Headlines for 09-19-07

Israeli troops kill Palestinian in Nablus incursion Mohammed Selim, 38, whom witnesses said was a civilian and handicapped in his legs and one hand, died on the balcony of his house in Ein Beit Elma refugee camp inside the city, Palestinian security sources said


World Bank: Gaza must be part of PA economic recovery plan


Palestinians left helpless by Israelis, World Bank warns Tony Blair, the new international Middle East envoy, and key donor countries meeting in New York will be given an alarming picture of economic run-down in which Gaza in particular faces an "extreme scenario" in which children under 15, comprising half the population, will soon "be thrust into a non-existent labour market".


Israel declares Gaza Strip hostile territory The Israeli government yesterday declared the Gaza Strip a "hostile entity" and threatened to further cut fuel and electricity supplies if militants continue to fire Qassam rockets at Israel, a decision that was backed by the United States.
The decision was described by Palestinians and international agencies, including the UN, as collective punishment, which is illegal under international law. Hamas said the policy was a declaration of war.



Iran issues Israel attack warning Iran has drawn up plans to bomb Israel if it launches an attack on Iranian soil first, military officials say.


US vows 'serious' Mid-East talks This is a dog and pony show to get the Arab countries to support another war in their neighborhood - this time, Iran.


B'Tselem: "Stripping Palestinians of their homes contravenes Palestinians human rights" The Israeli Center for Human Rights "B'Tselem" has demanded the Israeli military Deputy-General to issue orders to the Israeli police to investigate the widespread demolition of homes in Qalqiliya and the practices associated with these demolitions.


Egypt, Syria press for IAEA resolution against Israel Egypt and Syria urged the UN nuclear watchdog on Wednesday to pass a resolution condemning Israel for possessing nuclear weapons.


Israel to reduce power and fuel supplies to Gaza


UN chief: Cutting off fuel to Gaza is violation of international law United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel on Wednesday to
reconsider its decision to declare the Gaza Strip a hostile territory, warning that any cutoff of vital services would violate international law and punish the already suffering civilian population.


Rice criticises nuclear watchdog The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, today publicly criticised the UN's atomic watchdog and called for diplomacy with "teeth" to end Iran's nuclear plans.


Gaza militants shell Israeli army positions Three Palestinian militant factions, including two previously-unheard groups, announced on Monday responsibility for targeting Israeli army bases around the Gaza Strip with mortar shells and home-made rockets.


Palestinian opinion poll shows Hamas trailing Fatah, criticism of Gaza takeover The popularity of the Hamas militant group has fallen far behind rival Fatah, according to an opinion poll released Monday, and Palestinians were overwhelmingly opposed to the Islamic group's heavy-handed tactics in the Gaza Strip.


Attackers wound 2 Hamas security men in Gaza


Israeli forces kidnap 3 Palestinians from Qalqilia, one from Hebron, two from Bethlehem


World Bank says donors need long term plan for OPT


Israel to remove 24 barriers across West Bank Defence Minister Ehud Barak presented the plan during a meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who arrived earlier in the day for a series of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to discuss efforts to revive the stalled peace process.


WHO in urgent appeal to avert Palestinian health crisis The World Health Organisation issued an urgent appeal on Wednesday for international donors to fund essential drugs and medical supplies to avert a Palestinian health crisis.


Rice: U.S. won't abandon Palestinians Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday the United States "will not abandon the innocent Palestinians in Gaza," shortly after Israel declared the territory to be an enemy entity in order to cut off power and fuel supplies to the coastal strip. They already did years ago.


Sheetrit pessimistic about peace talks Should the league compromise on a contentious issue like refugees, Sheetrit said, the Palestinians would have no choice but to go along.


U.S. officials object to Israel's treatment of Arab-Americans During meetings between senior State Department officials and their counterparts in Israel, the Americans said that in recent months there has been a troubling increase in the number of complaints by American citizens of Palestinian and Arab origin, regarding the treatment they receive at border crossings and airports in Israel.


Police bar sounding of muezzin in mostly Arab part of Acre Police have decided to prohibit the sounding of the muezzin, the prayer call used in Islam, during the month of Ramadan in an Acre neighborhood comprising an Arab residential majority.


Fallow year is year of plenty for Arab-Israelis


Israeli army soldiers broke into a PRCS volunteer committee center in Deir Estia


URGENT Legal Funds Needed! Qusin Demo Video and Report


A double standard on academic freedom No full-page advertisements in major American newspapers have publicized Israel's violations of Palestinian children's right to an education. No editors, syndicated columnists or presidents of major universities in this country have denounced this callous measure. Our politicians have demanded no remedial action. Instead, they continue, verbally and materially, to support Israel in its near-total blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians, kids and all.


Anger at new Lebanon MP killing World leaders and Lebanese politicians have condemned the bomb attack that killed an anti-Syrian Lebanese MP in a mainly Christian suburb of Beirut


Assad reiterates peace hopes


Act won't allow domestic spying Jewish organizations were among those that had expressed concerns about the law passed this summer with vague language that could be interpreted as allowing searches without warramts of U.S. individuals and organizations in communication with suspected spies and terrorists overseas.


Half-million signers demand two states More than a half-million Israelis and Palestinians have signed a petition demanding a two-state solution.


US Methodists plan to disinvest from Israel and Sudan "The United Methodist Church has a long history of unwavering support for Israel's right to exist," said Sprecher. "We have also long supported human rights for Palestinians. We, like many, are frustrated by the increasing harsh conditions Palestinians continue to endure under Israel's 40 years of illegal occupation."


School, activists at odds over Mideast speaker Qumsiyeh denies the accusations of anti-Semitism and misinformation, which he said are used by his opponents to silence his arguments. ?Whenever people are speaking truth in a situation where there is injustice, they?re going to be attacked,? said Qumsiyeh. ?I?m very sad that they?re losing an opportunity to engage in dialogue.?



Judge Throws Out ?Jerusalem, Israel' Passport Lawsuit The State Department contends that marking Menachem's place of birth as "Jerusalem, Israel" would upset long-standing American policy that the sovereignty of Jerusalem is an issue to be determined in peace talks between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Arabs.


Unique Middle East program rooted at MIT bears fruit Palestinian becomes first MEET student to enroll at MIT


Tenure Battle At Barnard Gains Fresh Urgency In one particularly contested section, Abu El-Haj writes about observing the use of bulldozers during a dig, proposing that they may have erased the top layers of culture that would have contained evidence of other civilizations. Her focus on bulldozers, her critics say, conjures up a sinister, more contemporary meaning of the machines.


On unconditional support of Israel We are Israel's foreign-policy patsy for two main reasons: (1) the influence of the pro-Israel lobby, which is, perhaps, the most powerful in Washington; (2) the pervasive pro-Israel bias throughout the American media. (Example: The killing of 35 Palestinian children by Israeli weapons in 2007 goes unreported. But, had they been Israeli, you would know about each one.) Until these influences are overcome, Americans will never be secure.


Beep backs Arabic school, urges controversial principal be reinstated


Netanyahu says Israel carried out Syria air raid, he backed it Opposition leader and former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that the Jewish state had carried out an air strike in Syria two weeks ago and that he had backed it.


Defend Cong. Moran from AIPAC Media Attacks (Updated)