Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel
Elections Archive - December 2010
Elections Archive - December 2010
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Iran 'will try opposition leaders' AlJazeera 31 Dec 2010 - Country's chief prosecutor insists reformist candidates of disputed 2009 vote will be put on trial. Village pleads for electricity, water YNet News - As 2011 approaches, one Palestinian village appears stuck in the Middle Ages. Jub al-Dib, located in the section of the West Bank under Israel's jurisdiction, has no ....... Israel forces Palestinians to demolish their own homes Electronic Intifada: 31 Dec 2010 - Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes continued in Lyd, the Negev region, and in numerous places around the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem where two Palestinian families were forced to demolish their own homes in Sur Bahir village. The families had received demolition orders from Jerusalem Municipality officials three days before, citing "illegal construction."more Latin American nations recognize a Palestinian state Electronic Intifada: 31 Dec 2010 - BUENOS AIRES (IPS) - With the string of announcements in South America of recognition of a Palestinian state this month, the region's integration process showed a new interest in and capacity to reach common positions in the realm of foreign policy.more Palestinian Legislator Kidnapped From His Home In Hebron IMEMC - 30 Dec 2010 - Thursday December 30, 2010 - 12:31, Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Thursday at dawn, elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), from his home in Yatta town, in Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank. Hamas MP among 6 detained by Israel overnight 12/30/2010 - HEBRON (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained Hamas MP Khalil Ar-Rabai from his home in the southern West Bank town of Yatta on Thursday morning, bringing back up to ten, the number of elected Legislative Council members detained by Israel. Family members of Ar-Rabai said troops surrounded then entered the home, then conducted a search.... Global Military Industrial Disease Uruknet December 30, 2010 - The US Military Industrial spiderweb, with the Pentagon trillion dollar budget at its disposal makes the Israel lobby look like a corner shop. Nearly every US state hosts significant MIC plant and associated jobs -.no potential or incumbent political candidate can afford to ignore this. The Pentagon is enmeshed with industry incestuously... Photostory: Volvo equipment used in house demolitions (part 2) Uruknet December 29, 2010 - Israeli forces are using Volvo construction equipment and trucks in the destruction of Palestinian property. The Electronic Intifada has previously documented the use of Volvo equipment by the Israeli government in its destruction of Palestinian property. Volvo construction equipment and trucks were seen in action on the construction site of Israel's wall near al-Walaja village... Gaza factions meet over Israel tensions Palestine Note 29 Dec 2010 - Maan - Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, called a meeting of Palestinian factions overnight as tension rises along the border with Israel, a source told AFP. In past weeks, Palestinian militants have... Abu Zuhri: Fatah devising serious plot against resistance PIC 30 Dec 2010 - Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, has charged that Fatah faction was hatching a serious plot in cooperation with Israel to liquidate Palestinian resistance and Hamas in Gaza Strip. Book Review: Europe's Alliance with Israel Electronic Intifada: 30 Dec 2010 - David Cronin's immensely valuable new book, Europe's Alliance with Israel: Aiding the Occupation , charts how the European Union and its member states back Israel, and dispels the idea that the US is the only game in town (and that those of us who aren't resident there can therefore change nothing), while also offering activists new targets for institutional lobbying and boycotts.more Role of Israeli firms raises boycott concerns about Rawabi Electronic Intifada: 30 Dec 2010 - The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee in Palestine, has expressed its concern following reports that Israeli companies have been contracted to take part in the construction of Rawabi, an already controversial Qatari-financed Palestinian real estate development in the occupied West Bank.more Palestinian Factions In Gaza Hold A Meeting To Discuss Israeli Threats IMEMC - 29 Dec 2010 - Wednesday December 29, 2010 - 07:15, Palestinian factions in Gaza, except for Fateh, held a meeting on Sunday calling on Arab and international institutions to pressure Israel into halting its violations and escalations against the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip. FIDA denounces raid on Gaza offices 12/29/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Gaza government security forces on Tuesday shut down the Rafah offices of the Palestinian Democratic Union and detained several leaders of the party, the union said. The leftist faction, known as FIDA, said the move was "a violation to national conventions that had prevailed during all the years of the.... PA to update Palestinian registry, include East Jlem 12/29/2010 - RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Palestinian government officials in Ramallah announced Tuesday a plan to update the Palestinian Authority's National Registry, and upgrade the database to an electronic model. The decision, announced during the PA's weekly cabinet meeting, was ratified based on the recommendations of the National Committee to update the registrar.... Gaza factions meet over Israel tensions 12/29/2010 - GAZA CITY (AFP) - Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, called a meeting of Palestinian factions overnight as tension rises along the border with Israel, a source told AFP. In past weeks, Palestinian militants have fired a series of rockets into southern Israel and the Israeli military has launched retaliatory air raids. At.... Fatah suspends 'strongman' Dahlan AlJazeera 29 Dec 2010 - Palestinian faction bans former Gaza security chief from its meetings as it embarks on internal probe into his affairs. Gaza factions meet over Israel tensions Palestine Note 29 Dec 2010 - Maan - Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, called a meeting of Palestinian factions overnight as tension rises along the border with Israel, a source told AFP. In past weeks, Palestinian militants have... Gaza cabinet shuffle deepens division, factions say Palestine Note 28 Dec 2010 - Maan - Independent faction the Popular Struggle Front urged Gaza government Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh not to go ahead with a planned cabinet shuffle, saying Sunday that the move would only deepen division with the West... Gaza factions meet over rising Israel tensions Daily Star 29 Dec 2010 GAZA CITY: Hamas called a meeting of Palestinian factions overnight as tension rises along the border with Israel, a source told AFP Wednesday.Tensions have been rising on Gaza’s border over retaliatory and often deadly Israeli air... Students for Justice in Palestine condemns US government witch hunt Electronic Intifada: 29 Dec 2010 - As students at over fifty American universities, we unequivocally condemn the abuse of grand jury subpoenas to chill the exercise of First Amendment rights by university students and anti-war activists speaking and organizing against Israel's continued oppression of the Palestinian people.more Photostory: Volvo equipment used in house demolitions (part 2) Electronic Intifada: 29 Dec 2010 - Israeli forces are using Volvo construction equipment and trucks in the destruction of Palestinian property. This is the second part of a feature by The Electronic Intifada documenting the use of Volvo equipment by the Israeli government in its destruction of Palestinian property.more Hamas meets with factions over escalation in attacks 12/28/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) - Hamas is scheduled to meet with Palestinian factions in Gaza Tuesday to discuss the recent escalation in attacks by Israel, senior Hamas leader Ayman Taha said. Taha told Ma'an the factions would discuss how to respond to the increased violence against Gaza, and said Hamas would commit to.... Fatah bans former Gaza strongman Dahlan from meetings Palestine Note 28 Dec 2010 - Haaretz - The Western-backed Palestinian Fatah faction has banned from meetings a former leader, once considered a possible successor to President Mahmoud Abbas, an official news agency reported on Tuesday. Read Full Article Gaza cabinet shuffle deepens division, factions say Palestine Note 28 Dec 2010 - Maan - Independent faction the Popular Struggle Front urged Gaza government Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh not to go ahead with a planned cabinet shuffle, saying Sunday that the move would only deepen division with the West... ’The great book robbery’ Radio Netherlands News Desk, Israeli Occupation Archive 12/27/2010 The Israeli army’s “looting” of books belonging to Palestinian intellectuals is the subject of a documentary being made by Dutch-Israeli film maker Benny Brunner. He claims as many as 30,000 Arabic books and manuscripts, some of them rare and valuable, ended up in Israel’s National Library after the 1948 war. Brunner’s interest in the story was sparked by an article written by young Israeli academic Gish Amit who stumbled across books while researching his Ph.D. According to Mr Amit, the library “collected” the books from the private collections of Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes in 1948. Benny Brunner is now recreating what he calls the “looting” of the books in a documentary, The Great Book Robbery. He hopes eventually to locate the original owners of the books. One witness he has spoken to is Nasser Eldin Al Nashashibi, a member of a well-known family of intellectuals in Jerusalem, who was in his 20s in 1948: “Our books were stolen from my house here. They were looted by Jews. I saw that with my own eyes”. Collected According to Brunner, employees of the National Library coordinated with the Israeli military, moving in after Palestinians had been evicted by force from their homes. Sometimes, he says, books were collected while the fighting was still going on. Israel’s National Library denies the charge of looting. Spokesperson Oren Weinberg says in a written statement that the library is only managing the books on behalf of the abandoned property department of the Israeli ministry of finance. -- See also: Source and The great book robbery of 1948 more.. e-mail China imports Israel's methods of propaganda and repression Electronic Intifada: 28 Dec 2010 - A recent meeting between Chinese and Israeli military officials is only the latest in a burgeoning security relationship between Israel and China that includes drone technology, crowd control training, surveillance, intelligence gathering and more. This raises the question of how China's official support for Palestinian self-determination will coincide with its ongoing procurement of the tools of Palestinian pacification. Jimmy Johnson comments.more Christian extremists assist Israel in displacing Negev Bedouin Electronic Intifada: 28 Dec 2010 - Half a million trees planted over the past 18 months on the ancestral lands of Bedouin tribes in Israel's Negev region were bought by a controversial Christian evangelical television channel that calls itself God-TV. Jonathan Cook reports.more First ever encyclopedia documenting the Gaza war released Sunday Uruknet December 26, 2010 - The "creativity" studies and training foundation released Sunday the first ever electronic encyclopedia that documents Israel's late 2008 early 2009 war on the Gaza Strip to mark the war's second anniversary as it approaches. The encyclopedia, dubbed "the Gaza Holocaust", is the product of drawn out efforts by the foundation's strategic research and studies center,... Egypt sets presidential vote for September 2011 Daily Star 27 Dec 2010 CAIRO: Egypt will hold its presidential election in September next year and the ruling party will meet by July to choose its candidate, the party's policy chief, Gamal Mubarak, said Monday, but refused to say if... Resistance factions declare readiness to repel any aggression against Gaza PIC 27 Dec 2010 - The armed wings of the resistance factions stated that the escalating Israeli military actions against Gaza increase their strength and make them more willing to fight and capture Israeli soldiers. Gaza families recall horror two years after Israel's assault Electronic Intifada: 27 Dec 2010 - Between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009, Israel used its formidable military arsenal to wage all out war against a territory whose destitute population is made up largely of refugees. More than 1,400 people were killed, including almost four hundred children. Two years later, Rami Almeghari speaks with Gazans who witnessed Israel's invasion.more Activism roundup: world to commemorate Gaza massacre anniversary Electronic Intifada: 27 Dec 2010 - Palestinians and solidarity groups in the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland have organized vigils and political awareness actions on the occasion of the second anniversary of Israel's winter 2008-09 attacks on the Gaza Strip -- during which more than 1,400 Palestinians were killed and thousands more injured.more Two years after Gaza massacre, a demand for justice Electronic Intifada: 27 Dec 2010 - We the Palestinians of the besieged Gaza Strip, on this day, two years on from Israel's genocidal attack on our families, our houses, our roads, our factories and our schools, are saying enough inaction, enough discussion, enough waiting -- the time is now to hold Israel to account for its ongoing crimes against us.more Outrage continues over Israeli rabbis' racist decree Electronic Intifada: 27 Dec 2010 - BAT YAM (IPS) - Emotions are running high in this working class town on the Mediterranean adjacent to Tel Aviv, the Israeli metropolis that has long been the symbol of liberal laissez-faire Israel. Principally, anti-Arab emotions: racism is on the march.more The Gaza massacre and the struggle for justice Electronic Intifada: 27 Dec 2010 - The Gaza massacre, which Israel launched two years ago today, did not end on 18 January 2009, but continues. It was not only a massacre of human bodies, but of the truth and of justice. Only our actions can help bring it to an end. Ali Abunimah comments for The Electronic Intifada.more Hamas Started Talks To Form New Government In Gaza IMEMC - 26 Dec 2010 - Sunday December 26, 2010 - 09:18, Senior Hamas leaders, headed by Legislator Khalil Al Hayya, held meetings on Saturday evening with different Palestinian factions and independent figures, in the Gaza Strip, in an attempt to form a new government. Resheq: Consultations ongoing for participation of factions in Gaza gov't PIC 26 Dec 2010 - Political bureau member of Hamas Ezzet Al-Resheq has affirmed that the Palestinian government in Gaza was consulting with factions and forces to propose including them in the government. First ever encyclopedia documenting the Gaza war released Sunday PIC 26 Dec 2010 - The “creativity” studies and training foundation released Sunday the first ever electronic encyclopedia that documents Israel's late 2008 early 2009 war on the Gaza Strip. Jews and Arabs must fight Israel’s racism together Ahmed Tibi, Haaretz, Israeli Occupation Archive 12/22/2010 Trends of alienation and despair are evident in Israel’s Arab population, and in this reality it is easy to foster separatism and segregation. Something evil is occurring in Israeli society. Racism and xenophobia are consuming its enlightenment and tolerance, and democracy is becoming more and more endangered. Phenomena that had been on the sidelines are now moving to the forefront. Blatant racism against Israel’s Arab citizens, and hostility to foreigners in general, phenomena that are usually deeply repressed in the collective soul of people and which enlightened governments are careful to lock in a psychological basement are now being released in a murky thrust. Hatred and fear are being reinforced. This is a frightened and insecure society. Between the rabbis’ letter, the growing public standing of Avigdor Lieberman, loyalty oaths, incitement against Arab officials and the flood of racist laws, the 18th Knesset is the most racist of all time. To the current parliament’s credit, it’s likely that the next one will be worse. All of this is not happening in a vacuum. The public space and the social atmosphere have been ripening for this dark attack. The Democracy Index – the flagship project of the Israel Democracy Institute – shows that a majority of the Jewish public supports the stifling of minority voices. Moshe Arens blamed the collapse of Israeli democracy on Arab Knesset members (Israeli Arab MKs don’t always represent Israeli Arabs, Haaretz, Dec. 14). Thus even a “liberal rightist” like Arens, when he came to analyze the society of which he was a leader for many years and investigate the sources of racism bubbling up in that society, ignored the truly damaging elements and preferred to revert to cheap attacks and incitement against elected representatives of the Arab public. -- See also: Source more.. e-mail Travel ban for Iran reform leaders AlJazeera 25 Dec 2010 - Prominent opposition candidates of disputed 2009 vote, are barred from leaving country. Palestinian mayor presides over boom times in Ramallah LA Times 25 Dec 2010 - Overseeing the city's expansion is Mayor Janet Mikhail, elected as a Christian independent and one of the only female mayors in the male-dominated Palestinian territories. Her allies are Hamas. The recent groundbreaking for a new Palestinian Authority presidential headquarters here in Ramallah underscored an unprecedented building and investment boom in the West Bank city. Land prices have tripled. International hotel chains are arriving. And master-planned housing projects are underway around town to accommodate a fast-rising population. Haniyeh to reshuffle cabinet Palestine Note 24 Dec 2010 - Maan - Prime Minister in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh has decided to reshuffle his cabinet, a Hamas official said Friday. Hamas spokesman Taher An-Nunu said Haniyeh formed a special committee to meet with factions and national figures... Hamas MPs: kidnapping sons of MPs part of war on resistance PIC 24 Dec 2010 - Palestinian legislators from the reform and change bloc of Hamas Movement, the biggest in the duly elected Palestinian parliament, have condemned Thursday the kidnapping of Yousef Al-Rejoub. Hamas: A never-ending debate over peace Mahmoud Jaraba, Common Ground News Service 12/24/2010 ERLANGEN, Germany - Hamas has always been a multifaceted and dynamic player in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The movement, whose ideological roots are highly religious, has increasingly brought forth new arguments to support its newfound pragmatism and growing support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The Hamas Charter, drafted in August 1988, set forth the movement’s core strategy: defining the historical land of Palestine prior to the Israeli occupation of 1948 as the land of Palestine, “an Islamic Waqf (religious ownership) for Islamic generations until judgment day (Article 11)”. The Charter rejects any peace initiative aimed at solving the “Palestinian issue” (Article 13), and adopts Jihad (holy war) as a political strategy. The authors of the Charter portray the struggle between the Palestinians and Israelis as a “holy war” between Muslims and Jews (the introduction, Article 1, 31, 34, and 35). They stress that the Palestinian problem is a religious problem, and should therefore be dealt with according to this premise (Article 15). In contrast, however, with the movement’s Charter and the belief that its perceived unchanging nature is rooted in its religious foundations, Hamas’ new commitment to the national dimension of the Arab-Israeli struggle demonstrates surprising political pragmatism. This is especially true of the period that immediately followed Hamas’ victory in the January 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, a victory that marked Hamas’ incorporation into the Palestinian political system. During this time, Hamas became more nationalist and less Islamist. This shift is the result of two factors: a rise to political leadership coupled with changing public opinions regarding peace with Israelis. In the National Conciliation Document (an agreement among Palestinian factions signed after Hamas’ legislative victory), Hamas agreed to accept the establishment of a Palestinian state on the land occupied in 1967, and applied the idea of military resistance mainly to the territories occupied in 1967.... more.. e-mail The People of the Year in the Middle East Rannie Amiri, CounterPunch 12/24/2010 Meet the Oppressed The 2010 Middle East People of the Year are: The Palestinians in Gaza, desperate to let the world know that nearly two years after the end of the 2008-2009 war, the cruel embargo on the territory persists; the siege by air, land and sea continues; and the impoverished population is still held captive in their land. The Bahraini Shia, the island’s indigent and marginalized majority, ruled by the wealthy Sunni al-Khalifa royal family who routinely orders an imported security service to round up and torture democracy and human rights advocates. Excluded from government, the public sector and law enforcement by overt sectarian discrimination, they have risked life and limb to protest their disenfranchised state. The Egyptians, who have suffocated under a repressive U.S.-backed regime that has governed by Emergency Law for 30 years and stifled the freedom of expression, assembly and press. The inability to replace their parliamentary representatives by a fair ballot this year makes voting a cruel reminder that the “status quo” is the only candidate ever up for election. The Iraqis, who endured seven years of occupation and a few daily hours of electricity under a blistering summer sun as unrelenting as the explosions, bombings and suicide attacks that wracked cities and killed thousands. The simple will to stroll on neighborhood streets, take a trip to the market, drop the children off at school or attend Friday prayers are testaments to bravery that should put Iraqi politicians only interested in retaining power to shame. more.. e-mail 50,000 mobile phones allowed into Gaza 12/24/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- After coordination between Israel's Civil Administration offices, two telecommunications companies managed to deliver 50,000 mobile phones to the Gaza Strip. Hussam Daffoush, head of the Madar company which along with Al-Barq arranged the transfer, said Gaza's market suffers from a lack of electronics due to the.... Haaretz journalist doubles as anti-"delegitimization" operative Uruknet December 23, 2010 - Haaretz has an international reputation as Israel's most liberal and reliable newspaper. But The Electronic Intifada has discovered that one of the newspaper's regularly-featured reporters, Cnaan Liphshiz, used his news reports for the publication to promote the agenda of an extreme pro-Israel group with which he was also employed. At the same time, Liphshiz appears... Don't forget about Iraq's parliament Palestine Note 23 Dec 2010 - Iraqis who voted decisively for change in the March 2010 election have some reason to be disappointed with the familiar faces dominating the government, which was unveiled yesterday after nine months of negotiations. But there's one... Haaretz journalist doubles as anti-"delegitimization" operative Electronic Intifada: 23 Dec 2010 - Haaretz has an international reputation as Israel's most liberal and reliable newspaper. But The Electronic Intifada has discovered that one of the newspaper's regularly-featured reporters, Cnaan Liphshiz, used his news reports for the publication to promote the agenda of an extreme pro-Israel group with which he was also employed. Ali Abunimah reports.more Leaked Abbas Cable Stirs Fatah-Hamas Animosities Palestine Note 22 Dec 2010 - New York Times - Tensions were rising on Wednesday between Fatah and Hamas, the two main Palestinian political factions, over a leaked American diplomatic cable and ongoing accusations by each side regarding the other’s arrests, plans... Leaked Cable Stirs Animosities Between Palestinian Sides New York Times 22 Dec 2010 - An American diplomatic cable from 2007, which claimed that Fatah asked Israel to attack Hamas, has added to tensions between the two main Palestinian political factions. Ameer Makhoul's perpetual trial Electronic Intifada: 22 Dec 2010 - We arrive at the Haifa court building around 11am, half an hour after proceedings began in the ongoing trial of Ameer Makhoul, a leading Palestinian activist who holds Israeli citizenship and was arrested in his home in the middle of the night last May.more Israeli warplanes attack Gaza refuge Electronic Intifada: 22 Dec 2010 - A heap of ruins and dust is all that remains of a dairy that Israeli warplanes destroyed yesterday in the central Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis. The ruins of the dairy are adjacent to an amusement park in the Asdaa grounds which serves as a refuge to residents of the besieged Gaza Strip.more Israeli air strikes kill five Palestinians in Gaza Electronic Intifada: 22 Dec 2010 - In an ongoing assault on the occupied Gaza Strip, Israeli fighter jets struck the southern city of Rafah early this morning, injuring four. Today's air strikes come after Israeli fighter jets attacked the across the occupied Gaza Strip early morning yesterday.more Standing together against US government witch hunt Electronic Intifada: 22 Dec 2010 - The ongoing government campaign against anti-war activists is a stark reminder of the unabated deterioration of civil liberties and political rights in the United States. These developments admonish us to remember that the last protection for our ability to work freely for an end to the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan or Colombia, for an end to US military aid to Israel and for justice and peace in Palestine, is the solidarity we offer each other by exercising those rights before they are taken away.more Palestinian Authority High Court Rejects Cancellation of Elections Palestine Note 21 Dec 2010 - International elections monitor reports on ruling IFES - On December 13, 2010, the Palestinian High Court issued its final verdict on the lawsuits challenging the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) of the Palestinian Authority decision to cancel... Israeli arms firm to benefit from EU-funded research Electronic Intifada: 21 Dec 2010 - BRUSSELS (IPS) - Arms traders are seeking to convince the European Union that publicly-funded scientific research grants should help develop weapons for future wars. In a series of secret discussions, Brussels officials and representatives of the arms industry are examining if the EU's multi-billion euro "framework program" for research can be used for projects of a military nature.more The death of the peace process Electronic Intifada: 21 Dec 2010 - This month marked a low point in the Obama administration's attempts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Instead of emphasizing direct talks between the parties, Washington will now attempt to mediate between them to develop a framework agreement around the core issues. Sound familiar? It should. The Obama administration is following the same failed path of its three predecessors to achieve peace. Osamah Khalil comments.more Possible Abbas-Yosef meeting in the works Jeruslalem Post 20 Dec 2010 - Shas spokesman said rabbi could have interfaith dialogue with Abbas if he took key steps; Kadima MK wants faction to meet Palestinian leader. Boycott roundup: activists mark holidays with boycott carols and victories Electronic Intifada: 20 Dec 2010 - Over the past two weeks, Palestine solidarity activists across the US launched holiday-themed actions encouraging shoppers not to buy Israeli-made products. Meanwhile, BDS activists in Scotland claimed a major victory when the Edinburgh city council rejected a bid by French urban contracting company Veolia to take over public services in the city.more High-speed train project to entrench occupation Electronic Intifada: 20 Dec 2010 - Israel's A1 high-speed train project designed to connect Jerusalem and Tel Aviv violates international humanitarian law and human rights law.more How Europe aids the occupation: David Cronin interviewed Electronic Intifada: 20 Dec 2010 - In his new book Europe's Alliance with Israel: Aiding the Occupation , journalist David Cronin exposes the bad faith behind Europe's position as a neutral force and its claims to support the basic rights of the Palestinian people. Sarah Irving interviews for The Electronic Intifada.more US Palestinians condemn FBI repression of solidarity movement Electronic Intifada: 20 Dec 2010 - The United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) strongly condemns and denounces the Federal Bureau of Investigation's political repression of 19 anti-war, Palestine solidarity and Palestinian activists.more Human Rights Watch: Israel preventing Palestinian development Ha'aretz - Report by New York-based rights group cites discriminatory policies favoring Israeli settlers regarding electricity, water and roads. Human Rights Watch: Israel preventing Palestinian development Ha'aretz 19 Dec 2010 - Report by New York-based rights group cites discriminatory policies favoring Israeli settlers regarding electricity, water and roads. What US House Resolution 1765 tells us about the peace camp Sama Adnan, Redress 12/19/2010 Sama Adnan argues that efforts to educate the US public about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the need for a just solution to this conflict will remain incomplete and essentially toothless without pro-peace political actions committees that raise funds for congressional candidates who push for an end to Israel’s occupation. As House Resolution 1765, formerly 1731 and 1734, passed in the US House of Representatives by a voice vote enjoining the Obama administration to oppose a unilateral Palestinian declaration of independence, the peace camp looked disheveled and mystified. With every loss in the halls of Congress we reassure ourselves that the tide is changing, that soon members of Congress will see the right of Palestinians to statehood, that the next president will not succumb to the intransigence of Congress. “...members of Congress are almost entirely beholden to a powerful pro-Israel lobby whose fabled success stems primarily from its ability to fund congressional campaigns.” Today there are hundreds of organizations educating the American public about the facts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They raise the public’s awareness about the plight of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. Some organizations highlight the importance of resolving the refugee crisis and yet others underline Israel’s apartheid regime in the West Bank, undergirded by Jewish-only settlements and Jewish-only infrastructure. Almost all existing organizations focused on a just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are 501(c)(3) educational organizations, i.e. tax-exempt, non-profit bodies.... -- See also: New Policy.org and New Policy PAC more.. e-mail Israel/West Bank: Separate and Unequal Human Rights Watch 12/19/2010 Under Discriminatory Policies, Settlers Flourish, Palestinians Suffer (Jerusalem) - Israeli policies in the West Bank harshly discriminate against Palestinian residents, depriving them of basic necessities while providing lavish amenities for Jewish settlements, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The report identifies discriminatory practices that have no legitimate security or other justification and calls on Israel, in addition to abiding by its international legal obligation to withdraw the settlements, to end these violations of Palestinians' rights. The 166-page report, "Separate and Unequal: Israel's Discriminatory Treatment of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories," shows that Israel operates a two-tier system for the two populations of the West Bank in the large areas where it exercises exclusive control. The report is based on case studies comparing Israel's starkly different treatment of settlements and next-door Palestinian communities in these areas. It calls on the US and EU member states and on businesses with operations in settlement areas to avoid supporting Israeli settlement policies that are inherently discriminatory and that violate international law. "Palestinians face systematic discrimination merely because of their race, ethnicity, and national origin, depriving them of electricity, water, schools, and access to roads, while nearby Jewish settlers enjoy all of these state-provided benefits," said Carroll Bogert, deputy executive director for external relations at Human Rights Watch. "While Israeli settlements flourish, Palestinians under Israeli control live in a time warp - not just separate, not just unequal, but sometimes even pushed off their lands and out of their homes." By making their communities virtually uninhabitable, Israel's discriminatory policies have frequently had the effect of forcing residents to leave their communities, Human Rights Watch said.... -- See also: Full Report more.. e-mail Fatah asks Hamas for meeting on national reconciliation in Damascus PIC 18 Dec 2010 - Informed Palestinian sources said that the leadership of Fatah faction made a request lately for a meeting with Hamas Movement in Damascus later this month to resume reconciliation talks. Radical Islamists defy Gaza's Hamas rulers Palestine Note 17 Dec 2010 - Arabiya - Radical Islamist factions are challenging Hamas's rule in the Gaza Strip, denouncing a de facto ceasefire with Israel and accusing the group of failing to uphold Islamic law. Though small in numbers, the groups... Bayna Aqli Wa Qalbi (Between My Heart and Mind) by Wissam Murad Dr. Basel Husseini, This Week in Palestine 11/29/2010 Review As I sit with Wissam at the American Colony Hotel, contemplating the idea behind the creation of this CD, I find myself drawn to his words that seem to be so passionately expressive. He starts to tell me about his eternal dilemma: how to combine the sound of pure classical Arabic music with contemporary Western music. He says “I had heard people trying to combine these two sounds but the result was a sound that was frail. My mind was telling me that, logically, this could not work, and I had to consult my heart.” People in various contexts who must make a decision stand at this crossroad every day, but I must say that in this work of art, Wissam’s heart won out. Bayna Aqli Wa Qalbi explores a new sound in Palestinian music in an attempt to move away from what is “common.” It begins as a long journey in search of a mixture of Eastern instruments influenced by Western instruments (specifically, the oud and kanoon with electric guitar and drums) to try to reach a sound that is unique. Wissam’s journey begins with his choice of lyrics - living the emotions and feeling the idea - then moves on to composition, music arrangement, recording the musicians, the vocals, mixing and mastering. Each has its trials and tribulations. The lyrics for these songs encompass many varied aspects of life, with no focus on any one aspect in particular. Wissam tries to get the listeners used to this type of musical expression and maintains his own signature. In two of the instrumental pieces, Wissam expresses his feeling that there is another way of musical expression - one in which a rest from the human voice and word is a relief. The songs in Bayna Aqli Wa Qalbi were composed in a flexible, easygoing manner under the shade of sweet melancholy. Void of complexity. This is abundantly clear in Wissam’s vocal style, through which his core come alive. more.. e-mail "We will continue to sing": DAM's Suhell Nafar interviewed Electronic Intifada: 17 Dec 2010 - DAM is a Palestinian hip hop trio from Lod, a mixed Palestinian and Jewish town about 20 kilometers from Jerusalem. The Electronic Intifada contributor Hira Nabi spoke with DAM's Suhell Nafar by phone while the trio was in the United States for a brief tour.more Israel's new wall Electronic Intifada: 17 Dec 2010 - CAIRO (IPS) - After building a wall in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israel has begun construction on a new wall, this one to keep migrants from Africa out. The new wall is coming up on the Egyptian border, and with Egyptian support.more Resisting an ideology of inequality: Jody McIntyre interviewed Electronic Intifada: 17 Dec 2010 - Over the past month, journalist and activist Jody McIntyre has joined a growing number of students, workers, activists and others in the UK protesting a government decision to cut public sector funding, especially to education. Jody, who spent months alongside Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip protesting the Israeli occupation, is now back in London attending and reporting on various student-led actions. The Electronic Intifada's Matthew Cassel spoke with Jody at his south London home.more Village leader released from Israeli custody 12/16/2010 - RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Ramallah's Center for Detainees reported Wednesday that head of the Rantis village council, 48-year-old Salim Shaker, was released from Israeli custody after 22 months in prison. Head of the center Foad Al-Khafsh said that Salim was elected to head the village council more than three years earlier, following.... PA Postponement of Municipal Elections Deemed Illegal, New Date to be Set Alternative Information Center - The Palestinian Supreme Court in Ramallah on Monday (13 December) negated a decision by the Palestinian Authority cabinet to postpone municipal elections that were set to be held 17 June 2010. The Popular Front for the... A Bethlehem Christmas wish Electronic Intifada: 16 Dec 2010 - More than 2,000 years ago, a miracle happened in Bethlehem and the prophet of peace, love and forgiveness was born. Now Bethlehem, as well as every other Palestinian city, town and refugee camp, still lives under occupation and oppression.more Israeli court hears plea for release of lawmaker 12/15/2010 - RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- An Israeli military court at the Ofer detention center heard a plea on behalf of Hamas lawmaker Mahmoud Ar-Ramahi for a reduction in his sentence, set originally for a six month term. LawyerJawad Bullos said the jailed member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, elected in 2006, was sentenced to six months.... Outcry in Denmark over firm's involvement in occupation Electronic Intifada: 15 Dec 2010 - The Danish-British security firm G4S has come under scrutiny after it was revealed last month that it supplies equipment and services to Israel for use at checkpoints and settlements in the occupied West Bank and at Israeli prisons.more Israel moves to legalize segregated Jewish-only communities Electronic Intifada: 15 Dec 2010 - In October, the Israeli parliament moved to enshrine in law the right of "cooperative associations" -- communities mostly established since Israel's creation in 1948, comprising nearly 70 percent of all communities in Israel -- to accept only Jews.more Book review: Humanity and warmth in "Letters from Palestine" Electronic Intifada: 15 Dec 2010 - Western publishers have too often neglected the perspective of Palestinians and other Arabs when it comes to books on Israel and the Palestinians. Letters from Palestine , a new collection of Palestinian writing edited by Kenneth Ring and Ghassan Abdullah, is thus a welcome initiative.more One Way out for the Palestinians Palestine Chronicle: 15 Dec 2010 - By George S. Hishmeh – Washington, D.C. When President Barack Obama described the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections last month as a “shellacking,” he was praised for his outright admission of his shocking defeat. But when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave him (and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) an unprecedented slap in the face by refusing to freeze his colonial expansion into occupied Palestinian territory, which now houses some 500,000 Israelis, the American head of state remained speechless, seemingly bowing his head down. This second setback, which has denied the Obama administration a resounding achievement in the Middle East, prompted Secretary Clinton to take the lead in introducing an ill-defined counter-plan to bring peace between the Palestinians and Israelis. She withdrew Obama’s hefty bribe to Israel – about $30 million a day for three months – that the administration had hoped Israel...more US Nakedness: Zero Consequence for Israel Palestine Chronicle: 15 Dec 2010 - By Iqbal Jassat – Pretoria Noam Chomsky calls it one of the most humiliating moments in US diplomatic history. Sam Bahour refers to it as a dead end. Both are referring to President Obama’s pathetic capitulation to Israel on the issue of settlement freeze. Indeed, watching Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on TV broadcasts explaining why America has backed off from these demands, revealed beyond any doubt that the US is extremely weak with questionable motives and thus cannot be trusted as a fair and impartial mediator. Following this latest failure by the Obama administration to impose its considerable weight, it has become easier for many more people to accept Bahour’s thesis that the Israeli agenda has become a domestic US issue and is integrally linked to US elections, US foreign policy, aid and the US military-industrial complex. The stark nakedness of the US position and the embarrassment it ought...more Haniyeh: Hamas will win elections 12/14/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Given fair conditions, Hamas would win another landslide victory in all Palestinian areas Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Tuesday, "Hamas will get the West Bank and Gaza with more votes than before." Speaking during a celebration marking the 23rd anniversary of the founding of Hamas, Haniyeh referenced a decision.... Activists protest Israeli army sergeant's campus propaganda visit Electronic Intifada: 14 Dec 2010 - On 2 December, the Western Massachusetts Coalition for Palestine organized a protest of an event entitled "Overcoming Terror: A True Story" which took place on the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst.more Court finds postponing local elections illegal 12/13/2010 - RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Supreme Court in Ramallah on Monday annulled a June decision by the Palestinian Authority cabinet to postpone municipal elections. Seven days ahead of a scheduled 17 July municipal vote, the PA indefinitely postponed the proceedings in a closed-door cabinet meeting, a move condemned by Palestinian factions and civil society.... Palestinians Reject a 'Compromise' That Means Surrender Rachelle Marshall, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs 12/1/2010 "Today we return to build in all of the land of Israel."—Danny Danon, settler leader and member of the Likud party, at a ceremony celebrating the end of Israel's "settlement freeze,"New York Times, Sept. 27, 2010. "Palestinians want to see their president stand up and say, 'Enough is enough.'"—Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, physician and peace activist, New York Times, Oct. 1, 2010. Words and catch phrases often have flexible meanings when Israeli leaders use them. Nonviolent protest against land theft is "unlawful incitement"; torture, mass arrests, and collective punishment are "security measures"; and during the 10-month "settlement freeze," construction of more than 2,500 homes for Jewish colonists continued, and plans were laid for thousands more. These figures do not include the numerous trailer camps set up on Palestinian land during the slow-down that are certain to be provided by a friendly government with electricity, water, and roads. As the partial freeze expired on Sept. 26, the four-week old peace talks initiated by the Obama administration threatened to expire with it. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu refused to prolong the freeze. President Mahmoud Abbas declared he would walk away from the negotiations unless Israel stopped all new settlement construction. At that point the peace process stalled. Washington's solution was to propose "a compromise." If Israel resumed the settlement freeze for 60 days, during which the two sides would continue to negotiate, the U.S. would substantially increase the $4 billion-plus worth of advanced military hardware it gives Israel every year, veto all "anti-Israel" resolutions at the U.N. Security Council, and help forge a regional security arrangement to protect Israel from Iran. more.. e-mail Hamas, Islam and women Ahmad Yousef, Ma’an News Agency 12/12/2010 Since the creation of Hamas in 1987, its election through the Change and Reform bloc in 2006, and the failed Fatah-led coup attempt in 2007 that left it and its coalition partners governing the Gaza Strip, the topic of women and their role in Islam has been a popular subject for coverage in the western media outlets and by political opponents. It is also one of the least understood in Western societies, especially among those with very limited knowledge of Islam in particular and Arab and Muslim society more generally. It is not uncommon to find many in the west who define all Arabs and Muslims as oppressive, repressive and backward. Do oppression, repression and backwardness exist in Arab and Muslim societies? Yes, of course, but it is not characteristic of or limited to all Arab and Muslim people or society. "Erroneous application [of Islam] and behavior that results from backwardness," according to the head of the Hamas political bureau Khaled Mash'al, "does not come from the text and spirit of the Shari'a. Errors come from many customs, traditions and concepts which emanate from certain situations and specific environments." Palestinian society is one of plurality, and openness to all religions, civilizations and cultures. Recent claims circling the western media, articles, blogs and facebook regarding the Hamas government in Gaza include the following: Hamas seeks to force itself on the people; the movement engages in a campaign of intimidation and "terror," forcing many to sit at home and do nothing; women are deprived of their basic rights such as strolling on the beach or smoking hooka in public, forced to wear the hijab, and prevented from going to male hair dressers; and, finally, women are not permitted to take an active part in politics. more.. e-mail Abu Marzouk: A new meeting this month between Hamas, Fatah in Damascus PIC 13 Dec 2010 - Deputy head of Hamas's political bureau Moussa Abu Marzouk said that a new meeting between his Movement and Fatah faction will be held at the end of this month in Damascus. Book review: "Spy Trade" details history of Israel lobby in the US Electronic Intifada: 13 Dec 2010 - In his new book Spy Trade , Grant F. Smith offers a richly detailed narrative discussing the how and who of lobby activities in the United States from 1948-2009, uncovered through insistent Freedom of Information Act requests.more Rescuing Zionism at Palestinian expense Electronic Intifada: 13 Dec 2010 - After almost two years of attempting to bribe Israel into "restraining" the expansion of its Jewish-only colonies on occupied, stolen land, and its violent Judaization of Jerusalem, the Obama administration concluded that it could do nothing. Of course one thing the administration never tried was real pressure using as leverage the billions in annual no-strings aid the fiscally-bankrupt United States provides to Israel.more Supreme Court's decision as a democratic victory Palestine Monitor: 13 Dec 2010 - The Palestinian National Initiative praised the decision of the Supreme Court judge who declared that the government's decision to postpone local elections was invalid. The main priority is to now determine a new date for local elections and that is to take place not only in the West Bank, but also in the Gaza Strip. Dr. Barghouthi, the Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative stated that this marks an important day in Palestine and for the restoration of democratic life.more Supreme Court's decision as a democratic victory Palestine Monitor - The Palestinian National Initiative praised the decision of the Supreme Court judge who declared that the government's decision to postpone local elections was invalid. The main priority is to now determine a new date for local elections and that is to take place not only in... Hamas Does Not Oppress Women Palestine Chronicle: 13 Dec 2010 - By Dr. Ahmed Yousef – Gaza Since the creation of Hamas in 1987, its election through the Change and Reform bloc in 2006, and the failed Fatah-led coup attempt in 2007 that left it and its coalition partners governing the Gaza Strip, the topic of women and their role in Islam has been a popular subject for coverage in the western media outlets and by political opponents. It is also one of the least understood in Western societies, especially among those with very limited knowledge of Islam in particular and Arab and Muslim society more generally. It is not uncommon to find many in the west who define all Arabs and Muslims as oppressive, repressive and backward. Do oppression, repression and backwardness exist in Arab and Muslim societies? Yes, of course, but it is not characteristic of or limited to all Arab and Muslim people or society. “Erroneous application [of...more Fatah leader: Abbas asked Clinton to stop MP's exile 12/13/2010 - RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas wrote to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking her to stop Israel deporting a Hamas lawmaker from Jerusalem, a senior Fatah official said Sunday. Fatah Central Committee member Azzam Al-Ahmad said Israel's decision to deport elected Palestinian Legislative Council member Muhammad Abu Tir contravened international.... Latest Israeli bombing plunges Gaza into darkness 12/12/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 10 December - The Electronic Intifada, Rami Almeghari - Air strikes by Israeli warplanes at dawn on Thursday caused serious damage to the Gaza Strip's only power plant, plunging the territory - which already suffers from frequent outages - into darkness. Media reports said the air strikes hit two sites belonging to Hamas near the Gaza power.... Latest Israeli bombing plunges Gaza into darkness Rami Almeghari, Electronic Intifada 12/10/2010 Air strikes by Israeli warplanes at dawn on Thursday caused serious damage to the Gaza Strip's only power plant, plunging the territory -- which already suffers from frequent outages -- into darkness. Media reports said the air strikes hit two sites belonging to Hamas near the Gaza power plant in Moghraqa village, central Gaza. Engineer Darar Abu Sisi, director of operations for the Gaza plant, told The Electronic Intifada that at 2:47am an Israeli air attack on a Hamas site near the power plant scattered rocks and debris into the air. A rock crashed into the a current transformer and voltage transformer in a substation, causing the unit to shut down. The damage forced the plant to reduce production from its usual 65 megawatts daily to about 35 megawatts, Abu Sisi said, far short of current needs. Unless the damage is repaired it may lead to even longer outages than the power cuts people in Gaza already live with. "I believe that the Gaza power company has been able to coordinate with the Israeli side and we hope that this time they will be able to bring the needed spare part through Israeli land crossings, which are closed of course because of the Israeli siege," Abu Sisi told The Electronic Intifada. Even before Thursday's bombing, Gaza residents face prolonged power outages of six to eight hours per day, adding to the severe hardships caused by the prolonged Israeli siege that prevents people and goods from moving freely in and out of Gaza. Abu Sisi estimated that the outages would increase to eight to ten hours per day. more.. e-mail Thousands celebrate PFLP anniversary in Gaza 12/11/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) - Thousands of supporters celebrated the 43rd anniversary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Gaza City on Saturday. Politburo member of the leftist faction Jamil Majdalawi delivered a speech urging rival factions Hamas and Fatah to end "the unjustified disagreement which harms the Palestinian people, resistance fighters.... Thousands celebrate PFLP anniversary in Gaza Uruknet December 11, 2010 - Thousands of supporters celebrated the 43rd anniversary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Gaza City on Saturday. Politburo member of the leftist faction Jamil Majdalawi delivered a speech urging rival factions Hamas and Fatah to end "the unjustified disagreement which harms the Palestinian people, resistance fighters and negotiators." The PFLP official... US mediation monopoly collapsing Sam Bahour, Ma’an News Agency 12/7/2010 The United States is at a crossroads in its mediation of Middle East peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. The Obama administration can no longer walk on the Israeli side of the line--which is exactly where the US has been since Israel’s creation--while continuing to pay lip service to the illusion of walking on the thin line of fair mediation. Unfortunately, neither the US, nor anyone in the Palestinian leadership for that matter, has proposed anything beyond brushing the dust off already-failed initiatives and placing the burden for progress on the need for more Palestinian concessions; concessions that do not exist. The international euphoria surrounding the US bear hug embrace of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in Ramallah is about to quickly pass and, come autumn 2011--the Fayyad government’s declared target for Palestinian statehood--the region will find itself exactly where former President George W. Bush left it: at a dead end. What is urgently needed is a restructuring of international mediation addressing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Shuttle diplomacy by world powers unable or unwilling to commit to international and humanitarian law as a foundation for Palestinian and Israeli reconciliation is a waste of time, money and Palestinian and Israeli lives. Military occupation must end if good faith final status negotiations are ever to sincerely begin. The US has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that its historic alliance with Israel, an “unholy alliance” as it has often been called, prohibits it from being a fair and impartial mediator. Over the years, the Israeli agenda has become a domestic US issue and is integrally linked to US elections, US foreign policy and aid, and the US military-industrial complex.... more.. e-mail Israel to Destroy Electric Infrastructure Near Hebron IMEMC - 10 Dec 2010 - Friday December 10, 2010 - 13:52, Israeli officials ordered destruction of electricity infrastructure, on Thursday, in two Palestinian villages in the southern area of Hebron, local sources said. Officials: No change to prisoner swap list 12/11/2010 - BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Sources in the Palestinian armed factions holding an Israeli soldier captive denied rumors Friday that the factions had drawn up a new list of Hamas members to be freed in a potential prisoner exchange. Officials in the factions said there was no change to the list of prisoners the captors are.... Israel to demolish electric infrastructure near Hebron Uruknet December 9, 2010 - Israeli authorities delivered demolition orders Thursday for electric transformers and powerlines in a Palestinian community south of Hebron, a local official said. Local Popular Committee chairman Azmi Ash-Sheiyukhi said Israeli officials handed the orders to Muhammad Al-Adrah, the head of the village council of Rifaya and Ad-Deirat. The orders call for the demolition and removal... Two Gaza teens killed playing with leftover IDF artillery; 2 year old among injured during weekly anti-wall protests Mondoweiss - and other news from Today in Palestine: Settlers/ Land, Property, Resource Theft & Destruction/Ethnic Cleansing Israel to Destroy Electric Infrastructure Near Hebron Israeli officials ordered destruction of electricity infrastructure, on Thursday, in two Palestinian villages in the southern area of Hebron, local sources said. http://www.imemc.org/article/60137 Barak:... Latest Israeli bombing plunges Gaza into darkness Electronic Intifada: 10 Dec 2010 - Air strikes by Israeli warplanes at dawn on Thursday caused serious damage to the Gaza Strip's only power plant, plunging the territory -- which already suffers from frequent outages -- into darkness.more Boycott roundup: day of action against TIAA-Cref Electronic Intifada: 10 Dec 2010 - Palestine solidarity activists are organizing a day of action today to encourage "people of conscience" to join the more than 18,000 who have already signed a US-wide petition urging financial holdings corporation TIAA-CREF to disinvest from Caterpillar.more Palestinian American hip-hop artist asks you to "Consider Violence" Electronic Intifada: 10 Dec 2010 - Chicago-based Palestinian American rapper Gon isn't apologizing. In his recently released hip-hop album Consider Violence , Gon aggressively confronts political and personal realities, boldly lyricizing his uncompromising opinions.more Israel to demolish electric infrastructure near Hebron 12/9/2010 - HEBRON (Ma'an) -- Israeli authorities delivered demolition orders Thursday for electric transformers and powerlines in a Palestinian community south of Hebron, a local official said. Local Popular Committee chairman Azmi Ash-Sheiyukhi said Israeli officials handed the orders to Muhammad Al-Adrah, the head of the village council of Rifaya and Ad-Deirat. The orders call for.... Airstrikes on Gaza overnight 12/10/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli warplanes launched air strikes on three separate targets in Gaza. There were no injuries reported. Palestinian sources said the airstrikes targeted two areas in the middle of Gaza. The first, the Al-Qassam area near the electricity company while the other was around the police headquarters in the village. The.... Gaza facing 'new electricity crisis' 12/9/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Energy Authority in Gaza blamed the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah for a reduction in fuel supplied to the Gaza power plant. The authority said only 5,950 cubic meters of industrial grade fuel were delivered to the plant in November. Only one week this month did the plant operate with.... Zahhar: Armed struggle will free Palestine 12/9/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar said Thursday that all Palestinian factions, including Fatah, should form a united front in an armed struggle in order to liberate all of historic Palestine. Zahhar personally set fire to an Israeli flag during the brief news conference in Gaza organized to mark the 23rd anniversary.... Israel to demolish electric infrastructure near Hebron Uruknet December 9, 2010 - Israeli authorities delivered demolition orders Thursday for electric transformers and powerlines in a Palestinian community south of Hebron, a local official said. Local Popular Committee chairman Azmi Ash-Sheiyukhi said Israeli officials handed the orders to Muhammad Al-Adrah, the head of the village council of Rifaya and Ad-Deirat. The orders call for the demolition and removal... Airstrikes on Gaza overnight Uruknet December 9, 2010 - Israeli warplanes launched air strikes on three separate targets in Gaza. There were no injuries reported. Palestinian sources said the airstrikes targeted two areas in the middle of Gaza. The first, the Al-Qassam area near the electricity company while the other was around the police headquarters in the village. The third target was the Tunis... Central Gaza and Eastern Gaza City Targeted by Retaliatory Israeli Airstrikes PNN - Gaza City – PNN - Early Thursday morning, Israeli airstrikes on targets in the central Gaza Strip and the eastern part of Gaza City caused extensive damage to an electricity generator and... Zahar urges Fatah to abandon futile peace process PIC 9 Dec 2010 - Prominent Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar has urged Palestinian factions, including Fatah, to abandon the "futile peace process" with Israel and revert to the "way of resistance." Abu Sha'ar slams General Electric for supporting settlement expansion PIC 9 Dec 2010 - Palestinian minister of religious affairs Dr. Taleb Abu Sha'ar strongly denounced the American company General Electric for supporting and participating in a settlement project in Abu Ghunaim Mount. Unvarnished Truths About the US and Israel M. Shahid Alam, CounterPunch 12/7/2010 From the Pages of "Time," January 7, 1952 Was there ever a time when a leading organ of the US media could speak the unvarnished truth about the links between the United States and Israel? Consider this quote from Time magazine of January 1952, embedded in an article that explained its choice of Mohammed Mossadegh as its Person of the Year for 1951. It had no compliments for Mossadegh, the man who was spearheading his country’s bid to take back its oil resources from the British-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. No surprise there. Surprising, however, is Time’s candor on Israel. It minces no words. US support for the creation of Israel had alienated the Middle East: it had been a costly error, motivated not by national interest but petty considerations of presidential politics. Truman had supported the creation of Israel in order to court American Jewish votes. This was the plain truth: a US President had placed his electoral chances ahead of a vital national interest. Apparently, in those days, Time could write the plain truth without worrying about the tide of flak from the American Jewish community. Here is the quote, with italics added for emphasis: “The word 'American' no longer has a good sound in that part of the world [the Middle East]. To catch the Jewish vote in the U.S., President Truman in 1946 demanded that the British admit 100,000 Jewish refugees to Palestine, in violation of British promises to the Arabs. Since then, the Arab nations surrounding Israel have regarded that state as a U.S. creation, and the U.S., therefore, as an enemy. The Israeli-Arab war created nearly a million Arab refugees, who have been huddled for three years in wretched camps. These refugees, for whom neither the U.S. nor Israel will take the slightest responsibility, keep alive the hatred of U.S. perfidy...." more.. e-mail Defiant Jerusalem Palestinians say "we will remain here" Electronic Intifada: 9 Dec 2010 - A huge Palestinian flag was carried up a steep hill in Issawiya on 3 December, passed hand-to-hand between the at least 200 Palestinians, Israelis and international activists taking part in the first-ever solidarity march and demonstration in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood.more Israel turns blind eye to racist state-employed rabbis Electronic Intifada: 9 Dec 2010 - Jews must not rent homes to "gentiles." That was the religious decree issued this week by at least fifty of Israel's leading rabbis, many of them employed by the state as municipal religious leaders. Jews should first warn, then "ostracize" fellow Jews who fail to heed the directive, the rabbis declared. Jonathan Cook reports.more Israel fires on Gaza as it claims to "ease" siege Electronic Intifada: 8 Dec 2010 - Israeli tanks opened fire east of Gaza City today, injuring three Palestinians near the so-called "buffer zone." A few hours earlier Israeli fighter jets launched two airstrikes in southern Gaza, where another man was wounded.more Sustainable tourism or sustaining Israel's occupation? Electronic Intifada: 8 Dec 2010 - While the goal of developing tourism, in particular rural tourism, may have at its origins socially benevolent intentions, it cannot transcend the same economic barriers that the Israeli occupation creates for all aspects of the Palestinian economy. Charlotte Silver analyzes for The Electronic Intifada.more The Electronic Intifada Campaign: Help keep our reporting strong in 2011 Electronic Intifada: 8 Dec 2010 - To remain a strong, independent publication and an educational resource for the Palestine solidarity and justice movement, The Electronic Intifada needs the support of its readers and friends. Please make a contribution today.more Israel expels Hamas MP jailed over Jerusalem status 12/8/2010 - JERUSALEM (AFP) -- An Israeli court on Wednesday freed and expelled a Hamas MP jailed for entering Jerusalem despite the withdrawal of his residence permit, court sources said. Israeli officials escorted elected official Mohammed Abu Teir to the Beituniya crossing point which connects the northern limits of occupied East Jerusalem with the occupied West Bank, where.... Related: Court banishes Hamas MP from Jerusalem and Hamas condemns Abu Tier expulsion Bahar: Shalit remains in captivity until 'honorable' deal reached 12/7/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit will remain in captivity until an honorable prisoner swap deal is finalized, deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council Ahmad Bahar said Tuesday. Speaking during an international Arab forum on prisoners in Algeria, Bahar urged Palestinian resistance factions to capture more Israeli soldiers in order.... Defending Palestinian solidarity Ali Abunimah, AlJazeera 12/7/2010 There has been a recent escalation by the 'Israel Lobby' to muzzle the growing Palestinian solidarity movement. The Electronic Intifada, the online publication about Palestine that I co-founded in 2001, finds itself at the centre of a storm as a pro-Israel group applies pressure to have a grant from a Dutch foundation withdrawn. This assault on our freedom of conscience is about much more than our website. It is part of a well-coordinated, escalating Israeli government-endorsed effort to vilify individuals and cripple organisations that criticise Israel's human rights record and call for it to respect Palestinian rights and international law. The latest salvo came in a scurrilous article in The Jerusalem Post based on allegations from a group called NGO Monitor, accusing The Electronic Intifada of "anti-Semitism" - without citing a single example from the almost 12,000 articles we have published. The Electronic Intifada has responded to NGO Monitor's accusations. Of course the charge of "anti-Semitism" has long been a weapon in the hands of Israel's apologists when they cannot find a factual basis to challenge the site's reporting and analysis. NGO Monitor zeroed in on a grant The Electronic Intifada has received from the Dutch foundation ICCO, which is itself subsidised by the Dutch government. Since 2006, this grant has made up about a third of The Electronic Intifada's budget (our total expenses were around $180,000 in 2009 as our public filings show and the majority of our funding comes from donations by our readers). In published comments, Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal said he would investigate the matter personally.... more.. e-mail Defending Palestinian solidarity Uruknet December 6, 2010 - The Electronic Intifada, the online publication about Palestine that I co-founded in 2001, finds itself at the centre of a storm as a pro-Israel group applies pressure to have a grant from a Dutch foundation withdrawn. This assault on our freedom of conscience is about much more than our website. It is part of a... Report: “280 Palestinians, Including 43 Children and Three Women, Kidnapped In November” Uruknet December 5, 2010 - The Higher Committee for Supporting the Detainees stated that Israeli soldiers kidnapped in November 280 Palestinians, including 43 children and three women, in several areas in the occupied West Bank and in occupied East Jerusalem. Two of the kidnapped residents are elected members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. The two are Nayef Rajoub from Hebron,... The Carmel wildfire is burning all illusions in Israel Electronic Intifada: 6 Dec 2010 - Over the last four days, more than 12,300 acres have burned in the Mount Carmel area or northern Israel, a devastating swath of destruction in a country the size of New Jersey. While the cause of the fire has not been established, it has laid bare the myths of Israel's foundation.more New Israeli laws threaten Palestinian civil society Electronic Intifada: 6 Dec 2010 - A bill recently proposed in Israel's parliament, the Knesset, requires organizations to pledge loyalty to Israel as "Jewish and democratic." The legislation continues threatens the existence of civil society organizations working for Palestinian rights within Israel.more Report: “280 Palestinians, Including 43 Children and Three Women, Kidnapped In November” Uruknet December 5, 2010 - The Higher Committee for Supporting the Detainees stated that Israeli soldiers kidnapped in November 280 Palestinians, including 43 children and three women, in several areas in the occupied West Bank and in occupied East Jerusalem. Two of the kidnapped residents are elected members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. The two are Nayef Rajoub from Hebron,... PFLP: Gambling on US endangers Palestinians Uruknet December 4, 2010 - The Palestinian government in Ramallah's willingness to rely on the United States as a broker for Middle East peace was dangerous and harmed the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine said Saturday. The leftist Palestinian faction said in a statement that the PA should take the issue to the UN and... Boycott roundup: French companies to drop out of Jerusalem rail project Electronic Intifada: 3 Dec 2010 - In a significant victory for the global Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, French companies Veolia and Alstom have dropped out of the Jerusalem light rail project due to sustained pressure from Palestine solidarity groups. The companies were contracted by the Israeli government to construct and manage the tramway linking Jerusalem to several illegal Israeli settlement colonies in the occupied West Bank.more PFLP: Gambling on US endangers Palestinians 12/4/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian government in Ramallah's willingness to rely on the United States as a broker for Middle East peace was dangerous and harmed the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine said Saturday. The leftist Palestinian faction said in a statement that the PA should.... PFLP: Gambling on US endangers Palestinians Uruknet December 4, 2010 - The Palestinian government in Ramallah's willingness to rely on the United States as a broker for Middle East peace was dangerous and harmed the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine said Saturday. The leftist Palestinian faction said in a statement that the PA should take the issue to the UN and... Odious NGO Monitor smears Electronic Intifada, tries to cut funding Mondoweiss - NGO Monitor was captured perfectly in The Forward by liberal jewish thinker Leonard Fine who said it was “an organization that believes that the best way to defend Israel is to condemn anyone who criticizes it.” But now, no longer satisfied with its McCarthyite efforts to not... PFLP: Gambling on US endangers Palestinians 12/4/2010 - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian government in Ramallah's willingness to rely on the United States as a broker for Middle East peace was dangerous and harmed the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine said Saturday. The leftist Palestinian faction said in a statement that the PA should.... PFLP: Gambling on US endangers Palestinians Uruknet December 4, 2010 - The Palestinian government in Ramallah's willingness to rely on the United States as a broker for Middle East peace was dangerous and harmed the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine said Saturday. The leftist Palestinian faction said in a statement that the PA should take the issue to the UN and... Odious NGO Monitor smears Electronic Intifada, tries to cut funding Mondoweiss - NGO Monitor was captured perfectly in The Forward by liberal jewish thinker Leonard Fine who said it was “an organization that believes that the best way to defend Israel is to condemn anyone who criticizes it.” But now, no longer satisfied with its McCarthyite efforts to not... Boycott roundup: French companies to drop out of Jerusalem rail project Electronic Intifada: 3 Dec 2010 - In a significant victory for the global Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, French companies Veolia and Alstom have dropped out of the Jerusalem light rail project due to sustained pressure from Palestine solidarity groups. The companies were contracted by the Israeli government to construct and manage the tramway linking Jerusalem to several illegal Israeli settlement colonies in the occupied West Bank.more Boycott roundup: French companies to drop out of Jerusalem rail project Electronic Intifada: 3 Dec 2010 - In a significant victory for the global Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, French companies Veolia and Alstom have dropped out of the Jerusalem light rail project due to sustained pressure from Palestine solidarity groups. The companies were contracted by the Israeli government to construct and manage the tramway linking Jerusalem to several illegal Israeli settlement colonies in the occupied West Bank.more Copt candidate blames NDP 'Islamists' for Egypt poll defeat Daily Star 3 Dec 2010 CAIRO: A Coptic opposition candidate defeated in a parliamentary election accused "extremist" Islamic elements in the ruling party Friday of trying to further marginalize Egypt's beleaguered Christian minority."The situation in Egypt is very serious. There is... Why we walked out Electronic Intifada: 3 Dec 2010 - Students across the US are protesting a public relations campaign that brings soldiers from the Israeli army to speak on campuses. These tours are an attempt to justify recent war crimes committed by the army and are coordinated by various organizations, the most well-known being the Zionist organization StandWithUs. Ahmad Hasan and Danielle Bäck comment.more NGO Monitor War on Truth, Electronic Intifada Palestine Chronicle: 3 Dec 2010 - By Stephen Lendman NGO Monitor web site (ngo-monitor.org) says it "was founded to promote accountability, and advance a vigorous discussion on the reports and activities of NGOs claiming to promote moral agendas, such as humanitarian aid and human rights." In fact, it's a Jerusalem-based pro-Israeli front group, disseminating propaganda and hate, debasing legitimate human rights organizations, independent journalism, and other advocates for truth, equity and justice. Its director, Gerald Steinberg, is a Bar Ilan University political science professor, a fellow of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, a steering committee member of the Forum on Antisemitism at the Office of the (Israeli) Prime Minister, and various other organizations promoting a pro-Israeli agenda. His report titled, "Trojan Horse: The Impact of European Government Funding for Israeli NGOs" was jointly prepared with the Institute for Zionist Strategies, headed by Israel Harel, co-founder of the fundamentalist Gush Emunim (Bloc of the Faithful), a...more Palestinian property destroyed as Israeli settlements grow Electronic Intifada: 2 Dec 2010 - Israeli bulldozers and armed soldiers implemented a swath of demolitions of Palestinian homes and structures for more than a week in multiple areas across the West Bank including East Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.more Troops Kidnap Elected Legislator In Hebron IMEMC - 1 Dec 2010 - Wednesday December 01, 2010 - 12:01, Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Wednesday at dawn, legislator Sheikh Khalil Nayef Rajoub, after breaking into his home and searching it. Fatah blames Hamas for stalled unity talks 12/1/2010 - BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Rival Palestinian political factions have not agreed where or when they will hold the next round of reconciliation talks, and Fatah is blaming Hamas for obstructing the deal. The head of Fatah's reconciliation team, Azzam Al-Ahmad, told Ma'an radio that the next round of talks had not.... Corporations found guilty at Russell Tribunal second session Electronic Intifada: 1 Dec 2010 - On 22 November a jury of international experts announced their verdict that compelling evidence shows corporate complicity in Israeli violations of international law. The verdict followed two full days of presentations in London at the second international session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine from 20 to 21 November.more Targeting Silwan's children Electronic Intifada: 1 Dec 2010 - Earlier this year, "Mahmoud" came home to see a letter with his name on it, instructing him to come to the Russian Compound prison facility in Jerusalem. The 15-year-old Palestinian resident of the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem went to the prison with his father, mother and aunt. He was interrogated for seven hours.more Book review: excavating Palestine's "Hidden Histories" Electronic Intifada: 1 Dec 2010 - In his new book Hidden Histories: Palestine and the Eastern Mediterranean , Basem Ra'ad unearths new renderings of religious, historical and cultural material and offers readers a direction for thinking about research and activism alike.more Cleaning House Essential for Mideast Peace Palestine Chronicle: 1 Dec 2010 - By George S. Hishmeh – Washington, D.C. Considering that the United States, Israel and the Palestinian Authority have shamefully ran out of original ideas and remain deadlocked on the issue of peace negotiations, it may thus be time for all three to do some house cleaning. Whether this will herald a new and successful approach remains to be seen but certainly dependant on their commitment to fairness and peacemaking in the Middle East. President Barack Obama, who acknowledged that he had received a “shellacking” from the Republicans in the recently concluded mid-term Congressional elections, has invited the Republican leaders to a White House meeting last Tuesday. After this first session, the senior Republican leader announced that they all agree to begin negotiations on the tax cuts, introduced by former President George W. Bush, a sensitive issue, which are due to expire at the end of the year. If Obama continue...more Wikileaks: The Tel Aviv Connection Palestine Chronicle: 30 Nov 2010 - By Jeff Gates What is Tel Aviv to do now that it's known Israelis and pro-Israelis 'fixed' the intelligence that induced the U.S. to war in Iraq? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Con me consistently for six decades and the relationship is over, as is Israel’s credibility as a legitimate nation state. Tel Aviv knows this. But what can the Zionist state do about it? Answer: Wikileaks. Why now? Misdirection. Shine the spotlight on Washington to take it off Tel Aviv. That’s good old-fashioned psy-ops. And challenge the credibility of the U.S. That’s Wikileaks. Any credible forensics would start by asking: to whose benefit? Then look to means, motive and opportunity plus the presence of stable nation-state intelligence inside the U.S. Other than Israel, who else is a credible candidate? Notice how quickly Israel’s role in the peace process vanished from the news....more  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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