15 sept 2014
The 43 signatories said the data collected by the elite 8200 intelligence unit "was an integral part of Israel's military occupation" of the Gaza Strip and West Bank
Veterans of the elite Israeli intelligence unit "8200" rallied to its own defense, Sunday, following a recent public denunciation by 43 of their former fellow teammates.
According to AFP, Unit 8200 carries out electronic communications monitoring and surveillance, similar to work performed by the US National Security Agency and GCHQ, of the UK.
An open letter, sent to Israeli political and military leadership last week, was one of the most high-profile expressions of conscientious objection in years.
The signatories of the letter -- reservists and former members of 8200 -- said that the intelligence collected by the unit "was an integral part of Israel's military occupation," and declared collective refusal in continuing to serve with the group.
They charged that the information gathered by Unit 8200 was used by civilian intelligence agencies in coercing Palestinians otherwise uninvolved in militant activity to engage in espionage against their own communities, and urged other members of the intelligence corps "to speak out against these injustices and to take action to bring them to an end."
On Sunday, 200 veterans of the unit replied their former colleagues' declaration:
"We wish to express shock, disgust and complete disassociation from the regrettable letter that was written by our comrades from the unit," they wrote in the reply, excerpts of which were published by Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot...
"Political refusal to serve has no place anywhere, and particularly so in Unit 8200. The moment we, as soldiers in the reserves, are called to the flag, we set aside our political inclinations and opinions, and come to serve the state."
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon described the letter of refusal as a "foolish and offensive attempt" to harm Unit 8200 which, according to AFP, is one component of the broader military intelligence corps and shares information with Israel's civilian intelligence agencies.
Knesset opposition leader and Labor Party chairman, Isaac Herzog, a veteran of the unit, also said he opposed soldiers refusing to serve:
"I'm not saying that there are no mistakes. It is certainly possible that there were," he wrote on his official Facebook page.
"There are ways to effect change ... but not by encouraging and calling for a refusal to serve or through publishing damaging statements around the world."
According to the Alternative Information Center, Israeli army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz stated, on his Facebook page, that "there is no place for insubordination in the IDF".
He added that "disciplinary measures will be loud and clear".
Veterans of the elite Israeli intelligence unit "8200" rallied to its own defense, Sunday, following a recent public denunciation by 43 of their former fellow teammates.
According to AFP, Unit 8200 carries out electronic communications monitoring and surveillance, similar to work performed by the US National Security Agency and GCHQ, of the UK.
An open letter, sent to Israeli political and military leadership last week, was one of the most high-profile expressions of conscientious objection in years.
The signatories of the letter -- reservists and former members of 8200 -- said that the intelligence collected by the unit "was an integral part of Israel's military occupation," and declared collective refusal in continuing to serve with the group.
They charged that the information gathered by Unit 8200 was used by civilian intelligence agencies in coercing Palestinians otherwise uninvolved in militant activity to engage in espionage against their own communities, and urged other members of the intelligence corps "to speak out against these injustices and to take action to bring them to an end."
On Sunday, 200 veterans of the unit replied their former colleagues' declaration:
"We wish to express shock, disgust and complete disassociation from the regrettable letter that was written by our comrades from the unit," they wrote in the reply, excerpts of which were published by Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot...
"Political refusal to serve has no place anywhere, and particularly so in Unit 8200. The moment we, as soldiers in the reserves, are called to the flag, we set aside our political inclinations and opinions, and come to serve the state."
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon described the letter of refusal as a "foolish and offensive attempt" to harm Unit 8200 which, according to AFP, is one component of the broader military intelligence corps and shares information with Israel's civilian intelligence agencies.
Knesset opposition leader and Labor Party chairman, Isaac Herzog, a veteran of the unit, also said he opposed soldiers refusing to serve:
"I'm not saying that there are no mistakes. It is certainly possible that there were," he wrote on his official Facebook page.
"There are ways to effect change ... but not by encouraging and calling for a refusal to serve or through publishing damaging statements around the world."
According to the Alternative Information Center, Israeli army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz stated, on his Facebook page, that "there is no place for insubordination in the IDF".
He added that "disciplinary measures will be loud and clear".
14 sept 2014
Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip have reported that a young man died at a Jordanian hospital, on Sunday morning, of wounds suffered during the latest Israeli onslaught on the coastal region.
The sources said Anas Taiseer al-Hinnawi, 22, suffered a very serious injury, while one Palestinian was instantly killed when an Israeli drone fired a missile at them in Jabalia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Following his injury, al-Hinnawi was moved to a local hospital before being moved to a hospital in Jordan due to the seriousness of his condition.
At least 12 Palestinians died of their wounds since the ceasefire agreement was reached under Egyptian mediation.
The Ministry Of Health in Gaza said around 2137 Palestinians, including 578 children, 264 women, and 103 elderly, during the latest massive Israeli aggression on Gaza, while more than 11100, including 3374 children, 2088 women and 410 elderly, have been injured.
The sources said Anas Taiseer al-Hinnawi, 22, suffered a very serious injury, while one Palestinian was instantly killed when an Israeli drone fired a missile at them in Jabalia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Following his injury, al-Hinnawi was moved to a local hospital before being moved to a hospital in Jordan due to the seriousness of his condition.
At least 12 Palestinians died of their wounds since the ceasefire agreement was reached under Egyptian mediation.
The Ministry Of Health in Gaza said around 2137 Palestinians, including 578 children, 264 women, and 103 elderly, during the latest massive Israeli aggression on Gaza, while more than 11100, including 3374 children, 2088 women and 410 elderly, have been injured.
Hamas leaders Khaled Mashal and Ismail Haniyeh
Chief Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh stated, on Saturday, that the faction would not be holding any direct talks with Israel.
There will be "no direct negotiations with the Zionist enemy," Haniyeh announced publicly, in Gaza, and called on Palestinian President and Fateh member Mahmoud Abbas to "review" his own strategy of talks with Israel, according to AFP.
Israel continues to label democratically elected Hamas as a "terrorist" organization and refuses to meet with its leaders directly.
See related -- Netanyahu: No Israeli Delegation to Cairo Talks
Netanyahu Renews Efforts to Define Israel as Jewish State
Likewise, Hamas does not recognize Israel and opposes Western-backed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, as repeated past attempts at such talks have resulted in nothing but further disenfranchisement for Palestinians.
See -- Palestinian MP: Abbas Blocked ICC Bid on Israeli War Crimes
However, according to Friday statements made by Hamas officials, direct talks with Israel might be unavoidable, in light of planned negotiations in Cairo to consolidate last month's Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement, AFP stated.
"If the situation remains as it is now ... Hamas could find itself forced to do this," exiled Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouq said, in reference to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza due to 50 days of relentless Israeli strikes on civilians from air, land, and sea.
"From a legal perspective, there is nothing wrong with negotiating with the occupation," Marzouq further stated.
Truce talks were scheduled to resume in Egypt later this month, despite Israeli objections, but Hamas chief Khaled Mashal has also ruled out face-to-face dealings with the Israelis:
"Direct negotiations with the Israeli occupier are not on the agenda of Hamas; if negotiations are necessary they must be indirect," he said on Friday.
Chief Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh stated, on Saturday, that the faction would not be holding any direct talks with Israel.
There will be "no direct negotiations with the Zionist enemy," Haniyeh announced publicly, in Gaza, and called on Palestinian President and Fateh member Mahmoud Abbas to "review" his own strategy of talks with Israel, according to AFP.
Israel continues to label democratically elected Hamas as a "terrorist" organization and refuses to meet with its leaders directly.
See related -- Netanyahu: No Israeli Delegation to Cairo Talks
Netanyahu Renews Efforts to Define Israel as Jewish State
Likewise, Hamas does not recognize Israel and opposes Western-backed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, as repeated past attempts at such talks have resulted in nothing but further disenfranchisement for Palestinians.
See -- Palestinian MP: Abbas Blocked ICC Bid on Israeli War Crimes
However, according to Friday statements made by Hamas officials, direct talks with Israel might be unavoidable, in light of planned negotiations in Cairo to consolidate last month's Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement, AFP stated.
"If the situation remains as it is now ... Hamas could find itself forced to do this," exiled Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouq said, in reference to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza due to 50 days of relentless Israeli strikes on civilians from air, land, and sea.
"From a legal perspective, there is nothing wrong with negotiating with the occupation," Marzouq further stated.
Truce talks were scheduled to resume in Egypt later this month, despite Israeli objections, but Hamas chief Khaled Mashal has also ruled out face-to-face dealings with the Israelis:
"Direct negotiations with the Israeli occupier are not on the agenda of Hamas; if negotiations are necessary they must be indirect," he said on Friday.
13 sept 2014
The Israeli authorities nabbed a Palestinian casualty of the latest Israeli military offensive on Gaza and his mother from Ben Gurion airport, in the 1948 occupied Palestine. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights said in a statement on Friday the Israeli intelligence apparatuses nabbed one of the wounded casualties of the Israeli military operation, identified as 22-year-old Maher Said Abdul Nabi, along with his mother while he was on his way back home from a two-week-long healing journey in Turkish hospitals.
The Israeli authorities released the mother and kept the injured son in custody.
The center raised concerns over the potential subjection of the injured youth to mistreatment and torture.
Maher Abdul Nabi, a native inhabitant of Beit Lahia to the north of Gaza, was transferred to a Turkish hospital for urgent treatment on August 28, following an agreement between the Turkish and Israeli authorities, due to the critical stomach injury incurred by Israeli rocket fire.
Investigations have been underway to find out about the circumstances and reasons of such an arbitrary arrest, the center further reported, calling on the concerned authorities to immediately step in so as to save Abdul Nabi’s life.
The Israeli authorities released the mother and kept the injured son in custody.
The center raised concerns over the potential subjection of the injured youth to mistreatment and torture.
Maher Abdul Nabi, a native inhabitant of Beit Lahia to the north of Gaza, was transferred to a Turkish hospital for urgent treatment on August 28, following an agreement between the Turkish and Israeli authorities, due to the critical stomach injury incurred by Israeli rocket fire.
Investigations have been underway to find out about the circumstances and reasons of such an arbitrary arrest, the center further reported, calling on the concerned authorities to immediately step in so as to save Abdul Nabi’s life.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Friday and Saturday morning opened fire on Palestinians’ fishing boats and family homes in the besieged Gaza Strip, in a renewed violation of the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal. Local sources said the Israeli gunboats opened machinegun fire at Palestinian fishing boats off Khan Younis and Rafah shores, east of Gaza, producing another flagrant breach to the terms of the truce.
The Israeli gunboats further targeted Palestinians’ fishing boats off al-Sudaniya shore, to the northwest of Gaza city, eyewitness told the local SAFA news agency.
The Israeli navy has frequently attacked Gaza fishermen since the ceasefire took effect, although Israel is committed under the truce deal to halting its attacks and expanding the fishing zone.
26 cases of IOF random gun-shooting targeting Palestinian fishing boats along with the abduction of six Palestinian fishermen and the misappropriation of three paddle boats have been documented ever since the truce was put into effect.
Israel’s truce violations culminated in a round of limited incursions into Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, for the third time since the implementation of the ceasefire deal.
Along the same line, barrages of Israeli random gunfire, unleashed on Saturday morning, targeted Gazans’ family homes east of Khan Younis, to south of the Strip.
An on-the-sport observer working for Quds Press said the IOF patrols, stationing at the Kissufim military base, north of Khan Younis, opened fire on Palestinian civilian homes and agricultural lands in the area.
Huge losses have been wrought on the blockaded enclave ever since Israel launched its notorious 51-day military offensive on Gaza, on July 7. At least 2,155 Palestinian citizens were killed while thousands of others have been left wounded, mostly children and women.
The Israeli gunboats further targeted Palestinians’ fishing boats off al-Sudaniya shore, to the northwest of Gaza city, eyewitness told the local SAFA news agency.
The Israeli navy has frequently attacked Gaza fishermen since the ceasefire took effect, although Israel is committed under the truce deal to halting its attacks and expanding the fishing zone.
26 cases of IOF random gun-shooting targeting Palestinian fishing boats along with the abduction of six Palestinian fishermen and the misappropriation of three paddle boats have been documented ever since the truce was put into effect.
Israel’s truce violations culminated in a round of limited incursions into Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, for the third time since the implementation of the ceasefire deal.
Along the same line, barrages of Israeli random gunfire, unleashed on Saturday morning, targeted Gazans’ family homes east of Khan Younis, to south of the Strip.
An on-the-sport observer working for Quds Press said the IOF patrols, stationing at the Kissufim military base, north of Khan Younis, opened fire on Palestinian civilian homes and agricultural lands in the area.
Huge losses have been wrought on the blockaded enclave ever since Israel launched its notorious 51-day military offensive on Gaza, on July 7. At least 2,155 Palestinian citizens were killed while thousands of others have been left wounded, mostly children and women.
According to the second-deputy speaker of the Palestinian parliament, Hasan Khreisha, Fateh party member and defacto president of the country, Mahmoud Abbas, has blocked an attempt to push for the prosecution of Israel for war crimes in Gaza at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Mr. Khreisha told Ma'an that the Palestinian Authority's decision to join the ICC and thus press charges against Israel for the recent 50-day assault on Gaza which killed over 2,100 residents, most of whom were civilians, was halted by Abbas in order to push forward a new peace talks bid.
See: Washington Threatens Sanctions Should PA Approach UN with Proposal to Dismantle Israeli Occupation for extensive background information on this matter.
"President Abbas decided not to sue Israel at the ICC unless his new initiative fails to resume peace talks with Israel," Khreisha said, according to Ma'an News Agency, adding that the PA was waiting for United States officials to reply to a message from Abbas which requested the resumption of talks.
Israel and the United States have both tried to prevent the Palestinians from joining the ICC, fearing that Israel would be investigated and prosecuted for war crimes.
See also: Human Rights Watch: Israel Likely to Have Committed War Crimes in Gaza
Khreisha told Ma'an that, even though all major Palestinian parties had given president Abbas a document in which they voiced their support for Palestinian accession to the ICC, "so far, no practical steps have been taken in that direction."
Over the past week, Abbas has accused Hamas of running a "shadow government" and, thus, undermining the national unity government.
Hamas has roundly denied the allegation, according to Ma'an.
Mr. Khreisha told Ma'an that the Palestinian Authority's decision to join the ICC and thus press charges against Israel for the recent 50-day assault on Gaza which killed over 2,100 residents, most of whom were civilians, was halted by Abbas in order to push forward a new peace talks bid.
See: Washington Threatens Sanctions Should PA Approach UN with Proposal to Dismantle Israeli Occupation for extensive background information on this matter.
"President Abbas decided not to sue Israel at the ICC unless his new initiative fails to resume peace talks with Israel," Khreisha said, according to Ma'an News Agency, adding that the PA was waiting for United States officials to reply to a message from Abbas which requested the resumption of talks.
Israel and the United States have both tried to prevent the Palestinians from joining the ICC, fearing that Israel would be investigated and prosecuted for war crimes.
See also: Human Rights Watch: Israel Likely to Have Committed War Crimes in Gaza
Khreisha told Ma'an that, even though all major Palestinian parties had given president Abbas a document in which they voiced their support for Palestinian accession to the ICC, "so far, no practical steps have been taken in that direction."
Over the past week, Abbas has accused Hamas of running a "shadow government" and, thus, undermining the national unity government.
Hamas has roundly denied the allegation, according to Ma'an.
Colonel Ofer Winter
In a rare admittance of the use of the so-called 'Hannibal Directive', in which Israeli soldiers kill their fellow soldiers to avoid their capture, an Israeli military officer admitted in an interview with the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahranoth that he ordered a mass bombardment of parts of Rafah during the Israeli invasion, last month, in order to ensure the death of an Israeli soldier who he believed had been captured.
The Rafah bombardment lasted for three straight days, from August 1st to 4th, and resulted in at least 114 deaths of civilians, in a bid to kill an Israeli soldier that Winter believed had been captured.
It turned out later that the soldiers had never been captured, but had been killed in an engagement with Hamas fighters, on August 1st.
In a rare admittance of the use of the so-called 'Hannibal Directive', in which Israeli soldiers kill their fellow soldiers to avoid their capture, an Israeli military officer admitted in an interview with the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahranoth that he ordered a mass bombardment of parts of Rafah during the Israeli invasion, last month, in order to ensure the death of an Israeli soldier who he believed had been captured.
The Rafah bombardment lasted for three straight days, from August 1st to 4th, and resulted in at least 114 deaths of civilians, in a bid to kill an Israeli soldier that Winter believed had been captured.
It turned out later that the soldiers had never been captured, but had been killed in an engagement with Hamas fighters, on August 1st.
Zo'rob children
The civilians killed in that bombardment included a number of families who were crushed to death when their homes were hit by airstrikes – like the Zo'rob family, who lost five children, including 7-year-old twins Amir and Odai, their 8-year-old brother Khaled, 10-year-old Shahd and 12-year-old Rawan.
In his interview with Yedioth Ahranoth, Colonel Ofer Winter called the civilian population in Gaza “a partner of terror” that “gets what they choose”.
Journalist Rania Khalek with the Electronic Intifada wrote, “Just as a temporary three-day humanitarian ceasefire negotiated by Egypt and the United States went into effect on the morning of Friday, 1 August, a unit of soldiers from the Israeli army’s Givati Brigade conducted a tunnel incursion in Rafah, provoking fire from Palestinian resistance fighters.
“Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the ensuing firefight and another, Hadar Goldin, went missing. It was later determined that Goldin died in the battle but, in the immediate aftermath, the Israeli army operated under the assumption that he had been captured.
“Ofer Winter was napping when he woke up to news of Goldin’s possible capture. He told Yediot Ahronot’s Yossi Yehoshua:
'At 9 am, half an hour after I put my head down, the Deputy Brigade Commander woke me up: “Come quickly, it’s best you be here.” We asked for a snapshot, we wanted information. We didn’t think there was an abduction yet. While inquiring if everyone was there, I commanded Sagiv, the Armored Forces Commander operating under my orders, to start moving from Hirbat Hiza’a, which was where he was, toward Rafah. Just then, I got the message: “it’s not green in our eyes” – in other words, not everyone had been found. We were missing a soldier. At 9:36, after inquiries with the battalion commander on site, I announced on the communication system the word that no one wants to say – “Hannibal.” In other words, there had been an abduction. I instructed all the forces to move forward, to occupy space, so the abductors would not be able to move.'
“The Hannibal Directive is an unwritten Israeli military protocol for executing captured Israeli soldiers to avoid politically painful prisoner swaps. Although its existence has been reported in the Israeli press since the 1980s, this interview with Winter appears to be the most frank acknowledgement of its use.
“The idea is to prevent the captors from taking the soldier alive, effectively denying Palestinian or other Arab resistance groups a bargaining chip down the line and relieving Israeli leaders of the political fallout from having to make concessions (such as prisoner swaps) to secure the soldier’s release.”
This is not the first time that Colonel Ofer Winter has sparked controversy from his description of the Israeli assault on Gaza. As the highest-ranking officer of one of the Israeli military's most elite units, Winter has a lot of power and influence. Early on in the Israeli assault, Winter declared the war to be a “holy war”. In a letter to the soldiers under his command, on July 10th, 2014, Winter wrote that the objective of the invasion was to “wipe out” an “enemy who defames” God.
He continued, “History has chosen us to be the sharp edge of the bayonet of fighting the terrorist enemy ‘from Gaza’ which curses, defames and abuses the God of Israel’s battles.”
His letter ended, “God, the Lord of Israel, make our path successful, as we are about to fight for Your People, Israel, against an enemy who defames your name. In the name of the IDF fighters and, in particular, the fighters and commanders from the Brigade, make the phrase 'For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.' come true, and we shall answer: Amen.”
The civilians killed in that bombardment included a number of families who were crushed to death when their homes were hit by airstrikes – like the Zo'rob family, who lost five children, including 7-year-old twins Amir and Odai, their 8-year-old brother Khaled, 10-year-old Shahd and 12-year-old Rawan.
In his interview with Yedioth Ahranoth, Colonel Ofer Winter called the civilian population in Gaza “a partner of terror” that “gets what they choose”.
Journalist Rania Khalek with the Electronic Intifada wrote, “Just as a temporary three-day humanitarian ceasefire negotiated by Egypt and the United States went into effect on the morning of Friday, 1 August, a unit of soldiers from the Israeli army’s Givati Brigade conducted a tunnel incursion in Rafah, provoking fire from Palestinian resistance fighters.
“Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the ensuing firefight and another, Hadar Goldin, went missing. It was later determined that Goldin died in the battle but, in the immediate aftermath, the Israeli army operated under the assumption that he had been captured.
“Ofer Winter was napping when he woke up to news of Goldin’s possible capture. He told Yediot Ahronot’s Yossi Yehoshua:
'At 9 am, half an hour after I put my head down, the Deputy Brigade Commander woke me up: “Come quickly, it’s best you be here.” We asked for a snapshot, we wanted information. We didn’t think there was an abduction yet. While inquiring if everyone was there, I commanded Sagiv, the Armored Forces Commander operating under my orders, to start moving from Hirbat Hiza’a, which was where he was, toward Rafah. Just then, I got the message: “it’s not green in our eyes” – in other words, not everyone had been found. We were missing a soldier. At 9:36, after inquiries with the battalion commander on site, I announced on the communication system the word that no one wants to say – “Hannibal.” In other words, there had been an abduction. I instructed all the forces to move forward, to occupy space, so the abductors would not be able to move.'
“The Hannibal Directive is an unwritten Israeli military protocol for executing captured Israeli soldiers to avoid politically painful prisoner swaps. Although its existence has been reported in the Israeli press since the 1980s, this interview with Winter appears to be the most frank acknowledgement of its use.
“The idea is to prevent the captors from taking the soldier alive, effectively denying Palestinian or other Arab resistance groups a bargaining chip down the line and relieving Israeli leaders of the political fallout from having to make concessions (such as prisoner swaps) to secure the soldier’s release.”
This is not the first time that Colonel Ofer Winter has sparked controversy from his description of the Israeli assault on Gaza. As the highest-ranking officer of one of the Israeli military's most elite units, Winter has a lot of power and influence. Early on in the Israeli assault, Winter declared the war to be a “holy war”. In a letter to the soldiers under his command, on July 10th, 2014, Winter wrote that the objective of the invasion was to “wipe out” an “enemy who defames” God.
He continued, “History has chosen us to be the sharp edge of the bayonet of fighting the terrorist enemy ‘from Gaza’ which curses, defames and abuses the God of Israel’s battles.”
His letter ended, “God, the Lord of Israel, make our path successful, as we are about to fight for Your People, Israel, against an enemy who defames your name. In the name of the IDF fighters and, in particular, the fighters and commanders from the Brigade, make the phrase 'For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.' come true, and we shall answer: Amen.”
Deputy head of Hamas's political bureau Ismail Haneyya said that his movement "will not accept" imposing any conditions on it to implement the Palestinian reconciliation agreement. He called for according priority to national interests and putting an end to the internal division on the basis of “no winners or losers” without any further delay.
Haneyya added, in an interview with "Al-Khaleej Online" on Friday, that the intra-Palestinian reconciliation agreement was signed after long years of negotiations, and, supposedly, had discussed all issues that needed to be settled, confirming that it is not acceptable to put any new conditions.
He went on: "we should work for the reconciliation on the basis of no winners or losers, and to put the country's interests before any other considerations. Whoever thinks otherwise or exploits any conditions for his own interest is completely mistaken”.
Haneyya denied that anyone has asked his movement to implement any requirements to reactivate the reconciliation agreement with Fatah.
He also pointed out that Hamas feels that there are stalling and delay in implementing the items of the reconciliation agreement, calling for an end to this delay in order to serve the interests of the Palestinian people who have been longing for reconciliation and unity.
Haneyya welcomed the formation of a Fatah delegation to resume talks with Hamas, stressing that his movement welcomes the talks' resumption on the basis of honest and exact implementation of the signed reconciliation agreement.
Fatah movement announced earlier that it formed a delegation to meet Hamas officials in order to solve all the disputes between the two movements.
Hamas's spokesman Sami Abu-Zuhri said in a press statement he issued earlier this week: "Soon, a meeting will be held between Hamas and Fatah to discuss the implementation of the reconciliation agreement items and to resume the dialogue to end the division.”
Hamas and Fatah signed last April a reconciliation agreement to end the Palestinian division, hold legislative and presidential elections and National Council elections simultaneously, and form a national consensus government.
On 2nd June, the formation of a Palestinian unity government was announced and the ministers were sworn-in before President Mahmoud Abbas in the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.
In another context, Haneyya said: "Rebuilding Gaza is a right for the residents whose houses were destroyed during the Zionist aggression on the Strip, and a natural outcome that should be carried out without any obstacles".
He stressed that the Palestinians whose houses were destroyed shouldn’t pay the consequences of any political dispute, adding that he refuses extorting the Gazans and imposing requirements or political obstacles as conditions to start the reconstruction.
He mentioned that Hamas has already started providing a 30-million- dollar urgent aid for the residents whose houses were destroyed so as to alleviate their suffering.
Israel launched an aggression on the Gaza Strip on the 7th July which lasted for 51 days and resulted in the death of 2,154 Palestinians, wounding about 11,000 others and completely destroying 9,000 houses, according to official Palestinian data.
The Palestinian Economic Council for the Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip said the total cost of the reconstruction process is about 7.8 billion dollars.
A truce between the Palestinian factions and Israel was reached on 26th August by Egyptian mediation, including a ceasefire from both sides, opening all the crossings of the Gaza Strip, allowing entry of reconstruction materials to the Strip and expanding the fishing zone to six miles instead of three.
Haneyya added, in an interview with "Al-Khaleej Online" on Friday, that the intra-Palestinian reconciliation agreement was signed after long years of negotiations, and, supposedly, had discussed all issues that needed to be settled, confirming that it is not acceptable to put any new conditions.
He went on: "we should work for the reconciliation on the basis of no winners or losers, and to put the country's interests before any other considerations. Whoever thinks otherwise or exploits any conditions for his own interest is completely mistaken”.
Haneyya denied that anyone has asked his movement to implement any requirements to reactivate the reconciliation agreement with Fatah.
He also pointed out that Hamas feels that there are stalling and delay in implementing the items of the reconciliation agreement, calling for an end to this delay in order to serve the interests of the Palestinian people who have been longing for reconciliation and unity.
Haneyya welcomed the formation of a Fatah delegation to resume talks with Hamas, stressing that his movement welcomes the talks' resumption on the basis of honest and exact implementation of the signed reconciliation agreement.
Fatah movement announced earlier that it formed a delegation to meet Hamas officials in order to solve all the disputes between the two movements.
Hamas's spokesman Sami Abu-Zuhri said in a press statement he issued earlier this week: "Soon, a meeting will be held between Hamas and Fatah to discuss the implementation of the reconciliation agreement items and to resume the dialogue to end the division.”
Hamas and Fatah signed last April a reconciliation agreement to end the Palestinian division, hold legislative and presidential elections and National Council elections simultaneously, and form a national consensus government.
On 2nd June, the formation of a Palestinian unity government was announced and the ministers were sworn-in before President Mahmoud Abbas in the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.
In another context, Haneyya said: "Rebuilding Gaza is a right for the residents whose houses were destroyed during the Zionist aggression on the Strip, and a natural outcome that should be carried out without any obstacles".
He stressed that the Palestinians whose houses were destroyed shouldn’t pay the consequences of any political dispute, adding that he refuses extorting the Gazans and imposing requirements or political obstacles as conditions to start the reconstruction.
He mentioned that Hamas has already started providing a 30-million- dollar urgent aid for the residents whose houses were destroyed so as to alleviate their suffering.
Israel launched an aggression on the Gaza Strip on the 7th July which lasted for 51 days and resulted in the death of 2,154 Palestinians, wounding about 11,000 others and completely destroying 9,000 houses, according to official Palestinian data.
The Palestinian Economic Council for the Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip said the total cost of the reconstruction process is about 7.8 billion dollars.
A truce between the Palestinian factions and Israel was reached on 26th August by Egyptian mediation, including a ceasefire from both sides, opening all the crossings of the Gaza Strip, allowing entry of reconstruction materials to the Strip and expanding the fishing zone to six miles instead of three.
Tunisian president Mohammed Moncef el-Marzouki received a senior Hamas delegation led by Khaled Mishaal, head of the group’s political bureau, in the Carthage presidential palace on Friday. Mishaal said, during a press conference, the meeting went over ways to boost the Gaza reconstruction process and provide assistance to the hundreds of homeless families.
Mishaal further appealed to el-Marzouki to take advantage of his legal expertise and take Gaza’s case to international courts so as to impeach Israeli war criminals.
“We have no other option than to keep going in the reconciliation path and restructure our internal affairs,” he declared when asked about the reconciliation process.
Mishaal briefed el-Marzouki on the tragic situation in the blockaded Gaza Strip, which requires an immediate launch of the reconstruction project.
The Hamas leader urged the national unity government to take up its responsibilities in Gaza and the West Bank, alike, without further procrastination or delay.
Mishaal spoke against the smear and ad hominem campaigns targeting Hamas movement in the wake of the Israeli offensive, calling for the need to stop backbiting and opt for direct communication.
“Before the launch of the offensive we started to re-arrange our internal affairs. Once the fight started off we fought hand in hand both in the battleground and in politics to have all of our demands met,” he stated.
Along the same line, Mishaal denounced Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to whitewash the crimes he perpetrated in Gaza by tossing accusations promulgated in Western pro-Israel media outlets, like comparing Hamas to Da’ash and dubbing the movement a terrorist group.
“But this is a plain game that will not manage to pull the world’s legs,” he maintained.
According to Mishaal, Gaza and the Palestinian resistance have given the world prototypical lessons via the knack and creativity they have been exhibiting throughout their fight for freedom.
The Palestinian leader further confirmed that direct talks with the Israeli side are neither laid on the movement’s agenda nor put up for discussion. Hamas’s adopted policy rather opts for indirect talks with the colonizer.
Mishaal hailed Tunisia’s unyielding support for the Palestinian people and its “honorable” pro-Palestine positions.
Mishaal further appealed to el-Marzouki to take advantage of his legal expertise and take Gaza’s case to international courts so as to impeach Israeli war criminals.
“We have no other option than to keep going in the reconciliation path and restructure our internal affairs,” he declared when asked about the reconciliation process.
Mishaal briefed el-Marzouki on the tragic situation in the blockaded Gaza Strip, which requires an immediate launch of the reconstruction project.
The Hamas leader urged the national unity government to take up its responsibilities in Gaza and the West Bank, alike, without further procrastination or delay.
Mishaal spoke against the smear and ad hominem campaigns targeting Hamas movement in the wake of the Israeli offensive, calling for the need to stop backbiting and opt for direct communication.
“Before the launch of the offensive we started to re-arrange our internal affairs. Once the fight started off we fought hand in hand both in the battleground and in politics to have all of our demands met,” he stated.
Along the same line, Mishaal denounced Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to whitewash the crimes he perpetrated in Gaza by tossing accusations promulgated in Western pro-Israel media outlets, like comparing Hamas to Da’ash and dubbing the movement a terrorist group.
“But this is a plain game that will not manage to pull the world’s legs,” he maintained.
According to Mishaal, Gaza and the Palestinian resistance have given the world prototypical lessons via the knack and creativity they have been exhibiting throughout their fight for freedom.
The Palestinian leader further confirmed that direct talks with the Israeli side are neither laid on the movement’s agenda nor put up for discussion. Hamas’s adopted policy rather opts for indirect talks with the colonizer.
Mishaal hailed Tunisia’s unyielding support for the Palestinian people and its “honorable” pro-Palestine positions.
At least 8,000 books, pertaining to different disciplines and genres, were torn down by random waves of Israeli rocket fire targeting public and private libraries, along with schools and mosques in Gaza, throughout the 51-day long offensive, the Gaza-based Ministry of Culture revealed. Head of the trade fairs and libraries department, Mohamad al-Sherif said in a statement on Thursday: “Over the course of history, the Israeli invader has been brainwashing people starting from the very place where intellectuals, from a variety of disciplines, would gather—the library.”
“Here are Israel’s crimes throughout the latest offensive on Gaza. The invader knocked down the Khan Younis library and the House of Wisdom’s, along with the Sports Clubs’ library,” he charged. “Partial damage was wrought on four other libraries along with a number of Islamic and school libraries.”
The Ministry of Culture vowed to reconstruct all of Gaza libraries and restock them with the needed books so as to breathe new life into the very soul of Gaza’s culture and bring back Palestinian readership and intellectuals to one of their most treasured destination.
“We will get in touch with international publishers to demonstrate to the world Israel’s responsibility in damaging our Palestinian culture,” he pledged.
The Israeli offensive had inflicted huge damage on the besieged Gaza Strip, targeting not only civilian structures but also national and socio-cultural spots. Six cultural centers have been completely knocked down and 12 others sustained partial damage. Some 13 monumental sites have also been damaged throughout.
“Here are Israel’s crimes throughout the latest offensive on Gaza. The invader knocked down the Khan Younis library and the House of Wisdom’s, along with the Sports Clubs’ library,” he charged. “Partial damage was wrought on four other libraries along with a number of Islamic and school libraries.”
The Ministry of Culture vowed to reconstruct all of Gaza libraries and restock them with the needed books so as to breathe new life into the very soul of Gaza’s culture and bring back Palestinian readership and intellectuals to one of their most treasured destination.
“We will get in touch with international publishers to demonstrate to the world Israel’s responsibility in damaging our Palestinian culture,” he pledged.
The Israeli offensive had inflicted huge damage on the besieged Gaza Strip, targeting not only civilian structures but also national and socio-cultural spots. Six cultural centers have been completely knocked down and 12 others sustained partial damage. Some 13 monumental sites have also been damaged throughout.
Lifting the enforced blockade on the Gaza Strip is the backbone of any potential success to the projected Gaza reconstruction process, Palestinian MP and head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege, Jamal al-Khudari said on Friday. Khudari drew attention, in a statement on Friday, to the need to unconditionally lift the siege in order to enable Palestinians to reconstruct what has been destroyed by the Israeli 51-day long offensive.
Khudari further pushed for the opening of all Gaza’s border crossings, which have been gradually shutdown by the Israeli occupation authorities since 2006, in order to allow the access of the reconstruction materials into the Strip.
The Palestinian MP called for the need to press ahead with the launch of a comprehensive reconstruction process in such a resourceful and efficient manner so as to mitigate the tragic state of affairs in the embattled enclave.
According to Khudari the reconstruction process has to cover the rehabilitation of Palestinians’ family homes that sustained partial damage in the Israeli offensive along with the reconstruction of the wrecked homes, residential towers, infrastructure, and other socio-economic structures.
He further raised alarm bells over the hundreds of displaced families who have gone homeless due to the exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip, calling on the regional and international donor states to fund raises that live up to the Strip’s needs.
The Palestinian official emphasized the illegitimacy of the notorious Gaza blockade, confirming that it stands in sharp contrast with all international treaties, the Geneva Convention, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
He hailed the anti-siege protests launched by the European masses and called for the need to boost up the calls with practical moves aimed at stepping up pressure on Israel and halt the illegal blockade once and for all.
Khudari further pushed for the opening of all Gaza’s border crossings, which have been gradually shutdown by the Israeli occupation authorities since 2006, in order to allow the access of the reconstruction materials into the Strip.
The Palestinian MP called for the need to press ahead with the launch of a comprehensive reconstruction process in such a resourceful and efficient manner so as to mitigate the tragic state of affairs in the embattled enclave.
According to Khudari the reconstruction process has to cover the rehabilitation of Palestinians’ family homes that sustained partial damage in the Israeli offensive along with the reconstruction of the wrecked homes, residential towers, infrastructure, and other socio-economic structures.
He further raised alarm bells over the hundreds of displaced families who have gone homeless due to the exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip, calling on the regional and international donor states to fund raises that live up to the Strip’s needs.
The Palestinian official emphasized the illegitimacy of the notorious Gaza blockade, confirming that it stands in sharp contrast with all international treaties, the Geneva Convention, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
He hailed the anti-siege protests launched by the European masses and called for the need to boost up the calls with practical moves aimed at stepping up pressure on Israel and halt the illegal blockade once and for all.
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Truce violations List of names Pictures of martyrs
Days: Aug: 26 - 25 - 24 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
July: 31 - 30 - 29 - 28 - 27 - 26 - 25 - 24 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8
Days: Aug: 26 - 25 - 24 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
July: 31 - 30 - 29 - 28 - 27 - 26 - 25 - 24 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8
