3 June 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Army Demolishes Four Homes, Four Sheds Near Jericho
IMEMC – Tuesday June 4 2013, eyewitnesses have reported that dozens of Israeli military jeeps, accompanied by an armored D9 bulldozers, invaded the An- Nuwei’ma area, north of the West Bank city of Jericho, and demolished four homes, and four sheds. …
Israeli troops attack Palestinian civilians near Jerusalem
IMEMC – Israeli soldiers fired dozens of tear gas canisters at a group of students and other civilians protesting an Israeli demolition order on Monday. …
Settlers attack taxi driver in East Jerusalem
6/4/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) – A taxi driver said Tuesday that he was attacked by settlers while dropping them off at Pisgat Zeev settlement East Jerusalem. Naim Yousef Elayan, 62,told Ma’an that around 3 a. m. two young settlers stopped him at Gilo settlement and asked him to take them to Pisgat Zeev.”They told me that they want to pick up their….
8 Palestinians detained in West Bank raids
6/4/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Israeli forces detained eight Palestinians from different cities in the West Bank after midnight Tuesday, onlookers and Israeli media reported. Israel’s Maariv newspaper said the soldiers found arms and explosives during searches. Locals told Ma’an that Israeli troops detained four Palestinians in the Bethlehem area. Shadi Ali al-Asakra was detained in a raid on Al-Asakra village. In….
Israel ‘refusing medical treatment’ to female detainee
6/4/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israel’s prison administration is denying medical treatment to a female Palestinian detainee, a human rights center said Tuesday. Lina al-Jarbouni suffers severe pain in her gallbladder and doctors have said she needs surgery urgently, said Ahmad al-Bitawi of the Solidarity Foundation for Human Rights. Al-Bitawi, who researches prisoner affairs, said the prison administration has repeatedly refused requests to allow….
Israeli forces detain 4 in East Jerusalem, deliver demolition orders
6/4/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) – Israeli forces detained four young Palestinian men after storming their homes in al-Isawiya in East Jerusalem on Tuesday, a Ma’an reporter said. He identified three of the detainees as Yahya Nasser Issa,Fadi Muhammad Mahmoud, 17, and Kamal Mustafa, 28. Muhamad Abu al-Hummus, a member of a local committee in al-Isawiya, added that on Monday, Israeli forces detained five….
Israeli forces release Palestinian from Gaza
6/4/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – Israeli forces released a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday a month after he was detained near the border while traveling to Jerusalem. Zuheir Maarouf’s son Yousef told Ma’an that Israeli troops seized his father at the Beit Hanoun border area while he was travelling with his mother to Jerusalem for medical treatment. [END]
PA: Bethlehem journalist held on criminal charges
6/4/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – The Palestinian Authority on Monday arrested a journalist in Bethlehem after accusing him of stirring sectarian tension and releasing a false statement attributed to a military group. Attorney General Abdul-Ghani al-Uweiwi told Ma’an that George Canawati, who manages the Bethlehem Radio 2000 news outlet, was being held on criminal charges. He insisted the charges were unrelated to Canawati’…. Related: Rights group blasts PA journalist arrest
Israel releases 3 Islamic Jihad affiliates
6/4/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israel on Tuesday released three Palestinians from the northern West Bank who had completed their prison sentences a detainees center said. Usama al-Shalabi, from Jenin, and Qasem al-Ghawi, from Tulkarem, served 18 months in Israeli prisons. Muhammad al-Aboushi, from Jenin, was released after completing a five-year sentence, the Muhjat al-Quds foundation said in a statement. They were all accused of affiliation….
Rights group blasts PA journalist arrest
6/4/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The arrest Monday of the general manager of a Bethlehem radio station contradicts Palestinian Authority commitments to free speech, a watchdog group said Tuesday. The Ramallah-based Mada organization, which monitors violations of press freedom by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, said George Canawati’s treatment called into question guarantees from public prosecutor Ahmad Barak a month earlier.”We the public…. Related: PA: Bethlehem journalist held on criminal charges
Kerry warns of last chance for Mideast peace
6/4/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Secretary of State John Kerry Monday issued a stark warning to Israel and the Palestinians to resume long-stalled peace talks, saying if efforts fail now they might not get another chance.” We are running out of time. If we do not succeed now we may not get another chance,” Kerry told a forum held by the American Jewish Community, amid reports that….
Erekat: Failure of Kerry plan ‘not an option’
6/4/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — No one loses more than the Palestinians if US Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to restart peace talks fail, the PLO’s top negotiator said Tuesday.”The failure of Kerry’s peace plan is not an option. Everyone who believes in two states should help Kerry to succeed,” Saeb Erekat told reporters in the West Bank….
Palestinians ‘exerting every possible effort’ to restart talks
6/4/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat said Tuesday that American efforts to restart negotiations could not afford to fail, as the US secretary of state reportedly extended a deadline for resuming talks.” Make no mistake, we are exerting every possible effort for John Kerry’s peace plan to succeed,” Erekat said a day after the US secretary of state warned that time….
Abbas: We want return to talks
6/4/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas wants to return to negotiations “as soon as possible” to achieve peace based on a two-state solution, he said Tuesday.” We are determined to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible to reach a solution for all the unresolved issues between us and Israel and to achieve peace on the basis of the two state solution….
Hamdallah: New cabinet to be announced Thursday
6/4/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Newly-appointed Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah plans to announce a new 24-member Palestinian Authority cabinet on Thursday, he said Tuesday.”I thank President Mahmoud Abbas for trusting me for this task especially in light of the dire political and economic conditions the Palestinian people are suffering,” Hamdallah said as he signed a cooperation agreement with the Palestinian Judicial Council. He said….
Fatah, Hamas leaders hold unity talks in Gaza
6/4/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas and Fatah leaders met in Gaza City on Tuesday to discuss national reconciliation. Fatah central committee member Nabil Shaath and Fatah MP Faisal Abu Shahla joined Hama
s’ Imad Alami and Ghazi Hamada to discuss obstacles to implementing national reconciliation. Fatah reiterated the importance of “building bridges” between the rival factions and raised the recent arrests of Fatah affiliates….
Hizb al-Tahrir members rally in Ramallah
6/4/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hundreds of Hizb al-Tahrir supporters rallied in Ramallah on Tuesday to mark the 92nd anniversaryof the fall of the Islamic Caliphate. The demonstrators held signs calling for the return of the Islamic state, and declaring their solidarity with the “revolution of Damascus.” A spokesman for the pacifist Islamist group called on Muslims to undertake “serious work” to establish an Islamic caliphate….
Mohammad Assaf to perform in West Bank
6/4/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Mohammad Assaf, the Palestinian star of Arab Idol, will perform in the West Bank, concert organizers revealed Tuesday. Assaf, a singer from Gaza and a favorite to win the televised singing contest, will perform in Bethlehem, Nablus and Ramallah, Design Solutions said in a statement. Rami Shabaneh, head of Public Relations at Design Solutions, said the company was excited to organize….
US to send Patriot missiles, F-16s to Jordan for drill
6/4/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States will send a Patriot missile battery and F-16 fighters to Jordan for a military drill and may keep the weapons there to counter the threat posed by Syria’s civil war, officials said Monday. The Patriot missile launchers and F-16 warplanes “were approved for deployment to Jordan as part of Exercise Eager Lion,” said Lt. -Col. T….
AFP: Egypt activist given 6 months for insulting Morsi
6/4/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — An Egyptian opposition youth activist was on Monday sentenced by a Cairo court to six months in prison for insulting President Mohamed Morsi. Ahmed Duma, who was tried for calling Morsi “a criminal and murderer” during a television broadcast, was also ordered to pay a fine of 200 Egyptian pounds (22 euros). The activist blogger can be released on bail of 5,000 pounds….
Report: First Saudi sports complex for women opens
6/4/2013 – RIYADH (AFP) — The first sports complex for women in Saudi Arabia has opened in the east of the ultra-conservative Gulf kingdom, the daily newspaper Al-Watan reported on Monday. The paper said businesswomen and women personalities attended the inauguration of the center in Al-Khobar province after it was given the go-ahead by the authorities. Saudi Arabia, which applies a strict interpretation of Islamic or sharia law….
Velayati wants Iran-France cooperation on Syria
6/4/2013 – TEHERAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran’s former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati would “cooperate” with France to resolve the conflict in Syria should he win the June 14 presidential election, he said in an interview with AFP.” My offer, if I am victorious, is that Iran and France sit together to talk, and work together, to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis,” Velayati….
Putin: Russia holding back on Syria missile deliveries
6/4/2013 – YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow had not yet delivered its sophisticated S-300 missiles to the Syrian regime for fear this would upset the delicate balance of power in the volatile region. His comments came as the United Nations reported there were “reasonable grounds” to conclude that chemical weapons had been used by both Syrian President Bashar Assad’….
Deputy PM urges Turkey protesters to end demos `today`
6/4/2013 – ANKARA (AFP) — Turkey’s deputy prime minister on Tuesday urged anti-government protesters to end their demonstrations immediately, moving to calm days of protests that have left two people dead.” We expect all unions, political parties and everyone who loves and cares about Turkey to do this today,” he told a televised news conference.”That is what we expect from them.”[END]
Aide to Egypt’s Mursi sorry for on-air Ethiopia gaffe
6/4/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — An aide to Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi has apologized after she failed to inform politicians holding talks with the president that they were live on air, allowing viewers to watch them cook up plans to sabotage a dam in Ethiopia.” Due to the importance of the topic it was decided at the last minute to air the meeting live. I forgot to inform….
Jordan urged to end censorship of local news websites
6/4/2013 – AMMAN (AFP) — Human Rights Watch on Tuesday criticized a Jordanian government decision to block 290 unlicensed local news websites, saying the move restricts media freedom.”Jordanian authorities should immediately rescind an order to censor. . . unlicensed local news websites,” HRW said in a statement.”The government should also scrap recent legislation that allows it to encroach on online media freedom. The attempts to regulate online speech….
Egypt jails dozens of NGO workers
6/4/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — A Cairo court on Tuesday sentenced 43 Egyptian and foreign NGO workers to jail terms ranging from one to five years for working illegally, causing outrage abroad and raising fears for the future of civil society work in Egypt. The sentences follow trials which came in the wake of raids in 2011 on the offices of foreign NGOs, many which had operated without….
Palestinian plight hits UEFA spotlight
AlJazeera 4 Jun 2013 – Decision to host high-profile event in Israel has fuelled criticism of European football’s governing body.
G4S Face Storm of Protest at Annual Meeting
Palestine News Network
Ahrar Center Condemns Arrest of Former Prisoner
Palestine News Network
Kairos Palestine Strongly Condemns ‘Price Tag’ Attack on Jerusalem’s Dormition Abbey
Palestine News Network
Rise in Value of Construction of New Buildings Compared with Previous Year, says Statistics Bureau
Palestine News Network
Ya’alon Claims Support of Plan to Establish New Palestinian Village in Jordan Valley
Palestine News Network
700 New Settlement Units to be Built in West Bank
Palestine News Network
Palestinians to File a Petition to Israeli High Court over Ulpana Settlement
Palestine News Network
Israel Arrests Four Palestinians from Bethlehem
Palestine News Network
Naksa: Mass Displacement, Dispossession of Palestinians in 1967 War
Palestine News Network
Kerry Returning to Mideast Next Week to Resume Negotiations
Palestine News Network
EU Rewards Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of Press to Syrian, Egyptian and Lebanese Journalists
Palestine News Network
Syrian Arab Republic: Feature: Despite constraints, UN agency delivers for Palestinian refugees in war-torn Syria
Relief Web 4 Jun 2013 – Source: UN News Service Country: Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic 4 June 2013 – Should we keep a school open, or not; should the health centre shut its doors, or not. These are just some of the…
Syrian Arab Republic: Explosions and security checks: a day in the life of an UNRWA staffer in Syria
Relief Web 4 Jun 2013 – Source: UN News Service Country: occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic 4 June 2013 – Many United Nations staff members are deployed in duty stations deemed difficult or hazardous, but the current situation in violence-torn Syria presents the furthest extreme…
Syrian Arab Republic: ECHO Factsheet – 31 May 2013 – Syria Crisis
Relief Web 3 Jun 2013 – Source: European Commission Humanitarian Aid department Country: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey Key messages • Imperative that additional assistance addresses the needs of displaced populations throughout Syria and not just in the “hotspots”. • Need…
Abu Dhabi film industry ready to reel in Arab talent
The National 4 Jun 2013 – Support for Arab filmmakers and locally produced film is growing, as the movie industry continues to grow in the UAE.
Sheikha Fatima honoured for leading role in women’s empowerment and charitable achievements
The National 4 Jun 2013 – The Mother of the UAE was honoured for her support of women’s empowerment and humanitiarian issues.
France claims it has evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria
The National 4 Jun 2013 – Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, revealed that tests carried out by a French laboratory “prove the presence of sarin” while UN investigators said there were “reasonable grounds to believe that chemical agents have been used as weapons” in the Syria civil war.
After uprising at home, more Tunisians join Syrian uprising
The National 4 Jun 2013 – Study of anti-Assad foreign fighters killed in past year finds higher ratio of Tunisians than seen in Iraq several years ago.
Secrets of a master hacker revealed at Gulf security conference
The National 4 Jun 2013 – Kevin Mitnick was once the most-wanted cyber criminal in the United States and spent five years in jail in the 1990s for computer fraud. Today, he is a security consultant shedding light on how to combat cybercrime.
Abu Dhabi chemistry teacher is one of two honoured at natural history awards
The National 4 Jun 2013 – Oscar Campbell is also the chairman of the Emirates Bird Records Committee and has done extensive research on important resident and migratory birds.
Dubai’s lifesaving initiative to heal young hearts in Sudan
The National 4 Jun 2013 – Fifty children born in Sudan with congenital heart defects are to have free life-saving heart operations thanks to the expansion of a Dubai initiative.
Intellectuals hold many answers, says UAE’s Gargash
The National 4 Jun 2013 – Dr Anwar Gargash was speaking at the Arab Writers Union in Abu Dhabi.
British push to blacklist Hezbollah hits EU opposition
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Israel’s AG: Absentee properties in East Jerusalem can be confiscated
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Six Day War breaks out, this time on Twitter
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Israeli official: Palestinians giving Kerry two weeks to renew peace talks
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Erekat: Palestinians will not allow Kerry’s peace talks efforts to fail
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
In historic first, coalition MKs excluded from Knesset committee that elects judges
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Israel planning to integrate 500 Arabs teachers into understaffed Jewish schools
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Turkish government offers conciliatory moves as thousands return to protest in Taksim
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Israel releases conscientious objector Natan Blanc from prison after nearly six months
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
WATCH: Israel’s education minister cracks up over word ‘penetration’ during Knesset speech
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Knesset approves law barring ‘infiltrators’ from transferring money abroad
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
WATCH: Israeli company harnesses the sun to purify water
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Israel’s treasury tries to allay budget cuts fears, as defense ministry foresees ‘hard year’
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Foreign Ministry strike leaves would-be diplomatic travelers like Ehud Barak stranded
Ha’aretz – 4 Jun 2013
Israel’s AG won’t say why prosecutor sought harsher charges against Lieberman
Ha’aretz – 3 Jun 2013
‘The Gatekeepers’ director slams Channel 1 for ‘foolish’ roundtable after Shin Bet series airs
Ha’aretz – 3 Jun 2013
Eritreans fear deportation and danger after Israel strikes deal with third country
Ha’aretz – 3 Jun 2013
Analysis: It’s neither Zuccotti, nor Tahrir – it’s Taksim
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – The prevailing sentiment among Turkish protesters is that the AKP government under Erdogan has grown increasingly authoritarian, with most protesters voicing opposition to incessant crackdowns on their lifestyles.
‘1 in 4 kids go to bed without a story’
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Most children prefer games or television to books, WIZO survey for National Book Week finds.
New Tel Aviv police chief entering the fray
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Community outreach, fighting illegal firearms and cooperation of everyday citizens bring results,’ says incoming TA police chief Bentzi Sau.
US Patriot missiles may stay in Jordan beyond drill
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Moscow condemns move, accusing West of fueling Syria’s civil war.
PA releases jailed journalist on bail
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – George Canawati released on bail after being arrested for reporting on leaflet threatening Bethlehem mayor signed by Fatah’s armed wing.
New PA gov’t to be sworn in Thursday
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Several Palestinian groups announced that they will boycott Rami Hamdallah’s government.
Bill promoting women on rabbinical judges c’tee advances
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Legislation setting minimum quota for women on rabbinical judge appointment panel passes first reading in Knesset.
‘Beersheba bank victim not shot by police’
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Justice Ministry probe clears police; Southern District Police Cmdr: Those who criticized police over shooting should apologize.
Abbas threatens to dismantle PA if peace talks don’t start
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – PA minister: Abbas giving Kerry until June 20 to start talks.
‘Israeli-Arab teachers to integrate into schools’
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Education Ministry program aims to employ 500 teachers in 5 years, teaching science, math, English and Arabic.
Elsztain arrives in Israel in support of Dankner
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Argentinean billionaire demonstrates his support for embattled tycoon Nochi Dankner and his plan to save debt-ridden IDB.
Feting Jerusalem
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Today, 46 years after reunification, Jerusalem is Israel’s largest city with a population of over 800,000.
Mysterious pitfalls of teaching English in Israel
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Schools and the ministry blame each other for the current state of affairs; I have only experienced a similar level of chaos in third world countries limping along on non-existent economies.
Understanding Turkey’s protests
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – At stake – in the confrontation which is playing itself out in the streets of Turkey’s cities and towns – may be the future direction of Islamic politics in the greater Middle East.
In My Own Write: Family matters
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Family closeness is a decision and an investment of time and effort.
Separating state and religion at the Western Wall
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Though I have never worn a prayer shawl myself, I wanted to support those who did.
Arson suspected after fire breaks out in Jerusalem
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Seven firefighting teams attempt to extinguish fire that broke out in the Jerusalem forest area.
France: No doubt sarin nerve gas used in Syria
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – French FM Fabius says Syrian regime behind chemical arms use; US wants to gather more evidence before deciding on a response.
IDF takes additional cost-cutting measures
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Chief of staff orders reduction in employment of external advisers, cancels all non-operational trips of IDF delegations.
Hatnua, Bayit Yehudi tussle over chief rabbi bills
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Bennett to appoint women to rabbinate electoral panel, vetoes Stern Bill while Hatnua vetoes Amar Bill.
MKs launch sustainable transportation lobby
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – First meeting of lobby aimed at making public transportation more accessible held on Knesset’s Environment Day.
C’tee approves NIS 2.4b in guarantees to IEC
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Knesset Finance Committee unanimously authorizes NIS 2.4 billion loan guarantee to the Israel Electric Corporation.
Game of Thoros
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – British Jewish actor Paul Kaye, now best known for his turn as the renegade red priest on Game of Thrones, can boast a career that includes comedy, drama, musicals, art exhibits and composing.
Turkish deputy PM apologizes for police brutality
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Bulent Arinc attempts to calm protesters in contrast with Erdogan’s defiant dismissal of them as “looters”.
Snakes and scorpions ripe with toxin pose danger
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Magen David Adom teams have repeatedly been called to give first aid to victims of snakes and scorpions attacking humans in tall grass.
The unseen side of the Syrian war
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Druze from the village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heigts speak to the ‘Post’ about the Syrian civil war and Bashar Assad.
PA to form temporary cabinet but committed to unity
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Rami Hamdallah tells reporters in West Bank that power-sharing deal with Hamas is the way to get rid of occupation.
UK push to blacklist Hezbollah hits EU opposition
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – Several governments express concern that move to designate Lebanese organization as terrorists will increase instability.
Abbas: Ball in Israel’s court to restart peace talks
Jerusalem Post 4 Jun 2013 – PLO negotiator Erekat says negotiations cannot afford to fail as former PA prime minister praises Kerry’s peace efforts.
US peace plan failure could finish Palestinian Authority, Erekat signals
The Guardian 4 Jun 2013 – Palestinian chief negotiator says West Bank could fall to radicalism if John Kerry’s plan is unsuccessful The Palestinian Authority has bound its survival to John Kerry’s peace effort, warning that if the US secretary of state’s…
Alexander Lebedev’s accuser taunts him from Israel
The Guardian 4 Jun 2013 – The bizarre events surrounding the prosecution of Alexander Lebedev in Russia have reached a farcical level. His accuser, Sergei Polonsky, is taunting him with tweets from Israel and showing no signs of turning up in Moscow…
Palestinian Child Labourers Face Grim Future
IPS Hazem Maher, 16, from Hebron, works as a porter in a fruit and vegetable market in a city near Ramallah. Credit: Mel Frykberg/IPS Hazem Maher, 16, from Hebron in the southern West Bank, works a backbreaking 12-hour day in the fruit and vegetable market in the city of El Bireh,…
Manning’s ‘Secrets’ v. Over-classification
Uruknet
The Banality of ‘Don’t Be Evil’
Uruknet
Classification Games Hiding the Afghan Defeat
Uruknet
Video: On 3rd anniversary of ‘Mavi Marmara’ attack, witnesses return to the boat
Uruknet
Israel issues poster threatening to arrest children
Uruknet
‘We Steal Secrets’: State Agitprop
Uruknet
The United States should be in the dock, not Bradley Manning
Uruknet
US drone attacks are further radicalising Pakistan
Uruknet
Weekly settler tour invades old Hebron, disrupting lives of Palestinians
Uruknet
Natan Blanc: Heroic Israeli Refusenik
Uruknet
France, Britain confirms use of sarin gas in Syria
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 France said Tuesday it has confirmed that the nerve gas sarin was used “multiple times and in a localized way” in Syria, including at least once by the regime.
Final score: Lebanon 1-1 South Korea
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 Latest score from Asian Group A World Cup qualifier in Beirut.
Palestinians to pursue Israel at UN if talks fail
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 With no signs of progress in U.S attempts to restart peace talks with Israel, the chief Palestinian negotiator said Tuesday that the West Bank government is ready to resume its campaign to join U.N. and other…
U.S. military challenged on sexual assault as Congress weighs laws
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 Lawmakers admonished America’s top military officers over sexual assault in the armed forces on Tuesday, but top brass warned against a plan in Congress to take the cases out of the hands of commanders.
Obama sets stage for Senate battle over judicial nominees
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 Setting the stage for a political showdown with Senate Republicans, President Barack Obama named three lawyers on Tuesday to serve on a Washington federal appeals court often called the nation’s second-most important court.
S. Korea strike late to draw 1-1 against Lebanon
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 South Korea scored deep into injury time to clinch a 1-1 draw against Lebanon in an Asian Group A World Cup qualifier in Beirut Tuesday, ending their hosts’ faint hopes to make it to Brazil in…
Kerry slams ‘politically-motivated’ Egypt trial
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry voices concern about the sentences handed down by a Cairo court on 43 Egyptian and foreign NGO workers, denouncing it as a “politically-motivated” trial.
Obama welcomes Chile’s Pinera to White House
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 President Barack Obama has welcomed Chilean President Sebastian Pinera to the White House, asserting the South American nation’s economic and democratic rise.
Somali torture victim: US court hearing a relief
Daily Star 4 Jun 2013 A human rights advocate tortured in Somalia in the 1980s says he’s relieved to have finally had his day in court.
Istanbul: Police disperses protesters with tear gas
YNet News, 4 Jun 2013 – ….
Bnei Brak: 6 arrested for disturbing peace after protest
YNet News, 4 Jun 2013 – ….
US could extend Patriot missiles deployment in Jordan
YNet News, 4 Jun 2013 – ….
US’s Kerry harshly critical of verdict in Egypt NGO case
YNet News, 4 Jun 2013 – ….
UK’s House of Lords backs gay marriage bill
YNet News, 4 Jun 2013 – ….
Sentenced to death
YNet News, 4 Jun 2013 – Op-ed: Israel must deal with mess it created rather than send African migrants to third country ….
Erdogan: Protesters are ‘arm-in-arm with terrorism’
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Turkish prime minister says situation in his country will soon return to normal; Washington rebukes its ally over police actions; hundreds injured since Friday ….
Kerry: Last chance for Israel-PA peace
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – US secretary of state determined to broker peace between Israel, Palestinians; ‘If we do not succeed now, we may not get another chance,’ Kerry says about peace process ….
IDF helicopter makes emergency landing due to malfunction
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – One month after Co
bra helicopters were grounded due to accident that claimed lives of two pilots, Cobra helicopter makes emergency landing due to malfunction ….
Arab taxi driver attacked by Jewish teens
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Jerusalem resident picked up two teens who allegedly threatened him with knife to his neck; police looking into nationalistic motives; ‘they were really close to slitting my throat,’ victim says ….
IDF budget cuts: Reserves taken off combat operations
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Active service troops now to bear brunt of load, critics predict harm to military capabilites ….
Senator who brought Soviet Jews to US passes away
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Frank Lautenberg was oldest member of US Senate, last vet of WWII to serve. Jews remember him for Lautenberg Law, which enabled mass immigration from USSR. Considered one of the strongest supporters of Israel on Capitol Hill ….
Study: Asia boosted nuclear power in 2012
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Yearly report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute gives roundup of world’s war arsenals; while India, China, Pakistan bolster arsenal, UK, France Israel maintain unchanged level of warheads ….
Yemen urged to take immediate action against al-Qaeda
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Government hopes to thwart takeover terrorist group over country’s biggest province ….
Official: Hetz 3 is in process of advanced development
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Head of IAF missile defense systems reports ‘unprecedented’ success of Hetz 3 rocket interceptor, stresses Iran still main threat ….
North Korean officers join Assad’s forces
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Opposition claims Pyongyang is sending officers to aid Assad in Aleppo. Reports indicate continued upscale in Hezbollah participation in Syrian war, including terror group’s fighters manning Syrian tanks in battle for Qusair ….
UN nuclear chief: Iran talks ‘going round in circles’
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – In unusually hard-hitting comments Yukiya Amano says construction of heavy water reactor in clear contravention of UN resolutions ….
Erdogan calls for calm after days of protests
YNet News, 3 Jun 2013 – Turkish PM urges citizens not to be provoked by demonstrations he says are organized by ‘extremist elements’, before departing for Morocco ….
IOF soldiers raze houses in Jordan Valley
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) razed four houses north of Jericho on Tuesday and destroyed four other tin houses owned by Bedouins in the area.
Jerusalemite commission warns of Jewish calls to divide Al-Aqsa
PIC – Islamic-Christian Commission in support of Jerusalem and holy sites warned of calls by a group of Jewish extremist movements for dividing the Al-Aqsa Mosque and imposing Israeli full control on it.
Conference in Gaza calling for supporting Jerusalem
PIC – Dr. Ismail Radwan, Gaza’s Minister of Endowments, warned that the Al-Aqsa mosque is in a real danger and called to protect it from the repeated Israeli attacks.
OIC calls for extending urgent relief assistance to refugees fleeing Syria
PIC – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has called for extending badly needed relief material to Palestinian families who fled Syria and sought refuge in Gaza Strip.
PA security arrest 7 Hamas-affiliates
PIC – The Palestinian Authority security apparatuses arrested 7 members of Hamas, and summoned a university student and a liberated prisoner to their headquarters for interrogation.
Palestinians in the Negev decide to go on a mass hunger strike
PIC – The Negev Arabs High Steering Committee, in southern 1948- occupied Palestine, decided to go on a one-day mass hunger strike in the Negev on the 13th of June.
IOF arrests 7 citizens in West Bank
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested seven citizens from the West Bank and transferred them to an unknown destination.
Palestinian experts: Hamdallah came with a green light from the US
PIC – Writer and political analyst Ibrahim Al-Madhoun said that Abbas’s decision to replace Salam Fayyad by the academic Rami Hamdallah came with American blessing.
IOA approves the confiscation of Palestinian land in Qalqilya
PIC – Israeli Court issued a decision on Tuesday that approves the confiscation of Palestinian land in Qalqilya, in the northern West Bank, for settlement projects.
Abbas says Kerry is Exerting Serious Peace Efforts
WAFA – 4 Jun 2013
Abbas Receives President of the Maldives in Ramallah
WAFA – 4 Jun 2013
Church Denies Israeli Municipality Use of its Property for Lights Festival
WAFA – 4 Jun 2013
Construction Value Almost $1B in 2012, says Statistics Bureau
WAFA – 4 Jun 2013
EU’s Ashton Welcomes Appointment of Hamdallah
WAFA – 4 Jun 2013
Newspapers Review: Abbas on Jerusalem Focus of Dailies
WAFA – 4 Jun 2013
Turkey’s deputy prime minister apologizes for police crackdown
LA Times 4 Jun 2013 – Protests appear to thin out on the fifth day of unrest in Turkey, and police seem to be less aggressive toward the demonstrators. ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkey’s deputy prime minister offered an apology Tuesday for a bruising police crackdown on antigovernment demonstrators as clashes between…
19 Americans convicted for pro-democracy work in Egypt
LA Times 4 Jun 2013 – Many of the defendants had fled and are sentenced in absentia after being convicted. One who stayed, Robert Becker, gets two years in jail. CAIRO — The convictions Tuesday of 19 Americans who worked for pro-democracy groups highlights Egypt’s long-standing resistance to broadening freedoms in…
Protests in Turkey focus on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
LA Times 3 Jun 2013 – Behind the hostility seems to lie wide discontent with the perceived arrogance and intolerance of the leader, who has rejected parallels to the ‘Arab Spring.’ ISTANBUL, Turkey — What began as local dispute about threatened green space in this metropolis has morphed into a nationwide…
Obama announces new sanctions on Iran
LA Times 3 Jun 2013 – The order targets the Iranian currency and auto industry, which the U.S. says is used as cover for procuring equipment for nuclear purposes. WASHINGTON — President Obama announced new economic sanctions on Iran on Monday in a bid to raise pressure on conservative hard-liners who…
Syrian Rebels Attempt Shift From Guerrilla Tactics
New York Times 4 Jun 2013 – The rebels have been pulled between the limits of a lightly equipped guerrilla force and their urge to fight with the battlefield weight of an army.
The Lede: Chants Against Iran’s Supreme Leader Heard in Video of Dissident Cleric’s Funeral
New York Times 4 Jun 2013 – Chants in support of jailed opposition leaders, and against Iran’s ruling cleric, rang out during a funeral procession for a dissident religious leader in the city of Isfahan on Tuesday.
In Egypt, Foreign Nonprofit Workers Convicted
New York Times 4 Jun 2013 – The guilty verdict for more than three dozen employees, among them many Americans, came in a trial the United States has called politically motivated.
Turkish Official Apologizes for Force Used at Start of Riots
New York Times 4 Jun 2013 – Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc appeared to be trying to ease mounting criticism after violent crackdowns by the police.
Palestinian Envoy Marks Anniversary of 1967 War
New York Times 4 Jun 2013 – In a visit to a militarily strategic site in the West Bank, the Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat called for an end to the Israeli occupation.
U.S. Sanctions 37 Companies in Iran Dispute
New York Times 4 Jun 2013 – The action by the Treasury was the fourth time in a week that the Obama administration escalated sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear program.
NATO to Send Team to Libya to Assess Security Aid
New York Times 4 Jun 2013 – The team of experts will review ways to provide security assistance, notably military training, to help Libya combat Islamist militants claiming allegiance to Al Qaeda and other threats.
Egyptian Court Convicts Nonprofit Workers
New York Times 4 Jun 2013 – A court convicted 43 nonprofit workers, including at least 16 Americans, of illegally using foreign funds to foment unrest in the country, sentencing them to up to five years in jail.
Woodside CEO sets June 30 deadline for Leviathan deal
Globes Energy & Water – Peter Coleman told “The West Australian” that talks with Delek and Noble Energy were stuck over the triggers for gas exports.
Finance C’tee approves NIS 2.4b in IEC guarantees
Globes Energy & Water – The approval came after IEC chairman Yiftach Ron-Tal promised that IEC will connect Dorad and Dalia Energies’ private power stations to the grid on time.
Lockheed Martin to set up Israeli R&D center
Globes Main News – Lockheed Martin VP global solutions Robert Eastman tells “Globes” the company will establish an Israeli information systems center with Bynet.
Wix files for $75m Wall Street IPO
Globes Main News – The DIY website developer filed with the SEC to hold an IPO. Market sources believe it will be at a company value of $400 million.
Apple to open Hadera school development center
Globes Main News – Students at the Amal High School’s center, which will open next week, will develop iOS-based apps for iPads and iPhones.
Mellanox acquires IPtronics for $47.5m
Globes Main News – Mellanox will establish its first R&D center in Europe at the optical components company’s premises in Roskilde, Denmark.
Fischer sees normal times ahead
Globes Macro Economics – “If we recognize that there is a lot more uncertainty and that there are many things we don’t understand, our work will be easier,” Stanley Fischer said.
Jane’s: U.S.-Built $25-Million Base for Israel’s Arrow 3 ABM, Built to Counter Iran
Tikun Olam – Jane’s article reveals Sdot Micha as new Arrow 3 base Last December, Walter Pincus reported in the Washington Post that the U.S. government was building a new base for the IDF. A highly-placed Israeli source informed me that the location of the secret base was Sdot…
Palestinian teen describes being used as a human shield by Israeli forces in Abu Dis
Mondoweiss – Muhammad Rabea appears at around 1:15 in the above video. Yanking him by the collar and shoving him in the neck, the armed Israeli soldiers proudly paraded the handcuffed teen up and down the street, making a public spectacle of him in the occupied West Bank…
Hannah Arendt and the Hungarian Jews
Mondoweiss – The movie Hannah Arendt , now at New York’s Film Forum, is excellent. See it. It makes reference to Eichmann and the Hungarian Jews. I have previously written this in my book, ” Notebook of a Sixties Lawyer,” page 174. In point of fact, members of the Zionist movement…
Kerry tells the lobby: I’m your boy, but you’re radicalizing the world
Mondoweiss – Yesterday Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to the American Jewish Committee and warned the audience that the two-state solution is about to expire so they had better do something. Because if they don’t, “much worse” is on the horizon. And what is “much worse?” The “…
Exile and the Prophetic: Barghouti’s warning – the alternative to two states is ‘persistent conflict’ without any middle ground
Mondoweiss – This post is part of Marc H. Ellis’s “Exile and the Prophetic” feature for Mondoweiss. To read the entire series visit the archive page . If nations are defined by the people they jail, check out a recent interview with Marwan Barghouti . I begin with Barghouti’s words…
Israel approves construction to transfer West Bank Bedouin
Mondoweiss – Jahalin Bedouin student studying in al-Khan al-Ahmar, near Jerusalem. (Photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Jahalin.org) Israel has announced construction of a large-scale village near Jericho that planners are calling a “dump site” for Palestinian Bedouins residing outside of Jerusalem. Mondoweiss became aware of the relocation after the Israeli…
Palestinian Premier Works To Form New Government
The Foward Breaking News 4 Jun 2013 – Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Rami Hamdallah said on Tuesday he hoped to form his West Bank-based government this week but was committed to implementing a power-sharing deal with Gaza’s Hamas rulers. Click here for the rest of the article…
Syria Built Chemical Arsenal to Counter Israel
The Foward Breaking News 4 Jun 2013 – Syria, defeated by Israel in three wars and afraid its arch enemy had gained a nuclear arsenal, began in earnest to build a covert chemical weapons programme three decades ago, aided by its neighbours, allies and European chemical wholesalers. Click here for the rest of the…
Talk of Sex Gets Israeli Minister Shai Piron All Giggly
The Foward Breaking News 4 Jun 2013 – A reference to “penetration” in a speech to parliament caused Israel’s education minister to burst into a laughing fit that went viral on Tuesday on Israeli websites. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israeli Boy’s Kidney Donated to Palestinian Child
The Foward Breaking News 4 Jun 2013 – The kidney of a 3-year-old Israeli boy was successfully transplanted to a 10-year-old Palestinian child. Click here for the rest of the article…
Syrian regime ‘used sarin’ – France
BBC 4 Jun 2013 – There is no doubt Syria’s government has used sarin during the country’s crisis, says France’s foreign minister, without specifying where or when.
Egypt court convicts NGO employees
BBC 4 Jun 2013 – A court in Cairo sentences 43 Egyptian and foreign employees of non-governmental organisations for working illegally in Egypt.
Protest at Iran dissident’s funeral
BBC 4 Jun 2013 – Tens of thousands of people attend the funeral of a senior dissident cleric in the city of Isfahan, chanting anti-government protests.
US sanctions target Iranian currency
BBC 3 Jun 2013 – The US unveils fresh sanctions against Iran, targeting the country’s currency, as it increases pressure on Tehran to abandon its nuclear programme.
The Unwritten History of Henry Jessup and the Early Founders of the American University of Beirut
Al-Akhbar Blogs 4 Jun 2013 – I read this glowing profile of Henry Jessup in the mouthpiece of the American University of Beirut, Main Gate . This sentence struck me: “Jessup routinely aligned himself with some of the more conservative members of the SPC [Syrian Protestant College] faculty and administration on many issues.”…
Sniper fire kills two in Lebanon’s Tripoli
Al-Akhbar News 4 Jun 2013 – Two men shot by snipers in Lebanon’s Tripoli succumbed to their wounds on Tuesday, a security o
fficial said. “One policeman who was off duty died of sniper-fire wounds from the day before, and a Syrian residing in the city suffered the same fate,” the official told…
WikiLeaks chief blasts Bradley Manning “show trial”
Al-Akhbar News 4 Jun 2013 – Bradley Manning (C) is escorted as he leaves a military court for the day on 3 June 2013 at Fort Meade in Maryland. (Photo: AFP / Getty Images – Alex Wong) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has condemned the “show trial” of Bradley Manning , the US soldier accused…
Lebanon: Saida Rally To Target Hezbollah
Al-Akhbar News 4 Jun 2013 – Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya announced its rally two days after a group of Islamists burned Hezbollah aid packages intended for Syrian refugees in the city’s Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya announced its rally two days after a group of Islamists burned Hezbollah aid…
US to send war jets, Patriot missiles to Jordan
Al-Akhbar News 4 Jun 2013 – A picture taken in 1996 shows Russian SS300 air-defense missiles being prepared to be launched at a military training ground in Russia. (Photo: AFP – Vladimir Mashatin) Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday Moscow had not yet delivered its sophisticated S-300 missiles to Damascus, as the…
Syria Bank Chief: Let Them Eat Weed!
Al-Akhbar News 4 Jun 2013 – A cashier counts Syrian currency notes in Amman, in this 6 December 2011 file photo. (Photo: Reuters- Ali Jarekji) A cashier counts Syrian currency notes in Amman, in this 6 December 2011 file photo. (Photo: Reuters- Ali Jarekji) Damascus – Abu Mwaffaq, 65-years-old, looked angry as…
Aazaz Kidnappers Find Friends in Hariri and McCain
Al-Akhbar Politics 3 Jun 2013 – A Syrian rebel fighter shows his skills to the young recruits of the Amr Ibn al-Aass brigade during a training with rifles on the outskirts of Azaz, in northern Syria, on 19 September 2012. (Photo: AFP – Marco Longari) A Syrian rebel fighter shows his skills…
Turks Take to the Streets, but Erdogan Remains
Al-Akhbar Politics 3 Jun 2013 – A man cleans a window of a bank on Taksim square in Istanbul on 3 June 2013 after days of protests against the demolition of nearby Gezi park. (Photo: AFP – Bulent Kilic) A man cleans a window of a bank on Taksim square in Istanbul…
Syrian regime ‘used sarin’ – France
BBC 4 Jun 2013 – There is no doubt Syria’s government has used sarin during the country’s crisis, says France’s foreign minister, without specifying where or when.
Egypt court convicts NGO employees
BBC 4 Jun 2013 – A court in Cairo sentences 43 Egyptian and foreign employees of non-governmental organisations for working illegally in Egypt.
Rediscovered frog is ‘living fossil’
BBC 4 Jun 2013 – The Hula painted frog, which was recently rediscovered after being declared extinct, has been reclassified as a “living fossil”.
Protest at Iran dissident’s funeral
BBC 4 Jun 2013 – Tens of thousands of people attend the funeral of a senior dissident cleric in the city of Isfahan, chanting anti-government protests.
Egyptian politicians in on-air gaffe
BBC 4 Jun 2013 – Egyptian politicians are caught on live TV proposing hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile.
US sanctions target Iranian currency
BBC 3 Jun 2013 – The US unveils fresh sanctions against Iran, targeting the country’s currency, as it increases pressure on Tehran to abandon its nuclear programme.
Articles
Kerry’s plan.. Palestinians to be cast as fall guys – again
Jonathan Cook, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN) 6/4/2013
Under heavy pressure from the US, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has paid grudging lip service over the past four years to the goal of Palestinian statehood. But his real agenda was always transparent: not statehood, but what he termed “economic peace”.
Ordinary Palestinians, in Netanyahu’s view, can be pacified with crumbs from the master’s table: fewer checkpoints, extra jobs and trading opportunities, and a gradual, if limited, improvement in living standards. All of this buys time for Israel to expand the settlements, cementing its hold over the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
After 20 years of pursuing Palestinian statehood implied in the Oslo Accords, the US indicated last week it was switching horses. It appears to be adopting Netanyahu’s model of “economic peace”.
The US secretary of state, John Kerry, flanked by the Israeli president, Shimon Peres, and the Palestinian Authority chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, at the World Economic Forum in Jordan, revealed an economic programme for getting peace talks on track.
Some 300 Israeli and Palestinian business people were on board, he said, and would invest heavily in the Palestinian economy in a venture that was “bigger, bolder and more ambitious than anything since the Oslo accords”.
No more details were forthcoming, except that it will be overseen by Tony Blair, Britain’s former prime minister who has been the Quartet representative, the international community’s “man in Jerusalem”, since 2007.
He is a strange choice indeed, given that the Palestinian leadership has publicly dismissed him as “Israel’s defence attorney” and privately argued — as revealed in the Palestine Papers leaked in 2011 — that he advocates “an apartheid-like approach to dealing with the occupied West Bank.” more.. e-mail
New Israeli plan calls for more ‘intelligence’ gathering to disrupt BDS movement
Ben White, Electronic Intifada, Israeli Occupation Archive 6/4/2013
This week in Jerusalem, the Israeli foreign ministry hosted the fourth international conference of the Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism.
As I previously blogged, this is “a gathering that has served as an important focus for efforts to fight Palestine solidarity activism and boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaigns.” The pre-conference agenda and working group mission statements made it clear that hasbara — propaganda — was once again going to be high on the agenda.
Reproduced below is the “Action Plan” presented to delegates by the working group tasked with examining “delegitimization” and BDS. This is transcribed from slides shown to the conference, and the video can be viewed above.
This document needs to be read, shared, and taken into account by activists when planning campaigns and strategies. BDS and Delegitimization Task Force
Action Plan
Divide Responsibilities – Rather than everyone trying to do everything, identify the comparative advantage of each organization to maximize their effectiveness in proactively and reactively addressing delegitimization threats. The British approach could be a model. For example, encourage groups with ties to labor to focus on working with unions, those with expertise in international relations to devote their attention to members of UN agencies, those involved in media and PR to concentrate on journalists and messaging, those with legal expertise to explore legal avenues for fighting BDS and those active on campus with students, faculty and other stakeholders.
Enhance Intelligence Capabilities – We need to have more information about the organizations promoting delegitimization, including their membership, funding and planned activities. Nations, foundations and other funders supporting BDS should be named and shamed. Map connections between BDS organizations and their supporters, such as the PA [Palestinian Authority]. Also investigate the BDS efforts toward multinational corporations. — See also: Source: Electronic Intifada more.. e-mail
The conflict over Palestinian legitimacy
Feras Abu-Helal, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 6/4/2013
‘neither Fatah nor Hamas monopolise legitimacy alone, without one another’
The large controversy caused by Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’s visit to Gaza as the chairman of the International Union for Muslim Scholars’ delegation is not a new phenomenon in the Palestinian arena. The PA, the PLO and left-wing factions have treated all political visits to the Gaza Strip with coldness and dismissal on the grounds that they deepen Palestinian division and violate the legitimacy some believe is represented by the PLO alone.
The Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian parties have expressed their discomfort of the Qatari Emir’s visit to Gaza last year, and it seems that the need for diplomatic dealings has lessened the expression of discomfort towards the visit. This was not the case during Sheikh Qaradawi’s visit which was greatly criticised, and included statements abusing the Sheikh made by PA and Fatah spokespeople. These statements claimed that the Sheikh obtained a forged Palestinian passport, although it was actually a gift given as a token of appreciation for his position on the Palestinian cause.
The Palestinian arena is also expected to witness similar tension when the Turkish Prime Minister makes his scheduled visit to Gaza, which has sparked controversy before it occurred. This became apparent when the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, urged Erdogan to refrain from making this visit, which the Turkish Foreign Ministry responded to by saying that Turkey will do as it pleases and will not allow any other party to interfere in its policies and diplomatic relations.
However, the matter did not end there. It seems as if the pressures have reached a presidential level, which can be concluded through Erdogan’s statement made during the joint press conference with the US President in Washington, in which he said he would be visiting Ramallah, along with the Gaza Strip. more.. e-mail
Three years after Mavi Marmara
Greta Berlin, Al-Ahram Weekly 5/29/2013
Israel murdered, broke laws, and lied, but it hasn’t stopped the Free Gaza movement or convinced anyone that imprisoning 1.5 million Gazans is moral.
Three years ago, the Free Gaza movement was wrapping up final preparations for a flotilla of eight ships to head out to Gaza, determined to break Israel’s illegal siege on 1.5 million Palestinians shut into an open-air prison. Most of us were already in Cyprus or Turkey or Greece, as we were the primary organisers, having already sent eight voyages, five of them successful in 2008.
Why a flotilla of boats?
During Israel’s horrific massacres against the people of Gaza (called Operation Cast Lead) in December 2008/January 2009, our boat, the “Dignity”, had been rammed off the coast of Lebanon as we were taking medical personnel into Gaza. The boat later sank in a storm off the coast of Cyprus.
Then, in July 2009, Israel brutally attacked the “Spirit of Humanity”, even though Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire and former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney were aboard. The Israeli government stole the boat, threw passengers into Israeli prison and — laughably — deported them eight days later on grounds that they had “illegally entered Israel”. It was the first time Israeli commandoes had actually boarded one of the aid boats as opposed to ramming them or trying to sink them.
We realised a new approach would have to be designed, one that would include more vessels, more passengers and more media exposure to the brutal closure of Gaza. Sailing one boat at a time was not going to get the message out to the world that Israel was blockading the people of Gaza and committing crimes against humanity. more.. e-mail
London Declaration on Anti-Semitism: Seeking to Criminalize Criticism of Israel
Palestine Chronicle: 4 Jun 2013 – By Stuart Littlewood Australian federal and state MPs have been indulging in an orgy of anti-anti-Semitism by signing en masse the London Declaration on Combating Anti-Semitism. Over 100 have put their mark on it. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that even more of the nation’s 226 federal parliamentarians in Canberra are expected to sign up, and all 105 federal Liberal MPs and senators have done so. About 300 other lawmakers from some 60 countries have also signed, according to a spokesperson from the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism. Fifty of these are Canadians, 18 are British, six are Israeli and two are American (what, only two?). Moreover, last month Australia’s Julia Gillard became the fourth prime minister to sign, after Britain’s Gordon Brown and David Cameron, and Canada’s Stephen Harper, who in 2010 signed the Ottawa Protocol, reaffirming the London Declaration. The Stooges’ Pledge So what exactly have they put…more
Kerry’s Plan
Dissident Voice: 4 Jun 2013 – Under heavy pres
sure from the US, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has paid grudging lip service over the past four years to the goal of Palestinian statehood. But his real agenda was always transparent: not statehood, but what he termed “economic peace”. Ordinary Palestinians, in Netanyahu’s view, can be pacified with crumbs from the master’s table: fewer checkpoints, extra jobs and trading opportunities, and a gradual, if limited, improvement in living standards. All of this buys time for Israel to expand the settlements, cementing its hold over the West Bank and East Jerusalem. After 20 years of pursuing Palestinian statehood implied in the Oslo Accords, the US indicated last week it was switching horses. It appears to be adopting Netanyahu’s model of “economic peace”. The US secretary of state, John Kerry, flanked by the Israeli president, Shimon Peres, and the Palestinian Authority chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, at the World Economic…more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
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