17 March 2014 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israel: “Hezbollah Fighters Crossed Border, Planted Explosives”
IMEMC – [Monday, March 17, 2014] According to investigations by the Israeli Military, fighters of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah party crossed the border, a week ago, and planted explosive charges that were detonated near military vehicles. …
Israel Alleges Navy Exchanged Fire With Palestinian Boats
IMEMC – Israeli sources alleged Monday [March 17, 2014] that gunmen riding Palestinian boats exchanged fire with Israeli navy ships, close to the Gaza shore. …
Prisoner at Risk of Death, 2 Months into Hunger Strike
IMEMC – Palestinian Authority Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs lawyer Hiba Masalha said that she visited hunger striker Waheed Abu Maria in Wolfson Hospital, on Saturday, and that he is in critical condition. …
Soldiers Raid Nablus Following Firebomb Attack on Settler Car
IMEMC – Israeli military forces raided several Palestinian homes in the Nablus town of Huwwara, on Monday, after a settler vehicle was attacked with firebombs, according to locals. …
Israel to Expand Revava Settlement
IMEMC – The Israeli Civil Administration informed residents of Hares, a Palestinian village in the Salfit governorate oin the central West Bank, of its intentions to confiscate 100 dunams (25 acres) of private land within village perimeters. …
Settlers Kill 55 Olive Trees with Toxic Chemicals in Nablus
IMEMC – Israeli colonial settlers damaged, Sunday afternoon, 55 olive trees after spraying them with toxic chemicals in Jaloud village, south of the West Bank city of Nablus. …
Police Restrict Entry into Al Aqsa Mosque
IMEMC – [Monday, March 17, 2014] Israeli police have closed the gates leading to Al Aqsa Mosque, in Jerusalem, and banned Palestinians under 50 years of age from entering, giving rise to violent confrontations. …
3 injured by Israeli soldiers in Beit Ummar clashes
3/17/2014 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Three Palestinians were injured on Monday during clashes with Israeli soldiers in Beit Ummar, an official said. A local committee official said Israeli forces fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets at protesters in the town, hitting one man in the stomach and two others in the feet. Israeli military forces deliberately shot a barrage of tear gas canisters at the….
Soldiers raid Nablus town after firebombs thrown at settler car
3/17/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli military forces raided several Palestinian homes in the Nablus town of Huwwara on Monday after a settler vehicle was attacked with firebombs, locals said. Witnesses told Ma’an that Palestinian youths hurled four Molotov cocktails at a settler vehicle traveling on the main road in Huwwara. The vehicle was directly hit and Israeli military vehicles arrived in the area….
Palestinian prisoners in Israel to go on hunger strike
3/17/2014 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails decided to go on hunger strike for one day Tuesday in a “protesting the ongoing aggressive attack against them,” the ministry of prisoners’ affairs announced. In a statement Monday, the ministry highlighted that prisoners “are adamant to go on with struggle to obtain their rights by force.”The statement added that many Palestinian prisoners in….
4 Palestinians, Israeli soldier lightly injured in Hebron clashes
3/17/2014 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — Four Palestinians were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets in clashes with Israeli soldiers in Hebron on Monday, medics said. Palestinian youths threw stones at a military base at the entrance of Shuhada street in Hebron, and Israeli forces responded by firing rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters, witnesses told Ma’an. Several Palestinians suffered from excessive tear gas inhalation….
Gaza power plant resumes operations
3/17/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza’s sole power station resumed generating electricity on Monday after Israel allowed fuel deliveries into the besieged coastal enclave. Jamal Dardasawi, a public information officer for the power plant, told Ma’an that the company would resume the former distribution system to households of eight hours with electricity and eight hours without. A spokesman for COGAT, the….
Gaza families unable to visit jailed relatives due to border closure
3/17/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Families from Gaza were unable to visit their relatives in Israeli jails on Monday after Israeli authorities closed the Erez, or Beit Hanoun, crossing for the Jewish holiday of Purim.”Families from the Gaza Strip have not left to visit their sons in Israeli jails as the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip was closed due to Purim….
PA lawyer: Health of oldest Palestinian prisoner deteriorating
3/17/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The health of the oldest Palestinian prisoner in Israeli custody is seriously deteriorating, a lawyer said Monday. Fadi Ubeidat, a lawyer for the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs, said in a statement Monday that 76-year-old Fuad Shobaki is suffering from various illnesses amidst Israeli reluctance to offer him medical treatment. After visiting Shobaki in his cell in Ofer….
Palestinian woman ‘humiliated, assaulted’ at Israeli checkpoint
3/17/2014 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A Palestinian woman said she was “humiliated and assaulted by an Israeli soldier” while on her way to visit her son in prison, a statement said Monday. The mother of prisoner Ahmad Abd al-Fattah said she was stopped at the Taybeh checkpoint near Ramallah and taken to a small room for a strip search, according to a statement from the Palestinian….
Obama tells Abbas risks for peace are needed
3/17/2014 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Barack Obama on Monday told President Mahmoud Abbas that both he and Israeli leaders must make tough political decisions and take “risks” for peace. Meeting Obama at the White House, Abbas said a scheduled Israeli release of a fourth tranche of Palestinian prisoners by March 29 would show how serious Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was about extending peace talks.”As I….
Thousands take to West Bank streets to support Abbas
3/17/2014 – RAMALLAH (AFP) — Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets of West Bank cities Monday in support of President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Washington for talks with Barack Obama about the peace process with Israel. Demonstrators waved the Palestinian national flag as well as that of Abbas’s Fatah party, chanting “we are with you, president!” as Abbas was to weigh up an anticipated….
Israel’s Peres apologizes over shooting of Jordan judge
3/17/2014 – AMMAN, Jordan (AFP) — Jordan said on Monday that Israeli President Shimon Peres had apologized to King Abdullah II for the killing of a Jordanian judge by Israeli troops last week. Peres for his part issued a statement saying he had called Abdullah to express “deep regret” for the shooting of Palestinian Jordanian Raed Zeiter at a border crossing, but the statement stopped short of quoting….
Man killed, 2 injured in Gaza family feud
3/17/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A man was killed and two others injured on Monday evening in a family feud in al-Buriej refugee camp in central Gaza Strip. Witnesses told Ma’an that an armed fight broke out between members of the same family, causing three injuries, one of them fatal. Spokesman for the Gaza ministry of health Ashraf al-Qidra told Ma’an….
Auditions for Ma’an’s ‘Best Talent’ show start Monday
3/17/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The first auditions for Ma’an Network’s new Palestinian talent show will take place in Bethlehem on Monday. There will be two stages of auditions for Best Talent before the show moves to live transmission on Ma’an’s satellite channel, general director Raed Othman said. The contestants will perform before a panel of veteran Palestinian….
Pentagon: US Navy Seals take control of rogue Libya oil ship
3/17/2014 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Navy Seals boarded and took control of an oil tanker that had loaded crude at a rebel-held port in eastern Libya and escaped to sea, the Pentagon said Monday. No one was hurt “when US forces, at the request of both the Libyan and Cypriot governments, boarded and took control of the commercial tanker Morning Glory, a stateless vessel seized earlier this….
10 Egyptians jailed over anti-constitution vote protest
3/17/2014 – CAIRO (AFP) — Ten Egyptians, including a journalist working for a Muslim Brotherhood newspaper, were each sentenced on Monday to a year in jail for protesting against a constitutional referendum, judicial sources said. Egypt adopted in January a new constitution after the previous one, approved during the presidency of Mohamed Morsi, was suspended when he was ousted last July. The 10 defendants were found guilty of….
Bomb at military academy in Libya’s Benghazi kills 7
3/17/2014 – BENGHAZI, Libya (AFP) — A car bomb Monday targeting a military academy in Libya’s restive eastern city of Benghazi killed at least seven soldiers and wounded 12, military and hospital sources said. Benghazi, cradle of the 2011 uprising that toppled veteran Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, has seen near-daily attacks on security and other targets in recent months as the weak Tripoli government struggles to….
Syria army in hot pursuit of rebels on Lebanon border
3/17/2014 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syrian regime forces were Monday readying an assault on the last rebel-held areas in the Qalamoun mountains, strategically located on the Lebanese border, after overrunning a key opposition bastion. The capture of the town of Yabrud on Sunday by Syrian troops and Hezbollah fighters came shortly after the conflict entered its fourth year and marked a significant setback for the rebels as it….
Palestinians back Abbas on Washington visit
AlJazeera 17 Mar 2014 – Palestinian president expected to meet with Obama to discuss stalled peace negotiations with Israel.
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Palestinian Civilian Killed and 5 Others Injured, Including 3 Children and a Woman, by Home-Made Rocket in Beit Hanoun
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
Injustice in Al Maleh
3/17/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team, Jordan Valley, Occupied Palestine – The Israeli occupation in Palestine can be seen in many different ways. In the Al Maleh area of the Jordan Valley (area C, which is under full Israeli military control) 450 Palestinian families, including 100 Bedouin families are spread through 13 villages. All of them live in tents and have no running water or electricity. Within….
Settlers from Mitzpe Yair continue to attack Palestinian shepherds grazing on Palestinian owned land, even during Purim
3/17/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – 16th March 2014, Operation Dove, At-Tuwani, Occupied Palestine – At-Tuwani – On Sunday March 16, during the Jewish holiday of Purim, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians and Internationals on Palestinian fields near Mitzpe Yair illegal outpost. In the morning, four Palestinian shepherds from the village of Qawawis were grazing their flocks south of the Israeli outpost of Mitzpe Yair, when a settler arrived armed with an iron….
occupied Palestinian territory: Japan Supports Jericho Municipality to Rehabilitate the Water Network Through the Grassroots Assistance
Relief Web 17 Mar 2014 – Source: Government of Japan Country: Japan, occupied Palestinian territory Today, on 17th of March, 2014, the signing ceremony was held in the Representative Office of Japan to the PA in Ramallah, for the project for “Rehabilitation of Water Network in…
occupied Palestinian territory: Palestinians protest UN food cuts in Gaza
Relief Web 17 Mar 2014 – Source: Al Jazeera Country: occupied Palestinian territory Cuts to the UN Relief and Works Agency food programme have left thousands of Palestinian refugees without support. Fares Akram Last updated: 16 Mar 2014 13:51 GAZA CITY – Hundreds of Palestinians have…
occupied Palestinian territory: Israel fuel deliveries to Gaza to resume
Relief Web 17 Mar 2014 – Source: Al Jazeera Country: occupied Palestinian territory Ministry says diesel to be delivered after lack of fuel forced closure of Palestinian enclave’s only power plant. Last updated: 16 Mar 2014 20:53 Israel is to allow the resumption of diesel deliveries…
Lebanon: The Syrian displacement crisis and a Regional Development and Protection Programme: Mapping and meta-analysis of existing studies of costs, impacts and protection
Relief Web 17 Mar 2014 – Source: Government of Denmark Country: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic Executive Summary 1. Introduction Since the beginning of the armed conflict in 2011, almost2.4 million people had fled Syria by January 2014. The prospect of protracted…
US and Europe slap sanctions after Crimea declares independence
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Washington and EU impose travel restrictions and asset freezes on top Russian and Ukrainian figures as Crimean peninsula moves towards joining Russia.
“Risks” necessary for Palestinian-Israeli peace, says Obama
The National 17 Mar 2014 – The US leader was seeking to secure Mr Abbas’s agreement on a US framework to extend peace talks, which have so far lasted seven months but not made tangible progress, past an end-of April deadline.
US commandos seize boat trying to ship Libyan oil
The National 17 Mar 2014 – No one was hurt “when US forces, at the request of both the Libyan and Cypriot governments, boarded and took control of the commercial tanker Morning Glory.
Assad troops say Yabroud ‘possibly the most difficult’ fight
The National 17 Mar 2014 – The capture of Yabroud by Syrian troops and Lebanese Hizbollah fighters came shortly after the conflict entered its fourth year and marked a significant setback for the rebels.
Co-pilot ‘spoke last words from the cockpit’
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Suspicions of hijacking or sabotage was furthered when officials said that the last radio message from the plane – an informal “all right, good night” – was spoken after the system, known as “ACARS”, was shut down.
Syria conflict: Key dates in the conflict
The National 17 Mar 2014 – A timeline of the war in Syria as the uprising against the Al Assad regime enters its fourth year.
Top British chef calls for more healthy eating classes in UAE
The National 17 Mar 2014 – The star of the Great British Menu said a lack of education about food in schools was leading to health conditions such as obesity.
The man who ignited the Syrian revolution
The National 17 Mar 2014 – A shadowy intelligence officer and cousin of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad dramatically altered the course of history when he met the demands of the people with violence.
Mohammed Morsi’s son referred to trial over drug possession
The National 17 Mar 2014 – A prosecutor ordered that 20-year-old Abdullah Morsi, a university freshman, be sent to court to face charges of drug use and possession.
Video: Investigators look for motive in Malaysia plane disappearance
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Malaysian police are investigating the personal, political and religious backgrounds of the pilots and crew of a missing jetliner.
Video: Crimea vote heightens tensions
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Pro-Russian Crimeans celebrate vote to break away from Ukraine in a controversial vote that brings international sanctions against Russia a step closer.
Video: An infected victim of Syria’s three year civil war
The National 17 Mar 2014 – A boy’s hair falls out from infection, and there’s little his mother can do to help in their Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon.
Video: Pro-Russians smash in Prosecutor’s office in Donetsk
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Pro-Russian protesters in eastern Ukraine smash in a prosecutor’s office, while others rally under a Lenin statue, in bid to have a referendum to join Russia as well.
Video: Nigeria job-seekers killed in stampede
The National 17 Mar 2014 – At least seven people are killed in a stampede among job-seekers at a recruitment drive in the Nigerian capital.
Video: Mourning in Iraq
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Residents mourn the death of at least 15 people killed in three separate car bomb attacks in Baghdad Saturday.
Crimeans wary of future after voting to rejoin Russia
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Unrecognised by most of the international community except Russia, Crimea is now expected to gradually transition to direct Russian rule but no one knows exactly how or when.
Toyota halts Indian car production amid labour unrest
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Toyota said Monday it has suspended production at its two Indian auto assembly plants in response to threats against management and ‘deliberate’ assembly-line stoppages, as efforts to hammer out a labour deal failed.
Magnitude-6.7 earthquake hits Chile’s northern coast
The National 17 Mar 2014 – Authorities said more than 100,000 people briefly evacuated some coastal areas as a precaution. Only minor damage was reported.
Well-known crime figure, senior soccer official suspected of extortion
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Zombies feast in New Middle East
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Haifa refinery fire probe finds hazardous materials responders came late
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Court slams Knesset for failing to regulate circumcision
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Why censor the report on asylum seekers?
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Boosting Jewish identity – and Israel’s economy
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Draft chills Aussie Haredim’s support of Israel
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
When Israel talks, the world shrugs
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Death as a wasted resource
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Free to be … Disappointed
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Obama’s objective: Avert Israeli-Palestinian meltdown in midst of crisis in Ukraine
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
West Bank road being rebuilt, despite state promise to Supreme Court
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Neanderthals could speak, archaeologists say
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
20-year-old Californian arrested en route to join war in Syria
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Ukraine PM joins president in vow to protect the Jews
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Google chat, Drive services down, users report
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Russia recognizes Crimea as a sovereign state
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Mick Jagger’s girlfriend fashion designer L’Wren Scott found dead
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Minneapolis restaurant outed hosting Nazi Night
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Israel to get most advanced transport planes ever
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Islamic Jihad leader: Jews love Jerusalem more than we do
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Erdogan fans the flames of discord in Turkey
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Astronomers discover ripples in the fabric of space-time
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Obama to Abbas: Peace with Israel will require risks
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
U.S., EU impose further sanctions over Crimea vote
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Assad fights on thanks to Russia, Iran and Hezbollah
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Gaza’s only power plant lights up again after Israel allows fuel in
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Peres calls King Abdullah to apologize for judge’s death
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Did Obama increase funding for Israeli missile defense or slash it?
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Poll: 95% of Israelis believe racism is a problem
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Peres calls Abbas ‘true partner’ ahead of Obama meet
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Tel Aviv man found dead with scissors in his neck
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Crimea parliament declares independence, applies to join Russia
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
The Malaysia mystery: What do you think?
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Israel, U.K. sign digital governance pact
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Battle to open Jerusalem cinema on Shabbat shifts to political arena
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
U.K.’s ritual slaughter debate reeks of prejudice
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Moscow wins overwhelming Crimea vote as West readies sanctions
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Malaysia police probe flight engineer on missing plane
Ha’aretz – 17 Mar 2014
Following settlers’ demand, IDF removes Palestinian flag from Hebron roof
Ha’aretz – 16 Mar 2014
The Malaysia mystery: Why Israel wouldn’t lose a jet
Ha’aretz – 16 Mar 2014
Netanyahu aide asks watchdog to censor report on asylum seekers
Ha’aretz – 16 Mar 2014
Obama desperately needs a Plan B
Ha’aretz – 16 Mar 2014
Many children with ADHD are overtreated, Israeli study says
Ha’aretz – 16 Mar 2014
Beduin protest over house demolitions outside Prime Minister’s Residence
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Statistics from 2013 show that there are over 1,000 cases of demolitions, says Beduin rights representative.
Israel on safety ‘alert’
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Minor measures taken to sharpen Israel’s air safety protocols following the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines jet.
ZOA leader sees his reelection as vindication of his leadership
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Morton Klein tells ‘Post’ he will continue his focus on discrediting Palestinians as potential peace partners.
No holds barred: Is Putin a friend to the Jews who deserves support?
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – There are many in the global Jewish community who support Putin because he is good to the Jews of Russia.
Analysis: Still waiting for Obama’s get-tough-with-Abbas interview
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Unlike before sitdown with Prime Minister Netanyahu, US President Obama didn’t precede meeting with PA President Abbas with a get-tough interview.
Borderline views: Crimea, the West Bank and the rule of international law
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – The international community doesn’t recognize Israeli occupation of the West Bank, it does not recognize the Russian occupation of Crimea.
Too soon? New Israeli game show ‘kills off’ contestants with ‘bombs’
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Winners are awarded cash prizes for correct answers but wrong answers yield faux ‘bomb’ explosions of colorful powders and a shaking studio.
Save the Foreign Ministry
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Since the Finance Ministry officials have little respect for our Foreign Service personnel, it’s no surprise that negotiations have dragged on.
Once more, with feeling and conviction: Women and the Wall
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Why women? Why the Kotel? For those of us who are Orthodox, women’s prayer is the only option for full participation, including Torah reading and service leading.
Our world: Why Obama will not change gears
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – From its earliest days, the Iranian regime has been courted by one US administration after another seeking to accommodate Tehran.
Putin signs decree recognizing Crimea as sovereign state
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Decree appears to be first step toward integrating Crimea; Ukrainian President: Ukraine would never accept Russia’s annexation of the peninsula.
Former head of the ‘Israeli NY mob’ arrested in major extortion case
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Mafioso, Israeli football club manager case involves the extortion of millions of shekels from a series of victims.
Palestinian march in Jerusalem turns violent
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Police use riot control for second time in one day to disperse unruly crowd of hundreds.
Man stabbed to death with a pair of scissors in central Tel Aviv apartment
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Police suspect acquaintance murdered him after being let into his apartment; victim had been arrested for a drug offense a couple months earlier.
Secular Jerusalemites revel in raucous Purim celebrations
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – ‘Even if you compare our celebration to the haredim, there’s not much of a difference – we all drink, dress up, dance and give gifts to the poor,’ says one costumed participant.
Eilabun family donate organs of baby son who dies suddenly
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – “The only thought in my head is that he was born to save other youngsters. If not, there is no explanation for what happened,” said his mother.
Onshore gas terminals only to be built with local environmental association approval
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Plans for two new gas terminals, have long been under dispute among the country’s planners and northern region environmentalists and residents.
Rash of heart attacks among middle-aged weekend bikers in Jezreel Valley area
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Older people who take up vigorous sports should first be examined by their family doctor or, preferable, by a sports medicine expert.
At White House, Abbas says Israel’s recognition is settled
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Abbas says he hopes last batch of Palestinian prisoners will be released March 29 despite reservations voiced by some Israeli officials.
Gallery: Knesset exhibits photos of prime ministers in private moments
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Take a peek at the photos, now on exhibit at the Knesset in Jerusalem, of Israel’s current and past prime ministers in informal moments.
US, EU impose sanctions after Crimea moves to join Russia
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Senior administration officials say penalties the most comprehensive sanctions applied to Russia since the end of the Cold War.
Peres reaches out to Jordan amid growing tensions
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – President extends condolences for Jordanian killed by IDF in border crossing incident, calls for cooperative investigation.
Cameron, the UK and Israel
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Britain’s prime minister was bold enough not only to declare his one-sixteenth connection to the Jewish people, but to pledge himself to oppose the boycott of Israel.
Analysis: Can Netanyahu’s coalition survive the peace process?
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – The peace process is likely to be the main focus of Netanyahu government in its 2nd year – and the only serious threat to its existence.
Survey: Who suffers from racism in Israel?
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Ethiopians, Arabs and the ultra-Orthodox among the groups which public believes are the most discriminated against.
Facebook picks Adi Soffer Teeni as general manager for Israel
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – Teeni has an extensive business background; she is the chairman of Ginger and she was managing director of gaming site 888.com.
Peres says Abbas a ‘true partner for peace’ ahead of PA leader’s meeting with Obama
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – President lauds PA leader as “a man of principles who opposes violence and terror.”
Gaza’s power plant restarts after Israel allows in Qatari-funded fuel
Jerusalem Post 17 Mar 2014 – On Saturday, the plant stopped due to fuel shortages, a move that extended daily blackouts from eight hours a day to 12.
Obama urges Mahmoud Abbas to take ‘tough political risks’ with peace talks
The Guardian 17 Mar 2014 – US president pressed visiting Palestinian leader as hundreds of Abbas supporters across West Bank staged rallies calling for him to stand up to Obama
Michelle Obama looks to ease mistrust on China trip
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Michelle Obama will look to dispel growing mistrust between the United States and China through a weeklong tour of the Asian power focused deliberately on soft issues, officials said Monday.
U.S. names envoy to replace retiring ambassador to Syria
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Daniel Rubinstein, a career diplomat with extensive experience in the Middle East, will replace Ambassador Robert Ford as the Obama administration’s point man in Syria, the U.S. State Department announced Monday.
Yemen leader names new commander of special forces
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Yemen state TV is reporting that the country’s president has named a new commander to head the U.S.-trained special forces leading the fight against al-Qaida-linked militants.
Clashes renewed in n. Lebanon city for fifth day
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Sniper fire wounds three as clashes renew for a fifth day in the northern city of Tripoli between opponents and supporters of President Bashar Assad.
107-year-old Syrian, family reunited in Germany
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 A 107-year-old woman who fled the conflict in Syria has arrived in Germany to be reunited with her family, including her newborn great-great-granddaughter, officials said Monday.
Iran says ‘ready to help’ end Syria war
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Iran’s foreign minister said Monday that Tehran is “ready to help any logical attempts” to end the Syrian conflict, during a visit by UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi.
Iran negotiator cancels dinner with EU’s Ashton
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Iranian media are reporting that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has cancelled a dinner meeting planned with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton over meetings she had with opposition activists during her visit to Iran earlier…
Merkel says Russian sanctions decision
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that Europe had shown great unity on the Ukraine crisis but it had not been an easy decision to impose sanctions on Russia for a referendum in occupied Crimea…
Car bomb kills six in Syria’s Homs: NGO
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Six people were killed and 20 wounded Monday by a car bomb in a Homs district that is home to members of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite sect, a monitoring group said.
Obama tells Abbas risks for peace are needed
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 US President Barack Obama on Monday told Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas that both he and Israeli leaders must make tough political decisions and take “risks” for peace.
Israel’s Peres apologises over shooting of Jordan judge: palace
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Jordan said on Monday that Israeli President Shimon Peres had apologised to King Abdullah II for the killing of a Jordanian judge by Israeli troops last week.
Iran says it foiled sabotage attempt on Arak reactor
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Pumps at Iran’s planned Arak reactor, seen by the West as a potential source of plutonium for nuclear bombs, were tampered with in a failed attempt to sabotage the country’s nuclear programme, a senior official said…
Syria’s Moallem recovering after surgery in Beirut
Daily Star 17 Mar 2014 Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem is recovering from heart surgery he underwent at a Beirut hospital, a medical source says.
Detroit-area man accused of supporting Hezbollah
YNet News, 17 Mar 2014 – ….
Ukraine casts pall over Iran nuclear talks
YNet News, 17 Mar 2014 – Analysis: Crimean crisis may interfere with US and Russian cooperation on preventing Iran’s nuclear weapons program. ….
Palestine signals waning negotiations with Israel
YNet News, 17 Mar 2014 – ….
Ashton: EU opposes boycott against Israel
YNet News, 17 Mar 2014 – ….
107-year-old Syrian, family reunited in Germany
YNet News, 17 Mar 2014 – ….
Putin declares Crimea ‘sovereign and independent’
YNet News, 17 Mar 2014 – ….
Netanyahu has left Abbas naked at the White House
YNet News, 17 Mar 2014 – The prime minister has proven his expertise at sleight of hand in the negotiations, says Nahum Barnea, but can the trickster be trusted? ….
In Support of Crimean Secession
YNet News, 17 Mar 2014 – Op-ed: Why are we still pretending the multicultural melting pot model for ethnically divided states is sustainable? ….
Palestinian Information Center
Euro-mid: Israel’s arrest of children rose by 80 percent in the last two months
PIC – The Euro-mid observer for human rights said the Israeli detention of Palestinian children rose during the last two months by 80 percent compared with the average monthly arrests in the past two years.
Detainee Halahle’s health condition worsens
PIC – The family of detainee Thaer Halahle has appealed to the Palestinian masses and all those supporting the issue of Palestinian prisoners to rally in support of Halhle and all sick detainees.
Clashes continue in al-Aqsa Mosque for the second consecutive day
PIC – Clashes continued for the second day in a row at Al-Aqsa Mosque gates between Palestinian worshipers and Israeli police who prevented the worshipers’ access to the holy mosque.
Action group: Death of two elders raised Yarmouk hunger victims to 133
PIC – The action group for the Palestinians in Syria said that the number of refugees who died of hunger in Al-Yarmouk refugee camp rose to 133 victims after two elderly persons starved to death.
Refugees rally outside UNRWA headquarters in protest at its food cuts
PIC – The popular committees in Gaza refugee camps organized on Sunday a sit-in outside the main headquarters of the UNRWA in Gaza city in protest at the steps it has taken to reduce and suspend food aid.
3 Palestinians injured in settlers attack south of Nablus
PIC – Three Palestinians were injured Sunday when Israeli settlers threw stones and empty bottles in the vicinity of Za’atara checkpoint south of Nablus.
Three patients die due to the continued closure of Rafah crossing
PIC – Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza warned that the continued closure of Rafah crossing would increase the number of those dying because of lack of proper treatment in the besieged Strip.
80 Palestinian NGOs demand Abbas not to yield to any US pressures
PIC – Dozens of Palestinian NGOs called on Mahmoud Abbas to reject any peace agreement detracting from the Palestinian people’s national rights and their aspiration for return to their homes.
Abbas at the White House: We Have No Time to Waste
WAFA – 17 Mar 2014
Arab League Affirms Support of Abbas in Negotiations
WAFA – 17 Mar 2014
Several Suffocation Cases during Clashes in Hebron
WAFA – 17 Mar 2014
Hamdallah Urges European Countries to Support Jerusalem and Area C
WAFA – 17 Mar 2014
Palestinians in West Bank Rally in Support of Abbas
WAFA – 17 Mar 2014
Newspaper Review: Abbas Meeting with Obama Focus of Dailies
WAFA – 17 Mar 2014
Israeli Police Restrict Entry of Worshipers into Al-Aqsa Mosque
WAFA – 17 Mar 2014
Navy SEALs seize tanker in illegal sale of Libyan oil
LA Times 17 Mar 2014 – The tanker had left port in defiance of Libya’s government, which warned rebels against the illegal sale of $36 million in crude. CAIRO — Did a charismatic Libyan rebel chieftain with big ambitions overreach?
Egyptian report blames both Islamists, security forces for violence
LA Times 17 Mar 2014 – CAIRO — A state-appointed human rights panel on Monday blamed both sides for the deadly violence seven months ago when security forces broke up protest camps set up by supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.
Catching up with a Palestinian boy who’s learned to cope
LA Times 17 Mar 2014 – Abdullah Alathamna underwent surgery in L.A. four years ago after losing his leg. At home in the Gaza Strip, he betrays no fear about another Israeli airstrike. BEIT HANOUN, Gaza Strip — When I first met Abdullah Alathamna four years ago, he was laid up…
Kerry Announces U.S. Representative to Syrian Opposition
New York Times 17 Mar 2014 – Daniel Rubinstein, a senior foreign service official fill the position vacated by Robert S. Ford, who retired last month.
Obama Meets With Palestinian Leader as Diplomacy Deadline Looms
New York Times 17 Mar 2014 – President Obama meets President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on Monday, amid signs that the peace process has hit a roadblock over Israel’s insistence that the Palestinians formally recognize it as a Jewish state.
U.S. Navy SEALs Take Control of Diverted Oil Tanker
New York Times 17 Mar 2014 – Navy commandos seized an oil tanker in the Mediterranean waters southeast of Cyprus, thwarting an attempt by a breakaway Libyan militia to sell its contents on the black market, the Pentagon said.
News Analysis: Global Crises Put Obama’s Strategy of Caution to the Test
New York Times 16 Mar 2014 – Turmoil in Ukraine and Syria is challenging President Obama’s attempts to change the way the United States deals with its overseas adversaries.
Israeli Police Adopt Semi-Secret Cyberwar Strategy Against Own Citizens
Tikun Olam – Israel announced a few days ago that it was going to unleash the equivalent of the NSA on its own citizens. Though the boundary has become quite porous lately, you’ll recall that the NSA is generally supposed to use cyber tools to surveil and foil the…
Beny Steinmetz appeals Langotsky NIS 50m compensation
Globes Main News – Steinmetz has appealed to the Supreme Court against having to pay compensation for 1% of the Tamar field’s value.
Israeli high school student leader calls youths’ refusal to serve ‘declaration of war’
Mondoweiss – Gal Yoseph, at Ynet You may have heard the exciting news that in the largest wave of refusal in six years, 60 Israeli youth declared in a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu: “We Refuse to Serve in the Occupation Army.” Well an article has appeared in the…
Johansson sees greater wrong in Oxfam than Israeli settlement
Mondoweiss – Scarlett Letter (graphic: Rachele Richards @docr0cket )( click on image to enlarge ) Defending SodaStream during a recent interview, Scarlett Johansson states she doesn’t see the problem in the seltzer-maker’s operations in a West Bank settlement. Johansson endorsed the product in a highly-controversial Super Bowl ad last month….
Israelis want gas royalties spent on education
Globes Main News – 41% of Israelis surveyed say the government should invest gas royalties in education.
Three breakthrough tech stocks
Globes Main News – Nova, QuickLogic and SuperCom are all looking at high growth this year.
Israel Electric Corp. reform delayed
Globes Main News – No agreement has been reached with the IEC workers committee.
Rotem Amfert CEO pleads with employees to end strike
Globes Main News – The Israel Chemicals phosphates unit has been on strike since Wednesday.
PBS and CBS air Netanyahu ‘documentary’ footage sponsored by Robert Kraft
Mondoweiss – Last summer, Peter Greenberg, CBS’s travel editor, tweeted photos of his travels around Israel with Benjamin Netanyahu. Well now he has released his documentary about the trip: “Israel, the Royal Tour,” which aired on PBS in LA and NY on March 6. Said to be a…
State Dept puts American seal of approval on latest Israeli-initiated round of violence
Mondoweiss – State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki. Since the publication of Amnesty International’s damning report on IDF practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Israel has responded by ramping up its killing of Palestinians. Entitled Trigger Happy: Israel’s Use of Excessive Force in the West Bank , the report thoroughly documents…
Lapid to change rental tenders
Globes Main News – Tenders will be based on lowest rent instead of the highest bid on the land.
Kerry’s “Jewish state” blunder
Globes Main News – Dismissing Netanyahu’s demand helps him block the peace process.
Hamashbir cancels investment by US co
Globes Main News – Nashone Inc.’s planned NIS 134 million investment will not go ahead.
Facebook appoints Israel country manager
Globes Main News – Adi Soffer-Teeni will manage Facebook’s commercial activities in Israel.
Tony Benn, who said there is no moral difference between a stealth bomber and a suicide bomber
Mondoweiss – The British politician Tony Benn led such a worthy life at the forefront of progressive causes that he is being remembered over here too on the occasion of his death at 88 three days ago. “Tony was in the forefront of opposing wars, apartheid, racism and…
So far in 2014, 18 Gaza Palestinians have been killed and 110 injured in Israeli attacks
Mondoweiss – 18 Gaza Palestinians killed, 110 injured since [early] 2014 IMEMC 15 Mar by Chris Carlson — A Gaza official said that the number of the Gaza Palestinians killed by Israel since early 2014, as a result of military escalation, has increased to 18. Al Ray Palestinian…
Trade deficit narrows sharply
Globes Macro Economics – The trade deficit fell to $2.3 billion at the end of 2013 from $8.5 billion a year earlier.
Zvi Stepak: Government bonds carry risk
Globes Main News – “Current prices are expensive, very expensive.”
Frankly, Scarlett, We Do Give a Damn…the Cluelessness Continues
Tikun Olam – Eli Valley cartoon satirizing Johansson’s branding deal with Sodastream (Jewish Forward) How does someone (in this case, Scarlett Johansson ) take her considerable gifts as an actress, not to mention her beauty and soulfulness and throw it away for the sake of a product promotion? It’s one…
Hadassah Hospital Fiscal Crisis Sparks Feud With Women’s Zionist Group
The Forward New 17 Mar 2014 – Hadassah Hospital is a symbol of the best medical care and American support for the Jewish state. But its fiscal crisis has driven a wedge with the venerable women’s Zionist organization that funds it. Click here for the rest of the article…
Deadly bomb blast at Libya army base
BBC 17 Mar 2014 – A car bomb at a military base leaves at least eight soldiers dead in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, medical sources say.
Navy Seals board rogue Libya tanker
BBC 17 Mar 2014 – US Navy Seals have taken control of a tanker full of oil loaded from a rebel-held port in Libya, the Pentagon says.
50 Jewish Academics Join Initiative Rejecting Boycott of Israel as ‘Discriminatory’
The Foward Breaking News 17 Mar 2014 – More than 50 Jewish academics joined an initiative rejecting academic boycotts of Israel as well as legislative attempts to inhibit such boycotts. “Academic boycotts and blacklists are discriminatory per se and undercut the purpose of the academy: the pursuit of knowledge,” said the statement posted Monday…
Captured Hiker Josh Fattal Says Iran Knew He Was Jew
The Foward Breaking News 17 Mar 2014 – Josh Fattal, an American hiker freed by Iran in September 2011 after two years in captivity, said the Iranians knew he was Jewish even though it was never explicitly stated. “I was so scared in those first months about being a Jew with an Israeli father,…
Mahmoud Abbas Says ‘No Time’ To Waste After Peace Talks With President Obama
The Foward Breaking News 17 Mar 2014 – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, meeting with President Obama to discuss the peace talks with Israel, said “time is not on our side.” “We don’t have any time to waste,” Abbas said Monday while greeting Obama in the White House Oval Office, according to pool reports…
Abbas ‘must take risks’ for peace
BBC 17 Mar 2014 – US President Barack Obama tells Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas he must take risks for peace, as the deadline for a final deal with Israel nears.
Gaza critical as Abbas meets Obama
BBC 17 Mar 2014 – Gaza’s Hamas government critical as Abbas meets Obama
Palestinians Cheer Mahmoud Abbas on Eve of U.S. Visit
The Foward Breaking News 17 Mar 2014 – Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets on Monday to show their support for President Mahmoud Abbas, who is under heavy pressure as he prepares to meet U.S. President Barack Obama. Abbas, scheduled to see Obama later in the day in Washington, complained last week that…
Egypt: Egypt Stresses Political Solution for Syrian Crisis
allAfrica.com 17 Mar 2014 – [Egypt Online]Egypt’s envoy to the United Nations Ambassador Moataz Ahmadin Khalil stressed the necessity of the political solution to settle the Syrian crisis, saying no “military solution” for ending the conflict is viable.
Some Thoughts on Purim.
The Magnes Zionist 17 Mar 2014 – 1. Bin ationalism in the eyes of Israelis. Ask most Israel supporters what they they think of binationalism, and they will say, “Look at Lebanon; that hasn’t worked out very well, has it?” But that depends on whom you ask, right? After all, a Christian in…
North Africa: PM Meets With Arab Health Ministers
allAfrica.com 17 Mar 2014 – [Egypt Online]Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehlab held a meeting Thursday with the Arab health ministers, who took part in the meetings of the 41st regular session of the Arab Health Ministers’ Council.
Omar Souleyman: the uncanny rise of neo-baladi
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – A screen shot from Omar Souleyman’s “Warni Warni” video. A screen shot from Omar Souleyman’s “Warni Warni” video. From local wedding singer to internationally-celebrated performer, Omar Souleyman talks to Al-Akhbar about his rise in the West, his Syrian roots, and his unique style of dabke. Despite…
The end of the Qalamoun mini-state
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on March 17, 2014, shows Syrian pro-government forces and supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hoisting their national flag in the western town of Yabrud.(Photo: AFP-SANA/ HO) A handout picture released by the official…
Beyond Yabrud
Al-Akhbar Blogs 17 Mar 2014 – It is now settled, the war in Syria has not gone according to plan from the perspective of Western governments. They are all responsible for diverting the path of a civilian protest movement in Syria toward the track of foreign-controlled armed groups. It is not that…
Congress threatens showdown over military aid to Egypt
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – Lawmakers in both the Senate and House warn against military aid to Egypt.
‘Gatekeeper’ experts key to nuclear deal with Iran
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – US government and congressional leaders will weigh the verdict of a handful of nuclear experts about the merits of a comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran.
Egypt’s old regime backs Sisi for now
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – The endgame for the followers of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, however, is the end of military rule.
Journalists concerned over Qatar’s revised cybercrime law
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – A revision of Qatar’s cybercrime law may cause issues for journalists.
Four rockets strike East Lebanon amid security fears
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – Lebanese security forces inspecting the site of a suicide car bomb attack in the village of al-Nabi Othman, the Bekaa Valley, near the Syrian border on March 17, 2014, following a late night suicide attack. (Photo: AFP / STR) Lebanese security forces inspecting the site of a…
Lebanon’s illegal gambling: on land, sea and online
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) As gambling becomes more popular, people in Lebanon, most notably in the districts of Keserwan and Jbeil, gamble at homes, and cafes. They also join video poker games in entertainment centers, and go to charity bingo events. The gambling sector…
Minister’s Temple Mount visits provoke Palestinians
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – The provocations of Housing Minister Uri Ariel force his party chairman Naftali Bennett and other members of the coalition to veer to the right, dragging Prime Minister Netanyahu with them.
Israel’s opportunity in Syria
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – Israel has an opportunity to pursue both humanitarian and strategic objectives in Syria, and to support the Arab Peace Initiative.
Car bombs kill eight outside Libyan military academy
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – Updated 3:15 pm: Several car bombs exploded at a Libyan army academy in the eastern city of Benghazi on Monday, killing at least eight people and wounding more than a dozen, hospital sources and a security official said. A first bomb exploded at the academy’s front…
Nazareth election beginning of end for Israel’s Communist Party
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – The election loss in Nazareth could be the final blow for the Israeli Communist Party, a longtime major political force for Palestinian citizens in Israel.
Iraqi Kurds fear fallout from Erdogan-Gulen conflict
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – Some Iraqi Kurds are worried that the potential fall of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan might result in a reversal of good relations between Erbil and Ankara.
Israelis suspected of trying to buy Libyan oil from seized tanker
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – Two Israelis and a Senegalese national were questioned in Cyprus in connection with an oil tanker loaded from a rebel-held port in Libya, the island’s CNA news agency reported Monday. It said police in the coastal city of Larnaca questioned the three on Saturday on suspicion…
Gaza power plant starts up again after fuel shipment
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – The Gaza Strip’s sole power plant started up again on Monday after Israel allowed quantities of Qatari-paid fuel into the besieged enclave, days after the occupying force shut down a key crossing, Palestinian officials said. Gaza lacks much basic infrastructure and lives under an Egyptian-Israeli blockade…
Syrian army prepares offensive against Qalamoun mountains
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – Syrian government forces rest on a street in the Syrian town of Yabrud on March 16, 2014 after they seized full control of the rebel bastion in the strategic Qalamoun region near the Lebanese border. (Photo: AFP – Joseph Eid) Syrian government forces rest on a…
‘View from Inside’ highlights 49 Arab artists
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – FotoFest International kicked off its 2014 Biennial in Houston on March 15, showcasing the works of 49 contemporary Arab artists and photographers.
Lebanon: Geagea ready for serious dialogue with Hezbollah
Al-Akhbar News 17 Mar 2014 – Head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, expressed in an interview with Al-Akhbar his willingness to engage in a serious dialogue with Hezbollah as long as…
Arab summits at the crossroads
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – As debate about Arab cooperation intensifies in the lead-up to the Arab League summit in Kuwait on March 25-26, it is important to realize the harmful consequences of the absence of inter-Arab ties.
Jordanians fear ‘Jordan option’ for Palestine
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – A recent Jordanian delegation to Beirut raised concerns about the erosion of Jordanian identity.
Hamas budget shows another tough year ahead for Gaza
Al-Monitor 17 Mar 2014 – The Hamas government budget for 2014 is full of ambitious targets that most likely will not be met because of the current crisis and blockade.
Between Iraq and a hard place
BBC 16 Mar 2014 – Two Iraqi women who travelled to Syria for safety – and got trapped
Articles
Keep on rockin’ for freedom, Neil Young, cancel your Tel Aviv show
Robert Lovelace and Suzanne Weiss, Electronic Intifada 3/13/2014
Will legendary rocker and indigenous rights activist Neil Young cross the international picket line to perform in Tel Aviv this summer?
Dear Neil,
Your “Honor the Treaties” concert tour across Canada struck a blow for fair treatment of the indigenous peoples of Alberta in defense of their land. It was not easy to challenge establishment politics or hear the criticism of your craft and personal commitments.
I think we understand that well: one of us is an Algonquin, once imprisoned for protecting his homeland; the other a Holocaust survivor.
Now we learn you are to give a concert in July in Tel Aviv. We ask you to reconsider these plans and, if you go to the region, to utilize your trip to express solidarity with the Palestinians, the indigenous people under Israeli rule.
Suzanne: I was born in the Nazi Holocaust. After Hitler, the indigenous Palestinians were forcefully removed from their homeland in the Nakba — the catastrophe that led to Israel’s establishment.
There is similarity between this action, the dispossession of the indigenous in Canada, and the fate of my own people under Hitler.
Robert: I am as old as Israel. In the 1950s, movie theaters ran newsreels, still vivid in my mind, of endless lines of Palestinian refugees…. more.. e-mail
On the Jewishness of Israel
Hani Masri, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 3/14/2014
This story began with the emergence of the Zionist movement and their determination to establish a Jewish state in the Promised Land, also known as Palestine, at the expense of its original inhabitants, the Palestinian people. This story took on a practical form with the first Jewish immigration to Palestine. Soon after, our story took a dangerous turn for the worse when the Balfour Declaration was issued in the second week of November 1917.
The Balfour Declaration gave the land known as Palestine to a people who were not deserving of it. The story came full circle when the Zionists and their supporters refused to acknowledge the existence of the Palestinian people in their claim that Palestine was “a land without a people for a people without a land”.
Even when Israel recognised the Palestinian people with the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, it merely referred to one political organisation as the representatives of the Palestinian people without acknowledging their rights. The Palestinians, however, recognised Israel’s right to exist and its right to peace and security.
The story took a tragic turn when the United Nations passed resolution 181; allocating 55 per cent of the original land to the Jewish state and a mere 44 per cent for the establishment of the Palestinian state. As for Jerusalem, it was declared an international zone separate from the two entities. Although Israel considers itself to be the Jewish state and the representative of all Jewish people around the world, it did not demand international recognition as a Jewish state as a condition to any agreement until the Annapolis Conference in 2007.
There are Palestinians who have recognised the Jewishness of Israel in the Geneva Convention signed by Israeli and Palestinian officials in 2003, including the current secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)…. more.. e-mail
Neither Russian nor Israeli: Lessons from a journey to the homeland
Osnat Ita Skoblinski, Café Gibraltar, +972 Magazine 3/16/2014
After years of denying her Russian identity, Osnat Ita Skoblinski finally made peace with the cultural world of her friends and family. However, she never expected her first trip back ‘home’ to bring out feelings of hate and revulsion.
My parents, who immigrated to Israel in the 70s, refused to have a decorated Christmas tree in our home. “We’re Jews,” they said, as they set out for a Novy God party on December 31st with Santa hats on their heads. Born in Israel to parents from the Soviet Union, I found New Year’s Eve celebrations especially co
nfusing. I wanted a tree like they had in American films, but the trees I saw in Russian homes went along with characters like Snegurochka, and with wishing each other a “happy new year.”
Yulia Keslow’s post on Novi God (Hebrew) helped me delineate my outsider experience of being Russian in Israel. I recognized many of the traditions from home, yet had never heard of others. I was exposed to Russian culture almost only through the familial spectrum: the holidays, food, language. I related to life under dictatorship through my parents’ trauma and television. My meager knowledge of Russian popular music and literature was filtered through my parents’ cultural world.
The identity of a daughter of immigrants is interesting, because it is composed of nostalgia for something that I never really had – a kind of simulacra of nostalgia. This merely heightens the feeling that something was stolen from me when I was made to feel ashamed of being Russian. My identity was formed by a deep connection with Russian culture, along with an attraction to, and curiosity about, a culture that is actually foreign. This identity is not unique, but rather shared by many of my friends, sons and daughters of Russian immigrants from the 70s – a wave of immigration that changed the demographics and culture of Israel forever. It was an immigration of dissidents, diehard Zionists who were persecuted for their beliefs and torn from their families with no way back…. more.. e-mail
The phony pluralism of Israel’s universities
Electronic Intifada: 17 Mar 2014 – Palestinian students are being exploited as part of a bid to improve Israel’s international image. more..
Ireland invented boycotts, so let’s use them to demand justice for Palestine
Electronic Intifada: 17 Mar 2014 – Trinity College Dublin has taken part in an EU-funded research partnership with Israel’s arms industry. more..
The Islamophobes Have Arrived
Dissident Voice: 17 Mar 2014 – The infrastructure of surveillance present in decades past was never dismantled. Indeed, that infrastructure is enhanced, modernized, insidious and more intrusive than ever. The targets of the agencies doing the eavesdropping have expanded beyond their original focus but the intent remains the same—to infiltrate, intimidate and disrupt those elements in the nation opposed to government and corporate plans. Given the open-endedness of this intention, the net cast by the surveillance machinery and its operators is broad and not very discriminatory. When left unchecked, it becomes a threat to democracy as great as any potential threat it claims to be protecting the populace from. This scenario becomes clear while reading Arun Kundnani’s recently released text, The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror . By examining the expansion of the national surveillance systems in the United States and Great Britain since the events of 9-11, Kundnani exposes the…more
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The New Dark Age 