In a substantial victory for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, a major German rail transportation company — Deutsche Bahn, or DB — has pulled out of the $550 million illegal A1 train project, which is designed to connect Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Read more about BDS VICTORY: German company pulls out of illegal Israeli railway project
Despite the euphoria surrounding the recent signing in Cairo of the groundbreaking unity accord between Palestinian rivals Fatah and Hamas, ending their four-year feud, numerous obstacles remain which could impinge on the implementation of a unity government. Read more about Uncertain road ahead for Fatah-Hamas pact
The US government has frozen the bank accounts belonging to Hatem Abudayyeh, a Palestinian community organizer and director of a social service organization serving the Arab community in Chicago, and his wife, Naima. Read more about US freezes Chicago Palestinian leader's bank accounts
In an oped for Al Jazeera English today, The Electronic Intifada’s Ali Abunimah takes a deeper look at the “reconciliation” deal signed by Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah in Cairo last week and argues that contrary to the hopes of many Palestinians it may be a dead end: Read more about EI's Ali Abunimah on "reconciliation" deal in Al Jazeera English
Amnesty International released an urgent action alert on Friday following Israel’s imposition on an administrative detention order on Palestinian writer and activist Ahmad Qatamesh. Amnesty writes:
Palestinian academic and writer Ahmad Qatamesh is being held as an administrative detainee, which allows the Israeli authorities to detain him indefinitely without charge and denies him any real opportunity to challenge the detention order. Read more about Amnesty International: Ahmad Qatamesh a prisoner of conscience
Killing Osama Bin Laden might have been sweet revenge and given a boost to President Obama’s re-election chances. But the US’ disregard for the consequences its actions have recalls the Palestinian example to mind. Read more about Bin Laden and the Palestinians
A year ago today, Palestinian civil society leader Ameer Makhoul, an Israeli citizen, was arrested from his Haifa home after it was raided by Israeli forces. Makhoul, the coordinator of Ittijah, the Union of Arab Community Associations and an advocate of boycott, divestment and sanctions, warned The Electronic Intifada in January of 2010 that Israel was increasingly persecuting the Palestinian community in Israel, attempting to cut the community off from the rest of the Palestinian national movement. “Israel uses its legal system and its laws on citizenship and loyalty to the Jewish state to achieve this,” Makhoul said. Read more about Palestinian civil society leader Ameer Makhoul arrested one year ago today