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Sick Palestinians 'asked to spy'
Israeli security agents are putting pressure on some Palestinian medical patients to become informants, according to a human rights group.
Physicians for Human Rights says it has documented about 30 cases of people from Gaza being denied treatment for not providing information.
The Tel Aviv-based group says this breaches international law.
An Israeli official dismissed the claims, saying patients were only questioned as a security measure.
The report says that Palestinian patients have "become an accessible and important target for the GSS [General Security Services] for the purposes of recruiting and gathering information".
The group cites cases in which patients were summoned for questioning and others where patients did not come to a crossing for fear of being arrested.
Read more... Israeli security agents are putting pressure on some Palestinian medical patients to become informants, according to a human rights gr... more -
Gaza fugitives 'to be sent back'
A group of 188 Palestinians granted refuge in Israel amid deadly fighting between rivals Hamas and Fatah are to be returned to Gaza, Israel says.
The men, members of a clan allied to Fatah, were allowed into Israel after fighting left nine dead on Saturday. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads Fatah, told Israel not to transfer them to the West Bank, as he had earlier requested. At least 32 have already been returned to Gaza, Israeli officials have said.
Israel's military says 22 of those who crossed the border were taken to hospitals in Israel for medical treatment. Israel opened the border after both Egypt and President Abbas asked for the men to be allowed in. Israel also agreed to an initial request by Palestinian Authority leaders to send the men to the West Bank.
Read and view more... A group of 188 Palestinians granted refuge in Israel amid deadly fighting between rivals Hamas and Fatah are to be returned to Gaza, I... more -
Top Fatah officials held in Gaza
A number of top representatives of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas have been arrested in the Gaza Strip, officials from his Fatah movement say.
Fatah officials Ibrahim Abu Naja and Zakaria Agha were among those detained as part of a continuing Hamas crackdown following a coastal bombing last week.
Mr Abbas appointed the two men to run Fatah in Gaza when the Islamist Hamas seized control of the area in 2007.
Fatah says dozens of its men are being held, but Hamas has not given a number.
A Hamas spokesman said the latest arrests were in response to the detentions of Hamas men in the West Bank.
Read more... A number of top representatives of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas have been arrested in the Gaza Strip, officials from his Fatah mov... more -
Abbas sets Hamas detainees free
Mr Abbas's Fatah faction moved against its militant rival Hamas after about 200 Fatah supporters were arrested in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Mr Abbas says that they too should now be released.
Hamas insists the arrests were part of its investigation into a bombing which killed five of its members and a child.
The six were killed by a bomb which went off inside a car travelling past a beach where people were enjoying a day by the sea.
"President Abbas has ordered his security officials to free all the Hamas militants arrested in recent days in the West Bank," a statement from his office read. Mr Abbas's Fatah faction moved against its militant rival Hamas after about 200 Fatah supporters were arrested in the Hamas-contr... more -
What Obama missed in the Middle East
Every aspect of Obama's visit to Palestine-Israel this week has seemed designed to further appease pro-Israel groups. Typically for an American aspirant to high office, he visited the Israeli Holocaust memorial and the Western Wall. He met the full spectrum of Israeli Jewish (though not Israeli Arab) political leaders. He traveled to the Israeli Jewish town of Sderot, which until last month's ceasefire, frequently experienced rockets from the Gaza Strip. At every step, Obama warmly professed his support for Israel and condemned Palestinian violence.
Other than a cursory 45-minute visit to occupied Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinians got little. According to an Abbas aide, Obama provided assurances that he would be "a constructive partner in the peace process." Some observers took comfort in his promise that he would get engaged "starting from the minute I'm sworn into office." Obama remained silent on the issue of Jerusalem, after boldly promising the "undivided" city to Israel as its capital in a speech to AIPAC last month, and then appearing to backtrack amid a wave of outrage across the Arab world.
But Obama missed the opportunity to visit Palestinian refugee camps, schools and even shopping malls to witness first-hand the devastation caused by the Israeli army and settlers, or to see how Palestinians cope under what many call "apartheid." This year alone, almost 500 Palestinians, including over 70 children, have been killed by the Israeli army -- exceeding the total for 2007 and dwarfing the two-dozen Israelis killed in conflict-related violence.
Obama said nothing about Israel's relentless expansion of colonies on occupied land. Nor did he follow the courageous lead of former President Jimmy Carter and meet with the democratically elected Hamas leaders, even though Israel negotiated a ceasefire with them. That such steps are inconceivable shows how off-balance is the US debate on Palestine.
Many people I talk to are resigned to the conventional wisdom that aspiring national politicians cannot afford to be seen as sympathetic to the concerns of Palestinians, Arabs or Muslims. They still hope that, if elected, Obama would display an even-handedness absent in the campaign.
Without entirely foreclosing the possibility of change in US policy, the reality is that the political pressures evident in a campaign do not magically disappear once the campaign is over. Nor is all change necessarily for the better.
Whoever is elected will face a rapidly changing situation in Palestine-Israel. A number of shifts are taking place simultaneously. First, the consensus supporting the two-state solution is disintegrating as Israeli colonies have rendered it unachievable. Second, the traditional Palestinian national leadership is being eclipsed by new movements including Hamas. And, as western and Arab governments become more craven in the face of Israeli human rights violations, a Palestinian-led campaign modeled on the anti-apartheid strategy of boycott, divestment and sanctions is building global civil society support. Finally, the demographic shift in Palestine-Israel toward an absolute Palestinian majority in all of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be complete in the next three to five years.
Making peace in this new reality will take leaders ready to listen and talk to all sides in the conflict and to consider alternatives to the moribund two-state solution, such as power-sharing, confederation or a single democratic state. It will require, above all, the courage, imagination and political will to challenge the status quo of Israeli domination and Palestinian dispossession that has led to ever more violence with each passing year. Every aspect of Obama's visit to Palestine-Israel this week has seemed designed to further appease pro-Israel groups. Typically f... more -
Barack Obama, Pro-Israeli
Barack Obama said he spoke as a "true friend" of Israel.
Arab leaders have reacted with anger and disbelief to an intensely pro-Israeli speech delivered by Barack Obama, the US Democratic presumptive presidential nominee.
Obama told the influential annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Council (Aipac): "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided."
His comments appalled Palestinians who see occupied East Jerusalem as part of a future Palestinian state.
Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, told Al Jazeera on Thursday: "This is the worst thing to happen to us since 1967 ... he has given ammunition to extremists across the region".
"What really disppoints me is that someone like Barack Obama, who runs a campaign on the theme of change - when it comes to Aipac and what's needed to be said differently about the Palestinian state, he fails."
"I say to Obama ... please stop being more Israeli than the Israelis themselves, leave the Israelis and Palestinians alone to make decisions required for peace."
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, rejected the statement, saying: "We will not accept an independent Palestinian state without having Jerusalem as the capital.
"I believe that case is clear." Barack Obama said he spoke as a "true friend" of Israel. ... more -
Bush to meet Palestinians in Egypt
President George W. Bush is in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt today where he will meet Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and address the World Economic Forum on the Middle East.
Many Palestinians are upset that Bush not been more vocal in calling for the creation of an independent Palestinian state in the months following the Annapolis Peace Talks last November. President George W. Bush is in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt today where he will meet Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and address the Wor... more -
Cheney to meet Abbas in bid to revive peace efforts
US Vice President Dick Cheney is set to meet in the West Bank Sunday with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and prime minister Salam Fayyad as part of an Easter weekend bid to revive peace efforts.
Cheney, who met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday, promised an "unshakeable" defense of Israel's security whilst assuring Palestinians of US "goodwill", as he renewed efforts to secure a peace deal before US President George W. Bush's term ends in January 2009. US Vice President Dick Cheney is set to meet in the West Bank Sunday with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and prime minister Salam... more -
Hamas lays down 'temporary' ceasefire conditions
According to reports, the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians could be close to a temporary resolution after Hamas has set out their 'conditions' for a ceasefire.
The ceasefire will see an end to the Gaza and West Bank violence as well as the reopening of Gaza border crossings, with speculation that the ceasefire could foster invaluable progress in the US-brokered peace talks.
The violence in the area has declined dramatically in the past week following months of 'offensive' attacks from both sides, but although the attacks have subsided, there has still been no 'direct' contact between the two opposing sides.
Hamas has spoken out about the impending ceasefire, but insisted that cooperation is expected in every sense:
"There must be a commitment by Israel to end all acts of aggression against our people, assassinations, killings and raids, and lift the (Gaza) siege and reopen the crossings."
The specifics of any 'permanent' ceasefire seem unclear at the moment. Egyptian officials have been mediating talks, but if the negotiations exclude Hamas, the long-term solution may be a long way off. According to reports, the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians could be close to a temporary resolution after Hamas has set out ... more -
Abbas, Rice says give peace a chance
Condi Rice is in the Middle East trying to restart peace talks that are clearly on the fritz with the ongoing clashes between Hamas-controlled Gaza and Israel. In their joint press-conference, Abbas stopped short of calling for a resumption of the talks, essentially implying that the violence between Israel and Hamas needs to stop before any talks will be possible. Abbas is a member of the Fatah party, but clearly Hamas will need to be on board with any peace plan. Condi Rice is in the Middle East trying to restart peace talks that are clearly on the fritz with the ongoing clashes between Hamas-co... more
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Israel pulls troops from Gaza
The Israeli army is withdrawing its troops from the Gaza Strip as military operations there are 'winding down'. This comes after almost a week of intense Israeli assaults on the territory which killed more than 100 people. Hamas has called this welcomed withdrawal a 'victory' for Palestine, and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has suspended all contact with Israel over the attacks.
This spate of violence prompted international outcry, and was condemned by EU officials and the UN. The Israeli army is withdrawing its troops from the Gaza Strip as military operations there are 'winding down'. This comes a... more -
First suicide bombing to hit Israel in over a year
A suicide bomber blew himself up in the southern town of Dimona, killing at least one, possibly as many as 3, and injuring about 10 others. A violent offshoot of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party claimed responsibility for the attack. It is the first suicide attack in over a year. Investigators are trying to determine whether the attacker came via Egypt when the Gaza-Egypt border was breached last month. A suicide bomber blew himself up in the southern town of Dimona, killing at least one, possibly as many as 3, and injuring about 10 ot... more
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Parties find accord on bargaining plan
Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed Tuesday to immediately resume long-stalled talks toward creating an independent Palestinian state by the end of next year, using a U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference to launch their first negotiations in seven years.
In a joint statement read by President Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pledged to start discussions on the core issues of the conflict next month and accepted the United States as arbiter of interim steps. Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed Tuesday to immediately resume long-stalled talks toward creating an independent Palestinian sta... more -
Israel Agrees to Release 441 Prisoners
They've also said they won't build any new settlements in the West Bank. The US wanted to say they'd stop construction on exiting sites, but no luck with that yet.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are scheduled to meet in Annapolis, Maryland next week. Olmert sees it as a ceremonial launching point for new negotiations, while Abbas had been hoping to hammer out a new agreement towards peace in the meetings.
I'm with Abbas - enough ceremony already, let's get this peace thing going!
And keep in mind, while 441 may seem like a lot...Israel is holding about 9,000 prisoners. They've also said they won't build any new settlements in the West Bank. The US wanted to say they'd stop construction... more -
Palestinian Prisoner Release
Israel freed 57 Palestinian prisoners, most of them members of the Fatah party and none from Hamas, as a gesture to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas and Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert are working on a peace plan that would establish a Palestinian state, and hopefully, finally, bring peace to the region. Israel has about 11,000 Palestinians in custody. Israel freed 57 Palestinian prisoners, most of them members of the Fatah party and none from Hamas, as a gesture to bolster Palestinia... more
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Peace in the Middle East?
Mahmoud Abbas is saying he expects a peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians could be signed by as early as Mid May, 2008. Abbas expects final questions over the status of Palestinian territories to be resolved at an international peace conference scheduled for November 15, 2007, and said all other details should be ironed out within 6 months of that meeting. The question is whether whatever is decided upon in November and in the following six months will be considered sufficient by Hamas. Abbas is a member of rival party Fatah, and so far, Hamas has remained critical of Abbas' work with Israel. Mahmoud Abbas is saying he expects a peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians could be signed by as early as Mid May, 2008. A... more
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"Armed Resistance" no longer a part of Palestinian Government's pla...
This is good. It's a bit troubling that any government would actually incorporate the idea and principal of armed resistance in the core of what they stand for. But of course, in so doing, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is widening the gap between his more moderate Fatah party, and Hamas, who still controls Gaza. This is good. It's a bit troubling that any government would actually incorporate the idea and principal of armed resistance in ... more
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Israel Releases More than 250 Palestinian Prisoners
The release was intended to be a boost for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but since most of the prisoners were from his Fatah party, as predicted, his Hamas opponents say it doesn't count for much. The release was intended to be a boost for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but since most of the prisoners were from his Fatah pa... more
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Mahmoud Abbas
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Mahmoud Abbas
