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2014

2014

Media Release: Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP - "Israel and West Bank Land"

15 September 2014 in 2014

The Israeli Government must reverse its decision to claim almost 400 hectares of

land in the West Bank.



Ten days ago, Labor called on the Israeli Government to explain its actions.



Subsequent reports indicate the land may be used to expand Israeli settlements in

the area.



Unilateral action like this, by any party, only undermines the peace process and the

prospect of successfully negotiating a two-state solution

Israel’s Unit 8200 refuseniks: ‘you can’t run from responsibility’

15 September 2014 in 2014

Three signatories of the Israeli military intelligence refusenik letter agreed to be interviewed by the Guardian to discuss what motivated their concerns. They are all members of Unit 8200 – known in Hebrew as Yehida Shmoneh-Matayim – Israel’s largest signals intelligence gathering unit, active both abroad and in the Palestinian territories.

All three are now on the active reserve list and have said they will not do reserve service relating to the occupied Palestinian territories. Of the three, “A”, aged 32, and Nadav, 26, are sergeants, while “D”, 29, is a captain.

Cinderella’ Palestinian soccer team still hoping for fairy-tale ending

15 September 2014 in 2014

MANILA, Philippines – The Palestinian soccer team was the Cinderella story of the sporting world following its against-the-odds victory in theAsian Football Confederation’s Challenge Cup in May. It wasn’t just that it won its first ever international piece of silverware. Or that it did so without conceding a goal in all five matches in The Maldives.
No, the victory on May 31 earned the Palestinians the 16th and final berth to compete in the Asian Cup – the continent’s biggest soccer tournament – in Australia next January.

Sports pays a price in Israeli bombing of Gaza

09 September 2014 in 2014

Israel's 51-days of relentless attacks against the Gaza Strip damaged sporting activities in the besieged enclave as well, but the Palestinian national football team carries on.

During the 51 days of relentless Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, 32 sportsmen lost their lives and numerous sports facilities were damaged

Israel refuses to share New Zealand ambassador with Palestinian Authority

09 September 2014 in 2014

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has refused to allow New Zealand’s new ambassador to Israel to present his credentials to President Reuven Rivlin this week, because he was also to be accredited to the Palestinian Authority. Israel’s objections led the ambassador to cancel his planned trip and are threatening to create a diplomatic crisis with the Commonwealth country.

Israel: Reverse Illegal Plans for West Bank

08 September 2014 in 2014

Israel should immediately reverse its illegal appropriation of a large swath of land in the occupied West Bank south of Jerusalem, Human Rights Watch said today. The appropriation, announced on September 1, 2014, paves the way for substantial settlement construction near the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Transferring civilian settlers into occupied territory would amount to a war crime.

Palestinian Leaders Seek Actions in Security Council and Court

04 September 2014 in 2014

UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s 50-day war with Palestinian militants in Gaza was a “game changer” that persuaded the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to shelve the already moribund American-sponsored peace talks and decide to join the International Criminal Court, even if that meant defying the United States, a senior Palestinian leader said Tuesday.

“Because enough is enough, and what has the U.S. done for us?” Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in an interview during a visit to the United Nations.

NZ deeply concerned at West Bank land appropriation

03 September 2014 in 2014

Foreign Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand is deeply concerned at the announcement by Israel’s Civil Administration Authority that they will appropriate 400 hectares of privately owned Palestinian land near Bethlehem for Israeli settlements.

“Israel’s settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem undermine efforts to negotiate a final status agreement with the Palestinians based on a two state solution,” Mr McCully says.

Israel's Colonization in Western Bethlehem and Its Policy of Destroying the Prospects for Peace

02 September 2014 in 2014

The Israeli leadership’s recent, criminal decision to expropriate more than 3000 dunums (almost 1000 acres) of Palestinian land, represents the largest Israeli land grab in the Occupied State of Palestine in three decades. The leadership intends to build a new settlement-city called Gvaot on the lands of five Palestinian villages in Western Bethlehem, known by Israel as the “Gush Etzion bloc”, an occupied area that Israel aims to illegally annex

Dr. Ashrawi: The Israeli settlements in the West Bank are a perpetuation of Israel’s war crimes

01 September 2014 in 2014

PLO Executive Committee member, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, strongly denounced Israel’s announcement to confiscate 1,000 acres (3,811 dunams) of Palestinian land from the towns of Surif, Husan, al-Jabaa and Bethlehem and said:

“Today’s announcement clearly represents Israel’s deliberate intent to wipe out any Palestinian presence on the land and to willfully impose a de facto one-state solution.”

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