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Today in Palestine! ~ Headlines ~ |
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Israel refuses visa extensions for foreign passport holders
In a new escalation of Israel's policy of denying Palestinians and their families access to the Israeli occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), the Israeli Civil Administration at Beit El is refusing to accept at least 140 passports for visa extensions. The passport holders are mostly spouses and children of Palestinian I.D.-holders and are residing in the oPt. Many of them have been forced to become “illegal” since their visitor visas have expired while waiting to be renewed by Israel.
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/12/05/140-visa-denials/
Witness to checkpoint abuse “punished” by IOF
Police claimed that the HRW had struck one of the soldiers and asked him to sign a document promising never to visit Nablus again. The aggrieved HRW refused, pleading wrongful arrest and physical abuse. He was then asked to sign a document promising not to argue with Israeli soldiers at Huwwara checkpoint for a period of 15 days, before being released without charge at approximately 10pm.
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/12/05/witness-to-checkpoint-abuse-punished-by-iof/
Army hands out demolishing orders to several residents in Hebron
Army claimed that the huts are too close to a (ILLEGAL) settlers road known as Road 60. 40 families will be homeless in the military order was implemented, local sources reported.
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23074/1/
Child detainee threatened with rape during interrogation
A Palestinian child detainee (Dhia' Mahdi Al Bostami, 15, from Nablus), who was taken prisoner by the Israeli forces two months ago, said that he was threatened with rape by Israeli interrogators unless he confesses to what they accuse him with. The child also said that he was tortured for 25 days and was confined to solitary in Petah Tikva prison.
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23070/1/
Sabatash checkpoint closed indefinitely
The Palestinian man asked for one last favour before he was to be killed – for the soldiers to deliver the warm clothes to his son and wife. The soldiers then took the clothes and burned them in front of the man as he lay naked on the ground. After more than 12 hours of humiliation, the soldiers pushed the handcuffed man down a steep slope, cutting his skin on thorns and rocks. Nearby villagers rushed out to take care of him as the soldiers left and he eventually returned home, with both arms broken.
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/12/05/sabatash-closure/
Israeli army takes 14 residents prisoner in several West Bank areas
In the southern West Bank city of Hebron troops invaded the village of Sourif, Al Soura, Al Riha, and Al Fawwar refugee camp and took prisoner seven residents. Several army forces invaded the villages and the refugee camp, troops attacked residents houses, ransacked and searched them before taking the seven to unknown locations.
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23063/1/
Arab MK Bishara to propose bill to return expropriated land
Attorney Suhad Bishara, representing the Adalah Center, a rights advocacy group which deals with land rulings, said the proposal is meant to complement a verdict reached by the High Court, "which clearly states that the bond between the expropriated land and its owners remains even after the land is taken."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/797220.html
Israel offers to free 1,000 in exchange for release of Shalit
"It is hard to envision a scenario in which Israel agrees to release Marwan Barghouti [a leading Fatah figure sentenced for his role in the deaths of Israelis] but in any case, it should be understood that names have not been discussed at this point. We have only talked about numbers," the Israeli source added.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/796917.html
in spite of sickness, detainee sentenced to twenty-two life terms
Al Hotari is suffering a sickness in his eyes, and is gradually losing his sight especially since he is not receiving the needed medical treatment and attention. His lawyer said that there were no convicting evidences against his client for the claimed involvement
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23068/1/
The cornerstone of a Mideast alliance
The conservative regimes' defeat could be the prologue to a general conflagration that would jeopardize even the cold peace with Egypt and Jordan. Islamic democracies, which are currently the region's only realistic alternative to secular dictatorships, will always be anti-West and hostile to an agreement with Israel. The "moderate" regimes' cries of distress are taking various forms. One is the plea for a comprehensive Israeli-Arab settlement, which would help remove or moderate the hysteria of the masses and the jihad culture, which threaten the stability of the region's key countries.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/796908.html
PA crisis: Waiting for Abbas' speech
The failed efforts to form a unity government have thrown the Palestinian Authority into an even deeper political crisis. President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to address the Palestinian people in the coming days, perhaps as early as Tuesday, to explain the steps he plans on taking.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3336249,00.html
Palestinian PM says national unity gov't talks must continue
"The door for dialogue must be kept open and talks between the Palestinians must continue," he told reporters in the Syrian capital. "However, if there are sides among the Palestinians who want to close the door on dialogue, then they alone would bear responsibility for the results of their position," Haniyeh said
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/796867.html
Royal opposes Iran's nuclear ambitions
French Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal showed her support for a number of Israel's key policy stances regarding Iran and Hamas as she spoke with journalists in Jerusalem on Monday at the end of her two-day visit to Israel. When it comes to negotiating on France's behalf, she said, she would not meet with Hamas members of the Palestinian Authority, even though she has spoken out previously in support of recognizing any country's elected leader.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1164881818660&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
Rabbis forbid using schoolbooks with map of pre-1967 lines
An organization of right-wing rabbis on Tuesday issued a Halakhic decree forbidding students from using schoolbooks featuring maps of Israel which include the pre-1967 Green Line border, Israel Radio reported. MK Ronit Tirosh (Kadima), formerly the Director-General of the Education Ministry, also criticized Tamir, saying that she does not possess the authority to issue such an order.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/796919.html
Meet the Green Line
"Most textbook maps label the area east of Egypt not as 'Israel' but as 'Palestine,'" Dr. Steinitz wrote. It would be interesting to know how Steinitz and his right-wing comrades will react to Education Minister Yuli Tamir's instruction that all maps in new editions of Israeli textbooks show the Green Line. Tamir says we cannot demand that our Arab neighbors note the 1967 borders when our education system has erased them from textbooks and student awareness.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/796896.html
Arab children may lose preschools
Almost 1,000 Arab and Bedouin children may soon face closed doors with some 300 preschools face closure as the Ministry of Education cracks down on groups operating in residential homes without the necessary permits.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3336347,00.html
Blair to call for Palestine move during US visit
Tony Blair is to fly to the US tomorrow for talks with President Bush and US congressional leaders to urge America to recommit itself to the wider Middle East peace process, as one way of dampening the near civil war in Iraq.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/story/0,,1964082,00.html
IDF seeks intel-sharing with NATO
In a sign of growing ties between Israel and NATO and in an effort to create better interoperability between countries in the global war on terrorism, the IDF's Military Intelligence (MI) plans to establish an intelligence- sharing mechanism with the Western military alliance, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1164881818681&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
Palestinian clerics: Israel trying to export AIDS to PA
Religious figures who participated in the conference cautioned that one of Israel's aims is to damage the Palestinians by spreading promiscuous norms that are likely to negatively affect residents of the PA. "Israel is trying to hurt the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people also by means of exporting AIDS, drug trafficking, promiscuous norms, and making prostitution legal..."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3336134,00.html
Israeli Arabs: Jewish co-existence a challenge
Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Chairman Shawki Khatib explained, “We've already seen the reality of which the Arab public says to the Jewish public, ‘I want to live together, and I really mean it', but the Jewish public has still not reached the same conclusion.”
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3336528,00.html
Palestine core to peace in Mideast
Dr Nazif said that resolution of the Palestinian conflict is the core for the alleviation of tension in the Middle East. “The Arab region is subject to numerous political problems — in Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon and Sudan,” Dr Nazif said.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2006/December/theuae_December98.xml&
section=theuae
Israel is the Worst Brand in the World
The Nation Brand Index surveys a regular list of 35 nations, with Israel added to the list for the first time for this survey and analysis. For example, respondents around the world were asked: "How strongly do you agree with the statement that this country behaves responsibly in the areas of international peace and security?" Israel scored the lowest of all 36 countries surveyed. Even Americans placed Israel 35th out of 36, with China last.
http://www.scottishpsc.org.uk//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1697&Itemid=103
Too late for 2 states?
The recent resurgence in discussion about the bi-national concept is essentially due to the lack of movement toward a negotiated two-state solution coupled with what are deemed irrevocable Israeli facts on the ground in the occupied territories, making the possibility of a viable and independent Palestinian state remote.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-dajani04_106dec04,0,4503631.story?coll=orl-opinion-headlines
Israel embarks on PR face-lift
"When the word 'Israel' is said outside its borders, we want it to invoke not fighting or soldiers, but a place that is desirable to visit and invest in, a place that preserves democratic ideals while struggling to exist," she said, according to a Reuters news agency report. A staffer with the London-based global ad firm Saatchi and Saatchi is already working with the Israelis free of charge on the re-branding effort.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20061205-121045-4183r.htm
Six comments on the situation
When the first Gulf War ended in 1991, Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, then chief of military intelligence, was asked why the Americans didn't finish off Saddam Hussein. His answer was prophetic: Better a live Saddam, slightly battered, than a dead one. Only he can prevent a battle of Gog and Magog between the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. Too bad Bush junior didn't consult Lipkin-Shahak before invading Iraq.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/796912.html
MK Bishara to MK Erdan: Go f*** yourself
MK Gilad Erdan (Likud) in favor of the legislation, told Chairman of the National Democratic Assembly MK Azmi Bishara - clearly in reference to the MK's meeting with Bashar Assad - that he could "go hold a position in Syria". In response, Bishara told him "you can go f*** yourself."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3336500,00.html
IDF 'using psychiatric clause to exempt settlers from draft'
The Israel Policy Center filed an administrative petition at the Tel Aviv District Court yesterday against the Israel Defense Forces, demanding access to data regarding the number of teens not conscripted into the army because of their participation in anti-disengagement protests or the disturbances at the illegal outpost of Amona.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/796868.html
Merkel, Chirac urge Syria not to meddle in Lebanon
"They wish that Syria will no longer support forces that want to destabilize Lebanon and the region,” the statement said. "Through a change in its behavior Syria can hope to develop the normal relations it desires with the international community, including the countries of the European Union."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3336395,00.html
Cluster bomb blast kills man, wounds another in S. Lebanon
The United Nations and human rights groups have accused Israel of dropping as many as 4 million cluster bombs on Lebanon during the July-August war with the militant Hezbollah group. United Nations ordnance clearing experts have said that up to 1 million cluster bombs failed to explode and continue to threaten civilians.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/797265.html
Gates: U.S. can't promise Iran won't attack Israel
Robert Gates, nominated to replace Donald Rumsfeld as U.S. defense secretary, on Tuesday said Iran was trying to acquire nuclear weapons and its leaders were lying when they said the program is strictly civilian.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/797134.html
Exit Bolton
To be a surgeon, one must be able to navigate the intricate pathways of the human body. To be a carpenter, one must know how to work with wood. And to be an international diplomat, one must understand and practice the ancient and essential art of diplomacy. U.N. Ambassador John Bolton is known for many things - intensity, brusqueness, combativeness and, above all, a neoconservative ideology that views multilateralism with suspicion and the United Nations with disdain. Diplomacy is nowhere on the list.
http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/12/05/ed.edit.bolton.phn.1205.p1.php?section=opinion |
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