Daily News Digest (by Duane Shank)
the latest news on President to Mideast, New Hampshire primary, Republicans, Democrats, Kenya, Pakistan, Capital punishment, Bankruptcies, Globalization, and selected Op-Eds.
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President to Mideast. Bush heads to Mideast amid low expectations "President Bush, who once had grand ambitions to transform the Middle East through democratic reform, begins his first extended presidential visit to the region Tuesday with his sights lowered and his ability to influence events fading fast." As Bush Heads to Mideast, Renewed Questions on Iran "President Bush intends to use his first extended tour of the Middle East to rally support for international pressure against Iran, even as a recent U.S. intelligence report playing down Tehran's nuclear ambitions has left Israeli and Arab leaders rethinking their own approach toward Iran." Jerusalem readies for 1st visit by US president in a decade "With hundreds of hotel rooms booked and municipal crews unfolding red, white and blue flags, Jerusalem is getting ready for its highest-profile visitor in years: President Bush." Over 10,000 police will guard Bush during Israel visit "Israeli officials in Jerusalem are to deploy more than 10,000 police officers in a vast security operation ahead of the arrival this week of George Bush" Al-Qaeda's American: Bomb Bush "Al Qaeda's American spokesman urged fighters to meet President Bush with bombs when he visits the Middle East, according to a new video posted on the Internet Sunday."
New Hampshireprimary. Clinton, Romney on Offensive As Pivotal Contest Draws Near "With just two days to go until the New Hampshire primary, contenders in both parties blanketed the state with campaign events."
Republicans. As Primary Day Looms, Republican Rivals Go After One Another "After being pounded at the Republican debate on Saturday, Mitt Romney struck back hard on Sunday against Senator John McCain of Arizona and Mike Huckabee on multiple fronts," Romney, foes, tussle over taxes "Mitt Romney sought to seize back the initiative in his presidential campaign yesterday, using a final Republican debate and a meeting with voters here to hammer at rivals John McCain and Mike Huckabee." McCain, Romney clash at Republican debate "Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain of Arizona, engaged in a bitter fight to win Tuesday's New Hampshire Republican primary, lashed out at each other in unusually personal terms Saturday over immigration,"
Democrats. Not So Fast, Clinton Says About Obama Momentum "Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Sunday sought to slow the momentum of Senator Barack Obama heading into the New Hampshire primary by pointedly challenging his voting record and the assertion that he is the only candidate who would bring about change." Clinton sharpens aim at two rivals "Facing what many analysts believe is a must-win New Hampshire primary tomorrow, Senator Hillary Clinton has stepped up her assaults against her Democratic rivals." Dems talk tougher in realigned race "The top contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination came face to face Saturday night for the first time since Barack Obama emerged as the leading candidate, and the result was a public viewing of the conflict raging between him and Sen. Hillary Clinton."
Kenya. Kenya opposition cancels protests "Kenya's opposition leader has called off nationwide rallies planned for Tuesday, following disputed elections. Raila Odinga said he hoped international mediation could solve the crisis." In Kenya, a key role for foreign observers "International observers have been criticized for doing too little - and too much - in the wake of Kenya's flawed Dec. 27 vote, which touched off a wave of ethnic killings." Violence stalks the alleys of Nairobi "In Nairobi's slum district of Kibera, people prayed for peace Sunday under the charred cross and blackened walls of the burned Lutheran church. But in the narrow alleys just 100 yards away, the thugs with machetes still rule." Kenya Kikuyus, Long Dominant, Are Now Routed"Over the past few days, tens of thousands of Kikuyus, the tribe of Kenya's president, have packed into heavily guarded buses to flee the western part of the country because of ethnic violence."
Pakistan. In Musharraf's Shadow, a New Hope for Pakistan Rises"Over the last several months, a little-known, enigmatic Pakistani general has quietly raised hopes among American officials that he could emerge as a new force for stability in Pakistan," U.S. Officials Review Approach in Pakistan "The political upheaval in Pakistan and emergence there of a new military leader has revitalized the Bush administration's long struggle to develop a coherent strategy for uprooting al-Qaeda from Pakistan's western tribal areas," U.S. Considers New Covert Push Within Pakistan President Bush's senior national security advisers are debating whether to expand the authority of the Central Intelligence Agency and the military to conduct far more aggressive covert operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan."
Capital punishment.Supreme Court to weigh whether lethal injection is cruel"Ralph Baze has been convicted of killing two law enforcement officers in cold blood and sentenced to death. The U.S. Supreme Court now must ensure that Kentucky executes him in a constitutionally humane way." Supreme Court takes up lethal injection battle "The legal battle over lethal injection, which comes before the U.S. Supreme Court today, has been conducted in unusual secrecy, with courts permitting states across the country to keep from lawyers and the public precisely how death row inmates are executed." Justices to rule whether lethal injection humane " On Monday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case of two Kentucky prisoners who contend that the three-chemical mix used for most executions constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment."
Bankruptcies. As bankruptcies surge, Congress ponders change in law "In 2005, Congress passed a new law aimed at making it harder for people to file for bankruptcy. With the tougher requirements, the number of bankruptcies declined in 2006 but surged in 2007. And experts predict the numbers will go higher this year."
Globalization. Mexico's shoemakers feel squeeze of globalization "The heart of Mexico's shoe industry is closing ranks because a deal expired last month that permitted tariffs to protect it from cheaper Chinese shoes. Mexican officials said they now must open the market or face sanctions by the World Trade Organization."
Op-Eds.
The gospel of money (Mark I. Pinsky, USA Today) "The love of money," the New Testament teaches in I Timothy 6:10, "is the root of all evil." But what about some televangelists' fondness for major bling - such as multiple, multimillion dollar estates, luxury cars, vacation homes, exotic trips and private jets? Does that make them, in the words of one author, "pimps in the pulpit?"
Confidence in America (Madeleine K. Albright, Washington Post)" I believe the most precious gift the next president could bestow upon America is an end to the politics of fear."
Into Africa Without a Map (David Ignatius, Washington Post) "Last week's tribal violence in Kenya reminds us of the severe social and political problems facing Africa. But is greater involvement by the U.S. military the answer to these African challenges?"
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"One state, two states is not the issue. The issue has been and is the Occupation! All we Palestinians want is an end to the Occupation! We recognize and accept Israel and they should recognize and accept Palestinians and give us the minimum which is our human rights."-Husam Jubran
On January 3, 2008, I received the following email from the Little Town of Bethlehem in Occupied Territory:
I want to share with you some good news. On Dec. 31 at 3:00 pm Jerusalem time my wife gave birth to our second daughter…Both of them are doing good. Up to this very moment I am not able to see either of them because of the Israeli policies of preventing Palestinians from entering Jerusalem. It seems I am too dangerous and being with my wife represents a security threat to the state of Israel.
peace and love
HUSAM N. JUBRAN
TRAINER & GROUP FACILITATOR.
POLITICAL & RELIGIOUS TOUR GUIDE
Mobile: ++ 972 (0)599 674996 - ++ 972 (0)547 550710
I connected with Husam in 2005 through Palestine Children's Welfare Fund, a non-political, non-religious enterprise whose aspirations are purely humanitarian. Husam travels through the West bank collecting embroidery, olive wood crafts, Mother of Pearl jewelry, soap, honey, olive oil and more made by the poor that are then disseminated to a growing global community of volunteers who sell the wares at churches, temples, mosques and anywhere possible with hope and faith to help improve the living standards of the children of Palestine and the poor and voiceless.
I spoke on the phone with Husam on January 6, 2008, and he told me, "All the profits made go to support the poor. PCWF adopts needy families, provides medicines, sponsors university students, plants citrus and olive trees, builds water collection and irrigation systems in the West Bank, and the goods we sell show the world what Palestinians are capable of.
Husam does much more, but like most Palestinians I have met; it was like pulling teeth to get him to blow his own horn. Not until the end of our half hour conversation did he tell me that, "I also work with Al-Rowwad Center in Aida camp. I focus on teaching theater of the oppressed."
The Al-Rowwad Center is an Independent Center for artistic, cultural, and theatre training for children in Aida Camp which provides a safe and healthy environment to the oppressed children by cultivating their creativity and discharging the stress caused by the Israeli Military Occupation supported by the USA government and USA tax dollars that contribute to the war conditions the children and voicless are forced to live in.
I asked Husam about his childhood background and he told me, "During the first Intifada [Arabic for rising up] I was 17 ½, and spend 1988 and 1989 in jail for throwing stones at tanks and soldiers who were 100 meters from me. They retaliated with gas and bullets and many of my friends were arrested too. I am on the Israeli 'black list' because I organized people to withhold taxes, painted graffiti against the occupation and raised the Palestinian flag.
"I am now a freelance nonviolent trainer and obtained my Masters Degree in Conflict Transformation and Peace Building at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisburg, Virginia in 2004. I travel all through the West Bank teaching in refugee camps, villages and Palestinian Security forces-police and intelligence how to nonviolently resolve conflicts.
"My first daughter was born in America in 2003 and we have applied to the court ever since to obtain her papers and documents, but still no answer. She entered Bethlehem on a tourist visa and if she were ever to leave, she would not be allowed back in, so when I went to Chicago last summer to be a facilitator with Hands of Peace, which brings together Americans, Israelis and Palestinian kids, my family couldn't go with me.
"My wife is a Jerusalemite and although she could have delivered our baby in Bethlehem and I could have been with her, she had to go to Jerusalem to deliver our baby so that she would retain her rights and our second daughter would have some.
"My first daughter is in no man's land even though she is legally an American citizen, she cannot leave Bethlehem, and she hasn't got permission yet from Israel. It was crucial our second daughter be born in Jerusalem so she could be registered on my wife's ID and receive Jerusalem papers which enable her to receive health care and education."
On July 31, 2003, the Knesset enacted the Nationality and Entry into Israel Law. This law prohibits the granting of any residency or citizenship status to Palestinians from the 1967 Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) who are married to Israeli citizens. The Law affects thousands of families comprised of tens of thousands of individuals. On March 21, 2007, the Knesset passed a new law which maintains the ban on family unification where one spouse is a Palestinian from the OPT and added a more stringent denial of family unification where one spouse is a resident or citizen of Lebanon, Syria, Iran or Iraq – states all defined by Israeli law as “enemy states” – and/or is an individual defined by the Israeli security forces as residing in an area where activity is occurring.
On August 14, 2003, "The UN…issued a decision…enjoining Israel to revoke the “Family unification law” considering its discriminatory nature, in violation of basic provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination ratified by Israel. As a matter of fact, the purpose of the new law is to prohibit Palestinians from the Occupied Territories from obtaining citizenship, permanent residency, and/or temporary residency status in Israel by marriage to an Israeli citizen(“family unification”). It will also discriminate the Arab minorities citizens of Israel, who want to marry Palestinians from the Occupied Territories. Thousands of families will be affected, forcing them to separate or to leave the country, if the law remains in force...the decision follows the recent decision of UN Human Rights Committee of 6 August 2003, which also states that Israel “should revoke the Nationality and Entry into Israel law...and should reconsider its policy with a view to facilitating family reunification of all citizens and permanent residents”. http://www.fidh.org/article.php3?id_article=360
Husam continued, "I don’t care for myself, I am content with my Palestinian ID and being in Bethlehem, but it was most important that our second daughter get her Jerusalem ID although I was refused a permit."
I asked Husam what was his take on President Bush's upcoming trip to Israel Palestine and he responded, "We welcome him here but the message is clear that until the core issue of the Occupation is addressed and the Occupation ends, nothing will be achieved. The conflict will erupt again if this is just a political process and photo-op and not a true peace process.
"One state, two states is not the issue. The issue has been and is the Occupation! All we Palestinians want is an end to the Occupation! We recognize and accept Israel and they should recognize and accept Palestinians and give us the minimum which is our human rights.
"Hamas has made mistakes and that is why they have lost popularity, not because Fatah is doing better. 2008 is a crucial year and if Fatah makes good things happen, Hamas will continue to loose popularity. But, if Fatah doesn't deliver we will see an increase in militant extremism. If no progress is made in 2008, the choice will lead to more militant extremism. A real change is what we need to see, and seven billion American dollars won't change anything until the Occupation ends.
"I persist because of my daughters. When they grow up they will ask me, 'What did you do for us?'
"I want to tell them I did my best to create a different future for them. I sustain and am encouraged by the kids and women who touch my heart when I teach nonviolent resistance and conflict management. They give me courage, stamina and determination to do something to end the Occupation."
LEARN MORE and DO SOMETHING:
http://www.pcwf.org/
RISE UP and help set the agenda for President Bush's Agenda to Palestine/Israel:
SEND YOUR PERSONAL MESSAGE or the one provided @ this link to President Bush to DO SOMETHING @
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/641/t/2439/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=22125
"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS: THEY ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD"-Jesus Christ
Eileen Fleming, Reporter and Editor WAWA
http://www.wearewideawake.org/
Author "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory"
Producer "30 Minutes With Vanunu"
PS-Vanunu's freedom of speech appeal begins January 8, 2008
this civilian journalist is following that story for you.
Posted by: eileen fleming | January 7, 2008 4:23 PM
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