Headlines for 09-10-07

Two Palestinians drown near Tel Aviv on Saturday


Dozens hurt by rocket in Israel More than 30 Israeli soldiers have been injured, three seriously, in a rocket attack from Gaza, reports say


Teenager shot by Israeli army dies from wounds The boy, Wadee Samara, was shot in the head by a rubber-coated steel bullet when Israeli forces invaded the northern West Bank City of Jenin.


Hamas forces storm home of caretaker gov't minister in Gaza Dozens of Hamas security forces stormed on Monday afternoon the home of Ashraf el-Ajrami, Minister of Prisoners' Affairs in Salam Fayyad's caretaker government in Gaza City, his neighbors and witnesses said.


Border Police officer sentenced to jail for ordering Hebron robberies Jerusalem District Court sentenced a Border Police officer to 20 months in prison Monday for ordering several armed robberies of Palestinian shops in Hebron four years ago.


Olmert lauds IDF over arrest of top Hamas commander in Gaza


'No difference between life and death' inside Gaza's fence


The third Taybeh Oktoberfest The Festival provided food, music, local produce and crafts and, of course, the wonderful Taybeh beer, the first beer to be produced in Palestine and which is now exported around the world.


Khan Younis governor: "damages in the eastern neighborhoods are crisis-inducing? Osama Al Farra, the governor of Khan Younis, reported during a press meeting in his office in the Governorate of Khan Younis that the Israeli invasions to the eastern neighborhoods of Khan Younis have caused the partial destruction of more that 70 Palestinian homes and agricultural damages estimated at almost $4 million.


Drowned Palestinian student's body found in river in Tomsk region The body of a Palestinian student of the Siberian State University has been found in the river Tom.


Netanyahu: We can't wait for Iran to obtain nuclear weapons


Olmert, Abbas agree on teams to tackle statehood Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed on Monday to create teams to tackle Palestinian statehood issues, a move both sides described as a step towards more substantive talks.


Gaza sees a strike against Hamas


Israel says Hamas captive may be "bargaining chip" A Hamas militant seized by Israel in the Gaza Strip last week could be a "bargaining chip" in any prisoner exchange deal for a missing Israeli soldier, an Israeli minister said on Monday.


Israeli PM pledges to free Palestinian prisoners for Ramadan Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas during talks on Monday to release prisoners as a gesture of goodwill for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.


Israeli army invades Nablus, kidnapping 4 Palestinians


Saudi says Israel future hangs on Palestinian state Saudi Arabia said on Monday Israel was increasing tensions in the region and its future hinged on recognising Palestinian rights to statehood.


French FM starts Mideast tour in West Bank French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner arrived in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank on Monday, at the start of his first major tour of the Middle East.


Hamas leader asks to meet with Abbas The head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, proposed Monday that he meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Saudi Arabia, Haniyeh's office said.


Palestinians call for France to join international conference Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas called on Monday for France to take part in the proposed international conference on the Middle East, in talks with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.


Promising Freedom, Hamas Pressures Journalists Hamas seems confused about how to quash Fatah protests and simultaneously deal with the news media. Trying to nurture a reputation for honesty and legal behavior since they conquered Gaza in bloody fighting in June, Hamas?s leaders promise journalists freedom of action while the police intimidate them.


Lebanon militant 'escaped siege'


Israel wants US pension funds to shun Iran-linked firms: Netanyahu Israel is aiming to get powerful US pension funds to sell their holdings in European companies doing business with Iran as a way to pressure Tehran over its nuclear programme, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.


Israeli Arabs outgrowing Jews Israeli Arabs are reproducing well above the rate of their Jewish compatriots.


Syrian paper says U.S. silence over Israeli overflight encourages Jewish state A Syrian government newspaper accused the U.S. on Saturday of encouraging Israel's reported violation of Syrian airspace by remaining silent on the issue.


Clinton commits on borders, Jerusalem Hillary Clinton committed to an Israel with "defensible borders" and "an undivided Jerusalem as its capital" in her Israel position paper......Clinton also said the United States should "do everything it can to deny nuclear weapons to Iran" and that "no option can be taken off the table."



Turkey demands Israeli answers on flyover Israel agreed to investigate charges that its air force illicitly entered Turkish territory.


Rabbis see Clinton as top Israel backer A plurality of rabbis named Hillary Clinton as the presidential candidate most supportive of Israel.


US aid to Israel clears Senate Moran reportedly told Tikkun Magazine that the pro-Israel lobby pushed for the war in Iraq, saying, "AIPAC is the most powerful lobby and has pushed this war from the beginning ? because they are so well organized, and their members are extraordinarily powerful - most of them are quite wealthy - they have been able to exert power." Forman called on Moran to retract the "irresponsible" and "dangerous" false statements.
Go get 'em, Moran.


On two fronts, Israel faces prospect of military escalation In the North, Syria has warned that
it will retaliate at a time of its choosing against the alleged Israeli penetration of its airspace on the night between Sept. 5 and 6.



In the South, Defense Minister Ehud Barak says a major Israeli ground offensive in the Gaza Strip is "only a matter of time."


Why Did Israeli Planes Enter Syria? "There seems to be a consensus here that the Israelis were testing Syrian air defense systems," Andrew Tabler, Damascus-based editor of Syria Today, told TIME.


Fracas Erupts Over Book on Mideast by a Barnard Professor Seeking Tenure At DePaul University in Chicago, a tenure fight led to the resignation last week of an assistant professor, Norman G. Finkelstein. He has written that Israel and Jews have used the Holocaust for their own purposes, including to oppress Palestinians.


Carter hits big-screen with 'Plains' pic Earlier Monday, Carter and his wife received a standing ovation at the start of a discussion on the film, the book and their work on behalf of peace and health issues with the Carter Center. Carter received a second standing ovation before "Man From Plains" debuted.


Palestinian woman sent to Jordan Within the space of twenty four hours Dialaia Basheer's life was changed ? instead of going to Jerusalem to visit her daughter in hospital she ended up in Amman. This happened when Israeli soldiers at the nearby military checkpoint of Al Zea'im detained her and forced her to leave for Jordan because she did not have a permit to enter Jerusalem.


Hezbollah could attack US if it felt threatened: spy chief ** "We assess Lebanese Hezbollah, which has conducted anti-US attacks outside the United States in the past, may be more likely to consider attacking the homeland over the next three years if it perceives the United States as posing a direct threat to the group or Iran," Doubtful. Hezbollah only attacked US forces when we were on Lebanese soil, as horrible as that attack was. Hezbollah, like Hamas, is largely a territorial-based organization. I think that this may be an effort to set the stage for the three-pronged US attack on Iran/Syria/Lebanon(South).


Jewish-American Anna Baltzer Reports on the Israeli Occupation


Seven IDF troops suspended over refusal to evacuate Hebron settlers The IDF suspended seven soldiers from service for refusing to take part in the eviction of Jewish settlers from the Hebron marketplace last month, the army said Monday.


Life Sentence Urged in Hamas Funding Case Abdelhaleem Ashqar, 49, who once ran for unsuccessfully for president of the Palestinian Authority while under house arrest in Virginia, was convicted of criminal contempt and obstruction of justice earlier this year following a trial in Chicago.


Manufacturers seek enhanced bilateral trade with EU During their visit to Brussels, Shraga Brosh, president of the Manufacturers Association of Israel and chairman of the Federation of Israeli Economic Organizations, and Gad Propper, chairman of the Israel-European Union Chambers of Commerce, will call on senior European Commission officials to multiply European investments into Israel by as much as 10 times to approach and even match the level of US investments.


Donors offer $20m to Palestine refugees International donors have pledged about $20 million to help Palestinian refugees made homeless by a 15-week battle between the Lebanese army and Islamist militants holed up inside their refugee camp.


Norway gives 1.46 million dollars to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon Norway said Monday it would give 10 million kroner (1.26 million euros, 1.46 million dollars) to help Palestinian refugees who have fled a camp destroyed by fighting between the Lebanese army and Islamists.


Activists Gather in Arlington