3
Palestinians Killed Trying to Storm Jewish Settlement
Islam Online, February 12, 2003
GAZA CITY, February 12 (IslamOnline & News Agencies)
– Three Palestinian fighters were killed by Israeli
occupation soldiers in the small hours of Wednesday, February
12, when they tried to storm a Jewish settlement in the
Gaza Strip.
Israeli
Officer, Palestinian Boy Killed
Washington Post, February 12, 2003
West Bank, Gaza Travel Restrictions Tightened on Holiday
-- JERUSALEM, Feb. 11 -- Palestinian gunmen shot an Israeli
army officer to death near Manger Square in Bethlehem tonight
and Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians, including
an 8-year-old boy, in operations in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip, according to Palestinian media reports and Israeli
officials.
Tanks
roll into Bethlehem
BBC, February 12, 2003
Tanks returned to Bethlehem for the first time in months
-- Israel has sent tanks into the West Bank town of Bethlehem,
after an Israeli army officer was shot dead by a Palestinian
sniper.
IDF
tanks pull out of Bethlehem; soldiers and APC's still patrolling
city
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
Two IDF tanks that had rumbled into Bethlehem's Manger Square
after an IDF officer was killed late Tuesday by a Palestinian
gunman withdrew from their positions Wednesday night. However,
soldiers and APC's still continue to patrol the city.
Closure
on territories to stay in force until Friday
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
The closure imposed Monday night on the territories in light
of serious warnings about planned terror attacks both within
Israel and in the territories will remain in effect at least
until Friday, the end of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
Soldiers
Shoot At and Threaten to Kill ISM Volunteer at Checkpoint
International Solidarity Movement, February 12, 2003
As I write this Robin, a South African ISM volunteer, is
being held at Azmut checkpoint east of Nablus. At 10 am
Robin, approached the checkpoint on his way to the village
of Salem to meet a friend in there. As soon as the
soldiers saw him the fired their rifles over his head and
ordered him to go back.
Israel-PA
cease-fire talks placed on hold
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
High-level cease-fire talks scheduled yesterday between
Israeli and Palestinian officials were postponed for what
were described as technical reasons.
Quartet
envoys, minus the US, meet Arafat
Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2003
The European Union, Russian and United Nations special Mideast
envoys met in Ramallah Tuesday with Palestinian Authority
Chairman Yasser Arafat to prepare for a number of meetings
on Palestinian reform and the road map scheduled for next
week in London.
PA,
Hamas compete to compensate families of Palestinian 'victims'
Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2003
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority are now in competition
over which offers more compensation to the families of suicide
bombers and to those harmed during IDF operations.
Court
hears appeal against Hebron home demolitions
Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2003
The State Attorney's Office argued on Wednesday that the
decision to destroy Palestinian houses along "Worshippers
Way," linking Kiryat Arba to the Machpela Cave in Hebron
was in accordance with international law.
Belgian
Court: Sharon Can Be Probed After Office
Washington Post, February 12, 2003
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium's supreme appeals court ruled
Wednesday that a genocide lawsuit against Ariel Sharon could
go ahead once he no longer enjoyed immunity as prime minister
of Israel, the plaintiffs' lawyer said.
Palestinians
'must be given gas masks'
BBC, February 11, 2003
Israelis have access to gas masks -- Israeli human rights
activists are seeking a court order to force the government
to provide gas masks for Palestinians in the event of war
against Iraq.
Powell
hints: No approval of special aid soon
Globes, February 12, 2003
US Secretary of State Colin Powell declined to state at
Senate Budget Committee hearing when a decision would be
taken about Israel’s request for $12 billion in special
aid.
U.S.-EU
crisis is death blow to 'road map'
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
The crisis between the U.S. and Europe will have profound
implications for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, undermining
the Quartet's effort to impose a solution to the conflict
on Israel, and strengthening the Sharon government's opposition
to the Quartet "road map."
HDIP
staff member detained
Palestine Monitor, February 10, 2003
Abbas Melham, project manager at the Health, Development,
Information and Policy Institute (HDIP), was detained yesterday
at a checkpoint near Ramallah.
Court
forbids Tel Aviv from evicting homeless protesters
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
Tel Aviv Municipality is forbidden from evicting homeless
protesters and their personal belongings from Kikar Hamedina
in the north of the city, according to a temporary injunction
issued by High Court Justice Edmond Levy yesterday.
Armed
Palestinian kills Israeli citizen in Bethlehem
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
A Palestinian gunman killed an Israeli yesterday evening
close to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The man
was hit in the neck and died shortly after despite efforts
by army medics to resuscitate him. The Palestinian gunman
escaped. The man's family has been informed.
Israeli
Troops Clamp Down on Bethlehem
The Guardian, February 12, 2003
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) - Israeli forces clamped down
Wednesday on Bethlehem, with soldiers patrolling the streets
after a Palestinian sniper killed an Israeli army officer
who was standing in front of the Church of the Nativity.
Armed
Palestinians Shot Dead by Israelis in Gaza Strip
New York Times, February 12, 2003
JERUSALEM, Feb. 12 — Two Palestinians who the Israeli
Army said were armed with grenades and knives and preparing
to carry out an attack were shot dead early today near a
Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip.
Violence
Follows a Ban on Palestinians' Holiday Travel
New York Times, February 12, 2003
JERUSALEM, Feb. 11 — Israeli security forces shot
dead an 8-year-old Palestinian boy today when they opened
fire on a crowd throwing stones in the West Bank city of
Qalqilya, Palestinians said. Later, in Bethlehem, an Israeli
soldier was killed by a Palestinian sniper as he patrolled
near Manger Square, the army said.
Palestinian
boy, Israeli killed in latest violence
Oakland Tribune, February 12, 2003
JERUSALEM -- Israeli soldiers shot and killed an 8-year-old
Palestinian boy during a raid Tuesday in the West Bank,
Palestinians said, and an Israeli was killed by Palestinian
gunmen in Bethlehem, bringing tanks rumbling into the town
for the first time in months.
Peace
project January 2003 survey
Alternative Information Center/Tami Steinmetz Center for
Peace Research, February 11, 2003
The Peace Index Project is conducted by the Tami Steinmetz
Center for Peace Research at Tel Aviv University, headed
by Prof. Ephraim Yaar and Dr. Tamar Hermann and executed
by the Tel Aviv University's B. I. Cohen Institute. Results
are shown for 1-3 February 2003. The survey details below
covers the representative sub-sample of adult Jewish Israelis
for the core questions.
54%
of Palestinians oppose open market with Israel - survey
Alternative Information Center/Globes, February 11, 2003
44% of Palestinians polled said they would still support
the intifada even if their economic position worsened. 71.5%
of Palestinians in the territories assess their economic
situation as bad. 21.4% think it is all right, and only
4% define it as good, according to a new survey by the Palestinian
Center for Public Opinion, headed by Dr. Nabil Kukali.
Mercy
Mission Hits Snag
Torquay Herald Express, February 12, 2003
A South Devon surgeon's mercy mission to Gaza was almost
thrown into disarray after an intervention by the Israelis.
David Halpin, 62, of Haytor, is taking around 60 tonnes
of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. He and his
crew aboard the cargo vessel Barbara left Malta yesterday
afternoon after the first stopover of their 3,000 mile journey.
A
Bush-Sharon Doctrine
NewsMax, February 12, 2003
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (UPI) – Israel is asking the United
States for $4 billion in additional military assistance
– in addition, that is, to the just under $3 billion
a year a year it receives automatically – plus $8
billion in commercial-loan guarantees.
Shalom
to present Sharon with NIS 7-10b 2003 budget cut
Globes, February 12, 2003
Minister of Finance Silvan Shalom’s budget framework
involves cutting the ratio of government spending to GDP,
and a civil service wage freeze.
Likud:
Sharon to meet Mitzna again over national union government
Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2003
Officials in the Likud on Wednesday said Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon is set to schedule another round of talks with
Labor chairman Amram Mitzna to try and persuade him that
a national union government including the two parties can
be feasibly established.
Court
cleans the slate for Israeli-Arab lawmaker
Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2003
The High Court of Justice on Wednesday told MK Azmi Bishara
that it would issue a ruling making it clear that a previous
Supreme Court decision that was sharply critical of him
could not be used against him.
Round
two of talks pits Shinui vs. Shas
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
The Likud coalition bargaining team will begin a second
round of talks today with two key - and incompatible - parties
it met with on Monday: Shas and Shinui. A four-hour meeting
is planned with each party.
Peres
waiting for invitation to 'tango'
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
Despite Labor Party Amram Mitzna's resolute stance against
joining Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new government, former
prime minister Shimon Peres says he would not hesitate to
bring this issue before the party for debate if he were
convinced that Sharon is serious about including Labor in
the new coalition he is forming.
Labor
Party is close to going bankrupt
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
The Labor Party is in danger of going bankrupt, a likelihood
that increased following the last elections, in which the
party lost six seats.
Intel
Israel sums up 2002
Globes, February 12, 2003
Output was up, export down. GM Amir Elstein on a possible
war: Business as usual. -- Intel Israel’s exports
totaled $1.409 billion in 2002, 19.7% less than the $1.756
billion in 2001, and 30.3% less than the record $2.021 billion
in 2000.
Top
treasury directors haggle over budget cuts
Ha'aretz, February 12, 2003
Senior Finance Ministry officials are at odds over how big
a cut must be made in the 2003 budget, with the estimates
ranging from NIS 8 billion to NIS 13 billion.
Billionaire
Haim Saban seeks control of Germany's No. 2 broadcaster
Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2003
US investor Haim Saban is back in the race to buy Germany's
bankrupt KirchMedia, a spokesman for the company said Wednesday,
indicating the billionaire could yet gain control of the
country's No. 2 private broadcaster.
IAI
and Boeing sign Arrow missile production agreement
Globes, February 12, 2003
Under the agreement, Arrow missile components will be manufactured
in the US and assembled in Israel. -- Israel Aircraft Industries
(IAI) and Boeing (NYSE: BA) have agreed to establish a US-based
production infrastructure that will manufacture components
of the IAI-developed Arrow anti-ballistic missile system.
US
rabbi barred from San Francisco war protest, as too 'pro-Israel'
Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2003
Rabbi Michael Lerner says today he has been barred from
speaking at an anti-war protest planned for this Sunday
in San Francisco, because he spoke out against the organizers'dissemination
of anti-Israel propaganda.
Four
Coalitions Respond to Michael Lerner
International A.N.S.W.E.R, February 11, 2003
In the last day, as anti-war forces around the country have
been working together to build for this weekend's important
mobilizations, we at A.N.S.W.E.R. have been taken by surprise
by a campaign initiated by Michael Lerner and furthered
by David Corn (a reporter for the Nation and Fox News) and
others that has sought to deceive the anti-war movement
and to misdirect its energies to instead focus on fraudulent
claims of victimhood by Michael Lerner because he was not
asked to speak at the San Francisco demonstration this Sunday.
FBI
questioning stuns Muslim arrested at his home
Muslim News, February 11, 2003
Police arrested an American-born Muslim in St. Louis early
Sunday and took him to a police station where FBI agents
questioned him about his anti-war activities and whether
he was planning any attacks against the U.S. government.
Cantor
Resolution Commending Israel Elections Passes House
IMRA, February 12, 2003
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Stressing his firm belief that a strong
U.S.-Israel relationship is essential to securing America's
interests in the Middle
East, Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor today was the original
sponsor of a resolution congratulating the people of Israel
for conducting free and fair elections last month. The resolution
passed by a vote of 411 to 2. The two nays were Nick Rahall
(D. WV) and Ron Paul (R. TX).
Palestinian
issue helms at Aman M'sia conference
Utusan Online, February 12, 2003
KUALA LUMPUR Feb 11 - The Palestinian tragedy, arms issue,
and disasters in Iraq are the main topics of discussion
at the Aman Malaysia conference organised by the People's
Alliance for Peace this Sunday.
Playing
with fire
Al-Ahram Weekly On-line, February 6 - 12, 2003
Can the US initiate democratic transformation in the Middle
East? Scholars from a leading American think tank were in
Cairo this week to find out, reports Aziza Sami.
Six
Lower House seats reserved for women
Jordan Times, February 11, 2003
AMMAN (AFP) — His Majesty King Abdullah has created
six new parliamentary seats for women starting with this
year's elections to boost their political role in the Kingdom,
reports said here Monday.
Arab
News cartoonist Kahil dies in London
Arab News, February 12, 2003
JEDDAH, 12 February 2003 — Arab News cartoonist Mahmoud
Kahil died yesterday after undergoing surgery at a British
hospital.
Click
for more ISM News
