6 September 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Talks Focused On Temporary Borders, Security
IMEMC – Israeli medial sources have reported that the current direct Israeli-Palestinian political talks are focused on a Palestinian state with temporary borders, and on security arrangements in the occupied West Bank. …
Hamas: “We Are Ready For Possible Israeli War On Gaza”
IMEMC – Palestinian Minister of Interior and National Security of the Hamas-led government in Gaza, Fathi Hammad, stated that his ministry is ready for any possible Israeli war against the Gaza Strip, amidst threats of a US-led war on Syria. …
Soldiers Invade Al-Fawwar Refugee Camp In Hebron
IMEMC – Residents Kidnapped North Of Hebron Thursday evening [September 5, 2013] Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded the Al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and clashed with local youths. …
Israel forces raid Aqsa compound
9/6/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces raided the al-Aqsa mosque compound after Friday prayers and fired stun grenades and pepper spray at Palestinian worshipers, a Ma’an reporter observed. Plainclothes policemen entered the compound and deployed in al-Aqsa’s square, surrounding the al-Qabali mosque where Palestinian worshipers were gathered. Palestinian men started throwing stones at the forces who blocked their way out of….
Israeli forces arrest protester at Bethlehem rally
9/6/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained a Palestinian protester at a weekly protest south of Bethlehem on Friday. Protesters marched to the wall near al-Masara village raising Palestinian flags and pictures of Palestinian prisoners. Activist Mohammad Berjia was arrested, said Hassan Brejia, coordinator of the local popular committee against the wall. An Israeli military spokesman said a man was arrested during a protest of….
Israeli police detain Jerusalem boy
9/6/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police on Thursday night raided several houses at al-Sowana neighborhood east of the old city in Jerusalem, after a group of settlers arrived, locals said. Ahmad al-Ewiwi, a resident in the neighborhood, said the residents were shocked when they saw a group of settlers raiding the area. Settlers threw stones toward Palestinians and houses without reason, they said, and Palestinians….
Bedouin in Jerusalem village say neglected by PA
9/6/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Bedouin in East Jerusalem’s Zayem village say the Palestinian Authority is neglecting their struggle against eviction by Israel. Villager Mohamad Odeh Mousa Al-Saedi Jahalin said Israel had been trying to take control of Zayem since 1953. Fifteen families live in the village and they are continuously harassed by Israeli forces and issued demolition orders to force them from their….
Minister: Dates set for prisoner releases
9/6/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Minister of detainee affairs Issa Qaraqe on Friday announced the dates for the release of veteran Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Israel has agreed to release 104 prisoners, most of who were jailed before the 1993 Oslo peace accords, in four stages. The first batch of 26 prisoners was released on Aug. 14, hours before peace negotiations resumed in Jerusalem. Qaraqe….
Abbas to leave for Europe on Sunday
9/6/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas will begin a European tour on Sunday, starting in the UK. Abbas will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry in London on Monday to discuss direct talks between Israel and the PLO. He will also meet UK Prime Minister David Cameron, deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Foreign Secretary William Hague and opposition leader Ed Miliband. Charg Ben….
PFLP brigades withdraw from military march in Gaza
9/6/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine on Friday withdrew from a military march in Gaza after Hamas fighters waved signs in support of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. PFLP’s military wing, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, said fighters from Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, raised signs supporting the Muslim Brotherhood….
Woman dies in ‘accidental gun fire’ in Nablus
9/6/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — A 37-year-old woman died on Friday after her son accidentally shot her in the head in Nablus, medical sources said. Firyal Khadesh died instantly after her 20-year-old son accidentally fired a gun in their home, medics told Ma’an. Her body was taken to the Rafedia Hospital in Nablus. The governor of Nablus, Jibril Bakri, told Ma’….
Gaza girl dies after falling from 3rd floor
9/6/2013 – GAZA (Ma’an) — A 17-year-old girl died on Thursday evening after she fell from the third floor of her family home in the al-Shajaya neighborhood east of Gaza City, witnesses said. Nurhan Mahani, 17, fell from the third floor and died on the spot. Her body was transferred to al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. [END]
Teen drowns in Gaza swimming pool
9/6/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A teenage girl drowned in a swimming pool east of Gaza City on Friday, medics said. The body of 17-year-old Samia Ismael al-Dahdooh was brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. She had drowned in a swimming pool in Zeitoun, medics told Ma’an. 1 ) holly / USA 06/09/2013 21:43 Gaza swimming pool! And I thought….
US Navy: Cost of Syria strikes would not be ‘extraordinary’
9/6/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The cost of possible military strikes against Syria would not be “extraordinary,” the US Navy chief said Thursday, downplaying the potential price tag of the operation. Admiral Jonathan Greenert’s comments appeared to confirm a rough estimate from Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel on Wednesday, who told lawmakers the punitive strikes would likely cost “tens of millions” of dollars. Naval ships and submarines….
Syrian chemical attack a possible ‘mistake’
9/6/2013 – BERLIN (AFP) — German intelligence believes the Syrian regime was behind last month’s chemical attack but that the large death toll may be the result of a dosage “mistake”, news site Spiegel Online has reported. Spiegel cited secret briefings to lawmakers reportedly given by the director of Germany’s BND foreign intelligence service, Gerhard Schindler. Schindler reportedly said that the August 21 attack….
Iran’s foreign minister condemns Holocaust
9/6/2013 – TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran’s foreign minister said on Facebook that Tehran condemns the World War II Nazi massacre of the Jews, in stark contract to Holocaust denials by former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”We condemn the massacre of Jews by the Nazis, and we condemn the massacre of Palestinians by the Zionists,” Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his Facebook page, where he published the text….
Egypt to decide soon on dissolving Brotherhood NGO
9/6/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt is expected to announce soon whether or not to dissolve an NGO linked to the Muslim Brotherhood amid allegations it operates as a front for the Islamist group. On Aug. 14, the authorities launched a fierce crackdown on the Brotherhood following the army’s July 3 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, who hails from the group. Top Brotherhood leaders, including….
Russia sends warship with ‘special cargo’ to Syria
9/6/2013 – MOSCOW (AFP) — A Russian warship carrying “special cargo” will be dispatched toward Syria, a navy source said on Friday, as the Kremlin beefs up its presence in the region ahead of possible US strikes against the Damascus regime. The large landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov will on Friday leave the Ukrainian port city of Sevastopol for the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, from where it….
Putin, Obama fail to ease Syria rift at G20
9/6/2013 – SAINT PETERSBURG (AFP) — US President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin failed Friday to end their bitter dispute over US plans for military action in Syria, as half of the G20 called for a “strong” response to a chemical weapons attack blamed on the regime. Obama said that the world could not “stand idly by” after the Syria chemical attack but Putin warned that….
Morsi supporters hold new protests in Egypt
9/6/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — Thousands of supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi turned out for protests in Cairo after Friday prayers, despite a sustained crackdown on Islamists by the country’s new authorities. Islamist held smaller rallies elsewhere in the country, with medics reporting two people killed in Alexandria and the Nile Delta province of Damietta in clashes between Morsi supporters and opponents. AFP correspondents….
Lebanon boosts security at foreign embassies
9/6/2013 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Lebanese authorities said on Friday they had boosted security measures at foreign diplomatic missions ahead of any international military action against neighboring Syria. The decision was announced after a meeting of Lebanon’s security council, called by President Michel Sleiman amid a US-led push for strikes against Damascus in response to the regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons. A presidency….
US evacuates non-essential staff from Beirut mission
9/6/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States Friday was evacuating non-essential staff from its Beirut embassy, and urging Americans to avoid all travel to Lebanon as well as southern Turkey as it mulls strikes in neighboring Syria.”The Department of State has ordered a drawdown of non-emergency US government personnel and family members in Beirut, Lebanon and approved the drawdown of non-emergency personnel and family members who….
UN draws up emergency plan for Syria strike
9/6/2013 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — UN agencies have drawn up emergency plans for a military strike on Syria but are determined to keep delivering aid in the stricken country, a top UN official said Friday.”We continue to update and look at our contingency planning” in case the numbers of refugees fleeing Syria rises, UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said after a trip to Damascus. The United….
AlJazeera
Israeli police clash with Palestinians
AlJazeera 6 Sep 2013 – Police fire stun grenades to disperse hundreds of protesters in al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem.
Israel Forces Palestinian to Demolish his Own House in Al-Quds
Palestine News Network
IOF Restricts Movement for 13,000 Palestinians due to Jewish Holiday
Palestine News Network
Films in Venice Portray Hope and Hurdles for Israeli-Palestinian Ties
Palestine News Network
An International Muslim’s Experience of Racism at the Ben Gurion Airport
Palestine News Network
US Strike on Syria to be ‘Significantly Larger Than Expected’, says Report
Palestine News Network
U.S.: Kerry, Palestinian President Abbas Meet Monday in London
Palestine News Network
PCHR Organizes International Criminal Law Moot Court Competition for Second Year
Palestine News Network
occupied Palestinian territory: Socio-Economic & Food Security Survey 2012: West Bank and Gaza Strip, August 2013
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization Country: occupied Palestinian territory The Socio-Economic and Food Security (SEFSec) survey is a joint effort between the Palestinian Central Bureau…
occupied Palestinian territory: Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem – Report by the Secretary-General (A/HRC/24/30)
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – Source: UN Human Rights Council Country: occupied Palestinian territory Human Rights Council Twenty-fourth session Agenda items 2 and 7 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and…
Souvenirs a cut above the rest
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Qatari swords on display at Adihex.
More than half of G20 supports ‘strong response’ against Assad
The National 6 Sep 2013 – US administration officials say joint statement by 11 countries shows support of Barack Obama’s move towards targeted strikes. Omar Karmi reports
Sushmita Banerjee’s adventurous life cut short in Afghanistan
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Nearly two decades ago, Indian author Sushmita Banerjee made a daring escape from the Taliban. But this week she was found dead outside her Afghanistan home, shot 25 times. Suryatapa Bhattacharya reports
Dubai Metro’s Red and Green lines to be extended
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Red and Green line set for expansion, according to Roads and Transport Authority.
Six-metre long sword wows crowds
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Weapon weighs 180kg and is encrusted with gems
Even under threat, Bavarian State Orchestra says show must go on
The National 6 Sep 2013 – A militant group promises that if the show in Kashmir takes place ‘we will target foreign tourists’ and hold Germany’s ambassador to India responsible. Samanth Subramanian reports from New Delhi
Protests in Egypt amid reports Brotherhood NGO under threat
The National 6 Sep 2013 – At least two people die in clashes that erupt during protests in Alexandria. Alice Fordham reports from Cairo
Cyclists fear for their safety
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Many cyclists in Dubai have expressed their feelings about the lack of safety while cycling on the roads.
App brings new way to protect consumers
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Residents welcome new app that makes it easier to complain about consumer issues.
Emirates Red Crescent continues to aid Syrian refugees
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Emirates Red Crescent has given more than Dh65m in aid to Syrian refugees since January 2012.
Brothers spread the word in Dubai
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Cafe offers hard-to-find magazines from around the world.
Red Crescent to keep watch over girls hurt by Syria bomb
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Syrian sisters, badly injured in civil war, are being cared for by UAE donors.
School dinners go from sinners to winners to cut childhood obesity
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Sweets are being swapped for fruit for pupils in Sharjah
Video: The Miz is back in Abu Dhabi
The National 5 Sep 2013 – WWE wrestling superstar The Miz met his thrilled UAE fans at a meet and greet in the capital. Mike Mizanin, was on his third visit in two years to Abu Dhabi, this time to promote the upcoming WWE Live tour on October 10 -12, 2013. Produced by Mariam Al Nuaimi
Netherlands liable for Muslim deaths at Srebrenica: court
The National 6 Sep 2013 – The Dutch state is liable for the deaths of three Bosnian Muslims who were expelled from a UN compound at Srebrenica in 1995 and subsequently murdered, the supreme court ruled
UAE Triathlon champion killed after being hit by drunk driver near Dubai’s Safa Park
The National 6 Sep 2013 – A Dubai Police statement says Roy Nasr, a 49-year-old Lebanese expatriate and TriDubai co-founder, was killed after being hit by a drunk driver this morning.
Egypt government dissolves Muslim Brotherhood NGO
The National 6 Sep 2013 – Egypt’s army-backed government has dissolved the Muslim Brotherhood as a registered non-governmental organisation, the state-run Al Akhbar newspaper reports.
US and UK spy agencies have cracked most online encryption
The National 6 Sep 2013 – The National Security Agency, working with the British government, has secretly been unraveling encryption technology that billions of internet users rely upon to keep their electronic messages and confidential data safe.
Video: Syria the main course on G20 menu
The National 5 Sep 2013 – Tensions between the U.S. and Russia continue at G20 summit with no sign of accord on Syria.
Video: Car bombs kill at least two in Kirkuk, Iraq
The National 5 Sep 2013 – At least 2 people are killed and 19 others wounded in two separate car bomb attacks in Iraq’s Kirkuk city.
U.S. envoy says military strike on Syria ‘the only remaining option’
Ha’aretz – 6 Sep 2013
Dutch engineering giant cancels East Jerusalem project
Ha’aretz – 6 Sep 2013
At least 15 arrested as Palestinians, police clash at Temple Mount
Ha’aretz – 6 Sep 2013
Iran doesn’t deny the Holocaust, Iranian foreign minister tweets
Ha’aretz – 6 Sep 2013
‘Unfolding human disaster’ warrants boycott of Russia’s Olympics, says activist
Ha’aretz – 5 Sep 2013
IAEA is looking into Russian warning on Syria nuclear site
Jerusalem Post 6 Sep 2013 – Moscow calls on UN nuclear watchdog to assess risk of hit to Syrian research reactor that contains radioactive uranium.
Report: Egypt decides to dissolve Brotherhood NGO
Jerusalem Post 6 Sep 2013 – Move is mostly symbolic, there has been no attempt to ban the Brotherhood’s political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party.
As Obama continues pushing for strike on Syria, US evacuates embassies in Lebanon, Turkey
Jerusalem Post 6 Sep 2013 – US State Department evacuates non-emergency personnel from embassies citing threats to US government facilities, personnel.
European countries plan ‘last resort’ Syrian peace initiative
Jerusalem Post 6 Sep 2013 – Initiative calls for Assad’s resignation, interim gov’t in Syria.
Report: US strike on Syria to be ‘significantly larger than expected’
Jerusalem Post 6 Sep 2013 – ABC News: US is planning an aerial strike in addition to a salvo of Tomahawk missiles from Navy destroyers; New York Times : Obama ordered expansion of list of targets following reports Assad moved troops, equipment.
Kerry portrait of Syria rebels at odds with intelligence reports
Jerusalem Post 6 Sep 2013 – While the radical Islamists among the rebels may not be numerically superior to more moderate fighters, Islamist groups like the al-Qaida-aligned Nusra Front are better organized, armed and trained.
Report: US intercepts Iranian order to attack American interests in response to Syria strike
Jerusalem Post 5 Sep 2013 – Tehran orders Shi’te allies to strike US targets in Iraq.
Syria crisis ‘splits’ G20 – live updates
The Guardian 6 Sep 2013 – Follow live updates as Syria continues to divide world leaders at the G20 summit Matthew Weaver
Syria crisis: Obama joins world leaders for Syria talks at G20 dinner – as it happened
The Guardian 5 Sep 2013 – • David Cameron says lab tests confirm sarin use in Syria • Obama team presses for votes in divided Congress • Read the latest summary Matthew Weaver Tom McCarthy
French intelligence: ‘Massive use of chemical agents’ in Syria – live blog
The Guardian 5 Sep 2013 – President Barack Obama continues his efforts to persuade Congress that the US should take military action against Syria Haroon Siddique Ben Quinn
Syria crisis: US Senate panel votes to authorize force on eve of G20 summit – as it happened
The Guardian 4 Sep 2013 – Follow live updates as Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin warns the west against military action without UN approval and France’s National Assembly debates the issue Matthew Weaver Tom McCarthy Guardian readers
Syria Crisis Yet to Derail Iran Nuclear Talks
IPS Even with potential U.S. strikes against Iranian ally Syria looming, Washington and Tehran appear to be preparing for the resumption of nuclear talks. U.S. foreign policy analysts have been bustling since the Aug. 4 inauguration of Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, who may have ushered in a new era of Iranian…
Syria Strike Set to Overshadow G20 Summit
IPS World leaders from G20 are meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, amid sharp differences over possible U.S. military action against Syria in response to what the U.S. administration calls a deadly chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government. Thursday’s summit comes hours after a U.S. Senate panel voted to give President…
[Uruknet 100681 06-sep-2013 23:21 ECT] Military Resistance 11I4 the Generals Fear Disobedience
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Militants attacked a U.S. base in Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan on Monday, setting off bombs, torching vehicles and shutting down a key road used by foreign supply trucks, officials said. Over a hundred trucks…
[Uruknet 100680 06-sep-2013 23:04 ECT] U.N. counts 52 corpses after violence at Iranian dissident camp in Iraq
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – A U.N. team said on Tuesday it had counted 52 bodies in a makeshift morgue at an Iranian dissident camp, most with gunshot wounds and some with their hands tied, two days after violence that it…
[Uruknet 100679 06-sep-2013 22:48 ECT] Danon: Likud Will Kick Out Any Lawmaker Who Backs Interim Deal with Palestinians
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 -Israel s Deputy Defense Minister, Danny Danon, said on Tuesday that the Likud would not permit any of its lawmakers to support an interim agreement with the Palestinians, The Jerusalem Post Israeli newspaper reported. Danon, one of…
[Uruknet 100678 06-sep-2013 22:37 ECT] Gaza Strip: Attacks in the border areas and their consequences
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Following disengagement from the Gaza Strip in September 2005, Israel unilaterally and illegally established a so-called “buffer zone”, an area prohibited to Palestinians along the land and sea borders of the Gaza Strip. The precise area…
[Uruknet 100677 06-sep-2013 22:23 ECT] The spectre of Iraq
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 -When commentators claimed after last week s parliamentary vote that Iraq had played a key role in motivating MPs to vote against military intervention, it was an important public acknowledgment of the ongoing disaster wrought by US-UK…
[Uruknet 100676 06-sep-2013 22:17 ECT] Assad Speaks: “The Only Way To Deal With Them Is To Annihilate Them”
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said there is no longer hope for a political solution to the conflict in Syria and that the only way to deal with the rebels challenging his leadership “is to annihilate…
[Uruknet 100675 06-sep-2013 19:22 ECT] The price of dignity (part two): The destruction of Libya
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – …At a distance of two years, now Libya is destroyed, divided and corrupted. It is not the Country it was before the war. The rebellious militias have never been loose and fought against each other and…
[Uruknet 100674 06-sep-2013 19:16 ECT] Gloves Come Off: Israel Lobby Goes All-In for Syrian Intervention, While New York Times Self-Censors
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Today s the day I knew was coming. Despite the fact that Jodi Rudoren mistakenly said that the Lobby would maintain radio-silence about Obama s plan to strike Syria, I knew she was wrong. And she…
[Uruknet 100673 06-sep-2013 19:10 ECT] What Syria Means for Egypt: Pro-Assad Mood Marks Return of Arab Nationalism
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – …The prospect of U.S. strikes against Syria is further stoking a surge of militaristic nationalism that has gripped a large portion of Egyptian society since the armed forces removed Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated President Mohamed Morsi from power…
[Uruknet 100672 06-sep-2013 18:52 ECT] BDS South Africa condemns anti-Jewish song
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Palestine solidarity activists in South Africa have condemned an incident in which several protestors sang a traditional struggle sung, but replaced the lyric “shoot the farmer” with words which translate into English as “shoot the Jew.” “…
[Uruknet 100671 06-sep-2013 17:07 ECT] Displacing Palestinian memory in schools
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 -According to Dr Saeb Erekat, Israel is seeking to further the displacement of Palestinian memory by forcing Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem to alter the curriculum in a manner consistent with Israel s hegemonic narrative. While the…
[Uruknet 100670 06-sep-2013 17:03 ECT] Apartheid relived: Israeli laws conjure-up uncomfortable memories of South Africa
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – On Jerusalem Day, which commemorates the illegal annexation of East Jerusalem to Israel, a young Jewish settler was asked if his country is an apartheid state. His reply was both illuminating and misguided: “How can Israel…
[Uruknet 100669 06-sep-2013 16:45 ECT] Secret Interrogation Tapes Should Be Public, Attorneys Argue
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013, New York – Today, in a case filed on behalf of the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), attorneys argued that video recordings of CCR client Mohammed al Qahtani at Guantanamo Bay should be released to the public…
[Uruknet 100668 06-sep-2013 16:16 ECT] Who Used Sarin in Syria?
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – One of the most ridiculous stories to come out along these lines in recent days has been this tale spun by two writers for MintPress. They have published a story claiming interviews in which rebel fighters…
[Uruknet 100667 06-sep-2013 14:58 ECT] Occupied Bodies: Israel is withholding the bodies of war victims
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013- Since 1967 Israel has maintained an unofficial policy of detaining Palestinian and Arab war victims in mass graves and cemeteries. Today at last 348 bodies are held prisoner by the
Israeli government their families unable to retrieve…
[Uruknet 100666 06-sep-2013 14:42 ECT] Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange: our new heroes
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – We all remember President Obama s smiling face, full of hope and trust, in his first campaign: “Yes, we can!” – we can get rid of the cynicism of the Bush era and bring justice and…
[Uruknet 100664 06-sep-2013 14:37 ECT] A Detailed Summary Of The Evidence On Munitions Linked To The August 21st Attacks
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Since the August 21st alleged chemical attack in Damascus, I ve been working to gather as much evidence as possible relating to the attack, and sharing it on this blog. This post acts to summarise the…
[Uruknet 100663 06-sep-2013 14:30 ECT] A humiliating start to my first tour of Palestine
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Even now, more than five days after crossing the formidable walls of Erez, I am still unable to let go of the weight of my first-ever glimpse into Palestine (outside Gaza). The experience of the crossing…
[Uruknet 100662 06-sep-2013 14:21 ECT] (Dis)integration: Palestinian Refugees in the Syrian Civil War
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – …From the beginning, Syria s Palestinian community was a principal, if involuntary, actor in the unfolding drama of the uprising. In the early stages of the conflict, the Palestinian community at large attempted to maintain neutrality,…
[Uruknet 100661 06-sep-2013 14:13 ECT] Three dead in Qalandiya offer reminders of Lina Al Nabulsi s tragic death
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Scheduled peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians – some of the first following a three-year stalemate – are now under threat of being halted following the death of three Palestinian protesters at the Qalandiya Refugee Camp…
[Uruknet 100660 06-sep-2013 14:10 ECT] Israeli forces arrest cancer patient
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – Sepember 3, 2013 — An Israeli undercover unit arrested on Tuesday a man who suffers from cancer in Abu Dis village east of Jerusalem. Huthaifa Bader, 22, was arrested after Israeli forces entered the village in a truck and a…
[Uruknet 100659 06-sep-2013 14:07 ECT] Oslo 20 years later: The origins and dangers of security zones
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 3, 2013 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regularly declares that in any agreement with the Palestinians, “security zones” – code for large settlement blocs and the “Jordan Valley” – will remain under Israeli sovereignty. But what is the…
[Uruknet 100658 06-sep-2013 13:39 ECT] Syria News – September 2 , 2013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Relief Web 6 Sep 2013 – September 2 , 2013 – By the end of Monday the cordination committees were able to document 107 martyrs includings 4 women, 9 children, 1 under torture: 63 Martyrs were reported in Damascus and its suburbs; 16 in Aleppo; 9 in…
Tunisia union pushes concessions to end deadlock
Daily Star 6 Sep 2013 Tunisia’s powerful labour movement on Friday urged the country’s Islamist-led government to make “painful” concessions to end a stalemate over its rule after talks with secular opposition failed to break the deadlock.
Only the wind and waves aboard Lebanon’s sailboats
Daily Star 6 Sep 2013 Criss Gibran saw the first sailboat of his life in Lebanon as he was driving to university more than 20 years ago.
Films in Venice portray hope, hurdles for Israeli-Palestinian ties
Daily Star 6 Sep 2013 In Amos Gitai’s film Ana Arabia, which premiered in Venice this week, a Palestinian whose late wife was an Auschwitz survivor and Muslim convert treks to Arab cities to find a dentist instead of going to…
Report: Brazil’s cooperation with Israeli violations of international law and human rights?
Stop The Wall – Palestinian Grassroots Anti-apartheid Wall Campaign Stop the Wall Campaign and the Palestinian Federation in Brazil – FEPAL have today released a report on the Bilateral Cooperation in Research and Industrial Development between Brazil and Israel. (See below.) We argue that beyond legitimizing and sustaining Israeli policies, the cooperation program risks…
TA: Police finds bottles, clothes in suspicious bag
YNet News, 6 Sep 2013 – ….
US exempts EU nations from Iran oil sanctions
YNet News, 6 Sep 2013 – ….
Police detain suspect near US embassy in Tel Aviv
YNet News, 6 Sep 2013 – ….
Kuwait emir to visit White House to discuss Middle East
YNet News, 6 Sep 2013 – ….
Have a green year
YNet News, 6 Sep 2013 – Op-ed: Discussion surrounding Lapid’s joint misses the point; ban on recreational use of marijuana is absurd ….
Venezuelan Jews: New year, new home
YNet News, 6 Sep 2013 – Jewish community in Miami suburb of Aventura resembles very much one Jews left behind in Caracas, after fleeing government of late President Hugo Chavez. ‘We passed the tradition from there to here,’ one of them says as she prepares for Rosh Hashana ….
Report: Turkey-Israel normalization talks underway
YNet News, 5 Sep 2013 – Turkish official says talks to end diplomatic crisis are to yield results soon. ‘I do not see any political obstacle standing in the way of normalization,’ official says ….
Iran’s Foreign Ministry to lead nuclear talks with world powers
YNet News, 5 Sep 2013 – Rohani hands authority over nuclear talks to Foreign Ministry, suggesting more compromising approach. ‘This hardly ensures a deal, but it does suggest Iran will engage in earnest diplomacy,’ analyst says ….
Video shows two men firing RPGs at ship transiting Suez Canal
YNet News, 5 Sep 2013 – Though not verified, video posted on YouTube features two men firing rocket-propelled grenades at ship that was attacked Saturday in Suez Canal ….
Massive traffic accident hits UK: 130 cars collide
YNet News, 5 Sep 2013 – Thick fog in northern Kent district causes huge crash. Dozens injured, eight in serious condition ….
Syrian rebels fight army near Christian village
YNet News, 5 Sep 2013 – Al-Qaeda linked rebels fight against Assad’s troop at ancient Christian village of Maaloula, which is on UNESCO list of tentative world heritage sites ….
Israelis storm parks on Rosh Hashana
YNet News, 5 Sep 2013 – Day after holiday dinner Israelis take to nature and to barbecuing. ‘We wish for world peace, at least domestic peace,’ say two picnickers ….
Egypt’s interior minister survives bomb attack
YNet News, 5 Sep 2013 – Mohamed Ibrahim’s convoy attacked in Cairo’s Nasr City district; minister unharmed, but at least 10 injured. Meanwhile, Egyptian army fights Sinai militants ….
Iran’s Rohani tweets Rosh Hashana blessing
YNet News, 5 Sep 2013 – Moderate-leaning president posts Shana Tova to ‘all Jews, especially Iranian Jews’ on Tweeter, together with photo of man praying. ‘He believes in equal rights,’ says expert ….
Palestinian Information Center
IOF quells West Bank peaceful marches injuring dozens of protestors
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) suppressed the peaceful weekly marches of the West Bank staged in solidarity with the prisoners and the Egyptian and Syrian peoples..
Interior Ministry discovers a plot that aims to create chaos in Gaza
PIC – Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza said that it discovered a plot against the Strip that targets political figures and aims to stir up unrest..
IOF storms Aqsa Mosque after Friday prayers and fire tear gas grenades
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque after Friday prayers and fired tear gas and stun grenades.
Resistance factions in Gaza Strip organize a military parade
PIC – Hundreds of resistance factions’ elements in the Gaza Strip took part in a military parade on Friday morning in the northern Gaza Strip, to display their readiness to confront any aggression..
PA’s apparatuses arrest six Hamas affiliates and summon three others
PIC – Palestinian Authority security apparatuses arrested six citizens from the West Bank, and summoned three others for interrogation, on charges of their affiliation with the Hamas Movement.
PLC: Negotiations have become one of the PA’s constants
PIC – The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) condemned the PA decision to resume absurd talks that provide a cover for Israeli crimes, settlement and Judaization schemes..
Popular anger over PA forces’ use of live fire against Palestinian citizens
PIC – Opening fire against Palestinian citizens by PA forces has caused high tensions among Palestinians in the West Bank especially after the martyrdom of Amjad Odeh from Nablus by PA forces’ live bullet.
Hamas denounces closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque
PIC – Hamas movement renewed its rejection of the Israeli occupation decision to close the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil, saying that it is a serious crime that would not succeed to blur its identity.
IOF storms Silwan, clashes in Sawwanah neighborhood
PIC – Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) stormed on Thursday Wadi Hilweh neighborhood in Silwan town, in an attempt to arrest a number of Palestinian youths.
El-Zaza: Gaza managed to withstand the siege
PIC – Ziad el-Zaza, the finance minister and deputy prime minister said that both the negative and positive developments in the Arab region have affected directly the Gaza strip..
European court voids EU sanctions against some Iranian firms
LA Times 6 Sep 2013 – LONDON — A regional court Friday struck down sanctions imposed by the European Union against several Iranian companies, dealing a blow to Western efforts to maintain economic pressure on Tehran over its controversial nuclear program.
U.S. draws down diplomatic presence in Lebanon and Turkey
LA Times 6 Sep 2013 – BEIRUT — Citing unspecified possible threats to U.S. personnel, the State Department moved Friday to reduce its diplomatic presence in Lebanon and Turkey, two nations bordering war-torn Syria.
Some lawmakers still unswayed by case for Syria strike
LA Times 5 Sep 2013 – After a Capitol briefing, those opposed to authorizing use of force to punish Syria say they are unconvinced that a strike is the right course of action. WASHINGTON — A fierce lobbying effort by the White House and the support of congressional leaders for a…
Syrian rebels say they’ll pounce on Assad’s forces if U.S. attacks
LA Times 5 Sep 2013 – Syrian rebels say they’re planning a nationwide offensive in conjunction with anticipated U.S. missile strikes. CAIRO — Syrian rebel forces say they are planning a nationwide offensive in conjunction with anticipated U.S. strikes against the forces of President Bashar Assad, seeking to use U.S. military…
The Lede: Do You Understand Syria? Take Our Quiz
New York Times 6 Sep 2013 – The New York Times invites you to test your knowledge of the Syrian civil war and its effects across the region in this quiz.
Envoy Says Syria Inaction Would Give ‘Green Light to Outrages’
New York Times 6 Sep 2013 – Samantha Power, President Obama’s new envoy to the United Nations, warned that President Ba
shar al-Assad of Syria had barely put a dent in his chemical weapons stockpile
Listening Post: Photos Tell a Tale of Anguished Deliberations
New York Times 6 Sep 2013 – In the images of tense meetings in Washington, the faces and body language of the president’s men offer a guide to their conflicting opinions on Syria.
Crossing Deadly Landscapes, Refugees Reach Havens in Lebanon
New York Times 6 Sep 2013 – Families keep making the journey out of Syria to escape government forces, Islamist-ruled rebel areas, and now possible American missile strikes.
On Religion: High Holy Days, and Cantors Are on the Road Again
New York Times 6 Sep 2013 – Hundreds if not thousands of ordained cantors, seminary students and trained laity, crisscross the globe to serve congregations without full-time cantors.
Obama Stymied in Bid to Rally World Leaders on Syria Strike
New York Times 6 Sep 2013 – President Obama emerged from the Group of 20 summit meeting with a few international supporters, but other leaders urged him not to attack without United Nations backing.
U.S. Orders Nonessential Diplomats to Leave Lebanon
New York Times 6 Sep 2013 – The State Department order appeared to reflect concerns about possible strikes on American targets by Syrian government allies.
Israel Backs Limited Strike Against Syria
New York Times 6 Sep 2013 – Israel sees the enforcement of President Obama’s “red line” as essential to halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and seems to prefer an attack that would maintain the status quo without strengthening either side.
Skepticism and Wariness in Talk of Syria Attack
New York Times 5 Sep 2013 – As President Obama tries to rally domestic support for military action against Syria, the skepticism in Waynesburg, Pa., underscores the political hurdles he faces.
Pentagon Is Ordered to Expand Potential Targets in Syria With a Focus on Forces
New York Times 5 Sep 2013 – The Obama administration is now talking about using aircraft to strike specific targets, as intelligence indicates the Syrian government has moved troops and equipment.
McCain Plays iPhone Poker While Advocating That Damascus Burns
Tikun Olam – John McCain’s losing hand of iPhone poker I was infuriated by the goading tone of John McCain’s questioning of Obama officials during yesterday’s Senate hearing on military intervention in Syria. His goal went far beyond supporting such an attack. He tried to shame Kerry and Hegel…
Rosh Hashanah 5774
Tikun Olam – Given the fateful events happening right now in Syria and Egypt and the possibility for similar ones happening in Iran later in the year, it seems hollow to wish everyone a peaceful, prosperous New Year. But hope springs eternal and the leaders of the world may…
Anti-war groups press their case to halt impending Syria attack
Mondoweiss – Members of Code Pink sit in on a Senate hearing on Syria. Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press. Anti-war groups are mobilizing across the country at breakneck speed to halt an impending attack on Syria. While President Barack Obama and Israel lobby groups are flooding Congress…
Will Obama strike without congressional or UN approval?
Mondoweiss – There was a fancy dinner at a palace in St Petersberg last night where attendees of the G20 summit jostled over audience appeal for a strike on Syria. “ Clear split ” was the verdict of one attendee, but I doubt if it was down the…
Rep. Alan Grayson: ‘[AIPAC] falls to the wayside when the public weighs in’
Mondoweiss – Another sign the lobby has bitten off more than it can chew. Congressmember Alan Grayson has taken a high profile position against a U.S. attack on Syria. In addition to making the cable television rounds , his office is running a petition at dontattacksyria.com that has already…
AIPAC on an island: ‘Politico’ report says Israel lobby alone in pushing for war in Syria
Mondoweiss – Screenshot of the AIPAC.org homepage, September 6, 2013. AIPAC is planning to go “ all out ” to push for a U.S. attack on Syria, but according to reports in Politico it appears they will be doing it alone. Rep. Alan Grayson, who has been leading…
Israel Happy But Wary of Iran’s Rosh Hashana Greeting
The Foward Breaking News 6 Sep 2013 – Israelis reacted with a mixture of pleasant surprise and wary scepticism on Friday to reports that the new Iranian president and his foreign minister had both issued greetings to mark the Jewish New Year. Click here for the rest of the article…
AIPAC Plans ‘All-Out’ Push for Syria Vote
The Foward Breaking News 6 Sep 2013 – AIPAC is putting its bodies where its mouth is on Syria. The pro-Israel group, having backed President Obama’s push to authorize military strikes against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, plans to dispatch more than 250 leaders and activists to lobby Congress starting early next week. Click…
Jewish Democrat Alan Grayson Says Syria Measure Doomed in House of Representative
The Foward Breaking News 5 Sep 2013 – Rep. Alan Grayson, a liberal Jewish Democrat, is planning to vote against President Obama’s proposal to authorize intervention in Syria — and predicts the measure will fail by a wide margin in the House of Representatives. Click here for the rest of the art
icle…
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat Faces Tough Reelection Fight
The Forward New 6 Sep 2013 – Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat won election five years ago on a platform of reducing ultra-Orthodox power in the holy city. As he faces reelection, the political terrain has only gotten trickier. Click here for the rest of the article…
Africa: Give UN Chance on Syria, Says South Africa
allAfrica.com 6 Sep 2013 – [SAPA]Pretoria -United Nations inspectors dispatched to Syria must be given the opportunity to conclude their assessment on the use of chemical weapons, Deputy International Relations Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim said on Friday.
Africa: Africa’s Silence On Syria Is a Missed Opportunity to Exert Regional Influence
allAfrica.com 6 Sep 2013 – [ISS]The relative silence by the African Union (AU) and its member states on allegations that the Syrian government or one of the various opposition groups have been using chemical weapons in the war that is gripping that country, represents another missed opportunity in the continent’s quest…
South Africa: What Lessons After Failure of Citizens’ Action in Syria, Egypt?
allAfrica.com 6 Sep 2013 – [SACSIS]Fazila Farouk of SACSIS talks to Na’eem Jeenah of the Afro-Middle East Centre about developments in the Middle East, particularly, given the threat of external military intervention looming over Syria and the undoing of the Egyptian revolution, where a military coup has unseated a democratically elected…
Egypt: Qatar, UAE Condemn Targeting Interior Minister’s Convoy
allAfrica.com 6 Sep 2013 – [Egypt Online]An official source at the Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed Qatar’s condemnation and denunciation of the assassination attempt against the Egyptian interior minister on Thursday 05/09/2013.
Palestinian civil society congratulates new foreign minister of Brazil and demands suspension of Brazil-Israel funding project
Global BDS 6 Sep 2013 – On the eve of Brazilian Independence Day, a major Palestinian civil society coalition has called on Brazil to abandon a $35m development collaboration project with Israel during a meeting with Paulo França, the Brazilian consul in Ramallah. The delegation form the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions…
Russia and US no closer on Syria
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – As the G20 summit concludes in St Petersburg, speeches by key leaders lay bare the bitter divisions over military action in Syria.
US orders personnel to leave Lebanon
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – The US state department orders non-emergency US government personnel to leave Lebanon and approves voluntary evacuation from southern Turkey.
EU court annuls block on Iran firms
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – The EU’s top court rules that the EU should unfreeze the assets of seven Iranian banks and other businesses hit by sanctions.
‘No decision’ on Brotherhood status
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – Egypt’s government denies state media reports that the social solidarity ministry has decided to revoke the Muslim Brotherhood’s legal status.
The American Jewish Cocoon
Sabbah report 6 Sep 2013 – Speak to American Jews long enough about Israel and you begin to notice something. The conversation may begin with Israel, but it rarely ends there. It usually ends with “them.” Read More: The American Jewish Cocoon . Sign up for our free newsletter!
Yes, Syria and Hezbollah Will Hit Israel if US Strikes
Al-Akhbar Blogs 6 Sep 2013 – Informed insiders have confirmed that Syria and Hezbollah plan to retaliate against Israel in the event of an American-led military attack on Syria. Says one: “if even one US missile hits Syria, we will take this battle to Israel.” An official who spoke to me on…
Lebanon: Bosses Debate Next Step After Strike
Al-Akhbar News 6 Sep 2013 – The owners of the major corporations, as well as those active in the tourism sector, took the hardest line, arguing for additional steps. (Photo: Marwan Bu Haidar) The owners of the major corporations, as well as those active in the tourism sector, took the hardest line,…
Israeli police fire rubber bullets, tear gas at Palestinian worshippers in Jerusalem
Al-Akhbar News 6 Sep 2013 – Israeli riot police attack Palestinians following Friday prayers at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound on 6 September 2013. (Photo: AFP – Ahmad Gharabli) Israeli police attacked Palestinian worshippers with rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades after Friday prayers in Jerusalem’s Old City, injuring 55 people, local…
Detained Lebanese in Nigeria Plead Their Case
Al-Akhbar News 6 Sep 2013 – Naturally, the damage has not been limited to the three Lebanese, but affected the whole Lebanese community. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Naturally, the damage has not been limited to the three Lebanese, but affected the whole Lebanese community. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) The Lebanese community in Nigeria is…
Egypt Army Demolishes Homes in Rafah, Threatens to Expel Residents
Al-Akhbar News 6 Sep 2013 – An Egyptian policeman stands guard near the scene of a bomb that targeted the convoy of Egyptian Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim in Cairo on 5 September 2013.(Photo: AFP – Gianluigi Guercia) An Egyptian policeman stands guard near the scene of a bomb that targeted the convoy…
US urges citizens to leave Lebanon
Al-Akhbar News 6 Sep 2013 – The United States on Friday said it ev
acuated its embassy in Beirut of “non-emergency personnel” because of alleged “threats” against it, and urged all the US citizens in the country to leave. “On September 6 2013, the Department of State drew down non-emergency personnel and family…
Syrian Parliament urges US Congress to reject war vote
Al-Akhbar News 6 Sep 2013 – The head of Syria’s parliament has urged the US Congress to vote against attacking their country, state news agency SANA said on Friday. “We urge you not to take reckless measures as you have the power to steer the United States from the path of war…
Geagea Fights for Prestige in the Era of Prince Bandar
Al-Akhbar Politics 5 Sep 2013 – Sources close to decision-making circles in Saudi say that Geagea has fallen down the list of priorities for the Saudis in Lebanon. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) Sources close to decision-making circles in Saudi say that Geagea has fallen down the list of priorities for the Saudis in…
Lebanon: New Order Grips the Progressive Youth Organization
Al-Akhbar Politics 5 Sep 2013 – However, several PSP members maintain that Jumblatt plays a major role in keeping it as it is. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) However, several PSP members maintain that Jumblatt plays a major role in keeping it as it is. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) The Progressive Socialist Party is confusing….
Saudi-Egyptian Relations: Fault Lines of a Future Conflict
Al-Akhbar Politics 5 Sep 2013 – In this handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency, Bahrain Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa (L) meets with Egypt’s interim president Adly Mansour (R) on 2 September 2013 in Cairo. (Photo: AFP -EGYPTIAN PRESIDENCY) In this handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency,…
Russia and US no closer on Syria
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – As the G20 summit concludes in St Petersburg, speeches by key leaders lay bare the bitter divisions over military action in Syria.
US orders personnel to leave Lebanon
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – The US state department orders non-emergency US government personnel to leave Lebanon and approves voluntary evacuation from southern Turkey.
EU court annuls block on Iran firms
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – The EU’s top court rules that the EU should unfreeze the assets of seven Iranian banks and other businesses hit by sanctions.
‘No decision’ on Brotherhood status
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – Egypt’s government denies state media reports that the social solidarity ministry has decided to revoke the Muslim Brotherhood’s legal status.
Iran minister sends tweet to Jews
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif confirms to a local news agency he tweeted a happy new year message to Jews.
Syria rebels withdraw from Maaloula
BBC 6 Sep 2013 – Syrian rebels have withdrawn after briefly entering an ancient Christian town of Maaloula, north of Damascus, the main opposition alliance says.
Articles
Addressing the impact of settler violence
Ramona Wadi, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 9/6/2013
The non-governmental organization Médecins du Monde (MdM) has embarked upon a project to address the ramifications of settler violence in Palestine. The project endeavours to manage the violence by providing various forms of aid to Palestinians living in Nablus, after discovering a high incidence of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder among Palestinian victims of terror. The organization is also training professionals to work in health, welfare and educational facilities, in an attempt to raise collective awareness and facilitate access to resources for victims and their families.
According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), settler violence in Nablus increased considerably during the first months of 2013, when compared to the same period in 2012. Besides the aggression resulting from building settlements – a process though which Palestinians are forcibly displaced and deprived of their basic human rights, including freedom of movement – attacks by Jewish settlers upon Palestinian civilians have become a common occurrence that the Israeli government is reluctant to address. Settlers are given an unprecedented impunity owing to the political centrality of the settlement issue and its effect upon Jewish demography.
With the current government in Israel including leaders from the settler movement, the increase in settler violence is directly correlated to the policy of further expansion and the hatred incited by the government against Palestinians. Privileging settlement construction, implemented by the government and advocated by the likes of Naftali Bennett, automatically shields settlers from persecution for their violent crimes. When the Palestinians defend themselves, they are then blamed for the violence because the settlers automatically enjoy state privilege due to their importance in maintaining a demographic majority – through immigration, expansion, vandalism, destruction, abuse and violence. more.. e-mail
Documenting life and struggle from within: Bil’in photographer publishes first book
Haggai Matar, +972 Magazine 9/6/2013
Seeing his cousin being shot and killed by soldiers while protesting non-violently drove Hamde Abu-Rahma to photojournalism. Four years later his first book, ‘Roots Run Deep’, documenting life in Bil’in and occupied Palestine, has been published. The picture outside his window still looks grim but Abu-Rahma insists on smiling.
Hamde Abu-Rahma, 26, is probably the most cheerful person in Bil’in. Not just now, celebrating his new book, but always. Anyone visiting this tiny village, which after eight and a half years of ongoing resistance long ago become a symbol for the popular struggle against the wall and settlements, is bound to run into Abu-Rahma, who seems bound to have a regular smile on his face just as he is sure to be carrying his camera around. Like many in the village, Abu-Rahma has been involved in protests against the occupation from a very young age, but it was not until soldiers shot dead his cousin Bassem Abu-Rahma at a demonstration that he decided to also take up the role of photojournalist.
“As far as I’m concerned I’m still more of an activist than a journalist, if you can at all put a line between the two,” Abu-Rahma says while getting his camera, helmet, “PRESS”-labeled bullet proof vest and the rest of his gear together at home, facing another Friday demonstration. “Anyway, it’s not like the soldiers really care. They shoot towards people who are clearly marked as journalists as well. Just two weeks ago I was standing alone with another photographer and they simply started firing tear gas at us. We yelled at them to stop but it didn’t work.”
In his book, Abu-Rahma brings a photographed account of the popular struggle, army attacks on demonstrators and night raids, but also pictures and short stories from day-to-day life in the village and the effects of the wall on people around the West Bank. “I felt it was important to publish this book so that people who still think of Israel as a democracy would see what it does to unarmed protestors and perhaps reconsiders their stance. But I also don’t want people to think that Bil’in or Palestine is only about demonstrations and violence. There are people living their lives here just like anywhere else and I’m trying to give a taste of this life. more.. e-mail
What happens when an IDF colonel overrules Israel’s High Court
Yesh Din, written by Yossi Gurvitz, +972 Magazine 9/5/2013
We’re pleased to introduce Col. Pinto, Commander of the IDF’s Binyamin Brigade, who holds a practical veto over decisions of the High Court of Justice.
Last month we reported that after a three-year sisyphic legal struggle, the IDF finally implemented a High Court of Justice order that Ali Shabana be allowed to access his land; and that the son of the owner, accompanied by a Yesh Din team, ploughed the land.
All’s well
that ends well? A proof that a dim legal dawn finally breaks through the mist? Not quite.
The settlers, as we reported, were not happy that we saved the poor man’s sheep, and a person called Nachman, who represented himself as the security officer of the outpost Givat Ha’Ro’eh, summoned the IDF forces. Two hours later, Colonel Yossi Pinto, Commander of the Binyamin Brigade, signed a Closed Military Zone order, which forbade the owners of the land from reaching it and effectively ordered the end of plowing by the owners. It’s important to note that Shabana had informed the military in advance – through the Palestinian District Coordination Office – about his arrival; we, for our part, informed the state attorneys.
So, basically Col. Pinto decided that a High Court of Justice ruling is something that can be toyed with; that the colonel’s opinion, after consulting with the outpost’s security officer, is easily more important than that of three High Court justices, since, well, they are civilians and he is in uniform. Col. Pinto admittedly removed the trees the settlers planted in the plot in order to steal Shabana’s land, as the court ordered, but no sooner had he carried the order out than he returned to his usual position, that of a settler collaborator, and undermined the spirit of the ruling, which was that the land should be returned to its owners so they could do with it as they please. It’s important to note that Pinto’s behavior isn’t exceptional; you could replace “Pinto” with basically the name of any brigade, division or regional commander in the West Bank.more.. e-mail
U.S. Jewish groups use Holocaust guilt to push for Syria strike
Mairav Zonszein, +972 Magazine 9/5/2013
A policy decision on American military action in Syria cannot be justified by an analogy between Syrian suffering under Assad and Jewish suffering during the Holocaust.
Two weeks after a chemical attack in Syria killed at least 1,400, including 400 children, and one week after U.S. President Obama announced he favors a limited military strike on Syria, mainstream American Jewish groups broke their silence Tuesday and expressed what they conveyed as unequivocal support for a strike.
As reported in Politico, AIPAC – the powerful Israel lobby known for being forthright on all issues related to American policy in the Middle East due to its mandate to protect Israeli security interests (i.e. recent backing of military in Egypt despite massacre of Muslim Brotherhood supporters), was eerily quiet following the Obama administration’s call for a strike. But on Tuesday, it issued a statement stating that, “simply put, barbarism on a mass scale must not be given a free pass.” It then made clear that its reasoning for backing a U.S. strike has to do with American policy on Iran:
“Our view is that if this vote goes down, it will be devastating to American credibility and send a very clear message to Iran that they can press the accelerator on moving forward with their program. At this point Assad and Hezbollah are merely franchises for Iran,” as The Daily Beast reported.
However, AIPAC was careful to make sure the word “Israel” was nowhere in the statement, which is peculiar for a lobby that proudly declares itself to be THE “pro-Israel” lobby. The reason, according to several reports, is that AIPAC and other major American Jewish groups wanted to make sure their support for a U.S. strike was seen as strictly in American interests, and not tied to Israeli interests – the fear being that if America does get embroiled in a war in Syria, as it did in Iraq in 2003, Americans will blame American Jews and Israel. more.. e-mail
The Month in Pictures: August 2013
Electronic Intifada: 5 Sep 2013 – A monthly roundup of photographs documenting Palestine, Palestinian life, politics and culture, and international solidarity with Palestine.more
A sanitized military occupation in Ziad Doueri’s facile film on suicide bombing
Electronic Intifada: 6 Sep 2013 – Even Shin Bet intelligence officers are presented as sympathetic in The Attack .more
Humanitarian Intervention
Dissident Voice: 6 Sep 2013 – With the announcement by the Obama administration that it intends to launch an attack on Syria in response to the chemical attack alleged to have been carried out by the Syrian government, the U.S. Administration has again assumed for itself the role of global “gendarme ,” policing, punishing, and as it’s drone warfare program demonstrates, even executing the natives of the global village at will. In its single-minded dedication to this global role, the Obama administration has also freed itself from the constraints of international law as the President shamelessly declared that he was “comfortable” operating outside of the global legal frameworks that the U.S. its
elf helped craft. How is it that the administration can announce to the world its intentions to circumvent, and by doing so, subvert international prohibitions on war? By wrapping itself in the false flag of humanitarian concerns for the suffering masses in Syria. President Obama,…more
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The New Dark Age 