16 July 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Settler Stabbed In Jerusalem
IMEMC – Israeli TV Channel 7 has reported on Tuesday at night [July 16, 2013] that an Israeli settler, 33, was moderately injured after being stabbed in Bab Al- Amoud area, in occupied East Jerusalem. …
Arrested Prawer Bill Protesters Still Detained
IMEMC – Several protesters arrested during Monday’s nation-wide demonstrations against the Prawer-bill are still kept in detention. Nine arrested in the Galilee got their remand extended to six more days. …
New European Union directive prohibits involvement in illegal Israeli settlements
IMEMC – The European Union has issued a directive forbidding its 28 member countries from funding or participating in projects that are located within illegal Israeli settlements. The new directive, however, does not apply to trade between the EU and Israel, so businesses operating in the illegal settlements would not be affected. …
Palestinian Activists Put Banners Inviting Israelis To Peace
IMEMC – A number of Palestinian activists put banners and signs on the main entrances of several Palestinian cities calling for peace with the Israeli citizens. …
Israel Approves Deployment Of Egyptian Infantry Units In Sinai
IMEMC – The Israeli government has granted a special authorization to the Egyptian Military allowing the deployment of two infantry battalions in the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula, so that the army can operate against armed groups and smugglers. …
Egypt Destroys Eight Border Tunnels
IMEMC – The Egyptian Army announced in managed to locate and destroy eight siege-busting tunnels across the border with the Gaza Strip over the last 48 hours, and that it located 23 containers holding a million liters of fuel. …
Kerry Threatens Cutting US Aid To P.A.
IMEMC – An Israeli political source stated that, during his latest visit to the region, U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, told Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, that the United States would cut all economic aid to the P.A. should the Palestinians insist on what he called preconditions for the resumption of direct peace talks. …
Abbas To Meet Kerry In Jordan
IMEMC – [Monday July 15 2013] A Palestinian official told the France Press News Agency that President Mahmoud Abbas plans to meet U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, this coming Wednesday in Amman Jordan. …
Dozens Injured In Jerusalem Protest
IMEMC – Palestinian medical sources have reported Monday [July 15 2013] that dozens of Palestinians have been injured after being violently attacked by Israeli soldiers and police officers, during a protest against the Prawer plan that would forcibly displace between 30,000-70,000 Negev Bedouins. …
Israel police arrest protesters at anti-Prawer Plan demo
7/16/2013 – BEERSHEBA, Israel (AFP) — Israeli police said they detained 15 Bedouin as hundreds of the tribesmen and women marched Monday in the city of Beersheba to protest a government plan to resettle them. The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, which represents Arab communities in Israel, had called for a day of “angry strikes” including demonstrations in 15 cities to denounce the plan. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said….
NGO: Israel set to approve another 1,000 settler homes
7/16/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli authorities are expected on Wednesday to give the green light for the construction of 1,071 new homes in six West Bank settlements, watchdog Peace Now said in a statement on Tuesday. The news came as US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Jordan at the start of a sixth round of intense diplomacy to revive stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, with Israel….
Ashrawi praises ‘significant’ EU directive on settlements
7/16/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — PLO official Hanan Ashrawi on Tuesday welcomed a directive by the European Union which will ban dealings with Israeli settlements and require future contracts to include a clause stating that settlements are not part of the Israeli state.”We welcome this significant move that calls for all EU projects to be conducted within pre-1967 lines and not in East Jerusalem…. Related:Netanyahu: Israel rejects EU ‘external dictates’ on bordersandFatah in Europe welcomes EU directive on settlements
Sheikh: Police prevent Israeli rightists from visiting Aqsa
7/16/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police on Tuesday closed the Moroccan Gate leading to the Aqsa compound and prevented Israeli rightists from entering the area, a Palestinian Authority Ministry of Endowment official said. Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib told Ma’an that Israeli authorities prevented Israeli rightists and foreign tourists from entering the Aqsa compound. The move comes after pressure from Jordan to stop Jewish extremists….
Israeli prison authorities transfer PFLP leader to Shatta jail
7/16/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israeli prison authorities on Tuesday unexpectedly moved jailed PFLP leader Ahmad Saadat from the Hadarim jail to Shatta prison, the Palestinian prisoners society said. Saadat was seized by Israeli forces in 2006 from a Palestinian Authority jail in Jericho after a long standoff between prisoners and troops. He was sentenced to 30 years for his alleged role in masterminding the assassination….
Egypt army says 8 smuggling tunnels found in Rafah
7/16/2013 – CAIRO (Ma’an) — Egyptian border guards on Monday uncovered eight smuggling tunnels in Rafah, security officials said. Around a million liters of fuel was found in 23 tanks buried in the ground within the tunnels, together with fuel pumps and hoses. Egyptian forces removed the pumping equipment and demolished the tunnels by blocking them with dirt. [END]
Israel agrees to 2 Egypt battalions for Sinai
7/16/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel has given Egypt the go-ahead to deploy two battalions to the Sinai to tackle militants in the sensitive region where deployments are restricted by treaty, Israeli army radio reported Tuesday. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon gave his approval to a request from the Egyptian army to station one battalion at El-Arish in the north of the peninsula and one at Sharm al-Sheikh…. Related:Troops, armored tanks deploy in Sinai
Hamas official: Egypt not participating in Gaza siege
7/16/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The government in Gaza is in constant talks with Egyptian officials to open the Rafah border crossing regularly, but does not consider Egypt a party to the siege, a senior minister said Tuesday. Ziad Thatha, deputy premier of the Hamas-run government in Gaza, said Israel bore sole responsibility for the closure of the enclave.”There is only one siege not…. Related:Egypt army says 8 smuggling tunnels found in Rafah
Syria mortar fire hits Israeli-occupied Golan
7/16/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Mortar fire from inside war-torn Syria hit the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Tuesday, an army spokeswoman said.”Several mortar rounds fired from Syria exploded in northern Golan without causing any damage or casualties,” the spokeswoman told AFP. It was apparently stray fire from fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels and was not deliberately fired towards Israeli-occupied territory, she added. Israel, which remains….
Iran slams Israeli role in atomic dispute
7/16/2013 – TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran on Tuesday accused arch-rival Israel of attempting to poison the mood against its moderate president-elect Hassan Rowhani, who has raised hope to end a dispute over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called Rowhani “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” who would “smile and build a bomb”. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi….
Abbas to meet Kerry in Amman
7/16/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas will meet US secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday in Amman, a Palestinian official close to negotiations said. The official, who requested anonymity, said the meeting would be held at 8 p. m. and that Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat would also attend. The Palestinians expect Kerry to propose cosmetic steps without providing final answers on a return….
Netanyahu: Israel rejects EU ‘external dictates’ on borders
7/16/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday rejected European Union guidelines barring the bloc’s 28 member states from funding projects in Jewish settlements.”We shall not accept any external dictates on our borders,” his office quoted him as telling an emergency ministerial meeting.”That is an issue that will be decided only in direct negotiations between the sides.” Netanyahu convened his…. Related:Ashrawi praises ‘significant’ EU directive on settlements
Kerry meets Jordan FM
7/16/2013 – AMMAN (AFP) — Top US diplomat John Kerry met his Jordanian counterpart Tuesday for talks focused on the turmoil in Egypt and Syria as well as his bid to unlock the Middle East peace process. Arriving on an
overnight flight from Washington, the secretary of state first held talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh before a private dinner with President Mahmoud Abbas. On Wednesday he….
Fatah in Europe welcomes EU directive on settlements
7/16/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Fatah in Europe on Tuesday welcomed European Union guidelines barring the bloc’s 28 member states from funding projects in Israeli settlements.”We would like to express our happiness and joy at this historic step Europe has taken. It is a very positive development that Israel will be obliged to define its territories,” Fatah spokesman in Europe Jamal Nazzal told…. Related:Ashrawi praises ‘significant’ EU directive on settlementsandNetanyahu: Israel rejects EU ‘external dictates’ on borders
Shtayyeh: New govt is ‘last chance’ for Hamas
7/16/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Hamas must end the national division by Aug. 14, when President Mahmoud Abbas will announce a new government, a senior Fatah official said Tuesday. Mohammad Shtayyeh said the formation of the government was Hamas’ “last chance” for national reconciliation.”Hamas has to come and implement the terms of the reconciliation so we can end six years of division,” Shtayyeh told….
Troops, armored tanks deploy in Sinai
7/16/2013 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — The first wave of heavily armored vehicles and troops arrived in Sinai’s el-Arish on Tuesday as the Egyptian army “prepares for a fight” in the peninsula, military sources said. Egyptian soldiers deployed from an army base in Ismailia. Some 25 tank carriers, rocket launchers and armored personnel carriers were seen crossing the Suez Canal bridge in el-Arish on…. Related:Israel agrees to 2 Egypt battalions for Sinai
Jerusalem man killed in family dispute
7/16/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A man was killed late Monday during a family dispute in the Jerusalem area village of al-Eizariya, Palestinian security officials said. Musa Suleiman Odeh al-Harsh, 33, suffered multiple stab wounds to his chest and abdomen during an argument. His body was transferred to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah. Police have opened an investigation into the incident. [END]
7 killed, 261 wounded in Cairo clashes
7/16/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egyptian security forces clashed with supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi overnight, leaving seven people dead, health officials said on Tuesday, overshadowing a visit by a senior US envoy. The clashes in the heart of Cairo and in adjacent Giza were the first to rock the Egyptian capital since dozens of Morsi supporters were shot dead outside an elite army barracks early last….
TV: Egypt swears in first cabinet since Mursi ouster
7/16/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt’s first government since the military ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi almost two weeks ago was officially sworn in on Tuesday, state television reported. The 35-member cabinet, including caretaker prime minister Hazem al-Beblawi, individually took their oath before army-appointed interim president Adly Mansour. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the general behind the popularly backed coup that toppled Mursi on July….
UN: 5,000 a month dying in worsening Syria war
7/16/2013 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Five thousand people a month are dying in the Syria war which has now thrown up the worst refugee crisis since the 1994 Rwandan genocide, UN officials said Tuesday. A host of top officials called on the divided UN Security Council to take stronger action to deal with the fallout from the 26-month-old civil war in which the United Nations says….
Saudi to restrict pilgrim visas over virus fears
7/16/2013 – PARIS, France (AFP) — Saudi Arabia will not issue visas to the elderly, pregnant women or children for the hajj and umrah pilgrimages to help combat the spread of MERS coronavirus, the French health ministry said on Tuesday. In an urgent circular to doctors, it said the Saudi health ministry “has taken the decision to restrict the issuing of visas” for the annual hajj and for….
NGO: Syria pro-regime militia kills reconciliation team
7/16/2013 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Members of a Syrian pro-regime militia gunned down seven Sunni men working on reconciliation in the central province of Homs overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday. Clashes broke out, meanwhile, between Kurdish fighters and the radical Islamist Al-Nusra Front in northern Syria’s Ras al-Ain, said the group.”Seven men belonging to a reconciliation committee, including two retired….
US condemns violence in Egypt
7/16/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States on Tuesday denounced violence in Egypt that left seven people dead after security forces clashed with supporters of the country’s ousted President Mohamed Mursi.”We also. . . strongly condemn the overnight violence in Cairo,” State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters. [END]
EU bans funding groups in Jewish settlements
AlJazeera 16 Jul 2013 – Ruling underlines concern over building in occupied territories – a move Israel PM calls a “dictate on our borders”.
What It Means to Be a Palestinian Immersed in Israeli Society
Palestine News Network
EU: Future Agreements with Israel Won’t Apply to West Bank, Jerusalem Territories
Palestine News Network
Kerry to Meet With Abbas in Jordan for Peace Push
Palestine News Network
Prisoner Sa’adat Transferred to Shata Israeli Jail
Palestine News Network
Report: 6,784 Israelis Dealing With Arms Exports
Palestine News Network
Dr. Ashrawi Welcomes EU Directive Banning Dealings with Israeli Settlements
Palestine News Network
Israel Arrests Liberated Prisoner While Traveling to Jordan
Palestine News Network
Settlers Assault Palestinians, Destroy Vehicles in Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
Israeli Forces Raid Jenin, Violently Search Shop
Palestine News Network
Israeli Forces Arrest 3 Palestinians, Injure Several Others during Confrontations in Jerusalem
Palestine News Network
International Solidarity Movement
In spite of Ramadan, weekly settlers’ ‘tour’ invades Hebron once again
7/16/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – 16th July 2013, International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team, Hebron, Occupied Palestine – On Saturday the 13th of July about forty settlers on a settler tour’ once again strolled through the Old City of Al Khalil (Hebron). Today they were joined by almost as many soldiers from the Israeli army, Israeli Border Police and Israeli police force. The occupation forces kept blocking the streets, forcing….
Land grab in Qaryut; residents fear illegal settlement expansion
7/16/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – 16th July 2013, International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team, Qaryut, Occupied Palestine – On the 3rd of July 2013, settlers from the illegal colony of Shilo bulldozed land belonging to Qaryut, destroying around two hundred recently planted olive trees. Citizens of Qaryut are now concerned that new houses for the illegal settlement are being built on this stolen land. At around 10am, five settlers with a bulldozer….
occupied Palestinian territory: Mid-Year Review of the Consolidated Appeal for the occupied Palestinian territory 2013
Relief Web 16 Jul 2013 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: occupied Palestinian territory SUMMARY The humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) during the first five months of 2013 remained unchanged as the key drivers of vulnerability remained in…
occupied Palestinian territory: Israel set to approve another 1,000 W.Bank homes: NGO
Relief Web 16 Jul 2013 – Source: Agence France-Presse Country: occupied Palestinian territory 07/16/2013 16:19 GMT JERUSALEM, July 16, 2013 (AFP) – Israeli authorities are expected on Wednesday to give the green light for the construction of 1,071 new homes in six West Bank settlements, watchdog…
occupied Palestinian territory: Restricted access at Rafah Crossing blocks Gaza residents’ main route abroad
Relief Web 15 Jul 2013 – Source: Gisha Country: occupied Palestinian territory Restricted access at Rafah Crossing following recent events in Egypt has blocked Gaza residents’ access abroad and has left them with almost no way of exiting the Strip. In view of the fact that…
Europe slaps embargo on Israeli settlements
The National 16 Jul 2013 – EU sets ‘precedent for the world’ by banning cooperation and financial assistance to Israeli institutions operating in illegal settlements occupied since the 1967 war. Hugh Naylor reports from Ramallah
Egypt’s interim government sworn in
The National 16 Jul 2013 – Egypt’s interim government has been sworn in, with Muslim Brotherhood rejecting invitation to join new cabinet. Bradley Hope reports from Cairo
Dubai Ramadan night market grows into the role
The National 16 Jul 2013 – The market, now in its second year, is due to run from August 1 to 10 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Top 150 UAE pupils honoured for their school achievements
The National 16 Jul 2013 – Sheikh Mansour, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, pays tribute to the nation’s Grade 12 graduates.
Mock condolences in Iran announce the political ‘death’ of Ahmadinejad
The National 16 Jul 2013 – Condolences arriving by text message announce the political ‘death’ of soon-to-be former Iranian president and say memorial services are planned at the UN in tribute to his swaggering style each year in New York.
Business ‘optimistic’ on Egypt’s economy following Morsi ouster
The National 16 Jul 2013 – Mohammed Morsi bungled attempts at revival, say company chiefs welcoming appointment of economic professionals to new key posts. Bradley Hope reports from Cairo
Dubai price-comparison app spots bargains
The National 16 Jul 2013 – Shoppers in Dubai can now check and compare the prices of 270 food items at eight supermarket chains using a new smartphone app.
New look for two Abu Dhabi TV stations
The National 16 Jul 2013 – Relaunches of Abu Dhabi Al Emarat and Abu Dhabi Al Oula, both owned by The National’s parent company Abu Dhabi Media, have been planned to coincide with UAE’s 42nd National Day.
Springs in northern Israel producing less water, some all dried up
Ha’aretz – 16 Jul 2013
Israel’s Chief Rabbinate race reaches High Court of Justice
Ha’aretz – 16 Jul 2013
Ultra-Orthodox man stabbed by two Palestinians in Jerusalem’s Old City
Ha’aretz – 16 Jul 2013
Yad Vashem ranked 4th best museum in the world by TripAdvisor
Ha’aretz – 16 Jul 2013
In far-away Jaffa, protesters decry the ‘nakba of the Negev’
Ha’aretz – 16 Jul 2013
Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s visit to Israel angers critics back home
Ha’aretz – 16 Jul 2013
Mental hospitals cannot prevent suicides, Israeli doctors say
Ha’aretz – 16 Jul 2013
‘Waltz with Bashir’ director’s new flick to kick off Haifa film fest
Ha’aretz – 16 Jul 2013
EU: Future agreements with Israel won’t apply to territories
Ha’aretz – 15 Jul 2013
Israel allows additional Egyptian troops into Sinai
Ha’aretz – 15 Jul 2013
Israeli egg donors see higher compensation due to shortage of willing women
Ha’aretz – 15 Jul 2013
Netanyahu sounds Iran nuclear alarm – again – but attack not on horizon
Ha’aretz – 15 Jul 2013
Exclusive: Jewish Agency solves aliya impasse
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Labor dispute disrupted issuing of immigration visas in June.
Haredi man stabbed multiple times outside Damascus Gate
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Police say two Arab men attacked the thirty-year-old on his way home from the Kotel; units searching area for suspects.
UN: Syrians fleeing at rate not seen since Rwandan genocide
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Number of those fleeing conflict escalated to an average of 6,000 a day, according to UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Hundreds of Jews denied entry to Temple Mount after riot threats
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – The confluence of Ramadan and Tisha Be av inflame the situation.
Police: Tiv Taam bomber hired as part of a business dispute
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – The man is the fourth suspect arrested in the series of attacks this spring on the central Tel Aviv branch of the supermarket chain.
Three injured as bomb hits Hezbollah convoy in Lebanon
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Roadside bomb near border marks third attack on Shi’ite group.
Syria rebels reinforce key suburb in the battle for Damascus
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Syria rebels still waiting to receive weapons from US; Britain says it will provide protection against chemical weapons.
Turkish police arrest 30 anti-government protesters
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – 1,000 briefly detained as police widen crackdown on protests.
Egypt’s head of armed forces sworn in as first deputy PM
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Muslim Brotherhood official dismisses claims over national reconciliation as bloody clashes continue in Cairo.
Housing Minister Ariel launches virtual Temple Mount tours on Tisha B’Av
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Tour begins with drawing of Temple laid over shrine.
Seven die in latest Cairo clashes, over 250 wounded
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Overnight violence a blow to hopes that Egypt crisis subsiding.
Pro-Assad gunmen kill Syrian mediators in Homs
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Militants loyal to the Syrian president shoot dead 6 members of reconciliation team sent to try to appease warring sectarian groups.
Mortar shells from Syria explode in Golan
Jerusalem Post 16 Jul 2013 – Most recent incident of apparent errant fire causes no damage; fighting reported overnight near Quneitra border crossing.
Clashes return to Cairo streets in blow to Egypt
Jerusalem Post 15 Jul 2013 – VIDEO: After week of relative calm, overnight violence near Nile a blow to hopes that Egyptian crisis subsiding.
Regev: Israel must disperse migrants concentrated in south Tel Aviv
Jerusalem Post 15 Jul 2013 – MK also calls on police to issue detailed statistics on crimes committed by illegal migrants.
Iranian film-maker Mohsen Makhmalbaf on his relationship with Israel – video interview
The Guardian 16 Jul 2013 – Mohsen Makhmalbaf, one of Iran’s most famous directors, speaks to the Guardian after returning from a controversial trip to the Jerusalem film festival Saeed Kamali Dehghan Henry Barnes Leah Green
Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf defends Israel visit after outcry
The Guardian 16 Jul 2013 – Makhmalbaf says he travelled to Jerusalem film festival as ‘ambassador for peace’ and received a warm welcome One of Iran’s most famous film-makers, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, a former revolutionary who spent four years in jail under the…
EU guidelines on Israeli settlements send out powerful message
The Guardian 16 Jul 2013 – Restatement of position by Brussels reflects important changes on the ground in the West Bank and East Jerusalem European policy guidelines are composed of small print and impenetrable bureaucratic language that are the product of long…
Apple buying Primesense? Israeli Kinect company waves idea away
The Guardian 16 Jul 2013 – Rumours of an impending $290m purchase by the iPhone maker of the company which developed the technology behind the Kinect draw denials, and silence from Apple Apple has refused to comment on rumours that could buy…
EU takes tougher stance on Israeli settlements
The Guardian 16 Jul 2013 – ‘Earthquake’ directive will prohibit EU states from signing deals with Israel unless settlement exclusion clause is included The European Union has dealt a harsh blow to the Israeli settlement enterprise in a directive that insists all…
Europe’s leaders speak out on Israel s treatment of Palestinian children
Uruknet
ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE JABER FAMILY BY ISRAELI SETTLERS (Video)
Uruknet
Afghanistan court releases men convicted of torturing 15-year-old bride
Uruknet
Israel Governs Lawlessly
Uruknet
Syria Analysis: 4 Lessons from an Article on Jabhat al-Nusra
Uruknet
Greenwald: Snowden Holds Information That Could Cause More Damage to U.S. Than Anyone Ever Has
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The Trial of George Zimmerman and the Tribulations of Black People
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Student Rights : Islamophobia on campus
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The witch hunt, the whistleblower and the surveillance state
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Pakistani Taliban chiefs deny sending fighters to Syria
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 Pakistani Taliban commanders Tuesday rejected suggestions they were sending fighters to Syria, saying some have gone there independently but the movement s focus remained in Pakistan.
New Iranian president backs Assad regime
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 Iran s president-elect has sent messages to Syria s Bashar Assad reaffirming support for his ally.
Iraq attacks make for deadly start to holy month
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 Ramadan this year is shaping up to be the deadliest in Iraq since a bloody insurgency and rampant sectarian killings pushed the country to the edge of civil war in the wake of the U.S.-led invasion…
Lebanon needs more help for refugee crisis: Salam
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 Lebanon’s Ambassador to the U.N. Nawaf Salam calls on the international community to assist Lebanon in addressing the Syrian refugee crisis on its territories.
Kerry to meet Abbas, may visit camp for Syrian refugees
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry began a round of discussions in Jordan on Tuesday in his push to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and address the crisis in Syria.
Israel rejects EU ‘external dictates’ on borders: PM
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday rejected European Union guidelines barring the bloc’s 28 member states from funding projects in Jewish settlements.
New Saudi rules set rights for domestic workers
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday new rules to protect the rights of foreign domestic workers, most of whom are from South Asia, but stressed they must “respect” Islam and “obey” their employers.
Egypt’s interim president swears in new Cabinet
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 Egypt’s interim president swears in the first Cabinet since the military ousted the Islamist president, giving members of the country’s liberal movements key positions.
Escaped inmate arrested in east Lebanon
Daily Star 16 Jul 2013 Security forces arrest an inmate who escaped from Roumieh Prison a day earlier, security sources told The Daily Star.
Hagel: Top military brass to be cut 20 percent
YNet News, 16 Jul 2013 – ….
Militants in Yemen kill man suspected of being gay
YNet News, 16 Jul 2013 – ….
Italy’s state TV won’t show Miss Italia in bid to fight sexism
YNet News, 16 Jul 2013 – ….
Dick Cheney’s daughter to run for Senate
YNet News, 16 Jul 2013 – ….
Palestinian youth wounded in Nabi Saleh; Palestinians blame IDF
YNet News, 16 Jul 2013 – ….
Let s not lose Diaspora Jewry
YNet News, 16 Jul 2013 – Op-ed: Israel continues to turn a cold shoulder to millions of Jews around the world despite their enormous contribution ….
Crying in rebuilt Jerusalem
YNet News, 16 Jul 2013 – Op-ed: So many Jews deny reality, claim there is no difference between living in Israel and living in the Diaspora ….
Palestinian Information Center
Settlers attack Palestinians and their properties in Jerusalem
PIC – Clashes erupted between Palestinian youths and Jewish extremist groups after extremist settlers attacked Palestinian citizens and their properties.
Gaza government: Contacts with Egyptian side never ceased
PIC – The Palestinian government in Gaza confirmed that relations with the Egyptian side have not been severed after the recent events in Egypt as some rumors suggested.
Israeli march in Jerusalem on anniversary of destruction of alleged Temple
PIC – ‚¨ SWomen for Israel‚¨ ù movement called for a march in the old city of Jerusalem, to commemorate the anniversary of the destruction of the Alleged Temple.
Bahar: Begin-Prawer Plan, a new Palestinian Nakba
PIC – Dr. Ahmed Bahar, the first deputy speaker of the PLC, strongly condemned the ‚¨ SPrawer Plan‚¨ ù, which aims to confiscate thousands of dunums and to displace tens of thousands of Palestinian Bedouins.
Three Palestinians detained, many injured in police raid on march in J’lem
PIC – Three Jerusalemite young men were taken prisoners and many others suffered injuries on Tuesday evening when the Israeli police violently attacked a peaceful rally in Bab Al-Amoud area.
Prisoner society: The Jordanian hunger strikers are held with mental patients
PIC – The Palestinian prisoner society said that the Jordanian hunger strikers are being held with mental patients in the Ramla jail infirmary in order to pressure them into breaking their hunger strike.
Rizqa warns of Kerry’s new visit to the region
PIC – Dr. Youssef Rizqa, Political Adviser to Haneyya, warned of Kerry’s next visit to the region especially that it comes within an appropriate atmosphere for the US vision of the ‚¨ Speace process.‚¨ ù
Al-Ahrar: Tunnels demolition, tightening Gaza siege unjustified crime
PIC – Al-Ahrar Palestinian movement has considered the new Egyptian leadership’s decision to demolish tunnels between Gaza and Egypt and to tighten Gaza siege as an justified crime.
Demonstration outside PLO headquarters protesting normalization
PIC – Hundreds have protested outside the PLO headquarters Monday condemning the meeting held last week in Ramallah between Fatah and PA leaders and representatives of the Israeli Likud and Shas parties.
PLO Welcomes EU Guidelines Banning Dealings with Israeli Settlements
WAFA – 16 Jul 2013
EU says Financial Awards will not be Granted to Settlements
WAFA – 16 Jul 2013
PLO Concerned Over US Congress Reception of an Israeli Settler Leader
WAFA – 16 Jul 2013
Israelis Attack Palestinians, Cars in Jerusalem
WAFA – 16 Jul 2013
Israeli Police Closes Al-Aqsa Mosque to Non-Muslims
WAFA – 16 Jul 2013
Iran labor protest: Sign of daunting challenges for next president
LA Times 16 Jul 2013 – TEHRAN — More than 200 steelworkers staged a demonstration Tuesday in front of the Iranian parliament, protesting layoffs and unpaid salaries in an illustration of the daunting economic challenges facing President-elect Hassan Rouhani.
Israel approves more Egyptian troops in Sinai
LA Times 16 Jul 2013 – JERUSALEM — Egypt is sending more troops into Sinai to quell militant activity in the demilitarized area, according to Israeli officials who have veto power over such troop movements under the peace treaty between the two countries.
Egypt turmoil: At least 7 killed in overnight clashes
LA Times 16 Jul 2013 – CAIRO — Fears of a new wave of deadly violence have shaken Cairo as Islamist supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi have clashed with security forces on bridges and in squares, leaving the capital streaked in tear gas and echoing with gunfire.
Israel begins deporting Eritrean refugees to troubled African homeland
LA Times 15 Jul 2013 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls the crackdown on Africans seeking asylum an ‘extraordinary achievement.’ Critics call it heartless and illegal. JERUSALEM In an acceleration of its controversial crackdown on African asylum seekers, Israel has begun sending Eritrean refugees back to their restive homeland,…
Ruins in a Center of Syria s Uprising
New York Times 16 Jul 2013 – After more than a year of siege, the city of Homs in central Syria may well be the site of the most concentrated destruction in the country.
The Lede: Images of Latest Deadly Clashes in Cairo
New York Times 16 Jul 2013 – Images and video posted online by reporters and witnesses offered detailed views of clashes late Monday around a train station in central Cairo.
Israel Condemns New European Union Rules on Territory Seized in 1967 War
New York Times 16 Jul 2013 – New guidelines explicitly ban the financing of and cooperation with Israeli institutions in territory seized during the 1967 war, reflecting increasing tension between Israel and Europe.
Egypt s New Government Doesn t Include Muslim Brotherhood
New York Times 16 Jul 2013 – The cabinet, which was praised by some for its diversity, replaces the government of Mohamed Morsi, a Brotherhood member who was deposed nearly two weeks ago.
Britain Said to Step Back From Push to Arm Syrian Rebels
New York Times 16 Jul 2013 – The reluctance reflects a similar attitude in Washington toward the idea of sending small weaponry to the splintered Syrian insurgents, raising broader questions about the destiny of the rebels.
Kerry Returns to Middle East in Bid for Peace Talks
New York Times 16 Jul 2013 – Secretary of State John Kerry is in Jordan to try to bolster the prospects for renewed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
At War Blog: A Problematic Genre, the Kill Memoir
New York Times 16 Jul 2013 – The promotional campaign for the book Carnivore represents the latest and most extreme iteration of a troublesome publishing phenomenon.
Clashes Return to Streets of Cairo in Another Blow for Egypt
New York Times 16 Jul 2013 – More than 20 people were reported injured as the Egyptian police and protesters clashed in Cairo early Tuesday.
PrimeSense in strategic cooperation talks
Globes Main News – The gesture recognition company is in talks to team with Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others, one of which may acquire it for $200-300 million.
Teva pressures to prevent tax break reductions
Globes Main News – Teva director Chaim Hurvitz told the Knesset Finance Committee that the company’s preference for building factories in Israel’s periphery will have to be reconsidered.
Intel acquires Omek Interactive
Globes Main News – Intel is paying $30-40 million for the Beit Shemesh-based gesture recognition company, which raised $14 million.
Alvarion receiver begins meeting investors
Globes Main News – Interested parties at this early stage include other companies in the wireless equipment business and financial investors.
Lapid slams EU directive on settlements
Globes Macro Economics – Minister of Finance Yair Lapid: Every day that Israel is not in peace negotiations is a day that our international standing is further damaged.
Israeli consumers still pessimistic
Globes Macro Economics – The Consumer Confidence Index fell by 3.1 points in trend figures in June.
CPI up 0.8% in June
Globes Macro Economics – The highest monthly rise in the Consumer Price Index since August 2012 was largely caused by the VAT hike.
Navy-Defense Ministry squabble delays gas fields protection
Globes Aerospace & Defense – The Navy prefers a cheaper German bid for ships to protect gas rigs, but the Defense Ministry wants a deal with Korea.
Israel to Sign Guns for Refugees Deal
With African States
Tikun Olam – Heard of arms for hostages ? How bout arms for refugees? (David Sheen) Writing this blog as long as I have, I ve seen some pretty low blows from the Israeli government. But this one ranks right up there. Those of you old enough remember Ronald Reagan s arms…
RT: Israel Used Turkish Military Base in Latakia Attack
Tikun Olam – Yakhonts anti-ship missile system in action This story keeps getting weirder and more interesting: RT (formerly Russia Today) reports based on a reliable source that Turkey allowed Israeli air-force jet bombers to use one of its military bases to attack the Syria port of Latakia, where…
What s in a Tweet?: Islamophobe Emerson Brings Frivolous Lawsuit
Muzzlewatch – by Donna Nevel The Players in the Defamation Suit Steven Emerson, an anti-Muslim ideologue, is currently suing Cyrus McGoldrick, an American Muslim community organizer and human rights activist, over a tweet that McGoldrick sent to two friends. First, there is Cyrus McGoldrick, who is an effective…
Justifying Zimmerman s racial profiling, Richard Cohen lashes out at black culture and Barry Obama on the lip of Harlem
Mondoweiss – Richard Cohen, the one-time liberal Washington Post columnist (who has skewed right with Israel), is weirdly and irascibly tough in this column welcoming the not guilty verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman for the Trayvon Martin killing in Florida last year. I see the column…
Former Guantanamo prosecutor calls Obama lecturer and hypocrite for photo-op at Mandela s island prison
Mondoweiss – Great interview by Amy Goodman of Colonel Morris Davis , who resigned as prosecutor at Guantanamo in protest in 2007 and now teaches at Howard University. He calls on Obama to lead the public to the understanding that the prison should be shut down now. He cites…
In earthquake diplomatic move, EU calls on Israel to recognize in writing that the West Bank settlements are not part of Israel
Mondoweiss – European Union Flag Update: Here is the full new EU guidelines on Israeli settlements ( PDF ) Update: Haaretz is reporting a ” hasty and urgent ” meeting took place at the Israeli Prime Minister’s office today, and a statement was released “blasting the European Union over its decision to…
Egypt s revolution will be televised
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 . With Deputy Secretary of State, William Burns urging reconciliation of Egypt s warring factions yesterday in Cairo, pro-Morsi demonstrators hit the Cairo streets….
Obama doesn t respond to Nour Joudah s letter
Mondoweiss – Yesterday in its coverage of the latest Congressional obeisance to Israel– Senator Barbara Boxer and colleagues’ effort to make Israel our one and only “major strategic partner” and exempt its citizens from visa requirements at our borders — the Associated Press highlighted the case of Nour…
Boycott Israel Student Leader Sadia Saifuddin Runs for U. of California Regent Post
The Foward Breaking News 16 Jul 2013 – A student leader in the anti-Israel divestment campaign at the University of California, Berkeley, is a candidate for student regent in the University of California system. Click here for the rest of the article…
European Union Bars Aid to Israeli Groups With Ties to Occupied Territories
The Foward Breaking News 16 Jul 2013 – The European Union said on Tuesday it will bar financial assistance to Israeli organisations operating in the occupied territories, underlining its concern that Israeli settlement-building harms prospects for peace with the Palestinians. Click here for the rest of the article…
Temple Mount Closed to Jews on Tisha B’Av
The Foward Breaking News 16 Jul 2013 – The Jerusalem Police closed the Temple Mount to Jewish visitors a day after Arabs protested such visits. Click here for the rest of the article…
Rabbis Meet Jonathan Pollard in Prison
The Foward Breaking News 15 Jul 2013 – Leaders of American Judaism s two largest religious streams visited Israeli spy Jonathan Jay Pollard in prison July 11 to underline their demand that he be freed after serving 28 years of a life sentence. Click here for the rest of the article…
For Ari Lev Fornari, Gender and Palestinian Liberation Are Linked
The Forward New 16 Jul 2013 – I am one of those people who have wanted to be a rabbi since I was a little kid, said Ari Lev Fornari, a fifth-year rabbinical student at Hebrew College, a pluralistic college of Jewish studies in Newton Centre, Mass. His professional ambitions were not disconnected…
Jacob Lieberman Wants To Change the Jewish World
The Forward New 16 Jul 2013 – I didn t come to be a rabbi because I wanted to change the Jewish world about transgender issues, said Jacob Lieberman, 34, a fourth-year student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, in Wyncote, Pa. I came because I have Jewish ideas that I want to help to…
Eritrea: Israel Put African Refugees Under Pressure to Leave
allAfrica.com16 Jul 2013 – [HRW] Israeli authorities are using new procedures to pressure at least 1,400 Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers, some detained for over a year, to return to their countries, Human Rights Watch said. Under international law, asylum seekers should be detained only in exceptional circumstances, their claims should…
Egypt: UAE Releases 23 Egyptian Prisoners for Ramadan
allAfrica.com16 Jul 2013 – [Aswat Masriya]Egypt’s General Consul in Dubai, Ambassador Sherif al-Bedewi, said on Monday that the United Arab of Emirates has ordered the release of 23 Egyptian detainees in honor of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, MENA reported.
Interim Egypt government sworn in
BBC 16 Jul 2013 – A new interim Egyptian government is sworn in, with army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who led the ousting of Mohammed Morsi, becoming deputy PM.
Israel condemns EU settlements rule
BBC 16 Jul 2013 – Israel condemns as a “mistake” new European Union guidelines banning EU funding of projects in territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war.
Militiamen ‘kill Syria mediators’
BBC 16 Jul 2013 – At least six mediators have been killed by pro-government militiamen in the Syrian province of Homs while trying to broker talks, reports say.
Saudi Regional Supremacy? Not So Fast
Al-Akhbar Blogs 16 Jul 2013 – Think about it: only a year ago, the Western press was filled with articles declaring the rise of Qatari power: article upon article was devoted to the news of the power of Qatar in the Arab world and how its government and al-Jazeera are now the…
Kuwait’s Foreign Labor: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Al-Akhbar News 16 Jul 2013 – A Kuwaiti customer orders sweets at a pastry shop during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, on 16 July 2013, in Kuwait City. (Photo: AFP – Yasser Al-Zayyat) A Kuwaiti customer orders sweets at a pastry shop during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, on 16…
Israel s Prawer Plan: New Nakba Hits the Negev
Al-Akhbar News 16 Jul 2013 – A Bedouin woman gestures during a demonstration against Israeli government’s plans to relocate Bedouins in the Negev desert, on 15 July 2013 in the southern city of Beersheva. (Photo: AFP – David Buimovitch) A Bedouin woman gestures during a demonstration against Israeli government’s plans to relocate…
Israel to approve another 1,000 homes in West Bank settlements
Al-Akhbar News 16 Jul 2013 – Israeli forces attack a Palestinian cameraman filming a protest against the expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel in the village of Kfar Qaddum, near Nablus in the occupied West Bank on 21 June 2013. (Photo: AFP – Jaafar Ashtiyeh) Israeli authorities are expected on Wednesday to…
Saudi Arabia: foreign maids must “respect Islam” and “obey” employers
Al-Akhbar News 16 Jul 2013 – Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday new rules to grant some rights of foreign domestic workers, but stressed they must “respect” Islam and “obey” their employers. Labor Minister Adel Faqih said that the maids must respect “Islam and its teachings… and obey the orders of the employers…
Hariri Inc Capitalize on the Ruins of Abra
Al-Akhbar News 16 Jul 2013 – A supporter of Lebanese radical cleric Ahmad al-Assir holds a poster of Lebanese singer Fadel Shaker who supports the cleric as they demonstrate after Friday prayers in the Abra district of the southern Lebanese city of Sidon on 5 July 2013. (Photo: AFP – Joseph Eid)…
Roadside bomb injures two in East Lebanon
Al-Akhbar News 16 Jul 2013 – Lebanese soldiers stand guard at the site of a roadside attack near the border with Syria on 16 July 2013. (Photo: AFP / STR) A roadside bomb exploded in East Lebanon on Tuesday injuring two men travelling in a convoy of vehicles, state news reported. Lebanon’s National…
A “Racist” Lebanese Travels to Sri Lanka
Al-Akhbar Series and Features 15 Jul 2013 – Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu devotees dance during the Hindu religious ceremony in Wattala on 10 July 2013. (Photo: AFP – Ishara S.Kodikara) Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu devotees dance during the Hindu religious ceremony in Wattala on 10 July 2013. (Photo: AFP – Ishara S.Kodikara) What makes…
Georges Abdallah: Humiliation at the French Ambassador s Residence
Al-Akhbar Politics 15 Jul 2013 – The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is expected to issue its report on Abdallah in August. (Photo: Marwan Bou Haidar) The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is expected to issue its report on Abdallah in August. (Photo: Marwan Bou Haidar) Once again, Georges Abdallah ,…
Interim Egypt government sworn in
BBC 16 Jul 2013 – A new interim Egyptian government is sworn in, with army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who led the ousting of Mohammed Morsi, becoming deputy PM.
Israel condemns EU settlements rule
BBC 16 Jul 2013 – Israel condemns as a “mistake” new European Union guidelines banning EU funding of projects in territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war.
Dutch couple warn of Yemen execution
BBC 16 Jul 2013 – A Dutch couple kidnapped in Yemen a month ago make an impassioned plea for help, warning they could be executed within 10 days.
Militiamen ‘kill Syria mediators’
BBC 16 Jul 2013 – At least six mediators have been killed by pro-government militiamen in the Syrian province of Homs while trying to broker talks, reports say.
Articles
EU: Agreements with Israel don t apply to oPt, Golan
Sergio Yahni, Alternative Information Center7/16/2013
European attempts to preempt a widespread boycott on Israel by highlighting its differentiated relations toward Israel and Israeli policies in the territories it occupied during the 1967 war prompted widespread criticism in Israel and a warm welcome in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
On June 30 the European Commission adopted guidelines stipulating that all agreements between Israel and the EU must indicate their inapplicability to the territories occupied by Israel in 1967.
According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, the guidelines, which go into effect on Friday, require that any agreement or contract signed by an EU country with Israel include a clause stating that the settlements are not part of the State of Israel and therefore are not part of the agreement.
The relations between Israel and the European Union are framed in the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, and the Union for the Mediterranean.
The main legal ties between Israel and the EU are established by the 1995 Association Agreement and several other agreement covering specific issues.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement, signed in Brussels on 20 November 1995 and entered into force on 1 June 2000, is the legal basis governing relations between Israel and the European Union. The agreement incorporates free trade arrangements for industrial goods, as well as concessionary arrangements for trade in agricultural products.
The June 30 guidelines positing territorial limitations to EU agreements with Israel comply with a clause added in 2005 that customs exemptions do not apply to West Bank and East Jerusalem settlement products….more..e-mail
Palestine-Israel Conflict: The Language of Peace and the Reality of War
Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab, Middle East Monitor (MEMO)7/11/2013
Instead of challenging Israeli intransigence, international actors have instead acted as a mirror, reflecting Israel s own myths and distortions back to its conveyer.
The formal Israeli-Palestinian peace process has long been characterised by a yawning gap between image and reality. For the best part of 20 years, a reality of occupation has been legitimized and consecrated by the elusive notion of peace . Peace , in a particularly brutal inversion of its traditional meaning, has become an accomplice to practices that are clearly opposed to any just and lasting settlement (of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict). Although this paradox (war as peace and peace as war) has become all too familiar to interested observers, a recent conversation (at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars) between Aaron Miller (a distinguished scholar associated with the center) and Ehud Olmert (the former Israeli prime minister) is instructive to the extent that it shines a light upon some of the misrepresentations and distortions that continue to characterise a Janus-faced peace .
Any objective observer of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot fail to be struck by the extent to which peace has become actively conscripted into the service of the Israeli political-military establishment. As a device that perpetuates the status quo whilst simultaneously allowing facts on the ground to be altered, peace is predominantly appreciated (predominantly by Israeli political actors) for its inherent instrumentality. Yet the unthinking conflation of peace with security has anticipated multiple perversities; any peace is devalued when it becomes little more than a means for the reassertion of the prerogatives and privileges that attend to power. It is bad enough when the promises of peace remain unfulfilled: it is infinitely worse when the same peace becomes actively conscripted into the service of a brutal and dehumanising occupation.
Although Olmert has long sought to present himself, in accordance with the standard operating procedures of Israeli doves , as a moderate alternative to the more extreme sections of Israeli political opinion, it becomes apparent once we scratch beneath the service that his own position is defined by an inherent conservatism….more..e-mail
The day Europe got Israel s attention
Noam Sheizaf, +972 Magazine7/16/2013
Responding to the EU s decision to limit all joint projects at the Green Line, Prime Minister Netanyahu displayed a confrontational attitude, vowing not to let anyone harm the settlers.
The European Union s decision to limit all joint projects with Israel beyond the pre-1967 borders accomplished what all of President Obama s speeches and Secretary of State Kerry s diplomatic missions have failed to it put the occupation back as the top story on the Israeli agenda.
The new European guidelines, which were revealed by Haaretz s Barak Ravid this morning, will demand that any agreement with an Israeli institution include an article limiting activities beyond the pre-1967 borders. The guidelines allow European involvement with Is
raeli institutions which are based beyond the Green Line as the Justice Department is, for example as long as the joint activity doesn t take place in occupied territory. In accordance with the international community s longstanding position, the guidelines don t recognize the Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem and the surrounding territories, or the Golan Heights.
The non-binding guidelines were delivered to all 28 EU member states on June 30 and they are due to come into effect this Friday.
Unlike previous warnings and condemnations of settlement construction, which Israelis seem to have gotten used to, this step caught the Israeli public, media and government by surprise (at least part of the reason is that the Foreign Ministry is on strike and the foreign minister position is unmanned until the conclusion of Avigdor Liberman s trial). All media outlets were quick to post follow-ups to Haaretz s story this morning.
Knesset members and government ministers have been issuing uncoordinated statements throughout the day….more..e-mail
‘Hasbara’ courses at Israeli universities exposed in new report
Yara Sa’di, Haifa, Electronic Intifada7/15/2013
Various Israeli academic institutions have introduced courses and programs on hasbara the Hebrew-language term used to describe Israel s attempts to re-brand its image as its occupation and military aggression makes it increasingly unpopular worldwide.
A new report from the Academic Watch Project shows that instead of promoting critical thought and inquiry, these courses at academic institutions serve to promote the policies of the State of Israel and the whitewashing of its crimes. The Academic Watch Project is a group of Palestinian students at Israeli academic institutions dedicated to exposing discrimination within Israeli academia and its connection with Israel s military occupation and apartheid policies.
A Word on Hasbara aims to uncover the content of these courses and programs and their funding. It also seeks to reveal their connections with the ministries of foreign affairs and public diplomacy and international Zionist groups. Unofficial ambassadors
One such course Ambassadors Online (or Ambassadors on the Web ) offered at Haifa University boasts the slogan Volunteering, Zionism, Digital Diplomacy.
The course s webpage features the logos of two Israeli ministries as well as those of Birthright Israel and StandWithUs, groups which aim to promote Israel among US college students and offers the synopsis: [the] goal is to provide Israeli university students with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to become unofficial ambassadors of Israel. The cadets of the project receive training which prepares them to effectively challenge the de-legitimization claims, engage in a dialogue with anti-Israeli activists and improve Israel s image abroad by expanding the positive knowledge about the country.
Eli Avraham, a co-founder of the Ambassadors on the Web course, said in an interview with The Canadian Jewish news: when false claims are made about Israel, such as labeling it an apartheid state, people need to be equipped with knowledge and tools to speak out against those claims.”more..e-mail
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel –www.vtjp.org
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The New Dark Age 