9 March 2014 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Negev Prisoners to Launch Hunger Strike Next Month
IMEMC – Palestinian prisoners in Negev prison said, on Sunday, that they sent a notification to the Israeli Prison Service, saying that they will launch a hunger strike next month. …
Ashrawi: Europe’s Role in Obliging Israel to Comply with International Law
IMEMC – PLO Executive Committee Member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi recently stressed on the essential role of Britain and of Europe in exercising a corrective influence on negotiations, bringing Israel to compliance, and putting an end to Israeli intransigence and violations. …
Israeli Army Razes Lands near Bethlehem, Settlers Attack Farmers near Nablus
IMEMC – Checkpoints erected near Nablus for 3rd day Israeli forces backed by bulldozers proceeded, Sunday, to level Palestinian-owned agricultural land in the village of al-Khader to the south of Bethlehem as a prelude to take it over, according to activist Ahmad Salah of the anti-settlements and wall committee. …
Gaza Electricity Crisis: Qatar-donated Fuel Running Dry
IMEMC – The last shipment of Qatar-donated diesel — used to fuel the Gaza Strip’s sole power plant — is expected to run out within four or five days, a Palestinian official said, Sunday. …
Israeli High School Students Refuse to Serve in Army
IMEMC – A group of Israeli high school students sent the following letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu, explaining their refusal to serve in the Israeli army. …
Israeli forces erect checkpoints near Nablus villages for 3rd day
3/9/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli forces erected temporary checkpoints at the entrance to the northern West Bank villages of Madama and Burin south of Nablus for the third consecutive day on Sunday. Locals told Ma’an that Israeli troops have been inspecting all locals as they travel in and out of their villages, impeding their movement. The Israeli crackdown against the two villages began….
Report: Israeli teens tell PM they ‘refuse to be cannon fodder’
3/9/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Dozens of Israeli teens on Saturday sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing their moral objection to the Israeli army’s actions and their intention to refuse enlistment, Israeli media reported. The Israeli news site Ynet reported that in the letter the teens condemned the army’s “war crimes according to international law,” citing “executions without trial….
9 Palestinians arrested after farming on land confiscated by settlers
3/9/2014 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Two Palestinians were injured and eight were detained on Sunday after Israeli forces dispersed dozens who were planting trees on their confiscated land east of Jerusalem, a local official said. Muhammad Salama, a council member of the village of Anata, told Ma’an that 100 people from the village were working on their land, which was seized by Israeli settlers….
‘Iran weapons ship’ arrives in Israel
3/9/2014 – EILAT, Israel (AFP) — A ship allegedly carrying advanced rockets from Iran to Gaza that was intercepted by the Israeli navy was escorted into the Red Sea port of Eilat on Saturday. Israeli naval commandos seized the vessel on Wednesday in the Red Sea between Eritrea and Sudan, with the military saying it was carrying an Iranian shipment of M-302 rockets destined for the Hamas-run…. Related: Israel: 40 160-km-range rockets aboard ‘Iran arms ship’ and Israel says long-range rockets aboard ‘Iran arms ship’
UAE halts project for freed prisoners in Gaza
3/9/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The United Arab Emirates has suspended a project to build a compound for freed prisoners in the center of the Gaza Strip, a minister said. Public Works and Housing Minister Yousef Aziz said that the “Emirates informed us of the suspension of the project a while ago, since then we persistently contacted officials there to reverse the decision but to….
Gaza man uses remains of Israeli shells to produce works of art
3/9/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A young man from the Gaza Strip is producing handmade art using the remains of spent Israeli ordnance, in the process seeking to disprove popular misconceptions about Palestinians. Muhammad al-Zumar searches the ruins of Gaza buildings that have been destroyed during Israeli military offensives, collecting the remains of missiles and other spent ammunition to use as raw material for handicrafts….
Lawyer: Negev prisoners could start hunger strike in April
3/9/2014 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Palestinian prisoners in a Negev prison in Israel say they could announce a hunger strike in April, a lawyer said. A lawyer representing the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society told Ma’an that prisoners in Israel’s Ktziot prison told him that they have many reasons to begin a hunger strike. Prisoners complain that family members are inspected in….
Israel: 40 160-km-range rockets aboard ‘Iran arms ship’
3/9/2014 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — The Israeli military said on Sunday it had found 40 rockets with a range of 160 kilometers aboard a ship allegedly transporting arms from Iran to the Gaza Strip. The army said it seized the Panamanian-flagged Klos-C on Wednesday and escorted it to the Red Sea port of Eilat where it was inspected on Sunday and unloaded in an operation dubbed “Full Disclosure…. Related: ‘Iran weapons ship’ arrives in Israel and Israel says long-range rockets aboard ‘Iran arms ship’
Israel says long-range rockets aboard ‘Iran arms ship’
3/9/2014 – EILAT, Israel (AFP) — Israel said Sunday it had found 40 long-range rockets aboard a ship it intercepted in the Red Sea, charging that it carried weapons sent by Iran to Gaza Strip militants. A statement from the Israeli military said the M-302 rockets with a range of 160 kilometers were found in containers offloaded from the Panamanian-flagged Klos-C. The vessel was intercepted by Israeli…. Related: ‘Iran weapons ship’ arrives in Israel and Israel: 40 160-km-range rockets aboard ‘Iran arms ship’
Hamas, Fatah exchange accusations in Khan Younis
3/9/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Gaza Strip ministry of interior responded on Sunday to reports of police brutality against a Fatah event in the Hamas-run coastal enclave by accusing activists of holding the ceremony unlicensed, stressing that “nobody can be above the law. . . . A group of Fatah supporters organized an activity in Khan Younis without contacting police for approval, and that is a breach….
Fire fighters control fire in Rafah smuggling tunnel
3/9/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Fire fighters on Sunday controlled a huge fire inside a smuggling tunnel under the border with Egypt in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, civil defense sources said. Deputy director of Rafah civil defense services Ali Tantawi told Ma’an that fire fighters were notified of a fire in a tunnel south of the Salah al-Din Route. He reported….
Man found dead in Gaza City apartment
3/9/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A Palestinian man was found dead in his Gaza City apartment on Sunday, police said. Gaza police spokesman Ayyub Abu Shaar told Ma’an that the 52-year-old man committed suicide. Initial investigations suggested that the man was mentally ill, Shaar added, without elaborating. [END]
Maliki: Saudi Arabia and Qatar in ‘war on Iraq’
3/9/2014 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — Saudi Arabia and Qatar are supporting militant groups in Iraq and have effectively declared war on the country, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said as nationwide violence left 15 dead Saturday. The rare direct attack on the Sunni Gulf powers, with Maliki also accusing Riyadh of supporting global terrorism, comes with Iraq embroiled in its worst prolonged period of bloodshed since 2008, with more….
Thousands in Lebanon protest domestic violence
3/9/2014 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Protesters took to the streets of Beirut Saturday on International Women’s Day to demand better protection for women amid an uproar over husbands murdering their wives. The march by some 4,000 women, men and children from the National Museum to the Palace of Justice, was led by mothers and other relatives of women they said had been the victims of domestic….
Security: Cairo tram station bomb hurts one person
3/9/2014 – CAIRO (AFP) — The explosion of a suspected homemade bomb targeting a tram station in eastern Cairo wounded at least one person on Saturday, Egyptian security officials said. Since the military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July, militants have stepped up attacks against the security forces in Egypt, killing many soldiers and policemen. However, attacks on civilian targets have been rare. In February, a bomb….
Arab League rejects Israel as Jewish state
AlJazeera 9 Mar 2014 – Israel has been pushing to make recognition of Israel as a Jewish state a requirement for peace with the Palestinians.
International Solidarity Movement
Palestinian children continue to be imprisoned
3/9/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, Team Khalil| Hebron, Occupied Palestine – On Tuesday 4th March, 14-year-old Wassem Rajabi from the Jabal Johar area of Hebron (al-Khalil), was detained and driven away by Israeli soldiers on his way back from school. This Thursday, after nine days in prison, his family will go to the police station to find out his fate. Recently, more than 50 children from the….
Lebanon: Lebanon: South Governorate Profile (as of 4 March 2014)
Relief Web 9 Mar 2014 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic GENERAL OVERVIEW Southern Lebanon consists of two governorates: South Lebanon (Saida, Jezzine and Tyre) and El Nabatieh (El Nabatieh, Hasbaya, Marjaayoun and Bent…
Lebanon: Lebanon: Beirut and Mount Lebanon Governorate Profile (as of 4 March 2014)
Relief Web 9 Mar 2014 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic GENERAL OVERVIEW The Governorates of Beirut (20 km?) and Mount Lebanon (1,984 km?) are the main urban areas of Lebanon. Mount Lebanon is…
Lebanon: Lebanon: Bekaa Governorate Profile (as of 4 March 2014)
Relief Web 9 Mar 2014 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic GENERAL OVERVIEW The Bekaa valley, with a lenght of 120 km and width of 16 km, represents 42% of Lebanon s area. It is…
Lebanon: Lebanon: North Governorate Profile (as of 4 March 2014)
Relief Web 9 Mar 2014 – Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic GENERAL OVERVIEW T5 Area – T5 is composed of 6 districts; Tripoli, El Koura, El Batroun, Bcharre, Zgharta, and El Minnie-Dennie, which are…
Debris could be clue to fate of missing Malaysia Airlines plane
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Mystery still surrounds the location of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 as international teams search the seas for it.
Oman court jails businessman for 15 years over bribes
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Mohammed Ali was sentenced as part of a crackdown on corruption in Oman.
The forgotten Indian soldiers of WWI s European battlefields
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Indian soldiers who fought in Europe during WWI are finding their place in history after years of being forgotten.
Nowruz holiday highlights impact of sanctions on Iran
The National 9 Mar 2014 – As Iranians prepare to usher in the New Year with traditional festivities, they are feeling the bite of tough economic sanctions imposed by the international community.
In pictures: Amazing escape as skydiver parachutes in front of plane s flightpath
The National 9 Mar 2014 – This remarkable sequence of photographs shows the moments just before and after a small plane collided with a descending parachutist at South Lakeland Airport in Mulberry, Florida. The terrifying accident happened on Saturday as the 87-year-old pilot, Shannon Trembley, was performing take-off and landing manoeuvres in his Cessna, said Carrie Eleazer, a spokeswoman for Polk County sheriff s office. On his third landing pass, the wing of Mr Trembley plane became entangled in the strings of skydiver John Frost s parachute, who had descended in the plane s flight path and was just feet from the ground.
In pictures: Skydiving in Tehran
The National 9 Mar 2014 –
In pictures: Displaced Muslims in Rakhine state, west Myanmar
The National 9 Mar 2014 –
Japanese widower searches tsunami waters for wife and closure
The National 9 Mar 2014 – More than 2,600 people are still listed as missing after the March 11, 2011 disaster. No one thinks they will ever turn up alive, but for the bereaved, it is important to be able to find their bodies and finally lay them to rest.
Video: Mood remains dark in Crimea as Russian convoy enters base
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Russian and Ukranian officials are trying to form a contact group to diffuse the crisis in Crimea, but tensions there remain high as a convoy of hundreds of Russian troops enter a base in the provincial capital.
Video: Rallies for equality, peace, on International Women s Day
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Women around the world are raising their voices on International Women’s Day, calling for freedom and equality.
Video: Mass demonstration over Spain abortion plan
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Thousands take part in protest against planned Spanish abortion law shake-up plan to restrict terminations.
Video: Search widens for missing plane
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Search widens for missing Malaysian Airlines plane as investigations show it may have turned back after take-off.
Video: Protesters scuffle with police in Venezuela
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Small groups of Venezuelan opposition sympathizers continue to protest in Caracas after nearly a month to demand the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro.
In pictures: Palestinian women join the West Bank anti-riot police
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Instructors bark orders to a column of Palestinian women recruited to an anti-riot unit, part of an effort to tackle problems caused by conservative attitudes in the West Bank force.
In pictures: Search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
The National 9 Mar 2014 – A massive international sea has so far turned up no trace of the plane which went missing on Saturday carrying 239 passengers on board.
In pictures: Mid-term exams at a Karachi seminary
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Pakistani seminary students took their mid-term exams at the Islamic Jamia Binoria seminary in Karachi, Pakistan on March 8, 2014. More than 1,700 students took the examination.
In pictures: Ice sailing on the Hudson river
The National 9 Mar 2014 – Ice sailors on the upper Hudson river are enjoying one of the best and longest seasons of sailing in recent memory as arctic temperatures for much of the winter in the Northeast United States have built deep ice packs allowing sailors to launch their heavy antique wooden boats.
Malaysia probes four names on missing Boeing 777 jet manifest
The National 9 Mar 2014 – There was still no confirmed sighting of wreckage from the Boeing 777 in the seas between Malaysia and Vietnam where it vanished from screens early Saturday morning en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board.
In pictures: Breitling wingwalkers above Kuwait s skies
The National 9 Mar 2014 – The Breitling Wingwalking team head to Kuwait to mark the opening of the first dedicated boutique in the city for the prestigious watch brand..
Knesset opposition to boycott votes on controversial package deal
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
The pious of Wall Street pray for a reprieve from the ‘evil’ Israeli draft law
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Canadian university students launch Sabra hummus boycott
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Israelis on cruise ship barred from entering Tunis
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Pro-Russian force seizes military airport in Ukraine’s Crimea, official says
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Saeb Erekat: U.S. promised Israel will free 30 prisoners by end of March
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Orthodox Jews in N.Y. protest Israeli draft bill
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Arab League backs Abbas’ refusal to recognize Israel as Jewish state
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Jewish-Ukrainian MP: Israel not doing enough to help local community
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Nuns held by rebels in Syria freed after three months
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Israel unloads 40 short-range rockets from Gaza-bound ship
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Fragments of Malaysia Airlines plane found, officials say
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
North Koreans head to the polls in first election under Kim Jong Un
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Air force chief: Malaysia jet may have turned back
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Russian forces tighten grip on Crimea despite U.S. warning
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Could a new autonomous deal solve the crisis in Crimea?
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
American Jewish groups forge partnership with Israelis to ‘dethrone chief rabbinate
Ha’aretz – 9 Mar 2014
Search resumes for Malaysia Airlines plane, missing with 239 on board
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
MKs set to battle over flagship coalition bills
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
Iranian cement and Israeli whitewash
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
Israel is carrying out state-sponsored missionary work
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
Chief of staff shows rare weak point over Haredi draft
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
Abbas: ‘No way to recognition of Israel as Jewish state
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
Dozens of teens sign letter vowing not to serve in IDF
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
Water returns to East Jerusalem neighborhoods after 3-day outage
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
Former Israeli minister Victor Shem-Tov dies at 98
Ha’aretz – 8 Mar 2014
Committee to address future intelligence in education
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – MOFET Institute will create practical plan for school systems.
Tibi predicts record 15 Arab Knesset members due to electoral reform
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – UAL-Ta’al MK has been trying to get Arab MKs to unite in one party for many years in order to maximize potential of sector’s voting bloc.
The next Kotel battle: Reading from the Torah
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – I am a progressive religious liberal Jewish woman and as I go into the army 10 hours from now, these are some of my hopes.
Think about it: The directorate for Jewish identity
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – The ministry that should deal with fortifying Israel s Jewish and democratic identities is the Education Ministry.
Knesset: High Court shouldn’t intervene in Foreign Affairs, Defense C’tee chairman debacle
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Petitioners complain that prestigious panel has not had a permanent chairman since Avigdor Liberman became Foreign Minister in November.
Rocking the boat?
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – It is unlikely that Ashton is raising this particular issue over tea with Zarif in Tehran. Nor would she want to rock the boat.
Arab refugees and Jewish refugees the inextricable link
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – The United States should not foot bill alone for international fund for compensation for Arab and Jewish refugees.
Candidly Speaking: Obama-Netanyahu rift is unbridgeable
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – In an unprecedented breach of diplomatic etiquette, President Obama once again sandbagged Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Public broadcasting
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Communications Minister Gilad Erdan is calling for a major revamping of our public broadcasting network, the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
Israeli scientists seek lunar landing with dishwasher-sized spacecraft
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Group from Israel competing for $20 m. prize from Google, hoping to land first private craft on moon.
WATCH: Haredim pray in New York for cancellation of Israeli ultra-Orthodox draft bill
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Israeli ultra-Orthodox leaders call on US brethren to hold solidarity rally for their cause in Manhattan.
Israel Railways CEO: Tel Aviv-Jerusalem train to open on time
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – High speed train between Israel’s two major cities to be unveiled in December 2017, executives say.
Jonathan Pollard describes his health as ‘wretched’
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Homefront security minister Gilad Erdan warns Obama not to let him die in jail; says would be “stain” on president’s administration.
Final inventory of Iran arms ship: 40 rockets, 180 mortars, 400,000 bullets
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – IDF recovers forty M-302 rockets, with a range of 90-160 kilometers, hidden in crates on intercepted Gaza-bound vessel; army says advanced weapons were “destined to threaten the security of millions of Israeli civilians.”
Turkish lawmaker: Jew or atheist behind Erdogan corruption scandal
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Zafer Caglayan is a member of the Turkish PM’s ruling party and was forced to resign in wake of the December graft scandal.
Arab League rejects Israel’s demand for recognition as a Jewish state
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Council ministers endorse PA President Abbas’s rejection of Netanyahu’s requirement for peace.
Committee to probe Samuel Sheinbein shooting at Rimonim prison
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Public Security Minister Aharonovitch calls for investigation into incident in which prisoner got hold of pistol in penitentiary.
Lena Dunham to ‘Girls’ify Archie Comics
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – ‘Girls’ creator Lena Dunham to write 4-part story for comic series; according to a press release, story will be published in 2015.
Silent but proud Judaism in Iran
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Iranian Jews today will have to stamp and shout quietly and attentively when Haman s name is mentioned.
Israel Postal service to strike Monday
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Israel Chemical workers strike, blocking 3000 contract workers; National Labor Court considers port strike.
Finance Ministry allocates additional NIS 300 million to Holocaust survivors
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Lapid announces new funds intended to resolve compensation issues of survivors who made aliya after October 1, 1953.
Analysis: Can the coalition keep its Jenga tower from collapsing?
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Coalition leaders committed to supporting bills on electoral reform, haredi conscription and the referendum bill. The question is whether their commitments are worth the paper on which they’re written.
Too little too late? After dry season rain begins to fall in Israel
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Highway 40 from The Zin Valley to Mitzpe Ramon was closed due to desert flooding; rain also begins in north.
Nuns held in Syria since December go free
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Captors release about a dozen nuns held for more than 3 months; sources say nuns are on their way to Damascus via Lebanon.
Ministry: Lack of internal medicine beds, home care, reduces elderly hospital days
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Internal medicine wards are usually populated by the elderly, as they suffer from more complex chronic conditions.
Peres, NGO launch website where public can draft preliminary Declaration of Human Dignity
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Israel Democracy Institute is concerned over what it believes is the erosion of respect for human dignity in Israel.
BGU researchers identify mutation causing severe genetic disease common in Moroccan Jews
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Discovery to make it possible for possible carriers of disease that causes epilepsy, severe mental retardation to be tested.
Liberman calls for government funding of afternoon programs for young children
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Foreign minister estimated the cost of implementing such a plan at around NIS 7 billion per year.
State cancels indictment against Bar Noar double murder suspect Felician
Jerusalem Post 9 Mar 2014 – Case against man who had been main suspect in murders at LGBT center falls apart after key witness arrested for fabricating evidence.
Gazans Find Tuneful Resistance
IPS The Watar band at a performance in Gaza. Credit: Khaled Alashqar/IPS. By Khaled Alashqar GAZA CITY , Mar 9 2014 (IPS) Like almost everyone else in Gaza, these six are angry about the Israeli-imposed blockade and the resulting misery. Except that they are expressing their anger through music without the…
Qatar-backed bloc says to rejoin Syrian opposition coalition
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 A large bloc supported by Qatar that left Syria’s opposition National Coalition has reversed its decision and wants to rejoin, setting the scene for confrontation with the group’s Saudi-backed president, opposition sources said on Sunday.
Israel says long-range rockets aboard ‘Iran arms ship’
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 Israel said Sunday it had found 40 long-range rockets aboard a ship it intercepted in the Red Sea, charging that it carried weapons sent by Iran to Gaza Strip militants.
Syria opposition ‘not yet ready for Arab League seat’
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 Syria’s seat at the Arab League will remain vacant until the opposition completes the formation of its institutions, the pan-Arab group’s secretary general Nabil al-Arabi said on Sunday.
Arab envoys say no to Israel as Jewish state
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 Arab foreign ministers on Sunday rejected Israel’s demands that the Palestinians recognize it as a Jewish state, saying such a move would undermine the rights of Palestinian refugees.
US commerce secretary in Gulf ahead of Obama visit
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 The U.S. Secretary of Commerce is in the Middle East where she said Sunday she will tell officials from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar that closer economic cooperation with Washington is a way…
Iraq cuts April crude prices to U.S., Asia; ups Europe
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 Iraq cut the price of Basra light crude to U.S. buyers for April by 10 cents to 60 cents per barrel below the Argus (ASCI) benchmark and raised the prices to Europe, the State Oil Marketing…
Bahrainis could be executed over deadly blast
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 Four Shiites who “confessed” to taking part in an attack that killed three policemen in Bahrain this month could face the death penalty if convicted, prosecutors said on Sunday.
Shiite Saudi clerics warn against violence: statement
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 Shiite Saudi clerics warned Sunday against taking up arms against the authorities in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, in the wake of sporadic violence that has rocked the country’s Shiite-dominate east.
Oman court jails businessman to 15 years over bribes
Daily Star 9 Mar 2014 A court in Oman sentences a former executive of an engineering firm to a total of 15 years in jail for five counts of bribery in exchange for contracts from a state-owned oil company.
Biden says Venezuela situation is ‘alarming’
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – ….
‘Vayikra’: When piety becomes aggression
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – System of sacrifices supplies wide operational leeway for those who carry feelings of insatiable and boundless guilt. People experiencing perpetual guilt offer to those around them the same world they experience without love or mercy. ….
Despite Gulf pressure, Qatar to keep aiding Gaza regime
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – ….
Qatar-backed bloc says to rejoin Syrian opposition coalition
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – ….
Merkel raps Putin as Russian forces tighten grip on Crimea
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – ….
Vietnam says it may have found missing jet’s door
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – ….
Sarah Silverman, my sister the prophet
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – Don t let her appearance fool you. Susan Silverman is not just a rabbi and mother of five from Jerusalem. The sister of American comic Sarah Silverman has a sharp tongue of her own, and is not afraid to give an opinion on everything – from the Chief Rabbinate to homosexuality to her naughty little sister. ….
Leave Iran alone, focus on China
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – Op-ed: Netanyahu should put effort in pressuring Chinese to sell less knowledge, fewer deadly weapons which could critically harm Israel. ….
Iconic Israeli paper Maariv fails to print Sunday edition
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – Legal and financial troubles plague historic newspaper, first published with the establishment of Jewish State. ….
Netanyahu says any peace deal with Palestinians at least a year away
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – Prime minister says Kerry framework agreement is an ‘American document of American positions’ while Abbas categorically rejects recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. ….
Netanyahu urges Ashton to question Iranian leaders about arms shipment
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – In first official diplomatic trip by EU foreign policy chief since 2008, Ashton says final agreement on nuclear deal not guaranteed. ….
Fatah accuses Hamas of violently breaking up Gaza rally
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – In additional deterioration of relations, Fatah says Hamas beat and arrested Gaza activists participating in even commemorating ‘martyrs who fell during the Intifada.’ ….
Gantz: Every rocket has an address
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – Greeting soldiers who arrived with Iranian arms shipment, IDF chief praises operation but warns threats it entails still pose challenge for Israel. ….
Irrational ire invoked at Israel
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – Op-ed: No other nation or people have engendered such a plethora of movements, organizations and views obsessed with boycotting it, dividing it up or destroying it altogether. ….
Netanyahu: Israel willing to make tough choice are Palestinians?
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – Speaking to Israeli press for first time since talks began, Netanyahu reiterates support for two-state solution, but promises: I will not uproot settlements. ….
Search resumes for missing jet; terror connection not ruled out
YNet News, 9 Mar 2014 – Mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 prompts international cooperation, as four names in manifest raise questions. ….
Obama’s message to Russia: Sending fighter jets to Baltic allies
YNet News, 8 Mar 2014 – As Russia sends more forces to the Crimea peninsula, the US bolsters the Baltic Air Policing mission in an attempt to stabilize the situation. ….
Spectators applauded IDF in Eilat: ‘Israeli Pride’
YNet News, 8 Mar 2014 – Hundreds of people gathered near the Port of Eilat to follow the entrance of KLOS C. ….
Palestinian women join West Bank anti-riot police
YNet News, 8 Mar 2014 – In efforts to tackle conservative attitudes, Jericho police school trains women in martial arts and self-defense before moving on to law enforcement. ….
Iran president criticizes hard-liners over media
YNet News, 8 Mar 2014 – Rouhani claims judicial authorities’ closure of two pro-reform papers on allegations of questioning Islamic principles is wrongful. ….
Malaysia Airlines plane missing, presumed crashed in South China Sea
YNet News, 8 Mar 2014 – According to Vietnamese navy official, flight carrying 239 passengers and crew crashes into sea off Vietnam shore; report has yet to be officially confirmed. ….
Palestinian Information Center
Abu Sabha: Closure of Rafah crossing threatening lives of hundreds of patients
PIC – The Egyptian closure of the Rafah border crossing is threatening the lives of hundreds of seriously-ill patients, Maher Abu Sabha, the director of borders and crossings in Gaza, said on Sunday.
Ten citizens hurt in confrontations with IOF soldiers south of Jenin
PIC – Ten Palestinian citizens were treated for breathing difficulty in Yabad village, south of Jenin, due to the Israeli occupation forces‚¨ “! excessive use of teargas against civilians.
IOF soldiers quell march in East Jerusalem, arrest 13 citizens
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) suppressed on Sunday afternoon a march organized by Palestinian activists and residents of the town of Annana, in the area of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem.
Alleged Iranian arms vessel docks at Eilat
PIC – The alleged Iranian arms ship Clos C, which was captured by the Israeli navy off the coasts of Eritrea and Sudan, arrived on Saturday evening at Eilat port.
Abu Zuhri slams journalist Mustafa Bakri for making new lies against Hamas
PIC – Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri denounced Egyptian journalist Mustafa Bakri for claiming that the Egyptian security arrested 53 members of Hamas in the Sinai, describing his claims as unfounded lies.
Sit-in in old J’lem in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners
PIC – Dozens of Jerusalemite citizens and families of prisoners on Saturday evening participated in a sit-in near Al-Amoud Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners.
IOF arrests 10 citizens and summons others in the West Bank
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested at dawn Sunday 10 Palestinians and assaulted citizens and children, during raids in the occupied West Bank.
Assad’s warplanes continue to shell Palestinian camps in Syria
PIC – The Syrian regime‚¨ “!s warplanes continued on Saturday bombing the Palestinian refugee camps in Syria with explosive barrels.
Rally in Gaza to support the hunger striking prisoners
PIC – Dozens of mothers of prisoners held in the Israeli occupation jails participated on Saturday in a solidarity rally organized by Mohjat al-Quds institution.
Arab League Says it will not Recognize Israel as Jewish State
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Army Razes Palestinian-Owned Land near Bethlehem
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Hamdallah: Palestinian Committed to Negotiations with Israel to Advance Peace
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Police Cracks down on Palestinian Event near Jerusalem
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Abbas Discusses U.S. Peace Efforts with China’s Special Envoy to Middle East
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Army Turns House into Military Outpost near Ramallah
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Army Arrests 3 in Jerusalem and West Bank, Summon 3 in Bethlehem
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
PEX Report: Index Down in Beginning of Week s Trading
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Settlers Attack Farmers near Nablus
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
New Yorkers March on Broadway for Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions against Israel
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Cases of Suffocation during an Army Raid on Town near Jenin
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Israeli Army to Seize Land near Bethlehem
WAFA – 9 Mar 2014
Nuns kidnapped by Syrian rebels are freed, reports say
LA Times 9 Mar 2014 – BEIRUT — At least a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns kidnapped by Syrian rebels near Damascus in December were released on Sunday, according to Syria s official news agency and Lebanese media reports.
Libyan rebels try to cash in on oil sales
LA Times 9 Mar 2014 – CAIRO — Confrontation deepened Sunday between Libya s weak central government and a rebel militia that has launched a brazen bid to sell crude oil and seize the profits for itself.
‘Reconciliation’ takes hold in embattled Syria town
LA Times 9 Mar 2014 – Syrian rebels in battle-scarred Tal Khalakh have turned in their arms and signed loyalty pledges to the government. Similar truces, though tenuous, are spreading in some areas. TAL KHALAKH, Syria For more than a year, Ghassan Eid didn’t speak to his son, Khaled, who…
Syria government forces seize strategic town near Lebanon border
LA Times 8 Mar 2014 – The military takeover of Zara, in Homs province, is the latest advance in the effort to block rebel supply routes from Lebanon. BEIRUT After weeks of fighting, the Syrian military has wrested control of a rebel-held town near the Lebanese border in the strategic…
No Guarantee of Final Nuclear Deal With Iran, European Union Official Says
New York Times 9 Mar 2014 – The European Union s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said that reaching a final comprehensive deal would be difficult and challenging.
Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 45 People in Southern Iraq
New York Times 9 Mar 2014 – The attack hit a security checkpoint in Hilla, setting on fire more than 30 cars waiting to be searched.
Adama mulls New York IPO
Globes Main News – New CEO Chen Lichtenstein told “Globes” he wants the agrochemicals company to be traded on Wall Street.
Extra Holding: Nochi Dankner fabricated documents
Globes Main News – Moti Ben-Moshe alleges Dankner filed forged and false documents with the court.
Gov’t set to approve Israel-US tax pact
Globes Main News – The economic social cabinet will soon approve the information sharing agreement with the US IRS.
Yelin Lapidot takes stake in Brainsway
Globes Main News – Brainsway raised NIS 41 million in the private placement.
Postal workers to strike Monday
Globes Main News – Post office employees are holding a one-day strike to protest 130 layoffs.
Most Israelis see home prices rising
Globes Main News – The “Globes” poll also found that most Israelis have no faith in the government’s ability to stem home prices.
Battle over Maryland s anti-boycott Israel bill heats up
Mondoweiss – Image via WaronWant.org Maryland state politicians are likely unaware that Palestinian children in Hebron have to cross checkpoints to get to school . But that s the reality that supporters of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement brought into recent legislative hearings in an effort to fight…
XL Media plans London IPO at $100m value
Globes Main News – The Israeli gaming marketing company will attempt to raise $30-40 million on the AIM.
Conservatives for Palestine
Mondoweiss – Air Force Lt. Col.,retired, Karen Kwiatkowski I am just back from the National Summit to Re-Assess the U.S.-Israel Special Relationship and will file reports of compelling remarks from speakers in days to come. But I want to convey the importance of the conference here. The crowds…
mobli first co to list on Nasdaq Private Market
Globes Main News – The market allows the company’s employees to trade options and shares.
Robert Caro, Nakba-denier
Mondoweiss – Robert Caro One of the fascinating shifts in US policy occurs between the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Kennedy had opposed Israel getting nukes, Johnson was a wimp on the question. Kennedy had stood up for the return of refugees, Johnson didn t push it . As historian Geoffrey Wawro …
XTL Biopharma files to raise $40m on Nasdaq
Globes Main News – XTL plans to initiate a large Phase IIb clinical trial for the treatment of Lupus.
On John Judis s Genesis, and its critics
Mondoweiss – John Judis by Christopher Parks The Argument Several weeks ago John Judis, the long-time writer for the New Republic, published a major historical work, whose title accurately describes the scope and central theme of the book: Genesis: Truman, American Jews, and the Origins of the Arab/Israeli…
Tamar partners in $750m deal with Delek unit
Globes Main News – The deal with IPP Delek Sorek is for 3.3 billion BCM of gas over 15 years.
Is Zionism compatible with democracy? [Must Watch Debate]
Sabbah report 9 Mar 2014 – A must watch debate with former Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami. Find out if Zionism compatible with democracy or not. Continue reading í! Read More: Is Zionism compatible with democracy? [Must Watch Debate] . Sign up for our free newsletter!
VIDEO: Iran nuclear deal ‘within months’
BBC 9 Mar 2014 – The Iranian foreign minister has told the visiting EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, that a nuclear deal could come in the next four months.
Iran sees nuclear deal ‘in months’
BBC 9 Mar 2014 – Iran’s foreign minister tells the visiting EU foreign policy chief a nuclear deal could come in months but Catherine Ashton stresses there is no guarantee.
Migrants die in Yemen boat sinking
BBC 9 Mar 2014 – Forty-two African migrants drowned when their boat sank off the coast of Yemen, local media report
Dozens killed in Iraq suicide blast
BBC 9 Mar 2014 – A suspected suicide bomber in Iraq kills at least 32 people at a security checkpoint in the mainly Shia city of Hilla, south of Baghdad.
Maaloula nuns to be freed, Greek Orthodox Council says
Al-Akhbar News 9 Mar 2014 – Nuns abducted in Syria by an armed group four months ago are supposed to have been freed as of Sunday afternoon, and were expected to arrive in Lebanon shortly, the Greek-Orthodox Council announced on Sunday. The Council thanked those who contributed to the nuns’ release and…
Syria: Al Mayadeen journalist killed covering fighting
Al-Akhbar News 9 Mar 2014 – A Syrian journalist has been killed covering clashes between government forces and opposition fighters in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor, a regional broadcaster said. Beirut-based Al Mayadeen said on its website that its cameraman Omar Abdelqader was shot in the neck on Saturday and was…
Saudi and Emirati journalists quit Qatari media outlets amid Gulf tensions
Al-Akhbar News 9 Mar 2014 – Saudi and Emirati pundits have quit major media outlets in Qatar, including the broadcaster of top-flight European football, they said on Sunday, as tensions soar between Doha and Gulf states. In an unprecedented decision on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain withdrew their…
Yemen panel ordered to draw up decentralization plan
Al-Akhbar News 9 Mar 2014 – President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has ordered a panel to draw up a constitution that would transform Yemen into a six-region federation, state media reported, despite opposition in the north and south. The 17-member panel, which includes four women, is expected to implement a decentralization plan agreed…
The fallout from Ukraine for the Middle East
Al-Monitor 9 Mar 2014 – Al-Monitor and PBS Newshour examine the impact of the crisis in the Ukraine on the Middle East.
Iranian activists say celebrating Women’s Day is ‘not enough’
Al-Monitor 9 Mar 2014 – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has appointed women to his cabinet, but his administration must do a lot more to address discrimination against women in Iran.
Netanyahu rejects settlement freeze, as teens pledge not to serve in Israeli army
Al-Akhbar News 9 Mar 2014 – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks as he chairs the weekly cabinet meeting on March 9, 2014 in Jerusalem. (Photo: AFP – Gali Tibbon) Updated at 2:05 pm: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he is opposed to freezing construction in settlements as a means…
Iraq: Al-Maliki accuses Saudi, Qatar of supporting terrorist movements
Al-Akhbar News 9 Mar 2014 – Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar of openly funding the insurgents his troops are battling in western Anbar province, in his strongest such statement since fighting started there early this year. Security forces have been fighting insurgents from the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic…
What next for Qatar and the GCC?
Al-Monitor 9 Mar 2014 – Following the decision by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to withdraw their ambassadors from Qatar, will Doha reassess its foreign policy to ensure it can continue playing the vital role of mediator in thorny regional issues?
Economic, social disaster loom in Beirut s southern suburbs
Al-Monitor 9 Mar 2014 – The recent spate of bombings has left the economy in Beirut s southern suburbs in peril, as many residents are moving to other areas of Lebanon and abroad.
Tunisian energy sector at crossroads
Al-Monitor 9 Mar 2014 – As Tunisia faces severe challenges in the energy sector, it must work to ensure that its programs are effective and reach all regions of the country.
Social media plays matchmaking role in Saudi Arabia
Al-Monitor 9 Mar 2014 – Although Saudi Arabia has long been known for the strict segregation between genders, social media sites have served as a platform for interaction, bringing together various segments of society that were traditionally separated.
Born a refugee: Syrian children of the camp
BBC 8 Mar 2014 – Syrian children of the camp
Beirut rally against domestic abuse
BBC 8 Mar 2014 – Thousands of people have marched through the streets of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, to demand politicians pass a law against domestic violence.
Syria: Jihadist factions close to civil war
Al-Akhbar Politics 8 Mar 2014 – Rebel fighters make their way through a yard in the village of Morek, in the countryside of the Syrian city of Hama, on March 7, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Ali Nasser) Rebel fighters make their way through a yard in the village of Morek, in the countryside of…
Will the Saudis get Aoun into Baabda?
Al-Akhbar Politics 8 Mar 2014 – French Foreign minister Laurent Fabius (R) shares a laugh with his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil (2ndL) prior to their meeting at the French ministry in Paris, on March 4, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Thomas Samson) French Foreign minister Laurent Fabius (R) shares a laugh with his Lebanese counterpart…
Articles
Is US public opinion on Israel shifting?
Alan Hart, Redress 3/9/2014
And what if the answer is Yes ?
A recent public opinion poll asked Americans which of two options they would favour if a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict was no longer on the table. (It is in the rhetoric of leaders and diplomats but not in reality.) The two options were:
– The continuation of Israel s Jewish majority [presumably this assumes permanent Israeli occupation of the West Bank and continuing ethnic cleansing of it by stealth] even if it means that Palestinians will not have citizenship and full rights.
– One democratic state for all in which Jews and Arabs would be equal.
Only 24 per cent supported the continuation of things as they are.
According to the poll, 65 per cent of those asked for their opinion preferred the one-state option.
What explains this?
Is it that an apparent majority of Americans are at last understanding and supporting the need and rights of the Palestinians for justice, or is it something else an indication that while they are not much concerned about the rights of the Palestinians, an apparent majority of Americans are fed up with an Israel they rightly perceive to be the obstacle to peace?
While I was thinking about my own answer to this question I read a magnificent piece by Gideon Levy in Haaretz with the headline AIPAC, the Kremlin of US Jewry …. — See also: Levy: AIPAC, the Kremlin of U.S. Jewrymore..e-mail
Gaza man uses remains of Israeli shells to produce works of art
Ma an News Agency 3/9/2014
GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A young man from the Gaza Strip is producing handmade art using the remains of spent Israeli ordnance, in the process seeking to disprove popular misconceptions about Palestinians.
Muhammad al-Zumar searches the ruins of Gaza buildings that have been destroyed during Israeli military offensives, collecting the remains of missiles and other spent ammunition to use as raw material for handicrafts which he has assembled into an exhibition in his home.
“The idea of turning shells and missiles into works of art first crossed my mind when I saw Israeli children writing messages of death on missiles and shells” that were used “to kill innocent children,” al-Zumar told Ma’an, referring to a series of images depicting Israeli children drawing on missiles in 2006 that caused worldwide outrage.
He only started his project after the Israeli military assault on Gaza in 2008-9, when around 1,400 Palestinians were killed and thousands more injured over the course of a three-week-long bombardment.
“After the war I started to collect shrapnel from shells and bombs, writing phrases on them calling for peace and love,” al-Zumar explained.
In order to ensure that the materials he collects do not pose any danger, al-Zumar has been regularly consulting munitions experts from the Gaza government, who have also helped provide him with more objects to use in his work.
Al-Zumar highlighted that he has so far produced 30 works of art using the remains of explosives. more..e-mail
Israeli teens tell Netanyahu: We will not take part in occupation
Edo Konrad, +972 Magazine 3/9/2014
Nearly 50 Israeli teenagers of draft age send letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu, stating clearly that they will refuse to join the IDF due to the occupation of the West Bank, and the violent effect it has on Israeli society.
Dozens of Israel teenagers signed a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu on Saturday, in which they announced that they would refuse to serve in the Israeli army come draft time.
According to the letter, the teenagers are refusing to enlist in the army due to their opposition to the military occupation of Palestinian territories, where human rights are violated, and acts defined under international law as war-crimes are perpetuated on a daily basis. Aside from the ultra-Orthodox and Palestinian citizens of Israel, army service is mandatory for all Israelis (three years for males, two
for females).
The letter goes on to decry the effect of the occupation on Israeli society itself, especially the way it shapes the educational system, our workforce opportunities, while fostering racism, violence and ethnic, national and gender-based discrimination, and promotes and perpetuates male dominance and oppressive gender structures within the army itself.
Udi Segal, an 18 year old from Kibbutz Tuval in Israel s north told +972 that his signing of the letter is connected to the rightward shift taking place in Israeli society.
I cannot take part in an army that occupies another people and makes Israeli society more violent and apathetic to what is happening, says Segal.
17-year-old Elza Bugnet, who also signed the letter, says the issue is not solely about opposing the military…. more..e-mail
Netanyahu is missing the boat
George S. Hishmeh, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN) 3/6/2014
Visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Washington on Tuesday after a three-day visit and a three-hour meeting with President Barack Obama, which was overshadowed by the Ukraine crisis, without offering any compromises on his terms for a solution to the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli crisis. His speech before the annual policy conference of the pro-Israel lobby, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, was colourless, repeating some of his hackneyed positions for a peace settlement with the Palestinians. Although he declared he was prepared to make a historic peace with our Palestinian neighbours , he once again dropped his bombshell: the Palestinians must be prepared to recognise the Jewish state. The Palestinian position has been that they cannot be expected to do that since a quarter of the Israeli population is Palestinians Muslims and Christians. This repeated Israeli condition, plus the continued expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on usurped Palestinian territories, which doubled in 2013 over the previous year, according to Israel s central bureau of statistics, are a knife in the back of the Palestinians. Equally, these steps are also a slap in the face of US officials who despite their condemnation of the Israeli expansion, housing more than 550,000 settlers in the West Bank, have yet to adopt any crippling countermeasures. It should not be too far-fetched to anticipate the downfall of a two-state solution as has been long advocated by many, including various US administrations. more..e-mail
Stand up for academic freedom at Columbia College: What you can do
In Gaza: 9 Mar 2014 – * * * PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY * * * Academic freedom entails not only the right to speak from a particular perspective, but the freedom from being compelled to engage in a particular type of speech, said Chehade. The frequent demand from apologists for Israeli colonialism that any discussion of the conflict be balanced would be considered absurd in most other contexts. For example, must every presentation about the African-American civil rights movement include a speaker who will attempt to justify the denial of these rights? Stand up for academic freedom: Why is Palestine taboo at Columbia College? What you can do Columbia College students, faculty and community members are organizing a campaign to defend academic freedom after Columbia College administrators retaliated against an instructor for the content of his course about the Israel/Palestine conflict (background below). 1. Sign the petition and circulate it to your friends on social media The petition is available athttp://chn.ge/MXMtpY . 2. Call-in days to Columbia College administrators Please email/call these…more
Israel Out of Options: We Better Watch Out
Palestine Chronicle: 9 Mar 2014 – By Mich Levy Winning the war against Israel s domination of Palestine would concomitantly be a deafening blow to the imperial powers and partners that have controlled the larger region for a century and shaped our global political economy for longer. It is this bigger picture, and history, which suggest that the battle for the self-determination of the Palestinian people, despite the momentum it has currently garnered, is poised for another perilous setback. It is likely true that Israel has been irreversibly exposed and must change its strategy in order to maintain power. It is likely true that the U.S. government can no longer afford to be seen by people at home or abroad as indiscriminately supporting Israel s current forms of oppression and state violence. It is also likely true that we are approaching the moment in which some form of resolution will be found to sufficiently relieve this…more
Celebrating International Women s Day wit
h the Women of Gaza, Not in Gaza, but in Cairo
Dissident Voice: 8 Mar 2014 – Five years ago in March, 2009, only two months after the 22 day Israeli attack on Gaza, I was on an international delegation of sixty women organized by CODEPINK who traveled to Gaza for International Women s Day. In the week in Gaza, we met with women where their homes used to be before they were destroyed by the Israeli attack that killed 1450, wounded 5,000 and left 50,000 homeless. We also met with women in 13 community centers throughout the country, to listen to their stories of life under attack and under siege. Five years later, I joined an international delegation of 100 women from 7 countries to travel to Gaza in solidarity with the women of Gaza for International Women s Day . Women of Gaza are over 50 percent of the 1.7 million people who live in tiny Gaza. As they care for their families, they face extreme circumstances with…more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
To subscribe, please write to OccupationNews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OccupationNews/join
The New Dark Age 