Commentary: Portland Pro-Israel event draws politicians and protest
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- Written by Peter Miller and Nancy Hedrick Peter Miller and Nancy Hedrick
- Published: 31 May 2013 31 May 2013
Israeli forces demolish 2 homes in East Jerusalem
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- Written by Ma'an Ma'an
- Published: 29 May 2013 29 May 2013
JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces demolished two Palestinian homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina on Wednesday.
Israeli forces surrounded the properties and closed off the area to media and onlookers, before bulldozers moved in to demolish the houses.
The two homes were owned by Badran al-Salameh, who told Ma'an that he had received no prior notice that the municipality would demolish the properties.
"My son's wife and his two kids were the only ones inside the house. I tried to reach my home when I heard from neighbors but Israeli officers banned me. I wanted to take out my wife's gold and money from one of the drawers," al-Salameh said.
The homes were built 13 years ago and housed 10 people.
Read more: Israeli forces demolish 2 homes in East Jerusalem
A young Iraqi girl in an orphanage
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- Written by @Amina_Semlali @Amina_Semlali
- Published: 29 May 2013 29 May 2013
A young Iraqi girl in an orphanage - missing her mother so she drew her and fell asleep inside her.. #Iraq pic.twitter.com/3ujShQngVX
Two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict slipping away, says British foreign secretary Hague
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- Written by Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem
- Published: 24 May 2013 24 May 2013
British foreign secretary says there is no 'plan B' and warns of consequences of failure of US mission to revive peace process
William Hague visits E1, the site of a proposed Israeli settlement, during a brief trip to Jerusalem and Ramallah. Photograph: Mahmoud illean/Demotix/Corbis
The British foreign secretary, William Hague, has warned of the risks of failure of the US-sponsored mission to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, suggesting that it was the last attempt possible at reaching a two-state solution to the conflict and there was no realistic "plan B".
On the second day of his brief trip to Jerusalem and Ramallah, Hague told reporters that the consequences of failure would be very severe, and the chances of a Palestinian state were slipping away.
The US secretary of state John Kerry's drive to restart talks was "a moment of opportunity that won't easily come round again," Hague said. He later repeated the point: "If this doesn't work, there is not going to be another moment in American diplomacy that is more committed and energetic to bring about negotiations. So it's very important – in weeks, not months – to make the most of this opportunity."
Three times during a 20-minute press conference, Hague said "bold leadership" was required on both sides for Kerry's mission to succeed. Many western diplomats are sceptical about the Israelis' frequently stated commitment to resume talks, given their unwillingness to curb the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which are seen as an impediment to peace talks by most of the international community.
Israel cracks down on American travel to West Bank by requiring tourists to obtain military permit
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- Written by Alex Kane Alex Kane
- Published: 23 May 2013 23 May 2013
Israeli authorities have implemented another way to impede free access to the occupied Palestinian territories for American travelers.
Haaretz’s Amira Hass reported over the weekend that Israel is now forbidding “tourists from the United States and other countries to enter the territories under Palestinian Authority control without a military entry permit – but it has not explained the application process to them.”
Hass’s report was published as opposition mounts to the Senate bill that grants Israelis visa-free travel to the U.S. while also codifying Israel's practice of denying U.S. travelers entry on the basis of security concerns. That Senate bill exposes a galling aspect of the "special relationship." All the military aid and diplomatic support to Israel doesn’t shield Americans from being routinely discriminated against based on their political affiliations or ethnic background. And Israel can count on the U.S. not putting up a fight. Having the whole Congress behind you means never having to think twice about these actions.
The policy Hass exposes is yet another example of Israeli authorities’ free reign at border crossings, which includes detaining, interrogating and deporting Americans.