Tag: palestine

Mideast Peace Plan May Yet Survive New Twists

JERUSALEM — U.S. President Obama’s Middle East engagement policy reverses the unsuccessful policy of his predecessor, but the U.S. is again committing faux pas aplenty. Yet, for all the uncomplimentary ways in which the President’s strategy is now viewed by many in the region, perhaps all is not lost yet. The sorry state of the … Continue reading “Mideast Peace Plan May Yet Survive New Twists”

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”

Palestinians File Lawsuits Over Gaza War

RAMALLAH — As the legal and moral implications of the UN Goldstone report on Israel’s military assault on Gaza continue to mount, Gazans are taking matters into their own hands and preparing civil lawsuits. The Israeli defense ministry’s prosecution department has received about 1,500 notices of future civil lawsuits against the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) … Continue reading “Palestinians File Lawsuits Over Gaza War”

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”

At Olive Harvest, Rabbis Take on Settlers

AWARTA, West Bank — Away from the media spotlight that focuses on the widening chasm between Israelis and Palestinians, a group of Israeli humanists is quietly working to break down barriers with their Palestinian neighbors. Rabbi Arik Ascherman, director of Israel’s Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR), has been used as a human shield, arrested, and … Continue reading “At Olive Harvest, Rabbis Take on Settlers”

Turkey-Israel Rift Good for Palestine

RAMALLAH – Turkey’s cooling relationship with Israel comes in tandem with its improving relations with the Arab and Muslim world, and this development is expected to impact positively on Palestinian politics. "The Turks appear to be implementing a major policy shift in the region as they look towards the East as a possible alternative to … Continue reading “Turkey-Israel Rift Good for Palestine”

US Berated for Shielding Israel on Gaza Killings

A U.S. decision to stall Security Council action against Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas for war crimes during the 22-day conflict in Gaza last December has come under heavy fire both from inside and outside the United Nations. Addressing the Security Council Wednesday, the chair of the 118-member Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ambassador Maged … Continue reading “US Berated for Shielding Israel on Gaza Killings”

US Strategy in Doubt as Abbas Loses Popular Support

Just two months ago, many western commentators were jubilant that Mahmoud Abbas, the U.S.-supported head of both the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the interim Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA), was making a comeback and reducing the influence in Palestinian society of the Islamist movement Hamas. But a series of events in recent weeks has sent … Continue reading “US Strategy in Doubt as Abbas Loses Popular Support”

Unrest Rising Over Goldstone Report

RAMALLAH – The Palestinian Authority (PA) is trying desperately to contain the political fallout following its decision to withdraw support for a UN report into war crimes committed in Gaza in December and January. The UN Security Council had been due to vote last Friday on a resolution that would have condemned Israel’s failure to … Continue reading “Unrest Rising Over Goldstone Report”

Mideast ‘Peace Partners’ Finally Taking Off Their Gloves

JERUSALEM — Amazingly, just when all four parties — the U.S., its allies in the Arab world, the Palestinian Authority, and Israel — seemed to have hit rock bottom in terms of the prospects of moving the region away from conflict and towards peace, all of a sudden everything seems to be pointing in the … Continue reading “Mideast ‘Peace Partners’ Finally Taking Off Their Gloves”