February 2019, Week 1
Friday
02.01.2019 19 Palestinians injured by Israeli forces in al-Mughayyir Maan News Jewish occupation snipers shot 15 Palestinians with live ammunition. Four more shot with rubber coated steel bullets as hundreds from the village turned out to protest Israel’s confiscation of their lands and attacks by Jewish colonists, like the ones who murdered a father of four this week.
02.01.2019 Israeli forces suppress weekly Bilin march Maan News Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Tear gas bombs and stun grenades against protesters marching against last week’s murder of Hamdi Nasson. Article notes Bilin residents have peacefully protested their occupation every Friday for the past 12 years. During that time they have been attacked by Israeli occupation troops firing stun grenades, tear gas, rubber coated steel bullets, and live ammunition.
02.01.2019 Palestinian partially demolishes home upon Israeli order Maan News Another Palestinian living space gone from occupied East Jerusalem. 13 people were living in 200 square meters. If the man didn’t demolish the space Israel would demolish it and force him to pay exorbitant fees for the demolition. Article notes that since 1967 the Israeli government has directly engaged in the construction of 55,000 units for Israelis in East Jerusalem and, at those same years, fewer than 600 units have been built for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the last of which were built 40 years ago.” Quote is from Daniel Seidmann of the NGO Terrestrial Jerusalem.”
02.01.2019 Israeli forces detain secretary of Fatah in Jerusalem Maan News
02.01.2019 USAID assistance in West Bank, Gaza, officially ended. Maan News Among other things this means the end of $60 million for Palestinian security forces which have been collaborating with Israel.
02.01.2019 CAF rejects tender for Jerusalem’s railway as it transverses ’67 border Maan News Spanish workers rejected bidding on Israel’s planned 22 km light rail because it goes across Palestinian lands to service illegal Jewish railroad company. The Spanish railway builder CAF stated, “Any project in any city in the world, especially Jerusalem, must respect in its implementation human rights and international legitimacy.”
02.01.2019 German Jews ‘shocked’ by plan for sausage museum on site of former Nazi camp Haaretz/Reuters daily dose of Nazi.
02.01.2019 Former Nazi SS officer tied up, robbed in his house, German network reports Haaretz daily dose of Nazi.
Saturday
02.02.2019 Palestinians injured by Israeli forces across Gaza Maan News 45th week of the ‘Great March of Return.’ Jewish occupation troops shot unarmed protesters with live ammunition and tear gas again. Among the critically wounded are a teenage girl shot in the chest with live ammunition and another child who is in hospital with undisclosed injuries. Israel also shot a young woman medic in the face with a tear gas grenade.
02.02.2019 The woman accusing her Lithuanian ‘Hero’ grandfather of mass murder in the Holocaust Haaretz daily dose of Nazi.
02.02.2019 Submarine from ‘Hitler’s lost fleet’ found after 75 years Haaretz another daily dose of Nazi. Double-dose today. German U-23 found in 40 meters of water near Istanbul.
02.02.2019 Palestine in pictures: January, 2019 Electronic Intifada. EI’s monthly photo essay on life in the dystopian nightmare.
02.01.2019 LGBTQ groups call for Eurovision boycott Electronic Intifada As Eurovision contest gets closer to May, more than 60 LGBTQ groups have joined the worldwide call for Eurovision to choose another venue than Israel.
02.02.2019 Israeli forces carry out search and detention raids across West Bank Maan News Heavily armed occupation troops wearing black ski masks raided multiple villages in the pre-dawn darkness. They fired tear gas and stun grenades and confiscated surveillance cameras from buildings that could implicate them. 4 Palestinians arrested.
Sunday
02.03.2019 OCHA: ‘Israel kills 3 Palestinians, demolishes 20 buildings in 14 days Maan News UN Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs, just in case you thought the Palestinians are making it up. (Doesn’t include a 30-year-old Gaza man who died Sunday from his injuries. He’ll be in tomorrow’s news.)
02.03.2019 Committee: Critically ill Palestinian medically neglected in Israeli prison Maan New. 54-year-old with a host of serious medical problems denied treatment. Prisoners Affairs Committee once again accuses the Jewish state of medical neglect towards Palestinian prisoners which is a violation of article 76 of the 4th Geneva Convention.
02.03.2019 U.S. Envoy to PLO: My door is always open to Palestinians Maan News That’s the word from Donald Trump’s pro-Israel, Orthodox Jewish Middle East Envoy, Jason Greenblatt. Greenblatt is a diplomatic neophyte apparently chosen because he and Trump are acquaintances.
02.03.2019 How Israeli fakes campus anti-Semitism Electronic Intifada by Ali Abunimah. Part 2 of discussion between Chris Hedges, Ali Abunimah, and Max Blumenthal on Hedges show, ‘On Contact.’ The journalists discuss censored documentary ‘The Lobby:USA’ which reveals dirty tactics being used by Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry to suppress discourse in America on campus by using fake civil rights claims and law suits, fabricating an anti-Semitism crisis, attacking/vilifying student activists in social media, etc. Despite spending tens of millions a year on suppressing discussion, the Lobby’s program is so lame that Israel has to pay unenthusiastic students to ‘astro-turf’ counter BDS demonstrations.
02.03.2019 EU: ‘Israeli decision to expel TIPH risks deterioration of situation’ Maan News EU responds with predicable lackluster comments that things in Hebron will get worse for Palestinians because, after 20 years, Israel is kicking out the 64-person civilian monitoring team: Temporary International Presence in Hebron. The team is funded by 5 EU countries as part of the Oslo Accords. It consistently makes Israel look bad by documenting what Israelis are doing to Palestinian residents in Hebron.
02.03.2019 Listen: Why is Nobel peace prize-winning human rights organization facing an Israeli ban? Haaretz. Amnesty International Israel’s new campaign targets companies that book reservations in the occupied Palestinian territories. [Another Nobel Prize winning organization, the Quakers, was banned from the Jewish state last year for supporting Palestinian human rights.]
02.03.2019 Gantz, son of Holocaust survivor, mentions Bergen-Belsen but ignores the camp that is Gaza Haaretz by Amira Haas. Former general Benny Gatz is Netanyahu’s competition in the upcoming Prime Minister’s election. He’s roundly accused of war crimes for masterminding Gaza massacres. Byline of article says, “If Benny Gantz had the courage, he’d go the Hague himself.”
02.03.2019 Up in smoke? The state of Trump’s peace plan Haaretz by Amir Tibon. Long story short, there is no peace plan.
Monday
02.04.2019 “Gaza” documentary film wins 33rd Goya award Maan News Here come the ‘foiken Irish’ showing Palestinians are human again. Directors Garry Keane (Irish film and television academy 2018 winner for documentary ‘Deafening’) and Andrew McConnell won Spain’s main national annual film award for their documentary about normal families in Gaza trying to live their lives in the world’s larges open air prison. [The film is also showing at Sundance Film Festival.]
02.04.2019 Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained in Gaza protests Maan News 30-year-old Ahmad abu Jabal was shot by Israeli siege troops last week during the naval march. He died Sunday. Rest in Peace.
02.04.2019 In video—Israel starts building massive barrier along Gaza border Maan News 65 km (40 miles) long, 6 meters (20 feet) high. Estimated cost 3 billion shekels ($833 million). The thing will also go dozens of meters deep into the earth.
02.04.2019 Israel orders 50 Palestinian families to evacuate homes in Tubas Maan News Occupation troops are kicking Palestinian families out of their homes again so Jewish state can hold military maneuvers where they live. On February 6th and 12th the families are to leave their homes between 10 am and 5 pm.
02.04.2019 Israeli court sentences Palestinian teen to 11 years of prison Maan News. He’s been sentenced to 3 additional years in lieu of compensation fines levied by Israeli military court. Daoud Manasra is 19 now. He has been a prisoner since he was 15 over an alleged knife attack on a Jewish occupation trooper in Hebron in 2015. Israel has leveled a fine of $7,600 and he’s sentenced to pay an additional $3,000.
02.04.2019 Israeli settlers spray racist slogans on mosque near Ramallah Maan News Jewish colonists spray paint mosque and cars again.
02.04.2019 Israel to deduct ‘terror salaries’ from PA tax money Maan News As part of Oslo Accords in the 1990’s Palestinians agreed to let Israel collect tax monies on goods coming and going from Palestinian territory for an interim period. Israel agreed to turn the money over to Palestinian Authority so they could provide services: police, water sewer, firefighting, etc. The PA provides financial support to families of Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons. Now Israel says it’s going to deduct that money from the taxes they’re supposed to turn over the PA.
02.04.2019 ‘Israel fiddles while Palestine burns’ BDS activists protest Israeli Philharmonic in NYC Haaretz Protesters show up at Carnegie Hall.
02.04.2019 Forget Tlaib and Omar, Democratic front runners should worry Israel more Haaretz by Amir Tibon. Israel is increasingly concerned that serious, honest, debate about America’s unreserved support for Israel will happen for the first time in 2020.
02.04.2014 ‘Highly irresponsible’ Israeli company claims to have cure for cancer, but scientists say not so fast Haaretz/JTA. Israeli company says it has a product to cure all 200-odd types of cancer: and it’s cheaper than most other anti-cancer treatments. The drug hasn’t been tested on humans, and the research claims haven’t been submitted to a peer reviewed journal for review. Scientists skeptical to say the least.
02.04.2019 Israeli rabbinate accused of using DNA testing to prove Jewishness Haaretz by Judy Maltz. Those rascally rabbis again. [Rabbinical courts control the marriage franchise in Israel. You need their approval to get married. To protect racial purity, Jews cannot legitimately marry non-Jews inside the Jewish state. People in mixed relationships go outside to get married.] This article says if rabbis suspect someone isn’t Jewish enough they tell them to get DNA testing, either to see if they’re related to some ancient Jewish stock, or in cases where their mother seems to the rabbis to have been too old, to see if their DNA matches their mother’s so the rabbis know a candidate is her child.
Tuesday
02.05.2019 21-year-old Palestinian shot, killed by Israeli forces Maan News Occupation troops at a checkpoint in the West Bank opened fire on 2 young Palestinians riding past. They shot 21-year-old Abdullah Towalba in his head and several times in his feet. They shot the other rider in the shoulder. Israel claims one of the young men threw a ‘suspicious object.’ Local witnesses say that’s false.
02.05.2019 Israel steps up attacks on Palestinians Electronic Intifada by Maureen Clare Murphy. More about Jewish occupation troops attacking, choking, and arresting Palestinian school children. Includes a video of these things happening in Hebron.
02.05.2019 Tuesday Israeli bulldozers raze lands in southern Gaza Maan News Four D-9 armored bulldozers smashed land on the Gaza side of the segregation fence again.
2.05.2019 Israeli settlers vandalize West Bank mosque Electronic Intifada by Tamara Nassar. Anti-Arab hate graffiti by Jewish colonists again.
02.05.2019 Swastika scrawlings unnerve three U.S. cities CNN by Andreas Preuss. To say 3 major cities are unnerved is stretch. In Chicago someone put two swastika stickers on a synagogue and broke glass in the door. In Houston’s Rice University someone reported a swastika drawn on a statue. In New York someone drew swastika and ‘Nazi slogans’ on the subway which passengers wiped off with hand cleaning spray.
02.05.2019 Minors, woman among 33 Palestinians detained by Israeli forces Maan News Night and fog raids across the West Bank again tonight.
02.05.2019 Israeli forces held Palestinian student, 5 teachers in Hebron City Maan NewsOccupation troops abducted 5 teachers and a student in a car as they were headed to school. Later the Israelis justified the abduction claiming there was a knife in the car.
02.05.2019 ‘Combating BDS Act’ passes senate, 77-23, as presidential hopefuls vote no Mondoweiss by Philip Weiss. U.S. Senate tramples First Amendment right to free speech but all serious 2020 Democratic presidential contenders voted against the bill: Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Kristin Gillibrand, Corey Booker, and Elizabeth Warren.
02.05.2019 How Russia hid death toll from disastrous Syria battle until after Putin’s re-election Haaretz/Reuters.In early February, 2018 about 100 Russian contractors [mercenaries] were killed by American airstrikes as they approached an oil refinery near Deir Al-Zor. Article says the Russians brought the bodies home gradually over more than a month and changed details of how and where the men died.
02.05.2019 Israeli oil explorer recruits shadowy investor group to revive its fortunes. Haaretz by Eran Azran. Investor group calling itself Alberta-Texas Energy Ventures has put $500 million into Israel oil exploration company Girot Olam. A PR firm hired by Alberta Texas said the group includes “Jewish families that work for Israel’s stability and inclusive regional development.” but didn’t name any of the backers. Source told ‘The Marker’ that the key figure is former Israeli Ben Shani—now president of Houston based oil well equipment maker. His #2 is retired Israeli Brigadier General Benny Mehr. Sour said Alberta Texas was incorporated in Canada just a few months ago and n had no operations yet.
02.05.2019 US court throws out lawsuit against academic boycott of Israel Electronic Intifada by Ali Albunimah. In December, 2013 the American Studies Association passed a resolution backing academic boycott of Israel by a 2-1 landslide. In April 2016 several current and former ASA members sued the organization because of the vote claiming the vote was outside the ASA mission.
This is an Israel Lobby tactic they call ‘lawfare’ where the lobby and its backers try to intimidate and stop American’s right to boycott Israel. A Federal judge threw out the case ruling that the plaintiffs who claimed they suffered economic and reputational damages, could not explain what those damages were.
Deputy legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights Maria LaHood said, “These desperate lawsuits brought to silence advocates of Palestinian rights are not only losers—they’re helping to grow the movement by making even clearer who’s on the wrong side of history—who is the aggressor, who is unreasonable, and who wants to silence debate. Article mentions the American Anthropological Assn. pro-BDS vote.
02.05.2019 Istanbul’s ‘Fake Auschwitz’” Turkish movie gala recreated death camp on red carpet. Haaretz daily dose of Nazi.
02.05.2019 U.S. investigating Saudi Arabia giving U.S. weapons to Al-Qaida and Iran in Yemen, report says Haaretz U.S. handed billions in weapons to Saudis. Now U.S. investigators are examining indications that the Saudis gave the weapons to Al Qaida, Salafi militants and others in Yemen. Commenter on article says that the Houthi who fight against the Saudis have kicked their asses numerous times and taken their U.S. weapons.
02.05.2019 Israel arrests alleged sexual predator after France demands extradition Times of Israel. by Jacob Magid. Ilan Levy-Neumand is a sexual predator. He fled France in 2001 after being questioned by French police about accusations by teenage girls who worked at his riding stable that he sexually abused them. He fled to Israel.
He was tried in absentia back in 2010, found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison. In 2016 it became know he was living the high life, on stolen Palestinian land, in the occupied West Bank where he owns a riding stable that employs teenage girls.
Wednesday
02.06.2019 U.S. Senate passes anti-BDS legislation with strong majority Haaretz by Amir Tibon. Saturation coverage in Israeli media. American media hardly notices. Once again, Israelis paying way more attention to U.S. politics than Americans.
02.06.2019 Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, who turned evangelical passion for Israel into a philanthropic empire, dies. Haaretz by Judy Maltz. [Original title above has been changed to a more neutral, “Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, major philanthropist who supported Israel and world Jewry, dies at 67”] Eckstein founded and was president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, that raked in about $140 million per year mostly from American evangelicals.
02.06.2019 Israeli forces detain 7 Palestinians across West Bank Maan News. Nacht und Nebel again.
02.06.2019 Israel orders demolition of five buildings in Issawiya Palestinian buildings Maan News. Ethnic cleansing continues in occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood.
02.06.2019 Israel evacuates 50 Palestinian families in Tubas Maan News This is a story we talked about two days ago, where the Israeli army kicks out the people at gunpoint and use their place for military training. Article notes that this is the best agricultural area remaining to Palestinians in the West Bank and the Jewish state has seized at least 44% of the total land in the Jordan Valley. Article also notes that Jewish colonists assaulted Palestinian shepherds again today under the protection of occupation troops.
02.06.2019 Committee: 57 Palestinian minors held at Ofer in January Maan News. Ofer is one of Israel’s notorious political prisons. Kind of like Maze prison in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The title above means 57 have been added. Article says there are 143 minors in Ofer. Israel arrests the kids, mostly during the night and fog raids, they put the kids in jail. Often the kids are beaten and threatened. Then Israel charges the parents to get their kids back. This month’s group has been charged a total of $16,579 USD.
02.06.2019 Israeli settlers set-up new mobile caravans in Jenin Maan News Occupation troops have set up poles with security cameras on Palestinian lands to monitor locals and are protecting Jewish colonists who have moved in.
02.06.2019 U.S. to purchase Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense, citing immediate need Haaretz/Reuters. [After years of the American tax payers shelling out over half a billion dollars per year to develop and arm Israel’s Iron Dome, American tax payers are going pay for the Iron Dome again as Israel sells it back to us. Money aside, it doesn’t really work. Last March, 2018 Israel activated Iron Dome and launched a flurry of $100,000 a pop missiles at what turned out to be nothing. Also, last summer Palestinians proved the Iron Dome can’t even stop kites and balloons.]
02.06.2019 Baby boom threatens to make Israel unbearably crowded Haaretz by Mariov Arlosoroff. Article says Israel is on track to become the world’s second most crowded place after Bangladesh in less than 50 years. [Doesn’t mention that right now Gaza is nearly five times more crowded than Bangladesh.]
02.06.2019 Court orders Austira to pay 1.5 million Euro to former owner of Hitler House Haaretz daily dose of Nazi.
Thursday
02.07.2019 Does racism now define Jewish identity? Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer. Chronic headline in Haaretz. Short answer, yes. Guaranteed to generate a lively response in the comments section.
02.07.2019 Palestinian prisoner dies in Israeli custody after medical negligence Maan News Faris Baroud spent 28 of his 51 years in Israeli prisons, four of them in solitary confinement. Convicted of killing a Jewish colonist in 1991. He had multiple untreated or badly treated ailments including bad kidneys, lungs, stomach, and he was going blind. He’s among the 60 prisoners the Palestinian Prison Commission says have died from neglect in Israeli prisons since 1967.
02.07.2019 Israel extends remand of Saleh, Assem al Barghouthi’s mother Maan News. 62-year-old woman arrested and held in Israeli prison this week. Her husband and three of her sons are in Israeli prisons. Occupation troops suspected her fourth son of shooting two Jewish occupation troops and executed him as he sat in his taxi last month.
02.07.2019 Israeli forces detain 2 internationals working on behalf of TIPH Maan New. Occupation troops arrested an American and an Italian in Hebron for walking Palestinian children to school to protect them from being attacked by violent Jewish colonists.
02.07.2019 Israel: End the arbitrary travel ban on human rights defender Omar Barghouti. Amnesty International Public Statement. Multiple Israeli cabinet ministers have called for attacks on Barghouti who is co-founder of the BDS movement. They consistently deny him travel visas, including one he requested to cross the next-door border into Jordan to visit his mother who was having surgery for cancer. One Israeli minister called on Israel to “engage targeted civil eliminations of BDS leaders.” Targeted eliminations is Israel-speak for assassination.