2021-02-09: News Headlines

ReNika Moore (2021-02-09). To End Systemic Racism, Ensure Systemic Equality. aclu.org Over the past four years, we grew accustomed to a regular barrage of blatant, segregationist-style racism from the White House. Donald Trump

Raul Diego (2021-02-09). Facebook, the ADL and the Brewing Battle to Label Zionism as Hate Speech. mintpressnews.com While a debate rages over whether Facebook should view the term 'Zionist' as a slur, the ADL continues on its crusade to make the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism the worldwide standard.

IMEMC News (2021-02-09). Israeli Army Invades Farmlands In Northern Gaza. imemc.org On Tuesday, several armored Israeli military vehicles, including bulldozers, invaded Palestinian farmlands northwest of Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, and fired sporadic rounds of live ammunition, in addition to bulldozing lands near the fence. Media sources said the Israeli military vehicles came from a base across the fence and advanced dozens of meters into the …

IMEMC News (2021-02-09). Army Attacks Farmers And Shepherds, Navy Fires At Fishermen, In Gaza. imemc.org On Monday, Israeli soldiers attacked with live ammunition Palestinian farmers and shepherds, east of Gaza city, and Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, while navy ships attacked fishing boats in Palestinian territorial waters. Eyewitnesses said the soldiers fired many rounds of live ammunition, in addition to concussion grenades at Palestinian farmers, …

Maureen Clare Murphy (2021-02-09). Israel lashes out as ICC okays war crimes probe. zcomm.org The International Criminal Court has territorial jurisdiction to investigate suspected war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, a panel of judges affirmed last week…

_____ (2021-02-09). Egypt Reopens Rafah Crossing Indefinitely. popularresistance.org Egypt today opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip until further notice, Egyptian and Palestinian sources said, a move described as an incentive for reconciliation between the main Palestinian factions meeting in Cairo, Reuters reported. | Leaders of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction, which controls the West Bank, and of Hamas, which governs the besieged Gaza Strip, began Egyptian-brokered talks yesterday to address long-standing divisions ahead of elections planned for later this year. | The 365 square kilometre (141 square mile) Gaza Strip is home to around two million Palestinian…

IMEMC & Agencies (2021-02-09). Analysis: Israel's Crimes, Legitimacy and Free Speech. imemc.org By Ron Forthofer for the Palestine Chronicle Israel is waging an intense campaign against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, a nonviolent campaign called for by Palestinian civil society in 2005. This Movement was modeled on the campaign against South African Apartheid. Palestinians felt compelled to issue the call for a BDS campaign since previous …

Ramzy Baroud (2021-02-09). 'Freedom is Never Voluntarily Given': Palestinian Boycott of Israel is Not Racist, It is Anti-Racist. counterpunch.org Claims made by Democratic New York City mayoral candidate, Andrew Yang, in a recent op-ed in the Jewish weekly, 'The Forward', point to the prevailing ignorance that continues to dominate the US discourse on Palestine and Israel. Yang, a former Democratic Presidential candidate, is vying for the Jewish vote in New York City. According to

IMEMC News (2021-02-09). Army Abducts Three Palestinians In Hebron, One In Ramallah. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, on Tuesday at dawn, three young Palestinians from their homes in Hebron governorate, in southern West Bank, and one near Ramallah, in the central part of the occupied territory. The Hebron office of the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported that several army jeeps invaded Doura town, south of the city, before …

MEE staff (2021-02-09). UN experts call on Israel to stop torture, inhuman treatment of Palestinians. middleeasteye.net UN experts call on Israel to stop torture, inhuman treatment of Palestinians | Panel of rights experts said Israel was using a 'grave loophole within the Israeli judicial system' to defend its use of torture | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 18: 13 | Arbeed was detained in 2019, and after being subjected to interrogation by Israel's Shin Bet domestic intelligence service, he suffered from kidney failure and broken ribs (AFP…

IMEMC News (2021-02-09). Soldiers Shoot A Palestinian Near Jenin. imemc.org Israeli soldiers shot, on Monday evening, a young Palestinian man near the Annexation Wall, close to the town of Barta'a, southwest of the northern West Bank city of Jenin. Eyewitnesses said the soldiers fired many live rounds at Palestinian workers near the gate of the illegal Annexation Wall, wounding a young man in the leg. …

The Palestinian News & Info Agency (2021-02-09). WAFA: "Palestinian injured as settlers push him off wall south of Nablus" imemc.org NABLUS, February 8, 2021 (WAFA) — Israeli settlers today afternoon pushed a Palestinian off a wall in al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya village, south of Nablus city, according to a local official. Head of al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya Village Council confirmed that settlers pushed Mohammad Daraghmeh, 50, off a 4-meter-high wall as they forced their way into the village, under …

IMEMC News (2021-02-09). Soldiers Shoot A Teen, Abduct Two Palestinians, In Bethlehem. imemc.org Israeli soldiers invaded, on Tuesday at dawn, the Deheishe refugee camp, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and shot a teen, in addition to abducting two Palestinians in the al-Khader nearby town. Media sources said several army jeeps invaded the Deheishe refugee camp, leading to protests, and fired live rounds, a barrage of …

The Palestinian News & Info Agency (2021-02-09). WAFA: "Humsa al-Bqaia under attack once again as soldiers return to remove humanitarian-provided tents" imemc.org JORDAN VALLEY, Monday, February 8, 2021 (WAFA) — Israeli occupation forces today returned to the battered Humsa al-Bqaia Bedouin community in the northern Jordan Valley to remove the tents provided by humanitarian agencies as shelters for the families whose homes were recently demolished by the Israeli army, according to sources. The soldiers arrived at the …

PCHR (2021-02-09). PCHR: Landmark Decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC Welcomed by Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, PCHR and Addameer. imemc.org On Friday, 5 February 2021, over one year since the Office of the Prosecutor closed its preliminary examination into the Situation in the State of Palestine, the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued its decision affirming that the Court has full territorial jurisdiction over the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), i.e. the West …

teleSUR (2021-02-09). Bolivia To Keep March 7 as Subnational Election Day. telesurenglish.net La Paz Constitutional Court on Monday ruled out a claim that sought to postpone the Bolivian subnational elections over fears of an increase in COVID-19 infections. | RELATED: | The appeal was filed on Jan. 27 by candidate Amilcar Barral, who is running for La Paz Mayor's office on behalf of the National Action Party (PAN-BOL). | Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) President Salvador Romero argued that electoral authorities had approved…

Phyllis Bennis (2021-02-09). Where is Biden's Foreign Policy Headed? zcomm.org Biden has appointed many old guard interventionists and new Cold Warriors, but there is some hope for a better Iran policy. Watch out for attempts by Israel to scuttle the nuclear deal…

Sophia Purdy-Moore (2021-02-09). Activist accuses Avon and Somerset police of unlawful arrest, detention and discrimination. thecanary.co On 25 January, Avon and Somerset police arrested literary activist Ros Martin outside Bristol magistrates court for damage to the pavement by chalking and a breach of coronavirus (Covid-19) regulations. Martin has made a number of complaints to the police force for what she believes is "unlawful arrest, detention & discriminatory treatment". Her case reflects widespread issues of police disregarding people's health, using coronavirus regulations to clamp down on protest, and institutionalised racism in the Avon and Somerset police force. | Blatant disregard for safety during a pandemic: | While taking her…

RT (2021-02-09). Plastic surgeon offers to help woman who used Gorilla Glue on hair, as lawyer accuses company of RACISM. rt.com A black woman who glued her hair solid with Gorilla Glue will reportedly fly to LA, where a renowned plastic surgeon has offered to unstick her. The internet debate on her curious hairdo soon devolved into accusations of racism. | Tessica Brown became internet-famous last week when she posted a video on TikTok seeking help for a sticky situation. The 40-year-old Louisiana woman encased her hair in Gorilla Glue spray adhesive, and spent a month unable to remove the high-strength glue from her head. | Her situation drew mockery and sympathy in equal measure, and after a number of failed attempts to remove the…

Paul Jay (2021-02-09). Reagan's Racism the Model for Trump — Matt Tyrnauer (Pt3). theanalysis.news Reagan was the master of racist "dog whistles", plausible deniability that allowed Reagan to protect himself. It has allowed the Republican Party for the last four decades to deny who Ronald Reagan was and turn him into a hero. Matt Tyrnauer, director of "The Reagans" on Showtime, joins Paul Jay on theAnalysis.news…

yenisafak (2021-02-09). Egypt opens Gaza crossing in both directions. yenisafak.com Egypt on Tuesday opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip for the movement of travelers in both directions, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.A ministry statement said that "passenger buses began to leave the crossing, while returnees will arrive at noon".It is unclear how many days the crossing will remain open.Palestinian factions are currently holding dialogue in Cairo on preparations for elections.Last week, Egypt opened the crossing for four days in both directions.Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March, Egypt and Hamas agreed to close the crossing. The terminal was sp…

MEE staff (2021-02-09). Dershowitz 'tried to free paedophile George Nader' to work on Israel-UAE deal. middleeasteye.net Dershowitz 'tried to free paedophile George Nader' to work on Israel-UAE deal | Report suggests Trump ally lobbied US and Israel governments to commute sex offender's 10-year prison sentence | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 09: 54 | Attorney Alan Dershowitz, a member of former US President Donald Trump's legal team, and convicted paedophile George Nader (AFP/C-Span) | Lawyer Alan Dershowitz helped craft a proposal for the…

RT (2021-02-09). 'No good deed goes unpunished': Bafflement as LA Times pundit compares Trump-supporting neighbors who plowed her driveway to Nazis. rt.com A woman whose driveway was cleared of snow by Trump-supporting neighbors has repaid the favor by writing an op-ed in which she notes that even the Nazis were found to be occasionally polite, causing social media to implode. | In a piece in the Los Angeles Times titled, 'What can you do about the Trumpites next door?' Virginia Heffernan

RT (2021-02-09). 'They're gentrifying RBG': Twitter loses it over pricy apartment building 'honoring' Ruth Bader Ginsburg. rt.com A Washington DC apartment building has been named The Ginsburg — to honor the late Supreme Court Justice. The call to live in the upscale complex, "named for the heart of justice," however, drew ridicule online. | The naming of the building was to "honor" Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but in order to live in the complex supposedly inspired by the much-beloved judge, you'll have to fork over some serious money. | According to apartments.com, one two-bedroom apartment is

RT (2021-02-09). Fox News moves to dismiss Smartmatic $2.7 billion defamation suit, blasts as 'meritless'. rt.com Fox News is pushing back against a lawsuit from voting firm Smartmatic, which goes after the network and specific hosts, including the recently canceled Lou Dobbs, for pushing election-fraud conspiracy theories. | Others cited in the lawsuit for tying Smartmatic to alleged election fraud are Jeanine Pirro and Maria Bartiromo. The company takes umbrage with everything from being tied to foreign nations to reports it was used across the country when it was only used in Los Angeles County. | Fox News has now filed a motion in New York Supreme Court, defending themselves under the First Amendment and using former…

MEE staff (2021-02-09). Golan Heights 'will continue' to be Israel's, says Netanyahu after Blinken remarks. middleeasteye.net Golan Heights 'will continue' to be Israel's, says Netanyahu after Blinken remarks | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responds after US Secretary of State downplays country's claim to Syrian territory | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 16: 14 | The Israeli-controlled fence that separates occupied Golan Heights from rest of Syria, pictured on 12 May 2020 (AFP/File photo) | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu re…

Ramzy Baroud (2021-02-09). Andrew Yang Got it Wrong: Palestinian Boycott of Israel is Not Racist, It is Anti-Racist. mintpressnews.com Claims made by Democratic New York City mayoral Yang, a former Democratic Presidential candidate, is vying for the Jewish vote in New York City. According to the reductionist assumption that all Jews must naturally supp…

Sam Pizzigati (2021-02-09). The Unintentional Honesty of Jeff Bezos. counterpunch.org Jeff Bezos is stepping down as CEO of Amazon. He'll stay on as the executive chairman of Amazon's board, but he'll no longer be managing the company on a daily basis. Editors and pundits worldwide are treating this news as an epochal event. The supreme giant of the Internet economy, goes the refrain, is moving

news.un (2021-02-09). New ICC ruling 'opens the door' for justice in occupied Palestine — Independent UN expert. news.un.org The ruling of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that is does have jurisdiction over grave crimes committed in occupied Palestinian territory is a "significant step forward in the quest for justice and accountability", an independent UN human rights expert said on Tuesday.

Susan Price (2021-02-09). ICC opens door to prosecuting Israel for war crimes in Palestine. greenleft.org.au In a landmark decision, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has affirmed its jurisdiction over war crimes committed in Palestine, opening the door to possible criminal charges against Israel, writes Susan Price…

Ralph Nader (2021-02-09). Democrats Disarm Themselves Before Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial. zcomm.org If the Democrats do not go full throttle in this trial — this last clear chance to exercise the Constitution against Tyrant Trump — they will be remembered as profiles of infamy…

yenisafak (2021-02-09). Israeli army says suspect broke into Nevatim Air Base. yenisafak.com A suspect broke into the Nevatim Air Base in the northern Negev Desert on Monday night, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Tuesday.The suspect drove through an open gate into the base, abandoned the car later and took off on foot.While the search in coordination between air force, ground defense units and police was ongoing, the suspect "climbed two barbed wire fences and a five-meter-high (16-foot) fence, and left the base."No loss of life or damage to the security facilities was reported."The event will be investigated and the necessary lessons will be learned," the IDF statement added.The…

The Canary (2021-02-09). The Guardian declines to publish a letter by anti-apartheid campaigners. thecanary.co On 17 January, the Guardian In response, over 300 people signed a letter, including former ANC MPs Ronnie Kasrils & Andrew Feinstein (both in government with Nelson Mandela), Jeff Halper of the The Guardian declined to publish the letter. | The lette…

Online News Editor (2021-02-09). IOC bills sexist remarks by Tokyo 2020 chief Mori 'absolutely inappropriate'. laprensalatina.com Madrid, Feb 9 (efe-epa).- The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday slammed sexist remarks made by the head of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee Yoshiro Mori last week as "absolutely inappropriate." The sports community "can rest assured that the IOC will continue to deliver on its commitment to gender equality, inclusivity, solidarity and non-discrimination," the committee …

Richard C. Gross (2021-02-09). What's to Become of the Republican Party. counterpunch.org "To be or not to be: that is the question: " — William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1 It looks as if congressional Republicans have become the party of Trump disciple Marjorie Taylor Greene, not Lincoln. And the conspiracist freshman Georgia Republican congresswoman, stripped of two committee assignments by Democrats incensed at her extremist statements,

splcenter (2021-02-09). New SPLC Analysis: 566 antigovernment extremist groups pose threat to national security. splcenter.org &nbsp…

Gregory Wilpert (2021-02-09). The Disintegration of Israeli Politics. theanalysis.news As Israel gears up for its fourth general election in two years, it has become increasingly clear that Israeli politics is in the process of disintegration. It's largely due to an ever more fragmented party system based on identity politics, says Shir Hever, author of the book, The Privatization of Israeli Security.

_____ (2021-02-08). The Black Antiwar Movement Demands Biden Take Concrete Steps To End The Wars At Home And Abroad. popularresistance.org President Biden declared early in his presidency that he wants to advance racial equity. The new Secretary of Defense, General Lloyd Austin, the first Black person to serve in that role, announced his intentions to root out racism in the Pentagon. The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) recently launched two new campaigns calling for specific actions the Biden administration can take to end militarization of black and brown communities and to end the 'forever war' on Afghanistan. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ajamu Baraka, the national organizer for BAP, about these initiatives and the imperative to build the antiwar,…

alexander (2021-02-08). "Send in the Army": Oppression and the Hunger for Authority. dsausa.org The following is an excerpt from Empire's Endgame: Racism and the British State, an upcoming book co-authored by British academics Gargi Bhattacharyya, Adam Elliott-Cooper, Sita Balani, Kerem Nisancioglu, Kojo Koram, Dalia Gebral, Nadine El-Enany, and Luke de Noronha. Published by Pluto Press, Empire's Endgame engages with recent political movements such as Brexit and Black Lives Matter in order to provide a new and much-needed analysis of the confluence of race, government, and the media during these turbulent times. | Although Empire's Endgame is primarily a study of events in the United Kingdom, this chapt…

Staff (2021-02-08). ICC's "Landmark Decision" Could Open Door to Prosecuting Israel for War Crimes in Palestine. democracynow.org In a landmark decision, judges at the International Criminal Court say the body has jurisdiction over war crimes committed in the Palestinian territories, opening the door to possible criminal charges against Israel and militant groups like Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the international tribunal's decision "pure anti-Semitism" and rejected its claim of jurisdiction, as did the United States, while Palestinian officials and human rights groups welcome the news. Human rights lawyer Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza, says the decision restores "the i…

Mohammad Ayesh (2021-02-08). Arabic press review: Palestinians step up efforts to sue Israel at ICC. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Palestinians step up efforts to sue Israel at ICC | Meanwhile, Hamas is reportedly split on decision to participate in elections, and Egypt and the UAE feel alienated after results of UN-sponsored Libyan elections | Mon, 02/08/2021 – 14: 25 | The Bakr family in their house in the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City on 7 February, with posters of four children from their exten…

Staff (2021-02-08). Raji Sourani: Gaza Faces COVID Crisis as Israel Withholds Vaccines While Imposing Inhumane Blockade. democracynow.org The World Health Organization estimates there have been 51,312 confirmed cases and 522 deaths from COVID-19 in Gaza since reporting began in July 2020, and the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees warns the Gaza Strip's health system could collapse if the number of cases continues to rise. We get an update from Raji Sourani, human rights lawyer and director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza, on how Gaza has been impacted by COVID-19 as an ongoing blockade has destroyed its health infrastructure. "Our equipment is unable to deal with the emerging situation," Sourani says.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-08). Palestinian Authority will use its own postal codes from April. peoplesdispatch.org The services, set to start from April 2021, will soon be extended to the blockaded Gaza strip. The move is expected to provide relief to Palestinians who have seen over 7,000 postal violations by Israel in 2020…

Staff (2021-02-08). Landmark ICC Decision Could Open the Door for Prosecuting Israel on War Crimes. truthout.org In a landmark decision, judges at the International Criminal Court say the body has jurisdiction over war crimes committed in the Palestinian territories, opening the door to possible criminal charges against Israel and militant groups like Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the international tribunal's decision "pure anti-Semitism" and rejected its claim of jurisdiction, as did the United States, while Palestinian officials and human rights groups welcome the news. Human…

IMEMC News (2021-02-08). Soldiers Abduct Eight Palestinians In Ramallah. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, on Monday at dawn, eight Palestinians, including five who were kidnapped by undercover forces, in the Ramallah governorate, in central West Bank. Media sources said several army jeeps invaded the al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah city, before the soldiers stormed and ransacked many homes. They added that the soldiers abducted a …

IMEMC News (2021-02-08). Soldiers Demolish Well, Two Sheds, Near Ramallah And Tubas. imemc.org Israeli soldiers demolished, Monday, an irrigation well near Ramallah, in central West Bank, and two residential sheds near Tubas, in northeastern West Bank. Media sources said the soldiers invaded the al-Mughayyir village, east of Ramallah, and demolished an irrigation well. Marzouk Abu Na'im, the head of the -Mughayyir village council, said the well is owned …

The Palestinian News & Info Agency (2021-02-08). WAFA: "African leaders: Israeli settlements on occupied territories are illegal" imemc.org ADDIS ABABA, Sunday, February 07, 2021 (WAFA) — African leaders reaffirmed today that all Israeli settlements erected on the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan, are illegal. In the final statement of the two-day virtual 34th African Union Summit, African leaders stressed that Israel's settlements constitute serious violations of international humanitarian …

IMEMC News (2021-02-08). Israeli Colonists Attack Palestine TV Crew Near Salfit. imemc.org Several Israeli colonists attacked, Monday, a crew of Palestine TV near the entrance of Ariel colony, which was built on stolen Palestinian lands, near Salfit, in central West Bank. Palestine TV said the colonists attacked its crew members while filming a documentary about the escalating illegal Israeli colonialist activities and the dangerously increasing assaults by …

Jonathan Cook (2021-02-08). How Israel's Netanyahu helped break apart the Joint List. middleeasteye.net How Israel's Netanyahu helped break apart the Joint List | Rifts in the Palestinian coalition have helped further the prime minister's agenda, including foiling his own corruption trial | Mon, 02/08/2021 – 13: 52 | Joint List party members Osama Saadi, Ayman Odeh, Ahmed Tibi, and Mansour Abbas (left to right), arrive at the residence of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin for talks on 22 September 2019…

MEE and agencies (2021-02-08). Israel's Netanyahu pleads not guilty to corruption weeks before election. middleeasteye.net Israel's Netanyahu pleads not guilty to corruption weeks before election | The premier is the first to be indicted in office after he was charged last year over graft allegations
| Mon, 02/08/2021 – 07: 48 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to a hearing of his corruption trial at the Jerusalem district court, on 8 February 2021 (AFP) | Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin…