MSc Human Rights Scholarship Programme 2009 for Israel and Palestine Students: New scholarship to promote human rights in Israel and Palestine/Occupied Territories
The Centre for the Study of Human Rights is delighted to announce the Sir Siegmund Warburg Scholarship available to students joining the MSc Human Rights programme in October 2009.
This new scholarship, which will be available every
Dear Concerned, foul mouthed, ilmannered, brainwashed, ignorant, inhumane idiot. Your use of street language reflects your background and mental capacity. What happened to Jews in Germany was far less than what is happening in Gaza, and even then it is not acceptable to any decent human being. What is happening in Gaza is much, much, much worse than what happened to Jews during the world war II
Sudah dua minggu lebih Israel menyerang Palestina. Demi alasan menghancurkan Hamas, ratusan anak-anak dan ibu-ibu tak berdosa menjadi korban. Ribuan orang kehilangan rumah dan terpaksa meninggalkan rumah mereka. Jadi pengungsi. Kita hanya mampu berdoa, semoga perang itu bisa segera berakhir. Anak-anak, ibu-ibu dan para pengungsi itu bisa segera berkumpul kembali. Dari sebuah milis saya mendapatk
East Jerusalem-- New Year's DayI wake up with a news hangover. Israeli jets are pounding Gaza for the sixth continuous day, and the IDF continues to build up its forces along the border in preparation for a possible ground invasion. Olmert promises that more is on the way, yet Hamas remains defiant and has not lost its ability to launch rocket attacks on Israeli towns and cities. Angry Arabs demon
I think everyone's seen the work that Banksy and JR have done in Palestine, so I went looking for other artists.The first 2 pictures below are by a Palestinian artist called Naji Al-Ali, who was assassinated in London in 1987. Please read the story HERE.The piece below is by Arofish.Tomorrow I will be visiting Puerto Rico.
By Dr. Abdul
Obviously, not many would believe she will or gather courage to do so. That is the political philosophy of Jewish leaders right form the day they established a Jewish State Israel in...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Reporting by Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz concerning violence by Israeli settlers has touched off some discussion of the issue. Ha’aretz writes today that “police, soldiers and military officers prefer to ‘turn a blind eye’ instead of handling incidents in which settlers attack Palestinians in the West Bank.” Security forces have complaints regarding Palestinian a
blackout has descended upon Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp this night. It makes your efforts to find the Palestinian Arab Center that much more atmospheric and inspires vague hopes that perhaps you won't miss the first minutes of Jackie Salloum's "Slingshot Hip Hop" after all.You find the hall's exterior bathed in generator-driven light. The interior is dim but for the concert footage
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated today that Israel will not accept the return of any Palestinian refugees. This contradicts an earlier rumor that Israel might be willing to accept 2,000 refugees a year for ten years. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ office fired back with a statement calling Olmert’s stance unacceptable. Of course, even 20,000 would have been a drop in the
The situation in the Gaza Strip has affected every aspect of life, and every age group. Blogger Samaher Al Khazandar describes the difficulties a kindergarten had when trying to hold a party at the end of the school year. But can children living in war zones enjoy their childhood?
More efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state and a renewed move to generate global support for capacity-building for Palestinians will top the agenda of a high-profile ministerial conference which opens in Jakarta today.Representatives from more than 100 Asian and African countries including Saudi Arabia are gathering for the conference which is being organized within the framework o
C’est avec stupeur que j’ai lu ce matin cette nouvelle. Green Park et Green Mount International, deux entreprises dont le siège social est situé dans l’arrondissement de Saint-Laurent, à Montréal, sont poursuivis par le village de Bil’in, en Cisjordanie.
Pourquoi? Parce que les deux dites entreprises vendent les maisons servant à la colonisation des territoires palesti
Global Conflicts: Palestine
Global Conflicts: Palestine
An
accessible adventure game that puts you in the role of a journalist in
Jerusalem exploring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and trying...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
A few Icelandic nursing and medical students, and one student from the junior college Kvennaskólinn in Reykjavík, are currently acting as volunteers in Palestine. Some of them teach English for Project Hope, others assist the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS).Nursing student Gunnar Pétursson, who belongs to the group of volunteers, told Fréttabladid their help is much needed.“Just us
AMMAN - PalestineNews : Prasad Kariyawasam, the head of the special UN committee on human rights in Palestine, voiced deep concern about the ongoing Israeli violations against human rights in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, pointing out that the Israeli siege increased poverty and destroyed economy in the Strip.Kariyawasam, the representative of Sri Lanka in the three-member committee, warned ag
AMMAN - PalestineNews : Prasad Kariyawasam, the head of the special UN committee on human rights in Palestine, voiced deep concern about the ongoing Israeli violations against human rights in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, pointing out that the Israeli siege increased poverty and destroyed economy in the Strip.Kariyawasam, the representative of Sri Lanka in the three-member committee, warned ag
Suggestion is historically accurate - Jordan is indeed the defacto & dejure Palestinian Arab Homeland.
The Arab World seems to be as rich in outrage as it is in oil. Reviewing the Arab newspapers from this past week I found a long unspoken excuse for outrage in that part of the world. John McCain’s top advisor, Robert Kagan, [...]
Here's something interesting:
(IsraelNN.com) Jordan is in an uproar over the revival of the "Jordanian option" - the thesis that Jordan is the true home to the "Palestinians." Reports that a top advisor to US Presidential candidate John McCain is promoting this idea have led to a flurry of press reports in the Arab media, as well as a denial from Jordan's King Abdullah himself.
It has been 60 years since hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to leave their homes and property as a result of the 1948 hostilities. Those Palestinians have remained refugees until today.The unresolved question of Palestine continues to prevent the Palestinian people from exercising their inalienable rights, namely the right to self determination without external interference, the r
I've finally finished reading Jimmy Carter's book (left). It is definitely worth reading I would say. The book is written in an autobiography style based on Carter's experience in propagating peace in the Middle East as President of USA in late 70s to date.As a short review of the book, it is clear that it is the Zionist Israeli government (I shall mention Zionist Israelis here as there are a few
The underlying theme of the book is of demographics, the Israeli project to empty the land of Palestinians and not allow the right of return under any circumstances. This is accomplished by using not only pure physical force, but also by using cultural, social, and economic disenfranchisement using a “complex series of bureaucratic and administrative hurdles”, the main one being to prove that
The Jews were subjugated by the Nazi’s. Known fact.
And the Holocaust had indeed happened. Another known fact.
Is Israel Today The Nazi of The 21st Century?
Well that will depend on who you ask, where you live and what news media is your choice of news. We all know of the blood-letting going on on both sides. [...]
As the Bushites push Israel and Palestine into a peace treaty that would secure an official Palestinian state, we wonder how much of this is just for show (or some last ditch effort to salvage Dubya’s name in history books). Does the U.S.-Israel alliance really want to build a future for Palestine? Two events this [...]
Who's talking about it? The US Green Party has called on Israel to respect UN human rights laws, on its 60th anniversary. What is Green Party policy? Most Green Party policies are popular across the board, but on the issue...
A Palestinian suicide bomber carried out an attack at a border crossing yesterday, killing only himself. The same day, a Hamas-led protest drew fire from Israeli soldiers:
Later on Thursday, hundreds of Palestinians answered a Hamas call to protest the blockade, gathering on the Gaza side of the Karni crossing, an almost entirely closed commercial terminal on the territory’s eastern edge.
Soldie
Some of you may have asked why I did not write anything about the Nakaba 60th anniversary in the past few weeks , well I did not publish anything in the past two weeks but I did write something , it is another series , just my 1956 series , my 1967 series , my 1973 series and my 1958 UAE series "some of them I did in a way that I do not like , I think that I could better especially in the 195
THE international community must immediately increase its pressure on the US, Europe and Israel to help liberate Palestine, said Palestinian Ambassador Ahmad Ramadan yesterday. The ambassador, who was speaking following the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Palestine nakba (catastrophe) on May 15, said that a solution to his country's crisis and the suffering of its people was largely depen
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Tony Blair, the envoy of the international quartet to the Middle East, linked the establishment of a Palestinian state to the PA security apparatuses' ability to eliminate the Palestinian resistance in the West Bank.In a press statement to the Israeli Jerusalem Post newspaper, Blair said if the Israelis saw that the PA leadership failed to protect Israel's security, the
The Palestine Festival of Literature will kick off from 7-11th May, 2008 with readings and performances held in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Bethlehem, said Eleanor O'Keeffe, a member of the organizing committee.High-profile writers will be attending, including William Dalrymple, Ahdaf Soueif, David Hare, Roddy Doyle, Hanan al- Shaykh, Esther Freud, Pankaj Mishra, Suheir Hammad, Jamal Mahjoub, Andrew O'Hagan, Victoria Brittain, Brigid Keenan, Nathalie Handal, Ian Jack amongst others. The up-and-coming British actor Khalid Abdullah (The Kite Runner, United 93) will also be accompanying the group as well as rising star writer Daniel Alarcon.The event is supported by the British Council, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, the A.M. Qattan Foundation, Ford Foundation and local partners include Yabo
By Dr. Mustafa BarghouthiFriday, 04.25.2008 Sixty years after the Naqba, the catastrophe, Palestinians are still without a state. They are living under occupation, many are in refugee camps, others are scattered around the world, and a part of the Palestinian people are no more than second class citizens in Israel itself. The Palestinian struggle to achieve freedom and independence is therefore firstly a struggle to exist as a people. In this endeavour, resistance is essential. Resistance through memory, resistance through unwavering demands for their rights, resistance against open or covert attempts to displace them and take their land from them. But what sort of resistance? Armed resistance to occupation is legitimate and legal under internati
The situation in Gaza gets worse with each passing days and now Hamas is initiating suicide attacks that will only exacerbate problems. The European Union urged Turkish leaders to assume leadership in bringing together warring factions in the Israel-Palestine conflict. State Minister Kurgad Tuzmen said he was approached by an EU envoy and asked [...]
'Alwan called on the Arab world to acknowledge the Jews' right to Palestine, because justice demanded it and also because doing so would end the violence and the killing of Arabs, as well as intra-Arab strife. He added that such a move would also open up new avenues for the Arab world that would be more consistent with the values and needs of modern society.'Alwan writes that the Arab League is to blame for the refusal to recognize the 1947 U.N. partition plan, for starting a war to prevent its implementation, and for the results of that war, which the Arabs call the Nakba (disaster). He points an accusing finger at the Arab regimes, the Arab League, and the educated circles in the Arab world, saying that they had all used the term "nakba" to direct popular consciousness toward a cultural
Agriculture is a fundamental pillar of the weak Palestinian economy. Despite the enormous imports, the sector is partly self-sufficient and even outstanding in some areas of production, such as olive oil and flowers. Most of the production outputs are sold in Europe, in the Gulf's Arabic countries and in neighbouring Israel, where restrictions in some cases have seriously damaged the Palestinian agriculture by preventing it from becoming internationally competitive.Due to the considerable amount of land fit for cultivation in this fragmented and rather narrow territory (the entire West Bank area is around 5,800 square kilometers, with a 65 km maximum width and 130 km length), agriculture in Palestine has become one of the main pillars of the local economy. The key role played by these sect
We Maldivians as Muslims have a deep relationship of brotherhood with all the Muslims around the world. Our hearts should feel the pains and suferings of fellow Muslims from any where around the Globe.
As such, the Muslim brothers and sisters of Palestine, specially in Gaza are currently undergoing their worst nightmares. Those reporters and humanitarian aid workers who have been there and are
On 29 February 1976, the Israeli government announced that it planned to confiscate 21,000 dunum (5,500 acres) of Arab-owned land in order to create eight Jewish industrial centers. It was another attempt by Israel to geographically marginalize the state’s Arab community and strip it of its agricultural livelihood. This was made clear by the Israeli government itself when Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture declared the plan’s primary purpose was the creation of a Jewish majority in the Arab Galilee.Having experienced institutionalized discrimination since the Jewish state’s inception, the Palestinians in Israel decided to challenge the confiscations. Community organizers met and decided to organize a general strike. In response, Israeli authorities announced a curfew on the evening o
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a copy of the latest audio recording from Al-Qaida leader Usama Bin Laden, titled, "The Way for the Salvation of Palestine." During his speech, Bin Laden insisted that control of Palestine shall only be reclaimed "with iron and fire" and admonished Muslims that "the nearest field of jihad today to support our people in Palestine is the Iraqi field, so it is necessary to be concerned with it, focus on it, and support it." Appealing specifically to Al-Qaida...(read more)
In this article in the Economist, the Hamas member Mahmoud Zahhar admits more or less that the whole notion of there ever having been an Islamic country called "palestine" is phony:
Nonetheless, Hamas might accept a two-state offer if most Palestinians agreed. But it was entirely “fantastical”. He certainly would not now “accept the reality” of Israel, as some of his senior colleagues have hinted
Planned Israeli settlements are derailing the peace process and invalidating Annapolis.
And don't think the US isn't concerned. After all, we've gone so far as to call the settlement plans "not helpful."
For every step forward, like Israel's recent drawdown of its military operations in Gaza and hints of a coming cease-fire, there's a step back. What's craziest is the justification given for settlement expansions (which the BBC notes are illegal under international law):
Regev, the Israeli spokesman, said Givat Zeev, a settlement near Jerusalem, is in the settlement "blocs" that Israel intends to keep, but also said Olmert couldn't have halted the construction even if he wanted to since the project was first approved in 1999.
"We would have faced serious legal problems from the developers"
Jamaat-e-Islami Amir, Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said that accepting the Israeli occupation on Palestine was a cruel apathy of the Muslim rulers. Addressing a protest demonstration outside the Faisal Mosque here, he strongly condemned the publication of sacrilege caricatures. Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that the Palestinian lives have been made miserable by unleashing horrendous oppressions on them—innocent children were being massacred. He said that one-fourth of the world constitutes of the Muslims rich in natural resources, but could not do anything. He said that the Muslims were not even conscious of the oppressions perpetrated in Palestine and Gaza. Slogans against Demark and demand for breaking diplomatic relations kept ranting the atmosphere on this occasion.
mindless violence continues. skewed media report continues. endless killing of civilians continue. the victims at the Seminary was aged 15 to 26. all people of conscience condemns such act of violence.1.Ibrahim Abdil-Mu’id Ramey, Muslim American Society (MAS) Freedom Civil and Human Rights Director writes: On March 6, 2008, the world received news of yet another tragedy in the ongoing conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis. In an apparent act of revenge, armed Palestinians infiltrated a Rabbinical school in Jerusalem and attacked a group of teenage Jewish students, leaving eight of them dead. They were not combatants, and the act did not take place in self-defense or in the heat of combat.Most of the world, especially in Israel, was stunned and horrified by the killings. But in G
The Israeli press is abuzz with reactions to statements by Yasser Abed Rabbo, a key Palestinian peace negotiator, who called for a unilateral declaration of independence if reconciliation with Israel stumbles. Almost all of the reactions were judgmental and non-sympathetic. Few were even cynical. None saw a valid comparison with the Kosovo case. If Abed Rabbo's proposal was meant to shake the Israelis in any way, it had clearly failed to do so. The US immediately rejected the comparison with Kosovo. There were few encouraging voices from the Arab world as well, and in some cases the call drew unexpected flak. After all this was not the first time the Palestinians had made such a caveat.
Also in the West Bank, Israeli troops kidnapped four Palestinians including a female during invasions on Monday. Local sources reported that Tasbeeh al-Khayaat, 22 a student of engineering at an- Najah University in Nablus was kidnapped by Israeli soldiers and was moved to an unknown destination.Nafha society, an organization defending Human and Prisoner Rights, said in addition to Khayaat, there have been six females kidnapped in 2008. The organization called upon the international community, especially those active in women rights, to take action to save the lives of at least 110 female prisoners in the Israeli jails.
Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories Sheikh Mohammad Hussein renewed on Sunday his warnings against the plots of the Israeli occupation authorities in the Holy City. "The Israeli occupation authorities conduct suspicious acts targeting the Palestinian holy places under ungrounded pretexts," Sheikh Hussein said in a press release.
A round of discouraging reports from Israel casts doubt on the viability of recent peace talks.
The second set of talks since Annapolis, held today, broke down over disagreements about the planned wave of Israeli settlements soon to be built in East Jerusalem.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said Monday there would be no progress in the recently revived peace talks with Israel until Jerusalem halts all settlement activity.
“There will be one item on the agenda - demanding from Israel to cease settlement [expansion],” said al-Malki.
“We won’t proceed a single step during negotiations with Israel without reaching an agreement on complete and comprehensive cessation for settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories,” al-Malki said.
Both Secretary Rice and the Mubarak government in Egypt have criticized the plan for more settlements, citing the move as a threat to the peace process.
Annapolis in part aimed to revive the Road Map, whic
Israel moves to build more settlements in East Jerusalem, threatening to destabilize the situation further, to say nothing of the “peace process” initiated by Annapolis. Even the US is criticizing them:
“This doesn’t help build confidence,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after meeting Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni in Brussels.
Meanwhile, Hamas burns drugs in Gaza.
Hamas displayed tables full of marjiuana, hashish, cocaine and ecstasy at a news conference to show the results of its operations. [They] accused rivals Fatah of allowing a drug culture to flourish and collaborating with Israel to corrupt Gaza’s youth.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed hope that the Palestinian government under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas can take wise steps in dealing with its domestic problems so that all components of Palestine society can unite in striving to achieve independence. "Indonesia hopes he (President Mahmoud Abbas) can overcome Palestine`s internal problems so that all components in Palestine society can unite and enjoy stronger cohesion," President Yudhoyono said at a joint press conference after holding a bilateral meeting with Abbas at the Merdeka Palace here on Monday.Indonesia News Blog: http://indosnesos.blogspot.com
Starting tonight is the First Annual Boston Palestine Film Festival. From Saturday, 9/29 to Sunday 10/7 the film festival will be celebrating Palestinian Cinema at multiple venues: MFA, Coolidge Corner Theatre, Kendall Square Cinema, and Harvard University. The BPFF is the first major Boston film festival to bring an honest and independent view of Palestine - its culture, its diasporic society, and its political travails. The nine days of screenings will encompass over 40 films with many international filmmakers and actors present - and will feature the US premiere of acclaimed films Driving to ZigZigland and Hardball.The weeklong event starts tonight at at the MFA at 7:15pm with a screener of Hijacker by Lina Makboul followed by the Festival Opening Party at 8:30pm. Click (here) for the official website and details on the week's events.Know of Any Interesting Boston News or Events That You'd Like to Share?Email me at beantownblog@gmail.com
Sudan will accept Palestinian refugees from Iraq, the BBC reports:
The offer came after Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir received a letter from the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas.
The UN refugee agency has expressed concern over the deteriorating conditions for the hundreds of Palestinians in camps on the borders. They have tried to leave Iraq, but have been refused entry by Jordan and Syria…The UNHCR estimates about 34,000 Palestinians currently live in Iraq. Between 200 and 300 have been killed since the US-led invasion in 2003.
Sudan’s actions are perhaps commendable on the surface. But in light of the refugee crises within Sudan involving actual Sudanese people, the government’s actions appear both strange and hypocritical. Is the Sudanese government only willing to help fellow Arabs? Are they attempting to curry favor in the Middle East? Whatever their motivation, it seems that even gestures such as these will do little to boost their image in the eyes of the
“All my bags are packed!” No! This is not a good beginning to tell you that I’m leaving Jordan. Actually, this is not the truth; I have no bags. All I’m taking with me to Palestine is a lot of books, a dozen of CD’s, my desktop PC, and a HAND BAG with my school [...]
The Right of Return.
What is this all about? What is the Israeli side? What is the Palestinian side? Where did the Palestinian refugee come from? What is UN Resolution 181?
This balanced, bite-sized article at AlterNet by Barry Lando entitled Israel’s Primal Myth: A Barrier to Peace deals with this linch-pin issue for without its resolution no peace can ever come between the Israeli and the Palestinians.
It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about this issue.
What are we to make of the recent release of more than 250 Palestinian prisoners, some in jail for 18 years?
The move was designed by Israel/US to add credibility to the Abbas government immediately after Abbas did their bidding by dismissing his government, which included a duly elected Hamas component, and installing a new administration in the larger West Bank.
Recall, that after Hamas was popularly elected in January, Western countries cut off funding to the Abbas’ government and Israel deprived the government of the tax revenue it raised on Palestine’s behalf with a result that the democratically elected government was effectively throttled.
Recall also that as a result of Western meddling, ‘Palestine’ is now two states: the Fatah-led government of the West Bank and the Hamas-led ‘government’ of Gaza.
Now, in the waning years of a discredited Bush Administration we have a desperate putsch to force peace on a region through the direct repudiatio
Reports are coming in about a flaming car that has crashed into an airport terminal in Scotland. Using classic fear-mongering tactics, the mainstream press has been alleging that this incident and car bombs found in London yesterday (free registration required) are Islamic terrorist plots, ruling out the possibility that these actions could come from elsewhere in the world or spring from other ideologies. Don’t get suckered in. Listen to what actual officials are saying, not what the press is insinuating. If you read each article closely, you’ll notice that officials have yet to blame anyone for either of these plots, which is the right way to handle these issues, in my opinion. Wait until you have the facts, please.
A unique interview highlighting women in the military.
Critics say the immigration bill before Congress failed for a second time because it attempted to do too much. Here are 11 different views on the state of immigration in our country (free registration requi
La crisi sulla striscia di Gaza ha di fatto formato due stati Palestinesi? Daniel Pipes, sempre molto attento a tutto quello che succede nel middle-east, ci racconta il suo punto di vista.
di Daniel Pipes
New York Sun
19 giugno 2007
pezzo originale For Israel, an Overt Vs. Half-Covert Foe
La vittoria riportata il 14 giugno a Gaza da Hamas su Fatah, riveste una grossa importanza per i
This is highly recommend to be read I love the fact about the past of the leaders and those who made the state of Israel like Ben Grunion Palestine The Facts On The Ground del.icio.us tags: Palestine, Politics, Israel, News, Fatah, Hamas, Middle East, Gaza, Ramallah Technorati tags: Palestine, Politics, Israel, News, Fatah, Hamas, Middle East, Gaza, Ramallah
Time for a new poll, this time about the events occurring in Palestine. But first, last week’s results:
Last week we asked if you had ever considered moving to Canada. Your answer, in a word, was, “Yes!” Over 70% of you said you’d thought about it, and over 50% of you thought about it seriously or already picked up and moved. Looks like we’re a bunch of Canucks over here…
This week, we want to know how you feel about Hamas overthrowing Fatah in Palestine and wheather this may open up new avenues for solving the biggest conflict in the Middle East. So, what do you think? Make your voice heard with your vote in the sidebar at right.
Email this post...
I watched the circus that happened in Palestine sorry the Palestinian territories in Gaza as till now officially there is no Palestinian state recognized internationally or even nationally !! This is one hell of a show full of great surprises The biggest surprise of all wasn't the fall of the Fatah forces which are more than Hamas's in front of the Islamic militia , no I expected this and surely it wasn't the western and also Arabic rejection for Hamas taking over the rule in Gaza The biggest surprise of all for me is to find now today morning in the Dostor newspaper that Egypt was spending money on the Fatah forces,this is not America's money , no it is beside the American money , our own money was spent on Fatah's losers and they even couldn't stand in front of Hamas and escaped to the Egypt thanks to the Israeli Navy from Gaza !! Are we so damn rich to repeat the same old game of Gamal Abd El-Nasser to support losers here and there politically and militarily from own mon
YouTube and CNN are hosting a round of debates. Users will submit questions to candidates in the form of videos, which the candidates will then answer live during the debate. I’m not sure how this is really any different from normal debates, but at least both sides are reaching out to the younger Internet user, and that’s a good thing.
It’s going to be another hot summer. Are you going to be affected by drought? Do you still not believe in global warming?
Michael Nifong, the Durham County district attorney accused of mishandling the rape case at Duke University, resigned (free registration required) with these words: “It has become increasingly apparent, during the course of this week, in some ways that it might not have been before, that my presence as the district attorney in Durham is not furthering the cause of justice.” Why can’t Alberto Gonzales just say the same?
Stories We’ve Been Tracking
The White House is currently debating (free reg
Ehud Olmert and his fellow hawks eventually succeeded in putting the Gaza Ghetto in the hands of the most radical elements of Hamas. All they needed was to inflict years of humiliation, to illegally abduct key moderate leaders, and to carpet bomb any attempt of conciliation.Back in January 2006*, I envisioned a Pakistan - Bangladesh scenario for the Gaza Strip - West Bank couple, with radical islamists ruling over the former and unharmful people struggling to survive in the latter. Among the key differences : the Bengali suffer from abundance of water.The time has almost come. Israeli hardliners can measure the success of their strategy, and the crucial** help of a fellow fundamentalist named George W. Bush. They didn't need Dubya to get rid of Yitzhak Rabin, but they badly needed his support to crush the peace process initiated with Bill Clinton.As usual, Shimon Peres keeps the glam (Nobel Prize, presidence) and avoids direct combat in favor of peace. Ehud Barak joins the government
Shit gets even more hectic in Palestine. That plus further sectarian violence in Iraq makes for a pretty terrifying picture in the Middle East right now.
Sudan accepts the deployment of a “hybrid” AU-UN force in Darfur on the condition that the troops be predominately African.
Romney ahead in “bellweather states”?
International Herald Tribune: “As stocks soar in India, everyone wants in.”
Salon delivers a pessimistic - perhaps overly pessimistic, even - report on Bush’s recent visit to Europe and the attitudes and fears of European leaders concerning America. Meanwhile, Gore calls the G8 agreement on climate change a “disgrace.”
BLOGS: Digby on “male panic” and the feminization of Democrats. Conceptual Guerilla discusses “New Deal Revisionism.” Finally, the relative freedom of the internet does not mean that Americans should forget about other media that (some believe) people deserve more access to and contro
In a departure from EU and US policy toward the Hamas-led Palestinian administration, Norway has resumed direct aid to Palestine.
“We hope our contribution will help to alleviate the current social crisis in the Palestinian Territory, particularly for the many extended families with only one breadwinner,” said Norway’s Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere.
“The critical situation in Gaza has many causes, but it has been exacerbated by social destitution and despair. It is therefore particularly important that the Palestinian authorities receive financial support from the international community,” he said.
Poverty in Palestine is dire, and is getting worse.
Seven out of 10 households in the occupied Palestinian territories, or about 2.4 million Palestinians, are living in poverty.
Of course, Palestinian poverty is not only a humanitarian issue, but a political one. Hamas’ refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist is a major stumbling block in n
Recent headlines underscore the dire situation in Palestine, once again proving (as if there were any need of further proof) that the obstacles to be overcome in maintaining a secure, successful Palestinian state are as intricate as they are numerous. The region, for decades synonymous with violence and confrontation, has seen any progress voided by subsequent regression. The result has been, at best, a zero sum game, and not for lack of trying. Few are the nations who have not attempted to influence either one side or the other, with some of the brightest minds in various sectors working on the cause. Nevertheless, the problem persists, and proposed solutions usually revolve around the same sets of ideas. It’s therefore an encouraging thing when one hears a proposal which is not only fresh and exciting, but also viable.
Enter the RAND Corporation, specifically two components of the non-profit think tank; RAND Health, and the RAND Center for Middle Eastern Public Policy. In a re
When I first began working in the West Bank, I understood that communicating a Palestinian perspective to our Christian Peacemaker Team constituency was part of our job. I soon learned that the U.S. media ignored not only the Palestinian perspective; it ignored the perspective of the thousands of Israelis who for decades had worked sacrificially on behalf of peace and human rights. Most of these activists struggled with depression, and I thought CPT could be a ministry to them, encouraging them in their efforts.During the first months of the current Intifada, as visitors to Hebron tried to cheer up our depressed and sleep-deprived team by telling us what admirable work we were doing, I had a revelation. All the encouraging things I said to Israeli activists years ago must have been really annoying.They saw the big picture that I did not. They knew they were plugging only a few of the holes in a very leaky dike, that their dream of two states‹Israel and Palestine‹living side by
In response to the suggestion that "Israel and Palestine have a right to exist as separate states."
No, I don't believe they do. I don't think these, or any other, states have 'rights' of any sort. Furthermore, I think the problem in Israel/Palestine is greatly exacerbated by this kind of confusion. Only individuals have rights. And while it is common practice to speak of states as though they
War For Palestine*In A Prison Called Palestine Part I*In A Prison Called Palestine Part II*The battle over Palestine *Ripples Cross*Visit to Palestine 2004*An Interview with Riad Hamad*Legal Counsel to the Palestine Authority*Intrigue in the Middle East*Counting the Costs*They Smash Through Our Walls*Strangers In The House*Poetry for Palestine - Rhythms of Resistance*Rescuing Middle East Policy*Gaza Strip*The Palestine Refugees
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ANbDOKmJ6s
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="76" caption="Mikkel Lucas"][/caption]
Mikkel Lucas, is a Danish commercial director at Serious Games Interactive company, who was our session instructor at crossing borders, he presented to the course group the “Global Conflicts Palestine” game.
.
“Global Conflicts Palestine” is absolutely not a shoo
