Salem-News.com Israel articles Page 60

Poll Highlights Palestinians` Mistrust of Kerry, Netanyahu and Even Abbas

“We’re against any process that’s called a peace process, not just against resuming negotiations. Negotiations give Israel a fig leaf to continue its process of colonization..." - activist for Palestine

(TEL AVIV Ha'aretz) - They’re opposed, but don’t really care − that, in essence, is the Palestinian stance on resuming negotiations with Israel along the lines proposed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

But it seems Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas cares more about upsetting America than he does about the public’s views.

Circumcision From the Perspective of Protecting Children

I was shocked. I realized that the Jewish motivation for circumcision was diminishing sexual pleasure, the same motivation as the one behind female genital cutting.

(TEL AVIV) - My name is Eran Sadeh. I am Israeli. I am Jewish. I was born 43 years ago in Tel Aviv, a healthy baby with a perfect body.

8 days after I was born one man held my tiny legs down while another man cut a part of my penis off with a knife.

Kerry Undertakes One Last Anti-War Mission

Now is Kerry’s moment to convince Netanyahu and Abbas that he is determined to end the permanent conflict between them.

(CHICAGO) - John Kerry is back in Washington after his fifth official trip to the Middle East. He is already planning his return to the region.

Despite the lack of any visible signs of success, the U.S. Secretary of State remains determined to resolve what is generally seen in official Washington as an intractable conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Quo vadis, Palestine?

... as PLO prepares to get bogged down (again) in bogus US-Israel negotiations

(LONDON) - The Palestinian embassy in London has just issued a rare media briefing. It asks "WHAT IS NEEDED FOR THE RESUMPTION OF CREDIBLE NEGOTIATIONS?" and tries to explain the Palestinian position.

It says the Palestine Liberation Organization (which represents the Palestinian people to the outside world) has done everything it can to further the political process, from agreeing to a state on a tiny 22% of historical Palestine to the recent reaffirmation of the Arab Peace Initiative.

Human Rights: More Encouraging News

Millions of Egyptians are now saying: we do not want an Islamist government supported by the West and that serves in US/Israeli interests.

(BETHLEHEM) - Last week I shared some good news and asked if any readers could share their good news.

Here are just a few examples of responses which remind us that millions of candles are lit in a sea of darkness:*

Her World is Mine

All of the militarization in the world combined can not overpower the love of a child, and a nation.

(LONDON) - Nahida's writings often get me right in the heart. Each examines the plight of an endless military occupation through the perspective of a Palestinian woman who was pulled from her homeland as a young girl while the 1967 war raged.

Her unique way of using photographs and words to cleverly bring a wonderful element of artful treatment to each new piece resonates with both sadness and hope, tragic loss and heart pounding joy.

No Shame on Pennsylvania Ave...
The White House Threatens To End Aid if Palestine Joins the ICC

The White House and its allies are not pleased by prospects for an eventful next few years at the ICC.

(BEIRUT) - Fatou Bom Bensouda, the Gambian-born deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), was never Washington’s first choice to succeed the inveterately self-promoting elitist ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.

And it is doubtful that key Obama administration officials have changed their minds this week given Ms. Bensouda’s impassioned invitation Thursday to Palestine, urging its accession to the Rome Statute and the ICC

Archbishop Makes False Start in Holy Land

Long-suffering Gaza and Bethlehem communities ignored - “no effort to go to the heart of the issues”

(LONDON) - Before he left for the Holy Land I telephoned Justin Welby’s office for details of his first visit as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, only to be told none were available in advance. So I emailed a list of questions….

When there was no reply and it became obvious he wasn't going to Gaza I sent a second email: "It seems that the Archbishop will not be visiting Gaza in spite of the desperate plight of the Christian community and their Muslim brothers and sisters. Was he prevented by the Israelis from including Gaza on his itinerary?

The Unbearable Shame of Cameron`s `Torah` Government

Over-representation in the House of Commons is only part of the picture.

(LONDON) - Ten years ago Tam Dalyell, the 'Father of the House' (i.e. the most senior member of the House of Commons in the British Parliament), sparked a huge row.

He accused the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, of "being unduly influenced by a cabal of Jewish advisers"

APN to Kerry: Don`t Give Up on Mideast Peace

APN is the sister organization of Shalom Achshav, Israel's preeminent peace movement.

(WASHINGTON DC) - As Secretary of State John Kerry heads to the region in his ongoing efforts to re-launch Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, Americans for Peace Now (APN) today called on the country’s top diplomat to hold on to his sense of urgency and persevere.

APN also reiterated today its call on Jewish community leaders to publicly and vocally express support for Kerry’s mission and to commit to help him secure the peace that Israelis and Palestinians want and deserve.