6 June 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Palestinian Minister Released After Two Years In Captivity
IMEMC – Israeli released, on Thursday evening, former Palestinian Minister of Detainees, Wasfy Qabha, 50, after holding him under Administrative Detention for two years without charges or trial. …
Soldiers Invade Village Near Ramallah, Impose Curfew
IMEMC – Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded, Thursday, the Al-Mogheer village, northeast of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, after closing all of its entrances, and imposed curfew forcing the villagers under house arrest. …
Settlers Cut Palestinian Trees Near Hebron
IMEMC – Thursday June 6 2013, a number of extremist Israeli settlers cut nearly 20 Palestinian olive trees that belong to a farmer from Beit Ummar Palestinian town, near the southern West Bank city of Hebron. …
Erekat: “Netanyahu’s Call To Peace, Elusive”
IMEMC – Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, stated that calls made by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, asking Abbas to resume direct peace talks with Tel Aviv are illusive and aimed at holding the Palestinians responsible for the failure of U.S. efforts to resume direct talks. …
EU Demands Israel To Stop Settlement Activities
IMEMC – The European Union demanded Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to stop Israel’s illegal settlement activities, and stated that the EU would support the Palestinian Authority in joining the International Criminal Court should Israel fail to stop its violations. …
Female Detainees Start Hunger Strike
IMEMC – Thursday June 6 2013, Palestinian female detainees, held by Israel, started an open-ended hunger strike demanding the Israeli Prison Authority to provide the needed medical treatment to detainee Heba Abu Rezeq. …
Detainee Moved To Hospital
IMEMC – Thursday June 6 2013; the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that Palestinian detainee Abdullah Barghouthi, was moved from the Ramla prison clinic to the Al-Affoula Israeli hospital, due to a sharp deteriorating in his health condition. …
Residents: Israel closes village entrances
6/6/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israeli forces imposed a curfew on Thursday over al-Mughayyir village northeast of Ramallah and closed all entrances to the area, locals told Ma’an. The Israeli army denied the reports. According to residents, however, the Israeli army closed the area after accusing Palestinians of throwing stones, threatening to maintain a curfew for a week if they did not stop. An….
Israel ‘plans new road’ in sensitive West Bank area
6/6/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — A plan to build a new interchange between Jerusalem and the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim was expected to be approved by an Israeli planning committee on Thursday, Haaretz newspaper reported. It is the latest phase of construction in the contentious E1 zone east of Jerusalem, which has drawn protests from the United States and Europe. Hagit Ofran of settlement watchdog Peace….
Settlers hurl stones at Palestinian vehicles in north
6/6/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) – Extremist Israeli settlers on Thursday evening smashed several Palestinian vehicles as they drove at the Tappuah crossroads south of Nablus in the northern West Bank. Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official who monitors settler activities in the northern West Bank, told Ma’an that a group of settlers gathered near the junction near an Israeli checkpoint and pelted stones at Palestinian….
UN: 2 peacekeepers injured in Golan shelling
6/6/2013 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Two UN peacekeepers suffered injuries in shelling on Thursday in the Golan Heights ceasefire zone between Israel and Syria, a UN peacekeeping spokesman said.”The two suffered minor injuries from the fallout of heavy weapons fire in the area,” UN peacekeeping spokesman Kieran Dwyer told AFP. It was not known if the shelling was linked to a Syrian government operation to retake….
Syrian army retakes Golan frontier crossing
6/6/2013 – MAJDAL SHAMS, Golan Heights (AFP) — Syrian regime forces on Thursday retook the only crossing along the Israel-Syria ceasefire line in the Golan Heights after it was seized earlier by rebels, an AFP correspondent and a security source said. Regime tanks were seen on the Syrian side of the Quneitra crossing approaching the ceasefire line, the correspondent said, after clashes there between rebels and the Syrian….
15th PA cabinet sworn in
6/6/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – The 15th Palestinian government headed by Rami Hamdallah was sworn in before the President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday evening in Ramallah. The 24-member cabinet remains mostly the same as its predecessor but includes some changes, notably the appointment of two deputy premiers and a new finance minister. All but Safaa Nasser Addin, minister of telecommunication and information technology, were sworn in…. Related: Abbas to swear in new cabinet
Israel detains prisoners’ rights activist
6/6/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained a Palestinian prisoners’ rights activist in Nablus on Thursday morning, a local source told Ma’an. Ammar Tbeileh, 46, was detained after his home was raided in the Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus, the source said. Israeli military jeeps stormed the area at dawn, the source added. [END]
Israel detains Hamas deputy in Ramallah
6/6/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained a Hamas deputy on Thursday at dawn in the West Bank city of Ramallah, a detainees’ center said. Abdul Jaber Faqha, 47, was detained after Israeli forces raided the city and stormed his house, said Foad al-Khafsh, the head of the Ahrar Center for Detainees Studies in a statement. Faqha is a former detainee who was released….
Israel arrests at least 3 in West Bank raids
6/6/2013 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) – Israeli forces detained three brothers in a raid on Tulkarem in the northern West Bank at dawn on Thursday, Palestinian security sources said. Forces detained Ala Saadeh, Amjad Saadeh and Majdi Saadeh from their home, and confiscated their car and passports, Palestinian officials told Ma’an. An Israeli military spokeswoman said six Palestinians were detained overnight in the Ramallah, Bethlehem….
Israel frees former minister after 2 years
6/6/2013 – JENIN (Ma’an) — Israel on Thursday released former Palestinian Minister of Prisoner Affairs Wasfi Qabaha, ending his two-year detention without charge or trial. Previous to the two years in administrative detention, Qabaha had been detained by Israel nine times and spent 13 years in jail. Qabaha was released Thursday at Jubara checkpoint, northwest of Nablus, where he immediately collapsed, sustaining severe bruising. He was….
Tel Aviv ‘gay murder’ suspects appear in court
6/7/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Three suspects in a 2009 double murder in a Tel Aviv gay youth center appeared in court on Thursday, a day before the beachfront city’s annual pride parade, police said. A fourth man arrested overnight was believed to have information on the case but was not considered a direct suspect, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP. Media described the man as….
Report: Israeli border crossing falls to Syrian rebels
6/6/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Syrian rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have overtaken the Quneitra crossing on the Israel-Syria border in the occupied Golan Heights on Thursday, Israeli media reported. Israel army radio, quoting military officials, announced that the “Quneitra crossing has fallen to rebels.”The sole border crossing between Syria and Israel fell following a heavy exchange of fire, during which a…. Related: Syria rebels take Golan frontier crossing and Syrian army retakes Golan frontier crossing
EU contributes to PA civil servants’ salaries
6/6/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The EU contributed 19. 2 million euros to the Palestinian Authority for the disbursement of civil servants’ May salaries and pensions, a statement read, just days after the union announced it would be suspending strikes. The contribution will go toward the payment of nearly 75,000 PA employees in the West Bank and Gaza Strip through the European Commission’s….
Syria rebels take Golan frontier crossing
6/6/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syrian rebels Thursday overran the only crossing on the Israel-Syria ceasefire line in the Golan Heights, a watchdog said, a day after they were routed from the strategic town of Qusayr near Lebanon’s border. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that has been monitoring Syria’s two-year conflict, said the rebels seized the Quneitra crossing after attacking…. Related: Report: Israeli border crossing falls to Syrian rebels and Syrian army retakes Golan frontier crossing
Egypt detains 3 Palestinian teens smuggled into Sinai
6/6/2013 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Egyptian authorities detained Thursday morning three Palestinians smuggled into Egypt’s Sinai from Gaza, a security source told Ma’an. Those detained were between 13- and 19-years-old and do not hold any formal identification, the source said. The three were smuggled in to Egypt via Gaza’s underground tunnel complex and were asked to show authorities….
Minister refuses to serve in new govt over loss of portfolio
6/6/2013 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — A minister will refuse to serve in Rami Hamdallah’s administration because the newly-appointed premier plans to replace him as local governance minister, sources said Thursday. Khaled Qawasmeh will refuse to serve in the new government without his ministerial portfolio, sources close to the official told Ma’an. Hamdallah is expected to announce his cabinet on Thursday, and plans….
1 killed as Hamas police clash with drugs ring
6/6/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A Palestinian was killed and four were injured in clashes Thursday between Hamas police and a drugs ring in the Beit Lahiya district in northern Gaza, a security source told Ma’an. Muhammad Salman, 32, was killed after security forces surrounded and raided the home where the suspects were hiding, the source added. The body was transferred to the….
Abbas to swear in new cabinet
6/6/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas will swear in a new Palestinian Authority cabinet in Ramallah on Thursday, expected to include at least seven new ministers. Incoming Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah will appoint new ministers to the finance, health, education, social affairs, culture, environment and local governance ministries, government sources told Ma’an. Hamdallah is expected to appoint Shukri Bishara to head the…. Related: 15th PA cabinet sworn in
Unions of medical professions to go on strike Sunday
6/6/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – Unions of medical professionals in the West Bank will go on strike on Sunday protesting the negative response to their demands by the Palestinian Authority. The unions highlighted in a joint statement that the PA treated their demands in a humiliating manner which proves “these groups are the lowest in the medical field.” The medical professions include nursing, lab workers, midwifery….
Palestine industrial production, mining increases
6/6/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestine’s Industrial Production Index increased 15 percent in April compared with the previous month, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics announced Thursday. The increase was due to a 20-percent increase in the manufacturing industry, which had a share of 80. 56 percent of the total industry. Mining and quarrying increased by 7. 85 percent during April 2013 compared….
UNRWA receives e-learning award
6/6/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — UNRWA received the Cisco Academy Outreach Award in the Levant 2013 in recognition of the work the agency has done in widening e-learning and fostering IT skills, a statement issues Thursday said. The UN agency, which provides assistance to Palestinian refugees, and the global Cisco Networking Academy Program of which UNRWA is part of, offers IT e-learning courses in 165 countries….
Ma’an TV to air stand-up contest during Ramadan
6/6/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Ma’an Network on Thursday announced that it was holding casting auditions for a stand-up competition as part of its Ramadan broadcast schedule. ‘Stand Up Comedy’ will search for the Comedian of Palestine. The judging panel will include a number of professional comedians and actors. The series aims to show the lighter side of Palestine, the network said….
US condemns Hezbollah-backed assault on Qusayr
6/6/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — The United States condemned a Hezbollah-backed assault on the town of Qusayr, as France kept up the pressure for action over what it said was the regime’s use of sarin gas. The condemnation came as efforts to organize a peace conference in Geneva between the warring sides stalled, with diplomats blaming differences over who could take part. Washington accused the regime….
Syria army ‘pounds rebels ousted from Qusayr
6/6/2013 – BEIRUT (AFP) — The Syrian army on Thursday bombarded a village where rebels and civilians fled to after being routed the previous day from the strategic border town of Qusayr, a watchdog said.”The army is using missiles to bombard Eastern Bweida,” where hundreds of civilians and injured people who escaped from nearby Qusayr have sought refuge, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.”At least….
Koran auction halted after Egyptian protests
6/6/2013 – PARIS (AFP) — A French auction house has withdrawn from sale a Koran manuscript that was taken from Cairo during Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign at the end of the 18th century. Auctioneers Osenat said they had decided not to proceed with the sale in light of strong opposition in Egypt and representations from Cairo’s embassy in Paris.”We are aware of the feelings….
Erdogan: ‘Terrorists’ at Turkey demos
6/6/2013 – TUNIS (AFP) — Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that members of a “terrorist organization” were taking part in deadly anti-government protests sweeping Turkey and refused to cancel a controversial Istanbul development plan that sparked them. He said seven foreign suspects implicated in the unrest had been arrested.”Among the protesters, there are extremists, some of them implicated in terrorism,” Erdogan told reporters in….
Italian journalist missing in Syria alive
6/6/2013 – ROME (AFP) — An Italian journalist who had been missing in Syria since early April has made contact with his family, the editor of the newspaper he works for said Thursday in a message on Twitter, as the news was confirmed by the Foreign Ministry.”(Domenico) Quirico is alive and today he spoke with his wife. He is still in Syria, we hope to hug him….
UN peacekeepers hurt in Syria Golan clashes
AlJazeera 6 Jun 2013 – Austria withdraws UN troops from Golan Heights after shelling near border with Israel injures two peacekeepers.
New Palestinian Authority cabinet sworn in
AlJazeera 6 Jun 2013 – New Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah says cabinet will rule until a unity government between Fatah and Hamas is formed.
WATCH: D.C. Activists Interrupt Ehud Olmert’s Speech, Call Him a ‘Murderer’
Palestine News Network
Khatib: The Global March to Jerusalem, a Step on the Road to Liberation
Palestine News Network
Official Calls for the Release of 120 Prisoners as Gesture to PA
Palestine News Network
After 46 Years of Occupation, Land Confiscation Renders Israeli Law Obsolete
Palestine News Network
MADA: Dangerous Palestinian Violations Against Journalists during May
Palestine News Network
EU to Israel: If Negotiations Fail, We will Support Palestine at Hague
Palestine News Network
Prisoner’s Health Deteriorated, Moved to Hospital
Palestine News Network
TABO Delivers Title Deeds to its Customers in Kuwait
Palestine News Network
‘The Latrun Valley: An Integral Part of the State of Palestine’
Palestine News Network
Global March to Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
Israeli Occupation Releases Female Detainee
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (30 May – 04 June 2013)
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Palestinian farmer wounded by Israeli army fire
6/6/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – 7th June 2013, International Solidarity Movement, Rosa Schiano, Gaza, Occupied Palestine – Sunday morning a young Palestinian farmer was wounded by Israeli army fire in an area called Abu Safiyeh, East of Jabalia, in the Northern Gaza Strip. The young man, Ahmad Hamdan, 21, was rushed to the hospital Kamal Odwan. We went to visit him in the hospital where we met some of his family….
Lebanon: Education support for children in Lebanon refugee camp
Relief Web 6 Jun 2013 – Source: American Near East Refugee Aid Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory In Nahr El Bared Palestinian refugee camp in the north of Lebanon, eight-year-old Mounir Wehbe draws a banana tree next to a house with large windows. He has just…
occupied Palestinian territory: Report of the Director-General – Appendix: The situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories
Relief Web 6 Jun 2013 – Source: International Labour Organization Country: occupied Palestinian territory Palestinian economy will not grow if restrictions on it remain, ILO says The ILO’s annual report on the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories calls for the lifting of restrictions…
occupied Palestinian territory: Valladolid Regional Government supports UNRWA’s Syria humanitarian response plan
Relief Web 6 Jun 2013 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Spain, Syrian Arab Republic Valladolid Regional Government has contributed to UNRWA’s Syria Humanitarian Response Plan, which provides urgent humanitarian assistance to…
occupied Palestinian territory: New Palestinian government sworn in: AFP
Relief Web 6 Jun 2013 – Source: Agence France-Presse Country: occupied Palestinian territory 06/06/2013 16:58 GMT RAMALLAH, June 6, 2013 (AFP) – A new Palestinian government, headed by prime minister Rami Hamdallah, was sworn in on Thursday in front of president Mahmud Abbas at his headquarters…
World: Putting women on the disaster risk reduction agenda
Relief Web 6 Jun 2013 – Source: IRIN Country: World GENEVA, 6 June 2013 (IRIN) – Every year, approximately 200 million people around the world are affected by disasters. Of these, 100 million are women or girls, according to the UN’s Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (…
occupied Palestinian territory: “In occupied Palestine, there’s no distorting the facts on the ground” – UN Special Rapporteur
Relief Web 6 Jun 2013 – Source: UN Human Rights Council Country: occupied Palestinian territory GENEVA (6 June 2013) – “Neither Israel nor its proxies can justify the facts on the ground in occupied Palestine,” said United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights…
UAE and Saudi Arabia call on Iran to allay nuclear plant fears
The National 6 Jun 2013 – Arabian Gulf countries raise safety concerns after reports that recent earthquakes have damaged the Bushehr nuclear plant.
Turkish PM resolute on redeveloping Gezi Park
The National 6 Jun 2013 – Speaking at a news conference in Tunis at the end of a four-day visit to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, Mr Erdogan dashed hopes for a quick end to the crisis and said he was determined to build the replica of an 18th century barracks building in Istanbul’s Gezi Park.
Union of Arab writers backs UAE claim to occupied islands
The National 6 Jun 2013 – The group condemns the occupation of Tunbs and Abu Musa by Iran, expressing solidarity with the Emirates.
Taking it nice and easy in Dubai on the long weekend
The National 6 Jun 2013 – Waterpark, movies, or the mall – residents of Dubai enjoy the Isra wal Miraj holiday weekend.
Syrian regime recaptures Golan border crossing
The National 6 Jun 2013 – The incident marked the first time since the Syrian uprising began in 2011 that insurgents captured parts of the area, which had been kept relatively tranquil by Israel and Syria after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
UAE migrant Filipinos urged to invest in home country
The National 6 Jun 2013 – ‘Filipinos should now move away from the mindset of working and staying in the host country and look into coming back home as investors,’ says the Philippine consul in Dubai.
Dining in Dubai just got healthier
The National 6 Jun 2013 – Healthy dining options are slowly but surely gaining in popularity in Dubai, residents and health experts say.
Musharraf’s UAE supporters delay trip to Pakistan
The National 6 Jun 2013 – Supporters of Pervez Musharraf in the UAE hold off on plans to fly to Pakistan to protest for his release.
Embarrassing media leak forces Lieberman to declassify Knesset defense committee discussions
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
UN to aid Palestinians victims of settler violence in West Bank
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Main airport terminal to be shut at noon to test new baggage security system
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
IDF reports sharp rise in attempts to kidnap soldiers
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Israel Police: Hired killer opened fire at Tel Aviv gay youth center after target didn’t show
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Coalition chairman blasts Justice Minister Livni after opposition gets 2 MKs on key Israeli legal committee
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
IDF apologizes for book claiming non-Jews do not have equal rights in Israel
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Orly Revivo: The woman who dared complain about Israel’s ex-President Katsav
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Foreign Ministry union tells diplomats to cut ties with IDF, Shin Bet over strike breach
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Israel to UN: Replace Austrian peacekeepers withdrawn from Golan
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Bulgaria asks foreign nations to respond faster to Burgas bombing queries
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Austria to pull its 380 peacekeepers from 1,100-member UN force on Syria-Israel border
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Two Israeli Arab teenagers killed in car crash while fleeing police
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Syrian rebels and Assad forces battle for control of key town on Israel border
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Activist in Israel’s gay community arrested over deadly 2009 attack on Tel Aviv youth center
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Israel’s health minister promises full child allowances to families that don’t vaccinate babies
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Likud minister to speak for first time at Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
IDF leaflets warn ‘wanted’ Palestinian youths: We’re going to catch you
Ha’aretz – 6 Jun 2013
Israel hopes to reengage with UNHRC following 2012 break
Jerusalem Post 7 Jun 2013 – After leaving United Nations Human Rights Council for biased treatment, Israel requests to resume ties; Israel’s ambassador to UNHRC calls Israel’s relationship with Human Rights Council “complex”; ready to cooperate.
Tourists flock to Hilton Beach for Pride party
Jerusalem Post 7 Jun 2013 – The beach site is hosting the party as part of a build-up to Tel Aviv’s annual Pride parade.
US calls for restraint from Israel, Syria
Jerusalem Post 7 Jun 2013 – State official asks both countries to “avoid any rash action.”
Thousands cheer Turkish PM’s return after protests
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Erdogan returns from North Africa after week of unrest while crowds chant anti-government slogans in central Istanbul, Ankara.
Palestinians campaign to regain ‘occupied’ Latrun
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – The valley is an ‘integral part of the State of Palestine.’
Crossroads of the Soul: Tears of Stone
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Standing at the top of the mountain, across the Western Wall Plaza, I can see thousands of people streaming in from all directions.
For Power, Israel is particularly relevant
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Samantha Power slated to become US ambassador to the UN; receives luke-warm reception from pro-Israel organizations.
Jordan threatens to expel Syrian envoy
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Jordan FM says ambassador given final warning; Envoy attacked kingdom’s deployment of US patriots.
Expert pegs Israel to point Turkey-Cyprus gas talks
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Turkish energy expert: Israel could serve as silent broker in Turkey-Cyprus natural gas revenue deal.
Police arrest teen who asks about shooting WOW
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Thousands of ultra-Orthodox expected to gather at Western Wall on Sunday “to express the outcry of faithful Judaism.”
Court orders increase in smoking compensation
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – The Supreme Court decided to increase the Tel Aviv club’s compensation payment in a class-action suit to NIS 1,160,000.
Israel voices concern after Austria leaves UN Golan force
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Ban Ki-moon urgently looking for Austrian replacements; Israeli Foreign Ministry “regrets” Austrian decision to leave.
Fighting for tolerance
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Recent incidents of disturbing undercurrents in Israeli society point to something wrong in the foundation of our society that needs to corrected.
Claims Conference tasks ombudsman with probe
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Shmuel Hollander to conduct investigation of allegations that senior officials mishandled a 2001 internal probe of fraud scheme.
Defining Jewish illiteracy
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Literacy, studying and understanding the foundations of Judaism are fundamental to our national identity, vision and meaning of being a Jew.
Graffiti is not terrorism
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – “Instead of making a blanket statement that all price-tag attacks are terrorism, it would make more sense to take a more nuanced approach.”
The winning issues
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – A week with Norwegian friends of Israel taught me how to best present the justice of Israel’s cause.
Russia permanently deploys Navy in Mediterranean
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Move comes amid tensions with West over Syria; marks first permanent Russian naval deployment in area since Soviet era.
Parshat Korach: Better not to get involved
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – This week, we read of an “escalation” in the complicated relationship between the nation and its leader, Moshe.
New PA gov’t sworn in, failure to join with Hamas
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Government headed by new PA Prime Minister Hamdallah sworn in; Abbas says new gov’t working on agreement with Hamas.
Liberman bans MKs from hearing classified information
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense committee chairman sends scathing letter to MKs after contents of meeting with Shin Bet chief leaked to media.
Study: One in five NY Jewish households poor
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – NY home to “enormous, growing number of Jewish poor,” says UJA.
Painting seized by Nazis sells for more than $3.3m.
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Dutch masterpiece from the 17th century that was confiscated by Nazis from Jewish collector fetches record sum for artist at auction.
‘10% would accept their kid marrying blind person’
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Survey released for Blind Day finds that some 29% of people believe visual impairment is the most difficult disability.
‘Evidence thin to convict Cooper of 1st wife’s murder’
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Court says insufficient evidence to convict man for first wife’s murder, but still held in custody on alleged murder of 3rd wife.
Knesset two-state lobby asks for meeting with Kerry
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Caucus for Ending Israeli-Arab Conflict urges US Secretary of State to continue efforts to bring Netanyahu, Abbas to negotiating table.
Appeal for calm after London Muslim center burnt
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Tensions have been high in London since murder of UK soldier; far-right English Defence League denies Islamic center arson.
Bulgaria to partners: Speed up Burgas attack probe
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Prior to joining an EU consensus decision on blacklisting Hezbollah, Bulgaria seeks to provide “solid ground” for the move.
Grenade found in pocket of Syrian in Safed hospital
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Explosive found in pocket of Syrian man wounded in civil war and admitted into Israel for treatment; hospital temporarily evacuated.
The Weekly Schmooze: Knaidel / knaydel wars
Jerusalem Post 6 Jun 2013 – Jewish culture news worldwide: Jewish Princess of Long Island get a reality show; Kim Kardashian makes kibbutzniks millionaires.
Trouble flares on Israel’s quiet border
The Guardian 6 Jun 2013 – For 38 years it was one of most straightforward jobs in peacekeeping, but Syrian civil war threatens Golan Heights The withdrawal of the Austrian contingent from the UN peacekeeping force on the Golan will very likely…
Israel reacts angrily to Austria’s withdrawal from Golan Heights
The Guardian 6 Jun 2013 – Austria to remove all 380 of its troops from the 1,000-strong UN force on the Israel-Syrian border due to clashes in Syria Israel has reacted angrily to Austria’s decision to withdraw its peacekeeping forces from the…
Israeli prison contracts take centre stage at G4S shareholder meeting
The Guardian 6 Jun 2013 – New chief executive Ashley Almanza faces criticism from shareholders over Israel involvement, but says security company is not breaking international law The new boss of G4S, Ashley Almanza, faced a barrage of tough questions over the…
Austria to withdraw Golan Heights peacekeepers over Syrian fighting
The Guardian 6 Jun 2013 – Austrians account for about 380 of the 1,000-strong UN force monitoring a ceasefire between Syria and Israel Austria has announced it will withdraw its peacekeepers from the UN monitoring force on the Golan Heights after Syrian…
Israel shuts down parts of Golan Heights after Syrian rebels seize border crossing – video
The Guardian 6 Jun 2013 – The Israeli military has shut down the area leading to the old city of Quneitra in Golan Heights after fighting between the Syrian opposition and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s forces
U.S. Denounces Egyptian NGO Trial Results
IPS President Barack Obama’s administration and several major rights groups are reacting with frustration to the decision of an Egyptian court, announced Tuesday night, to convict 43 civil society organisations and 16 U.S. employees of illegal use of foreign funds. Reactions by both the administration and members of the U.S. Congress…
Turkey’s Excessive Neo-liberalism Threatens ‘Peace at Home’
IPS “Peace at home, peace in the world” is the official motto of the Turkish Republic. Coined in 1931 by the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it implies a causal relationship, but the events this week in Istanbul and dozens of other cities of Turkey suggest that causality can work in…
“Syria Peace Meeting Will Not Happen in June”: UN Envoy
IPS A conference on ending the fighting in Syria will not happen in June, as planned, because both sides in the conflict are unprepared to attend, the U.N.’s international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said. Speaking in Geneva on Wednesday, where the international peace meeting on Syria was due to take place this…
Moral Imperative of Bradley Manning
Uruknet
Wardak Nightmares
Uruknet
Report: Egypt averaged two protests an hour in May
Uruknet
Egypt activist given 6 months for insulting Morsi
Uruknet
ACLU alleges massive human rights violations at Mississippi private prison
Uruknet
The state killing of Ibragim Todashev
Uruknet
Raw sewage from Israeli settlements poses environmental threat
Uruknet
Israeli occupation authorities place 12 year old under house arrest
Uruknet
2 peacekeepers injured in Golan shelling: UN
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 Two UN peacekeepers suffer injuries in shelling in the Golan Heights ceasefire zone between Israel and Syria, a UN peacekeeping spokesman says.
Obama govt defends collecting phone records
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 The Obama administration defends the government’s need to collect telephone records of American citizens, calling such information “a critical tool in protecting the nation from terrorist threats.”
Russia: ‘Red line’ not crossed in Syria over arms
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 Russia’s foreign minister says reports about possible chemical weapons use by the Syrian regime should not be used as a pretext for a foreign invasion, saying a more thorough probe is needed.
GCC states issue Lebanon travel warning
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 Gulf Arab states advise citizens not to travel to Lebanon, a popular summer tourist destination that is becoming increasingly engulfed in neighbouring Syria’s civil war, official Saudi news agency SPA reported.
Syria army pounds rebels ousted from Qusayr: watchdog
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 The Syrian army bombards a village where rebels and civilians fled to after being routed the previous day from the strategic border town of Qusayr, a watchdog said.
Saudi urges Lebanese to end to Syria-linked fighting
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 Saudi Arabia urges Lebanon’s people to act “wisely” and end their fighting in the city of Tripoli, wracked by a wave of bloody violence linked to the conflict in neighbouring Syria.
Al Qaeda leader Zawahri urges Syrians to unite against Assad, US
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri urges Syrians to unite to bring down President Bashar al-Assad and thwart what he says are U.S. plans to set up a client state in Syria to safeguard Israel’s security.
Gunmen walk the streets in Tripoli, tensions rise
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 Masked gunmen and demonstrators took to the streets in the northern city of Tripoli, blocking roads and forcing shop owners to close their businesses as anger boiled over at Hezbollah’s role in helping the Syrian regime…
Hezbollah supporters celebrate Qusair victory in Beirut
Daily Star 6 Jun 2013 Around 100 supporters of Hezbollah and Amal movement drove through Beirut celebrating a Hezbollah-backed takeover of the Syrian town of Qusair.
Erdogan calls for end to Turkey protest
YNet News, 7 Jun 2013 – ….
UN seeks ‘replacement troops’ to Austrian peacekeepers in Golan
YNet News, 6 Jun 2013 – ….
Italian journalist missing in Syria contacts wife
YNet News, 6 Jun 2013 – ….
80-year-old pedestrian killed after being run over
YNet News, 6 Jun 2013 – ….
Combating political Islam
YNet News, 6 Jun 2013 – Op-ed: Renowned Muslim activist says weeding out radical Islam from West is first step in defeating global jihad ….
Arab bankruptcy led to 1967 disaster
PIC – Forty-seven years ago this time, Israel occupied the rest of Palestine, including East Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque. This was undoubtedly a clarion defeat for secular Arab Nationalism.
Jewish settlers chop down 20 olive trees
PIC – Jewish settlers chopped down 20 olive trees in Beit Ummar village, north of Al-Khalil, on Thursday morning.
Radwan calls for shunning differences
PIC – Minister of Awkaf and religious affairs in Gaza Dr. Ismail Radwan has called on the Palestinian people to shun differences and to rally behind resistance to confront the “Zionist enemyâ€.
IOF prevents journalist Nawaf Al Amer from traveling
PIC – The Israel Occupation Authorities (IOA) prevented on Thursday the journalist Nawaf Al Amer from traveling to Jordan, as part of the continued Israeli violation against Palestinian journalists.
IOF imposes curfew on Ramallah village, storms Salfit
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) imposed a curfew on Mughir village to the north east of Ramallah, and closed all entrances to it on Thursday morning.
Hamas: Refugee camps should be spared political wrangling
PIC – Hamas leadership in Lebanon held a meeting in Beirut on Thursday and discussed the overall political conditions and affairs of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
Israeli courts extend remand of 23 detainees including two young women
PIC – Israeli courts in Jalama and Petah Tikwa extended the remand of 23 Palestinians including two young men on Wednesday, the Tadamun foundation for human rights said on Thursday.
IOF storms Yatta and Idna towns in al-Khalil
PIC – A large Israeli force has stormed on Thursday Yatta town south of al-Khalil, arrested a young man in his twenties and summoned his father and his three brothers.
Haniyeh honors the youngest doctor in the world
PIC – Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has honored the Palestinian refugee Eqbal Asa’d a Palestinian refugee for being the youngest doctor in the world.
IOF confiscates water tankers at Wadi al-Maleh in Jordan Valley
PIC – Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have confiscated two Palestinian tractors transferring water tankers used by the residents of Wadi al-Maleh in Jordan Valley and took them to a military camp.
Palestinian Police Completes IT Infrastructure Project
WAFA – 6 Jun 2013
New Palestinian Cabinet Sworn In
WAFA – 6 Jun 2013
Settlers Cut Down Olive Trees near Hebron
WAFA – 6 Jun 2013
New Government to be Sworn In Thursday Evening
WAFA – 6 Jun 2013
Israeli Police Close Al-Aqsa to Non-Muslims, but Jews Still Want In
WAFA – 6 Jun 2013
Syria loyalists in Damascus cheered by Qusair victory
LA Times 6 Jun 2013 – Supporters of Syria’s Bashar Assad in a Damascus neighborhood believe the long war is at a turning point after successes in Qusair and elsewhere. DAMASCUS, Syria — After two years of grinding conflict, they are talking victory in Mazzeh Jabal 86, a gritty urban hillside…
Egypt-Ethiopia water dispute escalates after threatening remarks
LA Times 6 Jun 2013 – Egyptian politicians are caught on camera suggesting sabotage or a bombing to stop Ethiopia’s Nile dam project. CAIRO — A battle over water has turned into a war of colorful rhetoric between Ethiopia and Egypt over the flow of the Nile, which begins in the…
Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Fight to Fit In
New York Times 6 Jun 2013 – Israel has been consumed in recent months with the challenge of integrating the insular, swelling ultra-Orthodox minority, known as Haredim, into society.
Syrian Forces Pursue Insurgents Who Fled Fallen Town
New York Times 6 Jun 2013 – After routing rebels from the town of Qusayr, the Syrian Army and Hezbollah pursued hundreds of insurgents and civilians fleeing to surrounding villages and farms.
The Lede: With Cameras Rolling, Egyptian Politicians Threaten Ethiopia Over Dam
New York Times 6 Jun 2013 – Egypt’s president, Mohamed Morsi, told a room full of politicians who had just laid out all the covert ways that their country could stop a Nile River dam project in Ethiopia that they were on live television.
Americans Skeptical on Role in Foreign Conflicts, Poll Finds
New York Times 6 Jun 2013 – Nearly six in 10 people say the United States should not take a leading role in trying to solve conflicts, The New York Times/CBS News poll found.
Israel Prepares as Syria War Nears Border
New York Times 6 Jun 2013 – Syrian rebels briefly took control of a border crossing as scores of Israeli soldiers engaged in a combat exercise, confronting the country with the complex reality of a civil war nearby.
Prime Minister’s Bureau promises gas export decision “shortly”
Globes Energy & Water – “The prime minister and energy minister will shortly present their position on the subject of the use of natural gas to the government.”
Tzemach C’tee members split on gas reserves
Globes Energy & Water – The full transcript of the Tzemach Committee deliberations shows sharp differences between members.
“We want most Micron Israel employees”
Globes Main News – New Intel CEO Brian Krzanich’s remarks in Haifa confirm assessments that Intel plans to hire 600-700 Micron Israel employees.
PepsiCo CEO denies SodaStream interest
Globes Main News – Market sources say PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are in talks to buy SodaStream but PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi issued a denial.
Ryanair exec: We’ll bring 4-5m tourists to Israel
Globes Main News – Michael Cawley: Ryanair has boosted tourism to 28 countries in Europe and the world, and we intend to do this in Israel too.
Aspen set to take over Habas
Globes Main News – Aspen is in talks with the Habas bondholders representative to take over the troubled real estate company.
Netanyahu pushes anti-strike bill behind Lapid’s back
Globes Macro Economics – The prime minister wants legislation on strikes in vital services, contrary to the finance minister’s promises to Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini.
BoI’s Karnit Flug: Retirement age will have to rise further
Globes Macro Economics – The deputy Bank of Israel governor sees substantial long-term challenges to Israel’s growth prospects.
Consumer Confidence Index plummets in May
Globes Macro Economics – The index fell 22.2 points in May to a level characteristic of the most difficult times during the global economic and financial crisis.
Iscar taxes bring NIS 900m surplus in May
Globes Macro Economics – Despite the surplus in May, the budget deficit rose to NIS 6.8 billion in January-May 2013 from NIS 5.5 billion in January-May 2012.
Bank of Israel bought $950m in May
Globes Macro Economics – The Bank of Israel’s foreign currency reserves increased by $504 million in May to $77.65 billion.
Tel Aviv Youth Center Killings Were Anti-Gay Hate Crime
Tikun Olam – Shaul Ganon, who inadvertently set in motion the plot to attack Tel Aviv’s gay youth center. It’s taken four years, thousands of hours of police work, and the most expensive investigation in the history of the Israeli police, but they finally appear to have cracked the…
Israel SocialTV Video: Syrian Crisis and Iran’s Defunding of Hamas
Tikun Olam – This is my latest video for Israel SocialTV on the Syrian crisis. It specifically deals with Iran’s cut off of funds for Hamas and what it portends for Gaza and the Palestinians. Related Posts Israel’s New Cyber-Virus Attacks Computers from Iran to Lebanon Palestine Spring, Bibi’s…
Israeli Intelligence Services Budget Increased 26% Under Netanyahu
Tikun Olam – Israeli intelligence budget in billions of shekels (Haaretz) Aluf Benn, writing in Haaretz (Hebrew here ), reports an enormous increase in the budget of the Mossad and Shabak intelligence services during the Netanyahu regime. Funding increased 26% overall to a 2012 figure of $1.5-billion. If you think…
Despite media blackout, Christians not backing down on ‘draconian’ treatment in the holy land
Mondoweiss – Holy Fire ceremony, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem “[T]heir hatred of Christianity is the real thing, which sometimes bursts to surface.” —– Yossi Gurvitz When Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the graffiti sprayed on walls of The Church of the Dormition in Jerusalem over the weekend…
What Bradley Manning showed the world about Israel/Palestine
Mondoweiss – Bradley Manning leaked diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks that shed light on U.S. foreign policy and Israel/Palestine (Photo: Associated Press) The trial of military whistleblower Bradley Manning has refocused attention on the revelations about U.S. foreign policy his actions produced. Much ink has been spilled on the…
Despairing of his Israel fantasies, Leonard Fein says racism goes ‘unimpeded’
Mondoweiss – Yesterday I got a letter from Leonard Fein on behalf of the liberal Zionist organization, Americans for Peace Now. The legendary journalist who has called Israel “the most important project of the Jewish people in our time” now seems to understand that there was some element…
‘Forward’ publishes foodie’s guide to West Bank settlements
Mondoweiss – The Jewish Daily Forward, an ostensibly liberal newspaper, runs a story about all the trendy Jewish foodie spots a traveler can discover in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc in the occupied West Bank. Small coffee roasters are opening as are companies making hand-crafted chocolates… Run by…
‘Any Revolution Needs an Anthem’: Lessons from the downfall of the original Apartheid
Mondoweiss – Though many of us were rooting for Five Broken Cameras , the film which won Academy Award as best documentary feature is another great movie. Searching for Sugar Man documents the search of two white South Africans to find out who was the musician known as Sixto…
Samantha Power Already Faces Knives Out From Some on Israel
The Forward Leonard Fein 6 Jun 2013 – Ad: A Circle Of Gentlemen – The Secret Jacobite Society – A Circle Of Gentlemen Have Opened Their Doors! Join Us At Several Venues In Scotland And In Our Private Forums. Find Out About Bonnie Prince Charlie And The Real Scottish Heritage. Take A Leap Back…
Israeli Army Apologizes for Book Saying Non-Jews Aren’t Equal to Jews
The Foward Breaking News 6 Jun 2013 – The Israel Defense Forces has apologized for publishing a book of religious regulations that states non-Jews do not have equal rights in Israel. Click here for the rest of the article…
Lawmakers Ask Kerry To Censure Argentina Over Commission with Iran
The Foward Breaking News 6 Jun 2013 – A bipartisan group of U.S. congressmen urged Secretary of State John Kerry to act against Argentina if jointly investigates the 1994 AMIA Jewish center attack in Buenos Aires with Iran. Click here for the rest of the article…
Austria Will Yank Peacekeepers From Golan Amid Syria Chaos
The Foward Breaking News 6 Jun 2013 – Austria will withdraw its peacekeepers from the U.N. monitoring force on the Golan Heights given worsening fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels, it said on Thursday. Click here for the rest of the article…
After Half-Naked Pic Scandal, Israel Army Pushes New Facebook Rules
The Foward Breaking News 6 Jun 2013 – The Israel Defense Forces is drafting an official directive defining accepted practices for its members on social networks Click here for the rest of the article…
Settlers Uproot Local Farmers Olive Tree’s for 7th Time In a Year
Palestine Solidarity Project 6 Jun 2013 – Thursday June 6th 2013: Early this morning a group of settlers entered Beit Ommar from Bat Aiyn, a settlement that lies to the south of the village, and attacked the land of local farmer Hammad Abdal Hameed Jaber Saleebi age 75. With covered faces they set…
Syrian army ‘retakes Golan crossing’
BBC 6 Jun 2013 – Syria’s army recaptures a UN-run Golan Heights crossing briefly seized by rebels, as Austria says its peacekeepers will leave because of the fighting.
Syria: Qusayr Battle’s Unofficial Story
Al-Akhbar News 6 Jun 2013 – The armed groups, however, surprised Hezbollah with their fighting capabilities, showing a high level of skill and experience that many of them had gained in other jihad-related conflicts. (Photo: Al-Akhbar) The armed groups, however, surprised Hezbollah with their fighting capabilities, showing a high level of skill…
Beirut: Public Transport Rivals Paralyze Reform
Al-Akhbar News 6 Jun 2013 – The private sector appeared to be winning the public transport battle. By the end of 2010, only three public bus lines were available and the private sector was master of the streets. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) The private sector appeared to be winning the public transport battle….
Syrian Army Recaptures Qusayr, Fighters Disappear
Al-Akhbar News 6 Jun 2013 – However, a soldier in the town maintained that he saw that a large section of the fighters in Qusayr were from the area. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) However, a soldier in the town maintained that he saw that a large section of the fighters in Qusayr were…
Israeli forces detain Hamas deputy and prisoners rights activist
Al-Akhbar News 6 Jun 2013 – Israeli forces detained five people after raiding their houses Thursday, including a Hamas deputy and a prisoners’ rights activist, Ma’an news agency reported. Abdul Jaber Faqha, 47, was arrested at dawn in the West Bank city of Ramallah after Israeli forces stormed his house, Ahrar Center…
Two Tunisian soldiers killed in hunt for Islamist militants
Al-Akhbar News 6 Jun 2013 – Two Tunisian soldiers were killed and four wounded in a landmine explosion near the Algerian border where security forces are pursuing Islamist insurgents, an army spokesman said on Thursday. The incident is the latest of several mine blasts in the remote area of Mount Chaambi, the…
Syrian rebels take over Golan Heights crossing
Al-Akhbar News 6 Jun 2013 – Syrian army’s soldiers walk in a street left in ruins on 5 June 2013 in the city of Qusayr in Syria’s central Homs province, after the Syrian army seized total control of the city and the surrounding region. (Photo: AFP) Syrian rebels fighting forces loyal to…
Jordan’s South Slips From Government Grip
Al-Akhbar Politics 5 Jun 2013 – A Syrian man sits in his tent at the Zaatari refugee camp, near the Syrian border with Jordan in Mafraq on 7 March 2013. (Photo: AFP – Khalil Mazraawi) A Syrian man sits in his tent at the Zaatari refugee camp, near the Syrian border with…
Settler Arson Attacks against Palestinian Farmers Spread in the West Bank
Al-Haq 6 Jun 2013 – Ad: Survive Any Food Crisis – 75% Comm – Survive Any Food Crisis Is A New Crisis Survival Product Offering 75% Commissions And Awesome Conversions. Works Well With Go Green, Solar, Eco, Conspiracy, Survival Websites.
Syrian army ‘retakes Golan crossing’
BBC 6 Jun 2013 – Syria’s army recaptures a UN-run Golan Heights crossing briefly seized by rebels, as Austria says its peacekeepers will leave because of the fighting.
Tunisian soldiers killed in blast
BBC 6 Jun 2013 – Two Tunisian soldiers are killed and at least another two wounded in a roadside explosion as they hunt al-Qaeda-linked militants near the border with Algeria, the army says.
Persian rug sells for $33.8m in NY
BBC 6 Jun 2013 – A 17th Century Persian rug sells at auction in New York for $33.8m (£21.8m), triple the previous auction record for a carpet.
Men jailed over Debenhams boy rape
BBC 6 Jun 2013 – An intelligence officer during Saddam’s Iraqi regime is one of two men jailed for 15 years for raping a boy in a Manchester department store’s toilets.
Articles
Israeli counter-attack on BDS
Michel Warschawski, Alternative Information Center 6/6/2013
The Palestinian BDS National Committee is organizing a strategic conference in Bethlehem University on Saturday, June 8th This initiative is right on time. Just this week, exploited the Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism to once again conflate anti-Semitism with political criticisms of Israeli policies. BDS activists beware: Israel seeks to replicate anti-BDS French laws in other countries.
The international BDS campaign is definitely worrying the Israeli authorities. The BDS-skeptical, who claim that BDS has only a very limited impact on Israeli decision makers, if at all, should follow the latest Israeli attempts to counter-attack. These attempts reflect the beginning of panic among Israeli policy makers.
Two years ago the Israeli Knesset passed a law that criminalises any call for boycott or sanctions, and allows alleged victims of such calls to claim compensation, even when direct harm is not proven. Uri Avnery, Gush Shalom and others have decided to challenge the law in the Israeli Supreme Court. According to the plaintiffs, the law is unconstitutional as it harms the rights of free speech and freedom of opinion.
One must clarify that, unlike the BDS call, Gush Shalom limits its campaign to the boycott of settlement products.
In a written response, the State Attorney’s office admits that there are indeed “constitutional problems in the anti boycott law”. In fact, the law passed despite the opposition of Israel’s government legal adviser, who had assessed that the law may well be cancelled by the Supreme Court. A decision of the Supreme Court is not expected in the near future.
This week in Jerusalem, the Israeli Foreign Ministry hosted the Fourth international conference of the Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism. What is the connection?
In the plan of action of that Forum, which ostensibly claims to fight anti-Semitism, one can read the following…. more.. e-mail
The wandering Europeans
Sam Bahour, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN) 6/4/2013
Next to U.S. support for Israel, the main reason why the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip continues is that the Europeans have reduced themselves to a subservient role in the Middle East Peace Process: one in which they underwrite the cost of Israel’s occupation by artificially propping up the Palestinian Authority, which created from the Oslo Peace Accords but has no sovereign authority whatever.
Coming on the heels of a recently published open letter on the Middle East peace process from ‘the European Eminent Persons Group’, a new report from the European Council on Foreign Relations, Europe and the Vanishing Two-State Solution, spills the beans, and they’re all Europeans beans. The author is not your average run-of-the-mill report writer, he is Nick Witney, who previously worked for the European Defence Agency where he was first chief executive. Before that, his career was divided between the UK diplomatic service and UK defence ministry. So Witney is in a position to know.
After reading this new report, I was moved to write this opinion piece and call it “The wandering Europeans”. The title is not innocent (the original version of the legend about “the wandering Jew” concerns a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion and was then cursed to walk the earth until the Second Coming). This piece concerns a European Union of 27 states, comprising of a population of over 500 million (7.3% of the world population), which entered the Middle East peace process in the back seat of an American-driven U.S. car; it paid the ride’s expenses but refused to take the wheel, acknowledging that the driver was drunk and swaying near the cliff.
The EU remains the largest financial donor to the Palestinian Authority, but refuses to address this political conflict by using the non-violent tools available to it, diplomatic, economic or political. The most we have come to expect — rather late in the game — from EU bureaucracy are well-crafted statements, condemnations and reports. The EU knows exactly what is happening on the ground….more.. e-mail
Children with cancer barred from Israeli swimming pool for being Arab
Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada 6/2/2013
An Israeli public swimming pool has refused entry to a group of children with cancer because the children are Arab.
The subtitled video report above from Israel’s Channel 2 says that Dr. Gali Zohar, wanted to surprise a group of 20 Bedouin children with cancer with a fun day at the pool at Mabu’im village in the south of the country.
Zohar called the pool ahead of time and managers agreed to admit the children free of charge. Everything was fine until the managers realized the children were Arab and then specifically said that allowing Bedouin children in would be a “problem.”
Bedouins in the south of historic Palestine are ostensibly citizens of Israel but face the imminent threat of further mass expulsions from their traditional lands as part of Israel’s racist “Judaization” policies.
The Channel 2 report includes an audio recording of a telephone call in which a pool manager specifies that the facility will not let in children from the Arab “sector.” The report added that Ben-Gurion University agreed to allow the children to use its facilities. Racism at public facilities in Israel
This shocking incident came to light just days after it emerged that another Israeli facility, the theme park Superland, segregates Jewish and Arab students on separate days.
While Arab and Jewish children in Israel attend separate and unequal schools, racial segregation in public facilities like parks or pools is not mandated by law as it was in apartheid South Africa or the United States. But Palestinian citizens of Israel have habitually faced discrimination. more.. e-mail
Erdogan risks the ’must go’ path
Pepe Escobar, Asia Times 6/3/2013
Is this the Turkish Spring? No, at least not yet. Is Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan the new Mubarak? No, at least not yet.
History keeps warning us it takes just a spark to light a political bonfire. The recent spark in Istanbul was provided by a small group of very young environmentalists organizing a peaceful sit-in, Occupy-style, in Taksim Square to protest the planned destruction of one of the city center’s few remaining public green spaces, Gezi park.
Gezi park’s destruction follows a globally tested neoliberalism racket; it will be replaced by a simulacrum – in this case a replica of the Ottoman Artillery Barracks – housing, what else, yet another shopping mall. It’s crucial to note that the mayor of Istanbul, also from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), owns a retail chain that will make a killing out of the mall. And the man holding the contract for this “redevelopment” is no less than Erdogan’s son-in-law.
Predictably harsh police repression led to the protesters being joined by top cadres from Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP). And sooner rather than later, the Taksim Square green theme morphed into a Tahrir square-style “Down with the dictator”.
By Saturday, Taksim Square was crammed with tens of thousands of people; a multitude had walked across the Bosphorus Bridge from the Asian side of Istanbul, banging pots and pans Argentina 2002 cacerolazo-style, openly trampling the law against pedestrians crossing the bridge. Police duly upgraded the repression to water cannons, pepper spray and tear gas.
The behavior of a mostly cowed Turkish broadcast media was predictably appalling – perhaps not surprising when 76 journalists are in jail accused of supporting “terror” and other unspecified “crimes”. This may also be interpreted as a reflection of US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization hold over a precious ally – as in “OK, smash a few skulls, but don’t kill anybody.” more.. e-mail
Cruelty of Israel’s Cast Lead assault captured by new documentary
Electronic Intifada: 6 Jun 2013 – Where Should the Birds Fly features ten-year-old’s chilling observation that Palestinian victims “mean nothing” to Israel.more
The Wandering Europeans and ‘The Vanishing Two-State Solution’
Palestine Chronicle: 6 Jun 2013 – By Sam Bahour Next to U.S. support for Israel, the main reason why the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip continues is that the Europeans have reduced themselves to a subservient role in the Middle East Peace Process: one in which they underwrite the cost of Israel’s occupation by artificially propping up the Palestinian Authority, which created from the Oslo Peace Accords but has no sovereign authority whatever. Coming on the heels of a recently published open letter on the Middle East peace process from ‘the European Eminent Persons Group’, a new report from the European Council on Foreign Relations, Europe and the Vanishing Two-State Solution, spills the beans, and they’re all Europeans beans. The author is not your average run-of-the-mill report writer, he is Nick Witney, who previously worked for the European Defence Agency where he was first chief executive. Before that, his career was divided…more
Rohingya Population Control: The Onslaught in Burma Continues
Palestine Chronicle: 5 Jun 2013 – By Ramzy Baroud On April 21, the BBC obtained disturbing video footage shot in Burma. It confirmed extreme reports of what has been taking place in that country, even as it is being touted by the US and European governments as a success story pertaining to political reforms and democracy. The BBC footage was difficult to watch even when faces of Muslim Rohingya victims were blurred. To say the least, the level of violence exhibited by their Arakan Buddhist attackers was frightening. “The Burmese police (stood) by as shops, homes and mosques are looted and burnt, and failing to intervene as Buddhist mobs, including monks, kill fleeing Muslims,” the BBC reported. A Rohingya man was set ablaze while still alive. The police watched. To some extent, international media is finally noticing the plight of the Rohingyas who are experiencing what can only be described as genocide. And there are reasons…more
Occupation Diaries: Book Review
Palestine Chronicle: 5 Jun 2013 – Reviewed by Hala Nassar (Raja Shehadeh: Occupation Diaries. Profile Books Ltd, London 2012. Pages 208, Illustrations.) When Raja Shehadeh writes about Palestine, he makes sure that we walk with him the valleys, the mountains and the wild hills and prairies of the occupied land. As in his previous book, Palestinian Walks (Scribner 2007), which won the Orwell Prize 2008, Shehadeh’s Occupation Diaries, we continue to smell the first rain on the thirsty earth, touch the stones, hear the gurgling water from the brooks, admire cyclamens, and contemplate the history of the land of olive trees. Shehadeh in Occupation Diaries, also being nominated for the Orwell Prize 2013, does not only take us for walks to the villages near Ramallah in the north and all the way to the south in Jericho to observe the continuous brutal Israeli polices to disfigure the landscape, but also walks us to the streets of…more
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The New Dark Age 