Mondoweiss Online Newsletter

By SHOAHNova Newsletter
NOVANEWS

Reform Jews’ biennial will feature ultra-right, Sharansky and Kristol

Oct 28, 2011

Philip Weiss

The Union for Reform Judaism, representing the more liberal wing of organized Judaism,has an interesting speakers’ lineup at its Washington biennial in December. Barack Obama, I get that. And a big Zionist rabbi named Richard Hirsch. OK, they’re sold on Zionism– all major American Jewish orgs have the Zionist religion.

But Natan Sharansky? Sharansky is a rightwing Israeli leader who chairs One Jerusalem, which has worked to kill the two-state solution, supposedly precious to liberal Jews. And Bill Kristol– WTF! Kristol is the neoconservative leader who pushed the Iraq war, writing that “Israel’s fight against terrorism is our fight.” Kristol has backed Israeli colonies through the West Bank.

This demonstrates the conservatism of even Reform Jews when it comes to Israel. Reform Jewish leader Eric Yoffie attacked Richard Goldstone months after the Gaza horror. Reform Jewish leader Rabbi David Saperstein criticized J Street for taking a fairly mild stand against settlements. And J Street has pulled back its criticisms of Israel because it has pitched its tent inside the Jewish community and the Jewish community is reactionary on the Israel question. So it follows that at a time when Israel is losing credibility around the world, Reform circles the wagons, and welcomes rightwingers.

And it’s really no wonder that Barack Obama, who relies on Jewish leaders and donors, has capitulated on his promises to the Palestinians back in 2009.

Occupy Oakland calls for general strike on November 2nd after police fracture Iraq War veteran’s skull

Oct 27, 2011

annie

Amy Goodman reports on Democracy Now! “thousands of people reclaimed the Occupy Oakland encampment in front of City Hall”  last night calling for a general strike on the city of Oakland. Violence inflicted on protestors by police Tuesday night resulted in Iraq War Veteran Scott Olsen being hospitalized with a fractured skull after being shot by police. The footage in this broadcast shows a projectile shot directly into the crowd of people running to the rescue of Olsen, already fallen and wounded. Goodman interviews Olsen’s close friend Aaron Hinde and Jesse Palmer, the man who carried Olsen to safety.

At last night’s general assembly, the Occupy Oakland encampment voted almost unanimously to call for a general strike on November 2nd, saying, quote, “Instead of workers going to work and students going to school, the people will converge on downtown Oakland to shut down the city. All banks and corporations should close down for the day or we will march on them,” the statement said.

Also in Oakland, an independent police review body will examine the clashes between riot police and protesters Tuesday that left an Iraq war veteran in critical condition. Scott Olsen is a 24-year-old Iraq war vet. He was struck in the head by a police projectile. Video footage posted to YouTube shows a man identified as Scott Olsen lying motionless and unresponsive in front of a police line after apparently having been hit by a tear gas canister. Several protesters gather around him, but a police officer can be seen throwing a device close to the group which then explodes with a bright flash and loud bang, dispersing the protesters. The video then cuts to footage of protesters carrying Olsen away as blood streams down his face.

A spokesperson for Highland Hospital in East Oakland has confirmed that Scott Olsen remains in critical condition. He suffered from a fractured skull and brain swelling. One of Olsen’s friends, Adele Carpenter, told Reuters, “The irony is not lost on anyone here that this is someone who survived two tours in Iraq and is now seriously injured by the Oakland police force.” Olsen served in Iraq from 2006 to 2010 with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment.

Acting Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan told a news conference his department is investigating the injury to Olsen as a “level one” incident, the highest level for an internal police inquiry. He declined to confirm whether Olsen was struck with a projectile fired by police.

Grapel deal includes US F-16 sale to Egypt & Jordan’s King Abdullah reminds us he’s Israel’s only friend in region

Oct 27, 2011

Seham

and other news from Today in Palestine:

Land, property theft & destruction / Ethnic cleansing / Erasure of culture & history

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The “surreptitious and unscientific” removal of hundreds of bodies from ancient Muslim graves in Jerusalem violates international and Israeli law, a group of archaeologists warned Friday. Some 84 archaeologists and and professors of archaeology from universities and research centers around the world signed a letter appealing to Jerusalem’s mayor, the Israeli Antiquities Authority and the Simon Wiesenthal Center to abandon plans to build a Museum of Tolerance on the historic Mamilla cemetery.

link to www.maannews.net

Occupation is planning to build one million housing units in ten years
It was revealed that the Israeli occupation ministry of interior plans to build one million settlement housing units over the next ten years, which means a huge leap in settlement and Judaization.

Anata falls victim to militarized, illegal settlement once again
When Mohammad woke up on Tuesday, he still did not know about the Israeli forces or the bulldozers that were on their way to uproot his trees and demolish his entire farm. But before the day was over, all of his property was erased and one could hardly guess that there had ever been a building there. “I’m very sad because of the farm”, Mohammad said. The soldiers claimed that the buildings were illegal, referring to the Israeli Civil Administration. ”This is the land from my grandfather, and I have no other land,” Mohammad says.
link to palsolidarity.org
Israeli Regime Terrorism

Israel rejects Palestinian lawsuit over IDF missile that struck family home
Jerusalem court calls incident, in which missile killed 2 Gaza family members during 2006 hit operation, legitimate act of war, orders family to pay NIS25,000 in legal fees.
link to www.haaretz.com

Israeli aircraft have carried out three bombing attacks on the Palestinian city of Khan Yunes in the Gaza Strip, witnesses say. The airstrikes targeted areas in eastern and western parts of the city during early hours of Thursday, AFP reported.  Israeli military officials confirmed the attacks, claiming that the air assaults were in response to “a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip late Wednesday,” a claim not yet verified by any official source in Gaza.  Witnesses said a base, belonging to the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas, was also targeted by the Israeli aerial attacks.  There have been no reports of casualties so far.
link to www.presstv.ir

Israeli airstrikes on Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have carried out four air raids at an early hour Thursday on unpopulated open areas in Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.

Child Suffers Quadriplegia After Being Shot By Israel Army Fire During Training
Palestinian medical sources in occupied Jerusalem reported that a 4-year-old child, was shot by a stray live round in her neck fired by Israeli soldiers during training at the Anatot military base, built on lands illegally annexed from the residents Anata Palestinian town, north of Jerusalem.

link to www.imemc.org

Stone-throwing met with huge military response

A group of children were reported to have thrown stones at a settler car in Al-Abbasiya neighborhood of Silwan on the evening of Monday 17 October, triggering an enormous Israeli military response. Despite the settler escaping unscathed, a huge force of Israeli troops immediately filled the neighborhood, spreading an air of tension throughout Silwan. Residents of Silwan live in perpetual fear of arrest. Arrest or abduction can come at unknown hours of the day or night, often without warning.

link to silwanic.net

Israeli forces storm Silwan, house raided

A large number of Israeli forces stormed Silwan this morning, closing all entrances to Al-Hara al-Wasta neighborhood. Journalists were denied entry to the besieged area by troops. The operation was conducted in coordination with intelligence units and the regular army, which usually operates only outside of Jerusalem, in accordance with civil law enforcement codes in the district. The family home of Kifah Sarhan was raided by Israeli forces, who searched the house extensively. Personal documents, CDs, a computer and 20 NIS that Sarhan had received in compensation from the YMCA as a former worker were all confiscated.   While some stones were thrown at Israeli forces during the raid campaign, the atmosphere remained tense but did not develop into violent confrontations. Troops withdrew from the region after three hours.

link to silwanic.net

Hamas: Israeli army orders to kill own soldiers to avoid capture reflect panic
The Israeli army orders to fire at and liquidate captors of soldiers even if that meant the killing of the soldiers reflected a state of panic and fear of Palestinian resistance.

Settler Terrorism

Settlers attack Palestinians east of Nablus
Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian cars travelling on the Yitzhar settlement road to the south east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

link to www.palestine-info.co.uk

Jewish settlers carry out arson attack on house and car east of Nablus
Jewish settlers savegely attacked the house of a Palestinian citizen located between the villages of Beit Furik and Beit Dajan east of Nablus city and caused material damage to his property.

This is a testimony of A’, a 61 year old peace activist, who was beaten badly with clubs on his head and entire body by Jewish settlers during an olive harvest in the Palestinian village of Jalud; his ribs and several fingers were broken, and his camera and personal belongings were robbed.

http://mondoweiss.net/2011/10/testimony-of-an-israeli-activist-who-was-robbed-and-beaten-by-settlers-while-attempting-to-assist-the-olive-harvest.html

Palestinian Reprisals

Army Vehicle Hits Roadside Bomb Near Bethlehem

Israeli sources reported on Wednesday evening that an Israeli military vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb, near the Efrat settlement, south of Bethlehem. Damage was reported, no injuries.

link to www.imemc.org

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A grad rocket launched from the Gaza Strip struck an open field near the southern Israeli town of Ashdod, an army spokeswoman said late Wednesday. There were no reports of injury or damage, she said.

link to www.maannews.net

Prisoners / Political Detainees
Troops Kidnap Three Residents In Beit Ummar
The Israeli military invaded, on Thursday at dawn, the village of Beit Ummar, near the southern West Bank city of Hebron, broke into and searched several homes, and kidnapped three Palestinian youth.
link to www.imemc.org

Youth’s detention extended by court
The detention of Faris al-Zeer was extended by the Magistrates Court yesterday until 6 November 2011. Zeer, 22, was arrested 5 months ago and is accused of throwing stones in Silwan. Despite Zeer’s proof of innocence, Israeli authorities have persisted in lodging accusations against him. Zeer has presented many witnesses and video recordings proving, however, that he was not at the site of confrontations at the times claimed by authorities.

link to silwanic.net

MADA: Israel extends journalist’s detention without trial
RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israel on Wednesday extended the imprisonment of a journalist who has not been charged or tried for any offense, a press freedom watchdog said. Israeli forces detained Nawaf al-Amer, a program coordinator for Quds satellite TV station, in June from his home near Nablus in the northern West Bank. On Wednesday, Israel extended al-Amer’s detention for four months, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) said in a statement.

link to www.maannews.net

IOF soldiers round up 12 West Bank Palestinians
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested 12 Palestinian citizens in a pre-dawn sweep of four Palestinian cities and their villages in the West Bank on Wednesday.

“I want to hug my son before I die”

An elderly mother has been waiting 22 years for her son to come home. He was not included in the recent prisoner exchange deal.

link to electronicintifada.net

Fadwa Barghouti: `For peace to come, Israel must release my husband`
Donald Macintyre – The Independent – “I hope Abu Mazen will demand Marwan`s release as a precondition of negotiations, as he did with the settlements,” she says. “If Israel wants to release Marwan Barghouti it will support Abu Mazen. He is a force in Fatah and Fatah is supporting peace. If he is released it will mean that Israel is on the road to making real peace.”

Prisoner Swap & Related News
Report: Grapel deal includes US F-16 sale to Egypt
Cairo military source says deal brokered to ensure release of Israeli-American Ilan Grapel includes pledge by Washington to sell Egypt fighter jets.
link to www.ynetnews.com
Egyptian detainees transferred to Beersheba prison in preparation for exchange
Egyptian prisoners being held by Israel who are included in the exchange deal agreed between Cairo and Tel Aviv have been moved to Beersheba prison ahead of the swap. The deal is expected to be concluded this week. According to Hebrew Radio, 22 Egyptian detainees have been moved to Beersheba; three children are being held in Ofek prison. There are a total of 81 Egyptians in Israeli prisons. Meanwhile, a member of the Knesset, Michael Ben-Ari of the National Union, has submitted a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court claiming that the Inner Ministerial Council for Political and Security Affairs does not have the authority to give the go-ahead for such an agreement. He has called for the swap to be stopped.
link to www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk

Report: Israeli spy suspect arrives at Egypt-Israel border
CAIRO (AFP) — US-Israeli national Ilan Grapel, who has been held in Egypt on espionage charges, has arrived at the Taba border with Israel ahead of a prisoner swap that would see 25 Egyptians freed, state TV said. Israeli security sources told AFP they have no information about him being taken to the border and are still expecting him to fly into Tel Aviv accompanied by Israeli representatives.

link to www.maannews.net

Senior Hamas official in Damascus tells Israel Radio that Shalit was allowed to watch television and listen to the radio and at times would even talk and ‘laugh’ with his captors.

Diskin: Swap deals bad for Israel
Former Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin claims prisoner exchange deals are not in Israel’s best interest, says Shalit deal enhanced Hamas’ prestige. ‘Government at fault for not holding peace talks with PA,’ he says.
link to www.ynetnews.com

P.A. Demands The Release Of 550 Detainees
Israeli daily, Haaretz, reported that, according to senior Palestinian officials, the Palestinian Authority (P.A.) in the West Bank will be asking the Quartet Committee to pressure Israel into releasing 550 detainees, to fulfill vows made by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to President Mahmoud Abbas.
http://www.imemc.org/article/62362

Jonathan Pollard: Shalit release gives me hope
Israeli spy serving life sentence in US moved by end of Gilad Shalit’s Hamas captivity; tells wife: ‘I hope I’ll get out of here alive, too’.
link to www.ynetnews.com

In pictures: the liberated prisoners
Prisoners released as part of the prisoner swap agreement between the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and the Israeli government return home to Silwan.  link to silwanic.net

Boycott, Sanctions & Divestment / Solidarity / Activism 

Iranians have refused to compete against Israelis in other international sporting events this year, including the world wrestling championships in Istanbul in September and the world swimming championships in Shanghai in July.
link to www.haaretz.com

BDS Victory: Alstom loses Saudi Haramain Railway contract worth $10B
Occupied Palestine- 27-10-2011 — The BDS National Committee (BNC) has declared a long sought-after victory as Alstom lost the bid for the second phase of the Saudi Haramain Railway project, worth 10 billion US dollars, after pressure from the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, including effective campaigning from the newly launched KARAMA, a European campaign to Keep Alstom Rail And Metro Away.

Heralded by the major French newspaper Le Monde as “the spokesman of a new generation,” DAM, the first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic, began working together in the late 1990s. Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd, Tamer Nafar, Suhell Nafar, and Mahmoud Jreri were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop.

 After their timely song “Min Irhabi” (“Who’s the terrorist”) was downloaded over a million times shortly after its internet release in 2001, DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East. Rolling Stone in France distributed the song free in one of their issues, and the song has been featured in various compilations.

New Ben Gurion Airport Fly-In planned for April 2012
Bienvenuepalestine – Activists of the France-based “Bienvenue Palestine” (Welcome to Palestine) initiative have resolved on a new international mission to Palestine, to be held on April 15 to 2012. A large number of international activists are to arrive in the Bethlehem Area at the invitation of local Palestinians. As in the previous “fly-in”, which caused great consternation to Israeli authorities a few months ago, activists intend declare openly their intentions upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport – thus challenging the government`s policy of turning back activists heading for the Palestinian territories.

Visit Palestine, it Makes a World of Difference
Julie Holm – MIFTAH – It is easy to sit in the comfort of your home, watching the (often one-sided) news and make up your mind about this very complicated conflict. Experiencing the uncomfortable situation at checkpoints, visiting settlements and refugee camps and seeing the separation wall with your own eyes gives it a very different perspective altogether.

Don’t Collaborate with Apartheid
A call from Palestinian civil society on European universities, academics, students and people of conscience from Palestinian academics, students and civil society organisations.

“Jesus, Justice, Palestine-Israel: Challenging the Politics of Empire”
Join US Campaing member group Sabeel for their exciting all day event, October 29, linking Jesus’ message to search for a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis today. Registration closes today, October 25. “Jesus, Justice, Palestine-Israel: Challenging the Politics of Empire”—an all-day peace-and-justice symposium organized by Sabeel DC Metro, the Friends of Sabeel group in the Washington DC region–is happening Saturday, October 29, 2011, 9:30am-4:30pm at Ravensworth Baptist Church, 5100 Ravensworth Rd. (corner of Braddock Rd. at I-495 exit 54 east) in suburban Annandale, Va. Registration required by Oct 25 (see below).

Minneapolis panel pitting Zionist and anti-Zionist Jews gets no media attention, Sylvia Schwarz
On October 16, I spoke on a panel for the Joint Peace with Justice Committee of the Minneapolis and St. Paul Area synods, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, entitled “Seeking Israeli/Palestinian Peace: Varied Voices from the Jewish Community.” Theforum was organized by Charles Lutz, a Lutheran pastor who has had an interest in the Middle East for many years, led delegations to Palestine, and brought Palestinians to Minneapolis to address this and other groups.
link to mondoweiss.net

Diplomatic / Political Developments

Jordan king: We are Israel’s last ally in region
WASHINGTON (Ma’an) — Jordan’s King Abdullah on Tuesday said his kingdom was Israel’s last ally in the region and warned that Egypt may dissolve its peace treaty with Tel Aviv. “We are actually the last man standing with our relationship with Israel,” the king told The Washington Post, pointing to Israel’s troubled relations with Turkey and Egypt. Jordan will maintain peaceful ties with Israel because it is in both parties’ interests, he said.
link to www.maannews.net

Jordan’s Abdullah: Egypt could break its peace treaty with Israel
In interview with Washington Post, King says Jordan is effectively ‘the last man standing’ with Israel ties in Mideast, saying the Arab Spring is a ‘disaster’ for Israel.
link to www.haaretz.com

Finnish FM: Israel’s occupation of West Bank – like apartheid

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said Wednesday that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories is tantamount to apartheid, warning that time was running out for a two-state solution. “If you are occupying areas inhabited by… Palestinians who do not have the same rights as the Israelis in Israel, that is apartheid and that is not sustainable,” he told reporters. “I think that the majority in Israel has also realized this but they have been unable to provide a leadership that (can) move forward on the two-state solution,” he added.
JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday reiterated his criticism of President Mahmoud Abbas, calling him an obstacle and urging him to quit. Abbas is the “greatest obstacle to peace” whose resignation would be a “blessing,” he said in the second such remarks in as many days since the ultranationalist first attacked the president.  His “resignation would be a blessing because he represents the greatest obstacle to peace,” Lieberman told Israel’s army radio, according to AFP.
link to www.maannews.net

Palestinian reconciliation back on the table (AP)
AP – A Palestinian official says the Palestinian president will meet with the leader of the militant Hamas movement next month to discuss uniting dueling governments in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israel, Palestinians to offer peace proposals: Quartet (Reuters)
Reuters – Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to make proposals on issues of territory and security within three months, keeping peacemaking efforts alive, an official from the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators said on Wednesday.

Palestinian negotiator tells Quartet: Peace Talks can start when Israel ends settlement expansion
The International Quartet for Mideast Peace, made up of representatives from the US, EU, Russia and Great Britain, held separate meetings on Wednesday with Palestinian and Israeli officials in an attempt to re-start peace talks, which have been stalled for over a year since Israeli government officials refused to end expansion of Israeli settlement colonies on Palestinian land.

What are the Israeli-Palestinian peace talk preconditions?

The Quartet is hoping to once again bring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the negotiating table, but peace talk preconditions are proving to be a problem. What are the two parties’ requirements for getting talks started?

http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/world/~3/ftA63b3D7jU/What-are-the-Israeli-Palestinian-peace-talk-preconditions

Jewish groups: Don’t slam Obama over Israel

ADL, AJC issue joint ‘pledge’ asking Jewish organizations, individuals to avoid criticizing American president’s record on Israel ahead of upcoming elections. Initiative slammed by other Jewish group, calls it ‘an attempt to silence us’.

link to www.ynetnews.com

George Mitchell says Shalit deal strengthened Hamas, and weakened Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

link to www.haaretz.com

Tunisia is celebrating long awaited democratic elections but in Israel, defense chiefs express concern over growing influence of Islamist elements. Gantz: ‘This creates scope of threats that Israel, IDF must prepare for’.

Iranian official visits Germany despite Israel’s protest

Deputy Finance Minister Mohammad Reza Farzin to address German Council on Foreign Relations forum despite objections by Jerusalem, Opposition groups in Tehran.

link to www.ynetnews.com

Other News

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Members of Palestinian Civil Police have participated in a week-long study trip to Cyprus to learn about police practices, strategic planning and administrative matters. The four-member delegation met with the Cypriot chief of police Michael Papageorgiou, who explained Cypriot police organization and the function of different departments, the delegation’s EU sponsors said.  The Cypriot Police Strategic Planning Team discussed its Police Strategic Plan and different ways for following through on the strategic plan and activities which result from such a plan. “The Palestinian delegation had many interesting discussions and learned a lot from the experience of the Cypriot Police,” said police adviser Ioannis Mavrochanna, who accompanied the delegation, in a statement.
Kamm allegedly stole some 2,000 documents from the office of then-GOC Central Command Yair Naveh, where she worked during her army service. She later passed the documents on to Haaretz reporter Uri Blau.

link to www.haaretz.com

Other Mideast / World News

Two Egypt policemen jailed for death of an icon protester

An Egyptian court jailed two policemen on Wednesday for seven years for their “cruel” treatment of an activist whose death helped kindle the popular revolt against Hosni Mubarak. Khaled Said, 28, died in the port city of Alexandria in June last year after two plainclothes police dragged him out of an Internet cafe and beat him, witnesses and rights groups say. Authorities said he died choking on drugs. “The court sentences the defendants to seven years in jail for using cruelty against the victim,” Judge Moussa al-Nahrawy said in a statement read out in court at the end of a case that began before the uprising erupted.
In the courtroom, families of the two policemen shouted angrily at the judge over guilty verdict, while activists and Said’s family complained the two police had got off lightly.

link to www.alarabiya.net

Arab League urges Assad to open dialogue 

Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad has met a delegation of Arab government ministers in Damascus. The Arab League has been urging him to open dialogue with the opposition after human rights groups said at least 24 people were killed across the country on Wednesday. Al Jazeeera’s Rula Amin reports from Beirut.

link to www.youtube.com

Ouster of Syria’s Assad would be ‘opportunity’ for Israel (video) (The Christian Science Monitor)

The Christian Science Monitor – Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, said Tuesday it will take more time to determine how the Arab Spring, and the new governments it has ushered in, will affect Middle East nations’ relations with Israel.

link to us.rd.yahoo.com

Bahrain foreign minister on D.C. charm offensive

Bahrain’s government is under pressure — not just from protesters in Manama, but also from parts of the Washington foreign policy community, who want to delay U.S. arms sales to the country. Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa has been in town for over a week meeting with officials and lawmakers to assuage U.S. concerns over the kingdom’s domestic crackdown, and sat down for a lengthy interview with The Cable.

link to thecable.foreignpolicy.com

Muammar Qaddafi’s son and one-time heir apparent reportedly poised for surrender
Saif al-Islam Qaddafi, the last of deceased Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi’s sons still at large, has reportedly asked to be transported to the International Criminal Court.

link to rss.csmonitor.com

Padilla revives lawsuit against Rumsfeld for alleged torture

WASHINGTON — Lawyers for Jose Padilla, the US citizen arrested in 2002 for an alleged “dirty bomb” plot, launched an action to try to revive a lawsuit over his alleged torture at an American naval base. Padilla, who is incarcerated at a high security jail in Colorado, previously sued in an attempt to hold former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other US officials accountable for his suffering, but a district court judge granted the latter immunity and dismissed the case.

link to www.rawstory.com

Occupy Wall Street

Police crack down on Oakland protesters
“Occupy” demonstrators marching in anger over arrests made earlier, meet with flash grenades and tear gas in US city.
link to english.aljazeera.net

Updates on Occupy Protests Nationwide
After a night of violence in Oakland, Calif., where police officers fired tear gas at protesters affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement, The Lede is following the response of demonstrators in cities across the country on Wednesday. To share links to eyewitness accounts, video or photographs of the protests, post a comment in the thread below or send a message on Twitter to@thelede.

link to thelede.blogs.nytimes.com

Scott Olsen, marine wounded by Oakland police, is in ‘critical condition’
In a video published early Thursday morning, ex-Marine Scott Olsen, the 24-year-old who suffered a fractured skull in Oakland on Tuesday night and is currently in “critical condition,” is seen standing peacefully in front of a police barricade next to a uniformed sailor just moments before officers deployed chemical agents to disperse the crowd.
link to www.rawstory.com

Marine veteran’s skull fractured by police projectile at ‘Occupy Oakland’ protest
A Marine veteran protesting with “Occupy Oakland” sustained a skull fracture Tuesday night after being shot in the head with an unidentified police projectile. Scott Olsen, a two-time Iraq war veteran and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, was at 14th Street and Broadway when he was struck in the head. “We need medic!” one protester was heard screaming. “Medic! Medic!”  “What happened?” another asked. “He got shot!” As Olsen was carried away, he appeared unconscious and bloody, unable to even respond when asked his name.
link to www.rawstory.com

Oakland Police Critically Injure Iraq War Vet During Occupy March
WASHINGTON — The Oakland Police Department fired tear gas on Occupy Oakland demonstrators Tuesday night as they marched through downtown, determined to reclaim the camp that officers destroyed that morning. As the marchers zigged and zagged in search of safe ground, authorities bombarded and barricaded the activists into a drawn-out stalemate that resulted in further arrests. The local police’s use of force seriously injured an Occupy activist and Iraq War veteran. Scott Olsen, 24, remains sedated on a respirator, in stable but critical condition at Oakland’s Highland Hospital after being hit in the head with a police projectile.
link to www.huffingtonpost.com

People of Oakland under attack by thugs in uniform
I don’t want to jump to conclusions before we hear all the lies from the police department and the mayor of Oakland. After all, this protester from Occupy Oakland could have ties to al-quaeda, and maybe he tried to bite an officer. We need to hear all the lies first. If you want to get the lies in person, which is highly recommended and may be even entertaining, if not downright educational, the allegedly “progressive” mayor of Oakland, Jean Quan, will take your call at (510) 238-3141. Remember that she’s really on your side.
link to jewssansfrontieres.blogspot.com

Palestine in Oakland,  Adam Horowitz
Last night police in Oakland, California cracked down on protesters in the Occupy Oakland movement in a possibly ominous sign of things to come. Mother Jones reportsthat law enforcement used rubber bullets, tear gas, and flash-bang grenades to attack the protesters. The tactical similarities to Israel’s treatment of nonviolent Palestinian protesters were obvious to many, but they go deeper than that. Max Blumenthal writesthe Oakland police used many of the same weapons:
http://mondoweiss.net/2011/10/palestine-in-oakland.html

Protester: ‘Occupy Oakland’ not going away anytime soon
“Occupy Oakland” protester Fatima Mojadiddy appeared on Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Tuesday night to discuss the raid on the demonstration at Frank Ogawa Plaza. The two week-long demonstration was broken up, according to police, because of “continued violations of the law” including “numerous reports of fighting, assault and threatening/intimidating behavior.” Medical responders were denied access to the camp on at least two occasions.

link to www.rawstory.com

Olbermann: Oakland mayor must fire police chief or resign

Keith Olbermann on his show Wednesday night called on Oakland Mayor Jean Quan to fire the city’s acting police chief after officers used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse “Occupy Oakland” protesters.  Police in Oakland repeatedly clashed with demonstrators Tuesday. Early Tuesday morning, hundreds of police officers cleared the protesters out of Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. The “Occupy Oakland” protesters regrouped later that night and marched towards City Hall in an effort to reclaim the site.

link to www.rawstory.com

Maddow compares ‘Occupy Oakland’ to 1930s ‘Bonus Army’ protest

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow on her show Wednesday night highlighted the similarities between the recent crack down on “Occupy Oakland” protesters and the crack down on the “Bonus Army” protesters in 1932. The “Bonus Army” was comprised of war veterans who camped out near the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. The demonstration was forcefully broken up the U.S. Army. When the public learned about the military’s intervention, they were outraged.

link to www.rawstory.com

Stewart: ‘What the f*ck happened in Oakland?’
On Wednesday night’s show, Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart shamed authorities in Oakland who used tear gas, rubber bullets, bean-bag bullets, concussion grenades, flashbombs, sound cannons or other forceful methods to disburse protesters. “What the fuck happened in Oakland?” Stewart exclaimed. “What’s going on, Oakland? Chill out.” “So, the city was concerned about a public safety threat so they did this,” he said while watching footage of protesters running as tear gas filled the streets and explosions went off in the background. “Seems a little heavy handed. Unless, was one of the protesters Godzilla? That would justify an attack.” “Oh, are you fucking kidding me?” Stewart asked about a person in a wheelchair surround by a cloud of tear gas. “What do you think that chair comes on ramming speed? Come on!

link to www.rawstory.com

Dozens Arrested at Occupy Oakland as Police Raid Encampment, Tear Down Tents
Oakland police stormed the Occupy Oakland protest encampment outside City Hall just before 5:00 a.m. PDT. Police lobbed flash grenades and reportedly fired tear gas. Initial reports say at least 70 people have been arrested and the police tore apart the protest camp. We get a live report from the park by legal observer Marcus Kryshka. Nearly 2,500 people have now been arrested in protests since the start of Occupy Wall Street movement on September 17.
link to www.democracynow.org

Occupy SF shrugs off new police warning
There may have been tension across the bay while police cleared Occupy Oakland’s camps, but life carried on today at San Francisco’s Occupy home with barely a hitch – despite a new warning from city officials to limit activities there.
link to www.sfgate.com

Occupy San Jose protester refusing to come down off City Hall wall
A protester from Occupy San Jose climbed a three-story wall near City Hall Monday and refused to come down. The protester, who goes by the name “Cracker,” was identified as 27-year-old Shaun O’Kelly by another demonstrator, according to KGO. O’Kelly told reporters that he was an itinerant construction worker who had been cited several times for living on the streets.
link to www.rawstory.com

Occupy LA Opposition Grows Louder: Senator Dianne Feinstein & Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Speak Out

The Occupy LA movement has released an official statement in response to reports that Senator Dianne Feinstein and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have expressed concern about the length of their stay on the Los Angeles city hall lawn. The protesters reiterated their thanks to city officials and law enforcement, who, throughout the “occupation,” have decided to officially support the movement and stop enforcing an ordinance that restricts public assembly on the lawn between certain hours. “We sincerely hope that a positive working relationship between city officials and the LAPD continues,” said the Occupy LA movement in a statement.

‘Occupy Portland’ touts highly-organized peaceful protest in video
Although footage of protesters clashing with police has received an overwhelming amount of media coverage, peaceful assemblies of “Occupy” protesters have mostly gone ignored. “Occupy Portland” released a short video on Wednesday that shows how the group’s Peace & Safety Committee has maintained public safety and kept their actions peaceful.

‘Occupy Chicago’ protesters confront Rahm’s chief of staff
Volunteers from National Nurses United and “Occupy Chicago” demonstrators marched to City Hall on Tuesday to protest their arrest late Saturday night in Grant Park. About 130 people were arrested after they set up tents in protest against the consolidation of economic power and refused to leave the public park after closing time. The majority of protesters peacefully heeded police warnings and left the park. Those who stayed were charged with misdemeanor trespassing and kept in holding cells for several hours.
link to www.rawstory.com

Outraged Brazilians ‘occupy’ downtown Rio
RIO DE JANEIRO — Around 150 Brazilian activists held signs with angry slogans in downtown Rio de Janeiro in an “Occupy Rio” protest inspired by similar demonstrations in Spain and the United States. “2012 Is the End of the Capitalist World,” read one sign. “Why is the world for everyone, but so many people are hungry?” asked another. The activists, inspired by the “outrage” protests in Madrid and the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstrators in New York, moved into Rio over the weekend and are staying in tents pitched in the Cinelandia Plaza.

link to www.rawstory.com

The arms firm behind the suppression of #OccupyOakland and Palestine’s popular struggle, Max Blumenthal
With the rise of the Occupy Wall Street, a new generation of mostly middle class Americans is learning for the first time about the militarization of their local police forces. And they are learning the hard way, through confrontations with phalanxes of riot cops armed with the latest in “non-lethal” crowd control weaponry. Yesterday’s protests in Oakland, California were the site of perhaps the harshest police violence leveled against the Occupy movement so far.
link to english.al-akhbar.com

Occupy Oakland & Mercenaries of the Oligarchy:The 99% vs. The Iron Heel, Nima Shirazi
In response, thousands of protesters gathered later that same day and faced down a phalanx of Oakland’s Finest Fascist, who responded by repeatedly attacking the crowd with more tear gas, batons, rubber bullets, beanbags, concussion grenades, flashbombs, and sound cannons. At one point, Oakland authorities, claiming the protest was “an unlawful assembly,” issued this threat: “If you refuse to move now, you will be arrested. If you refuse to move now, chemical agents will be used” (see here) and laterwarned those peacefully standing their ground, “If you have respiratory problems now is the time to leave.” They weren’t kidding.
link to www.wideasleepinamerica.com

From Tahrir to Wall Street: Egyptian Revolutionary Asmaa Mahfouz Speaks at Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Wall Street received a surprise visit Monday from several leading Egyptian activists, including 26-year-old Asmaa Mahfouz. She is one of the founders of the April 6 Youth Movement, which is the group credited with helping to organize the January 25 protests that eventually toppled the regime of former president Hosni Mubarak. Prior to the protest in January, Mahfouz recorded a YouTube video urging people to fill Tahrir Square. Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman spoke to her at Occupy Wall Street. “Many of U.S. residents were in solidarity with us,” Mahfouz said. “I am here to be in solidarity and support the Wall Street Occupy protesters, to say to them, ’the power to the people,’ and to keep it on and on, and they will succeed in the end.”
link to www.democracynow.org

To the Occupy movement – the occupiers of Tahrir Square are with you, Comrades from Cairo
In many ways we in Egypt are part of the same struggle, and we are watching in solidarity. Keep going, don’t stop, occupy more. To all those across the world currently

You might also like:

Dorothy Online NewsLetter

Dorothy Online NewsLetter

Dorothy Online News Letter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *