Zio-Watch News Round-up

Dr. Patrick Slattery’s News Roundup, March 22, 2015

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From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Obama: We take Netanyahu at his word that he won’t allow Palestinian state

WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Barack Obama said he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “evaluating” U.S. options in the wake of Netanyahu’s claim that a Palestinian state would not be created while he was prime minister.

“We take him at his word when he said that it wouldn’t happen during his prime ministership,” Obama told Huffington Post in an interviewposted Saturday on the news sire. “That’s why we’ve got to evaluate what other options are available to make sure that we don’t see a chaotic situation in the region.”

He did not elaborate, but a number of media outlets have reported that the United States is considering no longer vetoing Israel-critical actions in international forums, including the U.N. Security Council.

Netanyahu, on the eve of the March 17 election, said the time was not right for two states because of Palestinian intransigence and Islamist fomented turmoil. Asked by the NRG website whether that meant there would be no Palestinian state while he was prime minister, he replied, “indeed.”
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From PressTV

The file photo shows a Palestinian medic carries the body of a child killed in an explosion in a public playground on the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. © AFP

A new report shows the Israeli forces are still using excessive force against the Palestinian children in the occupied territories, targeting them with live bullets.

The global movement for the defense of children in Palestine said in a statement that it has documented 30 cases since the beginning of January this year in which the Israeli forces shot the Palestinian children with live bullets.

It added that 29 Palestinian children were shot while they were participating in peaceful marches in the West Bank and the last one was shot by Israeli settlers in Silwan town in the occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem).

The movement said the Israeli soldiers have been using the excessive force with conviction and prior knowledge that they will get away with impunity in spite of all their heinous crimes.

The picture shows the body of 19-year-old Palestinian Jihad Shehada al-Ja’fary, who was killed by Israeli troops near Bethlehem on February 24, 2015.

 

It also pointed out that the Israeli forces violated regulations by using live ammunition against the Palestinian children while there was no evidence proving that the victims have been posing mortal threats to the soldiers when targeted.
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From PressTV

Palestinian inmates at Israel’s notorious Megiddo Prison (file photo)

A rights group has warned that the Palestinians in Israeli jails are prone to a growing risk of cancer due to high levels of radiation inside prisons.

In a statement on Sunday, the Hossam Association of Palestinian Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners said Israeli prison authorities continue to contribute to a heightened cancer risk by setting up devices to jam satellite and telephone signals near jail cells.

A number of Palestinians are also being held in prisons near the Dimona nuclear reactor as well as toxic waste dumps in Negev Desert, the rights body added.

It said the inmates are also frequently exposed to radiation by being forced to walk through security apparatuses as part of searches and examinations.

According to the organization, at least 15 Palestinian prisoners have already been diagnosed with cancer and are at risk of dying.
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From PressTV

Israeli soldiers attack Palestinian activists protesting against construction of the separation wall in the occupied West Bank. (File photo)

Israeli forces have shot and injured two Palestinians in a town east of the Palestinian city of Khan Yunis in the southern part of the besieged Gaza Strip.

The Israeli forces injured two young men in the lower extremities of Absan on Friday, the Ma’an news agency quoted Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as saying.

An Israeli army spokesman, reached for details of the incidnet by the news agency, said that he was not aware of the incident

In a similar development on Thursday, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen across the al-Sudaniya coastline off Gaza City.

Palestinian fishermen pull their nets as they collect fish at the seaport in Gaza city on January 11, 2015. © AFP

The shooting came despite an August 26 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinians, under which Tel Aviv agreed to immediately expand the fishing zone off Gaza’s coast, allowing fishermen in the blockaded sliver to sail as far as six nautical miles from shore. The agreement also stipulated that the regime would expand the area gradually up to 12 miles.

The ceasefire deal put an end to the Israeli regime’s 50-day military offensive against Gaza, which claimed more than 2,100 lives and injured nearly 11,000 last summer.
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From Ynet News

French comedian fined for anti-Semitic jibe

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala ordered to pay 22,500 euros ($24,000) for comment about Nazi gas chambers to radio journalist. French comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala was fined 22,500 euros ($24,000) on Thursday for a jibe against a radio journalist in 2013 suggesting that hearing the broadcaster speak made him think of Nazi gas chambers.

Creator of the controversial “quenelle” gesture that went viral on social media two years ago, Dieudonne this week already received a suspended jail sentence for condoning terrorism with a joke about January’s Islamist attacks on a satirical magazine and a Jewish foodstore in Paris that killed 17.

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From The Times of Israel

Obama administration rejects Netanyahu backtrack on two-states

Washington remains unimpressed by prime minister’s claim that he still supports peace process, calls comments about Arab vote ‘cynical tactic’

March 19, 2015, 9:33 pm

White House press secretary Josh Earnest, August 27, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Charles Dharapak)

White House press secretary Josh Earnest, August 27, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Charles Dharapak)

WASHINGTON — Officials in Washington quickly made it clear that they were not buying into  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu’s about face on support for a two-state solution Thursday, repeating statements that they would re-evaluate their approach to the peace process.

Netanyahu seemingly attempted to mend ties with Washington by walking back a pre-election promise not to support a Palestinian state, but spokespeople in the White House and State Department did not express any sentiments welcoming Netanyahu’s assurances that he continued to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu was the prime minister three days ago as well,” responded State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki to his Thursday assurances. “We believe he changed his position three days ago.”

On Monday, the day before the elections, Netanyahu was asked by an interviewer from Israel’s NRG website about policy on the Palestinians and said: “Anyone who is going to establish a Palestinian state, anyone who is going to evacuate territories today, is simply giving a base for attacks to the radical Islam against Israel. This is the true reality that was created here in the last few years.” Asked in a follow-up if it was true that no Palestinian state would be established during his premiership if he were re-elected, he answered: “Indeed.”

The comment was an about face from Netanyahu’s landmark 2009 Bar-Ilan University speech, in which he declared support for a two-state solution.
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From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Boehner to visit Israel

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, will soon travel to Israel.

Boehner “looks forward to visiting the country, discussing our shared priorities for peace and security in the region, and further strengthening the bond between the United States and Israel,” his office said over the weekend in a statement to National Public Radio.

The announcement comes just days after Netanyahu was reelected March 17 to a third consecutive term, and amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the Netanyahu and Obama governments over Israeli-Palestinian talks and Iran policy.

Boehner and Netanyahu, and the Israeli ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, organized Netanyahu’s March 3 speech to Congress, in which Netanyahu lambasted President Barack Obama’s Iran policy. They did not inform the White House of the invitation until the morning it was issued, and did not inform congressional Democrats.
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From Russia Today

US evacuates ‘special forces’ in Yemen as rebels seize third largest city

Published time: March 22, 2015 09:45

Houthi rebels  (Reuters / Khaled Abdullah)

Houthi rebels (Reuters / Khaled Abdullah)

​Shiite rebels have seized Yemen’s third largest city, Taiz, officials said after the US announced the evacuation of remaining special forces that were involved in a drone campaign against Al-Qaeda. The Yemeni president is appealing to the UN for help.

Amid escalating violence that threatens to engulf the country, Washington announced it would evacuate its remaining personnel from the country, including about 100 special operations forces that had been waging unmanned drone strikes against Al-Qaeda militants in the region.

Reuters, citing national security sources, said the last major US military contingent had been stationed at the al-Annad air base in southern Yemen, while the unmanned drones fly out of a US military base in bordering Saudi Arabia.

State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said all remaining US staff had been “temporarily relocated” and emphasized Washington would “continue to actively monitor terrorist threats emanating from Yemen and … take action to disrupt continuing, imminent threats to the United States”.

The US pullout comes as Yemen officials said rebels from the Ansar Allah movement had seized the country’s third largest city, Taiz, in the south of Yemen. Residents said the rebels seized the city’s military airport and military base from local authorities late on Saturday.

At the same time, Houthi rebels who control Sanaa, the country’s capital, announced general mobilization.
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From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Leaked report: EU may sanction Israel over settlements

(JTA) — Sanctions may be imposed on Israel for its increased settlement in the eastern part of Jerusalem, a leaked European Union report warns.

The report, as described by the Guardian on Friday, blames Israeli settlement in eastern Jerusalem for a “vicious cycle of violence … increasingly threatening the viability of the two-state solution.” It said Jerusalem is more divided than at any time since 1967, when Israel assumed control of the city in the aftermath of the Six-Day War.

Among the EU report’s recommendations are restrictions on “known violent settlers and those calling for acts of violence as regards immigration regulations in EU member states.” The report also discourages European businesses from working with new Israeli settlements.

The report comes just days after the reelection of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who in the lead-up to the vote said in an interview that as prime minister he would not allow the formation of a Palestinian state. He was criticized as well for urging his supporters to vote by saying that “droves” of Arab-Israelis were voting.
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From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency

U.N. commission on women singles out Israel for condemnation

(JTA) — The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women approved a resolution blaming “the Israeli occupation” for the lack of advancement of Palestinian women in their society.

The vote taken Friday, on the last day of the commission’s two-week meeting, was one of four draft resolutions acted on by the commission, and the only to single out one county, namely Israel.

The vote on the resolution, the “Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women,” sponsored by the Palestinian Authority and South Africa, passed by a vote of 27 to 2 with 13 abstaining. The two votes against the resolution were Israel and the United States. The abstentions were countries from the European Union.

The resolution said that “the Israeli occupation remains the major obstacle for Palestinian women with regard to their advancement, self-reliance and integration in the development of their society.”
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From Russia Today

‘Don’t close door to immigrants’: Pope slams ‘corruption’ addressing crowds in Naples, Italy

Published time: March 22, 2015 11:36

Pope Francis celebrates a mass in Plebiscito square during his pastoral visit in Naples March 21, 2015. (Reuters / Stefano Rellandini)

Pope Francis celebrates a mass in Plebiscito square during his pastoral visit in Naples March 21, 2015. (Reuters / Stefano Rellandini)

Hundreds of people have come to listen to Pope Francis in Naples, Italy. The pontiff slammed the mafia and corruption adding that the country’s problems also included shutting out immigrants and making people redundant.

“How much corruption there is in the world! It is a word that if we study it a bit, is bad, no? Because corruption is a dirty thing! … But it also stinks, corruption stinks! A corrupt society stinks!”said Pope Francis addressing the crowd in Naples.

The 78-year-old pontiff was visiting Scampia, one of the most crime-ridden areas in Italy’s southern city. He was met by crowds of children and young people. Up to 800,000 people were expected to turn up during the day to greet the Pope.
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From Russia Today

US military convoy parades through Eastern Europe (VIDEOS)

Published time: March 22, 2015 05:18

Screenshot from Ruptly video

A convoy of US military vehicles, mostly IAV Stryker APCs, is touring through Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, the Czech Republic to Germany in a symbolic show of force and solidarity with Eastern European allies “that live closest to the Bear.”

Operation ‘Dragoon Ride’ kicked off Saturday in Poland, Lithuania and Estonia and will see the US Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment covering some 1,100 miles to Vilseck, Germany by April 1. Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, will also participate in the military “exercise.”

“The whole purpose … is to assure those allies that live closest to the Bear that we are here,” Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commanding general of US Army Europe said earlier of the maneuvering.

READ MORE: Drills for me but not for thee: NATO launches war games near Russian border
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From Ynet News

France says deal with Iran must be robust, guarantee no atomic bomb

French FM says that ‘insufficiently solid’ accord could lead to ‘dangerous nuclear proliferation’ as Rouhani determines ‘there is nothing that cannot be resolved’ in talks. France’s foreign minister said on Saturday that his country wanted an agreement over Iran’s nuclear programme that was sufficiently robust to guarantee that Tehran could not acquire an atomic bomb.

Iran and six world powers – the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China – suspended negotiations on a nuclear agreement on Friday and are set to meet again next week to break a deadlock over sensitive atomic research and lifting of sanctions.

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From The Times of Israel

Congress agrees to hold off vote on bipartisan Iran bill

Measure mandating legislators’ review of deal with Tehran will be voted on only after talks’ deadline; Obama to Iran: Rare chance for better ties

March 20, 2015, 3:46 am

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Robert Menendez, D-NJ (left), talks with ranking member Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn. (right), on Capitol Hill in Washington, on July 29, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Susan Walsh, File)

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Robert Menendez, D-NJ (left), talks with ranking member Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn. (right), on Capitol Hill in Washington, on July 29, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Susan Walsh, File)

WASHINGTON — With negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program rushing toward a late-March deadline and a controversial deal taking shape, US legislators stepped up action Thursday to increase their ability to influence the emerging agreement.

A US Senate committee will vote April 14 on a bipartisan measure requiring President Barack Obama to submit any international nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review, the legislation’s authors said.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker and top panel Democrat Robert Menendez agreed to push back a vote on the bill until two weeks beyond the March 31 deadline negotiators set for the outlines of an accord between Iran and world powers, aimed at preventing the Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weapons.

The Obama administration strongly opposes the bill, which would ensure that any impending deal with Iran is subject to Congressional review prior to its final approval. Obama has promised to veto it, as well as any other bill that attempts to tie the hands of US negotiators.

The administration has strived to convince Democratic senators to hold off voting on the bill until after a final agreement is reached with Iran, a perspective also conveyed in a letter that White House Chief-of-Staff Denis McDonough wrote to Corker over the weekend. A group of Democrats had indeed warned that they would not vote in support of the bipartisan bill until after March 24, to give the negotiations a chance to succeed.
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From The Times of Israel

Nisman embezzled funds, claims Argentinian cabinet chief

Aníbal Fernandez calls late prosecutor ‘a scoundrel,’ says he stole public money intended for investigation of 1994 Jewish center bombing

March 19, 2015, 7:57 pm

Alberto Nisman (photo credit: YouTube)

Alberto Nisman (photo credit: YouTube)

BUENOS AIRES — Argentinian Cabinet Chief Aníbal Fernandez called the late AMIA special prosecutor Alberto Nisman a “scoundrel” and a “wretch.”

Nisman “embezzled public funds” using money meant to fund the AMIA special unit in order “to go out with women” and “to pay workers who did not work,” Fernandez told journalists Wednesday before entering the Government House.

Fernandez on Thursday clarified through the state news agency Telam that in his statements the previous day he was not referring to the late Alberto Nisman’s private life, but talking about his actions that have “penal significance,” such as the misuse of public funds or withholding half the salary of an employee.

Diego Lagomarsino, who has been charged in Nisman’s death for lending Nisman the handgun that was used to kill him, has through an attorney accused the prosecutor of withholding half of his wages.

On Wednesday, Argentine philosopher and writer Santiago Kovadloff responded to the Cabinet chief. “When you attack a dead man and discredit him in the way he did, it’s because that dead man is alive. If he’s alive, it’s because he’s has a great deal of significance. Because he has a great deal of significance, you have to discredit him,” Kovadloff said at the first of planned monthly rallies to remember Nisman, attended by about 200 people.
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From The Times of Israel

UK’s Cameron pledges millions for Jewish security

PM promises to ‘give everything we’ve got’ to keep community safe

March 19, 2015, 7:57 pm

British Prime Minister David Cameron (2nd R) visits the memorial site at the former Auschwitz - Birkenau Nazi death camp in Oswiecim, Poland, on December 10, 2014. (photo credit: AFP PHOTO / BARTOSZ SIEDLIK)

British Prime Minister David Cameron (2nd R) visits the memorial site at the former Auschwitz – Birkenau Nazi death camp in Oswiecim, Poland, on December 10, 2014. (photo credit: AFP PHOTO / BARTOSZ SIEDLIK)

British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged millions of dollars in new funds to Jewish schools and synagogues to be used for security.

Cameron, speaking Wednesday at the annual dinner of the Community Security Trust, Britain’s Jewish security watchdog group, pledged about $14.9 million in new money for security “this year and every year, for as long as necessary.”

The money is to pay for guards and other security measures for private Jewish schools and for synagogue security, as well as for a control center for the operations of the Community Security Trust.

Jewish state schools already receive about $3 million in funds for security.

Cameron in his speech praised the Jewish community for its “enormous” contribution to Britain, and vowed that his government would give “everything we have got” to protect Jews.
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From The Times of Israel

Ruth Bader Ginsburg pens Passover piece

Feminist essay for reading at seder highlights the women of Exodus

March 19, 2015, 2:31 pm

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (photo credit: courtesy US government)

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (photo credit: courtesy US government)

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has taken a break from writing legal opinions to write a feminist essay to be shared at seder tables this coming Passover.

The short piece, which highlights the role of five key women in the Exodus story, was co-written by Ginsburg and Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt of Washington, DC’s Adas Israel Congregation for the American Jewish World Service’s Chag v’Chesed (“Celebration and Compassion”) series. The series of holiday-related essays are penned by prominent leaders to inform thinking about social justice in Judaism.

Ginsburg and Holtzblatt’s piece, titled, “The Heroic and Visionary Women of Passover,” brings to the fore the stories of Moses’ mother Yocheved, the Hebrew midwives Shifra and Puah, Moses’ sister Miriam, and Pharoah’s daughter, who is known in the Midrash as Batya.

The women are lauded for their strength in defying Pharaoh’s decree to kill all Hebrew baby boys, and for bringing light into a situation of darkness.

“These women had a vision leading out of the darkness shrouding their world. They were women of action, prepared to defy authority to make their vision a reality bathed in the light of the day,” the authors write.
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