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Army Bombards Northern Gaza
IMEMC 1 Jan 2010 - Friday January 08, 2010 - 00:01, Israeli soldiers fired, on Friday evening, a number of shells at the Izbit Abed-Rabbo area, east of Jabalia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip., Local sources also reported that at least one surface-to-surface missile was fired into the area.
Dexia Bank Refuses Grant For Jewish Settlements
IMEMC 1 Jan 2010 - Friday January 01, 2010 - 22:42, The Belgian-French Group, Dexia, refused to finance grants meant for the construction of property in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. The decision came after a Palestinian and a Belgium groups filed a petition against financing settlement constructions.
PFLP member sentenced to Five Life-Terms
IMEMC 1 Jan 2010 - Friday January 01, 2010 - 20:27, An Israeli Court in Jerusalem sentenced on Friday Ahed Abu Ghalama, head of the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), to five life-terms and five additional years after indicting him of leading the cell the assassinated the Israeli Tourism Minister on October 17, 2001.
Simultaneous Solidarity Marches Held On Northern And Southern Borders Of Gaza Strip
IMEMC 1 Jan 2010 - Friday January 01, 2010 - 17:07, As a group of Israeli peace activists gathered near the Erez crossing on the northern border of the Gaza Strip, 1200 international activists with the 'Gaza Freedom March' held a rally in Cairo to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Israeli invasion of Gaza. The Cairo march was attacked by Egyptian police, injuring several demonstrators.
Anti-wall activists say boy shot in head
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces shot an eight-year-old Palestinian boy in the head with a rubber-coated bullet in the West Bank village of Nil'in on Friday afternoon, local activists said. The boy, who was not identified, was taken to a Ramallah hospital for treatment, according to the Popular Committee Against the Wall, which said he was sent home with six stitches. The committee said in a statement that soldiers beat and arrested two teenagers, identified only as residents of Shuqba, a neighboring village, aged 15 and 17, and that Red Crescent volunteers "tried to come to their rescue. Soldiers then assaulted one medical volunteer - Juma'a Khawaja, he was beaten with a gun. " An Israeli military spokesman said he was unaware of any injuries, but that "300 rioters threw rocks at security forces, who responded with riot-control means. . . "
Israeli jets pound targets across Gaza
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel's air force bombed at least two sites in the Gaza Strip shortly after midnight Saturday, an official said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. An Israeli military spokesman confirmed that prior reports of explosions were caused by aircraft fire in northern and southern Gaza. The spokesman told Ma'an the attacks targeted "two terrorist tunnels" near the the Gaza-Israel border, which he said were intended for attacks on targets inside Israel. He added that the airstrikes came in retaliation for a mortar shell that was fired on the Israeli city of Netivot on Thursday, as well as projectile fire in general, which has increased over the past 24 hours. The spokesman denied army involvement in a prior explosion near Jabaliya refugee camp reported late Friday night, speculating that it was caused by an errant projectile fired by Palestinians.
Report: Settlement construction booming
1/2/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an/Agencies - Despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's professed 10-month settlement freeze, construction in dozens of supposedly frozen areas is booming, an Israeli newspaper reported Thursday. The Israeli daily Haaretz said reporters toured West Bank settlements on Wednesday and witnessed work being carried out in the Bakran and Ariel industrial zones, as well as the construction of housing at Ariel, Elkana North, Peduel and Kfar Tapuah. The construction, being carried out mostly east of the separation wall on the eve of US special envoy George Mitchell's expected visit, continued unabated despite the presence of Israeli patrols, the report said. A sign at Kfar Tapuah announced plans for constructing 65 new housing units, according to the newspaper. "In all the sites mentioned there is evidence of heavy equipment preparing the ground for construction or for the creation of suitable infrastructure," the report added. -- Link: Construction in West Bank settlements booming despite declared freeze
Life sentence for PFLP military leader
1/2/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - An Israeli court in Jerusalem sentenced A'hed Abu Ghulmah, a leader of the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, to a life term and an additional five years of imprisonment. He was previously charged with leading the military group that that killed Israel's right-wing tourism minister, Rehavam Zeevi, in October 2001 in response to the assassination of the PFLP's secretary-general, Abu Ali Mustafa. Abu Ghulmah, from the village of Beit Furik east of the West Bank city of Nablus, is married with three children. He was arrested in March 2006 along with current PFLP secretary-general Ahmad Sa'adat and others when the Israeli army broke into, destroyed and abducted the group from the Palestinian Authority-controlled central prison in Jericho. Israel also arrested Linan and Mohammad Abu Ghulma, Ahed's sister and brother.
Israeli forces shut down Hebron tree planting
1/1/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli authorities banned a group of Palestinians from planting trees near the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday after settlers disrupted their work, organizers said. Dozens of Palestinian residents were planting trees in the Al-Buwiryah area, near the settlement of Kiryat Arba, responding to a call from senior Fatah leaders. Members of the group said settlers arrived in the area, interrupting the planting. Israeli soldiers on the scene declared the area a closed military zone and confiscated a number of trees, participants said. The soldiers also ordered a Palestinian photojournalist, Nasser Ash-Shyukhi, not to photograph the incident. [end]
Gaza crossings sealed
1/1/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Despite a scheduled opening on Friday, Israeli officials told Palestinian liaison officers in Gaza that all three goods crossings into the Strip would be closed, Raed Fattouh said. Crossings are scheduled to run six days a week with closures on Saturdays for the Israeli Saturday weekend marking Shabbat. Since August, however, crossings have been operating only five days a week, with Israeli officials announcing the closure Friday mornings. On Thursday, Israel opened the Karem Shalom and Nahal Oz crossings for minimum amounts of aid, commercial goods and cooking gas. [end]
Residents: Israel shells northern Gaza
1/2/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Residents of Jabaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip blamed the Israeli army for an explosion on Friday evening. Local sources told Ma'an that at least one Israeli shell landed at around 8pm an area believed to be used by guerillas to fire homemade rockets into Israel. An Israeli military spokesman said there was no military activity in Gaza at the time. There were no immediate reports of injuries from the blast. A Palestinian armed group in Gaza said it fired five mortar shells at Israeli forces east of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday. The An-Nasser Salah Ad-Din Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) claimed the shelling in a statement received by Ma'an. The Israeli military said that one shell landed in an open area inside the Gaza Strip.
PRC: Assassination attempt thwarted
1/1/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - An unidentified man carried bags of explosives to the office of the Popular Resistance Committees Secretary General Abu Al-Qasem Dughmush, but the bag failed to detonate, a statement from the party said Friday. Officials in the party said they believed the move was an assassination attempt and that "security apparatuses within the movement" are searching the responsible party. A statement blamed Israel for the move, and urged other resistance groups to step-up cautionary procedures. "The bags were delivered by an unknown man from a car rental office," a statement explained, noting the involvement of local de facto government security officials in the search for the perpetrators. PRC denounced the reported attack, saying the movement would "stick to the option of resistance," despite the incident.
Gaza police - legitimate targets or targeted civilians?
1/2/2010 - Part six of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. - Jerusalem "” Ma'an "” As Israel's massive air assault entered its sixth consecutive day on New Year's Day one year ago, some 410 Gazans were dead and as many as 2,000 injured. Among 70 airstrikes on 40 targets on 1 January 2009 was a police command center in Rafah, the then-latest security site to be leveled. No one was hurt in that attack, but 248 members of the Gaza police were killed during Israel's overall assault. By late January 2009, more than one out of every six casualties was a member of the de facto government's security forces. On the same day, Gaza police spokesperson Islam Shahwan announced to the media that police commanders had managed to hold three meetings at secret locations since the beginning of the assault.
Palestinians detained on New Year’s Day
1/1/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Israeli military said on Friday it detained two Palestinians northwest of Ramallah. The two, who were detained due to their "wanted" status, were not immediately identified. Also on Friday a university student was seized from his home in the village of Madama, south of Nablus, by Israeli soldiers, local officials said. The head of Madama's municipal council, Hassan Zeyada, said Israeli forces invaded the town and took Huthaifa Farid Zeyada, 19, from his home in the eastern side of the village, and then withdrew from the area. Zeyada is a student at An-Najjah University in Nablus. [end]
Anti-wall protesters express solidarity with Gaza
1/1/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinian, Israeli, and international demonstrators in at least three West Bank villages on Friday. In the village of Bil'in, west of Ramallah, protesters marched toward the separation wall that Israel is building on the town's land. The village's Popular Committee said this week's demonstration carried a message of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, marking the one-year anniversary of the military offensive that killed more than 1,400 people. The Popular Committee said in a statement: "When the march reached the gate of the Apartheid Wall the Israeli military stationed on the other side of the wall immediately responded by throwing tear-gas at the demonstrators and shooting sound grenades. " "Despite the violence from the army, the demonstrators managed to open the gate in the wall in an. . . "
Israeli child’s smile thwarts suicide attack
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - "While I was at the spot targeted for the operation, a child glanced at me and smiled; I smiled back, deciding not to blow myself up, as I didn't want to kill an innocent. "That's what 27-year-old Arin Ahmed Shaebat from the city of Beit Sahour, east of Bethlehem, said last week in an interview with Israeli TV after serving seven years in prison. Arin had planned to blow herself up in 2002, armed with a handbag packed with 30 kilograms of explosives. Asked why, she said that "ever since the beginning of the intifada (uprising), Palestinians had lost most of the their sense of normality. "We, as humans, want to live like any other nation, so I had to do something to change the reality. I contacted the Al-Aqsa Brigades and I told them, 'I want to do something. '"The brigades chose to carry out the attack in Reshon Letzion, north of Tel Aviv, along with 16-year-old Issa Bdeir. . . . "
IDF strikes militant targets in Gaza Strip
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Witnesses report 4 injured; PFLP claims responsibility for firing two Grad rockets at Netivot Thursday.
Abbas mulls scaling back security ties to Israel
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - PA president contemplates move following an IDF raid on Nablus which killed 3 militants.
Orders were to capture militants alive - so why were they killed?
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Three wanted Palestinians who were killed by IDF were not armed and did not try to escape.
Mubarak to Netanyahu: Accept Hamas' demands for Shalit deal
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Egypt can guarantee deal and possible Gaza calm if Israel shows flexibility, according to Saudi paper.
Anti-Zionist ultra-Orthodox Jews celebrate Sabbath in Gaza
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Neturei Karta: Gazans must understand that Israel's offensive was not done in the name of Judaism.
Yeshiva students to Court: Give IDF status back to Har Bracha
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Students appeal ousting of school from hesder over rabbi's encouragement to refuse settlement evacuation orders.
[uruknet.info] Israeli Warplanes, Tanks Strike Eastern, Southern Gaza Strip
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - Israeli F16 warplanes and tanks had carried out late on Friday night five successive air and ground strikes on targets in eastern and southern Gaza Strip, wounding five people, medics and witnesses said. The witnesses said that Israeli F16 warplane fired two missiles, while tanks fired two shells that all landed at empty zones east and...
[uruknet.info] sraeli Warplanes, Tanks Strike Eastern, Southern Gaza Strip
Uruknet January, 2010 - Israeli F16 warplanes and tanks had carried out late on Friday night five successive air and ground strikes on targets in eastern and southern Gaza Strip, wounding five people, medics and witnesses said. The witnesses said that Israeli F16 warplane fired two missiles, while tanks fired two shells that all landed at empty zones east and northeast...
[uruknet.info] Residents: Israel shells northern Gaza
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - Residents of Jabaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip blamed the Israeli army for an explosion on Friday evening. Local sources told Ma'an that at least one Israeli shell landed at around 8pm an area believed to be used by guerillas to fire homemade rockets into Israel... Earlier on Friday the PRC blamed Israel for an attempt...
[uruknet.info] Iranian Cleric Haeri Shirazi: Don't Arrest The Protesters; Kill Them!
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - In a candid and shocking appearance on Iran's state television, a leading Iranian cleric ayatollah stated that instead or arresting and suppressing the opposition protesters, it would be better to kill them. "The more of them are killed, the more beneficial. If the armed forces kill some of them, it is to our benefit." Ayatollah Mehyaddin...
[uruknet.info] Gaza Freedom March Wrap Up
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - I'm sure its going to take me some time to process everything that has happened in Cairo with the Gaza Freedom March over the past week or so but here are some of my initial thoughts and feelings. Bear in mind, these are my own opinions and reflections and they surely are not the same as...
[uruknet.info] Gaza One Year After. The World Has Changed.
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - In this holiday season, we celebrate the birth of Christ, and the message of brotherly love, compassion, and forgiveness. This year we also commemorate the first anniversary of Israeli's punitive aggression against the civilian population of Gaza, a conflict that left 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead, and thousands wounded. The toll taken in economic, social,...
[uruknet.info] Israeli settlements 'witness boom'
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - Despite the suspension of settlement growth announced by the Israel government in December, dozens of illegal settlements in the West Bank are experiencing a building boom, an Israeli newspaper reports. The revelation by Haaretz comes on the eve of another visit to the region by George Mitchell, President Barack Obama's special envoy, to try to restart...
[uruknet.info] WE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT WHO THE REAL ENEMY OF GAZA IS
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - Recent reports from the Viva Palestina Convoy have dealt with problems they are having entering Gaza due to Egyptian interference. It is easy to get the impression that Egypt is the real enemy..... this is NOT the case at all. Egypt is a part of the zioaxis of evil and are only doing what the Israeli...
[uruknet.info] Israeli Arab MK: Barak enjoys classical music and killing Gaza children
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - Some 1,000 people, among them all of Israel's Arab MKs and community leaders, gathered Thursday at the Israeli side of the Gaza border to express solidarity with the residents of Gaza, one year after Israel's offensive there. MK Taleb A-Sana relayed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's message to the Israeli side via a mobile phone. During the...
[uruknet.info] Gaza: the rains
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - It's pouring rain. Farmers are collectively breathing relief, finally able to begin working on their parched land, land deprived water because Israeli bombing, tanks and bulldozers destroyed virtually all of the wells, cisterns, and rain-water collectors of farms in the border regions. I'm breathing many sighs of relief, because the rain is fresh, brings life, brings...
[uruknet.info] Is Congress planning to destroy every Middle East TV Channel that criticizes Israel?
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - ... Having inherited the Bush administrations rising stack of terrorism lists, President Obama's team had expressed interest in culling them "so they are more accurate and manageable and Americans experience less stress", according to Homeland Security director Janet Napolitano. These lists, plus the reported existence of others that have not been made public, are supposed to reduce...
[uruknet.info] Researchers: US Arms Used for War Crimes in Gaza
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - Israel's repeated firing of US-made white phosphorus shells over densely populated areas of Gaza during its recent military campaign was indiscriminate and is evidence of war crimes, Human Rights Watch said in a report released March 25, 2009. The seventy-one-page report, "Rain of Fire: Israel's Unlawful Use of White Phosphorus in Gaza," provides witness accounts of...
Gaza remains under pressure and waiting to explode'
The National 1 Jan 2010 - A year on from Operation Cast Lead, Israel's offensive in Gaza, the threads of a possible Middle East peace are so knotted that they look impossible to disentangle.
Mousavi urges end to Iran crackdown
AlJazeera 1 Jan 2010 - Opposition politician and religious leaders trade fresh accusations over ongoing protests.
Israeli settlements 'witness boom'
AlJazeera 1 Jan 2010 - Newspaper says construction continuing despite Netanyahu government's declared suspension.
Beyond Commemoration: Operation Cast Lead One Year After
Alternative Information Center 29 Dec 2009 - Three hundred and sixty five days after the beginning of the Operation “Cast Lead,” what characterizes these days is silence. The silence of those who didn't survive—those 1,400 people killed by bombings in Gaza. Three hundred...
IAF pounds Gaza one day after rocket attacks
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - Bombs hit targets in southern, central and northern Gaza Strip; Israeli Navy shells central part of Strip; Palestinian sources report injuries.
Neturei Karta makes rare visit to Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - America, Canadian haredim to spend Shabbat in Gaza hotel; Rabbi Weiss: Tragedy is not in the name of Judaism.
Two mortar shells hit southern Israel
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - None hurt in attacks; Aksa Brigades: We fired Grads on Netivot in revenge for Chai's murderers' deaths.
Former British hostage Peter Moore back in Britain
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - British computer consultant spend more than 2.5 years in captivity; US Gen. David Petraeus: Moore was held in Iran.
Har Bracha students petition High Court
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - Petitioners say Barak's decision to remove institute from hesder arrangement is collective punishment.
Ex-IDF rabbis: Halacha is above military orders
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - Seven ex-IDF chief rabbis call on Barak to stop the "incitement" against hesder yeshivot.
Murder suspects remanded for 7 days
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - J'lem man suspected of beating baby daughter to death; twins suspected of murdering Bnei Ayish boy.
Israel seeks 'crippling' Iran sanctions
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - US set to push for new UNSC resolution; envoy Oren tells 'Post,' Israel, US don't differ on Iranian question.
Hundreds protest Israel's Gaza policies as Sderot rally releases peace balloons
Jeruslalem Post 1 Jan 2010 - Israeli Arab MKs lead one demonstration, Edelstein leads a counter protest.
MIDEAST: Gaza March Puts Spotlight on Civilian Suffering
IPS UNITED NATIONS, Dec 22 (IPS) - More than 50,000 people are expected to take to the streets of Gaza on Dec. 31 for a mass march designed to send a message to the United States, a key supporter of Israel's army, that the situation in Gaza violates international human rights...
MIDEAST: 'Prince of Peace' - Obama or Netanyahu?
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 1 (IPS) - United States President Barack Obama’s intended broad Mideast policies are running into the complexities of peacemaking - especially after the ‘Prince of Peace’ began insisting on the necessity of, sometimes, fighting for peace.
Thousands protesting the Siege of Gaza face repression from local authorities
1/1/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 31 December - Hundreds of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah rally in solidarity with the Gaza Freedom March on New Year's Eve DayThousands of people in Egypt, the besieged Gaza Strip, Israel, and the occupied West Bank rallied on New Year's Eve Day to call for an end to the international blockade and siege of Gaza, but the protests were marred by police brutality in Cairo and the cancellation of a solidarity action in the occupied West Bank town of Tulkarm at the behest of the Palestinian Authority. In Cairo, Egyptian riot police brutally beat Gaza Freedom March demonstrators who were unable to enter the Gaza Strip after the Egyptian government permitted less than 100 of the 1,350 participants from crossing the Rafah border into Gaza. "Members of the Gaza Freedom March are being forcibly detained in hotels around town, in Lotus and Liala, as well as. . . "
Gaza Freedom March activists target Egypt’s complicity
1/1/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Sayed Dhansay, The Electronic Intifada, 31 December - It was another eventful day here in Cairo at the inaugural Gaza Freedom March (GFM). On Tuesday night, organizers informed the 1,362-strong delegation that only 100 of them had been selected to travel to Gaza yesterday morning, Wednesday 30 December. After several hours of heated debate with organizers over whether this was an appropriate strategy, the meeting concluded without a consensus. As of Tuesday night, only the South African, French, Canadian and Swedish delegations had decided to boycott the 100-person convoy. Although an incredibly tough decision to make, the groups adopted this principled stance because they felt that the offer was divisive and betrayed the very aim of the march - to break the siege imposed on Gaza. These delegations refused to further legitimize and reinforce the Egyptian government's policy of occasionally allowing small aid convoys into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Palestinian citizens of Israel protest outside of Erez Crossing: End Israeli blockade of Gaza
1/1/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - The Alternative Information Center - 31 December - Over 1,000 Palestinian citizens of Israel and several dozen Jewish Israelis demonstrated this morning outside of the Erez Crossing, demanding an end to the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. Organised by the Arab High Monitoring Committee, the demonstration coincided with the one year anniversary of Israel's military attacks on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in 1,400 deaths and thousands wounded. "The Israeli war against the Palestinians of Gaza continues one year later," said Knesset Member Jamal Zahalka (Balad) at the protest. "We demand an immediate end to the Israeli siege, and that the Israeli criminal leaders who implement this dirty war be brought before international tribunals before they start another war," he added. A demonstration on the Gaza side of the border was conducted simultaneously, joined by over 80 delegates from Gaza Freedom March.
Gaza Freedom March activists refuse to be silent!
1/1/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Action for Peace, 31 December - The Italian delegation of Action for Peace at the Gaza Freedom March walked today in the streets of Cairo with all other delegations in solidarity with the Palestinian people, to call for an end of the siege on Gaza, the end of the Israeli occupation, the respect of international law and human rights. Even though the march was immediately stopped and some activists were injured by the Egyptian police, we succeeded in organizing a sit-in for about 8 hours in the square of the Egyptian Museum, that became today the Gaza Freedom Square. At midnight we gathered again in Tahrir Square to write our solidarity to Gaza with candels on the ground. We came to Egypt with the goal of entering Gaza and breaking the siege through a nonviolent demonstration but we were prevented even from reaching the border. The government allowed a delegation of 100 people to enter Gaza in order to bring humanitarian aid, certainly a positive act, but we are here for much more.
Bil’in demonstrators call for the end of the Siege of Gaza
1/1/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements - Residents of Bil'in gathered today after the noon prayers to demonstrate against the Israeli occupation and the Apartheid Wall on to commemorate the first anniversary of the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza. In addition, they celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, Fatah. The demonstration, organized by the Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, was joined by dozens of international and Israeli activists as well as members of the Revolutionary Council of Fatah, the Palestinian National Liberation Movement Fatah and the Palestine Liberation Front. Commemorating the first anniversary of the Israeli assault on Gaza, demonstrators marched through the village towards the site of the Apartheid Wall and chanted slogans expressing their solidarity with. . .
Candle-light vigil held in Manger Square, Bethlehem to commemorate Gaza
1/1/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Photos - IMEMC, 31 December - At 4:30 this afternoon residents of Bethlehem and the surrounding towns gathered to commemorate the 1,500 Palestinians that lost their lives this time last year, and stand in solidarity with the residents of Gaza, who continue to live under siege from the Israeli military; a situation that has continued since June 2006. The vigil was held in Manger Square, bordered with The Church of the Nativity. After a brief introduction given by a young girl from the town, those in attendance received a call from Dr. Haidar Eid, from inside the Gaza Strip. Dr. Eid is an associate professor in the Department of English Literature, AL-Aqsa University, Gaza Strip and also works as a grass roots activist. Dr. Eid spoke of the necessity of the ending of the siege on Gaza, and thanked those in attendance, both local residents of the Bethlehem municipality and internationals alike.
PA: No word from Israel on peace summit
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - The Palestinian Authority on Friday said it has not received an official request for a proposed meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that would restart peace negotiations, Ma'an news agency reported. ...
Kindertransport refugee knighted by Queen Elizabeth
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Erich Reich, one of thousands of Kindertransport children sent from Nazi-occupied Europe to safety in Britain during World War II, was among the people knighted by Queen Elizabeth as part of the annual New Year's Honours list, the Telegraph reported Thursday. ...
Netanyahu proposes peace summit with Abbas this month
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas later this month in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, government sources said Thursday. ...
Mousavi says Iran in 'serious crisis,' ready to die for reform
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi said on Friday he was ready to die for his reformist campaign after a disputed election in June, defying hardline calls for his execution. ...
Construction in West Bank settlements booming despite declared freeze
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Despite the construction freeze, dozens of settlements in the West Bank are experiencing a building boom, even on the eve of another visit to the region by U.S. envoy George Mitchell to try to restart talks for a final settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians. ...
Israeli illusionist greets 2010 with new iceman world record
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - An Israeli illusionist set a new world record late Thursday night by spending 64 hours inside a block of ice, surpassing the previous mark set by American illusionist David Blaine. ...
Anti-Zionist ultra-Orthodox Jews celebrate Sabbath in Gaza
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - A small group of ultra-Orthodox Jews were preparing Friday to celebrate the Jewish Sabbath in Gaza, in an unlikely show of support for Palestinians in the Hamas-run coastal territory. ...
Tel Aviv taxi driver suspected of raping 17-year-old girl
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - A 64-year-old taxi driver is suspected of raping a teenage girl in Tel Aviv late Thursday night, Police said on Friday. ...
Efrat rabbi retracts praise for 'Rabbi Jesus' over Orthodox ire
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - Defending himself from scathing criticism for a video in which he refers to Jesus as "a model rabbi," a well-respected Anglo rabbi said this week that while his terminology was "inappropriate," the poorly edited video mauled his message. The current incident is the second time this year that Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the New York-born Orthodox rabbi of Efrat, had to clarify a controversial statement regarding Jewish-Christian relations. ...
Suspected murderers of 7-year-old boy: We had nothing to do with it
Ha'aretz 1 Jan 2010 - The twin brothers charged with molesting and murdering a 7-year-old boy said on Friday they had nothing to do with the child's death. ...
IDF denies Palestinian report of strike in Gaza
YNet News 1 Jan 2010 - Sources in Strip say army targeted rocket-launching cell near Jabaliya, four injured; earlier, two mortars fired at Negev
PA says Israel sent no word of Netanyahu-Abbas summit
YNet News 1 Jan 2010 - Amid reports that during talks with Mubarak Netanyahu proposed Egyptian-hosted summit with Palestinian president, Abbas spokesman says face-to-face meeting would not constitute formal resumption of final-status negotiations
2 Gaza mortars fired towards Negev region
YNet News 1 Jan 2010 - After two weeks of relative calm on southern border, terror groups attack Israel for third day in a row; one mortar lands in open Negev area, the other in Palestinian territory
Ultra-Orthodox Jews make rare visit to Gaza
YNet News 1 Jan 2010 - Four American, Canadian members of Neturei Karta prepare to celebrate Sabbath in Palestinian Territory. 'It's crucial that people of Gaza understand the terrible tragedy here is not in the name of Judaism,' one of them says
J'lem: Father suspected of beating baby girl to death
YNet News 1 Jan 2010 - Eight-month-old pays ultimate price for parents' marital troubles; wife leaves house after heated argument, husband believed to have strangled their daughter
Report: 2 Palestinians injured by settlers' stones
YNet News 1 Jan 2010 - Osama and Ziad Suan's car attacked with stones near settlement of Yakir while making its way to Ramallah. Their cousin says relatives hospitalized in serious condition. IDF forces dispatched to area following complaints of stone throwing
Berri defends his call for steps toward abolishing sectarianism
Daily Star 1 Jan 2010 Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri highlighted on Wednesday the motives behind his call to form a committee tasked with abolishing political sectarianism, while his demand drew renewed criticism from parliamentary majority figures. In a memo issued by the speaker's press office and distributed to diplomatic missions in Lebanon, Berri explained the constitutional grounds behind his call.
Reforestation campaign relaunched
Daily Star 1 Jan 2010 Environment Minister Mohammad Rahhal re-launched on Wednesday a campaign to reforest Lebanon with the collaboration of Lebanon Green Again Organization. The campaign started last year under the patronage of former Environment Minister Tony Karam and aimed at reforesting Lebanon using Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) helicopters.
Hassan Nasrallah made four mistakes
Daily Star 1 Jan 2010 In his Ashoura speech this past weekend, Hizbullah's secretary general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, irritated many Christians. He recommended that they take stock of their situation, especially, as he described it, the mistaken wager that some Christians once placed on Israel; but also, Nasrallah implied, their more recent dependence on the West in general and the United States in particular.
Government broadband bungling has left Lebanon in the Dark Ages
Daily Star 1 Jan 2010 The absence of a proper broadband network in Lebanon is affecting the flow of investments to the country according to Lebanese Information Technology (IT) professionals. "Many foreign investors are reluctant to establish businesses in Lebanon due to low speed of broadband connectivity which affects their production capacity," said Amer Tabsh, a professional technical adviser.
American Task Force celebrates final days of 2009 in style
Daily Star 1 Jan 2010 What more fitting event to mark the final installment of this column for 2009 than the reception for the American Task Force in Lebanon, hosted at the Achrafieh residence of Nadine Moussa on December 3. A select group of less than 100 people attended the seasonal occasion, not least George Kody, Alfred Tueni, Philippe and Diane Abdeni, Joanna and Richard Seikaly, Salima al-Rassi and, Sam Hamra.
Zahhar: Hamas has not closed door in face of a Shalit deal
PIC 1 Jan 2010 - Hamas's delegation has returned on Thursday evening to Gaza after having discussing with the other leaders in Damascus the latest Israeli proposals on a prisoner exchange deal.
"Popular Resistance" foils an attempt to assassinate its secretary general
PIC 1 Jan 2010 - The Popular Resistance said, in a statement on Friday, that it foiled an assassination attempt targeting the movement's secretary general Abu al-Qasem Daghmash.
Abbas's militia kidnaps the widow of a martyr
PIC 1 Jan 2010 - Abbas's militia kidnapped, on Thursday, the widow of Qassam martyr Ali Allan from the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem. She was released after interrogation.
Bardawil: Abbas tried to sow discord between Egypt and Hamas in his speech
PIC 1 Jan 2010 - Dr. Salah al-Bardawil said that the speech made by Abbas was used to sow discord between Egypt and Hamas, reflecting the extent of political bankruptcy reached by Abbas.
Haneyya: we succeeded in thwarting occupation plans and will meet in Aqsa
PIC 1 Jan 2010 - Ismail Haneyya, told anti-siege protesters at the other side of the Beit Hanoun crossing that the steadfastness of 1948 Palestinians reinforces the steadfastness of Palestinians in Gaza.
1948 Palestinians and sympathisers demonstrate in support of Gaza
PIC 1 Jan 2010 - Hundreds of 1948 Palestinians and international activists demonstrated at the Beit Hanoun crossing linking the Gaza Strip with 1948 Palestine to mark the first anniversary of the war on Gaza..
Maqdisi exposes Israeli occupation plans to demolish Jerusalem homes
PIC 1 Jan 2010 - Maqdisi Organisation exposed on Thursday a detailed map issued by the occupation's municipality in Jerusalem on 28th December 2009 showing Palestinian homes in the holy city earmarked for demolition.
Mousavi's nephew had received threats, friends say
LA Times 1 Jan 2010 - Ali Habibi-Mousavi, killed near last weekend's protests in Iran, was not known as an outspoken opposition supporter. Some activists say his shooting was an attempt to silence reform leaders. During the dark years of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the teenage Ali Habibi-Mousavi returned home from the front for weeklong visits. Amid the gloom, the young Iranian militiaman was full of good cheer for his mother, who couldn't stop showering him with tears of relief and worry.
Opposition leader Mousavi denounces Iran's crackdown
LA Times 1 Jan 2010 - In his first public comments since the recent protests, Mir-Hossein Mousavi calls for a restoration of civil liberties and said threats against his life would not deter him. Defying demands for his execution, Iran's leading opposition figure on Friday issued a scathing denunciation of the government's violent crackdown against his supporters, calling for a restoration of civil liberties as a way of ending what he described as a "serious crisis" that has destabilized the nation.
Iranian immigrant's training by militia stalls residency bid
LA Times 1 Jan 2010 - The Carlsbad resident said he got just five hours of self-defense training during the Iran-Iraq war. Immigration officials say the group was designated a terrorist organization at the time. It was in the first few weeks of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, and Sadegh Behrouz Vazeri was a 20-year-old engineering student at the University of Tehran.
Standoff in Iran Deepens with New Show of Force
New York Times 1 Jan 2010 - Hundreds of security forces filled the streets of Tehran to deter protests on New Year’s Day, as the leader of the opposition said he did not fear to give his life to his cause.
Weekly Sheikh Jarrah protest greeted with hostility in West Jerusalem, cheers in East Jerusalem
Mondoweiss - 1 Jan 2010 - Israeli policemen on guard during a demonstration against Jewish settlements and in solidarity with Palestinian families who were evicted from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem January 1, 2010. (Photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org ) Michael Ratner send this short report on today’s weekly protest...
Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the ‘Cairo Declaration’ to end this chapter and chart the way forward
Mondoweiss - 1 Jan 2010 - New Year’s eve candle light vigil in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. (Photo: Antony Loewenstein) The Gaza Freedom March has come to an end, but before the protesters dispersed they agreed on the following statement: End Israeli Apartheid Cairo Declaration January 1, 2010 We, international delegates meeting in...
Report from Gaza: One student’s question to the world – ‘Why the Palestinians? Why are we the only ones suffering?’
Mondoweiss - 1 Jan 2010 - The remains of the American International School in Gaza (Photo: Alex Kane) The question was like an electric shock to the six or so Palestine solidarity activists, including myself, as we were standing inside a classroom at a school in Gaza City. “Why the Palestinians? Why...
Meet the Post-zionist Zionists: Hanny Ben Israel
Mondoweiss - 1 Jan 2010 - This post is part of a week-long series of interviews with Jewish Israelis discussing their connection to the idea of Zionism. We hope this series will spark a conversation over the what Zionism means today. For more on these interviews see this post . Hanny Ben Israel...

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Pa May Reconsider Security Relations With Israel
IMEMC 3 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 02, 2010 - 10:55, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated that the Palestinian Authority may reconsider its security cooperation with Israel, after Israeli military forces assassinated three Fatah activists in Nablus on December 26 of last year, Palestinian media sources reported.
Israeli excavations blamed for latest Silwan collapse
1/2/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage reported another street collapse on the main road in the area of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem on Saturday. "The collapse created a hole, two meters long and one and a half meters deep," according to a statement from the foundation, which oversees the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. According to the foundation, the collapse was related to ongoing excavations by Israeli authorities in the vicinity, apparently on tunnels extending underneath the neighborhood about 700 meters from the mosque compound. Authorities recently removed quantities of dirt and rocks from under Silwan to undisclosed locations, the statement said.
’A gradually worsening situation for freedom of the press’
1/2/2010 - Part seven of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. Bethlehem - Ma'an - As Israel's assault on Gaza entered its second week one year ago today, an Associated Press photographer covering a march in Ramallah in support of the people of the Strip was attacked by members of the Palestinian Authority Military Intelligence. The photographer said a security official in civilian clothing first shouted at him to stop taking pictures and then he was assaulted by two security agents and taken by force to a nearby building, where he was beaten until he lost consciousness. He was taken initially to the intelligence headquarters but then transferred to a hospital, where he was treated for a broken nose and subsequently released. The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), a journalists'. . .
Report: PA forces arrest 5 settlers near Nablus
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Five Israeli settlers entering Nablus were detained Thursday night by Palestinian Authority security forces, the Israeli news site Ynet reported. The group was reportedly on its way to Joseph's Tomb, a site in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Balatta and frequented by settler groups. Settlers are not permitted to enter the area without prior agreement from the Israeli military, which regulates and guards the groups. According to the report,the five were escorted to Israeli Civil Administration officials, who turned them over for questioning. [end]
Qalqiliya residents report settler attack, army harassment, theft
1/2/2010 - Qalqiliya - Ma'an - Brothers were attacked in their car by rock-throwing settlers near the Yakir settlement in the northern West Bank on Friday. Brothers from Immatin, east of Qalqiliya, were injured when settlers threw stones at their car as they passed a junction serving the nearby settlement. Their family reported that one of the boys was in serious condition. Israeli forces confirmed reports of what they said was "mutual stone throwing," between settlers and Palestinians in the area, but could not confirm any injuries. The brothers were later identified as Osama and Ziad Suan, who were driving home from Ramallah at the time of the attack, head of the Immatin local council Haytham Suwwan said. Suwwan said Ziad, the elder brother, sustained injuries to his hand, while his younger brother Osama was hit in the head and face.
Jordan asks Canada to seize stolen artifacts
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Canada was asked to take custody of a series of scrolls and parchment fragments uncovered in the West Bank and currently on loan to Toronto from the Israel Antiquities Authority. The ancient artifacts were seized from an East Jerusalem museum in 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank and illegally annexed Jerusalem. Since the artifacts were uncovered while the area was under Jordanian control between 1948 and 1967, it is the Jordanian government that requested Canada step in and protect the artifacts. Jordanian officials summoned the Canadian chargé d'affaires in Amman in late December, the Toronto daily newspaper the Globe and Mail reported. According to the Canadian paper, Jordan cited the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, to which both Jordan and Canada are signatories.
Army orders ’did not include instructions to kill’
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - An army unit that assassinated three Fatah members during a night operation in Nablus was under orders to "carry out a raid and capture the wanted men," the Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Saturday. "The orders did not include instructions to kill any of the three wanted men. The senior officers who spoke with Haaretz stressed that the soldiers were not given any verbal instructions that were different from those in writing," according to the report. Family members and witnesses told Ma'an that the men, Raed Sarakji, 38, Ghassan Abu Sharkh, 39, Anan Subih, 33, were extra-judicially assassinated, echoing the results of an investigation conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), which concluded they "were executed in cold blood. "
Egypt uncovers more smuggling tunnels
1/2/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egyptian authorities discovered two smuggling tunnels along the border with Gaza near Rafah and seized quantities of goods ready to be smuggled into the besieged enclave on Friday evening. Egyptian security sources told Ma'an that large quantities of water bottles and food products were seized. No one was arrested. Authorities have discovered and closed some 500 smuggling tunnels in 2009. Separately, Egyptian border police seized an African immigrant attempting to cross the border to Israel two kilometers to the south of the Kerem Shalom crossing, police said. The man, an Ethiopian citizen aged 25, said he paid 1,000 US dollars to a gang in return for smuggling him to Israel, where he planned to seek a work, according to police. . . . .
Israeli army releases Tulkarem detainee
1/2/2010 - Tulkarem - Ma'ann - After his seventh year in Israeli prison, 35-year-old Hamas affiliateAshraf Abed- Ar-Ra'uf Suleiman was released from Eshel, a prison facility near Beersheba. Suleiman was transferred to several different prisons during his seven years in custody. He was detained on 23 October 2002 and is a resident of the West Bank city of Tulkarem. [end]
PA: Israel sent no word of Netanyahu-Abbas summit
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Authority said on Thursday it has received no official request for a meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We didn't receive anything about such a thing. So far what we heard was from the media," Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdeina, told Ma'an on Friday evening. "All that we know is that the president will be going on Wednesday to meet [Egyptian President Hosni] Mubarak," he added, in a phone conversation. On Thursday, news reports said Netanyahu had called for a meeting with Abbas later in January in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm Ash-Sheikh. "Israel's idea of an Egypt-hosted peace summit with Abbas was proposed during Netanyahu's talks with Mubarak," an unnamed Israeli official told Reuters in a report published on Thursday.
Abbas mulls cutting security ties over Nablus deaths
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Authority may consider re-thinking its security ties with Israel in light of the assassination of three Palestinians by Israeli forces on 26 December, President Mahmoud Abbas told Palestine TV during a Friday interview. The comment followed calls by several Palestinian parties to stop security cooperation with Israel in the wake of an invasion of Nablus by the Israeli army, and testimony from family members that three Fatah supporters were executed in their homes, in one case a man was in bed beside is seven-month-pregnant wife. Because Nablus is an area under complete Palestinian security control, Israeli military operations involve a degree of communication with the PA security services. Local officers generally have to clear the streets and retreat when Israeli forces enter the area.
Abbas to visit Egypt to discuss peace talks
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to visit the Egyptian resort town of Sharm Ash-Shiekh Sunday, for a meeting with his counterpart Hosni Mubarak. The two will discuss Egyptian communications with Israel. On Thursday, Israeli officials announced Egypt as the host of a new round of peace talks following a meeting between Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The first meeting between Abbas, Netanyahu and Mubarak was set to take place at the end of January. Following the announcement, however, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said the Palestinian Authority had not received "anything about such a thing. So far what we heard was from the media. "An Egyptian source said Abbas and Mubarak would discuss the latest suggestions around solving the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as progress on the prisoner-swap deal Hamas is currently negotiating with Israel via Egyptian and German mediators.
Reports: Jordan arrests 5 Israelis on boat near Aqaba
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Jordanian naval forces reportedly arrested three Israelis on a fishing boat who violated Jordanian territorial water on Saturday. The Israeli defense establishment expected that Jordan would release the country's citizens, apparently fishermen, after interrogating them in the Jordanian port of Aqaba, news reports said. Last week Egyptian authorities arrested two Israeli bikers riding along the border. [end]
Abbas departs for ’important’ meeting
1/2/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - PLO Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo said on Saturday that President Mahmoud Abbas had departed to attend an important political meeting abroad. Abbas was scheduled to visit the Egyptian resort town of Sharm Ash-Shiekh on Sunday for a meeting with his counterpart, Hosni Mubarak. The two were expected to discuss Egyptian communications with Israel. Abed Rabbo's remarks came during a speech in Ramallah marking the Fatah movement's 45th anniversary. On Thursday, Israeli officials announced Egypt as the host of a new round of peace talks following a meeting between Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The first meeting between Abbas, Netanyahu and Mubarak was set to take place at the end of January. Following the announcement, however, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said the Palestinian Authority had not received "anything about such a thing. "
Hamas blasts Abbas’ speech as ’comic’
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Hamas officials called President Mahmoud Abbas' speech and its focus on Gaza "comic," and proof that the Palestinian leader was "bankrupt," in statements published Thursday afternoon. Speaking on the 45th anniversary of the founding of Fatah, of which Abbas is the leader, included extensive comments on issues of unity and Gaza. "Your suffering is ours - we will continue supporting you. We will offer every possible means of support," he said at a ceremony in Ramallah. From Gaza, Hamas' Salah Al-Bardawil told the Chinese news site Xinhua that his movement found the speech accusatory and unsubstantiated, particularity on issues relating to the Egyptian unity proposal, which Hamas has refused to sigh unless amendments to the document are made. Abbas hinted that Hamas was spoiling relations with Egypt over the issue and said the movement had suggested. . .
Jerusalem governorate police detain three for drug trafficking
1/2/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Palestinian security forces arrested three from the Jerusalem governorate on charges of drug trafficking and the possession of narcotics, officials said Saturday. The one man, a Bidu resident, was reportedly carrying 48. 4 grams of hashish. He was detained after residents of a nearby town reported drug activity in the area, the media office of the police headquarters said in a statement. In the nearby Al-Eizariya, security forces arrested two other men for drug trafficking following tips phoned in to police in the wake of a street brawl outside a home in the town. Those involved in the fight were detained along with the alleged dealers. [end]
Haniyeh salutes Fatah amid charges of detentions
1/3/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh congratulated the Fatah movement on the occasion of its 45th anniversary, asking those he called "rational" within the movement to complete the process of national reconciliation. Fatah celebrated its anniversary on 1 January, and accused Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip of detaining dozens of its supporters in an attempt to quash anniversary celebrations in the coastal region. Fatah sources said celebrations of the anniversary have been banned since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007. The official Palestinian Authority news service WAFA said a Gazan woman, Nathira Sweirki from the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza city died of heart attack after de facto government security officers stormed her home and detained three of her sons. Haniyeh, however, speaking in front of the destroyed buildings of the Palestinian Legislative. . .
Record numbers crowd Bethlehem for New Year’s
1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Bethlehem's halls and restaurants were filled New Year's Eve with an estimated 10,000 out of town visitors from all parts of the West Bank, and the city's Manger Square was full of celebrators though no official event had been arranged. Tickets for private parties in dozens of Bethlehem hotels were sold out, celebrations in Beit Sahour and Beit Jala were also full. Parties had guests from Hebron in the south, Ramallah in the center, Nablus, Qalqiliya, and Jenin in the north as well as Nazareth, Haifa and Jerusalem. For the first time, Bethlehem residents saw street parties, concentrated in Manger Square, where locals and international tourists and pilgrims celebrated and danced to music spontaneously pumped out of car speakers and phones. Police were caught off guard by the large numbers in the street, and huge ammounts of traffic turning Bethlehem streets into parking lots in the hours around midnight.
IDF dependence on technology spawns whole new battlefield
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - Computers have spurned a new battlefield - cyberspace, where war is against terrorist hackers.
Near collision between civilian, military aircrafts under investigation
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - Second incident in 2009 at Ovda airport nearly ended in frontal collision between the 2 planes.
Abbas considers scaling back security ties with Israel
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - PA president contemplates move following an IDF raid on Nablus that killed three militants.
Israel strikes Gaza targets after Grad rocket attack
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - Witnesses report several injured; PFLP claims responsibility for firing two Grad rockets at Netivot Thursday.
[uruknet.info] Unreported in US Media: Minnesota Resident held in Israeli Jail
Uruknet January 3, 2010 - Minnesota resident Ryan Olander is facing deportation after being held in Israeli prisons for over two weeks. He spent his Christmas and New Year at a deportation facility in Ramle, where his request for release has been rejected by the prison judge. His lawyer submitted an appeal to the District Court in Tel Aviv on 27...
[uruknet.info] Comrade Itiani: 2009 was a year of repression and steadfastness for Palestinian prisoners
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - Comrade Maysar Itiani, prisoners' affairs activist, said on January 1, 2010 that the year 2009 saw a continuation of the repressive measures and practices against our brave prisoners in the jails of the occupation, including a marked increase in the use of solitary confinement, isolation, and imposition of restrictions and sanctions upon them. She particularly noted...
[uruknet.info] A slice of life in Sheikh Jarrah
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - Around 12:30... I went walking down, with an old friend and a new acquaintance, to the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem so that we could take a closer look at the Palestinian homes Israeli settlers had taken over (denoted by the giant Israeli flags hung from each of the buildings). As we approached the road...
[uruknet.info] Dexia Bank Refuses Grant For Jewish Settlements
Uruknet January 1, 2010 - The Belgian-French Group, Dexia, refused to finance grants meant for the construction of property in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. The decision came after a Palestinian and a Belgium groups filed a petition against financing settlement constructions. Moayyad Affana, coordinator of the twin-project of the Intellectuals Forum in the northern West Bank city of...
[uruknet.info] Mubarak is no Abdul Nasser and Galloway is no Salah Eddin, but Israel' is the problem.
Uruknet January 2, 2009 - ... Without understanding that 'Israel' is the core problem in the Arab World, and trying to fashion methods to cripple this colonizing body, all will fail. It's crucial for all the Internationals who are working in support of Palestine to work against the Zionist colonizers of Palestine. This work should start by forcing their respective governments to...
[uruknet.info] Targeting human rights defenders
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - I remember the day I first met Jamal Juma'. He was speaking at a United Nations conference in 2003 about the damage being done by Israel's wall. The audience was shocked: Many had heard that Israel had started carving a wall in the West Bank in 2002, but they had no idea it could already be...
[uruknet.info] Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the Cairo Declaration' to end Israeli Apartheid
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - Gaza Freedom Marchers approved today a declaration aimed at accelerating the global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli Apartheid. Roughly 1400 activists from 43 countries converged in Cairo on their way to Gaza to join with Palestinians marching to break Israel's illegal siege. They were prevented from entering Gaza by the Egyptian authorities...
[uruknet.info] Gaza: Family's lives torn apart in night of war
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - Thirty-three-year-old Wafa Awaja swats away the merciless flies as she talks in matter-of-fact sentences about the single night of war that took her eight-year-old son, crushed her home, and wounded both herself and her husband just one year ago. It was night-time on January 4 when a full-blown Israeli invasion of Gaza put her home, less...
[uruknet.info] Israeli jets attack Gaza
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - Israeli fighter jets have struck at two places in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said on Saturday that the raids, launched around midnight, targeted two tunnels, one east of Gaza City and another near Khan Younis. Witnesses also reported several other explosions around Gaza. The Israelis said these blasts had nothing to do with them....
[uruknet.info] IRAN: Video shows gunman opening fire on demonstrators, who fight back
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - Iranian police have stated strenuously that security forces weren't armed with guns during Dec. 27 clashes in Tehran between security forces and protesters. But newly discovered amateur video, apparently taken with a cellphone, tells a different story. In the video, a man can be seen and heard opening fire on a crowd of unarmed demonstrators as...
[uruknet.info] The Occupation indicts the director of "Jenin, Jenin" film
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - The Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz is expected to file charges against the director of the film "Jenin, Jenin", Mohammed Barki, for allegedly defaming Israeli soldiers. Mazuz met with State Prosecutor Moshe Lador and the chief of the Israel Defense Forces Armored Corps, Brigadier General Agai Yehezkel, as a representative of the soldiers who invaded the...
[uruknet.info] Hamdouna: Prisoners Subjected to Unprecedented Abuses in Israeli Prisons
Uruknet January 2, 2010 - The Prisoners Studies Centre has expressed concerns that the administration of Israeli prisoners commits "unprecedented" abuses against Palestinian prisoners and their possessions, and that such abuses are often conducted under the pretext of security. The centre's director, Mr Raafat Hamouda, disclosed in a press release that a special squad from the administration of the Nafha desert...
Abbas to Meet Mubarak in Cairo
2 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 2, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Barakat Al-Farra, the Palestinian ambassador to Egypt, announced that Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas plans to meet Monday in Cairo with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the latest development on Palestinian arena He pointed out that Mr. Abbas would arrive in Cairo, as well as the accompanying delegation Sunday afternoon, explaining that the meeting...
Abbas Threatens to Stop Security Liaison with Israel
2 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 2, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to stop the progress of security liaison with Israel following the December 26 Israeli raid in Nablus. The Israeli troops killed three Palestinians who were members of Fatah in the West Bank. "The coordination and cooperation with Israel aims at protecting the Palestinian interest," Abbas said in...
Israeli Warplanes Attack Gaza
2 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 2, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - On Saturday midnight, Israeli warplanes carried out attacks across the Gaza Strip, damaging residential areas and leaving number of Palestinians wounded. The Israeli airstrikes which targeted residential areas in northern and central Gaza Strip caused panic among children. The civilian citizens were scared as these attacks reminded them of the war they lived...
Ottoman-era decorations give picture of Palestine's past
The National 1 Jan 2010 - An art historian has gone from house to house in Nazareth, documenting paintings in homes owned by the local elite in Ottoman times.
No one can take me away from Gaza'
The National 1 Jan 2010 - When Israeli shelling killed three of his daughters and his niece, Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish's immediate anguish was broadcast live to the world.
Iran gives West nuclear ultimatum
AlJazeera 2 Jan 2010 - Tehran threatens to produce own fuel if its conditions for a uranium deal are not met.
Israelis protest Gaza blockade
AlJazeera 2 Jan 2010 - Arab and Jewish protesters rally in Tel Aviv to protest against Israel's blockade on Gaza.
Gaza aid convoy leaves Syria
AlJazeera 2 Jan 2010 - Lorries carrying long-delayed humanitarian supplies expected to reach Gaza on Monday.
Beyond Commemoration: Operation Cast Lead One Year After
Alternative Information Center 29 Dec 2009 - Three hundred and sixty five days after the beginning of the Operation “Cast Lead,” what characterizes these days is silence. The silence of those who didn't survive—those 1,400 people killed by bombings in Gaza. Three hundred...
Israel court rules Palestinians can use highway
PNN 2 Jan 2010 - Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the military to let Palestinians use a road that runs through the West Bank. Palestinians were barred from the Jerusalem to Tel Aviv Highway 443 in 2002 when militants shot dead a number of Israelis in their cars. The case was brought by Palestinians who live in the villages along the 12.5-mile (20-km) West Bank section of...
Anti-Zionist ultra-Orthodox Jews celebrate Sabbath in Gaza
PNN 2 Jan 2010 - A small group of ultra-Orthodox Jews were preparing Friday to celebrate the Jewish Sabbath in Gaza, in an unlikely show of support for Palestinians in the Hamas-run coastal territory. Bearded and wearing black hats and coats, the four members of a tiny Jewish group vehemently opposed to Israel's existence were a rare sight in the poverty-stricken Palestinian territory. Members of the Neturei...
'At least 18 months until Iran has bomb'
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - US paper: Based on assessment, Obama convinced Israel to give sanctions against IRGC time to work.
Lieberman: The era of groveling is over
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - In ambassador conference, FM says envoys should respect host countries but not ingratiate their gov'ts.
Settlers warn of imminent demolitions
Jeruslalem Post 2 Jan 2010 - Defense official: We are ready at any time to implement the second stage of moratorium order.
Mofaz slammed over primary bid
Jeruslalem Post 2 Jan 2010 - MK Hasson: Mofaz "stained an entire party" with allegations of primary wrongdoings on Livni's part.
Zahalka: Israeli media is enlisted
Jeruslalem Post 2 Jan 2010 - 2 days after being removed from TV show and calling Tel Aviv occupied land, Arab MK lashes out again.
Jerusalem man suspected of beating baby daughter to death
Jeruslalem Post 2 Jan 2010 -
Violence up against Gaza women up under Hamas
Jeruslalem Post 2 Jan 2010 - 25% of those surveyed feel unsafe in their own homes.
'Encouraging signs' could lead to talks next month - PA official
Jeruslalem Post 2 Jan 2010 - Saudi FM calls Israel a "spoiled child," wants more pressure on settlement issue; Jerusalem: Riyadh disappoints those waiting for positive signals.
IAF strikes Gaza smuggling tunnels
Jeruslalem Post 2 Jan 2010 - Bombs target sites in southern, central and northern Gaza Strip in retaliation for Grad rocket attacks.
Freedom for Ryan Olander, justice for Sheikh Jarrah: US citizen held in Israeli prisons for over two weeks
1/2/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Israeli authorities continue to detain Ryan Olander, US citizen and solidarity activist, who was illegally arrested on 18 December 2009 for his support of Palestinian families evicted from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah. Minnesota resident Ryan Olander is facing deportation after being held in Israeli prisons for over two weeks. He spent his Christmas and New Year at a deportation facility in Ramle, where his request for release has been rejected by the prison judge. His lawyer submitted an appeal to the District Court in Tel Aviv on 27 December 2009 challenging the request of the Israeli Ministry of Interior for Mr. Olander's deportation. The lawyer is anticipating the decision of the judge within the next 48 hours. Ryan Olander was arrested from a tent the Palestinian al-Kurd family built in their own backyard following a recent setter take-over of a section of their house.
Settlers illegal attempt to occupy land owned by Qarawat Bani Hasan and Dier Istiya
1/3/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - International Women's Peace Service, 1 January - On 31 December 2009 IWPS received a call from the Mayor of Qarawat Bani Hasan to participate in a demonstration in solidarity with the residents of their village. The non-violent, peaceful demonstration organized by the Municipality took place on January 1 2009, and was in response to increase settler activity in the area. The Mayor of Qarawat Bani Hasan reported that over the period of the last month armed Israeli Settlers and Israeli military from the illegal outpost of Havot Yair had been harassing and attacking farmers and shepherds who work regularly on land approximately a kilometer from the village centre. The land in the region in question is jointly owned by the villages of Qarawat Bani Hasan and Deir Istyia and hosts an ancient fresh water spring which is regularly utilised by farmers and shepherds from both villages.
New Yorkers demand that Egypt and Israel open Gaza border
1/2/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Adalah-NY: The Coalition for Justice in the Middle East, 31 December - Sixty human rights advocates protested outside Egypt's Mission to the United Nations today to demand that Egypt open its border with the Gaza Strip. The New York protest came as Egyptian riot police in Cairo surrounded and assaulted hundreds of international activists who had been prevented by Egyptian authorities from entering the Gaza Strip. The international activists had planned to protest in Gaza against Israel's siege as part of the Gaza Freedom March. Following the demonstration at the Egyptian Mission, the New York City protesters marched to the Israeli consulate chanting, "Free Gaza Now". Holding Palestinian flags and signs calling for an end to the siege of Gaza, New Yorkers sang US civil rights song to the staff inside Egypt's Mission to the UN, asking:Which side are you, which side are. . .
New Year in al-Ma’asara marked with another weekly demonstration against the Apartheid Wall
1/2/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Al-Ma'asara Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, 1 January - Over 150 local activists protested today in al-Ma'asara and the neighboring villages against the construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall and settlements on the lands of the nine intertwined villages to the South of Bethlehem. Protestors walked through the villages towards the construction site of the wall, but as every Friday for the past few years, they were intercepted by dozens of soldiers who had again cut off the main road with a barb wire fence. Protestors waved flags and chanted slogans through a mobile sound system, while some accompanied the demonstration on horses in an expression of pride of the ongoing popular resistance in the face of increasing crack downs. Women from the villages held posters of their imprisoned sons and detained activist from the Bethlehem district and lead in chants demanding the release of all political prisoners.
Eight year old boy shot in his head by rubber-coated steel bullet, two arrested during Ni’lin’s weekly protest
1/2/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 1 January 2010 - During today's demonstration in Ni'lin - marking the anniversary of the Fatah movement - one eight year old boy was injured in the head with a rubber-coated steel bullet and two teenage boys (15 and 17 years old) arrested. Around 500 people, including international and Israeli activists attended today's weekly Friday protest against the Apartheid Wall in Ni'lin. Ni'lin celebrated the anniversary of the Fatah movement, hereby attracting a large number of people for this week's demonstration, including high profile Fatah members such as dr. Sabri Saydam, Tawfiq Terawi, Ra'ed Radwan and Mahmoud Aloul. The Israeli army had closed the entrance of the village, but many people managed to get into the village to attend the event. After the Friday prayer and a speech by Mahmoud Aloul, participants marched towards the Apartheid Wall, chanting slogans and calling for national unity in order to overcome the occupation.
Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the ’Cairo Declaration’ to end Israeli Apartheid
1/2/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 1 January 2010 - Gaza Freedom Marchers approved today a declaration aimed at accelerating the global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli Apartheid. Roughly 1400 activists from 43 countries converged in Cairo on their way to Gaza to join with Palestinians marching to break Israel's illegal siege. They were prevented from entering Gaza by the Egyptian authorities. As a result, the Freedom Marchers remained in Cairo. They staged a series of nonviolent actions aimed at pressuring the international community to end the siege as one step in the larger struggle to secure justice for Palestinians throughout historic Palestine. This declaration arose from those actions: End Israeli Apartheid - Cairo Declaration, January 1, 2010 -- We, international delegates meeting in Cairo during the Gaza Freedom March 2009 in collective response to an initiative. . .
Palestinian woman hospitalised following settler attack in Sheikh Jarrah
1/2/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Nadia al-Kurd, from Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in Jerusalem was taken to hospital today after being attacked by an Israeli settler in her own garden. At around 2pm, Nadia al-Kurd, 65, was violently pushed by a settler in an unprovoked attack. The settler, one of those currently occupying her neighbours' house, forced open the gate of her garden, pushing Nadia to the ground. She suffered from breathing difficulties immediately afterwards. Some of those present administered first aid, however, as her state required professional medical treatment, she had to be transported by an ambulance to the hospital. She was discharged later in the afternoon. When the Israeli police arrived following the attack, they arrested the assailant, identified by several witnesses. The same settler has been arrested before after previous attacks in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, where. . .
Sources: Fatah turns down Hamas reconciliation proposal
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - Fatah has turned down a reconciliation proposal by Hamas, Arab diplomatic sources say. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Friday that senior Hamas officials had informed him that the group was willing to sign a reconciliation deal based on the Egyptian proposal presented to the two sides in October. ...
Lieberman scolds diplomats: Stop placating the world
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman opted to conclude last week's conference of Israeli ambassadors at the Foreign Ministry by chastising the 150 or so diplomats on Thursday for what he described as their tendency to overly placate their host nations. ...
Gideon Levy / Settlers, tell us, what do you think will happen?
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - What constitutes the life of a settler? A house on the cheap; a standard of living above the national average; a job usually subsidized by the government; a fierce religious, nationalist, uncompromising conviction on the justness of his cause; a supportive, heavy-handed social environment; a highway system; transportation arrangements; socially enriching activities; and, at times, a life that comes with the risk of danger. ...
Comment / Overly democratic ways can prove deadly
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - There is apartheid in the Middle East on the roads, too. Steps are taken to separate people according to their religion. It's a phenomenon that has escaped the notice of Jimmy Carter, Condoleezza Rice, Richard Goldstone and Scandinavian politicians, but it's there, white letters on a green background on traffic signs in Saudia Arabia. You can see it on highways leading to Mecca on which only Muslims can travel. Other drivers and passengers, impure heretics as they may be, are barred from using them. Out of revulsion they are relegated to another road. ...
Suspected peeping tom on the prowl at Tel Aviv University
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - Four incidents of sexual harassment on campus have been reported to the Tel Aviv University student union in recent months. The incidents were all committed in a similar manner, in which a stalker attempted to photograph women in toilet stalls in women's restrooms at the university. The most recent incident occurred two weeks ago. ...
Cash for clunkers, the Israeli version
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - The Environmental Protection Ministry this weekend began the first phase of its plan to get old gas-guzzlers off the country's roads by paying the owners for their wrecks. The first car-composting lot opened in Ashdod on Friday; new sites are planned to open across the country over the next few months. ...
Police shut down 10 nightclubs on New Year's Eve
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - Police from the Tel Aviv district shut down 10 nightclubs on New Year's Eve, most for violating limitations on the permitted maximum occupancy. Other alleged violations were committed as well. ...
Rabbi seeks sex-segregated bus line in Tiberias
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - A prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbi has asked a Tiberias bus company to launch a line similar to the ones in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak that segregate women from men. ...
Will Arab MKs be required to swear loyalty to a Jewish state?
Ha'aretz 2 Jan 2010 - The Knesset ministerial legislative committee was set to vote Sunday on a bill requiring MKs to take a "loyalty oath" to the Jewish state before taking office. ...
A new year for Gaza? Waiting for a miracle
Relief Web 2 Jan 2010 - Source: Oxfam
One injured after clash in Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon
Relief Web 2 Jan 2010 - Source: Deutsche Presse Agentur
Red Crescent continues sending aid to Gaza Strip
Relief Web 1 Jan 2010 - Source: Government of Egypt
Israeli warplanes hit Gaza after rocket attack
Relief Web 1 Jan 2010 - Source: Agence France-Presse
OPT: Abbas may review security ties after Israeli raid
Relief Web 1 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Obama aides say Iran's bomb-development effort was seriously derailed
YNet News 3 Jan 2010 - White House strategists say exposure of Qom plant deprived Tehran of its best chance of covertly producing highly enriched uranium needed to make fuel for nuclear weapons; add US wants to focus new sanctions on Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
Ministers to discuss loyalty bill
YNet News 2 Jan 2010 - Ministerial Committee for Legislative affairs to discuss Yisrael Beiteinu MKs' motion calling for MKs' pledge of loyalty to 'State of Israel as Jewish, Zionist, democratic state'. Committee also to discuss bill securing Golan Heights' status without referendum
FM to ambassadors: Enough groveling
YNet News 2 Jan 2010 - Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman orders Israeli ambassadors serving around the world to toughen up in Jerusalem conference; says: 'We will not look for conflict or friction, but we will not turn the other cheek'
Neturei Karta spend Shabbat in Gaza
YNet News 2 Jan 2010 - Several members of anti-Zionist Jewish sect spend Sabbath in Gaza with Israel's most bitter enemies, Hamas, in show of support for Palestinian people
Mofaz causes stir in Kadima
YNet News 2 Jan 2010 - Party seniors have hard time coming to grips with statements made by MK accusing chairwoman Livni of arrogance, lack of leadership, claiming acts during 2008 primaries 'bordered on criminal'
PA: 11 million Palestinians around the world
YNet News 2 Jan 2010 - According to Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics report, over half of world's Palestinians live in Diaspora. Report shows 2.9% growth rate in Palestinian territories
Saudi FM calls Israel 'spoiled child'
YNet News 2 Jan 2010 - Saudi FM, Turkish counterpart say peace talks with Palestinians can't be resumed based on Israel's preconditions; settlement construction, including east J'lem must end
Egyptian minister slams Al-Jazeera for 'instigating civil war'
YNet News 2 Jan 2010 - Minister of legal affairs says Qatari station's reports on Gaza barrier 'inflaming Arab streets'
Ministry of detainees calls on Red Cross to protect families of prisoners
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - The Palestinian ministry of prisoners appealed to international organizations especially the Red Cross to take measures to protect the families of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli settlers' attacks.
Dweik: Cast lead and cast steel wall two faces of one coin
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Dr. Aziz Al-Dweik, the speaker of the PLC, has said that the operation cast lead launched by the IOF against Gaza and the cast steel wall being built on the Gaza borders were two faces of one coin.
Haneyya urges Fatah to sign reconciliation paper according to new arrangements
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya on Saturday urged Fatah faction to sign the Palestinian reconciliation paper in Egypt according to new arrangements agreed upon with Hamas Movement.
Hamas dismayed at Azhar edict
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Hamas has expressed dismay at the fatwa passed by the Egyptian Al-Azhar's Islamic research complex in which it endorsed Egypt's construction of a steel wall along its borders with Gaza Strip.
Awkaf minister denounces Arab, international silence
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Dr. Taleb Abu Shaar denounced the Arab and international silence towards the crimes committed by the Israeli government and fanatic settlers against occupied Jerusalem and its indigenous inhabitants.
Palestinian and foreign protesters repel settlers’ attack on Sheikh Jarrah area
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Hundreds of Palestinians and foreign activists managed to repel an attempt by Israeli settlers to storm the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in occupied Jerusalem.
Barhoum: Zionist escalation, steel wall meant to pressure Hamas
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - The recent spate of Israeli escalation of military attacks on the Gaza Strip affirms continuation of Israel's aggression and its intent on strangling the Strip encouraged by the world's silence.
Jewish settlers, IOF troops assault farmers, activists in Al-Khalil
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - A number of Palestinian citizens were hurt when Jewish settlers assisted by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) assaulted them in Buwaira suburb near the settlement of Kiryat Arba in Al-Khalil on Friday.
Baroud: The steel wall will cause environmental disasters for Gaza and Egypt
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Dr. Naim Baroud, a Palestinian professor of geography, warned that the building of the steel wall would cause environmental and health disasters for both Gazans and the Egyptian people in Sinai.
Three Palestinians wounded in IOF raids
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have escalated attacks on the Gaza Strip over the past few days as the latest aerial raids late Friday night injured three Palestinian citizens.
U.S. Sees Chance to Press Iran on Nuclear Fuel
New York Times 2 Jan 2010 - Long-discussed sanctions would initiate the latest phase in a strategy to force Iran to comply with United Nations demands to halt production of nuclear fuel.
Iran Gives West One-Month ‘Ultimatum’ to Accept Nuclear Counterproposal
New York Times 2 Jan 2010 - Iran’s foreign minister said the country could begin further enriching its nuclear stockpile on its own.
Israel Continues to Violate the Rights of Human Rights Defenders and Peaceful Activists
Palestine Monitor - 2 Jan 2010 - Addameer * Al-Haq – Law in the Service of Man * Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights* Al Dameer Association for Human Rights * BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights* DCI – Palestine Section * ENSAN Center * Jerusalem Legal Aid Center * Women's Centre for Legal Aid and...
Gaza Freedom Marchers refuse to be silent
Palestine Monitor - 2 Jan 2010 - Several international demonstrators were injured by Egyptian riot police during demonstrations with the Gaza Freedom March in Cairo on Thursday and Friday. The organisers declared from Cairo that “ It was quite the brutal scene ”. Hundreds of people protested on Friday in front of the...
Erez Crossing: a peaceful protest against the blockade on Gaza
Palestine Monitor - 2 Jan 2010 - Palestine Monitor takes a look at the demonstration organised at Erez crossing point (Israeli side) on December 31, as part of the Freedom March event. Some 1000 protesters called on Israel to lift the ongoing blockade of Palestinians in Gaza. Protesters, predominantly Palestinians now living in...
The Gaza Strip
Palestine Monitor - 1 Jan 2010 - “Gaza is a prison and Israel seems to have thrown away the key.” United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, John Dugard Gaza: The Facts Total Population - 1,500,202 Population Density - 4117 per sq km Fertility Rate - 5.19 children/woman Total Refugees - 1,059,584 Refugees...
Israeli journo longs for the segregation of days past
Mondoweiss - 2 Jan 2010 - After publishing an op-ed from a settler comparing herself to Rosa Parks , Haaretz is back at it with one of its writers trying to explain why democracy and civil rights are too dangerous to implement in modern society (and this is the liberal Israeli newspaper). From...
A slice of life in Sheikh Jarrah
Mondoweiss - 2 Jan 2010 - Around 12:30… I went walking down, with an old friend and a new acquaintance, to the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem so that we could take a closer look at the Palestinian homes Israeli settlers had taken over (denoted by the giant Israeli flags hung...
For a future without prisoners
Mondoweiss - 2 Jan 2010 - Every week, as I return from lessons in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia I pass by the tent erected by activists in support of Gilead Shalit, the captive Israeli soldier. Each time I pass by and wish them good luck I am struck by the steadfast...
Meet the Post-zionist Zionists: Dvir Tzur
Mondoweiss - 2 Jan 2010 - This post is part of a week-long series of interviews with Jewish Israelis discussing their connection to the idea of Zionism. We hope this series will spark a conversation over the what Zionism means today. For more on these interviews see this post . Dvir Tzur Judith,...
End the siege of Palestine
Mondoweiss - 2 Jan 2010 - I want to talk about the regressive way in which we discuss Gaza; it is an entity unto itself, divorced from Palestine. Our discourse does not arise solely from geographic reality – Gaza is cut off from the rest of Palestine – but also from deliberate...
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Ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect enter Gaza to show support for Palestinians
IMEMC 3 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 03, 2010 - 09:32, Members of the ultra-Orthodox Neturei Karta Jewish sect celebrated the Jewish Sabbath in Gaza City on Saturday, after having entered the besieged Gaza Strip as part of a solidarity caravan in support of the Palestinian people suffering under Israeli occupation.
’I swear to you that I saw this with my own eyes’
1/3/2010 - Part eight of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. - Bethlehem - Ma'an - At least 15 people were killed and around 40 injured - many seriously - when Israeli forces struck the Al-Maqadmah Mosque northwest of Gaza's Jabaliya refugee camp with a missile on 3 January 2008. Almost all the victims were inside the mosque at the time of the strike. One of the casualties was a boy who had been sitting at the entrance. His leg was blown off by the missile strike and found afterward on the roof of the mosque. "On the day of the event I went to the mosque to pray the evening prayer," said Moussa Al-Silawi, 91, the mosque's sheikh, during testimony to South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. "If we hear any aircraft, any bullets, if we hear anything, usually we run to the mosque to take refuge. "
Israel opens one Gaza crossing; Produce exported
1/3/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday into the Gaza Strip while all other terminals remain closed, Palestinian border crossing official Raed Fattouh said. Fattouh explained that between 64 and 74 truckloads of commercial merchandise and humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza. He added that, for the first time, four truckloads of strawberries would be exported from the besieged Gaza Strip to Israel and abroad. Furthermore, one truck carrying flowers for export will be allowed to transit. The Palestinian official pointed out that limited quantities of domestic fuel and industrial diesel, needed for the functioning of the sole power plant in Gaza, would be shipped through Kerem Shalom. All other Gaza Strip border crossings will remain closed, Fattouh confirmed. . . . .
Egypt opens Rafah crossing; 180 Gazans enter Egypt
1/3/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday morning. The crossing point will remain open for three days. Ma'an's reporter in Gaza said about 180 passengers left the waiting halls at the Palestinian side of the crossing for Egypt. Earlier on Sunday, Palestinians in Gaza wishing to enter Egypt awaited approval at the Rafah crossing, hoping the border crossing would be opened to allow transit. According to sources in Rafah, approximately ten buses carrying Palestinians from Gaza began arriving early at the crossing point and remained at the Abu Yousin An-Najjar and Sa'd Sayil waiting halls. One hundred buses are expected to be allowed to cross into to Egypt via Rafah on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Egyptian authorities announced last week that the border crossing would be closed until the New Year. . . . .
Egypt detains African migrant trying to enter Israel
1/3/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egyptian authorities detained an illegal African migrant on Sunday as he attempted to enter Israel two kilometers south of the Kerem Shalom crossing, Egyptian sources said. The detained, 25, from Eritrea, told interrogators he intended to cross into Israel to seek work after he paid 1,000 US dollars to people traffickers who said they could guarantee his entry into Israel. Additionally, Egyptian authorities thwarted a drug smuggling operation into Israel in the Sinai Peninsula, following an exchange of fire between the drug traffickers and Egyptian forces where 170 kilograms of hashish was confiscated. However, sources added, the smugglers fled the scene. [end]
Galloway Gaza convoy leaves Syria
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A British-led aid convoy bound for the Gaza Strip is on its way to the Egyptian port of Al-Arish after departing Syria by boat, organizers said on Sunday. The Viva Palestina convoy, led in part by firebrand British MP George Galloway, loaded 210 truckloads of food and medical supplies onto a ferry in the Syrian port of Latakia. The group, which set out from London nearly a month ago and drove through Turkey and Syria, spent five days stranded in Jordan after Egypt denied it permission to travel to the Red Sea port of Nuweiba, insisting that aid convoys should transit through the port of Al-Arish, on the Mediterranean. The convoy had originally planned to enter Gaza on 27 December, the one-year anniversary of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip which left more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead. In a message released on an affiliated website on Sunday, Viva Palestina's organizers said they received verbal assurances from Egypt that they would be allowed to dock in Al-Arish on Monday.
Israeli police arrest 2 in Beer Sheba following scare
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Israeli police arrested two young men in the central bus station of the city of Beer Sheba on Sunday after an alert was declared. The men were reported by bystanders as carrying a bag that appeared suspicious, Israeli media reported. Shots were reportedly fired during the arrest. Police sappers determined that the bag contained nothing indicating an attack, while the two men were held for interrogation. A state of high alert declared in the city was called off following the arrest. The alert saw police, aided by helicopters scouring the city. Last week an Israeli soldier shot dead another soldier at a shopping mall in Beer Sheba. [end]
In photos: Anti-Zionist Jews in Gaza
1/3/2010 - American members of Neturei Karta, an international organization of anti-Zionist Jews marched on the Erez crossing to Gaza on 31 December 2009, to protest against Israel's ongoing blockade against the Gaza Strip, which prevents 1. 5 million Palestinians from receiving sufficient aid and stifles both economy and population. The march coincides with the anniversary of Israel's deadly assault against the Gaza Strip last winter, which killed over 1,400 Palestinians. A delegation of 1,400 international activists were set to march towards the Erez crossing from Gaza on the same day but were prohibited from entering Gaza via the Rafah crossing by Egyptian authorities. Only 86 members of the group, organized by CODEPINK, were allowed entry. The Erez crossing, between the north of Gaza and Israel, was closed in 2007 following Hamas' takeover of the coastal Strip.
One injured in clashes in Palestinian camp in Lebanon
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Two Palestinian militant groups clashed on Saturday in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon, according to local and international news agencies. "The Fatah Movement and Jund al-Sham Islamist militants used all kinds of machine guns during the clashes in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon," the National News Agency in Lebanon reported. One person was injured following 30 minutes of fighting, the Lebanese news website Naharnet reported. "The joint security committee intervened to stop the fighting as contacts managed to put an end to the clashes amid a state of tension that prevailed in the camp with the remaining of rival fighters in the streets," Naharnet said. Tayyar news website identified the wounded person as a member of Fatah Al-Islam. According to Mounir Maqdha, commander of the Palestinian police force. . .
Abbas begins Middle East tour in Jordan
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - President Mahmoud Abbas began his tour of the Middle East with a meeting on Sunday in Jordan with King Abdullah II and senior Jordanian officials, Palestinian sources told Ma'an. Abbas and the King of Jordan are expected to discuss Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's suggestions to restart peace negotiations. The second leg of Abbas' tour will be in Egypt for similar talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. After Egypt, Abbas will leave for Qatar, then to Kuwait before arriving in Ankara, Turkey, for similar discussions. However, Abbas's tour may be interrupted should he decide to return to the occupied Palestinian territories to join Christians who follow the Eastern Orthodox calendar, celebrating Christmas in Bethlehem on 6 January. Ahead of his arrival, the Kuwaiti newspaper Ar-Rai published on Sunday an interview with Abbas in which he. . .
Lieberman says Abbas '˜problematic’
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman cast doubt on Sunday on President Mahmoud Abbas' capacity to fully represent Palestinians, given Hamas' hold on the Gaza Strip. "Our Palestinian partner Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] is problematic. Does he represent all of the Palestinian people? It is clear that he does not represent Gaza and that his legitimacy in the West Bank is in doubt," Lieberman told public radio and quoted by AFP. "To sign an accord with Abu Mazen would be to sign a deal with the leader of Fatah," the president's political party, he added. "That said, I hope there will be a meeting with Abu Mazen. It is important that there be political negotiations, and we are ready for that - as long as there are no preconditions. "We don't have to buy an entry ticket for talks," Lieberman said in reference to the Palestinian stance that a. . . "
Netanyahu vows to react ’aggressively’ to Gaza fire
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday to strike "aggressively" at Gaza in reaction to any fire from the territory. "Our policy is clear to all and I think it also became clear over the weekend - to respond aggressively to any firing at our territory and at our communities," he said at the opening of his weekly Cabinet meeting. "There is no doubt that this policy, in addition to Operation Cast Lead, has increased deterrence against attack on our communities," he said, referring to Israel's name for the three-week offensive Israel waged on Gaza last winter that left 1,400 Palestinians dead. Before dawn on Saturday Israeli warplanes struck targets across the Gaza Strip in the most intense bombardment in weeks. Witnesses also reported Israeli tank and artillery fire in several locations.
Hamas urges clerics to reverse Gaza wall edict
1/3/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas on Sunday urged leading Islamic clerics in Egypt to reverse a recent edict supporting the construction of a metal wall cutting off smuggling tunnels under the border with the Gaza Strip. It emerged late last week that scholars at Cairo's Al-Azhar University, Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning, issued a fatwa in favor of the wall. "It is one of Egypt's legitimate rights to place a barrier that prevents the harm from the tunnels under Rafah, which are used to smuggle drugs and other [contraband] that threaten Egypt's stability," the newspaper Al-Masri Al-Yom quoted the scholars as saying, according to AFP. "Those who oppose building this wall are violating the commands of Islamic law," they added, after a meeting attended by Egypt's top cleric Sheikh Muhammad Said Tantawi, who is a government appointee.
PFLP: Peace talks are an ’endless maze’
1/3/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on Sunday denounced what it said was international pressure on Palestinians to resume negotiations with Israel. "Various pressures the Palestinians are trying to drag them again to the fruitless maze of negotiations and to go chasing the illusion of misleading American and Israeli solutions," the PFLP said in a statement issued from its offices in Gaza. The secular PFLP has joined Islamists historically in opposing the peace process with Israel, which it sees as slanted toward coaxing Palestinians to make more concessions. The group called on the international community, "if they are interested in justice and peace, to move responsibly and urgently to lift the siege of Gaza and rebuild tens of thousands of homes and establishments and release thousands of prisoners from Israeli jails. "
Abbas, Egypt intel chief discuss peace push
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - President Mahmoud Abbas met on Sunday evening with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Sulaiman, the powerful official in charge of Hamas-Fatah reconciliation talks, among other issues. The Palestinian Authority's (PA) official news agency WAFA reported that the meeting in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm Ash-Sheikh focused on Egypt's "efforts" to push forward the peace process. " On Monday Abbas is scheduled to meet with Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, according to WAFA. The meetings come amid renewed activity on at least two fronts for Abbas: a possible resumption of negotiations with Israel and a possible reconciliation with Hamas. Earlier on Sunday Hamas Political Bureau chief Khalid Mash'al announced, after weeks of political stalemate, that the Palestinian rival parties were in the "final stages" of reconciliation. "
Mash’al: Hamas, Fatah in ’final stages’ of reconcilliation
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Hamas leader Khalid Mash'al said on Sunday the group was in the final stages of ending a power struggle with the rival Fatah movement after he held talks with Saudi officials in Riyadh. "We achieved great strides toward achieving reconciliation," Mash'al told reporters at the Foreign Ministry during a visit to the Saudi capital, according to Reuters news agency. "We are in the final stages now. " He also reiterated that Hamas has points that it wants revised in an Egyptian proposal for reconciliation with Fatah. "We all agree that the signing of the [reconciliation] will take place in Cairo," he said. Reuters quoted Saudi officials saying Mash'al met with Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal in connection with reconciliation efforts. Fatah, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, signed the Egyptian proposal in October.
Ramallah MoH: Hamas bans surgical society elections
1/3/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - The Ramallah-based Ministry of Health accused Hamas on Sunday of preventing the elections for the Palestinian Surgeons' Society (PSS) by taking over its Gaza headquarters. The Ministry said in an official statement that the shutdown was a result of Hamas' "rejection of democratic processes" and unions' freedom as defined by the Palestinian law, adding that the prevention of elections for the PSS was considered an obstruction of scientific development in Gaza, which is vitally needed in the besieged Strip. The statement added that Hamas had escalated disturbances against professional and medical unions in order to prevent elections at a time when Hamas' popularity is in decline, it said, alleging that the movement appoints its affiliates as members of these societies in order to take control.
Hamas, Fatah trade arrest accusations
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas and Fatah traded accusations on Sunday of politically motivated arrests in their respective territories. Fatah said that Hamas security forces arrested 13 members in northern Gaza. Hamas also issued a statement saying Palestinian Authority security forces arrested 527 members of the party in December. It also accused the PA of dismissing Hamas members from their jobs, including teachers and other government workers. Separately Hamas accused PA security forces of arresting four of the movement's affiliates on Sunday from the West Bank districts of Nablus and Jenin. "PA security forces summoned Hamas affiliates over the past few days particularly in the district of Qalqylia," Hamas said in a statement. . . . .
PSE rises: Al-Quds index up by 1.11%
1/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Stocks increased on the Palestine Securities Exchange in the West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday. At the close of trading, the Al-Quds Index stood at 498. 46 increasing by 5. 46 points (1. 11%), compared with the last trading session. Trading volume was 336,886 shares traded for a total value of 409,729. 79 US dollars, in 183 trades. The shares of 17 companies were traded. The share prices of 12 companies rose, and three declined. The top five gainers were BPC by 4. 75%, AHC by 4. 55%, PLAZA by 4. 29%, NSC by 3. 70%,andNCI by 3. 45%. [end]
Be'er Sheva police call off terror alert
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - Two suspects carrying suspicious bag detained for questioning; shots apparently fired during arrest.
Airport tragedy averted as civilian, military aircrafts nearly collide
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - Second incident in 2009 at Ovda airport nearly ended in frontal collision between the 2 planes.
Egypt Opens Rafah Crossing
3 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 3, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Egyptian authorities declared that it will open Rafah crossing today for the people who have visas. The total number of the people who want to leave the Gaza Strip is 6000 including 700 students. Rafah crossing was opened 2 months ago for patients and students. Thousands of patients, students and people who...
Abbas to Meet Mubarak in Cairo
2 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 2, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Barakat Al-Farra, the Palestinian ambassador to Egypt, announced that Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas plans to meet Monday in Cairo with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the latest development on Palestinian arena He pointed out that Mr. Abbas would arrive in Cairo, as well as the accompanying delegation Sunday afternoon, explaining that the meeting...
Iran sets a nuclear end game
The National 3 Jan 2010 - Tehran defiantly sets its own end-of-January deadline for world powers to agree to its already rejected counter proposals on a nuclear agreement.
Israel calm but ready to pull trigger, analysts say
The National 3 Jan 2010 - A year after the Israeli offensive on Gaza, the ceasefire continues to hold and a report says 2009 saw the lowest number of violent incidents in decades.
Kurdish dissidents arrested in Syria
The National 3 Jan 2010 - As members of party demanding autonomy for Syrian Kurds earlier this month are arrested, opposition groups criticise the move as counterproductive.
Egypt court upholds exam veil ban
AlJazeera 3 Jan 2010 - Court backs decision to ban university students from wearing niqab during exams.
Iran to try Ashoura rally detainees
AlJazeera 3 Jan 2010 - Judiciary snubs request for seven unidentified defendants to be tried in open court.
Palestinian reconciliation 'close'
AlJazeera 3 Jan 2010 - Hamas and Fatah in "final stages" of agreeing Egypt-brokered deal, Hamas official says.
Egypt opens Gaza border crossing
AlJazeera 3 Jan 2010 - Cairo announces three-day opening as Gaza march activists begin to head home.
Beyond Commemoration: Operation Cast Lead One Year After
Alternative Information Center 29 Dec 2009 - Three hundred and sixty five days after the beginning of the Operation “Cast Lead,” what characterizes these days is silence. The silence of those who didn't survive—those 1,400 people killed by bombings in Gaza. Three hundred...
Anti-Zionist ultra-Orthodox Jews celebrate Sabbath in Gaza
PNN 2 Jan 2010 - A small group of ultra-Orthodox Jews were preparing Friday to celebrate the Jewish Sabbath in Gaza, in an unlikely show of support for Palestinians in the Hamas-run coastal territory. Bearded and wearing black hats and coats, the four members of a tiny Jewish group vehemently opposed to Israel's existence were a rare sight in the poverty-stricken Palestinian territory. Members of the Neturei...
Arab claim to Dead Sea Scrolls rejected
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - Jordan asks Canada to seize scrolls; Lieberman rebuffs Amman's claim of theft, but doesn't intervene.
Committee to discuss MK 'loyalty oath'
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - Israel Beiteinu's Rotem: All MKs should swear loyalty to "Israel as a Jewish, Zionist, democratic state."
Beersheba terror alert proves to be false alarm
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - Brief terror alert at the Beersheba central bus station is lowered early Sunday afternoon.
Israel greeting costly for Iran official
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - Iranian Football Association foreign relations head forced to resign over New Year's Day e-mail.
Column One: A low and dishonest decade
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - How is it possible that in 2010, Israel continues to embrace policies that have failed it?
Mashaal claims progress in unity talks
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - Hamas leader: Egypt-brokered negotiations have made "big strides," there are still issues to work out.
Watch: Iran police shoot at protesters
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - In this amateur video, a police officer opens fire on opposition activists during Muslim holiday Ashura.
Hamas approve $540 million budget for Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 3 Jan 2010 - Up to $60 million stems from local taxes and the rest from "gifts and outside assistance."
Settler tunnel causes another road collapse in Silwan, East Jerusalem
1/3/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - At around 4pm, on Saturday 2 January 2010 part of a main road in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan collapsed. The section of road runs above tunneling work carried out by the Elad settler organisation. Despite the road collapsing in the mid-afternoon, it was not until 8pm that Israeli police arrived at the scene, after an Israeli bus serving the settler population drove into the hole in the road. Silwan is a Palestinian village on the hills south of the Old City of Jerusalem, captured in 1967 by the Israeli army. It is one of several neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem where the Israeli state and settler organisations are forcing Palestinians from their homes. Almost 90 houses in the area are currently threatened with demolition, potentially displacing 1,000 – 1,500 residents and no construction permits have been issued for Palestinians in the area since 1967.
Two young men from Bil’in arrested on 29 December 2009 still held by Israeli military
1/3/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Hamouda Imad Yassin (16) and Ibrahim Khalil Yassin (16), two young men from Bil'in, who were arrested on 29 December 2009 during a night raid on the West Bank village, are still being held by the Israeli military. The boys were arrested at 2am on Tuesday, 29 December 2009, when the Israeli army, composed of a number of military jeeps and approximately 50 soldiers on foot, invaded the village and raided their houses. They are still being held by the military, while their relatives are being kept in the dark as of when they will be released and the legal reasons for their detention. The only explanation given by the Israeli authorities was that they detained Hamouda and Khalil in order to ensure their presence as witnesses at a hearing with Mohammad Khatib, member of the Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, that was scheduled to take place later that day, 29 December 2009 at the Ofer military prison.
U.S. to search all air travelers from 'terrorist' states
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - The U.S. government announced on Sunday new security screening procedures for passengers from countries listed as "state sponsors of terrorism" and selected others as part of a crackdown following the botched Christmas Day bombing of a Detroit-bound airliner. ...
Fatah to Hamas: Want to reconcile? Sign deal
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - A senior member of the Fatah movement on Sunday dismissed Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal's remarks that the warring Palestinian factions were close to deal for reconciliation. ...
Report: Obama backs Egypt plan for Mideast peace
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - Barack Obama's administration supports Egypt's vision for a Middle East peace plan that would include a complete halt of construction in West Bank settlements as well as the release of senior Palestinian officials from Israeli prisons, the Qatar-based news network Al-Jazeera reported on Sunday. ...
CIA catches Iranian trying to buy arms 'for war against U.S.'
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - An Iranian businessman was caught on tape by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency attempting to purchase weapons and military systems during a clandestine deal in Georgia. ...
Dubai to open world's tallest building amid financial worries
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - Started at the height of the economic boom and built by some 12,000 laborers, the world's tallest building will open on Monday in Dubai as the glitzy emirate seeks to rekindle optimism after its financial crisis. ...
'Significant progress' in attempts to reconcile Hamas and Fatah
The Guardian 3 Jan 2010 - Egyptian-backed talks intended to bring together Palestinian factions divided since Hamas seized control of Gaza Strip The leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, today said significant progress had been made in Egyptian-sponsored talks aimed at reconciling the...
Hung out to dry in the West Bank | Seth Freedman
The Guardian 3 Jan 2010 - Severely-restricted access to water is one of Israel's main weapons against the Jahalin nomads At first glance, the bedouin community of Ras al-Awja seem unaffected by the political turbulence that engulfs the rest of the region....
Rishon Letzion man found stabbed to death two days after murdered
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - A 28-year-old man found stabbed to death in his Rishon Letzion apartment on Sunday was apparently killed two days before his mother discovered his body, police said. ...
Autopsy results indicate 7-year-old boy wasn't raped before murder
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - The 7-year-old Ashdod boy who was murdered over the weekend was not raped before his death, according to results of his autopsy transferred to the police on Sunday. ...
Former PM Ariel Sharon still comatose four years after stroke
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - Ariel Sharon, the tough army general turned premier who shocked his hawkish supporters by pulling Israel out of Gaza in 2005, is still lying unconscious in a hospital bed, friends said Sunday on the fourth anniversary of the massive stroke that put him in a coma. ...
Israel rejects bill allocating equal land to Jews and Arabs
Ha'aretz 3 Jan 2010 - The Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday rejected a bill proposed by MK Ahmed Tibi (Ra'am-Ta'al) proposing that the state enforce equal allocation of land to Jews and Arabs. ...
Wars and disputed elections: The most dangerous stories for journalists
Relief Web 3 Jan 2010 - Source: Reporters sans Frontières
Fayyad envisions 'state free of settlements'
YNet News 3 Jan 2010 - As Palestinian president travels to Egypt in hopes of restarting peace talks, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad tells conference future Palestinian state will be 'free of fences', says 'it's time for transition period to end'
Hamas video: Settlers drink Palestinians' blood
YNet News 3 Jan 2010 - (Video) Cartoon broadcast by Islamist organization's TV portrays Palestinian officer named Bahlul humiliated by IDF soldiers, shining their shoes, defending settlers and willing to arrest his own family members
Hamas says in final stage of Fatah reconciliation
YNet News 3 Jan 2010 - Politburo chief Khaled Mashaal travels to Saudi Arabia for mediation efforts, says 'great strides made' toward reconciliation with rival Fatah faction
US, Britain close embassies in Yemen
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 The United States and Britain closed their embassies in Yemen on Sunday over security concerns about possible militant attacks after the failed bombing of a US-bound plane on Christmas Day. The US Embassy said it had received a threat by Al-Qaeda, which US intelligence agencies believe has a growing presence in the poor Arab country.
Meshaal: Hamas in final stage of Fatah reconciliation
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 Hamas said on Sunday the Islamist group was in the final stages of reconciling with the rival Palestinian Fatah party after its leader met Saudi officials to try to narrow the rift. "We made great strides toward achieving reconciliation," Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal told reporters at the Saudi Foreign Ministry during a visit to Riyadh. "We are in the final stages now."
Iran makes new threat over uranium swap deal
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 Iran said on Sunday the West has given it until the end of January to accept a uranium swap deal, stressing it will press on with plans to produce higher enriched nuclear fuel if there is no agreement. Tehran has already ignored a US-set December 31 deadline to accept a UN-brokered deal aimed at allaying fears about its nuclear drive by shipping most of its low enriched.
Saudi foreign minister says world lets Israel act like 'spoiled child'
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 The Saudi foreign minister on Saturday criticized Israel's settlement construction and said the country acts like a "spoiled child" because the international community is not tough enough in pressuring it to make concessions. Prince Saud al-Faisal said Washington and other players in Mideast peace efforts should take a "firm and serious" stand to put an end to Israeli construction on land Palestinians want for a future state.
Lieberman says Israeli diplomats should 'stop groveling'
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 Israel's outspoken Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told the country's ambassadors to stop "groveling" and defend its national honor, an official at his ministry said on Sunday. "I have seen that some ambassadors identify themselves with the other side to such an extent that they are all the time trying to justify and explain," the ultra-nationalist thundered during a closed meeting.
Iran MPs reject govt call for subsidy bill withdrawal
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 Iran's Parliament rejected on Sunday the government's request to withdraw a bill aimed at gradually cutting energy and food subsidies, state radio said. The president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Parliament disagree over control of the money saved through the reform.
Top Iranian dissident cleric stripped of religious title
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 The leading dissident marja in Iran has been stripped of his title by the authorities, Iranian news agencies announced on Saturday. A top clerical body in the holy city of Qom declared that Grand Ayatollah Yousuf Sanei - a vocal member of the opposition in Iran - no longer qualified to be a marja al-taqlid, or source of emulation, the highest clerical rank in Shiite Islam
Sleiman, Sarkozy stress need to implement Resolution 1701
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 Lebanon's Cabinet is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to tackle a series of pending issues in what is likely to be its first controversial meeting following its formation. Meanwhile, President Michel Sleiman, who returned from France on Sunday, is expected to start planning for the national dialogue to be held starting in March. Sleiman and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy stressed.
Venezuela's Chavez accuses Colombia, US of rebel plot
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 Khaled Meshaal, who has long been portrayed as the ultimate spoiler in any effort to secure a negotiated peace deal to end the Middle East conflict, was on Sunday the unlikely bearer of good news for the people of this region, especially the Palestinians. The Hamas leader announced from Riyadh that his party was in the final stages of reaching a reconciliation agreement with the rival Palestinian Fatah party.
Foreign parties 'exporting' extremists to camps: Fatah
Daily Star 3 Jan 2010 Fatah commander in Lebanon Brigadier Sultan Abu al-Aynayn on Sunday accused external parties of seeking to "export" fundamentalists to refugee camps across Lebanon. "We have taken measures to prevent Al-Qaeda from infiltrating Palestinian refugee camps after we received information that external parties were seeking to export extremists, particularly from Iraq," Abu al-Aynayn said in an interview with AFP.
Arab and Muslim activists launch a signature campaign against Egypt’s steel wall
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Arab and Muslim activists launched a campaign to collect million signatures on a statement condemning the steel wall being built by Egypt on its borders with the Gaza Strip.
IPA deprives 10 Jerusalemite detainees of family visits
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - The Israeli prisons authority is depriving ten Jerusalemite detainees in Ramon desert prison including a blind prisoner from family visits without giving any reason.
Abu Halabiya appeals for holding emergency summits on serious situation in J’lem
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Dr. Ahmed Abu Halabiya appealed to Arab and Muslim countries to hold emergency meetings to discuss the Israeli escalation against occupied Jerusalem.
Khudari warns of Israeli interception of lifeline sea voyage
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - MP Jamal Al-Khudari has warned of a possible Israeli piracy at sea targeting the international aid convoy Lifeline-3 while en route from Latakia, Syria, to El-Arish, Egypt, then to Gaza.
Mishaal to Saudi FM: Hamas keen on security of Arab and Islamic countries
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Political bureau chairman of Hamas Movement Khaled Mishaal conferred on Sunday with Saudi foreign minister prince Saud Al-Faisal on Palestinian developments and reconciliation efforts.
Abu Hilal: The steel wall building is a crime against humanity
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Khalid Abu Hilal, the secretary-general of Al-Ahrar Movement, said that the persistence of the Egyptian regime in building its steel wall on the borders with Gaza is a crime against humanity.
IOF troops detain 6 Palestinians, settlers assault woman in O. Jerusalem
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rounded up six Palestinians at dawn Sunday three of them in Al-Khalil's Arub refugee camp and three in Bethlehem city.
Third Viva Palestina convoy sails for Egypt
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - The third Viva Palestina international aid convoy, which was forced by the Egyptian authorities to turn around, sailed off Saturday from the Syrian port of Latakia to the Egyptian port of Arish.
Bahar warns of resumption of "futile negotiations"
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Dr. Ahmed Bahar, the first deputy speaker of the PLC, has warned of resuming negotiations with the Israeli occupation authority (IOA), describing such talks as "futile".
Hamas slams Abbas’s confession to his security coordination with Israel
PIC 3 Jan 2010 - Hamas said that Mahmoud Abbas’s threat to sever the security ties with Israel is evidence that the arrests and security campaigns carried out in the West Bank are coordinated with the occupation.
U.S. Sees an Opportunity to Press Iran on Nuclear Fuel
New York Times 3 Jan 2010 - Setbacks in its nuclear program and protests in the streets are making Iran’s leaders vulnerable to strong new sanctions, the Obama administration says.
Jewish American organizations aid Somali human rights abusers in effort to protect Israel
Mondoweiss - 3 Jan 2010 - The mere mention of Somalia often brings up visions of great violence for many, especially Americans still reeling from the Black Hawk Down incident. And given the current state of affairs in southern Somalia (where most of the fighting occurs), this image will like remain for...
From the pyramids to the checkpoints, we have had many victories in Egypt
Mondoweiss - 3 Jan 2010 - "The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class–it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of freedom." –Anna Julia Cooper, page 27, my US passport The Gaza Freedom March announced the Cairo Declaration to...
Now wait, who’s censored??
Mondoweiss - 3 Jan 2010 - Last night in Tel Aviv there was a great demonstration against the Gaza slaughter of a year ago. 1000 people marched through the middle of the city, from Rabin square to the Defense Ministry. They carried signs showing a blood-soaked land. Anarchists against the wall denounced...
Naked in Abu Ghraib/Naked in Gaza– the U.S. press’s double standard
Mondoweiss - 3 Jan 2010 - Nakedness, humiliation, and torture made Abu Ghraib an important story in the American media five years ago. The abuse of Iraqi detainees damaged the American reputation across the Arab world; and exposing Abu Ghraib distinguished 60 Minutes, the New Yorker, and Seymour Hersh. The New York...
Monday, January 4, 2010
Arab Child Hurt By Explosive Near Shfa-Amr
IMEMC 4 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 05, 2010 - 02:42, Israeli sources reported Monday that a 13-year-old Arab child was hurt when an explosive, apparently dropped by the Israeli army during training, detonated as he carried it.
Christian Peacemakers deported from Israel
IMEMC 4 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 05, 2010 - 02:27, Two members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams have been refused entry into Israel, and deported by Israeli authorities.
Settlers Protest Settlement Freeze By “Smashing Ice”
IMEMC 4 Jan 2010 - Monday January 04, 2010 - 21:21, The so-called Yesha Council of Settlements organized a protest for the settlers in front of the residence of Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and installed an ice structure before breaking it up to symbolize their rejection to the temporary freeze of settlement activities.
FPLP Fighters Survive An Assassination Attempt in Gaza
IMEMC 4 Jan 2010 - Monday January 04, 2010 - 21:09, The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Front For the Liberation of Palestine, reported Monday that a group of its fighters survived an assassination attempt when an Israeli drone fired a missile at them.
Peace Talks Still Contingent Upon Settlement Freeze
IMEMC 4 Jan 2010 - Monday January 04, 2010 - 16:57, Israel must commit to freezing settlement construction if talks are to resume, says Abbas.
Viva Palestina aid convoy docks in Egypt's Al-Arish sea port
IMEMC 4 Jan 2010 - Monday January 04, 2010 - 16:53, Viva Palestina aid convoy ship has docked in Egypt's Al-Arish sea port on Monday and all the vehicles on-board have passed through Egyptian customs.
Israeli forces ’deliberately let him bleed to death’
1/4/2010 - Part nine of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict - Bethlehem - Ma'an - On 4 January 2009, one year ago today, Iyad Samouni, his wife, and five children were together with about 40 other members of their extended family in the house of Asaad Samouni, a relative. At around 1am, they heard noise on the roof. At about 5am, Israeli soldiers walked down the stairs from the roof, knocked on the door, and entered the house. They asked for Hamas fighters. The residents replied that there were none. Stationing themselves in the house, soldiers separated women, children and the elderly from the men. Iyad and all the other men were forced into a separate room, blindfolded and bound with plastic handcuffs. They were allowed to use the bathroom only after one of the men urinated on himself.
Israel: Gaza’s Nahal Oz crossing closed permanently
1/4/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an -Israeli authorities informed the Palestinian side officially on Monday that the Nahal Oz border crossing in the northeast of Gaza will remain closed. Palestinian border crossing official Raed Fattouh told Ma'an that Israel has decided to shutdown the Nahal Oz crossing which was used for shipping fuel and gas into the besieged coastal strip. In recent months, Israel allowed limited quantities of domestic gas through the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza. On Monday, Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom crossing and the Karni crossing in the northeast to allow limited amounts of humanitarian aid and domestic gas, in addition to permitting the export of Gaza strawberries. According to Fattouh, 70 truckloads of humanitarian aid and commercial merchandise in addition to limited quantities of gas and industrial diesel are expected to enter the Gaza Strip. . .
Anti-wall activists rally outside prison
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Anti-wall activists demonstrated outside Israel's Ofer Prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday to demand the release of detained activist Jamal Juma to concide with the convening of his military court hearing. Jamal Juma, 47, the coordinator of the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall campaign was detained on 16 December 2009 without being charged and is considered "a prisoner of conscience" the organizers of the rally said in a statement on Monday. "Palestinians, Israelis and international supporters will rally to demand the release of Jamal Juma' and other imprisoned anti-Wall activists and also call for an end to the widespread repression of Palestinian human rights defenders. Protesters will further call for the Apartheid Wall to be torn down. " Juma, a high profile human rights defender and activist, was detained in the recent. . .
Fayyad concedes PA tortured Hamas detainees
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad implicitly admitted in a report published on Sunday that Palestinian Authority security forces have tortured Hamas detainees over the past two years. An Associated Press report on the subject, citing interviews with Hamas inmates, rights activists, Hamas officials and Fayyad himself, said that most torture had ended in October. Fayyad's comments, however, amounted to the first time a senior PA official conceded that abuses were committed by the security forces, many of which are trained by the US, Russia, and other world powers. Fayyad claimed a "dramatic change for the better" in West Bank prisons and said that 43 officers had been jailed, fired or demoted for abusing prisoners. The prime minister denied that torture was ever official policy but admitted past "excesses" that he said stemmed from a flawed culture of revenge.
PFLP fighters say Israeli warplanes strike Gaza
1/4/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Palestinian fighters in Gaza said they narrowly escaped a missile fired by an Israeli warplane in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday evening. The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) reported the airstrike. In a statement received by Ma'an the group also said that they fired a rocket-propelled grenade at an Israeli military watchtower along the border in northern Gaza. An Israeli military spokesman said based on an initial investigation, officials were unaware of any airstrikes. Earlier, another armed group said it fired rocket-propelled grenades an Israeli bulldozer in the northern Gaza Strip. The An-Nasser Salah Ad-Din Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance committees said it launched the attack near a site it called "Abu Samra's orange grove" north of the town of Beit Lahiya.
Israel re-opens Hebron road 10 years after closure
1/4/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces re-opened the northern entrance to the town of Halhul on Monday in the West Bank city of Hebron, following 10 years of closure, according to Halhul Mayor Ziyad Abu Yousef. Abu Yousef told Ma'an that negotiations with Israel had been ongoing for the last five years to re-open the entrance. However, Israel only approved lifting the closer two months prior, based on conditions, one of which was that the Halhul Municipality would be responsible for removing the military's roadblocks and dirt mounds placed by Israel to block entry into the town. The re-opening of the northern entrance will happen in two phases, allowing at first only cars from Hebron to enter, after which a two-way road will be paved to allow movement in and out of Halhul, the mayor said. The closure of the town's northern entrance has had an adverse impact on Halhul's economy, as the road was considered the essential point of entry in Hebron.
’Wanted’ Palestinian fighter hands self in
1/4/2010 - Jenin - Ma'an - An operative affiliated with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah's paramilitary wing, handed himself over to Israeli authorities on Sunday evening, Ma'an has learned. Imad Tayih, 22, from the Al-Far'a Refugee Camp near Tubas, had been "wanted" by Israeli authorities for over a year and a half. During his time as a fugitive, Tayih survived targeted assassination attempts and was injured as a result on several occasions. On Sunday evening, he gave himself up at the Salim military base in Nablus, according to his cousin Faris, who observed that Tayih had been receiving a high volume of telephone calls from Israeli intelligence threatening to kill him if he did not give himself up. Faris explained that whenever his cousin would receive such a call, it was swiftly followed by attempts to ambush or abduct Tayih, adding that he had survived two assassination attempts. . .
Probe sought in death of Gaza woman in police custody
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) called on Monday for an investigation into the death of a 56-year-old woman who was reportedly assaulted by police. According to PCHR's investigation, four de facto government police vehicles arrived at Nazira Jaddou'a As-Sweirki's home in the Touffah neighborhood of Gaza City at 8pm on Friday. "The policemen demanded Mohammed, 22, the victim's son, who was in his shop [on] the ground floor in his house to blow out candles that were lit up on the balcony, seemingly to celebrate the anniversary of Fatah movement," the rights group said. Fatah supporters lit candles in Gaza after the Hamas-controlled government banned celebrations marking the anniversary. After an argument between the woman's son's Sami, 40, Amer 27, and Mohammed, 22, police assaulted all thre and arrested the later two, PCHR reported.
Egypt opens Rafah crossing for the second day
1/4/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah crossing for the second consecutive day on Monday, the Gaza government's Border Crossing Committee reported. Those allowed to transit include holders of international passports and travelers who have coordinated their passage with Egyptian authorities. On Tuesday, the Rafah crossing will be open to all who seek to travel into or from Egypt from Gaza, the committee said. The committee added that all transit arrangements had been thoroughly organized in coordination with the de facto Ministry of Interior, and noted that 1,098 people left Gaza yesterday while 187 were unable to pass for varying reasons. According to the Gaza Ministry of Interior, 6,000 Palestinians have registered to enter Egypt via the Rafah crossing including 600 patients. The deadline to register for travel via Rafah, the Ministry added, ended three weeks ago.
Fatah: Mash’al lying about unity deal
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Azzam Al-Ahmad, speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council's Fatah bloc, on Monday accused Hamas leader Khalid Mash'al of lying when he said a reconciliation agreement was in the final stages. "If Mash'al is telling the truth, let him go to Cairo and tell the Egyptians that Hamas agrees to their reconciliation plan," Al-Ahmad said. "Hamas' deception and wordplay pushed Egypt and the Arab League secretary-general to declare that it was Hamas who impeded national reconciliation," he added, noting that "Egypt revealed recently that Hamas thwarted Palestinian reconciliation. "Mash'al, Hamas' most senior leader, said on Sunday the Islamic movement was close to achieving a deal with its Fatah rivals. "We achieved great strides toward achieving reconciliation," he told reporters Riyadh, according to Reuters. "We are in the final stages now. "
Fatah: No progress in reconcilliation with Hamas
1/4/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Fatah denied on Monday that progress had been made in reconciliation talks with Hamas. "There is nothing new to talk about on the national reconciliation issue," Fatah spokesman Fahmi Za'arir said. "Both sides have said a lot, but now something should be done order to get the Palestinian house in order," he added. The remarks come after Hamas' Political Bureau chief Khalid Mash'al claimed on Sunday that the two groups were "in the final stages" of the reconciliation process. "We achieved great strides toward achieving reconciliation," Mash'al told reporters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he met with that country's foreign minister. Za'arir said that Hamas was dealing with reconciliation as if it were a competition. The Fatah official also reiterated his party's argument that it was the signed an Egyptian-proposed plan to bring the two groups into a power-sharing agreement, while Hamas has not.
Israeli forces detain 3 Palestinians in Jenin
1/4/2010 - Jenin - Ma'an - Israeli forces stormed the eastern neighborhood of Jenin and detained three Palestinians after raiding their homes early on Monday morning, security sources said. Those detained were identified as Fouad Zakarna, Ahmad Al-Qut, and Ashraf Al-Aqhash. Witnesses at the scene said that Israeli forces further raided the home of Jenin's former mayor Walid Abu Muwais in search of his son. [end]
Israeli forces detain 6 civilians near Hebron
1/4/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained six Palestinian civilians in Hebron and the Al-Arrub refugee camp early on Monday morning, Palestinian security sources said. Israeli forces raided the camp Hebron and stormed houses, detaining four civilians: Khaled Al-Badawi, 22, Rami At-Titti, 25, Muayyad At-Titti, 26, and Abdul Fattah Abu Wardeh, 22. Soldiers also detained two other civilians in Hebron city. They were not immediately identified. Israel's military reported arresting six Palestinians "wanted for suspected terrorist activities in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. "[end]
Report: Grenade explodes at Fatah office in Lebanon
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - A hand grenade reportedly exploded at the office of Fatah official Sultan Abu Al-Aynayn in the city of Tyre, Lebanon on Monday. A correspondent for the Beirut-based news site NOW Lebanon said no injuries were reported, but that the explosion caused property damage in the Rashdiyeh refugee camp in south Lebanon. The reported attack comes after Aynayn accused external parties of bringing foreign fighters linked to Al-Qaeda into the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon"We have taken measures to prevent Al-Qaeda from infiltrating Palestinian refugee camps after we received information that external parties were seeking to export extremists, particularly from Iraq," Abu al-Aynayn said in an interview with AFP. Earlier on Sunday Fatah gunmen clashed with fighters affiliated with the Jund Ash-Sham faction in Ein Al-Hilweh refugee camp in the city of Sidon.
Abbas: Talks start immediately after freeze
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday reiterated the PLO's position that Israel must stop expanding West Bank settlements before Palestinians would be willing to renew peace talks. "We are not imposing conditions; this is clear. But we have previously stated and will repeat that as soon as settlement construction stops we will resume negotiations immediately," he told journalists after a meeting with Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm Ash-Sheikh. Abbas added that Israel would have to recognize an "international reference" beforehand, as well, if it expected the talks to be fruitful. The Palestinian people do not object to meetings and negotiations, he said. He made no comment on a proposed trilateral peace summit with Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also visited Egypt last weeks for talks with Mubarak. . .
PA cabinet: No talks without freeze
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The cabinet of the Ramallah-based Palestinian government reiterated a call on Monday for Israel to halt the expansion of West Bank settlements as a step toward renewed peace talks. During the weekly cabinet meeting ministers concluded that "progress in the peace process requires a comprehensive cessation of all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem. " "The full freeze of settlement activities includes proclaimed natural growth," the cabinet said. "It also requires Israeli abstention from provocative measures such as arrests, assassinations and invasion of Palestinian areas and stopping illegal measures and practices in Jerusalem," the cabinet said in a statement after the meeting. A settlement freeze is needed, the ministers concluded, "to create a clear framework of reference for a peace process,. . . "
PA forms team to advance WTO bid
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - The Palestinian Authority is forming a "national team" to oversee efforts to gain full membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), the caretaker cabinet said on Monday. The issue came up in the weekly meeting of the Ramallah-based cabinet led by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, himself an American-trained economist. The cabinet said the WTO bid was part of a project of achieving "national economic readiness. "In September the PA announced it was applying to upgrade its status from Observer toFull Observer, a step before full membership. Fayyad is the author of a government plan he says is designed to establish the institutional trappings of statehood within two years. . . . .
Israeli radio warns female soldiers against hitchhiking
1/4/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israel's Army Radio has begun regularly transmitting announcements warning female soldiers not to hitchhike from their military bases. "Female soldiers, don't hitchhike as you can't be sure how it will end," the announcement said. It was not clear what lead to the frequent announcements, as there have been no known cases of Palestinian armed groups targeting female Israeli soldiers. The increased announcements follow ongoing reports that, despite stalemate, a prisoner exchange deal whereby Palestinian militants holding Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit for the release of Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli army has been known to enforce what it terms the "Hannibal procedure," whereby Israeli soldiers at risk of being kidnapped have been shot. The policy is enacted to thwart leverage for any Palestinian prisoner swap and was discovered to have been used. . .
PA police detain 6 Palestinians on drug charges
1/4/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority police detained six men suspected of possessing narcotics in Hebron and Salfit on Sunday. Three were detained in Salift for carrying a substance similar in form to hashish, in addition to narcotics-related paraphernalia, according to a statemented issued by the PA police's Public Relations and Information Department. A further three Palestinians were arrested from the village of Dura in Hebron following a tip-off that a narcotics deal was underway in the village, the statement said. Police ambushed and apprehended the suspects, it added. The report said the suspects would be transferred to public prosecution for legal proceedings. [end]
PA to pay employees on Wednesday
1/4/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Authority (PA), the largest employer in the West Bank and Gaza with some 140,000 employees, announced on Monday that workers will receive their salaries on Wednesday. The head of the salaries department at the PA finance ministry, Abdul Naser Atallah told Ma'an that the money will be transferred to banks on Tuesday and made available to workers on Wednesday. He also said that the PA caretaker government still has not approved a budget. [end]
IDF to blanket Israel with gas masks
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - Original plan called for just 60 percent of population to receive protection kits.
Are IDF dogs trained to pounce all who say 'God is great' in Arabic?
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - Following expose, MK Ahmed Tibi tells Knesset plenum: 'I say here Allah Hu Akbar. Any dogs here to attack me?'
Palestinian President Travels to Egypt
4 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas was to travel to Egypt yesterday to discuss the possible relaunch of US-backed peace talks amid lingering divisions over Israeli settlement expansion. Mr Abbas's spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said he would meet the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, at the Red Sea resort of Sharm elSheikh today to discuss "important developments"...
Expectant Families Awaiting Prisoners Release
4 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Relatives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails attend a sit-in protest at the office of the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) in Gaza City, to demand the release of prisoners detained by Israel. Israel holds about 11,000 Palestinians in its prisons from Gaza and West Bank including, women and children. The prisoners' families...
Meshaal: Palestinian reconciliation deal “close”
4 Jan 2010 - Saudi Arabia, January 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The political leader of Hamas Khaled Meshaal said Sunday that significant development has been made in Egyptian-sponsored talks aimed at reconciling Hamas with Fatah movement. The two main Palestinian factions have been divided since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, leaving Mahmoud Abbas the President of Palestinian Authority and...
Egypt Opens Rafah Crossing
3 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 3, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Egyptian authorities declared that it will open Rafah crossing today for the people who have visas. The total number of the people who want to leave the Gaza Strip is 6000 including 700 students. Rafah crossing was opened 2 months ago for patients and students. Thousands of patients, students and people who...
Israel calm but ready to pull trigger, analysts say
The National 3 Jan 2010 - A year after the Israeli offensive on Gaza, the ceasefire continues to hold and a report says 2009 saw the lowest number of violent incidents in decades.
Iran sets a nuclear end game
The National 3 Jan 2010 - Tehran defiantly sets its own end-of-January deadline for world powers to agree to its already rejected counter proposals on a nuclear agreement.
Jail terms over Egypt train crash
AlJazeera 4 Jan 2010 - Seven employees get three to seven years in prison over accident south of Cairo.
Foreigners 'among Iran arrests'
AlJazeera 4 Jan 2010 - Spy chief says detainees had been leading "psychological war" against Tehran.
Beyond Commemoration: Operation Cast Lead One Year After
Alternative Information Center 29 Dec 2009 - Three hundred and sixty five days after the beginning of the Operation “Cast Lead,” what characterizes these days is silence. The silence of those who didn't survive—those 1,400 people killed by bombings in Gaza. Three hundred...
Israel calm but ready to pull trigger
PNN 4 Jan 2010 - , analysts say.A year after the Israeli offensive on Gaza, the ceasefire continues to hold and 2009 saw Israel register the lowest number of incidents of Palestinian-Israeli violence in the decade just ended, according to a report released last week by the country’s internal security agencaccording to a report released last week by the country’s internal security agency.Nevertheless, Israeli analysts will not...
Gaza economy suffocates under blockade
PNN 4 Jan 2010 - Four years on, Gazans are still facing the fallout from an election that saw Hamas come to victory. Since then, Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade that makes it almost impossible for goods to travel in and out. Read more (http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-01-04/gaza-economy-israel-blockade.html?fullstory) For the past decade, the Palestine Trade Center (PalTrade) has been helping private companies interested in exporting to Gaza. But...
Gov't opposes 'borders first' approach
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Abbas reiterates demand for full settlement freeze, but Jerusalem sees 'wiggle room' in PA position.
'Livni has damaged Kadima and country'
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Mofaz says party seniors not consulted about sitting in opposition; faction rejects Aflalo split demand.
Wanted: A few good men to break the ice
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Settlers protest 10-month contruction freeze in demonstration opposite prime minister's home.
Arab MK: Settlers are a malignant tumor
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Verbal spat erupts at Knesset civil rights debate; MK Rotem wishes Palestinian state "death by cancer."
Aflalo blasts Livni, but stays in Kadima
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Aflalo reiterated his disappointment with party leadership, but announced he would not unilaterally leave faction.
'We seek sanctions on Iran gov't to avoid harming civilians'
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Clinton says Washington has begun discussions with partners about pressure on Teheran, but stresses door not closed on diplomacy.
US watch and no-fly lists grow
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Failed Christmas Day attack prompts officials to closely scrutinize large database of terror suspects.
EU lawmakers call off Iran trip
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Visit canceled after US Congressmen say it wouldbe "counterproductive and potentially damaging."
No Holds Barred: The American air farce
Jeruslalem Post 4 Jan 2010 - Israel might as well send a team to Washington to advise an increasingly hapless Homeland Security Administration?
(23- 29 Dec. 2009)
PCHR
Are Israel and apartheid South Africa really different?
1/4/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Akiva Eldar, Haaretz - The day after the murder of the settler Meir Hai about 10 days ago, Major General (res. ) Amos Gilad was asked to comment on the claim by settlers that the attack was able to take place because roadblocks had been lifted on West Bank roads. The security-political coordinator at the Defense Ministry told his radio interviewer that the policy of thinning out internal roadblocks has greatly contributed to the West Bank's impressive economic growth. According to Gilad, who until recently was coordinator of activities in the territories, the improvement of the Palestinians' economic lot has contributed substantially to Israelis' security. An army man, who is not suspected of belonging to a human rights organization, thus upsets the simplistic and most accepted formula: restrictions on Arabs means more security for Jews.
My Husband: Jailed for Protesting Israel’s Wall
1/4/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Majida Abu Rahmah, Huffington Post - On International Human Rights Day in last year, my husband Abdallah Abu Rahmah was in Berlin receiving a medal from the World Association for Human Rights. This year on the same day, December 10th, Abdallah was taken away at 2am by Israeli soldiers who broke into our West Bank home. Abdallah was arrested for the same reasons he received the prize – his nonviolent struggle for justice, equality and peace in Israel/Palestine. My husband is a school teacher and farmer from the Palestinian village of Bil'in. When Israel built its apartheid wall here, it separated Bil'in from more than half of its land, in order to facilitate the expansion of the illegal settlement Mattityahu East. In response, Abdallah and fellow villagers began a campaign of nonviolent resistance. Every Friday for the past five years, we've marched, with Israeli and international supporters, to protest the theft of our land and livelihoods.
Trapped in the land of Oz
1/4/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Haaretz, 3 January - A complaint to the court ombudsman against Jerusalem District Court Judge Yitzhak Milanov reveals cooperation of questionable legality between the police and Oz, the Interior Ministry unit that deals with illegal foreigners, in the treatment of foreigners who took part in recent demonstrations in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarra neighborhood. According to the complaint – which was submitted to the ombudsman, former Supreme Court justice Eliezer Goldberg, on December 17 – the police misused their authority by handing the left-wing foreign activists they arrested over to Oz, even though the foreigners were present in Israel legally and therefore do not fall under Oz's jurisdiction. The police's motive, the complaint alleged, was to avoid judicial review of the arrests. About three weeks ago, it said, 23 demonstrators were arrested, including three foreign citizens:. . . .
Israel believes Abbas on the verge of agreeing to peace talks
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed cautious optimism Monday that talks with the Palestinians will soon resume. ...
Italy-based group accuses Israel of poisoning Gaza land
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - The Italian New Weapons Committee accuses Israel of contaminating Gaza land through bombing, and the president of the European Jewish Congress termed the claims "unfounded blood libels reminiscent of tales of Jews poisoning wells." ...
U.S. pledges 'more commitment' to Mideast peace process
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - The United States pledged Monday to be "even more committed this year" to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, warning that any further delay would only hurt the interests of all parties involved. ...
Clinton: West wants to 'pressure' Iran regime, but spare its citizens
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that the United States has begun discussing with its allies methods of "pressure and sanctions" to take on Iran over the latter's contentious nuclear program, emphasizing that the goal was to stop the Islamic regime without harming innocent civilians. ...
Free Barghouti Now
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - Click here for more articles by Bradley Burston ...
The world's most likely trouble spots in 2010
The Guardian 4 Jan 2010 - From Iran to Yemen, and from Zimbabwe to Italy, we look at the prospects for conflict and include the Guardian's Troublespotometer rating 1 Iran Iran's claim to the number one position on the Guardian's 2010 Troublespotometer...
Video: Gaza war: One year on, Palestinians struggle to rebuild life from the rubble
The Guardian 4 Jan 2010 - Inigo Gilmore returns to Gaza to explore the fate of families who are trying to piece together their lives and want Israel to be prosecuted for war crimes Guy Grandjean Inigo Gilmore Mona Mahmood
Nearly half of Israeli hospital patients at risk for malnutrition
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - Malnutrition is widespread in Israeli hospitals, according to a one-day audit conducted a year ago in three hospitals. This month the Health Ministry will repeat the examination and expand it to 14 hospitals. ...
Israeli fisherman sentenced for poisoning Kinneret catch
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - In an unprecedented sentence, a Beit She'an Magistrate's Court sentenced Eran Asayag, a fisherman from Tiberias, to 10 months imprisonment for various fishery violations in Lake Kinneret including the use of poison as a means of fishing. ...
Haredi Web geeks fight rabbis' crackdown on internet
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - Under a blitz attack by ultra-Orthodox rabbis, the people behind the country's ultra-Orthodox Web sites are attempting to return fire. ...
Israel to simulate biological warfare attack
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - An exercise simulating a response to a biological warfare attack will be carried out in the Dan region next week. ...
Are IDF dogs trained to pounce all who say 'God is great' in Arabic?
Ha'aretz 4 Jan 2010 - The Israel Defense Forces has denied allegations that it trains its canines to attack anybody heard saying Allah Hu Akbar, Arabic for 'God is great.' ...
Israel and Hamas have less than one month to show credible investigations into war crimes
Relief Web 4 Jan 2010 - Source: Amnesty
Delayed Gaza relief convoy arrives in Egypt
Relief Web 4 Jan 2010 - Source: Agence France-Presse
Gaza Infant Dying due to Siege
Relief Web 4 Jan 2010 - Source: Medical Aid for Palestinians
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 9: Playing on the Roof, At-Tuffah, Gaza City
Relief Web 4 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
OPT: Operation Cast Lead - a Critical Study of the Goldstone Report
Relief Web 4 Jan 2010 - Source: MIFTAH
ACTED Newsletter No 60 - Dec 2009
Relief Web 4 Jan 2010 - Source: Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development
State official: Some of Abbas' statements positive
YNet News 4 Jan 2010 - Source at Prime Minister's Office says unclear when peace talks with Palestinians will be launched, but adds some of Palestinian president's remarks following his meeting with Egypt's Mubarak were 'positive in regards to the negotiations'
Livni says Mofaz trying to destroy Kadima
YNet News 4 Jan 2010 - Opposition chairwoman slams her party's No. 2 following his repeated demands to move up primary elections
3 Hebron residents arrested in Jerusalem
YNet News 4 Jan 2010 - Police officers stationed near Jaffa Gate thwart terror attack after spotting suspicious vehicle carrying three young Palestinians. Suspects tell investigators were planning to stab 'a Jew or a security officer'
US seeks to pressure Iran, revolutionary guards
YNet News 4 Jan 2010 - Secretary of State Clinton says Washington has begun discussing with other countries fresh sanctions to try to pressure Tehran government to curb nuclear program
Napolitano postpones visit to Israel
YNet News 4 Jan 2010 - US secretary of homeland security cancels scheduled visit due to public pressure, Obama's call to hold extensive investigation into aviation security measures following thwarted Christmas terror attack on plane
Gang suspected of kidnapping African refugees
YNet News 4 Jan 2010 - Ynet learns police arrested two foreign nationals living in Jerusalem on suspicion of demanding ransom in exchange for release of refugees held in special detention camps in Israel, Sinai. According to suspicions, those who could not pay were tortured, sometimes to death
Mofaz says Livni causing damage to Israel
YNet News 4 Jan 2010 - Kadima's No. 2 slams his party's leader in special press briefing. He says opposition chairwoman lacks leadership, makes decisions based on text messages received from her advisors. Aide to Livni: Claims pathetic
Iran university professors denounce government crackdown on dissent
Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 Dozens of Tehran University professors appealed Monday to Iran's supreme leader to halt the ongoing violence against protesters, adding a new and respected voice in support of the opposition. The government, meanwhile, stepped up its accusations that the West is fomenting Tehran's post-election turmoil, saying that foreign nationals were among those arrested in the most recent clashes.
Abbas sticks to demand for settlement freeze before talks
Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said on Monday he was open to peace negotiations with Israel, but that as agreed with Egypt talks could only resume when Jewish settlement activity ends. "There is no objection to returning to the negotiating table or holding any meetings in principle," Abbas told reporters in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Hamas inmates say torture ended in West Bank jails
Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 Palestinian security forces in the occupied West Bank have stopped torturing Hamas prisoners, ending two years of systematic abuse, Hamas inmates told AP in jailhouse interviews. The change in practice, said to have taken effect in October, was confirmed by a West Bank Hamas leader, human rights activists and the Palestinian prime minister.
Activists leave Egypt after Gaza entry denied
Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 More than 1,000 international activists have headed home after Egypt denied them passage to Gaza for a solidarity march with the besieged enclave's Palestinians, organizers said Monday. "Most participants of the Gaza Freedom March have gone home. Around 250 are still in Cairo, some will try to get into the Gaza Strip and some will go home," one of the organizers, Ann Wright, told AFP.
Iranian president visits Central Asia for talks on security
Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan Monday on his first international trip since a crackdown on opposition supporters in Tehran left at least eight dead. After talks with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon, Ahmadinejad told journalists the two countries would cooperate on regional security.
France rejects Iran's nuclear counterproposal
Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 France has rejected Iran's latest call for a new deadline to end the standoff over its contested nuclear program, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Monday. "We are not the ones who have to decide whether to accept what they want to impose on us," Kouchner told RTL radio. "No, this is not the way it is done."
Gunmen flee with millions from French heist
Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 A dozen masked gunmen made off with several million dollars on Monday after using explosives to blast open a cash-carrying armored van in a village in southern France. The gang used several vehicles to block the Sazias security van in the village of Gemenos, near Aubagne, before firing a rocket and finally resorting to explosives to get their hands on the stash.
Karzai orders Afghan Parliament to suspend winter break
Daily Star 4 Jan 2010 Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday ordered that the Parliament suspend a winter break so that it can vet and vote on new cabinet nominees after lawmakers rejected over two thirds of his original candidates. But there may be a difficult confrontation ahead as the president plans to return some of the failed choices as candidates for different ministries, a senior official said.
Ellen Rosser describes odyssey of the Gaza Freedom March
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - Our first morning in Gaza was devoted to traveling to the Erez border crossing with Israel —by way of the buildings destroyed by Israel in its war against Gaza called Operation Cast Lead.
Lifeline-3 finally in El-Arish
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - The international aid convoy Lifeline-3 for Gaza finally arrived in El-Arish harbor in Egypt on Sunday evening aboard a Turkish cargo ship en route to Gaza Strip.
Bahar: Building the steel wall legal, humanitarian and religious violation
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - Dr. Ahmed Bahar, the first deputy speaker of the PLC, has described the underground steel wall being built by Egypt at its borders with Gaza Strip as the "death wall".
MP Mansour: Closure of Shujaia crossing, steel wall execution sentence
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - MP Mona Mansour has condemned the Israeli decision to close the Shujaia crossing (Nahal Oz) with Gaza once and for all, describing it as "repressive".
Hamas: We will continue in our national role in seeking reconciliation
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - Hamas affirmed that it would not give up its national and responsible role in convincing all parties on the importance of forging reconciliation for the sake of the Palestinian people's interests.
French society organizes protest sit-in at Egyptian embassy
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - The Sheikh Yassin coalition on Sunday evening organized a sit-in at the Egyptian embassy in Paris to protest Egypt's construction of a steel wall along its borders with Gaza Strip.
Al-Aqsa foundation: The land subsidence in Silwan widened
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - Al-Aqsa foundation for endowment and heritage reported that the plot of cave-ins in the main street between the town of Silwan and the Aqsa Mosque has widened significantly.
IOA continues to desecrate Mamanullah cemetery
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - The IOA is still unearthing and destroying the ancient Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem, the Mamanullah graveyard, the committee for reconstruction of Muslim cemeteries in Jerusalem said.
Haneyya: We are keen on improving the health sector in Gaza
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya stated that his government is keen on improving the health sector in Gaza by all means available in order to alleviate the citizens’ suffering.
IOA razes around 1,000 Palestinian homes in 10 years
PIC 4 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) has razed 969 Palestinian homes in the West Bank in the period from 1-1-2000 till 31-12-2009, the land research center said in a report on Sunday.
In Israel, a highway that divides
LA Times 4 Jan 2010 - Highway 443 cuts through Palestinian territory but has been closed to Palestinians since 2002, after several Israeli drivers were fatally attacked. Now it's reopening, and so are some national wounds. Cruising down this disputed four-lane highway, with all its twists and turns, is like taking a road trip through the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. You pass the walls and barriers that keep Palestinians from accessing Highway 443 as it slices through their land. Then there are the hazardous corridors where Israeli drivers have been shot and killed.
Iran Professors Ask for End to Violence
New York Times 4 Jan 2010 - Risking expulsion and possibly arrest, 88 professors called on Ayatollah Khamenei to end violence against protesters.
Iranian Filmmakers Keep Focus on the Turmoil
New York Times 4 Jan 2010 - Directors have used their works and celebrity to draw attention to the protests that have roiled Iran since June.
Palestinians End Torture of Hamas Prisoners
New York Times 4 Jan 2010 - Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said the decision to halt any abuse was part of an effort to make sure a future state is built on the right foundations.
The Iron Wall
Palestine Monitor - 4 Jan 2010 - SOMETHING ODD, almost bizarre, is going on in Egypt these days. About 1400 activists from all over the world gathered there on their way to the Gaza Strip. On the anniversary of the “Cast Lead” War, they intended to participate in a non-violent demonstration against the...
Sderot ‘peace march’ promotes war
Mondoweiss - 4 Jan 2010 - We’ve been following the Gaza Freedom March and its aftermath here on the site, but there was another Gaza-related march held around the same time. Check out this video (after the ad) from the Jerusalem Post : The ending couldn’t have been better if it was made...
Introducing – The Daily Nuisance
Mondoweiss - 4 Jan 2010 - Flying Protester (Photo: Ahmad Mesleh/TDN ) From a press release announcing the new website The Daily Nuisance : Today, a new journalist collective based in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories launches its online publication, The Daily Nuisance (TDN). Employing Palestinian, Israeli, and locally-based international journalists, TDN (found...
Apparently, Bono’s never heard of Jamal Juma’
Mondoweiss - 4 Jan 2010 - To be honest, I’m not sure why Bono gets an op-ed column in the New York Times . Regardless, the Times on January 2 carried an op-ed in which the U-2 lead singer and founder of the ONE campaign wrote about 10 things he would like to...
Meet the Post-zionist Zionists: Gilad Zwick
Mondoweiss - 4 Jan 2010 - This post is part of a week-long series of interviews with Jewish Israelis discussing their connection to the idea of Zionism. We hope this series will spark a conversation over the what Zionism means today. For more on these interviews see this post . Gilad Zwick Gilad...
Deconstructing Simon Wiesenthal
Mondoweiss - 4 Jan 2010 - The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, California, is named after the famed Austrian Nazi-hunter, Simon Wiesenthal, a connection that turns out to be appropriate in disturbing but unexpected ways. That is, both Simon Wiesenthal and the Center named after him have been accused of flagrant...
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Viva Palestina Faced With 2,000 Riot Police In The Port Of Al-arish
IMEMC 5 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 06, 2010 - 02:59, To all friends of Palestine, Our situation is now at a crisis point! Riot has broken out in the port of Al- Arish. This is a press release by Viva Palestina.
Death Threat Sent To Barak Over “Settlement Freeze”
IMEMC 5 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 06, 2010 - 00:19, Israeli TV, Channel 10, reported Tuesday that a death threat letter was sent to Israel’s Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, over the claimed 10-month freeze on settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Israeli military kidnaps eight Palestinian civilians from the West Bank
IMEMC 5 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 05, 2010 - 18:57, The Israeli military kidnapped on Tuesday eight Palestinian civilians during invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities.
Israel To Build More Jews-only Apartments In East J'lem
IMEMC 5 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 05, 2010 - 10:32, Four new residential buildings in East Jerusalem was approved by the Jerusalem planning and building committing on Monday, Israeli daily Haaretz reports. The four buildings, which will house a total of 24 apartments, will be constructed in an area east of the borders of Jerusalem's Old City.
Palestinian Medics, Firefighters, Rescue Settlers From Fire
IMEMC 5 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 05, 2010 - 06:53, Palestinian medics and firefighters rushed to an area near Tiqua’ village, in the Bethlehem District, to rescue a group of Jewish settlers after a mechanical error set their bus ablaze, near the Tiqua’ settlement, east of the Palestinian village.
Galloway convoy blocks entrance to Egyptian port following riot
1/6/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Over 2,000 riot police were called to the scene of the Galloway convoy's camp site at the port of Al-Arish on Tuesday Kevin Ovenden, Viva Palestina convoy leader, said in a statement on the organization's website. "This late afternoon we were negotiating with a senior official from Cairo who left negotiations some two hours ago and did not return. Our negotiations with the official was regarding taking our aid vehicles into Gaza," he wrote. "We have now blocked the entrance to the port and we are now faced with riot police and water cannons and are determined to defend our vehicles and aid. " Spokeswoman for the convoy, Alice Howard, told Ma'an that the delegation was due to arrive at the Rafah crossing with their vehicles carrying humanitarian and medical aid on Tuesday, 2pm local time. "The Egyptian authorities have by their stubbornness and hostility towards the convoy, brought us to a crisis point," Ovenden added.
Tibi: Israel trains dogs to attack at ’Allahu Akbar’
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Palestinian-Israeli lawmaker Ahmad Tibi on Monday alleged that the Israeli military trains dogs to attack anyone saying Allahu Akbar, Arabic for "God is great. "According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, Tibi told Knesset members on Monday that at a canine unit ceremony held the day before, parents of the soldiers witnessed demonstrations proving these allegations. "IDF [Israeli forces] dogs are trained to pounce and attack any Arab who shouts Allah Hu Akbar, as a Pavlovian reaction," said Tibi. "So here I say: Allahu Akbar. Are there any dogs here to attack me? " The Israeli military denied the charges, telling Haaretz in a statement, "One of the canine unit's many capabilities is to train the dogs at locating the enemy when dressed both in uniform and as civilian. This is an ability that has proven itself in many cases. " . . . .
Mossad chief: Time to overthrow Abbas
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem – Ma’an Report – Israeli spy chief Efraim Halevy berated the Palestinian Authority (PA) and President Mahmoud Abbas during an interview with Army Radio on Tuesday. " The PA is useless and nothing but students of Israel and the US. As soon as the US and Israel stop funding the PA it will fade away. Abbas and his PA should know that and know to behave modestly with their threats against Israel," Halevy said during the program Good Morning Israel, hosted by Ghazi Burqai. “Abbas is unnecessary and it is time to overthrow him. Israel has to find alternatives. ”Halevy, who also heads the Strategic Research Unit at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, added that the alternative to the PA would be Hamas, asserting that Israel had begun "opening lines [of communication], putting in plain words that Hamas is better than Abbas, his government and his authority. "
PA asks Israel to shut down Negev prison camp
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Minister of Prisoners Affairs Issa Qaraqe called on Israel on Tuesday to shut down the Negev prison camp, in which 3,000 Palestinians are held, citing dismal conditions. Qaraqe's demand follows an Israeli environmental report that warned of the existence of toxic and dangerous materials in the area, which may cause cancer, adding that the Negev is used as a dumping ground for the Dimona nuclear plant. The minister expressed concern for the heath and lives of the Palestinian detainees in the Negev prison, a large number of whom are exposed to the elements of the desert in a closed military area that "lacks humanity" he said. In 1996, the prison was closed after a series of complaints launched by international human rights organizations alleging that it was not a safe area to detain Palestinians.
Israel okays new Jerusalem settlement buildings
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli authorities approved on Monday the construction of four new settlement apartment buildings Palestinian land in occupied east Jerusalem. According to Israeli media, the country's Jerusalem Planning and Building Committee approved the new structures, intended to house 24 settler families adjacent to a Jewish religious school, in the heart of the annexed Palestinian capital. The project was initiated by Jewish American gambling tycoon Irving Moskowitz, who caused a diplomatic storm last year when he obtained a permit to bulldoze East Jerusalem's historic Shepherd hotel in order to build a settlement. Last week, the US, Europe, and other world powers condemned a plan announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to add 700 apartments to settlements in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
Mossad chief: Time to overthrow Abbas
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an Report - Israeli spy chief Efraim Halevy berated the Palestinian Authority (PA) and President Mahmoud Abbas during an interview with Army Radio on Tuesday. "The PA is useless and nothing but students of Israel and the US. As soon as the US and Israel stop funding the PA it will fade away. Abbas and his PA should know that and know to behave modestly with their threats against Israel," Halevy said during the program Good Morning Israel, hosted by Ghazi Burqai. "Abbas is unnecessary and it is time to overthrow him. Israel has to find alternatives. "Halevy, who also heads the Strategic Research Unit at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, added that the alternative to the PA would be Hamas, asserting that Israel had begun "opening lines [of communication], putting in plain words that Hamas is better than Abbas, his government and his authority. "
Witnesses: Israeli tanks operating in Gaza
1/5/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli tanks and bulldozers advanced into the Khuza'a area east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, witnesses said. Four tanks and two bulldozers razed farmland in the area, residents reported. Farm workers were seen fleeing the advancing forces for fear of being shot. Israeli troops regularly operate in the border areas of the Gaza Strip. On Monday night, Palestinian fighters said they narrowly escaped a missile fired by an Israeli warplane in the northern Gaza Strip. The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) reported the airstrike. In a statement received by Ma'an, the group said that they fired a rocket-propelled grenade at an Israeli military watchtower along the border in northern Gaza. An Israeli military spokesman said based on an initial investigation, officials were unaware of any airstrikes.
PA asked to nullify sales of church land to Israel
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Greek Patriarch Theophilios III will make the traditional journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem for Christmas on Wednesday, but a group of prominent Orthodox figures is planning to protest his visit over sales of West Bank church land to Israel. The Council of Arab Orthodox Institutions and Organizations in Palestine, which is organizing the protest, is also asking the Palestinian Authority (PA) to cancel the controversial land deals. Council officials said on Sunday that they met with Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in hopes that the PA will intercede and cancel the deals, and in particular one involving the sale to an Israeli contractor of land from the Mar Elias Monastery, the site where clergy from Bethlehem traditionally meet the patriarch on 5 January, the orthodox Christmas Eve. Attending the meeting with Fayyad were Deputy Tourism Minister Marwan Toubasi,. . .
PA vows to protect protesters, patriarch at Orthodox Christmas
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Authority will guarantee freedom of religious expression and ensure events for the eastern calendar Christians continue without incident, Governor of Bethlehem Abdul Fattah Hamayil announced Tuesday. "Nobody will be allowed to spoil" the Christmas events set to take place on Wednesday morning , Hamayil said, noting those who wish to express their opinions and participate in protests will also be permitted to express their beliefs and concerns. The announcement followed meetings between the Council of Arab Orthodox Institutions and Organizations in Palestine and the PA, over a protest organized by the groups to boycott the Christmas march over land sales by the Greek Orthodox Church to Israel. The groups met with Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Monday in an effort to get the PA to step in and cancel the land sales.
Israeli officers cancel UK trip over arrest fears
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel cancelled the departure of a military delegation to Britain last week after authorities there said they could not guarantee the officers would be safe from arrest. The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Tuesday that the delegation included a colonel, lieutenant colonel and a major. Approached by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affiars, the UK government said it could not promise the three would not face arrest. Israeli officials are facing increasing international legal action over allegations of war crimes committed during last winter's three-week Israeli offensive on Gaza. Hundreds of women and children were among 1,400 Palestinians who were killed in the attack. Thirteen Israelis also died. After the war, A UN Fact Finding Mission led by South African jurist Richard Goldstone produced a 575-page report claiming both Israel and Palestinian militias violated the laws of war.
Galloway convoy plans Gaza entry
1/6/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - A long-delayed British-led aid convoy expects to enter the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing from Egypt at 2pm local time on Tuesday, the convoy's spokeswoman Alice Howard told Ma'an. Early Tuesday morning, Egyptian authorities withheld the passports of 157 Gaza-supporters travelling with the convoy at the Al-Arish airport. Among those whose travel documents were seized was British Member of Parliament George Galloway. Those that arrived in Al-Arish were told that the remaining 400 volunteers due to enter Gaza with the convoy on Tuesday would not be allowed to transit, the Viva Palestina organization said. The passports were stamped with entry and exit stamps, but were then returned to their holders with the exit stamp removed, the campaigners said. Despite the setback, the convoy carrying medical and humanitarian aid intends to enter Gaza on Tuesday.
’When I left the house there were 22 people dead’
1/5/2010 - Part 10 of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. -- Bethlehem, Ma'an -- According to Israel, its army's rules of engagement for the Gaza assault emphasized distinction as one of four "guiding principles that applied in an integrated and cumulative manner: military necessity, distinction, proportionality and humanity. " It defines the principle of distinction in the following terms: "Strikes shall be directed against military objectives and combatants only. It is absolutely prohibited to intentionally strike civilians or civilian objects (in contrast to incidental proportional harm). "Richard Goldstone's UN fact-finding mission investigated 11 incidents in which serious allegations of direct attacks with lethal outcome were made against civilians.
Israeli court orders activist held three more days
1/5/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - An Israeli military court in Ramallahextended the detention of Stop the Wall Campaign activist Jamal Juma on Monday for a further three days, he said following the hearing. "This case is not only about me. It is an attack on all those that are standing up against the wall and the occupation," Juma said in a statement released by the Stop the Wall campaigners. On Monday, a demonstration was held outside the Ofer prison where Juma's court hearing was held. Fifty people, including diplomats, Palestinian, Israeli, and international supporters crowded into the hearing, which was held in a mobile home in the prison compound. Juma stated that the detention conditions are below "human dignity," creating and deteriorating health problems of the detainees. He concluded, pointing at his shackles and the orange uniform, "just like those they use in Guantanamo. "
Israel opens one crossing; limited export allowed
1/5/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza on Tuesday for the delivery of humanitarian aid and commercial merchandise, as well as for the export of strawberries. Palestinian crossing official Raed Fattouh told Ma'an that between 66 and 77 truckloads of humanitarian aid and commercial merchandise will enter Gaza via Kerem Shalom while two trucks transporting Gaza strawberries as well as one with flowers will be exported to Israel and other countries. Fattouh added that limited quantities of domestic gas and industrial diesel for Gaza's sole power plant would also be transported through Kerem Shalom. Meanwhile, the Karni crossing to the northeast remains closed. On Monday, Israeli authorities informed Palestinian crossing officials that the Nahal Oz fuel terminal would remain closed indefinitely. . . . .
Israeli forces seize 8 Palestinians in night raids
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Israeli military said on Tuesday it detained eight Palestinians during overnight raids in the West Bank. A military official said one man was arrested in Biddya south of Qalqiliya, one in Jaba, southeast of Ramallah, two in Beit Duqqu, southwest of Ramallah, one in Hizma south of Ramallah, one in Biddu southwest of Ramallah, and one in the town of Beit Awwa near the city of Hebron. The detainees were not immediately identified. In addition, Israeli media reported that three Hebron residents were arrested near the Old City of Jerusalem on suspicion that they were planning to stab an Israeli officer. [end]
Family calls for release of detainee held for 27 years
1/5/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an -The family of Palestinian detainee Sami Younis called for his name to placed on the list of prisoners set for release should an exchange deal prove successful. Younis, from the village of Ara in Israel, was sentenced to life in prison on 5 January 1983. Held for 27 years, Younis is the father of three girls and a boy. [end]
Number of Palestinians serving life reaches 112
1/5/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Former detainee and expert in prisoner affairs Abdel Naser Farawneh said on Tuesday that the number of detainees serving life sentences in Israeli prison has reached 112. Sha'ban Husanah, 40, was detained on 5 January 1990 and sentenced to life, accused of being affiliated to the Islamic Jihad movement and resisting the occupation. Husanah is single and from Gaza City. [end]
Egypt opens Rafah crossing for third day
1/5/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah crossing into Gaza for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, Gaza Ministry of Interior spokesman Ihab Al-Ghussein said. Al-Ghussein said the Ministry had coordinated with Egyptian authorities to allow the transit of holders of international passports, students, patients and other travelers who have arranged their passage with Egypt. The crossing is expected to remain open on Wednesday. Five buses taking those with international passports in addition to six buses with all other passengers entered Egypt on Tuesday, Al-Ghussein said. Approximately 937 passengers traveled to Egypt while 166 entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing, the spokesman added. According to the Gaza Ministry of Interior, the number of Palestinians who have registered to enter Egypt via Rafah reached 7,000 of which 600 are patients.
Israel detains six Palestinians ’planning attacks’
1/5/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained two Palestinians in the Old City of Hebron, suspected of planning an attack against Israel, Ma'an's reporter in the city said on Tuesday. Local sources identified the detained as Ibrahim Abu Fara, 21 and Aahid Hamdan, 22, both from the village of Surif, northern Hebron. Additionally, Israeli forces detained Jamal Az-Zeir, 21, from Dura, southern Hebron, and took him to an unknown location, the sources added. Israeli media reported on Tuesday that three Hebronites were detained Monday evening near Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. According to the Israeli website Ynet, the suspects told investigators that they planned to carry out a stabbing attack against "a Jew or a security officer. " The three Palestinians were taken away for investigation, the daily reported, adding that a knife was found in the vehicle they were travelling in.
MADA condemns arrest of freelance journalist by PA forces
1/5/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemned the Monday arrest of freelance journalist Mustafa Sabri by the Palestinian Preventative Security (PPS). Sabri was detained from his house in Qalqiliya by the PPS and taken to their headquarters, Sabri's wife told MADA. The journalist has been arrested and summoned by the PPS several times over the past three years, MADA said in a statement. "MADA renews its demands to stop all the harassments and violations against the media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories, and also demands the release of Sabri," the organization said. -- Link: MADA
PFLP: Suspension of negotiations no longer sufficient
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine called for a review of the Oslo process and negotiations that stem from its premises, blaming the recent Israeli decision to okay construction of tens of new settlement homes in East Jerusalem. In a statement, the party lamented what it called the "extent of Israeli disregard for the Palestinian side, the Arab side and international law," and said Palestinians require a renewed position, stronger than the settlement construction halt for peace talks position currently held by the Palestinian Authority. The PFLP said the Palestinian priority should be on the creation of a unified leadership, the revival of the national struggle with the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian people. Within that framework, it said, a new strategy for dealing with Israel must be formulated. . . . .
Qatari PM: Palestinian unity key to peace
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - After meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Qatar's Prime Minister said on Monday that a Palestinian unity government is crucial to Mideast peace. "The most important thing is how we can create a unity governments between the Palestinians so they can concentrate how to deal in the peace process," said Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir Ath-Thani, speaking alongside Clinton at the State Department in Washington. For her part, Clinton said the US is working to renew long-stalled peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis. "We both share the goal of an independent and viable Palestinian state, and we are committed to doing what we can to help re-launch peace negotiations that would lead to a two-state solution," she said. "We believe that President Abbas is a partner for peace and can help deliver that to the Palestinian people," the US official also said.
Erekat: We want peace, but not at any price
1/5/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an -Palestinians would not return to peace negotiations with Israel "at any price," PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Tuesday morning. "Peace as a strategic choice for us [but it] can't be at any price. As Palestinians, we confirm that we want to restart negotiations," Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio on the phone from Qatar, where he is accompanying President Mahmoud Abbas on an official visit. Abbas met with the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Ath-Thani, in Doha on Tuesday. The official PA news agency WAFA said the talks focused on relations between the two countries and efforts to revive the peace process. "Pressure must be put on the side that wants to restart negotiations while continuing to commit violations. The current Israeli government hasn't opened page one of the Road Map, and yet they talk about peace and resuming negotiations," Erekat added.
Hamas meets with prisoner deal mediator in Gaza
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The German intermediary in negotiations toward a proposed prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas is expected in Gaza on Tuesday, news reports said earlier in the day. The mediator, Gerhard Conrad, is set to receive the response of Hamas officials to the latest offer for a swap in the ongoing talks which seek to secure the release of some 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held in Gaza. Conrad returned to Germany for the holidays and has now resumed the shuttle diplomacy between Gaza and Israel. Hamas is expected to reject Israel's latest proposal, said to demand that certain prisoners be exiled rather than returned to their homes in the West Bank. Israel is also said to be refusing to release senior prisoners including Fatah leader Marwan Barghouthi and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) leader Ahmad Sa'adat.
Mash’al tells Saudi loyalty lies with Arabs
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Hamas leader in exile Khalid Mash'al assured Saudi Arabian his movement's loyalty to Arab states, the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya reported from an official visit between Saudi and Egytian officials Tuesday. "I asked Khalid Mash'al whether the movement stood with Arabs or with others," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal told the paper, reportedly referring to Iran. Al-Faisal said the comments were made Sunday during a visit by Mash'al to Saudi Arabia. "Mash'al insisted that Hamas was an Arab movement and that the Palestinian question was an Arab issue," he told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the resort town of Sharm Ash-Sheikh. The comments came during a series of diplomatic visits between Arab leaders with the view to re-starting regional peace talks. . . . .
6.3 million Euros for PA wages and pensions comes from EU
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - European Union made a 6. 3 million Euro contribution to the Palestinian Authority on Tuesday, for the payment of civil servant salaries and pension benefits, a statement from the EU announced. The money fulfills part of the committment of the group of states to contribute to the maintenance of public services and government functioning in the West Bank. The salaries also go to thousands of PA workers in Gaza. The cash was transferred the EU's PEGASE program, including 1. 5 million Euro from Ireland, and 500,000 from Luxembourg. The cash will reportedly go to the payment of 80,021 civil servants. "The European Union fully appreciates the difficult budgetary situation that the Palestinian Authority continues to face, and reiterates its commitment to support Prime Minister Fayyad's effort to maintain regular salary payments, as a way of ensuring the continuous delivery. . . "
PA defense crews assist in rescue of settlers in bus fire
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian rescue crews intervened Sunday when an Israeli settler bus en route to a West Bank colony broke down and caught fire Sunday night. The crew assisted Israeli first response teams in putting out the blaze, which witnesses said began and the rear of the bus and quickly spread throughout the vehicle. The four passengers and driver were all evacuated safely. The bus was en route to the West Bank settlement of Noqedim, where Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman lives, and caught fire near Mount Herdion east of Bethlehem. Israeli and Palestinian ambulances rushed to the scene of the fire. General Director of the Civil Defense in Bethlehem Ibrahim Ayesh said said his crews were dispatched when a citizen reported the fire on the emergency hotline. He said crews continued with their work when they arrived at the scene and realized the bus was a settler vehicle, because the incident was a humanitarian action.
Ramallah MoH to start H1N1 vaccinations
1/5/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Ramallah-based Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that vaccination against the H1N1 virus will begin on Wednesday at the ministry and in UNWRA health centers across the occupied Palestinian territories. The ministry emphasized in a statement that the vaccination is essential for those within the high-risk category, which includes pregnant women, children under the age of five and patients suffering from pre-existing chronic illnesses. The exact times of vaccination clinic openings will be announced shortly, the ministry said, adding that medical staff and pregnant women will be the first to be inoculated. The H1N1 vaccine has no dangerous effects but patients may expect flu-like symptoms and swelling and redness where the injection was taken, both of which will disappear between 24 to 48 hours, the ministry added. . . . .
PA arrests Hebronite digging for antiquities
1/5/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - The Palestinian Authority (PA) police arrested on Monday evening a local caught illegally excavating for antiquities in Bani Naim in the Hebron area. The tourism branch of the police caught the suspect "red handed" and was detained for further investigation, the Public Relations office of the police department said in a statement on Tuesday. The suspect's equipment used during the digging was confiscated by the police, the statement added. The suspect is due to appear before Palestinian court of first instance, the police concluded. [end]
Fayyad: PA will clear West Bank of settlement products
1/5/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - Before tossing goods made in Israeli settlements into a fire on Tuesday, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad affirmed the dedication of the Palestinian Authority to ridding local markets of the goods, and ridding the West Bank of the settlements entirely. The products being tossed were all found in the Salfit municipality, southeast of Nablus. They were found on trucks and in shops in the district, and would have been for sale to Palestinians. Much of the time goods from settlements are discounted or spoiled. In his speech, Fayyad explained the long-term destruction the settlement project has on Palestine, and the damage to the Palestinian national project of ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state. Purchasing settlement goods supports the industries built on confiscated Palestinian land, which Palestinians seek as part of an eventual state.
Al-Aloul: Fattah will respect Journalist Syndicate elections
1/5/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Fatah will respect the decision of the members of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the results of their upcoming election, member of the Fattah Central Committee Mahmud Al-Aloul. The statement came following the arrest of freelance journalist Mustafa Sabri, a member of the syndicate, who was was detained from his house in Qalqiliya by the Palestinian Authority police. Al-Aloul met with the syndicate in Ramallah, and assured them that the movement felt they were a historic force and a Palestinian institution, and would not stand in the way of free elections for the group on 5 January. [end]
PSE drops: Al-Quds Index down 0.31% on Tuesday
1/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Stocks fell on the Palestine Securities Exchange in the West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday. At the close of trading the Al-Quds Index stood at 498. 62, decreasing by 1. 53 points (0. 31%). Trading volume was 507,659 shares for a total value of 548,439. 04 USD in 265 trades. The shares of 23 companies were traded. The share prices of four companies rose, while 14 declined. The four gainers were MIC by 4. 48%, PLAZA by 3. 95%, NCI by 3. 33%, BPC by 1. 05%. The top five losers were AZIZA by 4. 44%, PCB by 3. 75%, LADAEN by 3. 33%, PIIC by 2. 78%, WASSEL by 1. 72%. [end]
IDF to seek legal advice during future conflicts
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - Policy change comes in wake of international criticism of IDF conductd during Operation Cast Lead.
Palestinians: Israeli strike kills Gaza militant
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - Medics and a Palestinian militant group said four others were wounded in the strike on central Gaza.
Israel airport now testing 'self-check' security system
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - El Al frequent flyers are first group to use biometric system, meant to replace question-answer security method.
VIDEO - A girl called Jewel
1/5/2010 - AlJazeera - On December 27, 2008 the Israeli military began a brutal air assault on the Gaza Strip that was to kill around 1,400 Palestinians and leave thousands of Gazans wounded. The death toll included a very high proportion of women and children. A special United Nations investigation after the war reported that the Israeli army had deliberately targeted civilians in actions that, it said, amounted to war crimes and in some respects crimes against humanity. Just days into the war, in early January, the extended Al Samouni family, some 48 men, women and children, was attacked in the homes they occupied together in the south of Gaza - and almost all of them were killed. Thirteen-year-old Almaza - 'jewel' - is one of the very few who survived the attack in which 30 members of her family died, many before her own eyes. A Girl Called Jewel is Almaza's story, a heart-breaking eye-witness account of the war in Gaza. -- Link: Part Two
Ayalon: Situation with UK ’insufferable’
1/5/2010 - Jerusalem Post - Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon met with Britain's Attorney-General Baroness Scotland of Asthal in Jerusalem on Tuesday, to discuss the issue of changing UK law to prevent the arrest of Israeli officials and officers. During the meeting, Baroness Scotland said that she is aware of the importance that Israel attributes to finding an urgent solution to this problem, and that the British are currently considering different courses of action aimed at solving the problem. Ayalon called the current situation "insufferable," and said, "This will make it difficult for the two countries to maintain a normal relationship. "The deputy foreign minister also bewailed the manipulation that organizations hostile to Israel were making of British law to carry out their goals. He stressed that most Israeli citizens - not just political figures and high-ranking officers - serve in the IDF.
Israeli Military Officials Cancel Britain Trip
1/5/2010 - WAFA - Palestine News Agency - TEL AVIV, January 5, 2010 (WAFA)- A delegation of Israeli military officers canceled a visit to Britain out of fear that they would be arrested on war crimes charges. The cancellation of the visit, scheduled for last week, was announced Tuesday. It comes a month after Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni canceled a visit to Britain after learning that a London court had approved a warrant for her arrest on war crimes charges. The delegation of senior Israeli army officers had been invited by the British army. Their visit was put off after British authorities said they could not assure Israeli Foreign Ministry officials that the delegation would not be arrested. The warrants seek to charge Israeli officials with war crimes in connection with Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza last winter.
Palestinian Spirit Alive And Well
1/5/2010 - Desert Peace - Photos - The 20th Annual Forum of Palestinians in Austria met in Vienna on 19th December and was attended by several hundred Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs from across Europe. Participants were able to enjoy a range of Palestinian food whilst browsing a range of stalls selling handicrafts, books, music and videos from Palestine or depicting the Palestinian struggle for self-determination. This year’s event was dedicated to the issue of Jerusalem Al Quds which is suffering from a concerted effort by the Israeli regime to eradicate its Arab and Palestinian heart and to populate it with settlers. A range of Palestinian dance groups and singers entertained the audience:The Audience rose to a rousing performance delivered by a group of 2nd generation Palestinian youths from Berlin. Their militant dances portrayed the long struggle for Palestinian independence and were enthusiastically enjoyed by all those in attendance especially the many children who joined the performers on stage:Here is the cutest wee boy you ever saw below.
’Israel must compensate Iraq for Osirak’
1/5/2010 - Jerusalem Post - Iraq will demand that Israel pay compensation for bombing the unfinished nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981, an Iraqi member of parliament told the Iraqi al-Sabah newspaper in an article published on Tuesday. Muhammad Naji Muhammad claimed that his government was planning to enlist the United Nation's help to pressure Israel into compensating Baghdad, according to a DPA report cited by Channel 10. " Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the Foreign Ministry turned to the UN and the Security Council demanding that Israel pay us reparations for damage caused to the reactor in 1981," Muhammad was quoted as telling the newspaper. Baghdad is demanding that the UN establish a committee to assess the scope of the damage caused by the Israeli strike in order to calculate the appropriate compensation. The Iraqi demand is based on UN Security Council Resolution 487, which was drafted following the bombing of the reactor in June 1981.
PA Presidency Condemns Israeli Decision to Build New Units in East Jerusalem
1/5/2010 - WAFA - Palestine News Agency - DOHA, January 5, 2010 (WAFA)- Presidency condemned Tuesday an Israeli decision to build new units in Wadi Al jouz neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rdeina considered the Israeli decision as a challenge to the international community and to the efforts to safeguard the Middle East peace process, saying that prove the no seriousness off the Israeli government when it verbalizes on changing the environment of the peace process. The Israeli municipally of Jerusalem planning and building committee approved construction of four new residential buildings in the eastern part of the city, despite international calls for a cessation of activity in the heavily Palestinian area. The construction project was initiated and constructed by American Jewish millionaire Irving Moskowitz, who also owns the Shepherd Hotel in East Jerusalem.
VIDEO - Is Israel spreading misinformation about Iran?
12/30/2009 - YouTube - Interview: Gareth Porter explains Mossad connecton - Washington is pressuring Tehran to accept a U. N. deal on its nuclear program before the end of this year, but stories on Iran's nuclear intentions keep spreading. Recently reports were circulated that Kazakhstan could be selling uranium ore to Iran for enrichment. Are these stories true or is someone behind them? . . . .
#6 Urgent!!! Convoy Under Attack
1/5/2010 - Irish4Palestine - We are very worried, very worried indeed!!! Riot police earlier moved barriers forward and went after convoy members who were confined. Tear gas, water cannons rock throwing, they are under full on attack as I type this!!! Tried to call JJ and unable to get an answer. Tried another Derry man and an Arabic man answered saying the phone had been knocked away to the ground. Said the convoy members are cornered. god help them!!! Unable to contact ANY OF OUR BOYS!!! we will keep trying!!!!!!!! This is UTTERLY OUTRAGEOUS. [end]
#7 Latest On Attack Of Convoy People Hurt And Missing
1/5/2010 - Irish4Palestine - Ok I’m trying to calm down and gather as much information as possible. Here is the story from people at the scene. People we dont even know, who answered phones that belong to our boys who are missing right now! I need to preface this by saying that NONE of our boys can be located at this time!! One of their phones was answered by an Arabic man who found it on the ground and said the convoy members were currently under attack. Then later we tried to ring the other boys and got no answer either. Then we tried again later and ALL the phones were turned OFF they did not even ring! Later still, we tried Derek’s phone and a British lady answered named Pat. We do not know “Pat” she found Derek’s phone on the ground and answered it. She said that the whole thing happened when convoy members were still locked inside this gated compound, then suddenly a very large group of plain clothes “people”. . . .
#8 Update Viva Palestina Attack
1/5/2010 - Irish4Palestine - Here's the latest news. Managed to finally get JJ on phone for few minutes his phone died after that. but he said they are alright, THANK GOD!! Also said what we reported before, outsiders arrived armed with sticks and stones entered the compound and attacked the members and were joined by Egyptian police squad. There are several members injured, heads and arms bandaged. Rumours are flying around about other things as well, like people still missing and such. for now i'm glad our guys are OK. More when we get it. At least we can breath now knowing they are alright for the moment. Thanks for everyones support. [end]
#9: Update On Convoy Attack
1/5/2010 - Irish4Palestine - Small amount of news to report. Still recovering from the last several hours of our boys being missing and under attack. That was an awful time! Especially when only their phones were found and not them!! So spoke to one of them again just now and they say 20 members were injured in the attack and there are some people for the convoy who are missing and cannot be found. For those following the convoy from Cork Ireland, just to let you know, I asked and your people on the convoy are all OK as well. Just thought you'd want to know that:) Up da Irish!! haven't heard about the Dungannon team, but I was told all the Irish are OK. Well done! More when we get it. What a night, had enough of this already let them in.
#10: Viva Palestina Update, Last One I Hope
1/6/2010 - Irish4Palestine - Many thanks to “D from Turkey” who gave us these links to videos of the pre-meditated attack tonight shown on Turkish television. The first link is a longer version, the second is a shorter version. Both are in Turkish, but no words are needed to see what happened, this is a disgrace! We spent almost 3 hours in a blind panic unable to locate our people, only their phones were found on the ground and answered by strangers. Some people are STILL missing. THIS is what it was like for us on this blog as it happened. God knows what tomorrow will bring after this attack. Hopefully the Egyptians have had enough fun and games and will now let them get on with their work of delivering the ambulances and aid to those who are in need of it.
A New York Welcome For The Gaza Freedom Marchers
1/5/2010 - Desert Peace - On the morning of January 4th, with the thermometer hovering at 20 degrees, people carrying extra coats, scarves, and gloves, gathered in front of the Israeli Consulate on 2nd Avenue in NYC to welcome home 13 New Yorkers who were returning from Egypt that morning. The 13 went there to join with 1,400 people from 42 countries and march in solidarity with the people of Gaza. The first thing the exuberant delegation wanted to do when they returned home was to tell the Israelis to lift the siege and free Gaza. A lengthily picket line was quickly formed. People carried signs that said “Free Gaza” and chanted. Surprised people, who appeared to be Israelis, came out the building that houses the Consulate. The police arrived and asked those picketing to do so across the street. Negotiations were attempted. Eventually the police issued a 5 minute pre-arrest warning.
US plans for Mideast peace deal in two years: report
1/5/2010 - The Raw Story - AFP - Washington is pushing a plan to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that foresees reaching a final deal in two years and agreeing on permanent borders in nine months, a daily said Monday. Under the plan, the Israelis and Palestinians will immediately start final status talks that were suspended during the Gaza war a year ago, Israel's Maariv newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources. The paper said that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was expected to press Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to agree to the plan during a meeting later Monday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. There were no immediate comments on the report from Palestinian, Egyptian or US officials. However, Israel's hardline Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman spoke out Monday against setting time limits to talks. Meeting with former British prime minister and Middle East envoy Tony Blair, Lieberman. . . .
EUPOL COPPS Briefs Blair on Mission’s Role at Jericho Police Training School
1/5/2010 - WAFA - Palestine News Agency - JERICHO, January 5,2010 (WAFA)- Acting Head of EUPOL COPPS, Ari Sarjanen, met today with Tony Blair in the context of a visit of the Quartet Representative to the Palestinian Jericho Police Training School (JPTS). The visit was organized and presided over by the Palestinian Chief of Police, Major General Hazem Atallah. Included in his remarks to Mr Blair, Major General Atallah, spoke of the great working relationship enjoyed between the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) and EUPOL COPPS. Mr. Sarjanen said: “EUPOL COPPS is at the forefront of coordinating international efforts to promote security and justice to the Palestinians - in the context of the Road Map – and support the creation of a future Palestinian State. The ongoing development of the training curriculum is as important as the new infrastructure currently under construction. Training a professional police force to the best international standards is a priority for the PA, the security of the future State and the region.
Israel Approves Settlement Construction in E Jerusalem
5 Jan 2010 - Jerusalem, January 5, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Israel has approved construction of four new apartment buildings in disputed east Jerusalem, officials said Tuesday, fueling tensions with the Palestinians at a time when the U.S. is laboring to get peace talks moving again. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem for a future capital and want all construction there stopped before negotiations resume. The...
Israel Detains 8 Palestinians
5 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 5, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces arrested eight Palestinians overnight Monday from different governorates in West Bank. IOF said that the 8 Palestinians are "wanted". The eight detainees were transferred for interrogation while their IDs are known. Besides, the Detainee Shaban Hasouna, from Gaza city, who was detained in 1990, joined the list of the...
Palestinian President Travels to Egypt
4 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas was to travel to Egypt yesterday to discuss the possible relaunch of US-backed peace talks amid lingering divisions over Israeli settlement expansion. Mr Abbas's spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said he would meet the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, at the Red Sea resort of Sharm elSheikh today to discuss "important developments"...
Abbas has no objection' to resuming peace talks
The National 4 Jan 2010 - After a meeting with Mubarak, the Palestinian president repeats future discussions with Israel still hang on an end to 'settlement activity'.
Israel's treatment of Ethiopians racist'
The National 5 Jan 2010 - Health officials in Israel subject female Ethiopian immigrants to a controversial birth control drug in alleged attempt to reduce number of black babies.
Hamas holds out olive branch to Fatah
The National 5 Jan 2010 - On Gaza's streets – and even among its own ranks – the sentiment is rising that it is time for Hamas to reconcile with its secular rivals in the West Bank.
Clash in Egypt over Gaza aid effort
AlJazeera 5 Jan 2010 - More than 55 injured as activists try to bring relief supplies into Palestinian territory.
Israel presses ahead on settlements
AlJazeera 5 Jan 2010 - Palestinian leader calls for halt as building works in East Jerusalem gain momentum.
Foreigners 'among Iran arrests'
AlJazeera 4 Jan 2010 - Spy chief says detainees had been leading "psychological war" against Tehran.
Netanyahu’s Call for Action: Renewing Peace Negotiations or Merely “Phony Gestures”?
Alternative Information Center 5 Jan 2010 - Last week Netanyahu headed to Cairo to meet Mubarak, and, according to the Israelis, kick-start the otherwise stagnant negotiations process. With Israel negotiating and even agreeing on conditions for peace with both the U.S. and Egypt,...
Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the "Cairo Declaration" to end Israeli Apartheid
Alternative Information Center 5 Jan 2010 - (Cairo) Gaza Freedom Marchers approved on 1 January 2010 a declaration aimed at accelerating the global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli Apartheid. Roughly 1,400 activists from 43 countries converged in Cairo on...
Gaza economy suffocates under blockade
PNN 4 Jan 2010 - Four years on, Gazans are still facing the fallout from an election that saw Hamas come to victory. Since then, Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade that makes it almost impossible for goods to travel in and out. Read more (http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-01-04/gaza-economy-israel-blockade.html?fullstory) For the past decade, the Palestine Trade Center (PalTrade) has been helping private companies interested in exporting to Gaza. But...
US: East J'lem housing hampers peace
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - Washington sees Mount of Olives project as making it harder for Abbas to come to negotiating table.
Hamas answer to mediator: Yes, but...
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - Abu Marzouk on Schalit deal negotiations: "Every time we get close, Israel backs out at the last minute."
Aharon Barak: Israel must be part of global community, abide by int'l law
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - Israel is "part of the international community, and the international community goes by international treaty law." says Barak.
Barak receives death threat in letter
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - Sender threatens to murder defense minister if he orders demolition of settlements; Shin Bet probes.
Prosecution demands clarifications regarding Olmert's response to charges
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - In a written brief to the court on Monday, Zohar, on Olmert's behalf, pleaded not guilty to all of the charges in the indictment.
Israelis feel country's image is 'poor'
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - 91% of poll respondents believe Israel has an "acute" or "very acute" image problem in the world.
China dismisses Iran sanctions debate
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - Beijing's UN ambassador says "this is not the right time for sanctions," diplomats need "more patience."
Man killed as IAF bombs Gaza terror cell
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - Palestinian sources report three others wounded in Israeli attack on terrorist cell near Khan Yunis.
Iran's Guard plans Hormuz maneuvers
Jeruslalem Post 5 Jan 2010 - Move may raise tensions with West amid nuclear threat; 40% of world's energy passes through strait.
EGYPT: TB-infected workers left to fend for themselves
IRIN CAIRO Monday, January 04, 2010 (IRIN) - For years, Mohamed Mustafa inhaled the soft dust that used to come out of the machines in the cement factory south of Cairo where he worked, but he never thought those small particles would end his career.
EGYPT-OPT: Egypt blocks Gaza protesters
IRIN CAIRO Monday, December 28, 2009 (IRIN) - More than 1,000 people from 42 countries who have vowed to travel from Cairo to the Gaza Strip on 31 December in a bid to highlight and break the Israeli economic blockade, will be prevented from carrying out their mission, according to the...
Q&A: ''Israeli Settlements Killing Two-Nation Solution''
IPS JERUSALEM, Dec 30 (IPS) - In the absence of any progress towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians, leaders of the Palestinian Authority (PA) are adopting a reasonable approach as a way of building up international pressure on Israel to get it back to the negotiating table.
(23- 29 Dec. 2009)
PCHR
Fanning the Flames of Freedom from Cairo to Gaza and Beyond
1/5/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Emily Ratner, Dissident Voice, Jan 3 - "The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class-it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of freedom. "- Anna Julia Cooper, page 27, my US passport -- The Gaza Freedom March announced the Cairo Declaration to End Israeli Apartheid on January 1st, and so yesterday hundreds of Marchers smuggled freedom’s smoke signals in our luggage as we climbed into buses, vans, and taxis and made a mad dash for the Rafah border crossing. My own van was pulled over at the first checkpoint on the way out of Cairo, where we sat on a dusty curb for two hours before being forced to turn back. As we waited for guards to run our passport numbers and strategized about next steps, a small bus filled with our French friends sped by on the other side of the road, headed back to Cairo.
Fishing Under Fire Report 2009
1/5/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Since the declaration of the "ceasefire" (Jan 18, 2009), till the end of the year: 1 fisherman have been assassinated by the Israeli Navy, at least 7 fishermen have been injured by gunfire (and at least another one sustained burns after shelling) in the sea, while another fisherman was reported by several media to be lightly injured by Israeli gunfire, but his name wasn't reported, at least 6 Palestinian civilians were injured on shore by Israeli navy (among them 4 children) and several others have been reportedly injured (among them, another 5 fishermen have been reportedly injured on shore by Israeli shelling), 68 abductions of fishermen have been reported (at least 2 fishermen abducted twice) and 29 "confiscations" of fishing boats. Several fishing boats have been returned but with damages and equipment missing, and at least one hassaka (small fishing boat) was stolen again.
Sailing into trouble: 'To Gaza with Love' reviewed
1/5/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Asa Winstanley, The Electronic Intifada, 4 January - To Gaza with Love is a documentary by Aki Nawaz for Iran's English-language channel Press TV. It is an account of the first boats that successfully broke the siege of Gaza in August 2008. The filmmakers traveled to the Gaza Strip with the Free Gaza Movement, which organized the trip. The subjective format of the film works well - presenter Yvonne Ridley speaks to the camera in an amiable video diary style, while Nawaz narrates to add context. The Free Gaza Movement is a group of activists from around the world who decided to sail to Gaza from Cyprus to break the Israeli-enforced siege. The idea came about in response to Israel's claim that, since the 2005 "disengagement," it no longer occupies the coastal strip. Despite withdrawing its settlers, Israel still remains in control of all the borders, airspace and coast.
Unbreakable in Cairo
1/5/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Dana Elborno, The Electronic Intifada, 4 January - Though I have lived most of my life in and around Chicago, it has never been my complete home. My sisters and I were born as first-generation Palestinian-Americans coming from Kuwait and for this reason our lives in Chicago always felt temporary - we were only supposed to stay until the Gulf War was over, we finished school, the occupation ended, the siege was broken, etc. The only accepted rhetoric about our presence in America was and continues to be, "This is not our home, we are from Gaza. "The semantics of a Gazan home are lovely, but the only sense of Gaza I have is as fleeting as gusts of dust that blow off of old pictures. These faded images of a time and place that no longer exist leave us with nostalgia for memories we never even lived. It is the most porous of identities and I feel the gaps palpably.
Candlelight demonstration remembers the martyrs of Nablus and Gaza
1/5/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 2 January - A demonstration was held in the northern West Bank city of Nablus last night to mark the anniversary of the 3-week assault launched on Gaza one year ago that left over 1,400 Palestinians dead, and to mourn the assassination of 3 men by Israeli soldiers in Nablus last week. Demonstrators filled Nablus' centre, Al-Duwar, and lit candles in honour of those who died. Speeches were made by local activists from the Tanweer Palestinian Cultural Enlightenment Forum, An Najah University, the Nablus Women's Union and international activists from ISM, all who declared their solidarity with those suffering from the crippling siege of Gaza and condemning the atrocities caused by Israel's war crimes. Protesters then marched by candlelight, singing and chanting, through the Old City to the homes of Raed Sarakji and Ghassan Abu Sharkh where they were murdered by Israeli soldiers on the 26th of December.
Obama: Bombing attempt was intelligence 'screw-up'
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - United States President Barack Obama said Tuesday night that the attempted Christmas Day bombing of a U.S. airliner was a potentially disastrous "screw up" by the intelligence community. ...
Aluf Benn / Lieberman is right: Peace in two years is unrealistic
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is right: During the next two years Israel will not reach a permanent status agreement with the Palestinians. Lieberman is also right in the importance he attributes to national honor. Like the foreign minister, I, too, get annoyed when my country is attacked in the foreign media, and I am proud of Israelis who win the Nobel Prize or Olympic medals. ...
Brazil under fire for spending $350 million on Israeli drones
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - The anticipated use of Israeli-made drones by Brazilian police Tuesday drew criticism from a prominent ruling party politician and social activists, who said they would increase cooperation with Palestinian movements to protest the "importation of Israeli oppression". ...
Comment / Europe remains unwilling to walk in Israel's shoes
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - The arrest order issued in Britain against Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni is nothing but one of many symptoms of a deep and long-running problem that is unlikely to be solved as long as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues. ...
Saudi Arabia backs Egyptian plan for renewed peace talks
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - Saudi Arabia is adopting an Egyptian plan for the resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and is trying to rally Syrian support for the continuation of the negotiations process. ...
Israeli military cancels UK visit over arrest fears
The Guardian 5 Jan 2010 - British government under pressure to remove threat of legal action against Israeli leaders for war crimes in Gaza The Israeli military has cancelled a visit by a team of its officers to Britain over fears that...
AG Mazuz: I won't indict 'Jenin, Jenin' director for libel
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on Tuesday decided not to file criminal charges against actor and director Mohammed Bakri, creator of the film 'Jenin, Jenin,' opting instead to support an appeal filed by IDF soldiers on the matter to the Supreme Court. ...
Israel Unposed / The New Year in the Holy Land
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - Click on the pictures below to read the captions ...
Egged cancels settlement bus route after fire bomb attack
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - Egged bus company on Tuesday notified Neguhot residents in the West Bank that the bus route to their settlement would be canceled, after Palestinians hurled a Molotov cocktail that moderately wounded a woman on one of their buses two weeks ago. ...
Fearing revenge, family of twins suspected of killing boy, 7, move
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - The family of two twins suspected of murdering 7-year-old Leon Kalantrov last week left their home in Bnei Ayish on Tuesday, claiming that they cannot face their neighbors and fear retribution. ...
Barak gets death threat over West Bank settlement freeze
Ha'aretz 5 Jan 2010 - Defense Minister Ehud Barak has received a death threat, apparently from far-rightists who oppose his involvement in implementing the 10-month freeze in West bank settlement construction, Channel 10 news reported on Tuesday. ...
At least 28 UN staff members killed in violent attacks worldwide in 2009
Relief Web 5 Jan 2010 - Source: UN News Service
Medical Teams International Ships Medicines to West Bank
Relief Web 5 Jan 2010 - Source: Medical Teams International
UNHCR Iraq Fact Sheet Nov 2009
Relief Web 5 Jan 2010 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 10: The As-Sammouni Family, Az-Zeitoun Neighbourhood, Gaza City
Relief Web 5 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Israel reduces cargo crossings with Gaza to three
Relief Web 5 Jan 2010 - Source: Xinhua
UNITED NATIONS NOTES EGYPTIAN EFFORTS TO COUNTER ARMS TRAFFICKING INTO GAZA STRIP
Relief Web 4 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
Top ministers pessimistic over peace prospects
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - Some members of seven ministers' forum estimate Abbas will opt to delay resumption of peace talks, while Netanyahu and Barak hope Mubarak's involvement will convince him to return to negotiation table
'Israel's UN ambassador must know Arabic'
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - In letter sent to prime minister, foreign minister, Israel's former ambassadors write that given informal, covert contacts made in UN between Israel and Arab states, next ambassador to UN must know Arabic
PRC commander killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - Popular Resistance Committees spokesman says group's gunmen fired at IDF forces on Israeli side of security fence and were then targeted by Israeli aircraft
Med student caught transporting illegal Palestinian workers
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - Officers apprehend 18 Palestinians and east Jerusalem resident who drove them along Route 6. 'Smuggling network operates like a crime syndicate,' says investigator
3 Palestinian stabbing attacks thwarted Tuesday
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - Palestinians carrying knives apprehended in Old City, Hebron and Qalandiya checkpoint; security officials say increase in attempted stabbings due to emergence of 'popular terror' in light of difficulty to carry out suicide attacks
Barak receives death threat from rightist
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - Defense minister's office receives letter, passes it on to Shin Bet. 'Mr. Ehud Barak, if you think about destroying settlement in Judea and Samaria, you are mistaken. I will murder you beforehand,' letter reads
China: Not right time for new UN sanctions on Iran
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - UN Ambassador Zhang Yesui says diplomatic negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program still need 'time and patience'
British AG: Change policy that allows arrest warrants against Israeli leaders
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - Following report that Israel canceled departure of military delegation to UK for fear of IDF officers' arrest, visiting attorney general says her country adamant that Israeli leaders always be allowed to travel freely to Britain
Barak to Ban: Help us renew talks with PA
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - Defense minister speaks on phone with UN secretary general and asks his help to renew negotiations with Abbas. In addition, Barak claims Israel meeting Gaza's humanitarian needs
Fayyad helps burn settlement products
YNet News 5 Jan 2010 - Palestinian PM takes part in West Bank demonstration as part of campaign against Israeli settlements; throws products manufactured in Israeli settlements into a fire
Iran renews its execution threat against protesters
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 Iran's interior minister warned opposition activists on Tuesday they risk execution as enemies of God if they continue anti-government demonstrations, and the foreign ministry said arrested foreigners face punishment. Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar made the latest threat after the Intelligence Ministry said on Monday several foreigners.
Yemen launches fresh offensive against Al-Qaeda
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 Yemen has launched an offensive against Al-Qaeda and the US Embassy in Sanaa reopened on Tuesday after security forces staged a raid just outside the capital that dealt with an imminent security threat. Yemen has sent thousands of troops to take part in a campaign against Al-Qaeda in three provinces over the past three days.
Prince Faisal seeks to break peace-process impasse
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 The Saudi foreign minister made a lightning tour of the region on Tuesday, meeting leaders of Egypt and Syria as the Saudi king hosted his Jordanian counterpart for a meeting in Riyadh. Prince Saud al-Faisal's meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad was a further sign of thawing relations between the two countries, which had been at odds after the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri.
Egypt's steel border wall could choke Hamas in Gaza
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 A jackhammer pounded large steel beams side by side into the sandy soil on the Egyptian side of Gaza's border, putting in place an underground wall that could shift the balance of power in this volatile area. Once completed, the steel barrier would theoretically cut off blockaded Gaza's last lifeline and - by slicing through hundreds of smuggling tunnels.
Iranian opposition asks Brown to ban terrorist group in UK
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 An open letter to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown released late on Monday asked his government to stop incitement to violence being broadcast into Iran by a terrorist group from London. Massoud Khodabandeh, of Leeds-based Middle East Strategy Consultants, said, "The Iranian people's courageous, peaceful demonstrations to achieve their natural freedoms.
Israel approves East Jerusalem building project
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 Israel has approved construction of four new apartment buildings in occupied East Jerusalem, officials said Tuesday, fueling tensions with the Palestinians at a time when the US is laboring to get peace talks moving again. The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem for a future capital and demand all construction there stop before negotiations resume.
Israelis cancel UK trip for fear of arrest
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 A group of Israeli military officers called off an official visit to Britain last week, fearing they could face arrest on war crimes charges, officials said Tuesday. The four unidentified officers, holding ranks from major to colonel, are the latest in a string of Israeli politicians and military officials forced to call off travel to Britain over fears of legal prosecution relating to last year's offensive on the Gaza Strip.
US senators voice regret over Blackwater court ruling
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 Four US senators voiced "regret" on Tuesday over a US court's decision to drop charges against American private security guards accused of killing 14 Iraqi civilians in an unprovoked attack in 2007. John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate in 2008, added on a one-day visit to Iraq that he hoped the ruling over the five Blackwater guards, which has sparked fury here, would be appealed by the US government.
Iran accepts Clinton non-deadline for talks
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 Iran said Tuesday it welcomes Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's comments that there is no hard-and-fast deadline for starting nuclear dialogue. On Monday, Clinton said the Obama administration remained open to negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, though it will move toward tougher sanctions if Iran does not respond positively. She stressed there was no hard-and-fast deadline for Iran.
US announces overhaul of terrorism watch lists
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 President Barack Obama unveiled new security reforms Tuesday, after a Christmas Day bomb plot prompted a US review of intelligence gaps and an overhaul of terrorism watch lists. Obama, who has denounced "systemic" intelligence failures in the bombing attempt, met Tuesday with US intelligence chiefs on findings of two reviews into a Nigerian man's bid to bring down a US-bound jet.
Hariri: Key appointments to be based on merit
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 Both the issue of the spring municipal elections and the administrative appointments topped the Cabinet's discussions on Tuesday. Prime Minister Saad Harri stressed the need to prepare a draft law to be studied concerning norms to be adopted when it comes to administrative appointments. "We will give qualifications and honesty top priority.
Salameh expects Lebanon's debt to GDP to fall in 2010
Daily Star 5 Jan 2010 Central Bank governor Riad Salameh said Tuesday he expects Lebanon's public debt to GDP to fall further in 2010 thanks to the continued drop in interest rates and growth in the size of the economy. He added that the debt to GDP ratio fell to 153 percent in June 2009 from 188 percent at the end of 2006. Lebanon's public debt now stands at more than $49.5 billion.
MP Abdel Jawad: American initiative a farce
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - MP Naser Abdul Jawad said that the American peace initiative is an attempt by Washington to drench the region in a new whirlpool after Fatah voiced desperate statements about failure of negotiations.
IOA municipality endorses O. Jerusalem construction, settlers storm Nabi Yusuf
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) has endorsed the construction of four new buildings for a Jewish school in the Mount of Olives in occupied Jerusalem.
Barhoum: Contact ongoing with Cairo to overcome obstacles regarding conciliation
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, has said that contacts with the "Egyptian brothers" were still ongoing over means of overcoming obstacles impeding national reconciliation.
Bahar urges Arab League and Islamic conference to fulfil reconstruction pledges
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - Dr. Ahmed Bahar called on the Arab League and the organization of the Islamic conference to necessarily fulfil their pledges to reconstruct homes destroyed in the Gaza Strip.
Gov't anti-siege committee: Lifeline to enter Gaza by Tuesday night
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - Hamdy Shaath, the head of the government committee to break the siege, has expected the international aid convoy Lifeline-3 to reach Gaza Strip by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
Abu Juhaisha rebuts news reports about cessation of torture in PA jails
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - Hamas lawmaker Mohamed Abu Juhaisha refuted news reports about the cessation of torture in the jails of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, affirming that such talk is untrue.
Mishaal: Faisal understood Hamas position towards the reconciliation paper
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - Khaled Mishaal stated that Saudi foreign minister Saud Al-Faisal understood the position of his Movement towards the signing of the Egyptian reconciliation paper.
IOF troops advance into southern Gaza, round up more West Bankers
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) mounting four tanks and escorting three bulldozers advanced into eastern Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, locals reported.
Association of Palestinian scholars slams Egypt’s steel wall
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - The association of Palestinian scholars stated the steel wall being built on its borders with Gaza is prohibited in Islam and a major sin because it will lead to the killing of the Gaza people.
IOA cancels trip for Israeli military team to Britain fearing arrest
PIC 5 Jan 2010 - The IOA has canceled the departure of a military delegation to Britain last week after British authorities could not vouch that the officers would not be arrested, Yediot Ahronot reported on Tuesday.
Clinton urges Yemen to act
LA Times 5 Jan 2010 - The U.S. secretary of State says American aid to the beleaguered Arab government depends on it moving decisively to curb terrorists and stabilize the nation. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton declared Monday that Yemen is a threat to global security but warned that the Obama administration would continue accelerating U.S. aid only if the Yemeni government met U.S. demands to take steps toward stability.
Iranian opposition movement overshadows plight of detained hikers
LA Times 5 Jan 2010 - In Los Angeles, Iranian Americans have been demonstrating for months on behalf of their reformist countrymen while paying little attention to the three American hikers detained on espionage charges. With street protests raging in Iran, political activism is on the rise among Los Angeles' already vocal Iranian American community. Flag-waving demonstrators clad in the opposition movement's signature green have been a common sight outside the Federal Building in Westwood, and Iranian-language media is abuzz with debate.
1000 Protestors Demand Freedom for Gaza
Palestine Monitor - 5 Jan 2010 - Around 1000 people gathered on New Year's Eve by Erez crossing on the Israeli side of border with Gaza to protest against the ongoing siege imposed by Israel on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. As part of the Gaza Freedom March initiative, the demonstration began at...
Report: Viva Palestina humanitarian convoy to Gaza stopped by 2,000 Egyptian riot police
Mondoweiss - 5 Jan 2010 - This story is breaking right now. Similar to the recent Gaza Freedom March, the Egyptian government is not letting the Viva Palestina humanitarian convoy enter Gaza. Here is the latest from Viva Palestina : Crisis in Egypt Viva Palestina faced with 2,000 riot police in the port...
‘Beautiful resistance’ in Bethlehem’s Aida refugee camp
Mondoweiss - 5 Jan 2010 - Gate into the Aida Refugee Camp with a key that says "Not for Sale." (Photo: Reham Alhelsi ) As I travel in the West Bank and see the ravages of the Israeli occupation and the disintegration of much of Palestinian hope as well as a functional political...
My Husband: Jailed for Protesting Israel’s Wall
Mondoweiss - 5 Jan 2010 - Archive photo of Abdallah Abu Rahmah protesting the wall in Bil’in taken on May 17, 2005. (Photo: Oren Ziv/ Activestills.org ) On International Human Rights Day in 2008, my husband Abdallah Abu Rahmah was in Berlin receiving a medal from the World Association for Human Rights. Last...
Udi Aloni to Israelis: BDS is a movement for ‘justice, peace and equality’
Mondoweiss - 5 Jan 2010 - Back in October I had the opportunity to interview Israeli filmmaker Udi Aloni about his participation in the protests at the Toronto International Film Festival and his support for the BDS movement. Today Aloni has an important op-ed in YNET bringing the argument for BDS to...
Netanyahu’s Call for Action: Renewing Peace Negotiations or Merely “Phony Gestures”?
Alternative Information Center - 5 Jan 2010 - Last week Netanyahu headed to Cairo to meet Mubarak, and, according to the Israelis, kick-start the otherwise stagnant negotiations process. With Israel negotiating and even agreeing on conditions for peace with both the U.S. and Egypt, it is now apparently only up to Abbas to respond...
Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the "Cairo Declaration" to end Israeli Apartheid
Alternative Information Center - 5 Jan 2010 - (Cairo) Gaza Freedom Marchers approved on 1 January 2010 a declaration aimed at accelerating the global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli Apartheid. Roughly 1,400 activists from 43 countries converged in Cairo on their way to Gaza to join with Palestinians marching to...
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Viva Palestina Starts Entry To Gaza
IMEMC 6 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 06, 2010 - 21:28, The Viva Palestina Convoy, and after facing ongoing Egyptian rejection and violent attacks by the Egyptian security forces, started on Wednesday evening to roll into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Zuhri: “Hamas Is Not Seeking Escalation With Egypt”
IMEMC 6 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 06, 2010 - 21:06, Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, official spokesperson of the Hamas movement in Gaza, reported Wednesday that the movement is not seeking any escalation with the Egyptian government, and added that Hamas is seeking a peaceful solution to the Iron Wall issue, and several important matters.
35 Palestinians Wounded In Clashes With Egyptian Border Police
IMEMC 6 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 06, 2010 - 19:51, Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported Wednesday that 35 Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip were wounded by Egyptian fire after the Egyptian border police attacked them near the Salah Ed Deen Gate, in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Israel leveled More than 23.000 Homes Since 1967
IMEMC 6 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 06, 2010 - 11:49, The Palestinian Ministry of Information issued a report stating that Israel leveled more than 23.000 homes in the occupied territories since its occupied the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in the 1967 six-day war.
Egyptian police beat & injure 'Viva Palestina' convoy during Al Arish protest
IMEMC 6 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 06, 2010 - 11:09, Several dozen people with the Viva Palestina convoy have reportedly been injured Tuesday evening after 2000 Egyptian riot police attacked a sit-in at the Port of Al Arish, where the convoy was re-routed on its way to the Gaza Strip.
Israeli strike kills two in Gaza
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - An Israeli airstrike killed two Palestinian fighters near the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday night. Medics told Ma'an that an Israeli warplane fired several missiles at a group near the southern city, and said four people were treated for various injuries at the An-Nasser Hospital in the city. The An-Nasser Salah Ad-Din Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), announced the death of 33-year-old field commander Jihad As-Samari in an airstrike on the town of Al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Younis. The group's spokesman, Abu Mujahid, later announced that a second member had died from wounds sustained in the airstrike. He was identified as Mahmoud Abdul Ghafur, 25, from Khan Younis. The group vowed in a statement to "respond to this crime. "
Israel to raze 28 buildings in Nablus area
1/6/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Twenty-eight homes and agricultural buildings were issued demolition orders by Israeli military personnel on Wednesday, all located on the outskirts of Aqraba village southeast of Nablus, a Palestinian official said. Ghassan Doughlas, who holds the Palestinian Authority's settlement portfolio for the northern West Bank, said Israeli forces gave the farmers only 48 hours to evacuate their houses, clear out their farms and sheds before the orders were implemented. Dozens of Palestinian farmers and their families live in the area, about five kilometers from the Gittit settlement and three kilometers from the Mekhora settlement, raising sheep and cattle as well as planting crops. The crops help sustain the local community, Doughlas said. "Israeli forces issued this decision to protect the settlers only without taking into consideration the families who will be rendered homeless," Doughlas added.
Israel approves Jerusalem settlement expansion
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Israeli government approved on Wednesday the construction of a new settlement in the Palestinian town of Shufat, in occupied East Jerusalem. Israel Radio reported that the plan includes three new five-story buildings on a 5,000-meter plot of land, funded by Jewish American gambling tycoon Irving Moskovitz. On Tuesday Israel's Jerusalem Planning and Building committee approved the construction of four new settler buildings on the Mount of Olives, in the heart of East Jerusalem. Moskovitz was also behind the Mount of Olives project, which is intended to house 24 settler families adjacent to a Jewish religious school. Moskovitz caused a diplomatic storm last year when he obtained a permit to bulldoze East Jerusalem's historic Shepherd Hotel in order to build a settlement. Last week, the US, Europe, and other world powers condemned a plan announced. . .
Following clashes, convoy enters Gaza
1/7/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Medical aid and 518 activists entered Gaza Wednesday night after protests against the Egyptian government refusal to admit 400 of the group lead to clashes along the divided border town. An Egyptian soldier was shot dead during the clashes, Egyptian state television reported, and at least 12 Palestinians were injured during aa demonstration against perceived Egyptian complicity in an Israeli-led blockade called by the de facto government of the Strip as they denounced what they said were attacks on the Viva Palestina convoy. Following the demonstration, some 50 people broke away from the crowd of hundreds, pelting Egyptian troops with stones. The soldiers opened fire on the crowd, wounding two people, according to medics. Ten people were also hurt in a stampede of protesters fleeing the gunfire.
Israel orders Hamas legislator held for six more months
1/6/2010 - Salfit- Ma'an - Israel has extended the detention of Abdul Jaber Fuqaha, a Hamas-affiliated member of the Palestinian Legislative Council from Ramallah first arrested in 2006. Hamas PLC members issued a statement condemning the order to hold Fuqaha in administrative detention for another six months. The order was the third such order, according to Hamas. The lawmakers said Fuqaha was not charged with any crime. Fourteen Hamas legislators are still in Israeli prisons, including seven in administrative detention. Israel seized dozens of Hamas officials in June 2006 following the capture of Isreali soldier Gilad Shalit. In March Israel detained ten more top Hamas officials, including lawmakers, from the West Bank. Also on Wednesday Hamas said that the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority arrested three members of the Islamist movement in the West Bank. . . . .
Israeli tanks stage limited Gaza incursion
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli tanks and a bulldozer invaded Palestinian territory in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning, local officials said. The operations room of the Gaza government told Ma'an that three tanks and a bulldozer razed land 200 meters from the Green Line east of the city of Deir Al-Balah. Israeli vehicles are seen operating along the border almost daily. The military uses live fire to enforce a 300-meter "exclusion zone" along the border, from which Palestinians are banned. On Tuesday night an Israeli airstrike killed a Palestinian fighter affiliated with the Popular Resistance Committees near the city of Khan Younis. [end]
Report: Israeli troops training for new Gaza war
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces completed a large-scale military drill in the Negev, the country's Channel 10 news reported, preparing troops for a military offensive against the Gaza Strip. The report, aired Tuesday evening, speculated that the training could even be seen as preparation for a re-occupation of the area. Drills during the training reportedly focused on re-training around military mistakes that occurred during the last war on Gaza in December and January last year. Nine Israeli soldiers were killed in the war, which saw 1,400 Palestinians perish, and reports at the time said six of the deaths were the result of "friendly fire. "At least one of those incidents involved fire on a kidnapped soldier. According to Channel 10, training saw soldiers educated in the use of a new digital device on Merkava Tanks, the largest of the armored vehicles, which allows soldiers. . .
Hizbullah upset over Hamas training in Lebanon
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Hizbullah communicated"deep disappointment" to Hamas leadership over the discovery that the party was conducting military drills in a residential building in Lebanon without the party's knowledge, the country's An-Nahar newspaper reported Wednesday. Information around the training was uncovered during the course of an investigation into an explosion in Haret Treik that killed two Hamas members last week, the paper said. Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Al-Murr said the blast targeted Hamas Representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan. According to the London-based Arabic daily Ash-Sharq al-Awsat, the attack was carried out as Hamas members received live ammunition training in the basement of the building under Hamas control. The daily said Hezbollah told Hamas it would not intervene, and that Hamas "would have to resolve the problem on its own. "
Did Israel’s army whitewash a massacre in Jabaliya?
1/6/2010 - Part 11 of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. - Bethlehem - Ma'an - On the afternoon of 6 January 2009, at least four mortar bombs fired by Israeli forces exploded near the Al-Fakhura junction in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing as many as 43 people. Witnesses described the scene of chaos and carnage caused by the bombs. UNRWA's director of operations in Gaza, John Ging, stated: "There is nowhere safe in Gaza. Everyone here is terrorized and traumatized. "One shell landed directly in the courtyard outside the Ad-Deeb family's house, where most of its immediate relatives were gathered. Nine members of the family were killed instantly, 11 in total, including four women and four girls. Apart from the shell that landed in the Ad-Deebs' courtyard, three others hit. . .
Two Gaza crossings open, limited export allowed
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Israeli military will open the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossing points with the otherwise blockaded Gaza Strip on Wednesday to allow the entry of aid and the export of strawberries. Palestinian liaison official Raed Fattouh said that 77 truckloads of humanitarian aid and commercial merchandise will enter Gaza via Kerem Shalom while two trucks transporting Gaza strawberries will be exported to Israel and other countries. Fattouh added that 97 truckloads of wheat and animal feed will be allowed through the Karni crossing as well as two trucks of small stones intended for Palestinian Water Authority projects. Earlier this week Israel permanently closed the Nahal Oz terminal, Gaza's main transfer point for liquid fuels. . . . .
Rafah crossing open for fourth day
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah crossing into Gaza for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday to allow the transit of stranded passengers on both sides. Ministry of the Interior spokesman for the de facto government Ehab Al-Ghussein said the Egyptian side agreed to open the crossing Wednesday to allow the transit of holders of international passports, students, patients and other travelers who have arranged their passage with Egypt. Al-Ghussein said in a statement that nine buses left Gaza on Tuesday, including three buses taking patients. He called on Egyptian authorities to extend the opening of the crossing in order to allow Palestinians to cross. The de facto government's police said that the Egyptian authorities allowed on Tuesday the passage of 598 people to Egypt via the Rafah crossing while 291 travelers were not allowed to cross.
’Patriarch could become persona non grata in Bethlehem’
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A group of prominent Greek Orthodox Palestinians threatened on Wednesday to split from their church over the sale of West Bank land to Israel. Marwan Toubasi, the deputy minister of tourism and the organizer of a protest movement, made the pronouncement at a news conference in Bethlehem's Manger Square on Wednesday, as Orthodox Christians marked Christmas Eve. Leader of the Greek Orthodox Club of Beit Sahour Dr Elias Isaid, however, said a split from the church was "unrealistic. ""Today's demonstration is the start of our action against the patriarch," Isaid commented, and if the concerns of the Palestinian parishes are not met, "we are prepared to declare the patriarch a persona non grata in Bethlehem. " Approximately 300 protesters rallied in Manger Square, holding signs condemning the actions of the patriarch.
MADA documents violations of press freedoms in Palestine
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Most of December's six violations of press freedom coincidde with the commemoration of Hamas' anniversary on the 14th of the month, a report from the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) released Wednesday said. The report noted a decline in violations over a recorded 21 in November, but expressed concern over continued Israeli press freedom violations targeting Palestinian journalists in Jerusalem. Violations recorded by the organization were: Kuwaiti channel (Wisal) programs maker Ziad Ismael Awad was arrested, Diamond photographers Amer and Samer Labbad was prevented from covering Hamas anniversary in the Gaza Strip, Turk Times website reporter Musab Alqataloni and the director of Aqsa TV in the West Bank Mohamed Eshtewi were arrested, Settlers and Israeli security men attacked Palestine TV cameraman Nader Baybars, and Reuter's. . . -- Link: Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)
Israeli forces seize two in night raids
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Israeli military said it detained two Palestinians during raids on Tuesday night south of the West Bank city of Ramallah. A military official said one man was arrested in Qalandiya and another in Ar-Ram. The detainees were not immediately identified. [end]
Injuries reported after explosion in Gaza
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Several Palestinians were reportedly hurt in an explosion at a coffee shop in Gaza City on Wednesday evening. Residents reported hearing a blast at the "Tal Al-Qamar" cafe on the ground floor of a 10-story apartment building in the An-Nasser neighborhood of Gaza City. Muawiya Hassanein, the Health Ministry's director of emergency and ambulance services, told Ma'an that several people were injured in the explosion, the cause of which was not immediately clear. [end]
Hamas investigate shooting of Egyptian soldier
1/7/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - De facto government security called on their Egyptian counterparts to open a parallel investigation file into the shooting of an Egyptian soldier during Rafah border riots Wednesday. The Hamas investigators said they had already opened a file and were looking into the incident to insure it would not be repeated, and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank publicly expressed its regret over the death of the soldier, calling the act "irresponsible" and aimed at foiling Egyptian unity mediation efforts. The riots began when Hamas officials in Rafah called a gathering in condemnation of what it called Egyptian attacks on a group of 500 activists travelling to Gaza with 220 cars and ambulances loaded with medical aid. Palestinian ambassador to Cairo and to the Arab League Barakat Al-Farra fiercely condemned what he called "irresponsible behavior of Hamas officers against our Egyptian brothers. "
Netherlands contributes NIS 49.5 million to PA
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Netherlands has contributed 49. 5 million Israeli shekels (about 15 million US dollars) to the salaries of the Palestinian Authority civil police and civil defense, European Commission Technical Assistance Office said Wednesday. The contribution will go toward the wage bill for the PA civil police, as well as members of the civil defense, such as firefighters and rescue workers, a statement said. The contribution will be channelled through PEGASE, the European Union's mechanism for aid to Palestinians. The first disbursement from this contribution, which was scheduled to reach the bank accounts of 14,785 employees of the PA civil police and civil defense on Wednesday, amounts to NIS 39,138,728 (more than 7. 17 million euros), the statement said. More than 9,100 of the recipients of this payment are based in Gaza.
Hamas: Israel preventing prisoner deal
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an -Israel's refusal to release key Palestinian prisoners is preventing the conclusion of a long-awaited swap deal, Hamas officials said in remarks published Wednesday. In interviews with the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan, Hamas leaders said Israel is refusing to release Fatah leader Marwan Barghouthi, Hamas military leader Abdullah Barghouthi, and PFLP chief Ahmad Sa'adat. Other key prisoners Israel is refusing to release include long term prisoners Abbas Sayed, Ibrahim Hamed,and Jamal Aboul Heija, as well as women prisoners Amina Muna, Qahera As-Sa'di, and Ahlam At-Tamimi, all accused of organizing or taking part in attacks targeting Israeli civilians. A Hamas source said the Israel refusal to release the prisoners was the "first obstruction" to a prisoner swap deal. Hamas sources reported on Tuesday that the German mediator had arrived in Gaza to hear Hamas'. . .
Mash’al, Bahraini king discuss reconciliation
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas Political Bureau chief Khalid Mash'al discussed Palestinian reconciliation with the Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the king of Bahrain, during a visit to the gulf country on Tuesday. "The meeting was an important and positive one where the two sides held discussions and consultations on the entire Arab situation and the developments in the Palestinian situation in particular," said Hamas official Ezzat Ar-Resheq following the meeting. Ar-Resheq, who also attended the meeting, said the officials expressed Hamas' strong will to achieve reconciliation with their rival Fatah movement. Also attending the meeting were Hamas officials Mousa Abu Marzuq, Muhammad Nasser and Muhammad Nazzal. Ar-Resheq said Hamas laid out its demands around unity documents from Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The Hamas leaders and the monarch also discussed "the continued and escalated. . . "
Hamas: Egypt has no will to end Gaza blockade
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an -Egypt has no desire to aid Palestinians living under siege, Hamas said on Tuesday, after Egyptian forces wounded dozens of international activists bringing aid to Gaza. "The Egyptian security's attack on the Lifeline convoy in the Al-Arish port, injuring dozens of them, is plainly an attack on the forty Arab, Islamic and European countries represented by the convoy," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement. "This attack shows that there is no Egyptian will to end blockade or even deliver aid to the besieged people in the Gaza Strip," he added. More than 50 people were reported injured when Egyptian riot police threw stones and trained water cannons on more than 500 members of the Viva Palestina convoy, including British MP George Galloway. The protest reportedly began when Egypt demanded some of the vehicles in the convoy enter Gaza through an Israeli-controlled crossing point.
NCCHL: Orthodox boycott will not affect support for patriarch
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Receiving the patriarch is an integral part of Palestinian culture and should not be dropped from the Orthodox Christian program on Christmas Eve day, President of the National Christian Coalition in the Holy Land (NCCHL) Dimitri Diliani said Wednesday. As Palestinian orthodox groups announced a scout group boycott, replacing the marching children with men holding banners denouncing teh lease of orthodox church land to Israeli developers, the NCCHL called for public support for the patriarch "in order to preserve Palestinian Christian customs and traditions that have become an integral part of Palestinian heritage and an important component of the National Identity," a statement said. Diliani told Christians in Palestine that "whoever wants to abide by the call of one 'Orthodox group' to boycott a certain Orthodox ceremony should probably stay home, but he or she. . . "
PLO’s Washington office boosts online presence
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestine Liberation Organization's Mission to the United States announced on Wednesday that its new website and Facebook page were up and running. "Both are part of our larger effort to improve our communications and relations with the American Palestinian community and the American public at large," said Christopher Hazou, the PLO's communications officer in Washington. In a statement, Hazou said that in addition to providing information about the mission and the services that it provides, the website will feature news articles, press releases, fact sheets, maps and other resources. Likewise, the Facebook page will offer access to resources such as maps, press releases, and newspaper articles of particular interest, he added. According to its new page, the PLO office in Washington's primary objective is to protect and promote the interests of the Palestinian. . . -- Link: PLO Mission to the United States
Petition urges Abbas, Mash’al to end division directly
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Egyptian-mandated National Reconciliation Committee initiated a public petition Wednesday, collecting signatures of Palestinians in support for an end to division between Fatah and Hamas. The petition calls on Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas leader in exile Khalid Mash'al, to directly end the split between the parties. "We the signatories appeal to your history and sacrifices, the blood of those killed and the pains of the prisoners, to put an end to division"¦ we hereby place on you all responsibility for the continuing state of division, because of your prominent and leading roles in Palestine," the document reads. The petition further accuses political leaders of squabbling as Palestinians, particularly those in Gaza, suffer. " Brothers in the Fatah and Hamas leadership, unity is power while division is weakness "¦ remember we are still under occupation. "
Hamas: Three arrested by PA
1/6/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas said on Wednesday that Palestinian Authority forces arrested three of its members in the Jenin and Hebron areas. In a statement the movement said the arrests one was arrested in the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, and two were taken from their homes in the city of Hebron. [end]
Egypt’s Motor TV to broadcast Palestinian car racing
1/6/2010 - Cairo - Ma'an - The Egyptian satellite channel Motor TV began broadcasting the 2009 Palestinian Motorsport series Tuesday, capping off a six-month negotiations process, chairman of the motorsport federation Khaled Kaddura told Ma'an. The entire 2009 series, with races in Jenin, Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem and Jericho will be broadcast twice a day at 6:30 and 11:30 on the satellite network. The original series was sponsored by the new Qatari telecom company in Palestine, Wataniyah. Airing the shows on satellite, Kaddura said, "will introduce Palestinian racing to all of the Arab world. "He thanked Motor TV for giving the racing circuit such exposure, and said he looked forward to sharing the races with motorsport lovers around the world. . . . .
PSE rises: Al-Quds Index up 1.09%
1/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Stocks rose on the Palestine Securities Exchange in the West Bank city of Nablus on Wednesday. At the close of trading the Al-Quds Index stood at 504. 05, increasing by 5. 43 points (1. 09%). Trading volume was 831,097 shares valued at 2,011,394. 06 US dollars, in 349 trades. The shares of 20 companies were traded. The share prices of three companies rose, while those of seven declined. The gainers were PALTEL by (2. 27%), JCC by (1. 05%), BPC by (0. 52%). The top five losers were QUDS by (4. 10%), GCOM by (4. 00%), NSC by (3. 45%), NCI by (3. 23%), PEC by (1. 92%). [end]
Israel to deploy Gaza rocket interceptor by June
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - Defense establishment aces trial of barrage interception, marking end to Iron Dome development period.
IDF urges Negev residents: Get ready, Gaza quiet may not last
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - GOC Southern Command says IDF prepared to face any tensions, saying calm along border could be temporary.
How did an Al-Qaida double agent dupe the CIA?
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - Seven Americans and one Jordanian were killed in a suicide bombing last week on a CIA base.
Peace With Justice in 2010
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - A year ago, in the midst of the savage attack on Gaza, we in the Palestinain Center for Rapprochement between People in Beit Sahour issued a call for action composed of 25 things that ordinary people can do (list below). On 31 December 2009, we are gatheried in Bethlehem (Nativity Square 4-6 PM) on the last...
Gaza: tragic smile
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - Nidal crouches by the front door, looks up and smiles with bright eyes as we walk past. Bright eyes, a large grin, and that is all. Nothing strikes me as unusual in the ten year old when he doesn’t leap up to greet us as most kids do. Maybe he is pre-occupied with his thoughts, an...
Remembering Arafa Abd El Dayem and the emergency workers, today, everyday
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - On this day [4 January] one year ago, 4 Palestinian paramedics were assassinated by Israeli forces. By the end of the Israeli massacre of Gaza, 16 emergency workers had been killed by Israeli soldiers, all while performing their duties, all in contravention of international law and the Geneva Conventions. Another 57 were injured by Israeli attacks....
Israel leveled More than 23.000 Homes Since 1967
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - The Palestinian Ministry of Information issued a report stating that Israel leveled more than 23.000 homes in the occupied territories since its occupied the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in the 1967 six-day war. The Israeli Authorities leveled more than 700 homes and buildings owned by the Palestinians in Jerusalem. Demolishing Palestinian homes...
Abdallah Abu Rahmah: No army, no prison and no wall can stop us
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - To all our friends, I mark the beginning of the new decade imprisoned in a military detention camp. Nevertheless, from within the occupation′s holding cell I meet the New Year with determination and hope. I know that Israel’s military campaign to imprison the leadership of the Palestinian popular struggle shows that our non-violent struggle is effective....
Israel’s treatment of Ethiopian Jews ‘racist’
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - Health officials in Israel are subjecting many female Ethiopian immigrants to a controversial long-term birth control drug in what Israeli women’s groups allege is a racist policy to reduce the number of black babies. The contraceptive, known as Depo Provera, which is given by injection every three months, is considered by many doctors as a birth...
Video: Palestinian children are stoned while walking to school
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - At-Tuwani On Wednesday morning, 30 December 2009, an Israeli settler from the Israeli outpost of Havat Ma'on (Hill 833) chased and attacked Palestinian schoolchildren from the villages of Tuba and Maghayir Al-Abeed. The Israeli army exposed the children to this attack by arriving more than 90 minutes late to escort the schoolchildren to their school in...
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory No. 01/2010 (30 Dec 2009- 05 Jan. 2010)
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (30 December 2009 – 05 January 2010): Shooting: During the reporting period, Israeli occupation forces killed one Palestinian resistance activist and wounded 3 others in the Gaza Strip and wounded 3 civilians, including one child in the West Bank. In...
Report: Israeli troops training for new Gaza war
Uruknet January 6, 2010 – Israeli forces completed a large-scale military drill in the Negev, the country's Channel 10 news reported, preparing troops for a military offensive against the Gaza Strip. The report, aired Tuesday evening, speculated that the training could even be seen as preparation for a re-occupation of the area. Drills during the training reportedly focused on re-training around...
Hamas security to investigate shooting of Egyptian soldier
Uruknet January 6, 2010 – De facto government security called on their Egyptian counterparts to open a parallel investigation file into the shooting of an Egyptian soldier during Rafah border riots Wednesday. The Hamas investigators said they had already opened a file and were looking into the incident to insure it would not be repeated, and the Palestinian Authority in the...
Egypt allows through Gaza aid convoy after protests
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - Egypt has reached a deal with members of an aid convoy to take supplies to Palestinians in Gaza after protests overnight, but Cairo barred their private cars from crossing, an Egyptian security source said. Cairo had insisted the food and other supplies should enter Gaza via an Israeli-controlled checkpoint but convoy leaders wanted to use the...
Israeli strike kills two in Gaza
Uruknet January 6, 2010 – Ma’an – An Israeli airstrike killed two Palestinian fighters near the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday night. Medics told Ma’an that an Israeli warplane fired several missiles at a group near the southern city, and said four people were treated for various injuries at the An-Nasser Hospital in the city......
UNRWA to Improve its Services to Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
6 Jan 2010 - Lebanon, January 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Director of Affairs of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Lebanon said on Tuesday his agency was in the process of "re-structuring" its top priorities in a bid to improve services it provides to Palestinian refugees. Salvatore Lombardo discussed services provided by his agency with representatives of Palestinian factions...
Fishing Under Fire REPORT 2009
6 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Since the declaration of the "ceasefire"(18/1/2009), till the end of the year: * 1 fisherman have been assassinated by the Israeli Navy * at least 7 fishermen have been injured by gunfire (and at least another one sustained burns after shelling) in the sea, while another fisherman was reported by several media to be lightly...
Israel Drops Unknown Chemicals on Buildings in Hebron
6 Jan 2010 - Hebron, January 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Israeli occupation soldiers dropped down on Monday evening chemicals with an unpleasant smell on the roofs of houses in the area of Tel Rumeida in downtown Hebron in the occupied West Bank. "Israeli soldiers daily ascend rooftops in the neighborhood, and sometimes this happens more than once during the day", said one resident. He...
Gaza: Israeli airstrike kills 1, wounds 4
6 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - An Israeli airstrike hit a group of Palestinian freedom fighters in Khan Yoins, in south Gaza Strip, killing one and wounding four others. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, which hit near the southern town of Khan Yunis late Tuesday, claiming the strike "targeted a group of terrorists preparing to fire rockets at...
Boycott of Israeli settlers' products picks up speed
The National 6 Jan 2010 - Palestinian Authority is beginning to step up a campaign to raise awareness that goods from Israeli settlements have been banned.
Hamas holds out olive branch to Fatah
The National 5 Jan 2010 - On Gaza's streets – and even among its own ranks – the sentiment is rising that it is time for Hamas to reconcile with its secular rivals in the West Bank.
Fatal attack outside Egypt church
AlJazeera 6 Jan 2010 - Attackers spray bullets in drive-by shooting after Coptic Christmas mass in Nag Hammadi.
Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the "Cairo Declaration" to end Israeli Apartheid
Alternative Information Center 5 Jan 2010 - (Cairo) Gaza Freedom Marchers approved on 1 January 2010 a declaration aimed at accelerating the global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli Apartheid. Roughly 1,400 activists from 43 countries converged in Cairo on...
Deputy FM: Arrest warrants harming Britain-Israel ties
PNN 6 Jan 2010 - Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon on Tuesday met with British Attorney General Baroness Patricia Janet Scotland, to protest the slew of arrest warrants issued against senior Israeli officials in the United Kingdom. A delegation of senior Israel Defense Forces officers recently canceled a planned visit to the U.K. for fear they would be arrested upon landing. The four unidentified officers, holding ranks...
Egyptian-Palestinian leaders meet
PNN 5 Jan 2010 - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to discuss efforts to restart Israeli and Palestinian peace talks. The talks come days after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu met Mr Mubarak. The US is reported to be drafting letters of guarantee for talks to be delivered to Israel and the Palestinians in the coming weeks. According to Israel's Maariv newspaper, the...
Smuggling fuels Gaza's stalled economy
PNN 6 Jan 2010 - The day Israel launched its 22-day offensive on Gaza , a year ago, Osama and his family lost most of their $70,000 life savings. The Gaza accountant, who gives only his first name, had put his money into a local investment scheme - even selling an apartment and his wife's jewelry to do so. The scheme initially produced excellent returns, which Osama understood...
'Hamas-Iran alliance harms Palestinians'
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - Fatah official says Islamist group has turned Palestinian cause into "cheap card in Iran's hands."
Sharp rise in haredi IDF enlistment in 2009
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - Approximately 2,000 yeshiva students served in the IDF or in National Service in 2009 compared to just 300 to 400 in 2008, according to various sources.
Israel, UNIFIL to hold talks on Ghajar
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - Gov't reportedly approves plan to turn over control of the northern section of the village to UN forces.
PA forces operate 24/7 in W. Bank cities
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - IDF allows operation without prior permission; forces crack down on Hamas, car theft and drug dealing.
Galant warns 'quiet in South temporary'
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - Cast Lead achieved its goals, says OC Southern Command, but IDF ready for next round of fighting.
'Syria will back Hizbullah if Israel attacks'
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - Damascus sources tell Al Watan Syria assesses Israel planning military operation in Lebanon in May.
Jewish construction in e. J'lem okayed
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - 3 new structures in Shuafat to host 50 families; Hadash chairman: Gov't acting like gang of robbers.
Secular Jerusalem Syndrome
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - "Jerusalem has great opportunities but also faces great dangers," says Israel's former US ambassador.
Iron Dome system successfully intercepts Kassams, Katyushas
Jeruslalem Post 6 Jan 2010 - Israel inches closer to deploying missile defense system on Gaza border; radar also succeeds in detecting rockets headed for open fields.
(06-01-2010) Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
PCHR
Civil Administration backtracks on granting Palestinians access to Bir el-Eid
1/6/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Amira Hass, Haaretz - The Civil Administration ordered Palestinian residents of the West Bank this week to stop erecting tents and building animal enclosures in the Bir el-Eid area – even though the state allowed them access to the site only two months ago, after a 10-year enforced absence and a protracted legal effort. Tomorrow, the Civil Administration's supervisory committee is to discuss the next step, which could involve demolition of the tents and restoration of the site to its prior condition. The site, which is in the southern Hebron Hills, is in Area C, meaning that since the Oslo Accords, it remains under full Israel control. Beginning in the 1990s, settler harassment and police inaction led the residents of the small village to flee the caves where they were living. The huts, fencing and stone structures that they used primarily to graze sheep,. . .
Abdallah Abu Rahmah: No army, no prison and no wall can stop us
1/6/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Free Abdallah Abu Rahmah - To all our friends, I mark the beginning of the new decade imprisoned in a military detention camp. Nevertheless, from within the occupation"²s holding cell I meet the New Year with determination and hope. I know that Israel's military campaign to imprison the leadership of the Palestinian popular struggle shows that our non-violent struggle is effective. The occupation is threatened by our growing movement and is therefore trying to shut us down. What Israel"²s leaders do not understand is that popular struggle cannot be stopped by our imprisonment. Whether we are confined in the open-air prison that Gaza has been transformed into, in military prisons in the West Bank, or in our own villages surrounded by the Apartheid Wall, arrests and persecution do not weaken us. They only strengthen our commitment to turning 2010 into a year of liberation through unarmed grassroots resistance to the occupation.
White House: Emanuel didn't threaten to walk away from peace talks
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel denied reports that said he is fed up with Israel and the Palestinians, a White House aide told Haaretz on Wednesday. ...
Envoy Oren: Iran-Israel relations could change if regime falls
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren said Wednesday that Israel believed sanctions against Iran over its contentious nuclear program would be effective, adding that the goal should be to weaken the Islamic regime and not its citizens. ...
European rabbis call new airports scanners 'immodest'
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - The use of body scanners in airports would violate the rights of Religious Jewish women whose modesty would be compromised by the scan, the Rabbinical Center of Europe warned on Wednesday. ...
U.S. charges Nigerian who tried to blow up Detroit-bound plane
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - A U.S. grand jury on Wednesday indicted Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on six counts for trying to blow up an American airliner in a plot that exposed large breakdowns in U.S. security and intelligence. ...
Alleged Holocaust museum shooter dies in prison while awaiting trial
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - A elderly white supremacist who allegedly killed a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum died in a prison hospital while awaiting trial, Fox broadcaster reported Wednesday. ...
Video: Egyptian police clash with Gaza aid convoy
The Guardian 6 Jan 2010 - Protests erupted after the Viva Palestina convoy led by George Galloway was held up near the Rafah border crossing into Gaza
Welcome to Palestine, Avigdor | Nicholas Blincoe
The Guardian 6 Jan 2010 - Settlers such as Avigdor Lieberman have been offered the chance to remain in a future Palestinian state. Will he accept? Dear Avigdor, Can you believe, we are neighbours yet we have never met? I wish that,...
Egyptian guard dies in clashes over Gaza aid convoy
The Guardian 6 Jan 2010 - Fifteen Palestinians injured after trucks led by British MP George Galloway stopped from entering Gaza Strip An Egyptian border guard was killed and 15 Palestinians injured today in clashes on the Gaza border after an international...
Barak: Death threats won't stop enforcement of settlement freeze
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday that he would continue to enforce the government's decision to halt construction in the West Bank, despite receiving multiple death threats apparently from settlers angry over the temporary freeze. ...
Israel soccer coach questioned for not declaring alcohol and tobacco
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - The coach of Israel's national soccer team was detained for questioning on this week by customs inspectors at Ben Gurion Airport, for traveling with alcohol and tobacco products exceeding the duty free limit. ...
Assailants set fire to home of alleged child slayers
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - Unknown assailants attempted on Wednesday to set fire to the Sudmi family household, whose twin sons are suspected of murdering a 7-year-old boy last week. ...
Knesset rejects bill for equal Arab-Jewish land distribution
Ha'aretz 6 Jan 2010 - The Knesset on Wednesday rejected by a majority vote a bill proposed by Israeli Arab MK Ahmed Tibi (Ra'am Ta'al) which would enforce equal distribution of land between Jewish and Arab citizens. ...
Increased humanitarian aid to Gaza after IDF operation, 31 Dec 2009
Relief Web 6 Jan 2010 - Source: Government of Israel
Ban discusses Middle East peace process with senior Israeli, US officials
Relief Web 6 Jan 2010 - Source: UN News Service
UN urges calm amid clashes along Egypt-Gaza border
Relief Web 6 Jan 2010 - Source: UN News Service
OPT: Tension between Hamas, Egypt flares as border clashes erupt
Relief Web 6 Jan 2010 - Source: Xinhua
Egypt allows through Gaza aid convoy after protests
Relief Web 6 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Israel ranked 47th in standard of living index
YNet News 6 Jan 2010 - France comes first, Somalia last in International Living magazine's ranking of 194 states using range of criteria, editors' opinions
Rightist MKs: Threats against Barak bogus
YNet News 6 Jan 2010 - Shin Bet, defense minister's advisors behind threatening letter, National Union MKs charge
Barak: I'm not scared of anyone
YNet News 6 Jan 2010 - Defense minister addresses recent death threats, says they do not represent West Bank residents
New anti-rocket system ready
YNet News 6 Jan 2010 - Iron Dome system, designed to intercept Qassam rockets, to be deployed later this year; Defense Minister Barak says system's completion a significant milestone, tests' success attests to capabilities of Israel's defense industries
International aid convoy enters Gaza Strip
YNet News 6 Jan 2010 - Convoy enters Gaza following violent clashes in El-Arish; earlier, Turkish foreign minister telephones Egyptian counterpart, asks him to release members of aid convoy
Visiting exile: Don't strike Iran
YNet News 6 Jan 2010 - Israeli attack on Iran will unite Iranian people, delay regime's collapse, exiled director says
IDF troops suspected of abusing comrade
YNet News 6 Jan 2010 - Two soldiers from base in south accused of depriving comrade of sleep, demanding money
Hamas: Border clashes linked to Egyptian barrier
YNet News 6 Jan 2010 - Escalation of violence on Egypt-Rafah border related to construction of Egyptian underground barrier, Hamas official admits; dozens hurt in Wednesday's riots. Hamas parliamentarian: Israel still our main enemy
35 Palestinians wounded by Egyptian security forces near Salahuddin terminal
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - Palestinian medical sources have reported that 35 Palestinian citizens were wounded by Egyptian gunfire Wednesday evening when dozens of them rallied near Salahuddin terminal in Rafah area.
IOF troops deliver demolition orders for 28 Palestinian homes
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) delivered demolition notifications to owners of 28 houses in Akraba village, Nablus district, on Wednesday and asked them to evacuate them within 48 hours.
Bahar: All conspiracies aimed to blackmail Gaza people will fail
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - Dr. Ahmed Bahar stressed that all conspiracies that are aimed to undermine the steadfastness of Gaza people and blackmail them into making concessions would fail.
Palestinian resistance fighter succumbs to wounds
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - A member of the Salahuddin Brigades, the armed wing of the popular resistance committees, on Wednesday succumbed to serious wounds sustained in an Israeli air raid late on Tuesday night in Gaza.
IOA blocks entry of AFEH observer into Aqsa Mosque
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - The IOA has issued a military order blocking Fawaz Eghbariye, an observer working with the Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage (AFEH), from entering the Aqsa Mosque for six months.
Ashaal: Egypt’s steel wall is a crime against humanity
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - Dr. Abdullah Al-Ashaal, a former assistant to the Egyptian foreign minister, stated that the steel wall built by Egypt is a crime against humanity and violates international law.
European organizations, Turkish masses protest Egyptian assault
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - An alliance of solidarity with the Palestinian people in Europe has called for demonstrations in front of the Egyptian embassies to protest the Egyptian security authorities' assault on Lifeline-3.
IOF troops advance in central Gaza Strip, bulldoze land
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) mounting four tanks and escorting three bulldozers advanced into central Gaza Strip east of Deir Al-Balah city on Wednesday and damaged citizens' lands.
PFLP: Building a new Jewish zone in J’lem will undermine its spiritual status
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - The popular front for the liberation of Palestine said that Israel's intention to build a new Jewish neighborhood overlooking the Aqsa Mosque is aimed to undermine the spiritual status of Jerusalem.
Hamas slams Egyptian authorities for attacking Viva Palestina activists in Arish
PIC 6 Jan 2010 - Fawzi Barhoum denounced the Egyptian authorities for assaulting Viva Palestina activists in Al-Arish seaport, saying that this attack confirmed that there is participation in the siege on Gaza.
Gunmen Kill 6 at Egypt Church After Mass
New York Times 6 Jan 2010 - Egyptian security and hospital officials say gunmen have killed at least six people in a drive-by shooting outside a church in southern Egypt as worshippers left a midnight Mass for Coptic Christmas.
Gunfire at Gaza Protest Near Egypt
New York Times 6 Jan 2010 - Demonstrators rushed the border fence and threw stones at Egyptian troops, leading to an exchange of gunfire and the death of an Egyptian soldier.
Iran Shielding Its Nuclear Efforts in Maze of Tunnels
New York Times 6 Jan 2010 - The underground network complicates the West’s military calculus and obscures the scale of Iran’s nuclear program.
World Briefing | Middle East: Israel: Officials Cancel British Visit
New York Times 6 Jan 2010 - The cancellation by an Israeli military delegation is the latest in a string of officials to put off travel there because of fears of war crimes prosecution over the Gaza war of last winter.
World Briefing | Middle East: Israel: Disputed Housing Approved
New York Times 6 Jan 2010 - Four new apartment buildings are being developed in a predominantly Arab neighborhood of East Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim for a future capital.
Chinese Envoy Objects to More Penalties for Iran
New York Times 6 Jan 2010 - Zhang Yesui, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, objected Tuesday to tougher sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
Israel Fears Popular struggle
Palestine Monitor - 6 Jan 2010 - Dozens of people, including diplomats, Palestinian and Israeli activists gathered on Monday at Ofer detention camp an Israeli military prison in the West Bank to show their support and solidarity with Jamal Juma, Coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign. The demonstration coincided with an extension...
Letter from an Israeli Military Detention Camp
Mondoweiss - 6 Jan 2010 - This letter from Bil’in’s Abdallah Abu Rahmah was shared from his prison cell with his lawyers: January 1, 2010 To all our friends, I mark the beginning of the new decade imprisoned in a military detention camp. Nevertheless, from within the occupation′s holding cell I meet...
Israeli television confrontation is ‘a metaphor of the moral crisis in which Zionism is found today’
Mondoweiss - 6 Jan 2010 - The above interview has been making the rounds online, and has been garnering much attention in Israel. The confrontation features Dan Margalit, a well known mainstream Israeli journalist, and MK Jamal Zahalka, a Palestinian member of the Knesset. There have been several responses to the episode...
Some recent headlines from Israel/Palestine
Mondoweiss - 6 Jan 2010 - From The National: " Israel’s treatment of Ethiopians ‘racist’ ": Health officials in Israel are subjecting many female Ethiopian immigrants to a controversial long-term birth control drug in what Israeli women’s groups allege is a racist policy to reduce the number of black babies. The contraceptive,...
Palestine Vivra! The French Heroes of the Gaza Freedom March
Mondoweiss - 6 Jan 2010 - Demonstration in front of the French Embassy in Cairo. (Photo: Anne Paxton ) A great many heroes have emerged from the Gaza Freedom March’s efforts in Cairo, where more than 1,400 internationals from 43 countries have come to demand an end to the Israeli siege on Gaza....
Look familiar?
Mondoweiss - 6 Jan 2010 - This is a trailer for the film Have You Heard From Johannesburg? . I know the movement for equal rights and justice in Israel/Palestine doesn’t look like this quite yet, but maybe someday soon. If you’re in New York City, the film will be playing at the...
Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the "Cairo Declaration" to end Israeli Apartheid
Alternative Information Center - 5 Jan 2010 - (Cairo) Gaza Freedom Marchers approved on 1 January 2010 a declaration aimed at accelerating the global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli Apartheid. Roughly 1,400 activists from 43 countries converged in Cairo on their way to Gaza to join with Palestinians marching to...
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Nine Palestinians Wounded By the Israeli Military in Hebron
IMEMC 7 Jan 2010 - Friday January 08, 2010 - 02:13, Nine Palestinian residents were wounded in separate Israeli military attacks targeting the villages of Sa’ir and Yatta, in the Hebron district, in the southern part of the West Bank.
Troops attack a Palestinian family in Hebron
IMEMC 7 Jan 2010 - Friday January 08, 2010 - 00:09, Israeli soldiers attacked on Thursday a Palestinian family in Al Tawana, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and kidnapped one family member.
Army Invades Bil’in, Soldiers Say “we Are Just Doing Our Job”
IMEMC 7 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 07, 2010 - 13:10, In a rather familiar scene in the village of Bil’in near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, Israeli troops invaded the village, once again, and stormed the house of Rani Ayoub, a local peace activist. The invasion comes one day after the army raided the village to kidnap some children.
Gaza Children Fly Balloons Carrying Pictures Of Slain Family Members
IMEMC 7 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 07, 2010 - 11:44, Dozens of children in the Gaza Strip launched balloons carrying the pictures of their parent and family members who were killed by the Israeli army during Israel’s illegal war against the coastal region one year ago.
Hundreds Protest In Front Of Egypt’s Embassy
IMEMC 7 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 07, 2010 - 09:45, Hundreds of Turkish citizens and activists held a protest on Tuesday evening in front of the Egyptian Embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara. The human rights activists, including parliamentarians, protested until dawn hours of Wednesday.
Israel To Pay 10 M. In Compensation To The UN
IMEMC 7 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 07, 2010 - 08:29, In an unofficial admission of targeting United Nations facilities, the Israeli government decided to pay the United Nations 10 Million USD in compensation for targeting its facilities during the war on Gaza one year ago.
Israeli jets attack targets across Gaza
1/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli warplanes carried out a series of raids on military sites throughout the Gaza Strip late Thursday night, witnesses said and Israel's military confirmed. Muawiya Hassanein, the Gaza Health Ministry's director of ambulance and emergency services, told Ma'an he was not aware of any casualties. He said the jets struck four areas in total. Al-Jazeera reported that a missile killed one Palestinian and injured two inside a smuggling tunnel along the Gaza-Egypt border. Ma'an could not immediately confirm the report, although locals reported smoke rising above the tunnel area just after midnight. At least two missiles landed in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, one of them near a school, and a third between Khan Younis and Rafah. Jets were still flying overhead the area early into Friday morning. Meanwhile, Ma'an's correspondent said two missiles struck a military target in the Gaza City neighborhood of Zaytoun.
Hanan’s eight-year battle with Yitzhar settlers
1/7/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - On 5 May 2002, dozens of armed settlers from the Yitzhar settlement attacked the Safwan family, setting fire to their home, sending dogs into the home and damaging most of the furniture. Hanan Safwan, 49-years-old, recounted that her husband died on the spot that day in May, "ever since then," she lamented, "the attacks against this family have never stopped. "The family lives in the village of Burin, south of Nablus, a kilometer north of the Yitzhar settlement. "I can remember how my kids stood in panic and fear watching the fierce settlers' attack and seeing their father Adnan suffering a heart attack. . . he couldn't stand to see the home he build destroyed before his eyes," Hanan said. The most recent attack came last week, when a group of settlers snuck onto her family's property before sunrise, and uprooted 18 olive trees.
Researcher calls for increased attention to long-term prisoners
1/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Sixty-five-year-old prisoner Ibrahim Jaber, the fifth oldest Palestinian in Israeli detention, was moved to the Ramon facility in the Negev desert last week, researcher in prisoners affairs Abdel Nasser Farawneh said Wednesday. Farawneh said in a statement that Jaber, who has been in prison for 27 years, has been ignored and deserves more attention from international organizations. He called on human rights groups to highlight the plight of men who have spent almost half their lives in prison. Jaber was detained in 1982, accused of involvement in the death of three Israelis in Jerusalem and affiliation with Fatah. In a related issue, young Palestinian detainees on Thursday urged the Palestinian Authority to coordinate high school exit exams with Israel. Tawfiq Abu Na'im, a prisoner, said that in the coming weeks, students will start registering for tawjihi. . .
Israeli forces raid Bil’in home in search of documents, phone
1/7/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Bil'in residents reported the entry of between 35 to 40 Israeli soldiers in 6 jeeps and a troop carrier which entered the village before sunrise Thursday and surrounded the home of Ranu Ayub, detained by Israeli forces last week. According to reports, Ayub has been kept in the West Jerusalem interrogation center without access to a lawyer or family visits. He has not been charged. Iyad Burnat, head of Bil'in's Popular Committee in a statement following the raid, that soldiers invaded Ayub's home "on a trawling exercise, seeking documentation and Rani Ayub's mobile phone. "[end]
Israeli forces shoot Hebron teen
1/8/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Three Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers at a military checkpoint north of the West Bank city of Hebron on Thursday, medical officials said. A boy named Majid Muhammad Abdul Rahman Jaradat, 16, was shot in the hand and the abdomen, medics said, and was transported to Hadassah Ein Karem hospital in Jerusalem. A hospital spokeswoman, Karmit Orpav, said a Palestinian arrived at the hospital in an intensive care ambulance following the incident and was going into surgery for "serious" injuries. "He's on his way to the operating room now," she said. The incident reportedly took place at a checkpoint on bypass road number 35. It was not clear what the cause of the clashes was. An Israeli military spokesman said that Israeli forces fired at three Palestinians who were rolling burning tires and throwing stones.
Canadian profs warn of waning rights in Palestinian universities
1/8/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Education International and the Canadian Association of University Teachers released a report Wednesday warning of the decline of academic freedom and professional rights of higher education teaching personnel in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The report blames the "continuing political conflict in the region," but notes pressure from within the academy and from external political forces. "There are clear and consistent violations of internationally recognized academic rights as detailed in UNESCO's 1997 Recommendation Concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel," David Robinson, associate executive director of CAUT and author of the report said in a statement. The study, The Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, found that the strong polarization of opinions within Israel over the political conflict. . .
Israel seals Gaza crossings after shelling
1/7/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - One truck of carnations and two trucks of strawberries were set to leave the Gaza Strip Thursday, with an expected 86-96 truckloads of humanitarian aid to enter the area, Palestinian crossings authority official Raed Fattouh said. When a projectile reportedly fired by Gaza militants hit near the Kerem Shalom crossing, however, the transfer point was shut-down and sealed. The Israeli office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) could not immediately be reached to confirm whether the crossing would be re-opened later in the day. The import/export activity was set to go through Gaza's only open crossing, Kerem Shalom, as Israeli officials announced the permanent closure of the Nahal Oz crossing - previously used for the transport of fuel - and decided to keep the bulk goods crossing closed at Karni.
Israel warns Gazans after mortar fire
1/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Popular Resistance Committees claimed a third round of mortar launches Thursday afternoon, following two early morning barrages aimed at Israeli targets in and around the Gaza Strip, sources said. The total number of confirmed launches stood at 11 by the mid-afternoon, with three more reported after 2pm, while Israeli media sources said 10 of the mortars landed in the southern Negev. One of the projectiles landed near the Kerem Shalom crossing, prompting its closure. An Israeli military spokesman told Ma'an that officials confirmed that five-seven shells had landed, including two on the crossing itself. There were no reports of injuries or damage. The three launches appear to be the largest attack on southern Israel since the end of Israel's Operation Cast Lead last year. Projectiles have been intermittently launched at Israeli targets in clusters of two to four, with no more than two barrages launched in a single day.
Day 12: The shooting of Amal, Souad, Samar and Hajja
1/8/2010 - Part 12 of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. - Bethlehem - Ma'an - In the late morning of 7 January 2009, Israeli tanks moved onto a small piece of agricultural land in front of the of the house of Khalid Abd Rabbo and his wife Kawthar, on the ground floor of a four-story building in the eastern part of Izbat Abd Rabbo, a neighborhood east of Jabaliya inhabited primarily by members of their extended family. In testimony to Richard Goldstone's UN inquiry, Khalid recounted: "On January 7 at 12:50pm the Israeli army bulldozed our garden and the Israeli tanks were positioned in front of our house. They started yelling at us through the speakers and asked us to leave the house. "Moments earlier, at 12:30pm, megaphone messages telling all residents to leave were heard across the neighborhood.
Report: Israel to pay $10 million in compensation to UN
1/8/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel will pay 10 million US dollars in compensation to the United Nations for bombing its facilities during the offensive on Gaza one year ago, an Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday. The Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israel decided to make the payment to the UN "although it did not deliberately target its facilities. "According to eyewitnesses, human rights groups, and two UN investigations into the matter, numerous UN installations were bombed during the war, including schools. The central warehouse of the UN relief agency UNRWA was gutted in a fire that witnesses said was sparked by the incendiary white phosphorus shells fired by Israeli warplanes. A UN investigation into the attacks on its facilities found Israel liable for the damage and asked that it pay 11. 4 million US dollars.
Nine detained in night raids
1/7/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Israeli military said on Thursday it detained nine Palestinians during overnight operations in the West Bank. A military official told Ma'an that one Palestinian was taken from Azzun Atma near Qalqiliya, one from Kobar north of Ramallah, four from Masra Al-Qibiliya north of Ramallah and three from Al-Arrub Refugee Camp north of Hebron. The military said the "wanted" Palestinians were "taken for questioning. "The detainees were not immediately identified. In another overnight raid, Israeli troops invaded the house of Diya Hoshiyeh, a reporter for Palestine television, he told Ma'an. Hoshiyeh said soldiers created "a huge mess" while searching the house, adding that troops raided his brother's house in the same building, assaulting his nephews and forcing the family into the street.
Rafah crossing closed after exit of 2,633 Palestinians
1/7/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Egyptian border officials announced the closure of the Rafah crossing following four days of pedestrian traffic including the entrance of more than 500 international activists into the besieged Strip. The de facto government Ministry of the Interior announced the closure Thursday, noting a total of 2,633 Palestinians left Gaza and 321 entered. The fourth day of open crossings was reserved for individuals holding international passports, officials noted. No numbers were available for the total number of passport holders that entered or exited the Strip from the de facto government, but at least 500 international activists with the Viva Palestina convoy were permitted to enter the Strip for 48-hours. The border was kept open Wednesday despite clashes between Egyptian soldiers and Viva Palestina activists, as well as stone throwing from Palestinians in the Gazan Rafah.
In photos: Christmas controversy in Bethlehem
1/7/2010 - 1-5: Fanfare welcomes Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan Mar Sweirios Malki Murad and Coptic Archbishop Abraham to the Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Wednesday. Eastern churches celebrate according to the Georgian calendar, two weeks after Western denominations. Orthodox make up the largest denomination of Palestine`s Christian minority. 6-8: Priests and a few remaining loyalists await the annual arrival of Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III outside the Nativity Church. Prominent Christian figures refused to welcome him, however, holding banners condemning alleged leases of church land to Israeli developers for the construction of new settlements. 9-11: A cordon of Palestinian Authority riot police link hands to form a human barricade between protesters along the patriarch`s route. . . .
Hebron resident shot in clan clash
1/7/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Police in the West Bank city of Hebron opened an investigation into the shooting of a resident on Thursday. Police said a resident was treated for a gunshot wound at Al-Mezan Hospital in Hebron. Palestinian Authority forces went to the scene of the shooting and found that it took place during a fight between two families in the Israeli-controlled H2 section of Hebron. Also on Thursday Hamas-controlled police in Gaza said they arrested a man in Deir Al-Balah for stealing items valued at 150,000 Israeli shekels from a house. The suspect confessed to the robbery under interrogation, they said. [end]
Mitchell: Peace talks should take just 2 years
1/8/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - US President Barack Obama's envoy to the Middle East said on Wednesday that peace negotiations should take no more than two years once they begin. The envoy, George Mitchell, said in an interview on the Charlie Rose program on American public television that he plans to return to the region in the coming days in hopes of pushing forward the long-comatose talks. "We think that the negotiation should last no more than two years, once begun we think it can be done within that period of time," Mitchell said. "We hope the parties agree. Personally I think it can be done in a shorter period of time. " Mitchell is expected to visit, Israel, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon in 10 days. Recent news reports say Mitchell is expected to be carrying letters of guarantees outlining the US position on renewed talks. According to reports, the letters are likely to call for negotiations based on the 1967 borders while granting Israel the right to keep certain West Bank settlements.
Haniyeh: Gaza doesn’t threaten Egypt
1/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Thursday called for Egypt to hold an urgent, direct meeting with the Hamas-led government todiscuss bilateral relations and Cairo's policy toward Gaza's besieged people. "Gaza does not threaten Egypt's security. It is that which defends Arab, Islamic, and Egyptian security," he said, speaking a a ceremony organized by his government to receive the Viva Palestina convoy, which arrived on Wednesday. "Construction of the steel wall along the [Rafah] border, along with the developments accompanying Viva Palestina, necessitates holding a direct meeting with the Egyptians," the Gaza-based prime minister added. "The Egyptian people, even senior officials, support Palestine and lifting the siege imposed on Gaza. " Haniyeh praised members of the convoy and, as he had earlier, reiterated his condemnation for the "attack" on the Viva. . .
Report: Syrian-made explosives found planted in south Lebanon
1/7/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Approximately ten explosive devices were found on Lebanon's southern border last week, Israeli media reported Thursday. Reports suggested that the bombs were designed to target Israeli forces entering Lebanon, and said sources in Israel "believed the devices were placed at the site by Hizbullah. "Israel's daily newspaper Haaretz, said the devices were planted several kilometers north of the Israeli town of Metula, near the Lebanese town of Al-Khiam. It also quoted source saying the devices were either Syrian or Iranian made. The explosives were found by the UN team responsible for peace keeping in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL. The discovery of the weapons follows intermittent attacks by Lebanese militias in the south, which Israeli forces have retaliated against with equal or greater force. . . . .
Israel-UNIFIL talks end without agreement
1/7/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A second round of talks between Israel and UNIFIL concerning the occupied Lebanese village of Ghajar have ended without an agreement, Israel's Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday. In a statement, the ministry said the meeting was aimed at reaching a temporary agreement on the issue. Talks are scheduled to continue in the next few weeks, the statement added. Following Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, the UN determined that the international border between Syria and Lebanon cuts across the village. Israel maintains its occupation of the southern section of the village, frequently invading the northern Lebanese part. The Foreign Ministry statement said "Israel clarified that it is committed to continue its attempts to reach an agreement concerning Ghajar village within the framework of UN Security Council resolution 1701. "
De facto government opens Bissan Village, latest Gaza park
1/7/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A small zoo, swimming pool, park and picnic area make up the new Bissan Entertainment Village in northern Gaza, opened for families on Wednesday by the de facto government. Animals from the rapidly closing smuggling tunnels brought to Gaza via Egypt roam fresh pens in the 14 dunum area next to picnic areas and barbecue pits, as well as two new buildingshousing a shop and small recreation center. The park opening was attended by the local government's Minister of the Interior Fathi Hammad, Minister of Agriculture Muhammad Al-Agha, PLC member Ahmad Bahar and de facto police Chief Jamal Al-Jarrah amid a large festival to celebrate the event. The park is the first built since Israel's war on Gaza in December and January of 2008-9. A newly planted forest in the park includes dozens of olive trees with plaques dedicating each tree to a child from the northern neighborhood killed during the war.
Hamas: PA seizes 10 members
1/7/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas said on Thursday that Fatah-allied Palestinian Authority forces seized 10 members of the Islamist movement from the West Bank. Ma'an could not immediately verify these claims. Hamas identified the detainees as the following: Sheikh Wajih Qawwas and Ahmad Nazzal, in Qalqiliya, Abbas Ja'ara in Nablus, Bara' Yousif, a student, in Ramallah, Bilal Salim in Hebron, Sabia Ayyash in Salfit, Sheikh Muhammad Awad Al-Jammal, Muhammad Abu Al-Hayja, Zuheir Musa and Omar Abu Ar-Rab in Jenin. [end]
Israel strikes Gaza in response to rocket attack
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Qassam fired from Gaza explodes near Ashkelon; 10 mortars hit Israel; anti-tank missile fired at IDF troops.
Ahmadinejad: Iran and Syria will create a new world order
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Report: Syria President Assad urges Washington to play a stronger role in Mideast peacemaking.
Galloway-led aid convoy enters Gaza following border strife
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Border crossing remains open another day to allow Palestinians stranded on either side to cross.
Report: Al-Qaida CIA bomber was furious over Gaza war
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Al-Quds Al-Arabi: Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi made numerous attempts to join Gaza aid group.
UNIFIL peacekeepers find bombs buried near Israel border
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Bombs believed to have been buried in southern Lebanon by Hezbollah to strike at IDF troops.
Iron Dome may be ready, but Gaza front is still in danger
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Defense establishment aces trial of barrage interception; IDF to deploy Gaza rocket interceptor by June.
Israeli Theft of Palestinian Property
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - Adalah, meaning justice in Arabic, is the legal center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel advocating through Israeli Supreme Court petitions; lawsuits and appeals to the District, Magistrate and Labor Courts; pre-petitions to the Attorney General; and various other ways to serve its constituency in a nation where only Jews have rights. It also prepares publications...
PCHR Condemns Measures Taken by Security Services in Gaza against Fatah Activists
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns measures taken by the security services in Gaza against activists of Fatah Movement in the Gaza Strip to prevent them from commemorating the 45th anniversary of the establishment on the movement on the 1st of January. Security services in Gaza arrested dozens of activists of Fatah movement during...
Israel launches air strike in Gaza City -Hamas
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - Several explosions were heard on Thursday night in Gaza City, in what Hamas and Palestinian radio stations said was the result of an Israeli air strike. Smoke and flames were visible from the site of the blasts. The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the attack...
'Israel to compensate UN for Gaza war damages'
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - Israel has agreed in principle to reimburse losses the United Nations suffered during Israel's three-week offensive in the Gaza Strip last winter,a UN spokesman said on Thursday. Spokesman Martin Nesirky declined to give a figure or other details of the accord. A UN inquiry last year put the cost of damage to UN property in Gaza...
Gaza Children Fly Balloons Carrying Pictures Of Slain Family Members
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - Dozens of children in the Gaza Strip launched balloons carrying the pictures of their parent and family members who were killed by the Israeli army during Israel’s illegal war against the coastal region one year ago. The event took place in Abu Ja’far Al Mansur School for Boys in the Al Atatra area that was heavily...
Charges of Palestinian Child torture in Israeli prisons 'Cell No. 36' - DCI-Palestine submits 13 cases to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
Uruknet January 7, 2009 - On 6 January 2010, DCI-Palestine submitted 13 cases to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture for investigation. The cases relate to the ill-treatment, and in some cases torture, of Palestinian children being held at the notorious Al Jalame Interrogation and Detention Centre near Haifa, in Israel, between February 2008 and March 2009. In each case, boys...
Settlers build new outpost, assault old man and teen
Uruknet January 7, 2010 -- A number of Jewish settlers built a new settlement outpost in Jericho district in protest over the Israeli government's decision to freeze settlement activity in the West Bank for ten months. Hebrew daily Yediot Ahronot said on Wednesday that the outpost was built by a group of activists followers of the so-called youth for land of...
Israeli media reports Tel Aviv involvement in religious tensions in Egypt
Uruknet January 7. 2010 - A report in the Israeli media claims that Tel Aviv is involved in fuelling the religious tensions between Muslims and Christians in Egypt. The aim, according to the article in Haaretz newspaper, is to tarnish Egypt’s image and international public opinion, in Europe particularly. According to the article, Israel used a Canadian activist of Egyptian origin,...
Clashes after Egypt Copt killings
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - Clashes have broken out in southern Egypt between thousands of Christian Copts and police after the Christmas Eve killing of six Copts in a drive-by shooting, police officials say. Fighting erupted outside a hospital morgue on Thursday where the bodies of the Christians killed the previous day were kept, the official said. Six male churchgoers and...
Israeli forces shoot Hebron teen
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - Three Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers at a military checkpoint north of the West Bank city of Hebron on Thursday, medical officials said. A boy named Majid Muhammad Abdul Rahman Jaradat, 16, was shot in the hand and the abdomen, medics said, and was transported to Hadassah Ein Karem hospital in Jerusalem. A...
Palestine Memorial Week in London
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - Palestine Memorial week will be lunched with the first anniversary of the indiscriminate war against the besieged people of Gaza approaching, a number of organizations based in the UK and Europe are preparing for a week of events and actions. The events which will last one week will remember the victims killed in more than 30...
A year after losing a father and sons, a Gaza family copes
Uruknet January 6, 2010 - "Four months after the martyrdom of my husband and two of my sons, my granddaughter Lina was born -- the daughter of my martyred son Basel," said Fathiya Abu Jbarah. Fathiya is the widow of Jihad Abu Jbarah and mother of Basil, 30, and Usama, 21 who were killed on 4 January 2009 by an Israeli...
Breaking News: 2 civilians killed in Gaza as Israel strikes food-tunnels
7 Jan 2010 - South Gaza, January 8, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Following the extensive Israeli attacks across Gaza Strip, Israeli air force launched a number of air raids against the food tunnels with Egypt. Medical sources reported that 2 civilians killed and a number injured in the heavy bombardment.
Viva Palestina Arrives in Gaza
7 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 7, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Viva Palestina aid convoy entered Gaza Wednesday night, after it received the approval of Egyptian authorities to bring into the besieged, impoverished coastal sliver several tons of humanitarian supplies. More than 500 international activists accompanying the convoy organized by the British-based group Viva Palestina entered Gaza through Rafah border crossing. The Egyptian approval...
Egyptian Soldier Dead and More Than 35 Gazans Hurt
7 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 7, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Egyptian troops and Hamas loyalists opened fire along Gaza's border Wednesday, leaving an Egyptian soldier dead and more than 35 Gazans hurt. The shooting, accompanied by a barrage of rocks, underlined the mounting tensions over Egypt's construction of underground steel. Egypt says that securing its border with Gaza is a matter of national...
Gaza: Soil Has Been Contaminated Due to Bombings
7 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 7, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The 2006 and 2009 Israeli bombings in Gaza Strip have left a high concentration of toxic metals in the soil. Those metals can cause tumours and problems with fertility, and they can have serious effects on newly born babies, like deformities and genetic pathologies. The metals are in particular tungsten, mercury, molybdenum, cadmium...
Fishing Under Fire REPORT 2009
6 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Since the declaration of the "ceasefire"(18/1/2009), till the end of the year: * 1 fisherman have been assassinated by the Israeli Navy * at least 7 fishermen have been injured by gunfire (and at least another one sustained burns after shelling) in the sea, while another fisherman was reported by several media to be lightly...
Gunmen kill seven outside church in Egypt
The National 7 Jan 2010 - Churchgoers in southern Egypt are shot at as they leave a midnight Mass for Coptic Christmas.
Egypt fears rise in sectarian violence after church killings
The National 7 Jan 2010 - Drive-by shooting at Coptic Christmas Eve mass leaves seven dead in apparent revenge attack for assault on Muslim girl.
Clashes after Egypt Copt killings
AlJazeera 7 Jan 2010 - More than 2,000 Christian Copts confront police after Christmas Eve drive-by killings.
Israeli air raids kill one in Gaza
AlJazeera 7 Jan 2010 - Jets hit several targets after rockets from Palestinian territory hit Israel.
Israel to deploy missile shield
AlJazeera 7 Jan 2010 - Short-range missile shield aims to prevent rockets from Gaza hitting southern Israel.
Aid convoy breaks Gaza siege
AlJazeera 7 Jan 2010 - Viva Palestina vehicles with food and medical supplies arrive at Rafah crossing after delays.
Settler Violence Report: November - December 2009
Alternative Information Center 7 Jan 2010 - Hebron and South of West Bank On 10 November, settlers from Kiryat Arba renewed their attacks against the residents of nearby Wadi el-Nasara. In the previous two days, settlers threw stones at the houses and their...
Boycott of Israeli settlers' products picks up speed
PNN 7 Jan 2010 - RAMALLAH // Haytham Karasha was not overly concerned. The manager of a Ramallah branch of the supermarket chain Bravo, he said his store had not stocked any goods that originated in settlements for more than a year, and even then it was only one item, a chocolate syrup.Efforts to ban products that originate in settlements, said Mr Karasha, would thus have no effect...
Palestinian anger grows over Egypt wall
PNN 7 Jan 2010 - Smugglers defiant as few believe Egypt will succeed in its latest bid to shut down Gaza's economic lifeline. Gaza's tunnellers have been watching the cranes burying the iron fence along the border, but few believe Egypt will succeed in its latest bid to shut down the territory's economic lifeline. Tensions along the fenced border boiled over on Wednesday when Palestinian youths hurled...
Putting Lens on Lives in Suspended Animation in Gaza
PNN 7 Jan 2010 - GAZA — In the year since Israeli fighter jets and troops invaded this coastal Palestinian strip to stop rocket fire, time seems to have stood still. A blockade imposed by both Israel and Egypt to isolate the Hamas government bars the vast majority of goods and people from moving in or out. That means there is no reconstruction of destroyed buildings. Thousands...
'Netanyahu tells Hamas: No more flexibility on Schalit'
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - Officials say PM's envoy will be given no more wiggle room: "Dangerous terrorists won't be freed to places where they can endanger lives."
IAF strikes targets in Gaza Strip
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - Attack follows Katyusha near Ashkelon for first time since Cast Lead, 10 mortar shells hit South.
UN, J'lem near deal on Gaza payment
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - United Nations waiting Israeli OK of compensation for attacks on its buildings in Operation Cast Lead.
Barak loosens West Bank moratorium
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - According to update, regional councils may now okay additions and changes in existent structures.
Candidly Speaking: Obama and Israel: Difficult days ahead
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - Despite current hiatus - due to US president having his hands full - we should have no illusions.
'Nobody is irreplaceable, including me'
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - Barak praises resigning MK Paz-Pines, who slams Labor, its leader for "forfeiting their values for power."
Assad urges US to play stronger ME role
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - Syrian leader appeals to visiting US congressman Hastings, says that Israel is not ready for peace.
Abbas accuses Qatari media of bias towards Hamas
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - PA president says depiction of him is inaccurate and unfair.
No agreement yet on Ghajar withdrawal
Jeruslalem Post 7 Jan 2010 - Foreign Ministry, UNIFIL fail to come up with formula for IDF pullout from northern part of border town.
Wave of arrests continue in Burqa village
1/8/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - The Israeli army has abducted another young man from the northern West Bank village of Burqa. Muhammad Samir, 21 years old, was stopped outside the village by soldiers as he returned from his workplace in Tulkarem and arrested. Arrests and military invasions have surged this past month in Burqa, with Samir becoming the 22nd person taken since the beginning of December. Samir was returning from his work at the Tulkarem offices of the Palestinian Authority at 10am yesterday morning when he was stopped at a flying checkpoint between Burqa and the neighbouring village of Bisaia. Upon checking his ID he was immediately place under arrest by soldiers. He was released from prison just two years ago, serving a two-year sentence from the age of 17. The wave of arrests, primarily carried out in night raids on the village, have robbed Burqa of 22 young men in the past month alone.
Netanyahu to Hamas: No further flexibility on Shalit
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a message on Thursday to Hamas saying he would not allow 'dangerous' terrorists freed in the Shalit prisoner exchange deal to return to the West Bank and that no further flexibility will be granted to the team negotiating the deal. ...
Mitchell may shepherd Israel-PA 'proximity talks'
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Washington is now considering the possibility of launching "proximity ...
'Israel to compensate UN for Gaza war damages'
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Israel has agreed in principle to reimburse losses the United Nations suffered during Israel's three-week offensive in the Gaza Strip last winter,a UN spokesman said on Thursday. ...
Barghouti: No more talks, its time for a decision
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Israeli Arab MK Taleb Al-Sana (Ra'am-Ta'al) met Thursday with the Fatah strongman and former Tanzim chief Marwan Barghouti, currently jailed in Israel for masterminding dozens of terror operations against Israeli targets since the outbreak of the intifada. ...
Israel to White House: Stop anti-Israel Palestinian incitement
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - The Prime Minister's Office issued a complaint to the White House several days ago lamenting ongoing incitement against Israel by Palestinian leaders. ...
Israel to pay compensation to UN
The Guardian 7 Jan 2010 - Israel has agreed to pay the UN around $10m in compensation for damage caused to UN buildings in Gaza during last year's war, according to diplomatic sources. The payout is the first since Israel's heavily criticised...
Terror is the price of support for despots and dictators | Seumas Milne
The Guardian 7 Jan 2010 - Egypt's complicity in the Gaza's siege underlines the role of western support for such regimes in the spread of war If an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor had gone on hunger strike in support of a besieged people...
Comment / In Israel, racial profiling doesn't warrant debate, or apologies
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - A couple of months ago, I toured the IDF Ground Forces Command's substances laboratory, a nondescript cluster of prefabricated huts at the Tel Hashomer army base near Tel Aviv, which serves as Israel's brain-trust for every type of explosive used by armies and terrorists in the Middle East. ...
Deciphered etching sheds new light on Bible's origin
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Did the writing of the Bible begin as far back as the 10th century B.C.E., during the time of King David? That is four centuries earlier than Biblical scholars currently believe - but an inscription recently deciphered by a scholar at Haifa University indicates that for at least some books of the Bible, the answer may be yes. ...
Chinese workers sue Israeli company they say bilked them of millions
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - A NIS 6.7 million lawsuit filed in Tel Aviv District Court Thursday on behalf of dozens of Chinese workers alleges that a business entrusted with the money of hundreds of migrants failed to transfer the funds to their families in China. ...
6 weeks into settlement freeze, Barak eases restrictions
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided on Thursday to ease the temporary construction freeze in the West Bank settlements, announced in November by Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayhau, granting local settlement municipalities the authority to hand out building permits to be implemented immediately after the freeze expires. ...
Barak on Pines-Paz resignation: Everyone is replaceable
Ha'aretz 7 Jan 2010 - Following the resignation announcement of veteran Labor MK Ophir Pines-Paz on Thursday, Defense Minister and Labor Party Chairman Ehud Barak said that "everyone is replaceable, even me." ...
Hamas says in contact with Egypt to contain border crisis
Relief Web 7 Jan 2010 - Source: Xinhua
One dead in Israeli air raids on Gaza Strip
Relief Web 7 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Thanks to EU support, CARE International and its Palestinian partners raise awareness on violence against women and children in the Gaza Strip.
Relief Web 7 Jan 2010 - Source: CARE
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 12: Families Torn Apart in Ezbet Abed-Rabbo, North Gaza
Relief Web 7 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
PCHR Condemns Measures Taken by Security Services in Gaza against Fatah Activists
Relief Web 7 Jan 2010 - Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Accord in principle reached with Israel on payment for UN property damage in Gaza
Relief Web 6 Jan 2010 - Source: UN News Service
IAF strikes Gaza targets
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - Israeli Air Force strikes several targets in central, south Strip in response to mortar, rocket fire on southern Israel. No immediate casualties reported
US chief of staff: Iran strike could destabilize Middle East
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - Admiral Mike Mullen warns attacking Islamic Republic may have severe regional, global ramifications
Syrian Druze doctor buried in native Golan Heights village
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - In humanitarian gesture, IDF, authorities allow transfer of deceased man's body from Syria to his birthplace in northern Golan. 'It is joy mixed with sadness,' says family member
UN says Israel agrees to compensate it over Gaza
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - Damage caused to UN property by IDF during operation cast lead will be reimbursed, according to UN spokesman
Al-Quds Brigades: Iron Dome can't stop our rockets
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - After Israel announces anti-rocket system successfully passed number of tests, spokesman for Islamic Jihad's armed wing says it can't stop locally-made projectiles. Adds: Israel trying to drag us into another conflict
Barak orders settlement freeze mitigations
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - Jewish West Bank councils will be authorized to issue permits for renovation of existing structures and public infrastructure works. Efrat council: Revision brings no new message
Hamas squeezed between Iron Dome, steel wall
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - Successful testing of Iron Dome rocket defense system, Egypt's construction of anti-smuggling steel wall threatens Islamist group's power
Qassam explodes near Ashkelon; no injuries
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - Rocket fired from Gaza hits near Ashkelon; 'after long period of relative calm, the attack was frightening'
10 illegal Palestinian aliens arrested in Kfar Yona
YNet News 7 Jan 2010 - Investigators raid home of family known to police, surprised by decent living conditions of illegal Palestinian workers; stolen shofar, cell phones and electrical appliances found in their belongings
Mortars fired from Gaza after Israel tests defense
Daily Star 7 Jan 2010 Gaza militants fired at least 10 mortar shells at Israel on Thursday, a day after Israel announced it successfully tested a high-tech shield against future mortar and rocket attacks from the Hamas-ruled territory. Once installed later this year, the Iron Dome system could deprive Hamas of an important means of threatening Israel. Hamas have fired thousands of rockets.
Egyptian Christians riot after Christmas killing
Daily Star 7 Jan 2010 Clashes erupted on Thursday as thousands of Coptic Christians in a southern Egyptian village buried six of their number gunned down on Coptic Christmas Eve by men believed to be Muslims, security officials said. Officials and the local bishop said three men in a car had raked pedestrians with gunfire late on Wednesday along a street containing two churches and a shopping precinct.
Iraq and Iran to meet to draw border: Mottaki
Daily Star 7 Jan 2010 Iraq and Iran will begin talks next week to mark their borders, both countries said on Thursday, weeks after Tehran took over a disputed oil well in a move Iraq's prime minister called "unjustified." Nouri al-Maliki's criticism of the Iranian move came during talks between him and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, during the latter's one-day visit to Baghdad.
Yemen warns US military intervention could strengthen Al-Qaeda
Daily Star 7 Jan 2010 United States military intervention in Yemen to help fight Al-Qaeda militants could backfire and strengthen the jihadists believed to be behind the botched attack on a US airliner, a top Yemeni official said on Thursday. "Any intervention or direct [military] action by the United States could strengthen the Al-Qaeda network and not weaken it," Rashed al-Aleemi, deputy prime minister for defense and security affairs, told a press conference.
Briton, Germans abducted in Yemen still alive, official confirms
Daily Star 7 Jan 2010 Five Germans, including three children, and a British national who have been held by kidnappers in Yemen for the past six months are still alive, a top official said on Thursday. "We have confirmed information that they are still alive. They are five Germans and a British national," deputy prime minister for defence and security affairs, Rashad al-Aleemi, told a press conference.
Galloway in Gaza as Hamas, Egypt clash at 'death wall' protest
Daily Star 7 Jan 2010 Hamas loyalists and Egyptian troops opened fire along Gaza's volatile border Wednesday, leaving an Egyptian soldier dead and more than a dozen Gazans hurt in the bloodiest clash between the two sides in a year. Accompanied by a barrage of rocks, the shooting underlined the mounting tensions over Egypt's construction of an underground steel wall.
Iran to try five people over December unrest
Daily Star 7 Jan 2010 Iran will try five people arrested in connection with protests last month, the biggest in the Islamic Republic since the aftermath of the presidential election in June, the official news agency said on Thursday. The agency, quoting a statement by Tehran's revolutionary court, did not identify the detainees or the date of their trials but the charge of "moharebeh" - an Islamic term meaning warring against God - carries the death sentence.
At least 140 killed as South Sudan violence escalates
Daily Star 7 Jan 2010 At least 140 people have been killed and 90 wounded over the past week in the remote troubled Wunchuei region of Warrap state in southern Sudan, a senior UN official said on Thursday. Clashes, apparently between rival tribal groups, have occurred since the beginning of the month but reports emerged only after a UN security team visited the remote area by aircraft two days ago.
Settlers build new outpost, assault old man and teen
PIC 7 Jan 2010 - A number of Jewish settlers built a new settlement outpost in Jericho district in protest over the Israeli government's decision to freeze settlement activity in the West Bank for ten months.
Khudari: Lifeline solidarity message
PIC 7 Jan 2010 - MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the head of the popular anti siege committee, has described the lifeline-3 aid convoy as a message of solidarity from the world sympathizers to Gaza.
Zahhar: Contacts with Egypt to contain the Rafah incidents
PIC 7 Jan 2010 - Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar has said that his Movement was absolutely interested in ending the crisis with Egypt following the regretful incidents in Rafah on Wednesday.
Galloway: More convoys expected from Venezuela, South Africa, Malaysia
PIC 7 Jan 2010 - British MP George Galloway has vowed that more aid convoys would be organized for Gaza from Venezuela, South Africa and Malaysia.
Haneyya hails Turkish, Libyan leaderships for their support of Palestine
PIC 7 Jan 2010 - Ismail Haneyya, the Palestinian premier, has appreciated the Turkish and Libyan support and assistance for the Palestinian people and cause especially during the Israeli war on Gaza and after it.
Egypt-Gaza border riot leaves Egyptian guard dead
LA Times 7 Jan 2010 - Hundreds of Palestinians protest Egypt's rebuff of a Gaza aid convoy as well as a new barrier to smuggling tunnels. A dozen Palestinians are hurt as the protest turns violent. Gunfire broke out Wednesday during a Palestinian protest over Egypt's blockade of the Gaza Strip, leaving an Egyptian border guard dead and a dozen Palestinians injured.
Iran Accuses Five of Warring Against God
New York Times 7 Jan 2010 - At least five protesters arrested during anti-government demonstrations will be tried on charges that carry the death sentence.
Iranian TV Sees Conspiracy in Neda Video
New York Times 7 Jan 2010 - A new documentary made for Iranian television seeks to prove that the graphic, widely-seen amateur video of a female protester named Neda Agha-Soltan bleeding to death on a Tehran street last June was fake.
Jordanian Bomber’s Path Remains a Mystery to His Family
New York Times 7 Jan 2010 - Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi’s relatives thought he was tending to Palestinians in Gaza, but he was at the center of a deadly espionage operation.
Memo on Iran: Steady Drip of Leaks Corrodes the Core of the Iranian Regime
New York Times 7 Jan 2010 - Leaks from within Iran’s secretive core of insiders may be helping to chip away at the legitimacy of the government.
Attack at a Church in Egypt Kills 7
New York Times 7 Jan 2010 - Three men in a car sprayed automatic gunfire into a crowd of churchgoers on Wednesday in the southern Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi as they left a midnight Mass for Coptic Christmas.
Arbitrary occupier’s law used to clamp down on Palestinian life
Mondoweiss - 7 Jan 2010 - On January 4th, the health and human rights delegation that I’m on was scheduled to meet with Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Legislative Council member, former Palestinian Authority Minister of Information, and founder of Palestinian Medical Relief Society. We arrive at the modern PMRS offices in Ramallah, only...
an innocent in Israel
Mondoweiss - 7 Jan 2010 - A few impressions from my first couple days in Israel: –After a week in an Arab country, the sudden shift when you cross the Egyptian border at Taba is cinematic, like the Wizard of Oz. You might be in Switzerland. Everything is clean and orderly in...
George Galloway interviewed on Viva Palestina, the blockade of Gaza and the US role
Mondoweiss - 7 Jan 2010 - Viva Palestina leader George Galloway was interviewed this morning on Democracy Now from Gaza. The interview covered many issues, but the most important was the situation that Galloway has found on the ground now that the aid convoy has arrived: Related posts: Viva Palestina convoy of...
Is J Street repeating the mistakes of the irrelevant Israeli peace camp?
Mondoweiss - 7 Jan 2010 - Noam Sheizaf has a very interesting article in the Forward where he explains the demise of the traditional left in Israeli society : What enabled the right’s current success was the ideological turn it took. The last decade has seen all the right’s leaders — from Ariel...
NYT says Jordanian bomber was triggered by Gaza
Mondoweiss - 7 Jan 2010 - Blowback: The Times has a fine report on Human Khalil abu Mulal al-Balawi, the Jordanian doctor who killed 7 CIA agents in Afghanistan, that relates his rage over the Gaza massacres. More evidence of the absence of official accountability. Unless and until the U.S. acknowledges the...
Settler Violence Report: November - December 2009
Alternative Information Center - 7 Jan 2010 - Hebron and South of West Bank On 10 November, settlers from Kiryat Arba renewed their attacks against the residents of nearby Wadi el-Nasara. In the previous two days, settlers threw stones at the houses and their residents. They generally begin their attacks in the evening hours....
Friday, January 8, 2010
US, Jordan, Call On Israel And The P.A To Advance Peace Talks
IMEMC 8 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 09, 2010 - 00:20, The United States and Jordan presented a new track for the stalled Middle East Peace Process, and called on both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resume the peace process and tackle sensitive issues such as Jerusalem and borders before addressing other issues.
Three Injuries in Bil’in, Including one Journalist
IMEMC 8 Jan 2010 - Friday January 08, 2010 - 18:12, Three residents were injured on Friday at the weekly protest in Bil’in village, central West Bank. Dozens suffered from the effects of tear gas inhalation in the weekly protest against the Wall and settlements.
Nil'in: Israeli troops fail to stop the people from joining the weekly protest
IMEMC 8 Jan 2010 - Friday January 08, 2010 - 16:39, The villagers of Nil'in, central West Bank, organized their weekly protest on Friday against the wall Israel is building on their lands. They were joined this week by international supporters and Palestinian MP Mohammad Mesleh
Friday Protest in al-Ma’sara village ends with Military Aggression
IMEMC 8 Jan 2010 - Friday January 08, 2010 - 15:37, Today’s weekly non-violent protest in the village of al-Ma’sara, West Bank, ended with a violent outburst by the Israeli military as they marched in to the village.
PCHR Weekly Report: 1 Palestinian fighter killed, 6 civilians wounded by Israeli forces this week
IMEMC 8 Jan 2010 - Friday January 08, 2010 - 10:34, According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights' Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, during the week of 30 Dec 2009- 05 Jan. 2010, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian resistance fighter in the Gaza Strip. 6 Palestinians, including a child, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes bombarded areas in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian Killed, Six Wounded In An Israeli Air Strike In Gaza
IMEMC 8 Jan 2010 - Friday January 08, 2010 - 08:01, Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Friday at dawn that one Palestinian was killed and six were wounded in an Israeli air strike targeting the “Tunnels Area” in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Army fires on Nablus protesters
1/8/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli forces reportedly attacked demonstrators and residents of Qaryut, south of Nablus, who marched in protest of land confiscation near the illegal Israeli settlement of Shilo on Friday. Dozens of the village's residents rallied to lands that were set to be confiscated near Shilo and into the main road that was blocked previously with cement blocks. Residents along with the activists tried to plant trees at the entrance and to remove the barricades, but 10 armored vehicles arrived at the scene and fired gas canisters on the protestors, injuring several. Meanwhile, about 300 demonstrators occupied and blocked the main road near the Halamish settlement for over two hours on Friday. The demonstrators, 20 of which were injured by rubber-coated bullets, protested recent land grabs. As part of a recent surge in popular protest in the West Bank, hundreds took to. . .
Barak eases freeze, okays 100 more units
1/8/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak gave settlement leaders the power to issue building permits, further relaxing an already loose and unenforced moratorium applying to some construction in West Bank settlements. Israel's daily newspaper Haaretz reported Friday that Barak issued a "revised" version of the settlement freeze that "dictates that the planning powers be returned to local authorities. " The paper explained that the practical outcome will be that once the freeze is over, the paperwork to permit the construction of what could be thousands of settlement homes will already be in order, so building can start immediately. The revised order also permits the expansion of existing structures, such as adding rooms, turning garages and balconies into closed rooms. This expanded the earlier relaxation, applied only three weeks after the initial ban was put in place, allowing for more minor renovations and construction.
Elderly man hospitalized after settler attack in north
1/8/2010 - Qalqiliya - Ma'an - Settlers attacked 70-year-old Husein Ibrahim Hamad on Wednesday, leaving him with deep head wounds, he said from the Darwish Nazzal Hospital in Qalqiliya. Hamad said a group of proximately 20 settlers, some on horseback, left the Hafet Gilad settlement outpost of the Qedumim/Immanu'el settlement area descended from the hilltop, many carrying batons and several with dogs. "They came toward me and Arafat Suwan while we were working on the land," Hamad said. "I don't know what they wanted from us, but I was beaten harshly. " Head ofDarwish Nazal hospital Muyeser Mansur said Hamad and Suwan arrived to the hospital with clear bruises already appearing beneath deep bloody gouges in their heads. After treatment, she described their conditions as "moderate but stable. "Field researcher with the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem Abed Al-Karim As-Sa'di noted an increased. . .
PA detains Al-Aqsa operatives in Nablus
1/9/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces placed nine Fatah operatives into protective custody in the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, detaining them in the nearby Al-Juneid prison, Ma'an has learned. The men were once "wanted" members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah's paramilitary wing, until they entered into an amnesty program and received pardons from Israel. An informed security source said the arrests came amid indications from the Israeli military that it would take its "own procedures," which were not specified, in the event PA forces failed to detain all nine before midnight. PA officials interpreted the warning as a threat to reinvade Nablus, the site of an incursion last month that left three Al-Aqsa members dead, two of whom had received pardons beforehand. Ma'an obtained the identities of the men, who all turned themselves in before the alleged deadline.
Galloway deported from Egypt after exiting Gaza
1/8/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Leader of the Viva Palestinan convoy and British MP George Galloway was deported from Egyptian soil moments after he set foot on it, crossing the border at Rafah from Gaza, organizers of the convoy said. A statement from the group said Galloway and a colleague "were forcibly pushed into a van, refused exit and told that they were leaving the country," as they entered Egypt. Egyptian security sources confirmed the decision to deport Galloway, saying officials had decided to bar the British MP from entering Egypt in the future and added the country would "also put all the convoy members on the black list after they leave. "Officials were upset over the protests launched by the convoy, which spurred riots at the Rafah border, which lead to the death of an Egyptian police officer. Tensions were high in Egypt even before Viva Palestina landed in the country.
Two Palestinians, Israeli demonstrators injured in Bil’in
1/8/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Two Palestinians and an Israeli were injured and dozens of other suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation as confrontations erupted during a peaceful protest in the village of Bil'in. The injured were identified as Abbas Al-Maimuny, a journalist,Dr Rateb Abu Rahma, a member in the Popular Committee Against the Wall, who were both struck by teargas canisters. The third injured man was identified as Israeli peace activistEydo Medix. The Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (PPSF), who organized participation in the anti-wall protest, produced banners saying "by struggle the wall will fall" and promised they would work to organize similar demonstrations in all cities and villages affected by Israel's separation wall. . . . .
Two injured at weekly anti-wall rally near Bethlehem
1/8/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Clashes erupted between protestors and soldiers during a demonstration in the Bethlehem-area village of Al-Mas'ara on Friday, activists said. Two protestors were reported injured by tear gas and rubber-coated bullets. Israeli soldiers chased the demonstrators back into the village and blocked its entrance, as well, according to onlookers. Residents of the village were joined by a group of international peace activists who took to the streets in a massive demonstration against the wall and settlements. The rally began following weekly Friday prayers, after which demonstrators took to the streets chanting slogans calling for an end to the Israeli policies of constructing settlements and the wall. The protestors headed to the wall and tried to reach lands located behind it but were attacked by Israeli soldiers, according to witnesses.
UN: Israeli damages payment for Gaza destruction not finalized
1/8/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - UN spokesman Martin Nesirky declined to set right what a UN News Service report called "certain inaccuracies" in reports saying Israel would pay 10 million US dollars in damages to the world body for damage caused by Israeli forces during their war on Gaza last year. Nesirky said an accord had been reached "in principal," but that details would be disclosed when it had been concluded and a payment made. An assessment made by a team of UN officials in Gaza the summer after Israel's war o the area assessed damage to a UN warehouse and three schools at 11. 4 million US dollars. Destruction to the central warehouse saw hundreds of tons of food and medicine incinerated. The UN report said the issue was one of those on the agenda during a recent discussion between Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in and Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak over the phone.
’Hospitals may in no circumstances be the object of attack’
1/8/2010 - Part 13 of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. - Bethlehem - Ma'an - On 8 January 2009, one year ago today, Israeli artillery shells struck the seventh-floor apartment of Dr Jaber Abu An-Naja, the former PLO ambassador to Senegal and a well-known Fatah politician. The doctor's wife and son-in-law were killed immediately as they sat on the balcony eating pastries. His wife was cut in half by the explosion and his son-in-law was thrown from the balcony on to the street below. His daughter, Ihsan, was seriously injured and taken for treatment to Al-Quds Hospital, a medical center located near Abu An-Naja's and a number of other civilian apartment buildings on Al-Abraj Street in Gaza's Tal El Hawa district, which had come under attack for four days.
Tons of flowers, strawberries piled up at closed Gaza crossing
1/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - For the first time in years, Gazan farmers were told a semi-regular system of exports for flower and then strawberries would be put in place at Israeli crossings. During 2009 there were four days when the export of goods was permitted from Gaza, there were zero days in 2008. During these years the carnation industry in Gaza has staggered, with most of the product going to feed livestock. Because of scarce water, in mid-2009, farmers that wanted to grow strawberries had to apply for permission from the de facto Gaza government to get the okay to use more than their quota of fresh water for the crops. For the past month, an irregular schedule for the export of the goods was working at the Kerem Shalom crossing. There is, however, more product awaiting export than has been permitted through the crossing, and the perishable items are lined up in trucks near the border waiting for their turn to leave.
All Gaza crossings closed
1/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Despite being scheduled to open on Friday, Israeli crossings authorities announced the closure of all crossings into the Gaza Strip, Palestinian crossings authority official Raed Fattouh said. Kerem Shalom crossing was suddenly closed Thursday after mortar shells fired by the militant wing of the Popular Resistance Committees hit near the crossing site. The crossings are closed for the Israeli sabbath on Saturday, they were open for four out of six scheduled days last week. [end]
Eritrean migrant killed by Egyptian security
1/8/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egyptian police killed an Eritrean migrant near the Gaza/Israel border area south of Kerem Shalom crossing early Friday early morning, officials said. The shooing follows a week of unrest at the border area, with international activists and Hamas supporters rallying in the area, prompting clashes on Wednesday. Egyptian police said the man was attempting to enter Israel, and was shot seven kilometers south of the border. His body was transferred to the Rafah Hospital morgue. On Thursday, the Egyptian security said they detained catch four other Eritreans who were trying to sneak into Israel. [end]
Reports: Israeli guard hurt by rock near Bethlehem
1/8/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - An Israeli paramilitary police officer was lightly injured in the stomach from rocks thrown by Palestinians and other protesters near Bethlehem on Friday afternoon, according to Israeli news reports. The demonstrators were reportedly attending one of the weekly protests against Israel's separation barrier, much of which was constructed on privately owned Palestinian land. The officer received treatment onsite, various reports said. [end]
DFLP wing: 3 mortars fired at army base
1/9/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) claimed to have launched three mortar shells at an Israeli target on Friday afternoon, following calls to retaliate for multiple airstrikes the night before. In a statement, the DFLP's National Resistance Brigades said the shells targeted an Israeli military site near Rafah. "The shelling comes in response to the Israeli attacks on Gaza [overnight Thursday] and a as confirmation of continued resistance against the Israeli occupation," the statement said. Ma'an could not independently confirm the launch, which Israel's military later denied. An army spokesman conceded only that on Thursday, the Popular Resistance Committees' armed wing, the An-Nasser Salah Ad-Din Brigades, launched multiple shells at Israeli targets. Early Friday morning, the PRC wing released a statement urging other armed factions to respond "instantly" to the multiple Israeli airstrikes that struck targets across the Gaza Strip shortly after midnight.
NRB claims 3 mortars on Israeli army post
1/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, claimed responsibility for firing three mortar shells on an Israeli military post east of Rafah. The brigades said in a statement that "the shelling comes in response to the Israeli attacks on Gaza [overnight Thursday] and a as confirmation of continued resistance against the Israeli occupation. "[end]
Abbas rallies Arab support for position on peace, unity
1/9/2010 - Amman - Ma'an - A strong Arab position on the furtherance of the peace process is essential, President Mahmud Abbas told leaders in Amman, the last stop on his regional tour following visits to Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait and Turkey on Thursday. The announcement came as Egyptian and Jordanian officials met their counterparts in Washington, the cap of a week of furious state visits by several regional leaders. In Washington, Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman join Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh who is set to attend meetings with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and US Middle East Envoy George Mitchell. The visit followed Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal's travels to meet with Egypt's and Syria's presidents, after Jordan's King Abdullah II visited the Saudi monarch in Riyadh.
Report: US to push Mideast ’proximity talks’
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Within the Obama administration's proposal for renewing Mideast peace negotiations, US special envoy George Mitchell will launch "proximity talks" between Palestinians and Israelis, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported Friday. Under the plan, necessitated by the PLO's refusal to enter into direct negotiations until Israel stops expanding its borders, Mitchell and his staff will meet separately with both parties rather than demand they meet each other right away, the report said. The envoy would present each side's position to the other, and try to fill the gaps, according to the report. This is the same system, Haaretz noted, that was attempted unsuccessfully by former US presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton for Israeli-Syrian talks. The idea apparently arose as President Mahmoud Abbas holds his stance on refusing to meet Israeli Prime Minister. . .
Clinton: Negotiate borders first
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Obama administration's peace plan urges negotiations on borders ahead of settlements and refugees, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters on Friday in Washington. At a news conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Clinton said "resolving borders resolves settlements; resolving Jerusalem resolves settlements. "She said both sides should return to negotiations immediately. "Our goal is to persuade the two parties to get into this very in-depth negotiations on all of these issues as soon as possible. " The secretary of state also said the US and Jordan were "concerned about recent activities in Jerusalem. "Clinton said special US envoy George Mitchell would depart on Sunday for Europe, where he plans to meet with members of the International Quartet, made up of the United States, European Union, United Nations, and Russia, in Brussels.
Islamic Jihad: Israel trying to drag us into war
1/9/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds Brigades affirmed resistance factions' readiness to confront any attack on Gaza, spokesman Abu Ahmad announced Friday. He told Ma'an by phone that "the latest Israeli military escalation on Gaza comes within ongoing attempts by the occupation to provoke the resistance by dragging it into a military confrontation. " The comments came after a sequence of 14 mortar shells were reported fired at Israeli targets by the Popular Resistance Committees' militant wing, which were followed Friday morning by a series of four airstrikes all across the Gaza Strip. On Friday afternoon the PRC issued a call for "retaliation" for the airstrikes. Later Friday the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine's military wing said it launched four mortars at Israeli targets. The recent airstrikes and a series of limited incursions were what Abu Ahmad called Israeli aims to taunt the resistance in Gaza.
Palestinian-Syrian actors visit Gaza
1/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an -Eight Palestinian entertainment stars from Syria arrived in Gaza carrying Damascus Jasmine flowers Wednesday for a tour of support for the people of the besieged coastal region. The delegation included actors Shukran Mortaga, Nizar Abu Hajar, Nadin Salameh, Mas'oud Edris, Ahmad Rafe' and his son Muhammad, as well as producers Basel Khatib and Hani As-Sa'dy. The eight men and women planted the Damascus Jasmine in Gaza city, as a reminder of the support of Syria, and the thousands of Palestinians living there as refugees. Shukran told Palestinians in Khan Younis that her father would tell her his dreams about building a home in Gaza on the sea, and how later in his life he dreamed about returning to Gaza to be buried. Famous actress who is most of the time involved in funny characters said that she wishes she can build a house in Gaza, stressing that her Palestinian father always dreamt to be buried in his homeland Gaza.
Study: Gaza militants fall short trying for al-Qaida link
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Study reports Hamas militants snubbed by al-Qaida due to their focus on Israel, not Western world.
Israel to UN: Investigate bomb cache in Lebanon
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - UNIFIL discovered explosives near Israel border last week; thought to belong to Hezbollah.
Will IDF insignia be 'Made in China'?
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Israeli factory: Conflict-area families will lose their livelihoods, national pride is injured.
Israel hits Gaza for second time in 24 hours after mortar barrage
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Explosions rock Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah; medics: Three Palestinians killed in the attacks.
Amnesty International: Israeli detention of Palestinian activists must end
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - The Israeli authorities must immediately release, or bring before a fair trial, three Palestinian human rights activists detained in Israel following their protests against the construction of the West Bank fence/wall, Amnesty International said on Friday. In a letter sent to Ehud Barak, Israeli Defence and Deputy Prime Minister on Thursday, Amnesty International expressed concern that...
It's a long march to freedom
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - ... If one does not have a strategy, a goal that they are aware of the variables and players, things start to get complicated. We did ask ourselves a few questions: why the shift, so suddenly and the protagonists are Internationals, as if it was not necessary in the past to protest against the actions of any...
Your Palestinian Gandhis Exist ... in Graves and Prisons Calling Bono
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - Dear Bono, In your recent column in the New York Times, "Ten for the Next Ten," you wrote: "I’ll place my hopes on the possibility — however remote at the moment — that...people in places filled with rage and despair, places like the Palestinian territories, will in the days ahead find among them their Gandhi, their...
All Gaza crossings closed
Uruknet January 8, 2010 – Despite being scheduled to open on Friday, Israeli crossings authorities announced the closure of all crossings into the Gaza Strip, Palestinian crossings authority official Raed Fattouh said. Kerem Shalom crossing was suddenly closed Thursday...
Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi survives car shooting
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - Pro-government demonstrators opened fire on the car of an Iranian opposition leader, shattering its windows, his website reported today. Sahamnews said the shooting happened yesterday as former presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi was leaving a building in Qazvin, 90 miles west of Tehran. The report added that some 500 people had been demonstrating outside the building, where...
Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 13: Child Human Shields
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - On 8 January 2009, 'Ala, 15, his brother, Ali, 16, and their cousin Hussein, 13, were released from the cold wet pit in the ground where they’d been detained by Israeli forces for two days and two nights, bound, blindfolded and semi-naked. These children had been used as human shields, a practice which constitutes a war...
Israeli Soldiers Attack and Injure Palestinian Shepherds; Arrest Musab Raba'i
Uruknet January 8, 2010- On the morning of Thursday 7 January, 2010, Israeli soldiers attacked and injured Palestinian shepherds from the Musa Raba'i family, as they grazed their sheep in Humra valley, near the village of At-Tuwani in the South Hebron Hills. The soldiers also attacked the internationals accompanying the shepherds and broke a video camera. Before leaving the area the...
Barak eases freeze, okays 100 more units
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak gave settlement leaders the power to issue building permits, further relaxing an already loose and unenforced moratorium applying to some construction in West Bank settlements. Israel's daily newspaper Haaretz reported Friday that Barak issued a "revised" version of the settlement freeze that "dictates that the planning powers be returned to local...
Settlers desecrate olive groves in Burin
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - 20 olive trees belonging to the Sufan family of Burin village were destroyed by settlers this morning. Burin, located in the northern West Bank, comes under frequent attack from the settlements of Yitzhar and Bracha enveloping the village. Under the cover of dark, settlers entered the olive groves of the Sufan family home at around 3am...
Galloway exits Gaza, deported from Egypt
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - Leader of the Viva Palestinan convoy and British MP George Galloway was deported from Egyptian soil moments after he set foot on it, crossing the border at Rafah from Gaza, organizers of the convoy said. A statement from the group said Galloway and a colleague "were forcibly pushed into a van, refused exit and told that...
Israeli jets attack targets across Gaza, killing 3
Uruknet January 8, 2010 - Ma'an - Israeli warplanes carried out a series of raids on sites throughout the Gaza Strip late Thursday night, witnesses said and Israel's military confirmed. Three citizens were killed and two others injured in the Israeli raids that targeted a tunnel near Rafah crossing south of Gaza. Medical sources in Abu Yousif An-Najjar hospital identified the...
Spiteful Mubarak succeeds only in creating a PR disaster for Egypt and himself
Uruknet January 7, 2010 - Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt, has plumbed new depths and caused deep offence with his shameful bullying of the Viva Palestina convoy bound for Gaza, which had driven for weeks and thousands of miles from many countries to bring medical aid and other relief to women and children cruelly shut off from the world and under...
Children Suffer The Most As A Result Of The Siege On Gaza
8 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 8, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)This is the story of Mahi abu Zer, 14 years old, living in a very marginalized area called the Qarah district, Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip. His father was killed leaving the family in dire need of support. The re-marriage of his mother has made Mahi's life even worse rather than...
Israeli troops training for new Gaza war
8 Jan 2010 - Palestine, January 8, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli forces completed a large-scale military drill in the Negev, the country's Channel 10 news reported, preparing troops for a military offensive against the Gaza Strip. The report, aired Tuesday evening, speculated that the training could even be seen as preparation for a re-occupation of the area. Drills during the training reportedly focused...
Breaking News: 3 civilians killed in Gaza as Israel strikes food-tunnels
7 Jan 2010 - South Gaza, January 8, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Following the extensive Israeli attacks across Gaza Strip, Israeli air force launched a number of air raids against the food tunnels with Egypt. Medical sources reported that 2 civilians killed and a number injured in the heavy bombardment.
Winning the war for local produce in the West Bank
The National 8 Jan 2010 - With two thirds of the goods on sale being imports, and the perception that Israeli products are better, encouraging Palestinians to buy local is no easy task.
Egypt holds Copt killing suspects
AlJazeera 8 Jan 2010 - Three people arrested over shooting outside a church in south of the country.
Egypt deports UK MP George Galloway
AlJazeera 8 Jan 2010 - Leader of Viva Palestina aid convoy to Gaza declared 'persona non grata' by Cairo.
Israeli air raids kill Gazans
AlJazeera 8 Jan 2010 - Jets hit several targets after rockets from Palestinian territory hit Israel.
Amnesty International: Israeli Detention of Palestinian Activists Must End
Alternative Information Center 8 Jan 2010 - The Israeli authorities must immediately release, or bring before a fair trial, three Palestinian human rights activists detained in Israel following their protests against the construction of the West Bank fence/wall, Amnesty International said on Friday....
Israeli Soldiers Attack and Injure Palestinian Shepherds; Arrest Musab Raba'i
Alternative Information Center 8 Jan 2010 - At-Tuwani: On the morning of Thursday 7 January, 2010, Israeli soldiers attacked and injured Palestinian shepherds from the Musa Raba'i family, as they grazed their sheep in Humra valley, near the village of At-Tuwani in the...
Boycott of Israeli settlers' products picks up speed
PNN 7 Jan 2010 - RAMALLAH // Haytham Karasha was not overly concerned. The manager of a Ramallah branch of the supermarket chain Bravo, he said his store had not stocked any goods that originated in settlements for more than a year, and even then it was only one item, a chocolate syrup.Efforts to ban products that originate in settlements, said Mr Karasha, would thus have no effect...
Egypt declares Galloway persona non grata
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - After El-Arish clashes, Cairo says UK lawmaker who led Gaza aid convoy won't be allowed into country.
2 Kassams from Gaza hit western Negev
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - No casualties or damage reported in attack; Hamas boasts new types of weapons smuggled into Strip.
Israel tops Lebanon's hummus record
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - Jubilant mix of Arabs, Jews gathers around the giant chickpea paste dish in the village of Abu Ghosh.
'Israel may not extend mandate for Hebron force'
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - Army Radio: Foreign Ministry is not sure it wants TIPH to continue its work.
Germany to boost Lebanon's security
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - Merkel's top security adviser warns Hariri, Suleiman of terrorists inside Palestinian refugee camps.
'Israel will lose nerve-racking game'
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - Hamas source reportedly says group's position in Schalit talks is strong enough to justify its demands.
IAF strikes four targets in Gaza Strip
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - Tunnels used to smuggle weapons, terrorists struck in response to Katyusha; 3 men reportedly killed. [video inside!]
US, Jordan call on Israel and PA to tackle tough issues
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - Jordanian FM: Resolving question of borders will resolve issues of settlements and Jerusalem while also laying tangible basis for two-state solution.
Suspects in Egypt's Christmas slayings surrender to police
Jeruslalem Post 8 Jan 2010 - "With our soul, our blood, we will defend the Cross," shout 200 Copts gathered outside the local church, before clashing with Muslim residents.
MIDEAST: Sale of Land to Israel Threatens to Split Church
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 8 (IPS) - Israel’s bid to keep occupied East Jerusalem under its sovereignty and prevent its incorporation into a future Palestinian state has been boosted over the years with the acquiescence of the Greek Orthodox Church.
MIDEAST: Route May Open, But Not to Peace
IPS ROUTE 443, Occupied West Bank, Jan 8 (IPS) - Just beyond the main Israeli checkpoint, ten kilometres short of Jerusalem, a white Nissan station wagon is abruptly edging to the side of the road. It comes to a halt on the shoulder.
ECONOMY-JORDAN: Dubai Crisis Casts Shadow On 2010
IPS AMMAN, Jan 8 (IPS) - Surrounded by oil-rich nations Jordan has been able to make do with its modest resources over the years. In 2010, however, the country will have to face challenges associated with global economic slowdown and the crisis in Dubai.
Settlers desecrate olive groves in Burin
1/8/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 20 olive trees belonging to the Sufan family of Burin village were destroyed by settlers this morning. Burin, located in the northern West Bank, comes under frequent attack from the settlements of Yitzhar and Bracha enveloping the village. Under the cover of dark, settlers entered the olive groves of the Sufan family home at around 3am and began chopping the trees. The attack is the third of its kind in the last two months, with the family losing 96 trees in November. The family's home sits on the southern tip of the village towards the hill ascending to Yitzhar settlement, and bears the brunt of their violent neighbours' attacks. It is the third attack of its kind in the last two months alone, with the family losing 96 of their olive trees in November directly after the harvest. The Sufan family has experienced harassment from the settlement almost from the. . .
Twenty demonstrators injured in Nabbi Saleh
1/8/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Coordination Committee - As part of a recent surge in popular protest in the West Bank, about 300 demonstrators occupied and blocked the main road in near the Halamish settlement for over two hours. The demonstrators, twenty of which were injured by rubber-coated bullets, protested recent land grabs. About 300 people took to the street today in the West Bank village of Nabbi Saleh, north-west of Ramallah, in protest of recent land grab by the adjacent Jewish-only settlement of Halamish. The protesters occupied and blocked the main street leading to the settlement, and amidst clouds of tear gas and whizzing rubber-coated bullets, managed to hold it for over two hours. A group of demonstrators also managed to reach the area that was recently taken over by settlers. Settlers who came down from Halamish threw stones and shot live rounds of demonstrators. Soldiers who were present took no actions to stop them. Following the demonstration the army invaded Nabbi Salleh, where clashes ensued.
Army harassment at peaceful tree-planting in Qaryut
1/8/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - An overwhelming force of Israeli military soldiers converged on farmlands outside Qaryut today as villagers attempted to replenish their endangered lands with water and new olive trees. Despite the overbearing army presence, residents' convictions were strong enough for them to stand their ground and finish work for the day. Villagers entered the Qaryut's eastern farmlands following the midday prayer, carrying 200 baby olive trees donated by Palestinian Agricultural Relief and the Ministry of Agriculture. Facing the busy Nablus - Ramallah Road 60 route, and the Israeli settlements of Shilo and Eli behind them they set to work planting the new trees in the land oft neglected by farmers from fear of settler or army reprisal. As residents worked the land, others began clearing the large earth mound that had been constructed across the small dirt road serving as Qaryut's sole link to Road 60.
U.S., Jordan: Israel, Palestinians must tackle tough issues
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - The Obama administration and Jordan laid out a new tack in Mideast peace efforts on Friday, pressing Israel and the Palestinians to take on the tough issues of borders for a Palestinian state and the status of Jerusalem before addressing other obstacles. ...
Report: Turkey, Iran plan joint industrial area
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - While the West is discussing sanctions against Iran, Turkey is discussing the establishment of a joint industrial area with Iran on their shared border the Iranian state news agency, Fars, reported on Friday. ...
Blair to Haaretz: Terror is one struggle with many arenas
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Without a doubt, it was Iraq that ended his career at 10 Downing Street. The campaign against Saddam Hussein continues to dog him. It was Iraq that largely prevented him from becoming "the first president of the European Union." Nevertheless, Tony Blair does not apologize, does not express regrets and does not attempt to justify himself. ...
Shalit family: Netanyahu has no choice but to bring Gilad home
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - The family of captive Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit said Friday that "[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has no choice but to bring Gilad home." ...
Report: Shots fired at Iran opposition leader
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Armed pro-government demonstrators opened fire on the car of an Iranian opposition leader shattering its windows, his Web site reported on Friday. ...
George Galloway deported from Egypt
The Guardian 8 Jan 2010 - Respect MP has spent past month travelling from London to deliver aid and supplies to Gaza Strip George Galloway was today deported from Egypt after plainclothes police officers refused him re-entry into the Gaza Strip and...
Gaza militants fire 2 Qassam rockets into southern Israel
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Two Qassam rockets were fired from the Gaza strip into southern Israel on Friday evening. ...
Latest shot in hummus war: Israel doubles record
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Israel has taken the upper hand in a new kind of Mideast conflict, one in which bullets are replaced by chickpeas. ...
3 dead in separate shootings across Israel
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Three people were killed in three separate shooting incidents across Israel on Friday. ...
Jerusalem official: Areas east of fence not part of city
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Yakir Segev, who holds the East Jerusalem portfolio in the Jerusalem municipality, made an uncharacteristic remark on Friday, declaring that the Palestinian neighborhood east of the separation fence were "no longer part of the city." ...
Can a vegetarian chef help solve the Mideast conflict?
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Could vegetarianism help solve the Middle East conflict? U.S. celebrity chef Christina Pirello, who is currently in Israel teaching about macrobiotic cooking, doesn't suggest peace would break out the moment Israelis and Palestinians stopped eating schnitzel and shawarma. She believes, however, that meat causes people to lose their ability to accept somebody else's point of view and that most conflicts in the world could be solved if people ate less meat. ...
Letter dated 31 December 2009 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (A/ES-10/473–S/2010/1)
Relief Web 8 Jan 2010 - Source: UN General Assembly, UN Security Council
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 13: Child Human Shields
Relief Web 8 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Israeli detention of Palestinian activists must end
Relief Web 8 Jan 2010 - Source: Amnesty
Israeli strikes on kill two Palestinians: medics
Relief Web 7 Jan 2010 - Source: Agence France-Presse
OPT: Protection of civilians weekly report, 23 Dec 2009 - 05 Jan 2010
Relief Web 7 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Christmas terror suspect says little in court
YNet News 8 Jan 2010 - Young Nigerian man pleads not guilty to charges of trying to ignite chemical-laden explosive on a US airliner. Muslim protestors march outside courthouse carrying US flags, signs with messages such as 'Not in the name of Islam'
Israelis satisfied with security situation
YNet News 8 Jan 2010 - War and Peace Index shows majority of Jews living in Israel pleased with government's performance in terms of security, but disappointed with its handling of social matters. Fifty-three of Jews back decision to reject Hamas' demands in prisoner exchange deal. Arabs more optimistic than Jews on chances for progress in peace process
Gaza gunmen fall short trying for al-Qaeda link
YNet News 8 Jan 2010 - American study finds Palestinian groups moving closer to Osama bin Laden's organization, but terror network has so far snubbed Hamas and its offshoots for infighting and failure to prove their global jihadist intentions
2 rockets hit western Negev; none injured
YNet News 8 Jan 2010 - Color Red alert system sounded in Sderot, Gaza vicinity communities, followed by two explosions. Qassams land in open areas within Shaar Hanegev Regional Council
Mitchell: Mideast stagnation endangers US aid
YNet News 8 Jan 2010 - On eve of visit to region, American special envoy threatens Israel with sanctions if it fails to advance peace talks, two-state solution. Secretary of State Clinton says working to restart negotiations 'without preconditions'
'Israel foregoing J'lem villages on other side of fence'
YNet News 8 Jan 2010 - Surprising statements are made by Yakir Segev who holds east Jerusalem portfolio and member of Mayor Nir Barkat's faction. In conference on Thursday, he says, Fence built on this route for demographic reason – to remove 50,000 Arabs from Jerusalem.' Result: Municipal chaos in villages left outside fence. In bid to solve issue, budget cut off to community boards in Jerusalem vicinity villages
Israeli air raids on Gaza kill three Palestinians
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 Israel launched a series of air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing three Palestinians and wounding another, medical workers said. The Israeli army said it had launched four raids after a dozen mortar bombs and a rocket fired from the territory struck Israel, where no injuries were reported. Explosions rocked Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah.
Borders top agenda in new US approach to Mideast peace
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 The US and Jordan laid out a new tack in Mideast peace efforts on Friday, pressing Israel and the Palestinians to tackle the tough issues of borders for a Palestinian state and the status of Jerusalem before addressing other obstacles. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said that dealing with those matters.
Gunmen open fire at Iranian opposition leader Karroubi
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 Armed pro-government demonstrators opened fire on the car of an Iranian opposition leader shattering its windows, his website reported Friday. Sahamnews said the shooting happened late Thursday while former presidential candidate Mahdi Karroubi was leaving a building in Qazvin, some 140 kilometers west of Tehran.
Yemen arrests three suspected Al-Qaeda men
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 Yemeni security forces have arrested three suspected Al-Qaeda militants, including two leading members, in the province of Marib, the Interior Ministry said on Friday. A statement on the ministry website said security forces chasing Al-Qaeda militants in the province on Thursday arrested a 25-year-old man, identified only as WJ, who is suspected of being a member of the group.
China helps Iran to purchase Taiwanese nuclear equipment
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 A Taiwanese company agreed to a request from a Chinese company to procure sensitive components with nuclear uses, then shipped them to Iran, the firm's head said Friday. Such transactions violate UN sanctions imposed on the Middle Eastern nation.
Amnesty urges Israel to release or try three Palestinians
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 Human rights group Amnesty International urged Israel on Friday to release or fairly try three Palestinian jailed for protesting against the West Bank separation barrier. The three, two of whom are held without charges, may be "prisoners of conscience, held for legitimately voicing their opposition to the fence/wall," Amnesty said in a letter to Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Egypt arrests Christmas murder suspects
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 The three suspects in a drive-by shooting on Christmas Eve that killed six Christians in southern Egypt gave themselves up to police Friday after being surrounded by security forces, the state media reported. Egyptian security forces blanketed the areas between the village of Farshout and the town of Naga Hamadi, where the shooting occurred.
Iraqis are finally on the right path
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 It is clear that Iraq is heading in the right direction. I saw that for myself when I visited Basra, Baghdad and Arbil at the end of December. I saw and heard from Iraqi people how normality is slowly but surely returning to their lives and how day by day the security situation is improving.
'Buck stops with me,' Obama says of airline attack attempt
Daily Star 8 Jan 2010 Hundreds of law enforcement officers are being trained as federal air marshals to ramp up security as the Obama administration tries to prevent a repeat of the near-catastrophic attempt to blow up an airliner bound for Detroit on Christmas Day.
Israeli occupation airstrikes leave 3 Palestinians killed, 6 wounded & 3 missing
PIC 8 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation airstrikes on Thursday night and Friday morning killed 3 Palestinians and wounded 6 others in the Gaza Strip. Three others are missing.
Haneyya: Gaza defends the entire Arab and Muslim Ummah
PIC 8 Jan 2010 - Ismael Haneyya, the Palestinian Prime Minister, has underlined Thursday that the Gaza Strip stands as the first line of defense of the Arab and Muslim Ummah..
MP George Galloway deported from Egypt
PIC 8 Jan 2010 - British MP George Galloway was officially deported from Cairo today (Friday), when Egyptian plain-clothes police officers bundled him onto a London plane.
Leadership council of Hamas captives calls for saving a captive's family
PIC 8 Jan 2010 - The information committee of the Leadership council of Hamas captives in Israeli occupation jails called on Humanitarian organisations to save the family of a Palestinian captive..
Europe to establish yearly week for Palestinian war victims
PIC 8 Jan 2010 - Pro-Palestinian organizations throughout Europe have decided to designate a week for the commemoration of Palestinian victims fallen during the struggle against the Israeli occupation of their land.
Israeli excavations in Jerusalem threaten wall of the old city
PIC 8 Jan 2010 - Zionist antiquities authority began on Thursday morning excavations between Bab Al-Amoud and Sulaiman's cave near the wall of the old city of Jerusalem, according to PIC correspondent.
JI chief condemns Egypt’s building of the wall of shame
PIC 8 Jan 2010 - The Jamaat-e –Islami Pakistan’s chief Syed Munawar Hasan has strongly condemned the Egyptian government hampering of the international relief caravan for Gaza and termed it inhuman.
Settlers build new outpost, assault old man and teen
PIC 8 Jan 2010 - A number of Jewish settlers built a new settlement outpost in Jericho district in protest over the Israeli government's decision to freeze settlement activity in the West Bank for ten months.
How an Iranian immigrant family's journey of hope ended in heartbreak
LA Times 8 Jan 2010 - A South Pasadena couple whose son, Aydin Salek, died unexpectedly thought of returning to Iran in the aftermath. But they decided to stay to honor his passion for America. They awoke from the nightmare to find things were the same in the light of day.
Shots Fired at Iran Opposition Leader’s Car, Son Says
New York Times 8 Jan 2010 - The reported attack on Mehdi Karroubi, Iran’s most outspoken opposition leader, took place in Qazvin, where he had traveled to attend a funeral for protesters.
World Briefing | Middle East: Israel: New Attacks Traded With Gaza
New York Times 8 Jan 2010 - Israel launched several airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least one Palestinian and wounding another, medical workers and the Islamist group Hamas said.
Henry Siegman: Israel is ‘the only apartheid regime in the Western world’
Mondoweiss - 8 Jan 2010 - This is from Henry Siegman in The Nation . Just a reminder, Siegman was Executive Director of the American Jewish Congress from 1978 to 1994, and is now connected to the Council on Foreign Relations. If there’s ever been a sign the times are changing. Siegman: Israel’s...
Guerrilla ad campaign protests Pacific Gas & Electric’s link to Israeli company
Mondoweiss - 8 Jan 2010 - Pacific Gas & Electric advertisement before (left) and after (right) An ad campaign of sorts ran in Berkeley and San Francisco at the end of 2009 drawing attention to Pacific Gas & Electric’s relationship with the Israeli company Solel and the growing BDS movement. Several of...
A year later, life has yet to return to normal in Gaza
Mondoweiss - 8 Jan 2010 - Fares Akram writing in The Independent : It has been a year since we huddled in our homes in the dark, waiting sleeplessly for the sound of the bombs to stop. It is a year this week since my father, a 48-year-old lawyer with no link to...
Amnesty International: Israeli Detention of Palestinian Activists Must End
Alternative Information Center - 8 Jan 2010 - The Israeli authorities must immediately release, or bring before a fair trial, three Palestinian human rights activists detained in Israel following their protests against the construction of the West Bank fence/wall, Amnesty International said on Friday. In a letter sent to Ehud Barak, Israeli Defence and...
Israeli Soldiers Attack and Injure Palestinian Shepherds; Arrest Musab Raba'i
Alternative Information Center - 8 Jan 2010 - At-Tuwani: On the morning of Thursday 7 January, 2010, Israeli soldiers attacked and injured Palestinian shepherds from the Musa Raba'i family, as they grazed their sheep in Humra valley, near the village of At-Tuwani in the South Hebron Hills. The soldiers also attacked the internationals accompanying...
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Palestinian Wounded In Israeli Shelling In Gaza
IMEMC 9 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 10, 2010 - 03:52, Palestinian medical sources reported that a Palestinian resident was seriously wounded on Saturday evening when the Israeli army fired artillery shells at agricultural areas east of Al Maghazi refugee camp, in central Gaza.
Hamdan: “Shalit Talks Ongoing”
IMEMC 9 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 10, 2010 - 02:31, Osama Hamdan, a political leader of the Hamas movement, stated Saturday that indirect talks on a prisoner-swap deal are very tough, but are also still ongoing behind closed doors.
Israel Prepares Scenarios For A Possible “Gaza War 2”
IMEMC 9 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 10, 2010 - 01:46, The Israeli military and political leaderships are preparing scenarios for a possible “Gaza War 2” that could last for one week with the heavy participation of artillery brigades that would be bombarding areas in Gaza, along with extensive aerial strikes, before invading them.
Amnesty International calls for immediate release of 3 Palestinian non-violent organizers
IMEMC 9 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 09, 2010 - 10:57, The international human rights organization Amnesty International issued a press release Friday saying that Israeli authorities must immediately release, or bring before a fair trial, three Palestinian human rights activists detained in Israel following their protests against the construction of the West Bank wall.
UN accepts Gaza payoff by Israeli government
IMEMC 9 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 09, 2010 - 01:36, The United Nations will accept a ten million dollar payoff by the Israeli government as compensation for the bombing of UN facilities in Gaza during Israel’s invasion one year ago.
BDS campaign claims new victory against Dexia Israel
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem -Ma'an - Organizers of the Israel Colonizes - Dexia Finances campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions from Israel celebrated the recent announcement that Dexia banking group that no more loans would be approved for settlement projects. The announcement appeared in the 3 January edition of the Jerusalem Post, and according to the campaign,Dexia Israel Public Finance had already begun to inform clients they would no longer be eligible for loans. The move marked the "officialization" of an earlier decision by Dexia headquarters in Belgium. On 13 May 2009, President of the Board of the Dexia group Jean-Luc Dehaene, announced at the General Assembly that settlement financing was not in line with the goals of the company. However, the decision only applies to settlements in the West Bank, and not those in East Jerusalem.
Palestinian farmers flee settler mob
1/9/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Three Palestinian farmers fled an attack initiated by 40 settlers from the illegal settlement of Beit Eyin on Saturday, a spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Project (PSP) said. "While Jabher Mohammed Jaber Slieby, 42, his brother Hassan, 37, and their relative Fathi Ahmad Jaber Sleibi, 42, were working on their lands in the area of Wad Abu Rish, they were attacked by around 40 settlers from Beit Eyin who hurled stones at them using sling shots. None of them were harmed," said Mohammad Awad, the PSP spokesman. An Israeli patrol was present at the scene, near Beit Ummer to the north of the West Bank city of Hebron, and tried to prevent the settlers from attacking the farmers, Awad said, adding that the farmers "fled, fearful they would be harmed. ""There was an Israeli patrol present at the scene which tried to prevent the settlers from attacking the farmers, who fled fearful that they would be harmed," Awad added.
Israeli media: More settlement building underway in Jerusalem
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an /Agencies - New plans to build even more settlements in occupied East Jerusalem, despite international calls for a standstill, were revealed on Friday by the Israel daily newspaper the Jerusalem News. The daily reported that a local construction and planning committee will review blueprints for a new settlement comprising 100 housing units, to be built on the site of the former Israeli police headquarters in the Palestinian neighborhood of Ras Al-A'moud, east Jerusalem. The new settlement, Ma'alut David, is to be built on 11 dunums of land on and around the former police site, which was responsible for the West Bank, Jerusalem News stated. Ma'alut David's construction was stalled for several months while a new building for the police department was under construction near the illegal settlement of Ma'aleh Adummin, opposite the Palestinian town of Abu Dis in occupied Jerusalem.
One seriously injured by Israeli tank fire in central Gaza
1/9/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A Palestinian was seriously injured in a Israeli artillery shelling on farmlands east of the Al-Maghazi Refugee Camp in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday. Muawiyah Hassanein, head of ambulance and emergency department in the ministry of health in Gaza, said Israeli tanks deployed on the borders shelled the agricultural area east of the camp," and confirmed that one man was seriously injured. An Israeli military spokesman said he knew of no artillery fire in the area. The incident is the latest in an escalating string of cross-border violence, with two projectiles reportedly launched from the Gaza Strip and landing in southern Israel Saturday morning. Friday saw four airstrikes hit locations across the besieged coastal area, reportedly in retaliation for a series of mortar shell barrages launched by the An-Nasser Salah Ad-Din Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees. "
Egypt: No more aid convoys through Rafah
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Egyptian authorities will set a new mechanism for shipping international aid to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, following anger over recent aid convoys for Gaza, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Al-Gheit told Egyptian news sources Friday. The new mechanism requires all aid for delivery to the Gaza Strip to be handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent at the Al-Arish terminal. The aid will be processed by the Red Crescent and handed over to the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza following an inventory, Abu Al-Gheit explained in the Egyptian paper Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat. The decision came after riots broke out at the Rafah border when a convoy of international activists staged a demonstration calling on Egyptian officials to open the Gaza border and allow 500 Gaza supporters and 220 vans of aid into the besieged Strip.
Amnesty calls for Israel to release anti-wall activists
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Amnesty International launched a letter-writing campaign aiming to secure the release of three Palestinian activists engaged in the struggle to bring down Israel's separation wall in Palestinian areas. The campaign, launched last week, asks Amnesty supporters the world over to write a letter to Brigadier General Avihai Mendelblit, Military Advocate General at the Israeli Defense Forces. The website has an automatic send function and a form letter, which supporters can fill out and add to, then send directly to the military official. The letter refers to the three men, Jamal Juma, Abdallah Abu Rahma and Mohammed Othman, as "human rights activists who have been campaigning for years against the fence/wall by raising awareness about its negative impact on Palestinians, organizing grassroots opposition to it and peacefully demonstrating against it. "
Palestinian artists call for boycott of Israeli settlement goods
1/9/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Union of Artists in Nablus called on Palestinians to boycott all goods manufactured and produced on Israeli settlements on Saturday, in response to caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's call to action against settlement goods in the West Bank last week. The artists' union suggested the establishment of a national boycott committee in Nablus and stricter punishment for merchants and traders who do not abide by the Palestinian Authority's (PA) decision to ban Israeli settlement goods from the Palestinian market. The unionists further appealed to the prime minister to intervene and decrease the price of goods in markets which have been marked-up by Palestinian traders as people find basic necessities, including gas, unaffordable. The union said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) was taking a bold step by calling for the boycott, for the sake of Palestinian national interests.
Hamas: Soldier killed by Egyptian bullet, not Palestinian
1/9/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas members were not behind the shooting death of an Egyptian soldier during protests that turned violent earlier int he week, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Ma'an on Saturday. "Hamas has information that confirms the Egyptian soldier was shot by the Egyptian forces opening fire at Palestinian protesting the attack against the Lifeline [British Member of Parliament George Galloway's] convoy," the official said. The de facto Ministry of Interior, Abu Zuhri said, has undertaken investigations into the incident, the results of which will be announced upon completion. "We shall not forget that 35 Palestinians were injured during the recent clashes with the Egyptian forces, including twodeaths," the spokesman said. Abu Zuhri accused the Egyptian authorities of using the death of the Egyptian solider in the media to cover up the construction of the US. . .
Day 14: Flour mill targeted ’for the purpose of denying sustenance’
1/9/2010 - Part 14 of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. - Bethlehem - Ma'an - When the Al-Bader flour mill was destroyed on 9 January, the strike happened without prior warning, raising questions about the efficacy or seriousness of the warnings system used by Israeli forces during their devastating assault on Gaza last winter. Odder still was that in two prior instances, Israel did warn mill owner Rashad Hamada that its jets intended to strike immanently, leading to two evacuations of the mill, neither of which ended in strikes. On 30 December 2008, a recorded warning was left on the flour mill's answering machine by Israeli forces, indicating that his building should be evacuated immediately. The approximately 45 workers in the mill at the time were evacuated. We received a recorded message by telephone on a landline asking us to evacuate the mill. This call came from Israel," Hamada said, in testimony to Richard Goldstone's UN inquiry. "
Hamas organizes march in Dir Al-Balah to commemorate war dead
1/9/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas organized a march to commemorate those killed in Operation Cast Lead last winter in the Deir Al-Balah Refugee Camp in the central Gaza Strip on Friday evening. The march was attended by a number of Hamas officials and residents of the refugee camp, who marched from the An-Nour Mosque to the houses of those who lost relatives in Israel's assault. A Hamas leader in Deir Al-Balah said, "In such marches we express to the people our solidarity, appreciation and respect for those who were killed whilst defending their land. "The Islamic movement distributed gifts to the parents of those who were killed. Friday was the anniversary of the 13th day of the three week assault on Gaza, that saw more than 1,400 killed and thousands injured. . . . .
Deported BU student to receive degree in Gaza
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Finishing her classes over the phone and e-mail, Berlanty Azzam, pulled out of a car, handcuffed, blindfolded and deported from the West Bank to Gaza in October, will be awarded her degree on Sunday, officials from Bethlehem University announced. In a statement issued Saturday, the university said a Sunday mass in Gaza's Church of the Holy Family would be held to honor Berlanty,21, and confer on her a Bachelor of Arts degree. The student was denied permission by Israeli courts to return to Bethlehem to complete her degree. A court battle saw Israeli rights group Gisha defend the young woman. The appeal was rejected despite the Israeli army's admission that Berlanty posed no security threat to Israel, that she had no record to speak of, that she was targeted only because her ID card indicated she was a Gaza resident and that she was removed from the West Bank without having the opportunity to consult a lawyer.
Mitchell: US free to decide how to deal with negotiations
1/10/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - US Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell said on Saturday that America will use motivation as well as punishment to restart stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, which were brought to an abrupt halt in December 2008 as Israel launched a three-week assault on Gaza. During an interview with PBS, Mitchell stated that the US is at liberty to decide the methods its uses the tackle the issue of stalled negotiations and called on both sides to thoroughly consider its options. Washington will continue to undertake efforts to ensure the progress of negotiations, Mitchell added. The special envoy's comments came on the eve of his Middle East tour, which he anticipates could lead to the conclusion of peace talks within two years of its commencement, or possibly less, Mitchell added.
Canadian official pledges limited support to PA institution building
1/9/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - President of the Canadian Treasury Board Vic Toews visited the West Bank on Saturday where he met with Palestinian Minister of Planning and Administrative Development Ali Al-Jarbawi and reaffirmedCanada's support for the creation of Palestinian Authority (PA) institutions. In particular, Toews expressed Canada's interest in developing the PA judicial sector by funding the construction of courts in Ramallah, Hebron and Tulkarem, in addition to the Sharakah Partnership project, which will offer support to the PA Attorney General's office. UNRWA funding was also discussed during the meeting, with Al-Jarbawi asking for the resumption of funding to the organization by Canada. Previously Canadian support for UNRWA reached 10 million Canadian dollars annually, but had recently been slashed. Funds from the Canadian International Development Agency to Palestine have also been recently re-evaluated.
Abbas takes blame for Goldstone delay, commission says
1/9/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - President Mahmoud Abbas gave the directive to change the Palestinian stance on the Goldstone report at the UN Human Rights Commission following a September meeting with US and Arab officials, a report revealed Friday. The report, aired on Al-Watan TV, was the result of months of research and interviews conducted by a commission charged with the investigation of Palestinian leaders conduct around the mishandling of the Goldstone report at the first UN Human Rights Council meeting on the document in September and October. "We listened to testimonies of President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Presidential aide Nimir Hammad, chief PLO Negotiator Saeb Erekat, Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki, PLO leader Yasser Abed Rabbo, Fatah member Hussein Ash-Sheikh, and Palestinian representative to the UN Ibrahim Khraisha," Palestinian Lawmaker Dr Azmi Shu'aybi, a member of the investigation commission said in the broadcast.
Mash’al meets with Syrian president
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - A Hamas delegation headed by the Islamist movement's senior most leader Khalid Mash'al met with Syrian President Bashir Al-Asad in Damascus on Saturday to discuss the status of the occupied Palestinian territories. The meeting tackled the latest developments in the Palestinian territories as reconciliation efforts between rival factions Hamas and Fatah reached an impasse, according to Hamas official Izzat Ar-Rashq. The conveners also addressed continuous Israeli assaults, settlement activity, plans to Judaize Jerusalem and divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in addition to the ongoing crippling siege on the Gaza Strip. The Syrian president was briefed on the reasons for stalemate in the reconciliation process and the amendments Hamas would like addressed before signing the Egyptian-sponsored document.
Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs demands release of pre-Oslo detainees
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Minister of Detainees' and Prisoners' Affairs Issa Qaraqe demanded the release of 320 prisoners detained before ratifying the Oslo Accords in 1993, which consecutive Israeli governments have refused to release, according to a statement issued on Saturday. "Israeli good will towards a Palestinian prisoner release deal would reveal the extent to which Israel's intentions are honest in building a just peace with the Palestinians. The issue of prisoners cannot be subject to Israeli unilateralism such as imposing conditions and discriminatory rules," Qaraqe said. The minister noted that the issue of Palestinian prisoners is a focal and important requirement as outlined by President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday in his eight points to return to negotiations with Israel, which include a halt to settlement construction and policies carried out with the intent to separate Jerusalem from the occupied Palestinian territories.
Haniyah signs relief deal with Libya to support 1,000 Gazan families
1/9/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto Prmie Minister Ismail Haniyah and a Libyan relief delegation signed on Thursday an agreement whereby 1,000 Libyan families will support 1,000 Palestinian families affected by Israel's war last winter, sponsored by the Gaza Ministry of Social Affairs. "It is not strange that Libyan people should help and stand by Palestinians because both nations are like brothers and have real partnership. Palestinians are still suffering from the blockade but they will be released from it with the help of the Libyan people," said Haniyah. The de facto prime minister's comments followed a visit on Thursday with the Libyan delegation of the International Organization for Peace to the Rayan family, who erected a tent on the ruins of their home in northern Gaza, demolished by Israeli soldiers during Operation Cast Lead.
Erekat rejects US call to renew talks
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - The Palestinian Authority rejected US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's call for the resumption of peace talks without prerequisites, Agence France Presse and Israeli media reported on Saturday. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat stressed that peace talks can only be renewed on the condition that Israel realizes a settlement standstill across the West Bank and occupied east Jerusalem. "A resumption of peace talks requires the complete halt of settlements," Erekat told the AFP. Negotiations, he added, could only be reinitiated from the point at which they were stopped in December 2008, when Israel launched Operation Cast Lead. It was announced on Friday that the US and Jordan would urge Palestinians and Israel to discuss Jerusalem and borders - issues that have been relegated to final status talks in previous negotiations.
Israeli TV: Abbas, Fayyad mean to provoke Israel
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel called on the US to heed their complaints against President Mahmoud Abbas and caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad,who were berated for allegedly glorifying martyrdom on Israel's Channel Two on Saturday. The complaint was broadcast following the naming of a street after Dalal Al-Mughrabi, who led a group of Palestinian combatants and hi-jacked an Israeli bus in Tel Aviv in 1978, which led to clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters, and in which 30 Israelis were killed. Al-Mughrabi and the fighters were killed by Israeli forces. Al-Mughrabi's corpse, which remains in an Israeli morgue, was sentenced to five life sentences. Additionally, the Israeli channel broadcast pictures of the prime minister's recent burning of produce and goods manufactured on illegal Israeli settlements and calling on a Palestinian boycott of such items.
Dahlan: Hamas is not interested in reconciliation
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - "The interests of Hamas are not in line with reconciliation," Fatah member and Gaza native Mohammad Dahlan told the London-based newspaper Al-Hayat in a report published Friday. A leading member of the party in Gaza until shortly before the Hamas takeover in 2007, and elected as a member of Fatah Central Committee in 2009, Dahlan spoke at length in the report on peace efforts, and a recent move by President Mahmoud Abbas to rally Arab support for a new round of talks. "Recent political movements reflect some optimism towards resuming talks [with Israel]," Dahlan told Al-Hayat, "but we cannot be too optimistic when it has to do with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. " He cited recent Egyptian efforts with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and the Quartet that "aim at forming a consensusstance thatgoes along with the Palestinian demands. . . "
Hamas: PA security detained 11 affiliates across West Bank
1/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security services detained 11 Hamas affiliates across the West Bank and delivered dozens of papers demanding interviews with other members at the Nablus governorate security offices, a statement from Hamas said on Saturday. Among those detained, according to the statement, were Aiman Abu Sir from Nablus and Abdul Salam Aboul Heija from Jenin. Others included: Nablus - Ayman Abu Sir, brother of Hamas legislator Daoud Abu Siyr, Nedal Abbas Dweikat from Balata, previously detained by Israeli forces; Qalqliya - Bassam Yaseen, detained by PA forces for the fourth time, an ex-prisoner of Israel, Mahmoud Sa'eed Noufal, AhmadNaseem Al-Je'eidi, Fouad khader A'kasha, Tareq A'nabi, Mohammad Mardawi, Imad Al-Je'eidi; Hebron - Mohammad A'yed Abu Jeheisha from Ithna, Ashraf Al- A'dem from Beit Ula, both arrested after. . .
PA security forces arrest three charged of robbing house in Nablus
1/9/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces said they detained three men charged with breaking and entering as well as theft in a Nablus home robbery last week. The men, detained Saturday, took 1,900 Shekels in cash, gold rings and other jewelry, as well astwo mobile phones, a police statement on the case said. The three were transferred to the local prosecutor for legal action to be taken against them. [end]
PA security forces arrest 18 at Allenby bridge
1/9/2010 - Jericho- Ma'an - Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces detained 18 Palestinians they described as "fugitives" attempting to enter Jordan via the Allenby Bridge border crossing in Jericho on Saturday, a police report said. "Among those wanted were people charged with fraud, financial and criminal charges," a police report said, adding all 18 had warrants issued against them. [end]
PFLP detainees call on Fatah and Hamas to reconcile
1/9/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - In a statement released from Israeli prison on Saturday, the leadership of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) called on Fatah and Hamas to immediately sign the Egyptian-backed reconciliation document and to work on its implementation. "We categorically reject the resumption of talks with Israel unless they contain new features and are under the auspices of the UN Security Council, through convening an international conference that would discuss implementing the internationally legitimate resolutions concerning the Palestinian cause. There can be no return to the bilateral negotiations which proved a failure and useless, after two decades of its beginning," the statement said. The imprisoned PFLP leaders added that the Palestinian leadership, at this stage, should reject any calls to a return to negotiations without secure guarantees, giving. . .
As cigarette prices jump in West Bank, smokers cut down
1/9/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Since the start of 2009, the price of cigarettes in the West Bank climbed 50%, from an average of 9 Shekels per pack to approximately 14 by the start of 2010. The most recent hike came Wednesday, with the average cost of a pack climbing one shekel to 14 (from 2. 50 US dollars last year to 3. 75 this week). For many, the jump crossed a threshold and consumers are re-evaluating how much they smoke. Some are buying individual cigarettes rather than packs. "After the recent rise in prices, some of my clients buy 3 cigarettes in the morning and three others in the afternoon," one Al-Bireh shop owner noted. "In the past, I didn't pay attention to the money I spent on smoking. After the recent rise in prices, I worked it out and discovered that I spend about one third of my monthly salary," a smoker in a second shop commented with shock.
Islamic Jihad: Israel wants to drag us into war
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - Spokesman: Iron Dome rocket defense system won't stop resistance; 3 Qassams hit southern Israel.
Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas must wait until Israel is ready
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - Iron Dome defense systems will go a long way to protecting Israel's citizens, but it will take time to get them in place.
Moshe Halbertal and the Goldstone Report
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - ...I begin here with Moshe Halbertal's attack on the Goldstone Commission ("The Goldstone Illusion") in the November 6th issue of New Republic. Halbertal is a Harvard PhD, a professor of Jewish thought and philosophy at Hebrew University, the author of a number of books on those subjects, and a former visiting professor at Harvard Law School....
Q&A: Attack on Karrubi Was a "Coordinated Effort" Omid Memarian interviews HUSSEIN KARRUBI, son of Mehdi Karrubi
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - Hussein Karrubi, the son of Iranian opposition figure Mehdi Karrubi, whose car was struck by two bullets on Thursday in Qazvin, a city near Tehran, tells IPS the Islamic Republic is trying to silence and intimidate his father. Many analysts believe that the escalating attacks by security forces on opposition figures could push the popular protests,...
Impressions of Israeli Executions in the West Bank
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - ...Ala explained that there had been three distinct "termination" operations conducted by the Israeli Special Forces. The operations had been well coordinated, taking place between 2:00 and 4:00 AM, in three different houses within 2 kilometers of each other. Ala had already taken down preliminary testimony from the neighbors. In accordance with Muslim customs, the funerals...
Video: IsraHell for you, Ethnic Cleansing Live
Uruknet January 9, 2009 - Israeli TV, a glimpse into Jewish tolerance. Bare in mind that this is Israel National TV's 5 pm News. The elder Israeli presenter is Dan Margalit, a leading Israeli Journalist and a devoted servant of every Israeli government and War Criminal leaders in the last four decades (Rabin, Peres, Sharon, Netanyahu, Olmert, Livni and Barak)..
Egypt bans Gaza aid convoys
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - Egyptian authorities have announced that all aid convoys travelling to Gaza will be banned from travelling across Egypt after a riot broke out at the Rafah border crossing earlier in the week. Ahmed Abul Gheit, Egypt's foreign minister, said in remarks published on Saturday that members of Viva Palestina, the last convoy allowed through, had "committed...
Gaza: struggle for freedom
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - On the return to Gaza from visiting families living in tents and other families whose lives have been dramatically altered by the Israeli war on Gaza, the taxi driver nonchalantly shares his own problems. "My son is 18 and deaf. He went to a school for the deaf and, thankfully, got an education. But after high...
Alternative Medicine Flourishes in Sealed-off Gaza
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - Spices and herbs section in Gaza city's al-Zaweya (the corner) market is always crowded with people seeking alternative therapies due to a suffocating Israeli blockade and its ensuing effects on the impoverished coastal strip's medical facilities. A hole-in-the-wall store with tens of bottles standing on wooden shelves, Ali Muhissen's shop is the destination of many patients...
IOA: 50,000 Palestinian Jerusalemites to remain outside Jerusalem
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) has decided that all Palestinians living outside the separation wall that isolated eastern Jerusalem from the West Bank would not be considered inhabitants of the holy city. Hebrew daily Ha'aretz quoted an official responsible for eastern Jerusalem affairs in the Israeli-controlled Jerusalem municipality as saying that those people, although owning the...
More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners suffering chronic diseases in IOA jails
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - The Ahrar center for prisoners' studies and rights said that the year 2009 was full of Israeli violations of Palestinian prisoners' rights especially the patients. Fuad Al-Khafsh, the director of the center, said in a statement on Friday that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) delays the treatment of many prisoners especially those suffering chronic diseases. He...
Nidal: A 10-year-old Victime of Israel´s Aggression
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - "Prior to the December 27 to January 18 Israeli massacre of Gaza--during which Israel used its power as the 4th largest military, unleashing an arsenal of F-16 bombing, Apache and tank shelling and machine gun fire, shelling from Israeli warships in Gaza's sea, bulldozing and explosive-- Nidal was a normal boy of 10 years. He ran,...
Deported BU student to receive degree in Gaza
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - Finishing her classes over the phone and e-mail, Berlanty Azzam, pulled out of a car, handcuffed, blindfolded and deported from the West Bank to Gaza in October, will be awarded her degree on Sunday, officials from Bethlehem University announced. In a statement issued Saturday, the university said a Sunday mass in Gaza's Church of the Holy...
PFLP detainees call on Fatah and Hamas to reconcile
Uruknet January 9, 2010 – In a statement released from Israeli prison on Saturday, the leadership of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) called on Fatah and Hamas to immediately sign the Egyptian-backed reconciliation document and to work on its implementation. "We categorically reject the resumption of talks with Israel unless they contain new features and are under...
Charges of Palestinian Child torture in Israeli prisons
9 Jan 2010 - Palestine, January 9, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Defence for Children International/Palestine Section (DCI/PS) on Wednesday submitted 13 cases to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture for investigation. The cases relate to the ill-treatment, and in some cases torture, of Palestinian children being held at the notorious Al Jalame Interrogation and Detention Centre near Haifa, in Israel, between February 2008 and...
Children Suffer The Most As A Result Of The Siege On Gaza, by Ayman Quader in Gaza
9 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 9, 2009, (Pal Telegraph) - This is the story of Mahi abu Zer, 14 years old, living in a very marginalized area called the Qarah district, Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip. His father was killed leaving the family in dire need of support.
PLO rejects latest peace effort
The National 9 Jan 2010 - A bid by the US to bring Palestinians and Israelis back to the negotiating table fails on a demand for a full settlement freeze.
Egypt bans Gaza aid convoys
AlJazeera 9 Jan 2010 - No convoys to be allowed passage in future following clashes over Viva Palestina.
Iran leader urges action over riots
AlJazeera 9 Jan 2010 - Ayatollah Khamenei calls on security forces to deal firmly with protesters.
Accountability Now! A Symposium on Human Rights and International Justice
Alternative Information Center 9 Jan 2010 - Al-Quds University Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic Cordially invite you to: Accountability Now! A Symposium on Human Rights and International Justice Tuesday, 12th January 2010 2-4pm, Main Theater, Abu Dis Campus, Al-Quds University On occasion of the...
Amnesty International: Israeli Detention of Palestinian Activists Must End
Alternative Information Center 8 Jan 2010 - The Israeli authorities must immediately release, or bring before a fair trial, three Palestinian human rights activists detained in Israel following their protests against the construction of the West Bank fence/wall, Amnesty International said on Friday....
Israeli Soldiers Attack and Injure Palestinian Shepherds; Arrest Musab Raba'i
Alternative Information Center 8 Jan 2010 - At-Tuwani: On the morning of Thursday 7 January, 2010, Israeli soldiers attacked and injured Palestinian shepherds from the Musa Raba'i family, as they grazed their sheep in Humra valley, near the village of At-Tuwani in the...
Hillary Clinton sets out US plan for Middle East peace
PNN 9 Jan 2010 - The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged Palestinians and Israelis to resume peace talks as soon as possible and without preconditions. The call comes as the Israeli prime minister held talks in Egypt, and the Saudi foreign minister was in Syria. Mrs Clinton said that if the border issues for a Palestinian state were resolved, that would iron out differences...
Secret talks on Labor split confirmed
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - Barak would have let rebels leave legally had Paz- Pines stayed; rebel's resignation to take effect Sun.
US Consulate sued by former employee
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - Exclusive: Azam Qiq fired in 2006 after employers discovered his father was J'lem Hamas chief.
Hamas: Egypt has declared war on us
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - Cairo demands public apology over last week's violent protests along the Sinai-Gaza border.
IDF may use electric cars to cut costs
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - Better Place, co-led by former dep. chief of staff Moshe Kaplinsky, plans to begin selling in 2011.
Eiland calls to establish 'US of Jordan'
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - Fmr. nat'l security adviser's vision of Jordan would include East Bank, W. Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Hamas dismisses PM's Schalit comments
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - Group sources tell Arab paper Netanyahu's words on 'no further flexibility' are for Israeli ears only.
Egyptian imams launch attack on Hamas
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - Mosques across the nation, reportedly under gov't orders, condemn group over killing of border guard.
'Iran won't genuflect before the world'
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - Ahmadinejad says Teheran will not back down on nuke program; wants reparations for WWII invasion.
'Saudi Arabia wants Abbas to meet Mashaal in Syria'
Jeruslalem Post 9 Jan 2010 - TV report: Riyadh wants to press Palestinians into reconciliation; Syria also looking to reunite Hamas, Fatah; Gazans said to fear new IDF incursion.
Three injuries at weekly demonstration in Bil’in
1/10/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 8 January - Three residents were injured today in Bil'in along with dozens who suffered gas inhalation in a protest against the Wall and settlement building. The demonstration was called by the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil'in and was joined by residents of Bil'in, and international and Israeli activists. The protesters carried posters and banners calling to end the occupation, stop settlement building, stop detention and end the siege on Gaza. The protest marched toward the Wall, where an Israeli military unit was located behind blocks of cement. The army had earlier closed the gate in the Wall with razor wire. When the protesters attempted to reach the land confiscated behind the Wall, the army fired tear gas and rubber bullets. Journalist Abbas Al-Momani and Rateb Abu Rahmah, a member of the Popular Committee, were each hit with tear gas canisters in their heads.
Israeli detention of Palestinian activists must end
1/9/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Amnesty International - The Israeli authorities must immediately release, or bring before a fair trial, three Palestinian human rights activists detained in Israel following their protests against the construction of the West Bank fence/wall, Amnesty International said on Friday. In a letter sent to Ehud Barak, Israeli Defence and Deputy Prime Minister on Thursday, Amnesty International expressed concern that Jamal Juma', Abdallah Abu Rahma and Mohammed Othman were prisoners of conscience, held for legitimately voicing their opposition to the fence/wall. "These men have all been involved in campaigning against the building of this construction, much of it on the land of the occupied West Bank, and we fear that this is the real reason for their imprisonment," said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme.
Israeli Apartheid Video Contest
1/9/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Put your ideas and convictions on film! - itISapartheid. org, in partnership with Stop the Wall, announce the first international Israeli Apartheid Video Contest - As part of the colonial conflict in Palestine, Israel has instituted a policy of apartheid that separates Palestinians from Israelis and Palestinians from each other, creating an oppressive and racially discriminatory system. It denies basic Palestinian rights to land, education, movement, and housing while devastating the economy, trying to undermine civil society, and forcing continuous displacement upon the majority of Palestinians. You are invited to submit short [less than 5 minutes] videos on the theme of Israeli Apartheid. Videos should reflect the nature, realities, and/or consequences of the apartheid policy in Israel, in the occupied West Bank and Gaza and against Palestinian refugees in the diaspora. -- Link: Put your ideas and convictions on film!
A message of non-violent resistance from within Israeli prison
1/9/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Majida Abu Rahmah, The Huffington Post - On Tuesday, January 5, I attended the trial of my husband Abdallah Abu Rahmah in an Israeli military detention camp. Ofer Military Base is a dark and dehumanizing place, but I was happy to go there because it meant that I would finally see my husband. I joined my friend Fatima, wife of Adib Abu Rahmah in the crowd of families waiting outside the gates of the base hoping to be admitted. Fatima's husband is another committed nonviolent activist from Bil'in who, like my husband, is being accused of incitement, that is, of encouraging demonstrations against the Wall. Adib and Fatima have nine children. He has been in detention for over six months now. Diplomats from the US, Germany, Sweden and Spain who know Abdallah also came to support him. Just one month ago these diplomats had visited Abdullah in Bil'in and had seen. . .
Your Palestinian Gandhis exist… in graves and prisons
1/10/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Alison Weir, Counterpunch - Dear Bono, In your recent column in the New York Times, " Ten for the Next Ten," you wrote: "I'll place my hopes on the possibility "” however remote at the moment "” that…people in places filled with rage and despair, places like the Palestinian territories, will in the days ahead find among them their Gandhi, their King, their Aung San Suu Kyi. "Your hope has already been fulfilled in the Palestinian territories. Unfortunately, these Palestinian Gandhis and Kings are being killed and imprisoned. On the day that your op-ed appeared hoping for such leaders, three were languishing in Israeli prisons. No one knows how long they will be held, nor under what conditions; torture is common in Israeli prisons. At least 19 Palestinians have been killed in the last six years alone during nonviolent demonstrations against Israel's. . .
ANALYSIS / Egypt-Hamas tension is jeopardizing Shalit deal
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - George Galloway, the British parliamentarian who was declared persona non grata Friday in Egypt and forced to leave the country, is old news from Israel's perspective. Veteran intelligence hands remember a younger version of Galloway visiting the Palestinian territories since the late 1970s, issuing passionate calls of support for the Palestine Liberation Organization and scarcely hiding his antipathy toward Israel. ...
Would limiting Israel's nuclear arsenal help block Iran's atomic aims?
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - In the war on international jihad, both organized and individual, the American security establishment suffered three heavy blows in the course of a few weeks. Twelve soldiers were murdered at the Fort Hood base by Muslim psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, there was the attempted suicide bombing of Northwest-Delta Flight 253 to Detroit, and seven CIA operatives were killed by a double agent run by Jordanian intelligence. In each of the three incidents the attacks' planners penetrated an American target - military bases and an airline. ...
Israeli firm blasted for letting would-be plane bomber slip through
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - The Israeli firm, ICTS, and two of its subsidiaries are at the crux of an international investigation in recent days, as experts try to pinpoint the reasons for the security failure that enabled Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to board Northwest flight 253 and attempt to set alight explosives hidden in his underwear. ...
U.S.-Arab arms deals undermine IDF superiority
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - The Bush administration violated security related agreements with Israel in which the U.S. promised to preserve the IDF's qualitative edge over Arab armies, according to senior officials in the Obama administration and Israel. ...
Israel: Palestinians to blame for stalled peace talks
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - Senior Jerusalem sources on Saturday said Palestinians are refusing to renew peace talks with Israel, despite gestures Israel has made to lure them back to the negotiating table. ...
Letters: Confusing government signals on the Middle East and extremism
The Guardian 8 Jan 2010 - The start of the new year brought reports of the usual incomplete and confusing government messages over Israel and Palestine. On the one hand, our attorney general was lecturing at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem ( Israeli...
'A bunch of dead muscles, thinking'
The Guardian 8 Jan 2010 - Motor neurone disease has left the historian Tony Judt quadriplegic and, he tells Ed Pilkington, has forced him to think about what it really means to be human. The result is an astonishing series of essays...
Court: Palestinian persecuted for homosexuality can stay in Israel
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - In an unusual ruling, the High Court of Justice ordered the state late last week to evaluate the degree to which the life of a young Palestinian is at risk, in part because of his sexual orientation. The Palestinian is asking for permission to remain in Israel because he fears for his life if he is expelled to the Palestinian Authority. ...
Haifa court extends remand for guard suspected of killing friend
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - A Haifa court on Saturday extended the remand by six days for a 23-year-old man accused of fatally shooting his friend on Friday in Kiryat Haim, near Haifa. ...
Israel basks in heatwave as Europe freezes
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - Israelis headed for the beach at the weekend to enjoy a winter heatwave, with temperatures rising into the high 20s Celsius (high 70s Fahrenheit) as much of northern Europe shivered in a cold snap. ...
Gaza militants fire 3 Qassam rockets into southern Israel
Ha'aretz 9 Jan 2010 - Three Qassam rockets were fired from the Gaza strip into southern Israel over the weekend. ...
Israel takes hummus world record
Ha'aretz 8 Jan 2010 - Israel has taken the upper hand in a new kind of Mideast conflict, one in which bullets are replaced by chickpeas. ...
Palestinians reject U.S. call for resuming peace talks
Relief Web 9 Jan 2010 - Source: Xinhua
US urges new Mideast peace talks, focus on borders
Relief Web 9 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Aboul Gheit from Washington: Consultations on establishing a new mechanism to regulate the transfer of aid to the Palestinian people
Relief Web 8 Jan 2010 - Source: Government of Egypt
Deals finalized with Gaza evacuees
YNet News 9 Jan 2010 - Community relocation deals finalized, PM's Office says; Bibi lauds progress, says he aims to correct injustice
Assad, Mashaal discuss 'Gaza tragedy'
YNet News 9 Jan 2010 - Syrian president hosts Hamas leader in Damascus Saturday, two leaders discuss Palestinian situation
Report: Hezbollah funded by drug trade
YNet News 9 Jan 2010 - Drug dealers on behalf of Hezbollah transfer millions to Lebanese group via European narcotics transactions, Der Spiegel says; two Lebanese suspects detained in Germany after authorities seize large sums in cash
Iran wants World War II reparations
YNet News 9 Jan 2010 - Team assigned to calculate all damages inflicted on Iran in WWII, Ahmadinejad says
Iran's Ahmadinejad dismisses nuclear sanctions
YNet News 9 Jan 2010 - Islamic Republic's president says it won't back down 'one iota' in face of western pressure over its nuclear program. 'They think Iranians will fall on their knees over these things but they are mistaken,' he says
Hamas downplays Netanyahu remarks on prisoner swap
YNet News 9 Jan 2010 - Islamist group source tells Al-Quds Al-Arabi PM's statement that Israeli offer for Shalit is the last of its kind 'meant for Israeli press'
Egyptian mosques, press berate Hamas
YNet News 9 Jan 2010 - In wake of Egyptian soldier's death at hands of Palestinian sniper during protest against delay of aid convoy's entry to Gaza, imams say Hamas to blame for blockade on Strip, its leaders 'want to stay in power even at cost of their people's starvation'. Op-ed: Killing Egyptians won't liberate Palestine
Islamic Jihad: Israel wants another war
YNet News 9 Jan 2010 - Spokesman for terror group's armed wing says, 'Occupation trying to provoke the resistance,' adding that Israel's Iron Dome rocket-intercepting system 'can't stop our projectiles'
Khudari invites donor institutions to open offices in Gaza
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - MP Jamal Al-Khudari has urged donor institutions to open offices in the Gaza Strip to boost the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in face of the Israeli siege.
Palestinian farmer seriously wounded in IOF shelling
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - A Palestinian farmer was seriously wounded on Saturday when Israeli occupation forces (IOF) shelled residential neighborhoods and farms east of Breij refugee camp in central Gaza.
IOA: 50,000 Palestinian Jerusalemites to remain outside Jerusalem
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - The IOA has decided that all Palestinians living outside the separation wall that isolated eastern Jerusalem from the West Bank would not be considered inhabitants of the holy city.
Egypt allows travel of all Lifeline convoy members after holdup
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - The Egyptian authorities allowed the travel of all members of the Lifeline-3 convoy following a last moment hitch at the Cairo international airport, Zaher Al-Beirawi, the convoy's spokesman, said.
Mishaal confers with Assad on Palestinian developments
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - Khaled Mishaal, the head of the political bureau of Hamas Movement, conferred on Saturday with Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad on a number of Palestinian issues.
Israeli court to pass verdict in Sheikh Salah's case
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - Sheikh Raed Salah is to attend a hearing next Wednesday in Jerusalem that would pass a verdict in the case filed against him for his alleged role in the Maghareba gate events in 2007.
Hamas asks Palestinian forces to confront Abbas attempt to return to negotiation
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - Hamas has warned of the seriousness of ideas being circulated by the Ramallah authority topped by former PA chief Mahmoud Abbas on the return to negotiations with the IOA.
Turkish writer: Obstacles in face of aid convoy had positive impact
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - Turkish writer Ahmet Varol has expressed his delight for visiting Gaza as member of the international aid convoy Lifeline-3, adding that obstacles left positive impact on its members.
18 wounded in IOF quelling of five anti wall marches
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - The IOF used force to quell five peaceful marches organized in five villages in the West Bank to protest the IOA construction of the separation wall that confiscated vast areas of Palestinian lands.
Abul Ghait declares new rules for passage of aid convoys to Gaza
PIC 9 Jan 2010 - The Egyptian foreign minister has lashed out at the organizes of the aid convoys to Gaza and set new rules by which those convoys could be allowed to enter Gaza through Egyptian territory.
In West Bank, conditions 'not ripe' for Palestinian uprising
LA Times 9 Jan 2010 - Israelis and Palestinians point to a weak, fractured Palestinian leadership that has disavowed violence, the tight Israeli control and a budding West Bank economy that discourages a new intifada. Born in a refugee camp in this restive West Bank city, Ammar Arafat threw his first stone at 13. At 15, he was jailed for scaling the fence at an Israeli military camp with explosives under his shirt. Upon release, he took up arms again and landed back in prison.
Iran's supreme leader tells militias not to meddle, but Basiji leader warns protesters
LA Times 9 Jan 2010 - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attempts to ease tensions while Brig. Gen. Mohammad-Reza Naghdi says his forces are prepared to clamp down on the opposition movement. Iran's supreme leader Saturday warned shadowy pro-government militias not to interfere in the nation's postelection unrest even as the head of the notorious Basiji militia warned that his forces would "jump into the fray" if authorities don't act strongly against the opposition movement.
In Iran, opposition appears to spread into heartland
LA Times 9 Jan 2010 - Though organizing opposition to the government is more difficult in smaller locales that don't afford the anonymity of Tehran, activists in the provinces say they're making progress. Mohammad knew he had to be careful in approaching his old classmate Hamed, the one from the conservative Iranian family. They come from a small city, after all, and word gets around.
Palestinian attacks test Israel's quick-retaliation policy
LA Times 9 Jan 2010 - Israeli military planes target Gaza sites in response to mortar and rocket strikes a day earlier. It's unclear whether the strategy will prevent more violence, analysts say. A recent spate of cross- border and mortar attacks by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip -- the worst in a year -- is testing Israel's resolve to strike back hard against such provocation. But it remains to be seen whether the get-tough approach will hinder or escalate violence, analysts and officials said Friday.
Iran opposition leader Karroubi survives shooting, son says
LA Times 9 Jan 2010 - A raucous crowd of Basiji militiamen in Qazvin attacked Mehdi Karroubi's vehicle, firing at it twice, his son Hossein says. The son of Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi on Friday accused hard-line pro-government militiamen and Revolutionary Guard members of trying to assassinate his father a night earlier.
Clinton urges Israel, Palestinians to plunge into talks
LA Times 9 Jan 2010 - Secretary of State suggests tackling the big issues, such as future borders and the status of Jerusalem, to help resolve the hurdle of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday urged Palestinians and Israelis to plunge into negotiations over the most difficult issues dividing them as a way of breaking an impasse in peace talks.
Christians and Muslims in Egypt Trade Attacks After Fatal Shootings
New York Times 9 Jan 2010 - Sectarian violence in Egypt between Muslims and Christians is rare, but disputes over issues including land or women occasionally erupt.
World Briefing | Middle East: Egypt: Suspects in Shooting at Coptic Church Surrender
New York Times 9 Jan 2010 - Three suspects in a drive-by shooting that killed six Christians in southern Egypt surrendered to the police on Friday.
World Briefing | Middle East: Gaza: Israeli Airstrikes Kill 3
New York Times 9 Jan 2010 - The strikes came in retaliation for a rocket and mortar barrage launched into Israel on Thursday.
Claim That Attack on Opposition Figure in Iran Was Staged
New York Times 8 Jan 2010 - Opposition supporters claimed that an Iranian news organization with close ties to the Revolutionary Guard had helped to stage an attack on Mehdi Karroubi, an outspoken opposition figure.
Sailing A Liferaft Into Gaza
Palestine Monitor - 9 Jan 2010 - As I write this, I am still in Cairo. The Gaza Freedom March is officially over…most delegates flew home Jan. 3-5. There are about 30 of us “die-hards” – individuals who have the flexibility to try to wait out the Egyptian government and the dedication/commitment to...
‘Take me back to my homeland, even as a rose’
Mondoweiss - 9 Jan 2010 - Today in Israel, a center for culture and science, medicine and high tech, religious revival and literature, famous nature reserves and gorgeous beaches, I learned how to step across coils of barbed wire. It is critical to walk cautiously, to place your foot firmly at the...
One vision for one state in Israel/Palestine
Mondoweiss - 9 Jan 2010 - As a proponent of the one-state solution for Palestine/Israel, I feel a responsibility for describing my vision of that state. It’s not enough to tell other Palestinians that they will never see their ethnically pure Palestinian state, and to explain to Israelis that their state is...
History and Hebron
Mondoweiss - 9 Jan 2010 - History and Hebron (Hebron photo credit: Michael Ratner) Of course in Germany the stars were placed to discourage if not end commerce to a Jewish shop; in Hebron they are placed to assert the closing of a Palestinian store and its “ownership” by the Jews of...
Accountability Now! A Symposium on Human Rights and International Justice
Alternative Information Center - 9 Jan 2010 - Al-Quds University Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic Cordially invite you to: Accountability Now! A Symposium on Human Rights and International Justice Tuesday, 12th January 2010 2-4pm, Main Theater, Abu Dis Campus, Al-Quds University On occasion of the one year anniversary of Israel’s 22-day-long offensive on the Gaza...
Amnesty International: Israeli Detention of Palestinian Activists Must End
Alternative Information Center - 8 Jan 2010 - The Israeli authorities must immediately release, or bring before a fair trial, three Palestinian human rights activists detained in Israel following their protests against the construction of the West Bank fence/wall, Amnesty International said on Friday. In a letter sent to Ehud Barak, Israeli Defence and...
Israeli Soldiers Attack and Injure Palestinian Shepherds; Arrest Musab Raba'i
Alternative Information Center - 8 Jan 2010 - At-Tuwani: On the morning of Thursday 7 January, 2010, Israeli soldiers attacked and injured Palestinian shepherds from the Musa Raba'i family, as they grazed their sheep in Humra valley, near the village of At-Tuwani in the South Hebron Hills. The soldiers also attacked the internationals accompanying...
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Mitchell: U.S. May Cut Aid To Israel In Two Years
IMEMC 10 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 10, 2010 - 14:01, The United Stats may legally cut its international aid to Israel in two years if peace talks fail with Palestine. George Mitchell, the U.S. special envoy to Middle East threatened sanctions against Israel if it fails to succeed in making peace with Palestine. These rhetoric came on the eve of Mitchel's trip to the region.
Abu Marzouq Blames Netanyahu For Failed Prisoner-Swap Talks
IMEMC 10 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 10, 2010 - 12:38, Mousa Abu Marzouq, deputy head of the Hamas Political Bureau, told Al Hayat Newspaper, that there are no current prisoner-swap talks, and that Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu, is responsible for the failed talks.
Army Installs Roadblocks Near Jenin
IMEMC 10 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 10, 2010 - 09:21, Israeli soldiers installed on Sunday at dawn two military roadblocks south of Jenin, in the northern part of the West Bank, and searched dozens of vehicles and residents.
Israeli strike kills 3 in central Gaza
1/10/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - At least three Palestinians were killed by Israeli aircraft fire in central Gaza early Sunday evening, medics reported. They were identified as Hasan 22-year-old Al-Qatarawi and 29-year-old Awad Nasir, 29, both from from Deir Al-Balah, as well as Hudayfa Hams, 23, from Nusseirat refugee camp. All three were transferred to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza City, according to Muawiya Hassanein, the Gaza Health Ministry's director of ambulance and emergency services. Israel's army said its air force targeted "four operatives of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization's central region. "Awad Nasir, one of the Palestinians killed, "was one of the terror organization's senior field commanders and is known to be behind dozens of IED and gunfire attacks," a statement alleged. Earlier, a military spokesman told Ma'an the airstrike targeted "a squad of terrorists in physical preparation of launching rockets" into southern Israel.
Palestinian shot in Hebron by Israeli forces
1/10/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian man near the southern entrance to Hebron in the West Bank. Israeli soldiers prevented Palestinians from assisting him, and then took him to an unknown location, sources told Ma'an. The official Israeli police spokesman was not immediately available to comment. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that Israeli district police in Hebron opened fired at the Palestinian driving near Bani Na'im. According to the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth, an investigation was launched after the incident, revealing that a car was stolen. The driver fled the scene and "endangered the police officers' lives when he made a U-turn," the newspaper reported, adding that the driver's injuries were the result of shooting at the car's tires. The injured was evacuated to the Hadassa Hospital in Jerusalem.
Israel demolishes ’illegal’ storehouses near Nablus
1/10/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli military bulldozers began demolishing at least 12 agricultural storehouses in the Tana neighborhood east of Nablus in the West Bank on Sunday. Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official in charge of settlement-related issues in the northern West Bank, said five bulldozers and more than 15 military jeeps stormed the area and began the demolition process. The owners of the storehouses had appealed to the Israeli High Court of Justice in May 2005 after they received the demolition notices, but were turned down by the courts, said Atif Hanini, mayor of the nearby town of Beit Furki, who explained that the Tana neighborhood is approximately two kilometers away from an Israeli outpost. Twenty-five Palestinian families were evicted from the area in 2005 when the military post was positioned in the area.
Anti-wall movement leader remanded
1/10/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Abdallah Abu Rahmah of the Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall was remanded until the end of legal proceedings in an Israeli military court on Sunday. He was charged with incitement, stone-throwing and an arms possession charge for collecting and displaying used tear-gas canisters shot at demonstrators in Bil'in by the army. On receiving the indictment, Adv. Gaby Lasky, Abu Rahmah's lawyer, said that "The army shoots at unarmed demonstrators, and when they try to show the violence used against them to the world by collecting and displaying the remnant tear-gas canisters - they are persecuted and prosecuted. What's next? Charging protesters money for the bullets shot at them? " On December 10, International Day of Human Rights, one year after receiving Carl Von Ossietzky Medal from the International League for Human Rights, Abu Rahmah was arrested during an Israeli late-night raid.
Awaiting response, Hamas pessimistic on Shalit deal
1/10/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies -Hamas does not anticipate a prisoner exchange deal to take place soon, an official said, as they await Israel's response to their terms in the next two days through their German mediator. "If the deal fails, it is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who bears responsibility," deputy chief of the Islamic movement Mousa Abu Marzouq told the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper on Saturday. Abu Marzouq added that the stances of both Netanyahu and his predecessor, Ehud Olmert, revealed a failure to abide by terms set out in agreements reached through negotiations but that Netanyahu faltered more often and retracted several times during the process. Unprecedented progress was made recently but Israel retreated suddenly, halting the swap deal in its tracks, Abu Marzouq added, assertingthat the German mediator was partially responsible for the failure of Israel and Hamas to come to an agreement.
Israeli officials irate after Mitchell comments
1/10/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Israeli officials on Sunday asserted they were "doing just fine" in response to US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell's comments a day earlier that the US was prepared to withhold loan guarantees to pressure Israel into making compromises with the Palestinians. Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said "We don't need to use these guarantees. . . But several months ago we agreed with the American treasury on guarantees for 2010 and 2011, and there were no conditions," according to the Israeli daily Haaretz. Gideon Sa'ar, Israel's education minister, further retorted: "The American administration knows that those who are holding up the negotiations are the Palestinians. Israel made many concessions while the Palestinians didn't do a thing. "He added, "Israel's economy is pretty strong, and the threat wouldn't be appropriate. . . . "
Medics: 2 killed by Israeli fire in north Gaza
1/11/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli artillery in the northern Gaza Strip Sunday morning, a medical official said. Mu'awiya Hassanein, Gaza Health Ministry director of ambulance and emergency services, said they were shot by tank fire near an excavation site at the former Dugnit settlement. The bodies of those killed were taken to a hospital, Hassanein added. An Israeli military spokesman said the army was not familiar with the incident. Witnesses reported hearing artillery shelling, expecting those killed to be workers in the area. Late Thursday night, Israeli warplanes carried out a series of raids on sites throughout the Gaza Strip, killing three Palestinians. A Palestinian was seriously injured in a Israeli artillery shelling on farmlands east of the Al-Maghazi Refugee Camp. The incident was the latest in an escalating string of cross-border violence, with two projectiles reportedly launched from Gaza and landing in southern Israel on Saturday morning.
The use of Palestinian civilians as human shields
1/11/2010 - Part 15 of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict - Bethlehem - Ma'an - At midnight on 10 January 2009, Israeli soldiers violently entered the home of Mahmoud Al-Ajrami, where he and his wife were sheltering underneath the stairs. Soldiers threw a grenade and entered the house shooting. What Al-Ajrami says transpired over the next 48 hours left him with two fractured vertebrae as a result of beatings, and was one of four cases in which civilians were used as human shields that Richard Goldstone's UN inquiry investigated. These civilians were allegedly forced to enter houses at gunpoint in front of or, in one case, instead of soldiers. Two incidents took place east of Jabaliya. The case of Mahmoud Al-Ajrami Al-Ajrami, a former civil servant whose last position was assistant foreign minister, testified in Gaza City last June.
Palestinian killed in clan brawl in Jericho refugee camp
1/10/2010 - Jericho - Ma'an - A Palestinian man was killed and three others injured in a clan brawl in Ein As-Sultan Refugee Camp in Jericho on Saturday night. Ma'an's reporter reported that Sami Safi, 47, was shot dead by another man following a fight between the two. Three others were injured, the reporter added. Jericho Governor Kamil Hmeid said Palestinian Authority security forces imposed a curfew on the refugee camp and detained several suspects. On Thursday, police in the West Bank city of Hebron opened an investigation into the shooting of a resident on the same day. Police said a resident was treated for a gunshot wound at Al-Mezan Hospital in Hebron. PA forces went to the scene of the shooting and found that it took place during a fight between two families in the Israeli-controlled H2 section of Hebron. . . . .
Israel opens Gaza crossing, allows limited export
1/10/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities on Sunday opened the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza to allow the transfer of aid and limited exports, a Palestinian border official said. Between 93 and 103 truckloads of humanitarian aid will be permitted through the Kerem Shalom crossing, said the crossings official, Raed Fattouh. Only one truckload of flowers and three of strawberries will be allowed out via Kerem Shalom, to be exported to Israel and abroad, he added. The Karni crossing in northern Gaza will remain closed, Fattouh added. The Kerem Shalom crossing was suddenly closed on Thursday after mortar shells fired by the militant wing of the Popular Resistance Committees hit near the crossing site. . . . .
Egyptian forces detain 8 African migrants
1/10/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egyptian security forces thwarted two attempts by African migrants to enter Israel through Egypt's Sinai border, security sources said on Sunday. The first group of six migrants were apprehended by Egyptian forces as they attempted to cross into Israel over its border fence in central Sinai, sources said, adding that forces opened fire and surrounded the group before detaining them. Two Eritrean nationals were later detained attempting to breach the same crossing point, the sources added. Those arrested told Egyptian forces that they were seeking employment in Israel, having paid 1,000 US dollars each to human traffickers who guaranteed to smuggle them over the border. . . . .
Erekat: Abbas to meet Syrian president
1/10/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - President Mahmoud Abbas received an official invitation to Damascus from Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat announced on Sunday during an interview on Ma'an radio. Abbas will leave for Syria in the coming days, Erekat said, where he will discuss recent developments in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Middle East peace process. Erekat refuted what he termed rumors about a possible meeting between Abbas and senior-most Hamas leader Khalid Mash'al during his forthcoming visit, insisting that "there will not be any meetings between Mash'al and Abbas' aides. "Erekat further said that he had traveled to Syria two weeks ago to meet with Syrian officials and denied allegations that the visit was related to secret negotiations to complete the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal.
Gaza MoH: 15,000 H1N1 vaccines arrive in the Strip
1/10/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The de facto Ministry of Health confirmed on Sunday that 15,000 swine flu vaccines arrived in Gaza, which were provided by Saudi Arabia and transferred into the Strip in coordination with the World Health Organization. Gaza Health Minister Bassem Na'im thanked and praised Saudi Arabia for its efforts and noted that H1N1 vaccines are scarce. Na'im added that the gesture formed part of Saudi Arabia's continued support for the Palestinian health sector. [end]
Palestinian attempts to run over Israeli cops at West Bank checkpoint
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - In October, an Israeli security guard was wounded after Palestinian woman stabbed him at Qalandiya checkpoint.
IDF solider killed in training accident due to oxygen poisoning
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - IDF investigation finds lead into death of Gal Azoulay, 19, who died at Ashdod Port last month.
YNET reports George Mitchell is threatening Israel with sanctions. Unfortunately, the record looks different.
1/8/2010 - Mondoweiss - YNET is reporting that the US is considering sanctions against Israel. This is based on an interview George Mitchell recently did with Charlie Rose. From the article "Mitchell: Mideast stagnation endangers US aid": "On the eve of his visit to the Middle East, US special envoy George Mitchell threatened that his country would freeze its aid to Israel if the Jewish state failed to advance peace talks with the Palestinians and a two-state solution. Mitchell clarified in an interview to the PBS network that the United States would use incentives or sanctions against both sides. According to American law, Mitchell said, the US can freeze its support for aid to Israel. He added that all options must remain open and that the sides must be convinced about what their important interests are. "-- Links: Video: Mitchell on Charlie Rose and Transcript: Mitchell on Charlie Rose
The Gaza Freedom March, In Pictures
1/10/2010 - Political Theatrics - The following pictures are from fellow Gaza Freedom Marchers – I only had the ability to tape the events through my HD camera and until I am done converting all MP4 files into WMV(s) I will be releasing pictures and videos others have taken. The pictures are not my own but have been collected from Gaza Freedom Marchers who were present at all events in Cairo, Egypt along with me. [end]
Israel prevented 17 sight-impaired Gazans from leaving for cornea transplant operations on time; a donation of dozens of corneas went down the drain
1/9/2010 - Axis of Logic - Physicians for Human Rights - The Israeli authorities at Erez checkpoint this week prevented the exit of 17 sight-impaired patients, suffering from various eye diseases, from the Gaza Strip in order to undergo cornea transplants, a treatment that is not available in the Gaza health system. Because of this delay, the medical window of opportunity to perform the transplants for these patients was closed, because corneas can be transplanted only within the shortest time frame (24-48 hours after they are extracted from the donor's body). The patients from Gaza whose exit was prevented will therefore have to wait for another donation, which may or may not happen. At the beginning of the week Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHR-Israel) received an appeal from the Musallam Medical Center in Gaza. According to the appeal, a large group of 14 patients from Gaza, who were invited to Ramallah. . . .
Israelis reject George Mitchell loan guarantee ’threat’
1/10/2010 - BBC Online - Israeli officials have shrugged off a suggestion that the US could withhold loan guarantees to pressure Israel over the Middle East peace process. The finance minister said Israel did not need the guarantees, while the prime minister accused the Palestinians of holding up peace negotiations. US envoy George Mitchell said this week the US could withhold loan guarantees to extract concessions from Israel. The guarantees allow Israel to raise money cheaply overseas. Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz reacted by saying the Israeli economy was doing well. " We don't need to use these guarantees," he was quoted by Israeli media as saying. " We are doing just fine. But several months ago we agreed with the American treasury on guarantees for 2010 and 2011, and there were no conditions. " In response to Mr Mitchell's comments, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said: "Everyone knows that. . . .
Rahm Emanuel: U.S. fed up with Israel, Palestinians
1/8/2010 - Ha'aretz - White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel recently told the Israeli consul in Los Angeles that the Obama administration is fed up with both Israel and the Palestinians, Army Radio reported yesterday. Emanuel met with Jacob Dayan, consul general of Israel in Los Angeles, about two weeks ago, after which Dayan briefed the Foreign Ministry. According to the report, Emanuel told Dayan that the United States is sick of the Israelis, who adopt suitable ideas months too late, when they are no longer effective. The United States is also sick of the Palestinians, who never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, Emanuel reportedly said. The chief of staff added that if there is no progress in the peace process, the Obama administration will reduce its involvement in the conflict because, as he reportedly said, the United States has other matters to deal with.
Guerrilla ad campaign protests Pacific Gas & Electric’s link to Israeli company
1/8/2010 - Mondoweiss - An ad campaign of sorts ran in Berkeley and San Francisco at the end of 2009 drawing attention to Pacific Gas & Electric’s relationship with the Israeli company Solel and the growing BDS movement. Several of PG&E’s “Solar Power” bus shelter billboards were modified to read “Making planets orbit and bagels toast … and fueling Israeli apartheid. ” PG&E has a 25-year contract with Solel to develop the Mojave Solar Park in California’s Mojave Desert. The modified ads were rehung in bus shelters in downtown Berkeley and San Francisco’s Union Square, and stayed up for several weeks through November and December. Street artist K. R. , one of the creators of the ad, explained in a press release, “Every person in California has a stake in what PG&E does, because we are all forced to buy power from them. I don’t want to be funding apartheid every time I turn on a light, and I don’t think most of my neighbors do either.
PM complains about PA security
1/11/2010 - Jerusalem Post - After months of praising the work of the Palestinian security forces in the West Bank, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told a delegation of US senators on Sunday that while active against Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the PAsecurity forces "have trouble going against their own renegades. " Netanyahu was referring to the recent murder near Shavei Shomron of Rabbi Meir Avshalom Hai by members of Fatah's Aksa Martyrs Brigade. " They are showing timidity about addressing their own renegades," he told Senators John McCain (R-Arizona), Joe Lieberman (Independent-Connecticut), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) and John Thune (R-South Dakota). The four senators were here for the day as part of a regional tour that took them as well to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Government sources said the threat of the US using economic leverage - such as withholding loan guarantees - to place pressure on Israel was not raised in the one-hour conversation.
Netanyahu: Israel will resume West Bank building in 8 months
Uruknet January 10, 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reminded coalition members that Israel's freeze on construction in West Bank settlements was only temporary, saying: "In another eight months, we'll start building again."... Under pressure from the Obama administration, Netanyahu imposed a limited, 10-month moratorium on November 25 on housing starts in West Bank settlements, saying he hoped the...
"Israeli cops urinated on me, placed excrement on my head"
Uruknet January 10, 2010 - "They shoved a weapon's barrel up my behind, spilled trash on me, placed a rag full of excrement on my head and urinated on me" - These are just some of the harsh allegations which appear in a complaint filed by A'alan Abu Najma, a 27-year-old Palestinian from Hebron, against Tel Aviv police officers [...] serious abuse...
Israeli officials irate after Mitchell comments
Uruknet January 10, 2010 - sraeli officials on Sunday asserted they were "doing just fine" in response to US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell's comments a day earlier that the US was prepared to withhold loan guarantees to pressure Israel into making compromises with the Palestinians. Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said "We don't need to use these...
Jerusalemite center: IOA executing biggest colonialist scheme in OJ
Uruknet January 10, 2010 -- The Quds center for social and economic rights has warned of an unprecedented colonialist project currently being implemented by the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) in occupied Jerusalem. The center in a report published on Saturday described the vicinity of the Old City of Jerusalem as a large construction site, the "biggest since 1967"...
Medics: 2 killed by Israeli fire in north Gaza
Uruknet January 10, 2010 - Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli artillery in the northern Gaza Strip Sunday morning, a medical official said. Mu’awiya Hassanein, Gaza Health Ministry director of ambulance and emergency services, said they were shot by tank fire near an excavation site at the former Dugnit settlement. The bodies of those killed were taken to a hospital,...
Jeanne d’Arc and the Struggle for a Free Palestine
Uruknet January 10, 2010 - ... Jeanne, who also knew the occupation, was accused of being a witch, was banned by the church and was burned on the stake. Despite so many enemies, and so many people who thought her cause was lost, even among her very own people, Jeanne believed in what she did. It was only years later after her...
Palestinian Wounded In Israeli Shelling In Gaza
Uruknet January 10, 2010 - Palestinian medical sources reported that a Palestinian resident was seriously wounded on Saturday evening when the Israeli army fired artillery shells at agricultural areas east of Al Maghazi refugee camp, in central Gaza. Dr. Moawiya Hassanen, head of the Emergency Unit at the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, said that the resident was moved to...
Abbas takes blame for Goldstone delay, commission says
Uruknet January 9, 2010 - Mahmoud Abbas gave the directive to change the Palestinian stance on the Goldstone report at the UN Human Rights Commission following a September meeting with US and Arab officials, a report revealed Friday. The report, aired on Al-Watan TV, was the result of months of research and interviews conducted by a commission charged with the investigation...
Israel destroys farmers' houses in Nablus
10 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 10, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Eyewitnesses said that Israeli forces started early on Sunday knocking down houses and sheep barns belonging to Palestinian farmers in Nablus in the West Bank. Palestinian sources said that the Israeli forces stormed into Khirbet Tana village, close to Nablus city, and knocked down farmers' houses and sheep barns. Ghasan Daghas, Palestinian...
Israel kills two Palestinians in Gaza
10 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 10, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces killed two Palestinians northwest of Gaza Strip on Sunday. The Israeli army opened fire at two Palestinian citizens who were near Dughait northwest of Beit Lahya. The IOF Spokesman Unit denied the report, saying that the army did not fire any weapons in the area on Sunday. Mo'aweya Hassanein, the...
Oman's historic homes under threat
The National 10 Jan 2010 - Villagers are abandoning or being forcibly removed from isolated settlements that the government says are too costly to maintain.
Iran 'frees Dubai journalist'
The National 10 Jan 2010 - Tehran's chief prosecutor says it has freed a Syrian journalist working for Dubai television who was detained two weeks ago.
Gaza deaths in Israeli air raid
AlJazeera 10 Jan 2010 - Three members of the Islamic Jihad group are killed amid escalating tensions.
IAF kills 3 terrorists in Gaza preparing to fire rocket
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - Successful, swift military-Shin Bet coordinated operation follows earlier firing of 4 mortar shells from Strip at western Negev.
Senators: US won't end guarantees
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - At press conference for McCain, Lieberman, Ehud Barak expresses gratitude to Israel's "old friends."
'Israel will react strongly to attacks'
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - Netanyahu condemns rockets and incitement, slams PA leaders for glorifying Coastal Massacre terrorist.
'Policemen may have abused Palestinian'
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - Detectives, officer arrested on suspicion of hitting, attacking detainee accused of stealing motorcycle.
Editor's Notes: Welcome to Israel
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - Now that the West is forced to deal with terror in the skies, we are suddenly the admired exemplars.
Bugg off!
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - How a solution to an epidemic in Israel's tomato industry became a multi-million-dollar industry.
Plans underway for metro in Syria's ancient capital
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - Syria is securing funds for a revamped public transport system in Damascus, one of the oldest cities in the world.
'Jerusalem commuters won't get to work'
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - Transport Ministry official warns opening Route 443 to Palestinians could lead to Highway 1's collapse.
'Another war with Hamas is inevitable'
Jeruslalem Post 10 Jan 2010 - Ex-OC Southern Command: Next strike on Hamas must be more focused to have lasting results.
EGYPT: Half of all schoolchildren to be offered H1N1 inoculations
IRIN CAIRO Wednesday, January 06, 2010 (IRIN) - Egypt launched a programme on 3 January to inoculate half the country’s schoolchildren against H1N1 influenza in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.
YEMEN: U.S. Poised to Increase Aid
IPS WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (IPS) - In the wake of a botched Christmas Day airliner bombing claimed by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the direction of what used to be called the "global war on terror" settled on Yemen this week, with the United States slated to escalate economic...
(30 Dec.2009- 05 Jan 2010)
PCHR
Bil’in organizer Abdallah Abu Rahmah remanded until the end of legal proceedings
1/10/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Coordination Committee - Abdallah Abu Rahmah, coordinator of the Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall, was remanded until the end of legal proceedings today in an Israeli military court. Abu Rahmah is charged with incitement, stone-throwing and a ridiculous arms possession charge for collecting and displaying used tear gas canisters shot at demonstrators in Bil'in by the army. A judge in the Ofer military court has ordered the remand of Abdallah Abu Rahmah until the end of legal procedures against him. Abu Rahmah, a high school teacher and the coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil'in is charged with incitement, stone throwing and possession of illegal arm. The latter charge was pressed against Abu Rahmah for collecting and displaying used tear gas canisters shot at demonstrators in Bil'in by the army.
Illegal settlers and Israeli military attack Palestinian non-violent demonstration against settlement expansion
1/10/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - International Women's Peace Service, 8 January - On January 8, villagers from the Palestinian village of An Nabi Saleh (population approx 500), located in the north of the Ramallah district, held its third demonstration in three weeks against creeping settlement expansion and land confiscation by the illegal Israeli settlement of Hallamish (also known as Neve Tzuf). According to the residents of the village, since the settlement was established illegally on land belonging to An Nabi Saleh in 1977, there have been repeated attempts to expand the settlement. In 2009, the village successfully challenged, in the Israeli courts, the expansion of the settlement fence to land immediately alongside settler highway 465. In the past month, however, illegal settlers residing in Hallamish colony have attempted to re-annex the land alongside the highway, which now divides An Nabi Saleh's land. -- Link: IWPS
Demonstration near settlement of Halamish
1/10/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Injured Palestinian protester during a demonstration. around 300 Israeli, international and local residents of the villages Deir Nidham and An Nabi salih demonstrated today near the settlement of Halamish (Neve Zuf) protesting the on going expropriation of their land by Israel and used by the Jewish settlements around. Armed settlers from the near by settlement attacked the protesters with stones backed up by the army who used tear gas, stunt grenades and rubber coated bullets in a violent attempt to brake and disperse the demonstration. Protesters managed to block the road for some two and a half hours and 20 of them were injured, amongst them 3 are still in the hospital suffering from medium injuries after being shot by the army with rubber coated bullets from close range. . . . .
Hamas promises to deliver final Shalit offer within days
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - Hamas will deliver to the German mediator its final response to Israel's offer for a prisoner exchange within days, the group's political leader Khaled Meshal said on Sunday. ...
Netanyahu: Israel will resume West Bank building in 8 months
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reminded coalition members that Israel's freeze on construction in West Bank settlements was only temporary, saying: "In another eight months, we'll start building again." ...
Woman students in Egypt wear surgical masks to evade veil ban
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - A number of female students wore surgical masks at Cairo University to circumvent a government ban on the full face veil in exams, an independent Egyptian newspaper reported on Sunday. ...
World Arab writers vow to fight Israel's cultural influence
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - The Arab Writers Union formed a Damascus bureau meant to prevent the infiltration of Hebrew terms into Arab culture, Israel Radio reported on Sunday, adding that the new group said it would prevent the "normalization" of cultural ties with Israel. ...
Key U.S. senators slam threat to withhold Israel loan guarantees
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - Two key U.S. senators on Sunday dismissed Mideast envoy George Mitchell's suggestion that Washington withhold loan guarantees to pressure Israel. ...
The best way to help Palestine | Seth Freedman
The Guardian 10 Jan 2010 - Combatants for Peace's joint Israeli-Palestinian protests value constructive bond-forging over antagonistic posturing The stage was set, the cast assembled. On one side, heavily armed Israeli soldiers, police and private security guards. On the other, scores of...
Palestinian: Israeli cops urinated on my head during arrest
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - Four Israel Police officers from the Tel Aviv area were arrested on Sunday over suspicions that they assaulted and abused a Palestinian detainee late last month. ...
Palestinian official: Israel razed 150 Arab homes in West Bank
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - Israeli security forces on Sunday knocked down shelters that were home to about 150 Palestinians in the West Bank, Palestinian officials said. ...
Only psychiatrists can explain Israel's behavior
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - Our wild world of crime has recently been sent for observation. From the bodyguard of the IDF Chief of Staff to the killers of their own children - all have been sent for observation. The time has come, as is the custom around here, to send the country for observation, too. Maybe with ongoing treatment from specialists, the diagnosis that will save us can be made. ...
Transport Ministry warns: Opening Route 443 to Palestinians will jam Route 1
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - The Transportation Ministry warned on Sunday that if security is not strictly maintained on route 443, which up until a recent High Court of Justice decision was closed to Palestinian drivers, the alternate route, Route 1 from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, will not be able to withstand the volume of traffic. ...
British airline BMI officially halts Tel Aviv flights
Ha'aretz 10 Jan 2010 - The British low-cost airline bmi officially scrapped its route between Tel Aviv and London on Sunday as part of sweeping cost-cutting measures. Its departure leaves the route to El Al, easyJet and British Airways. ...
OPT: Israel prevented 17 sight-impaired Gazans from leaving for cornea transplant operations on time; a donation of dozens of corneas went down the drain
Relief Web 10 Jan 2010 - Source: Physicians for Human Rights
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 15: Left for Dead in Beit Lahiya, North Gaza
Relief Web 10 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 14: The Salha Family
Relief Web 8 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
'New page' in Druze, Hezbollah relations
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - Druze leader Jumblatt meets Nasrallah emissary for reconciliation two years after conflict between sides; further reconciliatory meeting expected Monday with Maronite leader Aoun
Officers suspected of abuse get house arrest
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - Yarkon District Police officers suspects of abusing Palestinian detainee placed under house arrest, deny all allegations against them. Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court judge finds reasonable suspicion against suspects, but criticizes rash conduct of police investigations unit
Senators: Punish US officials over airline plot
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - Senators Joe Lieberman, John McCain take issue with President Barack Obama's suggestion that no one should be fired over security lapses found in attempted Christmas Day airliner attack
Netanyahu approves construction of Egypt-Israel border fence
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - Following discussions on problem of infiltration, PM adopts IDF plan for two fence sections near Rafah and Eilat. Bill proposed to enable harsher sentencing on those giving assistance to infiltrators
Israel razes Palestinian structures in West Bank
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - Israeli forces knock down 15 structures that were home to some 150 Palestinians in Khirbet Tana near Nablus, claiming they were built on military training ground
Senators McCain, Lieberman downplay Mitchell's threat
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - During Jerusalem press conference, senator who lost to Obama expresses objection to use of aid freeze as threat. Lieberman: Attempt of this kind won't pass in Congress
IDF strikes in Gaza; 3 dead
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - IDF strikes east of Deir al-Balah in central Strip. Palestinians say three killed, four injured. Strike comes after four mortar shells fired at Israel
'Cops urinated on me, placed excrement on my head'
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - Palestinian thief's complaint against police abuse suggests policemen beat him, placed banana peals behind his ears while capturing all on cell phone. Five officers released after questioning, rest to face remand hearings
US general: We have contingency plan for Iran
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - General David Petraeus tells CNN US military ready for day diplomatic efforts against Iranian nuclear program fail, says Iranian facilities 'certainly can be bombed'
PM: We won't free terror symbols
YNet News 10 Jan 2010 - Prime minister tells Likud ministers Israel will not release 'terror symbols' in prisoner exchange deal for captive soldier Gilad Shalit. Netanyahu also stressed that construction in settlements is to resume in eight months
Jerusalemite center: IOA executing biggest colonialist scheme in OJ
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - The Quds center for social and economic rights has warned of an unprecedented colonialist project currently being implemented by the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) in occupied Jerusalem.
Nasr denies Syrian patronage of Abbas-Mishaal summit
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - Mohammed Nasr, the political bureau member of Hamas, has denied that Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad was proposing a summit meeting between Hamas leader Khaled Mishaal and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Resheq: Hamas delegation led by Mishaal confers with Emir of Qatar
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - A senior level delegation of the Hamas Movement led by its top leader Khaled Mishaal conferred with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa in Doha on Sunday.
Demo at Egyptian embassy, as European MPs dismayed at Egyptian procrastination
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - Tens of Italians demonstrated in front of the Egyptian embassy in Rome to protest the Egyptian construction of the steel wall and the obstacles put by Egypt before relief convoys to Gaza.
IOF soldiers kill two Palestinian civilians, demolish property in WB
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - Two Palestinian citizens were shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in northern Gaza Strip at a late hour on Saturday, medical sources reported on Sunday.
Hamdan: Hamas determined to achieve honorable prisoners’ swap deal
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - Osama Hamdan has revealed Saturday that the indirect prisoners’ swap negotiations with the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) were still continuing, describing them as difficult.
Abdelrazek: Zio-American veto blocking reconciliation
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - Hamas MP Dr. Omar Abdelrazek, a former finance minister, has said that a Zio-American veto was impeding an inter-Palestinian reconciliation agreement.
European institutions: Egypt's steel wall only serves Israel
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - European institutions supporting the Palestine cause have issued a statement on Saturday saying that the Egyptian steel wall along the borders with Gaza Strip was only serving the Israeli interest.
British writer: Egypt participates in the US-led blockade on Gaza
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - British writer Seumas Milne has accused the Egyptian government of effectively participating in the US-led siege on the Gaza Strip.
Qaddoumi rejects steel wall, asks Arabs to support resistance
PIC 10 Jan 2010 - Farouq Al-Qaddoumi has rejected the steel wall currently constructed by Egypt along its borders with the Gaza Strip and asked the Arab countries to support Palestinian resistance.
Iran's opposition spreads to heartland
LA Times 10 Jan 2010 - Though organizing opposition to the government is more difficult in smaller cities that don't afford the anonymity of Tehran, activists in the provinces say they're making progress. Mohammad knew he had to be careful in approaching his old classmate Hamed, the one from the conservative Iranian family. They come from a small city, after all, and word gets around.
Iran's supreme leader tells militias not to meddle
LA Times 10 Jan 2010 - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attempts to ease tensions, while Brig. Gen. Mohammad-Reza Naghdi says his Basiji militiamen are prepared to clamp down on the opposition movement. Iran's supreme leader Saturday told shadowy pro-government militias not to interfere in the nation's postelection unrest even as the head of the notorious Basiji militia warned that his forces would "jump into the fray" if authorities didn't act strongly against the opposition movement.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Soldiers Invade Ramallah, Kidnap a Czech Peace Activist
IMEMC 11 Jan 2010 - Monday January 11, 2010 - 22:34, The Israeli Army invaded on Monday at night the center of the West Bank city of Ramallah, and kidnapped a Czech citizen, identified as Eva Nováková, who started her activities as the media coordinator of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) three weeks ago.
Non-violent protest at the northern Gaza borders with Israel
IMEMC 11 Jan 2010 - Monday January 11, 2010 - 16:56, Palestinians organized a nonviolent protest this Monday at the northern Gaza borders Israel.
One injured three kidnapped during military invasions targeting West Bank areas
IMEMC 11 Jan 2010 - Monday January 11, 2010 - 15:28, One man was injured and three other civilians were kidnapped, among them two children, on Monday during separate military attacks targeting a number of West Bank communities.
Israel's Siege Kills Another Child. Man Reported Dead At A Tunnel Site
IMEMC 11 Jan 2010 - Monday January 11, 2010 - 15:08, A Palestinian child was reported dead on Monday after he was unable to leave the Gaza Strip for the medical care he urgently needed.
Israel Approves Construction Of Wall Along Egypt Border
IMEMC 11 Jan 2010 - Monday January 11, 2010 - 11:31, The Israeli government has officially approved on Sunday at night the construction of a Wall along its border with Egypt.
Israel Demolishes 30 Structures Near Nablus
IMEMC 11 Jan 2010 - Monday January 11, 2010 - 06:28, Israeli soldiers demolished on Sunday morning 30 structures in Khirbit Tana, a small village near Beit Forik, east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus. The destruction caused by the latest Israeli violation rendered more than 180 villagers homeless.
Medics: Israeli fire kills 1 in north Gaza
1/12/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A Palestinian was killed and three injured in Israeli shelling in northeastern Gaza early Tuesday, medics said. Muawiya Hassanein, the Gaza Health Ministry's director of ambulance and emergency services, said the deceased and injured were taken to Gaza City's Kamal Adwan Hospital. An Israeli military spokeswoman said forces were not operating in the area of the blast, which came 24 hours after three operatives from Islamic Jihad's military wing were killed in an airstrike in Gaza City. Meanwhile, a security source told Ma'an that Israel was aware of an explosion near Beit Hanoun, "but as far as we can tell, it was an internal blast. " Earlier Monday, a projectile fired from Gaza landed in the western Negev, causing no damage or injury. "We will not tolerate the firing of rockets by terrorists into Israel, or any attempt to disrupt the calm in Israel's southern. . . "
Czech national detained in overnight incursion
1/12/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Czech national was seized by the Israeli military during a late-night raid in Ramallah's city center on Monday. Eva NovĂ¡kovĂ¡, 28, the International Solidarity Movement's media coordinator, was taken from her Manara square apartment at 3am, witnesses said and Israel's army confirmed. During the raid, soldiers deployed on rooftops adjacent to the Palestinian Authority police headquarters, while three APVs patrolled the central urban area. Onlookers counted at least 20 soldiers participating in the operation, which lasted less than half an hour. Also participating were forces belonging to Israel's special "Oz" immigration task force, according to Israeli activist Jonathan Pollak, among others. Pollak said immigration police broke down NovĂ¡kovĂ¡'s door, checked her passport, and took her away. "I don't know why it would be worthwhile for them to do that," Pollak told Ma'an. "It's really alarming because she wasn't charged with anything. "
Activists: Army prevents tree-planting near Hebron
1/11/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces reportedly prohibited Palestinian farmers from planting 1,500 olive trees in the Abu Ar-Rish area of the Beit Ummar village near Hebron on Monday. "Despite the decision by an Israeli court allowing Palestinian farmers to work on their lands, Israeli troops banned farmers today from planting [olive trees]," said Muhammad Awad, media spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Project. "The troops said that it is a closed military area," Awad said. The spokesman added that four journalists and three American activists were detained, as Israeli forces used stun grenades and closed off the area leading to the agricultural land in question. An Israeli military spokesman said he had no knowledge of the incident. . . . .
Sheikh Saleh banned from entering Jerusalem
1/12/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli military authorities issued on Monday an order banning Sheikh Raed Saleh, leader of Israel's Islamic movement, from entering Jerusalem for six months. Saleh was summoned to the police station in Wadi Ara where he was handed the order. He was presented with a similar order limiting his freedom of movement three weeks prior, which expired on Monday. The new order was attached with a colored map designating the areas off-limits for the sheikh. "We will reserve the permanent and perpetual right to enter the city of Jerusalem at any moment, without permission from anyone. At the same time, the evidence gathered confirms that 2010 will be a year of a fateful decision on the present and future of occupied Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially if we connect these orders with the occupation's false attacks, aimed at Judaizing Jerusalem and their plans to destruct Al Aqsa Mosque," Saleh said in a statement.
Al-Aqsa detainees ask for their cases to be clarified
1/11/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Nine members of Fatah detained in the Palestinian Authority prison of Juneid in Nablus have demanded that the reasons for their detention be brought to light. The detainees said on 7 January 2010 they were told to turn themselves in to Palestinian security forces to guarantee their personal safety, according to a statement issued by the detained. On 8 January 2010 media spokesman for the PA security forces, Adnan Ad-Dameeri, denied that Israel had called for their detention, asserting that security concerns prompted the arrest. "This has made us and our families confused especially as some of us are threatened to lose their jobs and we all have family duties," the nine's statement read. . . . . The men were once "wanted" members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah's paramilitary wing, until they entered into an amnesty program and received pardons from Israel.
Jerusalemite sentenced to two life terms for murder
1/11/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Father of the Palestinian accused and sentenced for heading a terrorist cell in Jerusalem on Monday described the Israeli court's decision as "unjust and oppressive. "Mohammad Khalil Adnan Abu Sneina, 21, was given two life sentences by the court, in addition to 40 years, for the murder of police officer Rami Zuari near the Shuafat Refugee Camp and border policeman David Shriki near the Old City in East Jerusalem in 2008. Abu Sneina's father denied all the charges brought against his son, describing them as "null and fabricated" and claimed that the judge who handed out the verdict had been taking directives from Israeli intelligence officers. During the hearing the representative of the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office, Sagi Ophir demanded the court deliver the longest term possible to Abu Sneina.
Lawyers to boycott military courts in Ofer prison
1/11/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Lawyers representing Palestinian prisoners in Israel announced on Monday that they will boycott all legal proceedings held at the Ofer prison, in a statement issued by the Palestinian Prisoners' Society. The boycott is a response to a military order which prohibits the entry of the detainees' families and West Bank lawyers to be present at any of Ofer's military courts. Israeli authorities had told the lawyers concerned that the decision had been overturned but relatives and West Bank lawyers hoping to attend a hearing on Monday at Ofer were refused entry, the statement said. The Israeli authorities' decision constitutes a clear violation of international law, the statement concluded, highlighting that it contravenes all laws guaranteeing the right to a public hearing and appropriate pleading.
Activists enter Gaza buffer zone
1/11/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Dozens of Palestinian and foreign activists began on Monday the first of weekly demonstrations against Israel's creation of a buffer zone between the Green Line and the northern and eastern borders of the Gaza Strip. Saber Az-Za'aneen, coordinator of the local committee that organized the protests, said they were joined by foreign participants in the intended "security zone," reaching approximately 100 meters of the separation wall in Beit Hanoun. Az-Za'aneen told Ma'an that the committee hopes to see participation grow, in order to protect farmers, who are most affected by the decision, and to assist them in gaining entry to their agricultural land. The Israeli army dropped leaflets across Gaza, informing its residents of the new areas that are no longer accessible to the population. . . . .
Hamas: Seven detained by PA security
1/11/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas accused the Palestinian Authority security services of detaining seven of the movement's affiliates across the West Bank, in a statement issued on Monday. The seven were detained from Qalqiliya and Hebron, the statement added. Hamas identified the detainees as the following: From Qalqiliya: Muhammad Subhi Daoud Freij, Omar Melhem (detained prior for six months), Muhammad Samhan (detained more than once), Walid Al-Hutari (detained four times), Hassan Hassanein (detained four times), Zaki Daoud (detained three times), From Hebron: Usama Shaheen. [end]
Islamic Jihad warns of impending Israeli incursion into Gaza
1/11/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Islamic Jihad movement warned on Monday of a major Israeli incursion in the Gaza Strip after the recent escalation in Israeli air raids and artillery fire, in which three of the movement's operatives were killedon Sunday evening. Senior Islamic Jihad leader Khalid Al-Batsh in a statement said the Israeli assault clearly indicated that Israel's was in preparation for a major military operation in the Strip by using political and media campaigns to foster international support for "such aggression. " Current political pressure to restart negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians "increases Israel's opportunity to cover up for its aggression," Al-Batsh said. "It provides Israel with the chance to escape the toll they should pay for war crimes," he added, speaking of Israel's Operation Cast Lead last winter, following which South African jurist Richard. . .
Unrecognized Bedouin village opens day care center
1/12/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Regional Council for the Unrecognized Bedouin Villages in the Negev (RCUV) inaugurated a day care center in As-Shahabi on Monday, the first of its kind for the village's Bedouin population. The site of the new Day Care and Community Center, formally a mosque, was donated by a member of the village. Additional funds were raised by communities in the Negev to help with the renovation and the cost of running it. "For the last four years the government of Israel has been demolishing every new structure built in the unrecognized villages, making the available standing structures rare, and in strong demand for young couples wishing to marry. In this context, the donation of the structure is even more astounding," said Dr Yeela Livnat Raanan in a statement. As-Shahabi is an unrecognized village of approximately 2,000 residents located on their historical land.
Israel opens two Gaza crossings; no exports allowed
1/11/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israel opened the Kerem Shalom and Karni border crossings into Gaza on Monday in the south and north respectively, Palestinian border official Raed Fattouh told Ma'an. Approximately 64 truckloads of humanitarian aid will be transferred into Gaza from Kerem Shalom, Fattouh said, in addition to limited quantities of domestic gas and industrial diesel, vitally needed for the sole power plant currently working under capacity. Fattouh added that 89 truckloads of wheat and fodder would be allowed through Karni. [end]
Egyptian delegation to enter Gaza Strip
1/11/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A delegation of Egyptian politicians and actors is due to reach Gaza next Friday, the de facto government's Anti-Siege Committee announced on Monday. Under the banner "No Siege and No Wall," the visit was organized by the Egyptian Labor and Karama parties as well as the Kifaya movement, a statement from the committee said. The delegation reportedly will include Dr Diyaa Sawi, Dr Muhammad Sab'awi, Dr Najla Qayloubi, wife of detained Labor leader Majdi Hussein, as well as Sheikh Abu Omar Al-Masri. Egyptian actors Abdul Aziz Makhyoun and Muhsina Tawfiq were also scheduled to join the delegation. The group awaits permission from the Egyptian authorities but will enter with a "symbolic gifts" for the people of Gaza, the statement read. Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinian and foreign activists began on Monday the first of weekly demonstrations against Israel's. . .
PA police: 100 detained over Bethlehem violence
1/11/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority police, reinforced by security forces, resolved spats of clan disputes last week in the Bethlehem governorate and arrested 100 suspected of involvement in the incidents, the police reported on Monday. The PA police reported being "terrified" at the number of different family clashes that erupted across Bethlehem villages. Disputes in Husan and Battir to the west commenced five months prior and culminated last week, when numerous relatives were transferred to hospital to undergo treatment for their injuries. Extensive property was damaged during the exchange of blows. Fights relating to family and clan rivalry also took place last week in Beit Fajjar, Al-Ubayyat, Beit Sahour, Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Al-Khader/The police responded by imposing restrictions to ensure the safety of the remaining residents in the governorate, in spite. . .
Shalit captors ’should release him on humanitarian grounds’
1/12/2010 - Part 16 of a series recounting the findings of South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict - Bethlehem - Ma'an - On 11 January 2009, Hamas deputy Moussa Abu Marzouq stated that as of a result of Israel's then-ongoing assault on Gaza, captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit "may have been wounded, and he may not have been. The subject no longer interests us. ""We are not interested in his well-being at all, and we are not giving him any special guard since he is as good as a cat or less," Abu Marzouq added, in an apparent effort to intimidate Israeli forces who were still pounding the coastal enclave for the 18th day straight. Shalit, a member of the Israeli military, was captured in June 2006 when a squad drawn from three groups - the Popular Resistance Committees, the Al-Qassam Brigades and the until. . .
Fatah leaders review peace prospects
1/12/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Fatah's Central Committee began discussions with party leader and President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday concerning the latest developments on the resumption of negotiations with Israel. The meetings, according to sources within the committee, are due to end Monday evening, before discussing the Egyptian and Jordanian delegations' visit to Washington, calling for further efforts on the Middle East peace process. Committee members will remain by their stance of calling for a halt to settlements before returning to the negotiating table and are committed to signed agreements with the objective of establishing a sovereign Palestinian state, the party sources added. Members further discussed recent Israeli comments, accusing the Palestinian Authority and Abbas of incitement. It is anticipated that the committee will issue a statement on Monday evening.
Israel to build wall along Egyptian border
1/11/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Israel approved on Sunday the construction of a barrier along its border with Egypt, Israeli media reported on Monday. "I took the decision to close Israel's southern border to infiltrators and terrorists. This is a strategic decision to secure Israel's Jewish and democratic character," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement. In recent weeks, the number of African migrants detained by Egypt whilst trying to enter Israel has increased. On Sunday, Egyptian security sources revealed thatsecurity forces thwarted two attempts by African migrants to enter Israel through Egypt's Sinai border. Many have been shot dead at the border by Egypt. "We cannot let tens of thousands of illegal workers infiltrate into Israel through the southern border and inundate our country with illegal aliens," Netanyahu added.
PA police: 2 arrested for drug possession
1/11/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority police (PA) arrested two accused of narcotics' possession in Nablus, according to a report issued on Monday. The suspects were detained following an ambush, where the police confiscated 34. 2 grams of hashish, an unspecified amount of cocaine and four bottles of methadone, the report said. The detained will be transferred to general prosecution to continue legal procedures against them, the police report added. [end]
Hamas: Gaza bombmaker killed in work-related blast
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Two others injured; Palestinian sources initially claimed casualties were caused by IAF missile strike.
IDF denies reports it attacked northern Gaza
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Palestinians say three militants killed in IAF strike on Strip; Gaza rocket hits Israel for fifth consecutive day.
'Iron Dome rocket defense system will take years to deploy'
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - 'Watch your step,' Barak warns Hamas over rockets; Hamas: Palestinian attacks are response to Israeli aggression.
Egypt says Israel's plan for border fence 'not our concern'
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Cairo denies link between Israel's barrier and its own wall now being constructed between Egypt and Gaza.
Druze MK seeks immunity in indictment over Syria meeting
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Balad's Said Naffaa says meetings in Syria arguing fall under his duties as a member of Knesset.
Bank of Israel forecasts 3.5% growth rate for 2010
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Bank says global recovery upped demand for Israeli goods; cautions that could scale back the forecast.
Palestinian terror cell head gets 2 life sentences
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Mohammed Abu-Sneina convicted of heading group that murdered two Jerusalem cops in 2008.
Israel to build NIS 1.5b fence along Egypt border
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Netanyahu approves plan to prevent migrant workers from infiltrating and 'ensure Jewish character' of Israel.
PFLP: Arab and international pressure to return to negotiations plays into the hands of the Zionist enemy
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - Comrade Jamil Mizher, member of the Central Committee of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, called for a total rejection of Arab and international pressure to return to negotiations, saying that such negotiations only play into the hands of the Zionist enemy. Comrade Mizher, speaking with Aljazeera.net on January 4, 2009, said that a...
Appeals Court Extends President’s Wartime Powers, Limits Guantánamo Prisoners’ Rights
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - On the eighth anniversary of the opening of the "War on Terror" prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, the implications of a ruling last week in the Court of Appeals (PDF) have added another layer of uncertainty to the prisoners’ future, in a week that was notorious for a barrage of lies and misinformation, and a promise...
125,000 Jerusalem residents “could lose residence rights”
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - The Jerusalem Centre for Social and Economic Rights (JCSER) has claimed that over 125,000 Palestinian residents of Jerusalem could eventually have been stripped of the right to live in their city because of the separation wall and the Judaisation policies adopted by successive Israeli governments. JCSER warns that Jerusalem is being subjected to the most dangerous...
US to store more weapons, ammunition in Israel: official
Uruknet January 11, 2010 — The US military plans to expand its stockpiles of weapons in Israel under a recent agreement with Jerusalem, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday. The deal will double the value of military equipment kept on Israeli soil from 400 million to 800 million dollars, Major Shawn Turner told AFP. Tensions with Iran over its nuclear program were...
Israeli forces demolish 17 buildings in northern West Bank
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - Israeli military forces have demolished 17 buildings in the Palestinian community of Khirbet Tana for the second time. This is the only the most recent chapter in a long struggle for the small agricultural community to keep their lands. The Israeli army arrived this morning to the village in a convoy of jeeps and bulldozers and...
Israel's countdown to another war on Gaza
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - As the Middle East Monitor (MEMO) highlights the human cost of Operation Cast Lead (War Diaries), Israel has during the last two weeks intensified its air strikes at civilian targets in the Gaza Strip, once again killing a number of Palestinians and causing extensive damage to properties. Media and military analysts in the region have discerned...
Amnesty International: Iran's 'Mourning Mothers' must be released
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - Amnesty International has urged the Iranian authorities to release a group of women who were beaten and arrested during a peaceful vigil in Tehran at the weekend. The 33 women, members of a group known as the 'Mourning Mothers', were seized during their weekly meeting in Laleh Park, Tehran on Saturday, according to media reports. Several...
Nablus executions: Shoot first, ask questions later
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - The brutal killing of three Palestinian men by Israeli military forces in Nablus last week on 26 December 2009 sparked grief and outrage across Palestine and brought the northern West Bank city to a standstill as thousands mourned the lethal attack. However, their voices are drowned out yet again by a well-played hand of Israel's propaganda...
Israeli media defending the murder of children because of "rockets"
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - Years 1948-2010 Total number of People killed in Israel by Rockets ...15. Five were soldiers and two were Palestinian. More people die from suicide....
Gaza: a child dies because of the siege and a man reported dead at a tunnel site
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - A Palestinian child was reported dead on Monday after he was unable to leave the Gaza Strip for the medical care he urgently needed. Three year old Mayisarah Mussa had a hart condition, but doctors were unable to treat him in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing siege. Doctors said that he needed an operation...
Israel considers giving legal status to two illegal West Bank outposts
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - After four and a half years of government promises to destroy the two West Bank settlements of Hayovel and Harsha, the High Court of Justice said yesterday that it intends to examine conditions on the ground there, potentially paving the way for their formal recognition. The High Court of Justice's deliberation over these settlements has become...
One Year After Israeli Assault on Gaza, Survivors from Samouni Family Remember the Tragedy that Killed 29
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - One year after Israel’s assault on Gaza, we go back to a deadly attack that took place on one Gazan neighborhood. The Samouni family, who live in an agricultural area in the Zaytoun area of Gaza City, lost twenty-nine members of their family in the attack. Anjali Kamat and Jacquie Soohen visited the surviving members of...
Palestinians Discover Ancient Coin in Gaza
11 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 11, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The ministry of tourism and antiquities in Gaza on Monday declared the discovery of ancient artifacts in Rafah near the Egyptian border. Mohammed Al-Agha, tourism and antiquities minister in Hamas-led government said, "The most important of the findings are 1,300 antique silver coins, both large and small," He said archaeologists had also uncovered...
Siege Death Toll Rises to 368
11 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 11, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The child Maisara Ibrahim Moussa, 3 years, passed away on Monday which rises the number of people who died as a result of the Israeli siege on Gaza to 368. The child was prohibited from traveling for treatment outside the besieged Gaza Strip. The child who suffered deformation in his heart, passed away...
Amnesty: Israeli Detention of Palestinian Activists Must End
11 Jan 2010 - Palestine, January 11, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Israeli authorities must immediately release, or bring before a fair trial, three Palestinian human rights activists detained in Israel following their protests against the construction of the West Bank fence/wall, Amnesty International said on Friday. In a letter sent to Ehud Barak, Israeli Defence and Deputy Prime Minister on Thursday, Amnesty International...
Palestinian dies in tunnel near Rafah
11 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 11, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - A young Palestinian lost his life on Monday when he accidentally fell into a tunnel south of the border town of Rafah. Dr. Muawiya Hassanain, the director of Emergency in the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, declared that Fadi Mahmoud Khalil, 20, died when he fell into one of the smuggling tunnels...
Israel Kills 3 Palestinians in Gaza
11 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 11, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli warplanes killed three Palestinian resistance men Sunday night. The airstrike struck a group of Palestinian resistance men in the central Gaza Strip, killing them with an air-to-ground missile, Palestinian medics said. The three martyrs are Awad Abu Nasir from Dair Al Balah, Hasan Al Qatrawi from Al Nosairat camp and Hozyfa Al...
With Palestinians painted into a corner, peace talks hinge on US guidance
The National 11 Jan 2010 - Abbas defiant as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urges Palestinians and Israelis to look at bigger picture'.
Hamas cannot stop rockets into Israel
The National 11 Jan 2010 - Analysts say Hamas is struggling to rein in militants, which Israel could use to justify resisting pressure to begin negotiations.
Accidental blast kills Gaza fighter
AlJazeera 11 Jan 2010 - Hamas admits fighters mishandled explosives after initially blaming Israel for blast.
Israel plans wall for Egypt border
AlJazeera 11 Jan 2010 - Israel's premier authorises new barrier on part of the Egyptian-Israeli border.
Israel to construct barrier along Egyptian border
PNN 11 Jan 2010 - Israel's government has approved plans for the construction of a barrier along its border with Egypt in a bid to keep out illegal migrants and militants. It will be built along two parts of the border - near the Red Sea city of Eilat and on the edge of the Gaza Strip. PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision was taken to secure...
Gaza student holds graduation party at church
PNN 11 Jan 2010 - Palestinian student Berlanty Azzam has never thought that her graduation ceremony would take place in a small church far away from her university and friends. After spending four years studying in Bethlehem University in the West Bank, and two months before her course finishes, Israeli soldiers kicked her to the Gaza Strip since her ID tells that she is a Gazan. I...
Team visits Cairo to boost peace talks
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - Israeli officials go to Egypt to prod PA back to negotiations two days before Quartet meeting.
Labor minister hopes Kadima crisis was wake-up call for Barak
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - Kadima and Labor are both "undemocratic parties" the leaders of which could get away with dictatorial rule, minister complains.
Analysis: Planned southern border fence turns the screws on Hamas in Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - Escalation in rocket attacks said to be terror group's response to pressure.
Police: Fence along Sinai border vital
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - Israel needs fence to prevent drug, arms smuggling, human trafficking, Southern District chief says.
'Iron Dome reduces chances of Gaza war'
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - Barak says system will significantly reduce attacks, warns Hamas against launching rockets.
Israel to Turkey: We can fight back
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - Jerusalem slams Erdogan's "unbridled tongue-lashing"; Ayalon outraged at new Turkish TV show.
Israel Beiteinu, Shas bang heads over Ukraine visa cancellation
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - The Tourism Ministry believes that the cancellation of visas would lead to a 200 percent increase in tourists from the former Soviet republic.
6-nation meeting on dealing with Iran's defiance being planned
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - Officials say talks likely in NYC Sat.; Clinton says US believes best way to pressure Teheran is to impose sanctions aimed at ruling elite.
IDF nearly done with Goldstone counter-report
Jeruslalem Post 11 Jan 2010 - Internal investigation results to be released to the public, respond to Goldstone findings.
MIDEAST: Gaza Extremists Drifting Towards al-Qaeda?
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 11 (IPS) - Two separate bomb attacks on Internet cafes in Gaza last week have served as an uncomfortable reminder that extremist groups within the coastal territory may be stronger than the moderate Hamas organisation which rules the strip.
MIDEAST: Israel Cool to New U.S. Pressure
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 11 (IPS) - In the past, whenever there was even a semblance of pressure from Washington on Israel, nerves in Jerusalem went all a-jangle.
Israel stages night-time Ramallah raid to arrest an international solidarity activist
1/11/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - A raid was conducted in Ramallah’s city centre tonight to apprehend Eva Nováková, a Czech citizen, who took on the role of the International Solidarity Movement’s media coordinator three weeks ago. Israeli soldiers raided the Ramallah home of Eva Nováková tonight at 3 am near the Manara square. The operation to apprehend Nováková, the ISM’s new media coordinator since three weeks ago, was carried out by a force of both soldiers and members of the “Oz” immigration police unit. During the raid, the army occupied a number of rooftops at a location adjacent to the Palestinian Police Ramallah headquarters. She is currently being held in Givon detention center awaiting deportation to the Czech Republic. This recent military raid into Palestinian-controlled Area A comes amidst Palestinian discontent over continued incursions and arrests.
Israeli forces demolish 17 buildings in northern West Bank
1/11/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 10 January - Israeli military forces have demolished 17 buildings in the Palestinian community of Khirbet Tana for the second time. This is the only the most recent chapter in a long struggle for the small agricultural community to keep their lands. The Israeli army arrived this morning to the village in a convoy of jeeps and bulldozers and razed 17 buildings to the ground. The demolished structures included family homes, children's classrooms and shelters for the village's livestock. Several olive trees were also razed to the ground. In a statement issued by the Israeli military, the buildings were had demolished due to the fact they were "illegally constructed structures" built on a military training ground, "endangering the lives of those present". Khirbet Tana centered around two natural springs, lying 7km east of Beit Furik in the Nablus area of the West Bank.
FBI and Shin Bet began tracking 'Jewish terrorist' year before arrest
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Teitel refuses to cooperate with his attorney, saying he does not recognize court's authority.,
Foreign Min. official: Lieberman wants to keep Israel-Turkey ties cold
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Turkey PM says Israel endangering world peace; Foreign Ministry: Turkey can't lecture us on morality.
Aluf Benn / Israel alone can't be blamed for failing Turkey ties
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Erdogan has not missed an opportunity to direct harsh criticism at Israel since Operation Cast Lead.,
Yoel Marcus / Obama blowing threatening winds at Israel
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - We can deny it all we like, but the U.S. can use Israel loan guarantees to influence Jerusalem's policy.,
Egypt: Netanyahu willing to see East Jerusalem as Palestinian capital
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Arab foreign ministers: Palestinians agree to ease preconditions for reopening negotiations with Israel.,
State Dept.: U.S. not planning to withhold Israel loan guarantees
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Asst. Sec. of State says Mitchell's suggestion last week was just 'historical' fact, not threat of action.,
Israel's U.S. envoy: Obama peace plan unrealistic
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Special Mideast envoy Mitchell reaffirms support for two-state solution, as well as Israel-Syria peace.,
Tashkent releases Israeli detained for carrying M16 bullets
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Tamar Yagudayev was arrested last Thursday upon landing, said bag with bullets belongs to a friend.,
Holocaust survivors to Rome rabbi: Tell Pope how we suffered
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Survivors send message of shock to Vatican after decision to advance candidacy of Pius to sainthood.,
The looming war in Gaza: Can Obama stop it before it starts?
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - The countdown to the Second Gaza War has begun in earnest.Washington, take note.,
Radical Muslim leader banned from Jerusalem for 6 months more
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Sheik Ra'ad Salah tells top Turkish religious figures Israel's occupation in E. Jerusalem must end.,
Why Oliver Stone believes Hitler was an 'easy scapegoat'
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - Director's new documentary seeking to put historical villains 'into context' has viewing world up in arms.,
Report: Iran slows down nuclear program in gesture to West
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - UN Security Council members mull new sanctions targeting Tehran's Revolutionary Guard, Iran economy.,
Israel to build surveillance fence along Egyptian border
The Guardian 11 Jan 2010 - Prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu says £170m project will close border to 'infiltrators and terrorists' Israel is to build a fence equipped with advanced surveillance tools along part of its border with Egypt to keep out African...
Letters: No link to Hamas
The Guardian 10 Jan 2010 - In reply to our letter of 5 January , Robin Stamler ( Letters , 9 January) invokes the statements of a "documentation centre" established in 2009 by the Hamas government as the basis for his claim that British human...
I Am Yusuf and This Is My Brother: A Palestinian story about Palestinians
The Guardian 11 Jan 2010 - In the war of 1948, thousands of Palestinians were uprooted from their homes never to return, and playwright Amir Nizar Zuabi is determined to tell their stories It was six decades ago, but the fallout from...
Kadima No. 2 begins preparing for primaries, without Livni's consent
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - The Kadima party's No. 2, Shaul Mofaz, campaigned this week for a leadership primary and is scheduled to meet Thursday in Kiryat Malakhi with several mayors and members of the Knesset. ...
Israeli water consumption down 9 percent in 2009
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - The water consumption of the average Israeli household declined by more than 9 percent over the past year, primarily due to efforts to encourage conservation, the Mekorot Water Company said in a new report. ...
Bat Yam shooting leaves one dead, another wounded
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - One young man was killed and another seriously wounded on Monday when unknown gunmen opened fire on their car in the central Israeli town of Bat Yam. ...
Druze MK seeks immunity in indictment over Syria meeting
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - MK Said Naffaa asked the Knesset on Monday to enforce his immunity as to protect him from a recently submitted indictment accusing him of contacting enemy agents. ...
Negev man gets 9 years in jail for trying to bomb police officer
Ha'aretz 11 Jan 2010 - The Be'er Sheva District Court on Monday sentenced a man to nine years in prison for rigging a hand grenade at the entrance to the home of a prison intelligence officer. Yaniv Zaguri was also convicted for extortion and arms trading ...
OPT: Refugee Stories - Deeb's Long Journey Home
Relief Web 11 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Gaza hopes earthen brick homes will be temporary
Relief Web 11 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
IFC to Help Bank of Palestine Strengthen Risk Management Systems
Relief Web 11 Jan 2010 - Source: International Finance Corporation
FUND FOR GENDER EQUALITY ANNOUNCES MORE THAN US$9 MILLION IN GRANTS TO ADVANCE WOMEN'S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT WORLDWIDE
Relief Web 11 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Development Fund for Women
Lebanese refugees wait for their due
Relief Web 11 Jan 2010 - Source: Medical Aid for Palestinians
OPT: UNRWA signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Organization for Peace, Care and Relief
Relief Web 11 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Israel: Turkey has no right to preach morality
YNet News 11 Jan 2010 - Deputy foreign minister reprimands ambassador for Turkish TV show depicting Mossad agents as baby snatchers, tells reporters he wants it to be seen that ambassador 'is seated below him'
Clinton says Iran sanctions should target elite
YNet News 11 Jan 2010 - US secretary of state says best way to pressure Tehran to come clean on nuclear ambitions is to impose sanctions on 'relatively small group of decision makers with political, commercial ties.' Adds: We're still interested in engaging with Iran
Iranian FM, Assad talk of 'Zionist regime's crimes'
YNet News 11 Jan 2010 - Mottaki to Syrian president: Support for armed struggle against occupier is moral and human duty. FM also passes on warm greetings from Iranian president, meets terror group leaders
Palestinians: Masked settlers assaulted farmers
YNet News 11 Jan 2010 - Umm a-Tin farmer says IDF joined forces with Gilad Farm settlers, ordered them to evacuate agricultural lands. Settler: Arabs from village of Par'ata arrived at the scene without authorization to provoke us
Turkey lashes out at Israel
YNet News 11 Jan 2010 - In joint press conference with Lebanese counterpart, PM Erdogan calls on Israel to 'stop violating Lebanese airspace, territorial waters.' On airstrikes in Gaza: What's Israel's excuse this time?
Mazuz sums up 6-year term as attorney general
YNet News 11 Jan 2010 - Six turbulent years have passed since current attorney general took office. After Sharon, Ramon, Katsav and Olmert Mazuz concludes term with criticism towards 'oppositional ministers'
Yemeni radical cleric warns of foreign occupation
Daily Star 11 Jan 2010 Prominent Yemeni cleric Sheikh Abdulmajeed al-Zendani denied on Monday having links with US-Yemeni imam Anwar al-Awlaqi who is suspected of being behind the botched Christmas Day US plane bombing. Zendani, whom the US government has identified as a "global terrorist," also told a press conference that any US military deployment in Yemen.
Israel urges Hamas to rein in Gaza militants
Daily Star 11 Jan 2010 Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak urged the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers on Monday to rein in militant groups behind a surge in attacks on Israel, coupling his appeal with a veiled threat of Israeli action. "I think the recent days reflect the inability of Hamas to control the dissident groups, the Popular Committees or Islamic Jihad, who are trying to break the tranquility," Barak told Reuters.
Syria, Iran urge Palestinians to settle differences
Daily Star 11 Jan 2010 Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called on Monday for Palestinian unity and the lifting of the Gaza Strip siege, the official news agency SANA reported. The two men highlighted "the importance of reunifying Palestinian ranks," a reference to ongoing differences between Hamas and Fatah, and called for "intensified international efforts to lift the siege of Gaza" that Hamas controls.
Israel OKs fence on Egyptian border to halt refugee flow
Daily Star 11 Jan 2010 srael will construct fences on its long and porous southern desert border with Egypt in a bid to halt a growing flood of African refugees and asylum seekers who have poured into the country in recent years, officials said Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said two fences would run along parts of the 250-kilometer southern border with Egypt.
Iran's top prosecutor wants action against opposition
Daily Star 11 Jan 2010 Iran's top prosecutor called on Monday for firm action against those behind street unrest after the Islamic Republic's disputed election in June, in a clear warning that senior opposition figures may face trial. General Prosecutor Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei made the call for measures against "elements behind the recent sedition" in a statement to Tehran chief prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the ISNA news agency reported.
Scant care for Egypt's tuberculosis infected workers
Daily Star 11 Jan 2010 For years, Mohammad Mustafa inhaled the soft dust that used to come out of the machines in the cement factory south of Cairo where he worked, but he never thought those small particles would end his career. A few years ago, the 55-year-old former cement worker developed a chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, fever and night sweats, and he began losing weight.
Jamaat-e-Islami reiterates support for Palestinians, Al Quds
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan has reiterated that Palestinians were fighting for the liberation of Al-Quds urging entire Muslim Ummah to continue its support to them in this holy mission.
Pakistani clerics slam Cairo for constructing steel wall with Gaza border
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - Noted Pakistani Islamic scholars joined their counterparts elsewhere in the Muslim world to condemn Cairo for constructing a huge metal and concrete wall along its border with Gaza..
IOA bans entry of Sheikh Salah into Jerusalem for six months
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - The IOA issued a military order banning entry of Sheikh Raed Salah from entering Jerusalem for six months unless he was summoned for interrogation or any other legal procedure.
Death of a sick child brings the number of siege victims to 368
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - The Palestinian health ministry announced on Monday the death of a three-year-old child in Gaza because he could not travel abroad for medical treatment.
Hamas: Israeli decision to build wall with Egypt reveals scheme
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - Hamas on Monday said that the Israeli decision to build an electronic wall along its borders with Egypt revealed that the construction of Egypt's steel wall had nothing to do with Egyptian security.
Masri warns IOF of occupying Salahuddin axis
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - Hamas MP Mushir Al-Masri has warned the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) of the consequences of occupying the Salahuddin (Philadelphia) axis in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
Abu Halabia asks Jerusalemites to defend the Aqsa
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - Dr. Ahmed Abu Halabia, the head of the international Quds institution – Gaza branch, has denounced the Israeli policewomen for storming the Aqsa yards along with a group of Jewish fanatics on Monday.
Mishaal confers with UAE president on Palestinian developments
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - Khaled Mishaal met on Monday with Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed, the president of the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi for a discussion of Palestinian developments.
IOF holding wounded child in shackles
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) are holding a Palestinian child in hospital while both his feet and hands are shackled despite the seriousness of his condition.
Israeli municipality orders demolition of Palestinian home in Yafa
PIC 11 Jan 2010 - The Israeli municipality of Yafa city, occupied in 1948, has issued orders to demolish the two-story home of Mousa Daka, 28, south of Yafa city at the pretext of building without permit.
Iraqis say they were forced to take Blackwater settlement
LA Times 11 Jan 2010 - Several of the plaintiffs say they were told the firm, now called Xe, was in danger of bankruptcy and that they might not get any damages at all. They want the agreements nullified. Several victims of a 2007 shooting involving American private security guards employed by the firm formerly known as Blackwater alleged Sunday that they were coerced into reaching settlements, and they demanded that the Iraqi government intervene to have the agreements nullified.
World Briefing | Middle East: Gaza: Bomb Blast Kills Militant
New York Times 11 Jan 2010 - A Palestinian militant was killed Monday in an accidental bomb explosion in the northern Gaza Strip, Hamas said.
Panel Ties Ally of Iran Leader to Protester Deaths
New York Times 11 Jan 2010 - A parliamentary panel said Tehran’s prosecutor was responsible for the beating deaths of three imprisoned protesters last summer.
Israeli Planes Kill 3 Militants in Gaza Strike
New York Times 11 Jan 2010 - The airstrike struck a group of gunmen in the central Gaza Strip who Israel said was preparing rocket fire.
Imposing Middle East Peace
Palestine Monitor - 11 Jan 2010 - Israel's relentless drive to establish "facts on the ground" in the occupied West Bank, a drive that continues in violation of even the limited settlement freeze to which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed himself, seems finally to have succeeded in locking in the irreversibility of its...
Seven Days From a Gaza Diary
Palestine Monitor - 11 Jan 2010 - In December 2008 and January 2009, Khulood Ghanem, a 27 years old girl, kept a diary and described the ordeal in Gaza during the Israeli military assault. The diary was adapted by Edward Mast into a performance for three voices entitled Seven days from a Gaza...
U.N. memo: Israel’s ‘provocative’ actions in Jerusalem could ‘derail’ peace process
Mondoweiss - 11 Jan 2010 - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was prepared to tell George Mitchell, the U.S. special envoy on the Middle East, that Israel’s house evictions in East Jerusalem are "provocative" and "that the volatile situation in East Jerusalem is capable of de-railing a [peace] process," according to a...
Support Ahmad Mesleh & support independent media in Israel/Palestine
Mondoweiss - 11 Jan 2010 - (Photo: Ahmad Mesleh ) Last week I posted on the kick off of a new website from Israel/Palestine called The Daily Nuisance . The post featured an incredibly striking photo of a Palestinian protester holding an enormous Palestinian flag jumping off the stumps of a destoyed olive tree...
One-state solution is debated in California congressional race
Mondoweiss - 11 Jan 2010 - Here’s a fine piece by Linda Milazzo in the LA Progressive , showing how viciously the lobby responds to talk of a one-state solution. LA Congressman Henry Waxman, chairman of Energy and Commerce and a big liberal, goes haywire against Marcy Winograd, the challenger to Congresswoman Jane...
A war of values
Mondoweiss - 11 Jan 2010 - The video above was shot by Max Blumenthal a year ago today. I wonder if any of the people in it have changed their views? I’ve finally gotten around to reading the Goldstone Report . It’s an amazing document. In addition to the legal analysis and incredible...
Gaza Freedom March: Why I went to Cairo
Mondoweiss - 11 Jan 2010 - Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb at a demonstration outside the French Embassy in Cairo. (Photo: Anne Paxton ) Operation Cast Lead was a massacre filled with thousands of heart breaking stories. Each of the 1400 persons killed represents an entire world. Yes, it is also a war crime to...
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Strip Search, Arrest and Car Detonation at Reikhan Barta'a Checkpoint, Jenin
IMEMC 12 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 12, 2010 - 16:28, A Palestinian man was subjected to a strip search today at the military checkpoint of Reikhan Barta'a, near Jenin in the North of the West Bank, before having his vehicle detonated by border police.
Rawabi – The First Planned Palestinian City
IMEMC 12 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 12, 2010 - 15:51, Ground has been broken at the site of Rawabi, the first planned city to be constructed in Occupied Palestinian Territories by Palestinians.
Qassam Fighter Killed in Northern Gaza
IMEMC 12 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 12, 2010 - 07:50, The Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas movement, reported on Monday at night that one of its fighters was killed “in a mission” in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Protesters arrested in 2 West Bank villages
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces raided the central West Bank villages of Nil'in and Bil'in early Tuesday morning and detained three activists involved with the anti-wall movement. Two detainees from Nil'in were identified as Ibrahim Ameera, coordinator of the local branch of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, and another man named Zaydoun Surour. Clashes were reported during the incursion, but there were no reports of injury. In the nearby village of Bil'in, Israeli soldiers detained a young man, identified as Muhammad Ali Yasin. Israeli forces raided his home after midnight, forced relatives onto the street, and took Yasin elsewhere, according to Dr Rateb Abu Rahmah, a member of the local Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements. Abu Rahmah added that Yasin had been wanted by Israeli forces for about five months, accused of participation in the village's weekly demonstrations.
Israeli incursion reported near Gaza cemetery
1/12/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Residents reported an Israeli military incursion into the eastern Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon. A convoy of eight army vehicles and bulldozers reportedly entered the coastal enclave 200 meters northeast of Ash-Shaja'yeh. Onlookers said forces began a sweep of the area and fired machine guns and artillery shells near the eastern cemetery. No injuries were immediately reported. An Israeli military spokesman told Ma'an there was no unusual activity in the area, nor were shots fired. [end]
Israeli forces prevent farmers from planting trees with riot gear
1/12/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Two Palestinians and one child were injured on Tuesday as Israeli forces prohibited farmers from tending to their land in Safa village in the northern Hebron governorate, solidarity workers said. "While the farmers were planting olive trees, Israeli forces attacked them and clashes erupted between both sides," said media spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Project Mohammad Awad. Two men sustained injuries from rubber bullets used by Israeli forces and Hisham Al-Khlayel, 5, was taken to hospital to undergo treatment for shock as a result of tear gas used by forces to disperse those present, Awwad said. An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the incident, saying troops responded to the group of farmers with "riot dispersal means," after youth threw rocks at the encroaching soldiers. He said there were no reports of injuries or damages, however.
Foreign activist deported after night raid
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel deported a Czech national on Tuesday, 24 hours after she was seized by soldiers in a late-night raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah's city center. Eva NovĂ¡kovĂ¡, 28, the International Solidarity Movement's media coordinator, was forced onto a plane early Tuesday to Prague from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, where she was taken late Monday night. Dusan Kralik, the Embassy of the Czech Republic's envoy to Israel, said he was not planning to protest the move, which NovĂ¡kovĂ¡'s supporters say was carried out without due process, bypassing Israel's judiciary. "She was here illegally, without permission," Kralik told Ma'an. "She's supposed to leave. " Forces raided Ramallah's central Manara area for the sole purpose of detaining the activist, witnesses said and Palestinian Authority and Israeli security sources confirmed.
Jenin: Driver detained, car detonated
1/13/2010 - Jenin - Ma'an - Faulty brakes and a lurching vehicle approaching the Reikhan Barta'a military checkpoint west of Jenin saw a man pulled from his car, detained and the vehicle detonated, witnesses said Tuesday. Reports from witnesses working on the Barta'a bridge near the checkpoint said they saw an old Volkswagen approach the military zone, said soldiers fired on the vehicle. The driver, identified as 50-year-old Mohammed Abu Jazar, was reportedly forced to undress in front of the crowd at the checkpoint and was then arrested. His car, witnesses said, was taken by Israeli border police and exploded. He was apparently unharmed. An Israeli Ministry of Defense spokeswoman said the driver "moved to the opposite lane while driving savagely," drove over the security road spikes and "ravaged the balustrade concrete. "
In photos: Masked settlers attack Palestinians
1/12/2010 - 1) Masked Israeli settlers hold tools and sticks during skirmishes between settlers and local Palestinian farmers on January 11, 2010. 2) Israeli armed forces are sent into the West Bank village of Immatin, near Nablus, in the occupied West Bank. 3) Israel's army said on Monday that soldiers were deployed shortly after they learned of the incident to prevent further escalations. 4) Local Palestinians argue with the arriving Israeli soldiers, demanding that they put an end to the alleged settler violence. 5) An Israeli soldier stands guard near two Israeli settlers as tension between the two parties finally begins to de-escalate. . . . .
Israelis open Gaza crossing
1/13/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Gaza Strip's Kerem Shalom crossing to allow in humanitarian aid, commercial merchandise, domestic fuel, and to export flowers and strawberries, a border official said. Raed Fattouh, a Palestinian crossings liaison, said 72-82 truckloads of humanitarian aid and commercial merchandise would enter the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom in the southern Gaza Strip. He also confirmed that one truck carrying flowers and three carrying strawberries produced in Gaza would be allowed out. Furthermore, limited quantities of domestic gas and industrial diesel for Gaza's sole power plant will be shipped into the besieged Strip, he said. The Karni crossing will remain closed. On Monday, Israeli authorities opened both the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings for aid, merchandise, fuel, and animal feed. . . . .
Documentary highlights Palestinian press violations
1/12/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms (MADA), a Ramallah-based NGO that monitors press freedom in the occupied territories, released its first film on Monday. "Freedoms Invasion" takes a look back at 2009 detailing violations against journalists on the part of forces allied with the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, Gaza's de facto government, and the Israeli military. MADA produced the documentary to demonstrate that "Palestinian journalists and media are under constant attacks and pressure, and to show the situation of media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories, which witnessed a serious deterioration in the last three years," director Mousa Rimawi told Ma'an. MADA monitored 257 violations during 2008, and more than 150 violations during 2009, committed by Israeli forces and settlers, in addition to Palestinian security services, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Mousa said.
BU confers degree for Gaza student deported from West Bank
1/12/2010 - Bethlehem/Gaza - Ma'an - "I never imagined that my graduation ceremony would be held in a Church in Gaza with no one from my classmates attending," said fresh BU graduate Berlanty Azzam on Sunday. Bethlehem University officials traveled to Gaza to confer Berlanty's degree at the Holy Family Church in Gaza. Berlanty completed her degree online after she was pulled from a car at a Bethlehem checkpoint by Israeli soldiers, was blindfolded, handcuffed and deported to Gaza on 28 October 2009. BU Vice Chancellor Brother Peter Bray, Papal Nuncio H E Archbishop Antonio Franco, Chancellor Brother Joe, Vice Chancellor Emeritus, and Trappist Abbott Thomas traveled to Gaza for the 10am Mass at the Holy Family Church where they met Berlanty, her family and friends as well as some other BU students awaiting permission from the Israeli military authorities to come to Bethlehem to pursue their education at the Vatican-sponsored Bethlehem University.
Hamas: Gaza blast wasn’t Israeli fire
1/12/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A Hamas fighter was killed and three others injured in an Izbat Abed Rabbo area explosion in the northern Gaza city of Beit Hanoun, Hamas said on Tuesday. The announcement, noting the incident was an "internal explosion "confirmed what an Israeli security source told Ma'an late Monday night, that "as far as we can tell, it was an internal blast. "A Hamas statement identified the slain fighter as Thaer Khadir, saying he was killed "during a Jihad mission," without elaborating. One of three injured fighters suffered cardiac arrest and was attached to a life-support machine, the statement added. Initial reports indicated that Khadir was killed by Israeli shelling, but an Israeli military spokeswoman said the country's forces were not operating in the area of the blast, which came 24 hours after three operatives from Islamic Jihad's military wing were killed in an airstrike in Gaza City.
Report: Israel’s Goldstone response coming soon
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel plans to release its official response to South African jurist Richard Goldstone's UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict in two weeks, the Hebrew-language daily Ma'ariv reported on Tuesday. The report accused Israel's military and armed Palestinian factions of war crimes during the devastating winter assault on Gaza that killed some 1,400 Palestinians, more than half civilians, as well as 13 Israelis, among them four civilians. [end]
Netanyahu: Israel will never divide Jerusalem
1/12/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Tuesday that Israel would never cede control of occupied East Jerusalem, according to a bureau statement quoted by Israeli news reports. The statement came after Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said last week that Netanyahu would discuss making East Jerusalem the capital of a future Palestinian state, a position accepted by most of the international community. Netanyahu "has not changed his declared stance, and insists in all his political talks that united Jerusalem will remain under Israeli sovereignty in any peace agreement and that Israel's defense borders will not be paved back to the 1967 lines," the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted the statement as stating. Israel captured Palestinian East Jerusalem in 1967, declaring it the "eternal, undivided capital of Israel. "
Israel: Turkey ’last country that should preach morality’
1/12/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday denounced remarks by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan the day before, saying "Turkey is the last country that should preach morality to Israel. " Erdogan said Monday that Israel was endangering world peace through exaggerated use of force against Palestinians in Gaza, continuous violations of Lebanese airspace and water, and its maintenance of a secret nuclear program while concurrently demanding sanctions on Iran. In a statement, the Israeli ministry said "Erdogan's words must be taken together with the anti-Israel program currently being broadcast on Turkish television, as well as other serious anti-Israel sentiments repeatedly expressed by the Turkish prime minister for more than a year, since launching a verbal attack on President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos [in January 2009]. "
DFLP: No negotiations until settlement standstill
1/12/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Palestinian left wing factions in Gaza said they would not support a renewal in peace talks without a complete settlement standstill, following a meeting on Tuesday in Gaza. Member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine's (DEFLP) central committee Saleh Nasser urged the Palestinian leadership to commit to its stance, and demanded the Palestinian leadership exert pressure on Israel to commit to its international obligations and "stop its crimes against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza. "Other left-wing factions were in attendance at the meeting, and discussed Israel's military threat and the need to establish a unified national resistance to counter it, Nasser added. It was agreed that the left-wing factions would meet regularly to counter the challenge of Palestinian rivalry and ensure national unity. . . . .
Fayyad unveils sculpture series dedicated to Palestinian women
1/13/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Prime Minister Salam Fayyad unveiled a mural dedicated to Palestinian women on Tuesday in Ramallah, highlighting the role of women in Palestinian life, history and culture. The mural, funded by the European Union, was the outcome of the Celebration of Art and Culture of Palestinian Women project and was created by the Women's Affairs Association. The project was undertaken to highlight the role of Palestinian women in maintaining traditional Palestinian art. Part of the mural will be displayed at Al-Quds University in the Abu Diss campus and near the Ashtar Theatre in Ramallah. During his speech, Fayyad emphasized the value of the project, asserting not only that the mural reflected Palestinian women's work but their vigilance preserving Palestinian memory. The caretaker prime minister further underscored the need to encourage Palestinian women to participate. . .
Saka village hooked up to electrical grid under PA project
1/12/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Electrical grid infrastructure was installed in Saka village near Hebron by the Palestinian Authority on Monday, marking the last area in the governorate to access electricity under the project. Fouad Al-Amleh, engineer and head of project for the power authority, said the Saka village project provided services to distant areas that lack electricity and links 50 villages in Hebron with power. The project cost approximately 250,000 US dollars and was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority and caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, he said, adding that there remains four villages in the governorate without access to electricity as a result of obstacles put in place by the Israeli occupation. The Saka village council thanked all those involved in implementing the project and praised their efforts. . . . .
Beloved Palestinian basketball coach succumbs to cancer
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Coaching legend Basel Ma'ay'ah basketball with the Catholic Action sports club and a teacher with the Terra Sancta school in Bethlehem passed away Tuesday at the age of 51. Basel Ma'ay'ah "Abu Zaki" died surrounded by loved ones, athletes and students. He was carried to the Virgin Mary's Church in Bet Jala followed by a procession of thousands of students and former students, and was buried in the early evening. Terra Sancta school will be open for three days to receive mourners. Father Marwan Deides, pastor for Terra Sancta, delivered the eulogy and spoke at length about Abu Zaki's ability to build a team on faith and respect. . . . .
Ice cream factory worker killed in Gaza blast
1/12/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - One Palestinian was killed following an ice cream factory explosion in the Al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, medical sources said on Tuesday. The corpse of Bilal Khamis Al-Khreiby, 23, was taken to the An-Nasser Hospital following a blast that civil defense workers said was the result of an electricity malfunction. [end]
Hamas to Gaza militias: Stop firing rockets at Israel
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Ismail Haniyeh says adhering to cease-fire with Israel protects Gazans from IDF attacks.
Barak tells Hezbollah: War with Israel not worth your while
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Defense minister makes remarks to soldiers during a tour of the northern border on Tuesday.
Hezbollah denies drug trafficking to fund Israel attacks
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Lebanon-based group deems Der Spiegel report 'false fabrication' and 'tool manipulated by Zionists.'
Report: 8 IDF troops fell asleep while patrolling Lebanon border
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Battalion troops, which included two commanding officers, had in the past complained of sleep deprivation.
Amnesty International: Iran must release mothers who were beaten and arrested for mourning their children, says Amnesty
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - Amnesty International has urged the Iranian authorities to release a group of women who were beaten and arrested during a peaceful vigil in Tehran at the weekend. The 33 women, members of a group known as the 'Mourning Mothers', were seized during their weekly Saturday meeting in Laleh Park, Tehran, according to media reports. All 33...
IOF troops bulldoze land in Gaza, detain Jerusalemites for planting olives
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) advanced east of Shujaia suburb in Gaza city afternoon Tuesday and bulldozed Palestinian plantations, local sources said. They told the PIC reporter that the IOF troops escorted three military bulldozers, noting that the IOF soldiers fired three projectiles at cultivated lands east of Shujaia inflicting material damage. Meanwhile, IOF soldiers detained three...
Assassinated Iranian scientist worked on regional project with Israelis
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - The Iranian nuclear physicist killed by a remote controlled bomb device in North Tehran today had been the Iranian representative to regional scientific project in which Israelis also participate, the Washington Post reports: Iranian news media and officials described Ali-Mohammadi as a nuclear physicist, but academics in Iran and abroad said he specialized in particle and...
US backs plan for Egypt's wall with Gaza
Uruknet January 12, 2010 — The United States Tuesday voiced its support for a wall being built by Egypt to block a network of tunnels stretching out from the Gaza Strip, arguing it would stop arms smuggling. "We believe that weapon-smuggling should stop and that measures taken to stop that weapon-smuggling should be, could be carried out, yes," said State Department...
Video: Riz Khan - GAZAS OPEN WOUNDS
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - A year has gone by since Israel launched a crushing military offensive against the 1.5 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. For 22 days in December 2008 and January 2009, Israel bombed the territory from the air, land and sea, killing 1,400 Palestinians. Thirteen Israelis were killed during the war. Israeli officials gave many reasons for...
Making a business out of Palestine's struggle
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - Soliciting the support of people in the US-based Palestine solidarity movement, Palestine Note recently launched a new website that aspires to become the online hub for all things Palestine. While the website announces its dedication to "news, stories and views about Palestine and Palestinians," and its aspiration to become a "cultivator of community," my brief interaction...
Israel Dragging Gaza to New War: Analysts
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - With its recent aggressions, Israel is trying to provoke the Palestinian resistance factions into retaliatory attacks that could be used as a pretext for launching a new deadly offensive on the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, analysts believe. "The message in the recent attacks is very clear, and the resistance should read it carefully," Talal Okal, a political...
Israeli incursion reported near Gaza cemetery
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - Residents reported an Israeli military incursion into the eastern Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon. A convoy of eight army vehicles and bulldozers reportedly entered the coastal enclave 200 meters northeast of Ash-Shaja'yeh. Onlookers said forces began a sweep of the area and fired machine guns and artillery shells near the eastern cemetery. No injuries were immediately...
Gaza offensive adds to scale of displacement
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - According to the UN, 2009 marked one of the most violent periods experienced by the Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza since the occupation began in 1967. The three-week Israeli offensive in Gaza launched in December 2008 cost the lives of over 1,000 Palestinians and led to the displacement of over 100,000 people, according to...
TURKISH TV IS THE REAL THREAT TO PEACE ….. NOT ISRAEL’S BOMBS
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - Israel seems to think that Turkish TV is a greater threat to world peace than missile attacks on Gaza. A diplomatic row is in the making over a new Turkish series which depicts Mossad agents as baby snatchers. , Now, we all know that Israel or its agents are not capable of involvement in anything remotely illegal....
Congolese Women and Girls Suffering the Insufferable
Uruknet January 12, 2010 - While in the eastern Congo last summer, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated, "With respect to companies that are responsible for what are now being called conflict minerals, I think the international community must start looking at steps we can take to try to prevent the mineral wealth from the DRC ending up in the...
Iraqis say they were forced to take Blackwater settlement
Uruknet January 11, 2010 - Several victims of a 2007 shooting involving American private security guards employed by the firm formerly known as Blackwater alleged Sunday that they were coerced into reaching settlements, and they demanded that the Iraqi government intervene to have the agreements nullified. The Iraqis said they were pressured by their own attorneys into accepting what they now...
Israel Detains 15 Palestinians in West Bank
12 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 12, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces launched inspections missions in the West Bank early Tuesday morning kidnapping 12 Palestinians from different governorates. Israeli military sources said that Israeli occupation forces kidnapped 15 "wanted" Palestinians, adding, "The detainees were transferred to the relevant security investigation body. Israeli occupation forces carry out daily arrest operations in the...
Gaza: accidental blast kills Hamas fighter
12 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 12, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - A Palestinian fighter, Thaer Khader,21, from the armed wing of Hamas, Ez Ed Din Al Qassam, has been killed in an accidental bomb explosion in the northern Gaza Strip. Three other members were also injured in the blast, Ez Ed Din Al Qassam said in a statement. Hamas had initially said the explosion...
Iran accuses Israel and US of killing nuclear scientist
The National 12 Jan 2010 - Iranian authorities say there were signs of involvement of Israel and the United States in the bomb blast that killed Masoud Ali-Mohammadi, an Iranian nuclear physicist.
Iron Dome anti-missile scheme increases pressure on Gaza
The National 12 Jan 2010 - Israel is putting a multimillion-dollar defence system to intercept short-range rockets around Gaza, but analysts have questioned the economic justification.
Iranian nuclear scientist killed by bomb
The National 12 Jan 2010 - Massoud Ali Mohammadi is killed in a bomb attack in Tehran that state media blame on foreign powers.
US denies role in Iran murder
AlJazeera 12 Jan 2010 - Tehran blames US and Israeli "mercenaries" for nuclear professor's death in blast on Tuesday.
Dexia Stops Financing Settlement Construction in the West Bank: Another Success for the BDS Campaign
Alternative Information Center 12 Jan 2010 - On 30 December, the French-Belgian financial group Dexia announced it will stop financing Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. On 7 January, the news was confirmed with a statement by 69 associations, which have...
Work Begins on First Planned Palestinian City
PNN 12 Jan 2010 - ATARA, West Bank -- Work crews have broken ground on what they hope will be the first modern, planned Palestinian city -- a step that officials say will help build an independent state in spite of the current deadlock in the peace process with Israel.Since last week, machine operators have been hard at work, taking chunks out of a rocky hillside near...
Israel arrests foreign activist in West Bank raid: lawyer
PNN 12 Jan 2010 - Israeli security forces arrested a foreign activist in a raid in the West Bank town of Ramallah overnight, her lawyer said on Monday. Immigration police accompanied by Israeli soldiers carried out the late-night operation to seize Eva Novakova, a Czech citizen, from her home in central Ramallah, lawyer Omer Shatz told AFP. Her visa had expired, but that's not a reason for...
Uphill battle for academic freedom in US universities
PNN 12 Jan 2010 - In 2009, Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, became the first American higher educational institution to successfully pressure its Board of Trustees to divest from Israel-tied mutual funds. The victory came three decades after the college similarly disinvested from funds linked to apartheid South Africa. Across North America, student-led Palestine activism groups have used the methods formulated by the Palestinian-led call for boycott,...
'Ayalon's political career is ruined'
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Israel Beiteinu officials say deputy FM will not rise in party ranks after treatment of Turkish envoy.
Fatwa bans work in Gaza Strip tunnels
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Islamic scholar issues ruling at PA's behest, apparently in response to deaths of smugglers.
Making Contact
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Israel is the latest chapter in the travel log of dancer Sadira Smith.
'Hizbullah, Lebanese army the same'
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Diplomatic campaign offers message to military suppliers that equipment may end up with Hizbullah.
Ghajar residents to IDF: Don't withdraw
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Locals warn of violence from Hizbullah if Israel pulls back from the northern part of the town.
Abbas repeats demands as Jones arrives
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Talks with top US security adviser expected to deal more with Iran than with stymied diplomatic process.
Iran: Slain physicist supported Mousavi
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Iran blames US, Israel • Israeli nuclear expert: Killing may be Iranian ploy to rouse public opinion.
Syria, Lebanon criticize US air security
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Lebanese information minister: New measures singling out citizens in a "discriminatory manner."
Israeli team visits Cairo to boost peace talks
Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Israeli officials go to Egypt to prod PA back to negotiations two days before Quartet meeting.
West Bank Popular Leaders Arrested in Ni’ilin
1/12/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Coordination Committee - Ibrahim Amirah and Hassan Mousa, members of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Ni'ilin, were arrested tonight from his home during a night-time raid tonight. Amirah and Mousa, together with another man, Zaydoun Srour, were arrested under suspicion of organizing anti-Wall demonstrations in the village. At around 3:00am tonight, a military force of 15 armored jeeps and about a hundred Israeli soldiers invaded the village of Ni'ilin and surrounded the home of Ibrahim Amirah, the coordinator of Ni'lin's Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements. After forcefully entering his home, soldiers extracted Amirah from his bed, searched the house and arrested him. Amirah has previously been arrested twice under the same suspicion of organizing demonstrations against the Wall in Ni'lin, but was never charged.
DAM to perform live in Sheikh Jarrah
1/12/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Palestinian hip-hop artists DAM and System Ali will play live in Sheikh Jarrah Thursday, January 14, starting at 7pm. The event is being held in support of the families of Sheikh Jarrah facing eviction from their homes. The show marks another event held in Sheikh Jarrah to gain support for and raise awareness of the tragedies wrought on the Palestinian families in the neighbourhood. The weekly Friday march from Zion Square in West Jerusalem to Sheikh Jarrah have been gathering momentum, with the demonstrators numbering in their hundreds. Dozens of Israeli and international activists have been arrested for their participation in the demonstrations and ongoing activist presence in Sheikh Jarrah, including American citizen Ryan Olander who has been held in Ramle prison since his arrest on the 18th of December and threatened with deportation.
Czech pro-Palestinian activist returns home after expelled by Israel
1/12/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Ha'aretz - A Czech pro-Palestinian activist returned to Prague on Tuesday after she was expelled from Israel, officials said. Israel Defense Forces soldiers and immigration police detained Eva Novakova, 28, in a raid on her home in Ramallah in the West Bank on early Monday, said the International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian group where she worked before her expulsion. The group said in a statement posted on its website that Novakova became its media coordinator three weeks earlier. The activist was expelled for "breaching the rules of her stay," the spokesman for the Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry, Milan Repka, said. He said that Novakova overstayed her visa. Novakova's lawyer, Omer Shatz, called the Israeli action against his client politically-motivated. "This arrest is part of the continued and illegal use of the immigration police. . . "
Activist from Bil’in village arrested in night raid
1/12/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Friends of Freedom and Justice - At 3:20am three Israeli army jeeps and many soldiers invaded Bil'in to arrest 21-year-old Yaseen Mohammad Yaseen. In the last six months the military has come to his home numerous times attempting to take him into custody. He is one of many activists arrested for attending weekly non-violent demonstrations. Yassen had been avoiding his home in Bil'in for the last six months; only making short visits to see his friends and family. He had only been in the village for two days before tonight's arrest. Friends of Yassen say that he visited his home on the night of his arrest, telling them he just wanted to see his family – even though he knew that they would probably attempt to arrest him. After he had been taken away, his mother sat shaking outside the family's house. She was heard yelling at the soldiers during the invasion, questioning how they would feel if their sons were taken away like this and they were unable to do anything about it.
Haitian witnesses: Mass destruction after magnitude 7 earthquake
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - The quake prompted a tsunami watch for parts of the Caribbean, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.,
Members of the Bauhaus movement cooperated with the Nazis, too
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - It was Ehrlich who planned the gated entrance to the camp where around 50,000 prisoners died.,
PA sets up fund for boycotting products made in settlements
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - According to figures, $500 million worth of settlement goods reach Palestinian territories every year.,
ANALYSIS / The Turkish FM 'has never been more humiliated'
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Turkish FM arrived with positive intentions; 3 months later, it's doubtful any optimism remains.,
Netanyahu: Turkey drift toward Iran is worrying
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Premier says Lieberman has 'full backing' over incident between deputy foreign minister, Turkish envoy.
Iran: Israel, U.S. killed pro-Mousavi nuclear scientist
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Massoud Ali-Mohammadi killed near his Tehran home by bomb-rigged motorbike; U.S. denies role.
Netanyahu: Israel will never share Jerusalem with Palestinians
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Egypt FM says PM promised Mubarak that he would be prepared to cede control of East Jerusalem.,
Israel pays tribute to Anne Frank's savior Miep Gies
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Gies, who died Monday night, was the last living person from the group that helped hide the Frank family.,
WATCH: Israeli model Bar Refaeli strips for French underwear company
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Less than 24 hours after the ad went online, it had already been viewed by more than 40,000 surfers.,
Palestinians break ground on first planned city
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Site manager hopes Rawabi will have a similar feel to U.S. cities, but access road still in question.,
Time for Netanyahu to show Obama he wants peace
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - We can deny it all we like, but the U.S. can use Israel loan guarantees to influence Jerusalem's policy.,
U.K. outlaws Islamist group already banned under alternate names
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Islam4UK sparked anger with plan to hold anti-war march in town where coffins of British soldiers brought.,
Blair aide: Britain did not rush into Iraq war
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Alastair Campbell talks at public inquiry seeking to learn lessons from the war; Blair to appear next week.,
Czech pro-Palestinian activist returns home after expelled by Israel
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Eva Novakova, 28, detained at Ramallah home, in what her lawyer calls politically-motivated raid.,
Deutsche Bank buys 5% of Israel Discount Bank
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Finance Ministry: The German bank will have an option to buy 3.33 percent more by Tuesday evening.,
Letters: Israel and protests against the wall
The Guardian 12 Jan 2010 - In recent months Palestinians campaigning against the wall in the occupied West Bank have been targeted as part of a vicious crackdown on their freedom of expression and association. Residential areas affected by the wall –...
Galloway right to relish Egypt expulsion | Ajmal Masroor
The Guardian 12 Jan 2010 - In making an enemy of Hosni Mubarak's regime, George Galloway has taken a lead western governments should follow George Galloway was deported from Egypt on Friday as "persona non grata" by the Egyptian authorities, accusing him...
Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli doesn't want to pay taxes in Israel
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Bar Refaeli has asked the Israel Tax Authority to grant her nonresident status for tax purposes. ...
Comment / Iron Dome success does nothing to ease rocket threat
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - There is no doubt that the people at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems deserve much praise for the success of the Iron Dome trial. It is certainly an impressive technological achievement. The problem is that the success of Iron Dome does nothing to ease the threat of Qassams on Sderot, or the threat of the short range Katyushas in the hands of Hezbollah. ...
Comment / Sharon's real legacy - keeping the Arabs out of sight
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Let's assume the optimistic forecast by special U.S. envoy George Mitchell comes true and in two years the establishment of an independent Palestine is declared at a ceremony. The event will be broadcast on prime time, but most Israelis will opt to view "Big Brother 6," "Survivor 7" or whatever the next television hit is. Viewers will behave this way not because they oppose a Palestinian state but because they are indifferent. Palestine-shmalestine simply does not interest them. ...
Deputy FM Ayalon apologizes to Turkish ambassador
Ha'aretz 12 Jan 2010 - Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon issued a special statement of apology Tuesday night for his treatment of Turkish ambassador to Israel Ahmet Oguz Celikkol on Monday. Ayalon had delivered a rebuke to Celikkol regarding an anti-Israeli television show in Turkey. ...
ISRAEL ANNOUNCES NEW 'WALL' ALONG BORDER WITH EGYPT
Relief Web 12 Jan 2010 - Source: Missionary International Service News Agency
OPT: Hamas seeks to lower tension with Egypt, Israel
Relief Web 12 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Palestinians building first residential complex in West Bank
Relief Web 12 Jan 2010 - Source: Xinhua
Donors ready to fill Palestinian budget in coming weeks
Relief Web 12 Jan 2010 - Source: Agence France-Presse
OPT: Refugee Stories - Disability No Obstacle to Work With JCP
Relief Web 12 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
How women in the West Bank are overcoming poverty
Relief Web 12 Jan 2010 - Source: Oxfam
PM: Turkey inching closer to Iran
YNet News 12 Jan 2010 - Ankara demands apology for Israel's 'undiplomatic attitude' in its response to Erdogan's criticism, and Arab MK calls Ayalon's behavior 'disgraceful'. However Netanyahu says he backs Foreign Ministry's policies
Israeli woman escapes abusive Gaza husband
YNet News 12 Jan 2010 - Woman who married Arab and moved to Rafah re-enters Israel through Erez border crossing along with her four children
Hamas wants rocket fire halt to avoid Israeli retaliation
YNet News 12 Jan 2010 - PM Haniyeh says upholding unofficial truce vital to protect Gazans from 'any possible Israeli aggression'; says Islamist group investigating fatal shooting of Egyptian soldier during border riots to 'ensure Palestinian-Egyptian relations are protected'
PA leader Abbas spurns US effort to revive Mideast talks
YNet News 12 Jan 2010 - Palestinian president tells reporters in Ramallah, 'We won't agree to resume negotiations without full settlement freeze, especially in Jerusalem, for a certain period'
Obama may define terms of peace talks
YNet News 12 Jan 2010 - US administration debates sending letters stating terms of negotiations renewal to Israel, Palestinians
Barak: Lebanon responsible if situation deteriorates
YNet News 12 Jan 2010 - During tour of northern border, defense minister says relative calm could be disrupted 'at any moment'
US rejects Iran accusations in scientist's death
YNet News 12 Jan 2010 - State Department official says Tehran's accusations US had role in Mohammadi's death 'absurd'; opposition sources say regime feared he was seeking political asylum in Sweden
Turkish producers call Israel 'war criminal'
YNet News 12 Jan 2010 - (Video) Company which produced anti-Israeli shows says UN agrees with its presentation of Israel
Iran blames US 'agents' for killing of nuclear scientist
Daily Star 12 Jan 2010 A remote-controlled bomb killed a Tehran University scientist on Tuesday, official media reported, in an attack Iran blamed on the United States. Iranian officials and state media described slain professor Massoud Ali-Mohammadi as a nuclear scientist, but a spokesman said he did not work for the Atomic Energy Organization at the center of Iran's disputed nuclear program.
Syria's Assad to visit Saudi Arabia
Daily Star 12 Jan 2010 RIYADH: Syrian President Bashar Assad is to travel to Riyadh on Wednesday for talks with King Abdullah, who paid a landmark visit to Damascus last October, Saudi Arabia's official news agency SPA said. The visit on Wednesday comes amid stepped-up efforts by Riyadh to build Arab unity around the Palestinians ahead of a possible resumption of peace talks with Israel.
Politicizing justice to save embarrassment
Daily Star 12 Jan 2010 The arrest warrant issued by a British court against former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni last month was, according to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, an "embarrassment." Livni cancelled her planned trip to the UK when the news of the arrest warrant was leaked to her. Then, last week, an Israeli military delegation to Britain cancelled its trip after fears that the Israeli military officers would be arrested upon arrival.
Abbas: No talks while settlements expanding
Daily Star 12 Jan 2010 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday spurned a new US effort to revive Middle East peace talks, sticking to his position that he will not resume negotiations unless Israel freezes settlement construction. With both Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu digging in their heels on the issue, an upcoming diplomatic mission by US Mideast envoy George Mitchell could be doomed from the outset.
No easy riding for Palestinian bikers in besieged Gaza Strip
Daily Star 12 Jan 2010 When Munzer Diyya wants to get away from it all, he sits astride his motorcycle and takes to the open road - all 45 kilometers of it. Diyya has the misfortune of being an open road enthusiast living in the Gaza Strip, a tiny territory sandwiched between Israel and Egypt and blockaded by both.
Baghdad on lockdown after bomb threat
Daily Star 12 Jan 2010 Iraqi security forces sealed off Baghdad on Tuesday after a tip-off that insurgents planned multiple car bombings in the city, highlighting concerns about violence in the run-up to general elections. Major General Qassim Atta, spokesman for the city's military command, said "preventative security measures" were taken as part of a search operation across the Iraqi capital.
Haneyya calls on international community to bridle Israeli aggression on Gaza
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - Ismael Haneyya, the Palestinian prime minister said on Tuesday that his government was carefully following up the recent Israeli military escalation against the besieged Gaza Strip..
Hamas: The Egyptian soldier was not killed by Palestinian gunfire
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Tuesday that the Egyptian soldier who was shot dead during the recent events in Rafah area was not killed by Palestinian gunfire.
Israel phones families of prisoners to incite them to press Hamas
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - The ministry of prisoners said that Israel contacted lately families of long-serving detainees from Gaza to incite them to pressure Hamas to soften its demands regarding the prisoner swap deal.
IOF troops bulldoze land in Gaza, detain Jerusalemites for planting olives
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) advanced east of Shujaia suburb in Gaza city afternoon Tuesday and bulldozed Palestinian plantations, local sources said.
Resheq: Mishaal confers with Kuwaiti Emir on Palestinian developments
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - Khaled Mishaal on Tuesday conferred with the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed on Palestinian developments and the ceaseless Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people.
Bardawil denies Haneyya had asked to visit Egypt
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - Dr. Salah Al-Bardawil has said that PA premier Ismail Haneyya did not ask to visit Cairo, explaining that he rather called for a direct meeting between Hamas and Egyptian officials.
Israel’s ambassador to Turkey scolded for humiliating Celikkol
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - The Turkish ministry of foreign affairs summoned Tuesday the Israeli ambassador to protest the reprimand meeting held yesterday with the intention to humiliate its ambassador to Israel.
IOF troops block planting olive trees, shoot at Palestinian driver
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Tuesday blocked Palestinian farmers and foreign solidarity activists from planting olive trees in Safa area to the north of Beit Ummar village, Al-Khalil district.
Erdogan slams Israel for violating Lebanese airspace, bombing Gaza
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - Turkish premier Recep Erdogan strongly denounced Israel for not respecting the UN resolutions and its persistence in violating the Lebanese airspace and territorial waters, and bombing the Gaza Strip.
IOA deports foreign activist
PIC 12 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided the home of the Czech activist Eva Novakova and detained her at the pretext of illegal residence, the international solidarity movement reported on Monday.
Iran scientist slain in bombing outside his home
LA Times 13 Jan 2010 - Tehran blames the West and Israel, saying the attack was a bid to slow Iran's nuclear program. Colleagues say he was a government critic and that hard-liners killed him to silence the opposition. A powerful bomb blast killed an Iranian scientist outside his north Tehran home Tuesday, a mystery-shrouded assassination that quickly triggered a round of highly charged accusations with potentially serious political repercussions.
L.A. radio host John Farahi is accused of swindling investors
LA Times 12 Jan 2010 - In a lawsuit, the SEC alleges Farahi and his firm targeted the Iranian American community in a $20-million fraud scheme. The host of a popular Persian-language radio talk show was accused by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of defrauding investors out of more than $20 million in a long-running investment scheme that targeted the Iranian American community.
Blast Kills Physics Professor in Tehran
New York Times 12 Jan 2010 - Iran’s state media blamed the U.S. and Israel for the death of a professor. It seems doubtful that he worked on Iran’s nuclear program.
Students Say Professor Was Government Critic
New York Times 12 Jan 2010 - Two students at Tehran University said that a professor who was apparently assassinated on Tuesday Iran had been outspoken in recent months in support of antigovernment student demonstrators.
New risks in East Jerusalem
Palestine Monitor - 12 Jan 2010 - Israel continues to implement a long-term plan to transform the demographic structure of occupied East Jerusalem. Demonstrations against Israeli policies continue. Every Friday, human rights activists and individuals- Palestinians, Israelis and internationals - have been peacefully demonstrating in the streets of East Jerusalem. They demand the...
GLIMPSES FROM THE OLD CITY OF HEBRON
Palestine Monitor - 12 Jan 2010 - Hebron is of extreme importance to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as the Cave of Patriarchs is located there. Above the subterranean caves is Ibrahimi Mosque, which is accessed by entering the old city. In recent years, Jewish settlers in the old city have been increasing in...
Low Expectations for Hard Bigotry in Israel
Mondoweiss - 12 Jan 2010 - I just got an e-mail from an Israeli PR firm that proclaimed, in bold, caps-lock, underlined type: "Israelis More Tolerant of Islam Than Swiss." The release, datelined Jerusalem, came on behalf of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding , a coalition created by New York Rabbi Marc Schneier...
Solidarity from Saks to Sheikh Jarrah
Mondoweiss - 12 Jan 2010 - Two weeks before Christmas, New York’s Saks Fifth Avenue played Scrooge by firing 115 workers in its cosmetics department in retaliation for their having joined a union. Saks then announced it would convert the department to a “vendor-staffed model,” i.e. an outside contractor would hire new...
Frightening night raid targets… nonviolent Palestinian protest
Mondoweiss - 12 Jan 2010 - Incredible footage by Haitham Al Khatib of Israeli soldiers coming into the Palestinian village of Bilin at 3 in the morning last night to arrest Yaseen Mohammad Yaseen, described as a 21-year-old participant in the Bilin protests. An account of Yaseen’s efforts to evade Israeli arrest...
‘May I interject?’ A demonstration in the landgrab that is ‘East Jerusalem’
Mondoweiss - 12 Jan 2010 - Friday is the big day for demonstrations against the unending Israeli settlement process in Palestine and East Jerusalem. Last Friday I went to three demonstrations with Israeli friends. I’m going to tell about my day in three chapters. Here’s Chapter 1, in Palestinian lands south of...
I divine the powerful lobby in an anonymous letter. I’m wrong
Mondoweiss - 12 Jan 2010 - A week or so back, I wrote that Andrew Sullivan was getting pushback from the Israel lobby, witness a letter he had run anonymously on his site. Said I: take it from me, kid, this is from a powerful friend of his, otherwise he would not...
Dexia Stops Financing Settlement Construction in the West Bank: Another Success for the BDS Campaign
Alternative Information Center - 12 Jan 2010 - On 30 December, the French-Belgian financial group Dexia announced it will stop financing Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. On 7 January, the news was confirmed with a statement by 69 associations, which have formed the Belgian committee “Palestine occupée—Dexia impliquée” (“Palestine occupied—Dexia implied”)....
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Israel Apologizes To Turkey After Insulting Its Ambassador
IMEMC 13 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 14, 2010 - 00:26, The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued on Wednesday an official apology to Turkey and its ambassador after Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister, Danni Ayalon, insulted him over a Turkish TV Show depicting Israeli agents operating in Ankara.
American Journalist Denied Re-entry to Israel, Deportation Imminent - UPDATE.
IMEMC 13 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 14, 2010 - 00:18, Ma'an have released a further statement on status of the potential deportation of chief editor, Jared Malsin.
Israeli Court Sentences Islamic Movement’s Head To Nine Months
IMEMC 13 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 13, 2010 - 22:28, The Israeli District Court sentenced on Wednesday Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Northern Branch of The Islamic Movement, to nine months after “convicting him of incitement”.
The Israeli military kidnap two civilians as they crossing borders into the West Bank
IMEMC 13 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 13, 2010 - 19:29, Two Palestinian civilians from the same family were kidnapped by the Israeli military on Wednesday at dawn as they were crossing the borders between Jordan and the West Bank.
Chief Editor of major Palestinian news Agency detained - IMEMC Exclusive interview
IMEMC 13 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 13, 2010 - 17:20, Following the detention of Jared Malsin, Ma’an News Agency’s chief editor at Ben Gurion yesterday, IMEMC spoke with George Hale, an editor at Ma’an.
Three injured as soldiers attack farmers in southern West Bank
IMEMC 13 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 13, 2010 - 17:14, Two farmers and a child were injured on Wednesday at dawn when Israeli troops attacked villagers from Safa, southern West Bank, as they protested the destruction of their land.
Israeli forces raid home in East Jerusalem
1/13/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli forces raided a house in occupied East Jerusalem, searching for weapons, on Wednesday. Sources say Israeli troops stormed the home of Samir Abu Farha in order to detain his son, Mu'tasem, 23, and search for weapons. Mu'tasem was not present during the search and forces handed his parents a summons order, calling on their sun to turn himself over to the police. Mu'tasem is a taxi driver who refused to work around the area of an Israeli excavation site around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and was honored by Sheikh Raed Salah, who was banned from entering Jerusalem for six months by Israeli intelligence last week. [end]
Sheikh Raed Salah sentenced to 9 months by Israeli court
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was sentenced on Wednesday to nine months in prison and another six months probation in Jerusalem's Magistrates' Court, Israeli media reported. Sheikh Salah was accused of spitting on an Israeli officer in 2007 at the Dung Gate, in the Old City, occupied East Jerusalem, and in addition to the sentence, was ordered to pay the officer 7,500 Israeli shekels. "We reject the court's ruling. It doesn't frighten us. We will continue to have the occupation removed from al-Aqsa," the Israeli daily Ynet quoted Sheikh Salah as saying. "This is a hefty sentence in order to make clear to the convicted the gravity of the offences he committed," saidJudge Yitzhak Shimoni wrote in the verdict. Palestinian Israeli Member of Knesset Mohammad Barakeh also visited the court house.
Children of Nablus Municipality member detained at Allenby
1/13/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli troops detained the son and daughter of member of the Nablus Municipality Khulud Al-Masry late Tuesday night at the Allenby Bridge crossing, as they returned from a visit to Jordan, Al-Masry told Ma'an. Daughter Safa, 20, and son, Sahib, 23, were taken to Petakh Tikva prison and HaSharon prison respectively and were denied access to lawyers, Al-Masry said, adding that she was not allowed to see her son. Safa studies Social Work at the An-Najah University in Nablus and is engaged to be married in April while Sahib is a recent graduate from the Jordanian University, Al-Masry added. [end]
Israeli troops seal off Nablus area, erect flying checkpoints
1/13/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an -Israeli troops closed all military checkpoints in and out of Nablus Wednesday evening and erected barriers on several roads leading out of the city, witnesses said. The closure affected civilians as well as Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances, sources said. Security officials noted Israeli "red alerts" in the area but declined to elaborate. Witnesses said flying checkpoints were erected at Bathan road in Nablus, at the south end of the Nablus-Ramallah road and at the north end of the Jenin-Nablus road, they closed the Beit Furiq andHuwara checkpoints entirely, and checked all cars exiting the area. Israeli forces said they were tracking "wanted" Palestinians. . . . .
Free Gaza activists to make third run
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Free Gaza Movement will send at least six boats into the besieged Strip in an attempt to break Israel's blockade, a statement released by the organizers said on Tuesday. The flotilla will include two boats donated by a Turkish NGO, in addition to a cargo ship purchased with donations from Malaysia and will be loaded with cement, water filtration systems and paper "all essential reconstruction materials denied entry to Gaza by Israel," the statement said. In August 2008, the Free Gaza Movement sailed two boats into Gaza without Israeli or Egyptian permission and was the first of international aid convoys seeking to draw attention to Israel's siege on the Strip which began with Hamas' takeover in 2007. As a result, limited amounts of humanitarian and medical aid have been allowed through Gaza's borders with Israel, which are sporadically opened.
US announces support for Egypt’s wall
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The US administration in Washington announced on Tuesday its support for the construction of an underground steel wall on the Egyptian borders with Gaza, to prevent the smuggling of weapons. Spokesman for the US Foreign Ministry Gordon Duguid said "We have seen that Egypt is carrying out activities which will help stop weapons smuggling into Gaza. We believe that weapons smuggling should stop, and that measures taken to stop that weapons smuggling should be - could be carried out. "A substantial amount of humanitarian aid is transferred through the smuggling tunnels and Duguid noted that "We also support greater access for humanitarian supplies to get into Gaza. There are established channels for that, and those established channels should not be hindered by Hamas or any party in Gaza. " The spokesman reiterated that the US wishes to see Hamas "stop using the border crossings as methods of smuggling weapons. "
Zakarneh: Employees dying or retiring before real wages given
1/13/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Palestinian workers will die before they receive adequate compensation for their work, Palestinian Workers' Union leader Bassam Zakarneh said in a letter to the Council of Ministers Wednesday. The letter, addressed to the council's Secretary General Dr Na'eem Abu Al-Hums, outlined the demands of union employees, including adjustments to the wage scale, retirement package adjustments and unemployment benefits. He noted the letter was the third since 2005, and accused the government of denying the requests of employees. Zakarneh denounced earlier government action that saw the Civil Service Law amended "without coordinating with the unions or the legislative members. "He wondered how the director was "given his position if he is not recognized as a director" by the people. . . . .
Israeli bulldozers destroy agricultural land near settlement
1/13/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli troops bulldozed four dunums of agricultural lands in Safa village north of Hebron Tuesday night, following an effort by Palestinian farmers to plant olive trees in the valley near Beit Ummar. Earlier Tuesday, troops advanced on the farmers planting trees, who responded to the encroachment by throwing rocks. According to an Israeli military spokesperson, the troops responded with "riot dispersal" mechanisms. Locals said a five-year-old planting trees suffered from shock when a tear gas canister detonated beside him. Media spokesman for the Palestinian solidarity project Muhammad Awad said troops uprooted trees and destroyed land on property belonging to the Abu Maria family and his brothers. An Israeli military spokeswoman said construction equipment did enter the area, but that it was there "extracting a stuck IDF vehicle. " . . . .
Fayyad launches settlement good boycott fund
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad launched on Tuesday the National Dignity Fund, as part of an initiative undertaken by the Palestinian Authority to rid the Palestinian market of settlement goods at a ceremony in the Red Crescent headquarters in Al-Birreh, Ramallah. The National Dignity Fund aims at increasing the availability of Palestinian produce in local markets, in addition to strengthening their presence in global markets as an alternative to goods made on illegal Israeli settlements, Fayyad said during his speech. "The liberalization of the domestic and global markets from products settlements is a collective responsibility that requires concerted efforts at all official and popular levels, the Palestinian authority will be the first supporter for these efforts" Fayyad said. The Ramallah-based prime minister applauded the stance of countries. . . Related: 136 tons of settlement products seized in Ramallah
Two Gaza crossings opened; limited export allowed
1/13/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings into southern and northern Gaza respectively on Wednesday, a Palestinian border crossing official said. The official, Raed Fattouh, said that 77 truckloads of humanitarian aid is to be transferred into Gaza via Kerem Shalom, adding that one truckcarrying flowers and two carrying strawberries would be allowed to exit Gaza for export abroad. Through the Karni crossing, 89 truckloads of wheat and animal feed will be delivered to the Gaza Strip, he added. [end]
Gaza bomb squad detonates left-behind explosives
1/13/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The de facto police bomb squad unit detonated 1,200 kilograms of explosives on Tuesday, which was left behind by Israeli forces last winter. The bomb squad regularly searches for explosive materials and regularly performs controlled detonations. [end]
Haniyeh: Israeli threats are ’psychological warfare’
1/13/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto government Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of Israel launching a major military offensive in the Gaza Strip. "Israeli threats are psychological warfare," Haniyeh said, addressing his cabinet during its weekly session. The deposed prime minister further called on the international community to "leash Israeli aggression and bring an end to the security chaos which Israeli leaders are creating. "Haniyeh added that his government had several choices to respond to Israeli violations, and called on Palestinian factions to enter into dialogue to ensure national unity to protect Palestinian interests, which are "the best means of preventing any possible Israeli aggression. " Concerning the Egyptian soldier shot dead at the Rafah border following clashes, Haniyeh said "the government decided to open a comprehensive investigations. . . "
Abu Al-Gheit: Either 2 states or 1 state for 2 peoples
1/13/2010 - Cairo - Ma'an - Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Al-Gheit asserted on Tuesday evening that Egypt insists on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the territories occupied in 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital, Egyptian media reported. Abu Al-Gheit explained that his recent visit to Washington with Chief of Intelligence Omar Suleiman was undertaken to compel the US administration to exert pressure on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides to agree on Egypt's call for renewed peace talks, he said speaking in an interview with Egypt's Channel 2. "Egypt has one of two solutions: Either two states living side by side, or one state for two peoples," Abu Al-Gheit explained, additionally warning of a third solution which he believes Israel to be planning - the displacement of the Palestinians into Jordan's borders.
Egypt: No foundation for trilateral summit
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Cairo has informed the US that no ground has been laid to prepare for a trilateral summit between President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu, brokered by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, according to the Arab media on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Al-Gheit and Chief of Intelligence Omar Suleiman informed US Foreign Minister Hillary Clinton on Tuesday that it is too early to hold a summit and prepare for talks, the source told the London-based daily Al-Hayat. [end]
Tourism police return Israeli tourist
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority Tourism Police stopped an Israeli tourist, fearing for his safety, wearing a religious Jewish hood and amongst a group of Russian tourists preparing for a tour of Bethlehem, the Palestinian police reported. The Israeli citizen, 75, from Lod, was informed that he may be in danger should he enter the Old City of Bethlehem and that he should return to the checkpoint, according to the police's public relations office. Israel forces regularly warn Israeli citizens not to enter areas under PA control, for fear that they may be threatened by Palestinians. Palestinian security forces detain all Israelis who enter Palestinian cities and call on a military liaison to return the concerned party to Israeli forces. . . . .
Hamas accuses Egypt of slander over soldier death at Rafah
1/13/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas leader Salah Al-Bardawil denounced Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Gheit's comments relating to the shooting of an Egyptian solider at the Rafah border as an "advanced judgment" on Wednesday. "Is there a relation between the death of the Egyptian soldier and the Palestinian side? . . . We assured previously that our nation and our resistance and our Palestinian police put all its power to face the Israeli occupation only and they were never an enemy to Egypt. What is said about Palestinians killing the Egyptian solider is totally rejected," Al-Bardawil said in a statement. "We called on Egyptian and Palestinian authorities to investigate in this accident and track the killer of the Egyptian soldier when the incident occurred. " The Hamas leader added that the Minister of Health's undersecretary, Dr Tareq Al-Mahlawi, in Sinai concluded that the Egyptian. . .
Russian delegation visits Jericho
1/13/2010 - Jericho- Ma'an - A delegation of Russian experts visited the West Bank city of Jericho on Wednesday to work on implementing the construction of a museum and garden, in coordination with the Jericho Municipality. Head by Victor Sobolov, the delegation of senior Russian officials met with Jericho Mayor Hasan Saleh and a number of municipality officials. Saleh expressed hope that the project will encourage tourism in the city, particularly amongst Russian tourists. Russian Ambassador to the Palestinian Authority Sergei Kozlov said "this project is the fruit of the cooperation between the two sides. This project with achieve more for the flourishing of this historical city. " . . . .
Egyptian media to broadcast Ma’an Hebrew press review
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Palestinian weekly program, hosted by Nasser Laham, is to be broadcast on Egyptian television, Ma'an revealed on Wednesday. Following a meeting with Abdul Latif Al-Menyawi, general manager for Egyptian TV's news department signed a contract with the Ma'an Network on whereby the Nile Channel will broadcast A Review of the Hebrew Press, presented by Nasser Laham, editor in chief of the Ma'an News Agency. The program, which specializes in Israeli affairs, has been broadcast for the past ten years on local Palestinian television by Ma'an, and weekly on Palestine TV for the past two years. "This is the first time that a Palestinian program is being purchased by a significant station like the Nile Channel. This is just the beginning of Arab media cooperation with the Ma'an Network," said Laham.
136 tons of settlement products seized in Ramallah
1/13/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Palestinian customs officials confiscated and destroyed approximately 136 tons of materials used to manufacture asphalt en route from an illegal Israeli settlement near the West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday. Haitham Zein, an official for the public relations department for Palestinian customs said 94 tons of asphalt and 43 tons of base for tarmacking roads were confiscated in separate raids. "Fines were imposed on the owners of these materials, and wrote pledges vowing not tobringing them from the settlements into Palestinian markets. The two cases were transferred for investigation by the customs officers," he said. Zein added that the customs department is committed to the decision taken by the Palestinian Authority to prohibit the entry of settlement goods into the Palestinian markets. Related: Fayyad launches settlement good boycott fund
Hamas: PA security detained 5 affiliated in West Bank
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas announced on Tuesday that Palestinian Authority security services detained five of the movement's affiliates across the West Bank, according to a statement. Hamas' statement said that PA forces detained Mohammad Ar-Rabi in Qalqiliya, adding that he had been released from Beitounia prison two weeks prior, as well as Wissam Bakeer and Sari Urabi in Ramallah, also following two weeks of release. Fadi Khattab, from Tulkarem, and Adnan Hamarsheh, fron Jenin, were also detained, the statement concluded. [end]
Mash’al: Tables set for Palestinian reconciliation
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Head of the Hamas politburo Khalid Mash'al told Al-Arabiyah TV conditions are ripe for Palestinian national unity. All that remains necessary is "one bold step from some of the Arab countries to collect Fatah and Hamas officials and made them meet in addition to the other Palestinian parties," Mash'al said. Mash'al encouraged If Egypt to force a meeting between Hamas and Fatah, saying the outstanding issues could be "solved in hours," abd added that unity would help Palestinians defend themselves against Israel. "The circumstances are set and we are ready to solve all the problems; a Palestinian-Palestinian meeting will be the start," he said. Talks have been stalled between Hamas and Fatah since October, when controversy over the handing of the UN-mandated Goldstone report at the Human Rights Commission by the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority bungled the adoption of the report by the UN.
Why has the price of cigarettes increased in the West Bank?
1/13/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Companies that import cigarettes have complained that, despite a rise in consumer prices, companies have not received the profit and accused the Palestinian Authority treasury of being the main beneficiary. Companies say that the PA has added a 1 Israeli shekel increase to the price of a pack, while the PA claims it to be only an 0. 14 Israeli shekel rise. According to Fuad Shubaki, director of the PA's customs' department in the West Bank, three reasons led to the jump in cigarette prices; a decision taken by the PA, an initiative from the World Health Organization aimed at encouraging smokers to quit, and that the PA is bound by financial agreements with the Israeli government,known as the Paris Agreement, which states that the PA must raise prices in conjunction with Israeli increases in tobacco prices.
Taxi drivers protest fixed fare
1/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Dozens of taxi drivers from the southern West Bank cities of Hebron and Bethlehem who cover the daily service between both cities organized on Wednesday morning a sit-in in front of the offices of Bethlehem governorate, protesting at the introduction of fixed rates for their route. Head of Bethlehem Taxi Drivers' Union Ahmad Jabir and the director of the governor's office, Salih Subih, attended the sit-in and listened to the taxi drivers' demands on improving their living conditions. Jabir explained that the Palestinian Ministry of Transport fixed the travel fare from Hebron to Bethlehem, both ways, at 7 Israeli shekels which, cannot cover the taxis' expenses given the high prices of diesel. The union had sent numerous complaints to the Ministry, Jabir said, who never replied to their protests.
Three hurt in blast in Hezbollah south Lebanon stronghold
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Lebanon officials: Bomb exploded at entrance of building, wounded three students waiting for school bus.
Israel Detains Ma'an's Chief English Editor
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - Ma’an News Agency, the largest independent news network in the Palestinian territories, is deeply concerned that its chief English editor, Jared Malsin, an American citizen, was detained upon arrival at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on the afternoon of Tuesday, 12 January 2009. He is slated for deportation to Prague at 6:05 am...
Has Obama given tacit approval to Israel’s next Gaza massacre?
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - When Israel was destroying Gaza in December 2008, Obama was preparing to take office as president. Progressives around the world turned to him to use his surging diplomatic power to pressure Israel to end the massacre. He stayed silent, for days and weeks, the negative space created by his newfound lack of words filled with the...
Israel restricting Palestinian lawyers' access to detainees
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - Israel is prohibiting Palestinian lawyers and the relatives of Palestinian detainees from reaching a military tribunal via the Beitunia checkpoint west of Ramallah. The prohibition, which has been in effect for the past three days, means that Israeli police are requiring Palestinians to use the Qalandiyah crossing 20 kilometers away, where they must produce an entry...
Detention of young Palestinian children up 40%
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - According to the latest figures compiled by DCI-Palestine from sources including the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) and temporary Israeli army detention facilities, the number of Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons and detention centres inside Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory at the end of December 2009, was 305... DCI-Palestine remains concerned by the high number...
A second Gaza war around the corner?
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - Israel is once again complaining that its "security" is being threatened by new eruptions of violence along the border with Gaza. About two dozen Qassam rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza in recent days. Although they fell in (and may have been deliberately targeted at) open areas, causing no damage or injuries, Israel took revenge...
JUST HOW LOW CAN ZIONISTS GO?
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - On-line image in the background is from Israel’s Haaretz website, screen captured by yours truly. The photo of the little girl in the small ad above "Special offers" is actually a little Palestinian girl photographed in Gaza on January 4, 2009. Look at this! Some slick Jew "charity" ad to feed "desperate hungry Israeli children" is...
Israel’s New Rocket Defence System The Screw Turns Tighter Still on Gaza
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - Israel unveiled "Iron Dome" last week, a missile-defence system that is designed to strike a knock-out blow against short-range rockets of the variety fired into Israel by Hamas and Hizbullah. In the short term, Iron Dome is supposed to herald the demise of the rocket threat to Israeli communities near Gaza four years after Hamas won...
Child’s death brings the number of the siege’s martyrs to 368
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - The number of Palestinians whose deaths are attributable directly to the siege of the Palestinian territory comes to 368. One of the most damning statistics of the Israeli-led siege on Gaza was added-to on Monday when a three year-old boy, who was not allowed to travel abroad for treatment, died. Mayssara Hussam Ibrahim Musa suffered from...
New IOA scheme to confiscate 70% of Wadi Hilwa in OJ
Uruknet January 13, 2010 -- The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) controlled municipality of occupied Jerusalem has endorsed a new scheme that would confiscate 70% of Wadi Hilwa valley in the holy city. The Wadi Hilwa information center said in a study published on Wednesday that the total area of the Wadi is 548.5 dunums out of which 18.7% are residential neighborhoods...
Israeli troops seal off Nablus area, erect flying checkpoints
Uruknet January 13, 2010 – Israeli troops closed all military checkpoints in and out of Nablus Wednesday evening and erected barriers on several roads leading out of the city, witnesses said. The closure affected civilians as well as Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances, sources said. Security officials noted Israeli "red alerts" in the area but declined to elaborate...
Israeli Prohibitions Against Free Expression and “Enemy Alien” Contacts
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - Adalah is the legal center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel advocating on their behalf in a nation affording rights only to Jews. In September 2009, its report titled "Prohibited Protest" exposed how Israel’s law enforcement authorities restricted free expression protests against Operation Cast Lead. It shows how police, the State Prosecutor’s Office, General Security Services (...
Jamal Juma' Has Been Released
Uruknet January 13, 2010 - Jamal Juma’, the coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign has been released yesterday evening after a month long detention in Israeli jails. He had been called for interrogation and then arrested on December 16. Yesterday, the military court decided for Jamal’s release. Like for the other Palestinian human rights defenders in Israeli jails, there was...
Building first residential complex in West Bank
13 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 13, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - On the hilly road between Nablus and Ramallah, tens of workers have spent their day on a mound to build the first Palestinian residential complex which will provide shelter for some 40,000 people. The Rawabi (hills) City is said to be the first ambitious project the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has started to...
Egypt's steel wall threatens Gaza's lifeline
13 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 13, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Cairo's move to pressure Hamas threatening more humanitarian disasters in Israeli-besieged Gaza. The construction of a new underground wall and recent border clashes have frayed relations between Hamas and Egypt and could threaten Gaza's main lifeline in Gaza, analysts say. Citing national security, Egypt is now building an underground iron wall in a...
Abbas “No negotiations with settlements underway”
13 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 13, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday said he will not resume peace talks with Israel unless it stops settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Abbas told reporters in Ramallah: "There are no negotiations with settlement underway. We won't accept the resumption of the negotiations without the full suspension of the...
Saudi-Syrian relations thaw as Assad calls on the king
The National 13 Jan 2010 - Impasse in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and Hamas-Fatah reconciliation expected to feature prominently in talks between two countries' heads.
West Bank land sales by Church spur uproar
The National 13 Jan 2010 - Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III broke promise to end the selloff, some speculate to win the recognition of his status by Israel.
Turkey accepts Israel's apology
AlJazeera 13 Jan 2010 - Tel Aviv officially apologises for official's humiliation of Turkish ambassador.
Israel Detains Ma'an's Chief English Editor
Alternative Information Center 13 Jan 2010 - Ma’an News Agency , the largest independent news network in the Palestinian territories, is deeply concerned that its chief English editor, Jared Malsin, an American citizen, was detained upon arrival at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport near...
Jamal Juma' Has Been Released
Alternative Information Center 13 Jan 2010 - Jamal Juma’, the coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign has been released yesterday evening after a month long detention in Israeli jails. He had been called for interrogation and then arrested on December 16. Yesterday,...
Turkey demands apology from Israel over envoy 'slight'
PNN 13 Jan 2010 - Turkey has demanded that Israel apologise over what it called the discourteous way its ambassador was treated during a diplomatic meeting. Israel summoned Turkey's ambassador to rebuke him over a TV series but ensured he was photographed on a lower chair. In response, Turkey has summoned the Israeli ambassador to Ankara to express its annoyance . The foreign ministry has also insisted it...
Three wounded in bomb at Hizbullah stronghold
Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - Teenage children of two Hizbullah operatives hurt in apparent assassination attempt in Kfar Fila.
Palestinian fighting spreads in Beirut suburb
Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - Factions exchange fire over Furqan mosque; fiscal, family feuds fueling flare-ups. (The Media Line)
Ma'an editor denied entry into Israel
Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - American editor for Palestinian news agency set for deportation after "suspicious signs" identified.
The ABCs of biological warfare and terror agents
Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - Background: Only a small amount is needed to wipe out hundreds of thousands in an urban area.
'IDF prisons woefully inadequate'
Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - Comptroller's report cites young staff and abused prisoners; IDF implementing recommendations.
Analysis: Saudis seek illusory 'third way' in regional dimplomacy
Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - The current round of talks is the latest stage in Syria's return from the cold in terms of its reintegration into the mainstream of Arab diplomacy.
Israeli mother of 4 flees Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - Dressed in hijab, woman leaves "smuggler" husband, crosses border.
Work begins on first planned Palestinian city
Jeruslalem Post 13 Jan 2010 - Without Israeli approval of a short stretch of road, the $500-million project may never get off the ground.
/CORRECTED REPEAT*/MIDEAST: Israel Declares War on Peace NGOs
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 13 (IPS) - One year after the devastating attack on Hamas in Gaza a new wave of reports castigating Israel for war crimes has emerged.
Israeli authorities deny American journalist entry
1/14/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - The English Desk at Ma'an News Agency, the largest independent news network in the Palestinian territories, is deeply concerned that its chief editor, Jared Malsin, an American citizen [and graduate of Yale University], was detained on Tuesday afternoon upon arriving at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. He is slated for imminent deportation. In what can only be explained as a retaliatory measure for Malsin's reporting on Palestine, his long-term girlfriend, Faith Rowold, a two-year, registered volunteer with the Lutheran Church in Jerusalem, was also seized and placed in a holding cell pending deportation. Israeli security agents have prevented the couple from making calls, and lied to concerned American consular staff, denying that the two were even being held. While the US Embassy is protesting both incidents, and is in constant contact with our staff on the ground,. . . .
Female students of Madama school subject to constant harassment from Israeli army
1/13/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 12 January - Israeli Occupation Forces entered the northern West Bank village of Madama last night, damaging 5 houses and terrifying residents. The military has upped their presence in Madama in recent weeks, with the harassment of female students on their way to school becoming commonplace, and the creation of a new roadblock separating hundreds of farmers from their land. Approximately 20 soldiers entered the village late last night in military jeeps, the explosion of sound bombs announcing their arrival. The Israeli Occupation Forces remained in the village for approximately 2 hours. The exterior of 5 Madama homes were damaged during the incursion. The Israeli army is a regular presence in the village. The girls school as become a frequent target for military harassment and intimidation, situated on the northern edge of the village and a mere 100 metres from the Israeli-only road that runs east to Yitzhar settlement.
Grassroots activist Wa’el Al-Faqeeh to stand trial January 19
1/13/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Political prisoner Wa'el Al-Faqeeh has been detained without charge by Israeli authorities for over a month, and is now facing trial in Salim military court on the 19th of January. The abduction of Al-Faqeeh from his home, along with 4 other activists in the Nablus region, marked the beginning of the recent surge in Israel's targeting of leaders of Palestinian popular resistance. On the night of December 9th 2009 over 200 Israeli soldiers entered the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Their mission: to round up a list of local grassroots activists, whose promotion of popular struggle Israel had no answer for. Amongst those taken was 45 year old Wa'el Al-Faqeeh, when 50 soldiers stormed his home, pointing their weapons at him and his family as though the man they had come to arrest embodied a formidable threat. But those who know Al Faqeeh know that he worked tirelessly - and on a largely voluntary basis - in defense of human rights and the promotion of the strategies and philosophy of Palestinian non-violent resistance.
Ni’ilin Activist’s Home Raided
1/13/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - At approximately 1:30 am three military jeeps and over a dozen soldiers invaded the village of Ni'ilin and surrounded the home of elementary school teacher and organizer Mohammed Amirah. Two officers and a handful of soldiers than entered Amirah's home, carefully went through his family's belongings and questioned him about his family, occupation and phone numbers. After about an hour in Amirah's residence, the soldiers have left, and headed out of the village. In the past week the army has staged night-raids into Ni'ilin every single day with no exception, and tonight's raid follows the arrest of three prominent Ni'ilin activists last night. Background: Israel began construction of the Wall on Ni'lin's land in 2004, but stopped after an injunction order issued by the Israeli Supreme Court (ISC). Despite the previous order and a 2004 ruling from the International Court of Justice declaring. . . .
Join the sail to Gaza this spring
1/13/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Free Gaza Movement, 12 January - ‘We're Sailing Again - Join Us!' - This spring, the Free Gaza Movement is sending at least six boats to Gaza to break Israel's illegal blockade on 1. 5 million Palestinians. This blockade constitutes an act of collective punishment, a crime prohibited under international humanitarian law. Gaza's man-made and internationally perpetuated crisis is set to deepen as Egypt builds an Iron wall 30 meters deep and 20 meters high on the southern Rafah border, closing off the final route for Palestinians to get basic supplies. The urgency of breaking the blockade grows by the day, as Palestinians living in this prison are denied their most basic rights. Our mission will include two boats committed by a Turkish NGO plus a cargo ship purchased with donations from the Malaysian people. This ship will be loaded with cement, water filtration systems and paper. . . .
Open letter to Bono: entertaining apartheid Israel…U 2 Bono?
1/13/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) - Dear Bono, The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) was deeply disturbed to learn that that you are scheduled to perform in Israel this coming summer. Two years ago, you were invited by Israeli President Shimon Peres to attend a conference in Israel marking Israel"˜s contributions to medicine, science, and conservation; we urged you then, as a prominent activist on issues of global inequality and a campaigner for basic human rights, to say no to Israel, especially since the invitation coincided with celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state. [1] You did not go to Israel then; we call on you now not to grant legitimacy to a state that practices the most pernicious form of colonialism and apartheid. "
Free Abdallah Abu Rahmah
1/13/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Coordination Committee - On the night of International Human Right Day, Thursday December 10th, at 2am, Abdallah Abu Rahmah was arrested from his home in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Seven military jeeps surrounded his house, and Israeli soldiers broke the door, extracted Abdallah from his bed, and, after briefly allowing him to say goodbye to his wife Majida and their three children "” seven year-old Luma, five year-old Lian and eight month-old baby Laith, they blindfolded him and took him into custody. Abu Rahmah did not find himself behind bars because he is a dangerous man. Abdallah, who is amongst the leaders of the Palestinian village of Bil'in, is viewed as a threat for his work in the five-year unarmed struggle to save the village's land from Israel's wall and expanding settlements. Last summer Abdallah was standing shoulder to shoulder in his village. . . "
Do Orthodox couples have happier, sturdier marriages?
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Poll conducted by Orthodox Union reveals less divorce, more satisfaction among Orthodox than other sectors.,
Turkey PM: Israel's apology is satisfactory
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Turkey terms Israel's second apology for humiliating Turkish ambassador 'expected, desired response.',
Jewish communities mobilize following Haiti earthquake
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Jewish organizations in U.S., Canada, Dominican Republic rally to provide relief for thousands of victims.,
Tens of thousands feared dead in Haiti quake; 8 Israelis missing
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Israel sends aid as Haiti braces for death toll in strongest Caribbean earthquake in 200 years.,
ANALYSIS / Turkish envoy 'has never been more humiliated'
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Turkish envoy arrived with positive intentions; 3 months later, it's doubtful any optimism remains.,
ANALYSIS / Iran scientist likely killed by opponents of nuclear program
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - The possibility that Western, or even Israeli, spy agencies are behind the killing is supported by precedent.,
Iran: We had information Israel, U.S. intended to attack us
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Israel mum about death of Iranian scientist Massoud Ali Mohammadi, killed in a blast on Tuesday.,
Jordan demands return of Dead Sea Scrolls 'seized' by Israel
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Jordan has asked the UN to force Israel to hand over Dead Sea Scrolls, which it says Israel stole.,
Egypt official: Conditions not right for peace summit
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Official quoted in Al-Hayat: Egypt FM told Clinton that parties aren't ready for tripartite meeting.,
Worst earthquake in 200 years hits Haiti
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Rescue workers fear thousands dead; Foreign Ministry reports no Israelis in the area at time of quake.,
West Bank ends torture of Hamas captives
The Guardian 13 Jan 2010 - Human rights groups report better treatment after Palestinian prime minister orders new policy but arbitrary arrests increasing Palestinian security forces in the West Bank have improved their treatment of Hamas prisoners and ended torture but there...
Islamic Movement leader: Not afraid to go to jail for sake of al-Aqsa Mosque
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Raed Salah jailed for 9 months following assault on policeman during February 2007 Temple Mount protests.
Haaretz English print edition begins distribution of the Forward in Israel
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - The January 24 issue of Haaretz-IHT will include the first lsrael edition of the Forward.
From now on, only Israeli music to be played at schools
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) Tuesday instructed school principals to play only Israeli music over loudspeakers to mark study breaks and to use Israeli songs more frequently in school ceremonies. ...
Comptroller: Israel losing PR battle in Arabic to Al-Jazeera
Ha'aretz 13 Jan 2010 - Report by Micha Lindenstrauss also finds fault with transport planning for emergency, military prisons.
Security Council to Promote Closer, More Operational Cooperation Between United Nations, Regional Organizations in Early Warning, Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding
Relief Web 13 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Security Council
Al Mezan condemns IOF attacks on Gaza; calls for international intervention to ensure protection of civilians
Relief Web 13 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
OPT: Atfaluna Newsletter January, 2010
Relief Web 13 Jan 2010 - Source: Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children
Freedom in the World 2010: Global Erosion of Freedom
Relief Web 13 Jan 2010 - Source: Freedom House
Turkish official: Israel's lucky to have Peres
YNet News 13 Jan 2010 - Ankara says willing to move past diplomatic incident between Deputy FM Ayalon, Turkish Ambassador Celikkol; credits Jewish state's president with orchestrating crisis' solution
8 Israelis still missing in Haiti as death toll rises
YNet News 13 Jan 2010 - Missing Israeli mother, son found unharmed; six additional Israelis reported missing. IDF medical aid mission set to leave for disaster zone, build field hospital
Fatah fears Israel to renounce security agreements
YNet News 13 Jan 2010 - Palestinian Authority orders several wanted men released as part of amnesty agreement with Jewish state to return to jail
'Iran knew Israel, US planned terrorist acts'
YNet News 13 Jan 2010 - Iranian parliament speaker says US-based pro-monarchy group has claimed responsibility for bombing that killed nuclear physicist near his Tehran home, adding group controlled by CIA
Officer: IDF on brink of abyss over draft dodging
YNet News 13 Jan 2010 - Army's Personnel Directorate chief says number of Jewish youths evading military service may reach 40% over next decade
IDF holds simulation of biological warfare attack
YNet News 13 Jan 2010 - Joint Medical Corps, Health Ministry, hospital teams hold mass casualty drill aimed at raising awareness to biological warfare. 'Contaminated' patients evacuated to isolated hospital wards
Saudi, Syrian leaders discuss Palestinian reconciliation
Daily Star 13 Jan 2010 RIYADH: Syrian President Bashar Assad started talks with Saudi King Abdullah on Wednesday that could see a renewed push for reconciliation between Iran-backed Hamas and the US-backed Palestinian Authority. Riyadh has been trying to convince Syria to loosen its alliance with Iran and adopt a more Arab-focused foreign policy, with officials hinting at financial aid for Syria and a resumption of investment there in return.
Yemen says security forces killed Al-Qaeda cell leader
Daily Star 13 Jan 2010 SANAA: Yemeni government forces killed an Al-Qaeda leader in an overnight shootout in a southeastern province and militants hit back with an ambush that killed two soldiers and wounded four on Wednesday, security officials said.Yemen has intensified operations against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) since the group said it was behind a failed December 25 attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound US airliner.
Israel sends formal apology to Turkey
Daily Star 13 Jan 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel on Wednesday apologized to Turkey over an insult to its ambassador in an attempt to defuse the latest crisis between the two nations. On Monday, Israel's deputy foreign minister summoned the Turkish ambassador to complain about a TV show. The ambassador was forced to sit on a low sofa without a handshake.
Tense relations with Egypt threaten Hamas' Gaza lifeline
Daily Star 13 Jan 2010 GAZA CITY: The construction of a new underground wall and recent border clashes have frayed relations between Hamas and Egypt and could threaten the Islamist movement's main lifeline in Gaza, analysts say. Since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 it has relied on smuggling tunnels under the border with Egypt to defy Israeli sanctions and its leaders have used frequent trips to Cairo to escape international isolation.
UN, Egypt protest Italy's treatment of African migrants
Daily Star 13 Jan 2010 ROME: UN human rights officials said Tuesday that they were worried about Italy's deep-rooted racism against migrants following clashes in a southern town between African farmworkers, residents and police. Hundreds of Africans fled the farm town of Rosarno in the underdeveloped southern region of Calabria in trains, cars and caravans of buses arranged by authorities.
China backs Palestinian state as Saudi Arabia says Israel blocking peace
Daily Star 13 Jan 2010 China on Wednesday endorsed efforts to create an independent Palestinian state as Saudi Arabia hardened its accusations that Israel is trying to prevent a settlement of the Middle East conflict. "China will continue its support for the Palestinian effort to establish an independent state," Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on a visit to Riyadh.
Iranian money talks - with protest slogans
Daily Star 13 Jan 2010 DUBAI: Facing hard-line forces on the streets, Iran's anti-government demonstrators have taken their protests to a new venue: writing "Death to the Dictator" and other opposition slogans on bank notes, while officials scramble to yank the bills from circulation. There's no way to calculate how much Iranian currency has been scribbled on or stamped with dissident messages.
Larijani says Iran knew Israel, US planned 'terrorist acts'
Daily Star 13 Jan 2010 TEHRAN: Iran received information days ago that Israeli and US intelligence intended to carry out "terrorist acts" in Tehran, its Parliament speaker said on Wednesday, after the killing of a university scientist. Washington has rejected Iran's allegations of US involvement in Tuesday's bombing that killed professor Massoud Ali-Mohammadi near his home in the Iranian capital as absurd.
Why not Somalia? Why not Darfur? Why not Mars?
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - Zionist spin doctors are visibly upset by growing world awareness about the manifestly cruel Israeli-Egyptian blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Abbas asks Israel to halt settlement for short time to resume negotiations
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - Mahmoud Abbas softened his refusal to resume negotiations with Israel without settlement freeze and called on Israel to halt settlement activities for a certain period.
Anti siege gov't committee: Senior European delegation to visit Gaza
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - The head of the government committee to break the siege, Hamdy Shaat, said that a senior level European delegation is expected to visit Gaza Strip next Friday.
Ramahi hails Erdogan's daring stands
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - MP Dr. Mahmoud Al-Ramahi, the secretary of the Palestinian legislative council, lauded the "daring and honorable" stands of Turkish premier Recep Erdogan.
Israel sentences Sheikh Salah to nine months in prison
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - The Israeli magistrates court on Wednesday sentenced Sheikh Ra’ed Salah to nine months in prison, in addition to a six-month suspended sentence on allegations of leading protests.
IOF troops detain son, daughter of Nablus municipality member
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - IOF arrested Suhaib, 23, and Safa'a Al-Masri, 20, the offspring of Nablus municipal council member Khulud Al-Masri while returning from medical treatment in Jordan on Tuesday.
Egypt to build 23 watchtowers along borders with Gaza
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - The Egyptian authorities are planning to construct 23 watchtowers supplied with bullet proof glass windows and electronic devices along the borders with Gaza Strip.
Sabri warns of Israeli plan to deprive Palestinians of living in J’lem
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, the preacher of the Aqsa Mosque, warned that Israel plans to deprive more than 125,000 Palestinian citizens from the right to live in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
AOHR: Egypt hunts and kills Gaza tunnel workmen every week
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - The Arab organization for human rights (AOHR) in Britain revealed that the Egyptian authorities every week hunt and kill the Palestinian workmen inside Gaza tunnels through spraying poison gas.
New IOA scheme to confiscate 70% of Wadi Hilwa in OJ
PIC 13 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) controlled municipality of occupied Jerusalem has endorsed a new scheme that would confiscate 70% of Wadi Hilwa valley in the holy city.
Israel and Turkey Patch Up Latest Rift
New York Times 13 Jan 2010 - Acting at the behest of officials, Israel’s deputy foreign minister issued on Wednesday a second apology to Turkey for embarrassing its ambassador.
Ongoing Israeli air strikes on Gaza: a prelude for a new military offensive?
Palestine Monitor - 13 Jan 2010 - Alarming news was reported last week in both Palestinian and Israeli newspapers, accounting a new Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip. (See the article by Bradley Burston, appeared on Haaretz “Israel's looming war in Gaza: Can Obama stop it before it starts?) http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages... MP Dr...
After a month long detention in Israeli jails, Jamal Juma is free
Palestine Monitor - 13 Jan 2010 - Jamal Juma', the coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign has been released yesterday evening after a month long detention in Israeli jails. He had been called for interrogation and then arrested on December 16. Yesterday, the military court decided for Jamal's release Jamal Juma' comments...
Settling into Sheikh Jarrah
Mondoweiss - 13 Jan 2010 - The al-Kurd family property and tent (Photo: Andrew Kadi) On this beautiful and sunny day, a group of us were going on a tour of various areas, including East Jerusalem, with an acquaintance as our tour guide. As the tour wound down, I realized we were...
Jews in recovery (or why liberal American Jews might help to imagine a binational future)
Mondoweiss - 13 Jan 2010 - What did I do on my vacation? I stood on a hillside in northern Israel crying with a bunch of Jews. You can see a few of us in the picture above, a week ago today. Miriam’s at the left, then Rabbi Brian Walt, then Emma,...
Getting to the root of the conflict
Mondoweiss - 13 Jan 2010 - On January 11, the delegation I’m traveling with visited with Mohammed Jaradat of the BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. He speaks in a deep, resonant voice and has sparkling olive green eyes that twinkle as he presents. He explains to the delegation...
A tear for Anne Frank in Cairo
Mondoweiss - 13 Jan 2010 - member of Gaza Freedom March, Cairo, Dec. 28, 2009 Related posts: Update from Cairo: Gaza Freedom March rejects Egyptian offer to allow only 100 protesters into Gaza Cairo meets the movement, with tears and chaos and exaltation Stymied in Cairo–still something is gelling among the international...
Former students blast their professor for blessing Gaza in print
Mondoweiss - 13 Jan 2010 - The following is on Jerry Haber’s great site, Magnes Zionist : his summary of a letter that has been leaked widely. It is a stunner: eight former students of Moshe Halbertal dispute his attack on the Goldstone Report in the New Republic . Note that many of these...
Israel Detains Ma'an's Chief English Editor
Alternative Information Center - 13 Jan 2010 - Ma’an News Agency , the largest independent news network in the Palestinian territories, is deeply concerned that its chief English editor, Jared Malsin, an American citizen, was detained upon arrival at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on the afternoon of Tuesday, 12 January 2009....
Jamal Juma' Has Been Released
Alternative Information Center - 13 Jan 2010 - Jamal Juma’, the coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign has been released yesterday evening after a month long detention in Israeli jails. He had been called for interrogation and then arrested on December 16. Yesterday, the military court decided for Jamal’s release.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Israel To Deport 15 Detainees
IMEMC 14 Jan 2010 - Friday January 15, 2010 - 03:13, The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees filed an appeal to the Israeli High Court demanding it to void a decision aimed at deporting 15 Palestinian detainees who have already served their terms and are supposed to be sent back home.
Israeli authorities prevent 17 Palestinians from getting necessary eye surgery
IMEMC 14 Jan 2010 - Friday January 15, 2010 - 02:06, After the Israeli human rights group Physicians for Human Rights arranged a donation of 17 corneas to allow sight-impaired Palestinians from Gaza to receive necessary eye surgery, Israeli border agents stationed at Erez crossing prevented the sight-impaired patients from entering the West Bank. The cornea donations had to be discarded.
Hearing Set for Detained Journalist Jared Malsin
IMEMC 14 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 14, 2010 - 23:06, Ma'an News Agency has released a press release regarding the current status of their chief editor of the English desk, Jared Malsin. Mr. Malsin is currently waiting a hearing in the Tel Aviv District Court regarding his potential deportation.
Southern West Bank farmers accuse settlers of uprooting trees
IMEMC 14 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 14, 2010 - 18:18, Palestinian farmers from Yatta village southern West Bank accused Israeli settlers of destroying 70 of their trees on Thursday.
Bomb explodes near Israeli diplomat's car at the West Bank's border with Jordan
IMEMC 14 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 14, 2010 - 18:05, A bomb exploded Thursday afternoon near an Israeli diplomat's car near the Allenby Bridge crossing between Jordan and the West Bank.
Israeli Government Grants Permission to Settlement Municipalities to Issue Construction Permits
IMEMC 14 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 14, 2010 - 17:58, Israeli sources are reporting that Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, has granted the local municipalities of the settlements to continue granting permits for construction, so that construction can be renewed immediately after the end of the 10 month period, due to end at the end of September.
PJS denounces Israel over journalist detention
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The largest media union in the occupied Palestinian territories on Thursday condemned a decision taken by Israeli authorities earlier this week to deport one of Ma'an News Agency's top journalists. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, to which chief English editor Jared Malsin and every other journalist employed by Ma'an belongs, likened the expected deportation to "an act of piracy carried out against press freedom. " Naim Tubasi, who heads the syndicate, told Ma'an that the move to obstruct Malsin's freedom of movement and ability to report would violate international law in regard to the protection of journalists. "This act comes within a series of assaults carried out by Israel toward Palestinian and international journalists who work in the Palestinian territories," he added. Tubasi urged the International Federation of Journalists, the Arab Union. . .
Tel Aviv court delays Ma’an editor’s expulsion
1/14/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The editor in chief of Ma'an English, Jared Malsin, was temporarily spared deportation after an Israeli judge in Tel Aviv reversed an overruled injunction filed by lawyers representing the Bethlehem-based news agency late Wednesday night. Malsin was detained at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport on Tuesday afternoon while returning from the Czech Republic on holiday. After eight hours of interrogation, the Israeli Interior Ministry ordered him held and scheduled deportation for 6am on Thursday. Ma'an attorney Castro Daoud intervened amid pressure from US diplomats seeking an injunction against the deportation. The request was rejected by the Israeli attorney general, whose own ruling was then overturned by a Tel Aviv judge, granting Malsin a hearing. Judge Miriam Sokolov will hear Malsin's case at 10am at the Tel Aviv District Court.
Israeli forces detain two anti-wall organizers in Ni’lin
1/14/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Ni'lin, Ibrahim Amirah, was detained by Israeli forces Tuesday evening along withZaydan Srour, reportedly for their involvement in organizing anti-wall activities. A statement issued by supporters said the men were detained at 3am when 15 armored Israeli jeeps and a hundred soldiers stormed the village of Ni'lin and surrounded Amirah's home. "After forcefully entering his home, soldiers extracted Amirah from his bed, searched the house and arrested him," the statement quoted witnesses as saying. Additionally, the Army raided the homes of Hassan Mousa and Zaidoun Srour. Hassan Mousa, a high school teacher in the village and a member of the Popular Committee, was released after being initially detained. Srour, a well known activist in the village, was detained alongside Amirah.
Al-Quds University lecturer detained near Jerusalem
1/14/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained Al-Quds University lecturer and Fatah affiliate Sa'eed Yaqin, according to the detainee's wife and witnesses. The detention took place in the Jerusalem village of Beit Duqu, north-west Jerusalem. "A large number of Israeli solders broke into our home at dawn, forces us out, and thoroughly searched it," said Yaqin's wife. Residents confirmed reports of the detention. Sources at Al-Quds University expressed dismay over the arrest, citing that reasons for Yaqin's detention remain unknown. Yaqin is a lecturer in Political Science. [end]
Israeli forces close roads in north, install checkpoints
1/14/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces installed three military temporary checkpoints around the city of Tulkarem Thursday night, sealing the area and refusing some drivers from accessing their homes. Checkpoints were installed near Dir Sharafin the East,and on the Nablus-Ramallah road in the south. They were installed in the early hours of the evening and remained in place at press time. The military stops, known as a flying checkpoints, were installed just south of the area where Palestinian gunmen killed a settler on Christmas eve. On Boxing Day, Israeli troops raided Nablus and executed three men they said were responsible for the death. Witnesses said the men were shot on site in their homes. Onlookers said Israeli forces were stopping dozens of vehicles on both sides of the checkpoint and searching all vehicles thoroughly, young men were being forced to strip in front of soldiers, one witness said.
Israeli settlers set fire to cars near Nablus
1/15/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli settlers torched three cars and a tractor outside Immatin village west of Nablus overnight, leaving residents to find the skeleton's of the vehicles Thursday morning. Ghassan Doghlas, an official with the settlements file in the northern West Bank, toldMa'an that a number of settlers from Shafit Gilad, an illegal outpost in the Qedumim settlement bloc, exited the fenced-off area and entered the lands around the village, not ten meters from its main gate. Doughlas said the incident occurred at 1:30am. The cars belonged to Ayyad Sawwan, Muhammad Ghanem and Ibrahim Ghanem, who also owned the vandalized tractor, Doughlas said, noting several residents witnessed the setters lighting the fires under the cars, and saw them escape into the hills toward the settlement. . . . .
PFLP man said moved to isolation
1/14/2010 - Ramallah- Ma'an - Wife of A'hed Abu Ghulmah, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said she was informed her husband would be moved to solitary confinement Thursday without justification. Wafa Yousef Abu Ghulmah told Ma'an that prison officials refused to give her information on her husband's condition, and denied her an explanation as to why he would be isolated. His change in status means Abu Ghulmah will be denied family visits. He has been in the Israeli Haradim prison for four months. Wafa said she was only told which facility her husband was in a month ago, so she could start visiting, and called on officials to intervene and ensure her husband was not moved to confinement so she could continue to see him. . . . .
Witnesses: Israel performs Gaza incursion
1/14/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Residents near the Sufa border, southern Gaza, reported that an Israeli military incursion was undertaken late Wednesday night. Witnesses said Israeli forces entered close to the border, opened artillery fire while F16 warplanes were sighted above the skies. The forces were then seen moving towards the eastern Gaza border, and fired at agricultural land in Jabalia in the north, they added. An Israeli spokesman said there was no military activity in the area at the time of the reports. [end]
In letter to UN, Gaza children demand justice
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Marking the aniversary of Israel's war on Gaza, hundreds of children gathered in Gaza City to sign a letter asking that the UN denounce as criminal the Israeli actions that lead to the death of their friends and loved ones. The Thursday rally saw the children march from the center of Gaza City to the UN headquarters. Children headed up the march, followed by groups of women and police officers who were targeted by Israeli forces during the war. Members of the de facto government in Gaza took up the rear of the march in solidarity. Marchers demanded justice for the death and destruction caused by the war, and children called on the UN to prosecute the pilots who dropped bombs on homes and public buildings. Eleven-year-old Nour Radwan hand delivered a letter to a representative of the UN, appealing to its Secretary General to pressure the Israeli government to. . .
One Gaza crossing open; strawberries and carnations exported
1/14/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom crossing for the import of limited goods, and export of cut carnations and strawberries, by request of the Dutch government. Palestinian liaison official, Raed Fattouh, said 97-107 truckloads of aid, commercial and agricultural goods would enter Gaza along with limited quantities of cooking gas. The level of goods is well below the minimum allowed through by Israeli officials before they imposed the siege on Gaza. Fattouh added that one truck carrying cut carnations and three carrying strawberries would be allowed to exit Gaza for export abroad via the Kerem Shalom point. The Dutch government has been able to secure the semi-regular export of the two types of goods since 10 December, and have said they hope to maintain the export process until the end of the strawberry and carnation growing season. . . . .
Detainee loses eye; Hamas demands investigation
1/14/2010 - Gaza/Jenin - Ma'an - A Palestinian detainee was severely injured after being attacked at an Israeli detention centre, Salem, near Jenin in the northern West Bank, Hamas said in a statement on Thursday. The statement, issued by Hamas' detainees' committee said Huthayfa Zyara, from Nablus, lost an eye after he was beaten by an Israeli intelligence officer. The committee appealed to international human rights groups to intervene promptly to guarantee Zyara's safety, as well as other detainees, from beatings during investigations. On Wednesday, the de facto government's Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs called on international rights groups to demand the release of unwell detainee Nasim Khatab, who is in deteriorating health, a statement said. Khatab was detained in 2003 and sentenced to 12 years. Before his detention, he was injured during an Israeli raid where he lost a leg and. . .
Turkish rights group calls for Barak arrest warrant
1/14/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Turkish human rights group Mazlumder has demanded that a warrant be issued for the arrest of Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Israeli media reported Thursday. According to a statement issued by Mazlumder on Wednesday night, the request is based on international criminal law that calls for all accused of perpetrating war crimes to be tried in accordance with universal jurisdiction and Turkish law. The call for his arrest is anchored in accusations put forward in the Goldstone report relating to Barak's involvement in Operation Cast Lead, Israel's assault on Gaza last winter, the statement added, quoted by the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth. Barak is due to visit Turkey in the coming days, the Hebrew-language daily added. "Israel perpetrated genocide and crimes against humanity. IDF forces bombed the UN building, hospitals, and schools. "
Israeli troops snatch three from Tulkarem area
1/14/2010 - Tulkarem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained three citizens from Tulkarem in broad daylight and took them to an unknown destination on Thursday, witnesses said. Two ofthe men were taken from the Ar-Ras and Kfar Saour villages south of Tulkarem as they worked surveying land adjacent to the separation wall. Locals identified them as Sinan Amir and Muhammad Taher. Troops raided the home of university student Muhammad Radad north of Tulkarem and also took him to an unknown location. [end]
Reports: Explosion at Allenby Bridge
1/14/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - A bomb exploded in Jordan early Thursday evening, Israel's Army Radio reported, according to Reuters. No one was reported hurt in the blast near a car carrying three Israeli diplomats, said to have occurred near the Allenby Bridge crossing between Jordan and the West Bank. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reportedly investigating. "We are checking and not commenting for now," a spokesman told Reuters. [end]
Hamas official: No Shalit deal until demands met
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an -Senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Haya announced on Wednesday that Hamas and other factions' stance on the release of caputured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit cannot be rescinded, he said during a political symposium in Khan Younis, Gaza. "The deal will not be concluded until the Israeli occupation agrees on Hamas demands. Hamas and the resistance are inseparable twins," Al-Haya said. "The resistance is able to restore the homeland and its residents. The relationship with the occupier is an issue of existence and not borders. "Concerning the impasse reached on Palestinian reconciliation and the Egyptian-backed document tipped to end Hamas-Fatah rivalry, Al-Haya said "there is no alternative to reconciliation or the agreement that could save the Palestinian cause" adding that Fatah "has not reached the stage where it is able to have Hamas as a partner in the homeland. "
Hamas: Blame blockade for tunnel industry
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Deputy Prime Minister in Gaza aide Ziad Ath-Thatha called on Arab and Islamic nations to deal directly with the Palestiniansrather than with Israeli authorities over the opening of the Rafah crossing. Ath-Thatha made the comments Thursday at the Gaza City Ministry of Information offices, and stressed the role of Egypt and the necessity of direct communication to ensure full cooperation and the realization of rights for Palestinians in Gaza. "The amounts of industrial fuel allowed into Gaza for the power generator, [amounts of] and cooking gas do not cover half of what Gazans need," he said, and urged Egypt to look for a way to ensure Rafah was able to transport goods and fuel into the Strip. Israel has created a prison in Gaza, Ath-Thatha said, adding that the population of that prison was made up of more than 50% children.
Barak to improve certain West Bank checkpoints
1/14/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barack announced on Wednesday that from January, transit to and from West Bank checkpoints will be improved, Israeli sources said. The Terkumia checkpoint in Hebron is reportedly to be open for an additional four hours to facilitate improvements on the military construction and to allow the transfer of goods into Hebron, sources said. The Gelbu border in northern West Bank will be opened for tourists, the sources added. [end]
Egypt: TNT cache found in Sinai en route to Gaza
1/14/2010 - Al-Arish - Egyptian security forces said they seized a cache of explosives in the northern Sinai after receiving information on stores of the goods waiting to be transported into the Gaza via the tunnels. The security source said the explosives were found in a one-meter-deep hole in the desert, with approximately 50 kilograms of dynemite adn some other materials likey used in previous wars fought in the Sinai. The announcement comes as Egypt continues to build a steel wall beneath the Gaza-Egypt border in what it says is an effort to stop arms smuggling between the areas. The tunnels have been a lifeline for Gazans, faced with a crippling siege imposed by Israel, which controls the major crossings into the area. . . . .
Masha’al comments a ruse, says Dahlan
1/14/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Member of Fatah's Central Committee Muhammad Dahlan on Wednesday berated senior-most Hamas leader Khaled Masha'al's comments in the Arabic daily Al-Arabiya, citing that it was a ruse, aimed at evading the issue of Palestinian reconciliation. "If Masha'al were serious in his intentions towards reconciliation, let him sign the Egyptian and paper and we can celebrate and put an end to the coup carried out in Gaza in 2007, ending division and restoring national unity," Dahlan said. Dahlan further called on Masha'al to end his affiliation with Iran, and align himself withArab nations instead, saying that all statements concerning Iran must end and return to guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Incitement against Abbas - Moreover, Dahlan addressed the "campaign of incitement" against President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority. . .
PPSF: National duty to stop inciting government
1/14/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - The Palestinian Popular Struggle Front said it was concerned about the direction of internal Palestinian politics Thursday, and called on sides to re-evaluate their positions on national unity, an to stop all forms of incitement against the Palestinian Authority. Spokesman for the PPSF Awny Abu Gosh said Hamas should "consider implementing what Khalid Mash'al told Al-Arabia TV" regarding a willingness to resolve the Palestinian unity crisis "in hours" with a sit down discussion in Cairo. Mash'al gave the interview on Wednesday. [end]
Report: Jordan arrests suspect in attack on Israeli convoy
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Convoy carrying three Israeli diplomats targeted by remotely detonated roadside bomb; no one hurt.
Israeli authorities prevent 17 Palestinians from getting necessary eye surgery
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - After the Israeli human rights group Physicians for Human Rights arranged a donation of 17 corneas to allow sight-impaired Palestinians from Gaza to receive necessary eye surgery, Israeli border agents stationed at Erez crossing prevented the sight-impaired patients from entering the West Bank. The cornea donations had to be discarded. According to the Physicians for Human...
Israeli Threats Against Gaza Grow
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - Israel's hawks are starting to make frightening noises. If Israel attacks Gaza again, Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant will run the operation. Galant recently said that right now "the sun is shining - but one can see dark clouds in the distance." His soldiers are training to face trouble ahead, and "civilians are rightly preparing themselves for...
In letter to UN, Gaza children demand justice
Uruknet January 14, 2010 – Marking the aniversary of Israel's war on Gaza, hundreds of children gathered in Gaza City to sign a letter asking that the UN denounce as criminal the Israeli actions that lead to the death of their friends and loved ones. The Thursday rally saw the children march from the center of Gaza City to the UN...
Israeli Democracy or Hypocrisy
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - ...In November, the Mitzpeh Aviv community, under the jurisdiction of the Galilee Misgav Regional Council, passed an amendment to its internal bylaws, stipulating that land allocation be conditional on residents’ placing the "highest priorities (on) Zionist values and the values of the state as a Jewish and democratic state." Then on December 10, a new Knesset...
Haitian Earthquake: Made in the USA Why the Blood Is on Our Hands
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - As grim accounts of the earthquake in Haiti came in, the accounts in U.S.-controlled state media all carried the same descriptive sentence: "Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere..." Gee, I wonder how that happened? You'd think Haiti would be loaded. After all, it made a lot of people rich. How did Haiti get...
"This is life:" remembering earlier massacres in Gaza
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - It's a sunny day in the border region east of Beit Hanoun. Aside from a glaring absence of the citrus and olive trees which for decades abounded on this fertile land, finally razed by Israeli military bulldozers, all seems idyllic. "This is the first time I've returned here since my friends were killed," Ahmad Hammad says....
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory No. 02/2010 (06-13 Jan. 2010)
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (06 – 13 January 2010): Shooting: During the reporting period, Israeli occupation forces killed 6 Palestinians, including a child, in the Gaza Strip. A seventh Palestinian died of previous wounds. Additionally, two Palestinian civilians were wounded. On 08 January 2009,...
The Occupation Municipality in Jerusalem sets a new plan to Judaize three neighborhoods in Jerusalem
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - The Wadi Helwa Center revealed a plan set by the Occupation municipality to execute a project called 11555 that aimed at the confiscation of 70% of the land of Wadi Helwa in favor of this project and make it available to the use of the Municipality and District Committee. The Information Center of Wadi Helwa explained...
Gaza: 75 Deformed Babies Caused by the War
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - Recent scientific analyses have shown that the war was a direct cause of the increasing numbers of birth defects, miscarriages and cancer in the Gaza Strip. A report by Conscience Organisation for Human Rights concerning the environmental and health dangers resulting from the bombardment and invasion revealed that incidents of children born with deformities have risen...
Rebuffing the optimists
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - Discounting recent suggestions that he might have moderated his extremist views vis-à-vis major contentious issues with the Palestinians, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has reasserted the rejectionist orientation of his government, saying that Israel would neither withdraw from East Jerusalem, return to the 1967 borders, nor allow Palestinian refugees to be repatriated to their homes in...
The United States, Israel and the retreat of freedom
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - The world is suffering from a "freedom recession" according to a new report from the American think tank Freedom House ("Freedom in the World 2010," 12 January 2010). Established in 1941, Freedom House markets itself as "an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy...
Witnesses: Israel performs Gaza incursion
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - Residents near the Sufa border, southern Gaza, reported that an Israeli military incursion was undertaken late Wednesday night. Witnesses said Israeli forces entered close to the border, opened artillery fire while F16 warplanes were sighted above the skies. The forces were then seen moving towards the eastern Gaza border, and fired at agricultural land in Jabalia...
UNRWA opens up healthcare for Palestinians refugees in Lebanon
14 Jan 2010 - Lebanon, January 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) -An agreement signed on Wednesday between the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) will strengthen healthcare for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, and add to the number of facilities where they can receive treatment, the organizations said. Salvatore Lombardo, the director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, said "...
Gaza: 75 Deformed Babies Caused by the War
14 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Recent scientific analyses have shown that the war was a direct cause of the increasing numbers of birth defects, miscarriages and cancer in the Gaza Strip. A report by Conscience Organisation for Human Rights concerning the environmental and health dangers resulting from the bombardment and invasion revealed that incidents of children born with...
Palestinian activist Jamal Juma’ released
14 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Palestinian human rights activist Jamal Juma', who was detained by the Israeli occupation forces late last year, released from the Israeli jails on Tuesday evening. Jamal Juma' was arrested in December 2009, joining fellow activists Abdallah Abu Rahma and Mohammed Othman in detention, following a series of protests against the construction...
Limited Israeli Invasion in Gaza
14 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces, backed by tanks and bulldozers, invaded east of Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip, on Wednesday. Four tanks and three bulldozers penetrated for hundreds of meters to the outskirts of Sofa Crossing east of Rafah. The Israeli forces also carried out the invasion under heavy fire towards the housings of Palestinians....
Palestinian bulldozers pave the way for new settlements
The National 14 Jan 2010 - Construction begins on the first ever planned Palestinian suburb in the West Bank which will provide much-needed housing for some 40,000 people.
Blast near Israeli convoy in Jordan
AlJazeera 14 Jan 2010 - Explosion goes off near diplomats' car on bridge linking Jordan and occupied West Bank.
EU delegation to assess Gaza damage
AlJazeera 14 Jan 2010 - Fifty MPs travelling to Palestinian enclave to assess ramifications of Israel's offensive.
Sister of Iran Nobel laureate freed
AlJazeera 14 Jan 2010 - Shirin Ebadi's sister Noushin was arrested during anti-government protests last month.
Joint letter sent to the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza; Calling for immediate commencement of internal investigations in compliance with UN GA Resolution A/RES/64/10
Alternative Information Center 14 Jan 2010 - On 14 January 2010, a joint letter was sent in the name of Palestinian non-governmental organisations to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and the de facto government of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, urging...
Israel Detains Ma'an's Chief English Editor
Alternative Information Center 13 Jan 2010 - Ma’an News Agency , the largest independent news network in the Palestinian territories, is deeply concerned that its chief English editor, Jared Malsin, an American citizen, was detained upon arrival at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport near...
Jamal Juma' Has Been Released
Alternative Information Center 13 Jan 2010 - Jamal Juma’, the coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign has been released yesterday evening after a month long detention in Israeli jails. He had been called for interrogation and then arrested on December 16. Yesterday,...
Bombing in Jordan targets Israeli diplomats
PNN 14 Jan 2010 - Two bombs exploded near a convoy of cars carrying three Israeli diplomats in Jordan on Thursday but none were hurt. Israel's ambassador to Jordan was apparently not in the vehicles. The blast occurred at around 6 p.m. close to the Allenby Bridge crossing between Jordan and the West Bank. The explosive device was detonated remotely. The blast flipped the cars over, but...
I Am Yusuf and This Is My Brother:
PNN 14 Jan 2010 - Palestinian story about Palestinians.In the war of 1948, thousands of Palestinians were uprooted from their homes never to return, and playwright Amir Nizar Zuabi is determined to tell their stories. It was six decades ago, but the fallout from the war continues. A few months ago, one fast-rising, rightwing Israeli party tried to introduce a bill that would ban Palestinians from commemorating...
US editor fights Israel for denying him entry
PNN 14 Jan 2010 - A US citizen working as an editor for a Palestinian news agency is appealing against Israel's refusal to allow him into the West Bank. Jared Malsin has been detained since he returned from a holiday in Prague on Tuesday evening, his colleagues said. Israeli security officials said security concerns had arisen when he was questioned and the Interior Ministry had refused him...
Leading Stop the Wall activists released from jail
PNN 14 Jan 2010 - After almost four months in Israeli custody without charge, nearly half that time spent in the legally dubious administrative detention, . Mohammad Othman left the prison walls behind, taking his first free steps in months, before crossing Israel’s wall, heading home. “I’m still in shock about being free, but am so happy and relieved,” the youth coordinator from the Stop the Wall campaign...
The Palestinian paradox
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - Hamas and Hizbullah proclaim they will fight until Israel is destroyed, without causing an int'l furor.
Welfare officials call this the biggest cult-busting operation ever in Israel
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - "We prepared for all the possible outcomes. There was a concern that the mothers could hurt their children the moment we entered their homes," Social Services head tells Post .
J'lem open to 'proximity talks'
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - Israel may accept US envoy mediating with the Palestinians, as a way to relaunch direct talks.
Is Israel prepared for the worst?
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - Gov't warns of Haiti-like magnitude earthquake within next 50 years.
Deri trying to persuade Mofaz not to challenge Livni
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - Former Shas leader apparently wants a clear path to his own political comeback.
Jordan reportedly nabs suspect in Israeli embassy convoy bomb
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - No group claims responsibility for failed attack; ambassador to Jordan was apparently not traveling in any of the cars in the convoy.
Time to pass on the baton to a younger leadership, says Wallerstein, as he takes leave of Yesha Council
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - Palestinian statehood must be prevented, but not through violence against the IDF or innocent Palestinians, says settler leader. [video inside!]
Israel readies aid following Haiti quake
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - Jewish groups rush to get workers to island; Abie Nathan's daughter missing, 7 Israelis contacted.
IDF team will spend two weeks in Haiti
Jeruslalem Post 14 Jan 2010 - Delegation has 40 doctors, 5 search-and rescue teams; medical teams will see 500 patients a day.
MIDEAST: Will You Marry Poor Me
IPS GAZA CITY, Jan 14 (IPS) - "If we had money we'd get married right away," says Samir*, 23. He has found his bride, but not the money to hold the wedding.
(14-01-2010) Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
PCHR
Israel restricts Palestinian lawyers’ access to West Bank detainees
1/14/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Amira Hass, Haaretz - Israel is prohibiting Palestinian lawyers and the relatives of Palestinian detainees from reaching a military tribunal via the Beitunia checkpoint west of Ramallah. The prohibition, which has been in effect for the past three days, means that Israeli police are requiring Palestinians to use the Qalandiyah crossing 20 kilometers away, where they must produce an entry permit to Israel – which can take weeks to obtain – if they want to enter an Israeli military tribunal that is on West Bank land. The court lies 300 meters south of the Beitunia roadblock, and was built on land that is part of Beitunia. The restriction contravenes a recent High Court of Justice decision opening Route 443 to Palestinian traffic. The lawyers have declared a strike to protest the prohibition, and are not appearing in military court.
Israeli aid mission leaves for Haiti; death toll estimated at 50,000
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - 220-strong IDF delegation, including large medial staff, will set up field hospital in Port-au-Prince.,
Spielberg to film rebuilding of World Trade Center in New York
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Six-part documentary series named 'Rebuilding Ground Zero' to air on The Science Channel in 2011.,
Israeli official arrives in Haiti to 'devastation on every corner'
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Israeli envoy to Dominican Republic describes total absence of search and rescue efforts following earthquake.,
Ahmadinejad: Nuclear scientist assassinated in 'Zionist style'
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 -
Hamas calls prayers for rain to ease Gaza water crisis
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Gaza Strip is served by a single aquifer that does not meet the needs of its population.,
Could the Taliban be genetically linked to the Jews?
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Scientists research the genetic link between the Indian, Afghani Pathans tribe and the lost tribes of Israel.,
Peres: Humiliation of Turkey envoy does not reflect Israel's diplomacy
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Deputy FM writes he 'had no intention to humiliate' envoy; Turkey: Second apology satisfactory, 'desired'.,
Palestinians tell U.S.: No peace talks until settlements stop
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Abbas was due to meet Jim Jones, U.S. President Barack Obama's national security adviser in Ramallah.,
Turkey's Jews urge calm after row with Israel
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - A community leader says they have no immediate fear, but further tensions could spark anti-Semitism.,
Turkey: Diplomatic spat with Israel won't scupper $190 million drone deal
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Israel will deliver four Heron unmanned aerial vehicles in March, with six more to be delivered by year's end.,
A prayer for the people of Haiti
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - And for the Reverend Pat Robertson. Lord who speaks in earthquakes, speak now in miracles.,
Report: Turkey warns Lebanon that Israel may be planning attack
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Amid rising diplomatic tensions, A-Sharq al-Awsat quotes Lebanese sources privy to talks between Erdogan and Hariri.,
Help stop Auschwitz from crumbling, Poland urges West
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Sixty-five years on, remains of extermination camp are disintegrating for as conservationists struggle for funds.,
Top 10 reasons why Jews aren't late-night TV hosts
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon dominate the late night airwaves.,
Roy Greenslade: Court blocks Israel's expulsion of US editor
The Guardian 14 Jan 2010 - The Israeli authorities are threatening to expel Jared Malsin , the American editor of the English-language section of the Bethlehem-based Ma'an News Agency . Malsin was detained on Tuesday at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport, as he and...
What hope for Hebron? | Seth Freedman
The Guardian 14 Jan 2010 - With attacks on Palestinians by settlers commonplace, the last thing Hebron needs is the removal of international observers "The situation is getting worse here," says Zleikha Muhtaseb, the principal of a Palestinian kindergarten in Hebron's old...
Warhol's portraits of famous Jews donated to Diaspora Museum
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - A Jewish American collector has donated Andy Warhol's series "Ten Portraits of 20th Century Jews" to Tel Aviv's Diaspora Museum (Beit Hatefuzot), museum curator Hagai Segev said. ...
Israeli living with 17 women arrested for enslavement, rape
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - A Tel Aviv man who has been living with 17 women with whom he fathered 38 children was arrested on Monday on suspicion of enslavement, rape, extortion by threat and sexual assault of minors, among other charges, police said after a gag order was lifted on the case. ...
'Though shall not talk nonsense': Police impound rulebook for Tel Aviv man's 17 'wives'
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Code sets out cash fines for offenses including 'fighting', 'interfering' and 'interrupting'.
Israeli soccer club sponsor sectioned after claiming to free Shalit
Ha'aretz 14 Jan 2010 - Guma Aguiar, sponsor of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer club, was hospitalized overnight Wednesday by court order after he claimed to have rescued captured Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit from captivity in Gaza. ...
OPT: Protection of civilians weekly report, 6 - 12 January 2010
Relief Web 14 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Update: What if the Gaza tunnels close?
Relief Web 14 Jan 2010 - Source: American Near East Refugee Aid
In Gaza, Hamas calls prayers for rain
Relief Web 14 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
OPT: A Surgeon's Story - John Beavis
Relief Web 14 Jan 2010 - Source: Medical Aid for Palestinians
Canada Supports Palestinian Justice Reform
Relief Web 14 Jan 2010 - Source: Canadian International Development Agency, Government of Canada
Report: Jordan attack suspect nabbed
YNet News 14 Jan 2010 - Jordanian security forces detain taxi driver suspected of planting explosive device detonated near Israeli diplomatic convoy earlier Thursday, al-Arabiya reports; blast left large crater at attack site, Jordanian media say
Mofaz: Kadima elections coming soon
YNet News 14 Jan 2010 - Kadima's leadership hopeful tells supporters to prepare for primaries, slams Livni's leadership
Livni slams PM over Turkey fiasco
YNet News 14 Jan 2010 - Opposition leader blames Netanyahu for 'strategic mistakes', says leadership weakened Israel internationally
Bomb targets Israeli diplomats in Jordan
YNet News 14 Jan 2010 - Terror attack in Jordan: Roadside bomb detonated near Israeli diplomatic convoy en route to Israel Thursday afternoon, Foreign Ministry confirms; no casualties reported in attack, Jordanian authorities launch investigation
Hamas calls prayers for Gaza rain
YNet News 14 Jan 2010 - Islamist group leads worshippers in prayer in hopes of alleviating water crisis in Strip
Ahmadinejad: Scientist killed in 'Zionist style'
YNet News 14 Jan 2010 - Iranian president blames Israel for killing nuclear physicist, says deed shows 'depth of enemy grudge'
Catholic bishops criticize Israel on Palestinians
YNet News 14 Jan 2010 - High-level bishops from North America, Europe say home demolitions in east Jerusalem threaten peace prospects
Nachman Inshin indicted on charges of murdering his daughter
YNet News 14 Jan 2010 - According to indictment, Jerusalem haredi man went 'mad' after his wife refused to have sex with him, told neighbors who tried to break into apartment 'I am holding my daughter – she's slaughtered like a chicken'
Ahmadinejad sees 'Zionist style' in bomb
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 This week's assassination of an Iranian scientist was carried out in a "Zionist style," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday, in his first direct comment on the bombing attack in Tehran. Iranian officials and media have blamed both Israel, which Tehran calls "the Zionist regime," and the US for Tuesday's killing of professor Massoud Ali-Mohammadi. Washington has dismissed the charge of US involvement as absurd.
Israeli diplomats escape Jordan convoy bombing
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 A bomb exploded near two cars carrying Israeli diplomats in Jordan on Thursday but none were hurt, their embassy said. The blast occurred at around 5 pm local time on the approach to the Allenby Bridge crossing over the Jordan River to the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel's Channel Two television said the location was 20 kilometers from Allenby.
US tells Abbas it's pushing hard for Mideast talks
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 US President Barack Obama's national security adviser James Jones held talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders on Thursday aimed at furthering US-led peace efforts. "Jones confirmed Obama's determination to arrive at a comprehensive peace in the Middle East despite the difficulties, and said the key to peace in the region is to resolve the Palestinian issue," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP.
Iraq sentences 11 men to death over Baghdad bombings
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 An Iraqi court Thursday sentenced to death 11 men, including Al-Qaeda militants, over devastating truck bombs in Baghdad that killed more than 100 people in August and dealt a harsh blow to the government. The trial was the first to convict suspects arrested in the wake of three major attacks in the second half of 2009 that saw insurgents defy the war-torn country's fledgling security forces and penetrate the heart of the capital.
Palestinians join contest to create new 'facts on the ground'
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 Bulldozers are carving out a new suburb on a hilltop in the occupied West Bank. For once it isn't a Jewish settlement but the first ever planned Palestinian suburb. The developers of Rawabi, as the community is known, hope it will one day provide much-needed housing for some 40,000 people and help cement Palestinian claims to the territory amid similar communities built by settlers.
Attack on Egypt Copts shows 'intolerance': US official
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 A Christmas Eve attack in southern Egypt in which six Coptic Christians were killed reveals an "atmosphere of intolerance," US Assistant Secretary for Human Rights Michael Posner said on Thursday. The United States is "very concerned about the tragic events in Nagaa Hammadi," Posner told reporters in Cairo. "It's part of what we see as an atmosphere of intolerance."
Israelis furious over government handling of row with Turkey
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 The Israeli media on Thursday slammed the government's handling of a diplomatic row with Turkey in which it humiliated Ankara's ambassador and then retreated with public apologies. "The policy of 'no more groveling' led by Foreign Minister [Avigdor] Lieberman, was transformed within a matter of days into a situation in which Israel.
Hassan rules out privatization this year
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 Finance Minister Raya Haffar Hassan on Thursday ruled out the possibility of any privatization in Lebanon this year but stressed that this process will take place sooner or later. "I don't think we will have any privatization in 2010. This might happen next year. But my sense when we were discussing the ministerial statement with Cabinet members.
Can ElBaradei revivify Egypt?
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 Sometime next month Mohamed ElBaradei, the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who stepped down last year as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is expected to return home to his native Egypt, and many there and elsewhere have been following the situation closely to see whether ElBaradei will take the reins of the opposition to President Hosni Mubarak.
Activist warns climate change will take heavy toll on Lebanon
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 For any Lebanese in doubt of how bad life could get if nothing is done about climate change, Uygar Ozesmi, Executive Director of Greenpeace Mediterranean, has as unambiguous message: "Climate change for Lebanon means nothing but hell." Ozesmi, an environmental activist since 1985, is in Lebanon as part of his roving visits to monitor environmental situations in eastern Mediterranean countries.
Seeking to synthesise the German and the Lebanese
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 "Cultural cooperation is impossible to gauge," says Farid Majari, the director of Beirut's Goethe Institute. Upon first hearing this statement, it sounds oddly defeatist. But for Majari, these words are not a reluctant admission. On the contrary, it is exactly this factor that brings such dynamism to his job. For him, the priority of the Goethe Institute is to establish.
Ideas for a Christian Lebanese revival
Daily Star 14 Jan 2010 Among the most pressing political issues in Lebanon today is the uncertain position of the Christians, in a region in which the fortunes of the community are subject to all manner of vicissitudes. Increasingly, it is advisable to think of long-term, comprehensive solutions to the problem of Christian insecurity in both Lebanon and the Middle East.
Largest European parliamentary delegation to visit Gaza Friday
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - The largest ever European parliamentary delegation is due to arrive in the post-war Gaza Strip on Friday through the Rafah border crossing to report about the tragic humanitarian situation there.
Jewish settlers burn Palestinian property, IOF damage land and detain citizens
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - Jewish armed settlers wreaked havoc in the village of Ematin, Qalqilia district, in a pre dawn raid on Thursday that complemented their sabotage acts in the same village over the past two weeks.
Hayya: Fatah does not want Hamas to be a political partner
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - Dr. Khalil Hayya stated that his Movement wants to achieve the national reconciliation, but the other party (Fatah) refuses any real political partnership in the Palestinian arena.
Mishaal: All arabs understood our position on Egypt’s reconciliation paper
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - Khaled Mishaal stated that all Arab leaders and officials he met during his regional tour completely understood the position of his Movement towards Egypt’s reconciliation paper.
Prisoners ministry calls for releasing Gazan sick detainee
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - The ministry of prisoners in the Gaza Strip has asked international organizations to pressure the IOA to free Gazan prisoner Nassim Khattab who badly needs urgent medical attention.
Hamas: The court ruling against Sheikh Salah a prelude to a new attack on Aqsa
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - Hamas strongly denounced the Israeli court ruling issued against Sheikh Ra’ed Salah and stressed that this verdict is a prelude to a new planned aggression against the Aqsa Mosque.
Israel extends official apology to Turkey
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - Israel has extended an official apology to Turkey over the rudeness of its deputy foreign minister Daniel Ayalon when receiving the Turkish ambassador to Israel.
Abu Marzook calls on Fatah to rethink its political program
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - Mousa Abu Marzook has called on Fatah faction Wednesday to review its political program and to return back to its original principles that gained it the confidence of the Palestinian people.
Mishaal: Current circumstances opportune to forge reconciliation
PIC 14 Jan 2010 - Khaled Mishaal, the political bureau chairman of Hamas, said that current circumstances provide favorable atmosphere for concluding national reconciliation in the Palestinian arena.
Parts sent to Iran could be used for nuclear weapons development
LA Times 14 Jan 2010 - A Glendale resident and two others are charged with shipping sophisticated components to Iran and lying on customs forms about their contents and value, U.S. officials say. Three men, including an Iranian-born chemical engineer living in Glendale, have been charged in an alleged scheme to smuggle sophisticated industrial components into Iran that could be used in the development of a nuclear weapon, authorities said Wednesday.
Israel Raids Polygamist Compound
New York Times 14 Jan 2010 - An Israeli man who lived openly with at least 17 women and fathered dozens of children appeared in court on Thursday on suspicion of enslavement, sexual abuse and possible rape.
World Briefing | Middle East: Iran: New Law Allows President to Cut Subsidies
New York Times 14 Jan 2010 - The Guardian Council, the constitutional watchdog body in Iran, approved a controversial law that gives the green light to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to cut government subsidies on energy and food, the IRNA news agency reported Wednesday. Analysts and opponents in Parliament had warned that the measure would lead to a sharp increase in prices.
Israel and Turkey Patch Up Latest Rift, Over Diplomatic Slight
New York Times 14 Jan 2010 - Acting at the behest of officials, Israel’s deputy foreign minister issued on Wednesday a second apology to Turkey for embarrassing its ambassador.
Seven Days From a Gaza Diary - Part Two
Palestine Monitor - 14 Jan 2010 - In December 2008 and January 2009, Khulood Ghanem, a 27 years old girl, kept a diary and described the ordeal in Gaza during the Israeli military assault. The diary was adapted by Edward Mast into a performance for three voices entitled Seven days from a Gaza...
Two chances in NYC to hear reports from the Gaza Freedom March
Mondoweiss - 14 Jan 2010 - There are two great chances to get report backs from the Gaza Freedom March this upcoming week: And also this Sunday, January 17, 5:00 pm at the Brecht Forum : Join Democracy Now’s Anjali Kamat, The Indypendent and poet Remi Kanazi for a special fundraiser and discussion...
From Hebron to Yad Vashem: Jewish Sorrow Justifying the Sorrow of Others
Mondoweiss - 14 Jan 2010 - Deir Yassin as seen from Yad Vashem. The village was located in the forest to the right of the water tower at the top of the photo. (Photo: Alice, the pilot woman ) We were at Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust in Jerusalem. The “we”...
Rawabi, and the American mission to civilize the West Bank
Mondoweiss - 14 Jan 2010 - An artist’s rendering of Rawabi The Palestinian Authority, in coordination with the American government, is building a new settlement in the West Bank. This one is intended to provide 40,000 “Palestinians with homes in an American-style development.” The Huffington Post carries the whole story . When I...
Journalist/Birthright veteran who is critical of Israel is detained at Ben Gurion
Mondoweiss - 14 Jan 2010 - Free speech is a problem in the Middle East. The chief English editor for the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency, Jared Malsin, late of Vermont, has been detained at Ben Gurion airport , with a hearing set for Saturday. Apparently he was on El Al. Apparently he is...
Homage to the Haitian diaspora
Mondoweiss - 14 Jan 2010 - Ordinary Americans are already responding with their characteristic generosity to the earthquake in Haiti. Aside from reliable relief agencies like the American Red Cross and UNICEF, one of my favorites is Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders , whose work I have admired around the world. In the...
Joint letter sent to the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza; Calling for immediate commencement of internal investigations in compliance with UN GA Resolution A/RES/64/10
Alternative Information Center - 14 Jan 2010 - On 14 January 2010, a joint letter was sent in the name of Palestinian non-governmental organisations to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and the de facto government of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, urging both authorities to immediately commence internal investigations in compliance with...
Israel Detains Ma'an's Chief English Editor
Alternative Information Center - 13 Jan 2010 - Ma’an News Agency , the largest independent news network in the Palestinian territories, is deeply concerned that its chief English editor, Jared Malsin, an American citizen, was detained upon arrival at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on the afternoon of Tuesday, 12 January 2009....
Jamal Juma' Has Been Released
Alternative Information Center - 13 Jan 2010 - Jamal Juma’, the coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign has been released yesterday evening after a month long detention in Israeli jails. He had been called for interrogation and then arrested on December 16. Yesterday, the military court decided for Jamal’s release.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Hamas, Islamic Jihad: “No Ceasefire Under Aggression”
IMEMC 15 Jan 2010 - Friday January 15, 2010 - 22:06, The Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movements in Palestine stated in separate press releases that the Palestinian resistance did not reach a ceasefire deal with the occupation and will always defend itself and the Palestinian people from any Israeli aggression.
New Egyptian Harbor To Tighten Gaza Siege
IMEMC 15 Jan 2010 - Friday January 15, 2010 - 20:56, Egypt announced its intention to build a harbor along its sea border with the Gaza Strip in order to be used by Egyptian navy patrols to monitor the Egyptian side of the Rafah shore.
Demonstrators met with live ammunition in Bil’in Village
IMEMC 15 Jan 2010 - Friday January 15, 2010 - 17:08, On Friday in Bil’in village, central West Bank, demonstrators against the Israeli built wall and illegal Israeli settlements were met with live ammunition, tear gas (in both plastic and aluminum canisters), rubber bullets, and sound bombs from the Israeli army.
Israeli Military Barricades Nili’n – Journalists Denied Access
IMEMC 15 Jan 2010 - Friday January 15, 2010 - 16:34, Today in the village of Nili’n, central West Bank, the Israeli military closed all entrances and exits, and didn’t allow any journalists in the village.
After Night Time Incursion, al-Ma'sara Protest Continues
IMEMC 15 Jan 2010 - Friday January 15, 2010 - 16:04, After last night’s military incursion into the village of al-Ma’sara, central West Bank, the weekly, non-violent protest continued as usual.
Settlers Steal 25 Dunams Near Nablus
IMEMC 15 Jan 2010 - Friday January 15, 2010 - 11:07, Israeli settlers stole on Thursday 25 Dunams (6.17 Acres) of Palestinian lands that belong to the residents of Dir Istia village, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Detention of top Ma’an journalist condemned
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - As Israeli authorities prepared to expel Ma'an News Agency's chief English editor later this week, media rights groups have blasted his ongoing detention as an assault on freedom of the press. Jared Malsin was originally scheduled to be deported without a hearing on Thursday morning. Protests by US authorities in Tel Aviv resulted in a temporary reversal, and an injunction filed by Ma'an delayed the expulsion until at least Sunday. Reporters Without Borders "condemns the detention and imminent expulsion of US journalist Jared Malsin, who has worked for the past two years as an editor with Ma'an, an independent Palestinian news agency," the group said on Wednesday in a statement, the first of many that it and others would issue on behalf of the top journalist at Ma'an's English Desk. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, which monitors freedom. . .
Fishermen: Israeli warships fire on boats in three locations
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli war boats opened fire on Gaza's fishermen and their boats on the shores of the central Gaza Strip, further south near Khan Younis and again in the Rafah coastal area on Friday morning, dozens of witnesses reported. Locals said boats quickly returned to shore, and there were no immediate reports of injuries or damages, while one of the targeted fishermen condemned the act, saying the warships fire on fishermen only to prevent them from making a living and supporting their families. Israeli military spokespeople could not be reached for comment. [end]
Israeli troops disrupt anti-wall demonstration
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces dispersed a demonstration on Friday held weekly near the separation wall in the Al-Ma'sara village, south Bethlehem. As protestors arrived, Israeli troops erected wiring to prevent the demonstrators from accessing land threatened with confiscation as Israel continues the construction of the separation wall. Attempts to remove the wiring led to forceful intervention by Israeli forces. Demonstrators protest weekly near the wall in Al-Ma'sara village to condemn the wall and Israeli practices against Palestinian farmers in the West Bank who are often prohibited from tending to their land because of Israeli military constructs and the separation wall, which are deemed military zones off limits to civilian access. On Wednesday Two Palestinians and one child were injured on Tuesday as Israeli forces prohibited farmers from tending to their land in. . .
UNESCO urges ’Malsin’s immediate and unconditional release’
1/15/2010 - Subject: Detention of Ma'an News Agency's Chief English EditorUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO and the office in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza strip is expressing deep concern about the detention of the Chief English Editor of the Ma'an News Agency, Mr. Jared Malsin, a U. S. citizen by the Israeli authorities at the Ben Gurion International airport on 12 January, 2010 and the plans to deport him. Ma'an is editorially independent and pluralistic Palestinian news agency, based in Bethlehem. During the past five years, UNESCO has worked together with Ma'an to supported several initiatives and projects in cooperation with Ma'an that promote freedom of expression, access to information and development of the Palestinian society. "We urge the Israeli authorities to consider Mr. Malsin's immediate and unconditional release. . . "
IFJ condemns ’this intolerable violation of press freedom’
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Friday called on Israeli authorities to revoke the deportation order served on the chief English editor of Ma'an News Agency. Jared Malsin, an American journalist who was denied entry into Israel on Tuesday, has been held at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport ever since. "We condemn this intolerable violation of press freedom," said Aidan White, IFJ general secretary. "The ban of entry in this case appears to be a reprisal measure for the journalist's independent reporting and that is unacceptable. "The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 125 countries, the largest union of media professionals worldwide, of which Malsin and every other journalist at Ma'an is a member through the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the IFJ's representation in the occupied territories.
Committee to Protect Journalists: Release Malsin immediately
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Committee to Protect Journalists called for the immediate release in Israel of Jared Malsin, editor-in-chief of the English-language section of the independent Ma'an News Agency. "We are alarmed by the Israeli government's efforts to deport Jared Malsin on vague security charges," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Mohamed Abdel Dayem, in a statement. "We call on the Israeli authorities to ensure that our colleague be allowed to carry out his work without further harassment," he added. Malsin, a US citizen, was returning to Bethlehem, where he works, from a trip to Prague with his girlfriend, Faith Rowold, when Israeli authorities stopped them at the Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. A hearing has been scheduled for Sunday. George Hale, an editor at Ma'an, told CPJ that around 11 pm on Tuesday, the authorities. . .
Nat’l Arab American Journalists Association condemns Malsin detention
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The National Arab American Journalists Association, which is partnered with the Society of Professional Journalists and the Asian American Journalists Association, on Thursday issued a protest to Israel demanding the release of journalist Jared Malsin. Malsin was detained and interrogated for more than eight hours and continues to be in custody on charges of criticizing Israel in articles and columns published by the Ma'an News Agency based in Bethlehem, Palestine. "Journalism freedoms are essential to Democracy and building of peace. Any action to censor or restrict or threaten or intimidate journalists for the sole 'crime' of expressing an opinion or covering stories frowned on by the occupation government is a violation not only of international law but a violation of Israel's claim to be Democratic and fair," said Ray Hanania, NAAJA coordinator based in Chicago.
International Press Institute to Israel: Press freedom applies to all
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The International Press Institute is troubled by the possibility that Israel has detained and will deport editor Jared Malsin because they dislike the editorial policies at Ma'an News Agency. "The authorities should recognize that the right of press freedom applies to all journalists, not just to reporters who write favourably about Israeli government policy," said IPI director David Dadge in a statement. According to Nasser Lahham, editor-in-chief of Ma'an: "I think they are targeting Ma'an and Jared also. They knew he was a journalist working in the Palestinian media and they don't want our English page to be strong. They don't care what we say on the Arabic page. Just because he is the head of the English desk, they target him. " Israeli authorities are threatening to expel Malsin, who was detained on Tuesday afternoon at Ben Gurion International Airport,. . .
Ma’an News Agency condemns editor’s ongoing detention
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Nasser Lahham, the editor in chief of the Ma'an News Agency, has condemned Israel's detention of the head of the network's English desk, Jared Malsin, in the strongest possible terms. "Israel targeted Jared because he is the head of Ma'an News Agency's English Desk," he alleged. "Israel couldn't care less what is written in Arabic, but is very sensitive to these same news stories when they appear in English," Lahham explained. "It is in Israel's interest for the world not to know what is happening in the Palestinian territories," he said. [end]
Barghouthi: Detention of Sheikh Salah an attack on Jerusalem
1/15/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Mustafa Barghouti,secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative, condemned the recent Israeli court decision to incarcerate Sheikh Raed Salah. The religious leader is head of the Islamic Movement in northern Israel, and is a seminal figure in mobilizing Muslims in the country in the protection of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. He was previously banned by the state from entering the Holy City, and has faced arrest on more than one occasion. On Monday he was sentenced to 9 months in prison for assaulting an Israeli officer. Barghouti, a well known moderate and unity politician, said in a public statement that the decision represented an "attack" on Jerusalem and an "attempt to shut the mouths of those who defend it. "He said the trial of Sheikh Salah"reveals the truth and the uselessness of the negotiations with an extremist Israeli government. "
Israel reduces Gaza crossings transfers; all ports closed Friday
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Gaza crossings will remain closed Friday, Israeli officials told their Palestinian counterparts, maintaining a six-month trend of reduced opening time for the transport of goods. Palestinian crossings liaison official Raed Fattouh said he was informed of the decision Friday morning. Crossings are scheduled to be open six days a week, but since August, Israeli authorities have closed all crossings both Friday and Saturday. Israeli officials have also reduced the number of crossings in operation, with Kerem Shalom in the southern Strip the only transport option for aid, commercial goods and fuel. The principal fuel transfer point, Nahal Oz, was closed at the end of December, with limited infrastructure moved to Kerem Shalom for fuel transport. The bulk goods crossing, Karni, has been open only 30% of the time.
Egypt prevents local convoy from bringing aid to Gaza
1/15/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egyptian security forces in Cairo dispersed a local initiative to deliver aid to Gaza, organized by Dr Mustafa Khalil's Kifaya Movement, as it began transporting supplies to the country's northern border for transfer into Gaza, the group reported. Under the motto, "No to the wall, no to the siege," the group affiliated to Egypt's Labor Party under the movement's Chairman Muhammad As-Sikhawi gathered in Cairo near the headquarters of the Journalist Syndicate, but were dispersed by Egyptian police. Khalil said the group was planning to travel to Al-Ismailia City then on to the Rafah crossing with Gaza. The move to disperse the assembly for Gaza underlines the new Egyptian position following unrest in the country when two large groups of international activists entered the country in efforts to commemorate the Israeli war on Gaza last year - the Gaza Freedom. . .
Militant groups claim responsibility for Israeli tower attack
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Al-Aqsa Brigades and the Imad Mughaniyah group, armed wings of Fatah, and the Abu Al-Qumans military council, claimed responsibility on Friday for an attack against the largest transmission tower west of the Erez border crossing, northern Gaza. "This attack confronted recent Israeli invasions, attacks and assassination of six leaders of the Imad Mughaniyah and Al-Quds Brigades [Islamic Jihad's paramilitary wing]" a joint statement issued by the groups said. According to the statement the tower was hit directly. Residents told Ma'an that loud explosions were heard near the Erez crossing, but that the cause was unknown. [end]
American visit to Rafah wall postponed; Egypt says shots fired
1/15/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egyptian security sources said equipment used to construct the underground border wall in Rafah came under fire on Friday, prompting an American delegation to cancel a visit to the site. "Security reasons" were cited by the delegation for the postponement of the inspection, and Egyptian security officials could not comment on whether the shooting incident was an isolated event or part of regular attacks. Sources in Egypt said the shots hit equipment digging 1,500 meters away from the Rafah crossing point, and noted no workers were injured and no equipment damaged. Egypt says it is building the 25-meter deep border wall along the 10km length of the Rafah border in an effort to stop the smuggling trade that goes through the tunnels network beneath the border. In a statement Thursday, Hamas officials said they knew the smuggling trade was harmful to Gaza society,. . .
Report: Jordan detains suspect in Allenby blast
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Jordanian police arrested a taxi driver they said was behind a Thursday blast near the Allenby Bridge border crossing that detonated near an Israeli diplomatic car. The Jordanian news site Ammon reported a chase between police and the suspect on the Naour-Dead Sea Road, which ended in his arrest and incarceration for questioning, but added security sources had not yet confirmed the information. Israeli media reported Thursday night following the blast, which caused no injuries, that Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh phoned Israeli Ambassador Danny Navo and promised a full investigation of the incident. According to the report, the American embassy in Amman warned its citizens after the blast from traveling to the crossing until further notice. The Allenby Bridge is the only crossing point between the West Bank and Jordan. . . . .
Haniyeh calls for new Palestinian, Arab strategy
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh called on the creation of a new Palestinian and Arab strategy based on an evaluation of previous talks and establishing ties with Turkey and Iran, he said during a Friday sermon in Gaza City. Haniyeh specified three bases upon which a new Palestinian strategy should be founded on, including admitting the failure of prior negotiations, entering in national dialogue to establish a political program and the signing of the Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation document, taking into account Hamas' amendments. The de facto prime minister further claimed that members of the Palestinian leadership were making use of the current impasse to oust Hamas with a tampered election. "The Palestinian strategy should be based on structuring the Palestine Liberation Organization on national and administrative foundations, then elections for the legislative council can be held," he said.
Delegation of EU lawmakers enters Gaza
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - European Members of Parliament arrived in Gaza on Friday via the Rafah crossing to assess the situation in the besieged Strip in the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead, Israel's assault on Gaza last winter. "A delegation of 55 EU parliamentarians are on a two-day visit, during which they will tour areas destroyed by Israel's war," the de facto Committee to End the Siege said. "They will meet with Gaza lawmakers, ministers and the committee documenting war crimes, in addition to a number of nongovernmental organizations working in Gaza. "The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza, based in Brussels, organized the visit. Other delegations of members of parliament have entered Gaza with the organization's coordination, as well as convoys of medical aid. . . . .
Hamas, Islamic Jihad: No truce with Israel
1/15/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas and Islamic Jihad, declared on Friday that no suspension of hostilities has been agreed upon with Israel. Senior Hamas leader Ayman Taha said "there is no agreement for a truce [with Israel]. No one has offered us an agreement to consult on," during a telephone interview with Ma'an. "Hamas meetings are ongoing with various factions to consult on a strategic stance on internal Palestinian affairs. These factions have undertaken to realize the interests of Palestinians, all with the highest level of responsibility. " Nafeth Azzam, senior Islamic Jihad leader reiterated that no truce had been agreed on, adding that "resistance factions sympathize with Palestinians following Israel's war on Gaza and have tried to handle it's impact," he said also during a telephone interview with Ma'an. "We have not received an invitation for any meeting. . . . "
Mash’al tells Lebanese officials Hamas wants better unity agreement
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Head of the Hamas politburo office Khalid Mash'al arrived to Beirut on Friday for an official meeting with heads of state. Mash'al was set to meet members of the Palestinian leadership in Lebanon and speak privately with Lebanese President Micheal Suleiman, head of the Lebanese parliament Nabih Beri and Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri to get updates on the situation in Lebanon,to discuss the issue of Palestinian refugees in the country, and to address the continuing plight of Palestinians in Gaza. During the meetings Mash'al closely addressed the Egyptian plan for inter-Palestinian unity, and stressed the need to "scrutinize" the proposal and make changes as necessary. Mash'al said he told all Lebanese officials that Hams wants a unity proposal "that fits fully with the detailed understandings that exist between Fatah and Hamas, that are already agreed on. "
Fatah members join anti-wall protests; Sha’ath injured
1/15/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Anti-wall rallies continued Friday in Palestinian villages affected by Israel's separation wall, seeing at least ten injured including members of the Fatah party who were out at two sites showing support for villagers. In addition to the weekly protests in Bil'in, Na'lin and Al-Ma'asara, an anti-wall protest was staged in the Jerusalem-area village of Nabi Salaeh, northwest of the holy city. Fatah leaders Tawfiq At-Tirawui and Mahmoud Al-A'lul, both members of the party's Central Committee, participated in the event. At-Tirawi told Ma'an the rally was peaceful until it was attacked by the Israeli soldiers, and noted that at least four protesters sustained serious bruises during the attack. He voiced Fatah's continued support for the peaceful demonstrations, and promised increased presence from party members at the events.
ANALYSIS / Jordan bombing: Good intelligence, poor execution
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Attackers had knowledge of embassy's routine activities; Al-Qaida and Hezbollah are prime suspects.
Israel Refuses to Take Responsibility for the Rehabilitation of Gaza’s Civilian Amputees
Uruknet January 15, 2010 - Shortly after the Israeli assault on Gaza ended last January, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHR-IL) embarked on a campaign to obtain responsibility from the Israeli Ministry of Defense for the treatment of Gaza civilians seriously injured during the assault. According to estimates provided by health organizations such as the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS)...
Israel Cracks Down on the Press
Uruknet January 15, 2010 - ared Malsin, the editor of the English edition of Maan News Agency, has been detained by Israeli authorities. Malsin, a Jewish-American who lives and works in the West Bank, was picked up on Tuesday at Ben Gurion International Airport, as he and his partner returned from vacation in the Czech Republic. After being subjected to eight...
An online campaign for Gaza
Uruknet January 15, 2010 - ON DECEMBER 27, 2009, a well-organized Twitter campaign by activist Nadine Moawad brought together over 100 activists to "tweet" about the invasion and the atrocities in Gaza. The effort sparked the interest of many, and the message quickly spread. At its peak, the topic "Gaza" ended up third on Twitter's "trending topics" list. This resulted in...
Barghouthi: Detention of Sheikh Salah an attack on Jerusalem
Uruknet January 15, 2010 - Mustafa Barghouti, secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative, condemned the recent Israeli court decision to incarcerate Sheikh Raed Salah. The religious leader is head of the Islamic Movement in northern Israel, and is a seminal figure in mobilizing Muslims in the country in the protection of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. He was previously banned...
The history that “binds” the US and Haiti
Uruknet January 15, 2010 - In his statement on the Haitian earthquake Wednesday, President Barack Obama referred to the "long history that binds us together." Neither he nor the US media, however, have shown any inclination to probe the history of US-Haiti relations and its bearing on present catastrophe confronting the Haitian people. Rather, the backwardness and poverty that have played...
Settlers Steal 25 Dunams Near Nablus
Uruknet January 15, 2010 - Israeli settlers stole on Thursday 25 Dunams (6.17 Acres) of Palestinian lands that belong to the residents of Dir Istia village, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Local sources reported that dozens of heavily armed settlers from the Rifaka illegal settlement outpost grabbed by force 25 Dunams in Khallit Azzam and uprooted the trees...
Gaza completes its siege by building a harbour at the end of the steel wall
Uruknet January 15, 2010 - Egyptian authorities are going to build a harbour at its sea border with the Gaza Strip to be used by Egyptian naval patrol boats, an Egyptian security source announced on Thursday. International news agencies reported security sources said that the depth of the dock is 10 meters and extends 25 meters from the seashore at the...
What hope for Hebron?
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - "The situation is getting worse here," says Zleikha Muhtaseb, the principal of a Palestinian kindergarten in Hebron's old city. "After the intifada calmed down, we thought things were improving, but now it's getting worse again: roadblocks are increasing, soldiers are attacking Palestinians at checkpoints, and the settlers are becoming more violent. Day and night the settlers...
Education under Attack in Gaza
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - On December 28th 2008 mid-term examinations had been scheduled to take place at the University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS) in Gaza. When the day arrived, however, the University College's rooms, which usually cater for 8000 students, were void of any life. This was the second day of operation Cast Lead. The University remained closed and...
Our role in Haiti's plight
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - ..The noble "international community" which is currently scrambling to send its "humanitarian aid" to Haiti is largely responsible for the extent of the suffering it now aims to reduce. Ever since the US invaded and occupied the country in 1915, every serious political attempt to allow Haiti's people to move (in former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide's phrase) "...
Outpost settlers near Hebron uproot 70 trees
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - Settlers inhabiting the Maon outpost on mount Hebron descended into the valley and uprooted an estimated 70 trees during a rampage on the agricultural land. Locals said the land belongs to Musa Khalil Rab’i resident of At-Tuwani village in the south Hebron hills...
Israeli authorities prevent 17 Palestinians from getting necessary eye surgery
Uruknet January 14, 2010 - After the Israeli human rights group Physicians for Human Rights arranged a donation of 17 corneas to allow sight-impaired Palestinians from Gaza to receive necessary eye surgery, Israeli border agents stationed at Erez crossing prevented the sight-impaired patients from entering the West Bank. The cornea donations had to be discarded. According to the Physicians for Human...
Abbas will decline US pressure for talks
15 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 15, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he will reject renewed US pressure to resume peace talks unless Israel first fully halts settlement building in the occupied West Bank. Abbas was due to meet Jim Jones, US President Barack Obama's national security adviser, later on Thursday in Ramallah. Jones was also meeting Israeli Prime Minister...
Gaza: 75 Deformed Babies Caused by the War
14 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Recent scientific analyses have shown that the war was a direct cause of the increasing numbers of birth defects, miscarriages and cancer in the Gaza Strip. A report by Conscience Organisation for Human Rights concerning the environmental and health dangers resulting from the bombardment and invasion revealed that incidents of children born with...
No snow brings Middle East ski resort downhill
The National 15 Jan 2010 - Unseasonally warm weather in Lebanon's mountains has meant that local businesses have suffered as tourists have failed to turn up.
'Arrest made' over Jordan explosion
AlJazeera 15 Jan 2010 - Taxi driver suspected of planting bomb targeting Israeli diplomats, Al Jazeera learns.
Second Palestinian Activist—Mohammed Othman—Freed by Israel
Alternative Information Center 15 Jan 2010 - Amnesty International has welcomed the release from detention of Palestinian human rights activist Mohammed Othman — but is concerned that the Israeli authorities have imposed conditions which will prevent him exercising his human rights. Mohammed Othman...
Ma'an News Agency Chief English Editor's Deportation Hearing Scheduled for SundayMa'an
Alternative Information Center 14 Jan 2010 - Ma'an is pleased to share news that Tel Aviv District Judge Mirium Solokov agreed to hear the case of its chief English editor, Jared Malsin, during proceedings held at her court on Thursday morning. Solokov rejected...
Counterpoint: Up against the Wall
Jeruslalem Post 15 Jan 2010 - Hyperbolic analogies to "elsewhere" create an image of Israel abroad as a clone of the Taliban.
France planning UNSC steps on Iran
Jeruslalem Post 15 Jan 2010 - Ambassador Bigot says patience "running out," lots of work will be done on sanctions and dialogue.
Livni associates: Mofaz's rally was a 'failure'
Jeruslalem Post 15 Jan 2010 - But supporters of Kadima No. 2 say event a success, showed support for him and prompt primary.
2 troops, 1 cop lightly hurt in protests
Jeruslalem Post 15 Jan 2010 - Security forces lightly injured as left-wingers, Palestinians protest in West Bank, east Jerusalem.
Sniffable energy powder causes stir in Lebanon
Jeruslalem Post 15 Jan 2010 - Authorities pull product from stores, caution against use, over fears it could encourage young people to take drugs.
Palestinian gets 10 yrs for mall attack
Jeruslalem Post 15 Jan 2010 - Danish court sentences immigrant convicted of 5 counts of attempted murder in 2008 shooting attack.
Arrests made in Israeli diplomat attack
Jeruslalem Post 15 Jan 2010 - Jordanian media say "professional terror cell" behind bombing on road from Amman to Allenby Bridge.
Betar sponsor in psychiatric hospital
Jeruslalem Post 15 Jan 2010 - Guma Aguiar claims he visited Schalit in Gaza; family admits tycoon for evaluation and treatment.
MIDEAST: Turkey Going Its Own Way
IPS The recent diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Israel has raised questions about the future of relations between the two closest allies of the United States in the region and the direction of the markedly independent foreign policy agenda that Turkey has pursued in recent years.
MIDEAST: Israel Cannot be Sultan
IPS A bizarre diplomatic incident - even by the Byzantine-like standards of the old near East - has threatened already strained relations between Israel and Turkey.
Night Raids and Arrests of West Bank Popular Leaders Continue
1/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Co-ordination Committee, 15 January - In the early hours of the morning, dozens of soldiers invaded the village of alMaasara - a site of weekly peaceful demonstrations for over three years - and surrounded the houses of Popular Committee members Mohammed Barjiya and Mahmoud Zwahre. Both Barjiya and Zwahre were warned about that repercussions will follow if they do not stop organizing protests in the village. Zwahre was even threatened that a child may end up dead. The night before, a large contingent of soldiers invaded the village of Beit Duqqu North West of Jerusalem and arrested Sa'id Yaqim, a member of the Palestinian National Committee Against the Wall. Yaqim's arrest is a direct continuation of a recent Israeli wave of arrests aimed to suppress the Palestinian unarmed struggle. Thursday's arrest follows the detention of three members of the Popular Committee in the village of Ni'iln and a long-standing arrest campaign in the village of Bil'in.
Palestinian Olive Grove Destroyed in the Night
1/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 15 January, Christian Peacemaker Team - In the afternoon of 14 January Palestinians discovered that a family owned olive grove in Khoruba valley had been recently destroyed. Twenty mature olive trees were broken at their trunks. The family believes that Israeli settlers from the Ma'on settlement and Havot Ma'on outpost are responsible for the vandalism. A Palestinian farmer informed internationals who documented the destruction that this was the fifth time since 1997 that settlers have destroyed the olive trees in this grove. He also stated that the trees would not be able to bear olives for at least three years. This most recent attack on Palestinian agriculture follows a month of Israeli settler violence and harassment aimed at preventing Palestinian farmers from plowing their fields and thus earning their livelihoods.
Thirteen leftists detained in East Jerusalem rally
1/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Ynet News, 15 January - Director of Association for Civil Rights in Israel among detainees in weekly protest against Jewish takeover - Thirteen leftist activists, including the director of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Hagai Elad, were detained Friday in a rally in east Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarah neighborhood. About 70 Arab and Jewish leftists took part in the weekly protest to demonstrate against the Jewish takeover of homes in the neighborhood. The signs held up by protestors included "Jews and Arabs against evictions. " Police officials said some protestors were detained because they ignored orders to disperse the unauthorized rally. However, a protestor told Ynet that Elad was detained after approaching police officers at the scene and trying to talk to them. "He explained to them that there was no reason for arrests because it. . . "
Fencing match
1/15/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Avi Issacharoff, Ha'aretz - BIL'IN-NA'ALIN – Friday, 11 A. M. There is another hour until the onset of the weekly ritual. The participants are in face-off mode. On the "Israeli" side of the fence, south of the village of Na'alin – a three-minute drive from the city of Modi'in, which is halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv – many Israel Defense Forces and Border Police jeeps have taken their places, along with the officers, the binoculars and the weapons. All the entrances to the village have been blocked to ensure the enemy cannot send in reinforcements. It's January 1, 2010, the anniversary of the establishment of Fatah, and the movement has decided to mark the event at the traditional Friday demonstration in the village. Israeli intelligence forecasts a particularly high turnout. About 10 minutes away, Mohammed Khatib, a 36-year-old father of four, is walking around near the mosque in Bil'in and smiling like a little boy.
Will you marry poor me
1/15/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Eva Bartlett, Inter Press Service, 14 January - "If we had money we'd get married right away," says Samir*, 23. He has found his bride, but not the money to hold the wedding. The Israeli siege imposed shortly after Hamas's election in early 2006 has ruled out marriage for many. Palestinians traditionally marry young, between 18 and 25, but more and more now pass their mid-twenties single. With unemployment levels above 45 percent, and the price of most goods doubled or more, living, and marrying, are becoming unaffordable. Worsening living conditions under the siege are changing relationship patterns. While salaried work has traditionally been the man's role, many women have been adding to the family's income – or have sometimes been the sole provider – by selling hand-stitched embroidery. Groups such as Oxfam, the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee, and other social organisations have provided some of the poorest women with small gardens, sheep, rabbits or chickens to tend for food and for income.
Israel releases Palestinian boycott activists
1/15/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Benjamin Joffe-Walt, The Media Line, 14 January - A prominent West Bank activist said by Palestinian groups to be the first Palestinian imprisoned for promoting an international boycott of Israel has been released after being detained by Israel for over 100 days without charge. Mohammad Othman, a 34 year old resident of the West Bank village of Jayyous, was released Wednesday after 113 days in Israeli custody. Palestinian advocacy groups believe Othman to be the first Palestinian imprisoned solely for advocacy of the international boycott movement against Israel. "I was interrogated every single day for 75 days from 8am until 6. 30pm and sometimes until midnight," Othman told The Media Line. "The entire time I was held in isolation. Physically they did not touch me, but it really damages a person to be in isolation. They also played all kinds of games, telling me they will arrest my brother, my friends and the journalists writing about me. "
ISM Gaza: Education under attack
1/15/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Bianca Zammit, ISM Gaza, 14 January - On December 28th 2008 mid-term examinations had been scheduled to take place at the University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS) in Gaza. When the day arrived, however, the University College's rooms, which usually cater for 8000 students, were void of any life. This was the second day of operation Cast Lead. The University remained closed and examinations were postponed. Concentration, patience and motivation; the three pillars to learning were the main targets of operation Cast Lead as it sought to instill a sense of danger in every spot in Gaza. Operation Cast Lead wholly demolished or rendered unusable several educational facilities across the Strip. Amongst these facilities were 280 kindergarten, primary and secondary schools, the American International School, the library of the Al Aqsa University and the laboratory of the Islamic University.
Network of road gates tightens its stranglehold on Shufa village
1/15/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - The village of Shufa continues to struggle with restricted road access and no electricity grid connection, as a new road gate is established at the entrance to the village. Israeli Occupation Forces established a new road gate at the entrance to Shufa village one week ago, enabling the military to restrict or forbid access to the village at any given time, by closing the gates. The gates are effectively – or at times a precursor to – a form of road block. A similar gate was constructed 2 days ago in the neighboring village of Seffarin at the intersection of the village's road with an Israeli road. The increasing number of road gates in the region contribute to slowly creeping network of apartheid roads and restriction of movement for Palestinians living in the West Bank. Shufa village has been split in half and isolated by road blocks and apartheid roads.
Hebron: Israeli military targets Palestinian children for searches and detention
1/15/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Christian Peacemaker Team Hebron - In the last month, the Israeli military has been detaining children for extended lengths of time in the Old City, and at times appearing to be "practicing" soldiery by randomly selecting boys off the street and searching them. In one incident, a fifteen-year-old neighbor of the Hebron team was cutting a rope on a package of materials in his father's shop when soldiers saw him. They grabbed him, blindfolded him, and led him off to their military gate at another checkpoint close to a settlement. The father followed the soldiers, pleading for his son, trying to explain why the son needed to use a knife. The next week, another neighbor boy, age fourteen, was running an errand for his father who asked him to hurry because there was another meeting that he, the father, needed to attend.
British MP: Israel and Egypt's blockade of Gaza is 'evil'
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Gerald Kaufman visits Gaza, says Israelis should be tried for war crimes over use of white phosphorous.,
Hamas calls on Egypt to halt building 'wall of death'
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Meshal: Wall is erected between enemies, not brothers; Hamas leader calls for reconciliation with Fatah.,
Nasrallah: Israel lost its power of intimidation
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Hezbollah leader accuses Israel of trying to intimidate Lebanon with the threat of a new military offensive.,
Turkish human rights group seeks to prosecute Barak for alleged Gaza war crimes
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Islamic group petitions court to start legal proceedings against the Defense Minister for 'Gaza crimes.',
Avatar, Tu B'Shvat and the connection to Jewish mysticism
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - 'Avatar' questions what we think we know about theology, ethics and contemporary values.,
Tensions high ahead of papal visit to main Rome synagogue
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Top rabbi to boycott visit, while Rome chief rabbi calls it 'meeting of peace, friendship and mutual respect.',
Iran to try 16 anti-government protesters
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - One accused of 'waging war against God,' a crime which carries the death sentence.,
Europeans flock to buy Dutch novel about Israel's dystopian future
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Novel shows Israel's fiery destruction through the eyes of an immigrant whose dysfunctional life mirrors country's sorry fate.,
Comment / Israel delegitimizers threaten its existence
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Israel's enemies are scheming to bring about its implosion by turning it into a pariah state.,
Video: Child's eye: One year on with the children of Gaza
The Guardian 15 Jan 2010 - A year ago today, Save the Children met a Palestinian boy named Mohammed. He was living in a shelter school after his house was damaged by the Israeli shelling of Gaza. A year later he describes...
I'm no hero for defending Palestinians | David Hirsh
The Guardian 15 Jan 2010 - Yes, I stood up against abusing the rights of Palestinians, but so do many Israelis – a fact that Yoav Shamir's film ignores The Bolsheviks used to aim to hit an enemy hard at its strongest...
Haiti official: Quake death toll may reach 200,000
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - As many as 200,000 people died in the earthquake that devastated Haiti and three-quarters of the capital, Port-au-Prince, will need to be rebuilt, authorities in the Caribbean country said on Friday. ...
Police arrest CEO of Israeli civil rights group in Sheikh Jarrah
Ha'aretz 16 Jan 2010 - Police arrested 15 left-wing protestors in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem on Friday, among them the CEO of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Hagai Elad. ...
Police zero in on 1 of 17 'wives' in cult leader rape probe
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - The investigation of a suspected cult leader accused of raping and enslaving scores of women took a dramatic turn on Friday after one of his alleged victims gave indications that she may agree to cooperate with authorities. ...
Stanley Fischer tells Haaretz: Israel had proper policy during financial crisis
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - Stanley Fischer has reason to be pleased as he nears the end of his term as governor of the Bank of Israel. Thanks in part to his stewardship, Israel has weathered the global financial crisis far better than many other Western countries. And in between dealing with the crisis, he has also managed to accomplish some of the goals he set himself upon taking office, such as resolving a longstanding labor dispute at the central bank. There is widespread speculation that he will be asked to stay on for another five-year term. But when it comes to his plans for the future, Fischer is keeping strictly mum. ...
Israel ignoring threat of Gaza tunnels
Ha'aretz 15 Jan 2010 - This week the Geophysical Institute of Israel, the governmental body that coordinates mapping and monitoring of the country's subsurface, received a letter from the Defense Ministry's research and development directorate, which deals with means of combat and technological infrastructure. The letter noted that for working year 2010, there are no plans for cooperation between the two bodies in regard to locating tunnels. ...
Second Palestinian activist freed by Israel
Relief Web 15 Jan 2010 - Source: Amnesty
OPT: A Colorful Way to Start the Day
Relief Web 15 Jan 2010 - Source: American Near East Refugee Aid
In Gaza, Sutures are Life Savers
Relief Web 15 Jan 2010 - Source: American Near East Refugee Aid
Lebanon/OPT: January 2010 Trip Diary
Relief Web 15 Jan 2010 - Source: American Near East Refugee Aid
Hamas urges Egypt to halt Gaza border wall
Relief Web 15 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Increased humanitarian aid to Gaza after IDF operation, 9 Jan 2010
Relief Web 15 Jan 2010 - Source: Government of Israel
13 leftists detained in east Jerusalem rally
YNet News 15 Jan 2010 - Director of Association for Civil Rights in Israel among detainees in weekly protest against Jewish takeover
British lawmaker says Gaza blockade 'evil'
YNet News 15 Jan 2010 - Gerald Kaufman leads visit to Gaza, says Israeli officials should be tried for war crimes
Nasrallah: War will change region's face
YNet News 15 Jan 2010 - Hezbollah leader slams Israeli 'threats,' vows to defeat IDF in case of renewed hostilities on Lebanese border; Israel in trouble, Nasrallah says, promises 'great victory' in case of war
Hamas urges Egypt to stop building border barrier
YNet News 15 Jan 2010 - Hamas leader Mashaal: We call on Egyptian leadership to stop building steel wall
Air strike kills Yemen Al-Qaeda chiefs: official
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 An air strike against an Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) convoy in north Yemen on Friday killed six suspected leaders of the group, a senior Yemeni official said. Qassem al-Rimi was among 23 people who made a daring escape from a state security prison in Sanaa in February 2006 that left the government red-faced.
Tehran endeavors to render education more regime-friendly
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 As they struggle to fend off their political opponents in the here and now, Iran's rulers are also taking a longer-term view with an ambitious project to indoctrinate future generations from an early age. Plans to inject school education with more Islamic content, anti-Western values and pro-regime and separate content for boys and girls amount to an attempt at an Iranian-style "Cultural Revolution."
Egypt police bar activists from town after Copt deaths
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 Police on Friday barred 20 activists from a tense town in southern Egypt where Muslim gunmen killed six Coptic Christians earlier this month, a senior security official said. The group, which included bloggers and political activists, planned to meet and express solidarity with victims' families, said the official, who did not want to be identified.
Iran arrests dissident cleric, warns opposition
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 Iran has stepped up pressure on the opposition, arresting a dissident cleric and warning against using SMS and email messages to organize anti-government protests, reports said on Friday. Mid-ranking cleric Mohammad Taghi Khalaji, who was close to late dissident Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, was arrested at his home in Qom Tuesday, reformist website Norooznews said.
Turkey, Israel on track to close drone deal: official
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 Turkey and Israel appear to be on track to finalize a long delayed multi-million-dollar deal for the delivery of 10 drone aircraft for the Turkish air force, a Turkish official said Friday. The project, launched in 2005, was under threat of cancellation amid delays and rising tensions between the two countries over Israel's devastating offensive in Gaza last year.
Top Lebanese officials press for increased US assistance
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 Top Lebanese officials stressed Friday during talks with a visiting American official the need to boost US aid for the Lebanese Army as well as to pressure Israel into implementing UN Resolution 1701. They also urged National Security Adviser James Jones to reconsider strict US security measures against Lebanese passengers and sanctions on Lebanese television stations.
Israel: A tale of two narratives
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 Two articles published on The Daily Star's Spotlight page today give us an insight into the way in which the Israeli government does its utmost to capitalize on how the country is portrayed by others, with varying degrees of success. The very public dressing-down of the Turkish ambassador to Israel by Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, in protest of a Turkish television show.
Welcome a more activist EU on Palestine
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 Just as the United States apparently is gearing up for phase two of its foray into Arab-Israeli peacemaking, some Europeans seem to be waking up from their long slumber on the issue. Several symbolic or rhetorical gestures in recent weeks indicate that the European Union wants at least to raise its voice and profile on Arab-Israeli peacemaking.
Unarmed peacekeepers swap weapons for words to build ties with Lebanon's south
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 The United Nations, with its intricate network of agencies and programs, could hardly have developed into the mammoth agency it is today without creating its share of contradictions. Take peacekeeping: a practice meant to safeguard the ideal of peace enshrined in the United Nation's charter that, somewhat paradoxically, puts the military might of its peacekeepers at its core.
New human rights horizons for Israel and Palestine
Daily Star 15 Jan 2010 Several thousand Israelis took part in what was billed as Israel's "first-ever Human Rights March" in Tel Aviv on December 11. Many of those who attended the gathering were affiliated with the several dozen Israeli NGOs that took part in organizing the event. There were gay rights supporters, protesters against the deportation of immigrants and refugees.
EU parliamentary delegation visits blockaded Gaza
PIC 15 Jan 2010 - A high-ranking European parliamentary delegation arrived Friday in the Gaza Strip to express solidarity with the besieged Gaza people and to see for themselves the effects of the Israeli war on Gaza.
Mishaal: Gaza is the graveyard for the Zionist entity
PIC 15 Jan 2010 - The head of Hamas's Political Bureau, Khaled Mishaal, stressed the right of nations to resist occupation and said that this right is equivalent to their natural right to existence.
Salah exposes an Israeli plan to build synagogue near the Aqsa Mosque
PIC 15 Jan 2010 - Raed Salah has warned on Thursday of Israeli schemes targeting the Aqsa Mosque, describing the Israeli court ruling against him as “military decision”, and vowed to continue working for the Aqsa.
Worshipers in the West Bank revolt against PA-Dayton Imams
PIC 15 Jan 2010 - Worshipers in tens of West Bank mosques rejected attacks on the great Islamic scholar, Sheikh Yousuf al-Qardawi, for his patriotic stands against the Israeli aggression and siege on the Gaza Strip.
Baraka: Egypt’s steel wall serious threat to the Palestinian people
PIC 15 Jan 2010 - Ali Baraka said on Thursday that the steel wall that Egypt is constructing along the borders with the Gaza Strip was more dangerous than the Israeli wall.
Kafarna: The PA betrayed Sa’adat and comrades
PIC 15 Jan 2010 - Nasser Kafarna, the member of the PFLP political bureau, has accused the PA leadership of betraying Ahmad Sa’adat, the secretary-general of the PFLP, who is detained in Israeli jails..
Egypt completes its siege by building a harbour at the end of the steel wall
PIC 15 Jan 2010 - Egyptian authorities are going to build a harbour at its sea border with the Gaza Strip to be used by Egyptian naval patrol boats, an Egyptian security source announced on Thursday.
The PA in Ramallah instruct imams to assail Sheikh Qardawi
PIC 15 Jan 2010 - The ministry of awkaf and religious affairs in Ramallah distributed a Friday sermon to Imams around the West Bank. The sermon launches a scathing attack on Sheikh Yusuf al-Qardawi.
Iran Warns Protesters Era of ‘Mercy’ Is Over
New York Times 15 Jan 2010 - Iran’s national police chief warned that authorities would crack down more harshly not only on street protests but on anyone who used cell phone and e-mail messages to publicize them.
Envoys to Meet on Possible Sanctions Over Iran Nuclear Program
New York Times 15 Jan 2010 - The five permanent Security Council members, plus Germany, will try to reach agreement on new restrictions aimed at swaying Tehran.
Hebron leaves us stunned, devastated, drowning in shame
Mondoweiss - 15 Jan 2010 - On January 12th, we drive to the southern West Bank city of Hebron. This city is literally drowning in a complex, traumatic, and violent history, that has given birth to the outrageous situation we see today. Most people start the story with the burial of Abraham,...
Goldstone blitz shows peril for Jews breaking ranks
Mondoweiss - 15 Jan 2010 - Good for Moment, it has published this vigorous defense of Richard Goldstone by Letty Cottin Pogrebin : According to witnesses, IDF soldiers shot people whose arms were shackled and a mother and three daughters who were carrying a white flag. Twenty-one members of one family were killed...
Normal Life in Port-au-Prince
Mondoweiss - 15 Jan 2010 - The news coverage of the Haitian earthquake is understandably showing people who are stunned and in agony. But before the disaster, Port-au-Prince was a very different place — poor, certainly, but incredibly busy. Everyone was working at something, from dawn into the night. The market women,...
Rubber bullets fail to disperse Bil’in demonstration
Mondoweiss - 15 Jan 2010 - Friends of Freedom and Justice , Bil’in, report that "live ammunition" was used on the weekly demonstration against the confiscatory wall, apparently rubber bullets: Today in Bil’in village demonstrators against the apartheid wall and illegal Israeli settlements were met with live ammunition, tear gas (in both plastic...
Frank Gehry pulls out of ‘Museum of Tolerance’ desecration project
Mondoweiss - 15 Jan 2010 - Michael Z. Wise at Tablet does the shoeleather work I should have done after spotting Frank Gehry’s vanishing act last week: After years of protests and an unsuccessful legal challenge, architect Frank Gehry has pulled out of a project to build a Jerusalem counterpart to the...
Second Palestinian Activist—Mohammed Othman—Freed by Israel
Alternative Information Center - 15 Jan 2010 - Amnesty International has welcomed the release from detention of Palestinian human rights activist Mohammed Othman — but is concerned that the Israeli authorities have imposed conditions which will prevent him exercising his human rights. Mohammed Othman was arrested on 22 September 2009 when he returned from...
Ma'an News Agency Chief English Editor's Deportation Hearing Scheduled for SundayMa'an
Alternative Information Center - 14 Jan 2010 - Ma'an is pleased to share news that Tel Aviv District Judge Mirium Solokov agreed to hear the case of its chief English editor, Jared Malsin, during proceedings held at her court on Thursday morning. Solokov rejected a request by the Israeli attorney general to dismiss an...
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Turkish President, Prime Minister, Refuse To Meet Barak
IMEMC 16 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 17, 2010 - 02:30, Turkish media sources reported on Saturday that the Turkish President, Abdullah Gül, and Prime Minister, Receb Tayyip Erdogan, will not hold a meeting with Israel’s Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, who will be visiting the country on Sunday.
EU Parliamentarians Leave Gaza
IMEMC 16 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 17, 2010 - 00:27, European Parliamentarian, who managed to enter the besieged and devastated Gaza Strip on Friday, left the coastal region on Saturday afternoon via the Rafah Border Terminal, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Current Status of Detained Maán Journalist - Jared Malsin
IMEMC 16 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 16, 2010 - 23:23, Ma'an have issued a press release concerning the current status of chief English editer, Jared Malsin. Arguments will be heard tomorrow at Tel Aviv District Court to determine his possible deportation.
Israeli Officials Arrive In Jordan After Attack On Embassy
IMEMC 16 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 16, 2010 - 09:35, Following a bombing that was meant to target Israeli diplomats in Jordan two days ago, a number of senior Israeli security officials arrived in Amman to review the security measures used to secure the Israeli embassy in the country.
Detainee Seriously Wounded Due To Torture
IMEMC 16 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 16, 2010 - 07:54, The Detainees Media Committee reported that a Palestinian detainee was seriously wounded due to extreme torture by Israeli interrogators at the Salem detention camp in the northern part of the West Bank.
Women prisoners smuggle letters detailing harsh living conditions
1/16/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - The Palestinian Detainees' Society said on Saturday that 34 women detainees await news on a prisoner swap deal, having contacted the society by smuggling letters. The women prisoners wrote of the poor living conditions inside Israeli jails, where they are punished arbitrarily. The detainees further wrote of not having access to hot water, not being given blankets, cramped cells and poor electricity. The cells in particular lack decent access the light and fresh air. The facilities are outdoors, the women wrote, and lack privacy. [end]
Witnesses: Israeli tanks shell Beit Hanoun
1/16/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli tanks operating near the northern Gaza border near Beit Hanoun targeted civilian properties with heavy artillery fire, witnesses said late Friday night. Eyewitnesses said tanks were spotted at the border, and noted a heavier than usual weaponry used by the forces. They said the fire hit civilian homes on the outskirts of the town, causing material damages but no injuries. Families said the louder than usual tank fire terrified their children. An Israeli military spokesman said he was unfamiliar with any military activity in the area overnight, but said he would look into the incident. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' weekly Protection of Civilians Report, last week saw a steep escalation in violence in Gaza. It counted seven Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli airstrikes, and called the deaths a "serious escalation. "
Seven injured as fire breaks out in Rafah tunnel
1/16/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Seven Palestinians from Gaza suffered burns after a fire broke out in one of the smuggling tunnels in the border town of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Saturday. The seven injured were taken to An-Nasser and Ash-Shifa hospitals in Gaza City to undergo treatment for their injuries, sources at the Abu Yousef Najjar hospital told Ma'an. In December three Palestinians were killed after a tunnel collapsed beneath the Egypt-Gaza border. The three were reported missing, and later found by rescue workers. Smugglers maintain a large network of underground tunnels along the Rafah border, importing goods made scarce by an Israeli-led blockade of Gaza. Accidents in the tunnels are frequent. According to the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Mezan, 120 people have been killed working in the tunnel trade since its inception approximately three years ago. . . . .
Teenager attacked by settlers in Sheikh Jarrah
1/16/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - A Palestinian teenager was attacked by settlers on Saturday evening in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem. Amina Nashashibi, 16, was pulled by the hair and beaten whilst attending a demonstration in the area, Ma'an's reporter said. Settlers verbally attacked demonstrators. The reporter said Israeli police were present at the scene. On Thursday evening Israeli police blocked the road leading to the Al-Kurd family home, which was taken over in part by settlers. In early August, Israeli police forced more than 50 members of two Palestinian families, from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah and allowed Israeli settlers to move in. The evictions of the families went forward despite near-universal condemnation from the international community, including Israel's closest ally, the US.
Boy injured in explosion, police suspect left over Israeli charges
1/16/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - A boy was injured when an unknown object exploded in Khashm Ad-Daraj, near Yatta village in Hebron, a police report said on Saturday. Saleh Muhammad Al-Hathalin, 12, was transferred to the Hebron governmental hospital to undergo treatment for his injuries. Police rushed to the scene and are investigating the incident, suspecting the explosive to be a device left over by Israeli forces, the report added. Medical sources said Al-Hathalin was injured in his left hand and stomach. His condition was described as moderate. [end]
Military bulldozers create third entrance to illegal Nablus settlement
1/16/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli bulldozers began overturning land to make way for a third entrance to the illegal settlement of Shavi Shamron in the West Bank city of Nablus on Saturday, according to Ghassan Daghlas, Palestinian official responsible for the settlement file in the West Bank. "A number of Israeli bulldozers, accompanied by dozens of workers, began bulldozing several dunums of farmland confiscated by the Israeli army to open a third entrance to the settlement," Daghlas said. The official denounced the act, and called for "a real and serious halt to settlement construction in the West Bank, particularly as these acts of confiscation come shortly after US envoy George Mitchell's visit to the region to push the peace process forward. " . . . .
Jordan to UN: Restore Dead Sea Scrolls to rightful owner
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Jordan submitted an official complaint to the United Nations last week, asking the body to intervene and return the Dead Sea Scrolls to the country. The scrolls were seized from a museum by Israel following the 1967 war. The complaint, filed with UNESCO, followed Canada's refusal to hold the scrolls, which were on exhibit in Toronto in cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Antiquities. Jordan asked Canada to take care of the historical artifacts until a court could decide who their rightful owner was. "The kingdom has filed a complaint to UNESCO that the scrolls belong to Jordan," Rafea Harahsheh of the country's antiquities department said in a statement quoted by the AP, noting "the government has legal documents that prove Jordan owns the scrolls. " The scrolls were found between 1948 and 1957 by Jordanian archaeologists following the first find by Palestinian Bedouins in 1947.
Anti-wall activists freed as detentions persist
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Following months of detention without charge in an Israeli prison, anti-wall activists Mohammad Othman and Jamal Juma have been released, a statement from the senior campaign officer said on Saturday. "Their release is a massive victory. Thank you to everyone who took action to help secure their freedom," the statement said. Juma and Othman work for Stop the Wall, an organization opposed to Israel's construction of the separation wall, which severely limits Palestinians' freedom of movement and leads to the confiscation of agricultural land. Their detention was part of Israel's ongoing crackdown on anti-wall activists. "Your actions made my imprisonment too uncomfortable for the Israeli authorities. We are deeply thankful for all your efforts. The reasons for our arrests were purely political "” an attempt to crush Stop the Wall and the popular committees against the Wall.
Report: Egypt further fortifies borders with Gaza, this time at sea
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Egypt is building a small sea port for patrol boats monitoring the country's border with Gaza in an effort to further block the Palestinian enclave's access to smuggling routes, Reuters reported Friday. "The new anchorage will enhance the work of the Egyptian patrol boats on the sea border with Gaza and prevent any attempts of smuggling by sea," Reuters quoted an Egyptian security source in North Sinai as saying. The anchorage, according to the report, will be 10 meters deep and 25 meters long, and used to moor border patrol boats charged with ensuring Palestinian fishing boats stay in Gazan coastal waters. Egypt has said it believes the boats are being used to carry out smuggling operations, though there have never been reports of such incidents. "It is to secure the area. It will be used to direct fishing boats in the area to ensure they do not cross. . . "
Mash’al asks for meeting with Abbas to end division
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Head of the Hamas politburo Khalid Mash'al asked Egyptian leadership to prepare President Mahmoud Abbas for a bilateral meeting in an effort to end division, he told reporters following a speech in a Beirut conference Friday. "Despite the political disagreement, I want to begin now and clear away the past. I am calling on Abu Mazen[Mahmoud Abbas] to participate in a bilateral meeting in which we will start a discussion on unity," Mash'al toldthe Arab and International Forum t Support Resistance, noting the bilateral meetings would be quickly followed by multi-faction talks. "Iam confident that when we meet will agree and we will handle all the minor differences; then we will go to Cairo along with a strong Arab presence to bless our unity and agreement. " Mash'al acknowledged that the ball was in Hamas' court as far as unity went, and said he "welcomes the. . . "
Hamas: PA forces detained 15 across West Bank
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas accused the Palestinian Authority security forces on Friday of arrested 15 members of the Islamic movement, in a statement. "Security forces arrested on of its affiliates from Qalqiliya, one from Nablus, one from Hebron, three from Tubas and nine from Tulkarem," the statement said. [end]
Italian organization build new waste station in Gaza
1/16/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Gaza Municipality, in conjunction with the International Italian organization of Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), have begun the construction of a waste station inside the Al-Yarmuk landfill site west of Gaza City, which will eliminate up to 90% of its refuse. "Improving the living conditions in the Palestinian territories and stopping the leakage of waste into the water and soil, which causes contamination and pollution [are the aims of the project]," said COOPI representatives. Yahaya Abu Zubeida, project supervisor working with the Gaza Municipality to implement the project, said "a concrete fill, surrounded by a cement wall of varying heights will be built, leaving the southern side open as an entrance for workers and carts to dispose of the waste collected from the streets into the waste station. "
Day 20: Israel ’knew of the location of the UNRWA premises’
1/16/2010 - 15 January 2009 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - On the morning of 15 January 2009, the field office compound of UNRWA, situated in the southern Rimal area of Gaza City, came under sustained shelling from the Israeli armed forces. At least three high explosive shells and seven white phosphorous container shells struck the workshop and warehouse area of the compound causing massive damage as a result of ensuing fires. Five of the shells exploded in the compound including all three high explosive shells. Two complete container shells of white phosphorous were retrieved. Five additional white phosphorous shells were retrieved but not in their complete form. These five shells deposited large amounts of the phosphorus wedges contained in the shells into the compound, if not in fact all of the wedges. At least three shells hit the Gaza Training Centre and caused light injuries to one staff member.
Israel releases 5 detained from Balata Refugee Camp
1/16/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli authorities released five Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons on Saturday, all from the Balata Refugee Camp in eastern Nablus. Abdul Rahman Abu Jneid was amongst those released, having served 26 months in several different Israeli prisons. He commented on poor living conditions within the jails and the prison administration's neglect of detainees' needs, adding that prisoners are punished arbitrarily to force them into confessions, Abu Jneid said. The remaining Palestinians released include Salah Abu daod, Haitham Bahnajawi, Abdullah Al-Asy and Rady Nemer Hashash, all from the Balata Refugee Camp. [end]
Resident files complaint against PA security forces
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Abbas, 20, from Dheisheh Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, filed a complaint with police concerning his treatment at the hands of Palestinian Authority security forces during a nonviolent demonstration in the camp on Wednesday. Abbas said he suffered blows and bruising as he tried to film a sit-in at the refugee camp, and was forcibly removed from the rally by PA security forces. He called on President Mahmoud Abbas, the Mayor of Bethlehem, and human rights organizations to investigate his case and take action against the security forces responsible. [end]
Third night in a row, Israeli forces close northern roads
1/16/2010 - Qalqiliya - Ma'an - Israeli troops closed the Qalqiliya-Azzun road, installed an impassible checkpoint and were seen searching areas east of Qalqiliya on Saturday night. Witnesses said Israeli forces were operating in the city, and said traffic was backed up for hours, until word spread in the area that the road had been closed. The closure marked the third night in a row that areas in the northern West Bank were closed by Israeli military personnel. On Friday, three roads in and out of Tulkarem were shut down, with witnesses describing a series of flying checkpoints installed and inspections being carried out. On Thursday, the city of Nablus was closed off, the Huwwara checkpoint locked down and similar searches performed, according to witnesses. An Israeli military spokesman said the closure was a part of regular security measures in the West Bank, "to ensure the safety of all residents in the area. "
Palestinian bomb squad detonates explosives near Hebron
1/16/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Explosives were discovered in a metal scrap shop by a resident from the town of Ithna, west of Hebron on Thursday, and informed the police of his find, head of the local police department Awad Ramadan said. "A resident noticed suspicious objects inside a store and called the police in Ithna," he said. "A patrol was dispatched to the scene where the police bomb squad was called to discover if the explosives were weapons left behind by the Israeli army. The bomb squad detonated the explosives without causing damage or injuries. " The owner of the shop was questioned, who told police that the explosives were purchased from the Israeli city of Ashdod and "vowed not to buy such items," Ramadan said. Ramadan urged residents not to handle any suspicious items and to inform the police immediately, keeping children away from the area.
Shalit ’ill-omened’ tank taken out of service
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The tank termed an "ill omen" from which soldier Gilad Shalit was captured from, and in which two Israeli soldiers were killed in 2006 has been taken out of service by the Israeli army. Following Shalit's capture, the Siman 3 tank remained in service but broke down in 2007 after it was bombed by Palestinian fighters. The tank was repaired and sent back to the Gaza Strip. During Operation Cast Lead, on 8 January 2009, a soldier was killed inside the tank by a Palestinian sniper. The tank will now be used for military exercises in the desert. [end]
Israeli delegation visits Jordan to review embassy security
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - An Israeli delegation arrived in Jordan on Saturday to review security procedures undertaken at the Israeli embassy in Amman. Tovia Livna, former chief of security for Israel's intelligence unit, the Shabak, said that there are a number of difficulties related to ensuring the protection of Israeli embassies in Arab countries. "There are many hardships and problems obstructing the protection and defense of Israeli embassies. "According to Nabil Ash-Sharif, the Jordanian minister of information, the delegation will not participate in investigations relating to the blast that targeted an Israeli diplomatic convoy in Jordan on Thursday evening, stressing that Jordanian security will be responsible but has yet to make any arrests. . . . .
Hamas: Shalit talks underway and not stalled
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas leader Osma Hamdan declared on Saturday that negotiations to secure the release of caputured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit remain underway, the Arabic daily Al-Hayat reported. "As long as there is one prisoner, talks are ongoing. We are negotiating to conclude a deal to release Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails," he said during an interview. "The Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit will be freed only when [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu accepts the condition of the resistance. . . Netanyahu alone will be responsible for obstructing the accomplishment of the deal if he refuses to implement these conditions. ""Hamas is not in a rush. There is no specific time to strike a deal. . . negotiations have their mechanisms and we are not interested in revealing them," Hamdan told the London-based newspaper.
Greece must intervene in Israel land sales, delegation says
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A delegation of Palestinian Orthodox Christians called on the Greek government to take appropriate action against the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilios III for leasing church land to Israeli officials and called for the deal to be nullified. The delegation returned from Greece on Friday. The delegation met with the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Spirus Kofelepos and secretary general of the Greek Socialist Party, Poulina Lamisa, in addition to a number of Greek officials, to discuss the consequences of the long-term land leases to Israeli developers, including that of the Mar Elias Monastery between occupied East Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The delegation further appealed to Greek officials to undertake efforts to implement internal reform in the Patriarchate in accordance with the law of the Orthodox Church.
Fayyad denies EU to cut down aid to PA if talks remain derailed
1/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad denied that the EU has threatened to decrease the amount of aid given to the Palestinian Authority if no new developments are achieved in the peace process, he told Ma'an's reporter in Hebron on Saturday. "I have no idea about this issue at all," Fayyad said. Diplomatic EU sources in Paris said on Friday that the EU will not maintain at its current level of support for the PA in 2010, if there are no developments in the peace process. Paris is ready to host another donor conference this summer but on the condition that political progress is made, the sources added. One source said that as a result of EU funding, the Palestinian economy increased by 7% in 2008 and a further 10% in 2009. The EU provides 1 billion Euros each year the PA. Mitchell warns Israel of possible sanctionsUS Special Envoy to the Middle. . .
Fayyad launches building restoration project in Bir Zeit
1/16/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - It is the project of the Palestinian Authority to create new and positive facts on the ground in efforts to achieve a Palestinian state that meets the needs of its people, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told Bir Zeit residents on Friday. "Our national project needs enduring energy and multiple efforts, determination and great hope," Fayyad said, promising to support the construction of streets, water and electricity networks, schools and health facilities. Fayyad was inaugurating the restoration of an ancient building in the heart of the village, supported by the Swedish Development Agency and the Dutch government and in cooperation with the Bir Zeit municipality. He also noted several other restoration projects would be soon underway, supported by the United States. Mayor of Bir Zeit Dr Yousef Nasser welcomed the infrastructure and projects, saying they supported. . .
PA security forces: 11 fugitives detained at Allenby
1/16/2010 - Jericho - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces arrested 11 fugitives during the week as they tried to enter Jordan via the Allenby Bridge, a report issued by the media office of the Palestinian police said on Saturday. Those apprehended were deemed "wanted" by Palestinian courts and the general attorney relating to fraud charges and other financial issues, the report said. During the past week, 19,201 people traveled via the Allenby Bridge, the report concluded. [end]
Barghouti: Palestinian division is a crime
1/16/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Mustafa Barghouti, secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative, said on Saturday that ongoing division between Palestinian factions is detrimental to Palestinians. "Continued division on the Palestinian arena is a crime against the Palestinians and their future," he said. "Israel is eliminating the elements of the Palestinian cause by changing the features of Jerusalem, with settlements, enforcing an apartheid regime, changing the features of the Jordan Valley and confiscating Palestinian sources of water and imposing the siege on Gaza. " Under such circumstances, he said, "it is a crime to continue with this state of division. . . every effort should be made to restore national unity. "Barghouti called for expanding and applying the popular resistance by reviving the boycott campaign, imposing international sanctions on Israel "to stop its crimes in the Palestinian territories. "
Enas Muthaffar: Simply put, I’m a filmmaker
1/16/2010 - In the first of a series dedicated to Palestinian film, Ma'an interviews Palestinian filmmaker Enas Muthaffar, who, in addition to making several short films and documentaries, has worked as assistant director on several Palestinian films, including Paradise Now and Salt of this Sea. Jerusalem - Ma'an - First and foremost, Muthaffar explains of the difficulties faced by Palestinian filmmakers in the occupied Palestinian territories, given the lack of Palestinian funding. "Palestinian directors have to be their own producers. "Her work is edgy and "lately, I tend to be sarcastic about the whole situation," she says. Much of her work is screened internationally and in the occupied Palestinian territories, mostly in refugee camps across the West Bank. "Because of everything, it's hard to get Palestinians to view films. I am lucky, I have freedom of movement. I can be there, and it's important. . . "
Jordan: Israel not part of probe into attack on its convoy
Ha'aretz 16 Jan 2010 - Jordanian minister: Attack on Israeli diplomatic convoy was primarily an attack on Jordan.
A Palestinian artist paints 1400 White phosphorus works of art
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - As many other Palestinian artists who were deeply in love with life that they created new heartbeats out of the shadows of death, The Palestinian artist Maysara Barood held his latest exhibition in Gaza entitled (White Phosphorus on the birth anniversary of Ailia'a). Ailia'a is the ancient name of Alquds or Jerusalem and also is the...
Israeli Internet company supplies an Iranian authority
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - The Israeli company Daronet Internet Solutions has sold 70 systems worth around US$ 1 million to the chamber of commerce of the district of Teheran. This reported the Voice of Israel on January 14th. Daronet vice CFO Yacov Harpaz told Israeli state radio that his company got the order through a representative of the Iranian customer...
US tax-exempt organization fights ‘with intensity’ against Jewish-Arab marriage
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - Where to begin? Regular readers of this blog will undoubtedly know about the severe problem of Israeli racism against Arabs in general and Palestinians in particular. But this story leaves even me incredulous. After Ali Abunimah posted a wonderfully sarcastic comment to his Twitter feed about how much settlers love to hear about the "rescue" of...
Video: I am the Resistance
Uruknet Janaury 16, 2010 - Whenever there is injustice, there are people fighting it with every possible means. We have seen it so many times before: the oppressed rise up, the oppressor dehumanizes them calling them such names as "terrorists", "saboteurs", "death loving" extremists... It is only normal that the oppressor will always lie to justify his actions and its crimes......
The Militarization of Emergency Aid to Haiti: Is it a Humanitarian Operation or an Invasion?
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - Haiti has a longstanding history of US military intervention and occupation going back to the beginning of the 20th Century. US interventionism has contributed to the destruction of Haiti's national economy and the impoverishment of its population. The devastating earthquake is presented to World public opinion as the sole cause of the country's predicament. A country...
Barak off to Turkey amid calls for arrest
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - Ahead of today's scheduled visit to Turkey by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, an Islamic human rights group on Friday petitioned a Turkish state prosecutor to start legal proceedings against him for alleged crimes against Gazans during Operation Cast Lead. Barak is expected to try to mend strained relations in the wake of the military operation last...
The Big One Devastates Haiti
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - ...The country is a text book example of oppressive rule, exploitation, extreme poverty, widespread unemployment, and overwhelming human misery - largely because of US dominance since the 19th century. From 1849 - 1913, navy ships entered Haitian waters 24 times to "protect American lives and property," and from 1915 - 1934, US Marines occupied and ravaged...
GAZA: what are promises of humanitarian aid worth?
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - We keep hearing from the British government that they have spent £millions in humanitarian aid for Gaza. But nobody is saying exactly where the money has gone and who benefited. Of course, if they had done what they were supposed to and (with the rest of the international community) made sure the Palestinians were left in...
Palestinian Detainee Seriously Wounded Due To Torture
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - The Detainees Media Committee reported that a Palestinian detainee was seriously wounded due to extreme torture by Israeli interrogators at the Salem detention camp in the northern part of the West Bank. The detainee was identified as Hatheefa Farid Ziyada from the northern West Bank city of Nablus. He was repeatedly beaten to several parts of...
Mash'al asks for meeting with Abbas to end division
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - Head of the Hamas politburo Khalid Mash'al asked Egyptian leadership to prepare President Mahmoud Abbas for a bilateral meeting in an effort to end division, he told reporters following a speech in a Beirut conference Friday. "Despite the political disagreement, I want to begin now and clear away the past. I am calling on Abu Mazen[Mahmoud...
Palestinian women prisoners smuggle letters detailing harsh living conditions
Uruknet January 16, 2010 – The Palestinian Detainees' Society said on Saturday that 34 women detainees await news on a prisoner swap deal, having contacted the society by smuggling letters. The women prisoners wrote of the poor living conditions inside Israeli jails, where they are punished arbitrarily. The detainees further wrote of not having access to hot water, not being given...
Report: Egypt further fortifies borders with Gaza, this time at sea
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - Egypt is building a small sea port for patrol boats monitoring the country's border with Gaza in an effort to further block the Palestinian enclave's access to smuggling routes, Reuters reported Friday. "The new anchorage will enhance the work of the Egyptian patrol boats on the sea border with Gaza and prevent any attempts of smuggling...
Gaza: 4 injured in blaze in tunnel
16 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 16, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Four Palestinian work in smuggling tunnel were injured on Saturday in a fire in one of the tunnelunder the border between Gaza Strip and Egypt, medics and witnesses said. Witnesses said the fire broke out in tunnel used to smuggle fuel after a fuel leak. Rescue teams, firefighters and ambulances arrived at the...
British MP calls Gaza blockade “evil”
16 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 16, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - A lawmaker from Britain's Labour Party is visiting the Gaza Strip and says the blockade of Gaza by Israel and Egypt is "evil." Gerald Kaufman also spoke in support of attempts by pro-Palestinian groups in Britain to have arrest warrants issued against Israeli politicians involved in Israel's war on Gaza last year. The...
Hollow ring to Hamas celebration of triumph'
The National 16 Jan 2010 - Comment Commemorations of Israel's invasion of Gaza seem misplaced, given that the war was neither completely imposed nor entirely unwelcome for Hamas.
Egypt's iron wall sends out tough message over border
The National 16 Jan 2010 - Analysis Unless Hamas bows to its more powerful neighbour and signs Cairo's unity document unabridged, Egypt could stealthily apply more pressure on Gaza.
Egypt's Brotherhood gets new leader
AlJazeera 16 Jan 2010 - Choice of supreme guide seen as victory for conservatives in largest opposition group.
No deal reached on Iran sanctions
AlJazeera 16 Jan 2010 - Diplomats from six key powers fail to agree on new sanctions against Iran.
The Gaza Strip's lawless bikers
PNN 16 Jan 2010 - In the small dusty money-changing shop where he works in the Jabalia refugee camp, 28-year-old Mohammed Abu Qamar draws on a cigarette, limps toward me and rolls up his trouser leg. Pink scars surround his ankle. He leans forward and places my hand on the back of his head. I feel an unnatural rough lump beneath his hair. Mr Abu Qamar was...
Israel restricts Palestinian lawyers' access to West Bank detainees
PNN 16 Jan 2010 - Israel is prohibiting Palestinian lawyers and the relatives of Palestinian detainees from reaching a military tribunal via the Beitunia checkpoint west of Ramallah. The prohibition, which has been in effect for the past three days, means that Israeli police are requiring Palestinians to use the Qalandiyah crossing 20 kilometers away, where they must produce an entry permit to Israel - which can...
West Bank land sales by Church spur uproar
PNN 16 Jan 2010 - The Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem is once again being rocked by controversy over alleged land sales to Israeli investors in the West Bank. So incensed is the local Palestinian orthodox community that Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch, had to be accompanied by security guards in full riot gear when he arrived in Bethlehem last week to celebrate Christmas. Many in...
Six powers reach no agreement on Iran
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - Though no sanctions decided upon, diplomat says message to Iran is that time is running out.
Barak heads to Turkey to close UAV deal
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - 12-hour visit of defense minister, big delegation, hoped to mend deteriorating ties with Muslim state.
Ross joined Jones on visit to Israel
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - National Security Adviser also went to Lebanon after recent visit; Norway's FM arrives for meetings.
Ayalon threatens to expel ambassadors
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - Deputy FM: Variety of responses will be considered against any nation whose actions hurt Israel.
Israelis race to save lives in devastated Haiti
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - 'Jerusalem Post' correspondent in Haiti reports on operational IDF field hospital, deployed canine units; death toll may reach 200,000.
US Jewish leaders vexed by Turkey's hostility towards Israel
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - ADL and others convey concerns to Turkish embassy.
Analysis: US has limited leverage on Ankara to mend ties with Jerusalem
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - Strong internal standing of Erdogan's party, and his ideological zeal, means even White House pressure yields little.
'Meir Dagan is the Superman of Israel'
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - Egyptian daily praises Mossad chief for "painful blows" which have delayed Iran's nuclear program.
Jordan denies arrests in Israeli diplomat attack
Jeruslalem Post 16 Jan 2010 - Information minister says the bombing is an attack on Jordan first of all.
MIDEAST: Israel Cannot be Sultan
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 14 (IPS) - A bizarre diplomatic incident - even by the Byzantine-like standards of the old near East - has threatened already strained relations between Israel and Turkey.
Israeli forces invade Bil’in following Friday demonstration, shoot live ammunition
1/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Eight demonstrators were injured today in Bil'in along with dozens who suffered tear-gas inhalation during a regular Friday protest against the Wall and subsequent army invasion into the village. The army used live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets and tear-gas grenades and canisters against the unarmed crowd. The demonstration, called by the Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, was joined by dozens of international and Israeli activists. Speeches were made commemorating the Palestinian martyrs, especially the late president Yasser Arafat and Bil'in resident Bassem Abu Rahmah. Bassem died after he was hit by a tear-gas canister the army shot at him from a short distance. Demonstrators marched towards the site of the Apartheid Wall, carrying a twenty-meter long Palestinian flag.
Building a different Middle East
1/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Joel Beinin, The Nation, 15 January - Like every other woman in her village Umm Hasan wears a headscarf. Her husband and other male relatives are not on the scene. But this is not an obstacle to her animated interactions with the sixteen Israelis and foreigners she has never previously met but welcomes into her home. Among the visitors are a German and a Serb who are making a film about Palestinian hip-hop. Everyone has come to participate in the weekly demonstration against the separation barrier organized by the local Popular Committee. While the Israelis make preparations for the demonstration, Umm Hasan tells the filmmakers about the current situation in the village. Neria, a young Israeli woman who attended a bilingual primary school, makes a poster in Arabic and Hebrew, "so the [Israeli] soldiers will know what it means" with the slogan: "They destroyed the wall in Berlin; tomorrow we'll destroy it in Palestine. . . "
An Nabi Salih: resistance to settlement expansion met with military violence
1/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 15 January - Israeli forces must have anticipated the large response to the An Nabi Salih Popular Struggle's call out for international solidarity in their 4th consecutive Friday demonstration on January 15th. Three International Solidarity Movement (ISM) activists were turned away from the seldom-staffed partial checkpoint of "˜Atara, between Ramallah and An Nabi Salih. Fortunately, a back route was established and the group made it to the village, joining 10 other internationals, a dozen journalists and over 300 Palestinians. The hilltop village of An Nabi Salih has a population of approximately 500 residents and is located 30 kilometers northeast of Ramallah along highway 465. The demonstration protested the illegal seizure of valuable agricultural land and the January 9th, 2010 uprooting of hundreds of the village resident's olive trees by the Hallamish (Neve Zuf) settlement located on highway 465, opposite An Nabi Salih. "
CPT: Hebron Incidents, December 17-31, 2009
1/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - The Christian Peacemaker Team in Hebron released this incident report for the period between December 17 and December 31, 2009. - December 17 - Shortly after morning worship, the team's neighbor told them that soldiers were on the roof of the apartment building. When Herbert, Schroeder, and Shiffer filmed them and asked why they kept coming up to the roof, they did not respond. Kern brought up tea and cookies, but none of the soldiers accepted this hospitality. The team decided next time the soldiers came up to the roof again, they would videotape themselves singing "Joy to the World" there for a digital Christmas greeting. When soldiers did not subsequently appear, the team decided to record a digital greeting anyway. December 18 - After consulting with their neighbor, team members decided to keep the stairwell door locked through the morning in case the soldiers arrived again.
Free Wa’el Al-Faqeeh
1/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 15 January - On the night of December 9th 2009, over 200 Israeli soldiers entered the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Their mission: to round up local grassroots activists, whose promotion of popular struggle Israel had no answer for. Amongst those taken was 45 year old Wa'el Al-Faqeeh. Fifty soldiers stormed his home, pointing their weapons at him and his family as though the man they had come to arrest embodied a formidable threat. But those who know Al Faqeeh know that he worked tirelessly - and on a largely voluntary basis - in defense of human rights and the promotion of the strategies and philosophy of Palestinian non-violent resistance. Political prisoner Wa'el Al-Faqeeh has been detained without charge by Israeli authorities for over a month, and is now facing trial in a military court scheduled to begin on the 19th of January.
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Comment / Israel's religious system will bring to its demise
Ha'aretz 16 Jan 2010 - "A Bag of Fibs," the classic collection of tall tales from the pre-state Palmach militia, tells of a truck driver sent from Tel Aviv to deliver a water cistern to Jerusalem. During the steep approach to the city, at Sha'ar Haggai, he slams on the brakes and the tank slips off the truck. While backing up in order to reload the tank, he falls in and drowns. Israel's cistern is the religious autonomy that has grown within it. ...
Steinitz: Foreign workers 'exploit' Israel's economy
Ha'aretz 16 Jan 2010 - The government panel headed by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz will submit a plan today for reducing the number of illegal foreign workers in Israel. Steinitz said the initiative is aimed at combating the workers' negative influence on the Israeli economy. ...
Israeli delegation to Haiti rescues top local official
Ha'aretz 16 Jan 2010 - Ban Ki-moon confirms UN mission chief in Haiti died in the quake; Death toll could top 100,000.
PM's office denies claims that Sara Netanyahu abused housekeeper
Ha'aretz 16 Jan 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has denied allegations filed against the premier's wife by a former housekeeper who says Sara Netanyahu treated her unfairly when she worked at the couple's Caesarea home. ...
Abbas signals readiness to resume talks with Israel
Relief Web 16 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
EU parliamentary delegation visits blockaded Gaza
Relief Web 16 Jan 2010 - Source: Xinhua
PA arrests wanted Hamas gunman in Hebron
YNet News 16 Jan 2010 - Three other Hamas figures apprehended during West Bank operation, including clerk in Palestinian Interior Ministry
Russia says meeting on Iran sanctions yields no decision
YNet News 16 Jan 2010 - Meeting of top powers to discuss further UN sanctions on Iran inconclusive but useful, says US representative
Israel threatens to expel Turkish ambassador
YNet News 16 Jan 2010 - Deputy FM Ayalon tells Channel 2 he did not mean to humiliate Ambassador Celikkol by seating him on sofa lower than his own, but says Israel was right to make it clear to Turks that there would be a 'price tag' for 'trampling upon the dignity of the Jewish state'. Islamic human rights group holds march to protest Barak's planned visit to Ankara
Israeli aid delegation begins Haiti rescue efforts
YNet News 16 Jan 2010 - Amidst total chaos, IDF Home Front Command rescue teams begin searching for survivors underneath UN building, schools; field-hospital prepares to treat some 500 wounded per day. 'It is a heart-breaking sight,' says delegation member
Nasrallah meets Mashaal, calls to end 'Arab weakness'
YNet News 16 Jan 2010 - Hamas delegation headed by Mashaal meets Hezbollah chief Nasrallah in Lebanon. Joint statement says 'diplomatic activity to renew peace talks aimed at securing Israeli interests, underscores futility of official Arab stance'
Lebanon says will coordinate UN activity with Iran
YNet News 16 Jan 2010 - President Suleiman tells visiting Iranian VP countries must cooperate in efforts to influence Security Council. Hezbollah deputy chief: Israel needs peace process to annex lands, extend occupation
Hamas says Shalit talks ongoing
YNet News 16 Jan 2010 - Senior Islamist group figure Hamdan says Netanyahu will be held responsible of prisoner swap talks fail
Newspaper: Egypt will fortify its security system around the wall
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - An Egyptian newspaper revealed that the Egyptian authorities intend to make its security system around the steel wall more complicated through building observation towers.
Diplomatic sources: EU links aid to PA with progress in settlement process
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - The European donor countries have warned the world community that they would not maintain the same level of financial aid to the PA in Ramallah in 2010 if no progress in the peace process was made.
European parliamentary delegation visits bombed area in north Gaza
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - The European parliamentary delegation visited many bombed areas in northern Gaza Strip to see closely the humanitarian conditions of citizens and war victims one year after the Israeli war.
Turkish paper: Gul, Erdogan refuse to meet Barak
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - Turkish president Abdullah Gul and his premier Recep Erdogan have refused to meet Israeli war minister Ehud Barak during his visit to Ankara, a Turkish paper reported on Saturday.
Radawn slams PA smear campaign against Sheikh Qaradawi in West Bank
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - Senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan strongly denounced the smear campaign waged by mosque preachers affiliated with the Palestinian Authority against Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradawi.
IOF troops wreak havoc in village, attack funeral and shell Gaza
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation forces on Friday stormed and wreaked havoc in the Masara village, Bethlehem district, and blocked its weekly anti wall march, locals reported.
Jewish settlers close main road, confiscate land and uproot trees
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - Jewish armed settlers closed the main road linking northern and southern villagers in Al-Khalil district on Friday, local sources reported.
7th conference of Al-Quds int’l warns of Zionist schemes in Jerusalem
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - The seventh conference of Al-Quds international institution warned of the Zionist schemes that target the occupied city of Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque as well as the Arab identity of the city.
IOF quelling of peaceful anti wall march wounds 8 Palestinians
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - IOF used rubber bullets and gas canisters to quell two peaceful demonstrations organized by villagers of Bilin and Nilin villages to protest the building of the separation wall on their lands.
Haneyya calls for rehabilitating Egyptian-Saudi-Syrian axis in region
PIC 16 Jan 2010 - Ismail Haneyya called for a new Arab strategy based on the rehabilitation of the historic axis of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria in order to create a kind of power of balance in the face of Israel.
6 Major Powers Move Closer to Considering More Iran Sanctions
New York Times 16 Jan 2010 - China, however, kept to its position that it opposed new sanctions from the United Nations Security Council over Iran’s nuclear program.
Lonely Trek to Radicalism for Terror Suspect
New York Times 16 Jan 2010 - Behind Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s journey from gifted student to terrorism suspect was a struggle between an investment in this life and a longing for the next.
The Iranian Exile’s Eye
New York Times 16 Jan 2010 - A reporter, driven out of Iran, returns via the Internet and finds herself freer to write about the meaning of events back in her homeland.
Palestinian human rights activists released refer detention's conditions
Palestine Monitor - 16 Jan 2010 - “I was detained in a tiny, narrow guardhouse, sleeping on a mattress less than 15 cm thick. 24 hours a day a yellow light was on. It was impossible to fall asleep because every hour I was awakened by noises, someone knocking on the door or...
For Israel, a reckoning
Palestine Monitor - 16 Jan 2010 - The farce of the climate summit in Copenhagen affirmed a world war waged by the rich against most of humanity. It also illuminated a resistance growing perhaps as never before: an internationalism linking justice for the planet with universal human rights, and criminal justice for those...
A slice of life in Tel Rumaida
Mondoweiss - 16 Jan 2010 - Tel Rumaida checkpoint (Photo: Reham Alhelsi) This is the checkpoint at the entrance to the Tel Rumaida neighborhood in the old city of Hebron. This section of Hebron used to be the center of Palestinian life in the city. It is now effectively ethnically cleansed. This...
Why Haiti Is Poor (I)
Mondoweiss - 16 Jan 2010 - Haiti’s poverty has a number of causes, but to a great extent the country is a victim of its own success. Just over 200 years ago, Haitians carried out the greatest slave revolt in human history, despite terrible losses (150,000 died in their uprising against France,...
Chomsky/Abunimah (the left and Zionism)
Mondoweiss - 16 Jan 2010 - Here is an exchange at KPFA in California between Noam Chomsky and Ali Abunimah and Jeff Blankfort touching on BDS and the Israel lobby. Actually, Chomsky declined to engage with Abunimah and Blankfort, so host Khalil Bendidb interviewed Chomsky on an earlier show, then on this...
Sometimes a headline says it all
Mondoweiss - 16 Jan 2010 - Haaretz : "Mitchell to arrive in Mideast this week with no plan…" Related posts: E&P dares to suggest that Gaza slaughter is ‘mass murder’ (then Huffpo censors headline) Look at the headline Sometimes the headline says it all
Haiti Gaza
Mondoweiss - 16 Jan 2010 - I’m moved by the American response to the Haiti disaster, by the sense of connection Americans are expressing to Haitians across traditional barriers of class, race, nation, and geography. Is this the Obama effect? Yes. Would the three network anchors have rushed across seas to Haiti...
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Israeli Navy Kidnaps Six Palestinian Fishermen In Southern Gaza
IMEMC 17 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 17, 2010 - 10:16, The Israeli Navy kidnapped on Sunday at dawn six Palestinian fishermen in Palestinian territorial waters in the Rafah area, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The Navy also opened fire at the fishermen and boarded two boats.
Palestinian Security Forces Arrest 12 Hamas Members, Including A Senior Qassam Fighter
IMEMC 17 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 17, 2010 - 09:56, The Security Forces of Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, arrested on Sunday 12 Hamas members in the occupied West Bank, including a senior fighter and leader of the Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.
Experts: Egypt’s wall will destroy Gaza’s aquifer
1/17/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Experts in Gaza determined on Sunday that Egypt's underground steel wall will lead to the destruction of Gaza's aquifer, during a symposium entitled The Metal Wall between Egypt and Gaza: Impacts, Environmental and Human Consequences, held in Gaza. Experts and specialists called on universities and research centres to partake in studies of the impact of Egypt's steel wall on the Gaza border. Underwater storage and soil erosion - Water expert Nezar Al-Weheidi noted that the metal wall threatens Gaza's underground water storage system and will cause the destruction of the aquifer, resulting from pollution. This, in turn, will have devastating environmental, economic and social impacts for both Egyptians and Palestinians, namely the destruction of drinking wells and those used for agriculture and other industries.
Ma’an urges hearing for detained US journalist
1/17/2010 - District Judge Kobi Vardi heard arguments on Sunday from the Israeli Attorney General's Office against two requests filed by Ma'an on Wednesday seeking to delay the imminent expulsion of journalist Jared Malsin. A comprehensive translation from Hebrew into English is underway, but a preliminary reading indicates that the attorney general requests there be no hearing because it would make it more difficult for the Ministry of the Interior to deport Malsin. Bringing Malsin out of the airport would necessitate improving the terms of his visa status, the attorney general maintained. Furthermore, the attorney general argues that the Interior Ministry denied Malsin entry for legitimate reasons, and that the chances of a successful appeal are so slim that the court should not bother intervening. The papers conclude by saying Malsin is responsible for the cost of his detention and expulsion.
Witnesses: Israeli navy detains 4 off Gaza coast
1/17/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Israeli navy detained four Palestinian fishermen and held two boats off the Rafah coast of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, according to witnesses. Witnesses say Israeli naval boats approached the fishermen, opened fire, and detained four members of the As-Sa'idi family. Israeli navy detained four Palestinian fishermen and held two ships off Rafah coast in the south of the Gaza Strip. Additionally, the Israeli navy dispersed fishermen in Rafah, Khan Younis and the An-Nusseirat Refugee Camp, as Deir Al-Balah saw intensive shooting, witnesses say. An Israeli military spokesman was unable to verify the incidents presently. [end]
Two Palestinians beaten by Israeli forces near settlement
1/17/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces attacked two Palestinians near the Betar Elite settlement near Husan village west of Bethlehem on Sunday morning. Both were hospitalized for serious injuries. Security sources said that Israeli soldiers stopped and beat Muhammad Halahleh, 35, and Mahmoud Ramadan, 15, both from Kharas in the Hebron governorate. Both were transferred to the Beit Jala Public Hopsital in Bethlehem to undergo treatment for their injuries. An Israeli military spokesman was unable to verify the incident presently. [end]
Israeli forces detain seven in Nablus
1/17/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained seven Palestinian from the Al-Ein Refugee Camp and Al-Sikkah Street in Nablus on Sunday, following an incursion. More than 15 Israeli military vehicles entered the city, raided a number of homes and detained Muntaser Hamdi, Samer As-Salhi, Raed Al-Khatib and Mu'tasim Saleh, witnesses said. Three brothers were detained in Al-Sikkah Street before Israeli troops withdrew from at 8am, witnesses say, identifying those detained as Shadi, Muhannad and Maher Shalabi. [end]
PSF: Movement against settlements must begin
1/17/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Popular Struggle Front denounced the recent use of Israeli bulldozers to create an entrance to a settlement in the West Bank city of Nablus. "Israeli forces and settlers' actions near Shave Shomron including bulldozing and expanding settlement roads thwarts all efforts undertaken by Arabs, the international community and the EU to revive the peace process," said Munadel Hanani, PSF central committee media officer. "The latest acts in Tene [Hebron], Yaqir [Salfit], and most recently in Shave Shomron constitute a clear challenge to the international community and the Quartet in particular. "Hanani further called for a popular movement to confront settlement expansion. "The popular movement should not be delayed any longer. All factions, organizations and activists should begin this movement immediately. "
Report: Shin Bet told Abbas to defer Goldstone vote
1/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - President Mahmoud Abbas postponed the the vote on the Goldstone report after a meeting with head of the Shin Bet security services, Yuval Diskin, according to Israeli media reports on Sunday. Diskin had reportedly told Abbas to defer the vote on the findings of last year's devastating war on Gaza or "Israel would turn the West Bank into a 'second Gaza'," the Israeli daily Haaretz said. Among the threats included rescinding freedom of movement in the West Bank and the withdrawal of permission to operate the Wataniya mobile company by the Palestinian Authority, the daily said. According to a PA official, Diskin, with a foreign diplomatic delegation, visited the presidential compound in Ramallah in October to make similar threats, the daily reported. A Palestinian commission broadcast on Al-Watan TV revealed a convoluted timeline in the order of events. . .
Fatah: Abbas won’t attend Kuwait talks until Hamas signs document
1/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Members of Fatah's Central Committee told Ma'an on Sunday that President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet with senior-most Hamas leader Khaled Mash'al until Hamas signs the Egyptian reconciliation document. Their statements follow news that the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Muhammad As-Sabah said that a reconciliation meeting will be held within the next ten days between Abbas and Mash'al, Kuwaiti media reported on Sunday. "A meeting will join Abbas and Mash'al, aimed at accomplishing the reconciliation proposal backed by Egypt. Hamas rules itself and all discussions concerning affiliations to other sides are false," Sheikh As-Sabah told the Kuwaiti daily Al-Qabs. Efforts to end Fatah-Hamas rivalry have been stonewalled, as Hamas demands that its amendments be taken into consideration. Meanwhile, Fatah officials say that the reconciliation document is finalized and have accused Hamas of attempting to stay general elections by delaying the ratification of the agreement.
Barghouti: Israel using negotiations as cover for expansionism
1/17/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative Mustafa Barghouti said on Sunday that returning to negotiations with Israel is not possible until a complete settlement standstill, including in occupied East Jerusalem, is enforced, as well as population growth, during a reception for the European Council. A timeline for negotiations, Barghouti added, must be identified in order to resume talks. "The Israeli government is trying to deceive the world with talks of its settlement freeze [in the West Bank] while construction is plainly increasing in Jerusalem and the West Bank. "Barghouti called on the EU to end Israeli practices in Jerusalem aimed at Judaizing the city, which he considered as an attempt to liquefy the Palestinian cause. Settlements and peace, he said, cannot coincide. "Israel is working to return to the negotiating table, which it is using as a cover for expansionism," Barghouti added.
Hamas: PA forces detained 12 members across the West Bank
1/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas reported on Sunday that Palestinian Authority security services detained 12 of the Islamist movement's affiliates across the West Bank on Saturday, including a leader of the Al-Qassam Brigades, a statement issued by the movement said. Al-Qassam Brigades leader Ayoub Al-Qawasmi was apprehended in Hebron after being pursued by PA security forces, the statement said. The remaining members were detained in Hebron, Nablus, Tulkarem, Jenin and Bethlehem governorates. [end]
Muhammad Dahlan’s mother passes away in Gaza
1/17/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The mother of Fatah leader and Palestine Legislative Council deputy Muhammad Dahlan has passed away in the Al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis in Gaza on Sunday. Siriya Dahlan, 80, was diagnosed with renal failure six months prior. Dahlan saw his mother five months ago whilst she was undergoing medical treatment in the West Bank. Relatives of Dahlan expressed that he has lost his biggest supporter and that today would prove particularly painful as he would not be able to attend his mother's funeral in Gaza. [end]
Hamas offers condolences for Dahlan’s loss
1/17/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Salah Al-Bardawil, a senior Hamas leader, extended the Islamic movement's condolences for the loss of Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan's mother on Sunday. Al-Bardawil said Hamas backed the de facto government's decision to allow Dahlan into the Strip, although Dahlan apparently declined. Earlier, the de facto government said it would view favorably any humanitarian request to visit Gaza. Ehab Al-Ghusein, spokesman for the de facto Ministry of the Interior, said "the Palestinian government takes into consideration the humanitarian aspects of such situations. "He added, "Any person who asks to visit Gaza for humanitarian reasons, we'd consider his request positively. " Al-Ghusein also said contacts were underway to allow Dahlan to enter, restricted to Khan Younis, his hometown, and for a limited time.
PICTI opens branch in Gaza
1/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Information and Communication Technology Incubator (PICTI), an organization that assists technology entrepreneurs to commercialize their ideas, announced on Saturday that it will be opening a branch in Gaza. The new Gaza branch has begun to hire staff able to offer services to clients in the IT and communications sector to support the Palestinian economy by creating job opportunities of IT graduates in Gaza, as well as those interested in establishing a company in the field, its representatives said. Hasan Omer, head of PICTI said that "since its establishment in 2004 the Incubator has placed Gaza at the top of its priorities, carrying out its activities within the available possibilities and general circumstances. " He added that "having PICTI in Gaza was a necessity and an urgent priority in order to facilitate communication and for Palestinians. . . "Related: PICTI
Palestinian laborer killed in work accident
1/17/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - A Palestinian worker from the district of Hebron died after being crushed by a block of cement that fell on him while he was working near the Israeli city of Ashdod, initial reports indicated. Other details were not immediately clear, although reports said the unidentified worker was employed by Bani Darum kibbutz, near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod. Israeli medics were dispatched to the scene but were unable to revive the man. Israeli police and Labor Ministry officials were also on the scene to investigate. [end]
IDF soldier seriously hurt when comrade's hammer falls on his head
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Five IDF soldiers have died in the last four months during routine training while on duty.
Shin Bet: 2009 was first year in decade without suicide attacks
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Israel registered 15 casualties in 2009 - 9 of them during the Gaza operation - as opposed to 36 in 2008.
Hamas lets Fatah strongman into Gaza, after two years in exile
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Death of Mohammed Dahlan's mother sparks new row between rival Palestinian movements.
IDF nabs Palestinian cell allegedly planning terror attack
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - IDF, Shin Bet arrest 2 separate groups of Palestinians in possession of explosive devices.
Jewish settlers beat up Palestinian child
Uruknet January 17, 2010 - Tens of fanatic Jewish settlers on Saturday night assaulted a Palestinian child in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem under the very eyes of the Israeli occupation police who did nothing to stop the assault. Eyewitnesses told the PIC that the settlers severely beat up Amna Al-Nashashibi, 16, during their provocative march, adding that they pulled...
Disgusting War Criminals Peddle “Humanitarian” Aid for Haiti
Uruknet January 17, 2010 - On Sunday, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush mounted the corporate media propaganda platform and complained about the politicization of the Haitian relief effort. Clinton said the devastating earthquake offers a chance to put aside politics and help people in despair. "I’d say now is not the time to focus on politics," said Bush in an...
ISRAELI OCCUPATION ON FILM….. JANUARY 2010 ….. WHAT THE ZIONISTS DON’T WANT YOU TO SEE
Uruknet
The Origin of The Palestine-Israel Conflict
Uruknet January 17, 2010 - As the periodic bloodshed continues in the Middle East, the search for an equitable solution must come to grips with the root cause of the conflict. The conventional wisdom is that, even if both sides are at fault, the Palestinians are irrational "terrorists" who have no point of view worth listening to. Our position, however, is...
Israeli Navy Kidnaps Six Palestinian Fishermen In Southern Gaza
Uruknet January 17, 2010- The Israeli Navy kidnapped on Sunday at dawn six Palestinian fishermen in Palestinian territorial waters in the Rafah area, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The Navy also opened fire at the fishermen and boarded two boats. Local sources reported that the Navy opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats before the army boarded them...
Ministry of prisoners: IOA trying to recruit Gazan fishermen as agents
Uruknet January 17, 2010 - The ministry of prisoners in the Gaza Strip on Sunday charged that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) was repeatedly trying to recruit agents in lines of the needy Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Riyadh Al-Ashqar, the ministry's spokesman, said in a press release that the Israeli navy boats on Saturday night abducted six Palestinian fishermen along...
Two Palestinians beaten by Israeli forces near settlement
Uruknet January 17, 2010 – Israeli forces attacked two Palestinians near the Betar Elite settlement near Husan village west of Bethlehem on Sunday morning. Both were hospitalized for serious injuries. Security sources said that Israeli soldiers stopped and beat Muhammad Halahleh, 35, and Mahmoud Ramadan, 15, both from Kharas in the Hebron governorate...
Haiti: U.S. Puppets, Intrigues and Dreams of Sweatshops
Uruknet January 17, 2010 - We need to talk about Aristide — the Haitian political leader associated with the poor and with radical change. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the tragedy of this earthquake was that Haiti had been doing so well. What she referred to was an imperialist campaign (spearheaded by her husband Bill Clinton) to consolidate...
Experts: Egypt's wall will destroy Gaza's aquifer
Uruknet January 17, 2010 - Experts in Gaza determined on Sunday that Egypt's underground steel wall will lead to the destruction of Gaza's aquifer, during a symposium entitled The Metal Wall between Egypt and Gaza: Impacts, Environmental and Human Consequences, held in Gaza. Experts and specialists called on universities and research centres to partake in studies of the impact of Egypt's...
Diskin to Abbas: Defer UN vote on Goldstone or face 'second Gaza'
Uruknet January 17, 2010 - The request by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the United Nations Human Rights Council last year to postpone the vote on the Goldstone report followed a particularly tense meeting with the head of the Shin Bet security service, Haaretz has learned. At the October meeting in Ramallah, Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin told Abbas that if...
The Perpetual Process for Impossible Peace
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - ...But if Washington thinks that they can placate public opinion in the Arab and Muslim world by being semi-engaged in a never ending on-again off-again process, while providing the weapons to Israel that ultimately kill Palestinian civilians, they are tragically mistaken. Very few people have faith left in this process and many never did. The Arab...
Fears of unrest over price rises in Iran
Uruknet January 16, 2010 - Critics of the government’s recently approved subsidy reform plan warn that it will probably cause Iran’s high inflation rate to skyrocket and may lead to social unrest at a time when the country is in the midst of a political crisis. "The rate of inflation may increase by as much as 60 per cent. In such...
Israel kidnaps 14 Palestinians
17 Jan 2010 - Palestine, January 17, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces kidnapped 14 Palestinians off the coast of Gaza Strip and West Bank, Palestinian witnesses and security sources said today. At dawn on Sunday, the Israeli navy stopped a Palestinian fishing boat in the waters of Rafah city, in southern Gaza Strip, and ordered the four fishermen to swim towards the gunboat,...
Iran threatened by female activists
The National 17 Jan 2010 - Authorities in Tehran are in a quandary over how to negate the growing force of women protesters.
Muslim Brotherhood has new leader
The National 17 Jan 2010 - Mohammed Badie faces struggle to unite Egypt's largest opposition organisation, while advocating gradual reform of country'.
Barak in Turkey to repair ties
AlJazeera 17 Jan 2010 - Israeli defence minister visits Ankara days after diplomatic feud between two nations.
West Bank land sales by Church spur uproar
PNN 16 Jan 2010 - The Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem is once again being rocked by controversy over alleged land sales to Israeli investors in the West Bank. So incensed is the local Palestinian orthodox community that Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch, had to be accompanied by security guards in full riot gear when he arrived in Bethlehem last week to celebrate Christmas. Many in...
'Gaza blockade is collective punishment'
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - Amnesty slams Israel as Defense Ministry cites 28% rise in humanitarian goods entering Strip in 2009.
121-member IDF medical and rescue team saves Haitian government worker
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - More than 100 survivors have been treated.
Analysis: Barak welcomed in Ankara as an Israeli the Turks can work with
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - Defense minister's 12-hour visit characterized by pleasantries and long conversations, in clear attempt by both countries to broadcast that the past is behind them.
Haiti: Woman gives birth in IDF emergency field hospital
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - Mother names boy 'Israel'; Israeli search teams to stop looking for survivors in 24 hours, Jpost's E.B. Solomont reports from Port-au-Prince.
FM: Gestures towards PA are over
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - After "good" meeting with Norwegian counterpart, Lieberman calls for gestures by the Palestinians.
Israel drops in press-freedom ranking
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - Israel (93) loses top spot among ME countries to fall behind Kuwait (60), Lebanon (61) and the United Arab Emirates (86).
Court releases 17 Sheikh Jarrah protesters without charges
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - Executive-director of The Association for Civil Rights (ACRI) in Israel calls police behavior at protests "a moral outrage."
Four Tel Aviv policemen indicted in abuse case
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - Suspects allegedly dumped cigarette butts on young Palestinian's head, shoved rifle into his buttocks.
10 IDF soldiers convicted of mutiny
Jeruslalem Post 17 Jan 2010 - Israel Radio: Nahal troops sentenced to military prison terms of 20 to 45 days for refusing orders.
MIDEAST: Israel Cannot be Sultan
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 14 (IPS) - A bizarre diplomatic incident - even by the Byzantine-like standards of the old near East - has threatened already strained relations between Israel and Turkey.
Palestinian film forum breaking the cultural siege on Gaza
1/17/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Bianca Zammit & Rada Daniell, ISM Gaza - The Palestinian Film Forum (the Forum) was established in 2004 as a branch of the Pal estinian Artists Union covering both Gaza and the West Bank. In the last couple of months it has intensified its activities aiming to achieve an ambitious list of tasks and ensure development of Palestinian cinematography and its networking with the other world cinematographies. The Forum recently organised the first film festival in Gaza in many years. The International Al Quds Film Festival took place between 21 and 23 December ‘09 and film makers from 11 Arab countries showed 52 documentary and feature films, two of which were made in cooperation with Spanish and Dutch filming associations. All films focused on Al Quds or Palestine and explored issues of life under siege and occupation and five of them were awarded Gold Olive prices.
Netanyahu heads to Berlin for long-awaited joint cabinet session
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Netanyahu to meet with Chancellor Merkel, tour Holocaust memorial and visit the Jewish musuem in Berlin.,
UN warns 250,000 Palestinians 'vulnerable' to settler violence
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - New report: Settlers may employ a "price tag policy" in response to terror attacks or settlement evacuation.,
Israel's aid to Haiti won't save Gaza
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Even the images of Israel's doctors working tirelessly in Haiti cannot blur our ugly face in Gaza.,
Israeli field hospital reflects Haiti's despair
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Staff work day and night to save lives at the hospital, which has treated 87 children and delivered a baby boy.,
Israeli team to halt Haiti search efforts Monday
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Baby born in Israel's Haiti field hospital; aid trickling through; death toll estimated at 50,000.
Palestinian activists urge Hamas to probe own Gaza war crimes
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Groups call on Hamas, PA to probe Goldstone report claims; Ex-Supreme Court judge urges Israeli inquiry.,
Turkey: Israel is strategic ally with shared interests
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Israel-Turkey ties strained following Deputy FM's snub of Turkey's ambassador to Israel.
At Rome synagogue, Pope defends Nazi-era Vatican
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Israel asks pontiff to open Vatican archives in light of Jewish anger over moves to canonize Pius XII.,
Berlin activists denounce fashion show near anti-Nazi memorial
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Bebel Platz, with the State Opera, university and a cathedral fronting on it, is often rented out for festivals.,
Abbas to U.S.: Peace talks won't work until Israel given red lines
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Lieberman: Palestinians must stop 'inciting against' Israel before asking for goodwill favors.,
Ex-Iraqi FM Tariq Aziz suffers from a stroke
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Aziz' son says his 73-year-old father was rushed to hospital in Balad, about 40 miles north Baghdad.,
U.S. official: Arming of Hezbollah could spark Israel-Syria war
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Official to Kuwaiti paper: Hezbollah operatives training in Syria on batteries of SA2 anti-aircraft missiles.,
Iran says its "nuclear rights" must be recognised
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Comments came after six powers met to discuss prospects of further sanctions against Iran.,
Minister becomes first Israeli official to ever visit Abu Dhabi
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - UAE official: Israel's attendance at renewable energy event has no implications for bilateral links.,
Kuwaiti FM: Israel's prime minister is 'stupid and insane'
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Palestinian peace with Israel still unlikely but Hamas and Fatah 'close to reconciliation.',
Israel braces for one of winter's stormiest days
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Monday is expected to be one of the stormiest and rainiest of the winter, with large quantities of rain expected even in the Arava Desert and in Eilat. According to the meteorological services company Meteo-Tech, the rain, which was forecast to begin overnight, could amount to between 50 and 100 millimeters. The rain will let up Tuesday but will resume on Wednesday. ...
At least 10 dead, 30 hurt in single day on Israel's roads
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - A spate of separate road accidents throughout Israel on Saturday night and Sunday morning left at least 10 people dead and 30 injured. ...
Netanyahu aides blast maid for spreading 'lies' about PM's wife
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Aides to Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed as "lies and slander" on Sunday an employment lawsuit filed by a former maid against the Israeli prime minister's wife. ...
Policemen charged with abusing Palestinian detainee
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Four Israel Police officers were indicted on Sunday for allegedly abusing a Palestinian detainee, arrested on suspicion of having stolen a motorcycle. ...
Netanyahu seen ready to discuss borders, Jerusalem
Relief Web 17 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Quarterly Regional Humanitarian Funding Update, Oct - Dec 2009
Relief Web 17 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
OPT: Refugee Stories: Damascus Circus School Kicks Off
Relief Web 17 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Letter to President Mahmoud Abbas: Calling for immediate commencement of internal investigations in compliance with UN GA Resolution A/RES/64/10
Relief Web 17 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 20: Fleeing Tel Al-Hawa
Relief Web 17 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 21: Left to Bleed to Death, the Shurrab Family, Khan Younis
Relief Web 17 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Israeli medical unit in Haiti: Where will orphans go?
YNet News 17 Jan 2010 - Lone baby and young girl with broken leg among many injured being treated at IDF hospital. Staff: So many orphans arrive here but where will they go afterwards? Adults also find themselves homeless. Yedioth Ahronoth reports from Port-au-Prince
Lebanese protest Egypt's Gaza barrier
YNet News 17 Jan 2010 - Some 200 people in Beirut to protest against construction of underground wall along Egypt-Gaza border; burn US, Israeli flags
Death of Palestinian ex-security chief's mother sparks tiff
YNet News 17 Jan 2010 - Dahlan misses his 80-year-old mother's funeral despite being authorized by Hamas to enter Gaza
IDF soldier struck by hammer, seriously wounded
YNet News 17 Jan 2010 - Five-kilo hammer falls on Armored Corps soldier during routine activity near Gaza; soldier airlifted to Beersheba hospital
Israel, Turkey ministers overcome diplomatic row
YNet News 17 Jan 2010 - Defense minister, Turkish counterpart Gonul tell reporters in Ankara they are working to boost relations, advance joint security projects. Barak: We apologized for humiliation of Turkish envoy
Lieberman: Humiliation of Turkish envoy a mistake
YNet News 17 Jan 2010 - FM addresses Jerusalem-Ankara row for first time; says, 'I hope we can bring things back to the way they were,' but claims protest against anti-Israel comments and TV shows was justified. On Palestinian issue: Israel's gesture arsenal drained
Turkey, Israel overcome their diplomatic fight
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Turkey and Israel pledged Sunday to maintain military cooperation as the Israeli defense minister visited Ankara after a serious diplomatic row, eager to mend fences with a key Muslim ally. Ehud Barak's one-day trip was the highest-level bilateral visit since Israel's ar on the Gaza Strip last year prompted an unprecedented barrage of criticism from the Islamist-rooted.
Yemen's security chief warns against harboring Al-Qaeda
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Yemen's chief of central security warned the country's tribes on Sunday that if they harbor suspected members of Al-Qaeda they could face dire consequences, days after an air-strike killed six top Al-Qaeda leaders. General Yahya Saleh, nephew of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, said "we broadly tell citizens in the concerned regions that they should not accept the presence of Al-Qaeda elements among them.
Israeli minister visits Abu Dhabi for first time
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Israel for the first time sent a Cabinet minister to the United Arab Emirates, a country with which it doesn't have relations, to attend a conference on alternative energy. National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau told the Associated Press on Sunday he did not meet with any Emirati officials while attending a conference of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), based in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.
Abbas urges 'endgame' or settlement halt
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged Washington on Sunday to declare an "endgame" to resolve the decades-old Middle East conflict if Israel does not agree to halt settlement growth. Abbas said in a statement carried by the official Wafa wire service that Arab states and the Palestinians would present a unified position to the United States offering two options.
Israel 'collectively punishing' people of Gaza: Amnesty
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Amnesty International on Monday accused Israel of "collectively punishing" the population of the Gaza Strip with border closures tightened after the Islamist Hamas movement's bloody 2007 takeover. The British-based rights group said the firing of rockets by Palestinian militants - which the Israeli military says has dropped by about 90 percent since its war on Gaza last year - did not justify the sanctions.
Iran suspends Saudi pilgrimages over religious police
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Iran has suspended pilgrimages to the Muslim holy places until Saudi religious police end their "appalling behavior" toward Iranian Shiite pilgrims, an official said Sunday. "The reason for the suspension is because the way the agents of the Saudi Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have been dealing with our pilgrims," the head of public relations of the Iranian hajj.
Kuwait 'needs security,' not money from Iraq
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Kuwait is not asking its former occupier Iraq to repay a multi-billion-dollar debt but only for assurances on security and good neighborly ties, the Kuwaiti foreign minister has said. "What we need from Iraq is security and assurances. We don't want money which is the last thing on our mind," Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah told Al-Qabas newspaper in an interview due to appear on Sunday.
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood chooses new leader
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Egypt's largest opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, announced Saturday it has chosen a new leader, a conservative academic who looks unlikely to challenge the government's relentless crackdown on the group. The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood managed to make a strong showing in 2005's parliamentary election with candidates who ran as independents.
Tehran insists its 'nuclear rights' must be recognized
Daily Star 17 Jan 2010 Major powers will only achieve results in their meetings on Iran if they adopt a "realistic approach" and recognize its nuclear rights, the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Sunday. Ramin Mehmanparast made the comment a day after the six powers met to discuss prospects of further sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
Experts warn of negative impacts of Egypt’s steel wall on life in Gaza
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - Environmentalists and economists warned of the negative environmental and economic impacts of building the steel wall, affirming that the wall would destroy Gaza aquifer.
Resheq: We are concerned with retaining good relations with Egypt
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - Ezzet Al-Resheq, member of Hamas's political bureau, has said that his Movement is keen on maintaining good relations with Egypt regardless of passing crises.
Palestinian government invites Arab MPs to visit war-torn Gaza
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - The government committee to break the siege invited Arab lawmakers to visit Gaza to break the political isolation of the government and report about the humanitarian suffering of Gaza people.
Ministry of prisoners: IOA trying to recruit fishermen as agents
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - The ministry of prisoners in Gaza Strip on Sunday charged that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) was repeatedly trying to recruit agents in lines of the needy Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas supports gov't decision allowing entry of Dahlan into Gaza
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - Hamas Movement announced that it supports the Palestinian government's decision to allow the entry of Fatah MP Mohammed Dahlan into Gaza Strip for humanitarian reasons.
Abu Tir: Sheikh Salah last defense line of the Aqsa
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - Hamas lawmaker in Israeli jails Mohamed Abu Tir deplored the imprisonment sentence issued against Sheikh Ra’ed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied lands.
Haaretz: Abbas’s meeting with Diskin led to the deferral of Goldstone report
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - The Haaretz newspaper revealed that Mahmoud Abbas took his decision to defer the UN vote on Goldstone report after his meeting with Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin in his headquarters in Ramallah.
Jewish settlers' attempt to storm village foiled, IOF detain 8 Palestinians
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - Palestinian citizens of the Iraq Burin village, Nablus district, on Saturday night repelled a group of Jewish setters who came from the nearby Yitzhar settlement to attack the village.
IOF detain six Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza beach
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - The agriculture ministry warned of the Israeli piracy in the Palestinian territorial waters after six fishermen were detained by the IOF gunboats off the Rafah coast on Saturday night.
Abbas’s militias kidnap senior Qassam leader in Al-Khalil
PIC 17 Jan 2010 - The Hebrew radio reported that Ayoub Al-Qawasma, one of Israel’s most wanted resistance leaders of Al-Qassam Brigades was kidnapped at an early hour Sunday by Abbas’s militias in Al-Khalil.
Spanish lawmaker is angry about FBI's use of his image
LA Times 17 Jan 2010 - A Spanish lawmaker was horrified to learn that the FBI had used an online photograph of him to create an image showing what Osama bin Laden might look like today.
Israeli Defense Minister Visits Turkey to Mend Frayed Ties
New York Times 17 Jan 2010 - Ehud Barak traveled to Turkey on Sunday to try to smooth over recent tensions that have further frayed the traditionally strong ties between the two countries.
200 of us demonstrated outside the courthouse all night long, shouting to be heard by the 17 in the lockup
Mondoweiss - 17 Jan 2010 - My report from two demonstrations on Friday and their aftermath: 1. Al Masara. The military raided the Palestinian village on Thursday night (around 2 a.m.), entering homes with force and threatening people to stop the demonstrations "or things will get much worse… a child will be...
Detained American journalist Jared Malsin goes to court today to fight deportation from Israel
Mondoweiss - 17 Jan 2010 - Jared Malsin Four days ago we posted on the the case of Jared Malsin , the chief English editor at the Palestinian Ma’an News Agency. Malsin was detained at the Ben Gurion Airport for the past four days and is in danger of deported from Israel/Palestine today....
Obama capitulates to the Israeli side
Mondoweiss - 17 Jan 2010 - Haaretz : His [Mitchell's] main message will be the need to apply pressure, especially from the Arab states, on the Palestinian Authority to resume negotiations with Israel. At last week’s meeting of the Quartet, Mitchell told the delegates there was no prospect of Israel agreeing to a...
Why was I silent about my politics in the Holocaust survivor’s house?
Mondoweiss - 17 Jan 2010 - A week ago I went to three weekly demonstrations in Israel/Palestine, winding up in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. Much of the day was spent discussing anti-Zionism with Israeli Jews. I found two camps among the Israeli Jews who were demonstrating. One camp was those who...
Monday, January 18, 2010
Israel, Germany hold joint Cabinet meeting amidst protests; Israel to receive nuclear submarine
IMEMC 18 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 19, 2010 - 03:16, “Judaism Yes, Zionism No!” read signs carried by a group of Orthodox Jews who joined dozens of other protesters outside a joint Cabinet meeting of the German and Israeli Prime Ministers on Monday. The protesters condemned the ongoing Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, where 1.5 million Palestinians live imprisoned behind Israeli and Egyptian border controls, unable to leave or to export or import goods.
Abu Zuhri: “Israel Deliberately Trying To Flood The Palestinians”
IMEMC 18 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 19, 2010 - 02:38, Sami Abu Zuhri, spokesperson of the Hamas movement, stated that Israel deliberately opened the dams allowing the water to flood the Gaza valley area, and added that this is yet “another Zionist crime targeting the residents and their property”.
Hundreds Displaced By Gaza Flood
IMEMC 18 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 19, 2010 - 00:45, Dozens of Palestinian homes were flooded in the Gaza Valley area on Monday evening, and hundreds of families were rendered homeless after Israel opened one of its dams that were overfilled with heavy rain water.
The Israeli military kidnaps 17 Palestinian civilians from the West Bank
IMEMC 18 Jan 2010 - Monday January 18, 2010 - 16:11, Seventeen Palestinian civilians were reported to have been kidnapped on Monday by Israeli troops during pre-dawn invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities.
Israel's military continues to target anti wall protest organizers
IMEMC 18 Jan 2010 - Monday January 18, 2010 - 14:15, Four Palestinian civilians were kidnapped by Israeli troops during a pre-dawn invasion targeting the village of Nil'in, central West Bank. Israeli troops told their families that they have been kidnapped for their involvement in the weekly nonviolent protests against the Israeli built wall on villager's lands.
Hamas Welcomes Amnesty Report
IMEMC 18 Jan 2010 - Monday January 18, 2010 - 14:09, Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, welcomed the report of Amnesty International in which it demanded Israel to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip, and stated that the siege leaves more than 1.4 million Palestinians cut off from the outside world and struggling with desperate poverty.
Excavations blamed for latest Silwan collapse
1/19/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - The Wadi Hilwah Information Centre reported another collapse in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem on Monday, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City, creating a 12 meter square hole in the middle of Wadi Hilwah street. Jawad Siam, head of the information centre, said that the latest collapse in Wadi Hilwah took place over a 10 meter deep tunnel and is a few meters from the previous cave in at the beginning of January, as a result of Israeli excavations in the area. A child was injured and a vehicle fell ithrough the site, Siam said, adding that the local Al-Ein mosque, where Israeli excavation has intensified, was flooded as rainwater seeped into the collapsed site. The Al-Quds Centre for Economic and Social rights said that this incident follows a number of similar collapses in Silwan recently, pointing out that last year, a collapse occurred in a girls' school, injuring 17 students.
Sheikh Tamimi warns of Al-Aqsa mosque collapsing
1/19/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi, chief Islamic judge for the Palestinian Authority, warned that the Al-Aqsa Mosque suffers from cracks and fissures in the walls, a sign of its impending collapse, as a result of Israeli excavations below it, he said on Monday. Sheikh Tamimi further warned that houses in the surround neighborhood are at risk resulting from the Israeli Antiquities Authority working a night and removing dozens of bags with stones from the excavation site south of the mosque. He further spoke of the rise in extremist Jewish, as well as military intrusion into the compound, including the entry of 50 students from various departments of archeology in Israeli universities to undertake research and of settlers while women prayed, he said. The Sheikh held the Israeli government responsible for the collapses and deterioration around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its. . .
Peaceful march reaches Gaza buffer zone
1/19/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Dozens of Palestinian and foreign activists on Monday rallied in protest against Israel's creation of a buffer zone between the Green Line and the northern and eastern borders of the Gaza Strip. The march began from the destroyed Faculty of Agriculture north of Beit Hanoun and reached the buffer zone south of the Erez crossing. The demonstrations began last Monday and are due to be held every week. Following the first protest, Saber Az-Za'aneen, coordinator of the local committee that organized the protests said that the committee hopes to see participation grow, in order to protect farmers, who are most affected by the decision, and to assist them in gaining entry to their agricultural land. The Israeli army dropped leaflets across Gaza, informing its residents of the new areas that are no longer accessible to the population. . . . .
Palestinian rights orgs demand gov’t investigate Goldstone claims
1/18/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Thirteen Palestinian human rights organizations and legal advocacy groups appealed to President Mahmoud Abbas and de facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in open letters, calling for the immediate commencement of internal investigations of the Goldstone report. The groups, listed below, demanded the investigations be carried out in compliance with the UN General Assembly resolution. The letter explained that on 5 February 2010 the UN Secretary-General is due to submit his report on the implementation of the General Assembly Resolution relating to investigations into allegations made in the Goldstone report. "As Palestinian and international non-governmental organisations, we urge both the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza to immediately commence credible internal investigations in compliance with international standards and in accordance with the Report by the Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. "
Gazans raise money for Haiti
1/19/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an -Palestinians in Gaza set off for the Red Cross headquarters on Monday to offer donations and financial support for the victims of Haiti's devastating earthquake on Tuesday. Relatives of Palestinian prisoners also participated in the drive, with many offering financial donations and goods including blankets and covers, as well as food and milk for children. Head of the Committee to Break the Siege Jamal Al-Khudary said "people may be astonished at our ability to collect donations from our people [in Gaza]; we tell them that this is a humanitarian campaign and our people love life and peace "¦""We are here today supporting the victims of Haiti "¦ we feel for them the most because we were exposed to our own earthquake during Israel's war on Gaza. "The Red Cross director was only able to accept financial donations as transferring goods out of the Strip is near impossible, Al-Khudary added.
Christians mark Epiphany on Jordan River
1/19/2010 - Jericho - Ma'an - Eastern calendar Christians celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany on the west bank of the Jordan River on Monday, commemorating the baptism of Jesus. Thousands of Christians came from Europe, Russia, and Ethiopia joined Palestinian Christians despite pouring rain and swelling river banks. Hundreds from Jordan also joined in from the east bank of the Jordan, shouting greetings to friends and loved ones on the Palestinian side. Pilgrims noted a heavy Israeli military presence, and were prohibited from performing the traditional baptisms at the site. Onlookers said military cordons were placed between the pilgrims and the water. Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III officiated the celebrations, arriving early in Jericho to meet with local leaders and Christian officials in the city. Jericho Governor Kamel Hemed told the patriarch that the Palestinian. . .
Why Israel should support journalists
1/18/2010 - Matt Sienkiewicz - I write this brief piece with anger, sadness and a measure of fear. I write with anger because Israeli authorities have detained Jared Malsin, the English Desk Editor at the Ma'an News Agency, since Wednesday. After considerable legal effort, Malsin has been granted a hearing, thus avoiding immediate deportation. However, as of this writing, he remains locked up in a small, windowless room, uncertain of his fate. There is some debate as to the nature of Malsin's detention and potential deportation. Israeli sources have denied that the legal issues stem from Jared's work as a journalist in the West Bank. Ma'an has recovered contradictory information, however, suggesting that at least part of the "security" concerns surrounding the journalist stem from his writing and reporting. Certainly, Malsin has been involved in reports that detail the uglier side of Israeli policies in the West Bank and Gaza.
Two crossings open; Gaza strawberries en route to France
1/18/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom and Karni to allow the transfer of aid, limited quantities of domestic gas and industrial diesel, as well as restricted amounts of goods for export, Palestinian border crossing official Raed Fattouh said. Approximately 70 truckloads of humanitarian aid will be allowed through Kerem Shalom, as well as limited amounts of cooking gas, Fattouh said. At Karni, 98 truckloads of animal feed and wheat will be transferred into the Strip. For export, two truckloads of strawberries will leave Gaza under the auspices of a program headed up by the Dutch government. The program supports strawberry and carnation farmers in the Strip, and as of 10 December secured permission from Israeli crossings officials for the regular export of both goods. According to Consul General for the Netherlands in Jerusalem Jack Twiss Quarles van Ufford,. . .
Israeli forces detain four in Jerusalem area
1/18/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained four Palestinians in Beit Duqqu, northwest of Jerusalem early on Monday, according to sources. The sources told Ma'an that an Israeli military convoy of 10 vehicles, accompanied by police dogs, raided the village at 3am and used stun grenades against the four before detaining them. Sources identified those detained as Khaled Daoud, 22, Yousef Daoud, 25, Ali Daoud, 33 and Muhamamd Daoud, 34. [end]
Gaza family appeals to Abbas to help save dying son
1/18/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The family of a young boy in Gaza who suffers from cancer appealed on Monday to President Mahmoud Abbas to intervene in their son's treatment. Ahmad Al-Agha, 12, suffers from cancer of the abdominal lymph nodes. A medical report issued by the Al-Rantisi Pediatric Hospital revealed that in mid 2009, Al-Agha's condition improved following chemotherapy. However, his condition deteriorated over the last six months and is urgently in need of medical treatment in a developed cancer ward outside of Gaza, the report said. "We appeal to President Abbas and are full of hope that he will help us and send him to a specialist hospital," said Ahmad's father, Hatem Al-Agha. Ahmad's father explained that the de facto Ministry of Health had contacted Israeli hospitals on behalf of Ahmad, which refused to transfer him.
Israel forces detain shepherd, three others in Ar-Rashayda
1/18/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained four Palestinians in the village of Ar-Rashayda, southeast of Bethlehem on Monday, including an elderly shepherd, as they returned home from tending to their sheep, local sources said. According to the sources, a military convoy of 20 Israeli jeeps apprehended the car the four were travelling in and detained them. Those detained were identified as Mahmud Muhammad Hamad Ar-Rashayda, known as Abu Ismail, 61, his brother Ahmad, 55, Riziq Ahmad Ar-Rashayda, 18, and Yasser Aramin. Israeli forces told Abu Ismail's family that he had been transferred to the Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital following a decline in health, the sources added. Abu Ismail suffers from high blood pressure. His family called on human rights organizations to intervene for his release. . . . .
Hamas senior official admits Iran’s financial, political support
1/18/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Member of Hamas' parliamentary bloc, Khalil Al-Haya said that the movement is receiving fianacial, political and moral support from Iran, "without paying any political price," and welcomed every Islamic and Arab relation that would support the Palestinians and their resistance, he said on Sunday. While reiterating that Hamas would not sign the Egyptian-backed reconciliation proposal without discussing the movement's ammendents, Al-Haya said that 2010 would be the year to restore unity between the West Bank and Gaza and to strengthen political partnerships under one government's rule throughout the territories. This, he said, would be under a unifed Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Legilstative Council and Palestinian Liberation Organization that represents all Palestinian political parties, "supporting resistance in confronting the Israel occupation. "
India rep office in Ramallah organizes first business seminar
1/18/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Representative Office of India in Ramallah organized the first ever Business Seminar for prominent Palestinian businessmen, mainly importers, on Monday at the Ankar suit in Ramallah. Around 40 businessmen participated. Bishwadip Dey, Representative of India to the occupied Palestinian territories briefed participants on the salient features of Indian economy, including growth potentials and the advantages that Palestinian businessmen and importers would have dealing with India. "India is one of the most exciting emerging markets in the world. Skilled managerial and technical manpower that match the best available in the world and a middle class, whose size exceeds the population of the United States of Americaor the European Union, provide India with a cutting edge in global competition. India is the second fastest growing economy after China with average annual. . . "
NASA and MIT officials meet to discuss university degree
1/18/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Undersecretary of the Palestinian Ministry of Education Muhammad Abu Zeid welcomed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officials on Monday, including Robert Williams, the President of the International Astronomical Union and the Director of the Space Center in the US, as well asastronaut and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Jeff Hoffman. The meeting was held to discuss the promotion of astronomy and astrophysics in Palestinian education and developing a university degree program in the field, in addition to endorsing a cultural exchange programs with Palestinian specialists and NASA staff. Williams explained that the NASA delegation's visit to the occupied Palestinian territories was undertaken to encourage the study of sciences and astronomy at a university level and at scientific centers.
Palestinian civil defense rescue residents as weather turns
1/19/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Palestinian civil defense force was deployed throughout the West Bank to assist in numerous incidents as weather conditions worsened overnight on Sunday and early Monday morning, a police report said. Following an electricity blackout overnight, the civil defense was called to rescue a woman stuck in an elevator in Al-Masyoun, Ramallah. Fire crews extinguished a blaze that erupted in the kitchen of a home in Bethlehem - the result of an electrical shortage caused by the blackout. In the Ad-Doha neighborhood of Bethlehem, civil defense forces pulled cars out of flooded areas caused by excessive rainfall on Sunday evening. Sewage lines were also repaired following a burst, also as the result of downpours. In Hebron, a fire in a store was extinguished which caused an estimated 50,000 Shekels worth of damage.
Dahlan refuses to enter Gaza under Hamas
1/19/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Fatah leader and Palestine Legislative Council deputy Muhammad Dahlan has refused to enter Gaza while it remains under Hamas' control, he said on Monday. Dahlan accused the Islamist movement of exploiting his mother's death for political gains by inviting him to participate in her funeral. He would have to make a formal request to enter Gaza with the de facto government and enter in the custody of Hamas. "[I] do not want to provoke events or confrontations, or injury to members of Fatah who may be abused, as was the case during the commemoration ceremony for Yasser Arafat when more than 10 Palestinians were killed and a hundred injured," Dahlan's statement read. "Despite this great sadness that arises from not participating in the funeral, I will not enter Gaza until Palestinian legitimacy is restored. "
Hebron governor delivers assistance to 25 families
1/18/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Hussein Al-A'raj, governor of Hebron south of the West Bank delivered urgent aid on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas to 25 families in need in the Hebron district during a ceremony on Sunday evening. The ceremony was attended by deputy of the governor Samar Abu Zneid along with other officials and families receiving the donations. During a speech, Al-A'raj expressed his gratitude to Abbas for meeting the needs of all Palestinians, he said, adding that the donations will have a significant effect on its beneficiares. The families expressed gratitude and appreciation to the donation and Abbas' delivered support for the Palestinians. They also thanked the governor and the senior officials of the governorate for helping deliver the aid. . . . .
Hamas: PA security detain six affiliates
1/18/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas officials accused Palestinian Authority security services of detaining six men with connections to Hamas, saying they were detained from across the West Bank on Monday based on their affiliation. A statement from the party identified those detained as: Mayor of Qabalan Yousef Ahed Al-Imleh, Muhammad Marshoud from the Balata Refugee Camp Kheirallah Umous from Ramallah Zaher Hassanein, from Qalqiliya, recently released from Israeli prison Mu'ayayd Abdoul Latif, from Qalqiliya, previously targeted by the PA, Majdi Sharif, from Qalqiliya, previously targeted by the PA. The arrests could not be independently confirmed by Ma'an. [end]
Palestinian NGO Network calls for national unity
1/18/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Seventy Palestinian NGOs and human rights organizations have called on Hamas and Fatah to respond to Egyptian efforts to end internal Palestinian division on Monday and to work towards national unity. The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organization Network (PNGO) has made the call to guarantee Palestinian rights and freedoms, achieved through strengthening national unity, representatives said. On 14 September 2009 PNGO launched a conference for the national Campaign to Defend Public Freedoms and Human rights and to Promote the Restoration of National Unity in Palestine - a national meeting via video-conference between the Gaza Strip and West Bank. In October the Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights (affiliated with PNGO) called on Palestinian political parties to restore national unity without further delay in a statement issued on the PNGO Portal.
Al-Wadiyeh: Talks underway for Hamas-Fatah reconciliation
1/18/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Representative of Independent Palestinian Party Yasser Al-Wadiyehannounced on Monday that talks between Palestinian and Egyptian officials are underway to encourage the ratification of the Egyptian reconciliation document or a meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas senior leader Khaled Mash'al. During an interview with Ma'an, Al-Wadiyeh called for a swift end to procedural steps to break the impasse reached in reconciliation talks and the signing of the Egyptian document in order to implement its instructions throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. "There is a positive inclination towards resolving the current crisis by several Palestinian and Arab parties," he said. On Sunday it was reported that Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Muhammad As-Sabah would host a reconciliation meeting within the next ten days between Abbas and Mash'al, Kuwaiti media said.
Bethlehem celebrates Armenian Christmas
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Bethlehem celebrated its third and final Christmas of the season with Palestinian Armenians on Monday, alongside President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The smallest minority in Palestine, there are less than 400 Armenians in the West Bank, with most residing in Jerusalem and three families in Bethlehem. "We consider this Christmas as the Palestinians' Christmas," Abbas told Armenian Patriarch Torkom Manoogian in the small Nativity Church chapel used by Armenians, "Because we know the Armenians are stranded all over the world. . . it is as if they are 'Palestinianized' and we feel connected to your plight," he said. Abbas joined Bethlehemite Armenians for Christmas lunch in the city. The Armenian church celebrates Christmas on the same day as the Feast of the Epiphany according to the eastern calendar. . . . .
Three confirmed dead, dozens missing in Sinai floods
1/18/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - At least three were killed and dozens were reported missing as floods ravaged Sinai, according to Egyptian security sources. Two Egyptians were killed as floods swept cars across streets, the sources said. A woman died and dozens were injured in the Ras Sidr area in Sinai. South of Sinai has witnessed the worst flooding, which have overtaken the isolated Sharam As-Sheikh area. Streets were shut down across Sinai, the sources said, adding that Wadi Al-Azraq, 20 kilometers south of the Rafah crossing, experienced severe flooding. Two Israeli jeeps drifted into Egyptian territory as a result of the deluge. [end]
Court extends remand of settlers suspected of mosque arson
Ha'aretz 18 Jan 2010 - Two months ago assailants torched furniture at Yasuf mosque, sprayed derogatory slogans.
Police arrest 10 in raid on West Bank settlement
Ha'aretz 18 Jan 2010 - Five people, including two minors, detained for alleged involvement in mosque arson last month.
Hundreds Displaced By Gaza Flood
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - Dozens of Palestinian homes were flooded in the Gaza Valley area on Monday evening, and hundreds of families were rendered homeless after Israel opened one of its dams that were overfilled with heavy rain water. Local civil defense teams, and medics of the Military Medical Services in Gaza, rushed to rescue the flooded area and rescued...
Abu Zuhri: “Israel Deliberately Trying To Flood The Palestinians”
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - Sami Abu Zuhri, spokesperson of the Hamas movement, stated that Israel deliberately opened the dams allowing the water to flood the Gaza valley area, and added that this is yet "another Zionist crime targeting the residents and their property". Abu Zuhri added that the "Zionist occupation is to be held responsible for this crime", and that...
Israel Jails Palestinian Peace Activists
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - Israel has long argued that Palestinians should pursue their political objectives in a non-violent way. However, several prominent Palestinian peace activists have recently been arrested and jailed for doing just that. Abdallah Abu Rahme, 39, the coordinator of the Bi’lin Popular Committee, which has challenged Israel’s illegal expropriation of Palestinian land both in an Israeli court...
Palestinian NGO Network calls for national unity
Uruknet January 18, 2010 – Seventy Palestinian NGOs and human rights organizations have called on Hamas and Fatah to respond to Egyptian efforts to end internal Palestinian division on Monday and to work towards national unity. The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organization Network (PNGO) has made the call to guarantee Palestinian rights and freedoms, achieved through strengthening national unity, representatives said...
Suffocating: The Gaza Strip under Israeli Blockade (Full Text)
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - More than 1.4 million Palestinian men, women and children are trapped in the Gaza Strip. Their daily lives are marked with power shortages, little or no running water and deteriorating health care. Mass unemployment, poverty and food insecurity exacerbate the impact of the Israeli blockade which was brought into force in June 2007. In this campaign...
Turkey: Israel is strategic ally with shared interests
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul on Sunday publicly put an end to a week-long row that threatened already tense ties between Israel and Turkey, saying his country would remain strategic allies with Israel for as long as necessary. "We are living in the same area, although we don't have common borders, we have the same interests,"...
Interview: Joe Sacco
Uruknet January 18, 2010 -When it comes to the world of cartooning, Joe Sacco is considered a luminary. Sacco, who is hailed as the creator of war-reportage comics, is the author of such award-winning books as Palestine and Safe Area Gorazde. His latest work, Footnotes in Gaza, is an investigation into two little-known and long-forgotten massacres in 1956 in the southern...
Nahr al-Bared's economic recovery hampered by military siege
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - More than two years after the end of the fighting, the war-torn Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, located in northern Lebanon, is far from the model the Lebanese government has promised the camp would become. Instead, reconstruction of the camp is delayed, the area is a military zone with restricted access, and the camp's economy...
Repression continues: Eight Arrested Following a Night Raid in Ni'ilin
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - Four residents of Ni'ilin have been arrested last night during a military incursion into the West Bank village. Four others, who were not home at the time of the raid surrendered themselves in the morning. These recent arrests are a part of a concerted assault on the popular movement and the arrest of three prominent organizers...
Disaster Capitalism Headed to Haiti
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - Since the 19th century, America dominated Haiti. Before the quake, a proxy paramilitary Blue Helmet force occupied the country, dispatched not for peacekeeping but iron-grip control. Worse still, it was the first time ever that UN forces supported a coup d'etat government, the one Washington installed after US Marines kidnapped President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, forcibly exiled him...
Interview: Jesse Hagopian Witness to a nightmare
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - ...ON SATURDAY, Hillary Clinton flew into Haiti to oversee the relief effort--supposedly. But I think her trip to Haiti tells you all you need to know: They had to shut down the airport for three hours so she could land, which meant that no actual aid flights could come in. And this happened at a really...
Bush, Clinton and the crimes of US imperialism in Haiti
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - The Obama administration has announced that former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will head the fundraising for relief efforts in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. In his radio speech Saturday, Obama declared: "These two leaders send an unmistakable message to the people of Haiti and the world. In a moment of need, the...
President in a ceremony of the Armenian community: We will not fail to work for peace
18 Jan 2010 - Bethlehem - Paltelegraph - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attended, on Monday evening in a celebration of the Armenian community in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. President Abbas said in a speech on the occasion of the Patriarch of the Armenians: "We will not hesitate to work for peace, and we have no other choice but peace, and through...
What time / Palestinian medic:"I mean the death of people sitting in the streets"
18 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 18, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) -"I mean the death of people sitting in the streets"Palestinian medic speaks of the "Paltelegraph Press" on Amaaecath terrible during the aggression.Witnesses on the first row of war crimes made them live the last of the innocent Alzfrat Gaza medics moved the kill, the living and the fragments .. And blood-stained memories Paltelegraph - Gaza...
Call for Palestinians to investigate Gaza 'crimes'
18 Jan 2010 - Palestinian human rights activists have called on authorities in the West Bank and Gaza to investigate allegations of war crimes carried out by their forces. The accusations come from a United Nations report into the Israel's Cast Lead offensive in Gaza last year. Palestinian militants are accused of attacking Israeli civilians, as well as torturing and executing suspected Palestinian informers....
Israeli settlers arrested in mosque arson investigation
18 Jan 2010 - Israeli police have arrested 10 people as part of investigations into an arson attack on a West Bank mosque. Police carried out a pre-dawn raid on the Yitzhar settlement, near the Palestinian town Yasuf, where the mosque was attacked last month. They are investigating whether there is a link between those arrested and the arson attack, police sources said. The...
Israel detains 16 Palestinians
18 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 18, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained 16 Palestinians on Monday from Ramallah and Jerusalem in the West Bank. Ten Israeli military vehicles invaded Ramallah and detained number of Palestinians claiming that they are "wanted". They kidnapped seven of them captured north of Ramallah. Also, they kidnapped Khaled Dawood, 22, Yosef Dawood, 25, Ali Dawood,...
Storms in Red Sea area kill seven including British tourist
The National 18 Jan 2010 - Worst flooding in a decade hits Egypt, Jordan and Israel, destroying homes and blocking roads and knocking out power.
Israel targets Palestinian anti-wall activists
The National 18 Jan 2010 - Israel has arrested dozens of Palestinian activists since December, in an apparent attempt to crack down on protests against the barrier.
Iran mulls downgrading ties with UK
AlJazeera 18 Jan 2010 - Tehran reconsidering relations with Britain following recent tensions.
Repression continues: Eight Arrested Following a Night Raid in Ni'ilin
Alternative Information Center 18 Jan 2010 - Four residents of Ni'ilin have been arrested last night during a military incursion into the West Bank village. Four others, who were not home at the time of the raid surrendered themselves in the morning. These...
Israel's treatment of Ethiopians 'racist'
PNN 18 Jan 2010 - Health officials in Israel are subjecting many female Ethiopian immigrants to a controversial long-term birth control drug in what Israeli women’s groups allege is a racist policy to reduce the number of black babies. The contraceptive, known as Depo Provera, which is given by injection every three months, is considered by many doctors as a birth control method of last resort because...
Israel's Barak visits Turkey in wake of row
PNN 18 Jan 2010 - Israel's defence minister has gone to Turkey for talks, in the wake of a diplomatic row which has further soured relations between the two countries. Ehud Barak met Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, and will also hold discussions with his counterpart. It comes days after Israel apologised to Turkey after a minister publicly humiliated Turkey's ambassador. Israeli-Turkish relations have deteriorated since Turkey...
Israel's military continues to target anti wall protest organizers
PNN 18 Jan 2010 - Four Palestinian civilians were kidnapped by Israeli troops during a pre dawn invasion targeting the village of Nil'in, central West Bank. Israeli troops told their families that they have been kidnapped for their involvement in the weekly nonviolent protests against the Israeli built wall on villager's lands.Around 100 Israeli soldiers stormed the small village near Ramallah. Troops searched a number of homes...
Israel, Germany team cooperate on aid
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - Israeli humanitarian efforts will reach into some countries with which it does not have relations.
Livni's brother praises Moshe Feiglin
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - Kadima head slammed in faction meeting.
IDF teams comb rubble for last survivors
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - Grim mood descends as rescue missions in Haiti increasingly become body-recovery efforts.
Dahlan rejects Hamas offer to enter Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - Former PA offical misses mother's funeral, doesn't want to spark clashes that would hurt Fatah men.
1 dead, 1 missing in Arava flash floods
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - IDF airlifts four people to safety from stranded truck in dramatic rescue broadcast live.
Court makes it easier for terror victims to sue groups responsible for attacks
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - Victims of Palestinian terror attacks will now be able to deliver lawsuits to accessible senior representatives of the organizations responsible for them.
'I'd be arrested to defend IDF soldiers'
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - In CNN interview, Livni says she's willing to be a "test case" to speak up for army's actions in Cast Lead.
Merkel backs tougher sanctions on Iran
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - PM, 6 cabinet members in Berlin to meet German counterparts, discuss Schalit release efforts.
Iran: Professor's death will be avenged
Jeruslalem Post 18 Jan 2010 - Ahmadinejad claims Teheran University nuclear scientist was assassinated in "Zionist style."
LEBANON: Spy On Thy Neighbour
IPS NAHR AL-BARED, Lebanon, Jan 18 (IPS) - Recent inter-factional clashes in Lebanon's Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp once more illustrated the fragile security situation in some of its Palestinian camps. Lebanese plans to take over security within the camps are rejected by the Palestinians.
EGYPT: Economists Blame 'Neo-liberalism' for Region's Woes
IPS CAIRO, Jan 18 (IPS) - Egypt embarked on "neo-liberal" economics more than three decades ago reorienting its socialist-oriented policies towards those of the "free market." Now, however, many critics call the strategy a failure and blame it for the country's rampant poverty and unemployment.
MIDEAST: Israel Jails Palestinian Peace Activists
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 18 (IPS) - Israel has long argued that Palestinians should pursue their political objectives in a non-violent way. However, several prominent Palestinian peace activists have recently been arrested and jailed for doing just that.
MIDEAST: Turkey Going Its Own Way
IPS WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (IPS) - The recent diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Israel has raised questions about the future of relations between the two closest allies of the United States in the region and the direction of the markedly independent foreign policy agenda that Turkey has pursued in recent years.
Eight arrested following a night raid in Ni’lin
1/18/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Coordination Committee - Four residents of Ni'ilin have been arrested last night during a military incursion into the West Bank village. Four others, who were not home at the time of the raid surrendered themselves in the morning. These recent arrests are a part of a concerted assault on the popular movement and the arrest of three prominent organizers from the village last Wednesday. At around 3:00am tonight, a large military force invaded the village of Ni'ilin to stage mass arrests of residents suspected of participating in demonstrations against the Wall. During the incursion, over ten houses were raided and ransacked. Tonight's raid is the 13th staged in the village since 16 December. In this period alone, 16 of the village's residents have been detained on various charges relating to anti-Wall protests, including three prominent organizers last Wednesday.
Beit Hannoun demonstrates to reclaim their land
1/18/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - ISM Gaza - Today the 18th January 2010 four International Solidarity Movement activists participated in a demonstration to reclaim Palestinian Land in Beit Hannoun, northern Gaza. The demonstration was organized by the Local Initiative Beit Hannoun Group and around 15 activists attended. Activists gathered in front of the Agricultural University College which now lays in rubble after it was bombed during operation Cast Lead. Activists then walked towards the border chanting "the occupation must stop" and "open Gaza's borders" along the way. The demonstrators stopped at 250 metres from the border. Saber Zanin, the director of Local Initiative Beit Hannoun, described how farmers face being shot at on a daily basis as they attempt to work their lands that lie in the buffer zone. This, he insisted, can no longer be tolerated by the International Community.
Israel jails Palestinian peace activists
1/18/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Mel Frykberg, Inter Press Service - Israel has long argued that Palestinians should pursue their political objectives in a non-violent way. However, several prominent Palestinian peace activists have recently been arrested and jailed for doing just that. Abdallah Abu Rahme, 39, the coordinator of the Bi'lin Popular Committee, which has challenged Israel's illegal expropriation of Palestinian land both in an Israeli court and a Canadian one, has been charged with "illegal arms possession, stone throwing and incitement. " The "illegal arms possession" charge relates largely to a protest exhibition Abu Rahme had made out of spent tear-gas canisters and plastic-coated rubber bullets, shot by Israeli soldiers, and assembled to form a large peace sign. The canisters and bullets had been aimed at unarmed demonstrators protesting Israel's separation wall which divides Bi'lin villagers from their agricultural land.
Don’t be Complicit in Israel’s Apartheid: Boycott the 2010 Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival
1/18/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - A Joint Statement by PACBI and PSCABI - The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and the Palestinian Students"˜ Campaign for the Academic Boycott of Israel (PSCABI) call on students, lecturers and film-makers to boycott the 13th International Student Film Festival, scheduled for June 2010 in the city of Tel Aviv. PACBI and PSCABI believe that this festival, as with similar cultural initiatives supported by the Israeli government, is openly designed to whitewash the crimes of Israeli apartheid. Festival organizers have highlighted the aim of the festival, noting that it is "a unique cultural and social means to presenting a different Israel to the world, [an] Israel which supports and invests in pluralism, culture and equal opportunity. "This language reveals - as did similar endeavors by the South African Apartheid regime - a cynical and systematic attempt at manipulating world opinion. "
Letters: Ban decision was not taken lightly
The Guardian 18 Jan 2010 - Last week you published several articles criticising my decision to ban al-Muhajiroun, Islam4UK, and the other offshoots of what is essentially one organisation ( Media-savvy designer Islamists must not distract us from the real danger , 14 January;...
IAF rescues four people from truck stranded in Negev flood
Ha'aretz 18 Jan 2010 - Members of the Israel Air Force's air rescue unit airlifted on Monday four men stranded on a truck in the middle of flood caused by the massive rainfall which hitting Israel in recent days. ...
Knesset passes no-confidence vote during PM's Germany visit
Ha'aretz 18 Jan 2010 - The Knesset passed on Monday a no-confidence vote against the cabinet entitled "Benjamin Netanyahu's governments' failing foreign policy," as the PM and several top ministers visited Germany. ...
Bnei Menashe less welfare-dependent than most Israelis
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - New immigrants from northeast India are half as likely to require welfare payments than the average Israeli, according to the first socioeconomic study of this immigrant group. ...
Disabled Palestinian boy forced to travel 3 hours to get to school
Ha'aretz 17 Jan 2010 - Muamman Abu Kwaik, a quadriplegic 5-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, leaves his home in the East Jerusalem town of Shoafat at 6 A.M. every day and travels for three hours before he reaches the rehabilitative kindergarten he attends on the western side of the city, a mere 35 minutes away. ...
Netanyahu: Direct your criticism at me, leave my wife alone
Ha'aretz 18 Jan 2010 - Direct your criticism at me and leave my wife and children be, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Monday, in a first public defense of his wife Sarah amid recently surfaced allegations that she mistreated a former employee of the Netanyahu couple. ...
Israel arrests more suspects for WBank mosque arson
Relief Web 18 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Letter dated 12 January 2010 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (A/ES-10/475–S/2010/22)
Relief Web 18 Jan 2010 - Source: UN General Assembly, UN Security Council
Identical letters dated 12 January 2010 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (S/2010/21)
Relief Web 18 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Security Council
OPT - Cast Lead Aggression 1st Anniversary, Day 23: Coming Home - Winter in Tents in Juhr Ad-Dik, Middle Gaza
Relief Web 18 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia: CERF Funding by Country (2009) - Summary (01-01-2009 to 31-12-2009)
Relief Web 18 Jan 2010 - Source: OCHA
OPT: The Humanitarian Monitor - Dec 2009
Relief Web 18 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
J'lem seeks external lawyer on 'Beit Yonatan' eviction
YNet News 18 Jan 2010 - Mayor requests external legal advisor to assist in putting off implementation of court order calling for evacuation of illegal Jewish structure in east Jerusalem after city's advisor says order must be carried out immediately
Gaza also flooded; Palestinians blame IDF
YNet News 18 Jan 2010 - Palestinians say IDF made situation worse by opening dam flooding many houses. State of emergency declared in West Bank; vehicles, house catch fire
Shimshon insubordinate soldier discharged
YNet News 18 Jan 2010 - In unprecedented move, IDF dismisses soldier under clause of 'bad conduct' after showing no remorse for waving sign against settlement evacuation at Western Wall induction ceremony
Report: Iran city prosecutor assassinated
YNet News 18 Jan 2010 - Vali Haji Gholizadeh, prosecutor of Khoy city, shot dead in front of home Monday night, just six days after remote-controlled bomb killed nuclear physicist in Tehran
MKs clash over World Kadima appointment
YNet News 18 Jan 2010 - After party Chairwoman Tzipi Livni announced she is appointing MK Ronnie Bar-On as head of World Kadima following MK Eli Aflalo's resignation, outraged MK Hermesh accuses Livni of not acting with transparency. In response, Bar-On calls Hermesh 'loser' says will not take appointment
Extreme silencing of protest in East Jerusalem
AlJazeera 16 Jan 2010 - The human rights community in Israel condemns the extreme silencing of protest in Israel, silencing that has become particularly blatant and violent recently in East Jerusalem.
Kabul 'under control' after brazen Taliban assault
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Taliban gunmen launched a brazen assault on the center of Kabul Monday, with suicide bombers blowing themselves up at several locations and militants battling security forces from inside a shopping center engulfed in flames. The insurgents failed in an apparent attempt to seize state buildings but demonstrated their ability to cause mayhem.
Tehran vows revenge on Israel, US over professor's death
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Iran vowed Monday to take revenge on Israel and the US for the slaying last week of a physics professor in a mysterious bomb attack, the official news agency reported. Iranian officials have blamed the bombing on an exiled opposition group known as the People's Mujahideen, accusing it of acting on behalf of Israel and the US.
Merkel urges Iran sanctions as Netanyahu visits Berlin
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Germany will prepare possible further sanctions against Iran in the coming weeks if there is no change in Tehran's stance on its nuclear program, Chancellor Angela Merkel said during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Six world powers, including Germany, discussed the prospects for further sanctions over Iran's nuclear work in New York on Saturday.
Israel jails Palestinian activists over peaceful demonstrations
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Israel has long argued that Palestinians should pursue their political objectives in a nonviolent manner. But several prominent Palestinian peace activists have recently been arrested and jailed for doing just that. Abdullah Abu Rahme, 39, the coordinator of the Bi'lin Popular Committee, which has challenged Israel's illegal expropriation of Palestinian land both in an Israeli court and a Canadian one.
Iraq province gives Saddam loyalists 24 hours to leave
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Local government officials warned Saddam Hussein loyalists on Monday to move out of the Shiite province of Najaf in central Iraq within 24 hours or face an "iron fist." They demanded the exodus following a meeting to discuss security in the wake of a triple bomb attack last week in Najaf, about 150 kilometers south of Baghdad, which left up to 15 people dead.
Rights groups press Hamas to allow war-crimes investigation
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Palestinian human rights groups pressured Hamas on Monday to allow an independent investigation into whether it committed war crimes while fighting Israel last winter - an unusual public demand of the Islamic group that runs Gaza. The pressure by 11 Palestinian groups came as Amnesty International accused Israel of "suffocating" Gaza with its blockade of the 1.4 million Palestinians there.
Iranian, Iraqi commanders hold talks on border dispute
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Iranian and Iraqi commanders expressed hope after a meeting on Monday the two neighbors would resolve "misunderstandings" over their joint border, Iranian media reported. Earlier this month the two countries' foreign ministers said Tehran and Baghdad had begun talks, after a small contingent of Iranian troops moved into an oilfield inside Iraqi territory in December and Iraq vowed it would not give up an inch of land.
Iran tries five people over December unrest, suspects may face death penalty
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Five people detained during violent anti-government demonstrations in Iran last month went on trial on Monday on charges that may be punishable by the death penalty, official media reported. It was the first trial held over unrest on Ashura, the day of ritual Shiite mourning that fell on December 27, and it was a further sign of the authorities" determination to put an end to protests that rocked Iran after last year's disputed election.
Two dead after worst flooding in Egypt's Sinai for 16 years
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Two people died, at least 13 were hurt and dozens missing as heavy rains and floods pounded Egypt's Sinai, while five ports were closed due to the bad weather, officials said on Monday. The Ras Sidr area on the west coast of the peninsula saw the heaviest flooding on Sunday night and rescue services used rubber rafts to search for the injured and those trapped in their homes, an official said.
Yemen will target Al-Qaeda fighters as long as threat persists says minister
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Yemeni forces will strike Al-Qaeda extremists for as long as they pose a threat, the interior minister warned, as the Islamist group denied government claims of having killed six of its leaders. "These strikes will not be the last as long as terrorist elements target state security and stability and institutions," said Major General Mutahar Rashad al-Masri, quoted on Monday by state news agency Saba.
Two UK terror suspects win case against state
Daily Star 18 Jan 2010 Two terror suspects won the right Monday to seek compensation from the British government over the restrictions imposed upon their activities since 2006. The High Court ruling delivers another blow to Britain's system of so-called "control orders," which officials say is necessary to keep tabs on terror suspects who can't be brought to trial without revealing sensitive intelligence information.
IOF troops round up 17 citizens including father and his son
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - IOF soldiers stormed the home of Abdulfattah Shallade in Sa'ir village, Al-Khalil district, at dawn Monday and rounded him up along with his son Ziyad after ransacking the family home.
Detainee in Abbas's jail taken to hospital
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - Hakim Shalalde, municipality council member of Sa'ir village, has been taken from his detention cell in the jails of the PA security in Ramallah to hospital after his condition worsened.
Hamas welcomes Kuwaiti role in reconciliation efforts
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - Hamas on Monday welcomed any Kuwaiti role in forging inter-Palestinian reconciliation, denying a website report quoting one of its officials that said there was nothing new in the Kuwaiti efforts.
Bardawil: Hamas welcomes Amnesty’s report on Gaza siege
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - Dr. Salah Al-Bardawil said that his Movement welcomes the report issued by Amnesty international in which it demanded Israel to end its blockade on the impoverished Gaza Strip.
Abu Sha’ar deplores Israeli settlers’ assault on Palestinian girl in J’lem
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - Dr. Taleb Abu Sha’ar strongly denounced the physical assault by police-escorted fanatic Israeli settlers on a 16-year-old girl in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in occupied Jerusalem.
Al-Aqsa foundation warns of repeated subsidence incidents in Silwan
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - Al-Aqsa foundation for endowment and heritage warned of the repeated cave-ins happening in Silwan neighborhood after a new subsidence damage caused by Israeli excavations was reported in the area.
Muslim Brotherhood issues edict forbidding importing goods from Israel
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan has prohibited the import of goods from Israel, describing it as normalization with the Israeli occupation and a boost to its economy.
National committee for detainees slams Israeli decision to banish 14 prisoners
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - The committee for prisoners affiliated with the national and Islamic forces deplored Israel for threatening to exile 14 detainees, saying that these threats reflect the policy of ethnic cleansing.
MP Khudari initiates fund-raising campaign for Haiti
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the head of the popular committee against the siege, has announced the start of a campaign to collect donations for the devastated Caribbean nation Haiti on Monday.
Erdogan slams Muslim leaders’ response to suffering of Gaza people
PIC 18 Jan 2010 - Turkish premier Recep Erdogan on Sunday condemned the passive positions of Muslim leaders towards the suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza strip as “pathetic.”
World Briefing | Middle East: Gaza: Palestinians Push Hamas for Inquiry Over War Crimes Against Israel
New York Times 18 Jan 2010 - Rights groups said an investigation into Hamas’s actions last winter was needed to maintain the credibility of Palestinians who want to see Israel punished for its actions during the war.
World Briefing | Middle East: Iran: Vow of Revenge for a Killing
New York Times 18 Jan 2010 - Iranian officials have blamed an exiled opposition group for the killing of a physics professor in a bomb attack last week, accusing it of acting on behalf of Israel and the United States.
Observatory: Desert Spider Discovery on Jordan-Israel Border
New York Times 18 Jan 2010 - In a cross-border study, biologists from Israel and Jordan found a new spider species, Cerbalus aravensis, living in Arava Valley sand dunes.
TWENTY-TWO HOURS IN SHEIKH JARRAH
Palestine Monitor - 18 Jan 2010 - January 14, 2010: a concert in Sheikh Jarrah featuring the politically-charged musical groups DAM and System Ali. January 15, 2010: the weekly demonstration against house evictions at the same location. The problem: only one permit for public gatherings was issued for the week. The result: mass...
Israel using negotiations as cover for expansionism
Palestine Monitor - 18 Jan 2010 - Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative Mustafa Barghouthi said on Sunday that returning to negotiations with Israel is not possible until a complete settlement standstill, including in occupied East Jerusalem, is enforced, as well as population growth, during a reception for the European Council. Gilo...
The Gaza Freedom March
Mondoweiss - 18 Jan 2010 - "It was meant to be a historic non-violent protest in Gaza against Israel’s blockade. But forces are quick to converge in the Middle East against those who work for peace." The author of the following report, Barnabe Geisweiller, a Canadian student at the Columbia Journalism School...
Birthright map gives the West Bank to the settlers and Gaza to Egypt
Mondoweiss - 18 Jan 2010 - A Mondoweiss reader has sent along the following map that is used in the orientation materials for Birthright trips to Israel. For those who don’t know, Birthright Israel is a program that gives free 10-day trips to Jewish young adults between ages 18-26 to build a...
Dr. Mads Gilbert returns to North America recounting the horrors of Gaza a year ago
Mondoweiss - 18 Jan 2010 - "The boy with the destroyed brain did not need anaesthetic; he could no longer feel anything. The other lay in an artificial coma with intravenous anaesthetic agents to soften the pain and allow the ventilator to work without resistance from the boy’s own breathing. A large...
Doubts re Iran won’t deter neocon stampede
Mondoweiss - 18 Jan 2010 - Here are two reports of doubts re Iran’s nuclear program (thanks to Dan Sisken ). First, in the Times online, Israeli general Brigadier-General Uzi Eilam says that Iran is not a nuclear threat : A general who was once in charge of Israel’s nuclear weapons has claimed that...
Haiti Gaza (II)
Mondoweiss - 17 Jan 2010 - Phil is not the only one making the connection between the international outpouring of support for Haiti, and the general official indifference towards the suffering in Gaza. Akiva Eldar sees it as well : The remarkable identification [among Israelis] with the victims of the terrible tragedy in...
Repression continues: Eight Arrested Following a Night Raid in Ni'ilin
Alternative Information Center - 18 Jan 2010 - Four residents of Ni'ilin have been arrested last night during a military incursion into the West Bank village. Four others, who were not home at the time of the raid surrendered themselves in the morning. These recent arrests are a part of a concerted assault on...
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Army Dismantles An Illegal Settlement Outpost
IMEMC 19 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 20, 2010 - 00:55, Israeli soldiers dismantled on Tuesday an illegal settlement outpost in the northern part of the West Bank. The army said that the outpost was installed by fundamentalist settlers in contradiction to settlement freeze.
E.U, P.A, Sign €158.5 Million Financing Agreement
IMEMC 19 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 20, 2010 - 00:46, Palestinian Authority (P.A) and the European Union signed on Tuesday a €158.5 million Financing Agreement, including €0.5 Million in contribution from Austria, to the P.A’s recurrent expenditures for 2010.
Israeli Minister claims Israel provides Palestinians “more than enough water”
IMEMC 19 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 19, 2010 - 19:12, On Monday Israel's National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau told a meeting of German Ministers that Israel gives the Palestinians more than they are required to by treaties.
Israeli military bulldozers levels a Palestinian owned house near Ramallah
IMEMC 19 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 19, 2010 - 17:23, A Palestinian owned house was leveled on Tuesday midday by Israeli's military. The homes was located at the village of Jaba' near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
The Israeli military kidnaps ten Palestinian civilians from deferent parts of the West Bank
IMEMC 19 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 19, 2010 - 16:42, Ten Palestinian civilians were kidnapped on Tuesday by Israeli troops during separate pre dawn invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities.
Israeli tanks open fire at residential areas in southern Gaza Strip
IMEMC 19 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 19, 2010 - 16:33, Israeli tanks opened fire on Tuesday midday at residents' homes located in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.
MADA condemns raiding of Al-Aqsa TV cameraman’s home
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an -The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemned on Tuesday the raiding of Al-Aqsa TV cameraman and news producerAmmar Yasir Altilawy's home on Thursday. Altilawy's home was stormed in the evening by an armed person, working for the National security forces for the de facto Ministry of Interior, a statement issued by MADA said. "My house was raided in Thursday evening by an armed and military uniformed person who is working in the National Security Forces affiliated to the Ministry of Interior in Gaza under the pretext that he wanted to take pictures of military operation carried out by someone before his martyrdom, so he stole my laptop and he left a message that if he did not find the pictures on the laptop, he will kidnap me by force," Altilawy told MADA. MADA also condemns the attack on Altilawy in police headquarter, and calls. . .
Detainee marks 28 years in Israeli jail
1/19/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The de facto Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs said that Maher Younis, 52, for the Ara village in Israel marked his 28th year of detention in an Israeli prison on Tuesday. Younis, detained in 1983, was sentenced to life for killing an Israeli soldier. He was initially sentenced to execution by hanging, but a judge overruled the decision. The Ministry said that Younis is one of the longest serving Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. [end]
Eight detained following night raid in Ni’ilin
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Eight people were arrested in Ni'ilin on Monday evening, according to a statement issued by Israeli peace activist Jonathan Pollack. The statement said that four residents were arrested during a military incursion while four others, who were not at home at the time of the raid, turned themselves in in the morning. "These recent arrests are a part of a concerted assault on the popular movement and the arrest of three prominent organizers from the village last Wednesday," the statement read. Since 16 December 2009 16 of the village's residents have been detained on various charges relating to anti-wall protests. Since May 2008, when demonstrations by the campaigners began, 106 Palestinians from Ni'ilin have been detained. Mohammed Khatib, coordinator of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee said in the statement that "The arrests and persecution will not break our spirit. "
Bedouin home demolished near Ramallah
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli bulldozers, accompanied by the Israeli army, demolished the home of Hassan Salem Al-Ka'abna in the village of Jab'a, southeast of Ramallah on Tuesday. According to Salem Al-Ka'abna, Hassan's son, the family had not received formal notification of the demolition. The home was demolished because the roof is constructed out of aluminum, which requires an Israeli planning permit. Israeli forces initially prohibited the family from collecting their belongings, but were eventually swayed and allowed the women to retrieve certain items, the son said, adding that soldiers handcuffed him and his cousin Nidal Moussa until the demolition was complete. Ten members of the Al-Ka'bna family were made homeless as a result, including five infants. The family home was built in 1978, before the nearby Adam settlement was constructed, which is 200 meters from the home.
Gaza floods: ’We heard the mosque speaker warning and fled’
1/19/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Nabil Al-Qeshawi's home was destroyed Monday night in torrents of floodwater that inundated the valleys south of Gaza city, rendering the 19 members of his extended family homeless. Al-Qeshawi, 61, described the incident as terrifying, "everything was normal, there were winds and rains in the area, but we dealt with them as usual. Suddenly we heard a warning message being broadcast from the mosque, but we could hardly hear it through the rain. " When the father of five went outside to check the house, he "found floodwaters rising in the valley were only 200 meters away from my house. We started to evacuate the children and lead them to a safe place. When we went back to save some of our clothes and belongings, we found out that the house was under two meters of water, everything was ruined. "Farmer survives drowning in valley flood- Adnan Al-Khamaysa spoke to. . .
Detainee released after 8 years
1/19/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli forces released detainee Muhammad Abdullah, 29, from Surrah village, southwest Nablus on Tuesday following eight years of detention. Abdullah's relatives told Ma'an that he was released when his sentenced ended, adding that he had been transferred to numerous prisons including Nafha, Megiddo , Negev, and Beersheba. Abdullah was detained during the Second Intifada in 2000, was severely interrogated and kept in solitary confinement on many occasions, his family added. The village of Surrah has been stormed by Israeli forces with many of its residents having experienced detention. It is also the site of settler violence. . . . .
Israeli forces detain 10 Palestinians overnight
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Israeli military detained 10 Palestinians overnight in the West Bank, according to Israel media reports on Tuesday. The 10 detained were listed as "wanted", according to the Hebrew daily Ynet, adding that they were taken in for questioning. [end]
Families of victims of Israeli attacks call on Abbas to pass law
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The National Assembly of Relatives of victims of Israeli attacks appealed on Tuesday to President Mahmoud Abbas to pass a law concerning their rights to compensation, which was passed by the previous Palestinian Legislative Council in 2005. "We have appealed to President Abbas to pass this law which guarantees and secures [families'] rights, as well as providing them with a good life," said Secretary General of the Assembly Muhamamd Sbeihat. "We have been increasing our efforts concerning this issue recently and we sent a letter to President Abbas calling on him to approve the law issued in May 2005 by the PLC. "Sbeihat added that it appears that the president's office is responding positively to their request. . . . .
Israel releases elderly prisoner early as health deteriorates
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Sizty-one-year old Ali Hassan Shalalda was released from Israeli prison Tuesday morning after serving 19. 5 years in Israseli custody, including 13 in the Ar-Ramle prison hospital. Shalada suffered from chronic infections in his lungs, his brother-in-law Tal'at Shalalda said, and released four and a half years early as his health condition deteriorated. He was detained on 9 August 1990 alongside his cousins Jamil and Ibrahim, who were all charged with participation in a bomb plot that lead to the death of two. Jamil and Ibrahim were sentenced to 20 years each, but were released in 1995 under the conditions of the Oslo agreement. Tal'at said Ali arrived home to his family in Jerusalem's Wadi Al-Joz neighborhood in the afternoon, and would travel to his family home near Hebron on Wednesday. Ali returns to his two wives and 14 children. . . . .
PA to send humanitarian aid to Haiti
1/19/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - During its weekly cabinet meeting the Palestinian Authority announced it would provide humanitarian aid for the victims of the Haiti earthquake last week, and form a committee to follow up on its distribution. In its Monday evening meeting the cabinet expressed its condolences for those who lost relatives in Haiti and declared the solidarity of the Palestinian people with the people of Haiti. It was further declared that the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was mandated to monitor the situation of the Palestinian community in Haiti and to provide humanitarian relief to the devastated country. Settlements and Jerusalem - Caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad called on the Quartet to not recognize Israeli preconditions imposed on illegal settlement expansion, exemplified in continued construction throughout the occupied Palestinian territories as a means to resume negotiations swiftly, he said.
EU pledges 160 million Euro to PA
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and EU Representative Christian Berger ratified a new financial agreement to support the Palestinian Authority on Tuesday. The Financing Agreement, including a 0. 5 million Euro contribution from Austria, was pledged to support to the Palestinain Authority's (PA) recurrent expenditures for 2010. The funds will be channeled to the PA's payments of salaries and pensions and its social protection program via the EU's PEGASE program. In addition to assisting the PA in sustaining public services and paying civil servants, the agreement will provide support for vulnerable Palestinians through regular contributions to social allowances via the Ministry of Social Affair's social protection program. "This agreement comes at a time where the Palestinian people are in need of all kind of continuous support in order to be able to build the state institutions and develop its sectors. "
Erekat: Netanyahu must recant his terms for talks to resume
1/19/2010 - Jericho - Ma'an - Responding to a call to return to negotiations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Tuesday said that Netanyahu must recant his terms and implement the Road Map Agreement before talks can resume. The chief negotiator made his pronouncement during a meeting with EU convoy to the Middle East Mark Otti, Representative of the Secretary-General for the UN Robert Seri, and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Piero Fassino, where they discussed the latest political developments pertaining to the occupied Palestinian territories. During the meeting Erekat spoke of the international quartet's inability to compel Israel to abide by its obligations, particularly with regard to a settlement standstill in East Jerusalem and reopening Palestinian institutes in the city, as well as lifting Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip and releasing Palestinian detainees.
Ministry of Education strike called off
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A strike in the offices of the Ministry of Education has been postponed for two weeks, following a meeting with the ministry, general secretary of the Palestinian Teachers Union Jamil Shehada said on Monday evening. "We decided to postpone the strike for two weeks after we reached an initial agreement and we await for the Ministry to implement our demands," Shehada said during an interview with Ma'an. Certain concerns raised were considered by the Ministry of Education, including an administrative allowance, risk and programming. The management of the Ministry of Education announced a partial strike beginning last month and ending on Monday. . . . .
Hamas: PA forces detained 5 across West Bank
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas accused the Palestinian Authority security forces of detaining five of the movement's affiliates across the West Bank, in a statement issued on Tuesday. Security forces detained students Abdullah Nofal and Muhammad Daoud in Qalqiliya, the statement said. In Hebron forces detained Issa Al-Awawdeh in Dura and Ja'far, Mansour and Asad Al-Qawasmi, Hamas said. The statement concluded that all five had been detained previously by the PA security services and have been called for questioning on a number of occasions. [end]
Hamas and Islamic Jihad meet in Gaza
1/19/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas and Islamic Jihad held a meeting late Monday evening in Gaza City to discuss recent developments in Palestinian politics and the Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation document. In attendance were Nafez Azzam, Muhammad Al-Hindi and Khaled Al-Hindi from Islamic Jihad and Khalil Al-Hayya, Jamal Abu Hashim and Aiman Taha representing Hamas. "This is a regular meeting between Palestinian factions to study the recent dilemmas posed in Palestinian politics," Azzam told Ma'an during an interview. Other topics on the agenda included Israeli violations and international involvement aimed at ending inter-Palestinian rivalries, notably between Hamas and Fatah. Azzam added that "we've seen Hamas' great desire to accomplish reconciliation and end division. ""We've agreed on holding other meetings soon also with other factions to discuss all of this. "
Fatah to form committee for restoring legitimacy in Gaza
1/19/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Fatah's revolutionary council will form a committee to plan the party's return to legitimacy in the Gaza Strip, according to Jamal Nazzal, Fatah spokesman and member of the revolutionary council in a speech on Tuesday. According to Nazzal, the committee will comprise members of Fatah central and revolutionary committees and will present a report based on their studies and research of the situation in Gaza. This new committee will work on supporting Gazans and implementing a policy to "end the coup government" and return legitimacy to the Gaza Strip. In a separate statement Nazzal said "We want our Fatah members and our nation to be relaxed because there are those who care about people's needs and work for their sake. Fatah has plans for a bright future and will oppose Israeli challenges. "
Wataniya Mobile expands services with ’strategic alliance’
1/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Wataniya Mobile, Palestine's newest cellphone carrier, will offer new rates for roaming and overseas calling following an agreement with the Amman-based Orange Jordan, a statement said Monday. According to the company,Wataniya subscribers will have local charges when they make roaming calls from Jordan. [end]
Palestinian Motor Sport Federation releases 2010 agenda
1/19/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Palestinian Motor Sports Federation announced its schedule for 2010 following a meeting of its governing body Tuesday. The schedule will go in five rounds from March to August as follows: Jenin 26 March, Nablus 14 May, Ramallah 18 June, Bethlehem 23 July, Jericho 29 August. Palestinian racers will also travel to meets outside the area, including the Middle East Championship Rally in Qatar on 21 March, the Kuwait Rally on 4 March, a meet in Jordan on 1 April and a race in Saudi Arabia on 20 April. Racers will travel to Lebanon on 17 September, to Syria for the Highlands race on 7 August. The schedule was determined and signed off on by motorsport chairman Khalid Qadura and federation members Ghassan Safi, Ashraf Marar and Yusuf Natsheh and Akram Shaheen, Wasfi Shahin and Mu'awiyah Rimawi. . . . .
MI Chief: Israel's success battling terror has turned world against us
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Yadlin tells Knesset panel the PA has encouraged international community to question Israel's legitimacy.
Israel razes West Bank caravan built after settlement freeze
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Elon Moreh caravan set up as 'Zionist response' to freeze; forces dismantle foundations for 2 other buildings.
Beyond chutzpah
Uruknet January 19, 2010 - The brutal ugliness of the collective Israeli mentality seems to know no limits. Indeed, one wouldn’t go too far by arguing that the patterns of Israeli behaviors, nearly at all levels, reflect a real mental sickness. In recent days, three observations of Israeli behaviors attracted my attention. First, the Ayalon affair. Last week, Israeli Deputy-Foreign Minister...
Flooding Gaza
Uruknet January 19, 2010 - The long-awaited rains came full force. Dehydrated Gaza was suddenly awash. And while farmers are overjoyed –they can finally plant their crops; their water wells and cisterns were destroyed during the Israeli massacre of Gaza; they must plant before the end of the month or there will be no point [we got a call right away...
New videotape on Israeli soldiers torturing and stealing human organs disclosed
Uruknet January 19, 2010 -- The popular movement for the support of prisoners and Palestinian rights unveiled a videotape explaining how Israeli soldiers in 1988 tortured and killed a Palestinian Christian young man called Khader Tarzi before harvesting his body parts. The pictures in the videotape illustrate in detail how the young man was hunted, beaten and tied to the front...
Humanitarian aid or military occupation?
Uruknet January 19, 2010 - ...IF THE Obama administration were pursuing a humanitarian policy in Haiti, it wouldn't have appointed George Bush to join former President Bill Clinton in overseeing fundraising for disaster relief. Not only did Bush spectacularly fail the victims of Hurricane Katrina, but his administration orchestrated a political destabilization campaign against Haiti's democratically elected government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide....
Israeli tanks open fire at residential areas in southern Gaza Strip
Uruknet January 19, 2010 - Israeli tanks opened fire on Tuesday midday at residents' homes located in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. Local sources reported that tanks stationed at the southern Israeli-Gaza boarders shelled homes located in the eastern part of Rafah city. A number of homes sustained damage, but no injuries were reported. Witnesses said that the shelling...
Gaza in Plain Language
Uruknet January 19, 2010 - ...The sociopathic Zionist administration of Israel, as part of its continuing brutal colonization of Palestine, set out to deliberately devastate the already nearly-incapacitated infrastructure which supports the existence of one and a half million human refugees. The people of Gaza, second-, third-, and fourth-generation dispossessed Palestinians, are living in forced exile from land their families inhabited...
Children of Gaza donate towards Haiti disaster
Uruknet January 19, 2010 - Following the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti last week, 13th January, in which hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives, the expected donations of humanitarian aid and emergency relief supplies have poured in from all corners of the globe. However, one of the most touching outpourings of sympathy and aid has come from the...
Rights Movement: “Israel Harvested Organs From Palestinian Christian In 1988”
Uruknet January 19, 2010 - The Popular Movement for the Support of Prisoners and Palestinian Rights showed a video in Gaza City on Monday showing Israeli soldiers executing a Christian Palestinian from Gaza city after kidnapping him in 1988. The video also provides certain details regarding illegal harvesting of the organs of the slain youth. The Palestinian youth, Fadi Tarazi, is...
Israeli opening of dam's floodgates floods Gaza villages
Uruknet January 19, 2010-- Israel opened Monday the floodgates of one of its dams in Gaza valley in the eastern part of the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of torrential rains in the region which seriously flooded Palestinian houses and caused severe material damage. Eyewitnesses told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that the Israel occupation forces stationed there intentionally opened the...
General Gambit
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - The war for the future of the human race is more about truth –vs- lies, than it is about a physical contest between hostile adversaries. The strangest part of it all is that no one is seeking absolute vindication in this war of perceptions as either a liar or a "truth" teller. No one wants to...
Mustafa Barghouti: Israel using negotiations as cover for expansionism
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - – Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative Mustafa Barghouti said on Sunday that returning to negotiations with Israel is not possible until a complete settlement standstill, including in occupied East Jerusalem, is enforced, as well as population growth, during a reception for the European Council....
A lootin’ an’ a burnin’?
Uruknet January 18, 2010 - It was obvious from the getgo that media 'coverage’ of the earthquake in Haiti was heading in the same, predictable direction, namely down the same racist path that Western media coverage of things 'darker than blue’ always travels. [...] Meanwhile, the US has de facto occupied Haiti, no doubt to preserve its sweatshop investments, amongst which are...
Livni: I Am Ready To Face Arrest Over UK Warrant
19 Jan 2010 - Washington , January 19, 2009, ( Pal Telegraph) - Tzipi Livni, Israeli opposition leader and former foreign minister, expressed on Monday during an interview on CNN that she is ready to face UK arrest warrant for investigation in the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip last winter. It is worth noting that the British court issued arrest warrant against Tzipi Livni last...
Israel detains 10 Palestinians
19 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 19, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained 10 Palestinians in the West Bank in operations carried out Monday night and lasted till Tuesday morning. The detainees captured in different parts of the West Bank were trasferred to Israeli investigation centers for questioning. Israeli occupation forces invaded Berqeen village, in Jenien, and broke into some houses...
Israel opens Dam so Gaza submerges
19 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 19, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Many Palestinian houses were under water in Central Gaza after Israel opened a closed dam on Tuesday. Israeli authorities opened the "Al-Wadi" dam without prior notice after heavy rainfall on the area. Seventy citizens were rescued by Civil defense staffs. Medical sources said that 9 citizens were injured and transferred to Gaza hospitals....
Gazan Children Donate Haiti
19 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 19, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Gaza might be besieged by Israel and others, but Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip have been donating what little they have to help those struck by the earthquake in Haiti. The donations collected by a Red Cross representative are toys, toiletries and sweets. They were small luxuries that Gazans know only too...
Death Cry- Part One !!
19 Jan 2010 - Part One -“Water, Please!!” screamed Sheick Buddha feebly. -“Shut up, dirty pig! Not before breakfast.” roared the zionist jailor who was tapping the corridor behind the massive iron door. It was chilling hot and I was all sweating in that oven of a cell. The cell was rectangular, too narrow to enfold the three of us; Kifah, me and a...
Egyptian MP insists Christians' murders were sectarian
The National 19 Jan 2010 - Rights activists accuse Egypt's ruling party of downplaying the significance of the deaths of six Christians on Christmas Eve.
Changing Israeli Visa Regime for Humanitarian Workers
Alternative Information Center 19 Jan 2010 - Background International staff of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) working in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) have, until now, been provided B1 visas by the Government of Israel in its role as the occupying power. A B1...
Repression continues: Eight Arrested Following a Night Raid in Ni'ilin
Alternative Information Center 18 Jan 2010 - Four residents of Ni'ilin have been arrested last night during a military incursion into the West Bank village. Four others, who were not home at the time of the raid surrendered themselves in the morning. These...
American journalist enters week 2 in detention
PNN 19 Jan 2010 - American journalist Jared Malsin will wrap up his first week of detention at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport tomorrow. At the request of Justice Kobi Vardi, Ma'an lawyer Castro Daoud filed additional information in response to allegations by the Israeli Attorney General's Office, and insisted that Jared be brought out of the airport to attend a hearing on the matter. The attorney...
Earthquake Impact on Palestinian Haitian Community Unknown
PNN 19 Jan 2010 - With the total impact of the earthquake not yet determined, Palestinians with relatives in Haiti are making every effort to contact family members who reside in the island nation. Estimates of total deaths on the island of Haiti from the range from 100,000 to 200,000, approximately 1-2% of the island’s total population, with an additional 1.3 million being left homeless. While no...
Israeli settlers arrested in mosque arson investigation
PNN 19 Jan 2010 - Israeli police have arrested 10 people as part of investigations into an arson attack on a West Bank mosque. Police carried out a pre-dawn raid on the Yitzhar settlement, near the Palestinian town Yasuf, where the mosque was attacked last month. They are investigating whether there is a link between those arrested and the arson attack, police sources said. The floor of...
Gazans raise money for Haiti
PNN 19 Jan 2010 - Palestinians in Gaza set off for the Red Cross headquarters on Monday to offer donations and financial support for the victims of Haiti’s devastating earthquake on Tuesday. Relatives of Palestinian prisoners also participated in the drive, with many offering financial donations and goods including blankets and covers, as well as food and milk for children. The report comes after the Palestinian Authority,...
Israel's military continues to target anti wall protest organizers
PNN 18 Jan 2010 - Four Palestinian civilians were kidnapped by Israeli troops during a pre dawn invasion targeting the village of Nil'in, central West Bank. Israeli troops told their families that they have been kidnapped for their involvement in the weekly nonviolent protests against the Israeli built wall on villager's lands.Around 100 Israeli soldiers stormed the small village near Ramallah. Troops searched a number of homes...
Israel's treatment of Ethiopians 'racist'
PNN 18 Jan 2010 - Health officials in Israel are subjecting many female Ethiopian immigrants to a controversial long-term birth control drug in what Israeli women’s groups allege is a racist policy to reduce the number of black babies. The contraceptive, known as Depo Provera, which is given by injection every three months, is considered by many doctors as a birth control method of last resort because...
Floods in the Gaza Strip force hundreds to flee
PNN 19 Jan 2010 - Flooding has forced more than 100 people from their homes and farms in Gaza after heavy rains hit the area. Security services worked through the night to evacuate families from the area of Wadi Gaza, south of Gaza city. At least 12 people were injured in the flooding which destroyed scores of homes and inundated animal pens. Hamas, in control of the...
Israel relays concern to Greece over synagogue arson
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Foreign Ministry's deputy director-general phones Greek ambassador, passes on request that Greece take all steps necessary to find attackers.
Fayyad is attempting to make Fatah weak, movement's officials say
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Latest allegation comes as members of Fatah Revolutionary Council continue deliberations for the sixth consecutive day in Ramallah.
Haiti: 2 local Jews helping Israeli aid
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Expatriate IDF veteran, son of Syrian emigrants play invaluable roles behind the scenes in relief efforts.
Palestinian reporters come to Knesset
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Journalists' meeting at Israel's "shrine of democracy" tainted by low attendance and political banter.
Shas accepted into the World Zionist Organization
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Haredi Sephardi party agrees to change political platform to include the principles of the 2004 Jerusalem Program.
'Israel to join OECD in 2010'
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Secretary-general says organization expects Israeli economy to expand by 3% in 2010, and possibly 4% in 2011.
Protection upped for officials abroad
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Shin Bet beefs up security out of concern that Hizbullah will plan revenge attack for Mughniyeh.
PA pushing Israel for short building freeze in east Jerusalem
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Idea seen as way for Abbas to return to negotiations without "losing face"; Mitchell to raise proposal with Netanyahu in scheduled meeting.
Activists regroup, brainstorm tactics for broadening Sheikh Jarrah demonstrations
Jeruslalem Post 19 Jan 2010 - Meeting follows of 17 activists at a protest in east Jerusalem neighborhood.
MIDEAST: Israel Cannot be Sultan
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 14 (IPS) - A bizarre diplomatic incident - even by the Byzantine-like standards of the old near East - has threatened already strained relations between Israel and Turkey.
MIDEAST: Turkey Going Its Own Way
IPS WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (IPS) - The recent diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Israel has raised questions about the future of relations between the two closest allies of the United States in the region and the direction of the markedly independent foreign policy agenda that Turkey has pursued in recent years.
(06- 13 Jan 2010)
PCHR
Amnesty: Israel’s Gaza blockade continues to suffocate daily life
1/18/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Amnesty International - Israel must end its suffocating blockade of the Gaza Strip, which leaves more than 1. 4 million Palestinians cut off from the outside world and struggling with desperate poverty, Amnesty International said one year on from the end of Israel's military offensive in Gaza. Amnesty International's briefing paper, Suffocating: The Gaza Strip under Israeli blockade, gathers testimony from people still struggling to rebuild their lives following Operation "Cast Lead", which killed around 1,400 Palestinians and injured thousands more. "Israel claims that the ongoing blockade of Gaza, in force since June 2007, is a response to the indiscriminate rocket attacks launched from Gaza into southern Israel by Palestinian armed groups. The reality is that the blockade does not target armed groups but rather punishes Gaza's entire population by restricting the entry. . . Related: AI: Israel's Gaza blockade continues to suffocate daily life"
Sheikh Jarrah court case delayed until April: Settler Harassment Continues
1/19/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - On Monday January 18th, a Jerusalem court case over the legal ownership of a Palestinian owned house in the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem was postponed until April. The hearing against the Husseini family was delayed because the prosecution, who claims the Palestinian family does not have legal ownership over their house, needed more time to build a case. This case comes in the wake of two other neighborhood houses being occupied by Jewish settlers since late 2009 and constant settler harassment. On Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 4:45PM a settler girl attacked a Palestinian girl in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheik Jarrah. The incident took place on the street between two houses occupied by Jewish settlers, which belong to the Palestinian Gawi and Al-Kurds families. A large group of settlers, largely young men, boys and one girl began to gather and walked back forth and back between the two occupied houses.
Trafalgar Square: Gaza 1417 remembrance die-in
1/19/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - ISM London, January 16 - 1417 is not just a number: it's the men, women and children who died during Israel's 23-day assault in 2008-2009. This event marked the anniversary of the atrocities committed in Gaza and called for the state of Israel to be brought to justice for its illegal actions and for those responsible to face trial for war crimes. Heavy rain meant that instead of staging a "Die-in", with people lying on the ground to represent those killed in the attack, those present decided to observe a minute's silence for the victims. Approximatly 200 people participated with each being given the name of one of the dead to hold aloft. After a perfectly observed silence, three speakers with direct connections to the attack on Gaza addressed the crowd - Sameh Habeeb, a Gazan journalist; Natalie Abou Shakrah, a Gaza survivor;. . .
Israel tries to silence political protest
1/19/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Ben Hubbard, Washington Post - Israel is arresting a growing number of prominent opponents to its policies toward the Palestinians, say critics who are accusing the government of trying to crush legitimate dissent. In the most high-profile case yet, Jerusalem police detained the head of a leading Israeli human rights group during a vigil against the eviction of Palestinian families whose homes were taken by Jewish settlers. Since the summer, dozens of Palestinian and Israeli activists have been picked up, including those organizing weekly protests against Israel's West Bank separation barrier as well as others advocating international boycotts of Israeli goods. Some of the Palestinians were released without charge only after weeks and months of questioning. The arrests come at a time of shifting tactics in the protests against Israel's occupation of the West Bank and. . .
Israeli forces invade Al-Ein camp, arrest three
1/19/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Early in the morning of January 17 the Israeli army arrested 3 young Palestinian in a dawn raid on Al-Ein Refugee camp, located to the North of Nablus. The soldiers came at around 5am, departing at around 8 the same morning. The three friends – Samer As-Salhi (17 years old), Muntaser Hamdi (19) and Raed Al-Khatib (21) - none of whom had any previous convictions, were taken from their homes in simultaneous raids by several large groups of soldiers. The mother of the eldest, Raed Al-Khatib, described how the soldiers identified him by his ID documents from a page-long list of names, other Palestinians presumambly wanted by the military. According to family members present during the raid the As-Salhi's house was entered by 7 soldiers at 5am. The soldiers pushed and shoved family members, manhandling women and children.
CPT: At-Tuwani Incident Report for December 2009
1/19/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Christian Peacemaker Teams - Summary: December 2009 was marked by invasions of Palestinian villages in the area by Israeli occupation forces, continued denial of the right of Palestinian children to access education, and consistent rejection of Palestinian owners' rights to cultivate or graze sheep on their land. Despite the invasions, challenges faced in accessing education, and obstacles to cultivating the land, Palestinians in the At-Tuwani area continued to organize local marches, plowing actions, and joined in nonviolent actions with other Palestinian communities committed to nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation. On team during this period: Jan Benvie, Laura Ciaghi, Steve Heinrichs, Joshua Hough, Sarah MacDonald, Sam Nichols, Melanie Southworth, and members of Operation Dove (OD). Israeli Military Incursions Tuesday 1 December 2009 In the early morning hours, the Israeli military invaded the village of Maghayir Al-Abeed.
Israel set to become OECD's poorest member
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Israel has lower salaries, wider social gaps than any country in organization; membership vote set for May.,
U.S. indicts 3 Israelis in international bribery case
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Defendants offered FBI agent posing as envoy of African minister kickback in exchange for defense contracts.,
UN to send 3,500 additional troops to Haiti
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Israeli crew searching for missing Canadian Jew; Israeli team to stay in Haiti for another month.
U.S.: Iran reply to nuclear deal is inadequate
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Diplomats: Iran has formally responded to UN-drafted deal, rejected call to ship uranium abroad.,
'We'll do everything to catch Crete synagogue arsonist'
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Greek envoy to Israel condemns synagogue torching; Foreign Ministry tells to finance the renovations.,
'Turkey no longer needs a close relationship with Israel'
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Military intelligence chief: Ankara turning away from secularism and toward more radical Islam.,
Vatican memo: Mideast conflict driving Christians out of region
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Document for upcoming bishops' meet says Israeli-Palestinian conflict, occupation foments strife.,
EU official to PA: Financial support won't continue forever
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - EU representative to the PA says precondition for aid is clear progress in the peace process with Israel.,
Reel life inside the Warsaw Ghetto
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - The story of the Nazi propaganda footage used to illustrate ghetto life is the subject of a new documentary.,
Iran vows to hit back if attacked by Western ship in Gulf
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Iran's defense minister says West knows Persian Gulf is 'best operational target' for striking Iran.,
Hamas: Shalit talks not over, we just need more time
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Political official tells Lebanon paper that Hamas will not give up its demand to see Bargouthi freed.,
Syria's Mufti: Islam commands us to protect Judaism
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Sheikh Hassoun tells U.S. group: If Mohammed told me Jews or Christians were heretic, I would say he was a heretic.,
Palestinians host first East Jerusalem meet since 2001
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Quartet representatives seek to pressure Israel to reopen PA headquarters, the Orient House.,
Libya dives into Palestinian diplomacy
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Libya will host Arab League summit in March, and it is important to Abbas that Gadhafi be on his side.,
Disputed Kafka estate may belong to Israel National Library
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Max Brod is believed to have left a later will in which he left Kafka's literary estate to the National Library.,
Former Netanyahu housekeeper claims to be getting death threats
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Police on Tuesday said that Lillian Peretz, the former housekeeper who is suing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, said she has been getting threats against her life since filing suit. ...
Top Israel basketball coach questioned in tax evasion case
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - The head coach of Israel's most celebrated basketball team was summoned by authorities on Tuesday for questioning on possible tax evasion charges. ...
Elton John to perform in Israel this summer
Ha'aretz 19 Jan 2010 - Sir Elton John announced on Tuesday that he will be arriving in Israel for a single performance on June 17. This marks the British singer's second concert in Israel, the first of which took place 27 years ago in Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv. ...
OPT: UNRWA Emergency Appeal 2010
Relief Web 19 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
European Union provides €158.5 million to the Palestinian Authority to support its recurrent expenditures in 2010
Relief Web 19 Jan 2010 - Source: European Commission, European Union, Palestinian National Authority
Dozens of homes flooded after heavy rains in Gaza
Relief Web 19 Jan 2010 - Source: Agence France-Presse
OPT: IOF Arrests Seven Palestinian Fishermen, Seizes their Boats on Rafah Coast, Al Mezan Condemns IOF Violations and Calls for International Protection
Relief Web 19 Jan 2010 - Source: Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
'Israelis stealing organs in Haiti'
YNet News 19 Jan 2010 - Even as IDF travels across world to extend hand to country in need, there are those who take opportunity to spread slander, blood libel against Jewish state. Seattle resident, who presents himself as black activist, explains incendiary video he uploaded to YouTube
State to help pay for rehab of addicted students
YNet News 19 Jan 2010 - Welfare Ministry and Israel Anti-Drug Authority will launch four-month rehab program for drug and alcohol abusers targeted at backpackers, students. Program will also take action to prevent deterioration of 'light' users
Officials: Iran spurns nuclear fuel deal in writing
YNet News 19 Jan 2010 - Diplomats say Islamic Republic has formally rejected key parts of deal to send abroad for processing most of its material that could be used to make nuclear arms. US rejects response as inadequate
Israel asks Greece for aid in repairing torched synagogue
YNet News 19 Jan 2010 - After two cases of arson, Etz Chaim Synagogue in Crete city of Hania, senior Foreign Ministry official meets with Greek ambassador
Dozens of homes flooded after heavy rains in Gaza
YNet News 19 Jan 2010 - Rising waters destroy or damage more than 100 homes in low-lying farming area south of Gaza City mostly inhabited by Bedouins. Hamas-run government working to evacuate residents
Peres thanks Israel's rescue team in Haiti
YNet News 19 Jan 2010 - President places phone call to members of Israeli aid delegation at field hospital they set up in Port-au-Prince to express his appreciation. 'You are people's defense force,' he says
Erdogan voices support for Palestinians
Daily Star 19 Jan 2010 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed support for the Palestinians and called on Saudi businessmen to invest in his country during a trip to the Middle Eastern oil giant. "There is nothing more natural than for Turkey to show concern for the Palestinians and Gaza, not because we are Muslim but because we are humans," he told a meeting of businessmen in the Saudi capital.
American journalist enters second week of Israeli detention
Daily Star 19 Jan 2010 American journalist Jared Malsin, the English-language editor of the Palestinian Bethlehem-based Ma'an News Agency, entered Tuesday his second week in Israeli detention. Malsin was detained at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion International Airport by Israeli authorities on January 12 and refused entry to the country after returning from a one-week vacation to the Czech Republic with his girlfriend.
Syria: Baghdad failing to help displaced Iraqis
Daily Star 19 Jan 2010 Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad accused Iraq Monday of failing to provide financial aid to Iraqi refugees living in Syria since the US-led invasion of their country. "Ever since the Iraqi refugees began arriving in Syria in 2003, the Iraqi government - only gave $15 million to help its citizens in Syria," he said.
Syria hosts conference on Iraqi refugee assistance
Daily Star 19 Jan 2010 A meeting in Damascus on Monday of over 50 NGOs and host country government representatives has mapped out the next steps in providing vital assistance and protection for Iraqi refugees across the Middle East. The main product of the meeting is the 2010 Regional Response Plan for Iraqi Refugees (RRP).
Minister insists Britain wanted diplomatic solution on Iraq
Daily Star 19 Jan 2010 The first former Cabinet minister to give evidence to the Iraq war inquiry insisted on Tuesday that Britain had always wanted a diplomatic solution to the crisis before the 2003 invasion. Former Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon's testimony kicked off appearances from a series of ex-Cabinet ministers before the eagerly awaited questioning of former Prime Minister Tony Blair on January 29.
The more important indicator
Daily Star 19 Jan 2010 In President Barack Obama's remarks on strengthening aviation intelligence and security in the wake of the incomplete bomb attack on board an American aircraft on Christmas, he pointed out more than once that US intelligence had sufficient information that Al-Qaeda-related elements in Yemen intended to strike at the US and they recruited elements to do that.
Beyond chutzpah
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - The brutal ugliness of the collective Israeli mentality seems to know no limits. Indeed, one wouldn’t go too far by arguing that the patterns of Israeli behaviors reflect a real mental sickness.
Gov’t committee appeals for pressing Israel to respond to Amnesty’s report
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - The government committee to break the siege appealed to the international community and the UN to pressure Israel to respond to Amnesty’s report which called for lifting the blockade on Gaza.
Habib: Elections before reconciliation rejected
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - Khader Habib, one of the Islamic Jihad's leaders, said on Tuesday that any municipal or legislative elections before reconciliation are rejected.
New videotape on Israeli soldiers torturing and stealing human organs disclosed
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - The popular movement for the support of prisoners unveiled a videotape explaining how Israeli soldiers in 1988 tortured a Palestinian Christian young man before harvesting his body parts.
European parliament supports campaign for release of Palestinian MPs
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - President of the European parliament Jerzy Buzek has declared absolute backing for the international campaign for the release of Palestinian lawmakers held in Israeli occupation jails.
Hamas-Jihad officials discuss Palestinian developments
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - Officials of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements on Monday night conferred on latest Palestinian developments topped by the reconciliation efforts patronized by Egypt.
Dweik: The attempts to get around the Palestinian legitimacy will fail
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - Dr. Aziz Dweik, the speaker of the Palestinian legislative council (PLC), said that the attempts of Mahmoud Abbas’s authority to circumvent the Palestinian legitimacy would be doomed to failure.
Haneyya gov't asks for urgent assistance to deal with floods
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - The government of Ismail Haneyya on Tuesday appealed to the world community to save the flood-stricken areas in Gaza Strip and to send urgently needed construction material.
British demo denounces supplying Israel with British arms
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - Hundreds gathered in Brighton, south of London, on Monday to protest the presence of EDO, an arms firm that develops weapons parts used in the Israeli war on Gaza last year.
Alliance of trade unions appeals to Egypt gov’t to stop building its steel wall
PIC 19 Jan 2010 - The alliance of Palestinian trade unions appealed to the Egyptian government to stop building the steel wall, affirming that the real enemy which threatens the Egyptian security is Israel.
Q & A: Israel's diplomatic row with Turkey
LA Times 19 Jan 2010 - The Foreign Ministry's move to shame Turkey's ambassador over an objectionable TV program backfired, says Israel's former envoy to Ankara. We 'took a beating for it,' says Alon Liel. Angry over a Turkish TV show that portrayed Israelis as ruthless killers, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon summoned Turkey's ambassador to his office this month for a dressing-down.
Issues Stand Before Israel in Joining Elite Group
New York Times 19 Jan 2010 - The country's secretive weapons trade, patent-bending drug industry and occupation of Arab lands are raising questions about its accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Fearing And Facing Violence: The Palestinian Routine
Palestine Monitor - 19 Jan 2010 - In Hebron, 31 km south of Jerusalem, Palestinians are victims of harassment and acts of violence, both from the settlers and the Israeli soldiers. The city, under Israeli control- administrative and military, is surrounded by three large settlements added to those built inside the old city...
Swimming Through Sewers In Search Of Freedom
Palestine Monitor - 19 Jan 2010 - Keeping culture alive in a conflict zone is a daunting challenge. The Israeli Occupation involves not only the destruction of Palestine as a political entity, but the dissolution of its social and cultural life. Resisting that process and fighting the occupation through creativity is what drives...
The Lost Lesson of the Civil Rights Movement
Mondoweiss - 19 Jan 2010 - The commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. day has led Palestine solidarity activists and journalists alike to compare the current non-violent struggle in the Palestinian Territories with the American Civil Rights Movement. With the recent arrests of several prominent Palestinian leaders of the Anti-Apartheid Wall campaign,...
AP covers the Israeli campaign against protest and dissent
Mondoweiss - 19 Jan 2010 - The AP has picked up the story on the ongoing Israeli campaign against nonviolent protest against the occupation. Ben Hubbard connects the dots between the arrests of Abdullah Abu Rahmeh, Jamal Juma’, Mohammed Othman and the recent tougher response to the protests in Bil’in, Naalin and...
Anticipating Israeli response, Dershowitz blames atrocities in Goldstone Report on ‘rogue soldiers’
Mondoweiss - 19 Jan 2010 - French members of the Gaza Freedom March, in Cairo last month, expressing their analysis of Gaza war The Israeli response to the Goldstone report is due soon, and Adam predicted lately that it will blame some atrocities on "bad apples." I think he’s got it. For...
‘NYT’ moralist-columnist leaves himself no room to oppose BDS
Mondoweiss - 19 Jan 2010 - "[NYT columnist] Nicholas D. Kristof On Martin Luther King Day [at facebook], I wish more Palestinians would absorb the lessons of King and Gandhi and use non-violent but confrontational approaches in challenging settlements, etc. Non-violence is not only morally superior to terrorism, it’s also more effective...
Letter from an Israeli jail
Mondoweiss - 19 Jan 2010 - Remembering Martin Luther King Jr., below we run excerpts from his majestic "Letter from a Birmingham jail" of 1963 in which he said that "freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor." He wrote the letter to 8 Alabama clergymen who will go down in history...
Changing Israeli Visa Regime for Humanitarian Workers
Alternative Information Center - 19 Jan 2010 - Background International staff of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) working in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) have, until now, been provided B1 visas by the Government of Israel in its role as the occupying power. A B1 visa is a work permit—usually multiple entry and issued for...
Repression continues: Eight Arrested Following a Night Raid in Ni'ilin
Alternative Information Center - 18 Jan 2010 - Four residents of Ni'ilin have been arrested last night during a military incursion into the West Bank village. Four others, who were not home at the time of the raid surrendered themselves in the morning. These recent arrests are a part of a concerted assault on...
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Rajoub: “US Threatened Fateh of Boycott Should It Reconcile With Hamas”
IMEMC 20 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 21, 2010 - 06:05, Deputy-head of the Central Committee of Fateh movement, Jibril Rajoub, stated that the movement and its presidents, Mahmoud Abbas, were threatened on boycott by the United States should they achieve reconciliation with the rival Hamas movement.
El Khodary Welcomes Two Medical Delegates In Gaza
IMEMC 20 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 21, 2010 - 01:58, Palestinian Legislator, Jamal El Khodary, welcomed on Wednesday two medical delegates, from France and Switzerland, who came to Gaza to perform orthopedic, neurological and plastic surgeries in the Gaza Strip.
Qassam Fighter Dies In Exile
IMEMC 20 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 21, 2010 - 00:16, The Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, reported that one of its fighters, from the northern part of the Gaza Strip, died at age 50, in the United Arab Emirates. The fighter was deported by Israel in 1989.
Israeli military kidnaps two civilians from central West Bank
IMEMC 20 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 20, 2010 - 17:44, Two Palestinian civilians were kidnapped on Wednesday by Israeli troops during an invasion targeting the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Israel to Stop Issuing Work Permits for NGOs in the West Bank
IMEMC 20 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 20, 2010 - 16:56, Israeli media is reporting that the Ministry of Interior has made the decision to stop issuing work permits for internationals working for non- governmental organizations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Israel's Jerusalem municipality hands out demolition orders to Palestinian families
IMEMC 20 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 20, 2010 - 16:29, The Israeli municipality of Jerusalem handed out demolition orders, on Wednesday, to five Palestinian families living in Al-Bustan neighborhood.
Qaraqi: Case of Palestinian prisoners to be taken to the Hague
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Minister of Prisoners and ex-Detainees' Affairs Issa Qaraqi announced on Wednesday that a professional committee has been established to prepare the case of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails to be taken to the International Criminal Court at the Hague. The file in question relates to Palestinian prisoners considered Prisoners of War under the Third Geneva Convention. Qaraqi made the announcement during a meeting with the UN Commissioner for Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territories Eva Tomitch at the UN headquarters, where he and a delegation from the Ministry discussed the legal mechanism to employ within the UN's framework. Recently, a delegation of lawyers visited Cairo and met with committees in the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to construct a case for the Hague, in cooperation with Arab League, which has endorsed the move.
Local: Settlers attack cemetery in West Bank village
1/20/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli settlers attacked a cemetery on Wednesday in the Orta Village, southeast of Nablus, and vandalized graves, officials said. Ghassan Doghlas, official for the settlement file in the West Bank, said additionally that Israeli settlers broke the gate to the village school and left graffiti on the walls. Abu Salam Awad, 38, and a teacher in Orta, told Ma'an that dozens of settlers raided the village at 10pm on Tuesday, accompanied by Israeli troops, saying they were visiting a Jewish holy shrine in the village. Awad said that graves had been vandalized and property was damaged. Doghlas confirmed that the settlers visited a Jewish site in the Orta village. . . . .
AIDA: Gaza blockade places Palestinians’ health at risk
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) on Wednesday highlighted the impact of the blockade of Gaza on the health of its population and its health services and called for an immediate opening of Gaza's crossings. Max Gaylard, the Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories said during a news conference in Gaza City "The continuing closure of the Gaza Strip is undermining the functioning of the health care system and putting at risk the health of 1. 4 million people in Gaza. ""It is causing on-going deterioration in the social, economic and environmental determinants of health. It is hampering the provision of medical supplies and the training of health staff and it is preventing patients with serious medical conditions getting timely specialized treatment outside Gaza. "
Israeli forces raid homes in Hebron
1/20/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces raided overnight on Tuesday a number of homes in the Ras Al-Jora neighborhood of Hebron, according to Palestinian Authority security sources. Five homes belonging to the Al-Haimuni family were stormed and thoroughly searched, the sources said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said that this was part of the Israeli army's regular security activity in Hebron. Local sources added that Israeli forces performed an incursion in Yatta , south of Hebron, and swept the area searching for Israeli license-platted vehicles. A number of cars with Israeli plates were impounded by the soldiers, the sources added. [end]
Israeli forces shut down container road checkpoint in Bethlehem
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hundreds of Palestinians faced delays on Wednesday morning on the Container Road between Bethlehem and Abu Diss, occupied East Jerusalem, as Israeli forces carried out extensive searches and closed the checkpoint. Bethlehem Governor Abdul Fattah Hamayal was among those affectedby the closure, who commented that such actions are a means to provoke Palestinians, adding that internal checkpoints have been subject to prolonged closures recently. Governor Hamayal further said that such practices are often based on the mood of the solider and "is not a personal issue, but one experienced by all the Palestinian people. " He called on the international community to work at bring an end to such "repressive" Israeli practices at checkpoints, and that the lives of Palestinians should be affected by the mood of an Israeli soldier.
Woman detainee marks 10 years in Israeli prison
1/20/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The de facto Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs said that a woman detaineemarked her tenth year in an Israeli prison on Wednesday. Muna Jawad, 34, from Jerusalem, was detained on 20 January 2001 and was sentenced to life imprisonment, accused of luring an Israeli settler to her home over the internet and manslaughter. Jawad is one of the longest serving Palestinian prisoners and is a representative of Ar-Ramla prison's women detainees. The report issued by the Ministry added that Jawad's name had not been placed on the prisoner swap list. She has been harshly treating during her sentence and her health has deteriorated but was not provided access to treatment, the Ministry's statement said. The de facto ministry of prisoners' affairs added that Jawad had been placed in solitary confinement on many occasions, for which she went on a hunger strike, in turn forcing the Israeli Prison Administration from removing her.
Reporters Without Borders questions Malsin expulsion
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Reporters Without Borders on Wednesday condemned the suspicious circumstances surrounding Israel's expulsion of US journalist Jared Malsin, chief English editor at Ma'an. "The journalist was expelled after giving up his right of appeal. This decision was taken in dubious circumstances in that the journalist's lawyer was not present," the worldwide press freedom organization said. "Did the journalist come under pressure? "it asked, "It is reasonable to question the legality of this expulsion in the absence of transparency on the part of the Israeli authorities," it added. Malsin was detained on arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on 12 January and was interrogated for eight hours about his work and visa-related issues before being transferred to the airport's detention center. Related: RWB: Lack of transparency on Israel’s expulsion of US journalist
Projectile lands in Eshkol Regional Council
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Qassam projectile was launched from Gaza into Israel on Wednesday morning, an Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed. The projectile landed in Ein Shlosha, south of Kissufim, in the Eshkol Regional Council, southern Israel, the spokeswoman said. "Blasts were head in Kissufim," she added. No injuries were reported. The Israeli military added that the projectile was launched from the central Gaza Strip. [end]
Worker injured in settlement east of Bethlehem
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Palestinian construction worker was injured whilst working on the illegal settlement of Tko'a, southeast of Bethlehem on Wednesday. Khalil Ahmad Al-Tanh, 34, from the Tko'a village, was transferred to Hadassah-Ein Kerem hospital after a concrete pump fell on him, his brother Imad told Ma'an. Sources at the Red Crescent further told Ma'an that one of their ambulances was dispatched to the scene but Israelis present prohibited them from obtaining access to Khalil. An Israeli ambulance transferred him to hospital and could not identify his injuries, Imad said. The family has been unable to contact Khalil, he added. [end]
Two Gaza crossings opened, limited fuel supplies transferred
1/20/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened on Wednesday the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings in the south and north of Gaza respectively, to allow the transfer of aid and fuel. Palestinian border crossing official, Raed Fattouh, said that between 69 and 79 truckloads of humanitarian aid for the commercial and agriculture sector will be transferred into Gaza via Kerem Shalom. Additionally, limited quantities of industrial diesel and cooking gas will be allowed through the same crossing. Aproximately 98 truckloads of wheat and animal feed will enter Gaza through the Karni crossing. On Tuesday, Israeli authorities opened the Nahal Oz fuel terminal for the first time since it announced its closer in December. Around 259 tons of domestic gas and 752 tons of fuel were transferred into the Strip for the population's use, while 40 tons of petrol was allowed in for the UN.
After heavy rains, well collapses in Barka village
1/20/2010 - Tulkarem - Ma'an - A water reservoir in Baqa Ash-Sharqiya village overflowed and collapsed Wednesday,flooding the area north of Tulkarem and prompting Palestinian Civil Defense forces to declare the area around the flood a danger zone. Heavy rainfall throughout Palestine caused floods in dozens of low-lying areas, with some municipalities reporting overflowing aquifers and several Gaza districts under evacuation orders as homes are covered in floodwater. In a press statement, the Civil Defense forces said the reservoir was under watch on Tuesday night, and noted that it collapsed in the early hours of the morning, flooding the adjacent agricultural areas. The area will be cordoned off until the rains subside. . . . .
Two more settlers arrested for Yasuf mosque arson
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - The arrest of two more settler teens from the Yitzhar colony brings up to 12 the number of Israelis detained for their role in the torching of a mosque in Yasuf village in December, Israeli media reported. Israel's daily Ma'ariv newspaper printed a report Wednesday saying the two were detained following the release of six of the 10 previously arrested settlers. All the settlers are said to be in their teens and early twenties. [end]
PA, Mitchell to push for settlement halt in East Jerusalem
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - The Palestinian Authority is urging Israel to approve a complete standstill on settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli media reported on Wednesday. The halt would be for a period of between three to six months and will not be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post. "This is not going to happen; it goes against everything Netanyahu says and believes in," a source in the prime minister's office told the daily. US Middle East envoy George Mitchell is set to raise the issue during talks with Netanyahu on Thursday, who will arrive on Wednesday following talks in Syria and Lebanon. The PA has repeatedly rejected all calls to resume negotiations while settlement expansion remains unhindered in East Jerusalem, while Netanyahu has deemed the 10-month halt in the West Bank a gesture, mandating a return to talks.
Vatican memo: Occupation, conflict cause of Christian emigration
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - A Vatican memo released on Tuesday blamed the Israeli-Palestine conflict and the occupation, as well as numerous other conflicts in the region for driving out Arab Christians in the Middle East, according to the Associated Press and Israeli media. The document was produced as a guideline for discussions for a conference of bishops in the Middle East in October on the plight of the Christian minority in Muslim countries, AP reported. Approximately 150 bishops, largely from Eastern denominations, are due to attend the conference, which will be convened by Pope Benedict XVI, Synod organizer Monsignor Nikola Eterovic said. In addition to identifying the Israeli-Palestine conflict as the root of several conflicts in th region, the document highlighted the rise of political Islam and the extortion of the Israel-Palestine conflict for radical terrorism as causes of Christian emigration and Discrimination.
Haniyeh calls for urgent meeting with Mubarak
1/20/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Wednesday that an official letter detailing the means of handling the recent outbreak of tensions at the Rafah crossing has been received by Egyptian President Husni Mubarak. During an interview with Al-Quds TV, Haniyeh said that he awaits a response from Mubarak and has requested an urgent meeting between the Gaza government and Egyptian leaders to take in hand the recent crisis in relations between Hamas and Egypt. Haniyeh added that he has spoken with many Egyptian officials, among them Mustafa Al-Feqi, head of Foreign Relations Department of the Egyptian parliament and considers Egyptian-Hamas relations as strategic. The deposed prime minister described the underground steel wall under construction on the Egypt-Gaza border as "harmful," tightening the siege on Gaza, which in turn violates Palestinian-Egyptian relations, as well as international and human rights law, he said.
Palestinian families evacuated from Haiti
1/20/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Twelve members of three Palestinian families in Haiti were evacuated from the earthquake stricken country with the assistance of the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. The family members were taken to Jordan by a Jordanian aircraft, where they were received by members of staff from the Palestinian Embassy. The evacuation was carried out in conjunction with the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Bureau and the Palestinian Embassy in Jordan. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyadh Al-Maliki called on the Palestinian ambassador to Cuba Akram Samhan to travel to Haiti with a delegation of Palestinian and Cuban doctors to follow up on the current situation of the Palestinian community in Haiti. . . . .
Hamas: PA security forces detain 5 in the West Bank
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas movement accused the Palestinian Authority security forces of detaining five of the movement's affiliates throughout the West Bank, in a statement issued on Wednesday. The five were detained in Nablus, Bethlehem and Qalqiliya, the statement said. [end]
Masha’al renews invitation to meet with Abbas
1/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Senior-most Hamas leader Khaled Masha'al on Wednesday renewed his call meet with President Mahmoud Abbas, Saudi media reported. "My stance remains the same: I am ready to meet [Abu Mazen] to achieve conciliation," In an interview with the Saudi daily newspaper of U'kath. Abbas had rejected an invitation by Kuwait's Foreign Minister to host a meeting between Masha'al and the president to discuss the standstill in reconciliation talks, stating that they would not meet until the Egyptian document is ratified by Hamas. Masha'al said that Hamas still has amendments to the Egyptian-backed reconciliation document, and emphasized that the process should be speeded up to achieve Palestinian goals. While he told the Saudi daily that he is compelling Egypt to review its construction of an underground steel wall on the Gaza-Egypt border, Masha'al stressed the. . .
Abu Samhadaneh: Gaza is not a hotel to leave as one chooses
1/20/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Member of Fatah's Revolutionary Council Minister Abdullah Abu Samhadaneh called on the movement's leadership to enter Gaza immediately and witness the situation first hand, he said in statement issued on Wednesday. Abu Samhadaneh, Mayor of Wusta, said "Gaza is not a hotel where one can come and go as one pleases. ""I feel sorry to see Fatah members leave Gaza to live in Ramallah, Egypt, Jordan and other Arab states. " "This is not nationalism; nationalism is when we commit and stick to our places and we don't leave, no matter the consequences. "While calling on members of the movement to either return or remain in Gaza, Abu Samhadaneh stressed that internal division will destroy Palestinian national aspirations and called on Hamas to sign the Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation document.
Al-Oury appointed legal advisor to Abbas
1/20/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - President Mahmoud Abbas appointed on Wednesday Hassan Al-Oury, LLM, as his personal legal advisor. Al-Oury received an undergraduate degree in Law from the University of Alexandria in Egypt and a master's degree from Al-Quds University, Abu Diss Campus, and was one of the founds of the Palestinian Bar Association. His career spans 25 years and was a member of the investigation committee into the Gaza war, and has participated in a number of local and international conferences on international law. Al-Oury told Ma'an that he accepted the position. [end]
Hamas brigades founder dies in exile
1/20/2010 - Gaza- Ma'an - Hamas' armed wings the Al-Qassam Brigades announced the death of its co-founder in exile Mahmoud Al-Mabhuh died of terminal cancer in a hospital in the UAE on Wednesday. The Al-Qassam leader, a refugee living the Jabalia Refugee Camp until he left Gaza for the UAE, was behind a mission that successfully captured two Israeli soldiers, a statement from the brigades said. Al-Mabhuh was captured two Israeli soldiers, Elan Sa'dun and Avi Sbortas who were captured at the in the early 1990s by Al-Qassam fighters, the soldiers were killed in military action following their capture," the statement said. [end]"
Ramallah MoH sends blood to replenish Gaza stocks
1/20/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Ministry of Health shipped blood transfusion supplies from its Ramallah warehouse to Gaza on Wednesday, in coordination with the International Committee and the Red Cross. Ministry spokesman Omar Nasr said the blood was transferred on order of the caretaker government's Minister of Health Fathi Abu Moghli, based on reports of a shortage in Gaza hospitals. The recent floods south of Gaza city have increased traffic to the hospitals, as staff treat Palestinains injured by torrents of floodwater. [end]
IDF sets up 'Facebook' unit to plug media leaks
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - The Shin Bet has reported several attempts by militant groups to contact IDF soldiers via networking sites.
30 countries joined Israel in mass bio-terror drill
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Drill simulated scenario in which terrorists infected with a virus entered Tel Aviv posing as tourists.
GAZA IS NOT ALONE; THE ENTIRE WEST BANK IS UNDER SIEGE
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - In a new effort to discourage, in fact stop, foreign nationals from volunteering in Humane organisations in the Occupied Territories, Israel has stopped issuing work permits to them. Israel has been successful in maintaining the siege on Gaza by not allowing foreigners to enter the area with much needed medical and building equipment. That, apparently is...
"Humanity cannot be divided": Gaza shows solidarity with Haiti
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - "We have been living a man-made disaster actually for the past 62 years," said Palestinian parliamentarian Jamal al-Khudari, a chairman of the Gaza-based Committee to Break the Siege. "We would like to send out a message of solidarity to the people of Haiti, who are now facing a natural disaster. Despite the harsh conditions Gaza people...
Haiti 2010: An Unwelcome Katrina Redux
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - President Obama's response to the tragedy in Haiti has been robust in military deployment and puny in what the Haitians need most: food; first responders and their specialized equipment; doctors and medical facilities and equipment; and engineers, heavy equipment, and heavy movers. Sadly, President Obama is dispatching Presidents Bush and Clinton, and thousands of Marines and...
Aid workers ‘being pushed out’ of Palestinian areas
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - Israel has stopped issuing work permits to foreign aid workers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, sparking fears about the future of relief operations in the Palestinian territories. The Israeli Interior Ministry has issued only tourist visas to aid groups such as Oxfam, Médecins sans Frontières and Save the Children since before Christmas. They say...
And on the Eighth Day…
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - The Americans have landed, or as they used to say of the GIs in the UK during WWII, 'they’re overfed, over sexed and over here’. So now, in spite of protestations that air-dropping supplies would cause a riot, on the eighth day of this catastrophe (one that the BBC still continues to call a "humanitarian catastrophe")...
IOA demolishes Jerusalemite home without prior notice
Uruknet January 20, 2010 -- The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) razed on Tuesday the home of Hasan Ka'abne in the southern area of Juba'a village to the northwest of occupied Jerusalem without prior notice. Ka'abne said that the IOF soldiers came unexpectedly and ordered all his family members out of the house in order to knock it down. He affirmed, however,...
Reporters Without Borders: Iranian regime accused of crimes against humanity
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - Condemning the continuing arbitrary arrests and illegal detention of journalists, many of whom are being held incommunicado for long periods, Reporters Without Borders today accused the Iranian regime of "crimes against humanity" and urged the international community to speak out. "The systematic suppression of all criticism of the regime’s political and religious institutions is creating a...
AIDA: Gaza blockade places Palestinians' health at risk
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - The UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) on Wednesday highlighted the impact of the blockade of Gaza on the health of its population and its health services and called for an immediate opening of Gaza’s crossings. Max Gaylard, the Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories said during a news conference...
The Zionization of Disaster Relief
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - Didn’t know there was anything particularly Zionist about providing disaster relief? You learn something new every day. This is a story of exploiting the suffering of poor, defenseless Haitians on behalf of Israeli triumphalism. Sol Salbe translated an eye-opening column from Yediot by an Israeli doctor who was an integral member of all Israeli international disaster...
Harsher Gaza War Looming on Horizon?
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - According to several prominent Palestinians and Israelis another major Israeli military assault on Gaza, even harsher than last year’s Operation Cast Lead, is imminent. But will this change anything and have the underlying causes behind the previous bloody war been addressed? During the last week the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have carried out a series of...
Palestinian Prisoners Society: “More Sick Detainees In Deteriorating Conditions”
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - A lawyer of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) visited a number of sick detainees imprisoned by Israel at a number of detention facilities, and stated that there is an increasing number of detainees who need medical attention but are deprived from this internationally guaranteed right. The lawyer said that detainee Firas Yousef Qadri, 29, from Salfit,...
Video: Israel's assassination policy TRNN interviews relatives of recently assassinated men in Nablus, Occupied Palestinian Territories
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - In recent weeks Israel has escalated its practice of assassinations in the West Bank and Gaza. At the end of December, Israeli special forces broke into the Nablus homes of Anan Subih, Raed Surkaji, and Ghassan Abu Sharekh and killed them. Official Israeli sources linked the three to the killing of Israeli settler Meir Avshalom Hai...
Israel Detains 2 Palestinians
20 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 20, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained 2 Palestinians from Ramallah in the West Bank in operations carried out Wednesday dawn. The detainees were transferred to Israeli investigation centers for questioning. In the last 48 hours, Israeli occupation forces invaded different governorates in West Bank and broke into some houses claiming that they were searching for "...
The Gaza flood losses estimated 1M$ USD
20 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 20, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Yesterday, Israel opened the floodgates of one of its dams in the eastern part of the Gaza Strip, flooding Palestinian houses and causing severe damage. Hamas-led government decided to provide the afflicted families with the needed supplies in addition to 200$ US dollars. Dr. Mohammed Agha, the Minister of Agriculture Ministry of Hamas-led...
Forum seeks ways of bringing Gaza Strip back to life
The National 20 Jan 2010 - Delegates at a three-day forum in Doha review how desperate living, working and health conditions have become in Gaza after the three-year blockade by Israel.
US could tip its hand on peace plan during West Bank visit
The National 20 Jan 2010 - When George Mitchell arrives in the West Bank today, he will meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders under pressure to stand their ground.
Israel eases ban on Gaza's strawberry exports
The National 20 Jan 2010 - UN estimates a total loss of $268m to region's farming sector, which it says is impossible for farmers to recover because of other restrictions.
The World Cup, the Olympics and the Occupation
Alternative Information Center 20 Jan 2010 - A New York City-based organization, Adalah-NY, recently led an effort to get the New York Mets and Major League Baseball to cancel a fundraising event at Shea Stadium for the pro-settler Hebron Fund. The world of...
An Important Lesson for Knesset Member Zahalka
Alternative Information Center 20 Jan 2010 - In the moment of truth in the television drama played out on Erev Hadash , the Israeli liberal becomes an aggressive racist—an obvious product of the nationalistic model dubbed “Jewish democratic state” which denies the question of...
Israel Suddenly Expels Detained Ma'an Journalist
Alternative Information Center 20 Jan 2010 - For the first time in a week, journalist Jared Malsin was allowed to use his mobile phone on Wednesday morning to inform Ma'an that he was being placed onto an El Al flight to New York....
Israeli Defense Contractors Arrested in FBI Sting Operation in the US
PNN 20 Jan 2010 - Associated Press is reporting that 3 of the 22 defense industry contractors arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada and Miami, Florida this week during a bribery sting are of Israeli origin, and were working for Israeli-based firms. he sting was part of an FBI operation targeting corrupt contractors who were attempting to bribe who they believed was a procurement officer from an African...
The case of Jared Malsin - expelled by Israel
PNN 20 Jan 2010 - It probably has not made the headlines in most press around the world, but Israel has recently decided to expel an American journalist working for the respected Ma'an News Agency, based out of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For the first time in a week, journalist Jared Malsin was allowed to use his mobile phone on Wednesday morning to inform Ma'an that he...
Israel withholding NGO employees' work permits
PNN 20 Jan 2010 - The Interior Ministry has stopped granting work permits to foreign nationals working in most international nongovernmental organizations operating in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, Haaretz has learned. In an apparent overhaul of regulations that have been in place since 1967, the ministry is now granting the NGO employees tourist visas only, which bar them from working. Organizations affected by the apparent...
Israeli settlers arrested in mosque arson investigation
PNN 19 Jan 2010 - Israeli police have arrested 10 people as part of investigations into an arson attack on a West Bank mosque. Police carried out a pre-dawn raid on the Yitzhar settlement, near the Palestinian town Yasuf, where the mosque was attacked last month. They are investigating whether there is a link between those arrested and the arson attack, police sources said. The floor of...
Hamas rep: Ready to cancel charter
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - 'Movement has accepted Israel's right to exist and would be ready to nullify call for its destruction.'
Livni takes hard line against advancing Kadima leadership reace
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - The three candidates who ran against Livni for the Kadima leadership in September 2008 all support holding another primary by the end of the year.
IDF delegation provides communications
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - Doctors, journalists and volunteers in Haiti granted access to critical internet, phone lines.
UN, US ask Israel to send cops to Haiti
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - Police will undergo brief period f physical, mental preperation before taking part in int'l contingent.
TAU scholar to advocate Israel boycott
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - Dr. Anat Matar to support move at London university event commemerating year since 'attack' on Gaza.
NGO Monitor turns to EU court for transparency
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - J'lem watchdog filed suit against European Commission, demanding it disclose funding documents.
Jordan court will hear suit against MKs
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - Jordanian lawyers sue Rivlin, Eldad, for allegedly saying Jordan should become a Palestinian state.
Young siblings treated by IDF in Haiti
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - Israeli military doctor at scene: Maybe it's a miracle, someone upstairs loves them very much.
Ariel University still without accreditation
Jeruslalem Post 20 Jan 2010 - Council for Higher Education says university status years away, after Barak orders IDF to recognize college's decision to change name to 'university center.'
MIDEAST: Israel Cannot be Sultan
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 14 (IPS) - A bizarre diplomatic incident - even by the Byzantine-like standards of the old near East - has threatened already strained relations between Israel and Turkey.
Q&A: 'Religious State, Recipe for Disaster'
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 19 (IPS) - When Omar Abdel-Razeq was appointed finance minister following the election of Hamas in January 2006, the BBC characterised the post as the "least enviable job in the new Palestinian government."
MIDEAST: Harsher Gaza War Looming on Horizon?
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 19 (IPS) - According to several prominent Palestinians and Israelis another major Israeli military assault on Gaza, even harsher than last year’s Operation Cast Lead, is imminent. But will this change anything and have the underlying causes behind the previous bloody war been addressed?
Israel expels top Ma’an journalist
1/21/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Ma'an News Agency, 20 January - For the first time in a week, American journalist Jared Malsin was allowed to use his mobile phone on Wednesday morning to inform Ma'an that he was being placed onto an El Al flight bound for New York. He sounded shaken and confused. He said he did not know why he was not being flown to Prague, where he was expected to be sent, saying only that flying there "would create problems. "He said he was in an armored vehicle en route to the airport gate. On Tuesday, Tel Aviv District Judge Kobi Vardi ordered that a hearing be scheduled to consider the Israeli Ministry of the Interior's decision to deport the journalist. Following the call, lawyer Castro Daoud went to the airport detention facility where Malsin has been kept for the past week to deliver the news. At about 2:30 pm, Daoud left the detention center and filed a motion requesting that Jared be permitted. . . .
Israel crushes local dissent, attacks global criticism
1/21/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Mel Frykberg, Inter Press Service - Israel is lashing out at international criticism and attempting to crush local dissent in what appears to be growing sensitivity to reproach of its policies. Several recent incidents have dominated media headlines, including the arrest of a Jewish-American journalist on the grounds of security, threats by an Israeli minister against international diplomats and the arrest of Israeli and Palestinian peace activists. The raid on a foreign activist´s home in Ramallah, supposedly under full Palestinian control, by a large Israel Defence Forces (IDF) contingent allegedly for a visa infringement, and her subsequent arrest at gunpoint and deportation has also raised eyebrows. "We will not allow a situation where every country will kick us. If there will be an attack on Israel, we will leave all options open, including the expulsion of ambassadors,". . .
Israel withholding NGO employees’ work permits
1/21/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Amira Hass, Ha'aretz, 20 January - The Interior Ministry has stopped granting work permits to foreign nationals working in most international nongovernmental organizations operating in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, Haaretz has learned. In an apparent overhaul of regulations that have been in place since 1967, the ministry is now granting the NGO employees tourist visas only, which bar them from working. Organizations affected by the apparent policy change include Oxfam, Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, Terre des Hommes, Handicap International and the Religious Society of Friends (a Quaker organization). Until recently, the workers would register with the international relations department at the Social Affairs Ministry, which would recommend the Interior Ministry to issue them B1 work permits.
Tree-planting action to be held in At-Tuwani
1/20/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Christian Peacemaker Team - On Saturday 23 January Palestinians will demonstrate against the recent destruction of a grove of olive trees and plant new trees, in order to show their determination to continue accessing and cultivating their land. On the afternoon of 14 January Palestinians discovered that a family-owned olive grove in Khoruba valley had been destroyed. Twenty mature olive trees were broken at their trunks. The family believes that Israeli settlers from the Ma'on settlement and Havot Ma'on outpost are responsible for the vandalism. This is the fifth time since 1997 that settlers have destroyed the olive trees in this grove. This most recent attack on Palestinian agriculture follows a month of Israeli settler violence and harassment aimed at preventing Palestinian farmers from plowing their fields and thus earning their livelihoods.
We must not renege on war crime laws
1/20/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Letters, The Guardian, 16 January, various undersigned - We are shocked at suggestions by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office minister Ivan Lewis and foreign secretary David Miliband that Britain may consider changing its laws to avoid any future attempts to prosecute suspected war criminals, Israeli or otherwise. The UK must not renege on its international treaty obligations, particularly those under the fourth Geneva convention to seek out and prosecute persons suspected of war crimes wherever and whoever they are, whatever their status, rank or influence, against whom good prima facie evidence has been laid. We reject any attempt to undermine the judiciary's independence and integrity. A judge who finds sufficient evidence of a war crime must have power to order the arrest of a suspect, subject to the usual rights to bail and appeal. The power to arrest individuals reasonably suspected of war crimes anywhere. . .
Late Israel spy Eli Cohen to be immortalized in U.S. movie
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Cohen penetrated Syria's power hubs in the 1960s and became part of the ruling establishment in Damascus.,
George Mitchell to meet with Abbas in Ramallah
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Mitchell likely to try to persuade the PA to renew negotiations on a final-status agreement.,
U.S. Jew indicted as possible spy for Israel
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Court documents reveal ties between Israel Aerospace Industries and the man accused of spying for Israel.,
Obama's lost senate seat is a victory for Netanyahu
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Republican Scott Brown wins U.S. Senate seat held for nearly half a century by Edward M. Kennedy.,
Report: Sarkozy promises to 'rein in' Israel
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Asharq Al-Awsat: Sarkozy vow comes after Lebanese president expressed concern over possible IDF attack.,
Abbas to U.S.: Negotiate with Israel on our behalf
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Proxy arrangement could provide a way around current deadlock over reviving Israeli-Palestinian talks.,
Netanyahu: Israel must have West Bank presence after peace deal
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - PM says Israel can't risk rocket attacks from the center of the country, such as those from Gaza border.,
Muslim cemetery in West Bank vandalized hours after Jews seen in area
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Awarta cemetery is believed to be burial site of prominent Jewish Biblical figures.,
MKs furious over Netanyahu Holocaust reference in political row
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Premier slams no-confidence motion, which was submitted on same day of historic Berlin cabinet session.,
Mitchell: Syria, Lebanon key to Mideast peace
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Mitchell visits Beirut, Damascus as part of U.S. effort to normalize ties between Israel and Arab world.,
Jordan's prosecutor accepts case against two Israeli MKs
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Lawyers accuse MKs Reuven Rivlin and Aryeh Elad of committing 'a crime' against Jordan.,
Detained U.S. journalist of Palestinian news agency opts to leave Israel
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - English-language editor of Maan news agency leaves after week-long detention by Israel authorities.,
Iran representative shakes hands with Israeli tourism minister in Madrid
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Iran tourism rep. gives Tourism Min. Misezhnikov warm welcome at Madrid trade fair, invites him to visit Iran.,
Egypt riled by Syria's increasing role in the region
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - As Assad's influence and ties to Europe grow, Cairo may find itself progressively marginalized.,
Gaza blockade threatens health of 1.4 million, aid agencies warn
The Guardian 20 Jan 2010 - Israeli and Egyptian blockade means nearly one-fifth of requests to leave for treatment are refused or delayed, report says The health of 1.4 million people is being put at risk by the ongoing Israeli and Egyptian...
Israel deports US journalist
The Guardian 20 Jan 2010 - News editor for Palestinian agency put on flight to New York Israeli authorities today deported an American journalist who was working as an editor for a Palestinian news agency. Jared Malsin, who is Jewish and in...
Palestine's occupation tourism | Seth Freedman
The Guardian 20 Jan 2010 - Palestinian protesters are often joined by international tourists who see their struggle as an entertaining spectacle On any given Friday in Bil'in , the local Palestinian protesters are joined by scores of Israeli and international activists, who...
Shahar Peer relieved as threats of pro-Palestinian protesters dissipate
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Shahar Peer's first-round match at the Australian Open passed without incident Wednesday despite threats of a pro-Palestinian protest. Israel's top tennis talent woke up to headlines in Melbourne's The Age newspaper claiming that protesters were planning to target her match against Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic on an outside court. ...
Greek patriarch seeks pardon for convicted Shas minister
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Convicted former minister Shlomo Benizri got a show of support recently from an unexpected source: No less a person than the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, submitted a request for Benizri's pardon to President Shimon Peres and Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman. ...
Barak under fire for granting university status to West Bank college
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday ordered a college in the West Bank town of Ariel to be recognized as a "university center," thereby winning praise from the right but an outraged response from both the political left and many academics. ...
Attorney general to leave decision on Lieberman indictment to successor
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - Outgoing Attorney General Menachem Mazuz apparently will leave the decision on whether to indict Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to his successor, Yehuda Weinstein. This means that no decision is likely to be made for months, as Weinstein will first have to study the voluminous material. ...
Peres slams media coverage of Netanyahu wife-nanny scandal
Ha'aretz 20 Jan 2010 - President Shimon Peres criticized Wednesday what he called excessive coverage of a lawsuit filed against the wife of Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it was preventing the prime minister from concentrating on affairs of state. ...
OPT: Israel to push ahead with settlement university
Relief Web 20 Jan 2010 - Source: Agence France-Presse
OPT: Secretary-General Appoints Filippo Grandi of Italy Commissioner-General of UNRWA
Relief Web 20 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Secretary-General
Committee on Rights of Child examines report of Israel under Optional Protocol on children and armed conflict
Relief Web 20 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
World Report: Abusers Target Human Rights Messengers
Relief Web 20 Jan 2010 - Source: Human Rights Watch
OPT: UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA): "The closure of the Gaza Strip puts at risk the health of people in Gaza and undermines the functioning of the health care system."
Relief Web 20 Jan 2010 - Source: Association of International Development Agencies, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the oPt
Gaza Health Fact Sheet 20 JANUARY 2010
Relief Web 20 Jan 2010 - Source: World Health Organization
Who desecrated Arab graves?
YNet News 20 Jan 2010 - Palestinians claim Jewish worshippers, IDF escort responsible for vandalizing cemetery. Military says past complaints turned out to be deliberate Palestinian provocations, but will look into allegations
Netanyahu demands Israeli presence in West Bank
YNet News 20 Jan 2010 - For first time, Bibi declares that Israel must have presence in West Bank even after signing of future peace deal
Livni girds for Kadima battle
YNet News 20 Jan 2010 - Tensions high in Kadima ahead of Thursday's debate on pushing primaries forward; Livni says she is facing threat of being ousted, associates tell Ynet archrival Mofaz can leave party if he doesn't accept Kadima chairwoman's leadership
Report: Israel deported US editor
YNet News 20 Jan 2010 - Palestinian news agency says head of its English department refused entry by Israel
PA wants US to negotiate in its place
YNet News 20 Jan 2010 - Mahmoud Abbas proposes Obama administration heads negotiations on final borders between Palestinian state, Israel. Says arrangement is a way around current deadlock
IDF to cut fattening pastries from refreshment menu
YNet News 20 Jan 2010 - In effort to curb over-weight problem, promote healthy lifestyle among officers, instead of Burekas, Rogalach – army to offer fresh fruit, vegetables
IAEA: Iran offer still on table
YNet News 20 Jan 2010 - IAEA will continue to work in good faith as impartial intermediary, spokeswoman says
Livni: Don't attack Kadima's Jewishness
YNet News 20 Jan 2010 - Tzipi Livni slams attacks on Kadima's commitment to Judaism Wednesday, says no one has right to take Judaism away from Israeli citizens; earlier, Deputy Minister Porush says 'religious person cannot be member of Kadima'
Netanyahu demands eternal Israeli presence in West Bank
Daily Star 20 Jan 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel must have a presence in the West Bank even after a peace agreement is achieved, dealing a fresh blow to the visiting US Middle East envoy's effort to restart peace talks. Netanyahu said the experience of rocket attacks from the Lebanese and Gaza borders means Israel must be able to prevent.
Diplomats say Iran rejected nuclear-fuel deal
Daily Star 20 Jan 2010 VIENNA: Iran has effectively rejected a UN-brokered nuclear fuel-supply deal, diplomats said Wednesday, but the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) insisted the offer was "still on the table." Diplomats said Tehran had effectively rejected the deal because it refused to accept some of the conditions called for by the West and insisted on a simultaneous exchange of fuel, which Western states have deemed unacceptable.
Sanaa strikes at Al-Qaeda as Britain stops Yemen flights
Daily Star 20 Jan 2010 SANAA: Yemeni war planes struck at the rural home of an Al-Qaeda leader Wednesday, pressing a government offensive against militants whose presence in the Arab country has alarmed Western governments. In London, the British government said it was suspending Yemenia airline flights to London over security concerns.
Aid groups urge Israel to lift Gaza blockade
Daily Star 20 Jan 2010 GAZA STRIP: The UN said on Wednesday Israel's blockade of Gaza undermines the enclave's health-care system and puts patients at risk. Max Gaylard, resident Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said Israel was to be commended for letting Palestinians from Gaza access specialist medical care but could save more lives by allowing more timely treatment.
Israel boots out US journalist after week-long detention
Daily Star 20 Jan 2010 CONCORD, New Hampshire: After over a week in Israeli detention, American journalist Jared Malsin was expelled from Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Malsin was refused entry to Israel and subsequently detained after returning from a one-week trip to the Czech Republic while his employer - Bethlehem-based Ma'an News Agency - sought to appeal his case in the Israeli court system.
2009 saw Iran's 'most widespread crackdown' in decade - HRW
Daily Star 20 Jan 2010 Iran launched "the most widespread crackdown" in a decade after its disputed presidential election in June, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday, a day after Iran's supreme leader gave warnings ahead of possible new anti-government protests next month."Following the disputed June 12 presidential election and the massive protests it provoked, the government unleashed the most widespread crackdown in a decade."
Suspect in US killing spree surrenders to police
Daily Star 20 Jan 2010 WASHINGTON: Police on Wednesday arrested a man suspected of shooting to death eight people in the southern state of Virginia. The suspect, Christopher Speight, 39, surrendered without incident to police after being cornered in woods west of the historic town of Appomattox, a police statement said. "At 7:10 EST this morning, Christopher B. Speight walked in the security perimeter and turned himself in without incident.
Dutch lawmaker in dock for 'incitement' against Muslims
Daily Star 20 Jan 2010 AMSTERDAM: Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders on Wednesday appeared in an Amsterdam court for the first time in connection with charges of inciting racial hatred against Muslims. Wilders, who has compared the Koran to Hitler's "Mein Kampf," "has always made his statements in his capacity as a public representative," his lawyer Bram Moszkowicz argued at the start of the hearing, held amid heavy security
Larijani: Iran proud to support the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - Speaker of the Iranian parliament Ali Larijani expressed his country’s pride to support resistance movements in the region including the Lebanese resistance and the Movement of Hamas.
Rejoub: Washington threatened Fatah with siege if reconciliation reached
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - The US administration threatened Fatah faction that it would face a siege if it signed a reconciliation agreement with the Hamas Movement, Jibril Al-Rejoub revealed.
IOF troops round up three Palestinians, one wanted by PA
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rounded up two Palestinians in Ramallah city at dawn Wednesday at the pretext they were wanted for interrogation.
Resheq: Egypt should exercise its sovereignty over its land by opening crossings
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - Ezzat Al-Resheq said that Egypt has to exercise sovereign right over its territory through opening the Rafah border crossing instead of exercising this right through building the steel wall.
IOA starts plan to raze Bustan suburb in occupied Jerusalem
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - Israeli police and border guards on Wednesday distributed demolition notifications to five families in the Bustan suburb in occupied Jerusalem.
European MPs raise issue of Gaza siege in their parliaments
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - The European lawmakers, who visited Gaza during this month, started their moves to convey the suffering of Gaza people to their parliaments and peoples in order to end the blockade imposed on them.
Haneyya: The reconciliation won't succeed until there is free Palestinian will
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya stated that the national reconciliation efforts will not succeed until the Palestinian will becomes independent and free from external pressures and dictates.
Released prisoner insists on visiting the Aqsa Mosque before his family
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - Jerusalemite ex-prisoner Ali Shalade, who was released from Israeli occupation jails on Tuesday after 20 years of captivity, insisted on visiting the Aqsa Mosque before heading to his family home.
IOA demolishes Jerusalemite home without prior notice
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) razed on Tuesday the home of Hasan Ka'abne in the southern area of Juba'a village to the northwest of occupied Jerusalem without prior notice.
Aqsa Mosque sustains serious fissures in its walls
PIC 20 Jan 2010 - The Islamic-Christian authority catering for Jerusalem and holy places warned that the Aqsa Mosque has sustained serious cracks and fissures in its walls that may lead to its collapse.
Port-au-Hasbara
Mondoweiss - 20 Jan 2010 - Lots o’ Haiti hasbara. O, where to begin? –" Very interesting piece on ABC News the other night. Diane Sawyer and their medical correspondent did an extended and unflattering comparison between the activities of the Israeli medical team in Haiti and the lack of same by...
‘We struck the civilian population consciously’ (Gaza’s historical pedigree)
Mondoweiss - 20 Jan 2010 - Commenters have pointed out that the best defense of the Goldstone Report has been published by a friend of this site, Jerome Slater, at his new blog (Jerome Slater: On the U.S. and Israel): Part I , and Part II . In which Slater goes after Moshe Halbertal’s...
The rabbi’s heart goes out to Haiti
Mondoweiss - 20 Jan 2010 - One of the puzzles of Jewish life is that you see incredible generosity of spirit to strangers in many situations, per the Talmudic understanding that all men are made in the image of God, then jack-diddly when it comes to Palestinians. Everyone else is part of...
2 more deportees: ‘nonviolent peacemaking is a threat’
Mondoweiss - 20 Jan 2010 - Yet another sign of Israel’s fear of nonviolent activism and journalism: The two leaders of a Christian Peacemaker Team to Israel/Palestine were deported by Israel 3 weeks ago following an interrogation. On Earth Peace reports that the two were repeatedly asked, "What’s the purpose of your...
11 Palestinian human rights orgs call for investigation of Palestinian violations alleged by Goldstone
Mondoweiss - 20 Jan 2010 - Where are the Palestinian Gandhis? They are all over, seeking light. The great Amira Hass has this report on burgeoning Palestinian civil society: Eleven Palestinian human rights organizations have called on the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas government in Gaza to endorse the Goldstone report by...
The World Cup, the Olympics and the Occupation
Alternative Information Center - 20 Jan 2010 - A New York City-based organization, Adalah-NY, recently led an effort to get the New York Mets and Major League Baseball to cancel a fundraising event at Shea Stadium for the pro-settler Hebron Fund. The world of athletics regularly crosses paths with the occupation in public protests...
An Important Lesson for Knesset Member Zahalka
Alternative Information Center - 20 Jan 2010 - In the moment of truth in the television drama played out on Erev Hadash , the Israeli liberal becomes an aggressive racist—an obvious product of the nationalistic model dubbed “Jewish democratic state” which denies the question of 1948.
Israel Suddenly Expels Detained Ma'an Journalist
Alternative Information Center - 20 Jan 2010 - For the first time in a week, journalist Jared Malsin was allowed to use his mobile phone on Wednesday morning to inform Ma'an that he was being placed onto an El Al flight to New York. He sounded shaken and confused. He said he did not...
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Shiokhy: “Toxic Settlement Products Buried in West Bank”
IMEMC 21 Jan 2010 - Friday January 22, 2010 - 02:08, Azmi Shiokhy, head of the Palestinian Consumer Protection Program in the West Bank, stated that several Israeli factories in are pumping and burying their toxins in several areas in the occupied West Bank.
Fayyad To Participate In Israel’s National Security Conference
IMEMC 21 Jan 2010 - Friday January 22, 2010 - 01:39, Organizers of the Hertzilia National Security Conference in Israel stated that Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, would be participating in the conference scheduled to start by the end of this month.
Indictment Filed Against Two East Jerusalem Youths
IMEMC 21 Jan 2010 - Friday January 22, 2010 - 00:18, The Israeli prosecution at the Central Court in Jerusalem filed on Thursday an indictment against two Palestinian youths from East Jerusalem, for allegedly planning to attack Israeli soldiers at the Qaladia terminal.
Palestinian Families Evacuated from Haiti
IMEMC 21 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 21, 2010 - 23:42, The Palestine Media Center (PMC) reported that twelve Palestinians, members of three Palestinian families in Haiti, were safely evacuated Wednesday from the earthquake stricken area, with the help of the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.
Presidential Aid to Netanyahu: Palestinians won’t accept any military presence after occupation ends
IMEMC 21 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 21, 2010 - 18:57, Nabeel Abu Rudiyneh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said on Thursday that Palestinians will not accept any Israeli military presence in the future Palestinian state after occupation ends.
The Israeli military orders families to leave their homes in northern W.B ready for demolition
IMEMC 21 Jan 2010 - Thursday January 21, 2010 - 18:22, Israel’s military handed out, Thursday, demolition orders to three Palestinian owned homes located in northern West Bank.
Malsin: No such thing as voluntary deportation
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Upon landing in New York on Thursday, Ma'an News Agency's Jared Malsin, a US citizen, said Interior Ministry staff pressured him into dropping a legal challenge against his deportation order just two hours after his lawyer left for the day. After signing a hand-written letter that Malsin said he believed was a "formality," ministry staff sent the paper to District Judge Kobi Vardi, who had presided over Malsin's case, and the judge decided to lift the stay of deportation order. A motion from Ma'an attorney Castro Daoud, requesting that his client's hearing continue in his absence, was filed and pending decision as the ruling to expel the journalist was made. Malsin was subsequently placed onto an El Al flight to New York. "None of this was my decision," he emphasized in a phone interview minutes after arriving at JFK. . .
Israeli forces take 9 overnight, raid Nablus, Bethlehem, Ramallah
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel's channel 10 News said nine Palestinians were detained during overnight raids in the West Bank, with Palestinain security sources confirming the detention of two men in raids on Nablus. Israeli sources said the nine were "wanted," and noted two of the men were from Nablus, two from Ramallah, and five from Bethlehem. They were all taken for questioning, the report said. Nablus Palestinian security sources said several Israeli vehicles stormed Nablus from the Huwwara military checkpoint at 1:30am, entering several neighborhoods and ultimately detainingAsid Al-Juneid from the Kamal Jenblat area, and Khalil Abdul Aziz Jebrin from Rafedia. Beit Ummar - In the Bethlehem-area town of Beit Ummar, Spokesman of Palestinian solidarity project Muhammad Ayyad Awad said four were detained and the home of 60-year-old Muhsen Awad was raided, its owner beaten and his identity card stolen.
Israeli forces hand out demolition notices
1/21/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli forces on Thursday handed out three notifications to families ordering them to demolish their houses in the Karazlafeh area east of Aqraba, a village south of Nablus. Palestinian official Ghassan Douglas, who holds the settlement portfolio for the West Bank, told Ma'an that Israeli forces officially handed notifications without clarifying the pretext for Atiyeh Fahmy Bani Maniya, Zahi Bani Maniya, and his brother Zuheir Bani Maniya. Douglas termed the house-demolition policy a way to drive Palestinians out of the country, and noted ironically that the new orders came just as US envoy George Mitchell arrived in Israel. [end]
UN appoints new UNRWA commissioner general
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed a new Commissioner General for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) following the retirement of former head Karen Abu Zaid in December. According to the UN News, Ban made the decision to appoint Italian national Filippo Grandi following consultations with UNRWA's Advisory Commission. The appointment period started on Wednesday. The 53-year-old Italian served as UNRWA's Deputy Commissioner General between 2005-7, and according to the UN is a "strong advocate for the rights and dignity of Palestine refugees and an excellent manager, he has been instrumental in the success of the Agency's comprehensive and far-reaching management reforms. He brings to his new position a record of outstanding service under the banner of the United Nations. . . "
One Gaza crossing open, exports continue
1/21/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom crossing Thursday, for the import of limited quantities of aid, fuel and the export of carnations and strawberries, Palestinian crossings officials said. Liaison official Raed Fattouh said 82-92 truckloads of humanitarian aid for the agriculture and commercial goods were expected to be transferred in, alongside limited quantities of cooking gas and industrial diesel. The fuel transfer infrastructure at the crossing was transfered there only in November and December, as Israeli officials announced the closure of the Nahal Oz crossing, which was equipped with machinery to transfer large quantities of fuel into Gaza quickly. The move to Kerem Shalom, according to watchdog agencies, reduces the amount of fuel it is possible to transfer through, and slows the rate of transfer.
An open letter to Benjamin Netanyahu - from the papers
1/21/2010 - Dear Prime Minister, We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers and the World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries, to express our serious concern at the detention and proposed deportation of journalist Jared Malsin. According to reports, Mr Malsin, editor-in-chief of the English-language section of the Bethlehem-based Ma'an News Agency and a US citizen, was returning to Israel from a trip to the Czech Republic when he was stopped by security services at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv on 12 January. Mr Malsin was detained for "security reasons" and remains in custody pending a deportation hearing. The reasons cited for denying entry were "refusing to cooperate" and violating visa terms, although court documents showed that security services had compiled a dossier on his journalism "criticizing the State of Israel" and reports written "inside the [Palestinian] territories. "
As UNRWA launches emergency appeal, Canada reduces funding
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) launched a campaign seeking 73 million US dollars in support of West Bank programs, and an additional 249 million for programs in Gaza. The appeal was launched Monday, as announcements came in from Canada that the government would be diverting its aid money away from the refugee agency's general fund, and instead pouring a limited budget into the construction of courthouses. UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness told Ma'an on Thursday that while Canada was still donating 11 million to the emergency fund, the country's contribution had gone down overall. "We hope Canada sees the sense of continuing donations to the general fund," Gunness said, noting the fund's focus on the provision of health, education and prosperity projects. "Instead of providing untagged core funding, we're just providing the same amount of money but it's. . . "
Mitchell in Israel Thursday, Palestine Friday
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Middle East Envoy for the United States George Mitchell announced his arrival in the region Thursday, where he will meet with Israeli officials and resume efforts to kickstart peace talks between Israel and Palestinians. Mitchell will meet with President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, alongside members of the Palestinian leadership. In Israel Mitchell will meet the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shemon Peres, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and leader of the opposition Tzipi Livni. The envoy will address recent concerns in Israel expressed by Peres, who warned Abbas that continuing the negotiations deadlock could lead to a third intifada. He told Israel's daily paper Haaretz that by insisting on a halt to settlement construction and delaying peace talks, Abbas was "playing with fire. " . . . .
Fayyad meets Nativity Church deportees in Spain
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an -Prime Minister Salam Fayyad met with several of the Nativity Church deportees during his visit to Spain on Wednesday, the group's spokesperson in Europe Jihad Je'ara said. The deportees, exiled to Europe following a standoff between the group and Israeli forces in 2002 that saw negotiations mediate their release and expulsion, face increasing difficulties in their host countries, some of which have threatened to expel them over the years. Je'ara said the three who managed to meet with Fayyad explained the details of their difficulties, and requested the prime minister contact European governments to smooth over issues. According to Je'ara, Fayyad said he would look into the cases and promised to make their situations in exile more tolerable. Those who met with Fayyad were identified by Je'ara as:Muhammad Abu Said exiled to Italy, Anan Khamis exiled to Portugal, and Ahmad Hamamra exiled to Spain.
Erekat: Israel imposing 1-state solution
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat on Thursday blasted statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel would never withdraw from eastern areas of the occupied West Bank. Erekat termed the statements a direct challenge to the international community, casting Israel's readiness for peace further into doubt, by imposing further conditions on negotiations and announcing Israel's intention to continue its occupation irrespective of the outcome. "Benjamin Netanyahu has said no to a settlement freeze, no to sharing Jerusalem, no to the 1967 borders, no to the rights of Palestinian refugees," Erekat said in a statement. "What are these if not Israeli preconditions on negotiations that erode any foundation of hope for the two-state solution? "he added. "We had hoped to hear a clear commitment to negotiations without preconditions," he continued.
Dweik: Hamas doesn’t recognize Israel
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Aziz Dweik on Thursday denied reports by Israeli news outlets that he said on Wednesday Israel has a right to exist. "The media reports in question were inaccurate," he said in a statement, adding that since his release from an Israeli prison last year, Israeli news outlets have repeatedly misrepresented his views. The Jerusalem Post, an English-language Israeli newspaper, quoted Dweik as saying on Wednesday that the Islamic movement has accepted Israel's right to exist and would be prepared to nullify its charter, which calls for dismantling the state. The remarks were said to have been made during a meeting in Hebron with British millionaire David Martin Abrahams, who reportedly maintains close ties with senior Israeli and British government officials.
Abbas meets Druze delegation in Ramallah
1/21/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Mahmoud Abbas met members of the Druze community in Ramallah on Wednesday. He said the religious minority had historically supported Palestinians, according to the official Palestinian Authority news agency Wafa. Speaking at his office in the central West Bank city, Abbas said the main obstacle to resuming talks with Israel was its refusal to abide by international agreements. Wahhab Harb, a senior Druze delegate, threw his support behind the Ramallah-based leader's approach to stalling negotiations in the absence of a comprehensive settlement freeze, Wafa reported. [end]
Ban urges Israel to end settlements
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel's settlement construction on occupied Palestinian territory is hindering Middle East peace efforts, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Thursday. Other policies like its annexation of East Jerusalem, which remains part of the occupied territories, and its blockade of Gaza are for the resumption of long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, he said. "In the absence of talks, confidence between the parties has diminished," he told a meeting in New York of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. "Tensions have risen in East Jerusalem. People in Gaza and southern Israel continue to suffer from violence. If we do not move forward on the political process soon, we risk sliding backwards," he was quoted as saying by the UN News Centre.
Orthodox patriarch urges Peres to release jailed minister
1/21/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem has appealed to Israeli President Shimon Peres to pardon a former cabinet minister, Shlomo Ben Ezri (Shas), who was jailed on corruption charges. In a letter to Peres, published in the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth, the patriarch wrote that most of the country's jailed government officials were treated better than Ben Ezri. "He is a religious and kind-hearted man, and a father of a family with many children, a man with good intentions. He gave himself to each of you without taking into consideration religion, race, or color," Theophilus wrote. Recounting instances in which Ben Ezri had helped the less fortunate, the patriarch added, "I fully hope that a person of such high stature would be allowed to have what is owed to him by society, and will celebrate when your excellency grants him a pardon. " . . . .
IDF prepares to open 'Israelis only road' to Palestinian traffic
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - High Court ruled barring Palestinians from road is disproportionate to security needs.
Israel probes vandalism of West Bank Palestinian cemetery
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Palestinian official accuses Jewish settlers of smashing tombstones in cemetery near Nablus.
Elbit to provide laser system to IDF, North America in $50 million deal
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Norway's FM recently told Haaretz that his country's decision to divest the defense contractor wasn't anti-Israeli.
Fatah men charged with attempted murder of Israel cops, soldiers
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - East-Jerusalem residents allegedly alerted police of their intentions to increase potential casualty count.
IDF unit to monitor soldiers' entries on Facebook
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Crackdown a product of Second Lebanon War and the conclusions of the Winograd Committee.
Three More Arrested in Ni'ilin Night Raid
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - Israeli soldiers shooting tear gas canisters at demonstrators in Ni'ilin. Three residents of Ni'ilin were arrested in a pre-dawn imilitary incursion into the village of Ni'ilin today. This is the 15th time such a raid was conducted in the past month in order to apprehend Palestinian anti-Wall activists. Today's arrests are a continuation of a concerted...
The case of Jared Malsin - expelled by Israel
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - It probably has not made the headlines in most press around the world, but Israel has recently decided to expel an American journalist working for the respected Ma'an News Agency, based out of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The case of Jared Malsin has implications for foreign journalists who work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). When...
Israel grilled by international experts for child abuse
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - Israel was grilled on Thursday during a meeting of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) over its report on the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported on Thursday. In a statement to journalists, Minister of State for Family and Population Affairs Moushira Khattab said...
Israeli military rule and incarceration procedures
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - Ala Joradat, the program manager of Adameer, a Palestinian human rights organization that focuses primarily on prisoners, legal aid, and monitoring, meets with our delegation and tries to unravel the complex civil and human rights issues that face Palestinians, particularly those who choose to protest the conditions of the Israeli occupation. He explains that the prisoners...
The NGOization of Palestine
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - ...The Palestinian struggle (which does not differentiate between land stolen from Palestinians in 1948 and land stolen in 1967) has demanded the right of return for all Palestinian refugees and calls for Palestine to be a complete whole. But today, almost all NGOs and foundations call for a "two-state solution" that insists Israel, as it’s currently...
Qaradawi slams Abbas
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - A heated exchange of recriminations, name-calling and blame casting has been raging in occupied Palestine between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood following scathing criticisms of President Mahmoud Abbas by Qatar-based Sheikh Youssef El-Qaradawi. Qaradawi, one of the world's most highly respected living Sunni Islam scholars, reportedly urged both the Arab League...
"Jerusalem is in danger"
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - Once again, Israel resorts to show trials. Sheikh Raed Salah, a prominent political and religious leader of the Palestinian minority, was sentenced on 13 January by an Israeli court to nine months of imprisonment. This is his second conviction in recent years. This time the allegation was that he assaulted a policeman and obstructed police work...
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory 03/2010 (14-20 Jan. 2010)
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (14 – 20 January 2010): Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF wounded 9 Palestinian civilians, including two children and 3 journalists, in the West Bank. Seven Palestinian civilians, including 3 journalists, were wounded when IOF used force to disperse peaceful...
Dweik: Hamas doesn't recognize Israel
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Aziz Dweik on Thursday denied reports by Israeli news outlets that he said on Wednesday Israel has a right to exist. "The media reports in question were inaccurate," he said in a statement, adding that since his release from an Israeli prison last year, Israeli news outlets have repeatedly misrepresented his views......
CAN YOU HEAR THE SCREAMS FROM PALESTINE?
Uruknet The very bastards that scream anti Semitism when a Jewish grave is vandalised have no problem doing the same to Palestinian graves. The Palestinians are also screaming….. but the world seems to have its ears plugged. Waiting for Foxman to issue a statement……. Ha!...
Israel Continues To Spy on Its Biggest Ally, Another Israeli Spy Arrested by FBI
Uruknet January 21, 2010 - Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested on Monday an American scientist on charges of attempting to pass classified information to Israel. The scientist is accredited for helping "discover water on the moon". The scientist, Stewart David Nozette, 52, from Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA. He was approached by an FBI agent pretending to be...
Netanyahu demands eternal Israeli presence in West Bank
Uruknet January 20, 2010 - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel must have a presence in the West Bank even after a peace agreement is achieved, dealing a fresh blow to the visiting US Middle East envoy’s effort to restart peace talks. Netanyahu said the experience of rocket attacks from the Lebanese and Gaza borders means Israel must...
Israel Detains 4 Palestinians
21 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained 4 Palestinians from Bait Ommar village in Hebron in operations carried out Thursday dawn. IOF soldiers arrested the 4 Palestinians in Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem then they transferred them to investigation centers. The detainees are Mahmoud Slibi, 25, Jamal Khalil, 18, Mohammed Awad, 32, and Alam Brighit, 18....
Gaza: Political leaders call for general elections to be held on time
21 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Several Palestinian political leaders in the Gaza Strip called on Wednesday for holding the general presidential and legislative elections in all the Palestinian territories on time. However, most also said that a reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah must come first. The politicians agreed during a political workshop held in Gaza City that postponing...
Peres warns Abbas of third intifada
21 Jan 2010 - Palestine, January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli President Shimon Peres warned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that continuing the impasse in negotiations with Israel could lead to a third intifada. He added that "in delaying, Abbas is playing with fire." On Sunday, Peres told Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store about his discussions with Abbas. Store told Peres that...
UN 'deeply concerned' about health system in Gaza
21 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The United Nations on Wednesday said it was "deeply concerned" about the deterioration of the health care system in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli closures of the Hamas-ruled territory. A year after Israel's devastating offensive in Gaza the borders of the impoverished territory remain mostly sealed, preventing hundreds of patients each month...
Three More Arrested in Ni'ilin Night Raid
Alternative Information Center 21 Jan 2010 - Three residents of Ni'ilin were arrested in a pre-dawn imilitary incursion into the village of Ni'ilin today. This is the 15th time such a raid was conducted in the past month in order to apprehend Palestinian...
The World Cup, the Olympics and the Occupation
Alternative Information Center 20 Jan 2010 - A New York City-based organization, Adalah-NY, recently led an effort to get the New York Mets and Major League Baseball to cancel a fundraising event at Shea Stadium for the pro-settler Hebron Fund. The world of...
Israeli Defense Contractors Arrested in FBI Sting Operation in the US
PNN 20 Jan 2010 - Associated Press is reporting that 3 of the 22 defense industry contractors arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada and Miami, Florida this week during a bribery sting are of Israeli origin, and were working for Israeli-based firms. he sting was part of an [[FBI]] operation targeting corrupt contractors who were attempting to bribe who they believed was a procurement officer from an African...
J Street plans Congressmen Israel trip
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Group's PAC to increase contributions to US Congressional candidates by at least 50% in 2010.
Israel hopes NIE will roast Iran
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - US and European Union vow to keep up pressure on Iran to provide details about nuclear program.
Greek MP returns 'stolen' Golan wine
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Deputy PM of Greece sends back gift because wine was produced on land which "belongs to Syria."
HRW: Israel more hostile than ever
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Foreign Ministry: "What truly became more hostile is the stance of groups like Human Rights Watch."
Haiti President thanks Israel for help
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - IDF to decide Sunday on how long aid and rescue mission will stay on earthquake-stricken island.
Obama: I misjudged the will for peace
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Israel: We warned the US its strategy was wrong; PM meets Mitchell, won't offer any more gestures to PA.
Al-Qaida may use Sudanese refugee influx to infiltrate Israel
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Netanyahu says barrier needed along Egyptian border to keep out terrorists, drug smugglers, illegal migrants; but construction may take up to 3 years.
PM's stance on foreign workers 'racist and hypocritical'
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Hotline for Migrant Workers slams premier after he says illegal workers infiltrating Israel from Sinai are causing social and economic damage.
FPA denies activists pose as journalists to work in PA
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Foreign journalists in Israel are already used to waiting a great deal of time, often more than six months, to get their work visas renewed, says FPA official.
MIDEAST: Israel Cannot be Sultan
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 14 (IPS) - A bizarre diplomatic incident - even by the Byzantine-like standards of the old near East - has threatened already strained relations between Israel and Turkey.
Q&A: 'Religious State, Recipe for Disaster'
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 19 (IPS) - When Omar Abdel-Razeq was appointed finance minister following the election of Hamas in January 2006, the BBC characterised the post as the "least enviable job in the new Palestinian government."
(21-01-2010) Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
PCHR
Three more arrested in Ni’ilin night raid
1/21/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Coordination Committee - Three residents of Ni'ilin were arrested in a pre-dawn imilitary incursion into the village of Ni'ilin today. This is the 15th time such a raid was conducted in the past month in order to apprehend Palestinian anti-Wall activists. Today's arrests are a continuation of a concerted assault on the popular struggle movement and its leadership. Shortly after 3 am tonight, dozens of Israeli soldiers participated in a night-time incursion on the Wes Bank village of Ni'ilin as part of a prolonged arrest campaign against the village held by the army in the past month. Among those arrested was also Mustafa Amirah, a man in his 50s, who was only arrested because his son was not at home when the soldiers arrived to arrest him, and in an illegitimate and illegal attempt to apply pressure on him. During the raid soldiers broke into five additional houses, but carried no arrests in them.
Bradford Palestine Solidarity Group hosts Palestine Awareness Week
1/21/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Bradford Palestine Solidarity Group - As Palestinians continue to suffer in occupied Palestine, actions and events are being held in the UK and Europe. The University of Bradford Union (UBU), Palestine Return Centre and Let Palestinians Study are organizing Palestine Awareness Week (PAW) and remembrance in Bradford city. The week of actions coincides with the 1st Anniversary of Gaza War which has been commemorated worldwide. Events will run from 1st February to 5th February. Palestine Awareness Week starts Monday 1st February with a live graffiti about Palestine. At 5pm there will be a film screening of Occupation 101 open to students and members of public. The second day will be a day of cultural festivities where Palestinian food, traditional items, and free literature will be provided for people to take away. There will also be presentations of Palestinian cultural history and if possible a performance during lunch.
Shahar Peer relieved as threats of Pro-Palestinian protesters dissipate
1/21/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Ha'aretz - Shahar Peer's first-round match at the Australian Open passed without incident Wednesday despite threats of a pro-Palestinian protest. Israel's top tennis talent woke up to headlines in Melbourne's The Age newspaper claiming that protesters were planning to target her match against Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic on an outside court. But there was no sign of any trouble during her 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-1 win here over Hradecka. "I heard there was going to be something, but I didn't know what was happening," Peer said. "I'm a tennis player – that's what I'm concentrating on. "Peer may be focusing on tennis, but the protesters are focused squarely on her. Peer's appearances at the season-opening WTA event in Auckland, New Zealand were disrupted by demonstrators against Israel's policies on the Palestinians.
Yitzhak Laor / Is 'Jewish pride' abetting racism?
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Jewish communities for the most part do not dare to defend the victims of the 'new' European racism.,
Top minister to Haaretz: Chances for renewed peace talks are slim
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Obama is holding Israel and the Palestinians equally responsible for the stalemate in the peace process.,
Clinton: We won't yield on demand Iran reveal nuclear program
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says Europe 'stands together with U.S.' on Iran issue.,
Obama: U.S. expectations for Middle East peace too high
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - U.S. president: Israel, Palestinians have been unwilling to make bold gestures for sake of peace.,
Mitchell to meet with Netanyahu as U.S. relaunches peace drive
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Obama's peace envoy met Thursday with Ehud Barak, Avigdor Lieberman, and President Shimon Peres.,
Netanyahu: Situation at Egypt border worse than I thought
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Premier was briefed by top IDF commanders during tour of southern border with Egypt on Thursday.,
Mofaz looks to force Livni to hold Kadima primaries sooner
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Kadima cuts short committee meeting after details were leaked to the press in real time.,
French PM: Good Syria-Lebanon relations benefit entire region
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Francois Fillon, Lebanese counterpart Saad Hariri discuss the Middle East peace process in Paris.,
Jewish religious item leads to false bomb scare on U.S. plane
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Passenger alarmed by phylacteries which Jews strap around their arms, heads in prayer.,
Police return stolen Auschwitz sign to museum
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Historic 'Arbeit Macht Frei' returned during a ceremony in Krakow after conducting tests on it.,
Iran denies its minister shook hands with Israeli counterpart
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Israeli, Iranian tourism ministers were introduced at a reception hosted by the Spanish king in Madrid.,
Russia: Iran nuclear plant to start up this year
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Tehran official to Bloomberg News: Sanctions against Tehran will only empower Ahmadinejad.,
Palestinian, Lebanese survivors relive Haiti quake terror
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - More than a dozen Mideast citizens who lived through Haiti's earthquake arrived in Beirut Thursday.,
Erekat: Netanyahu is sabotaging two-state solution
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - PM stated that Israel would demand a continued military presence along a Palestinian state's eastern border.,
Obama admits US underestimated Israeli-Palestinian deadlock
The Guardian 21 Jan 2010 - US president tells Time magazine his efforts to secure a Middle East peace deal have failed Barack Obama has admitted that his attempts to break the political deadlock in the Middle East by pressuring Israel to...
How much does Israel's aid mission to Haiti cost the state?
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Israel's rescue mission to earthquake-ravaged Haiti is costing the state some NIS 40 million, a sum which is likely to rise the longer the delegation remains in the country. ...
Yeshiva rabbi cannot mock IDF or defy its authority, Barak says
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the Israel Defense Forces on Thursday submitted to the High Court of Justice their response to a petition by Har Bracha yeshiva students to overrule Barak's decision to oust their school from a joint program with the IDF. ...
Israeli film 'Ajami' named Oscar Foreign Film finalist
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - The Israeli film "Ajami" has one more hurdle to clear before a nomination for one of the top five foreign language films to be announced in the upcoming Academy Awards. ...
Yossi Sarid / Barak legitimizes the evils of Israeli occupation
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - The settlers and their allies should be thanking their God for their good fortune. Ehud Barak, of all people, was appointed defense minister and is doing their dirty work. Anyone else - Benjamin Netanyahu, for example, or even Avigdor Lieberman wouldn't have been able to pull it off. They wouldn't have dared. ...
Netanyahu: Migrant workers risk Israel's Jewish character
Ha'aretz 21 Jan 2010 - Migrant workers infiltrating through the border with Egypt are jeopardizing Israel's Jewish and democratic nature, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, adding that those workers were also causing salaries in the country to drop to "third world" rates. ...
Israel probes vandalism of Palestinian cemetery
Relief Web 21 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
In Remarks to Palestinian Rights Committee, Secretary-General Warns Forward Movement Needed Soon on Middle East Peace Process, or We Risk Sliding Backwards'
Relief Web 21 Jan 2010 - Source: UN General Assembly, UN Secretary-General
Secretary-General, Addressing Palestinian Rights Committee, Calls for Greater Engagement by Quartet Mediators in Continuing Quest for Two-State Solution
Relief Web 21 Jan 2010 - Source: UN General Assembly
OPT: Protection of civilians weekly report, 13 - 19 January 2010
Relief Web 21 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
OPT: Epidemiological bulletin for Gaza Strip vol 2, issue 1
Relief Web 21 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Clinton: Peace up to Israel, Palestinians
YNet News 21 Jan 2010 - After Obama says his administration overestimated its ability to persuade Israelis, Palestinians to resume peace talks, secretary of state stresses US 'going to continue to do everything in its power to create environment in which that is possible'
IDF to probe desecration of Palestinian tombstones
YNet News 21 Jan 2010 - Military Police to look into possibility graves in West Bank village vandalized by soldiers escorting Jewish settlers
Russia says to start Iran nuclear plant in 2010
YNet News 21 Jan 2010 - Head of the Rosatom state nuclear corporation says after cabinet meeting in Moscow, 'There is absolutely no doubt 1,000 megawatt Bushehr plant will be built this year'. Clinton in response: 'We will not be waited out; we will not back down'
Israel fears terrorist-refugees may set up Qaeda cells
YNet News 21 Jan 2010 - During tour of Israel-Egypt border, IDF officials tell Netanyahu terror group may recruit Sudanese refugees, have them infiltrate Israel
Obama: Expectations for Middle East peace too high
YNet News 21 Jan 2010 - US president tells Time Magazine Israel, Palestinians unwilling to make the bold gestures. Mitchell's visit to region clouded by tough statements from both sides accusing the other of cynicism
Egypt mufti wants to put prayer ringtone on silent
YNet News 21 Jan 2010 - Ali Gomaa issues religious edict urging Muslims not to make Quranic verses or five daily calls to prayer cellphone ringtones, which he claims are misleading and demeaning to God's words
Testimony: Girl waiting for treatment in Israel dies in Gaza
AlJazeera 18 Jan 2010 - Fidaa Heji was diagnosed in 2007 with lymphoma. On 23 Sept. '09, her physicians referred her to treatment in Israel, and her family submitted an urgent request to enter Israel. On 11 Nov. '09, she died, two weeks before her 18th birthday. Four days later,
Sour words on Mideast peace as Obama admits setbacks
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 RAMALLAH, Occupied West Bank: Israel and the Palestinians belittled each other's commitment to peace as US President Barack Obama admitted on Thursday he had underrated the difficulty of reviving deadlocked Middle East negotiations. As his envoy George Mitchell began a fresh attempt to get the two sides talking to each other, Obama told Time Magazine: "This is just really hard.
Demolitions in occupied East Jerusalem halted to save settler home
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Plans to raze illegally built houses in mainly Arab occupied East Jerusalem have been halted to avoid having to tear down a building occupied by Jewish settlers, Israeli Army Radio said on Thursday. Rightwing Deputy Mayor David Hadari said he had frozen the transfer of funds to be used for house demolitions. "Before I unblock the funds, I want the priorities to be determined.
US, partners 'will not back down' on Iran nuclear program
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the United States and its partners will "not back down" in the face of Iran's defiance on its disputed nuclear program. "Let me be clear, we will not be waited out and we will not back down," Clinton said. Speaking at a news conference in Washington, Clinton said major powers were united on working toward putting more pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.
Former UK foreign minister defends Iraq war backing
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 LONDON: Britain's former foreign minister said on Thursday he deeply regretted the loss of life in Iraq but defended his decision to back the US-led invasion in 2003. Jack Straw, a mainstay of Labour governments since 1997 currently serving as Britain's justice minister, asserted that if he had opposed the plan, Blair would have been unable to persuade the rest of the Cabinet and the Parliament to support the decision to invade.
Germany orders tighter security as passenger flees after 'explosive' alert
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 BERLIN: Germany's interior minister called Thursday for a full enquiry into a major alert at Munich airport when a man fled security personnel after his laptop tested positive for possible explosives. "I have ordered every single circumstance surrounding this incident to be looked at with all those involved," Thomas de Maiziere said on Deutschlandfunk radio, adding that he was taking it "very seriously."
Clinton: World should condemn cyber attackers
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 WASHINGTON/BEIJING: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday called for global condemnation for those who carry out cyber attacks as China sought to contain tension with the United States over online censorship and hacking. In a speech expected which addressed Google Inc.'s concerns about China as well as global internet freedom.
French minister rejects Hariri's plea for guarantees against Israeli aggression
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Thursday sought France's commitment to preventing Israel from destabilizing the regional situation while French Premier Francois Fillon underlined the need for all parties to respect UN Security Council Resolution 1701. During a joint news conference with Fillon, Hariri stressed Lebanon's determination to strengthen its national army.
IFC acquires 8 percent stake in Lebanon's Byblos Bank
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private arm of the World Bank, acquired eight percent of Byblos Bank's stake as part of efforts by the Lebanese bank to boost its capital by $250 million. According to a statement by Byblos Bank on Thursday, the IFC has purchased the eight percent stake for $100 million. "In the context of a proposed $250 million capital increase.
Lebanese, UN officials honor fallen comrades in Haiti
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: Lebanese and UN officials gathered Thursday to honor the victims of last week's Haiti earthquake, just hours after a Middle East Airlines aid plane returned to Beirut. "Not in war, but in a tragic natural disaster the UN has suffered its single largest calamity," UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams, told a crowd of colleagues and Lebanese parliamentarians at the UN Economic.
Salvation arrives in Tripoli via the Orient Express
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: Anyone taking the seaside highway that joins Tripoli to Beirut can, on occasion, spot the twin lines of railway track glancing out from beneath the tarmac before swerving back, poignant reminders of the now-defunct rail network connecting Lebanon to Syria, Europe and beyond. The Friends of the Tripoli Railway Station believe that, at the beginning of the 20th century.
Female religious guides are on the rise
Daily Star 21 Jan 2010 In recent years, Morocco, Egypt, and Turkey have trained and appointed a new group to the ranks of religious guides: women. Female religious guides, al-murshidat in Arabic, reach a demographic group that might otherwise not be available - or receptive - to male imams, such as women and children, particularly those in poorer neighborhoods.
Kurd appeals for taking practical steps to lift blockade
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - Minister of social affairs Ahmed Al-Kurd appealed to the Arab and Muslim nations, and the free people of the world to take practical steps to lift the siege and open the crossings.
Institutions in Europe promise to keep their efforts to expose Israel’s crimes
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - European, Palestinian and Islamic institutions in Europe promised, during their participation in the week for victims of Palestine, to continue their efforts to expose Israel’s war crimes in Gaza.
Abbas's militias kidnap 5 Hamas supporters including Sheikh Kharraz
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - Militias loyal to former PA chief Mahmoud Abbas kidnapped five Hamas supporters over the past 24 hours including Sheikh Maher Al-Kharraz, one of its prominent leaders in Nablus.
QB: We repaired our military losses
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - The spokesman for the Qassam Brigades said in a statement on Wednesday that the armed wing had succeeded in repairing all military losses suffered during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
Jewish settlers destroy tombstones in WB cemetery
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - Jewish settlers went on the rampage in the Orta village cemetery, east of Nablus city, on Tuesday night and offered rituals on a number of graves, locals reported.
Arab geologists warn of Aqsa collapse due to IOA practices
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - The union of Arab geologists has warned of the collapse of the Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem due to natural or supernatural causes.
Abu Halabiya: 2010 is a decisive year for the future of the Aqsa Mosque
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - Dr. Ahmed Abu Halabiya warned that 2010 would be a decisive year for the future of the Aqsa Mosque after Israel intensified seriously its Judaization activities in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
UN organizations worried about human situation, call for lifting the siege
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - UN organizations working in besieged Gaza have asserted that the human condition in the Strip was deteriorating, accusing the Israeli occupation of aggravating the suffering of its inhabitants.
Gov't committee: APU delegation to visit Gaza
PIC 21 Jan 2010 - The government committee against the siege announced in a statement on Wednesday that a delegation of the Arab parliamentary union is to visit Gaza Strip.
FBI tactics in terror probes 'troubling,' inspector general says
LA Times 21 Jan 2010 - The bureau's independent watchdog says top agency officials approved a possibly illegal method of obtaining phone records during the Bush administration. The FBI used a variety of controversial and possibly illegal methods to obtain phone records in terrorism investigations, according to a sharply critical report issued Wednesday by the Justice Department's inspector general.
Gaza's Crippled Healthcare System
Palestine Monitor - 21 Jan 2010 - A new report reveals the effects of the ongoing Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the health of Gazans. The report by more than 80 aid groups, including WHO (World Health Organisation) and UN agencies, was released yesterday during a press conference held in front of Al...
Shooting The Messenger
Palestine Monitor - 21 Jan 2010 - With a new year comes new tactics from Israel's security forces. 2009 began with a determined effort to destroy their enemies in Gaza, claiming the lives of 500 children in the process. It must have been an irritation to the military that they could not so...
A Day Of Destruction in Khirbet Tana
Palestine Monitor - 21 Jan 2010 - The Israeli army rolled into Khirbet Tana, a village east of Nablus with a population of about 300, in the morning hours on January 10, 2010. They then destroyed about thirty structures, including a school, homes, and shelter for farm animals. This destruction stems from a...
Jewish student mag publishes one-state argument, signaling generational battle ahead
Mondoweiss - 21 Jan 2010 - I keep saying that there’s about to be a Jewish intifada, that young empowered American Jews are going to throw off the idea of a Jewish state just because it is not meaningful to them. I deal in straws in the wind, and I saw it...
Jared Malsin: ‘There’s no such thing as a voluntary deportation. I was deported, period.’
Mondoweiss - 21 Jan 2010 - Jared Malsin has arrived back in the US after being deported from Israel, and he is starting to fill in some of the blanks around his confusing deportation from Israel . Malsin clarifies that he did not leave Israel on his own accord and was in fact...
Abunimah and Ratner to speak on Gaza tonight in NY
Mondoweiss - 21 Jan 2010 - Ali Abunimah and Michael Ratner will be speaking about Gaza tonight at the Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village . That’s Abunimah, at left, in Cairo last month, on the morning he decided not to go into Gaza after all, following the request of Haidar Eid of...
2 state solution needed in a hurry, for U.S. and Israel
Mondoweiss - 21 Jan 2010 - I have a new mantra: Two State Solution Needed for U.S. and Israel. I’m going to keep repeating it till I’m blue-and-white in the face. (Get it?) Where do our borders stop? Where does our sovereignty blur away into Israelness? Who’s the loyal opposition, and where’s...
my wife might be falling out of love
Mondoweiss - 21 Jan 2010 - Over the last few months, as he pushed the Afghanistan war and let Netanyahu have his way with settlements, I’ve gotten a dubious look whenever Obama comes on the TV at dinner time. Then I look over at my wife and try and recruit her in...
Friday, January 22, 2010
Arab College Student Removed From Bus For Speaking Her Language
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 23, 2010 - 01:14, Israeli Ynet News reported that an Israeli-Arab student, studying at Ariel College, was humiliated and forced out of an Israeli bus after she “was heard” speaking Arabic on her cell phone.
Israeli Police Attack An Employee Of The Italian Consulate in Jerusalem
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 23, 2010 - 00:44, Israeli policemen, and members of the Special Forces, attacked on Friday at night Khalid Daoud Oleyyan, 40, and several members of his family, including his 60-year-old mother. Oleyyan, an employee at the Italian Consulate in Jerusalem and several members of his family were moved to a Jerusalem hospital.
For The First Time Since P.A Establishment; Palestinian Woman Sworn In As Governor
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 23, 2010 - 00:20, For the first time since the Palestinian Authority (P.A) was established in 1996, a Palestinian woman was sworn in on Friday as the first female governor in the Palestinian territories.
Israeli Soldiers Injure Non-Violent Protesters at Villages Near Ramallah
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 - Friday January 22, 2010 - 18:24, Eight people have been injured, and five kidnapped, by the Israeli military in response to non-violent protests. These protests were organized by villagers in the West Bank who stand against the separation wall being constructed upon their land.
Protester Injured in Bil’in During Weekly Non-Violent Demonstration
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 - Friday January 22, 2010 - 18:16, This Friday, the 22nd of January, 30 to 40 Palestinian, Israeli, and other international protesters marched through the West Bank village of Bil'in to the Israeli built separation barrier, ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice. Per usual, the demonstration was dispersed by tear gas projectiles and concussion grenades shortly after the marchers arrived at the gate.
Local Organizer Arrested Following Weekly Protest in al-Ma'sara
IMEMC 22 Jan 2010 - Friday January 22, 2010 - 18:08, Today in al-Ma’sara, near Bethlehem, the weekly non-violent demonstration started at the village mosque and marched towards the land where Israel is building their separation wall. This wall is built on land owned by the villagers and annexes further territory.
Scores injured at weekly Bil’in protest
1/22/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Dozens were hurt by tear gas and rubber-coated bullets on Friday in the West Bank village of Bil'in, activists said. The Popular Committee Against the Wall, which organizes weekly demonstrations against Israel's separation barrier that cuts through half of the Ramallah-area village, said international peace activists joined Bil'in residents on Friday. Protesters marched toward the barrier, which is still under construction, waving flags and banners condemning Israel's settlement policy, as well as recent house demolitions in Jerusalem. They also called for the release of jailed Palestinians and an end to the siege of Gaza. Israeli activists joined in, the committee said, along with members of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front. Protesters marched toward the wall, where an Israeli unit was standing behind blocks of cement, which replaced razor wire. . .
Protester hospitalized after Ramallah-area demonstration
1/22/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Six protesters were injured by rubber-coated bullets and others choked on tear gas fired by Israeli forces in the village of Nabi Saleh on Friday afternoon. Two were identified as Israeli citizens. One protester was transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment after being struck by a rubber-coated bullet, they said. It was not immediately clear how seriously he was injured, or to which hospital he was taken. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than half of the Palestinians injured by Israeli forces last week were participants in the anti-wall protests. Eight youths in total were injured, including two young boys. Reports in Israeli media said six people were detained. Israeli forces claimed they had been throwing stones, according to the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth. . . . .
Israeli forces detain 20 in East Jerusalem
1/22/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained 20 protesters during a demonstration in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah early Friday evening, onlookers said. Among the eight arrestees was Yossi Sarid, former head of the Israeli Metetz Party. The protesters were accused of attempting to break into Palestinian houses taken over by Israeli settlers in the past few months, the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Last Friday, Israeli police violently suppressed a demonstration against the eviction of Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah. Seventeen of them spent the weekend in jail but were released after the Magistrate Court in Jerusalem ruled there were no legal grounds for the arrests. "The police are misusing their power and distorting the law so as to collaborate with the dangerous project of Judaicizing East Jerusalem," said the Israeli peace group Anarchists Against the Wall.
Gaza family loses 3 children to monoxide poisoning
1/22/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Carbon monoxide poisoning killed three children in their sleep Friday, after their parents left an electricity generator running outside their bedroom, sending carbon monoxide gas into their bedroom. Two remaining children were admitted to the Al-Aqsa Hospital for treatment for the poisoning, in their Arif neighborhood in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, medics said. Head of emergency and ambulance services in Gaza Dr Muawiyah Hassanein identified the dead as Obeida, two, Malak, four, and Khader, and seven. Five-year-old Shahed and six-year-old Muhammad were admitted for tests and treatment to the Children's Hospital in Gaza, suffering from breathing difficulties. Dr Hassanein warned families to keep generators outdoors to avoid any similar tragedy in the future. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs noted in its weekly report,. . .
Gaza borders sealed as siege continues
1/22/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - No crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip will open on Friday, Israeli officials told their Gaza counterparts, maintaining the comprehensive siege on the coastal region. Although three of the four goods crossings into Gaza were scheduled to be open for imports six days a week, two to three crossings operated five days a week since August, and since December only one to two crossings were opened five days a week. On Thursday, Israeli authorities allowed 87 truckloads of goods into Gaza, less than one fourth of the coastal enclave's daily needs, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. [end]
Israel says men planned attack on checkpoint
1/22/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The office of the Israeli attorney general presented charges to the central court in Jerusalem outlining a plan to attack the Qalandiya checkpoint by two men from Ar-Ram. The charges were published in the Hebrew-language daily Ma'ariv, naming Husam Tawwashi, 21, and Muhaned Abu Gharbeiyah, 22, as the accused, who allegedly planned the attack as a response to the execution of three men in Nablus by Israeli forces in December. Tawashi, who holds a Jerusalem ID card, and Abu Gharbeiyah, with a West Bank ID, allegedly planned to "buy a pistol or rifle and kill an Israeli soldier. "When they failed to purchase a weapon, the report continued, they "planned to throw Molotov cocktails" at the checkpoint, as well as stab soldiers with a knife. The report said the men had "visited the checkpoint more than once" in what it described as "efforts to determine the guard schedule. "
Japan funds Hebron classrooms, Bethlehem water infrastructure
1/22/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Aid projects supported by the government of Japan saw the completion of classrooms for 150 students in Beit Fajjar and the rehabilitation of the Zatara water network with funds from the Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects (GGP). The projects were unveiled on Thursday, in two separate ceremonies in the West Bank towns, in the presence of local mayors and Hideaki Yamamoto, deputy representative of Japan to the Palestinian Authority. In Beit Fajjar, near Hebron, the Al-Wafa Girls' Elementary School had construction completed on four new classrooms on the first floor, which were outfitted to support a long-term, high-quality teaching space, at a total cost of 87,000 US dollars. In Za'tara, south of Bethlehem, a 4. 56km length of the water network was rehabilitated, providing improved and healthier water access for 1,200 residents.
Bardawil fears Egypt destroying Gaza relationship
1/22/2010 - Gaza- Ma'an- Senior Hamas leader Salah Al-Bardawil slammed what he called an Egyptian slander campaign against Hamas, citing recent news reports in Egyptian media. Tensions between Egypt and the Gaza Strip have increased in recent months, as Egypt continues construction of a subterranean border wall aimed at halting the tunnels smuggling industry, with reports of shots fired at wall construction workers and an Egyptian police officer killed during a protest that turned violent when Egypt threatened to deny entry to Gaza for an aid convoy in December. Al-Bardawil categorically denied a report in the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masri Al-Youm that he said "claimed that the Egyptian Attorney General accused Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades of killing four Egyptians in the Az-Zeitoun area as they robbed a jewelery store. "
Mitchell leaves Ramallah without comment
1/22/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - US special envoy George Mitchell departed the West Bank city of Ramallah on Friday, following a meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas aimed at renewing peace talks with Israel. During the meeting, Abbas demanded that the US administration work toward easing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's preconditions for a Palestinian state, according to Saeb Erekat, the chief PLO negotiator. Speaking in Ramallah after the meeting, Erekat said Netanyahu's conditions were obstructing efforts by US President Barack Obama to bring both sides to the negotiating table. Erekat said if the Americans really want talks to resume swiftly they should urge Israel to reign in the country's ongoing settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which Erekat said were imposing facts on the ground. "Turning negotiations into dictates would obstruct the efforts of both Obama. . . "
Abbas heads to Europe after stalemate with Mitchell
1/22/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an/Agencies - US Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell sat with President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday afternoon, asking that he return to the peace talks with Israel, RTT news reported. Mitchell told Abbas that the only way Washington could help Palestinians create a state was at direct talks, the agency reported, while Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, noted that the US official brought none of the "letters of assurances" some expected as an incentive. The meeting came on the tail of talks between Mitchell and Israeli officials, in which he also stressed a return to peace talks. Earlier in the week Mitchell met with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, who he assured of American commitment to a comprehensive Middle East Peace that took Lebanese independence into full account.
PA forces rescue injured settler near Qalqiliya
1/22/2010 - Qalqiliya - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority civil defense crews rescued an Israeli settler who was trapped under her overturned car on Friday near Qalqiliya in the northern West Bank. The injured woman's condition was described as serious. She was not identified. A civil defense unit arrived at the scene shortly after it was informed that a car had flipped near a bridge into the Palestinian town of Azzun, PA sources said. Forces used special equipment to rescue the trapped woman, and offered initial emergency treatment. Israeli medics later arrived on the scene, and transferred the woman to a hospital in Israel for further treatment. [end]
Israel compensates UN for Gaza damage
1/22/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel paid the United Nations 10. 5 million US dollars for damage to the world body's properties in the Gaza Strip during last year's assault on the coastal area, the UN News Centre reported on Friday. The payment fell short of the 11. 4 million that the UN requested following an investigation in Gaza that started in August. "With this payment, the United Nations has agreed that the financial issues relating to those incidents referred to in the terms of reference of the Board of Inquiry are concluded," said a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Damage was done to at least four UN schools, and the central warehouses where they UN Relief and Works Agency keeps food stocks for the almost one million registered refugees in the Strip was bombed and sustained serious damage from a fire.
Hamas government: Don’t call us ’deposed’
1/22/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip issued an appeal to the media on Thursday, asking editors not to describe it as the al-muqalah government, translated as "dismissed" or "deposed. "While Ma'an English describes the government in Gaza as the "de facto government," most local and international Arabic news agencies use the "dismissed" or "deposed" to describe the technical position of the Hamas-lead authority. The Ministry of Information in Gaza sent a memorandum to media outlets saying that "Using the term 'dismissed government' when talking about the Palestinian government in Gaza is political, biased and illegal, and reverses the facts. "It added: "It is clear to everyone that the 11th government is a national unity government headed by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, the government that gained the confidence of the Palestinian Legislative Council. "
Hamas: PA detained 7 supporters
1/22/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - As the stalemate continues, Hamas officials accused Palestinian Authority police and intelligence officers of targeting Hamas affiliates and supporters, arresting seven overnight in the West Bank. A statement from the Islamic movement identified the detained as: Isam Salameh, Nablus, Hani Ad-Debek, Nablus, Brothers Ahmad, Ashraf and Yousef Awwad, Nablus, Musa Suwary, Qalqiliya, Zein Al-Muhtaseb, Hebron. Ma'an could not independently confirm these detentions, although they would not be unusual. [end]
PA urges calm following outcry against seizure of Hamas car
1/22/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian security officials urged Hamas members to keep cool over the seizure of party leader Mohammad Mutlaq Abu Ijheisha's car on Friday, saying it was unlicensed and not a matter of party politics. Spokesman of the Palestinian security departments Adnan Ad-Dmeiri said the car was seized in Hebron and confiscated when the officers discovered that it was unlicensed. "Media outlets affiliated with the party already denounced the confiscation as a political act" Ad-Dmeiri said, and urged Abu Ijheisha to "tell the truth" about his car and avoid political incitement. [end]
Iraqi singer to perform to sold out Bethlehem crowd
1/22/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Iraqi singer Elham Medfai arrived in Bethlehem Thursday ahead of a concert set for the Al-Khader Convention Center at 7pm on Friday. The 1,600 person venue sold out Thursday,and Medfai told Ma'an he felt privileged to "sing for a people who have suffered so much, like my own Iraqi nation. "The singer noted he has already performed the Palestinian National Anthem in several Arab states, and said he looked forward to singing it for the Palestinians themselves. Medafi, speaking at a news conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in Bethlehem, he said he wished there were more seats at the Al-Khader venue. "I wish I could sing in front of all of the Palestinians," he said. This is Medafi's second visit to Palestine, he came once before in 2005 and performed at an event sponsored by USAID. . . . .
Hezbollah and Syria on alert fearing IDF attack on Lebanon
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - IDF denies any plans of renewing conflict against Lebanon; Syria reportedly calling up reserves troops.
Not all settlers and Palestinians want each other to disappear
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - New West Bank group is embracing the concept of binational state, hoping for an agreement to bring sustainable peace.
Gaza residents are dying for lack of medical care
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - NEW YORK – Residents of Gaza, hemmed in by Israel’s three-year blockade, are dying because they are not getting efficient medical care and Israel denies them exit permits to seek treatment elsewhere. "The World Health Organization pointed out that many specialized treatments, such as for complex heart surgery and certain types of cancer, are not available...
Common Activist Errors and Some Proposals to Rectify Them
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - ...Palestinians are scattered all over the world, with most of them living in Exile. The struggle over the last 62 years has been sustained and the name "Palestine" has survived because of the sacrifices of the Palestinians in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the Gulf States, Europe and elsewhere. Their national struggle is one, and it is for...
Petition! Civil Rights for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - Secondary only to ending the siege of Gaza and achieving Statehood, the enactment of the basic civil right to work and to own a home for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Refugees living in squalor in Lebanon is perhaps the most critical and immediately achievable goal of the Palestinian resistance and the ideals enshrined in...
Gaza Health Fact Sheet (Full Text)
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - The Gaza Strip has been the setting of a protracted political and socio‐economic crisis. Recent events have resulted in a severe deterioration of the already precarious living conditions of the people in Gaza and have further eroded a weakened health system. The closure of Gaza since mid‐2007 and the last Israeli military strike between 27 December...
PCHR Release New Report: 23 Days of War, 928 Days of Closure: Life One Year after Israel’s Latest Offensive on the Gaza Strip, 27 December 2008 – 18 January 2009 (Full Text)
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) have released this report in order to highlight the reality of life in the occupied Gaza Strip, and to illustrate the dramatic deterioration in the human rights situation brought about by 928 days of continuous illegal closure,1 as well as numerous offensives, incursions, and attacks. Over the course of...
Lebanon: Tensions rise as Israeli Army stages maneuvers on border
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - Media reports said Friday tensions rose on the Lebanese-Israeli border as the Israeli Army undertook military maneuvers on its northern border, while Hizbullah members were put on high alert, according to the pan-Arab daily Ash-Sharq al-Awsat. Asked whether Hizbullah members were put on high alert, the party’s spokesman Ibrahim Musawi told The Daily Star on Friday...
GAZA VISIT-OUR GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - As an Irishman, I will start my post today with a quote from Bobby Sands about our own struggle for freedom and justice as it also applies to Palestine: "Everyone, Republican or otherwise, has their own particular part to play. No part is too great or too small; no one is too old or too young...
The Lessons of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - Established in 1989, the MA'AN Development Center is "an independent Palestinian development and training institution....work(ing) towards sustainable human development in Palestine" through its various programs. On October 31, it released a publication on the Palestinian BDS campaign titled, "Boycott, Divestment, & Sanctions: Lessons learned in effective solidarity." It's another of the many BDS initiatives multiplying to...
THE TRUTH IS HARMLESS IF IT IS CENSORED
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - Look at the photo of the man below…. does he look dangerous? Well, he is! He is a Jewish journalist that dares to speak the truth about Israel. That is FORBIDDEN according to the 11th Commandment….’Thou Shalt Lie In Order To Protect The Occupation’. Jared Malsin refused to do that. He wrote the truth…. read below...
Barack Obama to hold 50 Guantánamo detainees without trial
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - As the anniversary of the deadline set by President Barack Obama to close the controversial prison passed, a task force led by the US justice department reached a decision that infuriated civil liberties groups and will bring accusations that the president is aping George W Bush's war on terror policies. The administration believes their continued detention...
UN Expresses Concern Over Heath System In Gaza
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - The United Nations said it is deeply concerned over the declining health care system in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israeli siege and closure. The UN stated that one year after the Israeli offensive, border crossings remain closed, and hundreds of patients are deprived from receiving the timely advanced health care. Max Gaylard, the...
Palestinian farmers are being treated like criminals
Uruknet January 22, 2010 - Under the cover of the incessant noise from the roads in the Hebron district, an anonymous Arab is perpetrating a serious crime: With a small hammer, he is digging a cistern so he can collect rainwater on his rocky land. Other such criminals have other methods of carrying out their evil schemes - which is to...
Israel finds new way to play the victim
22 Jan 2010 - Web, Jan. 20, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - A report released by the United Nations last year says that Israeli settlers, angered over the destruction of Jewish outposts, could exact revenge on up to a quarter million Palestinians in the West Bank. It’s not just vague speculation. The report, issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Occupied...
Mitchell meets Abbas
22 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 22, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meets on Friday with the U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell in the presidential headquarters in Ramallah. Palestinian sources said that President Abbas will emphasize the necessity of stopping settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in order to return to the negotiations that...
Gaza children sing for Obama
22 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 22, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Exactly one year ago, the Gazans who were seared by the bright flames of phosphorous bombs used by what is ironically called the Israel Defense Force, placed much hope on the new president of the United States. They believed he would promptly intervene and press Israel to stop its crimes against our beleaguered...
Israel detains four Palestinians
21 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained four Palestinians from Bait Ommar village in Hebron in operations carried out Thursday at dawn. IOF soldiers arrested the Palestinians in Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem, then transferred them to investigation centers. The detainees are Mahmoud Slibi, 25; Jamal Khalil, 18; Mohammed Awad, 32; and Alam Brighit, 18. Local...
Journalist deported from Israel says he was tricked into signing statement
The National 22 Jan 2010 - Editor of Palestinian news agency accuses authorities of duping him into making a statement in detention agreeing to return to to US voluntarily.
Clinton says US will increase aid to Yemen
The National 22 Jan 2010 - The US will provide more counter-terror and development aid to embattled Yemen, but the country must show results for assistance to continue to flow.
MidEast Business Weekly
The Media Line 21 Jan 2010 - Each Friday we explore the world of business in the Middle East, highlighting The Media Line's coverage of everything from finance and real estate to working conditions, aviation and social networking. The MidEast Daily will return...
Jordan Advancing Nuclear Program
The Media Line 21 Jan 2010 - The Jordanian government has signed a deal with Spain as part of moves to accumulate cooperation agreements for its peaceful nuclear program. The signing of the nuclear cooperation agreement (NCA) with Spain, which covers areas such...
Iran Buys from Israel
The Media Line 21 Jan 2010 - An Israeli IT company has admitted to selling an online business management system to the Tehran Chamber of Commerce. Yehoshua Meiri, a spokesperson for the Israeli company DaroNet, told The Media Line that his company had...
Gaza Faces ‘Catastrophic' Gas Shortage
The Media Line 20 Jan 2010 - Fuel Union in Gaza says imminent shortage could cause humanitarian disaster. An impending shortage of cooking gas in the Gaza Strip is likely to cause a humanitarian disaster unless Israel allows more into the coastal enclave,...
"I Don't Want Him, Save Me!"
The Media Line 20 Jan 2010 - Saudi Girl Married Off to 80-year-old Man. Saudi women's rights advocates are outraged after a 12-year-old girl was sold by her father into marriage with an 80-year-old man. A Saudi father, whose name has not been...
Deadly Flashfloods Hit Middle East
The Media Line 20 Jan 2010 - At least 17 killed in flashfloods in the water-scarce region following two days of heavy rain. Lethal flashfloods in Egypt and Israel killed at least 17 people and caused severe damage in the Gaza Strip and...
Egypt to give up U.S. Civil Aid in a Decade
The Media Line 20 Jan 2010 - Egypt has declared it will stop accepting aid from the United States due to the political demands that accompany it. The Egyptian government has announced it will stop taking aid from the U.S. due to the...
Mitchell fails to break deadlock
AlJazeera 22 Jan 2010 - Palestinians urge US enovy to have Israel meet its conditions for resumed negotiations.
'Hamas will not recognise Israel'
AlJazeera 22 Jan 2010 - Political leader Khaled Meshaal says his group will not compromise on the rights.
Six Injured and Six Arrested During a Nabbi Saleh Demonstration
Alternative Information Center 22 Jan 2010 - Six demonstrators, including three Israeli activists, were injured today in the West Bank village of Nabbi Saleh after the army invaded the village earlier today. The soldiers launched an unprovoked attack at the center of the...
Gaza Health Fact Sheet
Alternative Information Center 22 Jan 2010 - The Gaza Strip has been the setting of a protracted political and socio‐economic crisis. Recent events have resulted in a severe deterioration of the already precarious living conditions of the people in Gaza and have further...
Three More Arrested in Ni'ilin Night Raid
Alternative Information Center 21 Jan 2010 - Three residents of Ni'ilin were arrested in a pre-dawn imilitary incursion into the village of Ni'ilin today. This is the 15th time such a raid was conducted in the past month in order to apprehend Palestinian...
10 days after the quake: Israeli team rescues man from rubble
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Personnel pull 22-year-old from under collapsed building, after being alerted by local residents; Haitian in stable condition in IDF field hospital.
Reserves and Rhodes
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - During my IDF duty, it became clear why the last year in Israel had been the quietest in a decade.
Mitchell fails to bring PA back to talks
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Erekat: US envoy called for immediate negotiations, but was met with demand to freeze all settlements.
'Israel is obstructing Schalit talks'
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - Mashaal praises Gazans' spiritual victory over IDF last winter, says Hamas will never recognize Israel.
'Porous Sinai border presents threat'
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - IDF issues stark waring to Netanyahu during tour of Egyptian frontier; PM: Construction of barrier vital.
Israel hopes NIE will pressure Iran
Jeruslalem Post 22 Jan 2010 - US and EU say Teheran's continued refusal to prove its intentions are peaceful will draw new penalties.
J Street to bring Congressmen to Israel
Jeruslalem Post 21 Jan 2010 - Group's PAC to increase contributions to US Congressional candidates by at least 50% in 2010.
MIDEAST: Civil Society Takes On Israeli Settlements
IPS JERUSALEM, Jan 21 (IPS) - Salam Fayyad turned civil society activist this week. In Salfit, on the West Bank, the Palestinian prime minister threw onto a giant bonfire goods made in Israeli settlements.
MIDEAST: Israel Crushes Local Dissent, Attacks Global Criticism
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 20 (IPS) - Israel is lashing out at international criticism and attempting to crush local dissent in what appears to be growing sensitivity to reproach of its policies.
(21-01-2010) Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
PCHR
Army Shoots at Palestinian Farmers and ISM Volunteers Gaza, Near Israel Boarder
1/22/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 21 January, ISM Gaza - Three ISM volunteers and five farmers from Abu Tayima, Gaza were fired at by the Israeli army as they attempted to sow wheat on their land near the Israeli border. A long awaited rainfall in Gaza several days ago created good conditions for wheat sowing on this dangerous plot of land where in the past farmers were shot at by the Israeli soldiers as they patrol the border. One hour after arriving when sowing and ploughing were in full swing, two Israeli army jeeps drove alongside the border fence and stopped. A number of soldiers were seen moving between the two jeeps and soon opened fire on the unarmed farmers and volunteers. The farmers withdrew to the safer area while ISM volunteers remained in the field and used loudspeakers to inform the Israeli soldiers that they were firing at unarmed civilians working on their land who posed no threat.
Six Injured and Six Arrested During a Nabbi Saleh Demonstration
1/22/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Co-ordination Committee - Six demonstrators, including three Israeli activists, were injured today in the West Bank village of Nabbi Saleh after the army invaded the village earlier today. The soldiers launched an unprovoked attack at the center of the village, even before a scheduled demonstration began. Three women and three men from the village were arrested. Slightly after 12:30 a large military force invaded the North Ramallah village of Nabbi Saleh and began shooting tear-gas and rubber-coated bullets at people who were gathering to demonstrate against the theft of their lands by the nearby Jewish-only settlement of Halamish. One demonstrator was evacuated to the hospital unconscious, after being hit in the back with a rubber-coated bullet. Five more, including three Israeli activists, suffered less serious injuries.
Photos: A Day Of Destruction in Khirbet Tana
1/22/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Palestine Monitor, January 21 - The Israeli army rolled into Khirbet Tana, a village east of Nablus with a population of about 300, in the morning hours on January 10, 2010. They then destroyed about thirty structures, including a school, homes, and shelter for farm animals. This destruction stems from a court ruling issued in February 2009 that cannot be appealed, stating that all structures in Khirbet Tana must be demolished, and the farmers removed from their land. The Palestine Monitor takes a look at the situation that Khirbet Tana faces, and how the villagers are trying to rebuild their lives. The villagers of Khirbet Tana told the photographer that officials from the Palestinian Authority have visited them, but did nothing to improve their living conditions. To the minimum, Tana requires a good road, tractors (four were confiscated and are being kept at Ariel settlement;. . .
CJPME: Canada to withdraw its funding to UNRWA
1/23/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East - Last week, the government of Canada quietly announced it would discontinue its long-standing financial contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and redirect the monies to strengthen the judicial system of the Palestinian Authority and other food assistance programs. The news came out as UNRWA launched a special fundraising campaign to collect millions of dollars needed to support programs in the occupied Palestinian territories. UNRWA provides assistance to 4. 67 million Palestinian refugees scattered throughout the Middle East and administers programs in the areas of education, health and other social services in 59 Palestinian refugee camps. The agency operates solely through donations from various organizations and governments. It is currently under severe financial duress due to the increasing number. . .
U.K. raises terror alert, says attack 'highly likely'
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Home Secretary Alan Johnson added, however, that 'there's no intelligence to suggest an attack is imminent'.,
Norwegian academic backs debate on boycott of Israel universities
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Move comes just days after Barak upgraded status of college in West Bank settlement to a university.,
Hamas vows to resist pressure to recognize 'Zionist entity'
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Political bureau chief Khaled Meshal addressed rally in Damascus to mark one year since end of Gaza war.,
Israel pays 10.5 million dollars for damage to UN Gaza premises
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Payment covers damage caused during Israel's offensive last winter against Hamas in Gaza Strip.,
Netanyahu on Mitchell-Abbas meet: Stop wasting time
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Statement follows meeting where U.S. envoy failed to lure Abbas back to the negotiating table.
Akiva Eldar / Whose failure is the Mideast peace process?
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Obama is holding Israel and the Palestinians equally responsible for the stalemate in the negotiations.,
Is 'Jewish pride' abetting racism?
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Jewish communities for the most part do not dare to defend the victims of the 'new' European racism.,
UN Chief: Mideast conflict worsening amid stalled talks
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Ban urges Israel to cease East Jerusalem activity, warns trust between sides being undermined.,
India warns of hijack threat to national carrier
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Warning comes just days before India's annual Republic Day on Tuesday, when there are often security scares.,
Israel's double standards over Haiti | Seth Freedman
The Guardian 22 Jan 2010 - The Israeli relief effort in Haiti is laudable, but it underlines the state's indifference to those suffering on its own doorstep Almost as soon as the IDF embarked on its aid mission to Haiti , accusations began...
IDF team rescues Haiti man from rubble 10 days after quake
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - An Israeli search team pulled a severely dehydrated 21-year-old man from the rubble of his bedroom a staggering 10 days after an earthquake levelled much of the Haitian capital. ...
Prison warden allegedly smuggled cell phones to Palestinian inmates
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - A senior Israel Prisons Service warden was taken to court on Friday over allegations that he smuggled cellular phones and other materials to Palestinian security prisoners at the Ketziot facility. ...
15 arrested protesting Jewish takeover of East Jerusalem
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Hundreds of left-wing activists, including several prominent politicians, protested in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem on Friday. ...
Israeli cop suspected of abusing Palestinian released to house arrest
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - The Jerusalem District Court on Friday released to house arrest a policemen suspected to be at the center of an abuse case involving a Palestinian detainee in Hebron. ...
Israel's top gay Web site celebrates 10 years out of the closet
Ha'aretz 22 Jan 2010 - Israel's primary gay dating Web site will kick off its 10th anniversary celebrations on Friday, marking a revolutionary decade for the homosexual community both online and on the ground. ...
Zapatero promises to promote the resumption of talks with the Middle East
Relief Web 22 Jan 2010 - Source: European Union
Israel compensates UN for damages during last year's Gaza offensive
Relief Web 22 Jan 2010 - Source: UN News Service
OPT: GUNFIRE EXCHANGE ON BORDER WITH ISRAEL, CROSSINGS CLOSED TO AID AND FOOD
Relief Web 22 Jan 2010 - Source: Missionary International Service News Agency
OPT: The Impact of Closure and High Food Prices on Performance of Imported Stable Foods and Vegetable and Fruits Market
Relief Web 22 Jan 2010 - Source: World Food Programme
Israel pays U.N. $10.5 million over Gaza damage
Relief Web 21 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
IDF team rescues man 11 days after Haiti quake
YNet News 23 Jan 2010 - Israeli military mission to Haiti rescues 22-year-old Emanuel Bito, who was trapped under a collapsed three-storey building for week and a half
France says UN must take tough action against Iran
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Sarkozy tells diplomats, 'Iranian authorities blocked in one-way street of proliferation, radicalism'
Mashaal: Zionist entity enemy of Turkey
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - In speech marking one year since Gaza war, Hamas leader says 'new Arab strategy needed to combine diplomacy with resistance'; stresses Shalit won't be released 'until Palestinian prisoners return home'; claims Islamist group won last year's war against Israel
US envoy fails to lure Abbas back to Mideast talks
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Day after Obama admits he may have overestimated his ability to revive negotiations, Palestinian president tells Mitchell during three-hour meeting in Ramallah that complete halt to settlement construction must precede resumption of peace talks
20 leftists arrested at Sheikh Jarrah rally
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Hundreds of Arabs, leftists protest in east Jerusalem neighborhood against Jewish settlement there. Some activists arrested for attempting to break into Jewish homes. Former minister Sarid: Police conduct makes me want to throw up
6 hurt in Palestinian protest against 'settler land grab'
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Nabi Saleh residents, left-wing activists rally against 'attempt by Jews to take over village land'; six arrested. Protests also held in Bilin, Naalin against security fence
Minister pulls injunction against Arab conference
YNet News 22 Jan 2010 - Police say Arab Democratic Party may hold convention in northern community after canceling distribution of Palestinian Authority scholarships
10 Palestinians wounded in Jerusalem
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - Aqsa Mosque guards foiled an attempt by an extremist Jewish settler to sneak into the mosque on Friday afternoon, according to local sources.
Abbas's militia storm house of lawmaker Abu Juhaisha and open fire in vicinity
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - A combined force of Abbas's militia stormed the house of Hamas lawmaker, Muhammad Abu Juhaisha, in the town of Edhna, to the west of al-Khlail, and tried to kidnap the lawmaker..
Israeli occupation admits building work continues in at least one settlement
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - Israeli war ministry has admitted that construction works continued unabated in at least one Jewish settlement in the northern West Bank contrary to Israeli government claims..
Israeli officials must be held accountable for War Crimes, MPs say
PIC 23 Jan 2010 -
3 children in Gaza die of suffocation
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - Three children between the ages of 4 and 7 suffocated and died, at dawn Friday, at their home while two other siblings were seriously injured because of inhaling fumes from a gas-operated generator.
Israeli occupation police assault Aqsa Mosque guard
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - Israeli occupation police, Friday morning, brutally assaulted one of the Guards of the Aqsa Mosque while he was on duty, according to local sources.
Salah: First six months of this year decisive to the issue of Aqsa Mosque
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - The prominent Muslim leader in the 1948-occupied Palestinian lands Raed Salah has warned Thursday that the Israeli occupation authority was accelerating its plans to judaize the Aqsa Mosque.
Hamas deprecates Egyptian media’s systematic smearing campaign
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - Hamas Movement has strongly criticized the defamation campaign against the Palestinian people's struggle in a number of Egyptian government-linked media outlets, stressing keenness on good ties.
Dwaik: No recognition of the Israeli occupation of our land
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - Dr. Aziz Dwaik confirmed Thursday that the meeting between him and British tycoon David Abrahams was made on the latter’s request, stressing that Hamas will never recognize the Israeli occupation.
Arab geologists warn of Aqsa collapse due to IOA practices
PIC 23 Jan 2010 - The union of Arab geologists has warned of the collapse of the Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem due to natural or supernatural causes.
FBI tactics in terror probes 'troubling,' inspector general says
LA Times 21 Jan 2010 - The bureau's independent watchdog says top agency officials approved a possibly illegal method of obtaining phone records during the Bush administration. The FBI used a variety of controversial and possibly illegal methods to obtain phone records in terrorism investigations, according to a sharply critical report issued Wednesday by the Justice Department's inspector general.
On Religion: Bahai on Trial in Iran Worries Brother From Afar
New York Times 23 Jan 2010 - The brother of a Bahai leader facing a potential death sentence in Iran reflects on the biases his faith has endured.
World Briefing | Europe: Israel: U.N. Is Paid for Damage in Gaza
New York Times 22 Jan 2010 - Israel said it paid the United Nations $10.5 million in compensation for damage to its facilities in the Gaza Strip during the three-week Israeli assault on the territory last winter.
For Israelis, Mixed Feelings on Aid Effort
New York Times 22 Jan 2010 - Israel has sent scores of doctors and other relief to Haiti, and Israelis are watching the effort and questioning the character of their nation.
Diplomatic Hand Extended: Furor May Erupt if Shaken
New York Times 22 Jan 2010 - Iran angrily denied reports that its tourism minister shook hands with his Israeli counterpart, which would have violated Iran’s strict anti-Israeli policies.
Issues Stand Before Israel in Joining Elite Group
New York Times 20 Jan 2010 - The country's secretive weapons trade, patent-bending drug industry and occupation of Arab lands are raising questions about its accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Gaza's Crippled Healthcare System
Palestine Monitor - 21 Jan 2010 - A new report reveals the effects of the ongoing Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the health of Gazans. The report by more than 80 aid groups, including WHO (World Health Organisation) and UN agencies, was released yesterday during a press conference held in front of Al...
the architecture of apartheid fosters the architecture of a movement
Mondoweiss - 22 Jan 2010 - Last night I went to hear the reports from Palestine at the Judson Memorial Church in New York. The church is a national historical site. The vaulted hall was designed by Stanford White and has a grand but plain nobility about it. The microphone was set...
Why Port-au-Prince Collapsed
Mondoweiss - 22 Jan 2010 - The contrast is still astonishing. 62 dead in the September 1989 earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area; 45,000 to 200,000 dead in the Haitian earthquake of the same magnitude. A Frenchman who heads an organization called Architectes de l’urgence (Emergency Architects) offered part of the...
Ding dong the neocon…
Mondoweiss - 22 Jan 2010 - A major neocon hive, MESH, Middle East Strategy at Harvard, which was headed by usual-suspect types Stephen Peter Rosen and Martin Kramer, seems to be disappearing into the twilight. Its website announces that it is "hibernating." Let’s pray for a long winter. Rosen and Kramer’s frank...
memo to the west: you lost the Crusades
Mondoweiss - 22 Jan 2010 - From Reuters : U.S. General David Petraeus said on Thursday it was "disturbing" that a manufacturer had embossed biblical citations on rifle scopes sent to Afghanistan and Iraq, and the firm announced it would voluntarily halt the practice. "This is a big concern to the Army and...
Jewish student mag publishes one-state argument, signaling generational battle ahead
Mondoweiss - 21 Jan 2010 - I keep saying that there’s about to be a Jewish intifada, that young empowered American Jews are going to throw off the idea of a Jewish state just because it is not meaningful to them. I deal in straws in the wind, and I saw it...
Six Injured and Six Arrested During a Nabbi Saleh Demonstration
Alternative Information Center - 22 Jan 2010 - Six demonstrators, including three Israeli activists, were injured today in the West Bank village of Nabbi Saleh after the army invaded the village earlier today. The soldiers launched an unprovoked attack at the center of the village, even before a scheduled demonstration began. Three women and...
Gaza Health Fact Sheet
Alternative Information Center - 22 Jan 2010 - The Gaza Strip has been the setting of a protracted political and socio‐economic crisis. Recent events have resulted in a severe deterioration of the already precarious living conditions of the people in Gaza and have further eroded a weakened health system. The closure of Gaza since...
Three More Arrested in Ni'ilin Night Raid
Alternative Information Center - 21 Jan 2010 - Three residents of Ni'ilin were arrested in a pre-dawn imilitary incursion into the village of Ni'ilin today. This is the 15th time such a raid was conducted in the past month in order to apprehend Palestinian anti-Wall activists. Today's arrests are a continuation of a concerted...
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Russia Ongoing With Talks With Hamas
IMEMC 23 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 24, 2010 - 03:26, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, stated that his country in ongoing with its talks with the Hamas movement and described the talks are vital.
Hamas In Lebanon Marks First Gaza War Anniversary
IMEMC 23 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 24, 2010 - 03:02, The Hamas movement in Lebanon held a massive ceremony marking the first Anniversary of Israel’s war on Gaza, and confirmed its stances in “resisting the occupation and countering its plots to eliminate the resistance”.
German sources: Israel-Hamas prisoner swap deal about to collapse
IMEMC 23 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 23, 2010 - 22:44, According to the German paper Der Spiegel, a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the elected government of the Palestinian people (represented by the Hamas party) was about to collapse due to the Israeli refusal to sign onto the agreement that they had negotiated.
Egypt Detains 10 African Immigrants Trying To Infiltrate into Israel
IMEMC 23 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 23, 2010 - 13:34, Egyptian security sources reported Saturday that Border Guard policemen managed to arrest eight Eritreans and two Ethiopians while trying to cross the border fence in an attempt to infiltrate into Israel through Sinai.
Tawil: “Israeli Compensation To UN, Scandal, Helps Israel Hide Its Crimes”
IMEMC 23 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 23, 2010 - 13:01, Palestinian Legislator, Husam Tawil, stated that the United Nations’ stance in accepting the 10 Million USD from Israel as a compensation for bombarding its facilities during the war is a scandal that saves Israel from being held responsible for its crimes against the Palestinian people.
Israel Compensates UN For Damages
IMEMC 23 Jan 2010 - Saturday January 23, 2010 - 10:06, Israel handed the United Nations the amount of 10.5 Million USD in compensation for the damages to its facilities inflicted by the Israeli army during the offensive against the Gaza Strip last year.
Israeli forces detain three journalists across the West Bank
1/23/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained three journalists in separate incidents across the West Bank, as they complied news reports near settlements on Saturday. Al-Quds TV representatives said that a journalist and a cameraman were detained near the illegal settlement of Ariel, south of Nablus. Correspondent for Al-Quds TV Mus'ab Al-Khatib, 25, and Ahmad Al-Kilani, 23, who works for Pal Media, were arrested whilst preparing a news report about a university near the settlement that was recognized recently by Israeli authorities. Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers detained a Pal Media journalist on Saturday reporting on a demonstration organized by farmers from the At-Tuwani village to protest the recent destruction of an olive grove near the Israeli settlement outpost of Havot Ma'on, the Christian Peacemaking Team said in a statement.
Israeli forces attack Beit Safafa family, Italian consular employee
1/23/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Four members of the E'lieyan family were transferred to hospital and several others suffered tear-gas inhalation and bruising when an Israeli border guard chased down a teen from the family outside his Beit Safafa home, witnesses said. The youth, 14, was said to have been attacked unprovoked, and when his father rushed outside the home to prevent the assault, he said he was "surprised to see dozens of Israeli police gathered near the home. " Among those beaten in the scuffle that ensued were a woman, 60, and Khalid Daoud E'lieyan, 40, an employee of the Italian Consulate in Jerusalem. Responding to the news that a staff member had been attacked, the Italian Consul General and the office for Italian cooperation denounced the attack and demanded an investigation be carried out. Khalid sustained large bruises to his neck and back, and also suffered severe tear gas inhalation as he was beaten.
Israeli army enters town near Nablus overnight
1/23/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Residents of Beit Furik, east of Nablus, said an Israeli military incursion took place in the town, with no detentions reported. An Israeli military spokeswoman said that Israeli forces entered the town on Friday night as part of a routine patrol, when "residents started hurling rocks. A violent riot took place and stun grenades were used. . . "Israeli forces left shortly after, the spokeswoman said, adding that no injury or damage was reported. Witnesses and officials said on Saturday that security procedures at the Beit Furik checkpoint were tightened by the Israeli army. Local witnesses told Ma'an that "cars of Israeli intelligence officers have been deployed at the checkpoint since the early hours of the morning and are supervising the searches. " Member of the Beit Furik Municipal Council further said "Israeli forces are carrying out strict security. . . "
Medics: Settlers attack Iraq Bourin village south of Nablus
1/23/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli forces injured two young men following clashes with settlers in the village of Iraq Bourin south of Nablus on Saturday, according to medical sources. Ahmad Issam Al-Faqih, 16, sustained an injury to his leg after he was shot with a rubber bullet, medical sources with the Palestinian Red Crescent said. Al-Faqih was taken to Rafedia hospital to undergo treatment for his injuries which were described as moderate. Nasser Daoud Adel Daqlous, 18, was lightly injured and treated at the scene, the sources added. Ghassan Doughlas, official for the settlement file in the West Bank, said that dozens of Yitzhar settlers attacked the village on Saturday afternoon. The Israeli army arrived, he said, and fired tear gas and rubber bullets to those present at the scene. An Israeli military spokesman said that several Israeli citizens and Palestinians in Iraq Burin engaged in "mutual rock throwing" with no injuries reported.
Arab coalition to press for Middle East, Palestinian unity
1/23/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an -Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Libya have joined forces to pressure split Arab camps as well as Palestinian factions into a unity, member of the politburo office of the Palestine People's party Walid Al-Awad said Saturday. Fatah and Hamas have remained in political deadlock since the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas forces in 2007, with three significant attempts at unity already failed. The Arab world has also faced fragmentation, over issues with US-alignment, region-wide factional supoprt and increasing influence from parties operating in Syria and Lebanon. Awwad said the countries in the coalition came together to promote an atmosphere of unity among the Arabs ahead of a proposed Arab League Summit in Libya in February, which hopes to address the issue of Palestinain unity. Strong Arab support, Awwad noted, would help Palestinians insist on a halt to settlement construction before continuing with peace talks.
Erekat: Americans promised Gaza building materials
1/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian leadership received American pledges ensuring the provision of construction materials and basic needs for Gaza residents via UN bodies and the office of the Quartet, Head of the PLO negotiations department Saeb Erekat announced Friday. The news came following a meeting between Erekat and US Special Envoy for the Middle East George Mitchell. [end]
Israeli army detains three near Hebron, says prisoners’ society
1/23/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Three Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces from Beit Ummer, north of Hebron, on Saturday, according to the head of the Prisoners' Society in Hebron, Amjad An-Najjar. "The total number of those arrested from the town within the last two months amounts to 17," An-Najjar said. Additionally, spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Project Mohammad Awad identified those detained as Hussein Ibrahim, 17, Issa Mohammad Issa Awad, 21, and Muhanad Khaled Abu Awad, 20. Awad said that Israeli forces threatened to detonate the detainees' cars if they did not open the door of their home. Separately, Thiab Hassen Al-Alami, 42, was ordered to remove his clothes before forces broke into his home, and occupied the roof of the building, the spokesman added. . . . .
Prisoners society in Gaza laments death of detainees parents
1/23/2010 - Gaza -Ma'an - Mother of Palestinian detainee in Israeli prison Mahmoud Nassar died in Beit Hanoun Saturday. She had not seen her son in six years. The Wa'ed Society for Detainees and Ex-prisoners denounced the refusal of Israeli authorities for a permit for the man's mother, who was prohibited from visiting him in prison. Umm Mahmoud is third relative of a Gazan prisoners to pass away this month without being able to see their children, the society said. [end]
Palestinian detained for possessing knife near Ramallah
1/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli troops detained a Palestinian in possession of a knife near a Ramallah roadblock, Israeli media reported. According to the Israeli daily Ynet the knife was discovered during a security check. The knife was confiscated and the Palestinian was taken in for interrogation. [end]
Egyptian authorities detain 10 African migrants
1/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Ten African migrants were apprehended whilst trying to enter Israel through Egyptian borders, Egyptian security sources said on Saturday. Eight Eritrean and two Ethiopian nationals were detained, the sources said. The Sinai border is on one of the main routes for migrants and refugees, seeking work or asylum in Israel. [end]
Qureia to Belgian rep: Israel still thwarts int`l law
1/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - International and American efforts are important and significant but are undermined by Israel which continues settlement construction unabated throughout the occupied territories, PLO Executive Committee member Ahmad Qureia told the Belgian Consul General in Jerusalem Gerard Cockx on Friday. Israel is unilaterally drawing the borders of a Palestinian state, Qureia said. During the meeting in Abu Dis, Qureia outlined the mechanisms of Israeli violations against international agreements and human rights law, which serve to deny Palestinians access to their land and create de facto borders for the people. Sitting in Abu Dis, a small city in the Jerusalem governorate that is cut off from the hub city be Israel's separation wall, Qureia stressed the necessity of a settlement freeze in Jerusalem as well as in the West Bank.
Israelis, Palestinians point fingers after Mitchell failure
1/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Finger pointing over which side sets more preconditions for peace talks continues after US special envoy for the Middle East George Mitchell returns to Washington. Following a series of meetings in the region, President Mahmoud Abbas refused Mitchell's request to return to peace talks without the guarantee of a meaningful settlement construction halt, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Abbas for a failure to move forward. "The Palestinian Authority are the ones that are preventing the re-launch of the peace process with their preconditions that they have never asked before from any previous Israeli government," a statement from Netanyahu's office said, adding, "The Prime Minister calls on the Palestinian Authority to sit at the negotiating table and discuss ways to promote security, peace, and prosperity for the two people. "
Mash’al: Hamas is committed to resistance
1/23/2010 - Gaza- Ma'an - Head of Hams politburo office Khalid Mash'al said he held Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for the obstruction of the prisoner swap deal in a speech delivered Friday. In an event commemorating the end of the Israeli war on Gaza held in Damascus, Mash'al said the captured Israeli soldier would "not return home until our detainees and female prisoners return as well. " The Hamas leader in exile said his party would never turn away from resistance, noting that despite Israel's upper hand in weaponry, they were "unable to achieve victory in Gaza," and added that of the "impose another war on us we will fight fiercely until their defeat. "Victory, he said "happens when you strengthen the people, that is what we saw happen in Gaza. The people there are partners in steadfastness and triumph. "
Russian foreign minister: Moscow in contact with Hamas
1/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow is intensifying its contacts with Hamas, which it considers vital. Lavrov further said that Moscow is suggesting quadrilateral talks at a ministerial level on peace talks between Israel and Palestinians, which are to commence immediately. The foreign minister underscored the necessity of implementing the obligations of the Road Map Agreement for both sides, as a condition to the resumption of talks. Lavrov's comments were made during a news conference in Moscow to discuss the outcomes of 2009 and the priorities of Russian foreign policy for 2010. [end]
Abu Rudeineh: Hamas must sign Egyptian document
1/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian general and legislative elections could be held in June, if Hamas signs the Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation document, said presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh on Saturday. If Hamas were to ratify the agreement, elections could be held on 28 June 2010. "This is an important and last chance," Abu Rudeineh said in an interview with the Ma'an Radio Network. Negotiations with Israel, he said, will remain stalled if Netanyahu does not commit to a settlement construction standstill in the territories of 1967, which include East Jerusalem. "We will not accept a singleIsraeli soldier on Palestinian territories, which will prevent us from returning to negotiations, Abu Rudeineh said. If the international community, in particular the American administration, is not prepared to exert pressure on Israel, talks will remain at a standstill, which. . . "
Hamas celebrates strength in massive Khan Younis rally
1/23/2010 - Photos - Gaza - Ma'an - "One year after the Israeli war on Gaza, Hamas is stronger than ever before," member of the Hamas politburo office Khalil Al-Haya said at an event commemorating the lives of the Gaza dead on Friday. The event took place in Bani Suheila, a town east ofKhan Younis, with dozens of senior political figures, PLC members, and resistance factions members and their families, as well as family members of those killed during the Israeli war on Gaza. "We began to defeat the Israeli occupation, they have started to backtrack and we must employ all our power and patience to reach our goals," Al-Haya told the crowd. Hamas has been working to liberate all of Palestine, he said, "the conflict is based on the occupation, we learned this from our fathers and our fathers fathers, we will teach it to our children and we will not give up. "
Gaza PLC member questions gov’t legitimacy past 25 Jan
1/23/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Palestine Legislative Council member with the Fatah bloc Faysal Abu Shahla in Gaza spoke out on Saturday, expressing concern that any move to extend the term of the legislative body beyond 25 January is illegal, and after that date the body will lose its legitimacy. The member of Fatah's Revolutionary Council cautioned lawmakers, saying after 25 January the PLC will no longer be a representative body according to article 47 of the Palestinian constitution. On 18 December, the PLC Central Committee in Ramallah decided to extend the term of Abbas and the PLC under the Palestinian Basic Law until elections are held. According to Abu Shahla, it is article 47 of the Palestinian constitution that is being used to justify the extension. Article 47 states: 1. The Palestinian Legislative Council is the elected legislative authority. 2. Without prejudice to the provisions of this law, the Legislative Council shall assume its legislative and oversight duties, as prescribed in its Standing Orders.
Abu Ijheisha says impounded car was licensed
1/23/2010 - Hebron -Ma'an - PLC and Hamas affiliate Mohammad Abu Ijheisha denied on Friday that the car seized by PA security forces was unlicensed. "The car belongs to my wife; it had papers to prove it was licensed. These papers will be handed over to the police to reclaim the car," he told Ma'an during a telephone interview. Abu Ijheisha said that he was stopped by policemen and five police cars were called to scene, where he waited for an hour and half "preventing me from going to Friday prayer. "He added that when residents tried to intervene in assistance, security forces opened fire on them and assaulted his wife and children, without injury. Head of the police department in Hebron Ramadan Awad said that "security forces do not target anyone on particular. We are working in the service of Palestinians. We are doing our job, as normal, against those who break the law. "
PA forces arrest 7 fugitives trying to flee to Jordan
1/23/2010 - Jericho - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces apprehended seven fugitives at the Allenby Bridge crossing, as they tried to enter Jordan, a police report said on Saturday. The seven arrested were wanted by the Palestinian General Attorney for charges relating to fraud and criminal offences, the report said. The Allenby Bridge crossing will be open from Sunday to Thursday between 8am and 9pm, and will be open only from 7am to 10am on Friday and Saturday, the Palestinian police said. [end]
First female governor sworn into office by Abbas
1/23/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Laila Ghannam became the first female governor to hold the title within the Palestinian Authority, when she was sworn into office as the new Governor of Ramallah by President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday. Ghannam was the acting governor for six months before being officially offered the position. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the presidential compound in Ramallah and was attended by a host of officials including At-Tayeb Abed Ar-Rahman, the presidential secretary, head of the presidential office, Rafiq Husseini and Ismail Jaber, the president's advisor for district affairs. Ghannam was previously the general director of the Ministry of Social Affairs and head of the board of administration for the Watan Center for women's leadership, amongst others. . . . .
Yossi Sarid / Jerusalem is starting to resemble Tehran
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - After participating in Sheikh Jarrak protest I realized police use force even when things are orderly.
Race is on for position of next IDF chief of staff
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Many senior posts won't be filled until the new military head is named in more than a year.
Netanyahu: Israel has no plans to attack Lebanon
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - PM responds to Israeli minister's remark that Israel and Hezbollah are headed toward inevitable military conflict.
Hezbollah: Israel afraid of retribution for Mughniyeh death
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Hezbollah reportedly moves its long range rockets deep into northern Lebanon, widening possible conflict with Israel.
Israel arrests son of Palestinian peace activist in West Bank raid
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Khaled Abu-Awwad is the General Manager of the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum.
Gaza militants: We nearly abducted an IDF soldier
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Islamic Jihad military wing: IDF soldier whose glider accidentally drifted into Gaza almost captured.
Settlers Attack Nablus Village, Two Youth Wounded By Soldiers
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - Palestinian medical sources reported on Saturday evening that two Palestinian youths were wounded by Israeli military fire as the soldiers opened fire at local residents who were defending themselves after being attacked by fundamental settlers near Nablus. The settlers attacked local villagers of Iraq-Burin village, south of Nablus, in the northern part of the West Bank......
Maariv: ‘The painful truth: Haiti’s disaster is good for the Jews’
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - If I came up with a headline claiming the devastation in Haiti is "good for the Jews", I could reasonably be accused of being anti-Semitic. But it’s not my headline. It comes from this report on a site run by Israel’s popular Hebrew daily, Maariv. Every disaster needs a hero, the report says, and the heroes...
Gazan patients dying waiting for travel permits
Uruknet Saturday, January 23, 2010 - Fidaa Talal Hijjy, 18, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in 2007. At first she was treated at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital, but with her health deteriorating, doctors told her she needed a bone marrow transplant – a procedure which is not available in the Gaza Strip. Referred to Tel HaShomer Hospital in Israel on 20 August...
The environmental impact of Israeli military activities in the occupied Palestinian territory
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - An often-overlooked factor in the field of sustainable development and resource management is the impact of the military on the environment and unfortunately this is no exception in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Whilst there have been many studies and reports on the economic, social and political repercussions of the continued Israeli occupation, there has been...
Israeli forces detain three journalists across the West Bank
Uruknet January 23, 2010 – Israeli forces detained three journalists in separate incidents across the West Bank, as they complied news reports near settlements on Saturday. Al-Quds TV representatives said that a journalist and a cameraman were detained near the illegal settlement of Ariel, south of Nablus. Correspondent for Al-Quds TV Mus'ab Al-Khatib, 25, and Ahmad Al-Kilani, 23, who works for...
Israelis protest over 'fascist' Jerusalem settlements Demonstrations against evictions of Palestinians to make way for Jewish settlers
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - At least 15 protesters were arrested yesterday as several hundred left-wing Israelis held their biggest demonstration yet against demolitions and evictions of east Jerusalem Palestinians designed to make way for Jewish settlers. Police moved in to force back the noisy but largely peaceful protest in Sheikh Jarrah, the inner-city district that has rapidly become the main...
German sources: Israel-Hamas prisoner swap deal about to collapse
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - According to the German paper Der Spiegel, a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the elected government of the Palestinian people (represented by the Hamas party) was about to collapse due to the Israeli refusal to sign onto the agreement that they had negotiated. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had been scheduled to sign the agreement...
Israel: Ariel College student says taken off bus for speaking Arabic
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - An Arab-Israel student at the Ariel College in the West Bank claimed she was told to get off a bus because she "dared" to speak Arabic on her cell phone. Hanin Muslah said that during Thursday's incident she was also subjected to a full body search. Muslah, who is originally from the Wadi Ara area and...
Israeli government supports continued prosecution of filmmaker Mohammed Bakri
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - Israeli Attorney General Menahem Mazuz has announced that the government will support the efforts of five reservist soldiers to appeal the decision of a lower court that rejected their claim for libel against Mohammed Bakri for his film Jenin, Jenin, released in 2002. If successful, Bakri, a widely acclaimed Arab Israeli filmmaker and actor, will face...
Abu Sha’ar: Over 55 thousand Jerusalemites deprived of basic services
Uruknet January 23, 2010 -- Dr. Taleb Abu Sha’ar, the Palestinian minister of religious affairs, said Saturday that more than 55,000 Jerusalemite citizens living in the neighborhoods of the eastern part of the occupied city of Jerusalem are isolated and deprived of basic human services as a result of the Israeli segregation wall. In a press statement, Dr. Abu Sha’ar added...
Israeli forces attack Beit Safafa family, Italian consular employee
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - Four members of the E’lieyan family were transferred to hospital and several others suffered tear-gas inhalation and bruising when an Israeli border guard chased down a teen from the family outside his Beit Safafa home, witnesses said. The youth, 14, was said to have been attacked unprovoked, and when his father rushed outside the home to...
As US prepares long-term occupation, Haiti’s quake victims still without aid
Uruknet January 23, 2010 - With the US military "surge" into Haiti expected to include some 20,000 troops on land and on ships parked offshore by this weekend, a US official indicated that Washington is preparing for a protracted occupation of the impoverished and earthquake-devastated Caribbean nation. "We are there for the long term, this is not something that will be...
West Bank: Israeli soldiers clash with protestors
23 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 23, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Two separate incidents of fighting broke out in East Jerusalem and Nabih Salih, a town near Ramallah, as George Mitchell, the US envoy to the Middle East continues efforts to bring about a peace agreement between Israelis and the Palestinians In East Jerusalem hundreds of activists gathered for what has become a...
British MPs call for Israel to be held accountable for war crimes
23 Jan 2010 - London, January 22, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Calling the devastation in the Gaza Strip clear evidence of war crimes, a group of MPs who just returned from the beleaguered territory called for Israeli officials to be held accountable in a post-trip briefing held in the British House of Commons. The MPs travelled to Gaza in a delegation sponsored by the...
Israel ordered to explain Gaza access criteria
23 Jan 2010 - Tel Aviv, January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - At a court hearing held today in the Tel Aviv District Court, the court ordered the State of Israel to produce documents related to its Gaza access policy within 30 days or to explain why it refuses to do so. Gisha - Legal Center for Freedom of Movement filed the petition under...
Israel starves Gaza while world focuses on Haiti
23 Jan 2010 - January 21, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - When a relief plane for Doctors Without Borders isn't allowed to land by U.S. military authorities at the airport in Port-au-Prince, there is an outcry. But Israeli military authorities will not allow any relief planes at all to land in the Gaza Strip (the Israelis destroyed Gaza's airport in 2001). We cheer when a...
Outlook for peace process grim
The National 23 Jan 2010 - Palestinians feel that meeting between the US envoy and Abbas to discuss a peace plan is pointless, as America will never push Israel.
Israel pays UN for Gaza war damage
AlJazeera 23 Jan 2010 - World body paid $10.5m for property damage and injuries to staff during offensive.
Protests in Lebanon over Gaza wall
AlJazeera 23 Jan 2010 - Three injured as clashes erupt at protest of Egypt's decision to build a wall along Gaza border.
US envoy George Mitchell continues Mid East peace push
PNN 23 Jan 2010 - US Envoy George Mitchell has met Palestinian leaders a day after holding talks in Israel in his latest push to restart peace talks. It comes a day after US President Barack Obama said his administration had overestimated its own ability to bring the two sides to the table. The Palestinians are refusing to re-start talks without a complete halt to Israeli settlement...
Dystopian Novel on Israel Attracting Publicity
PNN 23 Jan 2010 - [[Haartez]] news has reported that Leon DeWinter’s new novel on a dystopian future for [[Israel]] will be translated into English, Spanish, French and Hebrew following successful first runs in Dutch and German. The Right of Return focuses on a middle-aged Israeli paramedic seeking to resolve a personal tragedy as the state of Israel, through territorial loses, war and demographic change, has become...
Israel looking to adopt Haitian orphans
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 - Welfare minister tells 'Post': "Haiti... supported us in 1947, and now it's our turn to support them."
PA warns EU against legitimizing Hamas through dialogue
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 - Fatah: Hamas is maintaining two faces, one for the Arab world and one for West; Hamas say they accept two-state solution, but only as temporary one.
Israel to present response to Goldstone
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 - NY Times : J'lem to show photographic evidence contradicting allegations of crimes against humanity.
Barak okays transfer of pensions to Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 - NIS 2m to be distributed monthly to 900 Gazans who worked for Israel before Hamas took over in 2007.
Mitchell fails to change Abbas's mind
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 - US envoy unsuccessful in luring PA president back into peace talks with Israel; meets with Barak in TA.
Haiti declares search-and-rescue phase over
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 - IDF saves Port-au-Prince man who survived 10 days in the rubble.
IDF adopting NATO codification system
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 -
PM: Israel doesn't want war with Lebanon
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 - Netanyahu distances himself from Peled's statement, "Another war with Hizbullah is inevitable."
Mashaal: 'Israel is obstructing Schalit talks'
Jeruslalem Post 23 Jan 2010 - Hamas leader praises Gazans' spiritual victory over IDF last winter, says group will never recognize Israel.
(21-01-2010) Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
PCHR
Demonstrators plant olive trees at al-Ma’asara, one arrested
1/24/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 22 January - This week's Friday demonstration in al-Ma'asara celebrated the Palestinian Day of the Tree. Some 70 demonstrators, Palestinian, Israeli and international, marched from the centre of the village towards the route of the Apartheid fence, carrying young olive trees to be planted in the lands near the fence. Amongst the demonstrators were Palestinian Minister of Agriculture Ismail Du'eik and other officials from the Bethlehem area. Shortly before reaching the soldiers who awaited the protest, demonstrators stopped to watch the minister plant two olive trees at the end of the built area in the village. The march then proceeded to meet with the larger than usual number of border policemen and soldiers, some of whom had taken over the rooftops of nearby houses, aiming guns at the demonstration. The minister and other demonstrators gave speeches in Arabic and Hebrew, and left two plants near the fence.
Activist Ryan Olander Released from Immigration Detention
1/23/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Sydney Morris - As the sun set behind watchtowers and barbed wire fences at Ramle prison Thursday January 15th, Ryan Olander emerged from the steel auto locking door and into the unrestricted air. Ryan had just spent 29 days locked in the Givon immigration detention center located in Ramle, Israel following his illegal arrest on December 18, 2009 in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Shekih Jarrah. On principle and with solidarity for other nonviolent Palestinian activists working to end the illegal occupation of Palestine, Ryan chose to take his charges and deportation warrant to court. This decision to fight for justice in a country where basic human rights are so obviously denied to those seeking to challenge Israeli empire, either by speaking out or by simply existing, was made by Ryan for the greater struggle of the resistance movement.
Journalist arrested at peaceful tree-planting action
1/23/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Christian Peacemaker Team - On 23 January, Israeli soldiers declared Palestinian land south of the Israeli settlement outpost Havot Ma'on (Hill 833) a closed military zone, then arrested a Palestinian journalist from Pal Media. The journalist was reporting on a demonstration organized by Palestinians from the village of At-Tuwani after the recent destruction of an olive grove. Despite the Israeli military interventions, the Palestinians successfully planted 20 olive trees during their demonstration. While Palestinian farmers, accompanied by internationals, were planting olive trees, fifteen settlers approached the area, some carrying slingshots. Israeli soldiers and police also entered the area. The soldiers informed the Palestinians that the area was a closed military zone, showing them a map that encompassed a large area south of Havat Ma'on outpost.
Protester Injured in Bil’in During Weekly Non-Violent Demonstration
1/23/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Friends of Freedom and Justice - Today 30 to 40 Palestinian, Israeli, and other international protesters marched through the West Bank village of Bil'in to the Israeli built separation barrier, ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice. Per usual, the demonstration was dispersed by tear gas projectiles and concussion grenades shortly after the marchers arrived at the gate. At least one Palestinian protester was injured and many other demonstrators were treated for varying degrees of tear gas inhalation. As of Friday evening, there have been no reported of injuries from the Israeli army. After the midday prayer, Palestinians and internationals assembled outside in the village of Bil'in and proceeded to march to the barrier while chanting pro-Palestine slogans and waving Palestinian and Fatah flags. Tear gas and concussion grenades were initially employed to disperse the protesters,. . . .
U.S. officials: No breakthroughs expected on peace talks
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Mitchell to separately meet Abbas, Netanyahu, and despite lack of progress is not disheartened.,
Comment / Mohammed al-Dura - Israel's greatest PR failure
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Despite proof that footage of his death was meddled with, al-Dura remains a symbol of Israel's brutality.,
Comment / Hamas is to blame for Israel's failure to aid Gazans
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Criticism of Israel's aid to the distant Haiti while the nearby Gazan's suffer is irrelevant.,
Barak okays social security payments to Gaza residents
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - In a goodwill gesture Israel will transfer NIS 25 m. to Gaza residents who were employed in Israel.,
Editorial / Israel must comply with UN, probe Goldstone allegations
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Next week the deadline expires for Israel, PA to investigate report's accusations approved by the UN.,
Israel set to challenge Goldstone Gaza report
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Israeli investigators reportedly have photographed proof contradicting Goldstone allegations against IDF.,
Rabbi wants to turn Gadhafi's U.S. land to Jewish center
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Rabbi Boteach told Record of Bergen County that he wants to raise up to $6 million to buy the property.,
Report: Sarkozy warns Israel may strike Iran over nuke threat
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Sarkozy: International community must show Iran the consequences of its refusal to talk.,
Iran leader slams U.A.E. over visit by Israel minister
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Minister Uzi Landau attended international energy conference in first official visit to Gulf state.,
Lebanon demonstrators hurl stones at Egypt embassy over planned Gaza barrier
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Meshal in Damascus: Egypt must stop barrier construction, will only further isolate Strip.,
At least 3 hurt in Lebanon during protest over Egypt's Gaza barrier
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - 200 people protested the construction of an underground steel wall along Egypt's border with Gaza.,
Passover shaping up to be a poor season for tourism industry
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Passover is shaping up to be a very poor holiday season for Israeli hoteliers - and the rest of the tourism industry. ...
Ethiopian wife may be deported because husband suffered stroke
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - In 19 days Baza Almash will be deported to Ethiopia, because her husband has been in a nursing home, immobilized by a stroke, and the couple is no longer living as man and wife. ...
'Non Jewish' immigrant becomes Jewish after appeal to High Court
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - A new immigrant from Bulgaria who came to Israel on the basis of the right of return was informed by the Interior Ministry, three and a half years after first arriving in Israel, that he was not Jewish. ...
Israel mulls adoption of Haiti quake orphans
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog has instructed the staff Social Affairs Ministry to look into the possibility of adopting Haitian children, orphaned in the devastating earthquake which hit the island almost two weeks ago, Israel Radio reported on Saturday. ...
IN PICTURES / Israelis come in droves to nation's parks
Ha'aretz 23 Jan 2010 - As stormy weather gave way to sunshine on Saturday, Israelis came out in droves to enjoy nature's wonders from the snow on the northern Mt. Hermon to the beaches of the southernmost point in Eilat. ...
Israelis defy police to protest east Jerusalem settlements
Relief Web 23 Jan 2010 - Source: Agence France-Presse
Norway university plans Israel boycott
YNet News 23 Jan 2010 - Rector at University of Bergen says he supports boycott; some lecturers complain to Israeli embassy
IDF set to counter Goldstone Report
YNet News 23 Jan 2010 - Military officials finalizing Israel's response to Goldstone Report, which accused Israel of committing war crimes; NYT publishes findings that contradict report's claims. Judge Advocate General: Goldstone Report a vicious lie
Haiti mission winds down
YNet News 23 Jan 2010 - Israeli team expected to return to Israel within days after performing more than 200 surgeries
PM's Office: Israel seeks no war with Lebanon
YNet News 23 Jan 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issues reassuring statement after Minister Peled says war in north a matter of time; senior Hezbollah figure says Israeli threats put region on path of 'danger and aggression'
Israel mulling Haiti adoptions
YNet News 23 Jan 2010 - Welfare minister orders officials to look into possibility of adopting Haitian orphans; 'We will work vis-?-vis authorities in Haiti to determine number of children to be adopted,' Isaac Herzog tells Ynet
Minister Peled: Conflict on northern border a matter of time
YNet News 23 Jan 2010 - Likud MK and former GCO Northern Command chief says another armed altercation with Hezbollah is coming, although no one knows when it will erupt
Gaza Jihad: Weather foiled soldier's abduction
YNet News 23 Jan 2010 - Al-Quds Brigades sources tell Ynet stormy weather, floods in Strip prevented group from kidnapping Israeli paratrooper
US puts ball in Palestinian court on peace talks with Israel
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 RAMALLAH, West Bank: The United States told Palestinian leaders on Friday they must resume talks with the Israelis if they want US help to achieve a peace treaty that ends Israeli occupation and creates a Palestinian state. Putting the ball squarely in the Palestinian court, US envoy George Mitchell told President Mahmoud Abbas that returning to the table was paramount, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat quoted him as saying.
Biden in Iraq to defuse row over barred poll candidates
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 BAGHDAD: US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Iraq on Friday on a mission aimed at defusing a political crisis after hundreds of candidates allegedly linked to Saddam Hussein were barred from March elections. The visit by Biden was not announced in advance for security reasons, but it comes amid the festering row on election candidates which has alarmed the White House and UN just weeks from polling day.
Israelis protest East Jerusalem settlements
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Hundreds of people, mostly left-wing Israeli activists, demonstrated against Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem on Friday in defiance of police efforts to crack down on the weekly protests. The gathering, modeled on regular Palestinian demonstrations in the occupied West Bank, was to protest the takeover of several Arab homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood by settler groups armed.
Israeli PM fumes as media revels in cleaning lady case
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: A legal battle between a cleaning lady and Israel's first lady has spawned a clash between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the press, which is treating the scandal with relish. Both the prime minister and Israeli President Shimon Peres have sternly told the media to stay away from the case, making it clear that the issue should not be judged in the court of public opinion.
Yemen's ills go much further than the Al-Qaeda presence
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: Yemen, a land of beauty and engaging people, has gained an evil public image since an Al-Qaeda group based there claimed a failed December 25 attack on a US airliner. But the West and its Arab allies should not just focus on fighting terrorism if they are to help the southern Arabian nation stifle the threat from militants exploiting internal conflicts, poverty and weak central authority, analysts say.
Moscow warns against hasty sanctions on Tehran
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 Russia on Friday cautioned world powers against rushing towards sanctions to punish Iran for spurning a UN-brokered proposal to send its uranium abroad for processing. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Tehran to work constructively to allay Western fears over its nuclear program but said world powers should take a sober approach and beware of pushing Iran into a corner.
China rejects Clinton's Internet censorship criticism, says ties at stake
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 BEIJING: China on Friday rejected criticism of its Internet censorship by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying it harmed relations, as a row over Google's threat to leave the Chinese market escalated. Clinton had urged China on Thursday to conduct a thorough probe into cyber-attacks on Google and other US companies, and lamented what she said was Beijing's increasing efforts to control what its 384 million web users can see.
Scores more bodies recovered after Nigerian inter-religious clashes
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 KURU KARAMA, Nigeria: Volunteers recovered scores more bodies in Nigeria's troubled central Plateau state as the death toll from inter-religious clashes rose and the army was ordered to step up security. Scores of bodies were picked up from streets, houses and open water wells in Kuru Karama, a village some 30 kilometers south of state capital Jos, the epicenter of four-days of Muslim-Christian clashes.
Sarkozy concerned with just peace for Lebanon - Hariri
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed on Friday Lebanon's commitment to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 while slamming Israeli violations following talks with French President Nicholas Sarkozy in Paris. "As a Lebanese state we are implementing what was mentioned in the resolution since in the past weeks, the Lebanese state in cooperation.
Lebanon logistics performance 33rd globally
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: The World Bank's Logistics Performance Index (LPI) for 2010 ranked Lebanon in 33rd place among 155 nations worldwide and third among 17 Arab countries. Lebanon came in 98th place globally and 13th regionally in the 2007 survey, as reported by Lebanon This Week, the economic publication of the Byblos Bank Group. Lebanon also ranked in fourth place among 34 upper-middle income countries (UMICs).
Exemplary, and in need of protection
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 No foreign government is as intimate with the Lebanese agenda as the French. As a former colonial power in the region and former holder of the UN mandate over Lebanon, the two countries have long historical, religious, linguistic and cultural ties. France contributed significantly to the reconstruction of Lebanon in the aftermath of the Civil War, and then following the devastating Israeli attack in 2006.
Khalifeh vows to shut down counterfeit pharmacies
Daily Star 24 Jan 2010 BEIRUT: The Health Ministry has vowed to shut down nine pharmacies and four medical supplies warehouses on Monday for their alleged involvement in the smuggling and sale of counterfeit drugs. "We can't be silent about this subject," said Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh on Friday at a news conference to announce the measure. "It has become a matter of life or death."
Hussein slams Egypt for using sovereignty pretext to build its iron wall
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Hasan Hussein, a noted Palestinian writer, expressed his shock and dismay at the Egyptian decision to build an iron wall on its borders with Gaza at the pretext of sovereignty.
Hamas welcomes new UNRWA commissioner, asks him to defend refugees' rights
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - The refugees' affairs department in the Hamas Movement welcomed the appointment of the Italian national Filippo Grandi as the new commissioner general of UNRWA .
Abu Sha’ar: Over 55 thousand Jerusalemites deprived of basic services
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Dr. Taleb Abu Sha’ar said that more than 55,000 Jerusalemite citizens in the neighborhoods of the eastern part of Jerusalem are isolated and deprived of basic human services.
Khudari: IOA pays compensations to UNRWA to beautify its image
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - MP Jamal Al-Khudari has charged that the IOA had paid compensations to UNRWA for the destruction of its buildings during the Gaza war only to beautify its image before the world.
Hayya: Hamas keen on achieving reconciliation not leading to a civil war
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya reiterated his Movement’s keenness on achieving reconciliation leading to genuine partnership and harmony, and not to a civil war.
One injured and others suffer suffocation in weekly Bil’in anti-wall march
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - At least one Palestinian protester was injured and many other multinational activists were treated for tear gas inhalation when the IOF attacked the weekly march organized in the village of Bil’in.
Awkaf minister: Fanatic groups circulating narcotics in OJ
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Dr. Taleb Abu Shaar, the minister of Awkaf and religious affairs in Gaza Strip, has warned that Jewish fanatic groups were circulating narcotics in lines of Arab youths in occupied Jerusalem.
Khudari: IOA did not respond to our request to send aid to Haiti
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - MP Jamal Al-Khudari said that the IOA did not respond so far to his committee's request for sending relief material to the victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.
Mishaal: Hamas will never leave the political arena to others
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Khaled Mishaal said Friday that his Movement would never give up its national responsibilities towards the Palestinian people at home and abroad or leave the political arena to others.
Hebrew press: Israeli government foiled prisoners' swap deal
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - A Hebrew daily said that the lack of coordination between Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu and his special envoy on the prisoners exchange deal Hagai Hadas had led to failure of the deal.
U.S. appears to lower expectations in Middle East
LA Times 23 Jan 2010 - Mitchell makes little progress in latest trip. Obama says he doubts the two sides are ready to make compromises. As U.S. envoy George J. Mitchell wrapped up his Mideast trip Friday with little to show for his efforts to kick-start peace talks, the Obama administration was signaling a growing pessimism that Israelis and Palestinians would return to negotiations any time soon.
Israel Poised to Challenge U.N. Report on Gaza
New York Times 24 Jan 2010 - The Israeli military is completing a rebuttal to a report accusing it of grave violations of international law in its Gaza invasion.
World Briefing | Middle East: West Bank: Envoy Urges Palestinians to Resume Negotiations With Israelis
New York Times 23 Jan 2010 - George J. Mitchell told Palestinian leaders that they had to resume talks with Israel if they wanted American help to achieve a peace treaty.
Has Obama Given Up?
Palestine Monitor - 23 Jan 2010 - "Expectations were too high". "We overestimated our ability". Time magazine's interview with the President made for grim reading, unless you're Israeli. Obama's claim that "divisions within their societies" made "meaningful conversation...very hard" can be taken as a significant climb-down from the bold stance taken in Cairo....
Palestinian Farmers Are Being Treated Like Criminals
Palestine Monitor - 23 Jan 2010 - Under the cover of the incessant noise from the roads in the Hebron district, an anonymous Arab is perpetrating a serious crime: With a small hammer, he is digging a cistern so he can collect rainwater on his rocky land. Other such criminals have other methods...
‘This is our village!’ – a report from Nabi Saleh
Mondoweiss - 23 Jan 2010 - The following is a shocking video from Nabi Saleh, a Palestinian village of 500 residents located north of Ramallah. The village has been engaged in growing demonstrations during the past few weeks to protest the illegal seizure of valuable agricultural land by the Hallamish (Neve Tzuf)...
Excerpt from an important new book: A Wall in Palestine
Mondoweiss - 23 Jan 2010 - We are excited to share an excerpt from A Wall in Palestine , a new book by French journalist Rene Backmann (published by Picador). Backmann is a foreign affairs columnist for Le Nouvel Observateur. The book tells the story of the Separation Wall in the West Bank,...
Why Haiti is Poor: The Elite (III)
Mondoweiss - 23 Jan 2010 - In my last installment , my friend Milfort Bruno and I were in the Haitian countryside near Cap Rouge, listening to the Marcelin family explain why they no longer grow coffee for export. High-quality coffee had once been a significant source of the foreign exchange that a...
MSM interviewer seems real uncomfortable with Joe Sacco
Mondoweiss - 23 Jan 2010 - The other day Joe Sacco, author of Footnotes in Gaza, which centers on a 1956 massacre in Gaza and is featured on this site, was on the Leonard Lopate show on NY’s public radio station . The opportunity surely came about because Sacco got a great review...
Why all Israel lobbyists should be forced to go thru the Qalandia checkpoint
Mondoweiss - 23 Jan 2010 - Qalandiya Checkpoint When I went through the Qalandia checkpoint in Palestine a week or two back, I kept thinking, Anyone who lobbies for Israel in the U.S. should be forced through this checkpoint. All the congressmen should come here too. What upset me was the banality...
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Hamas Legislator: “P.A Security Forces Arrest Six PLC Employees”
IMEMC 24 Jan 2010 - Monday January 25, 2010 - 05:21, Palestinian Legislator of the Hamas movement, Mahmoud Ramahi, accused the Palestinian Security Forces, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, of arresting six employees of the Palestinian Legislative Council after they left their Ramallah offices on Sunday afternoon.
Belgium To Ask E.U For A Unified Stance Against Israel For Preventing Officials From Entering Gaza
IMEMC 24 Jan 2010 - Monday January 25, 2010 - 04:21, Belgium has decided to ask the European Union to make a decision regarding boycotting Israel for preventing E.U officials from entering the besieged Gaza Strip to observe the destruction and suffering inflicting on the residents.
No Elections without Reconciliation
IMEMC 24 Jan 2010 - Monday January 25, 2010 - 03:50, On General Elections in the Palestinian National Authority: No Elections without Reconciliation
Mubarak Slams Hamas, Defends Iron Wall
IMEMC 24 Jan 2010 - Monday January 25, 2010 - 03:28, Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, slammed the Hamas movement for criticizing the Iron Wall Egypt is constructing along, and under, its borders with Gaza and direct US support and supervision, and said that the issue is considered a sovereign decision.
Hamas In Lebanon Marks First Anniversary Of Gaza War
IMEMC 24 Jan 2010 - Sunday January 24, 2010 - 04:02, The Hamas movement in Lebanon held a massive ceremony marking the first Anniversary of Israel’s war on Gaza, and confirmed its stances in “resisting the occupation and countering its plots to eliminate the resistance”.
Report: Environmental impact of occupation high
1/24/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem released a report documenting the detrimental effects of the Israeli occupation of Palestine on the environmental systems sustaining both Israelis and Palestinians. The January report focused on the impact of the military operating in the West Bank and Gaza, and collected data on unexploded ordnances contaminating agricultural ground, the contamination of drinking water in Gaza following the 2008-9 Israeli Operation Cast Lead. It cites the British-based NGO the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) saying at least 120 pieces of un-exploded ordnances and 31 unexploded white phosphorus shells were found inside Gaza between January and June 2009. In Gaza, the report says, at least 12,000 hectares of farmland are unusable until they are cleared from the devices. The settlement and military infrastructure in the West Bank, the report says, takes up valuable Palestinian land. ARIJ: The environmental impact of Israeli military activities in the oPt
Israeli border police severely beat Palestinian workers, says family
1/24/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli Border Police detained and beat 10 Palestinian workers at dawn on Sunday at the Al-Za'iem crossing into occupied East Jerusalem, for seeking work without the appropriate permits, relatives told Ma'an. The workers, from the Al-Khadr village south of Bethlehem, were stopped at the crossing and, relatives say, were severely beaten with sticks and riffles. Father of detained Rani, 26, Hussein Salah, said his son sustained a number of fractures, as well as having his teeth broken, and is now unable to walk. Rani had told his father that the 10 workers with him were all beaten, causing many to pass out. Rani was then transferred to hospital, while the rest remained in detention, his father said. Fares Salah, Majdi Salah and Rani Salah were among those identified as detained. The Israeli Border Police were unavailable for immediate comment.
Israel releases detainee from Negev prison
1/24/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Ahrar Center for Prisoners' Studies and Human Rights announced on Sunday that Israeli authorities released Fathi Al-Hayek, head of the Zeita local council in Nablus on Saturday, having served 38 months in the Negev Prison. Al-Hayek, 41, was detained on 22 November 2006 and served more than 112 months in a number of Israeli prisons the center said. His detention was extended over ten times, the center added. Al-Hayek is the father of five. [end]
Delegation of officials to meet with Jerusalem clan rivals
1/24/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Public meetings will be held in Jerusalem to bring a halt to the ongoing clan violence that took place on Sunday, said chief of Jerusalem affairs for Fatah Hatem Abdul Qader. A delegation of officials will head to Jabal Al-Mukabber after meeting with representatives from Wad Qaddum, the two areas where clashes were centered. Abdul Qader accused Israeli authorities of escalating Sunday's violence and of failing to deal with the events as they had done previously. One Palestinian was killed and five sustained gunshot wounds, as clan clashes continue to erupt in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday, near the Old City, according to medical sources. Medics further reported that dozens have been injured as a result of the fighting which reached Salah Ad-Din Street, near the Old City of Jerusalem, and King Solomon Street, during the afternoon.
Israel to refute Goldstone report findings
1/24/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Israel will submit its refutation of the Goldstone report to the UN on Thursday, with the aim of dispelling the report's conclusion that war crimes were carried out by the Israeli army, American media reported on Sunday. While the content of Israel's rebuttal remains confidential, officers involved in its compilation told the US daily The New York Times that, among the allegations put forward, Israel will deny that it caused the ruin of the Badir flower mill and the destruction of a water waste plant causing a deluge of raw sewage, suggesting that it may have been hit by Hamas explosives. The two cases, along with the destruction of chicken coops, water wells, a cement plant and some 4,000 homes, are indicators in the Goldstone report that Israel intended to destroy infrastructure to cause intense civilian suffering, a war crime under international law.
Abbas to sponsor urgently needed weight loss surgery for obese man
1/24/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an Special - The man fearful that his obesity will cause his death is to receive two surgeries to alleviate his condition and assist his weight loss, which will be sponsored by President Mahmoud Abbas. Abdul Fattah Abu Addas, 39, and from the Balata Refugee Camp east of Nablus, weighs 250 kilograms ( 551 lbs) and has lost two siblings to obesity related deaths. Abu Addas' had appealed for assistance as the procedures were deemed cosmetic surgery by the Ramallah-based Ministry of Health. The surgeries include a gastric bypass and liposuction, worth an estimated 7,000 Jordanian dinars. Abu Addas has not been able to move unassisted for several years and is unable to have children as a result of his obesity. Previously Abu Addas was an athlete, participating in competitive tug of war matches and winning a number of accolades, in addition to pulling cars with his teeth.
Muheissen: No choice other than signing Egyptian document
1/24/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Member of Fatah central committee Jamal Muheissen accused Hamas on Sunday of continually evading the ratification of the Egyptian reconciliation paper and obstructing national unity. "There is no other choice, other than signing the Egyptian document," he saidduring an interview on Sawt Falasteen radio, describing the document tipped to end Fatah-Hamas rivalry as the only mechanism capable of enabling Palestinians to face all challenges. Muheissen added that Fatah's Central Committee has held approximately 40 sessions in a bid to restore the party's ability to lead the national movement, and that plans are underway to integrate the movement's various branches harmoniously into Fatah's framework. "We are at the beginning and we will continue implementing those plans that have been put forward for the advancement of the Fatah," he said. . . . .
PLC Speaker: It`s time for a national and unified government
1/24/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Speaker in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Dr Aziz Dweik announced Sunday that the body will continue working "as usual," and not be stymied by the 24 January deadline by which elections were supposed to be held. The term of the PLC ran out on 24 January, but was extended by the PLO in December, a move Hamas called illegal, since the PLC was not created by the PLO and can thus not dictate its term. The PLO Central Committee said article 47 of the Basic Law allows for the change. The PLC has been defunct since 2007. In a Ramallah news conference, Dweik said he was ready to "call a meeting of all PLC members from the West Bank and Gaza," and called on the "presidency to facilitate the meeting in an effort toward national reconciliation and creating a unified front against the latest Israeli settler attacks in Jerusalem. "
Khreisheh: Today, I am no longer a PLC member
1/24/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - PLC member Dr Hasan Khreisheh handed over the keys to his official vehicle on Sunday, 24 January, declaring his term as a member of Palestine's legislative body over. The elections for the PLC were held on 2 January 2006, on 24 January 2010 the term of the body elected in the first legislative elections in Palestine expired. In December the Central Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization met, and extended the term of the President and the PLC until elections were held. When the move was made, accusations arose that the PLO did not have the authority to extend the term of the PLC. "It is time for new members to fill the places of the old," Khreisheh said as he turned in the Palestinian Authority-issued car. Speaking with Ma'an by phone, Khreisheh urged Palestinians to take to the streets and demonstrate, calling for national reconciliation.
PCHR: No elections without reconciliation
1/24/2010 - The Palestinian Center for Human Rights weighs in on the controversy around the expiration of the official term of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Twenty-four January 2010, was the due date for legislative and presidential elections in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). If the Palestinian democracy was to be practiced normally and without obstacles, the Palestinian electorate in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) would have stood in front of ballot boxes to elect a new president for the PNA and new members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Twenty-four January passed with no such elections due to the outstanding conflict and division in the Palestinian political regime. The second Palestinian presidential election was held in January 2005 following the death of the late President Yasser Arafat in November 2004, and Mahmoud Abass was elected as the President of the PNA.
PLC member: PA forces detained 6 colleagues
1/24/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Six staff members of Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member were arrested by Palestinian Authority (PA) police as they exited the PLC Headquarters in Ramallah on Sunday, lawmaker Dr Mahmoud Ar-Ramahi reported. Among the six was the driver of PLC Speaker Dr Aziz Dweik. The driver was detained along with the keys to Dweik's car, stranding the official in Ramallah. The official term of the PLC came to an end Sunday, with sides calling into question the legitimacy of the PLO move to extend its term. One PLC member handed over his PA-issued vehicle in the afternoon, saying he was "no longer a PLC member. "Speaking on the phone with Ma'an, Ar-Ramahi said the six men, working for members of the Hamas boc in the PLC, were targets of a "constant and increasing harassment [by the PA] targeting members of the Legislative Council affiliated with the Change and Reform [Hamas] bloc. "
PPP: PLC mandate over but work must continue until elections
1/24/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - The Palestinian People's Party called for the holding of elections at the earliest possible date as the official mandate of the Palestinian Legislative Council came to an end Sunday. The inability to hold elections before 25 January is a blemish on the Palestinian democratic process, a statement from the party said, adding that "Palestinians have the right to choose their representatives through elections. "An election had been called for 24 January by President Mahmoud Abbas in October, but an elections committee determined it would be impossible to hold a vote in Gaza without Hamas support. The de facto government position was that without reconciliation, no parties would trust the voting system and an election would be wasted. The PPP said that while the mandate of the PLC had officially ended, its members had the right to continue their work until new elections were held.
Drug dealers arrested in Hebron
1/24/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Three drug dealers were arrested by the Palestinian police in Hebron on Sunday, a report said. Police apprehended the suspects after a tip-off was received that a car transporting narcotics would be entering Hebron. The car in question was tracked and stopped, and large quantities of hashish were discovered upon searching it. The report added that those arrested remain under investigation and the incident has been documented. [end]
Israel refuses Belgium minister's request to enter Gaza
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Deputy FM says visa would be seen as gesture to Hamas, warns aid would fall into hands of militants.
Deputy Defense Minister: Israel making every effort to avoid war
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - GOC Northern Command Eizenkot: Reports of imminent Lebanon conflict are just 'virtual escalation.'
Bin Laden: Attacks on U.S. to go on as long as it supports Israel
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Al Jazeera airs purported tape of Al-Qaida leader claiming responsibility for botched Detroit plane attack.
Jerusalem is starting to resemble Tehran
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - After participating in Sheikh Jarrah protest, I realized police use force even when things are orderly.
HRW: Iran Crackdown On Protests A 'Human Rights Disaster'
Uruknet January 24, 2010 - Iran's crackdown on opposition protests following June's disputed presidential election was a "human rights disaster," U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said. The rights group also said in a report that Iran has staged hundreds of show trials of detained opposition protesters...The Human Rights Watch report said the post-election crackdown had turned into "a human rights disaster." "The...
Israel 'to keep' parts of West Bank
Uruknet January 24, 2010 - Israel's prime minister has reaffirmed his country's commitment to retaining parts of the occupied West Bank, undermining US efforts to restart talks aimed at eventually establishing a Palestinian state. During a tree planting ceremony in a West Bank settlement, Binyamin Netanyahu said that parts of the territory would be kept by Israel under any final peace...
Gaza to be in deep darkness in hours!!
Uruknet January 24, 2010 - The electricity company in the Gaza Strip has warned on Saturday evening from a severe crisis in providing the Strip with electricity as if the stoppage of providing it with the needed fuel continued it will not be able to run on Sunday morning. Jamal Al-Dardasawi, the director of public relations in the company, said: "The...
Campaign against siege warns of serious repercussions for power failure
Uruknet January 24, 2010 - The Palestinian-international campaign to lift the siege on Gaza Strip has warned of the serious repercussions of the long periods of power cuts in many Strip areas as a result of the lack of enough fuel to operate the sole electricity generation station. The campaign in a statement on Sunday said that the station was generating...
Sheikh Jarrah: Settlers throw urin bottles, activists arrested
Uruknet January 24, 2010 - Thursday, January 22nd, settlers occupying the Gawi and Al-Kurd family’s homes were reported to be harassing and attempting to provoke the evicted Palestinians and solidarity activists to a violent response. Other settlers stood by with film equipment, ready to record any response to their provocation. The evening’s heckling resulted in the arrest of Marwan Abu al...
“Thieves Go Home – Sheikh Jarakh is Palestine!”
Uruknet January 24, 2010 - Every one of those who came took into account that he could be arrested and held in detention for at least a day. The more experienced brought with them a toothbrush. Still, at the appointed time, 3 p.m., hundreds were already waiting (a most unusual thing in Israel.) This was the largest demonstration yet in Sheikh...
Netanyahu reaffirms Israel claim to parts of West Bank
Uruknet January 24, 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Sunday that Israel would keep parts of the West Bank forever, planting trees in a settlement bloc to reaffirm a land claim long rooted in Israeli government policy. "Our message is clear: We are planting here, we will stay here, we will build here, this place will be an inseparable...
Israeli border police severely beat Palestinian workers, says family
Uruknet January 24, 2010 – Israeli Border Police detained and beat 10 Palestinian workers at dawn on Sunday at the Al-Za’iem crossing into occupied East Jerusalem, for seeking work without the appropriate permits, relatives told Ma’an. The workers, from the Al-Khadr village south of Bethlehem, were stopped at the crossing and, relatives say, were severely beaten with sticks and riffles...
When Words are Imprisoned, Thoughts Silenced and Flags Shot Down, Resistance and Solidarity Flourish
Uruknet January 24, 2010 - ...What the Zionist entity fears and sees as a growing threat to its existence is the continuation of the struggle and activism in occupied Palestine, the growing support for Palestine and the Palestinian Cause in the world and the strengthened unity and solidarity amongst Muslim, Christian and Jewish indigenous Palestinians in occupied Palestine and elsewhere. Despite...
Netanyahu: Mitchell Suggests “Interesting Ideas”
24 Jan 2010 - Palestine, January 24, 2010, ( Pal Telegraph) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he heard "interesting ideas" from Special US envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell regarding the resumption of peace negotiations with the Palestinians. Minutes after meeting envoy George Mitchell, Netanyahu reaffirmed at the weekly cabinet session his intention, also voiced by previous Israeli prime...
Gaza to be in deep darkness in hours!!
24 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 24, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The electricity company in the Gaza Strip has warned on Saturday evening from a severe crisis in providing the Strip with electricity as if the stoppage of providing it with the needed fuel continued it will not be able to run on Sunday morning. Jamal Al-Dardasawi, the director of public relations in the...
UK ministers warn Tehran of 'embarrassing' retaliation
The National 24 Jan 2010 - British ministers were playing a wait-and-see game as Iran pondered downgrading diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Yemen urged to address rights abuses
The National 24 Jan 2010 - Activists claim that the government is using the war on terror as an excuse to harry its political opponents and critics.
Call for reform draws criticism in Lebanon
The National 24 Jan 2010 - Controversy after the Lebanese parliamentary speaker announced his drive to abolish a system whereby political power is shared by major religious groups.
Palestinians Lack Capacity for Suicide Bombings
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - Israeli security services say the absence of Palestinian suicide attacks last year indicates poor capabilities. For the first time in a decade there were no Palestinian suicide attacks against Israelis in 2009. After 36 Israelis were...
“Super Police” to Monitor Arab Satellite TV?
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - Arab information ministers representing 22 member states of the Arab League discussed the formation of a new transnational body to monitor Arab satellite TV stations on Sunday, amidst calls from media freedom groups that the move...
‘Arabs Not Giving Enough to Haiti'
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - Commentator says Arab countries should be ashamed for not giving more money to assist earthquake relief. A commentator in an influential Arabic language paper says it is "an outrage, in every sense of the word" that...
‘Abbas to Russia for Meetings with Medvedev
The Media Line 23 Jan 2010 - Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud 'Abbas will visit Russia this week. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti reports that 'Abbas and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev will meet in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on January 26....
No Apparent Movement in Mitchell's Negotiating Efforts
The Media Line 23 Jan 2010 - It appears that Obama Mideast envoy George Mitchell has again come up empty in his attempts to jump-start peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Following a series of meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah with Israeli...
Israel Set to Respond to Goldstone; Judge Advocate General: “A Vicious Lie”
The Media Line 23 Jan 2010 - Details from an Israeli rebuttal to charges leveled against it for its conduct in last January's Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip that was prepared by the army's Judge Advocate General (JAG) appeared in Saturday's...
Israel calms fears of Hezbollah war
AlJazeera 24 Jan 2010 - Netanyahu says conflict with Lebanese group is not imminent after minister's comments.
PA arrests 6 aides of Hamas speaker
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - Men nabbed after press event held by speaker Dwaik, most senior Hamas official in W. Bank.
Panel to review IDF Cast Lead probes
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - Judicial body to be founded by Barak, Ashkenazi; IDF response to Goldstone to be released in 2 weeks.
Analysis: The Dahiya Doctrine vs. the Goldstone Report
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - IDF: Goldstone Report was born out of misperception of modern warfare.
Israel denies Belgian minister's request to visit Gaza Strip
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - Deputy FM tells Charles Michel visits to Strip give legitimacy to Hamas, warns any aid will be embezzled by terrorists rather than reaching needy.
Almagor to Barak: Don't use Tarif as envoy to PA
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - "Such missions require clean hands, but Tarif has failed such tests in the past," Almagor head writes to defense minister.
1 dead, 5 hurt in east Jerusalem family feud
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - Police: Store set on fire, rocks thrown, shots fired in dispute between two Ras al-Amud families.
Barkat, Erdan to discuss J'lem waste, recycling
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - Barkat has proposed a pilot project in certain neighborhoods for residents to separate wet and dry garbage.
Coalition crisis brewing over matza bill
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - Israel Beiteinu announces refusal to support amendment to bill which Shas insists on passing.
Education Minister to join PM at Auschwitz
Jeruslalem Post 24 Jan 2010 - Sa'ar will meet with his Polish counterpart to discuss ways to increase cooperation between the education ministries of Israel and Poland.
(14- 20 Jan 2010)
PCHR During the reporting period, IOF wounded 9 Palestinian civilians, including two children and 3 journalists, in the West Bank.
Israeli Occupation Forces kidnap 4 in Beit Ommar, West Bank
1/24/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - At 4am on January 21st, at least 30 members of the Israel Police, Border Police, Army and Secret Police (Shin Bet) raided the village of Beit Ommar, arresting four men. At the home of Mohammed Salibi, the Occupation Forces broke the window of the door in an effort to enter, as well as another window. Upon entering with a search dog, they asked for the whereabouts of Mohammed from his brothers, Alah, 20, and Ahmed, 14, who were sleeping at the time. Alah, who previously spent 3 months in Occupation jails, was thrown against the wall. Three agents picked up Ahmed and threw him on the ground. Cabinets were also smashed in the house and personal items thrown on the ground. After finding Mohammed, 25, sleeping, they arrested him and took him away without providing further information. As of January 24th, there is still no word on his whereabouts.
Israeli Occupation Forces fire on Iraq Burin
1/24/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Israeli Occupation Forces opened fire on Iraq Burin once again, following a settler attack that has become almost a weekly routine for the village. One villager was injured and treated at the hospital after being struck in the thigh by a tear gas canister. An expectant atmosphere hangs over the village each Saturday now. The peaceful silence, punctuated only by donkey brays or the sound of children playing, offers a strange prelude to what each resident knows is coming. ISM activists have been maintaining a presence in Iraq Burin over the Saturday period – the Jewish religious holiday of Shabbat – but better known in the Occupied Territories for the territorial violence waged on this day by Israeli settlers on the rural Palestinian population. Israeli military were sighted positioning themselves on the hill to the south from approximately 12pm, drawing onlookers from the village.
Sheikh Jarrah: Settlers throw urine bottles, activists arrested
1/24/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Thursday, January 22nd, settlers occupying the Gawi and Al-Kurd family's homes were reported to be harassing and attempting to provoke the evicted Palestinians and solidarity activists to a violent response. Other settlers stood by with film equipment, ready to record any response to their provocation. The evening's heckling resulted in the arrest of Marwan Abu al Saber. Al Saber was released later that night. Settler harassment of neighborhood residents continued and during the night four chairs were stolen by settlers from the Al-Kurd tent. In the last two weeks they have also stolen an ISM"ers shoes and a shelf from the tent. Thursday night'stheft was reported to the police but no action was taken. Friday morning a young settler boy in the Al-Kurd home threw bottles from the home towards the Al-Kurd tent. One bottle, directed at a solidarity activist who was filming nearby, contained urine. "
Beirut airliner crahses into Mediterranean
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 had 85 passengers on board, 50 of which Lebanese nationals, the rest Ethiopians.,
Akiva Eldar / What would Netanyahu do without Peres?
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - The president is passing responsibility for failure in peace process on to the Palestinians.,
EU President Spain: Turkey belongs in European Union
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - 'Solving Israeli-Palestinian conflict most important challenge for Spanish presidency.',
Israel refuses Belgium minister's request to enter Gaza
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Deputy FM says visa would be seen as gesture to Hamas, warns aid would fall into hands of militants.,
Palestinians: Netanyahu's claim to West Bank destroys peace efforts
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Abbas aide: Tree planting makes return to peace talks unlikely; talks; U.S.: No breakthrough is expected.,
Obama's envoy urges Syria, Lebanon to join Mideast talks
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Mitchell holds separate talks with Netanyahu, Abbas; Palestinians pledge commitment to Obama's peace plan.,
More global anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2009 than any year since WWII
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Annual Jewish Agency report cites poll finding 42% of West Europeans believe Jews exploit past to extort money.,
Virtually no contact between Netanyahu, Jordan's Abdullah
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Israel-Jordan relations are in a deep slump, senior officials in Jerusalem and Amman tell Haaretz.,
Haiti Jews tell tales of earthquake destruction
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - For over 500 years a small Jewish community from Lebanon, Brazil, Syria and Egypt has been in Haiti.,
Report: Iraqi workers erase Hebrew from Prophet Ezekiel's tomb
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Iraq government says damage during renovation of nearby mosque was unintentional.,
Egypt's Mubarak defends construction of Gaza barrier
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Hamas has been trying to rally Arab and Muslim public opinion against the barrier, dubbing it the death wall.,
Far-rightists call Rahm Emanuel a traitor to the Jewish people
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Extremists threaten to protest the White House Chief of Staff's upcoming visit to Israel.,
Saudi teenager gets 90 lashes, 2 months in prison for assaulting teacher
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Assault happened after girl was caught with camera phone; Amnesty International urges King Abdullah to rescind sentence.,
Ahmadinejad promises new developments in nuclear fuel upgrade
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Iran's president to report 'happy news' about nuclear program in an official announcement in February.,
'Bin Laden' claims responsibility for Detroit bomb attempt
The Guardian 24 Jan 2010 - Recording attributed to al-Qaida leader says US 'will never dream of security' while it supports Israelis An audio message purportedly from al-Qaida's leader, Osama bin Laden, has claimed responsibility for the Christmas Day bombing attempt on...
Tourism Minister given 'illegal gift' of free VIP Madonna tickets
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov and his wife received free VIP tickets to the Madonna concert last September, Haaretz has learned, despite clear instructions from the attorney general that free tickets are considered an illegal gift. ...
IDF reserves commanders too busy with service for civilian work
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - More than 20 reservist battalion commanders are not permanently employed because of their military obligations, which range between two and three months of service per year. Some have lost their jobs due to their dedication, and others say their soldiers face similar threats from their employers. ...
Knesset to vote on expunging criminal records of Gaza pullout opponents
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - The Knesset is due to vote Monday on the second and third readings of a bill that would expunge the criminal record of most of the people convicted of criminal offenses for protesting the disengagement from Gaza. Knesset sources called the bill "historic." ...
Israel hopes quota on migrant workers will bring Israelis more jobs
Ha'aretz 24 Jan 2010 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz on Sunday presented a plan to limit the number of migrant workers permitted in Israel, saying the move would open up 30,000 to 50,000 jobs in the Israeli market within a year. ...
FEATURE-With peace talks frozen, Palestinians back protests
Relief Web 24 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
OPT: Israel to resume pension payments to Gaza residents
Relief Web 24 Jan 2010 - Source: Agence France-Presse
OPT: Netanyahu reaffirms Israel claim to parts of West Bank
Relief Web 24 Jan 2010 - Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Minister Edelstein: Goldstone Report anti-Semitic
YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - Peres in Berlin, Netanyahu in Auschwitz, Lieberman in Budapest and Edelstein at UN headquarters in New York all plan attack UN report into Gaza war on International Holocaust Day. 'It's not an easy connection, but we must learn the lessons from what happened,' information minister tells Ynet
Vietnamese immigrant: Israel saving Haiti children's lives
YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - Israel's plan to assist in adoption of Haitian orphans brings back memories for two brothers from Bat Yam who fled Vietnam in 1977, finding refuge in Jewish state
Israel prevents Belgian minister from entering Gaza
YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - Belgian Development Cooperation Minister Charles Michel request to visit Strip denied by Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon, who says 'visit would bolster Hamas'
Aid groups oppose adoption of Haitian orphans
YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - Following Social Affairs Ministry's intention to promote adoption of Haitian children left without families, aid organizations say idea is noble, yet needs of foreign workers' children living in Israel should be addressed first
Palestinian parliament's term expires
YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - Legislative Council in Ramallah, mainly consisting of Hamas representatives, will end its official term Sunday night. Fatah already declares it will consider body as illegal, whereas Hamas elements stress that current make-up will remain until new elections are held in Palestinian Authority. Efforts for internal reconciliation to be reinforced in coming days
Assad, Gaddafi say Arab countries must unite against Israel
YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - Syrian president, Libyan leader meet ahead of Arab summit to discuss 'oppressing siege impose on the Gaza Strip and the Israeli obstacle to peace'
PA: Peace talks cannot be revived
YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - PM Netanyahu says he is waiting for Palestinian president to resume negotiations, but Palestinian leadership appears to have lost hope. Sources say PA deeply disappointed with the lack of American pressure on Israel, believes peace deal won't reached during Abbas' term
Yisrael Beiteinu fights Shas on Chametz Law
YNet News 24 Jan 2010 - Shas members accuse Yisrael Beiteinu of trying to make 'deal' – pass Chametz Law in return for support for Civil Marriage Law. Lieberman's party rejects allegations, calls it a 'barefaced lie'
Ahmadinejad hints Iran resolved to make 20 percent nuclear fuel
Daily Star 25 Jan 2010 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hinted on Sunday that Tehran would itself pursue uranium enrichment to higher levels if the West spurns its offer of a phased fuel swap, promising Iranians "sweet" news soon. Ahmadinejad said Iran will make an announcement regarding the enrichment of uranium to 20 percent purity when the nation next month marks the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution which toppled the US-backed shah.
Netanyahu reaffirms Israel's goal to keep parts of West Bank 'for eternity'
Daily Star 25 Jan 2010 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Sunday that Israel would keep parts of the West Bank forever, planting trees in a settlement bloc to reaffirm a land claim long rooted in Israeli government policy. "Our message is clear: We are planting here, we will stay here, we will build here, this place will be an inseparable part of the state of Israel for eternity," Netanyahu said in the Gush Etzion enclave.
Syria's Assad holds talks with Libyan leader
Daily Star 25 Jan 2010 Syrian President Bashar Assad held talks with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Sunday in Tripoli, where both leaders discussed the situation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and bilateral relations between their countries. President Assad and Libya's Gadhafi addressed the Palestinian issue at length, according to Syria's state-controlled SANA news agency.
Mubarak defends Gaza barrier, vows to quash militant groups
Daily Star 25 Jan 2010 Egypt's president said Sunday his security forces would quash Islamist groups threatening stability in Egypt and the region, highlighting worries about Al-Qaeda building up strength in places such as Yemen. President Hosni Mubarak also defended building a barrier on the Gaza border, saying it would stop militants crossing. The move has drawn criticism from inside Egypt.
Israel to deliver 'formal response' to UN report on Gaza war
Daily Star 25 Jan 2010 Israel has prepared a rebuttal to a UN report censuring its conduct in the Gaza war, Israeli officials said on Sunday, arguing the United Nations' findings were so unfair as to have fuelled a global wave of anti-Semitism. Issued in September by a panel under South African jurist Richard Goldstone, the non-binding report cited evidence Israel had unlawfully targeted Palestinian civilians.
Dozens injured after plane crash lands in Iran
Daily Star 25 Jan 2010 A Russian-made Iranian passenger plane carrying 157 passengers and 13 crew crash landed in Iran on Sunday injuring at least 46 people, state television reported. The broadcast quoted Iran's civil aviation spokesman, Reza Jafarzadeh, as saying that no one was killed in the accident. He gave no indication of what might have caused the accident.
Iraqi MPs call for probe into bomb detection device
Daily Star 25 Jan 2010 An Iraqi parliamentary committee will investigate the ongoing use of a device used to detect bombs at checkpoints in the country despite a ban by Britain, its members said Sunday. "We will start to gather evidence to find out how this piece of equipment was sold to Iraq," Hadi al-Ameri, chair of the parliament's defence and security committee, told AFP.
Dweik: The PLC still assumes its duties according to the basic law
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Dr. Aziz Dweik stated that the PLC is still assuming its parliamentary responsibilities in accordance with the constitutional entitlement stated in the basic law.
Three foreign activists injured in Jewish settlers' attack
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Three foreign solidarity activists were injured on Sunday after Jewish settlers assaulted and threw stones at them east of Al-Khalil city.
Campaign against siege warns of serious repercussions for power failure
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - The Palestinian-international campaign to lift the siege on Gaza Strip has warned of the serious repercussions of the long periods of power cuts in many Strip areas as a result of the fuel shortage.
IOA orders two brothers to stop building their homes
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) ordered two Palestinian brothers in Al-Khalil on Sunday to stop building their homes at the pretext they were building without permits.
Ghoul: Mitchell came to the region to press only the PA and not Israel
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Kayed Al-Ghoul, a senior official of the popular front for the liberation of Palestine (PFLP), said that US envoy George Mitchell came to the region to pressure only the Palestinian Authority.
Awkaf minister warns of Aqsa collapse
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Dr. Taleb Abu Shaar has warned of the total collapse of the Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem as a result of a natural or induced geological phenomenon.
Abbas’s militias kidnap six members of Hizb Attahrir in Al-Khalil
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Mahmoud Abbas’s militias kidnapped Saturday evening six members of Hizb Attahrir (the liberation party) during raids carried out in the towns of Dora and Daheria, south of Al-Khalil city.
Patients in Ramle prison hospital complains of delay in treatment
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - Palestinian prisoners held in Ramle prison hospital have complained that the hospital's administration deliberately delays their treatment.
Masri: Hamas's foreign tour proved failure of attempts to defeat resistance
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - MP Mushir Al-Masri has asserted that the recent tour of a Hamas delegation in a number of countries had proven that all projects aimed at liquidating resistance and Hamas movement had failed.
Gov’t: We do not interfere in the work of media institutions in Gaza
PIC 24 Jan 2010 - The Palestinian government said that it does not and will not interfere in or obstruct the work of any media institution as long as they operate according to law.
Israeli's Livni says reports of her political demise are premature
LA Times 24 Jan 2010 - Tzipi Livni was expected to be the next prime minister, but lately her Kadima party has seemed rudderless. She defends her above-the-fray-style, pointing out her party is the largest in parliament. Many people expected Tzipi Livni to become Israel's first female prime minister since Golda Meir.
Train crash in Iran kills at least 8
LA Times 23 Jan 2010 - Reports attribute the accident to a mechanical failure, an obstacle on the tracks or excess speed. Experts say the nation's transportation sector has deteriorated over the past 30 years because of mismanagement and international sanctions. Reporting from Beirut — A train accident in northeastern Iran killed at least eight people this morning and injured dozens, underscoring problems in Iran's transportation sector.
Israel Poised to Challenge a U.N. Report on Gaza
New York Times 24 Jan 2010 - The Israeli military is completing a rebuttal to a report accusing it of grave violations of international law in its Gaza invasion.
Palestinian Farmers Are Being Treated Like Criminals
Palestine Monitor - 23 Jan 2010 - Under the cover of the incessant noise from the roads in the Hebron district, an anonymous Arab is perpetrating a serious crime: With a small hammer, he is digging a cistern so he can collect rainwater on his rocky land. Other such criminals have other methods...
What is the endgame in Gaza?
Mondoweiss - 24 Jan 2010 - Protest in Beirut against Egypt’s "Wall of Shame" on the border with Gaza. I want to focus attention on an issue that hasn’t gotten enough press. The Mubarak regime is building a subterranean steel wall on the border with Gaza. Conservative estimates put the depth of...
Israeli media consultant in Maariv: ‘The Haiti Disaster is Good for the Jews’
Mondoweiss - 24 Jan 2010 - This website and others have come under criticism for discussing how Israel’s supporters are using the disaster in Haiti for propaganda purposes. Both the websites Hybrid States and War in Context have already rebutted this criticism head on, and it seems that the article below provides...
Osama to Obama: No security for US so long as Palestinians lack it
Mondoweiss - 24 Jan 2010 - Steve Walt has a post saying George Mitchell should resign because there is nothing for him to do in the Obama administration, and that the U.S. will be judged harshly for our role in sustaining the Israeli occupation that has destroyed the two-state-solution. How harshly will...
Missing Gaza Freedom marcher is safe
Mondoweiss - 24 Jan 2010 - We just received this wonderful news from a relative of Gaza Freedom Marcher Shannon Hughes, who yesterday was reported missing in Egypt : "SHE IS ON HER WAY HOME…more to follow. No details yet but she is safe and on her way home." For more details, please...
In first mention of destruction of Gaza’s flour mill, NYT’s Bronner serves up Israeli claims
Mondoweiss - 24 Jan 2010 - Here is a story by New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief Ethan Bronner in yesterday’s paper, anticipating the Israeli defense forces’ official response to the Goldstone Report. Bronner’s story is 99-44/100ths hasbara. He quotes an Israeli general, he quotes Moshe Halbertal. He even gets B’tselem to...
Monday, January 25, 2010
Soldiers Kidnap 15 Palestinian In Less Than Two Days
IMEMC 25 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 01:25, Israeli soldiers kidnapped on Sunday and Monday at least 15 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, and took them in for interrogation.
B’Tselem Releases Short Animated Video On Gaza Siege
IMEMC 25 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 00:59, As part of a campaign by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem), the group launched a short animated clip challenging the effectives of this siege especially since Israel believes that ongoing blockade would bring Hamas on its knees.
Settlers Uproot 15 Olive Trees Near Ramallah
IMEMC 25 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 00:49, A group of fundamentalist settlers uprooted on Sunday evening fifteen olive trees that belong to a resident of Dir Nitham village, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Dutch Photographer Wins Award For Ni’lin Photo
IMEMC 25 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 00:29, A Photographer from Holland won the Silver Camera Award for a picture he took of the Israeli army showering the nonviolent protesters in Ni’lin village, near Ramallah, with tear gas.
Soldiers Get “Free Space In Settlements” For Military Service
IMEMC 25 Jan 2010 - Monday January 25, 2010 - 12:52, Israeli Paper, Yedioth Aharonoth, reported Monday that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, approved a deal that grants former soldiers free pieces of land in the occupied Negev and Galilee.
Israel creates first ’army-owned’ university
1/25/2010 - Nazareth - Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, approved last week the upgrading to university status of a college in a settlement located deep inside the West Bank, a move certain to further undermine Palestinian confidence in the peace process. The decision, authorizing the first Israeli university located in Palestinian territory, is expected to entitle the college to significant extra funding, allowing it to expand its student population. About 11,000 students, most from inside Israel, already attend the college in Ariel, studying amid a population of 18,000 settlers. The expansion of Ariel, 20 kilometers inside the West Bank and close to Nablus, is likely to increase tensions with the US administration of Barack Obama. The White House has demanded a settlement freeze that is being only temporarily and partially honored by Israel.
Nil’in supporters plan fact-finding visit
1/25/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - An urgent fact-finding mission to Ni'lin has been launched after the Israeli military began what activists termed an escalation of repression against human rights defenders in the village. Nil'in representatives will welcome delegations of political leaders and journalists to the Ramallah-area village on Tuesday. The visit aims to raise awareness about "the gravity of the attack on the village and the people's fundamental rights of freedom of expression, assembly and association" and, in turn, to extend protection to Ni'lin. Arrests of human rights defenders in Ni'lin have lead to the detention of 11 people in less than one week, residents reported, and during night raids by the Israeli military in the village inhabitants are subjected to harassment, intimidation and destruction of property. In at least one case, the army arrested the father of a targeted human rights defender to press him to hand himself over.
Haniyeh urges conference for jailed Palestinians
1/25/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Monday that his government would make this year "the year of the detainees," calling for an international conference in Gaza to discuss the issue. Israel imprisons around 10,000 Palestinians, most of whom are held outside the occupied territories. Haniyeh called for increased efforts to show solidarity with Palestinian prisoners, speaking at an event honoring Gaza Detainees Minister Muhammad Faraj Al-Ghoul at the Prime Minister's Office in Gaza City. The prisoners issue is very important to all Palestinians, Haniyeh said. "They are always in our minds, even if they are absent. They remain loyal because they sacrificed their lives for the homeland," he said. Al-Ghoul followed by saying "the detainees issue is an essential one, and we always work hard to ease their suffering and their parents' suffering, as well. "
Dweik condemns ’attack’ by PA security forces
1/25/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Aziz Dweik, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and Hamas affiliate, condemned on Monday what he described as an attack by security forces against his staff at the PLC headquarters, including the searching his car and detaining its driver for two hours, he said in a statement. "This attack represents a clear policy undertaken by these parties, who seek to disable all efforts for the success of reconciliation efforts," Dweik's statement read. "[searching my car] is a dangerous precedent, and a flagrant violation of the immunity granted me according to Palestinian Basic Law, which prevents the searching of my luggage, home, or car. This represents a personal attack on this constitutional institution [the PLC] and its president. "The statement added that the incident indicated a rejection of national reconciliation, having followed a news conference. . .
VIDEO - B’Tselem film challenges wisdom of Gaza blockade
1/25/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - One year after Israel's assault on the coastal enclave, the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem launched a public campaign demanding that Israel lift its siege on the Gaza Strip. On Monday, B'Tselem released a short film, by Alon Simone, challenging conventual wisdom in Israel that the country's ongoing military blockade of Gaza has brought Hamas to its knees. "A siege doesn't collapse governments," the animated film concludes. "A siege just makes people miserable. " Releasing such films and other material to counter perceptions of what is happening "is necessary in order to rehabilitate the Gaza Strip from the destruction wrought by the hostilities," B'Tselem said. On Sunday, Gaza's electricity generators were turned off as a result of insufficient quantities of fuel being transferred into the coastal enclave. Related: B'tselem Animation: Lift siege on Gaza, December 2009 and Gaza: An Inside Look - Young Gazans' videos
PPP official: Settlements main danger
1/25/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli settlements and land confiscation are the foremost dangers faced by Palestinians in the West Bank, said member of the Palestine Peoples' Party's politburo Walid Al-Awad on Monday. Al-Awad added that efforts to turn Jerusalem into an exclusively Jewish city and sever it from the West Bank were serious concerns, he said during an interview with Ma'an. The US administration is contributing to this danger, he said, adding that negotiations will remain stonewalled until a total settlement freeze is initiated across the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. National Palestinian forces and others should take notice of these perils and oppose them to protect Palestinian self-determination, he said. Al-Awad further called for resistance, citing that it is the right of Palestinians to defend their lands and their rights, and demanded an end to internal division.
Gaza’s children speak of their desire for freedom
1/25/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Dozens of children living in the besieged Gaza Strip expressed their desire to live decent lives where their rights are guaranteed in a world far from war and internal conflict, during the final stages of a three week event dedicated to children's art and drawing. The children spoke during the finale ceremony for Gaza Through the Eyes of the Youth, an event organized by the Sharekna Youth Group, in coordination with the Al-Ata Organization for Mother and Child, where they painted across the wall in front of the Legislative Council in Gaza. One of the event's organizers and coordinator for Sharekna, Maysa Efteha, said that activities began during the first anniversary of Operation Cast Lead and lasted 22 days "representing the number of days of war experienced by children and young people. Children could experience a form of catharsis from their psychological traumas through drawing and color. "
Israeli forces detain 9 across the West Bank overnight
1/25/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Nine Palestinians were detained across the West Bank overnight, an Israeli military spokesman confirmed on Monday. The nine were deemed "wanted" for their involvement in different security related matters, the spokesman said. One Palestinian was detained from Qabatiya, south of Jenin, two in Arrabeh in Jenin, four in Hebron and two from Beit Abura, west of Hebron. [end]
Family of man in coma for 7 months appeals for help
1/25/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an special - "For God's sake, let my father go to Amman. God wants to cure him in Amman, why don't they let him go after seven months of being in a coma," Mas'ab, nine, said. Seven months ago, Iyad Abu Thaher, 39, walked to the national hospital in Nablus where he previously underwent cardiac catheterization surgery. According to his family, his health condition deteriorated "due to negligence" and he has been in a coma for the last seven months as a result. Reyad Abu Thaher, Iyad's brother, told Ma'an he believed that doctors at the Nablus hospital are responsible for his brother's current condition, having made him wait six hours before allowing him access to an intensive care room. The family called for an official investigation into Abu Thaher's case when they suspected negligence. The results remain confidential, they said, despite having been broughtbefore a Palestinian judiciary.
Nil’in photo takes top prize at Dutch contest
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Dutch photographer has won the Silver Camera Award in the foreign news category for his shot during a weekly demonstration against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Nil'in. The award is widely considered the foremost prize for press photography in the Netherlands. The photographer, Cris Toala Olivares, took the shot in October 2009 when he was in the West Bank for its annual olive harvest. He captured this moment when dozens of tear-gas canisters were shot at Palestinians in an olive grove in Nil'in. Olivares, a Dutch citizen originally from Ecuador, also visited the Gaza Strip in January 2009 and produced a series of photos during Israel's assault on the coastal enclave over the winter. . . . .
UNRWA launches new Hebrew website
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on Monday announced the launch of a Hebrew-language website. The new website marks a watershed for the agency, which is seeking to extend its outreach and advocacy efforts to Israeli audiences. The site, made possible through funding from the Dutch government, contains a wide range of resources designed to inform the Hebrew-speaking public about the reality of life for Palestine refugees. Visitors to the Hebrew site will find a wealth of information on the agency and its history, from exclusive archive and recent photographs, to videoclips, personal stories, and details of conditions in UNRWA camps. Related: UNRWA's new Hebrew site
Israeli authorities open 2 Gaza crossings
1/25/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities opened the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings into the Gaza Strip on Monday to allow the transfer of humanitarian aid and the limited export of goods, a Palestinian border official told Ma'an. The Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza will see the transfer of between 58 and 68 truckloads of humanitarian aid, commercial and agricultural goods, said Raed Fattouh, the crossings' official. Additionally, one truck of cut carnations and one truck of strawberries will be exported via the Karni crossing tin northern Gaza. Approximately 96 truckloads of wheat and animal feed will be transfered via Karni, as well as limited quantities of domestic gas and industrial fuel. On Sunday, Gaza's electricity generators were turned off as a result of insufficient quantities of fuel being transferred into the coastal enclave. . . . .
Israeli Apartheid Week 2010 to open in Toronto
1/25/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The 6th annual Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) will take place in Toronto from 1 March to 7 March 2010, organizers announced on Monday. IAW will feature lectures, film screenings, cultural activities, and demonstrations aimed at "raising awareness about Israel's apartheid policies toward Palestinians," a statement said. Organizers hope to gather support for the international boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign. Speakers will be joining Apartheid Week from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, including Palestinian academic and journalist Rabab Abdulhadi, South African writer and community leader Na'eem Jeenah and representatives from aboriginal communities in Canada and the United States. Concurrent events will be held in dozens of cities throughout Canada and internationally, including United States, United Kingdom, South Africa and Palestine. Related: The Sixth Annual Israeli Apartheid Week 2010
Israel releases detainee after 7 years
1/25/2010 - Jenin - Ma'an - Israel released a Palestinian on Monday after holding him for nine years, the Detainees Studies Center reported. Ahmad Husny Mahmoud Ash-Shibany, from Arabah village in Jenin, was arrested seven years ago. It was the second arrest, however, as Ash-Shibany had also served nine years in jail before his latest detention. [end]
Hebronites released after 4 years in jail
1/25/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli authorities released on Monday two detainees from the Bani No'em village south of Hebron after they were detained for four years in the Negev. They were identified as Issa Al-Khdour, 32, and Khaled Zeidat, 35. Israel authorities accused them of affiliation to the Al-Aqsa Brigades, Fatah's military wing. [end]
BU officials meet US ambassador, Vatican official in Rome
1/25/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The US Ambassador to the Vatican and the Chancellor of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre met with Bethlehem University officials, members of the International Board of Regents, and the Leadership Forum of the Friends of Bethlehem University this week during a series of university planning meetings held in Rome. Dr. Miguel Humberto Diaz, the United States Ambassador to the Vatican, and his wife, Dr. Marian Diaz, were honored guests of Brother Peter Bray, Bethlehem University Vice Chancellor, Brother George Absi, President, Dr. Rudolf Solzbacher, Chair of the Regents, Brother Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, Superior General, and Brother Thomas Johnson, Vicar General, at a celebrative dinner on Thursday, 21 January 2010 with the Board of Regents, other senior university administrators, and friends of Bethlehem University.
Shalit’s parents to meet with Israeli envoy
1/25/2010 - Bethelehem - Ma'an/Agencies - The parents of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit are to meet with Israeli envoy Hagai Hadas to discuss recent developments in talks for their son's potential release, Israeli media reported on Monday. The Shalits will meetHadas in Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli daily Yedioth Aheronot, for a series of meetings between the three, where it is expected that Shalit's parents will ask for clarification on recent points of discussion in the stalled prisoner swap deal. Deposed Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Wednesday that "Israel has backtracked on its understandings [of the conditions] being offered by the German middleman and Egypt is up to date on these developments. "Any new developments with the negotiations will not carry anything but elusions for the Palestinians and will not bring about any improvement concerning Palestinian rights.
Rights group slams leadership over election crisis
1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - The Al-Marsad Center for Human Rights' elections and democracy branch said on Monday that the failure to hold elections throughout the occupied Palestinian territories is a violation of Palestinians' right to political participation through elections. On 25 January, the mandate for the PLC expired, the organization said, pointing out that according to the Law of Elections(9) of 2005, Article (111) and (2) set out by the PLC, the failure to hold elections within a legal and constitutional timeframe is a violation of the Palestinian people's right to vote. The organization demanded that Hamas sign the reconciliation document sponsored by Egypt and called on President Mahmoud Abbas to issue a presidential decree for legislative and presidential elections to take place in June, in accordance with the document's guidelines.
PA employees to receive 4% salary increase
1/25/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Palestinian Authority will increase employees' salaries by four per cent this month, said Amjad Abu Raed head of the Union of Government Officials on Monday. Abu Raed said that a 2. 75% increase will be tacked on to salaries for the cost of living, and 1. 25% will be given as an annual bonus. All governmental employees will receive the raise, he said, adding that the union received a formal decision from the Ramallah government announcing the decision. [end]
Ethiopian Airlines crash site found, 14 bodies recovered
1/25/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - The crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that disappeared after taking off from Beirut on Monday has been found, the Reuters news agency reported. "[The crash] site has been identified three-and-a-half km [two miles] west of the [coastal] village of Na'ameh," Lebanese Transport Minister Ghazi Al-Arid said. Search and rescue operations are underway, Al-Arid said, confirming that 83 passengers and seven crew were on board. Fourteen bodies have so far been recovered near the crash site three-and-a-half km (two miles) west of the coastal village of Na'ameh, Reuters reported. Ethiopian Airlines CEO Girma Wake said he had spoken with Lebanese authorities who did not confirm there were survivors. Fifty-four of those on board were Lebanese, 22 were Ethiopian, two were British, as well asCanadian, Russian, French, Iraqi and Syrian nationals.
Israel mulls internal probe of Gaza war
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Decision to be part of Israel's response to Goldstone report; inquiry committee to consist of senior Israeli jurists.
German firm cancels deal with Iran port due to Israeli pressure
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Israel envoy to Berlin tells German officials Israel would see contract as aiding terrorist arms deal.
Haaretz probe: Israel dismantling roadblocks, but Palestinians still can't move
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Haaretz learns that new 'unmanned' roadblocks in West Bank are no less restraining than those removed.
Hamas: Mubarak helping Israel starve Gaza Palestinians
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Militant group says Egypt's planned steel barrier will bolster blockade of 1.5 million Gazans.
Government plans land giveaway to combat troops
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Proposed legislation would grant real estate worth NIS 100,000 to every fighting soldier.
Report: Israel opens Gaza crossings, lets in aid
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Israel's Foreign Ministry blocks entrance of Belgian minister into Gaza, says visit could bolster Hamas.
Court orders IDF to compensate evicted settlers
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - IDF razed West Bank outpost Yad Yair despite Supreme Court order to delay destruction.
Netanyahu Declares Portions of the West Bank ‘Eternally’ Part of Israel
1/24/2010 - Antiwar.com - Peace Talks Further Damaged as PM Claims Settlement Blocs 'Part of Jerusalem' - Seemingly already damaged beyond repair, the prospect for peace talks talk another hit today when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared portions of the occupied West Bank “eternally” part of Israel. Attending a tree-planting ceremony in one of the settlements, Netanyahu proclaimed that “we are planting here, we will stay here, we will build here, this place will be an inseparable part of the state of Israel for eternity. ” He added that the settlements were part of “sovereign Jerusalem. ”The settlements are built on land occupied by the Israeli military in 1967 and are not recognized as part of the nation. They lie near East Jerusalem, which was also occupied and is not generally recognized as part of Israel either, though Netanyahu insists that this too will remain part of the Israeli state.
Netanyahu Singles Out Iran, Venezuela for Anti-Semitism
1/25/2010 - Arutz Sheva - (IsraelNN. com) In Sunday’s cabinet meeting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu singled out Iran and Venezuela for high levels of anti-Semitism. " [There are] countries which allow anti-Semitism and even lead measured anti-Semitism. Of course, an outstanding example of this is Iran, which is headed by someone who denies the Holocaust and spreads antisemitism in every direction. I believe that it is no coincidence that a synagogue was recently desecrated in Caracas, Venezuela. There is a group of countries that allow and lead anti-Semitism on the level of government policy. " "[There also] are many other countries that do not do enough, and no less worse, in the name of freedom of speech, allow intolerable expressions of antisemitism, without condemnation. On one hand they are defending freedom of speech – and deny themselves the freedom of expression that every government, and society, has to condemn unacceptable phenomena. " The Prime Minister subsequently set up a special task force to fight anti-Semitism.
With peace talks frozen, Palestinians back protests
1/24/2010 - Yahoo! News - NABI SALEH, West Bank (Reuters) – In the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, Palestinians frustrated by the failure of peace talks to protect their land from Jewish settlement growth are on the march, and ready to face the teargas. It is the latest example of Palestinians, their faith in the 17-year-old peace process sinking ever lower, turning to what they call popular resistance; code for protests that activists say are drawing an increasingly tough Israeli response. Some observers are concerned that such unrest risks flaring up into new conflict, even if few see a "Third Intifada" mimicking the street-fighting uprising of the 1980s or the suicide bombings of the second Intifada a decade ago. "The Israelis are worried because if it is played well it has all the ingredients to shape international opinion," one Western diplomat said. "It's an option to let off steam but it has a great risk of escalation and becoming violent. "
U.S. to store $800m in military gear in Israel
1/11/2010 - Ha'aretz - The U. S. Army will double the value of emergency military equipment it stockpiles on Israeli soil, and Israel will be allowed to use the U. S. ordnance in the event of a military emergency, according to a report in Monday's issue of the U. S. weekly Defense News. The report, written by Barbara Opall-Rome, the magazine's Israel correspondent, said that an agreement reached between Washington and Jerusalem last month will bring the value of the military gear to $800 million. This is the final phase of a process that began over a year ago to determine the type and amount of U. S. weapons and ammunition to be stored in Israel, part of an overarching American effort to stockpile weapons in areas in which its army may need to operate while allowing American allies to make use of the ordnance in emergencies. Related: US to store more weapons, ammunition in Israel: official
Court Orders Defense Ministry to Produce Documents on Gaza Access Policy
1/21/2010 - Gisha - * The Tel Aviv District Court today held a hearing in a petition filed by Gisha under the Freedom of Information Act on Israel's policy for Gaza access. * The Court gave the State 30 days to produce the requested documents or to explain why it refuses to do so. * The petition was filed following six months of attempts to obtain information relating to restrictions on the transfer of food and other goods to the Gaza Strip. * It is unclear why Israel allows flour to be transferred to Gaza but not vinegar or coriander, and what any of these restrictions have to do with security. -- January 21: At a court hearing held today in the Tel Aviv District Court, the Court ordered the State of Israel to produce documents related to its Gaza access policy within 30 days or to explain why it refuses to do so. Gisha - Legal Center for Freedom of Movement filed the petition under the Freedom of Information. . . .
Israeli drones take over skies of Afghanistan
1/22/2010 - Jerusalem Post - While Israeli soldiers can't fight in the war in Afghanistan, Israeli drones can. Starting next week, five NATO member countries will be operating unmanned aerial vehicles produced in the Jewish state in anti-Taliban operations in the Central Asian country. Next week, officials from the German military will arrive to take delivery of an undisclosed number of Heron UAVs, made by Israel Aerospace Industries. The Heron is a medium altitude long endurance UAV that can remain airborne for more than 30 hours with a cruising altitude of 30,000 feet, and can carry a payload of 250 kg. It has a wingspan of 16. 6 meters, a takeoff weight of 1,200 kg. and an operational range of several hundred kilometers. It can carry a variety of sensors used for surveillance and target identification. Germany is the fifth country to operate Israel Aerospace Industries UAVs in Afghanistan.
US envoy meeting with Israeli, Palestinian leaders
1/24/2010 - Antiwar.com - US peace envoy meeting with Israeli, Palestinian leaders after effort to relaunch talks fails - AP - The Obama administration's Mideast envoy pressed on Sunday with a sputtering year-old peace mission, shuttling between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in hopes of breaking a stubborn deadlock over Israeli settlement construction. Last year, President Barack Obama took office with the ambitious aim of putting Mideast peacemaking on a fast track. Instead, the peace mission led by U. S. envoy George Mitchell has stalled over Israel's settlements on occupied lands and the Palestinians' refusal to return to peace talks. In turn, that has forced Obama to acknowledge he underestimated the domestic political forces at play in the region and overreached in expecting a quick breakthrough. Mitchell met for a second time with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, and was scheduled to. . . .
Obama’s envoy urges Syria, Lebanon to join Mideast talks
1/24/2010 - Ha'aretz - U. S. President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, held his second meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 48 hours in Amman on Sunday and pledged continued efforts to ensure the creation of a "viable" Palestinian state. In remarks to reporters after the meeting, Mitchell said the United States would press ahead with efforts for the accomplishment of the "two-state solution. "However, Mitchell said that Syria and Lebanon should be involved in the peace negotiations so that all countries of the region can enjoy "normal ties. "Abbas told Mitchell during their talks that the Palestinians were committed to reaching a peace agreement based on clear negotiations and a complete cessation of Israeli activity in West Bnk settlements, according to the PA leader's aides. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat added, following the president's talks with Mitchell,. . . .
Kadima discord renews Likud’s hopes to split rival
1/24/2010 - Jerusalem Post - Tension in Kadima over when the party's next leadership race should be held will lead to a split in the party, senior Likud officials predicted on Saturday night. - Kadima nearly came apart last month after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his close ally, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, succeeded in drafting six of the seven MKs needed to legally split the party. Katz has maintained contact with multiple Kadima MKs about joining the six and enabling the split. He said over the weekend that the dispute over the date for the Kadima leadership race could be an excuse for another MK to cross the Rubicon. " We opened the crack in Kadima and little by little, they are coming apart," Katz told a confidant. " Their fight over the primary makes it increasingly likely to happen and justifies my approach from the get-go. "
Israeli tourism minister invited to Iran -- or not
1/22/2010 - Freedom Syndicate - Israel is participating in Madrid's FITUR, the largest tourism fair for the Spanish-speaking and the Latin American market, and is showcasing airlines, hotels and travel agencies in the Israeli exhibit in order to encourage tourism to the nation. The delegation, headed by Israel's tourism minister Stas Misezhnikov, is also interested in increasing cooperation in this field with other nations, including those in its own region. The Israelis visited the exhibits of Morocco, Egypt and Jordan, and Misezhnikov also exchanged warm greetings with the director-general of the Palestinian tourism minister, expressing hope for successful cooperation. The Syrians ignored the Israeli delegation. But a pleasant surprise awaited the Israelis upon arrival at the Iranian exhibit, according to the Israeli tourism ministry. Hesitating at first, the Iranian representative presented the exhibit of Iran's. . . .
Iran accuses US, Israel of killing nuclear scientist
1/12/2010 - The Raw Story - AFP - Iranian nuclear scientist Massoud Ali Mohammadi was killed on Tuesday in a rare bomb attack in Tehran which the government blamed on "mercenaries" in the pay of archfoes Israel and the United States. The killing comes amid an increasingly bitter standoff between Iran and world powers over Tehran's controversial nuclear drive, which the West suspects is masking an atomic weapons programme. Mohammadi, a particle physics professor at prestigious Tehran University, died when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle was triggered by remote control outside his home in northern Tehran, state media said. " One can see in preliminary investigations signs of evilness by the triangle of the Zionist regime, America and their mercenaries in Iran in this terrorist incident," foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said. Tehran's chief prosecutor echoed his words, implicating US and Israeli intelligence services. Related: April 2007 - U. S. website: Mossad killed Iranian nuclear physicist
Nearly Half of Americans Admit to Anti-Muslim Bias
1/21/2010 - Beliefnet.com - Religion News Service - Close to half of Americans admit to harboring prejudice against Muslims and negative feelings about Islam, a new study from the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies shows. The level of anti-Muslim prejudice -- 43 percent of Americans admitted feeling at least "a little" -- is more than twice as high as Americans' reported feelings toward Buddhists, Christians and Jews. Fifty-three percent of respondents said their view of Islam was "not too favorable" or "not favorable at all," according to a 32-page "Religious Perceptions in America" report that was released Thursday (Jan. 21). " It was interesting to note that Americans admit no more prejudice against Buddhists and Jews than they do against Christians," said Dalia Mogahed, director of the Washington-based center. "So this isn't just simply a problem against minority religions. There is a somewhat unique issue with Muslims in particular. "
Focus on Haiti: Washington's Militarized Takeover
Uruknet January 25, 2010 - Haiti is no stranger to adversity and anguish - over 500 years of severe oppression, slavery, despotism, colonization, reparations, embargoes, sanctions, deep poverty, starvation, unrepayable debt, and natural calamities from destructive hurricanes to a dozen magnitude 7.0 or greater Caribbean region earthquakes in the past 500 years. The last major one was in 1946 at 8.1...
Karroubi recognises Ahmadinejad as Iran 'president': son
Uruknet January 25, 2010 – Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi who had refused to accept the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, now recognises the hardliner as the country's "president", Karroubi's son told AFP on Monday. Hossein Karroubi quoted his father as saying: "I am still of the same belief that the election was unhealthy and massively rigged. But since the (supreme)...
But The Wall Stopped The Suicide Bombings And Wouldn't You Want A Wall If Your Neighbors Were Trying To Kill You etc etc etc
Uruknet January 25, 2010 - I see that Adam at Mondoweiss has written a post today about the Separation Wall in the West Bank, and the cost it imposes on the people who live there. Whenever you see a blog post on the subject, it is virtually guaranteed that someone will show up with the boilerplate response about how its's not...
Iran banks have $48 bln in bad loans -cbank
Uruknet January 25, 2010 - Iran's state-dominated banking system has $48 billion in non-performing loans and it is on the verge of a crisis, the Islamic Republic's central bank governor said in comments published on Monday. "How would it be possible for the banking system to show any profit with $48 billion worth of loans in arrears," the Ettelaat newspaper quoted...
‘This is our village!’ – a report from Nabi Saleh
Uruknet January 25, 2010 - The following is a shocking video from Nabi Saleh, a Palestinian village of 500 residents located north of Ramallah. The village has been engaged in growing demonstrations during the past few weeks to protest the illegal seizure of valuable agricultural land by the Hallamish (Neve Tzuf) settlement. Settlers have also recently uprooted of hundreds of the...
Goldstone documented nightmarish case of a Palestinian ‘human shield’
Uruknet January 25, 2010 - The Israeli government is starting to go all out in its war against the Goldstone Report. Israel is planning on issuing its response to the report this Thursday, and it seems Israel is aided by the fact that so few people have actually read the contents of the report itself. We will be posting segments from...
Israel's PR exploitation of Haiti aid
Uruknet January 25, 2010 -Despite logistical problems, the 12 January earthquake in Haiti has seen much of the "international community" pull together to provide food, doctors and other emergency aid for the already poverty-stricken country. But the disaster has also provided apologists for the State of Israel's human rights abuses an opportunity to try and grab high moral ground. It was...
New York Times fails to disclose Jerusalem bureau chief's conflict of interest
Uruknet January 25, 2010 - The New York Times has all but confirmed to The Electronic Intifada (EI) that the son of its Jerusalem bureau chief Ethan Bronner was recently inducted into the Israeli army. Over the weekend, EI received a tip suggesting this had been the case and wrote to Bronner to ask him to confirm or deny the information...
War on Goldstone now deploys human-rights orgs and, you guessed it, the Holocaust
Uruknet January 25, 2010 - The war that was launched this past weekend against the Goldstone report in the New York Times is aimed at the mildmannered Sec’y General of the United Nations. So Norman Finkelstein tells me, and this Haaretz piece confirms. On February 5, Ban Ki-moon will report to the General Assembly on the progress of the report (which...
IOA assaults WB workers, endorses tough punishment against those helping them
Uruknet January 25, 2010 - Israeli occupation authority's (IOA) border policemen captured nine Palestinian workers east of occupied Jerusalem on Sunday and beat them up for trying to enter the holy city for work without having permits. Relatives of the workmen said that the border guards used riffle butts and batons to attack the workers who suffered fractures all over their...
Delaying aid for a photo-op
Uruknet Janaury 25, 2010 - EVERYTHING YOU need to know about the U.S. aid effort to assist Haiti in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake can be summed up by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's touchdown in Port-au-Prince on Saturday, January 16: they shut down the airport for three hours surrounding her arrival for "security" reasons, which meant that no aid...
Obeid: Gaza electricity station to come to a complete halt by Thursday
Uruknet January 25, 2010 -- The sole electricity generation station in Gaza Strip is to stop functioning by Thursday because the European Union (EU) stopped financing fuel shipments to the Strip, Kenan Obeid, the deputy chairman of the Palestinian energy authority, said. He appealed to the Arab countries, in a statement to the PIC, and all free people of the world...
East Jerusalem protesters arrested
25 Jan 2010 - Jerusalem, January 24, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - At least 15 protesters were arrested yesterday as several hundred left-wing Israelis held their biggest demonstration yet against demolitions and evictions of East Jerusalem Palestinians designed to make way for Jewish colonists. Police moved in to force back the noisy but largely peaceful protest in Sheikh Jarrah, the inner-city district that has rapidly...
IOF beats Palestinian workers
25 Jan 2010 - Jerusalem, January 25, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces at "Al-Zaim" checkpoint, in the entrance of Jerusalem city, severely beat a group of Palestinian workers from Al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem, while they were heading to their work site in Jerusalem city. Rani Salah, 26, who was one of the workers, said that they were cruelly and brutally beaten...
European fleet to head to Gaza
25 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 25, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Hamas-Gaza Government Committee to Break the Siege in Gaza has announced that the biggest fleet to defy Israel's blockade will reach the besieged Gaza Strip from Geece at the end of March. The fleet includes 20 ships from several European countries; it is expected that the number may increase. The committee added...
Legislataive Council's term ends, continues in limbo
25 Jan 2010 - Ramallah, January 25, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The Palestinian Legislative Council's tenure officially ended Sunday night, four years after the elections which yielded a Hamas majority. Fatah sources were quick to declare that from now on they will regard the current parliament make-up as illegal, while Hamas officials stressed that as long as no new general elections have been conducted...
Egypt's "death wall" sparks continued protest
25 Jan 2010 - Rafah, Egypt, January 25, 2010 - Three construction drills that look like giant corkscrews pierce the ground close to Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip, part of an effort to disrupt smuggling tunnels that has led to shootouts. Smugglers and sympathizers of Hamas, the Islamic movement that rules Gaza, say pipes inserted into the holes will house motion sensors to...
Israel to issue response to Goldstone report
25 Jan 2010 - Jerusalem, January 24, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israel has prepared a rebuttal to a U.N. report censuring its conduct in the Gaza war, Israeli officials said on Sunday, arguing the United Nations' findings were so unfair as to have fueled a global wave of anti-Semitism. Issued in September by a panel under South African jurist Richard Goldstone, the non-binding report...
Netanyahu: Israel won't give up all colonies
25 Jan 2010 - Jerusalem, January 25, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said Sunday that several Jewish colonies (settlement blocs) in the West Bank would always remain part of Israel, a comment that upset the Palestinians even as the Obama administration's Middle East envoy was trying to coax them back into peace talks. Although Israel has long insisted on...
Gaza to be in deep darkness
24 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 24, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The electricity company in the Gaza Strip warned on Saturday evening that a severe shortage of fuel will force it to shut down by the next morning. Jamal Al-Dardasawi, the director of public relations for the company, said: "Since Saturday afternoon, the power station has been producing 30 MW instead of 65 MW...
Ethiopian plane crashes in ball of fire' off Beirut
The National 25 Jan 2010 - A national day of mourning is declared in Lebanon after an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashes into the sea with 90 passengers and crew onboard.
Israel 'to keep' parts of West Bank
AlJazeera 24 Jan 2010 - Some areas of the Palestinian territory will remain in Israel, prime minister says.
Israeli Electric Car Company Secures Groundbreaking Funding
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - An electric vehicle service provider is set to receive one of the largest cleantech investments in history. An Israeli funded and U.S.-based cleantech company secured $350 million in funding on Monday from several major financial companies....
Hackers Take Iran's Civil War Online
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - Reformists set up computer hacking team to counter Iran's Cyber Army. Iran's civil war began in June at the ballot box. Then it spread to the streets as reformists accused the Islamic republic's administration of rigging...
Term of Palestinian Legislative Council Expires; Fatah Says Now Illegal, Hamas Says Term Extended
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - Four years after Hamas won elections and became the majority in the Palestinian legislature, the term of the Palestinian Legislative Council has expired leaving derision in its wake. Fatah contends that with the term expired the...
Netanyahu Re-Asserts Plan to Hold On to ‘Settlement Blocs'
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - [News and Analysis] It was a reminder of Israeli policy consistent among all governments since the beginning of the Oslo peace process in 1994 rather than a new act of defiance as some media outlets are...
Ethiopian Airlines Flight from Beirut Crashes
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed after taking off from Beirut International Airport early Monday morning. About 18 bodies have been found amid wreckage from the Adis Ababa-bound flight that took off with 90 people on...
Newspapers Win Over Websites in Arabic Ad War
The Media Line 24 Jan 2010 - Contrary to global trends, Arabic websites are struggling to win over advertisers from traditional newspapers. Arabic newspapers still hold the upper hand in advertising revenue over online news sources, a new study has found. The report,...
Israel Likely to Join OECD in 2010: “If You Have Enough Money, We’ll Call You a Democracy”
Alternative Information Center 25 Jan 2010 - General Secretary of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria, visited Israel last week (18-20 January 2010) to launch two new OECD reports: an Economic Survey of Israel and a Review of Israel’s...
Michel Sabbah, “Israeli Occupation Main Cause of Instability in the Middle East”
Alternative Information Center 25 Jan 2010 - Seventy-seven years old and with the strength of one who continues calling for freedom and reconciliation, the Patriarch emeritus Michel Sabbah is a key figure in understanding two important documents in the life of Palestine and...
Fatima: A Palestinian animation film
PNN 25 Jan 2010 - Fatenah is a 27-year-old young woman who lives in the Gaza Strip. Her life was like that of many other women in Gaza, until she became ill. This short, 27-minute animation - the first Palestinian-produced animation - reproduces with incredible accuracy the scenarios of Gaza City. The story, untold till now, is a breathtaking adventure that takes the viewer on a journey...
Rula Halawani
PNN 25 Jan 2010 - any of us see the relationship between the photographer and his/her subjects as if the camera were an extension of the photographer’s eye. In the case of Rula Halawani (1964), an internationally renowned Palestinian photographer who was born, raised, and continues to live in the Mount of Olives neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, the camera is not only an extension of her eye,...
Israeli Court: IDF Must Compensate Yad Yair Settlers
PNN 25 Jan 2010 - Haaretz news reports that the IDF must pay a group of settlers approximately 430,000 NIS for destroying their illegal west-of-Ramallah outpost in September of 2008. The ruling cites the [[IDF]] continuing with the demolition of Yad Yair after a injunction was granted by the Israeli Supreme Court. Several buildings were razed and a shipping container that served as the outpost’s synagogue was...
Israelis protest over 'fascist' Jerusalem settlements
PNN 25 Jan 2010 - At least 15 protesters were arrested friday, as several hundred left-wing Israelis held their biggest demonstration yet against demolitions and evictions of east Jerusalem Palestinians designed to make way for Jewish settlers. Police moved in to force back the noisy but largely peaceful protest in Sheikh Jarrah, the inner-city district that has rapidly become the main flashpoint of the struggle to prevent...
Human rights organization: Position paper on elections
PNN 25 Jan 2010 - 24 January 2010, is the due date for legislative and presidential elections in the [[Palestinian National Authority]] (PNA). If the Palestinian democracy was to be practiced normally and without obstacles, the Palestinian electorate in the [[Occupied Palestinian Territory]] (OPT) would be today standing in front of ballot boxes to elect a new president for the PNA and new members of the Palestinian...
US legislator praises Netanyahu
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - Congressman Berman says the Palestinian Authority must come forward to restart peace negotiations.
Is the Goldstone Report 'anti-Semitic'?
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - J'lem officials slam Edelstein for linking document with International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Merkel: Sanctions will be a tragedy for the Iranian people
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - German chancellor speaks to diplomats after 'Der Spiegel' issues report of new intelligence proving that Iran's nuclear program has a military aspect.
PA mulling US plan for low-level talks
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - Abbas looking at Mitchell's proposal for ministers to meet; Barak predicts negotiations within months.
Barkat announces plans to overhaul waste disposal in capital
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - Mayor announced that Jerusalem is aiming to shift waste away from landfill at Abu Dis in east Jerusalem and eventually close it.
Immigrants not overrepresented in crime, police say
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - Netanyahu hails the million FSU olim, saying they "saved Israel demographically."
Analysis: The IDF has conducted multiple probes - Hamas has done nothing
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - There is no question regarding the quantity of the investment the Israeli military has made in investigating last winter's Operation Cast Lead.
43 grilled for links to Xmas bombing
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - Several people arrested in Yemen in connection with failed terror attack are foreigners, official says.
Israel: Belgian minister can't visit Gaza
Jeruslalem Post 25 Jan 2010 - Deputy FM tells Charles Michel visits to Strip give legitimacy to Hamas, warns aid will reach terrorists.
EGYPT: Displaced flood victims still waiting for aid
IRIN CAIRO Monday, January 25, 2010 (IRIN) - Days after flash floods killed several people and forced hundreds of families out of their damaged homes in the Sinai Peninsula, government assistance is yet to arrive, survivors say.
In Brief: Floods force hundreds from their homes in Gaza
IRIN TEL AVIV Wednesday, January 20, 2010 (IRIN) - Heavy rain and flooding has forced hundreds of people from their homes in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza authorities. About 115 homes were damaged and the sewage system was reported to be overflowing.
MIDEAST: U.S. Policy in Gaza Remains Unchanged
IPS WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (IPS) - One year ago Thursday, the last Israeli tanks were lumbering out of the Gaza Strip, ending the 22-day Gaza War and leaving in their wake a decimated landscape and population.
Open Rafah for Ayman – a request for solidarity and a signature
1/25/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Together we can make a difference for Ayman, together we can make a difference for Palestine - Please sign the petition [link follows] - Israel AND Egypt are both in direct breach of international laws and conventions that guarantee fair access to education for Ayman as declared in the spirit of the United Nations Declaration of Universal Human Rights, Article 28, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, 1966). - Ayman Talal E. Quader is a Palestinian that was born on July 19, 1986 in Gaza and has lived in Gaza City for his entire life. As a young Palestinian student who truly loves his homeland and has always dreamed of freedom for his people, Ayman has worked very hard to achieve one of his most important goals in life; earning a scholarship for a Masters program in Europe. Ayman was recently accepted to an academic scholarship program at the Universitat. . . .
Holocaust scholars slam EU for backing Nazi-Communist comparison
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Researches call comparison 'gravest threat to preserving the memory of the Holocaust.',
After two weeks, Israel team winds down Haiti mission
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Team returns home and leaves behind large part of equipment; IDF reflects on complex Haiti operation.,
U.S. consultant offers to help fight settlement freeze for $300k
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Yesha Council wants to hire consultant due to his relations with Netanyahu, but the price is too high.,
Only an idiot would say Israel has frozen settlement activity
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - 'The PM's favorite move of throwing the ball into the Palestinians' court stopped working with the Americans.',
Israel accuses Turkey of encouraging anti-Semitism
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Foreign Ministry report: Turkish PM is anti-Israel, humiliation of envoy sent Ankara a clear message.,
'It's a good time to be Jewish in Poland'
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Community's cultural leader urges visitors to see the way modern Polish Jews live, not just the cemeteries.,
Polish bishop accuses Jews of using Holocaust as propaganda
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek prompts concerns among Jews, denies calling Shoah 'Jewish invention'.
German firm cancels deal with Iran port due to Israeli pressure
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Israel envoy to Berlin tells German officials Israel would see contract as aiding terrorist arms deal.,
Abbas to hold independent Palestinian probe of Gaza war
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Although PA had no role in Operations Cast Lead, it will look into the Goldstone report's allegations.,
Der Spiegel: Iran able to produce nuclear bomb this year
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - German magazine claims secret dossier proves Iran is serious and capable of building atomic bomb.,
Barak accuses Left of working against Israel's peace moves
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Labor chair tells party he expects Leftists to stand by all 'dangerous and correct' government decisions.,
Iraq executes Saddam henchman 'Chemical Ali'
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Saddam Hussein's cousin, executed by hanging,earned his nickname because of his use of poison gas.,
German woman awarded over project to restore Jewish cemetery
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - The woman launched a Web site to document her town's run-down Jewish cemetery, help finance its restoration.,
Olmert's negotiator: Full Mideast peace impossible
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Udi Dekel: Palestinians preferred to have peace talks stalemated rather than lower their aspirations.,
U.S. proposes direct, but low-level, Mideast talks
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Idea is to raise confidence-building measures between senior ministers from each side, but not top leaders.,
Israel's NGO crackdown spells trouble | Seth Freedman
The Guardian 25 Jan 2010 - The Israeli government's restrictions on the movement of NGO workers will impose more hardship on beleaguered Palestinians Last week saw the latest move in the Israeli government's clampdown on those working in solidarity with the Palestinians...
Defamation defamed | Yoav Shamir
The Guardian 25 Jan 2010 - I dispute David Hirsh's criticism of my film about antisemitism. Far from 'easy targets', it is a difficult debate Israel must have In David Hirsh's critique of my film Defamation , he accused me of finding "easy...
Israel's coldest winter week is almost over
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - The last two days were the coldest so far this winter, and only on Wednesday will it start warming up again. ...
Haredi plaintiffs take rabbinical judges to Israel's secular court
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - The session in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court last Tuesday lasted for nearly five hours, behind close doors, but some of the story had been told even before the judge entered the courtroom. ...
Israeli couples choosing IVF baby's sex prefer boys
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - Israeli couples who are entitled to request their future baby's sex were more than three times as likely to ask for a boy in 2009 as they were to request a girl, according to data recently released by the national committee on newborn sex selection. ...
Israeli film comparing Holocaust to occupation loses state funds
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - The Israel Film Fund has ended its financial support for director Yonatan Segal's new piece Odem, after learning that it compares Israel's occupation of the West Bank to the Holocaust. ...
Israel to expunge criminal records of 400 Gaza pullout opponents
Ha'aretz 25 Jan 2010 - The Knesset approved on Monday a controversial bill that would expunge the criminal records of hundreds of people detained during demonstrations against Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005. ...
Visit to UN Headquarters caps off week-long trip for some of Gaza's top students
Relief Web 25 Jan 2010 - Source: UN News Service
OPT: From the Wadi to Nowhere
Relief Web 25 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Mechanism for transfer of National Insurance benefits to beneficiaries in the Gaza Strip
Relief Web 25 Jan 2010 - Source: Government of Israel
OPT: West Bank and Gaza Strip Population Census of 2007 - Briefing Paper Jan 2010
Relief Web 25 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
OPT: UNRWA says Israeli blockade continues to cause suffering to Palestinians
Relief Web 25 Jan 2010 - Source: UN Radio
BADIL Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2008 – 2009
Relief Web 25 Jan 2010 - Source: BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights
Israeli hospital in Haiti ends operations
YNet News 25 Jan 2010 - Israeli team preparing to go home: After performing 316 surgeries and delivering 16 babies, IDF field hospital in Haiti closes its doors Monday as doctors bid patients farewell; Haitian government says quake death toll reaches 150,000
Merkel to Iran: Time is running out
YNet News 25 Jan 2010 - German chancellor says tougher sanctions would constitute 'tragedy' for Iranians
Secret report: Iran bomb closer than ever
YNet News 25 Jan 2010 - Der Spiegel: Intelligence information shows Iran could produce truck-sized nuke bomb this year
Polish bishop accuses Jews of exploiting Holocaust
YNet News 25 Jan 2010 - Tadeusz Pieronek says, 'Holocaust as such is a Jewish invention used to obtain advantages that are often unjustified,' claims Israel treating Palestinians 'like animals'
Palestinians study US idea for Mideast talks
YNet News 25 Jan 2010 - Latest proposal calls for talks that fall short of full-scale negotiations between Israel, Palestinians
Barak: Leftists causing doubts about peace
YNet News 25 Jan 2010 - Labor chairman says 'responsible leftist officials' must support peace process, not bolster skepticism
IOF soldiers round up 11 Palestinians
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rounded up eleven Palestinians at the early hours of Monday including nine in Ramallah, local sources reported.
Abu Zuhri: We are not afraid of elections
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, has said that his movement was not afraid of new legislative elections, recalling that it was the one to win the last elections.
Hamas extends condolences to Lebanon over Ethiopian plane crash
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - Hamas on Monday expressed deep sorrow and grief over the crash of an Ethiopian airplane off the Lebanese beaches only minutes after taking off from Beirut international airport.
Haneyya calls for international conference on prisoners
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya called for organizing an international conference in Gaza on the issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation jails.
Obeid: Gaza electricity station to come to a complete halt by Thursday
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - The sole electricity generation station in Gaza Strip is to stop functioning by Thursday because the EU stopped financing fuel shipments to the Strip, Kenan Obeid said.
IOA blocks travel of Belgian minister to Gaza
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - The IOA on Sunday blocked the travel of Belgian cooperation and development minister Charles Michel into the Gaza Strip at the pretext that the visit would give legitimacy to Hamas's rule.
Palestinian factions declare support for resistance, refusal of negotiations
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - Four Palestinian factions on Sunday declared their insistence on resistance against Israeli occupation and refusal to return to frivolous negotiations with it.
Masri: Mubarak's insistence on building the wall contradicts earlier statements
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - Hamas MP Mushir Al-Masri has regretted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's assertion that his government would continue to build the steel wall along its borders with the Gaza Strip.
IOA assaults WB workers, endorses tough punishment against those helping them
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - IOA border policemen captured nine Palestinian workers east of occupied Jerusalem on Sunday and beat them up for trying to enter the holy city for work without having permits.
PCHR: Circumventing 2006 election results led to internal division
PIC 25 Jan 2010 - The Palestinian center for human rights (PCHR) has said that circumventing the election results of 2006 had led to the internal Palestinian division and to delaying the new elections slated for 2010.
No survivors found in Lebanon plane crash
LA Times 26 Jan 2010 - Twenty-five bodies have been recovered from the Ethiopian Airlines flight carrying 90 that crashed into the Mediterranean after takeoff from Beirut during a storm. Sabotage is unlikely, officials say. Rescue workers found no one to save. They could only retrieve the corpses of those aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed into the Mediterranean Sea early Monday during a fierce winter storm.
Israel's Livni says reports of her political demise are premature
LA Times 25 Jan 2010 - Tzipi Livni was expected to be the next prime minister, but lately her Kadima party has seemed rudderless. She defends her above-the-fray-style, pointing out her party is the largest in parliament. Many people expected Tzipi Livni to become Israel's first female prime minister since Golda Meir.
Bin Laden takes credit for airline bombing plot; officials express skepticism
LA Times 25 Jan 2010 - The Al Qaeda leader vows to continue targeting the U.S. as long as Washington backs Israel. But U.S. intelligence officials doubt he played a meaningful role in the failed Christmas Day attack. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden claimed responsibility for the Christmas Day attempt to blow up an American commercial jet in an audiotape broadcast Sunday on Arab television.
Dozens aboard plane injured during emergency landing in Iran
LA Times 24 Jan 2010 - Reporting from Beirut — A Russian-made passenger airplane caught fire during an emergency landing in northeastern Iran this morning, injuring dozens of people aboard in the latest in a string of Iranian civil aviation and transport mishaps.
Netanyahu Says Some Settlements to Stay in Israel
New York Times 25 Jan 2010 - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comment riled Palestinians as the U.S. envoy was trying to coax them back into peace talks.
Israel Poised to Challenge a U.N. Report on Gaza
New York Times 24 Jan 2010 - The Israeli military is completing a rebuttal to a report accusing it of grave violations of international law in its Gaza invasion.
Border Police Assault Bethlehem Labourers
Palestine Monitor - 25 Jan 2010 - Israeli Border Police assaulted ten Palestinian labourers in the early hours of Sunday morning. The men were seized on the Palestinian side of the Al-Zaiem crossing, attempting to reach the construction site they work at in East Jerusalem. The men, from Al-Khadr village south of Bethlehem,...
RUINED MAMILLA
Palestine Monitor - 25 Jan 2010 - Ma'man Allah Cemetery, also know as Mamilla Cemetery, is a thousand-year-old Muslim graveyard located in what is now central Jerusalem. Originally covering an area of 180 dunums (one dunum being equivalent to a quarter acre), 70% of its graves were obliterated to make way for a...
Goldstone documented nightmarish case of a Palestinian ‘human shield’
Mondoweiss - 25 Jan 2010 - The Israeli government is starting to go all out in its war against the Goldstone Report . Israel is planning on issuing its response to the report this Thursday, and it seems Israel is aided by the fact that so few people have actually read the contents...
Israeli minister seems to liken Goldstone to Hitler
Mondoweiss - 25 Jan 2010 - I’m gobsmacked by this. I believe that Realism describes the leaders of modern states as rational actors. This is from Agence France Presse , the article in which Israel’s Diaspora and Information minister Yuli Edelstein says the Goldstone report is anti-Semitic. It’s hard to follow the analogy,...
War on Goldstone now deploys human-rights orgs and, you guessed it, the Holocaust
Mondoweiss - 25 Jan 2010 - The war that was launched this past weekend against the Goldstone report in the New York Times is aimed at the mildmannered Sec’y General of the United Nations. So Norman Finkelstein tells me, and this Haaretz piece confirms . On February 5, Ban Ki-moon will report to...
Obama czar wrote that Muslims are ‘prone’ to ‘virulent’ conspiracy theorizing– maybe due to bad parenting
Mondoweiss - 25 Jan 2010 - Cass Sunstein is a member of Obama’s Harvard klatsch, a Harvard professor who has gone on leave to serve as a czar, heading this regulatory office. Well, two years back Sunstein wrote a paper called "Conspiracy Theories," online here (co-authored by another Harvard prof), that is...
Will SCOTUS decision re campaign funding weaken lobby?
Mondoweiss - 25 Jan 2010 - My off the cuff reaction is that this Supreme Court ruling on corporate campaign giving is bad for the lobby. It might bring much money into the system from sources that have nothing to do with Israel. And it may even encourage the oil companies to...
Israel Likely to Join OECD in 2010: “If You Have Enough Money, We’ll Call You a Democracy”
Alternative Information Center - 25 Jan 2010 - General Secretary of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria, visited Israel last week (18-20 January 2010) to launch two new OECD reports: an Economic Survey of Israel and a Review of Israel’s Labour Market and Social Policies . At this time Gurria announced...
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Two Danish Banks To Divest From Two Israeli Companies
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 27, 2010 - 02:16, The Danish Bank (Danske Bank) and the Pensioner Bank (PKA) have decided to withdraw all of their investments in two Israeli companies; Elbit Systems and the Magal Security Systems, for their role in the construction of the Annexation Wall in the occupied West Bank.
Rabbi Arrested In Connection To Torching Palestinian Mosque
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 27, 2010 - 02:03, Following the arrest and questioning of a number of settlers, involved in the torching of a Palestinian mosque in Yasuf West Bank village, Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira, head of the Od Yusef Chai Yeshiva, was detained and interrogated by the Israeli police on Tuesday.
Barak To Visit Cairo Wednesday
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Wednesday January 27, 2010 - 00:28, Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, will be heading to Cairo on Wednesday morning to hold a meeting with Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, at the Egyptian resort of Sharm Al Sheikh.
Sha’ath: Palestinians Will Not Resume Talks Until Settlement Construction Stops
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 16:50, The head of Fatah’s international relations bureau, Dr. Nabeel Sha’ath, announced on Tuesday that his movement will not resume talks with the Israeli government until it stops settlement construction in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem.
Army Kidnaps Two Civilians From Bethlehem
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 14:23, Two Palestinian civilians were kidnapped by Israeli troops during a Tuesday morning invasion targeting the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
Israel Issues Stop-Work Order For Nablus Mosque
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 13:22, An Israeli government decision has stopped construction of the Salman Al Farisi mosque in Burin village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Germany Voids Deal with Iran Due To Israeli Pressure
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 11:19, Israeli sources reported that Germany decided to void a deal signed between a German company and Iran to rebuild Bandar Abbas Iranian Port. The deal was canceled due to Israeli pressure and campaigning against it.
Yousef: “Occupation Deliberately Tries To Humiliate Figures and Legislators Visiting Gaza”
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 10:48, Dr. Ahmad Yousef, advisor of the Palestinian Foreign Ministry in Gaza, stated that the Israeli occupation deliberately tries to humiliate international figures and legislators who attempt to visit the Gaza Strip.
Soldiers Kidnap 15 Palestinians In Less Than Two Days
IMEMC 26 Jan 2010 - Tuesday January 26, 2010 - 01:25, Israeli soldiers kidnapped at least 15 Palestinians, this Sunday and Monday, and detained them for the purpose of interrogation.
Gaza’s power plant to shut down amidst latest fuel crisis
1/26/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - An EU contract paying for fuel shipments into the Gaza Strip for its sole power plant expired on 30 November 2009, according to Kan'an Obeid, deputy manager of the Energy Authority in the coastal enclave. While the EU had been providing the service after the contract expired, EU officials notified the Energy Authority that they would no longer pay for the fuel shipments unless the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah drafted a new agreement and payment scheme. Obeid said that the fuel in Gaza will last until Thursday morning. If a new shipment does not arrive, Gaza's power plant will be forced to shut down, in turn affecting 70 percent of the population. The Energy Authority is in talks with the finance minister in Ramallah to implement a payment plan whereby the Gaza Electricity Company will collect money from its customers, then transfer the funds to the minister, who would pay Israeli fuel companies for the service.
Israel orders a halt to construction on Nablus mosque
1/26/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Israeli government halted construction of a mosque in the northern West Bank village of Burin south of Nablus on Tuesday. Ghassan Daglas, a Palestinian Authority official responsible for settlement activities in the northern West Bank told Ma'an that Israeli forces presented a formal warrant demanding that construction on the Salman Al-Farisi mosque be halted immediately. A copy of the warrant was posted to the contractors, he added. The same warrant demanded that construction on storehouses owned by Hisham Najjar be stopped as well. Construction on the mosque began a year ago, and was near completion save for the minaret, Daghlas explained. [end]
PA detainees in Hebron center plead for unity, release
1/26/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an -The majority of detainees at the military prosecution and general intelligence detention centers Hebron were Hamas-affiliates, a recent visit to the institution showed. The 53 detainees had been in the facility between two days and 13 months, none had been before a judge and all were awaiting trial. One prisoner, DQ, said he had been detained ten days earlier because his brother was wanted by Palestinian Authority security forces. His guards, however, said a search of the family home found weapons and DQ was detained on possession charges. A second prisoner, in his fifties, said he had been summoned from his home for questioning in relation to a weapons smuggling business run by his relative. He was detained following the intelligence interview. Muhammad Fatafta, 25, had been in the facility for 13 months without trial.
Team of US pediatric doctors arrives in Hebron
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A three-member team from the US arrived in Hebron on Tuesday, to begin screening and treating children with urological disorders, sponsored by the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF). The team included pediatric urological surgeon Dr John Gazak from Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dr Kevin Healy, an anesthesiologist from Ames, Iowa, and scrub nurse Teresa Bubb from Portland, Oregon. In addition to screening over 140 children on the first day, the team will perform a number of complex surgeries on children from all over the West Bank. Dr Gazak also has treated two Palestinian children for free at his hospital in North Carolina through the PCRF and another child from Gaza will be traveling there for surgery next month. The same team worked last Spring in the occupied Palestinian territories with theInternational Volunteers in Urology (IVU).
Hamas: PA security detained 10 supporters in the West Bank
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas accused the Palestinian Authority security forces of detaining ten of the movement's supporters across the West Bank in a statement issued on Tuesday. The ten were detained from Nablus, Tulkarem, Ramallah and Hebron, the statement said. [end]
Rallies, general strike called for Detainees’ Day
1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Cities throughout the West Bank will witness rallies and public celebrations marking the newly declared Detainees' Day on Wednesday. A general strike is also set to take place between 12pm and 2pm, in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. Qadura Fares, head of the Detainees' Center, said that the day's events will be significant, with the aim of shedding light on the case of detainees and harassment in Israeli prisons. A march has been organized, starting from Ramallah's city center, he added. During the PA's weekly cabinet meeting on Monday, caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad announced that 27 January will be a day devoted to solidarity with Palestinian prisoners. . . . .
Israel to open Kerem Shalom crossing
1/26/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities decided on Tuesday to open the Kerem Shalom crossing into the Gaza Strip to deliver domestic fuel into the coastal strip and to export flowers. The Karni crossing will remain closed, according to Raed Fattouh, a Palestinian crossings official. Fattouh said about 95 to 105 truckloads of commercial merchandize and humanitarian aid would be shipped through the Kerem Shalom crossing. He said two trucks loaded with flowers grown in the Gaza Strip would be exported, and limited quantities of cooking gas and industrial diesel would be shipped through the same crossing. [end]
Israeli authorities release pharmacist Majida Fadda
1/26/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - Israeli prison authorities released on Tuesday pharmacist and member of the Nablus Municipal Council Majida Akram Fadda after serving an 18 months of administrative detention in HaSharon prison, east of Natanya, Israel. Sources within the municipal council said Fadda was released after putting forward an appeal to her sentence. Fadda was detained on 6 August 2008, remained under investigation and was then transferred to administrative detention for three months, without being formally charged. The sentence was extended on several occasions. On 30 September 2009, Fadda's sentence wasextended for the forth time, and then for a fifth time on 22 November 2009. By 26 January, Fadda had served 18 months in administrative detention without being formally charged. Thirty five women are being detained in HaSharon and Tilmond prisons, under similar circumstances.
Palestinian carrying knife detained near Bethlehem
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Palestinian man was detained at the checkpoint east of Bethlehem on Tuesday by Israeli border guards, an Israeli military spokesman confirmed. The Palestinian was detained for possession of a 12cm knife which was discovered following a security check, the spokesman said. The man was transferred into the custody of the Israeli police for further investigation. [end]
Aide: Abbas has 2 conditions for talks
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - President Mahmoud Abbas laid out two preconditions for the resumption of negotiations with Israel, during his meeting with US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell on Friday, a senior aide said on Tuesday. The aide, Nimer Hammad, told Ma'an that Abbas asked that Israel commit to a real settlement freeze even for a limited period of time. His second request was that negotiations be based on the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders and a full withdrawal to those armistice lines. According to Nimer, the following are some excerpts from the meeting:Mitchell: The Israelis have requested renewed negotiations, saying they froze settlements for ten months. Abbas: Go to Jerusalem and see for yourself the settlement activity and Judaization of the city - you'll see the situation on the ground looks nothing like a settlement freeze.
USAID to fund project for the disabled in Salfit
1/26/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - The Salfit Municipality celebrated the signing of an agreement to establish the headquarters of the Disabled Persons Union, funded by USAID. The union's representative, Nizar Basalat, signed the agreement with the CHF International Partnership and the American Charities for Palestine. The project will be funded by USAID and is estimated at 150,000 US dollars. Salfit Mayor Tahsin Salimeh praised the continuous support ofUSAID and the CHF institute for the municipality. He added "we praise all the steps and efforts made to support the disabled community. . . "[end]
Barghouti tells British MP: Settlements compromise Palestinian state
1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an -Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative Mustafa Barghouti met with British Shadow Minister of State and conservative Member of Parliament David Lidington on Tuesday. During their meeting, Barghouti explained the dangers of Israeli practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, and what he described as the ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem and its environs, as well as Israel's separation wall and the blockade of Gaza. Significantly, he told Lidington that continued settlement expansion not only thwarts the resumption of peace talks, but compromises the establishment of a sovereign and fully independent Palestinian state, which cannot be achieved without the inclusion of occupied East Jerusalem, Barghouti told Lidington. Barghouti underlined the importance of Britain's role in the EU and its impact on US policy in favor of the Palestinian caused. . .
President of Brazil to visit Palestine in March
1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Brazilian President Luiz InĂ¡cio Lula da Silva is scheduled to visit the West Bank at the beginning of March, to sign an agreement with the Palestinian Authority on issues including sport, technology, and health, Palestinian Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Economy Abdul Hafith Nofal said on Tuesday. Nofal's comments came during a meeting held at the headquarters of the Brazilian Embassy in Ramallah with a Brazilian delegation headed by the Consulate General of Brazil in Jerusalem Ricardo Leal. The conveners addressed the means to improve the economic situation in the territories, as well as Brazilian participation in the Bethlehem economic conference of small and mid-sized businesses. The delegation and Nofal further discussed the necessary procedures required for the occupied territories to join the International Trade Organization as an observer member.
Abu Libdeh, Dutch delegation discuss Palestinian economy
1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - The Ramallah-based Minister of Economy Hassan Abu Libdeh met with a Dutch delegation on Tuesday at the ministry's headquarters to discuss means of improving the occupied Palestinian territories' economy. The delegation was headed by the Dutch representative to the Palestinian Authority Jack Orford and Tays Digi, second secretary to the Dutch representative. The agenda included the Dutch initiative to support the Palestinian private sector through the PSI PLUS program, due to be implemented in five developingcountries including Afghanistan, Burundi, the occupied Palestinian territories, Sierra Leone and southern Sudan with a fund estimated to be worth 10 million Euros. The Dutch delegation added that they will undertake a number of investments in the territories, and will sign a memorandum with the Palestinian side.
Sha’th doubtful talks can be resumed with Israel
1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Peace talks with the current Israeli administration are doubtful on account of its "stubbornness, procrastination, refusal to respond to the requirements of peace and to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state," said member of Fatah's Central Committee Nabil Sha'th on Tuesday. Sha'th made his comments following a meeting with British Shadow Minister of State and conservative MP David Lidington in Ramallah, where they discussed US Middle East envoy George Mitchell's recent visit and the latest development in Palestinian affairs. The Egyptian proposal and Hamas' refusal to sign it "under false pretenses" were discussed,Sha'th said, and noted he assured Lidington of Fatah's desire to restore national unity and end political divides. Sha'th said he called on the EU to support Middle Eastern politics to attain peace and to advise the US administration to advance the peace process.
EU: Gaza fuel crisis no longer our responsibility
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - "There was never a contract" EU spokesman Shadi Othman said Tuesday in response to allegations that the EU had refused to renew a contract pledging to cover costs of industrial fuel for the Gaza power plant. On Monday, Assistant Manager of the Gaza Power Authority Kan'an Obeid said the Power Authority was notified that the EU would no longer pay for the fuel shipments unless the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah drafted a new agreement and payment scheme. In fact, Othman clarified, there had never been a contract, and as of early November when PA and EU officials sat to discuss funding priorities, he said, the PA requested funds be channeled into Civil Servant salaries and social assistance rather than fuel. "The PA indicated it would take full responsibility for the bill," Othman said. Minister of Labor Ghassan Khatib, however, said his office was only informed that donors had decided to stop paying for Gaza fuel.
Gaza leaders plead for EU, Quartet support for fuel shortage
1/26/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Urgent and intensive communication is ongoing between Gaza leaders and the international community over the current fuel crisis, representative of regional independent figures Yasser Al-Wadieh said Tuesday. Several letters were sent to leaders of EU member states via their representative offices in Jerusalem, the head of the European CommissionChristian Berger, as well as to the offices of the International Middle East Quartet, Al-Wadieh said, asking that competent authorities step in and stop the situation in the Gaza Strip from deteriorating. The letters asked the officials to interfere and prevent the fallout if the fuel station stopped working, he said. "The cold is causing suffering for the people whose houses were demolished as a result of the war," the official said, calling the current situation "dramatic" and asking what residents are supposed to do without electricity for eight to 10 hours a day.
PA cabinet expresses ’regret’ for not holding elections
1/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - During its weekly cabinet meeting, chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad held on Monday, members said that elections could be held in June, if the Egyptian document is signed immediately. Cabinet members expressedregret for not holding presidential and legislative elections on the constitutionally set date. Members called for a swift national reconciliation that would allow for elections to be conducted, in accordance with the constitution as well as the Egyptian proposal, considering it the guarantee for protecting the Palestinian democratic system and national achievements. Members further spoke of hope for the success of international peace efforts but stressed the need for an Israeli commitment to international law and the Roadmap Agreement, primarily a full cessation of settlement activities, especially in and around east Jerusalem,to give way to. . .
Ramallah court to rule on teachers fired following Hamas takeover
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian High Court of Justice will rule Wednesday on the case of 12 public school teachers discharged from their posts by the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Education in 2007 after the Hamas takeover in Gaza. During the trial, the teachers were represented by an attorney from the Independent Commission on Human Rights, Ghandi Raba'i, who said the decision will be the first in a long line of cases still in process. Raba'i himself represents 54 teachers who were dismissed, saying the first 12 underwent more than 80 hours of court proceedings since the papers were filed a year ago. He described the dismissalsas arbitrary and illegal, saying there was no explanation given to the public servants, and added he was glad the issue was being pursued in the courts. Raba'i would not comment as to how he expected the decision to come down, but said he hoped justice prevailed.
Palestinians prepare to enter record books with longest caricature
1/26/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Palestinians are hoping to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the third time for drawing the longest caricature in the world. Muhammad An-Nimnim, known as Abu Noon, the director of Artists for Freedom in Palestine and a Palestinian cartoonist, told Ma'an that the participants are in preparation and making the necessary arrangements to enter the record books with the longest caricature in 2010. Abu Noon said he hopes that the picture will be drawn on the separation wall in Bethlehem in the West Bank, to boost tourism to the city. International artists will also participate in the caricature's creation, in support of peace, he said. Coordination with a consulate is underway to complete the necessary procedures to allow the artists to begin drawing on the wall in Bethlehem, he added.
Palestinian family returns safely from Haiti
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Minister of Foreign Affairs in the caretaker government Dr Riyad Al-Malki welcomed home the Nashash family Tuesday, recently returned from Haiti after the country was ravaged by a devastating earthquake last week. The minister and a delegation traveled to the family's Beit Jala home to ensure that coordination to ensure their safe return to Palestine alongside the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs went smoothly. The Jordanian ministry was asked to look after Palestinians in Haiti during the disaster, since there is no Palestinian diplomatic representation in the country. During his visit with the Nashash family, Al-Maliki asked for their help in locating the other Palestinian families in Haiti. He said a doctor and the head of mission from the nearby representative office in Cuba traveled to Haiti at the earliest opportunity to assist. . .
Earthquake of Haiti’s magnitude could hit Israel
1/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - An earthquake of similar magnitude that devastated Haiti could hit Israel, Israeli media reported on Tuesday. According to Avi Shapira, chairman of the NationalEarthquake Preparedness Committee "what happened there [in Haiti] will also happen here," the Israeli daily Haaretz reported. Shapira's comments came during a meeting with a special Knesset committee which had been formed following the Haiti earthquake to discuss Israel's readiness to deal with similar natural disasters. Hospitals are not prepared for an earthquake, and most buildings constructed before 1980 could not withstand its impact, he said. While previous estimates indicated that between 40% to 50% of residential buildings in Israel were not constructed according to guidelines set out to prevent damage in the event of an earthquake, Shapira said that in fact, the estimates are closer to 20%, the daily reported.
Settler rabbi arrested over West Bank mosque arson
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Rabbi Itzik Shapira, one of the heads of a Yitzhar yeshiva, was arrested by authorities on Tuesday.
Only an idiot would say Israel has frozen settlement activity
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - Monday morning, as George Mitchell was on the way home from another diplomatic mission short on breakthroughs, Saeb Erekat did not sound dismayed. On the contrary, the head of the Palestinian negotiation team vehemently argued that the American envoy's last visit actually moved up the moment of truth for the White House. The veteran adviser to...
Yousef: “Occupation Deliberately Tries To Humiliate Figures and Legislators Visiting Gaza”
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - Dr. Ahmad Yousef, advisor of the Palestinian Foreign Ministry in Gaza, stated that the Israeli occupation deliberately tries to humiliate international figures and legislators who attempt to visit the Gaza Strip. He added that what Israel’s behavior towards Belgian Development Minister, Charles Michel, preventing him from entering Gaza, is another Israeli violation to the international law....
GAZA WILL NOT GO DOWN
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - The walls of Gaza are the unofficial Gazette of the Strip. On them one can follow what is going on. The walls are covered by scores of posters, pictures of martyrs, murals, slogans, calls, giant portraits of Yasser Arafat by the young artist Mohammad Ed-Derry, announcements... At the end of the year the external wall of...
U.S. Mulls Legality of Killing American al Qaeda "Turncoat"
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - White House lawyers are mulling the legality of proposed attempts to kill an American citizen, Anwar al Awlaki, who is believed to be part of the leadership of the al Qaeda group in Yemen behind a series of terror strikes, according to two people briefed by U.S. intelligence officials. One of the people briefed said opportunities...
Israeli Information Minister Slams All Reports on Gaza War as Anti-Semitic UN Report on Last Year's War Linked to Holocaust
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - Just days before Israel is expected to release its own report on the January 2009 invasion of the Gaza Strip, Israeli Information Minister Yuli Edelstein declared that the UN report on the war, and every other report since the war ended, "are simply a type of anti-Semitism." The UN’s report, also known as the Goldstone Report,...
Auschwitz survivor: ‘Israel acts like Nazis’
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - One of the last remaining Auschwitz survivors has launched a blistering attack on Israel over its occupation of Palestine as he began a lecture tour of Scotland. Dr Hajo Meyer, 86, who survived 10 months in the Nazi death camp, spoke out as his 10-day tour of the UK and Ireland – taking in three Scottish...
My family's ongoing Nakba story
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - One of the most traumatic effects wrought upon Palestinian society by the 1948 Nakba, or the dispossession of historic Palestine, is the physical separation it forced upon Palestinians, between those in the diaspora and the refugees, between those living in the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 and those who became citizens of Israel. Yet this process...
Agha: Israel created Gaza valley flood to cause environmental disaster
Uruknet January 26, 2010 -- Palestinian minister of agriculture Dr. Ramadan Agha, said Wednesday that the flooding in Gaza valley was deliberately created by Israel in order to cause an environmental catastrophe and destroy the agricultural life in the areas of the valley, Johr Al-Deek and AL-Maghraqa. During a symposium on Gaza valley flood organized by the ministry, Dr. Agha noted...
Israeli Occupation Forces prevent Mas-ha villagers from reaching their lands behind the Isolation Wall.
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - Every New Year's eve, people renew their wishes of a life full of prosperity and peace. Mas-ha villagers had another idea since they have received the New Year with the resumption of their misery which began with the construction of the Racist Segregation Wall back in 2003. The Wall isolated and destroyed more than 5500 acres (...
Israeli Terrorism
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - ... The late professor Israel Shahak, a Holocaust survivor, and then chairman of the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights, wrote: "There is nothing new in the fact that Israel is a terrorist state, which, almost from its inception, has used its intelligence service (the Mossad) to assassinate people on foreign soil with any violence or...
When Zionists Loved Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - Today you can hardly utter the acronym BDS without hearing that the very idea is anti-semitic. But in the February 1921 edition of The Atlantic Magazine, Prof. Albert T. Clay (Assyrologist at the University of Pennsylvania) described how the Zionist incomers to Palestine were imposing their politics on the pre-existing Jewish minority there, which was largely...
Israeli Settlers Invade at-Tuwani Village, Enter Palestinian Homes, and Throw Stones at Palestinians; Israeli Military Attacks Palestinian and Throw Tear Gas
Uruknet January 26, 2010 - On Tuesday, 26 January 2010 approximately fifteen Israeli settlers from the Israeli settlement of Ma'on and the Israeli outpost of Havat Ma'on attacked Palestinians in the village of at-Tuwani. The settlers were accompanied by Israeli soldiers in three army jeeps and the settlement security agent of Ma'on. Villagers from at-Tuwani arrived, protesting the settlers coming into...
European NGOs condemn Isreal for barring Belgian minister from Gaza
26 Jan 2010 - London, UK, January 26, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - The European Union should sanction Israel for refusing the Belgian Development Minister access to Gaza, says the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG). Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon turned Belgian Development Minister Charles Michel away, claiming his visit would "bolster Hamas (the movement that governs Gaza) and legitimize...
Israel uses depleted uranium against Palestinians in Gaza
26 Jan 2010 - London, January 26, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - A London-based Palestinian activist announced that the buildings damaged in the Gaza Strip after the Israeli onslaught last year all showed signs of contamination with depleted uranium. "The ruined buildings and debris left after the Israeli attack on Gaza are contaminated with depleted uranium and similar types of weapons," said Sameh Habeeb, spokesperson...
Palestinian official denies new U.S. plan for resuming talks
26 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 26, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - A Palestinian official on Tuesday denied reports that Washington presented a new offer to resume peace talks with Israel. "We haven't heard about a new U.S. offer so far and I don't know the source of these reports," said Yasser Abed Rabbo, a member of the executive committee of Palestine Liberation Organization (...
Abbas forms team to probe Goldstone report findings
26 Jan 2010 - West Bank, January 26, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has asked a five-member committee to look into alleged human rights violations by his security forces in the West Bank. The committee was formed Monday in response to recommendations by Justice Richard Goldstone, who led a UN-mandated investigation into last winter's IOF Operation Cast Lead. A statement...
Abbas meets with the Russian president
26 Jan 2010 - Russia, January 26, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived on Monday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi for holding talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on prospects of jump-starting the Middle East peace process. Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Faed Mustafa said in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that Abbas would hold talks with the...
Visit UN Headquarters caps off week-long trip for some of Gaza’s top students
26 Jan 2010 - Gaza, January 26, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Fifteen young female students from the Gaza Strip capped off a trip of a lifetime today at United Nations Headquarters in New York, the final stop on a week-long visit to the United States they received for their achievements in a human rights education programme run by the world body. The visit...
New TV channel to give Sufism a voice
The National 26 Jan 2010 - Sufi group leads initiative to launch a satellite station in Egypt that would put across the viewpoint of followers of the Islamic school of thought.
Israel plans to repatriate lost Jewish tribe' in India
The National 26 Jan 2010 - Human rights activists worry that the 7,000 people sponsered by right-wing groups will be placed in West Bank settlements.
Pilot in crash 'flew wrong way'
The National 26 Jan 2010 - The Ethiopian Airlines pilot flew in the opposite direction from the one recommended by the control tower, Lebanon's transportation minister said.
Egypt Faces Downgraded Status on Religious Freedom
The Media Line 25 Jan 2010 - Violence against Copt Christians may lead to the US downgrading Egypt's status from "watch list" to "countries of concern". The recent violent attacks against the Copt Christian minority in Egypt and the dismissive reaction of the...
Israelis Stop Flocking to Turkey
The Media Line 25 Jan 2010 - Israeli tourism to Turkey down by almost half since Gaza war. The number of Israelis visiting Turkey has dropped by 44% since the Gaza war caused a diplomatic crises between the two countries, the Association of...
Der Spiegel: Iran Could Make Bomb This Year
The Media Line 25 Jan 2010 - The German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Monday that Iran has the capability of creating a "truck-sized" nuclear bomb sometime during this year. According to the estimate, the only remaining technology required to make the weapon...
‘Abbas Orders Palestinians to Follow-up Goldstone Recommendations
The Media Line 25 Jan 2010 - Mahmoud 'Abbas has ordered the Palestinian National Council to monitor and follow-up on recommendations made in the Goldstone report by the United Nations Human Rights Council. In a statement issued on Monday, 'Abbas ordered the appointment...
Speculation on Mitchell's “New Ideas” Centers on Israeli Confidence-Building Measures
The Media Line 25 Jan 2010 - Mideast observers are trying to understand the "new ideas" which Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu told his cabinet Obama envoy George Mitchell brought with him when he arrived in the region last week to take another stab...
Syria's First Lady Calls for Civil Activism
The Media Line 25 Jan 2010 - Asma Al-Assad has urged citizens to be more active in civil society organizations. Syria's first lady has called for the country's citizens to play a more active role in the country's social and economic life. Syrian...
Israeli Supreme Court Rules that Lands Confiscated in Lajoun from 486 Arab Families in 1953 for "Settlement Needs" will not be Returned to Them
Alternative Information Center 26 Jan 2010 - Adalah: The Israeli Supreme Court's decision affords greater importance to the State of Israel's man-made forests than to the property rights of Arab citizens of Israel. It also shows that the court's policy of returning the...
Israeli Settlers Invade at-Tuwani Village, Enter Palestinian Homes, and Throw Stones at Palestinians; Israeli Military Attacks Palestinian and Throw Tear Gas
Alternative Information Center 26 Jan 2010 - Israeli settlers invade at-Tuwani village, enter Palestinian homes, and throw stones at Palestinians; Israeli military attacks Palestinian and throw tear gas AT-TUWANI - On Tuesday, 26 January 2010 approximately fifteen Israeli settlers from the Israeli settlement...
Israel Likely to Join OECD in 2010: “If You Have Enough Money, We’ll Call You a Democracy”
Alternative Information Center 25 Jan 2010 - General Secretary of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria, visited Israel last week (18-20 January 2010) to launch two new OECD reports: an Economic Survey of Israel and a Review of Israel’s...
Nilin Protest Photo Wins Silver Camera Award
PNN 26 Jan 2010 - Holland –Cris Toala Olivares, a Dutch citizen of Ecuadorian origin, has won the “Silver Camera Award” in the Foreign News category for a photo taken during a protest in Nilin Village in the West Bank in October 2009. The image is of a cluster of tear gas grenades exploding over a grove of Olive trees while demonstrators take cover.A private Twitter released...
Shooting The Messenger
PNN 26 Jan 2010 - With a new year comes new tactics from Israel’s security forces. 2009 began with a determined effort to destroy their enemies in Gaza, claiming the lives of 500 children in the process. It must have been an irritation to the military that they could not so easily wipe out the journalists, activists and relief workers who made their atrocities public. As a...
Netanyahu: Israel will never quit settlements
PNN 26 Jan 2010 - The Israeli prime minister has taken part in tree-planting ceremonies in the West Bank while declaring Israel will never leave those areas. Benjamin Netanyahu said the Jewish settlements blocs would always remain part of the state of Israel. His remarks came hours after a visit by US envoy George Mitchell who is trying to reopen peace talks between Israel and Palestinians. A...
6th Annual Israeli Apartheid Week in Toronto
PNN 26 Jan 2010 - The 6th Annual Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) will take place across the globe from from the 1st to the 14th of March 2010. Since it was first launched in 2005, IAW has grown to become one of the most important global events in the Palestine solidarity calendar. Last year, more than 40 cities around the world participated in the week'sactivities, which took...
Kendeda winner Tennis in Nablus' at the Alliance Theatre
PNN 26 Jan 2010 - Theater preview “Tennis in Nablus” by Ishmail Khalidi Jan 29-Feb 21. $25-$30. Alliance Theatre’s Hertz Stage, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., 404-733-5000, www.alliancetheatre.org (http://www.alliancetheatre.org/). By Pierre Ruhe Never mind attempts at witty conversation and flirting. Everyone knows there is just one measure of a successful first date: It leads to a second, and a third. So it is with the world premiere of...
Fatima: A Palestinian animation film
PNN 25 Jan 2010 - Fatenah is a 27-year-old young woman who lives in the Gaza Strip. Her life was like that of many other women in Gaza, until she became ill. This short, 27-minute animation - the first Palestinian-produced animation - reproduces with incredible accuracy the scenarios of Gaza City. The story, untold till now, is a breathtaking adventure that takes the viewer on a journey...
Merkel: 'The time has come to discuss Iran sanctions'
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - After meeting Peres in Berlin, chancellor says Germany will seek consensus at UN; president: Teheran "dangerous, dictatorial and opposed to peace."
MK Nafa loses immunity over Syria visit
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - Lawmaker, charged in Dec. with illegally visiting enemy country, says he's not surprised by decision.
Syria's first lady calls for civil activism
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - Asma Al-Assad has urged citizens to be more active in civil society organizations.
Egypt faces downgraded status on religious freedom
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - Violence against Copt Christians may lead to the US downgrading Egypt's status from "watch list" to "countries of concern."
Funds scrapped for pro-Palestinian film
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - IFF chooses to freeze support for film after revised script compares W. Bank occupation to Holocaust.
IDF closes field hospital in Haiti
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - As of Monday, 1,102 Haitians had been treated, 16 babies delivered, and 314 operations performed.
'Turkish leader fuels anti-Semitism'
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - Foreign Ministry accuses Prime Minister Erdogan of creating "negative public opinion" toward Israel.
'Iran to unveil new missiles in Feb.'
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - IRGC commander makes comments one day after report on military nature of Iranian nuclear program.
Barak: No talks with PA greatest threat
Jeruslalem Post 26 Jan 2010 - Defense minister: Israel will become apartheid state if borders with Palestinians are not defined.
MIDEAST: Israel Jails Palestinian Peace Activists
IPS RAMALLAH, Jan 18 (IPS) - Israel has long argued that Palestinians should pursue their political objectives in a non-violent way. However, several prominent Palestinian peace activists have recently been arrested and jailed for doing just that.
(14- 20 Jan 2010)
PCHR During the reporting period, IOF wounded 9 Palestinian civilians, including two children and 3 journalists, in the West Bank.
CPT: Israeli settlers invade At-Tuwani village
1/26/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Christian Peacemaker Team - Israeli soldiers enter Palestinian homes, attack Palestinian, and throw tear gas. - AT-TUWANI - On Tuesday, 26 January 2010 approximately fifteen Israeli settlers from the Israeli settlement of Ma'on and the Israeli outpost of Havat Ma'on attacked Palestinians in the village of At-Tuwani. The settlers were accompanied by Israeli soldiers in three army jeeps and the settlement security agent of Ma'on. Villagers from At-Tuwani arrived, protesting the settlers coming into their village. An Israeli soldier punched a Palestinian villager, who was hospitalized for his injuries. Immediately thereafter, Israeli settlers began throwing stones at the Palestinian villagers while soldiers fired three canisters of tear gas at Palestinians. Afterwards, the settlers drove to the entrance of At-Tuwani, and began throwing stones at passers-by on the road.
German exhibit sheds light on fate of Jewish Berliners
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Thousands of letters, pictures offer a glimpse of the final days of Schoneberg district's Jewish community.,
Palestinian cellular market competition triggers unique deal
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Agreement between Palestinian cellular operator, Kuwaiti company will allow West Bank, Gaza residents to use their mobile devices in Jordan.,
Israeli-American electric car company gets $350 million cash infusion
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Project Better Place's agreement with HSBC-led investor consortium marks one of largest clean-tech investments in history.,
Egypt seeks death penalty for alleged Hezbollah agents
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Case has highlighted the worries of conservative Sunni Muslim states over the growing influence of Shi'ite Iran.,
Poles seek compensation for expropriated Auschwitz land
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp was built on land the Germans confiscated from several polish villages.,
Barak, Mubarak mull coaxing Abbas to negotiating table
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Meeting in Sharm el-Sheik also expected to focus on Gilad Shalit, Israel-Egypt security cooperation.,
Israel diplomats at odds over Turkish ties following envoy row
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Israeli embassy in Ankara says Foreign Ministry report on Israel-Turkey relations is 'divorced from reality.',
Israeli leaders in Europe for International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Netanyahu lays wreath at Warsaw memorial; Peres to address German parliament on Wednesday.,
Peres: Iran seeks to take control of Mideast
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said February is 'a decisive month' in West's standoff with Tehran.,
U.S. congressman: Netanyahu wants to be a peacemaker
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Howard Berman said Israeli premier 'deserves credit for difficult decisions' he has made so far.,
U.S. lawmakers to Obama: Press Israel to ease Gaza siege
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Fifty-four members of Congress co-sign letter initiated by two Democratic representatives.,
Why is Russia comparing Obama to Ahmadinejad?
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - A controversial ad campaign for Russia's English-language TV station was censored in the U.S.,
Abbas tells Medvedev: Mideast peace process is deadlocked
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - 'There is no blueprint that can get the political processes moving forward,' Palestinian leader told Russian counterpart.,
Arab MK's Auschwitz visit draws fire from Jewish, Arab critics
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Hadash MK Mohammed Barakeh plans to attend Holocaust ceremony at Nazi extermination camp on Wed.,
Israeli director denies his film compares occupation to Holocaust
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - "There are people here who feel they are carrying national pride and the memory of the Holocaust on their backs," director and screenwriter Jonathan Segal told Haaretz Tuesday, in his first reaction to recent articles charging that his movie "Odem" compares the Israeli occupation to the Holocaust. ...
Air force reservist Rafi Peretz to be new IDF Chief Rabbi
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi have appointed Lieutenant Colonel (reserves) Rafi Peretz as the new IDF Chief Rabbi. Peretz will take the place of Brigadier-General Avichai Ronsky in a few months. ...
Settlers aim to beat building ban with 'freeze-busting' tent
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - 'Instant outpost' lends mobility to activists in cat-and-mouse game with authorities.
'What happened in Haiti will happen in Israel'
Ha'aretz 26 Jan 2010 - An earthquake of the same magnitude as the one two weeks ago in Haiti or stronger is certain to strike Israel, Avi Shapira, chairman of the National Earthquake Preparedness Committee, said on Tuesday. ...
Palestine Liberation Organization: Teacher Education Improvement Project
Relief Web 26 Jan 2010 - Source: World Bank
Carter Center Calls Upon All Palestinian Authorities and Political Parties to Allow Unhindered Participation in the Political Process
Relief Web 26 Jan 2010 - Source: Carter Center
Gaza crisis - one year on
Relief Web 26 Jan 2010 - Source: Christian Aid
RCA to send relief aid to Gaza
Relief Web 26 Jan 2010 - Source: Emirates News Agency
oPt: Floods (as of 26 Jan 2010) - Location Map
Relief Web 26 Jan 2010 - Source: ReliefWeb
Peres: Ahmadinejad preventing peace
YNet News 26 Jan 2010 - President speaks in Berlin, says Iran calling openly for Israel's destruction and denying Holocaust
Arabs push for Arabic to be official WTO language
YNet News 26 Jan 2010 - Formal request made by Kuwait to make Arabic fourth official language of the global trade body; Arab group also pushing for PLO to get observer status as prelude to membership
Egypt prosecutor calls for death penalty in Hezbollah trial
YNet News 26 Jan 2010 - Prosecutor in trial of Shiite group members charged with planning attacks says they 'hid behind pro-resistance slogans to carry out their crimes'
Barak to meet Mubarak; official says 'progress expected'
YNet News 26 Jan 2010 - Defense minister to meet Egyptian leader in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday. Israeli official says, 'There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza'
Merkel: Time to talk sanctions on Iran
YNet News 26 Jan 2010 - During joint press conference with visiting Israeli president, German chancellor says 'time has come to discuss new round of economic sanctions' against Tehran. Peres: Iranian regime dictatorial
Egypt prosecutors call for death penalty in Hizbullah case
Daily Star 26 Jan 2010 The prosecution in a trial of 26 alleged Hizbullah members charged with planning attacks in Egypt demanded the death sentence on Tuesday, a judicial source said. The prosecutor made the request during a hearing at the emergency state security court trying the high-profile case, which has damaged relations between Egypt and the powerful Lebanese Shiite group.
France hosts follow-up talks to Palestinian aid meeting
Daily Star 26 Jan 2010 The French foreign minister hosted former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other high-ranking international envoys on Tuesday to take stock of international aid efforts for the Palestinians. The dinner hosted by Bernard Kouchner was one in a series of follow-up meetings after a 2007 international donors conference in Paris drummed up billions in pledges for the Palestinians.
Khamenei says Iran will not be 'blackmailed'
Daily Star 26 Jan 2010 Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Iran would not succumb to "blackmail" by world powers, just days ahead of a deadline given by Tehran over a nuclear fuel deal. Khamenei, the all-powerful leader of the Islamic Republic and commander in chief, also insisted that Iranians would continue to stand for their rights.
Israel snubs UN call for public Gaza war probe
Daily Star 26 Jan 2010 Israel will not set up a special panel to investigate last winter's Gaza offensive, a Cabinet minister said Tuesday, rejecting a key demand of the UN that accused the military of war crimes. Information Minister Yuli Edelstein said Israel would submit a document to the UN later this week that deals only with Israel's own investigations of its conduct during the three-week war.
Karzai wins backing for strategy to woo Taliban
Daily Star 26 Jan 2010 Afghan President Hamid Karzai won regional support Tuesday for his efforts to cajole Islamist insurgents to lay down their arms, as Germany offered more troops and cash for the ravaged nation. After talks with his Turkish and Pakistani peers, as well as officials from countries such as China, Iran and Russia, Karzai described moderate Taliban fighters as "sons of the Afghan soil" who should be brought back into the fold.
Lebanon to be included in first ESG index for region
Daily Star 26 Jan 2010 Standard & Poor's, the Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance and Credit Rating and Information Services of India Ltd indicated that Lebanon will be included in the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) index, the first of its kind to be launched in the Middle East and North Africa region, as reported by Lebanon This Week.
Letters of condolence continue to rush in from world leaders
Daily Star 26 Jan 2010 Letters of condolence continued to arrive for the second consecutive day from world leaders to Lebanese top officials as political and religious figures expressed their sympathies for families of the victims of Monday's Ethiopian Airlines plane crash. The plane with 90 passengers on board, among them 54 Lebanese, crashed into the sea minutes after taking off from Beirut's airport.
Syria's new rumblings are worth watching
Daily Star 26 Jan 2010 I have been travelling to Syria regularly for 40 years, and every time I visit Damascus I make time to go to the old city and the spectacular early eighth century Umayyad Mosque. The timeless beauty and power of the place are always dazzling, no matter how many times you experience it. Equally constant are the nature and direction of modern political rule in Syria.
Israel has no legitimacy, period
PIC 26 Jan 2010 - Recent statements by Professor Aziz Duweik about the possibility of amending some clauses in Hamas’s charter have elicited a plethora of reactions in occupied Palestine and abroad.
European campaign: EU should strongly retaliate to IOA
PIC 26 Jan 2010 - The European campaign to lift the siege on Gaza Strip denounced on Tuesday the Israeli occupation authority's (IOA) refusal to grant Belgian minister Charles Michel permission to visit the Gaza Strip.
Khudari, gov't committee appreciate congressmen's letter to Obama
PIC 26 Jan 2010 - MP Jamal Al-Khudari and the government committee against the siege issued two separate statements