|
Written by Anglican Friends of Israel
|
|
Friday, 15 August 2008 |
|
BICOM (Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre) has produced a useful analysis of the current situation in Gaza. Introduction Last week, Egypt discovered 20 underground tunnels in the weapons smuggling infrastructure upon which Hamas (the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement) relies, as well as an 800 metre fuel pipeline, running under its border with Gaza. The fortnight before that witnessed the most violent sectarianism to have damaged prospects for Palestinian national reconciliation since Hamas seized control of Gaza just over a year ago. Indeed the split between Hamas and the Palestinian authority has arguably deepened. Meanwhile, despite Hamas's focus on military rearmament, Israel is abiding by its commitment to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. This brief focuses on these contrasting events and trends as the most significant developments occurring since the Cairo-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire, or tahdiyeh (the more accurate Arabic term used to describe the temporary lull in fighting), in June. In no small measure due to Egypt's integral and ongoing role, the lull continues to endure, albeit precariously, almost two months after being agreed. The natural inclination for a casual observer might be to conclude that upon successful implementation of any ceasefire agreement between warring parties, they are on the path to some form of reconciliation. The reality in the case of Israel and Hamas, however, is that the present interest each side has in the lull partially obscures the growing complexity of the situation and propensity for conflict to re-emerge. Read more on BICOM's site >>
|
|
|
Written by Anglican Friends of Israel
|
|
Thursday, 07 August 2008 |
 Brussels, 6 August 2008 (ITUC OnLine ): The Israeli national trade union centre Histadrut and the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), both of which are affiliated to the ITUC, have reached a landmark agreement to protect the rights of Palestinian workers employed by Israeli employers, and to base future relations on negotiations, dialogue and joint initiatives to advance “fraternity and coexistence between the two peoples.” The current agreement draws on the terms of an initial 1995 agreement, which it had not been possible to fully implement in the intervening years. The key features of the agreement include the reimbursement by Histadrut to the PGFTU of the outstanding balance of union and legal representation fees paid since 1993 by Palestinians working for Israeli employers. The reimbursement is based on a detailed year-by-year analysis of the fees paid by Palestinian workers, taking into account funds previously transferred to the PGFTU. The PGFTU will have sole discretion as to how the funds will be spent, in line with its Constitution. In the future, at least 50% of the representation fees paid by Palestinians working for Israeli employers will be transferred to the PGFTU, to enable both organizations to provide representation, legal and other trade union services to the workers. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Anglican Friends of Israel
|
|
Friday, 01 August 2008 |
|
By Avi Issacharof, Haaretz
A moment before beginning his supper, Masab, son of West Bank Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, glances at the friend who has accompanied him to the restaurant where we met. They whisper a few words and then say grace, thanking God and Jesus for putting food on their plates.
It takes a few seconds to digest this sight: The son of a Hamas MP who is also the most popular figure in that extremist Islamic organization, a young man who assisted his father for years in his political activities, has become a rank-and-file Christian. "I'm now called Joseph," he says at the outset.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>
|
| Results 1 - 13 of 28 |
