Israeli Forces kill Palestinian Civilian, Two Hamas Activists
Islam Online, December 16, 2002
GAZA CITY, December 16 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - A Palestinian civilian was killed by Israeli occupation forces early Monday, December 16, outside a Jewish colonial settlement in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics said.

Likud MK Kara questioned over suspected corruption in primary
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
AG okays similar investigation into Labor, after request by Movement for Quality Government.  -- Police investigating suspicions of corruption during the recent Likud internal ballot began questioning MK Ayoub Kara and central committee member Haim Cohen on Monday.

Likud fears losing 3-4 seats to scandal
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
The Likud already expects to lose at least three to four Knesset seats from the victory currently projected by the polls, due to the corruption scandal that broke out over vote-buying allegations in the central committee vote nominating its list for the Knesset, according to data already reaching Likud campaign headquarters. According to the data, the numbers are not final - and the trend continues.

Gilboa residents decide to build separation fence themselves
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
Residents of the Gilboa region embarked on an independent initiative to build a security fence along the 1967 Green Line border Monday morning. The local residents explained that they had decided to take this project upon themselves because the government has failed to build a fence in this area to help protect against hostilities launched from the Palestinian Authority.

Israel jails Palestinian militants
BBC, December 16, 2002
A court in Israel has jailed four Palestinians found guilty of planning suicide attacks that left 35 people dead and many more injured. The lightest sentence handed down was 50 years in prison.

Blair: 'Tough talks' with Syria
BBC, December 16, 2002
The prime minister has said he expects "frank exchanges" and "hard talking" with President Assad, who was greeted on the steps of Number 10 earlier on Monday, with his wife Asma.

Mitzna weighs dismantling Jewish enclave in Hebron
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
Labor Party chairman Amram Mitzna is considering ordering the removal not only of settlements in the Gaza Strip within a year of his election, as he has promised, but also the dismantling of the Jewish enclave in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Sha’ath to Discuss Palestinian Constitution in Cairo
Palestine Media Center, December 16, 2002
PNA Invites US Congress to Supervise Elections -- Palestinian international cooperation minister Nabil Sha’ath confirmed on Sunday he will meet in Cairo with Arab League legal experts on Monday to discuss drafting a Palestinian constitution, which is an integral part of the 100-day reforms adopted by the Palestine National Authority (PNA).

Hamas ready to resume dialogue with Fateh 
Jordan Times, December 16, 2002     
AIN HELWEH, Lebanon (AFP) — The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas said Sunday it was ready to embark on a new round of talks with Yasser Arafat's mainstream Fateh movement to “strengthen Palestinian unity.”

NGOs suffer under intifada conditions
Reuters AlertNet, December 13, 2002
LONDON, Dec 13 (AlertNet) - After more than a year of renewed violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories, NGOs in the region have been forced to adapt their work to respond to the impact on the daily lives of their staff and the people they work with. Agencies said they were having trouble reaching people, and in some cases conditions were so bad that humanitarian workers were unable to report to work.

Israel smashes Gaza homes
Jordan Times, December 16, 2002 
"In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian security officials said seven houses were demolished and two teenage sisters seriously injured when tanks and bulldozers moved into the outskirts of Rafah, a few hundred meters from the illegal Jewish settlement of Morag."

Interview with Israeli collaborator who enlisted others into fake al qaida cells 
Alternative Information Center, December 16, 2002 
Last week Sharon noted, in a meeting in Tel Aviv, that the Al Qaida organisation created secret cells in the territories. This ‘discovery’ jumped the Palestinian Authority leaders. They saw the international damage: soon Sharon will blame Arafat, that he is secretly planning a terror attack with Bin Laden.

Israeli army invades An-Najah University in Nablus 
Alternative Information Center, December 16, 2002 
Nablus, Saturday. 14th Dec. 2002 -- At around 8:30 a.m., two Israeli tanks stopped in front of the main gate of An-Najah National University on the first working day of the week. Thousands of the university students had just arrived to the campus after passing the hard agricultural alternative roads in order to avoid the Israeli checkpoints. Three of the Israeli soldiers invaded the campus for the first time in the past 15 years; they ordered the guards and the employees to evacuate the university in half an hour, threatening to use force in case their orders won’t be obeyed.

Hamas Infiltrators Killed By Israel
CBS News, December 16, 2002
(CBS) Israeli soldiers Monday killed three Palestinians, two of them armed Hamas fighters, and troops destroyed several houses, leaving more than 100 people homeless in separate confrontations in the Gaza Strip, Palestinians said.

Arafat refuses aid from al-Qaeda
The Gainesville Sun, December 16, 2002
JERUSALEM - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat demanded Osama bin Laden stop using the Palestinian struggle for statehood as a reason for the al-Qaeda terror network's attacks, in an interview published Sunday, while Israel said it will bar Arafat from traveling to Bethlehem for Christmas for a second straight year.

Three Palestinians shot dead
BBC, December 16, 2002
Israel has continued its policy of demolishing Palestinian homes -- Three Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli soldiers in two separate incidents in the Gaza Strip early on Monday.

3 armed Palestinians killed in 2 separate incidents in Gaza Strip
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
IDF troops prevented an attack on the Yakinton outpost in the southern Gaza Strip early Monday morning, killing one of the Palestinian gunmen who attacked the base, which is in the Neveh Dekalim area, while two other gunmen escaped. None of the soldiers were injured.

Three Palestinians killed, nine wounded in clashes with the IDF
Jerusalem Post, December 16, 2002 
Soldiers shot and killed three Palestinians, at least two of whom were armed Hamas fighters, in two separate confrontations today in the Gaza Strip. In the course of one of the early morning confrontations, the soldiers also wrecked 16 shacks, leaving more than 200 people homeless, according to Palestinian witnesses.

Cairo to Islamic Jihad: Stop attacks in Israel
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
A leader of the militant Palestinian group Islamic Jihad said yesterday that it was studying an Egyptian request that it halt suicide attacks inside Israel. But in an indication such attacks would not stop soon, the leader, Mohammed al-Hindi, said Islamic Jihad "must defend" itself as long as Israeli occupation continued in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Egyptian border guard injured by IDF fire near Rafiah
Jerusalem Post, December 16, 2002 
According to Egyptian sources, an Egyptian border guard was injured by IDF fire near Rafiah, reports Israel Radio.

Netanyahu seeks meeting with Blair
Jerusalem Post, December 16, 2002   
Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has asked the Israeli embassy in London to arrange a meeting for him with British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the end of this week, Israel Radio reports.

Analysis: Gamble on Syria as Iraq looms
BBC, December 16, 2002
The Syrian president received a quite literal red carpet welcome when he touched down in the UK.

Palestinian sources: Two girls injured by IDF gunfire in Rafah
Jerusalem Post, December 16, 2002     
Palestinian sources are reporting that two Palestinian girls, ages 13 and 14, were seriously injured by IDF gunfire in Rafah Sunday night.

Christmas cheer in short supply in occupied Bethlehem
Jordan Times, December 16, 2002     
BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Broke and exasperated by weeks of crippling Israeli occupation curfews, the Christian Palestinians of Bethlehem are preparing for yet another grim Christmas in the birthplace of Jesus, with Yasser Arafat once again banned from his traditional annual visit.

Nablus Residents Defy Curfew, Clash With IOF Troops
Palestine Media Center, December 16, 2002
More Israeli Destruction of Homes, Orchards Underway -- Nablus’ residents, who have been living under Israeli occupation and curfew for months, were again the targets of Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), who opened fire Sunday at thousands of civilians trying to reach their schools and work, a day after IOF troops raided and closed the city’s major university.

Israeli Tanks Devour Christmas Joy in Bethlehem
Palestine Media Center, December 16, 2002
Palestinians Sing Their Way through Roadblocks -- For the first time in years, Bethlehem’s Manger Square is devoid of a Christmas tree and decorations. The joy of celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth has been devoured by the rumbling Israeli tanks and armored personnel vehicles. They are the only visitors here.

Israel Sentences Four Palestinians to Life-long Imprisonment
Palestine Media Center, December 16, 2002
Four Palestinian residents of occupied east Jerusalem were found guilty Sunday afternoon by an Israeli court for allegedly planning suicide attacks in Israel.

Leadership Urges Int’l Community to Stop Israeli ‘Ethnic Cleansing’, Calls For Adopting ‘Roadmap’
Palestine Media Center, December 16, 2002
In its weekly meeting, the Palestinian leadership condemned the comprehensive Israeli military escalation “against our people in all cities, towns, and refugee camps, which is part of the [Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)] ‘offensive defense’ plan.”

Leadership Urges Respect to Rule of Law
Palestine Media Center, December 16, 2002
The Palestinian leadership has condemned the protection given by some factions to those who were responsible for the “regretful” security incidents in the Gaza Strip recently, while the national and Islamic parties decided to launch a campaign against some of the negative aspects “that have become a burden on our people and their struggle.”

Occupation Chronicle Events in Palestine, December 16, 2002
Palestine Media Center, December 16, 2002
IOF Kill Three Citizens in Gaza Strip / Israeli Bulldozers Demolish 7 Homes in Rafah, Wound Two Sisters / Israeli Occupation Troops Attack Nablus’ Residents, Wound Three Civilians / Israeli Prison Guards Attack Palestinian Detainees / IOF Plans to Demolish Dozens of homes in Barta’a Al-Sharqiyya village

Pentagon Debates Propaganda Push in Allied Nations
New York Times, December 16, 2002
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 — The Defense Department is considering issuing a secret directive to the American military to conduct covert operations aimed at influencing public opinion and policy makers in friendly and neutral countries, senior Pentagon and administration officials say.

Assad told to cut links with terror
The Guardian, December 16, 2002
Israeli fury at Syrian leader's visit -- Tony Blair will press the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, today to close down the offices in Damascus of three of the most feared Islamist militant groups in the Middle East.

Nestle negotiating to buy European operations of Israeli company located in occupied Golan Heights 
Alternative Information Center, December 16, 2002 
The Nestle company is currently holding negotiations to acquire the European dealings of the Eden Springs water company (based in the occupied Golan Heights – AIC). The value of this deal being negotiated is hundreds of millions of shekels.

Gilboa regional council building a 'private' separation fence 
Alternative Information Center, December 16, 2002 
Regional council Gilboa (in the Galilee, bordering on the West Bank north of Jenin – AIC) will commence this morning a project to construct a ‘private’ separation fence from donations raised by council head Danny Attar.

Clal insurance, Aryeh sue PA for NIS 144.5m over car thefts
Alternative Information Center, December 16, 2002 
The companies claim the Palestinian Authority connived at massive theft by Palestinians of cars from Israel.  -- Clal Insurance and its subsidiary, Aryeh Insurance, filed a NIS 144.5 million lawsuit against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) for damages and losses from car thefts in 1996-2000.

Iraq tells UN to stop US strikes
Arab News, December 16, 2002
BAGHDAD, 16 December 2002 — Iraq urged the United Nations to stop an “undeclared war” waged by US and British warplanes as Iraqi air defense facilities were bombed for the second straight day yesterday.

Pentagon: no comment on report of troops in N.Iraq
Reuters AlertNet, December 15, 2002
DUBAI, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Sunday it had no information about an alleged movement of U.S. troops and equipment into northern Iraq from Turkey, reported by Turkey's NTV and the Arabic Al-Jazeera television channel. A Pentagon spokesman in Washington said: "I have nothing on that."

Report: U.S. preparing to deploy 90,000 troops to Turkey
World Tribune, December 16, 2002
ANKARA — The United States has informed Turkey it want to begin the deployment of 90,000 American troops to six Turkish bases for a war against Iraq. Earlier this month, Turkey agreed in principle to allow the United States to use its bases for a possible military campaign against Iraq after being promised $3.4 billion in aid.

U.S. to transfer peacekeepers from Sinai to Iraqi theater
World Tribune, December 14, 2002
The United States plans to transfer most or all of the 960 American troops in the Sinai Peninsula from their peacekeeping mission along the Egyptian-Israeli border to the Iraqi theater.

Iraq List Censored to Protect the Innocent and the Helpful
Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2002
U.S. Seeks to Trip Up Iraq -- UNITED NATIONS -- When the 10 nonnuclear members of the Security Council receive their censored copy of Iraq's weapons declaration Monday, the reports will no longer contain Iraq's recipes for weapons of mass destruction. But another potentially volatile ingredient will be excised as well: the names of foreign companies that, knowingly or not, have supplied Iraq with weapons-making materials.

Western jets attack southern Iraq air defenses
Reuters AlertNet, December 16, 2002
WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - American and British warplanes attacked air defenses in southern Iraq for the third successive day on Monday in response to attempts to shoot down the planes policing a "no-fly" zone, the U.S. military said.

No Signs of Nuclear, Chemical Weapons in Iraq: IAEA Head
Islam Online, December 16, 2002
"This a very positive development," said El-Baradei  -- ABU DHABI, December 16 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – U.N. arms inspectors are making good progress in Iraq and have so far found no evidence of nuclear or chemical weapons production there, according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Mohamed El-Baradei.

Arms Inspectors Search Iraq Nuke Complex
The Guardian, December 16, 2002
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - U.N. weapons inspectors searched a sprawling complex where Iraqi scientists once worked on a nuclear bomb, one of at least six sites they visited Monday morning.

Iraqis top list of asylum-seekers in West - U.N.
Reuters AlertNet, December 6, 2002
GENEVA, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Iraqis fleeing alleged religious and political repression have replaced Afghans as the largest single group requesting asylum in industrialised countries, the United Nations said on Friday.

British troops bound for Iraq conflict to be given suspect Gulf war syndrome drugs
The Guardian, December 16, 2002
British troops preparing for deployment to the Gulf will be exposed to vaccines and anti-chemical and biological medicines similar to those that many scientists believe have caused unexplained illnesses for up to 9,000 veterans of the last Gulf war in 1991.

Mystery surrounds secret 1991 vaccines
The Guardian, December 16, 2002
Britain sent more than 53,000 troops to the Gulf war 12 years ago. They faced the threat of chemical and biological attacks and a series of medical counter measures were hurredly introduced. The range of vaccines was kept secret, even from the troops, to prevent the Iraqis learning how they were protected.

Turkey said building up troops near Iraq border
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
TUNCELI - Turkey has deployed troops and engineers near its border with Iraqto prepare for any U.S.-led war on Baghdad, a senior military official said Monday. The official, in the border province of Sirnak, gave no figure for the size of the deployment but local sources put it at 10,000-15,000 troops.

Fractious opposition extends Iraq talks
BBC, December 16, 2002
Women delegates fear exclusion from decision-making -- Iraqi opposition groups meeting in London have extended their talks into an unscheduled fourth day, as they struggle to find consensus on a future path for the country.

Planning for life after Saddam: 50 opposition groups - and the US
The Guardian, December 16, 2002
They came, deep in discussion, often arm-in-arm, along the narrow corridor to the conference arena: a beturbanned Shia cleric in flowing brown robes debating Saddam's war crimes with a sharp-suited former general of the Republican Guard; a Kurdish rebel in cummerbund and baggy trousers mulling the finer points of federalism with a leader of Iraq's Turkoman community.

Aziz calls Bush 'hypocrite'
Jordan Times, December 16, 2002     
BAGHDAD (R) — Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz branded US President George W. Bush a warmonger and hypocrite on Sunday as UN weapons inspectors revisited four suspect sites. Aziz said Bush was “driving America to a hostile imperialist policy” that was dangerous for both the United States and the world.

Letters: Academic liberty and boycotts
The Guardian, December 16, 2002
"We write as linguists in support of our colleague, Professor Mona Baker, who is under investigation by Umist for removing two Israeli members of the editorial board of a journal she privately owns and publishes..."

Yemen House speaker blasts US ‘terror’
Arab News, December 16, 2002
RIYADH, 16 December 2002 — Washington is unleashing a war of “terror” against all Muslims and the threat to attack Iraq is the start of a wider campaign against Arabs, Yemen’s Parliament speaker said in remarks published yesterday.

Syrians of the Golan demonstrate on its 21st annexation anniversary
Arabic News, December 16, 2002
The Majdal Shams town of the occupied Syrian Golan on Saturday witnessed a mass demonstration in protest of the Israeli decision of annexing the Syrian Golan 21 years ago.

Florida Muslims speak out about civil rights, hate
Star-Banner, December 15, 2002
ORLANDO - Three Muslim men are detained and released along Florida's Alligator Alley after a Georgia woman claims she overheard them talking about a terrorist plot. A University of South Florida professor is suspended after appearing on a national television show and being questioned about alleged links to terrorists.

PFLP plotted to kill Olmert, state claims
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
A Palestinian terrorist cell planned to assassinate Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert in a similar method to Rehavam Zeevi's murder in October 2001. This is one of the charges presented to the Beit El military tribunal in the trial of George Kurt, a Palestinian charged with heading a cell of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Elliot Abrams: From clemency to a senior post
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
WASHINGTON - The news that Elliot Abrams was being appointed as director of Near East affairs at the National Security Council surprised many in the American capital.

Jewish village slated to replace Bedouin town
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
A new Jewish village, and not a Bedouin town as had been originally planned, will be built next year between Lehavim Junction and Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev in the south.

Sharon gives out Labor portfolios to Likud - but bans appointments
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday forbade the ministers who were put in charge of additional portfolios to make political appointments until the elections.

Gas masks deemed `useless' for 30% of public
Ha'aretz, December 16, 2002
Some 30 percent of the public - about 2 million people - will not get sufficient protection from the gas masks provided by the army, defense officials have admitted behind closed doors in the defense establishment.

Labor head Mitzna to address English-speaking immmigrants
Jerusalem Post, December 16, 2002
Labor Party Chairman Amram Mitzna will meet with English speaking voters for the first time since he won the Labor leadership race Tuesday night at 8:30pm at the Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv. The meeting is expected to be the first in a series, intended to acquaint Anglo-Saxon Israelis with Mitzna, and make the new Labor leader aware of the community's concerns.

Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian Scientists Plan ME Conference
Islam Online, December 16, 2002
CALIFORNIA, December 16 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – A group of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian scientists, who met at a scientific conference in the United States, are planning to organize a similar conference in the Middle East.

Egypt allows conference denouncing US policies on Iraq, Mideast crisis
Jordan Times, December 16, 2002     
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian authorities Sunday withdrew their ban on a conference this week that will voice opposition to American policy in the Middle East and threats to attack Iraq, according to an organiser of the gathering.

Audio
Former UK ambassador to Syria: "Syria is much more important in the Middle East than people in Britain realise"
BBC, December 16, 2002

Photos
Bara'em Dance Troupe Pictures
Sam Bahour, indymedia news, December 14, 2002
"Bara’em El-Funoun is the offshoot of the renowned El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe (www.el-funoun.org), a music and dance ensemble, inspired by universal elements of folk art and their particular expression in Arab-Palestinian popular heritage and folklore. Bara’em El-Funoun is the embodiment of a new generation of dancers, a generation that is determined to safeguard and advance Palestinian culture and heritage through dance, music and song."  Note: This page takes awhile to load. It is worth waiting for!