Liz Neumark: Jerusalem Journal

Israeli colonies expand, Palestinians face home demolitions
A Palestinian home demolished in Beit Hanina, occupied East Jerusalem, July 2009. (Silan Dallal/ActiveStills) Bulldozers, backed by Israeli Soldiers and Police Forces, razed a Bedouin Palestinian encampment in Isawiya, a village northeast of Jerusalem on Wednesday, 27 October. Israeli forces destroyed tents and other structures that were home to six families, according to Ma'an News Agency ("Israel Razes Bedouin Camp," 27 October 2010). "Hani al-Eisaway of the Isawiya Land Defense committee sai...

Fayyad spits in Israel's face
On Tuesday morning, I reported that western-looking 'Palestinian Prime Minister' Salam Fayyad had been banned from the city of Jerusalem to prevent him from attending an official - and therefore forbidden under the Oslo accords - function of the 'Palestinian Authority' in Jerusalem. Well, Fayyad came to Jerusalem anyway, and guess who backed down as usual. No, Fayyad didn't attend all three functions that he planned to attend here, but he attended one just to show that he doesn't take orders f...

Israeli intel chief warns of Iran's nukes
Published: Nov. 3, 2010 at 7:51 AM Jerusalem, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Iran has enough Enriched Uranium to build a Nuclear Bomb and will soon be able to build two, Israel's head of Military intelligence said. Speaking before the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, outgoing head of Military Intelligence Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin said Iran has enough Uranium Enriched to 20 percent to make one Nuclear Bomb and will soon have enough for two devices, Haaretz reported Wednesday. However, Yadlin noted...

Londoners Take Aim at Sidewalk Scourge: Slow Walkers - WSJ.com
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If a stranger spews hateful rhetoric in the woods in Maine, and no ones there to hear him
Back in September, I wrote an op-ed that was published in the Portland Press Herald (my home-away-from-home local paper) describing my thoughts on the futility of the impending negotiations between Netanyahu and Abbas. “These "negotiations" are happening only to appease and pacify the international community, a community that should recognize by now the futility of the endeavor. The world needs to further recognize that these men are essentially powerless when faced with entire s...

Republican election gains likely to embolden Israeli PM
A weakening of US President Barack Obama's Democrats in this week's Congressional Elections would make Israel more resistant to demands for a new freeze on Jewish settlement, analysts say. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at his Jerusalem offices to chair the weekly cabinet meeting. A weakening of US President Barack Obama's Democrats in this week's Congressional Elections would make Israel more resistant to demands for a new freeze on Jewish settlement, analysts say. With Peace...

Taking a stand
Analysis: How safe is air cargo? Under mounting pressure from the international community, the Yemeni authorities have launched a full-fledged Security crackdown on Al-Qaeda Militants across the country, but on the streets of Yemen, there is a bitter aftertaste left by recent events. In his mid-30s, Mr Sanabani founded the English-language Yemen Observer to try to send a message to the world about a different side of Yemen. "Yemen is a beautiful country, but under-developed. We need a lot...

Israel: Iran can build 1 bomb, soon can build 2
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Military Intelligence chief says Iran possesses enough Enriched Uranium to build one Nuclear Bomb and soon will have enough to produce a second. Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin’s statement coincides with previous assessments from both the CIA and the U.N.’s Nuclear Watchdog. But any Israeli commentary on Tehran’s Nuclear Program is significant because Israel has not ruled out a Military strike to try to prevent Iran from developing Nuclear Weapons. I...

Israeli intel chief: Iran has enough enriched uranium for 1 nuclear bomb, soon enough for 2nd
Jerusalem — Israel's Military Intelligence chief says Iran possesses enough Enriched Uranium to build one Nuclear Bomb and soon will have enough to produce a second. Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin's statement coincides with previous assessments from both the CIA and the U.N.'s Nuclear Watchdog. But any Israeli commentary on Tehran's Nuclear Program is significant because Israel has not ruled out a Military strike to try to prevent Iran from developing Nuclear Weapons. Israel, like the West, does...

Same-sex couple appear on Israel's version of `Dancing With the Stars'
Jerusalem — Israel is the first country to feature a same-sex duo on its version of the popular television competition "Dancing with the Stars," and the two women have already resolved the toughest question they face: Who will lead? One, a Gay television presenter, and the other, a straight professional dancer, are going to take turns. "The leader and the follower — we change all the time," said Dorit Milman, the professional dance partner of TV sportscaster Gili Shem-Tov. "One t...

Israel cuts off special dialogue with Britain
JERUSALEM — Israel has suspended a special strategic dialogue with London as long as Israeli officials visiting Britain face possible Arrest for suspected War Crimes against Palestinians, officials said Wednesday. The announcement came as British Foreign Secretary William Hague met with senior Israeli officials Wednesday in Jerusalem. Officials from both countries said the matter would be high on the agenda of Hague’s visit, and the British Foreign Office said it was working to resol...

Israel delays strategic dialogue with Britain, demands immunity from arrest for leaders
Jerusalem — Israel has suspended a special strategic dialogue with London as long as Israeli officials visiting Britain face possible Arrest for suspected War Crimes against Palestinians, officials said Wednesday. The announcement came as British Foreign Secretary William Hague met with senior Israeli officials Wednesday in Jerusalem. Officials from both countries said the matter would be high on the agenda of Hague's visit, and the British Foreign Office said it was working to resolve ...

Israel Cuts Off Special Dialogue With Britain
Jerusalem -- Israel has suspended a special strategic dialogue with London as long as Israeli officials visiting Britain face possible Arrest for suspected War Crimes against Palestinians, officials said Wednesday. The announcement came as British Foreign Secretary William Hague met with senior Israeli officials Wednesday in Jerusalem. Officials from both countries said the matter would be high on the agenda of Hague's visit, and the British Foreign Office said it was working to resolve the ma...

More Israeli child abuse of Palestinian children
The Israeli occupation authority is accelerating the bulldozing of Palestinian land in Beit Ummar village, Al-Khalil district, in preparation for building 50 new housing units. Bethlehem - PNN - Israeli forces carried out home inspection and demolition operations on Wednesday in the villages of Kur, south of Tulkarem, and Beit Fajar, south of Bethlehem, arresting a number of Palestinians. A source told Wafa that the Israeli force that moved into the village of Beit Fajar was composed of fi...

It Happened Last Night
Once and future California Gov. Jerry Brown. Things went pretty much as expected: Sweeping Republican gains at the national and state levels—enough to win the House of Representatives (60-plus seats!), but not the Senate; enough to win the governorships of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia, but not California (where Governor Moonbeam won; for the record, Jerry Brown is not Jewish, merely awesome). Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) will become the second-highest ranking congressperson....

U.S. midterms: AIPAC lauds re-election of pro-Israel stalwarts
Pro-Israel group hails success for supporters on both sides of the political divide, as well as Election of three new Jewish members of Congress....

Terrorists Accuse Israeli Military of Torture: They were insulted and forced to live in windowless cells
Palestinian Terrorists are accusing Israel Soldiers of Torture.  According to Israeli Human Rights Activists, who happen to be Jewish, Palestinian Prisoners—Terrorists—are forced to live in Prison cells without windows.  Worse, Prison cells contain lights that stay on throughout the night, keeping Terrorists awake, depriving the poor darlings of sleep.  This, Activists say, is Torture that must be stopped. I’m sure Jewish Victims of Palestinian terror would have preferred

UK Foreign Secretary meets with Palestinian activists, when will the US follow suit?
The Popular Struggle Coordination Committee is reporting that William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, met with leading Palestinian Grassroots Activists in Ramallah. The meeting serves as a subtle show of support as Israel continues to Crack Down on the spreading nonviolent resistance to the Wall. From the Committee's website: In line with the European Union and Britain's denouncements of the recent conviction and sentencing of Bil'in Protest leader, Abdallah Abu Rahmah,...

Netanyahu says will meet Hillary Clinton during U.S. visit
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday he would meet Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a U.S. visit next week in addition to previously announced Talks with Vice President Joe Biden. In a Speech to parliament, Netanyahu again voiced strong criticism of the Palestinian Authority, which has suspended Peace Talks over his refusal to resume a partial freeze of construction in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. "The truth is, there is grea...

Laurence Tribes elitist values
I love Sonia Sotomayor because she's street-smart, because she's got a huge heart, and because she understands the new diversity of America. And I'm a little shocked to read the leaked letter from eminent Harvard prof Laurence Tribe to Barack Obama a couple years ago, deriding Sotomayor and praising Elena Kagan and Diane Wood because they're so much smarter than Sotomayor. My new theme is the complete alienation of the Democratic Party from Populist values; and this letter exhibits that arroganc...

American Ballet Theatre comes to Cuba
HAVANA (AP) — American Ballet Theatre dancers promised pirouettes — not politics — during the troupe’s historic visit to Cuba this week, the first by the New York-based company since shortly after Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution turned the island into a U.S. nemesis. America’s premier ballet company was in Havana to pay homage to Cuba’s most famous ballerina, 89-year-old Alicia Alonso, who danced with the American Ballet Theatre in the 1940s and 50s befor...

Pirouttes, not politics, as American Ballet Theatre makes long-awaited visit to Cuba
Havana — American Ballet Theatre dancers promised pirouettes — not politics — during the troupe's historic visit to Cuba this week, the first by the New York-based company since shortly after Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution turned the island into a U.S. nemesis. America's premier ballet company was in Havana to pay homage to Cuba's most famous ballerina, 89-year-old Alicia Alonso, who danced with the American Ballet Theatre in the 1940s and 50s before returning to her homel...

Catholic Church betrays 3 more Cuban political prisoners
The despicable betrayal of the Cuban people and imprisoned members of the opposition by the Catholic Church in Cuba continues. The Church in Cuba has announced that 3 more Political Prisoners, none of which were part of the original 52, will be banished from Cuba and forced into exile in Spain. (Reuters) - Cuba will free its longest-held Political Prisoner, jailed since 1985, and send him to Spain as the government continues to ship opponents out of the country. The Catholic Church said on Mond...

Cuba to send 3 more prisoners to exile in Spain
HAVANA -- Roman Catholic officials on Monday announced the names of three more Cuban Prisoners who have accepted exile in Spain in return for freedom. One of the men, Adrian Alvarez Arenciba, has been in jail since 1985 for Espionage and other violations of state security. Another, Ramon Fidel Basulto Garcia, was convicted of hijacking in 1994. Both were serving 30-year sentences. The third man, Joel Torres Gonzalez, does not appear on the most widely used list of Cuban Dissidents or Political ...

Cuba unveils new business taxes
The Cuban authorities have set out in detail new rules and taxes for the self-employed and small businesses as they move to overhaul The Economy. Taxes will range from 25% for incomes more than 5,000 pesos (about $225, £142) a year to 50% for those earning more than 50,000 pesos (about $2,300). Many self-employed business people will be allowed to hire workers. The changes come as the government prepares to cut half a million State jobs by March next year. Tax is a relatively new concep...