26 March 2014 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Woman Injured after Being Rammed by Settler’s Car near Bethlehem
IMEMC – [Wednesday Evening, March 26, 2014] Palestinian medical sources have reported that a 55-year-old woman was moderately injured, after being hit by a settler’s car in Teqoua’ village, east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem. …
US Offers Release of Israeli Spy
IMEMC – The Israeli Radio has reported that the United States has offered the release of Israeli spy, Jonathan Pollard, in return for releasing the fourth batch of veteran Palestinian detainees, and extending direct peace talks with the Palestinians. …
Arab League Refuses to Recognize Israel as a “Jewish State”
IMEMC – The Arab League Summit has refused to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, an Israeli demand which threatens to derail peace talks, a joint statement said on Wednesday. …
4 Kidnapped in West Bank, Teen Placed Under “House Arrest”
IMEMC – Israeli forces abducted four people on Wednesday, including a Fatah official, from the districts of Jenin and Bethlehem, according to reports by media and security sources. …
Israeli Municipality Demolishes Palestinian Building in Occupied Jerusalem
IMEMC – Another demolition announced Israeli bulldozers demolished a Palestinian residential building in Tur village of occupied Jerusalem, on Wednesday, under the pretext that it was built without a construction permit. …
Israeli Bulldozers Level Palestinian Lands in Hebron
IMEMC – Israeli occupation bulldozers razed, Wednesday morning, a large area of Palestinian farm land in the Um Neir area of eastern Yatta, in southern Hebron city. …
Four Fishermen Injured By Israeli Fire
IMEMC – Gaza Strip – Wednesday, March 26, 2014, Palestinian medical sources have reported that four fishermen were wounded after Israeli navy arsenal opened fire on their fishing boats near the Rafah shore, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The army also fired rounds of live ammunition at a number of homes. …
Army Demolishes Apartment Building In Jerusalem
IMEMC – [Wednesday, March 26, 2014] Israeli soldiers invaded the Khallit al-Ein neighborhood, in the at-Tour town of occupied East Jerusalem, and demolished an apartment building that belongs to a local family. The building also contained a mosque and a clinic. …
Israeli bulldozers destroy mosque, medical center in East Jerusalem
3/26/2014 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli bulldozers demolished a Palestinian-owned building that housed a mosque, a medical center, and apartments in East Jerusalem early Wednesday, witnesses told Ma’an. Locals said Israeli police and special forces stormed Khallat al-Ein square in the al-Tur neighborhood east of the Old City of Jerusalem and surrounded a building owned by Ghadir Abu Ajram Abu Ghaliya. Officers then evacuated…. Related: Jerusalem municipality orders demolition of Abu Dis home
Israeli warship opens fire at Gaza fishermen, injuring 4
3/26/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli warships early Wednesday fired at Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, injuring four fishermen, witnesses and medics said. Witnesses told Ma’an the four fishermen were brought to nearby Kamal Udwan Hospital, where medics said they sustained moderate injuries. Additionally, witnesses said the Israeli navy shelled fishing boats that were docked….
Arab summit refuses to recognize Israel as ‘Jewish state’
3/26/2014 – KUWAIT CITY (AFP) — Arab leaders fully back a Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, an Israeli demand that threatens to derail peace talks, a joint statement said on Wednesday.” We express our total rejection of the call to consider Israel as a Jewish state,” said the final declaration of the two-day Arab summit in Kuwait. President Abbas told the 25th Arab League….
Analysis: Demolishing homes, demolishing peace
3/26/2014 – Jeff Halper is the Director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions. – The “Judaization” of Jerusalem and the West Bank continues apace, despite (and in fact because of) the so-called “Kerry initiative.” Over the past few months the Israeli government has intensified its campaign of demolitions in Jerusalem, in the strategic E1 area between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement, in the South Hebron Hills….
Stones plan first Israel gig, urged by BDS movement to reconsider
3/26/2014 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — The Rolling Stones announced plans Tuesday for an Israeli concert in June, prompting pro-Palestinian activists promoting a boycott of the country to say that would be equivalent to performing in apartheid South Africa. To jubilation from the Israeli media, a spokeswoman for the British rock icons said the band will perform in Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park on June 4 as part….
PFLP: PA doing ‘free service to Israel’ by arresting members
3/26/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine on Wednesday condemned the Palestinian Authority’s recent arrests of the faction’s supporters. Gaza-based PFLP leader Kayid al-Ghoul told Ma’an Wednesday that the detention of the group’s members harmed relations between the various Palestinian factions and indicates that the PA is attempting to quell resistance….
2 Palestinian officers hurt in clashes after Nablus soccer match
3/26/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Two Palestinian Authority security officers were injured late Tuesday during clashes after a soccer game in the northern West Bank. Security officials told Ma’an that clashes broke out following a league game between a team from Balata refugee camp and a team from Qalqiliya. Fans from the Balata camp team clashed with locals in Nablus, with mobs from both….
2 Gaza men jailed for collaboration with Israel
3/26/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A military court in Gaza City on Wednesday sentenced two Palestinian men to prison time after they were found guilty of collaboration with Israel. According to an announcement released by the court, one man was sentenced to 12 years in jail and another to eight years. [END]
Ashrawi: US must hold Israel ‘accountable’
3/26/2014 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi said on Tuesday that the United States must stand up for Palestinian human rights and hold Israel accountable, stressing that there was “no hope for peace” if it failed do so. The comments came during a meeting with US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Catherine Russell, at the PLO Headquarters in Ramallah on….
Kerry in Jordan visit to shore up Mideast peace talks
3/26/2014 – AMMAN (AFP) — US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Jordan Wednesday in a fresh bid to keep his Middle East peace bid on track, amid fears Israel may renege on a vow to free Palestinian prisoners. Kerry, interrupting a visit to Rome, was due to meet first with Jordan’s King Abdullah II before holding talks with President Mahmoud Abbas over dinner in….
Aida youths set fire to Israeli watchtower
3/26/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A group of youths from Bethlehem’s Aida refugee camp set fire to an Israeli watchtower on Wednesday, according to the Facebook page of a local group. The move comes a day after Israeli forces entered the camp to replace a destroyed section of the separation wall, which activists in the area have repeatedly targeted. Aida Camp News 24 Hours….
Israeli forces shut down Palestinian conference in Jerusalem
3/26/2014 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Wednesday prevented Palestinian human rights organizations in Jerusalem from holding a conference in opposition to Arab enlistment in the Israeli military, organizers said. Israeli special forces and police reportedly stormed the headquarters of the Yabous Cultural Center immediately prior to the beginning of the conference and shut down the building until the evening. Organizers said that the police….
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
PCHR Publishes Its 2013 Annual Report
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
occupied Palestinian territory: PCHR Publishes Its 2013 Annual Report
Relief Web 26 Mar 2014 – Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Country: occupied Palestinian territory On Tuesday, 25 March 2014, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) announced the publication of its 2013 Annual Report in the presence of decision-makers, politicians and representatives of civil…
Syrian Arab Republic: Testimony by Jan Egeland for the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, “Syria After Geneva: Evaluating U.S. Options for Ending the Conflict” on March 26, 2014
Relief Web 26 Mar 2014 – Source: Norwegian Refugee Council Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey Testimony by Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, “Syria After Geneva: Evaluating U.S. Options for Ending the…
occupied Palestinian territory: E.Jerusalem residents petition Israel court for water
Relief Web 26 Mar 2014 – Source: Agence France-Presse Country: occupied Palestinian territory 03/26/2014 16:20 GMT JERUSALEM, March 26, 2014 (AFP) – Palestinians in annexed east Jerusalem have petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court over alleged negligence that has cut water supplies to tens of thousands of people….
Syrian Arab Republic: Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2139 (2014) (S/2014/208) [EN/AR]
Relief Web 26 Mar 2014 – Source: UN Security Council Country: occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic I. Introduction 1 . The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 17 of Security Council resolution 2139 (2014), in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to report to it…
occupied Palestinian territory: Light in Aida camp
Relief Web 26 Mar 2014 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory West Bank What I’ve learned is that we can’t wait around for someone else to help us, that’s not living, we have to…
Egypt’s El Sisi declares he will run for presidency
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Former defence minister Abdel Fattal El Sisi announced his widely anticipated candidacy in a televised address.
Obama says Russia stands ‘alone’ on Ukraine crisis
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Viewed as the most important trip to Europe by a US president in years because of the crisis over Crimea, it was Mr Obama’s first-ever summit talks in Brussels with the EU’s top officials.
Congress unveils its masterplan to win election
The National 26 Mar 2014 – The Congress manifesto for elections beginning April 7 focuses on imoriving India’s decrepit infrastructure and pledges to return the economy to eight per cent growth within three years along with providing 100 million young people with the skills needed for employment within five years.
Arab Summit offers view of new order in regional and global affairs
The National 26 Mar 2014 – The venue for the Arab League’s annual meeting, Bayan Palace in Kuwait, is a plush bastion of stability and luxury, highlights the different realities of Arab countries and also highlights the growing influence of the Arabian Gulf.
Kerry jets in to Jordan to push forward peace talks
The National 26 Mar 2014 – A dispute over a scheduled Israeli release of Palestinian prisoners jeopardises John Kerry’s bid to produce a blueprint for an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord.
Field Marshal Abdel Fattah El Sisi convenes military council to inform it of his resignation as defence minister
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Egypt state-run news portal: Field Marshal Abdel Fattah El Sisi convenes military council to inform it of his resignation as defence minister
Turkish court orders government to lift Twitter ban
The National 26 Mar 2014 – The ban was ordered by the government’s internet agency last week after what it said was a refusal by Twitter to block several tweets whose deletion had been ordered by Turkish courts.
Video: Syrian rebels battle for coastal towns near Turkish border
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Syrian rebels continue to battle for northern areas in the coastal province of Latakia, heartland of President Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite minority.
Video: Crimea Tatars eye referendum to rule on Russia annexation
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Crimea’s Tatar ethnic minority eyes holding a referendum to decide if they want to be part of Ukraine or Russia following Moscow’s seizure of the Black Sea peninsula.
Video: Scott remembered at funeral, cast of ‘Spider-Man 2’ in Beijing
The National 26 Mar 2014 – The day’s top showbiz news and headlines including L’Wren Scott’s funeral is held in L.A., the cast of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2′ hits Beijing, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus debuts a new season of ‘Veep’.
Video: Breaking Bad in Poland
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Police close what they claim to be the largest amphetamine factory ever discovered in Poland.
Video: Arab League Summit begins in Kuwait
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Leaders say Arab world faces enormous dangers and calls for change in Syria.
Video: West African nations scramble to contain Ebola threat
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Guineans scramble to contain an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus suspected to have killed at least 59 people.
Video: Clashes erupt in Egypt after mass death sentence
The National 26 Mar 2014 – Clashes erupt in Egypt a day after death sentences were handed down to more than 500 members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Israel’s Transportation Ministry earmarks $57 million for West Bank roads
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Israel’s Transportation Ministry earmarks $57 million for West Bank roads
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Global executions up 15 percent in 2013, Amnesty reports
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
King’s College students union backs boycott of Israel
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Top secret: The ancient rock art hidden all over the Negev desert
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Protect secular students too
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Move over bitcoin, make way for the Isracoin
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Number of Chinese tourists to surge 60% this year, Israel predicts
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Don’t tell Tel Aviv how to do Shabbat
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Kerry makes critical appeal to Abbas to extend talks as tensions rise
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Israel’s diplomats should strike for peace, not pay
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Israeli major denounces soldiers who hung gay flag on base as ‘disgrace’
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Astronomers find new mini-planet in solar system’s backyard
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Ukrainian women target Russians with sex boycott
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Stolen synagogue textile returns to Prague from U.S.
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Israel’s rhinoceros corps go on strike
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Doctor diagnoses first case of ‘WhatsAppitis’
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Where was the U.S. Jewish outrage over Ya’alon?
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Jewish delegation thanks Shanghai for WWII refuge
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Arab League rejects Israel as Jewish state
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
BDS campaigners call on Rolling Stones to cancel Israel concert
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Obama: Russia won’t be dislodged from Crimea by military force
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Former PM Olmert ‘suspected’ of obstructing justice, could face arrest
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Can a bitter former aide bring down Olmert?
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
All North Korean men ordered to sport Kim Jong Un’s haircut
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Israel doesn’t need a president – or embassies
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
In Tel Aviv, Putin’s German teacher recalls ‘disciplined’ student
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Planes searching for missing jet report spotting possible debris in ocean
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
University of Michigan votes down Israel divestment, Loyola narrowly passes
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Russia crisis proves American Jewish hawks aren’t ‘Israel firsters’
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Adelson holding ‘Sheldon Primary’ to pick Republicans to back
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Jewish mogul running for Ukraine presidency
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
U.S. denies plans to free Pollard for peace
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
El Al flight to Paris grounded due to technical difficulties
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Ministry endorses private payments within public education system
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
IDF opens fire on suspected Gaza smuggling boats
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Getting rid of Israel’s Arabs
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
Understanding Sara Netanyahu
Ha’aretz – 26 Mar 2014
A Jewish nation-state is for Israelis with identity anxiety
Ha’aretz – 25 Mar 2014
Israeli study: Good roads more important than law enforcement
Ha’aretz – 25 Mar 2014
After years of humiliation, Israeli Arabs say getting better treatment at airport
Ha’aretz – 25 Mar 2014
Olmert rejects reports Shula Zaken has tape of him obstructing justice
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Former PM accuses authorities of trying to unduly influence upcoming Holyland verdict with reports of alleged incriminating recording.
The truth about the Beduin in the Negev
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – We are told that the Beduins live in a mere 45 historical villages and are forced to build illegally because their communities are not recognized by the state.
Should Israel release more Palestinian terrorists?
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – You don’t have to be a prime minister or a seasoned diplomat or a four-star general to understand that setting more killers free just doesn’t make any sense.
Media Comment: Turning the media around
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Given the prevalence of poor professionalism and lack of ethics in many countries, media consumers should be demanding revolutionary changes, and that goes for Israel, as well.
The truth about the conversion bill
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Political interests and infighting torpedo legislation that has a chance to help Israeli society move forward in reclaiming its Jewish character.
The legality of the settlements
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – The Levy Report is Israel’s response to those who unfairly and incorrectly conclude that the settlements are illegal under int’l law.
Recognition
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – The question remains whether the Arab League and the PA leadership would be willing to declare their recognition of Israel as a state with the right to maintain a Jewish majority.
Haredi grandfather beaten in New York in possible knockout game assault
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – 65-year-old London man visiting New York for his grandson’s wedding assaulted in Brooklyn while leaving wedding reception.
Obama: Russia cannot achieve security through force
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – If Russia continues on current course, it will suffer more sanctions and deeper isolation, Obama says.
ADL, National Press Club add to chorus denouncing Saudi denial of visa for ‘Post’ correspondent
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Abe Foxman calls on Saudis to explain decision to deny visa to Jewish-American journalist, Michael Wilner, working for ‘Jerusalem Post’.
PA official says Abbas may meet same fate as Arafat if he won’t bend to US, Israeli pressure
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Kerry holds talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah prior to meeting with Abbas; officials say Kerry wants extension of talks until end of year.
Q&A: Emma Watson on how Hogwarts prepped her for ‘Noah’
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Watson reveals how the physical challenges of filming ‘Harry Potter’ prepared her for difficult scenes in her new role as Ila, the wife of Noah’s eldest son.
Barak: Enemies will be able to choose which building to hit within 5 years
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Ex-defense minister warns of “unprecedented” chemical, biological and terrorism threat: “Somewhere in a small lab, hostile elements sit planning the future weapon of mass destruction.”
Reparations for Jews from Arab countries must be included in peace talks, MKs say
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Knesset Control Committee chairman Amnon Cohen says government disregarding 2010 law requiring issue to be part of talks.
Military service may remain a consideration for housing VAT exemption
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Despite AG’s warning that service requirement is discriminatory, finance minister says ultra-Orthodox can take full advantage of benefit by enlisting.
MKs Lipman, Cabel top Knesset ‘Social Index’
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – The party that took the most action on social issues is Labor, with a score of 37.7, while Bayit Yehudi ranked lowest with -3.2 points.
As pre-Passover, spring cleaning season begins, children must be protected
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – The weeks before the Jewish Festival of Freedom are the most dangerous for young children, as cases of poisoning are most common.
Dutch Holocaust monument to bear names of 102,000 victims
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – The “Holocaust Names Monument”, the first of its kind in the Netherlands, will be designed by Jewish American architect Daniel Libeskind.
US jury convicts bin Laden son-in-law on terrorism charges
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Prosecutors had accused Suleiman Abu Ghaith, a Kuwait-born teacher, of acting as an al Qaida mouthpiece, using videotapes to recruit new fighters.
Turkish Deputy PM says should respect court decision overturning Twitter ban
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – “The Turkish judicial system is mostly anti-Erdogan,” expert says after blockage of social media site overturned.
Knesset committee calls on PM to stop Palestinian terrorist release
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Regev: Pollard release should not be related to Palestinian prisoners; MK Ghattas, bereaved families have shouting match in Knesset committee.
Elbit’s drone to help secure World Cup in Brazil
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – The fleet of drones, which will be equipped with a new and advanced intelligence gathering system, will carry out “safety and security missions.”
Egypt’s Sisi tells military leaders he’s resigning in order to launch presidential run
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Egyptian state media says Sisi to announce the decision in a statement to be broadcast.
Jewish psychology: Recomposing life without Freud
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Drawing on Kabbala and the Midrash, Professor Mordechai Rotenberg shows how to reinterpret your past to make a new melody of your life.
Survey: 80% of LGBT community see discrimination in hiring
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – According to data from Economy Ministry, 69% of community also feel sexual orientation, gender identity have negative effect on career advancement.
US: No current plans to release Pollard
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – State Department responds to Army Radio report that imprisoned Israeli spy will be release in exchange for extended peace talks.
Israel Navy fires at 2 suspected smuggling boats off Gaza coast
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Vessels were bound for Egypt from the Strip, according to IDF; Palestinians report 4 wounded.
Haredi enlistment to Civilian Service declines following passage of conscription law
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Number of ultra-Orthodox men enlisting to alternative to military service has dropped in period leading up to February 2014, says service director.
Arab League declares ‘total rejection’ of Jewish state recognition
Jerusalem Post 26 Mar 2014 – Arab leaders back Palestinian refusal to recognize the Jewish character of Israel as a condition for peace.
John Kerry meets Mahmoud Abbas in bid to rescue Middle East peace talks
The Guardian 27 Mar 2014 – Meeting comes hours after Arab League releases statement saying it will never recognise Israel as a ‘Jewish state’ Amid fears the stalled Middle East peace talks are heading towards collapse, the US secretary of state, John…
Palestinians renew calls to free ‘leader-in-waiting’ Marwan Barghouti
The Guardian 27 Mar 2014 – Talk of releasing jailed Fatah leader has emerged as part of tit-for-tat demands from the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships In her suite of offices in a modern block in the West Bank city of Ramallah, the…
Bin Laden son-in-law convicted at NYC terror trial
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, the voice of fiery Al-Qaeda propaganda videotapes after the Sept. 11 attacks, was convicted Wednesday of conspiring to kill Americans for his role as the terror group’s spokesman.
Obama arrives in Italy for meeting with pope
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 President Barack Obama is opening a visit to Italy, where he’ll meet with Pope Francis and Italian political leaders.
Egypt’s Brotherhood says there ‘can be no stability’ under Sisi
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 A Muslim Brotherhood leader said there can be no stability and security in Egypt under Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who announced Wednesday he was quitting the army to run for the presidency.
No vodka for Obama – Russians impose joke “sanctions”
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Russians have begun an Internet campaign of tongue-in-cheek “sanctions” against U.S. President Barack Obama in retaliation to measures Washington imposed on Moscow over the Crimea crisis.
Syria forces in heavy counterattack on rebels in Latakia
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Syrian government forces intensified their shelling Wednesday of positions seized by rebels in the coastal province of Latakia, focusing on the Kasab border crossing into Turkey, an army officer said.
Egypt army chief says he will run for president
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the Egyptian military chief who last summer removed the elected Islamist president, announced Wednesday that he has resigned from the military and will run for president in elections scheduled for next month.
Arab League voices support for Lebanon, Army
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 The Arab League voiced its support of Lebanon Wednesday and called for the security forces to be enhanced to ensure stability in the beleaguered country.
Obama urges Europe to retrench amid Ukraine crisis
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Calling it a global “moment of testing,” President Barack Obama appealed to Europeans on Wednesday to retrench behind the war-won ideals of freedom and human dignity, declaring that people voicing those values will ultimately triumph in…
Egypt’s Sisi to issue statement after meeting army brass
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is to make a statement shortly, the military said, after a meeting of top brass at which he was expected to resign to run for president.
Syria says won’t be swayed by Arab summit
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Syria on Wednesday sharply criticised an Arab summit declaration that condemned “massacres” by its forces and reaffirmed support for the opposition National Coalition.
Kuwait summit merely papers over Arab rifts
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Arab leaders, at loggerheads over inter-Arab issues including Egypt and Syria, offered little evidence of progress after a two-day summit in Kuwait focused largely on avoiding further splits.
Obama: Russia will see in time ‘brute force’ can’t win
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 US President Barack Obama urged the West to remain united in its response to Moscow’s takeover of Crimea, saying Wednesday that “with time” Russians will realise that “brute force” cannot win.
Tunisia sees elections in 2014, despite delays
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Tunisia’s presidential and parliamentary elections will go ahead as planned later this year despite delays in approving a new election law, authorities said on Wednesday.
Iran demands Pakistan free abducted guards
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Iran’s official news agency says the president has phoned the Pakistani prime minister to demand “serious action” to free border guards abducted by al-Qaida-affiliated militants that operate in the lawless frontier area.
Sisi meets Egypt army brass to quit ahead of poll: report
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was in a meeting with the top military brass Wednesday at which he was expected to resign ahead of a likely presidential bid, state media reported.
Three killed, including child, in Tripoli fighting
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Three people, including a young child, were killed in the northern city of Tripoli Wednesday in renewed clashes linked to the ongoing war in neighboring Syria.
Egypt prosecutor orders new mass trials of 919
Daily Star 26 Mar 2014 Egypt’s chief prosecutor on Wednesday ordered two trials for a total of 919 suspected Islamists on charges that include murder, pushing ahead with a series of mass tribunals of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi despite…
Report: Art treasures in Gurlitt’s Austrian house
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – ….
The black books of Martin Heidegger
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – Newly published diaries by the polemic German philosopher show that anti-Semitism played a larger part in his thinking than was previously known. How do academics in Israel and abroad deal with this new discovery, and can his philosophy withstand his problematic affinity to the Nazis? ….
UN condemns Syria fighters’ activity on Golan
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – ….
Israeli warnings, attacks won’t deter Assad
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – Analysis: Syrian president is operating under influence of Iran and Hezbollah and is subject to their mercy. ….
Jewish leader raps Austrian MEP over Third Reich comment
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – Oskar Deutsch calls on right-wing politician Andreas Moelzer to drop his campaign for re-election to European Parliament after he is quoted as likening European Union to Third Reich in Nazi Germany. ….
Stolen synagogue textile returns to Prague from US
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – Textile dating to 1855 and belonging to the Jewish community in Mlada Vozice was confiscated by the Nazis in 1943. ….
Report: Palestinian youths set IDF watchtower in Bethlehem
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – ….
Gaza court jails 2 Palestinians for collaboration with Israel
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – ….
German recluse Gurlitt to return Nazi-looted art
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – 1,500 masterpieces valued at 1 billion euros were seized in 2012 will return to Jewish owners or descendants. ….
Poll: Ukraine crisis hurting Obama at home
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – ….
Dutch Holocaust monument to bear names of 102,000 victims
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – The $6.9 million ‘Holocaust Names Monument’ will be designed by Jewish American architect Daniel Libeskind, completed next year. ….
What does Bibi really want?
YNet News, 26 Mar 2014 – Op-ed: The most important condition for Israel’s prime minister today is that a move towards peace will not result in his political suicide. ….
Israelis should be praying for al-Sisi
YNet News, 25 Mar 2014 – Op-ed: Next Egyptian president’s methods may be far from democratic, but if he fails it will be Israel’s problem too. ….
Palestinian Information Center
Hamas critical of Arab summit declaration for ignoring Gaza siege
PIC – Hamas movement regretted the fact that the Arab summit final statement on Wednesday was void of any reference to the siege on Gaza.
Three Palestinians arrested in Um El-Faham, boy detained in Al-Khalil
PIC – Israeli policemen arrested three Palestinians from Um El-Faham city in the Green Line on Wednesday for allegedly possessing guns.
Khudari: Poverty rate in Gaza over 50%
PIC – MP Jamal Al-Khudari said that the poverty and unemployment rates in Gaza had surpassed 50% due to the Israeli blockade that entered its 8th year running.
IOF bulldozers level 10 dunums of cultivated land lots
PIC – Israeli occupation forces unleashed their huge bulldozers in a hamlet near Yatta town, south of Al-Khalil, on Wednesday destroying ten dunums of land planted with almond and olive trees.
Ayyash: Israeli navy foils Gaza fishing season
PIC – Nizar Ayyash, chairman of Palestinian fishermen syndicate, denounced the practices of the Israeli naval forces targeting the Palestinian fishermen, with the start of the fishing season a few days ago.
Refugees wounded in continued shelling on the Yarmouk camp
PIC – The Action Group for Palestinian in Syria said the Yarmouk refugee camp on Tuesday was shelled with mortars, which led to serious damages to the properties of citizens.
Israeli plan to move Arabs out of 1948 territories
PIC – Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman has received a classified legal opinion authorizing the transfer of the Triangle and the Wadi Ara regions along with their entire population to a Palestinian state.
IOA planning to build 208 new settlement units near Bethlehem
PIC – A Hebrew press report revealed that the Israeli occupation authorities were planning the construction of 208 new housing units in Efrat settlement near Gush Etzion settlement complex.
Egypt to reopen Rafah crossing for 3 days after 46 days of closure
PIC – The Egyptian authority announced it will reopen the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip for three days, after a closure that lasted for 46 days.
Israeli Police Places Child under House Arrest in Jerusalem
WAFA – 26 Mar 2014
Minister of Interior, Italian Consul General Sign Cooperation Agreement
WAFA – 26 Mar 2014
Palestinian Prosecutors Participate in Litigation Training in Amman
WAFA – 26 Mar 2014
Israeli Authorities Demolish Building in Jerusalem
WAFA – 26 Mar 2014
Israeli Forces Arrest Four People, Including Fatah official, from Bethlehem and Jenin
WAFA – 26 Mar 2014
Israeli Army Razes Land, Uproots Trees near Hebron
WAFA – 26 Mar 2014
Four Fishermen Suffer Shrapnel Wounds in Israeli Navy Attack
WAFA – 26 Mar 2014
Egypt’s leader Abdel Fattah Sisi announces candidacy for president
LA Times 26 Mar 2014 – Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Sisi of Egypt says he will leave his military post so he can embark on his long-expected campaign. CAIRO — Like an Arabian fable, it was the candidacy of a thousand and one hints.
Syrian opposition fails to win country’s Arab League seat
LA Times 26 Mar 2014 – BEIRUT — Syria’s main opposition political group was rebuffed Wednesday by the Arab League, which denied the group’s request to occupy Syria’s seat in the 22-member body.
‘Environmental Poisoning’ of Iraq Is Claimed
New York Times 26 Mar 2014 – An advocacy group said at a congressional hearing that veterans and civilians continued to feel the effects of burn pits used to dispose of military waste, and that Washington must aid sufferers.
The Lede: Heckling From Egyptian Activists as Military Leader Declares Presidential Ambition
New York Times 26 Mar 2014 – Defense Minister Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi’s announcement that he will run for president was greeted with anger, dismay and sarcasm online by activists, rights workers and commentators who supported the 2011 revolution.
Amnesty International Study Finds Executions Rose in 2013
New York Times 26 Mar 2014 – Amnesty International’s report attributed most of the nearly 15 percent increase to “virtual killing sprees” carried out by Iran and Iraq, though the group considers China the world’s top executioner.
General Who Led Takeover of Egypt to Run for President
New York Times 26 Mar 2014 – Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, who pushed President Mohamed Morsi out of office last year, is expected to win and formalize the power he currently holds as the government’s top decision maker.
Kerry in Jordan for Talks With Palestinian Leader
New York Times 26 Mar 2014 – Secretary of State John Kerry planned to meet with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, in an effort to salvage Middle East peace talks.
Turkish Court Overturns the Government’s Ban on Twitter
New York Times 26 Mar 2014 – It was not immediately clear whether the ruling would be appealed or circumvented by a new court order.
White House Protests Saudi’s Denial of Visa to Journalist
New York Times 25 Mar 2014 – Saudi Arabia denied a visa to a Washington-based reporter for The Jerusalem Post who had planned to cover President Obama’s trip to the Arab kingdom this week.
World Briefing: Turkey: Compensation Deal Near in 2010 Israeli Raid
New York Times 25 Mar 2014 – The Turkish deputy premier said Tuesday that Turkey could soon reach an agreement with Israel on compensation for the victims of a 2010 Israeli raid, a key condition for restoring ties.
Qaeda Militants Seek Syria Base, U.S. Officials Say
New York Times 25 Mar 2014 – Intelligence assessments say that Al Qaeda’s leadership is developing a long-term plan to create cells in Syria to train Westerners to carry out plots against targets in the West.
BDS’ big night: Loyola student government passes divestment, U. Mich votes it down
Mondoweiss – Scenes from the University of Michigan debate on divestment. (Photo: noosimsoons/Instagram) It was a big night for proponents of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. Yesterday, by a 12-10 vote (with 9 abstentions), Loyola University’s student government passed a resolution for a second time that called…
Liberal Zionists turn on media darling Ari Shavit for promoting Netanyahu’s bluff
Mondoweiss – Ari Shavit. (Photo: Spiegel & Grau/NPR) The peace talks are all but dead in the water, even John Kerry seems to be inching away from the matter; and this time it appears that the Israelis may get blamed, because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau insisted that Palestinians…
Regulator approves Bezeq merger with Yes
Globes Main News – However, the communications minister has now linked the merger to landline regulation.
Leviathan must choose Turkey, Egypt or expand production
Globes Main News – The natural gas field’s license terms limit exports to 6-8 BCM a year under the current development plan.
IAI to overhaul Air Canada Boeing 767 fleet
Globes Main News – Israel Aerospace Industries will perform maintenance at Ben Gurion Airport.
Court dismisses Hadassah petition to release NIS 48m
Globes Main News – The judge ruled in favor of the hospital’s nurses and administration and support staff.
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Mondoweiss – Hi everyone! Just wanted to post a reminder that there are many other ways to get your Mondoweiss fix other than coming to visit us here at Mondoweiss.net (although the door is always open for you!). We recently revamped our daily newsletter and really think you…
Yair Lapid: Home prices are about to fall
Globes Main News – The Finance Minister warned an entire generation is migrating to Berlin and Canada.
Elbit Systems to supply UAV for World Cup
Globes Main News – The Brazilian Air Force will operate the new Hermes 900 to protect the 2014 World Cup.
Wash Post story on Adelson as Republican kingmaker leaves out his nuke-Iran agenda
Mondoweiss – The Washington Post has a long story today about “the Adelson primary:” the fact that Republicans who are considering a run for president are courting Sheldon Adelson as a preliminary to everything else they must do to prove their worthiness, like kissing babies in Iowa or formulating…
Q4 home sales hit 10-year high
Globes Main News – 32,200 homes were sold in the fourth quarter, 29% more than in the preceding quarter.
Housing minister: target prices within 20 days
Globes Main News – Uri Ariel has pledged to approve target prices next month.
OSU group questions campus presentation of an Israeli soldier as a ‘feminist role model’
Mondoweiss – Rebecca Stoil The Campaign for BDS at Ohio State issued this statement last week, about an event on the Columbus, Ohio, campus. The title of the press release was “The campaign for BDS at Ohio State stands against the pinkwashing of the IDF.” Pinkwashing is the…
Over half of all Israeli land sales in 2014 have been in the occupied territories
Mondoweiss – Israeli settlements in the West Bank (Photo: Reuters) Most land Israel sold for new homes in 2014 in West Bank or East Jerusalem Haaretz 25 mar by Nimrod Bousso — The Israel Lands Authority published tenders for land to build some 3,050 residential units in the…
Cellcom license threatens IDB debt settlement
Globes Main News – Judge Eitan Orenstin wants to find out whether it is possible to transfer Cellcom’s license to IDB’s trustees.
U.S. intel analysts doubt Israeli claim that captured weapons were headed to Gaza
Mondoweiss – March 10, 2014 Netanyahu triumphantly toured a display of Forty M-302 rockets along the docks of the southern Israeli military port of Eilat. The ammunition was found on a vessel, the Panamanian-flagged KLOS-C, which Israel said was transporting arms from Iran to the Gaza Strip.(Photo: Jack…
Avigdor Lieberman claims transferring Palestinian citizens is perfectly legal
Mondoweiss – Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Photo: AP Israel’s pugnacious Foreign Minister is trying to put a legal veneer on his proposal to transfer Palestinian citizens into a future Palestinian state. Avigdor Lieberman has long pushed for stripping Palestinians in Israel of their citizenship, and now has…
Tnuva sale talks to China’s Bright Food progress
Globes Main News – Meir Shamir and the kibbutzim agreed with Bright Food they will appoint a majority of directors to manage the company in Israel.
Daylight savings time begins Thursday night
Globes Macro Economics – Summer time will last until October 26.
The Slow, Agonizing Death of Israeli Media
Tikun Olam – Many liberals proudly point to Israel’s argumentative, boisterous press as a sign of the vitality of Israeli democracy. If they are still doing this, they’re talking about a bygone era. Press freedom is an iffy proposition in an Israeli media environment playing by Bibi’s rules. Adelson…
Prof. Walid Khalidi: Netanyahu is the most dangerous political leader in the world today
Sabbah report 26 Mar 2014 – Netanyahu knows he will outlive Obama politically. In Israel, once a PM always a PM. Netanyahu knows he can outflank Obama in the Congress. He certainly has more bipartisan support there than the incumbent of the Oval office. BIBI WILL NEVER SHARE JERUSALEM. Continued occupation and…
Egypt army head runs for presidency
BBC 26 Mar 2014 – Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi announces he is resigning as Egypt’s military chief in order to stand for the presidency.
Abdul Fattah al-Sisi: New face of Egypt’s old guard
BBC 26 Mar 2014 – The rise of rather mysterious Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi
Egypt to try more than 900 Islamists
BBC 26 Mar 2014 – Egypt orders the prosecution of 919 suspected Islamists in two mass trials, days after hundreds more were sentenced to death in a separate case.
Amsterdam Monument To Name 102K Holocaust Victims
The Foward Breaking News 26 Mar 2014 – A Holocaust monument will be erected in the Dutch capital next year naming 102,000 victims of the Nazi occupation, giving long overdue recognition to those deported to death camps, campaigners said on Wednesday. Click here for the rest of the article…
Osama bin Laden Son-in-Law ‘Stoic’ After Conviction on All Counts in Terror Case
The Foward Breaking News 26 Mar 2014 – Suleiman Abu Ghaith, one of Osama bin Laden’s sons-in-law, was found guilty of terrorism-related charges by a federal jury in New York on Wednesday, following a three-week trial that offered an unusually intimate portrait of al Qaeda’s former leader in the days after Sept. 11, 2001….
Michigan Students Reject Israel Divestment by 25-9 Vote
The Foward Breaking News 26 Mar 2014 – An Israel divestment resolution was defeated at the University of Michigan while a similar measuer was narrowly passed a second time by the student government of Chicago’s Loyola University. Click here for the rest of the article…
Egypt: Kuwaiti Emir Assures Mansour Full Support to Egypt
allAfrica.com 26 Mar 2014 – [Egypt Online]Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah on Tuesday 25/3/2014 assured Egyptian interim President Adli Mansour his country’s full support to Egypt.
North Africa: Jordan – Conference On Health Care in Middle Eastern and North African Prisons
allAfrica.com 26 Mar 2014 – [ICRC]Geneva -The second regional conference on health care in places of detention, organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), started today in Amman. The first such conference was held two years ago, also in the Jordanian capital.
Philadelphia Feud Erupts Over Federation Embrace of Anti-J Street Film
The Forward New 26 Mar 2014 – J Street, the dovish Israel lobby that has struggled for acceptance in the wider Jewish community, is facing its greatest challenge yet. In the coming weeks, the Jewish establishment’s most prominent gatekeepers will vote on whether J Street can come under the proverbial communal tent. The…
The Right Plan To Save Jews?
The Forward Editorial 26 Mar 2014 – EDITORIAL : Israel is developing a $300M-a-year initiative to strengthen identity among young Jews. It has asked for input from the Diaspora. Here are our questions. Click here for the rest of the article…
Uganda’s Century-Old Jewish Community Riven by Sectarian Divide
The Forward New 24 Mar 2014 – (JTA) — On Fridays at sundown, the Jewish residents of this village set amid the lush hills of eastern Uganda gather in the synagogue to greet Shabbat. The room is bare, the light is dim and the Conservative prayer books are worn. But the spare surroundings…
26 Billion Bucks: The Jewish Charity Industry Uncovered
The Forward New 24 Mar 2014 – The American Jewish community’s network of charity organizations is a font of Jewish power, a source of communal pride and a huge mystery. We know that the network exists. We know that its federations, social service groups and advocacy organizations influence America’s domestic and foreign policy,…
Israeli soldiers shot dead Palestinian teen in cold blood: Rights group
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – A relative hugs the body of 15-year-old Yussef Sami Shawamreh, shot dead by Israeli troops, during his funeral in the West Bank village of Deir al-Asal al-Tahta on March 19, 2014. (Photo: AFP – Hazem Bader) A relative hugs the body of 15-year-old Yussef Sami Shawamreh,…
Kerry flies to Amman for Abbas talks
BBC 26 Mar 2014 – US Secretary of State John Kerry interrupts a trip to Europe to press Palestinians and Israelis to extend their peace talks as a deadline looms.
Bin Laden’s son-in-law convicted
BBC 26 Mar 2014 – Osama Bin Laden’s son-in-law Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, who was al-Qaeda spokesman after 9/11, is found guilty of terrorism at his New York trial.
Syria’s Kessab: The devastation of an Armenian safe haven
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – A combo made up of file pictures shows the cross on top of Armenian Catholic Church of the Martyrs in the northern rebel-held Syrian city of Raqqa on September 16, 2013 (L) and the flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fluttering…
The Brotherhood and Iran: An Islamic alliance against strife?
Al-Akhbar Opinion 26 Mar 2014 – Former Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi (C) attends a meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Iran’s former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, after the opening of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Cairo February 6, 2013.(Photo: Reuters/Egyptian Presidency/Handout) Former Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi (C) attends a…
Egyptian police kill pro-Mursi student protester
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – Updated 7:10 pm: One person was killed and 14 wounded Wednesday when police and student supporters of Egypt’s deposed president Mohammed Mursi clashed at Cairo University, the health ministry said. Riot police fired volleys of tear gas from the university’s main gate at students who were…
Racism reigns in Lebanon: “But you don’t look Lebanese”
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – Gaby Kheil, a young Gabonese-Lebanese woman. Gaby Kheil, a young Gabonese-Lebanese woman. In a country where racial classifications create social hierarchies that assert the superiority of white skin and Caucasian features, and the inferiority of “black” skin and Asian features, interracial and interethnic couples in Lebanon…
Turkey ready to take “any measures” for national security, FM says
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – Turkey is ready to take any measures, including cross-border military operations into war-torn Syria, against threats to its national security, its foreign minister warned Wednesday. “The Turkish republic is a powerful state and never hesitates to take any measures to protect its national security if need…
Twenty-four hours at Rafah
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – Palestinians wait for relatives coming from Egypt at the Rafah border between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip on March 9, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Said Khatib) Palestinians wait for relatives coming from Egypt at the Rafah border between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip on March 9,…
Child killed in renewed Tripoli clashes
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – Updated 7:45 pm: Gunmen shot dead a motorist in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli Wednesday, causing his car to veer off the road where it struck a woman, killing her instantly, an Al-Akhbar correspondent and state media reported. The woman’s son was also hit, but survived…
Bahraini photographer among 29 jailed for up to 10 years
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – A Bahraini woman holds a portrait of her detained son as she takes part in an anti-government protest in solidarity with jailed activists and in celebration of Mother’s day in the village of Abu Saiba, west of Manama, on March 21, 2014. (Photo: AFP – Mohammed…
Sisi declares presidential candidacy, resigns as Egypt army chief
Al-Akhbar News 26 Mar 2014 – An image grab taken from Egyptian state television Al-Masriya on March 26, 2014 shows Egypt’s Defense Minister and armed forces chief General Abdul Fatah Al-Sisi announcing his resignation from his military position to stand in the upcoming Egyptian presidential elections during a televised address in Cairo. (…
The sad tale of our lives with the motorcycle boy
Al-Akhbar Blogs 26 Mar 2014 – Lebanese leaders lament their lack of common ground. They differ in their interpretations of God, their views on society, battered women, state security and most other essential issues. However, their views converge at the boy riding a motorcycle and waving his hands. read more
Polio casts a shadow over the Middle East
BBC 25 Mar 2014 – A disease once eradicated returns to threaten the Middle East
Who calls the shots in Egypt?
Al-Monitor 25 Mar 2014 – The 529 death sentences are yet another embarrassment to the Egyptian government.
Articles
BDS: Non-Violent Resistance to Israeli Occupation
Marjorie Cohn, CounterPunch 3/25/2014
Is Israel Running Scared?
Thanks to Scarlett Johansson, the American Studies Association (ASA), and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has entered our national discourse. Representatives of Palestinian civil society launched BDS in 2005, calling upon “international civil society organizations and people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South African in the apartheid era . . . [including] embargoes and sanctions against Israel.” The call for BDS specified that “these non-violent punitive measures” should last until Israel fully complies with international law by (1) ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the barrier Wall; (2) recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and (3) respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their land as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
Johansson is a spokesperson for SodaStream, a seltzer-making company whose major factory is located in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. SodaStream generates the highest volume of settlement exports to Europe. Until recently, Johansson was also an ambassador for Oxfam, which, like many other international organizations, opposes all trade from the Israeli settlements in the West Bank because companies are operating there illegally. Shortly before Johansson’s commercial for SodaStream aired during the Super Bowl last month, Oxfam forced Johansson to choose between SodaStreama and Oxfam. She chose SodaStream, stepping down from her post with Oxfam.
Additionally, the ASA recently endorsed a boycott of Israeli academic institutions, which emerged “from the context of U.S. military and other support for Israel; Israel’s violation of international law and UN resolutions; the documented impact of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian scholars and students….” more.. e-mail
Analysis: Demolishing homes, demolishing peace
Jeff Halper, Ma’an News Agency 3/26/2014
Jeff Halper is the Director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.
The “Judaization” of Jerusalem and the West Bank continues apace, despite (and in fact because of) the so-called “Kerry initiative.”
Over the past few months the Israeli government has intensified its campaign of demolitions in Jerusalem, in the strategic E1 area between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement, in the South Hebron Hills and in the Jordan Valley.
According to UN figures, 231 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in the first two months of 2014, During that short time 132 structures were demolished, a pace outstripping that of 2013, when 1,103 structures were demolished and 663 people displaced, itself the highest level in the past five years. Besides homes, “structures” refers as well to livestock pens, fences, water reservoirs and even public buildings such as schools, all vital to the livelihood and communal life of Palestinians.
Overall, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions estimates that since 1967 some 29,000 Palestinian homes and livelihood structures have been demolished in the Occupied Territories — and that doesn’t include the ongoing demolition of thousands of other homes of Palestinian and Bedouin citizens of Israel.
At the same time, of course, the Israeli government has announced the construction of thousands of new homes and infrastructural projects in the settlements of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Thus, while recently approving another 1,500 housing units in the illegal East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo, 558 in other East Jerusalem settlements and 3,500 more in the West Bank, it issued demolition orders for 2,000 housing units in the nearby area of Ras al-Khamis and the Shuafat refugee camp. more.. e-mail
Roger Waters: Why I must speak out on Israel, Palestine and BDS
Roger Waters, 3/17/2014
Salon exclusive: The Pink Floyd star details why he supports the boycott
Seventy years ago, my father – 2nd Lt. Eric Fletcher Waters – died in Italy fighting the Nazis. He was a committed pacifist, and a conscientious objector at the start of the war, but as Hitler’s crimes spread across Europe, he swapped the ambulance he had driven through the London blitz for a tin hat and a commission in the Royal Fusili
ers and he joined the fight against fascism. He was killed near Aprilia in the battle for the Anzio Bridgehead on Feb. 18, 1944. My mother – Mary Duncan Waters – spent the rest of her life politically active, striving always to ensure that her children, and everyone else’s children, had no Sword of Damocles in the form of the despised Nazi Creed or any other despicable creed hanging over their heads.
Last month, thanks to the good people of Aprilia and Anzio, I was able to pay tribute to the father I never knew by unveiling a memorial in the town where he died and laying a wreath to honor him, and all the other fallen. Losing my father before I ever knew him and being brought up by a single, working mother who fought tirelessly for equality and justice colored my life in far-reaching ways and has driven all my work. And, at this point in my journey, I like to think that I pay tribute to both my parents each time I speak out in support of any beleaguered people denied the freedom and justice that I believe all of us deserve.
After visiting Israel in 2005 and the West Bank the following year, I was deeply moved and concerned by what I saw, and determined to add my voice to those searching for an equitable and lawful solution to the problem – for both Palestinians and Jews.
Given my upbringing, I really had no choice…. more.. e-mail
Former Israeli AG: We should have evicted Hebron settlers
Yossi Gurvitz, for Yesh Din, +972 Magazine 3/25/2014
In an interview, former Israeli attorney general Michael Ben-Yair says he considers the situation in Hebron a form of Apartheid, refers to ‘Price Tag’ attacks as Jewish terrorism and regrets consenting to the construction of West Bank bypass roads for settlers.
About a month ago, I met with Michael Ben-Yair for an in-depth interview offering him a chance to share his thoughts on issues of highest national importance. Ben-Yair is best known to the public as a former attorney general who served in that position under Rabin’s second government. He is also a member of Yesh Din’s Public Council. The following text is a record of our conversation, with some unavoidable omissions.
A few weeks ago, we marked the 20th anniversary of the massacre in the Cave of the Patriarchs. You were there when the government decided how to respond. You effectively approved an arrangement that you later called Apartheid. How did this happen?
In the aftermath of the Goldstein massacre, there were two important steps I believe should have been taken: one which should have been taken but never was; and another that was, but was eventually only loosely implemented. Let’s start with the thing that wasn’t done: The Jewish settlers in Hebron were not removed following the massacre.
Would an eviction have withstood the test of the Supreme Court?
There were tense relations between Jews and Palestinians in Hebron even before the massacre. The removal of the Jewish settlers was not intended as an act of punishment. The plan to evict the Jewish settlers in Hebron, which was later restricted to the settlers in Tel Rumeida, was intended for prevention rather than punishment…. more.. e-mail
Palestinians must resist Israel’s efforts to foment sectarianism
Electronic Intifada: 26 Mar 2014 – Recent attempts to annex Palestinian Christians as fictional “Israeli Christians” draw on a long history. more..
Mahmoud Abbas vs Mohammed Dahlan: The Showdown Begins
Palestine Chronicle: 26 Mar 2014 – By Ramzy Baroud When late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was confined by Israeli soldiers to his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mohammed Dahlan reigned supreme. As perhaps the most powerful and effective member of the ‘Gang of Five’, he managed the affairs of the ruling Fatah movement, coordinated with Israel regarding matters of security, and even wheeled and dealed in issues of regional and international affairs. That was the period between March and April 2002 and it was a different time. Back then, Dahlan – a former Palestinian Authority (PA) minister, a former National Security advisor and a former head of Gaza’s PA Preventative Security Service (PSS)- was king of the hill. All of his rivals were conveniently or by chance out of the picture. Arafat was then imprisoned in his office in al-Muqata’a, and Dahlan’s toughest contender, Jibril Rajoub, leader of the West Bank PSS, was…more
Where is Egypt’s Revolutionary Movement? – Interview with Abdullah al-Arian
Palestine Chronicle: 26 Mar 2014 – By Paul Gottinger (Abdullah al-Arian is assistant professor of history at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He is a frequent contributor to Al Jazeera English and his forthcoming book is entitled “Answering the Call: Popular Islamic Activism in Egypt”. Our conversation focuses on the political and social situation in Egypt since the July 3, 2013 coup, which deposed Egypt’s first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi.) Paul Gottinger (PG): Some elements of the left and liberal sectors of Egyptian society seem to have been taken in by the idea that Sisi and the military government is somehow a continuation of the revolution. How do you see progressive forces in the country faring? Abdullah al-Arian (AA): It’s important to distinguish between them. Some people saw the transition, which began in 2011, as being coopted by elements of the pre-existing regime. These groups maintained a consistent position by rejecting the…more
Spain’s Apology: Muslims too Deserve Correction of Historical Wrongs
Palestine Chronicle: 26 Mar 2014 – By Faisal Kutty The Spanish government’s offer of the “right of return” to the descendants of Jews expelled in 1492 is a “bit late, but nevertheless worthy of praise” says Rabbi Pinchas Godlschmidt, the president of the Conference of European Rabbis. The Rabbi was responding to Spain’s new law – approved by the cabinet on Feb. 7th — granting citizenship to all those who can prove their Sephardic origin. The law amends a previous version announced in 2012, which granted citizenship only to qualified Sephardic Jews and did not allow them to retain other citizenships. The old law also did not extend to the descendants of those coerced to convert to Catholicism, known as Marranos (swine in Spanish). The current version of the law – still to be ratified by the Parliament — is seen as a way to “correct a historical wrong” for the expulsion of Jews from Spain. …more
Kosher Theft?
Palestine Chronicle: 26 Mar 2014 – By Jamal Kanj At a March 19 UN Security Council discussion, US Ambassador Samantha Powers was quoted as saying, “A thief can steal property, but that does not confer the right of ownership on the thief.” Listening to her powerful condemnation of the Russian action in the Crimea, I couldn’t help but wonder if that was a conviction or an ex-talented writer’s rhetorical speech. A thief should be condemned – irrespective of whether the thief is a friend or foe. I would add to the otherwise accurate statement, a thief-enabler should be castigated too? Let’s for the sake of argument agree with Ms Powers’ assessment calling Russian support for the “overwhelming” wishes of 96 per cent of voters as theft. Using the same parallels, how about Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights? It is this thief which Ms Powers supports at the UN Security Council to expropriate…more
Mahmoud Abbas vs Mohammed Dahlan
Dissident Voice: 26 Mar 2014 – When late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was confined by Israeli soldiers to his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mohammed Dahlan reigned supreme. As perhaps the most powerful and effective member of the ‘Gang of Five’, he managed the affairs of the ruling Fatah movement, coordinated with Israel regarding matters of security, and even wheeled and dealed in issues of regional and international affairs. That was the period between March and April 2002 and it was a different time. Back then, Dahlan – a former Palestinian Authority (PA) minister, a former National Security advisor and a former head of Gaza’s PA Preventative Security Service (PSS)- was king of the hill. All of his rivals were conveniently or by chance out of the picture. Arafat was then imprisoned in his office in al-Muqata’a, and Dahlan’s toughest contender, Jibril Rajoub, leader of the West Bank PSS, was discredited in a…more
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