Amnesty International Alert: ISRAEL: demolition of bedouin village imminent

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Written by Amnesty International Amnesty International

Published: 12 November 2010 12 November 2010

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Israeli intel firm behind Pennsylvania’s ‘terror’ bulletins on peace, environment, LGBT groups

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Written by Ali Abunimah Ali Abunimah

Published: 11 November 2010 11 November 2010

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(September 15, 2010) Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has just ordered his state's Homeland Security director to cancel a $125,000 contract with an outfit called the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response (ITRR). The Associated Press reports: 

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Information about an anti-BP candlelight vigil, a gay and lesbian festival and other peaceful gatherings became the subject of anti-terrorism bulletins being distributed by Pennsylvania's homeland security office, an apologetic Gov. Ed Rendell admitted.

Rendell, who claimed he'd just learned about the practice, said Tuesday that the information was useless to law enforcement agencies and that distributing it was tantamount to trampling on constitutional rights. In recent weeks, several acts of vandalism at drilling sites spurred the inclusion of events likely to be attended by environmentalists and the bulletins began going to representatives of Pennsylvania's booming natural gas industry.

A Philadelphia rally organized by a nonprofit group to support Rendell's push for higher spending on public schools even made a bulletin, as did drilling protests at a couple of Rendell's news conferences this month as he toured the state to boost support for a tax on the natural gas industry.

"I am deeply embarrassed and I apologize to any of the groups who had this information disseminated on their right to peacefully protest," Rendell said at an evening Capitol news conference.

Rendell called the practice "ludicrous" and said the fact that the state was paying for such rudimentary information was "stunning."

Still, Rendell said he was not firing his homeland security director, James Powers, but he ordered an end to the $125,000 contract with the Philadelphia-based organization, the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response, that supplied the information.

What AP does not say is that ITRR is an Israeli "security" and "anti-terrorism" company -- and like most of such companies has close ties to Israeli military and intelligence. According to ITRR's website, the group describes itself as "the preeminent Israeli/American security firm providing training, intelligence and education to clients across the globe."

The site boasts of its "Israeli-style training" that "All ITRR courses are approved by the Israeli Ministry of Defense." ITRR lists among its "partners" such groups as "The Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute" and it lists its offices in Philadelphia and Jerusalem. ITRR also shockingly is a "partner" of Philadelphia University.

This nefarious outfit which boasts of its "approval" by the the war criminals at the Israeli Ministry of Defense has been caught red-handed violating the constitutional rights of Americans. How many more states or municipalities have contracts with this human-rights-abusing front? This is an urgent matter that media and civil rights groups must investigate.

UPDATE:

Going through ITRR's website I found this item which states:

All of the information ITRR's staff creates is sent to its monitoring center in Jerusalem, where it is analyzed and verified with other local sources.

"We never have just one member of the ground truth network in a country," Perelman said. Right now, the institute has more than 15 people in the field. "We are constantly cross checking with ground truth sources and communications that we receive through other means."

ITRR's network is global but not all countries are currently monitored. "If a client feels the need for coverage in a particular area we will obtain the information and coverage," Perelman said.

This appears to confirm that ITRR is gathering information on Americans and sending the data to Israel -- almost certainly to Israeli intelligence. It would not be surprising if this firm were simply a front for Israeli intelligence and in effect being paid by US taxpayers to spy on them. In Pittsburgh, a city council member has demanded a probe into ITRR accusing the firm of "espionage."

This post originally appeared on Ali Abunimah's blog here.

Governor Kulongoski Leads Trade Mission to Israel to Expand Clean Tech; Other Opportunities for Oreg

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Written by Business Oregon Business Oregon

Published: 11 November 2010 11 November 2010

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Governor Kulongoski Leads Trade Mission to Israel to Expand Clean Tech; Other Opportunities for Oregon Companies

Governor Also Visited in 2008
Governor Ted Kulongoski departed for Israel last week, leading a group of public and private sector leaders on a nine-day business development mission to promote Oregon as a center for green energy, security defense equipment, and environmental equipment technologies, while also promoting Oregon products in the Israeli market.

"Israel is a world leader in sustainability, high-tech and software development and electric vehicles," the Governor said. "There is much untapped expertise and venture capital in Israel that could benefit our state greatly if relationships are developed and partnerships are fostered. That's what this mission is about."

As part of the mission, the Governor signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on October 27 with the nation of Israel to build on business-to-business opportunities and joint collaboration on alternative energy, security and innovation initiatives.

The Governor also will promote commercial development R&D opportunities with Oregon universities and Signature Research Centers and represent the interests of the newly formed Oregon-Israel Business Alliance, which has been organized by a group of Oregon private-sector business leaders to create new business ties with Israel.

The Governor also will tour the Intel research and manufacturing facility at Kiryat Gat and learn more about the company's planned expansion of facilities there. Among those joining the Governor on this mission were Wally Van Valkenburg, chair of the Oregon Business Development Commission; Brian Shipley, the Governor's deputy chief of staff; Bill Wyatt, executive director of the Port of Portland; Diane Daggett, Intel's director of U.S. corporate affairs; Karen Goddin, Managing Director of Business Oregon's Business, Innovation & Trade Division; and Business Oregon Clean Tech Industry Strategist, Mark Brady.

Israel's major industrial sectors include high-technology electronic and biomedical equipment, metal products, processed foods, chemicals and transport equipment. It is a world leader in software development as well as a leader in solar thermal and water conservation systems and transitioning to zero-emissions vehicles, and Israel is the country company with the most companies listed on NASDAQ, the main stock exchange for technology companies.

The Governor and Oregon's universities, venture capitalists and private business leaders are using this mission to strengthen relationships with the Israeli government and private companies based in Israel. Oregon exported more than $107 million in goods and services to Israel in 2009.

This is the Governor's second business mission to Israel. The first was in the spring of 2008.

Israeli Bulldozers Demolish Sheep Farm in the Village of al-Issaweyeh, Jerusalem

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Written by Mays Al-Azza - IMEMC & Agencies Mays Al-Azza - IMEMC & Agencies

Published: 11 November 2010 11 November 2010

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Palestinian sources in Jerusalem reported, on Thursday, that bulldozers belonging to the Israeli controlled Jerusalem municipality demolished a sheep and horse farm in al-Issaweyeh village in North East Jerusalem.

Witnesses said that Maher Muhessen, the owner of the farm, received notification of the decision to demolish his farm only yesterday, with the reason stated that it was constructed without permission from the municipality.

The farm is 500 square meters and it is home to dozens of sheep and horses.

Also, a large force of Israeli army personnel closed the northern entrance of the village of al-Issaweyeh with concrete barriers and put a road sign that permits only the residents of the village to enter.