29 May 2014 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Communities Demand An End to Ethnic Cleansing in Jordan Valley
IMEMC – Palestinians protested Wednesday in front of the United Nations office in Ramallah against the latest wave of home demolitions and displacement of the Palestinian Bedouin community in the village of Abu al Jaj. The community was evicted on May 21, 2014, rendering 71 Palestinians homeless. …
Israelis Demolish Naqab Village for 69th Time
IMEMC – Jewish vandals slash tires in Haifa district Israeli soldiers demolished the Bedouin village of al-Araqib, in the Naqab (Negev), for what amounts to the 69th consecutive time, on Thursday, say witnesses. The previous evening, suspected Jewish vandals slashed the tires of eight Palestinian-owned vehicles in Baqa-Gharbia town, pre-1948 occupied Palestine. …
Fatah: New Government Formed Within Hours, Hamas: It Could Take Days
IMEMC – Obama affirms U.S. commitment to Palestinian statehood According to a statement by a senior Fatah official, Faisal Abu Shahla, on Thursday afternoon, a government of national consensus would be decided upon and made public in the coming hours, as negotiators attempt to work out the last of disagreements from both sides. However, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said on Thursday, as well, that ongoing negotiations could potentially need “several days” to be finalized. Additionally, U.S. President Barrack Obama has also made a recent statement, in regard to American support of a Palestinian state. …
VIDEO: Israeli Soldiers Beat Palestinian Elderly
IMEMC – Israeli soldiers have again surfaced in recently publicized video footage, on Wednesday, as they violently beat a Palestinian elderly in al-Aqsa mosque compound, occupied Jerusalem. …
Kidnapped Stroke Survivor Held Under Administrative Detention
IMEMC – The Israeli Authorities have issued an arbitrary Administrative Detention order against a Palestinian who suffered a stroke prior to his arrest. …
Soldiers Kidnap Fifteen Palestinians In West Bank
IMEMC – [Thursday, May 28, 2014] Palestinian sources have reported that Israeli soldiers have kidnapped at least fifteen Palestinians in different parts of the occupied West Bank, after dozens of soldiers invaded Palestinian communities, and searched dozens of homes. …
25 Palestinian prisoners join hunger strike
5/29/2014 – NABLUS (Ma’an) — Twenty-five Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences on Thursday started open hunger strike action in support of administrative detainees, a prisoners group said. Ahrar Center for Prisoners Studies and Human Rights said that a senior Hamas leader and 24 other prisoners in Rimon jail have begun refusing food in solidarity with administrative detainees on hunger strike.”We won’t allow the…. Related:Lawyer: All prisoners on hunger strike since April 24 hospitalized
Lawyer: All prisoners on hunger strike since April 24 hospitalized
5/29/2014 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – All Palestinian prisoners who have been on hunger strike in Israeli custody since April 24 have been evacuated to hospitals after their health deteriorated seriously, a lawyer said. Jawad Bulous, who works for the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, said that most Israeli hospitals from Soroka Medical Center in southern Israel to Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba in central Israel…. Related:25 Palestinian prisoners join hunger strikeandIsraeli court extends detention of hunger-striking Jerusalem woman
Abbas names PM as unity govt talks stall over foreign minister
5/29/2014 – RAMALLAH (AFP) — President Mahmoud Abbas chose a prime minister to head a unity government on Thursday but announcement of the lineup was held up over the foreign affairs portfolio, officials said. Abbas sent a “letter of designation” to Rami Hamdallah, who is currently serving as premier within the West Bank-based government, an official in Ramallah said.”The government is ready, but there is only one…. Related:Fatah says govt formed within hours, Hamas warns it could take daysandHamas: Delay in unity government due to foreign and detainees ministry
Israel navy detains 4 fishermen in Gaza
5/29/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israel’s navy on Thursday detained four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of northern Gaza, a fishermen’s union said. Union spokesman Niza Ayyash said Israeli gunboats obstructed a Palestinian fishing boat and detained Haytham Ali al-Habeel, his brother Fuad, Saadi Salih al-Adgham and Yahya Jamal Watfah. The boat was taken to Israel’s Ashdod port. Palestinian….
Israel charges two Jews over anti-Palestinian attacks
5/29/2014 – JERUSALEM (AFP) — Two suspected Jewish extremists have been charged with racially motivated attacks against Arab-owned property in Israel, the justice ministry said Thursday, after a wave of vandalism that provoked widespread outcry. A 16-year-old arrested earlier this month for scrawling graffiti on and smashing the door and windows of a Druze dentist’s practice in Yokneam, a majority-Jewish town in northern Israel, was…. Related:Report: Israel suspends soldier after Palestinian teens killed
Turkish tourism to Jerusalem increasing, despite obstacles
5/29/2014 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Thousands of Turkish citizens are visiting Islamic religious sites in occupied East Jerusalem on a yearly basis despite the obstacles they face, and the numbers are only set to increase in coming years. Thousands of Turks visit the Al-Aqsa compound in particular each year, especially during Islamic holidays, despite the intensive and invasive searches they often face by Israeli security personnel….
Analysis: Pope visit a resounding success
5/29/2014 – By Daoud Kuttab – At all levels, the visit of Pope Francis to Jordan and Palestine was a huge success. For about 26 hours everything was implemented as planned. And the few unplanned moments worked out quite well, leaving indelible memories and images. Fifty years after a similar trip was made by Pope Paul VI, the trip was aimed at rekindling the spirit of unity among….
Peres, Abbas to pray for peace at Vatican on June 8
5/29/2014 – VATICAN CITY (AFP) — Israeli President Shimon Peres and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmud Abbas will pray for peace at the Vatican on June 8, the Holy See said Thursday. Pope Francis had invited the pair to his home for a “heartfelt prayer” for peace during his three-day trip to the region, and the meeting “will take place on June 8, during the afternoon,” a date “accepted….
Fatah says govt formed within hours, Hamas warns it could take days
5/29/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A senior Fatah official said on Thursday afternoon that a government of national consensus would be decided upon and made public in the coming hours, as negotiators from both sides are working out the last disagreements. Faisal Abu Shahla told Ma’an that the differences between Hamas and PLO representatives were being overcome and that the composition of the…. Related:Abbas names PM as unity govt talks stall over foreign ministerandHamas: Delay in unity government due to foreign and detainees ministry
Hamas: Delay in unity government due to foreign and detainees ministry
5/29/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said on Thursday evening that the delay in announcing the unity government is being caused by a dispute over the appointment of the ministers of foreign and detainees’ affairs. Abu Zuhri said that despite the fact that Hamas and the PLO had agreed on the majority of cabinet positions in the national unity government…. Related:Abbas names PM as unity govt talks stall over foreign ministerandFatah says govt formed within hours, Hamas warns it could take days
15-year-old boy killed in Gaza after gun accidentally discharges
5/29/2014 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A Palestinian teenager from the northern Gaza Strip died on Thursday after a gun his brother was playing with went off and shot him. The unidentified 15-year-old died after a gun his brother was playing with accidentally discharged, shooting him dead. His body was taken to the Kamal Udwan hospital in Jabalia. [END]
Egypt soldier shot dead by Jihadist gunmen in Sinai
5/29/2014 – CAIRO (Ma’an) – An Egyptian border guard soldier was shot dead Wednesday by unidentified gunmen in Rafah in North Sinai Peninsula, Egyptian military source told Ma’an reporter.”Jihadist gunmen attacked an Egyptian military post in Salah Addin area of Rafah and clashed with the soldiers stationed at the post killing 22-year-old officer Muhammad Aqil after he received two gunshots to the….
Egypt’s Sisi headed for overwhelming majority
5/29/2014 – CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt’s ex-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was headed on Thursday for an overwhelming victory in a presidential election touted as a plebiscite on his ouster of the elected Islamist leader last year. With almost 15 percent of polling stations accounted for, the retired field marshal led with about 93 percent of votes cast over the three-day election, trouncing his sole rival….
Israel ‘suspends’ soldier over W Bank deaths
AlJazeera 29 May 2014 – Soldier reportedly suspended after CCTV footage showed the shooting of two Palestinian teens last week was unprovoked.
International Solidarity Movement
Four Palestinian 12-14 years old girls detained after settlers accused them of stealing cherries
5/29/2014 – International Solidarity Movement – Operation Dove, At-Tuwani, Occupied Palestine – On May 27th, four Palestinian 12-14 years old girls from the South Hebron hills villages of Tuba and Maghayir Al Abeed were arrested by the Israeli police on the charge of theft of cherries in a field in which Israeli settlers from Ma’on settlement are growing several cherry trees. This grove is situated close to the place….
occupied Palestinian territory: UNDP and UN Women sign a USD 29.5 million Agreement with the Palestinian Ministries of Justice and Interior
Relief Web 29 May 2014 – Source: UN Development Programme Country: occupied Palestinian territory Ramallah – 15 May 2014, In a concerted effort to strengthen the rule of law and improve access to justice across the occupied Palestinian territory, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of…
World: Polio this week as of 28 May 2014
Relief Web 29 May 2014 – Source: Global Polio Eradication Initiative Country: Afghanistan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, occupied Palestinian territory, Pakistan, Somalia, Syrian Arab Republic, World A case of polio due to wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was reported in the…
occupied Palestinian territory: Fortnight of bloodshed leaves two children dead, one paralyzed and others injured
Relief Web 29 May 2014 – Source: Defence for Children International/Palestine Section Country: occupied Palestinian territory Ramallah, May 29, 2014 The fatal shootings of Nadeem Nawara, 17, and Mohammad Abu Daher, 16, that prompted widespread criticism of the Israeli military were followed by a fortnight of violence…
Abbas appoints Palestinian premier as head of national unity government
The National 29 May 2014 – The announcement satisfies a five-week deadline following the groups reconciliation pact on April 23.
Iran reports first Mers death
The National 29 May 2014 – The 53-year-old woman was one of two sisters the health ministry said on Wednesday had tested positive for the illness.
Indian police arrest three over gang-rape and lynching of teen sisters
The National 29 May 2014 – Police have arrested three people for allegedly gang-raping and hanging two teenage sisters from a tree in a village in northern India.
World Cup 2014 opens doors for Brazil to welcome Muslim fans
The National 29 May 2014 – A written guide has been produced as well as a smartphone application, a cuddly bearded mascot called Salaminho (Little Salam) and a hotline to advise visitors on how to observe Islam while in Brazil.
Hard work awaits El Sisi after landslide victory
The National 29 May 2014 – Abdel Fattah El Sisi won 93 per cent of the votes, compared with 2.9 per cent cast for the leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, according to near-final results released on Thursday.
El Sisi wins Egypt election by a landslide
The National 29 May 2014 – With nearly all votes counted, Egypt s former military chief has won a crushing victory over his sole opponent with more than 92 percent of the votes, according to results announced by his campaign early Thursday.
Israel suspends soldier who fired at Palestinian teens: report
The National 29 May 2014 – Newspaper Haaretz said the soldier had been spotted on CNN footage released last week, firing what appeared to be a rubber bullet at around the same time the first of the two teenagers was shot.
Syria to miss chemical weapons deadline, UN Security Council told
The National 29 May 2014 – UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, said in a letter obtained on Wednesday that 7.2 per cent of Syria s declared chemical stockpile remains in the country.
US pulls back on drone attacks in Pakistan
The National 29 May 2014 – While armed US drones are still flying regularly over Pakistan s tribal areas, there have been no missiles fired in the past five months.
Pakistan PM demands answers to why police stood by while pregnant woman was stoned
The National 29 May 2014 – I begged them to help us but they said, this is not our duty, said her husband Muhammed Iqbal of police who stood by as his wife was attacked.
Obama s speech will please very few
The National 29 May 2014 – From the Middle East, Obama’s speech sounded disappointing: out of touch with allies, too gentle on foes
Ukrainian general killed as rebels down military helicopter
The National 29 May 2014 – Acting president Oleksandr Turchynov said 14 people died, including General Serhiy Kulchytskiy, but Ukraine s National Guards put the death toll at 12.
Iran welcomes Saudi invitation to Islamic bloc meeting
The National 29 May 2014 – The two-day meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation opens in Jeddah on June 18.
Search for missing MH370 back to square one
The National 29 May 2014 – Investigators searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet have concluded an area where acoustic signals were detected is not the final resting place of the plane after an unmanned submersible found no trace of it
Egypt: Few voters cast ballots on third day of voting
The National 29 May 2014 – Low turnout likely to rob the all-but-certain winner, former army chief Abdel-Fattah El Sisi, of the overwhelming show of public support he sought in the vote.
Rendering unto Caesarea
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
We don t need a yes-man
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Simply because he was bored
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Disturbed woman arrested after allegedly sleeping with hundreds of boys
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Netanyahu playing into anti-Semites hands
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Not neo-Nazis, Judeo-Nazis
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Lieberman slams Netanyahu for reneging on deal not to back Rivlin
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Ukraine and its separatists have passed the point of no return
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Israeli troops use rubber bullets against IDF regulations
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Rolling Stones accommodate religious fans, reschedule concert
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
NSA says Snowden never emailed about surveillance violation
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Church leaders livid over Israel’s mistreatment of Iranian, Iraqi delegates
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Church leaders livid over Israel’s mistreatment of Iranian, Iraqi delegates
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Woman, 69, needed stitches after being shoved by police officer
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Truvada as preventative for HIV: Not in Israel any time soon
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Word of the Day / Ta’arucha: What you make of your art, not yourself
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Sudan FM: Iran offered us missile defense system against Israel
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Justin Timberlake angers Palestinians with Western Wall Instagram pic
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Police recommend new charges against Olmert
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Pope’s prayer with Israeli, Palestinian presidents slated for June 8
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Top Hamas official tells Shin Bet of links to Israel’s Islamic Movement
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Why did a non-combat soldier shoot at Palestinians?
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Putin creates ex-Soviet trade bloc, says he isn’t aiming for new USSR
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Israeli academic drops discrimination suit in U.K.
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Pakistan PM urges prompt report on ‘honor killing’ of pregnant woman
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Rebels shoot down Ukraine military helicopter; 14 dead
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Malaysia jet searchers rule out area where ‘pings’ heard
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
The Australian-Israeli tending to Syria’s war wounded – and his goats
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Obama’s foreign policy speech: full transcript
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Israeli hospitals bracing for wave of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Nigeria’s president pledges ‘total war’ against Boko Haram
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Vote tally confirms Poroshenko as Ukraine’s next president
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Rebel leader in east Ukraine claims to be holding four OSCE observers
Ha’aretz – 29 May 2014
Rabbi grilled over alleged favors to cop
Ha’aretz – 28 May 2014
Knesset passes bill to deprive terrorists of national insurance benefits
Ha’aretz – 28 May 2014
Netanyahu wanted Elie Wiesel for president, reports say
Ha’aretz – 28 May 2014
Galilee man indicted for hate crimes against Arabs
Ha’aretz – 28 May 2014
Israel warns it will hold Abbas accountable for Hamas
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – As Fatah-Hamas unity deal comes closer to completion, official in Jerusalem says PA president will be held responsible for any violence by the Islamist group against Israel.
What can we do about the huge defense budget?
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Every year, the government approves the defense budget without having the slightest conception of what the funds are actually being used for.
Unexpected Israel: Keeping the secret
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – “Once a newcomer was admitted, an initiation ceremony was held in a cave. Allegiance was sworn over a Bible and a revolver.”
Rolling Stones to start Israel show later to enable observant Jews to attend
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – 9:15 p.m. starting time will allow religiously observant fans to make it to Tel Aviv performance after Shavuot holiday ends.
The POSTman Knocks Twice: Sapir: A diamond in the rough
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Sapir was convinced that without industry there would be no future for the country.
Know Comment: Bad apples in the negotiating room
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – No progress can be made in Israeli-Palestinian relations with Indyk, Erekat and Livni at the helm.
Jerusalem s challenges
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Perhaps the capital’s most formidable challenge is the integration of Arab residents, who make up 37 percent of the population.
Savir’s Corner: Ten reasons I love Israel
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – These are the pictures in my mind that together create a fascinating mosaic of the Israel that I love.
Parshat Naso: Humanism as a basic condition
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – The basic requirement that Judaism sets up for everyone is humanism – a term including proper treatment of others.
Panama looking for more direct links with Israel
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Ricardo Martinelli whose five year term winds up on July 1 came as one outgoing president to farewell another.
Most Iron Dome funding goes to US contractors
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – US contractors will be receiving more than half of the $176 million allocated by Congress to Israel for the project.
Rabbi Druckman asked to find compromise on conversion bill feud between Stern and Ben-Dahan
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Stern s bill seeks to decentralize the conversion system and allow municipal chief rabbis to establish conversion courts, but is opposed by Ben-Dahan.
Cooking with JPost: How to peel an apple in a second
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – All you need is an electric drill and a peeler. In just 2 easy steps, our resident chef shows you how to get skin off your apples.
Iranian commander says collapse of US empire is near
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Iran s Foreign Minister slams Israel s attempts to set red lines on the country s nuclear program.
Waits for elective surgery vary by operation and hospital, Health Ministry finds
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – The ministry will now ask for the public hospitals to report on their elective surgery queues on a regular basis.
White supremacist charged in Kansas City Jewish shootings appears in court
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Glenn Miller appears in court to acknowledge additional charges filed against him in shootings which killed 3 people.
Screening World Cup games could cost bars, restaurants dearly
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Those who wish to publicly or commercially display content such as sports or even music must pay royalties or acquire a license from the content owners.
Serial sexual predator who preyed on teenage girls in the Sharon arrested
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Several young women told police about a man who exposed himself to them, groped them, while they were jogging or walking in their moshav.
‘Islamic Movement in Israel serving as front for Hamas activities at Temple Mount’
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Shin Bet nabs senior Hamas operative who tells interrogators about secrets of organization, including sources of funding, activities in Israel.
Jordanian gov t official: Israel, PA, Jordan must move forward with water cooperation
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – We shouldn t miss the opportunities to improve the chances for peace among the three countries.
Biggest UK farming firm express interest in Israeli agricultural expertise
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – The UK-Israel Tech Hub at the British Embassy in Israel aims to boost economic growth in both countries by partnering British companies with Israeli innovators.
Police recommend indicting Olmert for allegedly pressuring Zaken
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – If the indictment is filed, this would be the third case against Olmert and a whole new legal front for him to have to defend.
Top Remedia technologist’s sentence reduced; CEO receives harsher punishment
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Three babies died and 20 others suffered serious harm from Remedia vegetarian baby formula deficient of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 10 years ago.
Driver sentenced to 11 years in prison in Netanya hit-and-run
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – The driver accepted a plea bargain agreement for the deaths of three members of a family in Netanya in August 2012.
Contents of pope’s Western Wall note revealed
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Pope Francis enclosed a note with the ‘Our Father’ prayer in the Wall on Monday during his short visit to Israel.
CBS: 76% drop in West Bank housing starts
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – The number of finished homes in West Bank settlements also fell, dropping by 38% in the first quarter of this year.
Photo of Israeli couple kissing during meeting with Abbas in Ramallah sparks uproar
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – “How can we blame the Arabs for failing to defend Jerusalem when such immoral things are taking place in the President s office?
Sudan says it declined Iran air defense offer after alleged Israeli attack
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Iran offered to set up air defense platforms on the Western coast of the Red Sea after 2012 air strike attributed to Israel.
Abbas taps Hamdallah to form Fatah-Hamas unity government
Jerusalem Post 29 May 2014 – Move comes as Abbas receives message from Obama affirming US support for the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel.
Omar review flexing tensions between resistance and love in Palestine
The Guardian 29 May 2014 – The frustration of young men trapped in conflict between Israel and Palestine bursts out in this cleverly plotted action thriller Palestine is natural thriller terrain here, and there are echoes of Battle of Algiers and La…
Wake-up call on antisemitism forms backdrop to pope’s visit | @guardianletters
The Guardian 29 May 2014 – Last weekend was a stark and symbolic reminder of what is at stake for social cohesion in this grand and visionary project of the European Union. On the eve of European and Belgian elections, a gunman…
Fatah and Hamas agree on new Palestinian prime minister
The Guardian 29 May 2014 – Mahmoud Abbas names Rami Hamdallah as PM in step towards reconciliation between former rival factions The two main Palestinian factions, Fatah and the Islamist movement Hamas, appeared on the verge of forming a historic unity government…
Jerusalems light railway: commuting with a rifle through the conflicted city
The Guardian 29 May 2014 – What can a train ride tell you about a city? Quite a lot in Jerusalem, where the city’s new light railway trundles its way along the contentious green line and many holy sites The four teenage…
Women Journalists Seize Initiative in Gaza
IPS Gaza City, with a population of more than half a million people, spreads along the sandy shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Credit: Marjut Helminen/IPS By Marjut Helminen GAZA CITY, May 29 2014 (IPS) We let the men participate in the workshop discussions, but the training sessions are only for women…
66 Year Nakba I Saw Yafa, Land of Oranges
Uruknet 29 May 2014 – May 26, 2014 – In Jaffa: Land of Oranges , Ghassan Kanafani described his exile from the Palestinian coastal city of Yafa. As a 12-year-old boy, he struggled to understand, but “on that night, though, certain threads of that story became…
We Have Not Forgotten and We Believe You: Taking Action on Genocide in Iraq
Uruknet 29 May 2014 – May 23, 2014 – Samantha Powers, US Ambassador to the UN was in Rwanda last month marking the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. Ms. Powers book, The Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, won the Pulitzer-prize…
Guantanamo force-feeding causing agony , says US judge
Uruknet 29 May 2014 – May 23, 2014 – The US government s policy of abusive force-feeding at Guant·namo Bay is causing “agony” to prisoners, a federal judge said last night.Ruling on the case of Abu Wa el Dhiab – a Syrian cleared for release…
DePaul students vote for divestment despite Israeli government interference
Uruknet 29 May 2014 – May 23, 2014 – Students at DePaul University in Chicago have voted by 1,575 to 1,333 (54% to 46%) in favor of a referendum calling for divestment from companies “that profit from Israel s discriminatory practices and human rights violations,”…
Syria Protests May 23, 2014 : A Video Roundup
Uruknet 29 May 2014 –
Why Immigrant Detainees Are Turning to Civil Disobedience
Uruknet 29 May 2014 – May 23, 2014 -On a cool autumn night eight months ago, Ramon Mendoza Pascual ambled out of a bar in a blue-collar suburb outside Tacoma, Washington, and slumped into the passenger s seat of his car. He had had a…
My “right of return” The Syrian and Palestinian Nakbas continue
Uruknet 29 May 2014 – May 23, 2014 -She spread a small quilt over the table and carried her one-year-old child, folding the quilt around him and hugging the bundle close to her chest. Her husband was calling to her to hurry, so she covered…
The Punishment for Being Yemeni at Guantanamo (Video)
Uruknet 29 May 2014 – May 23, 2014 – One year ago today, President Obama re-committed to closing Guant·namo and lifted his self-imposed ban on transfers to Yemen. Yet a year later, he has little to show for it. Although Yemenis make up more than…
Beersheba church defaced in new anti-Christian price-tag attack
Uruknet 28 May 2014 – May 23, 2014 — A church in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba was defaced with anti-Christian graffiti attacking Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary on Friday in the latest in a string of attacks by suspected Jewish extremists targeting…
U.N. council mulls authorizing cross-border Syria aid access
Daily Star 29 May 2014 U.N. Security Council members are considering a draft resolution to authorize cross-border aid deliveries into Syria at four points without government consent, diplomats said on Thursday, after an earlier council demand for greater access was ignored.
10 Chadians killed in southern Libya: ministry
Daily Star 29 May 2014 Ten Chadian nationals have been gunned down in southern Libya by attackers in military uniform, the Chadian foreign ministry said Thursday.
Iran announces first MERS death
Daily Star 29 May 2014 A woman has died from the MERS coronavirus in Iran’s southeastern province of Kerman, the Islamic republic’s first victim, media reported Thursday.
Kerry raises concerns about Ukraine, Syria with Lavrov
Daily Star 29 May 2014 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has raised concerns with Russia’s foreign minister about reports of foreign fighters, including Chechens, crossing into Ukraine from Russia, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday.
Obama wants ‘accountability’ for veterans: White House
Daily Star 29 May 2014 President Barack Obama believes there needs to be “accountability” at the Veterans Administration once the facts are established about allegations of months-long wait times for veterans seeking healthcare, the White House said on Thursday.
Politics, economy harm Lebanon’s olive oil
Daily Star 29 May 2014 The country s tenuous political landscape and security situation has shadowed the production of its rich local organic products, especially olive oil.
Peres, Abbas to pray for peace at Vatican on June 8
Daily Star 29 May 2014 Israeli President Shimon Peres and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmud Abbas will pray for peace at the Vatican on June 8, the Holy See said Thursday.
Britain’s Iraq inquiry to see parts of Blair-Bush letters
Daily Star 29 May 2014 Britain’s government agreed on Thursday to give extracts of letters from Tony Blair to George W. Bush to an inquiry into the Iraq war, overcoming the main hurdle to publication of the long-awaited report.
Family in dark a year after woman’s death in Syria
Daily Star 29 May 2014 Family members of a U.S. woman killed a year ago during fighting in Syria say they know little more now about her disappearance and death.
Kerry urges speedy presidential election in Lebanon
Daily Star 29 May 2014 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday stressed on the importance of rapidly a new Lebanese president, praising former President Michel Sleiman for his work throughout his six-year term
Lebanon, a land of fat boys: study
Daily Star 29 May 2014 The percentage of boys under twenty who are obese in Lebanon range between 13 to 19.1 percent, placing the Mediterranean nation at fifth in the world.
Egypt: Sabahi accepts defeat in presidential vote
Daily Star 29 May 2014 The defeated candidate in Egypt’s presidential candidate has accepted defeat by the nation’s former military chief, but said turnout figures announced by the government are not credible.
Obama’s West Point address: All-inclusive, apart from Israel
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – Analysis: ‘Peace process’ is just another conflict which US has had enough of trying to solve. ….
Holocaust as a global moral compass
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – Op-ed: Preservation of Holocaust in collective memory requires persistent battle over its presence in global discourse. ….
Suspect in Kansas City Jewish center killings appears in court
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – ….
UN council mulls authorizing cross-border Syria aid access
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – ….
Man accused in Iranian’s death depicted as violent
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – ….
Iran reports its first death from MERS virus
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – ….
Iran’s oil exports turn higher in May
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – ….
US Congress marks Jerusalem Day with Israeli delegates
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – Knesset members head to Capitol Hill to meet Congress and US religious leaders in honor of Jerusalem Day. ….
Netanyahu’s missed opportunity
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – Op-ed: In order to really block Rivlin, Netanyahu should have run for president himself. He who looks like a president, walks like a president and does nothing like a president should be president. ….
Tip to becoming wealthy
YNet News, 29 May 2014 – As the sages say, real wealth comes from understanding and fulfilling our unique purpose in life. The benefit of having purpose in life outweighs anything money could ever buy. ….
Palestinian Information Center
Global march to Jerusalem to be staged next June in 42 countries
PIC – Head of the global march to Jerusalem campaign Abdullah Obeidat said the global march event would be held on the sixth and seventh of next June in more than 80 cities in 42 countries around the world.
Haneyya calls for popular revolt against Israel in solidarity with prisoners
PIC – Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya urged the Palestinian people in the occupied lands to rise up against the Israeli occupation regime in support of the hunger striking prisoners in its jails.
Boulus: IPS embarks on mass transfer policy against hunger strikers
PIC – Lawyer Jawad Boulos said that the (IPS) has launched a mass transfer policy against administrative detainees who have been on hunger strike for 36 days.
4 Palestinian fishermen kidnapped by Israeli navy in Gaza waters
PIC – Four Palestinian fisherman were kidnapped by the Israeli navy in Gaza waters on Thursday morning at a time when a series of mock raids have been rocking the Gaza Strip.
First Aid Society warns of Israeli systematic targeting of medical crews
PIC – Head of the First Aid Arab Union Society Mohammad Gharabli slammed the Israeli police for having deliberately targeted Palestinian medical relief staff.
Haneyya and Abbas put final touches to formation of unity gov’t
PIC – Overnight talks between Ismail Haneyya and president Mahmoud Abbas have put the finishing touches to the formation of the new Palestinian unity government, according to SAFA news agency.
Israeli settlers and officials storm al-Aqsa Mosque
PIC – Israeli settlers and representatives of Israeli Foreign Ministry stormed on Thursday morning al-Aqsa Mosque from the al-Magharbeh Gate amid tight police protection.
Dozens of Palestinian civilians rounded up, injured following IOF raids
PIC – A series of raids was launched at dawn Thursday by the IOF in the West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem. Palestinian homes have been ransacked while non-violent protestors were assaulted in the process.
MP Yousef calls on Palestinian decision-makers to rally round hunger strikers
PIC – Hamas leader and Deputy in the PLC, Sheikh Hasan Yousef, called on the Palestinian Authority to rally round the hunger-striking prisoners, who have been without food for 36 days in a row.
Petition to urge EU and UN to curb Israel’s violations against O. J’lem
PIC – Pro-Palestinian groups in Europe participated in the signing of a petition asking the European Union and the UN to intervene to curb Israel’s violations against Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque.
First Conference of Civil Service Development in Palestine: Experiences, Challenges and Risks
WAFA – 29 May 2014
Obama Affirms U.S. Commitment for Establishment of Palestinian state
WAFA – 29 May 2014
Abbas Officially Assigns Hamdallah to Prime Minister Office
WAFA – 29 May 2014
Ashrawi: Israel s Escalation Requires International Intervention
WAFA – 29 May 2014
Erekat: Israel Seeks to Enforce Apartheid Regime in Place of a Two-State Solution
WAFA – 29 May 2014
Palestinians Suffocate during Clashes near Bethlehem
WAFA – 29 May 2014
First Round of UK- Palestinian Strategic Dialogue Held in Ramallah
WAFA – 29 May 2014
Ministry of Information Dubs Israeli Assault on Newspaper Office Bullying
WAFA – 29 May 2014
Israeli Forces Arrest 13, Summons One in West Bank
WAFA – 29 May 2014
International Observers Find Fault with Egypt Vote
New York Times 29 May 2014 – Two teams of foreign observers said the presidential election was marred by irregularities and a repressive political environment.
Open Source: Director of Happy in Tehran Video Is Reportedly Freed
New York Times 29 May 2014 – The director of a YouTube remix that offended Iran s judiciary was released on bail Thursday, a rights group said.
Abbas Asks Palestinian Prime Minister to Seek New Government
New York Times 29 May 2014 – The move could send Israeli-Palestinian relations into a tailspin and would disrupt any prospect of a resumption of American-brokered peace talks.
World Briefing: Iran: MERS Virus Reaches Its 20th Country
New York Times 29 May 2014 – A deadly virus that originated in Saudi Arabia two years ago has reached Iran, infecting two sisters in Kerman, the health ministry reported.
Terror s Front: Local Groups, Eyes on West
New York Times 28 May 2014 – Decentralized Qaeda affiliates and extremists now pose the most direct threat to the United States and American interests abroad, the president said Wednesday.
Suicide Bomber in Syria Was U.S. Citizen, Officials Say
New York Times 28 May 2014 – A man who carried out a suicide bombing Sunday was believed to be the first American involved in such an attack, U.S. officials said.
Syria to Miss Deadline On Weapons, Official Says
New York Times 28 May 2014 – In a May 23 letter to the Security Council, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that roughly 8 percent of the chemical stockpile remained in Syria, awaiting shipment for destruction abroad.
Turnout Rises in Egypt, but the Vote Raises Doubts
New York Times 28 May 2014 – Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the former army field marshal who led last summer s military takeover, won election as president with more than 90 percent of the vote, according to preliminary tallies.
Open Source: Israel Suspends Soldier in West Bank Shooting Investigation
New York Times 28 May 2014 – An Israeli soldier from a communications unit charged with documenting the work of combat troops was suspended for firing his rifle during a protest.
Syrians in Lebanon Flood Polling Place, Choosing Assad Out of Fervor or Fear
New York Times 28 May 2014 – Thousands of Syrians who have fled to Lebanon were among expatriates participating in an election expected to return President Bashar al-Assad to power.
Gunmen in West Tunisia Attack Interior Minister s Home, Killing 4 Guards
New York Times 28 May 2014 – The official, Lotfi Ben Jeddou, was not home during the assault, one of the most brazen by Islamists militants in months.
U.S. Seeks to Censor More of Memo That Approved Drone Strike on American
New York Times 28 May 2014 – The Obama administration said the passages in the memo, which cleared the way for a drone strike in Yemen that killed Anwar al-Awlaki, discussed classified information.
SCOOP: IDF Killer of 2 Palestinian Boys Serves in Army Spokesperson s Unit
Tikun Olam – A major break in the story of the Nakba Day murder of two Palestinian boys by an IDF soldier at Bitunia. Yesterday, Haaretz published an important new development in the story when it wrote that the soldier shown on a CNN videotape of the incident firing…
Gates Foundation begins to divest from occupation profiteer G4S
Mondoweiss – (Graphic Stephanie Westbrook) OnApril 17, ahead ofof Palestinian prisoner s day , Addameer Prisoner Support, Human Rights Association and the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee ( BNC ) issued an international Call to action asking Bill Gates to divest from the British security company G4S, the largest…
Some important details: Ben Ehrenreich on the Nakba Day shootings
Mondoweiss – Roadblocks outside of Ofer military prison, where two Palestinians youths were killed by the Israeli military during a Nakba Day protest. (Photo: Ben Ehrenreich) Last week I published a piece in the Los Angeles Review of Books about the killings of Nadim Nuwara and Mohammad Abu…
UC Santa Cruz student government votes for divestment from occupation-linked companies
Mondoweiss – The push to garner campusendorsements of calls to divest from Israeli occupation-linked corporations scored another success this week when the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) student government voted in favor of a resolution authored by the Committee for Justice in Palestine (CJP). By a vote…
Public debate on Zionism sets a crucial precedent
Mondoweiss – Max Blumenthal debates Mira Sucharov at the University of Ottawa on May 22, 2014. (Photo: Dylan Penner) On May 22, Max Blumenthal debated liberal Zionist Mira Sucharov on the question: Can Israel exist as both Jewish and democratic? The debate was held at the University of…
JNF s Negev Gala brings street theater to Winnipeg
Mondoweiss – JNF demo On the evening of Tuesday, May 27, on the occasion of Winnipeg s annual Negev Gala , organized by the Canadian chapter of the Jewish National Fund, a couple of dozen local activists (quite a few of them Jewish) gathered in front of the…
Netanyahu to settler leaders: I fight for you
Mondoweiss – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, meets with Dani Dayan, the former head of the Yesha settler s council, on January 9, 2013 (photo credit: Gideon Markowicz/Flash90) Netanyahu to settlers: I m fighting for you, but there are international constraints Haaretz 29 May by Barak Ravid Leaders of…
Responding to the (de)humanization of Palestinians
Mondoweiss – Last September, I frantically called Brenda Sanya, my very close friend from Kenya, to make sure that she and her loved ones were safe after the horrific al-Shabaab attack on Nairobi s Westgate Mall. Armed gunmen shot and killed 67 people and injured 175 others and the…
SCOOP: Israeli WMD Budget Revealed
Tikun Olam – Haaretz is covering the war of words (or hand-to-hand combat) between the Israeli defense and treasury ministries over its budget. There is a constant battle in which the defense ministry attempts to guilt and intimidate the political class into increasing the budget. They do so with…
After Pope Francis Invitation, Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas To Meet on June 8
The Foward Breaking News 29 May 2014 – Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet at the Vatican and pray for peace together on June 8, the Vatican said on Thursday. Click here for the rest of the article…
Abbas picks leader for unity cabinet
BBC 29 May 2014 – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asks his current prime minister to form a transitional government involving rivals Fatah and Hamas.
Syria’s refugee exodus
BBC 29 May 2014 – Tracking one of the largest migrations since WW2
Egypt’s Sisi secures landslide win
BBC 29 May 2014 – Ex-army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi wins Egypt’s presidential election by a huge margin, provisional results show, though turnout appears low.
Jewish Agency Caught in Ukraine ‘Evacuation’ Plan Leak Drama
The Foward Breaking News 29 May 2014 – Israel s Foreign Ministry has accused the Jewish Agency for Israel of leaking a plan to evacuate Jews from Eastern Ukraine, in the wake of ongoing political crisis and violence. Click here for the rest of the article…
Sudan: Govt Rejected Iranian Offers for Building Air Defense System On Red Sea Coast – FM
allAfrica.com29 May 2014 – [Sudan Tribune]Khartoum -The Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti disclosed that his government turned down several offers by Iran by which it would have installed air defense systems on the Red Sea coast.
Turkey jails teacher for “blasphemous” tweets
Al-Akhbar News 29 May 2014 – A Turkish court on Thursday handed a 15-month jail term to a teacher over Twitter posts deemed religiously offensive, local media reported on Thursday. The court in the eastern city of Mus ruled that the man, identified as Ertan P., insulted Islamic values with his Twitter…
Deal over Bush-Blair Iraq documents
BBC 29 May 2014 – Britain’s inquiry into the Iraq war says it is closer to agreement over publication of communications between Tony Blair and President Bush.
Al-Akhbar chief: The STL refused to clarify the charges against us
Al-Akhbar News 29 May 2014 – Ibrahim al-Amin (right) gives a press conference regarding his decision to boycott the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on May 29, 2014. (Photo: Al-Akhbar) Ibrahim al-Amin (right) gives a press conference regarding his decision to boycott the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on May 29, 2014. (Photo: Al-Akhbar)…
First MERS patient dies in Iran
Al-Akhbar News 29 May 2014 – A woman has died from the MERS coronavirus in Iran’s southeastern province of Kerman, the Islamic republic’s first victim, media reported Thursday. The 53-year-old woman was one of two sisters the health ministry said Wednesday had tested positive for the illness. “Despite all the efforts made…
House Defense bill limits aid to Syrian rebels
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – The House version of the Defense appropriations bill, released today, restricts assistance to Syrian opposition forces.
The conspiracy scenario: Hariri and Hezbollah against Aoun
Al-Akhbar Opinion 29 May 2014 – Presidential hopeful, Michel Aoun. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) Presidential hopeful, Michel Aoun. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) A Lebanese politician returning from Paris recounts his tale about what he calls a “presidential conspiracy” in the French capital. According to the politician, [Saad] Hariri, [Fouad] Siniora, and [Samir] Geagea, with […
Ibrahim al-Amin’s full speech before the STL
Al-Akhbar Opinion 29 May 2014 – Al-Akhbar editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin speaks to Al-Jadeed from his office after walking out of his STL hearing. (Photo: Al-Akhbar) Al-Akhbar editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin speaks to Al-Jadeed from his office after walking out of his STL hearing. (Photo: Al-Akhbar) Editor’s note: The following statement is the full…
Palestinians stumble on selection of foreign minister
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – The selection of a foreign minister is an unexpected stumbling block in the Palestinian reconciliation process.
Patriarch Rai meets with SLA collaborators
Al-Akhbar News 29 May 2014 – Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai (C) blesses Arab Israeli followers of the Maronite community during his visit to the Our Lady of Rosary Parish in the Old city of Acre in northern Israel on May 29, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Menahem Kahana) Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai (C)…
Israel suspends soldier suspected of shooting dead Palestinian teens: report
Al-Akhbar News 29 May 2014 – Israel’s army has suspended a non-combat soldier seen firing his weapon during at Palestinian protesters in the West Bank this month in which two teenagers were killed, a newspaper reported Thursday. The report was published in Haaretz amid a military police probe into footage from two…
Syrian elections: Lebanese prejudice rears its ugly head
Al-Akhbar News 29 May 2014 – Syrian expatriates living in Lebanon cast their ballots in the country’s presidential elections at the Syrian Embassy in Yarze east of Beirut on May 28, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Joseph Eid) Syrian expatriates living in Lebanon cast their ballots in the country’s presidential elections at the Syrian Embassy…
Al-Akhbar chief walks out of “illegitimate” STL hearing
Al-Akhbar News 29 May 2014 – Ibrahim al-Amin speaks on a cell phone inside Al-Akhbar’s Beirut office after walking out of his STL session. (Photo: Al-Akhbar) Ibrahim al-Amin speaks on a cell phone inside Al-Akhbar’s Beirut office after walking out of his STL session. (Photo: Al-Akhbar) Al-Akhbar editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin appeared briefly…
Gezi resistance anniversary recalls impact on Turkey
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – On the first anniversary of the Gezi revolt, the bottom line is that it failed to transform into a political movement, but did manage to transform Turkey.
Being Muslim in Britain in the age of Islamophobia
Al-Akhbar News 29 May 2014 – An English Defense League (EDL) rally. EDL are known throughout Britain as being far-right and anti-Islamic. (Photo: AFP-Justin Tallis) An English Defense League (EDL) rally. EDL are known throughout Britain as being far-right and anti-Islamic. (Photo: AFP-Justin Tallis) The UK Independence Party (UKIP) has been victorious…
Turkey s Kurdish oil gamble
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – Turkey s sale of Iraqi Kurdish crude oil could backfire for Ankara and the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Turkish company is No. 1 foreign contractor in Russia
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – Ronesans Holding is the leading foreign contractor in Russia, which remains a lucrative market for other Turkish firms.
Lebanon needs new electoral law, then a president
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – The core of the crisis of the Lebanese national pact is the absence of an electoral law that represents the sects fairly, especially the Christians.
Beilin calls Obama ‘serious disappointment’ on peace talks
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – In an interview with Al-Monitor, former Minister Yossi Beilin blames the Americans for insisting on a final status agreement instead of working on interim arrangements like former President George W. Bush s road map.
How will US-Iran negotiations affect Gulf states?
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – Although the negotiations between Washington and Tehran regarding the latter s nuclear program have strained US relations with the Gulf, the two sides have many mutual interests that will keep these ties strong.
Rajab urges serious Bahrain dialogue
BBC 29 May 2014 – Released activist Nabeel Rajab says he would talk to the government to end the political deadlock in Bahrain, but that it is not serious about dialogue.
Putin s Muslim family values
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – Russian President Vladimir Putin considers his country s Muslim citizens as a like-minded constituency in combating the perceived negative consequences of the encroachment of “Western” culture in the Middle East.
Saudi Peace Initiative takes back seat to Iran
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – Although the Arab peace initiative may be going nowhere, there may be a Saudi-Israeli convergence of interests on the threat from Iran.
Jihadists returning from Syria pose threat to Morocco
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – With hundreds of Moroccan jihadists joining the ranks of armed groups fighting in Syria, questions have arisen about the threats they pose upon their potential return to their country.
Israel should take Prince Turki’s offer on Arab Peace Initiative
Al-Monitor 29 May 2014 – Prince Turki Al-Faisal Al-Saud spoke in Brussels with retired Gen. Amos Yadlin about the Saudi initiative for ending the conflict, saying, “Israel has nuclear weapons. & The Arabs aren t crazy. We want to talk peace.”
Syrian fighters enjoy feasts while civilians starve
Al-Akhbar Politics 29 May 2014 – A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on January 30, 2014 shows residents of Syria’s besieged Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp, south of Damascus, receiving food parcels from the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA). (Photo: AFP/SANA) A handout picture released by the…
Articles
Images speak louder than words
George S. Hishmeh, Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN)5/29/2014
The photographs that emerged from the three-day visit of Pope Francis earlier this week interestingly, in that order to Jordan, the Occupied Territories and Israel, have been memorable and historical. It was the first time that a papal nuncio began his tour of the Holy Land starting in an Arab state, Jordan and the Occupied Territories in contrast with the traditional western practice of going first to Israel.
The press photographs underlined the obvious message that the Argentinian pontiff seemingly wanted to emphasise, by making an unscheduled stop at the separation wall, or apartheid wall , as it is often described by some in the region and elsewhere, that links some parts the Occupied Territories with Israel. In fact, Bethlehem, the pope s second stop to pray at the birthplace of Jesus, is normally 10 minutes away from occupied Jerusalem. But now, it takes most visitors travelling in cars several hours because of the separation wall and Israeli military checkpoints that divide this region of the Holy Land.
In the most momentous photograph of the pontiff s tour, Francis is seen making an unscheduled and potent stop next to a young Palestinian girl at Israel s separation wall with his head leaning on the wall and praying. Three heart-wrenching graffiti on the wall read: Pope we need someone to speak about justice , Bethlehem looks like Warsaw Ghetto and Apartheid Wall . What was glaring in another photograph was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking glum seated nearby, while Pope Francis, who had just arrived in Tel Aviv, and Israeli President Shimon Peres, greeted each other in a friendlier posture with their heads very close. In yet another photo, the pope and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were seen locked in a firm embrace when the pontiff arrived in Bethlehem. There were other significant pictures showing the pope with Palestinian children at a huge refugee camp near Bethlehem, greeting and singing for the pontiff and enjoying a dinner an encounter that gratified many Palestinians. The pontiff had announced that day that he had invited both Abbas and Peres to come to his apartment at the Vatican City to pray together and talk about peace, moments after he had unexpectedly described Abbas as the President of the state of Palestine ….more..e-mail
Pope visit a resounding success
Daoud Kuttab, Ma an News Agency5/29/2014
At all levels, the visit of Pope Francis to Jordan and Palestine was a huge success.
For about 26 hours everything was implemented as planned. And the few unplanned moments worked out quite well, leaving indelible memories and images.
The Pope’s visit was billed as pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the slogan chosen by the Vatican was unity, in reference to the historic meeting planned with the head of the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.
Fifty years after a similar trip was made by Pope Paul VI, the trip was aimed at rekindling the spirit of unity among Christians of different denominations, as well as an interfaith effort.
Pope Francis was accompanied by Muslim and Jewish religious leaders (one each) from his days; the spirit of unity was evident in various meetings, speeches and homilies.
But the highlight of the entire trip was not planned, rehearsed or even expected.
The Pope had decided not to cross any checkpoints to enter the UN-declared non-member state of Palestine and so the idea of an image of the Pope interacting with the occupation or seeing the wall was thought to have been bypassed by the decision to visit Palestine flying a Jordanian military helicopter straight to Palestine.
As he was driving around Bethlehem in his open car, the Pontiff passed by the entrance of the Aida refugee camp and noticed the separation wall. It is hard for anyone not to take notice of the 10-meter-high wall….more..e-mail
Papal visit to Palestine: what will change?
Nassar Ibrahim, AIC & OPGAI, Alternative Information Center5/25/2014
[Note: What I write here is not related solely to the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis and the Patriarch His Beatitude; it applies equally to any Muslim personality or sheikh who visits occupied Palestine under any pretext]
On 25 May 2014 His Holiness Pope Francis, accompanied by Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, begins a two day visit to occupied Palestine. Today, May 25, is also the anniversary of the defeat of the Israeli army in Lebanon in 2000. And ten days ago was the 66 anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba; does this mean something to His Beatitude Patriarch, whom we greatly respect?
Al-Rahi says that the aim of this visit is pastoral. Well, our Lord Patriarch, it is one thing to say this while reality is something else entirely. As the Patriarch kno
ws and we know, the position of Patriarch is certainly not only a religious one, as his “parish” is not separated from its people and their dreams, aspirations and rights, or that religion has nothing to do with the people on this earth!
The Palestinian people, including the “Parish” of the Patriarch, have been under occupation for over 66 years.
And Israel, as the Patriarch also knows, is not stupid. Israel is not interested in the “parish” of the patriarch, nor is it concerned with the Pope and his prayers in Jerusalem. Israel is interested in this visit as it provides them with a dose of propaganda about its humanity, democracy and respect for religions! Israel is thus using the visit to cover its brutal occupation of the Palestinians, including the “parish” of the Patriarch.
This visit, therefore, cannot be isolated and it will be used in political ways par excellence.more..e-mail
Farah Chamma – For I too have been colonised
Nourhan Tawfik, Al-Ahram Weekly5/28/2014
I sat with myself but didn t find myself
For I too have been colonise
Within me there s a political prison
Within me there s a settlement
Within me there s a man carrying a weapon
And another looking for backwardness Within me a woman breathes a letter that falls on deaf ears
Within me are aeroplanes and explosions
Within me there are worshippers bowing before God, within them hearts that do not soften
Within me there are Arab countries from which only harm can come
How can I believe when within me there s an enemy that fears nothing at all
My Arab identity antagonises me
It melts in my chest like ice, like another Cold War
It antagonises me&
It stops me from passing and never stamps my passport.
Farah Chamma is a budding Palestinian poet and spoken-word artist. Her splendidly audacious poems written in standard Arabic, English, French and Portuguese have appeared in over 1,000,000 YouTube views. Born in Dubai with documents from Syria, Chamma has never been to Palestine….more..e-mail
“My village was attacked and burned down”: a Nakba survivor speaks
Electronic Intifada: 29 May 2014 – A true story about Palestine that you won t read in The New York Times .more..
Battle for Justice in Palestine Book Review
Palestine Chronicle: 29 May 2014 – Reviewed by Jim Miles (The Battle for Justice in Palestine. Ali Abunimah. Haymarket Press, Chicago, USA. 2014.) With the peace talks being dead, what happens in Israel/Palestine? Settlements will continue to be built, dispossession will continue against Palestinians, slowly the apartheid context of Israel will become more and more obvious. While the peace talks were in process, The Battle for Justice by Ali Abunimah was published and pre-emptively indicated that the peace process is/was essentially over and done with regardless of ongoing talks. The main context of the book is of the elements of apartheid and the associated boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS) that is sending disconcerting messages to all the pro-Israeli/anti-Palestinian two staters. Not that a two state solution has not been possible in the past, but that it is beyond being a possibility now, leaving essentially two solutions, a single apartheid state (the considered de facto state…more
Lia Tarachansky’s On the Side of the Road Review
Palestine Chronicle: 29 May 2014 – By Vacy Vlazna On the Other Side of the Road, is a documentary with a cathartic difference about the Palestinian Nakba; the 1948 catastrophe of Israel s ethnic cleansing of over 500 Palestine villages and cities and the forced expulsion of 750,000 indigenous residents and its ongoing dispossession through illegal settlement expansion. The difference factor is metanoia, ºµƒ?ø?±, meaning a profound moral and intellectual change of mind. A conversion. Tarachansky offers a simple weapon to slay Israel s enemy within; not Palestinian Israelis nor Palestinians in general, but, the real enemy within is the hasbaric (propaganda) cruel brainwashing of Israelis from the moment of birth into the psychotic groupthink of superior racism/victimhood. And the weapon is? Truth and accountability. Tarachansky presents the Nakba from the unusual viewpoint of its perpetrators and the inheritors of its stolen booty- the land of Palestine. The protagonists are Tarachansky, who, herself, is an ex-settler from Israel s…more
New York Times and Obama’s Afghanistan Draw Down: Selling the Never-Ending War on Terror
Palestine Chronicle: 29 May 2014 – By Steve Breyman Mark Landler s US Troops to Leave Afghanistan by End of 2016 was the lead story in the New York Times on Wednesday, May 28. Landler reports President Obama s decision to reduce troop levels from the present 32,000 to 9,800 by the end of 2014 to half that by the end of 2015 to a vestigial force by the end of 2016. There are several reasons why one ought to be skeptical of these numbers (not least of which are that that Obama for years referred to Afghanistan as a war of necessity, he ordered two troop surges during his first term, the number of US paid contractors to remain is not clear, and predictable events may upset the timetable). Landler expresses no such skepticism. But that s not among the main problems with the story. The article s flaws include Landler s belief that he has achieved balance …more
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel –www.vtjp.org
To subscribe, please write toOccupationNews-subscribe@yahoogroups.comor visithttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/OccupationNews/join
The New Dark Age 