7 February 2014 — VTJP
Peace, Love and Occupation? Tell Ben & Jerry’s to Stop its Complicity with the Israeli Occupation!
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International Middle East Media Center
Child Moderately Injured By Explosive Dropped By Army Near Hebron
IMEMC – [Friday, February 07, 2014] Palestinian medical sources have reported that a Palestinian child was moderately injured, when an explosive dropped by Israeli soldiers exploded near him, in Khirbit Sha’b al-Batm, in Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron. …
120 Palm Trees Uprooted Near Jericho
IMEMC – Israeli forces uprooted, on Thursday, around 120 palm trees in Al-Zubeidat, a town located to the north of Jericho, according to local sources. …
Palestinian Run Over by Israeli Settler in Nablus
IMEMC – An Israeli settler ran over a Palestinian citizen near Yitzhar West Bank settlement junction, Friday, in eastern Nablus. …
Israel Forces Storm Ein Hejleh
IMEMC – New village erected overnight Forty-one activists have been injured, during a raid on Ein Hejleh protest village, in the Jordan Valley. …
18 Injured In Al-Aqsa Raid
IMEMC – At least 18 Palestinians were injured when Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian worshipers after prayers, in the al-Aqsa compound, on Friday. …
PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Violations
IMEMC – The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) issued its weekly reports on Israeli violations in the occupied territories for the period between January 30 to February 5, 2014. …
Young Man Injured By Army Fire In Hebron
IMEMC – [Thursday Evening, February 6, 2014] Palestinian medical sources have reported that a young Palestinian man was shot and injured by Israeli military fire in the al-‘Arroub refugee camp, in Hebron. Dozens of residents were hurt by gas bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets. …
Man shot with live bullets in clashes with Israeli forces at al-Arrub
2/6/2014 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — A young Palestinian man was injured with live ammunition and dozens of others suffered from excessive tear gas inhalation in clashes with Israeli forces in al-Arrub refugee camp north of Hebron on Thursday evening. Local sources in the camp told Ma’an that the young man was shot from close range in the upper left thigh, which caused severe damage….
Group: Israel demolished 27 Jordan Valley homes in January
2/6/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces destroyed 27 homes in the occupied Jordan Valley in January, according to Israeli rights group B’Tselem, leaving 147 people homeless. Nearly half of those displaced were children and 65 people lived in communities that had been demolished more than once by Israel, B’Tselem said. On Wednesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it….
Nablus man injured by settler in hit-and-run accident
2/6/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — A Palestinian man sustained multiple fractures late Wednesday after being knocked down by an Israeli driver who then fled the scene, his family said. Basim Umran told Ma’an on Thursday that his brother Tayseer, 42, was the victim of a hit-and-run accident near Yitzhar settlement south of Nablus. Umran highlighted that an Israeli settler hit his brother while he….
Clashes break out as settlers attack farmers near Nablus
2/6/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Clashes broke out near Nablus on Thursday after settlers attacked a group of Palestinian farmers, an official said. Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma’an that a group of settlers from the outpost of Esh Kodesh tried to stop farmers from harvesting their land in the village of Qusra….
PM brokers deal to end UNRWA strike
2/6/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has brokered an agreement between Palestinian employees of UNRWA and the agency’s administration ending a two-month strike. Officials privy to the details told Ma’an on Thursday that both sides agreed, in principle, to put an end to a strike which has been ongoing for more than two months. The terms of….
Arab rights commission calls for medical committee to visit prisoners
2/6/2014 – CAIRO (Ma’an) — The Permanent Arab Commission on Human Rights on Thursday recommended the formation of a committee of doctors to visit Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails to check up on their conditions. The recommendation was made at the end of the 35th session of the Permanent Arab Commission on Human Rights in Cairo. The commission reiterated that Jerusalem is an integral part and….
Former Fatah strongman denies meeting Israeli official
2/6/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Former Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan on Thursday denied media reports that he had met with an Israeli official as part of discussions to be a potential replacement for President Mahmoud Abbas. Earlier, Israeli daily Maariv reported that Benjamin Netanyahu had sent his political adviser Yitzhak Molcho to Dubai to meet with the former Fatah official. The move was described as an….
Israel to release remains of Nablus man killed in 2002
2/6/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities will return the body of a young Palestinian man to his family next week after having kept it for nearly 12 years, as part of a larger repatriation of Palestinian bodies by Israel. Israeli human rights group Center for the Defense of the Individual (HaMoked) said that the body of Habash Hanani from Beit Furik near Nablus will be…. Related: Israel to return remains of Palestinian man held since 2002
Palestine in 3D: The state, politics, and international law
2/6/2014 – Dorgham Abusalim is a master’s candidate in International Affairs at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. He writes frequently on Palestinian and Israeli affairs in Arabic and English. – Many, including analysts of Palestinian affairs and onlookers alike, await the end of current negotiations with Israel. Some are skeptical, others are hopeful. But almost everyone agrees: the status quo is….
EU ‘concerned’ about Israel plan to build new settlement homes
2/6/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Thursday expressed “deep concern” at Israel’s recent decision to build 558 new settler homes in East Jerusalem.” These plans could put at risk the prospects of Jerusalem becoming the capital of two states and, in particular, the territorial contiguity between East Jerusalem and the southern West Bank,” a statement released by….
Danish parliament leader to visit Gaza, bypass Israel
2/6/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The speaker for the Danish parliament Mogens Lykketoft is set to visit the West Bank and Gaza next week, Israeli media reported on Thursday. The website for the Israeli channel 10 reported that Lykketoft will not meet any Israeli officials during the visit, which caused outrage in Israel. Israeli Knesset leader, Yuli Edelstein, criticized the Danish official for visiting Gaza and….
Police: Missing Gaza toddler murdered by uncle
2/6/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A toddler from the Gaza Strip who was reported missing in December was murdered by her uncle, police said Thursday. The body of Hadeel al-Souri was found on Tuesday after her family reported her missing a month earlier. Her body was found buried in an area two kilometers from her house in al-Nuseirat, near Gaza City. Police arrested her uncle….
Children in Syria suffer unspeakable abuses in war
2/6/2014 – UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Children enduring the war in Syria have suffered terrible abuses, with the government and allied militia responsible for many killings, maiming and torture, according to a grim UN report. Rebels have also recruited youngsters as soldiers and used terror tactics in civilian areas, according to the UN’s first report on this area of the conflict that was released to the….
EU: Turkey Internet law raises `serious concerns`
2/6/2014 – BRUSSELS (AFP) — Turkey’s new Internet law raises “serious concerns” over government control and the public’s access to information, the European Commission said Thursday, after parliament in Ankara passed the legislation.”This law is raising serious concerns here,” Commission spokesman Peter Stano said, adding that since Turkey is a candidate for EU membership, it “needs to be revised in line with European standards.”[END]
NGO: 246 dead in 5 days of barrel bombing of Syria’s Aleppo
2/6/2014 – BEIRUT (AFP) — At least 246 people, including 73 children, have been killed in five days of Syrian army barrel bombing of rebel-held held areas of second city Aleppo, an NGO said Thursday. Hundreds more have been wounded in the raids using the controversial unguided munitions, described by Washington as barbaric, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The heavy casualty toll has sparked a mass….
Israeli forces raid al-Aqsa mosque
AlJazeera 7 Feb 2014 – Israeli forces use stun grenades and worshippers throw stones during clashes at the mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
Surge in Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes
The National 7 Feb 2014 – Number of homes razed and Palestinians displaced has risen dramatically since start of peace talks last July, aid groups say.
Accused says bomb attacks on Muslims had blessings of Hindu hardliner
The National 7 Feb 2014 – Revelations to magazine by man charged in string of deadly attacks in 2007 could hurt chances of main Indian opposition party in upcoming general election.
Civilians leave Homs as Assad regime confirms it will attend new round of talks
The National 7 Feb 2014 – Hundreds expected to leave besieged city during three-day ceasefire, with aid convoys expected to enter on Saturday, as Damascus confirms it will return to negotiations in Geneva on Monday.
Taliban claim US ‘dog of war’ as a hostage
The National 7 Feb 2014 – A video posted on the insurgents’ website and later on Facebook shows the animal, named by the Taliban as “Colonel”, being held on a leash in a small, well-lit courtyard surrounded by five men holding guns and grenades.
Homs hopes for relief during “humanitarian pause”
The National 7 Feb 2014 – A week after the situation in besieged districts of Homs was discussed at peace talks in Geneva, Syria’s state news agency Sana said agreement has been reached to allow aid in and safe passage out for civilians.
Woody Allen denies adopted daughter’s molestation accusations
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
‘Egypt’s Jon Stewart’ is back on the airwaves
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Rothschild urged Zionists: Work hard, get along with Arab neighbors
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
AIPAC’s self-inflicted wounds in Iran sanctions campaign puncture its power of deterrence
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
AIPAC’s self-inflicted wounds in Iran sanctions campaign puncture its power of deterrence
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Olmert: No doubt Israel can evacuate 80,000 settlers out of West Bank
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Jewish athletes to watch at Sochi Winter Olympics
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Obama’s pragmatism is killing Syria
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
United Arab Emirates make breastfeeding mandatory by law
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Turkish forces seize passenger who tried to divert plane to Sochi
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Winter Olympics officially get underway in Sochi
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Israeli transgender man tells tale of love and darkness
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Amid graft charges, Israeli mayor suspended for up to a year
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Anat Kamm says she’s no Snowden, but no traitor either
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Tel Aviv court slams police in case of social justice protester
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Lieberman: Kerry is a true friend, Bennett must stop his attacks
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
Sochi: A monument to Putin’s hubris
Ha’aretz – 7 Feb 2014
No matter what happens with Kerry, Netanyahu determined to be the last man standing
Ha’aretz – 6 Feb 2014
In Israel’s north, a formidable enemy is now a shadow of itself
Ha’aretz – 6 Feb 2014
One Olympic ring drops in technical glitch at opening ceremony in Sochi
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – 4 activists arrested in St. Petersburg for unfurling banner criticizing Putin for signing law banning “gay propaganda.”
Iran ready to answer all of the IAEA’s questions on nuclear program
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Senior Iranian official says that Iran will cooperate with nuclear watchdog; IAEA wants Iran to address long held suspicions that it researched how to build an atomic bomb.
Aussie energy firm Woodside to pay $2.5 billion to enter major Israeli gas field
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Company will pay more than it had originally offered to enter the Leviathan field which sits 80 miles west of Haifa.
Thai foreign worker killed in tractor accident in south
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Man crushed under vehicle is pronounced dead at the scene by Magen David Adom paramedics.
Syria starts evacuating civilians from besieged Homs centre
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – “Humanitarian pause” of fighting in area to allow some 200 civilian to evacuate western Syrian city.
Activists in Hebron pelt housing minister’s car with eggs
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Right-wing Hebron activist, resident Baruch Marzel slams Bayit Yehudi minister during visit as a “traitor”.
Liberman backs Kerry as ‘true friend of Israel’
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Foreign minister lashes out at Bennett, warns against damaging relations with Israel’s allies.
Newest Givati soldiers ‘know their shift has begun,’ says commander
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Latest batch of Givati combat recruits swear allegiance to defend state at Western Wall ceremony.
UN nuclear watchdog seeking Iranian cooperation in nuclear inquiry
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – During weekend talks, IAEA inspectors hope to start addressing long-held suspicions that Iran has worked on developing atom bomb.
Rouhani reportedly donates funds to Tehran’s Jewish hospital
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Iranian president purportedly allots between $170,000-$400,000 to country’s lone Jewish medical center.
Police: Acre man places bomb on car in Nahariya, flees on electric bike
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Authorities say attempted attack was linked to business dispute involving owner of the car, who works at shopping center where incident took place.
Analysis: With a Sisi presidency imminent, expect business as usual in Egypt
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Egyptian army chief will have more authority to act in all spheres of domestic, foreign policy if he runs and is elected president.
70% of Israelis don’t trust US on security, says poll
Jerusalem Post 7 Feb 2014 – Asked whether they agreed with recent criticism of Kerry by top Israeli officials, 67% said yes and only 32% said no.
How much West Bank land is Israel willing to relinquish to the Palestinians?
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – Each week brings with it different reports about what is and is not on the table.
AIPAC demonstrates muscle, then partially retreats on Iran
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – With a forceful speech from Robert Menendez, AIPAC is pushing back, and reasserting its influence on Capitol Hill.
Kerry makes clear who he likes best in Israel: Lapid
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – US Secretary of State says he won’t be intimidated by critics; Bennett continues to criticize, while Lapid defends Kerry.
Two rockets fired from Gaza explode in open areas in Ashkelon and surrounding area
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – No injuries or damage reported in attacks; Code Red alert siren heard in area prior to landing of first rocket.
Into the Fray: Bringing a knife to a gunfight: Israel’s impotent Right
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – The abysmal political situation emerging today underscores the inability of a hopelessly naïve and incompetent Right to contend with an unscrupulously malevolent and delusional Left.
My Word: Recipes and disasters
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – Judging by the number of reality shows dedicated to the culinary arts, people are obsessing about how to handle kitchen knives, herbs and spices.
Savir’s corner: The one-man government of Bibi III
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – The next weeks will be critical as the government decides, or most probably, as usual, will decides not to decide.
Another tack: We feel the earth move…
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – Having messed up nearly every country in the Mideast, Obama and Kerry appear determined to add Israel to their list of victims.
iEngage: Excluding Judaism from Israeli discourse not just academic
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – Jewish tradition has been held captive in the hands of chauvinists, nationalists and other extremists.
Column one: Iran’s bomb in the basement
Jerusalem Post 6 Feb 2014 – Iran either has a bomb already or is about to get one. And, having been abandoned by the White House, we face this threat alone.
Labour MP apologises for Holocaust remark
The Guardian 7 Feb 2014 – Yasmin Qureshi says she did not intend to draw parallel between Holocaust and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in Gaza A Labour MP has apologised for the offence caused by remarks about the Holocaust but denied seeking…
Defiance and sadness as Palestinians forced off West Bank protest site
The Guardian 7 Feb 2014 – Ian Black reports from Ein Hijleh, where bulldozers have erased all trace of a camp after a week of peaceful direct action Dusk was gathering around the date palms of Ein Hijleh when the Israeli police…
Yemeni tribesmen attack oil pipeline repair crew, eight killed
Daily Star 7 Feb 2014 At least eight people were killed when armed tribesman launched an attack on Friday to stop maintenance crews repairing an oil pipeline blown up last month in southeast Yemen, tribal sources said.
Once forgotten vegetable now ‘beets’ with love
Daily Star 7 Feb 2014 For many, Valentine’s Day can mean chocolate overdose. Love it or hate it, the holiday will see sweethearts exchanging sweets of all shapes and colors in Lebanon.
Novelist Khaled Khalifa on breaking the barrier of fear
Daily Star 7 Feb 2014 Sitting in a Beirut cafe, Syrian author Khaled Khalifa seems quite cheerful as he discusses his relationship with his novels.
World of American donations to the Jewish State revolutionized
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – New generation of US philanthropists continues to donate some $2 billion a year to Israel, but they are no longer willing to sign a check and leave it at that. How does raising big funds work? Where does the money go? And how does the issue of the settlements affect donations? ….
US lauds Lieberman’s support of Kerry
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – State Department welcomes foreign minister’s support of secretary of state, stressing his statement was ‘powerful’ and representative of ‘many people in Israel’ ….
Spain grants right of dual nationality to Sephardic Jews
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – Law allowing descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 to seek Spanish nationality without giving up their current citizenship passes government approval ….
US-Iran spat mars Tunisia constitution party
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – ….
Russia kicks off Sochi Games with hope and hubris
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – ….
Plane from Ukraine grounded in Istanbul after bomb threat
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – ….
Family blames Saudi gender segregation rules for student’s death
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – After student dies of heart problems in women-only part of campus in Riyadh university because university prevented male medics from entering section, victim’s gamily members say ….
Indictments filed against haredi protesters
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – ….
Iran signals readiness for more nuke concessions
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – Islamic republic’s nuclear chief Salehi says Tehran can modify design of heavy-water reactor at Arak so it would ‘produce less plutonium’ ….
UN refugee workers end West Bank strike
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – UN’s Palestinian refugee agency’s two-month strike comes to an end after deal was reached with workers, who protested low wages and poor conditions ….
Lieberman: Unity of people more important than unity of land
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – Foreign Minister takes more moderate stance than in past while still saying government only succumbs to pressure, implicitly criticizes Minister Bennett: ‘Kerry is true friend of Israel. Friends shouldn’t be turned into enemies’ ….
Isratine? No, we must part
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – Op-ed: How can one imagine a bi-national state in a world where even Czechs and Slovaks cannot bind themselves to one authority? ….
Let IDF choose its recruits
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – Analysis: IDF has surplus of soldiers, shortage of quality manpower, new draft bill will only make matters worse ….
UK anti-Semitic incidents fall to 8-year low
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – Jewish advisory body says 18% decline in anti-Semitic incidents recorded in Britain in 2013 may have been due to recent lack of ‘trigger events’ in Middle East ….
Obama: Putin’s shtick is to look tough
YNet News, 7 Feb 2014 – US president says in NBC interview his Russian counterpart’s style is ‘to sit back, look bored’, but it’s only an act, and the relationship between the two countries is not ‘icy’ ….
‘You have to leave quickly’: The Iranian Revolution through the eyes of Israelis who were there
YNet News, 6 Feb 2014 – State Archives release top secret correspondence between Jerusalem and the diplomatic mission in Tehran in the run-up to the revolution ….
Controversial skit sets Lebanon aflame
YNet News, 6 Feb 2014 – Lebanese MTV show segment draws criticism from Hezbollah and its political enemies, uniting rivals after showing respective faction leaders belly-dancing ….
Rouhani donates $170,000 to Jewish hospital
YNet News, 6 Feb 2014 – Iranian president, who has been on a charm-offensive since taking office, donates thousands of dollars to Tehran’s sole Jewish hospital in a bid to shine a light on minority issues in the country ….
US Jewish leader criticizes Israel boycott drive
YNet News, 6 Feb 2014 – Executive vice chairman of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations calls on Western governments to combat campaign to boycott Israel over its settlement activities, citing ‘politically correct’ form of anti-Semitism ….
Palestinian Information Center
20 Palestinians injured in Israeli storming of Aqsa Mosque
PIC – Israeli occupation forces stormed the Aqsa Mosque after the Friday prayers and fired rubber bullets and tear gas at worshipers injuring 20 of them.
Three Palestinian children killed during shelling in Syria
PIC – Three Palestinian children were killed on Thursday after the drop of a number of explosive barrels on the farms surrounding Khan Sheikh camp in Syria.
Palestinians set fire to settler bus during clashes in Jenin
PIC – Palestinian resistance fighters on Thursday set fire to a settler bus while it was passing between the town of Ya’abad south of Jenin and Dotan settlement, leading to the outbreak of violent clashes.
Mother of three Palestinian detainees asks to see her sons
PIC – A mother of three detainees appealed for allowing her to visit her three sons detained in Israeli prisons, in light of the continued Israeli ban on family visits.
Abu Rashed draws attention to Yarmouk refugee camp’s tragic situation
PIC – Coordinator for the European campaign to aid the victims of Syria Amin Abu Rashed stressed that Al-Yarmouk Refugee Camp suffers from a “very tragic situation” due to the continued siege.
Family of political prisoner Abu Arqoub continues its sit-in for 18th day
PIC – The family of political detainee Tawfiq Abu Arqoub continued their sit-in for the 18th day outside the Palestinian authority intelligence headquarters in Ramallah city to demand his release.
Rafah crossing closed again after it was opened for three days
PIC – The Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah border crossing on Thursday after it had been opened for three days, during which about 1922 Palestinian passengers left the Gaza Strip.
Gaza court issues verdicts against three spies
PIC – A military court in the Gaza Strip convicted on Thursday three men for collaborating with the Israeli occupation.
83 dazed Syrians evacuated from Homs’ besieged Old City
LA Times 7 Feb 2014 – Evacuations are to continue in the Old City of Homs, Syria, for several days. Some people have been trapped a year or more. HOMS, Syria — They were stuck in their apartments for long stretches, hustling for whatever food was available. Sniper fire and shelling…
Egypt’s Top Satirist Back on Air After Suspension
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – Egypt’s popular satirist Bassem Youssef was back on air on Friday, true to his style of mocking the nationalist fervor gripping Egyptians after the overthrow of the country’s Islamist president in a coup last July and the subsequent euphoria surrounding the military chief who is widely expected to run for president.
Yemeni Tribesmen Attack Oil Pipeline Repair Crew, Eight Killed
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – At least eight people were killed when armed tribesman launched an attack on Friday to stop maintenance crews repairing an oil pipeline blown up last month in southeast Yemen, tribal sources said.
Syria a U.S. Homeland Security Threat: DHS Chief
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – The civil war in Syria has become a threat to U.S. national security, with Westerners traveling to fight in the conflict, where extremists try to recruit them for missions back home, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Friday.
Israeli FM Tries to Smooth Out Rift With US
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – Israel’s foreign minister appears to be trying to smooth out a rift with the United States following recent comments by some ministers here about Secretary of State John Kerry’s effort to broker peace talks with the Palestinians.
At War Blog: Portrait of an Army Family
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – Alex Quade profiles the Pruetts, an Army family of eight who deployed 11 times.
Analysis: Is Syria Now a Direct Threat to the U.S.?
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – Over the last two weeks, Obama administration officials have signaled – sometimes intentionally, sometimes not – that a worst-case scenario is emerging in Syria.
Spain Grants Right of Dual Nationality to Sephardic Jews
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – The Spanish government approved a law on Friday allowing descendents of Sephardic Jews expelled from the country in 1492 to seek Spanish nationality without giving up their current citizenship.
Czech Police Arms Report Defuses Tension With Palestinians
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – Czech police said on Friday that unregistered weapons found at the Palestinian mission in Prague last month were decades old and had not been smuggled into the country, defusing diplomatic tensions over their origin.
U.S.-Iran Spat Mars Tunisia Constitution Party
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – A U.S. delegation walked out of celebrations for Tunisia’s new constitution in protest on Friday after an Iranian official criticized the United States and Israel in his address to guests in Tunis.
Russia Calls New U.N. Syria Aid-Access Draft a ‘Non-Starter’
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – Australia, Luxembourg and Jordan have presented to the five permanent U.N. Security Council members a draft resolution demanding full access for aid workers across Syria, which was quickly dismissed by Russia as a “non-starter.”
Iran Signals Readiness for More Nuke Concessions
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – Iran signaled an apparent readiness for more concessions over its nuclear program, this time over its heavy-water reactor at Arak, local media reported on Friday.
Violence Risks Turning Egypt to Jihadi Front
New York Times 7 Feb 2014 – An Islamic militant group that has waged a campaign of bombings and assassinations for months in Egypt has quickly advanced in weaponry and sophistication of attacks, drawing on the experience of Egyptians who fought in Syria’s civil war.
Bibi’s Cheap Trick
Tikun Olam – Back in the days of old (rock oldies, that is) there used to be a rock band called Cheap Trick. I don’t remember anything about its music other than that there was a lot of electric guitar flourish and flash. The most memorable thing about it…
Video: Nonviolent Palestinian protesters sing as they are forcibly evicted by soldiers from occupied village
Mondoweiss – Israeli occupation raid and evict Palestinians from Ein Hijleh (photo: Samer Nazzal) This press release was sent to us from Diana Alzeer, spokesperson for the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee ( PSCC ). Additional videos here and here . Press Release: Israeli occupation raid and evict Palestinians from Ein Hijleh Hundreds of…
Why is the American elite scared of BDS?
Mondoweiss – Since the American Studies Association (ASA) voted overwhelmingly to boycott Israeli academic institutions in December, more than one hundred and fifty U.S. University Presidents have come out in support of Israel and condemned the ASA’s vote. Some of these administrators, such as the Presidents of IU…
Congress is next battleground over boycott of Israel
Mondoweiss – Migrating from the halls of state power to the federal level, the backlash against the American Studies Association’s (ASA) decision to boycott Israel continues. Legislation against the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement was introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday under this Orwellian name: the Protect Academic…
Jon Stewart hails progressive Bill de Blasio — ignoring AIPAC fest
Mondoweiss – On The Daily Show Monday, Jon Stewart hosted NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to celebrate his “non-stop…. ultimate 24-7-job” and “progressive” goals, but sadly ignored the scandal over how the new mayor privately described “my job”: defending Israel. Stewart puffed up the mayor’s liberal rep, supporting…
Get ready, Kerry will go where no American leader has gone before — Ben-Ami
Mondoweiss – Jeremy Ben-Ami of J Street Jeremy Ben-Ami, the leader of the liberal Zionist organization, J Street, attempted to sell John Kerry’s peacemaking efforts at the Jewish Community Center in New Haven on Tuesday night. He told a crowd of 50 people– scarcely one of whom was…
Troops raid protest village in Jordan Valley at 2 a.m.– scores injured and arrested
Mondoweiss – Ein Hijleh protest village VIDEO: Israeli forces storm Ein Hijleh in night attack, arrest protesters 7 Feb — Ali Dar Ali reports — Haitham al-Khatib says on Facebook: Palestine 07/02/2014 #EinHijleh just raided and evicted by Israeli forces. ISM reports 31 sent to the hospital and…
Woodside signs Leviathan deal
Globes Main News – The Australian company will buy a 25% stake in the Israeli gas field for $2.7 billion.
Al-Aqsa Today
Sabbah report 7 Feb 2014 – Al-Aqsa Mosque also known as Al-Aqsa and Bayt al-Muqaddas, is the third holiest site in Islam and is located in the Occupied Old City of Jerusalem. It’s been under continuous threat to be demolished and erased by the Zionist Israeli thugs under the protection of the…
John Kerry ‘Haman’ Slur Earns Rabbis Rebuke From Rabbinic Groups
The Foward Breaking News 7 Feb 2014 – Two leading American Orthodox bodies rebuked a group of Israeli rabbis who warned of divine retribution against Secretary of State John Kerry. Click here for the rest of the article…
First civilians evacuated from Homs
BBC 7 Feb 2014 – The first civilians are evacuated from the besieged city of Homs in Syria, under a temporary ceasefire deal.
Bill Targeting Israel Boycott Bounces Back in New York State — and Nationally
The Forward New 7 Feb 2014 – A bill targeting academic boycotts of Israel is back on track in New York’s state legislature, with similar measures popping up in other statehouses and even the U.S. Congress. Click here for the rest of the article…
VIDEO: David Miliband: UN must act on Syria aid
BBC 7 Feb 2014 – Former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has called on the UN Security Council to pass a binding resolution demanding open access so humanitarian groups can bring more aid into Syria.
Presbyterians Slammed for ‘Guide’ on Zionism
The Foward Breaking News 7 Feb 2014 – A study guide on Zionism published by an arm of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is drawing expressions of outrage from Jewish groups. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israel removes Jordan Valley protest
BBC 7 Feb 2014 – Israel’s removal of a protest camp and a rise in Palestinian property demolitions highlight sensitivity over the Jordan Valley.
North Africa: Egypt Hosts AMSF Meetings
allAfrica.com 7 Feb 2014 – [Egypt Online]Cairo will host the 29th meeting of the General Assembly of the Arab Military Sports Federation (AMSF) on February 8-14.
Egypt: Egypt Calls for Halting Attacks Against Civilians in Aleppo
allAfrica.com 7 Feb 2014 – [Egypt Online]Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy affirmed on Thursday Egypt’s full rejection of the escalation of violence of the Syrian government and targeting civilians in Aleppo.
Israel Razes Most Palestinian Homes in 5 Years
The Foward Breaking News 7 Feb 2014 – Aid agencies working in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem expressed alarm on Friday at a spike in Israeli demolitions of Palestinian property coinciding with renewed U.S.-backed peace negotiations. Click here for the rest of the article…
AIPAC Caves on Iran Sanctions Push
The Foward Breaking News 7 Feb 2014 – The American Israel Public Affairs Committee backed away from pressing for passage of an Iran sanctions bill at this time. Click here for the rest of the article…
VIDEO: Iran handout backfires in ‘shame’
BBC 7 Feb 2014 – Free-food scheme backfires on Iran’s president
Israeli police injures 18 Palestinians in al-Aqsa raid
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – A Palestinian woman flashes the V-sign for victory in front of the landmark Dome of the Rock mosque during clashes between Palestinians and Israeli riot police following Friday prayers at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque compound on February 7, 2014. (Photo: AFP – Ahmad Gharabli) At least 18…
No Mistaking Arabs for Civilians
Al-Akhbar Opinion 7 Feb 2014 – A picture taken from the Lebanese village of Adaysseh shows Israeli soldiers patrolling along the Israeli-Lebanese border on January 20, 2014. (Photo: AFP- Mahmoud Zayyat) A picture taken from the Lebanese village of Adaysseh shows Israeli soldiers patrolling along the Israeli-Lebanese border on January 20, 2014. (…
Week In Photo (1 February- 7 February)
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – A victim’s body lies covered in ash following eruptions of Mount Sinabung in Karo district, North Sumatra province (Photo: Sutanta Adita – AFP) A victim’s body lies covered in ash following eruptions of Mount Sinabung in Karo district, North Sumatra province (Photo: Sutanta Adita – AFP)…
Lebanon: The State Fails the Healthcare System
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – Statistics confirm that 50 percent of Lebanese do not have any form of health coverage. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) Statistics confirm that 50 percent of Lebanese do not have any form of health coverage. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) On February 3, 2014, Hussein Qataya died outside the hospital…
Syrian Screenwriter Tells Refugees to Stay in Syria
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – Young Palestinian refugees, who fled the Yarmuk refugee camp in Syria where they were previously residing due to the ongoing conflict, peer through holes made in their tent as they prepare to move to new houses built by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the…
Clashes reignite in Yemen after mediator’s resignation
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – Fresh clashes between rebels and tribesmen erupted near the Yemeni capital on Friday, the rebel Ansarullah group said, a day after a government mediator resigned. The rebels have been advancing from their mountain stronghold in the far north to other Zaidi areas nearer Sanaa in a…
By Royal Orders: Saudis Abandon Their Fighters
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal leaves the Foreign Ministry after meeting with Pakistan’s Adviser for National Security and Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad on January 7, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Aamir QURESHI) Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal leaves the Foreign Ministry after meeting with Pakistan’s…
Palestinians set up new protest camp as NGOs denounce home demolition policy
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – A man from the Palestinian family Beshr cries as he sits on the debris of his house, that the authorities say was built without municipal permission, after it was demolished on February 5, 2014 in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber. (Photo: AFP – Ahmad…
Iraq attacks kill political candidate, eight more
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – Attacks in Baghdad and north of the capital killed nine people on Friday, including a supporter of powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr who was standing in April’s parliamentary election. The murder of Hamza al-Shammari, the first of an election candidate, comes amid a protracted surge in bloodshed…
Syrian government confirms attendance to new round of peace talks
Al-Akhbar News 7 Feb 2014 – Syria’s deputy foreign minister said on Friday the government would take part in a second round of peace talks on Syria’s civil war in the Swiss city of Geneva, state media reported. The Geneva II peace conference, which had its first round of talks earlier this…
Twin bombs target Cairo police
BBC 7 Feb 2014 – Six police officers are wounded after two bombs go off in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Kerry lets Europe play the boycott card with Irsael
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – The United States and Europe are playing good-cop/bad-cop in the negotiations with Israel.
Sudan opposition: Bashir hosting Egyptian Brotherhood leaders
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – In an interview with Azzaman, the head of Sudan’s Tamarod movement, Alaa el-Din Abdel Rahman, contends that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is hosting fugitive members of Egypt’s Brotherhood.
Pressure grows for Gul to be more assertive
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – There are some who see Abdullah Gul as a better bet than Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the presidency and the future of the Justice and Development Party.
The future of US-Tunisia economic ties
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – The United States has commended Tunisia on the strides the country has made toward a democratic transition, and there are many opportunities for future economic partnerships between Washington and Tunis.
Clans play decisive role in Iraqi elections
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – Given the weakness of the central state and a lack of overall security, citizens have continued to rely on clans and tribal affiliations, something that will play a significant role in upcoming parliamentary elections.
Will Lebanon have to start from scratch to form new government?
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – As the governmental vacuum persists and Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam fails to reach a consensus among rival parties, it seems likely that the cabinet formation process may start over.
Iranian activist lauds rise of ‘citizen journalism’ in Iran
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, prominent Iranian journalist-activist Isa Saharkiz discusses politics and reform under President Hassan Rouhani.
‘Volunteer jihadists’ pose security dilemma in Egypt
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – In the past terrorist groups used to be affiliated with large organizations with a central leader, while today there are many “volunteer jihadists” in Egypt who operate in small, difficult-to-track groups.
Former Shin Bet chief says Bibi needs back channel to Abu Mazen
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – Avi Dichter, former Shin Bet chief and minister, tells Al-Monitor that although Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has solid standing, he is not the last Palestinian leader who will be able to sign an agreement with Israel.
Iran opens new chapter in relations with Russia
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – While Moscow and Tehran have historically been neither friend nor foe, and challenges remain, shared interests on Syria, counterterrorism, security and energy could move Iran and Russia increasingly toward more comprehensive strategic cooperation.
Israel ‘National Singer’ tainted by sex scandal
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – Israeli police has decided not to press any charges against singer Eyal Golan, but revelation of his conduct leave many of his admirers disheartened.
Syrian opposition groups fail to capture Aleppo prison
Al-Monitor 7 Feb 2014 – Contrary to media reports, opposition gunmen failed to capture the Aleppo Central Prison.
Saudi-US Relations: Between Tension and Profit
Al-Akhbar Politics 6 Feb 2014 – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) talks to Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal prior to peace talks in Montreux on January 22, 2014. (Photo: AFP – Arnd Wiegmann) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) talks to Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Saud…
Articles
‘We must impose sanctions,’ says British MP
Stuart Littlewood, Redress 2/6/2014
“If the spineless Obama will not do it, we must do it – even unilaterally”
I’d like to share, especially with American readers, a great moment in the British parliament on 5 February when the MP for Gorton, Manchester, Sir Gerald Kaufman rose to speak in a debate on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Here is what he said word for word so that you get the full flavour:
“I once led a delegation of 60 parliamentarians from 13 European parliaments to Gaza. I could no longer do that today because Gaza is practically inaccessible. The Israelis try to lay the responsibility on the Egyptians, but although the Egyptians’ closing of the tunnels has caused great hardship, it is the Israelis who have imposed the blockade and are the occupying power. The culpability of the Israelis was demonstrated in the report to the UN by Richard Goldstone following Operation Cast Lead. After his report, he was harassed by Jewish organizations. At the end of a meeting I had with him in New York, his wife said to me, “It is good to meet another self-hating Jew.”
“Again and again, Israel seeks to justify the vile injustices that it imposes on the people of Gaza and the West Bank on the grounds of the holocaust. Last week, we commemorated the holocaust; 1.7 million Palestinians in Gaza are being penalized with that as the justification. That is unacceptable.
“The statistics are appalling. There is fresh water for a few hours every five days. Fishing boats are not allowed to go out – in any case, what is the point, because the waters are so filthy that no fish they catch can be eaten? The Israelis are victimizing the children above all. Half the population of this country is under the voting age. What is being done to those children – the lack of nutrition – is damaging not only their bodies and brains; it will go on for generation after generation….” more.. e-mail
PHOTOS: Ein Hijleh village evicted after seven days of protest
Activestills, +972 Magazine 2/7/2014
One week ago, some 300 Palestinian activists established the protest village of ‘Ein Hijleh’ in a cluster of palm trees and long-abandoned houses north of the Dead Sea. Their goal was to protest Israeli government demands to retain control of the Jordan Valley as part of a U.S.-brokered peace deal. One week later, their encampment was forcibly evicted by Israeli forces in the early morning hours.
In the face of pledges by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would not “uproot any Israeli citizen” from the West Bank and his insistence on retaining control of the Jordan Valley amid talks brokered by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, on January 31, hundreds of Palestinian activists began to occupy abandoned homes in a cluster of palm trees surrounded by land taken by Israeli settlers and military bases north of the Dead Sea.
The Ein Hijleh protest village was thus created, launching the Melh al-Ard (Salt of the Earth) campaign, organized by the Palestinian Popular Struggle Coordination Committee with the aim of “refusing the political status quo, especially given futile negotiations destroying the rights of our people for liberation and claim to their land.”
An Israeli military base sits between the protest village and the Deir Hijleh monastery, which owns about 1,000 dunams, some of which were taken by Israeli forces. Ein Hijleh itself stood on land owned by the Greek Orthodox Church, which granted permission for the activists to remain there for at least 30 days.
During the seven days of the encampment, activists began to make the crumbling houses inhabitable, planted trees, installed solar panels, hosted political, religious and diplomatic leaders, screened films and held cultural and political discussions. more.. e-mail
Binyamin Netanyahu’s pipe dream
Uri Avnery, Redress 2/7/2014
What’s wrong about the demand that the Palestinian leadership recognize Israel as the “nation state of the Jewish people”?
Well, practically everything.
States recognize each other. They don’t have to recognize each other’s ideological character.
A state is a reality. Ideologies belong to the abstract realm.
When the United States recognized the Soviet Union in 1933, it recognized the state. It did not recognize its communist nature.
When the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) recognized the state of Israel in the Oslo agreement, and in the exchange of letters preceding it, it was not asked to recognize its Zionist ideology. When Israel in return recognized the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people, it did not recognize any particular Palestinian ideology, secular or religious.
Some Israelis (including myself) would like to change the self-definition of Israel as a “Jewish and democratic state”, omitting the word “Jewish”. Some other Israelis would like to omit or demote the word “democratic”. Neither of us believe that we need the confirmation of the Palestinians for this.
It’s just none of their business.
Sabotage or inferiority complex?
I don’t know what the real intention of Netanyahu is when he presents this demand as an ultimatum. more.. e-mail
Israeli media ignores a week of non-violent protests
Haggai Matar, +972 Magazine 2/7/2014
The Israeli media gave almost no airtime or print space to two non-violent protests this week, in the Jordan Valley and south Tel Aviv’s Levinsky Park. For Haggai Matar, it’s been a heartbreaking sight.
So they destroyed Ein Hijleh. This small protest camp in the Jordan Valley, built by hundreds of non-violent Palestinian activists and kept alive for a week of resistance against plans to annex the valley to Israel and deprive a future Palestinian state of its eastern border, was been evicted over night by army and police forces.
For Israelis – it won’t be missed. The whole “Salt of the Earth” campaign to protect the valley, with Ein Hijleh at its core, has been widely ignored by Israeli media as is almost always the case with non-violent Palestinian protests (Bab al-Shams was perhaps the one unique exception, shining in its singularity). Aside from the short online newsflash here and there, no serious coverage of the encampment was offered. No television crew was sent to tell its story and no newspaper sent a single reporter to interview activists about their choice of protest method or to write a colorful feature about life in the renewed village. No serious discussion took place — nor will there be in all likelihood — about the speed in which this “illegal” encampment was evicted in comparison to the hardship Palestinians face in trying to get illegal settlements off their lands. In addition, it seems that only Haaretz is seriously monitoring and criticizing the ongoing ethnic cleansing of the same Jordan Valley, which was sped up this passing year with 390 demolitions in Palestinian villages, more than double the number of last year. That led the Red Cross this week to stop offering evicted communities tents as humanitarian aid, because they too are destroyed or confiscated by the army, as Amira Hass reported.
I’ve been meaning to write about Ein Hijleh every day this past week but felt I just couldn’t. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because the way this specific action was so widely overlooked by Israeli journalists made me too sad for words…. more.. e-mail
Gaza rallies in support of critically ill prisoner
Electronic Intifada: 7 Feb 2014 – The Israeli authorities have refused to give Ibrahim Bitar’s family full details about his condition.more..
OMAR: Uncovering Occupied Palestine
Palestine Chronicle: 7 Feb 2014 – By Richard Falk OMAR is the second film directed by Hany Alu-Assad to be a finalist among foreign language films nominated to receive an Oscar at the 2014 Academy Awards ceremony on March 2nd. The earlier film, PARADISE NOW (2005), brought to life the preoccupation at the time with suicide bombing as the principle tactic of Palestinian resistance by exposing the deep inner conflicts of those who partake, the tragic effects of such terror on its Israeli targets, and the hardened manipulative mentality of the leaders who prepare the perpetrators. Alu-Assad born in 1961 in Nazareth, emigrated to the Netherlands in 1980, writes the screen plays for his movies as well as directs. He has a profound gift for story telling that keeps an audience engaged with the human drama affecting the principal Palestinian characters while illuminating broader issues of profound moral and political concern without stooping to didactic means…more
A Housing Crisis yet Demolitions in East Jerusalem
Palestine Chronicle: 7 Feb 2014 – The threatened demolition of apartment blocks in East Jerusalem is adding new pressure to the city’s housing crisis, with hundreds facing the prospect of losing their homes and Palestinian residents saying they face discrimination in city planning. Since the start of construction of the separation barrier a decade ago, poorer Palestinian East Jerusalemites have often chosen to move to the West Bank side of the wall. In late 2013, Israeli authorities issued court orders announcing that a number of buildings in Ras Shehada and Ras Khamis – Palestinian neighborhoods inside Jerusalem’s municipal boundary but cut off by the ‘separation barrier’ – are slated for demolition because they were built without permits. “With everything that’s going on here, I’m trying to sell the house,” said Shadi, 26, who owns an apartment in Ras Khamis threatened with demolition. “If someone comes now with, say, 150,000 NIS (US$43,000) cash, I’m out of here.”…more
Another Pipe Dream
Dissident Voice: 7 Feb 2014 – What’s wrong about the demand that the Palestinian leadership recognize Israel as the “Nation State of the Jewish People”? Well, practically everything. States recognize each other. They don’t have to recognize each other’s ideological character. A state is a reality. Ideologies belong to the abstract realm. When the United States recognized the Soviet Union in 1933, it recognized the state. It did not recognize its communist nature. When the PLO recognized the State of Israel in the Oslo agreement, and in the exchange of letters preceding it, it was not asked to recognize its Zionist ideology. When Israel in return recognized the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people, it did not recognize any particular Palestinian ideology, secular or religious. Some Israelis (including myself) would like to change the self-definition of Israel as a “Jewish and democratic state”, omitting the word “Jewish”. Some other Israelis would like to omit…more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
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The New Dark Age 
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