2020-02-24: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-24). Israel intercepts 12 out of 14 missiles fired from Gaza in latest cross-border flare-up — IDF. rt.com Israel has shot down twelve projectiles, hours after the IDF carried out attacks inside Syria and Gaza. The Israeli military has claimed that its initial strikes were aimed at terrorist targets. | The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Twitter that air sirens had gone off in southern Israel on Monday, after fourteen projectiles were fired into Israel from Gaza. The IDF claims that twelve of the missiles were successfully intercepted. | Videos posted to social media purportedly show Israel's Iron Dome anti-air defense system in action. There are no reports of injuries. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terro…

RT (2020-02-24). Palestinian flag, Yellow Vests, Anonymous masks: Wide range of protester groups join demonstration in support of Assange (PHOTOS). rt.com Supporters of Julian Assange have staged quite a show outside Woolwich Court in London, throwing their artistic weight behind the embattled WikiLeaks co-founder. | Overlooked by a few policemen, dozens of protesters began amassing near the courthouse earlier on Monday, just as the judges began the closely-watched extradition hearing for Assange. | There was no shortage of conventional placards calling for Assange's release, but some activists showed unorthodox creativity. One protester, dressed as a biblical character, stole the show by carrying a yellowish cross, with the words "The truth will win" imprinted…

Chris Hedges (2020-02-24). The Zionist Colonization of Palestine. truthdig.com The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not the product of ancient ethnic hatreds. It is the tragic clash between two peoples with claims to the same land. It is a manufactured conflict, the outcome of a 100-year-old colonial occupation by

teleSUR (2020-02-24). Palestine Blasts US Over West Bank Map Plans. telesurenglish.net Palestine on Monday said that the U.S.-Israeli team tasked with mapping the areas in the West Bank that would be annexed by Israel under the U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan has no legitimacy. | RELATED: | Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Palestinian president's spokesperson, said that the new maps under the U.S. Mideast peace plan would not give legitimacy to any side, said a statement published by official Palestini…

Staff (2020-02-24). Headlines for February 24, 2020. democracynow.org Bernie Sanders Wins Nevada Caucuses by a Landslide, Calls for MSNBC's Chris Matthews to Resign After He Likens Sanders's NV Win to Nazi Takeover of France, Global Coronavirus Cases Surge, Trump Touts Defense Deal, Praises Modi at Massive Indian Rally, In Afghanistan, U.S. and Taliban Start Partial Truce, Iran: Conservatives Pick Up Bulk of Parliament Seats After 1,000s of Candidates Barred from Running, Outrage After Video Shows Israeli Bulldozer Removing Body of Killed Palestinian, Teck Resources Withdraws Application for Contested Alberta Oil Sands After Sustained Protests, Reports: Trump Admin Out to Purge Dis…

WSWS (2020-02-24). Control of offshore gas and oil provokes conflicts in eastern Mediterranean. wsws.org A new "scramble for Africa" is being tied into a new "scramble" for the eastern Mediterranean, as Turkey, Greece, Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, Lebanon and the European powers compete over gas exploration, production licenses and pipelines.

Uprooted Palestinians (2020-02-24). Lest We Forget — Hillary Clinton: We Must Destroy Syria for Israel. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published in 2018. | A leaked Hillary Clinton email confirms that the Obama administration, with Hillary at the helm, orchestrated a civil war in Syria to benefit Israel. | The new Wikileaks release shows the then Secretary of …

sputniknews (2020-02-24). Air Raid Sirens Sound in Southern Israel – IDF. sputniknews.com On Sunday, air raid sirens were sounded across the south of Israel during the whole evening after rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip.

sputniknews (2020-02-24). Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Considers Announcing Forthcoming Term as His Last — Report. sputniknews.com Israel has been embroiled in a political crisis since the 2019 April and September elections when Netanyahu's Likud Party twice failed to obtain the majority needed to form a government.

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-02-24). 'This Is a War Crime': Video of IDF Bulldozer Dragging Body of Palestinian Man in Gaza Sparks Outrage. commondreams.org Human rights advocates expressed outrage and called for a criminal investigation after video footage of an Israeli military bulldozer dragging the body of a Palestinian man shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied Gaza Strip circulated widely across social media over the weekend. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12028326031.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-02-24). 'Political Courage': Sanders Will Not Attend AIPAC Conference Over Concern for 'Basic Palestinian Rights'. commondreams.org "You can support the Palestinian and Israeli people without supporting leaders or organizations that oppose the freedom and liberation of the Palestinian people." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_30_2_0.jpg

RT (2020-02-23). WATCH Damascus air defenses intercept incoming Israeli missiles. rt.com Syrian air defenses in Damascus brought down several "hostile targets" coming from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights. Israel confirmed it conducted a strike as videos of the alleged interception were shared online. | The Israeli military launched a series of raids against "terrorist targets" belonging to Islamic Jihad in Syria and throughout Gaza, IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed in a rare admission of strikes against its neighbor. | Also on rt.com | | The st…

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-02-23). Israeli Forces Suppress Peaceful Protest in Kufur Qaddoum. imemc.org Violent confrontations flared up on Saturday afternoon when Israeli occupation forces (IOF) violently dispersed a peaceful Palestinian demonstration in Kufur Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilia, local sources said . The Palestinian Information Center reported that the IOF attacked the peaceful demonstrators by firing rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters …

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-02-23). Turkish Foreign Ministry Condemns Israel's Colonial Expansion. imemc.org Turkish Foreign Ministry, on Friday, condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that more settlement units would be built on occupied Palestinian lands. Notably, the statement noted that Israel was encouraged by the US, which recently announced its so-called peace plan called "Deal of the Century," Anadolu Agency reported. The …

IMEMC News (2020-02-23). Palestinian Infant Among Dozens Who Suffered Severe Effects of Teargas Inhalation Near Ramallah. imemc.org A Palestinian infant, only five months of age, along with dozens of residents, including schoolchildren, suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation, Sunday, after Israeli soldiers invaded Deir Nitham village, west of the central West Bank city of Ramallah. Media sources said the soldiers attacked dozens of residents, especially schoolchildren, …

IMEMC News (2020-02-23). Updated: Israeli Soldiers Abduct Eight Palestinians In West Bank. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, on Sunday at dawn, seven Palestinians from their homes, in several parts of the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported. Another Palestinian was abducted, on Sunday afternoon, near Jerusalem. | Update:…

IMEMC News (2020-02-23). Soldiers Close Many Roads South Of Hebron. imemc.org Israeli soldiers closed, on Sunday morning, several roads in Masafer Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron. Media sources said the soldiers installed sandhills and concrete blocks on many roads leading to Masafer Yatta, located east of Yatta town, south of Hebron, and prevented the Palestinians …

teleSUR (2020-02-23). Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian, Drag His Body With Bulldozer. telesurenglish.net Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian man near the border, east of the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip, and severely injured two others who were trying to pull out the body, local media reported Sunday. | RELATED: | The two wounded men were rushed to a hospital for treatment, a paramedic of the Palestinian Red Crescent told the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. | Israeli forces…

The Palestinian News & Info Agency (2020-02-23). US Senators Call for Resuming Aid to Gaza, UNRWA. imemc.org According to American media reports, a group of 31 US Democratic Senators have written a letter calling on the US administration to restore funding and aid to the Gaza Strip, warning that Palestinians are facing a humanitarian crisis. The senators urged the administration to take immediate action to restore humanitarian …

IMEMC News (2020-02-23). Updated 2: "Israeli Soldiers Kill One Palestinian, Injure Four, In Southern Gaza" imemc.org Update: The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, has reported that the slain Palestinian was one of its members. | The Brigades stated that the Palestinian has been identified as Mohammad Ali Hasan an-Na'em, 27, from Khan Younis.

PCHR (2020-02-23). PCHR: IOF Abuses the Body of Palestinian in a Humiliating and Degrading Manner. imemc.org On Sunday, 23 February 2020, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) shot and injured Palestinian civilians whom were trying to rescue and evacuate two persons that were targeted by IOF in eastern Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip. IOF made a 150-meter incursion into the border and evacuated the body of …

teleSUR (2020-02-23). Bernie Sanders To Skip AIPAC Conference On Political Reasons. telesurenglish.net United States Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders announced Sunday that he would not attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) conference this year, marking his stance against the pro-Israel lobby in Washington. | RELATED: | Two days after becoming the undisputed favorite in the Democratic race with a solid victory in Nevada's caucuses, the Vermont senator made it clear that he will not attend the AIPAC event…

teleSUR (2020-02-23). Syrian Forces Defend Damascus From Alleged New Israeli Attack. telesurenglish.net Syria's air defense is responding to "hostile targets" over the Damascus area, state news agency SANA reported Sunday. | RELATED: | According to the news agency, Syrian forces are repelling "a batch of hostile missiles coming from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights." | Media reports said explosions were heard in the sky over Damascus, while videos allegedly confirm the attacks. SANA's correspondent confirmed that…

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-02-23). Italy, France and Germany Call on Israel to Halt Settlement Expansion. imemc.org Italy expressed deep concern over the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement to proceed with the construction of 5,000 housing units in the illegal settlements of Har Homa and Givat Hamatos in occupied East Jerusalem, the Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported. Italy's foreign ministry in a press statement …

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-02-23). Latin Patriarchate Denounces Settler Invasion of Jordan Valley. imemc.org The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem, on Saturday, condemned the Israeli settlers' invasion of its property in the northern Jordan Valley village of Tayasir. In a statement yesterday it said "thousands of Israeli settlers entered with no permission, in clear violation of private property laws," Days of Palestine reports. The armed …

Jonathan Cook (2020-02-21). UN List of Firms Aiding Israel's Settlements was Dead on Arrival. counterpunch.org Nazareth. After lengthy delays, the United Nations finally published a database last week of businesses that have been profiting from Israel's illegal settlement activity in the West Bank. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, announced that 112 major companies had been identified as operating in Israeli settlements in ways that violate human

Miko Peled (2020-02-21). The Government of Israel Has A Very Serious Antisemitism Problem. mintpressnews.com The government of Israel is engaged in what is perhaps the worst example of antisemitism in the world today, writes Miko Peled, and its aimed at its very own Orthodox Jewish community.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-02-21). 'The Donald Trump I know': Abbas' UN Speech and the Breakdown of Palestinian Politics. counterpunch.org A precious moment has been squandered, as Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, had the chance to right a historical wrong, by reinstating Palestinian national priorities at the United Nations Security Council on February 11, through a political discourse that is completely independent from Washington and its allies. For a long time, Abbas has been a

Ramzy Baroud (2020-02-21). The Donald Trump I Know: Abbas' UN Speech and the Breakdown of Palestinian Politics. mintpressnews.com The real danger of Trump's 'Deal of the Century' is not the actual stipulations of the sinister plan, but the fact that Mahmoud Abbas will find a way to co-exist with them, writes Ramzy Baroud.

Andre Vltchek (2020-02-19). Could the Latest Outburst of Ankara's Temper lead to Escalation in Syria? dissidentvoice.org So far Turkey, militarily the second mightiest NATO country, has been able to get away with virtually anything it has chosen to brew in the Middle East. The reason why is simple: to confront Turkey's bullying and expansionism militarily would be like confronting the United States or Israel; thousands of innocent people would die as …

Whitney Webb (2020-02-19). Netanyahu "Optimistic" Israel Can Use Political Pressure To Shut Down ICC War Crimes Probe. mintpressnews.com Netanyahu's frenzied lobbying efforts to halt the ICC probe suggests that the probe greatly worries him, particularly as he has linked his current reelection bid to illegal acts like his planned annexation of the West Bank.

Alon Ben-Meir (2020-02-19). The Moral Devastation of the Continued Occupation. dissidentvoice.org I have long maintained that Israel's occupation of the West Bank defies the moral principle behind the creation of the state. Contrary to Prime Minister Netanyahu's assertion, the occupation erodes rather than buttresses Israel's national security and cannot be justified on either security or moral grounds. Trump's "deal of the century" is tantamount to perpetuating …

Jonathan Cook (2020-02-18). Profiting from Loss: How Business in Illegal Israeli Settlements Continues Unchecked. dissidentvoice.org After lengthy delays, the United Nations finally published a database last week of businesses that have been profiting from Israel's illegal annexation and settlement activity in the West Bank. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, announced that 112 major companies had been identified as operating in Israeli settlements in ways that violate …

Staff (2020-02-14). Rep. Rashida Tlaib: Trump's "Racist" Plan Would Legalize the Theft of Palestinian Land. democracynow.org We continue our conversation with Congressmember Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress. She responds to President Trump's Middle East plan, under which Israel would gain sovereignty over large areas of the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem would be under total Israeli control, and all Jewish settlers in the occupied territory would be allowed to remain in their homes. Tlaib says the plan was formulated with a "racist lens" that ignores Palestinian lives and aspirations. Tlaib says she wants people "to know what the human impact is of taking people's land, taking people's…

Middle East Eye (2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."

Ramzy Baroud (2020-02-02). On the Road to Gaza: The Freedom Flotilla Will Sail Again. zcomm.org True solidarity should aim at forcing Israel to end the protracted occupation and siege on the Palestinian people…

CounterSpin (2020-01-31). Omar Baddar on Israel/Palestine 'Peace' Plan, Rainey Reitman on Greenwald Persecution. fair.org MP3 Link This week on CounterSpin: It is strange to think that you could create a plan to shape the relationship between two entities, in consultation with one but not the other, and then not just declare it, yourself, a "win-win," but also say to the unconsulted party, "You better take it, or else." Yet …