Month: February 2009

The election results deal a serious blow to prospects for peace negotiations as the Likud party has more than doubled its seats and an ultra-nationalist party made big gains: In Israeli Vote Results, A Setback for Obama (Washington Post) Palestinians Gloomy as Israel Moves Right (Reuters) … yet, despite feelings of disenfranchisement, calls for a…

One thing on which Hamas and the PA agree: “I will not send to my occupier my injured people in order for him to make propaganda at my expense, and then pay him for it.” — Palestinian health minister: Palestinians Stop Paying Israeli Hospitals for Gaza and West Bank Patients (NY Times) Philip Rizk, a…

General Petraeus refers to Afghanistan as “the graveyard of empires”, reminiscent of the historic difficulties in controlling it … National Security Team Delivers Grim Appraisal of Afghanistan War (Washington Post) …Meanwhile, support for President Karzai and the US have dramatically decreased since 2005: Afghan People ‘Losing Confidence’ (BBC News) Pakistanis continue to question US intentions…

Hamas economics minister Ziyad al-Zaza claims “some employees of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency had been telling recipients that the aid was a gift of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas”… U.N. Halts Aid to Gaza In Dispute With Hamas (Washington Post) …Meanwhile, the Israeli blockade insures Gaza remains in disarray: After Gaza War, Daunting…

Both the ACLU and the ICJ seek the release of evidence on Guantanamo case: After Obama Praises Torture Ruling, Civil Liberties Group Appalled (Freedoms Phoenix) Jurists Urge U.S. to Drop Guantanamo Case Secrecy (Reuters) The Sudanese government claims it expelled her because of immigration issues; the reporter believes it was her investigation of Sudan’s arms…

“Al Jazeera’s correspondent aboard the Al-Ikhwa (The Brotherhood) ship said the navy first opened fire, then five Israeli soldiers boarded the ship, beating and threatening the passengers”: Israeli Forces Seize Gaza Aid Ship (Al Jazeera) The Ministry justified the crime claiming “the U.N. was storing blankets in an unauthorized area”: Hamas Stole Aid Meant for…

“Serious” allegations of electoral fraud emerge from the Anbar province, creating fears of renewed violence for the area: Iraq Probes Possible Voter Fraud (Washington Post) As more horror stories over Israeli treatment of civilians emerge… In Shattered Gaza Town, Roots of Seething Split (NY Times) …Abbas demands a change in approach, “[w]e should no longer…

Even minors were subjected to the atrocious interrogation practices of the IDF… Gaza Detainees Allege Israeli Mistreatment (Reuters) …Further strengthening the need for the responsible parties to be held accountable for their war crimes… Black Flag (Gush-Shalom) …However, Israelis seem unaffected by the tragedy in Gaza as the peace movement has been largely marginalized: From…

The preliminary results indicate victories for the Dawa Party as well as for al-Hadba candidates, who were supported by Sunnis boycotting the vote in 2005: Iraqi Vote Expected to Bolster Maliki (Christian Science Monitor) … But voter turn-out failed to reach the predicted 73%, falling to 51%: Iraq Vote Turnout Fails to Meet Expectations (LA…