29 April 2015 — VTJP
News
International Middle East Media Center
Israeli Forces Demolish Livestock Structure in Nablus
IMEMC – 29 Apr 2015 – Israeli forces, on Wednesday, demolished a Palestinian-owned structure used for raising livestock in Rujeib village, to the south of Nablus, according to a local activist. …
United Nations Mideast Peace Coordinator Arrives in Gaza
IMEMC – 29 Apr 2015 – The new general coordinator for the peace process in the Middle East, Nikolai Mladenov, arrived on Wednesday morning in the Gaza Strip, through the Beit Hanoun crossing in northern Gaza. …
Long-term Ceasefire Proposed by Turkey and Qatar
IMEMC – 29 Apr 2015 – A long-term ceasefire between Hamas and the Israeli occupation has been proposed by Turkey and Qatar. …
Settlers Damage Water Pipes in Hebron’s Old City District
IMEMC – 29 Apr 2015 – A group of Israeli settlers damaged water pipes serving the Palestinian community in Hebron’s Old City, Tuesday, according to locals. …
Army Kidnaps Thirteen Palestinians In The West Bank, Conducts Training In Jenin
IMEMC – 29 Apr 2015 – Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Wednesday at dawn, nine Palestinians in Hebron, three in Bethlehem, and one Nablus. Clashes took place in Nablus, and the soldiers conducted live fire training in different areas of Jenin. …
Israeli forces detain 19 Palestinians in arrest raids
4/29/2015 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Wednesday detained 19 Palestinians in raids across the West Bank, including nine in the town of Beit Ummar near Hebron and seven near Qaliqiliya. Local activist Muhammad Ayyad Awad told Ma’an that Israeli soldiers entered Beit Ummar before dawn and raided a number of private homes in different neighborhoods across the town, which is located along….
Israeli forces violently disperse al-Tur rally against road closure
4/29/2015 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli polices forces violently dispersed a Palestinian protest in the occupied East Jerusalem village of al-Tur on Wednesday, amid complaints that authorities’ closure of the village’s main road is a form of “collective punishment” against locals. Sources told Ma’an that dozens of residents of the neighborhood on the Mount of Olives as well as foreign activists….
Israeli teens indicted for attacks on Palestinians
4/29/2015 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Jerusalem District Court filed indictments Tuesday against a 19-year-old and two minors from the settlement of Bat Ayin for alleged attacks on Palestinians, Israeli media reported. The three were charged with racially motivated and aggravated assault, assault on a public servant, racially motivated willful damage to property and other charges, Israeli news source Haaretz said, identifying the perpetrators as….
Doctors Without Borders denies collaboration with Israel accusation
4/29/2015 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestine branch of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has denied accusations that members of the mission leaked information on Palestinian patients to Israeli authorities. Head of the MSF Palestine mission, Juan Carlon Cano, told Ma’an that the claims published recently by local Palestinian media are not true and emerged due to an internal conflict between two organization members. Cano….
Israel bans 4 Palestinians from Aqsa mosque
4/29/2015 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities on Tuesday banned four Palestinians from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for varying lengths of time. A magistrate’s court bannedSuad Ubeidiya from the holy site for four months and fined her 1,500 shekels ($386). Salwa Ghazzawi was banned for three months and fined 1,000 ($257) while Ikram Ghazzawi was banned for 45 days and fined 500 shekels….
Hamas police beat, arrest protesters at Gaza rally
4/29/2015 – GAZA CITY (AFP) — Police in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip beat and arrested protesters on Wednesday at a youth rally in the north of the besieged coastal territory, an AFP correspondent said. More than 400 demonstrators gathered in Shujaiyeh, a neighborhood in eastern Gaza City that was razed during a July-August war between Hamas and Israel, urging reconstruction and calling for an end to intra-Palestinian division….
New UN Mideast peace coordinator arrives in Gaza
4/29/2015 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The new United Nations official charged with working toward peace in the Middle East on Wednesday arrived in the besieged Gaza Strip. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov arrived in Gaza at the head of a 10-member delegation via the Erez crossing from southern Israel. The trip to Gaza is a first for Mladenov since….
Carter cancels awaited Gaza visit
4/29/2015 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — In a last minute move, former U. S President Jimmy Carter on Wednesday canceled his visit to the Gaza Strip, scheduled on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. The removal of the Gaza Strip from Carter’s itinerary was announced without reason Wednesday evening by the Elders, a non-governmental organization that describes itself as a group of “independent global leaders….
UNRWA struggles to support Yarmouk residents
4/29/2015 – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — The US government announced a $6 million contribution to UNRWA earlier this week, in one of the few responses to the agency’s call on April 17 for funds to support the devastated Yarmouk refugee camp “We are deeply grateful for all the support we have received from the US for our efforts to help citizens survive this tragedy,” said….
Dozens dead in Yemen as Iran, Saudi step up war of words
4/29/2015 – ADEN (AFP) — Fighting between Shiite rebels and loyalists killed dozens of people across Yemen Tuesday as Iran accused Saudi Arabia of using Cold War-era tactics by airdropping leaflets warning of “Persian expansion.”A Saudi-led coalition carried out air strikes for a seventh straight day since announcing a halt to its aerial campaign, an AFP correspondent and witnesses said. They destroyed the rebel-held Sanaa airport runway….
EU’s Mogherini sees ‘major role’ for Iran in Syria talks
4/29/2015 – UNITED STATES (AFP) — Iran can play a major role in persuading Syrian President Bashar Assad to cooperate in peace talks, EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said Tuesday. Mogherini spoke to reporters ahead of a meeting in New York with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif focused on finalizing the nuclear deal reached this month and regional crises. A final nuclear deal with Iran “could….
Egypt jails 69 Islamists for torching church
4/29/2015 – CAIRO (AFP) — An Egyptian court Wednesday jailed 69 Islamists for life for torching a church near Cairo in August 2013, as anger flared over a crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi. The Coptic church was set on fire and a police station was attacked when violence erupted in the town of Kerdasa on August 14 that year, after hundreds of Morsi supporters died….
Iraq government seeks to counter IS propaganda coup
4/29/2015 – BAGHDAD (AFP) — Iraqi authorities are on the defensive after the Islamic State group scored a major propaganda victory with attacks in Anbar, undermining confidence in Baghdad’s attempts to retake the key province. April began with government forces recapturing the city of Tikrit after a lengthy battle, Baghdad’s biggest victory in the 11-month conflict with the militants. Then Prime Minister Haider….
Syrian Arab Republic: Secretary-General Condemns Bombardment of Yarmouk Camp in Syria
Relief Web 29 Apr 2015 – Source: UN Secretary-General Country: occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic SG/SM/16720 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Secretary-General strongly condemns the shelling and aerial bombardment of the Yarmouk refugee camp in…
Lebanon: Most vulnerable localities in Lebanon – March 2015
Relief Web 29 Apr 2015 – Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Country: Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic Calculation of the Most Vulnerable Localities is based on the following datasets: 1 – Multi-Deprivation Index (MDI) The MDI is a composite index, based on deprivation…
Syrian Arab Republic: Yarmouk Situation Update, 28 April 2015 | Issue No. 23
Relief Web 29 Apr 2015 – Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: occupied Palestinian territory, Syrian Arab Republic The UN Country Team, representing all UN humanitarian agencies in Syria, arranged a 22-truck convoy of critical humanitarian items to…
occupied Palestinian territory: Dubai Cares distributes 50,000 school kits in Gaza
Relief Web 29 Apr 2015 – Source: Emirates News Agency Country: occupied Palestinian territory DUBAI, 29th April, 2015 (WAM) — Following the successful “Rebuild Palestine. Start with Education.” community engagement campaign, a volunteer activity which Dubai Cares organised in January to assemble 50,000 school kits for…
Libya peace plan faces immediate rejection from rival government
The National 29 Apr 2015 – The General National Congress, which controls Tripoli, says the UN-crafted road map hands all power to the internationally-recognised House of Representatives in Tobruk, John Pearson reports.
Syria s new rebel alliance threatens Assad s grip on power
The National 29 Apr 2015 – The victories of Jaysh Al Fateh illustrate the growing dominance of Al Qaeda affiliate, Jabhat Al Nusra, in Syria.
Saudi Arabia s King Salman changes line of succession
The National 29 Apr 2015 – Saudi Arabia s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud appoints interior minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as the new crown prince and the king s son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as the new deputy crown prince.
Nepalese family mourns 18 lost in single house collapse
The National 29 Apr 2015 – Even in a country where death and destruction have touched a vast area, the grief visited upon Shankar Pradhan s family is overwhelming.
Anger erupts on the streets of Nepal as patience runs out
The National 29 Apr 2015 – Desperate to leave, thousands of people began gathering from before dawn outside the main bus station after the government promised to lay on special services to far-flung rural areas.
Crew on Iran-seized ship safe and in good spirits
The National 29 Apr 2015 – The managing director of the Iranian Ports and Maritime Organisation told Iranian media that the confiscation was ordered after a private company on March 16 filed a complaint against Maersk over unpaid debts.
Philippines hails miracle reprieve for death row Filipina
The National 29 Apr 2015 – Veloso s sons, 6 and 12, in Indonesia to say goodbye to their mother, yelled: ‘Yes, yes! Mama will
live!’ according to their grandmother.
Nigerian military at odds over identity of released hostages
The National 29 Apr 2015 – Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said the former hostages were being screened to determine their identities and said it was ‘not yet confirmed’ if the Chibok schoolgirls were among them.
Indonesia defends executions, Australia withdraws ambassador
The National 29 Apr 2015 – The seven convicts two from Australia, one from Brazil and four from Africa were shot by firing squad along with one Indonesian, despite strident foreign appeals and pleas from family members.
How Israel s war on Gaza blitzed 17,000 jobs
The National 28 Apr 2015 – Last summer’s war destroyed hundreds of factories, businesses and workplaces, shifting the unemployment rate to 50 per cent and leaving few prospects for young Gazans.
Australia condemns executions in Indonesia – video
The National 29 Apr 2015 – An Indonesian firing squad executes eight convicted drug-traffickers from several countries, prompting Australia to recall its envoy to Jakarta.
Police promise vigilance as Obama weighs in on Baltimore violence – video
The National 29 Apr 2015 – President Obama says there is no excuse for the rioting in Baltimore overnight, as police and officials assemble their resources to ensure the violence is not repeated.
Trail of destruction across Himalayan kingdom, as hospitals are overwhelmed by injured – video
The National 29 Apr 2015 – Nepal’s deadly earthquake has left behind a trail of destruction across the Himalayan kingdom, while hospital officials admit they’re overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.
The endless continental drift: How the world came to know about plate tectonics
The National 29 Apr 2015 – It took a German soldier badly injured in the First World War to work out what causes devastating earthquakes like the one that has left thousands dead in Nepal
Apple to hire hundreds of new Israeli employees
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
The Ticker / Teva launches generic version of schizophrenia drug in U.S.
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Likud signs coalition deals with Kulanu, UTJ
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Privatization czar says there is strong interest in Israel Military Industries
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Four Israeli soldiers arrested for suspected gang rape
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Why the Chinese are about to fall in love with the Dead Sea
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Religious Zionism: Neither Zionist nor religious
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
U.S. pressing France to postpone UN resolution on Palestine
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Fired Al Jazeera America employee suing network for ‘anti-Semitic, anti-U.S.’ work environment
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Middle East Updates / Zarif says lifting of sanctions to start within days of nuclear deal
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Nepal earthquake updates / Obama calls Nepalese premier, pledges U.S. aid
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Report: Jeb Bush loses ‘Adelson primary’ over James Baker’s J-Street speech
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter cancels Gaza visit
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
For the American right, Israel embodies the values that Obama s U.S. no longer does
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Baltimore meets Holon: Police brutality against Ethiopian-Israeli caught on tape
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Israel sends aid to Nepal, but what about Gaza? On Israel s selective compassion
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
It takes an earthquake in Nepal to talk about surrogacy in Israel
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Cameron shouts out support for Israel’s right to defend itself
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Russian supply spaceship spinning out of control
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Tory incumbent: Vote for Labour endangers Middle East peace process
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Chief justice raps Netanyahu for trying to curb Supreme Court s power
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Senior Likud official: Netanyahu has drastic plans for communications market
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Rabbi Pinto endures rocky start to sentencing hearing for bribery
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Ultra-Orthodox mayor cancels bar/bat mitzvah for disabled children
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Bernie Sanders, Jewish senator from Vermont, expected to announce presid
ential run
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
WATCH: Baltimore police clash with protesters on second night of riots
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Unveiling the tragedy of Theodor Herzl’s family
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Israel’s nuclear whistleblower detained over ‘long conversation’ with foreigners
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Ignoring the occupation won’t make Israel a normal country
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
After Nepal earthquake, Israelis already on the ground join relief efforts
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Hamas rebuilding Gaza forces as military leader returns to the helm
Ha’aretz – 29 Apr 2015
Nepal, the IDF and gay public relations
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
Business in Brief / TA-25 drops sharply, weighed down by Teva
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
Israel s fire ( this time
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
Low Bank of Israel rates spur loan refinancing
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
Get Taxi to get pizza, too
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
Pest control in educational institutions going unregulated
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
Israel needn’t worry: Spillover from Syria is not a real escalation
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
Israeli hip-hop star hopping mad over ‘Palestine’ gazelle
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
Israeli women no longer need to hide their identities in sexual harassment cases
Ha’aretz – 28 Apr 2015
2014 record year for Israeli defense purchases
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Some $3.2b. of defense purchases were made from factories and companies situated in national priority zones in the North and South.
US Senate rejects tying terrorism support to Iran sanctions relief
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
Yellow-and-blue aims to put recent slump in rearview mirror
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
Mac TA, Beersheba set up date in Cup final
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Yellow-and-blue defeats Nazareth 3-0 while southerners score seven against Afula in record showing.
US Air Force plans to launch 1990s-built weather satellite
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
Bill Clinton’s plane diverted by engine trouble in Tanzania
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
Agriculture Ministry unites with NGOs to reduce post-harvest food losses
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Current projections suggest that even with improved crop yields, we will not be able to meet the world s demand for food by 2050, official says.
Two-thirds of doctors actions may be superfluous
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Paper presents the first rigorous evaluation of the effect of computer-based decision support on doctors decisions.
Ex-chief justice Barak: Override legislation poison pill for every basic law
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – President Rivlin said he agreed with Barak on a number of issues.
Iran FM: Demands for Assad’s ouster fuel Syria bloodshed
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
Senate amends Iran nuclear agreement oversight bill with passage in mind
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – The White House says it will block legislation that interferes with negotiations between Iran, the US and other world powers over Iran’s nuclear program.
Washington touts US-Saudi ties in midst of leadership changes in Riyadh
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
Bat Ayin teens indicted for price-tag attacks
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Indictments include litany of charges, including assaulting Arabs and an IDF officer.
Rehovot mayor nixes non-Orthodox Bar Mitzva ceremony for autistic children
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – The Masorti Movement’s Bar and Bat Mitzva program for special needs children has been around for almost 20 years.
Experts at upcoming Shurat Hadin conference on changing laws of war discuss thorny issues
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – ‘Post’ speaks with three top experts on the law of armed conflict who will be among those on panel.
Sanctions to be lifted within days of signing agreement, Iran’s FM says
Jerusalem Post 2
9 Apr 2015 –
Dignity in Baltimore
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Of nearly two dozen residents of West Baltimore interviewed by the ‘Post,’ not one was surprised with the unfolding riots against police.
US-led coalition conducts 21 air strikes on ISIS in Syria, Iraq
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
South African man sentenced after killing, eating heart of victim
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
White House says concerned about impact of Iran vessel seizure
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
A summer of musical choice in Israel
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Amid the oldies revivals headed here soon are some young, fresh artists that may have slipped under your radar.
Author s battle with Holocaust denier to hit silver screen
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Two-time Academy Award winner Hillary Swank to play renowned author whose litigious battle with the pseudohistorian lasted four years.
Charlie Hebdo cartoonist says he will no longer draw Prophet
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
Netanyahu signs coalition deals with Kulanu, UTJ; Kahlon promises reforms
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Kahlon says that the new government will pursue reforms in housing and banks, and will act to close economic gaps in Israeli society; deal with UTJ shows several major concessions to haredim.
Making peace with her past
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Among offerings at Tel Aviv s International Documentary Festival is Look at Us Now, Mother director Gayle Kirschenbaum s personal take on the rocky relationships between mothers and daughters.
Major progress made on addressing sexual abuse in orthodox community
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, the founder of Project YES, speaks about the improvements made in reporting abuse in the haredi community and the challenges that remain.
New York jury says no verdict in trial of accused murderer of Jewish boy Etan Patz
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
US official: Iran’s role in regional events could derail nuclear deal
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 – “We’re still quite concerned about state-sponsored terrorism, we’re quite concerned about human rights, we’re quite concerned by what is happening in Yemen, what’s happening in Syria,” official says.
US asks India, others to go slow in boosting trade ties with Iran
Jerusalem Post 29 Apr 2015 –
Republican contenders schlep to Vegas to woo growing Jewish donor base
The Guardian 27 Apr 2015 – Our best recruiting agents have been Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, said a spokesman for the Republican Jewish Coalition as presidential hopefuls lined up to attack the president s foreign policy The well-dressed attendees of this weekend s…
Syrian rebels battle ISIS allies near Golan
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 Syrian rebel militias battled two small armed groups suspected of links to ISIS in Qunaitra province near the border with Israel, with at least 38 people killed in days of clashes, a spokesman and activists said…
Saudi reshuffle will enhance stability, Hariri says
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri congratulated the new Saudi crown prince and deputy crown prince appointed by King Salman Wednesday, saying the reshuffle would enhance Saudi Arabia s stability.
King Salman resets succession to cope with turbulent times
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 Saudi Arabia s King Salman bin Abdel-Aziz al-Saud appointed a new heir and made his young son second in line to rule Wednesday, a major shift in power toward two princes who have overseen a more assertive…
How to make the Lebanese fall in love with single malt whiskey
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 Whiskey drinkers in Lebanon looking for something different may find themselves well-served by a visit to Beirut s Phoenicia Hotel.
Majdalani testifies for second day at STL
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 MP Atef Majdalani continued his testimony Wednesday at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Echoing statements made by previous witnesses, Majdalani told the court that there were a number of indicators that former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri s…
France to send more weapons this summer
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 Following the killing of 17 people in early January in Paris by gunmen who targeted the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket and the French authorities announcement last week that they had foiled a…
Degradation of UNRWA services boosts extremism
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 A failure to deliver much-needed services to refugees in Pal
estinian camps across Lebanon will leave a vacuum that could be filled by extremist groups, the spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said Wednesday.
Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie s CHR
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 The first visit of Salma Hayek to her ancestral homeland, Lebanon, aimed to launch the animated feature film The Prophet attracted all the national and international media.
Lebanon freezes 13 suspect bank accounts
Daily Star 29 Apr 2015 The Lebanese authorities lifted the banking secrecy on 13 bank accounts for suspicion of money laundering, terrorism funding and financial embezzlement in 2014 and are investigating more cases, the Special Investigation Commission said.
US Senate rejects tying terrorism support to Iran sanctions relief
YNet News, 29 Apr 2015 – ….
Israel must seize the opportunity for a deal with the Palestinians
YNet News, 29 Apr 2015 – Op-ed: In the new map of interests in the Middle East, created by radical Islam’s attack on pro-Western Arab states, the price Israel will be required to pay for a solution to the conflict is exceptionally low. ….
Bill Clinton’s plane makes unscheduled landing in Tanzania
YNet News, 29 Apr 2015 – ….
The new Jewish-Christian alliance
YNet News, 29 Apr 2015 – Op-ed: In a period in which Jews and Christians have a common enemy in the form of radical Islam, Israeli officials should understand the great potential of the building relationship with the Catholic Church. ….
Envoy: UN wants Libya political agreement by Ramadan
YNet News, 29 Apr 2015 – ….
US, allies conduct 21 air strikes in Syria, Iraq
YNet News, 29 Apr 2015 – ….
Woman seriously wounded during Holocaust Day eve attack to be transferred to rehabilitation
YNet News, 29 Apr 2015 – ….
The right way ahead on the Haredi draft
YNet News, 29 Apr 2015 – Op-ed: It is in everyone’s interests if economic incentives are used to boost ultra-Orthodox enlistment and criminal sanctions on draft dodgers are cancelled. ….
Born in Israel, terrorists for Hezbollah
YNet News, 28 Apr 2015 – Two terrorists killed by IDF troops while laying out explosives on Syrian border were brothers from the Druze town of Majdal Shams on Israeli side of Golan Heights. ….
Golani marathon travels through Israel
YNet News, 28 Apr 2015 – 28th annual Golani Brigade Marathon starts in Hermon and will end in Eilat on Thursday; one group of combat soldiers wears shirt to commemorate Major Tzafrir Bar-Or who was killed during Operation Protective Edge. ….
2 Israelis stay behind to help rescue others in Nepal
YNet News, 28 Apr 2015 – Aviv Rozen and Yonathan Molcho cede their seat on a rescue chopper in order to assist remaining Langtang victims of devastating earthquake. ….
Israel to Demolish Water Wells in Hebron
WAFA – 29 Apr 2015
PEX Report: Index Further Declines
WAFA – 29 Apr 2015
European Parliament Group Leads Constructive Dialogue with Schulz on Palestine
WAFA – 29 Apr 2015
Israeli Forces Demolish Livestock Structure in Nablus Village
WAFA – 29 Apr 2015
Men s Participation in Labor Force 4 Times Higher than Women, says Statistics Bureau
WAFA – 29 Apr 2015
US Donates $6m in Support of UNRWA
WAFA – 29 Apr 2015
Newspaper Review: Israeli Army Killing of youth in Jenin Focus of Dailies
WAFA – 29 Apr 2015
Israeli Forces Detain 19 Palestinians from West Bank Districts
WAFA – 29 Apr 2015
PEX Report: Index Down by 13%
WAFA – 28 Apr 2015
Adelson told Jeb Bush that Baker s speech to J St speech cost him a lot of money
Mondoweiss – Sheldon Adelson, who pressed the White House to nuke Iran, now seems to have threatened Jeb Bush over the fact that a foreign policy adviser, James Baker, addressed a liberal Zionist group last month. At issue was Baker s speech to J Street, which has opposed the…
Freedom Theatre: The Siege cultural resistance in Palestine
Mondoweiss – The room was overflowing with people who had come to witness the opening of the play The Siege. Pushing our way through the throng we managed to find some seats, squashed in the middle of a diverse and lively audience. We were sitting in the Freedom…
UC Riverside removes Sabra hummus following student concern over connection to Israeli occupation
Mondoweiss – The following press release was issued byUC Riverside SJP: Riverside, CA (April 22, 2015) University of California, Riverside (UCR) Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) declare a major victory in their efforts to remove the Sabra hummus brand off the shelves after the University dining services…
Haneen Zoabi s power and vision (and answers to Theodore)
Mondoweiss – For years I have known that no understanding of the conflic
t would be complete without seeing the Palestinian politician Haneen Zoabi in action, but it was not till last Friday, when the embattled member of the Israeli Knesset came to New York University and spoke to…
How fighting Islamophobia in the US is connected to working for justice in Israel/Palestine: an interview with Donna Nevel
Mondoweiss – Donna Nevel is a Jewish-American activist, community psychologist, journalist and the founder of Jews Against Islamophobia, an organization that aims to publicize and combat Islamophobia. She is also an active member of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and co-founded the Network Against Islamophobia, a new project…
Israel assassinated my son in cold blood’: Hundreds mourn Palestinian teen killed while walking near separation wall
Mondoweiss – Violence / Attacks / Clashes / Arrests West Bank, Jerusalem Father of Jenin teen says son killed in cold blood JENIN (Ma an) 28 Apr Hundreds of Palestinians attended the funeral of Muhammad Murad Yahiya , 18, on Tuesday after he was shot dead by Israeli forces late Monday…
End the two way arms trade between the UK and Israel: Letter by Manchester Jews for Justice for Palestinians
Mondoweiss – This letter has been written by members of Manchester Jews for Justice forPalestiniansand has beenendorsed by different groups and individuals in theNorth West.Wecall on all individuals, institutions and companiesto end thetwo wayarmstrade betweenthe UKandIsraeland to divest from those companiesinvolved. We deplore theUK s complicity in Israeli war…
Bibi to Announce New Far[ther]-Right Government, as Rumors Swirl of Hamas Hudna Proposal
Tikun Olam – Bibi to Abbas: If you don t play ball with me I m going to shove Hamas up your @!* I ve read three separate major news developments over the past several hours. Though none appear directly related on first glance, I wonder whether there may be interesting and important…
Jewish Groups Stand in Opposition to Hate Speech and All Forms of Islamophobia
Jewish Voice for Peace – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Naomi Dann 845-377-5745 Donna Neveldenevel@gmail.comJewish Groups Stand in Opposition to Hate Speech and All Forms of Islamophobia 4/28/15 Jews Against Islamophobia Coalition stands strongly in opposition to Islamophobia in all its manifestations. Most recently, the courts ruled that Pamela Geller…
IDF Lies About Its Increasing Syria Intervention
Tikun Olam – The aftermath of the IAF assault on Syrian missile base Foreign media reported two separate reports of Israeli attacks against Syrian military targets reported to be SCUD missile sites and armories. Though this has not been confirmed, in the past Israel has specifically attacked weapons convoys…
Iran seized ship in ‘legal dispute’
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – The detention of a Danish cargo ship by the Iranian navy is linked to a long-running legal dispute, Iran’s foreign minister has said.
Jimmy Carter Cancels Visit to Gaza
The Foward Breaking News 29 Apr 2015 – Former President Jimmy Carter canceled a visit to the Gaza Strip.
University of Texas BDS Opponents Cheer Defeat of Measure
The Foward Breaking News 29 Apr 2015 – Opponents of a University of Texas student government divestment resolution that was handily defeated gave credit to a letter from area alumni.
Benjamin Netanyahu Ropes In Ultra-Orthodox Party for Coalition
The Foward Breaking News 29 Apr 2015 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed up his first partners on Wednesday for a new coalition government, a lawmaker and spokeswoman said, putting him on course to lead a heavily right-leaning cabinet.
Egypt jails 69 for church attack
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – A court in Egypt sentences 69 Islamists to life in prison for looting and setting fire to a church in a town near Cairo in August 2013.
VIDEO: Face to face with jihadists in Libya
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – BBC News gains rare access to the conflict in Libya’s second city Benghazi – and meets alleged extremists.
VIDEO: Woman denies starting petrol pump fire
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – A woman has denied deliberately setting fire to a petrol pump on a Jerusalem forecourt, after being refused a cigarette by a motorist, according to local police.
Top Biden aide moves to NSC
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – Jeffrey Prescott, Vice President Joe Biden s deputy national security advisor and veteran China hand, started April 29 as the National Security Council’s senior director for Iran, Iraq, Syria and the Gulf states.
Saudi king announces new heirs
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – Saudi Arabia’s new king announces a major cabinet reshuffle, appointing his nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as the new crown prince.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman breaks with tradition
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – New Saudi king breaks with tradition at home and abroad
Libya: The world’s ‘smuggler state’
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – Fortunes made and lives lost in Libya’s deserts
VIDEO: Migrants cross desert in hay-bale truck
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – Many migrants trying to get to Europe cross the desert to Libya. For some the journey ends there.
Iran minister apologizes for comment on dirty money in politics
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – After coming under criticism, Iran’s interior minister apologizes before an open session of parliament over “misunderstandings” about comments he made regarding dirty money in politics.
Sainsbury’s rejects Egypt legal case
BBC 29 Apr 2015 – Supermarket Sainsbury’s rejects any allegations against its chief executive Mike Coupe in a legal row in Egypt.
Is Erdogan signaling end of secularism in Turkey?
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – The Religious Affairs Directorate has become the center of the election campaign in Turkey, causing further social discord.
Will the F-35 change Middle East warfare?
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – Once it appears in Middle Eastern skies, the F-35 fighter aircraft may alter how wars are waged in the region.
Tribal divisions deepen Anbar battle controversy
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – The Islamic State will continue to move freely in Anbar province until Iraqi political parties agree on a joint force. composed of the army and the popular mobilization units, to lead the battles for the liberation of Anbar.
Self-proclaimed Liberland attracts Egyptian youth
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – Egypt s young generation is hanging by a thread, but Liberland has given the youth some hope amid mounting instability and high unemployment rates in the country.
Hamas imposes new taxes to meet payroll dues
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – In an attempt to raise the payrolls of employees appointed by the previous Hamas government, new taxes have been levied on goods and services in Gaza, angering importers and consumers.
Saving Israeli vultures
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – Vultures have existed in the Holy Land since biblical times, and Israel is investing considerable resources to save the local population from extinction due to urban development, hunting and poisoning.
US restates positions as Israeli government takes shape
Al-Monitor 29 Apr 2015 – Senior Obama administration officials have reiterated the president’s commitment in a 2009 Cairo speech to the two-state solution, reinforcing the US stance to Netanyahu’s new government.
Israel’s spy recruitment puts Gazans in tough spot
Al-Monitor 28 Apr 2015 – Gaza security services have been receiving complaints submitted by citizens who have been blackmailed or threatened by Israeli security and intelligence officers to work for them as informants.
Arab youth use social media to send message of peace to Israel
Al-Monitor 28 Apr 2015 – Youths from Saudi Arabia, Iraq and other Arab countries are sending messages via Facebook declaring that they do not hate Israel and expressing hope for better relations.
Articles
Learning to photograph while running in Gaza
Activestills, +972 Magazine4/29/2015
Opening at Jaffa Theatre on Thursday as part of Tel Aviv s Solidarity Festival, an exhibition will feature the work of Activestills, including Gaza photographer Basel Yazouri. Having joined Activestills a few months before last summer s offensive, his work has been published in various international platforms, including +972 Magazine.
But unlike his Israeli colleagues, the 19-year-old Gaza City resident is prevented from attending his own exhibition. We interview him about living and working in Gaza, and documenting one s own community in wartime.
Q. Tell us about covering the last war in Gaza.
A. It was my first intense photographic experience. I used to cover day-to-day life before the attack and then, when it came, I had to be in the field not only to support other photographers, but also as a professional. I had to deliver the message and tell the story like it was. For me, it was also to help people, not just to get the word out.
On the photography side, it was extremely hard in the beginning. It was my first time photographing in this kind of situation. I had to learn on the fly.
Sometimes you have to decide whether to take the photo or run for your life. The first day of the attack I went to Shujaiyeh [one of the worst-hit areas during the war], there was a bombing near the cemetery while people were to burying martyrs. Fifty meters from us missiles were falling. I just ran, without taking any photos. Later on, I got used to it and learned to take photos while running.more..e-mail
Art of Palestinian politics: Yarmouk to Yemen
Nassar Ibrahim, Alternative Information Center4/28/2015
The art of Palestinian politics, from the Yarmouk refugee camp to Yemen.
I am like the proverbial monkey about which the Syrian poet Mohammed Maghout writes. The monkey has no understandi
ng of Darwin’s theory, even though he sits at the heart of this theory. Me too. I am a Palestinian ostensibly standing at the heart of Palestinian politics, which I fail to comprehend.
I’ll try my best, however, to understand the decisions and declarations of the PLO Executive Committee (EC) from its last meeting in Ramallah on 18 April.
The first of these declarations is opposition of the Executive Committee to a military option in resolving the crisis of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. Yet at the same time the EC supports the Saudi-led military action in Yemen. What I understood here is that the EC opposes military action in Yarmouk as it is just a ‘crisis’, and for a crisis one requires insight, patience and careful action. Yet it supports firm action in Yemen as national security is at stake, such that flexibility is not an option.
I have tried to understand, but again and again George Orwell’s statement pops into my mind, howpolitical language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.
The EC confirmed the staunch Palestinian position that it should not be drawn into the internal conflict of a sister nation, in this case Syria, and opposition to a military option as it would lead to serious destruction of the camp and displacement of its residents….more..e-mail
Solidarity blast from the past targets Israeli arms trade
Yvonne Ridley, Middle East Monitor (MEMO)4/28/2015
The inspiring story of a small group of Scottish trade unionists who showed solidarity with Chilean revolutionaries five decades ago is set to take centre stage at a forthcoming conference aimed at ending the arms trade with Israel. The powerful narrative should silence critics of the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, who claim that sanctions do not work, and will illustrate how direct action from another era in another conflict in another part of the world can still cause collateral damage against the arms trade today.
It is hoped that survivors of the group will share their story as living proof that movements like BDS can and do work with far-reaching consequences. The men successfully carried out the longest-running act of solidarity against Augustine Pinochet by grounding half of Chile’s air force following the dictator’s 1973 coup d’Ètat.
However, it is only now that they are beginning to realise the huge impact that their actions in Scotland had thousands of miles away in Chile; their story, which was previously only passed on by word of mouth, will now be immortalised in a movie. While the story of the factory workers from East Kilbride whose act of solidarity was so successful will undoubtedly have global appeal, Palestinian activists are hoping that it will also serve to silence BDS critics and inspire many more to join the campaign.
In the 1970s, as Chile found itself within the iron grip of General Pinochet’s military dictatorship, solidarity movements sprung up across the globe as communities and organisations stood with the Chilean people in the face of repression. One such place was the Scottish town of East Kilbride, where factory workers played an active role against the tyranny of Chile’s military ruler….more..e-mail
Virginia state agency cancels Jerusalem trip citing Israeli discrimination
Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada3/27/2015
The state agency that regulates the legal profession in Virginia has canceled a planned seminar in Jerusalem following objections over Israel s discrimination against Americans of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim ancestry.
Certain members of the Virginia State Bar and other individuals have expressed objections to the VSB s plan to take the Midyear Legal Seminar trip in November to Jerusalem, Kevin E. Martingayle, the agency s president, wrote in an email to members today. It was stated that there are some unacceptable discriminatory policies and practices pertaining to border security that affect travelers to the nation.
Upon review of US State Department advisories and other research, and after consultation with our leaders, it has been determined that there is enough legitimate concern to warrant cancellation of the Israel trip and exploration of alternative locations, Martingayle said.
Undoubtedly, this news will disappoint some VSB members, Martingayle added, But we are a state agency that strives for maximum inclusion and equality, and that explains this action.
Dozens of lawyers who are members of the VSB had signed an open letter detailing Israel s discriminatory practices, citing reports from the US government and Amnesty International.
The Electronic Intifada has also reported extensively on Israel s discriminatory denial of entry and other forms of abuse and harassment of Palestinian Americans and other travelers.more..e-mail
No Arab Bolivars: As Region Implodes, Arab Socialism Fizzles out
Palestine Chronicle: 29 Apr 2015 – By Ramzy Baroud A student group recently asked me to address socialism in the Arab world. This with the assumption that there is indeed such a movement capable of overhauling inherently incompetent and utterly corrupt regimes across the region. But today such a group, or configuration of socialist groups, exists only in name. I recall a talk I delivered in London soon after Hamas was placed under siege in Gaza in 2007. Hamas is the largest and most effective socialist movement in Palestine, I said to the surprise of some and the agreeing nods of others. I was not referring to Hamas s adherence to Marxist theory but rather to the fact that it was the only operating grassroots political movement that had in some ways succeeded in lessening the gap between various social and economic classes that were all united by a radical political agenda. Moreover, it was a movement…more
Criminalisation of Free Speech and Double Standards
Dissident Voice: 29 Apr 2015 – In what appears to be another attempt to suppress criticism of Israel, the Canadian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Israel which makes the claim that the selective targeting of Israel is the new face of anti-Semitism and declares that Canada will oppose those who support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Shortly after the MOU was signed, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney announced to the UN General Assembly that the Canadian government would exercise zero tolerance toward all forms of discrimination including rhetoric towards Israel, and attempts to delegitimise Israel such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. 1 Despite the embarrassing and shameful sight of their political leaders continually rushing to fawn and genuflect at the feet of the moneyed Jewish lobby, there has been a growing international coalition of principled individuals such as the BDS movement who are opposed not only to…more
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Peace, Love and Occupation? Tell Ben & Jerry’s toStop its Complicity with the Israeli Occupation!
The New Dark Age 