With a headshot of Marwan Barghouti, Haaretz brings us this chilling report from
the Israel Bar Association describing Israel’s isolation wings at the Ayalon and
Shikma prisons as “not fit for human habitation” and “look more like a dungeon.”
“crammed, rancid with smells of sewer and mold, and infested with insects.”
The report noted that prolonged stay isolated from the general prison population
has profound psychological impacts. “Many isolated inmates testified to have
developed paranoia, a tendency for uncontrollable fits of rage, and eyesight problems
because of the lack of natural light through most hours of the day,” the lawyers wrote.
… Prison Servic spokesman Yaron Zamir said in response that isolation was being
carried out “under court monitoring and according to sheer necessity, while providing
the appropriate conditions, rights and treatment.” He also said that a multi-year plan
by the Prison Service included a large investment in renovating the prisons, including
the isolation wings, with work already having begun in a number of them.
Reider: ‘A non-violent movement of exactly the kind prayed for by liberals wishing for a
Palestinian Gandhi’
Jan 02, 2011
Kate
and other news from Today in Palestine:
Land, property, resource theft and destruction / Ethnic cleansing / SettlersSettlers attack Hebron popular committee official
HEBRON (Ma’an) — Settlers in Hebron attacked a Popular Committee official on Sunday, leaving him unconscious, witnesses said. Azmi Ash-Shuyukhi was transferred by ambulance to Hebron’s government hospital after he was beaten while leading a solidarity tour near Yatta, south of the West Bank city. After regaining consciousness, Ash-Shuyukhi said 10 settlers punched and kicked him, leaving cuts and bruises all over his body. Israeli soldiers were present and witnessed the attack but did not intervene, he added. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347527Armed settlers surround Palestinian home
Dozens of armed settlers on Sunday surrounded a Palestinian home in Burin south of Nablus, a Palestinian Authority official said. Ghassan Doughlas, a settlement affairs officer who monitors the northern West Bank, said settlers attempted to enter the home of Um Ayman Suwan, but were stopped by dozens of residents … The village suffers frequent violent attacks by residents of illegal outposts and the Bracha and Yitzhar settlements http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347506This article manages to avoid saying anything at all about planting trees to cover ethnically cleansed Palestinian villages Fire forces Israel to reassess tradition of tree planting
…The devastation has raised questions about the place and management of forests in a drought-plagued Middle Eastern country in an age of global warming. And it has forced a reassessment of traditional tree-planting efforts long seen by Israelis and Jewish contributors abroad as part of a national mission to “make the wasteland bloom.’’ http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2011/01/02/fire_forces_israel_to_reassess_tradition_of_tree_planting/
Bil`in and the murder of Jawaher Abu Rahmah Bil`in protester’s mother ‘not seeking revenge’
In the mourners’ tent set up in her backyard, the grieving mother told Ynet that in spite of the double tragedy which struck her family, her strong belief in peace as the only solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remained unchanged. “I brought my children to the world with love and I educated them to believe in peace and not to act violently,” she said. “Out of six children, I have four left,” she added. “I’m not complaining because it’s not in our hands. God decides what will happen. I ask the people of Israel to take a firm stand against the occupation…” http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007543,00.html Scenes from Jawaher Abu Rahmah’s funeral
includes video, photos http://mondoweiss.net/2011/01/scenes-from-jawaher-abu-rahmahs-funeral.html Images; funeral of Bil`in protester Jawaher abu Rahmah http://972mag.com/images-funeral-of-bilins-unarmed-protester-jawaher-abu-rahmah/ Army investigating death of Bil`in protester
[that is, they’re thinking up ways to blame her death on the Palestinians] …An Israeli military statement issued Saturday evening said Palestinians initially reported that Abu Rahmah was released from hospital Friday and died at home. “Subsequently the Palestinians changed their version of events, claiming that she died in the hospital,” the statement continued. A military spokesman did not immediately know who the Palestinians quoted in the statement were, but said he would look into it. Bil’in popular committee spokesman Jonathan Pollak said the statement was a “shameless lie aimed at distorting reality.” http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347236 Lawyer slams army cover-up of tear gas death
JERUSALEM (AFP) — The lawyer of the family of a Palestinian woman who died after being tear-gassed by Israeli troops at a West Bank protest accused the military on Sunday of a cover-up. “Once again the army is covering up the actions of its men, instead of apologizing and conducting a serious inquiry,” Michael Sfard told Israel’s army radio after the military announced an investigation into the death of Jawaher Abu Rahmah. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347419 Y-NET reporter slurs non-violent movement
There’s lies, damn lies, and then there’s the following kind of journalism. As Joseph reports, Jawaher Abu Rahma, who lost her brother Bassam Abu Rahmah to tear gas just 18 months ago, died this morning from tear gas poisoning. The single most important thing about movement both siblings belonged to, and paid with their lives to sustain, is that it is a non-violent movement, of exactly the kind prayed for by liberals wishing for a Palestinian Ghandi or Mandela. http://972mag.com/y-net-reporter-slurs-non-violent-movement/ Demonstrators ‘return’ tear gas canisters to US ambassador’s home / Joseph Dana
(with photos) 1 Jan – Israeli activists protesting the killing of Bil’in’s Jawaher Abu Rahmah ‘returned’ spent tear gas canisters to the residence of the American ambassador to Israel late Saturday evening. Jawaher Abu Rahmah, 36, was evacuated to the Ramallah hospital yesterday after inhaling massive amounts of tear-gas during the weekly protest in Bil’in, and died of poisoning this morning. The tear gas used by the Israeli forces in Bil’in is manufactured by Combined Systems Inc.; a United States company based in Jamestown, Pennsylvania. This is the first protest where empty tear gas canisters have been returned to an ambassador’s home.
UPDATE 11:40: The police now claim that some of the tear gas canisters were still ‘live’ and thus, the activists are being charged with attacking the US Ambassador’s home. Among the demonstrators arrested are those who were simply in the area and not involved in any protest. There is an appeal being filed right now. http://mondoweiss.net/2011/01/demonstrators-%E2%80%98return%E2%80%99-tear-gas-canisters-to-us-ambassador%E2%80%99s-home.html Incroyable: Israeli protesters who ‘returned’ empty US tear gas canisters used at Bil`in to US ambassador — are being held on illegal possession of weapons / Jerry Haber
UPDATE: Nine activists were arrested in total last night. They are being brought before a judge right now on suspicion of possession of firearms (related to used means of crowd disperse found at the scene). The police have told the activists that they intend to extent their arrest. More updates to follow. http://www.jeremiahhaber.com/2011/01/incroyable-israeli-protesters-who.html Hundreds rally in Tel Aviv to protest Bil`in woman’s death
…according to several eyewitness accounts … the soldiers began firing tear gas as soon as they saw the demonstrators. This was well before they reached the fence and certainly before any stones were thrown. Many other witnesses, including this writer, saw that the army blanketed the village in enormous quantities of gas, causing children as young as 8, who were standing at least 150 meters from the fence, to gag and spit up mucus … According to the website MySay [only in Hebrew, unfortunately], the army uses a type of tear gas that is the most toxic and dangerous type available. The gas, known by the acronym CS, was outlawed in the UK as far back as 1964 due to concerns over its many side effects – one of which is the potentially deadly accumulation of fluids in the lungs several hours after exposure to the gas. http://972mag.com/hundreds-rally-in-tel-aviv-to-protest-bilin-protesters-death/ Video: Protesting the revolting death of Jawahar Abu Rahmah / Ami Kaufman
… And then I saw the police brutality saved for left wingers. I’ve been to my share of demos. When I was a teenager demonstrating against religious coercion, I never saw such force. When I was a student on strike at Tel Aviv University, I never saw such force. When I witnessed the disengagement from Gaza in Gush Katif, I never saw such force. What I did see was the disrespect, maybe even the hate, in the eyes of the policemen. Below is an unedited video of the footage I took with my pocket camera last night. After 30 seconds, the blocking of the road begins, and some of the arrests start at 5:00. At 9:57 a violent arrest takes place.
ttp://972mag.com/protesting-the-revolting-death-of-jawahar-abu-rahmah/ Video: Protesters breached the wall in Bil`in 31-12-10
Note the music at about 3:25 and especially the copious amounts of tear gas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FErDPdMzWjY Video: The shooting of Jawaher’s brother Bassem Abu Rahma in April 2009
He was hit in the chest with a high velocity tear-gas projectile shot directly at him, and died of his wounds minutes after. Sulhia’s other son, Ashraf, was injured about two years ago when he was shot by an IDF soldier while being bound.
Lest we forget. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yM9U2y-op4
Other Violence / Aggression Soldiers shoot dead Palestinian at checkpoint
NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Sunday shot dead a Palestinian man at Hamra checkpoint east of Nablus in the northern West Bank. Sources in the Palestinian Red Crescent identified the man as Tubas-resident Mahmoud Muhammad Dharaghma, 21, and said his body was riddled with bullets. Eyewitness Dr Hatim Froukh said Dharaghma was shot at close range by three soldiers … Other witnesses said they saw Dharaghma trying to approach the checkpoint with a Coca-Cola can in his hand. As he came close to a female soldier, witnesses said, she started shouting at him, and immediately two other soldiers showered him with gunshots. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347306 IDF to investigate Bekaot checkpoint incident
IDF is set to investigate the incident surrounding the shooting of a Palestinian Sunday morning at the Bekaot checkpoint. The Palestinian was shot over fears that he was attempting a stabbing attack on one of the soldiers. The suspect, Muhammad Drajama (21), was armed with a glass bottle. [End] http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007613,00.html PA: Israeli shooting ‘dangerous escalation’
Ramallah (AFP) …Nabil Abu Rudeina, spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the death of Mohammed Daraghme, which came less than 48 hours after the death of a Palestinian protester who inhaled massive amounts of tear gas at a demonstration. “The Israeli escalation in the last two days is aimed at demolishing any hope of a peace process, and we ask the US administration and the international community to take necessary steps to stop the dangerous escalation against the area,” he told AFP. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347431 Israeli airstrikes injure 2 in Gaza
Israeli warplanes launched attacks early Sunday morning on two sites in the Gaza Strip leaving two Palestinians injured, medics said. Locals said the first airstrike targeted a training field for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, in Jabalia in northern Gaza. Medics said one Palestinian was injured and the strike caused serious damage to the field and neighboring homes. Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets fired missiles at an open area west of the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. One civilian was injured and transferred to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, medics said. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347281 Case against IDF officer closed
Testimonies counter claim that former Kfir Brigade commander condoned violence against Palestinians. Attorney: Itai Virob moral officer who emphasized humane, moral behavior http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007498,00.html Army: Soldier injured at anti-wall rally
RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Israeli military said Saturday that a soldier was lightly injured at an anti-wall rally Friday in Nil’in west of Ramallah in the central West Bank. Israeli soldiers used force to shut down the protest, firing tear-gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets at demonstrators. The army said a soldier was hit in the face by a rock thrown by a protester. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347283
Activism / Solidarity Egypt allows Indonesian aid into Gaza
EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Egyptian officials at the Rafah crossing allowed an Indonesian aid convoy to enter Gaza on Sunday. The group brought 2 tons of medicine and medical equipment estimated to be worth $60,000, organizers said. The Indonesian ambassador to Egypt delivered the aid to the Egyptian Red Crescent. Meanwhile, Egyptian officials said preparations were complete to receive the Asia One aid ship at El-Arish port. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347573 Asian ship sets sail from Syria with Gaza aid
DAMASCUS (AFP) – An aid ship carrying goods for the blockaded Gaza Strip and backed by Asian activists has set sail from the Syrian port of Latakia for Egypt, a Palestinian official said in Damascus on Sunday. Khaled Abdel-Majid, a spokesman for Palestinian groups based in Syria, told AFP that the boat had left Latakia on Saturday, and was en route to the the Egyptian port of El-Arish, where the aid would be off-loaded for transportation overland to Gaza. He said that 112 activists had arrived in Egypt on Sunday to link up with the aid convoy. Several Asian charity organizations, mainly from India, were behind the initiative, Abdel-Majid had said earlier. A dozen activists would be on board the “Salam” (Peace in Arabic), from Asian countries that included Iran, Japan, Pakistan and Afghanistan, he had said. “The ship has been the target of Israeli provocations” since sailing into international waters, Abdel-Majid said on Sunday. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347601 Report: Israeli navy detains Gaza-bound ship
Iranian Fars news agency reported Sunday that two Israeli Navy ships detained a ship named ‘Salam’ which was sailing to Gaza with intentions of getting humanitarian aid into the strip. The passengers on the ship claimed that they were detained in international waters. A ship with eight Asian activists left Syria on Saturday. The activists are hoping to pass equipment on to Gaza strip residents through the Rafah border crossing in Egypt. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007668,00.html Santa appears in Tulkarem
…Accompanied by a young man wearing traditional Palestinian dress, Santa was trailed by dozens of children chanting “boycott Israel.” He distributed Palestinian-produced snacks with stickers encouraging residents to boycott settlement goods. The event was organized by the local anti-wall campaign committee. Campaign coordinator Fayez Itneib said Santa’s visit aimed to wish Palestinians a happy new year and to remind them of the urgency of the boycott campaign. By twinning Santa with a man in traditional dress, organizers hoped to affirm the unity between Christians and Muslims as they faced Israel’s occupation together, Itneib said. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347221
Racism / Discrimination Ashkelon rally targets Arabs who ‘seduce girls’
Residents of Ashkelon are planning to protest Tuesday against “Arabs who associate with girls”. Leading the rally is City Councilman Tomer Glam, who says the protest does not stem from racism. “Associating with minors is a serious criminal offence,” he explained. Fliers handed out in anticipation of the rally say, “Father, wake up before Yusuf is sitting in your living room”. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4008005,00.html Waiting period for Palestinians seeking status extended
Additional six-month wait imposed on Israeli-Palestinian couples. MK Zahalka: “Calling this racism would be a huge compliment. It is a merciless, retroactive law. Even couples who met and married before the law was legislated must abide by it. Above everything else it is an inhumane law.” http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007983,00.html Intellectuals: Firing racist rabbis not enough
Dozens call on State to prosecute municipal rabbis who called not to rent, sell apartments to Arabs; say other option is ‘dictatorship that will destroy Israel’ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007502,00.html Artists protest against rabbis’ letter
Writer organizing protest says ‘racial dictatorship’ overtaking Israel will annul its right to exist — Artists on Sunday protested a racist letter published by rabbis, calling on Jews not to rent homes to Arabs. The protest followed a formal request for the dismissal of the rabbis, including the chief rabbi of Safed, issued on Saturday. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007975,00.html
Detention Israeli forces arrest 2 children in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Sunday detained two Palestinian children in Jerusalem’s Old City, witnesses said. Khaled Dweik, 6, and his 7-year-old cousin Mohammad Suheil were playing hopscotch in the Bab Al-A’mud area. They were throwing stones as part of the game and accidentally hit an Israeli soldier who then arrested them, locals said. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347537 Hamas: PA detained 3,000 members in 2010
…At a press conference in Gaza City, [Hamas spokesman Fawzi] Barhoum said 1,404 of those detained by PA forces had served time in Israeli jails, 49 were prominent Hamas leaders, 49 Imams of mosques, 405 university students and 24 professors. Those imprisoned also included 36 journalists, 12 businessmen, five pharmacists, seven women and 12 school children, he added. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347519 Commission: Reports of Hamas detainee’s death are false
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Commission for Human Rights on Sunday said media reports that a Hamas member died in Palestinian Authority custody were false. Representatives of the commission said they visited Muhannad Neiroukh in a PA prison in Bethlehem, and that he was on hunger strike but in good health. [End] http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347492 Hizb ut-Tahrir: PA detained members
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hizb Ut-Tahrir accused Palestinian Authority security forces of detaining at least 100 members during home raids across the West Bank on Saturday. In a statement issued a day earlier, the movement said the PA and the PLO had abandoned the Palestinian cause. Hizb Ut-Tahrir is an international pan-Islamist party seeking the re-establishment of an Islamic Caliphate. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347231 IOF soldiers arrest Jordanian citizen on his way back home
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)– The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested a Jordanian national a couple of days ago while on his way back to his country, Jordanian press sources said in Amman on Saturday. They said that the IOF soldiers at King Hussein bridge between Jordan and the occupied West Bank on Thursday detained Amjad Sidir, 46, and questioned him before deciding to take him into custody. Relatives of Sidir, a merchant, said that he visited occupied Jerusalem after obtaining a visa from the Israeli embassy in Amman and abided by the visit instructions during his 15-day stay, which made news of his arrest “surprising”. http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7JEgKXs6PfqJePraAZ%2bccX%2bNUM%2fLhU3i6P5rD0%2frcYfOSLCUN5iaGADfmvzJBeoGuVqxK36hS7dnAvYfgIU1UHKKNtDQeXAbPMN3lhM27m3Q%3d 2 East Jerusalem teens arrested on suspicion of stoning bus
Two east Jerusalem teenage boys have been arrested on suspicion of hurling stones at a bus near the Old City’s Nablus Gate. There were no reports of injuries in the incident. [End] http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007824,00.html Hamas plan: missile at soccer match
Cleared for publication: Two Hamas members from east Jerusalem were indicted Sunday on suspicion of planning to fire a missile at Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium during an Israeli premier league soccer match. Their remand was extended by two weeks.According to a Shin Bet investigation, the two men – Moussa Hamada of Sur Baher and Bassam Omri of Beit Safafa — began planning the terrorist activity after the Israeli operation in Gaza. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007707,00.html
Siege Gaza: One border crossing to operate
Israeli authorities informed Palestinian crossings officials that one Gaza crossing would be partially opened on Sunday for the limited transfer of goods into the coastal enclave, liaison officer Raed Fattouh told Ma’an … With regards to the export of Gazan flowers and strawberries to European markets under a Dutch government program supporting cash crops, Fattouh said 10 truckloads would leave via Kerem Shalom crossing. The bulk goods Karni crossing will remain closed, Fattouh said. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347285
Retaliation Hamas wing claims killings in 2010
Hamas’ armed wing on Saturday claimed responsibility for killing seven Israelis during operations in 2010. Further, the Al-Qassam Brigades said seven Israelis were injured by attacks launched by the group. In a statement, the brigades said a total of nine Israelis had been killed by militants during the year. Meanwhile, Israeli forces killed eight Al-Qassam Brigade leaders in 2010, five in the West Bank, two in Gaza and one abroad, the group said. [according to B’tselem, up to 30 Nov: 4 Israeli civilians were killed in a Hamas attack on their car near Hebron on 31 August. One policeman was killed in a Hamas attack on a police transport near Hebron on 14 June. One soldier was stabbed in his jeep near Nablus on 10 February.] http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347240 Brigades: 2 Israeli soldiers killed in 2010
GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Islamic Jihad’s armed wing said its fighters fired dozens of shells at Israeli targets and killed two Israeli soldiers in 2010. The Al-Quds Brigades said Israeli forces killed 12 of the group’s fighters during the year, in a statement issued Saturday. [B’tselem: Two soldiers were killed in a gun battle with Islamic Jihad in the Khan Younis area, Gaza, on 26 March.] http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347254
Political/Diplomatic news UN office concerned by West Bank deaths
JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — The office of UN Middle East envoy Robert Serry on Sunday expressed concern over the deaths of two Palestinians in incidents involving the Israeli army in 48 hours. “We are very worried that two Palestinians have lost their lives in recent days in incidents involving Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, including an unarmed woman engaged in protests against the barrier at whom tear gas was fired and a man shot and killed at a checkpoint,” said a spokesman for Serry, Richard Miron. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347588 Deadlock in peace efforts testing Israeli coalition
JERUSALEM (AFP) — The deadlock in Middle East peace efforts is placing strain on the ruling coalition of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with ministers of the dovish Labor party threatening to jump ship. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347582 Gazan youth manifesto to vent their anger with all sides in the conflict
An anonymous group of students has created a document to express their frustration born of Hamas’s violent crackdowns on ‘western decadence’, the destruction wreaked by Israel’s attacks and the political games played by Fatah and the UN … Gaza Youth’s Manifesto for Change is an extraordinary, impassioned cyber-scream in which young men and women from Gaza – where more than half the 1.5 million population is under 18 – make it clear that they’ve had enough. “F— Hamas…” begins the text. “F— Israel. F— Fatah. F— UN. F— UNWRA. F— USA! http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/02/free-gaza-youth-manifesto-palestinian Abbas: Israeli-Palestinian peace could be reached in two months
Palestinian leader urges Netanyahu to take new approach to peace process; Netanyahu: I’ll sit for direct talks until agreement achieved. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/abbas-israeli-palestinian-peace-could-be-reached-in-two-months-1.334790 US officials: Barak deceived us about his role in peace process
The U.S. administration is furious with Defense Minister Ehud Barak over the stalled peace talks, sources have told Haaretz. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama’s senior advisers say that for more than a year and a half Barak misled them about his persuasive powers with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the peace process. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/u-s-officials-barak-deceived-us-about-his-role-in-peace-process-1.334697 Syrian source denies reports of breakthrough in negotiations with Israel
A senior source in Damascus denied reports in the Kuwaiti al-Rai Newspaper, which claim that over the past few weeks there has been “an unprecedented Syrian response” to resuming peace talks with Israel. “The report is baseless” claimed the senior source who denied publications alleging that Special Middle East Envoy Dennis Ross promoted the negotiations while holding talks in Syria. [End] http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007626,00.html
Other news Egypt kills African migrant trying to sneak into Israel
Officers on patrol opened fire on the infiltrator after he refused orders to stop, hitting him twice in the stomach. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egypt-kills-african-migrant-trying-to-sneak-into-israel-1.334782 Worker injured during pursuit by Israeli forces
JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian worker on Sunday sustained fractures and bruises while being chased by Israeli forces near Jerusalem, the Palestinian Solidarity Project said. PSP spokesman Mohammad Ayyad Awad said Ahmad Al-A’lami, 22, fell from a 3-story building when Israeli forces raided his workplace. He was transferred to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem for treatment, Awad said. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347577 Israel to isolate settlements around Gaza with trees
GAZA, (PIC)– Israel has sights set on cordoning off settlements with dense trees to isolate communities there from their Palestinian neighbors in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Jews will mark their January 20th tree celebration this year by planting hundreds of towering eucalyptus trees around the settlements established 17 km outside of Gaza intended to block the view of resistance fighters and thus deter possible rocket fire, the Israeli daily Ynet reported Sunday. http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7iVoEyI5qDFM29yVnTuh9%2bc0EluMuzxWFyb6YtgX8rl58GodBWr98Jub5LD8ekxUcmkYearwakrtaTcOGMODjkSkagvhdYOk3UnKuv23S%2bk4%3d
Analysis / Opinion In saying ‘I didn’t know’, Israelis enable army’s killing of protesters / Yossi Gurvitz
The killing of Jawahar Abu Rahmah would have been harder to carry out, without the silent cooperation of most Israelis … As is to be expected in such cases, the PIJs (Proud, Inarticulate Jews) crawled from under rocks, wailing that people who break the law should know they take a risk, that the demonstration was illegal, that the army has declared the place to a “closed area”, and the rest of the bullshit Israel feeds itself. The people who are committing an illegal act in Bil’in are the gunmen; the Supreme Court of Justice has declared, more than three years ago, that the path of the fence there, intended to defend the settlement Matityahu Mizrah, is illegal, and ordered the IDF to change it. http://972mag.com/israeli-denial-essential-to-killers/ NY Times Isabel Kershner wasn’t at Bil`in demo but still wrongly reports on it / Alex Kane
The New York Times has a report up by Isabel Kershner on yesterday’s demonstration in the West Bank village of Bil’in against the illegal separation barrier, where the Israel Defense Forces’ use of tear-gas canisters led to the death of Jawaher Abu Rahmah, a demonstrator. The Times report is disingenuous at best–and that probably results from the fact that Kershner or any other Times reporter wasn’t at the demonstration, according to Lisa Goldman, a Canadian-Israeli blogger who was there. http://alexbkane.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/ny-times-isabel-kershner-wasnt-at-bilin-demo-but-still-wrongly-reports-on-it/ +972 Magazine’s Person of the Year: Abdullah Abu Rahmah
Why did we choose Abdullah Abu Rahmah? Because he has become the face of the grassroots, unarmed resistance movement to Israel’s security barrier; because he is the person who has raised international awareness not only of the devastation caused by the barrier, but also the existence of a well-organized, non-violent grassroots opposition movement – one that brings together Palestinians, Israelis and international supporters in a joint struggle. Because he is the answer to the question, “Where is the Palestinian Gandhi?” (answer: there are many; and they are languishing in Israel’s jails). Because he has never wavered in his commitment to non-violence – not even after his cousin Bassam Abu Rahmah was killed by a high-velocity tear gas canister shot by Israeli soldiers directly at his chest; nor after his cousin Adeeb Abu Rahmah was arrested and imprisoned for participating in weekly demonstrations against the barrier that separates the people of Bil’in from their own farmland. http://972mag.com/972-magazine%E2%80%99s-person-of-the-year-abdullah-abu-rahmah/ Israel’s ‘new’ peace wave protests IOF violence in Bil`in / Helena Cobban
Israel’s peace and justice movement has been reborn. Ten years after the body blow that (current War Minister) Ehud Barak delivered to it when he said the Palestinians had “turned down a generous offer” (which wasn’t generous at all), and that there was “no-one to talk to” among the Palestinians, a new generation of Israeli activists has taken to the streets. Literally. This evening, several hundred Israeli peaceniks blocked the street in front of the War Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv for over an hour as they protested yesterday’s killing-by-poison-gas of Bil’in villager Jawaher Abu Rahmeh. Eight demonstrators including former Meretz MK Mossi Raz were arrested there. http://justworldnews.org/archives/004119.html Two doctoral students’ journey to revive the Israeli left / Akiva Eldar
Assaf Sharon and Avner Inbar have discovered that the struggle over Sheikh Jarrah has become the way to build a bridge connecting Jews and Arabs … They take people to tour sites where the injustice is taking place and offer them lots of information and a bit of preaching. They seek to build a grassroots movement. They were particularly surprised at the tremendous response to Jewish-Arab activity in the Arab communities. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/two-doctoral-students-journey-to-revive-the-israeli-left-1.334720 The year of truth / Gideon Levy
This was (also ) a good year – the year of truth. The year that concludes tonight with a kiss was the year the Israeli masquerade party ended, the year the costumes were torn off and the truth came out. The true face was revealed. This was the year we finally came out of the closet – no more saccharine phrases and hollow talk about justice and equality, no more flowery and superficial words about peace and two states. This year the truth was heard in public, echoing loud and clear from one end of the country to the other, worrisome and depressing. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-year-of-truth-1.334416 Israel is more a third-world state than a democracy / Zvi Bar’el
The Katsav conviction does not excuse Israeli democracy from its flaws … The greater the satisfaction from the conviction, the more it reflects the public’s incredulity about the possibility that an Israeli court would even dare to convict a head of state. The courts are still seen as belonging to the elite, which closely protects its friends, and when it convicts a president the shock is great. That view does not characterize a true democracy, but rather a Third-World state. It recalls the amazement and admiration that follows when a Bolivian court convicts a drug lord.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/israel-is-more-a-third-world-state-than-democracy-1.334723 Interim forever / Uri Avnery
THE CONCLUSION, according to Lieberman: peace is not possible, not now, not for the coming decades. But, fortunately, he has an alternative that is much better than a final peace agreement. It is called “Long-Term Interim Agreement” … the occupation will continue until one of the following happens: either the Palestinian standard of living will reach that of Israel or the Messiah will come – whichever happens first. In any case, there is no clear indication that either will happen within the next few decades. Is this the plan of Lieberman only, or of Netanyahu, too? http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery/1293896699/
Iraq Saturday: 4 Iraqis killed, 1 wounded
At least four Iraqis were killed and one more was wounded in light violence. Meanwhile, the Iraqi government and other organizations released year-end casualty tallies. According to official reports from several Iraqi ministries, the number of civilians and security personnel killed in Iraq during 2010 was 3,605 or about 124 more than last year. Iraq Body Count also released a figure, and it was a higher 4,008 deaths. The Iraqi Observatory of Rights & Constitutional Freedoms offered an even higher figure of 4,560 deaths. http://original.antiwar.com/updates/2011/01/01/saturday-4-iraqis-killed-1-wounded/ Sunday: 6 Iraqis killed, 21 wounded
At least six Iraqis were killed and 21 more were wounded in attacks spread out across the country. In the United States, meanwhile, recent Iraqi refugees find creating a new life difficult, but it is still an improvement over remaining in Iraq or as a temporary refugee in a third country. A blast at the Balad judge’s home left his nephew dead and nine others wounded, including the judge…. http://original.antiwar.com/updates/2011/01/02/sunday-6-iraqis-killed-21-wounded-3/ Iraq commander assassinated
Assailants have killed Iraq’s highest-ranking soldier in an attack in the country’s capital. An armed group pulled up next to the car of Ihsan Sadek, a lieutenant-colonel, in eastern Baghdad on Saturday and shot him using weapons equipped with silencers. Sadek later died in hospital due to his injuries. He had been the director of the Baghdad Operations Centre, which oversees the city’s checkpoints. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/201111183247540246.html
Other Mideast Egypt arrests church blast suspects
Aljazeera – Egyptian police have arrested 17 people suspected of involvement in the bombing of a Coptic Christian church that killed at least 21 people, security sources say. Reuters news agency, citing security sources, reports that 10 of those held have now been released, with the remaining seven being detained for questioning regarding the attack. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/201112101933637362.html Egypt church bombing: Why some point to Al Qaeda-linked group
Cairo – An Egypt church bombing today has raised fears that global terrorist organizations are exploiting the country’s rising sectarian tension as justification for attacking Christians. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0101/Egypt-church-bombing-Why-some-point-to-Al-Qaeda-linked-group Egyptian media warn of civil war after bombing
CAIRO (AFP) — Egyptian newspapers warned Sunday that “civil war” could break out unless Christians and Muslims close ranks after a deadly attack on a Coptic church that triggered angry protests. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347400 Pushing the Saudi education envelope / Zvi Bar’el
From live broadcasts of classes on the Web to attempts to get girls active in sports, the Saudis are trying to broaden their school system http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/neighbors-pushing-the-saudi-education-envelope-1.333947
WikiLeaks Cable: Israel planned ‘large-scale war’ in 2009 (AFP)
Leaked US diplomatic cables quote IDF chief as saying army must stop Hamas from firing on Tel Aviv — Israel’s army chief told a US Congress delegation in late 2009 he was preparing for a large war in the Middle East, probably against Hamas or Hezbollah, leaked US diplomatic cables showed on Sunday. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4007951,00.html WikiLeaks shows Israel lied about settlement incentives / Alex Kane
A State Department cable from a June 2009 meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu implies that the State of Israel no longer provides incentives for illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. But the recently passed budget for 2011-2012 shows that the Israeli government’s funding for their illegal settlement enterprise is humming along. http://alexbkane.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/wikileaks-shows-israel-lied-about-settlement-incentives/
U.S. US homeland security secretary to get tips from Israel on airport security
…Napolitano, whose tenure has been dogged by two attempted Al-Qaida attacks on U.S.-bound planes as well as traveler protests at intrusive airport pat-downs and screenings, was due to arrive in Israel by Monday for several low-key professional meetings. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/u-s-homeland-security-secretary-to-get-tips-from-israel-on-airport-security-1.334771 Muslim women find empowerment in United States
…[Ms. Khalifa] is one of a type now found in most sizable U.S. cities: vocal Muslim women wary of the predominantly male leadership of their community and increasingly weary of suspicions of non-Muslims about Islam. These women have achieved a level of success and visibility unmatched elsewhere. They say they are molded by the freedoms of the United States — indeed, many unabashedly sing its praises — and by the intellectual ferment stirred when American-born and immigrant Muslims mix. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/01/02/muslim_women_find_empowerment_in_united_states/ Video: Katie Couric speaks against anti-Muslim bigotry, suggests Muslim ‘Cosby show’
Katie Couric spoke out against anti-Muslim bigotry and said America may need a Muslim version of “The Cosby Show” to counteract it. Speaking on her web show, Couric said that the controversy surrounding the Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero had exposed a “seething hatred” for Muslims in America: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/01/katie-couric-muslim-bigotry-cosby-show_n_803208.html
‘Why are you on the Palestinian side, working against your homeland?’
Jan 02, 2011
Alex Kane
Ramallah, West Bank–It’s a far cry from the daily checkpoints, beatings, tear-gassing and harassment that Palestinians have to go through, but today I can say that a tiny slice of the Palestinian experience became alive to me.
My arrival at Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, Israel early today was the start of a long trip down Israeli security harassment lane. After I showed my passport to an Israeli immigration agent, I was taken to a holding room, where I joined Palestinians trying to visit family and other–mostly non-white–people. Three hours later, I was taken to a separate room, where I was questioned by a bald Israeli who said he was from the Ministry of Defense.
They immediately knew that my back story of why I came to Israel was false, and I had to admit I planned on visiting the West Bank.
After that came questions about my trip last year to Gaza, who I met with there, what I wanted to do in the West Bank and what the delegation I joined today was all about. Absurdly, the defense official hinted that I was suspected of “terrorism”–the term used by Israel and the U.S. to smear anyone who dissents against their inhumane policies of occupation and war. The agent also was curious to find out why I–as a Jew–was on the “Palestinian side,” working “against my homeland and my father’s,” to which I responded that Israel is not my homeland, and that I was for the human rights of all people, including Palestinians. While these questions were fired at me, pictures of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres stared down at me, as if to mock me.
I was sent back to the holding room without my passport, where I spent the rest of my time sleeping, watching Curb Your Enthusiasm (a perfect mood-lifter) and messagingIsraeli blogger Didi Remez over Twitter with updates on what was going on.
Five hours later, after I thought I was to be deported or detained, I was let out of the grasp of Israeli security on the condition that I not enter the Palestinian territories. As I drove to Ramallah, I passed by countless West Bank settlements–with their gleaming lights–and Palestinian villages surrounded by the illegal colonies. There was no discernible difference between Israel proper and settlement areas over the Green Line, something that I marveled at even though I knew that was the case.
And now I’m here, back in Palestine after one year. One can only be amazed that the Palestinian people remain so strong and steadfast after enduring 62 years of Israeli security harassment far worse than what I went through today.
Alex Kane is a blogger and journalist based in New York City. He blogs on Israel/Palestine and Islamophobia in the U.S. at alexbkane.wordpress.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
Outside Akko, I run into Christian Zionists from Arkansas
Jan 02, 2011
Alice Rothchild
I am always jolted by the contradictions of Ben Gurion airport, a bastion of modernity and normalcy, evocative art and posters celebrating the Israeli national mythos. I know my Palestinian friends cannot walk these corridors, my heart lurches when the 20 year old Israeli soldier asks me: “So what are you doing in Israel?” My travel plans and contacts have all been emailed to friends in country because I do not want to expose my true identity: detective, critical observer, activist. Indeed I have been called “a danger to the Jewish people” merely because I report on what I see and I refuse to be silent. Come see what I see.
The train from the airport to Akko is sleek and double decker, reminding me of Europe, except for the number of soldiers chatting and dozing and the increase in Arab looking faces as we head north. We are met by Basel in his new BMW, a 30 year old Druze Palestinian from the tiny village of Al Maghar in the western Galilee. He stayed with us in Boston last summer, teaching in a tennis program for inner city youth. So this is the next contradiction in the contradictory “democracy” that is Israel. There are Jewish towns and Arab towns, Jewish schools and Arab schools, Jewish funding and Arab funding. An Arab town is “mixed” in northern Israel when the inhabitants are Christian, Muslim, and Druze.
Walking down a steep driveway to a cluster of homes built on a hill, his family comprises 10% of the 2000 inhabitants of the village, most living in this extended family enclave. We immediately enter another world: heavily ornamental brocaded couches, white gauzy curtains decorated with gold patterns, and a long table piled extravagantly with taboule, chopped parsley seasoned with lemon, stuffed grape leaves and squash, fresh salad, 4 different breads flavored with chicken, meat, zetar, and tomatoes, and four over-the-top desserts. While much of the family eats separately in the kitchen, we gradually meet the many handsome sons and their wives and the one daughter who is the main cook and also a graphic artist. I sense that the wives have formed a warm sisterhood, supporting each other with cooking and childcare. Clearly the proudest family moment comes with the arrival of 3 volumes of the most recent wedding photos, airbrushed movie star poses, happy relatives pinning money on the groom, parades of aunts and uncles and cousins. This family of barbers, car mechanics, career army cooks, teachers and young people still looking for work, knows how to celebrate like the rich and famous; they have these mythical pictures to prove it.
Basel finds this all encompassing warmth and closeness both grounding and stifling and keeps a bachelor apartment in a nearby town where he teaches physical education and develops tennis programs. He is both a village boy and an adventurer, thinking of buying land in Al Maghar, yet wanting to travel, study guitar, avoiding “the prison” of marriage and children. Fluent in Arabic and Hebrew, he Is at once very identified as an Israeli, could easily “pass,” served in the IDF for a year, but went to prison after refusing to serve in the Occupied Territories. The following day he reverently takes us to the tomb of the Druze prophet Shueib, a mosque with rows of graceful arches and an elegant garden where sweet water pours from the mountains. At the same time he mentions, “Jewish villages look better, more money more services.” He talks about recent news that orthodox rabbis have announced that Jews should not sell to Arabs, or even speak to Arabs. He mentions that the separation of towns “is not comfortable,” that sometimes the Israeli government does not allow Arabs to build on their own lands because they build horizontally rather than vertically and thus use too much space.
The following day we drive to a Carmelite Monastery for the stunning views of the valley below and the Dr Seuss-like cactus gardens. On the roof we thread our way through a tour of Arkansas Christian Zionists, singing with a guitar and praying earnestly. There is talk from the Book of Revelations of the end of times, the valley below is where “people from Africa, China, and all over will come because it can support everyone; the top soil is 10 feet deep.” The Southern accents, the absolute beliefs, and the palpable delusional religious passion make me giddy. I keep thinking…. “Two agnostic Jews, a recovering Catholic, and a Druze walk into a monastery….” I can’t figure out the punch line, but one man with a cowboy hat and friendly drawl walks up to me and says, “I’d like to hear the end of that one.”
Basel wants to show us the area of the recent terrible brush fires that resulted in tens of deaths, including a bus filled with prison guards trapped by the flames, and the destruction of acres of forest and houses. The hills of blackened skeletal trees, grey soil washed by the rain, swaths of fiery destruction slashed across the landscape are humbling. If I believed in a wrathful God, I might wonder why the Jewish National Fund forests were burning? What is the price of destroying Palestinian villages and planting hundreds of thousands of non-indigenous pine trees which grow quickly and make excellent tinder in this dry Mediterranean climate? Or perhaps this is the cost of building a massive military infrastructure and ignoring firefighting equipment and personnel. Basel reassures us that the trees will be replanted. I do not think he understands the destructive role of the JNF; after all, he was educated in Israel and that history is not in the textbooks.
Gaza youth breaks out with a ‘manifesto for change’
Jan 02, 2011
Gaza Youth Breaks Out
The following statement has gone viral over Facebook and has been sent to us by several people. It was issued by a group called “Gaza Youth Breaks Out.” When we contacted them for more information they sent this response, “We are a group of young people living in Gaza facing different kinds of violence everyday. We are looking for change in our country and trying to taste peace. we can’t give you names bcz we are working undercover and we can’t have meetings as well for our safety.” The also sent ways you can support their work which we pasted after the statement.
GAZAN YOUTH’S MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE
Fuck Hamas. Fuck Israel. Fuck Fatah. Fuck UN. Fuck UNWRA. Fuck USA! We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up with Israel, Hamas, the occupation, the violations of human rights and the indifference of the international community! We want to scream and break this wall of silence, injustice and indifference like the Israeli F16’s breaking the wall of sound; scream with all the power in our souls in order to release this immense frustration that consumes us because of this fucking situation we live in; we are like lice between two nails living a nightmare inside a nightmare, no room for hope, no space for freedom. We are sick of being caught in this political struggle; sick of coal dark nights with airplanes circling above our homes; sick of innocent farmers getting shot in the buffer zone because they are taking care of their lands; sick of bearded guys walking around with their guns abusing their power, beating up or incarcerating young people demonstrating for what they believe in; sick of the wall of shame that separates us from the rest of our country and keeps us imprisoned in a stamp-sized piece of land; sick of being portrayed as terrorists, homemade fanatics with explosives in our pockets and evil in our eyes; sick of the indifference we meet from the international community, the so-called experts in expressing concerns and drafting resolutions but cowards in enforcing anything they agree on; we are sick and tired of living a shitty life, being kept in jail by Israel, beaten up by Hamas and completely ignored by the rest of the world.
There is a revolution growing inside of us, an immense dissatisfaction and frustration that will destroy us unless we find a way of canalizing this energy into something that can challenge the status quo and give us some kind of hope. The final drop that made our hearts tremble with frustration and hopelessness happened 30rd November, when Hamas’ officers came to Sharek Youth Forum, a leading youth organization (www.sharek.ps) with their guns, lies and aggressiveness, throwing everybody outside, incarcerating some and prohibiting Sharek from working. A few days later, demonstrators in front of Sharek were beaten and some incarcerated. We are really living a nightmare inside a nightmare. It is difficult to find words for the pressure we are under. We barely survived the Operation Cast Lead, where Israel very effectively bombed the shit out of us, destroying thousands of homes and even more lives and dreams. They did not get rid of Hamas, as they intended, but they sure scared us forever and distributed post traumatic stress syndrome to everybody, as there was nowhere to run.
We are youth with heavy hearts. We carry in ourselves a heaviness so immense that it makes it difficult to us to enjoy the sunset. How to enjoy it when dark clouds paint the horizon and bleak memories run past our eyes every time we close them? We smile in order to hide the pain. We laugh in order to forget the war. We hope in order not to commit suicide here and now. During the war we got the unmistakable feeling that Israel wanted to erase us from the face of the earth. During the last years Hamas has been doing all they can to control our thoughts, behaviour and aspirations. We are a generation of young people used to face missiles, carrying what seems to be a impossible mission of living a normal and healthy life, and only barely tolerated by a massive organization that has spread in our society as a malicious cancer disease, causing mayhem and effectively killing all living cells, thoughts and dreams on its way as well as paralyzing people with its terror regime. Not to mention the prison we live in, a prison sustained by a so-called democratic country.
History is repeating itself in its most cruel way and nobody seems to care. We are scared. Here in Gaza we are scared of being incarcerated, interrogated, hit, tortured, bombed, killed. We are afraid of living, because every single step we take has to be considered and well-thought, there are limitations everywhere, we cannot move as we want, say what we want, do what we want, sometimes we even cant think what we want because the occupation has occupied our brains and hearts so terrible that it hurts and it makes us want to shed endless tears of frustration and rage!
We do not want to hate, we do not want to feel all of this feelings, we do not want to be victims anymore. ENOUGH! Enough pain, enough tears, enough suffering, enough control, limitations, unjust justifications, terror, torture, excuses, bombings, sleepless nights, dead civilians, black memories, bleak future, heart aching present, disturbed politics, fanatic politicians, religious bullshit, enough incarceration! WE SAY STOP! This is not the future we want!
We want three things. We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask? We are a peace movement consistent of young people in Gaza and supporters elsewhere that will not rest until the truth about Gaza is known by everybody in this whole world and in such a degree that no more silent consent or loud indifference will be accepted.
This is the Gazan youth’s manifesto for change!
We will start by destroying the occupation that surrounds ourselves, we will break free from this mental incarceration and regain our dignity and self respect. We will carry our heads high even though we will face resistance. We will work day and night in order to change these miserable conditions we are living under. We will build dreams where we meet walls.
We only hope that you – yes, you reading this statement right now! – can support us. In order to find out how, please write on our wall or contact us directly: freegazayouth@hotmail.com
We want to be free, we want to live, we want peace.
FREE GAZA YOUTH!
Pls consider supporting us by taking one or more of the following actions:
1) Promoting our manifesto by sharing it on your profile on Facebook
2) Sending an email to your friends asking them to like our page FB
3) Translating the manifesto to your language and sending it to us (we have it in English, Arabic, Hebrew, French, Portuguese, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Danish)
4) Sending the manifesto to journalists in your country
5) Making organizations in your countries that are concerned with the Palestinian issue and/or youth rights know about our existence
6) Posting links about violation of youth’s rights in Gaza on our wall
7) Planning an event in your country about this issue and/or organizing for a skype conference, where we are able to talk with a group of youth, politicians or others outside Gaza
8) Suggesting us ideas for reaching out to a greater number of people
American-made teargas was also fired in occupied East Jerusalem
Jan 02, 2011 10:21 am | Philip Weiss
Lisa Goldman made this photo of a teargas canister fired in Silwan, in East Jerusalem, last September. Also made in the U.S. In Silwan, a Jewish colony is grabbing Palestinian land just below the Zion gate of the Old City.
