Gaza and the Crimes of Mubarak

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

First Published 2009-02-03, Last Updated 2009-02-04 22:06:49

Gaza and the Crimes of Mubarak

Just as many call for Olmert, Barak, Livni and the generals and soldiers who participated in this war to be prosecuted for violating international law and committing war crimes, Mubarak’s own complicity makes him equally liable in facing similar charges, says Rannie Amiri.

As staggering as the statistics detailing Gaza’s destruction may be, they still do not present a complete picture of the unique travesties and tragedies suffered by individuals, families, neighborhoods and villages during Israel’s savage 22-day assault on the tiny territory. Yet, they bear repeating. From the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (www.pcbs.gov.ps) and various NGOs:

- 1,334 killed, one-third of them children (more children than ‘militants’ were killed)

- 5,450 injured, one-third of them children

- 100,000 displaced, 50,000 made homeless

- 4,100 residential homes and buildings destroyed, 17,000 damaged (together accounting for 14 percent of all buildings in Gaza)

- 29 destroyed educational institutions, including the American International School

- 92 destroyed or damaged mosques

- 1,500 destroyed shops, factories and other commercial facilities

- 20 destroyed ambulances

- 35-60% of agricultural land ruined

- $1.9 billion in total estimated damages

Egypt blocks money into devastated Gaza

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

Egypt blocks money into devastated Gaza

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 01:11:08 GMT

Egypt strictly controls Rafah, preventing anything including basic supplies into Gaza.

Egypt says it has stopped a senior Hamas official from carrying near USD 12m in cash through the Rafah crossing into Gaza.

Border officials had held up a six-member delegation returning from truce talks in Cairo after insisting on searching their bags, AFP reported.

The officials allowed five members to cross, but prevented Gaza-based Hamas spokesman Ayman Taha, who was carrying the cash, from entering Gaza with the money.

He was allowed back into Gaza late Thursday after Egyptian authorities insisted he put the money in a bank in the north Sinai town of Arish, al-Arabiya news channel reported.

Asked by al-Arabiya about the source of the money, Taha said: “This is not the question we should ask. We should rather ask how much longer we will be carrying money in bags.”

Gaza has a severe shortage of cash caused by the Israeli blockade and other sanctions by the Egyptian regime.

Turkey probes Israel ‘war crimes’ in Gaza

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

First Published 2009-02-06

Israel’s 22-day offensive on Gaza killed more than 1,300 Palestinians

Turkey probes Israel ‘war crimes’ in Gaza

Turkish prosecutor launches probe into whether Israel committed genocide against humanity in Gaza.

ANKARA – A Turkish prosecutor has launched an investigation into whether Israel committed genocide and crimes against humanity in its offensive in Gaza, his office said Friday.

The investigation follows a complaint lodged by the Islamist-leaning human rights association Mazlum-Der against several Israeli officials, including President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defence Minister Ehud Barak and army chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

Former US justice secretary: Israeli war on Gaza genocide

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

Posted by idrees from Maldives on February 6, 2009 at 8:59pm

BEIRUT, (PIC)– Former US secretary of justice Ramsey Clark has accused Israel of waging a war of genocide against the Gaza Strip and of killing women, children and old people without any differentiation.

Clark, in an interview with the Lebanese weekly ‘Al-Kifah Al-Arabi’, called for documenting the Israeli war crimes and for demanding the prosecution of Israeli war criminals at international courts.

He said that the USA should be also brought to trial for war crimes in Vietnam, Cuba, Nicaragua, Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon and for crimes against humanity.

Clark described the agreement signed by former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice with Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni to combat smuggling of weapons to Hamas in Gaza as “illegitimate”, adding that rather Israel should be the one banned from acquiring arms.

http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/en/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7zKAo6Lp5XHq7MnyqMZ8MKE7g1hONyyKh0ZUwZj0AZPZn27OfcvRPuJe4m14WMXQk1DlklRv6PmaMZZpthlTiqi4DxRca5xN1dqZVGUbl714%3d

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-muslim voice-
______________________________________
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW

Thank CBS 60 Minutes for Exposing Israeli Apartheid

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

During Israel’s war on Gaza we launched a campaign to end the media blackout and that journalists expose Israel’s crimes and apartheid. Thousands of supporters used our website to contact the presidents of big

Media calling for better coverage. The campaign got their attention and some journalist have positively responded to our collective pressure.On Sunday, January 25, CBS 60 Minutes aired an amazing segment exposing Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians.  The piece is by Senior CBS Foreign Correspondent Bob Simon, who is Jewish living outside Tel-Aviv and produced by Robert G, Anderson.

TAKE ACTION:

Watch this video
http://action.gazajustice.org/t/4436/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=963

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-muslim voice-
______________________________________
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW

Survivor Testimony of Israeli Holocaust in Gaza

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

Kawther Salam

Feb 5, 2009 The Palestinian Center for the Defense of Prisoners confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces committed war crimes in a deliberate and planned way during its aggression “Operation Cast Lead” against the Gaza Strip, which lasted about 23 days. The IOF executed Palestinians who were arrested from their houses in cold blood, either by shooting them directly by launching missiles and rockets at them. The Center reports that the testimonies of survivors of the assault on Gaza confirmed the status of the executions of these “prisoners of war”, and that the occupation forces violated  the international treaties and conventions which clarify the rights of prisoners of armed conflicts. The testimonies confirm that the prisoners were executed a few kilometers away from their houses, and that there were among them children in some cases aged only months, women, and old men.

Raid of international troops kills 6 civilians in S Afghanistan

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

www.chinaview.cn 2009-02-06 13:38:02

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) — International troops killed six civilians and arrested two others during an operation against militants Thursday night in southern Afghan province of Zabul, an official said on Friday.

Mohammad Khasin Graned, chief of provincial council, told Xinhua that international forces late Thursday night in a surprise action raided on two houses in Shar-e-Safa district of Zabul province.

“Six people in the two houses were killed and two more were arrested, all civilians,” Graned said.

He added that villagers were about to carry the bodies of the victims to neighboring Kandahar province, the heartland in Afghanistan’s south region, where they wanted to launch protest for justice.

No immediate response from international troops was available so far.

Conflicts and Taliban-linked insurgency had left more than 5,000 people dead, with over 2,100 of them civilians, in 2008, while the violence is predicted to go up in 2009 in the post-Taliban central Asian state.

The Afghanistan government recently announced that it would seek a “national decision” on what to be done with international military operations in the country if international troops do not respond to a draft agreement that calls for an end to civilian casualties within the period of one month.

source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/06/content_10773772.htm

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-muslim voice-
______________________________________
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW

THE ISLAMOPHOBIA MACHINE, A NEW GROWTH INDUSTRY

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

[By Dr. Mohamed Elmasry - Feb 6, 2009]

Just as some Jews betrayed their co-religionists by aiding the Nazi propaganda machine before and during WWII, today there are Muslims just as eagerly and effectively helping the Islamophobia industry to stereotype and marginalize their brothers and sisters of the faith. These Muslims are very much appreciated and celebrated by those who stand to benefit from the promotion of Islamophobia; in fact, they are in such demand that the hate-and-fear industry can’t find enough of them.

Islamophobia has been around for quite some time, but since 9/11 it began to take on form and structure, supported by financiers, researchers, writers and academics, many of whom were self-styled “experts” on Islam and terrorism. The Islamophobia industry directly filled a need created by right-wing politicians, war mongers, racists, lobbyists, and the military war business (from professional mercenary companies to arms dealers and manufacturers). Every time a perceived need is revealed in a capitalist society, an industry is created, sometimes by design, to fill that need.

The West led by the U.S. saw and promoted the need for an Islamophobia industry; and now that it is established, it will be around for years to come.

Veils and justice

bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

=== News Update ===

February 04, 2009
- <faisal@ksmlaw.ca>

Here they go again. Muslims just don’t give up trying to change our values and roll back hard fought rights of equality and justice. Though this time, we may have nipped it in the bud early – but should we?

Ontario Court Justice Norris Weisman‘s “admittedly difficult decision” to force a complainant to testify without her niqab, or face covering, in a sexual assault case has unleashed a torrent of discussion and debate. Again, the usual suspects with too little knowledge, appreciation or understanding of the complexities of the issue have jumped into the fray.

The ruling once again brings to the fore questions surrounding the limits of accommodation in a liberal multicultural society. But this time, in a novel twist, the clash pits a person’s religious right with the right of a defendant in a criminal trial to due process and procedural fairness; namely that of being able to face his or her accuser in open court. Obviously, both are important rights in a liberal democracy.

The niqab – which a small fraction of orthodox Muslim women use to cover their faces, and not to be confused with the hijab or head covering – is attacked by some as a symbol of oppression. By others as a badge of political Islam. By others as a public-relations nightmare for their “moderate” or more palatable versions of Islam. By others as something that should be compromised in the two-way dance of accommodation. And still by others as not compulsory or even totally unnecessary from a strict Islamic legal point of view.