29 March 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Six Injured, Reporter Kidnapped, By The Army In Jerusalem
IMEMC – Jerusalem March 29, 2013; Palestinian medical sources reported that six Palestinians, including an elderly man, have been injured, and one reporter has been kidnapped, after Israeli soldiers attacked Muslim worshipers who tried to enter the Al-Aqsa mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, to participate on Friday prayers. …
Settlers uproot olive trees south of Bethlehem
3/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli settlers uprooted hundreds of olive trees and saplings in al-Khader village south of Bethlehem early Thursday morning, activists said. Ahmad Salah, the coordinator of popular committee against settlements and the wall in al-Khader, told Ma’an that a group of settlers from Nevi Daniel were behind the incident. The….
80-year-old activist injured in Bilin rally, witnesses say
3/29/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — An 80-year-old activist was injured during a protest on Friday to commemorate Land Day in the village of Bilin, locals said. The international solidarity activist was shot in the hand by a rubber-coated bullet, while other protesters suffered tear gas inhalation. The rally was to commemorate the 37th anniversary of….
Settlers attack 80-year-old man near Tulkarem
3/29/2013 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — A group of settlers attacked an 80-year-old man tending his land in Tulkarem on Friday, medics said. Hasan Barhoush was in a private field in the village of Kafr al-Labad when settlers attacked him. Barhoush was moderately wounded in the assault and taken to Thabit Thabit hospital in Tulkarem, medics….
Palestinians pray in the streets as Israel imposes restrictions
3/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Thousands of Palestinians performed prayers in the streets outside the Al-Aqsa compound on Friday after Israel imposed age restrictions on worshipers, a local foundation said. Israeli troops and police officers were deployed in the streets and alleyways of the Old City and set up checkpoints near gates leading to the Al-Aqsa….
6 injured trying to access Asqa mosque
3/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Six Palestinians were injured in Jerusalem on Friday as Israeli forces prevented worshipers from praying at the al-Aqsa mosque. Jamal Kabaja, 54, and his son Muhammad, 18, were evacuated to hospital after Israeli forces assaulted them en route to the mosque compound, a Ma’an reporter said. Kabaja sustained bruises….
2 injured during clashes in Nabi Saleh, witnesses say
3/29/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Two people were injured Friday during clashes with Israeli soldiers in Nabi Saleh, locals said. Dozens of protesters marched from the center of the village to land slated for confiscation by Israel for nearby Hallamish settlement. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets at the demonstrators as they arrived….
Clashes in Hebron as Israel boosts security for Land Day
3/29/2013 – HEBRON (AFP) — Palestinians and Israeli forces clashed in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday as Israel deployed significant security reinforcements ahead of a day of demonstrations. Palestinian security forces in Hebron said that hundreds of people took part in two demonstrations, one inside the city and one south of it, and threw stones…. Related: Israel beefs up security for Land Day
Palestinian Authority rejects Bethlehem settler visit
3/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority says it rejects Israeli plans to bring a group of settlers to the historic Solomon’s Pools site near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. On Thursday the deputy governor of Bethlehem, Mohammad Taha, told Ma’an that the decision was a “flagrant violation” of the….
Ambassador: Efforts underway to transfer Palestinian aid
3/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – The Palestinian ambassador in Washington said Friday the White House was working with Congress to transfer aid to the Palestinians for 2012 and 2013. Maen Areikat told Ma’an on Thursday that the transfer of $370 million was pending. Areikat said the United States had allocated $495 million for 2012….
Deputy PM: Pro-Palestinian activists raped in Libya
3/29/2013 – TRIPOLI (AFP) — Two British activists with a humanitarian convoy destined for the Gaza Strip were subjected to a brutal gang rape by five men in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi, the deputy prime minister said Thursday. The two women of Pakistani origin “were brutally raped in front of their father,” Awadh al-Barassi said….
Israel beefs up security for Land Day
3/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel deployed significant reinforcements Friday in the occupied West Bank including east Jerusalem for demonstrations commemorating the deaths in 1976 of Palestinian Israelis on Land Day.” Thousands of police reinforcements have been deployed in Jerusalem including in the Old City to prevent disorder,” a police spokeswoman told AFP. The measures were introduced “following…. Related: Clashes in Hebron as Israel boosts security for Land Day
Grassroots groups plant olive trees in al-Khader
3/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Commemorating the 37th anniversary of the Land Day, Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights carried out Friday a voluntary activity in al-Khader south of Bethlehem in association with the village’s municipal council and several grassroots organizations. More than 100 Palestinians from Bethlehem and Hebron refugee camps….
RSF welcomes pardon of jailed reporter, urges reforms
3/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas’ pardon of a reporter sentenced to a year in jail for criticizing him is a welcome development but the case highlights the need for reforms, a leading media rights group said Friday.”We welcome this pardon but the fact remains that it depended on the president’….
Haniyeh: No alternative to land of Palestine
3/30/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Palestinians must reject the idea of settling in any land other than Palestine, Gaza prime minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said Friday on the eve of Land Day.” We reject resettlement in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, or the Sinai,” Haniyeh told crowds during a speech in Gaza on Friday.”There is….
Palestine embassy says Erdogan welcome in Palestine
3/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian embassy in Ankara on Thursday welcomed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Palestine at any time, after the leader said he was considering a visit. In a statement, the embassy said that the Palestinian community on every level welcomed Erdogan’s visit at any time. Any Palestinian….
PA secures release of young Palestinian in Nablus
3/29/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — The military liaison office in Nablus on Thursday secured the release of Yazan Jihad Ahmad Abed al-Hadi from Jericho. He was detained in Sabastia for stone-throwing. The Palestinian military liaison office made contacts with the Israeli side to release the young Palestinian. Mjahid Abu Dayyeh, the director of liaison office in….
Poll: Fewer Israelis see Obama as pro-Palestinian
3/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Fewer Israelis see US President Barack Obama as pro-Palestinian since his landmark visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank last week, according to an opinion poll published Friday. The poll carried by the English-language Jerusalem Post newspaper found that just 16 percent of respondents said Obama was “pro-Palestinian” against 36 percent before….
Israel, Turkey to discuss flotilla raid compensation
3/29/2013 – ANKARA (AFP) — Officials from Turkey and Israel will meet next week for talks on compensation for the families of victims of a deadly 2010 flotilla raid for which Israel apologized last week, the deputy prime minister said Friday.” A delegation from Israel will travel to Turkey next week to work out the compensation issue,” Bulent….
Experts: Mideast peace deal will demand huge risks
3/29/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — Bold choices are needed to coax the Middle East peace process back to life, including bringing Hamas off the sidelines, which may risk tearing the new Israeli cabinet apart, experts say. Much will also depend on what legacy Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, newly-elected for a third term, decides he wants to leave….
Christians descend on Jerusalem for Good Friday
3/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims marched Friday along the narrow alleys of Jerusalem’s Old City on the path that tradition holds Jesus carried the cross on the way to his crucifixion. The pilgrims were marking Good Friday by walking from the Monastery of the Flagellation along the route now known….
3 brothers reported missing in Mediterranean
3/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Three brothers have been missing over a day in the Mediterranean Sea after swimming off the coast of Ashkelon, Israeli media reported Friday. Police and family have been searching since Thursday evening, Maariv reported. Israeli police and coast guards believe the two oldest, aged 19 and 26, were trying to help….
10-month-old drowns in Hebron village
3/29/2013 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — A 10-month-old baby drowned on Thursday in the Hebron village of Dura, police said. The child fell into a water barrel while playing in the village and was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. [END]
France To Blacklist Military Wing of Hezbollah
Palestine News Network
Boycott, Support the Palestnian BDS Call From Within Israel
Palestine News Network
Israeli Forces Impose House Arrest on Prisoner’s Mother
Palestine News Network
Israeli Forces Suppress Land Day March, Arrest International Activist
Palestine News Network
Settlers Uproot Dozens of Olive Trees in Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
IOF Troops Arrest Youngster from Jenin
Palestine News Network
Kidnap and Trafficking of Refugees, Asylum-Seekers Must Be Stopped, says Amnesty International
Palestine News Network
013 Fiscal Year General Budget
Palestine News Network
Supreme Court Rejects Petition by Mohammad Dahlan
Palestine News Network
Dr. Erakat Condemns the Recent Raid on the Al-Aqsa Compound by Israeli Settlers
Palestine News Network
Settlers Lay Foundations to Expand Settlement
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
013)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Settler attacks ISM activists
3/29/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – An ISM activist and her sister were attacked today on Shuhada street, Hebron, by the infamous settler Anat Cohen. The incident is the last in a long line of violent acts committed by Cohen. It was believed to be motivated by the fact the ISM activist was wearing a headscarf, as Palestinian access to Shuhada….
occupied Palestinian territory: The European Union contributes €9.6 million to support Palestinian families living in extreme poverty in the West Bank and Gaza
Relief Web 29 Mar 2013 – Source: European Union Country: occupied Palestinian territory The European Union is making this year’s first contribution to the Palestinian Authority’s payment of social allowances to poor and vulnerable Palestinian families in the West Bank and Gaza. The €9.6 million contribution,…
occupied Palestinian territory: Urgent appeal: Growing Palestinian Authority debt to East Jerusalem hospitals
Relief Web 29 Mar 2013 – Source: World Health Organization Country: occupied Palestinian territory Jerusalem, 25 March 2013 – The East Jerusalem hospitals are facing major cash flow problems as a result of accrued debt from the Palestinian Authority (PA) for specialized patient care, totaling NIS…
occupied Palestinian territory: Feasibility Study: Microwork for the Palestinian Territories
Relief Web 29 Mar 2013 – Source: World Bank Country: occupied Palestinian territory World Bank Promotes Microwork Opportunities for Palestinians Digital work can increase innovative businesses and employment of youth and women WASHINGTON, March 26, 2013 – The digital economy can leap geographic obstacles and bring…
What is Jack3d?
The National 30 Mar 2013 – Jack3d is a pre-workout energy booster that users say gives them an intense focus during training allowing them to train harder for longer.
‘Tunisia may need a second revolution’
The National 29 Mar 2013 – Inspired by the Arab Spring, thousands of activists have converged upon Tunis for the World Social Forum, but they are aware there’s unfinished business.
Iraq blasts kill 23 people
The National 29 Mar 2013 – The blasts struck within an hour of each other in the Baghdad neighbourhoods of Binook, Qahira, Zafraniyah and Jihad, as well as in an area of southern Kirkuk. More than 100 people were wounded, regional health officials said.
Syrian rebel forces take control of vital town
The National 29 Mar 2013 – The rebel gains have coincided with what regional officials and military experts said was a sharp increase in weapons shipments to opposition fighters as they prepare for a push on the capital.
Holi revellers in Dubai celebrate with a riot of colour
The National 29 Mar 2013 – About 10,000 gathered in Dubai for Hindu spring festival with friends, family and coloured powder.
Mandela ‘in good spirits’ as his recovery continues
The National 29 Mar 2013 – South Africa’s 94-year-old former president making steady progress after treatment for lung infection.
New prenatal screening for Down’s Syndrome available in the UAE
The National 29 Mar 2013 – “Next generation sequencing” will offer less-invasive method to determine birth defects in utero.
Two in five Emirati children do not exercise, survey finds
The National 29 Mar 2013 – Two fifths of children living in the UAE do no exercise – with youngsters in Abu Dhabi less active than those in Dubai.
Palestinians get ready to mark Land Day
Ha’aretz – 29 Mar 2013
Good Friday events in Holy Land kick off, as Christians descend on Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – 29 Mar 2013
Despite law, teacher colleges require applicants to list nationality
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
Hebron Brigade commander denounces military judge for calling stone-throwing a mere ‘prank’
Ha’aretz – 28 Mar 2013
‘Bulgaria won’t lead drive to blacklist Hezbollah’
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – Sofia will pass on all evidence uncovered in probe into Burgas terror attack, Sofia News Agency quotes Bulgarian PM as saying.
Steinitz: Apology to Turkey important for int’l affairs
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – New International Affairs Minister says reconciliation with Turkey will allow renewed discussion on Syria crisis and should put a stop to legal claims against IDF soldiers involved in the raid of the ‘Mavi Marmara.’
‘Hamas PM: Obama trip confirms bias toward Israel’
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – Haniyeh tells crowd in Gaza they must reject idea of settling in any land other than ‘Palestine,’ according to Palestinian news agency.
Poll: 45% of Britons favor banning shechitah
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – 38% of respondents favor banning nonemedical circumcision in poll conducted by YouGov polling agency for ‘Jewish Chronicle.’
Gold exports from Turkey to Iran resume
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – Despite tougher US sanctions Turkey exported almost $120 million worth of gold to Iran last month.
Soccer player probed for murder to stay in custody
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – Court accepts police appeal, overturns previous ruling to release foreign player to house arrest, saying he poses flight risk.
UN rebukes Turkey over return of Syrian refugees
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – Witnesses say hundreds of Syrians bussed to border after clashes between refugees, Turkish military police at Suleymansah camp.
‘France ready to blacklist armed wing of Hezbollah’
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – ‘Al Hayat’ reports Burgas attack, support for Assad has Paris ready to designate Hezbollah‘s armed wing a terrorist organization.
HOL HAMOED PESSAH: Different stripes
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – Symbolism in the Passover Seder interpreted through the lens of the story of Joseph.
Don’t raise the electoral threshold
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – Increasing percentage of vote needed to enter Knesset diminishes number, impact of small parties, balance of power.
Haggadah: A survival guide for Jews in Exile
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – Cryptic messages in Passover text provide links to national history, homeland for “strangers in strange lands”.
GRUMPY OLD MAN: Raising the bar
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – A homegrown supermodel raises Israeli ire, but maybe we’re overdoing it just a bit.
The truth behind the news photograph
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – How the photographer helps shape the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Poll: Big drop in Israelis who see Obama as hostile
Jerusalem Post 29 Mar 2013 – ‘Post’/Smith Research survey shows percentage of those who consider US president pro-Palestinian falls to four-year low.
Greek neo-Nazi party: Boycott Estee Lauder
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Golden Dawn party calls to boycott cosmetics company after JWC urged tougher stance against the neo-Nazi group.
NGO to hold fundraiser for Independence Day
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Public invited to ask credit card companies to round purchases up by a few cents and donate added amount to youth in distress.
Politics: A Knesset Speaker who believes in miracles
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – New Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein managed to eat matza on all three Passovers he spent in Soviet prisons.
Foreign Affairs: Turkey’s reality check
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – A decade of Middle Eastern turmoil is gradually producing an improbable winner: Kurdistan.
Senseless & spineless: Speaking truth to power
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Into The Fray: Israel’s abject apology to Erdogan conveys an unequivocal message to both friend and foe: If confronted with sufficient resolve, the Jews will capitulate.
Savir’s Corner: Thank you Mr. President
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – No one, even right-wing Republicans and Israelis, will be able to say that Obama is not a staunch friend of Israel.
Another Tack: Bewitched, bothered and bewildered
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Too many Israelis who should have known lots better were reduced to the infatuation of a bewitched, bothered and bewildered teenager.
No holds barred: The noise that drowns out peace
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – The inability to ever shut out noise is a plague. But beyond the pain caused by the utter lack of peace, there is the further consideration of the drowning out of the inner voice of conscience.
My word: When diplomacy ‘ads’ up
Jerusalem Post 28 Mar 2013 – Along with the flickering images and a tune that is hard to get out of your head, today’s ads are nearly always reinforced by a short slogan.
Jerusalem’s long Good Friday: tears, prayers and rented crosses
The Guardian 29 Mar 2013 – Easter means brisk business on the Via Dolorosa for a Palestinian Muslim with unusual goods for hire The hushed prayers of Christian pilgrims at dusk are swiftly drowned out by the muezzin’s call from nearby mosques,…
UN envoy says arming rebels ‘not the answer’ – as it happened
The Guardian 29 Mar 2013 – • Lakhdar Brahimi says he sees no swift end to civil war • ’63 killed’ today, says opposition group • Rebels ‘capture strategically important town’ • Read a summary of today’s key events Paul Owen
Arab Spring Shifts Focus of World Social Forum
IPS The World Social Forum’s traditional focus on economic, political and social injustice caused by globalisation shifted towards the revolts and unrest of the Arab Spring, in the current edition of the global gathering in Tunisia. The WSF “contributed in Latin America to the construction of governments that are with the…
Inhospitable Flows the Nile
IPS A 4,200-year-old relief in the Tomb of Mereruka in Sakkara depicts the staggering array of fish that once inhabited the Nile River and its wetlands. Ancient Egyptian fishermen with linen nets haul in their bounty, including the sacred Oxyrhynchus, a snub-nosed fish that was captured and nurtured but never eaten….
“Liberating” Iraqis, Limb by Limb, Life by Life, Home by Home, Gene by Gene
Uruknet
A Stone in the Shoe Why France Won’t Intervene in the Central African Republic
Uruknet
Gaza Fishermen Outraged By Renewed Israeli Restrictions
Uruknet
The fun-filled ocean resort at Guantánamo Bay
Uruknet
Afghan villagers flee their homes, blame US drones
Uruknet
Egypt Creates ‘Exception’ for Palestinian Refugees Fleeing Syria
Uruknet
More evidence emerges of torture by Spanish troops in Iraq
Uruknet
013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet
Mursi, army debate imposing martial law as strike wave shakes Egypt
Uruknet
Recycled pots as green as your plants
Daily Star 29 Mar 2013 On a display table outside Tawlet restaurant in Beirut earlier this month, the only thing as pretty as the plants were the pots.
Cookbook showcases Gaza’s hidden culinary delights
Daily Star 29 Mar 2013 Spicy stuffed squid and roasted watermelon salad are among the unexpected culinary delights of the Gaza Strip.
Charr calls out Haye for Syria benefit bout
Daily Star 29 Mar 2013 Former world heavyweight challenger Manuel Charr has vowed to donate half his purse to the Syrian peace process if loud-mouthed Brit David Haye will face him in the ring.
France warns it’s too early to arm Syrian rebels
YNet News, 29 Mar 2013 – ….
Israel, Turkey to start raid compensation talks on April 12
YNet News, 29 Mar 2013 – ….
Monroe, Eisenhower letters to be auctioned
YNet News, 29 Mar 2013 – ….
7 slain in northern Mexico bar
YNet News, 29 Mar 2013 – ….
Tanzania police: 2 dead after building collapse
YNet News, 29 Mar 2013 – ….
Fear of bigotry, not Islam
YNet News, 29 Mar 2013 – Op-ed: Extremists spreading anti-Jewish, anti-Western propaganda worldwide are not true Muslims ….
IDF prepares for budget cuts
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Plans and Policy Directorate deliberates over impending cuts, expected to effect antitank missile systems, Iron Dome, social projects; ‘IDF will be able to handle the cut if it spreads over the next few years’ official with directorate says ….
New details in Newtown shooting revealed
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Search warrants released by prosecution reveal new details into Adam Lanza’s shooting spree in Newton, massive personal arsenal ….
IDF Rabbi dismissed for watching porn receives new post
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Division rabbi documented watching porn is appointed to head Torah, Instruction Division; ‘This is a bad and negative example,’ source with IDF Rabbinate says ….
Watch: IDF foils terror attack
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Video featuring terrorists plotting to shoot at cars in West Bank released Thursday; due to video terrorists were apprehended and indicted ….
17-year-old dies after drowning
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Teen dies of drowning during school field trip, three siblings announced missing at sea ….
Cyprus court jails Hezbollah man for plotting to attack Israelis
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, found guilty of plotting to attack Israeli interests in Cyprus, was sentenced to four years in prison; US says Yaacoub’s guilty verdict highlights need for EU to take severe measures against Hezbollah ….
Report: Mortar attack kills 15 in Damascus university
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Pro-Assad Syrian media report that rebels bombed Damascus University’s College of Architecture, killing 15 students ….
Iran summons Saudi envoy over spy ring claim
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Iran protests Saudi allegations of Iranian spy ring in the Sunni kingdom; Saudis accuse Iran of gathering information on key locations; Iran ‘S
trongly rejects’ accusations ….
Officials: Arms shipments rise to Syrian rebels
YNet News, 28 Mar 2013 – Western military experts say weapons delivered to anti-Assad forces by Mideast powers include more powerful anti-tank guns, rockets ….
The IOF imposes restrictions on age of worshipers at Aqsa Mosque
PIC – For the third week running, the IOF troops imposed strict measures around the Aqsa Mosque.
IOF deployed in large numbers in al-Khalil
PIC – IOF troops in large numbers were deployed on Friday in al-Khalil district in the southern West Bank, where they stepped up security measures to coincide with Jewish holidays.
Abu Hamdeyya falls unconscious at Eishel jail
PIC – The PPS in the al-Khalil district said that captive Maysarah Abu Hamdeyya on Thursday fell unconscious at Eishel jail in Beersheba and lost all ability to move as he suffers from cancer.
Miles of smiles aid convoy arrives in Gaza
PIC – Miles of Smiles convoy (20) arrived in the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening through the Rafah border crossing, some of the members were due to arrive Friday.
Jewish extremists inaugurate the Temple Institute opposite Al-Aqsa
PIC – Jewish extremists opened on Wednesday the Temple Institute, opposite the Magharba Square on the western side of Al-Aqsa Mosque, with the participation of settlers and tourists.
Ahrar: Israeli occupation punishes prisoners’ families
PIC – Ahrar center for Prisoners studies and human rights denounced the occupation procedures punishing the families of Palestinian prisoners and preventing them from traveling.
PA security arrest 3 Hamas members
PIC – Palestinian Authority security apparatuses arrested three Hamas supporters in Nablus, Tulkarem and al-Khalil, and continued to detain a fourth from Ramallah in PA jails.
Settlers desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque compound
PIC – Scores of Israeli settlers stormed and desecrated the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday morning, guarded and accompanied by Israeli forces.
Prisoners Ashraf Halaiqa taken to hospital after health deterioration
PIC – Family of captive Ashraf Mousa Halaiqa, held in an Israeli jail, appealed to human rights and humanitarian organizations and media to save their son, who was transferred to hospital.
IOF closes Abu Salem crossing for 4 days
PIC – The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) re-closed Karam Abu Salem crossing southern Gaza strip for 4 days after opening it for only one day, the Popular Committee Against the Siege said.
Balancing needs of women, ultra-Orthodox men in Israel’s military
LA Times 29 Mar 2013 – Orna Barbivai, Israel‘s first female major general, says Israel needs all the soldiers it can get, and with effort and planning, can accommodate both. TEL AVIV — Israel‘s highest-ranking female soldier says efforts to draft male ultra-Orthodox students into the Israel Defense Forces should not…
Humanitarian aid beyond the reach of many Syrians
LA Times 29 Mar 2013 – Medical aid and other assistance destined for Syria have encountered roadblocks and limitations, leaving millions confronting severe conditions. REYHANLI, Turkey — The Syrian opposition fighter arrived unexpectedly at Dr. Mazen Kewara’s office at the Syrian American Medical Assn., desperately seeking help.
Ex-U.S. soldier accused of joining Al Qaeda-linked group in Syria
LA Times 29 Mar 2013 – An Army veteran is arrested and accused of conspiring to use a rocket-propelled grenade while working with Al Nusra Front in Syria. WASHINGTON — Federal authorities arrested and charged a 30-year-old U.S. Army veteran turned Middle East “freedom fighter” with conspiring to use a weapon…
Ten years after Iraq war began, Iran reaps the gains
LA Times 28 Mar 2013 – The influence of Tehran on its neighbor is growing, while the U.S., Iraqi officials and analysts say, pursues a policy of near-total disengagement. BAGHDAD — Ten years after the U.S.-led inva
sion to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the geopolitical winner of the war appears to…
The Lede: Ex-Soldier Accused of Joining Terrorist Group in Syria Left Trail of Videos
New York Times 29 Mar 2013 – Eric Harroun, 30, was arrested on Wednesday after arriving at Dulles International Airport outside of Washington, D.C., and charged in Alexandria, Va., on Thursday with “conspiring to use a destructive device outside the United States.”
Insurgents in Syria Said to Seize Southern Town
New York Times 29 Mar 2013 – If confirmed, the takeover of the town, Dael, would represent a new setback to Syrian forces, who have already ceded territory in the north and east.
Bombs at Five Iraqi Shiite Mosques Kill 19
New York Times 29 Mar 2013 – Car bombs hit five Shiite mosques in Baghdad and the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk just after prayers on Friday, killing 19 worshippers and injuring another 130.
Damascus Students Killed in Mortar Strike
New York Times 29 Mar 2013 – The blast from a mortar shell killed at least 10 people at Syria’s flagship Damascus University, where students had done their best to go about their business.
Damascus University: A Snapshot
New York Times 28 Mar 2013 – Damascus University is the largest and oldest institution of higher education in Syria, but the aura of normalcy around the university was shattered after an attack Thursday.
The Lede: Palestinians Fight Prison Sentences for Mocking Their President on Facebook
New York Times 28 Mar 2013 – For the second time in a month, a Palestinian court issued a one-year jail sentence to a West Bank resident convicted of insulting President Mahmoud Abbas on Facebook.
American Ex-Soldier Charged With Aiding Terrorist Group
New York Times 28 Mar 2013 – Eric Harroun, 30, of Phoenix, was charged on Thursday with fighting alongside a terrorist group that is battling the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Teva receives FDA approval for oral contraceptive
Globes Main News – Quartette has been designed by Teva to minimize breakthrough bleeding between scheduled periods.
Chinese Intelligence Aware Israel Used China to Lure Lebanese into Spying
Tikun Olam – Ronen Bergman’s account of the Ben Zygier tragedy notes that Israel lured two high-level Lebanese to spy on its behalf. One, Ziyad al-Homsi, mayor of a Bekaa Valley village, was brought to Beijing for what he thought was a trade mission. There he was wined and…
Israel Social TV Video on Secret Israeli Military Intelligence Unit Engaged in Foreign Assassinations
Tikun Olam – I’ve just recorded a new video for Israel Social TV about the secret IDF intelligence unit engaged in counter-espionage including foreign assassinations. This type of story is very important for Israelis in particular to learn about and I’m grateful Social TV airs the videos with Hebrew…
Former Israeli MK Exposes Top-Secret IDF Unit Engaged in Foreign Assassinations
Tikun Olam – MK Carmel Shama Ha-Cohen’s Knesset website CORRECTION : I write below that a top-secret Aman unit has never been referred to in the Israeli or foreign media. Thanks to a number of Israeli readers who pointed out it has been mentioned by name once in the Israeli…
+972 Magazine: Making the case for Israel Apartheid Week
Jewish Voice for Peace – For two student activists in Washington DC, Israel Apartheid Week – and using the term ‘apartheid’ – is an opportunity to alter perceptions and the discourse surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Making the case for Israel Apartheid Week , Joshua B. Michaels and Benjamin L. Mandel, +972 Magazine ,…
In Iraq, and now Syria, US seeks secular outcome by… promoting sectarian division
Mondoweiss – Everybody is talking about Syria, which we can all agree is a mess . With rare exception, this site has not been covering Syria, but I must point out that Assad is fighting a jihadist-dominated rebel movement , and the US is continuing to insert itself by utilizing…
In enforcing DOMA, and in doing nothing against settlements — Obama lacks ‘courage of his convictions’
Mondoweiss – I was enthused by the coverage of the Defense of Marriage Act arguments before the Supreme Court Tuesday and the clear signs that the Court will strike the act down as discriminatory against same-sex marriages. Here are two ways in which this case sheds light on…
A tale of two rabbis
Mondoweiss – Flyer announcing new venue for event (click to enlarge) An event is taking place in New York City on April 4th [flyer at right] to discuss the following questions: Is Israel—or can it be—a democracy? Is there—or can there be—equality in Israel? Can a Jewish state…
My 72 depress
ing hours on Obama’s trail
Mondoweiss – Image via Blog.StandforIsrael.Org If you ever had a burning desire to see the American-Israeli alliance shine, there wasn’t a better place to be than Jerusalem last week. Spending 72 hours there, on the trail of President Obama‘s tour through Israel/Palestine, was more than enough time to…
Anthony Lewis’s death unleashes an ‘outpouring of vitriol’ about his views critical of Israel
Mondoweiss – Leonard Fein has a column at the Forward remembering Anthony Lewis and his writings critical of Israel. (We saluted Lewis’s record here , and quoted from the pieces.) I am shocked by Fein’s report that there’s been an “outpouring of post-mortem vitriol” because of these writings. I…
Anthony Lewis, Teacher and Thinker, Cared More About Israel Than His Critics
The Forward Leonard Fein 28 Mar 2013 – Ad: New Player In The Food Crisis Niche! 75% Comm + Hot Upsells – Food Crisis Survival Is A New Product For The Survivalist Market Paying 75% Commission. Sells To: Solar, Green, Renewable, Power, Eco, Food, 2012 And More. Banners, Emails, Etc. Visit:www.thefoodcrisis.org/affiliate
African Hebrew Israelites Reenact Exodus in Passover Tradition
The Foward Breaking News 29 Mar 2013 – At dawn on Tuesday morning, a large group gathered on a mountain in the Negev desert to reenact the moments leading up to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. Click here for the rest of the article…
Number of Israelis Who View Obama as Pro-Palestinian Drops 20%
The Foward Breaking News 29 Mar 2013 – The number of Israelis who view President Obama as pro-Palestinian dropped by 20 percent following his first presidential visit to Israel, according to a new poll. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israel Could Withstand Syrian Chemical Weapons Says Israeli General
The Foward Breaking News 29 Mar 2013 – Israel could withstand any attack involving Syrian chemical weapons, an Israeli general said on Friday, adding it was improbable that Damascus would order such a strike. Click here for the rest of the article…
Gilad Shalit Could Have Avoided Capture by Hamas Attackers
The Foward Breaking News 29 Mar 2013 – Gilad Shalit’s capture was the result of operational failures on his part and on the part of other members of his tank crew, interviews with Shalit have revealed. Click here for the rest of the article…
Ethiopia: The Country’s Lost Jews
allAfrica.com 29 Mar 2013 – [African Arguments]The coercive eviction of Ethiopia’s Beta Israel community was an act of societal vandalism, whose stated justifications of hunger and religious discrimination are false.
US ex-soldier ‘fought in Syria’
BBC 28 Mar 2013 – An American ex-soldier is charged with using a weapon outside the US as he fought against Syrian government forces, prosecutors say.
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US Campaign to End the Occupation 30 Mar 2013 – Statement from BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights on the occasion of Land Day. Remember to send your Land Day action plans to info@bdsmovement.net and uscampaign@endtheoccupation.org. March 30th: A Day to Reaffirm Palestinian Resistance to the Ongoing Land-grab and Corresponding Displacement 37 years…
Syria fires on Lebanese fishing boat
Al-Akhbar News 29 Mar 2013 – A Syrian naval boat in Lebanese waters fired Friday on fishing boat off of the northern region of Akkar injuring one, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. This is the second Syrian incursion this month. On Monday, Syrian air force jets fired four rockets at a remote…
Bulgaria won’t push for Hezbollah blacklisting
Al-Akhbar News 29 Mar 2013 – Bulgaria says it won’t initiate a push to declare Hezbollah a terror group after last summer’s bombing that killed five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian bus driver. The government, however, says it will hand to its partners all evidence collected during the investigation into the attack….
Lebanon: Closed Borders and Shrinking Markets For Exporters
Al-Akhbar News 29 Mar 2013 – A man walks into the Syrian border after the road was blocked by Lebanese protesters at Arida town in northern Lebanon 21 January 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Omar Ibarahim) A man walks into the Syrian border after the road was blocked by Lebanese protesters at Arida…
Lebanon: Uncertain Future of Civil War Party Headquarters
Al-Akhbar News 29 Mar 2013 – The building hosted successive generations of the Gemayel family who have controlled the Phalange Party since its its foundation. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) The building hosted successive generations of the Gemayel family who have controlled the Phalange Party since its its foundation. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Three political…
Lebanon: Kingmaker Jumblatt Declares His Conditions
Al-Akhbar News 29 Mar 2013 – His second condition stands out most. Jumblatt doesn’t want Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement to control the lucrative energy and telecom ministries as they have in previous governments. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) His second condition stands out most. Jumblatt doesn’t want Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement to…
Damascus: Guardians of Zainab’s Shrine
Al-Akhbar News 29 Mar 2013 – The coffins of Mohamed Saeed al-Bouti and his grandson Ahmed al-Bouti, who both died in a suicide bomb attack, are carried during their funeral ceremony on 23 March 2013 at the Omayyad mosque in Damascus. (Photo: AFP – Louai Bechara) The coffins of Mohamed Saeed al-Bouti…
Israeli Army Prepares for War on Northern Front
Al-Akhbar Politics 28 Mar 2013 – Israeli reserve soldiers take position during a drill at a military zone near Kibbutz Revivim in southern Israel 7 March 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Amir Cohen) Israeli reserve soldiers take position during a drill at a military zone near Kibbutz Revivim in southern Israel 7 March…
The State of Egypt’s Coptic Church
Al-Akhbar Politics 28 Mar 2013 – Egyptian Muslims and Christians celebrate Coptic Christmas eve mass, at Tahrir Square in Cairo 6 January 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed Abd El Ghany) Egyptian Muslims and Christians celebrate Coptic Christmas eve mass, at Tahrir Square in Cairo 6 January 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Mohamed Abd…
Lebanese Politicians Buying Facebook ‘Likes’
Al-Akhbar Politics 28 Mar 2013 – In addition to the freelance experts, some companies also promote politicians’ pages. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) In addition to the freelance experts, some companies also promote politicians’ pages. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Elias Skaff, the former Lebanese MP from Zahlé, spends thousands of US dollars to maintain his…
Israeli Military Arrests More than 20 Palestinian Children in Hebron
Al-Haq 29 Mar 2013 – Ad: How To Win Any Election (kit – A Complete Guide To Winning Elections – 5 Ebooks And Sample Documents, Including A 178 Page Elections Guide That Shows Everything You Need To Know To Win Your Next Election!
Car bombs hit Iraqi worshippers
BBC 29 Mar 2013 – A series of car bomb attacks in Baghdad and Kirkuk have targeted Shia mosques during Friday prayers, killing at least 19 people.
Libyans held for Briton ‘sex attack’
BBC 29 Mar 2013 – Two Libyans are arrested over claims they sexually assaulted two British aid workers near the eastern city of Benghazi, officials say.
US ex-soldier ‘fought in Syria’
BBC 28 Mar 2013 – An American ex-soldier is charged with using a weapon outside the US as he fought against Syrian government forces, prosecutors say.
Articles
Palestinians demonstrate against sewage settlers spill onto their land
Haggai Matar, +972 Magazine 3/29/2013
Photos by Haggai Matar
About 100 Palestinians from the ancient village of Sebastia and their supporters held a demonstration today to protest against settlers spilling their sewage onto the village’s agricultural lands. This was the third demonstration in two months, and villagers are also starting weekly demonstrations, much like the ones against the wall and settlements that take place every Friday in Bil’in, Ni’ilin, Ma’asara, Nabi Saleh and Qaddum. Demonstrations took place in all of those villages as well Friday, some of them with violent confentations with army forces. In addition, activists in the newly formed popular committee say they are planning to take the matter to the Supreme Court.
Demonstrators convened in the center of the village at around noon and were joined by Palestinian MP Mustafa Barghouti (of the Mubadara party), activists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, some from popular committees in other villages and Israeli and international solidarity activists. Several speakers talked about the sewage that has since December, been flowing into their fields from the nearby settlement of Shavei Shomron, but also stated that the sewage was only one symptom of the occupation alongside land grabs, uproot of tress, limitations on freedom of movement and they stressed that the protest was against the occupation as a whole.
“Settlers offered [to] avoid spilling the sewage onto our lands if we let them connect to our sewage system,” explained Ahmed Qaid, a computer engineer, football trainer and activist in the popular committee. “We refused because they are sitting on lands that were stolen from us and four neighboring villages, and we want them out of our lands – not to welcome them and offer them use of our infrastructure.” more.. e-mail
Obama’s Peace Antics in Israel
Ramzy Baroud, CounterPunch 3/29/2013
Four More Years of This?
At the precise moment US President Barack Obama’s Air Force One touched down at Ben Gurion Airport on March 20, persisting illusions quickly began to shatter. And as he walked on the red carpet, showered with accolades and warm embraces of top Israeli government and military officials, a new/old reality began to sink in: Obama was no different than his predecessors. He never had been.
On the day of Obama’s arrival, Israeli rights group B’Tselem, released a disturbing video. It was of Israeli soldiers carrying out a ‘mass arrest’ of nearly 30 Palestinian children on their way to school in the Palestinian city of al-Khalil (Hebron). The children plead and cried to no avail. Their terrified shrieks echoed throughout the Palestinian neighborhood as they tried to summon the help of passersby. “‘Amo’ – Uncle,” one begged, “for God sake don’t let them take me.” Nonetheless, several military vehicles were filled with crying children and their school bags. But what made the release of the video truly apt is the fact that it was released on the day president Obama was meeting Israeli children at a welcoming ceremony at the home of Israeli President Shimon Peres.
“Their dreams are much the same as children everywhere,” he said, referring to Israeli children, of course. “In another sense though their lives reflect the difficult reality that Israelis face every single day. They want to be safe, they want to be free from rockets that hit their homes or their schools.”
Many Palestinians immediately pointed out the moral discrepancies in most of Obama’s statements throughout his stay in Israel. Still, his visit was ‘historic’ declared numerous headlines in the US and Israeli media. more.. e-mail
Helping Jerusalem
Daoud Kuttab, Ma’an News Agency 3/28/2013
The issue of Jerusalem has always been a hot topic at Arab summits. If there were a Guinness Book record for the number of times the city of Jerusalem was mentioned at these meetings — not of the actual support, however — this would probably be a winner.
The Arab summit, which ended in the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday, vowed to support Palestinians in Jerusalem with a $1 billion special fund. The oil-rich Qatari emirate donated $250 million towards this fund, which reportedly will be collected through the Islamic Development Bank.
A quick reading of the comments of Jerusalemites reflects a high degree of skepticism that such promises will ever be carried on or that, if paid, they will actually reach their intended goals.
Jerusalemite columnist Khalil Assali, who has been writing regularly about the status of Jerusalem, sheds a very negative view on what is happening in Jerusalem. From his column, one gets a very dark view of what is happening in the holy city.
Assali does not spare any single group from criticism. He blames the Palestinian leadership for all but abandoning what is supposed to be the capital of Palestine.
The Islamic waqf, which is one of the biggest institutions in Jerusalem, is also regularly criticized for barely doing anything of importance for the city, in general, and for protecting the Islamic sites, such as Al-Aqsa Mosque, in particular.
Palestinians who boycotted the unilaterally annexed “unified” Jerusalem have been unable to muster any serious political alternative to defend the Palestinian sector of Jerusalem. more.. e-mail
Remembering Akiva (Aki) Orr
Moshé Machover, International Socialist Review, Israeli Occupation Archive 3/27/2013
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Akiva Orr was a revolutionary activist and writer, founding member of the Socialist Organization in Israel (Matzpen), an enchanting raconteur and a unique larger-than-life character.
His parents emigrated with him, their only child, in 1934 from his birthplace, Berlin, to Palestine. In his youth, spent in Tel-Aviv in an apolitical petty-bourgeois milieu, he was a keen swimmer and won the 200m breast-stroke youth championship in 1946 and 1947. In 1948 he was conscripted to the Israeli navy, but was not involved in hostilities during his service. (The navy played a minor role in the 1947–9 war.) Demobilized in 1950, he joined the Israeli merchant navy as a deckhand (eventually rising to become third mate).
A major turning point in his life was the great seamen’s strike of 1951, a seminal episode in Israel’s class struggle. The strike was directed against the Histadrut, the Zionist trade-union federation, which refused to recognize the independent committee elected by an overwhelming majority of the seamen and rejected their demand to run their own union, free from bureaucratic diktat. The Histadrut, whose petty-bureaucrat nominees were crushingly defeated in the election, was also co-owner (together with the Jewish Agency) of the main Israeli shipping company Zim. Aki’s ship, the Tel-Aviv, moored in Haifa harbour, was occupied by its striking crew. In a pitched battle with large forces of police and Histadrut thugs, Aki was threatened by a police officer wielding a drawn handgun. This set him thinking, and he became politicized. more.. e-mail
Film review: Gaza love story triumphs over Israeli obstacles
Electronic Intifada: 29 Mar 2013 – Sarah Irving 29 March 2013 Habibi splices an ancient romance with experiences of the second intifada.more
Video: Ramzy Baroud on the Legacy of Rachel Corrie
Palestine Chronicle: 29 Mar 2013 – Ramzy Baroud, originally from Gaza, is a Palestinian-American journalist and author, former producer for al-Jazeera, and Editor in Chief of The Palestine Chronicle, shared at the Rachel Corrie – 10 Years: The Person and the Continuing Struggle Saturday, March 16th A dynamic day of social action, speakers, music, dance, food, remembrance, and community!more
Netanyahu Idiocracy: ‘Kill a Turk’ and Apologize…
Palestine Chronicle: 29 Mar 2013 – By Uri Avnery So, finally, our Prime Minister has apologized to Turkey for “operational mistakes” that “might have” led to the death of nine Turks during the attack on MV Mavi Marmara, the ship which tried to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza. It took him two years and ten months to do so. Hallelujah. But the real apology should not have been addressed to the Turks, but to the Israelis. And not just for the mistakes committed by the soldiers. The entire affair was an act of pure idiocy, from beginning to end. Right from its inception. It is easy to say so with hindsight. But my friends and I pointed to the stupidity of the action publicly, before it all started. As we said at the time, the damage inherent in stopping the Turkish ship was much more serious than the damage – if any – that would…more
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The New Dark Age 