Posts
US church takes anti-Israel stand | |||
Presbyterian Church votes
| |||
Last
updated: 21 Jun 2014 03:31
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/middleeast/2014/06/us-church-takes-anti-israel-stand-20146213242342695.html
| |||
The Presbyterian Church in the US has voted to sell about $17m worth of stock from three American companies working in Israel. Activists say the companies are supporting an unjust occupation of Palestine. Al Jazeera's John Hendren reports from Detroit. |
Israeli
fear boycott if peace talks fail | |||||||||||||||
Some
Israelis warn pro-Palestinian boycott of its economy could gain momentum if peace talks
| An international campaign to boycott Israel is gaining momentum in Europe. Eight years ago, pro-Palestinian activists started a boycott targeting Israel's economy in an effort to end the occupation. The impact has so far been minimal. But if US-led peace talks fail, some Israelis fear the movement will accelerate, especially with growing pressure from the European Union, a major trading partner. Al Jazeera's Atia Abawi reports from the Jordan Valley. |
||||||||||||||
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal says there can be no ceasefire unless Israel ends its eight-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.
| Hamas has rejected a ceasefire to end the 16-day offensive against Gaza unless Israel ends its blockade of the strip, its leader Khaled Meshaal has said. "We reject today ... and will reject in the future" a ceasefire before negotiations on Hamas' demands, which include lifting years of blockade against the Palestinian enclave, Meshaal told journalists in Doha, Qatar's capital. Lifting the eight-year blockade is a main demand of Hamas, which also wants the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and Israel to free Palestinian prisoners. Meshaal's statement came as the UN Human Rights Council voted to launch an independent inquiry into Israel's offensive. As international calls for an end to the fighting in Gaza mount, Meshaal said that Hamas "welcomes all efforts to end the aggression" and "does not object" to mediation by any party, including Egypt. "We will not accept any initiative that does not lift the blockade on our people and that does not respect their sacrifices," he said. Egypt, whose president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has sought to isolate Hamas in neighbouring Gaza, had tried to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas. Hamas had rejected the ceasefire proposal which it said was favourable to Israel. It argues that Egypt's proposal, which is backed by the United States, United Nations and Arab League, would allow Israel to dictate if and when to ease its blockade on Gaza. "Let us agree on achieving our demands and we will then agree on the zero-hour for a ceasefire," Meshaal said. 'We will not bow' Meshaal appealed to the international community and NGOs to "come to the aid of Gaza and not wait until after the war ends". "I call today for opening border crossings to allow the entry of aid convoys" to the Gaza Strip which needs "fuel, food and electricity", he said. "We are more concerned about a humanitarian truce, like last Thursday ... for evacuating casualties and assisting the population. "We are not closing the door to a humanitarian truce ... that would not manoeuvre around demands of the resistance," he added. Meshaal said Hamas wants the "aggression to stop tomorrow, today, or even this minute. But [Israel must] lift the blockade with guarantees and not as a promise for future negotiations". He added "we will not shut the door in the face of any humanitarian ceasefire backed by a real aid programme". UK charity Oxfam said on Wednesday that thousands of Palestinians have fled their homes but have nowhere safe to shelter from Israeli air strikes and warned that supplies of water and food are dangerously low. The conflict has so far killed 715 Palestinians, 32 Israeli soldiers, two Israeli civilians and a Thai worker. "We do not want a war and we do not want it to continue, but we will not bow in front of it," Meshaal said.
| |
|||||||||||||
UN to investigate Israel's Gaza offensive |
|||||||||||||||
At least 25 people killed in new bombardment, a day after Human Rights Council vote on inquiry into alleged violations. |
have been killed in bombardment by the Israeli military on the Gaza Strip, just
a day after the UN Human Rights Council voted to launch an inquiry into the
ongoing Israeli offensive's alleged violations of international laws.
Most of Thursday's casualties were
reported in the town of Khan Younis in southeast of Gaza, but ambulances
struggled to enter the area amid intense fighting between Israeli troops
and Palestinian Hamas fighters, Al Jazeera's correspondent reported.
Earlier, Navi Pillay, the UN rights
chief, told an emergency session of the council on Wednesday that Israel's
military actions could amount to war crimes.
The 47-member council adopted the
investigation under a draft resolution after a request by Palestine, which has
UN observer status.
The Israeli prime minister's office said in a
statement that the decision was a "travesty", adding that
Israel had "gone to unprecedented lengths to keep Palestinian
civilians out of harm's way".
A total of 732 Palestinians - the vast
majority of them civilians - have been killed in Israel's 17-day campaign in
Gaza. In the same period, two Israeli civilians have been killed by rocket fire
into Israel from Gaza, and 32 Israeli soldiers have died in Gaza.
Wednesday saw a flurry of diplomatic
activity, with John Kerry, US secretary of state, holding meetings with
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, and Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas.
However, hopes of a ceasefire appeared to be
in deadlock.
In his first comments since the Israeli
invasion, Khaled Meshaal, the Hamas political leader, said in Doha, Qatar, on
Wednesday that his group would
never accept a ceasefire plan that did not offer the ending of the
Israeli blockade of Gaza.
The Israelis have said they will not accept a
ceasefire that included an agreement on the blockade, and want a two-step
solution - a ceasefire, then talks on any easing of restrictions.
Israeli violations
Hours before the UN vote, Pillay told the
emergency session that there was a "strong possibility" that Israel
had violated international law in Gaza, "in a manner that could amount to
war crimes".
She said the killing of civilians in Gaza,
especially children, raised concerns over Israel’s precautions and respect for
proportionality.
Pillay
also criticised rocket attacks into Israel by Hamas.
"Once again, the principles of
distinction and precaution are clearly not being observed during such
indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas by Hamas and other armed Palestinian
groups," she said.
The resolution lodged with the UN rights
council by Palestine condemned "the widespread, systematic and gross
violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms".
It called on the international community to
"urgently dispatch an independent, international commission of
inquiry" to investigate "all violations of international human rights
law" in the occupied territories.
The aim, it said, was to "establish the
facts and circumstances of such violations and of the crimes perpetrated and to
identify those responsible ... ensuring that those responsible are held
accountable, and on ways and means to protect civilians against any further
assaults".
At least 25 people, including three children,
have been killed in bombardment by the Israeli military on the Gaza Strip, just
a day after the UN Human Rights Council voted to launch an inquiry into the
ongoing Israeli offensive's alleged violations of international laws.
Most of Thursday's casualties were
reported in the town of Khan Younis in southeast of Gaza, but ambulances
struggled to enter the area amid intense fighting between Israeli troops
and Palestinian Hamas fighters, Al Jazeera's correspondent reported.
Earlier, Navi Pillay, the UN rights
chief, told an emergency session of the council on Wednesday that Israel's
military actions could amount to war crimes.
a request by Palestine, which has UN observer status.
The Israeli prime minister's office said in a
statement that the decision was a "travesty", adding that
Israel had "gone to unprecedented lengths to keep Palestinian
civilians out of harm's way".
A total of 732 Palestinians - the vast
majority of them civilians - have been killed in Israel's 17-day campaign in
Gaza. In the same period, two Israeli civilians have been killed by rocket fire
into Israel from Gaza, and 32 Israeli soldiers have died in Gaza.
Wednesday saw a flurry of diplomatic
activity, with John Kerry, US secretary of state, holding meetings with
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, and Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas.
However, hopes of a ceasefire appeared to be
in deadlock.
In his first comments since the Israeli
invasion, Khaled Meshaal, the Hamas political leader, said in Doha, Qatar, on
Wednesday that his group would
never accept a ceasefire plan that did not offer the ending of the
Israeli blockade of Gaza.
The Israelis have said they will not accept a
ceasefire that included an agreement on the blockade, and want a two-step
solution - a ceasefire, then talks on any easing of restrictions.
Israeli violations
Hours before the UN vote, Pillay told the
emergency session that there was a "strong possibility" that Israel
had violated international law in Gaza, "in a manner that could amount to
war crimes".
She said the killing of civilians in Gaza,
especially children, raised concerns over Israel’s precautions and respect for
proportionality.
Israel by Hamas.
"Once again, the principles of
distinction and precaution are clearly not being observed during such
indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas by Hamas and other armed Palestinian
groups," she said.
The resolution lodged with the UN rights
council by Palestine condemned "the widespread, systematic and gross
violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms".
It called on the international community to
"urgently dispatch an independent, international commission of
inquiry" to investigate "all violations of international human rights
law" in the occupied territories.
The aim, it said, was to "establish the
facts and circumstances of such violations and of the crimes perpetrated and to
identify those responsible ... ensuring that those responsible are held
accountable, and on ways and means to protect civilians against any further
assaults".
COMMENT:
First of all I would draw the attention of the Americans to the
ugly devilish evil face of the Israeli Zionists that preaches to be brother and
best friend of American government.
If it is so then why should the Churches disassociate
itself with Israel, Israel thrived in American society because most of the Americans
do not read the Holy Books except a few handful of the Americans and believed the spoon feeding of the CNN a poodle of Israel for decades. But now things have otherwise changed and that is why American disbelieve the liars the Israel government leaders the axis of evil the bad ZIONISTS. Having gone through the short notes and the articles it is clearly elaborated the evil image of the Israel's.
Political Leader of Israel’s with criminal background and the mentalities and the
probable retaliation of the entire world due to the brutal killing of Palestinians by Israel. It is reported
Israel is scared of the retaliation of its impact on its economy.
I would leave the matter to the readers of the World
Community of Nations to assess who is the axis of evil in this world polluting the
atmosphere of world peace under the patronage of a super power congressional
Zionists or victims resisting the illegal occupation and untold brutal torture
by the Occupying force Israel for the last long 67 years.
I would leave the matter to the readers of the World
Community of Nations to assess who is the axis of evil in this world polluting the
atmosphere of world peace under the patronage of a super power congressional
Zionists or victims resisting the illegal occupation and untold brutal torture
by the Occupying force Israel for the last long 67 years.
When the President of US himself practices dialog and diplomatic
process to solve disputes no matter how long it might take.
In addition, what made him go against his own
doctrine by him supporting such a human killing by Israel.
World Community of Nations believes
the ZIONISTS in the congress and AIPAC must have put pressure and threat of
life to compel him to deviate from his declared doctrine.
This would become clear if US
try to save Israel from the outcome of Human Rights investigation findings if ZIONISTS
in congress used threat of life to the President or not.
No comments:
Post a Comment