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Israel refuses to release detainee despite doctor's orders

NABLUS, (PIC)-- Israeli military court in Ofer jail has refused to release Palestinian detainee Nassim Al-Kharraz, from Nablus, despite a recommendation by the jail's doctor that he should be released in view of his critical condition. Fares Abu Hassan, lawyer of the Tadamun institution for human rights, said on Tuesday that Kharraz was suffering serious disease, yet the Israeli military court said that he should be held under administrative detention for six months. Abu Hassan held the Israeli prisons authority fully responsible for the life of the detainee, demanding his immediate release in view of his grave condition. Kharraz has been held in Ofer for more than a month. He is married and has four children in addition to being the sole bread winner of his parents.

UK's BMI airline wipes Israel off the map

BMI joins the Gaza solidarity struggle. Oops, it was a 'logistical' mishap the airline tells us. But, more seriously, it does provide another example of the growing isolation of Israel and the widening possibilities for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel. British airline BMI has deleted Israel from electronic maps that appear on its flights in order to avoid angering Muslim passengers, Army Radio reported on Thursday. Additional efforts on to appeal to Muslim customers include showing the distance and relation of the plane to Mecca, the direction to which Muslims face when they pray. In the electronic maps appearing on a BMI flight from London to Tel Aviv, for example, Israel and its cities are not marked, with the exception of Haifa, which is spelled 'Khefa,' the city's Arab name dating to before the War of Independence. BMI operates flights from England to many popular Muslim destinations, including Syria, Lebanon and Iran, but has also

MPA - G20 officer resigns over blog violence boasts, Boris Johnson defends killer cops

Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) - report back from lobby A Metropolitan police officer has resigned over inappropriate comments on a website about the G20 protest, acting Deputy Commissioner Tim Godwin said. He revealed the resignation during a public meeting over the policing of G20 protests in London. Protesters heckled and jeered Mayor Boris Johnson who said that officers in general had done a "fantastic job". Two officers were later suspended and one of them was interviewed on suspicion of manslaughter. Godwin refused to give any further information about the officer that resigned. When the mayor defended the police officers on duty during the G20 summit, a protester shouted "rubbish". Members of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and the force's board of governors faced a group of protesters holding a large banner reading "Remember Ian Tomlinson" as they arrived at City Hall. more at the BBC Police blame media for G20 violence

Gaza surgeon's US tour shocks audiences

Chicago audience 'shell shocked' by doctor's presentation of Gaza under attack By Rie Graham I was a bit nervous ten minutes before the program was to start and only 20 people were seated in the cavernous Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago. Perhaps people really have forgotten Gaza. Maybe they don't want to be reminded that for 23 days, Israel carried out a planned, brutal assault that flattened buildings and shattered lives. Maybe they don't want to hear from someone who spent two weeks in Gaza elbow deep in blood, repairing small bodies and comforting weeping relatives. Maybe people have moved on - eager for a new diplomatic initiative or perhaps onto the next tragedy - Afghanistan and Pakistan where the blood seems more fresh. Maybe they are more interested in the work of pirates rather than those who use governmental power to attack civilians and then continue to hold them under siege so reconstruction efforts are hampered. I was wrong about

Jewish professor Robinson attacked at UCSB for comparing Israel to Nazis

The pro-Israel campaign against the Palestinian solidarity movement has found its way on to another US campus after two students at University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) complained when their lecturer sent out an email juxtaposing images from the Holocaust with images from the Israeli war on the people of Gaza. Gaza Solidarity is familiar with the images and chose not to post them at the time as we do not believe the comparisons are appropriate. Appalling crimes have been committed by Israel in Gaza, but there are no extermination camps there. And Gaza is not the Warsaw Ghetto, although it certainly is an open-air prison. But the pictures do sharply point to the tragic irony of the 'Jewish State' built by those fleeing oppression to turn into one of the the world's most oppressive states. The pictures are in no way anti-semitic, and Professor William Robson deserves our support. By Duke Helfand, LA Times Controversy has erupted at UC Santa Barbara over a professor&

UK minister attacks UN report instead of Israel's war crimes

With over 1,400 dead on the Palestinian side and only 13 on the Israeli, it is the junior British minister that is unbalanced, not the UN. Britain criticised Wednesday a report by a UN human rights investigator on Israel's Gaza offensive as "unbalanced", but insisted it was extremely concerned by the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. Last month, the UN special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, Richard Falk, said in a report that there was "reason" to conclude that Israel's massive military offensive on Gaza in December and January was a war crime, but the Jewish state slammed the report as "one-sided". " The report of the UN Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur is unbalanced and contributes little," junior foreign minister Bill Rammell said in a written reply to a parliamentary question published Wednesday. UN report says Israel's war on Gaza may be war crime

University of Manchester to meet occupiers' demands to send aid to Gaza

DEMANDS OF PROTESTERS who took part in the month-long occupation of University buildings in protest against Israel’s military actions in Gaza last term are being met by the University of Manchester. Arrangements have been made by the University for surplus academic aid to be sent to Gaza. Negotiations are in progress with the University to secure scholarships in Manchester for students from Gaza and to boycott the sale of produce from the occupied territories. “The University has met with the student Executive and with representatives of the protesters and discussed a number of initiatives related to the policy on Gaza passed at the Union meeting,” a University spokesperson said. “We are making progress on a number of issues and the discussions with the Executive are ongoing.” The Manchester occupation was one of 34 protests taking place at universities around the UK. Other occupations have also had success in securing deals to benefit Gazan students. From Student Direct ManuUni Occupa

G20 police blame media for violence - but who gave them the information to hype?

So what would the riot police have been like if their commanders hadn't calmed them down? I think we can safely discount this latest spin from the Met. The cops are now blaming the media for hyping the prospect of serious violence on the day. Well, we did have some very serious violence, and it was from the police. Also, who are these supervisors who didn't ensure 'officers displayed ID numbers' and does the silence on the result of third postmortem probably mean it's not looking good for the unnamed police territorial support group policeman that carried out the attack on Ian Tomlinson? Officers policing the G20 protests in London were told to remain "calm and restrained", says a Met police report. Supervisors also had to ensure officers displayed ID numbers , says the report being presented to a Metropolitan Police Authority meeting later... ...The results of a third post-mortem, requested by the interviewed police officer's legal team, have not be

Human shield war crimes of the 'moral' Israeli army

'Cases below are examples of customary Israeli practice in violation of international law.' By Stephen Lendman – Chicago The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights is a Gaza-based Palestinian NGO mandated "to promote, protect and prevent violations of human rights in general, and economic, social and cultural rights in particular, to provide effective aid to those victims of such violations, and to enhance the quality of life of the community in (Gaza's) marginalized sectors." It monitors and documents violations, provides legal aid and advocacy, and helps Gazans on "fundamental issues such as basic human rights, democracy, and international humanitarian" matters. It also produces reports and publications on its work. In April, it published a seven-case study update of its July 2008 report titled: "Hiding Behind Civilians - The Continued Use of Palestinian Civilians as Human Shields by the Israeli Occupation Forces.&

Hamas and Hezbollah resistance forces western rethink

From post at: Organisation to Understand Radical Arab and Islamist Movements [pictured: Samir Al-Kuntar, Lebanese prisoner freed after the 2006 Israeli aggression against Lebanon] A new order emerges in Lebanon By Sami Moubayed Asia Times Online DAMASCUS - Last week, one of America's top allies in Lebanon, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, caused a row when he made remarks - off the record - criticizing his allies in the pro-Western March 14 Coalition. Among other things, Jumblatt scoffed at his patron Saad al-Hariri, the head of the largest bloc in the Lebanese parliament, for having tried - and failed - to combat Hezbollah on the streets of Beirut last May. Then, Hariri's armed men were round up and disarmed in a matter of minutes by the well-trained Hezbollah fighters. "We have seen the Sunnis in the field, huh!" he said, adding, "They didn't last for more than 15 minutes!” Jumblatt quickly apologized - but the damage was already done. Shortly afterwards, when

Israel in draft dodger clampdown

Israeli police have arrested seven people who are suspected of operating websites to encourage Israeli youth not to join the military. The seven, allegedly operated websites that posted materials against enlisting in the Israeli military, Haaretz reported. They also provided advice for those interested in dodging Israel's mandatory military draft through training how one can pretend to be psychologically unfit to join Israel's mandatory military service. "The main part of the investigation has focused on locating those persons who are operating the two websites where violations to article 109 of the criminal law, incitement for draft evasion, are being carried out," said Superintendent Nimrod Daniel, chief of investigations in the Yarkon District Police. "It may be that these persons have explanations, but according to the law this is a criminal violation that is punishable by five years imprisonment," he added. Thanks to Press TV

Cardiff May Day protest against police violence

• End Police Violence • Defend the Right to Protest • Disband the Riot Squads • Justice for Ian Tomlinson There is a May Day protest on Friday 1st May at 6 pm outside Cardiff Central Police Station, Edward VII Avenue (Behind City Hall) called by Cardiff Stop the War Coalition & supported by several other social justice organisations. With attacks on civil liberties, repeated attacks on the right to protest and harassment of campaigning organisations it is a v.important protest, unless you think it is okay to be beaten up by a policeman or have your house raided because you have a strong opinion on Gaza, climate chaos or the credit crunch. "But something else has changed in this country: the resolution of the protesters. Despite repeated assaults, they appear to become better organised and less afraid. That, so soon after Operation Glencoe, 114 people were prepared to risk arrest and another beating testifies to the resilience of this movement. These people know that protest is

Killing of non-violent protester Bassem Abu Rahme

Great Op-Ed piece in the Seattle Times from an ISM founder The United States continues to supply Israel with approximately $3 billion in military aid annually, which allows Israel to continue abusing Palestinians and preventing any meaningful resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, writes guest columnist Huwaida Arraf. By Huwaida Arraf We Palestinians are often asked where the Palestinian Gandhi is and urged to adopt nonviolent methods in our struggle for freedom from Israeli military rule. On April 17, an Israeli soldier killed my good friend Bassem Abu Rahme at a nonviolent demonstration against Israeli confiscation of Palestinian land. Bassem was one of many Palestinian Gandhis... ...Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman claimed recently, "Believe me, America accepts all our decisions." I do not believe, however, that the United States condones the killing

Join Freedom Summer 2009 in Palestine

Freedom Summer 2009: Defend the Land and Jerusalem The US-based International Solidarity Movement is issuing a call-out for internationals to volunteer as field activists and office workers in the West Bank, Gaza, and occupied East Jerusalem this summer. Whether you can come for only a few weeks or several months, your presence is needed to support Palestinian communities who are nonviolently resisting the Israeli occupation. Freedom Summer 2009, which will run from June 6th until August 15th , aims to challenge the continued theft of Palestinian land for the rapid expansion of illegal Israeli settlements and their infrastructure in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Volunteer training sessions will be held every week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays . Visit our “Join Us in Palestine” section to read more information about volunteering .

Ian Tomlinson funeral today - lobby MPA tomorrow - defend right to protest

Ian Tomlinson's family will be holding his funeral today. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. The third post mortem, ordered on behalf of the policeman that attacked Ian, has been carried out but the result has not been released as yet. Tomorrow campaigners will be lobbying, or should that be kettling, the Metropolitan Police Authority at City Hall. Called by UCAPV Assemble 9:00am, Thursday 30 April Outside City Hall ( http://www.london.gov.uk/gla/locationmap.jsp ) See message below from Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the London Assembly: Jenny Jones, Green representative on the MPA will be addressing the lobby prior to the MPA meeting this Thursday and would like to update all those concerned about the policing of the G20 protests on April 1st and those who have written to her. A call to write to members of the MPA then follows. Please use this opportunity to impress upon all members of the MPA the importance of our campaign ahead of the meeting and as they convene

Boycott Africa-Israel setttlement building company

The UK Foreign Office will no longer rent from Lev Leviev. Now other states must also boycott this builder of illegal settlements The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office must be commended for its decision to cancel renting premises for the UK embassy in Tel Aviv from the company Africa-Israel, owned by Israeli businessman and settlement builder Lev Leviev. This is an encouraging step that should now be backed by stronger sanctions against the building of the separation wall and the building of illegal settlements by Israel. Furthermore, the governments of Norway and Dubai should emulate the example set by the UK and sever their relationships with Leviev's companies. From the Guardian

Justice for Tristan Anderson

A website has been set up for Tristan Anderson. You can done to help with medical expenses here Tristan Anderson, 38, an American citizen, was critically injured on Friday [13 March 2009] by Israeli troops during protests against Israel’s Wall in the West Bank village of Ni’lin. He was hit in his forehead by a new type of high velocity, extended range teargas projectile, and has been transferred to Tel Hashomer hospital, near Tel Aviv. Tristan is unconscious, anesthetized and artificially respirated, has sustained life-threatening injuries to his brain (as well as to his right eye), and is expected to undergo several operations in the coming days, in addition to the one he underwent today. The impact of the projectile caused numerous condensed fractures to Anderson’s forehead and right eye socket. During the operation, part of his right frontal lobe had to be removed, as it was penetrated by bone fragments. A brain fluid leakage was sealed using a tendon from his thigh, and both his r

Illegal settlement taking root south of Jerusalem part of Israel encirclement plan

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, ( PIC )-- The Israeli occupation authority is embarking on establishing a new Jewish neighborhood in the Palestinian area of Arab Al-Sawahreh, south of occupied Jerusalem, adding that Jewish religious nationalists will live in this area. The work on establishing this new neighborhood started about two months ago, and the area is surrounded by Palestinian homes from the north, south and west, while the eastern side has the main road, and only route, leading to the settlement. The building of this neighborhood was ratified by the Israel in 2000 when Ehud Olmert was still the mayor of occupied Jerusalem and encouraging the settlement activities inside the Palestinian neighborhoods.

British circus entertainers going to Gaza for two months

A British group specialized in entertainment and circus shows declared its intention to go along with the "Hope" convoy to the Gaza Strip to give psychosocial and recreational support for Gaza children who sustained a severe psychological trauma as a result of the brutal Israeli war. In a statement received by the PIC, Sameh Habib, the spokesman for the convoy, said Monday that the convoy will be accompanied by a group of seven entertainers and a number of European people with special needs, pointing out that Ruth Jamz, a member of the group, will drive a circus truck loaded with toys and other means to develop the capacity of disabled children in Gaza. Habib added that the British circus will stay in Gaza for about two months, where it will be traveling around the Strip to hold a series of recreational shows for children. The "Hope" convoy will include also more than 10 fully-equipped ambulances and trucks laden with medical equipment and supplies especially applia

Sixth Fatah conference preparations hit by splits, Egypt and Jordan turn down hosting

AMMAN, ( PIC )-- Fatah sources ruled out holding the sixth conference of Fatah in the near future, attributing this to the altercations that erupted between members of the preparatory committee on the mechanisms and the location of the conference. The sources said, in a statement published Wednesday in the Saudi Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, that these disputes became heated after members of the preparatory committee of the sixth Fatah conference Hakam Balawi and Nasser Yousef traded insults over the increase of the conference membership. According to the sources, Yousef strongly refused the proposal of increasing the conference membership and insisted the committee reduce the number of members from 2,900 members to about 1,500. The sources added that Fatah members inside the 1948 occupied land rejected this reduction and tried to raise the number of members. They noted that Fatah conference members are also wrangling over the place for holding the conference after Jordan a

Venezuela opens diplomatic relations with Palestinian Authority

Chavez's moves forward with diplomatic ties to the Palestinian Authority after breaking relations with Israel during the Gaza war. Viva Chavez! Venezuela on Monday opened diplomatic relations with the Palestinian Authority just months after leftist President Hugo Chavez broke ties with Israel to protest January attacks on the Gaza Strip. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and Palestinian Authority Minister of Information and Foreign Affairs Riyad al-Maliki signed agreements creating diplomatic ties and were scheduled to inaugurate a new embassy in Caracas in the afternoon. "The people of Palestine can count on our eternal and permanent solidarity with their just and humane cause," said Maduro. (Reuters)

7/7 trio cleared but who is accountable for persistent targeting of innocent people?

Yet another bogus terror trial ends with no convictions. How much more money are the authorities going to waste on spreading their 'state of fear'? Three men have been cleared of helping to plan the 7/7 London suicide attacks. A re-trial jury at Kingston Crown Court found them not guilty of conspiring with the 2005 bombers by organising a reconnaissance mission to London. Waheed Ali, 25, Sadeer Saleem, 28, and Mohammed Shakil, 32, all from Leeds, admitted knowing the bombers - but denied helping them. more at the BBC

UN joins Egypt's campaign against Hezbollah

The Daily Star - Lebanon BEIRUT: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern about Hizbullah operations outside Lebanese territories, saying interference in another country's internal affairs constitutes a violation of sovereignty. Egypt announced earlier this month that it had uncovered a plot by 49 men with links to Hizbullah to destabilize the country by carrying out attacks on Egyptian institutions and Israeli tourists. But Nasrullah has denied Hezbollah had any such plans to unleash terror is Egypt. It is difficult see how such terrorism could possibly benefit Hezbollah. In fact the Lebanese resistance organisation has only ever launched attacks on Israel. Hezbollah leader Nasrallah does not deny that Hezbollah members have been or are in Egypt. Nasrallah, while refuting Egypt's terror claims, defended his group's efforts to aid the embattled Palestinian resistance. "If helping our Palestinian brothers - whose land is occupied and who are being

Palestinians injured as IDF opens fire near Gaza City

Three Palestinian civilians sustained wounds after the Israeli military opened fire east of Gaza City on Monday at midday. Local sources report that three civilians sustained moderate wounds when Israeli soldiers at the Al Mintar crossing of the Gaza-Israeli border opened fire at them. Medical sources announced that the three were moved to a nearby hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, an armed Palestinian group announced on Monday that its fighters clashed with Israeli military forces by the southern Gaza-Israeli border. The group, Abu Ali Mustafa, a leftist group, said no injures were reported among its fighters. Thanks to the International Middle East Media Center Meanwhile settlers opened fire on farmers near Nablus on Monday: Israeli settlers open fire at farmers near Nablus: youth injured

Hope for Gaza gathers steam with disabled contingent

Free Gaza: “Disabled Europeans join Hope convoy heading to Gaza” Tuesday April 28, 2009 - 10:20 The Popular Committee Against the Siege (PCAS) announced that a number of disabled Europeans expressed willingness to join the Hope for Gaza Convoy, which will be heading to the Gaza Strip in May of 2009. Full Story

Met Police Authority demo 30 April - stop police violence - defend right to protest

Thursday, 30 April: Lobby of the Metropolitan Police Authority meeting on G20 policing, City Hall. With Jenny Jones, Green Party Assembly Member. Come and join the protest against the Met's violent policing of the demonstrations and their extensive use of batons, dogs and "kettling". In particular, come and make your voice heard against the Met's Territorial Support Group (TSG) which supposedly specialises in public order. Ian Tomlinson collapsed and died after being hit and pushed by a TSG officer who has since been questioned on suspicion of manslughter. If we're going to get justice and defend our right to protest we need to keep the pressure up on the Met. Please bring trade union banners, and forward this information far and wide. A press release will be out soon - please also forward this to all relevant contacts. Also, please see a message from Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the London Assembly, who will be at the protest, on the Facebook page. Assemb

PA rejoices prisoner day, its security forces arrest ex-detainees

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- In stark contrast to the events held by the PA in Ramallah to mark the Palestinian prisoner day, the Fatah-affiliated security apparatuses escalated their kidnapping campaigns and harassment against Hamas cadres and other resistance factions in Tulkarem especially those who were released recently from Israeli jails. The PA security apparatuses also used recently new means to torture their Palestinian prisoners which led many of them to be transferred to hospital for treatment. These security apparatuses which are supposedly under the command of ex-PA chief Mahmoud Abbas kidnapped in Tulkarem city alone more than 50 Palestinian citizens who had been prisoners in Israeli jail. One of the most dangerous kinds of torture used by PA security officers is the tying of prisoners' hands to the ceiling for hours while beating them severely in their backs which expose prisoners to the risk of paralysis or heart attacks and if one of those tortured prisoners collaps

Finkelstein beats Clark University ban on Gaza lecture

Clark University President John Bassett fails in his efforts to cancel a lecture by Norman Finkelstein on the Israeli massacre of Gazans. Basset sparked student fury earlier this month after he nixed the appearance of Finkelstein -- an outspoken critic of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians -- for fear that any support would undermine a university-sponsored conference on the Holocaust. The Students for Palestinian Rights and other organizations responded by circulating petitions and organizing a protest rally in criticism of what they believed to be a violation of the right of freedom of speech granted under the First Amendment. The American Civil Liberties Union also wrote a letter Basset, reprimanding him for infringing upon academic freedom. In the face of the angry outburst, Basset revoked the cancellation and rescheduled Finkelstein's appearance for Monday, after the conference more at Press TV

Israel's campaign of deadly force against non-violent apartheid wall protesters

A protester (left) reacts to tear gas shot by the Israeli army during a protest against the apartheid wall in the West Bank village of Nilin, on the 27/3/2009. The Israeli army attacked the weekly protest in Nilin, entering the center of the village with large forces and trying to prevent the protest from taking place. Photo by: Oren Ziv/ Activestills.org Thanks to Rory McCarthy at the Guardian for reporting on the deadly force being used by Israel's soldiers against people protesting the apartheid wall. Video link here . From the Guardian It began calmly enough with a march down the high street after midday prayers at the mosque. Palestinian villagers were surrounded by dozens of foreigners singing and waving flags. They turned and headed out to the olive-tree fields and up towards the broad path of Israel's West Bank barrier. There, behind a concrete hilltop bunker, the Israeli soldiers looked down on them. The crowd approached the barrier, sti

US and UK worries over Pakistan deepen as Taliban expand

[update 16:07 BST] Asif Ali Zardari's pulls out of press conference in Islamabad after Brown calls country 'terror crucible'. Gordon Brown this morning made it clear he is following the US game plan - Afghanistan and Pakistan are the 'crucible of terrorism' he tells us, as the UK government announces more troops for the Afghan disaster. Pakistan is desperately trying to block a drive by the Taliban in the Swat valley towards the Afghan border. The US has demanded this offensive. Thousands of ordinary people are fleeing the Malakand division. Clinton says she couldn't 'even contemplate' a situation where Pakistan's nuclear weapons are at risk. Gordon Brown sees no contradiction in appealing to Pakistan to step up its civil war in the name of the war on terror, while detaining its students on false terrorism charges here in the UK. The Swat Taliban remain defiant. Overnight the militants seized control of a telephone exchange in Bahrain, a village in

More demolition notifications in Jerusalem

More demolitions in the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem. OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, ( PIC )-- The Israeli-controlled municipality of occupied Jerusalem on Sunday sent its so-called construction observation teams to deliver demolition notifications to 30 Palestinian families. Local sources said that some of those homes were built 20 years ago and their owners paid fines, noting that the notified homes were located in Beit Hanina, Sha'fat, Aisawiya and Jabal Mukabir neighborhoods. The sources pointed out that the new demolition orders raise the number of Palestinian homes threatened with destruction since start of this year to 1,052 inhabited by around 5,000 people. They said that 60% of those houses were ordered to be flattened by the occupation municipality's local affairs court while 40% had received judicial rulings to the effect over the past years. The local sources charged that the Israeli occupation authority was exercising "racist cleansing" against the Palestin

Palestinian prisoners pressured for information in exchange for treatment

Dr. Bassem Na'eem, the minister of health, told the visiting Scottish delegation headed by MSP Pauline McNeill , that Israel pressures Palestinian patients to give information about resistance fighters in exchange for receiving medical treatment in its hospitals. Dr. Na'eem also accused the PA in Ramallah of assisting Israel in its blockade on Gaza through instigating foreign powers against the Palestinian government and its refusal to provide Gaza patients with passports. From PIC

Total closure of West Bank and Gaza for 61 anniversary 'celebrations'

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- The Israeli occupation forces' command on Sunday imposed a hermetic closure on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as of Sunday evening until Wednesday evening. The command said that the closure was on the occasion of celebrating the 61st anniversary for the establishment of the state of Israel on the land of Palestine. It said that no Palestinian would be allowed into Palestinian lands occupied in 1948 and whoever is caught in violation of this decision would pay a double fine. From the Palestinian Information Center

Egypt raids Sinai Bedouins in search for Hezbollah link

The fallout from the suspicious 'Hezbollah cell' arrests continues in Egypt where Bedouins of the Sinai are being killed and harassed by state security. They tried to hold a protest on Saturday. Bedouins in Sinai attempted in vain to protest Saturday against increased security raids in the wake of the Hezbollah cell case. Security forces managed to scupper the protest but the assembled Bedouins who gathered near Al-Oja in an area called Abu Hashad decided that another protest would be held on June 1... ...Security forces have stated that they are searching for some 25 people in Sinai who they believe are involved with the alleged Hezbollah terror cell that was exposed and captured in Egypt. From Daily News Egypt

Turkey-Syria military exercise 'distrurbing' says Israel

Israel's Gaza War continues to strain its strategic alliance with Turkey. The row between Peres and Erdogan at Davos was the public manifestation of this, although Turkey has not ripped up its military agreements with Israel, despite the rhethoric. Nevertheless both the military and the government in Turkey are making it clear to the US and Israel that they may have other options. The uncovering of an Israeli plot to kill Turkish prime minister Erdogan will not ihave helped things either. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that the joint Turkish-Syrian maneuver launched Monday was a "disturbing development." Turkey and Syria staged their first joint military exercise, with the aim of boosting ties between the two countries’ land forces.

Millwall leafleting great result for police brutality campaign

Protesters from the United Campaign Against Police Violence (UCAPV)leafleted Millwall on Saturday, and were joined by the family of Sean Rigg who died in police custody. Bob Crow, the general secretary of the RMT trade union, also gave a hand. Campaigners received a warm reception from Millwall fans. Bob Crow took a banner advertising the national demonstration on 23 May into the stadium. On Saturday members and supporters of the UCAPV, including Bob Crow, General Secretary of the RMT, went to The Den, homeground of Millwall FC, to give out leaflets about the campaign and forthcoming events. Ian Tomlinson was a big Millwall fan, as is Bob Crow, and the support for the campaign was immense. We got rid of well over 1,000 leaflets within half an hour, with many Millwall fans coming back for more. The press were in attendance too with Bob being interviewed for both Channel 4 News and The Times. In fact, the only people who weren't happy to see us were a few shifty Met officers pacing a

Obama 'aid for Hamas' move has Israel supporters in a sweat

More evidence of daylight emerging between the US and Israel. The two allies don't quite see eye to eye on two states, with the new Israeli government set against any such move and linking the issue to Iran. At the weekend the Obama administration signaled it wishes to see changes in US law to allow it to provide aid to a unified Palestinian government that would include Hamas. This is welcome, albeit purely theoretical as there is no such government in position. Obama's timid move has enraged the pro-Israel lobby in the US and is worrying Israeli leaders, which is no bad thing, even if their fears are overstated. The administration seeks changes that would permit aid to Palestinians even if officials backed by Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group, become part of a unified Palestinian government... ...Nevertheless, the move has alarmed congressional supporters of Israel, who are watching for signs that the new Democratic team at the White House might be more sympa

Another attack on Sudan 'arms shipment' by Israel

Israel's undeclared war on Sudan continues. We reported in March that in January Israel attacked an overground convoy traveling through the country and supposedly carrying arms for the resistance in Gaza. Now this Saturday there were reports of an attack on an Iranian ship about to dock in the country. The suspected arms ship was torpedoed by an unknown power. Israel denied the earlier attack only for the US to reveal that it was indeed the Israeli, and not themselves, that had launched the attack. There have been no reports of casualties so far or statement from the Sudanese government. An Iranian vessel laden with weapons bound for the Gaza Strip was torpedoed off the coast of Sudan last week, allegedly by Israeli or American forces operating in the area, the Egyptian newspaper El-Aosboa reported yesterday. Anonymous sources in Khartoum told the newspaper that an unidentified warship bombed the Iranian vessel as it prepared to dock in Sudan before transferring its load for shipm

Breaking news: police blogs, facebook, boast 'good kicking' of G20 protesters

Police cash for protester to spy, coppers boasting of giving the citizens they 'serve' a bloody good kicking, the IPCC investigating 25 complaints of head injuries, and a PC Rob Ward's days in the force numbered (by the way, the first name of a policeman that has found its way into the public domain since the G20 police attacks and the murder of Ian Tomlinson) - the reputation of the police in Britain worsens by the day... The Met said last night it was attempting to identify the author of the comments, which were left on the Policeman's Blog site following the death of Mr Tomlinson, a newspaper vendor, on 1 April. The latest inflammatory remarks from serving policemen over the treatment of G20 protesters surfaced after it emerged that PC Rob Ward, 27, had allegedly bragged on Facebook how he was going to "bash some long-haired hippies" at the G20 demonstrations. On Friday, Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson responded to rising anti-police sentiment follow

Release Fatima Azzak and her baby from Israeli prison

Following the failure of prisoner swap negotiations Israel's outgoing Olmert government set in motion, as a matter of public record , its intention to make even harsher the prison regime for Palestinians. This is against all international norms. If a state was going to take such a move it would normally not advertised it, but such is the arrogance of the Israeli state that it paraded this criminality as a sop to the Israeli public, the parents of Shalit, the IDF prisoner of war, and of course to attempt to pressure the resistance . Casting lead into the heads of babies achieved nothing. Release all Palestinian prisoners. Prisoners' center appeals for enabling Palestinian mother to see her kids [ 25/04/2009 - 05:00 PM ] GAZA, ( PIC )-- The prisoners' center for studies appealed to all institutions concerned with the issue of prisoners to enable a Palestinian mother called Fatima Azzak imprisoned with her one-year child in the Israeli Telmond Hashron prison to se

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Members of Adalah NY call for boycott of Leviev for its crimes against Palestinians and South Africans New York, NY, May 9 – On the day before Mother’s Day, 40 New York human rights advocates gathered at the Leviev jewelry store on Madison Avenue and called on throngs of weekend Madison Avenue shoppers to boycott Israeli diamond mogul Lev Leviev over his companies’ construction of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land in West Bank villages including Bil’in and Jayyous. Mother’s Day is one of the biggest jewelry shopping periods in the US annually. The New York protest came as controversy is growing in Norway over Norwegian government investments in Leviev’s company Africa-Israel . The New York protesters also commemorated Bassem Abu Rahma from Bil’in who was shot to death by Israeli soldiers last month during a peaceful protest against the construction on Bil’in’s land of Israel’s wall and of the Mattityahu East settlement by a Leviev company. Thanks to vivapalestina.us (not co

Support striking Palestinian quarry workers demanding their rights from Israeli employer

On 16 June, 35 Palestinian workers at Salit Quarries in Mishor Adumim (in area C, east of Jerusalem, in the Occupied West Bank) began a strike. The workers, organized with the independent union WAC-Ma'an, are demanding an end to exploitation and humiliation, and insist on signing a first collective agreement. Salit Quarries’ main customer is Readymix Industries (Israel). The total reliance of Salit Quarry on Readymix as their biggest and by far the most important customer puts responsibility on Readymix to make sure that their clients abides by labour laws and safeguards elementary rights for the workers of Salit. We call upon Readymix to urge the Salit management to terminate this unnecessary strike by signing the collective agreement with the workers and WAC-Ma’an. Click this protest link to send your message. The text of the message is as follows: I write to you to express my grave concern about the failure of Salit management to sign a collective agreement with the workers of