11 March 2014 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Occupation Forces Kidnap 3 from Bethlehem, Desecrate Negev Cemetery
IMEMC – The Israeli military abducted, on Tuesday, three young Palestinians from Tkou’ village, east of Bethlehem. …
Israeli Miltary to Demolish Homes, Wells in West Bank
IMEMC – Occupation forces, on Tuesday, served residents with notifications that three privately-owned Palestinian houses, to the south of Nablus, are scheduled for demolition. In addition, two water wells near Hebron are also to be destroyed, according to activists. …
Limited Israeli Incursion in Khan Younis
IMEMC – Gaza fishing boats fired upon, 3 abducted Dozens of Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers carried out, Tuesday morning, an incursion east of Khuza’a village, in the southern Gaza Strip. …
Abbas Refuses to Recognize Israel as a ‘Jewish’ State
IMEMC – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, thereby rejecting the demands of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to Abbas; “They are pressing and saying, ‘No peace without the Jewish state,'” but the reply remains; “There is no way. We will not accept.” …
Young Palestinians Clash with Israeli Forces near Bethlehem
IMEMC – A number of young Palestinian men were injured by rubber bullets and excessive tear gas inhalation, during clashes with Israeli troops near Bethlehem, on Tuesday. …
Knesset Opposition to Boycott Parliament This Week
IMEMC – Israeli opposition parties in the Knesset announced, Sunday, that they will not be taking part in discussions and will vote on three contentious bills which the government is attempting to pass this week: the governability bill, the Ultra-Orthodox Jews draft bill and the peace-process referendum bill. …
Three Fighters Killed In Southern Gaza
IMEMC – [Tuesday at noon, March 11, 2014] Palestinian medical sources said that three Palestinian resistance fighters have been killed by an Israeli shell, east of the Rafah district, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Six Palestinians killed by Israeli fire, since Monday. …
Jordanian judge killed by Israeli troops at border crossing
IMEMC – An Israeli soldier shot and killed a Jordanian judge, identified as Raed Z’eitar, at the Jordan River border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank on Monday. …
Israeli airstrike kills 3 Palestinians in southern Gaza
3/11/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — An Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, an official said. Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra told Ma’an that three Palestinian resistance fighters were killed by the airstrike in southeast Khan Younis near the Sufa crossing. Al-Qidra identified the victims as Ismail Abu Judah, 23, Shahir Abu Shanab, 24, and 33….
Palestinian youths clash with Israeli forces near Bethlehem
3/12/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A number of young Palestinian men were injured by rubber bullets and excessive tear gas inhalation during clashes with Israeli troops near Bethlehem Tuesday. Youths in the area organized a rally near Azza refugee camp to protest the Israeli army’s recent killings of Palestinians, locals said. Witnesses said clashes broke out between the protesters and Israeli forces. Palestinians threw….
Witness: Allenby victim shot 3 times in chest
3/11/2014 – JERICHO (Ma’an) — A man who was with Raed Zeiter, who was shot dead Monday by Israeli troops at the Allenby Bridge crossing with Jordan, says he suffered three gunshot wounds to the chest. Mohammad Zayd told Ma’an that about 8 a. m. he, Zeiter and another woman were late to return to the bus after the first Israeli inspection point. When…. Related: Jordan demands investigation into deadly Allenby shooting and Wife of judge killed at crossing ‘to sue Israel’
Israel drone crashes in Gaza
3/11/2014 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — An unmanned aircraft of the sort Israel uses for surveillance and missile strikes in Gaza crashed in the south of the territory early on Tuesday, sources on both sides said. Members of Hamas’ military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, discovered the remains near Khan Younis, witnesses said. Parts of the unmanned aircraft were found 500 meters from the border with Israel.”An investigation…. Related: Hamas publishes Israeli drone photos
Israeli police restrict access to Aqsa compound
3/11/2014 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Tuesday prevented Muslim worshipers under the age of 50 from entering the al-Aqsa mosque compound, locals said. Israeli police closed all but three gates leading to the holy site and dozens of youths had to perform prayers in the streets after being denied access. Israeli police detained two young men inside the compound, witnesses added. [END]
Hundreds attend funeral of judge killed by Israeli forces
3/12/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — A man shot dead by Israeli forces at the Allenby Bridge crossing was laid to rest in Nablus on Tuesday, locals said. Hundreds of people attended the funeral of Raed Alaa Addin Zieter, 38, who was shot dead on Monday by Israeli soldiers. His wife could not attend the funeral as she does not have Palestinian citizenship. Raed had been planning….
Official: Palestinian dies in car wreck after ‘Israeli police chase’
3/11/2014 – TULKAREM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian man died and another sustained injuries early Tuesday when the car they were driving flipped during a road chase by Israeli police, a local official said. Governor of Tulkarem Abdullah Kamil told Ma’an that Fidaa Muhye Addin Majadlah died and Ibrahim Adnan Shukri sustained moderate to serious injuries as a result of the car wreck. Both men….
Medics: 4 killed in Gaza explosion
3/11/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Four People were killed and six others suffered injuries after an explosion in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, a medical official said. Ashraf al-Qidra said that Mohammad Tayseer al-Hamdeen, 26, Bilal al-Hamdeen, Jafaar Odwaan and a fourth unidentified man were killed in the explosion. Six others were injured including two children and a woman in critical condition, he…. Related: 4 injured by grenade explosion in Gaza
Wife of judge killed at crossing ‘to sue Israel’
3/12/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The wife of a man who was killed by Israeli forces at Allenby Bridge on Monday will file a lawsuit against Israel if its allegations were untrue, her lawyer said. Murad Mfarre, the Palestinian-Israeli lawyer of Raed Zeiter’s widow, relayed her message that Zeiter “was well-known and law-abiding, and it is hard to imagine that he would try to…. Related: Witness: Allenby victim shot 3 times in chest and Jordan demands investigation into deadly Allenby shooting
Jordan demands investigation into deadly Allenby shooting
3/11/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Jordanian government demanded Monday that Israel open a full investigation in the killing of Raed Zeiter who was killed earlier Monday by Israeli forces at Allenby Bridge. Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh summoned the head of the Israeli mission in Amman demanding that Israel urgently provide Jordan with a full report detailing the incident, and to open an investigation and inform…. Related: Witness: Allenby victim shot 3 times in chest and Israel ‘regrets’ fatal shooting of Jordan judge
Students emerge as losers of 2-month UNRWA standoff
3/11/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Thousands of students in Palestine are bound for summer school this year, but not due to failing grades or classroom misbehavior. Instead, the children are paying the price for an extended squabble between their teachers and the organization that administers their schooling. In February, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallaha deal to end a 66-day strike by Palestinian employees of the UN….
Israeli navy detains 2 Gaza fishermen
3/11/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Israeli navy on Tuesday detained two fishermen off the coast of the Gaza Strip, a union official said. Nizar Ayyash, head of the union of Gaza fishermen, told Ma’an that Israeli warships confiscated a fishing boat and forced two fishermen to sail to Israel’s Ashdod Port, without providing further details. An Israeli army spokeswoman did not immediately return calls seeking comment. [END]
4 injured by grenade explosion in Gaza
3/11/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Four people were injured Tuesday after a hand grenade exploded in the al-Zawyia market in Gaza. Spokesman for the Gaza ministry of health Ashraf al-Qidra said four people including a child sustained various injuries from the explosion. [END]
Israel PM says no deal unless PLO recognizes ‘Jewish state’
3/12/2014 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ruled out any deal with the PLO unless they recognize Israel as a Jewish state and give up the right of return for Palestinian refugees. And he said Israel and the Palestinians were getting further away from reaching a peace deal.” They (Palestinians) say they will never recognize a Jewish state and that they will never…. Related: Fatah endorses refusal to recognize Israel as ‘Jewish state’
Israel ‘regrets’ fatal shooting of Jordan judge
3/12/2014 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel expressed regret on Tuesday over the fatal shooting of a Jordanian-Palestinian judge by Israeli troops at a West Bank border crossing, a statement from the premier’s office said.” Israel regrets the death of Judge Raed Zeiter yesterday (Monday) at the King Hussein (Allenby) bridge and expresses its sympathies to the people and government of Jordan,” the statement from Prime Minister…. Related: Witness: Allenby victim shot 3 times in chest
Fatah endorses refusal to recognize Israel as ‘Jewish state’
3/11/2014 – RAMALLAH (AFP) — The Revolutionary Council of President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday unanimously endorsed his rejection of demands to recognize Israel as a “Jewish state,” officials at the meeting told AFP.” President Abbas has reaffirmed his refusal to recognize the Jewishness of the State of Israel and council members stood up to hail this decision,” a senior Fatah official said from the meeting in Ramallah. Abbas…. Related: Israel PM says no deal unless PLO recognizes ‘Jewish state’
Hamas publishes Israeli drone photos
3/11/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, published photos of an Israeli drone it seized earlier on Tuesday east of Rafah south of the Gaza Strip. The brigades said it “managed to seize a Zionist drone in the southern Gaza Strip,” in a statement. [END]
Egyptian forces discover workshop manufacturing explosives
3/11/2014 – CAIRO (Ma’an) – The Egyptian army on Monday evening discovered and stormed what security officials described as “the biggest workshop for manufacturing explosives” in Sheikh Zuweid city in North Sinai Peninsula. Egyptian military sources told Ma’an in el-Arish that they were alerted about a suspected lathe workshop in Sheikh Zuweid. When officers ransacked the workshop, added the sources, they found more than….
US drone strike kills 4 ‘Qaeda members’ in Yemen
3/11/2014 – SANAA (AFP) — A US drone strike in northeast Yemen has killed four suspected al-Qaeda members, a tribal source said on Tuesday. Two missiles struck two vehicles late Monday in the Wadi Abida area, east of Sanaa, killing the occupants “who were all al-Qaeda members,” the source said. Obad Mubarak al-Shabwani and Jaafar al-Shabwani, “both local chiefs of al-Qaeda,” were among the passengers, he said. The….
Egypt doctor faces trial over fatal female genital mutilation
3/11/2014 – CAIRO (AFP) — A doctor in Egypt will face trial for performing a female circumcision operation that killed a teenage girl, a judicial official said on Tuesday. The 14-year-old girl’s father who took her to the doctor for the procedure will also face trial, the official said. Although banned in 2008, female genital mutilation is still rampant in Egypt, especially in rural areas….
Probe identifies suspects over Lockerbie bomb
AlJazeera 11 Mar 2014 – Al Jazeera uncovers evidence Iran’s secret service and a Palestinian group were behind bombing of Pan Am flight 103.
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Appeal to Open Rafah Crossing
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Free the Nabi Saleh three: Donate now!
3/12/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine – Jihad, Mahmud and Rami, residents of Nabi Saleh, have been imprisoned for three weeks now and need your support to be released. An Israeli military judge ruled that six demonstrators who were kidnapped from their homes three weeks ago, could be released on bail of 2500 shekels each. With the help of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee and….
ISM volunteers attacked by Zionist tourists in Hebron
3/11/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – Two ISM activists walking on Shudaha Street area were brutally attacked by French Zionist tourists who were visiting to attend the weekly settler tour of the Palestinian part of Hebron. At around 1:30 PM the activists were walking in the direction of Shuhada Street when the 6 young men rounded the corner, upon seeing the activists they spread across the road. Within seconds, the group….
‘When we see that our efforts are making a difference, it is easier to continue’
3/11/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, Charlie Andreasson | Gaza, Occupied Palestine – On Christmas Day 2013, a small armada of tank trucks drove around Jabaliya, the largest refugee camp in the Gaza Strip and one of the areas severely affected during the recent floods. Clean water is in short supply here, and many households are forced to spend more than a quarter of their disposable income on this coveted….
Eight things that don’t add up about Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The National 11 Mar 2014 – •The plane was a Boeing Co. 777, one of the most reliable jets in the air. •Why did it turn around before disappearing? That means the plane deviated from its planned route. •With today’s technology, how is it possible for the plane to vanish without a distress call? When they do disappear suddenly, it’s typically because of an event such as a massive engine failure or explosion. Yet, that would create widely scattered, and visible, debris.
Rouhani travels to Oman in first official visit to Arab state
The National 11 Mar 2014 – Muscat enjoys closest ties with Tehran among Arab Gulf states and played important role in setting up nuclear deal with the West.
BC-AS–Malaysia-Plane, 12th Ld-Writethru,646 Malaysian military says missing jet changed course AP Photo XAY101, NY201, WM114, WM116, WM102, XJAK103, XAW109, GFX1609, NY107, GFX1594
The National 11 Mar 2014 – KUALA LUMPUR // The Beijing-bound Malaysian Airlines aircraft missing since Saturday changed course and made it to the Malacca Strait, hundreds of kilometres from the last position recorded by civilian authorities, military radar data shows. The development injects more mystery into the investigation of the disappearance of the Boeing 777 on Saturday, and raises questions about why the aircraft was not transmitting signals detectable by civilian radar.
Strained relations within GCC affect US security interests
The National 11 Mar 2014 – Coolness between Qatar, which hosts vital US security facilities, and the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain adds to Washington’s difficulty in juggling regional concerns.
Indian voters lose ‘third option’ for general election
The National 11 Mar 2014 – Third Front formed two weeks ago as alternative to Congress and BJP disbands after differences over seat sharing.
Who’s sitting in that aircraft seat?
The National 11 Mar 2014 – Interpol reckon up to 40 million lost or stolen passports and identity papers are scattered over the world. Yet many countries do not follow the UAE’s lead and make regular checks on Interpol’s database, making it easy for the fake papers to be used globally.
Peshawar shoe makers amused by Paul Smith’s designer ‘chappals’
The National 11 Mar 2014 – In the markets of the city in north-western Pakistan from where the chappal sandal originates, shopkeepers said the British designers shoe was old fashioned.
Maoist rebels kill 20 Indian soldiers in ambush
The National 11 Mar 2014 – Soldiers were deployed in Chhattisgarh to guard workers constructing roads when about 200 rebels surrounded their camp and opened fire
In pictures; Villagers watch a horse fight in the Philippines
The National 11 Mar 2014 –
In picture: Kenya’s efforts to beat animal poachers
The National 11 Mar 2014 –
Malaysian military radar shows missing plane changed course
The National 11 Mar 2014 – No trace of the plane, which was carrying 239 people, has been found by more than 40 planes and ships from at least 10 nations searching the area.
OECD: Israel near the top in life expectancy, but low on medical spending
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Israel raises electoral threshold to 3.25 percent
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Jews, technology and poverty: The San Francisco dilemma
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Edmond Levy: 1941-2014
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Foreign Ministry officials warn of imminent strike that would paralyze Israeli diplomatic activity
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Sarah Silverman to play alcoholic housewife in first starring movie role
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Rift between Netanyahu and Haredim deepens
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Two African countries taking in asylum seekers leaving Israel
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
For one American Jew, charity in Israel takes a different form
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Five conclusions from 10 days of non-war Crimea
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
The goal behind Netanyahu’s reality show: Unmasking Obama’s love affair with Iran
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
The goal behind Netanyahu’s reality show: Unmasking Obama’s love affair with Iran
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Dutch watchdog reports 23 percent rise in anti-Semitic incidents
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
War of rhetoric vs. Australian Jewish lobby heats up
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Palestinians blast British PM Cameron’s ‘symbolic’ Bethlehem visit
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
U.S. and Russia cooperating in outer space, despite Ukraine tensions
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
The battle for Beit Shemesh: Riot gear and selfies
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Soccer star postpones wedding after vicious tackle
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Crime boss wants back to U.S. prison, Israeli court says no
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Palestinians lose appeal over Hebron house ownership
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Strange allergy afflicting Sea of Galilee windsurfers
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Four killed in Gaza, apparently while making bomb
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
To Erdogan, the law is the new enemy
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Iran’s finger on trigger to destroy Israel, warns senior Revolutionary Guards commander
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Manhattan joins Israel’s culture war: Why you can’t force Torah scholars to be soldiers
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
EU envoys: Gaza’s fortunes will improve if Hamas forgoes violence
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Netanyahu expresses regret to Jordan after judge killed by Israeli fire
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Israel should heed Cameron’s friendly warning
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Graffiti in Israeli town: ‘All Arabs are criminals’
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Ukraine’s Crimea seeks to become independent state
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Gaza militants: Israeli air strike kills 3
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Malaysia military says tracked missing jet to Strait of Malacca
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Nazareth’s mayoral revote pits incumbent vs. former deputy
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
MKs to get Talmud lesson from U.S. woman rabbi
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Jordanian judge ran toward soldier screaming ‘Allah hu Akbar,’ Israeli probe reveals
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Iranian on Malaysia jet ‘was asylum seeker’
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Israeli drone crashes in Gaza strip
Ha’aretz – 11 Mar 2014
Netanyahu’s message on Iran arms ship: It’s the world against Israel
Ha’aretz – 10 Mar 2014
Colorado collects $2M in recreational pot taxes in first month
Ha’aretz – 10 Mar 2014
Iranian man bought tickets for Malaysia Air passengers using stolen passports
Ha’aretz – 10 Mar 2014
High Court hears final petitions for and against haredi IDF service
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – After years of court fights and with a new historic law anticipated, the High the last gasp of the many petitions were heard.
Global competition launched for $250,000 Ruderman Prize in Inclusion
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – The prize recognizes organizations that have demonstrated commitment to the full inclusion of people with disabilities.
Welcome, Mr. Cameron!
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Cameron will emphasize the benefit to Israel and Israelis of moving forward toward a resolution of the conflict with the Palestinians, a position many Israelis share.
In my own write: Sounding board blues
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Do men talk only about themselves?
Setting the record straight on EU funding of NGOs in Israel
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Why let the facts get in the way when you have already reached you conclusion in advance?
Wallenberg’s family demands access to key documents in his case
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – My late father, Guy von Dardel, was Raoul’s maternal half-brother and fought for over six decades to learn the full circumstances of Raoul’s disappearance.
The truth about Russian intentions
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Consider this: for the past 10 days, the world has been swamped by skillfully spun Russian propaganda.
Haredi conscription plan poised to become law today
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – PM: We did our best to consider needs of ultra-Orthodox; opposition holds four-hour protest meeting.
‘We want to live here in peace, without arguments’
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – The tone of the rhetoric coming from haredi and non-haredi voters alike reflected the divisions and the arguments that have taken hold of Beit Shemesh.
Former Supreme Court justice Edmund Levy dead at 72
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – He was involved in decisions relating to Yitzhak Rabin’s assassin Yigal Amir, former president Moshe Katsav and the 2005 Gaza withdrawal.
In tension gripped Beit Shemesh turnout high in mayoral revote
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Reports suggest turnout in non-haredi areas of the city for candidate Eli Cohen was significantly higher than in the previous ballot.
Egypt sources: Home-made bomb targets police car near Israel embassy in Cairo
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Security sources say blast targeted car rather than mission; no injuries reported; mission has not been used since 2011 riots.
Center Field: View Israel in shades of gray – not black and white
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – While we may not need 50 shades of grey (for so many reasons), we do need a broader, richer, deeper palette for portraying the Jewish state.
IKEA opens Kiryat Ata store
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Swedish retailer IKEA opened its third Israeli store in a 2,700-square-meter lot in Kiryat Ata yesterday.
Gaza rocket explodes in open area in Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Projectile triggers Color Red rocket alert across area, before falling in an open territory; no injuries reported.
Israeli-Palestinian talks shaping up over next prisoner release
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Netanyahu to urge Cameron to pressure Palestinians to show more flexibility; Kerry considers final prisoner release to be a barometer on progress of negotiations, says State Department official.
HJC authenticates Jewish purchase of Beit HaShalom in Hebron
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Defense minister’s approval still needed before Jewish families can move into building located outside Kiryat Arabia settlement.
Jewish man beaten by group of Arabs near Old City
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Police investigate whether attack was retribution for Jews wearing t-shirts in area minutes earlier featuring assassinated Right-wing politician Rabbi Meir Kahane.
Bloomberg to visit Jerusalem in May to accept first ‘Genesis Prize’ from PM
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Billionaire businessman and former NYC mayor to receive $1 million award, says he will donate it to improve Jewish, Palestinian business relations.
Report: Saudi Arabia to close down Al Jazeera
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Gulf kingdom planning to shut down Qatar-based network’s office in Riyadh amid conflict with Doha.
Beit Shemesh voters speak about the elections
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Record numbers of people turned out for one of the most fiercely and bitterly contested municipal elections ever experienced.
‘Poverty is not a task for tomorrow, requires immediate response’
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Committee for the Fight against Poverty hears testimonies from academics, non-profit organizations, and people living under the poverty line.
Israeli gas industry leaders push government for regulatory certainty
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Natural gas industry heads look toward Israel’s future export market.
Iranian Guard commander: Our ‘hands remain on the trigger’ to attack Israel
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Deputy commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatens that Tehran is able to “destroy every spot” in Israel.
Edelstein prepared to cancel Cameron Knesset visit if opposition won’t behave
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Herzog hints at plan to walk out on PM’s speech while Cameron is still in Knesset; Liberman: Israel’s dignity must come before politics.
Judge rejects crime boss’s request to be returned to US Former top Israeli underworld kingpin
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Jerusalem District Court ruled that Abergil was returned to Israel legally and that there is not a legal justification to return Abergil.
Is the seizure of Gaza-bound Iranian arms at sea a bad omen for Israel?
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – The intercepted weapons shipment from Iran to Gaza could signal a renewal of ties between Tehran and Hamas. If so, Iran is likely to demand that Hamas pay a price for its patronage – the resumption of rocket fire on Israel.
KKL, Council for Green Building launch sustainable design competition
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – Israel’s first internal green building competition launches in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
Hamas military wing releases pictures of ‘captured’ IDF drone
Jerusalem Post 11 Mar 2014 – After Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle crashes in Gaza due to technical error, Kassam Brigades claims to have recovered drone.
David Cameron to tell Israel: peace deal would be ‘great prize’
The Guardian 11 Mar 2014 – British PM’s two-day trip to include Palestinian territories and speech to Knesset warning that time running out for deal David Cameron is to fly to Israel on Wednesday to deliver an appeal to its parliament to…
British prime minister ‘coming as a friend’ on first official visit to Israel
The Guardian 11 Mar 2014 – Cameron’s tone will be friendly, say analysts, gently reminding Netanyahu that chance of two-state solution is disappearing When the prime minister’s chartered plane lands at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on Wednesday afternoon, the reception…
Letter from Jerusalem: city swirl
The Guardian 11 Mar 2014 – The rhythms, sights, sounds and smells of Jerusalem’s Old City are centuries old Treading on the footprints of a thousand years or more, I walk through Damascus Gate , the entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem….
Judge shot dead at border after trying to strangle soldier, Israeli army says
The Guardian 11 Mar 2014 – Israel says Raed Zeiter was shot at border between West Bank and Jordan after he tried to snatch weapon from soldier A Jordanian-Palestinian judge who was shot dead by Israeli troops at the Jordan border tried…
Russian Arms to Egypt Threaten to Undermine U.S. in Mideast
IPS Crews of an Egyptian ranger battalion in Jeep YJ light vehicles circa 1992. The soldiers standing are holding Russian-made SA-7 Grail surface-to-air missiles. Credit: public domain By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS, Mar 11 2014 (IPS) Russia, which is at loggerheads with Washington over the spreading political crisis in Ukraine, is…
Libyan state prosecutor bans ousted PM Zeidan from travelling abroad
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 Libya’s state prosecutor said on Tuesday he had banned ousted Prime Minister Ali Zeidan from travelling abroad while he is under investigation.
Home-made bomb explodes near Israeli embassy in Cairo
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 A home-made bomb exploded in front of the Israeli embassy in Cairo on Tuesday, security sources and the website of state-run Al-Ahram newspaper said.
Tunisia prostitutes petition parliament to return to work
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 A group of Tunisian prostitutes demanded Tuesday to be allowed back to work, 18 months after their brothel in the resort town of Sousse was attacked by hardline Salafists and closed down.
Obama’s NSA nominee aims to build trust in beleaguered spy agency
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 President Barack Obama’s pick to lead the National Security Agency pledged on Tuesday to look for ways to build confidence in the beleaguered spy agency and, in a possible shift, stopped short of calling former contractor…
Jihadists ‘execute’ at least 22 in Syria: NGO
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 Jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant “executed” at least 22 people, including 12 rebels, in the north of the country Tuesday, a monitoring group said.
Rouhani has not increased freedoms in Iran, UN chief says
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has failed to fulfil campaign promises to allow greater freedom of expression and there has been a sharp rise in executions since his election, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday.
Egypt police kill Cairo bombing suspect
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 Egyptian police on Tuesday shot dead a militant suspected of being involved in a January bomb attack against Cairo police headquarters, the interior ministry said.
Israel ‘regrets’ killing judge as row with Jordan widens
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 Israel expressed “regret” Tuesday over the shooting of a Jordanian judge at a border crossing, but its army insisted he had attacked soldiers and tried to grab a gun.
France arrests 8 in raid on Syrian-bound radicals
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 Prosecutors say seven men and a woman have been arrested in France on suspicion of planning to join radical Islamic groups fighting in Syria.
Albania holds seven accused of sending fighters to Syria
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 Albanian police arrested seven people on Tuesday, including two Islamic preachers, on charges of recruiting followers to fight in Syria and seized a cache of bullets and weapons.
UN human rights envoy cancels visit to Crimea
Daily Star 11 Mar 2014 The U.N. says Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic has canceled a visit to Crimea primarily because the airport is closed to flights coming from other parts of Ukraine.
CIA accused: Senator sees torture probe meddling
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – ….
Netanyahu cries out, world remains silent
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – Analysis: Israel’s prime minister sees battle against Tehran as his life’s mission, but world has in fact come to terms with Iran becoming a nuclear threshold state. ….
Rouhani has not increased freedoms in Iran, UN chief says
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – ….
Egypt report: Bomb explodes near former Israeli embassy
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – ….
Rocket hits open area in Sderot; no injuries reported
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – ….
Color Red rocket siren sounds in Sderot
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – ….
Subbotnik Jews to resume aliyah
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – Eleven years after their immigration was halted, government working to bring last members of Subbotnik community from Russia to Israel. ….
Netanyahu’s empty weapons display
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – Op-ed: PM was looking for his victory photo in light of miserable failure to recruit world against Iran. ….
Turkey’s unforgettable Jewish history
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – Op-ed: Israel and Turkey have enjoyed mutual love and cooperation on an unprecedented level, writes Muslim author Adnan Oktar. ….
Ukraine Jewish leaders to Putin: No anti-Semitism, please leave
YNet News, 11 Mar 2014 – Open letter signed by Jewish leaders says Russian claim of rising anti-Semitism in Ukraine ‘does not correspond to the actual facts.’ ….
Israeli town torn by religion is electoral battleground
YNet News, 10 Mar 2014 – When Beit Shemesh goes to polls on Tuesday, vote may decide more than bitter mayoral race; many see it as bellwether for strained secular-religious relations throughout Jewish state. ….
Palestinian Information Center
Killing judge is sheer, cold-blooded murder
PIC – Official Palestinian and Jordanian reactions to the cold-blooded murder of Ra’ed (Raji) Ze’ieter by Israeli soldiers on Monday have been minimal and almost totally inadequate to say the very least.
IOF storms the towns of Hawara and Beita, south of Nablus
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed at dawn Tuesday the towns of Hawara and Beita, south of Nablus, and launched searches.
Qatari efforts to deliver emergency aid to Gaza continue
PIC – Qatari informed sources revealed that Doha has been making strenuous efforts to ensure the entry of necessary aid and fuel to Gaza so that the electricity could reach the vital institutions.
Analysts: IOA exploits the current Arab situation to demolish Al-Aqsa
PIC – A researcher in Palestinian history stated that the current Arab situation is the most opportune condition for the implementation of the Israeli scheme to take control over the entire region.
IOF raids southern Gaza, targets fishermen
PIC – Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) raided on Tuesday morning south of Gaza Strip and razed agricultural land.
Three resistance fighters killed in Israeli raid
PIC – Three Palestinian resistance fighters affiliated with the Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad movement, were killed in an Israeli raid on Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, at noon Tuesday.
Algerian al-Nahda Movement: Banning Hamas in Egypt meets Israeli demand
PIC – The Algerian al-Nahda Movement expressed its surprise over the Egyptian court’s decision to classify Hamas movement as a “terrorist organization” and to ban its activities in Egypt.
Haneyya extends condolences to Malaysian premier
PIC – Gaza premier Ismail Haneyya telephoned Malaysian premier Mohammed Najib Abdul Razak and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of a Malaysian civilian plane.
IOF soldiers arrest youth after wounding him
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) shot at a Palestinian young man in Asker refugee camp east of Nablus city on Tuesday morning and wounded him then took him away.
Army Notifies to Demolish Homes, Wells in West Bank
WAFA – 11 Mar 2014
Israeli Navy Nabs Three Palestinian Fishers off Gaza Shore
WAFA – 11 Mar 2014
Presidency: Israel’s Return to Policy of Assassination Leads to Uncontrollable Situation
WAFA – 11 Mar 2014
Three Killed in Israeli Air Strike near Rafah
WAFA – 11 Mar 2014
Israeli Police Injures WAFA Photographer, Arrests Five in Jerusalem
WAFA – 11 Mar 2014
Israeli Forces Arrest Five, Including Minor, in Bethlehem and Hebron
WAFA – 11 Mar 2014
Israeli Army Kills youth, Injures another during Car Chase near Tulkarm
WAFA – 11 Mar 2014
Israeli Forces Seize Prisoner’s Vehicle near Jenin
WAFA – 11 Mar 2014
Confrontations near Jenin
WAFA – 10 Mar 2014
PEX Report: Index Slightly Up
WAFA – 10 Mar 2014
U.N. Denies That Syria Image Was Faked
New York Times 11 Mar 2014 – A photograph of hungry Palestinians in Syria, retweeted more than eight million times, has become an iconic image of the war. Experts said it was real.
At Trial of Bin Laden Relative, Witness Describes Meeting 9/11 Mastermind
New York Times 11 Mar 2014 – An operative for Al Qaeda offered an intimate account of his interactions with Osama bin Laden and Khalid Shaikh Mohammed in the terrorism trial of Sulaiman Abu Ghaith.
The Lede: U.N. Denies Altering Image of Palestinian Refugees in Damascus
New York Times 11 Mar 2014 – A United Nations spokesman rejected claims that an arresting image of thousands of Palestinian refugees waiting for food distribution on a ruined street in Damascus recently had been digitally altered.
The Lede: Iranian Lawmaker Blames U.S. for Plane Disappearance
New York Times 11 Mar 2014 – An influential Iranian lawmaker accused the United States of having “kidnapped” Flight 370, saying it was an attempt to “sabotage the relationship between Iran and China and South East Asia.”
Amid Escalating Violence, Israeli Strike Kills 3 Militants in Gaza
New York Times 11 Mar 2014 – The airstrike and the unrelated crash of an Israeli surveillance drone came amid an increase in cross-border violence that has threatened a cease-fire.
World Briefing: Thieves in Gaza Go Where Money Is, but Hamas Quickly Gets It Back
New York Times 10 Mar 2014 – Masked gunmen robbed a post office in Gaza City on Monday, stealing what local news reports said was the equivalent of about $500,000.
Release of Syrian Nuns Was Part of a Hostage Swap
New York Times 10 Mar 2014 – The Syrian government freed a group of detainees that included women and children in exchange for the nuns’ release by insurgents.
Egypt Tycoon Is Released; 3 Detainees Detail Abuse
New York Times 10 Mar 2014 – A juxtaposition of court sessions raised new alarms that Egypt was turning back to its old authoritarian ways.
Israel Displays Arms It Says Were Headed to Gaza
New York Times 10 Mar 2014 – In a televised event, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel toured a display of seized weapons and munitions laid out at the naval base in the port of Eilat.
Six Palestinians killed in 24 hours by Israeli forces
Mondoweiss – Funeral of Saji Darwish, 18, killed on Monday, March 10, 1014 by Israeli soldiers, Beitin, West Bank. (Photo: Allison Deger) Tuesday marked a day of funerals as Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza mourned six killed by Israeli forces within twenty-four hours. Three were killed…
J Street cheerleading for Kerry features Congressman warning Palestinians will demand the vote if two states fails
Mondoweiss – New York Congressman Jerry Nadler speaking at J Street’s town hall in Manhattan. (Photo: Gili Getz/J Street Facebook) The liberal Zionist group J Street is pulling out all the stops in support of the U.S.-led peace process in Israel/Palestine. Last night, the organization, which in recent…
Zirin challenges sportswriters to report Israeli violence against Palestinian soccer players
Mondoweiss – Jordan’s Baha’aldeen Alja’afreh, right, runs past Palestine’s Oday Dabbagh at the Faysal al-Husseini stadium, in the West Bank town of Ramallah. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) In a few days, the chairman of the Palestinian Football association will head off to a regional meeting of Arab states to organize…
Woodside CEO visiting Israel Wednesday
Globes Main News – Peter Coleman is making a lightning visit to discuss differences over tax rates, with the Leviathan deal in the balance.
Dermatology co Foamix mulls Nasdaq IPO
Globes Main News – The developer of foam-based dermatology treatments is seeking underwriters.
Discount Bank clamps down on foreign customers
Globes Main News – The bank requires customers to declare that money has been reported to tax authorities overseas.
Michael Bloomberg to visit Israel in May
Globes Macro Economics – The former New York mayor will be the first recipient of the Genesis Prize.
Knesset passes Governance Law
Globes Main News – The Knesset seat electoral threshold will rise to 3.25%.
Where’s the money? In defense and the settlements
Globes Main News – New fiscal rules are a ruse to take from the weak and give to the strong.
Teva switching Copaxone users to new dosage
Globes Main News – “Bloomberg”: Teva has switched 8.7% of Copaxone’s multiple sclerosis patients to the 40 milligram dosage.
Delek Drilling CEO: High probability of Leviathan oil
Globes Main News – Yossi Abu: We have not yet fulfilled the entire potential of the Leviathan field.
“Ma’ariv” trustee to seek newspaper’s sale
Globes Main News – Trustee nominee Chen Berdachev will also ask the court to send the employees on immediate unpaid leave.
Michael Ratner’s journey away from Zionism
Mondoweiss – This is an amazing interview about Jewish identity and Zionism, in which Michael Ratner answers questions from Paul Jay at the Real News . I can’t say enough about the human rights lawyer’s remarks as a model of transparent reflection and struggle. His sense of accountability are an…
Beny Steinmetz must pay geologist NIS 50m
Globes Main News – The court ordered Steinmetz to compensate Joseph Langotsky for abandoning the Tamar field before gas was found.
Israel is now attempting to ‘de-Arabize’ Palestinian Christians, but in the 1950s it was Jews from the Middle East
Mondoweiss – The interior of the ancient El Ghriba Synagogue located on the Tunisian island of Djerba. (Photo: Wikipedia) Emily L. Hauser’s recent blogpost for the Forward, “ How ‘De-Arabizing’ Christians Serves Israel ” is another example of liberal Ashkenazi Jews showing their concern for Palestinian Arabs while…
Home sales down 40% in January
Globes Main News – Home sales were hit by the Land Registry strike.
Record tourism in February
Globes Macro Economics – There were 244,000 visitor entries in February 2014, 5% more than in February 2013.
America’s Hypocrisy: Damn Russia, Bomb Muslims, But Defend Israel’s War Crimes
Sabbah report 11 Mar 2014 – Now and in the future Historians will ask, “who the hell gave America the right to be the world’s policemen intervene in the fate and future of other nations and peoples deciding who lives and who dies? Another question will be: “Where the hell are the…
Bomb Explodes Near Israeli Embassy in Cairo, No One Injured
The Foward Breaking News 11 Mar 2014 – A home-made bomb exploded in front of the Israeli embassy in Cairo on Tuesday, but no one was hurt, security sources and the website of state-run Al-Ahram newspaper said. Click here for the rest of the article…
Bulgarian Police Identify Israel Tour Bus Bomber as El Hajj Hassan
The Foward Breaking News 11 Mar 2014 – Bulgarian police identified a Lebanese-Canadian man as the bomber of an Israeli tour bus. Click here for the rest of the article…
Norwegian Cruise Lines Drops Tunisia Over Anti-Israeli Discrimination
The Foward Breaking News 11 Mar 2014 – Norwegian Cruise Lines dropped Tunisia from its itineraries after the country refused to allow Israeli citizens to disembark in the Port of Tunis. Click here for the rest of the article…
VIDEO: Plight of Syria’s refugee children
BBC 11 Mar 2014 – The number of Syrian children in need has more than doubled in the past year to 5.5 million, according to the UN’s children’s charity, Unicef.
World’s oldest masks go on display
BBC 11 Mar 2014 – A collection of the world’s oldest masks, dating back to the dawn of civilisation, go on display in Jerusalem.
Israeli ‘regret’ over judge’s death
BBC 11 Mar 2014 – Israel expresses regret over the death of a Palestinian-Jordanian judge at a border crossing on Monday, saying the incident will be investigated.
Libya PM dismissed over tanker row
BBC 11 Mar 2014 – Libya’s parliament dismisses Prime Minister Ali Zeidan after a tanker laden with oil from a rebel-held port reportedly breaks through a naval blockade.
Etihad Airways Denies Pulling Israel From Map
The Foward Breaking News 11 Mar 2014 – An airline owned by the United Arab Emirates said it “emphatically refutes” claims that it excludes Israel from its official travel-route map and refuses to transport Israelis. Click here for the rest of the article…
Israel’s Grip on Evangelical Christians Loosens
The Forward New 11 Mar 2014 – Born-again Christians have been reliably pro-Israel. But a younger generation of evangelicals is taking a more balanced view as pro-Palestinian groups make inroads. Click here for the rest of the article…
Sudan: Jordan Denies Receiving a Visit Request By Sudan’s President
allAfrica.com 11 Mar 2014 – [Sudan Tribune]Khartoum -Sudan’s presidential media secretary, Emad Sid Ahmed, has vehemently denied reports that Jordan refused to receive president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir describing them as mere rumors.
The man from Martyrs Avenue, Crawley
BBC 11 Mar 2014 – The Briton who drove a truck bomb into a prison
AUB: A student uprising on the horizon?
Al-Akhbar News 11 Mar 2014 – Students hold a placard with “Down with the Doorman Regime” written in Arabic, as a reference to AUB President Peter Dorman during the March 11 protests. (Photo: Al-Alkhbar) Students hold a placard with “Down with the Doorman Regime” written in Arabic, as a reference to AUB…
Iranian economist says foreign competition key to growth
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – Iranian economist Saeed Leylaz discusses how Iranian president Hassan Rouhani’s economic policies can prevent the return of another Mahmoud Ahmadinejad populist, how to decrease the Islamic Republic Guard Corp’s economic influence and the issue of mismanagement.
Senate GOP split on adding Iran sanctions to Ukraine bill
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – Other Republicans support moving the Ukraine bill as quickly as possible without Iran sanctions.
Yemen president dismisses powerful security head
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – In a Cabinet reshuffle, Yemeni President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi issued a presidential decree that replaced the ministers of interior, oil and. most importantly, the head of Yemen’s Political Security Office.
Rebel shelling injures three in East Lebanon
Al-Akhbar News 11 Mar 2014 – At least three people were injured when suspected Syrian rebels launched rockets into eastern Lebanon Tuesday, state news reported, the latest in a wave of attacks against Lebanese border villages. Lebanon’s National News Agency said Ali Zeidan al-Mussawi, his wife and their child were rushed to…
I hate the street
Al-Akhbar Blogs 11 Mar 2014 – It’s a quite reactionary thing to say, but the street has been bad to me for quite some time. All the constructs that my friends and I thought we had toppled, and all the chunks of the city we thought we have saved on the street…
Libyan parliament sacks prime minister over failure to control oil ports
Al-Akhbar News 11 Mar 2014 – The Libyan parliament voted Tuesday to oust Prime Minister Ali Zeidan amid anger at his government’s failure to stop eastern rebels from independently exporting oil. Libyan state television said Defense Minister Abdullah al-Thani will become acting prime minister. “The Congress voted to withdraw its confidence in…
Egypt doctor, father face charges over genital mutilation death of 14-year-old girl
Al-Akhbar News 11 Mar 2014 – A doctor in Egypt will face trial for performing a female circumcision operation that killed a teenage girl, a judicial official said on Tuesday. The 14-year-old girl’s father who took her to the doctor for the procedure will also face trial, the official said. Although banned…
Netanyahu gets bounce from Iranian arms shipment
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s media campaign over the capture of the weapons shipment passed unnoticed by the foreign press, but reinforced his status in Israeli public opinion as “Mr. Security.”
Sustainable plans for Lebanon’s oil and gas reserves
Al-Akhbar Opinion 11 Mar 2014 – A view of oil giant Shell’s oil and gas terminal on Bonny Island in southern Nigeria’s Niger Delta. (Photo:Pius Utomi Ekpei) A view of oil giant Shell’s oil and gas terminal on Bonny Island in southern Nigeria’s Niger Delta. (Photo:Pius Utomi Ekpei) In the coming years…
CIA Director Brennan says Syria army remains resilient
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – In a rare public appearance, John Brennan said the US relationship with Saudi Arabia remains “on strong and solid ground” despite differences over Iran, Syria and Iraq, and denied that the CIA hacked into the computers of Senate investigators.
Why won’t Obama extradite Gulen?
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vocal campaign against Fethullah Gulen only serves to strengthen the position of the latter.
Lebanese women still face discrimination
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – Statistics show that women in Lebanon are still victims of discrimination at the social, political and economic levels.
Israel “regrets” killing Palestinian-Jordanian judge
Al-Akhbar News 11 Mar 2014 – The father of Raed Zeiter, 38, grieves over his son’s body during his funeral in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, on March 11, 2014, a day after he was shot dead by the Israeli military. (Photo: AFP – Jaafar Ashtiyeh) The father of Raed…
Russian ambassador upbeat over Lebanon and Syria, warns West over Ukraine
Al-Akhbar News 11 Mar 2014 – The Russian ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Zaspikin. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) The Russian ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Zaspikin. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Russia does not differentiate between the conflict in Ukraine and the battle in Syria. According to the Russian ambassador in Beirut, Alexander Zaspikin, Russia is keen…
Amr Moussa: Major powers mishandled Syria crisis
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – In an interview with As-Safir, Amr Moussa speaks about the upcoming presidential elections, the Syria crisis, and other challenges facing the region.
Israel fears it has lost world attention on Iran
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – Israeli defense officials estimate that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are behind the weapons vessel captured last week.
Five million Syrian children in need
BBC 11 Mar 2014 – The number of Syrian children in need has more than doubled in the past year to 5.5 million, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) says.
Saudi court jails two anti-regime activists for up to 10 years
Al-Akhbar News 11 Mar 2014 – A Saudi court has jailed a Tweeter for 10 years after convicting him of insulting the kingdom’s political and religious leaders and urging anti-regime protests, official SPA news agency reported. The Riyadh court also sentenced another defendant to eight years in jail after finding him guilty…
Erdogan government takes on the theater
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – The ruling Justice and Development Party is struggling to micromanage independent arts as its own scheme of “conservative art” fails.
International, regional division over Lebanon presidential elections
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – Debates are going on at the international, regional and domestic levels on the issue of Lebanon’s presidential election, with the US supportive of holding the election on its constitutional date, while France and the Gulf countries prefer the extension of President Michel Suleiman’s term.
Qatar country profile
BBC 11 Mar 2014 – Provides an overview of Qatar, including key events and facts about this small country which has become a major oil producer.
Internet, social media a ‘scourge’ for Erdogan
Al-Monitor 11 Mar 2014 – The Turkish prime minister’s campaign against the Internet is worrying democracy and free media advocates.
North Korean oil tanker escapes Libyan navy ships
Al-Akhbar News 11 Mar 2014 – Updated 3:22 pm: A North Korean-flagged tanker that loaded crude oil at a rebel-held port in eastern Libya is now in international waters, rebels at the harbor and a state oil company official said on Tuesday. If confirmed, the news would be a huge embarrassment for…
Libya on the brink
Al-Akhbar Politics 11 Mar 2014 – Demonstrators block a main street in the eastern Libyan coastal city of Benghazi during a protest against the extended mandate of the General National Congress, the country’s highest political authority, on February 21, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Abdullah Doma) Demonstrators block a main street in the eastern Libyan…
VIDEO: Upbeat mood in Tehran bazaar
BBC 11 Mar 2014 – The BBC’s Lyse Doucet talks to shoppers in a bazaar in North Tehran about their hopes for the future.
How the Middle East has gone cool towards Qatar
BBC 10 Mar 2014 – BBC correspondents gauge strength of feeling against Qatar
Freeing the nuns: Qatar’s continuing influence
Al-Akhbar Politics 10 Mar 2014 – Kidnapped nuns arrive at Jdeidet Yabus on the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon after an arduous nine-hour journey that took them from Yabrud into Lebanon, and then back into Syria on March 10, 2014. (Photo: AFP- Louai Beshara) Kidnapped nuns arrive at Jdeidet Yabus…
Lebanon: Islamists in Tripoli question Saudi decree
Al-Akhbar Politics 10 Mar 2014 – Islamist gunmen attend the funeral of Sheikh Ahmad Abdel Wahed and his religious aide in their hometown al-Bireh, north of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on May 21, 2012. (Photo: AFP-Joseph Eid) Islamist gunmen attend the funeral of Sheikh Ahmad Abdel Wahed and his religious aide in…
Articles
Knesset raises threshold to four seats, putting Arab parties at risk of not entering parliament
Noam Sheizaf, +972 Magazine 3/11/2014
The new legislation will benefit medium-sized parties like the settlers’ Jewish Home and Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, while increasing the influence of big money on politics.
The Knesset approved today (Tuesday) several changes in its elections and governance laws. Among other things, the changes will make it more difficult to challenge the government in a vote of non-confidence, and set the threshold for entering the Knesset at 3.25 percent, or roughly four Knesset seats.
The legislation is a joint initiative by Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party and Avigdor Liberman’s Israel Beitenu (which united with Netanyahu’s Likud party prior to the last elections). The final vote in the Knesset passed by a 67-0 majority, with the entire opposition boycotting the vote to protest the coalition’s implementation of special procedural measures earlier this week.
The new law will mostly affect the three Palestinian parties, which usually win between 3-4 seats each. Hadash, the joint Arab-Jewish party, currently has four seats; the same goes for the United Arab List (a unification of three parties, including the Islamic Ta’al party). The secular Balad party, which currently has three seats, would not have made it into the Knesset under the new law. Prior to the last elections, Knesset members banned Balad MK Hanin Zoabi from participating in the elections, a decision that was later overruled by the Supreme Court.
Kadima, an opposition party that has two seats in the current Knesset, would not have not made it in as well under the new legislation.
The law might benefit medium-size parties like Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, Shas and the settlers’ Jewish Home party…. more.. e-mail
An alternative Palestinian state?
Ahmed Eleiba, Washington, Al-Ahram Weekly 3/5/2014
As parties to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict entrench on the notion of the Jewish state, the idea of exporting the solution — and even Palestinians — to Jordan reappears.
There appears to be renewed impetus in the rounds of Palestinian-Israeli talks taking place variously in Washington, Tel Aviv and Ramallah after four months during which US Secretary of State John Kerry undertook 10 trips to the region in order to salvage what he could of the so-called peace process. Yet nothing in Arab reactions suggests any immanent change in any of the negotiating tracks that were initiated in Oslo in 1993. In fact, frustration seems to best describe what Kerry faces as Palestinians and Israelis exchange accusations that the other side is not ready for peace and as Israel notches up its intransigence on the question of recognition of the Jewishness of the Israeli state.
To complicate matters further, tensions between Tel Aviv and Amman rose last week when the Jordanian parliament unanimously approved a motion (non-binding by law) to expel the Israeli ambassador in protest against a Knesset bill to assert Israeli sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which has been administered by Jordan for the past 20 years. The development could jeopardise the Jordanian-Israeli Peace Treaty and added yet another factor propelling the situation not towards a peace agreement with the Palestinians but towards conflict at worst or a complete breakdown in diplomacy at best amid mounting Arab indifference to the US-led drive to reach a framework agreement by 29 April.
Thus, in spite of the official attention the US administration is giving according to Kerry’s movements and the great plaudits he has received in Congress for his efforts to bring Palestinian and Israeli negotiators together again, experts and think tanks close to the White House and Capitol Hill are not jubilant. In fact, pessimism appears the order of the day in those circles in view of the complications on the ground impeding progress towards any viable agreement between the two sides…. more.. e-mail
Al-Sisi follows Mubarak in dancing to Israel’s tune
Ahmed Elkaoud, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 3/11/2014
One of the main reasons for the eruption of the 2011 revolution in Egypt was the people’s rejection of Israel’s control over the Hosni Mubarak government, particularly the police, army, judiciary and media. These are the four most influential aspects of the government.
Mubarak’s regime took a very pragmatic stance in regards to both Israel and resistance organisations such as Hamas. It played both sides, building up good relations with Israel as well as maintaining the pretence of being a moderate mediator with the Hamas-led Palestinian government in Gaza. However, the deposed president’s main agenda was to serve Israeli interests. It was a tool for both Israel and America to secure Israel’s existence in the region. It was crucial, therefore, for Mubarak to work hard on pleasing both the US and Israeli governments, not least by offering no resistance to Israel’s settlement programme, while keeping up the appearance of support for major Middle East issues, such as the Palestinians cause. This was to save face in the eyes of the Egyptian public.
The Mubarak government allowed anti-Israel sentiments to be voiced in the media along with socio-political protests against the Zionist state as an outlet for public anger and support for Palestine. The president also turned a blind eye to the tunnels under the border with the Gaza Strip which became a lifeline for the Palestinians suffering under the Israeli-led siege. Indeed, Mubarak’s government kept in touch with the Hamas government in Palestine. It was this sort of approach which was approved of by the Egyptian public and yet much more was going on behind the scenes to fulfil an Israeli agenda. Even so, Mubarak never went so far as to accuse the Palestinians of terrorism; he never attacked the besieged people of the Gaza Strip.
When Dr Mohamed Morsi was elected as president of the republic, Israel was clearly rattled…. more.. e-mail
Selling a Mossad Book
Philip Giraldi, Antiwar.com 3/11/2014
Is it fact or fiction?
Back in my CIA days we sometimes used to describe our opponents in the KGB as “ten feet tall.” It was, in truth, a tribute to their tradecraft and ability to operate in largely hostile environments. Soviet case officers were sent overseas meticulously trained in both the local culture and language, remained in a country for as long as they continued to be effective, and would engage in hours long “runs” to detect and eventually evade surveillance before making their meetings with their agents. They also drank heavily. We Americans, meanwhile, normally did two of three year tours, were frequently language deficient, and often spent a good deal of our time worrying about where we would be going next rather than concentrating on the job at hand. We also drank heavily. In a sense, the KGB and CIA officers were products of the cultures that had created them, the Soviets exhibiting caution and patience because they knew they were in for the long haul while the Americans were more focused on getting their ticket punched for promotion so they could buy a new Oldsmobile when they eventually returned home to Reston.
Alas, neither the drone happy CIA nor the KGB’s successor organization the SRV are what they once were. The Russians sent a bunch of amateurs to the US in the Anna Chapman spy operation while CIA has bungled its way through a series of misadventures, including but not limited to the Abu Omar snatch in Milan in 2003, the deaths of 7 officers by a triple agent suicide bomber in Khost Afghanistan in 2009, and the Raymond Davis killing of two Pakistanis in Lahore in 2011.
To be sure, intelligence agencies derive much of their mystique and elan from review by peers but even more from the popular perception of their derring-do and effectiveness. The British service, MI-6, is indeed one of the world’s finest but where would it be without the legend of James Bond? In truth the Bond books are pretty much a joke in terms of the espionage activity they describe…. more.. e-mail
US confiscating a quarter of “Holy Land Five” wife’s wages
Electronic Intifada: 11 Mar 2014 – Ghassan Elashi’s wife’s garnished wages are the latest example of how far the US is willing to go to silence and scare those involved in Palestinian activism. more..
When Nadia’s Soul was Raped
Palestine Chronicle: 11 Mar 2014 – By Tamar Fleishman “Women shall be especially protected against any attack on their honor…or any form of indecent assault” – (Article 27 of the Geneva Convention) Nadia didn’t have a permit and she wasn’t about to request one. Nadia, a Palestinian resident, knew that being married to Imad, who as his father, his grandfather and his great grandfather was born in Jerusalem, isn’t reason enough for her to be able to live under the same roof with her husband in his home. She knew she doesn’t fit the “criterions” of the ‘temporary’ Citizenship Law . Nadia and Imad also knew that according to the laws of the occupation, Nadia can’t cross Hizme Checkpoint (which is exclusively a checkpoint for owners of blue IDs). And in spite the prohibition and their fear, the
y decided to try driving together to Imad’s parents’ home in East Jerusalem. Perhaps they hoped the soldiers wouldn’t be…more
On Reading Morani Kornberg-Weiss’ ‘Dear Darwish’
Palestine Chronicle: 11 Mar 2014 – By Vacy Vlazna Dear Morani, “We who are born here on this divine land, we who are dedicated to the message of peace and freedom and the defense of human values, and of the strength of the olive tree…we declare our presence as a wound crying in the depths of time and space in spite of the tempests which try to rend our roots from the very earth to which we gave our name.” — Mahmoud Darwish (D) at the 50th anniversary of the Nakba. Sixteen years later the wound still gushes forth sumud .* I applaud your conversion from Zionist ideology to support for the one-state solution. So when I received your book of poetry, Dear Darwish, I was excited with the possibility that here could be another welcome Israeli voice to join respected Israeli dissidents like Gila Svirsky, Miko Peled, Maya Wind, Ilan Pappe, Tali Shapiro, Amira Hass, Rami…more
Apartheid to Ensure Afrikaner and Jewish Survival
Palestine Chronicle: 11 Mar 2014 – By Firoz Osman H.F.Verwoed, former SA Prime Minister, observed in 1961 that the Jews “took Israel from the Arabs after the Arabs had lived there for a thousand years. In that I agree with them. Israel, like South Africa is an apartheid state.” From its origins in the 19th century, Zionism, the official ideology of the state of Israel, centred on the idea of creating a specifically Jewish state in which Jews would be protected and privileged over non-Jews. In 1991 the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) rescinded, after intense USA and Western pressure, the resolution that condemned Zionism “as a form of racism and racial discrimination”. This was followed three years later by the dismantling of Apartheid SA leading up to a democratic, non-racial and unitary South Africa. The Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) which begins in SA from the 10-17 March, have staged events in hundreds of cities and…more
Detained, Deported, but not Deterred
Dissident Voice: 11 Mar 2014 – On International Women’s Day, although I woke up in America, my heart was in Gaza. After having been detained for over 22 hours in the Cairo airport without explanation, I had been deported to London and ultimately sent back to America. I was the youngest American of an International Women’s Day Delegation bound for Gaza to answer the call of the women of Gaza issued to the women of the world to come and stand with them in solidarity. We were “armed” with microscopes for hospitals, toys for children, chocolate gifts, and solar lamps as a gesture to give them light in the darkness caused literally and figuratively by the Israeli blockade. As I sat with an amazing group of forty women from around the world between passport control and the arrival gates exit, our thoughts were constantly with the women we were on a mission to visit. Tired from…more
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The New Dark Age 