Palestine
Israel destroys West Bank village
Israeli military forces with bolldozers demolished the “unrecognized” Palestinian village of Dkaika in the Jordan Valley, leaving some 60 residents homeless.
Greater Middle East
Angry protests spread in Jordan
Thousands took to the streets across Jordan in “a day of rage” to protest escalating food prices and unemployment—the same day that Tunisia’s president was toppled by protesters.
Palestine
Bedouin protests rock Jordan, Israel
Recent weeks have seen a spate of angry protests by Bedouin in both Jordan and Israel. Thousands battled security forces in the Jordanian city of Maan after two tribesmen were killed.
Palestine
Israel: activist Yonatan Pollack begins prison term for illegal bicycling
Israeli activist Yonatan Pollack began serving a prison term for riding his bicycle during a Tel Aviv protest against Operation Cast Lead two years ago, causing traffic jams.
Palestine
“Massive presence” of Israeli warplanes over Gaza
As the Israeli military again bombed three sites in Gaza, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned that Hamas would “make a terrible mistake to test our will to defend our people.”
Palestine
West Bank: Israeli court grants settler license to steal Palestinian land
An Israeli court ruling overturned an Israeli Defense Forces decision to allow a Palestinian farmer to work a contested field near the West Bank settlement of Shiloh.
Planet Watch
The Genocide Convention at 60: a record of failure —and double standards
Jan. 12 marks the 60th anniversary of the UN Genocide Convention—which has demonstrably failed to stop numerous genocides, including some directly backed by the United States.
Africa
Ivory Coast tipping into civil war?
With forces loyal to ex-president Laurent Gbagbo fighting with rivals and UN troops in Abidjan, Ivory Coast is divided into hostile camps and Nigeria is threatening military intervention.
North America
“Conservatives” deny “personal responsibility” in Tucson massacre
The right-wing chattering and blogging classes are squealing with unanimous denial that Jared Loughner was influenced by their recent effluence of militaristic thunder.
Africa
Sudan: border clashes as South votes on independence
As South Sudan voted in its independence referendum, clashes between Dinka tribesmen and Arab militias left more than 60 dead in the disputed Abyei border enclave.
Europe
Belarus: pressure grows for release of detained dissidents
Belarussian dissidents are calling for sanctions against the regime, with 200 of the protesters arrested last month still being held—some 30 in special KGB political prisons.
East Asia
Pentagon prompts “trilateral cooperation” with Japan, South Korea
The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan met in Seoul to pledge unprecedented military relations after Pentagon calls for “trilateral cooperation” against the DPRK.