14 March 2014 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Gaza Truce Firms Up After 2-day Flare-up
IMEMC – Hamas ignored by Egypt on ceasefire (AFP/Ma’an) A truce declared by Gaza militants appears to be largely holding, on Friday, with the Israeli military reporting a single rocket fired after two days of tit-for-tat violence. …
HP Found Complicit in Jerusalem s Discriminatory Identification Practices
IMEMC – In 2008, HP was awarded a $74 million contract by the Israeli Ministry of Interior to manufacture five million biometric ID cards, which contain advanced technology which allows the Israeli Population Authority to track and monitor all citizens and residents of Israel including Palestinian Jerusalemites. …
Occupation Re-arrests Freed Ex-prisoner
IMEMC – Israeli occupation forces re-arrested, Thursday at dawn, freed ex-prisoner Midhat al-Isawi from al-Isawiyya village, in occupied Jerusalem. …
Worshipers Prevented from Entering Al Aqsa Mosque for Friday Prayer
IMEMC – Israeli occupation forces, on Friday, prevented Palestinian men under the age of 40 from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque to observe the Friday prayer. …
Toddler Dies at Rafah Crossing
IMEMC – A three-year-old child died, on Thursday, after he was unable to receive medical care abroad, due to the closure of the Rafah crossing, an activist group said. …
Army Bombards 29 Targets In Gaza Overnight
IMEMC – Resistance holds Israel for latest escalation. [Friday, March 14, 2014] Israeli military sources have reported that the Air Force fired missiles into 29 sites in different parts of the Gaza Strip, alleging that the escalation comes in retaliation for shells fired into Israel from Gaza. …
Al-Batsh: Truce Reached Under Egyptian Mediation
IMEMC – Sheikh Khaled al-Batsh, a senior political leader of the Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, has reported that Egyptian mediation efforts have managed to achieve a truce between the resistance in Gaza and Israel, based on the understandings reached following Israel s war on Gaza in 2012. …
Army Bombards Gaza, Truce Fragile
IMEMC – [Friday, March 13, 2014] Despite talks of a truce between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, the Israeli Air Force said that it carried out on Friday, at dawn, various air strikes targeting different areas in the besieged coastal region. …
Nearly 40 injured in clashes across the West Bank
3/14/2014 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Nearly 40 protesters were injured after Israeli forces opened fire on demonstrations across the central West Bank on Friday afternoon, activists said. The injured included 35 Palestinians in the Abu Dis and Eizariya neighborhoods of East Jerusalem as well as two Palestinians in Beitin. Additionally, a Norwegian activists was struck in the back by a tear gas canister fired by Israeli….
Thousands pray in Jerusalem streets amid new Aqsa restrictions
3/14/2014 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Thousands of worshipers prayed in the streets of Jerusalem on Friday after Israeli authorities imposed new restrictions on Palestinians’ right to pray inside the holy Al-Aqsa compound. The compound — which is the third holiest site in Islam — was mostly empty on Friday after Israeli authorities prohibited all Palestinians under the age of 40 from praying there and set up barricades….
Settlers uproot 30 trees near Yatta
3/14/2014 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli settlers uprooted 30 olive trees on Friday southeast of Yatta near Hebron, a local activist group said. Spokesman for the local resistance committees Nidal al-Haddar told Ma’an that settlers from the Israeli settlement of Susiya raided the area and uprooted 30 trees belonging to the Shatat family in the village of Khirbet Zanuta. Khirbet Zanuta is located in….
Gaza woman dies from blast injuries
3/14/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — An elderly woman died on Friday as a result of injuries sustained during an explosion in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip a day earlier. Gaza Strip Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra told Ma’an that Aisha al-Hamadeen, 62, died as a result of serious injuries she sustained during the blast on Thursday. Al-Qidra added that five….
Gaza truce firms up after 2-day flare-up
3/14/2014 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — A truce declared by Gaza militants appeared to be largely holding on Friday with the Israeli military reporting a single rocket fired after two days of tit-for-tat violence.”Moments ago an additional rocket hit,” an army statement said at 11:47 a. m. A spokeswoman told AFP it was the first to strike Israel in more than 12 hours. The truce, which was….
Israel fires artillery rounds into southern Lebanon
3/14/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces bombed a target in southern Lebanon on Friday hours after an explosive device was detonated on the border, the Israeli military said. Israeli forces reported that they fired towards Hizbullah “terror infrastructure” in southern Lebanon and confirmed a hit on Friday around 8 p. m. Israeli news website Ynet reported that Israeli forced launched fire from two locations: “tanks….
Israeli forces escort worshipers to Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus
3/14/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Hundreds of Jewish worshipers escorted by Israeli troops arrived overnight Thursday at Joseph’s Tomb near Balata refugee camp east of Nablus, locals said. Local sources told Ma’an that over a dozen buses guarded by Israeli forces arrived at the tomb, who were deployed onto the rooftops of nearby homes during the visit. Worshipers performed religious rites from….
Abbas remarks about killing Shehadah ‘dangerous’
3/14/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – The Hamas movement said Thursday that President Mahmoud Abbas revealed “dangerous information” in aspeech Wednesday addressing the Fatah revolutionary council. In a statement, Hamas added that ousted Fatah leader Muhammad Dahlan was aware beforehand of an Israeli plan to target and kill senior leader ofHamas’ military wing Sheikh Salah Shehadah. Shehadah was killed in July 2002, after an Israeli….
Bethlehem activists hand Abbas money for Yarmouk camp
3/14/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – President Mahmoud Abbas met Wednesday evening in Bethlehem with a local delegation who handed Abbas money collected as donations to help the Palestinian refugees in the Yarmouk refugee camp. Coordinator of a local campaign dubbed “life artery” Abdullah al-Zighari handed 136,461 shekels to Abbas. The money has been collected by activists who have been recently touring Bethlehem area to collect donations….
6 detained in overnight West Bank raids
3/14/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces raided Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem on Friday and detained two young men, local sources said. They were among at least six detained overnight in the occupied West Bank. Locals said that Israeli forces stormed the camp early Friday and ransacked several houses under the pretext of inspection. Locals added that Israeli forces beat Mahmoud as well as his….
Hundreds call for expulsion of Israeli ambassador in Amman
3/14/2014 – AMMAN (Ma’an) — Hundreds of Jordanians demonstrated after Friday prayers near the Israeli embassy in the Jordanian capital of Amman, condemning the killing of a Palestinian-Jordanian man by Israeli soldiers earlier in the week. Jordanian newspaper Al-Ghad reported that the demonstrations were organized by leftist, Islamist, nationalist, and youth parties, and protesters called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and the cancellation of….
Interim president: Egypt to have ‘elected’ leader by June
3/14/2014 – CAIRO (AFP) — Interim president Adly Mansour said Egypt will have an “elected” leader in two and a half months, in an interview published Friday by the state-owned Al-Ahram daily. The presidential election is seen as a major milestone in a transitional road map outlined by the military-installed authorities for a return to democratic rule after the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July. Army….
Syrian lawmakers approve new election law
3/14/2014 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syria’s parliament on Thursday approved a new election law which for the first time in decades allows multiple candidates to run for president, just months before the war-torn nation heads to the polls. However the new law prevents exiled opposition leaders from running against President Bashar Assad, as it stipulates candidates must have lived in Syria for 10 consecutive years. Damascus…. Related: Syria says UN envoy ‘exceeded authority’ in vote plan criticism
Syria says UN envoy ‘exceeded authority’ in vote plan criticism
3/14/2014 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — The Syrian government said Friday that the UN-Arab League envoy had overstepped his role as a mediator by criticizing plans to hold a presidential election amid the civil war.” The comments of Lakhdar Brahimi about the presidential election do not fall within the framework of his mission,” state television quoted Information Minister Omran Zohbi as saying.” Brahimi must respect his role as mediator…. Related: Syrian lawmakers approve new election law
International Solidarity Movement
Armed settlers occupy village land in Hebron
3/14/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, Team Khalil, Arab ar Rashyaida, Occupied Palestine – On Tuesday 11th March 2014 villagers from Arab ar Rashyaida, 15 kilometers (10 miles) west of Hebron, noticed that a large tent and industrial digger had moved onto a hill top on a villagers land. ISM Hebron was called and accompanied local people and Palestinian activists to confront the settlers. On arriving at the village, the….
Kafr Qaddum’s protest honors Palestinian martyrs
3/14/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team, Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine – Today’s demonstration in Kafr Qaddum was held as a tribute to the seven martyrs who were killed by the Israeli army the past month in the West Bank. The participants carried posters of one of the martyrs, Moataz Washaha, who was assassinated by Israeli forces on February 27th, in his family home in Bir….
occupied Palestinian territory: PM announces UK boost for Palestinian economy
Relief Web 14 Mar 2014 – Source: Department for International Development Country: occupied Palestinian territory, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland David Cameron announces a range of initiatives to to support the Palestinian economy. A British boost to the Palestinian economy will help businesses…
Pakistan: Polio this week – as of 12 March 2014
Relief Web 14 Mar 2014 – Source: Global Polio Eradication Initiative Country: Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Israel, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, occupied Palestinian territory, Pakistan, Somalia, Syrian Arab Republic The data table below is as of 12 March 2014 In Cameroon, two new wild…
World: Natural Disasters in the Middle East and North Africa: A Regional Overview
Relief Web 14 Mar 2014 – Source: UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, World Bank, UN Development Programme, GFDRR Country: Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, occupied Palestinian territory, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, World, Yemen In…
occupied Palestinian territory: Al Mezan Expresses its Concern over the Conditions of Palestinian Detainees Held in Israeli Prisons and Calls on International Community to Oblige the State of Israel to Respect International Standards
Relief Web 13 Mar 2014 – Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights Country: occupied Palestinian territory Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continue to commit systematic violations of the rights of more than 5,000 Palestinian detainees that are being held in Israeli prisons. The Israeli Prison Administration…
US and the EU will not recognise Crimea vote , Kerry says
The National 14 Mar 2014 – The vote in Crimea Ukraine s strategic Black Sea peninsula of 2 million people is widely expected to back secession and possibly lead to annexation with Russia.
Truce between Gaza militants and Israel holds despite rocket fire
The National 14 Mar 2014 – The truce, which was to have taken effect on Thursday, is tested as the Israeli military reports further rocket fire from Gaza and launches retaliatory air strikes for a second night.
Brahimi plans Iran trip to discuss Syria conflict with Rouhani
The National 14 Mar 2014 – Also on Friday, the Syrian foreign minister, who has been part Syria s delegation at past peace talks, is rushed to a Beirut hospital to undergo treatment for blocked coronary arteries.
Unravelling uncle’s secret: He caught Rudolf Hoess, then hid it
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
UN chief: Top mediator Brahimi to go to Iran
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
U.S. Senate passes bill to award President Shimon Peres with Congressional Gold Medal
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Man known as kissing sailor in WWII-era image dies
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Analysis: Hezbollah, Assad taking gloves off in fight against Israel
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
No breakthrough in U.S., Russia talks over Ukraine
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
IDF fires on Hezbollah position after blast on Lebanon border
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
New Israeli lab seeks to punch a hole in spacetime, literally
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
7 slightly too wildly gay Purim costume ideas
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Greek Jews sue Germany for Holocaust ransom
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Thousands protest Israel in Jordan over shooting of judge
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Latvia PM to fire minister over plan to join SS march
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Banksy, Idris Elba call for end to Syria bloodshed in new video
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Who are they to tell us who we are?
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Just before Purim, Peres reveals 1970s disguise
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Israel Police jailing thousands during trial
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
To whom does the referendum law refer?
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Tunisia says Israelis welcome, following charges of discrimination
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
U.S. knows Iran is lying, but chooses diplomacy over force
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Meir Har-Zion, epitome of the Israeli soldier, dies at 80
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
No yeshiva deferments in the Purim story
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Tension high in south following Israeli strike on Gaza
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Radar data suggests flight path of missing Malaysia plane
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Veteran British Labour politician Tony Benn dies aged 88
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Habayit Hayehudi aiming to bury surrogacy bill for same-sex couples
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
The Iranian weapons ship, ad nauseam
Ha’aretz – 14 Mar 2014
Great for PR, but Pope Francis is still singing from the same Catholic hymn sheet
Ha’aretz – 13 Mar 2014
Nanny arrested for child abuse after baby s hospitalization
Ha’aretz – 13 Mar 2014
‘Confused and frustrated’ Facebook chief calls Obama to protest surveillance practices
Ha’aretz – 13 Mar 2014
Israeli city official s son busted over crime boss pot greenhouse
Ha’aretz – 13 Mar 2014
Deputy AG says Israel must stop settler group Elad from controlling Western Wall
Ha’aretz – 13 Mar 2014
‘Mein Kampf, on bookshelves soon?
Ha’aretz – 13 Mar 2014
Peace Now releases video: ‘It’s fun to be right-wing’
Ha’aretz – 13 Mar 2014
Rabbi injured in Kiev attack, wife claims it was anti-Semitic
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – Jewish leaders have warned of a risk of anti-Semitic violence due to general instability in the country.
Peres: Purim is a great time to dress up, but not the only time
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – President shares story, pictures of his diguises while conducting secret meetings in Jordan with King Hussein.
IDF convoy hit by explosive device on Lebanese border, sustains no injuries
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – Israeli tanks, artillery fire and destroy Hezbollah post; no injuries were sustained by IDF soldiers.
India scours uninhabited jungle islands for lost Malaysian jetliner
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – On Thursday, two sources report the unidentified aircraft appeared to be following a common navigational route over the islands.
Lithuanian Jewish writer Icchokas Meras dies in Israel, aged 79
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – Decorated writer was a Holocaust survivor who was saved as a small boy by a Lithuanian family.
Latvia PM to fire minister over plan to join SS march
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – Now in their 80s and 90s, the men who joined the Nazi’s SS say they were fighting for Latvian freedom against the return of the Soviets.
Tense Purim on Gaza front: ‘The rockets will not ruin holiday for the children’
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – “Ceasefire” holding despite two rocket that were launched from coastal territory at Israel
Meir Har Zion, legendary IDF fighter, dead at 80
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – Warrior was part of legendary commando force Unit 101 that performed counter-raids against Arab terror cells in the 1950s.
Toronto bookstore removes inappropriate sign over Holocaust volume
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – Sign with slogan “Oy Veh! Can’t believe I read the whole thing!” hung over rack holding 768-page books.
Gaza front: Civilians reliving the horror in Sderot and Ashkelon
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – The routine of frequent school closures and warnings from the Home Front Command to stay near bomb shelters had all but disappeared after well over a year of quiet following Operation Pillar of Defense.
NGO Im Tirzu reports on Israelis taking part in Israeli Apartheid Week events
Jerusalem Post 14 Mar 2014 – Head of policy at the organization says it wanted to show how Israelis were giving the BDS movement legitimization.
Israel’s options in Gaza limited as neither side has appetite for escalating hostilities
Jerusalem Post 13 Mar 2014 – One possibility is that Iran instructed Islamic Jihad to fire rockets at Israel. If that is the case, its aims are threefold: to retaliate for the seizure of the ship, to stir tensions, and to embarrass and punish Hamas.
UN official says circumcision protected by freedom of religion
Jerusalem Post 13 Mar 2014 – Heiner Bielefeldt gives boost to Jewish organizations battling to protect ancient ritual.
Cameron: Palestinians, Israel face unpopular decisions
Jerusalem Post 13 Mar 2014 – During a meeting with Abbas in Bethlehem, Cameron announced British investments in Palestinian businesses to empower the economy.
Norwegian FM to visit despite Foreign Ministry work sanctions
Jerusalem Post 13 Mar 2014 – Numerous visits and diplomatic events have been postponed or canceled because of labor dispute.
Into the fray: The bitter fruits of Bibi s Bar-Ilan blunder
Jerusalem Post 13 Mar 2014 – Obama s recent interview clearly shows Netanyahu s continued concessions have earned him only condemnation, not commendation; and produced pressures, not praise.
My Word: Guarding our assets
Jerusalem Post 13 Mar 2014 – A popular trend at the moment instead of having products Made in China, there are more and more things Made in Israel for the Chinese.
Another tack: What Obama furtively furthers
Jerusalem Post 13 Mar 2014 – Obama accused Israel of no less than continuing to “place restrictions on Arab-Israelis in ways that run counter to Israel’s traditions.”
After a week of rain in Israel, sun expected to shine on Purim
Jerusalem Post 13 Mar 2014 – Many areas received large amounts of rainfall, with some accumulating more than 100 millimeters of water.
Jordanians demand closure of Israeli Embassy over judge s killing
Daily Star 14 Mar 2014 Jordanians urged the government to shut the country s Israeli Embassy and scrap its unpopular peace treaty with the Jewish state Friday, after a Jordanian judge was shot dead by an Israeli soldier at a border crossing.
Morocco threatens to expel Syrians for mosque ‘disruption’
Daily Star 14 Mar 2014 Morocco on Friday threatened to expel some Syrian refugees it accused of “causing disruption to mosques and the faithful” in several towns, after a first warning earlier this month.
Syrian forces enter rebel stronghold of Yabrud: army
Daily Star 14 Mar 2014 Syrian forces entered the key rebel bastion of Yabrud on Friday, one of the last opposition-held areas near the border with Lebanon, a military source told AFP.
New version of iconic Jerusalem painting unveiled
Daily Star 14 Mar 2014 A newly painted version of a picture that for Palestinians has come to symbolize their struggle for statehood has been unveiled in Dubai, many years after the original was believed to have been destroyed in a…
UN Security Council vote Saturday on Ukraine resolution: diplomats
Daily Star 14 Mar 2014 The UN Security Council will meet in an emergency session Saturday to vote on a Western-backed resolution denouncing the upcoming referendum in Ukraine’s Crimea on switching over to Kremlin rule, diplomats said Friday.
CAR religious leaders plead for UN peacekeepers
Daily Star 14 Mar 2014 Muslim and Christian leaders of the Central African Republic pleaded Friday for the U.N. Security Council to hurry and deploy peacekeepers to a country that’s been ripped apart by unprecedented sectarian violence.
Late Youngblood burst sees Byblos down Riyadi
Daily Star 14 Mar 2014 American scorer Jay Youngblood scored a vital seven points in the final minute to give Byblos their biggest win this season after defeating Riyadi Beirut 75-69 Friday in round 12 of the Lebanese Basketball League at…
US officials issue alert for Americans in Russia
YNet News, 14 Mar 2014 – ….
Man arrested in Anne Frank book vandalism in Tokyo
YNet News, 14 Mar 2014 – ….
Rwandan convicted in French genocide trial
YNet News, 14 Mar 2014 – ….
The fear behind circumcision
YNet News, 14 Mar 2014 – Op-ed: How is it possible that even bleeding hearts, pacifists and anarchists, who support a radical theory of personal autonomy, perform this barbaric ceremony? ….
Syrian foreign minister’s heart surgery a success
YNet News, 14 Mar 2014 – ….
Man known as kissing sailor in WWII-era image dies
YNet News, 14 Mar 2014 – ….
Ukrainian Jewish head raps Israeli reticence
YNet News, 14 Mar 2014 – During lobbying trip to Jerusalem, Edward Dolinsky voices dismay at Netanyahu government’s failure to oppose Russia’s Crimea move. ….
NY brothers admit guilt in violent Jewish divorce scheme
YNet News, 14 Mar 2014 – Avrohom and Moshe Goldstein were among 10 men, including their father and two rabbis, arrested last fall for allegedly hiring themselves out to unhappy wives who wanted their husbands kidnapped and beaten until they agreed to divorce. ….
Tokyo police arrest suspect in Anne Frank Diary vandalism
YNet News, 13 Mar 2014 – Security footage from bookstore shows man acting suspiciously near a spot where damaged books were later found. ….
Palestinian Information Center
Israel: Gaza will get a ceasefire for a ceasefire
PIC – The Israeli President Shimon Peres stressed that Tel Aviv is ready to commit to the truce reached with the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip.
Occupation installs surveillance cameras in Old City of Jerusalem
PIC – The Israeli occupation police, accompanied by experts in communications, began installing special cameras in the markets and the alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Shallah: Jihad and Hamas are partners in war and peace
PIC – Ramadan Shallah, secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad Movement, announced a new ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening arranged by Egypt, saying that Hamas movement agreed to it.
Palestinian refugee died of starvation is Syria camp
PIC – A Palestinian refugee in Syria died on Thursday due to the continued siege imposed on the Palestinian refugee camps.
Israeli media outlets continue incitement against Palestinian detainees
PIC – The Palestine Center for Prisoners’ Studies stated that Israeli media outlets continue their incitement campaign against the Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.
Hamas: We do not trust Israeli truce
PIC – Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri held on Thursday evening the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the recent escalation in the Gaza Strip, which started three days ago.
Palestinian youth injured by Israeli gunfire in Ramallah
PIC – Palestinian youth was injured in his leg after being shot by Israeli gunfire on Thursday night near Benjamin settlement near Ramallah in occupied West Bank.
Hundreds of settlers storm Youssef Tomb in Nablus
PIC – Hundreds of settlers stormed Friday morning Youssef Tomb in Nablus northern West Bank to perform Talmudic rituals under heavy Israeli forces’ protection.
Westminster university hosts int’l conference on Palestine
PIC – Westminster University in London hosted on Thursday an international academic conference themed “Europe and Palestine, past, present and future.”
PEX Report: Index Down again
WAFA – 12 Mar 2014
As Syrian election looms, government slams U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi
LA Times 14 Mar 2014 – Amid pro-Assad rallies, Syrian officials say Lakhdar Brahimi ‘overstepped’ by saying election plans could end Geneva peace talks. BEIRUT As indications mounted that Syrian President Bashar Assad will seek reelection, the government lashed out Friday at a United Nations mediator who said an election…
In Syrian province, Islamist militant group flexing its muscle
LA Times 14 Mar 2014 – The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has imposed harsh Islamic edicts in Raqqah. Chafing under its rule, a third of the population reportedly has fled. When the women’s militia of an Al Qaeda splinter group recently raided a high school in the northern Syrian…
The Saturday Profile: Saudi s Lonely, Costly Bid for Sunni-Shiite Equality
New York Times 14 Mar 2014 – Mikhlif al-Shammari has been jailed and even shot by his own son because he holds a very unusual conviction in his deeply conservative country: that Shiites should be treated equally.
The Lede: Now, the Shut Up Your Mouse, Obama Dance Remix
New York Times 14 Mar 2014 – YouTube video of an Egyptian woman s rant at President Obama
Amid Preparations, Mediator Says Syria Vote Would Doom Talks
New York Times 14 Mar 2014 – Lakhdar Brahimi said there were many signs that Syria s government was planning an election, though that would be counterproductive for talks.
CPI down 0.2% in February
Globes Macro Economics – The fall is in line with estimates. In the first two months of 2014, the CPI fell 0.8%.
Does Israel Have a Right to Exist as a Jewish State?: An excerpt from Ali Abunimah s The Battle for Justice in Palestine
Mondoweiss – Israeli settlements in the West Bank (Photo: Reuters) The following is an adapted excerpt from The Battle For Justice In Palestine . Copyright © 2014 by Ali Abunimah. Reprinted with permission of Haymarket Books, Chicago, IL. You can buy the book here . Given the centrality of…
Northeastern U administrator: SJP s suspension is not [issue] of free speech or the exchange of disparate ideas
Mondoweiss – Since being suspended by university administration, interrogated by campus police and threatened with suspension for passing out mock eviction notices across campus, Northeastern University s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter has received hundreds of messages of support from around the country. Northeastern s administration has yet to…
Journalist David Sheen delivers blistering indictment on Israel s racist war on African migrants
Mondoweiss – For the past three weeks, journalist David Sheen has brought the reality of Israel s war on African migrants into classrooms and lecture halls on North American college campuses . The leading writer on the virulent racism engulfing African asylum seekers within Israel did the same on Tuesday…
The National Summit to Reassess the U.S.-Israel Special Relationship
Sabbah report 14 Mar 2014 – Public discussion on the Palestinian/Israeli crisis, which has diminished in recent years, received a powerful impetus with The National Summit to Reassess the U.S.-Israel Special Relationship. Continue reading í! Read More: The National Summit to Reassess the U.S.-Israel Special Relationship . Sign up for our free newsletter!…
Anger as Cameron tries to superglue Britain to Israel
Sabbah report 14 Mar 2014 – The rapid growth of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is a direct result of Western politicians like Cameron and Hague flunking their duty to uphold international law, reject Israel’s exceptionalism and punish its crimes. BDS will no doubt apply the solvent to unglue Cameron’s…
A War on Campus?
Sabbah report 14 Mar 2014 – Northeastern University Suspends Students for Justice in Palestine Chapter. Continue reading í! Read More: A War on Campus? . Sign up for our free newsletter!
Syria activists undeterred by death and disillusionment
BBC 14 Mar 2014 – Syria activists undeterred by death and disillusionment
VIDEO: The war within a war in Syria
BBC 14 Mar 2014 – The BBC’s Jim Muir gained rare access to a new front in the Syrian civil war as Kurds in the north clash with Islamist extremists and other rebel groups.
Egypt: Egypt Warns of Collapse of Peace Talks
allAfrica.com 14 Mar 2014 – [Egypt Online]Spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Badr Abdel Atti stressed on Thursday that the Palestinians should get ready from now to what will take place after April 29, the deadline set for reaching a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal.
North Africa: Health Minister – Egypt Ready for Cooperation With Arab Countries in Health Services
allAfrica.com 14 Mar 2014 – [Egypt Online]Minister of Health Dr. Adel Al-Adawy has voiced Egypt’s readiness to cooperate with its Arab brothers to improve health care services.
Egypt: Minister – Arab, Foreign Fresh Investments Worth U.S. 100 Million
allAfrica.com 14 Mar 2014 – [Egypt Online]Trade, Industry and Investment Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel-Nour held talks in the ministry of investment with a number of leading companies investing in Egypt.
Injured young man with live bullets in the chest confrontations with the occupation of Beit Ummar
Palestine Solidarity Project 14 Mar 2014 – Young man was injured on Friday with live bullets in the chest confrontations with the occupation in the town of Beit Ummar north of Hebron. The reporter said, liberty that young age Arafat Isa Zaaaqik (18) years old, were injured by live ammunition after clashes broke…
John Kerry Frustrated by ‘Jewish State’ Recognition Impasse
The Foward Breaking News 14 Mar 2014 – John Kerry said Israelis and Palestinian mistrust remained high and expressed frustration with the issue of recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. Click here for the rest of the article…
Tunisia Insists It’s Open to Israeli Tourists
The Foward Breaking News 14 Mar 2014 – Israeli tourists may enter Tunisia with pre-arranged papers and Jews especially should feel comfortable attending a major Jewish festival in May, the Tunisian tourism minister said. Click here for the rest of the article…
South Africa: Occupation Is Patriarchal
allAfrica.com 14 Mar 2014 – [Gender Links]Speaking at a parallel NGO event at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW58), a Palestinian representative from the Arab Women’s Network, spoke to Gender Links about how Israeli occupation intensifies and entrenches patriarchy because many women are unable to access education and healthcare,…
$170m Argentina loss for Israeli water firm Mekorot as BDS spreads southward
Global BDS 14 Mar 2014 – – La Plata contract loss follows similar boycott by Dutch firm Vitens – European construction firms and pension funds abandon Israel – Student and youth unions continue to throw weight behind BDS – YWCA-YMCA in Norway adopt BDS In the latest success for the growing Boycott, Divestment…
Refugees make Jordan’s camps a home
BBC 14 Mar 2014 – Camp for Syrian refugees starts to look more like home
Time to honour Syria ‘promises’
BBC 14 Mar 2014 – The head of Syria’s main opposition coalition tells the BBC international allies must honour what he says were promises to supply heavy weapons to the Free Syrian Army.
Israeli forces shell southern Lebanon
Al-Akhbar News 14 Mar 2014 – Israeli occupation forces on Friday fired shells into southern Lebanon after explosives were allegedly detonated near an army patrol along the border, state news reported. Lebanon’s National news agency said at least six shells struck areas between the villages of Kfar Shouba and Helta in southeast…
CBSI: Campaign to boycott supporters of Israel
Al-Akhbar Opinion 14 Mar 2014 – Excerpts from a talk at the Israel Apartheid Week, Toronto. Samah Idriss read more
Syrian forces surround rebel-held Yabrud
Al-Akhbar News 14 Mar 2014 – Syrian forces backed by fighters from Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah movement were at the gates of the rebel bastion of Yabrud near the Lebanese border Friday, opposition sources said. State television confirmed the news, reporting: “Syrian army units have advanced in the Yabrud area and now control…
What will come of the Saudi-Qatari feud?
Al-Akhbar Opinion 14 Mar 2014 – Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Chalid al-Atija (L) holds a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on February 26, 2014 in Tehran. (Photo: AFP-Atta Kenare) Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Chalid al-Atija (L) holds a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on…
Yemeni troops shoot dead southern activist
Al-Akhbar News 14 Mar 2014 – Yemeni troops shot dead a young Southern Movement activist Friday during a raid in the port city of Aden, sources in the pro-autonomy group said. They said the troops were searching for secessionists at dawn when they opened fire on around a dozen activists who had…
The week in photos (8 March – 14 March)
Al-Akhbar News 14 Mar 2014 – A burqa-clad shopper looks at a headscarf at a women’s handicraft exhibition to mark International Women’s Day in Herat province on March 8, 2014. International Women’s Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day, is a global day observed annually on March 8, celebrating the economic,…
Turkish media overseer says opposition doesn’t get equal time
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Two members of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) complain about the government preventing access to all points of view in advance of March 30 local elections.
Royce, Engel call for withdrawing recognition of Assad government
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – The non-binding House resolution conditions recognition of the Syrian government on its full cooperation on humanitarian relief, while allowing negotiations with Assad s regime to continue.
Fear of another Green Movement influences perceptions of Ukraine
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Some Iranian conservatives believe that what’s happening in Ukraine is similar to what happened in the 2009 Green Movement protests in Iran, but these allegations are rejected by activists and Reformists.
Yemeni rebels demand government resignation
Al-Akhbar News 14 Mar 2014 – Thousands of Zaidi rebels marched through a provincial capital in northern Yemen on Friday to demand the resignation of the central government, which they accused of corruption, witnesses said. With many toting assault rifles and accompanied by vehicles mounted with rocket launchers, they chanted “down with…
Iran weighs active neutrality in Ukraine
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Iran s strategic priorities remain a comprehensive nuclear agreement and a political solution in Syria.
Kerry slams Israeli demand that Palestine recognize it as ‘Jewish state’
Al-Akhbar News 14 Mar 2014 – US Secretary of State John Kerry waits to start the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (not pictured) at Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador to the UK, in London on March 14, 2014. (Photo: AFP – Brendan Smialowski) US Secretary of State…
Japan arrest over Anne Frank attacks
BBC 14 Mar 2014 – Police in Japan arrest a man suspected of vandalising copies of Anne Frank’s diaries and related material.
Has the US made up its mind on Aoun?
Al-Akhbar News 14 Mar 2014 – Will Aoun make it to Baabda? (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) Will Aoun make it to Baabda? (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) Extending President Michel Suleiman s term is no longer on the table. No one can say why, but even Suleiman and his inner circle are no longer eager to…
‘Street agitators’ reflect on course of Syrian revolution
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Early activists in the Syrian revolution say that the cause has strayed from its original goals, and they blame the militarization of the revolution and the introduction of political money.
‘Significant’ quantities of oil, gas off Moroccan coast
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Preliminary indicators show that there may be large oil and gas reserves off the Moroccan coast.
Will Jordan take sides in GCC dispute?
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Although Jordan has been known to adopt neutral stances with regard to Gulf issues in the past, the recent dispute between Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Manama on the one hand, and Doha on the other, will test the limits of Jordanian policy.
PIJ rockets remind Israelis of failure of Gaza withdrawal
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Though Israel possesses the best military means in the region, when attacked by rockets, its hands are tied, unable to retaliate forcefully, and the Israeli population is growing more and more skeptical about the worth of an agreement.
Palestinian toddler dies at Gaza’s closed Rafah border crossing
Al-Akhbar News 14 Mar 2014 – A three-year-old Palestinian child died on Thursday after he was blocked from leaving the Gaza Strip to receive medical care, an activist group said. National Committee to Break the Siege spokesman Adham Abu Salmieh told Ma an news agency that Ahmad Ammar Abu Nahl was suffering from…
UK prime minister stands before broken Knesset
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – David Cameron’s speech in the Knesset was lost within the battle at the plenum for three major bills, with the opposition boycotting the hastened debates and the public not understanding the significant issues at play.
The fading Turkish model for the Arab world
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Allegations of corruption against the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is undermining what little support may still remain across the Middle East.
Gaza residents fear new war
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – Civilians queue at bakeries and stock up on food in fear of a new war with Israel.
Tunisia labor union serves as political mediator
Al-Monitor 14 Mar 2014 – The Tunisian General Labor Union has always played a significant political role in the history of Tunisia, yet its role in the national dialogue, which led to the new constitution, is under scrutiny.
Al-Akhbar’s unchanging stance
Al-Akhbar Opinion 14 Mar 2014 – Lebanese counterpart Michel Sleimane (L) looks on as French President Francois Hollande (2nd) speaks with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov (C), U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R), and French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius (2nd R), at the Elysee presidential palace during the joint…
VIDEO: Syria conflict: is it stalemate?
BBC 14 Mar 2014 – Paul Adams examines the major developments over the last year in the Syria conflict.
VIDEO: ‘Time to honour Syria promises’
BBC 14 Mar 2014 – The head of the Syrian Opposition Coalition Ahmed Jarba, has said the time has come for the leading members of the Friends of Syria group to honour promises to supply heavy weapons to the free Syria army.
VIDEO: Homs: Living under siege
BBC 13 Mar 2014 – A video sent to the BBC by activist group Masarat, shows what life is like for people in the besieged city of Homs.
Lebanese government ordered to publicize investigations on missing persons
Al-Akhbar Politics 13 Mar 2014 – A woman carries a picture of her family that went missing during the Lebanese civil war. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A woman carries a picture of her family that went missing during the Lebanese civil war. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A landmark ruling issued by the State Shura…
Salam resigns today… or Saturday
Al-Akhbar Politics 13 Mar 2014 – A handout picture released on January 15, 2014, by the Lebanese photo agency Dalati and Nohra shows Lebanese President Michel Sleiman (C) meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and prime minister-designate Tammam Salam at the presidential palace in Baabda ahead of announcing the formation of…
Articles
How the United States Was Used to Create Israel
James Abourezk, CounterPunch 3/14/2014
A Review of Alison Weir’s “Against Our Better Judgment”
Having studied enough American Indian Tribes over the years, I have grown accustomed to creation myths that each Tribe assigns itself as its reason for being. And the definition of chutzpah that I ve been taught is that of a young man on trial for murdering his parents, who throws himself on the mercy of the Court on grounds that he is an orphan.
That, as Alison Weir has made clear, is Israel s situation. In Against Our Better Judgment, Ms. Weir writes with great clarity how the Zionist movement was able to move politicians, both in America and in England, to legalize a most illegal act that of stealing an entire nation, and crying foul when those from whom it was stolen complained, then tried to retake the land.
Ms. Weir s in depth research to expose Zionist actions in earlier times provides a solid basis for her conclusions about creating Israel from a land called Palestine. And she documents the intense lobbying done by Israel s Zionist creators in order to legalize an action that was clearly illegal.
We are now living with the consequences of that bit of grand theft, i.e., the continuing violence in the Middle East, affecting everything America might want to do in the Middle East. We only recently have witnessed Bibi Netanyahu s so far failed effort to have America invade and conquer Iran, a country that obviously is too much of a mouthful for Israel to bite off. Suddenly, even Barak Obama recognizes the danger in following Israel s advice on how to conduct itself in the Middle East. The President tiptoed to the edge of the abyss but backed away when Israel s trained seals in the U.S. Congress tried to push the nation over the edge. more..e-mail
What next after the domination of religious extremists in the Israeli army?
Dr Saleh Al-Naami, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 3/11/2014
Over the past three decades, the Israeli army has undergone a restructuring of its elite as a result of economic, social, demographic and political shifts. This has influenced the atmosphere in Israel and its consequences will surely have an impact on the state’s methods of dealing with its Arab and Islamic milieu.
Secular Ashkenazi Jews monopolised Israeli politics, the media, academia and security for decades. Now there are many indicators which suggest that the secularists are losing their influence and positions to members of the Zionist religious trend who seem determined to take control of the outlets most influential in political decision-making circles, as a part of a clear plan. The most distinct achievement of the religious right is its infiltration of the army and security institutions in Israel.
Members of religious Zionist groups represent 12 per cent of the total Jewish population in Israel. In the early eighties, they made up just 2 per cent of the officers in combat units of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF); they now constitute 35-40 per cent of the elite brigades and combat units (Israel Today, November 15, 2013). It is worth noting that the percentage of religious individuals exceeds this percentage in some army units.
The number of such religious Israelis has also risen in senior military ranks. For example, the senior officers of three out of four elite brigades in the infantry all belong to the religious Zionist trend, while most of the other company commanders and battalion heads are from the same demographic. One only has to watch the many officers’ graduation ceremonies on Israeli television to see the predominance of men wearing the kippah, the Jewish skullcap.
It is important to note that whereas religious Zionist Jews engage in military service in
Israel, the ultra-Orthodox Haredim seek to avoid it, preferring Torah studies. more..e-mail
Israeli Knesset opposition to boycott parliament this week
Alternative Information Center 3/10/2014
Israeli opposition parties in the Knesset announced Sunday they will not be taking part in discussions and will votes 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.
The decision of opposition parties to boycott this week s parliamentary sessions was made in a meeting at the Labor party headquarters as a respon
se to a decision by the government to hold one-day discussions of the bills in the Knesset. The opposition claim the importance of the bills means each one should be open to at least three days of discussion.
According to the session s plan imposed by the government at the request of Israel Beiteinu, the governability bill will go to the vote on Tuesday. This bill will raise the Knesset threshold and make it more difficult for the opposition to present non-confidence votes on the government. At the request of Yesh Atid, the vote on forcing military draft on ultra-Orthodox Jews will be presented on Wednesday. The bill on requiring a referendum on Israeli withdrawal as a consequence of peace agreements will be voted upon on Wednesday night and Thursday.
The coalition also drafted an agreement between its member parties to force a vote in favour of the three sensitive pieces of legislation, which have been lumped together, as they are presented in the Knesset.
Over the weekend, the coalition factions met to draft a document of understanding in coordination with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the drafted agreement, the factions commit to support three bills, citing the coalition’s “need to complete the legislative process, strengthen the coalition and meet its goals and obligations to the public.” more..e-mail
Anger as Cameron superglues UK to Israel
Stuart Littlewood, Redress 3/14/2014
Prime minister is asking to be targeted by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement
The other day I signed a Get Well petition for Palestinian youngsters Adam and Johar who were viciously maimed and crippled by the British government s friends in Israel.
The two cousins, 17 and 20 years old, were returning home from football training when they were attacked by Israeli soldiers who shot them in the legs then set their dogs on them. They were taken to an Israeli military camp and again badly beaten, and Johar s knees were broken. Both are unlikely to play football again.
I was so incensed that I wrote to my Member of Parliament [Henry Bellingham] with the details saying: Utter contempt for the thugs who did this, the unspeakable regime that allows it and the fawning idiots like Cameron and Hague who pledge undying support for it in our name. Would you care to sign the petition, Henry?
Henry the MP replied: I will certainly raise this with our ministers to find out what we have done and what representations we have made. However, I do take issue with your totally unfair and over the top attack on the prime minister and foreign secretary.
Unfair? Over the top? Henry can t have been paying attention to the disturbing things his government leaders are saying.
Fawning over Israel
An enemy of Israel is an enemy of mine. A threat to Israel is a threat to us all
Interviewed in 2005, David Cameron was asked why Conservatives should be friends of Israel. He replied…. more..e-mail
Italian expo will showcase Israeli propaganda
Electronic Intifada: 14 Mar 2014 – Expo 2015 will feature an pavilion whitewashing Israel s occupation of Palestine. more..
Gaza refugees learn of food aid cuts by text messages
Electronic Intifada: 14 Mar 2014 – The UN agency for Palestine refugees says it is trying to focus on the most needy. more..
solidarity struggle at home: Iymen Chehade Fights For Academic Freedom
In Gaza: 14 Mar 2014 – James Corbett interviews Professor Iymen Chehade to discuss the controversy surrounding the his course on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict at Columbia College and the accusations of bias that have prompted the college to interfere with their course in contravention of their own stated policies. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN Why is Palestine taboo at Columbia College? PETITION: Respect Academic Freedom! see also: Stand up for academic freedom at Columbia College: What you can do Filed under:
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More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel – www.vtjp.org
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