Saturday 31 May 2014

Al-Sabirin: a new resistance movement in Gaza


Palestinian protesters chant slogans to speed up the implementation of the national reconciliation and the announcement of the formation of a national unity government, during a rally in Gaza City on May 27, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Mohammed Abed)
Published Saturday, May 31, 2014
The flag and logo of an organization that was launched a few days ago in the Gaza Strip suggest a Hezbollah now exists in Gaza. The organization is called al-Sabirin (the patient) for the Victory of Palestine and its logo bears a striking similarity to Hezbollah’s logo. Local opponents accuse it of being a Shia movement but its officials deny the charge and stress that they coordinate with other factions to organize their positioning in the resistance.
Gaza: Despite all the major turning points in the lives of Palestinians over the past 10 years, no party has offered a new political vision except a few youth organizations that have been stamped out by factional strife. Domestic strife has primarily been between Fatah and Hamas as each organization has aimed to control the political and economic map in the occupied West Bank and Gaza over the past seven years.


The social makeup in Gaza, which prides itself on its strong family ties, was impacted by factional differences and clashes. However, on a religious level, Gaza does not tolerate diversity as Sunni Muslims constitute the overwhelming majority. Therefore, the creation of a new organization poses “serious concerns regarding the path it is going to take.” Al-Sabirin talks about fighting Israel but its slogan carries connotations that make some view it as a “sectarian movement.” The circumstances and timing that the organization chose to announce its creation further complicate the matter.
There is the reconciliation process between Fatah and Hamas while the Islamic Jihad expressed reservations regarding some of the terms dealing with the weapons of the Resistance. In the Arab world, there are tensions simmering against a sectarian and ethnic backdrop under the banner of the Arab Spring. In this context, the new organization puts itself in a position that raises a lot of questions and is even subject to numerous accusations.
Sources from al-Sabirin say that they are “well aware of the difficulty of the Palestinian and regional circumstances,” that is why the organization is presenting itself as a “Palestinian resistance movement that seeks to free all of Palestine and does not believe in any negotiated agreements or even long-term truces with Israel.” Nevertheless, it announced its creation after the death of one of its cadres (Nizar Issa) in an explosion they said was the result of a manufacturing error. It was forced to declare itself so it can claim responsibility for him but the organization pointed out that they have been operating for years.
An al-Sabirin spokesperson, known as Abu Yousef, addresses the question of their sectarian affiliation. He tells Al-Akhbar: “We believe in Islamic unity and we reject any sectarian discourse. Whoever raises this issue serves our enemies the Zionists and the global arrogance that stands behind it which seeks to fragment and divide this nation.” However, he added, “we do not deny any of our members the freedom to choose the sect according to which they worship God within the context of the sects recognized by Islamic law. But highlighting this issue as though it were a problem is the strategy of those who try to exploit differences and sow the seeds of sedition.”
He continued: “The similarity between the logos is not a reason to accuse us of being Shia. The logos of resistance movements are similar to each other. The logo we chose includes common symbols such as the rifle that is firmly gripped by the hand, the map of Palestine with a mark for Jerusalem and a reference to planet Earth because we are advocates of peace and humanism.”
The Palestinian resistance had spawned in the 1960s more than 27 military and political organizations. Some of them have survived until today while others have become less important. Some organizations ceased to exist altogether and others turned to political activism. Each landmark juncture in the history of the struggle against Israel was characterized by the declaration of a new faction. The Arab defeat after al-Nakba led to the founding of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Palestinian National Liberation Movement also known as Fatah. With the decline of the communist movement in the region, the PFLP’s role declined and so did the role of Fatah after it left Beirut and became distant from the geographic region surrounding Palestine.


Before Fatah turned to political action, the first intifada (1987) which began as a popular movement shored up two Islamist resistance movements, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. With the start of the second intifada, Fatah - armed with a quasi-official decision - returned to military struggle through al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Ahmed Abu al-Rish Brigades. But President Mahmoud Abbas diminished the role and presence of the former and the latter disintegrated. Since then, no Palestinian organization with a new political program has been declared, except for small military organizations.
A Hezbollah connection?
Al-Sabirin’s official spokesperson talked about their relationship with Hezbollah, especially after the controversy that erupted regarding the identity of the organization among Palestinians who received the news on social media: “There is no connection between us and Hezbollah. It is a Lebanese organization and we are a Palestinian movement.” He added: “We agree with our brothers in Hezbollah because we have chosen the same path, that is the path of resistance, we belong to the same axis, we confront the same enemy and we meet on the path of liberating Palestine. That, however, does not mean that we are opposed to dealing with them in order to learn from their experience and the expertise of other organizations.”
In 2008, an organization called the Palestinian Hezbollah was declared in the West Bank but the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas met this move with skepticism. This new faction, however, which described itself as “Sunni Jihadi Islamist and opposed to the political process,” did not last for long and no one has heard from them again. In addition, a military cell in Gaza named the Imad Mughniyeh Groups declared its responsibility for several operations. Eventually, it became evident that this cell was associated with Fatah.
Linking these organizations to Iran and Hezbollah is a very sensitive subject in Gaza. That is why some Arab and Israeli media outlets try to associate resistance movements with certain sectarian situations. Such as the incident years ago when the Palestinian police affiliated with the Hamas government attacked a group that was holding a consolation session on the 40-day memorial for Hussein in northern Gaza. The city of Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip witnessed in the past months fist fights and armed clashes between the followers of a Salafi cleric who regularly attacked the Syrian regime, Iran, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad members before Islamic Jihad contained the situation.
Security sources familiar with the coordination effort between Palestinian factions told Al-Akhbar that a meeting was held between al-Sabirin and Hamas to sort out the former’s status as a Palestinian resistance movement that is going to work out of Gaza, as long as it is committed to the general framework of the agreements between the various organizations. But they refused to delve into other details about having al-Sabirin representatives at the Factions Coordinating Committee and their view on pacification. The new organization said that they established good communication channels with other parties and with the government.


The security situation in Gaza forces any political or military faction to coordinate with Hamas since it is the largest resistance movement in Gaza irrespective of how the reconciliation effort and the security issue will play out. The internal security agency affiliated with the government and the special security agency affiliated with al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, follow up with these organizations.
As to whether the Palestinian landscape needs another organization, Abu Yousef says: “In light of the new conspiracies to liquidate the Palestinian cause, the fact that the Arab and Islamic worlds are preoccupied with other issues and the two major Palestinian factions are heading towards a political solution, we concluded that we have a religious duty to step forward at this stage to help the Palestinian cause reclaim its rightful place and rectify the direction it is taking. Palestine requires sacrifices and this path does not end as long as our land is occupied.
Hezbollah’s announcement of the martyrdom of one of its leaders in Syria, Fawzi Ayoub, angered the Israeli media, which refocused on Hezbollah’s role in supporting the Palestinian factions inside Palestine. Especially Ayoub who was arrested in the West Bank in 2000 and was released as part of a prisoner swap deal. Tel Aviv always accuses Tehran, Damascus and Hezbollah of providing financial and military aid to Palestinian factions, training their fighters, sending experts to help them and creating sleeper cells.
In terms of arming them, Abu Islam said: “We are still a small group, which means our abilities are limited. But we depend on our morale which we consider the basis of our confrontation with the enemy.”
As for their funding, he refused to disclose a specific source. He said, however, that the financial support they receive is still limited and restricted to relationships with those he described as supporters of the Palestinian people in addition to personal donations. He said that, in the future, they are going to “open channels with parties that fund the Resistance and get the necessary support.”
The secretary general of al-Sabrin’s Shura Council
His nom de guerre is Abu Mohammed. Those close to him refuse to reveal his real name because he does not personally represent al-Sabirin as they say. “Rather, there is a Shura Council that takes decisions in the organization. This council is not new but its announcement was delayed because of certain circumstances that were preceded by a long latent period.”
Not much comes up on Abu Mohammed when you try to find out who he is because he is a mysterious figure and moves about secretly. He has been a wanted man by Israel for 18 years. His name became prominent in resistance circles after the Israeli forces tried to arrest him at the beginning of the Intifada for an operation that killed 35 Israeli soldiers in Tel Aviv. But he left his house before they arrived. So they decided to demolish his home, which consists of six floors. This led to the martyrdom of his father and displacement of his family. He is accused of having a strong relationship with influential figures in the Islamic Republic in Iran which means he is being watched by Hamas’ security agencies. They arrested him more than once without being able to prove anything against him. He was also imprisoned by Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the 1980s and 1990s.
This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition.
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Syrian Army Strikes Militants across Country, Terrorist Attacks Kill 4 Citizens

Local Editor
Syrian ArmyThe Syrian army continued Friday its operations against the terrorist groups in several provinces, including Aleppo, Daraa, Idleb, Homs and Latakia, inflicting heavy human and materialistic losses upon them.
The Syrian army controlled the villages of Sateh Zahnan and al-Taff in Daraa countryside and eliminated a number of militants.

2 civilians were killed and some 85 others wounded after terrorists fired rocket shells at Aleppo neighborhoods.

Terrorists mortar attack claimed the lives of two citizens and injured 13 others in Danoun Camp in al-Kisweh area in Damascus Countryside.

Politically, The presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic thanked the Syrian citizens abroad for their wide participation in the Presidential elections.


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US Sources: Syrian Presidential Vote in Lebanon Granted Assad Strategic Power


Local Editor
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Translated by Mohamed Salami

The flood of the Syrian voters in Beirut has surprised the whole world, what pushed US sources to say that the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan has granted the Syrian government a strategic power, al-Binaa Lebanese newspaper reported.

Feltman
The US sources considered that Syria has established an army of refugees in Lebanon and Jordan and that only the return of these refugees to their country will require a political settlement.

The sources added that the loss of control over certain areas did not deprive the Syrian authorities from its strategic role in the region, yet the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan has given Syria an influence over areas, what was impossible to be attained.

The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, informed the Saudis about the necessity of reaching a political solution in Syria as soon as possible because of the strategic achievements which the Syrian government is attaining.

Source: Newspapers
30-05-2014 - 16:01 Last updated 30-05-2014 - 16:0


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Weekly report on israel’s terrorism against the State of Palestine

FULL REPORT
PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 22 – 28 May, 2014, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces wounded 8 Palestinians, including 7 civilians and a child. Four of the aforementioned Palestinians were wounded in the West Bank, and the other four ones were wounded in the Gaza strip. Israeli naval forces fired at and chased Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip Sea. In addition, Israeli forces conducted at least 65 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 46 Palestinians, including 10 children and a woman.
Salfit- Israeli forces confiscate lands in Kafr al-Deek village- Reuters
Salfit- Israeli forces confiscate lands in Kafr al-Deek village- Reuters
Israeli attacks in the West Bank & Gaza:
Shootings:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 8 Palestinians, including 7 civilians and a child. Four of the aforementioned Palestinians were wounded in the West Bank, and the other four ones were wounded in the Gaza strip. Israeli naval forces fired at and chased Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip Sea.
In the Gaza Strip, on 23 May 2014, Mohammed ‘Abdel Men’em Ahmed Abu Shehadah (16) from al-Msadar village was wounded by a bullet to the right shoulder causing him paraplegia when Israeli forces stationed along the border, east of Deir al-Balah, opened fire at 3 brothers, who were collecting straws in an agricultural area around 350 meters away from the border.
On the same day, a member of an Palestinian armed group was wounded by a bullet to the right thigh when Israeli forces stationed along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, north of al-Sifah area in the northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of a number of armed Palestinians who were present near the border.
On the same day, Israeli forces stationed along the border, east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza strip, opened fire and fired tear gas canisters at a group of young men who were near the border in attempt to throw stones at the Israeli soldiers. No injuries were reported.
Also on the same day, Israeli forces stationed on the watchtowers at Beit Hanoun Crossing (Erez) and in its vicinity, northwest of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of workers who were collecting raw materials in the destroyed industrial zone to the west of the crossing near the border. No injuries were reported.
On 25 May 2014, Israeli forces stationed on the watchtowers along the northern border, northwest of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of workers who were collecting raw materials near the border fence in the destroyed industrial zone near Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing. As a result, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
On 26 May 2014, ‘Emad Shokri Salem (52) from Beit Lahia Housing Project was wounded by two bullets to the back and right hand when Israeli forces stationed along the border, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of Palestinian civilians who were along the Beit Lahia shore around 300 meters away from the northern borders.
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 24 May 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha Shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire in the vicinity of the Palestinian fishing boats sailing 3 nautical miles offshore. No injuries were reported, but fishermen lost 4 nets which are 250 meters long.
On 27 May 2014, Israeli naval forces arrested 3 Palestinian fishermen while sailing 3 nautical miles off Rafah shore in the southern Gaza Strip.
In the West Bank, on 23 May 2014, Israeli forces wounded 3 Palestinian civilians who were participating in a demonstration organized in the vicinity of ‘Ofer Prison, southwest of Ramallah, in solidarity with the Palestinian administrative detainees who have been on hunger strike in the Israeli jails. The first civilian (19) sustained a bullet wound to the right leg, the second one (24) was hit by a tear gas canister to his chest, and the third one (23) sustained a rubber-coated metal bullet wound to his forehead.
On 24 May 2014, Israeli forces stationed on watchtowers established along the fence surrounding “Beit Eil” settlement, north of Ramallah, opened fire at a group of boys in the agricultural lands near al-Jalzone UNRWA School for Boys to the west of the aforementioned settlement. As a result, Mohammed ‘Ali Hasan Safi (‘Eishawi) (18) from the refugee camp was wounded by 3 bullets to the left and right legs. He was arrested and taken to Hadasa ‘Ein Karem Hospital in Jerusalem, where his wounds were described as critical.
In the same context, Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, dozens of protestors suffered tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 65 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 46 Palestinians, including 10 children and a woman.
On 22 May 2014, Israeli forces moved 200 meters into the east of Khaza’ah village, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza strip. They levelled lands along the border fence and then redeployed along the border fence.
Restrictions on movement:
Israel continued to impose a tight closure of the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
The illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which has been steadily tightened since June 2007 has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli authorities impose measures to undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip population and the agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 7 consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other countries around the world. This resulted in grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7 million people. The Israeli authorities have established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports and exports in order to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy. They also aim at imposing a complete ban on the Gaza Strip’s exports.
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.
As part of using military checkpoints and border crossings as traps to arrest Palestinian civilians under the pretext they are wanted, Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinian civilians at military checkpoints in the West Bank, and another 5 civilians along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Settlement activities:
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, in a direct violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Attacks carried out by Israeli forces
On 22 May 2014, Israeli forces accompanied by a group of settlers moved into Thaher al-Soboh area, north of Kafr al-Deek village, west of Salfit. They surveyed tracts of lands in the area till at approximately 15:00. At approximately 09:00 on Sunday, 25 May 2014, Israeli forces backed by bulldozers moved into the area again and leveled tracts of lands in it. The lands threatened with leveling are located adjacent to “Brokhin” and “’Ali Zihav” settlements.
Attacks carried out by settlers
On 23 May 2014, settlers from “Mitsibi Ya’ir” settlement established on Palestinian lands, east of Yatta, south of Hebron, set fire to peals of wheat crops on a land belonging to Khaled Mousa al-Najjar (60), from Qawawis village, east of the city.
On the same day, four settlers from “Kokhaf Hashaher” settlement established on the lands of Deir Jarir village, northeast of Ramallah, attacked two civilians who were on the road between Mekhmas and al-Tibah villages, northeast of the city. During their attack, the settlers used plastic sticks, clubs and a knife causing injuries and bruises to them.
On 26 May 2014, settlers from “Hayofal” outpost established on the Palestinian lands, west of Qaryout village, southeast of Nablus, cut down 30 almond and olive trees from the aforementioned village lands. The attack was backed by the settlement guard, who claimed that the trees were cut for security reasons.
On 27 May 2014, when Fawzi Ibrahim ‘Abed Haj Mohammed arrived at his land in Khelet Abu Shabraqah area, southeast of Jaloud village, southeast of Nablus, he was surprised that settlers entered their sheep into the land and damaged the wheat crops, i.e. 45 dunums, causing a loss of around 45,000 NIS.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
During the reporting period, Israeli soldiers used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank.
(PCHR keeps the names of the wounded in fear of being arrested by the Israeli forces within its policy to oppress the peaceful protests and prevent Palestinian civilians from participating).
Demonstrations against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activity
Following the Friday Prayer, 23 May 2014, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities and in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. Demonstrators took the streets raising the Palestinian flags and headed to the liberated territories near the annexation wall. Israeli forces stationed behind the wall, in the western area, and a large number of soldiers deployed along it, fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and skunk water at them and chased them into the olive fields. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
On the same day, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in the centre of Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities and in solidarity with Palestinian detainees on hunger strike. Demonstrators took the streets and headed to the annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the gates of the wall with barbwires and prevented the demonstrators from crossing to the land behind it before they responded by throwing stones. Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. They also sprayed waste water at them and chased them into the olive fields. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities, in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. Demonstrators took the streets raising the Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against the occupation and in support of the Palestinian unity, and they then headed to the lands that the settlers are trying to seize by force near “Halmish” settlement. Israeli forces closed all the entrances of the village since the morning to prevent Palestinian and international activists and journalists from participating in the demonstration. When they arrived at the aforementioned land, Israeli forces fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and waste water at the demonstrators and chased into the village. Moreover, many demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
At approximately 13:00 on the aforementioned day, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international activists organized a peaceful demonstration in the centre of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest at the closure of the eastern entrance of the village with a metal gate since the beginning of the second Intifada. Protestors threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, and sound bombs in response. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Other Demonstrations
On Friday afternoon, 23 May 2014, dozens of Palestinian young men gathered near ‘Ofer prison, southwest of Ramallah, to organize a demonstration in solidarity with administrative detainees in the Israeli jails. Protesters headed towards the prison’s gate, so the Israeli forces closed the gate and large numbers of Israeli soldiers were deployed in the vicinity of it. Protestors set fire to tires and threw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers who fired in response live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, 3 civilians sustained wounds and were taken to Palestine Medical Complex to receive the necessary medical treatment. Moreover, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation. The first civilian (19) sustained a bullet wound to the right leg, the second one (24) was hit by a tear gas canister to his chest, and the third one (23) sustained a metal bullet wound to his forehead.
After the Friday prayer of the aforementioned day, dozens of Palestinian young men gathered at the western entrance of Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah on the road between Selwad village and Yabrod village near Street (60) to throw stones at the aforementioned street. The Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them and chased them into the village. As a result, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
At approximately 13:00 on Saturday, 24 May 2014, activists from the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements and Hebron Defense Committee and other civilians residents organized a peaceful demonstration at the entrance of al-Fawwar refugee camp in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. Demonstrators took the streets raising the Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against the occupation. Israeli soldiers moved into the area and deployed in order to distance the demonstrators from the area. The Israeli soldiers then fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, some of them suffered tear gas inhalation. Meanwhile, youngsters gathered to throw stones and empty bottles at the soldiers who fired tear gas canisters in response. No arrests were reported.
Continued closure of the oPt
Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip Israeli forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip and close all commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity and distance from markets. Israeli forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.
The total closure of al-Mentar (“Karni”) crossing since 02 March 2011 has seriously affected the economy of the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all economic and commercial establishments in the Gaza Commercial Zone were shut off. It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip, in terms of its capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports. The decision to close al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of decisions resulting in the complete closure of the Sofa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip in the beginning of 2009, and the Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which were dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2010.
Israeli forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.
The cooking gas crisis has fluctuated for 9 months due to the closure of Karm Abu Salem for security claims. According to PCHR’s follow-up, Israeli authorities only allow an average of 98 tons of cooking gas into Gaza per day. This limited quantity is less than half of the daily needs, which is 200 tons per day of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip during winter. The crisis has unprecedentedly aggravated for around six weeks due to cold weather and overconsumption in addition to the power outage and using gas as an alternative in many instances of electricity. The lack of diesel and benzene led to the aggravation of the crisis as a result of using the gas cylinder for cars or as an alternative for benzene to run generators. As a result, the demand for gas further increased.
For almost 6 consecutive years, Israeli forces have continued to prevent the delivery of construction materials to the Gaza Strip. Two years ago, Israeli forces approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a number of international organizations in the Gaza Strip. On 17 September 2013, they allowed the entry of limited quantities of construction materials for the private sector. However, on 13 October 2013, they re-banned it claiming that these materials are used for constructing tunnels. Last week, Israeli forces allowed the entry of construction materials only for UNRWA and UNDP projects. As a result, construction works have completely stopped impacting all sectors related to construction and an increase in unemployment levels.
Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices.
Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel denied permission to access hospitals via the crossing for new categories of patients from the Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian authorities allow the population of the Gaza Strip to travel via Rafah International crossing, which connects the Gaza Strip with the outside world. Only limited and specified categories are allowed, including patients, students, persons that hold residencies in Egypt or abroad, men over 40 years, females in all ages, children under 18, persons who hold Arab and foreign nationalities, and members of Arab and international humanitarian delegations. Supposedly the crossing opens seven days a week. Nowadays, the crossing is overcrowded due to the prolonged procedures from the Egyptian side, particularly after closing it for several days over the past weeks due to Egypt’s security conditions, which has affected the travelers’ movement in both directions.
Recommendations to the International Community:
PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation, in spite of Israeli military redeployment outside the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli forces continued to impose collective punishment measures on the Gaza Strip, which have escalated since the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, in which Hamas won the majority of seats of the Palestinian Legislative Council. PCHR stresses that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and the international humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land and the Geneva Conventions. Israel is bound to apply the international human rights law and the law of war sometime reciprocally and other times in parallel in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for victims.
In light of continued arbitrary measures, land confiscation and settlement activities in the West Bank, and the continued aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip, PCHR calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the context of their natural obligation to respect and enforce the international law – to cooperate and act according to the following recommendations:
1. PCHR calls upon the international community and the United Nations to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to self-determination, through the establishment of the Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end the occupation of the State of Palestine;
2. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide international protection to Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the non-recurrence of aggression against the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;
3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the oPt;
4. PCHR calls upon the Parties to international human rights instruments, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to pressurize Israel to comply with their provisions in the oPt, and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the concerned committees;
5. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfil their obligation to ensure the application of the Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed;
6. PCHR calls on States that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war criminals;
7. PCHR calls upon the international community to act in order to stop all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the oPt through imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;
8. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer the Goldstone Report to the UN Security Council in order to refer it to the International Criminal Court in accordance with Article 13(b) of the Rome Statute;
9. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to confirm that holding war criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on the expense of human rights;
10. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council to explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza and the annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the two issues to the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel to compel it to remove them;
11. PCHR calls upon the international community, in light of its failure to the stop the aggression on the Palestinian people, to at least fulfil its obligation to reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of hostilities launched by Israel which directly targeted the civilian infrastructure;
12. PCHR calls upon the United Nations and the European Union to express a clear position towards the annexation wall following the international recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the annexation wall seizes large parts of the State of Palestine;
13. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violations and crimes against Palestinian civilians;
14. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian leadership to sign and accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva Conventions, and calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, to encourage the State of Palestine to accede to international human rights law and humanitarian law instruments.

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Obama’s Foreign Policy: A US Military-Intelligence Agenda Which Seeks to Destabilize the Planet

Global Research, May 28, 2014
obamadoublespeakIt has been a busy weak for President Obama. On Memorial day he secretly flew off to Afghanistan just to let the troops know he genuinely cares and is thinking about them. Or so his PR advisors want it to appear as his ratings continue slumping and his disastrous foreign policy continues to come under heavy fire from all sides. A true characteristic of psychopaths is that everything they do is to self-servingly promote their own image and position. Currently finding himself on the defensive, what does Obama the psychopath do? He opportunistically rushes off as Commander-in -Chief to spend the day that America mourns its fallen warriors with the live ones still fighting his lost cause in Afghanistan.
Then as a lead-up to today’s foreign policy initiatives detailed in his graduation speech at West Point today, yesterday President Obama declared that America’s longest running wars in history in both Iraq and Afghanistan are over almost for the US military occupiers. But he did stipulate just under 10,000 US troops will remain in Afghanistan as “advisors” and counterinsurgency support forces for the national Afghan Army at least for the next two years until 2017.
Plus a small contingent of NATO forces will likely continue their deployment in Afghanistan as well. The two leading candidates facing off in the Afghan presidential runoff election on June 25th have both already pledged to sign the agreement for US security forces to remain as “unofficial” occupiers that Obama assures will no longer be engaging in combat missions and patrols. Meanwhile, a number of US military officers are expressing doubt that that amount of US troops will be enough to hold back the surging onslaught of a revitalized Taliban enemy.
It is also worth noting that Obama bragged in today’s speech to West Point cadets that “al Qaeda has been decimated.” That is just one more in an endless supply of lies from the lips of a psychopath who will never admit the truth nor ever admit error, two hallmarks of a psychopath. The truth is that the enemy al Qaeda now occupies more area in Iraq and the Middle East than ever before and the enemy in Afghanistan likewise holds more territory outside the cities in Afghanistan than any time since the Taliban government was overthrown twelve years ago.
Today Obama emphatically reiterated the rhetoric that “America must always lead,” which is nothing more than his invoking the stand-by foreign policy of exceptionalism – “do as I say, not as I do.” He formally announced moving away from the costly protracted wars with which the US has drained the national economy and middle class taxpayers for over a dozen years. Obama’s plan for the US to lead the world involves countless dirty little secret wars waged on every continent involving Special Operations forces consisting of Green Beret, Delta Force and Navy Seals. Nothing will change in terms of the US military’s role in foreign policy continuing to act as world policemen and bully, only using smaller elite counterinsurgency units deployed in at last count and rising
134 nations. Because their operations are covert, oversight and accountability is virtually absent.
The only truth we know is their funding is virtually unlimited because it is hidden from public awareness justified by secrecy under the familiar guise of national security. What we also know based on past history is these secret unlimited US taxpayer dollars will continue to be given away to warlords to “rat out” their fellow countrymen deemed anti-US, so called insurgent terrorists or al Qaeda (to be differentiated from the al Qaeda mercenary Islamic extremists in whose pockets more US tax dollars are going to fight US proxy wars in places like Syria and Libya). Outsourcing with al Qaeda thugs has become a new way America “leads the world” in its desire to destabilize and promote regime changes wherever the US does not want to bother placing black ops on the ground.
For convenience sake, the Obama administration embraces a policy of al Qaeda the enemy whenever Washington says so, but simultaneously supports, finances and allies with (ever since the pre-al Qaeda Mujahideen in the late 70’s) certain al Qaeda terrorists to oppose selected sovereign nations that Washington dislikes and is committed to the imperialistic agenda of regime changes – calling it US exceptionalism. What’s good for the US government is good for the entire world like it or not, because the US as still the sole global superpower says so (despite the surging power of Russia and China in the renewed cold war challenge Obama instigated). Exceptionalism amounts to one set of international rules applying to the rest of the world subject to arbitrary US enforcement through bullying and extermination and another set that defies and remains immune from all international laws and governance that apply exclusively to the US only. Obama’s meta-message is that the US will continue our “might makes right” policy.
Obama’s graduation speech at West Point today in large part was a defensive maneuver to answer all his hawkish foreign policy critics, typical Republicans like McCain who have basically called Obama a wimp that has only weakened America’s global superpower status for not starting more major wars around the world. If they had their way, the US would have GI boots on the ground in Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, Libya and God knows where else. Obama may be a psychopathic war criminal, but he is not quite that crazy – though that is debatable in view of last September when Obama was hell bent on launching a military strike on Syria until the whole world stopped him.
Basically Obama’s form of Teddy Roosevelt’s “walk softly but carry a big stick” means continued US night raids invading homes in secret unknown places all around the world, killing, detaining and torturing many innocent victims under the umbrage of counterinsurgency warfare. Or it might entail financing, training, accompanying and supporting death squad commando units doing the same thing in their own countries against their fellow countrymen.
Since the Bush days the US has maintained a standard foreign policy toward people in every nation, “either they are with us,” us including the US puppet government, allied warlords “or they are against us/US puppet government/allied warlords.” In this way, by design the US polarizes, destabilizes and otherwise stirs up civil wars everywhere the US goes at will. A more accurate way to describe Obama’s so called foreign policy initiatives is the King Midas touch in reverse. Cases in point include the ongoing civil wars that the US has purposely created in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Ukraine, Sudan and to some extent Pakistan, Yemen, Mali, Somalia and Venezuela.
And based on recent revelations of how the CIA has lied for years to the pro-CIA Congressional Intelligence Committees and America, the CIA and Special Operations continue their practice of torture that no doubt includes waterboarding in secret detainment prisons around the globe, the most notorious one 90 miles from the US homeland in Guantanamo, Cuba. Despite a campaign
promise in both 2008 and again in 2012 to close Guantanamo Prison down once and for all, for over half a dozen years as president Obama continues failing to keep his word.
But then broken promises to the American people have become an Obama trademark. So somewhere in the world more innocent civilians who have been fingered by some informant being paid to lie with US taxpayer money is suddenly being apprehended in one of those counterinsurgency night raids and brought to a secret location in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Central Asia or Guantanamo and without charges being tortured and imprisoned for years at a time. The US is still holding innocent victims at Guantanamo who have been cleared of all charges for at least a dozen years. If we know this is true of cases in Guantanamo, hidden from the public are likely hundreds if not thousands of other victims whose human rights have been violated for decades in numerous secret locations.
And then there is Obama’s favorite form of modern warfare that he personally prefers hand picking his targets himself that include Americans in the crosshairs of thousands of drone attacks. Obama’s   foreign policy signature calling card consists of launching missile strikes from his terror drones in the skies on mostly what turns out to be innocent victims in a number of nations. Drone warfare has been escalated over tenfold on Obama’s watch. His open admission that he could foresee killing Americans on foreign soil reflects his “world is changing” views. Today he simply repeated his past promise of turning drone deployments over from the CIA to the military to give the illusion of “more transparency.” Americans have heard that empty word before as just another broken promise since Obama’s track record has only demonstrated that he is the most secretive, least transparent president in US history.
Obama’s rhetoric today at West Point that the US will show restraint in looking for non-military solutions uttered in one breath, and then in the next breath that the US will continue to support “anti-terrorism” all around the world is just more psychopathic double talk. The bottom line is the US will continue leading by example as the world’s worst human rights offender while supporting regimes all over the planet that also have abysmal human rights records.
More of the same disastrous, unethical, haphazard and inconsistent, imperialistic foreign policy means that the US will continue financing corrupt weak puppet governments that permit transnational corporations to rape and steal their precious natural resources while enslaving its people that become even more exploited once their nations cannot repay IMF and world bank loans. In other words, there is absolutely nothing new that came out of Obama’s speech today. It will simply be business as usual, polarizing and destabilizing the world on the global chessboard stage ushering in more death, destruction and austerity paving the way toward the oligarch New World Order. Obama is simply doing his psychopathic doubletalk dance for his oligarch puppet masters.

Joachim Hagopian is a West Point graduate and former Army officer. His written manuscript based on his military experience examines leadership and national security issues and can beconsulted athttp://www.redredsea.net/westpointhagopian/. After the military, Joachim earned a masters degree in psychology and became a licensed therapist working in the mental health field for more than a quarter century. He now focuses on writing.
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The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!