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Today in Palestine! ~ Headlines ~ |
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Do the Wall's Roots Start to Reveal Themselves?
If these are the roots of the Wall, then surely it will not bloom with flowers, but with settlements. The olive groves will be replaced by concrete houses, and the citrus farms by new roads, and Jayyous will become a new refugee camp. A new Nakba is awaiting a solution, while we are still living the previous one.
http://stopthewall.org/communityvoices/823.shtml
Israeli Troops Destroy House in Jerusalem
They destroyed the house under the pretext not acquiring building permission, according to witnesses. Since the occupation of Jerusalem (1967), Israeli troops prevent Palestinians from building or reconstructing their houses while allow Israeli colonizers.
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?field=tech_news&id=1921
Sexual abuse and humiliation of female detainees
The Palestinian Prisoners Society issued a report today claiming that soldiers and interrogators in Israeli detention camps conduct continuous violations and abuse against female detainees and use interrogation and torture methods which are considered illegal by the International law.
http://www.imemc.org/headlines/2004/December/week2/120804/cells.htm
IDF "probes" death of Palestinian teen during soldiers' hike
The boy's father, Suleiman Mahdi, claims the gunfire was not accidental. "Seven bullets pierced Khaled's head, so you can't talk here about a mistake or random gunfire. This was an act of direct and clear sharpshooting."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=511736&contrassID=1&subContrassID=5&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Israel censured over Palestinian poll
Mustafa al-Barghuthi, a prominent independent candidate, at a press conference on Wednesday in Ram Allah said Israel was not allowing candidates freedom of movement within the West Bank and between the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0136AEF0-6673-458C-9FF0-11E912E0A799.htm
Barghouti to quit Palestinian race if demands met
Jailed leader Marwan Barghouti will quit the Palestinian presidential race if his political demands are met by his main election rival, former prime minister Mahmoud Abbas, a Fatah official said on Wednesday.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/511860.html
Israel shuts down two Hebron charities
The Israeli army has closed two charities in the Hebron area which locals say give food and money to poor and orphaned Palestinians.Locals said Israeli soldiers, equipped with huge welding machines, sealed the premises of the two committees without informing their officials.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/1DCC97C6-F3C9-4BBE-80CD-4722F542AA45.htm
Settlers attempt to kidnap a student in Huwwara
After the failed attempt, settlers stepped out of their car and attempted to kidnap Husam Mazin Odeh, who fought fist fought, along with his friends, with the settlers who threatened to shoot them; the youths managed to escape. “The Israeli police came later on, and requested the settlers to leave without arresting any of them as if nothing happened, or no crime done”, Odeh said.
http://www.imemc.org/headlines/2004/December/week2/120804/Huwwara.htm
Israel says 148 unarmed Palestinians killed by army in West Bank in 2004
Israel has killed 148 unarmed Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the year, the army said Wednesday. The Israeli army is currently hunting 560 Palestinian activists in the West Bank suspected of involvement in anti-Israeli attacks, while some 3,000 others are behind bars, the unnamed officer said.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2004/December/middleeast_December208.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
Is Marwan Barghouti right to run?
Barghouti may not be able to run on the Fatah ticket after the movement picked Mahmoud Abbas as its sole candidate in an opaque process. However, Barghouti has the right to run as an individual and as one of a handful of Palestinians widely-known enough in the occupied territories to make the election a serious contest, his candidacy can only benefit democracy.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3408.shtml
Palestinian leaders kick off ice-breaking visit to Lebanon
The Palestinian delegation held talks with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Omar Karameh and National Assembly President Nabih Berri over issues of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, bilateral relations and the Middle East peace process.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/09/content_2311048.htm
Abbas: Refugees Status in Lebanon to Improve Soon
“We heard positive statements concerning refugees conditions, few measures are already in place; other measures will be implemented soon” Abbas told reporters, but refrained from explaining further.
http://www.imemc.org/headlines/2004/December/week2/120804/abbas%20refugees%20status%20to%20improve.htm
Palestinians in Jerusalem should participate in elections: Erekat
Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Wednesday that there won't be any elections unless the Palestinians in Jerusalem participate, alike the 1996 elections arrangements.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/08/content_2310189.htm
Bush gives Palestinians $20 million
The Bush administration on Wednesday announced it was giving $20 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority to help it through a financial crisis.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N08171754.htm
Mubarak pushes regional peace initiative during Kuwait visit
Mubarak is trying to persuade Kuwaiti ruler Prince Jabber Ahmed al Sabah to open negotiations with Israel for diplomatic ties, and to pressure Syria to demonstrate more daring political moves that will persuade Israel of Damascus' seriousness about renewing the political process with Israel.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/511432.html
Egypt TV airs interview with Israeli embassy official
In this frosty climate, the invitation to appear on Egyptian television's premier channel is an unprecedented gesture toward Israel, and one that comes weeks before Tikochinsky ends his stint as embassy spokesman and returns to Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/511799.html
European Parliament to monitor Palestinian elections
The MEPs will be on the ground in the Middle East from the 6 to 10 January. They will hold meetings with the candidates and with election officials, before monitoring election day in five key areas: Gaza, East Jerusalem, Hebron, Nablus/Jenin and Ramallah.
http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+PRESS+NR-20041208-1+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&L=EN&LEVEL=2&NAV=X&LSTDOC=N#SECTION1
Abbas tries to woo hardliners during Damascus visit
"Syria backs the struggle of the Palestinian people to recover their rights, liberate their land, [secure] the return [of refugees] and set up an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital," Otri told Abbas.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=10799
NATO chief: We'll only send troops to Mideast if peace deal reached
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, Scheffer said that the role NATO plays in the Israel-Palestinian conflict must be conditioned on a peace treaty, and on a request filed by both sides calling on the organization's involvement in the region. ( As it was conditioned in Kosovo? Or as US wants? )
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/511890.html
Palestinians seek 4.5 billion dollars in aid, peace talks in sight
Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath urged the world community to provide 4.5 billion dollars in reconstruction aid to help the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority lay the foundation for an independent state.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1515&ncid=1515&e=5&u=/afp/20041208/wl_mideast_afp/mideast_palestinian_041208161442
Refugees not optimistic about new PA visit
Mahmoud Salameh, listening to the radio near a mosque while awaiting noon prayers, said he feared the visit might lead to abandoning the refugees and settling them permanently in Lebanon. "I smell permanent settlement in the visit ... nothing more," Salameh said.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=10795
What does Marwan Barghouti want?
Is the only problem standing between Barghouti and the Palestinian presidency the fact that he is in jail? Or, is Barghouti’s run for president just an effort to get concessions from Abbas and he will withdrawal his name ahead of the election?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6678141/
Blair's peace initiative dismays Israel
Although Ariel Sharon will embrace Mr Blair as a "great friend" of Israel when Mr Blair arrives for the two-day visit on December 21, concern is increasing in Jerusalem at Britain's attempts to force a greater role for Europe in ending the conflict.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1368631,00.html
Rights group calls for appropriate mechanism to ensure impartiality counting Palestinian votes
In general, the process of registration was slow and the number of citizens wishing to register was relatively low; this can be attributed to two main factors: the Palestinian internal security situation and the public feeling that the PNA was not serious in holding elections, especially as the aforementioned presidential decree did not specify a date for holding elections;
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3410.shtml
Noam Chomsky: Reshaping History
By then, a two-state settlement in these terms had become a very broad international consensus, blocked only by the US (and rejected by Israel). So matters continued, not only in the Security Council but also in the General Assembly, which passed similar resolutions regularly by votes like 150-2 (with the US sometimes picking up another client state).
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story.php?sid=20041208042723578
France seeks penalties against Hezbollah-linked network
Such comments could also point to a "lack in the requirement of honesty of information," the CSA said, adding that "Israel has never been declared guilty of crimes against humanity before an international criminal court."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=511491&contrassID=1&subContrassID=8&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Report: Mideast populations not benefiting from oil boom
Youth unemployment - 25.6 percent in 2003, the highest in the world - is a major challenge, particularly as the region has a very young population. Some 37 percent of people in 2000 were younger than 15, and 58 percent were younger than 25.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=3&article_id=10790
AIPAC Probe Intensifies
FBI agents searched AIPAC's headquarters here Wednesday, seizing files associated with two senior staffers who were interviewed in August amid allegations that a classified Pentagon document was leaked and passed on to Israel.
http://www.jewishtimes.com/News/4374.stm
Arab NGOs call for boost to human rights, democracy in Arab world
Participants deplored the absence of Syrian human rights activist Aktam Issatoun, who was barred by his government from leaving to attend the Rabat meeting, according to Driss Yazami, secretary general of the International Federation of Human Rights (IFHR).
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1515&ncid=1515&e=10&u=/afp/20041208/wl_mideast_afp/mideastusreform_041208190019
US Marine claims unit killed Iraqi civilians
Former Marine Sergeant Jimmy Massey appeared as a witness to bolster claims by fugitive paratrooper Jeremy Hinzman that he walked out on the 82nd Airborne Division to avoid being ordered to commit war crimes in Iraq.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1260377.htm
Fallujah Did Not Break the Back of the Insurgency
The New York Times published a classified memo from the CIA station chief in Baghdad, who said the situation was deteriorating and was likely to get worse, with more violence and sectarian clashes, unless there was a considerable improvement in the efforts of the interim Iraqi government to assert authority and build the economy.
http://www.counterpunch.com/cockburn12082004.html |
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