Tag Archives: palestinian
Palestinian Islamist group Hamas re-elects Meshaal as its leader
GAZA (Reuters) – Hamas re-elected Khaled Meshaal on Tuesday as the Islamist group's leader, at a marathon overnight closed-door meeting held in Cairo, an official with the organization said. Once reviled as a hardliner but now seen increasingly in the Arab world and by some Westerners as a moderate, Meshaal, 56, has headed the movement that rejects Israel's existence and controls the Palestinian territory of Gaza, since 2004. Born near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Meshaal steered Hamas through the upheaval unleashed by the Arab Spring uprisings Continue reading
AP Analysis: In Mideast, partial deal tantalizes
JERUSALEM (AP) — As the U.S. president prepares to reinsert himself in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, his best hope may be to set aside grand hopes for a final agreement and make do with a partial deal. Continue reading
Prisoner’s death stokes fears of third uprising
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The mysterious death of a 30-year-old Palestinian gas station attendant in Israeli custody stoked new West Bank clashes Sunday, along with Israeli fears of a third Palestinian uprising. Continue reading
Israeli Oscar contenders force citizens to confront uncomfortable questions
A former spy chief is making gripping statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but at Jerusalem’s chic Cinamatheque, two university students can’t keep their eyes on the screen. One sends text messages and checks Facebook; the other shifts uneasily.“I felt uncomfortable in my chair,” says one of them, Shay Amiran, a former combat soldier, after the screening of Oscar-nominated “The Gatekeepers.” He especially bristled at a comparison between Israel and Nazi Germany during World War II Continue reading
Palestinian Director Emad Burnat — Airport Officials Treated Me Like Dirt
U.S. Customs treated Oscar-nominated Palestinian director Emad Burnat like a NATIONAL THREAT last night at LAX — putting him and his family in an isolated room and ordering him not to use his cell phone — so says the director … but law… Continue reading
New Secretary of State Kerry speaks to Netanyahu, Abbas about peace
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry stressed his commitment to promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace on Sunday in telephone calls to the leaders of both sides, the State Department said. Continue reading
Netanyahu turns to Iran after narrow election win
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory in Israel's parliamentary election, shrugging off surprise losses to centre-left challengers and vowing on Wednesday to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. However, Tuesday's vote, which also disappointed religiously inspired hardliners, may deflect the premier's focus on confronting Tehran and resisting Palestinian demands as Israel's secular, middle-class demanded new attention to domestic issues. Continue reading
Arab League encourages Israeli Arabs to get out the vote
On the eve of Israeli elections, the Arab League has taken the unusual step of intervening in Israeli politics, urging Israel’s Arab minority to flock to the polls. Otherwise, they warn, the country will be taken over by a far-right government that will increase discrimination toward Arab citizens and step up settlement expansion in the West Bank, where their Palestinian brethren have long sought a state of their own. Continue reading
Palestinians: Apartheid state if Netanyahu wins
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Palestinians have long complained that Israel's right-wing government is killing peace prospects by settling the West Bank with Jews, but now there is something new. The Palestinian president is warning that Benjamin Netanyahu's expected victory in next week's election could lead to an Arab-majority country in the Holy Land that will eventually replace what is now Israel — unless he pursues a more moderate path of a two state solution to the conflict Continue reading
China’s Xi urges Netanyahu to restart peace talks
By Sui-Lee Wee BEIJING (Reuters) – China's President Xi Jinping urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to restart peace talks with the Palestinians as soon as possible, days after he tried to convince Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to revive discussions. Xi's comments to Netanyahu and Abbas this week reflect China's intent to strengthen its diplomatic role in a region where its influence has historically been weak. On Monday, Xi floated China's “four-point proposal” for peace with Abbas, who was visiting China in the same week as Netanyahu. Continue reading →