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News
International Middle East Media Center
Arab
College Student Removed From Bus For Speaking Her Language
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 -
Saturday January 23, 2010 - 01:14, Israeli Ynet News reported that an
Israeli-Arab student, studying at Ariel College, was humiliated and
forced out of an Israeli bus after she “was heard” speaking Arabic on
her cell phone.
Israeli
Police Attack An Employee Of The Italian Consulate in Jerusalem
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 -
Saturday January 23, 2010 - 00:44, Israeli policemen, and members of
the Special Forces, attacked on Friday at night Khalid Daoud Oleyyan,
40, and several members of his family, including his 60-year-old
mother. Oleyyan, an employee at the Italian Consulate in Jerusalem and
several members of his family were moved to a Jerusalem hospital.
For
The First Time Since P.A Establishment; Palestinian Woman Sworn In As
Governor
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 -
Saturday January 23, 2010 - 00:20, For the first time since the
Palestinian Authority (P.A) was established in 1996, a Palestinian
woman was sworn in on Friday as the first female governor in the
Palestinian territories.
Israeli
Soldiers Injure Non-Violent Protesters at Villages Near Ramallah
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 -
Friday January 22, 2010 - 18:24, Eight people have been injured, and
five kidnapped, by the Israeli military in response to non-violent
protests. These protests were organized by villagers in the West Bank
who stand against the separation wall being constructed upon their land.
Protester
Injured in Bil’in During Weekly Non-Violent Demonstration
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 -
Friday January 22, 2010 - 18:16, This Friday, the 22nd of January, 30
to 40 Palestinian, Israeli, and other international protesters marched
through the West Bank village of Bil'in to the Israeli built separation
barrier, ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice. Per
usual, the demonstration was dispersed by tear gas projectiles and
concussion grenades shortly after the marchers arrived at the gate.
Local
Organizer Arrested Following Weekly Protest in al-Ma'sara
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 -
Friday January 22, 2010 - 18:08, Today in al-Ma’sara, near Bethlehem,
the weekly non-violent demonstration started at the village mosque and
marched towards the land where Israel is building their separation
wall. This wall is built on land owned by the villagers and annexes
further territory.
Scores
injured at weekly Bil’in protest
1/22/2010 -
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Dozens were hurt by tear gas and rubber-coated
bullets on Friday in the West Bank village of Bil'in, activists said.
The Popular Committee Against the Wall, which organizes weekly
demonstrations against Israel's separation barrier that cuts through
half of the Ramallah-area village, said international peace activists
joined Bil'in residents on Friday. Protesters marched toward the
barrier, which is still under construction, waving flags and banners
condemning Israel's settlement policy, as well as recent house
demolitions in Jerusalem. They also called for the release of jailed
Palestinians and an end to the siege of Gaza. Israeli activists joined
in, the committee said, along with members of the Palestinian Popular
Struggle Front. Protesters marched toward the wall, where an Israeli
unit was standing behind blocks of cement, which replaced razor wire. .
.
Protester
hospitalized after Ramallah-area demonstration
1/22/2010 -
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Six protesters were injured by rubber-coated
bullets and others choked on tear gas fired by Israeli forces in the
village of Nabi Saleh on Friday afternoon. Two were identified as
Israeli citizens. One protester was transferred to a nearby hospital
for treatment after being struck by a rubber-coated bullet, they said.
It was not immediately clear how seriously he was injured, or to which
hospital he was taken. According to the United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than half of the
Palestinians injured by Israeli forces last week were participants in
the anti-wall protests. Eight youths in total were injured, including
two young boys. Reports in Israeli media said six people were detained.
Israeli forces claimed they had been throwing stones, according to the
Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth. . . . .
Israeli
forces detain 20 in East Jerusalem
1/22/2010 -
Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained 20 protesters during a
demonstration in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah early
Friday evening, onlookers said. Among the eight arrestees was Yossi
Sarid, former head of the Israeli Metetz Party. The protesters were
accused of attempting to break into Palestinian houses taken over by
Israeli settlers in the past few months, the Hebrew-language daily
Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Last Friday, Israeli police violently
suppressed a demonstration against the eviction of Palestinian families
from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah. Seventeen of them spent the weekend
in jail but were released after the Magistrate Court in Jerusalem ruled
there were no legal grounds for the arrests. "The police are misusing
their power and distorting the law so as to collaborate with the
dangerous project of Judaicizing East Jerusalem," said the Israeli
peace group Anarchists Against the Wall.
Gaza
family loses 3 children to monoxide poisoning
1/22/2010 - Gaza -
Ma'an - Carbon monoxide poisoning killed three children in their sleep
Friday, after their parents left an electricity generator running
outside their bedroom, sending carbon monoxide gas into their bedroom.
Two remaining children were admitted to the Al-Aqsa Hospital for
treatment for the poisoning, in their Arif neighborhood in Deir
Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, medics said. Head of emergency and
ambulance services in Gaza Dr Muawiyah Hassanein identified the dead as
Obeida, two, Malak, four, and Khader, and seven. Five-year-old Shahed
and six-year-old Muhammad were admitted for tests and treatment to the
Children's Hospital in Gaza, suffering from breathing difficulties. Dr
Hassanein warned families to keep generators outdoors to avoid any
similar tragedy in the future. The UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian affairs noted in its weekly report,. . .
Gaza
borders sealed as siege continues
1/22/2010 - Gaza -
Ma'an - No crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip will open on
Friday, Israeli officials told their Gaza counterparts, maintaining the
comprehensive siege on the coastal region. Although three of the four
goods crossings into Gaza were scheduled to be open for imports six
days a week, two to three crossings operated five days a week since
August, and since December only one to two crossings were opened five
days a week. On Thursday, Israeli authorities allowed 87 truckloads of
goods into Gaza, less than one fourth of the coastal enclave's daily
needs, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs. [end]
Israel
says men planned attack on checkpoint
1/22/2010 -
Bethlehem - Ma'an - The office of the Israeli attorney general
presented charges to the central court in Jerusalem outlining a plan to
attack the Qalandiya checkpoint by two men from Ar-Ram. The charges
were published in the Hebrew-language daily Ma'ariv, naming Husam
Tawwashi, 21, and Muhaned Abu Gharbeiyah, 22, as the accused, who
allegedly planned the attack as a response to the execution of three
men in Nablus by Israeli forces in December. Tawashi, who holds a
Jerusalem ID card, and Abu Gharbeiyah, with a West Bank ID, allegedly
planned to "buy a pistol or rifle and kill an Israeli soldier. "When
they failed to purchase a weapon, the report continued, they "planned
to throw Molotov cocktails" at the checkpoint, as well as stab soldiers
with a knife. The report said the men had "visited the checkpoint more
than once" in what it described as "efforts to determine the guard
schedule. "
Japan
funds Hebron classrooms, Bethlehem water infrastructure
1/22/2010 -
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Aid projects supported by the government of Japan
saw the completion of classrooms for 150 students in Beit Fajjar and
the rehabilitation of the Zatara water network with funds from the
Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects (GGP). The
projects were unveiled on Thursday, in two separate ceremonies in the
West Bank towns, in the presence of local mayors and Hideaki Yamamoto,
deputy representative of Japan to the Palestinian Authority. In Beit
Fajjar, near Hebron, the Al-Wafa Girls' Elementary School had
construction completed on four new classrooms on the first floor, which
were outfitted to support a long-term, high-quality teaching space, at
a total cost of 87,000 US dollars. In Za'tara, south of Bethlehem, a 4.
56km length of the water network was rehabilitated, providing improved
and healthier water access for 1,200 residents.
Bardawil
fears Egypt destroying Gaza relationship
1/22/2010 - Gaza-
Ma'an- Senior Hamas leader Salah Al-Bardawil slammed what he called an
Egyptian slander campaign against Hamas, citing recent news reports in
Egyptian media. Tensions between Egypt and the Gaza Strip have
increased in recent months, as Egypt continues construction of a
subterranean border wall aimed at halting the tunnels smuggling
industry, with reports of shots fired at wall construction workers and
an Egyptian police officer killed during a protest that turned violent
when Egypt threatened to deny entry to Gaza for an aid convoy in
December. Al-Bardawil categorically denied a report in the Egyptian
newspaper Al-Masri Al-Youm that he said "claimed that the Egyptian
Attorney General accused Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades of killing four
Egyptians in the Az-Zeitoun area as they robbed a jewelery store. "
Mitchell
leaves Ramallah without comment
1/22/2010 - Ramallah
- Ma'an - US special envoy George Mitchell departed the West Bank city
of Ramallah on Friday, following a meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas
aimed at renewing peace talks with Israel. During the meeting, Abbas
demanded that the US administration work toward easing Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's preconditions for a Palestinian state,
according to Saeb Erekat, the chief PLO negotiator. Speaking in
Ramallah after the meeting, Erekat said Netanyahu's conditions were
obstructing efforts by US President Barack Obama to bring both sides to
the negotiating table. Erekat said if the Americans really want talks
to resume swiftly they should urge Israel to reign in the country's
ongoing settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which
Erekat said were imposing facts on the ground. "Turning negotiations
into dictates would obstruct the efforts of both Obama. . . "
Abbas
heads to Europe after stalemate with Mitchell
1/22/2010 - Ramallah
- Ma'an/Agencies - US Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell
sat with President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday afternoon, asking that he
return to the peace talks with Israel, RTT news reported. Mitchell told
Abbas that the only way Washington could help Palestinians create a
state was at direct talks, the agency reported, while Saeb Erekat, the
chief Palestinian negotiator, noted that the US official brought none
of the "letters of assurances" some expected as an incentive. The
meeting came on the tail of talks between Mitchell and Israeli
officials, in which he also stressed a return to peace talks. Earlier
in the week Mitchell met with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, who he
assured of American commitment to a comprehensive Middle East Peace
that took Lebanese independence into full account.
PA
forces rescue injured settler near Qalqiliya
1/22/2010 -
Qalqiliya - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority civil defense crews rescued
an Israeli settler who was trapped under her overturned car on Friday
near Qalqiliya in the northern West Bank. The injured woman's condition
was described as serious. She was not identified. A civil defense unit
arrived at the scene shortly after it was informed that a car had
flipped near a bridge into the Palestinian town of Azzun, PA sources
said. Forces used special equipment to rescue the trapped woman, and
offered initial emergency treatment. Israeli medics later arrived on
the scene, and transferred the woman to a hospital in Israel for
further treatment. [end]
Israel
compensates UN for Gaza damage
1/22/2010 -
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel paid the United Nations 10. 5 million US
dollars for damage to the world body's properties in the Gaza Strip
during last year's assault on the coastal area, the UN News Centre
reported on Friday. The payment fell short of the 11. 4 million that
the UN requested following an investigation in Gaza that started in
August. "With this payment, the United Nations has agreed that the
financial issues relating to those incidents referred to in the terms
of reference of the Board of Inquiry are concluded," said a spokesman
for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Damage was done to at least four
UN schools, and the central warehouses where they UN Relief and Works
Agency keeps food stocks for the almost one million registered refugees
in the Strip was bombed and sustained serious damage from a fire.
Hamas
government: Don’t call us ’deposed’
1/22/2010 - Gaza -
Ma'an - The Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip issued an appeal to
the media on Thursday, asking editors not to describe it as the
al-muqalah government, translated as "dismissed" or "deposed. "While
Ma'an English describes the government in Gaza as the "de facto
government," most local and international Arabic news agencies use the
"dismissed" or "deposed" to describe the technical position of the
Hamas-lead authority. The Ministry of Information in Gaza sent a
memorandum to media outlets saying that "Using the term 'dismissed
government' when talking about the Palestinian government in Gaza is
political, biased and illegal, and reverses the facts. "It added: "It
is clear to everyone that the 11th government is a national unity
government headed by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, the government that
gained the confidence of the Palestinian Legislative Council. "
Hamas:
PA detained 7 supporters
1/22/2010 -
Bethlehem - Ma'an - As the stalemate continues, Hamas officials accused
Palestinian Authority police and intelligence officers of targeting
Hamas affiliates and supporters, arresting seven overnight in the West
Bank. A statement from the Islamic movement identified the detained as:
Isam Salameh, Nablus, Hani Ad-Debek, Nablus, Brothers Ahmad, Ashraf and
Yousef Awwad, Nablus, Musa Suwary, Qalqiliya, Zein Al-Muhtaseb, Hebron.
Ma'an could not independently confirm these detentions, although they
would not be unusual. [end]
PA
urges calm following outcry against seizure of Hamas car
1/22/2010 -
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian security officials urged Hamas members
to keep cool over the seizure of party leader Mohammad Mutlaq Abu
Ijheisha's car on Friday, saying it was unlicensed and not a matter of
party politics. Spokesman of the Palestinian security departments Adnan
Ad-Dmeiri said the car was seized in Hebron and confiscated when the
officers discovered that it was unlicensed. "Media outlets affiliated
with the party already denounced the confiscation as a political act"
Ad-Dmeiri said, and urged Abu Ijheisha to "tell the truth" about his
car and avoid political incitement. [end]
Iraqi
singer to perform to sold out Bethlehem crowd
1/22/2010 -
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Iraqi singer Elham Medfai arrived in Bethlehem
Thursday ahead of a concert set for the Al-Khader Convention Center at
7pm on Friday. The 1,600 person venue sold out Thursday,and Medfai told
Ma'an he felt privileged to "sing for a people who have suffered so
much, like my own Iraqi nation. "The singer noted he has already
performed the Palestinian National Anthem in several Arab states, and
said he looked forward to singing it for the Palestinians themselves.
Medafi, speaking at a news conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in
Bethlehem, he said he wished there were more seats at the Al-Khader
venue. "I wish I could sing in front of all of the Palestinians," he
said. This is Medafi's second visit to Palestine, he came once before
in 2005 and performed at an event sponsored by USAID. . . . .
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - IDF denies any plans of renewing conflict against Lebanon; Syria reportedly calling up reserves troops.
Not all settlers and Palestinians want each other to disappear
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - New West Bank group is embracing the concept of binational state, hoping for an agreement to bring sustainable peace.
IDF prepares to open 'Israelis only road' to Palestinian traffic
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - High Court ruled barring Palestinians from Route 443 is disproportionate to security needs.
Israel probes vandalism of West Bank Palestinian cemetery
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Palestinian official accuses Jewish settlers of smashing tombstones in cemetery near Nablus.
Elbit to provide laser system to IDF, North America in $50 million deal
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Norway's FM recently told Haaretz that his country's decision to divest the defense contractor wasn't anti-Israeli.
Fatah men charged with attempted murder of Israel cops, soldiers
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - East-Jerusalem residents allegedly alerted police of their intentions to increase potential casualty count.
IDF unit to monitor soldiers' entries on Facebook
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Crackdown a product of Second Lebanon War and the conclusions of the Winograd Committee.
IDF sets up 'Facebook' unit to plug media leaks
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - The Shin Bet has reported several attempts by militant groups to contact IDF soldiers via networking sites.
30 countries joined Israel in mass bio-terror drill
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Drill simulated scenario in which terrorists infected with a virus entered Tel Aviv posing as tourists.
MI Chief: Israel's success battling terror has turned world against us
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Yadlin tells Knesset panel the PA has encouraged international community to question Israel's legitimacy.
Israel razes West Bank caravan built after settlement freeze
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Elon Moreh caravan set up as 'Zionist response' to freeze; forces dismantle foundations for 2 other buildings.
Court extends remand of settlers suspected of mosque arson
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Two months ago assailants torched furniture at Yasuf mosque, sprayed derogatory slogans.
Police arrest 10 in raid on West Bank settlement
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Five people, including two minors, detained for alleged involvement in mosque arson last month.
IDF soldier seriously hurt when comrade's hammer falls on his head
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Five IDF soldiers have died in the last four months during routine training while on duty.
Shin Bet: 2009 was first year in decade without suicide attacks
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Israel registered 15 casualties in 2009 - 9 of them during the Gaza operation - as opposed to 36 in 2008.
Hamas lets Fatah strongman into Gaza, after two years in exile
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Death of Mohammed Dahlan's mother sparks new row between rival Palestinian movements.
IDF nabs Palestinian cell allegedly planning terror attack
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - IDF, Shin Bet arrest 2 separate groups of Palestinians in possession of explosive devices.
Jordan: Israel not part of probe into attack on its convoy
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Jordanian minister: Attack on Israeli diplomatic convoy was primarily an attack on Jordan.
ANALYSIS / Jordan bombing: Good intelligence, poor execution
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Attackers had knowledge of embassy's routine activities; Al-Qaida and Hezbollah are prime suspects.
Report: Jordan arrests suspect in attack on Israeli convoy
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Convoy transporting 3 Israeli diplomats targeted by remotely detonated roadside bomb; no casualties.
Common
Activist Errors and Some Proposals to Rectify Them
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - ...Palestinians are scattered all over the world, with most of
them living in Exile. The struggle over the last 62 years has been
sustained and the name "Palestine" has survived because of the
sacrifices of the Palestinians in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the Gulf
States, Europe and elsewhere. Their national struggle is one, and it is
for...
Petition!
Civil Rights for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - Secondary only to ending the siege of Gaza and achieving
Statehood, the enactment of the basic civil right to work and to own a
home for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Refugees living in
squalor in Lebanon is perhaps the most critical and immediately
achievable goal of the Palestinian resistance and the ideals enshrined
in...
Gaza
Health Fact Sheet (Full Text)
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - The Gaza Strip has been the setting of a protracted political
and socio-economic crisis. Recent events have resulted in a severe
deterioration of the already precarious living conditions of the people
in Gaza and have further eroded a weakened health system. The closure
of Gaza since mid-2007 and the last Israeli military strike between 27
December...
PCHR
Release New Report: 23 Days of War, 928 Days of Closure: Life One Year
after Israel’s Latest Offensive on the Gaza Strip, 27 December 2008 –
18 January 2009 (Full Text)
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) have released
this report in order to highlight the reality of life in the occupied
Gaza Strip, and to illustrate the dramatic deterioration in the human
rights situation brought about by 928 days of continuous illegal
closure,1 as well as numerous offensives, incursions, and attacks. Over
the course of...
Lebanon:
Tensions rise as Israeli Army stages maneuvers on border
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - Media reports said Friday tensions rose on the Lebanese-Israeli
border as the Israeli Army undertook military maneuvers on its northern
border, while Hizbullah members were put on high alert, according to
the pan-Arab daily Ash-Sharq al-Awsat. Asked whether Hizbullah members
were put on high alert, the party’s spokesman Ibrahim Musawi told The
Daily Star on Friday...
GAZA
VISIT-OUR GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - As an Irishman, I will start my post today with a quote from
Bobby Sands about our own struggle for freedom and justice as it also
applies to Palestine: "Everyone, Republican or otherwise, has their own
particular part to play. No part is too great or too small; no one is
too old or too young...
The
Lessons of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - Established in 1989, the MA'AN Development Center is "an
independent Palestinian development and training
institution....work(ing) towards sustainable human development in
Palestine" through its various programs. On October 31, it released a
publication on the Palestinian BDS campaign titled, "Boycott,
Divestment, & Sanctions: Lessons learned in effective solidarity."
It's another of the many BDS initiatives multiplying to...
THE
TRUTH IS HARMLESS IF IT IS CENSORED
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - Look at the photo of the man below…. does he look dangerous?
Well, he is! He is a Jewish journalist that dares to speak the truth
about Israel. That is FORBIDDEN according to the 11th
Commandment….’Thou Shalt Lie In Order To Protect The Occupation’. Jared
Malsin refused to do that. He wrote the truth…. read below...
Barack
Obama to hold 50 Guantánamo detainees without trial
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - As the anniversary of the deadline set by President Barack Obama
to close the controversial prison passed, a task force led by the US
justice department reached a decision that infuriated civil liberties
groups and will bring accusations that the president is aping George W
Bush's war on terror policies. The administration believes their
continued detention...
UN
Expresses Concern Over Heath System In Gaza
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - The United Nations said it is deeply concerned over the
declining health care system in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing
Israeli siege and closure. The UN stated that one year after the
Israeli offensive, border crossings remain closed, and hundreds of
patients are deprived from receiving the timely advanced health care.
Max Gaylard, the...
Palestinian
farmers are being treated like criminals
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - Under the cover of the incessant noise from the roads in the
Hebron district, an anonymous Arab is perpetrating a serious crime:
With a small hammer, he is digging a cistern so he can collect
rainwater on his rocky land. Other such criminals have other methods of
carrying out their evil schemes - which is to...
Beware
of the BBC
Uruknet January 22,
2010 - Its mission statement says: 'Trust is the foundation of the BBC:
we are independent, impartial and honest.' However, people are
complaining bitterly to the BBC about its pro-Israel stance when
reporting on the situation in the Holy Land. Once renowned as the
benchmark for fairness and accuracy, the BBC nowadays is careless with
the truth when...
Web, Jan. 20, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - A report released by the United Nations last year says that Israeli settlers, angered over the destruction of Jewish outposts, could exact revenge on up to a quarter million Palestinians in the West Bank. It’s not just vague speculation. The report, issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Occupied...
Mitchell meets Abbas
Ramallah, January 22, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meets on Friday with the U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell in the presidential headquarters in Ramallah. Palestinian sources said that President Abbas will emphasize the necessity of stopping settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in order to return to the negotiations that...
Gaza children sing for Obama
Gaza, January 22, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Exactly one year ago, the Gazans who were seared by the bright flames of phosphorous bombs used by what is ironically called the Israel Defense Force, placed much hope on the new president of the United States. They believed he would promptly intervene and press Israel to stop its crimes against our beleaguered...
Israel detains four Palestinians
West Bank, January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained four Palestinians from Bait Ommar village in Hebron in operations carried out Thursday at dawn. IOF soldiers arrested the Palestinians in Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem, then transferred them to investigation centers. The detainees are Mahmoud Slibi, 25; Jamal Khalil, 18; Mohammed Awad, 32; and Alam Brighit, 18. Local...
Gaza: Political leaders call for general elections to be held on time
Gaza, January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Several Palestinian political leaders in the Gaza Strip called on Wednesday for holding the general presidential and legislative elections in all the Palestinian territories on time. However, most also said that a reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah must come first. The politicians agreed during a political workshop held in Gaza City that postponing...
The National 22 Jan 2010 - Editor of Palestinian news agency accuses authorities of duping him into making a statement in detention agreeing to return to to US voluntarily.
Clinton says US will increase aid to Yemen
The National 22 Jan 2010 - The US will provide more counter-terror and development aid to embattled Yemen, but the country must show results for assistance to continue to flow.
The Media Line 21 Jan 2010 - Each Friday we explore the world of business in the Middle East, highlighting The Media Line's coverage of everything from finance and real estate to working conditions, aviation and social networking. The MidEast Daily will return...
Jordan Advancing Nuclear Program
The Media Line 21 Jan 2010 - The Jordanian government has signed a deal with Spain as part of moves to accumulate cooperation agreements for its peaceful nuclear program. The signing of the nuclear cooperation agreement (NCA) with Spain, which covers areas such...
Iran Buys from Israel
The Media Line 21 Jan 2010 - An Israeli IT company has admitted to selling an online business management system to the Tehran Chamber of Commerce. Yehoshua Meiri, a spokesperson for the Israeli company DaroNet, told The Media Line that his company had...
Gaza Faces ‘Catastrophic' Gas Shortage
The Media Line 20 Jan 2010 - Fuel Union in Gaza says imminent shortage could cause humanitarian disaster. An impending shortage of cooking gas in the Gaza Strip is likely to cause a humanitarian disaster unless Israel allows more into the coastal enclave,...
"I Don't Want Him, Save Me!"
The Media Line 20 Jan 2010 - Saudi Girl Married Off to 80-year-old Man. Saudi women's rights advocates are outraged after a 12-year-old girl was sold by her father into marriage with an 80-year-old man. A Saudi father, whose name has not been...
Deadly Flashfloods Hit Middle East
The Media Line 20 Jan 2010 - At least 17 killed in flashfloods in the water-scarce region following two days of heavy rain. Lethal flashfloods in Egypt and Israel killed at least 17 people and caused severe damage in the Gaza Strip and...
Egypt to give up U.S. Civil Aid in a Decade
The Media Line 20 Jan 2010 - Egypt has declared it will stop accepting aid from the United States due to the political demands that accompany it. The Egyptian government has announced it will stop taking aid from the U.S. due to the...
AlJazeera 22 Jan 2010 - Palestinians urge US enovy to have Israel meet its conditions for resumed negotiations.
'Hamas will not recognise Israel'
AlJazeera 22 Jan 2010 - Political leader Khaled Meshaal says his group will not compromise on the rights.
Alternative Information Center
Six Injured and Six Arrested During a Nabbi Saleh DemonstrationAlternative Information Center 22 Jan 2010 - Six demonstrators, including three Israeli activists, were injured today in the West Bank village of Nabbi Saleh after the army invaded the village earlier today. The soldiers launched an unprovoked attack at the center of the...
Gaza Health Fact Sheet
Alternative Information Center 22 Jan 2010 - The Gaza Strip has been the setting of a protracted political and socio-economic crisis. Recent events have resulted in a severe deterioration of the already precarious living conditions of the people in Gaza and have further...
Three More Arrested in Ni'ilin Night Raid
Alternative Information Center 21 Jan 2010 - Three residents of Ni'ilin were arrested in a pre-dawn imilitary incursion into the village of Ni'ilin today. This is the 15th time such a raid was conducted in the past month in order to apprehend Palestinian...
Fundamentally Freund: Israel's finest hour indeed
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Doubts about Israel's ability to accomplish great things have been put to rest following recent events.
More free speech in Israeli and Palestinian than US media
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Israeli media, more than anyone else, has followed the story of Palestinian journalist Jared Malsin.
10 days after the quake: Israeli team rescues man from rubble
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Personnel pull 22-year-old from under collapsed building, after being alerted by local residents; Haitian in stable condition in IDF field hospital.
Mitchell fails to bring PA back to talks
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Erekat: US envoy called for immediate negotiations, but was met with demand to freeze all settlements.
'Israel is obstructing Schalit talks'
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Mashaal praises Gazans' spiritual victory over IDF last winter, says Hamas will never recognize Israel.
'Porous Sinai border presents threat'
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - IDF issues stark waring to Netanyahu during tour of Egyptian frontier; PM: Construction of barrier vital.
Obama: I misjudged the will for peace
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Israel: We warned the US its strategy was wrong; Clinton: It's between Israel and the Palestinians.
Israel hopes NIE will pressure Iran
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - US and EU say Teheran's continued refusal to prove its intentions are peaceful will draw new penalties.
J Street to bring Congressmen to Israel
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Group's PAC to increase contributions to US Congressional candidates by at least 50% in 2010.
IPS WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (IPS) - The recent diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Israel has raised questions about the future of relations between the two closest allies of the United States in the region and the direction of the markedly independent foreign policy agenda that Turkey has pursued in recent years.
MIDEAST: Israel Crushes Local Dissent, Attacks Global Criticism
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 20 (IPS) - Israel is lashing out at international criticism and attempting to crush local dissent in what appears to be growing sensitivity to reproach of its policies.
Q&A: 'Religious State, Recipe for Disaster'
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 19 (IPS) - When Omar Abdel-Razeq was appointed finance minister following the election of Hamas in January 2006, the BBC characterised the post as the "least enviable job in the new Palestinian government."
MIDEAST: Harsher Gaza War Looming on Horizon?
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 19 (IPS) - According to several prominent Palestinians and Israelis another major Israeli military assault on Gaza, even harsher than last year’s Operation Cast Lead, is imminent. But will this change anything and have the underlying causes behind the previous bloody war been addressed?
PCHR
International Solidarity Movement
Army Shoots at Palestinian Farmers and ISM Volunteers Gaza, Near Israel Boarder1/22/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 21 January, ISM Gaza - Three ISM volunteers and five farmers from Abu Tayima, Gaza were fired at by the Israeli army as they attempted to sow wheat on their land near the Israeli border. A long awaited rainfall in Gaza several days ago created good conditions for wheat sowing on this dangerous plot of land where in the past farmers were shot at by the Israeli soldiers as they patrol the border. One hour after arriving when sowing and ploughing were in full swing, two Israeli army jeeps drove alongside the border fence and stopped. A number of soldiers were seen moving between the two jeeps and soon opened fire on the unarmed farmers and volunteers. The farmers withdrew to the safer area while ISM volunteers remained in the field and used loudspeakers to inform the Israeli soldiers that they were firing at unarmed civilians working on their land who posed no threat.
Israel Expels Top Ma’an Journalist
1/22/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Ma'an News Agency, January 21 - Bethlehem – Ma'an – A week after he was detained and then questioned over news stories criticizing Israel, a top Ma'an journalist was deported on Wednesday. Jared Malsin, chief English editor at the Bethlehem-based news network, had been fighting to attend a hearing on a deportation order issued last Tuesday in Tel Aviv after a vacation in the Czech Republic. Malsin, an American citizen, says he was pressured by Interior Ministry staff into dropping a legal challenge and was subsequently placed onto a El Al flight to New York early Wednesday. "I had no idea I was waving anything, no clue," he said, telling Ma'an that Israeli officials provided him a document to withdraw his case without an attorney present, and offered a misleading explanation over what he was signing.
Six Injured and Six Arrested During a Nabbi Saleh Demonstration
1/22/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Co-ordination Committee - Six demonstrators, including three Israeli activists, were injured today in the West Bank village of Nabbi Saleh after the army invaded the village earlier today. The soldiers launched an unprovoked attack at the center of the village, even before a scheduled demonstration began. Three women and three men from the village were arrested. Slightly after 12:30 a large military force invaded the North Ramallah village of Nabbi Saleh and began shooting tear-gas and rubber-coated bullets at people who were gathering to demonstrate against the theft of their lands by the nearby Jewish-only settlement of Halamish. One demonstrator was evacuated to the hospital unconscious, after being hit in the back with a rubber-coated bullet. Five more, including three Israeli activists, suffered less serious injuries.
Photos: A Day Of Destruction in Khirbet Tana
1/22/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Palestine Monitor, January 21 - The Israeli army rolled into Khirbet Tana, a village east of Nablus with a population of about 300, in the morning hours on January 10, 2010. They then destroyed about thirty structures, including a school, homes, and shelter for farm animals. This destruction stems from a court ruling issued in February 2009 that cannot be appealed, stating that all structures in Khirbet Tana must be demolished, and the farmers removed from their land. The Palestine Monitor takes a look at the situation that Khirbet Tana faces, and how the villagers are trying to rebuild their lives. The villagers of Khirbet Tana told the photographer that officials from the Palestinian Authority have visited them, but did nothing to improve their living conditions. To the minimum, Tana requires a good road, tractors (four were confiscated and are being kept at Ariel settlement;. . .
CJPME: Canada to withdraw its funding to UNRWA
1/23/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East - Last week, the government of Canada quietly announced it would discontinue its long-standing financial contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and redirect the monies to strengthen the judicial system of the Palestinian Authority and other food assistance programs. The news came out as UNRWA launched a special fundraising campaign to collect millions of dollars needed to support programs in the occupied Palestinian territories. UNRWA provides assistance to 4. 67 million Palestinian refugees scattered throughout the Middle East and administers programs in the areas of education, health and other social services in 59 Palestinian refugee camps. The agency operates solely through donations from various organizations and governments. It is currently under severe financial duress due to the increasing number. . .
Norwegian academic backs debate on boycott of Israel universities
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Move comes just days after Barak upgraded status of college in West Bank settlement to a university.,
Hamas vows to resist pressure to recognize 'Zionist entity'
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Political bureau chief Khaled Meshal addressed rally in Damascus to mark one year since end of Gaza war.,
Israel pays 10.5 million dollars for damage to UN Gaza premises
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Payment covers damage caused during Israel's offensive last winter against Hamas in Gaza Strip.,
Netanyahu on Mitchell-Abbas meet: Stop wasting time
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Statement follows meeting where U.S. envoy failed to lure Abbas back to the negotiating table.
Akiva Eldar / Whose failure is the Mideast peace process?
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Obama is holding Israel and the Palestinians equally responsible for the stalemate in the negotiations.,
Is 'Jewish pride' abetting racism?
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Jewish communities for the most part do not dare to defend the victims of the 'new' European racism.,
UN Chief: Mideast conflict worsening amid stalled talks
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Ban urges Israel to cease East Jerusalem activity, warns trust between sides being undermined.,
India warns of hijack threat to national carrier
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Warning comes just days before India's annual Republic Day on Tuesday, when there are often security scares.,
Anshel Pfeffer / IDF in Haiti - Good deeds, good press
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - But the army's heroic efforts in the Caribbean won't curb criticism of its actions in the Middle East.,
Clinton: We won't yield on demand Iran reveal nuclear program
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says Europe 'stands together with U.S.' on Iran issue.,
Obama: U.S. expectations for Middle East peace too high
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - U.S. president: Israel, Palestinians have been unwilling to make bold gestures for sake of peace.,
Mitchell to meet with Netanyahu as U.S. relaunches peace drive
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Obama's peace envoy met Thursday with Ehud Barak, Avigdor Lieberman, and President Shimon Peres.,
Netanyahu: Situation at Egypt border worse than I thought
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Premier was briefed by top IDF commanders during tour of southern border with Egypt on Thursday.,
Mofaz looks to force Livni to hold Kadima primaries sooner
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Kadima cuts short committee meeting after details were leaked to the press in real time.,
French PM: Good Syria-Lebanon relations benefit entire region
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Francois Fillon, Lebanese counterpart Saad Hariri discuss the Middle East peace process in Paris.,
The Guardian 22 Jan 2010 - The Israeli relief effort in Haiti is laudable, but it underlines the state's indifference to those suffering on its own doorstep Almost as soon as the IDF embarked on its aid mission to Haiti , accusations began...
Obama admits US underestimated Israeli-Palestinian deadlock
The Guardian 21 Jan 2010 - US president tells Time magazine his efforts to secure a Middle East peace deal have failed Barack Obama has admitted that his attempts to break the political deadlock in the Middle East by pressuring Israel to...
Palestine's occupation tourism | Seth Freedman
The Guardian 21 Jan 2010 - Palestinian protesters are often joined by international tourists who see their struggle as an entertaining spectacle On any given Friday in Bil'in , the local Palestinian protesters are joined by scores of Israeli and international activists, who...
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - An Israeli search team pulled a severely dehydrated 21-year-old man from the rubble of his bedroom a staggering 10 days after an earthquake levelled much of the Haitian capital. ...
Prison warden allegedly smuggled cell phones to Palestinian inmates
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - A senior Israel Prisons Service warden was taken to court on Friday over allegations that he smuggled cellular phones and other materials to Palestinian security prisoners at the Ketziot facility. ...
15 arrested protesting Jewish takeover of East Jerusalem
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Hundreds of left-wing activists, including several prominent politicians, protested in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem on Friday. ...
Israeli cop suspected of abusing Palestinian released to house arrest
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - The Jerusalem District Court on Friday released to house arrest a policemen suspected to be at the center of an abuse case involving a Palestinian detainee in Hebron. ...
Israel's top gay Web site celebrates 10 years out of the closet
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Israel's primary gay dating Web site will kick off its 10th anniversary celebrations on Friday, marking a revolutionary decade for the homosexual community both online and on the ground. ...
Relief Web 22 Jan 2010 - Source: European Union
Israel compensates UN for damages during last year's Gaza offensive
Relief Web 22 Jan 2010 - Source: UN News Service
OPT: GUNFIRE EXCHANGE ON BORDER WITH ISRAEL, CROSSINGS CLOSED TO AID AND FOOD
Relief Web 22 Jan 2010 - Source: Missionary International Service News Agency
OPT: The Impact of Closure and High Food Prices on Performance of Imported Stable Foods and Vegetable and Fruits Market
Relief Web 22 Jan 2010 - Source: World Food Programme
Israel pays U.N. $10.5 million over Gaza damage
Relief Web 21 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Israel probes vandalism of Palestinian cemetery
Relief Web 21 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Sarkozy tells diplomats, 'Iranian authorities blocked in one-way street of proliferation, radicalism'
Mashaal: Zionist entity enemy of Turkey
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - In speech marking one year since Gaza war, Hamas leader says 'new Arab strategy needed to combine diplomacy with resistance'; stresses Shalit won't be released 'until Palestinian prisoners return home'; claims Islamist group won last year's war against Israel
US envoy fails to lure Abbas back to Mideast talks
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Day after Obama admits he may have overestimated his ability to revive negotiations, Palestinian president tells Mitchell during three-hour meeting in Ramallah that complete halt to settlement construction must precede resumption of peace talks
20 leftists arrested at Sheikh Jarrah rally
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Hundreds of Arabs, leftists protest in east Jerusalem neighborhood against Jewish settlement there. Some activists arrested for attempting to break into Jewish homes. Former minister Sarid: Police conduct makes me want to throw up
6 hurt in Palestinian protest against 'settler land grab'
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Nabi Saleh residents, left-wing activists rally against 'attempt by Jews to take over village land'; six arrested. Protests also held in Bilin, Naalin against security fence
Minister pulls injunction against Arab conference
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Police say Arab Democratic Party may hold convention in northern community after canceling distribution of Palestinian Authority scholarships
UK boycott initiator slams Ariel university recognition
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Israeli-British Prof. Haim Bereshit slams 'war criminal Barak, suggests he 'occupy additional territories and declare universities there as well'
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 RAMALLAH, West Bank: The United States told Palestinian leaders on Friday they must resume talks with the Israelis if they want US help to achieve a peace treaty that ends Israeli occupation and creates a Palestinian state. Putting the ball squarely in the Palestinian court, US envoy George Mitchell told President Mahmoud Abbas that returning to the table was paramount, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat quoted him as saying.
Biden in Iraq to defuse row over barred poll candidates
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 BAGHDAD: US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Iraq on Friday on a mission aimed at defusing a political crisis after hundreds of candidates allegedly linked to Saddam Hussein were barred from March elections. The visit by Biden was not announced in advance for security reasons, but it comes amid the festering row on election candidates which has alarmed the White House and UN just weeks from polling day.
Israelis protest East Jerusalem settlements
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Hundreds of people, mostly left-wing Israeli activists, demonstrated against Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem on Friday in defiance of police efforts to crack down on the weekly protests. The gathering, modeled on regular Palestinian demonstrations in the occupied West Bank, was to protest the takeover of several Arab homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood by settler groups armed.
Israeli PM fumes as media revels in cleaning lady case
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: A legal battle between a cleaning lady and Israel's first lady has spawned a clash between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the press, which is treating the scandal with relish. Both the prime minister and Israeli President Shimon Peres have sternly told the media to stay away from the case, making it clear that the issue should not be judged in the court of public opinion.
Yemen's ills go much further than the Al-Qaeda presence
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: Yemen, a land of beauty and engaging people, has gained an evil public image since an Al-Qaeda group based there claimed a failed December 25 attack on a US airliner. But the West and its Arab allies should not just focus on fighting terrorism if they are to help the southern Arabian nation stifle the threat from militants exploiting internal conflicts, poverty and weak central authority, analysts say.
Moscow warns against hasty sanctions on Tehran
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 Russia on Friday cautioned world powers against rushing towards sanctions to punish Iran for spurning a UN-brokered proposal to send its uranium abroad for processing. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Tehran to work constructively to allay Western fears over its nuclear program but said world powers should take a sober approach and beware of pushing Iran into a corner.
China rejects Clinton's Internet censorship criticism, says ties at stake
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 BEIJING: China on Friday rejected criticism of its Internet censorship by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying it harmed relations, as a row over Google's threat to leave the Chinese market escalated. Clinton had urged China on Thursday to conduct a thorough probe into cyber-attacks on Google and other US companies, and lamented what she said was Beijing's increasing efforts to control what its 384 million web users can see.
Scores more bodies recovered after Nigerian inter-religious clashes
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 KURU KARAMA, Nigeria: Volunteers recovered scores more bodies in Nigeria's troubled central Plateau state as the death toll from inter-religious clashes rose and the army was ordered to step up security. Scores of bodies were picked up from streets, houses and open water wells in Kuru Karama, a village some 30 kilometers south of state capital Jos, the epicenter of four-days of Muslim-Christian clashes.
Sarkozy concerned with just peace for Lebanon - Hariri
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed on Friday Lebanon's commitment to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 while slamming Israeli violations following talks with French President Nicholas Sarkozy in Paris. "As a Lebanese state we are implementing what was mentioned in the resolution since in the past weeks, the Lebanese state in cooperation.
Lebanon logistics performance 33rd globally
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: The World Bank's Logistics Performance Index (LPI) for 2010 ranked Lebanon in 33rd place among 155 nations worldwide and third among 17 Arab countries. Lebanon came in 98th place globally and 13th regionally in the 2007 survey, as reported by Lebanon This Week, the economic publication of the Byblos Bank Group. Lebanon also ranked in fourth place among 34 upper-middle income countries (UMICs).
Exemplary, and in need of protection
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 No foreign government is as intimate with the Lebanese agenda as the French. As a former colonial power in the region and former holder of the UN mandate over Lebanon, the two countries have long historical, religious, linguistic and cultural ties. France contributed significantly to the reconstruction of Lebanon in the aftermath of the Civil War, and then following the devastating Israeli attack in 2006.
Khalifeh vows to shut down counterfeit pharmacies
Daily Star 22 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: The Health Ministry has vowed to shut down nine pharmacies and four medical supplies warehouses on Monday for their alleged involvement in the smuggling and sale of counterfeit drugs. "We can't be silent about this subject," said Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh on Friday at a news conference to announce the measure. "It has become a matter of life or death."
Palestinian Information Center
10 Palestinians wounded in JerusalemPIC 22 Jan 2010 - Aqsa Mosque guards foiled an attempt by an extremist Jewish settler to sneak into the mosque on Friday afternoon, according to local sources.
Abbas's militia storm house of lawmaker Abu Juhaisha and open fire in vicinity
PIC 22 Jan 2010 - A combined force of Abbas's militia stormed the house of Hamas lawmaker, Muhammad Abu Juhaisha, in the town of Edhna, to the west of al-Khlail, and tried to kidnap the lawmaker..
Israeli occupation admits building work continues in at least one settlement
PIC 22 Jan 2010 - Israeli war ministry has admitted that construction works continued unabated in at least one Jewish settlement in the northern West Bank contrary to Israeli government claims..
Israeli officials must be held accountable for War Crimes, MPs say
PIC 22 Jan 2010 -
3 children in Gaza die of suffocation
PIC 22 Jan 2010 - Three children between the ages of 4 and 7 suffocated and died, at dawn Friday, at their home while two other siblings were seriously injured because of inhaling fumes from a gas-operated generator.
Israeli occupation police assault Aqsa Mosque guard
PIC 22 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation police, Friday morning, brutally assaulted one of the Guards of the Aqsa Mosque while he was on duty, according to local sources.
Salah: First six months of this year decisive to the issue of Aqsa Mosque
PIC 22 Jan 2010 - The prominent Muslim leader in the 1948-occupied Palestinian lands Raed Salah has warned Thursday that the Israeli occupation authority was accelerating its plans to judaize the Aqsa Mosque.
Hamas deprecates Egyptian media’s systematic smearing campaign
PIC 22 Jan 2010 - Hamas Movement has strongly criticized the defamation campaign against the Palestinian people's struggle in a number of Egyptian government-linked media outlets, stressing keenness on good ties.
Dwaik: No recognition of the Israeli occupation of our land
PIC 22 Jan 2010 - Dr. Aziz Dwaik confirmed Thursday that the meeting between him and British tycoon David Abrahams was made on the latter’s request, stressing that Hamas will never recognize the Israeli occupation.
Arab geologists warn of Aqsa collapse due to IOA practices
PIC 22 Jan 2010 - The union of Arab geologists has warned of the collapse of the Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem due to natural or supernatural causes.
LA Times 21 Jan 2010 - The bureau's independent watchdog says top agency officials approved a possibly illegal method of obtaining phone records during the Bush administration. The FBI used a variety of controversial and possibly illegal methods to obtain phone records in terrorism investigations, according to a sharply critical report issued Wednesday by the Justice Department's inspector general.
New York Times 22 Jan 2010 - Israel has sent scores of doctors and other relief to Haiti, and Israelis are watching the effort and questioning the character of their nation.
Diplomatic Hand Extended: Furor May Erupt if Shaken
New York Times 22 Jan 2010 - Iran angrily denied reports that its tourism minister shook hands with his Israeli counterpart, which would have violated Iran’s strict anti-Israeli policies.
Issues Stand Before Israel in Joining Elite Group
New York Times 20 Jan 2010 - The country's secretive weapons trade, patent-bending drug industry and occupation of Arab lands are raising questions about its accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
World Briefing | Middle East: Gaza: Palestinians Push Hamas for Inquiry Over War Crimes Against Israel
New York Times 19 Jan 2010 - Rights groups said an investigation into Hamas’s actions last winter was needed to maintain the credibility of Palestinians who want to see Israel punished for its actions during the war.
World Briefing | Middle East: Iran: Vow of Revenge for a Killing
New York Times 19 Jan 2010 - Iranian officials have blamed an exiled opposition group for the killing of a physics professor in a bomb attack last week, accusing it of acting on behalf of Israel and the United States.
Observatory: Desert Spider Discovery on Jordan-Israel Border
New York Times 19 Jan 2010 - In a cross-border study, biologists from Israel and Jordan found a new spider species, Cerbalus aravensis, living in Arava Valley sand dunes.
Palestine Monitor - 21 Jan 2010 - A new report reveals the effects of the ongoing Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the health of Gazans. The report by more than 80 aid groups, including WHO (World Health Organisation) and UN agencies, was released yesterday during a press conference held in front of Al...
Shooting The Messenger
Palestine Monitor - 21 Jan 2010 - With a new year comes new tactics from Israel's security forces. 2009 began with a determined effort to destroy their enemies in Gaza, claiming the lives of 500 children in the process. It must have been an irritation to the military that they could not so...
the architecture of apartheid fosters the architecture of a movement
Mondoweiss - 22 Jan 2010 - Last night I went to hear the reports from Palestine at the Judson Memorial Church in New York. The church is a national historical site. The vaulted hall was designed by Stanford White and has a grand but plain nobility about it. The microphone was set...
Why Port-au-Prince Collapsed
Mondoweiss - 22 Jan 2010 - The contrast is still astonishing. 62 dead in the September 1989 earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area; 45,000 to 200,000 dead in the Haitian earthquake of the same magnitude. A Frenchman who heads an organization called Architectes de l’urgence (Emergency Architects) offered part of the...
Ding dong the neocon…
Mondoweiss - 22 Jan 2010 - A major neocon hive, MESH, Middle East Strategy at Harvard, which was headed by usual-suspect types Stephen Peter Rosen and Martin Kramer, seems to be disappearing into the twilight. Its website announces that it is "hibernating." Let’s pray for a long winter. Rosen and Kramer’s frank...
memo to the west: you lost the Crusades
Mondoweiss - 22 Jan 2010 - From Reuters : U.S. General David Petraeus said on Thursday it was "disturbing" that a manufacturer had embossed biblical citations on rifle scopes sent to Afghanistan and Iraq, and the firm announced it would voluntarily halt the practice. "This is a big concern to the Army and...
Jewish student mag publishes one-state argument, signaling generational battle ahead
Mondoweiss - 21 Jan 2010 - I keep saying that there’s about to be a Jewish intifada, that young empowered American Jews are going to throw off the idea of a Jewish state just because it is not meaningful to them. I deal in straws in the wind, and I saw it...
Six Injured and Six Arrested During a Nabbi Saleh Demonstration
Alternative Information Center - 22 Jan 2010 - Six demonstrators, including three Israeli activists, were injured today in the West Bank village of Nabbi Saleh after the army invaded the village earlier today. The soldiers launched an unprovoked attack at the center of the village, even before a scheduled demonstration began. Three women and...
Gaza Health Fact Sheet
Alternative Information Center - 22 Jan 2010 - The Gaza Strip has been the setting of a protracted political and socio-economic crisis. Recent events have resulted in a severe deterioration of the already precarious living conditions of the people in Gaza and have further eroded a weakened health system. The closure of Gaza since...
Three More Arrested in Ni'ilin Night Raid
Alternative Information Center - 21 Jan 2010 - Three residents of Ni'ilin were arrested in a pre-dawn imilitary incursion into the village of Ni'ilin today. This is the 15th time such a raid was conducted in the past month in order to apprehend Palestinian anti-Wall activists. Today's arrests are a continuation of a concerted...
Articles
Shooting The Messenger
Palestine Monitor, Palestine Monitor 1/21/2010
With a new year comes new tactics from Israel’s security forces. 2009 began with a determined effort to destroy their enemies in Gaza, claiming the lives of 500 children in the process. It must have been an irritation to the military that they could not so easily wipe out the journalists, activists and relief workers who made their atrocities public. As a new year dawns, it is these voices of conscience who are becoming an endangered species.
There is growing evidence to suggest a co-ordinated campaign to lessen international presence in the Palestinian territories. This week the Ministry of Interior announced there would be no new work permits for NGO employees, forcing them to rely on tourist visas that prohibit employment. The impact on the work of aid organisations like Handicap and Save the Children International is likely to be severe. A Handicap spokesman claimed the ruling will "strongly affect the implementation of projects-as most of the project managers are expatriates. The process will be slower and field work will suffer". Of around 150 NGOs at work in the Palestinian territories, only the 12 established before 1967 will not face the disruption of losing their staff. The ruling will also affect the ability of local NGOs to recieive funding from foreign donors, whose representatives will be prevented from making on site assessments of costs. Dr. Ali Ahmed of Save the Children in Gaza predicts "expensive work with the physically disabled will now be harder to facilitate." Although Save the Children is apolitical, Ahmed believes the decision is based on "higher level issues, it is another case of collective punishment for Palestinians."
Last July saw the creation of ’Oz’ (Hebrew for courage), an elite task force charged solely with identifying and expelling immigrants from Israel’s borders. Given a target of 100,000 expulsions by 2013, the force’s zeal for their work is renowned. Oz’s practises within Israel proper, including violent arrests and the detention of minors, have courted controversy. But in several cases this year Oz, working with the Israeli police, have used their powers to arrest western activists in the West Bank. more.. e-mail
There is no place for 'no-solutionists'
Ori Nir, Palestine Note 1/22/2010
Increasingly, you hear them at public events and symposia. You read their analyses in the press and on blogs. They are the "no-solutionists".
Ultra-sceptical, hyper-cynical, often giddy about their political nihilism, they typically argue something along these lines: "As a realist, I realise that there are problems in this world that simply can’t be resolved. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of them."
Such scepticism can no longer be dismissed as spiteful vexation, now that Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman often make these arguments, and as many in Israel and in the United States buy into this pseudo-realism.
Ironically, this argument brings together the extreme left and the extreme right. Both are harnessing it to their agendas, agendas that-deliberately or not-will turn the festering status quo of a diplomatic impasse and Israeli West Bank settlement activity into an endless quagmire.
This approach is both wrong and wrongheaded.
It is wrong because a reasonable solution to the conflict is, in fact, feasible. Majorities on both sides strongly support a two-state solution. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have in the past made significant progress toward mutually acceptable compromise formulas. Even on issues that involve heavy emotional baggage for both sides, such as Jerusalem and refugees, leaders on both sides have devised reasonable formulas that large majorities of Israelis and Palestinians supported. more.. e-mail
Reconciliation in limbo
Saleh Al-Naami, Al-Ahram Weekly 1/21/2010
Saleh Al-Naami finds out that Hamas and Fatah are still deeply at odds.
On Sunday afternoon, Al-Amal district, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, was rife with commotion. It was rumoured that Fatah representative Mohamed Dahlan, who lives in the West Bank town of Ramallah, would soon be in town to take part in the funeral of his mother, who had passed away earlier that day. The Hamas government of Ismail Haniyeh said it would allow Dahlan to enter the Gaza Strip for the funeral since this was a personal matter. In the end, Dahlan did not go to Gaza and chose to receive condolences in Ramallah. Fatah spokespeople explained that Dahlan was not going to ask Haniyeh’s government for permission to enter Gaza since this is his innate right, like any other Palestinian.
While Dahlan’s mother has now been buried, the continued controversy over what occurred is indicative of the deep differences between the two Palestinian political movements. Reporters were swamped with news releases from both sides on this issue, which occurred at a time when more Arab players are becoming involved in mediation efforts between Fatah and Hamas. In fact, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Mohamed Al-Sabah unexpectedly announced Sunday that a meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and the head of Hamas’s Political Bureau, Khaled Meshaal, would take place within 10 days.
This claim was vehemently denied by both groups. A leading member of Hamas told Al-Ahram Weekly that after consultations with leaders of the group inside and outside the territories, it appears that no such meeting is scheduled. He noted that neither party has changed its position in a way that would allow such an encounter to take place. According to this source, the main obstacle to progress in reconciliation efforts is differences over the Egyptian proposal. His group refuses to sign the agreement as it stands without revisions, while Egypt and Fatah refuse to revise any of the content. more.. e-mail
Gaza's thin red line one year later
Electronic Intifada: 22 Jan 2010 - During last winter's invasion of Gaza, Israeli forces killed 16 medical rescuers, four in one day alone. Another 57 were injured. At least 16 ambulances were damaged with at least nine completely destroyed. In a special report for The Electronic Intifada, Eva Bartlett speaks with Gaza's emergency medical workers one year after the massacres.
"Palestinian journalists can't work freely or safely"
Electronic Intifada: 22 Jan 2010 - "Being a journalist is the most dangerous work in the world," says Palestinian photojournalist Nayef Hashlamoun, "especially being a photojournalist or a photographer. We work under risk every day, especially in conflict areas like Palestine or Iraq, especially if you have soldiers who feel that you are from the other side, not from their side." Sarah Irving reports for The Electronic Intifada.
Lebanon activists launch campaign targeting Egypt's "wall of shame"
Electronic Intifada: 21 Jan 2010 - The Campaign to Stop the Wall of Shame, a newly-formed activist movement based in Beirut, Lebanon, held a press conference this morning to publicize the Arab Contractors construction company's role in the building of an underground steel wall along the Egypt-Gaza border.
Israel threatening, arresting and deporting to crush dissent
Electronic Intifada: 21 Jan 2010 - RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) - Israel is lashing out at international criticism and attempting to crush local dissent in what appears to be growing sensitivity to reproach of its policies. Several recent incidents have dominated media headlines, including the arrest of a Jewish-American journalist on the grounds of security, threats by an Israeli minister against international diplomats and the arrest of Israeli and Palestinian peace activists.
In Gaza: 21 Jan 2010 - ** ambulance which Arafa Abd al Dayem was loading when he was shelled by an Israeli tank missile, dying shortly after of his injuries. The ambulance was unrecoverable until two days ago, when access finally became possible to the Attrata area where Arafa was murderded and where corpses lay unretrieved. The Electronic Intifada, 22 January 2010 “The last Israeli attacks were the hardest, the most dangerous. It wasn’t a war, it was a massacre. They shot anyone walking, anyone outside of their home, in their home … it didn’t matter. And it didn’t matter if the victims were children or adults; there was no difference.” Ali Khalil, 47, has served...
Palestine Chronicle: 22 Jan 2010 - By Stephen Lendman Established in 1989, the MA'AN Development Center is "an independent Palestinian development and training institution....work(ing) towards sustainable human development in Palestine" through its various programs. On October 31, it released a publication on the Palestinian BDS campaign titled, "Boycott, Divestment, & Sanctions: Lessons learned in effective solidarity." It's another of the many BDS initiatives multiplying to support Palestine. In July 2005, a coalition of 171 Palestinian Civil Society organizations created the global movement for "Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel Until it Complies with International Law and Universal Principles of Human Rights" for Occupied Palestine, Israeli Arabs, and Palestinian diaspora refugees. MA'AN covers BDS history and outlines current efforts and challenges to be overcome. Past Palestinian boycotts showed they work. The 1936 six-month strike against the British Mandate demanded a representative government in Palestine, prohibition of land sales to Jews, a cessation of Jewish immigration, and immediate elections. The strike brought the economy to a halt and got the Peel Royal Commission to recommend limited Jewish immigration and plans for eventual partition. In 1948, the Arab League banned all commercial and financial transactions between Israel and League members. In 1951, each nation set up a national boycott office, linked to the Damascus headquarters. It maintained a central blacklist of companies. In 1973, OPEC embargoed oil to America and other countries that supported Israel in the October war. In November 1975, UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 "determine(d) that Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination." Under...
Beware of the BBC
Palestine Chronicle: 22 Jan 2010 - By Stuart Littlewood – London Its mission statement says: 'Trust is the foundation of the BBC: we are independent, impartial and honest.' However, people are complaining bitterly to the BBC about its pro-Israel stance when reporting on the situation in the Holy Land. Once renowned as the benchmark for fairness and accuracy, the BBC nowadays is careless with the truth when handling news from the Palestinian territories illegally occupied by Israel - the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. We were treated to a prize example earlier this week. The flagship 'Today' programme, which goes out weekdays from 6am to 9am on Radio4, marked the anniversary of Israel's blitzkrieg with a feature on the Gaza economy, in which I heard presenters claim at least three times that the purpose of Operation Cast Lead was to stop the rocket attacks across the border. This is untrue. The rockets stopped months before Israel’s assault with the start of the ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, which held from 19 June until 4 November 2008, when Israel deliberately dashed hopes for peace by staging an armed incursion into Gaza killing several Hamas men. Under the ceasefire Israel had undertaken to lift the economic blockade, but didn't do so. Nevertheless Hamas kept its side of the bargain and fired no rockets. So 1,400 Gazans, including some 350 women and children, didn't have to die under Israeli bombardment. All Israel needed to do was extend the truce by keeping the peace and lifting the evil blockade as...
Iran and Latin America: The Media States Its Case
Palestine Chronicle: 21 Jan 2010 - By Ramzy Baroud Should the United States be concerned about Iran's determined efforts to reach out to Latin America? Or, as was suggestively described in the Economist, by the Ayatollahs' strategy of cozying up to Latin America? The US continues to see the world as its own business. It gives itself and its allies, most notably Israel, the right to geopolitical maneuverability. Iran, on the other hand, is censured, derided and punished for even its own internal policies, within its own borders. Thus, an Iranian move into Latin America is naturally viewed as unwarranted, uncalled for and most definitely dangerous as far as the US is concerned. But Iran is not invading America geopolitical space per se. It is neither financing a terrorist group, nor involved in the ongoing narcotic war. More, there is no historical connection between an interventionist Iran and the bloody past of Latin America, including its former dictators and brutal juntas. In fact, Iran’s ‘cozying up’ to Latin American merely began in 2005. Since then, Iran has opened embassies in several Latin American countries and launched important joint projects that provided funds and work opportunities for thousands of ordinary people. There is no Iranian equivalent to the School of the Americas. So why the alarm? Paul McLeary of Aviation Week gives us a clue. Iran’s move “has set off a proxy conflict between Iran and Israel in South America, with the presidents of both countries logging frequent-flier miles to win friends in the region. One cause...