Bil’in Popular Committee | 18 September 2009

Photo: ActiveStills. Israeli military launches teargas in Bil’in, Palestine.

Dozens were suffocated with tear gas canisters at the weekly demonstration in Bil’in. As the people of Bil’in with international and Israeli peace activists participated in Bil’in’s weekly demonstration after Friday prayers today, although they have raised Palestinian flags and banners to mark the twenty-seventh anniversary of the massacre at Sabra and Shatila and they have raised other banners condemning the policy of incursions, arrests, land confiscation and settlement construction.

(…اكثر)

par Nayla Naoufal | Le Panoptique

Photo: Nicholas Marcroft (c) l’eau potable en Palestine occupée.

Dans le conflit israélo-palestinien, l’eau semble à la fois un enjeu important et un dommage collatéral. Les politiques hydriques israéliennes dans les Territoires Palestiniens Occupés et le conflit entraînent des impacts nuisibles sur les ressources en eau partagées et ne font qu’exacerber les hostilités.

(…اكثر)

Daily Star by Rami G. Khouri, Saturday, September 19, 2009.

Photo: Tanya Traboulsi. Sky over sea, Beirut, Lebanon.

The amount and quality of available scientific data on the global impact of climate change, I rediscovered at a seminar organized by the Danish Foreign Ministry in Copenhagen this week, is staggering. The debate that swirled around the issues of climate change and global warming just two or three years ago has vanished. There is much more certainty now on the nature and extent of the changes to the Earth’s climate that can be attributed to the impact of human activity, mainly the burning of fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases.

(…اكثر)

Haaretz September 17th, 2009.

Photo: Israeli bombings over the Gaza Strip.

British labor unions on Thursday agreed to support a boycott of some Israeli goods in response to the offensive in Gaza last winter.

The boycott, proposed by the Fire Brigades Union, calls for a ban on importing goods produced in some Israeli settlements, an end of arms trading with Israel and disinvestment from some companies.

(…اكثر)

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 15 September 2009.

Photo: Wissam Nassar. White phosphorus over the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s offensive against Gaza last January was “a deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate and terrorise a civilian population”, for which some Israelis should face “individual criminal responsibility”, a UN investigation has found.

The inquiry, led by the former South African judge Richard Goldstone, concluded that both the Israeli military and Hamas committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during the three-week conflict, but singled out Israel and its policy towards the Palestinians of Gaza for the most serious condemnation. The inquiry rejected Israel’s argument that the war was a response to Palestinian rocket fire and therefore an act of self-defence.

In a 575-page report (pdf), released tonight, the inquiry said Israel should be required to investigate the allegations raised and if it fails to do so the case should be passed to the prosecutor of the international criminal court. It accused Israel of “grave breaches” of the fourth Geneva convention and of a war crime for using Palestinians as human shields during the fighting.

(…اكثر)

Mohammed Khatib – The Nation – September 11 2009.

Photo: Valerian Mazataud. Palestinian Mohammed Khatib.

A few weeks ago, in the dead of night, dozens of Israeli soldiers with painted faces burst violently into my home. If only they had knocked, I would have opened the door. They arrested me. My wife, Lamia, was left alone with our four children. My youngest, 3-year-old Khaled, woke up to the image of Israeli soldiers with painted faces who were taking his father away. He has not stopped crying since. A few nights ago he woke up in terror, sobbing: “Daddy, why did you let the soldiers take me?” That’s the way our children sleep–in a constant state of fear.

(…اكثر)

For Immediate Release, International Solidarity Movement, September 16, 2009.

Photo: Valerian Mazataud. Palestinian Mohammed Khatib.

16 September 2009: Israeli forces raid Bil’in, beat Popular Committee member.

Around 1:30am, the Israeli army invaded Bil’in. Soldiers came to the home of Abdullah Mahmoud Abu Rahme, coordinator of the Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, to arrest him. view video

Abu Rahme was not at home at the time and soldiers proceeded to destroy belongings in his house.

When another member of the Popular Committee, Mohammad Khatib, arrived to check on Abu Rahme’s wife and 3 small children, Israeli forces severely beat him. Khatib was taken to Ramallah hospital for medical treatment.

(…اكثر)

Daily Star by Omar Katerji, Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Photo: Apartment building in Beirut, Lebanon.

BEIRUT: Saad Hariri’s resignation has once again drawn attention to the state of Lebanese politics. For many, the Future Movement leader’s resignation is a gesture designed to draw attention to the failure of the main political players’ ability to form a unity government within Lebanon. Hariri stepped down as prime minister-designate on Thursday after the Hizbullah-led opposition rejected his latest attempt at forming a unity government.

This move was seen by many as a response to the recent deadlock between the various political groups.

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Human Rights Watch, September 10, 2009.

Photo: Palestinian killed by Israeli military forces, December 2008.

(Jerusalem) The Israeli military police decision to interview Palestinian witnesses to a case where an Israeli soldier allegedly shot three young girls and their grandmother holding white flags during the fighting in Gaza marks a positive development, Human Rights Watch said today. Two of the girls died.

Human Rights Watch called on Israel to conduct thorough and impartial investigations into all allegations of serious laws-of-war violations by its forces during the December-January conflict in Gaza.

(…اكثر)

Beirut Diaries is a documentary film by celebrated filmmaker Mai Masri.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19 20h00
Bar Populaire
6584 boul. St-Laurent
entrance: free!
(metro Beaubien)
Montreal, Quebec.

(…اكثر)