Issue No : 53
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
22th July, 2013
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22th July, 2013
Issue No : 53
Read In This Report P5
P4
Gaza is under the siege, once again
Israeli ambassador arrives in Cairo
P7
P6
Kerry says Israel-Palestine talks may resume
Israeli plan to build 1, 070 housing units in Ramallah and Jordan Valley
P 10
P9
1700 patient prisoners risk death in Israeli jails
Israel and its demographic complex
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Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
Issue No : 53
22th July, 2013
CONTENTS News of Palestine
Gaza is under the siege, once again
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Israeli ambassador arrives in Cairo
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Kerry says Israel-Palestine talks may resume
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Israeli plan to build 1, 070 housing units in Ramallah and Jordan Valley 7 Palestinian gov›t slams Prawer plan, calls for resisting it by all means 8 1700 patient prisoners risk death in Israeli jails
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Articles & Analyses
Israel and its demographic complex
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22th July, 2013
Issue No : 53
News of Palestine
Following the military coup in Egypt
Gaza is under the siege, once again
The London-based Arab organization for human rights said that the Gaza Strip suffers from unprecedented Egyptian restrictions following the military coup and warned of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged Strip.
campaign after coordinating with the Israeli side.
The foundation explained that these Egyptian military measures started with the closure of the Rafah crossing without justiďŹ cation on the fourth of July, and a few day later it was partially opened for limited hours before patients and holders of foreign and Egyptian passports.
Spokesman for the transport ministry Khalil alZayyan told a press conference on Tuesday that around 20,000 public vehicles and 30,000 private vehicles were affected by the petrol crisis.
Tunnels between Egypt and Gaza have been the main life line to the 1.7 million residents of Gaza since the Israeli siege was imposed in 2006 following Hamas›s victory in the Palestinian parIn a press release on Wednesday, the Arab organi- liamentarian elections which was internationally zation stated that the Egyptian army in early July agreed upon. started in coordination with the Israeli army to im- For its part, the Palestinian government in Gaza pose tight restrictions on the movement of individ- said that the closure of tunnels between the Strip uals and goods through the Rafah border crossing, and Egypt has led to a major fuel crisis in the the only entrance between Gaza and Egypt. besieged enclave.
He said that many transport vehicles stopped working due to lack of fuel, which crippled their It stressed that the Egyptian army launched si- ability to transfer goods and other basic materials multaneously with its closure of the Rafah cross- to shops. The spokesman said that persistence of ing a wide campaign to destroy the border tun- the crisis would bring about a real disaster in the nels used by Gaza people to bring in vital needs, Palestinian transport sector. noting that the army used its war planes in this
Source: Agencies
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Issue No : 53
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He called Al-Sisi a “national hero for all Jews
Israeli ambassador arrives in Cairo
17/07/2013
The Israeli Ambassador Yaakov Amitai arrived in Cairo from Tel Aviv via Jordan on Tuesday on his first visit after the June 30 events. Informed sources who received Amitai said that he arrived on board a Jordanian plane from Amman with seven members of the embassy›s team.
the Israeli ambassador in Cairo has told a minister in the interim government that the people of Israel look upon General Abdul-Fattah Al-Sisi as a «na«Amitai,» the source added, tional hero». The ambassa«will conduct a number of calls dor rang Agriculture Minister with Egyptian officials about Ayman Abu-Hadid to congratdevelopments in the situation in ulate him on his new post and Sinai and the campaign launched said, «Al-Sisi is not a national by the Egyptian forces against hero for Egypt, but for all Jews a number of terrorist groups in Israel and around the globe.» there.» Source: Agencies in the neighbourhood of Maadi. From here he currently runs the embassy›s work on a temporary basis until alternative premises is found.
His convoy was secured and searched to detect explosives before he moved from the VIP Lounge to his residence An Israeli radio has revealed that
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Palestinian factions denounce PA decision to return to negotiations
Kerry says Israel-Palestine talks may resume
20/07/2013
Israel and Palestine could be ready to re-launch peace talks after a stalemate that has lasted almost three years, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said. Speaking on Friday after days of meetings with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Kerry said the groundwork had been laid for the resumption of talks.
Dr. Yousef Rizqa, Political Adviser to the Palestinian Prime Minister, strongly condemned the PA acceptance to resume talks under Israeli and US conditions, saying that it came in total contradiction to the Palestinian people and factions› will. He confirmed that these illegitimate and illegal talks will provide a cover to the Israeli settlement schemes.
For their part, independent Palestinian figures dis«We have reached an agreement that estab- played complete rejection to the resumption of nelishes a basis for resuming direct final status gotiations and to the freezing of the reconciliation. negotiations between the Palestinians and the They pointed out that the people›s anger is rising Israelis,» he told reporters in Jordan. day after day as a result of the deteriorating eco«The agreement is still in the process of being nomic situation and the high rate of unemployment and crime, and urged the Palestinian people formalised.» to unite against all those who have been enhancAl Jazeera›s Rosiland Jordan, reporting from ing the division. Washington, said the fact Kerry had two meetings with Abbas, the second of which was not The Islamic Jihad movement considered that a reexpected to take place, could indicate a change turn to negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and the Jewish state under American ausin policy had been agreed. pices «a waste of time and an attempt to impose a fait accompli», adding that the negotiations serve The Palestinian government in Gaza Strip has only the occupation›s interests. considered the PA›s decision to resume talks with the Israelis a “betrayal” that does not repSource: Aljazeera + PIC resent the Palestinian people’s will. 6 |
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Israeli plan to build 1, 070 housing units in Ramallah and Jordan Valley
21/07/2013
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said on Tuesday that the planning and building committee of the civil administration intends to convene on Wednesday to approve the building of 1,070 housing units in Ramallah city and the Jordan Valley.
In another incident, the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) approved a plan to seize thousands of dunums of Palestinian lands in Sha›rawiya area, north of Tulkarem, to build a bypass road.
The municipal council of Allar village in Tulkarem said that this road would start within the According to this new plan, the newspaper add- green line between Baqa Al-Sharqiya and Baqa ed, these housing units will be built in the settle- Al-Gharbiya towns and extends into Sha›rawiya ments of Novi Forat, Shiloh and Modi›in Illit area. settlement in Ramallah and the settlements of The municipal council noted that this road would Kochav Ya›akov and Jaljal Walmouj settlement lead to the destruction and annexation of dozens in the Jordan Valley. of artesian wells in the area. It noted that the committee would also table othSource: PIC er construction plans in different settlements in the West Bank.
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Palestinian gov›t slams Prawer plan, calls for resisting it by all means
16/07/2013 The Palestinian government in Gaza said that the Israeli plan (Prawer plan) to displace the Negev Bedouins is illegal because it would be carried out by an illegitimate occupation entity, and called for resisting it by all means. In a press release on Monday, the government stated that it supports the protest steps taken by the Palestinian people in the 1948 occupied lands against this criminal plan. It said that this plan is part of the racist policies pursued by Israel against the Palestinians since its occupation of Palestine in 1948. 8 |
It noted that according to this plan, the Israeli regime would annex 800,000 dunums of land, displace 40,000 Palestinian Bedouins and raze 36 villages in the Negev region. The Palestinian information center (PIC) reporter in the city said that the protestors carried Palestinian flags and historical Palestinian maps to confirm the Palestinian›s right to their land. The protestors also held banners condemning this plan and describing it as a new Palestinian catastrophe (Nakba).
Source: PIC
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Barghouthi suffers serious problems with heart rate
1700 patient prisoners risk death in Israeli jails 18/07/2013 Palestinian patient prisoners in Israeli jails suffer deliberate Israeli medical negligence and lack of medical care where they risk death at any moment. Riad al-Ashqar, prisoners’ ministry media director, stated that the number of patient prisoners has escalated in Israeli jails due to the Israeli medical negligence and the bad detention conditions in ligence particularly the hunger addition to the continued pres- strikers. He called for a real and firm position behind the patient sures and repression. prisoners in Israeli jails who sufAbout 1700 prisoners out of fer shortage of medicines and 4600 Palestinian prisoners in medical care. Israeli jails suffer health problems including 75 prisoners Jordanian prisoners in Israeli jails have declared hunger strike suffer chronic diseases. since early May protesting their The liberated prisoner Omar difficult detention condition al-Bardawil (29) who was where their health situation has released recently, stated that deteriorated in Ramle prison in the Palestinian patient prison- light the Israeli deliberate mediers› health situation is getting cal negligence. worse as part of the Israeli Prison Administration›s poli- Lawyer Hanan Al-Khatib said that the hunger striking prisoner cy to liquidated them. Abdullah Barghouti has been Al-Bardawil, who served suffering from serious deteriora8 years behind Israeli bars, tion in his health condition as a pointed out that the patient result of atrophy of the liver due prisoners are facing death at to his ongoing hunger strike. any moment due to the Israeli harassments and medical neg- Khatib, who visited the prisoner
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in Afula Hospital, stated that Barghouthi has started to suffer severe problems with heart rate and that over the past week he was given an anti-inflammatory injection and other injections for his heart and liver. She noted that prisoner Barghouthi is suffering from fainting spells caused by hypoglycemia, adding that his status begun to stabilize after he started to take sugar with water. Abdullah Barghouthi is serving the longest term in the world as he was sentenced to 67 life terms. He has been in jail for 10 years after he was arrested by Israel when he entered the West Bank to visit relatives there.
Source: Agencies
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Issue No : 53
Articles & Analyses
Pro-coup media inciting hatred against Palestinians
By Khalid Amayreh*
Much of the Egyptian media is having a free season on Palestinians these days. Calls for murdering Palestinians and Syrian refugees in Egypt are heavily permeating through Egyptian TV channels. It is widely believed that many of these outlets are funded by Coptic tycoons, such as billionaire Naguib Sawiris, and Arabian Gulf Sheikhdoms, especially the United Arab Emirates. Israeli and Zionist circles may very well be standing behind anti-Palestinian propaganda in Egypt. Needless to say these media have been indulging in the most virulent and pornographic lies and hateful and, malicious propaganda against Palestinians as well the Islamists. 10 |
Of course, Egyptian government-run and other like-minded media is notoriously virulently mendacious. Unfortunately this has always been the case, at least since Jamal Abdul Nasser›s era. We all remember Radio Cairo›s infamous commentator Ahmed Said who told his listeners during the 1967 war with Israel that the Egyptian army was about to overrun Tel Aviv and that Israeli warplanes were falling down like flies!
cuse to outlaw the MB, torture and liquidate their leaders and witch-hunt people even remotely associated with the largest Islamist movement in the Arab world.
Today, we are witnessing another wave of deliberate lies proliferated by the Egyptian media, aimed at vilifying the Islamists, especially the deposed democratically-elected President Muhammed Mursi. These lies are too many and We also remember how the same too virulent to dignify by citEgyptian media highlighted ing. and kept regurgitating for many Unfortunately, some of these years the concocted and now-de- lies readily find acceptance bunked Manshiya canard that the by some mainstream media Muslim Brotherhood attempted outlets, such as the BBC. For to assassinate Nasser. As many example, many media outlets of us know, the canard was used sheepishly parroted the neverby the Nasser regime as an ex-
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proven claim that many millions of Egyptians turned out against Mursi on 30 June, which the coup makers used to justify the seizure of power from the legitimate government. The truth of the matter, however is that no more than 800,000 Egyptians, probably including half a million Copts, rallied against Mursi. This is less than 2% of the 90 million people making up the population of Egypt. This was confirmed this week by Profesexpert guest is ignorant of the sor Bashir Nafi›, a scholar of facts. He knew he was lying. impeccable credentials. But this is not the question since Mursi is Palestinian! lying, even in the most pornoSome of the lies being prolif- graphic manner, has become the erated by the Egyptian media anti-Islamist Egyptian media›s would have us believe that Pres- modus operandi, especially since ident Mursi is actually Palestin- the 25 January, 2011 revolution ian and is at Hamas›s beck and against the Mubarak regime.. call. “Deposed President Mohammed Mursi is originally Palestinian,” one «expert guest» appearing recently on a show aired on the Egyptian Al Kahera Wal Nas channel. In the video, which was disseminated on social media websites, the show’s host reportedly asked the guest to repeat the so called “important statement.” Activists commenting on the video noted that such statements are part of the wave of instigation that aims to punish the Syrians and Palestinians living in Egypt, especially those who support the Muslim Brotherhood.
Besides, what is wrong with being a Palestinian? The Palestinian people who have withstood a 100 years of American-European-Zionist holocaust ought to be a badge of honor on the forehead of every Arab and Muslim.
Hence, those Egyptian haters who are inciting against the Palestinian people only deserve contempt and nothing but contempt. We congratulate them for groveling at the Mossad›s shoes. There are animals and dirty animals. I have no doubt that those media thugs who are bad-mouthing our struggling people squarely belong to the later categories. Incitement to murder
In another instance, another thug-guest of a show aired on Egyptian ONTV called for exWe Palestinians have remained ecuting every Palestinian and implanted in our land, very much Syrian intervening in Egyptian like the old olive trees covering affairs. The well-known host, the plains and hilltops of our Youssef Hussein, said that the country. We have survived de- government was the one emspite history and despite the evil bracing the Palestinian and will of an evil and immoral inter- Syrian refugees. Those refugees are not allowed to international community. Indeed, history showed repeat- vene in Egyptian affairs or supedly that when the Palestinian port Morsi, or else they will be people raise their heads, the en- responsible for what happens. tire Muslim world raises its head, “If you intervene in Egyptian Well, I don›t think the so-called and vice versa. affairs, you’ll be beaten in pub-
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from Cairo, examples of how media speech is slipping towards Well, it is amply clear that we incitement are proliferating day are not talking here about pro- after day, especially in the afterfessional journalists or even math of the 4 July coup. dignified commentators. We This has led several Egyptian huare rather talking about thugs man rights organizations to issue and liars who are filled with a statement on July 7, 2013, conhate, not only for Palestinians, demning “the false and venombut also for the truth itself. ous information some Egyptian These thugs must be hating the journalists are resorting to, to Palestinians more than loving instigate hatred against the Palestinian people,. their own children. lic, even if this is outside the law.”
Yes, people may thoughtfully and sincerely hold different ideas. However, when calls are made by TV outlets watched by millions, and incite hatred and murder against a specific ethnic or religious group, then it is clear that we have reached and surpassed the ultimate red line.
A last word. Palestinians have lived to see many of their enemies find their ultimate and lasting place in the dust bin of history. I have no doubt that the dust bin of history will be the ultimate and lasting place of Israel›s poodles who grovel at Israel›s shows for a few dollars or a certificate of good conduct.
Journalists involved in this debauchery include Amro Adib, Lamis Hadidi and Ahmad Moussa on CBC and Tahrir channel, who disseminated on their shows false information that instigates hatred against Palestinians. * Khalid Amayreh is a Pal-
The organizations — including the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, the Arabic Network for HuIndeed, if incitement to murder man Rights Information and the is not an ultimate red line, then Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance — reiterated where would such a line lie? According to reliable reports the need to recognize the thin 12 |
line between the legal right to freedom of speech, and hate-speech and incendiary rhetoric.
estinian journalist based in Dura, near Hebron. He is barred from leaving the West Bank. For many years Amayreh was confined to his home village of Dura near Hebron by the Israeli military occupation authorities
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