Israeli diplomat says Jerusalem was the Jewish capital when "London was a swamp"

Thursday, 29 September 2011 21:35

One day after Britain condemned Israel's latest plans to build new illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, the former Israeli ambassador to the UK said defiantly that Jerusalem was the capital of the Jewish people "when London was still a swamp". Ron Prosor is the current Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement on Wednesday 28 September, "I condemn today's news that the Government of Israel is advancing plans for 780 new settlement housing units, with an option of an additional 600 units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Mordot Gilo. This is a time when all parties should be striving to return to talks and responding to the Quartet statement call to refrain from provocative actions. Settlement expansion is illegal under international law, corrodes trust and undermines the basic principle of land for peace. We call on the Government of Israel to revoke this decision."

Speaking from UN headquarters, Prosor responded: "The housing units which Israel announced yesterday are located in Jerusalem about which we are ready to negotiate with other final status topics. We will sit with the Palestinians and negotiate about everything without pre-conditions... Jerusalem, I would like to stress, that is the capital of the Jewish people. This is our heart. Jerusalem, if I may say so, was the capital of the Jewish people when London was still a swamp." He added, "The Palestinians and Israelis conducted direct negotiations when they concluded the Oslo accord and the role of all countries including the United States was secondary."

Asked if Israel has been in contact with countries such as Nigeria, Gabon, Serbia and Bosnia to secure their support at the Security Council, Ambassador Prosor said, "I think the US and the American president were very clear that Palestine would not become the 194th member of the UN through the Security Council." He then admitted, "Yes we are seeking the support of a group of states that would say return to direct negotiations, sit together and resolve this issue together, this is what the Quartet also said."

http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/news/middle-east/2880-israeli-diplomat-says-jerusalem-was-the-jewish-capital-when-qlondon-was-a-swampq

PCHR Weekly Report: Palestinian civilian killed, 26 civilians injured by Israeli forces this week

REFUSING TO DIE IN SILENCE - Video

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Friday September 30, 2011 05:33 by IMEMC Staff

In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 22 – 28 Sep. 2011, a Palestinian civilian was killed and another 7 ones, including a child, were wounded by Israeli forces in Qasra village, southeast of Nablus.

Palestinian civilian injured by Israeli settlers in Qasra village (PCHR photo)

A total of 25 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, and a French human rights defender were wounded this week.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

Israeli forces conducted 36 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 4 Palestinians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

On Friday, 23 September 2011, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded another 7, including a child, when they moved into Qasra village, southeast of Nablus, to provide protection to a group of Israeli settlers who raided Palestinian lands in the village.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 13:10 following the Friday prayers, Palestinian civilians from Qasra village noticed that a group of Israeli settlers from “Yish Kodish” settlement moved into al-We’ar area (al-Marah 2) in the south of Qasra village. The settlers who were holding Israeli flags gathered on a plot belonging to Dr. Samir Mustafa Ibrahim Hassan who is originally from Qasra village, but currently lives in occupied Jerusalem. Palestinian civilians gathered and walked towards the mentioned area. When Israeli troops who were positioned in a tent that they installed on a hill in (al-Marah 2) area nearly 100-120 meters from the settlers, saw the Palestinians gathering, seven soldiers left the tent and erected a checkpoint. The settlers were gathering just 40 meters behind the soldiers. The Israeli soldiers ordered the Palestinian civilians to go back to the village, but they refused and requested that the settlers leave the Palestinian land. A dispute erupted between the soldiers and the Palestinian civilians.

A few minutes later, more Israeli troops arrived at the scene. An officer stepped down from one of the military vehicles and asked the soldiers to give the Palestinians two minutes to leave the area. He instructed the soldiers to fire tear gas canisters at the Palestinians if they did not obey orders to leave the area. The Palestinian civilians refused to obey the orders. Israeli forces immediately attacked them and fired more than 50 tear gas canisters at them. They fled to the nearest house in the village.

Additional Israeli troops then arrived at the scene and confronted the Palestinians, who threw stones at Israeli forces. The confrontations took place near al-Dowwar and al-Khazan areas in the south of Qasra village. The confrontations lasted for three hours and Israeli forces fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets against the Palestinian civilians. At approximately 16:20, Israeli forces extensively fired tear gas canisters at the Palestinian demonstrators near al-Khazan area and opened fire at one of the demonstrators, directly wounding him. The wounded Palestinian was identified as Isam Kamal Abed Badran, 37. He was hit by a bullet that entered the right side and exited from the left shoulder and was transferred to Rafidya Hospital in Nablus. Badran died despite doctors’ attempts to save his life. Another seven civilians, including a child, were wounded in the confrontations.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip. On Thursday September 22nd, at approximately 07:45, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit Lahia beach in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats which were near the shore. At approximately 08:00, Israeli forces boats approached the shore and destroyed fishing nets owned by Palestinian fishermen and pulled some fishing nets into the sea. As the Israeli boats approached the shore, Palestinian fishermen fled the area in fear for their lives leaving their equipment and fishing tools in the sea or at the beach. No casualties were reported. Five fishermen lost their nets in the incident.

It should be noted that Israeli gunboats carried out a similar attack on Tuesday morning, 20 September 2011, when they fired at Palestinian fishermen and at their boats, destroyed some fishing nets and pulled some other nets into the sea. Such attacks result in the loss of fishermen’s living resources and put their lives at risk.

Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.

The statistics which were made available to PCHR by the Border and Crossings Department indicate a continued drop in the number of truckloads of Gaza imports and exports.

Israeli forces have continued to impose total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli settlement activities:

Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On 22 September 2011, at least 10 Israeli settlers from “Oufra” settlement, northeast of Ramallah, set fire to olive and fig trees in Wad Zaghoura area in the west of Deir Jarir village. At least 40 dunums of agricultural land, including 100 olive trees and 40 fig trees, were burnt before villagers were able to extinguish fire.

On 24 September 2011, Israeli settlers raised large banners that had racist slogans against Arabs near some checkpoints, intersections and the entrances of Palestinian communities.

On the same day, at least 20 Israeli settlers from “Gilad” settlement, northeast of Qalqilya, moved into Far’ata village, northeast of Qalqilya. They threw stones at houses belonging to al-Tawil family. Israeli forces arrived at the area and evacuated the settlers.

On 25 September 2011, Palestinian farmers in Qasra village, southeast of Nablus, found that Israeli settlers had uprooted 400 trees in Shu’ab al-Kharab area, which is located nearly 1,500 meters away from “Yish Kodish” settlement.

On the same day, Palestinian farmers in Douma village, southeast of Nablus, found that Israeli settlers had uprooted 150 trees in Shu’ab al-Kharab area, which is located nearly 1,500 meters away from “Yish Kodish” settlement.

On the same day, Israeli forces moved into Magharat al-Dab’a village, south of Qalqilya. They handed a notice to Hani Manasra ordering him to stop establishing a greenhouse in the village.

On the same day, Israeli settlers living in settlement communities inside and around Hebron launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians. In this context, a Palestinian civilian sustained burns to the eyes, the shoulder and the neck, and bruises throughout the body.

On the same day, during the funeral procession of two Israeli settlers who died in a car accident, which settlers blamed on Palestinian stone-throwing, to the Jewish cemetery near Tal Rumaida neighborhood in the center of Hebron, dozens of settlers attacked Palestinian houses using stones and empty bottles. Windows and doors of two houses were damaged. Israeli forces were present in the area, but did not intervene to stop the attack.

On 27 September 2011, a number of Israeli settlers raised racist banners against Palestinians on Tulkarem-Nablus road and near Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarem.

During the reporting period, the Israeli District Planning and Construction Committee approved a plane to construct 1,100 housing units in “Gilo” settlement, south of Jerusalem. The plan included the establishment of a footpath, a school, public buildings and an industrial zone. The units would be established on a 620-dunum area of land, and that those units constitute the first stage of a wider plan, as additional 600 units would be established in the future. It should be noted that the construction of 942 units was approved last August.

On 28 September 2011, Israeli forces handed notices to Palestinian civilians in Battir village, west of Bethlehem, ordering confiscation of 148 dunums of land planted with fruits, olives and vegetables belonging to at least 40 Palestinian families.

Israeli Annexation Wall:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 18 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, and a French human rights defender were wounded. Additionally, dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Following the Friday Prayer on 23 September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. They raised the Palestinian flag and chanted slogans calling for ending the occupation and annexation wall and release of all Palestinian prisoners. Moreover, the demonstrators chanted “194 is the State of Palestine” and released balloons and kites having the colors of the Palestinian flag. They raised banners calling the world for the recognition of the State of Palestine and carried the Libyan uprising flags and an American flag on which (veto) was written. They then moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which the Israeli High Court ordered to be returned to their Palestinian owners. When they reached (Abu Lemon) nature preserve, the demonstrators walked along the wall and released the balloons and kites. The demonstrators also used megaphones to call on Israeli settlers living in “Mitityaho Mizrach” settlement to leave it. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 23 September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the construction of the annexation wall. They chanted slogans calling for Palestinian reconciliation, adherence to the Palestinian inalienable rights and resistance of the occupation. Additionally, they chanted “194 is the State of Palestine” and other slogans against the American President and his speech at the United Nations that was defended the Israeli occupation. They clashed with Israeli troops positioned near the annexation wall. Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 23 September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in protest against land confiscations and settlement activities. They raised the Palestinian flag, chanted slogans against the USA, called for ending the occupation and chanted “194 is the State of Palestine”. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near “Halmish” settlement, Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, Jihad Mohammed Tamimi, 22, was wounded by a bullet to the head, and the French activist, Chris Hoppy, 38, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right leg. They were both transported to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah for medical treatment. A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation and other sustained bruises.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 23 September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians from Ramallah and al-Bireh and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration at the entrance of Qalandya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, in support to the Palestinian leadership’s demand of recognition for the Palestinian statehood by the United Nations. They moved towards Qalandya checkpoint. They set fire to tires and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired at the demonstrators. As a result, 17 Palestinians, including six children, were wounded and transported to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah. Additionally, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. (PCHR keeps the names of the wounded).

At approximately 13:30, following the Friday Prayer on 23 September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya. They moved towards the eastern entrance of the village, in protest against the permanent closure of the entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada. Israeli soldiers fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Recommendations to the international community:

Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel’s respect for human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to demand Israel end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.

The PCHR also called upon the international community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

For the full text of the report, click on the link below:

http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_…d=183

Source & More at IMEMC

http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/09/30/pchr-weekly-report-palestinian-civilian-killed-26-civilians-injured-by-israeli-forces-this-week/

International activists protect Gazan fishermen

THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2011 10:46

HAMA WAQUM, ISLAM ONLINE 

Gaza, (Pal Telegraph) - The Civil Peace Service (CPS) Gaza human rights observation boat has returned to the waters off the Gazan coast after being grounded for two months due to Israeli naval attacks.

CPS Gaza aims to monitor human rights violations committed off the coast of Gaza, in which Gazan fishermen are invariably the victims.  However in July, the CPS boat, Oliva, was attacked three times, with the final attack forcing the boat to retire to shore after the engine was rammed beyond repair. On September 25th, the boat made her first trip at sea, in which she was not attacked by the Israeli Navy.

Continuation of attacks

On 13 July, the Oliva crew and captain were encircled by one Israeli Navy warship, which fired water cannons continuously for fifteen minutes, aiming for the faces of the crew, as well as their cameras and radio equipments. The engine broke in the attack and the boat struggled to escape as the attack continued.

The following day, the boat was attacked by two Israeli Navy vessels, the force of the water cracking a section of the boat’s floor. The crew was forced to seek refuge on a fishing boat in order to make it back to shore. Once aboard the fishing trawler, one crew member reported that one Israeli naval officer instructed another to sink the boat with the water.

In this attack, the Navy officers also intimidated the fishermen with whom the CPS crew had sought refuge, demanding, ‘Where are your fish? Where are your fish?’ After the crew attempted to deter further attacks on the fishing boat by informing the Israeli Navy that they were international observers, a Navy officer responded by saying, ‘Leave and if we see you here again we will shoot you and the children [on board the fishing vessel] and the Europeans or Americans,’ according to one of the CPS crew members.

We won’t be intimidated

On July 20, Oliva suffered the attack that would ground her for two months, in front of a journalist from the Guardian Jerusalem office. For 20 minutes the boat was attacked with water by two Israeli Navy boats, and then rammed by one of the Israeli warships, which had a maniacal clown poster on its side.  The engine was wrecked in the attack and Oliva had, until now, been stranded ashore.

Vera Macht, a German member of the CPS Gaza project explained that the project will continue to run and document human rights violations, "We won't be intimidated,” she explained, “Olivia will sail out again to document abuses until international law is respected by Israel in the sea of Gaza. Fishermen are harassed, attacked, arrested and even killed by Israeli armed forces, even within the imposed 3 nautical mile limit."

On September 25, 2011, Oliva set sail again, despite warnings that the human rights observers would be shot if the project continued. The boat cut its trip short because of weather conditions; the crew experienced reduced intimidation by the Israeli Navy and were not directly attacked.

Every Israeli attack on the Oliva has occurred within the Israeli-imposed 3-mile nautical limit, which forbids vessels from travelling further out to sea. This limitation overwhelmingly affects fishermen in catching adequate fish as the three miles have been fished extensively in the four years since the limit was imposed. According to the Oslo Accords agreements, a fishing limit of 20 miles was agreed, but fishermen have been restricted to three miles since Hamas took control of the costal enclave in 2006. This prevents Gaza’s fishing communities from accessing 85% of the Oslo-agreed fishing waters.

Joe Catron, a US citizen, was aboard the CPS Gaza boat during two of the warship attacks, "The bravery of Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza coast is like nothing I've ever seen. These courageous men, who continue struggling to provide for themselves, their families, and their country, despite the raw military aggression they face on a daily basis, inspired all of us. I'm honored to have played a small, fleeting role in supporting their fight."

http://www.paltelegraph.com/palestine/gaza-strip/10226-international-activists-protect-gazan-fishermen.html

Writer: America must first achieve its political independence from Israel

 WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 11:46 GULF NEWS, BY JAMAL KANJ 

London, (Pal Telegraph) - Before Palestinians seek their independent state, America must first achieve its political independence from Israel.

In October 1973 in an interview with Face the Nation, outstanding liberal chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic Senator Fullbright declared: "Israelis control the policy in the congress and the senate."

In June 1990 on another TV programme, the McLaughlin Group, a conservative American columnist announced "Capitol Hill is Israeli occupied territory."

Unfortunately, the two pronouncements have been proven accurate over again with the passing of time.

Last year, president Obama told UN General Assembly: "When we come back here next year, we can have an agreement that can lead to a new member of the UN, an independent, sovereign state of Palestine ..."

This year, he cowered back as he must have failed to clear his last year's opening session speech with Israel's team at the White House and Congress. Obama's 2010 presage of Palestine's full UN membership was transformed in 2011 to "there is no short cut to the end" of this conflict.

Were the last 20 years of arduous talks between Israel and the Palestinians a "short cut"? Or was Obama practising his superior oratory aptitude to rationalise his ineffectiveness with an obdurate Israeli government who rejected outright all his peace initiatives and that of the Diplomatic Quartet?

Obama has proved again his impotency facing Israeli loyalists in Washington. Taking a "short cut" instead of dealing with Israeli temporising, he demanded Palestinians endure more under occupation, while Israel continued creating new "Jewish only" facts on the ground, pre-empting the outcome of the feign peace negotiation.

The recent warning by US Jewish leaders, threatening the Democratic Party in swing states such as Pennsylvania and Florida, which was manifested recently by supporting a Republican candidate in New York's ninth congressional district's election against a fellow Democratic nominee, must have been heard loud and clear by Obama.

America's exploitation at the hand of Israel's sponsors in Washington is no exception to the history of Zionists' exploitation of world powers starting with Germany up until the First World War, slanting towards the Soviets, before docking at the British isle to deliver them Palestine, and then settling in America, the new eminent world power after the Second World War.

Obama spoke at the UN of the "special relation" with Israel, a friendship as profound as Congress' deep bucket, and as enduring as saprophytic organism grows on organic matters. Once done, the Zionists will cough up the US like hyenas discarding the bones of consumed prey.

While celebrating a "remarkable year" by the disappearance of Gadaffi, Ben Ali, Mubarak and Bin Laden, all of whom with no exceptions, were admired friends of a US administration at one time or another, Obama must be eying the 2112 re-election. Hence, "justice" and "universal rights" in Palestine are expended for another four cosy years in the White House.

In his speech on the Arab Spring, Obama was sanguine on the march for freedom, while he continues to see the tree, but misses the Arab forest. A forest stained by an occupation denying Palestinians with their "dignity and freedom." The Israeli occupation, for the people of the forest, represents dictatorship multiplied by combining totalitarianism and collective subjugation.

The forest exemplified by the new democracies sweeping the Arab world and replacing archaic governing dictators interested in their longevity rather than the well-being of their nations. The new view from the forest has been reinforced in the unremitting protests by the free democratic people of Egypt against the Israeli embassy in Cairo.

Unlike past dictatorship era, America must prepare for a new Arab government model mirroring the wishes of their subjects rather than the illusionary grandeur egotistic dictators.

Hence, America's future position in the Arab world will likely be gauged by the level of US political independence from Israel. Congress' addiction on pro-Israel Jewish votes and money will only weaken America's economic supremacy and benefit the new burgeoning world economies. After which, the Zionists will move on to a new world exploit.

The independent state of Palestine will run parallel to America's political independence from Israel. As such, Zionists' captive America is inept to play an impartial role in a constructive peace process in the Middle East.

http://www.paltelegraph.com/opinions/editorials/10213-writer-america-must-first-achieve-its-political-independence-from-israel.html

Israeli Settlers attack Palestinians, burn 60 Olive Trees

FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2011 12:14

PT AND WAFA

Palestine, (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli settlers from Yitzhar, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, uprooted and destroyed 60 olive trees in Madama village, south of Nablus, according to local sources.

A Madama village council member said that 10 to 15 settlers came from Yitzhar and tried to lower the Palestinian flags raised over the roof tops of Palestinian homes but village residents stopped them.

He added that the settlers went to a piece of land south of the village where they tried to set fire to olive trees after uprooting and cutting down some of them before residents chased them away.

It is remarkable that Israeli government has approved new plans of building new settlements. Israel also refuses to pursue peace talks based as EU, US and others asked for a freeze on settlement buildings.

Yesterday, reports from the west Bank and photos showed Israeli women settlers training on using weapons along with their kids. Israeli government is built based on a radical right alliance from various radical Jewish groups.