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PALESTINA/IZRAEL:Unsustainable Israeli Politics of Exclusion in JerusalemWhile the history of the world is moving decisively toward a culture of inclusion, diversity and pluralism, Israeli politics seems to challenge history by moving in the opposite direction of exclusion and unilateral self - righteous monopoly of geography, demography, history, archeology and culture, especially in Jerusalem, where Israelis are desperately trying to establish a “Jewish” capital for Israel and “the Jewish people” worldwide, excluding centuries old presence of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and Christian deep-rooted existence and heritage, thus sowing the seeds of imminent conflict and foreseeable war by strangling a city that has historically been of diversified and pluralistic character and a flashpoint for human misery whenever exclusion becomes the rule of the day.Read more...Israel's right-wing is trying to stifle the reality of Palestinian demographicsDemografski podaci za Palestinu/Izrael (3. siječanj 2012.)U posljednjem tjednu 2011. Središnji ured za statistiku Palestinske samouprave je objavio svoj izvještaj za prošlu godinu. Prema tom izvještaju na palestinskom području živi oko 4,2 milijuna Palestinaca: 2,6 milijuna na Zapadnoj obali i 1,6 milijuna u Pojasu Gaze. U Izraelu živi 1,4 milijuna Palestinaca, dok ih se u arapskim zemljama i ostatku svijeta nalazi 5,6 milijuna. Prema izvještaju izraelskog Središnjeg ureda za statistiku, koji je objavljen 3 dana kasnije, ukupno ima 7,8 milijuna Izraelaca: od toga 5,9 milijuna Židova, 1,6 milijuna Arapa i 325 000 „ostalih“. Iz izvještaja se može zaključiti da je broj Židova i Palestinaca koji žive na prostoru između rijeke Jordan i Sredozemnog mora gotovo izjednačen. Prema palestinskim podacima trenutno ima oko 300 000 više Židova nego Palestinaca, dok prema izraelskim podacima ima 100 000 Židova više. Izvještaj Palestinske samouprave procjenjuje da će se, pod uvjetom da prirodni prirast stanovništva ostane isti, do kraja 2015. broj Palestinaca i Židova izjednačiti, a da će do 2020. broj Palestinaca koji žive u povijesnoj Palestini doseći 7,2 milijuna, dok će Židova biti 6,8 milijuna.Read more…2011 Successes of the Cultural Boycott of Apartheid Israel – BDSUspjesi kulturnog bojkota aparthejdskog Izraela u 2011. (1. siječanj 2012.)Tijekom 2011. brojni su svjetski glazbenici otkazali svoje nastupe u Izraelu i/ili podržali kulturni bojkot te zemlje, između ostalih Vanessa Paradis, Pete Seeger, Marc Almond, Jello Biafra, Natacha Atlas, The Yardbirds, Macy Gray, Mireille Mathieu, Joker i mnogi drugi. U Švicarskoj je u studenom 150 umjetnika potpisalo izjavu u kojoj se obvezuju na bojkot aparthejdskog Izraela.Read more...Report: Israel to build wall on Lebanon frontierIzrael namjerava graditi zid na granici s Libanonom (3. siječanj 2012.)Izraelski vojni dužnosnici namjeravaju graditi novi zid na izraelskoj sjevernoj granici na kojoj je uspostavljen prekid vatre s Libanonom. Zid bi trebao biti visok 5 metara i dug 1 kilometar, opremljen alarmnim uređajima i odvojio bi izraelski kibuc al-Matala i libanonsko selo Kafr Kala koji se nalaze jedno pored drugoga. Gradnja bi navodno trebala započeti za nekoliko tjedana. Izraelska je vojska od UN-ovih mirovnih snaga koje su raspoređene u zoni prekida vatre zatražila koordinaciju s Libanonom kako ne bi izbili sukobi. Pitanje granice između Izraela i Libanona još uvijek nije riješeno, a UN-ova „Plava linija“ pokriva tek dio granice, uspostavljene 2000. kako bi se utvrdilo je li se Izrael povukao iz Libanona nakon izraelske invazije na tu zemlju 1982. godine.Read more…Israel bill to force Palestinians to prove ownership over land used for West Bank outpostsThe bill would only allow a military commander to order a settler off land if there is a final court order based on evidence issued by a court authorized to deal with land issues.Read more...Israel to resolve Palestinian house demolition orders by summerIzrael namjerava riješiti naloge za rušenje palestinskih kuća do ljeta (1. siječanj 2012.)Ured izraelskog državnog odvjetnika najavio je da će do kolovoza 2012. odgovoriti na sve žalbe Palestinaca protiv naloga za rušenje građevina izgrađenih bez dozvole. To u praksi znači da će se ubrzati rušenje mnogih takvih zgrada, uključujući škole. Prema podacima UN-a, izraelska je Civilna uprava u 2011. ubrzala ritam uklanjanja palestinskih objekata izgrađenih bez dozvola u „Zoni C“ na okupiranoj Zapadnoj obali i srušila oko 500 takvih objekata – uključujući ceste, bunare, te šatore za stanovanje i kolibe. Procjenjuje se da su ova rušenja pogodila 1000 Palestinaca. Prema tvrdnjama izraelskog ministarstva pravosuđa Visoki sud pravde je od 2008. godine izdao 162 sudska naloga kojima je spriječeno rušenje palestinskih zgrada od strane Civilne administracije. Među zgradama čije je rušenje Visoki sud odgodio tijekom proteklih nekoliko godina su i 32 palestinske škole. Prema podacima UN-a 24 škola još uvijek prijeti rušenje. Posljednja je nalog o rušenju 24. studenog 2011. primila škola u Susiyi. Ako se procedura rušenja kuća doista ubrza, kako to najavljuju u Uredu državnog odvjetnika, oko 1000 palestinske djece u siromašnim i zapuštenim zajednicama moglo bi ostati bez svojih škola. Neke od škola koje su osuđene na rušenje već su 2 ili čak 3 puta bile rušene i zatim ponovno izgrađene. Drugim školama ne prijeti rušenje, ali im je zabranjeno dograđivati nove učionice ili proširivati školska igrališta.Read more...SAUDIJSKA ARABIJA:Saudi Arabia: Renewed Protests Defy BanSaudi reform advocates have staged several protests since mid-December, 2011, despite a categorical ban on protests issued last March, Human Rights Watch said today. In Riyadh, Buraida, and Qatif, security forces immediately arrested the protesters, who were peacefully protesting the detention without trial of hundreds of people held for long periods in intelligence prisons.Read more…Saudi Arabian State TerrorAnnually, the State Department publishes human rights reports for over 190 countries. Its latest April 8, 2011 Saudi Arabia assessment discusses "significant human rights abuses and the inability of citizens to change its absolute monarchal rule. Abuses include:"torture and physical abuse;poor prison and detention center conditions;arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention;denial of fair and public trials and lack of due process in the judicial system;political prisoners;restrictions on civil liberties such as freedom of speech (including the Internet);assembly, association, movement, and severe restrictions on religious freedom; andcorruption and lack of transparency."Also mentioned were inequality and violence against women, human trafficking, no labor rights, discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, sect and ethnicity, and violations of children's rights. Saudi's absolute monarchal rule is despotic, lawless and brutal. It's a police state practicing state terrorism internally and regionally. It's also Washington's main Middle East ally after Israel.Read more…Saudi Arabia: Only Women Can Work In Lingerie StoresSaudi Arabia said Monday it will begin enforcing a law that allows only females to work in women's lingerie and apparel stores, despite disapproval from the country's top cleric. The 2006 law banning men from working in female apparel and cosmetic stores has never been put into effect, partly because of view of hard-liners in the religious establishment, who oppose the whole idea of women working where men and women congregate together, like malls. Saudi women – tired of having to deal with men when buying undergarments – have boycotted lingerie stores to pressure them to employ women.Read more...EGIPAT:Families of Egypt bombing victims blame Mubarak (video)SVIJET:Ikhras Shoe Of The Month Award Winner – December 2011Every month Ikhras awards the Muntadhar Zaidi "Shoe of the month" to the House Arab or Muslim individual or organization whose behavior that month best exemplifies the behavior of what Malcolm X described, in the language of his own time, as the "house negro" (see video). The award is named in honor of the brave Iraqi journalist Muntadhar Zaidi who threw his shoes at the war criminal George W. Bush at a time House Arabs and Muslims were dining with him at the White House and inviting him to their mosques. Arab dictators and puppets of the empire are also qualified to enter the shoe of the month competition based on their own subservience to U.S.-led global imperialism. Contest guidelines prohibit any one individual or organization from winning the award more than 3 times a year.Read more…
PALESTINA/IZRAEL:IN PHOTOS: Israeli teenagers train with lethal weaponsSLIKE: Izraelski tinejdžeri vježbaju sa smrtonosnim oružjem (3. siječanj 2012.)Nekoliko desetaka tinejdžerskih dobrovoljaca uvježbavano je i naoružano smrtonosnim oružjem, uključujući puške M16, kako bi pomagali izraelskoj pograničnoj policiji (Magav). Djeca i mladi u sklopu Noar Mogava (Mladeži pogranične policije) patroliraju kontrolnim točkama i privode palestinske radnike koji pokušavaju ući u Izrael bez dozvole.Read more…Hamas: Peaceful resistance not applicable to GazaHamas: Nenasilan otpor nije primjenjiv u Gazi (3. siječanj 2012.)Hamasov čelnik Mahmoud Zahhar je izrazio sumnju da će njegova stranka podržati nenasilan otpor Izraelu kako to zagovaraju u stranci Fatah. Prema dogovoru o pomirenju između ove dvije stranke, koji je potpisan u svibnju 2011. Fatahovi dužnosnici tvrde da se Hamasov čelnik u egzilu Khalid Mashaal složio da treba provoditi nenasilne narodne akcije umjesto oružane borbe. Međutim, Zahhar je u ponedjeljak (2. siječnja) ustvrdio da je situacija u Pojasu Gaze drugačija od one na okupiranoj Zapadnoj obali. Zahhar smatra da se u Pojasu Gaze nema protiv koga prosvjedovati, te je opovrgao tvrdnje da je s Fatahom dogovoren program nenasilnog otpora, iako je priznao da se o tome razgovaralo. Zahhar smatra da se masovni narodni prosvjedi kakvi se odvijaju u sklopu arapskog proljeća ne mogu koristiti za suprotstavljanje Palestinaca izraelskoj okupaciji. Fatahov dužnosnik Azzam al-Ahmad tvrdi da su Abbas i Mashaal na sastanku 24. studenog 2011. dogovorili provođenje nenasilnog otpora i njegovo jačanje u Pojasu Gaze i na Zapadnoj obali.Read more…Gaza Lives: Reflecting on 'Operation Cast Lead'Some of the alleged Israeli investigations were reportedly said to be covering—as Col. Tamir Yadi put it—"claims regarding incidents in which many uninvolved civilians were harmed," but not mentioning a single word about Al Samouni massacre, the single most atrocious incident in the entire assault, where Israeli forces had ordered the entire Al Samouni family to gather in one house—of course, to ensure the highest ratio of casualties--before they premeditatedly bombed it, killing 21 persons and injuring 19 others. The incident, however, grabbed the world's attention as hundreds of media reports and firsthand witnesses amassed. Israel immediately pretended an investigation was under way. Despite the overwhelming evidence, including a bunch of air force officers' compatible testimony, that Ilan Malka, a senior brigade commander, was responsible for authorizing the strike while being aware of a civilian presence in the area. Later on, exactly three years after the massacre, Israel deliberately buried the case and didn't take any legal actions against him, but instead decided to promote him to the position of brigadier general.Read more…3 January 2009: Motee' and Isma'il as-SelawyOn 3 January 2009, at around 17:20, during prayer time, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the western entrance of al-Maqadma mosque in Jabaliya refugee camp. In the attack, 15 worshipers were killed and hundreds were injured.Read more…While America shuts down fire houses, cuts infant nutrition, US subsidizes Israel army sushi courses (video)There's an astonishing piece of news in Israel's Haaretz today under the headine “Israel allocates funds to help former IDF soldiers become sushi chefs”: “Demobilized soldiers will be able to study Asian cooking this year at the government's expense, as part of an effort to reduce the number of foreign workers employed as cooks in Asian restaurants by training Israeli professionals to replace them.“ It's shocking for two reasons – one is the xenophobia that is rising to astonishing heights in Israel: not even the cooks of foreign cuisine can be foreign (I'll come back to this) – but because of what it says about how Israel is using US military aid at a time of drastic cuts and austerity for American citizens.Read more…Israeli government tells police, prisons to gear up for more migrant workers"Once again the government is lying to the public. Even before the law has been passed, the government is proving its true intentions regarding the punishments set down," said Reut Michaeli, the director of the Hotline for Migrant Workers. "The result is that in Israel refugees can be punished with life imprisonment - which is disproportionate to the seriousness of their crime or the degree any other person in the same circumstances would be punished."Read more...Eyeing the primary, Likud lawmakers swing rightNearly 10,000 of the 120,000 people with the right to vote in internal Likud elections come from the settlements. There are also many Likud members inside the Green Line who are ideological allies of the settlers.Read more…BAHREIN:Appalling Bahraini Prison Conditions and TreatmentSince early 2011, Washington, Western governments, and major media scoundrels largely ignored outrageous Al Khalifa monarchy abuses. They include crackdowns on nonviolent protesters, mass arrests, torture, intimidation, and cold-blooded murder. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and other NGOs documented:46 killings;1,500 arbitrary arrest cases;1,866 torture and abuse cases;500 prisoners of conscience;destruction of over 40 mosques and other places of worship;4.000 summary firings of workers suspected of having unsympathetic regime views;500 individuals forced into exile for their safety;three innocent men on death row;477 students expelled for supporting democratic change;and 96 targeted journalists.Ruthless repression continues. In September, special military tribunals lawlessly sentenced 208 civilians to a combined 2,500 years in prison. Twenty doctors got up to 15 years for treating injured protesters. Arrests continue daily. Violence is extreme. ... "Bahrain is an example of news censorship that succeeded with the complicity of the international community, which said nothing." Appalling human rights violations continue daily, including at Jaw prison.Read more...
PALESTINA/IZRAEL:Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood: Fate of Israel peace treaty may be decided in referendumAl-Bayoumi emphasized that the Islamist movement would respect all of the international agreements to which Egypt is signatory, adding, however, that each side had the right to review the peace deal, and that the Egyptian people have yet to speak their mind. "We weren't party to the peace treaty, it was signed away from the Egyptian people and thus the people must have its say," the Muslim Brotherhood official said. Referring to the issue of recognizing Israel, al-Bayoumi said that the Muslim Brotherhood was not required to recognize Egypt's neighbor to the north, saying that Israel was an "occupying entity and we will not allow anyone of our members to meet with an Israeli." "I won't allow myself to meet with a criminal and there's no chance that we'll cooperate with Israel," the Egyptian official said.Read more...'Settlements in Palestine' reports U.S. charities violate tax lawsSettlements in Palestine, a research and advocacy settlement watchdog, published a Report on Financial Support of the Israeli Settlement Enterprise By United States Non-Profit Foundations and Organizations During 2009, exposing tax fraud committed by U.S. foundations and U.S. tax-exempt charities, through grants made to settler organizations. The report reveals a total of $274 million was funneled from U.S. organizations to settlements from 2002-2009, compared to $600 million dollars the Israeli government spends each year in supporting the settlements: “From 2002 through 2009 (the last year complete returns are available), 183 non-profit organizations (129 private foundations, 54 corporations) in the United States raised and spent approximately $274,000,000 in direct support of the Israeli settlement enterprise.“Read more...West Bank theatre founder wanted by Israel after amnesty deal revokedA former Palestinian militant who renounced violence in favour of "cultural resistance" is in custody after Israel apparently revoked an amnesty deal, in a move seen by his associates as part of a campaign of harassment against a radical West Bank theatre.Read more...New housing for Arab villages stonewalledOtezanje s izgradnjom stanova u palestinskim selima u Izraelu (2. siječanj 2012.)Planirana izgradnja oko 5500 stambenih jedinica u selima duž Ceste 85 u središnjoj Galileji u Izraelu zapela je zbog toga što nije riješeno pitanje zbrinjavanja otpadnih voda. U Majdal Krumu i Deir al-Asadu je planirana izgradnja po 2000 jedinica, a u Bini 1500. Predsjednik selskog vijeća Bine Abas Titi napominje da je poslijednji put nova četvrt u tom selu izgrađena 1985, kad je Izraelska zemljišna uprava prodala 3 čestice. Rješenje je u postrojenju za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda u Carmielu, koje je izgrađeno 1999. godine. To postrojenje, u vlasništvu tvrtke Mekorot i korporacije zadužene za vodoopskrbu i kanalizaciju na području Carmiela i okolice, obradi 22 000 kubnih metara otpadnih voda dnevno – oko 8 milijuna kubnih metara godišnje. Mekorot na svojoj Internet stranici tvrdi da to postrojenje sabire kanalizaciju mjesta u dolini Beit Hakerem. No, kako stvari sada stoje, arapska mjesta se ne mogu širiti jer ministarstvo zdravstva tvrdi da postrojenje za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda treba nadograditi kako bi moglo pročišćavati otpadnu vodu iz novih četvrti, te da treba postaviti kanalizacijsku infrastrukturu kako bi se mogla pročišćavati otpadna voda iz tih triju sela u postrojenju u Carmielu ili nekom drugom pročistaču. U međuvremenu mještani tih sela ne mogu graditi nove domove. „Oni na vrhu, koji imaju novca i koji su financijski osigurani – liječnici i odvjetnici – sele u Carmiel“, kaže Titi. „Oni koji nemaju novca žive na katu koji su dodali ispod ili iznad kuće svojih roditelja. Mnogo je domova izgrađeno bez dozvola i ljudi plaćaju kazne odboru za planiranje i izgradnju. Umjesto toga, trebali bi pronaći rješenje za izgradnju. Ljudi koji grade bez dozvola ne žele biti kriminalci. Čine to kako bi imali gdje živjeti.“ Dr. Hanna Swaid, knessetski zastupnik iz stranke Hadash, upoznat je s problemima arapskih sela – i to ne samo ovih spomenutih 3. „Ovaj problem postoji u 30 arapskih zajednica u Galileji“, kaže Swaid. „Odbor sjevernog okruga [za planiranje i izgradnju] je odlučio onemogućiti širenje zajednica dok se ne pronađe rješenje za otpadne vode…“ „Okružni odbor tvrdi da su trenutna rješenja nedostatna, te da nije moguće povećati obim otpadnih voda koje se ulijevaju u postojeće bazene, pa stoga nije moguće odobriti planove o širenju i gradnji novih stambenih jedinica“, objašnjava. No ovdje se ne radi samo o nemaru od strane okružnog odbora ili birokraciji u vodoopskrbnim tvrtkama, lokalnim vijećima, ministarstvu unutarnjih poslova i ministarstvu energetike i vodenih resursa. Ovdje se radi i o diskriminaciji nauštrb izraelskog arapskog stanovništva. Swaid naglašava kako je problem zbrinjavanja kanalizacijskih voda nekako preskočio židovska mjesta. „Carmiel nema taj problem, niti ga imaju naselja u Misgavu“, ustrajan je Swaid. „To je problem samo za arapske zajednice. Postoji zapuštanje i diskriminacija. Razvoj zajednica i pružanje osnovnih usluga nikoga ne zanima. Ti bi projekti trebali koštati nekoliko milijuna šekela, što nije velik iznos, a njime bi se postrojenje za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda moglo proširiti i unaprijediti.“ Swaid dodaje: „Planirana gradnja nije odobrena, ali potrebe i potražnja izbijaju u obliku nezakonite gradnje. Zemlja postoji – samo što nije zonirana – no ako imaju ikakvog izbora ljudi grade i ugrožavaju svoju budućnost. U arapskim je zajednicama na tisuće kuća izgrađeno bez dozvola i protiv njih su izdani nalozi za rušenje koji se mogu izvršiti u svakom trenutku. Obitelji plaćaju tisuće šekela kazni. A ti domovi im ne pružaju nikakvu sigurnost.“ Swaid procjenjuje da diljem zemlje 20 000 domova prijeti rušenje. Predsjednik selskog lokalnog vijeća Deir al-Asada Nasr San'allah napominje: „Odobravanje naših planova ne bi dodatno opteretilo postrojenje za pročišćavanje, jer ako moj sin živi sa mnom i koristi moje instalacije, da izgradi svoju kuću, koristio bi istu količinu vode. Govorimo o istim ljudima koji već koriste vodu i infrastrukturu.“ Prošle godine nije izdana „niti jedna jedina dozvola – niti za jednu kuću“, ogorčen je San'allah. „Protekle je godine bilo jedva 10 molbi za gradnju domova, unatoč tome što se ovdje svake godine vjenča gotovo 120 parova i rodi gotovo 200 djece. Kad ljudi grade bez dozvola to predstavlja i gubitak za lokalno vijeće, jer nema prihoda od dozvola ili poreza, pa se zajednica ne može razvijati. S druge strane, ti ljudi plaćaju tisuće šekela kazni lokalnom vijeću Beit Hakerema, koje obuhvaća 6 zajednica. No, te zajednice nikada ne vide ni šekela od tih kazni.“ Unatoč kaznama i nalozima za rušenje San'allah ne tvrdi da je bilo rušenja kuća. Poslijednji su puta kuće rušene prije 5 godina, kad su srušene 4 kuće. San'allah, koji je i kao odvjetnik predstavljao mnoge mještane na sudu, kaže kako smatra da su ovi odbori namijenjeni „za sudske tužbe i rušenje. Očito nisu zainteresirani za planiranje i omogućavanje ljudima da grade s građevinskim dozvolama, jer na ovaj način imaju veći prihod. Ekonomski je to bolje za njih, no doista se nadam da im to nije namjera.“ Prije nekoliko je mjeseci srušena kuća izgrađena bez dozvole u selu Majdal Krum. Predsjednik lokalnog vijeća tog sela, Mohammed Manna kaže kako je tada srušena jedna dvokatnica izgrađena prije 10 godina u kojoj je živjela obitelj s 4 djece. „Očito je da su kuću izgradili bez dozvola, ali to nije njihova krivica: uzrok je to što se ne širi područje za izgradnju“, objašnjava Manna. „Prvi put je u ovom selu neka kuća srušena 1972, druga je srušena 8. studenog 1972. Kuća koju su srušili prije nekoliko mjeseci bila je 90. kuća koja je srušena u selu Majdal Krum od 1972.“ „Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova i Lokalni odbor za planiranje i izgradnju u Beit Hakeremu tvrde da je kuća bila preblizu Cesti 85. Izmjerili smo udaljenost između kuće i autoputa: 50 metara. Zašto je dopušteno graditi 25 metara od autoputa u Carmielu i moshavu Shezoru?“ „1978. izrađen je plan zona za 1400 dunuma. Tada je u selu živjelo 6000 ljudi. Nažalost, nakon 33 godine, od 1978. do 2011. taj plan nije proširen i još uvijek imamo istih 1400 dunuma, iako sada u selu živi 14 000 ljudi. Gdje da 8000 mještana izgradi svoje domove?“Read more…Israeli authorities give 'legal' status to illegal settlement outpostIzraelske vlasti „legalizirale“ divlje kolonističko naselje (2. siječanj 2012.)Izraelska je vlada legalizirala ilegalno divlje kolonističko naselje koje su na ukradenoj palestinskoj zemlji 2001. godine uspostavili pojedinačni Izraelci bez odobrenja vlade. Izraelske su vlasti pristale udovoljiti zahtjevima kolonista za priznanjem. Prema međunarodnom pravu sva su izraelska kolonistička naselja na Zapadnoj obali, uključujući istočni Jeruzalem, protuzakonita, no izraelska vlada mnoga od 300 kolonističkih naselja smatra „legalnima“ prema izraelskom zakonu i za takva „legalna“ kolonistička naselja gradi i osigurava vodoopskrbnu, elektroenergetsku i cestovnu infrastrukturu. Izraelska je vlada u subotu, 31. prosinca, najavila da će kao „legalno“ priznati kolonističko naselje Ramat Gilad, koje je uspostavljeno na zemlji Palestinaca iz sela Kafr Laqif, kao proširenje kolonističkog naselja Karnei Shomron. Ovo je kolonističko naselje 2001. podigao otac Gilada Zara, pripadnika izraelskih sigurnosnih snaga kojeg su palestinski borci ubili 2001. godine. Prema podacima izraelske udruge Peace Now, divlje kolonističko naselje Ramat Gilad čini 5 obitelji, 15-tak osoba, 9 kamp kućica, 1 kamp kućica sa zidom i nadstrešnicom, 2 kontejnera, 1 limena šupa, 2 generatora, 2 spremnika za gorivo, 2 stražarna tornja, 1 spremnik za vodu i cesta koja vodi iz Neve Menachema. Izraelska je vlada od izraelskog Visokog suda zatražila da odgodi provedbu odluke o rušenju objekata u tom divljem ilegalnom kolonističkom naselju, navodeći da privatnim pregovorima između jednog od ministara i kolonista treba dati prednost pred odlukom suda u ovom slučaju.Read more…EGIPAT:Egypt: Free Blogger Held in Maspero CaseHuman Rights Watch interviewed 20 participants in the demonstration who consistently said that between 6 and 7 p.m. on October 9, at least two APCs were driven recklessly through crowds of demonstrators, in some cases appearing to pursue the demonstrators intentionally. The evidence overwhelmingly suggested that the protest of thousands of Copts had been peaceful until the point that the APCs were driven through the crowds, and that the military's subsequent response to violence by some of the demonstrators was disproportionate. The large, heavy vehicles crushed and killed at least 10 demonstrators, as autopsies later showed.Read more…Egyptians document Tahrir police violence (video)Egyptian actor Khalid Abdalla speaks to AJE from Tahrir Square (video)Egyptian State Television Bias Survives the RevolutionIn the wake of renewed clashes in Tahrir Square, state television reverted back to its pre-revolution bias of revering authority and maligning the rebels.Read more…SIRIJA:Eight killed in Syria, Arab body urges monitors outAn Arab League advisory body called for the immediate withdrawal of Arab monitors from Syria, where eight more people were reported killed on Sunday, saying their mission was allowing Damascus to cover up unabated violence and abuses. President Bashar al-Assad's forces, keen to prevent huge public protests under the monitors' eyes, have killed at least 286 people since the mission began on Dec. 23, according to local coordination committees who tally casualties. Some of Sunday's eight deaths occurred when security forces fired on protesters in the Damascus suburb of Daria, they said. ... The United Nations says more than 5,000 people, mostly peaceful protesters, have been killed since the uprising began.Read more...
BAHREIN:Bahrain riot police clash with protestersRiot police in Bahrain have fired tear gas to disperse several hundred protesters who were among thousands who took to the streets to demand the government's resignation after a fact-finding report uncovered torture and other abuses against detainees. Demonstrations continued from Friday through the weekend, and activists reported that a 15-year-old boy died late on Saturday after being seriously wounded by security forces. ... Marchers on Friday called for the release of political prisoners, some of whom were tried by the special security court, and for the trials of police officers believed to be behind the killings of more than 35 protesters since anti-government protests began 10 months ago.Read more...Bahrain's Commission of Inquiry Report: Whitewashing a Counter-Revolution?The statistics are baffling – since February 14 when the uprising began, over 1500 have been arrested, 500 remain in detention, including my husband, 45 people have been killed, hundreds wounded and nearly 3000 sacked from their jobs. The campaign of persecution was relentless and unceasing. One of its latest victims is 16 year old Ali Alsatrawi. His dismembered body was buried just three days ago, after being driven over by a police security jeep. Despite the violence, the people of Bahrain continue in their brave 'intifada' with daily protests. By the Ministry of Interior's own account, they have “dealt with” 1300 protests over the past five months. The uprising in Bahrain has not been 'crushed' or 'quelled' despite the introduction of Saudi troops in March.Read more...
PALESTINA/IZRAEL:21 Nov. '11: Video: Soldiers let settlers assault Palestinian demonstratorsVideo: Vojnici dopuštaju kolonistima da napadaju palestinske prosvjednike (21. studeni 2011.)U subotu, 29. listopada 2011, poslije podne, mještani palestinskog sela Beit Ummar su prosvjedovali protiv otimačine njihove zemlje u korist kolonističkog naselja Carmei Tzur i protiv uskraćivanja pristupa na njihovu zemlju. Prosvjed je održan pokraj posebne sigurnosne zone koja okružuje kolonističko naselje. Posebne sigurnosne zone su tampon područja koja okružuju kolonistička naselja, ali nisu njihov dio. U slučaju kolonističkog naselja Carmei Tzur, posebna sigurnosna zona uglavnom se nalazi na zemlji u privatnom vlasništvu palestinskih mještana sela Beit Ummar i Halhul. Zemlja je oteta vlasnicima kako bi se uspostavila tampon zona za zaštitu kolonista od palestinskih napada. Kolonisti na to područje ulaze slobodno, dok palestinski vlasnici za pristup svojoj zemlji moraju dobiti posebne dozvole, koje se rijetko izdaju. Tijekom prosvjeda kolonisti su ušli u posebnu sigurnosnu zonu i kamenjem gađali prosvjednike. Jedan palestinski fotograf koji je snimao prosvjed ranjen je kamenom u glavu. Na snimci na kojoj su zabilježeni ovi događaji vide se naoružane osobe u civilu – čini se sigurnosni dužnosnici iz kolonističkog naselja – unutar posebne sigurnosne zone. Oni nisu ništa poduzeli. Vojnici s obje strane ograde oko posebne sigurnosne zone nisu pokušali zaustaviti kolonističko nasilje niti ukloniti koloniste iz posebne sigurnosne zone. Umjesto toga granatama za omamljivanje i suzavcem su gađali prosvjednike. Prosvjednici su rastjerani. Ranjeni fotograf je otišao napad prijaviti u policijsku postaju u Kiryat Arbi, ali mu nije bilo dopušteno da u nju uđe. Nakon što je sat i pol čekao vani, policajci su mu rekli da su zauzeti i da ne mogu zaprimiti njegovu prijavu.Read more…Nabi Saleh: World has to stop Israeli targeted shooting of activists!Nabi Saleh: Izraelski vojnici namjerno pucali bojevim streljivom u prosvjednika (24. prosinac 2011.)Točno 2 tjedna od ubojstva Mustafe Tamimija u Nabi Salehu, u istom je selu ranjen jedan 20-godišnjak. Izraelski su ga vojnici hladnokrvno i smišljeno ranili u bedro bojevim streljivom kalibra 0.22. Očevici tvrde da je jedan od vojnika s udaljenosti od 10 do 15 metara ciljao i pogodio mladića u nogu u blizini bedrene arterije. Izraelska je vojska potvrdila da se radi o ranjavanju s predumišljajem ustvrdivši da je mladić „od prije poznat sigurnosnim snagama“ i da je ciljano pogođen, navodno jer je bacao kamenje. Ovo se namjerno ranjavanje mladog civila ne može ničim opravdati kao „samoobrana“ i očito je da se radi o pretjeranoj sili. Čak i prema izraelskim pravilima nije dopušteno koristiti bojevo streljivo tog kalibra u svrhu „kontroliranja gomile“. Namjerna uporaba pretjerane sile protiv nenaoružanih civila u uvjetima koji nisu opasni po život je ratni zločin.Read more...Judge Orders Shin Bet to Surrender Abusisi Interrogation Records, Lieberman Met with Ukrainian Interior Minister Over KidnappingDirar Abusisi has now been incarcerated for nine months in an Israeli prison after his illegal kidnapping by Mossad agents from a Ukranian train last February. During that time, the State has not begun any trial against him though it has offered him a plea bargain which he refused. Also during that time, Abusisi's lawyer, Tal Linoy lodged an appeal with the Israeli Supreme Court demanding Shin Bet records regarding the case which it was withholding (in security cases, the government may refuse to provide evidence). The State has stalled time and again arguing that this “highly unusual” procedure demanded an extraordinary amount of manpower for the prosecution to comply with it.Read more...Amira Hass: The banality of a Palestinian's arrestTwo military judges at the Ofer military tribunal resolve to remand the Palestinian in custody until the end of the legal procedures against him: Captain Zvi Frenkel - "Throwing stones at Israel Defense Forces soldiers is enough to justify extending the remand until the end of procedures;" and Military Appeal Court Judge Brigadier Yoram Haniel - "Releasing the appellant is dangerous, since he repeats this activity time and again and cannot be stopped; he does not learn the proper lesson." In other words: He has been arrested and tried in the past for participating in demonstrations. … Another identification: The defendant wore a shirt with a print of "Chaik Vera" or "Chucky Vera," according to one police interrogator, and "Tsigivara" according to the other interrogator.Read more...The anguish of a Gaza cancer patient in CairoA July 2011 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) states that 4,843 patients from Gaza were referred to treatment centers in Egypt last year. The WHO found that patients often encountered delays in reaching Egypt, due to closure of the Rafah crossing. It also said that because Gazans had to bear the cost of medical treatment in Egypt themselves, traveling to Egypt for medical care was “unaffordable for the vast majority of Gaza's impoverished population.” The rate of referrals for hospital patients from Gaza rose in the second half of 2010, compared to the first six months of that year, the WHO found, citing the “opening of the Rafah crossing in June 2010” as the reason for the increase. The WHO found that referrals are especially high for male patients aged 18 to 40. Whereas such men have some chance of being allowed to enter Egypt, they have less than a 50 percent chance of being allowed through the Erez checkpoint at the boundary between Israel and Gaza. As a result, Gaza doctors tend to refer young men to Egyptian hospitals, rather than requiring them to travel via Israel for treatment (“Referral of patients from Gaza,” World Health Organization, 14 July 2011).Read more...Shooting in Hebron: Watch gripping trailer for Nicole Ballivian’s new project Sleeping on Stones (video)„The Israeli general in charge of giving us permission to shoot outside the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque implored us to take nothing but our camera. He said the settlers are all strapped with guns and they do not hesitate to shoot. 'You have to be careful. It's like the Wild West here,' he said. I was amazed that a high-ranking Israeli soldier was afraid of settlers. I was more amazed that I was supposed to be afraid of Americans in Palestine.”Read more…Bill to investigate flotilla is a 'tool of intimidation'The bill claims, among other falsehoods, that the Turkish organization IHH and the international Free Gaza Movement have been designated "terrorist" organizations by the CIA and the Department of Treasury. Abunimah writes: "The bill provides no evidence to back up these sensational and propagandistic claims. IHH is in fact not designated as a “terrorist” organization by any US government agencies. The claims in the bill are not based on US government or intelligence reports, but appear to come directly from unsubstantiated claims published by an Israeli propaganda and advocacy outfit calling itself the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. This group is closely connected with Israel's military and intelligence establishments, the main sources for sometimes laughable anti-flotilla incitement and propaganda."Read more…An interview with Khaled Jarrar: Stamping Palestine into passportsI worked on the design for ['State of Palestine'] postage and passports stamps. I was trying to make something beautiful, something that would fit with my ideas about humanity and not just an olive tree or a mosque – something more human than ideology or politics. I found this bird – it's called the Palestine Sunbird. I heard a story that the Israelis tried to change the name of the bird to make it their national bird. It's a beautiful bird and I used a jasmine flower, because it is beautiful. The Israelis actually used the bird on the design of an Israeli postage stamp in 1963, even though they wrote 'Palestine Sunbird' on it, which was quite ironic and paradoxical to me. I made the design, and I was worried that it would be another project that would happen and then disappear. I needed to give a life for this stamp, and I thought it should be in the official place for stamps – a passport. Then I started to ask my friends if I could stamp their passports, but they said, “Are you crazy?’ I said, “But they only have stamps for Israel, why not for Palestine– you were in Palestine!” The stereotype here is conflict, conflict, conflict and I want to show something beyond this, I want to show life. I started to ask people, and I could not find anybody who dared do it – then I found a French girl. She was sitting in a bar, and she gave me her passport. It was the first stamp. I started going and doing the performance [stamping passports] at Ramallah bus station and Qalandia checkpoint, and I found that people would like to do it but that I need to search for the right people. ... There was one girl who got the stamp, she was born in the United States and had an American passport. In 2008 she applied for the Jewish 'right to return'. She got an Israeli passport within 2 years. I stamped her American and Israeli passports [with the State of Palestine stamp]. She left but when she came back to Israel they asked her 'What is this?' She said 'A Palestinian State stamp'. When they said that 'this does not exist', she said 'the state of Palestine existed before the state of Israel'. They interrogated her for an hour and they cancelled her Israeli passport. She applied for a new passport and she said that she is waiting to see if she can get a new one.Read more...EGIPAT:Egypt's Women Protest Despite Brutal Military Attacks"I am as old as your mother; have some respect for me," said Khadiga, a woman in her 60s who sat on the floor beside Seif. "The officer exploded when she said that. He kept slapping her over and over until she apologized," said Seif. "I thought they distinguished between younger and older women. They don't." "It's a planned strategy," she said. "... They want to scare off any girl thinking of joining a protest."Read more...HRVATSKA:Demokratska inicijativa protiv Europske unijePortal s argumentima i informacijama protiv ulaska Hrvatske u EU.Pročitajte više…
