Category Archives: Palestine

Israel’s Arab leaders join forces in attempt to oust Benjamin Netanyahu and influence future government – Middle East – World – The Independent

“Time has come today!”

For years Arabs have been effectively marginalized in Israel’s political life. But at the weekend leaders of the country’s substantial Arab minority launched an alliance which puts them on course to become a powerful force in next month’s general election – with the potential to tip the outcome against the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Five previously fractious political groupings that divided the Arab vote between them agreed to field a single “Joint List” with the aim of toppling the Israeli leader, whom they blame for a further deterioration in their own standing and conditions, and for harming fellow Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

There was standing room only in a Nazareth hall on Saturday night, as 1,500 supporters gave their backing to the combined list of Arab candidates under Israel’s system of proportional representation.

“We are no longer investing our energy in defeating each other; on the contrary we are joining our forces to grow bigger and bigger,” said Aida Touma, a socialist and feminist from the Hadash party who shares prominence on the list alongside such others as Masoud Ganaim, an Islamic fundamentalist.

via Israel’s Arab leaders join forces in attempt to oust Benjamin Netanyahu and influence future government – Middle East – World – The Independent.

Palestine: Cycling Not to Forget

Three young women from the United Kingdom are about to start a journey that sees them cycling through Palestinian villages demolished in 1948. The Palestinian exodus, Nakba, occurred when about 700,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were forced to leave their homes in Mandatory Palestine, in the territory now controlled by Israel. Their right to return to their original hamlets or a possible compensation for their loss are one of the causes for discussion in the on-going Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Today the depopulated villages do not longer exist or are reduced to ruins.

via Palestine: Cycling Not to Forget.

Longest-serving US senator to skip Netanyahu speech | Maan News Agency

Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy accused Republican leaders in the House of Representatives of “unilaterally” arranging and politicizing Netanyahu’s planned address before a joint meeting of Congress on March 3.

Leahy, a seven-term senator, said that by scheduling the speech without input from the White House, Republicans “have orchestrated a tawdry and high-handed stunt that has embarrassed not only Israel but the Congress itself.”

via Longest-serving US senator to skip Netanyahu speech | Maan News Agency.

Israeli settlers chop down olive trees near Hebron | Maan News Agency

A group of Israeli settlers on Sunday chopped down dozens of olive trees belonging to an elderly Palestinian man in the village of Sisiya south of Hebron, a local spokesman said.

Ratib al-Jubour, spokesman of a local popular committee, said “a mob of settlers chopped down more than 30 olive trees planted four years ago.”

He said the trees belonged to a man named Khalil Najawaa.

Settlers have been pressuring Najawaa to leave his land, al-Jubour said.

Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is commonplace but is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.

via Israeli settlers chop down olive trees near Hebron | Maan News Agency.

Hebron: Israeli Forces Weld Palestinian Homes Shut

Israeli forces Monday welded Aamal Hashem Dundes front doors shut. Living in a rented apartment across the street, her family had owned these two houses for centuries on Shuhada Street, most of which is closed to Palestinians.

Aamal sat on a chair, at times crying, as she, her daughter, Palestinian residents, activists and journalists, and internationals from CPT and ISM questioned the soldiers who were carrying out the illegal act. At one point she picked up her chair and sat in front of her house in an act of resistance, before she was forced to move.

via Hebron: Israeli Forces Weld Palestinian Homes Shut.

Noa: Gam Ani Charlie!

I become infuriated when i see the “soft spot” people have for religion: oh, what a nice Jewish boy you see he’s wearing a kippah? he must be nice. oh what a nice Muslim girl! you see, she covers her head? she must be good! oh, look , shes wearing a cross on her neck! she is a believer!! That is such Bogus! as if the clothes, the necklaces or the dietary practices of ANYONE are any indication of what kind of a human being they are?? In Israel we let Rabbis who have plainly proselytized Jewish supremacy, hatred and racism, roam free in the streets! not only that, we give them positions and budgets! the we ELECT them for office! that is nausiating! and needless to say, that happens in the Muslim world too, big time. And the same happened in the Christian world throughout history, in a bloody and horrible way, and is probably still happening.

I am actually envious of the Christians. It seems their bloodiest times are behind them, after the massacres and butchering of the crusades, inquisitions etc etc, and now they have Pope Francis! oh, Pope Francis! a guy who would say: “you don’t have to believe in God to be a good person! Some of the best people in the world do not believe in God, and some of the worst things are done in his name!”..OMG!!! i love this man!! so where is the parallel, someone of such power and influence who would say that, in the Muslim world? or the Jewish?? if someone can point him or her out, let me know.

via Noa: Gam Ani Charlie!.

Meet the three American families bank-rolling Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu – Americas – World – The Independent

the Falic family of Florida which owns the Duty Free Americas airport shops, the Schottenstein family, owners of the American Eagle Outfitters fashion chain, and the Book family of New Jersey, owners of Jet Support Systems.

via Meet the three American families bank-rolling Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu – Americas – World – The Independent.

Israeli settlers uproot 5000 olive tree saplings near Turmusayya | Maan News Agency

Jewish settlers have uprooted more than 5,000 olive tree saplings in agricultural lands east of the town of Turmusayya in the central West Bank north of Ramallah, locals said Thursday.

One of the owners of the lands targeted, Awad Abu Samra, told Ma’an that in the last week settlers have repeatedly raided the area to attack the olive tree saplings.

via Israeli settlers uproot 5000 olive tree saplings near Turmusayya | Maan News Agency.

This just sucks – such terroristic children backed by childish Israeli government!

Haaretz: Fearing Zionist Attacks, 100 Arab Bus Drivers in Jerusalem Quit Their Jobs

Forty-seven years after the unification of Jerusalem, there are very few islands of Jewish-Arab coexistence in the city. Of these, one of the most noteworthy was the Egged bus cooperative. About half its drivers were East Jerusalem Palestinians, who say they received fair treatment, good wages and benefits – things few other East Jerusalem Palestinians enjoy.

But the wave of violence in the city in recent months, which has included violent attacks on Arab drivers, has caused 100 of them – about a third of Egged’s Arab drivers – to quit. Forty have officially resigned, while 60 have simply not shown up for work. This has severely disrupted public transportation in Jerusalem.

“I worked for Egged for six years,” said Arafat Tahan. “It was good work. But it’s better to earn less money and not come home in a body bag.”

Last Wednesday night, yet another Arab bus driver was attacked. Two Jewish men on a scooter drove up beside his bus in the Gilo neighborhood and tried to break the windshield. When this failed, they forced the bus to stop, threw a stone that shattered the windshield and took off.

via Haaretz: Fearing Zionist Attacks, 100 Arab Bus Drivers in Jerusalem Quit Their Jobs.

Palestinian minister dies after being struck by Israeli troops | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR

update – About 100 foreign and Palestinian activists with the Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall, the government-run protest organization that Abu Ein headed, were on their way to plant trees and protest near an Israeli settlement when they were stopped at an improvised checkpoint, witnesses said.

A group of around 15 Israeli soldiers fired tear gas at the protesters and began scuffling with them.

Abu Ein was struck by a hand to the neck during an altercation with two of the soldiers, and was rushed away in an ambulance shortly afterwards, the Reuters photographer said.

via Palestinian minister dies after being struck by Israeli troops | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR.