Eli Clifton

New York Mets Urged to Cut Ties with Israeli Group

A coalition of 11 U.S., Israeli and Palestinian groups are calling on the New York Mets baseball team to cancel a fundraiser by the "violent and racist" Israeli Hebron Fund which is scheduled to be held at the Mets’ stadium, Citi Field, on Nov. 21. The Hebron Fund participates in "the raising of capital for … Continue reading “New York Mets Urged to Cut Ties with Israeli Group”

Rights Groups Condemn Bid to Quash Goldstone Report

International human rights groups have raised concern over a proposed non-binding resolution in the U.S. House Representatives which would call on the White House to oppose any future endorsement or consideration of Judge Richard Goldstone’s "Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict." The Goldstone Report, which detailed the laws-of-war violations … Continue reading “Rights Groups Condemn Bid to Quash Goldstone Report”

US Govt Report Adds to Pressure for Sri Lanka War Crimes Probe

The U.S. State Department released a report Thursday detailing possible violations of the laws of war in Sri Lanka during the first half of 2009, adding to pressure for an independent, international investigation into alleged atrocities committed by government forces and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) separatists. "The government of Sri Lanka has said … Continue reading “US Govt Report Adds to Pressure for Sri Lanka War Crimes Probe”

Pro-Israel Group’s Money Trail Veers Hard Right

StandWithUs — an "organization that ensures that Israel’s side of the story is told" — has become increasingly aggressive in challenging the "pro-Israel" credentials of moderate Jewish-American groups, going so far as to suggest that receiving money from Arab donors and supporters of Human Rights Watch undermines a group’s commitment to Israel and peace. J … Continue reading “Pro-Israel Group’s Money Trail Veers Hard Right”

Security Council Urged to Take Up Gaza War

Pressure has been building on the UN Security Council to address the impact of the Gaza war on civilians in advance of its meeting Wednesday to discuss the Middle East. "The Security Council has a historic opportunity to uphold the principle of civilian protection and promote regional peace," said Steve Crawshaw, UN advocacy director at … Continue reading “Security Council Urged to Take Up Gaza War”

Poll Finds Iranian Support for Nuclear Power, Not Weapons

A poll released Tuesday shows that Iranians are still strongly in favor of continuing their government’s nuclear program, but are open to compromises which would permit uranium enrichment while allowing international inspectors access to ensure that no bomb-making activities are taking place if sanctions are dropped. Meanwhile, Iran hawks in the United States are pushing … Continue reading “Poll Finds Iranian Support for Nuclear Power, Not Weapons”

J Street’s Muslim Funding for Peace

News reports and right-wing blogs have been repeating reports which claim that Muslims and Arabs are among the donors to the J Street political action committee (PAC) which lobbies American policymakers to work on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and helps raise campaign funds for candidates who share the views of J Street … Continue reading “J Street’s Muslim Funding for Peace”

Obama Seeks to Block Release of Abuse Photos

The United States Supreme Court will hear the U.S. government’s appeal on a lower-court ruling requiring the release of photos showing the abuse of prisoners held in overseas facilities. The government is appealing a 2008 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit which ruled that the government must release the photos … Continue reading “Obama Seeks to Block Release of Abuse Photos”

New Israeli Plan to Warn Civilians of Impending Attacks

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is taking new measures to warn Palestinian civilians about impending aerial attacks. This comes in response to questions raised over whether Israel had complied with international laws during its 2006 war in Lebanon and the Gaza offensive earlier this year. Human rights groups have expressed concern that pamphlets dropped by … Continue reading “New Israeli Plan to Warn Civilians of Impending Attacks”

Neocon Lobby Group Loses Its Angel

HONG KONG – The right-wing US advocacy group Freedom’s Watch is reportedly shutting down as its main funder, Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, becomes one of the high-profile casualties of the global economic downturn. Freedom’s Watch, which according to the Las Vegas Review Journal, has scheduled huge staff layoffs for the end of December, was one … Continue reading “Neocon Lobby Group Loses Its Angel”