27 November 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
UN Declares 2014 Year Of Solidarity With The Palestinians
IMEMC – The United Nations has declared the year 2014 as a Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People , after the resolution passed by 110 votes, with seven countries opposing and 54 abstaining. …
Dr. Barghouthi Condemns Assassination Of Three Palestinians
IMEMC – Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, condemned the assassination of three Palestinians by the Israeli army in Hebron, and called on the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank to end political talks with Tel Aviv. …
Israeli forces detain local official in Nablus village
11/27/2013 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli forces raided the Nablus village of Qusin on Wednesday and arrested a member of the municipal council, witnesses said. Israeli soldiers forcibly entered several houses before detaining Nael Ghazi Yadik, a senior affiliate of the Palestinian National Initiative and member of Qusin’s village council. Locals say Israeli soldiers “violently” inspected the homes of Palestinian National Initiative members Rabah….
2 injured in Tulkarem clashes
11/27/2013 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — Clashes broke out in Tulkarem on Wednesday after Israeli forces raided the city, locals said. Young Palestinians threw stones and empty bottles at a number of Israeli military jeeps who raided the Shwika square area of Tulkarem. Rashid Barghouthi, 30, and his brother Ayid, 25, were evacuated to Thabit Thabit hospital in Tulkarem after they inhaled tear gas. [END]
Israeli police prevent Jerusalemites from entering Al-Aqsa
11/27/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police officers early Wednesday detained a Palestinian near King Faysal Gate of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, witnesses said. Eyewitnesses told Ma’an that Shamiyya al-Muhtasib was on her way to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, where she studies Shariah law. Separately, Israeli police notified two women and a young man that they couldn’t enter the Al-Aqsa compound until….
Clashes in Hebron after funeral for 3 men killed by Israel
11/27/2013 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Clashes broke out across the Hebron district on Wednesday as thousands of mourners gathered to take part in funeral processions for three Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces a day earlier. In Hebron’s Old City, Israeli forces fired tear gas at a girls primary school, causing several children to faint. A teacher at the al-Zahra school told Ma’…. Related: Israel transfers bodies of 2 Palestinians killed near Hebron
Most Palestinians see fresh peace talks as error
11/27/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Most Palestinians believe the renewal of peace talks with Israel was a mistake and over two thirds think the negotiations will fail, according to a poll released Wednesday. Just over half the respondents – 50. 5 percent – said the decision by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to resume US-brokered peace talks with Israel in late July was a mistake, while 33. 8 percent said it….
PA spokesman denies arrest of former hunger-striker
11/27/2013 – JENIN (Ma’an) — A Palestinian Authority security official Wednesday denied reports that PA police had arrested former hunger-striker Khader Adnan. PA Security Spokesman Adnan Dmeiri told Ma’an that Adnan had attempted to “obstruct” the work of security forces, but that he had not been arrested. Adnan’s relatives claimed that security forces had arrested him and his cousin, Farouk Moussa, at….
Israel transfers bodies of 2 Palestinians killed near Hebron
11/27/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces late Tuesday handed over the bodies of two Palestinians shot dead earlier that evening, a Ma’an reporter said. Israeli forces shot and killed three Palestinians late Tuesday near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, Israeli security forces said. Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances took the two bodies to Abu Hasan al-Qasim hospital in Yatta. The Third body was…. Related: Clashes in Hebron after funeral for 3 men killed by Israel
Rights group urges tougher EU measures on settler violence
11/27/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian human rights group on Wednesday called on EU member states to take tougher measures to ensure that public and private national bodies do not provide support to violent settler groups in the occupied West Bank. In a newreport The report calls on Israel to enforce the law against settler attacks, end all incitement to violence by settler groups and….
Official: Israel, EU agree on scientific cooperation
11/27/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — The EU and Israel reached an agreement Tuesday enabling Israel to participate in a European-funded scientific research program after a compromise on settlement funding. The agreement on Israel’s participation in the Horizon 2020 Program “fully respects the EU’s legal and financial requirements while at the same time respecting Israel’s political sensitivities and preserving its principled positions,” according….
Rafah crossing open Wednesday, Thursday
11/27/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah crossing in both directions on Wednesday for humanitarian cases. The terminal has been closed since last Thursday. The general administration of border crossings in the Hamas-run government announced Wednesday morning that Rafah would operate Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a. m. to 3 p. m. The Rafah crossing has been the principal connection between Gaza….
Israel minister meets British official on Iran deal
11/27/2013 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz met Wednesday with Britain’s negotiator at the Iranian nuclear talks as part of efforts to influence the shape of a final deal, his office said. Israel has decried as a “historic mistake” the breakthrough deal reached by world powers and Iran in Geneva on Sunday — under which Tehran agreed to curb parts of its nuclear program….
Islamic Jihad calls for boycott of Angola amid claims of Islam ban
11/27/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Islamic Jihad movement in Palestine on Wednesday called for an economic and political boycott of Angola amid reports that the country had banned Islam and started destroying mosques. During a protest against Angola’s alleged decision, Islamic Jihad leader Omar Fawra urged governments to sever all ties with Angola.”This is a war on Islam and humanity,” Fawra….
Iran FM defends nuclear deal before parliament
11/27/2013 – TEHRAN (AFP) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif went before parliament on Wednesday to defend a landmark nuclear deal clinched at the weekend with world powers, media reported.”From the beginning we all knew that entering into negotiations meant facing major difficulties, because in negotiations all your demands cannot be met,” Zarif was quoted on the website of state broadcaster IRIB as telling parliament.”Therefore….
Factions declare day of mourning after Hebron killi
ngs
11/27/2013 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Palestinian nationalist and Islamic factions in Hebron on Wednesday declared a day of mourning for three Palestinian men who were killed Tuesday evening by Israeli forces in Yatta, south of Hebron. A statement by the factions rejected Israel’s “justifications for the ongoing crimes and military procedures against the Palestinian people.” It also called on Palestinians to “beware of Israeli….
Abbas offers condolences for death of Haniyeh’s granddaughter
11/27/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday offered his condolences to Gaza Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh for the death of his granddaughter. The Hamas leader’s one-year-old granddaughter, Amal Abd al-Salam Haniyeh, died Wednesday from a digestive infection that damaged her brain. Amal, the daughter of Haniyeh’s eldest son Abd al-Salam, was pronounced clinically dead on Nov….
Interview with filmmaker Mais Darwazah: ‘The dream is the reality’
11/27/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A poetic blend of interviews, storytelling, handheld camerawork, and live drawing and painting, the 2013 documentary “My Love Awaits Me by the Sea” simultaneously presents a stark travelogue and a utopian dreamworld. In the film, director Mais Darwazah, a Palestinian refugee living in Jordan, documents her first-ever visit to her homeland. Darwazah’s film is inspired by the work of….
Arab Idol Assaf in appeal for UN Palestinian agency
11/27/2013 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf on Tuesday joined appeals to raise money for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. UNRWA says it may not be able to pay staff wages in December because of a $36 million budget deficit. Assaf, who is from Gaza and was catapulted into the international spotlight by winning the Arab Idol talent series this year, said the….
82 HIV infections diagnosed in Palestine since 1988
11/27/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Despite the fact that HIV infection rate in Palestine is among the lowest in the world, the Palestinian Ministry of Health is exerting major efforts to control the virus while protecting the privacy of patients. The ministry has been working to try and completely eliminate the virus in Palestine, according to Dr Asaad Ramlawi, the chief of a Palestinian national committee….
Tunisia protesters torch ruling Islamist party office
11/27/2013 – TUNIS (AFP) — Several hundred protesters set fire on Wednesday to the office of Tunisia’s ruling Islamist party in the neglected Gafsa region, one of several areas on strike, an AFP journalist reported. The demonstrators attacked the Ennahda party’s headquarters in the poor central region after trying to break into the regional governor’s office, where they were dispersed by police….
Syria regime, opponents dig in ahead of talks
11/27/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Damascus vowed to keep fighting “terrorism” and the opposition insisted President Bashar Assad must go, as both sides dug in after a date for long-planned peace talks was set. The Geneva peace conference scheduled for Jan. 22 is aimed at ending the nearly three-year-old civil war, a bloody stalemate which has killed an estimated 120,000 people and driven millions from their homes. But….
Egypt widens crackdown as two top activists ordered arrested
11/27/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt on Wednesday ordered the arrest of two prominent activists for defying a new law on demonstrations, as it widened its crackdown on protesters that has so far targeted backers of ousted president Mohamed Morsi. Tuesday’s crackdown on protesters, mainly from secular youth movements, is seen as the opening of a new front by the military-installed authorities which justified the July….
Report: Israel Exercises Torture Against Palestinian Female Prisoners
Palestine News Network
World: Report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2013/689)
Relief Web 27 Nov 2013 – Source: UN Security Council Country: Central African Republic, CÙte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Liberia, Mali, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic, World, Yemen I. Introduction The present report, submitted pursuant to the request contained in the statement…
50,000 illegal Ethiopian workers in Saudi Arabia sent home
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Ethiopia has flown home over 50,000 citizens in Saudi Arabia after a crackdown against illegal immigrants, foreign ministry says.
Tens of thousands of Tunisians protest over economy
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Tens of thousands of people protest over Tunisia’s declining economic situation, calling for greater investment in their impoverished regions.
CIA turned Guantanamo prisoners into double agents, paying them millions
The National 27 Nov 2013 – For several years after the 9/11 attacks in New York, CIA officers turned terrorists into double agents and sent them home under a covert programme, US officials say.
UN says Syrian combatants on both sides are thwarting aid effort
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Government and rebel groups are refusing to allow UN aid convoys or missions into besieged areas at a time when some 9.3 million Syrians inside the country half of them children need assistance.
Rouhani moves to get Iran s Revolutionary Guard on side
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Even before Iran’s envoys wrapped up a nuclear pact with world powers, the president was opening a potentially tougher diplomatic front: selling the deal to his country’s powerful insider interests, led by the Revolutionary Guard.
Fear of Assad turns to fear of Al Qaeda
The National 27 Nov 2013 – The power of militant Islamists and men who see democracy as the work of the devil, or the West, is rising in some of Syria’s rebel-held areas.
Syrian government says it will attend Geneva talks but won t hand over power
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Huge hurdles remain for talks scheduled for January in Geneva, with Bashar Al Assad unprepared to cede power and the main opposition group seeking concessions before it will commit.
Iran s Zarif defends nuclear deal in parliament
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Foreign minister defends landmark nuclear deal clinched at the weekend with world powers, saying that from the beginning, entering into negotiations ‘meant facing major difficulties’.
Narrow majority of Egyptians oppose military s Morsi ouster, poll finds
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Results of poll published on the website of the Arab American Institute on Tuesday.
Pakistan names Sharif as new army chief
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Veteran infantry commander promoted to the most powerful position in Pakistan.
Malaysian family believes long-lost relative is among slaves held in London
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab, who would now be 69, left for Britain around 1968 with her Malaysian fiance, but the relationship soon deteriorated and her family lost track of her, brother-in-law says.
Paris court upholds right of nursery to fire employee who wore headscarf
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Ruling is the latest in long-running legal battle which pits France s secular authorities against sections of the country s large Muslim minority.
Angola denies banning Islam after outcry
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Government denies it had banned Islam and closed mosques in the country after speculation that sparked outrage among Muslims worldwide.
Gujarat investigates claims of Modi s surveillance
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Authorities in the state of Gujarat will investigate whether Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra Modi has abused his power following allegations he ordered invasive surveillance of a young woman.
Video: At least 10 Haitians die, 110 saved from capsized ship in Bahamas
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Search and rescue efforts continue after a ship capsized in the Bahamas, killing at least 10 Haitian migrants.
Video: War weary Syrians mull peace talks
The National 27 Nov 2013 – Syrians skeptical on peace resolutions as Geneva talks are set for January 22.
Video: UN committee calls for ending excessive electronic spying
The National 27 Nov 2013 – A United Nations General Assembly committee calls for online privacy rights.
U.S. Senator accuses Obama of ‘fear-mongering’ on Iran
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Liberal plus pro-Israel isn’t a contradiction
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Israel seeks to deport illegal Romanian resident, former IDF reservist
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Israeli legislator submits to Knesset bill first proposed on Facebook
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Kerry to visit Israel next week for talks with Netanyahu on Iran, peace process
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Knesset advancing bill to detain migrants without trial, despite legal warnings
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Israel mourns as music icon Arik Einstein laid to rest
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Iran allowed some construction at key nuclear site under interim deal, U.S. says
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
France asks Switzerland to extradite Gaydamak on old arms charge
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Israel’s AG urges court to hold new Beit Shemesh elections due to voter fraud
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Israel s water shortage decreased by 90 percent in four years
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
New Iran, new U.S., same old Bibi
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Chief Palestinian negotiator: Israel is destroying the peace process
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
A Romanian seamstress who saved Jews – and her husband – in WWII
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Israel to compensate settlers financially harmed by EU funding ban
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
How do you say Thanksgiving in Hebrew?
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Congress must keep the military option on the table
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
British envoy to Iran talks tells Israelis bulk of sanctions will stay in place
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Beware the mighty seahorse, predator extraordinaire
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Poll: Americans back Iran deal by 2-to-1 margin
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Pope Francis issues manifesto for reform-oriented papacy
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
Israeli rabbinate bans intrusive questioning by mikveh staff
Ha’aretz – 27 Nov 2013
The price of deception and apartheid
Ha’aretz – 26 Nov 2013
More sleep than action in army’s mock occupation of Ashkelon
Ha’aretz – 26 Nov 2013
Is Israel doing everything it can to help children of Jewish cult in Canada?
Ha’aretz – 26 Nov 2013
Israel faces new power in West Bank: Growing Salafist group with Al-Qaida leanings
Ha’aretz – 26 Nov 2013
Who is a combat soldier? New definitions approved by army chief
Ha’aretz – 26 Nov 2013
Jews and Arabs were told to use separate lanes at West Bank crossing
Ha’aretz – 26 Nov 2013
Democractic, as long as you re Jewish
Ha’aretz – 26 Nov 2013
So who do we attack now?
Ha’aretz – 26 Nov 2013
Turkish foreign minister says Iran and Turkey are united for regional stability
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Turkey, a Sunni country, has historically been at odds with Shi ite Iran in their competition for regional power.
Knesset panel head: Solution needed now on Jerusalem bus station pollution
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – The managers of the Jerusalem Central Bus Station said they are constantly developing new means of reducing the pollution.
Watchdog says Syria most dangerous country for journalists
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – The New York-based group Committee to Protect Journalists cited the case of two kidnapped Swedish journalists.
Egypt: A new beginning?
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Al-Sisi will in all likelihood offer a compromise acceptable to the majority of Egyptians who are in favor of at least part of Shari a law.
Shalom, Arik Einstein
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Singer/songwriter Arik Einstein, who died suddenly Tuesday night at age 74, was the linchpin of a special kind of Israeli nostalgia.
Justice Ministry ignores Knesset legal adviser s objections to migrant bill
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Tempers flare at panel hearing, with with MK Henin throwing accusations of “McCarthyism,” Sa’ar accusing of “Stalinism.”
In Jabotinsky s footsteps
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Haleli Jabotinsky, the great-granddaughter of Zionist pioneer Vladimir Ze ev Jabotinsky, is trying to motivate Canadian Jews to become closer to Israel.
Media Comment: Leader, caretaker or failure?
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – There are leaders and caretakers. A leader identifies needs and moves ahead to provide, while the caretaker takes good care of his responsibilities.
Munich artwork matches print on Nazi list
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – The image, La Goulue by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, was uploaded to database of artworks seized by the Nazis.
Washington Watch: Are Bibi s allies plotting to sabotage the Iran agreement?
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Foreign leaders have been telling Binyamin Netanyahu to quit trying to sabotage the agreement with Iran.
Bill would wipe clean criminal record of combat soldiers
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Combat soldiers, who had a criminal past prior to joining the army, will be given a “second chance” as part of rehabilitation.
Encountering Peace: The P5+++
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Now that the agreement was reached by P5+1 and Netanyahu is less than satisfied with it, will he withdraw from the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations?
5 Arab youths indicted for Molotov cocktail attacks against IDF base
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – According to indictment, minors coordinated ongoing assaults on soldiers and civilians in 2 teams for 4 months.
Concerned by Israel s slow economic growth?
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Other ways to measure and drive social progress
Iran s nuclear warhead design survives new international deal reached in Geneva
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Despite Tehran s protestations that it has no intention of ever creating a nuclear weapon, they have been developing a warhead for some 15 years.
Obama wishes Jews happy Hannuka as US prepares to celebrate ‘Thanksgivukkah’
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – “As we gather with loved ones around the turkey, the menorah, or both, we give thanks for miracles both great and small.”
Me and You: An American Israeli celebrates the life and music of Arik Einstein
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – He had long-term collaborations with songwriters such as Shalom Hanoch, Miki Gavrielov, Yoni Rechter and many others.
IN PICTURES: The first night of Hanukka in the Holy Land
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – In light of the first candle, JPost ‘s photographer catches a glimpse of Jerusalem as it is lit up, one candle at a time.
US: Six-month clock on Iran nuclear deal hasn t started
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – As Iran continue Arak construction, State Dept. says sides still ironing out technical details of deal implementation.
Report: London is mediating indirect secret talks between US and Hezbollah
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Talks reportedly deal with fight against al-Qaida, regional stability and other Lebanese political issues.
Reversible Iran deal puts more pressure on final talks
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – By dropping demands that Iran shut down underground uranium enrichment facility, ship material out of the country, nuclear negotiators have pushed discussion on some of the toughest questions to talks on permanent deal.
Kerry to meet Netanyahu in Jerusalem next week
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Secretary of state also plans to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, after a stop in Brussels.
Chabad to turn Mumbai center into memorial site
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – The Jewish community of Mumbai marked the fifth anniversary of the attack on the Chabad house, which left six people dead.
Mourners bid farewell to iconic singer Arik Einstein
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Thousands pay tribute to legendary Israeli musician in Tel Aviv’s Kikar Rabin; “we all grew up on Arik, all of us.”
IDF to define cyber units as ‘combat’ in new definitions of soldiers’ roles
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Expected change defines 4 categories of soldiers: full-fledged combatants, battle soldiers, facilitators of weapons and home-front soldiers.
Dror Alperon, son of murdered mob boss Yaakov Alperon, arrested in double murder case
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Alperon and cousins Eli and Reuben Partush are suspected of involvement in double homicide in Petah Tikva in June.
Gantz: IDF wants haredi enlistment, will protect their religious identity
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – A division has formed on the c’tee, between members who favor using economic sanctions to persuade haredi men to enlist, and those who don’t.
Jewish Hollywood: James Franco on villains and being James Franco
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Jewish-American actor Franco has played a wizard, a doctor, a gangster rapper, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and himself, all in a year.
Rabbinical court fines woman NIS 500/day until she agrees to circumcise her son
Jerusalem Post 27 Nov 2013 – Court stated that the mother was refusing to have the boy circumcised as a tactic in her desire to reconcile with her husband.
Business Is Business, Moses Is Moses
IPS The post Business Is Business, Moses Is Moses appeared first on Inter Press Service .
Israel s War on Palestinian Children
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Israel is the only nation trying children in military courts. Palestinians aren t afforded the same rights as Jews. Failure to do so is blatantly discriminatory. Under international law, adulthood begins at age 18. Israel considers…
Drone strikes: Man seeks case against US president
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013- An additional district and sessions judge has sought comments from the Samanabad SHO by November 30 on a petition seeking a case against US President Barack Obama, the US Central Intelligence Agency, the US ambassador, Prime Minister…
Secret U.S.-Iran Talks Started Months Before Rouhani s Election
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013- Iran held the first in a series of secret nuclear discussions with U.S. diplomats months before the country elected its relatively moderate president, Hassan Rouhani, to replace the conservative in power at the time, Reuters reported on…
AP, Al-Monitor reporters spar over Iran scoop
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Both the Associated Press and Al-Monitor had the scoop Saturday night that back room deals between the United States and Iran had been going on for months ahead of this week s official talks in Geneva….
Questions raised about role of British company in South African mining massacre
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013- On 16 August 2012 the summertime sun streamed through the leafy canopy of Green Park and into the windows of the Belgravia headquarters of platinum mine company Lonmin plc. But 5,500 miles away there was a chill…
The Battles in East Ghouta Near Damascus
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Insurgents in East Ghouta, near Damascus, appear to be in the midst of an offensive to break the months-long regime siege of the area. An unknown number of casualties have been suffered by both sides, but…
Villages east of Ramallah plea to reopen road to the city
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Though the Palestinian towns of Beitin, Deir Debwan, Ein Yabrud and Burqa are located only a few kilometers east of Ramallah, it takes the villagers anywhere from 45 minutes up to an hour to reach the…
Palestinians hold solidarity vigil to remember prisoners in Israeli jails
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Palestinians held a demonstration at the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza City today in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. The demonstration has been held every week…
Jonathan Cook proves my point
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – This a brief reply to a short part of Cook s latest post that mostly tries to prove that the Palestinians and Syrians are unalike. I only wish he had devoted half of his attention and…
How Many Unnamed Officials Does It Take to Deny Civilian Deaths?
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – What do you do when the president of another country says US forces killed civilians there? You get US and other allied officials to anonymously deny it. At least, that s what you d do if…
Israeli forces demolish house, steel structure in Hebron town
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Israeli forces demolished a house and a steel structure in the southern West Bank town of Idhna west of Hebron under the pretext of construction without license. The properties, according to the municipal council of Idhna,…
Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails launch hunger strike
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 -Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons under administrative detention started a hunger strike on Monday to protest against their poor treatment. Head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club Qadoura Fares announced that: “Detainees at Ofer and Majeddo prisons started…
Afghanistan plans stoning adulterers to death
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Afghanistan s government is considering restoring stoning for adultery, a punishment used by the Taliban during its time in power. “Men and women who commit adultery shall be punished based on the circumstances to one of…
Libyan army clashes with Islamist militias in Benghazi: 9 killed
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Clashes pitting soldiers and armed civilians against members of a militant Islamic group in Libya s eastern city of Benghazi left nine dead early on Monday, officials said. It was the latest confrontation between residents of…
Once and Future Bride of the Sea: A historian discusses the history of Jaffa from the Nakba until today
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – This upcoming Thursday, the Tel Aviv Cinematheque will host its first Nakba film festival, featuring films about the Israeli-Arab War of 1948 and the catastrophic repercussions it has had for the Palestinian Arabs. The official Zionist…
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow On Not Leaving Afghanistan
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Actually, we re not leaving. That is confirmed by the news this week of Washington s having reached agreement with President Hamid Karzai on the terms of a Status Of Forces Agreement (SOFA). With the last…
Israel approves 829 new settlement units near Jerusalem
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – Two weeks ago Prime Minister Netanyahu announced then quickly cancelled an order to build 20,000 new settlement units. He had angered American officials, pressed their limits, and then tabled Israeli expansion into the West Bank when…
Iraq snapshot – November 25, 2013
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013- …. December 21st will be the one year anniversary of the protests, 12 months of continuous protesting. So there s a chance, a small one, that non-Iraqi outlets might finally give some serious attention to these protests… As…
Iran deal expected to slow Palestinian-Israeli talks
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – After the signing of a breakthrough agreement between the world community and Iran, the question on Palestinian lips now is how this affects the Palestinian cause and specifically the current Palestinian-Israeli talks. On the surface, the…
Drone Strike Victims Find Support From Activists, Silence from Unapologetic US Leaders
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – “There are no words to explain how horrific it is to see body parts blown to pieces,” said Yemeni engineer Faisal bin Ali Jaber at a November 19 Congressional briefing, as he recounted to US lawmakers…
Obama, Karzai and the Afghan Labyrinth
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 -…The truth is that the US did not want a total withdrawal from Afghanistan, but the brinkmanship between Kabul and Washington raised intriguing questions. Why did President Karzai want to delay the signing until his successor had…
Just Gaza – Another Carter-Moment?
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 -Last week marked the first anniversary of the November 2012 Israeli offensive against Gaza. It would be good to be able to say that it marked the END of that offensive, but as events over past days…
Israeli gunfire wounds a Palestinian and injures a child in a resulting accident
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – On the afternoon of Friday, 22th November 2013, Mohammed Adel Afana, age 22, was injured by Israeli gunfire east of the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. Adel Afana had gone there with friends….
Under the Deteriorating Human Rights Situation, Palestinian Women Wait for Justice, But Who Will Respond?
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 – In 1999, the UN designated 25th November of each year as the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This designation comes as part of the UN efforts to curb violence against women…
Israeli soldiers destroy 60 olive trees near Bethlehem
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 25, 2013 — Israeli forces uprooted over 60 olive trees in a Bethlehem village on Monday, a local official said.The mayor of Tuqu, Taysir Abu Mfareh, told Ma an that Israeli soldiers accompanied by settlers uprooted dozens of trees…
Syria News – November 24, 2013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet 27 Nov 2013 – November 24, 2013- By the end of Wednesday the Coordination Committees were able to document 89 martyrs including 13 children, 6 women and 2 martyrs under torture: 31 martyrs were reported in Damascus and its Suburbs; 25 in Aleppo; 11…
A Response to Another Insult
Uruknet 26 Nov 2013 – November 24, 2013 – Someone called Asa Winstanley has addressed (yet another) ignorant insult to the revolutionary Syrian people. In order to make his inane points, Winstanley has to ignore facts (like Russian and Iranian intervention, and the continuing activity…
Syria rebel chief disavows ‘alien’ Islam of jihadists
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 Syria’s mainstream rebel leader has said that all those fighting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime are Muslims but that the draconian punishments imposed by jihadist groups in Islam’s name are “alien.”
UN to send guard force to Libya
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 The United Nations is to send a 235-strong special force to Libya to protect UN staff because of increasing attacks in the country, officials said Wednesday.
Hezbollah: Takfiri attack on Iran embassy means to an end
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 The takfiris who orchestrated the attacks on the Iranian Embassy in Beirut last week were the tools of Israel and the bombings were a means to end, not a reaction to Hezbollah s role in Syria, the…
Egypt: Women protesters get heavy prison sentences
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 Egyptian authorities on Wednesday took a heavy hand against both Islamist and secular opponents, handing down heavy prison sentences to a group of female supporters of the ousted Islamist president – including teenagers as young as…
Kerry returning to Israel next week amid Iran row
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Israel next week for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking to calm tensions with the Jewish state over the Iran nuclear deal.
Clashes during Tunisia protest over economy
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 Clashes erupted Wednesday in two Tunisian cities when protesters attacked symbols of the state during demonstrations calling for greater investment in their impoverished regions.
Iran, Turkey call for ceasefire before Syria talks
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 Iran’s top diplomat said Wednesday that Tehran and Ankara would press for a ceasefire in Syria ahead of peace talks planned for January, the Mehr news agency reported.
Attacks in Iraq kill 36; 13 corpses found
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 Attacks across Iraq including a suicide bombing at a Sunni funeral killed at least 36 on Wednesday, authorities said, while police found 13 bodies at two different locations with gunshot wounds to their heads.
Egypt court hands 14 Brotherhood women 11-year jail terms: sources
Daily Star 27 Nov 2013 An Egyptian court sentenced 14 women members of the Muslim Brotherhood to 11 years in jail Wednesday after convicting them of belonging to a “terrorist organisation,” judicial sources said.
Oil prices fall to lowest level in 6 months
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – ….
US offering to destroy Syrian chemicals at sea
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – ….
Saudi report: Obama phones Saudi King, discusses Iran deal
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – ….
UN to send guard force to Libya
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – ….
President Peres signs cooperation accords with Mexican president
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – ….
Pen, ink instead of blood
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – Op-ed: Obama proved that talking to enemy with hand extended in peace, respect will lead to result ….
Court forces mother to circumcise son
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – High Rabbinical Court rules man may perform Jewish ritual on infant despite wife’s objection, expressing concern that circumcision will be used as tool in divorce battles ….
It’s baby face’s turn
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – Op-ed: After Barak’s aggressive conduct, Yachimovich who failed to deliver, Labor needed less violent chairman ….
Thanksgivukkah items find runaway success
YNet News, 27 Nov 2013 – Retailers having a ball creating symbolic trinkets for Thanksgiving, Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, which converge this year. More than 6,000 turkey-shaped menorahs sold online, while Jewish Museum of New York offering dreidel salt and pepper shakers ….
Palestinian Information Center
Calls for Intifada following the killing of three Palestinians by IOF
PIC – Intifada Youth Coalition condemned the heinous crime committed in al-Khalil by the Israeli soldiers, who assassinated three Palestinians, and called for igniting a new intifada.
IOF summons citizens in Jenin
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) early Wednesday raided the towns of Bir al-Basha, Yabad, Toura al-Gharbeya and Araba, south of Jenin, where they summoned 5 citizens and interrogated others.
IOF detains a child for 18 hours without water or food
PIC – A Palestinian child has been subjected to torture during his detention for 18 hours in an Israeli detention center.
Clashes in al-Khalil following new Israeli crime in Yatta
PIC – Violent clashes have erupted throughout al-Kahlil in the southern occupied West Bank on Wednesday following the new Israeli crime in Yata town.
Barghouthi: Israel exploiting negotiations as a cover for its crimes
PIC – MP Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouthi, secretary general of Mubadara movement, said on Wednesday that the Israeli murder of three Palestinian citizens in Al-Khalil last night was a ‚¨ Svicious crime‚¨ ù.
15 Palestinians wounded in clashes with IOF soldiers near Ofer
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) used brutal force to disperse a Palestinian demonstration near Ofer, west of Ramallah, protesting the IOF murder of three Palestinians in Al-Khalil.
Falk calls for urgent action to solve Gaza’s power crisis and avert its impacts
PIC – UN special rapporteur Richard Falk called for urgent action to address the power crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip that has left 1.7 million of its residents in a dire situation.
IOF kidnap 15 Palestinians from their homes in Al-Khalil
PIC – The Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday morning carried out mass detention of Palestinian citizens in Al-Khalil city and some of its towns and kidnapped 15 of them from their homes.
Gov’t: Al-Khalil killing incident is a product of the peace talks
PIC – The Palestinian government held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the consequences of the cold-blooded killing of three Palestinians today at the hands of its soldiers in Al-Khalil city.
Moroccan commission calls for commemorating Day of Solidarity with Palestinians
PIC – The Moroccan Commission to Support the Nation Issues called on the Moroccan people to organize events commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People..
Abbas Discusses Peace Talks with Quartet Representative
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
PEX Report: Index Drops after Days of Gain
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
Students Demonstrate at Israeli Army Camp near Ramallah
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
Thousands Participate in Funerals of Three Killed by Israel
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
Dozens Suffer from Tear Gas Fired by Israelis
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
Minor Speaks of His Ordeal in Israeli Detention
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
EU, Palestine Discuss Human Rights, Good Governance and Rule of Law
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
Decrease in Building Licenses in 3rd Quarter, says Statistics Bureau
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
After Killing 3 Palestinians near Hebron, Army Arrests 13 from Area
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
Weather Forecast: Hazy Morning, Cooler in Evening
WAFA – 27 Nov 2013
Iran nuclear deal foes rein in criticism
LA Times 27 Nov 2013 – The deal’s backers and opponents are recalibrating strategies in light of war-weary Americans’ conflicted views of Iran and strong support for the accord. WASHINGTON As they prepare for battle over the new deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program, the accord’s supporters and foes are…
Big-spending Dubai to host 2020 World Expo, the first Mideast venue
LA Times 27 Nov 2013 – From the folks who brought the world the 24-karat gold iPad, the tallest skyscraper and the first government program that pays citizens to lose weight will come the 2020 World Expo.
In Iran, nuclear deal met with guarded enthusiasm
LA Times 26 Nov 2013 – Many are hopeful that the interim accord will lead to the end of sanctions, even as conservatives criticize the terms as weighted against Iran. TEHRAN The website known as Rajanews was less than thrilled with the interim nuclear accord worked out last weekend between…
The Lede: Crackdown in Egypt Fuels New Dissent
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – There were street protests in Egypt s two largest cites on Wednesday, amid signs that attempts by the military-backed government to stifle dissent were fueling a backlash.
Obama Phones Saudi King Abdullah About Iran Nuclear Deal: White House
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – President Barack Obama phoned Saudi King Abdullah on Wednesday to discuss the interim deal between Iran and six world powers to curb Tehran’s nuclear program, and emphasized that it will be important for Iran to follow through on commitments made in the deal, the White House said.
Syrian Opposition to Attend Geneva Peace Conference
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – The Syrian National Coalition opposition group will attend the long-delayed “Geneva 2” talks in January aimed at ending the country’s civil war, the group’s president, Ahmad Jarba, said on Wednesday.
The Lede: Kerry and Zarif Turn to Selling Nuclear Deal to Skeptics Back Home
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – Having reached an interim agreement to freeze Iran s nuclear program, Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, turned their attention to selling at home.
Kerry to Visit Middle East, Moldova and Attend NATO Talks
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Jerusalem and Ramallah next week to discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace and to consult Israeli officials about Iran, the State Department said on Wednesday.
Death of Musical Icon Brings Israel to Standstill
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – The sudden death of legendary Israeli singer-songwriter Arik Einstein brought the country to a virtual standstill Wednesday, with radio and TV stations airing nonstop retrospectives and throngs flocking to his grave to pay tribute to the father of Israeli rock.
Egypt’s Interim President to Decide on Voting System
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – An assembly amending Egypt’s constitution has left it to the army-backed interim president to decide on the voting system to be used in a parliamentary poll next year, state news agency MENA said on Wednesday.
UAE Minister to Make Rare Gulf Arab Visit to Iran
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – The United Arab Emirates foreign minister will visit Iran on Thursday, Iran’s state news agency reported, just days after Tehran and world powers struck an interim nuclear accord which has caused Gulf Arab misgivings.
The Lede: Egypt s Jon Stewart on Comedy and Politics
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – Bassem Youssef talks about the future of his show, the turbulent political situation in Egypt, and what it is like to be a comedian in a country plagued by violence, division and uncertainty.
Nun Emerges as Power Bro
ker in Syria
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – Amid Syria’s ferocious civil war, a nun has emerged as an unlikely power broker and figure of controversy.
Israel Bows to Demands to Deny EU Science Funds to Settlements
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – Israel has bowed to European Union demands to deny funding eligibility to Israeli scientific enterprises operating in Jewish settlements, removing a key obstacle to finalising a deal for a multi-million dollar research programme.
Iran Success of EU’s Ashton Keeps Brussels in the Game
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – When U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped his arm around Catherine Ashton as they boarded his plane on Sunday after they clinched a breakthrough nuclear deal with Iran in Geneva, it capped a turnaround in her career as Europe’s top diplomat.
Rights Watchdog: Syrian Women Exploited in Lebanon
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – Women refugees from Syria are being sexually harassed by employers, landlords and others in Lebanon, adding another layer of suffering for those who have fled their homes in search of safety, an international human rights watchdog said Wednesday.
Analysis: Reversible Iran Deal Puts More Pressure on Final Talks
New York Times 27 Nov 2013 – By dropping earlier demands that Iran shut down an underground uranium enrichment plant and ship material out of the country as part of a preliminary deal, nuclear negotiators have kicked some of the toughest questions forward to talks for the next year.
LRB runs Adam Shatz s long report on murder of Juliano Mer-Khamis
Mondoweiss – Juliano Mer-Khamis The murder of actor/director Juliano Mer-Khamis in Jenin refugee camp 2-1/2 years ago was a shattering event that the left has done a poor job of examining. Here was an Israeli activist born of a Palestinian father and Jewish mother who was working to…
Former IAF chief: Dogfighting UAVs are the future
Globes Aerospace & Defense – Eitan Ben-Eliyahu told the Israel AUS&R 2013 Air Show that drones are changing the battlefield.
IEC renews Palestinian gas purchase talks
Globes Energy & Water – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked IEC to restart talks with British Gas, which owns 60% of the Marine Gaza offshore field.
Health funds expand top-up plans as deficit grows
Globes Main News – Even as Israel health funds chalked up a cumulative deficit of NIS 2 billion, their supplementary insurance plans expanded in 2012 to NIS 3.52 billion.
Lightspeed partner: Outbrain will hold IPO in 12-18 months
Globes Main News – Ravi Mhatre tells “Globes”: The rate of companies that will go public in the current wave will be similar to what we saw in the 1990s.
What happened there was historic : A report from the American Studies Association boycott debate
Mondoweiss – Full room at the American Studies Association Conference s Town Hall Meeting on #Palestine. (Photo: Lena Ibrahim) The American Studies Association held their 2013 Annual Conference at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC November 21-24. Among the many sessions were two landmark events a Town Hall Meeting…
What Comes Next: The struggle we are fighting for is the right to assert what our life will look like
Mondoweiss – This post is part of What Comes Next?: A forum on the end of the two-state paradigm. This series was initiated by Jewish Voice for Peace as an investigation into the current state of thinking about one state and two state solutions, and the collection has…
Gov’t approves IMI privatization
Globes Main News – Israel Military Industries will vacate land in the Sharon on which 44,000 houisng units will be built.
AIPAC plays the long game on new Iran sanctions
Mondoweiss – Image via RepublicReport.org When the Geneva deal over Iran s nuclear program was announced on Saturday night, reactions came in fast and furious except from America s foremost Israel lobby group. The silence didn t last long, though. On November 25th, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) made its…
Wed: Osem boosts TASE to new record
Globes Main News – Stocks rose today, with Osem up strongly after chairman Dan Propper sold shares to controlling shareholder Nestle. Camtek corrected following a 175% gain in three sessions.
Israel shouldn t rely on Obama s word, says chair of (US) Center for National Interest
Mondoweiss – Hank Greenberg Maurice R. Greenberg, financier and World War II veteran, tells Jacob Heilbrunn that Israel has to do what it has to do on Iran. Note that Greenberg is chairman of the Center for the National Interest, which purports to be America s realist voice, and…
Iran deal poses conflict of loyalties for US Jews, say Economist and Haaretz
Mondoweiss – Angry at the US, Netanyahu reaches out to Russians The Iran deal is an important moment in Jewish history because the Jewish state has made clear that it wants American Jews to support it and oppose the deal, but American Jews aren t buying. This is a…
ADL connection is suddenly a liability for a court nominee
Mondoweiss – This is astonishing. From the JTA , Ties to the ADL are proving to be a problem for a Massachusetts court nominee. The nominee has a long track record in civil rights advocacy. But his organization tried to dismiss the Armenian genocide at a time when Turkey…
Taub Center: Israel has West’s widest income gap
Globes Macro Economics – The Taub Center describes Israel as a country which has the widest income gaps in the West, high poverty rates, and people who forego dental care, heating, air conditioning, and even food.
S&P exec: Israel has no real estate bubble
Globes Macro Economics – Dr. Elliot Hentov: We’re already seeing the first casualty from the situation in the real estate market: the Bank of Israel’s monetary policy.
The country that cried wolf
Mondoweiss – This is delicious. From Richard Silverstein. 1984. Iran in final stages of production of nuclear bomb: Maariv headline April 25, 1984pic.twitter.com/xbkekk6hwF Tikun Olam (@richards1052) November 26, 2013 Thx to Scott Roth .
A Thanksgiving from Hell US native foods at the UN feature Snickers and Oreos
Mondoweiss – Last week we ran an anonymous report from the UN Women s Guild bazaar in Geneva that described the processed, corporate offerings at the American booth. Well, dear reader, here s the proof: Four anonymous photos from the American women s booth. As the UN Women s Guild says , at…
Palestinians increasingly concerned Jordan may be given control of West Bank in future deal
Mondoweiss – Israeli-controlled Allenby Bridge Crossing between Jordan and the West Bank, July 9, 2009. (Photo: Reuters) This is part of Marc H. Ellis s Exile and the Prophetic feature for Mondoweiss. To read the entire series visit the archive page . In Vienna last week, it wasn t the people…
Israel offers favorable tax regime for companies
Globes Macro Economics – “Globes” and Baker Tilly Israel accountants found Israel’s tax benefits are among the most attractive in the West.
MediWound planning $100m Wall Street IPO
Globes Main News – The chronic wounds and burns treatment company is planning to hold the offering at a company value of $450-500 million.
Hapoalim profits up on flat revenue
Globes Main News – Third quarter net profit rose to NIS 653 million from NIS 625 million for the corresponding quarter.
Discount Bank profit up 25%
Globes Main News – Third quarter net profit rose 25% to NIS 276 million from NIS 221 million for the corresponding quarter.
Osem chairman sells shares to Nestle
Globes Main News – Dan Propper received $142 million for most of his stake in the food company from controlling shareholder Nestle.
Israeli Media Reign of Error Predicting Iranian Nuke: 1984-2011
Tikun Olam – Maariv headline predicts Khomeini s atomic bomb in final stage of production Israel (and western ) media have a long history of predicting an impending Iranian nuke. That history goes back at least to 1984 if not before. Thanks to Israeli blogger and reporter for Calcalist, Omer Kabir,…
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Jewish Voice for Peace –
Iran Conflict Has Little to Do with Nukes
Tikun Olam – Stephen Walt and Israeli Arab affairs reporter for Army Radio, Jackie Hugi (English version here ), yesterday wrote two parallel analyses of the real reasons for the festering tension both between Iran and the west, and Iran and its regional neighbors. In short, it s not about nukes. …
Netanyahu s peace gesture is meant to extract concessions
Sabbah report 27 Nov 2013 – Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu made what was presumably intended to sound like a historic peace gesture towards the Palestinians last week. He invited Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, to Jerusalem to address the Israeli parliament. In reality, Mr Netanyahu s offer was as hollow as his…
November 30th: Children of Gaza to launch mini-Arks challenging the blockade
Sabbah report 27 Nov 2013 – You can help brighten a dark path. Lead the way and sail with the children of Gaza towards freedom. This project is bringing attention to the devastating conditions for children living inside the Gaza Strip, as fuel to run their society and other essentials have been…
Israeli Genocide of Palestinian Olive trees
Sabbah report 27 Nov 2013 – Extreme hatred of everything non-Jewish seems to be ingrained in the blood of Zionist Israeli Jews. This hatred is expressed by their warmongering politicians, their terrorist army, their fundamentalist rabbis, and their extremist civilians starting from their children up to their elderly of both sexes. They…
Israel Charged with War Crimes and Genocide
Sabbah report 27 Nov 2013 – Complete Judgment of Kuala Lumpur Tribunal The perpetrators had committed acts against the Palestinians, with intent to kill, cause serious bodily or mental harms and deliberately inflict conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinians as a whole or in part. …
Rise of the ‘secret’ ultra-Orthodox Jewish beauty salons
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – The beauty salons taking root among Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox
VIDEO: Inside ‘secret’ ultra-Orthodox salon
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – Yeelat Chen is a new beauty salon for ultra-Orthdox women in central Jerusalem.
Egypt jails girls over demonstration
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – An Egyptian court sentences 21 female supporters of ousted President Morsi, including seven juveniles, to 11 years in jail over a protest last month.
Iran’s Hassan Rouhani in music video
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani is featured in an online music video, entitled Nowsafar (Newly on the Road), marking 100 days of his government.
Israel Mourns Arik Einstein, King of Cool
The Foward Breaking News 27 Nov 2013 – For many Israelis, nothing symbolised home more than singer Arik Einstein, and on Wednesday a nation mourned the death of its king of cool. Click here for the rest of the article…
American Studies Group Backs Israel Boycott
The Foward Breaking News 27 Nov 2013 – For 90 minutes in a packed hotel conference room in the heart of Washington, Israel was the colonizer, the settler state, the perpetuator of apartheid. Click here for the rest of the article…
Pleading With Iran To Free Robert Levinson
The Foward Breaking News 27 Nov 2013 – The Obama administration reiterated its plea to Iran s government to track and free a Jewish man held hostage for six years. Click here for the rest of the article…
Jewish Groups Back Away From All-Out Fight Over Iran Nuclear Deal
The Forward New 27 Nov 2013 – Jewish groups are backing down from an all-out fight with President Barack Obama over Iran, despite Israel s strident opposition to the nuclear deal. Click here for the rest of the article…
AIPAC Holds Fire on Iran Nuclear Deal Calls for Tougher Future Stance
The Forward New 26 Nov 2013 – In a carefully worded statement awaited by many observers, the main pro-Israel lobby focused more pushing for a tough final agreement with Iran on its nuclear program than on blasting the United States and several other countries for signing an interim agreement with Iran that Israel…
Rise of the ‘secret’ ultra-Orthodox Jewish beauty salons
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – The beauty salons taking root among Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox
VIDEO: Inside ‘secret’ ultra-Orthodox salon
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – Yeelat Chen is a new beauty salon for ultra-Orthdox women in central Jerusalem.
Egypt jails girls over demonstration
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – An Egyptian court sentences 21 female supporters of ousted President Morsi, including seven juveniles, to 11 years in jail over a protest last month.
Rohani: Iran economic issues go beyond Western sanctions
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – From left to right, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, President Hassan Rohani and Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov attend the opening session of a two-day ministerial conference of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) in Tehran on November 26, 2013. (Photo: AFP – Atta Kenare) President…
Syrian government to attend talks
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – The Syrian government confirms its attendance at peace talks planned for January, but says it is not going to negotiate a handover of power.
Lebanese customs strike after refusing interview with beaten journalists
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – Lebanese customs agents called for a one-day strike on Wednesday after the beating of journalists by Beirut security forces outside the customs office sparked protests. According to the Lebanese National News Agency, the syndicate of customs employees called for a strike, a day after four journalists…
University of Damascus: Pay to Pass Is Still Norm, Especially in War
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – Syrian youths stand in front of portraits of President Bashar al-Assad plastered on the door of their apartment’s balcony in central Damascus on November 27, 2013. (Photo: AFP -Louai Beshara) Syrian youths stand in front of portraits of President Bashar al-Assad plastered on the door of…
More than 50,000 Ethiopians leave Saudi Arabia in migrant crackdown
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – Ethiopians protest against the conditions of Ethiopian illegal migrants in Saudi Arabia, on November 21, 2013 in Paris. (Photo: AFP – Kenzo Tribouillard) Ethiopia has flown home over 50,000 citizens in Saudi Arabia after a crackdown against undocumented immigrants in the oil-rich state, the foreign ministry…
Khouribga, Morocco: Urban Limbo of European Dreams
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – The Italian-style Avola Cafe in Khouribga, Morocco, a town with a growing population of migrants who have returned from Italy. (Photo: Nahrain Al-Mousawi) The Italian-style Avola Cafe in Khouribga, Morocco, a town with a growing population of migrants who have returned from Italy. (Photo: Nahrain Al-Mousawi)…
Saudi King Tells Suleiman Army Must Fight Hezbollah
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – A handout picture released by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) shows Saudi’s King Abdullah (R) meeting with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman during an official visit on November 11, 2013 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: AFP – SPA) A handout picture released by the Saudi Press Agency (…
The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood s Inflated Revival
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – A Syrian rebel aims his weapon as he takes position behind a makeshift barricade during clashes with regime forces in the Salaheddine district of Aleppo in northern Syria on March 16, 2013. (Photo: AFP – JM Lopez) A Syrian rebel aims his weapon as he takes…
Bahrain arrests human rights activist for “inciting hatred” against the monarchy
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – A Bahraini photographer holds a mask of Guy Fawkes used by the anonymous movement during an anti-government protest in the village of Bilad al-Qadeem, in a suburb of the capital Manama, on November 22, 2013.(Photo: AFP – Mohammed al-Shaikh) Bahraini human rights defender Hussain Jawad was…
Syrian government to attend Geneva II, but says Assad stepdown off the table
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – Syria will send delegates to a Geneva peace conference under President Bashar al-Assad’s orders, but his position will not be under discussion, an official said Wednesday. The announcement was immediately condemned by Syria’s opposition, which restated its demand that the talks, dubbed Geneva II, lead to…
Iran’s Hassan Rouhani in music video
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani is featured in an online music video, entitled Nowsafar (Newly on the Road), marking 100 days of his government.
Scores killed in shooting, bombing attacks around Baghdad
Al-Akhbar News 27 Nov 2013 – Updated at 6:20pm: At least 33 people were killed and 76 wounded in bombings and shootings in Iraq on Wednesday, police and medical sources said, the latest in a string of attacks that threaten to tilt the country back into all-out warfare. Police found the bodies…
Trapped footballer ‘leaving Qatar’
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – A French footballer unable to leave Qatar because of a dispute with his club can now return home, his brother says.
Iraq shootings and bombings kill 33
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – A series of shootings and bombings have left at least 33 people dead across Iraq, officials say, including nine in the western city of Ramadi.
Israeli singer Einstein dies aged 74
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – Israeli singer Arik Einstein, regarded as a “cultural giant” in his homeland, dies at the age of 74.
Militants killed in West Bank raid
BBC 27 Nov 2013 – Three Palestinian militants, who planned to attack Israeli and Palestinian targets, have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank, Israel says.
Al-Qaeda’s brutal tactics in Syria forces out moderates
BBC 26 Nov 2013 – Al-Qaeda’s brutal tactics in Syria forces out moderates
Beirut: Sectarian Drama on USJ Campus
Al-Akhbar Politics 26 Nov 2013 – The university had closed the main campus gate and practiced its favorite ritual of cordoning the students to pre-empt any security incident, which always results in the opposite. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) The university had closed the main campus gate and practiced its favorite ritual of cordoning…
Lebanon: Embassy Suicide Bombers Are Graduates of the Assir School
Al-Akhbar Politics 26 Nov 2013 – A few hours after the Iran embassy bombing, the Internal Security Forces (ISF) removed security checkpoints at the entrance of the commercial market in Saida, prohibiting the entry of all cars. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A few hours after the Iran embassy bombing, the Internal Security Forces (…
Berri in Tehran: Iran Wants to Reassure Its Arab Neighbors
Al-Akhbar Politics 26 Nov 2013 – A handout picture released by the Iranian presidency shows the Islamic Republic’s President Hassan Rouhani (R) meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Tehran on November 25, 2013. (AFP – HO / IRANIAN PRESIDENCY) A handout picture released by the Iranian presidency shows the Islamic Republic’s…
Articles
Gaza flooded with sewage and conspiracy
Ramzy Baroud, Asia Times 11/27/2013
The latest punishment of Gaza may seem like another familiar plot to humiliate the strip to the satisfaction of Israel, Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority, and the military-controlled Egyptian government. But something far more sinister is brewing.
This time, the collective punishment of Gaza arrives in the form of raw sewage that is flooding many neighborhoods across the impoverished and energy-choked region of 360 square kilometers and 1.8 million inhabitants.
Even before the latest crisis resulting from a severe shortage of electricity and diesel fuel that is usually smuggled through Egypt, Gaza was rendered gradually uninhabitable. A comprehensive United Nations report last year said that if no urgent action were taken, Gaza would be “unlivable” by 2020. Since the report was issued in August 2012, the situation has grown much worse.
Over the years, especially since the tightening by Israel of the Gaza siege in 2007, the world has become accustomed to two realities: the ongoing multiparty scheme to weaken and defeat Hamas in Gaza, and Gaza’s astonishing ability to withstand the inhumane punishment of an ongoing siege, blockade and war.
Two infamous wars illustrate this idea: the first was Israel’s 22-day war of 2008-9 (killing over 1,400 Palestinians and wounding over 5,500 more), and the second was the conflict of November 2012 – eight days of fighting that killed 167 Palestinians and six Israelis.
In the second war, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohammed Morsi, was still in power. For the first time in many years, Egypt sided with the Palestinians. Because of this and stiff Palestinian resistance in Gaza, the strip miraculously prevailed. Gaza celebrated its victory, and Israel remained somewhat at bay – while, of course, mostly failing to honor its side of the Cairo-brokered agreement of easing Gaza’s economic hardship. more..e-mail
The implications of Israeli exaggeration of resistance in Gaza
Dr Adnan Abu Amer, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 11/27/2013
We have monitored Israeli media for a number of weeks and listened to the opinions of military leaders who considered the tranquillity on the borders of the Gaza Strip to be “deceiving.” They suggested that the discovery of a third tunnel in Ein reveals what Hamas is most preoccupied about these days with regard to Israel. They considered the discovery of the tunnels to be a blow to the strategy of Hamas, which invests a large part of its budget and human potential on creating tunnels.
The Israeli propaganda machine continue by saying that the interest of Hamas in creating tunnels is matched by Israeli army attempts to combat tunnels, which it considers to be its main target. All arms of the security services have been assigned to focus their efforts on the discovery and the search for solutions to this dilemma. Hamas has been developing tunnels significantly for a long time and the tunnel that was discovered last was impressive in all respects due to its length, depth, width and strength. More important is the determination of the Palestinians to dig these tunnels, which have many uses including allowing them access to the depths of the Zionist region, the abduction of soldiers or settlers, allowing them to enter insurgents to control houses in neighbouring towns, or entering militants to blow themselves up in regions far from the Strip in the heart of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
The recent Israeli statements against Hamas in Gaza are the most serious. The current challenge faced by the army is how to change their way of thinking and acting. Military forces are always directed to look straight; hence the tunnels surprise them from behind. They are required to break away from their habit of doing normal full-time activities as this enables the other party to draw from their plans. This method proved its effectiveness during the process “Amoud Al-Sahab,” which it caused the army a lot of problems. more..e-mail
Film review: A documentary explores Israeli attitudes to the Nakba
Lisa Goldman, +972 Magazine 11/28/2013
The eponymous scene of On the Side of the Road, a documentary that explores Israeli attitudes toward the Palestinian nakba, or catastrophe, occurs midway through the film on an unpaved road just outside the West Bank settlement of Ariel. Interrupted by a curious Israeli family out for a pastoral drive, director Lia Tarachansky stops to answer their questions about what she is filming ( what TV channel will it be on? ). As they drive on, the children waving and smiling their good byes, Tarachansky stands alone on the side of the road and suddenly bursts into tears. I mean, everyone I love is here, she weeps, as she faces the sprawling settlement. You know?
Tarachansky, a journalist who works for The Real News, was raised from the age of six in Ariel, the largest settlement on the West Bank. Standing on that quiet stretch of road, surrounded by Palestinian villages, she says, This is where I am from. I don t know anything else. Both statements are heartfelt, but neither is completely true. Tarachansky was born in Kiev, in the former Soviet Union, but raised from the age of six in Ariel. Like most Israeli children she learned nothing in school about the nakba, or catastrophe the Arabic name for the dispossession and exile of the Palestinian people in 1948.
Reading Ilan Pappe s The Ethnic
Cleansing of Palestine as a young adult was my first encounter with this history, she said in an interview conducted via Skype.
Her search for more information led her to the Israeli NGO Zochrot, which documents destroyed Palestinian villages and towns in an effort to raise awareness of the dispossession of 1948. Ultimately, she decided to make a documentary film about the subject, and how it is viewed by Israeli society. Today she lives in Jaffa, and is deeply immersed in the activist community. But what she is saying and showing in this scene outside Ariel is that the community in which she is rooted is the one that nurtured her and which she still loves, even though the divergence in their political views has now left her marginalized from mainstream Israeli society and thus metaphorically on the side of the road. Asking questions about the nakba is the biggest taboo in Israeli Jewish society. more..e-mail
Netanyahu s peace gesture is meant to extract concessions
Jonathan Cook, The National 11/26/2013
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu made what was presumably intended to sound like a historic peace gesture towards the Palestinians last week.
He invited Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, to Jerusalem to address the Israeli parliament, echoing Menachem Begin s invitation to Egypt s president, Anwar Sadat, in 1977. That visit was the prelude to a peace agreement concluded the following year between Israel and Egypt.
Should Mr Abbas accept, it would pose a dilemma for his host. According to Israeli law, the right of foreigners to address the parliament is reserved to visiting heads of state.
As one Israeli commentator pointedly observed, Mr Netanyahu would have either to hurriedly change the law or to recognise Mr Abbas as the head of a Palestinian state. We can assume he is about to do neither.
In reality, Mr Netanyahu s offer was as hollow as his previous utterances about Palestinian statehood.
Begin, a rightwing hawk too, welcomed Sadat to the parliament, where Israeli legislators listened intently to the Egyptian leader s vision of peace.
More than 35 years later, Mr Netanyahu and his cohorts are not in the least interested in Mr Abbas s terms for an end to the conflict, even in the midst of the current nine-month peace talks. They want him to come only if he is ready to concede terms of surrender recognising as a Jewish state whatever enlarged borders Israel demands. more..e-mail
Eight questions Palestinian queers are tired of hearing
Electronic Intifada: 27 Nov 2013 – We ve had enough of lazy journalism and stereotypes. more..
The Plot Thickens: Gaza is Flooded with Sewage and Conspiracies
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Nov 2013 – By Ramzy Baroud The latest punishment of Gaza may seem like another familiar plot to humiliate the strip to the satisfaction of Israel, Mahmoud Abbas s Palestinian Authority, and the military-controlled Egyptian government. But something far more sinister is brewing. This time, the collective punishment of Gaza arrives in the form of raw sewage that is flooding many neighborhoods across the impoverished and energy-chocked region of 360 km2 (139 sq mi) and 1.8 million inhabitants. Even before the latest crisis resulting from a severe shortage of electricity and diesel fuel that is usually smuggled through Egypt, Gaza was rendered gradually uninhabitable. A comprehensive UN report last year said that if no urgent action were taken, Gaza would be unlivable by 2020. Since the report was issued in August 2012, the situation has grown much worse. Over the years, especially since the tightening by Israel of the Gaza siege in 2007, the…more
Obama s Big Prize to Earn Nobel Peace Prize
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Nov 2013 – By Nicola Nasser Indeed, US President Barak Obama has gone a long way to earn his Nobel Peace Prize, which was prospectively and in advance awarded in 2009 to the 44th president of the United States while less than eight months in office. However, Obama s big prize to make him feel that I deserve the Nobel Prize as he had said then will be waiting for him until he ends the ongoing Israeli war on the Palestinian people and occupation of their land, at least since 1967. This Israeli war lies at the heart of both the wars Obama inherited as well as those he has just averted and has been all along the source of regional wars, instability and insecurity as well as the source of the deep-rooted anti-Americanism in the Middle East. To his credit, President Obama, true to his promise to end a decade of wars, wound…more
In A World of Chaos: Gaza’s Watar Band Seeking Love, Peace and Freedom
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Nov 2013 – By Samah Sabawi Gaza s new music sensation Watar Band has just released their latest song and it is making a lot of noise! The song Dawsha which literally translates to noise is a reminder to the world that creative rhythm and harmony still exist in Gaza despite the chaos and the depressive realities that prevail not only within the tiny strip but in the region as a whole. I interviewed Watar Band s lyricist Hassan Nigim about the song, the band and the triumphs and tribulations of making music in Gaza: Samah Sabawi: Thanks Hassan for talking with me. I understand this is a very busy time for you as you prepare to release your video clip for Dawsha. Tell me how important is this work for you? Hassan Nigim: Thanks for the interview Samah, we appreciate your support. I believe this work is very important even though it started as…more
Please Do Not Train Them and Here is Why
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Nov 2013 – By Mustafa Fetouri Mr. Ali Zeidan, Libya s prime minister, is seeking help from different countries to train Libyan would be military and police officers in order to solve his country s security problem. Dozen countries have already lined up to help Libya build professional army and police forces in order to stabilize the north African county. On offer: various training plans both inside and outside the country aimed at integrating the rogue militias , playing havoc on Libya, into the yet to be established army and security forces and claim back the country from the hands of gangs, outlaws, and tribal militias which have been controlling the state since the NATO helped rebels took over the country. The misery reach a level where in any personal argument between to drug addicts or militia members could turn into full war particularly in Tripoli and Benghazi. According to the Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren…more
The War of Narratives: Bringing Truth to Middle East Crisis
Palestine Chronicle: 27 Nov 2013 – By Dan Lieberman The Narrative Challenge The war of narratives shaped as a slam dunk win for the Palestinian people, and had the potential to change the lineup of forces in the struggle for a just solution to the Middle East crisis. After all, unlike the Zionists, the Palestinians are a singular people, speak a common language, have common customs, and lived a shared history. They inhabited the area for centuries, if not for millennia, and tilled and watered the land to which they had legal title. Western nations restructured the Middle East, denied the Palestinians a country, and placed them in a British Mandate. Refusal to agree to surrendering any of their lands to the UN Partition Plan led to the catastrophe in 1948 (Al-Nakba), which left them stateless and subject to Israeli occupation and oppression. As a community, the Palestinians are now headed toward destruction. Can they prevent…more
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The New Dark Age 