Palestine Post

Tags: court, criminal, international

“It’s no great secret why the Jewish agencies continue to trumpet support for the discredited policies of this failed administration. They see defense of Israel as their number-one goal, trumping all other items on the agenda. That single-mindedness binds them ever closer to a White House that has made combating Islamic terrorism its signature campaign. The campaign’s effects on the world have been catastrophic. But that is no concern of the Jewish agencies.” December 8, 2006 statement by JJ Goldberg, editor of Forward (the leading Jewish weekly in the United States)

Many Jewish writers, including those who are somewhat critical of Israel, have raised pointed questions about our critique of the Zionist power configuration (ZPC) in the United States and what they wrongly claim are our singular harsh critique of the state of Israel. Some of these accusers claim to see signs of ‘latent anti-Semitism’, others, of a more ‘leftist’ coloration, deny the influential role of the ZPC arguing that US foreign policy is a product of ‘geo-politics or the interests of big oil. With the recent publication of several widely circulated texts, highly critical of the power of the Zionist ‘lobby’, several liberal pro-Israel publicists generously conceded that it...

Tel Aviv - Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the media today, acting on a pledge to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, he approved the removal of more than two dozens of 500 military checkpoints in the West Bank which are severely restricting Palestinian movements.

Olmert also claimed Israel would take immediate steps to improve the flow of goods in and out of the Gaza Strip. The main crossing point has often been closed this year, stifling commerce in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli promised moves are part of a package of lies Olmert presented to Mr. Abbas when the two leaders held talks Saturday night, their first official meeting since the Israeli radical Sharon-best-friend Olmert became prime minister early this year.

 Israel claims it is trying to boost Mr. Abbas dispite the fact that Israel always fails Abbas and never emplement the signed agreements which led to boost Hamas among the Palestinian people during the last 10 years after Oslos accords had been signed.

ANKARA - A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on January 4th, 2006 in Ramallah between Turkey and Palestine and a joint declaration, signed on January 5th, 2006 in Jerusalem between Turkey and Israel to revitalize, develop and manage the Palestine Industrial Free Zone (PIFZ) entered into force after being approved by Turkish Council of Ministers on November 20th,2006 and published on Official Gazette today.
 
Within the framework of MoU, a developer company will be established in Palestine through a partnership between the Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and the Federations of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (FPCCIA). The said company will develop and manage an expansion zone to be defined in the concession agreement.

Turkey and Palestine agreed that for the success of the project, on site security and the security of the movement of goods will be provided by an internationally accredited private security company.

The status of PIFZ as a free zone will not be affected by the Palestinian laws related to import and export activities.

-JOINT DECLARATION OF TURKEY AND ISRAEL-

Together with the MoU signed between Turkey and Palestine, a joint declaration of Turkey and Israel signed on January...

"Israel is only a democracy if you are a Jew." - Vanunu

Jerusalem- During this reporter's March 2006 interview with Mordechai Vanunu, he stated, "This administration tells me I am not allowed to speak to foreigners, the Media, and the world. But I do because that is how I prove my true humanity to the world. My freedom of speech trial began January 25, 2006 for speaking to the media, the same day as the Palestinian elections."

Although 'freed' in April 2004, Mordechai Vanunu has been forbidden to leave Israel, forbidden to speak to media and to foreigners under the draconian restrictions of the Emergency Defense Regulations which were implemented first by Britain against Palestinians and Jews after World War II.

After WW II, Attorney Yaccov Shapiro, who later became Israel's Minister Of Justice, described the Emergency Defense Regulations which denies Vanunu the inalienable rights of freedom of speech and movement as "unparalleled in any civilized country: there were no such laws in Nazi Germany."[ N.S. Ateek, Justice and Only Justice p.34]

On February 22, 2006 in a Jerusalem court it was revealed that Israel had asked Microsoft to hand over all the details of Vanunu's Hotmail account before a...

New York, UN - United Nations called on Israel, as an occupation authority, not to exploit natural resources in the occupied Palestinian lands, including Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan, or causing damage, loss or throwing wastes on them.

An international resolution on the sovereignty of the Palestinians and Golan people issued on Wednesday by UN General Assembly and gained majority of votes -164- increasing by 8 if compared with last year.

The UN underlined the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian lands including Jerusalem and the Arab citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan on their natural resources.

Source (SANA)

Tags: calls, exploiting, golan, israel, natural, palestine, resources, un

Damascus - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) appealed on Thursday to the international community for efforts to help Syria and Jordan in dealing with some 1.5 million Iraqi refugees.

Radhouane Nouicer, UNHCR director for North Africa and the Middle East told reporters at its Damascus office that it is increased aid to these two countries due to the humanitarian crisis caused by the surging number of Iraqi refugees.

The UN organization estimates that there are between 500,000 and 700,000 Iraqi refugees in Syria, while Syrian authorities estimate their number to be around 900,000, Nouicer said.

Last week the Syrian Interior Ministry said Syria had admitted the refugees settled mostly in and around Damascus, the Syrian capital.

The UN official said that UNHCR estimates the Iraqi refugees inside Iraq at 1.5 million and more than 1.5 million outside Iraq - 500,000-700,000 in Jordan, 20,000-50,000 in Egypt and 20,000 in Lebanon.

Nouicer said the UNHCR has put forward a plan for aid starting from 2007 in which 'aid will be given to the governmental and non- governmental institutions (in Syria and Jordan) in three major sectors; health care, education and social services and a budget of 60 million dollars...

Tags: calls, for, help, international, jordan, refugees, syria, un

Occupied Jerusalem - European monitors overseeing the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt said on Thursday that Egypt made a commitment to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to keep Hamas officials from using the border to bring in funds.

But top Abbas aide Saeb Erekat said later that Egypt may not stop officials from Hamas, which took control of the Palestinian government in March, from entering in the future. "Egypt is a country with laws of its own," he said.

Diplomats estimate that Hamas, whose government is restricted by U.S. and EU sanctions, has managed to bring about $80 million through Rafah this year. Hamas says the funds are used to keep the government it heads functioning. Israel says they are being used to finance militants.

This month, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader, tried to cross Rafah with $35 million in cash raised during a 2-1/2 week tour of the region, including Iran. He was forced to leave the funds in an Egyptian bank.

Maria Telleria, spokeswoman for the European monitors, said Erekat on Wednesday told Rafah's coordination committee, which includes the Europeans, Israelis and Egyptians, that "a commitment" was made by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to...

Tags: egypt, eu, funds, gaza, hamas, monitors

Jeddah - Supreme Judiciary Council in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said that today (Thursday) is the first day of Tho Al-Hijjah (bilgrim) month of year 1427 according to the Islamic-Arabic calendar.

This date means that Eid al-Adha celebrations for this year will be on Saturday 30 December, 2006. Also, standing at Arafat, main ceremony of Haj (pilgrim), will be on Friday 29 December, 2006.

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