Statehood for the Palestinians

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alam
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#121

Unread post by alam » Tue Jul 22, 2014 5:30 pm

WORLD07. 21. 14
HOW JON STEWART MADE IT OKAY TO CARE ABOUT PALESTINIAN SUFFERING
by Dean Obeidallah
When I interviewed The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart two years ago for a documentary I co-directed, The Muslims Are Coming!, one of the questions I posed to the talk show host was: Do you think your show has had an impact on issues?

Surprisingly, Stewart responded “no.”  At first, my co-director, Negin Farsad, and I thought Stewart was being unduly modest. But he was actually being sincere. Stewart went on to list issues he had railed against for years—such as media sensationalism—and noted that nothing tangible had changed despite his best efforts.


But if that question were put to Stewart today, honesty would compel him to answer that his efforts have changed the way many who follow him now view one issue: the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Specifically, Stewart has raised awareness about the human toll that this conflict has inflicted upon Palestinian civilians.

I first noticed Stewart’s efforts in January 2009 during the 22-day battle between Hamas and the Israeli military. That episode resulted in approximately 1,400 Palestinians being killed, of which human rights groups say 700 were civilians.

Stewart’s coverage included the segment “Gaza Strip Maul.” (The title summed up his POV.) In it, Stewart comically noted that the only thing Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on is supporting Israeli’s bombing of Gaza, likening it to a Mobius Strip, which is an object with only one side to it.

Stewart, of course, did express sympathy for the people of Israel suffering from Hamas missiles. But clearly he was moved by the massive Palestinian civilian casualties, calling it a “civilian carnage Toyotathon.”

During the 2012 battle between Hamas and Israel, Stewart lambasted the media for its obsession with declaring a “winner.” His point was simple: In a battle where more than 150 people were killed, mostly Palestinian civilians, there was no real “winner.”

Stewart’s impact has not gone unnoticed by the right. Several conservative media outlets attacked Stewart over his recent expressions of concern for Palestinian civilians.

And just last week, Stewart addressed the current fighting in Gaza in two remarkable moments. First, he responded to the conservative argument that the people of Gaza, who are crammed into a densely populated area, can simply leave to avoid the IDF’s bombing campaign.  “Evacuate to where?” Stewart asked incredulously. “Have you fucking seen Gaza? Israel blocked this border, Egypt blocked this border. What, are you supposed to swim for it?”

Later in that same show, guest Hillary Clinton hawked her new book together with her hawkish views on the Middle East. But Stewart challenged the former Secretary of State: “Can we at least agree the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is overwhelming and that the world must do more for that people who are trapped by this conflict?”

And just last night Stewart opened the show with a very personal segment “We need to talk about Israel” in which he comically addressed the criticism he, and others who have raised the human suffering of Palestinians during the current conflict, have endured. In that bit, as soon as Stewart mentioned Israel, four Daily Show correspondents jumped into frame screaming lines we typically hear from the pro-Israel voices, including one calling him a “self-hating Jew.” Then Stewart turned to criticize Palestinian militants, causing the correspondents to return and yell pro-Palestinian slogans. The bit ended with Stewart asking sheepishly, “Why don’t we just talk about something lighter like Ukraine?”
So where we have seen Stewart’s impact? I would argue we’ve seen it in the reactions of certain celebrities and in an increasing number of college students. Typically, celebrities have stayed out of the Middle East conflict, knowing full well the tsunami of emotions it carries. But in the last week, some entered the fray, and I believe we have Stewart to thank for it.

We saw actor John Cusack tweet in response to a conservative, self-proclaimed Israeli supporter who was defending the IDF’s bombings in Gaza: “I have been to Israel and Palestine & Bombing civilians is not self defense.”
While Cusack is known for being a progressive activist, the other celebs that spoke out are not. Singing superstar Rihanna and the NBA’s Dwight Howard both tweeted “Free Palestine.” The New York Knicks’ Amare Stoudemire, who has Jewish heritage, tweeted a photo that read: “Pray for Palestine.” True, these three ultimately deleted their respective posts after they caused a stir, but it was still momentous to see these developments.

And then there was the 21-year-old singing sensation, Selena Gomez, who posted an image on Instagram that read: ““It’s about humanity—Pray for Gaza.” This post received more than 605,000 likes.

Unfortunately, her post did elicit some vicious, misogynistic comments from some right-wing supporters of Israel. And worse, TMZ even inferred Gomez was supporting terrorism with its article: “Selena Gomez: Pro-Humanity or Pro-Hamas”? TMZ attempted to bully the young star to agree with its own politics with the line: “Maybe she doesn’t realize Hamas has launched an untold number of missiles in an effort to destroy Israel, or maybe she supports it.”

Despite these attacks, Gomez did not back down. Her post still stands.

And I’ve personally seen Stewart’s impact on the young people I meet at colleges when performing the comedy show “Stand up for Peace” with my friend Scott Blakeman, who is Jewish. Time and time again I hear from students that The Daily Show has informed them about political issues, including the Middle East.

Indeed, a poll released last week bears this out. While overall Americans “sympathize” with Israel 51 percent to only 14 percent for Palestinians, the gap closes dramatically among younger people, Stewart’s very demographic. In that age group, Palestinians find their greatest support, at 22 percent—dramatically higher than the only 9 percent of people who are 50 and older.

Part of Stewart’s appeal with students is that he’s very proudly Jewish and a supporter of Israel. Consequently, he has inspired others who support the Jewish state to criticize it when its government’s policies are not in keeping with their own sense of right and wrong. You know, like the way we, in the United States, criticize certain policies of our government despite our deep support for our nation.

Stewart’s impact has not gone unnoticed by the right. Several conservative media outlets attacked Stewart over his recent expressions of concern for Palestinian civilians.

But it’s too late.The seeds Stewart has planted over the years have taken root and are starting to blossom. And here’s why that’s a good thing for all. Stewart’s message is truly one of empathy—something often missing in discussions of this conflict. Too often, people view this contest as a zero sum game where even the slightest acknowledgment that the other side is suffering is an attack upon their own side.

Why not give Stewart’s approach a chance? Stop with the knee jerk, blind defense of your own side—regardless of which that may be. Instead, if the people you support are committing acts inconsistent with your own sense of morality, then you should speak out.


Maybe, just maybe, this approach will yield common ground that can be the foundation to build a bridge to peace.  It’s certainly worth a shot because the current path is an abject failure for all involved.

wise_guy
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#122

Unread post by wise_guy » Thu Jul 24, 2014 2:28 pm

https://www.facebook.com/tarekfatah/pos ... 2249810012

Mark my word.
There will be no ceasefire in Gaza until after July 29 when Ramzan/Ramadan comes to an end. Until then Hamas needs to keep fighting to rake in hundreds of millions in Zakat charity that Gulf Arab billionaires need to give before that deadline. If Hamas stops fighting, the charity money could go to ISIS or Al-Qaeda.
Things you won't learn at America's Ivy League universities.

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#123

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Wed Jul 30, 2014 6:19 pm

Saudi Crocodile Tears Over Gaza

It is tough work being the Saudi ambassador to the UK. First, you have to stir yourself into action to deny the undeniable: The Israeli attack on Gaza comes with Saudi backing. That, in itself, is demeaning. But no sooner has your wrath been righteously expressed, than a colleague contradicts you. Worse still, he's the boss's brother. What is a prince to do?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-hea ... _hp_ref=tw

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#124

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Wed Jul 30, 2014 6:29 pm

Video: Israelis in Tel Aviv chanting, “There’s no school tomorrow, there’s no children left in Gaza! Oleh!”

Israelis in Tel Aviv, on 26.7.2014, the 19th day of Israel’s massacres in Gaza, cheer the genocide on: “There’s no school tomorrow, there’s no children left there [in Gaza]! Oleh!”

Every evening, in Tel Aviv, right wing marchers flood the streets, waving Israeli flags and chanting hate-slogans, such as the most common, “death to the Arabs” and many others. Often, these are counter-protests to the anti-war demonstrations that have begun since Israel’s latest onslaught on the Gaza strip, but these are also independent initiatives, which aim to encourage the State of Israel to continue the bombardment with full force.

Israeli activists who oppose the war have become the victims of these rallies, as they turn into full-fledged riots. One of the activists testified that after the rally in the video, “a few of them started kicking and throwing punches, someone tried to beat us with a flag stick, and one rioter in an IDF uniform pepper sprayed me in the face…friends who stayed in the area told me that the cops shook the soldier’s hand.”

The day of this particular rally, OCHA reported: Approximately, 1000 Palestinians have been bombed to death, over 200 of them children. Over 6200 have been injured, 2000 of them children. Over 215,000 displaced people- schools have turned into refugee camps. 130 schools have been bombed.

This is Israel’s third such operation on the Gaza Strip in the past 6 years, which it besieges from land, air and sea. Gaza is 360 km² , about twice the size of Washington DC. It is one of the most crowded places in the world, with a population density of 4,505 persons per square km. 52% of its population are children.

http://palsolidarity.org/2014/07/video- ... gaza-oleh/

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#125

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Fri Aug 01, 2014 3:41 pm

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Conscíous
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Hell On Earth

#126

Unread post by Conscíous » Sat Aug 02, 2014 6:28 pm

Hell On Earth
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ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#127

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Sun Aug 03, 2014 5:16 pm

A NON-MUSLIM COUNTRY ACTS AGAINST ISRAEL !!

Bolivia declares Israel a 'terrorist state'

Bolivian President Evo Morales declared Israel a "terrorist state," Wednesday, because of the ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli citizens will now be required to obtain a visa before traveling to Bolivia. Previously, under a 1972 agreement, which Morales denounced for being "signed under a dictatorial regime," Israelis could travel freely into Bolivia without having to obtain a visa, according to La Razón.

Israel is now considered a "group 3" country, meaning visa applications must be reviewed by the National Migration Administration.

"In other words we are declaring (Israel) a terrorist state," Página Siete reported Morales as saying.

"Israel does not respect the principles or purposes of the United Nations charter nor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," Morales said, according to Página Siete.

Morales, an admirer of the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez's Bolivarian socialism, broke off diplomatic relations with the Jewish state in 2009, and has renounced Israel's treatment of Palestinians "a genocide."

South America is a popular destination for young Israelis.

Other South American countries, including Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, have recalled their ambassadors from Israel in protest over the fighting in Gaza.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/worl ... /13384989/

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#128

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Sun Aug 03, 2014 5:51 pm

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ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#129

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Thu Aug 07, 2014 5:40 pm

Hollywood divided: passions high as actors and celebrities speak out on Gaza

Artists voicing solidarity for Palestinians trigger backlash from industry heavyweights in a town with strong Israel connections

It is perhaps the last taboo in Hollywood but the carnage in Gaza is prompting an increasing number of artists and celebrities to do the unthinkable: criticise Israel.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/a ... ?CMP=fb_gu

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#130

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Thu Aug 07, 2014 6:23 pm

Campaign Launched to Treat Gaza’s Severely Wounded Children in UK

Today, the Muslim Council of Britain is adding its voice to demand that our government takes the lead in bringing home severely injured children for immediate treatment in Britain.

With at least 300 children and adolescents killed in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Force in the last month, a new campaign has been launched today to treat in the UK those children in desperate need of medical treatment. Because of the seven year siege, and current onslaught, Gaza lacks medical supplies, equipment and expertise.

The UK has a long and proud tradition of helping victims of conflict. We rightly extended humanitarian assistance to Mala Yousafzai who was attacked by terrorists in Pakistan. Malala was treated at the renowned Queen Elizabeth Hospital which has in-depth experience for treating those injured and suffering the trauma of war.

We call:

1.On our government to take steps patriate those severely injured Gaza children to the UK
2.To make the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham available for specialist help; for our national UK Government to join the Scottish government in offering medical treatment in the NHS
3.On fellow Britons to come together to donate their time, expertise and money to assist in this humanitarian cause.

For its part, the Muslim Council of Britain is calling on Muslim charities to assist financially in this purpose. Moved by the horrors from Gaza, British Muslims have already donated millions during the month of Ramadan to help those affected. We look forward to Muslim charities making an announcement in this regard very soon.

The Muslim Council of Britain is also calling on doctors of all faiths and none to donate their time to assist those affected either in the conflict zone, or here in the UK should the injured be brought here. We hope to announce a team of doctors very soon.

The Muslim Council of Britain would like to acknowledge an already existing petition to urge our government to bring Gaza’s injured children home. We encourage everyone to sign the petition: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/68040

#SaveGazaKids

The Muslim Council of Britain is the UK’s largest Muslim umbrella body with over500 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques,charities and schools.

http://www.mcb.org.uk/campaign-launched ... ren-in-uk/

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#131

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Fri Aug 08, 2014 6:28 pm

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ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#132

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Mon Aug 11, 2014 5:14 pm

US President Barack Obama has signed a congressional bill that will give millions of American taxpayer dollars to Israel as its forces are massacring Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. According to the bill, which was signed on Monday, the United States will provide an additional $225 million to Tel Aviv to improve its Iron Dome anti-missile system.

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#133

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Wed Aug 13, 2014 3:41 pm

As the massacre in Palestine continues, much help is being offered And desperately needed through humanitarian efforts at ground level from this organization: http://www.gcmhp.net/en/.
Here is an opportunity for us to do a little something as this massive effort continues. You can donate directly to this USA based 501(c)3 Gaza entity. See PDF version at: http://www.psysr.org/gaza2014

"In response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, Psychologists for Social Responsibility (PsySR) renews our call for members and friends to support the urgent work of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme. As an organization focused on psychology’s contributions to peace and positive social change, PsySR is keenly aware of the profound psychological impact of living in a war zone, including the following:

Psychological distress in war zones is often as great as the physical suffering that receives more widespread attention. For some, including children, coping with issues of family separation, multiple losses, and bereavement can be even more unbearable than other health-related concerns.

People already under stress before an attack – from severe poverty, chronic exposure to harsh imposed restrictions, and past bloodshed – are likely to have stronger and more overwhelming psychological reactions to violence.

Prolonged fears of attack, powerful feelings of helplessness, and deep worries about family and community heighten the damaging psychological effects of life-threatening events and can contribute to ongoing cycles of violence.

The magnitude of psychological suffering in war zones can be mitigated somewhat by people's immediate and continuing access to individual and family supports, along with broader efforts that are locally, culturally, and psychologically-informed.

As a result of the indiscriminate targeting of civilians, psychological suffering has overtaken communities across the Palestinian territories and Israel this summer. However, we believe that external financial support for community healing is particularly essential in Gaza. In our judgment, this is not only because Israeli forces have engaged in the disproportionate use of violence in recent weeks, including reported attacks on schools, hospitals, ambulances, and health professionals, but also because of the exceedingly difficult socioeconomic circumstances and the harsh and seemingly hopeless conditions brought about by the decades’ long occupation.

Ultimately, a just and lasting peace and a brighter future for Palestinians and Israelis alike will require that these psychological consequences and considerations receive serious and sustained attention.

With a special emphasis on vulnerable groups including children, women, and victims of torture and human rights violations, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) provides crucial and irreplaceable mental health services to thousands of Gaza residents. These services will be even more broadly and desperately needed in the days and months immediately ahead. Throughout its history, the GCMHP has also been firmly committed to nonviolent resistance and to working for a world where Palestinians and Israelis can live together in peace.

The Programme has suffered extensively from the fighting this past month, with several staff, including the director, suffering family losses. In times such as these, external aid can be important beyond the purely financial support by serving as an expression of caring and compassion from the outside world.

Organizing help for the GCMHP is one way that we, as psychologists and mental health providers, can counter the despair and hopelessness bred in all parties by this renewed outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas. In so doing, we make a statement in support of human rights, mutual recognition and security, and a pathway to the reconciliation that must underlie a sustainable peace in this region.

Donations should be made by check payable to the Gaza Mental Health Foundation and mailed to the Gaza Mental Health Foundation, PO Box 380273, Cambridge, MA 02238. Please include your name, address, telephone number, and email address. 100% of your donation will be sent to GCMHP. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent provided by section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

For more information about this PsySR initiative, please email gazamentalhealth@psysr.org."

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#134

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:05 pm

Israeli offensive cost Gaza billions: Palestinian official

Israel’s nearly two-month military campaign against the Gaza Strip has cost the coastal enclave an estimated six to eight billion dollars, a senior Palestinian official said on Monday.

After over 40 days of an Israeli war and blockade, “the territory is now a devastated area that needs unified efforts in order to reconstruct it”,

“Within the last six years, Israel waged three wars on the Gaza Strip and kept its tight blockade imposed on it,”

” This war is the toughest and longest and has caused negative consequences on the people and their living conditions.”

“Some 20,000 housing units were either completely destroyed or very badly damaged and are not fit for living in, while there are 40,000 housing units that need renovations,” Mr. Hasayna said, adding “there is an urgent need also to collect all the rubble from the destroyed houses.”

The Palestinian health ministry reported that 2,016 Palestinians were killed and over 10,000 wounded, mostly civilians, including children, women and elderly.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/internatio ... epage=true

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#135

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Thu Sep 04, 2014 7:16 pm

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ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#136

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Sat Sep 13, 2014 7:06 pm

The Agony of Palestine

Historian Dilip Simeon in Delhi explores the history of the Holocaust of Jews by the Nazis, the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the origin of the bloody conflict and the Gaza carnage. Is peace, justice and reconciliation possible?

- See more at: http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2009/02/25 ... gLmLN.dpuf

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#137

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:44 pm

Israel’s Hannibal Procedure

In a strange way, Hannibal came up in the recent Gaza war. Not that any of our commanders were modern-day geniuses. Far from it. But something called the "Hannibal procedure" was one of its most terrible phenomena.

Who coined the term? Some officer with an inclination for ancient history? Or just an insensitive computer, the same which called this war "Solid Cliff" – while a human robot gave it the English name "Protective Edge"?

At the height of the fighting near the town of Rafah (Rafiah in Hebrew) on the Egyptian border, a squad of Israeli soldiers were trapped by Hamas soldiers and most of them were killed. One Israeli was dragged by the Palestinians into a tunnel. The first impression was that he was captured alive, perhaps wounded.

The Hannibal Procedure went into action.

The Hannibal Procedure is designed for just such an eventuality. Of all the nightmares (or rather daymares) of the Israeli army, this is one of the worst.

This needs some explaining.

http://original.antiwar.com/avnery/2014 ... procedure/

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#138

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Sun Oct 05, 2014 5:04 pm

Sweden to recognise Palestinian state

Sweden is to "recognise the state of Palestine", Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has said, the first long-term EU member country to do so.

"The conflict between Israel and Palestine can only be solved with a two-state solution," he said during his inaugural address in parliament.

It should be "negotiated in accordance with international law", he said.

"A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and a will to peaceful co-existence. Sweden will therefore recognise the state of Palestine," Mr Lofven said on Friday, without giving a timeline for the recognition.

Sweden will join more than 130 other countries that recognise a Palestinian state.

Most of the EU's 28 member states have refrained from recognising Palestinian statehood and those that do - such as Hungary, Poland and Slovakia - did so before joining the bloc.

Correspondents say Sweden's move is likely to be strongly criticised by Israel and the US, who argue that an independent Palestinian state should only emerge through negotiations.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29479418

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#139

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Tue Oct 14, 2014 4:32 pm

Donors pledge $5.4bn for Palestinians at Cairo summit

International donors have pledged $5.4bn (£3.4bn) for the Palestinians at a conference in Cairo.

The total, announced by the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Boerge Brende, exceeded the $4bn (£2.5bn) the Palestinian Authority had asked for.

Half the sum would be "dedicated" to work in Gaza, he said, without specifying a use for the other half.

At least 100,000 Gazans lost their homes in the 50-day conflict between Israel and Hamas earlier this year.

Much of the territory's infrastructure was damaged.

The seven-week Gaza conflict, which ended in a truce on 26 August, killed more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, the UN says, along with 67 Israeli soldiers and six civilians in Israel.

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Brende said half of the $5.4bn promised would be dedicated to reconstruction, and the assistance would be distributed in response to the daily needs of Palestinians.

"This is a major breakthrough, a very important signal of solidarity to the Palestinian people in general and not at least to the people that are suffering so badly in Gaza," he said.

Envoys from dozens of countries attended the Cairo conference, which was hosted by Egypt's President Sisi.

Qatar alone promised $1bn (£622m).

The US pledged $212m (£132m) in new aid, while the United Arab Emirates and Turkey both committed $200m (£124m).

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said donations from member states would reach $568m (£353m).

Correspondents say some neighbourhoods in Gaza resembled earthquake zones following intense bombardment from Israel during the war. The Israeli air strikes had sought to halt rocket-fire from Gaza.

The two sides have fought three wars in six years.

Israel was not invited to the conference but Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman earlier said any rebuilding efforts would need his government's consent.

"You can't reconstruct Gaza without Israeli participation and without Israeli co-operation," he told news website Ynet ahead of the meeting on Sunday
.

"In any case, we will try to be positive about the civil infrastructure and the rehabilitation of civilians."

Rebuilding depends on Israel allowing in enough construction materials, the BBC's Orla Guerin in Cairo reports.

This is a contentious issue because Hamas has used cement to build tunnels into Israeli territory in the past, our correspondent adds.

Announcing the UK's $32m donation in Cairo, International Development Minister Desmond Swayne said the international community could not continue to pick up the pieces of the conflict indefinitely.

Israel-Gaza conflict
8 July - Israeli offensive began

5,226 air strikes on Gaza

4,591 rockets and mortars fired at Israel

2,104 people killed in Gaza - UN estimates 69% of deaths are civilians

6 civilians killed in Israel (including one Thai national)

67 Israeli soldiers killed


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29586636


ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#141

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Tue Nov 04, 2014 6:58 pm

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ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#142

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:02 pm

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ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#143

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:05 pm

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ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#144

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Tue Dec 23, 2014 5:54 pm

ONE MORE REASON FOR MUSLIMS TO BE CAUTIOUS OF MODI GOVERNMENT

India may end support to Palestine at U.N.

In what could amount to a tectonic shift in the country’s foreign policy, the Modi government is looking at altering India’s supporting vote for the Palestinian cause at the United Nations to one of abstention.

Two sources within the government confirmed to The Hindu that the change, which will be a fundamental departure from India’s support to the cause of a Palestinian state, was under consideration.

“Like other foreign policy issues, the Modi government is looking at India’s voting record at the United Nations on the Palestinian issue,” a government source told The Hindu. The change only needs an administrative nod, the second source said
.

Despite the growing defence and diplomatic ties with Israel, the UPA government, which junked traditional ally Iran to vote with the United States at the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005, had baulked at making any change in India’s support to the Palestinians.

Even former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s government, which invited Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to India in 2003, did not amend India’s voting record at the U.N.

India’s stance at the U.N. has been an irritant in Indo-Israeli relations, with Tel Aviv frustrated that close bonds had not resulted in any change in the stance on Palestine.

A senior Israeli interlocutor told a visiting Indian External Affairs Minister some time ago that New Delhi treated Tel Aviv like a “mistress” – by keeping the bilateral relationship away from the public gaze. This re-examination of India’s voting stance will come as sweet music to Israeli ears just as it will raise concerns in West Asian capitals about the future course of Indian foreign policy.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/i ... Newsletter

qutub_mamajiwala
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#145

Unread post by qutub_mamajiwala » Wed Dec 24, 2014 1:59 am

good, it was long over due

ghulam muhammed
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Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#146

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Thu Dec 25, 2014 4:59 pm

Gaza on the verge of exploding

A few days ago, Hamas's politburo Chief Khalid Misha'al warned that Gaza could explode sooner than many people think if the present incendiary situation continued.

He described conditions in Gaza as an untenable powder keg that could go off any moment if the international community continued to drag its feet, especially with regard to the unfolding human tragedy wreaking havoc throughout Gaza.

Misha'al was alluding to the continuation of the hermetic blockade of Gaza and the general paralysis affecting nearly all aspects of life there.

Misha'al was not exaggerating or indulging in hyperbolic rhetoric. His description of the overall situation in Gaza is shockingly accurate as most Gazans have reached or even passed the bench mark of endurance.

A few months ago, Israel effectively committed a real holocaust in Gaza, murdering and maiming thousands of people, mostly innocent civilians, and destroying completely or partially as many as 100,000 homes.

The massive campaign of murder and terror occurred in full view of the peoples of the world who looked on rather passively as if the genocidal killings were taking place on a distant galaxy.

Donor countries meeting in Cairo several weeks ago pledged $5 billion dollars to reconstruct Gaza. However, apart from some petty efforts, Gaza more or less continued to resemble Dresden following the end of WWII.

In addition, the Gaza economy is in a state of real paralysis, thanks to the enduring blockade.

Needless to say, tormenting the estimated 1.6 million Gazans seems to be the official but undeclared policy of the Israeli government.

Israel would deny this, but a fleeting glance at Israeli behavior toward Gaza in particular and the Palestinians in general leaves no doubt as to Israel's malicious intentions and criminality.

Israel never contented itself with killing and maiming thousands of innocent people, including hundreds of children, in summer. It has ever since been murdering Gaza farmers and fishermen trying to eke out a living. "It is a piece of bread soaked in blood," as one Gazan fisherman put it, describing the daily struggle for survival.

Israel is adamantly refusing to let the Gaza economy breathe the oxygen of life. Israel, which controls all border-crossings to Gaza, refuses to allow Gazans to import or export commodities. Even the pettiest and seemingly insignificant tasks, which most people around the world take for granted, are considered formidable challenge for the people of Gaza.

In addition to Israel, there are two other major suspects, augmenting and perfecting the persecution and attempted strangulation of Gazans. First, the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah which seems to be more interested in undermining and weakening Hamas, its political and ideological rival, than helping Gazans withstand Israeli repression.

Hamas and Fatah reached a reconciliation agreement earlier this year, giving the impression that Gaza would finally be able to breathe once again. However, it was amply clear from the beginning that the Ramallah leadership was driven by some ulterior motives, including a monomaniac desire to harm and weaken Hamas, mainly in order to receive a certificate of good conduct from Israel and its guardian-ally, the United States, as well as please some other regional players which are at Israel's beck and call.

The PA erroneously thinks that Israel would reward the Ramallah authority (an authority without any real authority) if it moved against Hamas. However, there is no shred evidence corroborating this theory. Indeed, more than 20 years of so-called "peace talks" between Israel and the PA have produced virtually no results. On the contrary, during that period, Israel continued to build Jewish colonies all over the West Bank, effectively killing any prospective chance for the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.

The third party that is thoroughly implicated in trying to strangle Gazans is the Sissi regime, which has been closing the Rafah crossing, apparently in order to please Israel and the American Jewish lobby. Like the PA, the Sissi regime thinks its very survival depends on appeasing Israel and the U.S. especially the Jewish controlled Congress. And since fighting Hamas and tormenting the Palestinians is the shortest and most effective way to win the hearts of Jews in Israel and the US, Sissi has gone further than expected in his efforts to torment and savage the people of Gaza.

He even resorted to destroying thousands of Egyptians' homes along the Egyptian part of Rafah in order to create a buffer zone with Gaza, all in order to please and appease Israel. The Sissi role in starving and tormenting Gaza actually amounts to a de facto alliance between Cairo and the Judeo-fascist regime in occupied Palestine. Indeed, several Israeli officials and commentators have insinuated to this alliance between Cairo and Tel Aviv.

Uprising won't be confined to Gaza

The ultimate goal of savaging the people of Gaza is simply to enable the PA leadership to rid itself of any truly patriotic opposition to the prospective final liquidation of the Palestinian cause by Israel.

Israel believes that if only Hamas didn't exist, it would be relatively easy to convince or cajole the Abbas leadership to accept a "peace deal" that would more or less allow Israel to liquidate the Palestinian question, even without allowing for the repatriation of the refugees.

The US also believes that Hamas is a stumbling block preventing the PLO leadership from succumbing to Israeli-American pressure.

There is no doubt that the outbreak of violence in the Gaza Strip would reach the West Bank where a low-combustion intifada or uprising is already in full swing.

Interestingly, instead of allowing Gazans to breathe and live a dignified life, Israel has been effectively pushing and encouraging Gazans toward extremism. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, a pathological liar by any standard of imagination, has been making desperate efforts to lump Hamas with IS in one category. But Hamas, unlike the IS, is a genuine national liberation movement seeking freedom from the Nazi-like Israeli occupation.

And the people of Gaza only want to be able to make a decent living just like other people around the world. That is all.

http://english.palinfo.com/site/pages/d ... emid=69034

ghulam muhammed
Posts: 11653
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm

Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#147

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Wed Dec 31, 2014 6:39 pm

UNSC rejects resolution on Palestinian state

Bid to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by 2017 garners eight votes, one short of total needed to pass.

The motion received eight "yes" votes, including from Russia and France, two "no" votes from the United States and Australia, and five abstentions.

Riyad Mansour, Palestinian ambassador to the UN, criticised the world body for the failure of the vote.

"The Security Council has once again failed to uphold its charter duties to address this crises and to meaningfully contribute to a lasting solution in accordance with its own resolutions," Mansour said.

"This year, our people under Israeli occupation endured the further theft and colonisation of their land, the demolition of their homes, daily military raids, arrests and detention of thousands of civilians including children, rampant settler terrorism, constant affronts to their human dignity and repeated incursions at our holiest sites."

Following the vote, the US, Israel's closest ally, reiterated its opposition to the draft resolution.

Palestinian statehood

The resolution, which was submitted by Jordan - currently the only Arab member of the security council -had called for occupied East Jerusalem to be the capital of Palestine, an end to Israeli settlement building and settling the issue of Palestinian prisoner releases.

The resolution also called for negotiations to be based on territorial lines that existed before Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in 1967.

"This was a terrible resolution which was unanimously opposed by every major Palestinian faction, it contained so many compromises in an attempt to avoid a US veto that it was weaker than existing UN resolutions,"

The Palestinians, frustrated by the lack of progress on peace talks, have sought to internationalise the issue by seeking UN membership and recognition of statehood via membership in international organisations.

Several European parliaments have adopted non-binding motions calling for recognition of Palestine.

The Palestinians had warned that if the UN resolution failed they were prepared to join the International Criminal Court to file suits against Israel.

UN Security Council vote on Palestinian draft resolution

YES: Jordan, China, France, Russia, Luxembourg, Chad, Chile, Argentina.

NO: United States, Australia.

ABSTAINED: United Kingdom, Lithuania, Nigeria, South Korea, Rwanda
.


http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeas ... 10509.html

ghulam muhammed
Posts: 11653
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm

Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#148

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Sun Jan 04, 2015 6:30 pm

Palestinians Set to Seek Redress in a World Court

JERUSALEM — President Mahmoud Abbas moved on Wednesday to have the Palestinian Authority join the International Criminal Court, opening a new front in the Middle East conflict that could lead to war-crimes prosecutions of Israeli officials and that risks severe sanctions from Washington and Jerusalem.

The step is part of a strategic shift by the Palestinian leadership to pursue statehood in the international arena after decades of failed American-brokered negotiations with Israel. It came a day after the defeat of a United Nations Security Council resolution that demanded an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory by 2017.

“There is aggression practiced against our land and our country, and the Security Council has let us down — where shall we go?” Mr. Abbas said at his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah as he signed the Rome Statute, the founding charter of the court, and a number of other international conventions.

“We want to complain to this organization,” he said of the court. “As long as there is no peace, and the world doesn’t prioritize peace in this region, this region will live in constant conflict. The Palestinian cause is the key issue to be settled.”

An American State Department spokesman called the action “counterproductive,” arguing that it would only push the two sides further apart.

“It is an escalatory step that will not achieve any of the outcomes most Palestinians have long hoped to see for their people,” Jeff Rathke, the spokesman, said in a statement. “Actions like this are not the answer. Hard as it is, all sides need to find a way to work constructively and cooperatively together to lower tensions, reject violence and find a path forward.”

FULL ARTICLE :-

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/01/world ... -news&_r=1

ghulam muhammed
Posts: 11653
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm

Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#149

Unread post by ghulam muhammed » Fri Jan 23, 2015 4:35 pm

Israeli soldier gives 74-year-old Palestinian woman water then shoots her in the head

During the Israeli bombardment and shelling of the Gaza Strip last summer, an Israeli soldier approached a 74-year-old Palestinian woman Ghalya Abu-Rida to give her a sip of water. He gave her the water, took a photo with her and then he shot her in the head from a distance of one metre. He then watched as she bled to death, the Palestine Information Centre reported.

This is how Ahmad Qdeh, a journalist in Al-Aqsa TV, described the scene that he witnessed during the latest Israeli aggression. The spokesman of the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, shared the photo of an Israeli soldier holding the water bottle and helping the old woman drink as an example of the “humanity” of the Israeli army towards the civilians in the Gaza Strip.

The field executions were among the stories Qdeh reported during the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip. He said: “Ghalya Ahmad Abu-Rida lived in the Khuza’a area in the east of Khan Younis city. I live in that area too and I made a television report on her story after the Israeli soldiers executed her during the aggression.”

During the aggression, an Israeli soldier approached the old woman and took a photo for another soldier while giving her water. They then executed her by shooting her in the head from a distance of one metre and let her bleed until she died,” he added.

Ghalya was born in 1941. She lived by herself in a room near her brothers’ house in the Abu-Rida neighbourhood of Khuza’a. She had no children. Her neighbourhood was one of the first places invaded by the Israeli army during the aggression.

Field Execution

Majed Abu-Rida, Ghalya’s nephew, confirmed to the media that his aunt was visually impaired and could hardly see. He said that the Israeli army had falsely claimed humanity while executing his aunt in cold blood.

Ghalya, with her weak body and white hair, refused to leave her house after the Israeli army ordered the residents of Khuza’a to evacuate. She thought her old age would protect her from being a target so she stayed in her home and refused to join the majority of the residents who left the area as the invasion began.

On 3 August, the Israeli forces announced a truce and allowed medical staff to reach the Khuza’a area. Ghalya was found dead after she bled to death as she was shot in the head near her house, Al-Aqsa TV confirmed to MEMO. Her brother confirmed that the photo shared by the Israeli army supported the family’s belief that Ghalya was in the hands of the Israeli army. The family also believed that the area in which Ghalya appeared in the photo and in which she was found asserted that the Israeli forces killed her after taking the photo for the media.

Misinformation

Professor of media at the universities of Gaza, Ahmad Al-Farra, said: “The photo the Israeli army spokesman shared is misleading propaganda by the Israeli army to present a humane portrait of its soldiers. It can enhance the opportunity to pursue the Israeli army’s soldiers as war criminals before the International Criminal Court.”

“This photo proves the confusion of the Israeli army spokesman in defending his army. It proves that they killed civilians,” he added.

He continued: “The Israeli occupation lies and misinforms in an attempt to affect international public opinion. It exploits the Arab media and Palestinian diplomacy in exposing the Israeli occupation’s crimes.” He demanded launching a large campaign to expose the Israeli lies and falsifications.

Al-Farra stressed the need for a media enlightenment campaign to go side by side with the field battles to correct the false image that Israel presents about its army and the resistance.

Israel carried out a 51-day war that claimed the lives of around 2,200 Palestinians and wounded around 11,000 others.

http://www.intifada-palestine.com/2015/ ... oots-head/

qutub_mamajiwala
Posts: 1051
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 4:17 am

Re: Statehood for the Palestinians

#150

Unread post by qutub_mamajiwala » Sun Jan 25, 2015 4:41 am

according to bro anjami and khokha logic, that palestinian woman was a fool to take water from israel soldier.
if she would have not taken, she would not get shot. simple wahabi and salafi logic.