Today in Palestine the 29th of march

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Tuesday March 30, 2004 19:47 by MrParadise MrParadise_lb at hotmail dot com

briefing

The Anti-Apartheid Campaign Wall "Nashra": English Issue Number 2
The second issue of the Nashra provides a comprehensive briefing on the current situation facing Palestinian communities living both in areas where construction of the Apartheid Wall has been "completed", as well as those areas currently threatened with expulsion
http://stopthewall.org/newsletter/443.shtml


5000 Demonstrate on March 20th in Dublin Ireland
The Wall was mentioned by almost every speaker both at the beginning and the end of the demonstration, and IPSC members distributed hundreds of information leaflets about the Wall.
http://stopthewall.org/worldwideactivism/444.shtml


Zionists wound dozens of Palestinians protesting land confiscation
Local sources said that hundreds of villagers headed at noon today to their lands that were confiscated by the occupation authorities at the pretext of paving the way for building the notorious separation fence.
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/am/publish/article_5269.shtml


Top Catholic in Holy Land says Israelis, Palestinians need new leaders
The patriarch said there are no signs that the current Israeli government is heading toward compromise. "The (Israeli) government is preparing for permanent war," he said. "It's taking only military actions. ... They won all the wars, but so far they don't have peace or security."
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20040329-0528-mideast-patriarch.html


Israeli troops wound 3 Palestinians in West Bank, Gaza
two Palestinians were wounded as Israeli soldiers opened intensive fire at them in al-Fawwar Refugee Camp near Hebron. In Rafah, Israeli soldiers wounded a Palestinian citizen in Tal-al Sultan neighborhood west of the town...
http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/pubarchive_show_message.php?iapinfo+2314


IOF Escalates Aggression Against Palestinian Medics
Recently, the Israeli soldiers, stationed at Hawwara checkpoint, south of Nablus, blew up a bomb close to an ambulance and damaged it, Dr. al-Akhras said. According to al-Akhras, the armed settlers also participated in attacking the Palestinian paramedics.
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?field=tech_news&id=343


Israeli Soldiers Arrest 5 Civilians in Gaza
"Israeli soldiers detained tens of vehicles and hundreds of citizens for several hours," eyewitness said, "they searched vehicles and patted-down several citizens and arrested five.
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?field=tech_news&id=340


Witnesses: tanks, bulldozer move into Dir al-Balah in Gaza
The IDF had no immediate comment. Palestinians said the three vehicles moved into the outskirts of the town of Dir al-Balah in central Gaza from the settlement of Tel Katifa after nightfall. No exchanges of fire were reported.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/410096.html


Sharon to present Gaza plan to Knesset upon return from U.S.
The prime minister will meet U.S. President George W. Bush on April 14 in the United States, although apparently at a venue outside of Washington, in order to stress the importantce of the talks.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/409970.html


Israeli PM to form new gov't if coalition collapses over Gaza plans
"If coalition partners pull out, I will immediately form a new government, because I do not believe it is right to drag the public to elections," spokesman Assaf Shariv quoted the premier as telling parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1514&ncid=1312&e=3&u=/afp/20040329/wl_mideast_afp/israel_sharon_politics_040329124317


Palestinian official fears Israeli military escalation after Sharon's scandal
He asserted the legal prosecution of Sharon is an Israeli internal affair, but Sharon could adopt further military operations in the Palestinian territories to divert the public opinions from the charges.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-03/29/content_1390325.htm


Court compels PM's son to hand over papers in bribe cases
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon`s son Gilad against a lower court directive, and ordered him to hand over to police all documents and videotapes related to the Greek Island and Cyril Kern bribery affairs as soon as possible
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/409954.html


Eitam: PM under probe cannot commit to political plan
According to Eitam, "A prime minister [who could face charges] cannot travel to the U.S. and commit himself to a plan with implications for the future destiny of the state, without getting the support of his government."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/409942.html


Palestinian delegation to Arab League to include Jihad and Hamas
The Palestinian government decided on Monday to approve the request of PA Chairman Yasser Arafat to include representatives from all Palestinian factions in its delegation to the Arab League convention.
http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=5371


50,000 Yemeni students call for trying Sharon; Egypt's students deplore postponement of Arab summit
"they sold your blood Yassin, they said they will not come to the summit." The Students wear T. Shirts on which written were " we are all Yassin" and they raised green banners and pictures for Yassin and burned the Israeli flag.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/040329/2004032912.html


Arab Summit cancellation seen as a benefit to US and Israeli interests
Obeid said it was better for Arabs to take a stance and send a message to the Israeli government regarding its violent policies rather than postpone announcing their position. "He who hides his flaws ends up being killed by them,"
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?article_id=1317&categ_id=2


PLO Welcomes Egypt’s Initiative to Host Arab Summit
As Israel welcomed the collapse of the Arab summit session in Tunis as a “positive sign” of change in the Arab world, the Palestinian Leadership urged for convening the meeting swiftly and welcomed Egypt’s initiative to host the summit as soon as possible...
http://www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=1&id=1264


US officials leave on Mideast mission to EU headquarters and Israel
The trio will hold talks with European Union officials in Brussels before discussions with the Israeli government. They will also travel to at least two Arab capitals, a senior State Department official said.
http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/040329193552.mifcyo20


Ehud Barak on details of Israeli commandos operations
When the news about assassination of HAMAS leader Ahmed Yassin shocked the world, Ehud Barak was sorry that he had not been involved in assassinating Yassin. Brigade general Ehud Barak was born in 1942 in Israel, in a family of emigrants from Poland and Lithuania.
http://english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/366/12376_Israel.html


Arab to strike, protests gov't policy to mark Land Day
The main Land Day rally will be held in Arabeh, one of the main confrontation sites on March 30, 1976, between Arab demonstrators and the police following the seizure of Arab lands in the Galilee. Six Arabs were shot dead during those protests.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/410098.html


Panel recommends more land allotment for Arab councils
The panel, headed by Professor Yosef Ginat, suggested a transfer lands from the Megiddo and Menashe local authorities, and the return to Arab councils of land that had previously been confiscated for military use.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/410073.html


Kaufman wants economic sanctions against Israel
Labour MP Gerald Kaufman called for economic sanctions against Israel, including cutting off arms supplies, to force it back to the negotiating table with the Palestinians.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1538&ncid=1312&e=9&u=/afp/20040329/wl_uk_afp/britain_israel_sanctions_040329090832


Nasrallah to Hamas: We are under your command
Hizbullah Secretary General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told Hamas' new leader on Saturday that the Lebanese resistance group was his to command after Sheikh Ahmed Yassin's assassination last week.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?categ_id=2&article_id=1315


Poll: Palestinians don't believe Sharon will withdraw
The poll showed, however, that only one third of the Palestinians believe Sharon is serious, while 61% believe he is not serious and will not withdraw. Some 87% said they support attacks against IDF soldiers, 86% support attacks against settlers, and 53% support attacks against Israeli civilians.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1080448249207


Six Arab states say will attend Arab League summit in Egypt
Several countries welcomed Egypt's move, but Tunisia protested, saying it should still host the next summit. "If the [Arab] presidents want to meet again in Tunisia, I have no objection," Mubarak said. "We're not imposing anything on anyone. We just want to salvage the situation."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=409991&contrassID=1&subContrassID=8&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y


Rejecting the Language of Terrorism
Terror is an inescapable reality in the modern world; a world where a small fraction of the population will respond violently to grievance and injustice. This is a situation that has been dealt with quite successfully through normal "investigative-police" work.
http://www.counterpunch.com/whitney03292004.html


Inside Hamas
"It's not a hobby to kill, you know," said Mohammed, which, of course, was not his real name. "When we attack, the voice of the Palestinians is heard. We are sending a message to say, 'We are here.' If we stop, no one will care about us."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040405-605511,00.html


Assassination
He pointed out that Israel tends to commit these killings when the militant groups appear to be in a lull or are saying they will consider cease-fires. Yassin himself recently said that an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories could be met with a long-term Hamas ceased-fire.
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=22&ItemID=5233


U.S. military says soldiers killed two Arabiya journalists
He said eight soldiers, worried about car bombs, had fired up to 10 bullets each at that car. Its driver was killed. Several bullets accidentally struck the Arabiya car. "The soldiers were acting within the rules of engagement," he said. "At this point this is seen as an accident..."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=410085&contrassID=1&subContrassID=8&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y


Maimed Ali's story told in book
Proceeds from the book will go towards a trust fund for his care. Ali was 12 when a coalition bombing raid killed his parents and 13 other members of his family on 31 March last year, leaving him close to death.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3579845.stm