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Today in Palestine! ~ Headlines ~ |
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IOF Arrests US Peace Activist, Assaults others
Peace activist, Ridwana, from south Africa, told WAFA that Israeli soldiers arrested US activist Kate Bender-Raphael, while she was filming the Israeli attack. Kate has been taken to the Israeli Ministry of Interior in Jerusalem. She now faces deportation. Ridwana said that Kate is detained now (Wednesday) at the detention department of the Israeli airport.
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?field=tech_news&id=1942
Israeli army razes W. Bank village in preparation for barrier construction
The Israeli army on Tuesday razed the village of Bal'ein in the West Bank in preparation for the resumption of the separation wall construction in the area. Palestinian residents said Israeli bulldozers, guarded by jeeps and armored vehicles, razed large areas of Palestinian farming lands.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/14/content_2334637.htm
Documentary film review: "Israeli Wall in Palestinian Lands"
While one of the interviewees holds the extreme belief that the wall's purpose is to ultimately limit a Palestinian state to the Gaza Strip, most of them think that the long-term intention of the wall is to make the lives of Palestinians so miserable that they will leave voluntarily, allowing Israel to further colonize the West Bank.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3430.shtml
Two Years in Jayyus
During the first stage of the construction of the Wall, 72% of Jayyus' lands, some 8,600 dunums, were confiscated and now fall behind Wall. The Wall now totally separates the people of the village from their livelihood (70% of the 3,000 inhabitants of Jayyus have been totally dependent on agriculture). Tens of thousands of trees have been uprooted, and valuable water resources, olive and citrus groves, and greenhouses are isolated behind the Wall.
http://stopthewall.org/photos/828.shtml
Sanctions against apartheid South Africa should inspire the Palestinian people
It took almost 20 years of lobbying before strong punitive measures against South Africa were taken. The developing countries played a crucial role, being the first to impose sanctions against South Africa in the 1960s. The United States and the United Kingdom continued their friendly relations with South Africa for a long time, but ultimately also decided to participate in boycott measures.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3429.shtml
Witnesses: Palestinian killed by IDF troops in central Gaza
Another Palestinian man was seriously wounded in a second shooting incident at the same spot soon afterwards, witnesses said. The sister of Mustafa al-Sawarka said he was killed by IDF tank fire on the taxi in which he was traveling, Israel Radio reported.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/514884.html
Fatah commander killed by Israeli troops
The Israeli soldiers prohibited the medical staff from reaching the body and kept the journalists away from the scene, the witnesses added. They said the Israeli army unit had exploded a fake explosive device in order to attract the attention of Ghanam and shot him dead the moment he stepped out of his house.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/15/content_2334901.htm
Israeli Soldier Admits Killing British Peace Activist Tom Hurndall
Hurndall was killed by an Israeli sniper in Rafah City as he was trying to save some children who were under fire. After nine long months in what the doctors call a "vegetative state," his body breathing but his mind and brain destroyed, he died in mid-January 2004.
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?field=tech_news&id=1941
Hamas rejects claim that use of weapons 'has got to stop'
Khaled Mashal, head of the Hamas politburo based in Damascus, said Hamas is not yet ready to accept a cease-fire with Israel. Mashal did say that a pan-Palestinian agreement for a cease-fire remains an option.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/514306.html
Abbas denies seeking end to armed struggle
"I don't want my comment on the demilitarization of the uprising to be misunderstood ... All I meant is that we are in a phase that does not necessitate arms because we want to negotiate," Abbas said in Riyadh where he ended an official visit Wednesday.
http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041215-083516-2665r.htm
Latest SIS Poll: Abu Mazen's Support Increasing Fast
Geographically speaking, 58.3 percent of those polled in West Bank provinces supported Abu Mazen, compared to 68.1 percent in Gaza provinces. As for Mustafa Barghouti, he received the support of 17 percent in the West Bank and 11.2 in Gaza Strip. With margin of error of ±4 percent, the SIS poll showed that 80.1 percent of the polled will actually vote...
http://www.ipc.gov.ps/ipc_new/english/details.asp?name=1510
Labor's Itzik cancels meeting with Likud representative
Labor MK Dalia Itzik called off a meeting with attorney Yoram Raved, who heads the Likud team in coalition talks, saying that the ruling party's offers were not enough to end a crisis in the negotiations, Israel Radio said early Wednesday.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/513889.html
Israeli PM offers Labor interior, communication portfolios
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has offered the opposition Labor Party both the interior and communication portfolios after the breakdown of coalition talks between both sides, Israel Radio reported Wednesday.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/15/content_2339104.htm
Italy's FM to visit Israel, Palestinian territories next week
Later Tuesday, Fini will go to Ramallah for meetings with Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia. He is scheduled to meet interim PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas and Parliament Speaker Rawhi Fattuh on Wednesday.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=515015&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Israel forging closer ties with EU but membership not on horizon
The European Union's Middle East peace envoy Marc Otte said the onus was also on European countries to improve their relations with the Jewish state. "I think it is the duty of Europe to get Israel out of its isolation from international institutions and to make Israel a true and full partner in the world," he told the conference.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1515&ncid=1515&e=4&u=/afp/20041215/wl_mideast_afp/israeleu_041215183339
Egypt sees angry U.S. angering Middle East
Egypt sees an angry United States provoking more anger -- and adding to instability -- in the Middle East, and thinks its own role is to try to calm everyone down, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Wednesday. The United States could solve half its problems with "terrorism" if it brought about a just settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1587404.htm
Egypt, U.S. disagree on Mideast peace process
Egypt, he said, is a regional power that can influence world events. Egypt's status as the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, in 1979, and its close ties with the United States make it a key mediator between other Arabs and Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/515024.html
Report: Qureia to replace Arafat associates in new cabinet
The current foreign minister, Nabil Sha'ath, will be replaced by the present Palestine Liberation Organization envoy to the United Nations and Arafat's nephew, Nasser al-Kidwa... The report also names the secretary-general of the Fatah Central Committee, Tayeb Abdel Rahim, as a possible deputy to Qureia and former security chief Mohammed Dahlan as national security adviser.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/514898.html
White House welcomes Abbas appeal
"We remain focused on working toward a strategy that will put in place the institutions necessary for a viable state to emerge, but fighting terrorism and putting in a unified security force are key to those efforts," he said.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041214/pl_afp/mideastuswhouse_041214202847
Russian Monitors to Control Elections in Palestine
A Russian MID envoy will go to the Middle East on December 16 in order to make contacts with regional heads and international mediators and negotiate the preparation for the election in Palestine.
http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=-3728
Leading Hamas preacher warns of clash with Islamic Jihad
For years they worked side by side, more or less in harmony. During the intifada they even began cooperating militarily and claimed joint responsibility for many attacks in Gaza. But Hamad is now hinting that Islamic Jihad wants to take Hamas' place, and is citing Iraq as an example.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=514836&contrassID=1&subContrassID=5&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Israeli tanks shell southern Gaza
The sources said Israeli tanks stationed around the settlement of Neveh Dekalim in the west of the neighborhood fired several tank shells at some residential houses, causing severe damage. Meanwhile, sources reported that Israeli troops asked for army reinforcement...
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/15/content_2338531.htm
MK Lapid warns of potential riots in Israeli Arab sector
Barakeh said the subcommittee will not protest the budget in the near future, but will rather focus on the return of balancing grants to the poorer Arab municipalities. Earlier Tuesday, heads of Arab municipalities demonstrated outside the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem to protests cuts to balancing grants.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/514420.html
Take Syrian Gestures Seriously--Israel's Shalom
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said on Wednesday peace signals from Syria should be taken seriously, not ignored, but reiterated a precondition that Damascus stop harboring Palestinian militants first.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041215/wl_nm/israel_syria_dc_1
Hariri: Oslo has led to a dead end
"It's wrong to look at the creation of a Palestinian state as a consolation prize if they behave themselves," he added. "A Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is the Palestinian people's right." Hariri said that Palestinians were "ready for a comprehensive peace, based on international resolutions."
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=11019
French foreign minister praises decision to ban Al-Manar TV
The committee endorsed a decision by the government to "re-assess the facilities given to French audio-visual stations broadcasting to Lebanon." A meeting of Lebanese and Arab satellite-broadcasting media, attended by Information Minister Elie Ferzli, urged Lebanon to retaliate in kind to the French ban by banning French broadcasts to Lebanon.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=11020
Lawsuit Against Rumsfeld Threatens US-German Relations
The Pentagon expressed concern Monday over a criminal complaint filed in Germany against US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other officials over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, warning that "frivolous lawsuits" could affect the broader US-German relationship.
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1427743,00.html
Three Polish soldiers dead, four injured in Iraq helicopter accident
The incident brings to 20 the number of Poles killed in Iraq since the country deployed troops in the war-torn country in August 2003. Of the casualties, 16 were soldiers and four were civilians. Polish Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski announced Tuesday that his country planned to cut the size of its force in the US-led coalition in Iraq from 2,400 troops to 1,700 in mid-February.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1515&ncid=1515&e=14&u=/afp/20041215/wl_mideast_afp/iraquspolandtoll_041215125929
Saddam loyalists more of a threat than Zarqawi: Myers
"The predominant threat are the former Baathists, the Iraqi intelligence service, former Republican Guards and leaders in the former regime of Saddam Hussein," Myers told reporters during a visit to Bahrain. "Zarqawi is the leader of mostly foreign fighters and some Iraqis, he is also very ruthless," added Myers, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1515&ncid=1515&e=5&u=/afp/20041215/wl_mideast_afp/iraqusmyersbahrain_041215191742 |
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