Far-right joins Israel coalition

Details

Written by BBC News BBC News

Published: 30 October 2006 30 October 2006

Hits: 7317 7317

The Israeli cabinet has approved the addition of an ultra-nationalist party into the governing coalition.

Israeli Arabs have also condemned the plan. Yisrael Beitenu advocates the transfer of some Arab towns out of the state of Israel.

Its leader, Mr Lieberman, has also accused some Israeli Arabs of treason for speaking to the Palestinian militant group, Hamas.

Speaking of the move last week, Azmi Bishara, an Israeli Arab member of the parliament, said: "Israel can't pride itself for being the sole democracy in the Middle East and take in someone so radical [as Mr Lieberman]."

Read more: Far-right joins Israel coalition

World silent as fascists join Israel government

Details

Written by Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada

Published: 27 October 2006 27 October 2006

Hits: 7382 7382

In a frightening but long expected move, Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has brought the Yisrael Beitenu party into his coalition government. The party's leader, Avigdor Lieberman, is to be vice prime minister and, as "Minister for Strategic Threats," a key member of Israel's "security cabinet" in charge of the Iran portfolio.

Yisrael Beitenu is a dangerous extremist party with fascist tendencies that has openly advocated the "transfer" of Palestinians, including the transfer of Arab towns within Israel to a Bantustan-like future Palestinian entity. It has made clear that a Jewish supremacist state is more important than a democratic one. The party, whose strongest base is among Russian immigrants brought to Israel in the 1990s, surged at the Israeli election earlier this year, taking eleven seats in Israel's 120 seat Knesset.

"I would not hesitate to send the Israeli army into all of Area A for 48 hours. Destroy the foundation of all the [Palestinian] authority's military infrastructure, all of the police buildings, the arsenals, all the posts of the security forces... not leave one stone on another. Destroy everything." -Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's new "Minister for Strategic Threats"

Read more: World silent as fascists join Israel government

Third Intifada coming

Details

Written by Khaled Amayreh, Al-Ahram Weekly Online Khaled Amayreh, Al-Ahram Weekly Online

Published: 27 October 2006 27 October 2006

Hits: 7597 7597

Israel appears sure that increasing aggression against the Palestinians will lead them to internal collapse whereas it is more certain to lead to a new national uprising, reports Khaled Amayreh


While Western and even some Arab media continue referring to the daily killing by Israel of Palestinian civilians, activists and militants as "clashes", the Israeli occupation army has intensified its brutal onslaught against Palestinian population centres both in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Read more: Third Intifada coming

A deadly scandal continues in Gaza

Details

Written by Patrick Seale Patrick Seale

Published: 27 October 2006 27 October 2006

Hits: 7506 7506

With the world's attention focused on the unfolding disaster in Iraq, on the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and on how to how to moderate Iran's nuclear ambitions - three problems for which no credible solutions have yet been proposed - the Palestinians continue to bleed, starve and suffer unimaginable humiliations and hardships under Israel's pitiless rule.

Read more: A deadly scandal continues in Gaza