Category Archives: International

Israeli forces approaching Palestinian refugee camps in Bethlehem, protester killed in Qalandiya, teenager killed in Jerusalem

Live video of clashes between protesters and Israeli troops in Qalandiya, one protester killed, 150 wounded.  Clashes continue, protesters burning tires in the street, throwing rocks.

Reports that Palestinian teenager killed by Israeli forces in Jerusalem.

Reports that Israeli forces are surrounding Palestinian refugee camps, including those in Bethlehem.  Israeli officials claim they want to prevent Nakba protesters from reaching refugee camps.

Israeli tanks laying smoke at Lebanese border, protesters killed

May 15. Five protesters killed, 20 wounded by Israeli troops. Reports that UN peacekeepers in Lebanon are trying to stop protesters from getting to Israeli border.  Live video of Israeli tanks now laying smoke at Lebanese border fence, where protesters on Lebanon side are approaching, might attempt crossing.  Protesters waving Palestinian flags.  Live reporter says he can hear shots fired, says protesters are not armed. Reports that Israeli troops and tanks are building on Lebanese border.  Protester on Lebanon side of border wounded by Israeli soldier, protester was not on Israeli side of border.

Israel imposes lockdown, Apache helicopters & F-16s over Gaza, tanks open fire on Gaza, teenager killed

May 15,  journalists reporting that Israeli Apache copters and F-16s flying over Gaza. Live video shows ambulances arriving at scene of Israeli shootings in Ramalla. Israel imposes 24 hour lockdown on Palestinian territories, Israeli tanks have opened fired on Gaza. A Palestinian teenager has been killed in Gaza, at least 65 people wounded.  Violence in Ramalla, West Bank, Israeli troops shooting at people, at least 30 people wounded including a journalist, streets full of debris and tire fires.

Protesters include people from Europe and North America, and even from Japan.  One Japanese was interviewed live, she said the plight of the Palestinians has become “the” symbol of injustice for the whole world.

 

10,000 Israeli Police bracing for Nakba protests

Israeli media reporting that 10,000 police are being used for the expected Nakba protests.  Officials say they will allow protests, but not violence.

But already Israeli military forces have committed violence by attacking a funeral precession, for a teenager that was killed by them a few days earlier.

The police units are being focused around Jerusalem (where the funeral was attacked), and northern Israel.  This is probably because Egypt and Jordan are blocking protesters from reaching the Israeli border, but Lebanon, to Israel’s north, has not indicated that they will do the same.

 

Leaked UN report says Iran & China violated UN sactions against North Korea. Is this the “smoking gun” the U.S. is looking for?

In a suppossedly “leaked” United Nations report, Iran is accused of dealing with North Korea, for nuclear missile technology.  That violates UN sanctions against North Korea.

The report also suggests the deals were made through a third party, possibly China.

The report infers that Iran is trying to get nuclear weapons technology as well. It points out that North Korea’s nuclear program is mainly for weapons. The report is to be submitted to the UN Security Council.

This is obviously going to be used by the U.S. as the “smoking gun” reason for taking military action against Iran.

The problem with the accusations is that North Korea has a lousy record of ballistic missile tests, while Iran has enjoyed success with its own missile program.  So it’s probably not a case of Iran trying to get missile technology, but North Korea.

The other problem is that it doesn’t make sense that Iran and North Korea were going through China to do the deals.  China has much better missile technology, so why not deal directly with China?  It’s possible that China did not want to share its missile technology.

Also, if Iran was trying to get nuclear weapons technology, again, why not deal with the more reliable Chinese?

The panel of “experts” who put together the UN report included a representative from China, who reportedly refused to sign the report.

 

Egyptian Army blocking access to Sinai Peninsula, Egyptian government still pro-Israel

Despite demands by the people of Egypt to be allowed to protest the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the Egyptian Army is blocking access to the Sinai Peninsula, in order to keep Egyptians from reaching the Israeli border at Gaza.

Some Egyptian politicians have stated that the Egyptian blockade against Gaza is being done to support Israel and the United States, and have asked for its end.  But the fact that the Egyptian Army is stopping people from protesting the blockade, and Israel, is proof the so called “new” Egyptian government is still being controlled by the U.S. and Israel.

Israelis back off suing Former U.S. President Carter

At the beginning of 2011 a lawsuit was filed against Jimmy Carter, by Israelis upset by the facts in his book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid”.   They wanted $5 million in damages.

They claimed that Carter’s facts were false, but, according to some reports, as of May 5 they have dropped their claims.  I wounder if they realized Carter’s book is factual regarding Israel’s brutality towards Palestinians?