1 January 2014 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Number of Palestinians in the World is 11.8 Million, says Statistics Bureau
IMEMC – The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) presents the situation of Palestinians at the end of 2013, as follows: …
Explosion Kills Palestinian Ambassador In Czech Republic
IMEMC – [Wednesday January 1 2014] Official Palestinian sources said that Jamal Al-Jamal, 56, the Palestinian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, was killed in an explosion that took place when he opened an old safe in his residence in Prague. …
Palestinians Dying Of Hunger In Syria
IMEMC – At least 15 Palestinians have died of hunger, since September, in a besieged refugee camp in the Syrian capital of Damascus, according to UN sources. (Palestinian News Network/AFP) …
Minor Shot Near Bethlehem, Activists Arrested
IMEMC – Tent village demolished [Wednesday January 1, 2014] A Palestinian minor was shot and injured by Israeli forces, Wednesday, in Aida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. …
Israeli Forces Raid Ramon Prison
IMEMC – Prisoners assaulted Nahshon Israeli forces raided, on Tuesday, Ramon Israeli prison, breaking into Section 2 and assaulting prisoners. …
Report: Israel offers land swaps to annex settlement blocs
1/2/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israel has asked the United States to consider a land swap deal that would give Palestine a section of land in the Triangle area adjacent to the Green Line in exchange for keeping settlement blocs in the West Bank, Israeli media said Wednesday. Israeli daily Maariv reported that recent talks between the US and Israel have involved suggestions to cede to….
Abbas warns of legal action against Israeli settlements
1/2/2014 – RAMALLAH (AFP) — President Mahmoud Abbas warned Tuesday of legal and diplomatic action to stop Israeli settlement expansion, on the eve of a new peace mission by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Abbas’s warning came after Israel freed 26 prisoners earlier in the day, as part of US-brokered peace talks, which Kerry hopes to reinvigorate during his visit. But as Kerry geared up….
PLO says US to allocate $440 million to PA in 2014
1/1/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – The United States is set to increase financial aid to the Palestinian Authority in 2014, the PLO ambassador to Washington said Tuesday. Maen Erekat told Ma’an that the US Congress agreed to allocate $440 million of financial aid to the Palestinian Authority in 2014. He highlighted that in 2013, US aid was $426 million, $495 million in 2012 and….
Police: Palestinian envoy dies after Prague residence blast
1/1/2014 – PRAGUE (AFP) – The Palestinian ambassador to Prague, Jamal Al Jamal, was killed by a blast in his residence on Wednesday, Czech police said.”With regret we confirm this information provided by the emergency service,” Prague police spokeswoman Andrea Zoulova told AFP. Quoting sources close to the police investigation, the Novinky. cz news site said the blast was probably caused by “careless manipulation with a dangerous…. Related:Police: Palestinian diplomat injured in Prague flat blast
2013: The year in review
1/2/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — In a year which saw continued regional backlash from the events of the Arab Spring, Palestine remained caught between regional dynamics, internal divisions, and Israel’s continued occupation. Embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad continued to hold power as 2013 became the bloodiest year in the country’s conflict. In Egypt, the military ousted elected President Mohamed Morsi and increased….
Jordan: West Bank, Gaza are Palestinian lands
1/1/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – The Jordanian government on Tuesday reaffirmed that it remained committed to its supportive position of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The state should be one “enjoying full sovereignty on all Palestinian soil with East Jerusalem as the capital of that state,” according to a government spokesman. Muhammad al-Mumani was quoted by Jordan’s Arabic-language newspaper al-Ghad as saying….
Abbas: All pre-Oslo Palestinian prisoners to be freed
1/1/2014 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas remains committed to freeing all veteran Palestinian prisoners, including those from areas inside Israel, a prisoners’ committee said in a statement Wednesday. During a Tuesday meeting with a committee representing Palestinian prisoners from areas inside Israel, Abbas said an agreement was in place stipulating that veteran prisoners from “1948 areas” would also be released in conjunction with….
Police: Palestinian diplomat injured in Prague flat blast
1/1/2014 – PRAGUE (AFP) — A Palestinian diplomat was injured in a blast in his Prague residence on Wednesday, police told AFP, but declined to give further details. Czech media identified the diplomat as the Palestinian ambassador, Jamal Al Jamal, and said the blast occurred as he was opening a safe.”I can only confirm there was a detonation in the residence of a Palestinian diplomat,” police spokeswoman…. Related:Police: Palestinian envoy dies after Prague residence blast
Hebron police destroy 80 ‘illegal vehicles’
1/1/2014 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Police in Hebron on Wednesday destroyed 80 motor vehicles not officially registered with the PA Ministry of Transportation. A statement said that all vehicles were checked against official records and regulations of the ministry before being demolished. Representatives of the Ministry of Transportation and the higher council of traffic were present during the crackdown. A majority of the so-called “illegal” vehicles….
Police investigating suspicious death of woman near Ramallah
1/1/2014 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Police are investigating the death of a woman from the Ramallah district who was found dead in her house on Wednesday, Palestinian police told Ma’an. The 75-year-old woman from the village of Surda north of Ramallah could have been murdered by robbers, police said. They added that her house appeared ransacked when police officers arrived at the scene….
Chief of South Sinai general intelligence killed in road accident
1/1/2014 – CAIRO (Ma’an) – The director of general intelligence in south Sinai Muhsin al-Sillawidied died in an accident on the main road between the cities of el-Tor and Sharm El-Sheikh on Wednesday. Two others were killed in the accident. Egyptian sources told Ma’an that Sillawi was traveling in his private car when he collided head on with a pickup truck. Another man was….
Suspected militants blow up Sinai gas pipeline
1/1/2014 – El-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Suspected militants blew up a natural gas pipeline in the central Sinai peninsula on Wednesday, Egyptian security officials told Ma’an. Locals reported hearing a huge explosion in the central Sinai village of Baghdad before huge smoke clouds enveloped the area. The pipeline supplied natural gas to cement factories in the area. [END]
AlJazeera
Reports: Health of Israel’s Sharon worsens
AlJazeera 1 Jan 2014 – Former PM, in coma since suffering stroke in 2006, experiencing “serious kidney problems” after undergoing surgery.
Blast kills Palestinian diplomat in Prague
AlJazeera 1 Jan 2014 – Palestinian delegation
to help with inquiry into explosion in which Jamal al-Jamal, ambassador to Czech Republic, died.
occupied Palestinian territory: CRS Responds to Flooding in Gaza
Relief Web 1 Jan 2014 – Source: Catholic Relief Services Country: occupied Palestinian territory Watch the video CRS is helping some 1,500 people recover from unprecedented flooding brought on by torrential rains in mid-December in the Gaza Strip. CRS Communications Officer Liz O Neill talks with Matt…
Lebanon interrogating head of Al Qaeda-linked group responsible for Iran embassy bombing
The National 1 Jan 2014 – Lebanese troops have arrested the leader of the Al Qaeda linked group that claimed responsibility for a double suicide bombing at the Iranian embassy in November.
Palestinian ambassador killed by blast at Prague apartment
The National 1 Jan 2014 – The Palestinian ambassador to Prague, Jamal Al Jamal, was killed by a blast in his residence on Wednesday, the police said.
Saudi morality police may relax rules on prayer times-paper
The National 1 Jan 2014 – Saudi Arabia s morality police may relax the kingdom s strict rules on closing shops and businesses for prayer five times a day, the force s head, Sheikh Abdulatif Al Al-Sheikh, was quoted as saying by local press on Wednesday.
Palestinians and Israelis raise rhetoric ahead of Kerry visit
The National 1 Jan 2014 – Israel and the Palestinians are sharpening their rhetoric as United States secretary of state, John Kerry, heads back to the region, hoping to nudge the two sides towards a peace framework.
Singer Fairouz dragged into Lebanon s political fray
The National 1 Jan 2014 – The Lebanese singer, Fairouz, has been dragged into the thick of the country s bitter political and sectarian divisions after her son said in an interview that she loves the leader of Hizbollah, sparking an uproar among opponents of the Shiite guerrilla group.
Video: North Korean leader says purge was a cleansing of filth
The National 1 Jan 2014 – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un makes his first reference to the execution of his Uncle in a New Year’s address.
No-show for Pakistan s Musharraf in treason case
The National 1 Jan 2014 – Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf failed to show up for a hearing in the treason case against him on Wednesday, with his lawyers citing security threats.
Video: Trapped passengers in Antarctica ring in 2014
The National 1 Jan 2014 – Tourists and scientists aboard a stranded Russian vessel in Antarctica ring in New Year with songs and cheer.
Video: Syrian hospital packed to the brim with attack victims
The National 1 Jan 2014 – Powerful amateur video shows air strikes in Homs and Daraya, and attack victims packed inside a hospital.
Video: Syrians keep hope for peace in 2014
The National 1 Jan 2014 – For many Syrians, both inside the country and in refugee camps abroad, 2013 was a devastating year that many are happy to see gone while keeping hopeful peace in the new year.
Video: Putin vows complete annihilation of those responsible for Volgograd attacks
The National 1 Jan 2014 – In his yearly New Year’s address, Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will ‘fiercely and consistently’ continue fight on against ‘terrorists.’
Video: Fireworks around the world welcome 2014
The National 1 Jan 2014 – Celebrations are held around the world to mark the start of 2014, with spectacular firework displays.
In pictures: The world welcomes 2014 with fanfare and fireworks
The National 1 Jan 2014 – From Sydney to New York via Dubai, the world celebrates ushering in 2014.
What we talk about when we talk about New Year’s
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Lieberman: Israel must give Kerry’s peace efforts a chance
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Israel’s Knesset aims to be greenest in the world
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Syrian warplanes bomb hills in Lebanon in cross-border strike
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Netanyahu has polyp removed during routine hospital colonoscopy
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Former PM Ariel Sharon’s medical condition significantly deteriorates
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
In 2014, American Jewish leaders might lose control of the Israel debate
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Google to help Israeli government upgrade online services
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
IDF reports record low suicide rate among soldiers
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Palestinian ambassador in Prague dies from injuries after explosion
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Israeli scientists: Eilat rail route will cause ‘irreversible’ damage to nature
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Israel in talks with Intel for $15 billion investment over a decade
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Netanyahu puts settlement construction plans on hold until after Kerry visit
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
The contortions and distortions of a prime minister’s inner circle
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Iran hardliners join nuclear negotiating team to quiet critics at home
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Jerusalem cancels debate on plan for new yeshiva building in Arab neighborhood
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
In 2013, global protesters said no to democracy
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Jerusalem suffered $80 million in damage from December snowstorm
Ha’aretz – 1 Jan 2014
Legal challenges mounted against planned visitor center in East Jerusalem
Ha’aretz – 31 Dec 2013
South Sudan factions enter shaky New Year’s talks
Ha’aretz – 31 Dec 2013
Israel says Bedouin ‘trespass’ on state land. New study: Not so
Ha’aretz – 31 Dec 2013
Arab town advertises for ordained rabbi to head local education
Ha’aretz – 31 Dec 2013
Should Adelson, Bennett and Lieberman be welcome at Hillel?
Ha’aretz – 31 Dec 2013
Police in Jerusalem suburb ‘regularly’ mistreat prisoners, says ombudsman
Ha’aretz – 31 Dec 2013
St. James Church creates a barrier to peace
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “The faux wall is part of a Bethlehem Unwrapped Christmas festival produced in association with an assortment of NGOs that are one-sided and dogmatic in their hostility toward Israel.”
Motorola to create new smartphone-based network for IDF
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Hardened, water proof phone will allow soldiers to send digital media from the battlefield.
Encountering Peace: Welcome back, Mr. Secretary
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “We need you, even if we find it hard to admit.”
MKs to authorize public committee on their salaries
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Lawmakers will decide who reviews their salaries, appointing members to a public committee on the matter in a Knesset House Committee meeting.
Love the stranger as yourself
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “The Israeli educational system has begun teaching its students to respect people who are different, but it still needs to invest more in this area.”
State: Alleged Kotel shooter had prior run-in with victim
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Prosecution says Hadi Kablan had previously met victim, potentially negating defense that he didn’t recognize Doron Ben-Shalush, confused him with being a terrorist.
Ben-Dahan must go
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “He said in an interview that the souls of all Jews are higher than those of Christians or Muslims or anybody else, yet his job is secure.”
Media Comment: The sleazy media
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “The media is sleazy but we allow it to be. Shame on us.”
Committee on the Rights of the Child: More regulations on homeschooling
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Homeschooling can serve as a shelter for families of dark cults, said MK Orly Levy-Abecassis.
Former PM Ariel Sharon’s medical condition deteriorates
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “We have hope, we always have hope,” says Sharon’s son; doctors reportedly tell family members that 85-year-old former premier has only a few days left after remaining comatose since January 2006, when he was felled by two strokes.
Candidly Speaking: Bayit Yehudi cannot remain silent over Rabbi Druckman
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “Sexual abuse in Jewish religious institutions has emerged as one of the most tragic issues of our generation.”
Defining anti-Semitism in order to fight it
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “We need to push for the adoption of an internationally accepted definition of anti-Semitism to ensure the boundaries of hate will be defined.”
Looking forward, looking back
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “Keeping a pulse on developments in Israel and the territories will be essential for a peaceful and secure 2014.”
Egypt police fire tear gas at protesters in Cairo
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – 300 Muslim Brotherhood-supporting university students block road near Defense Ministry, chanted anti-police and army slogans.
Peres seeking forum to pass on Pollard petition
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Shimon Peres: “It is both a right and a duty for me to bring before the [US] president the request to free Pollard.”
Palestinians reiterate plans to reject any framework accord presented by US
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Ahead of Kerry visit, PM reportedly decides to delay announcement of new settlement building until after US diplomat leaves.
Nazareth Illit Mayor Gafsou trial for bribery, fraud starts
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Mayor, former top deputy Adi Barko face bribery and fraud charges in trial at Haifa District Court.
Knesset to go green
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – The government plans to overhaul the legislative building into a sustainable structure to save both energy and money.
High Court rejects request to freeze new migrant policy
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Court decision means order for migrants to move to new “open” detention center still valid.
The Israel-Palestinian Negotiation and the American mediation: The Jerusalem case
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – “Perhaps with the stubbornness of good will…the US does not comprehend the real issues concerning the Israeli-Palestinian dilemma.”
New research: Nasty bacteria biofilm may stay alive for hours, even after washing
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Long-living bacteria on inanimate objects endangers children and hospital patients.
2013 marks lowest suicide rate in IDF history
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – This year’s suicide rate down by 50 percent from 2012; reduction due to preventative steps, IDF says.
Reform rabbis start receiving state-paid salaries
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – The move comes 18 months after Supreme Court allows non-Orthodox rabbis to be paid by the state like Orthodox counterparts.
Palestinian ambassador in Prague dies from injuries after blast
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – PA envoy Jamal al-Jamal succumbs to injuries from explosion at his house in Czech capital; blast deemed accident, not attack.
‘Jerusalem Post’ Person of the Year: The Israeli soldier
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – The votes are in. Who did ‘Jerusalem Post’ readers choose as Person of the Year? We narrowed down the top five contenders and asked readers to vote. Here are the results.
New Years celebrated in Israel with DWIs, impounded cars, and babies delivered
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – 22 people hurt in traffic accidents, 49 treated for alcohol poisoning despite high police presence across country over ‘Sylvester’ holiday.
US tells Israel: There’s no chance Pollard will be freed for release of Israeli-Arab prisoners
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – 106 MK’s make special appeal to Peres to push for Pollard’s release; MK Shaked: It’s the one issue in Knesset there’s a consensus about.
Labor proposes bill to prevent unilateral annexation of Jordan Valley
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Left’s responds to proposed Likud bill to annex Jordan Valley, apply Israeli law in area.
New conditions for nuclear talks include Iranian supervisors
Jerusalem Post 1 Jan 2014 – Iranian team to operate in coordination with supervising team; “measure has been adopted because negotiations didn t move in our interest in first stage.”
Israeli-Palestinian talks: perpetual motion | Editorial
The Guardian 1 Jan 2014 – The too common style of ‘evenhandedly’ blaming both sides is casuistry and should be labelled as such The secret of perpetual motion eludes scientists but sometimes seems close to being grasped by those involved in the…
Palestinian ambassador to Prague killed in safe explosion
The Guardian 1 Jan 2014 – Jamal al-Jamal died after opening safe that had been closed for 30 years and triggering blast, Palestinian foreign minister says The Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic has been killed in a blast at his home…
Explosion in Prague kills Palestinian ambassador
The Guardian 1 Jan 2014 – Jamal al-Jamal dies from injuries sustained in a blast at ambassador’s residence in Czech capital The Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic has died after sustaining injuries in an explosion at his residence in Prague, a…
Fatah: PA under tremendous pressure to accept US peace plan
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 31, 2013 -A member of Fatah s Executive Committee, Jamal Moheisen, said on Tuesday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership is being exposed to “tremendous” pressure to accept the American initiative to resolve the conflict in the region. Speaking…
Iraq: 44 MPs Resign After 13 Die in Security Forces Raid of Anbar Camp
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 31, 2013 – Forty-four Iraqi MPs have announced their resignation, after at least 13 people died in a raid by security forces on a protest camp in Ramadi in Anbar Province on Monday. The largely-Sunni camp was set up…
Christmas Eve demolitions leave more than 60 homeless
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 31, 2013 – Early on Christmas Eve, Israeli wrecking crews flattened a Palestinian Bedouin community on a beautiful hilltop in the Ramallah Governorate of the occupied West Bank, demolishing more than a dozen homes and leaving 15 families in…
Palestinians are released from Israeli prisons after 20 years
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 31, 2013 -Twenty-six Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank were released early Tuesday morning in the third stage of a prisoner release deal secured by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to facilitate peace talks. A…
Freed Gaza prisoners: All detainees should be released
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 31, 2013 — Palestinian prisoners from the Gaza Strip among 26 that Israel released after midnight called Wednesday for serious efforts to free all Palestinians held in Israeli jails.”I wish I could see all my fellow prisoners set free,”…
Syria News – December 30, 2013 (Warning: Graphic Videos)
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013- By the end of Monday the Coordination Committees were able to document 48 martyrs including 5 children and 3 women: 22 martyrs were reported in Damascus and its Suburbs; 8 in Hama; 6 in Homs; 4 in…
Iraq snapshot – December 30, 2013
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – Monday, December 30, 2013. Chaos and violence continue, Nouri attacks Ramadi, the AP lies and it s lie can be refuted with a photograph (and we do so in the snapshot), Nouri s going after Sunni politicians again, and much…
Palestinian Political Prisoners
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – Palestine imprisons no Israelis for any reason – zero. Thousands of Palestinians wrongfully languish in Israel s gulag. They re tortured and abused. They re intimidated, humiliated and degraded. They re held under appalling conditions. They…
Afghan Street Children Beg for Change
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013- Kabul, Afghanistan is “home” to hundreds of thousands of children who have no home. Many of them live in squalid refugee camps with families that have been displaced by violence and war. Bereft of any income in…
Lebanon army fires on Syria aircraft for first time
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – The Lebanese army used its air defence systems against Syrian helicopters on Monday after they carried out a raid inside Lebanese territory, a military source told AFP. It was the first time the Lebanese army has…
Elderly man dies at Jenin checkpoint Israeli soldiers refused the man who was having a heart attack to pass through
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – An elderly Palestinian man has died at an Israeli checkpoint after soldiers refused his son pass through to take him to the hospital. 65-year-old Adel Amarnah was declared dead at the Jenin Government Hospital upon arrival….
The Most Important Surveillance Order We Know Almost Nothing About
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – Over the last seven months, we have learned an incredible amount about the government s post-9/11 surveillance efforts. But there is a crucial gap in our basic understanding. We now know, for example, a good deal…
Afghanistan s opium crop sets new records
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged to record heights in 2013, increasing for the third straight year in a row and confirming the country s status as the world s No. 1 exporter of the opium…
Will Iran, Hamas resume relations?
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013- High level sources within Hamas have confirmed that warm relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been restored, following a number of meetings between the two sides held in various Arab and Islamic capitals. These meetings…
NSA and Corporate Cooperation Revealed
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – The latest NSA revelations reveal deeper and more insidious intrusions into our lives, and show deeper collusion between the government and private enterprise. If you really, really think this is OK because you have “nothing to…
The Most Important Surveillance Order We Know Almost Nothing About
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – Over the last seven months, we have learned an incredible amount about the government s post-9/11 surveillance efforts. But there is a crucial gap in our basic understanding. We now know, for example, a good deal…
A-Z of Drones 2013 – Part Three
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – R : Reprieve continued its great legal campaigning on drones highlighting in particular UK support for US drone strikes in Pakistan. While development of new drones continues, General Atomics Reaper remains the mainstay of US drone military…
ISIS takes on Kafranbel, the voice of the uprising
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 -BEIRUT: Militants from the Al-Qaeda affiliate the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) have stormed several media facilities in the rebel-held town of Kafranbel, one of the best-known symbols of Syria s anti-government uprising, activists…
A-Z of Drones 2013 – Part Three
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013- R -Reprieve continued its great legal campaigning on drones highlighting in particular UK support for US drone strikes in Pakistan. While development of new drones continues, General Atomics Reaper remains the mainstay of US drone military operations,…
Israeli report: Poverty rate for Arab children three times higher than Jewish children
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 -A new report prepared by Israel s National Council for the Child reveals that the average poverty rate for Arab children in Israel reached 67.9 per cent in 2012, compared to 65.8 per cent in 2011. Furthermore,…
My Grandmother, My Country
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013- “Where am I going to die?” That was the first question my grandmother asked me last August in New York City after fleeing her home in Aleppo. I didn t know how to respond. Over the last…
Foreign dictates support the colonisation of Palestine
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – Opposition to the Palestinian prisoners release reverberated during a meeting organised by Deputy Defence Minister Danny Danon. According to reports in Maariv, Danon called upon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “reconsider the release of terrorists…
CNN Poll: Afghanistan war arguably most unpopular in U.S. history
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013- Support for the war in Afghanistan has dipped below 20%, according to a new national poll, making the country s longest military conflict arguably its most unpopular one as well. The CNN/ORC International survey released Monday also…
Deadly Clashes Between Iraqi Forces and Tribal Fighters in Anbar
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 — – Heavy fighting erupted on Monday between government security forces and tribal gunmen when the police moved to dismantle a Sunni protesters camp in Ramadi, west of Baghdad in Anbar Province, police and local officials said….
US News Hosts Allow Propaganda That Snowden Has Tried to Sell Secrets for Asylum
Uruknet 1 Jan 2014 – December 30, 2013 – Around two weeks ago, former National Security Agency contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden sent a letter to Brazil informing the country that he would not be able to provide any assistance with investigations into United States…
Is Anything Left? Privacy Rights
Uruknet 31 Dec 2013 – December 30, 2013 – The answer to this question is being pondered across America in light to the two seeming mutually contradictory US Federal Court decisions handed down this month from Courts in Washington DC and New York. The legal…
Thousands of Jerusalem children denied basic services by Israeli apartheid
Uruknet 31 Dec 2013 – December 30, 2013 -In Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem, thousands of Palestinian children born to parents who hold different types of identity cards often live their entire youth unregistered and without any form of citizenship or identity documents. “It s very hard ……
America s Covert War in Colombia Encourages Human Rights Abuses And Is Probably Illegal
Uruknet 31 Dec 2013 – December 30, 2013 – The CIA and JSOC are engaged in a covert war in Colombia that involves intelligence cooperation and help in carrying out an assassination campaign against domestic rebels with U.S.-provided “smart bombs,” according to an investigative report…
Egypt: 96 artifacts stolen from museum
Daily Star 1 Jan 2014 Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities has announced that nearly a hundred small artifacts, some dating back to the time of the Pharaohs, have gone missing from a museum in the southernmost city of Aswan.
Iraq PM to deploy more troops to combat Anbar unrest
Daily Star 1 Jan 2014 Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki reverses a decision to withdraw soldiers from Anbar cities and orders reinforcements to the mainly Sunni Arab province to tackle attacks by militants.
Health of Israel’s Ariel Sharon worsens: hospital
Daily Star 1 Jan 2014 The condition of the comatose former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has taken a turn for the worse, the hospital treating him says.
Missing Hezbollah fighter killed in Syria buried in Lebanon
Daily Star 1 Jan 2014 A Hezbollah commander, who had been missing for months in Syria, is buried in Lebanon after his body was repatriated following his torture and killing by rebels, relatives say.
Doctors remove polyp from Israel’s Netanyahu
Daily Star 1 Jan 2014 Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says doctors have removed a polyp from the Israeli prime minister’s large intestine.
Suicide car bomb kills two, wounds 17 in Pakistan
Daily Star 1 Jan 2014 A suicide car bomb attack targeting a passenger bus carrying Shiite pilgrims kills two people and wounds at least 17 in southwest Pakistan, officials said.
New Year in Lebanon kills teen, wounds four
Daily Star 1 Jan 2014 A teenager was killed and four other people were wounded by gunfire in New Year celebrations in Lebanon, the state-run news agency says.
52 passengers trapped in Antarctica to be rescued
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – ….
Sunni militants storm Iraq police stations to free prisoners
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15,000 nationalists march in Kiev
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – ….
Missing Hezbollah fighter killed in Syria buried in Lebanon
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – ….
Egypt police tear-gas pro-Morsi students
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – ….
The wasted year
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Op-ed: If Israelis want a just, humane, peace-seeking and egalitarian country, 2013 was a waste of time ….
Report: Palestinian ambassador in Prague injured in explosion
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Prague rescue service spokeswoman says two taken to hospital for unspecified injuries, diplomat in induced coma ….
US mohel sued for severing baby’s penis
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Pittsburg parents filed civil lawsuit against local rabbi for botched ritual circumcision, causing ‘catastrophic and life-changing injury’ to their eight-day-old son ….
Peres to petition Obama: Freeing Pollard a ‘mitzvah’
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – President receives petition signed by 106 MKs asking Obama to release convicted spy. Lobby includes Arab politicians, humanitarian issue too great to be ignored say initiators ….
Cameron, Merkel to visit Israel in February
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – British and German leaders to arrive within a week of each other; visits come on heels of those by series of other world leaders ….
IDF barely ready for 2014
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Analysis: ‘Jihadist tsunami’ on Israel’s borders, Hamas’ underground system, renewed threat to strike Iran and possible violent conflict this summer are just some of challenges facing Israeli army in coming year ….
Poll: Israelis, Palestinians back two-state deal
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Hours before Kerry arrives in Israel for tenth round of peace talks, new poll suggests solid majority of Israelis, Palestinians back two-state solution. But is it enough? ….
Dimona reactor snubs founder President Peres from celebration
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Last week’s ceremonial event marking 50 years for Negev Nuclear Research Center fails to invite man who helped establish Israel’s nuclear reactor Shimon Peres ….
500,000 fireworks in six minutes: Dubai’s record-breaking New Year’s Eve show
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Guinness World Records: Display involved 100 computers, 200 technicians, with reported cost of around $6 million ….
Netanyahu temporarily incapacitated because of medical examination
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Routine medical checkup forces Netanyahu to give Lieberman reins for hour, examination ends without incident after polyp removed from large intestine. Last Saturday, Netanyahu hospitalized after suffering massive headache ….
Sleeping with the enemy
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – Op-ed: Supporting PM’s peace efforts will destroy Left’s chance to grow stronger in next elections ….
Get refuser extradited from US for first time
YNet News, 1 Jan 2014 – In legal precedent, Justice Ministry uses suspected criminal offenses to ask American authorities to hand over man who fled Israel without granting his wife a divorce ….
Iranian official reports progress in nuclear talks with powers
YNet News, 31 Dec 2013 – Iran’s chief negotiator says expert talks in Geneva yield development regarding possible execution of November’s historic nuclear deal ….
Palestinian Information Center
IOF soldiers raze Canaan 10 tent village in JV
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Wednesday razed the tent village of Canaan 10 built by popular activists in the Jordan Valley to the east of the West Bank.
Seven Palestinian refugees die of hunger, shelling in Syria
PIC – Seven Palestinian refugees died in Syria over the past 24 hours including four who died of hunger in the besieged refugee camp of Yarmouk.
IOA reveals new settlement plan in Jerusalem
PIC – Israeli municipality in Jerusalem intends to build a nine-story structure for a Jewish religious school in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem, Haaretz newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Gaza suffered severest period of blockade in the second half of 2013
PIC – MP Jamal al-Khudari, head of the Popular Committee against the Siege, said that the second half of the year 2013 has witnessed a tightening of the blockade of Gaza.
Palestinian child wounded in IOF shooting near Bethlehem
PIC – A Palestinian child was wounded in Aida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem, at the hands of Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Wednesday evening.
IOA carries out excavations in Qalaat al-Quds area
PIC – The Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage said that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) had recently started excavations to a depth of 17 meters in the area of Qalaat al-Quds.
IOF soldiers raid Jenin, Al-Khalil
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided Deir Abu Da‚¨ “!eef village, east of Jenin, on Tuesday night and arrested a young man south of the city.
Israeli warplanes intensify flights over Gaza Strip
PIC – Israeli warplanes intensified flights over Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning and dropped thermal balloons especially over border areas.
Israel outlaws two European NGOs claiming they represent Hamas
PIC – Hebrew media sources said that Israel’s war minister Moshe Ya’alon has outlawed the Council for European Palestinian Relations and the European Campaign to Remove the Siege on the Gaza Strip.
IOA to confiscate hundreds of dunums south of Bethlehem
PIC – The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) plans to confiscate 300 dunums in Al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem, and turn them into ‚¨ Sstate land‚¨ ù.
Palestinian Ambassador to Czech Seriously Injured in Explosion
WAFA – 1 Jan 2014
Israeli Forces Shoot, Injure Minor near Bethlehem
WAFA – 1 Jan 2014
Israel Demolishes Tent Village, Arrests 8 Activists in Jordan Valley
WAFA – 1 Jan 2014
Abbas: Final Status Agreement Guarantees Our Rights
WAFA – 1 Jan 2014
Weather: Slight Rise in Temperature
WAFA – 1 Jan 2014
Missile strike kills at least 20 people in Syrian city of Aleppo
LA Times 1 Jan 2014 – AMMAN, Jordan — At least 20 people were killed in Aleppo on Wednesday when a residential building was hit with a rocket from a warplane as the government s daily bombardment of the northern Syria city continued, activists said.
Comatose former Israeli leader Ariel Sharon’s condition deteriorates
LA Times 1 Jan 2014 – JERUSALEM — The condition of comatose former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has taken a turn for the worse and is seriously deteriorating, Israeli media reported Wednesday.
Palestinian envoy in Prague killed by blast after he opens old safe
LA Times 1 Jan 2014 – RAMALLAH, West Bank — The newly appointed Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic died Wednesday shortly after he was injured by an explosion when he opened an old safe in his Prague residence, according to a statement by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.
Lebanon Arrests Leader of Qaeda-Linked Group, Reports Say
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – The group, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on the Iranian Embassy in Beirut in November.
Ariel Sharon Said to Be Near Death
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – The condition of Ariel Sharon, the former prime minister of Israel who has been comatose for nearly eight years, has deteriorated recently, the hospital treating him said.
Egypt: Puppet Ad Draws Terror Accusations
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – Prosecutors have questioned officials in one of Egypt’s largest telecommunications companies over an online advertisement featuring a puppet, which a controversial blogger has accused of delivering a coded message linked to the Muslim Brotherhood group, the company said Wednesday.
Sunni Militants Storm Iraq Police Stations to Free Prisoners
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – Islamist militants stormed police stations in several cities of Iraq’s western province of Anbar on Wednesday, seizing weapon caches and freeing prisoners after security forces dismantled a Sunni Muslim protest camp on Monday.
Iran Conservatives Gain Influence on Nuclear Panel
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – Two members of Iran s conservative-dominated Parliament were added to a panel that monitors negotiations with world powers in the nuclear dispute.
Israel to Delay Settlement Announcement, Official Says
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – An Israeli official said the delay during John Kerry s visit was intended to avoid a high-profile clash over new settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Israeli Parliament Aims to Be World’s Greenest
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – Israel’s parliament plans on becoming the “greenest in the world” by generating its own electricity and through other environmentally friendly initiatives.
Ex-Israeli Prime Minister Sharon’s Condition Worsens: Reports
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, comatose since a 2006 stroke, has deteriorated to a “life threatening” condition after suffering kidney malfunction, Israel Radio reported on Wednesday.
Egypt: 96 Artifacts Missing From Museum
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – Nearly a hundred small artifacts, some dating back to the time of the pharaohs, have gone missing from a museum in southern Egypt, officials said Wednesday.
Ariel Sharon s Health Worsens
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – The medical condition of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has sharply deteriorated, according to a hospital spokesman.
Analysis: Israel, Palestinians Face Hard Choices
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry returns to the region Thursday, the American message to the Israeli and Palestinian leaders is clear: It’s time to start making hard decisions.
Lebanese Intelligence Questioning Saudi Militant, Security Source Says
New York Times 1 Jan 2014 – Lebanese intelligence agents are interrogating the Saudi leader of a militant group that claimed a double suicide attack on the Iranian embassy in Beirut last November, a Lebanese security source said on Wednesday.
Doctors Remove Polyp From Netanyahu
New Yo
rk Times 1 Jan 2014 – Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says doctors have removed a polyp from the Israeli prime minister’s large intestine.
Manufacturers call for NIS 3.80/$ exchange rate floor
Globes Macro Economics – Manufacturers Association’s Zvika Oren: The Bank of Israel should adopt the foreign currency purchasing policies of Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
Charges of bloated salaries at Hadassah Hospital
Globes Main News – Even as Hadassah Hospital is carrying out a recovery plan to deal with its NIS 1.3 billion debt, the workers committee says executives enjoy profligate salaries.
Price controls seen cutting Tnuva’s valuation
Globes Main News – Market sources say the latest developments will delay food company Tnuva’s flotation, which is a concern for Apax.
Golan Telecom triumphant in race for subscribers
Globes Main News – Golan Telecom gained 134,000 subscribers in 2013, more than double the number gained by Hot Telecom.
Roger Cohen (who doesn t live there) explains the need for my Jewish state
Mondoweiss – Kerry leaves for Middle East last July, in State Dep t photo Tis the day we hit Reset on last year s predictions. Tis the day for prominent pundits to predict the end of the two-state solution. In his Times column, Roger Cohen (who once held out hope…
Wed: TASE gives 2014 positive start
Globes Main News – The main indices rose strongly today, led upwards by Israel Corp., the banks, and partners in the Tamar gas field.
Motorola Solutions to provide IDF’s battlefield smartphone
Globes Aerospace & Defense – The phone will have a touch screen and camera, but will be ruggedized and resistant to dust and water.
In 2014, BDS movement will outflank Israel lobby Beinart
Mondoweiss – Peter Beinart An excellent column by Peter Beinart in Haaretz says this is the year the two-state solution ends. He puts the blame squarely on the Israel lobby for its inflexibility and says what few say openly in the U.S., organized Jewish influence on the matter…
Mizrahi Tefahot sells more IDB shares to cover Dankner debt
Globes Main News – Mizrahi Tefahot Bank sold 622,000 IDB Holding shares at NIS 2.51 per share for NIS 1.56 million.
Israeli minister times settlement move to humiliate Kerry
Mondoweiss – Land, property theft & destruction / Ethnic cleansing / Judaization With Kerry in town, minister to expand Jordan Valley settlement Times of Israel 31 Dec by Raphael Ahren A top minister is scheduled to attend a Thursday dedication ceremony for a new Israeli neighborhood in a Jordan…
Summit subsidiary seeks to refloat on AIM
Globes Main News – Real estate company Summit Germany will seek to raise ¨ 100 million at a company value of ¨ 150-200 million, before the money.
BBC lampoons view that criticizing settlements is anti-Semitic, mate
Mondoweiss – This sketch appears to have run on BBC two weeks back . Actors impersonating employees of the Israeli Embassy inform unwitting shopowners that their property will be taken to make way for the embassy s expansion. The degree of mockery of the religious rationales for settlements is staggering,…
IMI enters cyber security arena
Globes Aerospace & Defense – As privatization approaches, Israel Military Industries bets on a market with enormous growth potential.
Regulator considers IEC compensation for outages
Globes Energy & Water – The Public Utilities Authority is examining the issue of compensation to those who lost power during the mid-December snowstorm.
Regulator mulls banning IEC expanding production capacity
Globes Energy & Water – Antitrust Authority director general David Gilo notified IEC that it was considering banning it from increasing its electricity production capacity.
No respite in strengthening of shekel
Globes Main News – Prico: With no Bank of Israel intervention, exporters should manage their long-term exposure to foreign currency for the new era in the market.
Tamar partners sign $200m deal with Global Power
Globes Energy & Water – With the natural gas supplied, Global Power will build a 120-megawatt power station at Dimona Silica Industries.
Dankner-Granovsky group begins disintegrating
Globes Main News – Willi-Food has withdrawn its NIS 65 million loan but the consortium still believes it can win IDB.
Poll: 67% believe Lapid budget favors the rich
Globes Macro Economics – Molad Center poll: Only 23% of respondents said that the budget was “a responsible budget.”
Court approves Elbit Imaging debt settlement
Globes Main News – The NIS 2.5 billion settlement is the largest debt settlement in Israeli history.
Moti Ben-Moshe to get green light on IDB
Globes Main News – The court commissioned report is believed to have found no reason to prevent transfer of control of IDB from Nochi Dankner to Ben-Moshe and Eduardo Elsztain.
Bogie Yaalon Takes it to the Delegitimizers! POW!
Tikun Olam – StandWithUs Captain Bogie Israel: superhero for our time. Israel s Defense Minister, Bogie Yaalon is ticked off (in Hebrew it s called b rogez ). And when an IDF ex-chief of staff is ticked, look out. It s those damn delegitimizers again! Making trouble for Israel. Bogie s got their number….
Palestinian diplomat dies in blast
BBC 1 Jan 2
014 – A Palestinian diplomat is killed by an explosion at his home in the Czech capital Prague, reportedly while opening a safe that had been sealed for decades.
Ariel Sharon’s health deteriorates
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – Doctors say the condition of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has been in a coma since 2006, has worsened.
Ariel Sharon’s Condition Deteriorates
The Foward Breaking News 1 Jan 2014 – The condition of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has deteriorated and he is suffering from kidney failure. Click here for the rest of the article…
Iran embassy bombing suspect ‘held’
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – The head of a jihadist group behind the suicide bomb attack on the Iranian embassy in Lebanon in November is arrested, reports say.
Diary: On board mission to remove Syria’s chemical weapons
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – On board the ship which will take away Syria’s arsenal
Israel Is America’s No. 6 Favorite Country
The Foward Breaking News 1 Jan 2014 – Israel is the sixth favorite country of American citizens, a survey found. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israel Pays 4 Reform Rabbis for First Time
The Foward Breaking News 1 Jan 2014 – Israeli government money was transferred for the first time to the Reform Movement in Israel to pay the salaries of four community Reform rabbis. Click here for the rest of the article…
106 Israeli Lawmakers Demand Action on Jonathan Pollard
The Foward Breaking News 1 Jan 2014 – A petition signed by 106 Knesset members calling for the release of Jonathan Pollard, held in a U.S. prison for over 28 years for spying for Israel, was presented to Israeli President Shimon Peres. Click here for the rest of the article…
Al-Qaeda-affiliated emir arrested in Lebanon
Al-Monitor 12 Jul 2014 – Majid bin Mohammad al-Majid, the emir of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades in the Levant, was arrested by the Lebanese army, and he is now hospitalized.
Palestinian diplomat dies in blast
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – A Palestinian diplomat is killed by an explosion at his home in the Czech capital Prague, reportedly while opening a safe that had been sealed for decades.
Ariel Sharon’s health deteriorates
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – Doctors say the condition of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has been in a coma since 2006, has worsened.
Iraq’s 2013 death toll ‘hits 8,868’
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – The United Nations says at least 7,818 civilians and 1,050 members of the security forces were killed in violent attacks across Iraq in 2013.
Iran embassy bombing suspect ‘held’
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – The head of a jihadist group behind the suicide bomb attack on the Iranian embassy in Lebanon in November is arrested, reports say.
Lebanon buries missing Hezbollah fighter
Al-Akhbar News 1 Jan 2014 – The coffin of Hussein Salah Habib, a Lebanese Hezbollah commander missing for nine months in Syria, is carried during his funeral on January 1, 2014 in Baalbek, in an eastern area of Lebanon. (Photo: AFP / STR) A Hezbollah commander, who had been missing for months in…
Diary: On board mission to remove Syria’s chemical weapons
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – On board the ship which will take away Syria’s arsenal
Lebanon interrogates Saudi jihadist tied to Iranian embassy attack
Al-Akhbar News 1 Jan 2014 – Updated 5:55 pm: Lebanese intelligence agents are interrogating the Saudi leader of a militant group that claimed a double suicide attack on the Iranian embassy in Beirut last November, a Lebanese security source said on Wednesday. The Lebanese source, who declined to be named, told Reuters…
Kerry seeks Middle East ‘framework’
BBC 1 Jan 2014 – US Secretary of State John Kerry flies to the Middle East as he seeks to secure a “framework” accord outlining a final Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.
Palestinian envoy killed in Prague blast
Al-Akhbar News 1 Jan 2014 – Updated 5:27 pm: The Palestinian ambassador to Prague was killed in an explosion at his residence on Wednesday that Czech authorities believe was probably an accident. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said ambassador Jamal al-Jamal had been trying to open a safe that was recently moved to…
Iraq witnessed deadliest year since 2008
Al-Akhbar News 1 Jan 2014 – Military officers carry the coffin of a comrade during his funeral in the city of Nasiriyah, on December 31, 2013, after he was killed in fighting in the western Anbar province. (Photo: AFP / STR) Military officers carry the coffin of a comrade during his funeral in…
Ten injured in Syrian air raid over Lebanon
Al-Akhbar News 1 Jan 2014 – Syrian aircraft fired a number of missiles towards a village in northeastern Lebanon near Ersal Wednesday morning, injuring at least 10 Syrians, witnesses cited by Lebanon’s National News Agency said. The air raid comes two days after the Lebanese army said it fired anti-aircraft guns towards…
Articles
Gaza war commemoration reveals Israeli intelligence efforts
Dr Adnan Abu Amer, Middle East Monitor (MEMO)1/1/2014
When Israel attacked and invaded the Gaza Strip exactly five years ago, its political and military forces realised that its success or failure relied mainly on the accuracy of the intelligence gathered by the Shabak security agency. They also knew that the use of such information is necessary during military operations in order to minimise casualties.
Thus the so-called Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009 witnessed concentrated efforts by Israeli agents to pass on intelligence gathered about the Palestinian resistance and its plans. Using the intelligence, officers in the field could either call for air strikes and missiles on specific locations; back-up for different units; or a tightening of the circle around the resistance fighters.
There remains some frustration within the ranks of Shabak and Aman (Israel’s Directorate of Military Intelligence) due to the failure of the executive to protect their Palestinian agents; the Israeli forces used the information passed on in a manner that revealed the sources, which led to the killing of many agents by the resistance groups. Since the army was at war, there was no time for caution, and officers justified their position by saying that everything must be dong to preserve the lives of the soldiers in the field; “their safety is a priority over the safety of agents”.
During that war on Gaza, the Israelis employed psychological intelligence tactics by scattering leaflets into heavily populated areas in the Gaza Strip and threatening to intensify military activity in order to break the Palestinians’ determination. This was on top of continuous shelling which killed and injured many, and caused massive destruction.
In addition, they bombarded Palestinians with phone calls threatening serious repercussions for anyone found with weapons or military equipment in their homes. Moreover, they ordered those living near the Gaza border to leave their homes and go to the city centres, while other phone calls threatened those living near the borders….more..e-mail
In West Bank settlement, state is legalizing lawlessness
Yesh Din, Written By Yossi Gurvitz, +972 Magazine1/1/2014
The state told the High Court of Justice it has no intention of enforcing the demolition orders in the settlement of Ofra due to its special condition. History tells us that if this dangerous precedent is accepted, it won t be the last time this happens.
If one had to choose a musical theme for this High Court of Justice (HCJ) hearing, it would have to be the famous whistle of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. If one had to choose a movie theme, he/she should consider settling on tumbleweed rolling in the wind with the wilderness as a background.
Two weeks ago, Yesh Din went to the High Court of Justice for a hearing on a petition it filed in 2008, and which has been waiting for a ruling ever since. The petition dealt with illegal construction in the flagship settlement of Ofra. That last sentence was somewhat redundant, given that Ofra is essentially a large illegal outpost; but Yesh Din went to deal with the fate of nine new houses, built in June 2008 and which were, at the time the petition was written, yet unoccupied.
Once, long ago, it went rather well: the petition rattled the settlers to the point that Ofra s rabbi, Avi Gisser, ruled that construction should go on during the Sabbath so that it could be finished prior to the hearing (Hebrew). Only construction work on the Temple was halted during the Sabbath; it would appear Ofra is holier than the Temple.
Then Justice Edmond Levy yes, of the Levy Report issued an interim order, forbidding using or inhabiting the houses. But only days later, state representative Attorney Shai Nitzan nowadays the state attorney decided that tricks can be played even with HCJ orders (Hebrew). Nitzan pulled one of the most contemptible legal tricks in the history of the country: he ruled that since the interim order was addressed to the respondents that is, the minister of defense and the commanding general, Central Command only they (Minister Ehud Barak, General Yair Naveh, and the then chief of the Civil Administration) are prohibited from inhabiting the houses….more..e-mail
The Future of Lebanon
Karim Makdisi, CounterPunch12/31/2013
The Chessboard in a Region War
A new phase in the conflict in the Arab mashriq (Levant) has begun, and it is Lebanon, as ever, where the message has been delivered.
After several deadly car bombs in Beirut and Tripol
i over the past year designed to terrorize ordinary civilians and destabilize the country, a prominent politician has been assassinated. Mohamad Chatah, a well-respected senior advisor to the anti-Syrian political coalition in Lebanon, March 14, was murdered on December 27 by a car bomb in the downtown area of Beirut.
Various Western and Lebanese media sites immediately re-produced Chatah s final anti-Hizbullah tweets and, posthumously, an open letter he was writing to Iran in which he called for its assistance in ending Hizbullah s military role in Syria and the disbanding of its weapons as apparent evidence that Hizbullah must have been involved in this heinous crime. Prominent March 14 politicians quickly pointed the finger at Hizbullah and its regional patrons, the Syrian regime and Iran. Indeed, Fouad Siniora, head of the March 14 parliamentary bloc and Lebanese Prime Minister during the 2006 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the inter-Lebanese sectarian war of 2005 to 2008, announced March 14 s intention to liberate the country of Hizbullah s large stockpile of weapons.
Chatah was laid to rest in the temporary mausoleum containing the remains of other senior March 14 victims including their patriarch, former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri whose own assassination in February 2005 sparked the March 14 movement and is the subject of an on-going international criminal investigation that has so far indicted five members of Hizbullah….more..e-mail
This is not a life : A journey to Israel s open detention center
Ayla Peggy Adler, +972 Magazine1/1/2014
When a group of Jewish Israelis set out for the Holot open prison in the Negev, they were hoping to sing Christmas carols to the asylum seekers. But by the time they got there, the things they saw and heard made it clear that there was nothing to sing about.
When asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan walked out of the Holot prison last week, they walked out of obscurity. Until then, even people like myself who had been involved in their community six years ago when they first arrived to Israel and who, three years later, had protested against the Holot prison had allowed them to disappear. The truth was, even though I live in the Negev, I wasn t even sure exactly where Holot had been built.
At the same time, Christmas time was making me homesick for family and friends-who-knew-me-before-I-was-forty. I had this embarrassing impulse: I wanted to Christmas carol for the Holot prisoners. I knew that only some, Eritreans, were Christian, and that even they celebrated the Coptic Christmas on January 7th, and that anyway, neither they nor most Israelis would know the songs that I, an American Jew, had grown up on (Silent Night, Little Drummer Boy, O Holy Night& ). But I felt, somehow, that it would bless them, and us, if we knocked on their door and sang these noels of love and devotion.
It was six years ago that my friend, Tsehaye showed me how if you want to reach out to people: you simply show up. Tsehaye had overheard me, a stranger then, on the telephone talking to Israeli NGOs about wanting to help African refugees, and he approached me, saying, I am an African refugee. Like many, Tsehaye had walked from Eritrea through Sudan and Egypt into Israel, all along risking his life, imprisonment, and paying enormous bribe money to human smugglers. He offered to take me to south Tel Aviv to meet his community. We went. After that, I visited people at the shelter once a week. It was there that I finally met the NGO workers I had been trying to connect with by telephone. But really, they were just people doing what I was doing and a lot more of it: learning what people needed, trying to help.more..e-mail
Solidarity helped me keep fighting, says released hunger striker Samer Issawi
Electronic Intifada: 1 Jan 2014 – Prisoner s sister and mother played critical role in hunger striker s campaign for freedom.more..
Every Person Has a Name
Dissident Voice: 1 Jan 2014 – Ten days ago some 200 asylum seekers from Sudan and Eritrea marched to Jerusalem to protest against their mistreatment by the Israeli government. They had left a new open detention facility in the Negev desert, where they are obliged to spend the night and attend three role calls during the day. They walked for about six hours to the nearest city, Beer-Sheva, my hometown. After spending the night at the bus station, they marched on to Nachshon, a kibbutz that had agreed to put them up for the night. The following day, they continued to the Knesset by bus. There they demonstrated against an amendment to Israel s Prevention of Infiltration Law, which allows the state to detain migrants who enter the country illegally for up to a year without trial, and to hold those already in Israel in the open detention facility indefinitely. Almost all the protesters had already spent…more
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