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March 24, 2014
Daily summary - Monday, March 24, 2014
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Main News
Israel is to build hundreds of settlement units with the release of the fourth batch of the prisoners
Israel is preparing abed to build hundreds of settlement units in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, in conjunction with the implementation of the fourth phase of the release of prisoners before Oslo; the tenders were prepared in coordination between the Israeli Prime Minister and the Minister of housing, according to Maariv website today.The website noted that an agreement between Benjamin Netanyahu and Housing Minister Uri Ariel and other officials was achieved, to issue tenders for hundreds of settlement units in occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank settlements, in conjunction with the implementation of the fourth phase of the release of Palestinian prisoners, if carried out as prescribed by the end of this month.Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Ahronovich expressed yesterday his opposition to the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons, saying “I will resist with my party (Yisrael Beitenu) at any price, releasing terrorists of Israel’s Arabs.” (Al-Ayyam)
Netanyahu: no progress in the peace process
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Palestinians refuse to change their position on the question of the right of return and the recognition of the Jewish State. Netanyahu added that it is not possible to say that there is progress in the negotiations.Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting Sunday: "we continue to work with the Americans."In turn, Israeli opposition leader Yitzhak Herzog called Sunday on the international community to intervene immediately to prevent the collapse of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, according “Reshet Bet” radio. Herzog added that "Israel and the Palestinians must understand that negotiations are the only option not unilateral steps."(http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=684125)
A British call for suspend Israel’s membership in the International Union of Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects called to exclude the Israeli counterpart of the International Union of Architects, to protest the Israeli occupation of Palestine, in the context of the growing global boycott campaign.The Institute demanded the suspension of Israeli architects, indicating that they are complicit in the building of illegal settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and other violations of international law. Former head of the Institute Angela Brady said that failure to support the boycott would send a clear message to the world that we as an institution ignore the takeover of land, which resulted in strengthening apartheid practiced by Israel.Brady added: "We as architects must stand to the side of right, because it will open the way for other similar issues and help us move forward."Brady welcomed the Boycott Israel campaign and the withdrawal of investments, 23 members voted in favor of the decision and 16 votes against it, with 10 abstentions. (http://qudsnet.com/news/View/269586/%D8%AF%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%82-%D8%B9%D8%B6%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D9%87%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86/)
Occupation arrested 9 residents of Aida refugee camp
Israeli forces arrested yesterday nine residents of Aida refugee camp, North of Bethlehem.Sources told Ma’an that the Israeli occupation forces arrested nine Abu residents of Abu Aker family from Aida refugee camp. This came at a time when the occupation forces occupied the House of Abu Akar family and used it as a military outpost. Violent clashes broke out in the camp after the Israeli occupation forces raided it, injuring two soldiers and 9 civilians who were injured of rubber-coated bullets and tear gas. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=684127)
Large forces of Israeli army stormed Aida refugee camp today morning and deployed in more than one area, preventing students from reaching their schools (the male school) in the camp. Salah Ajarmah, Director of “Laje’” Center in the camp, said that large forces stormed the camp since the early hours of the morning, and raided thecenter at the entrance of the camp after blowing up the main door. Israeli soldier raided the house of Abu Akar family again. (http://arabic.pnn.ps/index.php/policy/84964-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%8A%D8%B5%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%A1%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%AE%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%AF%D9%89-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B5%D8%AD%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%82-%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%84)
The fourth batch of prisoners was the focus issue during Abu Mazen-Indyk meeting
President Mahmoud Abbas met US Envoy for the peace process, Martin Indyk in Ramallah yesterday, to discuss the pending negotiations file between Palestinians and Israelis. “Al-Quds” learned that he meeting aimed at discussing the release of the fourth batch of prisoners which is supposed to be implemented at the end of the month.Private sources told “Al-Quds” that the President assured the Indyk that not implementing the agreement threatens to thwart all efforts to revive peace, Palestinians will renege “any flexibility during the negotiations to make peace if the fourth batchis not released." This meeting comes before President Abbas leaves to Kuwait for the Arab Summit which will be held on Tuesday.(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/495410)
Arab Foreign Ministers called again to provide a financial safety net for the PA of $ 100 million monthly
Arab Foreign Ministers called on Arab countries at the end of the preparatory meeting of the Arab Summit yesterday, to provide financial safety net as quickly as possible in the amount of $ 100 million monthly to the State of Palestine, to support the leadership in light of the fiscal pressures and the persistence of Israel in not transferring funds owed to the State of Palestine. Arab Foreign Minister also thanked Arab States who fulfilled their obligations. The Arab Ministers demanded in a draft resolution submitted to Arab leaders at the Summit for approval, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, to take immediate action to bear their responsibilities and pressure Israel to stop settlement in Jerusalem, and to get engaged in a serious negotiations that will return the rights, preserve security, peace and stability instead of undermining the peace process.(http://samanews.com/ar/index.php?act=post&id=194196)
Arab Foreign Ministers stressed the "absolute and categorical refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish State and reject all pressure on the Palestinian leadership in this regard."Arab Foreign Ministers stressed in the resolution on Palestine adopted by the Ministers at their meeting yesterday that "there will be no peace without east Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine" and "Jerusalem is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967."(Al-Ayyam)
America considers presenting a seductive offer to Israel: to save the settlement negotiations
Instead of exerting pressure on Israel, the American administration is considering offering a seductive offer to Netanyahu, "to save the peace process and the fourth batch of prisoners,” as Israeli “Reshet Bet” reported. The radio quoted Western diplomatic sources as saying that the Administration fears a collapse of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and is seeking to develop a proposal for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to persuade members of the Government to ratify the fourth batch of prisoners’ release that include the release of prisoners from inside the green line.The sources said that “the US Administration does not totally reject Netanyahu’srequest to release Israeli spy Pollard for adoption of the framework agreement and the release of prisoners from inside the green line."
Netanyahu commenting on the crime of Jenin: we will target whoever attack us or plan to do so
Israel Radio said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the assassination crime of Jenin and the killing of 3 Palestinians yesterday, by saying that Israel will targetanyone who attacks it or plans to do so. The radio added that Netanyahu had hailed the assassination of martyr Abu Al-Hija describing him as a saboteur, claiming that he was planning to attack Israelis.(http://pnn.ps/index.php/policy/84965-%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%88-%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%88-%D9%8A%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%B7-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A7)
Haniya calls for a national investigation of the assassination of President Arafat and leader Shehadeh
Prime Minister of the deposed Government in Gaza Ismail Haniya issued a message during a festival organized by Hamas on the anniversary of the assassination of the movement's founder, Ahmed Yassin, to Fatah saying that "the movement and the Palestinian Government (in Gaza) is not a party and don't want to be involved in some internal differences or disputes in Fatah, and at the same time, our interests and the interests of our cause is that Fatah be united as all Palestinian forces, and that our front be united to confront the enemy.” Haniya added: "regarding reports concerning the assassination of late President Yasser Arafat and Hamas leader Salah Shehadeh," Haniya said:“the solution is not limited to investigation and procedures within Fatah, but also in the General national framework, so we call for the formation of national commissions of inquiry in these files, Shehadeh and Arafat’s blood are important for all Palestinians as all the martyrs of our people." Regarding the Israeli threats to reoccupy the Gaza Strip, Haniya said: "your threats for Gaza and its people have gone for good, the Palestinian resistance hides for you more than you expect.” (http://paltoday.ps/ar/post/193903/%D9%87%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%B9%D9%88-%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%8A%D9%82-%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%BA%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9)
"Harvard" students’ visit of the tomb of martyr Yasser Arafat raises the wrath of the American Jewish community
“Yisrael Hayoum” newspaper said yesterday that a photo taken of dozens of American Jewish students from Harvard University, near the tomb of martyr Yasser Arafat in Ramallah has raised a debate among the American Jewish community.The paper said that the visit resulted in an attack against the organizers of the trip, for taking the students to Ramallah, in contrast to the planned program. The group, which included about 50 University students visited Israel last week and met with a number of political and military officials, and then visited Ramallah and met with Palestinian leaders, and took pictures and posted them on the Internet.(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Israeli warnings from return of resistance to the West Bank camps
An officer of the Israeli army in the West warned yesterday of Jenin becoming the capital of resistance in the West Bank, stressing that this scenario worries the army.The officer noted in remarks reported by Maariv website, the increased shooting incidents toward troops during arrest campaigns, the latest of which was during the assassination of Al-Qassam Brigades activist Hamza Abu Al-Hija and two of his companions in the Jenin refugee camp early Saturday. The newspaper quoted military sources as saying that Palestinian militants in Jenin have returned to embrace the title “the capital of resistance”, which was adopted given to Nablus, Hebron and Jenin shortly before the invasion of the West Bank beginning of 2002.(Al-Ayyam)
Settlers punctured the tires of 34 vehicles in Jerusalem
Israel Radio reported today morning that tires of 34 Palestinian vehicles were punctured overnight by Jewish extremists and racist slogans were sprayed on a bus.The radio said that the slogans included “Gentile in the country are as enemies", Gentile is used to describe anyone who is not Jew, particularly the Palestinians.(http://safa.ps/details/news/125181/%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%AB%D9%82%D8%A8%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A5%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-34-%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3.html)
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Headlines
** Mediterranean Investment Company denies selling the Four Seasons hotel in Ammanfor Abbas’ son (Al-Quds)
** Livni meets with officials to prevent the collapse of peace negotiations (Al-Ayyam)
** Fahmi precludes Arab reconciliation in Kuwait Summit: thewoundis deep (Al-Ayyam)
** Death of Hilal Asad, commander of the National Defense Army (Al-Ayyam)
** Israeli court convicts Muhammad Barakeh of attacking a right wing activist (Al-Ayyam)
** Chechen President inaugurates a mosque in Abu Ghosh (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Israel closes its embassies around the world because of thediplomats strike (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Israeli extremist uses a camera plane to photograph Al-Aqsa (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
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Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:Burin – Israeli soldier during settlers attacks on Palestinian farmers.
Al-Ayyam: Jerusalem – Israeli hanging a poster of Kerry with the writing “Persona non Grata”
Al Hayat Al Jadida:.. 1)Jerusalem – Israeli hanging a poster of Kerry with the writing “Persona non Grata”, 2) The camera plane in Al-Aqsa, 3) Chechen President prays at the mosque in Abu Ghosh.
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Voice of Palestine News
Jenin: The overall atmosphere in Jenin is sad, especially in Jenin camp, the hometown of the three martyrs – Hamza Abul Hayja’, Yazen Jabaraeen and Mahmoud Abu Zeini. People are angry at the ugly crime. The people in Jenin marched in their funerals but also had another message, which was “enough of the division” and “we want unity”.
Do you think there may be repercussions on the ground from this crime?
Yes, because there is a lot of anger and sadness among the people. I say all options are open after such a crime.
Gaza Strip: At nine this morning, the Rafah crossing is scheduled to open by the Egyptian side to allow the Muslim pilgrims to exit and the returning ones to re-enter. About 350 people are expected to travel at the crossing today and the same number tomorrow. As for the Karem Abu Salem crossing, it was opened this morning to allow the exit of three truckloads of flowers, tomatoes and cucumbers. 320 truckloads are expected to enter the crossing today with various commodities and fuel.
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
**Minister for Jerusalem affairs, Adnan Husseini, on the recent arrests made in the city
Q: What do you think Israeli authorities are trying to prove with this latest wave of arrests and other measures in Jerusalem?
The Israeli government is in a state of paralysis and isolation. It doesn’t know what it wants and does not have a strategy. They are thrashing in all directions. If bloodshed is part of its hobbies, is this all it has? Every day there are arrests, beatings, violations, etc. And when people take a stand, they are beaten and assaulted. This is an everyday happening in Jerusalem, its training for the army and the Israeli intelligence services. But this is people that will not bend. They are wasting their time and eventually, it will all come back crashing over their heads.
Q:But don’t you think this is a systematic policy aimed at restricting life for Jerusalemites in order to force them out?
This has always been the case since the start of the occupation. They place restrictions on all aspects of life –education, health, religious rights, housing, etc. The message should be clear. It has been 46 years and the people are still loyal to their city and will not bend.
Q: How far have the diggings in the city and around the Aqsa gone?
These excavations are ongoing, they have never once stopped. There is a policy of tunnels under the building but I don’t know what they are still looking for. 46 years of digging and they have never actually found anything. The continuation of these excavations will destroy the city, but this is nothing new for the Israelis. They want something for themselves and they will work towards that. They do not recognize anyone else’s rights.
Q: Israeli authorities began a new policy of taking the ID cards to Muslim worshippers entering the Aqsa mosque each according to the gate the entered and will exit from. What do you think is behind this?
They take the ID card of anyone who enters the compound so they know exactly who is going in. This way anything that happens inside they know who was in there and arrest them or summon them at night. Or they arrest them as they go out. This is an intimidation tactic and is nothing new. They have a lot of tactics concerning the Aqsa Mosque attempting to intimidate the Palestinians.
**Minister of Prisoner Affairs, Issa Qaraqe’, on the release of the fourth batch of prisoners, slated for March 29
Q: Are you expecting that the release will still happen on the scheduled date?
Yes, up until now, we think so. We have an agreed-on date and we are waiting for Israel to implement what it agreed to – the release of 30 prisoners on March 29. Until now, we have not heard anything official in the negative from Israel in this regard, but we have heard from very negative statements from some Israeli officials. This does point to the possibility that there may be obstacles to their release all so they can impose their dictates on us. But the agreement is clear and I think the United States will agree with us on that. The State Department has already called on Israel to abide by its commitments to release the prisoners.
Q: Israel obstructed the fact-finding mission of the EU parliament on the prisoners. What were the results that you got from this mission?
Israel belittles the international community and the world at large – this is an important mission, comprised of six European parliamentarians from different parties. So when it Israel bars it from visiting its prisoners, it is putting tremendous obstacles in its way. Still, the mission was given a lot of information about the reality of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and the head of the mission expressed her deep concern on the basis of this information and that they would present a report to the EU parliament soon so they could take some decisions. They were very discontent with the fact that Israel was so uncooperative in such a humanitarian issue.
Q: What is the situation of sick prisoners in Israeli jails?
There are two issues here: the sick prisoners and more importantly, the chronically sick prisoners, such as Yusri Masri. His latest medical report shows that his cancer has spread all over and has reached his head and may die at any moment. The European parliamentarians were supposed to visit the Ramleh prison clinic and look into the conditions, but they could not do that. We hope that the leadership will succeed in its pressure to release these sick prisoners as part of the fourth batch of prisoners.
The second issue is the hunger striking prisoners; there are some cases that are very grave. Some are now facing the risk of sudden death such as Amir Shammas, Waheed Abu Maryia and Kifah Hattab who have been on hunger strike for over 70 days. We have sent several letters to push for their release and to save their lives.
**Al Haq Director, Shawan Jabareen, on a report saying that Israeli authorities steal organs of martyrs to be used for Israeli patients or medical research
Q: How do you look at this from a human rights’ perspective?
This has been an issue before years ago. There was an investigation in Israel, at the time revolving around stealing organs of someIsraeli soldiers who were killed in army drills. The ball kept rolling and it was proven that the Abu Kbir Forensic Institute was more of a warehouse for organs. Also, a gang was exposed comprised of Orthodox Jewish in New Jersey that was involved with the director of Abu Kbir and the issue of Palestinian martyrs was brought up. But there was no proof that this happened even though we are completely convinced that this happened. We had no documentation to prove this. The only proof was about the soldiers. But if they took from soldiers, why would they not take from young Palestinians? There was one case where a young Palestinian was killed and there was a cardboard in his chest cavity instead of the organs, but we could not prove it because the family was too distraught to allow for the investigation.
I think this report today proves this issue once and for all. This is a crime and a violation of human rights laws. When they take the organs of martyrs, they are committing a war crime. This is an official institution and we are a people under the occupation. The question is what do we do now? We should take this report and it should be studied. There should be an investigation committee looking into this to prove it and then taking the necessary measures against Israeli authorities.
**Minister of foreign affairs Riyad Malki, on the preparatory meeting for the Arab League
Q: Palestine will participate in the meeting and the Palestinian file is on the agenda. What will be discussed in this regards?
The Palestinian cause has always been the central issue in such meetings and has gotten a lot of attention. And since the other Arab issues are still wracked with differences and disputes, there is a consensus that the Palestinian cause should be highlighted. The Arab foreign ministers will discuss all Arab League decisions to get them ratified. One resolution that will be re-discussed is to set up funds for supporting Palestine at various economic levels and which will be approved today in the meeting.
Q: We have heard that Arab countries and the Arab League may threaten to withdraw the Arab Peace Initiative if Israel continues to insist on the Jewish character of the state. Is this a possibility? Also, in terms of the Washington meeting, do you think efforts are being made to extend negotiations?
As for the API, this was something that was discussed in other Arab League summits since it has been on the table for so long without Israel taking it into consideration. John Kerry revived this initiative in his latest peace efforts. We don’t think there will be any problems in terms of our demands and Arab support for them at the political level.
Q: Do you think the pressure on the Palestinians is towards extending the negotiations?
No doubt, this is part of the Americans’ efforts and also what Israel wants. But if there is nothing to justify such an extension and if it is not preceded by a halt to settlements and the release of prisoners, there will be no extension. So, for us, this proposal is really not acceptable.
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More Headlines
Channel 10: Hamas aims to ignite the West Bank
Palestinian Affairs correspondent at the Israeli channel 10 Zvi Yechezkeli said that Hamas’ eye is at the West Bank, seeking to ignite it through the rise of sleeper cells there, and embarrass the PA and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Yechezkeli used in his report last night statements of the Prime Minister in Gaza Ismail Haniya during yesterday's Festival as evidence, when he called for continuing the resistance in the West Bank, and that Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank will continue to support each other’s, and promised to continue digging underground tunnels and expel the occupiers from the West Bank. (http://safa.ps/details/news/125182/)
Settlers tour al-Aqsa; and tough measures at its entrances
Extremist Jewish groups continued today to storm the Aqsa Mosque from the Moroccans gate protected and guarded by police units. Correspondent of "the official news agency" in the city, said that small groups are storming Al-Aqsa and touring its courtyards and facilities. The Israeli police arrested yesterday night employee of the Islamic Waqf Fadi Bkir form its work place. (http://www.raya.ps/ar/news/854913.html)
Occupation arrest 8 youths from north and south of the West Bank
Israeli occupation forces arrested eight young people from the north and south of the West Bank after raiding their homes. Israeli army arrested today morning patient and disabled Palestinian Jamal Hawash (41 years old) from Ras Al Ain, south of Nablus. Our correspondent noted that military force stormed Balata refugee camp east of Nablus, and arrested Iyad Al-Kaab and Jabber Owies and took them to an unknown destination after smashing furniture and belongings in their homes. In Bethlehem, Israeli forces arrested five men after raiding their homes in the town of Tekoa, east of Bethlehem in the West Bank. Local sources reported that the Israeli occupation forces arrested Samih Zaghal Jebril (21 years old), Imad Suliman Samir Jebril (21 years old), brothers Ez Adin Kamel Zaal Jebril (21 years old) and Mujahid (26 years old) and Samir Muhammad Al-Badan (20 years old). (http://safa.ps/details/news/125179/ )
President Abbas meets Arab Foreign Ministers to brief them on the negotiations
Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmi said: " Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with Arab Foreign Ministers on Monday to brief them on the outcome of his meeting with US President Barack Obama last week.” Fahmi said at a press conference in Kuwait yesterday: " comprehensive peace in the region cannot be achieved without the establishment of the State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital," adding that "the Palestinian-Israeli negotiation cannot continue only for negotiating, it must be serious and successful.” (http://qudsnet.com/news/View/269620)
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Arab Press
Exiled Palestinians haven’t surrendered
By Karma Nabulsi
The only thing heard nowadays about the majority of the Palestinian people— those made refugees in the Nakba of 1948 — is that they must consider themselves and their fate entirely forfeited. Surrendering their right to return to where they were expelled — the most basic right every refugee has under international law — is now apparently a given. It is on every leader’s lips, the key component of “the compromise” required in the leaked details of John Kerry’s “framework” for peace; a commonplace at every western diplomatic closed-door roundtable, which includes the quiet complicity of every Arab regime.
Forfeited if you consider what is now happening to the half a million Palestinian refugees in Syria: entire refugee camps, established more than 65 years ago, utterly flattened; the people in them killed or fled to safely elsewhere; other refugee camps under military siege for so many months that the people are literally starving to death. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Syria made refugees for the third or fourth time in their lives, spending the hard months of this past winter in the snow and rain, many without a tent or food, the children without a school or medical care, on the slopes of a Turkish hillside, crowded into already bursting camps in Lebanon, cordoned off under military jurisdiction in Jordan.
It is not all that different to the extreme pressures Palestinians are facing in Palestine, where everyone is more or less a refugee too. In what is now Israel, people internally displaced from their homes in 1947 and 1948 are living in villages that still have no electricity; in occupied Jerusalem more Palestinian refugees are created every day by the Israeli military, as people are illegally thrown out of their ancestral homes. In the occupied West Bank, people’s homes are demolished each week. And in Gaza, where the density and length of the siege, the despair of any change by the people there (the majority of whom are refugees from 1948), and the silence on their predicament is legendary. You could think, under these extreme cruelties designed to break Palestinians and their cause, that the people as a whole have surrendered — or, if not surrendered, then at least are resigned to their fate. You would be wrong.
Today, right across the world — and leading from besieged Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus — Palestinians are raising the flag of return under the banner Return Unifies Us. As a result of a remarkable call issued by a number of large national civic coalitions, which has spread like wildfire across the Palestinian body politic, it is now signed by more than 150 popular and grassroots organisations in Palestine and in exile.
Palestinians are coming together to promote the popular demand for unity and the right of return: the Yarmouk youth band are holding a concert by candlelight on the Turkish border; the survivors of the razed — and now regrouped — Handarat camp near Aleppo Syria are giving oral testimonies; and in the 300,000-strong Palestinian community in Chile, Lebanon, occupied Jerusalem, France and Australia, at a concert in London, right across Gaza, in Balata camp in Nablus, Deraa camp in Syria and Al Amari camp in Ramallah, poster exhibitions, lectures, rallies and marching scout troupes are all celebrating the unity of the Palestinian people and their rights. By this grand gesture, in the face of the disaster of ethnic cleansing, they are making the invisible spirit of an entire people, their humanity and their dignity, visible. On the anniversary of the battle of Karameh in 1968 — a landmark of Palestinian resistance to their nation’s destruction and a rallying call for the cause of liberation and return — Palestinians everywhere have the power to fashion their fate. And they have taken it.(http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/exiled-palestinians-haven-t-surrendered-1.1307776)
Western hypocrisy: Crimea and Israeli war crimes
By Vacy Vlazna
The velocity with which the US and EU imposed economic sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Crimea is equal to the mass of hypocrisy on Israel's creeping annexation of Palestinian land through colonial-settlement expansion. The ongoing expansion is seen as a war crime "falling into the provision of Article 8 of the International Criminal Court statutes".
Following the overwhelming vote by Crimeans to secede from the Ukraine and join Russia in the rushed referendum on March 16, US President Barack Obama, on March 20, ordered a second round of soft sanctions targeting a list of key Russian officials, businessmen and bankers, sending ripples of instability through Russia's stock market.
Unfazed, the following day, President Vladimir Putin, formalised the annexation into law which was then passed unanimously by the Russian parliament. In parallel, the EU and the Ukraine signed a security and defence co-operation pact with the added sweetener of reduced tariffs to boost Ukraine's debt-ridden economy.
Countering the large Russian troop presence on Ukraine's eastern border, the US raised the stakes in the sabre-rattling game. The Pentagon cancelled a military exercise, Atlas Vision, that was to be held in Russia and instead announced the inclusion of US forces in the multinational military exercise, Rapid Trident, that will be held soon in the Ukraine.
Israel's illegal annexations
When in 1947, the UN grappled with the idea of partitioning Palestine, it was rejected, outright and rightfully, by the Palestinians. Nor were the entire inhabitants under the British mandate granted a referendum, as were the Crimeans, on the matter because the indigenous population far exceeded the Zionist immigrants whom the international community favoured.
So when Israel - unilaterally - declared the state of Israel, after massacring unarmed Palestinian children, women, elderly and men, destroying over 500 villages and forcefully deporting 700,000 terrified Palestinians, the West did not impose economic sanctions nor lift a military finger to redress the grave violations of international law then.
Furthermore, the West ignored Israel's unilateral annexation, on June 28,1967, of East Jerusalem, including the Old City, that placed its Palestinian residents under Israeli jurisdiction, administration and illegal military occupation as well as ignoring Israel's annexation of Syria's Golan Heights.
Both annexations have been deemed invalid by many UNSC Resolutions such as 478, 269 and 497 - all rejected by Israel that, 47 years later, relentlessly fuels its annexation drive by the expansion of its settlement colonies.
On March 20, while the Ukrainian crisis unfolded, the Israeli Civil Administration, with Putinesque arrogance, defied the Israeli-Palestinian peace process demand for a settlement freeze, by announcing the approval of more than 2,000 housing units in the illegal West Bank settlements.
Today, there are 121 colonies plus 101 offshoot outposts subsidised by the government of Israel and supported by monies from Jews worldwide through rich Zionist organisations like the apartheid JNF "charity" whose provision of illegal settlement housing and leases on stolen Palestinian lands are "chartered to benefit Jews exclusively". Moreover, JNF's racist policies and illegal operations are tax-exempt in the US, UK, Australia and Canada.
Almost half a million illegal colonists reside in the encroaching settlements. They have the right to bear arms and enjoy the impunity to act as government militia under the protection of the Israeli Occupation Forces. Systematic settler oppression includes torching fields, uprooting thousands of fruit and olive trees, damaging property, arson, poisoning sheep, defacing graves and mosques, illegal squatting, water and farmland contamination by diversion of sewerage, throwing sewerage on Palestinian passer-bys, road blocks, attacks on schoolchildren and school buses, intimidations, beatings, shootings, deliberate hit and run, vile verbal abuse, racist and threatening graffiti.
Judaisation plans
Over the recent months of peace talks, provocative assaults by settler and military activity against the al-Aqsa mosque has heightened fears of Zionist desecration and judaisation of al-Haram al-Sharif, marked for the site of the Jewish Third Temple as demonstrated in the propaganda film featuring Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon.
Billions of dollars to fund the Third Temple are set aside and ready to literally blast away the Dome of the Rock and the holy al-Aqsa Mosque which are under daily threats by excavations below and above by the Zionist religious and settler zealots impervious to the inevitable repercussion of a Muslim conflagration.
The judaisation of East Jerusalem is fundamental to Israel’s annexation master plan to unite East and West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The relentless coercion and the dispossession and displacement of Palestinian residents is executed by the Israeli government, the Municipality of Jerusalem and Elad, the right-wing settler organisation through the revocation of residency rights, absentee property laws, discriminatory taxation policies, home demolitions, transfer of Palestinian residents,.
In short - ethnic cleansing in direct violation of Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention: "Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons is prohibited."
Every day, with every brick laid in the colonial settlements, a war crime is committed as Palestine shrinks before the eyes of the world.The very same eyes that have been indifferent to and complicit with 67 years of the longest brutal occupation in modern history have suddenly flared with indignation for the Russian annexation of the Crimea implemented with the blessing of the Crimean people.
Israel's overt and furtive annexation of Palestine is also the annexation of Palestinian dignity, rights and freedoms. However, it is not only the people of Palestine who are injured by the political hypocrisy of Western leaders, all of us are the losers when international law is cynically and deliberately abused and neglected.(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/03/western-hypocrisy-crimea-israel-201432342946568123.html)
Qatar’s political manoeuvres
by Amer Al Sabaileh
Qatar’s changed political position towards the Syrian crisis may not contribute in any way to a political settlement in Syria. It should be seen as a normal reaction to the conflict between Qatar and other GCC members.
Five months ago, reports highlighted the role of an indirect “Qatari-Turkish” mediation that led to the freeing of two kidnapped Turkish pilots in Lebanon and of the Lebanese abducted in the Syrian town of Azaz.
Many observers are questioning the role of Qatar in those significant situations, and see it as a direct Qatari involvement.
The reason behind this pragmatic Qatari move is the recent Saudi escalation against Doha. However, it would be wrong to consider this Qatari tactic as just a reaction to the Gulf anger.
Qatar seeks to strengthen its standing at both regional and Gulf levels by having good ties with the “Iran-Syria-Hizbollah” axis, on the one hand, and by keeping good ties with Turkey, on the other. This would give Qatar the power to face the Saudi Arabia-Egypt-UAE axis.
According to many observers close to the American administration, the functional role of Qatar is about to expire. Therefore, Doha seeks to have a relevant role by maintaining good ties with two of the major protagonists of a Palestinian-Israeli settlement: the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is enjoying very good relations with Qatar; moreover, Khalid Mishaal, the Hamas leader, is a longtime Doha guest.
Some believe that Qatar seeks to send Mishaal to Beirut in order to have a permanent hotline with Hizbollah and Syria. Such Qatari move would not be new; it was tackled many times last year and recently during top Qatari officials’ meetings with Lebanese General Abs Ibrahim, the new director-general of the General Security Department.
A political settlement in Syria is part of Qatar’s strategy of rebuilding relations with Syria and Hizbollah at this stage, then playing the role of mediator when Qatar offers to rebuild Syria.
Many Syrian and Hizbollah officials are aware of this Qatari strategy. They also believe that the past experience with Qatar, from 2006 to 2010, has taught both an unforgettable lesson. It will always be present in the mind of Syrians and Hizbollah members, even if today, for pragmatic reasons, both close temporarily an eye while dealing with Doha.(http://jordantimes.com/qatars-political-manoeuvres)
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Opinions
Racial cleansing
Al Khaleej Editorial
UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine Richard Falk, who is of Jewish origin, has accused Israel or practicing racist and colonialist policies and ethnic cleansing. The truth is, each one of these naturally leads to the other. First off, he sees Israel’s policies in Jerusalem as a means of expelling the Palestinians from it, because these policies create difficult circumstances for them, prompting them to leave. He also sees that every settlement expansion eventually results in minimizing any chances of reaching a solution.
The settlement policy, which is based on devouring Palestinian land, along with other racist measures that work hand in hand with the occupation, have no other purpose than to push the Palestinians towards leaving Palestine. This description does not even need a report by the UN rapporteur because Israel’s practices and their outcomes in the Palestinian territories speak for themselves.
Still, the importance of the report is that it comes from a man who cannot be touched by the Zionists’ deceitful ways; he has credibility. The facts on the ground created by the ‘Zionist entity” and which violate international law and UN resolutions, speak volumes and the rapporteur’s report confirms this. However, all those who squawk about human rights and the respecting laws are paying no attention; on the contrary, they are contributing to the continuation of these violations, which contradict all that they advocate and espouse.
In the Ukraine, in spite of all the ambiguity, all western media outlets are moving against the referendum that took place in Crimea. Likewise, all of the western political and economic systems are working to punish Russia because they claim it violated international laws. In Palestine, where the UN has confirmed through its representatives, that international legitimacy and law has been trampled on by Israeli measures and that its own resolutions are being violated through the continued oppression of the Palestinian people, the advocates of human rights in western countries do not blink an eye towards Israel’s brutality.
Quite the opposite, these western countries are moving along two axes that support Zionist policies. They raise the sword of pursuit against anyone who raises the slogan of boycott of all results of this violation of international law. These groups, which are calling for a halt of this assault on international law in Palestine, are being called every nasty word in the book for dismissing their own humanitarian agendas. And at the same time, they continue to politically, diplomatically, economically and militarily support this entity, which is carrying out the most atrocious violations against every value and principal they claim to safeguard.
So, it is no wonder that the world is snickering at all of the western voices being raised in the Ukraine cases while they watch in silence and even sponsor what is happening in Palestine and in other parts of the world.http://www.alkhaleej.ae/studiesandopinions/detailedpage/e594e1f8-b8a1-464e-844c-92e3fae3118c
How long will this shortcoming and deception continue?
Al Quds Editorial
Continued settlement expansion, martyrs and wounded on an almost daily basis, arrests, raids, assassinations and the continued siege on Gaza; Jerusalem moaning under Israeli occupation restrictions and Judaization, all while the promise of peace made to the Palestinian peoples becomes a dream far from reach after Israel blocked up all of the windows through which any progress in peace efforts could have come. In short, it is a tragic situation imposed by the occupationon our people, who is wondering: is there any difference between the era of the occupation before Oslo and what we are living now, all with the continued hardships, the deteriorating economic situation and the lack of any horizon for a political solution?
These are major questions being asked by each and every citizens regarding this tragic reality, at a time when they see not only a clear failure of the negotiations and the peace process, but also a clear inability to respond to the grave violations being perpetrated by the occupation. The statements of condemnation that come out of official circles and faction representatives is merely boring rhetoric that does nothing to deter or impact this occupation. The same goes for the calls made to the international community and towards the Arabs and Muslims, which have become more like begging and pleading and which have proven incapable of lessening or stopping the occupation’s violations. This is at a time when the United States and Europe are not only bystanders to the tragedy of the Palestinian people and not only turn a blind eye to Israel’s atrocities, but also provide protection, support and encouragement to this occupation for it to continue under the guise of negotiations and the peace process, which Israel buried long ago.
What should be said here is that the Palestinian cause has always imposed itself on the world’s agendas including the agendas of the Arab and Islamic worlds over the decades, particularly when the Palestinian arena was united and when all of the factions were mobilized around a clear national program in facing the challenges of the occupation. The cause was something that could not be disregarded or ignored. Bitter experiences have taught us that this world does not listen to the incapable and does not offer attention to disunited arenas. On the contrary, some of the world’s forces have contributed to deepening the splits and disunity. Furthermore, the world does not listen to statements of condemnation and does not pay attention to emotional pleas and statements no matter how fancy the language, as long as they are not backed by real elements of power, first and foremost, unified strength, clear goals and insistence on fixed positions in both word and deed.
Hence, it is fair to say that Palestinians, who are sick of this reality and this inability, expect that their leaders, their national factions and various forces, regain their points of strength and impose the Palestinian cause again on international agendas. This is something we will never achieve as long as we are stuck in this cycle of disgraceful division which harmed and continues to harm the cause and serve Israel by diverting attention away from what it commits against the Palestinian people. Furthermore, we cannot regain our points of strength as long as the national factions and forces are living in a state of dormancy; some are even riddled by internal differences and are focusing on secondary issues and ignoring the core predicament of our people.
Hence, in spite of our people’s clear determination and in spite of the many calls that our people have made to the leaders of this split to end this farce, the cries of our people are on one end of the spectrum while those who support the split are on another, which, until now, is blinded by factional and personal interests, positions and benefits. No one can be fooled anymore by any excuse or justification made by this or that official to justify the continuation of the split.
It is time that all of the national factions take a serious stand and look at themselves in order to find a way to overcome the past, end these internal differences, end the division and determine a clear national program and mobilize all of our energies to face the real challenges instead of keeping our people in this vicious cycle of futile and misleading accusations and name-calling. Isn’t this better than holding our people hostage to this inability and impotence, in which we suffice with shooting out condemnations every time one of our children is killed or every time our land is confiscated, a settlement is built or our institutions violated? (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/495443)
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