Nur al-Cubicle

Mubarak Dégage

2011-02-03T12:16:00.000-08:00

Journalists rounded up. Time Magazine and Washington Post reporters arrested.

BBC maintains some live coverage at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

Follow the sympathic comments of concerned Americans here

Noteworthy:

"We've spent a trillion dollars trying to bring democracy to the Middle East through our misadventure in Iraq. Now the Egyptians are doing it, all by themselves, with enormous courage and spirit"

Mubarek Dégage!

2011-02-01T06:19:00.000-08:00

Link to Al-Jazeera's live coverage

http://videochat.corriere.it/index_H2401.shtml

2 million brave Egyptians in Tahrir Square. US nationals should be cheering them from the sidelines!

Recalling the surge

2010-04-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

Women and children first...in the gunsites!

July 21, 2007

"American helicopters and warplanes attacked a Shiite area on the outskirts of northern Baghdad late Friday and early Saturday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 10, according to an official at the Iraqi Interior Ministry who said some of the casualties were women and children...."

July 16, 2007

"The pilots believe [Reuters personnel] to be insurgents, and mistake Mr. Noor-Eldeen’s camera for a weapon. They aim and fire at the group [on a Baghdad street], then revel in their kills.

“Look at those dead bastards,” one pilot says. “Nice,” the other responds.

A wounded man can be seen crawling and the pilots impatiently hope that he will try to fire at them so that under the rules of engagement they can shoot him again. “All you gotta do is pick up a weapon,” one pilot says.

A short time later a van arrives to pick up the wounded and the pilots open fire on it, wounding two children inside. “Well, it’s their fault for bringing their kids into a battle,” one pilot says.

Donate to Wikipedia and Feel Connected

2009-12-18T20:37:00.000-08:00

Give a buck or rial to preserve Wikipedia. If anything, the real time Donor's Comments Page is a joy to behold! It made me feel good and provided a few good laughs, too.

"I'm giving $35 to Wikipedia, because I've paid more for less content..."
"Safe when used as directed"
"Here's $10. I'm too cheap to donate more."
"I am sure every penny helps, so here are 3500 of them."

Of course, most donors are very serious and their comments are very touching:
My two favorites are:

I'm proud to support an organization whose goal is to improve our world.
Wikipedia is perhaps the ultimate realization of the promise of the Internet.

Do the right thing and click on the link on this page at the lower left.

Our Man in Erbil

2009-11-11T19:17:00.000-08:00

A new American dynasty...

"Now [former US Ambassador Peter] Galbraith, 58, son of the renowned economist John Kenneth Galbraith, stands to earn perhaps a hundred million or more dollars as a result of his closeness to the Kurds, his relations with a Norwegian oil company and constitutional provisions he helped the Kurds extract."

Via the NYT

Winning militarily in Afghanistan

2009-11-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Five French experts weigh in on the options available to the US in Afghanistan

Source is here.

Olivier Guillard
Information Director, Crisis Consulting

A courageous gamble if accompanied by investment in infrastructure

The debate on the advisability of the surge. Given the current conditions on the ground -a state of fragile equilibrium between critical and irreparable- is a surge the most effective means to prevent the Taliban from returning to Kabul? In the United States, the opinion is far from unanimous. Conservatives and democrats, bureaucrats and military men, public opinion and the media and the President and Vice President provide as many thoughts and utterances on this questions as is possible to devise. NATO countries are completely flummoxed. Last, the Afghans themselves are much divided on the surge; they think they have more to fear the surge than any gain it might bring.

Is a surge needed? Of course a surge is needed! But what kind of surge? Once the next Afghan leader is elected, what shape will President Obama give to the surge? 10,000, 20,000, 40,000 troops? More? Should we have the same expectations whether the troop numbers are high or low? Should we ascribe it the same chances for success and the same attributes?

The surge as a tool for stabilizing theater of operations. If the surge sees the light of day, don’t expect it to move mountains or work miracles, win the war and deliver the peace, or bring about an immediate religious concordat and national unity. Whatever the configuration, this commitment can only –and given current circumstances, this would be quite a bit- stabilize the military situation and place the conflict in a welcome state of stasis, a situation that far from ideal but much preferable to abandonment and defeat.

The surge has it limits: an impossible model to replicate. It would be unrealistic and dangerous to regard the previous “victorious” surge as a panacea to all the political-ethnic-military crises roiling the globe or even as a solution to the ills of Afghanistan. Per force the outcome of the surge in Iraq cannot be duplicated in the Afghanistan quagmire. There is too much dissimilarity between Baghdad and Kabul. The Iraqi militias have little to do with the Taliban obscurantists, just to cite one aspect.

A short-term surge and a long-term effort. Last, the advisability of the surge, despite its limits, merits support but not with an immediate perspective. This deployment of troops as a last attempt before throwing in the towel can avoid an unacceptable slide into defeat and chaos that would result in Afghanistan and beyond. But rather than a desperate and futile plunge of a sword into water, such a courageous gamble must be accompanied by a copious, long-term effort. Investment in infrastructures and human capital (education healthcare, jobs and training) and pressure on meddlesome capitals (Islamabad, Tehran), just for starters. To have the slightest chance for success, the rationale cannot be framed in terms of years. Decades will be required It's up to our leaders to make a tricky political and electoral gamble, starting with President Obama.

======

Andre Thiéblemont
French Army Colonel and Ethnologist

The question of additional troops obscures real issue

The question of additional troops for the Afghan theater of operations is indicative of the degree to which Westerns politicians and military men are unable or unwilling to acknowledge the character and the scale of the insurgency, which is what General McChrystal, ISAF Commander, admits in a report made public only recently. It’s a strange kind of blindness and it includes the French. Since 2006, voices in the civilian and military sphere have been pointing out the increasing power of the guerrillas, who have appropriated the banner of Pashtun nationalism and exploited popular resentment of the occupiers and the Kabul government. The insurgency is underpinned by several factors: political, cultural, social and economic, especially when you consider that the drug trade, which has spread like wildfire across what's left of small farming ravaged by forty years of war.

The Taliban movement has merged with a peasant resistance movement mobilized by feudal lords via traditional social and political relationships. These warlords, who maintain shifting alliances as they chase after lucre, have only exploited the security and political vacuum.

The strategy and scale of the insurgency have changed. Because of this the question of additional troops obscures the real issue. The political goals, as well as the ways and means of the continuing Western presence, must be questioned. Whatever the ends, the maintenance and reinforcement of this presence entails the rollout of colonialism -a revamped version of The White Man’s Burden operating under the banner of the UN. If the goal is to rebuild the Afghan State, you can either paste from Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey [Colonial Resident General of Morocco] or Joseph Simon Gallieni [Colonial Governor of Madagascar] or turn to pop psychology (winning hearts and minds). Rebuilding the Afghan State has three preconditions nested like a Russian doll and raises three issues. The first is the legitimacy of the central Afghan government.

But how can you build this legitimacy when the “Karzai System” itself is a problem and is feeding the rebellion? How do you confirm this legitimacy without alternatives for the economy, which relies on poppy growing and undermines the state as it promotes the autonomy of local potentates?

How do you get legitimacy to take root among people who have no local political or government institutions that would provide continuity and the link to the community and respect for local customs. This was attempted in the form of Sections Administratives Spécialisées during the Algerian War or the Department of Indigenous Affairs in French Morocco.

Such questions should worry political and strategic thinkers. Yet everything is transpiring as if such questions meant nothing -as if the political dimension of the Afghan problem were intractable. These thinkers are not asking the right questions.

:-:

Bruno Tertrais, Senior Researcher
The Foundation for Strategic Studies
Author, The Nuclear Black Market

Shifting military action from counter-terrorism military to counter-insurgency

Sending additional troops to Afghanistan may by an ingredient for success, but it is not the only element. It’s redundant to state once again that the solution in Afghanistan is not a military one. Everyone is aware of that. The question is how to optimize the considerable effort made by the international community these in eight years.

Speaking of “victory” or defeat” makes no sense unless in there are objectives. First, we all have to agree on the objectives, which do not include turning Afghanistan into Switzerland. We have to ensure that the country does not become a sanctuary for terrorist networks plotting to attack our interests. We have to make sure that the country does not once again become a dictatorial regime that imposes medieval way of life on the population, forbidding girls from getting an education and anything that is not banned through the narrowest lens of interpreting the Koran. In other words: first, our interests and then our ideals. You have to establish priorities, preferably in this order. I’m not trying to be cynical, just realistic. The international community has neither the will nor the resources to reverse these priorities.

For this, we need, as they say, to win hearts and minds. But there are several obstacles in the way of this strategy: the deterioration in country’s security, collateral damage caused by air strikes, massive corruption and the destabilization of the society caused by the presence of foreigners (including NGOs).
The result: more and more Afghanis sympathize with the Taliban. This is happening not out of ideology or religion but out of national pride and the will to survive.

Would sending a new massive contingent of troops change the situation? Only if accompanied by intelligent strategy: co-opting local groups into the fight against the extremists (as was done in Iraq), limiting air strikes to the strict minimum (it is better to forgo killing a Taliban leader than to enrage an entire region), lift the restrictions that handcuff some foreign contingents (such as the Germans) and give the Afghanis everyday security. Military action must be shifted from counter-terrorism to counter-insurgency.

In the medium and long terms, success does lie with building the army and police. A modern army cannot be created in the space of a few years. But down the road, there is a chance that the effort begun in 2002 may deliver enough successes to allow a partial military drawdown. However, this cannot occur without difficulties or reversals. The contributing nations must be willing to take risks.

:=:

Gilles Dorronsoro, Area Specialist, Turkey and Afghanistan
Professor of Political Science at the Sorbonne
Research Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

It’s the strategy, not the troop levels, that is in need of review

If the current strategy is pursued, reinforcements will not win against the insurrection but will cause political damage that will be difficult to justify to an increasingly squeamish public. At the current pace, Coalition losses will be 500 for 2009, representing a 60% over 2008.

The current strategy is causing more losses because it requires the long-term presence of foreign troops in rural areas, where the insurgency is the strongest. Patrols are vulnerable to IEDs and ambushes. This strategy was used in Helmand with catastrophic results: 130 dead since the beginning of the year and on achievement toward long-term security. McChrystal merely suggests doing the same thing in other southern and eastern provinces with more troops,

This strategy is ineffective for three reasons. First, Western troops are not trained for counter-insurgency. It’s a myth to represent Iraq as a victory for this type of strategy since it was the Sunni tribes who –at least for now- eliminated the most radical groups. There is no equivalent of these tribes in Afghanistan, where the Taliban is far more capable in controlling the Pashtun population. Soliders who carry a 90-lb load and are very slow in moving because of IEDs, who do not speak the language and who are deployed to Afghanistan for short periods of time have no chance of being accepted in a Pashtun village, where an armed stranger is seen as a threat.

Next, there is no Afghani support, no police to identify who is working for the insurgency, which is a big problem in securing a village. Western troops are working blindfolded and technology is of little use in such an environment. The weakness of the Afghan military condemns Western troop to staying 5 to 10 more years, just to patrol the villages. With this in mind, projections that the Afghan army will be 250,000 men strong in just a few years are unrealistic. At most, 150,000 men will be trained by 2014.

Last, there is no chance of sealing off the frontier with Pakistan. Operations underway by the Pakistani army are focused on Pakistani groups, not the Afghan Taliban. So the Taliban enjoy a sanctuary that allows them to strike Western troops at will.

More than the question of troop levels, the strategy is in need of review.

In the South and the East, where the insurgency is strong, the Coalition must concentrate on protecting towns and strategic infrastructure. One of the flaws in the current strategy is precisely the excessive focus on the South and East, giving the Taliban a free hand in the north.

:==:

Gerard Chaliand, Geostrategist
Author, the New Art of War

A fleeting sense of improvement

The report published by General Stanley McCrystal on Afghanistan has the merit of providing a reliable summary of the political and military errors since Kabul was surrounded in fall of 2001.

The counterinsurgency strategy that the general offers is coherent but comes too late in a deteriorated environment –both in Afghanistan and in the United States, roiled by crisis and where American public is in no mood for escalation.

President Obama, who during his electoral campaign underscored Afghanistan as a “war of necessity”, has inherited a very bad situation that requires, if he wishes to be reelected, taking the initiative. The strategy options, including a few that will not produce a victory, are of prime political importance. In and of itself, an increase in the number of troops and a counter-insurrection strategy that will require taking over all Pashtun areas to “safeguard the population” affords only a fleeting illusion of improvement.

The heart of the problem is governance. It is a waste of time to build a big Afghan army that, once the foreigners have decamped, will not go to war to defend a corrupt, inefficient and unpopular regime.

It is a necessity to carefully select the provinces where an effort will be deployed: Kandahar, Helmand, Paktia and Paktia, Wardak, etc. (the east of the country is populous, not the south). The north of Afghanistan, which is seldom mentioned but where at least half the population lives and where, apart from a few places like Kunduz, the Taliban, who are Pashtun, have never established a stronghold, should receive more aid for the rural areas. Last, financial assistance must be better monitored to avoid kickbacks and bribes, not to mention overpaid foreign experts (who, on the pretext of danger to their persons, never leave Kabul’s Green Zone.)

Whatever the strategy adopted, it will take time as well as losses in the ranks of the Western troops. It is shocking that an organization like NATO, representing 900 million people, is on the ropes after losing 1,350 men in eight years. The new social aspect of the strategy will pose a raft of new problems. For its part, the United States has lost less than 5,000 professional soldiers. The goal is to prevent the reconstitution of a sanctuary for Jihadists. But such a sanctuary exists in Pakistan, with Tehrick-e-Taliban of Pakistan (TPP), which remains, more than ever, at the epicenter of the conflict.

An honorable pullout for the United States and its allies is going to require time – and this factor does not play in its favor.

War Is Hell, er, Censorship

2009-09-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

This AP photo taken by Julie Jacobson of US Marine Joshua Bernard, mortally wounded in Dahaneh, Helmand Province (Afghanistion) in mid August and subsequently distributed to AP subscribers has prompted Robert Gates to invoke the "raised eyebrow rule" and write to AP President Thomas Curley to complain of its publication. But really, we know it is not a matter of "compassion". Gates is exercising censorship. It would chasten the American public to see more such images, hopefully generating a groundswell of protest at the futility of it all.

In this vein, the following extract from a article published by French Col. Michel Goya in France (The inconsistencies of French anti-insurgent operations during the Algerian War) in late spring 2009, is something Washington and the President would do well to ponder, especially with respect to the future:

French military doctrine on anti-insurgency during the Algerian War is held up today either as either an inspiration or the corpse of a felon to be abandoned on the "scalae gemoniae". The truth is that the doctrine was a amalgamation of various currents of thought, many contradictory, which, at considerable cost (10 [French military] deaths each day for a period of seven years and 2% of GDP per year, was certainly able to dismember the FLN military organization in Algeria and to create the notion that [the French victory] was applauded the Muslim community. [FLN was Marxist]. But the outcome was fragile -rendered useless by policy decisions by General de Gaulle- and by and large exaggerated over time, obtained at the cost of a deep domestic moral crisis and the marring of the image of the army in France. Given this result, the French anti-guerilla doctrine can hardly be held up as an model for combating an insurgency.

Torture Photos Leaked

2009-05-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

The Italian papers, Il Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica, says the picture galleries below were part of the set of Abu Ghraib photos that President Obama has declined to release:

Here

and here

Senseless

2009-02-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

This murder couldn't even have happened in Baghdad...

French researcher Christopher Augur, an expert in bio-molecular chemistry who was en route to the University of Mexico, was shot in the head and killed at the Mexico City Airport after making a currency exchange. Mr. Augur, 48 years old, had just arrived in the country. A University car had been dispatched to pick him up. When he entered the car, thieves broke the window, stole his money and shot him dead.

Italian-brokered deal ends Somalia's nightmare

2009-01-31T11:07:00.000-08:00

Update August 6, 2009
Via BBC:
The US admits it has supplied pro-government forces in Somalia with over 40 tonnes of weapons and ammunition this year, and another delivery of weapons is predicted, says our correspondent.

Update: Why are African Union troops (undisciplined 18 year-olds) still in Mogadishu?

Via BBC: "Regional officials in Somalia have accused African Union (AU) peacekeepers of opening fire on civilians in the capital, Mogadishu, killing 18 people."

The two years that Italy's Special Envoy to Somalia, Mario Raffaelli, spent arm-twisting in Washington has produced the prospect of a stable Somalia, according to a story in Milan's Corriere della Sera. I would assume that Qatar and Kuwait played a role, too. The US assented to the election of Sheik Sharif Shek Ahmed, a member of the Hawiya-Abgal clan, said to be an Islamist on Washington's list of al-Qaeda members (always sweeping and inaccurate), as President in an election among the Somali parliamentarians in Djibuti last night. The Sheik still has to convince more radical elements, especially Sheik Hassan Daher Haweis in Asmara and Sheik Hassan Turki to accept him but I think they will. No comment from the big cheerleader for disorder in Somalia, Jendayi E. Frazer.

The New York Times also has a dispatch but it does not mention Mr. Raffaelli's efforts.

Spain pursues Israel for crimes against humanity

2009-01-29T17:59:00.000-08:00

Israel is rankled and this is good:

Spanish justice authorities have opened an investigation into a murderous Gaza bombing ordered by former Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and involving 6 other high-ranking Israel military officials. The Israelis intended to kill Hamas leader Salah Chehadeh in July 2002 at any collateral cost. And so they blew up an entire building in the Al-Daraj quarter, killing 14 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounding 150 otheers. Madrid Judge Fernando Andreu has accepted the complaint lodged by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, saying that there was "evidence of crimes against humanity" as part of a "premeditated and predetermined strategy". [Via Le Monde]

President Barack Hussein Obama

2009-01-20T16:26:00.000-08:00

Today was a glorious day and I remained glued to the TV. Beside the excitement, the pageant and the relief of seeing that helicopter take 43 away, there were two unforgettable, blissful moments for me.

The first was Reverend Lowry's benediction:

...Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.

The second was: instead of a phalanx of public sanitation workers with broom in hand, NASA and moon mobile brought up the end of the parade. It was wordless, ingenious, comic, humble, elating, and understated, yet the message was clear. The inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama was one giant leap in the history of the United States.

BTW, the New York Times has a site with all Inaugural Addresses since 1789.

January 18, 2009 in Gaza: The Truce

2009-01-17T23:37:00.000-08:00

21:26 Ismail Haniyeh,: "We have scored a victory"

19:40 Olmert: "We want to leave Gaza as soon as possible"

18:41 Zapatero: "The truce is a positive step but aid needed"

18:28 Israel opens a field hospital near the Erez crossing to provide treatment to wounded Palestinians

18:26 Abu Mazen: "Humanitarian aid must begin to flow now"

18:08 Israeli military: "Progressive withdrawal initiated.

17:46 Israel initiates partial withdrawal

17:40 Sarkozy: "Efforts to arrive at a 2-state solution must be accelerated"

17:28 Mubarak: "Another international summit needed to resolve conflict between Hamas and Israel"

17:11 David Axelrod: "Obama hopes for a lasting truce

16:56 Israel abandons key positions in Gaza

16:42 Mubarak repeats his opposition to international observers along border

16:40 Iran: "Hamas should not accept truce"

16:34 Berlusconi: "Italy among the first to contribute to a "Marshall Plan" for Gaza

16:28 Berlusconi: "Obama, will provide the decisive energy needed to achieve peace"

16:24 Berlusconi: "World leaders hope that Israel will withdraw"

16:01 Berlusconi proposes that the Carabinieri monitor border crossings into Gaza

16:00 Yuval Diskin: "Operations have not yet been concluded"

15:32 Gordon Brown: "Israel must withdraw and firing of rockets must end"

15:19 Nicholas Sarkozy: "Israel must withdraw if no rockets are launched against it"

15:08 Sharm el Sheikh conference concludes [A 1-hour conference? One hour??--Nur]

14:12 Sarkozy: "Two-state conference needed

14:10 Abu Mazen attends Sharm summit after declaring he would not attend

13:55 Peace conference opens in Sharm el Sheikh

13:41 Islamic Jihad proclaims one-week truce

13:27 Hamas agrees to truce but demands Israeli pull-out within one week

12:31 Israel says it is premature to set a timetable for troop withdrawal

12:15 EU asks for a truce from Hamas and urges Israel to open all border crossings

12:11 Benedict XVI: "End the Gaza tragedy"

12:08 European leaders attending the Sharm el-Sheikh summit invited to dine with Olmert in Israel

11:52 95 bodies recovered in Gaza

11:01 Hamas: "We are not bound by Israel's unilateral truce"

10:57 Tony Blair: "The peace initiative is not dead" [Quite right, it's undead--Nur]

10:25 Abu Mazen: "The ceasefire is not enough; Israelis must withdraw from Gaza"

10:23 Palestinian militant killed by Israelis in Khuzaa, near Khan Yunes

10:07 Olmert: "The truce is fragile"

09:21 Israeli reprisal against Gaza

09:18 Hamas: "Bodies of children being recovered"

09:17 Rockets fired at southern Israel

09:13 Peace conference in Egypt today. Attending are Ban Ki Moon, Sarkozy, Brown, Merkel, Berlusconi and Zapatero and representatives of the EU and the Arab League.

09:07 Israel says it will respond to provocations

09:05 Truce proclaimed in Israel

07:52 Israeli helicopters attack northern Gaza Strip.

January 17, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-17T23:05:00.000-08:00

22:26 Fawzi Barhoum: "Without Israeli withdrawal, Hamas will continue to resist"

22:04 Omert confirms that Israeli troops will occupy Gaza during ceasefire

21:55 Olmert announces ceasefire

21:30 Two rockest fired at Ashdod and Ashkelon

21:13 Israeli troops to occupy Gaza following ceasefire

20:45 Berlusconi confirms that he will travel to Israel

20:35 Mahmoud Abbas and Olmert will not attend Sharm el-Sheikh summit

19:43 Ban Ki-Moon condemns bombing of UNRWA school in Beit Lahiya by Israel

19:41 Sarkozy, Merkel, Brown and Berlusconi to see Olmert following summit

19:17 9 Israeli soldiers wounded in Gaza

19:07 Ban Ki-Moon: "Ceasefire must be accompanied by Israeli withdrawal"

19:06 Sarkozy to preside over Sharm el-Sheikh together with Mubarak

19:01 Israeli government meets to discuss truce

18:46 Egypt: "Israel has okayed truce"

18:35 Israel to open border to allow Gazans to seek medical treatment in Israel

18:32 Angela Merkel to attend Sharm el Sheikh summit

18:03 Berlusconi: "There will certainly be a ceasefire"

18:02 Israel pondering ceasefire

17:52 Iran demands investigation into use of white phosphorus by Israel

17:49 Roma, 150 thousand people turn out to protest Israeli operation against Gaza

17:01 France, UK and the US will provide resources to prevent arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip

16:49 Israeli missiles strike Egypt

16:21 Brown "profoundly concerned" over Gaza

16:20 Ehud Barak phones Robert Gates

16:10 Olmert appoints Yitzhak Herzog as coordinator for humanitarian aid in Gaza

15:21 Olmert and Mahmud Abbas) will attend Egypt summit

14:56 Summit in Egypt on Sunday

14:47 Palestinian sources: More than 4.000 residential buildings destroyed by Israelis

14:44 Mubarak: "Egypt will not accept foreign observers"

14:42 4 Israeli soldiers seriously wounded

14:28 Egypt wants an international donor conference for Gaza
.
14:14 Mubarak demands an immediate Israeli ceasefire

14:11 Berlusconi phones Mubarak

14:00 Marches planned in Rome to protest Israeli operation against Gaza

13:18 Egypt: Israel stands in the way of a truce

13:17 Egypt denies that the US and Israel have signed a pact to interdict Hamas arms trafficking.

13:08 Turkey-Israel, Ankara does not wish to sever diplomatic relations

12:41 Berlusconi to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh.

12:39 Israel security advisors to meet at 18:30

12:36 UN demands inquest into anther bombing of a UN school by Israelis

12:15 Olmert-Barak plan evening press conference

12:14 Truce agreement to be signed at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt on Sunday

12:13 Ban Ki-moon urges immediate ceasefire

12:02 Death toll: 1200 Palestinians killed

11:59 US Reporters berate Livni at a press conference in Washington

11:50 Vatican: "UN must strive to achieve ceasefire"

11:17 Pope urges assistance for Gaza civilians

11:12 EU Commissioner Danuta Hubner: "Parties must resume talks"

10:57 Hezbollah protests visit of Ban Ki-moon to Beirut

10:51 Czech FM Karel Schwarzenberg expected in Cairo

10:19 Mahmud Abbas flies to Cairo for talks with Mubarak

10:07 Hamas: "We will not turn in our weapons"

10:05 Message of condolence from Iran for Hamas minister killed in Israeli air strike

09:17 Tsahal: 50 objectives hit during the night

08:25 Livni: "Yes to truce but if Hamas attacks, we will resume offensive"

08:23 Israeli artillery fires on UN school in Beit Lahiya, two children dead.

January 16, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-16T20:15:00.000-08:00

19:34 Israeli Army to remain in Gaza after ceasefire called

19:29 Ban Ki-Moon arrives in Ankara for ceasefire talks

19:27 10 dead in Israeli air strike on residence in Choujaiya.

19:20 Moroccan ulema order electronic Jihad against Israeli web sites and businesses

19:18 Strong condemnation of Israel at Doha summit

18:56 Haaretz: "Israeli government voting on unilateral ceasefire.

18:55 Israel considering unilateral ceasefire in Gaza

18:31 Qatar orders Israeli trade delegation to leave country

18:24 Summit to take place between Mubarak, Olmert and Abu Mazen

18:06 Ban Ki-moon in Ankara for ceasefire talks

18:03 Israelis bomb residence, killing 5 girls

17:42 Ahmadinejad: "Israel should be brought to justice"

17:39 Bolivia to bring legal action against Israel at the Hague.

17:34 Doctors Without Borders: "Never so many dead in so short a time", including Somalia, Eastern Kivu, Sri Lanka and Darfur.

17:15 Rice: "Ceasefire will be agreed very shortly"

17:08 Washington: Rice - Livni agreement

17:01 Israel forces leave center of Gaza City

17:00 UNICEF Italy: "Access to Gaza must be guaranteed"

16:49 Erdogan: "Israel should be banished from the UN"

16:36 Thousands of Israeli Arabs protest the war in Arara in southern Israel.

16:15 USA and Israel sign memorandum on ceasefire

16:09 Qatar and Mauritania freeze relations with Israel.

15:45 Assad urges Arab leaders to end relations with Israel.

15:36 Ahmadinejad: "The world is dominated by Israeli thinking"

15:27 Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Custodian for the Holy Land, urges that assistance be given to Gaza.

15:08 Angry crowd participates in funeral for Said Siam, termed a "martyr".

14:59 Hamas returns to Cairo, after the Israeli negotiator, Gilad, departs

14:38 Abu Mazen travels to Amman and to Cairo

14:33 Assad: "What was taken away from Gaza by force will be returned to Gaza by force"

14:25 Cairo, Israeli envoy leaves with no formal truce agreement

14:24 Assad: "Israel is a pernicious form of contemporary Nazism.

14:14 Turkish PM Erdogan: "Ceasefire initiative ready"

14:13 Catholic charity Caritas Italiana concerning by lack of space in Gaza

14:03 Assad: "2002 Arab peace initiative is dead"

13:51 Gaza: Father Manuel Musallam says Israeli offensive is a crime against humanity.

13:50 Syrian President Assad urges Arab countries to close down Israeli embassies

13:38 Rockets launched at Ashdod and Kiryat Gat (Neghev).

13:32 Meshaal: "Israel responsible for death and destruction"

13:29 Vatican: "Iran must work for peace in the Middle East"

13:17 Sarkozy: "The Israeli operation in Gaza will do nothing for Israeli security"

13:10 Meshaal: "Hamas will not accept conditions set by Israel

12:59 Thousands expected in Assisi tomorrow to show solidarity with Gazawis.

12:37 Hebron, demonstrator protesting Gaza incursion is shot dead by Israelis

12:36 Amnesty International demands inquiry into bombing of UNRWA offices

12:35 Ahmadinejad in Doha for Arab summit

12:29 Moscow restarts peace conference initiative

12:11 Hamas (Khaled Meshaal) and Islamic Jihad (Ramadan Shalah) leaders in Qatar for Arab summit

11:58 Hamas delegation expected in Cairo

11:20 Ban Ki-Moon calls on Israel to suspend Gaza operations

10:59 Ban Ki-Moon: "Truce very close"

10:43 Rockets launched in direction of the Neghev.

10:35 Ban Ki-Moon in Ramallah for talks with Abu Mazen

10:22 Death toll update: 1,133 dead

10:15 Russia asks Syria and Iran to put pressure on Hamas

10:12 Hamas chief in Doha for summit of Arab leaders

09:47 Israel rejects Hamas' conditions for truce

09:43 Italian Defense Minister La Russa does not exclude international contingent in Gaza

09:34 Israeli Military: "70% of tunnels to Egypt destroyed"

09:32 78% of Israelis support offensive

09:30 23 bodies recovered from ruins of bombings by Israel

09:28 Dissent in Israeli government over Egyptian truce proposal

09:26 Israel forbids Friday prayers for Muslims

09:24 Israeli negotiator Amos Gilad returns to Cairo today

09:18 Blair optimistic: "A truce is now possible"

09:17 Rice: "US working on arriving at an agreement with Israel"

09:11 Olmert spokesman: "Gaza offensive in final phase"

08:11 Hamas proposes one-year truce to Israel

08:10 Al Jazeera: Israel carried out nocturnal raids and air strikes

08:07 Gaza: more than 1100 Palestinians killed, 5130 wounded

January 15, 2007, in Gaza

2009-01-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

21:51 4 US and French physicians cross into Gaza at Rafah to treat [3,000] wounded

21:18 Condoleezza Rice phones Olmert to apologize for working on UN resolution.

21:16 Ban Ki-Moon: A few more days needed to work out details on truce.

20:34 Obama says he will work for peace as soon as he is inaugurated.

20:23 EU condemns Israeli attacks on UNRWA

19:51 Meshaal (Hamas): "No truce until Israel withdraws"

19:45 Hamas prepared to accept a one-year truce

19:07 Hamas announces vendetta for slaying of Said Siam

19:01 Usa: Aharon Abramovich expected in Washington

18:56 Islamic Resistance security chief, Salah Abu Shreh, and head of the military wing, Mahmoud Watfah, killed in Israeli raid.

18:55 Italian FM Frattini meets with ambassadors of Arab countries in Rome

18:37 Operation Hardened Lead has caused $1.4 billion in property damage

18:29 Haaretz, reports outgoing US Administration is to sign security memorandum with Israel

18:23 Hamas confirms death of Said Siam in Israeli air strike on his home

18:10 Israel: Hamas Interior Minister Said Siam slain.

18:09 Abu Mazen: "Next few hours crucial for truce"

18:07 Israel reportedly is indecisive on truce.

16:54 Olmert: "Usa proposes agreement to keep Hamas from rearming"

16:51 Egypt, Israel is positive to truce.

16:40 Red Cross: 100 patients and staff trapped in burning hospital in Gaza.

16:24 Hamas rockets fired at Beer Sheva

16:11 Olmert: "Hamas militants were firing from UNRWA building". UN officer John Ging says the allegation is senseless.

15:47 NGOs report catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza

15:45 Doctors report Israelis firing on al Quds Hospital

15:28 Patriarch of Jerusalem: "Women and children are the victims"

15:15 Brown: Attack on UNRWA "indefensible and unacceptable"

14:58 UNRWA bombing, EU commission shocked and horrified.

14:02 Israeli mediator leaves Cairo.

13:19 France condemns attack on UNRWA headquarters

13:11 UNICEF sounds the alarm: "Shocking conditions"

12:33 Ehud Barak apologizes to Ki-Moon for bombing UNRWA headquarters [One of the most insincere apologies ever uttered.]

12:27 Israelis bomb 15 clinics in Gaza City

12:21 European Parliament passes resolution calling for immediate truce.

12:06 Ban Ki-Moon says ceasefire may be near.

11:55 Greece officially protests Israel blockade of humanitarian aid.

11:54 Vatican: "The fundamental rights of the populace in Gaza have been violated"

11:50 Israelis use white phosphorus artillery shells when firing at UNRWA headquarters.

11:49 Ban Ki-Moon: "Death toll unbearable"

11:43 UNRWA forced to abandon operations in Gaza.

11:29 Gaza hospital bombed by Israel on fire.

11:28 Ban ki-Moon "indignant" over bombing of UNRWA headquarters

11:26 Merkel and Brown say they are "shocked" by humanitarian crisis in Gaza

11:25 UN personnel killed in Israeli artillery bombing of UNRWA headquarters.

11:09 Israeli artillery fires on the 500-patient Tell Al Hawa Hospital, the headquarters of the Red Crescent.

10:47 UNRWA spokesman confirms that Israeli artillery fired on headquarters.

10:45 Ahmadinejad accuses Arab leaders of supporting genocide

10:38 Blast hits building hosting foreign press in Gaza, including Reuters. A reporter from Abu Dhabi is wounded.

10:29 Lebanese military puts on display of force in South Lebanon following rocket launching.

10:28 Israel tanks move on residence of Mahmoud Al Zahar, the Hamas foreign minister".

10:23 BBC reports fire at UNRWA headquarters

10:06 Mohammed Nassal of Hamas: "We do not want an unlimited truce"

09:54 Former member of Italian Parliament, Francesco Caruso, traveling with an aid ship to Gaza says his and other vessels have been stopped by the Israelis.

09:53 Wounded Palestinians evacuated to Tunisia from the El Arish air base in Egypt.

09:44 Ban Ki-Moon in Israel

09:34 BBC reports Israeli troops fire at Palestinian women exiting their homes carrying a white flag.

08:26 Usa and Israel sign security memorandum

08:25 Ship carrying aid for Gaza turned away from coast by Israeli Navy

08:17 Israeli troops enter Gaza City, population flees

08:16 14 rockets fired at Israel

07:21 Venezuela breaks diplomatic relations with Israel

07:19 German FM Franck-Walter Steinmeier arrives in Israel

07:17 New York. Emergency session of the UN General Assembly

07:13 Israeli negotiator Amos Gilas in Cairo

07:11 Ismail Haniyeh calls on the West to stop Israeli offensive

06:58 16 dead in nighttime operations. Israeli warplanes target a mosque in Rafah

January 13, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

19:55 Qatar conference tomorrow

19:54 Hamas says it has certain objections regarding implementation of truce

19:02 EU Parliament debates Gaza situation

18:57 Israel says Palestinians using weapons with white phosphorus

18:49 White House skeptical on acceptance of truce by Hamas

18:43 Italian Red Cross to send aid to Gaza

18:38 Assad: Isareli offensive spreading extremism

18:33 Ban Ki-moon in Jordan for talks with King Abdallah

18:25 Diplomatic sources say Egypt is expecting a reply from Israel on truce

18:23 Hamas says it has not accepted Egyptian-brokered truce

18:13 Hamas says Israel will withdraw troops as part of truce

18:12 Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos denies that Hamas has accepted truce

17:41 Czech FM Karel Schwarzenberg rejects idea of direct contacts with Hamas

17:34 Hamas says divergences remain concerning truce

17:31 Spain confirms that Hamas has accepted truce

16:51 Italian FM Frattini to personally escort Italian assistance to Gaza.

16:49 Save the Children: Authorized assistance totally insufficient

16:47 More than 300 children killed in Israeli offensive

16:45 Osservatore Romano: "Humanitarian situation in Gaza dire"

16:43 Israel. No confirmation of release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit

16:41 Italian FM Frattini to leave for Gaza on Sunday

16:29 EU President: "More humanitarian assistance needed"

16:25 Israeli robocalls in Lebanon: "Remember what happened to you in 1982"

16:22 Anti-tank rockets launched at Israeli tanks; 7 Israeli soldiers wounded

16:12 Bolivia breaks diplomatic relations with Israel

16:02 Israel shows signs of accepting ceasefire.

16:00 Lebanon. Dynamite booby-trap set in El Hebbariye for UNIFIL troops

15:49 Palestinian sources say 4,500 are wounded

15:17 Egyptian source says Hamas has accepted truce.

15:07 Human rights groups in Israel criticize Tsahal for jeopardizing civilians

14:41 German FM Frank Walter Steinmeier returns to Middle East

14:38 Egypt to inform Israel of Hamas' decision on truce

14:13 Red Cross: "Desperate situation in Gaza

13:13 Qassam rockets fired at southern Israel. No damage or casualties

13:02 Israeli troops fire at white flag in village of Khuza.

12:47 Lebanese government condemns launch of rockets at Israel

12:43 Israeli F-16's bomb Gaza's cemetery

12:38 Italy's Enel donates two 30-kvA generators to Gaza

12:19 Ahmed Abul Gheit: Israel's use of weapons a scandal"

12:09 Ban Ki-Moon: "Israel has used excessive force"

12:08 UNIFIL troops find additional unlaunched rockets

12:05 European Parliament calls for immediate truce

11:53 Osama Bin Laden calls for jihad in 22-minutes message

11:36 Ban Ki-Moon repeats request for immediate ceasefire.

11:32 Czech leader Topolanek calls Turkey an "Arab country"

11:11 Unifil: "At least 3 rockets fired at Isarel"

11:08 Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos optimistic on truce

10:34 Iran, Khamenei issues fatwa against buying Israeli products

10:23 The Guardian writes that Israel may face UN tribunal.

10:16 Egypt asks Hamas to accept 1-year truce

09:59 Tunisia will not attend summit in Doha

09:57 Haaretz reports Barak and Livni want a truce, Olmert no.

09:54 Hamas fires mortars and rockets at Israel

09:53 Israel prevents Iranian ship carrying 2,000 tons of food and medicine from docking in Gaza

09:32 Israel demands Lebanon prevent rocket attacks

09:13 Israel strikes 60 targets during the night

09:10 Egypt and Saudi Arabia will not attend Qatar Summit

09:07 Ban Ki-Moon in Cairo for talks with Mubarak

08:21 Blair: "Next 48-72 hours are crucial"

08:20 The Speaker of the UN General Assembly, Miguel D'Escoto, convenes session tomorrow to discuss Gaza.

08:19 Battles during the night

08:14 Gaza death toll 975

08:12 Three rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon

January 13, 2007, in Gaza

2009-01-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

17:18 Palestinian delegate asks Ban Ki-moon to insist on truce

16:56 Netanyahu, Israele must overthrow Hamas

16:50 Turkish PM defends his criticism of Israel

16:38 Israeli warplanes violate Egyptian airspace

16:29 Egypt will not attend Qatar summit

16:27 European Commission, Israel violating international laq

16:24 White House refutes story that Bush ordered Rice to abstain from UN Security Council vote after request from Olmert

16:21 Mubarak arrives in Riyadh

16:08 Hamas claims it killed 12 Israeli soliders in Beit Lahiya

16:04 Lebanon to attend Arab summit in Qatar

15:49 Egypt warns Hamas not to reject proposal

15:47 Lebanon guarantees that no more rockets will be launched at Israel from its territory

15:45 West Bank, Israeli soldier wounds Palestinian

15:43 Abu Marzuq, Egyptian proposal acceptable if modified

15:13 Hamas, still a chance to Egyptian plan

15:12 Palestinian factions in Damasco: Cairo initiative a surrender

15:08 A dozen rockets fired at Israel

14:48 Syria and Europe intensify pressure on Israel

14:34 Egitto will not attend Arab League summit in Qatar

14:20 Turkey, Erdogan visits Palestinian wounded in hospital

13:35 16 dead and 40 wounded today in Gaza Strip.e 40 feriti

13:32 Hamas to give final answer on Egyptian plan

13:31 Livni, "We shall negotiate only with the moderates"

13:11 Israel peace activists say army using phosphorus as a weapon

13:07 Al Jazeera, massive demolition of Arab homes

12:57 Hamas evaluating Egyptian initiative

12:54 Ehud Barak, "Israel respects the UN but offensive will continue

12:50 Pisa, synagogue defaced

12:21 Mamoud Abbas, Israel is attempting to exterminate the Palestinians

11:56 Abu Mazen to attend Qatar summit

11:53 Italian opposition politician questions taboo on criticizing Israel

11:48 Turkey working toward compromise

11:47 Livni, the offensive is a positive thing for Palestinians

11:33 Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Red Cross, in Gaza

11:31 Hamas agrees to presence of Turkish troops as peacekeepers in Gaza

11:21 30 thousand homeless in Gaza seek shelter in schools

10:59 Ban Ki-moon in the Middle East

10:48 Olmert called Bush to get UN Security Council abstention

10:32 Israeli general Gabi Ashkenazi says operations will continue

10:26 Hamas-Egypt talks continue in Cairo

10:17 55 anti-Semitic attacks in France

10:13 4 Israeli soldiers wounded in booby-trapped residence

10:12 Hamas opposes international force in Gaza.

09:34 Heavy fighting in the outskirts of Gaza City.

09:24 Jordan denies pot shots fired at Israeli patrol

09:21 Mubarak flies to Riyadh for talks with King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz on the situation in the Gaza Strip.

09:07 Israel beefs up troops ing Gaza City

08:53 UN Security Council meets again

08:51 Jordan, pot shots fired at Israeli patrol

08:43 Israel says it hit 60 objectives during the night

January 12, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

20:23 Livni "concerned" by outbreaks of "anti-Semitism" around the world

20:12 Milan: Counterprotesters disrupt rally in support of Israel

19:49 UN asks Israel to agree to 24-hour humanitarian truce

19:14 Israel forbids Israeli Arab political parties from running candidates in 10 February elections [Let's hear it for the "Beacon of Democracy"--Nur]

19:07 Cairo: Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos says agreement on truce is close

19:05 Haniyeh: Israel will not break our will

18:38 Web site recruits foreign fighters for Gaza

18:29 Britain, FM David Milliband wants Israeli and Hamas "war crimes" investigated

18:21 Israeli forces destroy Caritas Relief Catholic hospital in Gaza

18:11 EU President will convene conference of donors for Gaza

18:04 Israel denies report that one of its soldiers was kidnapped and killed.

17:48 Protests planned in Rome to "stop the massacre in Gaza"

17:39 Palestinian casualty toll: 917 dead, 4,100 wounded

17:35 Hamas: "Victory over Israel closer than ever"

17:30 SMS text message campaign in Saudi Arabia encourages boycott of US products; Starbucks, Pepsi, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Philip Morris targeted.

17:23 France tells Israel "Do not use phosphorus bombs"

17:18 Ismail Haniyeh: "We will remain despite devastation"

17:09 Isreal claims its use of phosphorus is within international norms

16:47 Olmert: "If Qassam rockets continue to fall, we will respond with iron fist"

16:38 Another Palestinian killed in Jabaliya

16:28 Italian FM Frattini proposes a "Marshall Plan" for the Palestinians

16:22 Abdullah II of Jordan supports Egyptian truce plan

16:20 Israeli reservist refuses serve in Israeli offensive, gets 14 days in military prison

16:17 Vatican: "International community must intervene" to establish ceasefire in Gaza

16:12 12 Palestinians killed in Israeli air strike on Jabaliya

15:52 Al Jazeera: "4 Israeli soldiers wounded".

15:42 Israeli missiles fall on the Brazil quarter of Egyptian Rafah but do not explode

15:33 Bush: "Hamas must decide whether it wants a ceasefire"

15:19 Olmert cautious on Egyptian mediation

15:10 Arab leaders to meet in Kuwait on 17 January

15:04 Israel: "Rocket arsenal inside Gaza mosque"

15:02 Pakistan, thousands, urged on by opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, protest Israeli offensive

14:59 Hamas: "Captured Israeli soldier killed by Israeli air strike"

14:53 Iranian aid ship nears coastline of Gaza Strip

14:46 Al Jazeera: "Rafah looks like it has been stricken by an earthquake" due to Israeli air strikes

14:42 Hamas rejects concessions while bombs continue to fall on Gaza

14:37 French FM Bernard Kouchner says EU forces must be deployed to Gaza as observers

14:06 Boutros Ghali says all Middle Eastern moderates weakened by Israeli offensive

13:45 UN, Council on Human Rights condemns Israel

13:30 Al Jazeera: Israelis bomb heart of Gaza City

13:27 Olmert apologizes for civilian deaths during Israeli offensive

13:22 Italian FM Franco Frattini to travel to the Middle East, including Syria, this weekend

13:08 Papal Nunzio in Israel, Monsignor Antonio Franco, says violence will not solve crisis.

12:43 Israel intensifying attacks on Gaza

12:39 Two women and two children, all Palestinians, killed in Israeli bombings of the Jabalya and Beit Lahia refugee camps.

12:32 Al Jazeera, Israeli forces destroying Palestinian residences with tanks in Gaza City

12:28 Livni, Israel will not negotiate with Hamas

12:24 Egyptian FM Ahmed Abul Gheit phones Italian and Russian counterparts

12:21 Al Hayat reports Hamas has rejected Egypt's ceasefire proposal

12:20 New group in Lebanon, Arab Islamic Resistance, claims it fired rockets at lsrael

12:18 Israel claims it uses phosphorus only in "smoke bombs"

11:51 Rockets fired at Ashkelon, no injuries

11:45 UN debates resolution against Israel for human rights violations. Onu discute risoluzione contro Israele

11:36 Olmert claims Palestinians have "homicidal instincts" which the world ignores

11:29 Iran invites Arab countries to carry out a sustained Intifada

10:56 Blair, speaking in Cairo, says there are elements for a ceasefire

10:43 Death toll: 900 Palestinians killed, including 277 children. 3,950 wounded

10:42 Italian opposition politician Massimo D'Alema says Israel's punitive expedition encourages Jihad

10:15 Shin Bet convinced Hamas militants hiding in Shifa hospital complex

09:57 Iran to sanction multinationals doing business with Israel

09:55 Tony Blair in Cairo for truce talks

09:38 German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier optimistic about chances for ceasefire

09:36 Al Jazeera reports battles in Gaza City

09:28 Israel postpones talks in Cairo in order to put pressure on Hamas

09:16 Livni, progress being made toward ceasefire

09:14 Rockets fired at Israel; no damage or victims

09:13 3-hour humanitarian truce will take place todays, from 10 am to 1 pm, Gaza time

08:56 Israeli military says it hit 12 objectives during the night

08:53 Israeli envoy, Amos Gilad, delays mission to Cairo

January 11, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

Gaza live bloggers:

Moments of Gaza
From Gaza with Love
In Gaza
A Mother from Gaza

18:15 Anti-Israel demonstrators clash with police in Brussels as 20,00 protest Gaza operations

17:39 Potshots fired at Israeli troops in Golan Heights from Syrian side

17:28 Israeli air strikes hit Egyptian Refah, five wounded

16:40 Turkish delegation led by Ahmed Davutoglu meeting with Hamas in Cairo

15:52 EU parliamentary delegation: "Hundreds of children sheltering in UNRWA school"

15:23 EU parliamentary delegation returns to Egypt, report UNRWA school damaged

14:29 UE parliamentary delegation enters Gaza Strip in UNRWA minivan.

13:23 Obama says he will concentrate on Middle East crisis as soon as he takes office

12:56 Israeli Defense Vice Minister Matan Vilnai: Gaza operation winding down

11:46 Israel exerts pressure on Egypt to stop contraband; Haaretz reports that Israeli military action will continue in Gaza to put pressure on Hosni Mubarak". [Israelis playing with fire...]

11:34 Israeli military claims it killed 12 militants a Gaza City's Sheikh Ajleen quarter.

11:31 Rockets fired at Beer Sheva and Netivot, but schools open

11:19 Palestinian death toll is 878 in Operation Hardened Lead

11:07 British Jews urges Israel to end Gaza operation

11:00 Israeli General Yoav Galant says Gaza operations must be widened
10:34 Olmert, "We were forced into offensive on Gaza"

10:30 Olmert says Israel has nearly reached all its aims

10:21 Saudi fighter named Abu Muhammed al-Mari said to be killed by Israelis in Gaza

10:00 Israeli tanks advance in southern Gaza City

09:30 EU parliamentary delegation prevented from crossing into the Gaza Strip at Rafah

09:22 Israeli artillery pounds Beith Lahiya, killing 5 civilians

09:16 Israel demands that Egyptian forces prevent arms from reaching Gaza [the desire to help their Arab brothers must be overwhelming--Nur].

09:15 Israel says 60 targets hit during the night

09:00 Israeli tanks in the Sheik Ajlin district of Gaza City as Israeli artillery pounds the Tall al Hawa quarter. Hamas militants have mined the streets.

January 10, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

21:10 Meshaal demands Israel end offensive.

21:08 Florence, Italy: Protesters lob flares and firecrackers at US consulate
.
21:07 Israel claims it has killed 550 Palestinian militants during offensive

20:50 Benin: High animist priest Dah Aligbonon prays for peace

20:43 Scandinavia: 10 thousand protest Israel offensive

20:27 Human Rights Watch: "Israel using white phosphorus, banned by Geneva Treaty in 1980, in residential areas"

20:08 Ahmadinejad lashes out at the UN: "Decisions partial and callous"

19:42 Israeli claims total of 300 Hamas militants killed

19:33 Thousand protests Gaza operation throughout France: Lyon (5,000), Marseille and Nantes (4,000 each), Paris (30,000), Toulouse, Nice and Perpignan

19:25 Israeli Army denies wiping out family of 9 in Jebalya

19:23 Israeli TV reports that a Palestinian suicide bombing was thwarted by Israeli troops in the northern Gaza Strip

19:01 Israeli official says Hamas militants are exhausted

18:35 Protesters burn Israeli flag in Turin

18:28 Rome: Jewish merchants' stores defaced by Nazi slogans .

18:21 Italian FM Frattini: "Israel agrees to international buffer force between Egypt and Gaza"

18:19 Milan: Muslims conduct outdoor prayers in Duca d'Aosta Square in front of central railway station.

17:48 Spouses of Arab leaders protest Gaza offensive: Emine Erdogan, Queen Rania of Jordan, Asma al Assad and Wafa Suleiman.

17:42 Thousands protest Gaza massacre in Paris, Duisburg, London, Milan, Venice and Nabatiyeh, Lebanon

17:11 Furious firing around Gaza City

17:05 Amir Mansi killed in Israeli air strike

17:04 Israeli artillery fires at Gaza City during during truce 3-hour truce

16:52 Israele denies having fired at UN convoy, blames Hamas

16:06 4 said to be wounded by rockets fired at Ashkelon

14:54 Hamas says no to international observers in Gaza

14:44 Shams Omar, a leader of the al-Quds Brigades, killed in Israel airstrike

14:41 Latest casualty count: 821 Palestinians dead, of whom 235 are children

14:25 Israel drops leaflets over Gaza strip saying it will expand operations.

13:43 Egypt wants forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority along to patrol Egyptian fronier

12:53 Egypt does not want international force along its border

12:01 Israeli tank kills family of 8 in Jabaliya

11:33 Israel claims 15 Hamas militants killed in nighttime air strikes

11:11 Israel confirims suspension of operations for three hours today

11:10 Ashdod, 5 said to be injured by Hamas rocket

11:05 Mahmoud Abbas: "Israel and Hamas must accept Egyptian plan"

10:40 Times of London: "The plan is return the Palestinian Authority to Gaza"

10:25 Al Qaeda in Iraq: "Hit US and Israeli targets"

10:11 Mahmoud Abbas: : "I shall ask for an international force in the Gaza Strip"

09:55 Israel bombs Gaza Strip hospital

09:48 Hamas delegation in Cairo for talks with Omar Suleiman, chief of Egyptian intelligence

08:47 Hàaretz reports that the US is dispatching container ship full of arms to Israel but that it has nothing to do with recent operations in Gaza.

08:46 Hamas: "Rockets hit Tel Nof Air Base, 27 from Tel Aviv"

08:21 Livni: "We do not know when Operation Hardened Lead will end"

08:16 Hamas fires rockets at

08:13 Israel Army on the outskirts of Gaza City

08:12 Beijing dispatches envoy Sun Bigan to Egypt, Israeli and the West Bank

08:10 UN agencies announce resumption of work

January 9, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

19:16 UN to resume activities in the Gaza Strip soon

18:59 European Commission condemns Israeli attacks on UNRWA facilities in Gaza Strip

18:55 The offices of Israel's Zim Line are vandalized in Venice-Mestre

18:52 Mahmud Abbas flies from Madrid to Cairo.

18:48 Condoleeza Rice: "It's hard for Israel to avoid civilian loss of life" [Especially when they refuse to enter the warehouses--Nur]

17:51 Rome. G8 envoys meet to coordinate aid to Gaza

17:36 Israel Supreme Court orders Army to justify its reasons for not allowing Gaza wounded to be evacuated

17:17 Huge pro-Palestinian demonstrations across Iraq: Kerbala, Najaf, Falluja, Diyala, Baghdad and Suleiymaniya.

17:05 Muslim demonstrators clash with police in East Jerusalem.

16:59 Hamas and Fatah supporters clash in Ramallah

16:49 White House says it is concerned by situation in Gaza

16:09 Kenya. Hundreds demonstrate against Israel in Nairobi; police use tear gas

15:53 Red Cross will scale back activities in Gaza City.

15:50 Algiers, thousands demonstrate against Israel

15:47 NATO Secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer leaves for Middle East

15:09 "Israel violated 3-hour truce in Jabaliya, Berit Lahiaya and Gaza's Zeitoon quarter"

14:53 UNICEF urges that children be protected

14:15 Amman, crowd attacks Israeli embassy

13:51 Egypt: Tens of thousands demonstrate against Israel in Alexandria

13:48 Al Jazeera: "Israel violating truce"

13:28 UNRWA (Chris Gunness) says no shooting was coming from UN school in Jabaliya bombed by Israelis

12:53 Gaza, 783 dead, 3,000 wounded

12:33 Al Jazeera reports massive use of white phosphorus by Israeli military

12:31 Olmert, Israel to continue offensive

12:30 Germany may participate in potential UN peacekeeping mission

12:08 Belgian government launches operation to evacuate wounded from Gaza

12:06 Israeli columnist Yehonatan Gefen writes in Maariv that Ehud Barak is guilty of war crimes

12:01 UN, 257 children killed since start of offensive

11:52 Hamas in contact with Tukey, Syria and Qatar

11:49 Hamas delegation returns tomorrow to Cairo for negotiations

11:37 José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero phones Ehud Olmert

11:15 Fatah Camaeraman Ihab al Wahidi killed when Israeli tanks fire on apartment building

11:11 3-hour truce granted by Israel starts

11:04 German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier leaves today for talks in Israel and Egypt

11:02 11 Israelis KIA in Gaza operation so fare

10:58 Islamic Jihad rejects UN resolution

10:55 Beirut-based Hamas says UN resolution does not apply to it.

10:30 Livni, Israel is merely defending its interests

10:17 Israelis say the hit 30 objectives in Gaza, killing 10

10:04 Hamas has decided to extend its operations

09:55 Hamas fires 20 rockets at Israel, including Tel Nof air base in the Neghev

09:40 UN: Near the ex-Israeli colony of Netzarim, approximately 100 members of the Palestinian Sammuni clan were ordered into a warehouse by Israeli troops and massacred by artillery fire.

09:38 Nine Palestinians killed in nighttime air strikes

08:55 UN's OCHA accuses Israel of forcing wounded civilians to walk miles for emergency medical care

08:41 UN accuses Israel of rounding up civilians and deliberately killing them

08:30 No comment from Israel to Security Council resolution

08:15 Gheddafi urges Arabs to join Palestinians in combat against Israel

08:14 Hamas rockets fired at Beer Sheva

08:11 Olmert summons defense advisors

08:07 Six Palestinians killed in Israeli air strikes on Beit Lahya and Jabaliya

08:06 US abstains in UN Security Council Vote on Gaza

08:05 UN Security Council calls for ceasefire

January 8, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-08T19:03:00.000-08:00

22:54 British FM David Milliband: "UN Security Council resolution on Gaza to be voted by show of hands

22:02 New York: Agreement reached in UN Security Council on Gaza resolution

21:00 Guardian reports that incoming Obama Administration may hold indirect talks with Hamas

20:00 Ehud Olmert: No orders have been issued to widen offensive

19:39 Red Cross: Israeli troops prevent aid from reaching Zeitoun quarter in Gaza City
.
19:00 US Congress prepares resolution on Israel's undeniable right to defend itself

18:50 Algerian superstar Cheb Khaled ready to take up arms to fight in Gaza

18:48 Mega telethon benefitting Gazans in Saudi Arabia. King Abdallah and son Ben Abdel Aziz donated $8 and $2.8 million, respectively.

18:35 Ban ki-moon: Israel violated humanitarian truce by killing two UNRWA employees
.
18:24 USA: "Increase the humanitarian corridor"

18:30 Amman: Sarkozy meets with Abdallah II

18:05 Amnesty International: Both sides using civilians as human shields

18:04 Olmert: "Israel's objectives have not yet been reached [nor will they ever be--Nur]

18:00 Washington: US Dept. of State asks Israel to extend daily 3-hour truce [A 3-hour truce is a lunch break --Nur]

17:59 Arab countries shown draft UN resolution on Gaza drafted by Britain

17:47 Hamas has no problem with Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian Authority leader

17:33 Joe the Plumber becomes Middle East war correspondent for Pajamas Media (founded by Charles Johnson of "Little Green Footballs")

16:58 Usa, France and Britain work on UN resolution.

16:55 Mubarak calls on Israel to refrain from further attacks on Gaza

16:54 Javier Solana: EU to resume Rafah crossing mission

16:49 UNRWA: "The crisis is worsening by the hour"

16:45 Israeli ambassdor to the Vatican says relations are excellent between the two states

16:39 Italian Defense Minister La Russa: "Italian troops ready to serve as peacekeepers.

16:21 Madrid: Mahmoud Abbas hopes that rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon constitute an isolated event

16:18 US and EU bishops support Vatican call for truce

16:14 Mahmoud Abbas has no comment on Hamas rejection of Egyptian plan.

16:09 Red Cross: Israel has made several human rights violations

16:03 Dozens of bodies found under rubble during yesterday's 3-hour truce, including small children next to their mothers’ corpses

16:02 Two teenagers killed by Israeli troops in Khan Yunis

16:01 Gaza death toll is 763

15:45 Mubarak invites Olmert to Cairo

15:41 Olmert: "No order given to intensify offensive against Gaza"

15:36 Mahmoud Abbas supports Franco-Egyptian peace plan

15:32 UNRWS suspends operations in Gaza

15:25 Salam Fayad: "Mahmud Abbas to remain Palestinian Authority President"

15:07 Israel claims Palestinian militants fired rockets at Ashkelon and Sderot during truce.

15:05 Doctors without Borders: "Truce was a farce, physicians prevented from entering Gaza"

15:01 International Association of Mustlim scholars announces Muslim "Day of Rage" on on Friday

14:56 Palestinian FM Salam Fayyad: "Gaza offensive by Israel a new Nakba"

14:42 Human Rights Watch: "Israel and Egypt must open frontiers"

14:27 Auckland, Israeli tennis star Shahar Peer jeered

14:20 Israel bombs UN truck carrying supplies, driver is killed. The truck was clearly identified as a UN vehicle

13:53 Sarkozy: "Paris and Berlin prepared to joint initiative on Gaza"

13:49 Hamas: "Egyptian plan does not resolve the crisis"

13:47 Palestinians with dual passports allowed to leave the Gaza Strip

13:45 Palestinian rocket fired at Kibbutz Ein Ha Shlosha

13:44 Iran, Khamenei forbids Iranians to volunteer in Gaza

13:36 Mons. Paul Dahdah, the Latin Rite apostolic vicar of Beirut, says conflict likely to spread

13:27 Javier Solana in Turkey for talks with Gul and Erdogan

13:21 Siniora condemns firing of rockets at Israel from Lebanon

13:15 Amnesty International: "EU must do more to avert humanitarian catastrophe"

13:04 Times of London repeats its allegation that Israel is using white phosphorus type M825A1, made in USA

12:55 Italian FM Fassino: "Italian Government supports Mubarak's ceasefire plan"

12:48 Palestinian killed by Israeli troops on West Bank as he tried to set fire to a service station adjacent to the Israeli settlement of Mishor Adumim

12:45 Israel: "Rockets fired from Lebanon were launched by Palestinians

12:41 Obama phones EU President Topolanek

12:26 Red Cross: "Corpses strewn throughout Beit Lahiya"

12:17 Carter: "The Gaza offensive was unnecessary"

12:09 Salam Fayyad wants Egyptian initiative to be accepted immediately

12:02 3-hour truce starts

11:58 Israeli envoys Shalom Turgeman and Amos Gilad in Cairo

11:48 Israeli Army officer killed when anti-tank rocket explodes

11:43 Pope calls for return to negotiations

11:24 Tony Blair: "The Usa supports Egyptian plan"

11:14 UNIFIL commander General Claudio Graziano calls for restraint by Israel and Lebanon

11:04 Algerian TV cameraman for ENTV Bacel Feradj dies after being wounded in Israeli offensive Gaza

11:02 Lebanese Information Minister Tareq Mitr says Hezbollah had nothing to do with rockets fired at Israel

10:49 Mubarak presents plan for 72-hour truce

10:45 Upper Galilee: Israeli warplanes break sound barrier causing panic among populace

10:10 UNIFIL increases patrols

10:07 Israeli Army returns rocket fire

10:02 Israel intensifies operations in Gaza

09:59 More rockets fired at Israel from South Lebanon

09:48 Three Islamic Jihad militants killed in airstrike

08:50 Five 120-mm rockets fired at Israel su Israele, ne sono stati sparati cinque

08:00 Pubic water systems fails in Gaza City

07:55 Rockets fired at Ashod and Ashkelon

07:35 Israel claims rockets fired from Lebanon were launch with the consent of Hezbollah

07:33 Katyusha rockets fired from Lebanon strike northern Israel.

07:32 Larijani meets Khaled Meshaal in Damascus

07:31 Israeli airstrikes on Rafah

07:30 Israeli tanks advance in southern Gaza Strip

07:00 Israelis set up lawn chairs on heights to watch Gaza incursion

January 7, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-07T21:59:00.000-08:00

23:00 French Ambassador Jean-Marie Ripert says there is no agreement on truce but that talks are continuing

22:30 Rice: US approves truce proposal

22:11 UN Security Council approves truce proposal

22:07 UN Security Council examining truce proposal

21:47 Rice: "Truce is needed"

20:32 Israel criticizes Cardinal Martino

19:54 Israeli offensive strengthens Ahmadinejad

19:10 Sewer system collapses in Gaza

19:02 Israel orders residents out of Rafah

18:45 Blair: "Huge amounts of assistance needed

18:26 Israel says "yes" to truce plan but is looking at details

18:15 UN Security Council meets once again

18:08 Israel to widen offensive in Gaza

17:47 Israeli air strike kills man and three children as they travel by car in northern Gaza strip

17:15 Gaza, 700 dead, 3100 wounded

17:01 Obama: "I will get involved in working for Middle East peace as soon as I am inaugurated"

16:46 Hassan Nasrallah says he is prepared for Israeli aggression

16:43 Rice tells Livni to accept truce plan

16:28 Israel bombs Red Cresent ambulence, driver killed

16:26 73 Arab physicians from Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Syria and Jordan prevented from entering Gaza by Egyptian police

16:24 White House: Truce is urgently needed

15:56 Israeli envoys in Egypt on Friday

15:53 Ban ki-moon in Middle East

15:42 Moqtada al Sadr: There will be anti-American reprisals in Iraq

15:38 Hamas rockets fired at Beersheva and Netivot

15:37 UN: Mini-truce insufficient

15:31 Third victim today less than 16 years of age

15:23 Abu Mazen to travel to Cairo on Friday

15:22 Alexander Saltanov in Damascus for talks with Khaled Meshaal

15:17 Truce ends, combat resumes

15:01 Hamas "discusses" Franco-Egyptian plan

14:54 Olmert government blocks third phase of offensive

14:46 Israel: Talks with Egypt ongoing.

14:17 Sarkozy: "Israel and the Palestinian Authority have accepted the proposal to end fighting in Gaza

14:07 Israel, a truce would signify the end of Qassam rockets fired at Israel

13:15 Israel positive on dialog with Egypt on Gaza

12:55 EU President "profoundly disturbed" by bombing of UN school"

12:52 Save the Children: "Death of more than 100 children unacceptable"

12:42 Cardinal Martino: "Both parties guilty"

12:31 EU President calls for total ceasefire

12:27 Hamas will respect 3-hour truce

12:26 3-hour truce starts

I11:56 Sarkozy asks for information on Shalit from Assad

11:44 Gaza, today's death toll is 23

11:40 Peres: "Israel will evaluate Franco-Egyptian plan for truce"

11:14 Tariq Ramadan: "What use is a 3-hour truce"?

11:11 Nasrallah: "Olmert will never destroy Hamas"

11:01 Nasrallah: "All options are open with Israel"

10:54 Hai Al Zeitun: Attacks resume, 6 Palestinians killed

10:50 Yitzhak Herzog: "Jabalya massacre will accelerate diplomacy"

10:47 Italian FM Frattini: "Italy prepared to send observers"

10:45 Huge Hezbollah demonstration in Beirut

10:44 Solana hopeful that Egyptian initiative will be successful

10:24 Italian FM Frattini: "The Palestinian Authority must be given the control of border crossings"

10:08 Peres: "We want an end to terrorism"

09:59 UN spokesman Christopher Guinness says No Hamas militant was inside the UN school hit by Israeli air strike

09:38 Israel suspends air strikes for 3 hours

09:36 Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner, [lying his ass off], says it was not known that there were civilians in UN school

09:26 Iran-Syria, Larijani in Damascus for talks with Assad

09:17 Barak orders opening of some border crossings into Gaza

09:15 Palestinian rockets fired at Ashdod, Ashkelon and Sderot.

09:14 Israeli military: 40 objectives attacked in Gaza

09:10 Al Jazeera: 3-hour truce to open humanitarian corridor

09:01 Hamas is reviewing Egyptian truce plan

08:37 Israel calls together security advisors

08:21 Israel announces opening of humanitarian corridor

07:57 Israel expels Venezuelan representative in Tel Aviv

07:55 US approves Egypt's truce plan

07:49 Israel "seriously evaluating" Franco-Egyptian plan

07:46 Israeli tanks evacuate Khan Younes

07:45 Air strikes on Gaza City

January 6, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

23:53 US supports Egyptian ceasefire plan

23:49 Abbas agrees to Egyptian ceasefire plan

23:41 Ban Ki-moon to travel to Israel and the Occupied Territories

23:28 Hamas debates Egyptian plan for truce

23:27 Olmert: "Israeli will open humanitarian corridor"

23:08 Sarkozy: "Any UN Security Council Resolution cannot be rushed"

22:41 Hezbollah: "EU efforts produce empty-handed results"

22:07 Mubarak invites Israelis and Palestinians for urgent talks

21:56 Venezuela expels Israeli ambassador

21:45 Mubarak: "Ceasefire and talks needed"

21:36 Ankara: Turkey-Israeli basketball game called as fans insult Israel

21:30 Ban Ki Moon: "Attacks on UN facilities unacceptable"
.
20:38 Al Qaeda: "Attack Israel and the West"

20:33 Israeli NGO, Physicians for Human Rights, attacked by Israeli troops

20:10 Chavez: "Israeli offensive must be condumned"

20:02 Al Qaeda: "Gaza offensive is crusade against Islam"

19:43 Sharm al Sheik: Nicolas Sarkozy in talks with Hosni Mubarak, Javier Solana and Mark Otte of the UN

18:58 Merkel: Stop arms shipments to Hamas

18:51 Obama: "Concern for civilians killed"

18:46 EU delegation: Positive signs

18:35 UN school: Israelis claim they were attacked.

18:16 UN: GPS coordinates of UN school given to Israel

17:48 UN confirms at least 30 dead in mortar attack on UN school. 55 are wounded

17:46 White House: "Be mindful of civilians"

17:37 Olmert restates conditions for truce

17:19 6th Israeli soldier killed

16:42 Sarkozy: "Solution near for Gaza Truce"

16:39 US Dept of State: "Sustainable and unlimited ceasefire needed"

16:21 Haaretz: "600 Palestinians dead"

16:14 US cool to Sarkozy's peace initiative

15:55 Six Israeli warplanes violate Lebanese airspace

15:39 Arab League accuses US of obstructionism

15:35 40 killed in Israeli mortar attack on UN school in Jabaliya

15:25 Rice in New York for Security Council Meeting

15:15 Israelis bomb Danish mobile hospital

15:00 France realease EUR 3 million in aid for Gaza

14:36 Israel President Shimon Peres tells EU delegation that is in not concerned by deterioration in Israel's image

14:31 Sarkozy returns to Egypt

14:29 Olmert tells Hezbollah: "Do not tempt us"

14:23 Family in Gaza City, including 7 children, wiped out by Israeli air strike

14:15 Egypt will not permit Palestinians cross border

14:14 Hamas confirms using suicide bombers against Israeli troops

13:23 Sarkozy arrives in Beirut

13:08 Afghanistan ready to send 2,000-man military contingent to Gaza

13:04 Italian FM Frattini backpedals: Italy supports the EU and Sarkozy

12:49 Al Aqsa Brigades: Israel landing troops by sea

12:45 Peres: Westerners ignorant of the evil of Hamas

12:31 Hamas shoots down Israeli drone

12:26 Foreign press protests Israeli prohibition on entering Gaza

12:16 Pope: "Negotiated truce needed"

12:08 Sarkozy tells Syria: "Help us in ending conflict"

11:58 Israele preventing reporters from entering Gaza

11:57 Assad urges summit of Arab leaders

11:44 Sarkozy: "Immediate truce necessary"

11:38 Assad: "Israel's operations in Gaza are war crimes"

11:35 Erdogan: "Israel dismissive of Turkey's efforts in the cause of peace"

11:08 Hamas confirms that it will meet with Egyptian intelligence

11:05 Red Cross: "Total humanitarian crisis in Gaza"

10:42 Palestinian death toll 573

10:34 Blair: "Tunnels to Egypt must be closed" [Is this all the Grand Poohbah of the Middle East has to offer? --Nur]

10:10 Sarkozy arrives in Syria

10:06 Israele bombs a second UN school, killing 2 and wounding 4

09:38 Israel bombs UN school managed by UNRWA.

09:34 Israel: "Friendly fire kills 3 soldiers of the Golan Brigade and wounds another 24"

09:26 Palestinians: "560 dead, including 100 children and 2,700 wounded

09:24 Israele: "130 militants killed in ground offensive"

09:23 Fighting in Khan Yunis, Deir el-Balah and Bureij

09:19 Israel opens corridor for humanitarian aid from Kerem Shalom

09:15 Palestinian rockets hit Ashdod e Ghedera. No injuries

09:11 Israeli army enters Khan Younes

07:00 Israeli navy bombs beach at Deir al-Balah and kills 10 Palestinians

January 5, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-05T19:08:00.000-08:00

21:04 Obama following the crisis "minute by minute"

20:35 Air strikes on Rafah

20:34 Red Cross: "Deaths mount as supplies lack"

20:30 Israel: "100 militants dead, 100 captured

20:13 NGO doctor: "Israel is using non-conventional weapons"

20:10 EU, Barroso: "Israel must allow humanitarian assistance to enter"

20:05 Iran calls for boycott of companies with Israel interest

20:01 Turkey: "Israel bears most responsibility for conflict"

19:47 Gaza City, combat in north and east of city

19:43 Tsahal spokesman: Heavy fighting

19:42 Hamas accuses Sarkozy of bias toward Israel

19:19 Abu Mazen: "I will not exploit the Israeli operation to unseat Hamas"

19:17 Iran, 70 thousand volunteers for suicide missions against Israel

18:54 Islamic Jihad joins fighting in the Chujayia in east Gaza City.

18:52 Sarkozy: "Hamas actions irresponsible"

18:51 Sarkozy: "The EU wants an immediate truce"

18:37 Bruxelles, demonstrations in front of European Council

18:30 Clashes in Shejaiya Quarter of Gaza City between Israeli Army and Hamas

18:20 Jane's Defence Weekly says Israel will not be victorious over Hamas

18:02 50 Palestinians killed today.

18:01 Solana: "EU observers prepared to go to Gaza if there is a truce.

17:44 Berlusconi phones Czech President Topolanek

17:39 Red Cross: "Aid not flowing to Gaza

17:20 A US Army strategic study says Israel cannot sever Hamas from the populace

17:18 Bush: "Hamas must stop firing rockets at Israel"

17:09 Dozens of Hamas members arrested by Israel

17:08 Woman and her four children killed by Israeli troops in Chujaiya quarter.

16:59 Arab countries present a new draft resolution to the UN Security Council

16:57 Price of oil rising due to Gaza crisis as Iran asks for emergency OPEC meeting

16:55 Italian FM Frattini: "The EU is leading negotiations, not Sarkozy"

16:34 Sarkozy leaves Sharm El Sheikh for Ramallah

16:25 Arab ministers meet with Ban Ki-moon

16:18 Israel tells residents of Gaza center to abandon their homes [and go where, exactly?--Nur]

16:14 Christians of Palestine: "There must be dialog with Hamas"

16:07 Mauritania recalls ambassador from Israel

16:05 Dmitry Medvedev demands immediate ceasefire

16:04 Save the Children distributing aid to 6000 people in Jabalyah, Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, Un Al Nasser and Rafah

15:41 Gideon Meir: "We do not want to stay in Gaza"

15:12 Livni rejects EU proposal for ceasefire

15:10 Italian FM Frattini in contact with counterparts in Greece and Spain

14:59 Italian PM Berlusconi phones Erdogan

14:57 Doctors Without Borders: "Shifa Hospital full"

14:38 Abu Mazen: "Ceasefire a priority"

14:29 Hamas: "Thousands prepared to give battle"

14:12 UNIFIL and Lebanese military on high alert

14:07 Egypt opposes international observers along the frontier with Gaza

14:03 EU delegation will not meet with Hamas

14:00 European Commission: Not engaging in parallel diplomacy

13:57 Livni: "Our operation is against terrorism"

13:52 Sarkozy in talks with Mubarak at Sharm El Sheikh

13:49 Syria's Assad urges mobilization of Arabs and Muslims.

13:34 Rockets fired at Ashkelon and Beersheva.

13:33 Italian FM Frattini says he will travel to Gaza "as soon as conditions permit"

13:32 Czech Republic PM: "I have a plan for peace" [entirely ass-covering --Nur]

12:37 Israel prevents journalists from entering Gaza despite Supreme Court decision

12:29 Zapatero says solution cannot be military.

12:22 Doctors Without Borders: Surgeons needed.

12:20 Israel allows 80 trucks to enter Gaza with humanitarian supplies from Egypt, Jordan, Greece and the UN.

12:18 Mohammed Dahlan, Ex Fatah leader: "We shall not return to Gaza"

12:14 EU President: "We have prepared a scenario for a solution.

11:38 Erdogan: "Israel will be hated because of women and children killed"

11:19 Hamas rockets fired on Sderot and Ashdod

11:14 Italian President Napolitano: "Truce needed"

11:10 Javier Solana in Egypt: "Ceasefire urgently needed"

11:08 Hamas FM Mohammed Al Zahar: "We shall not surrender"

10:55 Sarkozy: "Hamas bears heavy responsibility"

10:53 Ehud Barak: "Offensive to continue"

10:51 Times: "Israel is using white phosphorus".

10:23 Daily Mail reports that Tony Blair was on vacation as Gaza war raged; Mr. Blair has never visited Gaza City.

10:17 Hamas delegation expected in Egypt and will likely meet with Sarkozy

09:51 Six Israeli soldiers wounded.

09:43 Israeli missile strikes funeral procession in Khan Younix

09:42 Clashes in north, Rafah is bombed by Israelis

09:13 Latest death toll: 517 dead, 87 are children

08:59 Armed Hamas militants asked by Hamas Health Minister, Bassem Naeem, not to get in ambulances.

08:54 Palestinians in Northern Gaza Strip flee to safer locations.

08:40 Five Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces

Lo hanno reso noto fonti dei locali servizi di soccorso, secondo cui altri due bimbi hanno perso la vita nel quartiere di Shati, martellato da colpi di artiglieria provenienti dal mare.

08:30 7 members of the same family killed by Israeli air strikes on the outskirts of Gaza City

08:16 Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad ben Khalifa Al-Thani, urges extraordinary Arab summit.

07:22 Israeli tank kills three children in the Zeitoun district of east Gaza City.

07:21 Tsahal advances, bombs 30 targets during the night

05:19 Hamas sends a delegation to Egypt

03:13 EU delegation and Mubarak to meet in Sharm El Sheikh. The delegation is also traveling to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.

January 4, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

23:56 President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, attempts mediation

22:39 Gideon Meir: "Israeli offensive will continue until Hamas is neutralized"

22:37 Haaretz: Livni rejects Medvedev's mediation in reaching truce

22:35 EU delegation "Gaza crossings must be reopened"

22:33 Olmert rejects mediation offer from Russia-France-Germany and Tony Blair

21:56 Israeli Army trained for 18 for Gaza incursion

21:53 French FM Kouchner: "Intermediaries available for dialog with Hamas"

21:51 Red Cross urges Hamas and Israel to stop killing civilians

21:05 Three Palestinian nurses killed by Israeli air strike in south Gaza City

21:04 Abraham Yehoshua: "Hamas does not represent the Palestinians"

20:50 EU delegation arrives in Cairo, Kouchner: "We'll do what we can"

20:47 Sarkozy phones Merkel, Zapatero, Erdogan and Olmert

20:42 Greece, crowds burn portraits of Bush and Obama

20:31 Sarkozy: "Hamas bears full responsibility"

20:29 Geneva, 400 people protest Gaza incursion in front of UN building

20:21 Protesters clash with police in Oslo in front of Israeli Embassy

20:20 Israeli forces have not yet entered Gaza City

20:19 Aymen Al Zawahiri urges Muslims to fight Israelis in Gaza

19:44 Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrein) denounces inaction by UN Security Council

19:33 Israel knocks out Gaza phone lines

19:21 Beirut, clashes between demonstrators and police leave 6 injured

19:10 Gaza, Israeli Army approaches Beit Hanun

19:07 Italian Left kicks off publicity campaign to end fighting in Gaza

19:05 Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Israeli offensive unacceptable

19:25 Condoleeza Rice cancels next week's trip to China

18:53 Cellphones carried by Israeli soldiers confiscated prior to ground offensive.

18:52 Paris, 4,000 demonstrate in support of Israel

18:42 The Qadafi Foundation insists on apology from the Czech Republic

18:37 Islamic Jihad says two of its militants have been killed in the northern Gaza Strip as they were traveling by car

18:33 Jerusalem Post reports that Hamas wiped out 35 Palestinians suspected for spying for Fatah and kneecapped another 75 [This is the paper that reported Saddam had loaded all his nukes on a ship in the port of Aqaba in 2003--Nur]

18:22 Hamas: "The EU has launched no initiative for negotiations"

18:14 Medvedev dispatches envoy Alexander Saltanov to the Middle East

17:56 Shimon Peres: "Hamas is a group of assassins" [Just like Irgun?--Nur]

17:52 Merket expresses support for Israel

17:44 Milan, exterior of Egyptian consulate defaced

17:31 Cheney: "Israel did not request Washington's permission for ground offensive"

17:24 Livni: "Accusations of disproportionate use of force unfair"

17:07 Jordan Prime Minister Nader Al Dahabi says his country will reevaluate its relations with Israel

16:54 Gaza, 5 civilians killed while existing mosque in the northern Gaza Strip.

16:47 Four Palestinian rockets fired at Sderot

16:46 Jebaliya, Hamas commander Muhammad al Shalfu killed

16:32 Shimon Peres: "No to any ceasefire"

16:27 Gaza, ambulance fired upon by Israeli troops, killing a nurse

16:25 Hospital sources: 40 Palestinians killed today, of which 22 are civilians

16:18 Muhhad Shalfuk, head of Hamas special forces, killed in Rafah.

16:18 Libya, 5000 protest Israel in Tripoli

15:54 Israeli troops block access to Gaza City, now completely cut off

15:45 Hamas urges meeting of all Palestinian factions

15:36 Israel admits one soldier killed in action near Jabaliya.

15:28 Israeli tank opens fire on car, wipes out family

15:20 Iran calls for boycott of Israel

14:45 German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeir: "Israel must permit humanitarian assistance to enter Gaza"

14:29 Morocco, 40 thousand demonstrate solidarity with Palestinians in Rabat

14:05 Olmert: "We do not want a northern front"

14:03 Psychological warfare: Israel blacks out Hamas TV

13:55 EU Commissioner Ferrero-Walden: "Violence in Gaza must end"

13:44 Israel: "We do not wish to occupy the Gaza Strip"

13:40 Avi Pazner: "Operation to continue until the end"

13:34 NGO Terre des Hommes sounds the alarm over deaths of children in Gaza

13:29 Abu Mazen tells Hamas: "Power-sharing is necessary"

13:26 Abu Mazen: "Israelis guilty of brutal aggression"

13:24 Hamas calls for immediate conference of Palestinian factions.

13:22 Javier Solana: "EU available for peacekeeping mission in Gaza Strip"

13:20 Cairo: Egypt summons ambassadors of countries sitting on the UN Security Council

13:16 Prague: FM Karel Schwarzenberg says presidential spokesman "misspoke" on the Israeli offensive

13:15 Lebanon, demonstration broken up in front of US Embassy

13:13 Israel: "Hamas seems willing to conclude a truce"

12:58 Israel masses troops on border with Lebanon

12:52 Palestinian demonstrator killed by Israeli soldiers in Kalkilya on the West Bank

12:47 Algiers: Algerian PM Ahmed Ouyahia condemns Israel for crimes against humanity

12:45 China: "Hostilities must cease immediately"

12:41 Turkey, Sweden and Norway condemn ground offensive

12:36 Moscow dispatches envoy to Middle East

12:30 500 Palestinians dead in 5 days of conflict Gaza

12:27 Lebanon, demonstrators clash with police near US Embassy in Beirut

12:26 Lebanon, UNIFIL positions: "Calm along the Blue Line"

12:21 Israeli says it has killed 50 Hamas militants

12:13 Pope calls on both sides to end conflict

12:10 Jerusalem Post: "Hamas leaders Hussan Hamdan and Muhamamd Hilo killed in airstrikes on Khan Younis"

12:05 EU Foreign Ministers: "Re-negotiate truce between Hamas and Israel with the assistance of Egypt"

12:00 Beirut: Hundred protest Israeli actions in Gaza Strip

11:55 European Commission "Israel must uphold its international obligations"

11:52 Egypt: Mahdi Hakef, Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, calls on Gazans to resist

11:50 Italian opposition: "Ceasefire needed immediately, government's position unsatisfactory"

11:46 Italy sends emissary, Cesare Ragaglini, to the Middle East

11:35 Italian government restates Israel's right to self defense

11:20 Hamas: "Five Israeli soldiers dead"

11:18 Tel Aviv: Olmert tells Israeli Cabinet that he is encouraged by the position held by George W. Bush whereby Hamas must be incapacitated.

11:17 Tsahal cuts Gaza Strip in two

11:11 Olmert: "Operation was inevitable"

10:55 Israele: "Thirty Israeli soldiers wounded"

10:50 European Commission: "Israel must open a corridor for humanitarian assistance". The Commission also granted EUR 3 million in assistance to Gazans

10:48 Al Jazeera: "One Israeli solider killed in action"

10:40 British PM Gordon Brown: "Ceasefire must be sought"

10:33 Egypt condemns ground offensive

10:05 Gaza City business district bombed, casualties reported

10:00 50 armored Merkava vehicles just outside Gaza City Città di Gaza

09:58 Olmert: "Israel does not wish to open front in Lebanon"

09:54 Palestinian sources: "12 dead in northern Gaza strip"

09:41 Israeli denies some of its soldiers were kidnapped

09:26 Shimon Peres: "Just and necessary war"

09:25 Barak: "Offensive will last as long as it takes"

09:22 Israel: Dozens of Hamas militants killed or wounded

09:13 Hamas radio: "Two Israeli soldiers taken prisoner"

09:03 Clashes on the outskirts of Gaza City

09:01 Iran: Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani says Gaza will the be cemetery of the Zionists

08:08 A handful of Qassam rockets hit Sderot, Eshkol and Netivot

08:07 Hamas: "UN Security Council is a farce"

07:59 Israeli troops approach Gaza City

05:10 Israel: 30 Israeli soldiers wounded

04:38 UN: US vetoes attempt by Libya urging Security Council to condemn Israeli actions against Gaza

03:06 Mexico, permanent member of the UN Security Council, calls for immediate ceasefire

03:00 New York: Mayor Blomberg flies to Israel to express support for Gaza operations

January 3, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

00:27 Ban Ki-Moon calls on Israel to end incursion immediately

23:53 USA: "Israel's warplanes must mindful of the consequences for civilians"

23:51 US State Department: "Truce as soon as possible"

23:38 Czech Republic, holding the EU's rotating presidency, backpedals and demands truce
.
23:23 Spain expresses solidarity with Abu Mazen

23:17 London demands immediate ceasefire

22:59 Livni phones Ban ki-moon

22:53 4 Palestinian rockets land harmlessly in desert

22:36 Emergency Saturday night meeting of the UN Security Council

22:14 "Dozens of Palestinian militants killed in Israeli offensive"

22:07 Francia condemns Israeli offensive

22:02 Israel bomb fuel depot Beit Lahiya

21:58 Nasrallah tells Hamas: "Kill as many Israelis as possible"

21:48 Palestinian Authority: ""Israel responsible for consequences"

21:45 28 Palestinians dead in battles with Tsahal

21:34 Abu Mazen: "UN must meet urgently"

21:28 Israeli TV: Naval blockade as Israel kills dozens of Hamas members

21:23 Hamas: Combat ongoing in various locations: Beit Hanun, Nusseirat, Zaitun and Dahaniya

21:20 Olmert: "USA not informed of ground offensive"

21:12 Nasrallah (Hezbollah) urges Hamas to resist

21:10 Hamas vows to turn Gaza into Israeli cemetery.

21:09 Obama: "Following Gaza situation but the President is Bush"

21:07 Gaza: Israelis fire tank cannon on residence

20:54 Barak: "Israel ready for any attack by Hezbollah"

20:52 Israel: Barak reports to Peres

20:46 EU President: "Israeli action is defensive"

20:43 Palestinian doctors: "Israelis aim tank gun on group of children"

20:34 Hamas: "Israel will pay a heavy price

20:31 Tsahal: Civilians will not be targets

20:28 Hamas: "Israeli soldiers killed"

20:24 Israeli forces enter Gaza from three directions

20:19 Tsahal: 'Phase 2 of "hardened Lead" begun'
.
20:17 Tsahal and Hamas trade heavy fire

20:14 Ground offensive to last days

20:06 Israel places northern border on alert

19:58 Israel calls up tens of thousands of reservists

19:55 Israel encounters Hamas resistance

19:50 Israel vows to dismantle Hamas' "terrorism structures"

19:45 Israeli Army takes control of rocket launch positions

19:41 Israeli Army confirms ground offensive

19:37 Red Cross: Israel blocks access to doctors

19:33 Witnesses: Small column of Israeli armored vehicles enters Northern Gaza Strip

19:26 Ground offensive commences

19:09 Israel says it hit only one mosque, Beit Lahia, on the Gaza Stri

19:00 Arab League: "The UN has failed".

18:54 NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer: "NATO force could help keep peace

18:38 Anti-Israeli protests in Bologna

18:17 Un reports 13 dead in Beit Lahia mosque bombed by Israeli warplanes

17:53 Israeli woman slightly wounded by Qassam rocket fired at Netivot

17:52 20,000 demonstrate in Paris against Israel

17:48 Livni: "Israeli attacks to continue

17:45 13 dead in Jabaliya mosque bombing

17:44 Four Palestinians killed in Israeli air strike on Rafah

17:33 US flag burned in Milan protests.

17:31 Al Jazeera reports 457 dead, more than 2300 wounded in Gaza

17:25 Trento, Italy. Pro-Palestinian demonstration

17:23 Jabaliya, two hundred people in side bombed Jabaliya mosque

17:21 Anti-Israel demonstrations in Rome

17:19 Beit Lahya mosque, at least 9 dead and 60 wounded

16:58 Death toll rises in bombing of Beit Lahya mosque.

16:47 Anti-Israel march in Turin

16:45 Israeli missiles strike mosque in Beit Lahya, three dead, ten wounded

16:42 Gaza, Israeli missiles strike Jabalya mosque, 10 dead

16:31 Abu Mazen to meet Nicolas Sarkozy and EU delegation in Ramallah on Monday

16:19 Israeli tanks move toward Gaza

16:13 Hamas threatens to kidnap Israeli soldiers

16:12 London, thousands throw shoes at Downing Street entrance

16:10 Iraqis protest in Milan, raising shoes in air

16:01 Grenades rain down on Beit Hanun and Jabaliya

15:44 Protesters in Milan burn Israeli flag

15:39 Gaza, Israeli air strike wounds Egyptian policeman
o.
15:27 Milan, Palestinians organize protests

15:26 OIC foreign ministers urge immediate ceasefire

15:09 EU delegatoin expected in Middle East on Sunday

15:07 Abu Mazen prepared to free Hamas detainees

15:02 Zapatista Subcommander Marcos says Obama supports use of force in Gaza

14:50 Palestinian child and two Hama militants killed Jabaliya in the northern Gaza strip.

14:47 Frank Walter Steinmeier tells Arab countries to apply pressure on Hamas

14:45 Protests in UK over violence in Gaza

14:17 Tens of thousands of Israeli Arabs demonstrate in Sakhnin

13:40 Abbas to meet Sarkozy on Monday

13:22 Red Crescent "Dire situation in Gaza"

13:06 Khan Yunes, two Palestinians killed

12:56 Rockets his apartment building in Ashdod, two slightly wounded.

12:34 Protests in Haifa, Sakhnin and Tel Aviv. Thousands of Israeli Arabs and leftists demonstrate against military action against Gaza.

12:03 Qassam rockets land near kibbutz mess hall

11:44 Israeli missiles target school in Beit Lahiyah, known as the American School

11:38 UN raises alarm:"Dire situation in Gaza"

11:08 New convoy of Syrian assistance leaves Damascus

11:02 Rockets fired at Ashkelon, Netivot and Eshkol

10:46 Saeed Jalili, Secretary of Iran's Supreme Security Advisory Board in Damascus for talks with Bashar Assad, Khaled Meshaal, and the Secretary General of Islamic Jihad islamica, Ramadan Salah.

10:23 Israeli aircraft bomb Hamas position

10:10 Qassam rocket hits Ashkelon

10:09 Bush wants long-term ceasefire with international inspections

09:20 Hospital sources: 435 palestinians dead, including 75 children.

09:17 Debkafiles: "Ground invasion approved"

09:11 Hamas says it repels Israeli incursion

09:08 Ground invasion "imminent"

09:06 Hamas leader Abu Zakaria al Jamal killed in nighttime Israeli airstrike

January 2, 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

19:55 UN Security Council may produce resolution on Gaza

19:06 More than 1,000 demonstrate in Stockholm against Israeli attacks on Gaza

18:25 Italy, holding the presidency of the G8, working toward initiative

17:53 30 rockets fired at Sderot

17:10 Dozens of protesters arrested by Israeli police in Jerusalem, Moroccan student killed.
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17:01 Rayan buried, Hamas swears vendetta

16:45 UN: 400 Palestinian dead in air strikes of which 100 are civilians

16:13 White House: "Israel has the right to defend itself.

15:39 Condoleeza Rice: "US working toward ceasefire"

14:56 House of Hamas militant, Imad Aqal, destroyed by Israeli air strikes

14:29 Berlusconi phones Olmert

13:33 Three boys, all brothers, killed by Israeli airstrikes near Khan Yunis.

13:16 Israeli Supreme Court Gaza order Army to admit reporters back into Gaza

13:01 Hundreds attend funeral of Rayan in Jabaliyah

12:40 EU mission to arrive Sunday in the Middle East

12:14 Thousands of Palestinians protest in Ramallah

11:37 Council of Europe: "Israeli is using excessive force"

11:34 Israel's radical left to protest against Operation Hardened Lead in Tel Aviv on Sunday

11:21 Yedioth Ahronot news website hacke

11:01 17 dead in Israeli air strike on Jabalya

10:52 Italian volunteer humanitarian worker Vittorio Arrigoni refuses to leave Gaza

10:16 Kadima and Labour get boost in opinion polls [Who would have guessed?--Nur]

09:48 Israelis bomb mosque in Jabalya

09:21 Israeli Army "We have not resumed targeted assassination" [No, they are seat-of-pants aerial assassinations--Nur]

08:51 Rockets fired at Ashkelon

08:42 Israelis lock down West Bank, border crossings to Jordan closed

08:29 Israelis launch 20 pre-dawn air strikes

08:11 Haaretz: "Israel plans to wipe out Hamas leadership"

07:54 Haaretz: "Israeli Military overestimated threat of Palestinian rockets"

07:45 Foreigners authorized to leave Gaza

07:22 15 homes in Gaza destroyed, a dozen wounded.

06:57 Special Representative of Turkish PM Recep Tayyp Erdogan meets with Hamas

06:55 Israel: "No to truce, ground offensive ready.

January 1 2009 in Gaza

2009-01-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

22:11 Day of Anger, Israel calls out police in force to "maintain calm" on Friday in Jerusalem as demonstrations planned.

21:38 Turkish Premier Erdogan calls for immediate ceasefire

21:36 Hama proclaims "Day of Anger" against Israel for Friday

19:48 Israel allows 400 foreigners to leave the Gaza Strip.

19:43 Hanegbi: "Ground offensive imminent": Israeli Parliamentary Speaker Tzahi Hanegbi says ground invasion imminent

19:42 UN release death toll, 410 dead 1,850 wounded.

18:57 Hamas sends SMS messages to Israelis in southern Israel: "You'll pay dearly"

18:42 Egitto criticizes Hamas: Rockets perfect excuse for Israeli aggression

18:40 Gaza, Greece dispatches two aircraft with 28 tons of medical supplies

18:38 Haaretz, Israeli military wants ground invasion
.
18:22 Livni: "Israeli offensive to continue indefinitely"

18:17 Hamas calls for protests in Jerusalem and the West Bank

18:04 Iran, students ready to volunteer to help Hamas

17:50 Labour Party climbs in Israeli opinion polls: 5 more seats in the Knesset if elections held today

17:47 71% of Israelis want offensive to continue

17:05 Hamas denies having agreed to a truce

17:04 Gaza, Tel Aviv readies shelters.

16:19 Livni tells Sarkozy there will be no humanitarian truce [She liked the champagne, not the conversation--Nur]

15:29 Hamas confirms death of Nizar Rayyan and swears revenge

13:59 Nizar Rayyan killed in raid.

13:51 Hamas agrees to EU-brokered ceasefire if conditional

13:39 Livni arrives in Paris

12:47 EU, Czech President Mirek Topolanek announces EU mission to the Middle East
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12:22 Olmert: "We do not want a long war"

11:49 Haniyeh: "Israel must cease fire and open border crossings"

11:46 Hamas rockets hit Ashdod

11:27 Hamas claims rocket attack on Israeli military base

10:40 400 Palestinian victims in six days

10:26 Israele permits foreign press to enter Gaza limited to a pool of 8 reporters

10:00 Abu Mazen: "Gaza attack amounts to aggression against all Palestinians"

09:59 UN: "Alarming humanitarian situation"

09:25 Israel: "Ground incursion ready"

09:14 Gaza, public buildings bombed, Transport and Education ministries hit

09:14 Rockets hit Beer Sheva (Neghev)

09:13 Livni to hold talks with Sarkozy in Paris today

09:11 4 overnight Israeli air strikes, 4 dead, 40 wounded

Wednesday in Gaza

2008-12-31T17:00:00.000-08:00

19:40 Livni: "Ground invasion not excluded"

19:27 Rafah bombed again; residents gather in Saladin Square

19:24 Livni: "Israel rejects 48-hour truce"

19:19 Israeli warplanes, 500 combat missions to Gaza

19:08 Arab ministers to send delegation to the UN in New York

19:05 Amnesty International fears ground invasion

19:03 Italians pursue initiative in UN Security Council

18:40 Red Cross warns Israel on human rights violations.

18:32 Patriarch of Jerusalem condemns military action against Gaza

18:31 White House: Hamas must take the first step for any truce

18:28 Hamas "We will fight on" if invaded

17:43 Olmert tells Bush: "Only Hamas is targeted"

17:36 Abu Mazen threatens to suspend negotations with Israel [He ain't got nuthin' so far--Nur]

17:24 Iran, reformist newspaper Kargozaran criticizing Hamas shut down.

17:15 Bush phones Olmert

17:09 Egyptian border guard wounded in Rafah

17:01 Erdogan in Amman for talks with King Abdallah and Abu Mazen

16:48 Arab League: "Palestinians victims of a political jockeying within Israel"

16:08 Arab League asks the UN to stop Israel

15:59 Hamas: "No truce proposal received"

15:57 Egitto to open Al-Awja crossing to humanitarian aid

15:21 Hamas accuses Abu Mazen of complicity with Israel

15:19 EU delegation to arrive in Israel next week

15:18 Hamas: Willing to consider truce

15:17 Hamas willing to stop rocket attacks on Israel if Gaza military operation called off

14:35 Gheddafi: "Arab countries should stand together"

14:18 Olmert: Offensive to continue

13:28 UK to send humanitarian assistance to Gaza annuncia aiuti umanitari e chiede accesso

13:09 Abbas pressures UN for resolution imposing ceasefire [Abbas couldn't pressure a bicycle tire--Nur]

13:02 India asks Israel to end bombing runs Israele la fine dei raid

13:02 Israeli TV; No truce in site

13:01 Father Manuel Musallam: Gaza Catholic priest says young men are joining Hamas by the hundreds

12:59 Turkish Premier Erdogan in Syria for talks

12:56 Arab League criticizes Mahmud Abbas for failing to make to make any utterance in defense of Gaza's Palestinians

12:55 Hamas: Truce proposal one-sided

12:17 Merkel: Germany prepared to work toward peace in the Middle East

12:09 Doctors Without Borders enter Gaza Strip

12:04 Arab League urges reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah

11:48 Arab League meets in Cairo

11:47 Olmert: "Israel seeks long-term solution"

11:46 UN General Assembly Speaker Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann criticizes Israel for reckless aggression

11:44 Spain urges permanent truce

11:27 Shin Bet: Hamas militants hiding in hospitals [and there's plenty not hiding on every street corner-duh --Nur]

10:53 Lebanon orders flags flown at half-mast

10:48 Egypt: All New Years celebrations cancelled

10:46 Israeli artillery fires on Gaza

10:43 40 rockets fired at Israel

10:42 Palestinian civilians mass at Egyptian border

10:39 Teheran, Benetton store burned to ground by protesters demonstrating against Israel

10:37 UN: "Victims of Israeli bombs are 25% civilian"

10:13 Bombs continue to fall on Gaza

Tuesday in Gaza

2008-12-30T19:02:00.000-08:00

23:01 Abu Mazen to meet Turkish PM Recep Tayyp Erdogan on Wedensday in Aqaba, Jordan

22:43 EU to send a delegation of ministers to the Middle East

21:50 Sarkozy to visit Israel on 5 January

21:49 Iranian students penetrate British Embassy in Tehran and pull down Union Jack, raising the Palestinian flag

21:23 Barak in favor of a 48-hour truce.

21:20 Pro-PLO demonstration in front of Obama resident in Hawaii

21:12 40 members of the Muslim Brotherhood arrested in Cairo.

20:51 EU demands access to Gaza for delivery of humanitarian assistance

20:36 The Quartet demands a ceasefire

20:23 EU calls for a lasting ceasefire

20:20 Israeli government call up another 6,700 reservists

20:15 Two Palestinian Rockets hit Beer Sheva

20:14 Italian FM and opposition in row over Hamas

20:02 Javier Solana: "The EU is working toward a 3-point solution"

19:53 Spain sends $15 million in assistance to Gaza

19:52 Miliband: "Truce with guarantees for Israel"

19:50 Brazil proposes international conference on Gaza

19:41 Pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Saudi Arabia

19:20 German FM Steinmeier: "Humanitarian truce needed"

19:01 Sarkozy to receive Tzipi Livni at the Elysee Palace on Thursday
.
18:59 EU foreign ministers meet in Paris

18:56 Spanish FM Moratinos: "The EU will ask for a humanitarian truce in Gaza"

18:55 Bush phones Abu Mazeb and Mubarak

18:46 Italian MF Frattini confirms that there will be no Israeli ground incursion into Gaza

18:43 Beijing sends $1 million in aid to Gaza

18:42 Israeli TV: "One-third of Hamas' missiles destroyed"

18:26 Al Jazeera: 384 dead, more than 1750 wounded

18:08 Save the Children starts up campaign for funds for Gaza

18:04 USA to provide $85 million in assistance to Palestinians refugees

18:02 Hamas: "Truce contingent on opening border crossings"

18:00 Hamas threatens to fire additional missiles at Israel

17:47 Caritas Jerusalem: "Stop the bombing"

17:36 Israeli sources "Israel to consider EU truce proposal"

17:31 Lebanon sends $1 million in aid to Gaza

17:22 Quartet Summit with by phone with Ban Ki-Moon

17:21 UNICEF: "Spare the children"

17:15 Israele receives truce proposal from Kouchner

17:10 Israelis bomb Rafah

17:07 Arab League foreign ministers to meet tomorrow

16:48 Gulf States call for end to Israeli aggression

16:38 Italian FM Frattini demands Israelis accept ceasefire before Wednesday's meeting of the Arab League

16:34 UN rapporteur Richard Falk decries Israeli atrocities

16:26 Italian FM Frattini: "International observers needed for Gaza"

16:10 Franco-Italian resolution on Gaza ceasefire considered

15:52 Italian FM Frattini: "Livni and Peres exclude ground incursion"

15:50 WHO calls on Israel to admit humanitarian assistance to Gaza

15:42 Mubarak: "Egypt rejects Israeli plan to divide up the occupied territories"

15:32 Peres: "Hamas attacks senseless"

15:30 Rocket hits Kiryat Malachi

15:06 Hamas: "Israel incapable of destroying our government

14:42 EU demands immediate ceasefire

14:00 UN releases death toll: 360

13:48 Mubarak: Egypt will reopen Rafah crossing only if Palestinian authority takes over riaprirà valico Rafah solo se torna in

13:42 Bombs fall on Gaza once again

13:26 Italian President Napolitano telephones Arab leaders

13:20 Christians of Jerusalem make appeal: "Stop the violence"

13:06 WHO: Attacks must end immediately

13:02 Israeli patrol boat rams craft carrying humanitarian assistance to Gaza

13:00 Yemen arrests protesters who broke into Egyptian embassy

12:58 Palestinian rockets hit Sderot and Ashqelon.

12:06 Jordan: "Israel agrees to allow medical supplies and field hospitals in Gaza"

12:00 Queen Rania of Jordan asks Jordanians to send humanitarian assistance to Gaza

11:48 Aden (Yemen): Protesters break into Egyptian embassy, burn two vehicles

11:38 Jordan cancels New Years celebrations

11:31 Syria calls on Egypt to break diplomatic ties with Israel

11:23 China expresses concern

11:04 Israele authorizes humanitarian convoys to Gaza

10:59 Wounded ferried to Egypt via Rafah

10:58 Rockets his Sderot

10:44 Ahmadinejad: "Supporters of Israel will go to hell"

09:41 Olmert: "Airstrikes on Gaza only the first chapter"

09:19 Third night of Israeli air strikes on Gaza

08:58 Israel: "Ground operation ready to go"

08:08 Israeli Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit: "Air strikes could go on for weeks"

08:06 Israel: "A truce is ruled out"

Monday in Gaza

2008-12-29T07:27:00.000-08:00

20:10 First UN humanitarian convoys arrive in Gaza: 3 UNRWA trucks, 15 World Food Program trucks and 5 trucks with medical supplies

20:09 Father Manuel Musallam, a parish priest in Gaza, says Gazas are at the limit of their strength.

20:07 Bethlehem, Christmas lights turned off in sign of solidarity with Gazans.

19:54 EU Foreign ministers to meet in Paris on Tuesday to discuss Middle East sistuation

19:26 Italian President Giorgio Napolitano phones Peres and Abu Mazen

18:46 Save the Children: "Children are the main victims": 21 children killed and more than 130 wounded in Israeli air strikes.

18:45 Israel prepares for ground offensive.

18:38 The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, visits Israeli President Shimon Peres and accuses Israel of "disproportionate response"

18:36 Jordanian parliamentarians vote 110 to 88 to end diplomatic ties with Israel if attacks on Gaza continue.

18:19 Anti-Egypt demonstrations in Tripoli, Libya

17:42 Arab League: UN communique "insufficient"

17:40 Red Cross: "Chaos in Gaza hospitals"

17:39 Sarkozy phones Mubarak, will meet Livni in January

17:21 White House: Spokesman Gordon Johndroe says Israel does not intend to take back Gaza
.
17:03 Merkel phones Olmert and asks that civilian lives be spared.

16:51 Israel: "The purpose of attacks is to topple Hamas"

16:44 Medical sources: 345 deaths in Gaza. 1,500 wounded.

16:31 UK: FM David Miliband says the loss of innocent children's lives is unacceptable.

16:19 White House: "Hamas must stop firing rockets",

16:04 Military chief of Islamic Jihad and son dead in airstrike. Ziyad Abu Teir, 35, killed

15:40 Pope may cancel visit to Israel in 2009

15:36 Hamas: "250 wounded in serious condition"

15:17 Livni: "Israeli attempts to avoid civilian deaths but Hamas targets children"

15:09 Civilian death toll for Saturday, 57 dead

14:57 "EU ready to send aid to Gaza"

14:56 Thousands protest Israeli airstrikes in Amman, calling on their government to sever diplomatic relations with Jerusalem

14:55 Wounded Palestinians evacuated to Egypt through Rafah crossing

14:53 Tens of thousands attend Hezbollah rally supporting Palestinians

14:52 PLO requests international peacekeepers for Gaza

14:36 Egypt opens Rafah crossing to allow trucks carrying supplies into Gaza

14:33 Italian FM Frattini to report to Parliament on Gaza raidsParlamento

13:51 Amnesty International calls on Israel and Palestinians to end violence

13:50 Ambulances queued up at Rafah crossing

13:45 The Catholic organization, SIR, calls on Israel to stop the cycle of unprecedented violence.

13:24 Washington Post reports that Olmert has been a failure and that the Israeli elections in February will likely be won by
Benyamin Netanyau. The paper says George Bush contributed to Olmert's failure.

13:22 Washington Post reports that Olmert will be remembered for two bloody mini-conflicts

13:09 Oil rises above $42 a barrel

13:08 Power outage throughout Gaza

12:58 Livni: "Offensive will continue until a new balance of power is established"

12:47 Al Jazeera: Missile hits Qassam Brigades training camp

12:45 Germany, Merkel concerned by escalation in violence

12:12 Protest in Cairo. Thousands of Egyptians protest Israeli raids on Gaza.

12:11 Senegal, Hamas prepared to sign accord with Israel. Senegalese President Abdulaye Wade, current chairman of the OIC, hints that Israel and Hamas may sign agreement

12:02 Teheran: Protests. Volunteers sign up to fight in Gaza.
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11:52 Ankara: "Negotiations between Syria and Israel now impossible"

11:50 Palestinian Authority ends peace talks with Israel

11:43 Gaza, 331 dead and 250 seriously wounded. Another 1,400 wounded in stable condition.

11:38 Israeli commandos enter Gaza.

11:22 Gaza, more than 20 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at Ashqelon, Sderot and Netivot

11:08 Barak: "Israeli will give no quarter against Hamas"

11:06 Baghdad, thousands protest Israeli attacks on Gaza. US flag burned.

10:57 Barak tells Knesset: "Operations to continue indefinitely"

10:47 Caritas: "Excessive number of civilian dead"

10:01 Gaza, Israel creates restricted military area around Sderot

09:51 Israele opens Kerem Shalom crossing to all aid to enter Gaza

09:36 Ashkelon, missile hits construction site.

09:22 Rockets hit Ashkelon and Sderot

09:15 United Nations, at least 51 civilians killed in airstrikes

08:59 Gaza, office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh bombed.

08:49 Ashkelon, one dead and 15 wounded in Palestinian rocket attack according to Israeli military radio

08:31 Barak: Operation has no connection to the inauguration of Obama or to February elections in Israel

08:29 Nasrallah puts Hezbollah on alert in Southern Lebanon.

08:28 Obama telephones Rice

08:27 Barak tells BBC: "We had no choice"

08:25 In press conference in Egypt, Abu Mazen declares that Hamas' failure to participate in dialog has led to the current situation in Gaza

08:24 Israele calls up reservists.

08:23 China: "Shocked and seriously concerned over Gaza military operation"

08:21 Pope saddened by dead and wounded.

08:20 Gaza, Hamas Interior Ministry bombed

08:18 UN, Ban Ki-moon in contact with Olmert and Arab leaders.

08:17 UN, Israel must permit humanitarian aid to enter Gaza

08:15 UN: 280 dead and 900 wounded

08:13 Gaza, Islamic university bombed
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08:12 Gaza, Corporal Gilad Shalit, held by Palestinians, wounded by Israeli air strikes.

08:10 Gaza, dozens of air strikes during the night. Jabaliya mosque struck.

Today in Gaza

2008-12-28T11:09:00.000-08:00

Operation Oferet Yezukà, named after a poem by Haim Nahman Bialik, launched by Israel against Gaza has so far killed 400 and wounded more that 620. The Rome newspaper, La Repubblica, is running an hour-by-hour account of the violence.

For a running account in English, go to the blog run by Free Gaza peace activists, "Tales to Tell"

23:27 Gaza's Islamic University hit by Israeli warplanes

21:39 Nasrallah implores Egypt to open Rafah crossing; its failure to do so would confirm its complicity with Israel.

21:19 Iranian Red Crescent dispatches assistance to Gaza

21:15 Hugo Chavez condemns Israel

20:46 Nasrallah, missiles discovered in southern Lebanon near Blue Line likely put there by Israelis

20:45 Egyptian police officer killed by gunfire from Gaza

20:21 Nasrallah to organize huge rally in Beirut on Monday

20:19 Livni, Israel wants to hit Hamas, not civilians

20:17 Livni promises ground offensive if rockets aimed at Israel do not cease.

20:10 Nasrallah, Hezbollah is preparing for an Israeli attack

20:08 Preliminary Gaza death toll: 290

20:02 Nasrallah puts Hezbollah on alert in southern Lebanon

19:56 82% of Israelis in favor of Operation Hardened Lead. 82 percent of Israelis in favor of the attack on Gaza according to Israel's Channel 10.

19:52 Hezbollah calls on Egypt to open the Rafah crossing. Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, addressing crowds in suburban Beirut via video link, urges Egypt to open the Rafah crossing to allow food, humanitarian assistance and even arms to enter.

19:49 Frattini to dispatch emergency aid. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is organizing assistance to be sent to the Gaza Strip.

19:45 Italian FM Frattini phones Lebanese PM Siniora

19:40 Protests in Europa against Israeli raids. Thousands protest "Operation Hardened Lead" in London, Paris, Madrid Copenhagen and Istanbul

19:33 Italian FM Frattini phones Tzipi Livni, asking that civilians be spared

19:30 Sarkozy phones Abu Mazen. French President Nicolas Sarkozy expresses concern over the violence in southern Israel and the Gaza Strip

19:15 Syria asks the UN to end the massacre of Palestinians as hundreds demonstrate in downtown Damascus

19:01 Al Jazeera, Israelis resume raids. Victims reported in the latest round of bombings.

19:00 Red Cross: Gaza hospitals in dire straits

18:43 Livni, Israel will not occupy Gaza. Israeli FM Livni says on US television that Israel will not reoccupy Gaza

18:38 Syria ends informal talks with Israel on Golan

17:56 Muammar Gheddafi calls Hamas leader Khaled Meshal, in exile in Damascus.

17:45 Palestinians massed at the Egyptian frontier. Some Palestinians manage to break through the barrier with Egypt but are surrounded by Egyptian troops. Gunfire reported.

17:11 Obama calls Rice to discuss Gaza. 8-minute conversation.

17:05 Operation "Hardened Lead", inspired by a poem written by poet Haim Nahman Bialik for Hanukkah.

16:30 Palestinians break down barrier with Egypt

16:26 London denies break-in at Israeli Embassy

16:20 12 truckloads of medical supplies arrive in Gaza from Egypt

16:19 Beirut: "Lebanese Airspace violated". Israeli airplanes fly over Shebaa farms.

16:13 Palestinians flee to Egypt despite being challenged by Egyptian border guards

16:06 Jordan, Israeli flag burned during session of Parliament

16:05 Protests in London. Protesters besiege Israeli embassy

15:37 Israeli jets bomb Gaza tunnels said to lead to Egypt

15:31 Israelis bomb Palestinian side of Rafah crossing, bombs fall on Egyptian territory.

15:24 Palestinian Authority: "Hamas could have avoided massacre" by joining Fatah

15:23 Beirut, Egyptian embassy under siege

15:21 Israeli claims to have hit "30 Hamas targets"

15:11 Recep Tayyip Erdogan: "Crime against humanity"

15:02 West Bank, 20 year-old Palestinian protester shot dead by Israelis in Nìlin [Ramallah]; another seriously wounded

14:58 Moscow asks Israel to urgently end operations.

14:44 Syria ends indirect talks with Israel mediated by Ankara

14:39 Hamas vows to resume "suicide operations" within Israel

14:29 Israeli Culture Minister Ghaleb Majadla to boycott the government

13:45 Walter Veltroni: "The international community must act"

13:30 Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner: "Only 3% of Gaza killed and wounded are civilians"

13:28 Al Fatah blames Hamas for death of detainees in Gaza under Israeli bombs

13:13 Businesses close on West Bank in sign of mourning

12:27 Israel calls up 6,500 reservists

12:19 Israeli press (Haaretz): "Barak has been preparing Gaza operation for six months"

12:11 Pope calls for end violence in the Gaza Strip.

12:03 Ramallah, pro-Hamas protests in Al Fatah stronghold

11:56 Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei calls on Muslims to defend the Palestinians

11:49 Israeli forces: "230 targets struck"

11:22 Palestinian Authority prepared to substitute Hamas in Gaza.

11:05 Hamas: "400 dead, more than 1,000 wounded"

11:03 Israeli tanks enter Gaza Strip

10:45 Italian FM Frattini calls for ceasefire.

10:30 Egypt claims Hamas is preventing transfer of wounded to Egypt

10:29 Israeli missiles hit Hamas security headquarters

10:10 Abu Mazen calls for unity

09:59 Israeli Defense Minister Barak says operations "will not be brief"

09:54 Al Jazeera: "Life in Gaza half paralyzed"

09:50 Abu Mazen: "Massacre could have been avoided"

09:13 Rockets said to be launched at Israeli settlements of Ashkelon, Sderot, Gan Yavne and Ashdod

09:11 Ehud Barak says ground operations in Gaza are possible.

09:09 UN Security Council demands end of military operations in Gaza; request is non-binding

09:07 271 Palestinians dead

Obsession

2008-12-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

Were you unlucky enough to find this unsolicited $12.95 DVD in your mailbox just before the November presidential elections? As I live in a swing state, Florida, I was such an unlucky person. Adam Shatz, an Israeli writer for the London Review of Books, has the goods in the review's 9 October edition:

In the last two weeks of September, 28 million copies of [Obsession] were enclosed as an advertising supplement in 74 newspapers, including the New York Times and the Chronicle of Higher Education...

The Clarion Fund, the supplement’s sponsor, doesn’t explicitly endorse McCain, so as not to jeopardise its tax-exempt status, but the message is clear enough, and its circulation just happened to coincide with Obama’s leap in the polls....

Yes, it was a failed attempt to scare voters from casting their ballots for Barak Hussein Obama, sponsored by Rabbi Raphael Shore, the Endowment for Middle East Truth and Aish HaTorah, the Israeli settler movement.

Praise goes to the Council on American-Islamic relations for lodging a complaint against Clarion with the Federal Election Commission and of course, for Florida voters to refusing to be swayed by extremist NeoCon and Israeli propaganda.

Farewell to the Chief

2008-12-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

Via Corriere della Sera.

Bush flies to Baghdad on 14 December the hush-hush and gets pelted with a shoe. What an unappreciative audience!

War and Peace

2008-09-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

Our Ally Ethiopia, the War Criminal

2008-08-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

Forget about Georgia (although I think Saakashvili deserves to be humiliated for his actions in South Ossetia) and Russia, Ethiopia should be charged with war crimes in Somalia. From reading this report from Corriere della Sera reporter Massimo Alberizzi between the lines, you understand that the Ethiopians appear to be using Somali women as human minesweepers as part of an innocent-looking NGO program.

In any case, the US-sponsored Ethiopian occupation of Somalia is going to hell. I have no kind words for Jendayi Frazer, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, who was the No. 1 cheerleader for this bloody mess. I hope her career will forever bear this stain.

Unpaid Troops Extort the Populace as the Warlords Gain Strength.

A ruthless bombing occurred on Sunday morning in Mogadishu, the Somali capital where the current wave of violence continues unabated. Each day brings bombings, cold-blooded murder and pitched artillery battles between the Ethiopian-backed government forces and the rag tag Islamic insurgents.

On Sunday morning at 8:30 terrorists struck a group of 30 women hired to remove the garbage from the main avenue, Maka Al Mukarama, near the Hotel Ambassador. The women were employed as part of an NGO project sponsored by ADRA that provides food (wheat and oil) for trash.

"It was horrible. At least 25 women [mothers] between the ages of 29 and 40 were torn to pieces by the blast, says Yussuf Hannan, a stringer for the Corriere della Sera, who ran to the scene. The street had been heavily guarded by Ethiopian forces [the likely target] and Ethiopian [and US] intelligence is billeted in the Hotel Ambassador where most of Transitional Federal Government ministers are lodging. No one understands how a bomb could have been be placed in such a high-security location. Some think the bombing was a reprisal aimed at the women. [It is likely the women were employed as human minesweepers].

STREET CLEANING TO LOCATE BOMBS
The cleaning program was organized to prevent anyone from placing bombs in the mountains of garbage that have been growing in the streets of Mogadishu for 15 years. Last week, the streetsweepers found a mine, which was defused by Ethiopian explosives experts. The bombing was condemned by all sides, including the radical Islamists fighting against the transitional government and the troops from Addis Abeba, who back it.

THE SITUATION IS OUT OF CONTROL

The situation is chaotic and violence is generalized. The population is surrounded by unpaid government soldiers, who extort the money from the locals to make up for their unpaid wages and to support their families, and by Islamic fighters doing the same. There is zero security. The warlords are gaining strength and selling protection....One warlord, Mohammed Dehere, was the cause of a political clash between the Somali President, Abdullah Yussuf, and Prime Minister Nur Adde. Mr. Adde dismissed the governor of Benadir, an area of Mogadishu, who had been accused of tolerating if not encouraging, murders and gang violence. The President then restored the dismissed governor to his position: without the loyal troops, the transitional government would collapse. The feud with the Prime Minister is creating big problems for the [another bogus] peace process engaged with those moderate Islamists who are willing to negotiate.

Five ministers loyal to President Abdullah resigned, hoping to cause Nur Adde’s government to fall – they were immediately replaced.

Representatives of the the country are now in Nairobi in an attempt to end the crisis. At his crucial time, they are urging...continuity..."to keep the peace process from derailing", says the Special Envoy of the Italian Government, Mario Raffaelli.

Big Trouble in Bargi Malal

2008-07-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

From Le Monde

"At least 24 people were killed and 35 wounded in a suicide carbombing in southern Afghanistan. The bombing targeted a police vehicle in the bazaar of Deh Rawood in the Province of Oruzgan...A dozen shops were destroyed in the blast. Most victims were merchants and young street vendors...

Two women were murdered Saturday night in Ghazni [capital of Ghazni Province] by the Taliban, who accused them of working for the police...

Violent clashes between insurgents and Afghan and international security forces are ongoing in eastern Afghanistan. Insurgents attacked two police command posts after three days of violent combat in the Bargi Matal district of Nurestan Province. According to the provincial governor, "seventy police were sent in as reinforcements but a 12-hour march was required to reach the location...The entire district may fall to the Taliban if more reinforcements are not deployed...

Insurgents also attacked NATO forces 50 km southwest of Bargi. ISAF spokesman Mike Finney says combat is continuing...."

Meanwhile, the BBC reports things are heading downhill in neighboring Konar Province: "Nine US soldiers have been killed in clashes with Taliban militants...The small American Combat Outpost in Dara-I-Pech district of Konar Province came under heavy fire at around 04:30 local time...The fighting is close to where US forces were accused of killing 47 civilians in an air strike in Nangarhar Province a week ago."

Do you think this puts pressure on Bush to redeploy US troops from Iraq to Afghanistan before September?

Saddam's Rape Room

2008-06-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

So what do you call a room where a man's "genitals [are] slashed repeatedly with a doctor's scalpel" and a woman is summoned in to photograph the wounds? Only something the DoD could dream up, that's for certain, validating J.M. Coetzee's story of the DoD torture photo archivist gone insane. See the story here.

Iraqis say "No" to SOFA agreement

2008-06-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

Not only have Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani and Moqtada Sadr spoken against the Status of Forces Agreement that Washington wants to foist on Baghdad, but even al-Hakim of the Islamic Supreme Council opposes it. The US would maintain FIFTY bases (is there enough room in the country for 50 bases?), control of Iraq's airspace, and the imperial presidio, the Embassy. Ayatollah Sistani is going to hold out for full sovereignty (i.e. a token US force and Iraq control of its airspace).

Anti-American Demonstrations by Iraq Shi'ites

2008-06-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

Demonstrations broke out in Baghdad, Kufa, Najaf, Karbala and Basrah against the US attempt to ram though A Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) agreement with the Maliki government.

Wolf Blitzer, what's he good for?

2008-05-31T16:27:00.001-07:00

He's good for this:

Blitzer: Why did McCain release his medical records?

Correspondent 1: That's because he's elderly, Wolf, and there were concerns about his health if he were to serve President. He used to be a 2-pack-a-day smoker.

Blitzer: What about Obama? He's an on-and-off smoker, isn't he?

Correspondent 1: Why, yes, Wolf, he is.

Blitzer: Nicotine is just as addictive as cocaine, isn't that right? What do you think, Correspondent 2?

Correspondent 2: Oh yes, indeed, just as addictive as cocaine...

To war, to war, I say!

2008-05-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

Le Monde's correspondent for Lebanon writes that during George W. Bush's recent visit to Israel, he met with Israeli generals, apparently urging them to invade Lebanon again to finish off Hezbollah. The generals rejected the proposal. I guess that's why we haven't seen Cheney ordering bombers to Iran - the Israelis must not be interested in that, either.

Update: The information about Bush asking Israeli generals to finish off Hezbollah in is an interview with an academic and area expert Elizabeth Picard (IEP d'Aix and Saint-Joseph University, Beirut).

Liban : "L'accord de Doha n'aborde pas la question clé du désarmement du Hezbollah"
Article publié le 21 Mai 2008
Source : LE MONDE.FR Propos recueillis François Béguin
Taille de l'article : 833 mots

The article is now in the archives and can be retrieved against payment of 6 euros.

K2

2008-05-27T21:42:00.000-07:00

Early Monday's front page at the on-line Corriere della Sera carried a fantastic story via al-Arabiya that according to US intelligence, Osama Bin Laden is in the area of Mount Godwin-Austen (K2) at the Pakistani border with China. The story went on to say that the US is planning a major assault. I think there's a better chance that he's in my Special K cereal box, but who am I to out-think intelligence?

Thinking about Osama, do we really believe that the Saudis would ever permit a prince to endure humiliation at the hands of United States troops? Of course we don't.

Update: I'm told al-Arabiya is a News-of-the-World type tabloid.

Dead Pre-Presidents

2008-05-27T21:30:00.000-07:00

As a long-time observer of US presidential races, I must say that I've never heard of such unabashed ill-wishing directed at a presidential candidate, Barak Obama, than we have heard in recent days. Well, not exactly ill-wishing, it's more like journalists (Ms. Trotta) and other presidential hopefuls (Mrs. Clinton) speculating about Mr. Obama's violent demise. It's even more troubling because they are sincere about it and they are women!

Talk to Hamas!

2008-05-23T22:51:00.001-07:00

Former French Foreign Minister Hubert Védrine discusses potential contacts with Hamas in the 20 May edition of Le Monde.

I read French papers because I actually learn things from them.

Hubert Védrine: Talks must be held with Hamas

Q. Does France consider Hamas to be a terrorist movement?

I no longer know what the official position of France is. But I think such categorizations do not make much sense because they are proposed by the United States, which wants to stand in the way of dialog with many organizations.

I’m not saying that we should talk to just any organization whenever we please, but these types of blacklists are usually the wrong approach.

Q. Does Hamas accept the three condition imposed by the international community for the resumption of talks: recognize Israel, renounce violence and ratify existing Israeli-Palestinian agreements?

First, the so-called “international community” is usually the United States and Israel. Let’s call things the way they are: there are 5 billion other people in this world who are not Westerners and who challenge the right of Westerns to speak for the whole world. As to these three “conditions”, they have been invented to prevent dialog. Israel once even passed laws forbidding any Israeli citizen from talking to any member of the PLO using the same reasoning. It’s always a struggle to understand who comes up with these conditions and why.

Former President Carter has had recent contacts with Hamas and obtained only vague answers but that’s not surprising.

A recent survey shows that 63% of Israelis accept the idea of direct or indirect talks with Hamas, including former members of the military and the clandestine services, such as Ephraim Halevy, who has publicly stated that no issue can be resolved without eventually entering into dialog with Hamas.

Q. Is Hamas the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people?

You cannot say that Hamas is the only legitimate representative because there are other legitimate representatives: the PLO and President Mahmoud Abbas.

It is totally contradictory that the West on the one hand demands free and fair elections, which were carried out by the Palestinians, and then turns its back on them and declares an embargo, as if it were the Middle Ages, on the pretext that the Palestinians did not vote the way they were supposed to vote.

[What the United States and Israel are] trying to do is to destroy the notion of democracy in Arab public opinion and to discredit any Westerners who want to act differently. This is all the result of completely incoherent policies.

The Palestinian Authority find itself in a kind of trap and is forced to ask Westerners not to talk to Hamas.

The Arab governments in the area who are worried about Iranian threats through Hezbollah and Hamas are going along.

However, everyone knows that sooner or later Hamas will have to be made part of the process. Everything depends on when and how.

Q. Will contacts with Hamas de-legitimize Mahmood Abbas in the eyes of his people?

We have to overcome these contradictions. The West and Israel have to talk to Hamas but they have to do it in a way that will not further weaken Mr. Abbas. But what is weakening Abbas right now is not marginal contact with Hamas but failure to make serious progress in the peace process. Indeed, Abbas’ lack of success could be his moderation. And it is the United States and Israel, who, by failing to restart serious talks, are the No. 1 reason why Abbas is being undermined.

This imbroglio is the direct result of recent Western policies -more precisely, the political alliance formed in the early 1990s between US Neocons, southern evangelicals and Likud as Richard Perle, an influent Neocon responsible for this line, has explained.

According to Perle, it was necessary to convince the world that the Palestinian issue was marginal, that they should not talk to the Palestinians and that it was urgent to change Arab countries by will or by force.

Now we see that this policy, implemented by the Bush Administration, has delivered. It is the worst US foreign policy since the end of WWII, at least in the Middle East.

Q. Should France talks to Hamas?

I think that we should not rule out contact with Hamas. We should all remember that diplomacy has been around since the dawn of history to deal with matters other than war. Diplomacy is not about mutual pats on the back....

Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, the West refused all contacts with the Soviet Union and imposed boycotts right and left. Naturally, they did not last.

Following the Communist Revolution in China, the West boycotted Red China until France changed that in 1964; the United States followed suit in 1972.

During the post-colonial wars, in the end, the United States initiated contacts with the North Viet Nam. The French finally started talking to the National Liberation Front and the British began negotiations with Indian nationalists.

Itzhak Rabin held talks with Yassir Arafat when the position of the PLO was hardly different from that of Hamas today. Rabin made Arafat a partner in negotiations. which contributed to the development of the PLO.

Such examples abound.

We must discard this backward thinking imposed by the Bush administration according to which you cannot talk to your enemies.

Talking does not equate approving. To the contrary, it is a means defending your vital interests.

France should not impose such dogmatic interdictions, whether talking with Iran, Hezbollah or Hamas.

I recall that from time to time in the Israeli press, important Israelis defended talking because they have a different viewpoint on protecting Israel’s vital interests.

However, there are diplomatic implementation questions regarding when to talk; what is the right moment? At what level should talks be held? What outcomes should be expected? But these implementation matters do no contradict the principle of talking.

Q. But Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the European Council!

A member state has the perfect right to say, “We have this common position and we want to change it.” This happens all the time. There’s nothing shocking about that.

But a former ambassador who is now an academic could have private contacts with Hamas. If such a meeting were to take place, I would celebrate it. I find the premise of not talking is absurd.

Unfortunately, we all have to wait for the Israeli’s to come around (and the Israeli intelligence community is talking to Hamas); perhaps a new American President can change things. Then the Europeans, who are a bunch of sheep and afraid to have their own opinions, will follow.

Q. If France talks to Hamas, will that affect relations with Israel?

Everyone recalls that Mitterrand went to Israel in 1982 yet still supported a Palestinian state. It was Begin who then said that support for Palestine what the only factor preventing perfect harmony.

But everyone nowadays supports the idea of a Palestinian state, even President Bush, although he talks and acts as if he thought just the opposite.

Q. How would the United States punish France if it were to talk to Hamas?

If France were to contact Hamas in view of changing European policy, then perhaps the United States would come around as well. But there would have to be a strategy behind talking to Hamas. However, French diplomats are scared to death.

Q. Is a two-state solution the best solution?

If a two-state solution is not found, Israel will continue to occupy the West Bank and will never be fully accepted in the region. Such a situation would poison Europe’s relationships with the Arab world as well as those between Islam and the West.

Q. But isn’t Jerusalem an obstacle to the two-state solution?

The question is not insurmountable but guarantees from the Saudis, who are the defenders of holy sites, are needed.

Q. Would the election of Obama change anything?

If Obama is elected, the world will breathe a sigh of relief. Obama will galvanize the rest of the world, because he will be the first American president to understand them. If Obama wins, it will be an earth-shaking event and we should hope for it. The election is the most important US election in 30 years.

The Daejeon Massacre - Truth and Reconciliation

2008-05-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

Today's La Repubblica reports that the United States National Archives has published photos from the Korean War showing South Korean police engaged in a Babi Yar type atrocity...however, they are exterminating suspected South Korean commies, who probably fought the Japanese occupation heroically. A truth and reconciliation commission is digging up the site. More than 7,000 people were massacred in Daejeon, and thousands more elsewhere in a cleansing operation between 1950 and 1951.

These pictures were kept under wraps for 57 years.

Why Dick Cheney will not let the US leave Iraq

2008-05-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

"Nothing we know about Dick Cheney suggests that he wanted to "redeeem" Iraq or make it into a model society of any kind. If Cheney followed any example in his dim plans for post-invasion Iraq...it was Ariel Sharon's. No one would suggest that Sharon aimed to "redeem" the Palestinians or create a model market society in the West Bank and Gaza. What he aimed, and achieved, was managed anarchy: a weak, internally divided and festering society unable to project power outwards, but susceptible to periodic violent intrusions. -Stephen Holmes, reviewing Naomi Klein's "The Shocking Doctrine", London Review of Books, 8 May 2008.

A pathetic former general

2008-05-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

Late last night I caught a Charlie Rose interview of former General Riccardo Sanchez, whose reputation was blemished because of the Abu Graib scandal and was subsequently forced out of the US Army.

According to the Abu Ghraib narrative that we've all heard there were some dark forces and an Army colonel with a Greek last name encouraged the MPs to abuse and humiliate the prisoners, especially through using dogs. But in last night's interview, Sanchez revealed another shocker in an attempt to explain events-that he, Riccardo Sanchez, would allow US troops to be "borrowed" by the CIA. In their borrowed status, they were "released" from US military codes and practices. Now who the hell has ever heard of a commanding general with any self respect who would permit his troops to be "borrowed" and released from his rules and regulations? Is this the caliber of our generals? Pathetic!

General Sanchez's other lament was the confusion. He reminded me of a madam netted in a vice raid saying in court, Your Honor, it was all so confusing! So much coming and going! I had no idea what was going on!

A pathetic Secretary of Defense

2008-05-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

What a whiner! Never have I heard a US Secretary of Defense hector the chiefs of the military in pubic as much as Robert Gates. What is wrong with that guy? Don't tell me the brass has locked him out of the Pentagon!

Disinformation Force One!

2008-04-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

We do have a Ministry of Truth after all. It was deep in the bowels of the DOD, as we sort of knew anyway.

Read Q & A With David Barstow @ the NYT website.

It is not legal for the U.S. government to direct psychological operations or propaganda against the American people.

Viva España, Viva Zapatero, Viva Chacón

2008-04-16T20:46:00.001-07:00

Spain's pregnant Defense Minister, Carme Chacón ! At least one nation on earth has truly made it to the 21st Century. Save this picture, it is a human milestone!

Caught in the Vise

2008-04-16T06:48:00.001-07:00

As we can all understand from the headlines coming out Iraq, the redeployment of US troops from Dilaya and Baquba to Basrah and Baghdad's Sadr City has only opened the floodgates for a bombing campaign by Sunni insurgents.

No one has suggested why the US has go to after the Sadr forces now. Moreover, we all know that the so-called Iraqi Army is largely Shi'a and going after other Shi'a while the Sunni insurgents are bombing their relatives was only going to produce this [Via the NYT]:

Iraqi Unit Flees Post, Despite American’s Plea

"This episode was a blow to the American effort to push the Iraqis into the lead in the struggle to wrest control of parts of Sadr City from the Mahdi Army militia and what Americans and Iraqis say are Iranian-backed groups"

Maliki orders an assassination?

2008-04-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

With the crimson torrents of assassinations and murders in Iraq by "unknown armed men", can you really point the finger? However, this one suggests an inside job and possibly a Maliki-ordered assassination by Badr Brigades gunmen:

Riyad Al-Nouri, 37, Moqtada al-Sadr's brother-in-law and principal protagonist in Sadr's movement, was ambushed and murdered as he returned to his home in the Al-Adal district of Najaf.

Iran wins the Battle of Basra

2008-04-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

Before reading the article below by Le Monde's Patrice Claude, Gary Brecher's Who Won Iraq's Decisive Battle? is a must-read!

Iran and Moqtada al-Sadr strengthened after the Iraqi' government's failed military offensive
LE MONDE 2 April 2008 13:44

If there were the slightest doubt remaining regarding the substantial and confirmed influence of Iran in the affairs of its Iraqi neighbor, the ceasefire concluded on Sunday 30 March between the radical Shi'ite leader Moqtada al-Sadr and the three missi dominici representing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, also a Shi'ite, should have removed it. Because it was at Qom, the general headquarters of Iranian religious power, that the negotiations took place. According to a reliable source, it was member of the Iranian military (and not just any military man) who successfully brokered the ceasefire agreement: General Qassem Suleimani, head of the Pasdaran's al-Qods Brigades. Incidentally, at least two of the three special envoys dispatched by Mr. Maliki, Hadi al-Amari and Ali Adib, are dual Iraq-Iran nationals who lived for years in exile in Tehran. Mr. Adib is a member of the same political party as Mr. Maliki (Daawa) and Mr. Amari is the head of the formidable allied militia, the Badr Brigades, which dominates the new Iraqi Army's officer corps and which was created, financed and trained by Iran beginning in 1980.

During the week-long clashes which they approved and supported (killing 470 people and wounding thousands), the Americans constantly urged Tehran to "use its influence to stabilize the situation".

And it did. Although Washington and Tehran accuse each other of the worst misdeeds in Iraq, some political experts believe that the two powers at least agree on the necessity of preventing total chaos.

Occupied in the North by an offensive against Sunni rebels -members of al-Qaeda-, it appears that the Americans, who do not have a permanent military presence in Basrah, took Mr. Maliki at his word that his offensive would be a stroll in the park. As several Iraqi generals have said themselves, there was "surprise" at the combativeness of the Mahdi Army, the Sadrist militia, and its capacity to mobilize partisans in every big city of the Shi'ite south, including Baghdad.

Mr. Maliki did not achieve the aims that he had set out to accomplish. The "18 militias" counted by the French-Iraqi researcher Hosham Dawood are still running their lucrative smuggling operations in Basra.

No quarter of Basra under the domination of the Mahdi Army was wrested from their control. Hundreds of police and soldiers throughout the country refused to open fire on the militias and some joined them. For their first major operation under national command, and despite the 30,000 troops at their disposal, the new Iraqi Army and police trained by the Americans had to summon their Anglo-Saxon allies to the rescue as they advanced and then withdrew.

Theoretically valid until 8 April, the offer by Mr. Maliki to buy the heavy armaments used by the militias has had no takers.

Mr. Maliki, who incautiously declared that he would remain in Basrah "until victory is won" was forced to return to Baghdad with his credibility in worse shape than before the operation. The fact that he has qualified the operation as a success and has refused to ring down the curtain has not changed a thing. There will certainly be more inter-Shi'ite battles before the regional elections scheduled for October 1st. In the meantime, Mahmood Othman, a Kurdish MP who is close to the Iraqi President and very well-informed, observes: "Iran has demonstrated that it is Tehran and not Washington who controls events in Iraq. Iran hopes to weaken Maliki so that he has to accept its goals. In fact, Maliki was forced to scurry to Qom to negotiate."

President Bush, who had encouraged the initiative of his ally and declared that the operation was "an historic test for free Iraq", now has to kick himself.

Patrice Claude

"Our" Iraqi Army

2008-03-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

In Basrah fighting: "...the Iraqi army broke into shops, took food and water, then set fire to shops and cars on the street."

This is your $22 billion on rebuilding Iraqi security forces at work.

This Blog is Pro-Obama

2008-03-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

For a portrait of our favorite, please read Jonathan Raban in the current issue of the London Review of Books.

For a tragic sense of life is exactly what has marked Obama’s candidacy from the beginning. His powerful memoir, Dreams from My Father, written in his early thirties, is shot through with that sense: its gravely intelligent, death-haunted tone, beautifully controlled throughout the book, is that of an old voice, not a young one – and the voice of the book is of a piece with the plangent, melancholy baritone to be heard on the campaign trail.

...His routine stump speech is built on the premise that America has become estranged from its own essential character; a country unhinged from its constitution, feared and disliked across the globe, engaged in a dumb and unjust war, its tax system skewed to help the rich get richer and the poor grow poorer, its economy in ‘shambles’, its politics ‘broken’.

...He courts his listeners, not as legions of the blissful, but as legions of the alienated, adrift in a country no longer recognisable as their own, and challenges them to emulate slaves in their struggle for emancipation, impoverished European immigrants seeking a new life on a far continent, and soldiers of the ‘greatest generation’ who volunteered to fight Fascism and Nazism. The extravagance of these similes is jarring – especially when they’re spoken by a writer as subtle and careful as Obama is on the printed page – but they serve to make the double point that America is in a desperate predicament and that only a great wave of communitarian action can salvage it.

Passportgate - The Plumbers strike again

2008-03-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

Please, please, please let this be Bush's Watergate!

Via BBC:

"The US Department of State has fired two contractors and disciplined a third for accessing the passport file of presidential hopeful Barack Obama.A spokesman for the department, Sean McCormack, said the cases were likely caused by "imprudent curiosity". But he said it was not clear what the employees may have seen or what they were looking for."

Liar. Of course McCormack knows what the Plumbers were looking for and why they were doing it.

Day of the Dauphin

2008-03-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

John McCain will hold talks with Mr Olmert and Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak later on Wednesday, before flying to London for meetings with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Just who the hell does McCain think he is, the damn Dauphin?

Ides of March: Attacks on "Coalition" personnel

2008-03-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, March 15th, there were two bloody explosions in which US military and diplomatic personnel were killed.

The first was Vora, Albania, where an ammo dump blew up, killing up to 70 people. At the time 60 military personnel were inside the dump, including, it appears, several members of the US military or a contractors to NATO.

The second was the Luna Caprese Italian restaurant in downtown Islamabad. Reports in the Italian press say at least 1 American nurse and 2 Japanese journalists were killed and scores of people (most foreigners) lost limbs as a blast ripped through the garden dining terrace, creating a river of blood. Juan Cole reports today that FBI personnel were also on the restaurant's terrace.

Today in in the Province of Helmand, Afghanistan, a suicide bomber targeted a NATO convoy, killing 3 NATO soldiers and wounding 4.

Last, in Shi'ite Karbala, a female Sunni suicide bomber killed 42 Shi'a in Karbala as both Dick Cheney and John McCain visit Iraq. Meanwhile, Baghdad itself was rocked by a huge blast. (Haven't seen the details yet.)

Lhasa

2008-03-16T14:41:00.001-07:00

We were looking out over Lhasa and the entire city was on fire.

Coordinated Assault on Obama

2008-03-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

Coincidence or conspiracy? Three major international newspapers have slammed Obama's pastor, Milan's Corriere della Sera, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal all ran articles on Obama's handshaking-terms relationship with Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright. Sergio Romano, writing in the Corriere on March 10, was incensed at Wright's antisemitism. Today, March 14th, the US papers objected to Wright's perceived anti-Americanism. Romano went so far as to say that if Obama were the Democratic nominee, McCain would surely win!

The story was nowhere on the radar a week ago. I certainly appears to be the deployment of the "go nuclear" option in the Clinton arsenal.

Dead Archbishops

2008-03-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

One more corpse and it's Bush's fault. Yet he has no trouble sleeping.

[Via La Repubblica]

MOSUL - "Monsignor Rahho is dead. We found his body in the outskirts of Mosul. The kinappers had buried it". The news of the discovery of Monsignor Paulos Faraj Rahho's body was announced by the Auxiliary Bishop of Baghdad, Monsignor Shlemon Warduni, via Agenzia S.I.R. (Religious News Service). It was originally believed that the archbishop had died from natural causes (his health was poor), but in afternoon, L'Osservatore Romano confirmed that he had been murdered.

Monsignor Rahho was kidnapped on February 29th. Two security guards and Rahho chauffer were shot dead by the kidnappers. The fact that the kidnappers were said to demand a ransom had generated the hope that Rahho would be released.

The funeral for Monsignor Rahho will take place on Friday at the cemetery of his home town, the Christian village of Kremlesh.

Walter Hussein Veltroni Obama

2008-03-13T11:24:00.001-07:00

Walter Veltroni

Berlusconi fanboy and fascist Giuseppe Ciarrapico

Silvio Berlusconi has joined in the "Get Obama" race baiting melee by labeling the Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni (a leftist who hopes to become the next Italian PM), the "pale-faced clone of Barak Obama".

Fascists hate Obama. Good!

Pols 'n Putas

2008-03-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

Back in the forties during the war years, the yachts lined up along the Potomac in Washington were floating high-class brothels for rendezvous between politicians and prostitutes -but then they were known as "Victory Girls" earning a whopping $2,000 a month. A smarter Spitzer should have maintained the he needed his own Victory Girls for the War on Terror.

Lest we forget, here's a few names on Pols 'n Putas Honor Roll:

Judith Campbell Exner/JFK
Monica Lewinsky/Bill Clinton
Sherrie Rowlands/Dick Morris
Rasheeda Moore/Marion Barrie
Deborah Jeane Palfrey/Rolland Tobias and the 109th Congress
Fanne Fox/Wilbur Mills
Donna Rice/Gary Hart
Vicki Iseman/John McCain
Charlie Wilson/[too many to mention]

Sex is power/power seeks sex.

The only American to condemn US actions in Somalia

2008-03-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

Informed Comment includes a guest editorial today by William R. Polk, who is the first American I've heard who has even mentioned the cruel war fomented by the United States against Somalia for which blood-mouth Jendayi E. Frazer is the biggest cheerleader:

Somalia is a worse mess.If you remember the movie, "Black Hawk Down", the really bad guys were the warlords. The Somalis agreed. So when we got out, they threw out the warlords. The only replacements they could find were the religious leaders. The Muslim Fundamentalist are not our favorite people, but they were the only force that could stop the warlords’ extortion, rape and murder, and the Somalis supported them. Now we have encouraged and paid the Ethiopians to invade Somalia and drive them out. We also committed our special forces and our Navy in this attack. It worked – temporarily and at the cost of great human suffering – and has made the Somalis hate us. Worse, it has brought no political solution that anyone thinks can last. The war has not been won, merely worsened.

Spain Votes for the Return of the Caliphate

2008-03-09T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hat tip to Atrios

With 95% of the vote counted, Zapatero and the PSOE are returned to power by the Spanish people (via El Pais)

Party	Seats	Voting	Percentage
PSOE	169	10.555.784	43,74
PSOE	153	9.684.387	40,13

Operation "Hot Winter" a Failure

2008-03-07T20:51:00.000-08:00

“The IDF is powerless to end rocket attacks”

In a chat on 3 March, Le Monde's Jerusalem correspondent, Michel Bôle-Richard, looks at Israel's recent incursion into the Gaza Strip.

Q. Can one really talk about an Israeli failure? Hasn’t Hamas been weakened and is the real loser following Operation "Hot Winter”?

A. Hamas has not been defeated. What is the outcome of Operation "Hot Winter”? It killed between 110 and 120 Palestinians, but the official justification offered by Israel - to end Qassam and Katiushka rocket fire- was not achieved. The proof is that when Israeli troops departed in the early hours of Monday, Hamas launched a salvo of rockets in the direction of Israel to "celebrate its victory" and to prove that Operation "Hot Winter" was a failure.

As to a favorable outcome for Israel, when it uses warplanes and combat helicopters to hit the militants, obviously there is no balance between Israeli and Palestinian victims.

Q. Israel says it has wrapped up the first phase of the operation…What should we expect from the second phase?

A. There will be new operations, - if military operations can really end rocket fire in the direction of Israel. But the first operation perfectly demonstrated that Israeli forces were powerless to stop such rocket fire. I spent yesterday with Palestinian fighters. The Israeli forces were 400 meters away and right under their nose, 100 meters away, some Qassam rockets were fired.

The Israelis, positioned on a hilltop that dominates the Jabaliya camp, were unable to penetrate it. Jabaliya has twisting, narrow streets and the casualty rate for the IDF would have been very high, as it would have for the Palestinian population. To end rocket attacks, the Israelis would have to control the terrain for days on end, which is nearly impossible because Gaza has one of the densest concentrations of people in the world and a massive Israeli operation would have a tremendous cost.

Q. As the Israeli Army has been weakened over these last few years, can it even launch a ground assault?

A. The Israeli Army remains powerful. It is capable of launching a massive operation, as it did in Lebanon, even if it was a failure. If Israel tries the same thing in Gaza, it will also be a failure. We are now in the same situation as in July 2006: for 34 days during its war against Lebanon, the IDF was unable to stop the Katyusha rockets and now the same thing is happening in Gaza.

Q. What is Hamas’ capacity for harassment with these rocket attacks?

A. In the past the Qassam rockets, as they were homemade, caused little damage. There have been 12 Israeli victims of Qassam attacks since 2001. Today, Hamas has considerably better rockets and launch capabilities, to the point that their rockets reach the outskirts of Ashkelon. I was there this afternoon when a rocket landed on a building rooftop, causing impressive damage. Yesterday, a rocket landed near a house, pulverizing the interior; the children were uninjured because they had taken shelter.

This means that in the space of a few months, the nuisance and damage that Hamas can cause has considerably increased. They have far more sophisticated means.

Q. Do the Palestinian people support the rocket attacks?

A. The population of Gaza entirely supports these rocket attacks. They think it’s the right way to respond to Israeli incursions. As the Gazans say, when an Israeli is killed by a rocket, it makes big headlines around the world but it takes 50 Palestinian deaths to raise a little sympathy among international public opinion for what is happening in Gaza. Thus, the Gazawis believe that the rockets are the only way to respond to Israeli aggression.

Moreover, in the eyes of the Palestinians of Gaza, this type of operation is counterproductive for Israel and discredits Mahmood Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority.

Q. If Gaza’s Palestinians stop firing rockets, would the Israelis stop their incursions? Wouldn’t it be win-win for both of them?

A. The question is asked over and over again: Who started it? In this case, it started with an Israeli attack on Khan Younes in the southern Gaza Strip where 5 Hamas militants, apparently Qassam rocket builders, were killed. In response, Hamas launched a rocket salvo at Sderot and then things escalated. It’s the old question of the chicken and the egg: which came first? The Israelis believe that it is their right to carry out target assassinations, even if they provoke collateral damage. And the Palestinians say: We can't let ourselves be massacred like this; it's our duty to resist the occupier.

Q.Is there Israeli claim of legitimate defense as a justification for its military operations in Gaza unjustified? What would be the alternative?

A. That is a fundamental question. Israel has the right and the duty to defend its citizens against Qassam rockets. But what should it do? Enter Gaza to slaughter Palestinians? Does that constitute a solution? Does it solve the problem? So far, Israeli incursions into Gaza Strip haven’t stopped Qassam rocket attacks.

Since coming to power on 15 June 2007 in the Gaza Strip, Hamas has made an offer of truce to the Israelis. Israel has refused their offer because it does not wish to enter into dialog with Hamas, an Islamist movement that does not recognized Israel.

The Israelis fear that entering into entering into dialog with Hamas, whether directly or indirectly, would be see as a failure. Moreover, the Israelis believe that a truce would permit the Islamist movement to strengthen its military capacity.

Q. Do the rockets fired from Gaza openly target the Israeli civilian population? What about the Israeli raids?

A. Israeli raids are in fact targeted assassinations and the missiles are fired by drones, combat helicopters or F-16s at cars, buildings or people deemed terrorists by Israel. But this method produces lots of mistakes. According to the figures available to me, of the 110 to 120 Palestinians killed over the last few days, at least half were innocent civilians, including 20 children and a dozen women.

The Palestinians do not have the same access to technology as the Israelis. They use rockets with a range of 10 kilometers that mostly land in Gaza and once in a while in Sderot.

What is undeniable is for the last few months, the range of the Qassam and its propulsion system have improved, but they remain very unreliable devices.

Q. What is the meaning of the statement of the Israeli minister saying a Shoah would descend upon the Arabs of Palestine?

A. The Israeli Vice Minister for Defense stated that if the rockets continued to fall in Israel and if their range increased, a “shoah” would befall the Palestinian people. The term means catastrophe in Hebrew and nabka in Arab.

The word shoah is also a synonym for the Holocaust, while nabka is used to denote the eviction and exile of Arabs during the war that led to the partition of Palestine.

The Israeli Vice Minister recognized that the term was inappropriate because today shoah is understood everywhere as the Holocaust and not as catastrophe. To use the term, shoah, in the context of combatting people responsible for launching Qassam rockets in the Gaza Strip was manifestly inappropriate.

Q. How have the Israeli people reacted to the events of the last few days, especially the death of so many children?

A. The Israeli media have spoken of victims but they are really not concerned by what happened in Gaza. Most Israelis take Hamas for a terrorist regime and believe that the Palestinians deserve what they get. But interestingly last week in a survey published by Haaretz, 64% of Israelis believe that negotiations should be opened with Hamas.

Q. Is the United States applying any pressure to end these operations?

A. Obviously. On the eve of the retreat last Sunday, Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert both declared that the operation would continue and Barak even affirmed that there would be an escalation. Everyone expected that the 2,000 IDF troops deployed to the Gaza Strip would stay there several days. But in the morning they left.

Why? Because the White House believed that the violence had to end and that negotiations should restart. The same day, Mahmood Abbas decided to end contacts with the Israelis part of the peace process that began three months ago but have reached an impasse.

Thus US pressure was manifest. Moreover, Condoleeza Rice has begun a tour of the Middle East in an attempt to restart the peace process.

Q. Is an independent Palestinian State in 2008 still a possibility?

A. No, it is not. Ehud Olmert said so himself a few days ago while he was in Japan. It is undeniable that since the peace process was restarted by George W. Bush in Annapolis, the Israelis haven’t moved an inch with respect to lifting the checkpoints on the West Bank or liberating Palestinian prisoners.

On the three essential questions -the status of Jerusalem, the drawing of the frontiers of the Palestinian state and the right of return- nothing has been done. As to dismantling illegal settlements, the Israelis have so far done nothing.

The Hell They Don't

2008-03-05T20:01:00.000-08:00

Via L'Orient-Le Jour

A woman and a child were killed in Basrah in southern Iraq by British artillery responding to rocket fire. In London, the Defence Ministry claimed that "We do not target residential zones with artillery and we have strict rules on munitions". The Ministry then went on to say that the shells might have been "defective". [koff koff]

Meanwhile, Turkish artillery had a field day lobbing rounds at Bazger in the Sidikan District near Arbil, the Kurdish capital.

Bombing under occupation...and it will go on another hundred years, according to John McCain.

We should also mention that Professor Sattar Taher Sharif al-Tadrissi was murdered in Baghdad today while in Samarra six Anbar Awakening members will wounded in a suicide bombing.

Just another happy, joyous post-Surge day. Whee-hee!

Turks plan long-term stay in Northern Iraq

2008-02-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

They are calling it IraqWar II.

According to Turkish military figures cited in Le Monde, the Turks plan to completely control Iraq's northern frontier, thus creating a buffer zone. Turkish forces next plan an assault on Mt. Qandil. There are even suggestions that the Turks plan on "recapturing" Mosul and Kirkuk.

The Neocon Stranglehold on US Foreign Policy

2008-02-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

French political scientist Bertrand Badie says both Hillary and Obama are heavily influenced by Neocon thinking.

This interview appeared in Le Monde on February 12th: "Neoconservatism continues to structure the thinking of the candidates" The translation is not word-for-word (as I am pressed for time).

Q. Are there significant differences between John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton with respect to US relations to Russia and China? Once in the White House, would they harden their stance toward these two countries?

The differences among these candidates should not underestimated. But foreign policy suggested during Presidential campaign is subject to the influence of events and issues yet to emerge. Remember that during George W. Bush's first presidential campaign, foreign policy was barely mentioned and no one imagined that it would end up being the centerpiece of his policy agenda.

I would also like to say right off the bat that Neoconservatism has played such a tremendous role in structuring US foreign policy over the last 8 years that all the candidates, whether Republican or Democrat, define themselves against this policy... No clear overriding vision of an alternative has emerged.

As to Russia and China, ...because John McCain is close to George H.W. Bush in both age and conviction, he would likely implement the "realist" approach that he knew during the Cold War...Neither Hillary nor Obama have suggested a substantial change toward China or Russia. It can be seen that Washington's foreign policy is still hostage to a hegemonic, unipolar vision that no candidate suggests revising and we are unlikely to see new and original forms of international diplomacy.

What are the international stakes in the US presidential primaries?

Traditionally, foreign policy does not occupy a prominent place in campaigning except when an exceptional major international event occurs, for example, the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, or when the direct interests of US society are in the balance, as during the Vietnam conflict. Whatever the importance of the Iraq issue, it does not occupy a major place in the debate.

Given the difficulty that the Democratic candidates have in defining an alternative, foreign policy is underplayed during debates. Certainly, Barack Obama underscores his opposition to the war but Hillary Clinton has taken a strong position on the necessity of disengagement from Iraq and so there is a certain amount of consensus in the Democratic camp. But the Republicans have shown no sign of a competing vision.

What do the candidates think about the role of NATO in Afghanistan?

NATO is very likely to become a diplomatic challenge. First, because it's identity and future is uncertain and second, because the alliance is a credo of both Democratic candidates. A Democrat in the White House would regalvanize the alliances inherited from the Cold War -something like a return to the Truman Doctrine....

We could see a new partnership...and a reintegration of France into the NATO military apparatus. From Obama, we could even expect a sort of neo-Atlantism...On the other hand, John McCain would continue down the unilateral path and the ambiguities surrounding NATO would likely continue...

Yet all the candidates agree on the idea of "global NATO", which would enlarge its scope of intervention to anywhere in the world.

There is very little divergence between Obama and the current Republican administration concerning Afghanistan and Central Asia will remain for years to come a privileged place of NATO involvement....which is unsettling to everyone.

Will NATO invade Pakistan? Will it defend Taiwan against China?

Barack Obama surprised everyone by declaring during his campaign that military action against Pakistan could be necessary...the old interventionalist reflexes have not been abandoned and Afghanistan is at the center of Obama's concerns.

The risks are great. Of all the countries in the region, Pakistan is the most populous and tangled in networks of all sorts. Military action could be catastrophic, not to mention apocalyptic. Moreover, China is an outright ally of Pakistan. We are dealing with extreme danger on which we should focus.

As to Taiwan...US policy is one of attempting to cajole continental China...much uncertainty remains...

Have the recent elections in Pakistan changed anything?

Yes, certainly. Benazir Bhutto had adopted the idea of rapprochement with Washington and mobilization against the Taliban and extremist networks... If the PPP adopts this position, Islamabad's foreign policy would considerably change...

Pervez Musharref advocates that restraint and balance is a requirement for the survival of Pakistan. A close alliance with the United States, rapprochement with Karzai's Afghanistan could change the configuration of the Afghan conflict and spread it southward....

The US is pursuing a dangerous course that could radicalize certain elements...Pakistan is likely to be the baptism of fire for the new US President.

What about Cuba?

It's all about winning votes in South Florida. There is no divergence between the Democrats and the Republicans over Cuba...

[to be continued]

Don't let them tell you that Nasrallah doesn't count

2008-02-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

Nasrallah supporters throng in downtown Beirut to hear the Hezbollah leader speak on Friday. Via L'Orient-Le Jour

Turks invade Iraq

2008-02-22T07:50:00.000-08:00

10,000 Turkish troops crossed the border at Sirnak and are rounding up Kurds in Harkurk, Zap, Kandil, Rekan and Nerve. The Turks moved in with heavy artillery and have occupied the plain of Ganires.

Standard Operating Procedure

2008-02-16T12:39:00.001-08:00

Errorl Morris wins second prise at the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear awards for his documentary on Abu Ghraib, "Standard Operating Procedure". This is the first I've heard of the film. Yay for Errol.

The Return of Berlusconi

2008-02-09T21:27:00.000-08:00

Romano Prodi looks like a hum-drum type of guy, having little charisma and the gray patina of a technocrat. But he and his administration did some remarkable things for Italy and it's a shame to see it all pissed away. He should be thanked for putting talented people in key positions, especially the economy, led by Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa and Mario Draghi, increasing fiscal receipts, putting national accounts back in order and pulling out of Iraq. But that is to change.

Prior to Prodi's victory, Silvio Berlusconi had given Italy its worst Finance Minister in history (Giulio Tremonti), its worst Minister for Reform in history (Roberto Calderoli) and its worst Central Bank Governor in history (Antonio Fazio). These men were ignorant, incompetent and arrogant. And these fools will likely be back in April as Italy elects a new Parliament. The Italian Right is said to be at 53% in opinion polls. A real pity.

But who's the action figure?

2008-02-06T15:51:00.001-08:00

Condi and Gordon are either going out on the town...or they're going to put on their jumpsuits and defeat the Taliban single-handedly. But the action figure in the background seems to have some sort of message, like STOP RIGHT THERE.

Israel: Even rainwater a weapon

2008-02-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

A small news item but significant none the less:

ANI reports that two Lebanese villages on the frontier with Israel, Kfarkila and Adayssé, were able to thwart Israeli attempts to open the gates of overfull Israeli rainwater reservoirs and flood their fields of crops and roads. Thursday at around 3 in the afternoon, Israeli workers protected by troops attempted to over the gates. The villagers gathered en masse around the Israelis until Lebanese troops and members of the Spanish UNIFIL contingent arrived to defuse the situation.

Nein

2008-02-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung rejected any involvement of the Bundeswehr, the German Army, in southern Afghanistan, replying to a demand from his US counterpart, Robert Gates.

In a statement to the press, Mr. Jung (Conservative, CDU) confirmed that he received a letter containing the demand from US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, as reported by the daily newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung. « I believe that we are making a contribution, as foreseen by our mandate », said M. Jung, reminding reporters that the mandate passed by the Bundestag excluded a sustained commitment of the Bundeswehr in southern Afghanistan. «I think we should concentrate on our priority » in the North, insisted Jung.

Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that Mr. Gates' letter had an "uncustomary rude" tone in demanding a commitment from the Germans « of units with helicopters and combat troops, such as airborne units», in the South.

[Via L'Orient Le Jour]

The Psych-Out Primary

2008-01-29T17:21:00.000-08:00

I live in Florida. Today the state had a Democratic primary that doesn't count..unless you are Hillary Clinton. Barak Obama played by the rules, and lost!

In my opinion, the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries boil down to a display of boosterism. When a state the size of Florida goes to the polls, it's for real. But Howard Dean was furious that Florida Democrats decided to assert the weight of the state in the primaries and so he scotched our vote and made the Democrats running for President sign a pledge not to campaign here. We voters were to be shunned, except those giving money to Hillary Clinton, who just happened to be in the state to attend fundraisers (totally unrelated to the primary, of course) last weekend.

Then, this afternoon, before the polls had closed, the Clinton campaign organized a conference call (I really don't know precisely what this is, but back in 2004, Howard Dean would conference with supporters holding small, private fundraisers).

The Clinton campaign, in a conference call billed as “Why Florida Matters” just a short while ago, wants it known that it now believes Florida’s delegates should be seated at the convention.

Obama, you have been the victim of a psych-out. Hillary is now in Davie, north of Miami, at, get this, a victory rally!

p.s. I am happy to report that in my district, Obama trounced Hillary by getting 46% the vote compared to Hillary's 35%.
p.p.s. This is Baptist country...and they all voted for Romney. Now that says something about evangelicals actually liking Romney.

Postmortem. When living in Western NY, one of the nicest, smartest, dedicated, achieving Democrats with a sense of humor I ever met ran for municipal judge and was trounced by the machine, which supported someone who couldn't by any measure hold a candle to my candidate. In my heart of hearts, I know that Obama is the right man for the moment but he's up against the machine, which, while creaky in South Carolina, is probably well-oiled in California and New York. I suppose the lesson is a political campaign is a war, with no room for being right (integrity) or giving sincere, inspiring speeches. Winning is all that matters. And we are all the lesser for it.

Portrait of George Habash

2008-01-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

Photo via L'Orient Le-Jour

From Le Monde, 26 January 2008

George Habash, the founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) passed away on Saturday, January 26th, in Amman, Jordan where resided since 1992. He was 81 years old. George Habash resigned as Secretary General of the PFLP, a radical nationalist movement in July 2000 after having led the organization for more than thirty years.

A charismatic individual, he was always the most popular of the historical leaders of the Palestinian national liberation movement. His popularity cascaded across the entire movement despite its terrorist drift during the 1970’s. A Christian Palestinian physician trained at the American University in Beirut, he abandoned his profession to devote himself to a tireless struggle against the State of Israel and its Western supporters, notably marked by aircraft hijackings.

Suffering a cerebral hemorrhage in 1992, he was hospitalized in France, which caused a major scandal at the time.

Convinced of the necessity of pursuing the struggle to recover lost land until the bitter end, George Habash always personified the “front of refusal” within the Palestinian movement. All his political acts were characterized by rejection of compromise. From time to time, however, he did make concessions, but most of these were mere formalities. Embittered by the Arab defeat of June 1957, he became an advocate of Marxism, the “popular struggle” against Israel and revolution throughout the Arab world, attributing his former anti-communism to his bourgeois upbringing and his immersion in Anglo-Saxon culture.

George Habash was born in Lydda in 1926 to a family of Greek Orthodox Christian merchants. When he was 22 years old when the State of Israel was created. He watched as Lydda was emptied of its Arab residents, including members of his own family. Profoundly scarred by the event, he began to militate at the American University of Beirut, where he was a medical student. Participating in demonstrations in which several of his comrades were killed, he showed himself to be leader of men. But this did not prevent him from graduating first in his class in Medicine in 1951.

Together with other students, Hani al-Hindi (Syrian), Ahmed el-Khatib (Kuwaiti) and Wadih Haddad (Palestinian), he founded the Arab Nationalist Movement (AMN). The founding members of the movement dispersed to found branches in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait and Aden. Habash went to Amman. There he created a school for refugees and a “people’s dispensary” where he worked as a pediatrician until 1957. When martial law was proclaimed in Jordan in April 1957, he was forced underground. Several bombings were blamed on the ANM and Habash was sentenced in absentia to 30 years in prison.

The unification of Syria and Egypt in February 1958 provided him with refuge and he resided in Damascus for five years where he espoused Nasserism, as every good Arab nationalist of the time. But relations deteriorated between the Nasserites and the Baathists, who in the interim had taken power in Damascus, and Habash went Beirut. In December 1967, he began to devote himself entirely to the Palestinian cause. Returning to Damascus, he founded the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, formed from the merger of three groups: The Heros of the Return, Youth for Vengeance and Ahmed Jibril’s Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The PFLP will undergo a series of split-offs, the most significant of which were those led by Ahmed Jabril and Nayef Hawatmeh.

[To be continued...]

The daily blunder - another police massacre

2008-01-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

Soldiers serving in the international coalition led by the United States shot and killed nine Afgani police in central Afghanisan, including an officer and his wife. The Coalition, which had announced that it killed several "Taliban" during the night, said it would investigate the "allegations" of the locals. The people of Ghazni, 100 km south of Kabul, marched through the streets to protest the killings, shouting "Death to America!". [Via L'Orient-Le Jour]

Italy: The Blackshirts are Back

2008-01-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Prodi government has fallen and blackshirts (see picture at the top of this post) have taken to the streets in Rome. If this scares the pants off you, it should.

Prodi's misery is all the fault of a certain squirrelly character by the name of Clemente Mastella, a right wing Catholic with sympathies for fascist l'Allianza Nazionale party and a friend of The Mob.

Prodi's unwise decision to name him Justice Minister was the result of compromise. The majority governs with a razor thin margin, provided by Mastella's centrist party, the UDEUR, which had demanded the Defense portfolio but received Justice. Mastella's wife, who serves in local government in the south, was recently indicted on corruption charges and Mastella himself has been under investigation for corruption and abuse of power since October.

Mastella resigned a few days ago, setting off such a tumult that there was vote of confidence in the Prodi government. The vote passed in the lower house but failed in the Senate, where the UDEUR abandoned the government. One courageous UDEUR Senator, Nuccio Cusumano, ~~was mobbed and gagged when he attempted to vote to support the government~~ (middle photo). Sorry! The photo is of UDEUR Senator Tommaso Barbato, who was shouting obscenities at Cusumano. Barbato also attempted to assault Cusumano, who collapsed in the commotion and was carried out on a stretcher. The UDEUR does have _some_ integrity. It threw Barbato out of the party that evening.

The Berlusconi-led right is positively gleeful to the point that they popped champagne in the National Assembly.

Dark days ahead.

Don't think that a damned thing has changed in Afghanistan

2008-01-23T21:26:00.000-08:00

The Western effort there doesn't mean a thing:

An Afghan journalist held in prison for three months has been condemned to death by the First Court of Northern Afghanistan for "blasphemy". The family of Perwiz Kambakhsh, 23, received written notification of the death sentence handed down by the court in Balkh Province. The trial was held behind closed doors. Mr. Kambakhsh was arrested for handing out tracts "insulting Islam" at the University of Balkhh. [Via L'Orient-Le Jour]

Into the breach!

2008-01-23T10:52:00.001-08:00

The Palestinians of Gaza have had enough and, with a swarm of people and a bulldozer in the service of humanity for once, took down the whole damn wall near Rafah.

See the whole heartwarming photogallery here, at Corriere Della Sera

Robert Gates: Ignorance on display

2008-01-16T16:53:00.001-08:00

Another history-impaired Administration functionary has just embarrassed himself by lashing out at NATO: "They can't fight insurgent wars! They're locked in a Fulda Gap mindset."

Well, apart the glaring fact that the alliance is an anti-Russian treaty, no they can't, Robert, because they are not colonial powers anymore. As a matter of history, they had plenty of experience fighting insurgent wars in Vietnam, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaya and Algeria that killed hundreds of thousands, to mention only the biggest and bloodiest.

Gates has some gall to make such a statement in public, because I seem to remember scores of Spaniards, Italians, British, Dutch and Canadians dying for Uncle Sam in Afghanistan. When you have allies such as these, countries with leaders maintaining a military presence in Afghanistan despite domestic objection, some of who are even non grata in Washington (Zapatero), you keep your mouf' shut. I see that the Hague is hopping mad, and Holland has been one of the big cheerleaders for maintaining NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Perhaps rather than asking for higher body counts, Mr. Gates should consider what the hell he is trying to achieve in Afghanistan (besides revenge) in the first place.

Saudis Say "No" to Bush

2008-01-15T16:50:00.000-08:00

During the second day of his visit to Saudi Arabia, George Bush endured a series of reverses handed to him by Riyahd. The Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister, Saud al-Faisal, declared that the kingdom had "nothing against Iran; it an important neighboring state" and that it could do nothing more in relation to Israel to foster Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Meanwhile, in Cairo where Turkish President Abdullah Gül is meeting with Hosni Mubarek, both leaders warned against military action against Tehran.

[Via L'Orient-Le Jour]

Galileo gives the Pope the Boot

2008-01-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

There is the matter of 5-centuries old feud between the University of Rome - La Sapienza and the Vatican. Ever since the Pope burnt Giordano Bruno at the stake and made Galileo swallow his words. The Pope Ratzinger's announced visit to the university raised a ruckus...faculty and students banded together to protest the visit and the end,the Pope renounce the visit. Secular Humanism is alive and well, judging the comments at La Repubblica's web site:

Franco: Great news! The Vatican had to give it up. Maybe they've understood that their policies do not belong to our times. I'm proud of La Sapienza, its students and faculty. When will the rest of Italy understand that the Church is our ruin?

Federico: Very happy. What does religion have to do with science?

Alex: The Vatican disgusts me they way it arrogantly insinuates itself into our civil society.

Filipino Monkey

2008-01-14T19:31:00.000-08:00

Yes, The Navy Times reports that was ham radio operator "Filipino Monkey" whose mangled Farsi on Channel 16 caused the warmongers at CNN/Fox to cheer for a week.

They come on and say ‘Filipino Monkey’ in a strange voice. They might say it two or three times. You’re standing watch on bridge and you’re monitoring Channel 16 and all of a sudden it comes over the radio. It can happen anytime. It’s been a joke out there for years.”

Che Balle!

2008-01-13T13:14:00.001-08:00

Cristo, we have the lyingest head of state in the world. Bush today in the United Arab Emirates did what the Italians say is "sparare grosso" (tell a whopper): "Iran finances al-Qaeda". Well, at least Italian Foreign Minister D'Alema has come out and said something: "Bush is unnecessarily scaremongering". Thank you Signor D'Alema!

As Bush is whining about Iranian nuclear power plants while visiting the Arabian Gulf States, Nicholas Sarkozy will be in Saudi Arabia tomorrow. I find it quite extraordinary the both Presidents Sarkozy and Bush will be in the area concurrently. Sarkozy is to said to be selling French nuclear reactors to Abu Dhabi. Back in Paris, Tony Blair was guest of honor at the UMP's (Right-Sarkozy's party) party congress.

Presidents on Parade

2008-01-12T19:20:00.001-08:00

I really hate it when US Presidents are paraded in front of the Wailing Wall ->wearing a yarmulke. I think it's undignified on a state visit. Privately, who cares?

Springtime for Baathists...

2008-01-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

If only someone had predicted this headline in February 2003: "US President George W Bush has praised a new law in Iraq that will allow former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party to return to public life." [Via BBC]

Pakistan - A Coalition of Turpitude

2007-12-31T10:16:00.000-08:00

Pakistan, a multifaceted crisis
by Deputy Foreign Desk Editor Frédéric Bobin of Le Monde

2007 was supposed to be a landmark year. It was meant to be the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the country’s founding on the blood soaked ruins of the British Empire of India. Instead, it was an accusatory year, a year of terrible indictment, an unending progression of accumulating evidence of failure for a state conceived and hoped to be the refuge for Muslims from the former British Raj, tragically dismembered in December 1947. It was a sad commemoration against a backdrop of Islamic insurrection among the Pashtoon tribes, the separatist rebellion in Baluchistan, the maneuverings of a general-president determined to keep his grip on power and a state of emergency meant to suppress a movement toward freedom, as well as an unprecedented wave of suicide bombings of which Benazir Bhutto, the ambiguous muse of the divided democratic camp, is the most recent victim.

Fingering al-Qaeda and its planet-wide plots is insufficient to fully comprehend of the disaster that is Pakistan. This sinister year of 2007 is only the manifestation of a profound, multifaceted indigenous crisis fueled by the dangerous intrigues of the State, the armed forces and the ruling class to which West –with the United States at the forefront–, blinded by its calculations of short-term realpolitik, is accomplice.

Radical Islam in Pakistan did not drop out of the sky. It has been flourishing for decades in ideological terrain sown by the state itself. Is the drift fatal, is the trap unavoidable because the state has defined itself as Muslim since its founding? Yet founding fathers of Pakistan led by Ali Jinnah were relatively secular. But their inheritors lost no time in playing the Islamic card in the hope of preventing the erosion of their power. From moment Islam became the sole uniting factor in a country riven by ethnic rivalry – Punjabis, Sindis, Balochis and Muhajiri (refugees from India) – the country's leaders never hesitated in instrumentalizing it to boost their crumbling legitimacy.

Even the father of Benazir Bhutto, the “progressive” Zulficar Ali Bhutto, who led Pakistan in the 1970’s, went astray. He extolled “Islamic Socialism”, was enthusiastically engaged in the Organization of Islamic Conferences, ostracized the Ahmadis by declaring them apostates, and, in the end, proclaimed Shar’ia as the law of the land. His successor, the putschiste General Zia-ul-Haq, who had Bhutto hanged in 1979, continued on the same course. He made zakat –the Islamic tithe– mandatory and fostered the spectacular growth of madrassas, the schools that would later become the hotbeds of radical Islam. In the short-term, the authorities could justify the concessions made to Islam by the necessity of integrating the religious parties into the institutional framework in order to neutralize them. But over the long term opposite has taken place. Islamism, confirmed at the highest echelons of society, has won over minds and institutions. Yet it was in a geo-strategic context that the military coddled jihadist groups, sent as “cannon fodder” to Kashmire –an issue of contention with its rival, India– and to Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan theatre was the second source of derailment of Pakistani policy. Here again, you must go back to the partition of the British Indian Empire to understand the issue. In 1947, Afghanistan voted against the admission of Pakistan to the United Nations. This was the time in which the Afghani monarchy, furious that the new state was able to keep Pashtoon lands that the British had amputated, decided to fuel the irredentist aspirations of the proud and turbulent Pashtoon tribes.

For Pakistan, already confronted with the Indian threat to its flank, the hostility with Kabul constituted a nightmare scenario. It was absolutely essential to reduce Kabul and to install reliable actors. Pakistani leaders were ceaseless in their efforts to “Finlandize” Afghanistan to open that country up as a vital strategic redoubt in its conflict with India. For Islamabad, the masters of Kabul were to have two essential characteristics: they must be of Pashtoon origin (a Pashtoon in control of the Afghani capital was viewed as a guarantee against frontier irredentism) and must support pan-Islamism (conceived as an antidote to Pashtoon ethnic nationalism). Even Benazir Bhutto, who fell victim to radical Islam, went along with this game. It was during her second government (1993-1996) that the Afghani Taliban movement emerged, fostered by her Interior Minister, Nasirullah Babar.

A third factor stoking the current chaos unquestionably resides in the irresponsibility of Pakistani ruling class. The new state very quickly came to be dominated by the Muhajir (refugees from India). Afterwards, power was won by the Punjabis, who controlled the military-bureaucratic apparatus. It should be recalled that it was the refusal of the Punjabi ruling class to respect the rules of electoral democracy that forced the Bengalis of Eastern Pakistan into a corner and set off the war of independence that gave birth to the state of Bangladesh in 1971. The arrival of the Bhutto dynasty to power – first father Zulficar Ali Bhutto then daughter Benazir – confirmed the entry upon the scene of the Sindis, who, it was thought, would turn things around. But despite their populist rhetoric, they behaved like feudal barons.

During her two terms of office as Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto was involved in shameless corruption benefiting her clan. The celebrated icon of her supporters, she ruled her own party, the Pakistani People’s Party, with an iron fist and was consecrated as chairman for life. The weakness of any liberal political tradition in Pakistan provides fertile soil to radical Islam and contributes to the grip on power by selfish elites.

There is a last key element of the crisis: the complicity of the West, especially the United States. Instead of promoting a free civil society, as they should have, Western democracies never failed to support military regimes when they believed that Pakistan was on the front lines: first under Zia ul-Haq during the anti-Soviet campaign in Afghanistan during the 1980’s, then under General Pervez Musharraf in the name of the fight against al-Qaeda. It was they who assisted in building the coalition of turpitude that has plunged today's Pakistan into chaos.

Anniversary of Saddam's Execution

2007-12-30T19:20:00.001-08:00

Saddam is dead, the people rejoice! I'm sure this is what Fox News is reporting. However, the reality is that Saddam's tomb in Aouja has become a Sunni place of veneration as this photo from L'Orient-Le Jour shows...children and tribal leaders recite verses from the Koran.

In the Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiyah in Baghdad, portraits of Saddam were plastered on every residence and shop.

However, there was a celebration, as one might expect, in Shi'a-controlled Najaf.

IDF sends Christmas greetings from the West Bank

2007-12-25T11:47:00.000-08:00

An Ill Anatolian Wind

2007-12-24T07:46:00.000-08:00

First, an obituary (Via Au Fil du Bosphore):

Fuat Deniz, a Swedish national and a sociologist of Syriac origin, was stabbed to death in his offices at the University of Örebro in Sweden. Mr. Deniz research fellow examining the Assyro-Chaldean massacres of 1915.

Turkish pianist Fazıl Say told Süddeutsche Zeintung: "The Islamists have won. They now represent 70% of Turks and the secularists 30%. I'm thinking of moving elsewhere."

Hamas

2007-12-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

That organization which the press would have us believe is so unpopular! This the the weekend rally in Gaza. [Via L'Orient-Le Jour]

Annapolis followup to be held on the 4th of Never

2007-12-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

Via L'Orient-Le Jour:

Russia does not intend to set a date for the follow-up conference unless it is assured that the understandings established at Annapolis are implemented, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. At the conclusion of the Annapolis Conference, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner affirmed that Russia had proposed to hold the meeting, which would address the Israel-Syria peace process, in early 2008 in Moscow. The first Israeli-Palestinian talks following Annapolis on Wednesday, "ended badly", said Mr. Lavrov. During the 2-hour meeting, the Palestinians has asked the Israelis to end colonization of the West Bank.

Mobilizing the Office Workers of Ethiopia

2007-12-15T07:09:00.001-08:00

Via the NYT

NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ethiopian government, one of America’s top allies in Africa, is forcing untrained civilians — including doctors, teachers, office clerks and employees of development programs financed by the World Bank and United Nations — to fight rebels in the desolate Ogaden region, according to Western officials, refugees and Ethiopian administrators who recently defected to avoid being conscripted...The rebels said the civilians were easy targets: “They don’t know the bush,” said Daous, a commander for the Ogaden National Liberation Front.

Mobilizing the Sunni Tribes of Iraq

2007-12-13T20:29:00.000-08:00

Article by AFP's Hervé BAR

The new US strategy in Iraq to co-opt former rebels mobilized by traditional tribal chiefs to combat the insurgents grants the tribes a central role but their influence over the long term may jeopardize the stability of the country.

It is a risky wager, explains Father Nabil Mohammad Younes, who teaches Political Science at the University of Baghdad. Since the overthrow of the regime of Saddam Hussein in April 2003, the US military has been attempting to cooperate with the tribes, inspired by the example of the Ottoman and British empires.

In the October 2007 issue of Military Review, a US Army forum for intellectual inquiry, Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Eisenstadt deplored, deplores the unrealistic expectations due to a lack of knowledge of local and tribal history and politics.

Omnipresent throughout the Ottoman Empire, and progressively marginalized by the British occupation, Iraqi tribes inevitably lost their power with the independence and modernization of the country.

Relegated to the background under the monarchy, then by the Baa'th Party, the began to recover some influence at the end of the 1980's when Saddam Hussein, who considered them untrustworthy, attempted to buy the allegiance of some of them.

Beginning with their arrival in Iraq, American military officers, knowing nothing of the complex world of tribes, made missteps and errors. They also overestimated the power of sheikhs in the rebel city of Fallujah, when, in the midst of fighting Sunni insurgents, they insisted that the sheikhs end the violence. Moreover, US command collaborated in certain regions with sheikhs who had been appointed by the former regime and who had no credibility with their tribes. But at the same time, "they have generally proven useful as sources of information and advice and as vectors of influence among their tribesmen."

At the beginning of 2007, the mobilization of thousands of tribesmen, for the most part former insurgents, in Sunni Anbar Province (Western Iraq) to fight al-Qaeda gave a breath of fresh air to this strategy, according to a recent report by a Congressional think tank....The same approach is being tried in southern Iraq among the Shi'a to combat the Mahdi Army.

But the recourse to the tribes, distrustful of the central government, jealous of their independence and whose loyalty goes to the highest bidder is risky, experts warn. For Father Younes, the tribal policies of the US are grounded in the principal of divide and conquer and promote the fragmentation of the country by multiplying local powers to the detriment of a strong central government. "If the occupation continues, sooner or later the tribal militias will turn on the occupiers", warns Father Younes.

Strengthening the militias also risks undermining institutions and civil society, says Col. David Kilcullen, an Australian and one of the developers of his country's tribal policies under the Coalition, in his blog, Small Wars Journal. Indeed, the prestigious American publication, Foreign Policy Journal, warned in September, "the rescuers of today can very easily become the enemies of tomorrow."