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Headlines March 20, 2008

Today in Palestine!

PACUSA + El Taller International (Tunis)

Thursday 20 March 2008

Situation of Palestinians on Iraq-Syria border continues to deteriorate

The situation of more than 2,700 Palestinians who have been stranded and are living in inhumane conditions in two border camps at the Iraq-Syrian border continues to deteriorate. Over the past 22 months, UNHCR has been calling for urgent humanitarian solutions for this group and – even if only temporary – relocation elsewhere, preferably in the Arab region. In 2006, Canada accepted 64 Palestinians from Iraq, while Brazil last year received 107. In a more recent development, Chile – itself once a refugee-producing country – offered to receive for resettlement an initial group of 117 Iraq Palestinians. They are expected to depart in April. Sudan has also offered to accept 2,000 Iraq Palestinians, and UNHCR together with Palestinian representatives is finalizing an operations plan that will enable this to take place. UNHCR appreciates all of these responses and we hope that all of the Palestinians will be able to leave the harsh conditions of the camps sooner rather than later. Their relocation would in no way jeopardize their right to return at any stage, if and when such a possibility arises.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/UNHCR/87c4e16eaae3ea52439e5c8bd986df17.htm

Israeli army invade Nablus and occupy house

At approximately 8:30am on Sunday morning Israeli army forces again invaded the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Israeli soldiers surrounded an apartment building in Al Ein refugee camp, before occupying an empty apartment on the top floor. Nearby residents advised that the soldiers occupied the apartment for approximately three hours, before withdrawing. Ayam, who lives on the bottom floor, reports that this happens so regularly now that they have become accustomed to it. It is common, she informs, for soldiers enter the building without harrassing the residents, but recounts an invasion four months ago where Israeli soldiers forced twenty of the occupants into one apartment and kept them imprisoned there for three days.
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/03/17/israeli-army-invade-nablus-and-occupy-house/

Palestinian resistance group escapes Israeli ambush near Jenin

A group of Palestinian resistance fighters, on Tuesday at midday, escaped an Israeli army ambush in the village of Zababda, located south of Jenin city in the northern West Bank.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53549

Israeli army kidnaps 23 Palestinians across the West Bank in pre-dawn invasions

The Israeli army targeted several areas of the West Bank on Tuesday at dawn, kidnapping at least 23 Palestinians, local sources reported.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53545

Elderly Palestinian man killed by unknown gunmen near Qalqilia

Palestinian sources reported that unknown gunmen opened fire at Abed Al Karem Al Abeet, 75, killing him in the village of Bein-Amein, near the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia on Tuesday afternoon.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53554

Nafha Society: 100 detainees under interrogation in Al Jalama prison, abused and isolated

The Nafha Society for Defending the Rights of the Detainees and Human Rights reported on Monday that nearly 100 detainees are currently under interrogation in Al Jalama Israeli interrogation facility facing physical and psychological pressures.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53531

Tibi urges release of PLC member Maryam Salih

The Palestinian member of Israeli Knesset Dr Ahmad Tibi - Chair of the Arab Front for Renewal - on Monday sent a message to the Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, demanding the immediate release of Maryam Salih, the female Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member. “Salih was democratically elected and the motive behind her apprehension was merely political as no bill of indictment was filed against her, and so she must be released immediately,” Tibi stated in his message.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=28342

’Police allowed rioters to hurt us’

Residents of Jabel Mukaber upset at police a day after rightists riot in village.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3520312,00.html

Slain Jihad operative’s son: ’Our whole family has turned Hezbollah’
19-year-old says when Israel made mockery of PA when IDF killed his father in Bethlehem last week.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/965303.html

Palestinian refugees in the West Bank protest against reduced UN aid
The Palestinian popular committees of refugee camps in the West Bank organized on Monday protests in the various refugees populations over there, to voice objection to UN’s aid reduction.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53528

Rabbi stabbed in neck in E. Jerusalem terror attack
Victim, 49, suffers light wounds in attack near Damascus Gate; police searching for assailant.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/965584.html

Demonstration at Beit Furik checkpoint calling for its removal
At 10am on Saturday 15th March 2008 approximately 50 Palestinians and internationals gathered at the Beit Furik checkpoint near Nablus to protest against the checkpoint. Internationals and residents of Nablus joined villagers from Beit Furik and Beit Dajan to march to the checkpoint - one of seven that surrounds the city of Nablus, cutting the nearby villages off from the city. Organised by the Beit Furik municipality, protesters demanded the removal of the checkpoint, which is open only from 6am until 9pm each day, only allowing ambulances to pass through after 9pm. The checkpoint also only allows residents of Beit Furik and Beit Dajan to pass through, denying any visits by friends or family to the village. Even this is uncertain though, the mayor of Beit Furik, Abu Hakeem, explained - often the soldiers prevent the passage of any persons through the checkpoint, including those seeking medical treatment.
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/03/17/demonstration-at-beit-furik-checkpoint-calling-for-its-removal/

Israel seals Palestinian territories before Purim holiday
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday ordered the Palestinian territories sealed off for fear of attacks during the impending Jewish Purim holiday, his office said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080318/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictisraelwestbank_080318134719;_ylt=AiBHcOaTcZpWU4HDIkqDRduaOrgF

Palestinians in Gaza lose their livelihoods
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continues its tight siege and prevents movement of people and goods in and out of the Gaza Strip. This includes patients who are close to dying due to denied access to hospitals abroad. Sources from the Palestinian Ministry of Health have indicated that more than 100 patients have died since mid-June 2007.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9401.shtml

WEST BANK: IFJ condemns Israeli arrests of Palestinian journalists
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today has condemned a series of detentions and threats to journalists in the Palestinian West Bank, which it says are creating a new level of intimidation of journalists and the press in the region.
http://www.menassat.com/?q=alerts/3244-west-bank-ifj-condemns-israeli-arrests-palestinian-journalists

Palestinian PSS storms Ramattan Press Agency in Ramallah
PCHR is deeply concerned over storming the headquarters of Ramattan Press Agency in Ramallah by members of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service (PSS) and the arrest of a Palestinian journalist on Wednesday, 12 March 2008. PCHR believes that this attack constitutes an assault on press freedoms and the right to freedom of expression, and stresses that the rights to freedom of expression and to receive and impart information are ensured by the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights instruments.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9402.shtml

Palestinian Poll: Haneya would defeat Abbas if presidential elections held
A Palestinian poll published on Monday showed that the deposed prime minister Ismail Haneya of Hamas would defeat incumbent President Mahmoud Abbas if presidential elections were now held in the Palestinian territories. The poll, conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research which is based in the West Bank, indicated that Haneya will receive 47 percent of the votes while Abbas will win46 percent.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/18/content_7810141.htm

Jailed Barghouti mulls running for Palestinian presidency
Jailed Tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti said Monday that he is considering running for the Palestinian Authority presidency in the next elections that are expected to take place in 2009 or 2010.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=965610&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1

Both Haniya of Hamas and Fatah’s Abbas enjoy popular support
Both Palestinian Prime Minister of Hamas, Ismail Haniya and President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, enjoy equal popular support among the Palestinian masses in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, a recent public opinion poll showed.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53530

Arab MK to chief rabbis: Slam rabbinical calls to harm Arabs
Ra’am-Ta’al Chairman MK Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur on Monday urged Israel’s chief rabbis to condemn recent rulings made by National Religious rabbis that give way to avenge the attack at Mercaz Harav yeshiva earlier this month.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=965263&contrassID=1&subContrassID=7

Israeli settlers start new settlement post near Bethlehem
Villagers of Al Khader, located south-west of Bethlehem city in the southern West Bank revealed on Tuesday that Israeli settlers have started to build a new settlement post on their lands.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53552

Qurei rejects Olmert’s statements on settlements expansion
Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei said in a meeting held on Monday with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Jerusalem that the expansion of Jewish settlements is rejected. Qurei said in a statement published by Palestinian news agency Wafa that a semi-official meeting was held on Monday evening with Livni in Jerusalem, instead of an official preparatory meeting to renew peace talks.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/18/content_7810225.htm

Erekat: We can’t discuss negotiations while settlement activity is ongoing
The head of the Negotiations Department in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Dr. Sa’ed Erekat, stated on Tuesday that negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel can not continue with ongoing Israeli settlement construction activity in the West Bank.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53556

Israeli officials: Egypt brokering package deal for occupied Gaza
The package deal will also include an Egyptian commitment to redouble anti-smuggling efforts on the border, give Hamas a presence at the Rafah crossing and reinstate Palestinian Authority(PA) control over other crossings from Gaza into Israel, the officials said.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/17/content_7807811.htm

Palestinian negotiators hold unofficial meeting with Israeli FM

Head of the Palestinian negotiations teams, Ahmad Qorea’, stated on Monday at night that an unofficial meeting took place during evening hours between Palestinian negotiators and the Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni.
http://www.imemc.org/article/53533

Life in the ’open prison’ of Gaza

“It’s like being on death row,” I am frequently told and almost every Gazan you speak to talks of his land being an “open prison”.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7296750.stm

Lebanese Army: Israeli warship enters Lebanon’s territorial waters

BEIRUT, Lebanon: The Lebanese army says that an Israeli warship has entered Lebanese territorial waters. The army says Monday’s incident was discovered when an Italian ship working with the United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon spotted the Israeli vessel.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/18/africa/ME-GEN-Lebanon-Israel.php

Women bring green revolution to Arab sector
Aziza Muadi, of the Lower Galilee town of Maghar,

has a dream - to establish a large educational institute that will teach environmental conservation, recycling and ecology. But considering the low awareness of environmental issues in the Arab sector, Muadi decided to start small: She recently began coordinating a group of 17 women who are now promoting environmental education in Maghar.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=965549&contrassID=1&subContrassID=7

Facebook face-off: Settlers win right to list country as Israel, not Palestine

Complaints by Israeli settlers angry at Facebook for listing them as residents of “Palestine” prompted the popular social networking Web site to allow users to switch their location back to Israel. Facebook users living in Maaleh Adumim, Ariel and other large settlements in the West Bank protested when the site automatically listed their hometowns as being in “Palestine”.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=965215&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1

Rachel Corrie - Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3JI-axaRF4

Desecrating Hala Maksoud’s Memory

“Ibish proceeded to do the complete opposite when he referred to and commented on the sexual orientation of a well-known professor who does extensive research and writing on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. What does someone’s sexual orientation have to do with his or her ability to constructively add to Palestinian-Israeli discourse? He also mentioned many other prominent members, institutions and organizations in the Arab-American community by name and proceeded to bad-mouth them and what they do.”
http://www.kabobfest.com/2008/03/desecrating-hala-maksouds-memory.html

Israel, a Militaristic Society

Can the Zionist militaristic society, with a century old blue print plan of action to settle Jews in all of Palestine, make concessions and compromise for the sake of peace? No, especially if it is the region’s only super-power supported and defended by the world’s only super-power. The Zionists have been either fighting a war or preparing to fight a war in Palestine and across its borders long before the establishment of Israel. Israel has been a military camp where every Israeli adult, male or female, is a soldier trained to kill. War science and technology and the Israeli warriors have become big commercial commodities ready for export as consultants and advisors. Israel’s military experience is sought by many countries after every one of its unending wars. Israeli leaders never set fixed borders for their state since its establishment. They always considered the pre-1967 borders as temporary armistice demarcation lines and that the land of Israel is “wherever the boots of its soldiers tread”.
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=13596

Pictures of Israel’s attack against Palestinians in March-graphic
http://rafah.virtualactivism.net/news/todaymain.htm

Vilifying Arabs

The most exhilarating idea emerging from the ongoing and fiercely competitive US primary election has been the likelihood of the Democratic party’s frontrunners - Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama - running jointly as members of a “dream ticket” in the upcoming national elections, regardless of who will be president or vice president. The point to emphasise here is that the pair, each very popular but with a different segment of the population, will mark the first opportunity for a white woman and a black man to run for the country’s two top positions, something unheard of previously because of the ubiquitous racism and sexism in the United States.
http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=16456&CategoryId=5

McCain rep to Jews: Christian right is ’serious problem’

The Republican candidate’s big name backer, Lawrence Eagleburger, could get McCain into trouble.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/965556.html

McCain backs Jerusalem as ’Israeli capital’

AMMAN (AFP) - US Republican presidential candidate John McCain said on Tuesday that he supported Israel’s claim to Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080318/wl_mideast_afp/mideastdiplomacyusmccain_080318142334;_ylt=AiCSnWal_tOHyKQs5nOPjIaaOrgF

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