NEWS: News Updates.

Benny Morris, from new historian to anti-Palestinian November 11th, 2012 Benny Morris was a 'new historian' who rejected the Zionist foundation narrative with his account of the forced expulsion of Palestinians. Since then, he has re-positioned himself within the camp which sees all Palestinians as being, like the Israeli right, determined to take over the whole land. Interviews LA Times, YUP.

Petition against Veolia sponsorship of ‘natural life’ exhibition November 11th, 2012  Britains's Natural History Museum attracts many visitors and influences many minds about wildlife and its vital environment with its annual exhibition of wildlife photography. Since 2009 it has been sponsored by Veolia, notorious for dumping waste in the West Bank, which is ironic, and running apartheid transport systems, which is not. Sign the petition to the Natural History Museum to stop taking money from a company which violates the natural history of Palestinians.

EU members condemn Israel for new settlement building November 9th, 2012  The announcement by Israel's Housing Ministry of tenders for new settler homes in East Jerusalem was quickly condemned by Lady Ashton, the UK, France and Germany. The EU, like the USA, is committed to negotiations for 2 states which settlement building makes impossible.

Interpreting the Balfour declaration November 9th, 2012   A 95th anniversary is not usually the occasion for significant commemoration but such is the pressure to untangle the strands of the Israel/Palestine conflict that much activity about the 1917 Balfour declaration has already begun. Here, news that PRC petition gets only 156 votes, letters, report of Balfour Project conference

Majority of Jews, Arabs, Muslims vote Obama November 8th, 2012  Exit and pre-election polls show that the majority of Jewish, Arab and Muslim voters voted for Obama in the US Presidential election; polls also showed that economic and social issues were the determining factor for all groups, not Israel/Palestine. Jews make up about 2% of the electorate, Muslims 1%.

Chopping Palestine into useless little bits November 7th, 2012  Israel presents the Separation Wall as a clear line that holds back a horde of terrorists from destroying Israel. In fact, says B'Tselem, the Wall serves to incorporate settlements into Israel, to separate Palestinians from farms and towns, and to provide checkpoints through which Palestinians must pass to reach land or work.

If Israel wants people to think well of it, talk peace not ‘delegitimisation’ November 7th, 2012  A diplomat previously responsible for countering BDS arguments, has written a private report for his Foreign Ministry department advising them that their propaganda about 'delegitimisation' is counter-productive. Only serious statehood talks with Palestinians will restore Israel's reputation. Or Israel should acknowledge its power and stop playing the victim.

Settlers put the heat on Palestinian charcoal makers November 7th, 2012   Palestinians have been making charcoal since at least the 19th century. The separation wall forced them westwards so the trade does not get choked by permits and checkpoints. Now nearby settlers have taken them to court, backed by Regavim, to close down the polluting industry. The case is at the High Court.

Now Turkish PM renews plan to visit Gaza as unifier November 6th, 2012  Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, head of the conservative Justice and Development party, has said he will shortly visit Gaza. This will be the first visit by a head of government of a NATO member. Despite reports of an angry reaction from Fatah, Erdogan says he will invite Pres. Abbas to go with him to Gaza. 3 reports

‘By payments they do whatever they want, as if they have a small government of their own in the country’ November 6th, 2012  Research in the Istanbul Archive has found petitions on all matters sent to the Ottoman rulers of Palestine. Amongst much else they reveal the profound difference towards property between the European Jews, for whom it could be bought and sold, and the Arab villagers, for whom right to land usage was customary.

I, Palestinian Druze, refuse your army and all violence November 5th, 2012  Omar Saad, a young viola player from al-Mughar in Galilee has been summoned to enlist in the IDF. He is Druze, a religion of Islamic origin which took in aspects of Judaism, and other monotheistic beliefs. Druze have been subject to military call-up since 1956. He has refused. He opposes conscription saying ' I am a man of peace and I hate all forms of violence'.

Women against the patriarchs: from victims to frontierwomen November 5th, 2012  The assertion of control over Jewish holy sites by the Ultra-Orthodox has many challengers. Women of the Wall are amongst the most active in claiming their own right to perform Jewish rituals at the Western Wall. As the haredim 'schmooze' with the police, the women are frequently arrested, though not charged. Anat Hofman tells +972 her story.

Power for Palestinians – by voting or boycotting election? November 5th, 2012  Palestinians make up about a fifth of Israeli citizens but while their proportion has grown their participation in elections has fallen. Some argue they should use their vote to make themselves heard; others that “You don’t use the tool of the occupier to become free and have your rights.” JK D'Amours reports. Picture caption, Balad party MK Hanin Zoabi.

Abbas calls into question a universal Palestinian wish to return November 5th, 2012  On Friday Pres. Abbas told Israeli TV he would not personally exercise a right of return to his home village of Safed; the next 24 hours were engulfed in noise: he had abandoned refugees and sacred positions, this was the usual specious Palestinian speech. On Saturday he told an Egyptian channel this was his personal position, the PLO's had not changed..

Biberman: Frankenstein’s monster? November 5th, 2012  Netanyahu and Lieberman have cobbled together a new creature designed, like Frankenstein's monster, to be super-big and strong but intended to pass as normally human. So far everyone who has looked upon it has drawn back aghast. Uri Avnery and Anshell Pfeffer give their reactions.