Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel
Elections Archive - January 2010
Elections Archive - January 2010
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Palestinian Killed In Tunnel Accident In Rafah IMEMC 1 Feb 2010 - Sunday January 31, 2010 - 08:53, Palestinian medical sources reported Saturday that a Palestinian resident was killed by electric shock at a siege-busting tunnel in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Female journalists demand union representation 1/31/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Dozens of female journalists from Gaza rallied on Sunday in front of the office of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate in Gaza City, demanding that membership be opened up to women. Journalist Dunya Isma'il called on the PJS to introduce a set quota for women members, as in the Palestinian Legislative Council. "We request legal standards in registration and representation of female journalists in all the union's committees, including membership and contest committees," she said. Isma'il said that the union's elections should be delayed until a more appropriate time, and called for the democratic and professional performance of the PJS, regardless of political affiliation. "Partiality has not benefited journalism, rather, it has deepened the rivalry. "Present action, she said, was but a step in a series of actions which will be taken in order to exert pressure on the PJS' board to adopt democratic standards. Egypt uncovers 3 tunnels along Gaza border 1/31/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egypt commandeered three tunnels for smuggling motorcycles, cars tools and paint into the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Security sources told Ma'an that two tunnels were uncovered in the Salah Ad-Din border area, where motorcycles and paint were found. Egyptian forces also found another tunnel near the Al-Sarsouriya area, a site that was already under extra scrutiny. Security officials said they were planning to demolish the tunnels and sell the goods at auction. Security sources explained that these areas were not included in the plan to build an underground steel wall, which was first exposed by the Israeli press. They said these areas were not usually used for smuggling. A Palestinian died from an electric shock sustained in a tunnel on the border between Gaza and Egypt on Saturday afternoon. Israel spied on Iran, Syria from secret Turkish base 1/30/2010 - Press TV - Israeli spy agencies have reportedly made spying on Iran's nuclear program "a top priority". Revelations of a secret Israeli spy base, which was allegedly set up in Ankara to gather classified information on Iran and Syria, has dragged Tel Aviv into a new spy scandal. Sources in Turkey's ruling party told Russia's Mignews that Israeli spy agents ran an advanced electronic monitoring station from the Ankara military headquarters to keep tabs on communication networks in Iran and Syria. According to the sources who were speaking on condition of anonymity, the Signals Intelligence station was solely managed by Israeli intelligence personnel and had become off-limits for members of the Turkish government. Israeli military sources have refused to comment on the revelations, which are likely to spark an outcry in Turkey, now that they have been leaked to newspapers and media outlets. Obama aide says Iran may lash out at Israel 1/31/2010 - Las Vegas Sun - The Associated Press - President Barack Obama's national security adviser is citing a heightened risk that Iran will respond to growing pressure over its nuclear program by stoking violence against Israel. The adviser, retired Marine Gen. James Jones, said history shows that when regimes are feeling pressure they can lash out through surrogates. He said that in Iran's case that would mean facilitating attacks on Israel through Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Iran helps arm Hezbollah and Hamas. Jones also alluded to the prospect of additional international sanctions being applied to Iran as one factor in making Iran feel greater pressure. He said another factor is internal pressure _ an apparent reference to street protests against the Iranian leadership over the disputed presidential election last summer. 'Together we can end this occupation' 1/31/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Jody McIntyre, The Electronic Intifada, 29 January - The Israeli military recently dropped hundreds of leaflets warning Palestinian residents from the village of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip not to travel within 300 meters of the border – the distance of Israel's so-called "buffer zone. "In response, local activists marched to and nonviolently demonstrated inside the "buffer zone" against the illegal action. The Electronic Intifada contributor Jody McIntyre recently spoke with demonstration organizer Saber Zanin. Jody McIntyre: Can you tell us about yourself? Saber Zanin: My name is Saber Zanin. I am 31 years old, living in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip. I am a Palestinian who loves life, peace, justice and equal rights for all. I come from a poor family, around 20 of us in all, from Beit Hanoun. OCHA holds PA responsible for Gaza power crisis PIC 1 Feb 2010 - The UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs held the Palestinian authority responsible for Gaza electricity crisis, saying that the PA refrained from paying for industrial fuel. IFJ ask Palestinian journalists union to delay general conference 1/30/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The International Federation of journalists called on the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate to postpone general elections in an effort to "establish an acceptable mechanism which guarantees transparent and comprehensive preparation uniting all journalists. " The conference was set to take place on 5 February, and follows detention of head of Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Na'im Tubasi after "he refused to appear for questioning," and an arrest warrant was issued by a Palestinian Authority court judge on 29 December. Tubasi faces three legal suits, one filed by the Journalists Syndicate, which accused him of embezzlement. Courts later repealed the detention order and said investigation into the issue would be postponed until the union could vote on the issue. Head of the International Federation of Journalists Aidan White expressed concern over the decision to. . . At-Terawy: No call to delay PSJ elections 1/30/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Tawfiq At-Terawy, member of Fatah's Central Committee, denied receiving word from the International Federation of Journalists calling on the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate to postpone general elections. During an interview with Ma'an radio on Saturday, At-Terawy said "we were hoping they would call us in order to discuss what the international federation wants to achieve. We respect all international institutions who work in journalism. "He added that all preparations had been undertaken to ensure that elections would be held on 5 February. "There is no political interference in the preparation process; the only interference is that the PLO's commission of popular organization will be supervising the elections as it is the only reference for all the unions and organizations for many years," he said. Man killed in Gaza tunnel following electric shock 1/30/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A Palestinian died from an electric shock sustained in a tunnel on the border between Gaza and Egypt on Saturday afternoon. Muawia Hassanen, head of the emergency and ambulance services in Gaza said that Ashraf Al-Atar, 23, died upon arrival at the Abu Yousef An-Najjar hospital in Rafah. Last Thursday, Ramzi Al-Aqra', 21, died when a tunnel collapsed in Rafah, south of Gaza. [end] Al-Haya: Hamas’ hand is extended to achieve reconciliation 1/30/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - "Hamas' hand is extended to Fatah to achieve reconciliation," said Hamas leader Khalil Al-Haya on Saturday. Al-Haya said that Hamas is strategically seeking reconciliation with its rival faction Fatah and is working toward lifting the obstacles hindering the ratification of a unity agreement, during a speech at a seminar organized by Hamas at the Al-Farouq Mosque in Gaza. "The authority in the West Bank is not showing good intensions concerning national reconciliation by arresting the resistance members," he said. The closure of Gaza's crossings, postponing reconstruction and military campaigns he said were "polices intended to frustrate the Palestinian people into accepting surrender, which is what happened with the Palestine Liberation Organization following the invasion of Lebanon and the signing of the Oslo Accords," Al-Haya said. Al-Qawasmi: PA to discuss dates of local, municipal elections 1/30/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Minister of Local Government, Khaled Al-Qawasmi, said on Saturday that the decision to hold local and municipal elections will be discussed by Palestinian Authority cabinet members for the next two weeks and a decision is expected in February. The government has dissolved all local bodies in Nablus, he said during an interview with Watan TV, adding that it is entertaining discussions on holding elections by December. Al-Qawasmi said that the Central Election Commission's recommendation that local elections be held alongside presidential and legislative elections prevented them from being held on their original date. A law was passed in February 2009 granting the government the right to dissolve local institutions and to appoint the Ministry of Local Government as overseer, following which elections must be held by 15 December of the same year, Al-Qawasmi explained. Murder was the case... Uruknet January 30, 2010 - Israeli Mossad is already a strong suspect in the recent killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in the United Arab Emirates. The charter member of the al-Qassam Brigades was electrocuted and strangled in his Dubai hotel room, and God knows what happened to him in between. Al-Mabhouh's murder evokes a certain sense of deja vu. Anyone who has... US official hopes Palestinians demand democracy 1/29/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The US State Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative looks to support Palestinian democracy by empowering citizens "to raise demands with their local government" Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Tamara Wittes explained. Speaking with Ma'an during her visit to the region, Wittes - an expert in Middle East democracy and former Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute - explained what she saw as the role of MEPI in Palestine, whose government exhausted its term on 25 January but continues to lead with no elections in sight. "Its really about engaging in a way that goes beyond out government-government relations, it goes beyond strategic issues that we all think about so much when we thing about US policy in the Middle East. MEPI is designed to build partnerships with citizens. " Report: Hamas expects swap mediator to step down 1/29/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Hamas expects German mediator Gerhard Conrad, working on bilateral talks between Israel and Gaza factions, to step down, a party spokesperson said. Hamas' Aiman Taha told the Egyptian press on Thursday that Israeli obstinacy was behind the likely resignation of Conrad,a renowned expert on the Arab world in the German intelligence service BND, who had brokered talks around a prisoner release since the fall. The swap would see the release of a captured Israeli soldier in exchange for the freedom of 1,000 Palestinains from Israeli jails. Member of Hamas' politburo Izzat Ar-Rashaq was quoted in the media confirming Israeli stubbornness as being behind the impending resignation of Conrad, saying Israel "put him in a critical situation. "He said Conrad gave both sides a deadline in early 2010, and indicated that if an agreement was not made by then, he would step down. Brother of slain Hamas man: He was electrocuted and strangled Ha'aretz 29 Jan 2010 - Fayek al-Mabhouh says Israel had attempted to assassinate his brother in the past., Hamas blames Israel for assassination of top militant The Guardian 29 Jan 2010 - Brother claims dead commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was strangled and electrocuted The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has claimed that Israeli agents assassinated one of its senior military commanders in Dubai. Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, 49, was killed on 20... Gaza: Fourth death in week due to faulty generators 1/28/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A faulty electricity generator set fire to a Jabaliya home in the northern Gaza Strip Thursday morning, killing one woman and injuring two others, medics said. The death is the fourth related to faulty generators in a week, following the death of three children from carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator stored indoors. The most recent death hit the Abu Warda family, killing a wheelchair-bound relative and injuring a young man and infant girl. The Gaza Power Authority appealed to residents to check their generators, to keep children away from the machines when they are running, and to make sure they are stored outside the home. The use of generators sharply increased during Israel's war on the Gaza Strip last winter, when blackouts hit most homes for much of the day. With the winter cold at its peak and a fuel crisis causing up to 32 hours of blackouts a week in parts of the Strip, generator use climbed in recent weeks. Palestinian Journalists Syndicate sets election dates 1/28/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - The Palestinian Journalist Syndicate announced on Wednesday that nominations were open for its leadership. Its top committee will receive names from Saturday until Monday, 1 February. In a statement, the syndicate that that Tuesday would be the only day to contest nominations. It added that the top journalist union will hold its fifth conference on 5 February in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Journalists eligible to participate in the conference number around 1,000, the syndicate said, from the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. All Ma'an journalists are represented by the syndicate, which is the International Federation of Journalists' official representation in Palestine, alongside Israel's Jerusalem Association of Journalists. . . . . PCHR Is Deeply Concerned over Continued Electrical Power Outage in the Gaza Strip Uruknet January 28, 2010 - The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is deeply concerned over continued electrical outage in wide areas across the Gaza Strip for long hours. This outage is the result of reduction in the capacity of Gaza Power Plant to less than the half and the increase in deficit of power available in the Gaza Strip to... Mazuz: Jerusalem mayor 'fixed' budget increase for Haredi schools Ha'aretz 28 Jan 2010 - Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who beat ultra-Orthodox candidate Meir Porush during the last municipal election, has improperly boosted municpal funding for schools run by Shas and by Porush's United Torah Judaism party, according to a statement by outgoing Attorney General Menachem Mazuz. ... PCHR Is Deeply Concerned over Continued Electrical Power Outage in the Gaza Strip Relief Web 28 Jan 2010 - Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights PA cabinet marks prisoners day 1/27/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Authority cabinet in Ramallah marked Wednesday, 27 January, as the day of solidarity with Palestinian prisoners. A statement from the cabinet on the occasion said leaders continued to make the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel a top priority, and noted a move was forthcoming that would allow for a more "detailed resolution to be translated on the ground, by a set of events and actions that confirm the presence of prisoners' issue at all levels. "Adding its call to the statement, the Ministry of Information demanded an "immediate releasing of the Palestinian prisoners, and to free all prisoners inside the Israeli jails. "There are over 10,000 Palestinians currently in Israeli prisons, including women, children, the elderly and elected officials. . . . . PPP leader: President, PLC’s legitimacy have ended 1/27/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Secretary-general of the Palestine People's Party Bassam As-Salhi said on Wednesday that the legitimacy of the Palestinian Legislative Council and that of the president ended on 25 January 2010, during a news conference in Ramallah. "Legitimacy is represented by periodic elections and is the basis for credibility and continuity of the constitutional mandate," he said. As-Salhi called on Hamas to agree on holding elections in the Gaza Strip and achieve national reconciliation. On Sunday the PPP called for the holding of elections at the earliest possible date as the official mandate of the Palestinian Legislative Council came to an end Sunday. The inability to hold elections before 25 January is a blemish on the Palestinian democratic process, a statement from the party said, adding that "Palestinians have the right to choose their representatives through elections. " Best of 2009 unveiled in Ramallah 1/27/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Results of Ma'an Network's annual poll on leading figures and organizations were announced at a celebration attended by political, factional, social, public and media figures in Ramallah on Wednesday evening. Ma'an general director Raed Othman thanked attendees and those who voted. He said an estimated 32 percent of Internet users in the occupied Palestinian territories participated in the poll, the largest such survey ever conducted. ResultsWinners and the top four finalists in most categories attended a ceremony at Ramallah's Best Eastern Hotel on Wednesday. Winners Salam Fayyad and Israeli Knesset Member Ahmed At-Tibi were invited to speak. Fayyad took top place in the categories of governance, economics, and political independents. Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah narrowly defeated Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas in the categories of politics and political parties. Hamas signals new readiness for Palestinian unity Ha'aretz 28 Jan 2010 - Group may patch up difference with rival Fatah in time for elections in June, leaders say., Elie Wiesel accuses wartime Pope of Holocaust silence Ha'aretz 28 Jan 2010 - Sainthood candidate's failure to speak out 'helped Holocaust aggressors', says Nobel laureate in Rome., Israeli-American electric car company gets $350 million cash infusion Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Project Better Place's agreement with HSBC-led investor consortium marks one of largest clean-tech investments in history., Gaza’s power plant to shut down amidst latest fuel crisis 1/26/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - An EU contract paying for fuel shipments into the Gaza Strip for its sole power plant expired on 30 November 2009, according to Kan'an Obeid, deputy manager of the Energy Authority in the coastal enclave. While the EU had been providing the service after the contract expired, EU officials notified the Energy Authority that they would no longer pay for the fuel shipments unless the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah drafted a new agreement and payment scheme. Obeid said that the fuel in Gaza will last until Thursday morning. If a new shipment does not arrive, Gaza's power plant will be forced to shut down, in turn affecting 70 percent of the population. The Energy Authority is in talks with the finance minister in Ramallah to implement a payment plan whereby the Gaza Electricity Company will collect money from its customers, then transfer the funds to the minister, who would pay Israeli fuel companies for the service. PA cabinet expresses ’regret’ for not holding elections 1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - During its weekly cabinet meeting, chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad held on Monday, members said that elections could be held in June, if the Egyptian document is signed immediately. Cabinet members expressedregret for not holding presidential and legislative elections on the constitutionally set date. Members called for a swift national reconciliation that would allow for elections to be conducted, in accordance with the constitution as well as the Egyptian proposal, considering it the guarantee for protecting the Palestinian democratic system and national achievements. Members further spoke of hope for the success of international peace efforts but stressed the need for an Israeli commitment to international law and the Roadmap Agreement, primarily a full cessation of settlement activities, especially in and around east Jerusalem,to give way to. . . VIDEO - B’Tselem film challenges wisdom of Gaza blockade 1/25/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - One year after Israel's assault on the coastal enclave, the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem launched a public campaign demanding that Israel lift its siege on the Gaza Strip. On Monday, B'Tselem released a short film, by Alon Simone, challenging conventual wisdom in Israel that the country's ongoing military blockade of Gaza has brought Hamas to its knees. "A siege doesn't collapse governments," the animated film concludes. "A siege just makes people miserable. " Releasing such films and other material to counter perceptions of what is happening "is necessary in order to rehabilitate the Gaza Strip from the destruction wrought by the hostilities," B'Tselem said. On Sunday, Gaza's electricity generators were turned off as a result of insufficient quantities of fuel being transferred into the coastal enclave. Related: B'tselem Animation: Lift siege on Gaza, December 2009 and Gaza: An Inside Look - Young Gazans' videos Israeli authorities open 2 Gaza crossings 1/25/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings into the Gaza Strip on Monday to allow the transfer of humanitarian aid and the limited export of goods, a Palestinian border official told Ma'an. The Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza will see the transfer of between 58 and 68 truckloads of humanitarian aid, commercial and agricultural goods, said Raed Fattouh, the crossings' official. Additionally, one truck of cut carnations and one truck of strawberries will be exported via the Karni crossing tin northern Gaza. Approximately 96 truckloads of wheat and animal feed will be transfered via Karni, as well as limited quantities of domestic gas and industrial fuel. On Sunday, Gaza's electricity generators were turned off as a result of insufficient quantities of fuel being transferred into the coastal enclave. . . . . Rights group slams leadership over election crisis 1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - The Al-Marsad Center for Human Rights' elections and democracy branch said on Monday that the failure to hold elections throughout the occupied Palestinian territories is a violation of Palestinians' right to political participation through elections. On 25 January, the mandate for the PLC expired, the organization said, pointing out that according to the Law of Elections(9) of 2005, Article (111) and (2) set out by the PLC, the failure to hold elections within a legal and constitutional timeframe is a violation of the Palestinian people's right to vote. The organization demanded that Hamas sign the reconciliation document sponsored by Egypt and called on President Mahmoud Abbas to issue a presidential decree for legislative and presidential elections to take place in June, in accordance with the document's guidelines. New York Times fails to disclose Jerusalem bureau chief's conflict of interest Uruknet January 25, 2010 - The New York Times has all but confirmed to The Electronic Intifada (EI) that the son of its Jerusalem bureau chief Ethan Bronner was recently inducted into the Israeli army. Over the weekend, EI received a tip suggesting this had been the case and wrote to Bronner to ask him to confirm or deny the information... Obeid: Gaza electricity station to come to a complete halt by Thursday Uruknet January 25, 2010 -- The sole electricity generation station in Gaza Strip is to stop functioning by Thursday because the European Union (EU) stopped financing fuel shipments to the Strip, Kenan Obeid, the deputy chairman of the Palestinian energy authority, said. He appealed to the Arab countries, in a statement to the PIC, and all free people of the world... Legislataive Council's term ends, continues in limbo 25 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 25, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Palestinian Legislative Council's tenure officially ended Sunday night, four years after the elections which yielded a Hamas majority. Fatah sources were quick to declare that from now on they will regard the current parliament make-up as illegal, while Hamas officials stressed that as long as no new general elections have been conducted... Israeli Electric Car Company Secures Groundbreaking Funding The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - An electric vehicle service provider is set to receive one of the largest cleantech investments in history. An Israeli funded and U.S.-based cleantech company secured $350 million in funding on Monday from several major financial companies.... Term of Palestinian Legislative Council Expires; Fatah Says Now Illegal, Hamas Says Term Extended The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - Four years after Hamas won elections and became the majority in the Palestinian legislature, the term of the Palestinian Legislative Council has expired leaving derision in its wake. Fatah contends that with the term expired the... Human rights organization: Position paper on elections PNN 25 Jan 2010 - 24 January 2010, is the due date for legislative and presidential elections in the [[Palestinian National Authority]] (PNA). If the Palestinian democracy was to be practiced normally and without obstacles, the Palestinian electorate in the [[Occupied Palestinian Territory]] (OPT) would be today standing in front of ballot boxes to elect a new president for the PNA and new members of the Palestinian... Abu Zuhri: We are not afraid of elections PIC 25 Jan 2010 - Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, has said that his movement was not afraid of new legislative elections, recalling that it was the one to win the last elections. Obeid: Gaza electricity station to come to a complete halt by Thursday PIC 25 Jan 2010 - The sole electricity generation station in Gaza Strip is to stop functioning by Thursday because the EU stopped financing fuel shipments to the Strip, Kenan Obeid said. Palestinian factions declare support for resistance, refusal of negotiations PIC 25 Jan 2010 - Four Palestinian factions on Sunday declared their insistence on resistance against Israeli occupation and refusal to return to frivolous negotiations with it. PCHR: Circumventing 2006 election results led to internal division PIC 25 Jan 2010 - The Palestinian center for human rights (PCHR) has said that circumventing the election results of 2006 had led to the internal Palestinian division and to delaying the new elections slated for 2010. Palestinian parliament's term expires YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - Legislative Council in Ramallah, mainly consisting of Hamas representatives, will end its official term Sunday night. Fatah already declares it will consider body as illegal, whereas Hamas elements stress that current make-up will remain until new elections are held in Palestinian Authority. Efforts for internal reconciliation to be reinforced in coming days No Elections without Reconciliation IMEMC 24 Jan 2010 - Monday January 25, 2010 - 03:50, On General Elections in the Palestinian National Authority: No Elections without Reconciliation PLC Speaker: It`s time for a national and unified government 1/24/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Speaker in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Dr Aziz Dweik announced Sunday that the body will continue working "as usual," and not be stymied by the 24 January deadline by which elections were supposed to be held. The term of the PLC ran out on 24 January, but was extended by the PLO in December, a move Hamas called illegal, since the PLC was not created by the PLO and can thus not dictate its term. The PLO Central Committee said article 47 of the Basic Law allows for the change. The PLC has been defunct since 2007. In a Ramallah news conference, Dweik said he was ready to "call a meeting of all PLC members from the West Bank and Gaza," and called on the "presidency to facilitate the meeting in an effort toward national reconciliation and creating a unified front against the latest Israeli settler attacks in Jerusalem. " Khreisheh: Today, I am no longer a PLC member 1/24/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - PLC member Dr Hasan Khreisheh handed over the keys to his official vehicle on Sunday, 24 January, declaring his term as a member of Palestine's legislative body over. The elections for the PLC were held on 2 January 2006, on 24 January 2010 the term of the body elected in the first legislative elections in Palestine expired. In December the Central Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization met, and extended the term of the President and the PLC until elections were held. When the move was made, accusations arose that the PLO did not have the authority to extend the term of the PLC. "It is time for new members to fill the places of the old," Khreisheh said as he turned in the Palestinian Authority-issued car. Speaking with Ma'an by phone, Khreisheh urged Palestinians to take to the streets and demonstrate, calling for national reconciliation. PCHR: No elections without reconciliation 1/24/2010 - The Palestinian Center for Human Rights weighs in on the controversy around the expiration of the official term of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Twenty-four January 2010, was the due date for legislative and presidential elections in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). If the Palestinian democracy was to be practiced normally and without obstacles, the Palestinian electorate in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) would have stood in front of ballot boxes to elect a new president for the PNA and new members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Twenty-four January passed with no such elections due to the outstanding conflict and division in the Palestinian political regime. The second Palestinian presidential election was held in January 2005 following the death of the late President Yasser Arafat in November 2004, and Mahmoud Abass was elected as the President of the PNA. PPP: PLC mandate over but work must continue until elections 1/24/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Palestinian People's Party called for the holding of elections at the earliest possible date as the official mandate of the Palestinian Legislative Council came to an end Sunday. The inability to hold elections before 25 January is a blemish on the Palestinian democratic process, a statement from the party said, adding that "Palestinians have the right to choose their representatives through elections. "An election had been called for 24 January by President Mahmoud Abbas in October, but an elections committee determined it would be impossible to hold a vote in Gaza without Hamas support. The de facto government position was that without reconciliation, no parties would trust the voting system and an election would be wasted. The PPP said that while the mandate of the PLC had officially ended, its members had the right to continue their work until new elections were held. Campaign against siege warns of serious repercussions for power failure Uruknet January 24, 2010 - The Palestinian-international campaign to lift the siege on Gaza Strip has warned of the serious repercussions of the long periods of power cuts in many Strip areas as a result of the lack of enough fuel to operate the sole electricity generation station. The campaign in a statement on Sunday said that the station was generating... German sources: Israel-Hamas prisoner swap deal about to collapse IMEMC 23 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 23, 2010 - 22:44, According to the German paper Der Spiegel, a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the elected government of the Palestinian people (represented by the Hamas party) was about to collapse due to the Israeli refusal to sign onto the agreement that they had negotiated. Arab coalition to press for Middle East, Palestinian unity 1/23/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an -Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Libya have joined forces to pressure split Arab camps as well as Palestinian factions into a unity, member of the politburo office of the Palestine People's party Walid Al-Awad said Saturday. Fatah and Hamas have remained in political deadlock since the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas forces in 2007, with three significant attempts at unity already failed. The Arab world has also faced fragmentation, over issues with US-alignment, region-wide factional supoprt and increasing influence from parties operating in Syria and Lebanon. Awwad said the countries in the coalition came together to promote an atmosphere of unity among the Arabs ahead of a proposed Arab League Summit in Libya in February, which hopes to address the issue of Palestinain unity. Strong Arab support, Awwad noted, would help Palestinians insist on a halt to settlement construction before continuing with peace talks. Abu Rudeineh: Hamas must sign Egyptian document 1/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian general and legislative elections could be held in June, if Hamas signs the Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation document, said presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh on Saturday. If Hamas were to ratify the agreement, elections could be held on 28 June 2010. "This is an important and last chance," Abu Rudeineh said in an interview with the Ma'an Radio Network. Negotiations with Israel, he said, will remain stalled if Netanyahu does not commit to a settlement construction standstill in the territories of 1967, which include East Jerusalem. "We will not accept a singleIsraeli soldier on Palestinian territories, which will prevent us from returning to negotiations, Abu Rudeineh said. If the international community, in particular the American administration, is not prepared to exert pressure on Israel, talks will remain at a standstill, which. . . " Hamas celebrates strength in massive Khan Younis rally 1/23/2010 - Photos - Gaza - Ma'an - "One year after the Israeli war on Gaza, Hamas is stronger than ever before," member of the Hamas politburo office Khalil Al-Haya said at an event commemorating the lives of the Gaza dead on Friday. The event took place in Bani Suheila, a town east ofKhan Younis, with dozens of senior political figures, PLC members, and resistance factions members and their families, as well as family members of those killed during the Israeli war on Gaza. "We began to defeat the Israeli occupation, they have started to backtrack and we must employ all our power and patience to reach our goals," Al-Haya told the crowd. Hamas has been working to liberate all of Palestine, he said, "the conflict is based on the occupation, we learned this from our fathers and our fathers fathers, we will teach it to our children and we will not give up. " Gaza PLC member questions gov’t legitimacy past 25 Jan 1/23/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Palestine Legislative Council member with the Fatah bloc Faysal Abu Shahla in Gaza spoke out on Saturday, expressing concern that any move to extend the term of the legislative body beyond 25 January is illegal, and after that date the body will lose its legitimacy. The member of Fatah's Revolutionary Council cautioned lawmakers, saying after 25 January the PLC will no longer be a representative body according to article 47 of the Palestinian constitution. On 18 December, the PLC Central Committee in Ramallah decided to extend the term of Abbas and the PLC under the Palestinian Basic Law until elections are held. According to Abu Shahla, it is article 47 of the Palestinian constitution that is being used to justify the extension. Article 47 states: 1. The Palestinian Legislative Council is the elected legislative authority. 2. Without prejudice to the provisions of this law, the Legislative Council shall assume its legislative and oversight duties, as prescribed in its Standing Orders. German sources: Israel-Hamas prisoner swap deal about to collapse Uruknet January 23, 2010 - According to the German paper Der Spiegel, a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the elected government of the Palestinian people (represented by the Hamas party) was about to collapse due to the Israeli refusal to sign onto the agreement that they had negotiated. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had been scheduled to sign the agreement... Biden in Iraq to defuse row over barred poll candidates Daily Star 24 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. 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. Gaza: Political leaders call for general elections to be held on time 21 Jan 2010 - 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... J Street plans Congressmen Israel trip Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Group's PAC to increase contributions to US Congressional candidates by at least 50% in 2010. 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." Masha’al renews invitation to meet with Abbas 1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Senior-most Hamas leader Khaled Masha'al on Wednesday renewed his call meet with President Mahmoud Abbas, Saudi media reported. "My stance remains the same: I am ready to meet [Abu Mazen] to achieve conciliation," In an interview with the Saudi daily newspaper of U'kath. Abbas had rejected an invitation by Kuwait's Foreign Minister to host a meeting between Masha'al and the president to discuss the standstill in reconciliation talks, stating that they would not meet until the Egyptian document is ratified by Hamas. Masha'al said that Hamas still has amendments to the Egyptian-backed reconciliation document, and emphasized that the process should be speeded up to achieve Palestinian goals. While he told the Saudi daily that he is compelling Egypt to review its construction of an underground steel wall on the Gaza-Egypt border, Masha'al stressed the. . . Livni takes hard line against advancing Kadima leadership reace Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - The three candidates who ran against Livni for the Kadima leadership in September 2008 all support holding another primary by the end of the year. 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." Rejoub: Washington threatened Fatah with siege if reconciliation reached PIC 20 Jan 2010 - The US administration threatened Fatah faction that it would face a siege if it signed a reconciliation agreement with the Hamas Movement, Jibril Al-Rejoub revealed. Hamas and Islamic Jihad meet in Gaza 1/19/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas and Islamic Jihad held a meeting late Monday evening in Gaza City to discuss recent developments in Palestinian politics and the Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation document. In attendance were Nafez Azzam, Muhammad Al-Hindi and Khaled Al-Hindi from Islamic Jihad and Khalil Al-Hayya, Jamal Abu Hashim and Aiman Taha representing Hamas. "This is a regular meeting between Palestinian factions to study the recent dilemmas posed in Palestinian politics," Azzam told Ma'an during an interview. Other topics on the agenda included Israeli violations and international involvement aimed at ending inter-Palestinian rivalries, notably between Hamas and Fatah. Azzam added that "we've seen Hamas' great desire to accomplish reconciliation and end division. ""We've agreed on holding other meetings soon also with other factions to discuss all of this. " Habib: Elections before reconciliation rejected PIC 19 Jan 2010 - Khader Habib, one of the Islamic Jihad's leaders, said on Tuesday that any municipal or legislative elections before reconciliation are rejected. Palestinian civil defense rescue residents as weather turns 1/19/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Palestinian civil defense force was deployed throughout the West Bank to assist in numerous incidents as weather conditions worsened overnight on Sunday and early Monday morning, a police report said. Following an electricity blackout overnight, the civil defense was called to rescue a woman stuck in an elevator in Al-Masyoun, Ramallah. Fire crews extinguished a blaze that erupted in the kitchen of a home in Bethlehem - the result of an electrical shortage caused by the blackout. In the Ad-Doha neighborhood of Bethlehem, civil defense forces pulled cars out of flooded areas caused by excessive rainfall on Sunday evening. Sewage lines were also repaired following a burst, also as the result of downpours. In Hebron, a fire in a store was extinguished which caused an estimated 50,000 Shekels worth of damage. Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood chooses new leader Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Egypt's largest opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, announced Saturday it has chosen a new leader, a conservative academic who looks unlikely to challenge the government's relentless crackdown on the group. The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood managed to make a strong showing in 2005's parliamentary election with candidates who ran as independents. Women prisoners smuggle letters detailing harsh living conditions 1/16/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - The Palestinian Detainees' Society said on Saturday that 34 women detainees await news on a prisoner swap deal, having contacted the society by smuggling letters. The women prisoners wrote of the poor living conditions inside Israeli jails, where they are punished arbitrarily. The detainees further wrote of not having access to hot water, not being given blankets, cramped cells and poor electricity. The cells in particular lack decent access the light and fresh air. The facilities are outdoors, the women wrote, and lack privacy. [end] Fayyad launches building restoration project in Bir Zeit 1/16/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - It is the project of the Palestinian Authority to create new and positive facts on the ground in efforts to achieve a Palestinian state that meets the needs of its people, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told Bir Zeit residents on Friday. "Our national project needs enduring energy and multiple efforts, determination and great hope," Fayyad said, promising to support the construction of streets, water and electricity networks, schools and health facilities. Fayyad was inaugurating the restoration of an ancient building in the heart of the village, supported by the Swedish Development Agency and the Dutch government and in cooperation with the Bir Zeit municipality. He also noted several other restoration projects would be soon underway, supported by the United States. Mayor of Bir Zeit Dr Yousef Nasser welcomed the infrastructure and projects, saying they supported. . . Barghouti: Palestinian division is a crime 1/16/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Mustafa Barghouti, secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative, said on Saturday that ongoing division between Palestinian factions is detrimental to Palestinians. "Continued division on the Palestinian arena is a crime against the Palestinians and their future," he said. "Israel is eliminating the elements of the Palestinian cause by changing the features of Jerusalem, with settlements, enforcing an apartheid regime, changing the features of the Jordan Valley and confiscating Palestinian sources of water and imposing the siege on Gaza. " Under such circumstances, he said, "it is a crime to continue with this state of division. . . every effort should be made to restore national unity. "Barghouti called for expanding and applying the popular resistance by reviving the boycott campaign, imposing international sanctions on Israel "to stop its crimes in the Palestinian territories. " Haniyeh calls for new Palestinian, Arab strategy 1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh called on the creation of a new Palestinian and Arab strategy based on an evaluation of previous talks and establishing ties with Turkey and Iran, he said during a Friday sermon in Gaza City. Haniyeh specified three bases upon which a new Palestinian strategy should be founded on, including admitting the failure of prior negotiations, entering in national dialogue to establish a political program and the signing of the Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation document, taking into account Hamas' amendments. The de facto prime minister further claimed that members of the Palestinian leadership were making use of the current impasse to oust Hamas with a tampered election. "The Palestinian strategy should be based on structuring the Palestine Liberation Organization on national and administrative foundations, then elections for the legislative council can be held," he said. Hamas, Islamic Jihad: No truce with Israel 1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas and Islamic Jihad, declared on Friday that no suspension of hostilities has been agreed upon with Israel. Senior Hamas leader Ayman Taha said "there is no agreement for a truce [with Israel]. No one has offered us an agreement to consult on," during a telephone interview with Ma'an. "Hamas meetings are ongoing with various factions to consult on a strategic stance on internal Palestinian affairs. These factions have undertaken to realize the interests of Palestinians, all with the highest level of responsibility. " Nafeth Azzam, senior Islamic Jihad leader reiterated that no truce had been agreed on, adding that "resistance factions sympathize with Palestinians following Israel's war on Gaza and have tried to handle it's impact," he said also during a telephone interview with Ma'an. "We have not received an invitation for any meeting. . . . " Will you marry poor me 1/15/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Eva Bartlett, Inter Press Service, 14 January - "If we had money we'd get married right away," says Samir*, 23. He has found his bride, but not the money to hold the wedding. The Israeli siege imposed shortly after Hamas's election in early 2006 has ruled out marriage for many. Palestinians traditionally marry young, between 18 and 25, but more and more now pass their mid-twenties single. With unemployment levels above 45 percent, and the price of most goods doubled or more, living, and marrying, are becoming unaffordable. Worsening living conditions under the siege are changing relationship patterns. While salaried work has traditionally been the man's role, many women have been adding to the family's income – or have sometimes been the sole provider – by selling hand-stitched embroidery. Groups such as Oxfam, the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee, and other social organisations have provided some of the poorest women with small gardens, sheep, rabbits or chickens to tend for food and for income. Network of road gates tightens its stranglehold on Shufa village 1/15/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - The village of Shufa continues to struggle with restricted road access and no electricity grid connection, as a new road gate is established at the entrance to the village. Israeli Occupation Forces established a new road gate at the entrance to Shufa village one week ago, enabling the military to restrict or forbid access to the village at any given time, by closing the gates. The gates are effectively – or at times a precursor to – a form of road block. A similar gate was constructed 2 days ago in the neighboring village of Seffarin at the intersection of the village's road with an Israeli road. The increasing number of road gates in the region contribute to slowly creeping network of apartheid roads and restriction of movement for Palestinians living in the West Bank. Shufa village has been split in half and isolated by road blocks and apartheid roads. Hamas official: No Shalit deal until demands met 1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an -Senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Haya announced on Wednesday that Hamas and other factions' stance on the release of caputured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit cannot be rescinded, he said during a political symposium in Khan Younis, Gaza. "The deal will not be concluded until the Israeli occupation agrees on Hamas demands. Hamas and the resistance are inseparable twins," Al-Haya said. "The resistance is able to restore the homeland and its residents. The relationship with the occupier is an issue of existence and not borders. "Concerning the impasse reached on Palestinian reconciliation and the Egyptian-backed document tipped to end Hamas-Fatah rivalry, Al-Haya said "there is no alternative to reconciliation or the agreement that could save the Palestinian cause" adding that Fatah "has not reached the stage where it is able to have Hamas as a partner in the homeland. " Abu Marzook calls on Fatah to rethink its political program PIC 14 Jan 2010 - Mousa Abu Marzook has called on Fatah faction Wednesday to review its political program and to return back to its original principles that gained it the confidence of the Palestinian people. Haniyeh: Israeli threats are ’psychological warfare’ 1/13/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto government Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of Israel launching a major military offensive in the Gaza Strip. "Israeli threats are psychological warfare," Haniyeh said, addressing his cabinet during its weekly session. The deposed prime minister further called on the international community to "leash Israeli aggression and bring an end to the security chaos which Israeli leaders are creating. "Haniyeh added that his government had several choices to respond to Israeli violations, and called on Palestinian factions to enter into dialogue to ensure national unity to protect Palestinian interests, which are "the best means of preventing any possible Israeli aggression. " Concerning the Egyptian soldier shot dead at the Rafah border following clashes, Haniyeh said "the government decided to open a comprehensive investigations. . . " Palestinian fighting spreads in Beirut suburb Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - Factions exchange fire over Furqan mosque; fiscal, family feuds fueling flare-ups. (The Media Line) Egypt to build 23 watchtowers along borders with Gaza PIC 13 Jan 2010 - The Egyptian authorities are planning to construct 23 watchtowers supplied with bullet proof glass windows and electronic devices along the borders with Gaza Strip. Report: Israel’s Goldstone response coming soon 1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel plans to release its official response to South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict in two weeks, the Hebrew-language daily Ma'ariv reported on Tuesday. The report accused Israel's military and armed Palestinian factions of war crimes during the devastating winter assault on Gaza that killed some 1,400 Palestinians, more than half civilians, as well as 13 Israelis, among them four civilians. [end] DFLP: No negotiations until settlement standstill 1/12/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Palestinian left wing factions in Gaza said they would not support a renewal in peace talks without a complete settlement standstill, following a meeting on Tuesday in Gaza. Member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine's (DEFLP) central committee Saleh Nasser urged the Palestinian leadership to commit to its stance, and demanded the Palestinian leadership exert pressure on Israel to commit to its international obligations and "stop its crimes against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza. "Other left-wing factions were in attendance at the meeting, and discussed Israel's military threat and the need to establish a unified national resistance to counter it, Nasser added. It was agreed that the left-wing factions would meet regularly to counter the challenge of Palestinian rivalry and ensure national unity. . . . . Saka village hooked up to electrical grid under PA project 1/12/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Electrical grid infrastructure was installed in Saka village near Hebron by the Palestinian Authority on Monday, marking the last area in the governorate to access electricity under the project. Fouad Al-Amleh, engineer and head of project for the power authority, said the Saka village project provided services to distant areas that lack electricity and links 50 villages in Hebron with power. The project cost approximately 250,000 US dollars and was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority and caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, he said, adding that there remains four villages in the governorate without access to electricity as a result of obstacles put in place by the Israeli occupation. The Saka village council thanked all those involved in implementing the project and praised their efforts. . . . . Ice cream factory worker killed in Gaza blast 1/12/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - One Palestinian was killed following an ice cream factory explosion in the Al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, medical sources said on Tuesday. The corpse of Bilal Khamis Al-Khreiby, 23, was taken to the An-Nasser Hospital following a blast that civil defense workers said was the result of an electricity malfunction. [end] Israel Dragging Gaza to New War: Analysts Uruknet January 12, 2010 - With its recent aggressions, Israel is trying to provoke the Palestinian resistance factions into retaliatory attacks that could be used as a pretext for launching a new deadly offensive on the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, analysts believe. "The message in the recent attacks is very clear, and the resistance should read it carefully," Talal Okal, a political... Hamas: Israeli decision to build wall with Egypt reveals scheme PIC 11 Jan 2010 - Hamas on Monday said that the Israeli decision to build an electronic wall along its borders with Egypt revealed that the construction of Egypt's steel wall had nothing to do with Egyptian security. Guerrilla ad campaign protests Pacific Gas & Electric’s link to Israeli company 1/8/2010 - Mondoweiss - An ad campaign of sorts ran in Berkeley and San Francisco at the end of 2009 drawing attention to Pacific Gas & Electric’s relationship with the Israeli company Solel and the growing BDS movement. Several of PG&E’s “Solar Power” bus shelter billboards were modified to read “Making planets orbit and bagels toast … and fueling Israeli apartheid. ” PG&E has a 25-year contract with Solel to develop the Mojave Solar Park in California’s Mojave Desert. The modified ads were rehung in bus shelters in downtown Berkeley and San Francisco’s Union Square, and stayed up for several weeks through November and December. Street artist K. R. , one of the creators of the ad, explained in a press release, “Every person in California has a stake in what PG&E does, because we are all forced to buy power from them. I don’t want to be funding apartheid every time I turn on a light, and I don’t think most of my neighbors do either. Mash’al meets with Syrian president 1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - A Hamas delegation headed by the Islamist movement's senior most leader Khalid Mash'al met with Syrian President Bashir Al-Asad in Damascus on Saturday to discuss the status of the occupied Palestinian territories. The meeting tackled the latest developments in the Palestinian territories as reconciliation efforts between rival factions Hamas and Fatah reached an impasse, according to Hamas official Izzat Ar-Rashq. The conveners also addressed continuous Israeli assaults, settlement activity, plans to Judaize Jerusalem and divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in addition to the ongoing crippling siege on the Gaza Strip. The Syrian president was briefed on the reasons for stalemate in the reconciliation process and the amendments Hamas would like addressed before signing the Egyptian-sponsored document. Dahlan: Hamas is not interested in reconciliation 1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - "The interests of Hamas are not in line with reconciliation," Fatah member and Gaza native Mohammad Dahlan told the London-based newspaper Al-Hayat in a report published Friday. A leading member of the party in Gaza until shortly before the Hamas takeover in 2007, and elected as a member of Fatah Central Committee in 2009, Dahlan spoke at length in the report on peace efforts, and a recent move by President Mahmoud Abbas to rally Arab support for a new round of talks. "Recent political movements reflect some optimism towards resuming talks [with Israel]," Dahlan told Al-Hayat, "but we cannot be too optimistic when it has to do with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. " He cited recent Egyptian efforts with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and the Quartet that "aim at forming a consensusstance thatgoes along with the Palestinian demands. . . " DFLP wing: 3 mortars fired at army base 1/9/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) claimed to have launched three mortar shells at an Israeli target on Friday afternoon, following calls to retaliate for multiple airstrikes the night before. In a statement, the DFLP's National Resistance Brigades said the shells targeted an Israeli military site near Rafah. "The shelling comes in response to the Israeli attacks on Gaza [overnight Thursday] and a as confirmation of continued resistance against the Israeli occupation," the statement said. Ma'an could not independently confirm the launch, which Israel's military later denied. An army spokesman conceded only that on Thursday, the Popular Resistance Committees' armed wing, the An-Nasser Salah Ad-Din Brigades, launched multiple shells at Israeli targets. Early Friday morning, the PRC wing released a statement urging other armed factions to respond "instantly" to the multiple Israeli airstrikes that struck targets across the Gaza Strip shortly after midnight. Islamic Jihad: Israel trying to drag us into war 1/9/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds Brigades affirmed resistance factions' readiness to confront any attack on Gaza, spokesman Abu Ahmad announced Friday. He told Ma'an by phone that "the latest Israeli military escalation on Gaza comes within ongoing attempts by the occupation to provoke the resistance by dragging it into a military confrontation. " The comments came after a sequence of 14 mortar shells were reported fired at Israeli targets by the Popular Resistance Committees' militant wing, which were followed Friday morning by a series of four airstrikes all across the Gaza Strip. On Friday afternoon the PRC issued a call for "retaliation" for the airstrikes. Later Friday the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine's military wing said it launched four mortars at Israeli targets. The recent airstrikes and a series of limited incursions were what Abu Ahmad called Israeli aims to taunt the resistance in Gaza. Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi survives car shooting Uruknet January 8, 2010 - Pro-government demonstrators opened fire on the car of an Iranian opposition leader, shattering its windows, his website reported today. Sahamnews said the shooting happened yesterday as former presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi was leaving a building in Qazvin, 90 miles west of Tehran. The report added that some 500 people had been demonstrating outside the building, where... Gunmen open fire at Iranian opposition leader Karroubi Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 Armed pro-government demonstrators opened fire on the car of an Iranian opposition leader shattering its windows, his website reported Friday. Sahamnews said the shooting happened late Thursday while former presidential candidate Mahdi Karroubi was leaving a building in Qazvin, some 140 kilometers west of Tehran. Guerrilla ad campaign protests Pacific Gas & Electric’s link to Israeli company Mondoweiss - 8 Jan 2010 - Pacific Gas & Electric advertisement before (left) and after (right) An ad campaign of sorts ran in Berkeley and San Francisco at the end of 2009 drawing attention to Pacific Gas & Electric’s relationship with the Israeli company Solel and the growing BDS movement. Several of... 10 illegal Palestinian aliens arrested in Kfar Yona YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - Investigators raid home of family known to police, surprised by decent living conditions of illegal Palestinian workers; stolen shofar, cell phones and electrical appliances found in their belongings UNRWA to Improve its Services to Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon 6 Jan 2010 - Lebanon, January 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Director of Affairs of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Lebanon said on Tuesday his agency was in the process of "re-structuring" its top priorities in a bid to improve services it provides to Palestinian refugees. Salvatore Lombardo discussed services provided by his agency with representatives of Palestinian factions... Report: Grenade explodes at Fatah office in Lebanon 1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - A hand grenade reportedly exploded at the office of Fatah official Sultan Abu Al-Aynayn in the city of Tyre, Lebanon on Monday. A correspondent for the Beirut-based news site NOW Lebanon said no injuries were reported, but that the explosion caused property damage in the Rashdiyeh refugee camp in south Lebanon. The reported attack comes after Aynayn accused external parties of bringing foreign fighters linked to Al-Qaeda into the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon"We have taken measures to prevent Al-Qaeda from infiltrating Palestinian refugee camps after we received information that external parties were seeking to export extremists, particularly from Iraq," Abu al-Aynayn said in an interview with AFP. Earlier on Sunday Fatah gunmen clashed with fighters affiliated with the Jund Ash-Sham faction in Ein Al-Hilweh refugee camp in the city of Sidon. Meshaal: Palestinian reconciliation deal “close” 4 Jan 2010 - Saudi Arabia, January 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The political leader of Hamas Khaled Meshaal said Sunday that significant development has been made in Egyptian-sponsored talks aimed at reconciling Hamas with Fatah movement. The two main Palestinian factions have been divided since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, leaving Mahmoud Abbas the President of Palestinian Authority and... Gaza economy suffocates under blockade PNN 4 Jan 2010 - Four years on, Gazans are still facing the fallout from an election that saw Hamas come to victory. Since then, Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade that makes it almost impossible for goods to travel in and out. Read more (http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-01-04/gaza-economy-israel-blockade.html?fullstory) For the past decade, the Palestine Trade Center (PalTrade) has been helping private companies interested in exporting to Gaza. But... Karzai orders Afghan Parliament to suspend winter break Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday ordered that the Parliament suspend a winter break so that it can vet and vote on new cabinet nominees after lawmakers rejected over two thirds of his original candidates. But there may be a difficult confrontation ahead as the president plans to return some of the failed choices as candidates for different ministries, a senior official said. Ramallah MoH: Hamas bans surgical society elections 1/3/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - The Ramallah-based Ministry of Health accused Hamas on Sunday of preventing the elections for the Palestinian Surgeons' Society (PSS) by taking over its Gaza headquarters. The Ministry said in an official statement that the shutdown was a result of Hamas' "rejection of democratic processes" and unions' freedom as defined by the Palestinian law, adding that the prevention of elections for the PSS was considered an obstruction of scientific development in Gaza, which is vitally needed in the besieged Strip. The statement added that Hamas had escalated disturbances against professional and medical unions in order to prevent elections at a time when Hamas' popularity is in decline, it said, alleging that the movement appoints its affiliates as members of these societies in order to take control. Fatah to Hamas: Want to reconcile? Sign deal Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - A senior member of the Fatah movement on Sunday dismissed Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal's remarks that the warring Palestinian factions were close to deal for reconciliation. ... 'Significant progress' in attempts to reconcile Hamas and Fatah The Guardian 3 Jan 2010 - Egyptian-backed talks intended to bring together Palestinian factions divided since Hamas seized control of Gaza Strip The leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, today said significant progress had been made in Egyptian-sponsored talks aimed at reconciling the... Haneyya urges Fatah to sign reconciliation paper according to new arrangements PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya on Saturday urged Fatah faction to sign the Palestinian reconciliation paper in Egypt according to new arrangements agreed upon with Hamas Movement. Report from Gaza: One student’s question to the world – ‘Why the Palestinians? Why are we the only ones suffering?’ Mondoweiss - 1 Jan 2010 - The remains of the American International School in Gaza (Photo: Alex Kane) The question was like an electric shock to the six or so Palestine solidarity activists, including myself, as we were standing inside a classroom at a school in Gaza City. “Why the Palestinians? Why...  Links
Mossawa - The Advocacy Center for Arab Citizens of Israel Mossawa, The Advocacy Center for Arab Citizens in Israel, was established in October of 1997 as a Non Governmental Organization. Mossawa works to promote equality for ArabPalestinians within the borders of Israel. Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health This website requires Internet Explorer. Palestinian Authority Ministry of Information General information from the PA Palestinian Information Center Hamas news site Palestinian National Initiative - Al Mubadara The main objective of the Initiative is the realization of Palestinian national rights and of a durable, just peace. Both of these objectives can be best achieved at this juncture through the establishment of a national emergency leadership, the immediate implementation of democratic elections at all levels of the political system, and reform of political, administrative, and other institutional structures in order to meet the needs of the Palestinian people. PLO Negotiations Affairs Department Documents, maps, fact sheets and reports related to the occupation.
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