support for Hamas has built-up its credibility in the region, creating opportunities to receive large donations from Arab and Islamic countries for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
In Ramallah, meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who opted for peace negotiations with Israel and renounced armed conflict, has become more isolated than ever…. more.. e-mail
‘I was determined to live with dignity,’ says freed hunger striker Akram Rikhawi
Rami Almeghari, Rafah, Electronic Intifada 2/11/2013
Akram Rikhawi had not seen his daughter Rewan since she was two. So when an 11-year-old girl showed up in the same room as him, he had to do a double-take. “Hey, you are Rewan, aren’t you?” he asked.
At long last, Rikhawi is back in his family’s home in the Keir neighborhood of Rafah, a city near Gaza’s border with Egypt. He has been released by Israel after going on and off a hunger strike since April 2012. In total, he spent 104 days refusing food.
“I am now only thinking of one main thing, rejoicing with my family, especially my children,” he said. “Can you imagine, so far I cannot differentiate between my children’s names or ages? I will try now to compensate myself and them for the years of loss and I hope to live as normally as any father in this world.”
Rikhawi has eight offspring and also cares for his late brother’s five children. Saddest moment
During his near-decade behind Israeli bars, Rikhawi was only allowed one visit by his mother and his wife. The saddest moment of his imprisonment was when he heard of his mother’s death. “I did not know she died until one month afterwards, when I learned about her death through a local radio program,” he said.
After being arrested in June 2004, Rikhawi was sentenced to nine years imprisonment by Israel’s military courts.
His arrest took place after he was stopped at a checkpoint, while driving from Gaza City to Rafah.
“Israeli soldiers stopped the car and called me by my name: ‘Akram Rikhawi, get out, Akram Rikhawi, get out.’ They transferred me right away to an interrogation center in Ashkelon prison [in southern Israel].” more.. e-mail
Palestinians mourn loss of Chokri Belaid
Ahmad Jaradat, Alternative Information Center 2/12/2013
The Palestinian people will never forget Chokri Belaid. The death of the Tunisian leftist leader and human rights defender, killed in Tunis on 6 February in a fascist ambush, leaves a deep sadness amongst us. Belaid was one of the strongest defenders of Palestinian rights and a profound connoisseur of the Palestinian cause in its comprehensive and holistic framework.
We lost a comrade who fought beside us. Belaid struggled with us not just from a sense of solidarity: it was clear in his political vision that the Palestinian struggle is an Arab struggle, and that Palestinian resistance against the Zionist occupation is resistance of the entire Arab world.
The Palestinian issue – as Belaid did in his lifetime – should be read within the framework of the Arab Spring. Tunisia is one of the Arab countries closest, both emotionally and politically, to the Palestinian people. During the days of the Tunisian revolution, in 2010 and 2011, the popular demonstrations in the squares saw countless Palestinian flags raised by the Tunisian people.
Such a terrible loss comes at a very difficult time for the Palestinian people. Israeli colonization is growing and dramatically affecting the national rights of the Palestinians. The brutal violence of the Israeli authorities and the ongoing settlement expansion (especially in the E1 area, a corridor that can destroy the contiguity of any future Palestinian state) are trying to defeat our historical steadfastness.
The loss of Chokri Belaid affects us all as Palestinian people. Immediately following announcement of his murder, Palestinian civil society organizations and the leftist parties published statements to express our deep sorrow…. more.. e-mail
Brooklyn College battle reveals hidden agenda of “liberal Zionism”
Electronic Intifada: 12 Feb 2013 – Max Blumenthal New York City 12 February 2013 Why are J Street leaders afraid to debate Palestinians advocating a boycott of Israel?more
Arrested Development: B’Tselem on the Impact of the Israeli Wall
Palestine Chronicle: 12 Feb 2013 – By Ludwig Watzal In its recent report, Arrested Development: The Long Term Impact of Israel’s Separation Barrier in the West Bank , B’Tselem, the Israeli human rights organization, examines the ramifications of the Wall and the so-called security fence on nearby Palestinian communities. Its construction started in 2002. On July 9th, 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion that Israel’s building of this monstrous Wall was illegal and should be stopped immediately. For the damage done, Israel should pay reparations. The verdict was unanimous because the Wall is being built on occupied Palestinian land. As always, the Israeli governments disregarded the order of the ICJ and kept on constructing to this very day. Only a few miles are left and the Palestinian people will be totally walled in. Despite the massive breach of international law, the international community remains silent. In five sections, the report examines the…more
Stephen Harper’s Government: Demonizing Hezbollah for Israel
Dissident Voice: 13 Feb 2013 – Stephen Harper’s Conservatives want to weaken the primary resistance to Israel’s domination of Lebanon. In response to hotly contested claims that Hezbollah was responsible for bombing Israeli citizens in Bulgaria last July, immigration minister Jason Kenney called the Lebanese group a “vile anti-Semitic terrorist organization” and urged the European Union to “follow Canada’s lead in listing Hezbollah as a proscribed and illegal terrorist organization.” Kenney’s comment last week is part of a concerted campaign against a group the Los Angeles Times called “Lebanon’s largest political party and most potent armed force.” Stephen Harper blamed Hezbollah for Israel’s summer 2006 invasion, Israel’s fifth, of Lebanon, which left 1,100 (mostly civilian) Lebanese dead and much of the country’s infrastructure destroyed. The month after Hezbollah successfully held off the Israeli invasion, foreign minister Peter MacKay said: “Lebanon is being held hostage by Hezbollah. There can be no doubt about that. Hezbollah is a…more
The Southern Man and his Cosmopolitan Ghetto:
Dissident Voice: 13 Feb 2013 – Former anchorman and middle-class darling Yair Lapid stunned the Israeli political scene in the recent elections. His party, Yesh Atid (There is a Future) won 19 seats, second in size only to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s Likud-Beiteinu alliance, thus ensuring that Lapid will play a pivotal role in the next government. But who is Lapid and what exactly does he stand for? In Israel he is considered a northerner . The label refers to upper middle-class secular nationalists who live in northern Tel-Aviv. They are hard-working professionals who nonetheless find time to frequent the city’s busy cafes and restaurants. With yuppie-like qualities, they brush shoulders with tycoons and bohemians alike and consider themselves to be liberal cosmopolitans, tolerant and progressive. The problem, of which this social class is well aware, is that northern Tel-Aviv is a tiny bubble that is always in danger of imploding. Yet,…more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
To subscribe, please write to OccupationNews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OccupationNews/join
The New Dark Age 
Leave a comment