Israeli forces have abducted Gaza aid ship with ex-Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney on board

ISRAEL ATTACKS JUSTICE BOAT; KIDNAPS HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS; CONFISCATES MEDICINE, TOYS AND OLIVE TREES

Free Gaza Team / 6.30.09 / FreeGaza.org

For more information contact:

Greta Berlin (English)

tel: +357 99 081 767 / friends@freegaza.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Caoimhe Butterly (Arabic/English/Spanish):

tel: +357 99 077 820 / sahara78@hotmail.co.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

www.FreeGaza.org

[23 miles off the coast of Gaza, 15:30pm] – Today Israeli Occupation Forces attacked and boarded the Free Gaza Movement boat, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, including Noble laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (see below for a complete list of passengers). The passengers and crew are being forcibly dragged toward Israel.

“This is an outrageous violation of international law against us. Our boat was not in Israeli waters, and we were on a human rights mission to the Gaza Strip,” said Cynthia McKinney, a former U.S. Congresswoman and presidential candidate. “President Obama just told Israel to let in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and that’s exactly what we tried to do. We’re asking the international community to demand our release so we can resume our journey.”

According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report released yesterday, the Palestinians living in Gaza are “trapped in despair.” Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel’s December/January massacre are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel’s disruption of medical supplies.

“The aid we were carrying is a symbol of hope for the people of Gaza, hope that the sea route would open for them, and they would be able to transport their own materials to begin to reconstruct the schools, hospitals and thousands of homes destroyed during the onslaught of “Cast Lead”. Our mission is a gesture to the people of Gaza that we stand by them and that they are not alone” said fellow passenger Mairead Maguire, winner of a Noble Peace Prize for her work in Northern Ireland.

Just before being kidnapped by Israel, Huwaida Arraf, Free Gaza Movement chairperson and delegation co-coordinator on this voyage, stated that: “No one could possibly believe that our small boat constitutes any sort of threat to Israel. We carry medical and reconstruction supplies, and children’s toys. Our passengers include a Nobel peace prize laureate and a former U.S. congressperson. Our boat was searched and received a security clearance by Cypriot Port Authorities before we departed, and at no time did we ever approach Israeli waters.”

Arraf continued, “Israel’s deliberate and premeditated attack on our unarmed boat is a clear violation of international law and we demand our immediate and unconditional release.”

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WHAT YOU CAN DO!

CONTACT the Israeli Ministry of Justice

tel: +972 2646 6666 or +972 2646 6340

fax: +972 2646 6357

CONTACT the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs

tel: +972 2530 3111

fax: +972 2530 3367

CONTACT Mark Regev in the Prime Minister’s office at:

tel: +972 5 0620 3264 or +972 2670 5354

mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

CONTACT the International Committee of the Red Cross to ask for their assistance in establishing the wellbeing of the kidnapped human rights workers and help in securing their immediate release!

Red Cross Israel

tel: +972 3524 5286

fax: +972 3527 0370

tel_aviv.tel@icrc.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Red Cross Switzerland:

tel: +41 22 730 3443

fax: +41 22 734 8280

Red Cross USA:

tel: +1 212 599 6021

fax: +1 212 599 6009

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Kidnapped Passengers from the Spirit of Humanity include:

Khalad Abdelkader, Bahrain

Khalad is an engineer representing the Islamic Charitable Association of Bahrain.

Othman Abufalah, Jordan

Othman is a world-renowned journalist with al-Jazeera TV.

Khaled Al-Shenoo, Bahrain

Khaled is a lecturer with the University of Bahrain.

Mansour Al-Abi, Yemen

Mansour is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera TV.

Fatima Al-Attawi, Bahrain

Fatima is a relief worker and community activist from Bahrain.

Juhaina Alqaed, Bahrain

Juhaina is a journalist & human rights activist.

Huwaida Arraf, US

Huwaida is the Chair of the Free Gaza Movement and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage.

Ishmahil Blagrove, UK

Ishmahil is a Jamaican-born journalist, documentary film maker and founder of the Rice & Peas film production company. His documentaries focus on international struggles for social justice.

Kaltham Ghloom, Bahrain

Kaltham is a community activist.

Derek Graham, Ireland

Derek Graham is an electrician, Free Gaza organizer, and first mate aboard the Spirit of Humanity.

Alex Harrison, UK

Alex is a solidarity worker from Britain. She is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Denis Healey, UK

Denis is Captain of the Spirit of Humanity. This will be his fifth voyage to Gaza.

Fathi Jaouadi, UK

Fathi is a British journalist, Free Gaza organizer, and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage.

Mairead Maguire, Ireland

Mairead is a Nobel laureate and renowned peace activist.

Lubna Masarwa, Palestine/Israel

Lubna is a Palestinian human rights activist and Free Gaza organizer.

Theresa McDermott, Scotland

Theresa is a solidarity worker from Scotland. She is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Cynthia McKinney, US

Cynthia McKinney is an outspoken advocate for human rights and social justice issues, as well as a former U.S. congressperson and presidential candidate.

Adnan Mormesh, UK

Adnan is a solidarity worker from Britain. He is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Adam Qvist, Denmark

Adam is a solidarity worker from Denmark. He is traveling to Gaza to do human rights monitoring.

Adam Shapiro, US

Adam is an American documentary film maker and human rights activist.

Kathy Sheetz, US

Kathy is a nurse and film maker, traveling to Gaza to do human rights monitoring.

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Obama warned Netanyahu not to surprise US with Iran strike

Obama warns Netanyahu: Don’t surprise me with Iran strike

5.14.09 / Aluf Benn & Natasha Mozgovaya / Haaretz

U.S. President Barack Obama has sent a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding that Israel not surprise the U.S. with an Israeli military operation against Iran. The message was conveyed by a senior American official who met in Israel with Netanyahu, ministers and other senior officials. Earlier, Netanyahu’s envoy visited Washington and met with National Security Adviser James Jones and with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and discussed the dialogue Obama has initiated with Tehran.

The message from the American envoy to the prime minister reveals U.S. concern that Israel could lose patience and act against Iran. It is important to the Americans that they not be caught off guard and find themselves facing facts on the ground at the last minute.

Obama did not wait for his White House meeting with Netanyahu, scheduled for next Monday, to deliver his message, but rather sent it ahead of time with his envoy.

It may be assumed that Obama is disturbed by the positions Netanyahu expressed before his election vis-a-vis Tehran – for example, Netanyahu’s statement that “If elected I pledge that Iran will not attain nuclear arms, and that includes whatever is necessary for this statement to be carried out.” After taking office, on Holocaust Memorial Day Netanyahu said: “We will not allow Holocaust-deniers to carry out another holocaust.”

Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak do not oppose American dialogue with Tehran, but they believe it should be conducted within a limited window of time, making it clear to Iran that if it does not stop its nuclear program, severe sanctions will be imposed and other alternatives will be considered.

The American concern that Israel will attack Iran came up as early as last year, while president George W. Bush was still in office. As first reported in Haaretz, former prime minister Ehud Olmert and Barak made a number of requests from Bush during the latter’s visit to Jerusalem, which were interpreted as preparations for an aerial attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

‫State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly did not directly address the question of the U.S.’s official stance on an Israeli attack, but said Thursday that “we believe that the multilateral track with Iran is the right way to go.”

“Our goal is to make them abandon their nuclear program in a verifiable way, and we will continue with this track. We decided that we want to let Iran get back to the table, to engage them, because the previous approach of isolating Iran didn?t work. But we don?t have a clear timetable,” he said.

Following the Bush visit to Jerusalem, about a year ago the previous administration sent two senior envoys, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, and the former U.S. national intelligence chief Mike McConnell to demand that Israel not attack Iran.

The previous administration also gave the message greater weight through Mullen’s public statement that an Israeli attack on Iran would endanger the entire region. Since that statement, Mullen has met a number of times with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

US troops will not be exiting out of Iraq, will encircle cities & have “noncombat” troops inside Mosul

General: US Troops to ‘Encircle’ Iraqi Cities

June 30 Pullback Troops Won’t Be Going Far

6.26.09 / Jason Ditz / Antiwar.com

The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Iraq and the United States requires that all US combat forces leave Iraqi cities by the end of Tuesday. The US is going to be going along with the requirement, more or less, but those troops won’t be going far.

Major General Robert Caslen

According to Major General Robert Caslen, the commander of US forces in the north, the troops that are being pulled from the cities will be massing along the outskirts of the cities, encircling them in what the general called an attempt to replicate the surge strategy outside of the cities.

Maj. Gen. Caslen expressed concern about the recent spike in massive bombings, and also seemed unsure if the Iraqi government could take over for the US troops inside the cities. He has also reported that the Iraqi government has agreed to keep “non-combat” troops at five locations inside Mosul after the deadline.

Analysts are downplaying the pullback as a change on the ground, noting that US troops will be able to intervene in situations when the Iraqi military requests it. They do, however, see the pullback as a major test to the US-Iraqi relationship.

Al “Goldman” Qaeda conveniently announces they are prepared to use Pakistan’s nukes on America

Al Qaeda says would use Pakistani nuclear weapons

6.22.09 / Inal Ersan / Reuters

DUBAI (Reuters) – If it were in a position to do so, Al Qaeda would use Pakistan’s nuclear weapons in its fight against the United States, a top leader of the group said in remarks aired Sunday.

Pakistan has been battling al Qaeda’s Taliban allies in the Swat Valley since April after their thrust into a district 100 km (60 miles) northwest of the capital raised fears the nuclear-armed country could slowly slip into militant hands.

“God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans,” Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the leader of al Qaeda’s in Afghanistan, said in an interview with Al Jazeera television.

Abu al-Yazid was responding to a question about U.S. safeguards to seize control over Pakistan’s nuclear weapons in case Islamist fighters came close to doing so.

“We expect that the Pakistani army would be defeated (in Swat) … and that would be its end everywhere, God willing.”

Asked about the group’s plans, the Egyptian militant leader said: “The strategy of the (al Qaeda) organization in the coming period is the same as in the previous period: to hit the head of the snake, the head of tyranny — the United States.

“That can be achieved through continued work on the open fronts and also by opening new fronts in a manner that achieves the interests of Islam and Muslims and by increasing military operations that drain the enemy financially.”

The militant leader suggested that naming a new leader for the group’s unit in the Arabian Peninsula, Abu Basir al-Wahayshi, could revive its campaign in Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter.

“Our goals have been the Americans … and the oil targets which they are stealing to gain power to strike the mujahideen and Muslims.”

“There was a setback in work there for reasons that there is no room to state now, but as of late, efforts have been united and there is unity around a single leader.”

Abu al-Yazid, also known as Abu Saeed al-Masri, said al Qaeda will continue “with large scale operations against the enemy” — by which he meant the United States.

“We have demanded and we demand that all branches of al Qaeda carry out such operations,” he said, referring to attacks against U.S.-led forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The militant leader said al Qaeda would be willing to accept a truce of about 10 years’ duration with the United States if Washington agreed to withdraw its troops from Muslim countries and stopped backing Israel and the pro-Western governments of Muslim nations.

Asked about the whereabouts of al Qaeda’s top leaders, he said: “Praise God, sheikh Osama (bin Laden) and sheikh Ayman al-Zawahri are safe from the reach of the enemies, but we would not say where they are; moreover, we do not know where they are, but we’re in continuous contact with them.”

(Editing by Michael Roddy)

Benjamin Netanyahu says he endorses concept of limited Palestinian state

Netanyahu Lays Out Conditions for Palestinian State, Offers Obama History Pointers

6.15.09 / Patrick Goodenough / CNSNews.com

(CNSNews.com) – Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu can wait a thousand years without finding a single Palestinian prepared to accept his offer, a senior Palestinian negotiator said late Sunday after Netanyahu in a policy speech laid down conditions under which Israel would accept a Palestinian state.

The two key conditions, the conservative prime minister said, were Palestinian recognition of Israel as the national homeland for the Jewish people; and a requirement that a future Palestinian state would be demilitarized.

Acceptance of a Palestinian state is a departure for Netanyahu. Speaking at Bar Ilan University outside Tel Aviv, he made it clear that it came with red lines.

On the first, Netanyahu said, refusal to recognize the Jewish people’s right to a state in their historical homeland was “the root of the conflict.” The “public, binding and sincere” acknowledgment by the Palestinians of that right was therefore a “fundamental condition for ending the conflict.”

On the second condition, Netanyahu said there was broad agreement in Israel that a future Palestinian state could not be militarized.

“Without this condition, there is a real fear that there will be an armed Palestinian state which will become a terrorist base against Israel, as happened in Gaza,” he said.

Such a state – “another Hamastan” – could makes military treaties with Iran or Hezbollah and import weapons and missiles.

A Palestinian state could have no army, and no control over its airspace, and effective measures would have to be put in place to prevent arms from entering, Netanyahu said.

Palestinian security officers take part in an exercise in the West Bank town of Jenin on Sunday, June 14, 2009. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in his speech Sunday said a future Palestinian state must be demilitarized if it is not to turn into “another Hamastan.” (AP Photo)

On two other key final status questions, he said Jerusalem would remain Israel’s unified capital, and Palestinian refugees could not be settled within Israel’s future borders. Netanyahu recalled that as the young and “tiny” state of Israel had absorbed “hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees from Arab countries who were uprooted from their homes.” The problem of Arab refugees could similarly be solved, he said, implying that the refugees could be accommodated in the Palestinian state and/or neighboring Arab countries.

The Palestinian Authority wants at least the eastern portion of Jerusalem as the capital of a future state; the “right of return” of Arabs who left what is now Israel in 1948, and their descendants, is another key P.A. demand.

On the issue of Israelis living in disputed areas, Netanyahu pledged that no new settlements would be built. But he pointedly did not agree that construction would stop within existing ones – a matter of disagreement with the Obama administration.

“There is a need to have people live normal lives and let mothers and fathers raise their children like everyone in the world,” he said. “The settlers are not enemies of peace. They are our brothers and sisters.”

More than 280,000 Israelis live in settlements in Judea-Samaria (the West Bank). President Bush in a letter to the Israeli government in 2004 acknowledged that the final status borders of Israel would have to take into account “new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centers.” The Obama administration has sidestepped the question of whether it considers that and other assurances in the Bush letter to be binding.

Jerusalem’s Old City viewed from the Mount of Olives. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday said the contested city will remain Israel’s unified capital. (AP Photo)

‘This is the birthplace of the Jewish people’

Sunday’s speech was viewed in Israel as a response to some of the points made in President Obama’s address to the “Muslim world,” delivered in Cairo early this month. Obama pressed the Israelis to accept a “two state solution” to the conflict and said it was time for Jewish settlements to “stop.”

P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said Netanyahu’s speech “torpedoes” peace initiatives, while P.A. negotiator Saeb Erekat called it “deceiving,” adding that the prime minister “can wait one thousand years to find one single Palestinian who accepts his plans mentioned in his speech.”

In remarks directed to Obama, Erekat said Netanyahu’s speech was a slap in the president’s face.

“Netanyahu is challenging you and insists not stopping settlements or ending the military occupation,” he said. “President Obama, the ball is in your court tonight.”

The settlement issue is not the only one covered in Netanyahu’s speech that constituted a reproach to the administration.

Although the White House in a statement praised “the important step forward” in the speech – presumably Netanyahu’s conditional endorsement of a future Palestinian state – a close reading of the speech finds a number of gentle ripostes.

In Cairo on June 4, Obama suggested that Jewish aspirations that led to the establishment of Israel in 1948 were “rooted” in a “tragic history” of anti-Semitic persecution that culminated in the Holocaust.

While agreeing that the Holocaust showed why Jews needed a “protective state,” Netanyahu highlighted the 3,000 year-old Jewish connection to the land of Israel.

“The right of the Jewish people to a state in the Land of Israel does not arise from the series of disasters that befell the Jewish people over 2,000 years – persecutions, expulsions, pogroms, blood libels, murders, which reached its climax in the Holocaust,” he said. “The right to establish our sovereign state here, in the Land of Israel, arises from one simple fact: Eretz Israel is the birthplace of the Jewish people.”

The assertion that the Holocaust led to the creation of Israel is frequently used by its

Israel’s critics frequently argue that Europe assuaged its “guilt” over the Nazi genocide by giving the survivors a homeland, at the expense of the Arab inhabitants, and that that alone – rather than any historic or legal claim – was the reason for the creation of Israel. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, despite disputing the Holocaust, has suggested that the Israelis be moved to Europe to make up for “injustice” Jews experienced there.

Waving an Islamic flag, Palestinian children take part in a summer camp run by the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza City on Sunday, June 14, 2009. (AP Photo)

Arab rejectionism

Obama also did not mention the fact that the establishment of Israel arose out of a 1947 decision by the United Nations to divide the land between Jews and Arabs. The Jews assented, declaring a state; the Arabs refused the deal, and went to war.

Netanyahu filled in the gap.

“The entire Arab world rejected the [U.N.] proposal, while the Jewish community accepted it with great rejoicing and dancing,” he recounted. “The Arabs refused any Jewish state whatsoever, with any borders whatsoever.”

In Cairo, Obama echoed the widely-held view that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza in 1967 was the reason for Arab and Muslim enmity towards Israel.

Netanyahu countered: “Whoever thinks that the continued hostility to Israel is a result of our forces in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is confusing cause and effect,” he said. “The attacks on us began in the 1920s, became an overall attack in 1948 when the state was declared, continued in the 1950s with the fedayeen attacks, and reached their climax in 1967 on the eve of the Six-Day War, with the attempt to strangle Israel.

“All this happened nearly 50 years before a single Israeli soldier went into Judea and Samaria” in 1967, he said.

Elsewhere in the speech, Netanyahu praised Egypt and Jordan for signing peace agreements with Israel and invited Israel’s remaining neighbors to join the “circle of peace,” saying he was ready to travel to Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia to talk about and make peace.

He also challenged the Arabs to join Israel in promoting “economic peace” – not as a substitute for peace, but as “a very important component in achieving it: “Together we can advance projects that can overcome the problems facing our region.”

Israeli Defense Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu to back idea of Palestinian state

Netanyahu Likely to Back Two-State Solution During Washington Visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will endorse the creation of a Palestinian state during his upcoming meeting with President Obama in Washington, Israel’s defense minister said.

5.16.09 / AP

JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister said Saturday he believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will endorse the creation of a Palestinian state during his upcoming meeting with President Obama in Washington.

But sources close to the Israeli government told FOX News that Netanyahu will first seek assurances from Obama that neighboring Arab nations will back the weak Palestinian government of Mahmoud Abbas in concessions for peace.

Netanyahu’s government was encouraged by Vice President Joe Biden’s speech to the American Israel Political Affairs Committee in which he said one of the clear responsibilities the Arab states have is to support the Palestinian Authority’s effort to govern on the West Bank, “develop and reform its institutions, help the people of Gaza work toward returning to Gaza.”

The endorsement would be a significant shift for the Israeli leader, who has made clear in the past that he does not think the Palestinians are ready to rule themselves. But that position has put him at odds with long-standing U.S. policy that supports Palestinian statehood as the cornerstone of Mideast peace efforts.

“I think and believe that Netanyahu will tell Obama this government is prepared to go for a political process that will result in two nations living side by side in peace and mutual respect,” Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Channel 2 TV on Saturday.

Barak said he thought an agreement with the Palestinians could be achieved within three years.

But Palestinian independence hasn’t been the only contentious issue between Netanyahu and Israel’s closest and most important ally. The Obama administration’s efforts to open dialogue with Syria and Iran have also rattled the Israelis.

Netanyahu has hinted he would be prepared to take military action against Iran to stop it from developing nuclear weapons — something Vice President Biden has said would be “ill-advised.” Israeli and foreign media reported this week that CIA Director Leon Panetta secretly visited Israel earlier this month and asked for advance warning of any military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.

If the Israeli leader does endorse a Palestinian state, he will almost certainly want something in return from Obama — a tougher line on reining in Iran.

Netanyahu doesn’t believe Tehran’s claims that its nuclear program is peaceful and sees Iran as the crux of the Mideast’s problems, with its nuclear ambitions, military arsenal and anti-Israel proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He traveled to Egypt and Jordan this week to try to rally Arab support against Iran.

That approach is at odds with Washington’s, which sees movement toward Palestinian statehood as key to pressuring Tehran to keep its nuclear program peaceful.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pointedly made that linkage last month.

“For Israel to get the kind of strong support it is looking for vis-a-vis Iran, it can’t stay on the sidelines with respect to the Palestinians and the peace efforts,” she said.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II said earlier this month the U.S. was preparing a new “combined approach” to the Middle East that will aim for a comprehensive peace among Israelis, Palestinians and the broader Arab world based on a two-state solution.

Obama could lay out his vision in a June 4 speech on U.S. relations with the Muslim world that he plans to deliver from Egypt.

Even if Netanyahu pays lip service to a Palestinian state, it won’t be easy for his hawkish government to make the leap to sweeping concessions such as freezing Jewish settlement in the West Bank and sharing the holy city of Jerusalem.

Netanyahu has said the old formula of trading land for peace has been unsuccessful. He has suggested focusing instead on building up the Palestinian economy and security services loyal to moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

But Netanyahu has acknowledged neither track is a substitute for political negotiations. And on trips to Egypt and Jordan last week, he said he wanted to quickly renew talks with Palestinians that stalled last year without any breakthrough.

Aides say he favors giving Palestinians the powers to govern themselves but minus the powers that could threaten Israel — establishing an army, making treaties with states including Iran, importing heavy weapons, or controlling air space close to Israel’s international airport.

Meanwhile, the prospects for Netanyahu announcing in Washington a resumption of peace negotiations on the Syrian track seem dim. Last year, Turkey mediated indirect talks between the enemies. Syria halted them over the Gaza war.

On Friday, Syrian President Bashar Assad said his country was interested in resuming indirect talks but does not see the new Israeli government as a good partner. Syria is demanding Israel cede all the Golan Heights, territory captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war.

“When we have a specific vision and when there is a partner, then we can speak about a date to resume peace talks,” Assad said.

But just days ago, Netanyahu said Israel would not leave the Golan.

Afghan human rights groups concerned over likely US usage of white phosphorus

Afghan rights groups eye allegations of phosphorus use

5.10.09 / AP

KABUL (AP) — Doctors voiced concern over “unusual” burns on Afghan villagers wounded in an already controversial U.S.-Taliban battle, and the country’s top human rights groups said it is investigating the possibility white phosphorus was used.

The American military on Sunday denied using the incendiary in the battle in Farah province— which PresidentHamid Karzai has said killed 125 to 130 civilians — but left open the possibility that Taliban militants did. The U.S. says Taliban fighters have used white phosphorus, a spontaneously flammable material that leaves severe chemical burns on flesh, at least four times the last two years.

Using white phosphorus to illuminate a target or create smoke is considered legitimate under international law, but rights groups say its use over populated areas can indiscriminately burn civilians and constitutes a war crime.

Afghan doctors told The Associated Press they have treated at least 14 patients with severe burns the doctors have never seen before. The villagers were wounded during last Monday’s battle in Farah province.

Allegations that white phosphorus or another chemical may have been used threatens to deepen the controversy over what Afghan officials say could be the worst case of civilian deaths since the 2001 U.S. invasion that ousted the Taliban regime.

In Kabul on Sunday, hundreds of people marched near Kabul University to protest the U.S. military’s role in the deaths.

The incident in Farah drew the condemnation of Karzai, who called for an end to airstrikes. The U.S. has said militants kept villagers captive in hopes they would die in the fighting, creating a civilian casualties controversy.

However, President Barack Obama’s national security adviser said Sunday the United States would not end airstrikes. Retired Gen. James Jones refused to rule out any action because “we can’t fight with one hand tied behind our back.”

Along with Afghan and U.S. investigations into the battle, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission has been looking into concerns that white phosphorus may have been used after strange burns were reported. Nader Nadery, a commissioner in the leading rights organization, said more investigation was needed.

“Our teams have met with patients,” Nadery told AP. “They are investigating the cause of the injuries and the use of white phosphorus.”

White phosphorus is a spontaneously flammable material that can cause painful chemical burns. It is used to mark targets, create smoke screens or as a weapon, and can be delivered by shells, flares or hand grenades, according to GlobalSecurity.org.

Human rights groups denounce its use for the severe burns it causes, though it is not banned by any treaty to which the United States is a signatory.

The U.S. military used white phosphorus in the battle of Fallujah in Iraq in November 2004. Israel’s military used it in January against Hamas targets in Gaza.

Col. Greg Julian, the top U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan, said the U.S. did not use white phosphorus as a weapon in last week’s battle. The U.S. does use white phosphorous to illuminate the night sky, he said.

Julian noted that military officials believe that Taliban militants have used white phosphorus at least four times in Afghanistan in the past two years. “I don’t know if they (militants) had it out there or not, but it’s not out of the question,” he said.

A spokesman for the Taliban could not be reached for comment Sunday.

The U.S. military on Saturday said that Afghan doctors in Farah told American officials the injuries seen in wounded Afghans from two villages in the province’s Bala Baluk district could have resulted from hand grenades or exploding propane tanks.

Dr. Mohammad Aref Jalali, the head of the burn unit at the Herat Regional Hospital in western Afghanistan who has treated five patients wounded in the battle, described the burns as “unusual.”

“I think it’s the result of a chemical used in a bomb, but I’m not sure what kind of chemical. But if it was a result of a burning house — from petrol or gas cylinders — that kind of burn would look different,” he said.

Gul Ahmad Ayubi, the deputy head of Farah’s health department, said the province’s main hospital had received 14 patients after the battle, all with burn wounds. Five patients were sent to Herat.

“There has been other airstrikes in Farah in the past. We had injuries from those battles, but this is the first time we have seen such burns on the bodies. I’m not sure what kind of bomb it was,” he said.

U.N. human rights investigators have also seen “extensive” burn wounds on victims and have raised questions about how the injuries were caused, said a U.N. official who asked not to be identified talking about internal deliberations. The U.N. has reached no conclusions about whether any chemical weapons may have been used, the official said.

Afghan officials say up to 147 people may have died in the battle in Farah, though the U.S. says that number is exaggerated.

Taliban militants have increased their attacks the last three years as the country’s insurgency has turned increasingly bloody. President Obama is sending 21,000 additional U.S. troops to the country to bolster the record 38,000 American forces already in the country.

Pope stresses call for Palestinian state

Pope in Israel calls for Palestinian homeland

5.11.09 / Victor L. Simpson / AP

TEL AVIV, Israel — Pope Benedict XVI called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland immediately after he arrived in Israel Monday, a stance that could put him at odds with his hosts on a trip aimed at easing strains between the Vatican and Jews.

The pope also took on the delicate issue of the Holocaust, pledging to “honor the memory” of the 6 million Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide at the start of his five-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Benedict urged Israelis and Palestinians to “explore every possible avenue” to resolve their differences in remarks at the airport after he landed.

“The hopes of countless men, women and children for a more secure and stable future depend on the outcome of negotiations for peace,” he said. “In union with people of goodwill everywhere, I plead with all those responsible to explore every possible avenue in the search for a just resolution of the outstanding difficulties, so that both peoples may live in peace in a homeland of their own within secure and internationally recognized borders.”

While Benedict’s support for a Palestinian homeland alongside Israel is widely shared by the international community, including the United States, it was noteworthy that he made the call in his first public appearance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the hard-line Likud Party, has pointedly refused to endorse the two-state solution since his election. But he is expected to come under pressure to do so when he travels to Washington next week.

The pope has tried to improve interfaith relations throughout his four-year papacy. But Benedict has had to tread carefully on his Middle East visit after coming under sharp criticism from both Muslims and Jews for past statements. He is hoping his weeklong trip to the Holy Land, which began with three days in neighboring Jordan, will improve interfaith ties.

Benedict angered many in the Muslim world three years ago when he quoted a Medieval text that characterized some of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad’s teachings as “evil and inhuman,” particularly “his command to spread by the sword the faith. He later expressed regret that his comments offended Muslims.

The Vatican has also come under widespread criticism over the years for not doing enough to stop the genocide — a charge it rejects. And the German-born pope himself has faced questions for his involvement in the Hitler Youth corps during the war. Benedict says he was coerced. The pope also outraged Jews earlier this year when he revoked the excommunication of an ultraconservative bishop who denies the Holocaust.

Later Monday, Benedict is scheduled to lay a wreath at Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.

“It is right and fitting that, during my stay in Israel, I will have the opportunity to honor the memory of the 6 million Jewish victims of the shoah,” he said, using the Hebrew word for the Holocaust. He said he would “pray that humanity will never again witness a crime of such magnitude.”

Dignitaries and religious leaders greeted the pontiff at a red-carpet ceremony at the Tel Aviv airport. Yellow and white Vatican flags fluttered alongside blue and white Israeli banners as an honor guard played in the background.

The pope smiled as he walked along the carpet, flanked by Israeli President Shimon Peres on one side and Netanyahu on the other. Other political leaders, along with black-robed Christian clergymen and Muslim religious leaders, stood in line to shake his hand.

“Your visit here brings a blessed understanding between religions and spreads peace near and far. Historic Israel and the renewed Israel together welcome your arrival as paving the great road to peace,” Peres said.

The pope plans to visit holy sites in both Israel and the Palestinian territories. He also will try to draw attention to the shrinking Christian community in the Holy Land.

In Jordan, he said he had a “deep respect” for Islam and toured the country’s largest mosque, where he did not pray but had a moment of reflection.

Before heading to Israel, Benedict urged Christians and Muslims at a farewell ceremony in Jordan to work for religious tolerance. He said his visit to a Jordan’s largest mosque was one of the highlights so far of his first Middle East pilgrimage.

“I would like to encourage all Jordanians, whether Christian or Muslim to build on the firm foundations of religious tolerance that enable the members of different communities to live together in peace and mutual respect,” Benedict said.

During his three days in Jordan, the pope said he hoped the Catholic Church could be a force for peace in the region.

So-called top Taliban leader now claims responsibility for New York shootings

Taliban claim responsibility for NY attack

4.4.09 / Press TV

A top Taliban leader has claimed responsibility for a shooting rampage outside a US civic center in New York that left fourteen people dead.

“I accept responsibility. They were my men. I gave them orders in reaction to US drone attacks,” Pakistani Taliban leader Baituallah Mehsud told a news channel by phone from an undisclosed location.

According to Mehsud, a Pakistani national carried out the attack along with another unidentified man, warning that such attacks would continue.

“Such attacks will continue. It was revenge to US drone attacks (in Pakistan) and brutalities in Palestine,” he said.

Apparently, the gunman took around 20 to 40 people hostage before starting the shooting.

According to conflicting television and newspapers reports, several hours after the gunman entered the building, police brought out two men with their hands tied behind their backs.

Figures released by the police indicate that 14 people, including one of the gunmen, were killed during the Friday shooting at the civic association building in Binghamton.

Police say four people are critically wounded and 37 others have been safely escorted out.

This is while the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) ruled out Taliban’s role in the shooting, saying that “Based on the evidence, we can firmly discount that claim.”

Key Taliban member threatens attack on Washington DC

Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud threatens attack on Washington

4.1.09 / Nasir Jeffry / AFP

PAKISTAN’S most wanted militant has claimed responsibility for a deadly police academy assault and threatened to attack the US capital in retaliation for a series of air strikes.

Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, for whom the United States has posted a $US5 million ($7.36 million) reward, said there would be more attacks after Monday’s raid on the Lahore police training school which left 12 people dead.

“We claim responsibility for the attack,” Mehsud, blamed for the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.

“This was in retaliation for the ongoing drone attacks in the tribal areas. There will be more such attacks.”

“Very soon we will take revenge from America, not in Afghanistan, but in Washington, which will amaze the entire world,” Mehsud warned.

Seven cadets, a civilian and four attackers died in Monday’s raid on the police academy in eastern city Lahore, sparking fears that unrest is seeping out of the tribal badlands and into the heart of Pakistan.

Assailants armed with guns, grenades and suicide vests shot their way into the academy in the morning, unleashing eight hours of gun battles until they were overpowered by security forces.

Mehsud, who was accused by the former government of masterminding Bhutto’s killing, heads the feared Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The US State Department has branded him a “key al-Qaeda facilitator” in the semi-autonomous South Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan.

Mehsud said he had set up a council of mujahedeen (holy warriors) grouping different groups “to step up attacks on US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.”

He dismissed the US reward for his arrest.

“The maximum they can do is martyr me,” he said. “We will exact our revenge on them from inside America.”

Mehsud’s group is influential in both North and South Waziristan, as well as in the Bajaur tribal district to the north, which Pakistani security forces said they had effectively cleared last month following a major offensive.

He commands thousands of fighters across the tribal areas on the Afghan border, although official estimates vary on the precise number. His capacity for launching attacks outside the region is questionable.

At least 35 US drone strikes have killed over 340 people in Pakistan since August last year.

The US military does not usually confirm such attacks, but its armed forces and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operating in Afghanistan are the only ones to deploy drones in the region.

In Lahore, interrogators questioned dozens of people over the assault. Punjab province’s police chief Khalid Farooq said 50 had been picked up.

“These people will now be interrogated,” he added. “Things are moving in a positive direction but it is too early to say who was involved.”

A bearded man – who interior ministry chief Rehman Malik said was Afghan – was arrested for allegedly trying to attack police outside the compound.

Chief suspects for the attack are homegrown Islamist groups or Taliban and al-Qaeda militants holed up in the tribal areas.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking at an international conference on Afghanistan Tuesday, backed plans for reconciliation talks with members of the Taliban or past al-Qaeda supporters who reject violence.

“They should be offered an honourable form of reconciliation and reintegration into a peaceful society if they are willing to abandon violence, break with al-Qaeda and support the constitution,” she said.

Lahore was also the setting for the March 3 gun attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket team which left eight Pakistanis dead.