27 October 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Settlers Burn Olive Saplings, Trees, South Of Bethlehem
IMEMC – [Sunday Morning October 27, 2013] A number of extremist Israeli settlers, burnt dozens of Palestinian olive saplings, and trees, that belong to residents of the Al-Khader town, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem. …
Israelis raze agricultural lands near Nablus to expand settlements
10/27/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli bulldozers razed Palestinian agricultural lands in the village of Jalud south of Nablus on Sunday morning, a Palestinian official said. Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settler activities in the northern West Bank, said that Israeli forces bulldozed the land due to their proximity to the two Israeli settlements of Shiloh and Shvut Rachel. Settlers had been bulldozing lands in the Ras….
Israeli forces damage Palestinian vehicles in Yabad, clashes ensue
10/27/2013 – JENIN (Ma’an) — Israeli forces damaged Palestinian vehicles during clashes early Sunday in the village of Yabad southwest of Jenin, locals told Ma’an. Witnesses said that Israeli soldiers drove through the village after midnight, spoke through a loudspeaker using offensive language and damaged at least two Palestinian vehicles. The vehicles belong to residents Ahmad Taher Zeid al-Kilani and Mohammad Hamarsheh, locals added….
Israeli forces assault Palestinian school bus driver near Hebron
10/27/2013 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces assaulted a Palestinian bus driver carrying students in the Masafer region east of Yatta in the southern West Bank early Sunday morning, a Palestinian official said. Ratib al-Jbour, the coordinator of the Popular and National Committees south of Hebron and east of Yatta, said that the Israeli forces stopped Mufid Abu Qbaiyta, 27, and beat him up while he….
Egypt closes Gaza crossing
10/27/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah land crossing for the second day in a row on Sunday, Palestinian officials said. The crossing was opened on Friday for Palestinian Hajj pilgrims. Palestinian officials at Rafah said that the Egyptian authorities informed them that the crossing would be closed on Sunday, however. On Friday, Egypt allowed 1,450 Palestinian Hajj pilgrims to return to….
Qassam Brigades member dies in tunnel accident in Rafah
10/27/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The military wing of Hamas, al-Qassam Brigades, announced Sunday that one of its members died in a tunnel accident in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. The military wing identified the man as 23-year-old Salih al-Bashiti. They added that the tunnel in which he died was used for military purposes. [END]
In photos: Palestinian olive harvest carries on centuries of tradition
10/27/2013 – Palestinians harvested their olives this week across the West Bank, continuing a long-standing annual Palestinian tradition despite ongoing hardships caused by settler attacks and the Israeli occupation. The Palestinian olive harvest season began in early October and will continue for the next week. Recently, Palestinians have come under attack by Israeli settlers around Hebron as well as in Qaryut and Jalud, both near Nablus. Ma….
Facebook users outraged as Israel army spokesman posts Fairuz video
10/27/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces Arabic public relations Spokesman Avichay Adraee posted a video by Lebanese singer Fairuz on his Facebook page Saturday, leading to a wave of angry and mocking comments by users in Arabic. Adraee posted a link to the video for the song, “I loved you in summer,” to mark the end of summer daylight savings time, and added, “with this….
Officials: Egyptian security forces detain dozens in Sinai
10/27/2013 – EL-ARISH (Ma’an) — Egyptian security forces Saturday detained dozens of suspects during a military campaign in Sinai, Egyptian officials told Ma’an. Security forces raided several Sinai villages in addition to areas in and around El-Arish, detaining suspects and confiscating weapons and property, officials said. In addition to seizing ammunition and explosives, officials added, security forces also confiscated cameras, mobile phones and laptops….
Militant group identifies Cairo suicide bomber as ex-major
10/27/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — A Wahhabi militant group has released a video of a suicide bombing in which an ex-major tried to kill Egypt’s interior minister, and police said was expelled from the army for his extremism. In the video posted on YouTube by the Sinai-based Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, Walid Badr can be seen explaining his motives before detonating a car bomb close to a….
19 Syria rebel groups reject Geneva talks
10/27/2013 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Nineteen Islamist groups fighting to topple President Bashar Assad have rejected outright a mooted US-Russian peace initiative for Syria dubbed Geneva 2, a statement said.”We announce that the Geneva 2 conference is not, nor will it ever be our people’s choice or our revolution’s demand,” the groups said in a late Saturday statement read in an online video….
Car bombs kill at least 30 in Baghdad area
10/27/2013 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — Nine car bombs exploded in Shiite-majority areas of Baghdad province on Sunday, killing at least 30 people and pushing the October death toll from Iraq violence past 620, officials said. The wave of blasts, which hit eight different areas in and around the Iraqi capital, also wounded more than 90 people, the security and medical officials said. One of the worst-hit neighborhoods was….
OPCW: Syria submitted chemical arms destruction plan on time
10/27/2013 – THE HAGUE (AFP) — Syria handed over a detailed plan to destroy its chemical stockpile on time, international watchdog OPCW said Sunday.”On 24 October 2013, the Syrian Arab Republic submitted to the OPCW its formal initial declaration covering its chemical weapons program,” the watchdog said in a statement, adding that Damascus had had until Sunday to do so. [END]
Roadside bomb kills 18 civilians in central Afghanistan
10/27/2013 – GHAZNI, Afghanistan (AFP) — A roadside bomb blast on Sunday killed at least 18 civilians, mostly women, as they were heading to a wedding party in central Afghanistan, provincial officials said.”A roadside bomb planted by the enemies of Afghanistan in Andar district of Ghazni province, has hit a civilian vehicle around 4:30 p. m. ,” Mosa Khan Akbarzada, Ghazni provincial governor, told AFP.”Unfortunately, we….
Spate of attacks in Iraq leaves 61 dead
10/27/2013 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — Ten bombings mainly targeting Shiite-majority areas of Baghdad province killed at least 41 people on Sunday, while 20 died in bombings and shootings elsewhere in Iraq, officials said. The attacks are the latest in a surge in violence that has killed over 650 people so far this month, and more than 5,350 this year. Nine blasts hit different areas in and around Baghdad….
Police: Saudi women fined for defying driving ban
10/27/2013 – RIYADH (AFP) — At least 16 Saudi women have received fines for taking the wheel on a day set by activists to defy the kingdom’s traditional ban on female driving, police and reports said Sunday. Only few women braved official threats of punishment and drove on Saturday in response to an online campaign headlined “Women’s driving is a choice.” “Police stopped six….
Syria rebel groups brand Geneva talks ‘treason’
10/27/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Powerful armed groups in Syria said attending peace talks or negotiating with the regime would be an act of betrayal, as fighting raged on Sunday near Iraq and in Homs. An international watchdog said, meanwhile, that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime handed over on time a detailed plan on destroying its chemical weapons stockpile. The move was in line with a….
Dubai opens sprawling second airport to passengers
10/27/2013 – DUBAI (AFP) — The Gulf emirate of Dubai on Sunday opened passenger operations at its second airport, Al-Maktoum International, touted to be the world’s largest once it is completed. A Wizz Air plane from Budapest was the first passenger aircraft to land at the sprawling new facility, and it was welcomed on the tarmac with a water cannon salute. Jazeera Airways, another low-cost carrier….
Iran’s Rouhani says ‘terrorists’ must be expelled from Syria
10/27/2013 – TEHRAN (AFP) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told visiting UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi Sunday that part of a solution to the Syria crisis is to expel”terrorist groups” from that country, a report said.” Iran believes that by continuing humanitarian aid, preventing the entry (and) expelling terrorist groups from Syria and the complete destruction of chemical weapons will be first important steps for achieving stable….
Iran Guards ‘kill three rebels’ in Kurdish region
10/27/2013 – TEHRAN (AFP) — A top commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said his forces killed three rebels and arrested three others in a western region that borders Iraqi Kurdistan, media reported on Sunday.” During clashes that took place Friday in the Baneh region, three members of a terrorist group were killed and two others were arrested,” Mehr news agency quoted Brigadier General Mohammad Hassan Rajabi….
Iran denies it has stopped enriching uranium to 20%
10/27/2013 – TEHRAN (AFP) — A senior Iranian official has denied reports the Islamic republic has temporarily stopped enriching uranium to the 20 percent level, the state news agency IRNA said on Saturday.”Iran’s nuclear activities are unchanged and enriching uranium to 20 percent continues,” IRNA quoted Alaeddin Boroujerdi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s influential foreign policy committee, as saying. Iran’s nuclear….
AlJazeera
Israel to release more Palestinian prisoners
AlJazeera 27 Oct 2013 – Twenty-six inmates to be freed in second stage of a deal brokered by the US in July, ahead of peace talks.
occupied Palestinian territory: Israel: Military Harassing Rights Group Staff
Relief Web 27 Oct 2013 – Source: Human Rights Watch Country: occupied Palestinian territory Recent Arrests, Travel Bans Compound Other Abuses (Jerusalem, October 27, 2013) – Israel ’s military should stop harassing members of Addameer, a rights group that provides legal services and advocates for the…
Bombings kill five at Indian opposition rally
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Series of crude bombs kill five people in the capital of Bihar state shortly before campaign rally by opposition party leader Narendra Modi.
Israel approves release of second batch of Palestinian prisoners
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Israel approved release of 26 Palestinian prisoners, the second batch to be freed since August under the terms of renewed US-brokered peace talks.
Lou Reed, rock icon, dies at 71
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Loud Reed, the punk-poet of rock-and-roll who profoundly influenced generations of musicians, has died aged 71.
Government change in Cairo a turning point, premier says on UAE visit
The National 27 Oct 2013 – No country will be permitted to threaten the security of the Arabian Gulf states, Egypt’s prime minister said on Sunday.
Iran’s secret night flights to arm Syria’s Assad revealed
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Iran provides military support to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad by way of regular clandestine flights between Tehran and Damascus. Special report by Phil Sands
Death toll in northern Lebanon clashes rises to 13
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Toll from week of clashes in Lebanon between supporters and opponents of Syria’s regime in northern city of Tripoli rises.
Saudi women who defied driving ban fined
The National 27 Oct 2013 – The Saudi women who got behind the wheel in defiance of a driving ban have been fined, police say.
Bombings kill at least 62 in Iraq
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Series of car bombings in the capital, explosion at a market and a suicide assault in a northern city kill at least 62 people across Iraq.
PM’s ally claims win in Georgia presidential poll as rival concedes
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Giorgi Margvelashvili, an ally of Georgia’s billionaire prime minister, claims crushing first-round victory in presidential vote after his main opponent conceded defeat.
Obama ‘aware of Merkel spying since 2010’: reports
The National 27 Oct 2013 – German espionage scandal widens with newspaper claiming American president has known German chancellor was being spied on since 2010.
First phone-hacking trial to begin in Britain
The National 27 Oct 2013 – The trial is expected to hear explosive testimony about the scandal that forced Rupert Murdoch to shut down the News of the World tabloid in 2011, and threatened to drag in David Cameron’s government.
Syria rebel groups brand Geneva talks ‘treason’
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Powerful armed groups in Syria say attending peace talks or negotiating with the regime would be an ‘act of treason’.
Future of Bangladesh lies in the hands of two sons
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Political power in Bangladesh has swung back and forth between two families since 1991. That is unlikely to change at next year’s election – and in the longer term, the next generation of both dynasties is waiting to take control .
UK braces for hurricane winds in worst storm since 2008
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Southern England and Wales are preparing for winds up to 130kph that may damage buildings and cause widespread disruption.
Five dead as Bangladesh opposition enforces strike
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Police and backers of Bangladesh’s ruling party clash with opposition supporters, leaving at leave five people dead and scores injured.
Video: Women braving driving ban in Saudi Arabia
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Some Saudi Arabian women seeking to end men-only road rules take to the road, defying government warnings not to drive, campaigners say.
Cairo suicide bomber identified as a former army officer
The National 27 Oct 2013 – The suicide bomber who tried to kill Egypt’s interior minister was a former army major, according to a video released by Islamic militants.
Video: Blasts in Indian city ahead of Modi rally, some casualties
The National 27 Oct 2013 – At least one man was killed and five people wounded in low intensity blasts in an eastern Indian city, where tens of thousands of people were gathered to hear opposition prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi speak.
Complaints claim ‘Egypt’s Jon Stewart’ defamed military
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Complaints received about popular television satirist Bassem Youssef less than 24 hours after his return to air, after he makes fun of Egypt’s military chief Gen Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
Iraq car bombs kill at least 30 in Baghdad area
The National 27 Oct 2013 – Nine car bombs exploded in Shiite-majority areas of Baghdad province on Sunday, killing at least 30 people and pushing the October death toll from Iraq violence past 620, officials said.
Haifa tunnel paralyzed by cyberattack, expert reveals
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
‘Ex-U.K. FM: Jewish money biggest obstacle to Mideast peace’
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
With new BFFs like Saudi Arabia, who needs anti-Semitic enemies?
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Israel resuming cooperation with UN Human Rights Council
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Israeli ministers approve release of 26 Palestinian prisoners for peace talks
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
German foreign minister: Wiretapping undoes friendly bonds
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Babylon loses 4% more on slow Tel Aviv session
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Jewish community in Hebron wins the lottery
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Government to release Palestinian prisoners despite right-wing pressure
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Israel, stay away from the UN Human Rights Council farce
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Netanyahu halts distribution of ‘loyalty’ poll to U.S. Jews, Israeli expats
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Saudis arrest 14 women for defying driving ban
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Bill: Israeli dads to get 8-day paternity leave
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Iran hasn’t stopped enriching uranium, says senior lawmaker
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Israel asks U.S. Jews, Israelis: Where do your loyalties lie?
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Were Palestinian shepherds arrested on false pretenses? Army promises probe
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Leader of Israeli ultra-Orthodox party blames predecessor for failure in municipal polls
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Tehran officials tear down anti-American posters
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Chilean lawmaker: Undercover Israeli soldiers ‘mapping out’ the country
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Not the ‘Orthodox Jews can’t be leftists’ canard – again
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
Germany to Netanyahu: Boycotting UN rights council review will hurt Israel
Ha’aretz – 27 Oct 2013
An ear for an ear: Why even allies aren’t exempt from espionage
Ha’aretz – 26 Oct 2013
Israel is a prisoner to its settlements
Ha’aretz – 26 Oct 2013
Enough power and money to shut down the country
Ha’aretz – 26 Oct 2013
Racists against racism or, in other words, the Zionist Movement
Ha’aretz – 26 Oct 2013
As Iran nears nuclear capability, the West needs to prepare
Ha’aretz – 26 Oct 2013
Snowden, Assange, Manning, Vanunu – the true heroes of our time
Ha’aretz – 26 Oct 2013
Did Germany and France really think the U.S. wouldn’t spy on them?
Ha’aretz – 26 Oct 2013
Israel agrees to return to UN Human Rights Council
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Netanyahu makes decision to re-establish ties after Jerusalem cut relations with UNHRC in 2012; Israeli delegation to attend periodic human rights review in Geneva on Tuesday.
Diamond ring donated by mistake returned to owner
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Sharon Berman says, “when I realized that my ring wasn’t on me, I really hoped that it would be found.”
Former UK foreign secretary: AIPAC is the main barrier to peace
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Jack Straw tells conference Germany is obsessed with defending Israel; outlines AIPAC’s attempt to divert American policy.
The Pew survey: Avoiding a Jewish identity crisis in Israel
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – America should comment on or criticize Israeli policy, Israeli rabbis should not necessarily comment on or impose policy upon American Jewish community.
Anti-Semitism in Australia
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Australian Jewry is compelled to spend large sums for its security because of the ever-present possibility of an anti-Semitic attack such as the one committed Saturday.
Pledging goodbye to denominational labels
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – The recently released Pew Research Center survey has given American Jewish leaders a whole lot of sobering statistics to reflect upon and analyze.
Think About It: Why Israelis moved to Europe
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Lapid: A word to all those who are fed up, and are leaving for Europe.
Danish crown prince’s visit commemorates rescue of Jews
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – It’s been over 900 years between visits of Scandinavian royals to Jerusalem.
Netanyahu: Israel doesn’t fear solitude on Iran, but we’re not alone
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – PM says many in int’l community share Israel’s views on Iran.
Rock icon and musical pioneer Lou Reed dies at 71
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of the Velvet Underground leaves behind a legend.
Iran metes out 80 lashes to Christians for communion wine drinking
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Christian group urges Iran to reconsider punishment, not infringe on civil rights.
Government okays release of second group of Palestinian prisoners
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – IPS to publish names of 26 pre-Oslo prisoners later Sunday night after bereaved families are notified; public has 48 hours to appeal release; after heated row, ministers nix bill seeking to ban future releases.
AG, Livni: Veterans bill could lead to racial, religious discrimination
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Weinstein, Livni both oppose all or parts of the bill granting benefits to recent IDF veterans and active reservists.
Benefits fraud rings steals nearly NIS 7 million from national insurance
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Defendants presented false documents to NII, IDF relating to mental status of citizens in order to receive state disability allowances.
Justice Ministry announces revolution in greater access for disabled to public services
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – New regulations for improving access to public services for disabled persons are going into effect.
Syrian civil war spreads to Lebanese city of Tripoli
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Fighting enters 7th day in Tripoli leaving 16 dead, 80 injured; Syrian rebels claim they killed 15 Hezbollah fighters near Damascus.
Domrani’s lawyer says crime boss not in hiding, police know where to find him
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Southern kingpin’s organization dealt a serious blow with killing of one associate in Asheklon car bomb last week.
Paraguay says can be launch pad for Israeli technology in Latin America
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – With a favorable tax system, stable business environment, Paraguay could be key to providing Israeli innovators with access to broader Latin markets, says Paraguayan minister.
Ministers approve veteran benefits bill
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Recent IDF veterans and active reservists can receive benefits in employment, higher education and buying land.
Antiquities Authority, southern police arrest antiquities thieves
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Man suspected of stealing antiquities from archaeological sites in the Lachish region.
Syria submits plan to destroy its chemical weapons
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – “Syria’s submission is in line with the deadline.”
IDF colonel rehabilitated after parachuting accident to participate in Alyn’s Wheels of Love fundraising bike ride
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Dror Palatin, who fell 10,000 feet in a parachuting accident and was severely injured but rehabilitated himself in years of effort.
Man saved at Afula hospital from severe pond fish bacteria infection
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – The infection could have killed the man or even taken his foot.
Hatnua, Bayit Yehudi exchange accusations of incitement on prisoner release vote
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – “What starts with spitting can end in murder,” Hatnua minister says.
British MP decries ‘unlimited’ Jewish funds as destroying Mideast peace
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – According to former MK Einat Wilf, Jack Straw said at House of Commons debate that greatest obstacles to Israeli-Palestinian peace include Germany’s “obsession” with defending Israel.
Tom Jones sex bombs Tel Aviv
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – The Welsh wizard of song showed Tel Aviv that some people, like fine wine, get better with age.
Iranian officials remove anti-American posters in Tehran
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – Posters questioning US honesty in nuclear talks put up illegally, says Tehran city official.
Netanyahu on Palestinian prisoner release: Promises must be kept
Jerusalem Post 27 Oct 2013 – PM refrains from making public comments on impending release of Palestinian prisoners, but addresses issue at Likud meeting.
Palestinian Camp in Syria Faces Starvation
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 27, 2013 – In the southern region of Damascus, repeated civilian appeals warning against a humanitarian catastrophe that could befall thousands of civilians as a result of the deadly monthslong siege imposed by the regime s forces have failed…
NSA Official: Obama Was Informed of Spying on Merkel s Cellphone, Let It Continue
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 27, 2013- German media reports new details related to National Security Agency spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel s cellphone. Her phone was on a list for monitoring since 2002. President Barack Obama was also apparently briefed by NSA…
Wave of attacks kills at least 66 people in Iraq y
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 27, 2013- A series of attacks including car bombings in Baghdad, an explosion at a market and a suicide assault in a northern city killed at least 66 people Sunday across Iraq, officials said, the latest in a wave…
Recognizing that Europe and the U.S. support the occupation
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 27, 2013 – There are more and more signs that Israel and the EU are about to resolve the mini-crisis created by the publication of a commission notice that would have limited EU loans to Israeli entities that operate…
Tear gas in Hebron school leads to cancellation of classes
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 27, 2013 – In the Israeli controlled H2 area in the center of Khalil (Hebron) children are used to tear gas canisters being fired after them before going to school. Usually the teaching is delayed for at least half…
Israeli forces assault Palestinian school bus driver near Hebron
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 27, 2013 — Israeli forces assaulted a Palestinian bus driver carrying students in the Masafer region east of Yatta in the southern West Bank early Sunday morning, a Palestinian official said. Ratib al-Jbour, the coordinator of the Popular and…
Syria News – October 26, 2013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013- By the end of Saturday, the coordination committees were able to document 76 martyrs, including 2 women and 4 children: 28 martyrs were reported in Damascus and its suburbs; 18 in Aleppo; 8 in Deir Ezzor; 7…
NSA Spying on World Leaders
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013 – On October 24, London s Guardian headlined “NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders after US official handed over contacts,” saying: Snowden released documents revealed it. “An official in another US government department” gave NSA over…
Remember the Grenada Invasion
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013 – Thirty years ago, on October 25, 1983, the United States sent 6,000 elite troops to overwhelm the Caribbean nation of Grenada, an island of less than 100,000 inhabitants that had been governed by the revolutionary New…
Drone Warfare and International Law: Findings of U.N. Reports on Extrajudicial and Arbitrary Executions
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013 – Four important reports relating to the use of armed drones have been published over the past ten day. Two official reports by UN Special Rapporteurs examine the legal issues surrounding the use of armed drones. These…
Iran denies it has stopped enriching uranium to 20%
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013 – A senior Iranian official has denied reports the Islamic republic has temporarily stopped enriching uranium to the 20 percent level, the state news agency IRNA said on Saturday. “Iran s nuclear activities are unchanged and enriching…
Palestinian farmer s head smashed open by settlers in West Bank
Uruknet 27 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013 – Rabbis for Human Rights reports that settlers from the illegal Adei Ad outpost attacked Palestinian farmers from Al-Mughayer Saturday afternoon with clubs, smashing one man s head open. His uncle was also wounded. Both are now…
U.N. Syria envoy says Iran should join Geneva peace talks
Uruknet 26 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013- The United Nations peace envoy for Syria said on Saturday Iran should be invited to planned peace talks in Geneva, Iran s English-language Press TV reported, in comments sure to rile Gulf Arab states….”We believe that the…
Yemen/USA: License to Kill; Why the American Drone War on Yemen Violates International Law
Uruknet 26 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013 – The use of drones by the USA to commit targeted assassinations in Yemen should be considered, and qualified, as extrajudicial executions.Since the first strike in November 2002, the United States has carried out between 134 and…
On Monsterphilia and Assad
Uruknet 26 Oct 2013 – October 26, 2013 – Earlier this month, the British street artist Banksy produced a video on Syria that attracted over five million viewers in three days. At a time of intensifying state repression, the target of Bansky s satire was…
Saudi women say they will keep pushing for right to drive
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 Saudi women demanding the right to drive said Sunday they would keep up their campaign a day after government warnings and a heavy police presence thwarted their call for many women to get behind the wheel.
Israel approves release of 26 Palestinian prisoners
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 Israel on Sunday approved the release of 26 Palestinian prisoners, the second batch to be freed since August under the terms of renewed US-brokered peace talks.
Obama did not discuss tapping Merkel’s phone with NSA chief: White House
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 The White House denied German press reports Sunday that President Barack Obama was personally informed of US phone tapping against German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Watchdog: Syria has filed chemical weapon details
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 Syria has filed details of its poison gas and nerve agent program and an initial plan to destroy it to the world’s chemical weapons watchdog, the organization said Sunday.
Police: Roadside bomb kills 18 Afghan civilians
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 A roadside bomb killed 18 civilians Sunday, mostly women and children, after it struck a small bus coming from a wedding in a lawless district of eastern Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, police said.
First civil marriage in Lebanon begets child
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 The first child in a civil marriage wedding in Lebanon was born last month, his parents announced over the weekend.
Kurdish militants tighten grip on Syria’s northeast
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 Kurdish militants sought to consolidate their control of an oil-producing region in northeastern Syria on Sunday after seizing a border crossing with Iraq from Islamist rebels, activists said.
Gulf stability crucial for Egypt security: PM
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 Stability in the Gulf monarchies is essential for Egypt’s security, Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi said Sunday, a day after the United Arab Emirates pledged Cairo an extra $3.9 billion (2.8 billion euros) in aid.
Iran lawmakers reject president’s minister pick
Daily Star 27 Oct 2013 Iran’s parliament rejects a close ally of President Hassan Rouhani for a ministerial post.
IPS publishes list of 26 Palestinian prisoners to be released
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – ….
Train derails in northeast Spain, 3 people hurt
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – ….
Argentine opposition leader Massa wins Buenos Aires mid-term
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – ….
Iran lawmakers reject president’s minister pick
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – ….
Israel renews ties with UN Human Rights Council
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – ….
Incitement must stop
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – Op-ed: Habayit Hayehudi’s attacks on Tzipi Livni could lead to another political assassination ….
Women of Wall become fashion icon
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – After shooting catalogue near separation fence, Comme-Il-Faut fashion house launches Jewish collection inspired by group of liberal female worshippers –and their Hasidic opponents ….
US spying just a symptom
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – Op-ed: Weak leadership, zigzagging caused European leaders to lose some of their respect for Obama ….
Rare biblical manuscripts on display
YNet News, 27 Oct 2013 – Unprecedented collection of religious texts unveiled at Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem ….
Palestinian Information Center
Jewish settlers set dozens of trees on fire
PIC – Jewish settlers set dozens of trees and olive saplings on fire south of Bethlehem at dawn Sunday.
Settlers break into the Old City of al-Khalil and attack citizens
PIC – Jewish settlers on Saturday night stormed the Old City of al-Khalil in the occupied West Bank, and attacked Palestinian citizens and their properties.
Two Palestinian refugees died in Syria camps
PIC – Action Group for the Palestinians in Syria said that two Palestinian refugees died on Saturday as a result of the ongoing conflict in Syria.
A delegation from Oxford University visits Gaza
PIC – MP Jamal Khudari, the head of the Popular Committee against the Siege, welcomed the visit by a delegation from Oxford University to the Gaza Strip these days.
Hebrew press: 1,700 new housing units in West Bank & Jerusalem
PIC – Hebrew daily Maariv said on Sunday that the Israeli government would soon issue tenders for the construction of 1,700 new housing units in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Dozens of Jewish settlers, intelligence agents desecrate Aqsa Mosque
PIC – Dozens of Jewish settlers and Israeli intelligence agents desecrated the plazas of the holy Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem at an early morning hour on Sunday.
Citizens suffer breathing problems in confrontations with IOF soldiers
PIC – A number of citizens were treated for teargas inhalation in Yabad village, south of Jenin, after Israeli occupation forces (IOF) fired teargas at protesting citizens at dawn Sunday.
Thousands of Jewish settlers converge on Al-Khalil
PIC – Thousands of Jewish settlers converged on Al-Khalil on Saturday in preparation for attending a religious feast in the Ibrahimi mosque.
Israel to Demolish 5 Houses and Shop in Jerusalem
WAFA – 27 Oct 2013
Human Rights Watch: Israel’s Military Should Stop Harassing Rights Group Staff
WAFA – 27 Oct 2013
Israeli Forces Attack bus Driver while Carrying Students near Hebron
WAFA – 27 Oct 2013
Statistics Bureau Reports Increase in the Construction Cost Index
WAFA – 27 Oct 2013
Weather Forecast: Nice Conditions Prevail
WAFA – 27 Oct 2013
Syria meets deadline for plan to destroy chemical arsenal
LA Times 27 Oct 2013 – GAZIANTEP, Turkey — The Syrian government has met an international deadline to submit a detailed declaration of its chemical weapons facilities and a plan to destroy the nation’s toxic arsenal, the group overseeing the disarmament process said Sunday.
Syria Meets Deadline for Arms Destruction Plan
New York Times 27 Oct 2013 – The watchdog charged with monitoring and destroying Syria’s chemical weapons program said it had received the nation’s formal declaration on its arsenal ahead of schedule.
Wave of Car Bombs in Iraq Kills Dozens
New York Times 27 Oct 2013 – Ten car bombs targeting Shiite neighborhoods hit the Iraqi capital on Sunday morning, killing 41 civilians and injuring more than 100 others.
Rice Offers a More Modest Strategy for Mideast
New York Times 26 Oct 2013 – In an interview, Susan E. Rice, President Obama’s national security adviser, said the president’s goal was to avoid having events in the region swallow his foreign-policy agenda.
“Only Israel has caused problems over cutbacks”
Globes Main News – Teva chairman Phillip Frost told “Globes” that there have been no complaints about the layoffs in any other country.
IAI unveils multi-sensor mine detection system
Globes Aerospace & Defense – The demonstration model is slated to be ready for field testing by the end of 2014.
Brainsway again considering Nasdaq listing
Globes Main News – The neurological disorders treament company is mulling a second run at a Nasdaq listing, after withdrawing its first attempt when it failed to obtain the value it wanted.
Boston ad agency pulled ads about Palestinian land loss after ADL complained, ‘Globe’ reports
Mondoweiss – The other day we reported that the Boston transit authority had pulled down ads demonstrating the loss of Palestinian lands to Israel since the creation of the Jewish state. Well, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation authority (MBTA) has been shamed for censorship, and is putting the ads…
Pro-Israel organization sought to survey US Jews on dual loyalty
Mondoweiss – This is astonishing. An Israel lobby group came up with a questionnaire for American Jews and Israeli Jews living here that asks a question that supposedly only anti-Semites ever ask, about the degree of loyalty Jews would have for Israel if the two countries were at…
Ministerial c’ttee approves 8-day paternity leave
Globes Macro Economics – The paternity leave will comprise three paid vacation days and five days of sick leave paid by the employer.
Sun: Teva lifts TASE
Globes Main News – Teva hit a 12-month high, and Oil Refineries rose strongly.
Major American Jewish conference refuses to discuss occupation
Mondoweiss – The annual conference of the Jewish Federations , the largest American Jewish communal organization, will be in Israel next month. The Forward’s Larry Cohler-Esses reports that the assembly will take up a lot of political issues but is avoiding all discussion of the occupation– which its leader…
Cisco to fire dozens in Israel
Globes Main News – Most of the layoffs will be at the former NDS, which is Cisco Systems Israel’s largest operation.
IKEA hiring 300 for Kiryat Ata branch
Globes Main News – The new store in Kiryat Ata, near Haifa, is due to open in first half of 2014.
Christian Zionists help settler-farmers take over Palestinian lands
Mondoweiss – Evangelical Christians from the U.S. are living and working at Jewish settlements in the West Bank for weeks at a time. The Christians see Jewish expansion in the area as fulfilling biblical prophecy, though the settlements are a contentious issue between Israelis and Palestinians. Here volunteers…
LBJ and Obama both took insults from Israel in election years — Helen Thomas
Mondoweiss – Helen Thomas photo by J Scott Applewhite/AP The venerable White House correspondent Helen Thomas, who died in July, was Mark Mondalek’s grandmother’s cousin. He says his interviews in 2010-2011 with Thomas, an Arab-American who resigned under pressure in 2010 because of comments she made about Israeli…
Federman replaces Mozes as Oil Refineries chairman
Globes Energy & Water – Oil Refineries: For temporary personal and health reasons, Akiva Mozes will step down as chairman of Oil Refineries.
Ellomay Capital dual lists on TASE
Globes Main News – On the basis of the company’s current market cap, it will be listed on the TASE MidCap 50 Index.
Best month for equity funds in 9 years
Globes Main News – Equity funds have raised a net NIS 880 million so far in October 2013, the best month since January 2004.
Gasoline prices to fall Thursday night
Globes Energy & Water – Energy sources predict that the price of gasoline will fall by NIS 0.10 per liter at midnight Thursday.
Ashkenazi-Sephardi gaps narrowing
Globes Macro Economics – Prof. Momi Dahan’s research attributes the closing of income gaps to educational achievements.
High demand for AFI Residences debt offering
Globes Main News – Demand in the institutional tender was more than five times the amount that the company planned to raise.
Citi sees upside in Teva
Globes Main News – Citi Research has initiated coverage of Teva with a “Buy” recommendation and target price of $47.
Egypt TV satirist returns to the military
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – Egypt’s most famous TV satirist returns for a new series
Knesset Agrees To Release 26 More Prisoners for Peace Talks
The Foward Breaking News 27 Oct 2013 – The Israeli government decided on Sunday to release 26 Palestinian prisoners in a second stage of a deal brokered by the U.S. in July in exchange for the resumption of peace talks. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israel May Have Hacked Into Sarkozy’s Communications Network
The Foward Breaking News 27 Oct 2013 – Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and not the United States may have hacked into former French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s communications network. Click here for the rest of the article…
Boston Transit Authority To Restore Anti-Israel Ads
The Foward Breaking News 27 Oct 2013 – The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said it was restoring dozens of ads critical of Israel to its transit system that had been taken down following public complaints. Click here for the rest of the article…
Syria submits arms destruction plan
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – Syria submits a plan for the destruction of its chemical weapons, as international inspectors try to complete visiting weapons sites.
Palestinian Struggle Economically as Tunnels Collapse and Aid Falters
The Foward Breaking News 27 Oct 2013 – The arteries of Gaza’s economy have collapsed as Egypt demolishes the smuggling tunnels along its sandy border. Click here for the rest of the article…
Nigeria: Pilgrim Dies in Transit to Israel
allAfrica.com 27 Oct 2013 – [Vanguard]One of the Pilgrims from Niger State to this year’s Holy Pilgrimage to Israel, Mr. Amos Peter has been reported dead in transit few hours to the Holy land. It was reliably gathered that first aid treatment was administered on him and later rushed to a…
An Israeli Paratrooper’s Path to Extremism and Terror Told in ‘Like Dreamers’
The Forward New 27 Oct 2013 – Udi Adiv was a kibbutznik and Israeli paratrooper who veered into extremism and eventually terrror. Yossi Klein Halevi tells his story in this excerpt from his book, ‘Like Dreamers.’ Click here for the rest of the article…
Iran Sunni group claims border raid
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – A little-known Iranian Sunni group says it carried out Friday’s deadly border post attack, and vows to avenge the hangings of prisoners in response.
VIDEO: Syria inspection deadline looms
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – Weapons inspectors in Syria have until the end of Sunday to meet their deadline for visiting all of the chemical weapons sites declared by the the country’s government.
Egypt TV satirist returns to the military
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – Egypt’s most famous TV satirist returns for a new series
Syria submits arms destruction plan
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – Syria submits a plan for the destruction of its chemical weapons, as international inspectors try to complete visiting weapons sites.
Car bombs cause Baghdad carnage
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – Dozens of people are killed in car bombings in Baghdad and Mosul, security officials say, as Iraq endures its most violent period since 2008.
Bahrain cuts jail terms of two policemen who tortured protester to death
Al-Akhbar News 27 Oct 2013 – Bahrain’s appeals court on Sunday cut the jail terms of two policemen convicted of torturing to death a protester after a 2011 crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, a judicial source said. The court reduced the terms of the men from seven years to three after a lower…
Syrian rebels say peace talks “treasonous”
Al-Akhbar News 27 Oct 2013 – Members of jihadist group Al-Nusra Front take part in a parade calling for the establishment of an Islamic state in Syria, at the Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood of Aleppo, on October 25, 2013. (Photo: AFP – Karam al-Masri) Powerful armed groups in Syria said attending peace talks…
Saudi Arabia fines 16 women for driving
Al-Akhbar News 27 Oct 2013 – At least 16 Saudi women have received fines for taking the wheel on a day set by activists to defy the kingdom’s traditional ban on female driving, police and reports said Sunday. Only few women braved official threats of punishment and drove on Saturday in response…
Coordinated blasts kill nearly 50 in Iraq
Al-Akhbar News 27 Oct 2013 – An Iraqi woman walks across the debris following an explosion at a bus center on October 27, 2013, in the the Mashtal district of the capital Baghdad. (Photo: AFP – Sabah Arar) Ten cars rigged with explosives blew up areas in and around Baghdad on Sunday,…
Iran Sunni group claims border raid
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – A little-known Iranian Sunni group says it carried out Friday’s deadly border post attack, and vows to avenge the hangings of prisoners in response.
VIDEO: Syria inspection deadline looms
BBC 27 Oct 2013 – Weapons inspectors in Syria have until the end of Sunday to meet their deadline for visiting all of the chemical weapons sites declared by the the country’s government.
Articles
Palestine’s Mandela
Shannon Ebrahim, Al Jazeera 10/27/2013
On Sunday, October 27, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation launched an international campaign from the infamous Robben Island – where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years – for the release of Marwan Barghouti and all Palestinian political prisoners.
The symbolism is powerful. Kathrada launched the “Release Mandela” campaign in 1963, just prior to his own arrest, which saw him also incarcerated on South Africa’s Robben Island for 18 years. Now half a century later, as an 84-year-old veteran, he is launching yet another campaign for an iconic freedom fighter.
Barghouti’s wife, Fadwa, travelled to Robben Island with the Palestinian Minister for Detainees, along with hundreds of special guests, including South African struggle veterans and five Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
Barghouti was the first member of the Palestinian Legislative Council to be arrested by Israel, and is one of the most prominent of the more than 5,000 Palestinian prisoners who remain incarcerated in Israeli jails. The European Union and the Inter-Parliamentary Union have called for his release.
Barghouti’s struggle
Huddled in the back of a fish restaurant in the Gaza Strip in 2001, a few African National Congress (ANC) members of parliament and I sat whispering with Marwan Barghouti. We knew he was number one on Israel’s hit list, but little did we know that within nine months he would be kidnapped by Israeli forces, interrogated and tortured for 100 days, put in solitary confinement for 1,000 days, and, more than 11 years later, become known as “the Palestinian Mandela.”
In an interview Barghouti gave to Al-Monitor in May 2013, he described how the Israelis had kept him in solitary confinement for almost three years in a tiny cell infested with cockroaches and rats…. more.. e-mail
For Israel’s police, settler violence is but a fantasy
Yesh Din, written by Yossi Gurvitz, +972 Magazine 10/26/2013
The Israeli right-wing likes to claim that Palestinians fabricate the destruction of their olive trees. The police disagrees. Not that they are any good at catching the terrorists.
“When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you?” – Deuteronomy, 20:19
One of the most common phenomena of the quiet kind of settler terrorism, carried on an almost daily basis in the West Bank, is that of vandalizing trees. Yesh Din has dedicated its new data sheet to this phenomenon.
Destroying crops is an ancient tool of agrarian terror. Its purpose is generally disinheriting farmers from their land for the benefit of others. Aside from the economic damage – and the damage is immense in societies still making much of their living off agriculture – there is the crippling fear that even if you give your all to your crops, even if you wake up at unreasonable hours, even if you work in the blazing sun and the freezing rain, all your work will be in vain, for some human scum will creep up at night and set the fruit of your labor ablaze.
The Bible is quite familiar with this situation:
“Thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof; thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shall not eat thereof; thine ass shall be violently taken from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee; thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shall have none to rescue them; the fruit of thy land, and all thy labors, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed always.” more.. e-mail
Can a settler be against the occupation?
Orit Arfa, +972 Magazine 10/24/2013
Is it possible to oppose the occupation from within the settlements? Does one become a settler because of their race, religion, political views, ideology, or just by living beyond the Green Line? One settler sets out to find answers, and you might just be surprised with what she has to say.
People who’ve read my op-eds in Arutz 7 might think that publishing an article with such a title — in such an outlet — means I’ve defected from the cause of the “settlements.” (I know, they’re Jewish communities.)
I have defected — from dogma, party lines, slogans and talking points that people invoke to make themselves feel righteous, or worse, to secure donors who like tough-talkers. Lately, leftists, centrists, rightists, pro-this, anti-that just play with themselves, convincing themselves they’re right so that political discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today amounts to ideological masturbation — or ideological prostitution.
Well, I’m here to have some forbidden intercourse, always more exci
ting.
Back to the title.
Yes, I’m a “settler.” I live in the city of Ariel. I became a settler for a job, because I’ve lived in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and I prefer the countryside, because rational values are at stake here. And because I want to see the West Bank with my own eyes, rather than pontificate, and work to make things better.
But what is a settler?
Is a settler defined by geography? If a Jew’s kitchen is the only part of the house situated in the West Bank, is he a settler only when he’s cooking? What about Jews who’ve returned to their grandparents’ home in Gush Etzion? more.. e-mail
Spy vs. Spy: Iran, Turkey, and Israel Edition
Philip Giraldi, 10/22/2013
Turkey is fertile ground for Iran-related intelligence operations, and Israel recently blew one.
David Ignatius of the Washington Post is reporting that early in 2012 Ankara informed the Iranians of the identities of a number of Israeli intelligence sources that were being routinely met in Turkey. Per Ignatius, who is particularly well connected to the Israel government and its security agencies, 10 Iranians who were spying for Israel were, as a consequence, arrested, denying Israel one of its “significant” sources of information. The op-ed “Turkey Blows Israel’s Cover for Iranian Spy Ring” spins the revelation somewhat, perhaps predictably suggesting that the CIA regards the exposure as an “unfortunate intelligence loss.” Not knowing if the story is even true (it is being denied by Turkey in a follow-up New York Times article and has not been confirmed by Israel) or who the sources were and what their access to sensitive information might be, it is impossible to judge if that is an accurate assessment or just a red herring being put out either to protect other operations that are still running or to confuse Iranian counterintelligence. It also generously assumes that Israel was sharing the raw and presumably highly sensitive information obtained with Washington, which is unlikely.
I have no particular liking for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, who traditionally play a key role in overseas intelligence operations as well as counterintelligence inside Iran. During my time in Istanbul in the late 1980s the intelligence war being waged against Iranian government hit teams was very intense indeed, with Revolutionary Guard units infiltrating Europe to kill opponents of the Khomeini regime. Former Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar was murdered in Paris in 1991 after an unsuccessful attempt eleven years earlier that killed a policeman and a bystander. Bakhtiar was one of at least 63 Iranian expats assassinated in Europe. I personally lost two sources who were murdered in Istanbul and was also myself on the receiving end of an assassination attempt by an Iranian agent that was thwarted with the assistance of the Turkish intelligence service (MIT). more.. e-mail
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