Israeli tanks invaded southern Gaza areas, fighters respond

October 21, 2009 18:12 - by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

A number of Israeli tanks invaded on Wednesday midday areas in Rafah city in southern Gaza, Palestinian fighters clashed with the invading force.

An Israeli tank in Gaza

Residents said that tanks invaded the border line areas close to the Egypt and opened fire at their homes. They reported damage but no injuries.

The Al Qudes brigades the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad said its fighter clashed with the invading force and fired two home made shells at them. No injuries were reported in both sides.

Goldman Sachs: Public must learn to 'tolerate the inequality' of bonuses

By Kathryn Hopkins
The Guardian
October 21, 2009

Conservative peer Lord Griffiths said banks should not be ashamed of rewarding staff.
Photograph: Rex Features

One of the City's leading figures has suggested that inequality created by bankers' huge salaries is a price worth paying for greater prosperity.

In remarks that will fuel the row around excessive pay, Lord Griffiths, vice-chairman of Goldman Sachs International and a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, said banks should not be ashamed of rewarding their staff.

Speaking to an audience at St Paul's Cathedral in London about morality in the marketplace last night, Griffiths said the British public should "tolerate the inequality as a way to achieve greater prosperity for all".

He added that he knew what inequality felt like after spending his childhood in a mining town in Wales. Both his grandfathers were miners who had to retire from work through injury.

With public anger mounting at the forecast of bumper bonuses for bankers only a year after the industry was rescued by the taxpayer, he said bankers' bonuses should be seen as part of a longer-term investment in Britain's economy. "I believe that we should be thinking about the medium-term common good, not the short-term common good ... We should not, therefore, be ashamed of offering compensation in an internationally competitive market which ensures the bank businesses here and employs British people," he said.

Griffiths said that many banks would relocate abroad if the government cracked down on bonus culture. "If we said we're not going to have as big bonuses or the same bonuses as last year, I think then you'd find that lots of City firms could easily hive off their operations to Switzerland or the far east," he said.

Goldman Sachs is currently on track to pay the biggest ever bonuses to its 31,700 employees after raking in profits at a rate of $35m (£21m) a day.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) said today that City bonuses could soar to £6bn this year.

The chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), Lord Turner, who was also present at the meeting, called once again for a global tax on financial transactions. He said that such a so-called "Tobin tax" could redistribute bank profits to help fight world poverty and climate change.

"The role of regulation is to bring a concordance between private actions and beneficial results," he said.

Uruguayan court declares amnesty for human rights 'abusers' unconstitutional

Belfast Telegraph - October 20, 2009

Uruguay's Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a law that provided amnesty to military officials accused of murders, disappearances and other human rights violations during the country's dictatorship.

Ruling in the case of a young communist detained and killed by the military in 1974, the justices said the amnesty law violates Uruguay's separation of powers and failed to pass by a required supermajority - arguments sure to be made in other dirty war prosecutions.

The law remains on the books, but the ruling could swing voters in favour of overturning it altogether in a plebiscite being held on Sunday along with presidential elections. Until now, polls have shown the plebiscite failing.

Former vice president and constitutional scholar Gonzalo Aguirre said the ruling "supports the conviction that on Sunday the law should be annulled by popular vote and that this will lead to the reopening of dozens of cases that could not be prosecuted because of the amnesty".

Court spokesman Raul Oxandabarat said he can't release details of the 4-1 ruling because it hasn't yet been delivered to all the parties in the case.

But lawyer Jose Errandonea, who represents the family of the murdered militant Nibia Sabalsagaray, said "the ruling is so convincing in its fundamentals, and while each case is unique, it's understood that this sets a precedent, and that the Supreme Court won't change if presented with a similar case,"

Amnesties for human rights violators were key to enabling democracies to emerge from the dictatorship era in South America, but they have been increasingly challenged recently.

Uruguay's law granting amnesty to military figures in the 1973-1985 dictatorship was passed by a congressional majority in 1986 and reaffirmed in 1989 with 54% of the vote in a plebiscite.

It was seen initially as a balancing response to a 1985 law granting amnesty to leftist guerrillas accused of attacks.

State won’t prosecute officers filmed beating Palestinians

Liel Kyzer | Ha’aretz

21 October 2009

Deputy State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan rejected an appeal against the decision not to investigate Border Police officers who documented themselves abusing Palestinians.

The appeal was filed by the Yesh Din human rights group.

Senior deputy to the state prosecutor Nechama Zusman wrote last week on Nitzan’s behalf that “the beating in the case was extremely slight and did not cause any actual damage. Therefore, the deputy state prosecutor did not think it was appropriate to intervene in the decision of the Justice Ministry’s department for the investigation of police officers to transfer the case to the care of the Israel Police disciplinary department, along with a recommendation to discipline the officers in question.”

Yesh Din issued a sharp response on Tuesday. The organization’s legal adviser, Michael Sfard, wrote to Zusman that, “Your position demonstrates unprecedented tolerance of abuse of people in custody by a person of authority, through the use of violence and humiliation.”

“The question of damage suffered is completely irrelevant, as criminal law prohibits assault and without qualifying it by the gravity of the damage caused,” the letter continued. “The argument that beating a prisoner is not a criminal act is even worse than the beating itself, and amounts to a dangerous move by the prosecution.”

The organization called upon the prosecution to review its decision to close the criminal case. Sfard asked for disciplinary proceedings to be stalled until a final decision is made, and made clear that Yesh Din is considering further legal measures if the original decision is upheld.

The video clips in which the officers documented themselves beating and humiliating Palestinians in East Jerusalem were revealed over a year ago, and appear to have been filmed in July 2007 and August 2008.

One clip shows an armed Border Police officer hitting a Palestinian detainee on the back of the head. Another shows a different officer forcing a Palestinian youth to salute.

Yesh Din, which made the clips public, said they were found in a cell phone apparently lost by one of the officers.

When the footage became public, Yesh Din approached the investigations department with a request to examine the events in an open criminal proceeding against those involved.

After looking into the matter, the department decided not to press criminal charges and to transfer the case to the police disciplinary unit.

British nuclear expert falls 120ft to his death in Vienna

A British nuclear expert has fallen to his death from the 17th floor of the United Nations offices in Vienna

The Telegraph
October 21, 2009

The 47-year-old man, who has not been named, died after falling more than 120ft to the bottom of a stairwell.

He worked for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, an international agency charged with uncovering illicit nuclear tests.

A UN spokesman in the Austrian capital said there were no "suspicious circumstances" surrounding the man's death, while a police spokesman said that no other person was believed to have been involved.

No suicide note has been found.

The incident happened on Tuesday as the United States, France, Russia and Iran held talks close by aimed at cooling tensions over Tehran's nuclear programme.

Investigators refused to reveal any further background information on the official but confirmed an autopsy will be held.

Four months ago another UN worker also believed to be British fell a similar distance at the same building, according to other staff working there.

Settlers attack Palestinian family in Sheikh Jarrah, injure seven

International Solidarity Movement
October 20, 2009

The settlers who have recently occupied the house of the Gawi family, forcefully evicted from their home in Sheikh Jarrah on 2 August 2009, launched an attack today on the Palestinians camping outside. According to local sources, seven Palestinians were injured and four arrested.

The attack started between 8 and 8.30pm, when a driver of a lorry delivering furniture to the occupied house, accompanied by four settlers, attacked a five year old boy from the Gawi family who was playing nearby. The settlers then attacked a small tent where the Gawi family have been living since the eviction. The tent was full of mainly women and children at that time. A Palestinian woman who was hit hard by the driver had to be taken to hospital. A fight broke out immediately, involving at least 15 settlers. Several members of the family sustained light injuries and a 15-year old girl from the neighbourhood was hit by a falling TV as the settlers managed to tear down the tent.

When police arrived, they made no attempts to stop the settlers attacking the family and later arrested four Palestinians. Two were released and another two, Khalet Gawi and Saleh Diab have been taken to hospital and told to come back to the police station tomorrow for further questioning. Four settlers were taken for questioning and released immediately.

The Gawi and Hannoun families, consisting of 53 members including 20 children, have been left homeless after they were forcibly evicted from their houses on 2 August 2009. The Israeli forces surrounded the homes of the two families at 5.30am and, breaking in through the windows, forcefully dragged all residents into the street. The police also demolished the neighbourhood’s protest tent, set up by Um Kamel, following the forced eviction of her family in November 2008.

At present, all three houses are occupied by settlers and the whole area is patrolled by armed private settler security 24 hours a day. Both Hannoun and Gawi families, who have been left without suitable alternative accommodation since August, continue to protest against the unlawful eviction from the sidewalk across the street from their homes, facing regular attacks from the settlers and harassment from the police.

The Karm Al-Ja’ouni neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah is home to 28 Palestinian families, all refugees from 1948, who received their houses from the UNRWA and Jordanian government in 1956. All face losing their homes in the manner of the Hannoun, Gawi and al-Kurd families.

The aim of the settlers is to turn the whole area into a new Jewish settlement and to create a Jewish continuum that will effectively cut off the Old City form the northern Palestinian neighborhoods. Implanting new Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank is illegal under many international laws, including Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

US vows to join Israel in 'fight against Goldstone'

October 21, 2009

Bethlehem – Ma’an – The US pledged on Tuesday to help Israel combat the Goldstone report documents alleged war crimes committed during the attack on Gaza last winter.

This offer to “fight the Goldstone report” came during a meeting between US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice and Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem, according to a statement from Peres’ office.

“It is outrageous that a respected institution like the United Nations provides a platform to spread lies and stories about Israel,” Peres told Rice during their closed-door meeting, according to the statement.

“We will not tolerate our youth being labeled war criminals. We must do everything to stop the deceptions and wrongs produced by the Goldstone report,” he continued. “The United Nations provides a stage for [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmedinejad, who threatens to annihilate Israel, and lets him stand judge. This is nothing short of ridiculous.”

The statement says that, in response to the President’s remarks, “Rice promised that the United Sates will continue to stand by Israel as a loyal friend in the fight against the Goldstone report.”

Justice Richard Goldstone’s four-person team visited Gaza twice this year, and compiled a 575-page report based on hundreds of individual testimonies and thousands of documents. The report accuses both Israel and Palestinian armed groups of committing war crimes during Israel’s three-week assault against Gaza last December and January.

Last Friday the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva voted to endorse the report and refer the document to the UN bodies in New York.

IAEA lays out draft nuclear deal for Iran, West

Press TV - October 21, 2009 14:15:18 GMT

The UN nuclear watchdog says Iran, the US, Russia and France should answer by Friday.

Iran and Western powers move to consider a draft nuclear deal proposed by the UN nuclear watchdog after three days of crunch talks in Vienna.

IAEA Director-General Mohamed El-Baradei said the draft agreement, which he says could dramatically reduce international concerns over Tehran's enrichment activities, has been sent to Iran, Russia, the United States and France after three days of negotiations.

"I have circulated a draft agreement that in my judgment reflects a balanced approach to how to move forward," said El-Baradei after the meeting broke up around 1 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) in Vienna.

"I very much hope that people see the big picture — that this agreement could pave the way for a complete normalization of relations between Iran and the international community," he added.

Details have not been confirmed, but the plan is believed to involve Iran trading its low-level uranium with higher level.

Iran has repeatedly maintained that it prefers to buy the fuel rather than exchanging it.

El-Baradei said the countries have until Thursday, October 23, to inform the UN nuclear body whether they accept the compromise.

His comments come as diplomats from Iran, France, Russia and the United States gathered in Vienna for talks on a deal to supply highly-enriched uranium for Tehran's research reactor.

Tehran's research reactor, which supplies medical isotopes for treating cancer to more than 200 hospitals in Iran, requires uranium enriched up to 20 percent.

Western countries have proposed that Iran export low-enriched uranium to Russia for further refinement, then on to France for fabrication into fuel assemblies.
But France, due to its past failure to fulfill obligations to provide Hexa-fluoride gas to Iran, was later removed from the list of potential suppliers.

Press TV's correspondent to Vienna said the French diplomats were nevertheless included in the talks after they formally apologized for their breach of agreement in the past.

Israeli forces step-up campaign against Jerusalemite leaders

Increased Israeli military presence in Jerusalem during the Jewish holidays
[MaanImages]

October 20, 2009

Bethlehem – Ma’an – Two Jerusalem leaders were harassed and interrogated by Israeli forces Tuesday, marking a steep increase in targeted detentions and raids of organizers involved in the Al-Aqsa Mosque sit-ins and demonstrations during the Jewish holidays earlier this month.

In the latest incident, Israeli police released senior Fatah official and Jerusalem affairs official Hatem Abdul Qader after detaining him for hours at the Allenby Bridge as he returned to Palestine from Jordan on Tuesday.

Abdul-Qader said authorities on the bridge handed him an order to submit to further interrogation by Israel’s intelligence unit at 12pm on Wednesday, an order he said he intended to refuse.

On Thursday Abdul Qader was taken from his car along with Islamic Movement leader Ali Sheikha. The two reported they had been taken by undercover Israeli agents at the Qalandiya military checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah. He said officers disguised as motorists disabled his car and “kidnapped” the two officials. They were taken to Israel’s Russian Compound prison in West Jerusalem.

At that time he was also given an order to appear in front of Israeli intelligence at 10am the following Wednesday.

Abdul Qader called the latest detention “provocative,” since he was on a “semi-official” visit to Jordan in the capacity of a Palestinian Authority representative.

The official has been interrogated four times in the last two weeks, following the Palestinian protest of Israeli extremist action around the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Jewish holidays earlier this month.

Israeli forces target home of Al-Quds Capital of Arab Culture organizer, seize documents

Prior to Abdul Qader's detention and interrogation, Israeli Special Forces stormed the home of Al-Quds Capital of Culture organizer and architect Ihab Al-Jallad early Tuesday morning, sources reported.

Al-Jallad was questioned about the Al-Aqsa Mosque sit in that took place more than one week ago, while other masked soldiers ransacked his home and terrified his children, he said. The soldiers took three computers from the home, as well as digital memory devices, CDs and several paper files.

According to Al-Jallad, the Israeli officer questioning him said he and dozens of other Jerusalem leaders were being observed, that all activities in Jerusalem were being monitored - particularly those in the Al-Aqsa Mosque - and that no political or cultural activities would be permitted to go ahead without express permission from Israeli police.

“The officer even mocked our slogan, ‘Al-Aqsa in Danger,’” Al-Jallad said, referring to the campaign launched by Jerusalem religious and community leaders encouraging Palestinians to visit Jerusalem and particularly to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosue in the Old City.

Earlier that morning Israeli forces raided a warehouse used by Jerusalem community groups and event organizers. According to Al-Jallah, Israeli forces vandalized material used for cultural events and seized some goods.

“Israeli forces cannot terrify our children and cannot prevent us from doing our duty for Jerusalem…We will continue our program and activities by God’s will,” Al-Jallal said.

This is the second time in as many months that Israeli forces have broken into Al-Jallad’s home.

Israel pulls textbook with chapter on Nakba

Or Kashti
Haaretz
19 Oct 2009

The Ministry of Education has taken the unusual step of collecting all copies of the history textbook, Nationalism: Building a State in the Middle East which was published about two months ago by the Zalman Shazar Center. They will be returned to the shelves only after corrections are made to the text, particularly with reference to the War of Independence.

The book had already been approved by the ministry.

"Collecting the books from the shops is an unnecessary [form of] censorship," said Dr. Tsafrir Goldberg, who wrote the controversial chapter on the war. "The process of approving the text was completed in serious fashion from both the pedagogic and the historic points of view. The fact that the education minister changed does not mean that it is possible to bypass this procedure."

On September 22, Haaretz reported that the textbook, which is meant for 11th and 12th-grades, for the first time presented the Palestinian claim that there had been ethnic cleansing in 1948.

"The Palestinians and the Arab countries contended that most of the refugees were civilians who were attacked and expelled from their homes by armed Jewish forces, which instituted a policy of ethnic cleansing, contrary to the proclamations of peace in the Declaration of Independence," states the text, which presented the Palestinian and the Israeli-Jewish versions side by side.

Criticism about the book was voiced by history teachers.

"Presenting Israel's claims as being equal to those of Arab propagandists is exactly like presenting the claims of the Nazis alongside those of the Jews," one of them said.

On the other hand, another teacher noted that the most important component in studying history is to introduce as many points of view as possible.

Following the newspaper report, Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar instructed the ministry's director general, Shimshon Shoshani, to examine the book and look into the process of approving texts in general.

Officials in the ministry said Sunday that an examination carried out by Michael Yaron, who is in charge of history studies, found "a great many mistakes, some of them serious. As a result of this examination it was decided that the original version of the textbook must be withdrawn and returned to the stores only after being corrected."

Among other things, the Shazar Center was asked to exchange the original Palestinian text that appears in the book, written by Walid Khalidi, for another that is closer to reality, said Goldberg, who finished making the changes recently.

Another demand was that the term "ethnic cleansing" be redacted. Goldberg says that he changed the phrase and spoke instead of an organized policy of expulsion.

When the corrections have been completed, the book will be reviewed again at the publishers and in the ministry, before it is given final approval.

"The state has the right to determine the contents of textbooks but this is not supposed to be done by the education minister," Goldberg said.

He noted, though, that some of the remarks were merely cosmetic and did not pose any problem. "The publishing house decided to make the corrections as a form of self censorship," Goldberg said.

Zvi Yekutiel, the executive director of the Shazar Center, said that "the book has to be aimed at the widest possible consensus and not at the fringes on the left or the right. We made a mistake and we are correcting it."

Last month, Yekutiel said that there had been no remarks about the chapter on the War of Independence during the process of approving the book.

He added that "the explicit instruction from the ministry was to include controversial points of view so that the students can confront them and make up their own minds."

Yekutiel said the ministry would pay for the collection of the books from the stores.

The ministry approved the textbook for use in the schools on July 26, after it had been sent to two external assessors - an academic and a teacher.

It was granted approval after an examination of its suitability for the curriculum and its scientific reliability.

The ministry spokesman said last week that, "from the start the book was intended to go into use as a textbook only from this coming January, so the students were not yet exposed to the relevant material. It was decided as well that the director general's circular should be corrected to make it clear that the responsibility and authority for approving textbooks is on the inspectors and coordinators who are responsible for the various subjects taught and who have to examine the books before they are approved and pass on their remarks and instructions."

Source