Headlines for 09-04-08

Congress is about to pour lighter fluid on Iran According to the Jewish Daily Forward, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., offered an apology to a representative from the antiwar group Peace Action, saying, "I regret the fact that I did not read this resolution more carefully." He further told the Valley Advocate of Northampton, Mass., that he?s "all for stricter sanctions against Iran, but the blockade part goes too far. I?m going to call the sponsors and tell them I?m changing my vote." Don't be fooled by Israel-firsters like Wexler - this resolution IS an act of war. And based on the last paragraph of that article, AIPAC is literally dictating US foreign policy - to the detriment of AMERICANS. Our representatives on Capitol Hill are committing an act of treason to allow these agents of a foreign nation to dictate to them foreign policy directives that gravely threaten US interests.


Israel court okays far-right demo in Arab town The court upheld the appeal by the Kach movement even though the group has been outlawed since 1994 when it expressed support for the actions of party member Baruch Goldstein in shooting dead 29 Muslim worshippers in the West Bank city of Hebron.


Shin Bet to Palestinian: Collaborate or go to jail


Palestinian Fury Over Killings In July 10-year-old Ahmed Moussa was shot dead after a protest. At his funeral an 18-year-old was also hit with rubber bullets, also at close range, say Palestinians. He died some days later.
Rubber bullets, meant to be used as a non-lethal means to control riots and unruly persons - are being used (and have been since the first intifada) by Israel to shoot at children/disabled people at close range; a grave physical threat.


Gaza hospitals strain under pressure of strikes A walkout of medical staff throughout Gaza has strained services at hospitals and clinics throughout the territory, the latest in a series of crippling strikes that are deepening bitter divisions between Gaza's militant Hamas rulers and loyalists of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.


PA seizes $2.2 million in cash from Hamas last month A Palestinian official says Palestinian security forces in the West Bank seized $2.2 million in cash from Hamas in August


Barak: East Jerusalem could be capital of Palestinian state He also said that there was still time for diplomacy to curb Iran's nuclear program but that Israel was serious about using "any option" if that failed.


Hamas security detains Islamist leader in Gaza Security forces of the Islamist Hamas group have detained a senior leader of Jaysh al-Ummah, a pro-al Qaeda group, in the Gaza Strip, a Hamas-controlled territory, one of his aides said on Thursday.


State prohibits right-wing procession in Umm al-Fahm The State Prosecutor's Office appealed to the High Court of Justice on Wednesday against right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir's demand to hold a right-wing procession in which Israeli flags would be paraded through Umm al-Fahm. According to the prosecution the event could deteriorate into violent riots.


Scholar From Gaza Blocked Anyone who can excel academically and be awarded a Fulbright while growing up in a place like the Gaza Strip deserves red-carpet treatment from any university in the world. Schools in Gaza are frequently closed because of curfews imposed by the Israeli military. Electricity and water are severely curtailed by Israel, and "normal life" consists of surviving with shortages of food, medical treatment and many other basic necessities.


Feature: Gazans make do with a destitute, joyless Ramadan


Egyptians claim compensation from Israel for killing of POWs Egyptian families of prisoners of war (POWs), who were killed in the 1967 War, have filed a lawsuit demanding over $100 million from the Israeli government, the Egyptian Daily Star reported.


Biden: Israel's decisions must be made in Jerusalem, not D.C. The Delaware senator also attacked critics who have questioned his support of Israel saying, "I will take a back seat to no one, and again, no one in AIPAC or any other organization, in terms of questioning my support of the State of Israel." .....Biden also questioned the wisdom of a pre-emptive U.S.-led attack on Iran, at a time when the U.S. is "bogged-down in Iraq," adding that he has been "stunned by the incompetence" of the Bush administration in its handling of the war in Iraq. That last sentence from the excerpt is the only thing Biden's got going for him in terms of dealing with Israel and its lobby in the States (and their desire for the US to attack Iran).


Can we count on US? In the latter period, any Israeli policy, particularly in respect to the conflict with the Palestinians, was granted automatic support and acquiescence from the White House: Starting from the Rabin government?s Oslo process, through Netanyahu moves, Barak?s talks on a final-status agreement, Sharon?s path of siege and disengagement, and back to the current government?s attempts to secure a final-status agreement. This support and acquiescence came in addition to the international backing for Israel on the part of the American giant at global institutions. Note the source. 'Acquiescence' - you ain't kidding. Total obeisance, is more like it. The actual premise of this story is that America is no longer the superpower she once was, so Israel is looking for a new host to feed off of. This was actually a prediction I made way back in 2003 just before the attack on Iraq- that Israel would continue to use us as their whore for money and to attack nations on their behalf - and then kick us to the curb once our time has run out in terms of blood and treasure.


Syria awaits Israeli response to peace proposals after talks postponed Syria today said a round of indirect talks with Israel had been postponed because of the resignation of the chief Israeli negotiator, as Damascus waited for a response to its latest proposals.


Israelis warned of 'very high' risks in Egypt and Jordan Israel on Thursday warned its citizens of a "very high" risk of kidnapping or acts of terror if they travel to Jordan or Egypt, the two Arab countries which have made peace with the Jewish state.


Will summer fun foil Gaza's extremism? For the second summer in a row, Walid participated in camps run by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the UN arm devoted to Palestinian refugees, that gave some 250,000 refugee children at more than 350 locations in the impoverished Gaza Strip some sense of summertime normalcy ? sports, arts and crafts, relay races, swimming, and even hula-hooping.


Palin links energy policies, Iran Sarah Palin tied the energy policies she favors to diminishing the Iranian threat.


Journalist can call Israel critic anti-Semitic The case called attention again to the thorny issue of where criticism of Israel crosses the line to anti-Semitism. Several recent cases in Germany have brought the issue to the fore, but this one pitted two Jews against one another.


Biden, Palin take the lead as campaigns clash on Mideast The two vice-presidential candidates led the way Wednesday as the Obama and McCain campaigns worked to draw clear battle lines on Iran and Israel.


Sarkozy warns Iran it risks Israeli attack French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Iran on Thursday it was taking a dangerous gamble in seeking to develop nuclear weapons because one day its arch-foe Israel could strike.


Evangelical faith drives Palin's pro-Israel view Sarah Palin displays an Israeli flag in her governor's office in Juneau, even though she has never been to the country, and attends Protestant evangelical churches that consider the preservation of the state of Israel a biblical imperative. Her faith makes her a favorite with the staunchly pro-Israel neoconservative elements in the Republican Party.
Well, now you know why she got the nomination.