Tag: palestine

JERUSALEM – What led the Middle East hit parade this week was less the chords struck harmoniously at the White House Tuesday by two deft diplomatic dancers than the slick dance routine performed by a squad of Israeli soldiers patrolling the streets of the occupied Palestinian city of Hebron. Israeli Television collated scores of reports … Continue reading “Obama, Netanyahu Out of Step With the Peace Beat”

Ayed Morrar is just one man. A quiet man, of small stature, whose kind but intense eyes look out from behind wire-rimmed glasses. But he is a man who has become the face of the Palestinian non-violent resistance movement. Morrar is the central figure in the recently released film Budrus, about the people of the … Continue reading “One West Bank Town’s ‘Unarmed Courage’”

SILWAN, East Jerusalem — The sound of stun grenades and gunfire resounded through this embattled Palestinian neighborhood. Amidst increased tension over plans to tighten Israel’s grip over the occupied eastern part of the city, Israeli border police and Palestinian youths confronted each other all through Sunday night. Dozens of Palestinians were wounded, mostly from tear … Continue reading “Talks Hit a Rock Called East Jerusalem”

BRUSSELS — Talks aimed at reaching an intelligence-sharing agreement between the European Union and Israel have skirted around the location of Israel’s national police headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem. In 2005, the EU decided that Europol, its law enforcement office, should negotiate a formal cooperation agreement with Israel. Although Europol stated last year that a … Continue reading “When the Police Have an Illegal Headquarters”

SHEIKH SA’AD, East Jerusalem — A traffic light, yet no traffic at all. In fact, a traffic light… for pedestrians only. And even they move little. There are restrictions on walking out of this village (pop. 3,000). The 1,200 villagers who carry Palestinian identity papers have no way of crossing the barrier to leave the … Continue reading “This Light Is Always Red”

RAMALLAH – "Where is my daddy? Why is he not coming home? I want my daddy," sobs seven-year-old Yasmin, her big blue eyes filling with tears. She wakes up crying every night. "My life only began when I met him. I will never meet such a wonderful man again," Yasmin’s mother Moira Julani tells IPS.  … Continue reading “Israelis Keep the Trigger Tight”

JERUSALEM – Israel’s easing of its land blockade of Gaza is unlikely to lessen international pressure for a change in its policies towards the Palestinians. Nor can Israel be expected to give up its battle to undermine Hamas’ control of the Gaza Strip. On Thursday, a fortnight after the Israeli navy’s deadly raid on a … Continue reading “Israel Navigates Between Inquiries”

Israel’s announcement Thursday that it would ease the restrictions on goods entering Gaza has been received by NGOs and the international community as a move in the right direction, but as not going far enough in lifting the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip. Details of the plan have not been fully disclosed but Israeli … Continue reading “Israeli Concessions on Gaza Fall Short of a New Policy”