26 April 2015 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Thousands Attend Funeral Procession of Slain Palestinian in Hebron
IMEMC – 26 Apr 2015 – Thousands of Palestinians participated, Sunday, in the funeral procession and ceremony for the young man who was killed on Saturday by Israeli army fire near the Ibrahimi Mosque, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron. …
Palestinian Homes in Hebron Stoned by Israeli Settlers
IMEMC – 26 Apr 2015 – A group of Israelis from settlements in the occupied West Bank district of Hebron, Sunday morning, were reported to have stoned Palestinian homes in the center of the city. …
Israeli forces open fire on fishermen, farmers in Gaza
4/26/2015 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen and farmers in the Gaza Strip Sunday morning, with no injuries reported. Witnesses reported that Israeli naval forces fired on fishing boats four miles off the coast, resulting in damage to the boats that forced the fisherman to return to land. Meanwhile, Israeli border forces fired smoke bombs at farmers’ land east….
Report: 10% of needed construction materials enter Gaza
4/26/2015 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The amount of construction material that entered Gaza for its reconstruction since August 2014 amounts to only 10 percent of the market’s needs, a report issued Sunday said. The Popular Committee to End the Siege said that between the period of Oct. 14, 2014, and April 23, 2015, 2,252 truckloads of cement weighing around 90,000 tons entered Gaza….
17-year-old shot dead at checkpoint in occupied East Jerusalem
4/25/2015 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — A 17-year-old Palestinian was shot dead at the Al-Zayyim checkpoint in occupied East Jerusalem after allegedly attempting to stab checkpoint officers just before midnight on Friday. After being pushed back by an officer, Abu Ghannam ran in the direction of the crossing. Those guarding the checkpoint saw the youth running towards them and shot him, the statement said. Abu Ghannam….
Israeli police arrest Palestinian over alleged hit-and-run
4/26/2015 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian suspected of ramming his car into a group of Israeli policeman in occupied East Jerusalem on Saturday night has been arrested by Israeli police, a police spokesman said Sunday. The attack left four Israeli police officers injured, with three sustaining light injuries and one moderately hurt. Israeli news source Ynet named the suspect as 31-year-old Fadi Saleh from….
Hamas leader reveals indirect ‘chats’ with Israel
4/26/2015 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hamas leader Ahmad Yousef said Sunday that there were “chats” taking place between the Islamist movement and Israel under European mediation. Yousef told Ma’an that “we await the formation of an Israeli government so things can get more serious. European diplomats and civil society activists come to the Gaza Strip constantly and pose Israeli viewpoints and convey the reaction….
Israeli authorities to release Abu Ghannam’s body
4/26/2015 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities have agreed to release the body of a 17-year-old Palestinian who was shot dead by Israeli police on Friday after he allegedly ran at them “wielding” a knife. Lawyer of Addameer human rights group Muhammad Mahmoud said that Israeli authorities would release the body of Muhammad Abu Ghannam to his family after midnight on Sunday. Israeli authorities said….
PA forces assault 15-year-old boy
4/25/2015 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A 15-year-old Palestinian was injured and his brother arrested when the two were assaulted by Palestinian police in Nahalin in southwestern Bethlehem late Friday, his family said. The parents of Abd al-Hamid Ahmad Mahmoud Najajreh told Ma’an that their son had been badly hurt in his head, arm and foot by PA police officers who hit him with….
Dozens of Palestinians injured in clashes in East Jerusalem
4/25/2015 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Dozens of Palestinians were injured in violent clashes across al-Tur and al-Issawiya neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem on Saturday as Palestinians protested the death of Muhammad Abu Ghannam, 17,shot dead by Israeli police late Friday. Sources told Ma’an that the clashes in al-Tur were concentrated near the Mount of Olives and had broken out when Israeli forces stormed….
Two Palestinian children injured in blast near Qalqiliya
4/25/2015 – QALQILIYA (Ma’an) — Two children were injured when an unidentified object exploded in Azzun Atma village south of Qalqiliya on Saturday. Locals said that the two children, aged 5 and 6, had been playing close to an Israeli checkpoint when the explosion was heard. Local sources said it had apparently been caused by an unidentified object left by Israeli forces. The two children, whose….
Two Swedish hostages released in Syria with Palestinian help
4/26/2015 – STOCKHOLM (AFP) — Two Swedish men held hostage in Syria have been released with the help of Palestinian and Jordanian authorities, Sweden’s foreign ministry said Saturday. The ministry declined to give details of the case but Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem thanked the Palestinians and Jordan for helping secure the men’s release.”A special thanks to Palestine and President (Mahmoud) Abbas personally who….
US court rejects lawsuit against charity funding of settlements
4/25/2015 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The US Court of Appeals in New York has rejected an appeal from a group of 13 Palestinians seeking damages for alleged “terrorist attacks” by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, Israeli media reported Friday. The complaint was filed against US-based charities that financially support settlements, alleging that such support leads to terrorist activity and is in violation of US….
PA police arrest 18 wanted near Hebron
4/25/2015 – HEBRON (Ma’an) — The Palestinian police and national security services arrested 18 wanted Palestinians from villages of Dura southwest of Hebron early Saturday. Director of the Hebron district police Muhammad Taym told Ma’an that the arrests came under a campaign carried outtargeting wanted Palestinians. Taym added that some 20-30 names are added to the wanted list every day by courts across….
For desperate migrants, shipwrecks a risk worth taking
4/26/2015 – ALEXANDRIA (AFP) — Syrian refugee Fares al-Bashawat knows his two daughters may drown trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. But he says leaving them behind would be an even worse fate. His wife and two other daughters already reached Italy by boat, days after a shipwreck killed hundreds of other migrants. Bashawat, who says he was shot and tortured in Syria before the family escaped….
Key Jordan trade route cut after Syria border closure
4/26/2015 – AMMAN (AFP) – When security fears forced Jordan to close its last border crossing with Syria this month, it severed its most important trade route to the outside, further straining an economy already hit by fallout from war. But the damage to heavily import-reliant Jordan is not just hypothetical — hundreds of importers and exporters lost millions of dollars worth of goods when rebels pillaged the vast….
Monitor: 25 dead in Syria regime strikes in Idlib province
4/26/2015 – BEIRUT (AFP) — At least 25 people were killed on Sunday in Syrian government air strikes on the rebel-held town of Darkush in northwestern Idlib province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The Britain-based group said women and children were among the dead in the strikes, which came a day after the regime lost control of a key strategic town elsewhere in the province. [END]
Officials: At least 20 killed after heavy rains in Peshawar, Pakistan
4/26/2015 – PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) — At least 20 people were killed and around 100 injured Sunday after heavy rain and flooding in Pakistan’s northwest city of Peshawar caused dozens of buildings to collapse, senior police official Mian Syed told AFP. Riaz Khan Mehsud, a senior local government official, confirmed the toll and said the number of dead was expected to rise. [END]
UN envoy sees slim chances for success of Syria talks
4/25/2015 – UNITED STATES (AFP) — UN envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura told the Security Council Friday he sees slim chances for success in the latest round of talks next month to end the internecine conflict, diplomats said. During closed discussions with the 15-member council, de Mistura acknowledged that the “odds and conditions for launching a political transition are no better now than six months ago….
Qaeda, allies overrun Syria govt holdout in northwest
4/25/2015 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Fighters of Syria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate and its allies overran the last major government-held city in the northwestern province of Idlib on Saturday, a monitoring group said. The rebels launched their attack on Jisr al-Shughur on Thursday, seeking to capitalize on their capture of the provincial capital last month and open up a strategic assault route to the regime’s stronghold….
Clashes rage in Yemen as calls for peace talks grow
4/25/2015 – TAEZ, Yemen (AFP) — Fierce fighting raged Saturday in south Yemen between allegedly Iran-backed rebels and loyalists of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, as pressure mounted for the warring factions to hold political talks. The Houthi rebels, who have overrun large parts of the country and forced Hadi to flee overseas, have demanded a complete end to a month of Saudi-led air strikes against them as….
Qaeda, allies take key regime holdout in northwest Syria
4/25/2015 – BEIRUT (AFP) — Al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate and its allies seized the last major government-held city in Idlib province on Saturday, in a blow that could expose the regime’s coastal heartland to rebel attack. The capture of Jisr al-Shughur in the northwestern province comes nearly a month after the same coalition of opposition forces, known as the “Army of Conquest,” overran the provincial….
Damascus fair encourages people to ‘buy Syrian’
5/20/1925 – DAMASCUS (AFP) — Syria’s entrepreneurs, suffering from crippling losses after four years of civil war, have launched a drive to encourage consumers hit by burgeoning inflation and a shortage of imports to “buy Syrian.”A first installment of the “Made in Syria” fair in Damascus this month attracted around 60 local companies to showcase products that are both easier to acquire and far cheaper….
Israel’s twist on international law
AlJazeera 26 Apr 2015 – Israel’s laws are meant to save them from the past and protect them from the future.
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Palestinian Child killed by Israeli Forces at Israeli Checkpoint, East of Occupied Jerusalem
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
International Solidarity Movement
In photos: Demonstration in Nabi Saleh
4/26/2015 – International Solidarity Movement – Ramallah Team, Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine – ISM is bringing the story of Friday’s weekly demonstration in Nabu Saleh, 20 kilometers northwest of Ramallah, the Occupied West Bank, in photos. Israeli forces shot one Palestinian teenager in the head with live ammunition and fired stun grenades at the press. [END]
Airstrikes in several cities as fighting rages across Yemen
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Jets hit weapons depot in Sanaa as rebels and Hadi loyalists clash in Marib, Taez and Aden.
Nepal death toll passes 2,500 as aftershocks rattle survivors
The National 26 Apr 2015 – International aid and rescue teams start to arrive, but areas near quake epicentre still not reached.
India launches massive Nepal relief operation
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Neighbour stresses longstanding ties as it mobilises relief supplies and medical and rescue teams following massive earthquake.
Startups flourish in Kuwait as entrepreneurial spirit takes hold
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Meet Premlal PK, a businessman launching a storage company in Kuwait City as the government prepares a $7 billion fund for SMEs.
Military training aircraft crashes in Saudi Arabia
The National 26 Apr 2015 – The accident was reported to have happened on Sunday morning.
Syrian regime allows citizens abroad to renew passports
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Citizens living outside Syria can now renew their travel documents without facing a security check.
Scared to stay inside, Nepal quake victims get treated in car park
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Medics in the Himalayan nation describe the overwhelming conditions of trying to save those grievously wounded by Saturday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake as officials said nearly 6,000 people were injured.
Indonesia defiant as UN condemns looming executions
The National 26 Apr 2015 – The 72-hour notice indicates the executions by firing squad in Besi prison on Nusakambangan Island will be carried out at the earliest on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Loons and superheroes liven up UK election
The National 26 Apr 2015 – As Bitons head to the polls on May 7, some new arrivals are bringing much-needed merriment to the proceedings.
Manila urges Asean to stop Beijing in South China Sea
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Philippine foreign secretary Albert del Rosario has urged Asean to ‘stand up’ to China by urging it to halt its reclamation work
Syria border closure cuts off key Jordan trade route
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Hundreds of importers and exporters lost millions of dollars worth of goods when rebels pillaged the vast free trade zone that straddled the border, most of it on the Syrian side.
As Kazakhstan votes, strongman Nazarbayev tipped for fresh term
The National 26 Apr 2015 – If he wins a new five-year term, Nursultan Nazarbayev will be on course to reach three decades as president of Kazakhstan.
Rescue of avalanche victims on Mount Everest under way
The National 26 Apr 2015 – The death toll had risen to 17 and could increase further – it was the deadliest disaster in the history of Mount Everest.
Rescuers reach Mount Everest base camp – in pictures
The National 26 Apr 2015 – The first rescue plane carrying people injured in an avalanche at the Everest base camp arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday carrying 15 climbers who survived the collapse triggered by Nepal’s worst earthquake in 81 years.
Baltimore protest turns violent – video
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Violence erupts during a protest against the death in police custody of a black man.
Migrants in ex-US Navy base wait and hope for pass to new life – video
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Migrants housed in a former US Navy base in Sicily patiently wait for their asylum applications to be processed and try to fill their days with sport and commerce.
Nepal quake toll rising – video
The National 26 Apr 2015 – The number of dead in the Nepal quake rises further while survivors struggle to find shelter.
Gaza’s water crisis – in pictures
The National 26 Apr 2015 – The 50-day bombardment of Gaza by Israel took a huge toll on Palestinians and their access to basic amenities such as clean water.
Nepal quake kills nearly 2,000 – in pictures
The National 26 Apr 2015 – Rescuers in Nepal searched frantically Sunday for survivors of a huge quake that killed nearly 2,000, digging through rubble in the devastated capital Kathmandu and airlifting victims of an avalanche at Everest base camp.
Things to know about Nepal’s powerful quake
The National 26 Apr 2015 – The death toll climbed and aftershocks continued a day after a powerful earthquake struck the Nepal region, triggering an avalanche on Mount Everest and setting off an urgent aid response.
Israel’s High Court denies justice to Palestinian property owners
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Nepal earthquake updates / Death toll rises to 2,500, thousands wounded
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
IDF foils attempted terror attack in Golan, near Syria border
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
3 young women jailed in Russia for twerking next to WWII monument
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Israel’s consumer protection authority finally lives up to its good name
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Generic drug maker Mylan makes official offer for Perrigo
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Israeli homes vulnerable to giant earthquake
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Business in Brief / Stratasys shares tumble amid spate of bearish news
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Israel may hike property taxes to cool housing demand
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Defense Minister Ya’alon: Iran continues to arm Hezbollah
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Israel nationalized oil pipeline once part-owned by Iran, says chairman
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Israel to limit fishing in Mediterranean in response to declining fish stocks
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Dreams of hiking in Nepal lost in an earthquake nightmare
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Peres says big money from speeches goes to charity
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
At Republican Jewish confab, Cruz pledges to repair Israel relations
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Aid begins flowing into Nepal, as death toll tops 2200
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Israeli army indicts three soldiers for looting during Gaza war
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Settlers farming land Israeli army has closed off to its Palestinian owners
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Israel ramping up rescue efforts in Nepal
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
President Rivlin: Armenians were the first victims of modern mass killing
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Police arrest suspect in Jerusalem car ramming attack
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
WATCH: Netanyahu gets a starring role in Obama’s White House dinner zingers
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Google exec dies in avalanche triggered by Nepal quake
Ha’aretz – 26 Apr 2015
Text messaging is so 2014: Glide brings video chat to smartphones (and the Apple Watch)
Ha’aretz – 25 Apr 2015
Three children wounded in Eilat shooting
Ha’aretz – 25 Apr 2015
Israel must free Palestinian MP Khalida Jarrar
Ha’aretz – 25 Apr 2015
Herzog hails IDF for thwarting terror attack on Israel-Syria border
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Netanyahu praises IDF for killing four militants near Israel-Syria border
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Global agenda: Financial services
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Whether and for how long this structure of deceit and lies can survive is a serious question in its own right. But so long as it does, we the customers must train ourselves to be aware.
Citi competition attracts 21 financial start-ups to Jerusalem
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Jerusalem was one of four cities chosen to host the Europe, Middle East and Africa leg of the global competition, alongside London, Warsaw and Nairobi.
IAF kills 4 terrorists who crossed into Israel from Syria and planted bombs
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – The IDF said in an official statement that it will not “tolerate any attempt to harm or violate Israeli sovereignty.”
Terrorists killed in attempted attack on IDF soldiers near Israeli-Syrian border
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Three suspects held in French investigation into failed church attack
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
IDF mission to Nepal delayed 12 hours due to problems with landing runway in Kathmandu
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Ya’alon: Iran is currently seeking to smuggle advanced arms to Hezbollah
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – A day after Al Jazeera reported that the IAF struck missile bases in Syria, defense minister warns: We will not allow the transfer of quality weapons to Hezbollah.
French Hill terror attack survivor regains consciousness, in stable condition
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Klein sustained serious head trauma and a broken hand during the April 16 attack that killed Yohai Cherki, 25.
At correspondents’ dinner, Obama jokes over Israel tensions
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – US President takes on stand-up comedy sketch at annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner.
Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline Company beach property to be returned to the public
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – The government first announced its intentions to open the beach to the public in the weeks following a massive December 3 oil spill.
First rescue plane carrying Israelis from Nepal to land in Israel Monday morning
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Netanyahu’s blessing to Druse gets warm reception on holiday
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Tens of thousands showed up on Saturday and President Reuven Rivlin is scheduled to attend on Monday.
Court gives Upper Nazareth mayor lenient sentence, no prison time for bribery, fraud
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Gafsou can return to office despite convictions.
Turkey scrambles two F-16 jets on Syrian border
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
US, allies conduct 23 air strikes in Syria, Iraq
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Hamodia haredi news paper condemn attack on IDF officer
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Yated Neeman denounces haredi participation in Remembrance Day events.
Netanyahu briefed on efforts to help Nepal after quake: This is the real face of Israel
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Multiple Israeli delegations heading to quake-hit Himalayan country to help rescue and treatment effort as well as to search for missing Israelis.
Rocks thrown at Jerusalem light rail
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Police find pistol believed linked to Eilat drive-by that wounded three children
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Michael Mor, long one of Israel’s most notorious crime bosses, was apparently the intended target of Saturday night’s shooting.
Report finds even in high-tech, travel restrictions slow Gazan business
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – The report looked at five industries since Hamas took over in 2007: furniture, food processing, agriculture, textile, and information and communications.
Car bombs, suicide attack kill at least 22 in Iraq
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Lipman joins Lone Soldier Center
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Lipman was not re-elected to the Knesset in the March 17 election, as he was 17th on Yesh Atid’s list which won 11 seats.
Israeli Embassy, Chabad House in Kathmandu house Israelis left shelterless from quake
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
MDA rescue team heads to Nepal
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – MDA also launched a donations drive on behalf of Nepal to assist Nepalese citizens who have been left without a roof, food or water.
British council candidate says she will never support ‘the Jew’ Ed Miliband for PM
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – This marks the first time a candidate running for office has referenced the opposition leader’s religion.
Three US citizens dead in Nepal earthquake
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 –
Report: Israeli strike in Syria was aimed at thwarting attack on strategic targets in Golan
Jerusalem Post 26 Apr 2015 – Kuwaiti daily quotes Western diplomatic source as saying IDF struck targets in Qalamun Mountain region to prevent a plan that aimed to draw Israel into a war with Syria.
Israel says air strike on Syrian border was targeting militants
The Guardian 26 Apr 2015 – Israeli prime minister says strike was attempt to prevent attack from ‘armed terrorists’ seen carrying explosives near border Israel’s military said Sunday it launched an air strike on its border with Syria after spotting militants carrying…
Yemen foreign minister snubs Saleh’s call for peace talks
Daily Star 26 Apr 2015 Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh Yaseen Sunday rejected a call for peace talks issued by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and said a Saudi-led military campaign against Iran-allied Houthi fighters opposed to his government had not ended.
Israel strikes Golan to ‘prevent attack’
Daily Star 26 Apr 2015 Israel’s military said Sunday it launched an airstrike on its border with Syria after spotting militants carrying a bomb in the occupied Golan Heights.
Asiri seeks to defuse tension with Hezbollah
Daily Star 26 Apr 2015 Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Asiri sought Sunday to defuse tension with Hezbollah over the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen, voicing hope that the kingdom’s relations with all Lebanese parties would be calm in the…
Air raids on market kill 40 as Syria regime strikes back
Daily Star 26 Apr 2015 Airstrikes on a marketplace in Idlib province Sunday killed at least 40 civilians, including women and children, as Syrian forces stepped up attacks on rebels a day after losing a key town.
Obama turns 2016 hopefuls into comic fodder
Daily Star 26 Apr 2015 A presidential election just getting into gear provided U.S. President Barack Obama plenty of new material to work with on the night he jokingly described as Washington celebrating itself.
Champville stun Riyadi to level series
Daily Star 26 Apr 2015 Champville silenced the critics as they defeated reigning champions Riyadi Beirut 96-88 to level the best-of-seven semifinal series 1-1 Sunday at Dik al-Mehde.
Hezbollah keeps quiet about border airstrike
Daily Star 26 Apr 2015 Hezbollah refused to comment Sunday on reports that Israel targeted its interests on the Syria-Lebanon border over the weekend.
US Secretary of State Kerry to meet with Iran foreign minister Monday
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – ….
Winehouse family criticizes ‘misleading’ movie about singer
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – ….
How to prevent the next fallen soldier
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – Op-ed: Rocket fired at southern Israel on Independence Day served as a reminder that if Israeli leadership continues to avoid pursuing a deal with Palestinians, circle of bereavement will grow. ….
Israel’s secret cooperation with Hamas
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – Analysis: For several weeks now, official representatives of the Israeli government and defense establishment have been holding a real dialogue with the Islamic terrorist group in a bid to reach a long-term calm on the Gaza border. ….
Women vow not to let Beit Shemesh turn into ‘Taliban city’
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – Four women who won trial against municipality over modesty signs plan to use money they received to fund further activities against haredi radicalization. ….
IDF kill four terrorists trying to infiltrate Israel from north
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – ….
Official: Palestinian operatives helped free Syria hostages
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – ….
French leader visits gas chamber to honor Nazi camp victims
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – President Hollande warns against resurgence of anti-Semitism at the only WWII concentration camp on French soil ….
A ticking bomb awaits Israel on its northern border
YNet News, 26 Apr 2015 – Analysis: Even if the alleged Israeli strike in Syria destroyed a missile shipment to Hezbollah, it’s still a drop in the ocean; the Shiite organization’s monstrous weapons arsenal will not be eliminated by occasional surgical strikes. ….
Clashes flare up in al-Khalil after killing of Palestinian youth
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – Violent clashes burst out in the Old City of al-Khalil south of the West Bank on Saturday evening after the news spread of the Israeli shooting to death of a young man.
Europe’s Feeble Efforts to ‘Punish’ Israel
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – The question of punishing illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territory was considered separately in Europe and Israel last week, with only superficial differences in the conclusions reached.
Palestinian-European chamber of commerce sees the day in Berlin Conference
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – Palestinian entrepreneurs have announced the establishment of the Palestinian-European Chamber of Commerce and the Coalition of Palestinian Businessman in Europe.
Erdogan: Turkey shall forever stand up for Palestinians’ rights
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated in a written speech dispatched to the 13th Palestinians in Europe Conference Turkey’s undeviating back-up of the Palestinian cause.
Israel bars entry of 85% of metal materials to Gaza
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – Muhammad Hamad, the vice president of Metal and Engineering Industries Union, affirmed that Israel is preventing the entry of 85% of necessary equipment and metal materials to the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians rally against Israel’s demolition of civilian homes
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – Hundreds of Palestinians in the 1948 Occupied Palestine took to the streets afternoon Saturday to voice their firm disapproval of Israel’s arbitrary demolition of Palestinian homes.
3 Israeli cops injured in alleged hit-and-run in Occupied Jerusalem
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – Three Israeli police officers were injured Saturday evening when struck by a car in Jerusalem’s al-Tur neighborhood.
Abu Sabha: 90,000 Palestinians stranded due to closure of Rafah crossing
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – Head of the Committee of Gaza’s Border Crossings, Maher Abu Sabha, urged the Egyptian authorities to open the Rafah border crossing permanently.
Palestinian youth shot dead by Israeli soldiers in al-Khalil
PIC – 26 Apr 2015 – The Israeli occupation soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian youth Saturday allegedly after the teenager attempted to stab a border police officer near the Ibrahimi Mosque.
Strike, clashes in O.J. protesting the murder of Abu Ghannam
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – Palestinians in Occupied Jerusalem have launched a commercial strike over the Israeli killing of the minor Ali Abu Ghannam in the early hours of Saturday.
Activities of the 13th Conference of Palestinians in Europe launched in Berlin
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – The activities of the 13th Conference of Palestinians in Europe were lunched in Berlin on Saturday. The conference witnessed a large-scale participation of the Palestinian community in Europe.
Caracas conference asserts Palestinians’ right of resistance
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – The Participants in the first Pro-Palestinian conference in Latin America asserted the Palestinians’ right of resisting the Israeli occupation by all forms including armed resistance.
2771 Palestinian martyrs in Syria
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – A documentary report of the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria disclosed that 2771 Palestinian refugees in Syria were killed from the beginning of the conflict until the end of March, 2015.
Israeli doctor tries to kill Palestinian prisoner
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – The Palestinian liberated prisoner Faisel Sabana was subjected to an attempted murder at the hands of an Israeli doctor during his detention in Jalama detention center.
Ki-moon expresses concern over humanitarian suffering in Gaza
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon expressed his concern over the humanitarian suffering among besieged Palestinians in Gaza Strip.
Haneyya: Positive signs regarding relations with Egypt and Saudi Arabia
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – Ismail Haneyya, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau, said that Hamas received many “positive signs” from Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Palestinian factions warn of the continued blockade on Gaza
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – Palestinian national and Islamic forces in Gaza warned Israel of the consequences of committing any new stupidity against the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians show solidarity with Turkey
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – Thousands of Palestinian worshipers have participated together with around 300 Turkish citizens in a solidarity vigil after Friday prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque.
Palestinian minor shot dead in O. Jerusalem
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – A 16-year-old Palestinian boy was shot dead overnight while trying to cross al-Zayyim checkpoint to the east of occupied Jerusalem along with his relative.
7 casualties, including serious eye injury, in IOF quelling of march
PIC – 25 Apr 2015 – Seven Palestinians were injured, including one who lost his eye, after Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) opened fire on the Kafr Qaddum weekly march.
Israel Orders Family of Abu Ghannam to Pay $5000 as Condition to Release his Body
WAFA – 26 Apr 2015
Finkelstein goes to Syracuse and the opposition stays home
Mondoweiss – After the attempt the previous week to cancel Josh Ruebner’s speaking engagement (author of SHATTERED HOPES) by concerned Syracuse University faculty, I expected similar push back for Finkelstein’s scheduled presentation on April 23, 2015, about the Gaza assault of last summer. The evening before Ruebner was…
‘Israel First’– for gay couple who hosted Ted Cruz
Mondoweiss – The Republican desire for Jewish/Zionist money is permitting the press to talk about the Israel lobby at last. And the words “Israel First” have shown up in the Daily Beast . Yesterday the NYT published an account of a gathering for Ted Cruz in NY held by…
Reconstructionist Jewish site censors rabbi’s essay because he supports BDS and one state
Mondoweiss – BDS is coming inside the Jewish community. That is the clear thrust of several recent events in which Jews who are appalled by Israel’s conduct are insisting on their right to discuss the use of boycott, divestment and sanctions as a means to pressure Israeli society….
Non-Jewish Israelis remain faceless, nameless, voiceless in ‘New York Times’ coverage
Mondoweiss – I suggest New York Times Jerusalem Bureau Chief Jodi Rudoren put a sign above her desk that says, “one out of five Israelis is Palestinian.” Because she once again forgets this fact in an article about public buses on the Sabbath– “ Push for Buses on…
It’s time– again– for BDS to end oppression
Mondoweiss – For many Africans, a sense of déjà vu was unavoidable last month as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed, ‘”Whoever moves to establish a Palestinian state or intends to withdraw from territory is simply yielding territory for radical Islamic terrorist attacks against Israel.” Asked by the…
Hillel Rules on Israel Suffer Blow as U. Penn Chapter Hosts Event With ‘Palestine’ Group
The Forward New 26 Apr 2015 – Hillel’s controversial strict pro-Israel guidelines suffered another major blow Sunday as the group’s chapter at the University of Pennsylvania openly hosted an event co-sponsored by a pro-Palestinian student group that supports boycotting the Jewish state.
Terrorists Planting Bomb on Israeli-Syria Border Killed in Strike
The Foward Breaking News 26 Apr 2015 – Four terrorists attempting to plant a bomb along Israel’s border with Syria were killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Nepal Earthquake Aftershocks Delays IDF Emergency Aid Mission
The Foward Breaking News 26 Apr 2015 – An Israel Defense Forces emergency aid mission to Nepal was delayed after a runway in the capital city of Kathmandu was damaged by aftershocks.
Children of Bergen-Belsen Survivors Warn ‘Never Forget,’ 70 Years After Liberation
The Foward Breaking News 26 Apr 2015 – Seventy years after the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, some 100 people personally touched by the history returned to the site to share their memories.
Devastating Nepal Earthquake Hits Israeli Backpackers and Would-Be Surrogate Parents
The Forward New 26 Apr 2015 – Israeli backpackers traded stories of narrow escapes from the massive earthquake that rocked Nepal and dozens of would-be surrogate parents held out hope they could complete adoptions of newborn babies in the Himalayan nation.
Ted Cruz Vows Closer Israel Ties at ‘Sheldon Adelson Primary’ in Las Vegas
The Forward New 26 Apr 2015 – Vying for the attention of major donors, Republicans attending a Jewish forum for presidential contenders said they would make better relations with Israel a priority.
Should Saudi Arabia test Iran’s offer of diplomacy on Yemen?
Al-Monitor 25 Apr 2015 – Iranian officials offer diplomatic initiative and warnings on Yemen; book burning in Giza; Kremlin ignored Israeli objections on missile system sale to Iran; Russian “soft power” in the Middle East.
Articles
Israel’s twist on international law
Charlotte Silver, Al Jazeera 4/26/2015
Israel’s laws are meant to save them from the past and protect them from the future.
In the coming days, Israel will announce whether an incident known as “Black Friday” will warrant a criminal investigation.
On that day, August 1, 2014, with no warning, the Israeli army let loose a torrent of shells, missiles, drone strikes and mortars on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in order to prevent the capture of an Israeli soldier by ensuring his death. The army killed at least 123 Palestinians. The act was derived from the Hannibal Directive, a policy developed in the 1980s that calculated a soldier was of more strategic value dead than alive and turned into something with which to be bartered by an enemy army.
Since Israel began its internal investigations into its 51-day assault on Gaza last summer, the Military Advocate General (MAG) has opened 19 criminal investigations. That’s a handful more than were opened after Israel’s 2008-2009 assault on Gaza.
Those investigations led to a single criminal indictment and a firm scolding by Israeli human rights organisations, B’tselem and Yesh Din, for their inexorable ties to the military’s interests.
Self-investigation process
The army has insisted that its self-investigation process has since sufficiently improved to satisfy critics (and the International Criminal Court) since it implemented the recommendations of the Turkel Commission from 2013.
But comparing the list of cases already closed without further investigation with those that have been opened makes it clear that the MAG is determined to exonerate the policies that wreaked the most systematic death and destruction…. more.. e-mail
Courting apartheid: how Israel’s top judges rubber-stamp discrimination
Ben White, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 4/26/2015
Israel’s Supreme Court has long been held up as a resolute defender of liberal values. Recent decisions handed down by its judges, however, provide an important opportunity to revisit this claim, and to interrogate its past and present validity.
According to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Court “upholds the rule of law and strengthens human rights.” (A note on terminology. Israel’s Supreme Court also sits as the High Court of Justice (HCJ) for constitutional matters and citizens’ petitions against government entities.)
This narrative is often reproduced by Israel’s defenders. In March 2012, for example, Time magazine’s Joe Klein hailed the Court as “one of the world’s great bastions of civilized legal contemplation” and “a precious monument to the rule of law.”
Others have argued that the courts in Israel are a check on racist legislation. Richard Goldstone, in his 2011 ‘apartheid slander’ op-ed, claimed that in Israel, “equal rights are the law” and “inequities are often successfully challenged in court.” Israel lobby group BICOM trumpets “the effectiveness of the Israeli Courts in countering incidents of unfair discrimination when they do arise.”
The role of the Court in Israel’s public diplomacy is clear – and not just in the crass boast that the court includes an Arab judge (the only one from 66 past and present justices). At the UN Human Rights Committee last October, a senior Israeli official “proudly recounted” rulings by the Supreme Court in striking down amendments to the Prevention of Infiltration Law.
According to an article in Ha’aretz, this was an example of “using High Court rulings to demonstrate Israel’s commitment to human rights” even as the government “flouts them.” While true, there are good grounds for questioning the Court’s own ‘commitment’ to human rights. more.. e-mail
Commemorating the Nakba at a Grim Time
Samah Jabr, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 4/26/2015
Sixty-seven years after the massive expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and lands, the scene in Palestine is grimmer than ever. We observe for example that following almost a year of meetings, the US-backed talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel fell apart last April. What followed that summer was an escalation of violence and a destructive war on Gaza.
Although a reconciliation agreement was signed by conflicting Palestinian political parties in 2014, we are still living with the devastating effects of the war on Gaza and the political polarization – which rather than resolving, is now at its peak. The reconstruction of Gaza is on hold; Gaza government employees who were hired between 2007 and 2014 have not been receiving their salaries by the PA government despite the “reconciliation;” continuous electricity and clean water are unavailable in Gaza; and its Rafah entrance has been blocked for more than 100 consecutive days. PA officials claim that Hamas took part in secret negotiations with Israel about its plan to turn the Gaza Strip into a separate Palestinian entity. The PA considers that plan a “scandalous conspiracy” and promises to not let it take place. Meanwhile, officials in Gaza dismiss such allegations as “false polemics” and clarify that they are negotiating merely to end the siege, to exchange prisoners, and to achieve a long term truce. Despite all its years of negotiations, the PA never addressed lifting of the siege of the Gaza Strip. And regarding the fate of East Jerusalem, where the PA hopes to establish the capital of the Palestinian state in accordance with the Oslo Accords, officials are giving no more than a lip service. And worst of all no one dares to talk about the right of Return.
During the recent clashes between the “Islamic State” and Palestinian fighters at Al Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus (where the besieged and starved population has shrunk from 150,000 to approximately 16,000 during the last four years of violence in Syria), there was a presidential decree that all public employees “volunteer” one day’s salary to save Al Yarmouk…. more.. e-mail
VIDEO – Israeli officer attacks, throws stones at photojournalists
Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man, video by Miki Kratsman, Activestills.org, +972 Magazine 4/24/2015
Video shows Israeli photojournalist and AFP photographer being attacked by Israeli soldiers at the weekly protest against the occupation in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh. One Palestinian protester is reportedly shot with live fire.
Israeli soldiers threw stones at and attacked Israeli and Palestinian photojournalists during a protest in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh on Friday, during which the army used live fire against protesters. One Palestinian was reportedly shot in the head.
Palestinians in Nabi Saleh hold weekly protests every Friday against the occupation and to demand access to the village’s spring, which was taken over by Israeli settlers.
In a video of the event, a soldier can be seen throwing a stone at Israeli photojournalist Haim Schwarczenberg and a Palestinian photographer who works for AFP as they attempt to comply with soldiers’ orders to leave the area. In 2011, Schwarczenberg photographed the close-range shooting of Mustafa Tamimi with a tear gas projectile fired from a military jeep in Nabi Saleh. Tamimi later died of his injuries.
As he walks away, an officer runs after him and pushes Schwarczenberg to the ground. When he gets up and moves further away from them, the officer throws another stone at Schwarczenberg and the AFP photographer.
Schwarczenberg told +972’s and its Hebrew site, Local Call, that he was standing on a hill photographing Palestinian stone throwers when his colleague, Abbas, told him to get close to the ground because soldiers were shooting live bullets at the stone throwers. more.. e-mail
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The New Dark Age 