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ISRAEL
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 PALESTINIAN FLAG FLIES OFFICIALLY
FOR FIRST TIME IN WDC
PLO Ambassador to U.S. Hails Flag Raising as Step Towards Statehood
By DEVIN DWYER - WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2011 - The Palestinian
flag was flown for the first time outside PLO diplomatic offices
in Washington today, in a symbolic step that officials said shows
momentum towards creation of an independent Palestinian state.
PLO-Israeli Peace ProcessAmbassador Maen Areikat unfurled the
red, green, white and black banner from a balcony above the office
entrance to a round of applause from supporters. He hailed the
moment as historic.
- "It's about time that this flag that symbolizes the
struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination and
statehood to be raised in the U.S.," Areikat said. "We
hope that this will help international efforts to provide recognition
of the Palestinian state and we hope that, as President Obama
said at the U.N. General Assembly last year, by the next General
Assembly session this year in September, Palestine will be a
full member of the U.N."
- Palestinian leaders have been intensely lobbying members
of the U.N. for official recognition this year despite U.S. opposition
and the threat of a veto. The U.S. has said Palestinian statehood
should come as part of a peace deal with Israel.
- Still, Areikat praised the Obama administration for a small,
if symbolic, gesture that reflects improved diplomatic relations
and a U.S. commitment to help promote the goal of a Palestinian
state.
- "It means the administration is serious," he said
of the U.S. permission to fly the flag. "What we are urging
them now is to translate their support for a Palestinian state
into concrete action." Continued:
- http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/palestinians-raise-flag-plo-offices-us-time/story?id=12638656
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THE REGION REVOLUTIONS, WALK-OUTS AND FATWAS
- By BARRY RUBIN - Jerusalem Post - 01/16/2011
 In Egypt, an extraordinarily important
fatwa has been issued by Dr. Imad Mustafa, of al-Azhar University,
the world's most important Islamic university.
- He began by stating the well-known do ctrine of "defensive
jihad," that is Muslims must go to war against infidels
who attack them. Of course, the word "attack" is often
spread rather thinly to justify aggression.
- But now Mustafa has publicly and explicitly come up with
a new concept, one that up until now was supposedly restricted
to groups like al-Qaida: "Then there is another type of
fighting against the non- Muslims known as offensive jihad...
which is to pursue the infidels into their own land without any
aggression [on their part]...
- "Two schools [of Islamic jurisprudence] have ruled that
offensive jihad is permissible in order to secure Islam's border,
to extend God's religion to people in cases where the governments
do not allow it, such as the Pharaoh did with the children of
Israel, and to remove every religion but Islam from the Arabian
peninsula."
- What does it mean about extending "God's religion,"
i.e., Islam? On the surface, "wh ere the governments do
not allow it" and the reference to Pharaoh seem to imply
the complete prohibition of Islam. Continued:
- http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=203876
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- GUY RODGERS AND BRIGITTE GABRIEL ON THE SET
- “ACT! for America,” which will be aired in over
190 markets on ALN and Family Net.
- Recently we have seen two noteworthy developments from the
world of jihad. Inspire, al Qaida’s English language magazine,
issued a call for plundering the wealth of the West to finance
jihad as well as presenting new strategies to carry out violent
jihad. A Jerusalem Post article below reports that Dr. Imad Mustafa,
of al-Azhar University, has issued a fatwa sanctioning “offensive
jihad.” ACT! for America’s new television program,
which premieres February 5th, will be addressing topics such
as sharia law, the Muslim Brotherhood, and jihad. It will air
on Family Net at 2:30 PM ET on February 5th, and ALN at 4:00
PM ET. The two networks combined have penetration into over 190
markets. Please check your local listings. It will also be available
to view online. Please spread the word!
- http://www.actforamerica.org/index.php/learn/recent-news
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- U.N. RESOLUTION ON ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS PUTS OBAMA IN A DIPLOMATIC
BIND
By Tony Karon Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011
It was always going to be a struggle for the U.S. to dissuade
its Arab allies from going ahead with a U.N. Security Council
resolution condemning Israeli settlements. But last week's "people
power" rebellion in Tunisia has made Washington's effort
to lobby against the plan more difficult. Tunisia has given the
autocratic leaders of countries such as Egypt and Jordan more
reason to fear their own people. For those regimes, symbolically
challenging unconditional U.S. support for Israel is a low-cost
gesture that will play well on restive streets.
- Going ahead with the resolution, which was discussed on Wednesday
at the Security Council and demands an immediate halt to all
Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem,
is, of course, a vote of no-confidence in U.S. peacemaking efforts.
And it creates a headache for the Obama Administration over whether
to invoke the U.S. veto — as Washington has traditionally
done on Council resolutions critical of Israel. The twist this
time: the substance of the resolution largely echoes the Administration's
own stated positions.
- Washington had hoped that signaling its intention to veto
such a resolution would force the Palestinians and their Arab
backers to hold it back. But they went ahead and placed it on
the Council's agenda (a vote is unlikely for a few more weeks),
putting the U.S. on the spot. After all, the Obama Administration
has demanded that Israel end settlement construction to allow
peace talks to go forward. After a 10-month partial moratorium
expired last September, Israel resumed vigorous construction,
and has resisted pressure from Washington for any further freeze.
U.S. Deputy U.N. Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo said on Wednesday
that the U.S. opposed bringing the settlement issue to the Council
"because such action moves us no closer to a goal of a negotiated
final settlement" and could even undermine progress toward
it. But that argument is unlikely to convince most of the international
community, given the obvious stalemate in the peace process —
there are no negotiations under way, and the Palestinians have
refused to restart them until Israel halts its settlement construction.
Initial responses at the Security Council reflect unanimous international
support for the demand that Israel stop building settlements.
If a vote were held today, the U.S. would be the only possible
nay. Continued: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2043326,00.html
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 ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN
NETANYAHU HAS CALLED FOR "A CREDIBLE MILITARY OPTION AGAINST
IRAN TO FORCE TEHRAN TO END ITS NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM
- On Tuesday, Netanyahu said that military action should be
taken by the international community and headed by the United
States.
- "You have to ratchet up the pressure and… I don't
think that this pressure will be sufficient to have this regime
change course without a credible military option that is put
before them by the international community led by the United
States," he stated.
- He went on to say that sanctions are not enough to stop Iran's
nuclear energy program, and they should be backed by some military
action. He has made similar bellicose remarks in the past, but
they were always rejected by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
Netanyahu made the comments a week after Tehran announced Iran's
nuclear sites were being opened to envoys representing "geographical
and political groups" in the Vienna-based International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The invitation came ahead of the
multifaceted talks between Iran and the P5+1 group — Britain,
China, France, Russia, the United States, and Germany —
that are scheduled to be held in Turkey from January 21 to 22.
Iran and the P5+1 group wrapped up two days of comprehensive
talks in Geneva on December 7, during which the two sides agreed
to hold the next round of negotiations in Turkey.
- Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili
represented Iran at the talks and EU foreign policy chief Catherine
Ashton represented the P5+1 group. The UN Security Council imposed
a fourth round of sanctions on Iran last year. But Tehran says
sanctions have failed to hamper its efforts to master peaceful
nuclear technology.
- And the IAEA continues to conduct regular inspections and
camera surveillance of Iran's nuclear facilities.
- Iranian officials say the talks provide an opportunity to
display Iran's policy of nuclear transparency to the international
community. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/159762.html
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- DOCUMENTS ON ISRAEL-PA TALKS LEAKED
 Mon Jan 24, 2011
- (note the handshake)
- US President Barack Obama (C) watches acting PA Chief Mahmoud
Abbas (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shaking
hands (file photo).
- More than 16,000 controversial documents on allegedly secret
talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) between
2000 and 2010 have been leaked.
- The documents, released by Al-Jazeera TV on Sunday, maintain
that the PA secretly agreed to concede almost all of the occupied
East al-Quds (Jerusalem) to Israel. The leak alleges that the
unprecedented proposal is just one of a string of concessions
offered by the PA. The report said it has 16,076 confidential
records of meetings, emails and communications between the Palestinian
Authority, Israeli and US leaders. According to the report, PA
leaders were privately tipped off about Israel's 2008-9 war in
Gaza, which killed over 1,400 Palestinians and injured thousands
of others. The documents also maintain that Palestinian Authority's
chief negotiator Saeb Erekat proposed that al-Quds' Old City
be divided, but he immediately denied he had made the offer.
- In May 2008, the PA negotiator at the time, Ahmed Qureia,
had proposed that Israel annex all illegal settlements in East
al-Quds except Har Homa (Jabal Abu Ghneim), in a bid to reach
a final deal. "This is the first time in history that we
make such a proposition," he reportedly said, pointing out
that this was a bigger concession than made at Camp David talks
in 2000. Meanwhile, other files show how the PA allegedly agreed
to allow only 10,000 Palestinian refugees to return to their
homes and a total of 100,000 over a ten-year period. Since 1967,
Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East al-Quds and
has settled close to 500,000 Jews in more than 100 illegal settlements.
Many of the leaked documents are expected to be published by
the UK daily Guardian newspaper over the coming days. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/161643.html
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ISRAEL BLACKLISTS 163 FOREIGN CHARITIES SUSPECTED OF SUPPORTING
TERRORISM
- Preventing terrorism funds from infiltrating 12.01.11 - Haaretz.com
Israel is one of the goals of the Israel Money Laundering and
Terror Financing Prohibition Authority. By Chaim Levinson
- The Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition
Authority has located 163 organizations contaminated with funds
related to terrorism over the past three years, and issued specific
orders prohibiting receiving money from them, Defense Ministry
data shows. Preventing terrorism funds from infiltrating Israel
is one of the authority's stated goals, no matter for what purpose
the funds are being transferred. The organization's investigators
are in contact with similar international organizations in the
UN and the United States, and their list totals 352 organizations.
Bans issued by the authority are signed by either the defense
minister or the security cabinet. The proposed parliamentary
committees of inquiry are meant to investigate the overseas financial
sources of organizations allegedly damaging to Israeli soldiers,
and check whether these sources are connected to terrorism. But
it seems the authority has already done much of the committee's
work.
- For instance, the authority banned Israeli organizations
from receiving money from Interpal, a British charity which says
its aim is to provide Palestinians with humanitarian aid and
meet their basic needs. The organization has a turnover of 5
million pounds a year. After a number of investigations on suspicion
of serving as a channel for funding for Hamas, Interpal was blacklisted
in Israel and is no longer allowed to hold activities in the
country or transfer funds to Israel, and activists belonging
to the organization will be arrested if they arrive here. The
Charity Commission for England and Wales found Israel provided
no proof that Interpal was connected to terrorism, but ordered
the charity to break contact with a number of other organizations.
Continued: http://www.haaretz.com/
- print-edition/news/israel-blacklists-163-foreign-charities-suspected-of-supporting-terrorism-1.336492
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PALESTINIANS BUILDING KNOCKED DOWN BY ISRAELI BULLDOZERS
Big News Network.com Monday 10th January, 2011 - Israeli bulldozers
have destroyed part of a building in occupied East Jerusalem
to erect new homes for Jewish settlers. The Shepherd's Hotel
complex was knocked down on the weekend, despite objections from
the Palestinian Authority and the United States. The Palestinian
president's office said the demolition had ended the possibility
of peace talks resuming. The former hotel complex was in the
heart of Sheikh Jarrah, a suburb of Arab East Jerusalem. The
hotel was owned by a Jewish-American man.
- Both Israel and the Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their
future capital. Israel has said it will continue to build anywhere
in Jerusalem. http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=729524
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PUBLIC UNREST SIMMERING ACROSS THE ARAB WORLD
 Unrest has continued
to spread across North Africa and the Middle East with demonstrators
in Yemen on Saturday demanding the resignation of President Ali
Abdullah Saleh, while riot police in Algeria clashed with demonstrators,
injuring dozens.
- The demonstrations in Yemen appear to have been inspired
by the public revolt that took place in Tunisia, leading to the
resignation of Ben Ali, who had ruled the country for more than
twenty years.
- Yemeni President Saleh has been in power for 32 years and
is accused of overseeing a government riddled by corruption and
mismanagement. Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East,
is running out of water and is also one of the most restrictive,
with few political freedoms.
- Public demonstrations against the president and his government
have been rare, however, a line few dared cross.
- The protest at the University of Sanaa, attended by 2,500
activists, students and opposition groups, was therefore unprecedented,
not only in its size but also in its brazen demands, calling
for President Saleh to resign and comparing him mockingly to
the former president of Tunisia, Ben Ali. “Get out, get
out, Ali,” chanted the crowd. “Join your friend, Ben
Ali!” Organisers of the protest have called for a revolution
in the impoverished, authoritarian state, vowing to continue
their protest and march down the streets of the capital to the
presidential palace at “the heart” of the capital city.
Continued: http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=735037&ht=Public-unrest-simmering-across-the-Arab-world
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AL-JAZEERA REPORTER ASKED TO REMOVE BRA BY SHIN BET --
- Embarrassment during PM Benjamin Netanyahu's annual foreign
correspondents' toast 12 Jan 2011 An al-Jazeera reporter based
in Israel was asked to remove her bra by Shin Bet personnel during
a security check at the entrance to the event hall in Jerusalem.
The reporter refused to comply and was not allowed into to the
hall. Other reporters, including Turkish correspondents, complained
of extremely meticulous security inspections that they claimed
were humiliating. Continued: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4012438,00.html
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LIEBERMAN: LEAKED PALESTINIAN PAPERS PROVE INTERIM DEAL ONLY
OPTION
- Photo by: Tomer Appelbaum Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman
 Published 11:36 24.01.11 - By
Haaretz Service - FM says even 'the most left-wing government
of Olmert and Livni' could not reach permanent peace agreement
with the Palestinians.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday that leaked Palestinian
documents detailing fruitless negotiations with Israel prove
that the only solution to the conflict between the two sides
is a long-term interim agreement, such as his own proposal for
a Palestinian state.
- The documents on the peace process were leaked to the Qatar-based
Al-Jazeera satellite channel and also published by the British
newspaper the Guardian; Al-Jazeera said Sunday that it has received
as many as 1,600 Palestinian documents. The documents purportedly
reveal how the Palestinians agreed to compromise on key issues,
such as sovereignty in Jerusalem and the right of return for
Palestinian refugees, during peace talks with the government
of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in 2008. Palestinian negotiators
have attempted to downplay the impact of the leaked documents,
saying many of them have been fabricated. Continued: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-
- defense/lieberman-leaked-palestinian-papers-prove-interim-deal-is-only-option-1.338872
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'PALESTINIANS AGREED TO CEDE NEARLY ALL JEWISH AREAS OF EAST
JERUSALEM
Newly leaked documents reveal series of concessions made to Israel
by PA negotiators; East Jerusalem offer was rejected as it didn't
include settlements deeper in West Bank.
By Barak Ravid - Published 02:48 24.01.11 - Palestinian negotiators
secretly agreed to concede almost all Jewish areas of East Jerusalem
to Israel, the Guardian newspaper and Al-Jazeera TV reported
on Saturday. As many as 1,600 Palestinian documents on peace
talks with Israel, obtained by Al Jazeera TV and given to the
Guardian, covering more than a decade of exchanges, provide a
unique look into the breakdown of the peace process.
- The biggest leak of confidential documents in the history
of the conflict has revealed that Palestinian negotiators secretly
agreed to accept Israel's annexation of all but one of the neighborhoods,
Har Homa, built in East Jerusalem.
- This was one in a series of concessions made to Israel by
Palestinian negotiators in an effort to move closer to independent
statehood. The documents give the impression of a weakened Palestinian
Authority and growing desperation among its leaders because of
impasses in talks and the growing strength of Hamas. Cotinued:
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/palestinians-agreed-to-cede-nearly-all-jewish-areas-of-eastjerusalem-1.338785
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