Egypt begins pumping gas to Israel despite Gaza siege28 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rCAIRO, 29 February (IPS) – On Monday, Egypt began pumping natural gas to Israel in accordance with an energy accord between Cairo and Tel Aviv. While the Egyptian government defends the move as being in the country’s best interest, opposition figures decry the notion of economic cooperation with Israel, especially in light of the latter’s ongoing siege of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli minister threatens “holocaust” as public demand ceasefire talks28 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rIsraeli officials began damage limitation efforts after the country’s deputy defense minister Matan Vilnai threatened Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip with a “holocaust.” The comments came a day after Israeli occupation forces killed 31 Palestinians, nine of them children, one a six-month-old baby, in a series of air raids across the Gaza Strip. EI co-founder Ali Abunimah comments.
Israeli siege creates drinking water crisis in Gaza28 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rGaza’s drinking water crisis was aggravated over the past three days. In addition to the shortage of water supplies to households, the municipal authorities in the Gaza Strip ran out of materials essential for the treatment of water. The Palestinian Water Authority is now instructing Gaza’s people to boil the water at their homes before using it for cooking or drinking.
Gaza-Egypt border in political limbo28 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rCAIRO, 27 February (IPS) – One month after throngs of Palestinians flooded into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula from the Gaza Strip, the flashpoint Rafah border crossing remains tightly shut. But according to some opposition figures, the breach—viewed by many as a victory for Palestinian resistance faction Hamas—signaled the need for new border protocols consistent with shifting political realities.
Looking for a new Palestinian partner28 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAt Annapolis, just like on so many occasions before, it was proclaimed that a “window of opportunity” had opened. Since the meeting, Israel’s military attacks have killed nearly 150 Palestinians in the occupied territories and Israel has escalated the construction of new settlements, increased the number of roadblocks and tightened its siege of Gaza. But for Israeli leaders it is always the Palestinians who are to blame for missing any “opportunities.” EI contributor Hasan Abu Nimah comments.
Israeli missiles silence baby’s laughter in Gaza27 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe innocent laughter of six-month-old baby Mohammed al-Bor’i stopped forever on Wednesday night when shrapnel from an Israeli missile and rubble struck the infant in the head, minutes after he enjoyed his last meal. “The baby sucked milk, he was playing with his mother; I was reading a book when a rocket hit the Ministry of Interior,” said Nasser al-Bor’i, the baby’s father. Sami Abu Salem reports from Gaza.
Gaza deaths mount as Israel intensifies military attacks27 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rThe Israeli Occupation Forces intensified their indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. Yesterday night and this morning saw intensive air strikes, six of which targeted government buildings and industrial and commercial facilities. As a result, eight persons were killed, including a four-month-old infant, and numerous homes were damaged.
Gaza medical center damaged in Israeli air strike27 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rJERUSALEM/GAZA, 28 February (IRIN) – A main office of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) was severely damaged in an Israeli air strike late on 27 February. A five-month-old baby was killed, and a mobile clinic unit and other medical supplies were destroyed in the attack.
A human chain against the siege27 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rOn 25 February, the besieged people of Gaza spoke out against the Israeli-imposed closure of their territory when thousands of Palestinian men, women, schoolchildren and members of parliament formed a human chain on the main roads along the border with Israel. Participants chanted slogans against the crippling Israeli siege which has been branded as collective punishment against Gaza’s population of 1.5 million. EI correspondent Rami Almeghari reports from Gaza.
Crossing the Line interviews EI co-founder Ali Abunimah27 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThis week on Crossing The Line: Presidential hopefulls are traveling across the US addressing issues like the economy, abortion, taxes and the war on Iraq. While John McCain is running on a platform similar to the policies of the Bush administration, the biggest issue for the democratic candidates is change. But when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are any of the candidates addressing the offering a solution that is any different from recent White House administrations? Host Naji Ali* speaks with EI co-founder Ali Abunimah about the US presidential candidates and their views on the conflict in the Middle East.
Israel kills seven in Gaza by Wednesday evening26 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rIsraeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed a farmer while he was near his home in al-Qarara village, north to the town of Khan Younis. IOF also fired artillery into eastern Bureij refugee camp. As a result, one Palestinian was killed. The IOF also shelled two cars while they were traveling on a road that linked the former Israeli settlements in western Khan Younis.
Isolated by the wall: The case of Nu’man village26 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rThe village of Nu’man lies at the southeast edge of the Jerusalem Municipality, a few hundred meters north of Beit Sahour, a Palestinian town near Bethlehem. Northwest of Nu’man, in East Jerusalem, lie the villages of Umm Tuba and Sur Baher and the Har Homa settlement. Nu’man’s 170 residents live in almost total isolation from Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Gaza flower producers watch their industry die26 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rWhen Hassan Sheikh Hijazi first opened his flower farm in 1991, it flourished. “We had a very good family business,” he says. “We exported hundreds of thousands of flowers to Holland and from there our flowers were sold across Europe. The traders knew our flowers were good quality—and Gaza was open for business.” With its mild coastal weather and well-drained soil, the Gaza Strip is an ideal location for commercial flower farming. There are more than a hundred small flowers farms across the Gaza Strip, and they employ some 7,000 farm workers between them.
Yes, Canada, there is torture in Israel26 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rIsraeli Ambassador Alan Baker recently expressed his indignation over Canada’s listing of Israel as a state that engages in torture in a training manual for diplomats. The ambassador asserts that torture is not practiced by Israel and based on this it seems that the Canadian Foreign Ministry will reevaluate this manual and “correct” it. The problem, however, is not the manual but the fact that Israel continues to regularly practice torture. Louis Frankenthaler comments.
Palestine and the Kosovo analogy25 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rDear Ali Abunimah: I have long been and continue to be an ardent admirer of your work, particularly your forceful, unflinching regard for truth and justice, no matter who agrees or disagrees. Based on that virtue of yours, I trust you will take my concern over your characterization of the Serbia/Kosovo question with proportionate seriousness. You respond to the Haaretz columns about whether Kosovo is Palestine or Israel by engaging in their debate which is, literally, nonsense. That is, Kosovo is Kosovo and Serbia is Serbia.
EU considers strengthening “security” research with Israel25 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rBRUSSELS, 22 February (IPS) – The European Union is considering new steps to deepen its cooperation on scientific research with Israel, despite admitting that previous funds earmarked for that purpose have gone to firms operating illegally in the Palestinian territories. Between now and 2013, the Israeli government is to contribute 440 million euros (652 million dollars) per year so that it can participate in the EU’s so-called framework program for research.
Crossing the Line interviews activist Neta Golan25 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThis week on Crossing The Line: The ethnic cleansing of Palestine continues. As Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his government expand settlements in the West Bank while asserting that “painful concessions” are being made, what is really going on behind the scenes? Host Naji Ali* speaks with Ramallah-based activist Neta Golan.
Death of PA detainee raises suspicions of torture25 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rOn 22 February 2008, the death of 44-year-old Majd Abdul-Aziz al-Barghouti was announced. He was a resident of Kobar village, located near the town of Ramallah, West Bank. Al-Barghouti was arrested on 14 February 2008, at the hands of the Palestinian General Intelligence in the West Bank. According to the information retrieved by Al Mezan, al-Barghouti was arrested for political reasons and without observance of the legal process.
Still no justice for October 2000 killings25 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rOn 2 October 2000, as the Israeli army was beginning its ruthless crackdown on the second intifada in the occupied territories, 17-year-old Aseel Asleh joined tens of thousands of other Palestinian citizens across Israel in taking to the streets in protest and in a show of solidarity with their kin across the Green Line. Within hours Asleh would be killed. Last week, Asleh’s family and those of another 12 Palestinian demonstrators killed inside Israel at the start of the intifada heard that those responsible would almost certainly never stand trial. Jonathan Cook writes from Nazareth.
For some, jobs but no salaries24 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr r”The powdered milk, provided by [the UN agency for Palestine refugees] UNRWA every three months, is not enough. The lack of my salary for the past two months has affected my living conditions,” said Mohammad al-Saftwai, a resident of northern Gaza. EI correspondent in Gaza Rami Almeghari reports on the Ramallah appointed government’s suspending of the salaries of some civil servants in Gaza.
Activists to Bono: Don’t honor Israel!24 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe following is an open letter from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel to musician and activist Bono, issued on 22 February: PACBI has learned that you have been invited by Israeli President Shimon Peres to take part in a conference designed to mark Israel’s contributions to medicine, science and conservation. We urge you, as a prominent activist on issues of global inequality and a campaigner for basic human rights, to say no to Israel, especially since the invitation coincides with celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state.
Kosovo and the question of Palestine24 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rKosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence has produced a range of reactions among Israeli and Palestinian observers that reveal their anxieties about their respective situations. However, EI co-founder Ali Abunimah cautions, history should tell us that imposed partitions have only generated new conflict, injustice and ethnic cleansing and have reinforced nationalism and irredentism.
Three Gaza picnickers killed by Israeli missile23 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rEarly Saturday evening, Israeli forces fired a surface-to-surface missile from one of its bases along the Gaza Strip border, targeting three friends in a bamboo hut in a field east of Beit Hanoun. The targeted area was approximately 1.2 kilometers away from the border with Israel. The rocket landed in the middle of the three civilians who were preparing food during their picnic in the field; they were instantly killed and dismembered.
Patients die as ambulances have no fuel and Israel denies travel21 Feb 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rIn the past few days, three Palestinian patients from the Gaza Strip, including a woman and an infant, have died due to denial of their access to medical treatment outside the Gaza Strip, which suffers from the lack of appropriate medical equipment and a shortage in medicines.
The killing of Imad Moughniya21 Feb 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rImad Moughniya’s death, like his life, will remain shrouded in mystery and secrecy, but what few things we can learn for certain about this person’s life we already have. Before Moughniya, Carlos “the Jackal” and Abu Nidal were featured stars in the sensational news-entertainment industry. As a result we do not have an accurate picture of Moughniya (which may not be possible anyway), but more importantly, we have been presented with a distorted reality of the decades-long, bloody struggle between Israel and Hizballah.. Raid Khoury comments for Electronic Lebanon.
Electronic Intifada