Middle East

NOVANEWS Dear All,   4 items this evening, the first of these containing positive news: sanctions against Israel proposed—not yet adopted, and not for all of Israel’s crimes (only because of settlement building), and not by governments, but nevertheless by a substantial group of former top EU officials—not to be sniffed at!  This is just one first step, but one that till today has not been taken, and which could, might, lead to more sanctions and/or boycotts to pressure Israel to change its treatment of Palestinians and to honestly work towards peace.  It hardly needs saying that so long as Israel continues to colonize the West Bank its leaders have no intentions of making peace.   The 2nd item reports this morning’s march and protest in Tel Aviv on the occasion of International Human Righ...

NOVANEWS In This Issue... CWP Report: “All out War: Israel against democracy” More Recent Articles Search The Only Democracy?   by the Coalition of Women for Peace   Photo: Oren Ziv, www.Activestills.org Comprehensive Report on Intensifying Political Persecution in Israel CWP published a new report today, titled “All-Out War: Israel Against Democracy.” This comprehensive report documents the increasing political persecution of peace and human rights organizations and activists, and describes the connections between the assaults led by Israeli government officials, security forces, courts, journalists, and extreme-right organizations in this well-orchestrated offensive on democracy. The report was published in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, and English.  To d...

NOVANEWS  In This Issue... The deputy assassin More Recent Articles Search The Only Democracy? By Rela Mazali   In the second piece below, Israeli activist Nurit Peled-Elhanan comments on the recent appointment of a new Deputy Chief of Staff, Yair Naveh, who orchestrated (at least some of) Israel’s summary executions widely wordwashed as “targeted assassinations.” Peled-Elhanan claims the appointment is, in fact, apt and fitting to the deeds and spirit of Israel’s army. In response to these and to the appointment, she says, it is the parents and educators of Israel who bear responsibility for taking action. She writes, We must gather up our courage and teach our children to refuse. Refuse to take part in an organization that is led by war criminals, ...

NOVANEWS   Dear Friend, As we write to ask you to support The Electronic Intifada's independent reporting on Palestine by making a contribution, we find ourselves under attack from a prominent anti-Palestinian organization. Their goal, we believe, is to shut us down by pressuring funders to withdraw grants they've given us. If we can't pay our editors or reporters, or maintain our equipment and keep our servers working, their reasoning goes, then there will be one less watchdog to report on human rights abuses in Palestine and to educate thousands of readers like you about the Palestinian struggle for freedom and the global solidarity movement. The escalating attacks on The Electronic Intifada and other Palestinian, Israeli and international civil society groups working for justice are evi...

NOVANEWS   “An Israeli government statement said: ‘The hope is to strengthen the Gaza economy. The civilians in Gaza, like the Israelis, are victims of the authoritarian Hamas regime that brutally oppresses the people of Gaza and targets Israeli civilians on our side of the frontier.’" [item 1a, Guardian]   “The purpose of the decision is to try to alleviate the strife of the population in Gaza, who is subjected to the oppressive Hamas regime, a statement by the Prime Minister's Office read.” [item 1b Haaretz]     ------------------ Dear Friends,   The sentiment cited above is fallacious to an extreme.  Not that I support fundamentalist organizations, be they Jewish, Muslim, or other.  But (a) to equate Israelis with Gazans in any way is mendacious to a T.  Besides, both statements make Ha...

Shadow Minsiter for the Middle East: Israel's actions "violate universal principles of human rights" MPs Debate the detention of Palestinian children in the West Bank   Alister Burt, the government's minister for the Middle East,  expressed concern over Israel's repeated human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories and criticised the Israeli government for its policy of using secret evidence to convict Palestinian children in the West Bank. The minister went on to criticise the Israeli policy of denying Palestinian prisoners access to their families while under detention and said that Israel 'risked undermining its own interests' through these actions. The minister made his remarks as part of the government's response to a 90-minute Westminst...

NOVANEWSW 12/06/2010 What are Israel’s priorities in time of natural disaster? Federal government widens case against Midwest anti-war activists; subpoenas two people who visited the West Bank last summer Abunimah: The Native American analogy doesn’t work Happy holidays An Israeli’s Wiki-piphany MI university deems Helen Thomas’s Zionist-control comments to be anti-Semitic The Witch Tree Doris Lessing on orthodoxy and the intellectual What are Israel’s priorities in time of natural disaster? Dec 05, 2010 Joseph Dana    Despite Israel’s international call for aid to help fight the raging wildfires in the north of the country, the Isrli army had plenty of extra soldiers to suppress the weekly unarmed demonstrations in Nabi Saleh, Ni’ilin and Bil’in. Instead of dive...

NOVANEWS   12/07/2010 What’s J Street doing meeting with Israeli officials on BDS? Attention progressives for Palestine: Rep. Alan Grayson wants to hear from you The intellectual dishonesty of Benny Morris: Blame the Palestinians, always A jolt? More on Brazil’s decision to recognize Palestine Carmel fire response shows criticism of Israel is based on policy not anti-Semitism Argentina, Uruguay recognize Palestine within its 1967 borders Fundraising drive off to a great start – please help us keep it going! Israel supporters using Wikileaks to promote attack on Iran are ignoring Arab public opinion BDS movement spreads to Australia Message to Vieux Farka Touré: Colonialism is colonialism, whether it happens in West Africa or Palestine     What’s J Street do...

NOVANEWS       Yediot's legal editor cites Nuremberg Laws, Eichmann trial, in critique of new Rabbinical ruling Didi Remez | December 8, 2010 at 11:09 | Categories: Human Rights and Jewish Values, Jewish Fundamentalism, Racism in Israel | URL: http://wp.me/pHlQV-KY   Rabbis’ disgrace Analysis, Boaz Okon, Yediot, December 8 2010 [front-page; Hebrew original here and at the bottom of this post] Okon  In 1834, a clothes salesman in London refused to sell an article of clothing to a customer.  The refusal stemmed from the fact that the buyer was “just a Jew.”The Jewish buyer sued the salesman, but the court in the Timothy case supported the salesman.  It was not a just trial, but the judge employed a sacred principle, the freedom of contracts, acco...

NOVANEWS   Gaza Quiz       If you'd like to find out more about Gaza, including what materials have been denied access, check out the new online quiz Caabu has produced for Al Fakhoora (www.fakhoora.org/resources/quiz-on-gaza). Jam-packed with all sorts of fascinating facts, it is designed to test and develop awareness about the situation on the ground. Through a series of questions on Gaza's past, present and possible future, it not only provides an in depth understanding of current conditions but the roots of the ongoing crisis.     Illustrated throughout with photos, maps and artwork, the quiz is a great introduction to an issue that is often considered difficult. Written in a clear, accessible style, it is suitable as part of a lesson, for pe...