21 December 2013 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Child Killed After Being Struck By Settler’s Vehicle In Jerusalem
IMEMC – [Saturday Evening December 21, 2013] Palestinian medical sources have reported that a Palestinian child died of severe injuries sustained after being rammed by an Israeli settler’s car near the Al-Eesawiyya town, north of occupied East Jerusalem. …
Settlements Will Continue, Says Netanyahu
IMEMC – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that the construction of settlements will continue, regardless of warnings that peace negotiations with the Palestinians could suffer a breakdown, the Palestinian News Network (PNN) has reported. …
Israeli Forces Fire On Protesters
IMEMC – Protests in Bili, al-Masara and Nabi Saleh Israeli forces dispersed Palestinian protests across the West Bank, on Friday, with rubber bullets and excessive use of tear gas, injuring dozens of demonstrators, reports the Ma’an News Agency. …
At Least 3608 Palestinians Injured in 2013
IMEMC – According to a new report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 3,608 Palestinians were injured by Israeli soldiers, this year. …
Israeli forces fire at Gaza farmers, injure young man
12/21/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli forces opened fire early Saturday at Palestinian farmers in their fields in the southern Gaza Strip, injuring a young man, medics told Ma’an. Palestinian medical sources told Ma’an that 22-year-old Ismail Najjar was injured when Israeli troops surprised farmers east of Khan Younis refugee camp with gunshots. An Israeli army spokeswoman said Palestinian “terrorists….
Israeli forces detain 1, injure 4 Palestinians in clash near Jerusalem
12/21/2013 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Four Palestinians were injured and one was detained east of Jerusalem on Friday when violent clashes broke out between residents and Israeli forces, an official said. Hani Habiya, spokesman of the local popular committee, told Ma’an that clashes broke out in the village of al-Eizariya between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. Locals threw stones and Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel….
Minors, female prisoners suffer from extreme cold in Israeli jails
12/21/2013 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian minors and female prisoners in Israel’s Hasharon prison are suffering from extreme cold as the Israeli prison service continues to refuse to provide them with enough blankets, a prisoners’ representative said Saturday. Amin Ziyadah told lawyer Fawwaz Shalloudi, who works for the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, that both minors and female prisoners were told they had to….
Thousands attend funeral of Gaza man killed by Israeli forces
12/21/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Thousands of Palestinians gathered in northern Gaza Saturday for the funeral of a man who was shot dead by Israeli forces the day before. Various Palestinian political factions were present at the funeral of Odeh Jihad Hamad in Beit Hanoun, and some of the factions threatened to retaliate against Israel for killing the 29-year-old. An Islamic Jihad leader urged….
Senior PLO official detained for 3 hours by Israeli police
12/21/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Former Palestinian prime minister Ahmad Qurei was released after Israeli police detained him and his guards for three hours near Ma’ale Adummim east of Jerusalem on Saturday, a source privy to details told Ma’an. Qurei, who served as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority from 2003 to 2006, was detained around 1:30 p. m. in the….
Obama tells Congress ‘no need’ for new Iran sanctions
12/21/2013 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — President Barack Obama issued a stern defense of his outreach to Iran on Friday, warning US lawmakers not to derail diplomatic efforts to curtail the country’s nuclear program. In an end-of-year news conference, Obama said efforts in Congress to pass tougher economic sanctions could damage recent moves to halt Tehran’s alleged drive to refine nuclear fuel and build a….
Minister: PA places great value on Kerry’s economic plan
12/21/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority places great value on US Secretary of State John Kerry’s economic initiative in Palestine, which will help the economy thrive in 2014, an official said. Minister of Economy Jawad al-Naji told Ma’an that his ministry seriously counts on Kerry’s initiative to upgrade and activate the Palestinian economy. Once the initiative is implemented….
Israeli analyst: Night raids should ‘continue for years’ after peace
12/21/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A military analyst said Friday that night raids and arrests in the West Bank “should continue for years” even after the signing of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.” The Palestinian opposition to the night arrests does not matter,” military and security correspondent Roni Daniel told Israeli Channel 2.”Night arrests should continue for years even if there is a peace agreement.” Daniel….
Venezuela to send humanitarian aid to Gaza via PA
12/21/2013 – CARACAS (Ma’an) — The government of Venezuela is to send $100 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza via the Palestinian Authority in order to help the Strip’s suffering civilian population in the wake of winter storm Alexa. The Venezuelan move was the result of intensive efforts taken by the Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs to obtain aid for Gazans, the ministry said….
Report: Arab leaders recommend 5-month extension for talks with Israel
12/21/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Arab leaders are interested in a five-month extension of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Egyptian daily newspaper al-Gomhuria said on Saturday. Foreign ministers of Arab countries are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting in Cairo on Saturday afternoon to be attended by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Al-Gomhuria quoted Arab leaders as saying that the conveners would like to give the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli….
Ambassador: Abbas to visit Russia in January
12/21/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to pay a visit to Russia in January to update the Russians on the latest developments regarding peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Palestine’s ambassador to Russia said. Faed Mustafa highlighted that the Kremlin would soon make an official announcement about the visit. As a member of the International Quartet, Russia….
Abbas concludes visit to Egypt
12/21/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will leave Egypt on Saturday evening following a two-day visit. During the trip, Abbas met with foreign ministers from Arab League countries at the organization’s headquarters and briefed them on the latest updates from the current round of peace talks with Israel, as well as Israeli violations of past agreements. Abbas also met with….
Italy FM starts Iran visit on rare EU mission
12/21/2013 – TEHRAN (AFP) — Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino arrived in Tehran Saturday for two days of talks, on a rare visit by a senior European official to the Islamic republic, Iranian media said. Leading a high-ranking delegation, Bonino is to meet her Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday, the official IRNA news agency said. This is the first time in nearly….
Al-Ahmad heads to Lebanon to oversee Fatah conference
12/21/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Fatah central committee member Azzam al-Ahmad said on Friday that he will head to Lebanon to follow up the situation of Palestinian people in the Diaspora. Al-Ahmad told Ma’an that he will meet
a number of Lebanese officials and will check the situation of Palestinian people in Lebanon. He will oversee the conference of Fatah movement which will take….
Palestinian officials affirm ‘respect’ for BDS after Abbas disavowal
12/21/2013 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian officials in South Africa released a statement clarifying that they are not opposed to the boycott of Israel on Friday. The statement comes in the wake of controversial anti-boycott statements made by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas while he was visiting South Africa to mark the death of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. The statement, which was released jointly by….
Analysis: Dis-participation as a Palestinian Strategy?
12/21/2013 – By Haidar Eid – Al-Shabaka is an independent non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and foster public debate on Palestinian human rights and self-determination within the framework of international law. – Many solutions have been put forward to the decades-long crisis of leadership afflicting the Palestinian people, such as reform of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from within through elections to the Palestinian National Council, or….
Elderly woman dies in Tulkarem house fire
12/21/2013 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — An 85-year-old woman died on Saturday after a fire broke out in her house in Tulkarem refugee camp, Palestinian civil defense forces said. Rashida Asad Ahmad Takrouri, who was physically disabled and in a wheelchair, did not escape the fire before rescue crews came to extinguish it, Civil Defense said in a statement. Her body was transferred to the the Tulkarem municipality. [END]
Girl dies in Gaza after falling from 3-story building
12/21/2013 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A three-year-old girl from the Gaza Strip died on Saturday after she fell from the roof of her house, medics said. Medics identified the girl as Rimas Abd al-Jawad, who they said died after she fell from the roof of her house in the Tal al-Hawa area. They said the house was three stories tall. [END]
Syria views Saudi as number one enemy
12/21/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syria now views Saudi Arabia as its number one enemy and accuses it of trying to destroy the country by arming Wahhabi militants and other rebels fighting to oust President Bashar Assad. The oil-rich Gulf monarchies have sided with the opposition from the start of Syria’s conflict in March 2011, with Riyadh leading calls for the fall of Assad. Syrian Deputy….
Prosecution: Egypt’s Morsi faces trial for prison break, murder
12/21/2013 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt’s deposed president Mohamed Morsi and 132 others, including members of Hamas, will stand trial for a prison break and the murder of officers during the 2011 uprising, the prosecution said on Saturday. Almost 70 of the defendants are members of Hamas and Hezbollah, the Palestinian and Lebanese militant groups, who will be tried in absentia. The prosecutors claim Morsi’….
Unrest grips south Yemen after tribal chief death
12/21/2013 – ADEN (AFP) — Several cities across south Yemen were virtually paralyzed Saturday by a second day of confrontations between southern militants and security forces in which 11 people were wounded. As police said armed clashes broke out in several cities, medics said a militant wounded on Friday had died of his injuries. Tension also spiked in the north of the country, where the Sunni Islamist Al-Islah….
Syria govt air raids ‘wreaking disaster’ on Aleppo
12/21/2013 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syrian forces are “wreaking disaster” on Aleppo, killing hundreds in air strikes on the city, Human Rights Watch said Saturday, as peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi held talks with Iran’s foreign minister. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), meanwhile, said the body of Abbas Khan, a British doctor who died in a Syrian jail, was to be transported to Beirut….
Libya again threatens use of force to end oil blockade
12/21/2013 – DOHA (AFP) — Libyan Oil Minister Abdelbari al-Arusi on Saturday issued a renewed threat of force to lift a months-long blockade of oil terminals by striking autonomists.”The government is making every effort to hold talks with those blockading the terminals,” he told journalists on the sidelines of a conference in Doha of the Organisation of Arab Oil Exporting Countries.”But all options, including the military….
International Solidarity Movement
Murad Eshtewi, head of the Popular Committee of Kafr Qaddum, has been arrested
12/21/2013 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team, Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine – Yesterday morning, Murad Eshtewi, the head of the Popular Committee of Kufr Qaddum and leader of the Friday demonstrations was arrested and is still being held by Israeli forces. At around 3:00 on Friday morning, Israeli soldiers entered the village of Kafr Qaddum, in Qalqilya district, arresting two citizens on the accusation of having taken part in….
UAE finishes model school in Pakistan
The National 21 Dec 2013 – The 774 square metre school will have a lecture hall, five classrooms, a library, IT facilities and a sport area.
Egypt’s charter referendum will be a verdict on Islamism
The National 21 Dec 2013 – Draft constitution that replaces Islamist-leaning clauses with guarantees of equal rights for all will also indicate progress in military’s road map to democracy.
Militants kill top Iraqi army officers in ‘revenge’ attack
The National 21 Dec 2013 – Victims of attack in Ambar include army commander who oversaw deadly raid on Sunni protest camp in Hawija earlier this year.
Editor’s rape charge leaves future of Tehelka magazine in doubt
The National 21 Dec 2013 – Tarun Tejpal, 50, has been in police custody in Goa since November 30, pending the investigation of charges that he raped and sexually assaulted a young reporter on his staff during an event hosted by Tehelka in early November.
Erdogan threatens to expel foreign diplomats as bribery inquiry bites
The National 21 Dec 2013 – The Turkish premier’s remarks were considered a veiled threat to US ambassador, Francis Ricciardone, after he was reported to have commented on the unfolding bribery scandal.
Video: UN Secretary General arrives in Tacolaban City
The National 21 Dec 2013 – UN Secretary General gives message of hope to people of typhoon ravaged Philippines.
Video: Diplomatic row simmers in both US, India
The National 21 Dec 2013 – Demonstrations in both the US and India over the arrest of an Indian diplomat, and the domestic worker she is charged with underpaying
Video: Preparations underway for massive demonstration
The National 21 Dec 2013 – Anti-government protesters prepare for major demonstration in Bangkok.
Video: Prayers turn to anguish in Syria
The National 21 Dec 2013 – Amateur video from Syria purports to show heavy shelling across Aleppo, while a mosque comes under fire during Friday prayers in Homs.
Video: Obama says healthcare rollout was biggest mistake of 2013
The National 21 Dec 2013 – In his year-end news conference, President Obama highlights progress in economy, expresses regret over healthcare rollout, and says immigration reform is a top priority in 2014.
Video: Checkpoint becomes a battle ground in Central African Republic
The National 21 Dec 2013 – Three Seleka fighters are shot dead in Central African Republic after one pulled out a grenade at a checkpoint.
Video: Russia gives amnesty to high profile Kremlin critics
The National 21 Dec 2013 – Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has left a Russian penal colony after his surprise release from prison, while two other Kremlin critics await their own release in an amnesty proposed by President Putin.
In Snowden’s show, Israel is but an extra
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
Four set to be indicted in Eyal Golan underage sex scandal
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
Let it flow: Water in Israeli nature reserves increased tenfold over past decade
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
British ambassador warns Israel over ‘damaging’ NPOs bill that targets left-wing organizations
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
U.S. spying is ‘unacceptable,’ says Israel’s intelligence affairs minister
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
Arab League chief: Not one Israeli soldier will remain in future Palestine
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
U.S. aircraft hit by gunfire in South Sudan
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
Three U.S. aircraft hit by gunfire in South Sudan
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
Arab League chief to recommend rejecting Kerry’s security plan
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
U.S. blocking Iranian role in Syrian peace talks next month
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
Palestinian wounded as violent incidents continue on Gaza border
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
Making the desert bloom with new Jewish settlements
Ha’aretz – 21 Dec 2013
Hamas is alive and kicking in the West Bank – but in remote control
Ha’aretz – 20 Dec 2013
Israel’s Oscar hopeful ‘Bethlehem’ fails to make shortlist
Ha’aretz – 20 Dec 2013
Changing of the guard at National Labor Court
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – President Nili Arad, the latter’s first woman president, moved aside to make way for Judge Yigal Plitman.
The Travel Adviser: Air Canada throws down the gauntlet
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Founded in 1936, Air Canada flies to over 178 destinations throughout the world; it is a founding member of the Star Alliance.
Ministers to vote on legal recognition for gay couples
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Family courts deal with adoption, divorce, and the recognition of unmarried couples for benefits from the state.
The Elon Lesson
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – The sentencing last week of Rabbi Mordechai “Moti” Elon concluded the trial of a prominent, charismatic national-religious spiritual leader.
Snowstorm hits home
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Some are calling it the snowstorm of the century and some are calling it the bungle of the century. Regardless of which moniker sticks, Alexa was a snowstorm for the record books.
Candidly Speaking: It is crucial Netanyahu creates a coherent settlement policy
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Netanyahu faces ceaseless pressure from the Americans and Europeans, and is often intimidated by a rabidly hostile media and unduly influenced by fickle public opinion polls.
Political opportunities on the Asian economic frontier
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Israel is fast finding a new economic frontier in Asia – one which offers distinct political and diplomatic benefits, as well as economic ones.
High-powered real estate broker steers Israelis to New York properties
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Shimon Shkury has become the go-to man for many Israelis looking to get their own little piece of New York.
Despite pleas for clemency, Obama declines to pardon Pollard
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Former New Mexico Governor Richardson calls on US president to put Israeli agent on Christmas holiday clemency list.
Former Palestinian prime minister, driver pulled over for speeding
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – West Bank police stopped vehicle carrying Ahmed Qurei after it was measured driving at a speed of 145 kilometers per hour.
Arab League nixes American proposal to let IDF stay in West Bank in peace deal
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – At an emergency meeting called at Abbas’ request, Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby said there could be not one Israeli soldier in the territory of a future Palestine.
US Senate committee passes bipartisan US-Israel energy bill
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – The bill aims to bolster collaborations between Israel and the United States on energy issues.
South Korean entrepreneurs in Israel hope to mimic ‘start-up nation’ model
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Hi-tech start-up founders from Asian nation participate in month-long program at Tel Aviv University.
Erdogan blames ‘international groups’ for corruption scandal that rocks Turkey
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – According to local media, 16 people were arrested Saturday in a corruption inquiry that Erdogan has called a “dirty operation” to undermine his rule.
US presses Germany on restitution of Jewish-owned art looted by Nazis
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – Visit by Douglas Davidson, the special envoy for Holocaust issues, reflects an increase of American pressure on Berlin.
The story of a West Bank honor killing
Jerusalem Post 21 Dec 2013 – The tragic tale of how one Palestinian woman became a victim.
Oren calls on US Congress to quell movement to boycott Israel academically
Jerusalem Post 20 Dec 2013 – Former Israeli ambassador to US says in Politico op-ed that more organizations could boycott Israeli academia if action not taken.
Former guard at Australian Chabad school sentenced for sex crimes
Jerusalem Post 20 Dec 2013 – David Samuel Cyprys sentenced to a minimum 5-and-a-half year non-parole period or raping one boy and sexually abusing eight others.
US slams Richard Falk’s ‘despicable and deeply offensive comments’
Jerusalem Post 20 Dec 2013 – State Department says UN special rapporteur’s claims that Israel is “genocidal” represent “a new low.”
Senate makes move toward vote on Iran sanctions bill despite Obama threat to veto
Jerusalem Post 20 Dec 2013 – US Senate Majority Leader Reid files Rule 14, allowing him to bypass normal process of bringing bill for Senate vote through c’tee.
Israeli film ‘Bethlehem’ fails to make Oscar short list
Jerusalem Post 20 Dec 2013 – Yuval Adler’s movie left off list of films vying for best foreign language film, while Palestinian thriller ‘Omar’ makes the cut.
Israel unmoved by reports that US, UK intelligence spied on Olmert, Barak in 2009
Jerusalem Post 20 Dec 2013 – ‘The Guardian’ and ‘The New York Times’ cite British intelligence document indicating that surveillance was conducted against Israeli leaders, other allies.
Obama says now is not ti
me for new Iran sanctions
Jerusalem Post 20 Dec 2013 – President criticizes US lawmakers who want to “look tough” on Iran at a time when powers are negotiating with Tehran.
IDF soldiers wound Palestinian trying to plant bomb along Gaza-Israel fence
Jerusalem Post 20 Dec 2013 – Throughout the weekend, incidents involving Palestinians approaching border to carry out suspicious activity have been reported.
Mahmoud Abbas accused of being traitor over rejection of Israel boycott
The Guardian 21 Dec 2013 – Palestinian president angers activists who have been demanding international sanctions Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has been accused of being a traitor by activists after publicly rejecting calls for a boycott of Israel. His unambiguous statement, made…
Central Africa crisis: Cherchez La France
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013 – The ongoing conflict in the Central Africa Republic (CAR) should be put within its regional context first. CAR is part of a region in Africa which has witnessed some of the most brutal colonial and post-colonial…
Oren calls on Congress to blacklist boycotters, because they re bigoted against Jews
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013- More evidence of the incredible impact of the academics vote earlier this week to boycott Israel: Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., writes at Politico that Congress should take action to make boycott decisions…
United Nations drones: A sign of what s to come?
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013 – News that the United Nations is using drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) to collect information in the troubled east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) illustrates the growing use – and acceptance – of surveillance technologies…
Thousands attend funeral of Gaza man killed by Israeli forces
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013 – — Thousands of Palestinians gathered in northern Gaza Saturday for the funeral of a man who was shot dead by Israeli forces the day before. Various Palestinian political factions were present at the funeral of Odeh…
The nightmare hidden within liberal Zionism
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013 – Since the American Studies Association (ASA) announced this month that its members had voted overwhelmingly to endorse the boycott of Israeli academic institutions, the predictable outpouring of furious responses has been proliferating. They range from former…
3 U.S. military aircraft hit in S. Sudan, 4 wounded
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013 – Gunfire hit three U.S. military aircraft trying to evacuate American citizens in a remote region of South Sudan that on Saturday became a battleground between the country s military and renegade troops, officials said. Four U.S….
Two Sudanese Prisoners Released from Guantánamo, 79 Cleared Prisoners Remain
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013 – As the 12th anniversary of the opening of the “war on terror” prison at Guantánamo Bay approaches (on January 11, 2014), the run of good news regarding the situation at the prison continues, with the news…
Whilst peace talks are in progress, Israel kills 31 Palestinians and detained 500
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013 -Member of Fatah Executive Committee Mohammad Shtayyeh has said that Israel has killed 31 Palestinians, arrested 500 and destroyed 208 Palestinian houses since July when the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks resumed.Speaking to diplomats and journalists in Bethlehem, Shtayyeh…
Israeli forces fire at Gaza farmers, injure young man
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 21, 2013 — Israeli forces opened fire early Saturday at Palestinian farmers in their fields in the southern Gaza Strip, injuring a young man, medics told Ma an.Palestinian medical sources told Ma an that 22-year-old Ismail Najjar was injured…
Remembering Eyad El-Sarraj
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 – Sarraj founded and headed Gaza s Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP). He called its mission: “Healing the Spirit. Instilling Hope.” He said “(i)f you re not enjoying human rights, then you re definitely not enjoying sound…
At Least 3608 Palestinians Injured by Israeli Forces in 2013
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 -According to a new report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 3608 Palestinians were injured in by Israeli forces this year. Furthermore the report states that at least 145 Palestinians…
End of the affair: Why US fell out of love with Syrian opposition
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013- The US is reassessing its relations with the Syrian opposition and is now taking a second look at Assad, Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told RT….”The United…
Iraq snapshot – December 20, 2013
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013. Chaos and violence continue, today was one year of continuous protests in Iraq, we examine the meaning, we look at what fueled them, we look at 2011 s protests and the difference between then and now, today…
Syria News – December 20, 2013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 – By the end of Friday the Coordination Committees were able to document 106 martyrs, including 19 children, 13 women and 3 martyr under torture: 45 martyrs were reported in Aleppo; 33 in Damascus and its Suburb ;…
Demons from hell : rape and torture prevalent in Iraqi prison system
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 – The practice of torture to exact confessions from prisoners remains widespread in Iraq s justice system. And investigators have apparently been able to practice it with impunity. But now even MPs from the ruling coalition are…
Philip Hammond ignores the truth about drone atrocities
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013- The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, would apparently like us to focus on the kinder face of the “Remotely Piloted Air System”, known as the RPA, in his article In defence of drones. Hammond takes issue with “the…
“Bride and Boom!” We re Number One… In Obliterating Wedding Parties
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013- The headline — “Bride and Boom!” — was spectacular, if you think killing people in distant lands is a blast and a half. Of course, you have to imagine that smirk line in giant black letters with…
Walking in an Anthropocene Wonderlandz But I ll know my song well before I start singing
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 -According to a recent, exhaustive study commissioned by the US Department of Energy and headed by a scientific team from the U.S. navy, by the summer of 2015, the Arctic Ocean could be bereft of ice, a…
Israeli Naval Forces Chased Palestinian Fishermen and Confiscated their Fishing Equipment in the Gaza Waters
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 – Israeli Naval Forces stationed off Beit Lahi shore in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in 4 separate incidents while sailing between 600 meters and 3 nautical miles. Israeli naval forces also…
Hedge fund billionaire funds group with eyes on Islamic holy site in Jerusalem
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 – Henry Swieca is a money man. The New York-based billionaire made his fortune by co-founding Highbridge Capital Corp., a hedge fund that boasted clients like the American International Group….According to tax records reviewed by AlterNet, Swieca,…
Questions about the evidence of the alleged Adra Massacre
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – What evidence is there that the massacre in Adra took place? ..RevolutionaryCommie led us on to the face that pro-government pages are reporting the rebels killed babies. This is the photo in question – EXTREME NSFW/ NSFL. EXCEPT /u/MeisterSchlampe debunked…
Senate intelligence committee presses CIA to release torture report
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013- Pressure is building on the CIA to release one of the most potentially explosive documents of the post-9/11 era: a secret Senate report revealing in gruesome detail the extent of the agency s use of torture.In one…
Syria Protests December 20, 2013 : A Video Roundup
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 –
Gaza: And Now This Filthy Flood
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 – – Wearing tattered shoes and hopping between dirty puddles, 14-year-old Sabeh manages to find his way to the market at the Al Shati refugee camp, one of Gaza s most heavily populated and poor areas. He…
9100 violent deaths in Iraq so far this year
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013- The end of the year looms. Iraq Body Count notes 9100 violent deaths in Iraq so far this year with, through Thursday, 660 for the month thus far. That s more than the violent deaths in 2009…
Pakistan Passes New Resolution Against Drone Strikes Demands US Immediately End Strikes
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 -In a unanimous vote, the Pakistani National Assembly has passed another resolution demanding the US immediately end US drone strikes against their country. The resolution cites a UN General Assembly resolution calling on states to only use…
IDF Chief Threatened Journalist With Espionage for Exposing Rampant Military Corruption
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 – December 20, 2013 -Before you begin reading this major scoop, I want to tell you where you won t find this type of reporting. Not in the New York Times, nor Haaretz, or even The Nation. Hell, you won t…
Syria Protests December 20, 2013 : A Video Roundup
Uruknet 21 Dec 2013 –
S. Sudan must help protect Americans in country: Obama
Daily Star 21 Dec 2013 President Barack Obama Saturday calls on South Sudan’s leaders to help protect U.S. personnel and citizens in the conflict-ravaged country, after three American military aircraft were hit, wounding four service members.
Arab League rejects U.S. proposal in Mideast deal
Daily Star 21 Dec 2013 The Arab League says it rejects a continued Israeli troop presence on the eastern border of a future state of Palestine, a proposal Palestinians say was floated by the U.S. earlier this month.
Israel plays down importance of alleged spying by U.S. and U.K.
Daily Star 21 Dec 2013 Israeli officials say they are not surprised by allegations the United States and Britain spied on the country’s leaders and played down the importance of any information its allies may have gleaned.
Mansour warns Israel against unilateral border demarcation
Daily Star 21 Dec 2013 Caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister Adnan Mansour warns Israel against any unilateral step to demarcate its maritime borders with Lebanon following reports that the Jewish state is seeking to legislate such a measure.
$28 million donated for Syria refugees in UAE
Daily Star 21 Dec 2013 An Emirati campaign to raise funds for Syrian refugees faced with harsh winter conditions in camps in neighboring states has raised almost $28 million, the Red Crescent announces.
Italy FM starts Iran visit on rare EU mission
Daily Star 21 Dec 2013 Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino arrives in Tehran for two days of talks, on a rare visit by a senior European official to the Islamic republic, Iranian media says.
3 US military aircraft hit in S. Sudan, 4 wounded
YNet News, 21 Dec 2013 – ….
18-year-old girl killed in Kfar Qasem crash
YNet News, 21 Dec 2013 – ….
Wounded Syrian evacuated to Israeli hospital
YNet News, 21 Dec 2013 – ….
Obama following tense situation in South Sudan
YNet News, 21 Dec 2013 – ….
Some 800 refugee seekers protest in Tel Aviv
YNet News, 21 Dec 2013 – ….
An Iranian victory
YNet News, 21 Dec 2013 – Op-ed: US, EU seen as enablers to long-lasting Iranian expansion in Middle East, Central Asia and Southern Caucasus ….
Holocaust survivor’s recipe of life
YNet News, 21 Dec 2013 – Chaya Hollander survived Auschwitz thanks to meals she prepared for Nazi officers. Several years after her death, her family members find booklet with recipes which kept her alive ….
Palestinian Information Center
Secular depravity
PIC – In a recent cyber debate with an Egyptian secularist, the fascist-minded Islamo-phobe argued that in order for Muslims to take part in political life, they would have to leave their religion at home.
Barhoum: Occupation crimes require the adoption of resistance
PIC – Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called for the adoption of a national strategy based on the option of resistance in all its forms to defend the people, the land and holy places.
Report: Israel is implementing new settlement projects
PIC – A Palestinian official report showed that the Israeli occupation authority has continued its settlement projects, while the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue settlement policy.
Multinational aid convoy to head for besieged Gaza next month
PIC – A Jordanian delegation from the Lifeline for Gaza committee intends to participate in the multinational aid convoy slated to head for the besieged Gaza Strip on January 3, 2014.
Palestinian minors suffer extreme cold weather without heating in Israeli jail
PIC – Palestinian minors’ representative in Hasharon prison, Amine Ziyadeh, said that they suffer difficult detention conditions due to the extreme cold wave that hit the region recently.
IOF shoots, injures a young man in Khan Younis
PIC – A Palestinian youth was injured on Saturday morning by Israeli gunfire, east of Khan Younis in the south of Gaza Strip.
OCHA: Winter storm deepened the poor humanitarian situation in Gaza
PIC – UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued a report detailing the winter storm’s impacts on the occupied Palestinian territories during the past few days.
Bani Irsheid: Hamas is the spearhead in confronting the Israeli project
PIC – Deputy Comptroller General of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, Zaki Bani Irsheid, said that Hamas movement has become the spearhead in confronting the Israeli project.
Hamas releases its annual evaluation report on UNRWA’s performance
PIC – The Hamas Movement’s refugee affairs office in Lebanon has released its annual evolution report on UNRWA’s performance in Lebanon for the year 2013.
Patient prisoner’s family appeals for his release from Israeli jails
PIC – The family of the patient prisoner Walid Ghaith, from al-Khalil, has appealed on Saturday for his release after he has recently undergone cardiac surgery.
Bethlehem Christians Unable to Celebrate Christmas as they Fight for their Existence
WAFA – 21 Dec 2013
Heads of Jerusalem Churches send Message of Peace on Christmas
WAFA – 21 Dec 2013
Abbas Discusses Developments with his Egyptian Counterpart
WAFA – 21 Dec 2013
Palestinian Shot at Gaza-Israel Border a Day after One was Killed
WAFA – 21 Dec 2013
Elderly Dies from Fire in House
WAFA – 21 Dec 2013
Libyan Army Base Is Hit by a Deadly Suicide Bomb Attack
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – At least six people were killed in the blast in Barsis, about 30 miles outside Benghazi.
Turkish Premier Blames Foreign Envoys for Turmoil
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – On Saturday morning, four pro-government newspapers suggested that the United States was behind an escalating corruption investigation that has touched people in the prime minister’s inner circle.
Morsi to Stand Trial on Role in ’11 Uprising
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – An Egyptian judge ordered ousted President Mohamed Morsi to stand trial on charges that he worked with foreign militants to free prisoners during the 2011 uprising.
Gunmen Kill 3 Soldiers in South Yemen Amid Unrest
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – Security officials in Yemen say gunmen have shot and killed three soldiers in a drive-by shooting and abducted four others in the country’s south.
Israel Plays Down Importance of Alleged Spying by U.S. and UK
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – Israeli officials said on Saturday they were not surprised by allegations the United States and Britain had spied on the country’s leaders and played down the importance of any information its allies may have gleaned.
18 Soldiers in Iraq Are Killed During Raid on Rebel Group’s Training Camp
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – An Iraqi Army commander was among those killed by suicide bombers and roadside explosions during a raid on the training camp of a Qaeda affiliate.
For Most Young Refugees From Syria, School Is as Distant as Home
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – Of the more than two million Syrian refugees in the region, about 865,000 are children, and most of them are not enrolled in school, Unicef said.
For Syrian Refugees, Obstacles to School Are Many
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – Of the more than two million Syrian refugees in the region, about 865,000 are children, and 70 percent of them are not enrolled in school, Unicef says.
Arab Report Slams U.S. Security Ideas for Palestine
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – The Arab League on Saturday rejected U.S. proposals that would allow Israeli soldiers to be stationed on the eastern border of a future Palestinian state, underscoring the challenge facing a U.S. effort to wrap up a peace deal by April.
Arab League Rejects US Proposal in Mideast Deal
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – The Arab League says it rejects a continued Israeli troop presence on the eastern border of a future state of Palestine, a proposal Palestinians say was floated by the U.S. earlier this month.
Syrian Rebels Seize Strategic Hospital in Aleppo
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – Syrian rebels seized control a strategic hospital near Aleppo, giving a boost to beleaguered anti-government forces in the northern city after days of relentless airstrikes on opposition-held neighborhoods there, activists said Saturday.
Body of UK Doctor Who Died in Syria Released
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – The International Committee of the Red Cross handed over to British officials Saturday the body of a U.K. doctor who died this week in Syrian government custody.
Body of British Surgeon Arrives in Lebanon From Syria
New York Times 21 Dec 2013 – The body of a British surgeon who died in a Syrian prison arrived in Lebanon on Saturday en route to the United Kingdom, witnesses said.
‘An Arab & A Jew’ debate BDS and the future of Israel/Palestine
Mondoweiss – Ahmed Shihab-Eldin and Mike Sacks hosted an episode of their weekly Huffpost Live program “An Arab & A Jew”. Their guests were also an Arab and a Jew, Yousef Munayyer, Executive Director of the Jerusalem Fund and the Palestine Center, and Chemi Shalev, U.S. editor of Haaretz. This episode on ASA’s…
‘NBCUniversal’ pledges not to use occupied Silwan as location for archaeological thriller
Mondoweiss – Palestinian stand in front of a protest tent in Silwan on February 27, 2009. (Photo: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images) As we reported here, NBCUniversal and an Israeli company called Keshet are planning to film an Indiana-Jones-style murder mystery called “Dig” that is set in the occupied territories…
Oren calls on Congress to blacklist boycotters, because they’re ‘bigoted’ against Jews
Mondoweiss – Oren, right More evidence of the incredible impact of the academics’ vote earlier this week to boycott Israel: Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., writes at Politico that Congress should take action to make boycott decisions like the one by the American Studies…
Some Israelis don’t speak out in favor of boycott for fear of consequences
Mondoweiss – Einat Weizman The other day the New York Times ran an article on the boycott-Israel measure passed by the American Studies Association that included three quotations from Israelis who criticized the American scholars. What the Times failed to inform its readers that there is a law…
One-third of Gazans have family ties to other Palestinians (poll defies Lieberman’s claim)
Mondoweiss – Restriction of movement / Land, property theft & destruction / Ethnic cleansing Poll: Nearly a third of Gazans have relatives in WB, E. J’lm or Israel Haaretz 18 Dec by Amira Hass — More than a quarter of the residents of the Gaza Strip have relatives in the…
Zionists saw themselves as part of a Jewish liberation struggle
Mondoweiss – Nelson Mandela addresses the UN’s Special Committee Against Apartheid. (UN Photo/Flickr) This is part of Marc H. Ellis’s “Exile and the Prophetic” feature for Mondoweiss. To read the entire series visit the archive page. It is now being widely reported that in the 1960s, Nelson Mandela…
Senior faculty have ‘intimidated’ junior faculty who supported boycott measure, ASA caucus says
Mondoweiss – It has now been six days since the American Studies Association membership voted for academic boycott of Israel. In reporting the vote as a turning point, Inside Higher Ed has the temerity to ask why the academics voted as they did, and lifts the curtain on…
Nelson Mandela Foundation Denies Israel Training Claim
The Foward Breaking News 21 Dec 2013 – The Nelson Mandela Foundation has denied an explosive report that the South African freedom icon received training from Israeli agents in the early 1960s. Click here for the rest of the article…
Syria rebels explode huge bomb
BBC 21 Dec 2013 – Rebels in the Syrian city of Aleppo set off a massive suicide lorry bomb to seize back a strategic ruined hospital occupied by Assad loyalists.
Israel Plays Down Reports of Spying by U.S.
The Foward Breaking News 21 Dec 2013 – Israeli officials said on Saturday they were not surprised by allegations the United States and Britain had spied on the country’s leaders and played down the importance of any information its allies may have gleaned. Click here for the rest of the article…
Helmsley Trust Gives $22M to Four Israeli Groups
The Foward Breaking News 21 Dec 2013 – The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust announced almost $22 million in new grants to four Israeli institutions. Click here for the rest of the article…
VIDEO: Syrian refugees struggle at Christmas
BBC 21 Dec 2013 – The BBC’s Jim Muir reports from Beirut in Lebanon as thousands of Christian Syrian refugees celebrate Christmas with an uncertain future.
Top 13 Moments for Jewish Women in 2013
The Forward New 21 Dec 2013 – 2013 was a landmark year for Jewish women, from Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ and the battle over prayer at the Western Wall to a young Orthodox girl who just wanted to sing. Click here for the rest of the article…
Bomb attack kills officers in Iraq
BBC 21 Dec 2013 – The commander of an Iraqi army division and other senior officers are killed in a bomb attack during an operation against Islamist militants in Anbar province.
UK doctor’s family visit morgue
BBC 21 Dec 2013 – The mother of a British doctor who died in a Syrian prison visits a morgue in Beirut where her son’s body was taken.
Syria rebels explode huge bomb
BBC 21 Dec 2013 – Rebels in the Syrian city of Aleppo set off a massive suicide lorry bomb to seize back a strategic ruined hospital occupied by Assad loyalists.
“Security Arc” forms amidst Mideast terror
Al-Akhbar Blogs 21 Dec 2013 – Many observers are correct in noting that the Middle East is undergoing yet another seismic shift – that the Russian-brokered destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal, a US-Iranian rapprochement, the diminished strategic value of Saudi Arabia and Israel, and a US withdrawal from Afghanistan will all…
Lines of the Game: Nasrallah Declares War to Prevent War
Al-Akhbar Opinion 21 Dec 2013 – A picture of the the Shiite Hezbollah movement chief Hassan Nasrallah (L) and Hassan Hawlo al-Lakiss (R) a top member of the movement who was murdered on December 4, is seen as Nasrallah gives a televised speech in Beirut on December 20, 2013. (Photo: AFP -…
Lebanon: Assassination Tribunal Leak Sparks Wave of Witness Lawsuits
Al-Akhbar News 21 Dec 2013 – Judge Robert Roth of the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon attends the opening of the public hearing in the assassination case of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri, at the court in Leidschendam, near The Hague, on June 13, 2012. (Photo: AFP – Robert Vos / POOL)…
Syrian Prime Minister: Beirut Partly to Blame for Syria Chaos
Al-Akhbar News 21 Dec 2013 – Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi sit during the latter’s welcoming ceremony in Tehran on November 30, 2013. (Photo: AFP – HO -PRESIDENT.IR) Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi sit during the latter’s welcoming ceremony in Tehran on November 30, 2013. (Photo: AFP – HO -PRESIDENT.IR) Syrian Prime…
South Sudan fighting kills over 500 in six days
Al-Akhbar News 21 Dec 2013 – Fighting escalated on Saturday in South Sudan, with a top commander in the country’s key oil-producing region defecting to the rebels and foreign governments scrambling to evacuate their nationals after hundreds were killed in six days of fighting. A US military aircraft was shot at as…
Gaza man injured by Israeli gunfire
Al-Akhbar News 21 Dec 2013 – Israeli soldiers shot and wounded a young Palestinian man in southern Gaza on Saturday, one day after occupation forces shot dead another man in the besieged strip. Ashraf al-Qudra, a spokesman with Gaza’s Ministry of Health, told AFP the 22-year-old was hit by a bullet east…
Morsi to face third criminal trial
BBC 21 Dec 2013 – Ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi will face a third criminal trial, over his breakout from prison in 2011.
VIDEO: Syrian refugees struggle at Christmas
BBC 21 Dec 2013 – The BBC’s Jim Muir reports from Beirut in Lebanon as thousands of Christian Syrian refugees celebrate Christmas with an uncertain future.
Triple suicide bombing kills 18 soldiers in Iraq
Al-Akhbar News 21 Dec 2013 – Policemen and soldiers inspect damaged vehicles of security forces that were targeted by an attack, leaving two senior officers wounded on December 2, 2013 in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region’s second-biggest city. (Photo: AFP – Shwan Mohammed) At least 18 Iraqi military officers were killed on…
Egypt charges Mursi, Hezbollah in prison break case
Al-Akhbar News 21 Dec 2013 – Protesters hold pictures of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi and chant slogans on November 29, 2013 during a pro-Mursi rally in Istanbul. (Photo: AFP – Ozan Kose) Updated 12:42 pm: Egypt’s deposed president Mohammed Mursi and 132 others, including alleged members of Hamas and Hezbollah, will…
A long winter for the Middle East’s Christians
BBC 20 Dec 2013 – A tough Christmas beckons for the Middle East’s Christians
Syria’s Eastern Ghouta: A Chaotic Conflict of Brigades
Al-Akhbar Politics 20 Dec 2013 – TOPSHOTSA wounded Syrian woman walks with her children following airstrikes on a rebel area of the war-torn northern city of Aleppo on December 15, 2013. (Photo: AFP – Mohammed Al-Khatieb). TOPSHOTSA wounded Syrian woman walks with her children following airstrikes on a rebel area of the…
Articles
Analysis: Dis-participation as a Palestinian Strategy?
Haidar Eid, Al-Shabaka, Ma’an News Agency 12/21/2013
Al-Shabaka is an independent non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and foster public debate on Palestinian human rights and self-determination within the framework of international law.
Many solutions have been put forward to the decades-long crisis of leadership afflicting the Palestinian people, such as reform of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from within through elections to the Palestinian National Council, or bringing Hamas and other Islamist groups into the PLO Executive Committee.
However, the crisis of the existing leadership and indeed of all political parties on the Right as well as on the Left is now so deeply engrained that the only way forward may be to “dis-participate” in the present Palestinian political system.
What is “dis-participation”? As defined by Mesud Zavarsadeh and Donald Morton in a different context in their Theory as Resistance, “the options come down to either being ‘persuaded’ of the legitimacy of working within the system and thus accepting the existing structures, or finding that there is no space for radical change.”
The problem of working within an existing system that has lost legitimacy is that it obscures what is “possible which is suppressed in the pragmatic is” as Zavarsadeh and Morton point out.
In order to spotlight the power of what is possible for the Palestinian people we must first dis-participate in illegitimate and ineffective political structures. Otherwise we continue to face a very limited set of options each worse than the other and none realizing Palestinian self-determination and rights.
Let me immediately say that this is not a call to end Palestinian activism for self-determination, freedom, justice, and equality – far from it, as will be discussed after a brief review of the crisis of the Right as well as the Left below. more.. e-mail
The BDS way
George S. Hishmeh, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN) 12/21/2013
Some Arab leaders apparently hope that President Barack Obama will emulate Peter O’Toole, who died this week, in his role as T.E. Lawrence, the daring British soldier in the epic film “Lawrence of Arabia” who successfully led an Arab rebellion against the Ottoman Turks in World War I. But the American president is not interested in another military adventure, especially in the Middle East, as he showed when, recently, he abandoned the invasion of Bashar Assad’s Syria to oust him and put a stop to the bloody turmoil there that has cost the lives of thousands of Syrians and saw many more flee to neighbouring states in search of safety. It is bewildering that these Arab leaders remain unable to bring about reasonable order that could pacify the situation internally or regionally, or to look for more effective and peaceful alternatives — a role that the Arab League should have pursued. Impressive, lately, has been the effectiveness of some Palestinian groups in casting a spell on their Israeli opponents who refuse to meet them half way. For example, recent successes in the campaign to boycott illegal Israel settlements have given fresh impetus, according to the AFP, “to calls for sanctions against Israel like those that brought down apartheid in South Africa“. The French news agency continued: “Since the European Union said it would block grants and funding for any Israeli entity operating over the 1967 [armistice] lines, a growing number of international bodies have taken similar steps to cut ties, in a move that sparked alarm in Israel.” There is no doubt that the Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement has lately been gaining ground. more.. e-mail
Racist ringleaders 2013: Israel’s war on Africans intensifies
David Sheen, Electronic Intifada 12/19/2013
Twelve months have passed since The Electronic Intifada published “The dirty dozen: Israel’s racist ringleaders.” My article was a catalogue of the Israeli officials and cultural figures most responsible for the persecution of the country’s non-Jewish African population.
Over the course of 2013, the war Israel is waging against African asylum-seekers has not abated. Sadly, in many respects, it has ramped up in intensity.
However, some who have led the charge to expel Africans from the country have been replaced by fresh faces. National elections in January and the resultant makeup of the government pushed two of Israel’s biggest racists out of the limelight.
Michael Ben Ari started his own splinter party, Strong Israel, which failed to garner enough votes to secure him a seat in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, from which he could rail against Africans. And Eli Yishai’s Shas party was not invited to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new ruling coalition, leaving Yishai without the interior ministry, which wields great power over the lives of asylum-seekers.
But Ben Ari passed the torch to a young acolyte who has carried on his incitement campaign and forged an alliance with the new interior minister. The man who replaced Eli Yishai has continued his quest to drive all African asylum-seekers out of the country, with the same fervor, and greater media savvy.
10. Yehuda Bauer — academic
After leading Israeli politicians riled a south Tel Aviv crowd of thousands into a frenzy of hatred, igniting an anti-African pogrom on 23 May 2012, the international media finally took note of the government’s war on asylum-seekers…. more.. e-mail
Time to bury the two-state solution forever
Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 12/1/2013
Israel is a de facto, not a de jure, entity. The League of Nations’ “mandate” given to Britain to turn Palestine into a “Jewish homeland” was as baseless in law and morality as was its successor, the United Nations’ partition plan of November 1947, because the UN charter does not give that body any right to divide countries and create new ones. Even that dubious partition plan was later suspended and a high-level UN representative, Count Bernadotte of Sweden, was despatched to Palestine in 1948 to try to find an amicable diplomatic solution; he was murdered in broad daylight by Jewish terrorists in Jerusalem on 17 September, 1948. Thereafter, the UN abandoned its efforts to find an amicable and just solution to the Palestinian problem.
Hence the Israeli state, which appeared unilaterally on 15 May, 1948 after its forces had expelled the majority of the rightful inhabitants of the country and what was accepted by its neighbours as a result of the Armistice agreements in April 1949, is only a de facto reality and will remain so until its Palestinian victims accept it. Israel is the only state in the world which has not defined its borders because it believes in continuous territorial expansion at the expense of the Palestinians and other neighbours.
Upon its acceptance as a member of the United Nations, Israel gave solemn pledges to the world body that it will allow the Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, farms and orchards but this promise remains totally unfulfilled to this day. Meanwhile, Jews from any part of the world are offered automatic citizenship of Israel by virtue of its 1950 “Law of Return”. Even Palestinians living inside the pre-1967 borders of the state do not enjoy full citizenship rights as they cannot buy Jewish lands and are under continuous threat of expulsion by Jewish politicians who do not tire of repeating that Israel is a “Jewish state” and must remain so. Arab homes and Islamic heritage sites inside Israel are demolished at will and land is confiscated as a matter of routine. more.. e-mail
The nightmare hidden within liberal Zionism
Electronic Intifada: 21 Dec 2013 – BDS should not be seen as a threat but as an invitation to free oneself from the painful contradiction of advocating democracy while defending and supporting oppression. more..
Bedouin Expulsion Law is Well and Drinking Tea
Dissident Voice: 21 Dec 2013 – Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee . — Genesis 3:18 Hot tea hit the eyes of Palestinian Member of the Knesset Ahmad Tibi on December 19, 2013. The violent act was perpetrated by Tziyon Vaknin, a Jewish man who opposed the protest against the Bedouins 1 Expulsion Prawer Law that was taking place in Beer Sheva. “This must be a fake, a Palestinian vicious lie. The Zionists cancelled the Prawer Law on December 13. There couldn’t be a protest against it on Dec. 19! I read that everywhere,” many readers would be exclaiming now. That day, I had been surprised. One of my European faithful readers contacted me urgently. “Israel cancelled the Prawer Law,” was his message. I read his email while the main Hebrew media outlets were opened in front of me. The email looked strange. That was a news that would have made headlines, and…more
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The New Dark Age 