5 April 2014 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israeli Troops Detain Gazan For Crossing Border
IMEMC – The Israeli occupation army detained a young Palestinian man near the northern border with the Gaza Strip, raising the month’s number of detentions to six. …
Israeli Settlers Uproot 750 Grape Vines near Bethlehem
IMEMC – Israeli settlers uprooted, Saturday, hundreds of newly-planted grape vines in al-Khader, a village located to the south of Bethlehem, according to a local activist. …
Palestinians Set New Conditions for Negotiations to Continue
IMEMC – The Palestinian Authority has set new conditions for agreeing to extend the peace talks with Israel after April, PA officials in Ramallah said Thursday. …
Israeli Government Approves ‘Archaeology Center’ in Palestinian Neighborhood
IMEMC – The Israeli Ministry of the Interior approved on Friday a plan to demolish a large section of the historic Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, in East Jerusalem, to construct an archaeological center proposed by a nationalist right-wing ethno-religous organization which aims to expand Jewish settlement on Palestinian land in east Jerusalem. …
Official: Palestinian prisoners to begin coordinated protests
4/5/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will commence protests beginning next week against Israel’s failure to release a fourth group of veteran prisoners, a Palestinian Authority official said Friday. Ziad Abu Ein, undersecretary to the minister of prisoners’ affairs, said the coordinated protests would culminate in an open hunger strike if the prisoners’ demands were not met, Abu….
Minister: Over 1,500 Palestinian children killed since 2000
4/5/2014 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Over 1,500 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces since the year 2000, the Palestinian Authority minister of social affairs said Saturday. Marking Palestinian Children’s Day, Kamal al-Sharafi said in a statement that 1,520 Palestinian children have been killed and approximately 6,000 injured by the Israeli military in the past 14 years. More than 10,000 have been arrested….
Israeli settlers uproot 350 grape vines south of Bethlehem
4/5/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli settlers on Saturday uprooted 350 grape vines in the village of al-Khadr south of Bethlehem, a local popular committee spokesman said. Ahmad Salah said settlers destroyed 200 vines that were four years old and another 150 that were planted only two months earlier. The settlers also stole metal stakes used to support the vines, Salah said. In 2013, there were….
Gaza rocket lands in open area near Ashkelon
4/5/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Israeli military said on Saturday evening that a rocket from the Gaza Strip struck southern Israel, the fifth such attack since Thursday. The rocket landed in an open area in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council in southern Israel and caused no injuries, the Israeli military said in a statement. Earlier rockets from Gaza also landed in open areas across southern….
Israel, PLO, US meet to avoid talks collapse
4/5/2014 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet jointly Sunday with US envoy Martin Indyk, as attempts continue to prevent the collapse of peace negotiations, officials close to the talks said. The first three-way meeting since Wednesday comes as Washington reviews its push for a peace deal after a spiral of tit-for-tat moves by Israel and the PLO took hard-won negotiations close to collapse. US…. Related: Kerry in danger of losing big bet on Middle East peace
4 killed, 8 tunnels destroyed in Sinai security operations
4/5/2014 – EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Egyptian army and police forces killed four members of “militant groups” and destroyed eight tunnels into the Gaza Strip in operations across the Sinai Peninsula on Saturday, security sources said. Egyptian forces reportedly raided a number of areas where Wahhabi “insurgents” were based in al-Salam village, al-Kashef village, al-Muhajir neighborhood of El-Arish, Abu Tuweila and al-Joura neighborhoods of Sheikh Zuqeid…. Related: Egypt to open Rafah crossing for 3 days starting Sunday
Analysis: Kerry’s looming deadline and the peace process industry
4/5/2014 – By Ramzy Baroud – As the US-imposed April 29 deadline for a “framework” agreement between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority looms, time is also running out for the American administration itself. The Obama administration must now conjure up an escape route to avoid a political crisis if the talks are to fail, as they surely will. Chances are the Americans knew well that peace….
Kerry in danger of losing big bet on Middle East peace
4/5/2014 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — John Kerry’s high-stakes gamble that he could finally achieve the dream of generations and bring peace to the Middle East seems to be collapsing as easily as a house of cards. Despite a dozen visits to Israel and the West Bank since he became US secretary of state 14 months ago and many more late-night meetings with his recalcitrant partners in…. Related: Israel, PLO, US meet to avoid talks collapse
Group: 142 refugees have died in Yarmouk since June
4/5/2014 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A Syria-based monitoring group said Saturday that it had recorded the deaths of 142 people in Yarmouk refugee camp from hunger and lack of medical care since June 2013. In a statement, the Workforce for Palestinians in Syria identified the most recent victim of a regime-imposed siege on the Damascus camp as Rushdi al-Madani, who died Friday of “hunger and dehydration….
US allows Boeing to sell plane parts to Iran
4/5/2014 – WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States has issued a license allowing Boeing to do business with Iran for the first time since the US embargo of 1979, a company spokesman told AFP Friday. The license covers a “limited period of time” and allows Boeing only “to provide them spare parts that are for safety purposes.” Boeing will still not be allowed to sell new planes to….
Iraq Christians say homes seized as unrest spikes
4/5/2014 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — As Iraq suffers its worst violence in years, gangs claiming ties to powerful militias have been commandeering empty homes in Baghdad with little official sanction, victims and rights groups say. Militia leaders have disavowed the practice and insist they are not behind it, while those affected — principally minority Christians — say the country’s courts have done little to protect their property.”We….
Morsi due back in court over Egypt protest deaths
4/5/2014 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt’s deposed president Mohamed Morsi was due back in court on Saturday over his alleged involvement in the killing of protesters in clashes during his rule. The case is part of a relentless crackdown against Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood since the military ousted him on July 3, ending a turbulent year in office. Morsi and 14 co-defendants are charged with….
Mortar shells slam into Syrian capital
4/5/2014 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Mortar shells slammed into several areas of the Syrian capital on Saturday, with one hitting near the Russian embassy without causing injuries, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said regime troops battled rebels in Eastern Ghouta near the capital, while opposition forces tightened their siege of a military base in Idlib province of northwest Syria. The Observatory reported….
Livni: US should change role in peace talks
AlJazeera 5 Apr 2014 – Israeli negotiator says US should act as facilitator of more direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Mortar shell lands near Russian embassy in Damascus
The National 5 Apr 2014 – The Observatory reported mortar fire near the Ummayad area and the Russian embassy in the upscale Mazraa neighbourhood of Damascus, with no casualties reported.
23 killed in feud between families in south Egypt
The National 5 Apr 2014 – The feud started earlier this week over students from the two clans spraying graffiti on the walls of a local school
Can Turkey use water to exert power across the Middle East?
The National 5 Apr 2014 – Turkey is slated to complete an ambitious water pipeline project with northern Cyprus later this year. The project is a first step in its long-standing quest to be a regional water power.
Turnout in Afghan vote could be more than seven million
The National 5 Apr 2014 – Afghans flocked to polling stations, defying a threat of violence by the Taliban to cast ballots in what promises to be the nation’s first democratic transfer of power.
In pictures: Afghans queue up for historic vote
The National 5 Apr 2014 – Afghans braved the threat of Taliban violence on Saturday to elect a successor to President Hamid Karzai in the country’s first democratic transfer of power as US-led forces wind down their 13-year war.
Voices on Afghanistan: Election monitor on how vote observed
The National 5 Apr 2014 – Afghan election observers are volunteers who risked their lives in an effort to ensure transparency during Saturday’s presidential vote, says Nader Nadery, chairman of the Free & Fair Election Forum in Afghanistan.
Rwanda: a model for African states?
The National 5 Apr 2014 – Within two decades of the genocide, Rwanda has turned itself into a model for other African nations to follow.
Algeria presidential hopeful says fraud main adversary
The National 5 Apr 2014 – Mr Benflis is Mr Bouteflika’s main opponent in the election, in which the serving president is conspicuous by his absence.
Little guy who believes in privacy takes on the giants
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Energy Ministry consultants say Leviathan not as big as previously estimated
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Ehud Olmert’s attorneys to be quizzed in new obstruction-of-justice probe
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
U.S. agency rejects Teva bid to extend patent on Copaxone
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Israel Air Force strikes in Gaza Strip
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Panel: How can we solve Israel’s poverty crisis? Firstly, admit there’s a problem here
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Pizza workers looking for unionization and bigger slice of pie
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Make funding for settlements transparent
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
It’s the Palestinians’ fault, let them pay
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
State slammed over expulsions of asylum seekers to third states
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Zaken, lies and audiotape
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Rice leads call to scale down U.S. Mideast role
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Obama goes back to benign neglect
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
World knows Israel to blame for collapse of talks, PA says
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Livni: Netanyahu, Abbas should hold direct talks
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
IDF officers take to Facebook to support soldier who drew Hitler
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Russia in a froth over workers’ milk bath
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Palestinians say over 1,500 children killed by Israel since 2000
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Chinese ship detects ‘pulse signal’ in search for missing jet
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Israeli tech preferred over Russian for Indian carrier
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Suspect arrested in acid attack on woman in northern Israel
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Israel, Palestinians to meet again as U.S. reevaluates peace process
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
Paintings by George W. Bush go on display
Ha’aretz – 5 Apr 2014
The travel adviser: The four questions
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – European and Israeli consumers will benefit greatly from the huge influx of low-cost carriers flying to and from Europe this spring and summer.
Health Scan: Not just what you eat
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Nutrition is not the only factor driving obesity, which has grown to epidemic proportions in the Western world.
The battle of the hungry (continued)
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Prader-Willi Syndrome affects one child out of 25,000 births around the world, but few people have ever heard of it.
Israel carries out air strikes on Gaza in response to rocket fire
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Air force targets four targets in northern Gaza and an additional target in the southern part of the territory in response to rocket fire on Israel.
A blueprint to combat the assault on Israel’s legitimacy in Europe
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Although successes of the BDS Campaign have been relatively limited in scope, the greater danger is that it keeps spinning the propellers assaulting Israel’s legitimacy.
Will the real J Street stand up… for Israel?
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Now, more than ever, pro-Israel students needs the support of pro-Israel campus groups to speak out against injustices they may witness on campus.
Why the kohen must confront the leper
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – The Jewish people faced its greatest challenge out in the wilderness, freed from their prior slavery; despite hardships they ultimately triumphed: we are their descendants.
Jewish leadership in the Baltic states
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – The end of Soviet/Communist oppression and persecution presented a wonderful opportunity for the type of meaningful Jewish life taken for granted elsewhere in the Jewish world.
Erdogan’s game
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – If relations are indeed on the upswing with Ankara, what sort of a Turkey will Israel be getting chummier with?
Iran upbeat on ‘useful’ expert-level nuke talks
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Islamic Republic says all major technical issues addressed during discussions with world powers in Vienna.
Some French towns to end kosher alternatives to pork school meals
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Far-right party vows to stop offering special accommodations for Jewish and Muslim students in towns won in recent local elections.
‘Game of Thrones’ inspired by Jewish novelist
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – George RR Martin, author of ‘Game of Thrones,’ says his saga was inspired by Maurice Druon’s ‘The Accursed Kings,’ set in medieval France.
Livni: Abbas needs to prove he is a partner for peace to resolve ‘crisis’
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Chief Israeli negotiator says she intends to continue “struggle” to reach agreement with the Palestinians.
New documentary claims Hitler’s wife may have been Jewish
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Hair samples taken from Eva Braun’s hairbrush contain a DNA sequence “strongly associated” with Ashkenazi Jews, according to scientists.
EU backs Kerry’s efforts in Mideast peace process
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Israeli, Palestinian negotiators reportedly set to meet in DC on Sunday; Obama administration extends public support for top US diploma.
Chinese ship detects possible Malaysia jet black box signal
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – A “ping” was picked up by a black box detector, its source is still unknown; White floating objects also seen in the area.
Social Affairs: Bringing ideology to life in Lod
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – MK Itzik Shmuli, the ‘responsible adult’ of the 2011 housing protests, still lives in a housing project in the underprivileged suburb, where he says encountering Israel’s underclass keeps his passion for social issues alive.
Police arrest man for allegedly attacking sister with acid
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Incident took place in northern town of Tirat Hacarmel; Woman in serious condition, put on respirator.
George W. Bush shows off paintings of Olmert, other world leaders
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – An exhibit titled “The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy” opens on Saturday at the George W. Bush Presidential Library.
WATCH: JPost TV explores hidden flavors of the Old City on Shabbat
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Even on Shabbat the Old City yields what it knows best: food.
Diplomacy: No deal, but a peephole into mindsets
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – The inclusion of Pollard into the discussion shows that Netanyahu really does not want to change his coalition government, and that he is very comfortable with its current – rather unwieldy – composition.
Bulgaria transfers 2012 bus bomb case to Burgas amid new evidence
Jerusalem Post 5 Apr 2014 – Chief prosecutor: Bombing suspect has officially been identified, but not yet revealed; hearing delayed due to processing of new evidence.
Middle East: does either side have the will to strive for peace?
The Guardian 5 Apr 2014 – The US diplomatic push has turned into mission impossible as Netanyahu’s determination to hang on to power at all cost, combined with serious splits in the Palestinian camp, threaten to wreck the peace process by the…
Israel negotiator: US should change its role in Middle East peace talks
The Guardian 5 Apr 2014 – Tzipi Livni called on US to allow for more direct talks between Israel and Palestine as current talks veered towards collapse The US should change its role in the Middle East peace process, allowing for more…
Hezbollah sets conditions for Dialogue
Daily Star 5 Apr 2014 Hezbollah’s deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem says his party supports the National Dialogue under the right conditions, asking all parties to acknowledge four basic principles before his party will participate in talks.
18 killed in Egypt clan fighting
Daily Star 5 Apr 2014 At least 18 people were killed in tribal clashes in Egypt on Saturday, security officials said, prompting police to send reinforcements to quell the unrest.
Pakistan couple gets death sentence over ‘blasphemous’ text
Daily Star 5 Apr 2014 A court in eastern Pakistan has sentenced a Christian couple to death for sending a blasphemous text message insulting to the Prophet Mohammed, their lawyer said Saturday.
Morsi due back in court over Egypt protest deaths
Daily Star 5 Apr 2014 Egypt’s deposed president Mohamed Morsi was due back in court on Saturday over his alleged involvement in the killing of protesters in clashes during his rule.
Al-Qaida calls for Syria arbitration over killing
Daily Star 5 Apr 2014 The leader of al-Qaida has called on Syrian militant groups to determine who killed his representative in the country, a man many fighters believe died at the hands of a rival militia.
Israel, Palestinians, US meet to avoid talks collapse
Daily Star 5 Apr 2014 Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet jointly Sunday with US envoy Martin Indyk, as attempts continue to prevent the collapse of peace negotiations.
Three soldiers wounded during raid in east Lebanon
Daily Star 5 Apr 2014 Three soldiers are lightly wounded during a raid on a house in east Lebanon following an attack on a police station.
Albright: Palestinians, Israel looking for excuse not to go forward with talks
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – ….
Class seeks suspected Nazi who aided Jewish family
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – Students from University of New Haven are looking for Alois who protected a Jewish family from violence and warned them to flee Austria days before Kristallnacht. ….
Stabbing attack thwarted in Ma’aleh Adumim
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – ….
Egypt court sentences police captain in southern province to death
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – ….
Iran upbeat on nuclear talks, says all sticky issues addressed
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – ….
New study: Infant circumcision comparable to childhood vaccination
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – Researchers find half of uncircumcised men contract an adverse medical condition cause by their foreskin over their lifetime. ….
Russia backs Nazi rehabilitation ban bill
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – Bill to punish historians denying Nazi crimes, introduces charge against ‘disseminating false information about Soviet actions’ during WWII. ….
Was Eva Braun of Jewish ancestry?
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – New DNA tests indicate woman Hitler married could have had DNA associated with Ashkenazi Jews, BBC documentary says. ….
Haredi women learn business skills
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – Temech, a non-profit organization funded by ultra-Orthodox American donors, works to encourage haredi women to succeed in Israeli labor market. ….
Israel and Jewish moral narcissists
YNet News, 5 Apr 2014 – Op-ed: Jews who question Israel’s actions for personal reasons are not fully aware that they are serving cause of those opposing State’s existence. ….
Palestinian Information Center
Perhaps we must admit there is no political solution for the Palestinian problem
PIC – With frustration and helplessness easily detected in the tone of his voice, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has admitted that U.S.-mediated talks between Israel and the PA is going nowhere.
IOF soldiers beat child in Old City of Al-Khalil, raid refugee camp
PIC – Israeli occupation forces (IOF) beat up a Palestinian child and chained and blindfolded him for a few hours in the Old City of Al-Khalil on Saturday.
Gov’t spokesman appreciates Turner’s statement on Gaza siege
PIC – The Palestinian government in Gaza Strip has appreciated a statement for Robert Turner, Director for UNRWA Operations in Gaza, that called for allowing entry of building material into Gaza.
Jewish settlers uproot 300 grape seedlings in Bethlehem village
PIC – Jewish settlers uprooted 300 grape seedlings in Al-Khader village near Bethlehem on Friday.
Tensions and raids in Jenin
PIC – A state of tension has prevailed in the vicinity of Jalama checkpoint northern Jenin on Saturday when Israeli soldiers threatened to blow up a Palestinian vehicle.
International report: 230 Palestinian children in Israeli jails
PIC – A human rights report issued by the Defense for Children International (DCI) stated that 230 Palestinian children are currently held in Israeli jails.
Palestinian campaign in solidarity with opponents to Egyptian military coup
PIC – The Islamic movement and human rights organizations inside the Palestinian territories occupied in 1948 have launched an awareness campaign in solidarity with opponents to Egypt’s military coup.
IOF soldiers suppress Friday prayers performed in solidarity with detainees
PIC – Dozens of activists suffered breathing problems following the Friday congregation when Israeli occupation forces suppressed the solidarity prayers with prisoners at the northern entrance of Bethlehem.
IOA approves plan for museum construction in Occupied Jerusalem
PIC – The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) approved plans to build a museum in Occupied Jerusalem.
PCAS calls on the world to save Gaza’s children
PIC – Popular Committee Against Siege on Gaza (PCAS) called for the immediate intervention of the international community and UNICEF to save Gaza’s children from Israeli infringement of human rights.
Archbishop of Athens: “Detention of Thousands of People in Israeli Prisons is a Disgrace”
WAFA – 5 Apr 2014
Israel Prevent Palestinian Telecommunication Operator from Importing Equipment
WAFA – 5 Apr 2014
Israeli Settlers Uproot 750 Grape Vines near Bethlehem
WAFA – 5 Apr 2014
Newspaper Review: US Threatening to Scale Back Efforts to Broker Common Ground Focus of Dailies
WAFA – 5 Apr 2014
Army Infiltrates Gaza Borders
WAFA – 3 Apr 2014
Tribal clashes in southern Egypt leave at least 23 dead
LA Times 5 Apr 2014 – CAIRO — At least 23 people were killed and 31 injured in tribal clashes Friday in the southern Egyptian province of Aswan, according to official media.
Break in Syrian War Brings Brittle Calm
New York Times 5 Apr 2014 – The Syrian government claims it is winning the war and it can afford to be magnanimous; it is offering reconciliation to repentant opponents, and some are accepting.
A Change in Atmosphere in Central Syria
New York Times 5 Apr 2014 – The boom of shelling no longer dominates the days and nights.
Blast Near Falluja Kills 17 Iraq Troops
New York Times 5 Apr 2014 – The soldiers, part of an army convoy patrolling Albu Hadeed, near Falluja, were attacked by gunmen from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militant group, security officials said.
Clan Fighting in Egypt Kills at Least 23
New York Times 5 Apr 2014 – Officials said the fighting in Aswan Province erupted over the harassment of a girl, and students from the two sides later sprayed offensive graffiti at a local school.
Politician who presided over anti-Muslim pogrom may be India’s next leader, and U.S. cozies up to him
Mondoweiss – Narendra Modi A terrible man who is largely responsible for a pogrom that killed 1000 Muslims is the most-likely next prime minister of India, but the United States is stupidly dropping its opposition and already starting to “engage” with him. How will India’s 138 million Muslims…
‘NYT’ readers who objected to calling Abbas ‘defiant’ have a point, public editor rules
Mondoweiss – Margaret Sullivan, public editor of the NYT The other day James North and I did a post pointing out how the New York Times’ own commenters had torpedo’d a New York Times story that laid blame for the latest impasse in negotiations at the feet of…
No thanks for Zionist ‘chaperones’ –Wesleyan declares itself an Open Hillel
Mondoweiss – Hillel logo Readers, we got this press release two days ago and are late getting it up, but it’s wonderful news from Connecticut. And Adam Horowitz informs me that an Open Hillel petition has started at Brown. What exciting news from the young Jews, even as…
Israel hears Palestinian objections to archaeological project in Jerusalem and — approves it!
Mondoweiss – Land, property theft & destruction / Ethnic cleansing / Restriction on movement Israel OKs controversial E. Jerusalem archaeological project Jerusalem (AFP) Fri 4 Apr – Israel has approved a controversial archaeology project in annexed east Jerusalem, the interior ministry said Friday, in a move likely to compound tensions…
Apathy in Ramallah as negotiations with Israel dive
Mondoweiss – Ramallah Cafe. (Photo: Allison Deger) As negotiations between Israeli and Palestinians leaders reach a crisis, in Ramallah, the urban reprieve and seat of President Mahmoud Abbas’s government, the breakdown passes with much apathy. Indeed, the nine months of direct talks are leaning to disaster, as Prime…
Syrian refugees in Jordan camp clash
BBC 5 Apr 2014 – Dozens of Syrian refugees have clashed with security forces at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, injuring 22 police officers, officials say.
Tribal clashes kill 23 in Egypt
BBC 5 Apr 2014 – At least 23 people are killed in tribal clashes between Arab and Nubian families in Aswan in southern Egypt.
Video: Bricks from the Wall – Jihane al Quds and Harlem Anti-Wall Chorus
Global BDS 5 Apr 2014 – Collaboration with videographer Jihane al Quds and Harlem Anti-Wall Chorus, “Bricks From the Wall,” urging pension giant TIAA-CREF to divest from companies profiting from colonialism and ethnic cleansing by Israel in Palestine. We don’t need no occupation (Divest! Divest!) We don’t need no swat patrol (Divest!…
Solidarity with Anti-Apartheid Resistance in Post-Oslo Palestine
Global BDS 5 Apr 2014 – Professor Haidar Eid, steering committee member with the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, writes for the Socialism and Democracy journal on strategies of solidarity.http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/XnzpGZ32fzNeWeSpayCJ/full#.U0AF5q1dV9k
Boycott movement has empowered Palestinians, says co-founder
Global BDS 5 Apr 2014 – The Palestinian boycott divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement has recently generated unprecedented international attention — and opposition — including from US, European and Israeli officials. How much do you know about its origins? I met Adnan Ramadan, one of the co-founders of the movement, in Beit Sahour ,…
Birthright Trains 200 Educators To Lead Trips
The Foward Breaking News 5 Apr 2014 – Taglit-Birthright Israel will train Jewish educators from across the United States as Israel trip leaders. Click here for the rest of the article…
Rosberg beats Hamilton to Bahrain pole
BBC 5 Apr 2014 – Nico Rosberg wins a battle with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton for pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Bahraini monarchy manufactures demographic changes
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – Bahraini hold up the national flag during a demonstration against the Formula One Grand Prix in the village of Shakhurah, west of Manama, on April 4, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Mohammed al-Sheikh) Bahraini hold up the national flag during a demonstration against the Formula One Grand Prix in…
Saudi rulers face growing rumblings of discontent
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – US President Barack Obama (R) boards Air Force One prior to his departure from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 29, 2014. (Photo: AFP- Saul LOEB) US President Barack Obama (R) boards Air Force One prior to his departure from King Khalid International…
Lebanon charges ADP chief with “terrorism”
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – Lebanon on Saturday charged 12 people including head of the Arab Democratic Party Rifaat Eid with belonging to a “terrorist organization” involved in Tripoli’s deadly clashes, the judiciary said. A statement carried by Lebanon’s state run National News Agency said military court judge Sakr Sakr has…
Tribal clashes kill 18 in southern Egypt
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – At least 18 people were killed in tribal clashes in Egypt on Saturday, security officials said, prompting police to send reinforcements to quell the unrest. The fighting between the Bani Hilal tribesmen and Nubian villagers in the southern province of Aswan was ongoing and the death…
Bahrain’s Grand Prix: another opportunity to stifle dissent
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – Bahraini demonstrators gather during an anti-governmnet demonstration and against the Formula One Grand Prix in the village of Shakhurah, west of Manama, on April 4, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Mohammed al-Shaikh) Bahraini demonstrators gather during an anti-governmnet demonstration and against the Formula One Grand Prix in the village…
Turkish court: YouTube to remain banned until Syria recordings removed
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – A file photo taken on March 27, 2014 shows a view of a computer screen showing a digital portrait of the Turkish Prime Minister and text reading “Yes we ban” on a laptop computer screen, in front of graffiti in Istanbul. (Photo: AFP – Ozan Kose)…
How the Saade Institute saved an Assyrian king
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – A picture taken on March 14, 2014 shows a sculpture depicting a princess from the ancient Syrian oasis city of Palmyra, 215 kilometres northeast of Damascus, displayed at the city’s museum. Syria’s fabled desert Greco-Roman oasis of Palmyra saw its last tourist in September 2011, six…
Pakistani couple sentenced to death over “blasphemous” text message
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – A court in eastern Pakistan has sentenced a Christian couple to death for sending a blasphemous text message insulting to the Prophet Mohammad, their lawyer said Saturday. Judge Mian Amir Habib handed the death sentence to Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar in a jail in the…
VIDEO: Why it’s tough being a groupie in Kuwait
BBC 5 Apr 2014 – Why it’s tough being a woman and a fan in Kuwait
Mursi due in court over protester deaths
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – Egypt’s deposed president Mohammed Mursi was due back in court on Saturday over his alleged involvement in the killing of protesters in clashes during his year in office. The case is part of a relentless crackdown against Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood since the military ousted…
Boeing to sell spare plane parts to Iran
Al-Akhbar News 5 Apr 2014 – Boeing Co, the world’s biggest airplane maker, and engine maker General Electric Co said on Friday they had received licenses from the US Treasury Department to export certain spare parts for commercial aircraft to Iran under a temporary sanctions relief deal that began in January. GE…
Can Sisi end terrorism in Egypt?
Al-Monitor 4 Apr 2014 – A political solution is essential but perhaps not sufficient to end terrorism in Egypt any time soon.
Lebanon profile
BBC 4 Apr 2014 – Provides an overview of Lebanon, including key events and facts about a country which has often been at the centre of Middle Eastern conflicts
Airbridge transporting jihadis from Jordan to Turkey
Al-Akhbar Politics 4 Apr 2014 – A handout picture taken on April 2, 2014 and released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on April 3, 2014 allegedly shows a pro-government fighter standing on a tank at an undisclosed location in the north of Syria’s Latakia province. (Photo: AFP-HO/SANA) A handout…
Articles
Disturbing the ’peace’ in Jerusalem’s holiest site
Betty Herschman, +972 Magazine 4/5/2014
The past 15 years have seen a revival of Jewish extremist movements seeking to upend the status quo around the Temple Mount in the name of multicultural ideals. Betty Herschman says failing to see through this veneer could lead to the enflaming of one of the world’s most combustible hotspots.
The current intensification of religious extremist activities on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif is not a new phenomenon, but rather the ultimate realization of a slow, decades-long crusade. The story behind today’s mounting pressures – from increased attempts to ascend and pray on the Mount to legislative challenges to current arrangements – offers a case study in political alchemy. With organizational perseverance and by deftly co-opting the lexicon of religious rights, what are known as the temple movements have managed to secure the support of the mainstream Israeli establishment while successfully exploiting liberal Jewish ideals.
In their joint 2013 report, Dangerous Liaison: The Dynamics of the Rise of the Temple Movements, Israeli NGOs Ir Amim and Keshev trace the growth of these movements, along with their ideological underpinnings and ties to Israeli governmental institutions.
According to the report, over the last decade, a status quo carefully maintained since the Ottoman era has progressively shifted as a result of activity by Jews determined to strengthen the status of the Temple Mount as a Jewish religious center, while marginalizing the claims of Muslims to the Mount. In the past year alone, hundreds of national religious Jewish pilgrims have ascended the Mount, including groups of rabbis, women, members of Knesset and uniformed soldiers. While the various Temple organizations may have differing goals and varying impacts, a common denominator of religious and nationalist messianism distinguishes the movement as a whole. Religion has becomes a tool for realizing extreme national goals at a site that is a focal point of political and religious tension. more.. e-mail
Resource: Undermining the status quo at the Temple Mount
Report by Ir Amim, +972 Magazine 4/5/2014
The Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif is one of the most complicated and sensitive issues on Israel’s agenda, activating friction points between Israel and the Palestinian population, and the Arab world at large. Over the past several hundred years, a status quo has been maintained according to which the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif area is an area reserved for Muslim prayer and the Western Wall is a prayer area reserved for Jews.
Over the last decade, the status of these areas has gradually shifted, driven by a revival of activity by Jews determined to strengthen the status of the Temple Mount complex as a Jewish religious center and to marginalize the claims of Muslims to the Mount. The following report by Israeli NGOs Ir Amim and Keshev aims to present information about the growing activity of organizations working to change the status quo on the Temple Mount and, in some cases, to actually erect the Third Jewish Temple upon it.
DANGEROUS LIAISON
MARCH 1, 2013
THE DYNAMICS OF THE RISE OF THE TEMPLE MOVEMENTS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS
PREFACE: THE NEED FOR A NEW ANALYSIS OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT/HARAM AL-SHARIFThe Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif is one of the most complicated and sensitive issues on Israel’s agenda, activating friction points between Israel and the Palestinian population, the Arab nations surrounding Israel, the Muslim world and domestically, within the Israeli Jewish community itself. — See also: Ir Amim more.. e-mail
Breaking the Silence founder detained in Hebron, banned from city for 14 days
Noam Sheizaf, +972 Magazine 4/3/2014
The founder of IDF watchdog group Breaking the Silence (BTS), Yehuda Shaul, was detained in Hebron on Tuesday as he was leading a tour in the Jewish settlement located in the heart of the city.
According to the organization’s spokesperson, Avner Gvaryahu, Shaul was confronted by an IDF company commander, who prevented him from continuing on his way, despite the fact that the area is considered public space and that Jewish groups use those
streets frequently. Shaul was detained after arguing with the officer.
Shaul, who was released from the Hebron police station later that night, was banned from the area for 14 days, which means he will not be able to lead tours in the city. Breaking the Silence is planning a tour for 250 people in the city on Friday.
Breaking the Silence, which holds frequent tours both in the city as well and in the south Hebron Hills, was formed by former IDF soldiers and officers who served in the occupied territories. The organization aims to shed light on the army’s operations in the West Bank, and especially on human rights violations.
Hebron is the only city in which a population of several hundred settlers live among an occupied population, surrounded by heavy army presence. Shaul himself served in Hebron and is considered an expert on issues regarding the military control of the city.
Recently, BTS workers have complained that both the authorities and settlers have joined forces in an attempt to prevent them from leading tours in Hebron. According to Gvaryahu, both the tours that were cancelled, as well as the orders banning BTS workers from entering the city, were issued “on strange and unfounded claims.” more.. e-mail
Israeli Apartheid Week
Jonathan Woodrow Martin, CounterPunch 4/5/2014
Resistance at the Grassroots
Israeli Apartheid Week has been taking place over the last month at different locations across the world. Over 154 events have taken place in this period from Montreal to Auckland to Oxford University to Jordan and Palestine itself. Here follows an interview with a Palestinian Law student, Juman A., who is studying at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. The following interview is based on Jumans involvement in founding Students for Palestine (Southampton) and being part of the organising group of IAW in the UK.
We have recently seen Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) taking place throughout the world for the 10th consecutive year, could you explain to our readers what this event was trying to achieve?
Juman: IAW is a series of events staged to highlight Israel’s apartheid policies that systematically discriminate against Palestinians. In addition to raising awareness about Israeli Apartheid, the initiative aims to strengthen and engage students and activists in the Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) . IAW and BDS are grassroots civil society movements stemming from the heart of the Palestinian struggle. Both had been initiated and are organised independently and hence receive no support or funding from any government. Even though the BDS campaign is a means of nonviolent resistance against Zionist colonisation and Israeli Apartheid, BDS has not been supported by the Palestinian Authority.
What reaction did you receive from the university and those who attended your events?
Juman: The University of Southampton was non-partisan to the event and do not get involved other than giving us permission, as a society affiliated to the Students’ Union, to hold the events…. more.. e-mail
Syria: Countering Sectarian Apologetics for Imperialist Sponsored Bloodshed
Dissident Voice: 5 Apr 2014 – According to Michael Karadjis’ latest article published on 17 February, titled “ Assad Regime Responsible for Rise in Religious Sectarianism ,” it is the secular Syrian government that is responsible for the rise in sectarianism, and not the actual bloodthirsty insurgents of all factions who have earned an international reputation for their sectarian brutality. The main theme of Karadjis’ article is his argument that the sectarian hatred endemic among most, if not all rebel factions, is primarily a predictable outgrowth of the over-representation of Alawis in the Syrian government. He refers to the Syrian state as a “family run” “Alawite regime”, which is nothing more than a lazy cliché that serves to transform the story of a complex nation and its political history into a generic caricature that ultimately serves imperial interests. There are many who support the so-called revolution who wouldn’t go this far, or who would at least…more
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