and other news from Today in Palestine:
Land, property, resources theft and destruction / Ethnic cleansing / Settlers
Concrete clashes / Aviva Lori
Israel’s newest urban center, Tzur Yitzhak, is just up the hill from Taibeh, built on lands that once belonged to the Arab town. It’s not clear what motivated some of the decisions that went into planning it … If you continue to the end of Nahal Poleg Street, you reach Taibeh. Without the separation fence built around Tzur Yitzhak, it would have been possible to roll down the hill straight into the two mosques at the bottom, or into one of the industrial plants at its foot. From Nahal Poleg Street, Taibeh is just a stone’s throw away.
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/concrete-clashes-1.341242
Netanyahu commits to promoting Arab construction in East Jerusalem
Commitments comes as Israel plans gestures to Palestinians in bid to deflect Quartet criticism over settlement construction.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-commits-to-promoting-arab-construction-in-east-jerusalem-1.341285
Violence continues in Silwan
Silwan, Jerusalem (SILWANIC) — Sporadic clashes erupted between Israeli forces and Palestinian residents of Silwan yesterday. Israeli troops fired tear gas grenades at Palestinian homes in Bir Ayyub and Baten al-Hawa, and were also stationed in Ein Silwan area on the outskirts of Wadi Hilweh. Daily clashes have been taking place throughout Silwan as Israeli troops continue to subject Palestinian residents to the violence of tear gas and sound grenades. A large number of residents, including many children and several pregnant women have suffered from severe suffocation as a result of gas inhalation, in some cases even losing their unborn babies to the toxic fumes. A vast number of gas grenades have also been fired directly inside Palestinian homes, sparking fires in two homes in Baten al-Hawa.
http://silwanic.net/?p=11564
AIC Video: Protest El Araqib demolitions
3 Feb – 200 Palestinians and Israelis attended a protest on Tuesday 1 February at the Jewish National Fund (JNF) office in Jerusalem against Israel’s 12 demolitions of the El Araqib village since last summer. The JNF is planning to plant a “peace forest” on the El Araqib resident’s land, thus uprooting people in order to plant trees. This is part of a wider Israeli attack against the Bedouin community in the Negev Desert and traditional ownership of the area’s land.
http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/topics/israeli-society/3250-aic-video-protest-el-araqib-demolitions
Incursions / Violence
PCHR: Israeli attacks left three Palestinians killed this week
Israeli military attacks left three Palestinians dead; troops arrested 23 civilians this week, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said in its weekly report. The report, which documents daily human rights violations in the occupied territories, covers the period of Thursday, January 27, to Wednesday, February 2, 2011 … During the reporting period, the Israeli army conducted at least 31 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 23 Palestinian civilians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and 7 children.
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9505&Itemid=63
IOF troops raid Jenin villages
JENIN, (PIC)– …Local sources said that a number of army vehicles rolled into the village of Qabatya, set up a road block near the vegetable market and searched some of the farmers. IOF troops also raided the village of Kafr Rai and combed the area between this village and the neighbouring village of Fahma. They fired sound bombs disturbing the peace of the early dawn hours.Local residents also said that that IOF troops raided the village of Maraka to the south of Jenin and roamed the streets of the village until late morning hours.
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2
Family of Amr Qawasme, murdered in his bed, seeks accountability
“I sleep one night and then I don’t sleep because I am afraid something will happen. They killed him in front of me,” Subhya Qawasme explained, while fixing her intensely green eyes on me, and gesturing with her large, muscular hands. On 7 January, five Israeli soldiers invaded Subhya’s home in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. Her husband, Amr, was shot to death while he was sleeping in their bed as Subhya prayed beside him. Amr Qawasme was 66 years old. He was a former construction worker, a father of 12 and a grandfather of 37. The Israeli military quickly admitted that Amr’s murder was “a mistake,” that his killing was a botched attempted extra-judicial execution mission.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11776.shtml
Activism / Solidarity
The popular struggle in solidarity with the Egyptian people
Throughout the West Bank, demonstrations will call for the safety of Egyptian protesters engaged in legitimate political protest. The villages of Bil’in, Ni’ilin, Nabi Saleh, and Al Ma’asara will stand in solidarity with the Egyptian people. WHEN: Friday, 4 February 2011, 12:30 WHAT: Demonstrations Against the Israeli Occupation and Separation Barrier in Solidarity with the Egyptian People
http://josephdana.com/2011/02/the-popular-struggle-in-solidarity-with-the-egyptian-people/
Israeli troops attack anti-Wall protesters marching in solidarity with Egypt
[roundup] 4 Feb – Scores of Palestinians joined Israeli and international supporters to march against the Israeli wall in different locations in the West Bank on Friday. This week, protests were held in solidarity with the pro-democracy Egyptian demonstrators …In Wadi Rahal, many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation after Israeli troops attacked protesters … In the nearby village of Bil’in, Israeli troops attacked the weekly protest as soon as people and their international and Israeli supporters reached the gate of the wall separating local farmers form their lands. Troops used tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets against the unarmed civilians. Local journalist Haytham al-Khateeb was injured in the hand and many others suffered from tear gas inhalation.
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9509&Itemid=59
The importance of countering Canada’s National Security Agenda for justice in Palestine
From February 4th to the 6th the peoples commission network will be holding a popular forum called Whose security? Our Security!, to bring activists, social justice organizers and communities together, in order to broaden the movement against Canada’s National Security Agenda. n terms of the ongoing work towards solidarity with Palestine through the growing Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign to end Israeli apartheid. It is critical for those who work on the question of Palestine to also build an analysis and a challenge to the way in which national security has been used by the Conservative government as a means to show its continued support for Israeli Apartheid, through the discourse of the war on terror and to delegitimise both the Palestine solidarity here and the struggle for self-determination and justice in Palestine.
http://www.tadamon.ca/post/8613
Detention
Witnesses: Army detains 3 Beit Ummar residents
HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained three Palestinians on Thursday near the illegal settlement of Karmi Tzur in Hebron, witnesses said. Palestinian Solidarity Project spokesman Mohammad Awad said soldiers detained Belal Hamdan Abu Maria, 25, Issa Mohammad Issa Baher, 20, and Abdallah Samir Abdallah, 20. All three are residents of Beit Ummar, he said. Awad added that soldiers attacked him and destroyed his camera.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356874
Israel authorities deprive family visits to prisoner for seven years
JENIN, February 3, 2011 (WAFA) – A prisoner’s wife from Jenin, north of the West Bank, called on international legal and human rights organizations Thursday to pressure the Israeli authorities to allow her and her daughter to visit her husband, after her husband had been denied visits for the last seven years. The husband, Anas Hithnawi, 27, from Jenin was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment, and has been prohibited from seeing his wife and child for the last seven years.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=15064
Palestinian captives are following the Egyptian people’s revolution
RAMALLAH, (PIC)– Palestinian captives in the Negev desert prison are following closely the progress of the Egyptian people’s revolution and the news emanating from the Tahrir Square in Cairo through whatever media means available to them in jail. In a letter leaked out of prison the captives said that despite the very cold weather at night captives of different political persuasions are following closely events taking place in Egypt and pray for the success of the people’s revolution … The captives said that most of them, even Fatah’s captives, support the demands of the Egyptian protesters.
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq
Siege
Gaza facing fuel crisis as tunnel trade stops
GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Gaza Strip is facing a fuel crisis since political unrest in Egypt led to the closure of smuggling tunnels, fuel company officials warned Thursday. Deputy head of fuel companies in the Strip Mahmoud Al-Khazendar said gas stations have completely run out of fuel.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356879
Gaza crossings closed
Israeli authorities decided to close both crossings into the Gaza Strip on Friday and Saturday, Palestinian liaison officials said. On Thursday, between 170 and 180 truckloads of commercial and humanitarian goods were allowed into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, crossings official Raed Fattouh said.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356918
Gaza bloggers build bridges to outside world
(CNN) 4 Feb — In Gaza, bloggers say they are using the internet to share the realities of their daily lives with the wider world. Mona El-Farra, a 56-year-old doctor and human rights activist, began writing her blog From Gaza, with Love in 2006.She said she started distributing her diary by email after her parents’ home was demolished by the Israeli army in 2000, and later the diary became a blog … Sharif Al Sharif, a 27-year-old media co-coordinator for a Palestinian youth organization, began blogging in 2006.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/02/04/gaza.bloggers/
Reprisals
Army: Gaza projectile hits Israel
TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) — A projectile fired from the Gaza Strip landed in southern Israel on Friday morning, causing no damage or injuries, the Israeli military said. A military spokeswoman said the rocket hit the Sdot Negev district, just east of the coastal enclave. As yet no faction has claimed the launch.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356972
Egyptian uprising and Palestine
Anti, pro-Mubarak protests feared in Jerusalem
Following information Fatah and Hamas planning to protest in favor and against Egyptian regime’s downfall, Jerusalem Police restrict worshippers’ entry to Temple Mount for Friday prayers. Any attempt to cause disturbances will be dealt with firmly, officials say
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4023884,00.html
Report: 50,000 protest in Egyptian Rafah
4 Feb – Al-Jazeera network reports tens of thousands join nationwide protests against Egyptian President Mubarak near Gaza border. EU leaders issue statement saying ‘transition process must start now’
Gaza feeds hungry Egyptian troops in role reversal
(Reuters) 4 Feb – Underground tunnels generally used to smuggle goods into Gaza are moving traffic in the opposite direction in the wake of the popular uprising in Egypt… Egyptian soldiers isolated on the Gaza border by 10 days of internal upheaval are getting bread, canned goods and other food supplies from the enclave, which is usually on the receiving end of food aid.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/gaza-feeds-hungry-egyptian-troops-in-role-reversal-1.341316
PA bans ‘unlicensed assembly’
4 Feb 13:26 The Palestinian Authority has banned “unlicensed gatherings” in order to preserve order in the West Bank, security spokesman Adnan Ad-Dmeiri announced Thursday. The PA official said the ruling was in response to demonstrations in solidarity with uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. In a statement, Ad-Dmeiri said the PA affirmed the right of expression but that the demonstrations would create chaos.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356917
Human Rights Watch: PA must end violence against demonstrators
3 Feb 21:11 RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority should end police violence against peaceful demonstrators, the latest instance being Wednesday evening in Ramallah, Human Rights Watch said Thursday. Police punched, kicked, and detained participants in the demonstration, as well as at least two journalists and a Human Rights Watch research assistant, the New York-based group said.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356778
Hundreds in Gaza rally in solidarity with Egypt
Hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip rallied Thursday in solidarity with the uprising in Egypt. Marchers carried banners reading “People want the regime out” and “Down with Hosni Mubarak”. A student group distributed a statement calling on the UN to take action against the regime.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356866
VIDEO: Thousands support ‘day of rage’ against Hamas
Inspired by the recent uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, a Facebook group called “The Revolution of Honor – Gaza” has called for a “day of rage” next Friday to protest against the Hamas government which rules the coastal enclave. The group has grown to some 10,000 members just three days after it was launched … Tawfiq Tirawi, a former intelligence chief in the Palestinian Authority and a current member of Fatah’s Central Committee, supported the group’s cause. “We are a nation which fights with all means at its disposal to gain freedom and independence from the Israeli occupation, so how can we accept Hamas’ despotic regime?” he said.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4023806,00.html
Palestine’s Egypt ambassador defends response
CAIRO (Ma’an) — The Palestinian ambassador to Cairo said Thursday the embassy was following up with all Palestinians stranded in Egypt, after his response came under criticism. Barakat Al-Farra denounced the “media campaign” on Hamas websites about the embassy’s response to the crisis. Palestinians stranded at the airport or Rafah crossing are receiving all possible assistance, Al-Farra said … Staff distributed blankets, medication and 100 Egyptian pounds to every Palestinian stranded at the airport, he said, and embassy staff remain in constant communication. “Everything is being handled responsibly.”
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356833
Politics / Diplomacy
Israel, Palestinians float Gaza gas rapprochement
JERUSALEM (Reuters) 4 Feb – Israel and the Palestinians are eyeing talks to develop a gas field off the Gaza coast and other initiatives for an independent Palestinian infrastructure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday. The announcement anticipated a meeting on Saturday of world powers trying to revive peace talks mired by long-running Israeli-Palestinian disputes about West Bank boundaries as well as the inflexibility of Gaza’s Islamist Hamas rulers.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110204/wl_nm/us_palestinians_israel_gas
Palestinian PM: Palestinian issues sparking unrest
3 Feb (AP) – PARIS—Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Thursday that the failure to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has helped fuel unrest in Egypt and elsewhere in the Mideast. During a visit to Paris, Fayyad said protesters’ complaints stem not only from internal problems in their own societies, but also from “a frustration, a desperation because of the failure of efforts to solve the Palestinian problem.”
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_17282413
Palestinian Authority to seek less aid in 2011
PARIS (Reuters) 4 Feb — The Palestinian Authority will ask for substantially less foreign aid from a donor conference this year than in the past and hopes to wean itself off budget assistance by 2013, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said on Friday. Fayyad also said he wanted June’s donor meeting to be accompanied by progress in the process of establishing statehood for the Palestinian entity by the end of 2011.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110204/wl_nm/us_palestinians_aid
UN rights chief to visit Israel, Palestinian areas
GENEVA (AFP) – UN human rights chief Navi Pillay will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories, including Gaza, starting on Sunday where she will meet leaders from both sides, her office announced … Her office told AFP that the visit was requested by both governments. Israel has traditionally been sharply critical of UN human rights bodies and their criticism of violations in the Palestinian territories, and has refused to cooperate with some of the world body’s rights experts.http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110204/wl_mideast_afp/unrightsmideastpalestiniansisrael
Israel
Love the convert / Tamar Rotem
Alina Roise and Maxim Sardikov are confronting the rabbinic authorities in court, in the hope that no other converted couple will go through the bitter experience they had … About 30 percent of immigrants from the former Soviet Union who have come to Israel under the Law of Return are not Jews under rabbinical law, because only their father is Jewish … “It was only when they arrived here that a few of the immigrants realized they cannot marry because the rabbinate doesn’t accept that people with only a Jewish father are Jews.”
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/love-the-convert-1.341218
Analysis / Opinion
Israel and Palestine: Breaking the silence / David Shulman
Feb 24 issue – A few weeks ago I was in al-Nabi Salih, a Palestinian village northwest of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. It wasn’t so easy to get there; the Israeli army had closed off the area on every side, and we literally had to crawl through the olive groves, just beneath one of the army’s roadblocks, before we managed to reach the village. Al-Nabi Salih is a troubled place. The large Israeli settlement of Halamish nearby has taken over nearly half of the village lands, including a precious freshwater spring. Most Fridays there are dramatic confrontations between the soldiers and the villagers protesting this land grab and the other difficulties of life under occupation. Yet the first thing I saw in al-Nabi Salih was a huge sign in Arabic and English: “We Believe in Non-Violence. Do You?” It was World Peace Day, and speaker after speaker reaffirmed a commitment to peace and to nonviolent resistance to the occupation … Particularly eloquent was Ali Abu Awwad, a young activist who runs a new organization, the Palestinian Movement for Non-Violent Resistance, with its offices in Bethlehem and growing influence throughout the occupied territories. “Peace itself is the way to peace,” he said, “and there is no peace without freedom.” All of this is, in some ways, rather new in Palestine, although in his latest book the philosopher Sari Nusseibeh, the president of al-Quds University in Jerusalem, traces an earlier stage of organized Palestinian civil disobedience in the popular struggle of the first intifada in 1988 and 1989, in which he had a significant part.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/feb/24/israel-palestine-breaking-silence/
Twilight Zone: A tale of love and darkness / Gideon Levy
This week it was impossible for Israeli journalists who do not hold a foreign passport to enter Egypt to fulfill a journalist’s passionate desire to be there now, especially now … That first trip, in December 1977, with the first Israelis who ever visited Egypt, was certainly the most electrifying journalistic mission of my life; nothing will ever compare to it. Nothing can compare to the first visit to an Arab country after all those years of darkness; nothing will ever be like that misty morning at the Mena House hotel, when I opened the curtain in my room and my unbelieving eyes saw the pyramids looming in all their glory. Nothing will compare to the night when we stole out of the hotel, away from our security guards, and went to see the marvels of Cairo night life. Nothing will ever compare to the shattering of all the myths and the disinformation with which our brains had been washed, as we encountered Egypt and its inhabitants for ourselves.
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/twilight-zone-a-tale-of-love-and-darkness-1.341250
A second chance / Aluf Benn
The turmoil in the region may prove to be a blessing in disguise for Netanyahu: Now maybe he’ll have an excuse to push through a peace deal with the Palestinians.
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/a-second-chance-1.341213
When it comes to Arabs, Israel knows only what it wants to / Sayed Kashua
After listening to our Arab affairs analysts, I reached the conclusion that the Knesset should pass a law banning Jews from learning Arabic … most of our analysts have already decided that contrary to what the demonstrators in Cairo’s streets are demanding, there is no chance for democracy in the Islamic world. “That’s not right,” argued Dr. Uriya Shavit on Reshet’s morning program. “Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, and it has a real democracy.” “Yes,” countered Eli Shaked, “but Indonesia is not an Arab country. And there’s a difference.” According to the former Israeli ambassador to Cairo, whose employment history proves he must know Egypt like the back of his hand, Arabness is the problem that’s preventing democracy.
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/when-it-comes-to-arabs-israel-knows-only-what-it-wants-to-1.341247
Book: Israeli Rejectionism, Zalman Amit & Daphna Levit
Zalman Amit and Daphna Levit find overwhelming evidence of Israeli rejectionism as the main cause for the failure of peace. They demonstrate that the Israeli leadership has always been against a fairly negotiated peace and have deliberately stalled negotiations for the last 80 years. The motivations behind this rejectionist position have changed, as have the circumstances of the conflict, but the conclusion has remained consistent – peace has not been in the interest of the state of Israel.
https://sites.google.com/a/plutobooks.com/amit/
Iraq
Thursday: 17 Iraqis killed, 47 wounded
At least 20 Iraqis were killed and 62 more were wounded in the latest violence. Although these figures appear to be closer to a daily average, there were no reports from Ninewa or Diyala, which are two of the more violent provinces in Iraq. While it is possible these two areas have suddenly become very peaceful, it is more likely that attacks are going unreported or the information is not reaching the West. Also, protests against a lack of vital services took place in Baghdad and Hamza, but Madia al Rawai, a member of the Iraqi Women’s Association, warns that Iraq’s million war widows are ready to protest their poverty as well.
http://original.antiwar.com/updates/2011/02/03/thursday-17-iraqis-killed-47-wounded/
Iraqi boy killed by gunmen aiming for his father
4 Feb BAGHDAD (AP) — A police chief in northern Iraq says the 8-year-old son of a local anti-terrorism chief was killed in a food market by gunmen aiming for his father. Tuz Khormato police chief Col. Hussein Rasheed said Friday that the target of the shooting was the chief of the city’s anti-terrorism security squads. The father and two of his other children were wounded in the Thursday night shooting.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110204/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq
Iraq not immune from Arab anger: clerics
KARBALA, Iraq (AFP) 4 Feb — Iraq is not immune to protests elsewhere in the Arab world because it is a democracy, and its leaders must work to fight corruption and promote social justice, clerics said in Friday sermons.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110204/wl_mideast_afp/egyptpoliticsunrestiraqreligion
Iraqi refugees trapped in Egypt appeal to UN
London, Asharq Al-Awsat (4 Feb) — A number of Iraqis who are living in Egypt and who have applied for refugee status with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees [UNHCR] have expressed fears for their lives in light of the deteriorating security situation in the country. The Iraqi embassy in Egypt has offered to return any Iraqi citizens trapped in Egypt to Baghdad; however these Iraqi refugees are unable to return to Iraq for fear of what could happen to them there, whilst also fearing to remain in Egypt during this difficult stage.
http://www.aawsa.tcom/english/news.asp?section=1&id=24035
Other Mideast / Arab world
Change in Egypt throws dark shadow over Jordan / Salameh Nematt
3 Feb – The stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process has heightened tension in Jordan over the past several months, deepening local fears that a worsening situation in the occupied Palestinian territories may spill over to the kingdom, where nearly half of the population is of Palestinian origin.
http://www.bitterlemons-international.org/inside.php?id=1340
Jordan’s king admits reforms had floundered
4 Feb (AP) AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah II Thursday acknowledged reforms in the kingdom have “slowed and stumbled,” and urged the nation’s Islamist opposition to work with the new cabinet to give the people a greater say in politics. The appeal came a day after the powerful Muslim Brotherhood rejected an offer from the newly appointed prime minister to join his Cabinet, saying the new premier was the wrong person to introduce reforms.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=124529#axzz1D1QxmH5d
Rallies held in Jordan and Syria
Hundreds of protesters demand reform in Amman while Damascus prepares for a “day of rage” inspired by events in Egypt … Meanwhile, security is being beefed up in Syria ahead of planned anti-government demonstrations in Damascus, the capital. Campaigns on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter have called for a “day of rage” on Friday and Saturday, following similar actions in Yemen, Egypt and Tunisia.Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president, has resisted calls for political freedoms and jailed many critics of his regime.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201124141624836763.html
Regional instability could spread to Syria
DAMASCUS (AFP) — The wave of pro-democracy protests engulfing the Arab world could spread to Syria, where the Baath party has been in power for almost half a century, according to analysts. “No Arab country is immune. These unprecedented opposition movements have demands. They feel aggrieved by absolute power and lack of democracy,” said Riad Qahwaji of the Institute for the Near East and Gulf Military Analysis.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356880
Syria’s policies may save it from a ‘dignity revolution’ / John Bell
Beyond its ruthlessness, Syria’s politics of Arab dignity and support for resistance against Israel may provide a measure of immunity from popular revolt. Its refusal to “fold” to Israeli and American demands make it that much less susceptible to the Dignity Revolution sweeping the Arab world.
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/syria-s-policies-may-save-it-from-a-dignity-revolution-1.341182
Jordanians in fresh protest at PM’s office
AMMAN (AFP) 4 Feb — Around 1,000 protesters gathered on Friday outside the Jordanian prime minister’s office to demand reforms, before staging a sit-in near Cairo’s embassy in support of anti-regime protests in Egypt. The demonstrators, answering calls by the powerful Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the country’s Muslim Brotherhood, chanted: “The people demand reform and change.”
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=357001
Tunisia replaces regional governors
3 Feb – Interim government continues efforts to dismantle Ben Ali’s legacy while struggling to restore order and stability.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/201123195630165176.html
Lebanon economy to weather political storm: analysts
BEIRUT (AFP) 3 Feb — Lebanon’s economy should be able to survive the political turmoil that has seen the appointment of a Hezbollah-backed premier due to the strength of the country’s banking system and replete foreign currency reserves, analysts say.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110203/wl_mideast_afp/lebanonpoliticseconomy
Yemen gov’t supporters tighten grip on Sanaa square
[with map] SANAA (AFP) — Supporters of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh tightened their control of Sanaa’s central square on Friday, after crowding out a planned opposition rally there the previous day. Tents, national flags and portraits of Saleh were erected across Al-Tahrir Square, which was occupied by hundreds of supporters of the ruling Popular Congress General and patrolled by members of the security forces.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356999
Bouteflika criticizes ‘excesses’ during Algerian riots
ALGIERS (AFP) — Algeria’s president denounced on Thursday “regrettable excesses” during deadly January riots while announcing measures demanded by the opposition including shortly lifting the state of emergency.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=357002
WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks: Prince Philip claims he owns part of Jerusalem
Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II’s consort, claimed in the 1980s ownership of a famous piece of property in downtown Jerusalem … Marriages among European royal stock were once common, and so it is not surprising to find that the only living descendant of the 19th-century Russian prince who gave his name to the Jerusalem building is the 21st-century husband of Britain’s queen.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/wikileaks-prince-philip-claims-he-owns-part-of-jerusalem-1.341122
U.S.
‘Outrageous’: Guantanamo prisoner dies after being held for nine years without charge or trial / Andy Worthington
4 Feb – The Second World War lasted for six years, and at the end of it prisoners of war were released to resume their lives. At Guantánamo, on the other hand, the prison has just marked the ninth anniversary of its opening, and on Thursday the Pentagon announced that Awal Gul, a 48-year old Afghan prisoner, who had been held for nine years without charge or trial and was scheduled to be held forever, died in a shower after suffering a heart attack. Gul had never been held as a prisoner of war, and despite the US government’s assertions that he could be held forever, no one in a position of authority — neither President Bush nor President Obama — had never adequately demonstrated that he constituted a threat to the United States.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/02/04-6
US intelligence agencies in the crossfire amid ‘surprising’ Mideast unrest
(AP) Obama reportedly chides intel chief for failure to predict Tunisia protests; senior Democratic Senator: Events should not have surprised like they did.http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/u-s-intelligence-agencies-in-the-crossfire-amid-surprising-mideast-unrest-1.341206
