Haneyya: The Israeli occupation lives in isolation

[ 23/11/2011 - 02:33 PM ] 
 

GAZA, (PIC)-- Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya said that the Israeli occupation started to live in international isolation and the frequent visits made by dignitaries to the besieged Gaza Strip confirmed that.

Haneyya made his remarks on Monday evening during a ceremony held in honor of the visiting international delegation that came to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid and issue the universal declaration against besieging nations.

The premier stated that the Palestinian people appreciate such visits that have political meanings.

"We do not have to explain the Palestinian cause and the dimensions of the Zionist siege because what these supporters have done reflected their deep awareness of the Palestinian reality," the premier said.
He highlighted that the Israeli occupation of Palestine is the root of the problem and that the Palestinian cause is a political issue par excellence and not humanitarian, despite the importance of the humanitarian aspect in the internal Palestinian situation.

He called for reactivating Goldstone report in international conferences and meetings and bringing Israel's war criminals to international justice.

The premier also urged the representatives of the Arab uprisings who came along with the international delegation to help the Palestinian people liberate their land from the occupation.

  Source and more at the Palestinian Information Center

Bank Signs Deals to Improve Gaza Health and Economic Conditions

24.11.11 - 06:03

PNN

 

On Wednesday, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) signed eight agreements worth a sum of US $20 million to improve health, water and agricultural projects in the Gaza Strip. The bank was founded in 1975 by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to promote development in member countries. Palestine is one of its registered members.

A $1 million donation from the al-Rahma Society for Development went to the improvement of olive groves and other Gazan agriculture (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN).

 

 

The IDB’s efforts can go a long way in Gaza, which suffers from dismal health and economic conditions worsened by the Israeli blockade. According to Amnesty International, 95 percent of Gaza water is polluted and unfit for human consumption.

 

The bank’s biggest agreement was signed with the Charity Committee, amounting to US $5.5 million. The deal aims at rebuilding damaged hospital infrastructure and adding new structures, such as a roof to the al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical complex.

 

IDB also signed two deals with Islamic Relief. The first amounts to US $4.2 million and includes the construction of two roofs and an electricity line for the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The hospital will also be given a host of medical supplies.

 

The second deal, worth US $1 million, focuses on agriculture. Its goal is to improve farming conditions and help farmers acquire necessary resources such as seeds and water systems.

 

Qatar’s Red Crescent was the third organization to sign an agreement with the bank. The US $1.6 million deal also focuses on hospital conditions. The Red Crescent will supply the European Gaza Hospital with neurosurgery devices and equipment for the hospital’s primary care centers. The resources were chosen based on a list of needs compiled by Gaza’s health ministry.

 

The non-governmental Qatar Charity Society sealed a fifth deal with IDB, worth $1 million. Its project will develop sea fishing on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast through the improvement of basic facilities, building of 24 rooms in the Khan Younis port, and providing around 20 fishermen with motors for their boats.

 

The fifth agreement was signed with the al-Rahma Society for Development for the amount of $1.04 million, designated for the improvement of 1,800 dunums of land cultivated with vegetables, 250 dunums cultivated with grapes, 1,400 dunums of fruit and olive trees, and 500 dunums growing onions. 

 

The bank signed two final deals with the Turkish Red Crescent and the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) for $2.1million each. The Turkish Red Crescent will target agricultural development and the CMWU the sterilization of water systems.

http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10902&Itemid=72

Israeli Air Force Bombards Southern Gaza

Wednesday November 23, 2011 06:47 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian sources reported on Tuesday night that Israeli war-jets carried out a number of air-strikes in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. They also opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in Rafah and Khan Younis.

Bombarding Gaza - File Palestine-Info

The sources added that the army fired at least one missile at a former settlement, while Israeli Navy vessels opened up automatic fire at fishing boats in Palestinian territorial waters, also in Khan Younis and Rafah.

No physical injuries were reported; yet some fishermen suffered anxiety attacks while trying to rush back to the shore.

Israeli troops also invaded An-Nahda neighbourhood, east of Rafah, with numerous shots being reported; army choppers also fired flares and no injuries were sustained.

The invasion was carried out by three Israeli tanks and two military bulldozers; the soldiers then bulldozed some lands in the area, and withdrew later on.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, Israeli war-jets bombarded a training centre that belongs to the Salah Ed-Deen Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees in Rafah; damage was reported, no injuries.

http://www.imemc.org/article/62545

France Denounces Israeli Freeze Of Palestinian Tax Money

Thursday November 24, 2011 22:11 by Saed Bannoura

The French government slammed Israel for withholding Palestinian tax and customs money it collects on border terminals on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (P.A.), and stated that, by law, the money must be transferred regularly to the P.A.

Flag Of France

The official Palestine News and Info Agency, WAFA, reported that French Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Bernard Valero, stated that his government condemns the continued withholding of Palestinian tax revenue, adding that this money is rightfully for the Palestinians, and by withholding them, Israel is violating its own obligations under the 1994 Paris protocol.

Valero said that the Israeli violation is suffocating the Palestinian Authority and making it unable to perform its duties, adding that the Palestinian tax revenue is around $100 Million a month.

The French official further stated that several countries, and United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, are calling on Israel to void its decision as it is considered a punishment to the Palestinians for legal initiatives seeking recognition at the United Nations.

Valero also stated that withholding the money is jeopardizing all achievements and efforts made in the last few years to build strong Palestinian institutions and infrastructure, in addition to security, in preparation for the future Palestinian state.

“We are asking Israel to respect its commitments, France is urging Israel to transfer the funds to the P.A. as soon as possible”, the French spokesperson said, “France wants to ensure that these payments are made regularly”.

Israeli daily, Haaretz, reported that Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, stated Thursday that the P.A will very soon be completely incapacitated due to Israel refusal to transfer Palestinian tax revenue.

Fayyad said that the Israeli violations are causing hardships to the P.A in paying salaries and pensions, and in maintaining the infrastructure in the Palestinian territories.

“The money we are referring to is ours, our right”, The Prime Minister said, “This has nothing to do with the transfer of money from donor countries and international support to the P.A”.

Fayyad made his statements during a conference with Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Stoere, who also stated that Israel must freeze the Palestinian tax revenue.

Norway is the current head of a committee of donors to the Palestinian Authority. The committee includes The European Union, the United States and Israel.

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, stated that Israel will not transfer any Palestinian tax revenue to a Fateh-Hamas Unity Government, Haaretz reported.

His statements came during a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Montenegro; Lieberman stated that "Israel will not recognize the unity government (that has not been formed yet), will not negotiate with it, and will not transfer it even one dime" if this government doesn't accept the principles outlined by the Quartet Committee.

http://www.imemc.org/article/62558

MK Aharonovitch Warns Of New Political Assassination In Israel

Thursday November 24, 2011 12:31 by Saed Bannoura

Israeli Internal Security Minister, Yitzhak Aharonovitch of Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel is Our Home), warned of the possibility of a political assassination in Israel, and stated that the Police and the Security Services must seriously deal with all information on such threats.

Peace Protest By Peace Now Movement Israel

The official Israeli TV and Radio Agency – Arabic version, reported on its website "Arabil" that Aharonovitch stated that the Police and the Security Services in Israel must remain alert and examine all related information.

He claimed that intelligence information “obtained from the left and the right wings" in Israel must be taken seriously.

His statements came during a Knesset hearing session called for by Labor Member of Knesset, Yitzhak Herzog, following Israeli settler attacks known as “Price Tag”, targeting not only Palestinians, including Muslim graves in Jerusalem, but also target Israeli peace groups and leftist groups, such as Peace Now.

A few days ago, an Israeli man whose father is a senior officer in the Shin Bet (secret service) was charged with issuing a death threat against members of Peace Now in Israel.

When the accused was brought before a judge, he requested a ‘gag order’ be issued in the case, preventing the peace group from engaging in further contact with the media about the incident.

Earlier this month, the Peace Now movement reported that the home of the director of the movement’s Settlement Watch Project, Hagit Ofran, was targeted for the second time in recent months.

The act was perpetuated by extremist right-wing settlers who blame the group for Israel’s dismantlement of several illegal settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank.

Following the attack, Peace Now issued a statement blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partners for the escalating Price Tag attacks, and stated that “incitement and the harsh words of the coalition members in favor of illegal outposts and against the justice system and left-wing organizations, are seeping into the ground, and giving support to the price tag vandals.”

Peace Now stated that the Israeli Police have not even made one arrest, adding that the authorities in Israel are “indifferent about these threats.”

On November 4, 1995, former Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, was assassinated by an extremist Israeli right-winger, identified as Yigal Amir, who shot him dead at the end of rally in Tel Aviv in support of the Oslo peace agreement with the Palestinians.

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Related Link On Americans for Peace Now; “Peace Now responds to attacks”

http://www.imemc.org/article/62554