29 August 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Settlers Attack, Wound, Two Palestinians Near Nablus
IMEMC – Palestinian medical sources have reported Thursday [August 29, 2013] that two resident have been injured in Qasra village, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, after being attacked by a number of extremist Israeli settlers. …
Two Palestinians Kidnapped In West Bank
IMEMC – Israeli soldiers invaded on Thursday at dawn [August 29, 2013] various areas in the occupied West Bank, broke into and searched several homes, and a gas station, and kidnapped two residents. …
Soldiers Invade Aseera Village, Near Nablus
IMEMC – Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded, late on Wednesday evening [August 29, 2013], the village of Aseera, north of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, and drove around in its streets in a provocative manner, local sources have reported. …
Rightists, intelligence officers enter Aqsa compound
8/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Around 70 Jewish extremists, accompanied by over 40 Israeli intelligence officers, entered the al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem on Thursday, escorted by police, witness said. They entered from the Moroccan gate and toured the compound. They also entered the al-Qabali mosque, the old mosque of al-Aqsa, the Dome of the Rock and the al-Marwani mosque. The visit coincides with the start of….
Egypt denies intelligence agents working in Gaza
8/29/2013 – CAIRO, Egypt (Ma’an) — An Egyptian security official on Thursday denied claims by Hamas that Egyptian intelligence agents were working in the Gaza Strip.”Such false accusations are part of attempts by the Hamas movement to discharge its domestic crisis to Egypt,” the security official told Ma’an. Earlier Thursday, Hamas security sources said a Palestinian had been arrested the southern Gaza Strip….
Israeli forces perform maintenance at Qalandia airport
8/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Wednesday started maintenance operations at Atarot airport in the Qalandia area. The airport has been closed since the outbreak of the second intifada in 2000. Witnesses saw Israeli forces cleaning and installing lights on the sides of the runway in what seemed like an effort to restart work on it. An Israeli army spokeswoman did not immediately return calls. [END]
Report: Assailants fire on Kafr Qara mayor’s home
8/29/2013 – TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — Unknown assailants opened fire toward the house of Kafr Qara Mayor Nazia Masrawa Wednesday night, Israeli media reported. Israel’s Ynet news site said the home was damaged but no injuries were reported. [END]
‘Keep calm and carry on’ message to worried Israelis
8/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli media and officials sought to calm the public on Thursday as queues for gas masks lengthened amid expectations of a US-led military strike against neighboring Syria.”Keep calm and carry on” was the headline of a front-page analysis in the Jerusalem Post, echoing a World War II British government slogan. Most media on Thursday sought to ease fears of a Syrian backlash….
Former PA tourism minister appointed ambassador to Germany
8/29/2013 – BERLIN (Ma’an) — Former tourism minister Khuloud Deibes was appointed ambassador to Germany on Wednesday, replacing Salah Abdul-Shafi. Deibes handed her credentials to the chief of protocol at the German foreign ministry before meeting with German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle, the official PA news agency Wafa reported. On behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, Deibes said every possible effort must be made to develop cooperation….
Peres: Israel not involved in Syria, will respond if attacked
8/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli President Shimon Peres said Thursday that Israel was not involved in the conflict in neighboring Syria, but will respond with all its might if attacked. This came amid expectations of a Western strike against the regime in Damascus in response to an alleged chemical attack last week.”Israel was not, and is not, involved in the Syrian fighting but if anyone tries….
Iran army chief: Strikes on Syria will leave Israel in flames
8/29/2013 – TEHRAN (AFP) — Any military action against Syria will have consequences beyond the region and leave Israel in flames, Iran’s army chief of staff General Hassan Firouzabadi said in remarks reported Thursday.”Any military action against Syria will drive the Zionists to the edge of fire,” Firouzabadi said in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency. His remarks came in response to….
Analysis: Qalandiya rooftops rain washing machines, fridges, baths
8/29/2013 – By Abdul-Hakim Salah – Very blatantly scorning the minds of its readers, beating all the odds, the Israeli daily English language newspaper The Jerusalem Post published Tuesday the most scandalous news report any embedded journalist can think of.”Attack on IDF in Kalandiya leaves three Palestinians dead from gunfire,” the JPost’s headline read on the print version reporting about the murder of three Palestinian….
Netanyahu: Israel deploys Iron Dome defense system
8/29/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said Israel deployed its Iron Dome missile defense system to bolster its security as the West weighed military strikes on neighboring Syria. But he echoed President Shimon Peres in insisting that Israel is not involved in Syria’s civil war but will respond with all its might if attacked.”We have decided to deploy Iron Dome….
Israeli army disciplines dancing soldiers
8/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Israeli army said Thursday that it would discipline soldiers caught on camera dancing at a Palestinian wedding in Hebron while on duty. A video of several soldiers, armed and in uniform, dancing at a Palestinian wedding in Hebron was uploaded to YouTube on Monday. The soldiers were on patrol in the southern West Bank city when they joined the party….
Ma’an Network elects new board of directors
8/29/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Ma’an Network on Thursday elected a new board of directors in the presence of representatives of the Palestinian ministries of interior, information and communications. A meeting for the General Assembly was held in Bethlehem’s Conference Palace during which financial and administrative reports of the year 2012 were presented before elections. Thirty-nine members of the General Assembly attended….
Egypt forces ‘detain retired US officer’ in Sinai
8/29/2013 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Egyptian security forces detained a retired US army officer in North Sinai on Tuesday evening, Egyptian security sources said. Security forces detained the officer, 58, near a police station in Sheikh Zuweid shortly after clashes in the area, security officials told Ma’an. The area was under curfew at the time of his arrest. He was in possession of….
Obama not ready to order Syria strike, gives up on UN
8/29/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — President Barack Obama said he had not yet signed off on a plan to attack Syria, but action appeared likely after Washington stopped seeking a UN mandate. Political uproar in London, meanwhile, cast doubt on whether Britain will join American military action to punish President Bashar Assad’s regime for a chemical weapons attack, should the response take place before next week….
Report: Russia sending warships to the Mediterranean
8/29/2013 – MOSCOW (AFP) — Russia “over the next few days” will be sending an anti-submarine ship and a missile cruiser to the Mediterranean as the West prepares for possible strikes against Syria, the Interfax news agency said on Thursday.”The well-known situation shaping up in the eastern Mediterranean called for certain corrections to the make-up of the naval forces,” a source in the Russian General Staff told….
Security sources: 2 Jihadists killed, 16 detained in el-Arish
8/29/2013 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — The Egyptian army on Thursday killed two militants and detained 16 others during a security campaign targeting “terrorist” outposts, security sources said. The Egyptian army clashed with Jihadist groups that attacked a detention center near el-Arish international airport, killing two members and detaining the others, security officials told Ma’an. The Egyptian army also destroyed three cars belonging to….
UN chief awaits Syria chemical weapons probe, West waits
8/29/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Thursday his investigating team would report back this week on suspected chemical weapons attacks in Syria as the US and its allies held back from immediate military action. US President Barack Obama said he has yet to sign off on a plan to strike Syria over the horrific attacks last week that activists say killed hundreds of people….
Assad: Syria will defend itself against aggression
8/29/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad vowed Thursday to defend his country from attack as the United States and Britain laid out their case for punitive military strikes against Damascus over a suspected poisonous gas attack. UN chief Ban Ki-moon appealed for the West to give peace a chance, saying his inspectors would report back to him by Saturday on their probe into the alleged….
Damascenes brace for dreaded Western ‘aggression’
8/29/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — As Western powers inch closer to launching military action, Syria is tightening security and juggling its military assets, forcing the people of Damascus to ready for the dreaded inevitable. Faced with the likely prospect of a barrage of air strikes, Rana says she feels “deeply concerned.” She has decided to leave her house in the northern neighborhood of Qudsaya for the relative safety….
Egypt Islamists vow further protests amid crackdown
8/29/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — Supporters of Egypt’s deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi vowed more rallies and called for marches on Friday despite a harsh police crackdown on their movement. Thursday’s call for further protests, as police continue rounding up Islamists, was immediately followed by an interior ministry warning that live ammunition will be used on protesters who attack public institutions.”We welcome any….
New Saudi law to protect women from domestic abuse
8/29/2013 – RIYADH (AFP) — Saudi Arabia has adopted a law criminalizing domestic violence, usually targeting women and children, in a move hailed by activists who on Thursday demanded its swift implementation. The law, approved by the cabinet on Monday, is aimed at protecting people from “all forms of abuse” and offering them shelter as well as “social, psychological, and medical aid,” according to its text. Violators face….
UK: ‘No 100% certainty’ on responsibility for Syria chemical attack
8/29/2013 – LONDON (AFP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron told parliament on Thursday that he was convinced the Syrian regime was behind a chemical weapons attack, but admitted there was no “100-percent certainty”. Opening a debate in the specially recalled House of Commons, Cameron told lawmakers that they had to “make a judgement”.”The question before the house today is how to respond to one of….
High bar for US report on Syria chemical attack
8/29/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House prepared Thursday to issue a report accusing Syria’s government of waging chemical warfare, but faces a high burden of proof due to the hangover from botched Iraq war intelligence and disquiet in Congress. The report is meant to bolster the case for a probable US military intervention in response to a horrific gas attack in a Damascus suburb….
PNN Launches Photography Course in Cooperation with a German Foundation, Funded by EUROMED
Palestine News Network
Norwegian Minister: World Will Not Bankroll Palestinian State-Building Forever
Palestine News Network
Skyscrapers and Settlements Backdrop Elegant Film
Palestine News Network
Russia Deploying Warships to Mediterranean
Palestine News Network
PCS Launches National Mechanism for Monitoring, Documenting and Following-up on Violations Against PWDs
Palestine News Network
Palestinian Schools in Jerusalem Offered Incentives to Use Israeli Materials
Palestine News Network
“Caving” Under The Pressure: Israeli Policies In EJ & The Prospects Of Peace’
Palestine News Network
Ingredients of a Palestinian Uprising
Palestine News Network
Sheikh Urges Palestinians to Protect Aqsa Mosque Wednesday
Palestine News Network
The Subterfuge of Syrian Chemical Weapons
Palestine News Network
Celebrating the New Emergency Room in Red Crescent Hospital in Jerusalem, Funded by Japan
Palestine News Network
Decrease in Palestinian Producer Price during July, says Statistics Bureau
Palestine News Network
PCHR Calls for Investigating Man’s Death during Fire Exchange in ‘Askar Refugee Camp, East of Nablus
Palestine News Network
Dirar Abu Sisi Ends His Hunger Strike
Palestine News Network
Lebanon: Estonia is Helping to Relieve the Humanitarian Situation of Palestinian Refugees
Relief Web 29 Aug 2013 – Source: Government of Estonia Country: Estonia, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) petition to assist in the setup…
occupied Palestinian territory: Promotion of Gaza schools’ inclusion
Relief Web 29 Aug 2013 – Source: European Commission Country: occupied Palestinian territory Context Insecurity and restrictions of movements between Gaza and Israel have been limiting local economy and trade, impacting negatively on the possibility to provide social services. The deficiencies in care, education and psycho-social…
Lebanon: Ahmed, réfugié palestinien de Syrie : « j’ai l’impression que nous sommes de doubles réfugiés »
Relief Web 29 Aug 2013 – Source: IRIN Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic Ahmed, réfugié palestinien de Syrie : « j’ai l’impression que nous sommes de doubles réfugiés » MASNA’A (FRONTIÈRE LIBANO-SYRIENNE), 29 août 2013 (IRIN) – Les réfugiés palestiniens fuyant les violences en…
Assad’s regime accused of at least 14 chemical attacks
The National 29 Aug 2013 – The allegation was made as the UK set out its case for the use of force, on the basis of ‘humanitarian intervention’, even if Russia and China use their vetoes to block UN endorsement. Taimur Khan and Colin Randall report
‘Drug dealer’ arrested after Sharjah police tip-off
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Drugs squad claim man had 36,000 illegal tablets in the flat.
Legal respite for doctor who helped CIA find Osama bin Laden
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Pakistan yesterday overturned a 33-year jail sentence handed down to a doctor who helped CIA agents find Al Qaeda’s leader, Osama bin Laden, a decision that may result in a new trial.
Lithuanian diplomats fired amid scandal
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Two high-ranking Lithuanian diplomats were fired yesterday after their telephone conversations criticising the president and insulting the countries where they served were secretly recorded and uploaded to YouTube.
No threat of retaliation from Iran, despite bluster on Syria
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Iran fired off warnings that US-led military strikes against Syria will spell ‘disaster for the region’, but its leaders have stopped short of threatening retaliation if its sole Arab state ally is attacked. Michael Theodoulou reports
Al Qaeda gunmen kill Yemeni man believed to be homosexual
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Another four men have been killed in similar attacks on supposed “gay” men in Huta this year.
Abu Dhabi housing decree: Authorities ‘willing to consider hardship cases’
The National 29 Aug 2013 – The Government said it would consider and assess special circumstances, but did not elaborate.
Dubai Atlantis advertisement on Dolphin Bay banned
The National 29 Aug 2013 – The Advertising Standards Authority condemns the false claims about Dolphin Bay.
Saudi Arabia criminalises domestic abuse
The National 29 Aug 2013 – New law criminalises abuse in the home and workplace for the first time, and authorises law enforcement agencies to investigate alleged instances of mistreatment. Elizabeth Dickinson reports
Emirati, 82, dies in Abu Dhabi after contracting Mers virus
The National 29 Aug 2013 – The 82-year-old Emirati is the first confirmed death in the UAE of someone infected with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
Dubai courts open for tours and public’s verdict
The National 29 Aug 2013 – In a bid to enhance trust in legal processes, the emirate’s courts picked up on a Twitter follower’s suggestion for tours of the judicial system¿s workings.
Dubai’s ‘biggest losers’ prepare to cash in
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Entrants for the gold-for-weight competition will be weighed over the next few days, and are hoping to have lost at least 2kg to reap the rewards of gold.
Dubai specialist clinics offer health tips
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Dubai Health Authority has created a new clinic programme in Al Barsha and Nad Al Hammar that helps patients make sensible choices to reduce the risk of diseases.
Indian expats: don’t count on us to invest
The National 29 Aug 2013 – The rupee is in freefall, and India’s economists and politicians are looking to the Indian diaspora and courting foreign investment they hope will save them, as it has in the past. But the overseas community is looking away.
India arrests most-wanted militant near east border
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Yasin Bhatkal, one of India’s most-wanted men and the alleged co-founder of a militant group, the Indian Mujahideen, blamed for killing hundreds in a string of attacks.
Entertainer Rolf Harris charged with sex assaults in UK
The National 29 Aug 2013 – The veteran Australian artist and entertainer has been charged with nine counts of indecent assault on two girls aged under 16.
Fort Hood shooter’s lengthy legal path to ‘martyrdom’
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Major Nidal Hasan may wish to die a martyr, as he told mental health evaluators before his trial in the shooting deaths of 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, but his execution is likely to be years away.
Video: Dubai’s criminal justice system from 1950’s to the present day
The National 29 Aug 2013 – With the rapid development of Dubai after the exploitation of oil, the need for modern, functioning law courts became paramount.
Syrian regime moves prisoners to likely targets of western military strikes
The National 29 Aug 2013 – Exclusive: Syria has been moving detainees from court to military bases, putting opponents of the Assad regime in the line of fire, pro-democracy activists say. Phil Sands reports
Dubai Zoo calls on public to name newborn penguin
The National 29 Aug 2013 – The Humboldt penguin chick’s parents are Rami and Circo, who first made headlines parenting two penguin chic
ks in 2011.
Obama’s perilous ‘surgery’ in Syria
Ha’aretz – 29 Aug 2013
The Empire strikes back: How U.K. uses Syria to return to global center stage
Ha’aretz – 29 Aug 2013
Israel’s tragic treatment of asylum seekers must be stopped
Ha’aretz – 29 Aug 2013
Banking on the watchdog
Ha’aretz – 29 Aug 2013
U.S. has no choice but to attack Syria
Ha’aretz – 28 Aug 2013
King’s dream, still deferred in Israel
Ha’aretz – 28 Aug 2013
The mother of all reforms
Ha’aretz – 28 Aug 2013
An Israeli in Malaysia
Ha’aretz – 28 Aug 2013
Syria crisis escalates as West wavers, Russia sends ships
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Obama’s national security team set to brief members of Congress.
StandWithUs hosts law parley in shadow of Syrian abuses
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – The student program attempts to positively influence Israel’s global image in the face of international criticism.
Fifth American destroyer heads toward the Mediterranean in build-up before possible strike on Syria
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Move possibly in response to reports of Russian naval movement.
US officials to ‘Post’: UN path ‘dead on arrival’ as Russia convenes Security Council on Syria
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – White House expresses frustration with Russian intransigence.
Rival Palestinian factions Hamas, Fatah unite against Western attack on Syria
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Factions say military strike would only benefit Israel.
Over 3,000 high school graduates to begin pre-army programs
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – The academies help post-high school students prepare to be leaders in the IDF include 24 general and 22 Orthodox tracks.
Women’s pensions remain lower than men’s, report shows
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – According to the new report Women’s pension benefits in Israel are in average NIS 2,000 lower than men’s.
Cameron asks UK Parliament to hold Syria accountable
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – British PM rolls back threats of imminent UK military action; says UK would wait for UN investigation team’s findings and two votes in Parliament to authorize the use of force against Assad regime.
Two men arrested in West Bank for carjacking Petach Tikvah taxi driver
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Police from the Sharon sub-district chase and catch the perpetrators of a violent carjacking that left a cab driver hospitalized.
Analysis: Muslim Brotherhood out, old order returns to shape Egypt’s future
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Army seizes opportunity to reshape politics in its image.
Iran commander: US strike on Syria will mean the ‘imminent destruction’ of Israel
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Commander of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says military attack will prove to be a “second Vietnam” for America.
Assad speaks: Syria will defend itself against aggression
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Syrian PM Wael al-Halqi declares Syria must begin to prepare national resources in event of US strike.
Supreme Court rejects appeal of east Jerusalem family to remain in their home
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Israel Land Fund will evict Shamasna family after years of legal battles; permitted to stay 18 months.
Amid Syria tensions, Russia sends more warships to Mediterranean
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Interfax: Russia to beef up presence over “well-known” crisis; navy says deployment is unrelated to developments in Syria.
Iranian officials rush to Syria as drums of war beat louder
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – FNA reports delegation of senior parliamentarians to visit war-torn country after “recent US threats” in show of support.
Syrian opposition calls on West to launch strike against Assad
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – SNC: Our friends must not stop at words; move will bring down regime.
Syria, aided by Iran, could strike back at US in cyberspace
Jerusalem Post 29 Aug 2013 – Iran has built up its cyber capabilities in recent years and could aid Syria in cyber attacks against American interests in response to US military intervention.
IDF: Non-Israelis must purchase gas masks
Jerusalem Post 28 Aug 2013 – Ahead of predicted US-led attack on Syria, Home Front Command says only citizens are eligible to receive protective kits.
Hezbollah: If Assad is threatened, we will hit Israel
Jerusalem Post 28 Aug 2013 – “Any intervention and warmongering will certainly harm those who start this fire,” says Khamenei
The Attacks Against the NSA Leakers-and the Reality of “Democracy” Under This System
Uruknet
How Not To Think About Drones, or Goliath Died for Your Sins
Uruknet
Palestinian home demolished, family moves to cave
Uruknet
Sending Broken Men Back Into Afghanistan
Uruknet
Waging War in Syria to Make a Point ?
Uruknet
Public Record: Here s what the White House s “secret” plan to close Guantanamo looks like
Uruknet
Arab League Stance Muddies U.S. Case
Uruknet
The Jordan Valley in a State of Palestine
Uruknet
Qalandia Attack Insult t
o Peace Talks
Uruknet
The Logic of Racism: Israel Attempts Emptying the Arab World of Arabs
Uruknet
The Shame of the State Prison Medicine and the California Hunger Strike
Uruknet
King, Obama, and the Inner Core of Despotism
Uruknet
Legitimizing A Military Occupation With Music: Zubin Mehta in Kashmir
Uruknet
Wife of kidnapped Palestinian engineer Dirar Abu Sisi holds Gaza press conference
Uruknet
British government defeated on Syria action motion
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 British government defeated on Syria action motion
5 UN powers end Syria meeting with no progress
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 A meeting of the U.N. Security Council’s permanent members ended quickly Thursday with no sign of progress on an agreement over Syria’s crisis.
Iraq officials: 2 vehicle bomb blasts kill 24
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 A bomb hidden inside a pickup truck loaded with vegetables exploded in a market north of Baghdad, the deadlier of two vehicle bombings that killed 24 people in Iraq on Thursday.
Egypt arrests Brotherhood official and warns protesters
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 Egyptian police captured a senior Muslim Brotherhood official on Thursday and threatened to use live rounds at planned anti-government rallies.
Tunisia to set up buffer zones along Libya, Algeria borders
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 Tunisia will set up buffer zones in the south of the country, along the borders with Libya and Algeria, to fight against “terrorism,” Defence Minister Sabbagh says.
Kidnapped Turkish pilots in Lebanon speak in audio message
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 A local television station broadcast, what they described was an audio message of the two Turkish Airlines pilots who were kidnapped last month in Beirut.
Syria’s ancient history faces new threats, UN says
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 The U.N. is trying to come up with a plan to protect Syria’s cultural history, including hundreds of archaeological sites, ancient mosques and churches and artifacts that are being sold on the black market.
White House says looking at limited response to Syria crisis
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 The United States would provide its own legal justification for an eventual response to chemical weapons use in Syria if necessary once President Barack Obama decides how to proceed, the White House says.
UN experts to bring Syria samples to European labs
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 The United Nations says some of its chemical weapons experts in Syria will personally take samples to laboratories around Europe after leaving Damascus on Saturday morning.
Obama talks to Germany’s Merkel about Syria: White House
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 President Barack Obama spoke by phone to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about Syria, the White House says, as the United States seeks the broadest possible international backing to respond to a chemical weapons attack in Syria.
White House: On track to release intelligence report on Syria this week, does not rule out Thursday
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 White House: Still on track to release intelligence report on Syria this week, does not rule out release Thursday
Egypt bans Israeli ship from docking for repairs
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 Egyptian officials have denied permission for an Israeli container ship needing repairs to dock at a port at the southern tip of the Suez Canal.
Egypt detains four Al-Jazeera journalists in Cairo
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera English network says four of its journalists have been arrested by Egyptian authorities after they covered events in Cairo.
U.S. Officials say “no smoking gun” implicating Assad in chemical attack
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 By Mark Hosenball and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Aug 29 (Reuters) – The U.
Two Canadian men remain behind bars in Egypt
Daily Star 29 Aug 2013 Two Canadian men remain behind bars in Egypt after a Cairo prosecutor failed to meet with their lawyers.
New York Times: Obama willing to pursue solo Syria strikes
YNet News, 29 Aug 2013 – ….
British parliament votes against military intervention in Syria
YNet News, 29 Aug 2013 – ….
US won’t sue to stop marijuana use in 2 states
YNet News, 29 Aug 2013 – ….
UN Security Council fails to reach agreement on Syria
YNet News, 29 Aug 2013 – ….
Israeli Judo history: Yarden Gerbi is world champion
YNet News, 29 Aug 2013 – ….
What took you so long?
YNet News, 29 Aug 2013 – Op-ed: World remained silent when 120,000 Syrians were killed by conventional weapons ….
Sorry for apologizing
YNet News, 29 Aug 2013 – Op-ed: Israeli apology to Turkey over Marmara affair viewed by Erdogan as act of weakness ….
Palestinian Information Center
Abu Marzouk calls on Egypt to end smear campaign against Hamas
PIC – Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk called on the Egyptian leadership to put an end to the smear campaign launched by some parties in the country against his Movement and the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian factions: No one is authorized to waive right of return
PIC – Palestinian national and Islamic factions and popular committees have disowned on Thursday PA president Mahmoud Abbas’ statement in which he waived the right of return.
IOF storms areas in Nablus, al-Khalil
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed the town of Assira, north of Nablus, in the late hours of Wednesday night and raided several neighborhoods.
PFLP calls for activating armed resistance in WB
PIC – The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) has called for activating the armed resistance in occupied West Bank to deter Israeli forces and settlers’ attacks.
PA police quell peaceful march of coffins outside Abbas’s office
PIC – The PA security forces on Wednesday afternoon used excessive violence against peaceful protestors carrying symbolic coffins in procession to the headquarters of Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah city.
Jerusalemite institutions warn of establishing Jewish Synagogue in Buraq Square
PIC – Islamic Jerusalemite institutions have warned of the Israeli scheme to establish a Jewish synagogue in the Buraq square in al-Aqsa mosque as part of the Jewish Sharansky plan backed by Netanyahu.
Ä°hsanoÄŸlu in WB tour affirms OIC support for Palestinians
PIC – Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ä°hsanoÄŸlu has affirmed that all OIC member countries support the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights.
IOA hides the arrest of PA officer for 6 months
PIC – The IOA informed the family of the missing citizen Ahmad Abu Arra that their son is being held in Israeli jails after six months of denial during which the family lived in a state of anxiety.
Qalandiya incident triggers clashes in Al-Khalil
PIC – Violent clashes broke out in Al-Khalil city on Wednesday evening, a day after a deadly attack in Qalandiya refugee camp sparked widespread outrage in the occupied West Bank.
Israel Withdraws Decision to Takeover Cliff Hotel
WAFA – 29 Aug 2013
Abbas Ends Official Visit to Qatar
WAFA – 29 Aug 2013
WHO says July was Highest Month for Gaza Patient Referrals
WAFA – 29 Aug 2013
Israel Arrests Youth from Bethlehem
WAFA – 29 Aug 2013
Israeli Soldiers, Settlers Assault Palestinians in West Bank
WAFA – 29 Aug 2013
Prisoner Kidnapped from Ukraine Ends Hunger Strike
WAFA – 29 Aug 2013
Newspapers Review: Syria Remains Main Front Page Story
WAFA – 29 Aug 2013
Prices Down in July, says Statistics Bureau
WAFA – 29 Aug 2013
Iran leaders warn Western strikes on Syria will ignite wider war
LA Times 29 Aug 2013 – Iranian political and military leaders joined Russia on Thursday in warning the United States and its allies that any military strike on Syria would ignite a wider Middle East war, lead to Israel’s destruction and violate international law.
Russia bolstering naval presence amid expected Syria airstrikes
LA Times 29 Aug 2013 – Russia has deployed two powerful warships to the Mediterranean Sea to augment its normal naval presence amid rising expectations of Western airstrikes on its ally, Syria.
Why Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile is safe from airstrikes
LA Times 29 Aug 2013 – Syrian President Bashar Assad wields command over the world’s biggest stockpile of chemical weapons, international security experts say, and he is expected to emerge from any punitive Western airstrikes with his arsenal intact.
U.S. would rely on missiles in a strike on Syria
LA Times 28 Aug 2013 – U.S. officials say they expect an attack to begin at night with missiles launched from sea and air in an operation that could last up to three days. WASHINGTON — A U.S. attack on Syria is likely to begin at night with fiery explosions at…
Syria resolution dies at U.N., and British lawmakers balk
LA Times 28 Aug 2013 – The moves are a setback for the U.S. bid to strike Syria militarily for its alleged chemical weapons use. WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s move to punish Syria’s government for allegedly using chemical weapons in a deadly attack last week appeared to suffer a setback…
Britain Rules Out Military Strike on Syria
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – After the British Parliament rejected the principle of military action on Thursday, Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would not participate in any strike on Syria.
Update: Tour Iran? Operators Hope So
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – Iran’s new president is promoting international tourism as part of his plan to fix the country’s economy, but United States officials continue to warn against travel there.
Britain Makes Case Against Syria as U.N. Inspects Sites
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – United Nations inspectors headed to the outskirts of Damascus for a third day on Thursday to seek evidence of chemical attacks.
Syrians Wait Amid Fear, Anticipation and Long Lines for Groceries
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – Many Syrians are bracing for the worst, some with a deep sense of fatalism, and the expectation of imminent strikes has halted normal life.
Where an Iraqi Artist Can Paint, and Exhale
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – Bassim al-Shaker, 28, who was beaten and abused because of his love of art, has found refuge in Phoenix, which has one of the largest Iraqi communities in the United States.
U.S. Facing Test on Data to Back Action on Syria
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – The Obama administration says the information it will make public will show proof of a large-scale chemical attack by Syrian forces.
Syrian Lawmakers Warn Britain Over Military Strike
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – Members of Syria’s Parliament issued an open letter to their counterparts in Britain, saying an attack would spark “a cataclysm of sectarian mass murder.”
Key Questions on the Conflict in Syria
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – A brief summary of the conflict in Syria and why the United States appears headed to a fresh military entanglement in the Middle East.
Arab League Stance Muddies U.S. Case
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – The leaders of the Arab world blamed the Syrian government for a chemical weapons attack, but declined to back a retaliatory military strike.
Obama Weighs ‘Limited’ Strikes Against Syrian Forces
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – President Obama is
exploring a range of military actions against Syria designed to “deter and degrade” the ability of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime to launch chemical weapons, officials said.
Iran Slows Its Gathering of Uranium, Report Says
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – International nuclear inspectors said that Iran was slowing its accumulation of uranium that could be quickly turned into fuel for an atom bomb.
Deadly Blasts Stoke Fears of Sectarian Strife in Iraq
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – Rush-hour bombings killed at least 65 people in Baghdad, with scenes of panic reminiscent of earlier sectarian violence that nearly tore Iraq apart.
Amid Chaos, Israelis Take a Stoic View
New York Times 29 Aug 2013 – Many Israelis said this summer had spawned an “I-told-you-so” sensibility among those skeptical about the Arab Spring, and a sense of relief that for now, the problems are elsewhere.
Housing starts plummet to 4-year low
Globes Main News – There were just 8,797 housing starts in the second quarter, the lowest figure since the first half of 2009.
Allied Holdings to acquire Jerusalem Light Rail stake
Globes Main News – Allied Holdings is about to buy12.5% of CityPass for NIS 40 million, giving a company value of NIS 300 million, from investors in Ashtrom Group.
Lapid still losing ground
Globes Main News – Finance Minister Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party has fallen to 12 Knesset seats in the latest Globes poll.
Thu: TASE rally continues
Globes Main News – Hapoalim and Leumi rose strongly on their financials, but Israel Corp recorded the biggest decline on the Tel Aviv 25 Index, after swinging to a loss.
Israel Corp swings to loss
Globes Main News – Israel Chemicals profits were not enough to cover the losses of Zim, Oil Refineries, Tower Semiconductor, and Qoros.
Latest unemployment data show contradictory trends
Globes Macro Economics – Original data show the unemployment rate rose from 5.9% in June 2013 to 6.7% in July, but seasonally-adjusted data show a fall from 6.7% in June to 6.3% in July.
Israelis selling gas masks on eBay
Globes Macro Economics – Asking prices range from $25 to $50.
Defense Ministry: We’re cash cow for local authorities
Globes Aerospace & Defense – 80% of arnona payments are to just 30 local and regional authorities, including those with only a few thousand residents.
Shin Bet Arrests Gaza Youth Invited to U.S. Tech Conference in Error
Tikun Olam – Ramallah Tech Camp to which Alaa Miqbel never made it thanks to a Shin Bet fashlah . A few days ago, the media reported that a Gaza youth leader, Alaa Miqbel, was headed to a U.S. State Department-hosted conference in Ramallah. The event was designed to inform…
California: Defend campus freedom of speech
Jewish Voice for Peace – The California Assembly is considering this week Resolution 76, which opens the door to condemning advocacy for Palestinian human rights in California campuses, while ironically giving lip service to free speech on campus. Ask your representative there to vote NO on Assembly Concurrent Resolution 76. More…
Witness accounts on the killing of three Palestinians that stopped peace negotiations
Mondoweiss – The home of Jihad Aslan, one of three Palestinians killed in Qalandia refugee camp. (Photo: Allison Deger) When Robin Zayed, 34, work up Monday morning to the distinct crack of gunfire outside his Qalandia refugee camp bedroom window, it seemed like almost a lifetime ago that…
New revelations of NYPD spying injected into mayoral race
Mondoweiss – The mayoral candidates at a debate this month. From left to right: Christine Quinn; Bill Thompson; Erick Salgado; and Bill de Blasio. (Photo: RUTH FREMSON//THE NEW YORK TIMES) After months of largely ignoring the issue of police spying on Muslims or outright supporting it, the latest…
A note from Roger Waters to Abe Foxman
Mondoweiss – Dear Mr. Foxman, Thank you for your letter . I will try to address the points you make, in the order that you make them. With the general proviso though, that I am wary of, and wearied by any form of slanging match. Anti Semitism: I…
Has the Prawer Plan begun?
Mondoweiss – Al-Arakib, an unrecognized village of the Al-Turi Arab Bedouin tribe (8 km north of Beersheba), was demolished for the 54th times since July 2010. Israel Land Administration inspectors and some 40 riot police officers stormed the village at 12:30pm; and 2 bulldozers knocked down three shacks,…
Global edition of ‘NYT’ runs op-ed against ‘Arab women giving birth’ in Israel
Mondoweiss – Unbelievable. On the anniversary of MLK’s I have a dream speech, the global edition of the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, runs a piece by Shmuel Rosner deploring the Arab birth rate– or the Muslim Arab birth rate– as a threat to his “dream”…
Naftali Bennett Appeals to Diaspora for Support on Western Wall Prayer Plan
The Foward Breaking News 29 Aug 2013 – Minister of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs Naftali Bennett made an attempt to reconcile Diaspora Jews and released a letter to World Jewry ahead of the new Jewish year explaining his plan to resolve the ongoing dispute over the rights of non-Orthodox Jews, including women, to pray…
Israelis Jostle for Gas Masks as Syria Tensions Rise
The Foward Breaking Ne
ws 29 Aug 2013 – The line of people waiting for gas masks was long and Hayoum stepped away to run errands. She returned in the afternoon to find hundreds of Israelis crowding under a hot sun on the building’s wide steps, some holding umbrellas and others food. Click here for…
Uganda Agrees To Take African Immigrants Ousted From Israel
The Foward Breaking News 29 Aug 2013 – The East African nation that will take in tens of thousands African migrants living in Israel is Uganda, a gag order lifted on Thursday revealed. Uganda will either accept the migrants, or serve as a transit station to their own countries. Click here for the rest…
Will New Iranian Leader Free Jewish Prisoner Robert Levinson?
The Foward Breaking News 29 Aug 2013 – The United States has asked Iran to free a Jewish U.S. citizen who has been detained there for six years. Click here for the rest of the article…
Africa: Syria Casts a Long Shadow Over Peace Palace Celebrations
allAfrica.com 29 Aug 2013 – [Daily Maverick]The Palace of Justice in The Hague, a formidable building that was constructed with the lofty ambitions of bringing world peace, celebrated the 100th anniversary of its inauguration on Wednesday.
South Africa: Syria, Egypt Crises Need New Intervention – Tutu
allAfrica.com 29 Aug 2013 – [SAPA]Johannesburg -The crises in Syria and Egypt require human, and not military intervention, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Wednesday.
Africa: A Warren of Chaos and Deceit, aka the West’s Coming Intervention in Syria
allAfrica.com 29 Aug 2013 – [Daily Maverick]On Thursday, UK parliamentarians will vote on the question of military intervention in Syria.
Tunisia: UGTT Cautions Against Possible Military Intervention in Syria
allAfrica.com 29 Aug 2013 – [Tunis Afrique Presse]Tunis -The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) cautioned against the “disastrous fall-out” of a possible military intervention in Syria and its impact on the Syrian people and all peoples of the region.
Commons votes against Syria action
BBC 29 Aug 2013 – British MPs vote against possible military action against Syria, ruling out involvement in any US-led attacks.
Egypt arrests Brotherhood leader
BBC 29 Aug 2013 – A leading figure in Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed al-Beltagi, has been arrested on a warrant issued last month, officials say.
Kerry asks Iran to free US men
BBC 28 Aug 2013 – US Secretary of State John Kerry calls on Iran to release two jailed US citizens and help locate a third missing there since 2007.
Syria Attack: Where Does Hezbollah Stand?
Al-Akhbar Opinion 29 Aug 2013 – The Resistance, for its part, has so far chosen to hold its cards close, remaining quiet about its options. (Photo: Marwan Bu Haidar) The Resistance, for its part, has so far chosen to hold its cards close, remaining quiet about its options. (Photo: Marwan Bu Haidar)…
Libyan prosecutor killed in car bomb
Al-Akhbar News 29 Aug 2013 – A blast on Thursday killed a Libyan military prosecutor in the eastern city of Benghazi who was in charge of cases involving Gaddafi-era regime officials, a security source said. Yussef Ali al-Asseifar died when a bomb placed under his car exploded, the source told AFP on…
Egypt captures Muslim Brotherhood official, warns of further crackdown
Al-Akhbar News 29 Aug 2013 – A file picture taken on 4 August 2013 shows Egypt’s senior Muslim Brotherhood politician Mohammed El-Beltagy talking with foreign media during an interview at the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo. (Photo: AFP – Khaled Desouki) Egyptian police captured senior Muslim Brotherhood official Mohammed El-Beltagy on Thursday,…
Syria Attempts to Gather Ranks
Al-Akhbar News 29 Aug 2013 – A rebel fighter takes aim at regime forces in the northern city of Aleppo on 26 August 2013. (Photo: AFP Louai Abo Al-Jod) A rebel fighter takes aim at regime forces in the northern city of Aleppo on 26 August 2013. (Photo: AFP Louai Abo Al-Jod)…
Tunisia opposition sets ultimatum for mediation talks
Al-Akhbar News 29 Aug 2013 – Tunisian demonstrators wave their national flag during a demonstration against the country’s Islamist-led government in Tunis on 24 August 2013, on the first day of a planned week-long campaign aimed at bringing down the government, amid political deadlock in the country. (Photo: AFP – Salah Habibi)…
Syria’s Assad on Western Military Strike: We Shall Be Victorious
Al-Akhbar News 29 Aug 2013 – A Patriot surface-to-air missile battery is positioned in the Mediterranean coastal city of Haifa north of Israel on 29 August 2013. (Photo: AFP – Jack Guez) A Patriot surface-to-air missile battery is positioned in the Mediterranean coastal city of Haifa north of Israel on 29 August…
Moscow: No Strike Against Syria This Week
Al-Akhbar News 29 Aug 2013 – A 9A83ME launcher unit of the S-300VM “Antey-2500” (NATO reporting name SA-23 GladiatorGiant), Russian-made anti-ballistic missile system, is displayed during the MAKS-2013, the International Aviation and Space Show, in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, on 27 August 2013. (Photo: AFP – Kirill Kusryavtsev) A 9A83ME launcher unit of…
Attack on Syria: Lebanon Is Officially in a Coma
Al-Akhbar Politics 28 Aug 2013 – An Israeli soldier walks next to Merkava tanks stationed in a deployment training area in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights near the border with Syria on 28 August 2013. (Photo: AFP – Menahem Kahana) An Israeli soldier walks next to Merkava tanks stationed in a
deployment training…
View From Syria: Soldiers React to Looming US Strike
Al-Akhbar Politics 28 Aug 2013 – An image grab taken from a video shows an opposition fighter firing an rocket propelled grenade (RPG) on 26 August 2013 during clashes with Syrian army over the strategic area of Khanasser, situated on the only road linking Aleppo to central Syria. (Photo: AFP – Salah…
Egypt’s New Ruler Tightens Noose on Gaza
Al-Akhbar Politics 28 Aug 2013 – Palestinian tunnel workers rest inside a smuggling tunnel dug beneath the Gaza-Egypt border in the southern Gaza Strip on 27 August 2013. (Photo: AFP – Said Khatib) Palestinian tunnel workers rest inside a smuggling tunnel dug beneath the Gaza-Egypt border in the southern Gaza Strip on…
Commons votes against Syria action
BBC 29 Aug 2013 – British MPs vote against possible military action against Syria, ruling out involvement in any US-led attacks.
Egypt arrests Brotherhood leader
BBC 29 Aug 2013 – A leading figure in Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed al-Beltagi, has been arrested on a warrant issued last month, officials say.
Iraq car bomb ‘kills 16’ at market
BBC 29 Aug 2013 – At least 16 people were killed in a car bomb attack on a market in the Iraqi city of Samarra, officials say.
Kerry asks Iran to free US men
BBC 28 Aug 2013 – US Secretary of State John Kerry calls on Iran to release two jailed US citizens and help locate a third missing there since 2007.
Articles
Why did the IDF assassinate two Palestinian journalists?
Noam Sheizaf, +972 Magazine 8/29/2013
The Israeli army still refuses to comment on several incidents in which journalists affiliated with Hamas, but with no connection to military activities, were targeted. In response to an inquiry by an Israeli journalist, an IDF Spokesperson representative wondered why he cares about a couple of Palestinians that died ‘a million years ago.’
On November 20, during the Israeli army’s last operation in Gaza (“Pillar of Defense”), the IDF targeted a car on a Gaza City street with two cameramen from al-Aqsa TV – Mahmoud al-Kumi and Hussam Salama – killing them both. Al-Aqsa is the official television station of Hamas. According to several sources, the car which the two cameramen were driving was marked with the letters “TV.”
On December, following a Human Rights Watch report on several incidents in which the army seemed to have deliberately targeted journalists, the Israeli media watchdog site The Seventh Eye – a project of the Israeli Democracy Institute – contacted the IDF Spokesperson Unit with request for comment on the November 20th assassination. They received a general response, stating that “the details of the event mentioned are under examination, and only once it’s concluded, will we be able to address them.”
Nine months later, the army is refusing to provide a reason for the targeting of Palestinian journalists.
In May, the IDF concluded its internal investigation of several incidents in which forces may have strayed from the army’s rules of engagement. No criminal investigation was opened, but the targeting of journalists was named among a number of cases which could require further research. “A decision on those matters will be published soon,” the army stated. Since then, there hasn’t been any further comment on the issue, and the IDF public service unit has informed the Seventh Eye that it will not answer any more queries regarding Operation Pillar of Defense. more.. e-mail
Ingredients of a Palestinian uprising
Daoud Kuttab, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN) 8/29/2013
Predicting the next Intifada, or popular outbreak, is next to impossible.
The past years have seen many predictions of an imminent third Intifada, only to have these expectations proven wrong.
While prophesying a wave of mass protests is difficult, one can look back at the last two Intifadas and the many smaller Intifadas and point out the ingredients that can possibly cause the third uprising.
One major ingredient of a popular uprising is the sense of hopelessness.
In 1987, 20 years after the Israeli occupation and eight years after the Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement, there was no sign of a political process that would lead to the end of the occupation.
In 2000, similar disenchantment occurred, this time not because of the absence of a peace process but because of the failure of one.
Palestinians had their hopes raised by a moderate Israeli leader and a second-term US president. Bill Clinton had invested a tremendous amount of time in the Palestinian issue, welcoming Arafat numerous times at the White House, visiting Bethlehem and Gaza, and even attending a session of the Palestine National Council.
Yet, despite these facts, the Camp David Summit in the fall of 2000 failed miserably to achieve a breakthrough, thus producing the second Intifada.
Settlement activities are also an important ingredient.
When Palestinians see bulldozers, new settler-only roads being built and caravans moving in, they know that the Israelis have no intention to cede Palestinian land. more.. e-mail
Qalandiya rooftops rain washing machines, fridges, baths
Abdul-hakim Salah, Ma’an News Agency 8/29/2013
Very blatantly scorning the minds of its readers, beating all the odds, the Israeli daily English language newspaper The Jerusalem Post published Tuesday the most scandalous news report any embedded journalist can think of.
“Attack on IDF in Kalandiya leaves three Palestinians dead from gunfire,” the JPost’s headline read on the print version reporting about the murder of three Palestinian men during an Israeli military incursion into the Palestinian Qalandiya refugee camp near Ramallah. A headline was slightly different, and perhaps a little more professional, in an electronic version of the report on the newspaper’s website.
“3 Palestinians killed, as IDF, border police come under attack making arrest in Kalandiya.” This online headline was at least better prioritized and took the pains to mention what the Israeli troops were doing in the camp.
Nevertheless, the same sarcasm can be read in the body of both reports. The writers insist, from the very first sentenc
e, on blaming the victims and sympathizing with the perpetrators. “A large scale Palestinian attack on security forces in Kalandiya…… left three Palestinians dead.” Wait a minute! Are you talking about Palestinian forces invading an Israeli refugee camp in Tel Aviv? Who knows? No! No! That can’t be the case, simply because three Palestinian refugees were killed and dozens were injured.
The same very first paragraph continues with ignominious remarks confirming that hundreds of rioters “hurled washing machines and large concrete blocks from rooftops.” Rioters?! Hundreds?! Give me a break! But you say the incident began at 5:00 AM and the Palestinian refugees, I suppose, are human beings and they must have been sleeping. I bet it began even earlier, because bats prefer to move in darkness. more.. e-mail
’Jerusalem Post falsely claims Russian democracy activist made anti-Semitic remarks’
Vera Krichevskaya, +972 Magazine 8/29/2013
Just days before the Moscow mayoral election, opposition leader Alexei Navalny is accused of ‘toasting the Holocaust’ at a gathering. It never happened.
On the morning of August 27 I opened my Twitter account as usual, and the first thing that caught my eye was a tweet with a bright red avatar: “Jerusalem Post: Moscow mayor hopeful raises Jewish fears with anti-Semitic remarks”.
Stunned, I clicked on the link. There, on the website of one of Israel’s oldest and best-known newspapers, I found the article under the same headline. It was illustrated with a large photograph of Alexei Navalny—a democracy activist, anti-corruption crusader and the leader of the Russian opposition, who is now running for mayor of Moscow. The sub-headline, in bold, states that “At a New York Times party, Russian blogger Alexei Navalny suggested making a toast for the Holocaust.” The article goes on to report that Navalny made several vile racist and anti-Semitic remarks, accusing him of inciting skinheads and of flirting with ultra-nationalist ideas.
Right after the first paragraph, the Jerusalem Post mentioned a different media organization: The New Times (not The New York Times). The New Times is a weekly political magazine, the only remaining independent magazine in Russia, for which I write as a freelancer.
Certainly, journalists sometimes make mistakes. But the story about Navalny and the Holocaust toast—just 10 days before the elections for mayor of Moscow—goes far beyond ordinary carelessness. It is an extremely grave and unfounded accusation.
Alexei Navalny— the political candidate who was the first in Russia to publicly call Vladimir Putin a thief and his party a “party of crooks”—is a famous anti-corruption crusader and democracy activist…. more.. e-mail
West Bank’s skyscrapers and settlements provide backdrop to elegant film
Electronic Intifada: 29 Aug 2013 – They key character in Omar Robert Hamilton’s short returns to a Palestinian home full of dusty boxes and damaged furniture.more
Why does US government let Israel discriminate against Americans?
Electronic Intifada: 29 Aug 2013 – New laws would mean that Israel is held to different standards than other nations in the Visa Waiver Program.more
The Path to Peace Lies In Rejecting the ‘Peace Process’
Palestine Chronicle: 29 Aug 2013 – By Jeremy R. Hammond Palestine’s illegitimate president, Mahmoud Abbas, is doing incredible damage to the cause of his people. It is betrayal enough that he has decided to return to the U.S.-led so-called “peace process”—which is the process by which the U.S. and Israel block implementation of the two-state solution—despite Israel refusing to show even a modicum of good faith. Under threats of punishment for disobedience and promises of financial reward for compliance, Abbas agreed to return to talks “without preconditions”, meaning while Israel’s illegal colonization of the West Bank and East Jerusalem continue unabated. But his betrayal goes much further. He has also expressed his willingness to surrender the Palestinians’ national sovereignty and right to self-defense by agreeing to the Israeli demand that the state of Palestine must be “demilitarized”. Abbas has tried to justify this decision by reasoning, “We don’t need planes or missiles”. But whether having the…more
The S
ubterfuge of Syrian Chemical Weapons
Palestine Chronicle: 29 Aug 2013 – By Nicola Nasser The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on this August 26 removed the sword of the alleged Syrian chemical weapons from its sheath and let the snow ball of this subterfuge for a military aggression on Syria roll unchecked, raising the stakes from asking whether “it will happen” to “when” it will happen, promising that President Barack Obama “will be making an informed decision about how” to take on Syria and warning not to make a “mistake” because Obama “believes there must be accountability,” making clear that a U.S. – led military action is in the making and imminent. A 20 – member UN independent commission of inquiry, headed by UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane, and led by the Swedish scientist and the veteran “inspector” for the UNSCOM and UNMOVIC inspection regimes in Iraq, Ake Sellstrom, arrived in Damascus on August 24 for a…more
Politics of Death: Can Human Life Be Devalued Like Currency?
Palestine Chronicle: 29 Aug 2013 – By Ramzy Baroud How many Egyptians have been killed since the January 2011 revolt? My pursuit for exact figures has proven to be futile. Various sources suggest all sorts of numbers, some scrambled in such a way as to make a political point. It is as if the life of the ordinary Egyptian doesn’t matter on its own, as an absolute value that must be guarded aside from any political considerations. If it does matter at all, it is only within a larger context to simply prove a point. But the deaths are certainly in the thousands, with many more maimed and wounded. On August 14 alone – one of the bloodiest days in modern Egyptian history – hundreds of people were mowed down, and thousands more were wounded in a security forces crackdown on anti-coup protests in Rabia Al-Adawiya and al-Nahda Squares, among other areas of Cairo and the…more
On U.S. Intervention in Syria: Remember a Few Things
Palestine Chronicle: 29 Aug 2013 – By Joshua Brollier To those who think the United States should intervene in Syria, remember this is the same United States which; • is still deeply involved in two failed wars of aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan that have lasted for over a decade without coming to a conclusion. • is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands, if not over a million Iraqis and Afghans through aerial bombardments, night raids, artillery shelling, ground missions and genocidal sanctions. • used depleted uranium and white phosphorous munitions in Iraq leading to a sharp increase in cancerous birth defects in areas like Fallujah. • knowingly aided Saddam Hussein with intelligence while being completely aware that he was using chemical weapons against Iran. • has systematically tortured and/or overseen the torture of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, Bagram prison, Abu Ghraib, and numerous CIA rendition and black sites. • is engaged in an…more
There is No Spring, Brother – A Poem
Palestine Chronicle: 29 Aug 2013 – (A Reply to Nasser Barghouty) By Francis Oeser You’re right, it doesn’t feel like spring. Leaves of love are fallen, contempt poisons the ground, even the stars dim in pain. No! It’s certainly not spring. They tell us we’re the “new world rising” Lies! They tell us freedom is ours. It’s only theirs. They tell us to mourne the blazing paper seller whose death makes a better life for them, NOT us. The stars in our eyes dim and day becomes night. Ah Naseer, red is a brave colour not only rage but rosey life, of sunrises for days of communality and peace – the hatching of warm dreams. They talk of glory Lies! They tell us they really care. Lies! They’ve eaten the cake and forbid us its crumbs. There is no spring, believe me, Brother. We must find it in this wilderness of greedy lies. Maybe our rosey…more
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The New Dark Age 