Palestine

Captain of Gaza flotilla ship arrested in Athens

The captain of The Audacity of Hope, a US boat carrying activists seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza has been jailed in Athens. John Klusmer is being charged with two felonies, including “disturbing sea traffic”

Palestine

Greece halts Gaza flotilla, seizes lead ship

The Audacity of Hope, US-registered lead ship in the Gaza aid flotilla, was stopped by the Greek Coast Guard just some 20 minutes outside the port of Perama. Athens says all ships bound for Gaza will be prohibited from leaving Greek ports.

Palestine

Israeli court ruling violates Muslim freedom of worship

An Israeli human rights group is appealing a court decision upholding the policy that allows Christians —but not Muslims—to exit the besieged Gaza Strip for worship at Jerusalem’s holy sites.

Palestine

Israel sabotages aid flotilla ship in Greece?

Activists preparing the new aid flotilla to the Gaza Strip charge that Israel sabotaged one of their boats at the Greek port of Piraeus—and denied Israeli reports that they intend to kill soldiers, using chemical weapons.

Palestine

Israeli settlers, soliders raid West Bank villages

Dozens of armed Israeli settlers attacked residents of Qusra village in the northern West Bank, as Israeli troops broke up a an anti-settlement rally in Iraq Burin and conducted raids across the West Bank.

Palestine

West Bank mosque torched in “price tag” attack

The mosque in the village of Maghayer near Ramallah suffered damage and threatening graffiti in a pre-dawn vandal and arson attack—with scrawled slogans calling it a “price tag” by Israeli settlers.

Palestine

Negev Bedouin pledge to resist eviction for new Jewish town

The Abu Alkiyan Bedouin clan pledge to resist their forcible relocation to make way for a new Jewish town outside Beersheba. Israel says the clan is illegally squatting state lands—although it was transferred there in 1956 by military order.

Palestine

Judaization of geography in Jerusalem

A new bill in the Knesset would change Jerusalem neighborhoods with Arabic names to Hebrew ones—while Mayor Nir Barakat said the municipality would continue to build Jewish-only housing regardless of “political issues.”