Category Archives: peace

Watch: Christian groups decry Israeli restrictions ahead of Easter | Maan News Agency

“There is no more freedom for Christians in reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” Benayot added, stressing how the combination of checkpoints and police violence had deterred many Christians from coming during the holy week leading up to Easter.

Every year, millions of Christians — including tens of thousands of Palestinian Christians — converge upon the holy city to mark the holiest days of the Christian calendar.

In recent years, however, these celebrations have been marred by violence, and at times Israeli authorities have even banned Palestinian Christians from entering the city to celebrate their holidays, even while allowing foreign pilgrims in.

Benayot said that last year when he tried to go to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, he was assaulted at a checkpoint Israeli forces had erected.

via Watch: Christian groups decry Israeli restrictions ahead of Easter | Maan News Agency.

Israeli forces detain Hebron man after settlers invade his home | Maan News Agency

Israeli forces detained a Palestinian man on Saturday evening after he tried to defend his family from a home invasion by Jewish settlers in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, a local activist group said.

Mofid Sharbati, 46, was detained by Israeli forces after a group of settlers entered his home on Shuhada street in central Hebron, coordinator for Youth against Settlements Issa Amro said.

His brother Zidan Sharbati was wounded during the incident, which began when Jewish settlers entered their homes and began beating the brothers as well as members of their families.

When the two attempted to respond, Israeli forces who were on the scene came to the aid of settlers and continued the assault, Amro said.

Israeli forces detained Mofid during the incident, while Zidan was evacuated from the scene by an ambulance and taken to Hebron Hospital, where doctors said his wounds were “moderate.”

via Israeli forces detain Hebron man after settlers invade his home | Maan News Agency.

Anja Niedringhaus | IRAQ – 10 years, 100 viewpoints – 2003-2013

RIP – Anja was killed this past Thursday by an Afghan policeman.

A recorded interview with her and her experience in Iraq.

Anja Niedringhaus is a German photo journalist who began her career at the European Pressphoto Agency in Frankfurt. Later she began working for the AP as a reporter and war correspondent starting in Yugoslavia in 1992, and then later in Afghanistan. In 2005 Anja was one of the few photographers on hand for the Battle of Fallujah in Iraq. In 2005 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her moving photographs from the Iraq War. She currently works for AP in Kabul.

via Anja Niedringhaus | IRAQ – 10 years, 100 viewpoints – 2003-2013.

Gaza’s only power plant ‘shuts down for lack of fuel’ | Maan News Agency

Collective punishment is supposed to be illegal according to international law based in part on its use by Nazi’s during WWII but Israel uses it often… The Gaza Strip’s only power plant shut down Saturday due to a lack of fuel from Israel, which closed a goods crossing after militant rocket attacks, the energy authority said.

“The plant has completely ceased to function due to a lack of fuel caused by (Israel’s) closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing,” said Fathi al-Sheikh Khalil, deputy director of the energy authority in the Palestinian territory ruled by the Islamist movement Hamas.

On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon ordered the closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza and the Erez pedestrian crossing “until further security assessments.”

via Gaza’s only power plant ‘shuts down for lack of fuel’ | Maan News Agency.

Rebel filmmaker & music producer Deeyah shares life on International Women’s Day | WNN – Women News Network

My family was different; our parents own struggles for freedom had given us a measure of liberty, but still, in extended family and community gatherings, there was a palpable sense of us and them, West and East: two worlds in collision, and I was crushed between them.

In those days, there were few ethnic minorities in Norway. I was called Paki and Black Bitch in the streets of Oslo, and in school the friendships I found were with other outcasts. Although a quiet student, if one of my friends were threatened, I defended them with all my strength. One of the closest and most precious friendships was, and remains, and will always be, the one I share with my brother Adil, who is now a well-known actor. Even today, we share our frustrations and hopes in the same way as we used to, back in that small room in Oslo.

via Rebel filmmaker & music producer Deeyah shares life on International Women’s Day | WNN – Women News Network.

Night patrols

That’s led to the hasty organization of night patrols and watch posts of unarmed men looking to prevent escalation or inter-ethnic conflict. After sunset, groups of men stand at crossroads and community halls, peering uneasily into the darkness.

At one such post, a dozen men are smoking furtively and chewing sunflower seeds. They aren’t stopping cars, rather noting the comings and goings of unfamiliar vehicles and keeping in touch with each other by phone and text message.

“We have no authority to check documents, we can only call each other from the posts or call the head office to follow unknown vehicles or we can call the police,” said Zamir Khaybulaev, 60, head of the local Mejlis.

The Tartars only returned to Crimea from the 1970’s onwards

At a second post, volunteer Ernest Bekirov is philosophical. He says Crimea’s Tatars have weathered many hardships and said he hoped this crisis would pass soon.

A wish for peace

“We just want peace, happiness and to provide for our children and have a comfortable life in our native land,” the soft-spoken 48 year old said. “We don’t want a war – all this is coming from higher authorities.”

via .

Iran’s four-part plan for a political solution in Syria – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

The best approach to a political solution in Syria lies in addressing both the threat of international terrorism and the urgent humanitarian crisis, as well as a national and international process leading to a direct vote by the Syrian people, according to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein-Amir Abdollahian.

via Iran’s four-part plan for a political solution in Syria – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East.

America Is Ready to Elect Its Fourth-Most-Popular Recent First Lady as President – The Wire

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Two new polls tossed onto the already putrefying pile of 2016 surveys offer good news for Hillary Clinton. A majority of Americans want her to run in 2016 and most people don’t see her gender or husband as disqualifying. Hell, nearly a fifth of people under the age of 30 think Clinton’s not even 50 years old. Good news all around.

via America Is Ready to Elect Its Fourth-Most-Popular Recent First Lady as President – The Wire.

Statement and Q&A at U.S. Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine

QUESTION: So you are talking about the immediate steps for the government in Ukraine. What exactly are you talking about? Is this just the matter of time for the expats to know the situation here? Or is it that you have something planned in mind, to help, to support? Is it just not involving in the political situation? Just economics or is it politics as well?

DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: We will provide strong support not only for the revival of the Ukrainian economy, but also support for the political process, which has to begin with the formation of a new multi-party technocratic government. That will help prepare the way for free and fair elections in May, which as you know better than I do, will be very important for the future of this country. We also have an interest in working with our international partners to support the efforts of the new government to try and improve the security situation in this country as well.

On the economic side, the reality is that the new government that will be formed will inherit an economic mess. It’s a reality that Ukraine has always had a great deal of economic potential, but it’s also a reality that its business climate has never matched that potential. That can change. It is possible to realize that potential. It is possible to fight corruption and all the other impediments to realizing that potential. We recognize that that effort will require and deserves support from the friends of Ukraine like the United States, like the European Union, like the IMF. And we’re working quite practically and quite intensively to be ready to provide that support.

The first step, again, is the formation of a new government and an opportunity to sit down with that new government and identify the plans of the new Ukrainian government, their diagnosis of the problem, and then identify specifically what we can do to help. And we’ll be ready to do that along with the EU and the IMF because we recognize the urgency of the situation, we recognize what’s at stake for Ukraine and for the Ukrainian people.

via Statement and Q&A at U.S. Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine.

Russia says it won’t intervene in Ukraine | News , International | THE DAILY STAR

Moscow pledged Tuesday it would not intervene in the crisis in neighbouring Ukraine but said the country should not be forced to choose between Russia and the West.

“We confirmed our principled position of non-intervention in Ukraine’s internal affairs and expect that everyone follows similar logic,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

“We are interested in Ukraine being part of the European family, in all senses of the word,” he said after talks with Luxembourg counterpart Jean Asselborn.

But he added: “We agree that… it is dangerous and counterproductive to force Ukraine into a choice — either you are with us or against us.”

His remarks signalled a possible softening of Moscow’s stance after harsh statements both by Lavrov’s own ministry and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Monday.

via Russia says it won’t intervene in Ukraine | News , International | THE DAILY STAR.