|
Today in Palestine! ~ Headlines ~ |
|
Land, property, resources theft & destruction / Ethnic cleansing
Nighttime demolitions in Al Duyuk
JVS -- At 7pm on 7th April army jeeps drove into the Al Duyuk community,
north-west of Jericho, and demolished four animal shelters. They came
under cover of darkness, and immediately demolished the buildings
without speaking to the owners first. This was a particularly aggressive
action as the owners had appealed to the courts against the demolition
orders, and the orders had been frozen pending a full court hearing.
Once again, the Israeli army were acting not only against international
law, but also against the decisions of their own courts.
http://www.jordanvalleysolidarity.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221
Blocks in the desert / Tal Niv
Haaretz
Magazine
8 Apr -- ...It's a photograph of an inactive army base in occupied
territory, Area C. A few weeks ago, it was reported that the moshav
movement has proposed making renewed use of the base, which the army
closed in 2003. The idea is to establish a civilian settlement to
reinforce the 7,500 settlers already living in the Jordan Rift Valley.
They have an exclusive water supply and a highway, number 90. The
settlers and their infrastructure act as a wedge, a "presence,"
preventing transit and filling the area between the Jordan River and
Samaria, between a border and an ever-expanding non-border. All this in
the midst of 70,000 Palestinians - the native residents of Area C, who
see but are unseen, who have no construction permits for their own
abandoned buildings.
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/blocks-in-the-desert-1.354836
Palestinian family in town of Ramle under threat of eviction
AIC
7 Apr -- ...The family, comprised of 56 persons of whom 35 are children,
lives in seven homes in a compound belonging to the public housing
company Amidar. The family came to the compound in the early 1960s,
subsequently building several tin shacks which over the years were
expanded as the family grew. The living conditions in the compound are
harsh, and the family in essence lives in collapsing buildings and tin
shacks, which appear to have been constructed from various bits of
recycled metal. The houses are insufficient for the needs of the family,
several members of which are forced to sleep outside every night.
http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/topics/israeli-society/3502
Incursions
Village remains under siege weeks after settlement murders / Charlotte Silver
EI 8 Apr -- Awarta
is a poor, sprawling village in the northern occupied West Bank.
Surrounded by land that is now a vivid green from the winter rains,
trails of cactus plants grow between the houses of the village. Two
weeks ago, however, Israel designated Awarta a closed military zone,
sealing the village off from the outside world for five days. During
this time, no ambulances, groceries or fresh produce were permitted in,
and no one was allowed to leave to work or even visit the hospital. For
these five days, Awarta was inaccessible to any media; if residents
snapped a photo, their phones and cameras would be confiscated
immediately. Awarta was subjected to this siege because of the murder of
five members
of the Fogel family in the neighboring illegal settlement outpost,
Itamar. Under the guise of an investigation, Israel applied this severe
punishment to the entire village though the identity of the perpetrator
of the attack is unknown.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11901.shtml
Violence
14 killed in Gaza, dozens injured in series of strikes
GAZA
CITY (Ma'an) 8 Apr 21:26 -- Israeli air strikes and artillery fire have
hit Gaza nine times Friday, killing nine, and bringing the total number
of dead over the past 24 hours to thirteen, half of whom were
civilians. A
mother and daughter and an elderly man were killed in two separate
strikes near Khan Younis, a fourth - identified as an Al-Qassam Brigades
fighter - was killed near Gaza City, and two unidentified men was killed
when a shell hit his home east of Gaza City. A statement from Israel's
military acknowledged civilian casualties, saying that the military
"regrets that the Hamas terrorist organization chooses to operate from
within its civilian population, using it as a 'human shield'." ... The
military reported "heavy rocket and mortar fire," emanating from Gaza
Friday afternoon. A later statement said a total of five mortars and
eight projectiles had been fired from Gaza on Friday.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376717
Gaza under Israeli attacks
[with photos] Due to increased violent and deadly Israeli attacks on
Gaza, below [is] an overview of updates with related news which will be continuously updated.
http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/gaza-under-israeli-attacks/
The IOF used white phosphorus bombs in its latest aggression
GAZA,
(PIC) 8 Apr -- The Interior Ministry in Gaza said that the IOF troops
fired on Thursday 3 white phosphorus bombs at the Gaza Strip. In a
statement on Friday the Ministry said that at 18:50 on Thursday, three
bombs were fired at Juhr al-Deek neighbourhood to the east of the
central Gaza Strip district.
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bc
Thursday's Gaza dead laid to rest
[with
photos]
GAZA CITY (Ma‘an) 8 Apr -- Thousands marched in Rafah, Khan Younis and
Gaza City after Friday prayers, carrying the bodies of seven men killed
by Israeli fire the day before. Six of the dead were Al-Qassam fighters,
and a seventh a 50-year-old civilian ... Funeral processions for three
civilians killed Friday afternoon were expected to take place later in
the day. Civilians Talal Abu Taha, 55, Najah Qudieh, 45, and her
daughter Nedal, 21, will be buried in Gaza City, relatives said.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376767
Factions resume projectile fire at Israel
GAZA
CITY (Ma‘an) 8 Apr -- Palestinian resistance factions resumed
projectile fire toward Israeli targets Friday, less than a day after
Hamas officials declared a ceasefire, seeking to avoid further
casualties. An hour after the initiative was announced, a wave of
Israeli air strikes hit targets across the Strip, killing four Al-Qassam
fighters. Israeli media accused Hamas of offering the ceasefire after a
barrage of projectiles were fired, seeking only an escape from
retaliation. While one faction announced its refusal to participate in
the ceasefire, and the DFLP said fighters launched projectiles toward
Israel at approximately 3 p.m., others held off fire until 4:30, when
the Al-Qassam Brigades launched the first set of projectiles: 4:30 p.m. The
Al-Qassam Brigades say fighters fired six projectiles on Israeli
military posts east of Rafah, and three mortar shells toward the former
Sufa crossing, also near Rafah....
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376838
Iron Dome intercepts rockets
Ynet 8 Apr 18:21 -- Four additional rockets were fired at Ashkelon
Friday and three were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, the
IDF announced. Terrorists in Gaza continued rocket fire towards Israel
Friday, hitting chicken coops as well as a factory and causing serious
damage. At around 4 pm five mortar shells exploded south of Ashkelon.
Around an hour later three additional mortars exploded in Eshkol
Regional Council.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4054099,00.html
Gaza groups declare truce; IAF shells Strip
Ynet 8 Apr 10:28 -- Fearing IDF retaliation following day of missile
attacks on Israeli communities, Palestinian terrorists in Gaza declare
ceasefire as of 11 pm; army unfazed, Air Force, tanks shell more targets
in Strip after midnight. Palestinians report two dead ... Despite the
Palestinian declaration, the army bombed Gaza for the 10th time
Thursday, around midnight, targeting smuggling tunnels in Rafah. IDF
officials confirmed the strike and said the army is preparing for
further retaliation for Thursday’s barrage of rockets. Earlier, a
Palestinian source associated with Islamic Jihad said that the decision
to declare a truce followed consultations with Arab officials around the
world. Another source said the ceasefire announcement was a product of
indirect negotiations with Israel. However, at this time it appears that
the IDF is preparing to launch additional strikes in Gaza overnight and
possibly throughout the weekend, military sources said.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4053931,00.html
Ceasefire status unclear
GAZA CITY (Ma‘an) 8 Apr 16:09 --- The military wing of the Popular
Resistance Committees said Friday they could not commit to a ceasefire
deal with Israel, some 12 hours after Hamas officials announced that one
had been put together. Friday afternoon the National Resistance
Brigades, the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of
Palestine announced that its fighters had launched two projectiles
toward Israel. Spokesman of the group's An-Nasser brigades, Abu Mujahed,
told Ma‘an that they would "never agree to a ceasefire while
Palestinians are being killed by Israel in Gaza."
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376704
Hamas announced ceasefire to be honored by all Gaza factions
Haaretz 7 Apr 22:42 Following cross-border fighting flare-up, Hamas says
cease-fire, agreed upon by all Gaza factions, to come into effect starting Thursday night.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/
hamas-announces-cease-fire-to-be-honored-by-all-gaza-factions-1.354719
Netanyahu warns Hamas: You will bear responsibility for attack on school bus
Haaretz
8 Apr 11:32 -- PM says anti-tank missile attack on school bus crosses
the line, warns that whoever attacks children 'his blood will be on his
own head'.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/
netanyahu-warns-hamas-you-will-bear-responsibility-for-attack-on-school-bus-1.354809
Escalation approaching/ Amos Harel & Avi Issacharoff
Haaretz
25
Mar -- Neither Israel nor Hamas want a new round of fighting, but that
may not be enough to stop it. The halted negotiations and regional
instability bode poorly -- The first terrorist attack in Jerusalem in
three years; a home invasion and murder in a settlement for the first
time in six years; more Palestinians killed in one single day than since
Operation Cast Lead. It's strange how quickly Israel and the
Palestinians reverted to the routine of mutual aggression that destroyed
the last decade. All the nuts and bolts in that machine fell back into
place: the rocket squads, the Israeli aircraft, the Israeli volunteers
rushing to the terror scene, the politicians and the police prattling
incessantly into the microphones.
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/escalation-approaching-1.351739
Israel believes Hamas trying to establish 'balance of terror' / Amos Harel & Avi Issacharoff
Haaretz 8 Aprl -- A 16-year-old Israeli was critically injured on
Thursday when an anti-tank missile fired from the Gaza Strip hit a
school bus near Kibbutz Sa'ad ... A senior defense source told Haaretz
on Thursday night that he believes this was an act by the military wing
of the organization, and that their
aim was to deter Israel and establish a "balance of terror."
According to the same source, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has no
control over the situation and the head of the group's military wing,
Ahmed Jabari, does not take his views into account when deciding
military operations against Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/
israel-believes-hamas-trying-to-establish-balance-of-terror-1.354734
Media coverage
Twitter timeline: Revealing context in #Gaza / Yousef Munayyer
10:28 In what will likely be followed by more attacks on Gaza, a
projectile fired from Gaza hit a bus inside Israel injuring those
inside. Suddenly, news stories began to appear, the "twitterverse" began
reflecting the news of the attack and Israeli officials already began
to speak of punishing Gaza for the attack. The news media coverage of
the event is typical: the timeline begins with an
unprovoked attack on Israelis from Gaza, then Israel responds ... if
this sparks a new Israeli war on Gaza, will anyone remember that the
projectile that hit was preceded by attacks on Gaza?
http://blog.thejerusalemfund.org/2011/04/twitter-timeline-revealing-context-in.html
Fair & balanced (Israeli edition) / Adam Horowitz
Here is the headline on YNet regarding the Israeli attack on Gaza and the Hamas rocket fire into Israel: Chicken coops sustain severe damage.
[This is followed by]: "Mother, daughter killed in Gaza airstrikes
following 11 mortars, six Qassam rockets which damaged chicken coops,
factory in south..." In the time it took me to put up this post, the
headline on the article has already been changed to "8 additional
mortars explode in south." [and now it is "Iron Dome intercepts
rockets"]
http://mondoweiss.net/2011/04/fair-balanced-israeli-edition.html
International abduction / Extrajudicial assassination
Ukraine paper dismisses Israeli claims on abducted Palestinian
M&C 8 Apr -- Kiev - Israeli claims a Palestinian engineer
abducted by secret agents to answer charges he is a top Hamas missile
technician are riddled with factual errors, a leading Ukrainian
newspaper reported on Friday ... Almost every detail of Abu
Sisi's education in Ukraine as alleged by Israeli prosecutors is
demonstrably wrong, the newspaper reported. Abu Sisi never studied at
the Military Engineering Academy in Kharkiv, the newspaper found. An
Israeli Justice Ministry statement said Abu Sisi received his doctorate
there, and was taught by a leading Soviet missile scientist. Abu Sisi's
education in Kharkiv was limited to post-graduate study in 1995 in the
Academy of City Management, where he received training in the operation
of municipal power plants, the article said.
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1631620.php
Family denies assassination of key Hamas figure in Sudan
GAZA (Ma‘an) 8 Apr -- The family of a senior Hamas figure reported
killed in an alleged Israeli strike in Sudan said on Friday that the man
had not in fact been killed. Palestinian security officials said Monday
that Abdul Latif Al-Ashqar was the target of a strike which hit a car on
Sudan's Red Sea coast near the main port killing two on Tuesday. On
Wednesday, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Ahmad Karti accused Israel of
carrying out the attack. Arab
media quoted 'Israeli sources' saying the assassination was executed by
a special unit that entered Sudanese territory from the sea and fired on
the car with a ground-to-ground missile ... Hamas Deputy Politburo
Chief Moussa Abu Marzouq, told the London-based daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi
newspaper that the two "were not Palestinian and had no connection to
Hamas."
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376681
Activism / Solidarity / BDS
Popular protests continue in West Bank
RAMALLAH
(Ma‘an)
8 Apr -- Popular protests against land confiscation for settlements and
Israel's separation wall continued on Friday, with eight
said detained in An-Nabi Saleh, and tear-gas deployed against
demonstrators in Bil‘in and N‘lin. Activists in An-Nabi Saleh said one
of those detained was a journalist, and said two were injured with
rubber-coated bullets.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376797
Corrie lawsuit challenging Israeli impunity / Nora Barrows-Friedman
EI 8 Apr -- Several
Israeli soldiers testified at the witness stand in the Haifa district
court earlier this week, as trial hearings continued in the case of
Corrie vs. the State of
Israel. As the trial drags on, years after Rachel Corrie's killing,
Israel's impunity is being challenged and carefully cross-examined.
Eight years ago last month, 23-year-old American solidarity activist
Rachel Corrie was crushed to death by an armored US-made Caterpillar D9 bulldozer in Rafah, at the southern edge of the occupied Gaza Strip.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11902.shtml
Witness to deceit
Pal. Monitor 8 Apr -- The Palestine Monitor has witnessed nearly half of the Rachel Corrie family’s civil suit against Israel. Since last March, we, along with Al Jazeera, Electronic Intifada, Haaretz, Ynet
and many others, have brought the world shameful stories from Israel’s
halls of justice in Haifa: witness contradictions, investigative
negligence, tampered evidence, amnesiac witnesses, judicial prejudice
and continual perjury. Through public, political and now judicial
pressure, our hope was that Israel would finally explain how Rachel
Corrie died. We know they can - they have the video and audio tapes and nearly a dozen eyewitnesses.But now we know they won’t, ever.
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1748
Jerusalem tram construction company out of London bid
BETHLEHEM
(Ma‘an) 8 Apr -- Reports that a company who built Jerusalem's tramline
will not be considered for a £1 billion (US$1.63) contract
in London were welcomed by Palestinian activists Friday. Veolia,
a French multinational involved in construction and operations of a
tramway that activists claim strengthen Israel's hold on settlements in
East Jerusalem, was not among the final bidders selected for the London
contract, according to media reports Thursday. The activist group
Palestine Solidarity Campaign had fought against Veolia's inclusion in
the bid. The tram line links illegal East Jerusalem settlements to West
Jerusalem.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376645
Racism / Discrimination / Separation
Safed rabbi says struggle to keep the city Jewish moving forward
Haaretz
8 Apr -- Chief Rabbi of Safed's latest statement follows his earlier
call for Jews not to sell or rent homes to non-Jews ... Racial tensions
have risen in recent months with Arab students in the
city reporting being attacked and having their property vandalized,
including two cars which were torched last month outside the city's
academic college. Anti-Arab posters have also been put up in the city.
In his letter, Eliyahu stressed that "this struggle has nothing to do
with racism and hatred. It is aimed in its entirety only at preserving
our state as Jewish."
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/
safed-rabbi-says-struggle-to-keep-the-city-jewish-moving-forward-1.354738
Bad fences make bad neighbors / Tamar Rotem
8
Apr -- The separation fence erected recently in a Jerusalem playground
serving Haredi and secular children didn't last long, but it exemplified
the growing tensions between two groups with very different values and
lifestyles
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/bad-fences-make-bad-neighbors-1.354853
Other news
World Bank: Palestinian growth good but fragile
JERUSALEM (AP) 7 Apr -- The World Bank says the Palestinian economy
shows continued improvement but will not be sustainable unless Israeli
restrictions are removed. Wednesday's report estimated that the
economies of the West Bank and Gaza grew last year by a strong 9.3
percent. But the report says the growth is largely due to international
aid and will falter unless the private sector thrives -- an unlikely
prospect if security restrictions on access to resources and markets
remain in place indefinitely. The report notes improvements in
Palestinian financial institutions. Earlier this week, the International
Monetary Fund said West Bank financial institutions were ready for
statehood. Hamas-ruled Gaza is poorer and subject to greater
restrictions. The World Bank said unemployment there is 37.4 percent.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/World-Bank-Palestinian-growth-apf-1365952595.html
Palestinian youths reject policy of security screening in the W. Bank
RAMALLAH, (PIC) 8 Apr -- A group of Palestinian youths in the West Bank
launched Thursday a new page on the facebook calling on Palestinian
youths to reject the PA security forces policy of “security screening”
as a condition to apply for government employment.
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcO
Analysis / Opinion
Twilight Zone: Mer's last show / Gideon Levy
Haaretz
8 Apr -- The Freedom Theater management says Juliano Khamis 'was the
model of a freedom fighter to the children of the camp, a symbol of our
culture and our struggle ... Had the bullets that hit his back seen his
eyes, they would have begged forgiveness.'
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/twilight-zone-mer-s-last-show-1.354849
Patently irrelevant / David Zonsheine
Haaretz
Magazine
8 Apr -- Discussion of what constitutes a 'patently illegal order' has
been shrouded by the Kafr Qassem massacre ... Kafr Qassem, where Border
Police troops shot 43 villagers at short range, a distance from which
the shooter could look the unarmed victim in the eye, is not the same as
contemporary warfare situations like Operation Cast Lead, where planes
dropped bombs and caused hundreds of casualties without soldiers having
direct eye contact with those hit by the weapons ... More than a million
soldiers have served in the territories since the occupation began. The
incidents they have been a part of are totally different from the
massacre in the village. Unlike the massacre in Kafr Qassem, which
shocked many by virtue of its high visibility, many of the
people killed in the West Bank and Gaza were hurt in what the IDF refers
to as "routine incidents."
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/patently-irrelevant-1.354834
The next Israeli-Arab war, Goldstone will be there / Bradley Burston
3
Apr -- Knowingly or not, every member of the IDF will be carrying
excerpts of the Goldstone Report into combat, into the next war we
fight, and the next, and into every battle, raid, and incursion in
between ... the work of Richard Goldstone and his inquiry will doubtless
be a factor in the IDF's conduct of a future war. And that is good news
for Israel. Some examples: 1. There will need to be a clear and
demonstrable military advantage if and when the "bank of targets"
includes such civilian sites as water wells, flour mills, chicken farms,
electrical power plants, sewage treatment plants. 2. There will need to
be clear instructions given troops regarding intentional humiliation of
civilian populations, in addition to overtly criminal acts such as theft
and vandalism. Penalties for violations must be severe and swift. 3.
White flags will need to be respected. Civilians, and certainly
children, must never be used as human shields, nor as forced inspectors
of possible bombs. 4. There will need to be a re-examination of the
doctrine of using denial of goods and other measures in an effort to
bring a civilian population to heel, with the expectation of its turning
on and toppling Hamas, Hezbollah or similar entities....
http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/a-special-place-in-hell/
the-next-israel-arab-war-goldstone-will-be-there-1.353865
Did a private meeting prompt Goldstone to change his mind?
Forward 6 Apr -- When Richard Goldstone returned home to South Africa
last May for his
grandson’s bar mitzvah -- an event that he was almost unable to
paticipate in because of protests planned against him -- he also
attended
a separate meeting whose details were kept secret until now. In the wake
of Goldstone’s bombshell retraction of a key finding in the famous
report that bears his name, those aware of what occurred at that
meeting, individuals who have known him through the years, felt moved to
disclose what happened.
http://forward.com/articles/136818/
When the walls come tumbling down / Avraham Burg
Haaretz
Magazine 1 Apr -- Is Israel confusing legitimate criticism of its
policies with anti-Semitism to avoid having to make difficult
existential decisions? The questions are tough - the answers even more
so
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/when-the-walls-come-tumbling-down-1.353501
WikiLeaks
Haaretz WikiLeaks Exclusive - collection of articles including the following
Browse them - not all will be treated separately in this list
http://www.haaretz.com/news/haaretz-wikileaks-exclusive
Haaretz WikiLeaks Exclusive: The Israel File
Out
of the 250,000 secret U.S. documents that Haaretz has obtained, 10,000
are particularly important vis-à-vis Israel. While their contents do not
constitute any serious security threat per se, they do reveal some
startling attitudes – on the part of both local leaders and their
interlocutors.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/haaretz-wikileaks-exclusive/wikileaks-the-israel-file-1.354874
Haaretz WikiLeaks Exclusive: Israel has no clear or consistent policy on Gaza Strip or Hamas
8
Apr -- Israel has no clear or consistent policy on the Gaza Strip and
Hamas, nor any coherent ideas about how to deal with them, according to
WikiLeaks documents obtained exclusively by Haaretz. Telegrams sent by
the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv to Washington in November 2009 also show
that Israel refused the Americans’ request to allow more goods into Gaza
to assist the population.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/haaretz-wikileaks-exclusive/haaretz-wikileaks-
exclusive-israel-has-no-clear-or-consistent-policy-on-gaza-strip-or-hamas-1.354824
Haaretz WikiLeaks Exclusive: IDF in 2009: Egypt's Tantawi hindering anti-smuggling efforts
8
Apr -- Israeli representatives said Chief of Armed Forces Council, who
was Egypt’s defense minister at the time, was not doing enough to stop
weapons entering Gaza from Sinai.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/haaretz-wikileaks-exclusive/haaretz-wikileaks-
exclusive-idf-in-2009-egypt-s-tantawi-hindering-anti-smuggling-efforts-1.354810
Haaretz WikiLeaks exclusive: Shin Bet chief an unlikely advocate for Israel's Arabs
...The
Shin Bet chief emphasized in his remarks that the overall quality of
life of Israeli Arabs is better than that of Arabs in neighboring
countries, according to the U.S. envoy: "Most of the time, he allowed,
they have been loyal to the state over the previous 60 years, even
including the 1967 and 1973 wars, and ‘waves of terror’ that followed."
Diskin told the ambassador, according to the report, that "the
percentage of families that have connections with ‘bad people on the
other side doing bad things’ is very low." Referring to these so-called
"bad people," Diskin said that family reunification efforts help explain
the increased involvement of Israeli Arabs in terror incidents.
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/haaretz-
wikileaks-exclusive-shin-bet-chief-an-unlikely-advocate-for-israel-s-arabs-1.354802
Arab MKs furious at Shin Bet chief
Ynet 8 Apr -- Arab
MKs were steamed Friday at a WikiLeaks revelation that Shin Bet chief
Yuval Diskin said they were "flirting with the enemy" ... MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad) was also furious. "With this statement Diskin has defined us as enemies and not citizens,"
she said, explaining that the Shin Bet chief was continuing a political
attack he began in 2007, "when he said he would target any struggle aimed at achieving equality in the state"
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4054107,00.html
WikiLeaks: Lieberman on Abbas, Rashid
BETHLEHEM
(Ma‘an) 8 Apr -- Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in 2006
suggested an adviser to the late Palestinian President to fill the post,
slamming current President Abbas, US government cables detailed by
Israeli daily Haaretz Friday revealed.
Lieberman described current
President Mahmoud Abbas as "weak and corrupted, and no longer relevant,"
and suggested Rashid instead, "although he is no Woodrow Wilson," he
added.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376738
Iraq / Afghanistan
Thursday: 1 US soldier, 4 Iraqis killed, 15 Iraqis wounded
As U.S. soldiers continue to die in Iraq, U.S. Defense
Secretary Robert Gates traveled to Iraq to meet
with senior government officials and discuss the possibility of extending troop
presence beyond the agreed deadline of Dec. 31. Besides the one U.S.
soldier who died in a non-combat incident in Mosul on Tuesday, at least
four Iraqis were also killed and 15 more were wounded in new incidents. So far this
month, another four U.S. soldiers have died. A blast killed
two people and wounded four others near a mosque in al-Rida....
http://original.antiwar.com/updates/2011/04/07/
thursday-1-us-soldier-4-iraqis-killed-15-iraqis-wounded/
AP exclusive: Terror suspects held weeks in secret
KABUL,
Afghanistan
(8 Apr) -- The CIA's infamous secret network of "black site"
interrogation centers is gone. But suspected terrorists in Afghanistan
are being held and interrogated for weeks at temporary sites, including
one run by the elite special operations forces at Bagram Air Base,
according to U.S. officials who revealed details of the
detention network to The Associated Press.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110408/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan_gray_sites
U.S.
Police training programs twin US-Israeli racism / Hira Mahmood & Wafa Azari
EI 7 Apr -- The
racism of the American "war on drugs," especially in the south, is
notorious. So is the racism faced daily by Palestinians. In Atlanta, a
university program allows these two manifestations of racism to feed off
each other and community activists are organizing to shut the program
down ... Housed in Georgia State University's
(GSU) Criminal Justice Department, GILEE is a police exchange program
whereby high-ranking Georgia police officers travel to Israel to learn
counter-terrorism tactics from the Israel national police. Conversely,
Israeli police officials travel to Atlanta every two
years to learn Georgia's drug enforcement tactics such as those employed
against Johnston, Tremaine Miller, Pierre George and countless other
African-American victims of police abuse and aggression. Through GILEE,
the Israeli police adopt these tactics and employ them on Palestinian
citizens of Israel and Palestinians residing in the occupied
West Bank.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11899.shtml |
| For further information contact Shadi Fadda |
|
|
