1 August 2013 — VTJP
News
Hundreds rally in Negev against Israeli plan to displace Bedouins
8/1/2013 – NEGEV (Ma’an) – Hundreds of Palestinian residents of Israel rallied Thursday afternoon against Israel’s Prawer Plan which could displace thousands of Bedouin residents of the Negev from their land. The protestors gathered near al-Arakib village where Israeli forces have demolished tents and tin-roofed houses more than 50 times. A Ma’an reporter in the Negev said Israeli police deployed heavily in….
Journalists rally against Gaza crackdown
8/1/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – Palestinian journalists joined a sit-in strike near Ramallah on Thursday protesting a decision by the Hamas-run government in Gaza to close media offices of Ma’an Network, Al Arabiya and others. The protesters, among them Palestinian politicians and dignitaries, urged the Hamas government to reopen all the media offices it closed, and to end a ban on the entry of….
Israelis, Palestinians seek peace deal in 9 months
8/1/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — Israeli and Palestinian negotiators set an ambitious goal to reach an elusive peace deal within nine months, despite warnings of obstacles and provocations lying in wait ahead. Standing side-by-side with US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has dragged them back to the negotiating table, officials from both sides said it was time to end their decades-old conflict.”I can assure you that….
Netanyahu hails US Iran sanctions
8/1/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday hailed new US sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program, approved ahead of the new Iranian president’s inauguration.”Following the Iranian elections the (US) House of Representatives has sent a clear message to the Iranian regime that international pressure will increase until Iran. . . ceases its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability,” Netanyahu….
Israel’s Peres honors Lithuanian Jews
8/1/2013 – PANERIAI, Lithuania (AFP) — Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday honored thousands of Lithuanian Jews slaughtered in the Holocaust, during a visit to a memorial site close to his birthplace. With his Lithuanian counterpart, Peres laid wreaths at the memorial located in the outskirts of the Baltic state’s capital Vilnius in tribute to the 70,000 Jews killed there during World War II.”Vilnius was….
Economist Leo Leiderman named Israel’s central banker
8/1/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Economist Leo Leiderman was named Israel’s central banker on Wednesday, days after the previous candidate pulled out after an investigation against him on a shoplifting allegation.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yair Lapid have decided to name professor Leo Leiderman to the post of governor of the Bank of Israel,” the government said in a statement. The appointment….
Bethlehem man dies of wounds sustained in motorcycle accident
8/1/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian man from al-Khader village south of Bethlehem died Thursday of wounds he sustained in a motorcycle accident in Beit Jala over a year earlier, police said. Hamdi Mohammad Mustafa Issa, 29, suffered critical injuries and fell into coma during the accident 16 months earlier, police said in a statement. [END]
Govt: 989 killed in Iraq in July, most in 5 years
8/1/2013 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — Violence in Iraq killed 989 people in July, government figures released on Wednesday showed, making it the deadliest month since April 2008. The dead comprised 778 civilians, 88 police, 55 soldiers and 68 insurgents, according to the figures compiled by the health, interior and defence ministries. Violence also wounded 1,567 people in July — 1,356 civilians, 122 police and 89 soldiers. In April of….
Syria to let in UN chemical weapons investigation
8/1/2013 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — UN inspectors will go to Syria soon to investigate three sites where chemical weapons attacks have been reported, the United Nations said Wednesday. President Bashar Assad’s government had blocked the inspectors since calling for a UN inquiry into the use of the banned arms in March.”The mission will travel to Syria as soon as possible to contemporaneously investigate three….
Twins for N.Z. parents whose triplets died in Qatar fire
8/1/2013 – WELLINGTON (AFP) — The parents of New Zealand triplets who died in a Qatari shopping mall fire last year announced on Thursday that they have had baby twins. Jane and Martin Weekes lost their toddlers Lillie, Jackson and Willsher in a blaze at Doha’s Villagio mall in May 2012 that killed 19 people, including 13 children who were at a childcare centre used by….
Syria’s Assad ‘sure of victory’ over rebels
8/1/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad said he was “sure of victory” over rebels fighting to topple him, in an Army Day message carried by state media on Thursday.”If we in Syria were not sure of victory, we would not have had the will to resist nor been able to persevere in the face of more than two years of aggression,” he said.”I….
Ammo dump blast kills ‘at least 40’ in Syria’s Homs
8/1/2013 – BEIRUT (AFP) — At least 40 people were killed in an ammunitions depot blast Thursday in a government-held area of Homs in central Syria apparently triggered by rebel rocket fire, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which earlier reported 22 killed, warned that the death toll could rise further as many of the 100 people wounded were in serious condition. The rocket….
Bahrain toughens penalties on ‘terror acts’
8/1/2013 – DUBAI (AFP) — Bahrain’s King Hamad has decreed stiffer penalties for “terror acts” in the country rocked by a Shiite-led uprising since 2011, the official BNA news agency said Thursday. Under a new law, suspects convicted for bomb attacks will be sentenced to life imprisonment or to death in cases of casualties, BNA said. The minimum penalty for an attempted bombing is 10 years….
“I Will Keep Trying to See My Daughter Until the Day I Die”
Palestine News Network
Kerry: Israel to Retain 85% of Settlement Blocs
Palestine News Network
WATCH: Israeli Policeman Beats Palestinian Detainee in Hebron
Palestine News Network
US Falsely Claims Neutrality
Palestine News Network
Egyptian Revolution Derailed, Contained
Palestine News Network
EU Believes End to Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is Within Reach
Palestine News Network
August 1st “Day of Anger” Protest Against Prawer Plan
Palestine News Network
New Israeli Settlement and Synagogue Planned Close to Al-Aqsa Mosque
Palestine News Network
Prime Minister Fayyad to Receive the 2013 HCEF Path of Peace Award
Palestine News Network
Why Palestinians are Reluctant to Smile
Palestine News Network
UK Foreign Secretary Welcomes Resumption of Palestinian-Israeli Peace Talks
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
“I will keep trying to see my daughter until the day I die”
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Lebanon: Relief aid for Palestinian women refugees from Syria
Relief Web 1 Aug 2013 – Source: American Near East Refugee Aid Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic The UN estimates that three out of four refugees of the 80,000 now in Lebanon are women and children. They have sought refuge in the Palestinian…
Lebanon: Catastrophic Ailment Relief Program (CARE Program) – Special Appeal July 2013
Relief Web 1 Aug 2013 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory 31 July 2013 Beirut The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has issued a…
occupied Palestinian territory: World Bank Announces a US$5million Grant for Social Services
Relief Web 1 Aug 2013 – Source: World Bank Country: occupied Palestinian territory Tackling poverty in the Palestinian Territories with support for Non-Governmental Organizations WASHINGTON, July 31, 2013 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today additional financing of US$5 million to an ongoing…
Kurdish rebels issue arms threat
The National 1 Aug 2013 – Eight months after the start of peace talks, Kurdish rebels say they will take up arms again if Turkey does not move swiftly to grant more rights to the Kurdish minority. Thomas Seibert reports from Istanbul
Jail sentence for Italy’s Berlusconi upheld in supreme court
The National 1 Aug 2013 – Italy’s supreme court has upheld a jail sentence against Silvio Berlusconi for tax fraud in a devastating blow to the former prime minister that could throw the country’s fragile coalition government into crisis.
Kerry says Egyptian army ‘restored democracy’ by ousting Morsi
The National 1 Aug 2013 – The US secretary of state says the Egyptian army, which deposed Mohammed Morsi, had intervened at the request of millions to protect democracy and had restored it.
Mugabe’s rivals brand Zimbabwe poll ‘a sham’
The National 1 Aug 2013 – President Robert Mugabe’s rivals rubbished his claim to election victory on Thursday, branding the vote a “sham” and calling for a campaign of resistance to bring Zimbabwe to a standstill.
Fireball rises above Homs after rocket attacks hit Assad’s weapons depot
The National 1 Aug 2013 – The blasts, which sent a massive fireball into the sky, came as Bashar Al Assad visited a former rebel bastion near Damascus and vowed to defeat the rebels fighting to overthrow his regime.
Snowden offered job from Russia’s Facebook
The National 1 Aug 2013 – American fugitive Edward Snowden has been offered a job by Russia’s top social networking site, hours after the former intelligence contractor received a year-long asylum in Russia.
British National Archives releases classified government documents
The National 1 Aug 2013 – Fears over threat of nuclear war, Israel’s involvement in Lebanon’s Sabra and Shatila massacres and Germany’s misgivings over its Turkish population are among secrets of 1982 and 1983 exposed. Omar Karmi reports from London
A first-class trip on the luxurious Emirates Airbus A380 – for free
The National 1 Aug 2013 – Google Street View has gone off the road and into the skies with the internet giant creating a virtual tour inside the Emirates Airbus A380.
The queen of kosher cuisine is cooking up a storm in Israel
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
At least 20 arrested in mass protests over Bedouin relocation plan
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Israel’s AG orders criminal inquiry of former IDF chief over forged document
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Jerusalem holds 12th annual gay pride parade
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Light plane crashes in Israel’s south, killing one and injuring two
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Hackers attack Haaretz websites, causing disruptions
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Israel Police to investigate desecration of IDF helicopter accident memorial
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
London girl in the eye of an Israeli bus gender segregation storm
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Netanyahu hasn’t crossed the Rubicon
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Anti-Zionist Haredi sect member charged with offering to spy for Iran
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Yesh Atid MK ‘harshly’ sanctioned after abstaining in governability vote
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Why history needs a place at the negotiating table
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Whats missing in the Palestinian prisoner discourse
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
A referendum is no substitute for leadership
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
Finding pride in gay Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – 1 Aug 2013
America must reinvent the peace process
Ha’aretz – 31 Jul 2013
Day-to-day racism
Ha’aretz – 31 Jul 2013
US lawmakers slam Erdogan’s ‘anti-Semitic’ statements
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Specifically, they complained about Erdogan’s comment that an “interest rate lobby” was behind the protests in Turkey.
Police widen probe of Ashkenazi in Harpaz affair
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Those to be questioned include former chief of staff Lt.-Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi.
Activists rally across Israel, West Bank against plans to relocate Beduin
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Some 20 Israeli-Arab activists arrested as demonstrations take place nationwide against Prawer-Begin plan, IDF evacuation of 1,300 homes in South Hebron Hills; demonstration south of Rahat draws one thousand people.
Thousands converge in Jerusalem for annual gay pride parade
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Police arrest 3, including haredi man who threw stink bomb at marchers.
Small plane crashes in Eilat; one dead, two injured
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – The pilot, two passengers were trapped in plane after it flipped upside down until rescue crews arrived to extract them.
Huge explosion hits central Syrian city of Homs
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Activists say some forty people killed, 160 wounded in blast that occurs in area under army’s control.
Source: Video shows Egyptian authorities seizing weapons meant for Brotherhood protesters
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Truck appeared to be carrying food supplies to Brotherhood protesters, but under truck bed, many weapons discovered.
Haredi from anti-Zionist Naturei Karta sect charged with trying to spy for Iran
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Man allegedly offered Iranian embassy in Berlin intel on Israel, Shin Bet: confessed to acting out of “hatred,” in exchange for money.
Assad: We wouldn’t have kept fighting for more than 2 years if we weren’t sure of victory
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Syrian leader praises soldiers’ “courage in face of barbarism.”
High Court: State must explain why gas exports issue not decided in Knesset
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – Yacimovich says Netanyahu must understand that fateful decisions for Israel should be decided in Knesset not in “closed rooms.”
Jerusalem celebrates 12th annual March for Pride and Tolerance
Jerusalem Post 1 Aug 2013 – This year’s event will conclude with gathering outside Knesset.
Egypt-Like Disputes Stir Tunisia
IPS Mourners gather at the funeral of opposition leader Mohamed Brahmi in Tunis. Credit: Louise Sherwood/IPS. As political divisions threaten to destabilise the national transition process in Tunisia, Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh has set deadlines for finalising the new constitution and holding elections. Not everyone is convinced these will be met….
Kirkuk Plays Dice With Violence
IPS A traditional ‘tray and cup’ gambling game in Kirkuk that extremists have been targeting. Credit: Karlos Zurutuza/IPS. Two teams struggle to find an olive under one of the 11 cups displayed on a tray. The traditional game sin-u-serf (tray and cup in Kurdish) is only played during the Muslim…
Dispatch from the Negev: Bedouins brace for doom, under Prawer Plan
Uruknet
Bradley Manning faces 136 years in jail for exposing American war crimes
Uruknet
Dr. Oz dances with Hebron settlers
Uruknet
What the Verdict in Bradley Manning’s Trial Means for Whistleblowers
Uruknet
Statement by Julian Assange on Verdict in Bradley Manning Court-Martial
Uruknet
Hardwired Inequality in America
Uruknet
UK must ensure Londoner Shaker Aamer is next on the list for transfer out of Guantanamo
Uruknet
Syria News – July 29, 2013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet
Military Resistance 11G11 Make Love, Not War
Uruknet
Rockets strike Baabda
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 At least two rockets struck areas near the Presidential Palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Thursday evening, without causing casualties.
Obama, Yemen leader meet on Gitmo after drone strike
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 President Barack Obama was meeting his Yemeni counterpart Thursday against a backdrop of drone strikes and the unresolved fate of Yemeni prisoners at Guantanamo.
Obama holds phone talks with Palestinians’ Abbas, Israel’s Netanyahu
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 President Barack Obama spoke separately by phone on Thursday to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iraq sees highest monthly death toll in 5 years
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 More than 1,000 people were killed in Iraq in July, the highest monthly death toll in five years, the U.N. said Thursday, a grim figure that shows rapidly deteriorating security as sectarian tensions soar nearly two…
Eight Iraq security forces members killed in attacks
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 Attacks killed eight Iraqi security forces members on Thursday, while four suicide bombers were shot dead attempting to target police, officials said.
Assad’s confidence ‘disgusting’: opposition figure
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 Syrian opposition member Burhan Ghalioun said on Thursday it was “disgusting” to hear that President Bashar al-Assad expressed confidence after his forces inflicted two major defeats on rebels.
Top Iran leader issues edict on Baha’i faith
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 Iran’s supreme leader is urging Iranians to avoid all dealings with members of the banned Baha’i sect in a possible prelude to further crackdowns on the minority.
Algeria army boosts forces on Tunisia border: minister
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 Algeria’s army has reinforced its forces along the eastern border with Tunisia, Interior Minister Daho Ould Kablia said on Thursday, days after the killing of eight Tunisian soldiers.
Egypt army intervened to save democracy: Kerry
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 US Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday the Egyptian army, which deposed president Mohamed Morsi, had intervened at the request of millions to protect democracy and had restored it.
Egypt’s rulers tell pro-Mursi protesters to quit camps
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 Egypt’s army-backed government on Thursday warned supporters of deposed president Mohamed Mursi to abandon their Cairo protest camps, promising them a safe exit if they gave up without a fight.
Chemical weapons investigators head to Syria within days: UN
Daily Star 1 Aug 2013 U.N. inspectors will travel to Syria within days to investigate claims of chemical weapons use in the country’s civil war after the Syrian government granted access to three sites, the United Nations says.
Berlusconi says tax fraud sentence completely unfounded
YNet News, 1 Aug 2013 – ….
Report: BOI governor nominee Leiderman cunsults astrologer
YNet News, 1 Aug 2013 – ….
High Court delays decision on migrant imprisonment legality
YNet News, 1 Aug 2013 – ….
Jordan: Large arms cache seized near Syrian border
YNet News, 1 Aug 2013 – ….
US Senate votes to confirm Power as new UN ambassador
YNet News, 1 Aug 2013 – ….
Popular boys’ club
YNet News, 1 Aug 2013 – Op-ed: Decision makers believe woman is incapable of leading glorious system they built ….
Obama leading from the rear
YNet News, 1 Aug 2013 – Op-ed: Israeli, Palestinian negotiators greeted by distant, reserved American president ….
Palestinian Information Center
Gaza gov’t warns of humanitarian disaster due to closure of Rafah crossing
PIC – The Palestinian government in Gaza has warned of humanitarian disaster in the besieged enclave in the event the Egyptian authorities continued to close the Rafah border crossing.
IOF soldiers round up three Palestinians
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) accompanied by Israeli intelligence agents stormed El-Bireh city and occupied Jerusalem at dawn Thursday and nabbed three young men.
One martyr and 200 detainees during July
PIC – The Israeli forces have killed one Palestinian and arrested 200 during July throughout West Bank and Gaza strip, Tadamun Foundation for human rights revealed.
IOA seeks to evict 1,300 Palestinians from al-Khalil
PIC – The Israeli Occupation Authorities (IOA) are working to evict 1,300 Palestinians from their villages in al-Khalil in the southern West Bank, under the pretext of conducting military training.
Qassem: any party that coordinates with the occupation, untrusted
PIC – Abdul-Sattar Qassem said that any party that coordinates with the occupation could also participate in the incitement campaign against the resistance.
Palestinian forces: Resumption of talks comes to cover the Israeli crimes
PIC – Alliance of Palestinian Forces in Lebanon denounced Abbas’s decision to resume talks under American pressures despite persistent Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.
IOA to raze 50-year-old Jerusalemite stores
PIC – The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) decided to raze 20 shops owned by Palestinian Jerusalemites at the entrance to Shufat refugee camp.
DFLP: The PA’s talks with Israel violate the national consensus
PIC – The democratic front for the liberation of Palestine said that the participation of the PA in the US-sponsored talks with Israel are a wrong step and violate the national consensus.
Jordan valley villagers asked to recognize Israel or face displacement
PIC – The IOF threatened to raze Palestinian homes in Jordan Valley, particularly in Yarza area and on the outskirts of Tubas, unless the residents recognize that Israel owns their lands.
Palestinian man arrested at Karame crossing
PIC – A 35-year-old Palestinian man was arrested while trying to travel to Jordan via the Karame crossing on Wednesday evening, locals at his Jenin village said on Thursday.
PEX Report: Al-Quds Index Increases
WAFA – 1 Aug 2013
World Bank Announces $5 Grant for Social Services
WAFA – 1 Aug 2013
Two Palestinians Arrested near Jerusalem
WAFA – 1 Aug 2013
Israeli Court Orders Eviction of East Jerusalem Family
WAFA – 1 Aug 2013
Egypt government plans to break up Islamist protests
LA Times 31 Jul 2013 – The announcement that security forces would disperse gatherings of supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi may augur a new round of violence. CAIRO — In a showdown that could spark a fresh wave of violence, the Egyptian government announced Wednesday that security forces were preparing…
Massive Weapons Depot Blast in Syria Kills 40
New York Times 1 Aug 2013 – Rebels sent a wave of rockets slamming into regime strongholds in the central city of Homs on Thursday, triggering a succession of massive explosions in a weapons depot that killed at least 40 people and wounded dozens, an opposition group and residents said.
Egypt Warns Morsi Supporters to End Protests
New York Times 1 Aug 2013 – An Interior Ministry spokesman appealed to the protesters to “give priority to the interest of the homeland, to comply with the public interest and to quickly leave and evacuate.”
At War Blog: Dog of War Pays Ultimate Sacrifice for Soldier
New York Times 31 Jul 2013 – A Navy dog handler, after a blast that sent him flying into the air and left him wounded, finds that his canine partner bore the brunt of the explosion and protected him from more serious injury.
The Lede: Stunning Images of Destroyed Syrian City
New York Times 31 Jul 2013 – Reporters have been left searching for words as images emerge of vast tracts of ruins where, until recently, the vibrant residential neighborhood of Khalidiya stood in the country’s third-largest city, Homs.
Egypt Vows to End Sit-Ins by Supporters of Deposed President
New York Times 31 Jul 2013 – An order by the government to security forces to break up the protests aroused fears of a new round of violent clashes.
Veolia Israel in talks to partner with European bank
Globes Energy & Water – The objective is to expand Veolia Israel’s operations, after it decided to focus on its energy, water, and environment businesses.
High Court postpones gas exports hearing
Globes Energy & Water – Supreme Court President Judge Asher Grunis wants to expand the panel from three judges because of the importance of the subject.
Peace talks boost Likud
Globes Main News – The latest Smith Institute poll for “Globes” finds the Likud and Labor both gaining at the expense of Yesh Atid.
Leiderman: Increasing exports is priority
Globes Main News – New Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Leo Leiderman told “Yediot Ahronot,” “Give me 100 days grace and we’ll begin to see results.”
BoI Monetary C’tee members mull quitting
Globes Main News – The three external members are unhappy about the appointment of Leo Leiderman as Governor.
Thu: Tel Aviv 25 down 1.7% on week
Globes Main News – Israel Chemicals and Israel Corp. continued to slide, while Teva fell after publishing its financials.
Teva Q2 revenue and profits down
Globes Main News – Teva recorded a GAAP net loss of $456 million in the second quarter due to $1.44 billion in legal expenses, however, Copaxone sales rose 9%.
Far from Chicago
Globes Macro Economics – Leo Leiderman understands that extraordinary times call for unconventional methods, but his basic conservatism remians.
What to expect from the new BoI governor
Globes Macro Economics – “Globes” looks at recent statements by Prof. Leo Leiderman on growth, home prices, and the exchange rate.
Unemployment up in second quarter
Globes Macro Economics – The unemployment rate rose to 6.9% in the second quarter of 2013 from 6.6% in the first quarter, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports.
Rafi Maor appointed Israel Aerospace Industries chairman
Globes Aerospace & Defense – Minister of Defense Moshe Ya’alon and Minister of Finance Yair Lapid have appointed ECI chairman Rafi Maor as the new chairman of IAI.
Shin Bet Throws Book at Mentally Ill Man for Alleged Spying
Tikun Olam – Flyer in Meah Shearim identifies Bergel as the victim In the annals of Shin Bet outrages, this one is right up there. There is a gag order against publication of the name of the individual in this case, but in this instance especially I’m happy to…
Assad Tipped Off to Israeli Attack by FSA Mole
Tikun Olam – Israel discovered the downside of relying on Arab allies in its attacks on its enemies. The NY Times just exposed the failure of Israel’s July 5th attack on a Syrian government weapons arsenal. After the assault on the facility in Latakia, reporters said the target had…
John Kerry’s doomed peace process is deja vu all over again
Mondoweiss – Secretary of State John Kerry kicked off a renewed peace process earlier this week in Washington. (Bureau of Public Affairs/State Department) Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest foray into Middle East negotiations should be called the Einstein peace process. Doing the same thing over and over…
Bradley Manning helped start the Arab Spring, but NPR wants to talk about his gender issues
Mondoweiss – Last night National Public Radio ran another disgraceful piece about Bradley Manning as a mental case. Titled “Bradley Manning Had Long Been Plagued By Mental Health Issues,” the piece gave a line or two to Manning’s political commitment but New York Magazine reporter Steve Fishman spent…
The interfaith ecumenical deal asylum seekers
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 . Edward Snowden has been granted a one year temporary asylum in Russia. His stay in the Russian airport is over. But, others…
6.8 million Palestinian refugees and counting – Towards a popular strategy for resisting forcible displacement
Mondoweiss – Following World Refugee Day, June 20th, 2013 the central issue to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to be the mass displacement of Palestinians. The creation of refugees, currently 6.8 million, and refusing their Right of Return is a main component of the ongoing Nakba . The violent uprooting…
Martin Indyk says he ‘made aliyah to Washington’ to save Israel
Mondoweiss – Martin Indyk, the new U.S. peace process envoy, speaking at the Aspen Institute in March 2009. (Photo: The Aspen Institute/Flickr) Martin Indyk’s selection by Secretary of State John Kerry as the Special Envoy for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority summoned memories of an appearance I…
Berthold Beitz, German Who Saved Jews, Dies at 99
The Foward Breaking News 1 Aug 2013 – German industrialist Berthold Beitz, who rescued Jewish workers in occupied Poland by employing them during World War II, has died. Click here for the rest of the article…
80-Story ‘Toblerone Tower’ Will Be Israel’s Tallest
The Foward Breaking News 1 Aug 2013 – The construction of an 80-story office tower – Israel’s tallest building – has been approved as part of a larger project by the Tel Aviv Planning and Building Committee. The tower will go up on a 38-dunam (9.4-acre) lot between Shaul Hamelech Boulevard and Menachem Begin…
Bulgaria Bomb Suspect Jetted In From Lebanon
The Foward Breaking News 1 Aug 2013 – A man suspected of organising a bus bombing in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas last year flew to Lebanon two days before the attack that killed five Israelis and their driver, Polish news website tvn24.pl reported. Click here for the rest of the article……
US says Egypt restoring democracy
BBC 1 Aug 2013 – US Secretary of State John Kerry says Egypt’s military was “restoring democracy” when it ousted elected President Mohammed Morsi last month.
Syria’s Assad ‘sure of victory’
BBC 1 Aug 2013 – President Assad says he is “sure of victory” over rebels fighting to topple him in a message to the army, days after troops recaptured a part of Homs.
US House passes tough Iran bill
BBC 1 Aug 2013 – The US House of Representatives approves new measures against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, penalising countries that buy Iranian oil.
Lebanon’s Army Cursed by Politics and Patronage
Al-Akhbar Opinion 1 Aug 2013 – There is no one among the army’s leadership that is not always in contact with political and religious leaders in search of political cover for any step they take. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) There is no one among the army’s leadership that is not always in contact…
Israel pushes bill to limit minority representation in parliament
Al-Akhbar News 1 Aug 2013 – Israel’s parliament took a first step late Wednesday towards reining in the country’s proportional political representation, a move contested by Palestinians with Israeli citizenship. The bill, which is backed by larger parties but strongly opposed by smaller factions representing Palestinians and ultra-Orthodox Jews, was approved at…
Lebanon: Middle East Airlines Tax Feud Sparks Revenge
Al-Akhbar News 1 Aug 2013 – MEA’s tax file is not unique. Previously, the Port of Beirut was forced to pay past-due taxes under the relevant articles. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) MEA’s tax file is not unique. Previously, the Port of Beirut was forced to pay past-due taxes under the relevant articles. (Photo:…
Lebanon: Armenian Tashnag Boots the Party’s Old Guard
Al-Akhbar News 1 Aug 2013 – Tashnag members do not believe that the change was random or vengeful. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) Tashnag members do not believe that the change was random or vengeful. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) The Armenian Tashnag Party in Lebanon has removed its secretary general, despite his securing a majority…
July deadliest month in Iraq in more than five years
Al-Akhbar News 1 Aug 2013 – Violence killed around one thousand people in July, government and United Nations figures show, making it Iraq’s deadliest month since 2008 when the country was emerging from a bloody sectarian conflict. Bombings ripped through crowded cafes and mowed down worshipers at mosques last month, when militants…
Egyptian government intensifies calls for protesters to disperse
Al-Akhbar News 1 Aug 2013 – A portrait of the deposed president Mohammed Mursi at the ongoing sit-in protest outside Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo on 31 July 2013. (Photo: AFP – Fayez Nureldine) Egypt’s interior ministry promised Mohammed Mursi’s supporters “safe exit” Thursday if they quickly leave their Cairo protest camps,…
Bahrain enacts tougher terrorism laws in crackdown on opposition
Al-Akhbar News 1 Aug 2013 – A Bahraini protestor stands amidst tear gas fired by riot police during clashes following a protest against the ruling regime in the village of Diraz, west of Manama, late on 25 July 2013. (Photo: AFP – Mohammed al-Shaikh) Bahrain’s King Hamad has toughened penalties in anti-terrorism…
Palestine: Dividing Land, Erasing Identity in Qalandiya
Al-Akhbar Politics 31 Jul 2013 – Visitors walk past a giant photograph showing the “Apartheid Wall” at the West Bank at the “Wall on Wall” exhibition by German photographer Kai Wiedenhoefer, displayed on a remaining section of the Berlin wall 26 July 2013. (Photo: AFP – John Macdougall) Visitors walk past a…
Syria: Palestinian Initiative to End Fighting in Yarmouk Camp
Al-Akhbar Politics 31 Jul 2013 – Palestinian children who were living in Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp before fleeing Syria, hold banners during a protest in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Beirut 17 January 2013. (Photo: Reuters – Sharif Karim) Palestinian children who were living in Yarmouk…
US says Egypt restoring democracy
BBC 1 Aug 2013 – US Secretary of State John Kerry says Egypt’s military was “restoring democracy” when it ousted elected President Mohammed Morsi last month.
‘Over 1,000’ killed in Iraq in July
BBC 1 Aug 2013 – Casualty figures released by the United Nations mission in Baghdad suggest 1,057 Iraqis were killed in July, making it the deadliest month in years.
Syria’s Assad ‘sure of victory’
BBC 1 Aug 2013 – President Assad says he is “sure of victory” over rebels fighting to topple him in a message to the army, days after troops recaptured a part of Homs.
US House passes tough Iran bill
BBC 1 Aug 2013 – The US House of Representatives approves new measures against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, penalising countries that buy Iranian oil.
Articles
Christian Zionism: The New Heresy that Undermines Middle East Peace
Rev. Dr Stephen Sizer, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 8/1/2013
It is my contention…that Christian Zionism is the largest, most controversial and most destructive lobby within Christianity. It bears primary responsibility for perpetuating tensions in the Middle East, justifying Israel’s apartheid colonialist agenda and for undermining the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.
At least one in four American Christians surveyed recently by Christianity Today magazine said that they believe it is their biblical responsibility to support the nation of Israel. This view is known as Christian Zionism. The Pew Research Center put the figure at 63 per cent among white evangelicals. Christian Zionism is pervasive within mainline American evangelical, charismatic and independent denominations including the Assemblies of God, Pentecostals and Southern Baptists, as well as many of the independent mega-churches. It is less prevalent within the historic denominations, which show a greater respect for the work of the United Nations, support for human rights, the rule of international law and empathy with the Palestinians.
The origins of the movement can be traced to the early 19th century when a group of eccentric British Christian leaders began to lobby for Jewish restoration to Palestine as a necessary precondition for the return of Christ. The movement gained traction from the middle of the 19th century when Palestine became strategic to British, French and German colonial interests in the Middle East. Proto-Christian Zionism therefore preceded Jewish Zionism by more than 50 years. Some of Theodore Herzl’s strongest advocates were Christian clergy.
Christian Zionism as a modern theological and political movement embraces the most extreme ideological positions of Zionism. It has become deeply detrimental to a just peace between Palestine and Israel. It propagates a worldview in which the Christian message is reduced to an ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism. In its extreme form, it places an emphasis on apocalyptic events leading to the end of history rather than living Christ’s love and justice today. more..e-mail
Gaza depressed about Egypt
Rana Baker, Al-Ahram Weekly 7/31/2013
Palestinians in Gaza are largely despondent over recent developments in Egypt, particularly as catchall accusations on alleged terrorism fly.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are aware of and strongly affected by the hostile campaign brewing against them in neighbouring Egypt. Especially disheartening for Gaza’s Palestinians was General Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi’s decision to close the Rafah Crossing hours after his speech that ended Mohamed Morsi’s rule on 3 July. For the residents of Gaza, this was enough of an indicator to expect a “return” to the dark days of Hosni Mubarak.
The driving force behind such accusations and outright incitement to murder is Hamas’s allegiance to the Muslim Brotherhood, now deemed the enemy of the Egyptian revolution and democracy. This anti-Muslim Brotherhood fanfare has made it easier for anchors on Egyptian state and privately owned TV channels to lump the Palestinians into a single group of Hamas.
Israel’s siege on Gaza and the subsequent closure of most commercial crossing points made Egypt the lifeline and only gateway for the vast majority of the Gazan population. The besieged people of Gaza not only depend on Egypt for travel purposes, but also for most of their goods and construction materials.
Today, an atmosphere of apprehensiveness is enveloping the Strip. Instead of watching Egyptian TV drama series customary in the month of Ramadan, Gazans are glued to news channels, speculating on events as they unfold in Cairo and all over Egypt.
For now, life in the Strip seems to have come to a standstill with travel plans either cancelled or postponed and prices of basic commodities soaring due to the recent military crackdown on the tunnels that link Gaza and Egypt…. more.. e-mail
Israeli army recruitment plan aims to incite Christian-Muslim tensions
Jonathan Cook, Israeli Occupation Archive 8/1/2013
Leaders of Israel’s Palestinian minority have accused the Israeli authorities of intensifying efforts to push Christian and Muslim communities into conflict, as part of a long-running divide-and-rule strategy towards the country’s Palestinian citizens.
The allegations have been prompted by a series of initiatives to pressure Christian school-leavers into the army, breaking the community’s blanket rejection of the Israeli army draft for the past 65 years.
Leaders from the Palestinian community, Christian and Muslim, who have spoken against this new enlistment effort have been called in for investigation by Israel’s secret police. In an Orwellian inversion, they have been accused of “incitement to violence.”
The issue fir
st came to prominence last October when the defense ministry quietly staged a conference close to Nazareth, the effective capital of Palestinians in Israel, to promote military service among Christians.
The participation of three local clergymen in the conference sent shock waves through the Muslim and Christian communities.
The move was seen as a prelude to launching a more general recruitment drive among Palestinian Christians. Currently both Christians and Muslims, comprising nearly a fifth of Israel’s population, are exempt from conscription.Instilling “Zionist values”
In an apparently related step in July, a Christian in Nazareth whose brother is an official in the defense ministry announced the establishment of a Christian-Jewish party. Municipal elections are due in late October.
The movement, which also runs an enlistment forum to encourage Christians to serve in the army, has paired with a far-right Jewish group, Im Tirtzu. more.. e-mail
A peace process that protects Israel
Ben White, Al Jazeera.com 7/31/2013
The US-led peace process serves to shield Israel from its most significant threats: accountability and democratisation.
With peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials beginning again, many analysts have given their reasons for being either cautiously hopeful or sceptical. Yet what is incredible is that, twenty years on from the Oslo Accords, many people still have not asked more fundamental questions about the paradigm of the official peace process itself.
Of all the various reasons to doubt whether this resumption of talks will produce an agreement, a crucial one is that Israel’s maximal position – the most on offer within the political mainstream – is untenable from the point of view of the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation and return.
Even assuming that major West Bank settlements were removed, that would still leave Jerusalem as Israel’s unilaterally-defined “united capital”, with expelled refugees denied the right of return, and Israel’s definition as a Jewish state affirmed. That latter element is bad news for Palestinian citizens of Israel – who tomorrow, on August 1, will hold a “Day of Rage” against the planned expulsion of tens of thousands of Bedouin in the Negev (the so-called Prawer plan).
Given all of that, it might be said that the bigger risk is not that these current negotiations may fail but that, on their current terms, they might succeed. As Edward Said wrote in 1998:
“Most important, a state declared on the autonomous territories would definitively divide the Palestinian population and its cause more or less forever. Residents of Jerusalem, now annexed by Israel, can play no part, nor be, in the state. An equally undeserving fate awaits Palestinian citizens of Israel, who would also be excluded, as would Palestinians in the Diaspora, whose theoretical right of return would practically be annulled.” more.. e-mail
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The New Dark Age 