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Starting tomorrow: Escalation in collective
punishment of Gaza – with supreme court
approval - further electricity cuts planned
Israeli Apartheid Week launches in Soweto
Israeli Apartheid Week 2008 was officially launched on
Sunday, 3 February in Soweto, South Africa. Exiled
Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset, Azmi Bishara,
addressed his lecture on the 60th anniversary of the
Palestinian Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of
Palestinians were displaced from their land to become
what remains one of the world's largest refugee populations.
Bishara spoke under the banner "Silenced in Apartheid Israel
-- Welcomed in Soweto" alongside prominent South
Africans such as Eddie Maque, General Secretary of
the South African Council of Churches.
Israeli shells kill 7 Palestinian
policemen in Khan Younis
The Palestinian police force in Khan Younis, in the southern
part of the Gaza Strip, reported that the Israeli Tuesday
shelling to the police station in Abasan town, near Khan
Younis, left seven policemen dead and at least ten others were injured.
8 dead in Israeli strikes in Gaza
Israel killed eight Hamas militants Tuesday, firing
missiles into the sandy courtyard of a Hamas police
station as the Islamic militant group claimed
responsibility for a bold strike inside Israel, the
first suicide mission in over a year.
Palestinians: Men killed by IDF strike
died during afternoon prayer service
Palestinian sources reported Tuesday that the six people
killed by an IDF missile strike in the southern Gaza Strip
town of Khan Younis, died during an afternoon prayer
service. The Palestinians further reported a second
explosion in the Rafah area. Earlier, Palestinian sources
in Gaza reported the IDF has fired a missile at a
Hamas police post. (Ali Waked)
Israeli spy plane fires a missile at Palestinian
civilians in eastern Gaza, two injured
Palestinian sources reported that an Israeli army spy
plane fired a missile at a group of Palestinian civilians,
on Wednesday morning, in the town of Jabaliya located
in the eastern part of the Gaza Strip and injured two of them.
The Israeli army kidnaps four Palestinian civilians
from several parts of the West Bank
Four civilians were reported kidnapped by the Israeli army
from several parts of the West Bank during pre dawn
invasions on Wednesday.
Report: the Israeli army kidnapped 60 civilians
(including 11 children) from Hebron during the
moth of January 2008
The Palestinian Prisoners Society office in the southern West
Bank city of Hebron issued a report on Wednesday; the
report states that during the month of January 2008 the
Israeli army kidnapped 60 Palestinian civilians from the city.
Hamas: P.A security arrests four
three supporters
Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, issued a press release on
Tuesday accusing Palestinian security forces loyal to Fateh
movement in the West Bank, of arresting three members
and supporters of the movement on Monday.
Palestinians: IDF forces arrest
Palestinian in Ramallah
Palestinian sources in Ramallah reported Tuesday evening that
a large IDF force had operated in the center of the West Bank
city and arrested a Palestinian. According to the report, the
force encircled the house the man was in and left following the
arrest. The sources claimed that the man was not a wanted
member of one of the Palestinian organizations. (Ali Waked)
Israeli forces arrest 10 Palestinians in West Bank
Israeli forces on Wednesday arrested 10 Palestinians in
West Bank cities, saying they were wanted by Israel,
Palestinian security sources said. The detainees were
arrested in West Bank towns of Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus,
Qalqilia and Hebron. According to Israeli sources, they
were taken for interrogation.
Israeli forces arrest teenager in Hebron
The Israeli soldiers morning seized a Palestinian teenager
near the Ibrahimi mosque in the southern West Bank city of
Hebron on Tuesday morning. Ma'an's reporter named the boy
as seventeen-year-old Abdul-Ghani Badir, confirming that he
was physically assaulted by the soldiers during his arrest.
The Israeli forces claim the boy was in possession of a knife
and was attempting to stab a soldier.
against residents in Hebron
The Christian Peace Teams (CPT) stationed in the southern
West Bank city of Hebron issues a press release on an attack
carried by extremist settlers against Palestinian Shepherds
in the southern West Bank city of Hebron. The attack was
carried out on Saturday morning, January 12, 2008.
The Israeli army demolish Palestinian-
owned house in Jerusalem
On Wednesday morning the Israeli army demolished a
Palestinian-owned house located in the old city part of
Jerusalem.
Qassams land near Ashkelon,
in western Negev
Again, rocket falls outside southern city, five others land
in open fields in Negev. Eshkol Regional Council head calls
on government to speed up fortification of houses in region.
Treating their criminals better than the innocent
civilians in Gaza: Dichter: Heating, air conditioning to be
installed in new prisons
Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said on Wednesday
that Israel Prisons Service (IPS) will install heating and
air-conditioning systems in all new facilities to be built in
the future. In addition, the IPS will launch a comprehensive
refurbishment scheme in all existing facilities.
(See: Schools re-open to darker, colder classrooms )
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen
Israeli and Palestinian groups
deplore tightening of Gaza blockade
There are fears that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is set
to worsen after a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court,
supported by church and civil rights groups (both
Palestinian and Israeli), failed to stop the government
from stepping up its blockade of fuel supplies and power
into the territory. Israel's top court effectively endorsed
the illegal use of collective punishment against the civilian
population of Gaza, who are trapped in siege-like conditions.
Fuel supplies to the territory have been cut since September
2007 in response to Palestinian rocket attacks on civilian
targets in southern Israel.
Hamas: Any foreign troops in Gaza will be
dealt with as an occupation power
The Hamas Movement on Wednesday categorically
rejected the deployment of international troops in the
Gaza Strip as proposed by the Hebrew state. Dr. Sami
Abu Zuhri underlined that his Movement and the entire
Palestinian people reject this proposal, adding that the
people would deal with any such force as an occupation power.
Bomber's aunt: He was depressed
following parents' divorce
One of suicide bombers from Hebron who carried out
attack in Dimona left his mother letter saying he plans to
detonate himself 'in order to get rid of this life which
caused me to suffer so much'.
Mother of suspected Dimona suicide
bomber: 'I still expect him back'
HEBRON - "At about 4:30 in the morning, he woke me up,"
said Ahmed al-Harbawi, brother of Muhammad, one of the terrorists
who carried out Monday's suicide bombing in Dimona. "He told
me that he was going to prayers and asked me to close the door
behind him. He did not say anything else and I did not fee
l anything unusual in his behavior."
Address the plight of Palestinians
It is naive to think that a peace agreement between the
Palestinians and the Israelis is possible without looking at the
entire matter from a holistic perspective. The Palestinians are
in an endless state of suffering that has just escalated over time.
Any attempt to engage them in a peace proposition should take
this aspect into account.
Hamas urges militants,
leaders to be on guard
Hamas called Tuesday all Palestinian militants
and leaders to be careful and warned them of
assassination attempts planned by Israel.
'Int'l body must resettle Palestinians'
n a novel Israeli approach to one of the prickliest issues facing
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, MK Benny Elon (NU-NRP)
is proposing the establishment of an international body in lieu
of UNRWA to deal with the resettlement of Palestinian refugees
over the next decade. The proposal, part of the hawkish
parliamentarian's alternate peace plan known as "The Israeli
Initiative," is meant to be "a first step" towards resolving one
of the most difficult final status issues.
Egypt warns Hamas against
provocations on Gaza border
Egypt has warned Hamas Tuesday of causing any further
provocations on the Gaza border a day after clashes between
Palestinians and Egyptian border police erupted.
Israel will build a fence along
parts of the Egyptian border
Israel will soon begin construction of a security
fence along certain parts of the Israeli-Egyptian
border, it was decided Wednesday in a meeting between
the prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister
and security officials. The fence will be built in the
northern area of Nitzana and in the southern Eilat
region, which are considered to be particularly
vulnerable to infiltration. Monitoring of other areas
will be reinforced by additional ground forces and
aerial observation measures.
JORDAN: Defining "hardship" -
a new yardstick for Palestinian refugee aid
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, will
adopt new criteria to identify hardship cases among the
1.9 million Palestinian refugees who benefit from its
humanitarian assistance programme, according to an
UNWRA official.
Israeli police shut down Palestinian humanitarian
association near Jerusalem
Israeli police and border guards raided the offices of the
Educational Forum Association in the town of Sur Bahir north
of Jerusalem on Tuesday. They also ransacked the homes of
the Association's employees. The operation lasted more than
three hours, during which the entire building was searched and
several computers were confiscated. After the operation was
over, the leader of the Israeli police force handed a warrant to the
Association's director closing it down. The Association was
known for offering humanitarian and educational services to
local Palestinians.
protecting Jerusalem, its holy places
Dr. Hasan Khatir, secretary-general of the Islamic-Christian
Front for Defending Jerusalem and its Holy Places, called on
the rich Arab and Muslim residents in the Arab World to participate
in defending the holy places in Jerusalem as Jewish billionaires
from the former Soviet Union and the USA are supporting
extremist Jewish groups in control all Arab areas in the city.
Toddlers not immune from
discrimination in Israel
After Fathi's son had been attending a child daycare center
for several days, the daycare worker telephoned him and said:
"We have a problem with your son ... and after the other parents
found out, some of them have removed their children from the center."
Fueling disaster
At the bus stop at Palestine Square, in the bustling
heart of Gaza City, 25-year-old Said Ramadan cried to
passersby, "Fuel, fuel, fuel! Come and buy!" Last week Ramadan
took advantage of the blasting through of the border wall
between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and the brief respite
from months of siege to travel to the nearby Egyptian town
of al-Arish and stock up on gallons of fuel. Rami Almeghari
reports from Gaza.
Fayyad, Palestinian refugees reach
agreement on unpaid utility bills
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad reached an
agreement with the representatives of Palestinian refugee
camps on Tuesday on the issue of unpaid electricity and
water bills, which Fayyad's Palestinian Authority government
is demanding the refugees pay.
Lecturer who refused to teach reservist in
uniform told: Praise IDF or lose your job
An Arab filmmaker must declare that he respects the uniform of
the Israel Defense Forces in order to continue working as a lecturer
at Sapir College, the institution's president, Prof. Ze'ev Tzahor,
has decided. The decision stemmed from an incident in November,
when a student on leave from his annual reserve duty showed up
in uniform to Nizar Hassan's class. Hassan asked the student,
Eyal Cohen, to leave, and when Cohen refused, the lecturer
forbade him to talk for the rest of the class. Hassan said that
he refuses to teach soldiers, and therefore, Cohen would only
be allowed to talk if he came to class in civilian dress.
LGBT Palestinian organisation
formed in Jerusalem
A long-established group for gay, lesbian, trans and bisexual
Palestinians in Jerusalem has decided to become independent.
Al-Qaws began life six years ago as a project of the Jerusalem
Open House for Pride and Tolerance (JOH).
'The Palestinian dream is over'
Occupied Jerusalem: Dr Mustafa Al Barghouthi, a member
of the Legislative Council and a prominent Palestinian activist,
could not find a better word than "disaster" to express his
anger at the announcement made by Hamas officials regarding
a study that aims to separate the economy from Israel
and connect with Egypt.
Beitar Jerusalem club, fans split over Arab
player's dream to break racial barrier
Beitar Jerusalem yesterday refused to comment on
the prospect of its adding an Arab player to its roster for
the first time. Earlier this week, Standard Liege's Salim
Tuame said, "I want to make history and be the first Arab to
play for Beitar." The only reaction from the club was, "If he
wants, he should turn to us, and we'll discuss the matter and
respond accordingly." A moderate leader of Beitar's fans, who
asked not to be identified, said many fans "would want an Arab
on Beitar and to end racism, but the truth, to my regret, is that
the majority are against" the idea.
Israeli Jews: Decision to close October
2000 riots case dangerous
Demonstrators say Attorney General Mazuz's decision not to
indict police officers involved in death of 13 Israeli Arabs 'has
no place in a civilized, democratic state' - Israeli Jewish youngsters
have joined the protest against Attorney General Menachem
Mazuz's recent decision not to indict the police officers involved
in the October 2000 riots, which left 13 Israeli Arabs dead. During
a rally held outside the Justice Ministry building in Jerusalem on
Tuesday, the demonstrators said the decision posed a danger not
only to the Arabs, but to Jewish Israelis as well. "We, the Zionist
Israelis who feel the Arab minority's pain, believe such a decision
has no place in a civilized, democratic state," said Noa Epstein,
who met one of the victims, Asil Asala, during a "Seeds of Peace"
summer camp in 1997.
Democratic suspicion
A Palestinian public sector strike, such as the
one that began yesterday and is expected to
continue today, is the type of news that here
is considered a purely "internal Palestinian matter,"
lacking any media importance. But beyond the basic
fact that the modest wage demands are a direct result
of the policy of closure and economic attrition on the
part of the true sovereign - Israel - the strike presents
a genuine challenge to the stability and strength of
Salam Fayyad's government, and demonstrates the
erosion of its public credibility.
"And the governor said, Why, what evil that man
(Jesus) has done? But they cried out more vociferously,
shouting, let him die, let him die. And when Pilate saw that
he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was being
made, he took water, and washed his hands before the
multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just
person; see ye to it. Then all the people answered, saying:
His blood be on us, and on our children…"Matthew 27 (23-26).
As always in an election year, American presidential contenders
are displaying some distinguishable differences on a whole range
of political, social and economic issues affecting American voters.
Can I Have My Change Back? Arab-Americans
and Obama's False Hope
At what point does an individual stop supporting the
lesser of two evils? The question became particularly important
this primary race, as one man ascended to political stardom
ostensibly breaking free from the evils of mainstream politics
and creating a platform based on hope and change. This
transcendent figure is presidential hopeful Barack Obama.
Searching for substantive policy, I began to chip away at Obama's
political posturing and came to a daunting conclusion: there are
a multitude of reasons one, especially an Arab-American,
shouldn't vote for Barack Obama.
Bush budget launches
new Israel aid
The Bush administration launched its new $30 billion
defense aid to Israel in its proposed 2009 budget.
US military aid to Israel for 2009: $2.55 billion
Israel may use up to 25% for military equipment and arms
from local defense industries Fiscal year 2009, which will begin on
October 1st, 2008, will be the initial year in a ten year plan for US
military aid to Israel under an MOU signed by the countries last
year. According to the new US-Israel aid plan, Israel will receive
a total of $30 billion in military aid over the next ten years starting
in 2009, with the amounts gradually increasing from $2. 55 billion
to a ceiling of $3. 1 billion as of 2013 and throughout the plan.
The provision of the funds is subject to US congressional approval,
as are all budgetary laws. As with previous aid packages, Israel
may use up to 25% of the funds for purchases of military equipment
and arms from local defense industries. The remaining 75% must be
used for arms purchases from the US.
OPINION: Worse than a crime —
Uri Avnery
The Gaza Strip is the largest prison on earth. The breaking of the
Rafah wall was an act of liberation. It proves that an inhuman policy
is always a stupid policy: no power can stand up against a mass of
people that has crossed the border of despair. IT LOOKED like the fall of
the Berlin wall. And not only did it look like it. For a moment, the Rafah
crossing was the Brandenburg Gate.
From Prison to Zoo: Israel's "Humanitarian"
Control of Gaza
The metaphor of the Gaza Strip as the world's largest
prison is unfortunately outdated. Israel now treats the
Strip more like a zoo. For running a prison is about
constraining or repressing freedom; in a zoo, the question
is rather how to keep those held inside alive, with an eye to
how outsiders might see them. The question of freedom is
never raised. The ongoing electricity crisis helps to
illuminate this shift, so to speak.
Breaking the Silence is bringing its exhibition,
"Soldiers Talk about the Occupation" to the
U.S. in February and March.
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