Canadian MP: Incitement is far worse than checkpoints Israel Hayom 12 August 2013
Irwin Cotler, one of the world’s leading international law experts, slams EU boycott of settlements, dismisses claims that Israel violates human rights • "I was told that Israel must cease to be a Jewish state," he says of meeting with Arab leaders.
Israel Settlements Get Go-Ahead On Eve Of Palestine Peace Talks By KARIN LAUB and MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH 11 August 2013
JERUSALEM — Israel approved building nearly 1,200 more settlement homes Sunday and agreed to release 26 long-held Palestinian security prisoners – highlighting an apparent settlements-for-prisoners trade-off that got both sides back to peace talks after a five-year freeze. (read more)
Israel says Syria used chemical weapons By William Booth and Craig Whitlock, the Washington Post 23 April 2013
TEL AVIV — Senior Israeli military officials on Tuesday stated that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al- Assad have used chemical weapons against the country’s civilians, saying their evidence — including photographs of victims foaming at the mouth — made them “nearly 100 percent” certain.
It was the most direct and public assertion by Israel to date that Syria has resorted to chemical weapons, which would be a troubling escalation of a brutal civil war that has stretched on for more than two years. Coming less than a week after France and Britain made similar allegations about Syria to the United Nations, the remarks could add to the mounting international pressure on the United States — which has repeatedly said it will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons – to intervene in the Syrian conflict.” (read more)
Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad walk in Khan al-Assal area near Aleppo, close to the site where a chemical weapon attack was said to have occurred in March. (Reuters)
Israel’s military investigations into Gaza conflict violations strengthen impunity Amnesty International 17 April 2013
The decision by Israel's military not to launch criminal investigations into some 65 cases of "alleged misconduct" by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during Operation "Pillar of Defense", last year's eight-day armed conflict in the Gaza Strip, is another step which strengthens impunity, said Amnesty International, as some of the cases closed could amount to serious violations of international humanitarian law and potentially war crimes.(read more)
Palestinians clash with Israeli troops after alleged beating By Noah Browning, Reuters 12 April 2013
Scores of Palestinian youths clashed with Israeli soldiers for a second day in the occupied West Bank on Friday, after locals accused Jewish settlers of beating a man with steel pipes.
Youths heaved rocks at Israeli army jeeps as smoke from blazing tires mixed with tear gas a few hundred meters from the red-rooftopped villas of the Israeli settlement of Ofra.
An Israeli army spokesperson described the alleged beating that led to the disturbances as a "clash between Israeli and Palestinian civilians" and said it was investigating. (read more)
Exchange of fire threatens Gaza ceasefire Al Jazeera 3 April 2013
Palestinian fighters have launched several rockets into southern Israel after Israeli aircraft hit targets in the Gaza Strip.
Wednesday's incidents were the heaviest exchange of fire between the sides since they agreed to an internationally brokered ceasefire last November.
There were no casualties reported, but the violence threatened to shatter the calm that has prevailed for more than four months. (read more)
Israel issues warning to Palestine and Syria Al Jazeera 3 April 2013
Israel's Defence Minister warned Palestinian fighters that the Israeli military will respond to any attacks in its territory, after a rocket was fired from Gaza into Southern Israel and an attack from Syria.
Moshe Yaalon said on Wednesday that the military will not hold back if attacked and will not allow its civilians or armed forces to come under fire "in any form".
"We shall not allow in any form the establishment of a routine of sporadic firing on our civilians or on our forces," said Yaalon. (read more)
Tribunal calls on ICC to probe Israeli 'crimes' in Palestine Agence France-Presse 17 March 2013
The Russell Tribunal on Palestine (RToP) called Sunday for the International Criminal Court to investigate "crimes" committed by Israel in the territories as it wrapped up four years of investigation.
Meeting in Brussels, the people's tribunal, which has no legal status but aims to draw international attention to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, said it would "support all initiatives from civil society and international organisations aimed at bringing Israel in front of the International Criminal Court".
Since Palestine was awarded observer status at the UN in November, it can now file complaints against Israel with the ICC.
The tribunal also called on the ICC to recognise Palestinian jurisdiction and for an extraordinary session of the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid, set up for South Africa, to this time examine the Israeli case. (read more)
Protests erupted across the West Bank in support of Arafat Jaradat, who died in Israeli custody
Israel demands action on Palestinian protests Al-Ahram Publishing House, Al Bawaba 26 February 2013
Israel on Monday demanded that the Palestinian Authority act "responsibly" and rein in unrest, as Palestinian protesters vowed revenge over the death of a Palestinian prisoner allegedly under Israeli torture.
A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued the appeal for calm, the second in as many days, as thousands of mourners attended a tense funeral in the West Bank for Arafat Jaradat who died Saturday in an Israeli jail.
"Israel expects the Palestinian Authority to act responsibly to prevent incitement and violence which will only exacerbate the situation," spokesman Mark Regev told AFP. (read more)
'Egypt slams Israeli policy on Palestinian prisoners' By Jpost.com Staff, Khaled Abu Toameh, The Jerusalem Post 25 February 2013
Riots follow funeral of Palestinian who died in Israel jail; Abbas: Israel killing Palestinian children; Egyptian FM urges int'l community to take firm stance against Israel's "inhuman practices"; two Palestinians hurt.
Egypt on Monday condemned Israeli policies concerning Palestinian prisoners in light of the death of Palestinian prisoner Arafat Jadarat in Israeli custody over the weekend, Kuwait News Agency KUNA reported.
In a press release, Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Amr warned that the continuation of Israeli policies will lead to an explosion of the situation in the region, according to the report. (read more)
Protest against the death of a Palestinian detainee in an Israeli jail, in Gaza February 24, 2013 (Mohamad Torokman/Reuters)
Israel accuses Syria of genocide, urges intervention
By Dan Williams
10 June 2012
A senior Israeli minister on Sunday made the Jewish state's most explicit call yet for military intervention to topple President Bashar al-Assad and accused him of committing genocide to suppress the 15-month-old uprising against his rule.
Vice Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz urged world powers to oust Assad in the same way that last year's Western-backed campaign in Libya overthrew former strongman Muammar Gaddafi.
"A crime against humanity, genocide, is being conducted in Syria today. And the silence of the world powers is contrary to all human logic," Mofaz told Israel's Army Radio.
"Since in the not-distant past the powers chose military intervention in Libya, here the required conclusion would be immediate military intervention to bring down the Assad regime."
Isarael had so far taken a cautious line on the uprising in its Arab neighbour. While the overthrow of Assad would weaken his close ally and Israel's main enemy Iran, it has been wary of what might happen if the Syrian leader were to be replaced by an Islamist government more hostile to the Jewish state. The military chief, Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz, said last week he saw a "lose-lose prospect" for Israel whichever way the Syria conflict played out. (read more)
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