July 8: A day of Israeli hysteria‏

Press Release 4:

Human rights advocates attacked by Israeli forces after detention at airport

Bethlehem and Jerusalem 9 July 2011.-- Palestinians in the "Welcome to Palestine" coalition condemn in the strongest possible terms the attack by Israeli forces on dozens of detained human rights activists. One of those detained reported (before his phone was apparently removed) how 32 people were held together in one room and then attacked, forcefully handcuffed and dragged into separate transfer vehicles. They were then forcefully transferred to the Ramle detention facility by the forces of the apartheid regime. Lawyers have been trying to reach the Ministry of Interior to gain access to the abductees and to assure that they receive their right to legal representation, to visits from their country consular staff, and to call their families. Israeli authorities said they are holding 85 people pending deportation "on the next available flight". We know of activists held who come from Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Holland, and Ireland.

Israeli police detain a pro-Palestinian activist in Ben Gurion International Airport
during an operation to prevent pro-Palestiinian activists from entering Israel

Multiple flights were also delayed before departure (apparently to give Israel more time). Activists held demonstrations at several airports in Europe.

Supporters who tried to welcome our visitors were stopped and denied entrance to the airport. Each airport visitor was asked to show either that he/she is traveling or that they are there to meet a specific person (names were checked against arriving flight passenger lists). The few who did manage to get in were immediately attacked even as they peacefully tried to wait for arriving guests. Six were arrested for exercising their right to free speech.

We held a press conference Friday morning to explain our invitation, our campaign, and the week program. We decried the compliance of some airlines in human rights violations (Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Malev, and Easy Jet). It amounts to the export and outsourcing of policies of occupation and human rights violations from Israel to other countries. Friday weekly demonstrations in the West Bank raised the banner of human solidarity and decried the Israeli attacks. We decried the
defamatory statements about our visitors that paved the grounds for violating their rights. A demonstration was also held Friday afternoon in front of the Israeli Ministry of Interior.

We announced our program for the week which commenced successfully with vigils in solidarity with those detained at 6 PM on Friday in the Manara square in Ramallah and the Nativity Square in Bethlehem. Many internationals were there including four who came for our July 8-16 program
despite Israel's draconian measures to stop this. Their presence at these peaceful events showed the lie told by Israeli authorities that these are "hooligans" and "trouble makers" whose mere entrance to Palestine was presented to the Israeli public as an existential threat. The real hooligans and trouble-makers turned out to be Israeli government officials and security personnel.

Israeli Occupation forces are now searching for Internationals crossing the (illegal) checkpoints to the South of Ramallah. But our program continues with two concurrent events scheduled in the Ramallah governorate 9 July 2011(anniversary of the World Court ruling on the illegality of the apartheid
wall and colonial settlements): 11 AM gathering in Bilin for an event elsewhere and then ending in Qalandia at 3 PM and a noon function at Qalandia. Details of other functions are available upon request.

We urge all people to write to the media, to their governments, and to all fellow human beings to say that "enough is enough": Israel must be forced to respect basic human rights, allow free travel and most of all end apartheid and colonization. As a matter of urgency, Western governments must insist that Israeli authorities release those they kidnapped, afford them all protections due them, and punish officials who mistreated our guests.

Media Contacts: info@palestinejn.org

JERUSALEM: Sergio Yahni, sergioyahni@gmail.com, +972(0)526375032
BETHLEHEM: Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, mazin@qumsiyeh.org, +972(0)598939532
FRANCE: Nicolas Shahshahani, bienvenuepalestine@orange.fr

GERMANY:
Sophia Deeg, sophia_deeg@yahoo.de, +49(0)88 007761, +49(0)1799878414

UK:
Sofiah MacLeod, secretary@scottishpsc.org.uk,+44(0)7931 200 36100,
+44(0)131 620 0052

USA:
Karin Pally, myizzy@gmail.com or kpally@earthlink.net, +1 310-399-1921

Web: Palestinianspring.palestinejn.org

English Blog: http://welcometopalestinenews.blogspot.com/
Arabic Blog: http://ahlanfefalasteen.blogspot.com/
French: http://bienvenueenpalestinepresse.blogspot.com/

Videos

Gaza 'Flytilla' activists arrested for chanting 'Free Palestine' in Tel Aviv airport



Pro-Palestinian activists barred from Israel (2:11

Photos

Israel’s no-go to pro-Palestinian activists
Israeli efforts to arrest pro-Palestinian activists (9 images)


Other stories in major news outlets
Israel Blocks Air Travelers to Palestinian Conference
The Ben Gurion Airport Protest: Picking the Wrong Line?
Pro-Palestinian 'flytilla' stopped at airports by Israeli security
25 pro-Palestinian activists from Germany stopped upon arrival in Israel


Report on event at Nativity square

Welcome to Palestine Participants Start to Arrive; Israel Arrest 200 of Them
Welcome to Palestine Campaign Supporters and Participants Gather in Bethlehem's Manger Square      
AFPS: Roissy n'est pas Ben Gourion Airport !


Mazin Qumsiyeh

A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home
http://qumsiyeh.org
http://pcr.ps
http://IMEMC.or
http://www.alrowwad-acts.ps
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

IOF continues to crack down on West Bank protests

[ 10/07/2011 - 06:06 PM ]

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)-- Israeli occupation forces cracked down Sunday on peaceful demonstrations welcoming foreign pro-Palestinian activists near the Dome Barrier outside of Bethlehem.

The troops fired tear gas and bullets into the crowd of around 200, causing breathing difficulties to dozens.

The organizers, a Bethlehem resistance campaign, said the march came to compliment the popular movements this week protesting the apartheid wall and the occupation.

Activists celebrated this year the seventh anniversary of the ruling by the International Court of Justice in the Hague condemning the apartheid wall in the West Bank and Jerusalem as illegal.

Separately, several Palestinians were injured and sustained breathing difficulties during an anti-wall and anti-settlement sit-in in the Al-Tawana area south of Al-Khalil province in the West Bank.

Locals said Israeli border guards raided the village and declared it a closed military zone and dispersed protesters sitting on their own land with a barrage of rubber bullets and gas canisters, injuring several locals.

Also on Sunday, dozens of Palestinians backed by foreign activists demonstrated at the separation wall north of Bethlehem in a bid to breach Israel's military roadblock dividing Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

IOF troops prevented the protesters' objective by attacking them and threatening to shoot down anyone who proceeded towards the roadblock.

• Detainee in Ramallah goes on hunger strike
• IOF soldiers arrest Palestinian journalist
• IOF raids several locations in West Bank
• Palestinian girl wounded in IOF shooting
• European initiative calls on international judges to see execution of ruling
• Israeli raid on Gaza destroys brick factory

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Franklin Lamb in Tripoli - Libyan's ask "Why Now?"

A fresh report from Tripoli on the mood and situation on the ground. Franklin Lamb is a well known International lawyer who provides regular updates from the Arab world.
Recorded July 10 2011


River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Egypt-Israel gas pipeline targeted…again

CAIRO, July 7 (IPS) – The pipeline that carries Egyptian natural gas to Israel was attacked by unknown perpetrators on Monday (July 4), the third such incident since the January 25 Revolution that ended the rule of longstanding president Hosni Mubarak.

“We still don’t know who’s responsible,” North Sinai Security Director Saleh al-Masri told reporters in the immediate wake of the incident. “But the methods employed were the same as those used in previous attacks.”

The pipeline was first attacked on February 5, at the height of the Tahrir Uprising and six days before Mubarak’s departure. Reportedly carried out by unidentified gunmen not far from the city of Al-Arish in Egypt’s northern Sinai Peninsula, the attack halted the flow of gas to both Israel and Jordan for almost six weeks.

On March 27, a second attack on the pipeline was thwarted when Egyptian authorities managed to disarm explosive devices set by unknown perpetrators. Exactly one month later, however, masked gunmen again succeeded in blowing up a section of the pipeline near Al-Sabil (some 50 kilometers west of Al-Arish), again bringing gas flows to Israel and Jordan to a standstill for almost six weeks.
The most recent attack, which occurred before dawn on Monday at the Bir al-Abd terminal (some 80 kilometers west of Al-Arish), was also reportedly the work of a handful of masked attackers. According to initial reports, the perpetrators tied up security guards — who were later released unharmed — while explosive devices were planted in the terminal and detonated from a distance.
North Sinai Governor Abdelwahab Mabrouk condemned the attack, which he described as “an act of terrorism targeting the security and stability of Sinai.”

Petroleum ministry sources said repairs would take up to 15 days.

The latest attack has reportedly stopped the flow of Egyptian gas to Israel, Jordan and much of the Sinai Peninsula itself.

Egypt first began selling natural gas to Israel in 2008 despite widespread public opposition. An export deal hammered out three years earlier allows Egyptian-Israeli energy consortium East Mediterranean Gas (EMG) to sell Egyptian gas to Israeli buyers, including the government-run Israel Electric Corporation (IEC).

Notably, one day before the latest attack, Israeli daily Haaretz reported that IEC planned to raise consumer electricity prices by 20 percent “due in part to the lack of Egyptian gas.” The IEC, Israel’s main electricity supplier, relies on Egyptian gas for some 45 percent of its production capacity.
Along with its obvious political implications, the gas-to-Israel export scheme also drew fierce public criticism due to the fact that sale prices were never divulged by the government. Reports in the international media, however, indicated that Israeli buyers were purchasing Egyptian gas at prices well below international rates.

“There’s no excuse for selling Egyptian gas at prices less than those paid by the Egyptian public, especially when 40 percent of the Egyptian population is living in poverty,” Ibrahim Zahran, energy expert and former chairman of Khalda Petroleum Company, told IPS.

In late 2008, an administrative court ruled that the export scheme was illegal, on grounds that it had never been approved by Egypt’s parliament. The ruling, however, was never implemented, and was overturned in 2010 by Egypt’s High Administrative Court following an appeal by Mubarak regime officials.

Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), meanwhile, which has governed the country since Mubarak’s ouster, has continued to keep the sale price a secret.

On July 26, an administrative court is expected to rule on a new case brought against the transitional government to demand the enforcement of the initial court ruling against the export scheme.

Notably, on June 16, Hussein Salem, former EMG co-owner and close associate of the deposed president, was arrested in Spain on corruption charges. Salem, along with Mubarak and former petrol minister Sameh Fahmi, stand accused of making illicit profits through the gas-export scheme at the expense of the public purse. The first hearing in the case is scheduled for July 16.

“Egyptian gas exports to Israel have cost the country some $10 billion annually,” Ibrahim Youssri, former Egyptian deputy FM and long-time critic of the export scheme, told IPS. “The architects of this deal committed high treason and should be punished accordingly.”

According to petroleum ministry officials, negotiations with Israel over a revised pricing scheme are ongoing. Further details, however, have not been forthcoming.

Many energy experts, meanwhile, say Egyptian natural gas should be used to meet domestic consumption needs rather than being sold to foreign buyers at reduced prices. They point to a recent shortage of butane gas — the main source of fuel in most Egyptian households — which caused black-market prices for butane cylinders to skyrocket more than 600 percent.

“If Egyptian gas went to the domestic market instead of export, Egypt would save itself the cost of subsidizing petroleum products, which accounts for more than 100 billion Egyptian pounds (US$16.8 billion) of the current budget,” said Zahran.

He went on to call for the halt of all natural gas exports, noting that Egypt also sells gas — at only slightly higher prices — to Jordan, Lebanon, France, Spain, Malaysia and the US.

The perpetrators of the recent string of attacks, meanwhile, remain at large.

According to Hatem al-Buluk, an Egyptian journalist based in North Sinai, the bombings might have been the work of “Sinai-based revolutionaries” opposed to the notion of selling gas to Israel — particularly in light of the latter’s continued abuse of the Palestinian people. “This theory is supported by the fact that none of the attacks resulted in any deaths or injuries,” al-Buluk told IPS.

In an indication of the deep popular opposition to the export arrangement, some prominent public figures praised the attacks, calling them “acts of patriotism.”

“These acts constitute a legitimate response to the sale of Egyptian gas — at reduced prices — to an enemy of Egypt,” Mahmoud al-Khodeiri, former deputy head of Egypt’s Supreme Court, said on Monday.

By Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa al-Omrani

IPS: Egypt-Israel gas pipeline targeted

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Popular Front for Change and Liberation in Syria established… Rejection of all forms of pressure, foreign interference

DAMASCUS- The Popular Front for Change and Liberation in Syria (PFCL) was established comprising the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, the National Committee for the Syrian Communists Union and a group of Syria national figures.

Signatories to the Front foundation statement on Saturday called for the need for a comprehensive and radical reform in the interest of the homeland and citizen to maintain the national unity in the face of all forms of pressure and foreign interference.

The foundation statement rejected all forms of external interference in Syria's internal affairs, condemned whoever tries to be backed by foreign sides, calling for activating all means of public and official response and denouncing all forms of abuse to the Syrian citizen.

The statement affirmed the need to renounce violence, refuse sectarian, religious or ethnic fanaticism and considered the civil peace as a red line.

The statement noted that the Syrian army is a symbol of sovereignty and national unity whose mission is the protection of the homeland and targeting the army means targeting the national sovereignty and unity with the emphasis on the choice of the Syria people in the liberation of the Syrian Golan and the usurped lands as a whole.

In the political field, the statement pointed to the importance of drafting a new constitution for the country, issuing parties law, a new election law and information law.

In the economic field, the front emphasized the necessity of redistributing the national wealth in a fair and equitable way on the basis of a new economic model to produce the highest growth rates and a deeper social justice.

Sunday 10-07-2011

تأسيس الجبهة الشعبية للتغيير والتحرير في سورية .. دعم الإصلاح ورفض التدخل الخارجي والاستقواء بالأجنبي

دمشق..
أعلن مساء أمس أمام قلعة دمشق عن تأسيس الجبهة الشعبية للتغيير والتحرير في سورية وتضم الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي واللجنة الوطنية لوحدة الشيوعيين السوريين ومجموعة شخصيات وطنية.
ودعا الموقعون على إعلان الجبهة إلى ضرورة إجراء إصلاح شامل وجذري لمصلحة الوطن والمواطن للحفاظ على الوحدة الوطنية في وجه كل أشكال الضغوط والتدخل الخارجي وهم في سعيهم هذا سيتعاونون مع كل القوى والشخصيات الوطنية الغيورة على مصلحة البلاد.
وعبرت الجبهة كما ورد في بيان إعلانها عن رفض كل أشكال التدخل الخارجي في الشأن السوري وإدانة كل من يحاول الاستقواء بالخارج وتفعيل كل وسائل الرد الشعبي والرسمي ورفض الاستقواء على الشعب وإدانة كل أشكال الإساءة إلى المواطن السوري.
ويؤكد البيان ضرورة نبذ العنف ورفض التعصب الطائفي أو الديني او العرقي واعتبار السلم الأهلي خطا أحمر وأي مساس به يندرج في إطار الخيانة الوطنية.
ولفت البيان إلى أن الجيش العربي السوري يمثل رمز السيادة الوطنية ورمز الوحدة الوطنية ومهمته حماية الوطن والمواطن والمساس به مساس بالسيادة الوطنية والوحدة الوطنية مع ضرورة التأكيد على خيار الشعب السوري في تحرير الجولان وكامل الأراضي المغتصبة.
وفي المجال السياسي لفت البيان إلى أهمية إصدار دستور جديد للبلاد يمنع التمييز ويؤمن حقوق المواطنة الكاملة لجميع المواطنين السوريين بغض النظر عن انتماءاتهم.
وأكد أهمية إصدار قانون أحزاب يضمن قيام أحزاب على أساس وطني شامل تؤمن بوحدة الشعب السوري وترابه الوطني وإصدار قانون انتخابات جديد وعصري يحقق تكافؤ الفرص أمام جميع المواطنين ويمنع تأثير جهاز الدولة أو قوى المال إلى جانب تفعيل دور الإعلام من خلال قانون جديد ينظم دوره كسلطة رابعة في عملية الرقابة وفي تعميق الثقافة الوطنية.
أما في المجال الاقتصادي والاجتماعي فشدد البيان على ضرورة إعادة توزيع الثروة بشكل عادل لصالح الفقراء والمحرومين على أساس نموذج اقتصادي جديد يحقق أعلى نسبة نمو وأعمق عدالة اجتماعية.
وأشار البيان إلى أهمية حماية وتطوير الصناعة الوطنية ورعاية أصحاب الحرف والمهن اليدوية وحل مشكلة الأجور وتناسبها مع ضرورات ومتطلبات الحياة الكريمة وتوفير السكن اللائق والرخيص للعاملين وإنهاء أزمة السكن العشوائي.
وأكد البيان أهمية دعم الإنتاج الزراعي بشقيه النباتي والحيواني وتوفير البيئة المناسبة لتطوره وحماية دخل العاملين فيه وحماية الأراضي الزراعية والمراعي والغابات والشواطئ والمصائد من أخطار التصحر والانفلاش العمراني والتلوث وتلبية مطالب أو حاجات النساء والشباب والمسنين وحماية حقوق الطفل.
وفي المجال الوطني العام أشار البيان إلى ضرورة صيانة حرية واستقلال سورية والتصدي لكل مشاريع الهيمنة الاستعمارية العسكرية والسياسية والاقتصادية والثقافية وتوفير المقومات المادية لذلك عبر اعتماد خيار المقاومة الشاملة والتأكيد على خيار الشعب السوري في تحرير الجولان وكامل الأراضي المغتصبة.
وأكد الدكتور علي حيدر رئيس الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي في كلمة له استعداد الجبهة للحوار المستمر والهادف مع كل الأحزاب والتيارات والتجمعات والهيئات واللجان والقوى والشخصيات الوطنية وصولا إلى اطار وطني واسع يتسع لكل القوى السياسية والاجتماعية والثقافية في سورية للعمل على تحقيق مصلحة الوطن والمواطن.
من جانبه أكد الدكتور قدري جميل رئيس اللجنة الوطنية لوحدة الشيوعيين السوريين أن الحوار هو السبيل الوحيد للوصول إلى حل الأزمة الحالية وأن الذي يرفض الحوار يعني أنه يرفض الصراع السلمي الحضاري بين أبناء البلد الواحد بكافة أطيافه وأنه يريد صراعا من نوع آخر يؤدي إلى خراب البلد.
وفي هذا السياق أعلن الدكتور محمد حبش أحد الأعضاء المؤسسين للمبادرة الوطنية من أجل مستقبل سورية أن المبادرة ستشارك في اللقاء التشاوري الذي تشرف عليه الهيئة الوطنية للحوار غدا باعتبار أن الحوار أولوية وضرورة لوقف النزف الذي تشهده سورية.
وقال حبش في مؤتمر صحفي بمكتبه إن المبادرة تحمل ورقة عمل للقاء التشاوري تهدف إلى تأمين الحرية والعدالة والكرامة للناس والدخول إلى سورية جديدة مؤكدا أن قيادة الرئيس بشار الأسد ضرورة للوصول إلى هذه الأهداف.
وأعرب حبش عن أمله في أن يخرج قانون جديد وعصري للأحزاب يعبر عن الناس بالطريقة المناسبة وقال إن المبادرة الوطنية تمثل طريقا ثالثا ولا تقوده وهي تعمل لتكون صلة الوصل بين الحكومة والمعارضة والحكومة والشعب في إطار الحراك السياسي الذي تشهده سورية.
ودعا الدكتور حبش جميع قوى المعارضة والمتظاهرين إلى إدانة سلوك السفير الأميركي الذي لا يمكن فهمه سياسيا في سياق منطقي وقال إن من لم يقم بإدانة هذا النوع من التدخل واكتفى بالصمت يكن موافقا على التدخل الأمريكي.
وأشار حبش إلى أن الأمريكيين عرضوا خدماتهم في المنطقة من خلال النموذجين العراقي والليبي ولا أحد يريد أن يرى أحد هذين النموذجين إذا كان محبا لسورية وترابها موضحا أن الأمريكي يقدم نفسه منذ أربعين عاما بأنه ملتزم بالتفوق الاستراتيجي الإسرائيلي متسائلا عن شكل الدولة الجديدة إذا كان الأمريكي سيسهم في بنائها.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Netanyahu Panics — American and European activists Flytilla

When Folks like Kathy Kelly Visit Palestine by Sea or by Air Netanyahu Panics

Kathy Kelly -- Voice for Palestine

“I, and another US Boat to Gaza campaign member, Missy Lane, will head to Tel Aviv, where we plan to be part of a “flytilla,” a new campaign which will bring hundreds of activists together in Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, all of us intent on reaching Palestinian refugee camps and/or visiting Gazan families.” — Kathy Kelly


by James M Wall

When the Israeli government discovered that a large contingent of American and European activists were coming to visit Palestine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went into his full military stance.
He made one huge mistake. He forgot to ask: What is the enemy’s goal? If he had asked himself that question, he would have known that the overarching purpose of the flotilla and the flytilla was to drawn attention to the harsh and ugly reality that Israel maintains absolute military control over the lives of Palestinians living under occupation in Gaza and the West Bank.

Israeli police detain pro-Palestine activists in Ben Gurion Airport to prevent activists from entering Palestine

Did he not know, could he not have realized, what a burden it is for the New York Times to cover up the harsh and ugly reality of occupation when Israel so dramatically shuts its doors to anyone it brands as “pro-Palestinian”?

In its report on the airport blockade, The Times was forced to use a headline that said the visitors were blocked from attending a “conference” in Bethlehem. That did not come out very well for Netanyahu. The Israeli line was that the visitors were blocked because they were a threat to Israeli security. Both the Times and Israel know that “conferences” are held in Bethlehem all the time without all this fuss.

How is this flytilla different? Could it be because this “conference” was clearly intended to draw world attention to Israel’s treatment not only of Palestinians, but also to its behavior toward friends of Palestinians?

The Times inserts a brief observation that Palestine has no airport of its own. And why, pray tell, an astute reader will want to know, is there no airport in Palestine? The Times does not say. It also fails to mention that Israel will not permit Palestinians to build their own airport. Nothing gets built in occupied Palestine without Israeli approval.

In her Friday story, the Time’s Isabel Kershner reported that Israel was aware that the air travelers had been invited by Palestinian activists to come to Bethlehem for a week of “fellowship and actions”.

Most of the foreigners who planned to fly to Tel Aviv and join the “Welcome to Palestine” initiative were either deterred from trying to come or were prevented from boarding flights to Israel by foreign airlines, on instructions from the Israelis.
The Palestinian hosts decried the Israeli measures, but also chalked up a small victory.
Fadi Kattan, a Palestinian organizer, said at a news conference in Bethlehem that he was “pleased — sadly pleased” that the episode had exposed what he described as Israel’s draconian anti-Palestinian policies.

Netanyahu’s initial response to this planned event proved once again that a man in a panic does not think clearly. Instead of letting the party go forward, Israeli authorities put together a “no fly” list of “peace and justice” passengers believed to be “threats” to Israel’s security.
Outside groups are frequently invited to Palestine to travel to Bethlehem and other parts of both Israel and Palestine to talk, pray and plan. Religious types often get through passport control clutching a Bible or a guidebook to the “holy sites”. It also helps if you know the name of an Israeli rabbi, just in case you get into a second round of questioning. But this time was different. Both sides knew the game was on.
Ha’aretz reported:

Over the past few days, hundreds of police officers were deployed in and around the airport near Tel Aviv. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured the base of operations at Ben-Gurion with his internal security minister, the police chief, security branch representatives and immigration officials.

Netanyahu demanded that European airport authorities do to air passengers what the Greek Coast Guard did to the flotilla, halt them at the alpha point. Knowing some passengers would make it to Tel Aviv, Netanyahu took personal command of his second line of defense, Ben Gurion airport.
Ben Gurion authorities had to sift through the long line of American and British Bible tour groups, Christian pilgrims, business travelers, and the European Holy Land travelers, to find those dangerous passengers who made it through the security net.

Al Jazeera reported that “of the 600 Tel Aviv-bound pro-Palestine activists who wanted to fly Friday, the majority were prevented from boarding their flights”.

The Palestinians and their international allies had set Netanyahu up. He fell for it hard in his response to the Freedom to Enter flytilla campaign which originated in Bethlehem under local Palestinian leaders like Mazin Qumsiyeh.

Netanyahu’s over reaction to the international flotilla left him looking like the town bully who gets his way with other nations by using his Daddy’s money. In the case of both the flytilla and the flotilla, Netanyahu is the big loser.

Kathy Kelly is shown in action in the picture above, holding her weapon, a microphone. She was one of those passengers who made it to Tel Aviv. She was already well-known to Israeli officials, just as she is well known to her many friends and admirers elsewhere, including those of us in her home town of Chicago, Illinois, where the author of this blog, in the interest of full disclosure, must confess to having known, and admired her, for more than two decades.

Kelly was among the passengers on the Audacity of Hope, the US ship which was sailing to Gaza, when it was intercepted by the Greek Coast Guard. Undaunted, she wrote in The Palestine Chronicle that she would fly to Tel Aviv. She explained her reactions as she prepared to leave Athens:

I leave Greece tonight with sincere regret that I didn’t spend more time learning from these sturdy activists.
I, and another US Boat to Gaza campaign member, Missy Lane, will head to Tel Aviv, where we plan to be part of a “flytilla,” a new campaign which will bring hundreds of activists together in Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, all of us intent on reaching Palestinian refugee camps and/or visiting Gazan families.
Earlier this evening, a group of U.S. activists who’ve been able to remain longer, here in Athens, demonstrated at each of the heavily guarded streets leading to the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Greece. The Ambassador is hosting a huge festival tonight, in celebration of the U.S. July 4 holiday that commemorates independence.
Several Greek people passing us read our signs seeking freedom for Gaza and asked us to understand that as recently as one year ago, the government of Greece showed no sign of submitting to Israeli or U.S. pressure and allowed international flotilla boats to sail. But, now. they are dependent on the whims of financial elites around the world. The IMF is prescribing draconian measures which will wreck their economy and make them subservient to the dictates of foreign multinationals.

Kelly and Missy Lane landed at Ben Gurion, but they were detained by airport authorities. No word yet on what will happen next to the two of them, though a swift return back home is likely.

Kelly, by the way, would be the first to insist that we acknowledge here that she is but one of more than 600 travelers who participated in both the flotilla and flytilla projects. There are many more Kathy Kelly stories among those peace and justice travelers to Palestine. And their number is growing. No wonder Netanyahu is in such a panic.

Here are the beginning words from the citation presented to Kelly from the Justice Studies Association when Kelly was awarded the 2011 Noam Chomsky honor for her work on peace and justice issues:

Kathy Kelly is a long-time pacifist and co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. A tireless activist whose efforts toward peace transcend borders, regions and time zones, writer Studs Terkel wrote of her: “She has visited more countries, cities and small towns not listed in Baedeker’s [travel guide] than anyone I have ever known.”
Born, raised and educated in Chicago – as a student at St. Paul-Kennedy High School, Kelly watched the film Night and Fog which exposed her to the horrors of the Holocaust. She also was exposed to the writings of Daniel Berrigan and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. All of this convinced her to make a commitment never to sit by and watch evil happen.
Now 58, Kelly has spent her life living up to her commitment. Over the last 30 years, she has helped the victims of war wherever they were – whether in Bosnia, Haiti, the West Bank, Iraq or Afghanistan. A war tax resister since 1982, Kelly has perhaps most notably used her resources (financial and spiritual) to provide medicine and other supplies to those trapped by the politics of militarism. Kelly co-founded Voices in the Wilderness, a peace group that highlighted the suffering of Iraqi civilians during the U.N. imposed economic sanctions of the 1990s. (To read the complete citation, click here.)

No American television coverage has yet to emerge from the flytilla. But there is clip available from the English language channel of RT (Russia Television), which provides an interview with Pippa Bartolotti, a British passenger who made it successfully through Ben Gurion passport control.

FLYTILLA ACTIVISTS ARRESTED

See original article at: Wall Writings

---

James Wall is currently a Contributing Editor of The Christian Century magazine, based in Chicago, Illinois. From 1972 through 1999, he was editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine. He has made more than 20 trips to that region as a journalist, during which he covered such events as Anwar Sadat’s 1977 trip to Jerusalem, and the 2006 Palestinian legislative election. He has interviewed, and written about, journalists, religious leaders, political leaders and private citizens in the region. Jim served for two years on active duty in the US Air Force, and three additional years in the USAF (inactive) reserve. He can be reached at: jameswall8@gmail.com

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Saturday, July 9th, 2011 | Posted by Veterans Today

Syria Launches National Dialogue

Syrian Republic has opened the national dialogue on Sunday as a step towards multi-party democracy. However, some opposition parties refused to participate.

Delegates observed a minute's silence in memory of the "martyrs" before the playing of the national anthem.

"We are going to hold a comprehensive national dialogue during which we will announce Syria's transition towards a multi-party democratic state in which everyone will be equal and able to participate in the building of the nation's future," Vice President Faruq al-Shara said in his opening ddress.

President Bashar al-Assad announced the dialogue in a keynote speech on June 20.

Delegates were expected to include some independent MPs as well as members of the Baath party.
The government said that delegates would be invited to discuss a whole raft of reforms, including amending Clause Eight of the constitution which enshrines the leading role of the Baath party in Syrian political life.

Moreover, youth activists in the city of Lattakia are to rise on Sunday the longest Syria flag, 16 Kilometers length and 4.5 meters wide, presenting a public initiative to support the reform project and the national dialogue, and to express refusal against foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs.

 Consultative Meeting for Comprehensive National Dialogue Opens

Jul 10, 2011

DAMASCUS, (SANA)- Vice President Farouk al-Shara on Sunday said the tenth of July, which marks the beginning of national dialogue, is not like other days "as we hope it will conduce to a comprehensive conference that announces the transformation of Syria into a pluralistic, democratic state where its citizens are equal and participate in the formation of their homeland's future."

Al-Shara, head of the National Dialogue Commission, was speaking at the opening of the activities of the Consultative Meeting for Comprehensive National Dialogue, announced by President Bashar al-Assad in his latest speech at Damascus University, with the participation of different Syrian political, party independent, opposition, academic and youth activist figures.

"Invitations for this meeting were directed to national figures from all affiliations and party trends including the Baath Party, the National Progressive Front, independent, opposition and intellectual figures and from the different spectrums of the Syrian people," said Vice President.
He added that more national personalities will be invited to the comprehensive conference to be prepared following the end of this consultative meeting.

He pointed out that "dialogue is being launched in not so comfortable atmosphere, whether inside and outside…an atmosphere of uncertainty and distrust, of rejection and worry," adding that shifting in the track of laws and from one situation to another can not happen that smoothly without being confronted with obstacles, sometimes natural and made up in other times.

"The counter plans of others, whether prepared in advance or fabricated in a hurry, were mostly based on a great amount of mistakes and waste which we used to throw under our carpets without profound contemplation and consideration of the days to come," said al-Shara, adding that the already prepared plans depended also on information surprises on the level of the world which with skillfully employed its media tools in the events instead of using advanced weaponry as was usual in the wars of last century.

Vice President addressed the attendees that conveying their voices is a legitimate right as all the other demands related to the people's livelihood, saying "this dialogue is not a favor from any one and it should not be considered a condescension on the part of the government for the people, but it is the duty of each citizen based on deep belief that the people are the source of authorities like all developed countries."

Al-Shara announced a clear decision issued by the leadership which stipulates for not placing any illegal obstacles in the way of the travel or return of any Syrian citizen to their homeland, noting that the interior Minister was informed of this decision to be enforced within a week from its date.

Al-Shara commented that punishing those with different intellectual or political views and opinions in this way will lead them to seek security and protection from the other societies.

Al-Shara pointed out that dialogue is not a simple issue and not always obtainable for everybody, stressing there is no substitute for dialogue at the current situation except the bloody and economic bleeding and self-destruction and the idea of no-dialogue has no political prospect and is not a popular demand.

"National dialogue, which is irreversible, is the most consistent and in line with the history of Syria and its generous people," said al-Shara, expressing his optimism over this national dialogue and calling on the attendees to be optimistic as well.

Vice President noted that the full implementation of the issued laws, which were not totally enforced under the current circumstances, particularly the law of lifting the state of emergency in Syria, can guarantee taking Syria to a new developed phase, adding this requires all to have the sense of historic responsibility to get out of this vicious circle.

In this context, al-Shara noted that the unauthorized demonstration leads to unjustified violence which will result in claiming the lives of more civilians and military personnel.
"Our society will not be able to achieve freedom and civil peace without a democratic, pluralistic political system…if the Syrian people succeed in moving peacefully towards democracy in cooperation among all their spectrums and without any foreign interference, they will succeed in ending this vicious circle of heated debate between the political solution and the security solution and isolating all those who don't care for the future of this homeland or for the change under its umbrella," said al-Shara.

He added that national dialogue should continue politically on all levels and among the various spectrums of the Syria people to turn the page on the past and open a new page in the history of Syria.
H. Zain/ Ghossoun/H. Said

• Syrians Stress Support for National Dialogue, Reject Foreign Interference
• Continued Popular and Civil Activities Are Most Expressive of Syrians' Support to National Unity and Reform Program
• Dr. Shaaban: Syrian people able to solve their problems by themselves..Dialogue best method to find way out of crisis
• Syrians Raise Largest National Flag to Support Reform Program and Reject Foreign Interference
• Foreign Ministry Summons U.S, French Ambassadors Over Visit to Hama without Permission
• U.S. Ambassador's Presence in Hama Condemned, Violates Diplomatic Norms, Affirms U.S. Role in Fueling Conflicts

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

March 14 Running Out of Strategies...and Allies

By Ali Rizk

The March 14 alliance has pledged that it will do all it can to bring down the government headed by premier Najib Miqati after the policy statement of this government didn't meet the wishes of March 14 regarding the Hariri tribunal.

The first attempt at accomplishing this was in parliament during the discussions of the cabinet policy statement.

Members of March 14 used language which targeted Najib Miqati personally especially from the sectarian angle.(a sunni figure denying responsibility towards uncovering those who assassinated Rafiq Hariri was how some March 14 figures tried to put it). Miqati easily passed this test however and firmly stood by his stances which included a smart defense of the clause in the policy statement related to the Hariri tribunal. Now this group is saying that it wants to oust this cabinet on the street (with mixed language as some say in a democratic way and some in a non-democratic way).

The withdraw of March 14 lawmakers from parliament just before the vote of confidence (which the government won as expected from the parliamentary majority) sought to send a strong message to Miaqti and his government that they were in for a tough time ahead. This may remind some of the scenario back in 2005 when the government of premier Omar Karami resigned as protests erupted calling for the resignation of the government AND for an end to what they described as Syrian occupation of their country. Here let us look at the important differences between the situation back then and the situation now which prove that toppling this government by resorting to the street is near impossible:

First of all how much street power does march 14 have left?

After Michel Aoun and his movement who represent a majority of the Christians in Lebanon (look at how many mps the movement has in parliament) other figures who represent important political parties and religious sects have also left the movement.

The exit of Walid Jumblatt means March 14 has lost the significant street power of the Druze community.

Even when it comes to support from the Sunni street the choice of Najib Miqati was a very smart move by March 8 which will complicate for March 14 the goal of mobilizing the Lebanese Sunni community against this government. While Karami was viewed as part of the pro Syrian anti Hariri camp, Miqati still has the reputation of being a neutral figure and enjoys wide support amongst many Sunni's particularly in his hometown of Tripoli. Other members of his cabinet including finance minister Mohammad Safadi (who is even known for his close ties to Saudi Arabia) also have the same traits.

Second of all, the rallies which took place back at the time of the cedar revolution came just after the assassination of prime minister Rafiq Hariri when feelings of anger were still boiling and taking advantage of such feelings was a simple task. These rallies, in addition to calling for the ouster of Karami's government, also evolved around ending the Syrian presence in Lebanon (which was why Michel Aoun's supporters took part in them). Hence these protests focused on Syria and what was described as its accomplices in Lebanon.

These factors do not exist today as there are no fresh feelings of anger although this was one of the aims of releasing the indictment into the Hariri assassination to coincide with the cabinets' discussion of the cabinet policy statement and the vote of confidence.(Hizbullah's pre-emptive campaign against this politicized tribunal is the main reason for this plot failing). And there no longer is Syrian military presence in Syria and Najib Miqati and his government of course cannot be put in a category of Syrian accomplices like Karami and his government were as previously stated.

Third and probably most important of all the situation of regional and world powers is completely different. The Bush administration was at the peak of its power and thought it was capable of changing the situation in Lebanon and extended unwavering support to the March movement. Now the US is planning its retreat from Iraq, and how to get of its very difficult situation in Afghanistan, not to mention its military involvement in Libya and its attempts to hijack Arab revolutions (note here the talk of dialogue between the US and the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt).

Regional countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia (the two main traditional backers of March 14) are pre-occupied with their own internal matters and in the case of Saudi Arabia with issues of bigger importance like Bahrain and Yemen which Saudi Arabia considers part of its geographic orbit and sphere of influence.

After mentioning all of the above the March 14 has only one choice to pin its hopes on: The fall of the regime in Syria. As it seems there is a dead end for them here in Lebanon the March 14 will throw everything they can behind the international campaign being launched against Syria. They believe that a collapse of the regime of Bashar Assad will turn the tide back in their favor in Lebanon. However with the failure of the international campaign against Syria will come the knockout blow to the March 14 alliance.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Obama blesses break-up of Sudan

“Israelis can tell the whole story of Sudan’s division – they wrote the script and trained the actorrs“. Fahmi Howeidi asked in Khaleej Times:

Posted on July 10, 2011 by rehmat1

Barack Obama who had threatened Mahmoud Abbas that Washington will veto the unilateral declaration of an independent Palestinian State in September – was the first world leader to recognize the break-away South Sudan as world’s newest state.

“I am proud to declare that the United States formally recognizes the Republic of South Sudan as a sovereign and independent state upon this day, July 9, 2011. After so much struggle by the people of South Sudan, the United States of America welcomes the birth of a new nation,” said Obama.
Khartoum has recognized the separation of South Sudan from North Sudan. Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir attended the ceremony in Juba on Saturday, marking the birth of the new African nation. The UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, British foreign secretary William Hague and French foreign minister Alaine Juppe also attended the function.

Turkey, Egypt and Israel has also recognized the new state. South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir is known for his close relations with Tel Aviv. Israel is going to use South Sudan as ‘Zionist proxy’ in Africa to fight Iranian influence.

The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Israel-Firster Dr. Susan Rice lead the delegation to Juba consisting of Gen. Colin Powell, Rep. Donald Payne, Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, and Princeton Lyman, the US Special Envoy to Sudan, Brooke Anderson, Deputy National Security Advisor, Donald Steinberg, Deputy Administrator, USAID; and General Carter Ham, Commander, US Africa Command.

Analysts say the priority for Khartoum will be to negotiate a favourable deal on oil revenue, as most oilfields lie in the south. At present, the revenues are being shared equally. Khartoum has some leverage, as most of the oil pipelines flow north to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.

A new law passed by the National Assembly in Khartoum has withdrawn Sudanese citizenship from estimated one million southerners.

Omar Hassan al-Bashir visited both Islamic Republic and China. He attended the anti-terrorism conference in Tehran. Omar’s visit irked Newt Gingrich, a Jewish Lobby’s poodle and US presidential candidate. He wrote in Human Events (July 6, 2011) that the conference which designated both the US and Israel being the world’s greatest terrorist states – was “a diplomatic defeat for President Obama and America“.

Sudan and Egypt have great strategic importance for the Zionist entity due to their shared Nile water which is needed for the development of new Jewish settlements on the lands stolen from native Arabs. According to Muriel Mirak-Weissbach of the Schiller Institute, most of Israeli invasion of its Arab neighbors (Lebanon, Egypt and Syria) had been to occupy and exploit their water sources.

Several American Jewish groups have been demonizing Muslim-majority government in Khartoum for decades to serve Israeli interests in Africa. They used the Zionist-controlled mainstream media to spread their propaganda lies about human rights abuses in Sudan just like they did in case of Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Libya and Nigeria. On the other hand, Israel armed and trained rebels fighting against Khortoum. Jewish Lobby also used International Criminal Court to convict Sudanese President for war crimes while ICC had refused to prosecute Israeli mass-murders.

In April 2006, Israeli daily Jerusalem Post had boasted that the ‘Save Darfur’ project was a brainchild of 15 Jewish groups who were able to siphoned $50 million to fund illegal Jewish settlements in Israel.

Fahmi Howeidi asked in Khaleej Times: “Israelis can tell the whole story of Sudan’s division – they wrote the script and trained the actorrs“.

Israel to South Sudan: 'Congratulations' ... israel to PALESTINE: 'NO WAY!'

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Neurotic, psychotic Israel

[ 09/07/2011 - 09:51 PM ] 
 

By Khalid Amayreh

Recent Israeli behavior toward a host of issues and events portrays a state in the throes of an existential anxiety. For example, the clearly hysterical response by the Israeli government to the mobilization of a few ships carrying humanitarian aid to blockaded Gazans caricatured a state that reacts in a phobic manner to dangers and threats that don’t really exist.

After all, the volunteers on board the ships, who include people from different cultures and religions, made it abundantly clear that their mission was to deliver badly-needed humanitarian materials to the people of Gaza Strip, hermetically besieged by Israel for the fifth consecutive year for no convincing reasons.

Another message these courageous men and women, who really represent the real conscience of humanity, is to highlight the utter illegitimacy, illegality and immorality of the criminal siege that is meant to starve and strangulate 1.8 million human beings whose only "crime" is their enduring determination to seek liberty from the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the holocaust.

There is no doubt that Israeli leaders and officials know this fact too well. However, this apparently didn't prevent the inherently dishonest Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu from claiming that the free Gaza flotilla was carrying arms to Hamas, a claim that obviously didn't contain an iota of truth.

The less professional liars among the Israeli government clique claimed that the flotilla amounted to armed armada which was planning to invade Israel, attack the Israeli navy and harm Israeli soldiers. But one would have to send his or her own mind on an extended holiday to believe that a few hundred peace activists, many of them elderly men and women above the age of 70 are planning a blitz against the mighty Israeli army.

Nonetheless, Israel is not a classical neurotic and psychotic case. Israel is perfectly aware of the fact that it is lying to the world and for the world.

Several months ago, Israel claimed it was imposing the Nazi-like siege on Gaza because Gazans were "showering" Israeli towns with rockets. (we are actually talking about nearly innocuous projectiles that do very little damage) Now, the lie is being replaced with another lie, namely that Gaza was endangering Israel's security and even existence.

But, again, one would have to be extremely gullible to buy such pornographic lies. Indeed, one is always prompted to ask how could a thoroughly tormented, thoroughly starved and thoroughly bombed people, many of them can hardly put food on the table for their kids, pose a real threat to a country with one of the strongest armies in the world, a nuclear power with 200-300 nuclear bombs and warheads in its arsenal, which also has the United States president, media and congress, at her beck and call?

In the past few days, the Israeli authorities declared a state of emergency at the Ben Gurion airport in order to arrest peaceful international activists intent on expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Israeli officials stopped short of calling these activists terrorists, although many of them hail from states that maintain close relations with Israel. Indeed, the tone used by the bulk of the Israeli media in reference to these peaceful activists was clearly convulsive and hysterical, as if the arrival of a few dozen peace activists in Occupied Palestine constituted a mortal threat to the apartheid state.

One doesn't have to be a great psychological analyst to realize the pattern of behavior is symptomatic of a country that is not sure of its moral credibility. This utter lack of moral credibility was brazenly displayed a few weeks ago when the Israeli army was ordered to shoot to kill Palestinian refugees demonstrating along Occupied Palestine's northern borders. And the result was the death of several innocent people who never really posed a real danger or threat to Israel.

But Israel does have a mortal fear for losing its so-called legitimacy. And it constantly tries to maintain this "legitimacy" by way of killing and lying.

As an observer of the conflict in Palestine for so many years, I really don't see that Israel (I am speaking about Israel, not the Jewish people) has any authentic legitimacy besides the legitimacy of the fait accompli.

In the final analysis, Israel is based on ethnic cleansing, land theft and organized terror. As such, Israel can't have any atom of moral legitimacy, neither now, or after a hundred years. The fact that powerful states recognize this hateful, racist entity doesn't mean much in moral terms.

Needless to say, when a country lacks moral credentials, as Israel obviously does, that country puts itself on a sure course to self-destruction sooner or later. Military and economic strength might prolong the life-span of oppression and "illegitimacy," but ultimate demise will be the ineluctable fate of illegitimate states.

Numerous Israelis know deep in their hearts that they are living on land that belongs to another people, that they are residing in homes whose real owners were expelled by Israel's terrorist army to the four corners of the globe.

Yet they prefer to keep up themselves in perpetual moral hibernation and detest any thought or anyone that might remind them of the immense oppression they have meted out to their victims, the Palestinian people.

In a few decades, our world is likely to undergo deep, historical changes that would be very bad for Israel and Zionism. Some of the harbingers of these changes are already looming, while others are yet to emerge.

Then Zionism will most certainly face its agonizing moment of death and extinction.

As to the Palestinians, the victims of dispossession, ethnic cleansing and systematic persecution, they must have an enduring vigor that goes beyond day-to-day assessment of events.

And their ultimate goal must be nothing less than having the entire slate thoroughly clean.
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Tens of Thousands Protest U.S. Ambassador Visit to Hama and Foreign Interference

Thousands of people gathered at Bab Touma Square in Damascus on Friday to express rejection of foreign interference which is strongly supported by the US, Zionist Israel and their regional allies in Syria’s internal affairs and protest the presence of the U.S. Ambassador in Hama.
Tens of thousands also gathered at al-Hijaz Square in Damascus protesting the presence of the U.S. Ambassador in Hama, considering this behavior as clear evidence of the U.S. involvement in the events in Syria and its efforts to escalate them.In Deir Ezzor, thousands of people poured into al-Sabh Bahrat Square to protest foreign interference in Syria’s affairs and to express support to the comprehensive reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad.

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• 06/07/2011 -- Independent MPs Hold Consultative Meeting Supporting Reform, Rejecting Foreign Interference
• 05/07/2011 -- Mass Rallies, National Support Campaigns Organized All over Syrian Cities
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• 04/07/2011 -- 100 Thousand Rally in Safita in Support of Reform, Hasaka Youths Raise 230 Meters Long Syrian Flag
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• 29/06/2011 -- People of Khirbet al-Jouz Stress that Normal Life Returned to the Village, Reject Misleading Attempts
• 28/06/2011 -- Popular Rallies in Homs Stress Support to Comprehensive Reform Program
• 27/06/2011 -- Popular Rallies in Homs Stress Support to Comprehensive Reform Program
• 25/06/2011 -- Nasrallah: Syrian leadership dealt seriously with the People’s demands of reform

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

“War of Oil”: Another Phase of Israeli Offense

Translated by: Marwa Haidar

Source: As-Safir Daily

Israeli preparations to delimit its so-called economic maritime boundaries are accelerating at a time Lebanon has started officially granting privileges to the drilling of oil and gas in its economic waters.

The Israeli government would ratify on Sunday for the first time on its “maritime borders”, after Lebanon had assigned a Norwegian company to conduct a seismic research in its waters.

Lebanon had earlier, last January, filed a document to the United Nations in which it defined its maritime borders.

It has been known that the possible oil fields lie in a nested area between both Lebanon and Palestine, something which may lead to more conflicts between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation government.
For the Israeli side, the decision to delimit the maritime boundaries is considered as a prelude to achieve international recognition of its “maritime borders”.

According to Israeli media, the ratification on what so-called “Israel’s maritime borders” occurs in response to the Lebanese document to the UN.
In other words, the Zionist entity is to file an official compliant to the UN in order to protest against the Lebanese document, a move considered by many commentators as an attempt to deprive Lebanon of its right to drill oil and gas north of occupied Palestine.

Israeli Media also said that the document, presented by Lebanon to UN, indicated that the Lebanese economic waters included the field "Levitan", adding that the defined borders in the document were different from those signed between Lebanon and Cyprus in the 2002 demarcation of the maritime borders treaty.

Lebanese daily as-Safir stated that Preliminary estimates suggest that "Levitan" field includes 300 to 600 billion m³ of gas.

The Israeli resolution considers that “the lack of Israeli response to the Lebanese actions could be interpreted by courts as an implied endorsement”.

Israel considers that the Lebanese reaction on the Zionist entity’s position “could be used as a pretext to continue resistance, particularly Hezbollah officials, who would say that Israel has unilaterally annexed the maritime areas and natural resources of Lebanon". This position had already been announced by Lebanese organization, Israel said further adding that the Lebanese government and Parliament had supported these organizations.

Although Lebanon had already approved last year a law on oil resources in waters without going into the stage of actual implementation, Israel had actually exceeded by loading large companies, like "Noble Energy and its partners," to start digging for drilling and gas extraction.
This company, “Noble Energy and its Partners”, said it have drilled a well in the region "Levitan," which is considered the largest natural gas field in the world in the last decade.

BASSIL: “ISRAEL PLAYING WITH FIRE”

In this context, the Minister of Energy and Water Joubran Bassil described this case as "scientific and subjected to international law", hoping that each side would meet its interests, and stressing that Lebanon would abandon neither his rights in oil nor his maritime borders.

Asked how Lebanon would face a possible Israeli violation, the energy minister said: "Obviously we will prevent any violation. However, in case of violation, Israel will not be the only damaged part, but also large companies that cooperate with it. We, in Lebanon, respect the rights of others, and we don’t want to violate the rights of others, but at the same time, we do not want someone to attack us and we will pursue this matte, knowing that this is a main clause in the ministerial declaration of the government. "

Bassil concluded that it was no one’s interest to create a problem, assuring that the Zionist entity “is playing with fire” by violating Lebanon's maritime borders and oil rights.
“Lebanon will not give up its rights or its borders”, the energy minister was clear.

Nada Raad contributed to this report

Source: Newspapers

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian