Israel
Sweeps Two West Bank Camps, Blows Up A House
Palestine Chronicle, January 3, 2003
RAMALLAH, West Bank - Israeli forces launched two overnight
incursions into autonomous Palestinian areas of the West
Bank early Friday, January 3, blowing up the family home
of a leader of the Islamic Jihad group in one of them,
Palestinian and Israeli officials said.
Dozens
wounded in riot at prison for Palestinian detainees
Jerusalem Post, January 2, 2003
Serious riots erupted Thursday night at the Offer camp
detention center, south of the West Bank city of Ramallah,
dozens of people were reported wounded.
Six
die in clashes in West Bank and Gaza Strip
The Independent, January 3, 2003
Three Palestinian teenagers and a 70-year-old Israeli
businessman were shot dead on Wednesday night and yesterday
morning in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Delegation
to travel to Washington to discuss aid request
Jerusalem Post, January 3, 2003
A high level Israeli delegation is to travel to Washington
Saturday to discuss Israel's request for an aid package
from the United States, Israel Radio reported Friday.
Israeli
Soldiers Tell Palestinian Villagers 'We will do to you
what the Nazis did to us'
Palestine Chronicle, January 3, 2003
"When one of us told the officer that what they were doing
was wrong, the officer said laughingly ‘what right,
what wrong, what God .. I’m God' .." -- DURA, West
Bank - The estimated 25,000 people of this small town
have been subjected to a fresh wave of “nightmarish
terror” at the hands of the notorious Israeli border
police unit whose largely undisciplined soldiers abducted
and brutally murdered a Palestinian teenager in Hebron
Monday night.
Israel
holds 1,007 Palestinians without charge or trial
Arab News, January 3, 2003
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, 3 January 2003 — Israel is detaining
1,007 Palestinians without charge or trial, the Israeli
rights group B’Tselem reported yesterday as Israeli
Army continued its offensive raiding refugee camps and
killing Palestinians.
Barghouti
held till end of proceedings
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
A Tel Aviv District Court Judge yesterday remanded Marwan
Barghouti into custody until the end of judiciary proceedings.
Campaigner
held in cell, then deported
Eastern Daily Press, January 3, 2003
Norfolk peace and rights campaigner Angie Zelter says
she feels upset at how she was kicked out of Israel on
New Year's Day. The 52-year-old from East Runton, near
Cromer, spent four days and three nights in a police cell
at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, before she was deported
as a security risk because she had "disrupted the demolition
of houses ordered by the Government".
Calls
for Arab boycott of elections if Court upholds disqualifications
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
The United States said late Thursday it wanted to see
broad participation in the January 28 elections, implicitly
criticizing the CEC's preliminary disqualification of
the Arab candidates. -- Members of the Balad movement,
which was disqualified by the Central Elections Committee
from running in the sixteenth Knesset elections, called
at a rally Friday for Arab citizens of Israel to boycott
the January 28 elections if the Supreme Court upholds
the CEC's decision.
Palestinians
Subjected to New Israeli Technique Called 'The Lottery'
Palestine Chronicle, January 3, 2003
"In the lottery, they said, border policemen order apprehended
Palestinians to pick from folded pieces of paper that
have different punishments written on them .." -- HEBRON,
West Bank - A Palestinian high school student, 18, who’d
just finished prayers at a Hebron mosque was detained
Monday night by Israeli Border Police in this bitterly
divided West Bank town. Family and neighbors said Tuesday
that his badly beaten body was found by friends 20 minutes
later in the middle of a road half a mile away.
China:
No one has right to interfere in weapons deals with Israel
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
China said Friday that no country has the right to interfere
in its weapons deals with Israel. The response comes Ha'aretz
published a report on Thursday, according to which Israel
had complied with a United States request to Israel and
suspended all contacts on the export of arms and security
equipment to China.
Israel
kills six Palestinians, demolishes16 houses; Katsav admits
failure to suppress Intifada
Arabic News, January 3, 2003
The Israeli President Moshe Katsav has admitted the failure
of the Israeli government to suppress the Palestinian
Intifada.
Israel
quells Palestinian riot
BBC, January 3, 2003
A report says 1,000 Palestinians are being held without
charge. The Israeli army says it has restored order after
a night of rioting at a detention centre in the West Bank.
Fatah
terrorists kill man in Jordan Valley
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
Police and security forces discovered yesterday afternoon
the scorched body of a 70-year-old Israeli man who had
been missing since Wednesday.
Fallen
leader Barghouti floored in court tussle
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
Marwan Barghouti, the Palestinian who is accused of killing
26 Israelis, refused to return to a court yesterday after
a shouting match that ended with him on the floor as he
was dragged away by the police.
Israeli
bombardment of south Lebanon
Arabic News, January 3, 2003
The Israeli occupation forces yesterday at dawn bombarded
the heights of al-Saddanah and the southern outskirts
of Burket al-Naqqar in south Lebanon, using 155 mm caliber
shells.
Israeli
army prepares to fire staff because of budget cuts
Alternative Information Center, January 2, 2003
According to a senior officer, fighting in the territories
cost the army NIS 5 billion shekels in 2002. -- The Chiefs
of Staff Cabinet fears that 2003 will be one of the worst
in Israeli army history due to the planned cut in the
defence budget.
Mubarak,
Blair discuss in Sharmesh Sheikh the Iraqi crisis, the
peace process
Arabic News, January 3, 2003
The British prime minister Tony Blair held unofficial
talks with President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt in Sharm Esh
Sheikh resort which overlooks the Red Sea that dealt with
the Iraqi crisis and the Middle East peace process.
Arabs
have the right to demand Israel join the NPT, expert
Arabic News, January 3, 2003
The director general of the Arab atomic energy, Mahmoud
Hussein Nasr Eddine, has stressed that the Arab states
have the right to demand the UN and the international
community that Israel should sign the NPT and not to continue
being against the international will and to put its nuclear
reactors under international inspection.
Blair
breaks holiday for Jordan talks
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
Tony Blair last night turned his winter holiday in Egypt
into a mini-political mission to the Middle East, with
a flying visit to Jordan for an informal summit with King
Abdullah II.
Likud's
poll rating hit hard by scandal
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
Ariel Sharon's Likud party has suffered a sharp drop in
support during a corruption and organised crime scandal
which has touched senior politicians, including his son.
Scandal
Hurts Sharon In Polls
CBS, January 3, 2003
"I do think it is within the capability of the Israelis
to discipline their army and to act more in accordance
with international law and legal standards." U.N. Relief
official Peter Hansen -- (CBS) Polls showed support
continuing to slip away from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's
Likud Party ahead of Jan. 28 elections, and police said
Friday that charges were being considered against several
Likud activists in a widening corruption scandal.
Officials:
UK embargo may ground Israel's fleet of Phantom jets
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
Israel may have to ground its fleet of 140 F-4 Phantom
fighter-bombers because Britain has blocked sales of critical
spare parts, Israeli officials said Friday.
Police
estimates it has enough proof to indict Blumenthal
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
The police believe they have sufficient evidence to press
charges of election bribery against Deputy Infrastructure
Minister Naomi Blumenthal.
PM:
Syria, Hezbollah,Iran train together
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
The Syrian army has held joint maneuvers with Hezbollah
along with units of the Iranian revolutionary guards in
Lebanon. This information was conveyed by Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon to visiting Republican Senator Arlen Specter
of Pennsylvania.
Four
Palestinians killed in Gaza raids
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
Four Palestinian gunmen were killed early yesterday morning
as Israel Defense Forces troops completed an overnight
search for militants in three refugee camps in the Gaza
Strip. Two IDF soldiers were lightly injured during the
operation.
Voters
only care about security issues
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
A Ha'aretz / Dialogue poll reveals what Benjamin Netanyahu
realized only too late: the Israeli voter couldn't care
less about social and economic issues. The voter cares
only about state and security issues, and probably moral
and corruption issues too.
Likud,
Labor slow to reveal lists of donors
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
The Likud and Labor parties are not in a hurry to disclose
campaign finance information, exploiting loopholes that
allow them to avoid or delay publishing lists of contributors
until after the Jan. 28 elections.
International
Solidarity Movement
1) In the Home of Mohammed Ramadan _ Jaggi Singh 2) Palestine
Truth Tour information 3) The Right to Fight _ Interview
with Saif Salem
Israeli
forces swoop on Gaza refugee camps
Jordan Times, January 3, 2003
GAZA (R) — Israeli occupation forces backed by helicopter
gunships swooped on three Gaza refugee camps on Thursday
after killing four Palestinians who the army claimed were
on their way to attack Jewish settlements.
US,
Israel agree on mechanism to transfer frozen funds to
Palestinians
Jordan Times, January 3, 2003
TEL AVIVI (AFP) — Israel and the United States have
agreed on a mechanism to transfer frozen customs duties
Israel owes to the Palestinians, an Israeli official said
Thursday.
PNA
Calls For Early Arab League Summit
Palestine Chronicle, January 3, 2003
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM - The Palestine National Authority
(PNA) has asked for an early Arab League summit to be
held in January to discuss the situation in the Israeli-occupied
territories, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO) official said Tuesday.
Palestinian
People Mark National Day, Arafat Renews Peace Message
Palestine Chronicle, January 3, 2003
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM - Tens of thousands of Palestinians
on the eve the National Day marked the 38th anniversary
of the launch of the modern Palestinian revolution against
the Israeli occupation of Palestine on January 1, 1965,
led by President Yasser Arafat, who addressed the celebrating
masses with a renewed message of “peace and security
in the Holy Land.”
Bush:
Iraq's 'day of reckoning' looms
BBC, January 3, 2003
The US military build-up is continuing -- US President
George W Bush has warned Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein that
his "day of reckoning" is coming. Mr Bush said he was
"hopeful we won't have to go to war" but repeated that
he doubted Iraq's willingness to disarm.
US,
UK forces within striking distance of Iraq
Arab News, January 3, 2003
LONDON/BAGHDAD, 3 January 2003 — After the US military
ordered more than 11,000 desert-trained troops to begin
heading to the Gulf, US and British forces are in or near
the Middle East and could be used in any US-led attack
on Iraq. They are within striking distance of Iraq.
After
Inspecting 230 Sites, U.N. Experts Found No Prohibited
Weapons
Palestine Chronicle, January 3, 2003
BAGHDAD - After scrutinizing inspection of 230 sites across
Iraq, U.N. experts failed to find any evidence of alleged
weapons of mass destruction while the United States continued
its massive military buildup for a "war of aggression".
Mofaz
says US attack will begin with siege on Baghdad, other
cities
Jerusalem Post, January 3, 2003
US forces will likely begin an attack on Iraq by laying
siege to large cities, including Baghdad, and bombing
mobile and stationary missile launchers, Israel's defense
minister said in an interview published Friday.
Iraq
Dismisses Bush Comments on Peace
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraq on Friday dismissed President
Bush's statement that he hoped the crisis over Iraqi arms
could be overcome peacefully, saying it was hard to believe
he had ``suddenly become rational.''
Arab
intellectuals seek Iraqi president's resignation
Jordan Times, January 3, 2003
LONDON (R) — About a dozen Arab writers and lawyers
plan to appeal to the Arab world to put pressure on Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein to step down to avert a war.
US
war on Iraq would be new 'Nakba' for Arabs, Arafat warns
Jordan Times, January 3, 2003
CAIRO (AFP) — A US war against Iraq would hurt the
Arabs as much as the creation of Israel in 1948 did, Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat said in an interview published here
on Thursday.
Pakistanis
Demonstrate Against Iraq War
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Thousands of demonstrators
marched in cities throughout Pakistan on Friday to protest
a potential U.S.-led war against Iraq, prompting tight
security around the U.S. Embassy and other sensitive sites.
'This
war is genocide'
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
A conversation with Ramsey Clark, human rights veteran.
-- NEW YORK - Now it's clear. Whether in January, February
or March, the United States will go to war against Iraq.
For weeks on end, American television stations have been
constantly repeating the slogan of the world war against
terrorism, urging viewers to support the military campaign.
Turkey
Backs U.S. Military Deployment
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - President Bush is right to send
ground forces to the Persian Gulf to pressure Iraq into
disarming, but Turkey is wary about hosting a large number
of U.S. troops, the foreign minister said Friday.
U.N.
Inspector Has Questions for Iraq
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations' chief weapons
inspector said Friday he'll be raising several questions
about Iraq's recent arms declaration when he returns to
Baghdad later this month for meetings with Iraqi officials.
British
politicians and Iraq
Arabic News, January 3, 2003
Charles Kennedy, leader of the British Democratic Liberal
party, which is considered the third largest political
party in Britain, has urged the British prime minister
Tony Blair yesterday to offer the UN inspectors for the
Iraqi weapons enough time to reveal the fact on the Iraqi
weapons program before taking any decision to attack Iraq.
Saudi
aid to developing nations totals SR281b
Arab News, January 3, 2003
RIYADH, 3 January 2003 — Saudi Arabia has assisted
developing countries to the tune of over SR281 billion
since the mid-1970s. The aid represents nearly four percent
of the country’s average GNP.
Qaddoumi
meets Palestinian officials in Damascus
Arabic News, January 3, 2003
The chairman of the PLO political department Farouk al-Qaddoumi
yesterday in Damascus discussed with representatives for
Palestinian organizations "the difficult situation in
the Palestinian territories."
Memories
caught on the brink of extinction
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
Internet archive rekindles family life in the shtetls,
the eastern European Jewish villages razed in the Holocaust.
-- At the age of 16 Basya Chaika 0played God, deciding
who should live and who should die. The year was 1943.
The place was Konotop in Ukraine, in Stalin's wartime
Soviet Union.
New
Turkish leader seeks deal in Cyprus
The Guardian, January 3, 2003
The Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan announced a new approach
to Cyprus yesterday saying that the time had come for
a peace deal.
Files
reveal British-Israel tank secrets
BBC, January 2, 2003
Britain feared an impact on trade with Arab nations --
Previously secret files released by the Public Record
Office tell how the Britain blocked the sale of Chieftain
tanks to Israel in 1969, even though it had agreed to
the sale the previous year.
Journalist
Helen Thomas condemns Bush administration
Massachusetts Institute of Technology News Office, November
6, 2003
Veteran journalist Helen Thomas brought the grit and whir
of a White House press conference to Bartos Theater on
Monday evening, speaking with passion about the media's
role in a democracy whose leaders seem eager for war.
Our
Journey In Spirit Of Peace And Brotherhood
Torquay Herald Express, January 3, 2003
Our purpose is simple. The facts are known. 1.1 million
Palestinian refugees from Israel live on the tiny coastal
strip called Gaza. There are more of these people per
acre than anywhere else on earth we are told. One third
of the land is occupied by about 12,000 Israeli settlers.
The economy is shattered and the deprivation extreme.
Surgeon's
Lifesaving Mission
Torquay Herald Express, January 3, 2003
A south Devon surgeon is set to undertake a 3,000-mile
mercy mission to take humanitarian aid to the Palestinian
people.
Israel
angered over poison tips on Hamas Web site
digitalMASS, January 3, 2003
JERUSALEM -- The Israeli army accused Hamas of using the
Internet to plot attacks after pointing out on Friday
a "Poisons Handbook" posted on the Islamic militant group's
Web site.
Mubarak
wants Palestinian pact to end terror attacks
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is calling on Palestinian
groups to reach an agreement to halt terror attacks against
Israel before the January 28 elections for the Knesset,
Channel Two Television reported Friday evening.
British
ambassador: Better to keep Syria close
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
British Ambassador to Israel Sherard Cowper-Coles on Friday
defended his country's decision to invite Syrian President
Bashar Assad to London for talks, saying that Damascus
would be more likely to end its ties with Hezbollah and
Palestinian terrorist groups through negotiation.
All
fall down
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
With only three weeks to go before the elections, only
Sharon and Mitzna are working - Sharon with his daily
spin and Mitzna on the campaign trail. The corruption
scandal in the Likud has hurt the party, but Labor is
not making gains in the polls, because disappointed potential
Likud voters are continuing to cross over to Shinui or
Shas.
The
messiah from Popolitika
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
Yosef (Tommy) Lapid leaped into politics straight from
the TV talk show, Popolitika. Morphing overnight from
a wiseguy who never missed an opportunity for shtick when
he was on screen, to the head of the Shinui party in the
Knesset, he didn't always know the boundary between TV
stardom and his duty as an elected politician.
Labor
unveils campaign ads
Ha'aretz, January 3, 2003
The Labor Party's campaign team yesterday screened several
of its election advertisements to an audience of reporters
and the party's Knesset candidates. "We believe in you
Mitzna" is the slogan running through the commercials.
Hundreds
demonstrate against Isreal, US military presence in Bahrain
Jerusalem Post, January 3, 2003
MANAMA, Bahrain - More than 300 Bahrainis marched through
their capital city Friday calling on their pro-Western
government to expel US forces from the kingdom.
audio
The
Right to Fight
A conversation between Saif Salem (21 year old Palestinian
co-coordinator with the ISM) & Jaggi Singh (Montreal
Activist & independent journalist)
audio
Veteran
Labour politician Tony Benn: "I think it is going to be
a grim year but we have to ask why"
BBC, January 3, 2003
video
"America
at War?" by Helen Thomas
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, November 4, 2003
